bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Different ways to forget: Electrophysiological mechanisms underlying item-method directed forgetting of angry and neutral faces
Authors: Kissler Johanna , Hauswald Anne
Published: September 2022

Emotional stimuli, including faces, receive preferential processing and are consequently better remembered than neutral stimuli. Therefore, they may also be more resistant to intentional forgetting. The present study investigates the behavioral and electrophysiological consequences of instructions to selectively remember or forget angry and neutral faces. In an item-method directed forgetting experiment, angry and neutral faces were randomly presented to 25 student participants (4 males). Each face was followed by an instruction to either forget or remember it and the participants’ EEG was recorded. Later, recognition memory was unexpectedly tested for all items. Behaviorally, both hit and false alarm rates were higher for angry alike than for neutral faces. Directed forgetting occurred for neutral and angry faces as reflected in a reduction of both recognition accuracy and response bias. Event-related potentials revealed a larger late positive potential (LPP, 450 – 700 ms) for angry than for neutral faces during face presentation and, in line with selective rehearsal of remember items, a larger LPP following remember than forget cues. Forget cues generally elicited a larger frontal N2 (280 – 400 ms) than remember cues, in line with the forget instruction eliciting conflict monitoring and inhibition. Selectively following angry faces, a larger cue-evoked P2 (180 – 280 ms) was observed. Notably, forget cues following angry faces elicited a larger late frontal positivity (450 - 700 ms) potentially signaling conflict resolution. Thus, whereas both angry and neutral faces are subject to directed forgetting, on a neural level, different mechanisms underlie the effect. While directed forgetting for neutral faces may be achieved primarily by selective rehearsal, directed forgetting of angry faces involves an additional late frontal positivity, likely reflecting higher cognitive demands imposed by forgetting angry faces.
Progressive distribution adapted neural networks for cross-corpus speech emotion recognition
Authors: Zong Yuan , Lian Hailun , Zhang Jiacheng , Feng Ercui , Lu Cheng , Chang Hongli , Tang Chuangao
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we investigate a challenging but interesting task in the research of speech emotion recognition (SER), i.e., cross-corpus SER. Unlike the conventional SER, the training (source) and testing (target) samples in cross-corpus SER come from different speech corpora, which results in a feature distribution mismatch between them. Hence, the performance of most existing SER methods may sharply decrease. To cope with this problem, we propose a simple yet effective deep transfer learning method called progressive distribution adapted neural networks (PDAN). PDAN employs convolutional neural networks (CNN) as the backbone and the speech spectrum as the inputs to achieve an end-to-end learning framework. More importantly, its basic idea for solving cross-corpus SER is very straightforward, i.e., enhancing the backbone's corpus invariant feature learning ability by incorporating a progressive distribution adapted regularization term into the original loss function to guide the network training. To evaluate the proposed PDAN, extensive cross-corpus SER experiments on speech emotion corpora including EmoDB, eNTERFACE, and CASIA are conducted. Experimental results showed that the proposed PDAN outperforms most well-performing deep and subspace transfer learning methods in dealing with the cross-corpus SER tasks.
Metabolic assessment of cerebral palsy with normal clinical MRI using 18F-FDG PET imaging: A preliminary report
Authors: Wu Ruimin , Gao Yan , Zhang Huaqiong , Chen Yijia , Tan Fan , Zeng Daobing , Wan Huabing , Yang Yi , Gu Jiaowei , Pei Zhijun
Published: September 2022

To explore the cerebral metabolic patterns of cerebral palsy (CP) patients without structural abnormalities by brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, we evaluated 18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) imaging features in patients. Thirty-one children with CP [Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels II-V] showing no structural abnormalities by MRI were enrolled in this study. Regional glucose metabolic activity values were calculated using Scenium software and compared between the right and left cerebral hemispheres. These comparisons revealed asymmetric metabolic reductions in the central region, cerebellum, frontal lobe, and parietal lobe (p < 0.01). We next determined whether averaged brain metabolic activity values in different brain regions correlated with GMFCS levels. The metabolic activity values of basal ganglia, left temporal lobe, and cerebellum correlated negatively with GMFCS scores (all p < 0.05). This method was applied to the left cerebellum, which showed higher metabolic activity values than those in the right cerebellum in most patients (83.8%), and these values also correlated negatively with GMFCS scores (Spearman's r = −0.36, p = 0.01). Differential cortical glucose metabolism by 18F-FDG PET, may help to distinguish between different CP diagnoses that are not detected by MRI.
Non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio is associated with carotid plaque stability in general population: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Wang Anran , Li Yapeng , Zhou Lue , Liu Kai , Li Shaohua , Zong Ce , Song Bo , Gao Yuan , Li Yusheng , Tian Chuansheng , Xing Yurong , Xu Yuming , Wang Longde
Published: September 2022

Background

Carotid atherosclerosis, especially the rupture of unstable plaques, plays an important role in the development of stroke. A novel lipid ratio, the non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C)/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio, contains both atherogenic and anti-atherogenic particle information, and has been shown to be associated with carotid atherosclerosis. However, there is no data on evaluating the association between non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio and carotid plaque stability.

