bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perception of body size and body dissatisfaction in adults
Authors: Gruszka Wojciech , Owczarek Aleksander J. , Glinianowicz Mateusz , Bąk-Sosnowska Monika , Chudek Jerzy , Olszanecka-Glinianowicz Magdalena
Published: January 2022

Self-perception of body size seems to be not always in line with clinical definitions of normal weight, overweight and obesity according to Word Health Organization classification. The effect of self-perception of body size disturbances and body dissatisfaction may be the development of eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa or binge eating disorder—a major risk factor of obesity development. Therefore, the study aimed to assess separately the perception of weight status and body size as well as body dissatisfaction in adults with normal weight, overweight and obesity. The study included 744 adults (452 women; 35.9 ± 12.4 years; 21 underweight, 326 normal weight, 221 overweight, 176 obese) referred to Metabolic Management Center and volunteers. Body size perception and body dissatisfaction were assessed based on Stunkards’ Figure Rating Scale (FRS). Additionally, participants’ were asked: ‘Do you think you are: underweight/normal weight/overweight/obese?’ to assess perception of weight status. Participants’ weight and height were measured to calculate body mass index (BMI) after completing the FRS. Individuals within the overweight BMI range have rated themselves as underweight (1.4%), normal weight (30.8%) and obese (2.8%). Also individuals within the obesity BMI range have rated themselves as normal weight (2.6%), and overweight (41.6%). Compatibility of self-assessment of weight status with BMI category according to the measured values was moderate—Kappa coefficient was 0.59 (95% CI: 0.54–0.64). Underestimation of weight status was significantly more common among men than women. There were statistically significant differences in the distribution of body dissatisfaction according to the weight in both women and men. Normal-weight subjects less often than overweight and obese were dissatisfied with their own body size. The degree of body dissatisfaction was greater among women than among men. Adults subjects frequently underestimate their own weight status and body size. Women with overweight and obesity more often than men are dissatisfied with their own body size.
Noncanonical function of the Sex lethal gene controls the protogyny phenotype in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Seong Ki-Hyeon , Kang Siu
Published: January 2022

Drosophila melanogaster females eclose on average 4 h faster than males owing to sexual differences in the pupal period, referred to as the protogyny phenotype. Here, to elucidate the mechanism underlying the protogyny phenotype, we used our newly developed Drosophila Individual Activity Monitoring and Detecting System (DIAMonDS) that detects the precise timing of both pupariation and eclosion in individual flies. Although sex transformation induced by tra-2, tra alteration, or msl-2 knockdown-mediated disruption of dosage compensation showed no effect on the protogyny phenotype, stage-specific whole-body knockdown and mutation of the Drosophila master sex switch gene, Sxl, was found to disrupt the protogyny phenotype. Thus, Sxl establishes the protogyny phenotype through a noncanonical pathway in D. melanogaster.
Research on the critical technique of synchronous rotation construction with large angle for T-shape curve rigid frame bridge
Authors: Shao Junhu , Duan Mengjun , Yang Wei , Li YongZhen
Published: January 2022

The superstructure rotation method (SRM) has been widely used in recent years due to its rapid construction, low cost and less impact on existing traffic.This paper focuses on construction method and the key parameters related with large angle synchronous rotation construction of T-shape curved rigid frame bridges, taking two bridges of the Wuyi Expressway over the Chengdu-Kunming Railway as the engineering background.The results show that the construction methods used in this project can accomplish the realization of complexed synchronous rotation execution of T-shape curve rigid frame bridge. The construction methods consist of the installation process of ball joint, the design of traction system, accuracy control method and rotation control strategy.The friction coefficients from practical measurements were compared with the analytical ones from existing formulas, and it shows that the calculation method can give good predictions for the friction coefficients at the SRM of curve rigid frame bridge.Finally, the key technologies and determination of key parameters applicable for large angle synchronous rotation construction of curve T-shape rigid frame bridge are summarized. Furthermore, the research results in this paper can provide technical recommendation for the construction of the similar bridges.
Toxicological assessment of nanocrystalline metal alloys with potential applications in the aeronautical field
Authors: Rumbo Carlos , Bianchin Alvise , Locci Antonio Mario , Barros Rocío , Martel Martín Sonia , Tamayo-Ramos Juan Antonio
Published: January 2022

The development of new candidate alloys with outstanding characteristics for their use in the aeronautical field is one of the main priorities for the sector. In this context, nanocrystaline (nc) alloys are considered relevant materials due to their special features, such as their exceptional physical and mechanical properties. However, another important point that needs to be considered with newly developed alloys is the potential toxicological impact that these materials may have in humans and other living organisms. The aim of this work was to perform a preliminary toxicological evaluation of three nc metal alloys (WCu, WAl and TiAl) in powder form produced by mechanical alloying, applying different in vitro assays, including a mix of W-Cu powders with standard grain size in the experiments to stablish comparisons. The effects of the direct exposure to powder suspensions and/or to their derived leachates were analysed in three model organisms representative of human and environmental exposures (the adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cell line A549, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the Gram negative bacterium Vibrio fischeri). Altogether, the results obtained provide new insights about the potential harmful effects of the selected nc alloys, showing that, from a toxicological perspective, nc TiAl is the safest candidate in the model organisms and conditions tested.
Bile acids attenuate PKM2 pathway activation in proinflammatory microglia
Authors: Romero-Ramírez Lorenzo , García-Rama Concepción , Wu Siyu , Mey Jörg
Published: January 2022

