bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multifaceted Roles of cAMP Signaling in the Repair Process of Spinal Cord Injury and Related Combination Treatments
Authors: Zhou Gang , Wang Zhiyan , Han Shiyuan , Chen Xiaokun , Li Zhimin , Hu Xianghui , Li Yongning , Gao Jun
Published: February 2022

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in multiple pathophysiological processes, including blood–spinal cord barrier disruption, hemorrhage/ischemia, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, scar formation, and demyelination. These responses eventually lead to severe tissue destruction and an inhibitory environment for neural regeneration.cAMP signaling is vital for neurite outgrowth and axonal guidance. Stimulating intracellular cAMP activity significantly promotes neuronal survival and axonal regrowth after SCI.However, neuronal cAMP levels in adult CNS are relatively low and will further decrease after injury. Targeting cAMP signaling has become a promising strategy for neural regeneration over the past two decades. Furthermore, studies have revealed that cAMP signaling is involved in the regulation of glial cell function in the microenvironment of SCI, including macrophages/microglia, reactive astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. cAMP-elevating agents in the post-injury milieu increase the cAMP levels in both neurons and glial cells and facilitate injury repair through the interplay between neurons and glial cells and ultimately contribute to better morphological and functional outcomes. In recent years, combination treatments associated with cAMP signaling have been shown to exert synergistic effects on the recovery of SCI. Agents carried by nanoparticles exhibit increased water solubility and capacity to cross the blood–spinal cord barrier. Implanted bioscaffolds and injected hydrogels are potential carriers to release agents locally to avoid systemic side effects. Cell transplantation may provide permissive matrices to synergize with the cAMP-enhanced growth capacity of neurons. cAMP can also induce the oriented differentiation of transplanted neural stem/progenitor cells into neurons and increase the survival rate of cell grafts. Emerging progress focused on cAMP compartmentation provides researchers with new perspectives to understand the complexity of downstream signaling, which may facilitate the clinical translation of strategies targeting cAMP signaling for SCI repair.
Association Between Phase Angle and Sarcopenia in Patients Undergoing Peritoneal Dialysis
Authors: Do Jun Young , Kim A. Young , Kang Seok Hui
Published: February 2022

Introduction: There is limited data on the association between phase angle (PhA) and sarcopenia using both muscle strength and muscle mass in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). We aimed to evaluate the association between PhA and sarcopenia in patients undergoing PD.

Methods: We enrolled prevalent patients undergoing PD (n = 200). The patients were divided into tertiles based on their PhA level: low (n = 66; 1.9–4°), middle (n = 68; 4.1–4.9°), and high tertiles (n = 66; 5–8°). PhA was measured by a bioimpedance analysis. Handgrip strength (HGS) was measured in all the patients. Body compositions were measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Results: Handgrip strength (HGS) and/or lean mass indices showed poorer trends in the low tertile than in the other tertiles. PhA was positively associated with HGS and/or muscle mass index. Multivariate analyses showed that the patients in the low tertile had an odds ratio of 9.8 (p = 0.001) and 52.79 (p < 0.001) for developing sarcopenia compared with those in the middle and high tertiles, respectively. Subgroup analyses using these variables yielded results similar to those from the total cohort.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that PhA is independently associated with muscle mass, strength, and sarcopenia in patients undergoing PD. This result suggests that PhA can be used as a valuable and simple predictor for identifying patients undergoing PD who are at risk of sarcopenia.
“Even We Are Confused”: A Thematic Analysis of Professionals' Perceptions of Processed Foods and Challenges for Communication
Authors: Sadler Christina R. , Grassby Terri , Hart Kathryn , Raats Monique M. , Sokolović Milka , Timotijevic Lada
Published: February 2022

Processed foods are increasingly under the spotlight since the development of classification systems based on proxies for food processing. Published critical reviews and commentaries suggest different views among professional disciplines about the definition and classification of processed food. There is a need to further understand perspectives of professionals on the conceptualisation of processed food and the agreements and disagreements among experts, to encourage interdisciplinary dialogue and aid communication to the public. The aim of this research was to elicit views and understandings of professionals on processed food, their perceptions of lay people's perceptions of the same, and their perspectives on the challenges of communicating about processed foods to the public. The online discussion groups brought together a range of professionals (n= 27), covering the fields of nutrition, food technology, policy making, industry, and civil society, mixed in 5 heterogenous groups. Through thematic analysis the following themes relating to the conceptualisation of processed food and challenges for communication were identified: (1) Broad concepts that need differentiation; (2) Disagreements on scope and degree of processing; (3) The role of food processing within the food system: the challenges in framing risks and benefits; and (4) The challenge of different perspectives and interests for risk communication. Throughout the discussions blurred lines in the characterisation of processing, processed foods, and unhealthy foods were observed. Participants agreed that consensus is important, but difficult. Participants identified a need for further interdisciplinary dialogue, including public engagement, to break down the observed issues, and work towards a mutual understanding and develop clear communication messages.
Residue, Dissipation Pattern, and Dietary Risk Assessment of Imidacloprid in Chinese Chives
Authors: Zhai Rongqi , Zhang Kaige , Chen Ge , Liu Guangyang , Huang Xiaodong , Gao Mingkun , Zhou Jie , Xu Xiaomin , Li Lingyun , Zhang Yanguo , Wang Jing , Jin Maojun , Xu Donghui , Abd El-Aty A. M.
Published: February 2022

