bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of decision tree algorithms to predict central lymph node metastasis in well-differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma based on multimodal ultrasound parameters: a retrospective study
Authors: Wan Fang , He Wen , Zhang Wei , Zhang Hongxia , Zhang Yukang , Guang Yang
Published: March 2022

Background: Prophylactic central neck dissection (pCND) in well-differentiated primary papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients have become controversial. Several attempts have been made to predict central compartment lymph node metastasis (CLNM) based on clinical and conventional ultrasonic parameters. This study seeks to develop a decision tree (DT) model for predicting the risk of CLNM in these patients based on clinical and preoperative multimodal ultrasound (US) characteristics.Methods: A total of 148 PTC nodules confirmed by surgical pathology at Beijing Tiantan Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. All nodules underwent multimodal US examinations from January 2020 to September 2021 before surgery. Correlation analysis of CLNM with clinical characteristics, multimodal US parameters of PTC lesions based on grayscale US, color Doppler flow imaging, superb microvascular imaging, contrast-enhanced US and shear wave elastography technology was carried out. Finally, the Chi-squared automatic interaction detector with a ten-fold cross test was used to establish DT models based on multimodal US parameters to predict CLNM. The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated for comparing prediction performance.Results: Univariate analysis indicated that CLNM was positively correlated with Tg level, maximum size, tall than wide, the number of microcalcifications greater than or equal to 5, contact capsule, US reported abnormal cervical lymph nodes, non-centripetal perfusion, delayed clearance, SWV mean and SWV ratio (p<0.05). The multimodal US algorithm based on tall than wide, contact the capsule, US reported abnormal cervical lymph nodes, centripetal enhancement as independent variables showed good discrimination: the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and AUC were 80.0%, 76.7%, 78.4%, and 0.837 (95% CI: 0.771-0.902). There was a significant difference between multimodal US DT with conventional ultrasound DT (p<0.001). Conclusions: This study implies that the DT model based on preoperative multimodal US characteristics of PTCs has reasonable prediction ability for CLNM, which can be conveniently used for clinical decision-making of individualized treatment in well-differentiated PTC patients.
Panax Notoginseng suppresses diet-induced obesity and endoplasmic reticulum stress in epididymal white adipose tissue in mice
Authors: Tan Yi , Zhang Xutao , Zhou Yan , Miao Lingchao , Xu Baojun , Khan Haroon , Wang Yitao , Yu Hua , Cheang Wai San
Published: March 2022

Background: Investigation on protective effects of Panax Notoginseng against obesity and its related mechanisms is incomplete. Present study aimed to investigate the potential anti-obesity effect of the total saponins (PNS) and ethanolic extract of P. Notoginseng (PNE). Methods: Six-week-old male C57BL/6J mice received 45% kcal fat diet for 12 weeks to induce obesity. Oral administration of PNS and PNE at 20 mg/kg/day was applied for the last 4 weeks in the obese mice. Lipid profile was determined by ELISA. Histological examination was performed in liver and fat tissues. Protein levels were measured by Western blot. PNS and PNE did not cause weight loss. Results: PNE but not PNS decreased the mass of epididymal and retroperitoneal white adipose tissue, accompanied by a reduction in adipocyte hypertrophy. PNS and PNE improved lipid profile by reducing the concentrations of triglyceride, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma or liver samples. PNS and PNE also relieved fatty liver in obese mice. PNS and PNE inhibited expression and phosphorylation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-responsive proteins in hypertrophic adipose tissue. Conclusions: PNS and PNE can regulate ER stress-mediated apoptosis and inflammation to alleviate obesity.
Perturbation of cortical excitability in a conditional model of PCDH19 disorder
Authors: Lamers Didi , Landi Silvia , Mezzena Roberta , Baroncelli Laura , Pillai Vinoshene , Cruciani Federica , Migliarini Sara , Mazzoleni Sara , Pasqualetti Massimo , Passafaro Maria , Bassani Silvia , Ratto Gian Michele
Published: March 2022

PCDH19 epilepsy (DEE9) is an X linked epilepsy syndrome associated to cognitive and behavioural disturbances. Unlike in most other X linked diseases, heterozygous females are affected while hemizygous males are spared. It has been proposed that DEE9 pathogenesis is related to disturbed cell-to-cell communication associated with mosaicism and consequential erroneous network wiring. However, the effects of mosaic PCDH19 expression on cortical network activity are unknown. We mimicked the pathology of DEE9 by introducing a patch of mosaic protein expression in the cortex of conditional PCDH19 knockout mice. LFP recordings demonstrate transient episodes of hyperexcitability and disturbed slow wave activity – a crucial component of NREM sleep. These alterations were also observed if the mosaic patch was introduced in adult mice, demonstrating that PCDH19 is not merely a developmental disease. Our results indicate that a focal mosaic mutation of PCDH19 disrupts network cortical computation and broaden our current understanding of DEE9.
Learning from Explanations With Maximum Likelihood Inverse Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Tulli Silvia , Melo Francisco S. , Paiva Ana , Chetouani Mohamed
Published: March 2022

