bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Panorama de la investigación y divulgación científicas en neuromarketing
Authors: Gil-Torres Alicia , López-López Aurora , Sánchez-Sandoval Raquel , Mall Bibi Ayesha
Published: September 2023

El panorama en la investigación y divulgación científicas en neuromarketing se dirime entre publicaciones que profundizan en la producción científica basada en exhaustivas revisiones de la literatura e investigaciones aplicadas. Los individuos y sus conductas comportan el eje vertebrador que constituye el principal objeto de estudio de cualquier investigación en este ámbito. Debido a la necesidad de superar los límites de la investigación tradicional de mercados, el neuromarketing se ha convertido en su aliado perfecto. Su mayor precisión en el análisis de las respuestas emocionales de las personas ante diferentes estímulos resulta fundamental en la comprensión del comportamiento humano y esto procura a las empresas las claves con las que perfeccionar sus estrategias de mercado. La publicidad, el diseño del packaging de productos y las preferencias de compra del consumidor están entre sus principales focos de interés, sin ser los únicos. Limitan el avance de la disciplina las consideraciones éticas relativas a las mediciones neurocientíficas que posibilitan la extracción de esos valiosos datos procedentes del subconsciente de los participantes, mientras estos los desconocen. Con total certeza, el neuromarketing y su alcance siguen siendo un reto para la ciencia.
estudio exploratorio con neurociencia. Impacto del género en la respuesta a las campañas sociales en jóvenes
Authors: Crespo Tejero Natividad , Fernandez Lores Susana , Fernández Hernández Ruth
Published: September 2023

El objetivo de este estudio es identificar el posible impacto diferencial entre hombres y mujeres de una campaña de concienciación sanitaria frente al COVID-19. Para ello, se han utilizado herramientas neurofisiológicas que permiten analizar las respuestas vinculadas a la activación, el engagement, la atención, la memorización y la valencia. Además, se incorpora una encuesta previa y posterior al visionado de la campaña mediante la cual se evalúan las emociones provocadas, así como la disposición a cumplir las normas sanitarias. Se diseñó un experimento en el que 45 participantes entre 19 y 24 años se expusieron a una campaña social sobre el COVID-19 para concienciar sobre el cumplimiento de la normativa frente a la pandemia. Se utilizaron dos técnicas neurofisiológicas: la conductancia de la piel y el electroencefalograma; los dispositivos fueron proporcionados por BitBrain Technologies. Los resultados indicaron que la campaña expuesta generó mayor activación y engagement en los hombres. En el caso de las mujeres se obtuvieron puntuaciones más elevadas en la atención, memorización y valencia. Estos datos indican que las campañas sociales impactan de modo diferente en hombres y mujeres. Este trabajo realiza una primera aportación exploratoria con herramientas neurofisiológicas en el análisis del impacto diferencial de las campañas publicitarias sociales en función del género.
Challenges of Governance in an Age of Disinformation and Hate Speech in Africa: A Lesson from the Post-2018 Ethiopian Experience
Authors: Assen Mohammed Dejen
Published: September 2023

Disinformation and hate speech is extremely pervasive in Ethiopia that negatively affected the political, economic, social, ethnic and religious landscape of the country. Several deadly conflicts occurred between religious and ethnic groups in the last five years alone (2018-2023) that prompted the deaths and displacements of thousands, if not millions, of people and destruction of property. Based on a qualitative analysis of primary and secondary data, the present research found that, the practical implementation of the law is problematic, sometimes (mis)used to suppress government critics and freedom of expression enshrined in the constitution. Moreover, the magnitude of the problem is ever increasing where the government is unable to control via the law and with an erratic measure of shutting down of internet and social media accesses.
Neuropsychological and Clinical Correlations of Optical Coherence Tomography Findings in Patients with Schizophrenia
Authors: SAKALLI KANİ Ayşe , ŞAHİN ÇAM Cansun , BİBEROĞLU ÇELİK Esra , DURAL Uzay , DURAN DÖNMEZ Melike , AKKAYA TURHAN Semra , TOKER Ebru , YILDIZ Mesut
Published: September 2023

Objective: There are increasing studies examining retinal fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell layer (GCL) thinning in patients with schizophrenia. However, the results are controversial, and clinical and cognitive reflections of these findings remain unclear. With this study, we aim to examine retinal abnormalities and establish correlations with cognitive and clinical parameters.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we examined 29 patients with schizophrenia and 13 age and gender-matched healthy controls. All participants underwent psychometric assessment, neuropsychological tests, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements. The retinal fiber layer and ganglion cell layer thickness were used as retinal parameters.

