bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interplay between a Heptamethine Cyanine Dye Sensitizer (IR806) and Lanthanide Upconversion Nanoparticles
Authors: Liu Haichun , Kulkarni Abhilash , Kostiv Uliana , Sandberg Elin , Lakshmanan Anbharasi , Sotiriou Georgios A. , Widengren Jerker
Published: July 2024

Lanthanide‐doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have attractive emission properties but suffer from weak light‐absorbing capacities and thereby relatively low brightnesses. This motivates using strongly absorbing dye molecules as antennas and sensitizers. However, despite much effort, understanding of this dye‐UCNP interplay is still limited. Major sensitization mechanisms are still under discussion, largely because there is a lack of effective means to observe key factors such as dark state transitions within the dyes. Here, a combined spectroscopic procedure is established to systematically investigate the photophysics behind the dye‐UCNP interaction, embracing fluorescence‐based transient‐state excitation‐modulation, lifetime and correlation spectroscopy, and spectrofluorometry/spectrophotometry. With this procedure the heptamethine cyanine dye IR806, a typical UCNP sensitizer is studied, its photophysical model is established, its photophysics in UCL‐sensitization‐related environments is deciphered, and the energy transfer from the IR806 singlet excited state to Yb3+ (UCNP sensitizer ion) can be identified as the dominant sensitization mechanism. These studies suggest that IR806 can form non‐emissive H‐aggregates at the nanoparticle surfaces, which can be dissociated after certain light excitation duration (typically>100 µs). Moreover, buildup of a non‐fluorescent, photo‐redox state of IR806 after longer irradiation times (10–100 ms) can deleteriously affect its UCL sensitization effect, inferring an optimal excitation duration for dye‐sensitized UCNPs, relevant for, e.g., optical imaging applications.
Exploiting Spinach‐Derived Extracellular Vesicles for Anti‐Obesity Therapy Through Lipid Accumulation Inhibition
Authors: Lee Jeong Hyun , Kang Su Jin , Rhee Won Jong
Published: July 2024

Obesity is a global health crisis, necessitating the development of biomaterial‐based treatments as alternatives to conventional chemical medications with adverse effects. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), nanosized lipid membrane vesicles containing bioactive components, have emerged as promising biomaterials owing to their biocompatibility, biodistribution, and minimal immune response. Although EVs have been extensively studied for anticancer and anti‐inflammatory properties, their potential for obesity therapy remains relatively unexplored. In this study, the therapeutic potential of spinach‐derived EVs (Spinex) against obesity is investigated. Spinex is successfully purified from spinach using size exclusion chromatography. Subsequent assessments reveals that Spinex efficiently penetrate preadipocytes without cytotoxicity. Stability assessments reveals that Spinex is stable under various temperatures and serum conditions, suggesting its suitability for storage and clinical use. In vitro studies on 3T3‐L1 cells demonstrate the ability of Spinex to suppress lipid accumulation during adipocyte differentiation. In a high‐fat diet‐induced mouse model, oral Spinex administration significantly reduces adipose tissue weight and body weight gain by downregulating key adipogenic transcription factors. Biodistribution analysis reveals that Spinex accumulated predominantly in the liver, with no apparent toxicity to the major organs. Collectively, the findings highlight Spinex as a promising natural biomaterial for combating obesity and pave the way for further clinical investigations.
Novel Mito‐Nuclear Combinations Facilitate the Global Invasion of a Major Agricultural Crop Pest
Authors: Li Hongran , Liang Xinyue , Peng Yan , Liu Zhenxing , Zhang Lei , Wang Ping , Jin Minghui , Wilson Kenneth , Garvin Michael R. , Wu Kongming , Xiao Yutao
Published: July 2024

A fundamental understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in biological invasions is crucial to developing effective risk assessment and control measures against invasive species. The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is a highly invasive pest that has rapidly spread from its native Americas into much of the Eastern Hemisphere, with a highly homogeneous nuclear genetic background. However, the exact mechanism behind its rapid introduction and propagation remains unclear. Here, a systematic investigation is conducted into the population dynamics of FAW in China from 2019 to 2021 and found that FAW individuals carrying “rice” mitochondria (FAW‐mR) are more prevalent (>98%) than that with “corn” mitochondria (FAW‐mC) at the initial stage of the invasion and in newly‐occupied non‐overwintering areas. Further fitness experiments show that the two hybrid‐strains of FAW exhibit different adaptions in the new environment in China, and this may have been facilitated by amino acid changes in mitochondrial‐encoded proteins. FAW‐mR used increases energy metabolism, faster wing‐beat frequencies, and lower wing loadings to drive greater flight performance and subsequent rapid colonization of new habitats. In contrast, FAW‐mC individuals adapt with more relaxed mitochondria and shuttle energetics into maternal investment, observed as faster development rate and higher fecundity. The presence of two different mitochondria types within FAW has the potential to significantly expand the range of damage and enhance competitive advantage. Overall, the study describes a novel invasion mechanism displayed by the FAW population that facilitates its expansion and establishment in new environments.
Modeling the Effects of Protracted Cosmic Radiation in a Human Organ‐on‐Chip Platform
Authors: Tavakol Daniel Naveed , Nash Trevor R. , Kim Youngbin , Graney Pamela L. , Liberman Martin , Fleischer Sharon , Lock Roberta I. , O'Donnell Aaron , Andrews Leah , Ning Derek , Yeager Keith , Harken Andrew , Deoli Naresh , Amundson Sally A. , Garty Guy , Leong Kam W. , Brenner David J. , Vunjak‐Novakovic Gordana
Published: July 2024

Galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) is one of the most serious risks posed to astronauts during missions to the Moon and Mars. Experimental models capable of recapitulating human physiology are critical to understanding the effects of radiation on human organs and developing radioprotective measures against space travel exposures. The effects of systemic radiation are studied using a multi‐organ‐on‐a‐chip (multi‐OoC) platform containing engineered tissue models of human bone marrow (site of hematopoiesis and acute radiation damage), cardiac muscle (site of chronic radiation damage) and liver (site of metabolism), linked by vascular circulation with an endothelial barrier separating individual tissue chambers from the vascular perfusate. Following protracted neutron radiation, the most damaging radiation component in deep space, a greater deviation of tissue function is observed as compared to the same cumulative dose delivered acutely. Further, by characterizing engineered bone marrow (eBM)‐derived immune cells in circulation, 58 unique genes specific to the effects of protracted neutron dosing are identified, as compared to acutely irradiated and healthy tissues. It propose that this bioengineered platform allows studies of human responses to extended radiation exposure in an “astronaut‐on‐a‐chip” model that can inform measures for mitigating cosmic radiation injury.
Fully Breaking Entanglement of Multiple Harmonics for Space‐ and Frequency‐Division Multiplexing Wireless Applications via Space‐Time‐Coding Metasurface
Authors: Luo Zhangjie , Zhang Zhiming , Tai Junwei , Zhang Lei , Gao Chenglong , Ma Hui Feng , Jiang Wei Xiang , Cheng Qiang , Cui Tie Jun
Published: July 2024

Harmonic generation and utilization are significant topics in nonlinear science. Although the progress in the microwave region has been expedited by the development of time‐modulated metasurfaces, one major issue of these devices is the strong entanglement of multiple harmonics, leading to criticism of their use in frequency‐division multiplexing (FDM) applications. Previous studies have attempted to overcome this limitation, but they suffer from designing complexity or insufficient controlling capability. Here a new space‐time‐coding metasurface (STCM) is proposed to independently and precisely synthesize not only the phases but also the amplitudes of various harmonics. This promising feature is successfully demonstrated in wireless space‐ and frequency‐division multiplexing experiments, where modulated and unmodulated signals are simultaneously transmitted via different harmonics using a shared STCM. To illustrate the advantages, binary frequency shift keying (BFSK) and quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulation schemes are respectively implemented. Behind the intriguing functionality, the mechanism of the space‐time coding strategy and the analytical designing method are elaborated, which are validated numerically and experimentally. It is believed that the achievements can potentially propel the time‐vary metasurfaces in the next‐generation wireless applications.
The determination of desired plant density in soils with different fertility in a region for mechanized rice cultivation
Authors: Mobasser Hamid Reza , Sadeghi Seyyed Ali , Alipour Abookheili Farshid
Published: July 2024

Physicochemical characteristics of soil, especially organic matter and soil texture, affect the optimal plant density in rice (Oryza sativa L.). A split‐plot field experiment was done based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in four replications in Amol (Northern Iran) on the coastal strip of the Caspian Sea. The experimental treatments, that is, soil fertility (infertile, semi‐fertile, and fertile) as the whole‐plot factor and plant density (low, medium, and high by 15.2, 19.6, and 27.8 plants m−2, respectively) as the split‐plot factor, were studied over 2 years (2022 and 2023). The results indicated the greatest and smallest number of days from planting to tillering and from tillering to flowering for infertile soil, respectively. The maximum root fresh weight was measured during the tillering stage for infertile soil, whereas for fertile soil, the highest root fresh weight was recorded throughout the phases of panicle initiation and flowering. The greatest root length was measured at the tillering stage for 2022 in high‐density infertile soil. The lowest number of panicles m−2 and the percentage of full spikelets were obtained from infertile soil. The highest grain yield was obtained from high‐density fertile soil. In mechanized rice cultivation, high density is suggested for fertile and semi‐fertile soils and low density for infertile soil.
EVI‐SAM: Robust, Real‐Time, Tightly‐Coupled Event–Visual–Inertial State Estimation and 3D Dense Mapping
Authors: Guan Weipeng , Chen Peiyu , Zhao Huibin , Wang Yu , Lu Peng
Published: July 2024

