bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interannual Modulation of Kuroshio in the East China Sea Over the Past Three Decades
Authors: Jo SeongHyun , Moon Jae-Hong , Kim Taekyun , Song Yuhe Tony , Cha Hyeonsoo
Published: June 2022

Previous studies have suggested that westward-migrating mesoscale eddies are a dominant factor that modulate the interannual Kuroshio intensity in the East China Sea (ECS), indicating a close positive correlation between them. According to the extended record of altimetry-based sea level anomalies (SLAs) until 2020, however, the interannual variation of the Kuroshio intensity no longer has a strong positive correlation with eddy activity in the subtropical countercurrent (STCC) region since the early 2000s. Our observational analyses showed that the Kuroshio intensity in the ECS can be modulated by the combined effect of westward-migrating mesoscale eddies and westward-propagating oceanic planetary waves from the east. Until the early 2000s, the interannual variability of Kuroshio was mainly affected by eddy migration from the STCC region, associated with oceanic instability driven by large-scale wind patterns over the western North Pacific. Since then, oceanic planetary waves propagating westward across the Pacific basin have largely modulated the interannual variability of the ECS-Kuroshio intensity by superimposing the SLAs related to mesoscale eddies that propagated towards the east of Taiwan.
Mass Media Use to Learn About COVID-19 and the Non-intention to Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19 in Latin America and Caribbean Countries
Authors: Bendezu-Quispe Guido , Benites-Meza Jerry K. , Urrunaga-Pastor Diego , Herrera-Añazco Percy , Uyen-Cateriano Angela , Rodriguez-Morales Alfonso J. , Toro-Huamanchumo Carlos J. , Hernandez Adrian V. , Benites-Zapata Vicente A.
Published: June 2022

Background

The Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region has been one of the regions most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with countries presenting some of the highest numbers of cases and deaths from this disease in the world. Despite this, vaccination intention is not homogeneous in the region, and no study has evaluated the influence of the mass media on vaccination intention. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between the use of mass media to learn about COVID-19 and the non-intention of vaccination against COVID-19 in LAC countries.

Methods

An analysis of secondary data from a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) survey was conducted in collaboration with Facebook on people's beliefs, behaviors, and norms regarding COVID-19. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) with their respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated to evaluate the association between the use of mass media and non-vaccination intention using generalized linear models of the Poisson family with logarithmic link.

Results

A total of 350,322 Facebook users over the age of 18 from LAC countries were included. 50.0% were men, 28.4% were between 18 and 30 years old, 41.4% had a high school education level, 86.1% lived in the city and 34.4% reported good health condition. The prevalence of using the mass media to learn about COVID-19 was mostly through mixed media (65.8%). The non-intention of vaccination was 10.8%. A higher prevalence of not intending to be vaccinated against COVID-19 was found in those who used traditional media (aPR = 1.36; 95%CI: 1.29–1.44; p < 0.001) and digital media (aPR = 1.70; 95%CI: 1.24–2.33; p = 0.003) compared to those using mixed media.

Conclusion

We found an association between the type of mass media used to learn about COVID-19 and the non-intention of vaccination. The use of only traditional or digital information sources were associated with a higher probability of non-intention to vaccinate compared to the use of both sources.
Impact of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and IBD Medications on Risk of Hyperlipidemia and in vitro Hepatic Lipogenic-Related Gene Expression: A Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Tien Ni , Wu Tien-Yuan , Lin Cheng-Li , Wu Chia-Jui , Hsu Chung-Y , Fang Yi-Jen , Lim Yun-Ping
Published: June 2022

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) present a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) due to chronic inflammation, which plays an essential role in atherogenesis. Hyperlipidemia is another risk factor for CVDs; however, the association between IBD, IBD medications, and hyperlipidemia remains controversial. We conducted a nationwide, population-based, retrospective, cohort study to examine the effect of IBD and IBD medications on the risk of developing hyperlipidemia. The effects of IBD medications on the expression of lipogenesis-related hepatic genes were also evaluated. We obtained data from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database of Taiwan from patients with new-onset IBD and a comparison cohort of patients without IBD. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the difference in the risk of developing hyperlipidemia between the two cohorts. We also examined the influence of IBD medications on the expression of lipogenesis-related hepatic genes. After adjusting for comorbidities and confounding factors, the case group (N = 14,524) had a higher risk for hyperlipidemia than the control group (N = 14,524) [adjusted hazards ratio (aHR), 2.18]. Patients with IBD that did not receive IBD medications exhibited a significantly higher risk of hyperlipidemia (aHR, 2.20). In those treated with IBD medications, the risk of developing hyperlipidemia was significantly lowered than those without such medications (all aHR ≤ 0.45). Gene expression analysis indicated that IBD medications downregulated the expression of lipogenesis-related genes. Screening blood lipids in IBD patients is needed to explore the specific role and impact of IBD medications in the development of CVD.
Human Cytomegalovirus Induced Aberrant Expression of Non-coding RNAs
Authors: Yu Zhongjie , Wang Jing , Nan Fulong , Shi Wenyi , Zhang Xianjuan , Jiang Shasha , Wang Bin
Published: June 2022