Our research effort takes inspiration from human social learning mechanisms to focus on situations in which an expert guides a learner through explanations. The proposed approach incorporates explanations into maximum likelihood inverse reinforcement learning. We computationally evaluate explanations against other teaching signals (reward, demonstration and explanation) in three navigational scenarios. The generated explanations are also evaluated in a user study with 150 participants. The user study investigates participants' preferences between the different types of teaching signals and the impact of contextual situations, i.e., distance from the task's goal, on their preferences. Our simulations' results show that explanations lead to better performance compared to reward and demonstration signals, and that explanations are preferred by human teachers in situations where the goal is far from the learner.
Estimation of hospital visits for respiratory diseases attributable to PM10 from vegetation fire smoke and health impacts of regulatory intervention in Upper Northern Thailand
Authors: Uttajug Athicha , Ueda Kayo , Honda Akiko , Takano Hirohisa
Published: March 2022

Background: The air quality in Upper Northern Thailand (UNT) deteriorates during seasonal vegetation fire events, causing adverse effects especially on respiratory health outcomes. This study aimed to quantitatively estimate respiratory morbidity from vegetation fire smoke exposure, and to assess the impact of a burning ban enforced in 2016 on morbidity burden in UNT. Methods: We computed daily population exposure to fire-originated PM10 and estimated its health burden during a 5-year period from 2014 to 2018 using daily fire-originated PM10 concentration and the concentration-response function for short-term exposure to PM10 from vegetation fire smoke and respiratory morbidity. In subgroups classified as children and older adults, the health burden of respiratory morbidity was estimated using specific effect coefficients from previous studies conducted in UNT. Finally, we compared the health burden of respiratory morbidity before and after burning ban enforcement. Results: Approximately 130,000 hospital visits for respiratory diseases were estimated to be attributable to fire-originated PM10 in UNT from 2014 to 2018. This estimation accounted for 1.3% of total hospital visits for respiratory diseases during the 5-year period, and 20% of those during burning events. Age-specific estimates revealed a larger impact of PM10 in the older adult group. The number of hospital visits for respiratory diseases attributable to fire-originated PM10 decreased from 1.8% to 0.5% after the burning ban policy was implemented in the area.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that PM10 released from vegetation fires is a health burden in UNT. The prohibition of the burning using regulatory measure had a positive impact on respiratory morbidity in this area.
Ligand/Receptor-mediated Cell Communication Alteration Causes the Lung Inflammation Microenvironment and the Redistribution of Inter-tissue Immune Cells in COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Qin Shijie , Yao Xiaohong , Li Weiwei , Wang Canbiao , Xu Weijun , Gan Zhenhua , Yang Yang , Zhong Aifang , Wang Bin , He Zhicheng , Wu Jian , Wu Qiuyue , Jiang Weijun , Han Ying , Wang Fan , Wang Zhihua , Ke Yuehua , Zhao Jun , Gao Junyin , Qu Liang , Jin Ping , Xia Xinyi , Bian Xiuwu
Published: March 2022

How SARS-CoV-2 causes disturbances of the lung microenvironment and systemic immune response remains a mystery. Here, we first analyze detailedly paired single-cell transcriptome data of the lungs, blood and bone marrow of two patients who died of COVID-19. Second, our results demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 infection significantly increases the cellular communication frequency between AT1/AT2 cells and highly inflammatory myeloid cells, and induces the pulmonary inflammation microenvironment, and drives the disorder of fibroblasts, club and ciliated cells, thereby causing the increase of pulmonary fibrosis and mucus accumulation. Third, our works reveal that the increase of the lung T cell infiltration is mainly recruited by myeloid cells through certain ligands/receptors (ANXA1/FPR1, C5AR1/RPS19 and CCL5/CCR1), rather than AT1/AT2. Fourth, we find that some ligands and receptors such as ANXA1/FPR1, CD74/COPA, CXCLs/CXCRs, ALOX5/ALOX5AP, CCL5/CCR1, are significantly activated and shared among patients’ lungs, blood and bone marrow, implying that dysregulated ligands and receptors may cause the migration, redistribution and the inflammatory storm of immune cells in different tissues. Overall, our study reveals a latent mechanism by which the disorders of ligands and receptors caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection drive cell communication alteration, the pulmonary inflammatory microenvironment and systemic immune responses across tissues in COVID-19 patients.
Medical Evaluation of Unanticipated Monogenic Disease Risks Identified through
Newborn Genomic Screening: Findings from the BabySeq Project
Authors: Green Robert , Shah Nidhi , Genetti Casie , Yu Timothy , Zettler Bethany , Schwartz Talia , Uveges Melissa , Birsoy Ozge , Lebo Matthew , Pereira Stacey , Agrawal Pankaj , Parad Richard , McGuire Amy , Christensen Kurt , Rehm Heidi , Holm Ingrid , Beggs Alan
Published: March 2022

Genomic sequencing of healthy newborns to screen for medically important genetic information has long been anticipated but data around downstream medical consequences are lacking. Among 159 infants randomized to the sequencing arm in the BabySeq Project, an unanticipated monogenic disease risk (uMDR) was discovered in 18 (11.3%). We assessed uMDR actionability by visualizing scores from a modified ClinGen Actionability SemiQuantitative Metric and tracked medical outcomes in these infants for 3-5 years. All uMDRs scored as highly actionable (mean 9, range: 7-11 on a 0-12 scale) and had readily available clinical interventions. In 4 cases, uMDRs revealed unsuspected genetic etiologies for existing phenotypes, and in the remaining 14 cases provided risk stratification for future surveillance. In 8 cases, uMDRs prompted screening for multiple at-risk family members. These results suggest that actionable uMDRs are more common than previously thought and support ongoing efforts to evaluate population-based newborn genomic screening.
Elder Abuse Prevalence and Risk Factors: Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
Authors: Burnes David , Pillemer Karl , Rosen Tony , Lachs Mark , McDonald Lynn
Published: March 2022

