bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Students’ meaning-making processes in an IPE programme with students from education-, health-, and social care programmes. A qualitative study
Authors: Braathen Kaja , Gulbrandsen Liv Mette
Published: December 2023

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is increasingly being recognised as an important mechanism to improve the quality of services offered to children. This study imparts results from an investigation of undergraduate students’ participation in an interprofessional education (IPE) programme focusing on working with children (0–18). The programme participants include students across the disciplines of education, health, and social care. In the study the students’ accounts of group processes by which they negotiated their positions and the relevance of their emerging professional knowledge in interprofessional student groups are explored. The more overarching aim is to contribute to a knowledge base serving the development of broad IPE initiatives. Qualitative interviews were conducted with students (n = 15) to explore their experiences participating in the programme. Positioning theory was used as an analytical framework. The results indicate that the students’ joint constructions of the aim of the learning activity were vital for their joint meaning-making in the interprofessional learning (IPL) groups and for processes of positioning. In addition, students’ participation in the IPL groups was closely linked to their approach to negotiations of relevance. The pedagogical implications of these results are discussed.
Development of a core outcome set for cardiovascular diabetology: a methodological framework
Authors: Jiao Jiao , Chen Lingmin , Peng Yong , Jia Qingyi , He Ying , Zhang Yonggang , Li Nian
Published: December 2023

Background

Cardiovascular diabetology is an emergent field focusing on all aspects of diabetes/cardiovascular interrelationship and metabolic syndrome. High-quality evidence needs to be provided to determine the efficacy and safety of interventions in cardiovascular diabetology. The heterogeneity of outcomes among trials limits the comparison of results, and some outcomes are not always meaningful to end-users. The cardiovascular diabetology core outcome set (COS) study aims to develop a COS of interventions for cardiovascular diabetology. In this paper, we introduce the methodological framework for developing the COS.

Methods

The COS development will include the following steps: (a) establish the COS groups of stakeholders, including international steering committee, Delphi survey group, and consensus meeting group; (b) systematic reviews of outcomes used in trials of cardiovascular diabetology; (c) semistructured interview of stakeholders for outcomes of cardiovascular diabetology; (d) generate a list of candidate outcomes and determine the original outcome pool; (e) Delphi survey with stakeholders of cardiovascular diabetology to select potential core outcomes; and (f) review and endorse the cardiovascular diabetology COS by expert consensus meeting.

Conclusions

This current study reports the methodological framework to develop a COS in cardiovascular diabetology and will provide evidence for the future development of COS in cardiovascular diabetology.
Investigation into the dynamic change pattern of the stress field during integral fracturing in deep reservoirs
Authors: Lv Bei , Lv Zhenhu , Luo Yao , Chen Jiameng , Zhang Li , Wang Bo
Published: December 2023

Deep reservoirs have high temperature, high pressure, and high stress. The development of such resources is high cost. Integral fracturing applies one-time well displacement, batch drilling, and batch fracturing. Multiple wells are stimulated with zipper fracturing. It can avoid the interference of the well drilling and fracturing. In this way, the spatial stresses can be utilized to generate the complex fracture network. The dynamic change pattern of the stress field is of great value for the design of integral fracturing. Based on the displacement discontinuity method (DDM) and the fracture mechanics criteria, a whole fracture propagation program is developed to calculate the spatial stress distribution and the whole fracture geometry. The reliability of the program is verified against the classical analytical solutions. Based on the program, this work systematically investigates the effects of the fracture length, the fracturing sequence, the fracture distribution mode, and the injection pressure on the stress field. The main conclusions are as follows: 1) When the fracture half-length is 150 m and the well spacing is 300 m, the staggered fracture distribution mode can ensure uniform fracture propagation and realize the active utilization of inter-well stress field; 2) Compared with the relative fracture distribution mode, the staggered fracture distribution mode is less susceptible to the stress field induced by the adjacent hydraulic fractures, hydraulic fractures tend to propagate along the direction of the maximum horizontal principal stress; 3) The stress field is highly influenced by the in-fracture fluid pressure. The stress interference is stronger with a greater fluid injection pressure and a higher fracture deflection angle will be obtained. It can enhance the fracture propagation resistance and increase the stress value. This work discovers the stress change pattern and lays out a solid foundation for the optimization of the integral fracturing.
Comprehensive analysis of influencing factors and mechanism of nano emulsion spontaneous imbibition oil displacement in tight sandstone reservoir
Authors: Li Zhuang
Published: December 2023

