bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glucocorticoid activates STAT3 and NF-κB synergistically with inflammatory cytokines to enhance the anti-inflammatory factor TSG6 expression in mesenchymal stem/stromal cells
Authors: Huang Peiqing , Sun Rongrong , Xu Chenchang , Jiang Zixuan , Zuo Muqiu , Li Yinghong , Liu Rui , Gong Pixia , Han Yuyi , Fang Jiankai , Li Peishan , Shao Changshun , Shi Yufang
Published: January 2024

Glucocorticoid (GC) is essential for maintaining immune homeostasis. While GC is known to regulate the expression of genes related to inflammation in immune cells, the effects of GC, especially in the presence of inflammation, on non-immune cells remain largely unexplored. In particular, the impact of GC on inflammatory cytokine-induced immune modulatory responses of tissue stromal cells is unknown, though it has been widely used to modulate tissue injuries. Here we found that GC could enhance the expression of TSG6, a vital tissue repair effector molecule, in IFNγ and TNFα treated human umbilical cord (UC)-MSCs. NF-κB activation was found to be required for GC-augmented TSG6 upregulation. STAT3, but not STAT1, was also found to be required for the TSG6 upregulation in MSCs exposed to IFNγ, TNFα and GC. Moreover, the phosphorylation (activation) of STAT3 was attenuated when NF-κB was knocked down. Importantly, human UC-MSCs pretreated with a cocktail containing GC, IFNγ, and TNFα could significantly enhance the therapeutic effect of human UC-MSCs in an acute lung injury mouse model, as reflected by reduced infiltration of immune cells and down-regulation of iNOS in macrophages in the lung. Together, the findings reveal a novel link between GR, NF-κB and STAT3 in regulating the immunomodulatory and regenerative properties of MSCs, providing novel information for the understanding and treatment of inflammatory conditions.
Glucocorticoid stress hormones stimulate vesicle-free Tau secretion and spreading in the brain
Authors: Yu Qing , Du Fang , Belli Irla , Gomes Patricia A. , Sotiropoulos Ioannis , Waites Clarissa L.
Published: January 2024

Chronic stress and elevated levels of glucocorticoids (GCs), the main stress hormones, accelerate Alzheimer’s disease (AD) onset and progression. A major driver of AD progression is the spreading of pathogenic Tau protein between brain regions, precipitated by neuronal Tau secretion. While stress and high GC levels are known to induce intraneuronal Tau pathology (i.e. hyperphosphorylation, oligomerization) in animal models, their role in trans-neuronal Tau spreading is unexplored. Here, we find that GCs promote secretion of full-length, primarily vesicle-free, phosphorylated Tau from murine hippocampal neurons and ex vivo brain slices. This process requires neuronal activity and the kinase GSK3β. GCs also dramatically enhance trans-neuronal Tau spreading in vivo, and this effect is blocked by an inhibitor of Tau oligomerization and type 1 unconventional protein secretion. These findings uncover a potential mechanism by which stress/GCs stimulate Tau propagation in AD.
The association between blood pressure control in women during pregnancy and adverse perinatal outcomes: the TMM BirThree Cohort Study
Authors: Ishikuro Mami , Obara Taku , Murakami Keiko , Ueno Fumihiko , Noda Aoi , Onuma Tomomi , Kikuya Masahiro , Metoki Hirohito , Kuriyama Shinichi
Published: January 2024

Blood pressure (BP) control in pregnancy is essential to prevent adverse outcomes. However, BP levels for hypertension treatment are inconsistent among various guidelines. This study investigated the association between BP control and adverse perinatal outcomes. A total of 18,155 mother-offspring pairs were classified into four groups according to BP after 20 gestational weeks: normal BP (<140/90 mmHg without antihypertensive drugs), high BP (≥140/90 mmHg without antihypertensive drugs), controlled BP (<140/90 mmHg with antihypertensive drugs), and uncontrolled BP (≥140/90 mmHg with antihypertensive drugs). The prevalence of small for gestational age was 1,087/17,476 offspring in normal BP, 78/604 in high BP, 5/42 in controlled BP, and 7/33 in uncontrolled BP. Compared to normal BP, adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals (CIs)) were 1.76 (1.32–2.35) for high BP, 2.08 (0.79–5.50) for controlled BP, and 2.34 (0.94–5.85) for uncontrolled BP (multiple logistic regression analysis). Similarly, the adjusted ORs (95% CIs) were 1.80 (1.35–2.41), 3.42 (1.35–8.63), and 5.10 (1.93–13.45) for high, controlled, and uncontrolled BPs for low birth weight, respectively; 1.99 (1.48–2.68), 2.70 (1.12–6.50), and 6.53 (3.09–13.82) for high, controlled, and uncontrolled BPs for preterm birth, respectively; 1.64 (1.19–2.24), 2.17 (0.88–5.38), and 2.12 (0.80–5.65) for high, controlled, and uncontrolled BPs for admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or Growing Care Unit, respectively; and 1.17 (0.70–1.95), 2.23 (0.65–7.68), and 0.91 (0.20–4.16) for high, controlled, and uncontrolled BPs for 1-min Apgar score < 7, respectively. BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg might be taken care for preventing various adverse perinatal outcomes.
Giant optical polarisation rotations induced by a single quantum dot spin
Authors: Mehdi E. , Gundín M. , Millet C. , Somaschi N. , Lemaître A. , Sagnes I. , Le Gratiet L. , Fioretto D. A. , Belabas N. , Krebs O. , Senellart P. , Lanco L.
Published: January 2024