Results: Five patients dropped out during the OCT measurement process, 24 patients with schizophrenia and nine healthy controls were included in the analysis. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in measuring retinal nerve fiber layer or ganglion cell layer thicknesses. The verbal fluency test score negatively correlated with left RNFL superior ( ρ – .422, p
Analyzing degradation of ore pass walls in Kiirunavaara mine using scanning data
Authors: Sredniawa Weronika , Skawina Bartlomiej , Garcia Jorge Recio , Rapp Joel
Published: September 2023

Ore passes play a vital role in underground mining operations by facilitating the gravity-driven movement of ore from production levels to lower levels. Failure of the ore pass has serious consequences, including possible production disruptions and substantial financial investments in reconstruction or rehabilitation. Failure mechanisms are often associated with rock mass quality, stress conditions, and wear of the ore pass walls. This study investigated the degradation of ore pass walls using scanning data at LKAB’s Kiirunavaara mine in Sweden. Geotechnical information obtained from various sources aided in further understanding the ore passes’ conditions. The study revealed variations in the ore pass growth rates, highlighting potential stability concerns and the correlation between throughput and pass growth. The findings underscore the need for continuous monitoring and regular inspection to manage wall degradation. The paper proposes potential rehabilitation measures to ensure the stability and safety of ore passes in mining operations.
Efficacy and mechanism of Baicao Fuyanqing suppository on mixed vaginitis based on 16S rRNA and metabolomics
Authors: Wang Qi , Wang Pengjiao , Yuan Minyan , Zhang Min , Zhang Shuo , Sun Xiaodong , Shang Leyuan , Liu Yujie , Zhao Yanni , Jiang Nan , Gao Xiuli
Published: September 2023

Background

Mixed vaginitis is the infection of the vagina by at least two different pathogens at the same time, both of which contribute to an abnormal vaginal environment leading to signs and symptoms. Baicao Fuyanqing suppository (BCFYQ) is a Miao ethnomedicine, used to treat various vaginitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and possible mechanism of BCFYQ in the treatment of mixed vaginitis based on 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and metabonomics.

Methods

Escherichia coli and Candida albicans were used to establish mixed vaginitis model in SD rats. Three groups of low, medium and high doses (0.18/0.36/0.64 g.kg-1) were established, and administered vaginally once a day for 6 consecutive days. After the last administration, vaginal pH and IL-1β, IL-2, IL-13 and IgA levels were measured, and the vaginal tissue was examined pathologically. In addition, the vaginal flora was characterised by 16S rRNA, and endogenous metabolites in the vaginal tissue were detected by UHPLC-Q-Exactive MS.

Results

Compared with the model group, BCFYQ can reduce the vaginal pH of rats, make it close to the normal group and improve the damaged vaginal epithelial tissue. The results of ELISA showed that BCFYQ decreased the levels of IL-1 β and IL-2 and increased the levels of IL-13 and IgA (P<0.05). In addition, BCFYQ may increase the abundance of vaginal flora, especially Lactobacillus. The differential metabolite enrichment pathway suggests that the therapeutic mechanism of BCFYQ is mainly related to lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism.

Conclusion

Our research shows that BCFYQ has a good therapeutic effect on mixed vaginitis. It repairs the damaged vaginal mucosa by regulating the vaginal flora and lipid metabolism disorders to improve the local immune function of the vagina and inhibit the growth and reproduction of pathogens.
Case report: A rare case of left ventricular noncompaction in two Chinese siblings with becker muscular dystrophy caused by deletion of exons 10 to 12 in the DMD gene
Authors: Li Jingdong , Zhu Wanyue , Su Guanhua , Zhu Feng , Shuai Xinxin , Meng Yidi , Zhang Jiaming , Chen Hao
Published: September 2023

Background

Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is an inherited X-linked recessive condition resulting from mutations of the DMD gene encoding dystrophin. Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is a rare cardiomyopathy morphologically characterized by abnormal myocardial trabeculae and deep recesses in the left ventricle. LVNC in BMD patients has only rarely been reported.