The demand for Chinese chives is growing as they are also rich in vitamins, fiber, and sulfur nutrients. Chinese chives should be sprayed with imidacloprid to control pests and diseases to safeguard their yield and to meet the demands of East Asian consumers for Chinese chives. Overspraying of imidacloprid can lead to residues in Chinese chives, posing a severe risk to human health. To reduce the harmful effects of imidacloprid residues on humans, we investigated the imidacloprid dissipation pattern and the final residue on Chinese chives using the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Good linearity (R2= 0.9988), accuracy (expressed as recovery % of 78.34–91.17%), precision [expressed as relative SDs (RSDs) of 0.48–6.43%], and sensitivity [a limit of quantification (LOQ) ≤ 8.07 × 104 mg/kg] were achieved. The dissipation dynamics were consistent with the first-order kinetics, with a half-life of 2.92 days. The final residual levels on Chinese chives were 0.00923–0.166 mg/kg, which is lower than the maximum residue limits (MRLs) of 1 mg/kg for imidacloprid on Chinese chives. A risk assessment index of <1 indicates that Chinese chives are safe for consumption.
Effects of Intraoperative Neural Tunnel in Protecting Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve: Experiences in Open, Trans Breast, and Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy
Authors: Yu Xing , Li Yujun , Liu Chang , Jiang Yuancong , Liu Zhaodi , He Qionghua , Wang Yong , Wang Ping
Published: February 2022

Background

Energy-based devices (EBDs) increase the risks of thermal nerve injuries. This study aimed to introduce a surgical strategy of intraoperative neural tunnel protecting (INTP) for evaluating the effect in reducing the incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) damage in open, trans breast, and transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy.

Methods

INTP strategy was introduced: a tunnel was established and protected by endoscopic gauze along the direction of the nerve. A total of 165, 94, and 200 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) were to use INTP in respectively open, trans breast, and transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy as the INTP group. Additionally, 150, 95, and 225 patients who received the same methods without INTP were enrolled in the control group. Ipsilateral thyroidectomy or total thyroidectomy, and central compartment dissection were performed on the enrolled patients.

Results

Clinicopathologic characteristics, surgical outcomes, and surgical complications were similar between the INTP group and the control group in open, trans breast, and transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy. The incidences of electromyography (EMG) changes in the INTP group were lower as compared to the control group in trans breast endoscopic thyroidectomy (p < 0.05). The incidence of postoperative hoarse in the INTP group was lower as compared to the control group in open and transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy (p < 0.05). Postoperative calcium levels (p < 0.01) were significantly higher, and the white blood cells (p < 0.05) and C-reactive protein levels (p < 0.01) were significantly decreased in the INTP group compared with the control group in transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy.

Conclusions

This was the first instance of the INTP strategy being introduced and was found to be an effective method for protecting the RLN in open, trans breast, and transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy. Additionally, INTP helped protect other important tissues such as the parathyroid glands in transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy as well as in reducing postoperative inflammatory responses.
The Role of Cystine/Glutamate Antiporter SLC7A11/xCT in the Pathophysiology of Cancer
Authors: Jyotsana Nidhi , Ta Kenny T. , DelGiorno Kathleen E.
Published: February 2022

SLC7A11/xCT is an antiporter that mediates the uptake of extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate. Cystine is reduced to cysteine, which is a rate-limiting precursor in glutathione synthesis; a process that protects cells from oxidative stress and is, therefore, critical to cell growth, proliferation, and metabolism. SLC7A11 is expressed in different tissues and plays diverse functional roles in the pathophysiology of various diseases, including cancer, by regulating the processes of redox homeostasis, metabolic flexibility/nutrient dependency, immune system function, and ferroptosis. SLC7A11 expression is associated with poor prognosis and drug resistance in cancer and, therefore, represents an important therapeutic target. In this review, we discuss the molecular functions of SLC7A11 in normal versus diseased tissues, with a special focus on how it regulates gastrointestinal cancers. Further, we summarize current therapeutic strategies targeting SLC7A11 as well as novel avenues for treatment.
Human Milk Fortification in Very Preterm Infants in China: A Multicenter Survey
Authors: Lin Rong , Shen Wei , Wu Fan , Mao Jian , Liu Ling , Chang Yanmei , Zhang Rong , Ye Xiuzhen , Qiu Yinping , Ma Li , Cheng Rui , Wu Hui , Chen Dongmei , Zheng Zhi , Lin Xinzhu , Tong Xiaomei ,   the National Multicenter EUGR Collaborative Group
Published: February 2022

Aim

To investigate the use of human milk fortifier (HMF) for very preterm infants (VPIs) and complications and nutritional status of VPIs due to various breast milk enhancement strategies among the Chinese population.