In the framework of optical quantum computing and communications, a major objective consists in building receiving nodes implementing conditional operations on incoming photons, using a single stationary qubit. In particular, the quest for scalable nodes motivated the development of cavity-enhanced spin-photon interfaces with solid-state emitters. An important challenge remains, however, to produce a stable, controllable, spin-dependent photon state, in a deterministic way. Here we use an electrically-contacted pillar-based cavity, embedding a single InGaAs quantum dot, to demonstrate giant polarisation rotations induced on reflected photons by a single electron spin. A complete tomography approach is introduced to extrapolate the output polarisation Stokes vector, conditioned by a specific spin state, in presence of spin and charge fluctuations. We experimentally approach polarisation states conditionally rotated by $$\frac{\pi }{2}$$

π

2

, π, and $$-\frac{\pi }{2}$$
−

π

2

in the Poincaré sphere with extrapolated fidelities of (97 ± 1) %, (84 ± 7) %, and (90 ± 8) %, respectively. We find that an enhanced light-matter coupling, together with limited cavity birefringence and reduced spectral fluctuations, allow targeting most conditional rotations in the Poincaré sphere, with a control both in longitude and latitude. Such polarisation control may prove crucial to adapt spin-photon interfaces to various configurations and protocols for quantum information.
Skeletal editing of pyridines through atom-pair swap from CN to CC
Authors: Cheng Qiang , Bhattacharya Debkanta , Haring Malte , Cao Hui , Mück-Lichtenfeld Christian , Studer Armido
Published: January 2024

Skeletal editing is a straightforward synthetic strategy for precise substitution or rearrangement of atoms in core ring structures of complex molecules; it enables quick diversification of compounds that is not possible by applying peripheral editing strategies. Previously reported skeletal editing of common arenes mainly relies on carbene- or nitrene-type insertion reactions or rearrangements. Although powerful, efficient and applicable to late-stage heteroarene core structure modification, these strategies cannot be used for skeletal editing of pyridines. Here we report the direct skeletal editing of pyridines through atom-pair swap from CN to CC to generate benzenes and naphthalenes in a modular fashion. Specifically, we use sequential dearomatization, cycloaddition and rearomatizing retrocycloaddition reactions in a one-pot sequence to transform the parent pyridines into benzenes and naphthalenes bearing diversified substituents at specific sites, as defined by the cycloaddition reaction components. Applications to late-stage skeletal diversification of pyridine cores in several drugs are demonstrated.
Emergent seesaw oscillations during cellular directional decision-making
Authors: Ron Jonathan E. , Crestani Michele , Kux Johan M. , Liu Jiayi , Al-Dam Nabil , Monzo Pascale , Gauthier Nils C. , Sáez Pablo J. , Gov Nir S.
Published: January 2024

Motile cells inside living tissues often encounter junctions, where their path branches into several alternative directions of migration. We present a theoretical model of cellular polarization for a cell migrating along a one-dimensional line, arriving at a symmetric Y junction and extending protrusions along the different paths that originate at the junction. The model predicts the spontaneous emergence of deterministic oscillations of growth and cellular polarization between competing protrusions during the directional decision-making process. The oscillations are modified by cellular noise but remain a dominant feature that affects the time it takes the cell to migrate across the junction. These predictions are confirmed experimentally for two different cell types (non-cancerous endothelial and cancerous glioma cells) migrating on a patterned network of thin adhesive lanes with junctions.
Square beams for optimal tiling in transmission electron microscopy
Authors: Chua Eugene Y. D. , Alink Lambertus M. , Kopylov Mykhailo , Johnston Jake D. , Eisenstein Fabian , de Marco Alex
Published: January 2024

Imaging large fields of view at a high magnification requires tiling. Transmission electron microscopes typically have round beam profiles; therefore, tiling across a large area is either imperfect or results in uneven exposures, a problem for dose-sensitive samples. Here, we introduce a square electron beam that can easily be retrofitted in existing microscopes, and demonstrate its application, showing that it can tile nearly perfectly and deliver cryo-electron microscopy imaging with a resolution comparable to conventional set-ups.
A comparative wordlist for investigating distant relations among languages in Lowland South America
Authors: Blum Frederic , Barrientos Carlos , Zariquiey Roberto , List Johann-Mattis
Published: January 2024

The history of the language families in Lowland South America remains an understudied area of historical linguistics. Panoan and Tacanan, two language families from this area, have frequently been proposed to descend from the same ancestor. Despite ample evidence in favor of this hypothesis, not all scholars accept it as proven beyond doubt. We compiled a new lexical questionnaire with 501 basic concepts to investigate the genetic relation between Panoan and Tacanan languages. The dataset includes data from twelve Panoan, five Tacanan, and four other languages which have previously been suggested to be related to Pano-Tacanan. Through the transparent annotation of grammatical morphemes and partial cognates, our dataset provides the basis for testing language relationships both qualitatively and quantitatively. The data is not only relevant for the investigation of the ancestry of Panoan and Tacanan languages. Reflecting the state of the art in computer-assisted approaches for historical language comparison, it can serve as a role model for linguistic studies in other areas of the world.
Influence of acculturation and cultural values on the self-reference effect
Authors: Gilliam Ashley N. , Gutchess Angela
Published: January 2024