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a β-herpesvirus whose genome consists of double stranded linear DNA. HCMV genome can generate non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) through transcription in its host cells. Besides that, HCMV infection also changes the ncRNAs expression profile of the host cells. ncRNAs play a key role in maintaining the normal physiological activity of cells, and the disorder of ncRNAs expression has numerous adverse effects on cells. However, until now, the relationship between ncRNAs and HCMV-induced adverse effects are not summarized in detail. This review aims to give a systematic summary of the role of HCMV infection in ncRNAs expression while providing insights into the molecular mechanism of unnormal cellular events caused by ncRNAs disorder. ncRNAs disorder induced by HCMV infection is highly associated with cell proliferation, apoptosis, tumorigenesis, and immune regulation, as well as the development of cardiovascular diseases, and the potential role of biomarker. We summarize the studies on HCMV associated ncRNAs disorder and suggest innovative strategies for eliminating the adverse effects caused by HCMV infection.
Diversity and Biogeography of Human Oral Saliva Microbial Communities Revealed by the Earth Microbiome Project
Authors: Wang Jinlan , Feng Jianqing , Zhu Yongbao , Li Dandan , Wang Jianing , Chi Weiwei
Published: June 2022

The oral cavity is an important window for microbial communication between the environment and the human body. The oral microbiome plays an important role in human health. However, compared to the gut microbiome, the oral microbiome has been poorly explored. Here, we analyzed 404 datasets from human oral saliva samples published by the Earth Microbiome Project (EMP) and compared them with 815 samples from the human gut, nose/pharynx, and skin. The diversity of the human saliva microbiome varied significantly among individuals, and the community compositions were complex and diverse. The saliva microbiome showed the lowest species diversity among the four environment types. Human oral habitats shared a small core bacterial community containing only 14 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) under 5 phyla, which occupied over 75% of the sequence abundance. For the four habitats, the core taxa of the saliva microbiome had the greatest impact on saliva habitats than other habitats and were mostly unique. In addition, the saliva microbiome showed significant differences in the populations of different regions, which may be determined by the living environment and lifestyle/dietary habits. Finally, the correlation analysis showed high similarity between the saliva microbiome and the microbiomes of Aerosol (non-saline) and Surface (non-saline), i.e., two environment types closely related to human, suggesting that contact and shared environment being the driving factors of microbial transmission. Together, these findings expand our understanding of human oral diversity and biogeography.
AlphaFold Models of Small Proteins Rival the Accuracy of Solution NMR Structures
Authors: Tejero Roberto , Huang Yuanpeng Janet , Ramelot Theresa A. , Montelione Gaetano T.
Published: June 2022

Recent advances in molecular modeling using deep learning have the potential to revolutionize the field of structural biology. In particular, AlphaFold has been observed to provide models of protein structures with accuracies rivaling medium-resolution X-ray crystal structures, and with excellent atomic coordinate matches to experimental protein NMR and cryo-electron microscopy structures. Here we assess the hypothesis that AlphaFold models of small, relatively rigid proteins have accuracies (based on comparison against experimental data) similar to experimental solution NMR structures. We selected six representative small proteins with structures determined by both NMR and X-ray crystallography, and modeled each of them using AlphaFold. Using several structure validation tools integrated under the Protein Structure Validation Software suite (PSVS), we then assessed how well these models fit to experimental NMR data, including NOESY peak lists (RPF-DP scores), comparisons between predicted rigidity and chemical shift data (ANSURR scores), and 15N-1H residual dipolar coupling data (RDC Q factors) analyzed by software tools integrated in the PSVS suite. Remarkably, the fits to NMR data for the protein structure models predicted with AlphaFold are generally similar, or better, than for the corresponding experimental NMR or X-ray crystal structures. Similar conclusions were reached in comparing AlphaFold2 predictions and NMR structures for three targets from the Critical Assessment of Protein Structure Prediction (CASP). These results contradict the widely held misperception that AlphaFold cannot accurately model solution NMR structures. They also document the value of PSVS for model vs. data assessment of protein NMR structures, and the potential for using AlphaFold models for guiding analysis of experimental NMR data and more generally in structural biology.
Phosphorylation Induced Conformational Transitions in DNA Polymerase β
Authors: Srivastava Amit , Idriss Haitham , Taha Kamal , Lee Sungmun , Homouz Dirar
Published: June 2022