Methods

VPIs with birth weight < 1,800 g and wholly or predominantly breastfed were assigned to the following fortification groups: no HMF, early HMF (adding HMF at an enteral volume of ≤ 80 ml·kg−1·day−1), middle HMF (adding HMF at an enteral volume of 80–100 ml·kg−1·day−1), and late HMF (adding HMF at an enteral volume of ≥100 ml·kg−1·day−1). The growth status and complications for various groups were evaluated.

Results

We enrolled 985 VPIs, of which 847 VPIs (86.0%) received HMF, whereas 138 VPIs (14.0%) did not. The number of VPIs in the early, middle, and late fortification groups were 89 (9.0%), 252 (25.6%), and 506 (51.4%), respectively. The complete fortification of the early, middle, and late fortification groups was achieved in 13.2 ± 11.0, 13.8 ± 11.7, and 12.3 ± 13.0 days, respectively, without significant differences (p > 0.05). The groups did not exhibit significant differences in the incidence of feeding intolerance, necrotizing enterocolitis (Bell stage ≥ 2), late-onset sepsis, and metabolic bone diseases (p > 0.05). The middle fortification groups exhibited the fastest growth velocity and the least dramatic decrease in the Z-score of weight and length, and the lowest incidence of EUGR (35.7%), whereas the “no HMF” groups exhibited the slowest growth velocity and the largest decline in the Z-score, and the highest incidence of EUGR (61.6%).

Conclusions

The usage rate of HMF was relatively low among Chinese VPIs, fortification often occurred in the late feeding stage, and the time to reach complete fortification was long. Adding HMF and different breast milk enhancement strategies did not increase the incidence of feeding intolerance and necrotizing enterocolitis. The enteral volume of 80–100 ml·kg−1·day−1 with HMF addition led to increased growth in the weight and length and lower EUGR incidence, indicating that the addition of HMF at the specific feeding volume might be the best practice for promoting growth.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Screening Tools for Language Disorder
Authors: So Kevin K. H. , To Carol K. S.
Published: February 2022

Language disorder is one of the most prevalent developmental disorders and is associated with long-term sequelae. However, routine screening is still controversial and is not universally part of early childhood health surveillance. Evidence concerning the detection accuracy, benefits, and harms of screening for language disorders remains inadequate, as shown in a previous review. In October 2020, a systematic review was conducted to investigate the accuracy of available screening tools and the potential sources of variability. A literature search was conducted using CINAHL Plus, ComDisCome, PsycInfo, PsycArticles, ERIC, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Studies describing, developing, or validating screening tools for language disorder under the age of 6 were included. QUADAS-2 was used to evaluate risk of bias in individual studies. Meta-analyses were performed on the reported accuracy of the screening tools examined. The performance of the screening tools was explored by plotting hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) curves. The effects of the proxy used in defining language disorders, the test administrators, the screening-diagnosis interval and age of screening on screening accuracy were investigated by meta-regression. Of the 2,366 articles located, 47 studies involving 67 screening tools were included. About one-third of the tests (35.4%) achieved at least fair accuracy, while only a small proportion (13.8%) achieved good accuracy. HSROC curves revealed a remarkable variation in sensitivity and specificity for the three major types of screening, which used the child's actual language ability, clinical markers, and both as the proxy, respectively. None of these three types of screening tools achieved good accuracy. Meta-regression showed that tools using the child's actual language as the proxy demonstrated better sensitivity than that of clinical markers. Tools using long screening-diagnosis intervals had a lower sensitivity than those using short screening-diagnosis intervals. Parent report showed a level of accuracy comparable to that of those administered by trained examiners. Screening tools used under and above 4yo appeared to have similar sensitivity and specificity. In conclusion, there are still gaps between the available screening tools for language disorders and the adoption of these tools in population screening. Future tool development can focus on maximizing accuracy and identifying metrics that are sensitive to the dynamic nature of language development.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=210505, PROSPERO: CRD42020210505.
The Clinical Characteristics and Serological Outcomes of Infants With Confirmed or Suspected Congenital Syphilis in Shanghai, China: A Hospital-Based Study
Authors: Dai Yi , Zhai Guanpeng , Zhang Shulian , Chen Chao , Li Zhihua , Shi Wenjing
Published: February 2022

Background

Congenital syphilis (CS) is the infection of an infant or fetus with Treponema pallidum. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features and outcomes of serology reversion in infants diagnosed with confirmed or suspected congenital syphilis (CS).

Methods

Infants admitted to the neonatal department of Children's Hospital of Fudan University from 2013 to 2016 who met the case definition of CS or suspected CS were included in this study. Follow-up was performed in an outpatient clinic until reversion to non-reactivity of both toluidine red unheated serum test (TRUST) and Treponemal pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA). Follow-up data were collected until up to the end of 2019, when the last infant with CS reached 3 years of age.

Results

In total, 682 infants were enrolled in this study, including 63 in the CS group and 619 in the suspected CS group. Forty-seven infants (74.6%) in the CS group had symptoms, and 57 (90.5%) had abnormal laboratory and/or long bone X-ray findings. By 6 months of age, TRUST results were negative in 53.3% of the infants with CS and in 100% of the infants with suspected CS. All the infants in the CS group returned to TRUST non-reactivity by 18 months of age. The TPPA results at 18 months of age showed that only 10.0% (3/30) of the patients in the CS group returned to non-reactivity, while a 99.6% (548/550) non-reactivity rate was observed in the suspected CS group. All the infants in the CS group returned to 19S-IgM-TPPA non-reactivity by 6 months of age.