Glycolysis is the metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate. Central nervous system (CNS) pathologies, such as spinal cord injury (SCI) and ischemia, are accompanied by an increase of the glycolytic pathway in the damaged areas as part of the inflammatory response. Pyruvate kinase is a key glycolytic enzyme that converts phosphoenolpyruvate and ADP to pyruvate and ATP. The protein has two isoforms, PKM1 and PKM2, originated from the same gene. As a homodimer, PKM2 loses the pyruvate kinase activity and acts as a transcription factor that regulates the expression of target genes involved in glycolysis and inflammation. After SCI, resident microglia and hematogenous macrophages are key inducers of the inflammatory response with deleterious effects. Activation of the bile acid receptor TGR5 inhibits the pro-inflammatory NFκB pathway in microglia and macrophages. In the present study we have investigated whether bile acids affect the expression of glycolytic enzymes and their regulation by PKM2. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced the expression of PKM1, PKM2 and its target genes in primary cultures of microglial and Raw264.7 macrophage cells. SCI caused an increase of PKM2 immunoreactivity in macrophages after SCI. Pretreatment with tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) or taurolithocholic acid (TLCA) reduced the expression of PKM2 and its target genes in cell cultures. Similarly, after SCI, TUDCA treatment reduced the expression of PKM2 in the lesion center. These results confirm the importance of PKM2 in the inflammatory response in CNS pathologies and indicate a new mechanism of bile acids as regulators of PKM2 pathway.
A new hyperspectral image classification method based on spatial-spectral features
Authors: Shenming Qu , Xiang Li , Zhihua Gan
Published: January 2022

In recent years, more and more deep learning frameworks are being applied to hyperspectral image classification tasks and have achieved great results. However, the existing network models have higher model complexity and require more time consumption. Traditional hyperspectral image classification methods tend to ignore the correlation between local spatial features. In this paper, a new hyperspectral image classification method is proposed, which combines two-dimensional Gabor filter with random patch convolution (GRPC) feature extraction to obtain spatial-spectral feature information. The method firstly performs dimensionality reduction through principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis and extracts the edge texture and spatial information of the image using a Gabor filter for the reduced-dimensional image. Next, the extracted information is convolved with random patches to extract spectral features. Finally, the spatial features and multi-level spectral features are fused to classify the images using the Support Vector Machine classifier. In order to verify the performance of this method, experiments were conducted on three widely used datasets of Indian Pines, Pavia University and Kennedy Space Center. The overall classification accuracy reached 98.09%, 99.64% and 96.53%, which are all higher than other comparison methods. The experimental results reveal the superiority of the proposed method in classification accuracy.
Trends in hepatocellular carcinoma incident cases in Japan between 1996 and 2019
Authors: Nakano Masahito , Yatsuhashi Hiroshi , Bekki Shigemune , Takami Yuko , Tanaka Yasuhito , Yoshimaru Yoko , Honda Koichi , Komorizono Yasuji , Harada Masaru , Shibata Michihiko , Sakisaka Shotaro , Shakado Satoshi , Nagata Kenji , Yoshizumi Tomoharu , Itoh Shinji , Sohda Tetsuro , Oeda Satoshi , Nakao Kazuhiko , Sasaki Ryu , Yamashita Tsutomu , Ido Akio , Mawatari Seiichi , Nakamuta Makoto , Aratake Yoshifusa , Matsumoto Shuichi , Maeshiro Tatsuji , Goto Takashi , Torimura Takuji
Published: January 2022

We examined the epidemiological trends, including the distribution of sex, age, and disease etiology, in HCC incident cases, over 24 years. Data of 20,547 HCC patients (1996–2019) were analyzed in this prospective study. We divided the study period into four 6-yearly quarters. HCC etiology was categorized as hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, HBV + hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, HCV infection, and both negative (non-BC). The incident cases of HCC per quarter of the study period were 4311 (21.0%), 5505 (26.8%), 5776 (28.1%), and 4955 (24.1%), sequentially. Overall, 14,020 (68.2%) patients were male. The number of HCC cases in patients < 60 years, 60–69 years, 70–79 years, and ≥ 80 years were 3711 (18.1%), 6652 (32.4%), 7448 (36.2%), and 2736 (13.3%), respectively. The average age of newly-diagnosed patients increased in each quarter. HCC was associated with HBV, HBV + HCV, and HCV infections and non-BC in 2997 (14.6%), 187 (0.9%), and 12,019 (58.5%), and 5344 (26.0%) cases, respectively. The number of HCV-associated cases decreased in each quarter, while that of non-BC-associated cases increased. HCC incident cases tend to increase in the elderly and in non-BC patients; in contrast, HCC incident cases due to HCV tend to decrease.
Characteristics and nutritional value of silkworm (Bombyx mori) pupae-fortified chicken bread spread
Authors: Karnjanapratum Supatra , Kaewthong Pensiri , Indriani Sylvia , Petsong Kantiya , Takeungwongtrakul Sirima
Published: January 2022