DNA polymerase β (pol β) is a member of the X- family of DNA polymerases that catalyze the distributive addition of nucleoside triphosphates during base excision DNA repair. Previous studies showed that the enzyme was phosphorylated in vitro with PKC at two serines (44 and 55), causing loss of DNA polymerase activity but not DNA binding. In this work, we have investigated the phosphorylation-induced conformational changes in DNA polymerase β in the presence of Mg ions. We report a comprehensive atomic resolution study of wild type and phosphorylated DNA polymerase using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results are examined via novel methods of internal dynamics and energetics analysis to reveal the underlying mechanism of conformational transitions observed in DNA pol β. The results show drastic conformational changes in the structure of DNA polymerase β due to S44 phosphorylation. Phosphorylation-induced conformational changes transform the enzyme from a closed to an open structure. The dynamic cross-correlation shows that phosphorylation enhances the correlated motions between the different domains. Centrality network analysis reveals that the S44 phosphorylation causes structural rearrangements and modulates the information pathway between the Lyase domain and base pair binding domain. Further analysis of our simulations reveals that a critical hydrogen bond (between S44 and E335) disruption and the formation of three additional salt bridges are potential drivers of these conformational changes. In addition, we found that two of these additional salt bridges form in the presence of Mg ions on the active sites of the enzyme. These results agree with our previous study of DNA pol β S44 phosphorylation without Mg ions which predicted the deactivation of DNA pol β. However, the phase space of structural transitions induced by S44 phosphorylation is much richer in the presence of Mg ions.
Identification and Validation of lncRNA-AC087588.2 in Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Novel Prognostic and Diagnostic Indicator
Authors: Jiang Xiulin , Chen Xi , Guo Jishu , Zhou Fan , Pu Jun , Mutti Luciano , Niu Xiaoqun
Published: June 2022

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common histological lung cancer, and it is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in the initiation and progression of various cancers. LncRNA-AC087588.2 (ENSG00000274976) is a novel lncRNA that is abnormally expressed in diverse cancer types, including LUAD. However, the clinical significance, prognostic value, diagnostic value, immune role, and the potential biological function of AC087588.2 LUAD remain elusive. In this study, we found that AC087588.2 was upregulated and associated with a poor prognosis in LUAD. In addition, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that AC087588.2 could be an independent prognostic factor for LUAD. Functionally, the knockdown of AC087588.2 restrained LUAD cell proliferation and migration in vitro. Finally, we constructed a ceRNA network that included hsa-miR-30a-5p and four mRNAs (ANLN, POLR3G, EHBP1, and ERO1A) specific to AC087588.2 in LUAD. The Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that lower expression of hsa-miR-30a-5p and higher expression of ANLN, POLR3G, EHBP1, and ERO1A were associated with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with LUAD. This finding provided a comprehensive view of the AC087588.2-mediated ceRNA network in LUAD, thereby highlighting its potential role in the diagnosis and prognosis of LUAD.
The Use of Reduced Models to Generate Irregular, Broad-Band Signals That Resemble Brain Rhythms
Authors: Ambrosio Benjamin , Young Lai-Sang
Published: June 2022

The brain produces rhythms in a variety of frequency bands. Some are likely by-products of neuronal processes; others are thought to be top-down. Produced entirely naturally, these rhythms have clearly recognizable beats, but they are very far from periodic in the sense of mathematics. The signals are broad-band, episodic, wandering in amplitude and frequency; the rhythm comes and goes, degrading and regenerating. Gamma rhythms, in particular, have been studied by many authors in computational neuroscience, using reduced models as well as networks of hundreds to thousands of integrate-and-fire neurons. All of these models captured successfully the oscillatory nature of gamma rhythms, but the irregular character of gamma in reduced models has not been investigated thoroughly. In this article, we tackle the mathematical question of whether signals with the properties of brain rhythms can be generated from low dimensional dynamical systems. We found that while adding white noise to single periodic cycles can to some degree simulate gamma dynamics, such models tend to be limited in their ability to capture the range of behaviors observed. Using an ODE with two variables inspired by the FitzHugh-Nagumo and Leslie-Gower models, with stochastically varying coefficients designed to control independently amplitude, frequency, and degree of degeneracy, we were able to replicate the qualitative characteristics of natural brain rhythms. To demonstrate model versatility, we simulate the power spectral densities of gamma rhythms in various brain states recorded in experiments.
Effects of tDCS on Depression and Comorbid Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Brain Function Imaging Case Report
Authors: Wu Yuwei , Tang Lin , Shi Xiaolong , Zhou Zhiqing , Li Yuanli , Shan Chunlei
Published: June 2022

Background

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a type of non-invasive brain stimulation technique that has proven effective for neuropsychiatric disorders. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and depression are common psychiatric disorders that often are comorbid, meaning they occur simultaneously. Current evidence supports the value of tDCS for GAD. The objectives of this report is to explore the effect of tDCS on clinical symptoms and cerebral function in a patient with comorbid GAD and depression.

Methods

Our subject was a semiprofessional athlete diagnosed with comorbid GAD and depression. Symptoms included palpitations, sweating, continuous tension, and anxiety. We designed a B-A-B experimental protocol and used the Beck Anxiety Index (BAI), Beck Depression Index (BDI), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) as assessment tools. Treatment consisted of 2 series of 15 days each, separated by a 3-week washout period. We collected functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data before and after both series, as well as fNIRS data immediately after the first treatment in both series. In addition, we collected functional magnetic resonance imaging data before and after the second series.