Tight sandstone reservoir has the characteristics of low porosity, low permeability and strong reservoir heterogeneity, which leads to a rapid decline in single well production after hydraulic fracturing. Adding nano emulsion to fracturing fluid can not only realize the dual function of fracturing and imbibition oil displacement, but also effectively prolong the stable production time of oil wells. In order to improve the understanding of the interaction between nano emulsion and reservoir, this paper based on the basic physical property test and analysis of nano emulsion, macroscopic and microscopic spontaneous imbibition oil displacement experiments, the mechanism of imbibition displacement of nano emulsion in tight sandstone reservoirs and the influence of related factors is clarified. The results show that: ①The particle size of the three types of nano emulsions ranges from 11 to 16 nm, and they can enter the nanopore throats deep in the reservoir, and can achieve good injectivity in tight reservoirs. The anionic AES nano emulsion is superior to cationic ADT and nonionic AEO-9 nano emulsion in terms of injectability, oil-water interfacial tension and wetting modification effect in tight sandstone cores, and the optimal concentration is 0.30 wt%. ②Spontaneous imbibition oil displacement experiments show that the nano emulsion concentration is not the higher the better. Since the nano emulsion adsorption on the solid surface reaches a dynamic equilibrium, the excessive nano emulsion cannot further change the wettability of the solid surface, and the lower oil-water interfacial tension has the opposite effect on the imbibition displacement. ③The migration and gathering of emulsified oil droplets in solution mainly included five processes: Saturated oil core/Nano-surfactant fluid emulsion reaction, Aqueous/Emulsified oil droplets, Emulsified oil droplet gathering phase, Demulsifying and emulsifying oil droplets, Oil phase after demulsification. The generation of remaining oil in porous media is due to the non-uniform wetting modification in different regions. This study further improves the understanding of the mechanism of spontaneous imbibition of nano emulsion in tight sandstone reservoirs.
New understandings of the genetic regulatory relationship between non-coding RNAs and m6A modification
Authors: Liu Songtao , Xiang Dayong
Published: December 2023

One of the most frequent epigenetic modifications of RNA in eukaryotes is N6 methyladenosine (m6A), which is mostly present in messenger RNAs. Through the influence of several RNA processing stages, m6A modification is a crucial approach for controlling gene expression, especially in cancer progression. It is universally acknowledged that numerous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as microRNAs, circular RNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and piRNAs, are also significantly affected by m6A modification, and the complex genetic regulatory relationship between m6A and ncRNAs plays a pivotal role in the development of cancer. The connection between m6A modifications and ncRNAs offers an opportunity to explore the oncogene potential regulatory mechanisms and suggests that m6A modifications and ncRNAs could be vital biomarkers for multiple cancers. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of interaction between m6A methylation and ncRNAs in cancer, and we also summarize diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for clinical cancer detection. Furthermore, our article includes some methodologies for identifying m6A sites when assessing biomarker potential.
Intravital imaging of the functions of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment during immunotherapy
Authors: Peng Xuwen , Wang Yuke , Zhang Jie , Zhang Zhihong , Qi Shuhong
Published: December 2023

Cancer immunotherapy has developed rapidly in recent years and stands as one of the most promising techniques for combating cancer. To develop and optimize cancer immunotherapy, it is crucial to comprehend the interactions between immune cells and tumor cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME is complex, with the distribution and function of immune cells undergoing dynamic changes. There are several research techniques to study the TME, and intravital imaging emerges as a powerful tool for capturing the spatiotemporal dynamics, especially the movement behavior and the immune function of various immune cells in real physiological state. Intravital imaging has several advantages, such as high spatio-temporal resolution, multicolor, dynamic and 4D detection, making it an invaluable tool for visualizing the dynamic processes in the TME. This review summarizes the workflow for intravital imaging technology, multi-color labeling methods, optical imaging windows, methods of imaging data analysis and the latest research in visualizing the spatio-temporal dynamics and function of immune cells in the TME. It is essential to investigate the role played by immune cells in the tumor immune response through intravital imaging. The review deepens our understanding of the unique contribution of intravital imaging to improve the efficiency of cancer immunotherapy.
Type 2 autoimmune pancreatitis associated with ulcerative colitis
Authors: Nan Nan , Wang Dongxu
Published: December 2023

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic idiopathic inflammatory disease mainly affecting the rectum and colon and causing diarrhoea and mucopurulent stools. UC can present with extraintestinal manifestations in various organs and systems and can be associated with various comorbidities. Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is a specific type of pancreatitis associated with autoimmune abnormalities and is divided into two clinical types: type 1 (lymphoplasmacytic sclerosing pancreatitis) and type 2 (idiopathic ductocentric pancreatitis). The current study shows an association between type 2 AIP and UC, which may be related to genetic susceptibility, inflammatory factors, and immune response. The most common manifestation of AIP in patients with type 2 AIP–UC is abdominal pain with elevated pancreatic enzymes, whereas the presentation of UC in type 2 AIP–UC is more severe, with an increased risk of UC-related surgery. This review focuses on diagnosis, prevalence, pathogenesis, impact, and treatment to better understand type 2 AIP–UC, explore the molecular mechanisms of this condition, and encourage further research into the management of type 2 AIP–UC.
Tollip deficiency exaggerates airway type 2 inflammation in mice exposed to allergen and influenza A virus: role of the ATP/IL-33 signaling axis
Authors: Nouri Hamid Reza , Schaunaman Niccolette , Kraft Monica , Li Liwu , Numata Mari , Chu Hong Wei
Published: December 2023