Methods

This study was carried out on 27,436 urban workers aged 20 years or older who participated in a comprehensive health screening between January 2016 and December 2017. Carotid plaque stability was assessed using ultrasonography. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to explore the relationship between the non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio and carotid plaque stability by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to verify the robustness of the results.

Results

Carotid plaque was detected in 7,161 (26.1%) participants, with stable and unstable plaque accounting for 3,277 (11.9%) and 3,884 (14.2%), respectively. The prevalence of stable carotid plaque substantially increased with increasing non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio quartile levels (p for trend < 0.001) and with a similar association for unstable carotid plaque (p for trend < 0.001). The mean non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratios (mean ± SD) of non-carotid plaque (2.9 ± 1.1), stable carotid plaque (3.2 ± 1.2), and unstable carotid plaque (3.4 ± 1.4) gradually increased (p < 0.001). In multinomial logistic regression, ORs (95% CIs) for the highest vs. lowest quartile of the non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio were 1.70 (1.48–1.95) between stable carotid plaques and no carotid plaque, 2.34 (2.06–2.67) between unstable carotid plaques and no carotid plaque, and 1.38 (1.18–1.61) between unstable carotid plaques and stable carotid plaque, after adjusting for common cardiovascular risk factors. The results of subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were similar.

Conclusion

Our findings suggested that the non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio was significantly associated with carotid plaque stability and might be a useful indicator for the early identification of high-risk carotid plaque.
Clinical characteristics and prognosis of anti-γ-aminobutyric acid-B receptor encephalitis: A single-center, longitudinal study in China
Authors: Feng Xuedan , Zhang Yujing , Gao Yu , Zhang Jing , Yu Shasha , Lv Jing , Zu Yu , Wang Lin , Wang Xiangbo
Published: September 2022

Objective

Anti-γ-aminobutyric acid-B receptor (GABABR) encephalitis is a rare type of autoimmune encephalitis. There are only a few, small, published studies regarding prognosis, so prediction of prognosis is of limited accuracy. We identified 37 cases of anti-GABABR encephalitis in China. Here, we present these patients' clinical characteristics and long-term outcomes.

Methods

We collected and retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 37 patients with anti-GABABR encephalitis from Beijing Fengtai You'anmen Hospital.

Results

The study cohort comprised 37 patients of anti-GABABR encephalitis of median age 61 years (range: 11–77), 28 of whom were male. The main clinical manifestations were epilepsy (91.9%, 34/37), psychiatric disorders (94.6%, 35/37) and cognitive impairment (97.3%, 36/37). Tumors were identified in 18 (48.6%) patients. First-line immunotherapy was administered to 34 patients, 31 of whom (90.6%) responded favorably. During a median follow-up of 18 months (range: 1–72 months), 21 patients had good outcomes [Modified Ranking Scale (mRS ≤2)], 16 (43.2%) died (mRS 6), and 7 (18.9%) relapsed. Age (P = 0.005), disturbance of consciousness (P = 0.018), admission to the Neurology Intensive Care Unit (P = 0.003), mechanical ventilation (P = 0.009), more numerous clinical manifestations (P = 0.008), comorbid malignancy (P = 0.008), multiple anti-neuronal antibodies (P = 0.029), and hyponatremia (P = 0.023) differed significantly between patients with good outcomes (mRS 0–2) and those with poor outcomes (mRS 3–6).

Conclusion

Men aged 50–70 years accounted for most of the patients with anti-GABABR encephalitis in our case series. The main clinical manifestations were epilepsy and neuropsychiatric dysfunction. The participants often had concomitant lung cancer, particularly small-cell lung cancer. Patients with lung tumors and/or serious manifestations usually had a poor prognosis with high mortality. Early identification and treatment of tumors improved the poor prognosis to some extent.
Diagnostic accuracy of multi-component spatial-temporal gait parameters in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Huang Shuyun , Hou Xiaobing , Liu Yajing , Shang Pan , Luo Jiali , Lv Zeping , Zhang Weiping , Lin Biqing , Huang Qiulan , Tao Shuai , Wang Yukai , Zhang Chengguo , Chen Lushi , Pan Suyue , Xie Haiqun
Published: September 2022

Objective

This study aimed to develop a diagnostic model of multi-kinematic parameters for patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).

Method

In this cross-sectional study, 94 older adults were included (33 cognitively normal, CN; and 61 aMCI). We conducted neuropsychological battery tests, such as global cognition and cognitive domains, and collected gait parameters by an inertial-sensor gait analysis system. Multivariable regression models were used to identify the potential diagnostic variables for aMCI. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were applied to assess the diagnostic accuracy of kinematic parameters in discriminating aMCI from healthy subjects.

Results

Multivariable regression showed that multi-kinematic parameters were the potential diagnostic variables for aMCI. The multi-kinematic parameter model, developed using Timed Up and Go (TUG) time, stride length, toe-off/heel stride angles, one-leg standing (OLS) time, and braking force, showed areas under ROC (AUC), 0.96 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.905–0.857]; sensitivity, 0.90; and specificity, 0.91. In contrast, a single kinematic parameter’s sensitivity was 0.26–0.95 and specificity was 0.21–0.90. Notably, the separating capacity of multi-kinematic parameters was highly similar to Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA; AUC: 0.96 vs. 0.95). Compared to cognitive domain tests, the separating ability was comparable to Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) and Boston Naming Test (BNT; AUC: 0.96 vs. 0.97; AUC: 0.96 vs. 0.94).

