bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bioinspired Synthesis of ZnO@polydopamine/Au for Label-Free Photoelectrochemical Immunoassay of Amyloid-β Protein
Authors: He Guangli , Zhou Yue , Li Mifang , Guo Yanzhen , Yin Hang , Yang Baocheng , Zhang Shouren , Liu Yibiao
Published: November 2021

Amyloid-β protein (Aβ) is an important biomarker and plays a key role in the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here, an ultrasensitive photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor based on ZnO@polydopamine/Au nanocomposites was constructed for quantitative detection of Aβ. In this sensing system, the ZnO nanorod array decorated with PDA films and gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) have excellent visible-light activity. The PDA film was used as a sensitizer for charge separation, and it also was used for antibody binding. Moreover, Au NPs were loaded on the surface of PDA film by in situ deposition, which further improved the charge transfer efficiency and the PEC activity in visible light due to the localized surface plasmon resonance effect of Au NPs. Therefore, in ZnO@polydopamine/Au nanocomposites, a significantly enhanced photocurrent response was obtained on this photoelectrode, which provides a good and reliable signal for early detection of AD. Under the optimized conditions, the PEC immunosensor displayed a wide linear range from 1 pg/mL to 100 ng/mL and a low detection limit of 0.26 pg/mL. In addition, this PEC immunosensor also presented good selectivity, stability, and reproducibility. This work may provide a promising point-of-care testing method toward advanced PEC immunoassays for AD biomarkers.
Research Progress, Challenges, and Breakthroughs of Organoids as Disease Models
Authors: Huang Yisheng , Huang Zhijie , Tang Zhengming , Chen Yuanxin , Huang Mingshu , Liu Hongyu , Huang Weibo , Ye Qingsong , Jia Bo
Published: November 2021

Traditional cell lines and xenograft models have been widely recognized and used in research. As a new research model, organoids have made significant progress and development in the past 10 years. Compared with traditional models, organoids have more advantages and have been applied in cancer research, genetic diseases, infectious diseases, and regenerative medicine. This review presented the advantages and disadvantages of organoids in physiological development, pathological mechanism, drug screening, and organ transplantation. Further, this review summarized the current situation of vascularization, immune microenvironment, and hydrogel, which are the main influencing factors of organoids, and pointed out the future directions of development.
Transmembrane Protein Ttyh1 Maintains the Quiescence of Neural Stem Cells Through Ca2+/NFATc3 Signaling
Authors: Cao Yuan , Wu Hai-ning , Cao Xiu-li , Yue Kang-yi , Han Wen-juan , Cao Zi-peng , Zhang Yu-fei , Gao Xiang-yu , Luo Ceng , Jiang Xiao-fan , Han Hua , Zheng Min-hua
Published: November 2021

The quiescence, activation, and subsequent neurogenesis of neural stem cells (NSCs) play essential roles in the physiological homeostasis and pathological repair of the central nervous system. Previous studies indicate that transmembrane protein Ttyh1 is required for the stemness of NSCs, whereas the exact functions in vivo and precise mechanisms are still waiting to be elucidated. By constructing Ttyh1-promoter driven reporter mice, we determined the specific expression of Ttyh1 in quiescent NSCs and niche astrocytes. Further evaluations on Ttyh1 knockout mice revealed that Ttyh1 ablation leads to activated neurogenesis and enhanced spatial learning and memory in adult mice (6–8 weeks). Correspondingly, Ttyh1 deficiency results in accelerated exhaustion of NSC pool and impaired neurogenesis in aged mice (12 months). By RNA-sequencing, bioinformatics and molecular biological analysis, we found that Ttyh1 is involved in the regulation of calcium signaling in NSCs, and transcription factor NFATc3 is a critical effector in quiescence versus cell cycle entry regulated by Ttyh1. Our research uncovered new endogenous mechanisms that regulate quiescence versus activation of NSCs, therefore provide novel targets for the intervention to activate quiescent NSCs to participate in injury repair during pathology and aging.
Thermo-Reversible Persistent Phosphorescence Modulation Reveals the Large Contribution Made by Rigidity to the Suppression of Endothermic Intermolecular Triplet Quenching
Authors: Kusama Tomoya , Hirata Shuzo
Published: November 2021