Toll-interacting protein (Tollip) is a negative regulator of the pro-inflammatory response to viruses, including influenza A virus (IAV). Genetic variation of Tollip has been associated with reduced airway epithelial Tollip expression and poor lung function in patients with asthma. Whether Tollip deficiency exaggerates type 2 inflammation (e.g., eosinophils) and viral infection in asthma remains unclear. We sought to address this critical, but unanswered question by using a Tollip deficient mouse asthma model with IAV infection. Further, we determined the underlying mechanisms by focusing on the role of the ATP/IL-33 signaling axis. Wild-type and Tollip KO mice were intranasally exposed to house dust mite (HDM) and IAV with or without inhibitors for IL-33 (i.e., soluble ST2, an IL-33 decoy receptor) and ATP signaling (i.e., an antagonist of the ATP receptor P2Y13). Tollip deficiency amplified airway type 2 inflammation (eosinophils, IL-5, IL-13 and mucins), and the release of ATP and IL-33. Blocking ATP receptor P2Y13 decreased IL-33 release during IAV infection in HDM-challenged Tollip KO mice. Furthermore, soluble ST2 attenuated airway eosinophilic inflammation in Tollip KO mice treated with HDM and IAV. HDM challenges decreased lung viral load in wild-type mice, but Tollip deficiency reduced the protective effects of HDM challenges on viral load. Our data suggests that during IAV infection, Tollip deficiency amplified type 2 inflammation and delayed viral clearance, in part by promoting ATP signaling and subsequent IL-33 release. Our findings may provide several therapeutic targets, including ATP and IL-33 signaling inhibition for attenuating excessive airway type 2 inflammation in human subjects with Tollip deficiency and IAV infection.
Electronic cross section, stopping power and energy-loss straggling of metals for swift protons, alpha particles and electrons
Authors: de Vera Pablo , Abril Isabel , Garcia-Molina Rafael
Published: December 2023

Understanding and quantifying the electronic inelastic interactions of swift ions and electrons in metals is fundamental for many applications of charged particle beams. A common theoretical approach is moreover desirable for the case of both types of projectiles, as large numbers of secondary electrons arise as the result of ion interaction with metals. The electronic cross section, stopping power and energy-loss straggling resulting from the interaction of swift protons, alpha particles and electrons when moving through the metals aluminum, iron, copper, molybdenum, platinum and gold, are calculated theoretically for a wide energy range of the projectiles. The model is based on the dielectric formalism, which realistically accounts for the excitation spectrum of each metal through the Mermin Energy-Loss Function–Generalized Oscillator Strength (MELF-GOS) methodology. The impact of the complexity of the excitation spectrum of each metal (encompassing interband transitions and collective excitations), as well as the different sources of (sometimes conflicting) optical data is analysed in detail. Specific interactions are considered for each projectile, such as electron capture/loss and electron cloud polarisation for ions, and indistinguishability, exchange and low-energy corrections for electrons. An estimate of possible contributions of surface excitations to the interaction probabilities of low energy electrons is given. Comparison of our results with a large collection of available experimental data shows good agreement. As a practical and useful outcome of the work, we provide analytical expressions fitting all our calculated quantities, which can be applied for simulation or comparison purposes.
Real-world observational study on the long-term effect of L-glutamine treatment on renal parameters of adult and pediatric patients with sickle cell disease
Authors: Elenga Narcisse , Yassin Mohamed A.
Published: December 2023

Background

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a rare genetic blood condition affecting millions worldwide. Oxidative stress is a key player in the pathogenesis of SCD and its comorbid consequences. Renal function impairment is a common complication of SCD in both pediatric and adult patients with serious consequences leading to increased risk of mortality. In this observational real-world study, we are reporting the long-term (120 weeks) renal function in 10 patients treated with L-glutamine.

Methods

Ten patients (4 pediatric and 6 adults), with confirmed diagnoses of SCD (HbSS genotype), were enrolled, these included four patients from Qatar with Arab Indian haplotype and six patients from French Guiana with African haplotype. All patients were treated with L-glutamine oral powder (~0.3 g/kg body weight, Endari®) twice daily for 120 weeks. Clinical events and laboratory parameters (renal function, hemoglobin, reticulocytes, and lactate dehydrogenase [LDH]) were measured at baseline, 48, and 120 weeks.

Results

The study showed that with L-glutamine treatment there were improvements in renal and hematological parameters with no vaso-occlusive crisis at both 48-and 120-week follow-up time points in all 10 patients. Improvements were seen in the albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) from baseline to 48 weeks (mean [Standard deviation SD] ACR: −4.19 [9.81] mg/g) and 120 weeks (mean [SD] ACR: −12.31 [21.09] mg/g). Mean (SD) increase in hemoglobin concentrations from baseline to 48 weeks and 120 weeks was 0.72 (1) g/dL and 1.41 (0.79) g/dL, respectively. Mean (SD) reticulocyte counts and LDH levels decreased from baseline to 48 weeks (mean [SD] change from baseline to 48 weeks, reticulocyte counts: −40.30 [101.58] × 109 cells/L; LDH levels: −259 [154.93] U/L) and 120 weeks (mean [SD] change from baseline to 120 weeks, reticulocyte counts: −58.30 [128.38] × 109 cells/L; LDH levels: −344.80 [274.63] U/L).

