bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An adaptive reflexive control strategy for walking assistance system based on functional electrical stimulation
Authors: Dong Hongtao , Hou Jie , Song Zhaoxi , Xu Rui , Meng Lin , Ming Dong
Published: August 2022

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) neuroprostheses have been regarded as an effective approach for gait rehabilitation and assisting patients with stroke or spinal cord injuries. A multiple-channel FES system was developed to improve the assistance and restoration of lower limbs. However, most neuroprostheses need to be manually adjusted and cannot adapt to individual needs. This study aimed to integrate the purely reflexive FES controller with an iterative learning algorithm while a multiple-channel FES walking assistance system based on an adaptive reflexive control strategy has been established. A real-time gait phase detection system was developed for accurate gait phase detection and stimulation feedback. The reflexive controller generated stimulation sequences induced by the gait events. These stimulation sequences were updated for the next gait cycle through the difference between the current and previous five gait cycles. Ten healthy young adults were enrolled to validate the multiple-channel FES system by comparing participants' gait performance to those with no FES controller and purely reflexive controller. The results showed that the proposed adaptive FES controller enabled the adaption to generate fitted stimulation sequences for each participant during various treadmill walking speeds. The maximum, minimum, and range of motion (ROM) of the hip, knee, and ankle joints were furtherly improved for most participants, especially for the hip and knee flexion and ankle dorsiflexion compared with the purely reflexive FES control strategy. The presented system has the potential to enhance motor relearning and promote neural plasticity.
Subjective tinnitus patients with normal pure-tone hearing still suffer more informational masking in the noisy environment
Authors: Wang Mengyuan , Liu Jinjun , Kong Lingzhi , Zhao Yixin , Diao Tongxiang , Ma Xin
Published: August 2022

Subjective tinnitus patients experience more hearing difficulties than normal peers in complex hearing environments, even though most of these patients have normal pure-tone hearing thresholds. Using speech recognition tasks under different masking conditions can provide insight into whether the effects of tinnitus are lateralized and the mechanisms behind the effects. By simulating sound field recordings, we obtain a target speech sentence that can be perceived as presented on one side and noise or speech masking with or without spatial separation from it. Our study used the virtual sound field technique to investigate the difference in speech recognition ability between chronic subjective tinnitus patients and a normal-hearing control group under the four masking conditions (speech-spectrum noise masking or two-talker speech masking, with or without perceived spatial separation). Experiment 1 showed no differences for target speech perceived location (left or right), which rules out a lateralization of the effect of tinnitus patients. Experiment 2 further found that although tinnitus patients had weaker performance than normal people in very complex auditory scenarios, when the spatial cue of the target speech exists, they can make good use of this cue to make up for the original processing disadvantage and achieve a similar performance as the normal-hearing group. In addition, the current study distinguished the effects of informational masking and energetic masking on speech recognition in patients with tinnitus and normal hearing. The results suggest that the impact of tinnitus on speech recognition in patients is more likely to occur in the auditory center rather than the periphery.
Protein disulfide isomerase A6 promotes the repair of injured nerve through interactions with spastin
Authors: Luo Jianxian , Xie Min , Peng Cheng , Ma Yanming , Wang Ke , Lin Gengxiong , Yang Hua , Chen Tianjun , Liu Qiuling , Zhang Guowei , Lin Hongsheng , Ji Zhisheng
Published: August 2022

The maintenance of appropriate endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis is critical to effective spinal cord injury (SCI) repair. In previous reports, protein disulfide isomerase A6 (PDIA6) demonstrated to serve as a reversible functional modulator of ER stress responses, while spastin can coordinate ER organization through the modulation of the dynamic microtubule network surrounding this organelle. While both PDIA6 and spastin are thus important regulators of the ER, whether they interact with one another for SCI repair still needs to be determined. Here a proteomics analysis identified PDIA6 as being related to SCI repair, and protein interaction mass spectrometry further confirmed the ability of PDIA6 and spastin to interact with one another. Pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assays were further performed to validate and characterize the interactions between these two proteins. The RNAi-based knockdown of PDIA6 in COS-7 cells inhibited the activity of spastin-dependent microtubule severing. PDIA6 was also found to promote injured neuron repair, while spastin knockdown reversed this reparative activity. Together, these results thus confirm that PDIA6 and spastin function together as critical mediators of nerve repair, highlighting their potential value as validated targets for efforts to promote SCI repair.
Development of an online food frequency questionnaire and estimation of misreporting of energy intake during the COVID-19 pandemic among young adults in Peru
Authors: Vega-Salas María Jesús , Curi-Quinto Katherine , Hidalgo-Aréstegui Alessandra , Meza-Carbajal Krysty , Lago-Berrocal Nataly , Arias Lena , Favara Marta , Penny Mary , Sánchez Alan , Vimaleswaran Karani Santhanakrishnan
Published: August 2022

Background

The Young Lives longitudinal study switched to remote data collection methods including the adaptation of dietary intake assessment to online modes due to the physical contact restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to describe the adaptation process and validation of an online quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for Peruvian young adults.