Event cameras demonstrate substantial potential in handling challenging situations, such as motion blur and high dynamic range. Herein, event–visual–inertial state estimation and 3D dense mapping (EVI‐SAM) are introduced to tackle the problem of pose tracking and 3D dense reconstruction using the monocular event camera. A novel event‐based hybrid tracking framework is designed to estimate the pose, leveraging the robustness of feature matching and the precision of direct alignment. Specifically, an event‐based 2D–2D alignment is developed to construct the photometric constraint and tightly integrated with the event‐based reprojection constraint. The mapping module recovers the dense and colorful depth of the scene through the image‐guided event‐based mapping method. Subsequently, the appearance, texture, and surface mesh of the 3D scene can be reconstructed by fusing the dense depth map from multiple viewpoints using truncated signed distance function fusion. To the best of knowledge, this is the first nonlearning work to realize event‐based dense mapping. Numerical evaluations are performed on both publicly available datasets, which qualitatively and quantitatively demonstrate the superior performance of our method. EVI‐SAM effectively balances accuracy and robustness while maintaining computational efficiency, showcasing superior pose tracking and dense mapping performance in challenging scenarios.
Bifunctional Chiral Electrocatalysts Enable Enantioselective α‐Alkylation of Aldehydes
Authors: He Jin‐Yu , Zhu Cuiju , Duan Wen‐Xi , Kong Ling‐Xuan , Wang Na‐Na , Wang Yan‐Zhao , Fan Zhi‐Yong , Qiao Xin‐Ying , Xu Hao
Published: July 2024

Herein, we describe an innovative approach to the asymmetric electrochemical α‐alkylation of aldehydes facilitated by a newly designed bifunctional chiral electrocatalyst. The highly efficient bifunctional chiral electrocatalyst combines a chiral aminocatalyst with a redox mediator. It plays a dual role as a redox mediator for electrooxidation, while simultaneously providing remarkable asymmetric induction for the stereoselective α‐alkylation of aldehydes. Additionally, this novel catalyst exhibits enhanced catalytic activity and excellent stereoselective control comparable to conventional catalytic systems. As a result, this strategy provides a new avenue for versatile asymmetric electrochemistry. The electrooxidation of diverse phenols enables the C−H/C−H oxidative α‐alkylation of aldehydes in a highly chemo‐ and stereoselective fashion. Detailed mechanistic studies by control experiments and cyclic voltammetry analysis demonstrate possible reaction pathways and the origin of enantio‐induction.
Macroporous hydrogel prepared via aqueous polymerization induced phase separation toward in situ immobilization of yeast
Authors: Sun Yuanyuan , Cai Ruiyun , Liu Bowei , Xu Chuangbang , Zhang Shengmiao
Published: July 2024

Yeast‐loaded open‐cell macroporous poly(acrylamide) (PAM) hydrogels are prepared by polymerization induced phase separation (PIPS) with potassium persulfate (KPS)‐yeast as a redox initiator in a polyethylene glycol (PEG) aqueous solution. The presence of PEG not only allows the sizes of both void and interconnected pores of the hydrogels controllable, but also enlarges the void. Which makes it possible to embed cells in situ and efficiently transport nutrients inside the hydrogels. Yeasts are herein used to form a redox pair with KPS to run the polymerization of acrylamide (AM) at a mild temperature (less than 31°C), avoiding the cell inactivation during the polymerization. The in situ immobilization causes a uniformly distribution and high immobilization rate (~100%) of yeasts in the hydrogels. The hydrogels are then used to ferment glucose to produce ethanol, exhibiting high fermentation efficiency of 68%. After 10 cycles, the yeast can still maintain 86% of the initial fermentation efficiency. The yeasts maintain 87% and 93% of the initial cell activity after 1 week store at 4°C in dry state and in yeast extract peptone dextrose (YPD) medium, respectively. This study demonstrates that an aqueous PIPS initiated by peroxide‐target cells is an effective platform to efficiently in situ immobilize cells in a hydrogel for high performance fermentation.
Data snapshots of the access and participation of ‘women’ academics in UK universities: Questioning continued gendered, racialised and geopolitical inequalities
Authors: Belluigi Dina Zoe , Arday Jason , O'Keeffe Joanne
Published: July 2024

Replete with espoused discourses of equality, diversity and inclusion within public bodies, is the UK, wherein lauded initiatives reward its universities’ commitments to increasing the access and positioning of ‘women’ in higher education. This paper contributes a critical quantitative analysis of the state of representation and participation of academic staff within these universities generally, and the majority‐female discipline of education particularly. Education is important because it has a direct relation to social change and ethicality. It may maintain or reproduce the status quo; however, exercising its transformative potential is essential for the success of various international frameworks aiming to address global inequality, including most recently the Sustainable Development Goals. Sensitised by QuantCrit principles, a descriptive statistical exploration was undertaken of the staff composition and employment conditions captured within the administrative datasets reported on academic staff by all the public universities in the devolved nations of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales from 2015 to 2020. The findings of this study confirmed: (i) the continuation of gendered inequalities across the academic hierarchy, particularly as the pyramid narrows to the assigned intellectual leadership position of ‘professor’; (ii) racialised, gendered inequalities in access to employment, and in positioning once employed; and (iii) more adverse conditions where gendered, racialised and geopolitical inequalities intersect, most extremely for Black African female academics. The study demonstrates that the centring of ‘race’ and consideration of nationality are required to challenge coloniality, and to bring to the fore the differential impacts of systems of discrimination within this globally influential sector.
Physical exercise, social relationships, and bullying perpetration among school adolescents in China
Authors: Zhou Hang , Chen Ji‐Kang
Published: July 2024