Case report

In the present study, we identified a deletion mutation in exons 10 to 12 (EX10_12 del) of the DMD gene (reference sequence NM_004006.2) in two Chinese siblings with BMD and LVNC by high throughput targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The proband was a 22-year-old man admitted with dyspnea, abdominal distention, and polyserositis. It is noteworthy that both the proband and his younger brother manifested progressive muscular atrophy and creatine kinase (CK) elevation. Light and electron microscopy examination of muscle biopsies showed the typical features of dystrophinopathies. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography demonstrated that both brothers had an enlarged left ventricle, LVNC, and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. Finally, the proband underwent heart transplantation at age 26 with an event-free follow-up over 4 years post-transplantation.

Conclusion

This case further enriches our knowledge of the symptoms, genotype, cardiac performance, management, and prognosis of BMD patients complicated by LVNC. It is recommended that early comprehensive cardiac evaluation should be considered for patients with BMD to exclude LVNC, as this may have a significant impact on their prognosis.
Clinical characteristics and risk factors of in-hospital mortality among patients undergoing percutaneous pericardiocentesis
Authors: Wybraniec Maciej T. , Kampka Zofia , Drabczyk Mateusz , Zielonka Marek , Urbaniec Przemysław , Wypych Grzegorz , Cichoń Małgorzata , Szatan Tomasz , Jastrzębski Paweł , Mizia-Stec Katarzyna
Published: September 2023

Background

Percutaneous pericardiocentesis represents a salvage procedure in case of cardiac tamponade and diagnostic procedure in chronic pericardial effusion of unknown source. The study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of patients subject to pericardiocentesis and the predictors of in-hospital mortality.

Methods

The study represents a registry that covered consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous pericardiocentesis from 2011 to 2022 in high-volume tertiary reference center. Electronic health records were queried to obtain demographic and clinical variables. The primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality, while secondary endpoint was the need for recurrent pericardiocentesis.

Results

Out of 132 456 patients hospitalized in the prespecified period, 247 patients were subject to percutaneous pericardiocentesis (53.9% women; median age of 66 years) who underwent 273 procedures. In-hospital death was reported in 14 patients (5.67%), while recurrent pericardiocentesis in 24 patients (9.72%). Iatrogenic cause was the most common etiology (42.5%), followed by neoplastic disease (23.1%) and idiopathic effusion (14.57%). In logistic regression analysis in-hospital mortality was associated with myocardial infarction (MI)-related etiology (p = 0.001) and recurrent/persistent cardiogenic shock (p = 0.001).

Conclusions

Iatrogenic etiology and neoplastic disease seem to be the most common indications for pericardiocentesis, while in-hospital mortality was particularly high in patients with spontaneous tamponade in the course of MI.
Acute pulmonary embolism combined with acute myocardial infarction as the first manifestation of acute leukemia: a case report
Authors: Zheng Shuzhan , Luo Sha , Luo Yong , Liu Dan , Zheng Wenwu , Peng Qing
Published: September 2023

Thrombotic complications in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are uncommon due to coagulation dysfunction and thrombocytopenia. We report a unique case of AML presenting as concomitant pulmonary embolism and atypical acute myocardial infarction. A 67-year-old male experienced persistent bilateral chest pain. Despite an unremarkable electrocardiogram, elevated D-dimer and mildly increased troponin T levels prompted further investigation, leading to the diagnosis of simultaneous pulmonary embolism and acute myocardial infarction. The patient underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and received triple antithrombotic therapy. However, antithrombotic therapy was discontinued following a sharp decline in hemoglobin and platelet counts, and the patient subsequently developed persistent fever. AML was diagnosed via bone marrow biopsy. Chemotherapy was not initiated due to the patient's deteriorating condition, and he ultimately succumbed to presumed intracranial bleeding.
Investigation on the coordinated operation control technology of distributed new energy grid connection using artificial intelligence algorithms
Authors: Lu Yonglin , Sun Jinyong , Hu Jinying , Chen Rui , Liao Yifa , Shang Jingrui
Published: September 2023