Elder abuse (EA) is a pervasive problem with serious consequences. Prior population-based EA risk factor research has largely used cross-sectional designs that limit causal inferences, or agency records to identify victims which threatens external validity. Based on a national, prospective, population-based cohort sample of older adults (n = 23,468) over a three-year period from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, the current study sought to estimate the prevalence of EA and identify risk and protective factors. Past-year prevalence of any EA was 10.0%. Older adults with greater vulnerability related to physical, cognitive and mental health, childhood maltreatment, and shared living were at higher EA risk, while social support was protective against EA. Older adults identifying as Black or reporting financial need were at heightened EA risk. This longitudinal, population-based study advances our understanding of EA risk/protective factors across several domains and informs the development of EA prevention strategies.
The Evaluation of Pediatric Malignancies Using Total-body PET/CT With Half Dose 18F-FDG
Authors: Chen Wan-Qi , Liu Lei , Li Ying-He , Li Sha-Tong , Li Zhi-Jian , Zhang Wei-Guang , Zhang Xu , Hu De-bin , Sun Hong-Yan , Zhou Yun , Fan Wei , Zhao Yu-mo , Zhang Yi-Zhuo , Hu Ying-Ying
Published: March 2022

PurposeTo explore the effect of half 18F-FDG dose on image quality of pediatric oncological patients using total-body PET/CT. and investigate the ultra-low dose of administered tracer activity. Methods100 pediatric oncological patients who underwent total-body PET/CT using the uEXPLORER scanner with half 18F-FDG dose (1.85 MBq/kg) were retrospectively enrolled. The PET images were firstly reconstructed using all the 600s data, and then split into 300s, 180s, 60s, 40s and 20s duration groups. The subjective analysis method was assessed using a 5-point Likert scales. Objective quantitative metrics included the maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax), SUVmean, standard deviation (SD), signal to noise ratio (SNR) and SNRnorm of the backgrounds. The variability in lesion SUVmean, SUVmax, and tumor-to-background ratio (TBR) were also calculated. ResultsThe overall image quality scores in Group 600s, 300s, 180s and 60s were 4.9 ± 0.2, 4.9 ± 0.3, 4.4±0.5 and 3.5±0.5 respectively. All the lesions identified in half-dose images were localised down to G60s (1/20-dose) images; while 56% of the lesion could be clearly identified in G20s (1/60-dose) images. With stimulated reduced doses, SUVmax and SD of backgrounds were gradually increased, while TBR values showed no statistically significant deviation among all the groups (all p > 0.1). Using the half-dose images as reference, the variability of lesion SUVmax gradually increased from G180s to G20s, while lesion SUVmean remained stable for all the age groups. SNRnorm was highly correlated with the age in a negative direction.ConclusionsThe total-body PET/CT with half 18F-FDG dose achieved good performance in pediatric patients considering the sufficient image quality and lesion conspicuity. Sufficient image quality and lesion conspicuity could be maintained with an administered dose reduced down to 1/20-dose (0.185 MBq/kg, , estimated effective dose: 0.18–0.26 mSv).
Examining the Independent and Interactive Association of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour with Frailty in Chinese Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Li Na , Zhu Pengli , Hung Feng , Li Hong , Lin Siyang , Yuan Yin
Published: March 2022

Background
While physical inactivity or prolonged sitting has been linked to an increased risk of frailty, the interaction between sitting time (ST), physical activity (PA) and frailty is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the independent and interactive association between PA, ST and frailty in Chinese community-dwelling older adults.
Methods
A cross-sectional analysis was performed on 1458 participants (age ≥ 60) enrolled from a prospective cohort study of frailty in elderly people of Fujian Province. PA and ST levels were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. A 40-item frailty index (FI) quantified frailty. Multivariable logistic regression and linear regression models were applied to examine the independent association between PA or ST and frailty level. Interaction plots were used to visualise the interaction effects of PA and ST on frailty.
Results
Compared with light PA, the odds ratios (ORs) for frailty were significantly lower for moderate PA (OR, 0.609 [95% CI, 0.419, 0.885], P < .001) and vigorous PA (OR, 0.399 [95% CI, 0.236,0.673], P < .001). Comparing subjects with ST < 4 h/day, those with ST ≥ 8 h/day were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with frailty (OR, 3.140 [95% CI, 1.932, 5.106], P < .001), 6–8 h/day (OR, 1.289 [95% CI, 0.835, 1.989], P ༞0.05), and 4–6 h/day (OR, 1.400 [95% CI, 0.972, 2.018], P ༞0.05). Each one unit increase in metabolic equivalents (h/day) of PA was related to an average 0.928 (0.887, 0.971) decrease in prevalence of frailty, while each one unit increase in sitting time (h/day) was related to average 1.114 (1.046,1.185) increase in prevalence of frailty. Negative interactive effects of PA and ST on frailty were observed (P < 0.001).
Conclusion
PA can independently reduce the occurrence of frailty, while prolonged ST can significantly increase the occurrence of frailty. In addition, excess ST may counteract the beneficial effects of PA on frailty.
Evaluation of the quality of online colon cancer patient information in the Arabic language
Authors: alnaim lamya
Published: March 2022