Conclusions

Although CS is an burdensome disease that may cause fetal and neonatal death, CS responds well to treatment when diagnosed and treated promptly, even when symptoms or lab/X-ray findings are present at birth.
The Transcultural Adaptation and Validation of the Chinese Version of the Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale
Authors: Wu Yibo , Dong Shujie , Li Xinyi , Xu Haiping , Xie Xiaohui
Published: February 2022

Background: The Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale (DASS) offers a method to measure the quality of life and satisfaction of patients taking oral anticoagulants. The study aimed to validate the Chinese version of the DASS in Chinese patients on anticoagulation therapy.

Methods: The DASS was translated, back-translated, and transculturally adapted into the Chinese version and then administered to participants taking oral anticoagulants in a physician–pharmacist collaborative anticoagulation clinic at a tertiary teaching hospital from October 2019 to December 2020. Reliability was analyzed through Cronbach’s alpha (α) and split-half reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test the structural validity of the scale. Exploratory factor analysis was performed for items in the scales using the varimax rotation method.

Results: A total of 189 patients completed the Chinese version of the DASS. Four dimensions and 23 items were included, with Cronbach’s α values of 0.89, 0.81, 0.89, and 0.74 for limitations on physical activities, diet restrictions, hassles and burdens, and positive psychological effect, respectively. Cronbach’s α coefficient of whole scale was 0.91. The split-half reliability of this scale is 0.747 (>0.7).

Conclusion: The Chinese version of the DASS indicated excellent reliability and validity, compared to the original version. It could provide a practical instrument for healthcare practitioners to evaluate satisfaction and quality of life for anticoagulated patients in China. The difference in quality of life between patients taking warfarin and novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) needs to be further explored in future studies.
Dual-Targeted Self-Assembled DNA Hydrogels Decorated With Multivalent Aptamers Loaded With DOX for Anticancer Therapy
Authors: Jin Fangfang , Zeng Qian , Qian Husun , Zhang Dian , Wei Yu , Wang Yange , Chai Chengsen , Cheng Wei , Ding Shijia , Chen Tingmei
Published: February 2022

Chemotherapy, as one of the principal modalities for cancer therapy, is limited by its non-specific and inefficient delivery to tumors. To overcome these limitations, we report herein a dual-targeted aptamer-decorated DNA hydrogel system (DTA-H) to achieve efficient, stable, and targeted delivery of drugs. Firstly, DNA hydrogel was formed by the rolling circle amplification. By reasonable design, double target and multivalent aptamers were decorated on DNA hydrogel to load DOX. The results confirmed that DTA-H can deliver chemotherapy drugs and aptamer nucleic acids drugs to target cells, inducing degradation of HER2 protein while chemotherapy is synergistic to inhibit HER2-positive breast cancer growth. The proposed drug delivery system has significant potential to achieve efficient, stable, and targeted delivery of drugs and cancer therapy.
Magnetic and Dyed Microcapsules From the Spores of Clubmoss
Authors: Cai Wen , Bradbury Charles , Cowling Stephen , Goodby John
Published: February 2022

In this article we describe the preparation of bioavailable microcapsules derived from spores of clubmoss (Lycopodium clavatum) that are composed of protein-free, non-allergenic, and porous sporopollenin, often described as nature’s most robust polymeric system. We describe the adsorption of magnetic materials onto the exterior surfaces of the empty microcapsules and the incorporation of molecular passengers , thereby producing stable , monodispersed, bifunctional particles/vehicles of 25 microns in size that can respond to, or targeted by, applied fields.
Giant Panda Video Image Sequence and Application in 3D Reconstruction
Authors: Hu Shaoxiang , Liao Zhiwu , Hou Rong , Chen Peng
Published: February 2022

Giant panda 3D reconstruction technology plays an important role in the research of giant panda protection. Through the analysis of giant panda video image sequence (GPVS), we prove that it has the long-range–dependent characteristics. This article proposes an algorithm to accurately reconstruct the giant panda 3D model by using the long-range–dependent characteristics of GPVS. First, the algorithm uses a skinned multi-animal linear model (SMAL) to obtain the initial 3D model of giant panda, and the 3D model of the single-frame giant panda image is reconstructed by controlling shape parameters and attitude parameters; then, we use the coherence information contained in the long-range–dependent characteristics between video sequence images to construct a smooth energy function to correct the error of the 3D model. Through this error, we can judge whether the 3D reconstruction result of the giant panda is consistent with the real structural characteristics of the giant panda. The algorithm solves the problem of low 3D reconstruction accuracy and the problem that 3D reconstruction is easily affected by occlusion or interference. Finally, we realize the accurate reconstruction of the giant panda 3D model.
Rheological Abnormalities in Human Erythrocytes Subjected to Oxidative Inflammation
Authors: Maruyama Toru , Hieda Michinari , Mawatari Shiro , Fujino Takehiko
Published: February 2022

