bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identifying neural correlates of multidimensional, subjective gaming experiences during active gameplay
Authors: Ju Uijong
Published: October 2022

Studying how gaming experiences are encoded is important to understand the effects of gaming on the brain. Although studies have investigated neural correlates of gaming experiences, the brain patterns related to the full range of subjective experiences across different types of games are yet to be identified. The present study used three custom-made, immersive driving games with different input dynamics (controlling a car, a boat, or a spaceship) and different mechanics to assess subjective gaming experiences in a magnetic resonance imaging scanner. A correlational analysis identified several brain networks associated with different subjective gaming experiences, including visual and attentional processing networks. The contributions of these networks were further validated using meta-analysis-based functional term decoding. The results of the present study point to a range of perceptual, motivational, and control networks that are engaged during active gameplay.
Temporal interference stimulation targeting right frontoparietal areas enhances working memory in healthy individuals
Authors: Zhang Yufeng , Zhou Zhining , Zhou Junhong , Qian Zhenyu , Lü Jiaojiao , Li Lu , Liu Yu
Published: October 2022

Background

Temporal interference (TI) stimulation is a novel technique that enables the non-invasive modulation of deep brain regions. However, the implementation of this technology in humans has not been well-characterized or examined, including its safety and feasibility.

Objective

We aimed to examine the feasibility, safety, and blinding of using TI on human participants in this pilot study.

Materials and methods

In a randomized, single-blinded, and sham-controlled pilot study, healthy young participants were randomly divided into four groups [TI and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) targeting the right frontoparietal region, TI-sham, and tACS-sham]. Each participant was asked to complete N-back (N = 1 to 3) tasks before, during, and after one session of stimulation to assess their working memory (WM). The side effects and blinding efficacy were carefully assessed. The accuracy, reaction time (RT), and inverse efficiency score (IES, reaction time/accuracy) of the N-back tasks were measured.

Results

No severe side effects were reported. Only mild-to-moderate side effects were observed in those who received TI, which was similar to those observed in participants receiving tACS. The blinding efficacy was excellent, and there was no correlation between the severity of the reported side effects and the predicted type of stimulation that the participants received. WM appeared to be only marginally improved by TI compared to tACS-sham, and this improvement was only observed under high-load cognitive tasks. WM seemed to have improved a little in the TI-sham group. However, it was not observed significant differences between TI and TI-sham or TI and tACS in all N-back tests.

Conclusion

Our pilot study suggests that TI is a promising technique that can be safely implemented in human participants. Studies are warranted to confirm the findings of this study and to further examine the effects of TI-sham stimulation as well as the effects of TI on deeper brain regions.
Math difficulties in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder do not originate from the visual number sense
Authors: Anobile Giovanni , Bartoli Mariaelisa , Masi Gabriele , Tacchi Annalisa , Tinelli Francesca
Published: October 2022

There is ample evidence from literature and clinical practice indicating mathematical difficulties in individuals with ADHD, even when there is no concomitant diagnosis of developmental dyscalculia. What factors underlie these difficulties is still an open question. Research on dyscalculia and neurotypical development suggests visual perception of numerosity (the number sense) as a building block for math learning. Participants with lower numerosity estimation thresholds (higher precision) are often those with higher math capabilities. Strangely, the role of numerosity perception in math skills in ADHD has been neglected, leaving open the question whether math difficulties in ADHD also originate from a deficitary visual number sense. In the current study we psychophysically measured numerosity thresholds and accuracy in a sample of children/adolescents with ADHD, but not concomitant dyscalculia (N = 20, 8–16 years). Math abilities were also measured by tasks indexing different mathematical competences. Numerosity performance and math scores were then compared to those obtained from an age-matched control group (N = 20). Bayesian statistics indicated no difference between ADHD and controls on numerosity perception, despite many of the symbolic math tasks being impaired in participants with ADHD. Moreover, the math deficits showed by the group with ADHD remained substantial even when numerosity thresholds were statistically regressed out. Overall, these results indicate that math difficulties in ADHD are unlikely to originate from an impaired visual number sense.
Exploration of cerebral vasospasm from the perspective of microparticles
Authors: Gao Yalong , Li Kai , Li Xiaotian , Li Qifeng , Wang Jiwei , Zhang Shu , Zhang Jianning
Published: October 2022

Cerebral vasospasm is a frequently encountered clinical problem, especially in patients with traumatic brain injury and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Continued cerebral vasospasm can cause cerebral ischemia, even infarction and delayed ischemic neurologic deficits. It significantly affects the course of the disease and the outcome of the patient. However, the underlying mechanism of cerebral vasospasm is still unclear. Recently, increasing studies focus on the pathogenic mechanism of microparticles. It has been found that microparticles have a non-negligible role in promoting vasospasm. This research aims to summarize the dynamics of microparticles in vivo and identify a causal role of microparticles in the occurrence and development of cerebral vasospasm. We found that these various microparticles showed dynamic characteristics in body fluids and directly or indirectly affect the cerebral vasospasm or prompt it. Due to the different materials carried by microparticles from different cells, there are also differences in the mechanisms that lead to abnormal vasomotor. We suggest that microparticle scavengers might be a promising therapeutic target against microparticles associated complications.
Research advances in the application of vagus nerve electrical stimulation in ischemic stroke
Authors: Cheng Keling , Wang Zhiyong , Bai Junhui , Xiong Jie , Chen Jianmin , Ni Jun
Published: October 2022

