bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Slow Light Rainbow Trapping in a Uniformly Magnetized Gyromagnetic Photonic Crystal Waveguide
Authors: Chen Jianfeng , Qin Qiumeng , Peng Chaoqun , Liang Wenyao , Li Zhi-Yuan
Published: September 2021

We present a hybrid gyromagnetic photonic crystal (GPC) waveguide composed of different GPC waveguide segments possessing various cylinder radii and waveguide widths but biased by a uniform external magnetic field. We demonstrate in frequency and time domains that based on the strong coupling of two counter-propagating topologically protected one-way edge states, the intriguing slow light rainbow trapping (SLRT) of electromagnetic (EM) waves can be achieved, that is, EM waves of different frequencies can be slowed down and trapped at different positions without cross talk and overlap. More importantly, due to the existence of one-way edge states, external EM waves can be non-reciprocally coupled to the SLRT waveguide channel, although the incident position of the EM wave is far away from the waveguide channel. Besides, the frequency range of the slow light states can also be easily regulated by tuning the intensity of an external magnetic field, which is very beneficial to solve the contradiction between slow light and broad bandwidth. Our results can be applied to the design of high-performance photonic devices, such as an optical buffer, optical switch, and optical filter.
An Efficient Approach of Predicting the Elastic Property of Hydrating Cement Paste
Authors: Ma Baoyu , Dui Guansuo , Jia Zhenglin , Yang Bo , Yang Chunyan , Gao Quangui , Qin Longhua , Ma Ju
Published: September 2021

Although elastic properties of hydrating cement paste are crucial in concrete engineering practice, there are only a few widely available models for engineers to predict the elastic behavior of hydrating cement paste. Therefore, in this paper, we derive an analytical model to efficiently predict the elastic properties (e.g., Young’s modulus) of hydrating cement paste. Notably, the proposed model provides the prediction of hydration, percolation, and homogenization of the cement paste, enabling the study of the early age elasticity evolution in cement paste. A hydration model considering the mineral composition and the initial w/c ratio was used, while the percolation threshold was calculated adopting a phenomenological semi-empirical method describing the effects of the solid volume fraction and the w/c ratio. An efficient mixing rule based on the degree of solid connectivity was then adopted to calculate the elastic properties of the hydrating cement paste. Moreover, for ordinary Portland cement, a simplified model was built using Powers’ hydration model. The obtained modeling results are following experimental data and other numerical results available in the literature.
Effectiveness of Low-Dose Continuous Gaseous Ozone in Controlling Listeria innocua on Red Delicious Apples During 9-Month Commercial Cold Storage
Authors: Shen Xiaoye , Su Yuan , Hua Zi , Sheng Lina , Mendoza Manoella , He Yang , Green Tonia , Hanrahan Ines , Blakey Rob , Zhu Mei-Jun
Published: September 2021

This study aimed to investigate the effects of low-dose continuous ozone gas in controlling Listeria innocua and quality attributes and disorders of Red Delicious apples during long-term commercial cold storage. Red Delicious apples were inoculated with a three-strain L. innocua cocktail at ∼6.2 log10 CFU/apple, treated with or without 1-methylcyclopropene, and then subjected to controlled atmosphere (CA) storage with or without continuous gaseous ozone in a commercial facility for 36 weeks. Uninoculated Red Delicious apples subjected to the above storage conditions were used for yeast/mold counts and quality attributes evaluation. The 36 weeks of refrigerated air (RA) or CA storage caused ∼2.2 log10 CFU/apple reduction of L. innocua. Ozone gas application caused an additional > 3 log10 CFU/apple reduction of L. innocua compared to RA and CA storage alone. During the 36-week CA storage, low-dose continuous gaseous ozone application significantly retarded the growth of yeast/mold, delayed apple firmness loss, and had no negative influence on ozone burn, lenticel decay, russet, CO2 damage, superficial scald, and soft scald of Red Delicious apples compared to CA-alone storage. In summary, the application of continuous low-dose gaseous ozone has the potential to control Listeria on Red Delicious apples without negatively influencing apple quality attributes.
Effect of Bacterial Infection on the Edibility of Aquatic Products: The Case of Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) Infected With Citrobacter freundii
Authors: Huang Xiaoli , Li Minghao , Wang Jincheng , Ji Lili , Geng Yi , Ou Yangping , Yang Shiyong , Yin Lizi , Li Liangyu , Chen Defang
Published: September 2021

Aquatic products are one of the world’s essential protein sources whose quality and safety are threatened by bacterial diseases. This study investigated the possible effects of bacterial infection on the main edible part, the muscle, in the case of crayfish infected withCitrobacter freundii. The histopathological analysis confirmed that crayfish was sensitive toC. freundiiand muscle was one of the target organs. The transcriptome results showed impaired intercellular junctions, downregulation of actin expression, and inhibition of metabolic pathways. Furthermore, transcriptomic results suggest thatC. freundiimainly affect muscle structure and nutrition. Subsequent validation experiments confirmed structural damage and nutrient loss inC. freundiiinfected crayfish muscle. Besides, the spoilage tests showed thatC. freundiidid not accelerate muscle spoilage and the bacteria had a limited impact on food safety. Therefore, althoughC. freundiimay not be a specific spoilage bacterium, it still affects the edible taste and nutritional value of crayfish muscle. The findings of this study might contribute to further research onC. freundiiinfection and provide a warning about the adverse effects of bacterial infection on aquatic products.
The Role of L-Selectin in HIV Infection
Authors: Segura Jason , He Biao , Ireland Joanna , Zou Zhongcheng , Shen Thomas , Roth Gwynne , Sun Peter D.
Published: September 2021