The suppression of thermally driven triplet deactivation is crucial for efficient persistent room-temperature phosphorescence (pRTP). However, the mechanism by which triplet deactivation occurs in metal-free molecular solids at room temperature (RT) remains unclear. Herein, we report a large pRTP intensity change in a molecular guest that depended on the reversible amorphous–crystal phase change in the molecular host, and we confirm the large contribution made by the rigidity of the host in suppressing intermolecular triplet quenching in the guest. (S)-(−)-2,2′-Bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1′-binaphthyl ((S)-BINAP) was doped as a guest into a highly purified (S)-bis(diphenylphosphino)-5,5′,6,6′,7,7′,8,8′-octahydro-1,1′-binaphthyl ((S)-H8-BINAP) host. It was possible to reversibly form the amorphous and crystalline states of the solid by cooling to RT from various temperatures. The RTP yield (Φp) originating from the (S)-BINAP was 6.7% in the crystalline state of the (S)-H8-BINAP host, whereas it decreased to 0.31% in the amorphous state. Arrhenius plots showing the rate of nonradiative deactivation from the lowest triplet excited state (T1) of the amorphous and crystalline solids indicated that the large difference in Φp between the crystalline and amorphous states was mostly due to the discrepancy in the magnitude of quenching of intermolecular triplet energy transfer from the (S)-BINAP guest to the (S)-H8-BINAP host. Controlled analyses of the T1 energy of the guest and host, and of the reorganization energy of the intermolecular triplet energy transfer from the guest to the host, confirmed that the large difference in intermolecular triplet quenching was due to the discrepancy in the magnitude of the diffusion constant of the (S)-H8-BINAP host between its amorphous and crystalline states. Quantification of both the T1 energy and the diffusion constant of molecules used in solid materials is crucial for a meaningful discussion of the intermolecular triplet deactivation of various metal-free solid materials.
Selective Interventricular Septal Radiofrequency Ablation in Patients With Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy: Who Can Benefit?
Authors: Liu Qiang , Qiu Hangyuan , Jiang Ruhong , Tang Xiaomei , Guo Wenpu , Zhou Kuangshi , Chen Qiufan , Sun Yaxun , Yu Lu , Chen Shiquan , Zhang Pei , Sheng Xia , Zhu Jun , Lin Jianwei , Cheng Hui , Wang Yunhe , Wang Bei , Yu Chan , Mao Yankai , Zhang Juhong , Zhang Zuwen , Zei Paul C. , Fu Guosheng , Jiang Chenyang
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Septal mass reduction is beneficial for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) patients with severe left ventricular outflow (LVOT) gradient and symptoms, with surgical myectomy or alcohol septal ablation (ASA) currently recommended in selected patients. Radiofrequency (RF) ablation of hypertrophied septum has been published as a novel method to alleviate LVOT obstruction in small populations. This study aims to investigate factors influencing clinical outcomes of radiofrequency septum ablation.

Methods and Results: In this study, 20 patients with HOCM who underwent endocardial ablation were included. Echocardiography and cardiac MRI (CMR) data was collected and analyzed pre- and (or) post- procedure. Nineteen patients underwent ablation successfully, while ablation was aborted in one patient with prior RBBB due to transient complete atrioventricular block (AVB). After 6 months of follow-up, NYHA heart functional class improved from III (2 - 3) to II (1 - 2) (p < 0.001), and resting LVOT gradient was significantly reduced (87.6 ± 29.5 mmHg vs. 48.1 ± 29.7, p < 0.001). LVOT gradient reduction was significantly higher in patients with limited basal septal hypertrophy (60.9 ± 8.3 vs. 27.9 ± 7.1, p = 0.01), shorter anterior mitral leaflet (56.1 ± 6.4 vs. 20.4 ± 5.0, p < 0.01), and normally positioned papillary muscle (36.9 ± 7.1 vs. 75.0 ± 6.3, p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Endocardial septal ablation appears to be a safe and effective procedure for alleviating LVOT gradient in patients with HOCM, especially in those with limited basal septal hypertrophy, shorter anterior mitral leaflet, and normal positioned papillary muscle.
Substrate Entrainment, Depositional Relief, and Sediment Capture: Impact of a Submarine Landslide on Flow Process and Sediment Supply
Authors: Martínez-Doñate A. , Privat A. M-L. J. , Hodgson D. M. , Jackson C. A-L. , Kane I. A. , Spychala Y. T. , Duller R. A. , Stevenson C. , Keavney E. , Schwarz E. , Flint S. S.
Published: November 2021

Submarine landslides can generate complicated patterns of seafloor relief that influence subsequent flow behaviour and sediment dispersal patterns. In subsurface studies, the term mass transport deposits (MTDs) is commonly used and covers a range of processes and resultant deposits. While the large-scale morphology of submarine landslide deposits can be resolved in seismic reflection data, the nature of their upper surface and its impact on both facies distributions and stratal architecture of overlying deposits is rarely resolvable. However, field-based studies often allow a more detailed characterisation of the deposit. The early post-rift Middle Jurassic deep-water succession of the Los Molles Formation is exceptionally well-exposed along a dip-orientated WSW-ENE outcrop belt in the Chacay Melehue depocentre, Neuquén Basin, Argentina. We correlate 27 sedimentary logs constrained by marker beds to document the sedimentology and architecture of a >47 m thick and at least 9.6 km long debrite, which contains two different types of megaclasts. The debrite overlies ramps and steps, indicating erosion and substrate entrainment. Two distinct sandstone-dominated units overlie the debrite. The lower sandstone unit is characterised by: 1) abrupt thickness changes, wedging and progressive rotation of laminae in sandstone beds associated with growth strata; and 2) detached sandstone load balls within the underlying debrite. The combination of these features suggests syn-sedimentary foundering processes due to density instabilities at the top of the fluid-saturated mud-rich debrite. The debrite relief controlled the spatial distribution of foundered sandstones. The upper sandstone unit is characterised by thin-bedded deposits, locally overlain by medium-to thick-bedded lobe axis/off-axis deposits. The thin-beds show local thinning and onlapping onto the debrite, where it develops its highest relief. Facies distributions and stacking patterns record the progradation of submarine lobes and their complex interaction with long-lived debrite-related topography. The emplacement of a kilometre-scale debrite in an otherwise mud-rich basinal setting and accumulation of overlying sand-rich deposits suggests a genetic link between the mass-wasting event and transient coarse clastic sediment supply to an otherwise sand-starved part of the basin. Therefore, submarine landslides demonstrably impact the routing and behaviour of subsequent sediment gravity flows, which must be considered when predicting facies distributions and palaeoenvironments above MTDs in subsurface datasets.
Comprehensive Metabolomics Study in Children With Graves’ Disease
Authors: Xia Qin , Qian Weifeng , Chen Linqi , Chen Xiuli , Xie Rongrong , Zhang Dandan , Wu Haiying , Sun Hui , Wang Fengyun , Liu Jingjing , Chen Ting
Published: November 2021

