bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pelatihan Menyusun Menu Gizi Seimbang pada Ibu Balita Stunting di Desa Bajoe, Konawe
Authors: Rasmaniar Rasmaniar , Nurlaela Euis , Kasmawati Kasmawati , Nurbaya Nurbaya
Published: May 2022

Stunting can cause delays in motor development which includes emotional development, behavior, and brain development among under-five children. Mother's knowledge is closely related to the nutritional status of the children. The inadequate practice of feeding infants and children (IYCF) is influenced by the mother's low level of knowledge. Therefore, this community service activity aimed to increase mothers' knowledge about the importance of balanced nutrition and improve mothers' skills in compiling a balanced nutritional menu from local food ingredients. This activity was carried out in Bajoe Village, Soropia District, Southeast Sulawesi. As many as 35 mothers were involved as participants. The form of this activity was counseling and practice of compiling a balanced nutrition menu. The counseling method was delivered in the form of lectures and discussions. The evaluation was done in the form of pre-test and post-test. The results of the pre-test showed the mean score was 76.28, and there was an increase in the post-test score to 93.43. It means that there was an increase in the score of 17.15 points. Assistance to mothers in providing a balanced nutritional menu is important to support the growth and development of children.
 
ABSTRAK
Stunting pada balita dapat mengakibatkan keterlambatan perkembangan motorik yang meliputi perkembangan emosi, tingkah laku, dan perkembangan otak. Pengetahuan ibu sangat berhubungan dengan status gizi balita. Praktik pemberian makanan pada bayi dan anak (PMBA) yang kurang optimal dipengaruhi tingkat pengetahuan ibu yang rendah. Oleh karena itu,  kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan ibu tentang pentingnya gizi seimbang dan meningkatkan keterampilan ibu dalam menyusun menu gizi seimbang dari bahan pangan lokal. Kegiatan ini dilaksanakan di Desa Bajoe, Kecamatan Soropia, Sulawesi Tenggara. Sebanyak 35 ibu balita terlibat sebagai peserta. Bentuk kegiatan ini adalah penyuluhan dan praktik menyusun menu gizi seimbang. Metode penyuluhan disampaikan dalam bentuk ceramah dan diskusi. Evaluasi dilakukan dalam bentuk pemberian pre- dan post-test.  Hasil pre-test menunjukkan rerata skor sebanyak 76,28 dan terjadi peningkatan skor post-test menjadi 93,43. Hal ini berarti terjadi peningkatan skor sebanyak 17,15 poin. Pendampingan pada ibu balita dalam memberikan menu gizi seimbang pada balita sangat penting untuk mendukung tumbuh kembang balita.
Sosialisasi dan Training of Trainer Pentingnya Penggunaan Alat Pelindung Diri pada Operator SPBU di Kab. Mamuju
Authors: Akbar Fajar , Ahmad Haeranah
Published: May 2022

Personal protective equipment is an important tool in the workplace and is often neglected by workers or employees, even by workplace management. The purpose of this activity was to conduct socialization and training of trainers to gas station managers and operators about the importance of using personal protective equipment when doing work. The location of this activity was at H. Laumma Karema gas station, Kali Mamuju gas station, and Tasiu gas station. The service method was carried out by conducting training of trainers for 6 gas station managers and socializing the use of personal protective equipment masks among 45 gas station operators. The results of the activity showed the importance of socialization and training of trainers on personal protective equipment for gas station managers and operators, especially PPE masks were gas station managers and operators are expected to use 3M filter masks when in the gas station area.
 
ABSTRAK
Alat pelindung diri yang merupakan suatu alat yang penting di tempat kerja sering diabaikan oleh pekerja atau karyawan, bahkan oleh manajemen tempat kerja. Tujuan kegiatan ini melakukan sosialisasi dan Training of Trainer kepada para pengelola dan operator SPBU tentang pentingnya penggunaan alat pelindung diri saat melakukan pekerjaan. Lokasi kegiatan ini dilakukan di SPBU H. Laumma Karema, SPBU Kali Mamuju dan SPBU Tasiu. Metode pengabdian dilakukan dengan melakukan training of trainer pada 6 orang pengelola SPBU dan sosialisasi penggunaan alat pelindung diri masker pada 45 orang operator SPBU. Hasil kegiatan menunjukkan bahwa pentingnya sosialisasi dan training of trainer tentang alat pelindung diri pada pengelola dan operator SPBU khususnya APD masker dimana para pengelola dan operator SPBU diharapkan menggunakan masker 3M filter saat berada di kawasan SPBU.
Near-Infrared Bioluminescence Imaging of Macrophage Sensors for Cancer Detection In Vivo
Authors: Zambito Giorgia , Mishra Gunja , Schliehe Christopher , Mezzanotte Laura
Published: May 2022

Melanoma is an aggressive type of skin cancer with a poor prognosis after it gets metastasized. The early detection of malignant melanoma is critical for effective therapy. Because melanoma often resembles moles, routine skin check-up may help for timely identification of suspicious areas. Recently, it has been shown that the interplay of melanoma cells with the immune system can help develop efficient therapeutic strategies. Here, we leveraged engineered macrophages (BMC2) as cell-based sensors for metastatic melanoma. To perform dual-color bioluminescence imaging (BLI) in vivo, macrophages were engineered to express a green click beetle luciferase (CBG2) and a near-infrared fluorescent dye (DiR), and B16F10 melanoma cells were instead engineered to express a near-infrared click beetle luciferase (CBR2). Using real-time in vivo dual-color BLI and near-infrared fluorescence (FL) imaging, we could demonstrate that macrophages were able to sense and substantially accumulate in subcutaneous and metastatic melanoma tissues at 72 h after systemic injections. Together, we showed the potentiality to use optical imaging technologies to track circulating macrophages for the non-invasive detection of metastatic melanoma.
Electrochemical Sensors for Sustainable Precision Agriculture—A Review
Authors: Kim Min-Yeong , Lee Kyu Hwan
Published: May 2022