Stroke seriously endangers human well-being and brings a severe burden to family and society. Different post-stroke dysfunctions result in an impaired ability to perform activities of daily living. Standard rehabilitative therapies may not meet the requirements for functional improvement after a stroke; thus, alternative approaches need to be proposed. Currently, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is clinically applied for the treatment of epilepsy, depression, cluster headache and migraine, while its treatment of various dysfunctions after an ischemic stroke is still in the clinical research stage. Recent studies have confirmed that VNS has neuroprotective effects in animal models of transient and permanent focal cerebral ischemia, and that its combination with rehabilitative training significantly improves upper limb motor dysfunction and dysphagia. In addition, vagus-related anatomical structures and neurotransmitters are closely implicated in memory–cognition enhancement processes, suggesting that VNS is promising as a potential treatment for cognitive dysfunction after an ischemic stroke. In this review, we outline the current status of the application of VNS (invasive and non-invasive) in diverse functional impairments after an ischemic stroke, followed by an in-depth discussion of the underlying mechanisms of its mediated neuroprotective effects. Finally, we summarize the current clinical implementation challenges and adverse events of VNS and put forward some suggestions for its future research direction. Research on VNS for ischemic stroke has reached a critical stage. Determining how to achieve the clinical transformation of this technology safely and effectively is important, and more animal and clinical studies are needed to clarify its therapeutic mechanism.
Intestinal microbiota-mediated dietary fiber bioavailability
Authors: Guo Kangxiao , Yao Zihan , Yang Tao
Published: October 2022

Dietary fiber is a kind of carbohydrate that cannot be digested and absorbed by the small intestine of humans but can be fermented in all or part of the large intestine and is significantly healthy for the human body. With the improvement in living standards, people pay more attention to their intestinal health, and the relationship between dietary fiber, intestinal microecological and body physiological balances, and their molecular connection mechanism has become a research hot spot. In this study, we reviewed its mediated bioavailability to provide a basis for the rational classification of dietary fiber and to guide the development of new healthy foods and the deep processing of food and its application.
Optimization of bioactives extraction from grape marc via a medium scale ambient temperature system and stability study
Authors: Castillo Aly , Celeiro María , Rubio Laura , Bañobre Andrea , Otero-Otero Miguel , Garcia-Jares Carmen , Lores Marta
Published: October 2022

A scalable procedure with minimum energy requirements, MSAT (Medium Scale Ambient Temperature), in combination with solvents generally recognized as safe (GRAS), has been optimized to obtain polyphenolic extracts from white grape (Vitis vinifera) marc. The solvents considered were propylene glycol (Pg), ethanol (Et), and ethyl lactate (Lc), as well as their respective hydro-organic mixtures. In a first approach, the operating parameters were optimized through a response surface matrix: extraction solvent volume (range 10–150 mL), marc mass (range 20–200 g) and marc/dispersant mass ratio (range 0.5–2 g⋅g–1), using the total polyphenol content (TPC) and the antioxidant activity (AA) of the extracts as response parameters. The highest TPC (5,918 mgGAE⋅L–1) and AA (44 mmolTE⋅L–1) values were obtained using 200 g marc and 100 mL solvent. Regarding the type of solvent, a better response was reached with Lc > Et > Pg > H2O obtaining a polyphenol concentration of 252 mg⋅L–1 for the hydro-organic isovolumetric ratio of ethyl lactate. In addition, the stability of the extracts was studied for 62 days. The effect of factors such as temperature, light exposure, and oxidative reactivity was evaluated. The bioactivity indices showed no changes with the storage conditions of the extracts in the first month of analysis, after which 75% of the antioxidant activity as the concentration of the polyphenolic profile (204 mg⋅L–1) remains. The absence of reactive oxygen and the cooling of the extract (4°C) were the most determining factors (p < 0.05) in modulating the stability of the total polyphenolic profile.
Oxidative stress and antioxidant imbalance in ovulation disorder in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Li Wenqian , Liu Chang , Yang Qingmei , Zhou Ying , Liu Min , Shan Hongying
Published: October 2022