Conclusion

This is one of the first studies that assessed the long-term renal outcomes in SCD using L-glutamine. L-glutamine improved the renal function in patients with SCD along with improvements in clinical outcomes and hemolysis, from 48 weeks and sustained through 120 weeks of treatment.
The association between type 2 diabetes and pulmonary cavitation revealed among IGRA-positive tuberculosis patients
Authors: Yang Min , Li Pei , Liu Han , Zhu Xiaojie , Zhu Guofeng , Zhang Peize , Deng Guofang
Published: December 2023

The co-occurrence of tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) presents a significant obstacle to TB eradication. Pulmonary cavitation can occur in severe cases of TB, particularly in patients with DM. From 1 May 2014 through 30 June 2019, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 1,658 smear- or culture-confirmed pulmonary TB (PTB) patients at the Second Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Tuberculosis, Shenzhen, China. A total of 861 participants who satisfied the criteria (chest CT scan for cavitation, interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA), diagnosis of diabetes mellitus), with the median age of 36.7 years, 63.6% of male, 79.7% IGRA positive, 13.8% with diabetes, and 40.8% with pulmonary cavitation, were included in the study. The association between diabetes and pulmonary cavitation was confirmed in these TB patients (adjusted OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.66–3.94; p < 0.001). No associations were observed between diabetes and IGRA, as well as between lung cavitary and IGRA. Based on the criteria of IGRA+/–, pulmonary cavitation+/–, and DM+/–, the further analysis with univariate and multivariate logistic regression were conducted in six subgroups. The significant association between diabetes and pulmonary cavitation was further confirmed in the IGRA+ subgroup (adjusted OR, 3.07; 95% CI, 1.86–5.16; p < 0.001) but not observed in IGRA- individuals. This observation suggests that different immunological mechanisms of pulmonary cavitary/DM may be employed in IGRA+ TB patients from IGRA- TB patients.
Distinguishing EGFR mutant subtypes in stage IA non-small cell lung cancer using the presence status of ground glass opacity and final histologic classification: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Qiu Jianhao , Ma Zheng , Li Rongyang , Qu Chenghao , Wang Kun , Liu Binyan , Tian Yu , Tian Hui
Published: December 2023

Background

The progression of early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is closely related to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status. The purpose of this study was to systematically investigate the relationship between EGFR mutation status and demographic, imaging, and ultimately pathologic features in patients with NSCLC.

Methods

A complete literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases to discover articles published by May 15, 2023 that were eligible. The relationship between EGFR mutation status and specific demographic, imaging, and ultimately pathologic features in patients with NSCLC was evaluated using pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% CIs was the appropriate statistic to summarize standard deviations (SDs) means for continuous variables.

Results

A total of 9 studies with 1789 patients were included in this analysis. The final findings suggested that patients with a greater age, female gender, and non-smoking status would have a relatively higher incidence of EGFR mutations. Additionally, the risk of EGFR mutations increased with larger tumor diameter, tumor imaging presentation of mixed ground glass opacity (mGGO), and tumor pathological findings of minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) or invasive adenocarcinoma (IAC). Significantly, malignancies presenting as MIA are more likely to contain L858R point mutations (OR = 1.80; 95% CI: 1.04–3.13; p = 0.04) rather than exon 19 deletions (OR = 1.81; 95% CI: 0.95–3.44; p = 0.07).

Conclusion

This meta-analysis showed that imaging parameters and histological classifications of pulmonary nodules may be able to predict stage IA NSCLC genetic changes.
Natural foods resources and dietary ingredients for the amelioration of Helicobacter pylori infection
Authors: Wang Chengyuan , Yao Meixiang , Zhong Hongguang , Meena Stephene S. , Shu Fuxing , Nie Shaoping , Xie Mingyong
Published: December 2023

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a gastric-persistent pathogen that can cause peptic ulcer disease, gastric cancer, and mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. This pathogen is commonly treated with antibiotic-based triple or quadruple therapy. However, antibiotic therapy could result in the bacterial resistance, imbalance of gut microbiota, and damage to the liver and kidneys, etc. Therefore, there is an urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies. Interestingly, natural food resources, like vegetables, fruits, spices, and edible herbs, have potent inhibitory effects on H. pylori. In this review, we systematically summarized these foods with supporting evidence from both animal and clinical studies. The results have indicated that natural foods may possess temporary inhibition effect on H. pylori rather than durable eradication, and may help to reduce H. pylori colonization, enhance the effect of antibiotics and modulate the host’s immune response.
Water-in-oil droplet-mediated method for detecting and isolating infectious bacteriophage particles via fluorescent staining
Authors: Hoshino Miu , Ota Yuri , Suyama Tetsushi , Morishita Yuji , Tsuneda Satoshi , Noda Naohiro
Published: December 2023