Methods

A previously validated face-to-face FFQ for the adult Peruvian population was adapted to be administered through an online self-administered questionnaire using a multi-stage process. Questionnaire development was informed by experts’ opinions and pilot surveys. FFQ validity was assessed by estimating misreporting of energy intake (EI) using the McCrory method, and the FFQ reliability with Cronbach alpha. Logistic regressions were used to examine associations of misreporting with sociodemographic, body mass index (BMI), and physical activity covariates.

Results

The FFQ was completed by 426 Peruvian young adults from urban and rural areas, among whom 31% were classified as misreporters, with most of them (16.2%) overreporting daily EI. Men had a lower risk of under-reporting and a higher risk of over-reporting (OR = 0.28 and 1.89). Participants without a higher education degree had a lower risk of under-reporting and a higher risk of over-reporting (OR = 2.18 and 0.36, respectively). No major difference in misreporting was found across age groups, areas, studying as the main activity, being physically active or sedentary, or BMI. Results showed good internal reliability for the overall FFQ (Cronbach alpha = 0.82).

Conclusion

Misreporting of EI was mostly explained by education level and sex across participants. Other sociodemographic characteristics, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and BMI did not explain the differences in EI misreporting. The adapted online FFQ proved to be reliable and valid for assessing dietary intakes among Peruvian young adults during the COVID pandemic. Further studies should aim at using and validating innovative dietary intake data collection methods, such as those described, for informing public health policies targeting malnutrition in different contexts after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside extracted from the Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.) alleviates antibiotic-associated diarrhea by regulating gut microbiota and down-regulating inflammatory factors in NF-κB pathway
Authors: Wang Yanshuai , Chen Jiebiao , Wang Yue , Zheng Fanghong , Qu Meiyu , Huang Ziwei , Yan Jialang , Bao Fangping , Li Xian , Sun Chongde , Zheng Yixiong
Published: August 2022

Chinese bayberry has been used to treat diarrhea in China for more than 2,000 years, but the mechanism is not clear. Due to the extensive use of antibiotics, antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) is becoming more and more common in clinic, but there is no effective drug for the treatment. The present study aimed to explore the therapeutic effect of Chinese bayberry on AAD for the first time, and explained the underlying mechanism from different aspects. The BALB/c mice model was established by intragastric administration of lincomycin (3 g/kg). Successfully modeled mice were treated with purified water, dried bayberry powder suspension (100 mg/kg), C3G suspension (40 mg/kg) and montmorillonite powder suspension (40 mg/kg), respectively. The changes of body weight, diarrhea index, diarrhea status score were recorded and calculated regularly. 16S rRNA gene sequencing, intestinal immunofluorescence and inflammatory factor detection were further performed. The treatment with dried bayberry powder suspension and C3G suspension could rapidly reduce the diarrhea score and diarrhea index, increase food intake and restore body weight gain. The gut microbiota richness and diversity were significantly increased after dried bayberry powder suspension and C3G suspension treatments, typically decreased bacterial genera Enterococcus and Clostridium senus stricto 1. In addition, intake of Chinese bayberry powder and C3G significantly decreased the level of p65 phosphorylation, and up-regulated the expression of intestinal tight junction protein claudin-1 and ZO-1. Chinese bayberry fruit had the effect of alleviating AAD, and C3G was supposed to play the predominant role. The mechanism was indicated to be related with restoring the homeostasis of gut microbiota, inhibiting the level of harmful bacteria and increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria, down-regulating TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-12 factors to reduce inflammation, restoring intestinal tight junction proteins and reducing intestinal permeability.
Feeding foliar nano-selenium biofortified panax notoginseng could reduce the occurrence of glycolipid metabolism disorder in mice caused by high-fat diets
Authors: Dong Qinyong , Yan Sen , Li Dong , Zhou Chunran , Tian Sinuo , Wang Yu , Miao Peijuan , Zhu Wentao , Zhu Shusheng , Pan Canping
Published: August 2022

Nano-selenium (nano-Se) has been extensively explored as a biostimulant for improving the quality of grain crops. However, there are few reports about the effect on the medicinal components of Chinese herbal medicine cultured with nano-Se. Here, we sprayed nano-Se during the cultivation of Panax notoginseng (SePN), and measured the changes of medicinal components compared with conventional Panax notoginseng (PN). Furthermore, we identified a more pronounced effect of SePN on reducing obesity in animals compared with PN. By measuring antioxidant capacity, histopathology, gene expression related to glycolipid metabolism, and gut microbiota composition, we propose a potential mechanism for SePN to improve animal health. Compared with the control groups, foliar spraying of nano-Se increased saponins contents (Rb2, Rb3, Rc, F2, Rb2, and Rf) in the roots of Panax notoginseng, the content of Rb2 increased by 3.9 times particularly. Interestingly, animal studies indicated that taking selenium-rich Panax notoginseng (SePN) can further ameliorate liver antioxidation (SOD, MDA, and GSH) and enzyme activities involved in glycolipid metabolism (ATGL and PFK). It also relieved inflammation and regulated the expression of genes (MCAD, PPAR-α, and PCSK9) related to fatty acid oxidation. The abundance ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroides and beneficial bacteria abundance (Bifidobacterium, Butyricimonas, and Parasutterella) in gut microbiota were improved relative to the control. In summary, the application of nano-Se on PN may effectively raise the content of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) and immensely lower the risk of metabolic disorders of glycolipids.
Physiological and transcriptomic analyses revealed the change of main flavor substance of Zygosaccharomyces rouxii under salt treatment
Authors: Pei Rongqiang , Lv Gongbo , Guo Binrong , Li Yuan , Ai Mingqiang , He Bin , Wan Runlan
Published: August 2022