Objective

Graves’ disease (GD) related hyperthyroidism (HT) has profound effects on metabolic activity and metabolism of macromolecules affecting energy homeostasis. In this study, we aimed to get a comprehensive understanding of the metabolic changes and their clinical relevance in GD children.

Methods

We investigated serum substances from 30 newly diagnosed GD children and 30 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. We explored the metabolomics using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF/MS) analysis, and then analyzed the metabolomic data via multivariate statistical analysis.

Results

By untargeted metabolomic analysis, a total of 730 metabolites were identified in all participants, among which 48 differential metabolites between GD and control groups were filtered out, including amino acids, dipeptides, lipids, purines, etc. Among these metabolites, 33 were detected with higher levels, while 15 with lower levels in GD group compared to controls. Pathway analysis showed that HT had a significant impact on aminoacyl-transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) biosynthesis, several amino acids metabolism, purine metabolism, and pyrimidine metabolism.

Conclusion

In this study, via untargeted metabolomics analysis, significant variations of serum metabolomic patterns were detected in GD children.
The Impact of Coexistent Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis on Central Compartment Lymph Node Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Liu Yang , Lv Hongjun , Zhang Shaoqiang , Shi Bingyin , Sun Yushi
Published: November 2021

Background

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is the most prevalent inflammatory disorder of the thyroid gland. Current studies have reported the coexistence rate between HT and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is quite high. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of HT on the predictive factors of central compartment lymph node metastasis (CLNM) in PTC.

Methods

A retrospective investigation was performed on PTC patients. They were subclassified into HT and non-HT groups. The results of preoperative neck ultrasound (US) examinations were reviewed. The clinical characteristics and the predictive value for CLNM were explored and compared between the two groups.

Results

A total of 756 patients were included in this study. There were more female patients (86.1%) in the PTC coexistent with the HT group than non-HT group. The patients with HT group had higher preoperative serum level of TSH. There was statistically significant difference between the HT patients and non-HT patients in nodular vascularization. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that male, age ≤45 years old, tumor diameter >1 cm, and presence of suspicious central compartment lymph node on US, irregular nodular shape, multifocal carcinoma were independent predictive factors of CLNM in PTC patients. It was showed that male, age ≤45 years old, tumor diameter >1 cm, multifocality, and presence of suspicious central lymph node on US were risk factors for CLNM in non-HT patients. Only tumor diameter >1 cm and presence of suspicious central lymph node on US were independently correlated with CLNM in HT patients. The sensitivity of the multivariate model was 63.5%, and specificity was 88.9% for prediction CLNM in HT patients. For non-HT patients, the AUC was 80.6%, the sensitivity of the multivariate model was 64.5%, and specificity was 85.2%

Conclusion

PTC combined with HT is more common in women, and TSH level in HT group is higher than that in patients with PTC alone. Regardless of that HT is not a related risk factor of CLNM in PTC, our result suggested that different predictive systems should be used for HT and non-HT patients respectively to have a more accurate evaluation of CLNM in clinic.
Effect of Berberine Hydrochloride Treatment on Transcriptomic Response in Gill Tissue of Charybdis japonica Infected With Aeromonas hydrophila
Authors: Han Mingming , Liu Yuxin , Zhang Tongqing , Li Daming , Jiang Qichen , Zuraini Zakaria
Published: November 2021