This study aimed to apply silkworm pupae (SP) to food product development. The characteristics and sensory acceptance of chicken bread spread fortified with SP at different levels (0%; SP0, 25%; SP25, 50%; SP50, and 75%; SP75) were evaluated. The fat content of the bread spread was significantly increased, whereas the protein content was decreased with increasing levels of SP (p ≤ 0.05). The increased level of SP resulted in the final products being dark in color, as indicated by the significant decrease in L* and the significant increase in a* and b* (p ≤ 0.05). SP50 was accepted by the consumer. Thereafter, the characteristics and sensory acceptance of SP50 with different levels of coconut oil (CO) (100%; SP50-100, 70%; SP50-70, 40%; SP50-40, and 10%; SP50-10 of CO content in the control sample) were studied. The firmness and stickiness increased, whereas TEF decreased with decreasing CO levels, which was related to the decreased spreadability of SP50. SP50-40 obtained satisfactory sensory properties by the consumer. The energy value for SP50-40 was within the normal range for bread spread products. Therefore, SP could be a source of fat and protein for the production of an alternative food product to increase the added value of edible insects.
Prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma using age and liver stiffness on transient elastography after hepatitis C virus eradication
Authors: Nakai Masato , Yamamoto Yoshiya , Baba Masaru , Suda Goki , Kubo Akinori , Tokuchi Yoshimasa , Kitagataya Takashi , Yamada Ren , Shigesawa Taku , Suzuki Kazuharu , Nakamura Akihisa , Sho Takuya , Morikawa Kenichi , Ogawa Koji , Furuya Ken , Sakamoto Naoya
Published: January 2022

Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) is a useful tool for assessing advanced liver fibrosis, an important risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following hepatitis C (HCV) eradication. This study aimed to clarify the non-invasive factors associated with HCC following sustained virological response (SVR) and to identify the low-risk group. 567 patients without history of HCC who achieved SVR at 24 weeks (SVR24) after IFN-free treatment were retrospectively analyzed. The cumulative incidence of HCC and the risk factors were examined using pre-treatment and SVR24 data. The median observation period was 50.2 months. Thirty cases of HCC were observed, and the 4-year cumulative incidence of HCC was 5.9%. In multivariate analysis, significant pre-treatment factors were age ≥ 71 years (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.402) and LSM ≥ 9.2 kPa (HR: 6.328); SVR24 factors were age ≥ 71 years (HR: 2.689) and LSM ≥ 8.4 kPa (HR: 6.642). In cases with age < 71 years and LSM < 8.4 kPa at the time of SVR24, the 4-year cumulative incidence of HCC was as low as 1.1%. Both pre-treatment LSM (≥ 9.2 kPa) and SVR24 LSM (≥ 8.4 kPa) and age (≥ 71 years) are useful in predicting the risk of HCC after SVR with IFN-free treatment. Identification of low-risk individuals may improve the efficiency of follow-up.
High myosin binding protein H expression predicts poor prognosis in glioma patients
Authors: Zhang Jianfei , Guo Qianqiao , Zhang Guoxiang , Cao Xuemei , Chen Wei , Li Yong , Guan Minwu , Yu Jianjun , Wang Xindong , Yan Yujin
Published: January 2022

Glioma is the most common and fatal primary brain tumor in humans. Myosin binding protein H (MYBPH), which was first identified as an important myofibrillar constituent of vertebrate skeletal and cardiac muscles, reduces cell motility and metastasis. However, its role in gliomas remains unclear. We evaluated the expression of MYBPH in glioma using Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (http://gepia.cancer-pku.cn/) and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (https://www.cgga.org.cn/). The results showed that MYBPH was highly expressed in glioma tissues. Moreover, MYBPH expression was significantly associated with high tumor aggressiveness and poor outcomes in glioma patients. Mechanistically, the results suggested that MYBPH might promote tumor progression by improving tumor invasion and migration. Our results establish MYBPH as an important prognostic biomarker that could be considered a potential epigenetic and immunotherapeutic target for treatment. We showed that MYBPH is a novel biomarker that is variably expressed in glioblastoma (GBM). The association of high MYBPH expression with poor prognosis in newly diagnosed GBM patients and increased expression in recurrent GBM is indicative of its role in tumor aggressiveness.
The influence of smoke density on hearth location and activity areas at Lower Paleolithic Lazaret Cave, France
Authors: Kedar Yafit , Kedar Gil , Barkai Ran
Published: January 2022

We analyze the influence of hearth location and smoke dispersal on potential activity areas at Lower Paleolithic Lazaret Cave, France, focusing on archaeostratigraphic unit UA25, where a single hearth was unearthed, and GIS and activity area analysis were performed by the excavators. We simulated smoke dispersal from 16 hypothetical hearth locations and analyzed their effect on potential working spaces. Four activity zones were defined, according to the average smoke exposure recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We found that the size of the low smoke density area and its distance from the hearth are the main parameters for choosing hearth location. The simulation results show an optimal hearth location zone of about 5 × 5m2, and it is precisely in this zone that the Lower Paleolithic humans of Lazaret Cave placed their hearth. We demonstrate that the optimal hearth location zone correlates not only with the archaeological hearth in UA25 but also with the locations of hearths in other layers. In addition, our smoke density analysis confirmed the detailed GIS and activity area reconstruction conducted by the excavators, strongly reinforcing their interpretation regarding the spatial organization of human behavior at Lazaret Cave.
Effects of sound source localization of masking sound on perception level of simulated tinnitus
Authors: Kubota Yamato , Takahashi Kuniyuki , Nonomura Yoriko , Yamagishi Tatsuya , Ohshima Shinsuke , Izumi Shuji , Morita Yuka , Aizawa Naotaka , Horii Arata
Published: January 2022