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common reproductive endocrine disease that is characterized by oligo-ovulation or anovulation, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries observed using ultrasound with high clinical heterogeneity. At present, the etiology of PCOS is not clear but is thought to be related to genetic, metabolic, endocrine and environmental factors. Hyperandrogenism interacts with insulin resistance and overweight/obesity, forming a vicious cycle of mutual promotion and participating in the occurrence and progression of PCOS. Oxidative stress (OS) refers to the imbalance between the oxidation system and antioxidation system in the human body, which is associated with the occurrence and development of various diseases. Recent studies have shown that OS may be closely related to ovulation disorders in PCOS, and antioxidants can improve the oxidative stress state of PCOS. However, previous studies did not examine the effect of the interaction between OS and hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance or overweight/obesity on ovulation disorders in PCOS. This article reviews the interaction between OS and hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance and overweight/obesity; the effects of OS, hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance and overweight/obesity on ovulation disorders in PCOS; and the application of antioxidants in PCOS.
Effect of three natural antioxidants on the structure and physicochemical properties of sweet potato starch noodles
Authors: Guo Weiyun , Fan Ling , Wang Yonghui , Li Guanghui , Gao Xueli , Chen Zhenhao , Huang Jihong
Published: October 2022

The study aimed to investigate the effect of three kinds of natural antioxidants (NAs), such as curcumin, tea polyphenols (TP), and lycopene, on sweet potato starch's structure and physicochemical properties of starch noodles. We found that the broken rates, iodine blue values, hardness, and chewiness of natural antioxidant starch noodles (NASN) were increased with the addition of the NAs. Additionally, the elasticity decreased with the addition of curcumin and lycopene, but it increased with the addition of TP. The cross-section structure of NASN obtained by scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed more holes appeared when adding NAs, and the additional amount had a pronounced effect on the microstructure of starch noodles (SN) regardless of the kind of NA added. The X-ray diffraction detection showed that some crystal forms were significantly damaged, and the addition of NAs affected the crystallization process of starch and produced a small proportion of new crystals in the NASNs. The protective effects of SN on NAs and their antioxidant capacities under dry and room temperature storage (DRTS) and wet and frozen storage (WFS) conditions were optimal as compared to those of flour noodles (FN). The results showed that adding NAs could improve the sensory quality and antioxidant function of starch noodles. In turn, the dense structure of starch noodles can also have a significant protective effect on antioxidants and their antioxidant activities, which is especially obvious under WFS conditions.
Provision of non-invasive coronary and carotid vascular imaging results on changes in diet and physical activity in asymptomatic adults: A scoping review
Authors: Radavelli-Bagatini Simone , Gebre Abadi K. , Kennedy Mary A. , Sim Marc , Blekkenhorst Lauren C. , Bondonno Catherine P. , Jackson Ben , Dimmock James , Schlaich Markus P. , Hodgson Jonathan M. , Lewis Joshua R.
Published: October 2022

Background

Although a healthy diet and physical activity have been shown to prevent or delay cardiovascular disease (CVD) hospitalizations and deaths, most adults do not meet current guidelines. Provision of coronary artery calcification (CAC) and carotid ultrasound (CUS) imaging results may motivate beneficial lifestyle changes. We scoped the existing literature for studies providing non-invasive vascular imaging results and reporting diet, physical activity, and/or anthropometric measures to identify knowledge gaps and opportunities for further research.

Methods

A systematic search was performed across three electronic databases, in line with PRISMA ScR guidelines and Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework.

Results

Twenty studies (thirteen observational and seven randomized controlled trials) examining the impact of provision of CAC/CUS imaging results on diet and/or physical activity behaviors were included. Nearly half the studies did not clearly state whether participants received dietary and physical activity advice along with vascular imaging results, and these were secondary outcomes in most studies, with data assessment and reporting being inconsistent.

Conclusion

Well-designed clinical trials with consistent and clear messaging based on detailed subjective and objective measures of diet and physical activity are needed to determine whether this approach may stimulate long-term dietary and physical activity change.
Impact of fiducial markers placement on the delineation of target volumes in radiation therapy for oesophageal cancer: FIDUCOR study
Authors: Rochigneux Philippe , Tyran Marguerite , Autret Aurélie , Lopez Almeida Leonor , Guiramand Jérôme , Ferre Marjorie , Chanez Brice , Mitry Emmanuel , Ratone Jean Philippe , Giovannini Marc , Tallet Agnès , Moureau-Zabotto Laurence , Caillol Fabrice
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This prospective monocentric phase II study (FIDUCOR-study, NCT02526134) aimed to assess the impact of fiducial markers (FMs) implantation on conformal chemo-radiation therapy (CRT) planning in oesophageal carcinoma (EC) patients.

Methods/materials

Fifteen EC patients were enrolled in the study. Each patient underwent two simulation CT-scans before (CT1) and after (CT2) FMs implantation, in the same position. FMs (3 mm length gold markers, preloaded in a 22G needle) were implanted after sedation, under endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and X-Ray guidance, and were placed at the tumor’s extremities, and in the visible lymph nodes. Target delineation and treatment plan were both performed first on CT1 with the assistance of diagnosis CT, gastroscopy and EUS details, and second on CT2 using FMs and CT-data. The value of FMs implantation was assessed by the difference of growth-tumor-volume (GTV) and clinical-target-volume (CTV) between CT1-based and CT2-based delineation. A significant difference was defined as a ≥5 mm-difference on axial(x) or coronal(y) slices, a ≥10mm-difference on sagittal slices, or a ≥20%-difference in GTV. The impact on dose distribution in organs at risk (OAR) (lung, heart, liver) was also studied.