Results

After the first series, the scores of the three questionnaires (BAI, BDI and PSQI) decreased significantly, which showed the trend of improvement. The functional connection of bilateral prefrontal partial channels decreased significantly immediately after tDCS treatment. The results of the fNIRS before the second-series treatment showed that prefrontal connectivity returned to the state before the first intervention after the washout period. The results of the fNIRS after the second series treatment showed that the symptoms of depression and anxiety alleviated. The results of the fNIRS showed that the prefrontal connectivity decreased again.

Conclusion

In the treatment of comorbid GAD and depression, tDCS can alleviate symptoms and improve sleep quality and social behavior. Brain imaging is widely used to observe functional changes by tDCS such as fMRI and fNIRS. The study also showed that fNIRS can be a safe, simple, and efficient method to assess brain activity.
Treatment of Blood Blister Aneurysms of the Internal Carotid Artery With Pipeline-Assisted Coil Embolization: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Liu Peng , Liu Lunxin , Zhang Changwei , Lin Sen , Wang Ting , Xie Xiaodong , Zhou Liangxue , Wang Chaohua
Published: June 2022

Background

Blood blister aneurysm (BBA) is a complex and rare aneurysm that presents significant treatment challenges. The application of pipeline embolization device (PED)-assisted coiling in the treatment of ruptured BBA remains controversial. This study aimed to report on our experience and assess the safety and efficacy of this strategy.

Methods

Between February 2019 and February 2021, 12 patients with ruptured BBAs underwent PED-assisted coil embolization. We collected detailed data about each patient, including demographic information, aneurysmal data, technical details, antiplatelet strategy, operation-related complications, and follow-up outcomes.

Results

A total of 12 BBA patients were treated with single PED-assisted coil embolization. One patient experienced intraoperative rupture that was controlled by rapid coiling without clinical consequences. All the patients demonstrated complete occlusion on postoperative angiography. A total of three patients had postoperative complications: left hemiparesis, Broca's aphasia, and right hemiplegia due to vasospasm, and transient hemiparesis. Follow-up angiography revealed that all BBAs were completely occluded, except one with neck residue. All patients had favorable outcomes at discharge and the most recent clinical follow-up (mRS score ≤ 2).

Conclusion

Endovascular treatment of BBAs of the internal carotid artery using PED-assisted coil embolization is a safe and effective strategy. This has contributed to the understanding of BBA therapy and provides a potentially optimal treatment option for this intractable lesion.
Stress Hyperglycemia Does Not Affect Clinical Outcome of Diabetic Patients Receiving Intravenous Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Merlino Giovanni , Pez Sara , Tereshko Yan , Gigli Gian Luigi , Lorenzut Simone , Surcinelli Andrea , Valente Mariarosaria
Published: June 2022

Although stress hyperglycemia represents a main risk factor for poor outcome among patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) undergoing recanalization therapy, we have limited information regarding a possible influence of the premorbid diabetic status on this association. We recruited consecutive patients admitted to the Udine University Hospital with AIS who were treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) from January 2015 to September 2020. On the basis of the premorbid diabetic status, our sample was composed of 130 patients with and 371 patients without diabetes. The glucose-to-glycated hemoglobin ratio (GAR) was used to measure stress hyperglycemia. Patients were stratified into 3 groups by tertiles of GAR (Q1–Q3). The higher GAR index was, the more severe stress hyperglycemia was considered. Among diabetic patients we did not observe any significant association between severe stress hyperglycemia and outcome measures (three-month poor outcome: Q1, 53.7%; Q2, 53.5%; Q3, 58.7%; p = 0.854; three-month mortality: Q1, 14.6%; Q2, 9.3%; Q3, 23.9%; p = 0.165; symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage: Q1, 7.3%; Q2, 14%; Q3, 19.6%; p = 0.256). Differently, non-diabetic subjects with more severe stress hyperglycemia showed a higher prevalence of three-month poor outcome (Q1, 32.2%; Q2, 27.7%; Q3, 60.3%; p = 0.001), three-month mortality (Q1, 9.1%; Q2, 8.4%; Q3, 18.3%; p = 0.026), and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (Q1, 0.8%; Q2, 0.8%; Q3, 9.9; p = 0.001). After controlling for several confounders, severe stress hyperglycemia remained a significant predictor of three-month poor outcome (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.03–4.28, p = 0.041), three-month mortality (OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.09–5.26, p = 0.029) and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (OR 12.62, 95% CI 1.5–106, p = 0.02) among non-diabetics. In conclusion, premorbid diabetic status seems to influence outcome in AIS patients receiving IVT. Indeed, odds of functional dependency, mortality and hemorrhagic complications were significantly increased in patients with more severe stress hyperglycemia only when they were not affected by diabetes.
Relationship Between TNF-α and the Risk of Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wang Baotian , Wang Fan , Wu De , Xu Xiaoyan , Yang Li , Zhu Jing , Yuan Jinjing , Tang Jiulai
Published: June 2022

Objective

We performed a meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between blood tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels and the risk of cerebral palsy (CP) in children.

