bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep learning-based prediction for significant coronary artery stenosis on coronary computed tomography angiography in asymptomatic populations
Authors: Lee Heesun , Kang Bong Gyun , Jo Jeonghee , Park Hyo Eun , Yoon Sungroh , Choi Su-Yeon , Kim Min Joo
Published: June 2023

Background

Although coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is currently utilized as the frontline test to accurately diagnose coronary artery disease (CAD) in clinical practice, there are still debates regarding its use as a screening tool for the asymptomatic population. Using deep learning (DL), we sought to develop a prediction model for significant coronary artery stenosis on CCTA and identify the individuals who would benefit from undergoing CCTA among apparently healthy asymptomatic adults.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 11,180 individuals who underwent CCTA as part of routine health check-ups between 2012 and 2019. The main outcome was the presence of coronary artery stenosis of ≥70% on CCTA. We developed a prediction model using machine learning (ML), including DL. Its performance was compared with pretest probabilities, including the pooled cohort equation (PCE), CAD consortium, and updated Diamond-Forrester (UDF) scores.

Results

In the cohort of 11,180 apparently healthy asymptomatic individuals (mean age 56.1 years; men 69.8%), 516 (4.6%) presented with significant coronary artery stenosis on CCTA. Among the ML methods employed, a neural network with multi-task learning (19 selected features), one of the DL methods, was selected due to its superior performance, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.782 and a high diagnostic accuracy of 71.6%. Our DL-based model demonstrated a better prediction than the PCE (AUC, 0.719), CAD consortium score (AUC, 0.696), and UDF score (AUC, 0.705). Age, sex, HbA1c, and HDL cholesterol were highly ranked features. Personal education and monthly income levels were also included as important features of the model.

Conclusion

We successfully developed the neural network with multi-task learning for the detection of CCTA-derived stenosis of ≥70% in asymptomatic populations. Our findings suggest that this model may provide more precise indications for the use of CCTA as a screening tool to identify individuals at a higher risk, even in asymptomatic populations, in clinical practice.
Optimized ensemble model for wind power forecasting using hybrid whale and dipper-throated optimization algorithms
Authors: Alhussan Amel Ali , Farhan Alaa Kadhim , Abdelhamid Abdelaziz A. , El-Kenawy El-Sayed M. , Ibrahim Abdelhameed , Khafaga Doaa Sami
Published: June 2023

Introduction: Power generated by the wind is a viable renewable energy option. Forecasting wind power generation is particularly important for easing supply and demand imbalances in the smart grid. However, the biggest challenge with wind power is that it is unpredictable due to its intermittent and sporadic nature. The purpose of this research is to propose a reliable ensemble model that can predict future wind power generation.

Methods: The proposed ensemble model comprises three reliable regression models: long short-term memory (LSTM), gated recurrent unit (GRU), and bidirectional LSTM models. To boost the performance of the proposed ensemble model, the outputs of each model are optimally weighted to form the final prediction output. The ensemble models’ weights are optimized in terms of a newly developed optimization algorithm based on the whale optimization algorithm and the dipper-throated optimization algorithm. On the other hand, the proposed optimization algorithm is converted to binary to be used in feature selection to boost the prediction results further. The proposed optimized ensemble model is tested in terms of a dataset publicly available on Kaggle.

Results and discussion: The results of the proposed model are compared to the other six optimization algorithms to prove the superiority of the proposed optimization algorithm. In addition, statistical tests are performed to highlight the proposed approach’s performance and effectiveness in predicting future wind power values. The results are evaluated using a set of criteria such as root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and R2. The proposed approach could achieve the following results: RMSE = 0.0022, MAE = 0.0003, and R2 = 0.9999, which outperform those results achieved by other methods.
Analysis of the impact of land use on floating object in rivers at different spatial scales—the Chongqing section of the Three Gorges Reservoir area
Authors: Ye Sheng , Pei Desheng , Zhang Xiaocheng , Luo Yachen , Liu Jian , Chen Lin
Published: June 2023

Floating object pollution in the Three Gorges Reservoir area (TGRA) is a serious environmental problem. It directly harms the safety of the reservoirs. Currently, relevant research has only focused on certain aspects, such as the salvage and treatment of floating objects, and little has been done on the underlying causes of floating object. The way humans use land will have a large influence on floating object in rivers, but the relationship between the two still needs to be further explored. We used remote sensing images to obtain the distribution of floating objects in the Chongqing section of the TGRA, and combined that with current land use data to study the relationship between land use and river floating objects. We found that: ① The number of floating object spots in the main stream of the Yangtze River gradually increased from the upper reaches (the main urban section of Chongqing) to the lower reaches (northeast section of Chongqing), while the opposite was true in the tributaries of the Yangtze River. ② Under different buffer scales, urban, rural residential, farmland, gardenland, grassland and other land use types were positively correlated with the number of floating debris spots in the river, and the correlation order was rural residential > farm land > urban> gardenland > grassland > forest. ③ When the buffer radius was 1.5 km, the land use comprehensive intensity index (LUI) had the highest interpretation degree to the number of floating debris spots, with a rate of 68.8%. In terms of land use types, rural settlements and cultivated land have a greater impact on river floaters, while woodland and grassland have a lesser impact on river floaters. We suggested that the construction of rural residential areas and cultivated land should be avoided as far as possible in the territorial space planning within 1.5 kilometers on both sides of the river, and ecological modification should be carried out by returning cultivated land to forest and grassland.
Linear and landscape disturbances alter Mojave desert tortoise movement behavior
Authors: Hromada Steven J. , Esque Todd C. , Vandergast Amy G. , Drake K. Kristina , Chen Felicia , Gottsacker Ben , Swart Jordan , Nussear Kenneth E.
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Animal movements are influenced by landscape features; disturbances to the landscape can alter movements, dispersal, and ultimately connectivity among populations. Faster or longer movements adjacent to a localized disturbance or within disturbed areas could indicate reduced habitat quality whereas slower or shorter movements and reduced movements may indicate greater availability of resources. The Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) is a threatened species that is challenged by anthropogenic disturbances.