Zygosaccharomyces rouxii was a highly salt-tolerant yeast, playing an important role in soy sauce fermentation. Previous studies reported that Z. rouxii under salt treatment produces better fermented food. However, the detailed change of main flavor substance was not clear. In this study, the physiological and transcriptomic analyses of Z. rouxii under salt treatment was investigated. The results revealed the high salt tolerance of Z. rouxii. Analysis of physiological data showed that the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids was significantly increased with the increment of salt concentrations. The analysis of organic acids showed that the content of succinic acid was significantly higher in the salt-treated Z. rouxii while oxalic acid was only identified at the 18% salt concentration-treated group. Results of volatile substances analysis showed that concentrations of 3-methyl-1-butanol and phenylethyl alcohol were significantly increased with the increment of salt concentrations. A comparison of transcriptome data showed that the genes involved in the TCA cycle and the linoleic acid synthesis process exhibited different expressions, which is consistent with the results of physiological data. This study helps to understand the change of main flavor substance of Z. rouxii under salt treatment and guide their applications in the high salt liquid state fermentation of the soy sauce.
Understanding physiological mechanisms of variation in grain filling of maize under high planting density and varying nitrogen applicate rate
Authors: Ren Hong , Zhao Ming , Zhou Baoyuan , Zhou Wenbin , Li Kemin , Qi Hua , Jiang Ying , Li Congfeng
Published: August 2022

Grain filling is a critical process for achieving a high grain yield in maize (Zea maysL.), which can be improved by optimal combination with genotype and nitrogen (N) fertilization. However, the physiological processes of variation in grain filling in hybrids and the underlying mechanisms of carbon (C) and N translocation, particularly under various N fertilizations, remain poorly understood. The field experiment was conducted at Gongzhuling Farm in Jilin, China. In this study, two maize hybrids, i.e., Xianyu 335 (XY335) and Zhengdan958 (ZD958) were grown with N inputs of 0, 150, and 300 kg N ha–1(N0, N150, and N300) in 2015 and 2016. Results showed that the N application significantly optimized grain-filling parameters for both maize hybrids. In particular, there was an increase in the maximum filling rate (Gmax) and the mean grain-filling rate (Gmean) in XY335 by 8.1 and 7.1% compared to ZD958 under the N300 kg ha–1(N300) condition, respectively. Simultaneously, N300 increased the small and big vascular bundles area of phloem, and the number of small vascular bundles in peduncle and cob at the milking stage for XY335. XY335 had higher root bleeding sap (10.4%) and matter transport efficiency (8.4%) of maize under N300 conditions, which greatly enhanced the13C assimilates and higher C and N in grains to facilitate grain filling compared to ZD958. As a result, the grain yield and the sink capacity for XY335 significantly increased by 6.9 and 6.4% compared to ZD958 under N300 conditions. These findings might provide physiological information on appropriate agronomy practices in enhancing the grain-filling rate and grain yield for maize under different N applications, namely the optimization variety and N condition noticeably increased grain filling rate after silking by improving ear vascular structure, matter transport efficiency, and enhancing C and N assimilation translocation to grain, eventually a distinct improvement in the grain sink and the grain yield.
CDK4/6 inhibitors versus PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors in women with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer: An updated systematic review and network meta-analysis of 28 randomized controlled trials
Authors: Xu Hangcheng , Wang Yan , Han Yiqun , Wu Yun , Wang Jiayu , Xu Binghe
Published: August 2022

Background

Updated evidence was required to compare the efficacy and safety of cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors for patients with hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer.

Methods

A systematic review and network meta-analysis was conducted utilizing data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that contained interventions of CDK4/6 inhibitors or PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were primary outcomes of interest. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% credible intervals (CrIs) were used to assess the survival outcomes and safety profiles, respectively.

Results

A total of 28 RCTs with 12,129 participants were included. Pooled analysis showed that CDK4/6 inhibitors significantly prolonged PFS than PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors (HR, 0.81; 95% CrI, 0.69–0.94), whereas no significant differences were detected regarding OS. After balancing the treatment lines and metastatic sites, the superiority of CDK4/6 inhibitors only appeared in the visceral and non-visceral subgroups. Among CDK4/6 inhibitors, abemaciclib was significantly better than others in ≥3 grade neutropenia (OR, 0.04; 95% CrI, 0.01–0.15). The incidence of stomatitis and digestive disorders was different among diverse kinds of PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors. Discrepancies appeared regarding TRAEs of hepatotoxicity, diarrhea, and hyperglycemia among different interventions.