Background and Study AimsWith the ever-expanding reach of Internet information, more people than ever are using online searches to obtain medical information, often before consulting a medical professional. This study aims to assess the quality of available Internet information on colon cancer in the Arabic language.Patients and MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed to assess the quality of Arabic language websites on colon cancer in Arabic using the DISCERN instrument, a validated 16-item questionnaire, and our assessment of the correctness, completeness, and transparency of each website.ResultsA total of 24 websites were identified, of which 12 (50%) were commercial, 9 (37.5%) were university-sponsored, 2 (8.3%) were governmental, and 1 (4.2%) was from a non-profit organization. The DISCERN instrument had an overall mean score of 42.5 (fair) out of a maximum score of 80, with 50% of commercial websites scoring 41 or below (poor) and only 11% scoring in the good range. Two-thirds (66.7%) of the university-sponsored sites were rated poor, the single non-profit website scored fair, and the two governmental sites were rated poor. The most accurate topics covered by the websites were surgical treatment, screening, and colonoscopy. Regarding correctness, 94.6% of the websites were accurate in the information provided, while only 55% scored high in Completeness, meaning that they provided comprehensive information. Transparency was poor for most websites, with only two providing sufficient information to verify their sources.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that while people use the Internet to access medical information about colon cancer, much of this information is incomplete in the Arabic language. This raises the question of how much benefit versus harm individuals receive from using websites to learn about colon cancer, and what can be done to improve the information available.
Terahertz Near-Field Vortex Beams with Variable Intensity Profiles Based on Geometric Metasurfaces
Authors: Zhu Yang , Zhou Yiwen , Yue Fuyong , Fan Zhiyuan , Zang Xiaofei , Zhu Yiming , Zhuang Songlin
Published: March 2022

Electromagnetic waves possessing orbital angular momentum, namely vortex beams, have attracted considerable attention in the fields ranging from optical communications to quantum science, due to their extraordinary information encoding capabilities. Vortex beams are traditionally exhibited with a donut-shaped intensity distribution, where a null intensity center surrounded by a bright ring, caused by the phase singularity. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate geometric metasurface devices that can generate near-field vortex beams with variable intensity profiles. The generation of a vortex beam with tailored intensity profile is realized by integrating the azimuthal nonlinear phase and spiral phase into the ring-shaped anisotropic air-slit array. As proof-of-principle examples, multiple geometric metasurfaces that generate vortex beams with CN-fold rotational symmetric or asymmetric intensity profile in the near-field are demonstrated in the terahertz domain. This unique capability for terahertz near-field vortex transmutation based on geometric metasurface approach opens an avenue to develop multifunctional integrated systems and system-on-chip devices, holding potential applications in microscopy, integrated photonics, quantum information processing and optical communication.
Clinical Factors and Surgical Decision-Making when Managing Premenopausal Women with Adnexal Torsion
Authors: Vu Albert , Goh Amy
Published: March 2022

PurposeThe primary objective of this study is to identify if and which clinical factors may influence surgical decision-making when managing premenopausal women who present emergently with adnexal torsion (AT). MethodsThis retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single tertiary hospital. Medical records for all admissions for AT between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2020 were reviewed and data regarding patient demographics, history of torsion, and the index admission were collected. Conservative surgery was defined as detorsion only or detorsion with cyst decompression. Interventional surgery was defined as ovarian cystectomy, salpingectomy, oophorectomy or salpingo-oopherectomy.Results126 women were included for final analysis. Of the 109 women diagnosed with AT at emergency surgery, 12 were postmenopausal (all had interventional surgery). In the 97 premenopausal women, 50 (52%) underwent conservative surgery. Pregnant women were more likely to undergo conservative surgery than non-pregnant women (Relative Risk [RR] 0.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.5, 0.75, p=0.001). Women having laparoscopies were also more likely to undergo conservative surgery (RR 0.08, 95% CI 0.01, 0.53, p=0.001) than if they had laparotomies. Although not reaching statistical significance, women were more likely to undergo laparotomy if they were febrile or if a senior gynecology consultant was involved in their care. History of torsion, age, parity and ovarian size did not alter the risk of interventional surgery.ConclusionThis study identified that premenopausal women who presented emergently with AT were significantly more likely to have conservative surgery if they were pregnant or if they underwent laparoscopic surgery.
Rediscovery of a native freshwater shrimp, Neocaridina denticulata, and expansion of an invasive species in Lake Biwa, Japan: Genetic and morphological approach
Authors: Onuki Keisuke , Fuke Yusuke
Published: March 2022