Berberine hydrochloride is the main active ingredient of Coptis chinensis, which has demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against bacteria. However, the molecular mechanism underlying its effects is unclear in crabs. In this study, we used transcriptome sequencing to investigate the molecules involved in the therapeutic and defensive responses of Charybdis japonica infected with 105 colony-forming units (CFU)/L of Aeromonas hydrophila following treatment with berberine hydrochloride. A total of 5,409 differentially expressed genes were observed after exposure of C. japonicus for 72 h to 100 mg/L berberine hydrochloride, 100 mg/L berberine hydrochloride plus injection of 105 CFU/L A. hydrophila, and a control group injected with equal amount of physiological saline solution. Enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were involved in metabolism, cellular processes, signal transduction, and immune function. The transcriptomic results indicated that exposure to berberine hydrochloride activated glutathione metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid degradation, retinol metabolism, pyruvate metabolism, and the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 signaling pathway. Transcriptomic analysis and relative mRNA level analysis also identified acid hydrolase genes and phagosomal genes as key factors regulating the adaptation of acid berberine-infused C. japonicus to infection with A. hydrophila, Based on the ability of berberine hydrochloride to induce acid hydrolase and phagosomal gene expression, which can in turn remove bacteria, immersion in berberine hydrochloride may remove A. hydrophila and thus improve the survival of C. japonica. The results of this study provided a new scientific basis for the potential role of berberine hydrochloride in the immune mechanisms of crabs.
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of the Phototrophic Dinoflagellate Biecheleriopsis adriatica Grown Under Optimal Temperature and Cold and Heat Stress
Authors: Kang Hee Chang , Jeong Hae Jin , Park Sang Ah , Ok Jin Hee , You Ji Hyun , Eom Se Hee , Park Eun Chong , Jang Se Hyeon , Lee Sung Yeon
Published: November 2021

Dinoflagellates are a major component of marine ecosystems, and very cold and hot water may affect their survival. Global warming has amplified the magnitude of water temperature fluctuations. To investigate the molecular responses of dinoflagellates to very cold and hot water, we compared the differentially expressed genes of the phototrophic dinoflagellate Biecheleriopsis adriatica grown under optimal temperature and cold and heat stress. The number of genes upregulated or downregulated between optimal temperature and cold stress was twice than that between optimal temperature and heat stress. Moreover, the number of upregulated genes was greater than that of the downregulated genes under cold stress, whereas the number of upregulated genes was less than that of the downregulated genes under heat stress. Furthermore, among the differentially expressed genes, the number of genes upregulated under cold stress and with unchanged expression under heat stress was the highest, while the number of the genes downregulated under cold stress, but not under heat stress, was the second-highest. Facilitated trehalose transporter Tret1 and DnaJ-like subfamily B member 6-A were upregulated and downregulated, respectively, under cold stress; however, their expression remained unchanged under heat stress. In contrast, Apolipoprotein d lipocalin and Troponin C in skeletal muscle were upregulated and downregulated, respectively, under both cold and heat stress. This study provides insight into the genetic responses of dinoflagellates to climate change-driven large water temperature fluctuations.
Harnessing the Power of Social Media to Obtain Biodiversity Data About Cetaceans in a Poorly Monitored Area
Authors: Morais Pedro , Afonso Luís , Dias Ester
Published: November 2021

The study and conservation of cetaceans benefit from systematic studies and non-systematic records about sightings and strandings. However, iEcology (internet ecology) was critical for numerous ecological studies and should be in the toolkit of cetacean ecologists. We hypothesize that iEcology is irreplaceable to obtain diversity data about cetaceans in poorly monitored regions that coincide with touristic destinations, where whale-watching companies go out to sea regularly and post their sightings on social media. Our study assessed the advantages and disadvantages of iEcology while obtaining the first broadscale and long-term assessment about cetaceans’ diversity off the Algarve, a European tourist destination with numerous whale-watching companies. We retrieved 1,299 time-referenced records about 15 species posted on Facebook and Instagram between 2011 and 2020. Data collected from Biodiversity4All, an online citizen science biodiversity database, disclosed georeferenced records about nine species made between 2008 and 2020, however, the number of records was 15.8 times lower than social media posts. We obtained information about 16 species, two of which were never mentioned in the scientific literature [Balaenoptera musculus, Balaenoptera edeni (record made in 2021)] and five species were only mentioned in the gray literature. Previous assessments were restricted in time, published in the gray literature, and only reported six and 11 species. So, social media was essential to obtain the first broadscale and long-term assessment of cetaceans’ diversity off the Algarve. The main advantages of iEcology were the possibility to obtain data collected over one decade and its low cost. The main disadvantages are the impossibility to obtain georeferenced records from social media, the difficulty to estimate the number of individuals in large groups, and the presence of rare species can be inflated if multiple whale-watching companies report the same individual(s) while they migrate along the coast. Nonetheless, these disadvantages can be mitigated. Overall, we endorse the use of iEcology to increase the ecological knowledge about cetaceans which might be the only tool to study them in numerous regions across the world. The contributions of whale-watching companies are invaluable, so we recommend the implementation of a standardized cetacean observation log as a relevant source of data for conservation.
Strong Electrorheological Performance of Smart Fluids Based on TiO2 Particles at Relatively Low Electric Field
Authors: Cheng Yuchuan , Zhao Zihui , Wang Hui , Hua Letian , Sun Aihua , Wang Jun , Li Zhixiang , Guo Jianjun , Xu Gaojie
Published: November 2021