Methods

PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Ovid databases were searched from the date of database inception to 26 April 2022. Data were extracted and pooled from observational studies related to TNF-α and the risk of CP in children. Quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We used the inverse variance method with a random-effects model to estimate the odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and stratified analyses and sensitivity analysis were utilized to analyse heterogeneity.

Results

Nine studies with 1,117 cases and 3,563 controls were included in our meta-analysis. The quality of the literature was good, and no publication bias was noted. According to the random-effects model, blood TNF-α levels were associated with the risk of CP (OR 1.82; 95% CI, 1.25–2.66) in a heterogeneous set of studies (I2 = 81.2%, p = 0.000).

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that elevated TNF-α levels in the blood are associated with an increased risk of CP. The association of TNF-α with CP requires further investigation.
Estimation of Iron Availability in Modified Cereal β-Glucan Extracts by an in vitro Digestion Model
Authors: Marasca Elena , Zehnder-Wyss Olivia , Boulos Samy , Nyström Laura
Published: June 2022

For cereal-based foods rich in dietary fibers, iron bioavailability is known to be poor. For native cereal β-glucan extracts, literature has demonstrated that the main factor impacting the bioavailability is phytic acid, which is often found in association with dietary fibers. During food processing, β-glucan can undergo modifications which could potentially affect the equilibrium between phytic acid, fiber, and iron. In this study, an in vitro digestion was used to elucidate the iron dialysability, and hence estimate iron availability, in the presence of native, chelating resin (Chelex)-treated, oxidised, or partially hydrolysed oat and barley β-glucan extracts (at 1% actual β-glucan concentration), with or without phytase treatment. It was confirmed that pure, phytic acid-free β-glucan polysaccharide does not impede iron availability in cereal foods, while phytic acid, and to a smaller extent, also proteins, associated to β-glucan can do so. Neither Chelex-treatment nor partial hydrolysis, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl (TEMPO) or NaIO4 oxidation significantly influenced the phytic acid content of the β-glucan extracts (ranging 2.0–3.9%; p > 0.05). Consequently, as long as intrinsic phytic acid was still present, the β-glucan extracts blocked the iron availability regardless of source (oat, barley) or Chelex-treatment, partial hydrolysis or NaIO4-oxidation down to 0–8% (relative to the reference without β-glucan extract). Remarkably, TEMPO-oxidation released around 50% of the sequestered iron despite unchanged phytic acid levels in the modified extract. We propose an iron-mobilising effect of the TEMPO product β-polyglucuronan from insoluble Fe(II)/phytate/protein aggregates to soluble Fe(II)/bile salt units that can cross the dialysis membrane. In addition, Chelex-treatment was identified as prerequisite for phytase to dramatically diminish iron retention of the extract for virtually full availability, with implications for optimal iron bioavailability in cereal foods.
Sinful Foods: Measuring Implicit Associations Between Food Categories and Moral Attributes in Anorexic, Orthorexic, and Healthy Subjects
Authors: Lakritz Clara , Tournayre Lola , Ouellet Marilou , Iceta Sylvain , Duriez Philibert , Masetti Vincent , Lafraire Jérémie
Published: June 2022

Recently, neurocognitive studies have shown that food categorization is sensitive to both the properties of the food stimuli (e.g., calorie content) and the individual characteristics of subjects (e.g., BMI, eating disorders) asked to categorize these stimuli. Furthermore, groups of patients with eating disorders (ED) were described as relying more on moral criteria to form food categories than were control subjects. The present studies built on these seminal articles and aimed to determine whether certain food properties might trigger moral categories preferentially in subjects suffering from ED and in the general population. Using a Go/No-Go Association Task, Study 1 focused on the extent to which food categories are laden with moral attributes in ED patients compared to control subjects. Study 2 was a follow-up with a different design (an Implicit Association Test), another food variable (calorie content), and two non-clinical subgroups (orthorexic and healthy control subjects). Results revealed for the first time implicit associations between food variables cueing for energy density and moral attributes in the general population, the population suffering from anorexia nervosa, and subjects suffering from disordered eating such as orthorexia nervosa. These findings suggest that moralization of food is a pervasive phenomenon that can be measured with methods reputed to be less vulnerable to self-presentation or social desirability biases.
Structural Characterization of Polysaccharides in Waste Liquor Produced by Wet Decortication of Sesame Seeds
Authors: Li Yao-Ran , Xu Shuai , Zhang Run-Yang , Yang Ming-Xuan , Liu Hua-Min , Wang Xue-De
Published: June 2022