Conclusion

We developed one diagnostic model of multi-kinematic parameters for patients with aMCI in Foshan.
Multi-source joint domain adaptation for cross-subject and cross-session emotion recognition from electroencephalography
Authors: Liang Shengjin , Su Lei , Fu Yunfa , Wu Liping
Published: September 2022

As an important component to promote the development of affective brain–computer interfaces, the study of emotion recognition based on electroencephalography (EEG) has encountered a difficult challenge; the distribution of EEG data changes among different subjects and at different time periods. Domain adaptation methods can effectively alleviate the generalization problem of EEG emotion recognition models. However, most of them treat multiple source domains, with significantly different distributions, as one single source domain, and only adapt the cross-domain marginal distribution while ignoring the joint distribution difference between the domains. To gain the advantages of multiple source distributions, and better match the distributions of the source and target domains, this paper proposes a novel multi-source joint domain adaptation (MSJDA) network. We first map all domains to a shared feature space and then align the joint distributions of the further extracted private representations and the corresponding classification predictions for each pair of source and target domains. Extensive cross-subject and cross-session experiments on the benchmark dataset, SEED, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model, where more significant classification results are obtained on the more difficult cross-subject emotion recognition task.
Maternal sensitivity at the age of 8 months associates with local connectivity of the medial prefrontal cortex in children at 5 years of age
Authors: Copeland Anni , Korja Riikka , Nolvi Saara , Rajasilta Olli , Pulli Elmo P. , Kumpulainen Venla , Silver Eero , Saukko Ekaterina , Hakanen Hetti , Holmberg Eeva , Kataja Eeva-Leena , Häkkinen Suvi , Parkkola Riitta , Lähdesmäki Tuire , Karlsson Linnea , Karlsson Hasse , Tuulari Jetro J.
Published: September 2022

The quality of mother–child interaction, especially maternal sensitivity in caregiving behavior, plays an important role in a child’s later socioemotional development. Numerous studies have indicated associations between poor mother–child interaction and offspring brain structure and function, but more knowledge on how variation in the characteristics of early caregiving is associated with children’s brain structure and function is needed. We investigated whether maternal sensitivity at 8 or 30 months is associated with functional connectivity in a child’s brain at 5 years of age based on the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study (17 and 39 mother–child dyads at 8 and 30 months, respectively, with an overlap of 13 dyads). Maternal sensitivity was assessed during a free play interaction using the Emotional Availability Scales at 8 and 30 months of the children’s age. Task-free functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was acquired at the age of 5 years in 7-min scans while watching the Inscapes movie. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) maps were created from the fMRI data, and multiple regression analysis was performed to assess the relation between maternal sensitivity and ReHo. Maternal sensitivity at the age of 8 months was positively associated with children’s ReHo values within the medial prefrontal cortex. Distal connectivity of this region showed no significant association with maternal sensitivity in a seed-based connectivity analysis. No associations were found between maternal sensitivity during toddlerhood and brain functional connectivity. Together, these results suggest that maternal sensitivity, especially in infancy, may influence offspring brain functional connectivity. However, studies with larger sample sizes are warranted.
Apolipoprotein E knockout may affect cognitive function in D-galactose-induced aging mice through the gut microbiota–brain axis
Authors: Chen Bowei , Yi Jian , Xu Yaqian , Wen Huiqiao , Tian Fengming , Liu Yingfei , Xiao Lan , Li Lisong , Liu Baiyan
Published: September 2022

The gut microbiota plays an important role in central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) can affect the composition of the gut microbiota and is closely related to the CNS. However, the mechanism by which ApoE affects cognitive dysfunction through the gut microbiota–brain axis has thus far not been investigated. In this study, we used wild-type mice and ApoE knockout (ApoE–/–) mice to replicate the aging model and examined the effects of ApoE deletion on cognitive function, hippocampal ultrastructure, synaptophysin (SYP) and postsynaptic density 95 (PSD-95) in aging mice. We also explored whether ApoE deletion affects the gut microbiota and the metabolite profile of the hippocampus in aging mice and finally examined the effect of ApoE deletion on lipids and oxidative stress in aging mice. The results showed that the deletion of ApoE aggravated cognitive dysfunction, hippocampal synaptic ultrastructural damage and dysregulation of SYP and PSD-95 expression in aging mice. Furthermore, ApoE deletion reduced gut microbial makeup in aging mice. Further studies showed that ApoE deletion altered the hippocampal metabolic profile and aggravated dyslipidemia and oxidative stress in aging mice. In brief, our findings suggest that loss of ApoE alters the composition of the gut microbiota, which in turn may affect cognitive function in aging mice through the gut microbiota–brain axis.
Effects of central nervous system electrical stimulation on non-neuronal cells
Authors: Williams Nathaniel P. , Kushwah Neetu , Dhawan Vaishnavi , Zheng Xin Sally , Cui Xinyan Tracy
Published: September 2022