Despite contradictory empirical evidence, some suggest that physical exercise is directly related to bullying perpetration. Moreover, the quality of social relationships between adolescents and their parents, peers, and teachers has been proposed as a crucial mediator in the relationship between physical exercise and bullying perpetration. However, few empirical studies have examined such hypotheses. This study used data obtained from the 2014–2015 China Education Panel Survey to examine the direct association between physical exercise and bullying behaviors, as well as the indirect pathways from physical exercise to bullying that are mediated by teenagers' social relationship quality. The results showed no significant direct relationship between physical exercise and bullying behaviors. However, physical exercise has indirect associations with bullying behaviors mediated through social relationship quality, with peer relationships having the strongest mediating effect. The findings indicate that social relationships could mediate the association between physical exercise and bullying behaviors. The study suggests that future prevention and intervention programs should promote adolescents' participation in physical exercise and their social interactions with parents, peers, and teachers to reduce bullying perpetration.
Healing involvement and stressful involvement experienced by psychotherapy trainees: Patterns, correlates and perceived development
Authors: Orlinsky D. E. , Rønnestad M. H. , Willutzki U. , Schröder T. A. , Heinonen E. , Löffler‐Stastka H. , Messina I. , Pirke J. , Hartmann A.
Published: July 2024

Background and Method

The experiences of 454 psychotherapy trainees when providing therapy to patients were surveyed in a multinational sample largely from European countries, as part of the collaborative SPRISTAD study, using established measures of trainees' Healing Involvement (HI) and Stressful Involvement (SI).

Results

The results of cross‐sectional analyses included the delineation of four differential patterns of therapeutic work involvement showing approximately half the trainees experienced an Effective Practice (high HI, low SI) while the other half experienced either a Challenging Practice (high HI, high SI), a Disengaged Practice (low HI, low SI) or a Distressing Practice (low HI, high SI).

Discussion

Strong‐to‐moderate correlations were found between involvement styles and trainees' individual personal and professional characteristics, and among training programme and workplace situational conditions, and their possible applications to candidate selection and training practices were discussed. A strong association was seen between HI and SI qualities of trainees' therapeutic work and their positive or negative experiences of current professional development. Implications for training and hypotheses for future longitudinal studies were proposed based on the results.
Integration of Deep Eutectic Solvents and Hydrotalcites for Biomass Conversion and Aldol Condensation: Toward Platform Chemicals and Jet Fuel Synthesis—A Review
Authors: Ceaser Regan , Montané Daniel , Medina Francesc , Constantí Magda
Published: July 2024

The abundance and renewability of lignocellulosic biomass have made it a suitable alternative to fossil fuels in the reduction of global warming. The complex nature of the cellulose–hemicellulose–lignin bonds in the biomass makes it difficult to directly obtain platform chemicals. Pretreatment of the biomass has become a solution to remove lignin and obtain cellulose and or hemicellulose to produce platform chemicals. Platform chemicals such as hydroxymethylfurfural, furfural, and levulinic acid are viable feedstocks for aldol condensation to produce C8–C15 fuels. This review reports on deep eutectic solvents and microwave‐assisted pretreatment as green techniques for the delignification and platform chemicals production. Emphasis is placed on the use of hydrotalcites (HTs) as catalysts in platform chemicals production and aldol condensation for C8–C15 alkane fuels. Additionally, the hydrogenation of furfural into cyclopentanone and successive conversion into C10 and C15 alkanes with HTs was reviewed.
Zirconium Catalyst Grafted on Ceria‐Coated Silica for Transformation of Carbon Dioxide to Diethyl Carbonate
Authors: Nagae Haruki , Koizumi Hiroki , Takeuchi Katsuhiko , Hamura Satoshi , Yamamoto Toshihide , Matsumoto Kazuhiro , Kamimura Yoshihiro , Kataoka Sho , Fukaya Norihisa , Choi Jun‐Chul
Published: July 2024

A heterogeneous zirconium catalyst was grafted on a ceria‐coated silica support, denoted as Zr(OEt)x/CeO2/SiO2. It exhibited higher catalytic activity compared to its homogeneous counterpart, Zr(OEt)4, in the conversion of carbon dioxide to diethyl carbonate using tetraethyl orthosilicate as a regenerable agent in the absence of any dehydrating agents under non‐protic conditions. We found that the ceria‐coated silica (CeO2/SiO2) support not only improved the catalytic activity of Zr(OEt)4 but also inhibited catalyst deactivation during catalyst recycling tests. Furthermore, we analyzed the surface of the Zr(OEt)x/CeO2/SiO2 catalysts by FE‐SEM and EDX.
Low‐Temperature Ammonia Decomposition over Sm2O3 Supported Non‐Noble Metal (Fe, Co, and Ni) Catalysts
Authors: Li Ruili , Wang Qianru , Wang Jiemin , Ju Xiaohua , He Teng , Guo Jianping , Liu Lin , Chen Ping
Published: July 2024