The wet decortication of sesame seeds produces wastewater containing diverse minerals and organic pollutants that could be valuable resources for the food industry. This investigation aimed to reclaim, purify, and characterize the polysaccharides contained in the waste liquor from the sesame decortication industry. The purified polysaccharide fractions were characterized using monosaccharide analysis, GPC (high-performance gel permeation chromatography), FT-IR (Fourier-transform infrared) spectroscopy, methylation analysis, 1D and 2D Nucleai Magnetic Resonance (NMR) analysis, and thermal analysis. Four fractions were found (SSP-1,-2,-3, -4), of which SSP-2 was proportionately the largest and most interesting. The backbone of SSP-2 is mainly composed of (1→2,4)-β-D-Xylp residues with side chains connected to the O-4 position, with many T-β-D-Galp and (1→5)-α-L-Araf residues, and fewer (1→4)-α-D-Glcp, (1→2)-α-L-Rhap, T-α-L-Araf, and (1→2)-β-D-GlcpA residues. An efficient method for removing the polysaccharides would simplify wastewater treatment while finding a use for them would benefit the sesame, food, and pharmaceutical industries.
Meta-Heuristic Algorithm-Tuned Neural Network for Breast Cancer Diagnosis Using Ultrasound Images
Authors: A Ahila , M Poongodi , Bourouis Sami , Band Shahab S. , Mosavi Amir , Agrawal Shweta , Hamdi Mounir
Published: June 2022

Breast cancer is the most menacing cancer among all types of cancer in women around the globe. Early diagnosis is the only way to increase the treatment options which then decreases the death rate and increases the chance of survival in patients. However, it is a challenging task to differentiate abnormal breast tissues from normal tissues because of their structure and unclear boundaries. Therefore, early and accurate diagnosis and classification of breast lesions into malignant or benign lesions is an active domain of research. Over the decade, numerous artificial neural network (ANN)-based techniques were adopted in order to diagnose and classify breast cancer due to the unique characteristics of learning key features from complex data via a training process. However, these schemes have limitations like slow convergence and longer training time. To address the above mentioned issues, this paper employs a meta-heuristic algorithm for tuning the parameters of the neural network. The main novelty of this work is the computer-aided diagnosis scheme for detecting abnormalities in breast ultrasound images by integrating a wavelet neural network (WNN) and the grey wolf optimization (GWO) algorithm. Here, breast ultrasound (US) images are preprocessed with a sigmoid filter followed by interference-based despeckling and then by anisotropic diffusion. The automatic segmentation algorithm is adopted to extract the region of interest, and subsequently morphological and texture features are computed. Finally, the GWO-tuned WNN is exploited to accomplish the classification task. The classification performance of the proposed scheme is validated on 346 ultrasound images. Efficiency of the proposed methodology is evaluated by computing the confusion matrix and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Numerical analysis revealed that the proposed work can yield higher classification accuracy when compared to the prevailing methods and thereby proves its potential in effective breast tumor detection and classification. The proposed GWO-WNN method (98%) gives better accuracy than other methods like SOM-SVM (87.5), LOFA-SVM (93.62%), MBA-RF (96.85%), and BAS-BPNN (96.3%)
Identification and Validation of an Apoptosis-Related Gene Prognostic Signature for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Wang Shuqin , Zhang Sien , Lin Zhi , Ma Jingxin , Zhu Lijun , Liao Guiqing
Published: June 2022

To identify an apoptosis-related gene (ARG) prediction model for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), we analyzed and validated the data from TCGA and GEO, respectively. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and ROC curves showed a good prognostic ability of the model both in the internal training set and in the external testing set. Furthermore, we built a nomogram using these ARGs to forecast the survival probability of OSCC patients. Moreover, we evaluated the rate of immune cells infiltrating in the tumor samples and found obvious, different patterns between the high and low risk groups. GO and KEGG analyses demonstrated multiple molecular biological processes and signaling pathways connecting with this prognostic model in OSCC. The expression of these risk genes in clinical specimens was higher in the non-survival patients than in the well-survival patients by immunohistochemical staining analysis. In conclusion, we established a signature made up of six risk apoptosis-related genes to predict the survival rate of OSCC. These genes could also be targets for the treatment of OSCC.
Methyl Gallate Suppresses the Migration, Invasion, and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells via the AMPK/NF-κB Signaling Pathway in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Liang Huaguo , Chen Zexin , Yang Ruihui , Huang Qingsong , Chen Hongmei , Chen Wanting , Zou Li , Wei Peng , Wei Shijie , Yang Yongxia , Zhang Yongli
Published: June 2022