Over the past few decades, much progress has been made in the clinical use of electrical stimulation of the central nervous system (CNS) to treat an ever-growing number of conditions from Parkinson’s disease (PD) to epilepsy as well as for sensory restoration and many other applications. However, little is known about the effects of microstimulation at the cellular level. Most of the existing research focuses on the effects of electrical stimulation on neurons. Other cells of the CNS such as microglia, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and vascular endothelial cells have been understudied in terms of their response to stimulation. The varied and critical functions of these cell types are now beginning to be better understood, and their vital roles in brain function in both health and disease are becoming better appreciated. To shed light on the importance of the way electrical stimulation as distinct from device implantation impacts non-neuronal cell types, this review will first summarize common stimulation modalities from the perspective of device design and stimulation parameters and how these different parameters have an impact on the physiological response. Following this, what is known about the responses of different cell types to different stimulation modalities will be summarized, drawing on findings from both clinical studies as well as clinically relevant animal models and in vitro systems.
The role of lipocalin 2 in brain injury and recovery after ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke
Authors: Zhang Jingwei , Wang Zeyu , Zhang Hao , Li Shuwang , Li Jing , Liu Hongwei , Cheng Quan
Published: September 2022

Ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke (including intracerebral hemorrhage, intraventricular hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage) is the dominating cause of disability and death worldwide. Neuroinflammation, blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption, neuronal death are the main pathological progress, which eventually causes brain injury. Increasing evidence indicated that lipocalin 2 (LCN2), a 25k-Da acute phase protein from the lipocalin superfamily, significantly increased immediately after the stroke and played a vital role in these events. Meanwhile, there exists a close relationship between LCN2 levels and the worse clinical outcome of patients with stroke. Further research revealed that LCN2 elimination is associated with reduced immune infiltrates, infarct volume, brain edema, BBB leakage, neuronal death, and neurological deficits. However, some studies revealed that LCN2 might also act as a beneficial factor in ischemic stroke. Nevertheless, the specific mechanism of LCN2 and its primary receptors (24p3R and megalin) involving in brain injury remains unclear. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the mechanism of LCN2 induced brain damage after stroke. This review focuses on the role of LCN2 and its receptors in brain injury and aiming to find out possible therapeutic targets to reduce brain damage following stroke.
Selective connectivity enhances storage capacity in attractor models of memory function
Authors: Emina Facundo , Kropff Emilio
Published: September 2022

Autoassociative neural networks provide a simple model of how memories can be stored through Hebbian synaptic plasticity as retrievable patterns of neural activity. Although progress has been made along the last decades in understanding the biological implementation of autoassociative networks, their modest theoretical storage capacity has remained a major constraint. While most previous approaches utilize randomly connected networks, here we explore the possibility of optimizing network performance by selective connectivity between neurons, that could be implemented in the brain through creation and pruning of synaptic connections. We show through numerical simulations that a reconfiguration of the connectivity matrix can improve the storage capacity of autoassociative networks up to one order of magnitude compared to randomly connected networks, either by reducing the noise or by making it reinforce the signal. Our results indicate that the signal-reinforcement scenario is not only the best performing but also the most adequate for brain-like highly diluted connectivity. In this scenario, the optimized network tends to select synapses characterized by a high consensus across stored patterns. We also introduced an online algorithm in which the network modifies its connectivity while learning new patterns. We observed that, similarly to what happens in the human brain, creation of connections dominated in an initial stage, followed by a stage characterized by pruning, leading to an equilibrium state that was independent of the initial connectivity of the network. Our results suggest that selective connectivity could be a key component to make attractor networks in the brain viable in terms of storage capacity.
Heat treatment of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) albumin: Effect on structural, functional, and in vitro digestion properties
Authors: Yang Chao , Zhu Xijin , Zhang Zhaoyun , Yang Farong , Wei Yuming , Zhang Zhen , Yang Fumin
Published: September 2022

Quinoa seeds are rich in protein, polyphenols, phytosterols, and flavonoid substances, and excellent amino acid balance that has been revisited recently as a new food material showing potential applied in fitness and disease prevention. Heat treatment is one of the most effective strategies for improving the physiochemical characteristics of a protein. However, research examining the effects of temperature on quinoa albumin (QA) properties is limited. In this study, QA was subjected to thermal treatment (50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, and 121°C). SDS−PAGE revealed that QA is composed of several polypeptides in the 10−40 kDa range. Amino acid (AA) analysis showed that the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), negatively charged amino acid residues (NCAAs), and positively charged amino acids (PCAAs) contents of QA were more than double that of the FAO/WHO reference standard. Additionally, heating induced structural changes, including sulfhydryl-disulfide interchange and the exposure of hydrophobic groups. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that the albumin underwent denaturation, dissociation, and aggregation during heating. Moreover, moderate heat treatment (60, 70, and 80°C) remarkably improved the functional properties of QA, enhancing its solubility, water (oil) holding capacity, and emulsification and foaming characteristics. However, heating also reduced the in vitro digestibility of QA. Together, these results indicate that heat treatment can improve the structural and functional properties of QA. This information has important implications for optimizing quinoa protein production, and various products related to quinoa protein could be developed. which provides the gist of commercial applications of quinoa seeds for spreading out in the marketplace.
Associations of maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy and fetal intrauterine development
Authors: Qin Rui , Ding Ye , Lu Qun , Jiang Yangqian , Du Jiangbo , Song Ci , Lv Hong , Lv Siyuan , Tao Shiyao , Huang Lei , Xu Xin , Liu Cong , Jiang Tao , Wang Zhixu , Ma Hongxia , Jin Guangfu , Xia Yankai , Hu Zhibin , Zhang Feng , Lin Yuan
Published: September 2022