Greenhouse gases released by agriculture account for 19% of global greenhouse gas emission. Moreover, the abuse of pesticides and fertilizers is a fundamental cause of soil and water pollution. Finding sustainable countermeasures for these problems requires completely new approaches and the integration of knowledge. Precision agriculture (PA) is a technology that reduces environmental pollution with minimal input (e.g., fertilizer, herbicides, and pesticides) and maximize the production of high-quality crops by monitoring the conditions and environment of farmland and crops. However, the lack of data—a key technology for realizing PA—remains a major obstacle to the large-scale adoption of PA. Herein, we discuss important research issues, such as data managements and analysis for accurate decision-making, and specific data acquisition strategies. Moreover, we systematically review and discuss electrochemical sensors, including sensors that monitor the plant, soil, and environmental conditions that directly affect plant growth.
Improved Singlet Oxygen Production by Synergistic Effect via a Dual-Core Photosensitizer Doped Polymer Fibrous Films: Synthesis and Performance
Authors: Zhao Ming , Liu Cheng , Shan Zhihao , Ji Changqing , Lu Xiaozhong , Lv Guanglei
Published: May 2022

Singlet oxygen (1O2) is a common reactive oxygen species that has found wide application in wastewater processing, photochemical synthesis, and photodynamic therapy. In this paper, a dual-core metal [a Re(I)-based component and a Gd(III)-based component] photosensitizer was synthesized and doped into polymer fibrous films for 1O2 generation. Here the Re(I)-based component is responsible for the photosensitizing reaction which directly transformed 3O2 to 1O2, while the Gd(III)-based component served as an auxiliary part that assisted the transformation from 3O2 to 1O2via synergistic effect by its triplet excited ligands. The photophysical parameters of this photosensitizer (denoted as Re-Gd) and its fibrous films (denoted as Re-Gd@PVP) were carefully recorded, discussed, and compared. It was found that the excited state lifetime and photostability of Re-Gd were both improved after being doped into fibrous films, favoring 1O2 generation. The 1O2 generation performance comparison between Re-Gd in the solid state, in solution, and fibrous films suggested that 1O2 generation performance was indeed improved by the electrospinning films. In addition, the positive factor of synergistic effect on improving 1O2-producing efficiency was confirmed by comparing Re-Gd@PVP films with reference films with a single-core metal photosensitizer having no synergistic effect.
Highly Efficient One-Step Conversion of Fructose to Biofuel 5-Ethoxymethylfurfural Using a UIO-66-SO3H Catalyst
Authors: Zhao Kangyu , Xiang Yanping , Sun Xiaoao , Chen Linjiao , Xiao Jiafu , Liu Xianxiang
Published: May 2022

In this study, a novel sulfonic acid-modified catalyst for MOFs (UIO-66-SO3H) was synthesized using chlorosulfonic acid as a sulfonating reagent and first used as efficient heterogeneous catalysts for the one-pot conversion of fructose into biofuel 5-ethoxymethylfurfural (EMF) in a cosolvent free system. The physicochemical properties of this catalyst were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). The characterization demonstrated that the sulfonic acid group was successfully grafted onto the MOF material and did not cause significant changes to its morphology and structure. Furthermore, the effects of catalyst acid amount, reaction temperature, reaction time, and catalyst dosage on reaction results were investigated. The results showed that the conversion of fructose was 99.7% within 1 h at 140°C, while the EMF yield reached 80.4%. This work provides a viable strategy by application of sulfonic acid-based MOFs for the efficient synthesis of potential liquid fuel EMF from renewable biomass.
Physical Basis of Multi-Energy Coupling-Driven Water Oxidation
Authors: Han Zijiao , Yuan Shun , Liu Duanduan , Zheng Qian , Huang Yu An , Yan Shicheng , Zou Zhigang
Published: May 2022

Hydrogen production by electrolyzing water is an important technique to store energy from renewables into chemical energy. Many efforts have been made to improve the energy conversion efficiency. In this review article, we mainly summarized the emerging ideas on water oxidation by multi-energy coupling. First, the physicochemical nature of electrolyzing water reaction is described. Then, we conceptually proposed the physical basis of energy coupling with a goal to maximize the energy conversion efficiency and showed the methods to achieve heat–electricity and magnetism–electricity coupling to drive water splitting. Finally, the material requirements for creating efficient energy coupling water splitting system were proposed. These new ideas unlock a big potential direction for developing multi-energy coupling hydrogen production devices to efficiently store the intermittent and fluctuating renewables.
Microbial Methane Generation and Implications for Stability of Shallow Sediments on the Upper Slope, U.S. Atlantic Margin
Authors: Carty Olin R. , Daigle Hugh
Published: May 2022