Electrorheological (ER) fluids are a type of smart material with adjustable rheological properties. Generally, the high yield stress (>100 kPa) requires high electric field strength (>4 kV/mm). Herein, the TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized via the sol–gel method. Interestingly, the ER fluid-based TiO2 nanoparticles give superior high yield stress of 144.0 kPa at only 2.5 kV/mm. By exploring the characteristic structure and dielectric property of TiO2 nanoparticles and ER fluid, the surface polar molecules on samples were assumed to play a crucial role for their giant electrorheological effect, while interfacial polarization was assumed to be dominated and induces large yield stress at the low electric field, which gives the advantage in low power consumption, sufficient shear stress, low leaking current, and security.
The Molecular Effects of Dietary Acid Load on Metabolic Disease (The Cellular PasaDoble: The Fast-Paced Dance of pH Regulation)
Authors: Williamson Morgan , Moustaid-Moussa Naima , Gollahon Lauren
Published: November 2021

Metabolic diseases are becoming more common and more severe in populations adhering to western lifestyle. Since metabolic conditions are highly diet and lifestyle dependent, it is suggested that certain diets are the cause for a wide range of metabolic dysfunctions. Oxidative stress, excess calcium excretion, inflammation, and metabolic acidosis are common features in the origins of most metabolic disease. These primary manifestations of “metabolic syndrome” can lead to insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Further complications of the conditions involve kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and cancers. Dietary analysis shows that a modern “Western-style” diet may facilitate a disruption in pH homeostasis and drive disease progression through high consumption of exogenous acids. Because so many physiological and cellular functions rely on acid-base reactions and pH equilibrium, prolonged exposure of the body to more acids than can effectively be buffered, by chronic adherence to poor diet, may result in metabolic stress followed by disease. This review addresses relevant molecular pathways in mammalian cells discovered to be sensitive to acid - base equilibria, their cellular effects, and how they can cascade into an organism-level manifestation of Metabolic Syndromes. We will also discuss potential ways to help mitigate this digestive disruption of pH and metabolic homeostasis through dietary change.
Olfactory Characterization and Training in Older Adults: Protocol Study
Authors: Zambom-Ferraresi Fabíola , Zambom-Ferraresi Fabricio , Fernández-Irigoyen Joaquín , Lachén-Montes Mercedes , Cartas-Cejudo Paz , Lasarte Juan José , Casares Noelia , Fernández Secundino , Cedeño-Veloz Bernardo Abel , Maraví-Aznar Enrique , Uzcanga-Lacabe Maria Itziar , Galbete Arkaitz , Santamaría Enrique , Martínez-Velilla Nicolás
Published: November 2021

The aim of this article is to present the research protocol for a prospective cohort study that will assess the olfactory function and the effect of an intervention based on olfactory training in healthy very old adults (≥75 years old). A convenience sample of 180 older people (50% female) will be recruited in three different environments: hospitalized control group (CH) with stable acute illness (n = 60); ambulatory control group (CA) of community-based living (n = 60); and an experimental odor training group (EOT) from nursing homes (n = 60). The odor training (OT) intervention will last 12 weeks. All the volunteers will be assessed at baseline; CA and EOT groups will also be assessed after 12 weeks. The primary end point will be change in olfactory capacity from baseline to 12 weeks period of intervention or control. The intervention effects will be assessed with the overall score achieved in Sniffin Sticks Test (SST) – Threshold, Discrimination, and Identification (TDI) extended version. Secondary end points will be changes in cognitive tasks, quality of life, mood, immune status, and functional capacity. All these measurements will be complemented with an immune fitness characterization and a deep proteome profiling of the olfactory epithelium (OE) cultured ex vivo. The current study will provide additional evidence to support the implementation of olfactory precision medicine and the development of immunomodulatory nasal therapies based on non-invasive procedures. The proposed intervention will also intend to increase the knowledge about the olfactory function in very elderly people, improve function and quality of life, and promote the recovery of the health.
Combining Statistical Analysis and Machine Learning for EEG Scalp Topograms Classification
Authors: Kuc Alexander , Korchagin Sergey , Maksimenko Vladimir A. , Shusharina Natalia , Hramov Alexander E.
Published: November 2021

Incorporating brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) into daily life requires reducing the reliance of decoding algorithms on the calibration or enabling calibration with the minimal burden on the user. A potential solution could be a pre-trained decoder demonstrating a reasonable accuracy on the naive operators. Addressing this issue, we considered ambiguous stimuli classification tasks and trained an artificial neural network to classify brain responses to the stimuli of low and high ambiguity. We built a pre-trained classifier utilizing time-frequency features corresponding to the fundamental neurophysiological processes shared between subjects. To extract these features, we statistically contrasted electroencephalographic (EEG) spectral power between the classes in the representative group of subjects. As a result, the pre-trained classifier achieved 74% accuracy on the data of newly recruited subjects. Analysis of the literature suggested that a pre-trained classifier could help naive users to start using BCI bypassing training and further increased accuracy during the feedback session. Thus, our results contribute to using BCI during paralysis or limb amputation when there is no explicit user-generated kinematic output to properly train a decoder. In machine learning, our approach may facilitate the development of transfer learning (TL) methods for addressing the cross-subject problem. It allows extracting the interpretable feature subspace from the source data (the representative group of subjects) related to the target data (a naive user), preventing the negative transfer in the cross-subject tasks.
Clinical Studies on Ultrafractionated Chemoradiation: A Systematic Review
Authors: Scirocco Erica , Cellini Francesco , Zamagni Alice , Macchia Gabriella , Deodato Francesco , Cilla Savino , Strigari Lidia , Buwenge Milly , Rizzo Stefania , Cammelli Silvia , Morganti Alessio Giuseppe
Published: November 2021