Dietary pattern is excellent in reflecting an individual's eating conditions. Longitudinal data on fetal growth can reflect the process of intrauterine growth. We aimed to evaluate the associations between maternal dietary patterns and intrauterine parameters in middle and late pregnancy. The present study was conducted within Jiangsu Birth Cohort (JBC) study. Dietary information was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in the second and third trimester of gestation. B-ultrasound scans were performed to obtain fetal intrauterine parameters, including head circumference (HC), femur length (FL), abdominal circumference (AC), and estimated fetal weight (EFW). Exploratory factor analysis was used to extract dietary patterns. Multiple linear regression and linear mixed-effects model (LMM) were used to investigate the association between maternal dietary patterns and fetal growth. A total of 1,936 pregnant women were eligible for the study. We observed inverse associations of maternal “Vegetables and fish” and “Snack and less eggs” patterns during mid-pregnancy with fetal HC Z-score, respectively (“Vegetables and fish”: β = −0.09, 95% CI −0.12, −0.06; “Snack and less eggs”: β = −0.05, 95% CI −0.08, −0.02). On the contrary, “Animal internal organs, thallophyte and shellfish” pattern in the second trimester was associated with increased HC Z-scores (β = 0.04, 95% CI 0.02, 0.06). Consistently, score increase in “Vegetables and fish” pattern in the third trimester was inversely associated with the Z-scores of HC (β = −0.05, 95% CI −0.09, −0.02), while “Meat and less nuts” pattern was positively correlated with the Z-scores of HC (β = 0.04, 95% CI 0.02, 0.07). As compared to the fetus whose mothers at the lowest tertile of “Snack and less eggs” pattern in both trimesters, those whose mothers at the highest tertile demonstrated 1.08 fold (RR = 2.10, 95% CI 1.34–3.28) increased risk of small HC for gestational age (GA). No correlation was observed between maternal dietary patterns and other intrauterine parameters. Our results suggested the effects of maternal dietary patterns on fetal growth, particularly HC. These findings highlighted the adverse impact of unhealthy dietary pattern on fetal growth, might provide evidence for strategies to prevent intrauterine dysplasia and dietary guidelines during pregnancy.
Gut microbiota modulates differential lipid metabolism outcomes associated with FTO gene polymorphisms in response to personalized nutrition intervention
Authors: Zheng Jianheng , Wang Feijie , Guo Hongwei , Cheng Junrui , Du Jun , Kan Juntao
Published: September 2022

Background

Interindividual differences in response to personalized nutrition (PN) intervention were affected by multiple factors, including genetic backgrounds and gut microbiota. The fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene is an important factor related to hyperlipidemia and occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. However, few studies have explored the differences in response to intervention among subjects with different genotypes of FTO, and the associations between gut microbiota and individual responses.

Objective

To explore the differential lipid metabolism outcomes associated with FTO gene polymorphisms in response to PN intervention, the altered taxonomic features of gut microbiota caused by the intervention, and the associations between gut microbiota and lipid metabolism outcomes.

Methods

A total of 400 overweight or obese adults were recruited in the study and randomly divided into the PN group and control group, of whom 318 completed the 12-week intervention. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of rs1121980 in FTO was genotyped. Gut microbiota and blood lipids were determined at baseline and week 12. Functional property of microbiota was predicted using Tax4Fun functional prediction analysis.

Results

Subjects with the risk genotype of FTO had significantly higher weight and waist circumference (WC) at baseline. Generalized linear regression models showed that the reduction in weight, body mass index (BMI), WC, body fat percentage, total cholesterol (TCHO), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was greater in subjects with the risk genotype of FTO and in the PN group. Significant interaction effects between genotype and intervention on weight, BMI, WC, TCHO, and LDL were found after stratifying for specific genotype of FTO. All subjects showed significant increasement in α diversity of gut microbiota after intervention except for those with the non-risk genotype in the control group. Gut microbiota, including Blautia and Firmicutes, might be involved in lipid metabolism in response to interventions. The predicted functions of the microbiota in subjects with different genotypes were related to lipid metabolism-related pathways, including fatty acid biosynthesis and degradation.

Conclusion

Subjects with the risk genotype of FTO had better response to nutrition intervention, and PN intervention showed better amelioration in anthropometric parameters and blood lipids than the control. Gut microbiota might be involved in modulating differential lipid metabolism responses to intervention in subjects with different genotypes.