Invasive species prevention involves the prevention of two aspects: introduction and secondary spread. The latter is important in places that can become hubs for the spread of invasive species. Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, is an important area for biodiversity and fisheries. However, several invasive species of fish and crustaceans became established in the lake during the last century. One of the conservation problems in Lake Biwa is the unresolved suspicion that the native freshwater shrimp Neocaridina denticulata have been replaced with alien Neocaridina species. To verify whether the native Neocaridina population in Lake Biwa has been replaced by alien species, we estimated the population structure of Neocaridina spp., collected from 19 sites in and around Lake Biwa, based on genome-wide SNPs and mitochondrial DNA. The three detected genetic clusters were characterized by quantitative analysis of multiple morphological traits. Two clusters were identified as non-native N. davidi and the other as native N. denticulata. However, species discrimination based solely on morphological analysis was difficult, highlighting the importance of genetic analysis. We rediscovered the native populations in the region for the first time in a century; however, in 11 sites the invasive species were dominant. These findings suggest that the native populations are in a critical situation. Furthermore, stocking in Lake Biwa as a source for fishery resources throughout Japan can cause the secondary spread of the invasive shrimps from the lake, acting as a hub, to other parts of the country.
Melatonin Alleviates Cardiovascular Inflammation in Sedentary or Exercised Postmenopausal Rats by Upregulating SIRT1
Authors: Tamer Sevil Arabacı , Altınoluk Tülin , Emran Miray , Korkmaz Seda , Yüksel Rozerin Göze , Baykal Zeynep , Dur Zehra Sena , Levent Hilal Nişva , Ural Mürüvvet Abbak , Yüksel Meral , Çevik Özge , Ercan Feriha , Yıldırım Alper , Yegen Berrak Ç
Published: March 2022

We aimed to evaluate the impact of hormone replacement, melatonin, or exercise alone or their combination on oxidative damage and functional status of heart, brain, and aorta of postmenopausal rats and to determine whether the signaling pathway is dependent on sirtuin-1 (SIRT1). Ovariectomized Sprague Dawley rats were orally given either a hormone replacement therapy (1 mg/kg/day17β estradiol; HRT) or melatonin (4 mg/kg/day) or HRT + melatonin treatments or tap water, while each group was further divided into sedentary and exercise (30 min/5 days/week) groups. After the heart rate measurements and memory tests were performed, trunk blood was collected at the end of the 10th week to determine metabolic parameters in serum samples. Tissue samples of abdominal aorta, heart and brain were taken for biochemical measurements and histopathological evaluation. Heart rates and memory performances of the postmenopausal rats were not changed significantly by none of the applications. Melatonin treatment or its co-administration with HRT upregulated the expressions of IL-10 and SIRT1, reduced the expressions of IL-6 and TNF-α and reduced DNA damage in the hearts and thoracic aortae of non-exercised rats. Co-administration of melatonin and HRT to exercised post-menopausal rats reduced inflammatory response and upregulated SIRT1 expression in the aortic and cardiac tissues. The present study suggests that melatonin treatment, either alone or in combination with exercise and/or HRT, alleviates oxidative injury and inflammation in the hearts and aortas of postmenopausal rats via the activity of SIRT1 signaling. Melatonin should be considered in alleviating cardiovascular disease risk in postmenopausal women.
Photo-responsive hydrogel-based re-programmable metamaterials
Authors: Patel Herit , Chen Jiehao , Hu Yuhang , Erturk Alper
Published: March 2022

This paper explored a novel programmable metamaterial using stimuli-responsive hydrogels with a demonstration of bandgap formation and tuning. Specifically, a photo-responsive hydrogel beam that can achieve re-programmable periodicity in geometric and material properties through patterned light irradiation is designed. Hydrogels consist of polymeric networks and water molecules. Many unique properties of hydrogels, including bio-compatibility, stimuli-responsiveness, and low dissipation make them ideal for enabling re-programmable metamaterials for manipulating structural dynamic response and wave propagation characteristics. Bandgap generation and tunability in photo-responsive hydrogel-based metamaterial as well as the effects of system parameters such as light exposure pattern and photo-sensitive group concentration on the bandgap width and center frequency are systematically studied. Along with a finite element model, it is concluded that an increase in light exposure region size reduces both the bandgap width and center frequency, while an increase in the concentration of photo-sensitive group increases bandgap width, attenuation and reduces its center frequency. This work unveils the potential of stimuli-response hydrogels as a new class of low-loss soft metamaterials, unlike most other soft materials that are too lossy to sustain and exploit wave phenomena.
Circular RNAs Expression Profiles and Bioinformatics Analysis in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia
Authors: Lun Yu , Zuming Yang
Published: March 2022

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a congenital chronic lung illness characterised by alveolar simplification and abnormal pulmonary microvasculature angiogenesis. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have recently attracted significant interest due to their function in developing many disorders, but their role in BPD remains largely untapped. The purpose of this work was to discover a profile of circRNA expression related to severe BPD and to anticipate its possible biological activities.Methods: PBMCs were extracted from peripheral blood, and the circRNAs expression profiles in the PBMCs of severe BPD group (n = 3) and control group (n = 3). We identified and grouped significantly differently expressed circRNAs between the two groups. Following that, we used bioinformatics to design a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network. Gene ontology and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes were performed.Results: Among hundreds of circRNAs, 171 were upregulated, and 81 were downregulated (fold change > 1.5, P < 0.05). Using GO and KEGG analyses revealed that circRNA target genes were considerably enriched. These genes are involved in transcription regulation, protein phosphorylation, and cell adhesion. A crosstalk network was developed to investigate the interactions of several components, including four circRNAs, sixteen microRNAs and thirty-seven messenger RNAs. A pathway network identified several critical pathways involved in the pathogenesis and development of BPD. These include the Wnt signalling pathway, the Hippo signalling pathway, and signalling pathways regulating stem cell pluripotency.Conclusions: CircRNAs in the peripheral blood of severe BPD children were considerably changed in the early post-birth period, which may be critical in developing this disease.
Study on temperature of cylindrical wet grinding considering lubrication effect of grinding fluid
Authors: Zheng Yong , Wang Changqing , Zhang Yifei , Meng Fanming
Published: March 2022