Cultural milieu can influence the way information is processed and what strategies are employed to deal with ever-changing environments. This study assessed whether acculturation and cultural values of East Asians can affect memory, with a specific focus on the self-reference effect in Chinese international students. Participants encoded and retrieved adjectives, with some trials relating the words to the self (i.e., the self-referencing task), another person, or a control condition; participants also completed questionnaires assessing cultural adaptation and self-construal. Results did not show a relationship between acculturation orientation and self-construal and the magnitude of the self-reference effect in memory, defined as better memory for adjectives encoded related to the self compared to those related to close others, in this sample of Chinese international students. Future research should explore effects of acculturation over time, incorporating more heterogeneous samples and sensitive neural measures.
Association of frailty with mortality in cancer survivors: results from NHANES 1999–2018
Authors: Zhai Chongya , Yin Luxi , Shen Jiaying , Dong Jie , Zheng Yu , Pan Hongming , Han Weidong
Published: January 2024

Cancer survivors are vulnerable to frailty. While few studies have focused on the association of frailty with mortality risk among cancer survivors, the current study aimed to reveal this association. In this cohort study, 4723 cancer survivors were enrolled from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES, 1999–2018). Frailty status was quantified using the 53-item frailty index. Death outcomes were linked to National Death Index mortality data (as of December 31, 2019). Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate HRs (95% CIs). The median (IQR) frailty score was 0.190 (0.132, 0.277). During the median follow-up of 6.7 years, 1775 all-cause deaths (including 581 cancer deaths and 385 cardiac deaths) were documented. Compared to the lowest tertile of frailty scores, the adjusted HRs (95% CIs) for the highest tertile were 2.698 (2.224, 3.272) for all-cause mortality (P trend < 0.001), 2.145 (1.547, 2.973) for cancer mortality (P trend < 0.001), and 3.735 (2.231, 6.251) for cardiac mortality (P trend < 0.001). Moreover, a positive dose‒response association between the frailty score and mortality risk was determined. Each per-unit increase in the frailty score (natural logarithm transformed) was found to increase all-cause mortality by 159% (P < 0.001), cancer mortality by 103% (P < 0.001), and cardiac mortality by 256% (P < 0.001). A consistent result was shown when stratifying by age, sex, race, body mass index, and type of cancer. This study suggested that the frailty index was positively associated with all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality (including cancer and cardiac deaths) among cancer survivors.
Correlation of CT-based bone mineralization with drilling-force measurements in anatomical specimens is suitable to investigate planning of trans-pedicular spine interventions
Authors: Wolff Stefanie , Adler Simon , Eppler Elisabeth , Fischer Karin , Lux Anke , Rothkötter Hermann-Josef , Skalej Martin
Published: January 2024

This interdisciplinary study examined the relationship between bone density and drilling forces required during trans-pedicular access to the vertebra using fresh–frozen thoraco-lumbar vertebrae from two female body donors (A, B). Before and after biomechanical examination, samples underwent high-resolution CT-quantification of total bone density followed by software-based evaluation and processing. CT density measurements (n = 4818) were calculated as gray values (GV), which were highest in T12 for both subjects (GVmaxA = 3483.24, GVmaxB = 3160.33). Trans-pedicular drilling forces F (Newton N) were highest in L3 (FmaxB = 5.67 N) and L4 (FmaxA = 5.65 N). In 12 out of 13 specimens, GVs significantly (p < 0.001) correlated with force measurements. Among these, Spearman correlations r were poor in two lumbar vertebrae, fair in five specimens, and moderately strong in another five specimens, and highest for T11 (rA = 0.721) and L5 (rB = 0.690). Our results indicate that CT-based analysis of vertebral bone density acquired in anatomical specimens is a promising approach to predict the drilling force appearance as surrogate parameter of its biomechanical properties by e.g., linear regression analysis. The study may be of value as basis for biomechanical investigations to improve planning of the optimal trajectory and to define safety margins for drilling forces during robotic-assisted trans-pedicular interventions on the spine in the future.
The cortisol awakening response in a 3 month clinical trial of service dogs for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder
Authors: Nieforth Leanne O. , Rodriguez Kerri E. , Zhuang Run , Miller Elise A. , Sabbaghi Arman , Schwichtenberg A. J. , Granger Douglas A. , O’Haire Marguerite E.
Published: January 2024