Methyl gallate (MG), a polyphenolic compound found in plants, is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. MG is known to alleviate several cancer symptoms. However, most studies that have reported the antitumor effects of MG have done so at the cellular level, and the inhibitory effect and therapeutic mechanism of MG in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been extensively explored in vivo. We aimed to understand the therapeutic mechanism of MG in HCC in vitro and in vivo. MTT and colony formation assays were used to determine the impact of MG on the proliferation of a human HCC cell line, BEL-7402; wound healing and transwell assays were used to quantify the migration and invasion of HCC cells. Western blotting was used to quantify the expression of the AMPK/NF-κB signaling pathway proteins. In vivo tumor growth was measured in a xenograft tumor nude mouse model treated with MG, and hematoxylin–eosin staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to visualize the histological changes in the tumor tissue. We found that MG showed anti-proliferative effects both in vitro and in vivo. MG downregulated the protein expression of AMPK, NF-κB, p-NF-κB, and vimentin and upregulated the expression of E-cadherin in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, MG inhibited the migration and invasion of HCC cells by decreasing MMP9 and MMP2 expression and increasing TIMP-2 expression. These were consistent with the results of IHC in vivo. MG inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells. This effect potentially involves the regulation of the AMPK/NF-κB pathway, which in turn impacts epithelial-mesenchymal transition and MMP expression.
Effects of Intestinal FXR-Related Molecules on Intestinal Mucosal Barriers in Biliary Tract Obstruction
Authors: Yan Meng , Hou Li , Cai Yaoyao , Wang Hanfei , Ma Yujun , Geng Qiming , Jiang Weiwei , Tang Weibing
Published: June 2022

Background:The farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a key factor regulating hepatic bile acid synthesis and enterohepatic circulation. Repression of bile acid synthesis by the FXR is a potential strategy for treating cholestatic liver disease. However, the role of intestinal FXR on the intestinal barrier and intestinal microbiota needs further investigation.

Materials:Intestinal tissues were collected from patients with biliary atresia or without hepatobiliary disease. Then, intestinal mRNA levels of FXR-related molecules were determined. To investigate the effect of FXR activation, bile-duct-ligation rats were treated with obeticholic acid [OCA (5 mg/kg/day)] or vehicle (0.5% methyl cellulose) per oral gavage for 14 days. The mRNA levels of intestinal FXR, SHP, TNF-α, FGF15 and bile acid transporter levels were determined. In addition, the intestinal permeability, morphologic changes, and composition of the intestinal microbiota were evaluated. Gut Microbiome was determined by 16S rDNA MiSeq sequencing, and functional profiling of microbial communities was predicted with BugBase and PICRUSt2. Finally, the role of OCA in injured intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis and proliferation was examined by pretreatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in Caco-2 cells.

Results:The downstream of the FXR in ileum tissues was inhibited in biliary obstruction. Activation of the FXR signaling pathway by OCA significantly reduced liver fibrosis and intestinal inflammation, improved intestinal microbiota, and protected intestinal mucosa in BDL rats. OCA also altered the functional capacities of ileum microbiota in BDL rats. Significant differences existed between the controls and BDL rats, which were attenuated by OCA in the alpha diversity analysis. Principal coordinates analysis showed that microbial communities in BDL rats clustered separately from controls, and OCA treatment attenuated the distinction. Bugbase and PICRUSt2 analysis showed that OCA changed the composition and structure of the intestinal microbiota and improved the metabolic function of the intestinal microbiota by increasing the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria and reducing the relative abundance of harmful bacteria. Moreover, OCA reduced the apoptosis induced by LPS in Caco-2 cells.

Conclusion:The FXR agonist, OCA, activates the intestinal FXR signaling pathway and improves the composition and structure of the intestinal microbiota and intestinal barrier in BDL rats.
Phase-Dependent Epitaxy for Antimonene Growth on Silver Substrate
Authors: Liu Kai , Bai Keke , Wang Jing , Song Juntao , Liu Ying
Published: June 2022

Antimonene is a novel two-dimensional topological semiconductor material with a strain-driven tunable electronic structure for future electronic devices, but the growth of clean antimonene is not fully understood. In this work, the growth process of antimonene on the silver substrate has been studied in detail by using the density functional theory and particle swarm optimization algorithms. The results show that, in addition to the experimental reported flat honeycomb and β-phase antimonene, α-phase antimonene was observed to be able to grow on the substrates, and the phases of antimonene were deeply dependent on the reconstructed supercells and surface alloys. It has been demonstrated that the surface alloys on the substrate play an active role in the growth of antimonene.
Longitudinal Stability of MRI QA up to Two Years on Eight Clinical 1.5 T MR-Linacs
Authors: Wetscherek Andreas , van der Bijl Erik , van Lier Astrid L. H. , Chick Joan , Jackson Steven , Gibson Stephen , van Pelt Vivian , Hasler Signe W. , Tijssen Rob H. N.
Published: June 2022