Aim

The efficacy of low-dose fractionated radiotherapy (LDFRT) and chemotherapy (CHT) combination has large preclinical but little clinical evidence. Therefore, the aim of this review was to collect and analyze the clinical results of LDRT plus concurrent CHT in patients with advanced cancers.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed using the PRISMA methodology. Only studies based on the combination of LDFRT (< 1 Gy/fraction) and CHT were included. Endpoints of the analysis were tumor response, toxicity, and overall survival, with particular focus on any differences between LDFRT-CHT and CHT alone.

Results

Twelve studies (307 patients) fulfilled the selection criteria and were included in this review. Two studies were retrospective, one was a prospective pilot trial, six were phase II studies, two were phase I trials, and one was a phase I/II open label study. No randomized controlled trials were found. Seven out of eight studies comparing clinical response showed higher rates after LDFRT-CHT compared to CHT alone. Three out of four studies comparing survival reported improved results after combined treatment. Three studies compared toxicity of CHT and LDFRT plus CHT, and all of them reported similar adverse events rates. In most cases, toxicity was manageable with only three likely LDFRT-unrelated fatal events (1%), all recorded in the same series on LDFRT plus temozolomide in glioblastoma multiforme patients.

Conclusion

None of the analyzed studies provided level I evidence on the clinical impact of LDFRT plus CHT. However, it should be noted that, apart from two small series of breast cancers, all studies reported improved therapeutic outcomes and similar tolerability compared to CHT alone.

Systematic Review Registration

www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42020206639.
Exploring Carbohydrates for Therapeutics: A Review on Future Directions
Authors: Wang Jie , Zhang Yukun , Lu Qi , Xing Dongming , Zhang Renshuai
Published: November 2021

Carbohydrates are important components of foods and essential biomolecules performing various biological functions in living systems. A variety of biological activities besides providing fuel have been explored and reported for carbohydrates. Some carbohydrates have been approved for the treatment of various diseases; however, carbohydrate-containing drugs represent only a small portion of all of the drugs on the market. This review summarizes several potential development directions of carbohydrate-containing therapeutics, with the hope of promoting the application of carbohydrates in drug development.
Why Did the Earwitnesses to the John F. Kennedy Assassination Not Agree About the Location of the Gunman?
Authors: McFadden Dennis
Published: November 2021

Earwitnesses to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy (JFK) did not agree about the location of the gunman even though their judgments about the number and timing of the gunshots were reasonably consistent. Even earwitnesses at the same general location disagreed. An examination of the acoustics of supersonic bullets and the characteristics of human sound localization help explain the general disagreement about the origin of the gunshots. The key fact is that a shock wave produced by the supersonic bullet arrived prior to the muzzle blast for many earwitnesses, and the shock wave provides erroneous information about the origin of the gunshot. During the government's official re-enactment of the JFK assassination in 1978, expert observers were highly accurate in localizing the origin of gunshots taken from either of two locations, but their supplementary observations help explain the absence of a consensus among the earwitnesses to the assassination itself.
Associations Between PTSD Symptom Custers and Longitudinal Changes in Suicidal Ideation: Comparison Between 4-Factor and 7-Factor Models of DSM-5 PTSD Symptoms
Authors: Chu Che-Sheng , Chou Po-Han , Wang Shao-Cheng , Horikoshi Masaru , Ito Masaya
Published: November 2021

Objective: The association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicidal ideation (SI) is well-known. However, a few studies have investigated the associations between PTSD symptom clusters based on the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and changes in suicide risk longitudinally.

Methods: We adopted a longitudinal study design using data from the National Survey for Stress and Health of 3,090 of the Japanese population. The first and second surveys were conducted on November 2016 and March 2017, respectively. The suicidal ideation attributes scale was applied to assess the severity of suicidal ideation at baseline and the follow-up period. A multivariate linear regression model was conducted to examine the associations between the 4- or 7-factor model of PTSD symptom clusters at baseline and longitudinal changes in SI.

Results: Overall, 3,090 subjects were analyzed (mean age, 44.9 ± 10.9 years; 48.8% female) at Baseline, and 2,163 completed the second survey. In the 4-factor model, we found that the severity of negative alternations in cognition and mood were significantly associated with increased SI after 4 months. In the 7-factor model, we found that the severity of anhedonia and externalizing behavior at baseline was significantly associated with increased SI during the follow-up period.