Erythrocytes are oxygen carriers and exposed to redox cycle in oxygenation and deoxygenation of hemoglobin. This indicates that circulating erythrocytes are vulnerable to the oxidative injury occurring under the imbalance of redox homeostasis. In this review article, two topics are presented concerning the human erythrocytes exposed to the oxidative inflammation including septic and sterile conditions. First, we demonstrate rheological derangement of erythrocytes subjected to acute oxidative injury caused by exogenous generators of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Erythrocyte filterability as whole-cell deformability has been estimated by the gravity-based nickel mesh filtration technique in our laboratory and was dramatically impaired in a time-dependent manner after starting exposure to the ROS generators, that is associated with concurrent progression of membrane protein degradation, phospholipid peroxidation, erythrocyte swelling, methemoglobin formation, and oxidative hemolysis. Second, we introduce an impairment of erythrocyte filterability confirmed quantitatively in diabetes mellitus and hypertension of animal models and patients under treatment. Among the cell geometry, internal viscosity, and membrane property as the three major determinants of erythrocyte deformability, erythrocyte membrane alteration is supposed to be the primary cause of this impairment in these lifestyle-related diseases associated with persistent oxidative inflammation. Excessive ROS trigger the inflammatory responses and reduce the erythrocyte membrane fluidity. Oxidative inflammation increasing erythrocyte membrane rigidity underlies the impaired systemic microcirculation, which is observed in diabetic and/or hypertensive patients. On the other hand, elevated internal viscosity caused by sickle hemoglobin polymerization is a primary cause of impaired erythrocyte filterability in sickle cell disease (SCD). However, oxidative inflammation is also involved in the pathophysiology of SCD. The physiologic level of ROS acts as signaling molecules for adaptation to oxidative environment, but the pathological level of ROS induces suicidal erythrocyte death (eryptosis). These findings provide further insight into the ROS-related pathophysiology of many clinical conditions.
Rubredoxin 1 Is Required for Formation of the Functional Photosystem II Core Complex in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Che Liping , Meng Han , Ruan Junxiang , Peng Lianwei , Zhang Lin
Published: February 2022

Chloroplast thylakoid protein rubredoxin 1 (RBD1) in Chlamydomonas and its cyanobacterial homolog RubA contain a rubredoxin domain. These proteins have been proposed to participate in the assembly of photosystem II (PSII) at early stages. However, the effects of inactivation of RBD1 on PSII assembly in higher plants are largely unclear. Here, we characterized an Arabidopsis rbd1 mutant in detail. A drastic reduction of intact PSII complex but relatively higher levels of assembly intermediates including PSII RC, pre-CP47, and pre-CP43 were found in rbd1. Polysome association and ribosome profiling revealed that ribosome recruitment of psbA mRNA is specifically reduced. Consistently, in vivo protein pulse-chase labeling showed that the rate of D1/pD1 synthesis is significantly reduced in rbd1 compared with WT. Moreover, newly synthesized mature D1 and pD1/D2 can assemble into the PSII reaction center (RC) complex but further formation of larger PSII complexes is nearly totally blocked in rbd1. Our data imply that RBD1 is not only required for the formation of a functional PSII core complex during the early stages of PSII assembly but may also be involved in the translation of D1 in higher plants.
Patterns of Incivility on U.S. Congress Members' Social Media Accounts: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Influence of Platform, Post, and Person Characteristics
Authors: Unkel Julian , Kümpel Anna Sophie
Published: February 2022

With social media now being ubiquitously used by citizens and political actors, concerns over the incivility of interactions on these platforms have grown. While research has already started to investigate some of the factors that lead users to leave incivil comments on political social media posts, we are lacking a comprehensive understanding of the influence of platform, post, and person characteristics. Using automated text analysis methods on a large body of U.S. Congress Members' social media posts (n = 253,884) and the associated user comments (n = 49,508,863), we investigate how different social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter), characteristics of the original post (e.g., incivility, reach), and personal characteristics of the politicians (e.g., gender, ethnicity) affect the occurrence of incivil user comments. Our results show that ~23% of all comments can be classified as incivil but that there are important temporal and contextual dynamics. Having incivil comments on one's social media page seems more likely on Twitter than on Facebook and more likely when politicians use incivil language themselves, while the influence of personal characteristics is less clear-cut. Our findings add to the literature on political incivility by providing important insights regarding the dynamics of uncivil discourse, thus helping platforms, political actors, and educators to address associated problems.
The Effect of Work Connectivity Behavior After-Hours on Employee Psychological Distress: The Role of Leader Workaholism and Work-to-Family Conflict
Authors: Dong Mingchao , Zhang Tianlu , Li Yingwu , Ren Zhengzheng
Published: February 2022

Background

The work connectivity behavior after-hours (WCBA) has become increasingly intense among Chinese employees in recent years, especially in the rapidly developed internet industry. This has made the after-hours work connectivity behavior, a popular topic in the organizational psychology field. Based on boundary theory, we explored the mechanism of after-hour work connectivity behavior on employees' psychological distress and identified the work-to-family conflict (WFC) as mediator. Besides, leader characteristics are essential environmental variables and always play as moderators, among which leader workaholism is prevalent in the internet industry. However, the impact of leader workaholism on employees' behavior is still inconsistent and even contradictory. Thus, this study further examines the moderating effect of leader workaholism between the after-hour work connectivity behavior and employees' psychological distress.