MR-guided radiotherapy on hybrid MR-Linacs exploits the excellent soft-tissue contrast of MRI to deliver daily adaptive precision radiotherapy. Geometric fidelity and long-term stability of MRI components are essential, but their longitudinal performance under daily exposure to scattered ionizing radiation is unknown. We report on longitudinal stability of periodic MRI QA on eight clinical 1.5T MR-Linac systems. We provided measurement instructions for periodic MRI QA and received data from seven different centers within the Elekta MR-Linac consortium, which contributed data over acquisition periods ranging from 3–24 months. We tested B0 and B1 homogeneity using a 37 cm diameter cylindrical phantom, which was measured monthly in axial orientation, supplemented by quarterly sagittal and coronal acquisitions. We report average, standard deviation and peak-to-peak variation (99th-1st percentile) within a region of interest (ROI) of 35 cm diameter. Dependence of B0 on the gantry angle and gradient non-linearity were tested quarterly. We analyzed the longitudinal stability of selected metrics of the vendor-provided periodic image quality tests. We found high temporal stability of B0 and B1 measurements and good agreement between different MR-Linac systems. For all measurements, the standard deviation of B0 within the analyzed ROI was below 0.66/0.33/0.33 ppm for axial/sagittal/coronal orientation. The average standard deviation of the ratio between actual and nominal flip angle was 0.022/0.100/0.088 for axial/sagittal/coronal orientation. Systems exhibited distinctively different gantry angle dependencies of B0, with sensitivities of B0 to the gantry angle differing by factors of up to two between systems. Gradient non-linearity analysis yielded average radii of 172 and 242 mm for which 98% of the phantom markers had deviations below 1 and 2 mm, respectively. All analyzed periodic image quality tests were passed, but major events including a body coil replacement and ramp down were apparent in the time series. Overall we found very similar performance of the tested systems and our results could inform the implementation of MR imaging QA for MR-Linacs. While we found differences of the gantry angle dependence of B0 between systems, the high temporal stability found for all tests is a foundation for stereotactic radiotherapy and multi-center clinical trials involving quantitative MRI.
Analysis of Patent Application Attention: A Network Analysis Method
Authors: Mao Shihao , Hu Yuxia , Yuan Xuesong , Zhang Mengyue , Qiu Qirong , Wu Peng
Published: June 2022

Patent is an important embodiment of innovation. Before patent application, many people will check a patent application process on the Internet to understand the steps of a patent application. In fact, these people’s search is also a means to understand whether innovative enterprises or individuals imply the importance of innovation. It has become a new crucial problem to obtain more information about time-series data. Research has found that the concept of VG can provide deeper information in time-series data so that it can understand the information of patent applications more comprehensively. After analyzing the data from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2018, we find: i) there are very few peaks and valleys, and 80% of searches are in the normal range. ii) according to the central value of the ranking, it can be found that the peaks of the annual patent application search times time series occurred in December last year, after January, February of this year or after August-October, and iii) after clustering the time series data, we find that the attention of people shows noticeable segmentation effect.
Asymmetric Quantum Steering Generated by Triple-Photon Down-Conversion Process With Injected Signals
Authors: Chen T. H. , Pan K. Y. , Xiao C. , Yu Y. B. , Chen A. X.
Published: June 2022

Asymmetric quantum steering generated by the triple-photon down-conversion process in an injected signal optical cavity is investigated. The triple-photon down-conversion process can be realized in an optical superlattice by quasi-phase-matching technology. Asymmetric quantum steering can be obtained in this triple-photon down-conversion process. The direction of asymmetric quantum steering can be controlled by adjusting the parameters of the nonlinear process. The generation of asymmetric quantum steering in the present scheme has potential applications in quantum secret sharing and quantum networks.
Studies of Evaluation Methods for Resistance to Fusarium Wilt Race 4 (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum) in Cotton: Effects of Cultivar, Planting Date, and Inoculum Density on Disease Progression
Authors: Zhang Jinfa , Abdelraheem Abdelraheem , Zhu Yi , Elkins-Arce Heather , Dever Jane , Whitelock Derek , Hake Kater , Wedegaertner Tom , Wheeler Terry A.
Published: June 2022

Fusarium wilt caused byFusarium oxysporumf. sp.vasinfectumrace 4 (FOV4) is an early season disease causing root rot, seedling wilt, and death. To develop an appropriate field evaluation method for resistance to FOV4 in cotton breeding, the objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of cultivar, planting date, and inoculum density on disease progression in 2020–2021. Results showed that the usual local mid-April planting had the lowest disease severity (DSR) or mortality rate (MR) in 2020 and 2021. DSR or MR increased at the late April and early May plantings in both years and reached the highest at the early May planting in 2020, while MR in 2021 was followed by a decrease in the late May planting and reached the highest in the mid-June planting. Local daily low temperatures between mid-April and mid-June were favorable for FOV4 infections, whereas daily high temperatures at 35°C or higher suppressed wilt severity. When seedlings at the 2-true leaf stage were inoculated with 104, 105, 106, and 107conidia ml−1per plant in 2020, DSR was low but a linear relationship between inoculum density and DSR was observed. When a FOV4-infested soil supplemented with artificial inoculation was used, disease progression in three moderately susceptible or moderately resistant cultivars followed a linear model, while it followed a quadratic model in the highly susceptible Pima S-7 cultivar only. Among the other three cultivars, FM 2334GLT had the lowest DSR or MR except for one planting date in both years, followed by PHY 725 RF and Pima PHY 881 RF in ascending order, which were consistent with the difference in regression coefficients of the linear models. This study demonstrates that disease progression curves due to FOV4 can be used to compare responses to FOV4 infections among cotton genotypes in cotton breeding and genetic studies, regardless of planting date and inoculation method.