Trial registration

[Chictr.org.cn], identifier [ChiCTR1900026226].
A comprehensive review on clove (Caryophyllus aromaticus L.) essential oil and its significance in the formulation of edible coatings for potential food applications
Authors: Kumar Pandey Vinay , Shams Rafeeya , Singh Rahul , Dar Aamir Hussain , Pandiselvam R. , Rusu Alexandru Vasile , Trif Monica
Published: September 2022

Many studies have demonstrated the use of synthetic preservatives and chemical additives in food is causing poisoning, cancer, and other degenerative disorders. New solutions for food preservation with quality maintenance are currently emerging. As a result, public concern has grown, as they desire to eat healthier products that use natural preservatives and compounds rather than synthetic ones. Clove is a highly prized spice used as a food preservative and for a variety of therapeutic reasons. Clove essential oil and its principal active component, eugenol, indicate antibacterial and antifungal action, aromaticity, and safety as promising and valuable antiseptics in the food sector. Clove essential oil and eugenol are found to have strong inhibition effects on a variety of food-source bacteria, and the mechanisms are linked to lowering migration and adhesion, as well as blocking the creation of biofilm and various virulence factors. This review emphasizes the importance of CEO (clove essential oil) in the food industry and how it can be explored with edible coatings to deliver its functional properties in food preservation.
Isomaltooligosaccharides inhibit early colorectal carcinogenesis in a 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced rat model
Authors: Chen Xiao , Li Shaoli , Lin Cuixia , Zhang Zhen , Liu Xiaoyan , Wang Chunhui , Chen Jun , Yang Binbin , Yuan Jing , Zhang Zheng
Published: September 2022

Colon cancer (CC) is a multistage disease and one of the most common cancers worldwide. Establishing an effective treatment strategies of early colon cancer is of great significance for preventing its development and reducing mortality. The occurrence of colon cancer is closely related to changes in the intestinal flora structure. Therefore, remodelling the intestinal flora structure through prebiotics is a powerful approach for preventing and treating the occurrence and development of colon cancer. Isomaltooligosaccharides (IMOs) are often found in fermented foods and can directly reach the gut for use by microorganisms. In this study, a rat model of early colon cancer (DMH) was established by subcutaneous injection of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine, and the model rats were fed IMOs as a dietary intervention (DI). The untargeted faecal metabolomics, gut metabolome and intestinal function of the model rats were investigated. The results showed that DMH, DI and IMOs alone (IMOs) groups exhibited gut microbial community changes. In the DI group, there was an increased abundance of probiotics (Lactobacillus) and decreased abundance of CC marker bacteria (Fusobacterium). The key variations in the faecal metabolites of the DI group included decreased levels of glucose, bile acids (including deoxycholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid) and amino acids (including L-glutamic acid and L-alanine). In addition, dietary intake of IMOs attenuated the intestinal inflammatory response, improved the intestinal microecological environment, and slowed the development of DMH-induced early CC in rats. This work provides a theoretical basis and technical support for the clinical prevention or treatment of CC with prebiotics.
Effectiveness of a phone-based nurse monitoring assessment and intervention for chemotherapy-related toxicity: A randomized multicenter trial
Authors: Antonuzzo Andrea , Ripamonti Carla Ida , Roila Fausto , Sbrana Andrea , Galli Luca , Miccinesi Guido , Sammarco Enrico , Berruti Alfredo , Coletta Deborah , Velutti Laura , Fabi Alessandra , Corsi Domenico Cristiano , Mariani Gabriella , Di Pede Patricia , Spinelli Gian Paolo , Santini Daniele , Zustovich Fable , Gunnellini Marco , Rossi Maura , Giordano Monica , Di Maio Massimo , Numico Gianmauro , Bossi Paolo
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Anticancer treatment-related toxicities can impact morbidity and mortality, hamper the administration of treatment, worsen the quality of life and increase the burden on the healthcare system. Therefore, their prompt identification is crucial. NICSO (Italian Network for Supportive Care in Cancer) conducted a nationwide randomized trial to evaluate the role of a planned, weekly phone-based nurse monitoring intervention to prevent and treat chemotherapy, targeted therapy- and immunotherapy-related toxicities. Here, we report the results from the chemotherapy arm.

Methods

This was a nationwide, randomized, open-label trial conducted among 29 Italian centers (NCT04726020) involving adult patients with breast, colon, or lung cancer and a life expectancy ≥6 months receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. Patients received either a weekly nurse monitoring phone call and an educational leaflet reporting practical advice about prevention and treatment of toxicities (experimental group) or the educational leaflet only (control group).

Results

The addition of a nurse monitoring intervention may help reduce time spent with severe toxicities (grade ≥3), particularly those less frequently reported in clinical practice, such as fatigue. When considering grade 1–2 AEs, times with mild/moderate diarrhea, mucositis, fatigue and pain were shorter in the experimental arm. Time spent without AEs was significantly longer in the experimental arms for all the toxicities. The requirement for special medical attention was comparable between groups.