The improved cylindrical wet grinding temperature (ICWGT) model considering the lubrication effect of the grinding fluid is established and solved numerically. In doing so, the Newton-Raphson method is used to solve the hydrodynamic pressure of grinding fluid and the fast Fourier transform (FFT) method is employed to accelerate the deformation calculation. Further, the convective heat transfer coefficient (CHTC) is calculated based on the heat transfer theory and the moving heat source method is adopted to obtain the grinding temperature. Meanwhile, the effectiveness of ICWGT is verified through the grinding temperature measurement experiment of alloy steel. Then, the cylindrical wet grinding temperature for alloy steel considering the lubrication effect of grinding fluid are studied and compared at varied grinding process parameter, and some rules are revealed.
NIR-Mediated Drug Release and Tumor Theranostics Using Melanin-Loaded Liposomes
Authors: Kim Min Ah , Lee Chang-Moon
Published: March 2022

Background
Heat generation in a drug delivery carrier by exposure to near-infrared (NIR) light with excellent tissue transmittance is an effective strategy for drug release and tumor therapy. Because liposomes have amphiphilic properties, they are useful as drug carriers. Liposomes are also very suitable for drug delivery strategies using heat generation by NIR laser because lipid bilayers are easily broken by heat. Thermally generated bubbles from liposomes not only induce drug release, but also enable ultrasound imaging.
Methods
Melanin, perfluorohexane (PFH), and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-loaded liposomes (melanin@PFH@5-FU-liposomes) that can generate heat and bubble by NIR laser irradiation were prepared by a thin film method. Conversion of light to heat and bubble generation of melanin@PFH@5-FU-liposomes were evaluated using an infrared (IR) thermal imaging camera and an ultrasound imaging system both in vitro and in vivo. To investigate tumor therapeutic effect, NIR laser of 808 nm was used to irradiate tumor site for 10 min after injecting melanin@PFH@5-FU-liposome into tail veins of CT26-bearing mice.
Results
Melanin@PFH@5-FU-liposomes showed a spherical shape with a size of 209.6 ± 4.3 nm. Upon NIR laser irradiation, melanin@PFH@5-FU-liposomes exhibited effective temperature increase both in vitro and in vivo. In this regard, temperature increase caused a phase transition of PFH to induce bubble generation dramatically, resulting in effective drug release behavior and ultrasound imaging. The temperature of the tumor site was increased to 52℃ and contrast was greatly enhanced during ultrasound imaging due to the generation of bubble. More importantly, tumor growth was effectively inhibited by injection of melanin@PFH@5-FU-liposomes with laser irradiation.
Conclusions
Based on intrinsic photothermal properties of melanin and phase transition properties of PFH, melanin@PFH@5-FU-liposomes exhibited effective heat and bubble generation upon NIR laser irradiation. The elevated temperature induced bubble generation, resulting in contrast enhancement of ultrasound imaging. Melanin@PFH@5-FU-liposomes under NIR laser irradiation induced the death of cancer cells, thereby effectively inhibiting tumor growth. These results suggest that melanin@PFH@5-FU-liposomes can be utilized as a promising agent for photothermal tumor therapy and ultrasound imaging.
Beta-receptor blockade attenuates atherosclerosis progression following traumatic brain injury in apolipoprotein E deficient mice
Authors: Eitzman Daniel T. , Venugopal Jessica , Wang Jintao , Su Enming J , Guo Chiao , Lawrence Daniel A.
Published: March 2022

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with cardiovascular mortality in humans. Enhanced sympathetic activity following TBI may contribute to accelerated atherosclerosis. The effect of beta-adrenergic receptor blockade on atherosclerosis progression induced by TBI was studied in apolipoprotein E deficient mice. Mice were treated with metoprolol or vehicle following TBI or sham operation. Mice treated with metoprolol experienced a reduced heart rate with no difference in blood pressure. Six weeks following TBI, mice were sacrificed for analysis of atherosclerosis. Lesion thickness was analyzed at the level of the aortic valve and found to be increased in mice receiving TBI with vehicle treatment but was reduced in TBI mice receiving metoprolol. The increase in lesion thickness was associated with increased percent macrophage immunostaining area of intima which was also reduced with metoprolol. No effect of metoprolol on lesion thickness or macrophage content was observed in mice receiving only sham operation. In conclusion, accelerated atherosclerosis following TBI is reduced with beta-adrenergic receptor antagonism. Beta blockers may be useful to reduce vascular risk associated with TBI.
Identification and Computational Validation of TolC Derived B- and T- Cell Epitopes for the Development of Pan-Rickettsial Vaccine
Authors: Sankar Sathish , Suganya Subramanian , Venkatesan Arthi
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Rickettsia is vector-borne causing Rickettsial infections with high mortality. Currently, no vaccines are available for the prevention of rickettsioses. The study aims to identify B- and T- cell epitopes to peptides derived from TolC protein of rickettsial group of pathogens. Immunogenic linear B-cell epitopes and MHC class I and II T-cell epitopes predicted from the consensus sequences of TolC protein for each rickettsial species. The putative antigenic epitopes may trigger an effective immune response and prove to be a novel vaccine that protects against all rickettsial infections. Methods: MHC class-I binding T-cell epitopes were predicted along with TAP binding efficiency and proteasomal cleavage sites. Molecular docking study was carried out to investigate the binding affinity between the MHC-I protein molecules with the peptides. The MHC-peptide complex with the highest RMSD score was further used for molecular dynamic simulation study.Results: Three B-cell candidate peptide epitopes were selected, of which epitope IYPEGGAQYSRIRSAKNQTRNSA/VVQ is conserved across both typhus group and spotted fever group of rickettsial species was considered best suitable for candidate vaccine. The peptide epitope KLYEAKITR had a good RMSD score as well as promiscuous binding to 28 different HLA allele supertypes and was considered suitable for the development of subunit peptide vaccine. Conclusion: The B- and T- cell candidate peptide epitopes identified in our study would elicit B- and T-cell immune responses respectively and serve as a novel candidate peptide vaccine.
An Adaptive Stacking Ensemble Approach to Network Inference Outperforms Any Single Method
Authors: Shen Bingran , Coruzzi Gloria , Shasha Dennis
Published: March 2022