Methods

We conducted a multitime, multisource questionnaire survey in Internet companies in China. Before collecting the data, all participants were assured that their responses would be confidential and used only for academic research. At time 1, the team leader rated his or her workaholism, and team members rated WCBA. At time 2 (3 weeks later), team members were asked to complete the questionnaire containing scales of WFC, psychological distress. The two rounds of data collection resulted in 211 matched team leader–team member responses. We performed a path analysis using Mplus 7.4.

Results

Both the duration and frequency of WCBA can positively predict employees' psychological distress through WFC (the mediating effect = 0.628, 95% CI = [0.593, 0.663]). Specifically, WCBA can increase the level of WFC, which leads to the employees' psychological distress further. Leader workaholism can negatively moderate the relationship between WCBA and WFC, further moderating the mediating effect of WFC.

Conclusions

Work-to-family conflict played as a mediator in the relationship between WCBA and employees' psychological distress. These results may be helpful to recognize the negative effect of WCBA and the role of leader workaholism in the relationship.
Computational Models of Readers' Apperceptive Mass
Authors: Jacobs Arthur M. , Kinder Annette
Published: February 2022

Recent progress in machine-learning-based distributed semantic models (DSMs) offers new ways to simulate the apperceptive mass (AM; Kintsch, 1980) of reader groups or individual readers and to predict their performance in reading-related tasks. The AM integrates the mental lexicon with world knowledge, as for example, acquired via reading books. Following pioneering work by Denhière and Lemaire (2004), here, we computed DSMs based on a representative corpus of German children and youth literature (Jacobs et al., 2020) as null models of the part of the AM that represents distributional semantic input, for readers of different reading ages (grades 1–2, 3–4, and 5–6). After a series of DSM quality tests, we evaluated the performance of these models quantitatively in various tasks to simulate the different reader groups' hypothetical semantic and syntactic skills. In a final study, we compared the models' performance with that of human adult and children readers in two rating tasks. Overall, the results show that with increasing reading age performance in practically all tasks becomes better. The approach taken in these studies reveals the limits of DSMs for simulating human AM and their potential for applications in scientific studies of literature, research in education, or developmental science.
Phantom Sensations Influenced by Global and Local Modifications of the Prosthetic Socket as a Potential Solution for Natural Somatosensory Feedback During Walking: A Preliminary Study of a Single Case
Authors: Bachini Lisa , Liszez Stéphane , Mesure Serge , Mahé Claire , Touillet Amélie , Loiret Isabelle , Paysant Jean , De Graaf Jozina B.
Published: February 2022

Following lower limb amputation, amputees are trained to walk with a prosthesis. The loss of a lower limb deprives them of essential somatosensory information, which is one of the causes of the difficulties of walking with a prosthesis. We here explored whether a solution to this lack of somatosensory feedback could come from natural sensations of the phantom limb, present in most amputees, instead of from substitutive technologies. Indeed, it is known that phantom sensations can be modulated by (i) global mechanical characteristics of the prosthesis socket, and (ii) locally applying a stimulus on an area of the residual limb. The purpose of this pilot study was to verify the feasibility of influencing phantom sensationsviasuch socket modifications in a participant with transfemoral amputation. Four prosthetic interface conditions were studied: a rigid and a semi-rigid socket, each one with and without a focal pressure increase on a specific area of the residual limb. The results show that phantom sensations during walking were different according to the 4 interface conditions. The participant had more vivid phantom sensations in his foot and calf of which some varied as a function of the gait phases. Preliminary gait analysis with wearable sensors shows that these modifications were accompanied by changes in some gait spatiotemporal parameters. This preliminary study of single case demonstrates that phantom sensations can be modulated by the prosthetic interface and can provide natural somatosensory information dynamically varying with gait phases. Although this needs to be confirmed for a larger population of lower limb amputees, it already encourages non-painful phantom sensations to be considered early during the rehabilitation of lower limb amputees.
Randomized Controlled Trial of Modified Nasobiliary Fixation and Drainage Technique
Authors: Mi Na , Zhang Shuting , Zhu Zhili , Yu Yan , Li Wenjing , Zheng Lu , Chu Lingling , Li Jing
Published: February 2022

Objectives

We investigated the clinical efficacy of a modified nasobiliary fixation and drainage technique which was designed in an attempt to reduce unplanned extubation and tube blockage and improve bile drainage and the comfort of catheterized patients.

Methods

From January 2019 to December 2020, 230 patients receiving Endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) during hospitalization were recruited to this study. Participants were randomly allocated to 2 groups by using the block randomization method: in the control group: the conventional method of nasobiliary fixation was adopted after surgery; in the test group: intraoperative annular cutting of nasobiliary tubes was performed and the exposed catheter length was standardized. The modified “tube-nose-ear” three-step technique was performed after surgery. The clinical efficacy of a modified nasobiliary fixation and drainage technique was evaluated and compared between the test group and the control group.