The generation of hydrogen from ammonia has arisen great interests along with the flourish of hydrogen energy. The widely utilization of ruthenium in catalyzing ammonia decomposition has triggered research on the development of alternative catalysts based on more readily available non‐noble metals. Herein, a series of non‐noble metal catalysts with Co/Ni/Fe nanoparticles anchored on Sm2O3 nanorods are developed via a facile precipitation method, which can effectively catalyze ammonia decomposition at temperatures below 600 °C. Among these non‐noble catalysts, Co/Sm2O3 performs the best and achieves a constant H2 production rate of 163 mmolH2/gCo/min for more than 100 hours under the condition of 550 °C and WHSV=15000 mL/gcat/h, which exceeds most of the recently reported Co‐based catalysts. Further characterizations have disclosed that such superior catalytic performance should originate from the improved interaction between non‐noble metals and Sm2O3 support. These findings not only provide a series of active and robust non‐noble catalysts for catalyzing ammonia decomposition at relatively low temperatures, but also manifest the effect of rare earth oxides in regulating the geometric and electronic properties of non‐noble metals through metal‐support interactions.
Transition Metal Complexes with Appended Benzimidazole Groups for Sensing Dihydrogenphosphate
Authors: Howells Chloe L. , Stocker Andrew J. , Lea Joshua N. , Halcovitch Nathan R. , Patel Humaira , Fletcher Nicholas C.
Published: July 2024

Four new complexes [Ru(bpy)2(bbib)](PF6)2, [Ru(phen)2(bbib)](PF6)2, [Re(CO)3(bbib)(py)](PF6) and [Ir(ppy)2(bbib)](PF6) [where bbib=4,4′‐bis(benzimidazol‐2‐yl)‐2,2′‐bipyridine] have been prepared and their photophysical properties determined. Their behaviour has been studied with a variety of anions in acetonitrile, DMSO and 10 % aquated DMSO. Acetate and dihydrogenphosphate demonstrate a redshift in the bbib ligand associated absorptions suggesting that the ligand is strongly interacting with these anions. The 3MLCT emissive state is sensitive to the introduction of small quantities of anion (sub‐stoichiometric quantities) and significant quenching is typically observed with acetate, although this is less pronounced in the presence of water. The emissive behaviour with dihydrogenphosphate is variable, showing systematic changes as anion concentration increases with several distinct interactions evident. 1H‐ and 31P‐NMR titrations in a 10 % D2O−DMSO‐D6 mixture suggest that with dihydrogenphosphate, the imidazole group is able to act as both a proton acceptor and donor. It appears that all four complexes can form a {[complex]2‐H2PO4} “dimer”, a one‐to‐one species (which the X‐ray crystallography study suggests is dimeric in the solid‐state), and a complex with a combined bis(dihydrogenphosphate) complex anion. The speciation relies on complex equilibria dependent on several factors including the complex charge, the hydrophobicity of the associated ligands, and the solvent.
Neuronal Stability, Volumetric Changes, and Decrease in GFAP Expression of Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) Subcortical Visual Nuclei During Aging
Authors: Santana Nelyane N. M. , Silva Eryck H. A. , Santos Sâmarah F. dos , Bezerra Lyzandro L. F. , da Silva Maria M. O. , Cavalcante Jeferson S. , Fiuza Felipe P. , Morais Paulo L. A. de G. , Engelberth Rovena Clara
Published: July 2024

The physiological aging process is well known for functional decline in visual abilities. Among the components of the visual system, the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (DLG) and superior colliculus (SC) provide a good model for aging investigations, as these structures constitute the main visual pathways for retinal inputs reaching the visual cortex. However, there are limited data available on quantitative morphological and neurochemical aspects in DLG and SC across lifespan. Here, we used optical density to determine immunoexpression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and design‐based stereological probes to estimate the neuronal number, total volume, and layer volume of the DLG and SC in marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), ranging from 36 to 143 months of age. Our results revealed an age‐related increase in total volume and layer volume of the DLG, with an overall stability in SC volume. Furthermore, a stable neuronal number was demonstrated in DLG and superficial layers of SC (SCv). A decrease in GFAP immunoexpression was observed in both visual centers. The results indicate region‐specific variability in volumetric parameter, possibly attributed to structural plastic events in response to inflammation and compensatory mechanisms at the cellular and subcellular level. Additionally, the DLG and SCv seem to be less vulnerable to aging effects in terms of neuronal number. The neuropeptidergic data suggest that reduced GFAP expression may reflect morphological atrophy in the astroglial cells. This study contributes to updating the current understanding of aging effects in the visual system and stablishes a crucial foundation for future research on visual perception throughout the aging process.
Adversarial autoencoder for continuous sign language recognition
Authors: Kamal Suhail Muhammad , Chen Yidong , Li Shaozi
Published: July 2024

Sign language serves as a vital communication medium for the deaf community, encompassing a diverse array of signs conveyed through distinct hand shapes along with non‐manual gestures like facial expressions and body movements. Accurate recognition of sign language is crucial for bridging the communication gap between deaf and hearing individuals, yet the scarcity of large‐scale datasets poses a significant challenge in developing robust recognition technologies. Existing works address this challenge by employing various strategies, such as enhancing visual modules, incorporating pretrained visual models, and leveraging multiple modalities to improve performance and mitigate overfitting. However, the exploration of the contextual module, responsible for modeling long‐term dependencies, remains limited. This work introduces an Adversarial Autoencoder for Continuous Sign Language Recognition, AA‐CSLR, to address the constraints imposed by limited data availability, leveraging the capabilities of generative models. The integration of pretrained knowledge, coupled with cross‐modal alignment, enhances the representation of sign language by effectively aligning visual and textual features. Through extensive experiments on publicly available datasets (PHOENIX‐2014, PHOENIX‐2014T, and CSL‐Daily), we demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed method in achieving competitive performance in continuous sign language recognition.
Systemic Treatment of Body‐Wide Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Symptoms
Authors: Konieczny Patryk
Published: July 2024