This study evaluates both a variety of existing causal inference methods and a variety of ensemble methods. We show that: (i) individual causal network methods vary in their performance across different datasets, so a method that works poorly on one dataset may work well on another; (ii) a Bayesian ensemble method leads overall to better results than using the best single method or any other ensemble method; (iii) for the best results, the Bayesian ensemble method should integrate all methods that satisfy a statistical test of normality on training data. The Bayesian ensemble model easily integrates all kinds of RNA-seq data and priors as well as new and existing inference methods.The paper categorizes and reviews state-of-the-art underlying methods, describes the Bayesian stacking ensemble approach in detail, and presents experimental results. The source code and data used will be available to the community.
Application of docking-based inverse high throughput virtual screening to found phytochemical covalent inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease, NSP12 and NSP16
Authors: Faletrov Yaroslav V. , Staravoitava Viktoryia A. , Dudko Anastasiya R. , Shkumatov Vladimir M.
Published: March 2022

Computer-aided docking-based inverse high-throughput virtual screening (inv HTVS) was applied for a quick evaluation of compounds as new affine ligands for SARS-CoV-2 proteins. We performed Autodock Vina-based inv HTVS using more than 450 structures of the virus proteins from Protein Data Bank (PDB) and totally ~ 2000 structures of compound with electrophilic motifs (mainly, α,β-unsaturated carbonyls) from Pubchem (CID codes) or Biogem databases. The inv HTVS calculations were semi-automatically organized, run and analyzed using our helper program tool composed of Python scripts and Excel files with macroses. Criteria for binding energy (Ebind, kcal/mol) values (no more than 6.9), distance between thiol groups of cysteine residues and electrophilic groups of the compounds within 0.4 nm (distance criterium) and total number of structures meeting the criteria were used. New in silico interactions were found for Mpro in the cases of such phytochemicals as peperomine E, 15-oxosteviol, zambesiacolactone B, isodehydroeupatundin, 2deoxycucurbitacin and jatrophone. Analogously, potential covalent ligands for NSP12 were found to include ixerin D, xindongnin C, rabdosin B, epinodosin as well as such ligands for NSP16 were found to include anhydroverlotolin-like compound CID325147, mexicanin E, insulicolide B and geoditin A. These and others hits are discussed with respect to their availability and biological properties. Thus, a set of natural compounds were pointed out as potential new covalent inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 proteins Mpro, Nsp12 and Nsp16. This information could be used for further evaluations as prophylaxis tools or drugs against COVID-19.
Harrison’s Rule Corroborated Among Nomadine Cuckoo Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Nomadinae) : The Role of Body Size in Host-Switching Dynamics
Authors: Lim Kayun , Lee Seunghyun , Orr Michael , Lee Seunghwan
Published: March 2022

Harrison’s rule, that body size is positively correlated between parasites and hosts, has been reported in a range of taxa, but whether the rule is applicable to cleptoparasitic insects is poorly understood. Subfamily Nomadinae, the largest group of cleptoparasitic bees, usurp the nests of a variety of host bees. Within the subfamily, Nomada exploits the most diverse hosts, using at least ten genera from five families. Not only they use diverse hosts, but the nomadine bees are also remarkably diverse in size, making them an ideal model to test Harrison’s rule. Here, we reassess the phylogeny of Nomadinae, including the expanded sampling of the genus Nomada, to explore host shift fluctuations throughout their evolutionary history and test the applicability of Harrison’s rule for the subfamily. Our phylogenetic results are mostly congruent with previous investigations, but we infer the tribe Hexepeolini as a sister taxon to the tribe Nomadini. Additionally, the results reveal discrepancies with the traditional classifications of Nomada. Ancestral state reconstruction of host use indicates that, early in their evolution, parasites used closer relatives, before attacking less related groups later. Lastly, we confirm Harrison’s rule in Nomadinae, supporting that body size dynamics influence the host shifts of cleptoparasitic bees.
In Silico Prediction of Deleterious Non-Synonymous SNPs of Human GABRA2 gene and Altered Protein Structure and Function – A Link to Alcohol Dependence?
Authors: Sankar Sathish , Suganya Subramanian
Published: March 2022