New energy power generation has strong randomness and volatility. Especially in the case of a high proportion of NE (network security) power generation, its sudden random power generation in a short period of time will seriously affect the stable operation of the power grid. Therefore, this paper proposes BP neural network algorithm to study the distributed NE grid-connected cooperative operation control technology. First of all, this paper studies the artificial intelligence algorithm in detail and applies it to the coordinated operation control of distributed NE grid-connected; then, based on the status quo of renewable energy PG (power generation), this paper establishes a suitable wind speed time series model, and thus proposes an optimization model based on a rolling scheduling optimization algorithm. The experimental results show that the average running time of the rolling scheduling optimization algorithm is maintained at about 0.2 s, which can effectively realize online operation. In addition, through rolling adjustment, the error between the total output curve of the unit and the actual total output curve of the unit can be significantly reduced. The research shows that the rolling scheduling optimization algorithm has a good optimization effect, can promote the coordinated development of wind farms and power systems, and increase the capacity of power systems.
Local government debt, resource misallocation, and green total factor productivity in China
Authors: Deng Guangjun , Zhou Canwei , Wang Dingxing , Zhou Weihan
Published: September 2023

Although China has implemented numerous environmental governance polices to realize green development, no significant changes have been achieved in reality. To understand the underlying reasons, we relate green development to the debt-driven model by the local government. Using the total debt data of prefecture-level cities in China from 2007 to 2013, we analyze the effects of debt expansion through a two-way fixed effect model. Results imply that the expansion of local government debt will inhibit green total factor productivity, but there are differences between long-term and short-term debts. Further analysis shows that local government debt will affect capital misallocation and also finds that an increase in local government debt will increase urban carbon emissions. This study recommends that the Chinese government should further decrease debt size and improve investment effectiveness to achieve high-quality development.
Updated roles of cGAS-STING signaling in autoimmune diseases
Authors: Liu Ya , Pu Feifei
Published: September 2023

Natural immunity, the first line for the body to defense against the invasion of pathogen, serves as the body’s perception of the presence of pathogens depends on nucleic acid recognition mechanisms. The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of the interferon gene (cGAS-STING) signaling pathway is considered an essential pattern recognition and effector pathway in the natural immune system and is mainly responsible for recognizing DNA molecules present in the cytoplasm and activating downstream signaling pathways to generate type I interferons and some other inflammatory factors. STING, a crucial junction protein in the innate immune system, exerts an essential role in host resistance to external pathogen invasion. Also, STING, with the same character of inflammatory molecules, is inseparable from the body’s inflammatory response. In particular, when the expression of STING is upregulated or its related signaling pathways are overactivated, the body may develop serious infectious disorders due to the generation of excessive inflammatory responses, non-infectious diseases, and autoimmune diseases. In recent years, accumulating studies indicated that the abnormal activation of the natural immune cGAS-STING signaling pathway modulated by the nucleic acid receptor cGAS closely associated with the development and occurrence of autoimmune diseases (AID). Thereof, to explore an in-depth role of STING and its related signaling pathways in the diseases associated with inflammation may be helpful to provide new avenues for the treatment of these diseases in the clinic. This article reviews the activation process of the cGAS-STING signaling pathways and its related important roles, and therapeutic drugs in AID, aiming to improve our understanding of AID and achieve better diagnosis and treatment of AID.
A nomogram based on collagen signature for predicting the immunoscore in colorectal cancer
Authors: Jiang Wei , Yu Xian , Dong Xiaoyu , Long Chenyan , Chen Dexin , Cheng Jiaxin , Yan Botao , Xu Shuoyu , Lin Zexi , Chen Gang , Zhuo Shuangmu , Yan Jun
Published: September 2023

Objectives

The Immunoscore can categorize patients into high- and low-risk groups for prognostication in colorectal cancer (CRC). Collagen plays an important role in immunomodulatory functions in the tumor microenvironment (TME). However, the correlation between collagen and the Immunoscore in the TME is unclear. This study aimed to construct a collagen signature to illuminate the relationship between collagen structure and Immunoscore.