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a fatal X‐linked disease that leads to premature death due to the loss of dystrophin. Current strategies predominantly focus on the therapeutic treatment of affected skeletal muscle tissue. However, certain results point to the fact that with successful treatment of skeletal muscle, DMD‐exposed latent phenotypes in tissues, such as cardiac and smooth muscle, might lead to adverse effects and even death. Likewise, it is now clear that the absence of dystrophin affects the function of the nervous system, and that this phenotype is more pronounced when shorter dystrophins are absent, in addition to the full‐length dystrophin that is present predominantly in the muscle. Here, I focus on the systemic aspects of DMD, highlighting the ubiquitous expression of the dystrophin gene in human tissues. Furthermore, I describe therapeutic strategies that have been tested in the clinic and point to unresolved questions regarding the function of distinct dystrophin isoforms, and the possibility of current therapeutic strategies to tackle phenotypes that relate to their absence.
Intravenous iron therapy for heart failure and iron deficiency: An updated meta‐analysis of randomized clinical trials
Authors: Ahmed Mushood , Shafiq Aimen , Javaid Hira , Singh Priyansha , Shahbaz Haania , Maniya Muhammad Talha , Jain Hritvik , Shakir Najwa , Cheema Huzaifa Ahmad , Ahmad Adeel , Rehman Wajeeh Ur , Yeap Gabriel , Nashwan Abdulqadir J. , Minhas Abdul Mannan Khan , Ahmed Raheel , Fudim Marat , Fonarow Gregg C.
Published: July 2024

Heart failure (HF) patients frequently exhibit iron deficiency, which is associated with a poor prognosis. Although various trials have been conducted, it is uncertain if intravenous (IV) iron replenishment improves clinical outcomes in HF patients with iron deficiency. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from inception till 15 September 2023 to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared IV iron therapy with placebo or standard of care in patients with HF and iron deficiency. Clinical outcomes were assessed by generating forest plots using the random‐effects model and pooling odds ratios (ORs) or weighted mean differences (WMDs). Fourteen RCTs with 6651 patients were included. IV iron therapy showed a significantly reduced incidence of the composite of first heart failure hospitalization (HHF) or cardiovascular (CV) mortality as compared with the control group (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.58 to 0.92). The IV iron therapy resulted in a trend towards lower CV mortality (OR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.76 to 1.01), 1‐year all‐cause mortality (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.71 to 1.02), and first HHF (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.51 to 1.05), and an improved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (MD = 4.54, 95% CI: −0.13 to 9.21). Meta‐regression showed a significant inverse moderating effect of baseline LVEF on the first HHF or CV death. In patients with HF and iron deficiency, IV iron therapy reduced the incidence of composite of first HHF or CV mortality. There was a trend of lower overall CV and 1‐year all‐cause mortality, first HHF, and improved LVEF with IV iron therapy.
Chatbot aimed to promote mental health services use for eating disorders following online screening: Comment
Authors: Daungsupawong Hinpetch , Wiwanitkit Viroj
Published: July 2024

Highlights

The study's methodology limitations—such as its dependence on self‐report data and its lack of information on particular eating disorder diagnoses—highlight the necessity of incorporating clinical assessments and gathering more comprehensive data in future studies.

Researchers may be able to create more successful plans to promote the adoption of digital therapies for eating disorders if they have a better understanding of the obstacles to participation and investigate the viewpoints of non‐enrollees.

In order to guarantee accurate and pertinent ChatGPT output, future research should concentrate on evaluating the efficacy and long‐term results of chatbot interventions as well as including human user behaviour coding.
Expressions of glycemic parameters, lipid profile, and thyroid hormone in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and their correlation
Authors: Chen Hua , Wu Jing , Lyu Rui
Published: July 2024

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the expressions of glycemic parameters, lipid profile, and thyroid hormone in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and their correlation.

Methods

Eighty‐four patients with T2DM in our hospital were included as the observation group. The T2DM patients were divided into mild group, moderate group, and severe group according to the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level. Another 84 healthy subjects in the same period of health examination in our hospital were included as the control group. The levels of glycemic parameters, (HbA1c and FPG), lipid profile (TC, TG, LDL‐C, and HDL‐C) and thyroid hormone (FT3, TSH, and FT4) were measured by automatic biochemical analyzer. The correlation between glycemic parameters, lipid profile, and thyroid hormone was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis.