Results

The rate of unplanned extubation and incidence of complications were significantly lower in the test group than the control group. In addition, the rate of bilirubin decrease after drainage was higher in the test group. Patient discomfort during catheterization was also significantly reduced using the modified technique (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The modified technique of nasobiliary fixation and drainage technique can significantly reduce unplanned extubation and nasobiliary tube blockage after ENBD, facilitate biliary drainage, and improve patient comfort. This technique warrants wider application in clinical practice.
Helminth Eggs as a Magnetic Biomaterial: Introducing a Recognition Probe
Authors: Shaali Ruhollah , Doroodmand Mohammad Mahdi , Moazeni Mohmmad
Published: February 2022

Parasitic helminths, despite their known negative impact (biomaterial) on human health and animal production, have fascinating features. In this study, we find fantastic magnetic properties in several forms: inductor [between 20.10 and 58.85 (±2.50) H], source of detectable electrical voltage [from +0.5 to 7.3 (±0.1) V, vs. the ground, GND, measured by an AVO meter] and different inductor magnitude [between 3.33 and 41.23 (±0.76)] μH, detected by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy as well as frequency scannable electromagnetic wave horn) in several frequencies (including 100, 120, Hz, and 1, 10, 100 kHz) in “Fasciola hepatica”, “Parascaris equorum” (with and without larvae), “Dicrocoelium dendriticum,” “Taenia multiceps”, and “Moniezia expansa” eggs. This claim is attributed to some surprising characteristics, including superior inductance and intrinsic magnetic susceptibility. This feature along with a close relationship to helminth egg structure, is a novel probe with acceptable reproducibility (RSD > 8.0%) and high enough trustworthiness for adequate differentiation in their magnitudes, relatively. These traits were measured by the “Single Cell Rrecording” methodology using a three-microelectrode system, implanted to each egg at the Giga ohm sealed condition (6.08 ± 0.22 GΩ cm−1, n = 5). The reliability of these results was further confirmed using multiple calibrated instruments such as a high-resolution inductance analyzer, LCR meter, impedance spectrometer, potentiometer, and an anomalous Hall effect (Magnetic field density) sensor. In addition, the critical role played (Synergistic Effect) by water-like molecules as the intermediate medium, besides the partial influence of other compounds such as dissolved oxygen, are investigated qualitatively, and specific relation between these molecules and magnetic field creation in helminth eggs was proved. These intrinsic characteristics would provide novel facilitators for efficient arriving at the researchable bio-based magnetic biomaterials, besides innovative and real-time identification probes in the “Parasitology” fields.
Characterization and Evaluation of a Novel Conserved Membrane Antigen P35 of Mycoplasma synoviae
Authors: Sun Qianjin , Wei Xiaona , Chen Wei , Zhong Qian , Yan Zhuanqiang , Zhou Qingfeng , Cao Yongchang , Chen Feng
Published: February 2022

Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) is a major avian pathogen that causes respiratory damage, infectious synovitis, and arthritis in chickens and causes serious economic losses to the global poultry industry. Despite its significance, knowledge on pathogenicity and pathogenic mechanism of MS is lacking, especially regarding its antigens. Bioinformatic analysis showed that the known MS proteins are only the tip of the iceberg among many MS membrane proteins. In this study, we identified and expressed a novel MS membrane protein P35. Sequence similarity showed that P35 was conservative and commonly existed among MS strains. Membrane protein extraction and immunofluorescence assay confirmed that P35 was distributed on the surface of MS. The production of specific antibodies after immunization with recombinant protein rP35 suggested its immunogenicity. The antigenicity of P35 was evaluated from two aspects by using polyantiserum against MS and rP35. Furthermore, in assays to identify the immune peptides of P35, all successfully expressed truncated segments could react with positive polyantiserum of MS, suggesting that P35 had more than one immune peptide. In conclusion, our study successfully identified P35 as a conservative antigen of MS, which may act as a potential candidate for the future development of a vaccine against MS.
Prevalence and Associated Factors of Excessive Recreational Screen Time Among Colombian Children and Adolescents
Authors: González Silvia A. , Sarmiento Olga L. , Florez-Pregonero Alberto , Katzmarzyk Peter T. , Chaput Jean-Philippe , Tremblay Mark S.
Published: February 2022

Objectives: Excessive recreational screen time (RST) is associated with detrimental effects for physical, psychological and cognitive development. This article aims to describe the prevalence of excessive RST among Colombian preschoolers, children and adolescents and explore its factors associated.

Methods: We analyzed data from the National Survey of Nutrition 2015. The sample included 4,503 preschoolers, 5,333 school-aged children and 6,623 adolescents. Poisson regression models with robust variance were conducted to estimate prevalence ratios and determine associated factors of excessive RST.

Results: Fifty percent of preschoolers, 61% of school-aged children and 73% of adolescents in Colombia had excessive RST. Positive associations were observed with the availability of TV in the child’s bedroom, the availability of video games at home, and eating while using screens. A negative association with rural area was observed for all age groups.