Methods

We studied tortoise movements using Global Positioning System (GPS) loggers at multiple sites in the Mojave Desert of Nevada and California. Tortoises at our sites encountered localized, linear human infrastructure, including paved roads, dirt roads, and fences, as well as landscape-scale disturbances [wildfire, off highway vehicle use (OHV), livestock grazing area]. We fit two-state (moving and encamped) Hidden Markov models to GPS logger data to infer how tortoise movement behavior relates to anthropogenic and natural features.

Results

We found that temporal covariates, individual-level random effects (intercepts), and sex best explained state transition probability in all sites. We compared relationships between tortoise movement and linear disturbances, which varied depending on site and context. Tortoises made longer movements within the OHV recreation area, near most dirt roads, and near a low-traffic paved road, indicating that tortoises avoid these habitat disturbances. Conversely, tortoises made shorter movements in areas of higher slope and near highways, suggesting that these features may restrict movement or provide resources that result in prolonged use (e.g., forage or drinking locations). Tortoises that encountered fences around utility-scale solar installations were more active and made longer movements near fences, indicative of pacing behavior.

Discussion

These results provide insight into how different disturbances alter tortoise movement behavior and modify tortoise habitat use, providing information that can be used to manage tortoise habitat.
Race/ethnicity-stratified fine-mapping of the MHC locus reveals genetic variants associated with late-onset asthma
Authors: Lee Eunice Y. , Choi Wonson , Burkholder Adam B. , Perera Lalith , Mack Jasmine A. , Miller Frederick W. , Fessler Michael B. , Cook Donald N. , Karmaus Peer W. F. , Nakano Hideki , Garantziotis Stavros , Madenspacher Jennifer H. , House John S. , Akhtari Farida S. , Schmitt Charles S. , Fargo David C. , Hall Janet E. , Motsinger-Reif Alison A.
Published: June 2023

Introduction: Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways that impairs normal breathing. The etiology of asthma is complex and involves multiple factors, including the environment and genetics, especially the distinct genetic architecture associated with ancestry. Compared to early-onset asthma, little is known about genetic predisposition to late-onset asthma. We investigated the race/ethnicity-specific relationship among genetic variants within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region and late-onset asthma in a North Carolina-based multiracial cohort of adults.

Methods: We stratified all analyses by self-reported race (i.e., White and Black) and adjusted all regression models for age, sex, and ancestry. We conducted association tests within the MHC region and performed fine-mapping analyses conditioned on the race/ethnicity-specific lead variant using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data. We applied computational methods to infer human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and residues at amino acid positions. We replicated findings in the UK Biobank.

Results: The lead signals, rs9265901 on the 5’ end of HLA-B, rs55888430 on HLA-DOB, and rs117953947 on HCG17, were significantly associated with late-onset asthma in all, White, and Black participants, respectively (OR = 1.73, 95%CI: 1.31 to 2.14, p = 3.62 × 10−5; OR = 3.05, 95%CI: 1.86 to 4.98, p = 8.85 × 10−6; OR = 19.5, 95%CI: 4.37 to 87.2, p = 9.97 × 10−5, respectively). For the HLA analysis, HLA-B*40:02 and HLA-DRB1*04:05, HLA-B*40:02, HLA-C*04:01, and HLA-DRB1*04:05, and HLA-DRB1*03:01 and HLA-DQB1 were significantly associated with late-onset asthma in all, White, and Black participants.

Conclusion: Multiple genetic variants within the MHC region were significantly associated with late-onset asthma, and the associations were significantly different by race/ethnicity group.
Identifying potential risk genes and pathways for neuropsychiatric and substance use disorders using intermediate molecular mediator information
Authors: Gedik Huseyin , Nguyen Tan Hoang , Peterson Roseann E. , Chatzinakos Christos , Vladimirov Vladimir I. , Riley Brien P. , Bacanu Silviu-Alin
Published: June 2023

Neuropsychiatric and substance use disorders (NPSUDs) have a complex etiology that includes environmental and polygenic risk factors with significant cross-trait genetic correlations. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of NPSUDs yield numerous association signals. However, for most of these regions, we do not yet have a firm understanding of either the specific risk variants or the effects of these variants. Post-GWAS methods allow researchers to use GWAS summary statistics and molecular mediators (transcript, protein, and methylation abundances) infer the effect of these mediators on risk for disorders. One group of post-GWAS approaches is commonly referred to as transcriptome/proteome/methylome-wide association studies, which are abbreviated as T/P/MWAS (or collectively as XWAS). Since these approaches use biological mediators, the multiple testing burden is reduced to the number of genes (∼20,000) instead of millions of GWAS SNPs, which leads to increased signal detection. In this work, our aim is to uncover likely risk genes for NPSUDs by performing XWAS analyses in two tissues—blood and brain. First, to identify putative causal risk genes, we performed an XWAS using the Summary-data-based Mendelian randomization, which uses GWAS summary statistics, reference xQTL data, and a reference LD panel. Second, given the large comorbidities among NPSUDs and the shared cis-xQTLs between blood and the brain, we improved XWAS signal detection for underpowered analyses by performing joint concordance analyses between XWAS results i) across the two tissues and ii) across NPSUDs. All XWAS signals i) were adjusted for heterogeneity in dependent instruments (HEIDI) (non-causality) p-values and ii) used to test for pathway enrichment. The results suggest that there were widely shared gene/protein signals within the major histocompatibility complex region on chromosome 6 (BTN3A2 and C4A) and elsewhere in the genome (FURIN, NEK4, RERE, and ZDHHC5). The identification of putative molecular genes and pathways underlying risk may offer new targets for therapeutic development. Our study revealed an enrichment of XWAS signals in vitamin D and omega-3 gene sets. So, including vitamin D and omega-3 in treatment plans may have a modest but beneficial effect on patients with bipolar disorder.
In Campylobacter jejuni, a new type of chaperone receives heme from ferrochelatase
Authors: Zamarreño Beas Jordi , Videira Marco A. M. , Karavaeva Val , Lourenço Frederico M. , Almeida Mafalda R. , Sousa Filipa , Saraiva Lígia M.
Published: June 2023

Intracellular heme formation and trafficking are fundamental processes in living organisms. Bacteria and archaea utilize three biogenesis pathways to produce iron protoporphyrin IX (heme b) that diverge after the formation of the common intermediate uroporphyrinogen III (uro’gen III). In this study, we identify and provide a detailed characterization of the enzymes involved in the transformation of uro’gen III into heme in Campylobacter jejuni, demonstrating that this bacterium utilizes the protoporphyrin-dependent (PPD) pathway. In general, limited knowledge exists regarding the mechanisms by which heme b reaches its target proteins after this final step. Specifically, the chaperones necessary for trafficking heme to prevent the cytotoxic effects associated with free heme remain largely unidentified. In C. jejuni, we identified a protein named CgdH2 that binds heme with a dissociation constant of 4.9 ± 1.0 µM, and this binding is impaired upon mutation of residues histidine 45 and 133. We demonstrate that C. jejuni CgdH2 establishes protein–protein interactions with ferrochelatase, suggesting its role in facilitating heme transfer from ferrochelatase to CgdH2. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis reveals that C. jejuni CgdH2 is evolutionarily distinct from the currently known chaperones. Therefore, CgdH2 is the first protein identified as an acceptor of intracellularly formed heme, expanding our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying heme trafficking within bacterial cells.
The genetic associations of COVID-19 on genitourinary symptoms
Authors: Chang Zhenglin , An Lingyue , Lei Min , Song Zhenfeng , Deng Jian , Tang Ruizheng , Cheng Zhangkai J. , Wu Wenqi , Sun Baoqing
Published: June 2023

Background

Recently emerged reports indicated that patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) might experience novo genitourinary symptoms after discharge. Nevertheless, the causal associations and underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear.

Methods

Genome-wide association study (GWAS) statistics for COVID-19 and 28 genitourinary symptoms with consistent definitions were collected from the COVID‐19 Host Genetic Initiative, FinnGen, and UK Biobanks. Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were applied to explore the causal effects of COVID-19 on genitourinary symptoms by selecting single-nucleotide polymorphisms as instrumental variables. Meta-analyses were conducted to evaluate the combined causal effect. Molecular pathways connecting COVID-19 and its associated disorders were evaluated by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and enrichment analyses to extract insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the connection.

Results

The MR and meta-analyses indicated that COVID-19 was causally associated with increased risk for calculus of the lower urinary tract (LUTC, OR: 1.2984 per doubling in odds of COVID‐19, 95% CI: 1.0752–1.5680, p = 0.007) and sexual dysfunction (SD, OR: 1.0931, 95% CI: 1.0292–1.1610, p = 0.004). Intriguingly, COVID-19 might exert a slight causal protective effect on the progression of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and bladder cancer (BLCA). These results were robust to sensitivity analyses. Bioinformatic analyses indicated that the inflammatory-immune response module may mediate the links between COVID‐19 and its associated disorders at the molecular level.

Conclusions

In response to post-COVID-19 symptoms, we recommend that COVID-19 patients should strengthen the prevention of LUTC and the monitoring of sexual function. Meanwhile, the positive effects of COVID-19 on UTIs and BLCA should attach equal importance.
Simultaneous restoration and super-resolution GAN for underwater image enhancement
Authors: Wang Huiqiang , Zhong Guoqiang , Sun Jinxuan , Chen Yang , Zhao Yuxiao , Li Shu , Wang Dong
Published: June 2023

Underwater images are generally of low quality, limiting the performance of subsequent perceptual tasks, such as underwater object detection and recognition. However, only a few methods can improve the quality of underwater images by simultaneously restoring and super-resolving underwater images. In this paper, we propose an end-to-end trainable model based on generative adversarial networks (GANs) called Simultaneous Restoration and Super-Resolution GAN (SRSRGAN) to obtain clear super-resolution underwater images automatically. In particular, our model leverages a cascaded architecture with two stages of carefully designed generative adversarial networks to restore and super-resolve corrupted underwater images in a coarse-to-fine manner. The major advantages of SRSRGAN are twofold. First, it is a unified solution that can simultaneously restore and super-resolve images. Second, SRSRGAN is not limited by the prior experience of the types and levels of underwater degraded images but can perform the inference using only observed corrupted images. These two advantages enable SRSRGAN to enjoy better flexibility and higher practicability in realistic underwater scenarios. Extensive experimental results demonstrate the superiority of SRSRGAN in underwater image restoration, super-resolution, and simultaneous restoration and super-resolution.
Research on the carbon emissions traceability inventory and multi-horizon prediction of ship carbon emissions: a case study of Tianjin Port
Authors: Li Yong , Xie Wenxin , Yang Yang , Mei Qiang , Wang Zhishan , Li Zhaoxuan , Wang Peng
Published: June 2023

Introduction

In recent years, the adverse effects of escalating maritime trade and international shipping– particularly in regard to increased greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on human health– have come to the fore. These issues have thus instigated a surge in pressure to enhance the regulation of shipborne carbon emissions.

Methods

The study utilized the automatic identification system (AIS) data, Lloyd’s register data, and pollutant emission parameters to calculate the carbon emissions from the main engine, auxiliary engine, and boiler of vessels under varying sailing conditions, utilizing the dynamic method of ships. In relation to geographic information and ship trajectory, a comprehensive inventory of ship carbon emissions was developed, revealing pronounced spatiotemporal characteristics. To assure the accuracy of the substantial AIS dataset, procedures including data cleaning, trajectory integration, data fusion, and completion were executed. Such processes are indispensable, given the potential for transmission and storage errors associated with AIS data. To forecast CO2 emissions over diverse time intervals, a temporal fusion transformer model equipped with attention mechanisms was employed.

Result

The paper furnishes a case study on Tianjin Port, wherein a high-resolution carbon emissions inventory was devised based on AIS data acquired from vessels. This inventory was subsequently employed to generate multi-feature predictions of future carbon emissions. Given the optimal parameter configuration, the proposed method attained P50 and P90 values of 0.244 and 0.118 respectively, thereby demonstrating its efficacy.

Discussion

Recognizing the sources of ship carbon emissions in this region and forecasting such emissions in the future substantiates that this method accurately portrays the laws of ship carbon emissions. Our study provides a scientific basis for decision-making in port and pollution management, enabling the creation of targeted emission reduction policies for ships.
Comprehensive immune landscape of lung-resident memory CD8+ T cells after influenza infection and reinfection in a mouse model
Authors: Jia Ju , Li Hui , Huang Zhisheng , Yu Jiapei , Zheng Ying , Cao Bin
Published: June 2023

Background

Resident phenotypic memory CD8+ T cells are crucial for immune defense against pathogens. However, little is known about the potential transitions and regulation mechanisms of their function after influenza virus infection and reinfection. In this study, we utilized integrated transcriptome data and in vivo experiments to investigate the key characteristics behind it.

Methods

Two single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets of lung CD8+ T cells and one RNA-seq dataset of lung tissue after infection or reinfection were included. After Seurat procedures classifying CD8+ T subsets, the scCODE algorithm was used to identify the differentially expressed genes for GSVA, GO, and KEGG pathway enrichment. Monocle 3 and CellChat were used to infer pseudotime cell trajectory and cell interactions. The ssGSEA method was used to estimate the relative proportions of immune cells. The findings were confirmed with a mouse model via flow cytometry and RT-PCR analysis.

Results

Our study refined the landscape of CD8+ T-cell subsets in the lung, showing that CD8+ Trm cells accumulated in the lung within 14 days after influenza infection. The classical CD8+ Trm cells co-expressed a high level of CD49a and even maintained 90 days after primary infection. The ratio of CD8+ Trm cells decreased 1 day after influenza reinfection, which may be parallel with their potential transition into effector types, as observed in trajectory inference analysis. KEGG analysis suggested that PD-L1 expression and PD-1 checkpoint pathway were upregulated in CD8+ Trm cells on day 14 after infection. GO and GSVA analyses revealed that PI3K-Akt-mTOR and type I interferon signaling pathways were enriched in CD8+ Tem and Trm cells after reinfection. Additionally, CCL signaling pathways were involved in cell interaction between CD8+ Trm cells and other cells, with Ccl4-Ccr5 and Ccl5-Ccr5 ligand/receptor pairs being important between CD8+ Trm and other memory subsets after infection and reinfection.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that resident memory CD8+ T cells with CD49a co-expression account for a large proportion after influenza infection, and they can be rapidly reactivated against reinfection. Function differences exist in CD8+ Trm and Tem cells after influenza infection and reinfection. Ccl5-Ccr5 ligand/receptor pair is important in cell interactions between CD8+ Trm and other subsets.
Physiological importance and role of Mg2+ in improving bacterial resistance to cesium
Authors: Ishida Yoshiki , Zhang Chongkai , Satoh Katsuya , Ito Masahiro
Published: June 2023

Cesium (Cs) is an alkali metal with radioactive isotopes such as 137Cs and 134Cs. 137Cs, a product of uranium fission, has garnered attention as a radioactive contaminant. Radioactive contamination remediation using microorganisms has been the focus of numerous studies. We investigated the mechanism underlying Cs+ resistance in Microbacterium sp. TS-1 and other representative microorganisms, including Bacillus subtilis. The addition of Mg2+ effectively improved the Cs+ resistance of these microorganisms. When exposed to high concentrations of Cs+, the ribosomes of Cs+-sensitive mutants of TS-1 collapsed. Growth inhibition of B. subtilis in a high-concentration Cs+ environment was because of a drastic decrease in the intracellular potassium ion concentration and not the destabilization of the ribosomal complex. This is the first study demonstrating that the toxic effect of Cs+ on bacterial cells differs based on the presence of a Cs+ efflux mechanism. These results will aid in utilizing high-concentration Cs+-resistant microorganisms for radioactive contamination remediation in the future.
Altered neurovascular coupling in patients with vascular cognitive impairment: a combined ASL-fMRI analysis
Authors: Ruan Zhao , Sun Dong , Zhou Xiaoli , Yu Minhua , Li Sirui , Sun Wenbo , Li Yidan , Gao Lei , Xu Haibo
Published: June 2023

Background and objective

This study aims to examine the role of neurovascular coupling (NVC) in vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) by investigating the relationship between white matter lesion (WML) burden, NVC, and cognitive deficits. Additionally, we aim to explore the potential of NVC as a tool for understanding the neural mechanisms underlying VCI.

Methods

This study included thirty-eight small vessel disease cognitive impairment (SVCI) patients, 34 post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) patients, and 43 healthy controls (HC). Comprehensive assessments, including neuroimaging and neuropsychological testing, were conducted to evaluate cognitive function. WML burden was measured and correlated with NVC coefficients to examine the relationship between white matter pathology and NVC. Mediation analysis was employed to explore the link relationship between NVC, WML burden, and cognitive function.

Results

The present study showed that NVC was significantly reduced in the SVCI and PSCI groups compared with HCs at both whole-brain and brain region level. The analysis revealed notable findings regarding NVC in relation to WML burden and cognitive function in VCI patients. Specifically, reduced NVC coefficients were observed within higher order brain systems responsible for cognitive control and emotion regulation. Mediation analysis demonstrated that NVC played a mediating role in the relationship between WML burden and cognitive impairment.

Conclusion

This study reveals the mediating role of NVC in the relationship between WML burden and cognitive function in VCI patients. The results demonstrate the potential of the NVC as an accurate measure of cognitive impairment and its ability to identify specific neural circuits affected by WML burden.
Molecular and long-term behavioral consequences of neonatal opioid exposure and withdrawal in mice
Authors: Dunn Amelia D. , Robinson Shivon A. , Nwokafor Chiso , Estill Molly , Ferrante Julia , Shen Li , Lemchi Crystal O. , Creus-Muncunill Jordi , Ramirez Angie , Mengaziol Juliet , Brynildsen Julia K. , Leggas Mark , Horn Jamie , Ehrlich Michelle E. , Blendy Julie A.
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Infants exposed to opioids in utero are at high risk of exhibiting Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS), a combination of somatic withdrawal symptoms including high pitched crying, sleeplessness, irritability, gastrointestinal distress, and in the worst cases, seizures. The heterogeneity of in utero opioid exposure, particularly exposure to polypharmacy, makes it difficult to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms that could inform early diagnosis and treatment of NOWS, and challenging to investigate consequences later in life.

Methods

To address these issues, we developed a mouse model of NOWS that includes gestational and post-natal morphine exposure that encompasses the developmental equivalent of all three human trimesters and assessed both behavior and transcriptome alterations.

Results

Opioid exposure throughout all three human equivalent trimesters delayed developmental milestones and produced acute withdrawal phenotypes in mice reminiscent of those observed in infants. We also uncovered different patterns of gene expression depending on the duration and timing of opioid exposure (3-trimesters, in utero only, or the last trimester equivalent only). Opioid exposure and subsequent withdrawal affected social behavior and sleep in adulthood in a sex-dependent manner but did not affect adult behaviors related to anxiety, depression, or opioid response.

Discussion

Despite marked withdrawal and delays in development, long-term deficits in behaviors typically associated with substance use disorders were modest. Remarkably, transcriptomic analysis revealed an enrichment for genes with altered expression in published datasets for Autism Spectrum Disorders, which correlate well with the deficits in social affiliation seen in our model. The number of differentially expressed genes between the NOWS and saline groups varied markedly based on exposure protocol and sex, but common pathways included synapse development, the GABAergic and myelin systems, and mitochondrial function.
Few-shot segmentation with duplex network and attention augmented module
Authors: Zeng Sifu , Yang Jie , Luo Wang , Ruan Yudi
Published: June 2023

Establishing the relationship between a limited number of samples and segmented objects in diverse scenarios is the primary challenge in few-shot segmentation. However, many previous works overlooked the crucial support-query set interaction and the deeper information that needs to be explored. This oversight can lead to model failure when confronted with complex scenarios, such as ambiguous boundaries. To solve this problem, a duplex network that utilizes the suppression and focus concept is proposed to effectively suppress the background and focus on the foreground. Our network includes dynamic convolution to enhance the support-query interaction and a prototype match structure to fully extract information from support and query. The proposed model is called dynamic prototype mixture convolutional networks (DPMC). To minimize the impact of redundant information, we have incorporated a hybrid attentional module called double-layer attention augmented convolutional module (DAAConv) into DPMC. This module enables the network to concentrate more on foreground information. Our experiments on PASCAL-5i and COCO-20i datasets suggested that DPMC and DAAConv outperform traditional prototype-based methods by up to 5–8% on average.
Boldine modulates glial transcription and functional recovery in a murine model of contusion spinal cord injury
Authors: Toro Carlos A. , Johnson Kaitlin , Hansen Jens , Siddiq Mustafa M. , Vásquez Walter , Zhao Wei , Graham Zachary A. , Sáez Juan C. , Iyengar Ravi , Cardozo Christopher P.
Published: June 2023

Membrane channels such as those formed by connexins (Cx) and P2X7 receptors (P2X7R) are permeable to calcium ions and other small molecules such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and glutamate. Release of ATP and glutamate through these channels is a key mechanism driving tissue response to traumas such as spinal cord injury (SCI). Boldine, an alkaloid isolated from the Chilean boldo tree, blocks both Cx and Panx1 hemichannels (HCs). To test if boldine could improve function after SCI, boldine or vehicle was administered to treat mice with a moderate severity contusion-induced SCI. Boldine led to greater spared white matter and increased locomotor function as determined by the Basso Mouse Scale and horizontal ladder rung walk tests. Boldine treatment reduced immunostaining for markers of activated microglia (Iba1) and astrocytic (GFAP) markers while increasing that for axon growth and neuroplasticity (GAP-43). Cell culture studies demonstrated that boldine blocked glial HC, specifically Cx26 and Cx30, in cultured astrocytes and blocked calcium entry through activated P2X7R. RT-qPCR studies showed that boldine treatment reduced expression of the chemokine Ccl2, cytokine IL-6 and microglial gene CD68, while increasing expression of the neurotransmission genes Snap25 and Grin2b, and Gap-43. Bulk RNA sequencing revealed that boldine modulated a large number of genes involved in neurotransmission in spinal cord tissue just caudal from the lesion epicenter at 14 days after SCI. Numbers of genes regulated by boldine was much lower at 28 days after injury. These results indicate that boldine treatment ameliorates injury and spares tissue to increase locomotor function.
A simple method for poly-D-lysine coating to enhance adhesion and maturation of primary cortical neuron cultures in vitro
Authors: Stil Aurélie , Liberelle Benoît , Guadarrama Bello Dainelys , Lacomme Lucile , Arpin Laurie , Parent Pascale , Nanci Antonio , Dumont Éric C. , Ould-Bachir Tarek , Vanni Matthieu P. , De Crescenzo Gregory , Bouchard Jean-François
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Glass coverslips are used as a substrate since Harrison’s initial nerve cell culture experiments in 1910. In 1974, the first study of brain cells seeded onto polylysine (PL) coated substrate was published. Usually, neurons adhere quickly to PL coating. However, maintaining cortical neurons in culture on PL coating for a prolonged time is challenging.

Methods

A collaborative study between chemical engineers and neurobiologists was conducted to find a simple method to enhance neuronal maturation on poly-D-lysine (PDL). In this work, a simple protocol to coat PDL efficiently on coverslips is presented, characterized, and compared to a conventional adsorption method. We studied the adhesion and maturation of primary cortical neurons with various morphological and functional approaches, including phase contrast microscopy, immunocytochemistry, scanning electron microscopy, patch clamp recordings, and calcium imaging.

Results

We observed that several parameters of neuronal maturation are influenced by the substrate: neurons develop more dense and extended networks and synaptic activity is enhanced, when seeded on covalently bound PDL compared to adsorbed PDL.

Discussion

Hence, we established reproducible and optimal conditions enhancing maturation of primary cortical neurons in vitro. Our method allows higher reliability and yield of results and could also be profitable for laboratories using PL with other cell types.
Hybrid surgery recanalization for high-level chronic internal carotid artery occlusion
Authors: Cai Yuankun , Zhang Tingbao , Wang Lesheng , Li Xiang , Wei Wei , Feng Yu , Li Guo , Ma Yihui , Chen Xinjun , Zhao Wenyuan , Chen Jincao
Published: June 2023

Objective

Although endovascular recanalization is considered a more effective treatment for chronic internal carotid artery occlusion (CICAO), the success rate of complex CICAO remains inadequate. We present hybrid surgery (carotid endarterectomy combined with carotid stenting) for complex CICAO and explore the influential factors and effects of hybrid surgery recanalization.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical, imaging, and follow-up data of 22 patients with complex CICAO treated by hybrid surgery at the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from December 2016 to December 2020. We also summarize the technical points related to hybrid surgery recanalization.

Results

A total of 22 patients with complex CICAO underwent hybrid surgery recanalization. There were no postoperative deaths in all patients after hybrid surgery recanalization. Nineteen patients successfully underwent recanalization with a success rate of 86.4% and three cases with a failure rate of 13.6%. Patients were divided into success and failure groups. Significantly different radiographic classification of lesions was observed between the success group and the failure group (P = 0.019). The rates of CICAO with reverse ophthalmic artery blood flow in the internal carotid artery (ICA) preoperatively were 94.7% in the success group and 33.3% in the failure group (P = 0.038). Three cases of hybrid surgery recanalization failure were transferred for EC-IC bypass and had good neurological recovery. Postoperative average KPS scores of the 19 patients were improved compared to the preoperative ones (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Hybrid surgery for complex CICAO is safe and effective with a high recanalization rate. The recanalization rate is related to whether the occluded segment surpasses the ophthalmic artery.
Electrical bioimpedance measurement and near-infrared spectroscopy in pediatric postoperative neurocritical care: a prospective observational study
Authors: Wang Chenhao , Xing Dianwei , Zhou Shuoyan , Fang Fang , Fu Yueqiang , Xu Feng
Published: June 2023

Background

To investigate the clinical significance of the disturbance coefficient (DC) and regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) as obtained through the use of electrical bioimpedance and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in pediatric neurocritical care.

Participants and methods

We enrolled 45 pediatric patients as the injury group and 70 healthy children as the control group. DC was derived from impedance analysis of 0.1 mA–50 kHz current via temporal electrodes. rSO2 was the percentage of oxyhemoglobin measured from reflected NIR light on the forehead. DC and rSO2 were obtained at 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after surgery for the injury group and during the health screening clinic visit for the control group. We compared DC and rSO2 between the groups, their changes over time within the injury group and their correlation with intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score, Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) score, and their ability to diagnose postoperative cerebral edema and predict poor prognosis.

Results

DC and rSO2 were significantly lower in the injury group than in the control group. In the injury group, ICP increased over the monitoring period, while DC, CPP and rSO2 decreased. DC was negatively correlated with ICP and positively correlated with GCS score and GOS score. Additionally, lower DC values were observed in patients with signs of cerebral edema, with a DC value of 86.5 or below suggesting the presence of brain edema in patients aged 6–16 years. On the other hand, rSO2 was positively correlated with CPP, GCS score, and GOS score, with a value of 64.4% or below indicating a poor prognosis. Decreased CPP is an independent risk factor for decreased rSO2.

Conclusion

DC and rSO2 monitoring based on electrical bioimpedance and near-infrared spectroscopy not only reflect the degree of brain edema and oxygenation, but also reflect the severity of the disease and predict the prognosis of the patients. This approach offers a real-time, bedside, and accurate method for assessing brain function and detecting postoperative cerebral edema and poor prognosis.
Reinterpreting published tDCS results in terms of a cranial and cervical nerve co-stimulation mechanism
Authors: Majdi Alireza , Asamoah Boateng , Mc Laughlin Myles
Published: June 2023

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation method that has been used to alter cognition in hundreds of experiments. During tDCS, a low-amplitude current is delivered via scalp electrodes to create a weak electric field in the brain. The weak electric field causes membrane polarization in cortical neurons directly under the scalp electrodes. It is generally assumed that this mechanism causes the observed effects of tDCS on cognition. However, it was recently shown that some tDCS effects are not caused by the electric field in the brain but rather via co-stimulation of cranial and cervical nerves in the scalp that also have neuromodulatory effects that can influence cognition. This peripheral nerve co-stimulation mechanism is not controlled for in tDCS experiments that use the standard sham condition. In light of this new evidence, results from previous tDCS experiments could be reinterpreted in terms of a peripheral nerve co-stimulation mechanism. Here, we selected six publications that reported tDCS effects on cognition and attributed the effects to the electric field in the brain directly under the electrode. We then posed the question: given the known neuromodulatory effects of cranial and cervical nerve stimulation, could the reported results also be understood in terms of tDCS peripheral nerve co-stimulation? We present our re-interpretation of these results as a way to stimulate debate within the neuromodulation field and as a food-for-thought for researchers designing new tDCS experiments.
Cognitive and affective interaction with somatosensory afference in acupuncture–a specific brain response to compound stimulus
Authors: Jung Changjin , Kim Jieun , Park Kyungmo
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Acupuncture is a clinical intervention consisting of multiple stimulus components, including somatosensory stimulation and manipulation of therapeutic context. Existing findings in neuroscience consolidated cognitive modulation to somatosensory afferent process, which could differ from placebo mechanism in brain. Here, we aimed to identify intrinsic process of brain interactions induced by compound stimulus of acupuncture treatment.

Methods

To separately and comprehensively investigate somatosensory afferent and cognitive/affective processes in brain, we implemented a novel experimental protocol of contextual manipulation with somatosensory stimulation (real acupuncture: REAL) and only contextual manipulation (phantom acupuncture: PHNT) for fMRI scan, and conducted independent component (IC)-wise assessment with the concatenated fMRI data.

Results

By our double (experimentally and analytically) dissociation, two ICs (CA1: executive control, CA2: goal-directed sensory process) for cognitive/affective modulation (associated with both REAL and PHNT) and other two ICs (SA1: interoceptive attention and motor-reaction, SA2: somatosensory representation) for somatosensory afference (associated with only REAL) were identified. Moreover, coupling between SA1 and SA2 was associated with a decreased heart rate during stimulation, whereas CA1 was associated with a delayed heart rate decrease post-stimulation. Furthermore, partial correlation network for these components demonstrated a bi-directional interaction between CA1 and SA1/SA2, suggesting the cognitive modulation to somatosensory process. The expectation for the treatment negatively affected CA1 but positively affected SA1 in REAL, whereas the expectation positively affected CA1 in PHNT.

Discussion

These specific cognitive-somatosensory interaction in REAL were differed from vicarious sensation mechanism in PHNT; and might be associated with a characteristic of acupuncture, which induces voluntary attention for interoception. Our findings on brain interactions in acupuncture treatment elucidated the underlying brain mechanisms for compound stimulus of somatosensory afferent and therapeutic contextual manipulation, which might be a specific response to acupuncture.
Family history of substance use disorder and parental impulsivity are differentially associated with neural responses during risky decision-making
Authors: Aloi Joseph , Kwon Elizabeth , Hummer Tom A. , Crum Kathleen I. , Shah Nikhil , Pratt Lauren , Aalsma Matthew C. , Finn Peter , Nurnberger John , Hulvershorn Leslie A.
Published: June 2023

Background

Risky decision-making is associated with the development of substance use behaviors during adolescence. Although prior work has investigated risky decision-making in adolescents at familial high risk for developing substance use disorders (SUDs), little research has controlled for the presence of co-morbid externalizing disorders (EDs). Additionally, few studies have investigated the role of parental impulsivity in offspring neurobiology associated with risky decision-making.

Methods

One-hundred twenty-five children (28 healthy controls, 47 psychiatric controls with EDs without a familial history of SUD, and 50 high-risk children with co-morbid EDs with a familial history of SUD) participated in the Balloon Analog Risk Task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. Impulsivity for parents and children was measured using the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale.

Results

We found that individuals in the psychiatric control group showed greater activation, as chances of balloon explosion increased, while making choices, relative to the healthy control and high-risk groups in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) and lateral orbitofrontal cortex (lOFC). We also found a positive association between greater activation and parental impulsivity in these regions. However, within rACC, this relationship was moderated by group, such that there was a positive relationship between activation and parental impulsivity in the HC group, but an inverse relationship in the HR group.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that there are key differences in the neurobiology underlying risky decision-making in individuals with EDs with and without a familial history of SUD. The current findings build on existing models of neurobiological factors influencing addiction risk by integrating parental factors. This work paves the way for more precise risk models in which to test preventive interventions.
A tornado in the family: fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and aggression during childhood and adolescence: a scoping review
Authors: Champagne Maude , McCrossin Jeffrey , Pei Jacqueline , Reynolds James N.
Published: June 2023

Background

Aggression exhibited by children and youth with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) toward family members is a major cause of stress and anxiety for caregivers, but relatively little attention has been directed toward designing interventions specific to this phenomenon. In light of the serious negative impact of this issue for families, a scoping review was undertaken to summarize the evidence available on psychosocial interventions that may mitigate the frequency and severity of aggression exhibited by children and youth with FASD toward family members.

Methods

This review was designed using PRISMA-SCR and JBI scoping review guidelines. Three databases were searched in August 2021: EMBASE, PsychINFO, and Medline.

Results

A total of 1,061 studies were imported for screening with only five studies meeting full eligibility criteria. None of the interventions were aimed at specifically targeting aggression and instead reported on broader constructs of externalizing behaviors such as hyperactivity. The interventions were limited to school-aged children. Studies reported primarily on child outcomes while only one reported on family related outcomes.

Conclusion

Following from this review of the literature, we argue that aggression is a related but separate construct from other behavioral problems most frequently targeted by parenting interventions. Given the often dire consequence of aggression displayed by children and youth with FASD and the limited number of studies, there is an urgent need for research on how to support families to manage this specific type of behavior in this population.