Dissociation of methane hydrates in shallow marine sediments due to increasing global temperatures can lead to the venting of methane gas or seafloor destabilization. Along the U.S. Atlantic margin there is a well-documented history of slope failure and numerous gas seeps have been recorded. However, it is not fully understood whether the observed gas seepages can lead to slope failure as seafloor data is often sparse. We used machine learning algorithms to predict total organic carbon (TOC) and porosity at the seafloor on the U.S. Atlantic margin. Within this region, an area of high TOC predictions (1.5—2.2% dry weight) occurred along the continental slope from (35.4°N, 75.0°W) to (39.0°N, 72.0°W), aligning with documented gas seeps in the region. Elsewhere, predicted values of TOC were near or below 1% dry weight. In the area of high TOC, we modeled hydrate and gas formation over a 120,000 years glacial cycle. Along the feather edge, average hydrate saturations at the base of the hydrate stability zone (BHZ) were between 0.2% and 0.7% with some models predicting hydrate saturation above 3% and average peak gas saturations ranged from 4% to 6.5%. At these locations we modeled the pore pressure response of sediments at the BHZ to hydrate dissociation due to an increase in temperature. We focused on purely drained and undrained loading environments and used a non-linear Hoek-Brown failure envelope to assess whether failure criteria were met. In a drained loading environment, where excess pore pressure is instantly dissipated, we found that the change in effective stress due to hydrate dissociation is small and no failure is expected to occur. In an undrained loading environment, where excess pore pressure does not dissipate, the change in effective stress due to hydrate dissociation is larger and shear failure is expected to occur even at low hydrate saturations (0.2%—1%) forming final gas saturations below 0.1%. Therefore, we conclude that the dissociation of hydrates along the feather edge can lead to the conditions necessary for sediment failure.
Glacier Mass Balance Changes Over the Turgen Daban Range, Western Qilian Shan, From 1966/75 to 2020
Authors: Xu Song , Wang Yetang , Wang Yuzhe , Qi Shanzhong , Zhou Min
Published: May 2022

Extensive efforts for quantifying regional glacier mass balance in the Qilian Mountains have been made using the geodetic method, but these estimations were rarely extended back to the period before 2000. This study presents glacier mass budgets in the Turgen Daban Range, over the western Qilian Mountain, from 1966/75 to 2020 by means of the digital elevation models generated by the topographic maps and ASTER images. The results show that the glacier mass decreased by −18.79 ± 12.48 m w.e. during the past 50 years. The average mass loss rate is estimated to be −0.19 ± 0.08 m w.e.a−1 for the 1966/75-2006 period and −0.45 ± 0.17 m w.e.a−1 during 2006–2020, respectively, suggesting a remarkable acceleration of glacier mass loss. This may be attributable to the significant increase in air temperature and the insignificant precipitation increase which cannot offset glacier melting caused by increased temperature. Due to the melting and shrinking of glaciers, the area of glacial lakes increases by 2.83 km2 from 1987 to 2020.
Influence of Hole Geometry on Performance of a Rotational Hydrodynamic Cavitation Reactor
Authors: Zhang Wei , Xie Chao , Fan Honggang , Liu Bing
Published: May 2022

Cavitation is a common phenomenon in hydraulic power industry, ship propulsion, pump station and other industrial fields. In the present work, a high-speed camera is used to visualize the flow field in a rotational hydrodynamic cavitation reactor (RHCR) in a closed cycle test rig, and the numerical simulation is carried out based on the RNG k-ε turbulence model and the Zwart-Gerber-Belamri (ZGB) cavitation model. Influence of hole diameter, hole height and hole cone bottom length on performance of RHCR are comprehensively investigated. The results show that the numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental data, which verifies the accuracy and reliability of the numerical method. The hole diameter mainly influences the water vapor exchange boundary, the hole height mainly influences the cavitation area and intensity, and the cone bottom length mainly influences the vortex number and intensity. Under different hole diameters, the dominant frequent of pressure fluctuation in hole is 24 fi corresponding to the hole number along the circumferential direction, and the maximum amplitude appears near the hole top due to the small gap between the hole top and the side wall of the rotor. When the hole diameter increases from 11 to 17 mm, the pressure fluctuation amplitude increases by 1.65 times for each increase of 2 mm.
Nonlinear Control Method of Photovoltaic Power Generation LVRT Based on Adaptive Maximum Power Tracking
Authors: Yin Jun , Nie Haoyu , Huang Xiaobo , Xu Guojie , Xu Jing , Liu Yuhan
Published: May 2022

With the continuous increase in the scale of photovoltaic grid connection, the impact of the safe and stable operation of photovoltaic power generation systems on the grid cannot be ignored. When a short-term failure of the power grid occurs, the large-scale disconnection of the unit will seriously affect the stability of the grid voltage and frequency. Therefore, this paper proposes a non-linear control method for photovoltaic power generation low voltage ride through (LVRT) based on adaptive maximum power tracking. This method adaptively adjusts the power tracking trajectory through the feedforward control of the voltage drop amplitude. Cooperating with the nonlinear control of the grid-connected inverter, this method can quickly and effectively control the power output of photovoltaic cells on the basis of providing appropriate reactive power support, so as to realize the rapid response of grid system. Through the simulation in PSCAD, it is verified that the control method described in this article can well realize the LVRT in different amplitudes of the photovoltaic system, especially when zero voltage drops occur.
Effect of Biochar Addition on Phosphorus Adsorption Characteristics of Red Soil
Authors: Wu Yunchao , Zou Ziwei , Huang Chenxu , Jin Jie
Published: May 2022