Methods

A total of 327 consecutive patients with stage I-III stage CRC were included in a training cohort. The fully quantitative collagen features were extracted at the tumor center and invasive margin of the specimens using multiphoton imaging. LASSO regression was applied to construct the collagen signature. The association of the collagen signature with Immunoscore was assessed. A collagen nomogram was developed by incorporating the collagen signature and clinicopathological predictors after multivariable logistic regression. The performance of the collagen nomogram was evaluated via calibration, discrimination, and clinical usefulness and then tested in an independent validation cohort. The prognostic values of the collagen nomogram were assessed using Cox regression and the Kaplan−Meier method.

Results

The collagen signature was constructed based on 16 collagen features, which included 6 collagen features from the tumor center and 10 collagen features from the invasive margin. Patients with a high collagen signature were more likely to show a low Immunoscore (Lo IS) in both cohorts (P<0.001). A collagen nomogram integrating the collagen signature and clinicopathological predictors was developed. The collagen nomogram yielded satisfactory discrimination and calibration, with an AUC of 0.925 (95% CI: 0.895-0.956) in the training cohort and 0.911 (95% CI: 0.872-0.949) in the validation cohort. Decision curve analysis confirmed that the collagen nomogram was clinically useful. Furthermore, the collagen nomogram-predicted subgroup was significantly associated with prognosis. Moreover, patients with a low-probability Lo IS, rather than a high-probability Lo IS, could benefit from chemotherapy in high-risk stage II and stage III CRC patients.

Conclusions

The collagen signature is significantly associated with the Immunoscore in the TME, and the collagen nomogram has the potential to individualize the prediction of the Immunoscore and identify CRC patients who could benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy.
Prediction of lactate concentrations after cardiac surgery using machine learning and deep learning approaches
Authors: Kobayashi Yuta , Peng Yu-Chung , Yu Evan , Bush Brian , Jung Youn-Hoa , Murphy Zachary , Goeddel Lee , Whitman Glenn , Venkataraman Archana , Brown Charles H.
Published: September 2023

Background

Although conventional prediction models for surgical patients often ignore intraoperative time-series data, deep learning approaches are well-suited to incorporate time-varying and non-linear data with complex interactions. Blood lactate concentration is one important clinical marker that can reflect the adequacy of systemic perfusion during cardiac surgery. During cardiac surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass, minute-level data is available on key parameters that affect perfusion. The goal of this study was to use machine learning and deep learning approaches to predict maximum blood lactate concentrations after cardiac surgery. We hypothesized that models using minute-level intraoperative data as inputs would have the best predictive performance.

Methods

Adults who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were eligible. The primary outcome was maximum lactate concentration within 24 h postoperatively. We considered three classes of predictive models, using the performance metric of mean absolute error across testing folds: (1) static models using baseline preoperative variables, (2) augmentation of the static models with intraoperative statistics, and (3) a dynamic approach that integrates preoperative variables with intraoperative time series data.

Results

2,187 patients were included. For three models that only used baseline characteristics (linear regression, random forest, artificial neural network) to predict maximum postoperative lactate concentration, the prediction error ranged from a median of 2.52 mmol/L (IQR 2.46, 2.56) to 2.58 mmol/L (IQR 2.54, 2.60). The inclusion of intraoperative summary statistics (including intraoperative lactate concentration) improved model performance, with the prediction error ranging from a median of 2.09 mmol/L (IQR 2.04, 2.14) to 2.12 mmol/L (IQR 2.06, 2.16). For two modelling approaches (recurrent neural network, transformer) that can utilize intraoperative time-series data, the lowest prediction error was obtained with a range of median 1.96 mmol/L (IQR 1.87, 2.05) to 1.97 mmol/L (IQR 1.92, 2.05). Intraoperative lactate concentration was the most important predictive feature based on Shapley additive values. Anemia and weight were also important predictors, but there was heterogeneity in the importance of other features.