Conclusions

CDK4/6 inhibitors showed better efficacy in PFS, but the benefits disappeared when taking treatment line into consideration. Specific and discrepant safety profiles were found in two categories of agents.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO, identifier CRD42022321172.
Cell origin and genome profile difference of penoscrotum invasive extramammary Paget disease compared with its in situ counterpart
Authors: Rao Yamin , Zhu Jinchao , Zheng Haiyan , Ren Yong , Ji Tianhai
Published: August 2022

Penoscrotum extramammary Paget disease (pEMPD) is a rare cutaneous carcinoma with an unknown cell origin. pEMPD always presents as a tumor in situ with an indolent process, whereas some progress into invasive forms with more aggressive behavior. The in situ and invasive cases display different morphologies and biological behavior, and thus far, a relationship between these two components has not been demonstrated. Immunohistochemistry was used to disclose the immunotype of pEMPD, and the results revealed that invasive/in situ pEMPD possessed with some identical immunophenotypes such as CK7, P63, and CK10, which inferred the clonal relatedness. The variable expressions of GCDFP-15 and carcino embryonic antigen hinted that tumor cell origin might be an epidermal sweat gland in epiderma. In our cohort, invasive pEMPD presented increased expression of androgen receptor and decreased MUC5CA expression, and these two changes might bring to the shift of invasive phenotype. To better understanding the relationship between these distinct tumor forms, we performed whole exome sequencing testing to evaluate overlapping genomic alterations of six paired invasive/in situ pEMPDs. The results showed that missense mutation was the predominant mutation type, and C>T transition accounted for 65.1% in all SNP mutation. Among the top 20 differential genes obtained from the six paired invasive/in situ pEMPD analysis, MUC4 (one missense, one in frame del, and one multi-hit), AHNAK2 (two missense and one multi-hit), DOT1L (two missense and one multi-hit), and FRG1 (two missense and one-multi hit) mutations were most enriched in invasive pEMPDs, which postulated that these genes may play roles in the disease progression.
Off-label use of cinacalcet in pediatric primary hyperparathyroidism: A French multicenter experience
Authors: Bernardor Julie , Flammier Sacha , Salles Jean-Pierre , Amouroux Cyril , Castanet Mireille , Lienhardt Anne , Martinerie Laetitia , Damgov Ivan , Linglart Agnès , Bacchetta Justine
Published: August 2022

Background

Cinacalcet is a calcimimetic approved in adults with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). Few cases reports described its use in pediatric HPT, with challenges related to the risk of hypocalcemia, increased QT interval and drug interactions. In this study, we report the French experience in this setting.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed data from 18 pediatric patients from 7 tertiary centers who received cinacalcet for PHPT. The results are presented as median (interquartile range).

Results

At a median age of 10.8 (2.0–14.4) years, 18 patients received cinacalcet for primary HPT (N = 13 inactive CASR mutation, N = 1 CDC73 mutation, N = 1 multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1, N=3 unknown etiology). Cinacalcet was introduced at an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 120 (111–130) mL/min/1.73 m2, plasma calcium of 3.04 (2.96–3.14) mmol/L, plasma phosphate of 1.1 (1.0–1.3) mmol/L, age-standardized (z score) phosphate of −3.0 (−3.5;−1.9), total ALP of 212 (164–245) UI/L, 25-OHD of 37 (20–46) ng/L, age-standardized (z score) ALP of −2.4 (−3.7;−1.4), PTH of 75 (59–123) ng/L corresponding to 1.2 (1.0–2.3)-time the upper limit for normal (ULN). The starting daily dose of cinacalcet was 0.7 (0.6–1.0) mg/kg, with a maximum dose of 1.0 (0.9–1.4) mg/kg per day. With a follow-up of 2.2 (1.3–4.3) years on cinacalcet therapy, PTH and calcium significantly decreased to 37 (34–54) ng/L, corresponding to 0.8 (0.5–0.8) ULN (p = 0.01), and 2.66 (2.55–2.90) mmol/L (p = 0.002), respectively. In contrast, eGFR, 25-OHD, ALP and phosphate and urinary calcium levels remained stable. Nephrocalcinosis was not reported but one patient displayed nephrolithiasis. Cinacalcet was progressively withdrawn in three patients; no side effects were reported.