Results

The FPG, TC, TG, LDL‐C, HbA1c, and TSH levels were significantly elevated, while the HDL‐C and FT3 levels were significantly declined in the observation group versus to control group (p < .05). The levels of HbA1c, FPG, TC, LDL‐C, and TSH were significantly increased, while the levels of HDL‐C and FT3 were decreased in moderate and severe groups, when compared to mild group (p < .05). The levels of HbA1c, FPG, TC, LDL‐C and TSH were higher, while the level of FT3 was lower in severe group than those in moderate group (p < .05). Pearson Correlation analysis showed that FT3 level in T2DM patients was positively correlated with FPG, HbAlc, TC, TG, and LDL‐C levels (p < .05), but negatively correlated with HDL‐C level (p < .05). TSH level was negatively correlated with FPG, HbAlc, TC, TG, and LDL‐C levels (p < .05), while positively correlated with HDL‐C level.

Conclusion

The thyroid hormone levels were of clinical significance in evaluating glycolipid metabolism and severity of T2DM. Clinical detection of glycolipid metabolism and thyroid hormone levels in T2DM patients is of great significance for diagnosis, evaluation, and targeted treatment of the disease.
X‐Box binding protein 1 downregulates SIRT6 to promote injury in pancreatic ductal epithelial cells
Authors: Yang Zhuo , Li Shaojun , Zhao Chuan , Zhao Zongzheng , Tan Juan , Zhang Lu , Huang Yuanqing
Published: July 2024

Objective

Acute pancreatitis (AP) stands as a frequent cause for clinical emergency hospital admissions. The X‐box binding protein 1 (XBP1) was found to be implicated in pancreatic acinar cell apoptosis. The objective is to unveil the potential mechanisms governed by XBP1 and SIRT6 in the context of AP.

Methods

Caerulein‐treated human pancreatic duct epithelial (HPDE) cells to establish an in vitro research model. The levels and regulatory role of SIRT6 in the treated cells were evaluated, including its effects on inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. The relationship between XBP1 and SIRT6 was explored by luciferase and ChIP experiments. Furthermore, the effect of XBP1 overexpression on the regulatory function of SIRT6 on cells was evaluated.

Results

Caerulein promoted the decrease of SIRT6 and the increase of XBP1 in HPDE cells. Overexpression of SIRT6 slowed down the secretion of inflammatory factors, oxidative stress, apoptosis level, and endoplasmic reticulum stress in HPDE cells. However, XBP1 negatively regulated SIRT6, and XBP1 overexpression partially reversed the regulation of SIRT6 on the above aspects.

Conclusion

Our study illuminates the role of XBP1 in downregulating SIRT6 in HPDE cells, thereby promoting cellular injury. Inhibiting XBP1 or augmenting SIRT6 levels holds promise in preserving cell function and represents a potential therapeutic avenue in the management of AP.
Associations of parity and cognitive decline, depression, and chronic comorbidity in West China: Results from WCHAT study
Authors: Zhou Lixing , Chen Xiaoyan , Zhang Gongchang , Sui Yunpeng , Hou Lisha , Hu Fengjuan , Xia Xin , Luo Shuyue , Peng Xuchao , Yue Jirong , Dong Biao , Dong Birong , Liu Xiaolei
Published: July 2024

Objective

To investigate the associations between parity (the number of offspring a female has borne) and cognitive function, depression, and chronic comorbidity in Western China.

Methods

A total of 846 women aged 50–55 years were included in the current analysis. Cognitive status was measured using a 10‐item short portable mental status questionnaire (SPMSQ). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 15‐item geriatric depression scale (GDS‐15). Other characteristics were self‐reported. The associations between parity and cognitive decline, depression, and chronic comorbidity were analyzed using univariable and multivariable models. Multivariable models were adjusted for age, ethnic group, occupation, marital status, educational level, lifestyle factors, and sleeping time.

Results

Among the enrolled women, 26.71% were either childless or had one child, 47.40% had two children, 18.32% had three children, and 7.57% had ≥4 children. Compared to women with low parity, women with two or more children exhibited a higher risk of cognitive decline. Moreover, having four or more children was significantly associated with depression and chronic comorbidity. After adjusting covariates, women with three or more children exhibited a higher risk of cognitive decline than those with low parity. However, high parity was not significantly associated with depression or chronic comorbidity after adjustment for covariates.

Conclusion

Our study showed that ≥3 children was associated with cognitive decline in women. Longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate this conclusion and to investigate the mechanisms involved. More importantly, families and societies should pay more attention to women's long‐term health outcomes related to fertility.
Perinatal management for fetal oral epignathus with duplication of the pituitary gland (DPG)‐plus syndrome: A case report and literature review
Authors: Khwankaew Noppasin , Sawaddisan Rapphon , Siripruekpong Sirikarn , Leelasawatsuk Peesit , Praditaukrit Manapat , Tanaanantarak Pattama
Published: July 2024

The prenatal diagnosis of epignathus presents a unique challenge for physicians. Differential diagnosis is usually based on the anatomic location of the tumor. Typical prenatal ultrasound characteristics of epignathus include a mixed solid and cystic lesion with vascularity in the solid component, originating from the hard or soft palate, and it is often associated with other anomalies such as craniofacial clefts or trans‐sphenoidal intracranial extension. Herein, we present a case of prenatal diagnosis of epignathus with rare ultrasonographic findings, prenatal management requiring collaborative efforts of a multidisciplinary team, and a well‐planned innovative ex utero intrapartum treatment procedure. In addition, this report highlights the evolving postnatal diagnosis of the rare developmental anomaly, duplication of the pituitary gland‐plus syndrome, which includes various midline craniofacial, central nervous system, spinal, and endocrine abnormalities.
Agglomerative hierarchical clustering for selecting valid instrumental variables
Authors: Apfel Nicolas , Liang Xiaoran
Published: July 2024