Conclusion: The majority of Colombian children and adolescents have excessive RST. Younger preschoolers, older school-aged children, wealthiest children and those from urban areas should be targeted by interventions to decrease RST. These interventions should promote limiting the availability of electronic devices in children’s bedrooms and not eating in front of screens.
A Machine Learning Approach for Solving the Frozen User Cold-Start Problem in Personalized Mobile Advertising Systems
Authors: Viktoratos Iosif , Tsadiras Athanasios
Published: February 2022

A domain that has gained popularity in the past few years is personalized advertisement. Researchers and developers collect user contextual attributes (e.g., location, time, history, etc.) and apply state-of-the-art algorithms to present relevant ads. A problem occurs when the user has limited or no data available and, therefore, the algorithms cannot work well. This situation is widely referred in the literature as the ‘cold-start’ case. The aim of this manuscript is to explore this problem and present a prediction approach for personalized mobile advertising systems that addresses the cold-start, and especially the frozen user case, when a user has no data at all. The approach consists of three steps: (a) identify existing datasets and use specific attributes that could be gathered from a frozen user, (b) train and test machine learning models in the existing datasets and predict click-through rate, and (c) the development phase and the usage in a system.
A Review of Finite Element Studies in String Musical Instruments
Authors: Kaselouris Evaggelos , Bakarezos Makis , Tatarakis Michael , Papadogiannis Nektarios A. , Dimitriou Vasilis
Published: February 2022

String instruments are complex mechanical vibrating systems, in terms of both structure and fluid–structure interaction. Here, a review study of the modeling and simulation of stringed musical instruments via the finite element method (FEM) is presented. The paper is focused on the methods capable of simulating (I) the soundboard behavior in bowed, plucked and hammered string musical instruments; (II) the assembled musical instrument box behavior in bowed and plucked instruments; (III) the fluid–structure interaction of assembled musical instruments; and (IV) the interaction of a musical instrument’s resonance box with the surrounding air. Due to the complexity and the high computational demands, a numerical model including all the parts and the full geometry of the instrument resonance box, the fluid–structure interaction and the interaction with the surrounding air has not yet been simulated.
Novel SPECTA Actuator to Improve Energy Recuperation and Efficiency
Authors: Saerens Elias , Furnémont Raphaël Guy , Legrand Julie , Crispel Stein , Lopez Garcia Pablo , Verstraten Tom , Vanderborght Bram , Lefeber Dirk
Published: February 2022

The current state of the art in compliant actuation has already good performance, but this is still insufficient to provide a decent autonomy for the next generation of robots. In this paper, a next step is taken to improve the efficiency of actuators by tackling and enhancing the Series-Parallel Elastic Constant Torque Actuation (SPECTA) concept, which has previously been analyzed in simulations. In this work, the efficiency is increased further by decoupling the springs and their driving parts through the use of locking mechanisms, such that the motors are not always loaded and the springs can easily store energy from both input or output. Simulations have been performed to confirm this and they also showed that, in the SPECTA concept, it is always better to use high-speed motors instead of high-torque motors, even with non-efficient gearing. In this paper, the SPECTA concept is also validated experimentally with the use of a newly built test setup. In light of the obtained results, showing an increase in efficiency for almost all working points, it can be stated that SPECTA is a promising new actuation technology that allows for an increase in energy recuperation, efficiency, and autonomy.
A Fault Diagnosis Approach for Electromechanical Actuators with Simulating Model under Small Experimental Data Sample Condition
Authors: Peng Zhaoqin , Sun Zhengyi , Chen Juan , Ping Zilong , Dong Kunyu , Li Jia , Fu Yongling , Zio Enrico
Published: February 2022

Electromechanical actuators (EMAs) have shown a high efficiency in flight surface control with the development of more electric aircraft. In order to identify the abnormalities and potential failures of EMA, a methodology for fault diagnosis is developed. A simulating model of EMA is first built to perform different working states. Based on the modeling of EMA, the corresponding faults are then simulated to re-generate the fault data. Afterwards, a gated recurrent unit (GRU) and co-attention-based fault diagnosis approach is proposed to classify the working states of EMA. Experiments are conducted and a satisfying classification accuracy on simulated data is obtained. Furthermore, fault diagnosis on an actual working system is performed. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method has a high efficiency.
Remaining Useful Life Prediction of an Aircraft Turbofan Engine Using Deep Layer Recurrent Neural Networks
Authors: Thakkar Unnati , Chaoui Hicham
Published: February 2022

The turbofan engine is a pivotal component of the aircraft. Engine components are susceptible to degradation over the life of their operation, which affects the reliability and performance of an engine. In order to direct the necessary maintenance behavior, remaining useful life prediction is the key. This research uses machine learning to provide a prediction framework for an aircraft’s remaining useful life (RUL) based on the entire life cycle data and deterioration parameter data (ML). For the engine’s lifetime assessment, a Deep Layer Recurrent Neural Network (DL-RNN) model is presented. The suggested method is compared to Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Nonlinear Auto Regressive Network with Exogenous Inputs (NARX), and Cascade Forward Neural Network (CFNN), as well as the Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) conference Challenge dataset and NASA’s C-MAPSS dataset. Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) are calculated for both the datasets, and the values are in the range of 0.15% to 0.203% for DL-RNN, whereas for the other three topologies, they are in the range of 0.2% to 4.8%. Comparative results show a better predictive accuracy with respect to other ML algorithms.