Conclusions

Cinacalcet in pediatric HPT can control hypercalcemia and PTH without significant side effects.
Recent nanotechnology advancements to treat multidrug-resistance pancreatic cancer: Pre-clinical and clinical overview
Authors: Alshememry Abdullah K. , Alsaleh Nasser B. , Alkhudair Nora , Alzhrani Rami , Alshamsan Aws
Published: August 2022

Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains one of the most lethal and incurable forms of cancer and has a poor prognosis. One of the significant therapeutic challenges in PC is multidrug resistance (MDR), a phenomenon in which cancer cells develop resistance toward administered therapy. Development of novel therapeutic platforms that could overcome MDR in PC is crucial for improving therapeutic outcomes. Nanotechnology is emerging as a promising tool to enhance drug efficacy and minimize off-target responses via passive and/or active targeting mechanisms. Over the past decade, tremendous efforts have been made to utilize nanocarriers capable of targeting PC cells while minimizing off-target effects. In this review article, we first give an overview of PC and the major molecular mechanisms of MDR, and then we discuss recent advancements in the development of nanocarriers used to overcome PC drug resistance. In doing so, we explore the developmental stages of this research in both pre-clinical and clinical settings. Lastly, we discuss current challenges and gaps in the literature as well as potential future directions in the field.
How do cancer clinicians perceive real-world data and the evidence derived therefrom? Findings from an international survey of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer
Authors: Saesen Robbe , Kantidakis Georgios , Marinus Ann , Lacombe Denis , Huys Isabelle
Published: August 2022

Background: The role of real-world evidence (RWE) in the development of anticancer therapies has been gradually growing over time. Regulators, payers and health technology assessment agencies, spurred by the rise of the precision medicine model, are increasingly incorporating RWE into their decision-making regarding the authorization and reimbursement of novel antineoplastic treatments. However, it remains unclear how this trend is viewed by clinicians in the field. This study aimed to investigate the opinions of these stakeholders with respect to RWE and its suitability for informing regulatory, reimbursement-related and clinical decisions in oncology.

Methods: An online survey was disseminated to clinicians belonging to the network of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer between May and July 2021.

Results: In total, 557 clinicians across 30 different countries participated in the survey, representing 13 distinct cancer domains. Despite seeing the methodological challenges associated with its interpretation as difficult to overcome, the respondents mostly (75.0%) perceived RWE positively, and believed such evidence could be relatively strong, depending on the designs and data sources of the studies from which it is produced. Few (4.6%) saw a future expansion of its influence on decision-makers as a negative evolution. Furthermore, nearly all (94.0%) participants were open to the idea of sharing anonymized or pseudonymized electronic health data of their patients with external parties for research purposes. Nevertheless, most clinicians (77.0%) still considered randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to be the gold standard for generating clinical evidence in oncology, and a plurality (49.2%) thought that RWE cannot fully address the knowledge gaps that remain after a new antitumor intervention has entered the market. Moreover, a majority of respondents (50.7%) expressed that they relied more heavily on RCT-derived evidence than on RWE for their own decision-making.

Conclusion: While cancer clinicians have positive opinions about RWE and want to contribute to its generation, they also continue to hold RCTs in high regard as sources of actionable evidence.
Advances in the study of subclinical AKI biomarkers
Authors: Zou Chenchen , Wang Chentong , Lu Lin
Published: August 2022

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a prevalent and serious illness in all clinical departments, with a high morbidity and death rate, particularly in intensive care units, where prevention and treatment are crucial. As a result, active prevention, early detection, and timely intervention for acute kidney injury are critical. The current diagnostic criteria for acute kidney injury are an increase in serum creatinine concentration and/or a decrease in urine output, although creatinine and urine output merely reflect changes in kidney function, and AKI suggests injury or damage, but not necessarily dysfunction. The human kidney plays a crucial functional reserve role, and dysfunction is only visible when more than half of the renal mass is impaired. Tubular damage markers can be used to detect AKI before filtration function is lost, and new biomarkers have shown a new subset of AKI patients known as “subclinical AKI.” Furthermore, creatinine and urine volume are only marginally effective for detecting subclinical AKI. As a result, the search for new biomarkers not only identifies deterioration of renal function but also allows for the early detection of structural kidney damage. Several biomarkers have been identified and validated. This study discusses some of the most promising novel biomarkers of AKI, including CysC, NGAL, KIM-1, lL-18, L-FABP, IGFBP7, TIMP-2, Clusterin, and Penkid. We examine their performance in the diagnosis of subclinical AKI, limitations, and future clinical practice directions.
Integration of ABA, GA, and light signaling in seed germination through the regulation of ABI5
Authors: Zhao Hongyun , Zhang Yamei , Zheng Yuan
Published: August 2022

Seed germination is precisely controlled by a variety of signals, among which light signals and the phytohormones abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellin (GA) play crucial roles. New findings have greatly increased our understanding of the mechanisms by which these three signals regulate seed germination and the close connections between them. Although much work has been devoted to ABA, GA, and light signal interactions, there is still no systematic description of their combination, especially in seed germination. In this review, we integrate ABA, GA, and light signaling in seed germination through the direct and indirect regulation of ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE5 (ABI5), the core transcription factor that represses seed germination in ABA signaling, into our current understanding of the regulatory mechanism of seed germination.
Identification and expression analysis of the lipid phosphate phosphatases gene family reveal their involvement in abiotic stress response in kiwifruit
Authors: Yang Yaming , Chen Lijuan , Su Gen , Liu Fangfang , Zeng Qiang , Li Rui , Cha Guili , Liu Cuihua , Xing Libo , Ren Xiaolin , Ding Yuduan
Published: August 2022