Results

Between 09/2014 and 12/2015, 15 patients could achieve fiducial procedures, without any complication. One FM migration occurred. We observed a significant modification of the GTV-dimension in 100% of the cases (15/15, 95%CI: [78.2;100.0]), mainly due to a difference in sagittal dimension with a mean variation of 11.2 mm and a difference> 10 mm for 8/15 patients (53.3%). One patient had a significant isocenter displacement as high as 20 mm. The oesophagus tumor was not seen on the CT-scan in one patient due to its small size. One patient had a distant lymph node metastasis not visible on CT-scan. We observed no significant impact on OAR distribution.

Conclusion

In our study, FMs-implantation under EUS had a positive impact on accurate volume definition in EC-patients (modification of GTV in 15/15 patients). Close cooperation between gastroenterologist and radiation oncologist has the potential to improve local treatment of oesophageal carcinoma.
Emerging trends and focus of giant cell tumor of bone research from 2001–2021: A visualization research
Authors: Han Ying-Song , Yang Yi-Fan , Chen Gang , Yu Hai-Liang , Zhang Zhi-Guo , Zhou Bin
Published: October 2022

Giant cell tumor of bone is a highly invasive benign tumor with a high postoperative recurrence rate. Objective: This study aims to analyze the research hotspots and trends of global research on giant cell tumor of bone in the past 20 years, to provide a reference for relevant personnel in this field to carry out academic research. Methods: The literature related to giant cell tumor of bone from 2001 to 2021 was retrieved from the Web of Science. The bibliometrics research method and VOS Viewer were used to extract and analyze the keywords of the journal authors’ research institutions, and the research status and development direction in the recent 20 years were visualized. Results: A total of 2063 articles were included. The number of global publications is increasing every year. The United States contributes the most to global research, with the most citations and the highest H-index. The journal Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research published the most articles on this issue. “Denosumab” and “h3f3a” will get more attention and be the next popular hotspot in the future. Conclusion: The study of giant cell tumor of bone is a hot spot of continuous development and has an important contribution to human health.
Determining prognostic factors and optimal surgical intervention for early-onset triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: Zheng Yi-Zi , Liu Yan , Deng Zhen-Han , Liu Guo-Wen , Xie Ni
Published: October 2022

Background

Few studies have focused specifically on prognostic factors and optimal surgical intervention for early-onset triple-negative breast cancer (eTNBC), which is characterized by high malignancy and poor prognosis.

Methods

We performed a cohort study with a median follow-up of 31 months using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data of patients diagnosed with stages I–III eTNBC between 2010 and 2016. In addition, we collected cases between 2006 and 2016 from our center as an external validation set. Clinical features, pathologic characteristics and oncologic outcomes were analyzed. Prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) were determined by Cox proportional hazards analyses and were incorporated into the prognostic nomogram. Subgroup analysis based on propensity score matching method was conducted to explore the subset of patients that would benefit from breast-conserving therapy (BCT).

Results

Based on SEER dataset, patients with eTNBC were more likely to undergo mastectomy than BCT. On multivariable analysis, patients with better survival outcomes were those not married, uninsured, had higher T and N stage, and had histological type of mixed invasive ductal and lobular carcinoma. The prognostic nomogram based on these variables successfully predicted the 3- and 5-year BCSS (C-index in training cohort, 0.774; in validation cohort from SEER, 0.768; in validation cohort from our center, 0.723). Subgroup analysis illustrated that patients with T1N0M0 or T2-4N+M0 tumors who underwent BCT achieved longer overall survival than those who underwent mastectomy (for T1N0M0, P = 0.022; for T2-4N+M0, P = 0.003); however, the type of surgery did not influence OS among patients with T1N+M0 or T2-4N0M0 tumors (for T1N+M0, P = 0.305; for T2-4N0M0, P = 0.317).

Conclusions

The prognosis of patients with eTNBC is mainly affected by marital status, insurance status, T stage, N stage and histological type. The prognostic nomogram based on these factors is quite reliable. Subgroup analysis suggested that BCT may be a superior option for patients with eTNBC, especially those with T1N0M0 and T2-4N+M0 tumors.
Risk factors associated with peritoneal carcinomatosis of gastric cancer in staging laparoscopy: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Guan Guangmin , Li Zhemin , Wang Qi , Ying Xiangji , Shan Fei , Li Ziyu
Published: October 2022

Background

The optimal indications of staging laparoscopy in gastric cancer to detect peritoneal carcinomatosis are still controversial. We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify the relevance of the preoperative factors with peritoneal carcinomatosis to explore the indications of staging laparoscopy.

Materials and methods

Systematic searches were conducted using Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library in December 2021. On the basis of calculating the odds ratio (OR) of each factor, we quantified the association between the risk factors and peritoneal carcinomatosis such as clinical T/N stage, Borrmann type, and tumor markers, using meta-analysis with a random-effects model.