Recent literature suggests that service dogs may be a valuable complementary intervention option for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among military veterans due to the potential influence on stress response dysregulation. The aim of this short-term longitudinal study was to quantify the impact of service dogs in US military veterans with PTSD with particular attention to the cortisol awakening response. A sub aim of the study was to empirically evaluate the physiological effects of PTSD service dogs on veteran partners. We conducted a clinical trial (ID: NCT03245814) that assessed the cortisol awakening response for 245 participants at baseline and 3 months follow-up across an intervention group (service dog: veterans n = 88, partners n = 46) and control group (usual care: n = 73, partners n = 38). A total of N = 161 veterans and N = 84 partners collected whole saliva samples via a passive drool collection immediately upon waking, 30 min after waking, and 45 min after waking on three consecutive weekdays at baseline and again at follow-up. Mixed model repeated measures (MMRM) with a fixed effect of the intervention group (service dog or control) were utilized. Covariates considered for the model included time of awakening, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, prior day experiences (measured via ecological momentary assessment), traumatic brain injury, age, gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, smoking status, alcohol use, physical health, and body mass index. A total of 3951 salivary samples were collected (veterans: 2613, partners: 1338). MMRM results demonstrated that veterans with a service dog had a statistically significant higher cortisol awakening response, including the area under the curve with respect to both increase (AUCi, β = 1.46, p = 0.046) and absolute increase (AINC, β = 0.05, p = 0.035). Results were not statistically significant for partners. Findings suggest that veterans with service dogs have a higher, less blunted CAR in comparison to veterans receiving usual care alone. In veterans with a blunted morning cortisol response, service dog placement could help boost their morning cortisol response.
Fabrication, defect chemistry and microstructure of Mn-doped UO2
Authors: Smith H. , Townsend L. T. , Mohun R. , Mosselmans J. F. W. , Kvashnina K. , Hyatt Neil C. , Corkhill C. L.
Published: January 2024

Mn-doped UO2 is under consideration for use as an accident tolerant nuclear fuel. We detail the synthesis of Mn-doped UO2 prepared via a wet co-precipitation method, which was refined to improve the yield of incorporated Mn. To verify the Mn-doped UO2 defect chemistry, X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Mn K-edge was performed, in addition to X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and high-energy resolved fluorescence detection X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy at the U M4-edge. It was established that Mn2+ directly substitutes for U4+ in the UO2 lattice, accompanied by oxygen vacancy (Ov) charge compensation. In contrast to other divalent-element doped UO2 materials, compelling evidence for U5+ in a charge compensating role was not found. This work furthers understanding of the structure and crystal chemistry of Mn-doped UO2, which could show potential advantages as a novel efficient advanced nuclear fuel.
Time to surgery is not an oncological risk factor in patients with cholangiocarcinoma undergoing curative-intent liver surgery
Authors: Mantas Anna , Liu Dong , Otto Carlos Constantin , Heij Lara Rosaline , Heise Daniel , Bruners Philipp , Lang Sven Arke , Ulmer Tom Florian , Neumann Ulf Peter , Bednarsch Jan
Published: January 2024

Surgical resection is the only option to achieve long-term survival in cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCA). Due to limitations of health care systems and unforeseeable events, e.g., the COVID pandemic, the time from diagnosis to surgery (time-to-surgery (TTS)) has gained great interest in malignancies. Thus, we investigated whether TTS is associated with the oncological outcome in patients who underwent surgery for CCA. A cohort of 276 patients undergoing curative-intent surgery for intrahepatic and perihilar CCA excluding individuals with neoadjuvant therapy and perioperative mortality between 2010 and 2021 were eligible for analysis. Patients were grouped according to TTS (≤ 30; 31–60; 61–90; > 90 days) and compared by Kruskal–Wallis-analysis. Survival was compared using Kaplan–Meier analysis and characteristics associated with cancer-specific survival (CSS), recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) using Cox regressions. The median CSS was 39 months (3-year-CSS = 52%, 5-year-CSS = 42%) and the median RFS 20 months (3-year-CSS = 38%, 5-year-CSS = 33%). In univariable Cox regressions, TTS was not associated with CSS (p = 0.971) or RFS (p = 0.855), respectively. A grouped analysis with respect to TTS (≤ 30 days, n = 106; 31–60 days, n = 134; 61–90 days, n = 44; > 90 days, n = 29) displayed a median CSS of 38, 33, 51 and 41 months and median RFS of 17, 22, 28 and 20 months (p = 0.971 log rank; p = 0.520 log rank). No statistical difference regarding oncological risk factors were observed between the groups. This study is the first comprehensive analysis of TTS in CCA patients. Within a representative European cohort, TTS was not associated with earlier tumor recurrence or reduced CCS.
Uncovering local aggregated air quality index with smartphone captured images leveraging efficient deep convolutional neural network
Authors: Mondal Joyanta Jyoti , Islam Md. Farhadul , Islam Raima , Rhidi Nowsin Kabir , Newaz Sarfaraz , Manab Meem Arafat , Islam A. B. M. Alim Al , Noor Jannatun
Published: January 2024

The prevalence and mobility of smartphones make these a widely used tool for environmental health research. However, their potential for determining aggregated air quality index (AQI) based on PM2.5 concentration in specific locations remains largely unexplored in the existing literature. In this paper, we thoroughly examine the challenges associated with predicting location-specific PM2.5 concentration using images taken with smartphone cameras. The focus of our study is on Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, due to its significant air pollution levels and the large population exposed to it. Our research involves the development of a Deep Convolutional Neural Network (DCNN), which we train using over a thousand outdoor images taken and annotated. These photos are captured at various locations in Dhaka, and their labels are based on PM2.5 concentration data obtained from the local US consulate, calculated using the NowCast algorithm. Through supervised learning, our model establishes a correlation index during training, enhancing its ability to function as a Picture-based Predictor of PM2.5 Concentration (PPPC). This enables the algorithm to calculate an equivalent daily averaged AQI index from a smartphone image. Unlike, popular overly parameterized models, our model shows resource efficiency since it uses fewer parameters. Furthermore, test results indicate that our model outperforms popular models like ViT and INN, as well as popular CNN-based models such as VGG19, ResNet50, and MobileNetV2, in predicting location-specific PM2.5 concentration. Our dataset is the first publicly available collection that includes atmospheric images and corresponding PM2.5 measurements from Dhaka. Our codes and dataset are available at https://github.com/lepotatoguy/aqi.
Synthesis and biophysical evaluation of carbosilane dendrimers as therapeutic siRNA carriers
Authors: Zawadzki Serafin , Martín-Serrano Ángela , Okła Elżbieta , Kędzierska Marta , Garcia-Gallego Sandra , López Paula O. , de la Mata Francisco J. , Michlewska Sylwia , Makowski Tomasz , Ionov Maksim , Pędziwiatr-Werbicka Elżbieta , Bryszewska Maria , Miłowska Katarzyna
Published: January 2024