Tinnitus therapies have been combined with the use of varieties of sound/noise. For masking external sounds, location of the masker in space is important; however, effects of the spatial location of the masker on tinnitus are less understood. We aimed to test whether a masking sound location would affect the perception level of simulated tinnitus. The 4 kHz simulated tinnitus was induced in the right ear of healthy volunteers through an open-type earphone. White noise was presented to the right ear using a single-sided headphone or a speaker positioned on the right side at a distance of 1.8 m for masking the simulated tinnitus. In other sessions, monaurally recorded noise localized within the head (inside-head noise) or binaurally recorded noise localized outside the head (outside-head noise) was separately presented from a dual-sided headphone. The noise presented from a distant speaker and the outside-head noise masked the simulated tinnitus in 71.1% and 77.1% of measurements at a lower intensity compared to the noise beside the ear and the inside-head noise, respectively. In conclusion, spatial information regarding the masking noise may play a role in reducing the perception level of simulated tinnitus. Binaurally recorded sounds may be beneficial for an acoustic therapy of tinnitus.
Exogenous fatty acids affect membrane properties and cold adaptation of Listeria monocytogenes
Authors: Flegler Alexander , Iswara Janice , Mänz Anna Tatjana , Schocke Frieda Sophia , Faßbender Wanda Antonia , Hölzl Georg , Lipski André
Published: January 2022

Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen that can grow at very low temperatures close to the freezing point of food and other matrices. Maintaining cytoplasmic membrane fluidity by changing its lipid composition is indispensable for growth at low temperatures. Its dominant adaptation is to shorten the fatty acid chain length and, in some strains, increase in addition the menaquinone content. To date, incorporation of exogenous fatty acid was not reported for Listeria monocytogenes. In this study, the membrane fluidity grown under low-temperature conditions was affected by exogenous fatty acids incorporated into the membrane phospholipids of the bacterium. Listeria monocytogenes incorporated exogenous fatty acids due to their availability irrespective of their melting points. Incorporation was demonstrated by supplementation of the growth medium with polysorbate 60, polysorbate 80, and food lipid extracts, resulting in a corresponding modification of the membrane fatty acid profile. Incorporated exogenous fatty acids had a clear impact on the fitness of the Listeria monocytogenes strains, which was demonstrated by analyses of the membrane fluidity, resistance to freeze-thaw stress, and growth rates. The fatty acid content of the growth medium or the food matrix affects the membrane fluidity and thus proliferation and persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in food under low-temperature conditions.
Abnormal data detection of guidance angle based on SMP-SVDD for seeker
Authors: Liang Chao , Cui Dedong , Yan Zhengang , Zhang Xiangyu , Luo Qiang , Hu Jiang , He Xuan
Published: January 2022

The accuracy of the pitch angle deviation directly affects the guidance accuracy of the laser seeker. During the guidance process, the abnormal pitch angle deviation data will be produced when the seeker is affected by interference sources. In this paper, a new abnormal data detection method based on Smooth Multi-Kernel Polarization Support Vector Data Description (SMP-SVDD) is proposed. In the proposed method, the polarization value is used to determine the weight of the multi-kernel combination coefficient to obtain the multi-kernel polarization function, in which the particle swarm optimization is used to find the optimal kernels for higher detection accuracy. Besides, by using smoothing mechanism, the constrained quadratic programming problem is translated to be smooth and differentiable. Then, this problem can be solved by the conjugate gradient method, which could reduce the computational complexity. In experimental section, abundant simulation experiments were designed and the experimental results verify that the proposed SMP-SVDD method could achieve higher detection accuracy and low computational cost compared with different detection methods in different guidance stages.
Analysis of mRNA-derived siRNAs in mutants of mRNA maturation and surveillance pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Krzyszton Michal , Kufel Joanna
Published: January 2022

Defects in RNA maturation and RNA decay factors may generate substrates for the RNA interference machinery. This phenomenon was observed in plants where mutations in some RNA-related factors lead to the production of RNA-quality control small interfering RNAs and several mutants show enhanced silencing of reporter transgenes. To assess the potential of RNAi activation on endogenous transcripts, we sequenced small RNAs from a set of Arabidopsis thaliana mutants with defects in various RNA metabolism pathways. We observed a global production of siRNAs caused by inefficient pre-mRNA cleavage and polyadenylation leading to read-through transcription into downstream antisense genes. In addition, in the lsm1a lsm1b double mutant, we identified NIA1, SMXL5, and several miRNA-targeted mRNAs as producing siRNAs, a group of transcripts suggested being especially sensitive to deficiencies in RNA metabolism. However, in most cases, RNA metabolism perturbations do not lead to the widespread production of siRNA derived from mRNA molecules. This observation is contrary to multiple studies based on reporter transgenes and suggests that only a very high accumulation of defective mRNA species caused by specific mutations or substantial RNA processing defects trigger RNAi pathways.
Free surface aeration and development dependence in chute flows
Authors: Wei Wangru , Deng Jun
Published: January 2022