Results

A total of 21 case-control studies and one cohort study were obtained. T stage, N stage, and differentiation degree were most widely studied, with OR values of 2.96 (95% CI: 1.87–4.69), 1.22 (95% CI: 0.86–1.73), and 1.91 (95% CI: 1.42–2.56), respectively. Among all the factors, elevated CA125 (OR = 19.45, 95% CI: 4.71–80.30), Borrmann type IV (OR = 7.68, 95% CI: 3.62–16.27), and large tumor diameter (OR = 5.12, 95% CI: 2.55–10.31) had the highest OR. In particular, CA125 had the best predictability for peritoneal carcinomatosis but was only mentioned by three articles.

Conclusions

There was a cognitive gap between the awareness and importance of risk factors for peritoneal carcinomatosis. In addition to T4 stage, patients with factors with high OR, such as Borrmann type IV, large tumor diameter, and elevated CA125, should undergo staging laparoscopy.
Case report and literature review: Resection of retroinfundibular craniopharyngioma via endoscopic far-lateral supracerebellar infratentorial approach
Authors: Bai Yang , Sun Xiaoyu , Li Xinning , Han Song , Liang Guobiao , Feng Sizhe , Yu Chunyong
Published: October 2022

Introduction

The management of retroinfundibular craniopharyngioma (CP) remains the ultimate challenge for both transsphenoidal and open transcranial surgery because of their anatomical location and proximity to vital neurovascular structures. In this report, we aim to describe the technique and feasibility of a novel approach, the purely endoscopic far-lateral supracerebellar infratentorial approach (EF-SCITA), for resection of retroinfundibular CP.

Case description

A 63-year-old women presented with progressive visual disturbance, polyuria, and spiritlessness of a 3-month duration. Imaging studies revealed a typical retroinfundibular CP containing solid and cystic components with calcification, which extended inferiorly in front of the brainstem and upward into the third ventricle. The EF-SCITA approach was attempted for resection of the tumor. During surgery, lateral prone positioning with upper flexion of the head and early CSF release allowed for download retraction of the cerebellum. This, in combination with tentorium incision, created a working corridor toward retrosellar and suprasellar spaces. This approach required working between neurovascular structures in the crural cistern, with tumor removal permitted in supra-oculomotor and infra-oculomotor spaces. After aspiration of the fluid contents through the supra-oculomotor triangle, the solid lesion was found tightly adhering to the distal part of the pituitary stalk, and subtotal resection was achieved for maintaining the integrity of pituitary function. In the immediate postoperative period, the patients exhibited oculomotor paralysis and was discharged with hormonal replacement therapy three weeks after operation. At her three-month follow-up appointment, she reported obvious vision improvement. Physical examinations showed partial alleviation of oculomotor paralysis. Pathological analyses confirmed the diagnosis of papillary CP.

Discussion

The purely EF-SCITA approach combines the advantages of both the posterolateral approach and endoscopic technique, which offers access to retrosellar and suprasellar spaces with seemingly low risks of postoperative morbidity. It would be a safe and effective alternative for the treatment of retroinfundibular CP, especially those with lateral extension to the temporal lobe or posterolateral extension to the petroclival region. Further observational studies in a larger cohort are urgently needed to assess the long-term efficacy of this minimal access approach.
Establishment and characterization of an immortalized epithelial cell line from human gallbladder
Authors: Wang Ziyi , Wang Shijia , Jia Ziheng , Zhao Yuhao , Yang Mao , Yan Weikang , Chen Tao , Xiang Dongxi , Shao Rong , Liu Yingbin
Published: October 2022

Background

Although a plethora of studies have employed multiple gallbladder cancer (GBC) cell lines, it is surprisingly noted that there is still lack of a normal gallbladder epithelial cell line as a normal counterpart, thus impeding substantially the progress of mechanistic studies on the transformation of normal epithelial cells to cancer. Here, we created a normal gallbladder epithelial cell line named L-2F7 from human gallbladder tissue.

Methods

Gallbladder tissues from a diagnosed cholecystitis female patient were collected, and epithelial cells were enriched by magnetic cell sorting. Then, the cells were immortalized by co-introduction of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and Simian virus 40 large T antigen (LT-SV40) via a lentivirus infection system. After clonal selection and isolation, L-2F7 cells were tested for epithelial markers CK7, CK19, CK20, and CD326, genomic feature, cell proliferation, and migration using Western blot, immunofluorescence, whole genome sequencing, karyotyping, and RNA sequencing. L-2F7 cells were also transplanted to Nude (nu/nu) mice to determine tumorigenicity.

Results

We successfully identified one single-cell clone named L-2F7 which highly expressed epithelial markers CD326, CK7, CK19, and CK20. This cell line proliferated with a doubling time of 23 h and the epithelial morphology sustained over 30 passages following immortalization. Transient gene transduction of L-2F7 cells led to expression of exogenous GFP and FLAG protein. L-2F7 cells exhibited both distinct non-synonymous mutations from those of gallbladder cancer tissues and differential non-cancerous gene expression patterns similar to normal tissue. Although they displayed unexpected mobility, L-2F7 cells still lacked the ability to develop tumors.