Bacteriophages are the most abundant entities on Earth. In contrast with the number of phages considered to be in existence, current phage isolation and screening methods lack throughput. Droplet microfluidic technology has been established as a platform for high-throughput screening of biological and biochemical components. In this study, we developed a proof-of-concept method for isolating phages using water-in-oil droplets (droplets) as individual chambers for phage propagation and co-cultivating T2 phage and their host cell Escherichia coli within droplets. Liquid cultivation of microbes will facilitate the use of microbes that cannot grow on or degrade agar as host cells, ultimately resulting in the acquisition of phages that infect less known bacterial cells. The compartmentalizing characteristic of droplets and the use of a fluorescent dye to stain phages simultaneously enabled the enumeration and isolation of viable phage particles. We successfully recultivated the phages after simultaneously segregating single phage particles into droplets and inoculating them with their host cells within droplets. By recovering individual droplets into 96-well plates, we were able to isolate phage clones derived from single phage particles. The success rate for phage recovery was 35.7%. This study lays the building foundations for techniques yet to be developed that will involve the isolation and rupturing of droplets and provides a robust method for phage enumeration and isolation.
The gut microbiome and metabolites are altered and interrelated in patients with functional constipation
Authors: Li Yan-qiu , Yan Xiang-yun , Xiao Xian-jun , Ma Pei-tao , Wang Si-qi , Liu Hui-lin , Zhang Wei , Chen Min , Yao Jun-peng , Li Ying
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Gut microbiota and metabolites have been identified to contribute to the pathogenesis of functional constipation (FC); however, the underlying mechanism(s) have not been elucidated, and the relationship between the gut microbiota and metabolites in FC has received limited attention in the literature.

Methods

16S rDNA sequencing and non-targeted metabolomic detection based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) technologies were combined to analyze the altered gut microbiome and metabolic profile of fecal samples from FC patients and healthy individuals (healthy control; HC).

Results

The richness and diversity of gut microbiota significantly (p < 0.01) increased in FC patients. Compared to the HC group, 18 genera, including Intestinibacter, Klebsiella, and Akkermansia, exhibited statistically significant changes (p < 0.05). Metabolic analysis showed that metabolic profiles were also markedly altered with 79 metabolites, such as (-)-caryophyllene oxide, chenodeoxycholic acid, and biliverdin, indicating significant inter-group differences (p < 0.05). Besides, the primary bile acid biosynthesis, as well as the metabolic profile of porphyrin and chlorophyll, were the most dominant enriched pathways (FDR < 0.01), in which chenodeoxycholic acid and biliverdin were significantly enriched, respectively. Correlation analysis demonstrated a strong relationship between 10 genera and 19 metabolites (r > 0.6, FDR < 0.05), and notably, Intestinibacter showed a negative correlation with biliverdin (FDR < 0.001), which highlighted the interplay of the gut microbiota and metabolites in the pathogenesis of FC.

Conclusion

Our research describes the characteristics of the gut microbiota and metabolic profiles and the correlation between the gut microbiota and metabolites in FC patients. This may contribute to the understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in FC pathogenesis and may provide novel insights into therapeutic interventions.
Altered dynamic functional network connectivity in drug-naïve Parkinson’s disease patients with excessive daytime sleepiness
Authors: Tan Zhiyi , Zeng Qiaoling , Hu Xuehan , Di Duoduo , Chen Lele , Lin Zhijian , Cheng Guanxun
Published: December 2023

Background

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is a frequent nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD), which seriously affects the quality of life of PD patients and exacerbates other nonmotor symptoms. Previous studies have used static analyses of these resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data were measured under the assumption that the intrinsic fluctuations during MRI scans are stationary. However, dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) analysis captures time-varying connectivity over short time scales and may reveal complex functional tissues in the brain.

Purpose

To identify dynamic functional connectivity characteristics in PD-EDS patients in order to explain the underlying neuropathological mechanisms.

Methods

Based on rs-fMRI data from 16 PD patients with EDS and 41 PD patients without EDS, we applied the sliding window approach, k-means clustering and independent component analysis to estimate the inherent dynamic connectivity states associated with EDS in PD patients and investigated the differences between groups. Furthermore, to assess the correlations between the altered temporal properties and the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) scores.

Results

We found four distinct functional connectivity states in PD patients. The patients in the PD-EDS group showed increased fractional time and mean dwell time in state IV, which was characterized by strong connectivity in the sensorimotor (SMN) and visual (VIS) networks, and reduced fractional time in state I, which was characterized by strong positive connectivity intranetwork of the default mode network (DMN) and VIS, while negative connectivity internetwork between the DMN and VIS. Moreover, the ESS scores were positively correlated with fraction time in state IV.