Phosphorus (P) sorption by red soil is strong due to its acidic pH and high content of metal oxides. Biochar addition may increase the availability of red soil P by altering P sorption characteristics. This study examined the influences of doping ratios of the biochar, phosphate concentration, solution pH, and biochar-derived dissolved black carbon (DBC) on P sorption in red soil. The specific sorption mechanisms were explored using 3D fluorescence spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and zeta potential analysis. The results show that the bioavailable P content in the biochar-amended red soil increased to 1.92 mg kg−1, which is an increase of 255% compared with the original red soil. With the increase in the doping ratio of biochar, the maximum sorption amount of P initially decreased and then increased. Moreover, the pH value and the content of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) of the red soil were effectively elevated by biochar addition. The increase in the DOC content is likely caused by the DBC released from biochar. As the soil pH value increased, the amount of P sorption was reduced due to electrostatic repulsion. P sorption by the red soil decreased with the increasing DBC concentration. The humic acid-like substances in DBC can compete with phosphate for soil sorption sites, leading to a decrease in P absorption. This study demonstrates that the addition of biochar affects P sorption of the red soil mainly by changing its physicochemical properties or by releasing DBC to occupy the sorption sites.
Autoimmune Neutropenia Associated With HHV-6 Virus Infection: A Case Report
Authors: Faierstein Kobi , Shilo Noya , Levartovsky Asaf , Raphael Roy , Givon Amir , Agmon-Levin Nancy , Mayan Haim
Published: May 2022

Background

Autoimmune neutropenia (AIN) is divided into primary and secondary forms. The former is more prevalent in children and is usually a self-limiting disease. Secondary AIN is more common in adults and often occurs in the setting of another autoimmune disorder or secondary to infections, malignancies or medications. Several viral and bacterial pathogens were described to trigger AIN. Here we report a case of AIN in an adult woman associated with human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) infection.

Case Presentation

We report a case of AIN in an adult woman associated with HHV-6 infection. The patient presented to the emergency department with fever and painful genital ulcers. Upon arrival, her laboratory workup demonstrated severe neutropenia and elevated inflammatory markers. She was hospitalized and underwent a thorough infectious, hematological, autoimmune and inflammatory workup. Malignancy was also excluded using an advanced whole body radiological scan. Serological tests confirmed the presence of both acute and chronic types of HHV-6 antibodies, at very high titers. Polymerase chain reaction demonstrated a numerous copies of the virus in the patient’s blood. Specific immunofluorescence test confirmed the diagnosis of autoimmune neutropenia.

Conclusion

Secondary AIN is a rare disease that may affect all range of ages. The adult type is a challenging disorder that has different etiologies and may be triggered by a variable infectious pathogen. The finding of HHV-6 as a possible culprit pathogen may warrant physicians into widening the evaluation and include HHV-6 in the analysis.
Galactose Enhances Chondrogenic Differentiation of ATDC5 and Cartilage Matrix Formation by Chondrocytes
Authors: Yuan Zhongrun , Liu Sa , Song Wenjing , Liu Ying , Bi Gangyuan , Xie Renjian , Ren Li
Published: May 2022

Galactose, an important carbohydrate nutrient, is involved in several types of cellular metabolism, participating in physiological activities such as glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis, glycosylation, and intercellular recognition. The regulatory effects of galactose on osteoarthritis have attracted increased attention. In this study, in vitro cell models of ATDC5 and chondrocytes were prepared and cultured with different concentrations of galactose to evaluate its capacity on chondrogenesis and cartilage matrix formation. The cell proliferation assay demonstrated that galactose was nontoxic to both ATDC5 cells and chondrocytes. RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining indicated that the gene expressions of cartilage matrix type II collagen and aggrecan were significantly upregulated with increasing galactose concentration and the expression and accumulation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein. Overall, these results indicated that a galactose concentration below 8 mM exhibited the best effect on promoting chondrogenesis, which entitles galactose as having considerable potential for cartilage repair and regeneration.
Potential Mechanism Underlying Exercise Upregulated Circulating Blood Exosome miR-215-5p to Prevent Necroptosis of Neuronal Cells and a Model for Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Chen Yisheng , Sun Yaying , Luo Zhiwen , Lin Jinrong , Qi Beijie , Kang Xueran , Ying Chenting , Guo Chenyang , Yao Mengxuan , Chen Xiangjun , Wang Yi , Wang Qian , Chen Jiwu , Chen Shiyi
Published: May 2022

Exercise is crucial for preventing Alzheimer’s disease (AD), although the exact underlying mechanism remains unclear. The construction of an accurate AD risk prediction model is beneficial as it can provide a theoretical basis for preventive exercise prescription. In recent years, necroptosis has been confirmed as an important manifestation of AD, and exercise is known to inhibit necroptosis of neuronal cells. In this study, we extracted 67 necroptosis-related genes and 32 necroptosis-related lncRNAs and screened for key predictive AD risk genes through a random forest analysis. Based on the neural network Prediction model, we constructed a new logistic regression-based AD risk prediction model in order to provide a visual basis for the formulation of exercise prescription. The prediction model had an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.979, indicative of strong predictive power and a robust clinical application prospect. In the exercise group, the expression of exosomal miR-215-5p was found to be upregulated; miR-215-5p could potentially inhibit the expressions of IDH1, BCL2L11, and SIRT1. The single-cell SCENIC assay was used to identify key transcriptional regulators in skeletal muscle. Among them, CEBPB and GATA6 were identified as putative transcriptional regulators of miR-215. After “skeletal muscle removal of load,” the expressions of CEBPB and GATA6 increased substantially, which in turn led to the elevation of miR-215 expression, thereby suggesting a putative mechanism for negative feedback regulation of exosomal homeostasis.
Identification of Differential Genes of DNA Methylation Associated With Alzheimer’s Disease Based on Integrated Bioinformatics and Its Diagnostic Significance
Authors: Chen Fan , Wang Na , He Xiaping
Published: May 2022