Lipid phosphate phosphatases (LPPs) are a key enzyme in the production and degradation of phosphatidic acid (PA), which plays an important role in plant growth, development, stress resistance and plant hormone response. Thus far, little is known about the LPP family genes in kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.). According to this study, 7 members in the AcLPP family were identified from the whole genome of kiwifruit, the subcellular localization predictions were mainly on the plasma membrane. Chromosomal localization analysis showed that the AcLPP genes were unevenly distributed on 5 chromosomes, it was determined to have undergone strong purifying selection pressure. There were 5 duplicate gene pairs and all underwent segmental duplication events. The LPP genes of kiwifruit were conserved when compared with other plants, especially in terms of evolutionary relationships, conserved motifs, protein sequences, and gene structures. Cis-regulatory elements mainly included hormone response elements and abiotic response elements. Functional annotation of GO revealed that AcLPP genes were closely related to phosphatase/hydrolase activity, phosphorus metabolism and dephosphorylation. AcLPP genes family were predicted to be targets of miRNA. Transcript level analysis revealed that the AcLPP family played diverse functions in different tissues and during growth, development, and postharvest storage stages. qPCR analysis showed that the members of AcLPP gene family might be regulated by ETH, ABA, GA3, and IAA hormone signals. The family members were regulated by the stress of salt stress, osmotic stress, cold stress, and heat stress. These results would provide a basis and reference for studying the agricultural characteristics of kiwifruit and improving its stress resistance.
Synchrony During Online Encounters Affects Social Affiliation and Theory of Mind but Not Empathy
Authors: Basile Chiara , Lecce Serena , van Vugt Floris Tijmen
Published: August 2022

Moving together in time affects human social affiliation and cognition. However, it is unclear whether these effects hold for on-line video meetings and whether they extend to empathy (understanding or sharing others' emotions) and theory of mind (ToM; attribution of mental states to others). 126 young adult participants met through online video in unacquainted pairs. Participants either performed 3 min of synchronous arm movements paced by sounds (n = 40), asynchronous movements (n = 46) or a small talk condition (n = 40). In a subsequent empathy task, participants engaged in a conversation. A video recording of this conversation was played back, and each participant rated, at predetermined time points, how they felt and how they thought their partner felt. From this we calculated empathic accuracy (accuracy of the estimation of the other's emotions) and emotional congruence (emotion sharing). ToM was measured by showing videos of geometrical shapes interacting and asking the participants to describe what happened, measuring the amount of intentionality. We found that participants in the synchrony condition rated feeling greater closeness and similarity to their partners relative to the asynchronous condition. Further, participants in the synchrony group tended to ascribe more intentionality to the abstract shapes than participants in asynchrony condition, suggesting greater ToM. Synchrony and asynchrony groups did not reliably differ in empathic accuracy nor emotional congruence. These results suggest that moving in synchrony has effects on social affiliation measures even in online encounters. These effects extend to ToM tendencies but not empathic accuracy or emotion sharing. These results highlight the potential of synchronous movement in online encounters to affect a subset of social cognition and affiliation measures.
Using network analysis to explore the association between eating disorders symptoms and aggressiveness in Bulimia nervosa
Authors: Cascino Giammarco , Marciello Francesca , D’Agostino Giulia , Toricco Rita , Barone Eugenia , Monteleone Alessio Maria
Published: August 2022

Aggressive behaviors have been reported to be more frequent in people with eating disorders (ED), especially bulimia nervosa (BN). Network Analysis (NA) is particularly useful or examining the interactions among symptoms of comorbid conditions through the identification of “bridge symptoms,” defined as those symptoms playing a key role in the connection between two syndromic clusters. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of ED core symptoms and ED-related psychopathology with aggressiveness in a clinical sample of women with BN through NA. Two hundred and seventy-nine women with BN completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 and the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory. A NA was conducted, including ED symptoms and aggressiveness measures. The bridge function was implied to identify symptoms bridging ED symptoms and aggressiveness. The most connected nodes among communities were asceticism and impulsivity from ED-related psychopathology, drive for thinness from ED-core psychopathology and guilt and suspicion from aggressiveness domain. In particular, drive for thinness connected ED-core community to verbal hostility, while impulsivity connected ED-related symptoms to guilt and suspicion of aggressiveness community. In conclusion the present study showed that in people with BN guilt is the specific negative emotion of the hostile dimensions that may be bidirectionally associated with ED symptoms.
Application and research progress of machine learning in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders in children
Authors: Song Chao , Jiang Zhong-Quan , Liu Dong , Wu Ling-Ling
Published: August 2022