Conclusions: We found that the seven-factor model of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms may provide greater specificity in predicting longitudinal SI change in the general population. Closely monitoring specific PTSD core symptoms may be more effective in mitigating key clinical and functional outcomes.
Needs for a Curricular Change in Primary and Secondary Education From the One Health Perspective: A Pilot Study on Pneumonia in Schools
Authors: Marchant Francisca , Sánchez María Pilar , Duprat Ximena G. , Mena Alejandro , Sjöberg-Herrera Marcela , Cabal Soledad , Figueroa Daniela P.
Published: November 2021

This is the first pilot study on alternative conceptions and obstacles pertaining to pneumonia in adolescents of different school vulnerability indexes. Countries with low socioeconomic levels are disproportionately affected, with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) being the second-most affected area in the world, after sub-Saharan Africa. In spite of this fact, pneumonia is not included as an important component within the contents of the microbiology curriculum unit in the natural science school program. Therefore, we wanted to study how students knew about this topic by putting One Health into action by building and validating qualitative and quantitative questionnaires, put together by different experts in pedagogy, didactics, microbiology, and veterinary to find out what students knew about pneumonia and their misconceptions about it. A total of 148 students (in 8th and 9th grade) participated in this survey. The results reveal that no statistically significant differences between the different scholar grades (p = 0.3360 Pearson chi∧2) or genders (p = 0.8000 Fisher's exact test) presented higher or lower School Vulnerability Index (SVI). Regardless of the social stratum or the level of vulnerability of the students, they have heard about this disease primarily through their family/relatives, maintaining a superficial notion of the disease, learning wrong ideas about microorganisms and treatments that can contribute to the risk to public health.
Social-Emotional Problems Among 3-Year-Olds Are Associated With an Unhealthy Lifestyle: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Eurenius Eva , Mohamed Amal Farah , Lindkvist Marie , Ivarsson Anneli , Öhlund Inger , Vaezghasemi Masoud
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Little attention has been paid to the association between preschool children's social-emotional problems and lifestyle at the population level.

Objective: This study aimed to overcome this knowledge gap by investigating to what extent children's social-emotional problems are associated with their lifestyle and if there are any gender differences.

Methods: This cross-sectional, population-based study used data from the regional Salut Register in northern Sweden, including 7,179 3-year-olds during 2014–2017. Parents responded to a questionnaire including the 36-month interval of the Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE) and questions regarding family and lifestyle characteristics. Single and multiple logistic regression were used to assess the association between children's social-emotional problems and multiple family lifestyle characteristics.

Results: More reports of social-emotional problems were found among children who did not have parents living together or had markers of an unhealthy lifestyle. Children who ate vegetables less frequently, whose parent/-s brushed their teeth less often and did not read to them regularly were more likely to have social-emotional problems. Playing outdoors <3 h during weekdays and >1 h of sedentary screen time during weekends increased the risk of social-emotional problems among boys only, while >1 h of sedentary screen time during weekdays increased the risk among girls. When it comes to lifestyle and gender differences, a high proportion of the 3-year-olds had an unhealthy lifestyle, more so for boys than for girls. The dietary quality and tooth brushing were somewhat more adequate for the girls than for the boys, but boys spent more time playing outdoors compared to the girls.

Conclusions: This study provides us with an important overview picture of the family life situation of three-year-olds, including those with social-emotional problems. Such problems were significantly associated with markers of unhealthy lifestyle, with significant gender differences. Therefore, this study suggests that in order to maintain children's social-emotional ability and support children at risk of problems, public health intervention programs should have a broader perspective on improving children's lifestyle rather than merely focusing on their social and emotional problems, and the gender differences found may be taken in account.
The Health Effect of the Number of Children on Chinese Elders: An Analysis Based on Hukou Category
Authors: Long Cuihong , Han Jiajun , Yi Chengzhi
Published: November 2021

Based on the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS 2018), from the perspective of urban-rural disparity, this paper investigates how fertility affects Chinese elders' health. We exploit the enactment of the one-child policy in 1979 to construct instrumental variables capturing the health effect of having only one child rather than multiple children. The empirical results show that the health condition of rural elders having only one child is worse than elders having multiple children, while the negative health effect of lower fertility becomes statistically insignificant for urban elderly parents. After considering the selection on both levels and gains, the results are still robust in marginal treatment effect (MTE) estimation. We investigate the potential mechanism in four ways, the results suggest that having only one child instead of multiple children depresses the upstream intergenerational transfer payments more for rural parents; ameliorates offspring's educational attainment more for urban parents; improves housing conditions more for urban elders; and decreases the visit frequency of children to both urban and rural parents. Our findings have important implications, in the context of increasing population aging, the urban-rural inequality caused by the hukou system has been magnified by the declining fertility rate. The Chinese government should pay more attention to rural elders with only one child, and more public-funded socioeconomic resources are needed for one-child parents in rural areas to improve their health. Moreover, the empirical results also imply that urbanization in China may be able to soften the health deterrent effect of lower fertility.
Evaluation of Safety and Protective Efficacy of a waaJ and spiC Double Deletion Korean Epidemic Strain of Salmonella enterica Serovar Gallinarum
Authors: Zhang Jun-Feng , Shang Ke , Wei Bai , Lee Yea-Jin , Park Jong-Yeol , Jang Hyung-Kwan , Cha Se-Yeoun , Kang Min
Published: November 2021