The microscopic description of the mixture behaviour of air–water flow remains a challenge. It is not clear how to represent a complex two-phase interaction with the turbulent air–water structure development process. In this study, based on the air–water mixing fluctuation properties in self-aerated chute flows, a prediction model of air concentration distribution related to a theoretical transition depth is developed. The air–water turbulent mixing analysis reveals that the mixture flow depth, at which the local air concentration is 0.5, represents the interior transition boundary. The agreement of the calculated results with the test data confirms that local water and air turbulent mixing through the free surface area should be equally considered. On the basis of the interior transition depth, the development of self-aeration mainly manifests as the air turbulent mixing process in the low aerated region, while the water turbulent mixing in the high aerated region remains mostly unchanged. A series of relationships concerning the development of self-aerated flows is proposed to enable quantitative estimations in practical applications of water engineering.
Preconceptional paternal alcohol consumption and the risk of child behavioral problems: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Luan Min , Zhang Xiaohua , Fang Guanghong , Liang Hong , Yang Fen , Song Xiuxia , Chen Yao , Yuan Wei , Miao Maohua
Published: January 2022

Animal studies demonstrated that paternal alcohol exposure before conception increases the risk of adverse neurodevelopment in offspring, but limited evidence is known in humans. Based on Shanghai-Minhang Birth Cohort Study, we aimed to examine associations between preconceptional paternal alcohol consumption and child behavioral problems. Paternal alcohol consumption during the last 3 months before conception was obtained by maternal report. Children born to fathers who drank alcohol at least once a week were classified as exposed. Child behavioral problems were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at age of 2, 4, and 6. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate the rate ratio (RR) of CBCL raw scores in 796 offspring. The risks of rating scores on anxious/depressed were increased by 33% (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.09, 1.61) and 37% (RR 1.37, 95% CI 1.02, 1.84) among boys in the exposed group at age of 4 and 6, respectively. We also found that risks of somatic complaints were increased by 18% (RR 1.18, 95%CI 1.00, 1.40) and 65% (RR 1.65, 95%CI 1.14, 2.38) among girls in the exposed group at age of 4 and 6. The increased risks of sleep problems (RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.00, 1.55) in girls at age 4, thought problems (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.01, 1.73) in girls at age 6, rule-breaking behaviors (RR 1.35, 95% CI 1.09, 1.67) in boys at age 6 were also found. The risks of CBCL scores on anxious/depressed and sleep problems in girls at age 4, as well as the risks of somatic complaints and rule-breaking behaviors in boys at age 6 increased with the level of exposure to paternal alcohol consumption. Our findings provided preliminary evidence that preconceptional paternal alcohol consumption may increase risks of child behavioral problems.
Dominance of Asia II 1 species of Bemisia tabaci in Pakistan and beyond
Authors: Mahmood Muhammad Arslan , Ahmed Nasim , Hussain Sonia , Muntaha Sidra Tul , Amin Imran , Mansoor Shahid
Published: January 2022

Globally, Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is one of the most important insect pests of crops that causes huge economical losses. The current study was designed to exclusively screen the B. tabaci species in the cotton field of Pakistan during 2017–2020 and have to conduct comparative analysis of B. tabaci species in Asia where Asia II 1 has been reported. A total of 5142 B. tabaci sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 (mtCO1) from Asian countries were analyzed to determine the species and their distribution in the region. Our analysis over time and space showed that Asia II 1 has gradually dominated over Asia 1 in Punjab Province and over both Asia 1 and MEAM1 in Sindh Province. Asia has been divided into three regions i.e., South Asia (2524 sequences), Southeast Asia (757 sequences) and East Asia (1569 sequences) and dominance of different species of B. tabaci has been determined by calculating the relative percentage of each species. Interestingly, Asia II 1 has been found dominant in the neighboring region (northern zone) of India and also being dominant in its central zone. The dominance of Asia II 1 in Pakistan and northern India explains whitefly epidemic being reported in recent years.
Feasibility study of multi-site split learning for privacy-preserving medical systems under data imbalance constraints in COVID-19, X-ray, and cholesterol dataset
Authors: Ha Yoo Jeong , Lee Gusang , Yoo Minjae , Jung Soyi , Yoo Seehwan , Kim Joongheon
Published: January 2022