Conclusion

This study suggests the need for implementing a better system of toxicity assessment and management for patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy to promote effective preventive and/or therapeutic intervention against these events.
The effect of minimally invasive or open radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy on pancreatic cancer: A multicenter randomized clinical trial protocol
Authors: Dai Menghua , Zhang Hanyu , Yang Yinmo , Xiu Dianrong , Peng Bing , Sun Bei , Cao Feng , Wu Zheng , Wang Lei , Yuan Chunhui , Chen Hua , Wang Zheng , Tian Xiaodong , Wang Hangyan , Liu Wenjing , Xu Jianwei , Liu Qiaofei , Zhao Yupei ,   MIRROR study group
Published: September 2022

Background

Radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS) has been proven to improve R0 resection and lymph harvest in treating patients with distal pancreatic cancer. The development of minimally invasive surgery has advantages in postoperative recovery. Therefore, minimally invasive (MI-) RAMPS may combine the advantages of both benefits to improve survival. Nevertheless, evidence to validate the safety and efficacy of MI-RAMPS is limited.

Method/Design

The MIRROR trial will be the first multicenter prospective randomized clinical trial to investigate the outcome of MI-RAMPS. The hypothesis is that MI-RAMPS is superior in postoperative recovery. The primary outcome is the length of postoperative stay. Based on the hypothesis and primary outcome, the sample size is 250 patients (125 participants in each group). The trial will investigate factors related to surgical safety, short-term outcome, pathological assessment, and survival as secondary outcomes.

Conclusion

This study will offer a relatively higher level of evidence to further illustrate the accessibility and benefits of MI-RAMPS for the treatment of distal pancreatic cancer.

Clinical Trial Registration

Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03770559.
Construction of a prognostic signature for serous ovarian cancer based on lactate metabolism-related genes
Authors: Xiang Jiangdong , Su Rongjia , Wu Sufang , Zhou Lina
Published: September 2022

Background

The key biochemical feature of malignant tumor is the conversion of energy metabolism from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis, which provides sufficient capacity and raw materials for tumor cell rapid growth. Our study aims to construct a prognostic signature for ovarian cancer based on lactate metabolism-related genes (LMRGs).

Methods

Data of ovarian cancer and non-diseased ovarian data were downloaded from TCGA and the GTEx database, respectively. LMRGs were obtained from GeneCards and MSigDB databases, and the differentially expressed LMRGs were identified using limma and DESeq2 R packages. Cox regression analysis and LASSO were performed to determine the LMRGs associated with OS and develop the prognostic signature. Then, clinical significance of the prognostic signature in ovarian cancer was assessed.

Results

A total of 485 differentially expressed LMRGs in ovarian tissue were selected for subsequent analysis, of which 324 were up-regulated and 161 were down regulated. We found that 22 LMRGs were most significantly associated with OS by using the univariate regression analysis. The prognostic scoring model was consisted of 12 LMRGs (SLCO1B3, ERBB4, SLC28A1, PDSS1, BDH1, AIFM1, TSFM, PPARGC1A, HGF, FGFR1, ABCC8, TH). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated that poorer overall survival (OS) in the high-risk group patients (P<0.0001). This prognostic signature could be an independent prognostic indicator after adjusting to other clinical factors. The calibration curves of nomogram for the signature at 1, 2, and 3 years and the ROC curve demonstrated good agreement between the predicted and observed survival rates of ovarian cancer patients. Furthermore, the high-risk group patients have much lower expression level of immune checkpoint-TDO2 compared with the low-risk group (P=0.024).

Conclusions

We established a prognostic signature based on LMRGs for ovarian cancer, and highlighted emerging evidence indicating that this prognostic signature is a promising approach for predicting ovarian cancer prognosis and guiding clinical therapy.
A novel epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related gene signature of predictive value for the survival outcomes in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Cui Yimeng , Wang Xin , Zhang Lei , Liu Wei , Ning Jinfeng , Gu Ruixue , Cui Yaowen , Cai Li , Xing Ying
Published: September 2022

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a remarkably heterogeneous and aggressive disease with dismal prognosis of patients. The identification of promising prognostic biomarkers might enable effective diagnosis and treatment of LUAD. Aberrant activation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is required for LUAD initiation, progression and metastasis. With the purpose of identifying a robust EMT-related gene signature (E-signature) to monitor the survival outcomes of LUAD patients. In The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis and cox regression analysis were conducted to acquire prognostic and EMT-related genes. A 4 EMT-related and prognostic gene signature, comprising dickkopf-like protein 1 (DKK1), lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2), matrix Gla protein (MGP) and slit guidance ligand 3 (SLIT3), was identified. By the usage of datum derived from TCGA database and Western blotting analysis, compared with adjacent tissue samples, DKK1 and LOXL2 protein expression in LUAD tissue samples were significantly higher, whereas the trend of MGP and SLIT3 expression were opposite. Concurrent with upregulation of epithelial markers and downregulation of mesenchymal markers, knockdown of DKK1 and LOXL2 impeded the migration and invasion of LUAD cells. Simultaneously, MGP and SLIT3 silencing promoted metastasis and induce EMT of LUAD cells. In the TCGA-LUAD set, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that our risk model based on the identified E-signature was superior to those reported in literatures. Additionally, the E-signature carried robust prognostic significance. The validity of prediction in the E-signature was validated by the three independent datasets obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The probabilistic nomogram including the E-signature, pathological T stage and N stage was constructed and the nomogram demonstrated satisfactory discrimination and calibration. In LUAD patients, the E-signature risk score was associated with T stage, N stage, M stage and TNM stage. GSEA (gene set enrichment analysis) analysis indicated that the E-signature might be linked to the pathways including GLYCOLYSIS, MYC TARGETS, DNA REPAIR and so on. In conclusion, our study explored an innovative EMT based prognostic signature that might serve as a potential target for personalized and precision medicine.
The history of pain measurement in humans and animals
Authors: Mogil Jeffrey S.
Published: September 2022