Gene therapy presents an innovative approach to the treatment of previously incurable diseases. The advancement of research in the field of nanotechnology has the potential to overcome the current limitations and challenges of conventional therapy methods, and therefore to unlocking the full potential of dendrimers for use in the gene therapy of neurodegenerative disorders. The blood–brain barrier (BBB) poses a significant challenge when delivering therapeutic agents to the central nervous system. In this study, we investigated the biophysical properties of dendrimers and their complexes with siRNA directed against the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene to identify an appropriate nanocarrier capable of safely delivering the cargo across the BBB. Our study yielded valuable insights into the complexation process, stability over time, the mechanisms of interaction, the influence of dendrimers on the oligonucleotide's spatial structure, and the potential cytotoxic effects on human cerebral microvascular endothelium cells. Based on our findings, we identified that the dendrimer G3Si PEG6000 was an optimal candidate for further research, potentially serving as a nanocarrier capable of safely delivering therapeutic agents across the BBB for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.
A improved pooling method for convolutional neural networks
Authors: Zhao Lei , Zhang Zhonglin
Published: January 2024

The pooling layer in convolutional neural networks plays a crucial role in reducing spatial dimensions, and improving computational efficiency. However, standard pooling operations such as max pooling or average pooling are not suitable for all applications and data types. Therefore, developing custom pooling layers that can adaptively learn and extract relevant features from specific datasets is of great significance. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to design and implement customizable pooling layers to enhance feature extraction capabilities in CNNs. The proposed T-Max-Avg pooling layer incorporates a threshold parameter T, which selects the K highest interacting pixels as specified, allowing it to control whether the output features of the input data are based on the maximum values or weighted averages. By learning the optimal pooling strategy during training, our custom pooling layer can effectively capture and represent discriminative information in the input data, thereby improving classification performance. Experimental results show that the proposed T-Max-Avg pooling layer achieves good performance on three different datasets. When compared to LeNet-5 model with average pooling, max pooling, and Avg-TopK methods, the T-Max-Avg pooling method achieves the highest accuracy on CIFAR-10, CIFAR-100, and MNIST datasets.
Research progress on composite material of bismuth vanadate catalyzing the decomposition of Quinolone antibiotics
Authors: Zhao Yuan , Kong Lingyuan , Li Shangdong , Zhao Zhirui , Wang Na , Pang Yunqing
Published: January 2024

Since quinolone is a kind of synthetic broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs, with the widespread use of this class of antibiotics, the risk and harm to human health have been attendant to the sewage containing quinolones which are discharged into the environment. Photocatalysis is considered as a promising technology for antibiotic degradation for its strong redox properties and reaction rate. As a metal oxidizing substance, Bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) is such a popular and hot material for the degradation of organic pollutants recently due to its good photocatalytic activity and chemical stability. Numerous studies have confirmed that BiVO4 composites can overcome the shortcomings of pure BiVO4 and cleave the main structure of quinolone under photocatalytic conditions. This paper mainly outlines the research progress on the preparation of BiVO4 composites and the degradation of quinolone antibiotics from the perspective of improving the catalysis and degrading the efficiency mechanism of BiVO4 composites.
Neurological intervention transition model for dynamic prediction of good outcome in spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage
Authors: Luo Yiming , Payne Stephen John
Published: January 2024

Deterioration of neurovascular conditions can be rapid in patients with spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) and often lead to poor clinical outcomes. Therefore, it is crucial to promptly assess and continually track the progression of the disease. This study incorporated baseline clinical conditions, repeatedly measured neurological grades and haematological biomarkers for dynamic outcome prediction in patients with spontaneous SAH. Neurological intervention, mainly aneurysm clipping and endovascular embolisation, was also incorporated as an intermediate event in developing a neurological intervention transition (NIT) joint model. A retrospective cohort study was performed on 701 patients in spontaneous SAH with a study period of 14 days from the MIMIC-IV dataset. A dynamic prognostic model predicting outcome of patients was developed based on combination of Cox model and piecewise linear mixed-effect models to incorporate different types of prognostic information. Clinical baseline covariates, including cerebral oedema, cerebral infarction, respiratory failure, hydrocephalus and vasospasm, as well as repeated measured Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), glucose and white blood cell (WBC) levels were covariates contributing to the optimal model. Incorporation of neurological intervention as an intermediate event increases the prediction performance compared with baseline joint modelling approach. The average AUC of the optimal model proposed in this study is 0.7783 across different starting points of prediction and prediction intervals. The model proposed in this study can provide dynamic prognosis for spontaneous SAH patients and significant potential benefits in critical care management.
CuO nanoparticles for green synthesis of significant anti-Helicobacter pylori compounds with in silico studies
Authors: Shehab Wesam S. , Elsayed Doaa A. , Abdel Hamid Atef M. , Assy Mohamed G. , Mouneir Samar M. , Hamed Eman O. , Mousa Sahar M. , El-Bassyouni Gehan T.
Published: January 2024