Background

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease. The pathogenesis is complex and has not been clearly elucidated, and there is no effective treatment. Recent studies have demonstrated that DNA methylation is closely associated with the pathogenesis of AD, which sheds light on investigating potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of early AD and related possible therapeutic approaches.

Methods

Alzheimer’s disease patients samples and healthy controls samples were collected from two datasets in the GEO database. Using LIMMA software package in R language to find differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Afterward, DEGs have been subjected to enrichment analysis of GO and KEGG pathways. The PPI networks and Hub genes were created and visualized based on the STRING database and Cytoscape. ROC curves were further constructed to analyze the accuracy of these genes for AD diagnosis.

Results

Analysis of the GSE109887 and GSE97760 datasets showed 477 significant DEGs. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed terms related to biological processes related to these genes. The top ten Hub genes were found on the basis of the PPI network using the CytoHubba plugin, and the AUC areas of these top ranked genes were all greater than 0.7, showing satisfactory diagnostic accuracy.

Conclusion

The study identified the top 10 Hub genes associated with AD-related DNA methylation, of which RPSA, RPS23, and RPLP0 have high diagnostic accuracy and excellent AD biomarker potential.
The Pathobiology of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Case for Neuroglial Failure
Authors: Renz-Polster Herbert , Tremblay Marie-Eve , Bienzle Dorothee , Fischer Joachim E.
Published: May 2022

Although myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) has a specific and distinctive profile of clinical features, the disease remains an enigma because causal explanation of the pathobiological matrix is lacking. Several potential disease mechanisms have been identified, including immune abnormalities, inflammatory activation, mitochondrial alterations, endothelial and muscular disturbances, cardiovascular anomalies, and dysfunction of the peripheral and central nervous systems. Yet, it remains unclear whether and how these pathways may be related and orchestrated. Here we explore the hypothesis that a common denominator of the pathobiological processes in ME/CFS may be central nervous system dysfunction due to impaired or pathologically reactive neuroglia (astrocytes, microglia and oligodendrocytes). We will test this hypothesis by reviewing, in reference to the current literature, the two most salient and widely accepted features of ME/CFS, and by investigating how these might be linked to dysfunctional neuroglia. From this review we conclude that the multifaceted pathobiology of ME/CFS may be attributable in a unifying manner to neuroglial dysfunction. Because the two key features – post exertional malaise and decreased cerebral blood flow – are also recognized in a subset of patients with post-acute sequelae COVID, we suggest that our findings may also be pertinent to this entity.
The Face Inversion Effect in Deep Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Tian Fang , Xie Hailun , Song Yiying , Hu Siyuan , Liu Jia
Published: May 2022

The face inversion effect (FIE) is a behavioral marker of face-specific processing that the recognition of inverted faces is disproportionately disrupted than that of inverted non-face objects. One hypothesis is that while upright faces are represented by face-specific mechanism, inverted faces are processed as objects. However, evidence from neuroimaging studies is inconclusive, possibly because the face system, such as the fusiform face area, is interacted with the object system, and therefore the observation from the face system may indirectly reflect influences from the object system. Here we examined the FIE in an artificial face system, visual geometry group network-face (VGG-Face), a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) specialized for identifying faces. In line with neuroimaging studies on humans, a stronger FIE was found in VGG-Face than that in DCNN pretrained for processing objects. Critically, further classification error analysis revealed that in VGG-Face, inverted faces were miscategorized as objects behaviorally, and the analysis on internal representations revealed that VGG-Face represented inverted faces in a similar fashion as objects. In short, our study supported the hypothesis that inverted faces are represented as objects in a pure face system.
Expression and Potential Biomarkers of Regulators for M7G RNA Modification in Gliomas
Authors: Chen Zhen , Zhang Zhe , Ding Wei , Zhang Jie-hui , Tan Zi-long , Mei Yu-ran , He Wei , Wang Xiao-jing
Published: May 2022

Gliomas are the most frequent primary malignant brain tumors of the central nervous system, causing significant impairment and death. There is mounting evidence that N7 methylguanosine (m7G) RNA dysmethylation plays a significant role in the development and progression of cancer. However, the expression patterns and function of the m7G RNA methylation regulator in gliomas are yet unknown. The goal of this study was to examine the expression patterns of 31 critical regulators linked with m7G RNA methylation and their prognostic significance in gliomas. To begin, we systematically analyzed patient clinical and prognostic data and mRNA gene expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. We found that 17 key regulators of m7G RNA methylation showed significantly higher expression levels in gliomas. We then divided the sample into two subgroups by consensus clustering. Cluster 2 had a poorer prognosis than cluster 1 and was associated with a higher histological grade. In addition, cluster 2 was significantly enriched for cancer-related pathways. Based on this discovery, we developed a risk model involving three m7G methylation regulators. Patients were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups based on risk scores. Overall survival (OS) was significantly lower in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group. Further analysis showed that the risk score was an independent prognostic factor for gliomas.
Case Report: Capacity to Objectively Monitor the Response of a Chronic Pain Patient to Treatment
Authors: Watson Julia , Lukas Darren , Vickers E. Russell , Galloway Graham , Mountford Carolyn E.
Published: May 2022