Pain needs to be measured in order to be studied and managed. Pain measurement strategies in both humans and non-human animals have varied widely over the years and continue to evolve. This review describes the historical development of human and animal algesiometry.
The parental psychological distress caused by separation from their critically ill child during the COVID-19 pandemic: A tale of two cities
Authors: Camporesi Anna , Abecasis Francisco , Torres Erica M. , Zoia Elena , Izzo Francesca , Ferrario Stefania , Melloni Elisa Maria Teresa
Published: September 2022

Introduction

A child’s critical illness is a stressful event for the entire family, causing significant emotional distress among parents and changes to family functioning. The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Related Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has abruptly caused modifications in visitation policies of Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) in many countries. We hypothesized that caregivers with no or severely restricted access to PICUs would demonstrate increased psychological distress as compared to those who had limitless access (LA) to PICUs.

Methods

Sociodemographic variables, levels of psychological distress, ratings of family functioning, and ability to cope with stressful events were collected with an online survey in a group of caregivers after their child’s hospitalization. Ratings of psychological distress were compared between caregivers with no/severely restricted (NA) and with LA to PICUs.

Results

Measures of depression, anxiety, and global severity index (GSI) of psychological distress were significantly higher in NA caregivers as compared to LA. Among demographic characteristics of the sample, only gender influenced the severity of psychological symptoms: women showed an increased score on levels of somatization, depression, anxiety, and GSI. Avoidant coping style positively correlated with measures of depression. Univariate General Linear Model (GLM) analyses of the effects of sex, age, visitation policies of PICUs, and score of avoidant coping strategies on measures of psychological distress confirmed a significant univariate effect of no access to PICUs on parents’ psychopathological scores.

Conclusion

Restrictions imposed on visitation policies in PICU during the pandemic negatively impacted families’ psychological wellbeing. A balance between the safety of patients, families, and health care professionals and meeting the needs of families is of utmost importance.
Effectiveness of antiseizure medications therapy in preventing seizures in brain injury patients: A network meta-analysis
Authors: Huo Xianhao , Xu Xingguo , Li Mei , Xiao Lifei , Wang Yangyang , Li Wenchao , Wang Chaofan , Sun Tao
Published: September 2022

Purpose: To explore the effectiveness of different anti-seizure medications in preventing early and late post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE). The efficacy, treatment-related side-effects, and mortality of the different treatments were compared using a ranking model to identify the optimal treatment.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed using Pubmed, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane library databases. All relevant published articles up to 10 March 2022 were evaluated. The quality of the extracted data was assessed using either the Cochrane risk of bias tool or the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. The primary outcome measures were early or late post-traumatic seizures. The secondary outcome measures were mortality, treatment-related adverse effects, length of hospital stay, and length of stay within the intensive care unit (ICU).

Results: A total of seven randomized controlled trials and 18 non-randomized controlled trials were included in this network meta-analysis. The trials included six interventions: Phenytoin (PHT)+phenobarbital (PB), levetiracetam (LEV), PHT, PHT-LEV, lacosamide (LCM), and valproate (VPA). All interventions except VPA significantly reduced the rate of early PTE in TBI patients compared with the placebo. Seven studies reported the impact of four treatments (PHT + PB, LEV, PHT, VPA) on late seizures and showed a significant reduction in the incidence of late seizures in patients with TBI compared with placebo. The impact of PHT, LEV, and VPA on mortality was reported in nine studies. PHT had no impact on mortality, but patients treated with both LEV and VPA had higher mortality than those treated with placebo. The treatment-related adverse effects of LEV, PHT, and LCM were reported in five studies. LEV and PHT had higher treatment-related adverse effects incidence than placebo, while LCM had no effect on treatment related-adverse effects.

Conclusion: LEV and PHT prevented early and late PTE. PHT also reduced the mortality rate in patients with TBI. Both LEV and PHT had higher treatment-related adverse effects compared with placebo. However, LEV had a slightly lower incidence of treatment-related adverse effects when compared with PHT. Compared with PHT, LEV did not reduce the length of hospital stay but shortened the length of ICU stays. Therefore, based on the findings of this meta-analysis, we speculate that LEV is the best treatment option for TBI patients. However, further high-quality randomized controlled trials are required to confirm these findings.