We propose a procedure that combines hierarchical clustering with a test of overidentifying restrictions for selecting valid instrumental variables (IV) from a large set of IVs. Some of these IVs may be invalid in that they fail the exclusion restriction. We show that if the largest group of IVs is valid, our method achieves oracle properties. Unlike existing techniques, our work deals with multiple endogenous regressors. Simulation results suggest an advantageous performance of the method in various settings. The method is applied to estimating the effect of immigration on wages.
In‐person to virtual interprofessional education: Teamwork attitudes and skills among dental and dental hygiene students
Authors: Chavis Sydnee E. , Anagnostopoulos‐King Fotini V. , Syme Sheryl L. , Varlotta Sharon , Noonan Kate E. , Congdon Heather B.
Published: July 2024

Objectives

The interruption to clinical professions’ instruction due to closures from the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic posed a significant hurdle to clinical education and presented a necessity to shift how instruction was delivered to resume educational activities. This study sought to answer the research question: did the transition from in‐person to virtual instruction for interprofessional education (IPE) have an impact on students' perceptions of team attitudes and skills to learn and work in interprofessional groups?

Methods

All participating first–year dental and second–year dental hygiene students enrolled in the campus‐wide IPE course were invited to complete the Team Skills Scale (TSS) assessment before and after the course for two academic years 2019–2020 and 2020–2021. Paired t‐tests were utilized to assess the change in student attitudes and skills from pre‐ to post‐course assessment, and t‐tests were used to assess mean differences between student cohorts 2019–2020 and 2020–2021.

Results

Within the student cohort 2019–2020 students reported significant improvement in all TSS items. Within the student cohort, 2020–2021 students reported significant improvement in all but three TSS items. There were only significant differences in mean values for student reported improvement in attitudes and skills for two TSS items between the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 cohorts.

Conclusions

Dental and dental hygiene students report significant improvement in team attitudes and skills after participation in a campus‐wide IPE course. The mode of administration of the course, in‐person or virtual, did not have a significant impact on student‐reported improvements.
Estimating the potential value of MSM‐focused evidence‐based implementation interventions in three Ending the HIV Epidemic jurisdictions in the United States: a model‐based analysis
Authors: Enns Benjamin , Sui Yi , Guerra‐Alejos Brenda C. , Humphrey Lia , Piske Micah , Zang Xiao , Doblecki‐Lewis Susanne , Feaster Daniel J. , Frye Victoria A. , Geng Elvin H. , Liu Albert Y. , Marshall Brandon D. L. , Rhodes Scott D. , Sullivan Patrick S. , Nosyk Bohdan ,   the localized economic modelling study group
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Improving the delivery of existing evidence‐based interventions to prevent and diagnose HIV is key to Ending the HIV Epidemic in the United States. Structural barriers in the access and delivery of related health services require municipal or state‐level policy changes; however, suboptimal implementation can be addressed directly through interventions designed to improve the reach, effectiveness, adoption or maintenance of available interventions. Our objective was to estimate the cost‐effectiveness and potential epidemiological impact of six real‐world implementation interventions designed to address these barriers and increase the scale of delivery of interventions for HIV testing and pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in three US metropolitan areas.

Methods

We used a dynamic HIV transmission model calibrated to replicate HIV microepidemics in Atlanta, Los Angeles (LA) and Miami. We identified six implementation interventions designed to improve HIV testing uptake (“Academic detailing for HIV testing,” “CyBER/testing,” “All About Me”) and PrEP uptake/persistence (“Project SLIP,” “PrEPmate,” “PrEP patient navigation”). Our comparator scenario reflected a scale‐up of interventions with no additional efforts to mitigate implementation and structural barriers. We accounted for potential heterogeneity in population‐level effectiveness across jurisdictions. We sustained implementation interventions over a 10‐year period and evaluated HIV acquisitions averted, costs, quality‐adjusted life years and incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios over a 20‐year time horizon (2023–2042).

Results

Across jurisdictions, implementation interventions to improve the scale of HIV testing were most cost‐effective in Atlanta and LA (CyBER/testing cost‐saving and All About Me cost‐effective), while interventions for PrEP were most cost‐effective in Miami (two of three were cost‐saving). We estimated that the most impactful HIV testing intervention, CyBER/testing, was projected to avert 111 (95% credible interval: 110–111), 230 (228–233) and 101 (101–103) acquisitions over 20 years in Atlanta, LA and Miami, respectively. The most impactful implementation intervention to improve PrEP engagement, PrEPmate, averted an estimated 936 (929–943), 860 (853–867) and 2152 (2127–2178) acquisitions over 20 years, in Atlanta, LA and Miami, respectively.

Conclusions

Our results highlight the potential impact of interventions to enhance the implementation of existing evidence‐based interventions for the prevention and diagnosis of HIV.