It seems as though progressively more people are in the race to upload content, data, and information online; and hospitals haven’t neglected this trend either. Hospitals are now at the forefront for multi-site medical data sharing to provide ground-breaking advancements in the way health records are shared and patients are diagnosed. Sharing of medical data is essential in modern medical research. Yet, as with all data sharing technology, the challenge is to balance improved treatment with protecting patient’s personal information. This paper provides a novel split learning algorithm coined the term, “multi-site split learning”, which enables a secure transfer of medical data between multiple hospitals without fear of exposing personal data contained in patient records. It also explores the effects of varying the number of end-systems and the ratio of data-imbalance on the deep learning performance. A guideline for the most optimal configuration of split learning that ensures privacy of patient data whilst achieving performance is empirically given. We argue the benefits of our multi-site split learning algorithm, especially regarding the privacy preserving factor, using CT scans of COVID-19 patients, X-ray bone scans, and cholesterol level medical data.
Single-cell analysis of gastric pre-cancerous and cancer lesions reveals cell lineage diversity and intratumoral heterogeneity
Authors: Kim Jihyun , Park Charny , Kim Kwang H. , Kim Eun Hye , Kim Hyunki , Woo Jong Kyu , Seong Je Kyung , Nam Ki Taek , Lee Yong Chan , Cho Soo Young
Published: January 2022

Single-cell transcriptomic profiles analysis has proposed new insights for understanding the behavior of human gastric cancer (GC). GC offers a unique model of intratumoral heterogeneity. However, the specific classes of cells involved in carcinogenetic passage, and the tumor microenvironment of stromal cells was poorly understood. We characterized the heterogeneous cell population of precancerous lesions and gastric cancer at the single-cell resolution by RNA sequencing. We identified 10 gastric cell subtypes and showed the intestinal and diffuse-type cancer were characterized by different cell population. We found that the intestinal and diffuse-type cancer cells have the differential metaplastic cell lineages: intestinal-type cancer cells differentiated along the intestinal metaplasia lineage while diffuse-type cancer cells resemble de novo pathway. We observed an enrichedCCND1mutation in premalignant disease state and discovered cancer-associated fibroblast cells harboring pro-stemness properties. In particular, tumor cells could be categorized into previously proposed molecular subtypes and harbored specific subtype of malignant cell with high expression level of epithelial-myofibroblast transition which was correlated with poor clinical prognosis. In addition to intratumoral heterogeneity, the analysis revealed different cellular lineages were responsible for potential carcinogenetic pathways. Single-cell transcriptomes analysis of gastric pre-cancerous lesions and cancer may provide insights for understanding GC cell behavior, suggesting potential targets for the diagnosis and treatment of GC.
Deploying digital health tools within large, complex health systems: key considerations for adoption and implementation
Authors: Marwaha Jayson S. , Landman Adam B. , Brat Gabriel A. , Dunn Todd , Gordon William J.
Published: January 2022

In recent years, the number of digital health tools with the potential to significantly improve delivery of healthcare services has grown tremendously. However, the use of these tools in large, complex health systems remains comparatively limited. The adoption and implementation of digital health tools at an enterprise level is a challenge; few strategies exist to help tools cross the chasm from clinical validation to integration within the workflows of a large health system. Many previously proposed frameworks for digital health implementation are difficult to operationalize in these dynamic organizations. In this piece, we put forth nine dimensions along which clinically validated digital health tools should be examined by health systems prior to adoption, and propose strategies for selecting digital health tools and planning for implementation in this setting. By evaluating prospective tools along these dimensions, health systems can evaluate which existing digital health solutions are worthy of adoption, ensure they have sufficient resources for deployment and long-term use, and devise a strategic plan for implementation.
Predictive structured–unstructured interactions in EHR models: A case study of suicide prediction
Authors: Bayramli Ilkin , Castro Victor , Barak-Corren Yuval , Madsen Emily M. , Nock Matthew K. , Smoller Jordan W. , Reis Ben Y.
Published: January 2022

Clinical risk prediction models powered by electronic health records (EHRs) are becoming increasingly widespread in clinical practice. With suicide-related mortality rates rising in recent years, it is becoming increasingly urgent to understand, predict, and prevent suicidal behavior. Here, we compare the predictive value of structured and unstructured EHR data for predicting suicide risk. We find that Naive Bayes Classifier (NBC) and Random Forest (RF) models trained on structured EHR data perform better than those based on unstructured EHR data. An NBC model trained on both structured and unstructured data yields similar performance (AUC = 0.743) to an NBC model trained on structured data alone (0.742, p = 0.668), while an RF model trained on both data types yields significantly better results (AUC = 0.903) than an RF model trained on structured data alone (0.887, p < 0.001), likely due to the RF model’s ability to capture interactions between the two data types. To investigate these interactions, we propose and implement a general framework for identifying specific structured-unstructured feature pairs whose interactions differ between case and non-case cohorts, and thus have the potential to improve predictive performance and increase understanding of clinical risk. We find that such feature pairs tend to capture heterogeneous pairs of general concepts, rather than homogeneous pairs of specific concepts. These findings and this framework can be used to improve current and future EHR-based clinical modeling efforts.
Docking-guided rational engineering of a macrolide glycosyltransferase glycodiversifies epothilone B
Authors: Zhang Peng , Zhang Lijuan , Jiang Xukai , Diao Xiao-tong , Li Shuang , Li Dan-dan , Zhang Zheng , Fang Junqiang , Tang Ya-jie , Wu Da-lei , Wu Changsheng , Li Yue-zhong
Published: January 2022