With an aim to develop a highly attenuated and strongly immunogenic distinguishable vaccine candidate, a waaJ (a gene involved in the synthesis of lipopolysaccharide) and spiC (a virulence gene) double deletion Korean epidemic strain of S. enterica ser. Gallinarum (SG005) was constructed. Our results showed that the growth and biochemical characteristics were not altered by this double deletion. The double deletion strain contained dual markers. One was a bacteriological marker (rough phenotype) and the other was a serological marker helping distinguish infected chickens from vaccinated chickens. The double deletion strain showed good genetic stability and reduced resistance to environmental stresses in vitro; furthermore, it was extremely safe and highly avirulent in broilers. Single intramuscular or oral immunization of 7-day-old broilers with the double deletion strain could stimulate the body to produce antibody levels similar to the conventional vaccine strain SG9R. In addition, against a lethal wild-type challenge, it conferred effective protection that was comparable to that seen in the group vaccinated with SG9R. In conclusion, this double deletion strain may be an effective vaccine candidate for controlling S. enterica ser. Gallinarum infection in broilers.
A Context-Aware Language Model to Improve the Speech Recognition in Air Traffic Control
Authors: Guo Dongyue , Zhang Zichen , Fan Peng , Zhang Jianwei , Yang Bo
Published: November 2021

Recognizing isolated digits of the flight callsign is an important and challenging task for automatic speech recognition (ASR) in air traffic control (ATC). Fortunately, the flight callsign is a kind of prior ATC knowledge and is available from dynamic contextual information. In this work, we attempt to utilize this prior knowledge to improve the performance of the callsign identification by integrating it into the language model (LM). The proposed approach is named context-aware language model (CALM), which can be applied for both the ASR decoding and rescoring phase. The proposed model is implemented with an encoder–decoder architecture, in which an extra context encoder is proposed to consider the contextual information. A shared embedding layer is designed to capture the correlations between the ASR text and contextual information. The context attention is introduced to learn discriminative representations to support the decoder module. Finally, the proposed approach is validated with an end-to-end ASR model on a multilingual real-world corpus (ATCSpeech). Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed CALM outperforms other baselines for both the ASR and callsign identification task, and can be practically migrated to a real-time environment.
Verification of a Comfort-Enhanced Liquid Cooling Vest
Authors: Lai Wen-Kuei , Wu Chih-Fu
Published: November 2021

Firefighter uniforms provide thermal protection and block radiant as well as high-temperature heat. However, they limit cooling and the dissipation of internal heat from the body. This study attempted to improve firefighter uniforms by developing and evaluating a comfortable and thermally balanced design. This study recruited six male college students for a within-subject comparison of vests with and without active liquid cooling. The participants used a questionnaire to report their comfort level in each body part while performing various motions. A biomechanical analysis was performed to objectively evaluate the comfort level of the cooling vest before and after the test. Subsequently, the participants’ blood pressure and ear as well as skin temperature were measured as they ran on a treadmill. The participants also responded to a questionnaire regarding their thermal perception. The results revealed that the cooling vest was comfortable and flexible. The data from the psychological questionnaire indicated that the participants were satisfied with the warmth, coolness, and other various aspects of the cooling vest. Moreover, the cooling vest positively affected the wearer’s microclimate and provided a comfortable thermal balance. The current findings demonstrate the feasibility of using human-factors-engineering-based objective verification methods for designing products.
Study on FE-SEA Modeling and Acoustic Performance of Heavy Duty Commercial Vehicle Based on Experimental Statistical Energy Parameters
Authors: Su Jintao , Deng Zhaoxiang
Published: November 2021

Due to the difficulty of obtaining statistical energy parameters of complex structures and the complexity of modeling connection and model verification, the hybrid FE-SEA model has many problems in modeling complex structures. Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, this paper provides a reference for the application of the hybrid FE-SEA model in complex structures. In this paper, the hybrid FE-SEA commercial vehicle model is established by an experimental statistical energy parameter modeling method and a modification method. The model division and subsystem connection modeling of a complex substructure of a heavy vehicle cab are studied. In the hybrid model, the hybrid line connection and the hybrid point connection are established. On this basis, the parameters of the cab model were studied, and the statistical energy parameters such as modal density, internal loss factor, and coupling loss factor were obtained by the experimental method. The statistical energy parameters of the cab acoustic model are modified. Finally, the accuracy of the model is verified by vehicle test. In addition, the acoustic performance of the cab was optimized, and airtightness and acoustic packaging were verified. The full parameter modeling and correction method is adopted in this paper, which is an effective supplement to the traditional statistical energy parameter modeling method.