Conclusion

Our results indicated that the strong connectivity within and between the SMN and VIS was characteristic of EDS in PD patients, which may be a potential marker of pathophysiological features related to EDS in PD patients.
The role of the left ventral occipitotemporal cortex in speech processing—The influence of visual deprivation
Authors: Dziȩgiel-Fivet Gabriela , Beck Joanna , Jednoróg Katarzyna
Published: December 2023

The role of the left ventral occipitotemporal cortex (vOT) in reading is well-established in both sighted and blind readers. Its role in speech processing remains only partially understood. Here, we test the involvement of the left vOT in phonological processing of spoken language in the blind (N = 50, age: 6.76–60.32) and in the sighted (N = 54, age: 6.79–59.83) by means of whole-brain and region-of-interest (including individually identified) fMRI analyses. We confirm that the left vOT is sensitive to phonological processing (shows greater involvement in rhyming compared to control spoken language task) in both blind and sighted participants. However, in the sighted, the activation was observed only during the rhyming task and in the speech-specific region of the left vOT, pointing to task and modality specificity. In contrast, in the blind group, the left vOT was active during speech processing irrespective of task and in both speech and reading-specific vOT regions. Only in the blind, the left vOT presented a higher degree of sensitivity to phonological processing than other language nodes in the left inferior frontal and superior temporal cortex. Our results suggest a changed development of the left vOT sensitivity to spoken language, resulting from visual deprivation.
Hypoxic acclimatization training improves the resistance to motion sickness
Authors: Wang Rui , Yan Yiquan , Tie Yateng , Zhang Qi , Pan Yikai , Li Shuhan , Fan Jieyi , Li Chengfei , Li Xi , Wang Yongchun , Sun Xiqing , Zhang Tongmei , Zhao Xingcheng
Published: December 2023

Objective

Vestibular provocation is one of the main causes of flight illusions, and its occurrence is closely related to the susceptibility of motion sickness (MS). However, existing training programs have limited effect in improving the resistance to motion sickness. In this study, we investigated the effects of hypoxia acclimatization training (HAT) on the resistance to motion sickness.

Methods

Healthy military college students were identified as subjects according to the criteria. MS model was induced by a rotary chair. Experimental groups included control, HAT, 3D roller training (3DRT), and combined training.

Results

The Graybiel scores were decreased in the HAT group and the 3DRT group and further decreased in the combined training group in MS induced by the rotary chair. Participants had a significant increase in blood pressure after the rotary chair test and a significant increase in the heart rate during the rotary chair test, but these changes disappeared in all three training groups. Additionally, LFn was increased, HFn was decreased, and LF/HF was increased accordingly during the rotary chair test in the control group, but the changes of these three parameters were completely opposite in the three training groups during the rotary chair test. Compared with the control group, the decreasing changes in pupillary contraction velocity (PCV) and pupillary minimum diameter (PMD) of the three training groups were smaller. In particular, the binocular PCV changes were further attenuated in the combined training group.

Conclusion

Our research provides a possible candidate solution for training military pilots in the resistance to motion sickness.
Characterization of dynamic patterns of human fetal to neonatal brain asymmetry with deformation-based morphometry
Authors: Steger Céline , Moatti Charles , Payette Kelly , De Silvestro Alexandra , Nguyen Thi Dao , Coraj Seline , Yakoub Ninib , Natalucci Giancarlo , Kottke Raimund , Tuura Ruth , Knirsch Walter , Jakab Andras
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Despite established knowledge on the morphological and functional asymmetries in the human brain, the understanding of how brain asymmetry patterns change during late fetal to neonatal life remains incomplete. The goal of this study was to characterize the dynamic patterns of inter-hemispheric brain asymmetry over this critically important developmental stage using longitudinally acquired MRI scans.

Methods

Super-resolution reconstructed T2-weighted MRI of 20 neurotypically developing participants were used, and for each participant fetal and neonatal MRI was acquired. To quantify brain morphological changes, deformation-based morphometry (DBM) on the longitudinal MRI scans was utilized. Two registration frameworks were evaluated and used in our study: (A) fetal to neonatal image registration and (B) registration through a mid-time template. Developmental changes of cerebral asymmetry were characterized as (A) the inter-hemispheric differences of the Jacobian determinant (JD) of fetal to neonatal morphometry change and the (B) time-dependent change of the JD capturing left-right differences at fetal or neonatal time points. Left-right and fetal-neonatal differences were statistically tested using multivariate linear models, corrected for participants’ age and sex and using threshold-free cluster enhancement.

Results

Fetal to neonatal morphometry changes demonstrated asymmetry in the temporal pole, and left-right asymmetry differences between fetal and neonatal timepoints revealed temporal changes in the temporal pole, likely to go from right dominant in fetal to a bilateral morphology in neonatal timepoint. Furthermore, the analysis revealed right-dominant subcortical gray matter in neonates and three clusters of increased JD values in the left hemisphere from fetal to neonatal timepoints.