Glycosyltransferases typically display acceptor substrate flexibility but more stringent donor specificity. BsGT-1 is a highly effective glycosyltransferase to glycosylate macrolides, including epothilones, promising antitumor compounds. Here, we show that BsGT-1 has three major regions significantly influencing the glycodiversification of epothilone B based on structural molecular docking, “hot spots” alanine scanning, and site saturation mutagenesis. Mutations in the PSPG-like motif region and the C2 loop region are more likely to expand donor preference; mutations of the flexible N3 loop region located at the mouth of the substrate-binding cavity produce novel epothilone oligosaccharides. These “hot spots” also functioned in homologues of BsGT-1. The glycosides showed significantly enhanced water solubility and decreased cytotoxicity, although the glycosyl appendages of epothilone B also reduced drug permeability and attenuated antitumor efficacy. This study laid a foundation for the rational engineering of other GTs to synthesize valuable small molecules.
Fast and real-time electrical transistor assay for quantifying SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies
Authors: Decataldo Francesco , Grumiro Laura , Marino Maria Michela , Faccin Francesca , Giovannini Catia , Brandolini Martina , Dirani Giorgio , Taddei Francesca , Lelli Davide , Tessarolo Marta , Calienni Maria , Cacciotto Carla , Lavazza Antonio , Fraboni Beatrice , Scagliarini Alessandra , Sambri Vittorio
Published: January 2022

Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic renewed attention has been directed towards viral neutralization assays and neutralizing antibodies quantification, for vaccine pre-clinical trials and determining vaccine efficacy over time. The gold standard to assess antibody titer is the plaque reduction neutralization test, an end-point assay which evaluates the highest serum antibody dilution that neutralizes viral replication, by inspecting the cytopathic effect induced on cell cultures. Here, we use planar, PEDOT:PSS-based organic electrochemical transistors for real-time, remote-controlled, reliable and fast electrical monitoring of the cytopathic effect induced by SARS29 CoV-2 on Vero E6 cell lines, allowing the quantification of serum neutralizing titer. Our low-cost and scalable device has the potential to speed-up large-scale viral neutralization screening without the need for cancerous staining or highly specialized operators. Finally, the technology could be easily transferred to assess neutralizing antibody response towards different viruses in their permissive cell substrates.
Exploring the problem of determining human age from fingermarks using MALDI MS-machine learning combined approaches
Authors: Bury C. S. , Heaton C. , Cole L. , McColm R. , Francese S.
Published: January 2022

Framework employed to determine human age.
Mixed-mode chromatography-mass spectrometry enables targeted and untargeted screening of carboxylic acids in biological samples
Authors: Hodek Ondřej , Argemi-Muntadas Lidia , Khan Adnan , Moritz Thomas
Published: January 2022

Mixed-mode chromatography method offers quantification of TCA carboxylates in cells, human plasma, and plants.
Enhancement of the catalytic activity of Mg/Al layered double hydroxide for glycerol oligomers production
Authors: Barros Fernando José Soares , Liu Yue , Paula Clarissa Dantas , de Luna Francisco Murilo Tavares , Rodríguez-Castellón Enrique , Silveira Vieira Rodrigo
Published: January 2022

A new approach for MgAl LDH modification after rehydration and poisoning with acetic acid is presented. Its tuned basicity favored the selectivity to glycerol oligomers with improved catalyst recycling, up to 3 cycles.
Well-defined cyclic silanol derivatives
Authors: Liu Yujia , Chaiprasert Thanawat , Ouali Armelle , Unno Masafumi
Published: January 2022

Cyclic silanol derivatives (CSDs), possessing siloxane rings consisting of T-unit silicon and oxygen atoms, are considered efficient precursors for the preparation of function materials in various application fields.
Hypoxia targeting lutetium-177-labeled nitroimidazole-decorated gold particles as cancer theranostic nanoplatforms
Authors: Mittal Sweety , Sharma Rohit , Sarma H. D. , Mallia Madhava B.
Published: January 2022

Theranostic 177Lu-labeled nitroimidazole-decorated gold nanoparticles showed ∼9-fold uptake in CHO cells under hypoxic conditions compared to normoxic conditions.
Photoswitchable inhibitors of human β-glucocerebrosidase
Authors: Davighi Maria Giulia , Clemente Francesca , Matassini Camilla , Cardona Francesca , Nielsen Mogens Brøndsted , Goti Andrea , Morrone Amelia , Paoli Paolo , Cacciarini Martina
Published: January 2022

Towards human GCase activity enhancement by means of light responsive inhibitors.
Recent advances in the total synthesis of 2,7′-cyclolignans
Authors: Zhang Han-Qiu , Yan Chu-Xuan , Xiao Jian , Wang Ya-Wen , Peng Yu
Published: January 2022

Diverse strategies for the chemical synthesis and biosynthesis of 2,7′-cyclolignan natural products are reviewed.
Reversible hetero-Diels–Alder amine hardener as drop-in replacement for healable epoxy coatings
Authors: Rajappan Sinu C. , Davis Brad J. , Dishner Isaiah T. , Thornell Travis L. , Peyrefitte John J. , Simon Yoan C.
Published: January 2022

Replacing commercial hardeners with bio-sourced fatty acids linked by hetero Diels–Alder (HDA) motifs enabled epoxy-amine coatings with intrinsic self-healing properties. The HDA-based coatings demonstrate scratch healing at 95 °C within 15 min.
Trehalose coated nanocellulose to inhibit the infections by S. aureus
Authors: Li Yimeng , Milewska Małgorzata , Khine Yee Yee , Ariotti Nicholas , Stenzel Martina H.
Published: January 2022