Response to pain therapy is currently by patient self-report. We demonstrate that by evaluating the neurochemistry of a patient, using two-dimensional Correlated SpectroscopY (2D COSY) in a 3T MRI scanner, response to therapy can be recorded. A chronic temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain patient was evaluated by a pain physician specializing in temporomandibular disorders (TMD), and by 2D COSY, before, and 6 days after treatment with Botulinum Toxin A. Prior to treatment the self-reported pain score was 8/10 and reduced to 0/10 within 24 h of treatment. The neurochemistry of the patient prior to treatment was typical of chronic pain. In particular, the Fuc-α(1–2) glycans were affected. Following treatment, the substrates, α-L Fucose, were elevated and the Fuc-α(1–2) glycans repopulated. The depletion of the molecule assigned the glutathione cysteine moiety, with chronic pain, is indicative of a Glutathione redox imbalance linked to neurodegeneration. This new approach to monitor pain could help discriminate the relative contributions in the complex interplay of the sensory and affective (emotional suffering) components of pain leading to appropriate individualized pharmaceutical drug regimens.
A Motor Imagery Signals Classification Method via the Difference of EEG Signals Between Left and Right Hemispheric Electrodes
Authors: Lun Xiangmin , Liu Jianwei , Zhang Yifei , Hao Ziqian , Hou Yimin
Published: May 2022

Brain-computer interface (BCI) based on motor imagery (MI) can help patients with limb movement disorders in their normal life. In order to develop an efficient BCI system, it is necessary to decode high-accuracy motion intention by electroencephalogram (EEG) with low signal-to-noise ratio. In this article, a MI classification approach is proposed, combining the difference in EEG signals between the left and right hemispheric electrodes with a dual convolutional neural network (dual-CNN), which effectively improved the decoding performance of BCI. The positive and inverse problems of EEG were solved by the boundary element method (BEM) and weighted minimum norm estimation (WMNE), and then the scalp signals were mapped to the cortex layer. We created nine pairs of new electrodes on the cortex as the region of interest. The time series of the nine electrodes on the left and right hemispheric are respectively used as the input of the dual-CNN model to classify four MI tasks. The results show that this method has good results in both group-level subjects and individual subjects. On the Physionet database, the averaged accuracy on group-level can reach 96.36%, while the accuracies of four MI tasks reach 98.54, 95.02, 93.66, and 96.19%, respectively. As for the individual subject, the highest accuracy is 98.88%, and its four MI accuracies are 99.62, 99.68, 98.47, and 97.73%, respectively.
Cerebral Perfusion Patterns of Anxiety State in Patients With Pulmonary Nodules: A Study of Cerebral Blood Flow Based on Arterial Spin Labeling
Authors: Wang Xiao-Hui , Liu Xiao-Fan , Ao Min , Wang Ting , He Jinglan , Gu Yue-Wen , Fan Jing-Wen , Yang Li , Yu Renqiang , Guo Shuliang
Published: May 2022

Background and Purpose

The proportion of patients with somatic diseases associated with anxiety is increasing each year, and pulmonary nodules have become a non-negligible cause of anxiety, the mechanism of which is unclear. The study focus on the cerebral blood flow (CBF) of anxiety in patients with pulmonary nodules to explore the cerebral perfusion pattern of anxiety associated with pulmonary nodules, blood perfusion status and mode of pulmonary nodule induced anxiety state.

Materials and Methods

Patients with unconfirmed pulmonary nodules were evaluated by Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA). The total score > 14 was defined as anxiety group, and the total score ≤ 14 points was defined as non-anxiety group. A total of 38 patients were enrolled, of which 19 patients were the anxiety group and 19 were the non-anxiety group. All subjects underwent arterial spin labeling imaging using a 3.0 T MRI. A two-sample t-test was performed to compare the CBF between the two groups. The CBF was extracted in brain regions with difference, and Spearman correlation was used to analyze the correlation between CBF and HAMA scores; ROC was used to analyze the performance of CBF to distinguish between the anxiety group and the non-anxiety group.

Results

The CBF in the right insula/Heschl’s cortex of the anxiety group decreased (cluster = 109, peak t = 4.124, and P < 0.001), and the CBF in the right postcentral gyrus increased (cluster = 53, peak t = −3.912, and P < 0.001) in the anxiety group. But there was no correlation between CBF and HAMA score. The ROC analysis of the CBF of the right insula/Heschl’s cortex showed that the AUC was 0.856 (95%CI, 0.729, 0.983; P < 0.001), the optimal cutoff value of the CBF was 50.899, with the sensitivity of 0.895, and specificity of 0.789. The ROC analysis of CBF in the right postcentral gyrus showed that the AUC was 0.845 (95%CI, 0.718, 0.972; P < 0.001), the optimal cutoff value of CBF was 43.595, with the sensitivity of 0.737, and specificity of 0.842.