Discussion

While these findings provide evidence that morphological asymmetry gradually emerges during development, discrepancies between registration frameworks require careful considerations when using DBM for longitudinal data of early brain development.
Using illusions to understand hallucinations: differences in perceptual performances on illusory figures may underscore specific visuoperceptual impairments in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Cucca Alberto , Manara Claudia Virginia , Catalan Mauro , Liccari Marco , Antonutti Lucia , Lombardo Tiziana Maria Isabella , Cenacchi Valentina , Rangan Sophie , Mingolo Serena , Crisafulli Carmelo , Dore Franca , Murgia Mauro , Agostini Tiziano , Manganotti Paolo
Published: December 2023

Visual hallucinations are prevalent, potentially disabling symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. Multiple impairments in bottom-up sensory processing and top-down perceptual modulation are implicated in the pathophysiology of these phenomena. In healthy individuals, visual illusions are elicited by illusory figures through parametric manipulations of geometrical configurations, contrast, color, or spatial relationships between stimuli. These illusory percepts provide insight on the physiologic processes subserving conscious and unconscious perception. In this exploratory, cross-sectional, controlled study, perceptual performance on illusory figures was assessed on 11 PD patients with hallucinations, 10 non-hallucinating PD patients, and 10 age-matched healthy individuals. In order to characterize potential neural substrates of perceptual performances, patients’ brain metabolic patterns on FDG PET were also analyzed. Illusions relying on attentional modulation and global perception were attenuated in PD patients without hallucinations. This pattern was no longer recognizable in hallucinating patients. Conversely, illusory effects normally counteracted by figure to background segregation and overlapping figures recognition were enhanced in PD patients with hallucinations. FDG PET findings further suggest that perceptual differences between PD patients might be linked to abnormal top-down perceptual modulation.
Garlic consumption and colorectal cancer risk in US adults: a large prospective cohort study
Authors: Jiang Zongze , Chen Huilin , Li Ming , Wang Wei , Long Feiwu , Fan Chuanwen
Published: December 2023

Objective

To clarify the inconsistent findings of epidemiological studies on the association between dietary garlic consumption and colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence, by prospectively assessing the association in a large US population.

Methods

Data of 58,508 participants (aged 55–74) from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial were analyzed. Dietary data were collected using a validated questionnaire. Multivariable Cox regression analysis determined hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Restricted cubic spline regression was used to investigate the non-linear relationship, and subgroup analysis was conducted to examine potential effect modifiers.

Results

During a median follow-up of 12.05 years, 782 CRC cases were documented, including 456 proximal colon cancer cases, 322 distal CRC cases, and 4 CRC cases with an unknown site. Moderate dietary garlic consumption was significantly associated with a reduced risk of overall CRC (HRquintile 3vs. 1: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.54 to 0.91, p = 0.007, P for trend: 0.434), exhibiting a U-shaped dose-response pattern, and also with overall CRC in males in the stratified Cox regression model (Model 2: HRquintile 3vs. 1: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.40 to 0.81, p = 0.002), but not in females. The protective association was more pronounced in men, Caucasian, and those with lower alcohol consumption. Notably, these protective effects were observed for overall distal CRC (HRquintile 3vs. 1: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.42 to 0.93, p = 0.021; and HRquintile 4vs. 1: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.43 to 0.92, p = 0.018, P for trend: 0.208); and for distal CRC in males (HRquintile 3vs. 1: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.22 to 0.71, p = 0.002, P for trend: 0.696), but not for proximal CRC.

Conclusion

Moderate consumption of dietary garlic is associated with a decreased CRC risk in the US population, with variations based on CRC anatomic subsites. Further in-depth prospective studies are needed to validate these findings in different populations and to explore subsites-specific associations.
Immunogenic chemotherapy: great potential for improving response rates
Authors: Huang Xiaojun , Ren Qinghuan , Yang Leixiang , Cui Di , Ma Chenyang , Zheng Yueliang , Wu Junjie
Published: December 2023

The activation of anti-tumor immunity is critical in treating cancers. Recent studies indicate that several chemotherapy agents can stimulate anti-tumor immunity by inducing immunogenic cell death and durably eradicate tumors. This suggests that immunogenic chemotherapy holds great potential for improving response rates. However, chemotherapy in practice has only had limited success in inducing long-term survival or cure of cancers when used either alone or in combination with immunotherapy. We think that this is because the importance of dose, schedule, and tumor model dependence of chemotherapy-activated anti-tumor immunity is under-appreciated. Here, we review immune modulation function of representative chemotherapy agents and propose a model of immunogenic chemotherapy-induced long-lasting responses that rely on synergetic interaction between killing tumor cells and inducing anti-tumor immunity. We comb through several chemotherapy treatment schedules, and identify the needs for chemotherapy dose and schedule optimization and combination therapy with immunotherapy when chemotherapy dosage or immune responsiveness is too low. We further review tumor cell intrinsic factors that affect the optimal chemotherapy dose and schedule. Lastly, we review the biomarkers indicating responsiveness to chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy treatments. A deep understanding of how chemotherapy activates anti-tumor immunity and how to monitor its responsiveness can lead to the development of more effective chemotherapy or chemo-immunotherapy, thereby improving the efficacy of cancer treatment.
Quantitative systems pharmacology model of erythropoiesis to simulate therapies targeting anemia due to chronic kidney disease
Authors: Roy Mrittika , Saroha Shaifali , Sarma Uddipan , Sarathy Harini , Kumar Rukmini
Published: December 2023