The prevalence of neurodevelopment disorders (NDDs) among children has been on the rise. This has affected the health and social life of children. This condition has also imposed a huge economic burden on families and health care systems. Currently, it is difficult to perform early diagnosis of NDDs, which results in delayed intervention. For this reason, patients with NDDs have a prognosis. In recent years, machine learning (ML) technology, which integrates artificial intelligence technology and medicine, has been applied in the early detection and prediction of diseases based on data mining. This paper reviews the progress made in the application of ML in the diagnosis and treatment of NDDs in children based on supervised and unsupervised learning tools. The data reviewed here provide new perspectives on early diagnosis and treatment of NDDs.
A picture is worth a thousand words: A proposal to incorporate video into the evaluation of adults with intellectual or developmental disability living outside the home
Authors: Prager Briana C. , Broder Sherri M. , Natowicz Marvin R.
Published: August 2022

Adults with intellectual or developmental disability (IDD) comprise 1–2% of the population worldwide. IDD is a significant risk factor for premature morbidity or mortality. This is likely due in part to preventable health conditions, which are modifiable with the intervention of direct care providers in areas including nutrition, promotion of an active lifestyle and effective identification of health or functional deterioration. Adults with IDD are also at increased risk for neglect or mistreatment, a finding that has been documented across multiple countries and in a variety of care settings. Contributing factors include resource availability, lack of person-centered care, management culture and care worker training. Practical and economical interventions may address the known disparities and challenges facing the large community of adults with IDD. To promote person-centered care, improve record-keeping/documentation, and aid in protecting the health and safety of this vulnerable population, we propose incorporation of a video into the evaluation of adults with IDD living outside the home.
Novel Internet of Things based approach toward diabetes prediction using deep learning models
Authors: Naseem Anum , Habib Raja , Naz Tabbasum , Atif Muhammad , Arif Muhammad , Allaoua Chelloug Samia
Published: August 2022

The integration of the Internet of Things with machine learning in different disciplines has benefited from recent technological advancements. In medical IoT, the fusion of these two disciplines can be extremely beneficial as it allows the creation of a receptive and interconnected environment and offers a variety of services to medical professionals and patients. Doctors can make early decisions to save a patient's life when disease forecasts are made early. IoT sensor captures the data from the patients, and machine learning techniques are used to analyze the data and predict the presence of the fatal disease i.e., diabetes. The goal of this research is to make a smart patient's health monitoring system based on machine learning that helps to detect the presence of a chronic disease in patient early and accurately. For the implementation, the diabetic dataset has been used. In order to detect the presence of the fatal disease, six different machine learning techniques are used i.e., Support Vector Machine (SVM), Logistic Regression, Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Recurrent Neural Network (RNN), and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM). The performance of the proposed model is evaluated by using four evaluation metrics i.e., accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-Score. The RNN outperformed remaining algorithms in terms of accuracy (81%), precision (75%), and F1-Score (65%). However, the recall (56%) for ANN was higher as compared to SVM and logistic regression, CNN, RNN, and LSTM. With the help of this proposed patient's health monitoring system, doctors will be able to diagnose the presence of the disease earlier.
Factors associated with the depression status of Chinese parents who have lost their only child
Authors: Ye Ya-Ping , Wang Jing-Na , Li Qing-Chun , Xu Cai-Ming , Rong Chao
Published: August 2022

Aim

This study aimed to assess the risk factors for depression among parents who have lost their only child (PLOCs).

Methods

We used a cross-sectional survey to reveal the risk factors of depression among PLOCs. Multi-stage, stratified, cluster sampling was used to recruit the participants. The cluster sampling method was used to select PLOCs in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, and Wuhu, Anhui Province, while the stratified cluster sampling method was used in Anshun, Guizhou Province. A total of 651 PLOCs were recruited in this study. Participants completed the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) and the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15). Socio-demographics were also collected, including age, sex, monthly income, education level, marital status, self-reported health, and a number of diseases were collected as well. Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression were conducted to analyze the influence of these factors on PLOCs' mental status.

Results

Two hundred and fifty-eight PLOCs (39.56%) reported depression. Compared to PLOCs living in Wuhu, those living in Hangzhou (OR = 3.374, CI = 2.337–4.870) had a higher risk of depression. Being single (OR = 1.449, CI = 1.019–2.061) and the presence/absence of grandchildren (OR = 0.430, CI = 0.274–0.676)were significantly associated with the depression status of PLOCs.

Conclusion

The sampled Chinese PLOCs reported a high prevalence of depression that was influenced by their place of residence, marital status, and presence/absence of grandchildren. This may highlight the need for routine assessment and help of this group by the relevant stakeholders (including government, non-profit social organizations, and professional psychologists) with more attention paid to single and low-income PLOCs that have no grandchildren. It is imperative to build a comprehensive care system of “extended family—community—society—government” for this vulnerable group.
Identification of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae carrying terW gene by MacConkey-potassium tellurite medium in the general population
Authors: Wu Xiufeng , Zhan Fuguo , Zhang Jiawei , Chen Shanjian , Yang Bin
Published: August 2022

Objectives

To establish a MacConkey-potassium tellurium medium-based method for selectively culturing terW gene-positive Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP), to evaluate its performance and apply it to identifying particular clonal hypervirulent KP (hvKP) strains in epidemiological surveillance.