Conclusion

We developed a non-cancerous gallbladder epithelial cell line, offering a valuable system for the study of gallbladder cancer and other gallbladder-related disorders.
DPB-NBFnet: Using neural Bellman-Ford networks to predict DNA-protein binding
Authors: Li Jing , Zhuo Linlin , Lian Xinze , Pan Shiyao , Xu Lei
Published: October 2022

DNA is a hereditary material that plays an essential role in micro-organisms and almost all other organisms. Meanwhile, proteins are a vital composition and principal undertaker of microbe movement. Therefore, studying the bindings between DNA and proteins is of high significance from the micro-biological point of view. In addition, the binding affinity prediction is beneficial for the study of drug design. However, existing experimental methods to identifying DNA-protein bindings are extremely expensive and time consuming. To solve this problem, many deep learning methods (including graph neural networks) have been developed to predict DNA-protein interactions. Our work possesses the same motivation and we put the latest Neural Bellman-Ford neural networks (NBFnets) into use to build pair representations of DNA and protein to predict the existence of DNA-protein binding (DPB). NBFnet is a graph neural network model that uses the Bellman-Ford algorithms to get pair representations and has been proven to have a state-of-the-art performance when used to solve the link prediction problem. After building the pair representations, we designed a feed-forward neural network structure and got a 2-D vector output as a predicted value of positive or negative samples. We conducted our experiments on 100 datasets from ENCODE datasets. Our experiments indicate that the performance of DPB-NBFnet is competitive when compared with the baseline models. We have also executed parameter tuning with different architectures to explore the structure of our framework.
Rituximab for the treatment of connective tissue disease–associated interstitial lung disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Xu Linrui , Wang Faping , Luo Fengming
Published: October 2022

Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common pulmonary disease often associated with significant morbidity and mortality in patients with connective tissue diseases (CTD). Currently, no gold-standard therapies are available for CTD-ILD. Recently, several studies have proposed that rituximab (RTX) may be effective for the treatment of CTD-ILD.

Objectives: This study aimed to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of RTX for the treatment of CTD-ILD.

Methods: Studies were selected from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, up to 20 July 2022. Improvement and stable rates were extracted as the main outcomes and pooled using the weighted mean proportion with fixed or random-effects models, in case of significant heterogeneity (I2 > 50%). Safety analysis was performed based on the adverse events reported in all of the studies.

Results: Thirteen studies (312 patients) were included in the meta-analysis. The follow-up durations ranged from 6 to 36 months. The pooled improvement rate was 35.0% (95% CI: 0.277–0.442), while the pooled stable rate was 59.2% (95% CI: 0.534–0.656). Anti-synthetase syndrome associated with ILD [ASS-ILD, 48.1% (95% CI, 0.373–0.620)] and idiopathic inflammatory myopathies associated with ILD [IIM-ILD, non-ASS, 47.4% (95% CI, 0.266–0.846)] had higher improvement rates than the other types. A total of 106 adverse events associated with RTX or progressive ILD were reported among the 318 patients, 55.7% of which were mild. Among 19 deaths, 17 were due to ILD progression, one to severe pulmonary arterial hypertension, and one to Pneumocystis jirovecii infection.

Conclusion: RTX, which exhibits a satisfactory safety profile, is an effective treatment option for CTD-ILD, even in patients who fail to respond to other therapies. Further randomized trials are needed to assess the efficacy of rituximab compared to other treatments for CTD-ILD.

Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, identifier (CRD42022363403).
A study on the influence of dose rate on total ionizing dose effect of anti-fuse field programmable gate array—The irradiation damage is attenuated at low dose rate
Authors: Liu Minqiang , Xu Xianguo , Zeng Chao , Xiong Cen
Published: October 2022

The TID (total ionizing dose) in-situ experiments of LC1020B, an anti-fuse FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) device, were designed and carried out under different dose rates, and the influence of dose rate on the TID effect of FPGA was studied. The experimental results show that: 1) the TID irradiation failure of the FPGA under different dose rates has nothing to do with the input voltage parameter exceeding the standard. 2) with the decrease of cobalt source irradiation dose rate [171, 26.83, and 2.68 mGy(Si)/s], the TID effect failure dose threshold [168, 229, and 334 Gy(Si), respectively] of the FPGA gradually increased, showing obvious attenuation of low dose rate damage. Theoretical analysis suggests that, compared with the space charge limitation effect, the oxide charge annealing effect plays a dominant role, and longer irradiation time is beneficial to the oxide charge annealing. And based on the experimental data, an FPGA TID analytical model with power consumption current as the damage characterization parameter is established, which lays a foundation for scientific evaluation of radiation effect of anti-fuse FPGAs.
Study on the laser-induced damage of thin films by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy
Authors: Shang Xiaoyan , Shi Wei , Su Junhong , Dong Chengang
Published: October 2022