Alcohol Dependence is a serious and common public health problem around the globe. Genetic factors contribute to the risk of alcohol dependence. Mapping and identifying the specific genes that influence alcohol dependence and factors that alter the genetic expression are the thrust areas. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in GABRA2 are associated with impulsiveness-related traits. The present study looked at non-synonymous SNPs with the potential to affect the structural and functional properties of the protein. The missense variants in the GABRA2 gene from sequences available in the NCBI database were analyzed using different bioinformatics tools. The modeled protein structures of the mutant proteins were compared with the native protein to determine stability changes. The identified deleterious variants were mostly present in the neurotransmitter-gated ion-channel ligand-binding domain and predicted to cause potential structural and functional changes in the protein. Among the 14 mutants, R58T was found to have the highest energy of -19646 KJ/mol, even after energy minimization, when compared with the native structure. The remaining 13 mutants were found to have lower energy values ranging from − 13567 to -13857 KJ/mol and 10 mutants were found in the conserved regions of the protein sequence. With a better understanding of the genetic basis of alcohol dependence, it is possible to pre-screen 'at-risk' individuals and design personalized early intervention, especially among the youth population.
Portuguese Physical Literacy Assessment Questionnaire (PPLA-Q) for adolescents (15-18 years) from grades 10-12: item response theory analysis of the content knowledge questionnaire
Authors: Mota João , Martins João , Onofre Marcos
Published: March 2022

Background: Aims of this study were to assess construct validity (dimensionality and measurement invariance) and reliability of the previously developed Cognitive module of the Portuguese Physical Literacy Assessment – Questionnaire (PPLA-Q). Secondary aims were to assess whether using distractor information was useful for higher precision, and whether a total sum-score has enough precision for applied PE settings.Methods: Parametric Item Response Theory (IRT) models were estimated using a final sample of 508 Portuguese adolescents (Mage= 16, SD = 1 years) studying in public schools in Lisbon. A retest subsample of 73 students, collected 15 days after baseline, was used to calculate Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Svenson’s ordinal paired agreement. Results: A mixed 2-parameter nested logit + graded response model provided the best fit to the data, C2 (21) = 23.92, p = .21; CFI = .98; RMSEAC2= .017 [0,.043] with no misfitting items. Modelling distractor information provided an increase in available information and thus, reliability. There was evidence of differential item functioning in one item in favor of male students, however it did not translate in statistically significant differences at test level (sDTF = -0.06; sDTF% = -0.14). Average score reliability was low (marginal reliability= .60); while adequate reliability was attained in the -2 to -1 θ range. ICC results suggest poor to moderate test-retest reliability (ICC = .56, [.38, .70]); while Svenson’s method resulted in 6 out of 10 items with acceptable agreement (>.70), and 4 remaining items revealing a small individual variability across time points. We found a high correlation (r = .91 [.90,.93]) among sum-score and scores derived from calibrated mixed model.Conclusions: Evidence supports the construct validity of the cognitive module of the PPLA-Q to assess Content Knowledge in the Portuguese PE context for grade 10-12 (15-18 years) adolescents. This test attainted acceptable reliability for distinguishing student with transitional knowledge (between Foundation and Mastery), with further revisions needed to target full spectrum of θ. Its sum-score might be used in applied settings to get a quick overview of student’s knowledge; for precision IRT score is recommended. Further scrutiny of test-retest reliability is warranted in future research, along with the use of 3-parameter logistic models.
Long-term Physical Activity Decreased the Risk of New-onset Hypertension in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients with Pre-hypertension: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Zhou Jianmei , Lv Xiaoling , Zhou Rongfang , Wang Bozhong , Wu Qing
Published: March 2022

Background Numerous studies were demonstrated the inverse relationship between all kinds of physical activity (PA) and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), few of them focus on the new-onset hypertension. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the impact of long-term PA on the risk of new-onset hypertension in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with pre-hypertension.Methods A total of 268 T2DM patients with pre-hypertension were recruited between January and December 2015, and followed them up until December 2020. All patients were took PA self-assessment. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, radiologic, treatments, complications, lifestyle and clinical outcomes data were extracted from electronic medical records or collected through a structured interview.Results During 5 year follow-up, the incidence of new-onset hypertension was significantly lower in PA group (15.5% vs 35.4%, p<0.01) when compared to the inactivity group. Logistic regression analysis showed that PA (OR 0.337, 95%CI 0.168 to 0.677, p<0.01), body mass index (BMI) (OR 1.138, 95%CI 1.019 to 1.272, p<0.05) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) (OR 1.206, 95%CI 1.006 to 1.446, p<0.05) were associated to the incidence of new-onset hypertension in pre-hypertensive T2DM patients. Subgroup analysis found that for those overweight and blood glucose poor controlled pre-hypertensive T2DM patients, long-term PA were less likely to develop hypertension (overweight: OR 0.187, 95%CI 0.063 to 0.558, p<0.01; glucose poor controlled: OR 0.349, 95%CI 0.138 to 0.880, p<0.05).Conclusion These results suggested that long-term PA might be an important protective factor for new-onset hypertension in overweight and poor blood glucose controlled pre-hypertensive T2DM patients.