Conclusion

The CBF of the right insula/Heschl’s cortex decreased and the CBF of the right postcentral gyrus increased in patients with pulmonary nodules under anxiety state, and the CBF of the aforementioned brain regions can accurately distinguish the anxiety group from the non-anxiety group.
Transcriptomes Suggest That Pinniped and Cetacean Brains Have a High Capacity for Aerobic Metabolism While Reducing Energy-Intensive Processes Such as Synaptic Transmission
Authors: Geßner Cornelia , Krüger Alena , Folkow Lars P. , Fehrle Wilfrid , Mikkelsen Bjarni , Burmester Thorsten
Published: May 2022

The mammalian brain is characterized by high energy expenditure and small energy reserves, making it dependent on continuous vascular oxygen and nutritional supply. The brain is therefore extremely vulnerable to hypoxia. While neurons of most terrestrial mammals suffer from irreversible damage after only short periods of hypoxia, neurons of the deep-diving hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) show a remarkable hypoxia-tolerance. To identify the molecular mechanisms underlying the intrinsic hypoxia-tolerance, we excised neurons from the visual cortices of hooded seals and mice (Mus musculus) by laser capture microdissection. A comparison of the neuronal transcriptomes suggests that, compared to mice, hooded seal neurons are endowed with an enhanced aerobic metabolic capacity, a reduced synaptic transmission and an elevated antioxidant defense. Publicly available whole-tissue brain transcriptomes of the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas), minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and killer whale (Orcinus orca), supplemented with 2 newly sequenced long-finned pilot whales, suggest that, compared to cattle (Bos taurus), the cetacean brain also displays elevated aerobic capacity and reduced synaptic transmission. We conclude that the brain energy balance of diving mammals is preserved during diving, due to reduced synaptic transmission that limits energy expenditure, while the elevated aerobic capacity allows efficient use of oxygen to restore energy balance during surfacing between dives.
30-Year Experience With 22 Cases of Malignant Transformation Arising From Ovarian Mature Cystic Teratoma: A Rare Disease
Authors: Li Yan , Qin Meng , Shan Ying , Wu Huan-wen , Liu Xiao-ding , Yin Jie , Gu Yu , Wang Wei , Wang Yong-xue , Chen Jia-yu , Ma Li , Jin Ying , Pan Ling-ya
Published: May 2022

Objective

To investigate the clinical characteristics and survival outcomes of patients with malignant transformation arising from ovarian mature cystic teratoma (MT-MCT).

Methods

This retrospective study included patients with ovarian MCTs at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) during 1990.01-2020.12. When the pathologic histology was MT-MCT, detailed information was collected.

Results

Overall, 7229 ovarian MCT patients and 22 patients with MT-MCT were enrolled. The rate of malignant transformation of all ovarian MCTs was 0.30%. Most patients with MT-MCT were 51 (21–75) years old, and the tumor mass size was 10 (3–30) cm. The typical clinical symptoms were mainly abdominal pain and distension. The levels of tumor markers were elevated on preoperative examination. Early diagnosis could be made by ultrasonic examination, pelvic enhanced MRI and CT. Most patients underwent debulking surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. The most common histological type to exhibit malignant transformation was squamous cell carcinoma (59.1%), followed by adenocarcinoma (13.6%), carcinoid (9.1%), and borderline tumor (18.2%). The 5-year RFS and OS rates were 54.5% and 81.8%, respectively. Patients with FIGO stage I had the best RFS (P=0.047) and OS (P=0.018), followed by those with FIGO stage II-IV.

Conclusion

MT-MCTs mainly occur in elderly females, are rare and have a poor prognosis. Advanced FIGO stage is a risk factor for survival. Although there is no standard treatment, cytoreductive debulking surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy could be considered. Perimenopausal and menopausal women with MCT should receive surgical treatment.
Identification of SOX2 Interacting Proteins in the Developing Mouse Lung With Potential Implications for Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
Authors: Schilders Kim A. A. , Edel Gabriëla G. , Eenjes Evelien , Oresta Bianca , Birkhoff Judith , Boerema-de Munck Anne , Buscop-van Kempen Marjon , Liakopoulos Panagiotis , Kolovos Petros , Demmers Jeroen A. A. , Poot Raymond , Wijnen Rene M. H. , Tibboel Dick , Rottier Robbert J.
Published: May 2022

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia is a structural birth defect of the diaphragm, with lung hypoplasia and persistent pulmonary hypertension. Aside from vascular defects, the lungs show a disturbed balance of differentiated airway epithelial cells. The Sry related HMG box protein SOX2 is an important transcription factor for proper differentiation of the lung epithelium. The transcriptional activity of SOX2 depends on interaction with other proteins and the identification of SOX2-associating factors may reveal important complexes involved in the disturbed differentiation in CDH. To identify SOX2-associating proteins, we purified SOX2 complexes from embryonic mouse lungs at 18.5 days of gestation. Mass spectrometry analysis of SOX2-associated proteins identified several potential candidates, among which were the Chromodomain Helicase DNA binding protein 4 (CHD4), Cut-Like Homeobox1 (CUX1), and the Forkhead box proteins FOXP2 and FOXP4. We analyzed the expression patterns of FOXP2, FOXP4, CHD4, and CUX1 in lung during development and showed co-localization with SOX2. Co-immunoprecipitations validated the interactions of these four transcription factors with SOX2, and large-scale chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) data indicated that SOX2 and CHD4 bound to unique sites in the genome, but also co-occupied identical regions, suggesting that these complexes could be involved in co-regulation of genes involved in the respiratory system.
High Spatio-Temporal Resolution Condenser-Free Quantitative Phase Contrast Microscopy
Authors: Ma Ying , Ma Lin , Zheng Juanjuan , Liu Min , Zalevsky Zeev , Gao Peng
Published: May 2022