Anemia induced by chronic kidney disease (CKD) has multiple underlying mechanistic causes and generally worsens as CKD progresses. Erythropoietin (EPO) is a key endogenous protein which increases the number of erythrocyte progenitors that mature into red blood cells that carry hemoglobin (Hb). Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) in its native and re-engineered forms is used as a therapeutic to alleviate CKD-induced anemia by stimulating erythropoiesis. However, due to safety risks associated with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), a new class of drugs, prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (PHIs), has been developed. Instead of administering exogenous EPO, PHIs facilitate the accumulation of HIF-α, which results in the increased production of endogenous EPO. Clinical trials for ESAs and PHIs generally involve balancing decisions related to safety and efficacy by carefully evaluating the criteria for patient selection and adaptive trial design. To enable such decisions, we developed a quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) model of erythropoiesis which captures key aspects of physiology and its disruption in CKD. Furthermore, CKD virtual populations of varying severities were developed, calibrated, and validated against public data. Such a model can be used to simulate alternative trial protocols while designing phase 3 clinical trials, as well as an asset for reverse translation in understanding emerging clinical data.
Developed method: interactions and their quantum picture
Authors: Ogonowski Piotr
Published: December 2023

By developing the previously proposed method of combining continuum mechanics with Einstein’s field equations, it has been shown that the classic relativistic description, curvilinear description, and quantum description of the physical system may be reconciled using the proposed Alena Tensor. For a system with an electromagnetic field, the Lagrangian density equal to the invariant of the electromagnetic field was obtained, the vanishing four-divergence of canonical four-momentum appears to be the consequence of the Poynting theorem, and the explicit form of one of the electromagnetic four-potential gauges was introduced. The proposed method allows for further development with additional fields.
Transformer encoder with multiscale deep learning for pain classification using physiological signals
Authors: Lu Zhenyuan , Ozek Burcu , Kamarthi Sagar
Published: December 2023

Pain, a pervasive global health concern, affects a large segment of population worldwide. Accurate pain assessment remains a challenge due to the limitations of conventional self-report scales, which often yield inconsistent results and are susceptible to bias. Recognizing this gap, our study introduces PainAttnNet, a novel deep-learning model designed for precise pain intensity classification using physiological signals. We investigate whether PainAttnNet would outperform existing models in capturing temporal dependencies. The model integrates multiscale convolutional networks, squeeze-and-excitation residual networks, and a transformer encoder block. This integration is pivotal for extracting robust features across multiple time windows, emphasizing feature interdependencies, and enhancing temporal dependency analysis. Evaluation of PainAttnNet on the BioVid heat pain dataset confirm the model’s superior performance over the existing models. The results establish PainAttnNet as a promising tool for automating and refining pain assessments. Our research not only introduces a novel computational approach but also sets the stage for more individualized and accurate pain assessment and management in the future.
Remediation of wastewater by biosynthesized manganese oxide nanoparticles and its effects on development of wheat seedlings
Authors: Ishfaq Aneeza , Shahid Muhammad , Nawaz Muhammad , Ibrar Danish , Hussain Sabir , Shahzad Tanvir , Mahmood Faisal , Rais Afroz , Gul Safia , Gaafar Abdel-Rhman Z. , Hodhod Mohamed S. , Khan Shahbaz
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Nanoparticles play a vital role in environmental remediation on a global scale. In recent years, there has been an increasing demand to utilize nanoparticles in wastewater treatment due to their remarkable physiochemical properties.

Methods

In the current study, manganese oxide nanoparticles (MnO-NPs) were synthesized from the Bacillus flexus strain and characterized by UV/Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Results

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of biosynthesized MnO-NPs to treat wastewater. Results showed the photocatalytic degradation and adsorption potential of MnO-NPs for chemical oxygen demand, sulfate, and phosphate were 79%, 64%, and 64.5%, respectively, depicting the potential of MnO-NPs to effectively reduce pollutants in wastewater. The treated wastewater was further utilized for the cultivation of wheat seedlings through a pot experiment. It was observed that the application of treated wastewater showed a significant increase in growth, physiological, and antioxidant attributes. However, the application of treated wastewater led to a significant decrease in oxidative stress by 40%.

Discussion

It can be concluded that the application of MnO-NPs is a promising choice to treat wastewater as it has the potential to enhance the growth, physiological, and antioxidant activities of wheat seedlings.