The undamaged and damaged areas of the ITO thin film deposited on a silicon substrate induced by laser with different energies were tested with the transmission terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system. Their time-domain spectra and frequency-domain spectra of 0.4–1.0 THz were obtained, and the differences were analyzed between the undamaged and damaged areas in these two spectra. The results show that the peak-to-peak value in the time domain and the amplitude in the frequency domain of the damaged area evidently increased compared with those of the undamaged area, and with the increase in laser-induced energy, resulting in the larger damaged area and heavier surface roughness, these two parameters gradually decrease. For the damaged area of the ITO thin film with the undamaged substrate, the refractive index and absorption coefficient are lower than those of the undamaged area. Therefore, the variation in the terahertz time-domain and frequency-domain spectra could be utilized to distinguish the damage of the optical thin film irradiated by laser, which provides a new approach for the laser-induced damage identification and the technical support in effect of the laser-induced damage on the properties of the optical thin film element in the terahertz band.
Sphingomonas sp. Hbc-6 alters physiological metabolism and recruits beneficial rhizosphere bacteria to improve plant growth and drought tolerance
Authors: Wang Fang , Wei Yali , Yan Taozhe , Wang Cuicui , Chao Yinghui , Jia Mingyue , An Lizhe , Sheng Hongmei
Published: October 2022

Drought poses a serious threat to plant growth. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have great potential to improve plant nutrition, yield, and drought tolerance. Sphingomonas is an important microbiota genus that is extensively distributed in the plant or rhizosphere. However, the knowledge of its plant growth-promoting function in dry regions is extremely limited. In this study, we investigated the effects of PGPB Sphingomonas sp. Hbc-6 on maize under normal conditions and drought stress. We found that Hbc-6 increased the biomass of maize under normal conditions and drought stress. For instance, the root fresh weight and shoot dry weight of inoculated maize increased by 39.1% and 34.8% respectively compared with non-inoculated plant, while they increased by 61.3% and 96.3% respectively under drought conditions. Hbc-6 also promoted seed germination, maintained stomatal morphology and increased chlorophyll content so as to enhance photosynthesis of plants. Hbc-6 increased antioxidant enzyme (catalase, superoxide, peroxidase) activities and osmoregulation substances (proline, soluble sugar) and up-regulated the level of beneficial metabolites (resveratrol, etc.). Moreover, Hbc-6 reshaped the maize rhizosphere bacterial community, increased its richness and diversity, and made the rhizosphere bacterial community more complex to resist stress; Hbc-6 could also recruit more potentially rhizosphere beneficial bacteria which might promote plant growth together with Hbc-6 both under normal and drought stress. In short, Hbc-6 increased maize biomass and drought tolerance through the above ways. Our findings lay a foundation for exploring the complex mechanisms of interactions between Sphingomonas and plants, and it is important that Sphingomonas sp. Hbc-6 can be used as a potential biofertilizer in agricultural production, which will assist finding new solutions for improving the growth and yield of crops in arid areas.
Targeting motifs in frustule-associated proteins from the centric diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana
Authors: Fattorini Neri , Maier Uwe G.
Published: October 2022

The frustule of diatoms has an exceptional structure composed of inorganic and organic molecules. In the organic fraction, protein families were identified whose members are expected to have a complex cellular targeting to their final location within the frustule. Here we investigated for frustule-targeting signals two representatives of the cingulin family, the proteins CinY2 and CinW2; beside an already known, classical signal peptide, we have identified further regions involved in cellular targeting. By using these regions as a search criteria we were able to identify two new frustule proteins. In addition, we showed that the temporal regulation of the gene expression determines the final location of one cingulin. Our results therefore point to a sophisticated cellular and extracellular targeting of frustule components to build the fascinating frustule structure of a diatom.
New insight into the molecular mechanism of miR482/2118 during plant resistance to pathogens
Authors: Liao Lijuan , Xie Biao , Guan Peipei , Jiang Ning , Cui Jun
Published: October 2022

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a group of small noncoding RNAs (approximately 20-24 nucleotides), act as essential regulators affecting endogenous gene expression in plants. MiR482/2118 is a unique miRNA superfamily in plants and represses NUCLEOTIDE BINDING SITE-LEUCINE-RICH REPEAT (NBS-LRR) genes to function in plant resistance to pathogens. In addition, over the past several years, it has been found that miR482/2118 not only targets NBS-LRRs but also acts on other molecular mechanisms to affect plant resistance. miR482/2118-5ps, phased small interfering RNAs (phasiRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in plant disease resistance. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the interactions and links between miR482/2118 and its new interacting molecules, miR482/2118-5p, phasiRNAs and lncRNAs, in plant disease resistance. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive view describing the new molecular mechanism associated with miR482/2118 in the plant immune system.
Performing control in the Swedish Twitter sphere or: How a 1920s' Russian linguist helps us understand dynamics of digital authority
Authors: Turunen Jaakko , Werther Steffen , Al-Saqaf Walid
Published: October 2022