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a universal health intimidation as mentioned by the World Health Organization. The primary causal agent linked to a number of illnesses, including inflammation and the development of stomach ulcers, is Helicobacter pylori. Since, H. pylori develops antibiotic resistance quickly, current H. pylori treatment approaches are becoming less effective. Our research aims to highlight novel formulation antibiotics using CuO-NPs as catalysts and studied their activity as anti-helicobacter pylori supported by computational studies (POM analysis and molecular docking) software. They were designed for anti-Helicobacter Pylori action. All compounds revealed a bactericidal effect better than the reference McFarland standards.
Equilibrium points and their stability of COVID-19 in US
Authors: Hu Xiaoxi , Hu Zixin , Xu Tao , Zhang Kai , Lu Henry H. , Zhao Jinying , Boerwinkle Eric , Jin Li , Xiong Momiao
Published: January 2024

This study aims to develop an advanced mathematic model and investigate when and how will the COVID-19 in the US be evolved to endemic. We employed a nonlinear ordinary differential equations-based model to simulate COVID-19 transmission dynamics, factoring in vaccination efforts. Multi-stability analysis was performed on daily new infection data from January 12, 2021 to December 12, 2022 across 50 states in the US. Key indices such as eigenvalues and the basic reproduction number were utilized to evaluate stability and investigate how the pandemic COVD-19 will evolve to endemic in the US. The transmissional, recovery, vaccination rates, vaccination effectiveness, eigenvalues and reproduction numbers ($${R}_{0}$$

R
0

and $${R}_{0}^{end}$$

R

0

end

) in the endemic equilibrium point were estimated. The stability attractor regions for these parameters were identified and ranked. Our multi-stability analysis revealed that while the endemic equilibrium points in the 50 states remain unstable, there is a significant trend towards stable endemicity in the US. The study's stability analysis, coupled with observed epidemiological waves in the US, suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic may not conclude with the virus's eradication. Nevertheless, the virus is gradually becoming endemic. Effectively strategizing vaccine distribution is pivotal for this transition.
Relationship between dietary characteristics and heel quantitative ultrasound parameters in postmenopausal women from the OsteoLaus cohort
Authors: Lanyan A. , Marques-Vidal P. , Métrailler A. , Gonzalez Rodriguez E. , Hans D. , Shevroja E. , Lamy O.
Published: January 2024

The role of dietary patterns in the development of osteoporosis is unclear. The heel quantitative ultrasound (QUS) is a potential alternative to Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry. Nutrients, foods, dietary patterns and compliance to dietary guidelines were compared between the lowest and the highest tertiles of QUS parameters [Broadband Ultrasound Attenuation (BUA), Speed of Sound (SOS), Stiffness Index (SI)], using data from the OsteoLaus cohort. Participants in the highest tertiles of QUS parameters (385 for BUA, 397 for SOS, 386 for SI) were younger, of higher body weight, and had less major osteoporotic fractures. Women in the highest tertiles of SI and BUA consumed more fat (35.1 ± 0.4 vs 33.9 ± 0.4 and 34.9 ± 0.4 vs 33.8 ± 0.4 gr/day for SI and BUA, respectively, p < 0.05), and complied less frequently with dairy intake guidelines [odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 0.70 (0.53–0.92) and 0.72 (0.55–0.95) for SI and BUA, respectively, p < 0.05] than women in the lowest tertile. No differences were found regarding dietary patterns, healthy dietary scores, or compliance to dietary guidelines. Postmenopausal women in the highest QUS tertiles were younger, of higher weight and BMI, consumed more monounsaturated fatty acids and less dairy and calcium than women in the lowest tertiles. No differences were found between QUS tertiles regarding dietary patterns.
Factors affecting patient activation among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Wang Zhixia , Song Yuqing , Ou Lihong , Liao Dengbin , He Lingxiao , Ning Qian , Chen Yanling , Chen Hong
Published: January 2024

There are limited published studies on patient activation among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in China. Disease activity can significantly influence a patient's perception of their condition, subsequently impacting patient activation. However, the mechanisms through which disease activity influences patient activation remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate patient activation among patients with SLE in China and explore the influencing factors. We conducted a cross-sectional study from June to December 2021 at a rheumatology and immunology department of a tertiary hospital in Chengdu, China. Data were collected by questionnaire, including general information, disease activity, quality of chronic illness care, health literacy, self-efficacy, motivation, social support, and patient activation. A patient activation model was constructed based on the conceptual framework derived from the individual and family self-management theory. To evaluate the moderating effect of disease activity on patient activation model, participants were divided into two subgroups (low disease activity group and high disease activity group). 426 SLE patients were included. The mean score of patient activation among SLE patients was 63.28 ± 11.82, indicating that most SLE patients lacked skills and confidence to stick with health-promoting behaviors. Health literacy, social support, and self-efficacy had the greatest effect on patient activation. In the multi-group analysis, social support and health literacy contributed more to patient activation in SLE patients with high and low disease activity, respectively. Patient activation among SLE patients in China was at the third level. Healthcare professionals should help them adhere to health-promoting behaviors. Health literacy, social support, and self-efficacy are vital factors for patient activation. These factors should be prioritized based on disease activity when developing individually tailored interventions for patient activation.
Factors associated with cam deformity in Japanese local residents
Authors: Tomomatsu Koichi , Taniguchi Takaya , Hashizume Hiroshi , Harada Teiji , Iidaka Toshiko , Asai Yoshiki , Oka Hiroyuki , Muraki Shigeyuki , Akune Toru , Kawaguchi Hiroshi , Nakamura Kozo , Yoshida Munehito , Tanaka Sakae , Yoshimura Noriko , Yamada Hiroshi
Published: January 2024