Quantitative phase-contrast microscopy (QPCM) provides an effective approach for label-free detection of transparent samples. In this study, we propose a condenser-free quantitative phase-contrast microscopy (CF-QPCM), in which several light-emitting diodes (LEDs) distributed on a ring are used for direct ultra-oblique illumination. Such condenser-free design greatly simplifies the system’s structure and releases the space for installing samples. Quantitative phase maps are reconstructed by retarding the unscattered components of the object waves for a series of phases 0, π/2, π, and 3π/2 through a high-speed spatial light modulator (SLM). With this system, quantitative phase imaging of live cells has been achieved at a spatial resolution of 231 nm (lateral) and a frame rate of 250 Hz. We believe that the proposed CF-QPCM can contribute to biomedical, industrial, chemistry fields, etc.
Undirected Sucrose Efflux Mitigation by the FT-Like SP6A Preferentially Enhances Tuber Resource Partitioning
Authors: van den Herik Bas , ten Tusscher Kirsten
Published: May 2022

The yield of harvestable plant organs depends on overall photosynthetic output and the subsequent distribution of the produced assimilates from source leaves across different sink organs. In this study, we aimed to obtain, using a two-sink transport model, mechanistic understanding of how the interplay between sink and pathway properties together determines sink resource partitioning. As a working example, we analyzed the partitioning of resources within potato plants, investigating the determinants of tuber sink yield. Our results indicated that, contrary to earlier studies, with a spatially explicit biophysically detailed model, transport pathway properties significantly affect sink resource partitioning within the physiologically relevant domain. Additionally, we uncovered that xylem flow, through its hydraulic coupling to the phloem, and sucrose efflux along the phloem, also significantly affected resource partitioning. For tubers, it is the cumulative disadvantage compared to sink leaves (distance, xylem flow, and sucrose efflux) that enable an undirected SP6A-mediated reduction of sucrose efflux to preferentially benefit tuber resource partitioning. Combined with the SP6A-mediated sink strength increase, undirected SP6A introduction significantly enhances tuber resource partitioning.
Indigenous Microorganisms Offset Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi-Induced Plant Growth and Nutrient Acquisition Through Negatively Modulating the Genes of Phosphorus Transport and Nitrogen Assimilation
Authors: Ren Wenda , Guo Yun , Han Xu , Sun Yan , Li Qing , Wu Bangli , Xia Tingting , Shen Kaiping , Wu Pan , He Yuejun
Published: May 2022

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi that promote plant growth and nutrient acquisition are essential for nutrient-deficient karst areas, while they inevitably regulate host plants jointly with indigenous microorganisms in natural soil. However, how indigenous microorganisms regulate AM-induced benefits on plant growth and nutrient acquisition remains unclear. In this study, the Bidens tripartita as the common plant species in the karst region was cultivated into three soil substrates treated by AM fungi inoculation (AMF), AM fungi inoculation combining with indigenous microorganisms (AMI), and the control without AM fungi and indigenous microorganisms (CK). The plant biomass and concentration of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) were measured, and the transcriptomic analysis was carried out using root tissues. The results showed that AM fungi significantly enhanced the plant biomass, N, and P accumulation with the reduction of plants’ N/P ratio; however, the indigenous microorganisms offset the AM-induced benefits in biomass and N and P acquisition. In addition, there are 819 genes in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of AMF vs. AMI ∩ AMF vs. CK, meaning that AM fungi induced these genes that were simultaneously regulated by indigenous microorganisms. Furthermore, the enrichment analysis suggested that these genes were significantly associated with the metabolic processes of organophosphate, P, sulfur, N, and arginine biosynthesis. Notably, 34 and 17 genes of DEGs were related to P and N metabolism, respectively. Moreover, the indigenous microorganisms significantly downregulated these DEGs, especially those encoding the PHO1 P transporters and the glnA, glutamate dehydrogenase 2 (GDH2), and urease as key enzymes in N assimilation; however, the indigenous microorganisms significantly upregulated genes encoding PHO84 inducing cellular response to phosphate (Pi) starvation. These regulations indicated that indigenous microorganisms restrained the N and P metabolism induced by AM fungi. In conclusion, we suggested that indigenous microorganisms offset nutrient benefits of AM fungi for host plants through regulating these genes related to P transport and N assimilation.
Chief Financial Officer Functional Diversity and the Timeliness of Annual Reports: A Comparative Study of Firms With Different Ownership Types
Authors: Yu Hao , Huang Weiguang
Published: May 2022

Functional diversity is related to functional areas in which CFOs are experienced. It reflects their number of general managerial skills or social ties to some extent. In this paper, we try to examine whether there is an association between CFO functional diversity and the timeliness of annual reports. Using data on Chinese listed firms from 2009 to 2017, we found that in state-owned enterprises, there is a negative relationship between this diversity and timeliness. However, the promotion incentive of CFOs with functionally diverse experience can weaken this negative relationship. We also found that there is a positive relationship between the two factors in private enterprises whose offices are headquartered in regions with a low degree of marketization. We use difference-in-differences method to test the hypotheses again. The conclusions remain robust.