Methods

The virulence genes, rmpA, iutA, and terW, were detected by PCR. The minimum inhibitory concentration of potassium tellurite of hvKP (rmpA+/ iutA+) and classical KP (rmpA− and iutA−) was determined using the agar dilution method. The MacConkey medium containing 4 μg/ml potassium tellurite was prepared and the performance in detecting terW+ KP was evaluated, including an agreement with PCR and positive/negative predictive value. Fecal samples from healthy volunteers in Fujian were collected and cultured in the medium, then positive strains were identified using MALDI-TOF MS, antimicrobial susceptibility was tested by Kirby-Bauer assays, and virulence genes and capsular serotype genes were tested by PCR.

Results

In KP isolated from clinical specimens (N = 198), the positive rate of terW was 37.9%, and the detection rate of terW in hvKP was significantly higher than that in classical KP (70.6% vs 13.3%). The potassium tellurite resistance levels of terW+ (N = 75) and terW− (N = 55) KP were 8–128 μg/ml and <1–8 μg/ml, respectively, with significant differences. KP was selectively cultured on a MacConkey medium with 4 μg/ml potassium tellurite, and its agreement with PCR was good (Kappa=0.936), and the positive and negative percent agreement and positive and negative predictive values were 100% (75/75), 92.7% (51/55), 94.9% (75/79), and 100% (51/51), respectively. The prevalence of tellurite-resistant KP was 16.7% (86/516) in fecal samples from healthy volunteers, among which the positive rate of terW was 100% (86/86). The antimicrobial resistance characteristics of terW+ KP showed no difference between healthy volunteers and inpatients. The most common capsular serotypes associated with high virulence were K1, K2, and K57.

Conclusions

The MacConkey medium containing 4 μg/ml potassium tellurite could easily select and culture terW+ KP in fecal samples with high sensitivity and specificity, which is a practical method for the epidemic surveillance of hvKP in the general population.
Rates of protein synthesis are maintained in brain but reduced in skeletal muscle during dietary sulfur amino acid restriction
Authors: Martinez Wenceslao , Zhang Qian , Linden Melissa A. , Schacher Nate , Darvish Sanna , Mirek Emily T. , Levy Jordan L. , Jonsson William O. , Anthony Tracy G. , Hamilton Karyn L.
Published: August 2022

Dietary interventions such as sulfur amino acid restriction (SAAR) target multiple drivers of aging, and show promise for preventing or delaying the onset of chronic diseases. SAAR promotes metabolic health and longevity in laboratory animals. The effects of SAAR on proteostasis remain relatively unexplored. We previously reported that SAAR promotes mitochondrial proteostatic maintenance, despite suppression of global protein synthesis, in two peripheral tissues, the liver and skeletal muscle. However, the brain, a tissue vulnerable to age-related neurodegenerative diseases due to the loss of proteostasis, has not been thoroughly studied. Therefore, we sought to reveal proteostatic responses in the brains of mice fed SAAR for 35 days. Here, we demonstrate that male C57Bl/6J mice fed two levels of SAAR maintained rates of protein synthesis in all sub-cellular fractions of the pre-frontal cortex. In comparison, rates of skeletal muscle protein synthesis in SAAR fed mice were slower than control-fed mice. To gain mechanistic insight, we examined several key nutrient/energy sensitive signaling proteins: AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2), and ribosomal protein S6 (rpS6). SAAR had minimal to modest effects on the total abundance and phosphorylation of these proteins in both tissues. Our results indicate that the pre-frontal cortex in brain is resistant to perturbations in protein synthesis in mice fed SAAR, unlike skeletal muscle, which had a reduction in global protein synthesis. The results from this study demonstrate that proteostatic control in brain is of higher priority than skeletal muscle during dietary SAAR.
Strengthening education in rehabilitation: Assessment technology and digitalization
Authors: Herrera-Ligero Cristina , Chaler Joaquim , Bermejo-Bosch Ignacio
Published: August 2022

Rehabilitation is a discipline increasingly growing around the world due to several reasons, but probably the most important one is aging population and chronicity. A need to harmonize education has been identified, and although several International organizations such as the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) and the International Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ISPRM) have defined standards, given the quick growth of new evidence and assessment methods an urge to establish new ones arises. Functional assessment and tools used to do so are key in rehabilitation processes. This comprises self-reported questionnaires, conventional clinical evaluation but more notably high technology assessment methods, such as movement analysis systems, posturography, different types of dynamometers and kinesiologic electromyography among others. More recently, a wide range of wearable systems has been introduced in patient assessment. This is generating many published protocols as well as reliability and validity studies. The objective of this narrative review is to present main assessment technologies relevant to rehabilitation, its situation of this specific area in pre-graduate and post-graduate rehabilitation educational programs, and to elaborate a formative proposal including technological foundations of assessment and also highlighting the importance of solid reliability and validity of assessment methods comprehension. The main objective of this proposal is to provide basic knowledge about rehabilitation and methodologies for outcomes evaluation, including new technologies, to all health professionals, but especially to those who work or will work in the field of Rehabilitation.