Femoroacetabular impingement has increasingly been recognized as a cause of primary hip osteoarthritis; however, its epidemiological indications remain unclear. We aimed to clarify the epidemiological indications and factors associated with cam deformity in a large-scale population-based cohort in Japan. Overall, 1480 participants (2960 hips) (491 men, 989 women; mean age, 65.3 years) analyzed in the third survey of the Research on Osteoarthritis/Osteoporosis Against Disability study were included. The α angle and spinopelvic parameters (lumbar lordosis, sacral slope, pelvic tilt, and pelvic incidence) were radiographically measured. Cam deformity was defined as α angle ≥ 60°. Overall, the cam deformity prevalence was 147/2960 (5.0%). Cam deformity prevalence tended to increase with age; in the univariate analysis, a higher percentage of men was observed in the group with cam deformity than in the group without it. No relationship was observed between cam deformity and hip pain. Factors associated with α angle were examined via multiple regression analysis for each gender; α angle was significantly associated with age and BMI in each gender. The α angle and PT were correlated in women. Thus, α angle and cam deformity prevalence increase with age in Japanese individuals. Accordingly, cam deformity can be considered a developmental disease.
Advancing wavefront shaping with resonant nonlocal metasurfaces: beyond the limitations of lookup tables
Authors: Isnard Enzo , Héron Sébastien , Lanteri Stéphane , Elsawy Mahmoud
Published: January 2024

Resonant metasurfaces are of paramount importance in addressing the growing demand for reduced thickness and complexity, while ensuring high optical efficiency. This becomes particularly crucial in overcoming fabrication challenges associated with high aspect ratio structures, thereby enabling seamless integration of metasurfaces with electronic components at an advanced level. However, traditional design approaches relying on lookup tables and local field approximations often fail to achieve optimal performance, especially for nonlocal resonant metasurfaces. In this study, we investigate the use of statistical learning optimization techniques for nonlocal resonant metasurfaces, with a specific emphasis on the role of near-field coupling in wavefront shaping beyond single unit cell simulations. Our study achieves significant advancements in the design theoretical conception of resonant metasurfaces. For transmission-based metasurfaces, a beam steering design outperforms the classical design by achieving an impressive efficiency of 80% compared to the previous 23%. Additionally, our optimized extended depth-of-focus (EDOF) metalens yields a remarkable five-fold increase in focal depth, a four-fold enhancement in focusing power compared to conventional designs and an optical resolution superior to 600 cycle/mm across the focus region. Moreover, our study demonstrates remarkable performance with a wavelength-selected beam steering metagrating in reflection, achieving exceptional efficiency surpassing 85%. This far outperforms classical gradient phase distribution approaches, emphasizing the immense potential for groundbreaking applications in the field of resonant metasurfaces.
Validation of reliability, repeatability and consistency of three-dimensional choroidal vascular index
Authors: Ma Feiyan , Bai Yifan , Duan Jialiang , Liang Yuchen , Shang Qingli
Published: January 2024

This study aimed to investigate the reliability, repeatability and consistency of choroidal vascularity index (CVI) measurements provided by an artificial intelligence-based software in swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) in normal subject, and to evaluate the influencing factors for 3D-CVI. Repeatability of 3D-CVI by SS-OCT was evaluated based on different scanning modes including Macular Cubes (3 mm × 3 mm, 6 mm × 6 mm, 9 mm × 9 mm) and Optic Nerve Head 6 mm × 6 mm. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) was used to estimate the repeatability and reproducibility of five repeated measurement by SS-OCT. Consistency of CVI between SS-OCT and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was measured and compared in a pilot study of ten eyes and agreement between SS-OCT and SD-OCT was evaluated by Bland–Altman analysis and Deming regression. The influencing factors for 3D-CVI including age, gender, axial length and spherical equivalent on CVI was further investigated in a prospective study of 125 eyes of 125 healthy subjects. ICC between different measurements by SS-OCT was 0.934 (95% CI 0.812–0.956) indicating good repeatability. Intraclass correlation coefficient between CVI measure by SS-OCT and SD-OCT was 0.887 (95% CI 0.796–0.938, P value < 0.001). The mean difference between 3D-CVI measured by SS-OCT and SD-OCT 0.133. CVI measured with SS-OCTA showed stronger correlations with axial length and age but not correlated with gender. There is good agreement between CVIs obtained from the built-in software that requires less timing in manual quantification. Studies investigating choroidal vascularity can be standardized by the AI-based CVI analyze software.
Conversational AI and equity through assessing GPT-3’s communication with diverse social groups on contentious topics
Authors: Chen Kaiping , Shao Anqi , Burapacheep Jirayu , Li Yixuan
Published: January 2024