Preventing bacterial infection by using anti-adhesive trehalose polymer is one alternative to antibiotic treatment.
A meta-linkage strategy towards high-performance hosts for efficient blue thermally activated delayed fluorescence OLEDs
Authors: Tao Xiao-Dong , Wei Zhuangzhuang , Meng Lingyi , Chen Xu-Lin , Yang Mingxue , Jing Yan-Yun , Zhang Dong-Hai , Lu Can-Zhong
Published: January 2022

The development of high-performance host materials for blue thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters is crucial for realizing efficient blue organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).
Synthesis of functional dicationic ionic liquids for the treatment of lignocellulosic biomass
Authors: Zhang Bi-Xian , Wang Xue-Yang , Wang Jia-Jun , Liu Xiu-Lin , Gao Yun-Fei , Hu Xiao-Mei
Published: January 2022

Mono-cationic ionic liquids (MILs) have been widely utilized for the treatment of lignocelluloses.
Observation of macrophage autophagy in the healing of diabetic ulcers via a lysosome-targeting polarity-specific two-photon probe
Authors: Wang Lina , Qiang Taotao , Ren Longfang , Cheng Fei , Hu Wei , Qu Renyu
Published: January 2022

A polarity-dependent two-photon fluorescent probe for evaluation of autophagy in the process of diabetic mouse skin ulcer-induced inflammation was constructed.
Triboelectrochemical friction control of W- and Ag-doped DLC coatings in water–glycol with ionic liquids as lubricant additives
Authors: Khanmohammadi Hamid , Wijanarko Wahyu , Cruz Sandra , Evaristo Manuel , Espallargas Nuria
Published: January 2022

This study proves that friction can be electrochemically controlled in metal-doped DLCs using ILs as friction modifying additives in water-based lubricants. The type of friction control depends on the type of dopant (carbide or non-carbide forming) and its oxidation state.
Single cell multi-miRNAs quantification with hydrogel microbeads for liver cancer cell subtypes discrimination
Authors: Wang Yingfei , Fang Yanyun , Zhu Yu , Bi Shiyi , Liu Ying , Ju Huangxian
Published: January 2022

A single cell multi-miRNAs quantification strategy is reported. Single cells are encapsulated and undergo cytolysis in hydrogel microbeads, then the quantitative analysis of three miRNAs is used to achieve sub-populations discrimination for liver cells.
A highly selective and sensitive chemiluminescent probe for leucine aminopeptidase detection in vitro, in vivo and in human liver cancer tissue
Authors: Wang Baoqu , Chen Zhenzhou , Cen Xiaohong , Liang Yuqing , Tan Liyi , Liang En , Zheng Lu , Zheng Yanjun , Zhan Zhikun , Cheng Kui
Published: January 2022

The first chemiluminescent probe for the detection of LAP is described. It shows a highly selective, sensitive and rapid chemiluminescence response for the detection of LAP in vitro and in vivo, and enables the differentiation of liver cancer.
Recent progress and perspectives in applications of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine polymers in biodevices at small scales
Authors: Seetasang Sasikarn , Xu Yan
Published: January 2022

This review offers a bird's eye view of the development and application of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymers in small biodevices such as microfluidic devices, biosensors/bioprobes, artificial implants, and drug delivery systems.
Self-carbonization synthesis of highly-bright red/near-infrared carbon dots by solvent-free method
Authors: Zhang Zeyu , Chen Xiaoyong , Fang Guocheng , Wu Jiajie , Gao Aolong
Published: January 2022

The optical photographs and reaction mechanism of self-catalysis synthesis of R-CDs by a solvent-free method.
Palladium-catalyzed cascade Heck-type thiocarbonylation for the synthesis of functionalized thioesters
Authors: Xu Ren-Rui , Wang Wei , Qi Xinxin , Wu Xiao-Feng
Published: January 2022

A palladium-catalyzed cascade Heck-type cyclization and carbonylation reaction has been developed for the synthesis of functionalized thioesters.
Epigenome guided crop improvement: current progress and future opportunities
Authors: Zhang Yan , Andrews Haylie , Eglitis-Sexton Judith , Godwin Ian , Tanurdžić Miloš , Crisp Peter A.
Published: January 2022

Epigenomics encompasses a broad field of study, including the investigation of chromatin states, chromatin modifications and their impact on gene regulation; as well as the phenomena of epigenetic inheritance. The epigenome is a multi-modal layer of information superimposed on DNA sequences, instructing their usage in gene expression. As such, it is an emerging focus of efforts to improve crop performance. Broadly, this might be divided into avenues that leverage chromatin information to better annotate and decode plant genomes, and into complementary strategies that aim to identify and select for heritable epialleles that control crop traits independent of underlying genotype. In this review, we focus on the first approach, which we term ‘epigenome guided’ improvement. This encompasses the use of chromatin profiles to enhance our understanding of the composition and structure of complex crop genomes. We discuss the current progress and future prospects towards integrating this epigenomic information into crop improvement strategies; in particular for CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and precision genome engineering. We also highlight some specific opportunities and challenges for grain and horticultural crops.