HIV envelope glycoprotein is the most heavily glycosylated viral protein complex identified with over 20 glycans on its surface. This glycan canopy is thought to primarily shield the virus from host immune recognition as glycans are poor immunogens in general, however rare HIV neutralizing antibodies nevertheless potently recognize the glycan epitopes. While CD4 and chemokine receptors have been known as viral entry receptor and coreceptor, for many years the role of viral glycans in HIV entry was controversial. Recently, we showed that HIV envelope glycan binds to L-selectin in solution and on CD4 T lymphocytes. The viral glycan and L-selectin interaction functions to facilitate the viral adhesion and entry. Upon entry, infected CD4 T lymphocytes are stimulated to progressively shed L-selectin and suppressing this lectin receptor shedding greatly reduced HIV viral release and caused aggregation of diminutive virus-like particles within experimental infections and from infected primary T lymphocytes derived from both viremic and aviremic individuals. As shedding of L-selectin is mediated by ADAM metalloproteinases downstream of host-cell stimulation, these findings showed a novel mechanism for HIV viral release and offer a potential new class of anti-HIV compounds.
Whole-Genome and Transcriptome Sequencing of Phlebopus portentosus Reveals Its Associated Ectomycorrhizal Niche and Conserved Pathways Involved in Fruiting Body Development
Authors: Wan Jia-Ning , Li Yan , Guo Ting , Ji Guang-Yan , Luo Shun-Zhen , Ji Kai-Ping , Cao Yang , Tan Qi , Bao Da-Peng , Yang Rui-Heng
Published: September 2021

Phlebopus portentosus (Berk. and Broome) Boedijin, a widely consumed mushroom in China and Thailand, is the first species in the order Boletaceae to have been industrially cultivated on a large scale. However, to date, the lignocellulose degradation system and molecular basis of fruiting body development in P. portentosus have remained cryptic. In the present study, genome and transcriptome sequencing of P. portentosus was performed during the mycelium (S), primordium (P), and fruiting body (F) stages. A genome of 32.74 Mb with a 48.92% GC content across 62 scaffolds was obtained. A total of 9,464 putative genes were predicted from the genome, of which the number of genes related to plant cell wall-degrading enzymes was much lower than that of some saprophytic mushrooms with specific ectomycorrhizal niches. Principal component analysis of RNA-Seq data revealed that the gene expression profiles at all three stages were different. The low expression of plant cell wall-degrading genes also confirmed the limited ability to degrade lignocellulose. The expression profiles also revealed that some conserved and specific pathways were enriched in the different developmental stages of P. portentosus. Starch and sucrose metabolic pathways were enriched in the mycelium stage, while DNA replication, the proteasome and MAPK signaling pathways may be associated with maturation. These results provide a new perspective for understanding the key pathways and hub genes involved in P. portentosus development.
Comparative Analyses of the Transcriptome and Proteome of Escherichia coli C321.△A and Further Improving Its Noncanonical Amino Acids Containing Protein Expression Ability by Integration of T7 RNA Polymerase
Authors: Yi Huawei , Zhang Jing , Ke Famin , Guo Xiurong , Yang Jian , Xie Peijuan , Liu Li , Wang Qin , Gao Xiaowei
Published: September 2021

Incorporation of noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) into proteins has been proven to be a powerful tool to manipulate protein structure and function, and to investigate many biological processes. Improving the yields of ncAA-containing proteins is of great significance in industrial-scale applications. Escherichia coli C321.ΔA was generated by the replacement of all known amber codons and the deletion of RF1 in the genome and has been proven to be an ideal host for ncAA-containing protein expression using genetic code expansion. In this study, we investigated the transcriptome and proteome profiles of this first codon reassignment strain and found that some functions and metabolic pathways were differentially expressed when compared with those of its parent strain. Genes involved in carbohydrate and energy metabolism were remarkably downregulated. Our results may provide important clues about the growth defects in E. coli C321.ΔA. Furthermore, we improved the yields of ncAA-containing proteins in E. coli C321.ΔA by integrating the T7 RNA polymerase system.
Limosilactobacillus fermentum MG7011: An Amylase and Phytase Producing Starter for the Preparation of Rice-Based Probiotic Beverages
Authors: Jo Yu Mi , Kim Ga Yun , Kim Seul-Ah , Cheon Seong Won , Kang Chang-Ho , Han Nam Soo
Published: September 2021

The goal of this study was to develop a starter strain of Limosilactobacillus fermentum which is beneficial for human health and suitable for rice fermentation. To achieve the goal, the characteristics of 25 strains of L. fermentum were compared in terms of health promoting potentials and rice fermenting abilities. L. fermentum MG7011 was selected as a superior strain to meet the required properties. First, as probiotic traits, the strain had tolerance to gastrointestinal conditions and ability to adhere to Caco-2 and HT-29 cells. The strain showed the antioxidative activity, anti-inflammatory activity, and a protective effect on the epithelial barrier. Next, as starter traits for rice fermentation, MG7011 exhibited proper fermentation profiles in rice solution, such as fast growth rate, pH and metabolite changes, amylase and phytase activities, and optimal viscosity changes for beverage. In conclusion, L. fermentum MG7011 has excellent probiotic activities and proper starter traits in rice, thereby it can be used as a suitable probiotic starter for rice fermentation.
LncRNA-MCM3AP-AS1 Promotes the Progression of Infantile Hemangiomas by Increasing miR-138-5p/HIF-1α Axis-Regulated Glycolysis
Authors: Mei Haijun , Xian Hua , Ke Jing
Published: September 2021

Infantile hemangioma (IH) is a common benign tumor of endothelial cells in infants. Most hemangiomas are self-limited, but a few may develop and lead to serious complications that affect the normal life of children. Therefore, finding an effective treatment strategy for IH is a pressing need. Recent studies have demonstrated that non-coding RNAs affect the progression of multiple tumors. This study aims to investigate the mechanism by which LncRNA-MCM3AP-AS1 promotes glycolysis in the pathogenesis of IH. We first documented that the expression of LncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 was significantly upregulated in IH. Furthermore, we demonstrated that MCM3AP-AS1 bound to miR-106b-3p which promotes glycolysis in IH. In addition, we found that inhibition of HIF-1α contributed to the transformation of glycolysis to normal aerobic oxidation, partially reversed the promoting effect on glycolysis by the up-regulation of LncRNA MCM3AP-AS1 in IH disease. More importantly, we demonstrated this phenomenon existed in IH patients. Taken together, we demonstrate that LncRNA-MCM3AP-AS1 promotes the progression of infantile hemangiomas by increasing the glycolysis via regulating miR-138-5p/HIF-1α axis.
Alterations of Erythrocytic Phosphorylated Alpha-Synuclein in Different Subtypes and Stages of Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Li Xu-Ying , Li Wei , Li Xin , Li Xu-Ran , Sun Linjuan , Yang Weiwei , Cai Yanning , Chen Zhigang , Wu Jun , Wang Chaodong , Yu Shun
Published: September 2021

Serine 129-phosphorylated alpha-synuclein (pS-α-syn) is a major form of α-syn relevant to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), which has been recently detected in red blood cells (RBCs). However, alterations of RBC-derived pS-α-syn (pS-α-syn-RBC) in different subtypes and stages of PD remains to be investigated. In the present study, by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure pS-α-syn-RBC, we demonstrated significantly higher levels of pS-α-syn-RBC in PD patients than in healthy controls. pS-α-syn-RBC separated the patients well from the controls, with a sensitivity of 93.39% (95% CI: 90.17–95.81%), a specificity of 93.11% (95% CI: 89.85–95.58%), and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.96. Considering motor subtypes, the levels of pS-α-syn-RBC were significantly higher in late-onset than young-onset PD (p = 0.013) and in those with postural instability and gait difficulty than with tremor-dominant (TD) phenotype (p = 0.029). In addition, the levels of pS-α-syn-RBC were also different in non-motor subtypes, which were significantly lower in patients with cognitive impairment (p = 0.012) and olfactory loss (p = 0.004) than in those without such symptoms. Moreover, the levels of pS-α-syn-RBC in PD patients were positively correlated with disease duration and Hoehn & Yahr stages (H&Y) (p for trend =0.02 and <0.001) as well as UPDRS III (R2 = 0.031, p = 0.0042) and MoCA scores (R2 = 0.048, p = 0.0004). The results obtained suggest that pS-α-syn-RBC can be used as a potential biomarker for not only separating PD patients from healthy controls but also predicting the subtypes and stages of PD.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Image Segmentation Under Artificial Intelligence Neural Network for Evaluation of the Effect of Butyphthalide Combined With Edaravone on Neurological Function in Patients With Acute Cerebral Infarction
Authors: Li Bin , Liu Guoping
Published: September 2021

This research was developed to investigate the effect of artificial intelligence neural network-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image segmentation on the neurological function of patients with acute cerebral infarction treated with butylphthalide combined with edaravone. Eighty patients with acute cerebral infarction were selected as the research subjects, and the MRI images of patients with acute cerebral infarction were segmented by convolutional neural networks (CNN) upgraded algorithm model. MRI images of patients before and after treatment of butylphthalide combined with edaravone were compared to comprehensively evaluate the efficacy of this treatment. The results showed that compared with the traditional CNN algorithm, the running time of the CNN upgraded algorithm adopted in this study was significantly shorter, and the Loss value was lower than that of the traditional CNN model. Upgraded CNN model can realize accurate segmentation of cerebral infarction lesions in MRI images of patients. In addition, the degree of cerebral infarction and the degree of arterial stenosis were significantly improved after treatment with butylphthalide and edaravone. Compared with that before treatment, the number of patients with severe cerebral infarction or even vascular stenosis decreased significantly (P < 0.05), and gradually changed to mild vascular stenosis, and the neurological dysfunction of patients was also significantly improved. In short, MRI image segmentation based on artificial intelligence neural network can well-evaluate the efficacy and neurological impairment of butylphthalide combined with edaravone in the treatment of acute cerebral infarction, and it was worthy of promotion in clinical evaluation of the treatment effect of acute cerebral infarction.
Endolymphatic Sac Drainage Surgery and Plasma Stress Hormone Vasopressin Levels in Meniere's Disease
Authors: Kitahara Tadashi , Okayasu Tadao , Ito Taeko , Fujita Hiroto , Ueda Keita
Published: September 2021

Meniere's disease is a common inner ear disorder accompanied by vertigo attacks and fluctuating hearing loss that some believe is due to a stressful lifestyle. To elucidate the scientific relationship in neuro-endocrinology between Meniere's disease and stress, we examined the surgical results of endolymphatic sac drainage surgery and changes in stress-induced plasma arginine-vasopressin levels. We enrolled 100 intractable Meniere's patients and examined surgical results and plasma vasopressin levels. Fifty-four chronic otitis media patients who underwent tympano-mastoidectomy formed a control group. We assessed surgical results during a 2-year follow-up period, including vertigo and hearing loss. We examined plasma vasopressin levels just before surgery and 1 week, 1 year, and 2 years after surgery. In patients with intractable Meniere's disease, plasma vasopressin levels were significantly reduced 1 week after surgery compared to the decrease observed in chronic otitis media patients after tympano-mastoidectomy. In intractable Meniere's disease, long-lasting low plasma vasopressin levels after surgery were associated with significantly good surgical results. In recurrent Meniere's disease, a gradual plasma vasopressin level elevation was observed after surgery, followed by recurrent vertigo attacks and sensorineural hearing loss. It is suggested that long-lasting high levels of plasma vasopressin could have adverse effects on inner ear water metabolism and the subsequent Meniere's disease symptoms. Effective treatments for Meniere's disease might be best based on the maintenance of low plasma vasopressin levels.
Stress Hyperglycemia in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke Due to Large Vessel Occlusion Undergoing Mechanical Thrombectomy
Authors: Merlino Giovanni , Pez Sara , Gigli Gian Luigi , Sponza Massimo , Lorenzut Simone , Surcinelli Andrea , Smeralda Carmelo , Valente Mariarosaria
Published: September 2021

Stress hyperglycemia may impair outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) undergoing mechanical thrombectomy (MT). The glucose-to-glycated hemoglobin ratio (GAR) was used to measure stress hyperglycemia. Data from our database of consecutive patients admitted to the Udine University Hospital with AIS who were treated with MT between January 2015 and December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. We included 204 patients in the study and stratified them into four groups according to the quartiles of GAR (Q1–Q4). The higher the GAR index, the more severe the stress hyperglycemia was considered. Patients with more severe stress hyperglycemia showed a higher prevalence of 3-month poor outcome (Q1, 53.1%; Q2, 40.4%; Q3, 63.5%; Q4, 82.4%;p= 0.001), 3-month mortality (Q1, 14.3%; Q2, 11.5%; Q3, 15.4%; Q4, 31.4%;p= 0.001), and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (Q1, 2%; Q2, 7.7%; Q3, 7.7%; Q4, 25.4%;p= 0.001). After controlling for several confounders, severe stress hyperglycemia remained a significant predictor of 3-month poor outcome (OR 4.52, 95% CI 1.4–14.62,p= 0.012), 3-month mortality (OR 3.55, 95% CI 1.02–12.29,p= 0.046), and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (OR 6.89, 95% CI 1.87–25.36,p= 0.004). In summary, stress hyperglycemia, as measured by the GAR index, is associated with a detrimental effect in patients with AIS undergoing MT.
A Prospective Study to Investigate Controlling Blood Pressure Under Transcranial Doppler After Endovascular Treatment in Patients With Occlusion of Anterior Circulation
Authors: Tao Chunrong , Xu Pengfei , Yao Yang , Zhu Yajuan , Li Rui , Li Jie , Luo Wenwu , Hu Wei
Published: September 2021

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of blood pressure (BP) management with transcranial Doppler (TCD) guidance in patients with large-vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) on the long-term prognosis.

Methods: This was a prospective study; 232 patients were nonrandomized assigned to TCD-guided BP management (TBM) group or non-TCD-guided BP management (NBM) group. In the TBM group, BP was controlled according to TCD showing cerebral blood flow fluctuation. In the NBM group, BP was controlled according to the guidelines. The primary endpoint was a modified Rankin scale (mRS) score of 2 or lower at 90 days. The safety outcomes were the rates of symptomatic or any intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and mortality at 90 days.

Results: One hundred sixty-three patients were assigned to the TBM group, and 69 were assigned to the NBM group. In the propensity score-matched cohort (65 matches in both groups), there was significant difference in the proportion of participants with mRS 0–2 at 90 days according to BP management (adjusted odds ratio 3.34, 95% CI 1.36 to 8.22). There was no difference in the rates of symptomatic or any ICH and mortality between two groups. In inverse probability-weighted regression adjustment analysis, mortality decreased significantly in the TBM group than in the NBM group (adjusted odds ratio 0.86, 95% CI 0.76–0.99, p = 0.03).

Conclusion: In patients with acute ischemic stroke from large-vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation, BP management under TCD was superior to NBM in improving the clinical outcomes at 90 days.

Clinical Trial Registration: (URL: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=55484; Identifier: ChiCTR2000034443.
Reflections on Neurofeminism and Intersectionality Using Insights From Psychology
Authors: Duchesne Annie , Kaiser Trujillo Anelis
Published: September 2021

Intersectionality contends that sex/gender is constituted of and with other social categories, and that the social structures giving rise to inequality should be addressed in research. This is a powerful and important perspective from which to investigate the processes and consequences of social group memberships, one which has been overlooked by most neuroscientific research. In particular, neurofeminism, a field of critical neuroscience that challenges neuroscientific assumptions, methods and interpretations of data that reinforce sexism, has ignored intersectionality to date. In contrast, research in the field of psychology has been engaging with intersectionality for more than a decade. In reflecting on how intersectionality has advanced feminist research in psychology, this paper provides a critical analysis of potential novel research avenues for neurofeminism. We identify three main research themes guided by intersectionality. The first theme involves research centered on understanding the socio-structural causes of health inequalities experienced by individuals with intersecting marginalized social identities; the second concerns research addressing the psychological processing of social group memberships that underlies the enactment of systemic discriminatory practices; and the third theme comprises intersectionality research that aims to challenge psychological epistemology. Drawing parallels between the fields of psychology and neuroscience, we explore the potential benefits and risks of advancing an intersectionality-informed neurofeminism.
Nitric Oxide Regulates Estrus Cycle Dependent Colonic Motility in Mice
Authors: Balasuriya Gayathri K. , Nugapitiya Saseema S. , Hill-Yardin Elisa L. , Bornstein Joel C.
Published: September 2021

Women are more susceptible to functional bowel disorders than men and the severity of their symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain and bloating changes over the menstrual cycle, suggesting a role for sex hormones in gastrointestinal function. Nitric oxide (NO) is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the gut and blockade of nitric oxide synthase (NOS; responsible for NO synthesis) increases colonic motility in male mice ex vivo. We assessed the effects of NOS inhibition on colonic motility in female mice using video imaging analysis of colonic motor complexes (CMCs). To understand interactions between NO and estrogen in the gut, we also quantified neuronal NOS and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-expressing myenteric neurons in estrus and proestrus female mice using immunofluorescence. Mice in estrus had fewer CMCs under control conditions (6 ± 1 per 15 min, n = 22) compared to proestrus (8 ± 1 per 15 min, n = 22, One-way ANOVA, p = 0.041). During proestrus, the NOS antagonist N-nitro-L-arginine (NOLA) increased CMC numbers compared to controls (189 ± 46%). In contrast, NOLA had no significant effect on CMC numbers during estrus. During estrus, we observed more NOS-expressing myenteric neurons (48 ± 2%) than during proestrus (39 ± 1%, n = 3, p = 0.035). Increased nuclear expression of ERα was observed in estrus which coincided with an altered motility response to NOLA in contrast with proestrus when ERα was largely cytoplasmic. In conclusion, we confirm a cyclic and sexually dimorphic effect of NOS activity in female mouse colon, which could be due to genomic effects of estrogens via ERα.
The Relationship Between Central Auditory Tests and Neurocognitive Domains in Adults Living With HIV
Authors: Niemczak Christopher E. , Lichtenstein Jonathan D. , Magohe Albert , Amato Jennifer T. , Fellows Abigail M. , Gui Jiang , Huang Michael , Rieke Catherine C. , Massawe Enica R. , Boivin Michael J. , Moshi Ndeserua , Buckey Jay C.
Published: September 2021

Objective: Tests requiring central auditory processing, such as speech perception-in-noise, are simple, time efficient, and correlate with cognitive processing. These tests may be useful for tracking brain function. Doing this effectively requires information on which tests correlate with overall cognitive function and specific cognitive domains. This study evaluated the relationship between selected central auditory focused tests and cognitive domains in a cohort of normal hearing adults living with HIV and HIV– controls. The long-term aim is determining the relationships between auditory processing and neurocognitive domains and applying this to analyzing cognitive function in HIV and other neurocognitive disorders longitudinally.

Method: Subjects were recruited from an ongoing study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Central auditory measures included the Gap Detection Test (Gap), Hearing in Noise Test (HINT), and Triple Digit Test (TDT). Cognitive measures included variables from the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA), Cogstate neurocognitive battery, and Kiswahili Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The measures represented three cognitive domains: processing speed, learning, and working memory. Bootstrap resampling was used to calculate the mean and standard deviation of the proportion of variance explained by the individual central auditory tests for each cognitive measure. The association of cognitive measures with central auditory variables taking HIV status and age into account was determined using regression models.

Results: Hearing in Noise Tests and TDT were significantly associated with Cogstate learning and working memory tests. Gap was not significantly associated with any cognitive measure with age in the model. TDT explained the largest mean proportion of variance and had the strongest relationship to the MoCA and Cogstate tasks. With age in the model, HIV status did not affect the relationship between central auditory tests and cognitive measures. Age was strongly associated with multiple cognitive tests.

Conclusion: Central auditory tests were associated with measures of learning and working memory. Compared to the other central auditory tests, TDT was most strongly related to cognitive function. These findings expand on the association between auditory processing and cognitive domains seen in other studies and support evaluating these tests for tracking brain health in HIV and other neurocognitive disorders.
Peripheral and Spinal Mechanisms Involved in Electro-Acupuncture Therapy for Visceral Hypersensitivity
Authors: Tahir Adnan Hassan , Li Jia-Jia , Tang Yong
Published: September 2021

One of the important characteristic features of clinically significant gastrointestinal disorders is visceral hypersensitivity (VH). Pain sensitization or VH is a big challenge for clinicians and becomes a very thorny work in clinical practices; the therapeutic efficacy for VH results in limited success. A popular second therapy that is being approved for the induction of analgesia and attenuates VH with fewer side effects includes electro-acupuncture (EA). Different peripheral and spinal neurological chemicals, including neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and cytokines, and different signaling pathways were associated with EA treatment in VH. Despite the higher acceptance of EA, the underlying mechanism still needs to be further explored. In this paper, we review the available literature to find the peripheral and spinal mechanisms involved in EA to relieve VH.
DRD1 and DRD2 Receptor Polymorphisms: Genetic Neuromodulation of the Dopaminergic System as a Risk Factor for ASD, ADHD and ASD/ADHD Overlap
Authors: Mariggiò Maria Addolorata , Palumbi Roberto , Vinella Angela , Laterza Riccardo , Petruzzelli Maria Giuseppina , Peschechera Antonia , Gabellone Alessandra , Gentile Ottavio , Vincenti Alessandra , Margari Lucia
Published: September 2021

The dopaminergic system (DS) is one of the most important neuromodulator systems involved in complex functions that are compromised in both autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conditions that frequently occur in overlap. This evidence suggests that both disorders might have common neurobiological pathways involving the DS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the DRD1 and DRD2 dopamine receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as potential risk factors for ASD, ADHD, and ASD/ADHD overlap. Genetic data were obtained from four groups: 75 ASD patients, 75 ADHD patients, 30 patients with ASD/ADHD overlap, and 75 healthy controls. All participants were between 2 and 17 years old. We compared the genotypic and allelic frequency of 18 SNPs among all of the study groups. Moreover, in the case of statistically significant differences, odds ratios (OR) were obtained to evaluate if the presence of SNPs might be a risk factor of developing a specific clinical phenotype. This study found that DRD1 and DRD2 receptors SNPs might be considered as potential risk factors for ASD and ADHD. However, only DRD2-12 (rs7131465) was significantly associated with a higher risk for the ASD/ADHD overlap. These data support the hypothesis of the genetic neuromodulation of the DS in the neurobiology of these conditions.
Multimodal Brain Network Jointly Construction and Fusion for Diagnosis of Epilepsy
Authors: Zhu Qi , Yang Jing , Xu Bingliang , Hou Zhenghua , Sun Liang , Zhang Daoqiang
Published: September 2021

Brain network analysis has been proved to be one of the most effective methods in brain disease diagnosis. In order to construct discriminative brain networks and improve the performance of disease diagnosis, many machine learning–based methods have been proposed. Recent studies show that combining functional and structural brain networks is more effective than using only single modality data. However, in the most of existing multi-modal brain network analysis methods, it is a common strategy that constructs functional and structural network separately, which is difficult to embed complementary information of different modalities of brain network. To address this issue, we propose a unified brain network construction algorithm, which jointly learns both functional and structural data and effectively face the connectivity and node features for improving classification. First, we conduct space alignment and brain network construction under a unified framework, and then build the correlation model among all brain regions with functional data by low-rank representation so that the global brain region correlation can be captured. Simultaneously, the local manifold with structural data is embedded into this model to preserve the local structural information. Second, the PageRank algorithm is adaptively used to evaluate the significance of different brain regions, in which the interaction of multiple brain regions is considered. Finally, a multi-kernel strategy is utilized to solve the data heterogeneity problem and merge the connectivity as well as node information for classification. We apply the proposed method to the diagnosis of epilepsy, and the experimental results show that our method can achieve a promising performance.
Toward Predicting Impact of Common Genetic Variants on Schizophrenia Clinical Responses With Antipsychotics: A Quantitative System Pharmacology Study
Authors: Spiros Athan , Geerts Hugo
Published: September 2021

CNS disorders are lagging behind other indications in implementing genotype-dependent treatment algorithms for personalized medicine. This report uses a biophysically realistic computer model of an associative and dorsal motor cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical loop and a working memory cortical model to investigate the pharmacodynamic effects of COMTVal158Met rs4680, 5-HTTLPR rs 25531 s/L and D2DRTaq1A1 genotypes on the clinical response of 7 antipsychotics. The effect of the genotypes on dopamine and serotonin dynamics and the level of target exposure for the drugs was calibrated from PET displacement studies. The simulations suggest strong gene-gene pharmacodynamic interactions unique to each antipsychotic. For PANSS Total, the D2DRTaq1 allele has the biggest impact, followed by the 5-HTTLPR rs25531. The A2A2 genotype improved efficacy for all drugs, with a more complex outcome for the 5-HTTLPR rs25531 genotype. Maximal range in PANSS Total for all 27 individual combinations is 3 (aripiprazole) to 5 points (clozapine). The 5-HTTLPR L/L with aripiprazole and risperidone and the D2DRTaq1A2A2 allele with haloperidol, clozapine and quetiapine reduce the motor side-effects with opposite effects for the s/s genotype. The COMT genotype has a limited effect on antipsychotic effect and EPS. For cognition, the COMT MM 5-HTTLPR L/L genotype combination has the best performance for all antipsychotics, except clozapine. Maximal difference is 25% of the total dynamic range in a 2-back working memory task. Aripiprazole is the medication that is best suited for the largest number of genotype combinations (10) followed by Clozapine and risperidone (6), haloperidol and olanzapine (3) and quetiapine and paliperidone for one genotype. In principle, the platform could identify the best antipsychotic treatment balancing efficacy and side-effects for a specific individual genotype. Once the predictions of this platform are validated in a clinical setting the platform has potential to support rational personalized treatment guidance in clinical practice.
Central Auditory and Vestibular Dysfunction Are Key Features of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Mansour Yusra , Burchell Alyson , Kulesza Randy J.
Published: September 2021

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by repetitive behaviors, poor social skills, and difficulties with communication. Beyond these core signs and symptoms, the majority of subjects with ASD have some degree of auditory and vestibular dysfunction. Dysfunction in these sensory modalities is significant as normal cognitive development depends on an accurate representation of our environment. The hearing difficulties in ASD range from deafness to hypersensitivity and subjects with ASD have abnormal sound-evoked brainstem reflexes and brainstem auditory evoked potentials. Vestibular dysfunction in ASD includes postural instability, gait dysfunction, and impaired gaze. Untreated vestibular dysfunction in children can lead to delayed milestones such as sitting and walking and poor motor coordination later in life. Histopathological studies have revealed that subjects with ASD have significantly fewer neurons in the auditory hindbrain and surviving neurons are smaller and dysmorphic. These findings are consistent with auditory dysfunction. Further, the cerebellum was one of the first brain structures implicated in ASD and studies have revealed loss of Purkinje cells and the presence of ectopic neurons. Together, these studies suggest that normal auditory and vestibular function play major roles in the development of language and social abilities, and dysfunction in these systems may contribute to the core symptoms of ASD. Further, auditory and vestibular dysfunction in children may be overlooked or attributed to other neurodevelopmental disorders. Herein we review the literature on auditory and vestibular dysfunction in ASD. Based on these results we developed a brainstem model of central auditory and vestibular dysfunction in ASD and propose that simple, non-invasive but quantitative testing of hearing and vestibular function be added to newborn screening protocols.
Bacterial Translocation Associates With Aggression in Schizophrenia Inpatients
Authors: Wang Chong , Zhang Teng , He Lei , Fu Ji-Yong , Deng Hong-Xin , Xue Xiao-Ling , Chen Bang-Tao
Published: September 2021

Objective: Accumulating evidence indicates that inflammation abnormalities may contribute to aggression behaviors in psychotic patients, however, the possible sources of inflammation remain elusive. We aimed to evaluate the associations among aggression, inflammation, and bacterial translocation (BT) in aggression-affected schizophrenia (ScZ) inpatients with 2 weeks of antipsychotics discontinuation.

Methods: Serum specimens collected from 112 aggression and 112 non-aggression individuals with ScZ and 56 healthy adults were used for quantifications of inflammation- or BT-related biomarkers. Aggression severity was assessed by Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS).

Results: Proinflammation phenotype dominated and leaky gut-induced BT occurred only in cases with ScZ with a history of aggression, and the MOAS score positively related to levels of C-reactive protein, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Furthermore, serum levels of BT-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS), as well as LPS-responded soluble CD14, were not only positively correlated with levels of above proinflammation mediators but also the total MOAS score and subscore for aggression against objects or others.

Conclusion: Our results collectively demonstrate the presence of leaky gut and further correlate BT-derived LPS and soluble CD14 to onset or severity of aggression possibly by driving proinflammation response in inpatients with ScZ, which indicates that BT may be a novel anti-inflammation therapeutic target for aggression prophylaxis.
Investigation of Protein and Epitope Characteristics of Oats and Its Implications for Celiac Disease
Authors: Gell Gyöngyvér , Bugyi Zsuzsanna , Florides Christakis George , Birinyi Zsófia , Réder Dalma , Szegő Zsuzsanna , Mucsi Edina , Schall Eszter , Ács Katalin , Langó Bernadett , Purgel Szandra , Simon Katalin , Varga Balázs , Vida Gyula , Veisz Ottó , Tömösközi Sándor , Békés Ferenc
Published: September 2021

The use of pure oats (oats cultivated with special care to avoid gluten contamination from wheat, rye, and barley) in the gluten-free diet (GFD) represents important nutritional benefits for the celiac consumer. However, emerging evidence suggests that some oat cultivars may contain wheat gliadin analog polypeptides. Consequently, it is necessary to screen oats in terms of protein and epitope composition to be able to select safe varieties for gluten-free applications. The overall aim of our study is to investigate the variability of oat protein composition directly related to health-related and techno-functional properties. Elements of an oat sample population representing 162 cultivated varieties from 20 countries and the protein composition of resulting samples have been characterized. Size distribution of the total protein extracts has been analyzed by size exclusion-high performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) while the 70% ethanol-extracted proteins were analyzed by RP-HPLC. Protein extracts separated into three main groups of fractions on the SE-HPLC column: polymeric proteins, avenins (both containing three subgroups based on their size), and soluble proteins, representing respectively 68.79–86.60, 8.86–27.72, and 2.89–11.85% of the total protein content. The ratio of polymeric to monomeric proteins varied between 1.37 and 3.73. Seventy-six reversed phase-HPLC-separated peaks have been differentiated from the ethanol extractable proteins of the entire population. Their distribution among the cultivars varied significantly, 6–23 peaks per cultivar. The number of appearances of peaks also showed large variation: one peak has been found in 107 samples, while 15 peaks have been identified, which appeared in less than five cultivars. An estimation method for ranking the avenin-epitope content of the samples has been developed by using MS spectrometric data of collected RP-HPLC peaks and bioinformatics methods. Using ELISA methodology with the R5 antibody, a high number of the investigated samples were found to be contaminated with wheat, barley, or rye.
Mild Malnutrition Contributes the Greatest to the Poor Prognosis in Coronary Artery Disease With Well-Controlled Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels: A 4,863 Chinese Cohort Study
Authors: Wang Bo , Guo Zhaodong , Liu Jin , Li Huanqiang , Mai Ziling , Lin Feng , Ying Ming , Yu Yaren , Chen Shiqun , Li Qiang , Huang Haozhang , Wei Wen , Yang Yongquan , Dong Shaohong , Zhou Yingling , Chen Jiyan , Tan Ning , Liu Yong
Published: September 2021

Background: Previous studies reported that patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and well-controlled baseline LDL-C (<1.8 mmol/L) still had higher long-term all-cause mortality. However, no study has been conducted to explore the independent risk factors for long-term mortality. In addition, there also was no study evaluating the population attributable risk (PAR) of independent risk factors in combination with their prevalence and relative risk. Therefore, we aimed to identify the independent risk factors and estimate their PAR in patients with CAD and well-controlled baseline LDL-C (<1.8 mmol/L).

Methods: We analyzed 4,863 consecutive CAD patients with well-controlled baseline LDL-C admitted to Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital in China from January 2007 to December 2018. Independent risk factors for long-term all-cause death were evaluated through stepwise approach and multivariable Cox regression analysis. PAR of independent risk factors was calculated with their hazard ratio and prevalence among our cohort.

Results: The overall mortality was 16.00% (n = 778) over a median follow-up period of 5.93 years. Independent risk factors for all-cause death included malnutrition, age ≥75 years, congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic kidney disease (CKD) and atrial fibrillation. Among these risk factors of interest, the hazard ratio (HR) of severe malnutrition was the highest (HR 2.82, 95% CI: 1.86–4.26), and the PAR of mild malnutrition was the highest (19.49%, 95% CI: 0.65–36.01%).

Conclusion: Malnutrition, age ≥75 years, CHF, CKD and atrial fibrillation were independent predictors for long-term all-cause mortality in CAD patients with well-controlled LDL-C levels. Considering prevalence of these risk factors, more attention should be paid to the occurrence of mild malnutrition for these patients.

Clinical Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT04407936.
Nomograms for Predicting the Lymph Node Metastasis in Early Gastric Cancer by Gender: A Retrospective Multicentric Study
Authors: Sui Wannian , Chen Zhangming , Li Chuanhong , Chen Peifeng , Song Kai , Wei Zhijian , Liu Hu , Hu Jie , Han Wenxiu
Published: September 2021

Background

Lymph node metastasis (LNM) has a significant impact on the prognosis of patients with early gastric cancer (EGC). Our aim was to identify the independent risk factors for LNM and construct nomograms for male and female EGC patients, respectively.

Methods

Clinicopathological data of 1,742 EGC patients who underwent radical gastrectomy and lymphadenectomy in the First Affiliated Hospital, Second Affiliated Hospital, and Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University between November 2011 and April 2021 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Male and female patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University were assigned to training sets and then from the Second and Fourth Affiliated Hospitals of Anhui Medical University were enrolled in validation sets. Based on independent risk factors for LNM in male and female EGC patients from the training sets, the nomograms were established respectively, which was also verified by internal validation from the training sets and external validation from the validation sets.

Results

Tumor size (odd ratio (OR): 1.386, p = 0.030), depth of invasion (OR: 0.306, p = 0.001), Lauren type (OR: 2.816, p = 0.000), lymphovascular invasion (LVI) (OR: 0.160, p = 0.000), and menopause (OR: 0.296, p = 0.009) were independent risk factors for female EGC patients. For male EGC patients, tumor size (OR: 1.298, p = 0.007), depth of invasion (OR: 0.257, p = 0.000), tumor location (OR: 0.659, p = 0.002), WHO type (OR: 1.419, p = 0.001), Lauren type (OR: 3.099, p = 0.000), and LVI (OR: 0.131, p = 0.000) were independent risk factors. Moreover, nomograms were established to predict the risk of LNM for female and male EGC patients, respectively. The area under the ROC curve of nomograms for female and male training sets were 87.7% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.8397–0.914) and 94.8% (95% CI: 0.9273–0.9695), respectively. For the validation set, they were 92.4% (95% CI: 0.7979–1) and 93.4% (95% CI: 0.8928–0.9755), respectively. Additionally, the calibration curves showed good agreements between the bias-corrected prediction and the ideal reference line for both training sets and validation sets in female and male EGC patients.

Conclusions

Nomograms based on risk factors for LNM in male and female EGC patients may provide new insights into the selection of appropriate treatment methods.