Autoregressive language models, which use deep learning to produce human-like texts, have surged in prevalence. Despite advances in these models, concerns arise about their equity across diverse populations. While AI fairness is discussed widely, metrics to measure equity in dialogue systems are lacking. This paper presents a framework, rooted in deliberative democracy and science communication studies, to evaluate equity in human–AI communication. Using it, we conducted an algorithm auditing study to examine how GPT-3 responded to different populations who vary in sociodemographic backgrounds and viewpoints on crucial science and social issues: climate change and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. We analyzed 20,000 dialogues with 3290 participants differing in gender, race, education, and opinions. We found a substantively worse user experience among the opinion minority groups (e.g., climate deniers, racists) and the education minority groups; however, these groups changed attitudes toward supporting BLM and climate change efforts much more compared to other social groups after the chat. GPT-3 used more negative expressions when responding to the education and opinion minority groups. We discuss the social-technological implications of our findings for a conversational AI system that centralizes diversity, equity, and inclusion.
SpasticSim: a synthetic data generation method for upper limb spasticity modelling in neurorehabilitation
Authors: de-la-Torre Rubén , Oña Edwin Daniel , Victores Juan G. , Jardón Alberto
Published: January 2024

In neurorehabilitation, assessment of functional problems is essential to define optimal rehabilitation treatments. Usually, this assessment process requires distinguishing between impaired and non-impaired behavior of limbs. One of the common muscle motor disorders affecting limbs is spasticity, which is complicated to quantify objectively due to the complex nature of motor control. Thus, the lack of heterogeneous samples of patients constituting an acceptable amount of data is an obstacle which is relevant to understanding the behavior of spasticity and, consequently, quantifying it. In this article, we use the 3D creation suite Blender combined with the MBLab add-on to generate synthetic samples of human body models, aiming to be as sufficiently representative as possible to real human samples. Exporting these samples to OpenSim and performing four specific upper limb movements, we analyze the muscle behavior by simulating the six degrees of spasticity contemplated by the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). The complete dataset of patients and movements is open-source and available for future research. This approach advocates the potential to generate synthetic data for testing and validating musculoskeletal models.
Simulation analysis of EGFR mutation detection: Oncomine Dx target test and AmoyDx panel impact on lung cancer treatment decisions
Authors: Hirotsu Yosuke , Nakagomi Takahiro , Nagakubo Yuki , Goto Taichiro , Omata Masao
Published: January 2024

Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) driver mutations are crucial for treatment decisions for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to assess the differences in EGFR mutation detection between two companion diagnostic (CDx) tests—the Oncomine Dx Target Test (ODxTT) and the AmoyDx Pan Lung Cancer PCR Panel—and their impact on treatment applicability. To this end, we used an in-house targeted sequencing dataset of 282 samples from 127 EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients to simulate the concordance between the EGFR variants targeted by the ODxTT and AmoyDx panel, the oncogenicity of the variants, and their therapeutic potential. Of the 216 EGFR mutations identified by the in-house panel, 51% were detectable by both CDx tests, 3% were specific to ODxTT, and 46% were not targeted by either test. Most non-targeted mutations did not have oncogenicity and were located outside exons 18–21. Notably, 95% of the mutations detectable by both tests had potential oncogenicity. Furthermore, among the 96 patients harboring actionable EGFR mutations, 97% had mutations detectable by both CDx tests and 1% by ODxTT, while 2% had mutations not covered by either test. These findings suggest that while both CDx tests are effective in detecting almost all actionable EGFR mutations, ODxTT provides slightly broader coverage. These results emphasize the importance of selecting appropriate CDx tests to inform treatment decisions for EGFR-positive NSCLC patients.
Therapeutic effect of sodium alginate on bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin (BEP)-induced reproductive toxicity by inhibiting nitro-oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis
Authors: Moradi Mojtaba , Hashemian Mohammad Arshia , Faramarzi Azita , Goodarzi Nader , Hashemian Amir Hossein , Cheraghi Hadi , Jalili Cyrus
Published: January 2024

Impaired spermatogenesis and male infertility are common consequences of chemotherapy drugs used in patients with testicular cancer. The present study investigated the effects of sodium alginate (NaAL) on testicular toxicity caused by bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP). Rats in group 1 received normal saline, while groups 2 and 3 were treated with 25 and 50 mg/kg of NaAL, respectively. Group 4 was treated with a 21-day cycle of BEP (0.5 mg/kg bleomycin, 5 mg/kg etoposide, and 1 mg/kg cisplatin), and groups 5 and 6 received BEP regimen plus 25 and 50 mg/kg of NaAL, respectively. Then, sperm parameters, testosterone levels, testicular histopathology and stereological parameters, testicular levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and the expression of apoptosis-associated genes including Bcl2, Bax, Caspase3, p53, and TNF-α were evaluated. Our findings revealed that NaAL improved sperm parameters, testosterone levels, histopathology, and stereology parameters in BEP-administrated rats. NaAL also improved testis antioxidant status by enhancing TAC and ameliorating MDA and NO. Further, modifications to the expression of Bcl2, Bax, Caspase3, p53, and TNF-α suggested that NaAL alleviated BEP-induced apoptosis and inflammation. Collectively, NaAL protects rats’ testes against BEP-evoked toxicity damage through the modulation of nitro-oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation.