bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Study of Blended Learning Using Metaverse: Focusing on the Perception of Instructor and Learners
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Park Juhyeon , Han Songlee , Park Sungkyung , Kim Yungyoon
Published: May 2023

The purpose of this study is to present a case of operating a blended course using a Metaverse and examine the perceptions and satisfaction of the instructor and learners. To achieve this, 3 classes were conducted in a Metaverse for a general education course in the 2022-2 semester, with 1 instructor and 40 learners participating. The research results confirmed the potential of a Metaverse as a social communication space, the possibility of utilizing a Metaverse according to the characteristics of the curriculum, and the benefits of smooth interaction and learning interest. However, there were some challenges such as network instability and difficulties in using mobile devices. This study is significant in that it presents ways to effectively use a Metaverse based on the actual teaching and learning experiences of instructors and learners.
A Qualitative Study on Social Avoidance of SNS of Chinese Women in Their 20s: Focusing on In-depth Interview on Users of Samilgasi in WeChat Moment
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Yan Jieqiong , Na Misu
Published: May 2023

This study aims to examine the social networking avoidance phenomenon of Chinese women in their 20s who use Samilgasi in WeChat Moment. In-depth interviews were conducted on 15 Chinese women and drew the following results. First, interviewers used SNS as personal diaries and were practicing friend management by deleting WeChat friends. Secondly, the methods of social avoidance were the delay of messages, turning the alarm off and the use of automated replies. Finally, factors of social avoidance on SNS were the negative role of SNS in work or study, concerns about reputation or relationship management, and the violation of privacy. The results suggests that the negative roles of SNS can lead users to social avoidance by inducing SNS fatigue.
Analysis of the Effectiveness of Korean Language Education Programs for Foreign University Students using the Metaverse Platform
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Chu Gayoung , Ju Sueun
Published: May 2023

This study aims to analyze the learning effects and satisfaction changes in learners using metaverse-based educational programs and derive improvement plans. A survey was conducted on foreign university students participating in a metaverse-based Korean language education program. The results were compared and analyzed to measure the program's effectiveness and satisfaction differences. The study confirmed that the metaverse-based program effectively increased learner engagement and immersion. Blended metaverse classes showed higher learning outcomes and satisfaction than online metaverse and traditional classroom classes. The study suggests that educational institutions and educators consider implementing blended metaverse classes when developing and operating metaverse-based programs, which can provide more effective support for foreign university students learning Korean.
Social skills critical for success in elementary school: teachers and special educators’ perspective
Authors: Banković Slobodan , Branislav Brojčin , Vasilevska Petrovska Ivana , Antonijević Marina , Bukovica Aleksandra
Published: May 2023

Introduction Students with more advanced social skills are more likely to meet teacher expectations in terms of classroom behaviour and participation in the teaching and learning process. On the other hand, students with special educational needs (SEN) often have difficulties in developing these skills. Insight into social skills that teachers consider critical for the success of students in their classes enables better preparation of SEN students for inclusion in a mainstream environment. The purpose of this study is to determine which social skills are considered critical for classroom success by regular teachers who teach students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in inclusive classrooms and special educators in special schools.
Method The sample consists of 33 regular teachers and 57 special educators. The Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Teaching Form was used for data collection.
Results Both participant groups attributed the highest value to Cooperation skills, however skills related to Responsibility and Self-Control were also highly valued. Ratings of teachers and special educators differ significantly only for Empathy skills, with significantly lower values attributed by special educators. Significant differences between participants who teach in lower and upper elementary grades were found only for special educators, with a higher value for Assertion attributed by special educators in upper grades.
Conclusion Teachers and special educators place significant emphasis on social skills such as Cooperation, Responsibility, and Self-Control, which facilitate unhindered teaching and learning processes.
KOMPOSISI KIMIA IKAN TERI (Stolephorus sp.) ASIN YANG DIPASARKAN DI KOTA KENDARI PROVINSI SULAWESI TENGGARA
Authors: Effendy Waode Nilda Arifiana , Nadia Laode Muhamad Hazairin , Annaastasia Nurhuda , Huli La Ode , Hasidu La Ode Abdul Fajar
Published: May 2023

This study aims to determine the chemical composition of salted anchovies (Stolephorus sp.) were sold in 6 markets and 1 supermarket in Kendari City, Southeast Sulawesi Province. Parameters observed were chemical composition (moisture content, ash content, protein content and fat content). Data analysis in this study was descriptive with the aim to obtain an objective explanation of the test parameters.. The results showed that the water content of salted anchovies ranged from 17.85% -28.19%. Ash content ranged from 8.14% -14.93%, protein content was 24.41% -31.42% and fat content was 1.02% -1.26%. The results of this study provide information that the salted anchovies marketed in 6 markets and               1 supermarket in Kendari City, Southeast Sulawesi Province have different chemical compositions.Keywords: salted anchovy (Stolephorus sp.), chemical composition, market
KARAKTERISTIK ORGANOLEPTIK DAN KIMIA SOSIS BERBASIS SURIMI IKAN NILA (Oreochromis sp. ) DENGAN PENAMBAHAN ISOLAT PROTEIN KEDELAI
Authors: Nadia Laode Muhamad Hazairin , Huli La Ode , Cahyani Reni Tri , Nento Wila Rumina
Published: May 2023

ABSTRACTThis study aims to determine the concentration of the selected soy protein isolate (SPI) emulsifying agent (the most preferred by panelists) and chemical characteristics of tilapia surimi sausage. This study used a quantitative research method with a completely randomized design (CRD) model with one treatment factor, namely the addition of soy protein isolate (GPA), which consisted of 4 levels of treatment, each of which was repeated 3 times, the treatment was treatment A (control or without the addition of SPI), treatment B (12% SPI addition), C treatment (13% SPI addition) and D treatment (14% SPI addition). The organoleptic parameters tested were appearance, color, aroma, taste and texture, while the chemical parameters were emulsion test and proximate analysis (water content, ash, protein and fat). The results showed that the sausages were selected based on the hedonic test or preference for adding soy protein isolate concentration (GPA) of 12% with an appearance parameter value of 7.18 (like), color of 7.06 (like), taste of 7.38 (like). ), aroma of 6.48 (rather like) and texture of 7.02 (like). Sausages with the addition of 12% GPA concentration had chemical characteristics in the form of emulsion stability of 82.18% and proximate analysis of water, ash, protein and fat content respectively of 60.40%, 0.61%, 15.97% and 1 .60% (fulfills SNI 7755:2013). Keywords: soy protein isolate, organoleptic, tilapia surimi, sausageABSTRAKPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk menentukan konsentrasi bahan pengemulsi  isolat protein kedelai (IPK) terpilih (yang paling disukai panelis) dan karakteristik  kimia dari sosis surimi ikan nila. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian kuantitatif dengan model Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) satu faktor perlakuan yaitu penambahan isolat protein kedelai (IPK) yang terdiri dari 4 taraf perlakuan masing- masing dilakukan 3 kali pengulangan, perlakuannya yaitu perlakuan A (kontrol atau tanpa penambahan IPK), perlakuan B (penambahan IPK 12%) perlakuan C (penambahan IPK 13%) dan perlakuan D (penambahan IPK 14%). Parameter organoleptik yang diuji yaitu kenampakan, warna, aroma, rasa dan tekstur, sedangkan parameter kimia yaitu uji emulsi dan analisis proksimat (kadar air, abu, protein dan lemak). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa sosis terpilih berdasarkan uji hedonik atau kesukaan penambahan konsentrasi isolat protein kedelai (IPK) sebesar 12% dengan nilai parameter kenampakan sebesar 7,18 (suka), warna sebesar 7,06 (suka), rasa sebesar 7,38 (suka), aroma sebesar 6,48 (agak suka) dan tekstur sebesar 7,02 (suka). Sosis dengan penambahan konsentrasi IPK 12% memiliki karakteristik kimia berupa stabilitas emulsi sebesar 82,18% dan analisis proksimat kadar air, abu, protein dan lemak secara berturut-turut sebesar 60,40%, 0,61%, 15,97% dan 1,60% (memenuhi SNI 7755:2013). Kata Kunci: isolat protein kedelai, organoleptik, surimi ikan nila, sosis
The Effect of Using Turmeric as a Marinating Material on the Quality of Smoked Scad Fish (Decapterus macrosoma)
Authors: Saleh Nur , Asnani Asnani , Nadia Laode Muhamad Hazairin
Published: May 2023

This study aims to determine the effect of using turmeric as a marinade on sensory values, TVB and proximate composition of smoked flying fish. The experimental design used in this study was a completely randomized design (CRD) consisting of 4 treatments and 3 replications each, the treatments were A (control or 0% turmeric concentration), B (5% turmeric concentration), C ( turmeric concentration 10%) and D (turmeric concentration 15%). Data were analyzed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at the 95% level of confidence. Parameters observed were sensory analysis (appearance, smell, taste and texture), total volatile base (TVB) and proximate analysis (moisture content and protein content). The results of the study using turmeric as a marinade for smoked flying fish were significantly different in terms of appearance and taste (P<0.05), but the smell and texture were not significantly different (P>0.05). The selected treatment was treatment D (turmeric concentration 15%) with the average values of appearance, smell, taste and texture of 8.8, 7.8, 8.2 and 8.0 respectively. The use of turmeric in smoked flying fish did not have a significantly different effect on TVB, protein and water content (P>0.05). The TVB value of treatment D (selected treatment with 15% turmeric concentration) was 4.48 mg N/100 g which had a lower TVB value compared to smoked flying fish treatment A (control or 0% turmeric concentration) namely 9.80 mg N/ 100 gr and still suitable for consumption with a TVB value of 4.48 mg N/100 g. The water content value of smoked flying fish treatment D, namely 51.77%, had a lower water content value compared to treatment A, which was 52.32%, while the protein content showed that treatment D, which was 41.15%, had a higher protein content value than treatment A is 40.23%.
Karakteristik Mie Kering Dengan Penambahan Tepung Tulang Ikan Bandeng (Chanos Chanos)
Authors: Setiawati Aisyah Rahma , Haryati Sakinah , Surilayani Dini , Munandar Aris
Published: May 2023

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menentukan karakteristik tepung tulang ikan bandeng untuk mendapatkan kualitas mie kering terbaik dan membuktikan pengaruh perbedaan konsentrasi tepung tulang ikan bandeng terhadap sifat fisik, kimia dan organoleptik pada produk mie kering. Penelitian ini menggunakan satu faktor perlakuan yaitu penambahan tepung tulang ikan bandeng dengan 2 kali ulangan. Konsentrasi penambahan tepung tulang ikan bandeng adalah : 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% dan 20%. Karakteristik mie kering dengan nilai penambahan tepung tulang bandeng tertinggi adalah warna 6,52% (agak suka), aroma 6,48% (agak suka), tekstur 5,45% (netral), rasa 5,64% (agak suka), kadar air 5,05%, Kadar abu 9,85%, kadar protein 14,91%, kadar kalsium 2351,51 mg dan daya serap air 120,36%. Pada penelitian ini perlakuan yang menjadi pilihan adalah penambahan tepung tulang ikan bandeng sebanyak 20%, karena memiliki kandungan protein tertinggi pada mie kering.
EKSTRAKSI DAN KARAKTERISASI KARAGENAN KAPPAPHYCUS ALVAREZII DARI PERAIRAN TELUK LUAR PANTAI WANTOPI YANG DIPANEN PADA UMUR YANG BERBEDA
Authors: Jayanti Fitri Nur , Kasim Ma"ruf , Asnani Asnani
Published: May 2023

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh umur panen dan konsentrasi KOH yang berbeda terhadap nilai rendemen karagenan rumput laut K. alvarezii yang diambil dari perairan Teluk Luar Pantai Wantopi serta mengetahui kualitas mutu dari karagenan rumput laut K. alvarezii yang memiliki nilai rendemen tertinggi. Parameter yang diuji yaitu rendemen, kadar abu, kadar sulfat dan kekuatan gel. Rancangan penelitian yang digunakan  yaitu Rancangan Acak lengkap (RAL) dengan dua faktor utama  yaitu umur panen dengan 3 taraf, yaitu umur panen 15 hari, 20 hari, dan 25 hari, serta konsentrasi pelarut KOH dengan 2 taraf, yaitu konsentrasi KOH (6%) dan konsentrasi KOH (8%) dengan 2 kali ulangan sehingga terdapat 12 unit percobaan. Hasil penelitian yang diperoleh menunjukan bahwa perbedaan umur panen memberikan pengaruh nyata dan konsentrasi KOH memberikan pengaruh tidak nyata terhadap rendemen karagenan rumput laut K. alvarezii, serta kualitas mutu dari karagenan rumput laut K. alvarezii yang memiliki nilai rendemen tertinggi telah memenuhi standar yang ditetapkan oleh FAO, EEC dan FCC. Kandungan rendemen karagenan berkisar antara 26,02 - 38,72%, dengan nilai tertinggi diperoleh dari perlakuan umur panen 25 hari dan konsentrasi KOH 6%. Kualitas mutu karagenan dengan nilai rendemen tertinggi yaitu kadar abu sebesar 17,02%, kadar sulfat 25,47% dan kekuatan gel sebesar 124,66 g/cm2.Kata kunci: Kappaphycus alvarezii, teluk luar, karagenan, rendemen, kadar abu, kadar sulfat, kekuatan gel.
Editorial
Authors: Souza Thais Regina Ravazi de , Santos João Marcelo de Almeida
Published: May 2023

A Revista REBESDE é um repositório acadêmico com o intuito de fomentar a cientificidade com a publicação de artigos originais e de revisão. Sendo este um espaço para que os pesquisadores passam partilhar de suas pesquisas em prol de suas comunidades e sociedade em geral. Desta forma, é com grande satisfação que lançamos uma nova edição, o volume dois do ano de 2022. Neste volume damos continuidade a publicação de artigos originais e de revisão, discutindo temas relacionado a Educação Física, Saúde e Desempenho Humano. Portanto, esta edição visa trabalhos voltados para a area da saúde, exercício físico e de avaliação física, sendo estes diretamente relacionados com o universo da Educação Física. Contamos também com um artigo em inglês denoinado “Swiming trainig load control: an integrated approach”, as publicações em lingua estrangeira propiciam uma globalização de assuntos que seriam compreendidos apenas no país de publicação, desta forma a REBESDE entende a importância dos trabalhos em lingua estrangeira e incentiva as suas realizações. A revista REBESDE almeja ser um fonte de dados de excelencia de forma a fomentar o incentivo a pesquisa e que contribua para o crescimento de seus pesquisadores. A REBESDE reafirma seu compromisso com as pesquisas relacionadas a Educação Física, Saúde e Desempenho no âmbito da graduação, da pós-graduação ou da intervenção. Boa leitura a todos!
Reducing the muscle activity of walking using a portable hip exoskeleton based on human-in-the-loop optimization
Authors: Xu Linghui , Liu Xiaoguang , Chen Yuting , Yu Linfan , Yan Zehao , Yang Canjun , Zhou Congcong , Yang Wei
Published: May 2023

Introduction: Human-in-the-loop optimization has made great progress to improve the performance of wearable robotic devices and become an effective customized assistance strategy. However, a lengthy period (several hours) of continuous walking for iterative optimization for each individual makes it less practical, especially for disabled people, who may not endure this process.

Methods: In this paper, we provide a muscle-activity-based human-in-the-loop optimization strategy that can reduce the time spent on collecting biosignals during each iteration from around 120 s to 25 s. Both Bayesian and Covariance Matrix Adaptive Evolution Strategy (CMA-ES) optimization algorithms were adopted on a portable hip exoskeleton to generate optimal assist torque patterns, optimizing rectus femoris muscle activity. Four volunteers were recruited for exoskeleton-assisted walking trials.

Results and Discussion: As a result, using human-in-the-loop optimization led to muscle activity reduction of 33.56% and 41.81% at most when compared to walking without and with the hip exoskeleton, respectively. Furthermore, the results of human-in-the-loop optimization indicate that three out of four participants achieved superior outcomes compared to the predefined assistance patterns. Interestingly, during the optimization stage, the order of the two typical optimizers, i.e., Bayesian and CMA-ES, did not affect the optimization results. The results of the experiment have confirmed that the assistance pattern generated by muscle-activity-based human-in-the-loop strategy is superior to predefined assistance patterns, and this strategy can be achieved more rapidly than the one based on metabolic cost.
Genome analysis for the identification of genes involved in phenanthrene biodegradation pathway in Stenotrophomonas indicatrix CPHE1. Phenanthrene mineralization in soils assisted by integrated approaches
Authors: Lara-Moreno Alba , Merchán Francisco , Morillo Esmeralda , Zampolli Jessica , Di Gennaro Patrizia , Villaverde Jaime
Published: May 2023

Phenanthrene (PHE) is a highly toxic compound, widely present in soils. For this reason, it is essential to remove PHE from the environment. Stenotrophomonas indicatrix CPHE1 was isolated from an industrial soil contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and was sequenced to identify the PHE degrading genes. Dioxygenase, monooxygenase, and dehydrogenase gene products annotated in S. indicatrix CPHE1 genome were clustered into different trees with reference proteins. Moreover, S. indicatrix CPHE1 whole-genome sequences were compared to genes of PAHs-degrading bacteria retrieved from databases and literature. On these basis, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis pointed out that cysteine dioxygenase (cysDO), biphenyl-2,3-diol 1,2-dioxygenase (bphC), and aldolase hydratase (phdG) were expressed only in the presence of PHE. Therefore, different techniques have been designed to improve the PHE mineralization process in five PHE artificially contaminated soils (50 mg kg−1), including biostimulation, adding a nutrient solution (NS), bioaugmentation, inoculating S. indicatrix CPHE1 which was selected for its PHE-degrading genes, and the use of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) as a bioavailability enhancer. High percentages of PHE mineralization were achieved for the studied soils. Depending on the soil, different treatments resulted to be successful; in the case of a clay loam soil, the best strategy was the inoculation of S. indicatrix CPHE1 and NS (59.9% mineralized after 120 days). In sandy soils (CR and R soils) the highest percentage of mineralization was achieved in presence of HPBCD and NS (87.3% and 61.3%, respectively). However, the combination of CPHE1 strain, HPBCD, and NS showed to be the most efficient strategy for sandy and sandy loam soils (LL and ALC soils showed 35% and 74.6%, respectively). The results indicated a high degree of correlation between gene expression and the rates of mineralization.
Cross-species microbial genome transfer: a Review
Authors: Zhu Mei-Chen , Cui You-Zhi , Wang Jun-Yi , Xu Hui , Li Bing-Zhi , Yuan Ying-Jin
Published: May 2023

Synthetic biology combines the disciplines of biology, chemistry, information science, and engineering, and has multiple applications in biomedicine, bioenergy, environmental studies, and other fields. Synthetic genomics is an important area of synthetic biology, and mainly includes genome design, synthesis, assembly, and transfer. Genome transfer technology has played an enormous role in the development of synthetic genomics, allowing the transfer of natural or synthetic genomes into cellular environments where the genome can be easily modified. A more comprehensive understanding of genome transfer technology can help to extend its applications to other microorganisms. Here, we summarize the three host platforms for microbial genome transfer, review the recent advances that have been made in genome transfer technology, and discuss the obstacles and prospects for the development of genome transfer.
Acceptability of strata title in Brunei Darussalam: an integrated solution to sustainable living
Authors: Omar Mohd Don , Ali Qaisar
Published: May 2023

The recent traction in strata title living (STL) has addressed legal, regulatory, and governance issues to a certain extent. Despite addressing these underlying issues, the acceptance of STL remains low due to the low understanding of the features shaping residents’ perceptions and expectations. Accordingly, this study aims to explore the features of STL and examine how they contribute to enhancing the acceptance of STL (ASTL). Considering STL as an innovative living arrangement, we use the diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory to categorize the factors affecting 201 Bruneian residents’ perceptions of STL. The data collection was done through a self-administrated survey questionnaire and the collected data was analyzed using SPSS software. The findings reveal that perceptions of resource facilitation, relative advantages, and compatibility features of STL have the highest effect on ASTL. Whereas, perceptions of trialability, complexity, and observability have the lowest effect on ASTL. This study contributes to developing commercialization strategies for ST properties by understanding the features affecting the perceptions of ST residents.
Phase-contrast imaging with synchrotron hard X-ray reveals the effect of icariin on bone tissue morphology and microstructure in rabbits with early glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head
Authors: Yang Xu , Shi Lijun , Li Aifeng , Gao Fuqiang , Sun Wei , Li Zirong
Published: May 2023

Background: Phase-contrast imaging (PCI) with synchrotron hard X-ray was used to observe the changes in bone tissue morphology and microstructure in rabbit models of early glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH), and to evaluate the intervention effect of Icariin.

Methods: Fifty mature New Zealand rabbits (weighing 2.5–3.0 kg) were randomly divided into a control group (n = 10), a glucocorticoid group (n = 20), and an Icariin group (n = 20). The glucocorticoid group and the Icariin group were sequentially injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and methylprednisolone (MPS) to establish a glucocorticoid-induced ONFH animal model. The Icariin group was given Icariin solution when methylprednisolone was injected for the first time, and the control group and glucocorticoid group were given the same amount of normal saline. Animals were sacrificed after 6 weeks, and bilateral femoral head specimens were taken for research. The right femoral head was observed by PCI with synchrotron hard X-ray technology, and the left femoral head was verified by Micro-CT scanning and HE staining.

Results: Forty-three animals (nine in the control group, sixteen in the glucocorticoid group, and eighteen in the Icariin group) were included in the study. PCI with synchrotron hard X-ray revealed that the trabecular bone in the glucocorticoid group was thinned, broken, and structurally damaged, whereas the trabecular bone in the Icariin group had normal volume, thickness, and a relatively intact structure. Micro-CT scan reconstruction and HE staining were used to verify the reliability of this technique in identifying osteonecrosis.

Conclusion: The effects of Icariin were observed in an early glucocorticoid-induced ONFH rabbit model using PCI with synchrotron hard X-ray. Icariin weakens the destructive effect of glucocorticoids on bone tissue structure, improves bone tissue morphology, and stabilizes bone microstructure. This technique may provide a definitive, non-invasive alternative to histological examination for the diagnosis of early ONFH.
The mechanisms and diagnostic potential of lncRNAs, miRNAs, and their related signaling pathways in cervical cancer
Authors: Xu Yan , Sun Yu , Song Xiaobin , Ren Jian
Published: May 2023

Cervical cancer (CC), the fourth most prevalent type of cancer among women worldwide, is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Due to the long period of latency in CC, most patients are already in the middle to late stages when initially diagnosed, which greatly reduces the clinical cure rate and quality of survival, thus resulting in poor outcomes. In recent years, with continuous exploration in the fields of bioinformatics and molecules, it has been found that ncRNAs, including miRNAs and lncRNAs, without the ability to translate proteins are capable of activating or inhibiting certain signaling pathways by targeting and modulating the level of expression of proteins involved in these signaling pathways. ncRNAs play important roles in assisting with diagnosis, drug administration, and prediction of prognosis during CC progression. As an entry point, the mechanisms of interaction between miRNAs, lncRNAs, and signaling pathways have long been a focus in basic research relating to CC, and numerous experimental studies have confirmed the close relationship of miRNAs, lncRNAs, and signaling pathways with CC development. Against this background, we summarize the latest advances in the involvement of lncRNA- and miRNA-related signaling pathways in the development of CC to provide guidance for CC treatment.
Unorthodox localization of P2X7 receptor in subcellular compartments of skeletal system cells
Authors: Penolazzi Letizia , Notarangelo Maria Pina , Lambertini Elisabetta , Vultaggio-Poma Valentina , Tarantini Mario , Di Virgilio Francesco , Piva Roberta
Published: May 2023

Identifying the subcellular localization of a protein within a cell is often an essential step in understanding its function. The main objective of this report was to determine the presence of the P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) in healthy human cells of skeletal system, specifically osteoblasts (OBs), chondrocytes (Chs) and intervertebral disc (IVD) cells. This receptor is a member of the ATP-gated ion channel family, known to be a main sensor of extracellular ATP, the prototype of the danger signal released at sites of tissue damage, and a ubiquitous player in inflammation and cancer, including bone and cartilaginous tissues. Despite overwhelming data supporting a role in immune cell responses and tumor growth and progression, a complete picture of the pathophysiological functions of P2X7R, especially when expressed by non-immune cells, is lacking. Here we show that human wild-type P2X7R (P2X7A) was expressed in different samples of human osteoblasts, chondrocytes and intervertebral disc cells. By fluorescence microscopy (LM) and immunogold transmission electron microscopy we localized P2X7R not only in the canonical sites (plasma membrane and cytoplasm), but also in the nucleus of all the 3 cell types, especially IVD cells and OBs. P2X7R mitochondrial immunoreactivity was predominantly detected in OBs and IVD cells, but not in Chs. Evidence of subcellular localization of P2X7R may help to i. understand the participation of P2X7R in as yet unidentified signaling pathways in the joint and bone microenvironment, ii. identify pathologies associated with P2X7R mislocalization and iii. design specific targeted therapies.
A chatbot for mental health support: exploring the impact of Emohaa on reducing mental distress in China
Authors: Sabour Sahand , Zhang Wen , Xiao Xiyao , Zhang Yuwei , Zheng Yinhe , Wen Jiaxin , Zhao Jialu , Huang Minlie
Published: May 2023

Introduction

The growing demand for mental health support has highlighted the importance of conversational agents as human supporters worldwide and in China. These agents could increase availability and reduce the relative costs of mental health support. The provided support can be divided into two main types: cognitive and emotional. Existing work on this topic mainly focuses on constructing agents that adopt Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) principles. Such agents operate based on pre-defined templates and exercises to provide cognitive support. However, research on emotional support using such agents is limited. In addition, most of the constructed agents operate in English, highlighting the importance of conducting such studies in China. To this end, we introduce Emohaa, a conversational agent that provides cognitive support through CBT-Bot exercises and guided conversations. It also emotionally supports users through ES-Bot, enabling them to vent their emotional problems. In this study, we analyze the effectiveness of Emohaa in reducing symptoms of mental distress.

Methods and Results

Following the RCT design, the current study randomly assigned participants into three groups: Emohaa (CBT-Bot), Emohaa (Full), and control. With both Intention-To-Treat (N=247) and PerProtocol (N=134) analyses, the results demonstrated that compared to the control group, participants who used two types of Emohaa experienced considerably more significant improvements in symptoms of mental distress, including depression (F[2,244]=6.26, p=0.002), negative affect (F[2,244]=6.09, p=0.003), and insomnia (F[2,244]=3.69, p=0.026).

Discussion

Based on the obtained results and participants’ satisfaction with the platform, we concluded that Emohaa is a practical and effective tool for reducing mental distress.
Predicting 18F-FDG SUVs of metastatic pulmonary nodes from CT images in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer by using a convolutional neural network
Authors: Ju Nianting , Nie Liangbing , Wang Yang , Hou Liying , Li Chengfan , Ding Xuehai , Luo Quanyong , Shen Chentian
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The aim of this study was to predict standard uptake values (SUVs) from computed tomography (CT) images of patients with lung metastases from differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC-LM).

Methods

We proposed a novel SUVs prediction model using 18-layer Residual Network for generating SUVmax, SUVmean, SUVmin of metastatic pulmonary nodes from CT images of patients with DTC-LM. Nuclear medicine specialists outlined the metastatic pulmonary as primary set. The best model parameters were obtained after five-fold cross-validation on the training and validation set, further evaluated in independent test set. Mean absolute error (MAE), mean squared error (MSE), and mean relative error (MRE) were used to assess the performance of regression task. Specificity, sensitivity, F1 score, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy were used for classification task. The correlation between predicted and actual SUVs was analyzed.

Results

A total of 3407 nodes from 74 patients with DTC-LM were collected in this study. On the independent test set, the average MAE, MSE and MRE was 0.3843, 1.0133, 0.3491 respectively, and the accuracy was 88.26%. Our proposed model achieved high metric scores (MAE=0.3843, MSE=1.0113, MRE=34.91%) compared with other backbones. The predicted SUVmax (R2 = 0.8987), SUVmean (R2 = 0.8346), SUVmin (R2 = 0.7373) were all significantly correlated with actual SUVs.

Conclusion

The novel approach proposed in this study provides new ideas for the application of predicting SUVs for metastatic pulmonary nodes in DTC patients.
Diabetes as a risk factor of death in hospitalized COVID-19 patients – an analysis of a National Hospitalization Database from Poland, 2020
Authors: Kania Michal , Koń Beata , Kamiński Konrad , Hohendorff Jerzy , Witek Przemysław , Klupa Tomasz , Malecki Maciej T.
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Diabetes is one of the comorbidities associated with poor prognosis in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. In this nationwide retrospective study, we evaluated the risk of in-hospital death attributed to diabetes.

Methods

We analyzed data from discharge reports of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in 2020 as submitted to the Polish National Health Fund. Several multivariate logistic regression models were used. In each model, in-hospital death was estimated with explanatory variables. Models were built either on the whole cohorts or cohorts matched with propensity score matching (PSM). The models examined either the main effects of diabetes itself or the interaction of diabetes with other variables.

Results

We included 174,621 patients with COVID-19 who were hospitalized in the year 2020. Among them, there were 40,168 diabetic patients (DPs), and the proportion of DPs in this group was higher than in the general population (23.0% vs. 9.5%, p<0.001). In this group of COVID-19 hospitalizations, 17,438 in-hospital deaths were recorded, and the mortality was higher among DPs than non-diabetics (16.3% vs. 8.1%, p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regressions showed that diabetes was a risk factor of death, regardless of sex and age. In the main effect analysis, odds of in-hospital death were higher by 28.3% for DPs than for non-diabetic patients. Similarly, PSM analysis including 101,578 patients, of whom 19,050 had diabetes, showed that the risk of death was higher in DPs regardless of sex with odds higher by 34.9%. The impact of diabetes differed among age groups and was the highest for patients aged 60-69.

Conclusions

This nationwide study confirmed that diabetes was an independent risk factor of in-hospital death in the course of COVID-19 infection. However, the relative risk differed across the age groups.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of serplulimab plus chemotherapy in the first-line treatment for PD-L1-positive esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in China
Authors: Liu Shixian , Jiang Nana , Dou Lei , Li Shunping
Published: May 2023

Objective

The ASTRUM-007 trial (NCT03958890) demonstrated that serplulimab plus chemotherapy administered every 2-week significantly improved progression-free and overall survival in patients with previously untreated, programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) positive advanced esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC). This study was aimed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of serplulimab plus chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of PD-L1-positive advanced ESCC.

Methods

A partitioned survival model with a 2-week cycle and a 10-year time horizon was constructed from the Chinese healthcare system perspective. The survival data, direct medical costs and utilities were derived from the ASTRUM-007 trial, YAOZHI database and published sources. Total costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated. Scenario, one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the uncertainty around model parameters.

Results

Compared with chemotherapy, serplulimab plus chemotherapy provided additional 0.27 QALYs with an incremental cost of $33,460.86, which had an ICER of $124,483.07 per QALY. The subgroup analyses revealed that the ICERs of serplulimab plus chemotherapy were $134,637.42 and $105,589.71 in advanced ESCC patients with 1 ≤ CPS < 10 and CPS ≥ 10, respectively. The price of serplulimab, patient weight, utility values and discount rate were the most influential parameters on base-case results. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of three times per capita GDP ($40,587.59) in 2022, the probability of serplulimab plus chemotherapy being cost-effective was 0% compared with chemotherapy. When the price of serplulimab decreased by 70%, the probabilities of serplulimab plus chemotherapy being cost-effective were 81.42%, 67.74% and 96.75% in advanced ESCC patients with PD-L1-positive, PD-L1 1≤CPS<10 and CPS≥10, respectively.

Conclusion

Serplulimab plus chemotherapy in the first-line treatment for PD-L1-positive advanced ESCC might not be cost-effective in China.
Data driven three-dimensional temperature and salinity anomaly reconstruction of the northwest Pacific Ocean
Authors: Chen Yuanhong , Liu Li , Chen Xueen , Wei Zhiqiang , Sun Xiang , Yuan Chunxin , Gao Zhen
Published: May 2023

By virtue of the rapid development of ocean observation technologies, tens of petabytes of data archives have been recorded, among which, the largest portion are those derived from the orbital satellites, embodying the character of ocean surface. Nevertheless, the insufficiency of information below the subsurface restricts the utilization of these data and the understanding of ocean dynamics. To circumvent these difficulties, we present the spatially three-dimensional reconstruction of ocean hydrographic profiles at depth based on the satellites and in-situ measurement data. In this manuscript, long short-term memory network (LSTM) and Gaussian process regression (GPR) methods are invoked to predict the temperature and salinity profiles in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and to improve computational and storage efficiency, the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) method is subtly incorporated into these two models. LSTM and GPR show satisfactory results, with the root mean square error (RMSE) of temperature is less than 1.45, and the RMSE of salinity is less than 0.19. The incorporation of the POD method substantially accelerates efficiency, particularly in the LSTM model, which improves 7.5-fold without significant accuracy loss. The sensitivity of different sea surface parameters on the reconstructed profiles reveals that sea surface height anomaly and latitude significantly influence the reconstruction of temperature anomaly (TA) and salinity anomaly (SA) profiles. Besides, sea surface salinity and sea surface temperature anomalies can improve the model's estimation ability for the upper TAs and SAs, respectively. The contribution of monthly climatology to temperature and salinity profile estimation is also explored in this paper. It is shown that adding monthly mean climatology to the input of the model can achieve more accurate estimates.
Case report: A combined immunotherapy strategy as a promising therapy for MSI-H colorectal carcinomas with multiple HPD risk factors
Authors: Zhang Jinli , Yang Lu , Kong Fanwei , Wu Di , Hu Baoru , Yang Jie , He Jiaxin , Liu Lei
Published: May 2023

Approximately 5% of advanced colorectal carcinomas (CRCs) and 12–15% of early CRCs are microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) tumors. Nowadays, PD-L1 inhibitors or combined CTLA4 inhibitors are the major strategies for advanced or metastatic MSI-H colorectal cancer, but some people still show drug resistance or progression. Combined immunotherapy has been shown to expand the benefit population in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and other tumors while reducing the incidence of hyper-progression disease (HPD). Nevertheless, advanced CRC with MSI-H remains rare. In this article, we describe a case of an elder patient with MSI-H advanced CRC carrying MDM4 amplification and DNMT3A co-mutation who responded to sintilimab plus bevacizumab and chemotherapy as the first-line treatment without obvious immune-related toxicity. Our case provides a new treatment option for MSI-H CRC with multiple risk factors of HPD and highlights the importance of predictive biomarkers in personalized immunotherapy.
milR20 negatively regulates the development of fruit bodies in Pleurotus cornucopiae
Authors: Qi Yuhui , Huang Chenyang , Zhao Mengran , Wu Xiangli , Li Guangyu , Zhang Yingjie , Zhang Lijiao
Published: May 2023

The mechanism underlying the development of fruit bodies in edible mushroom is a widely studied topic. In this study, the role of milRNAs in the development of fruit bodies of Pleurotus cornucopiae was studied by comparative analyses of the mRNAs and milRNAs at different stages of development. The genes that play a crucial role in the expression and function of milRNAs were identified and subsequently expressed and silenced at different stages of development. The total number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed milRNAs (DEMs) at different stages of development was determined to be 7,934 and 20, respectively. Comparison of the DEGs and DEMs across the different development stages revealed that DEMs and its target DEGs involved in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, endocytosis, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, RNA transport, and other metabolism pathways, which may play important roles in the development of the fruit bodies of P. cornucopiae. The function of milR20, which targeted pheromone A receptor g8971 and was involved in the MAPK signaling pathway, was further verified by overexpression and silencing in P. cornucopiae. The results demonstrated that the overexpression of milR20 reduced the growth rate of mycelia and prolonged the development of the fruit bodies, while milR20 silencing had an opposite effect. These findings indicated that milR20 plays a negative role in the development of P. cornucopiae. This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanism underlying the development of fruit bodies in P. cornucopiae.
Dynamic model assuming mutually inhibitory biomarkers of frailty suggests bistability with contrasting mobility phenotypes
Authors: Schaumburger Nathan , Pally Joel , Moraru Ion I. , Kositsawat Jatupol , Kuchel George A. , Blinov Michael L.
Published: May 2023

Bistability is a fundamental biological phenomenon associated with “switch-like” behavior reflecting the capacity of a system to exist in either of two stable states. It plays a role in gene regulation, cell fate switch, signal transduction and cell oscillation, with relevance for cognition, hearing, vision, sleep, gait and voiding. Here we consider a potential role for bistability in the existence of specific frailty states or phenotypes as part of disablement pathways. We use mathematical modeling with two frailty biomarkers (insulin growth factor-1, IGF-1 and interleukin-6, IL-6), which mutually inhibit each other. In our model, we demonstrate that small variations around critical IGF-1 or IL-6 blood levels lead to strikingly different mobility outcomes. We employ deterministic modeling of mobility outcomes, calculating the average trends in population health. Our model predicts the bistability of clinical outcomes: the deterministically-computed likelihood of an individual remaining mobile, becoming less mobile, or dying over time either increases to almost 100% or decreases to almost zero. Contrary to statistical models that attempt to estimate the likelihood of final outcomes based on probabilities and correlations, our model predicts functional outcomes over time based on specific hypothesized molecular mechanisms. Instead of estimating probabilities based on stochastic distributions and arbitrary priors, we deterministically simulate model outcomes over a wide range of physiological parameter values within experimentally derived boundaries. Our study is “a proof of principle” as it is based on a major assumption about mutual inhibition of pathways that is oversimplified. However, by making such an assumption, interesting effects can be described qualitatively. As our understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in aging deepens, we believe that such modeling will not only lead to more accurate predictions, but also help move the field from using mostly studies of associations to mechanistically guided approaches.
Prediction of recurrence of ischemic stroke within 1 year of discharge based on machine learning MRI radiomics
Authors: Liu Jianmo , Wu Yifan , Jia Weijie , Han Mengqi , Chen Yongsen , Li Jingyi , Wu Bin , Yin Shujuan , Zhang Xiaolin , Chen Jibiao , Yu Pengfei , Luo Haowen , Tu Jianglong , Zhou Fan , Cheng Xuexin , Yi Yingping
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the value of a machine learning-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics model in predicting the risk of recurrence within 1 year following an acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Methods

The MRI and clinical data of 612 patients diagnosed with AIS at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from March 1, 2019, to March 5, 2021, were obtained. The patients were divided into recurrence and non-recurrence groups according to whether they had a recurrent stroke within 1 year after discharge. Randomized splitting was used to divide the data into training and validation sets using a ratio of 7:3. Two radiologists used the 3D-slicer software to label the lesions on brain diffusion-weighted (DWI) MRI sequences. Radiomics features were extracted from the annotated images using the pyradiomics software package, and the features were filtered using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression analysis. Four machine learning algorithms, logistic regression (LR), Support Vector Classification (SVC), LightGBM, and Random forest (RF), were used to construct a recurrence prediction model. For each algorithm, three models were constructed based on the MRI radiomics features, clinical features, and combined MRI radiomics and clinical features. The sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) were used to compare the predictive efficacy of the models.

Results

Twenty features were selected from 1,037 radiomics features extracted from DWI images. The LightGBM model based on data with three different features achieved the best prediction accuracy from all 4 models in the validation set. The LightGBM model based solely on radiomics features achieved a sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 0.65, 0.671, and 0.647, respectively, and the model based on clinical data achieved a sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 0.7, 0.799, 0.735, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of the LightGBM model base on both radiomics and clinical features achieved the best performance with a sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 0.85, 0.805, 0.789, respectively.

Conclusion

The ischemic stroke recurrence prediction model based on LightGBM achieved the best prediction of recurrence within 1 year following an AIS. The combination of MRI radiomics features and clinical data improved the prediction performance of the model.
Update on MRI in pediatric intracranial germ cell tumors—The clinical and radiological features
Authors: Yang Mingwen , Wang Jian , Zhang Lin , Liu Jungang
Published: May 2023

Intracranial germ cell tumors (iGCTs) are uncommon brain tumors that mainly occur in children. Differing in histology, location, and gender of the patients, iGCTs are often divided into germinomas and non-germinomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCTs). Early diagnosis and timely treatment are crucial to iGCTs, the subtypes of which have substantial variations. This review summarized the clinical and radiological features of iGCTs at different sites, and reviewed the recent advances in neuroimaging of iGCTs, which can help predict tumor subtypes early and guide clinical decision-making.