Social media has created new public spheres that provide alternative sources of social and political authority. Such “digital authority” has conventionally been interpreted in metric terms, without qualitative distinctions. Based on Twitter data from four different Swedish state agencies during the first 15 months of the COVID-19 crisis, this paper looks at the different kinds of modes of interaction Twitter enables and their impact on state agencies digital authority. Theoretically this paper applies Valentin Voloshinov's classical theory on reported speech, developed in the 1920s, to the concept of digital authority in the Twitter-sphere of the 2020s. Besides these theoretical contributions to media and communication studies, the main findings are that retweets are generally used to affirm and spread information thus strengthening the digital authority of the origin of the tweet whilst replies and quote-tweets are used to undermine the credibility of the sender and the content of the original tweet, often by resorting to irony. As the COVID-19 crisis prolongs, we observe increasing share of critical commentary and diminishing overall attention to government actors in Sweden. The roles of different state agencies are mirrored by the type of interaction they generate. This article also shows the usefulness of qualitative study of social media interaction in order to reveal the dynamics of digital authority construed in social media.
The student’s drawing of teacher’s pictorial Value as a predictor of the student–teacher relationship and school adjustment
Authors: Di Norcia Anna , Bombi Anna Silvia , Pinto Giuliana , Cannoni Eleonora
Published: October 2022

This study employs the scale of Value from Pictorial Assessment of Interpersonal Relationships (PAIR) to investigate the links between the importance attributed by primary students to their teachers and two independent measures of scholastic wellbeing, provided by teachers and parents. During middle childhood, the teacher is one of the most significant adults with whom children interact daily; a student–teacher relationship warm and free from excessive dependency and conflict is very important for children wellbeing; however, children’s recognition of teacher importance as an authority figure has been seldom studied. Children aged 7–11 years were individually asked to draw themselves and one of their teachers in two situations (relational Wellbeing and relational Distress); the scale of Value from PAIR was used as a proxy of the importance attributed to teachers in each situation. Teachers completed the Student–Teacher Relationship Scale for Closeness, Conflict, and Dependency of each child; parents answered two items about their children’s School Adjustment. All the study variables were firstly analyzed to check gender and age differences. Boys valorized more than girls the teacher’s figure; however, teachers perceived more Closeness and less Conflict with girls. Dependency and Conflict decreased with age, as well as (albeit slightly) School Adjustment. To assess the links between pictorial valorization of the teacher in Wellbeing and Distress and teachers’ and parents’ evaluations, four separate hierarchical regressions were performed, namely, Closeness, Dependency, Conflict, and School Adjustment, controlling children’s sex and age. The teacher’s pictorial Value in Wellbeing appeared to be related to Closeness and School Adjustment, while a negative relationship emerged between Value and Dependency in Distress. In sum, the recognition of the teacher’s role as an authority figure does not hinder a warm student–teacher relationship and impacts positively on school adjustment. In situations of Distress, dependent pupils showed a diminished appreciation of the teacher’s importance, possibly as a result of a defensive stance.
Speech perception deficits and the effect of envelope-enhanced story listening combined with phonics intervention in pre-readers at risk for dyslexia
Authors: Vanden Bempt Femke , Van Herck Shauni , Economou Maria , Vanderauwera Jolijn , Vandermosten Maaike , Wouters Jan , Ghesquière Pol
Published: October 2022

Developmental dyslexia is considered to be most effectively addressed with preventive phonics-based interventions, including grapheme-phoneme coupling and blending exercises. These intervention types require intact speech perception abilities, given their large focus on exercises with auditorily presented phonemes. Yet some children with (a risk for) dyslexia experience problems in this domain due to a poorer sensitivity to rise times, i.e., rhythmic acoustic cues present in the speech envelope. As a result, the often subtle speech perception problems could potentially constrain an optimal response to phonics-based interventions in at-risk children. The current study therefore aimed (1) to extend existing research by examining the presence of potential speech perception deficits in pre-readers at cognitive risk for dyslexia when compared to typically developing peers and (2) to explore the added value of a preventive auditory intervention for at-risk pre-readers, targeting rise time sensitivity, on speech perception and other reading-related skills. To obtain the first research objective, we longitudinally compared speech-in-noise perception between 28 5-year-old pre-readers with and 30 peers without a cognitive risk for dyslexia during the second half of the third year of kindergarten. The second research objective was addressed by exploring growth in speech perception and other reading-related skills in an independent sample of 62 at-risk 5-year-old pre-readers who all combined a 12-week preventive phonics-based intervention (GraphoGame-Flemish) with an auditory story listening intervention. In half of the sample, story recordings contained artificially enhanced rise times (GG-FL_EE group, n = 31), while in the other half, stories remained unprocessed (GG-FL_NE group, n = 31; Clinical Trial Number S60962—https://www.uzleuven.be/nl/clinical-trial-center). Results revealed a slower speech-in-noise perception growth in the at-risk compared to the non-at-risk group, due to an emerged deficit at the end of kindergarten. Concerning the auditory intervention effects, both intervention groups showed equal growth in speech-in-noise perception and other reading-related skills, suggesting no boost of envelope-enhanced story listening on top of the effect of combining GraphoGame-Flemish with listening to unprocessed stories. These findings thus provide evidence for a link between speech perception problems and dyslexia, yet do not support the potential of the auditory intervention in its current form.