Conclusion

Postoperative lactate concentrations can be predicted using baseline and intraoperative data with moderate accuracy. These results reflect the value of intraoperative data in the prediction of clinically relevant outcomes to guide perioperative management.
Evaluation of macular neovascularization activity in pathological myopia: a comparison between optical coherence tomography and OCT-angiography
Authors: Li Xin , Jing Ruixia , Li Xue , Wang Zhen
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to suggest a novel approach to assessing the activity of macular neovascularization (MNV) in pathological myopia (PM) by comparing optical coherence tomography (OCT) with OCT-angiography (OCT-A).

Methods

The Zeiss Cirrus HD-5000 was used to obtain OCT and OCT-A images of PM-MNV. The objective was to examine the characteristics of PM-MNV lesions and investigate the relationship between PM-MNV activity and changes in retinal structure in 54 patients (54 eyes). To analyze the OCT parameters associated with PM-MNV activity and their clinical significance in terms of sensitivity and specificity, we used OCT-A as a reference.

Results

This study included 72 patients (72 eyes), of whom 54 had good image quality and were considered for analysis. The study evaluated various OCT characteristics of MNV lesions, including the elevation of an external limiting membrane (ELM), ellipsoidal zone (EZ), retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) elevation, and EZ/RPE interruption, to identify possible parameters associated with PM-MNV activity. The interobserver consistency was found to be almost perfect. In the evaluation of PM-MNV activity, the sensitivity of ELM elevation, EZ interruption, and RPE interruption was found to be 66.7% (low), 88.4% (high), and 95.6% (high), respectively. However, the specificity was found to be 71.4% (moderate), 71.4% (moderate), and 25.4% (poor), respectively. This indicates that the current evaluation methods are not accurately assessing PM-MNV activity. We developed a new comprehensive method that used EZ interruption as the primary parameter and ELM elevation and RPE interruption as secondary parameters to evaluate PM-MNV activity with a sensitivity of 97.8% and a specificity of 85.4%.

Conclusion

In PM-MNV, a novel comprehensive diagnostic method combining EZ interruption, ELM elevation, and RPE interruption might be a valuable indicator to evaluate PM-MNV activity.
Microbial denitrification characteristics of typical decentralized wastewater treatment processes based on 16S rRNA sequencing
Authors: Huang Shanqian , Kong Yaping , Chen Yao , Huang Xuewen , Ma Pengfei , Liu Xuexin
Published: September 2023

Despite the widespread application of decentralized wastewater treatment (WWT) facilities in China, relatively few research has used the multi-media biological filter (MMBF) facilities to investigate the microorganism characteristics. This study utilizes 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology to examine the microbial biodiversity of a representative wastewater treatment (WWT) system in an expressway service area. The pathways of nitrogen removal along the treatment route were analyzed in conjunction with water quality monitoring. The distribution and composition of microbial flora in the samples were examined, and the dominant flora were identified using LEfSe analysis. The FAPROTAX methodology was employed to investigate the relative abundance of genes associated with the nitrogen cycle and to discern the presence of functional genes involved in nitrogen metabolism. On average, the method has a high level of efficiency in removing COD, TN, NH3-N, and TP from the effluent. The analysis of the microbial community identified a total of 40 phyla, 111 classes, 143 orders, 263 families, and 419 genera. The phyla that were predominantly observed include Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, Nitrospirae, Bacteroidetes. The results show that the system has achieved high performance in nitrogen removal, the abundance of nitrification genes is significantly higher than that of other nitrogen cycle genes such as denitrification, and there are six nitrogen metabolism pathways, primarily nitrification, among which Nitrospirae and Nitrospira are the core differentiated flora that can adapt to low temperature conditions and participate in nitrification, and are the dominant nitrogen removal flora in cold regions. This work aims to comprehensively investigate the diversity and functional properties of the bacterial community in decentralized WWT processes.
Using Wolbachia to control rice planthopper populations: progress and challenges
Authors: Guo Yan , Shao Jiayi , Wu Yanxian , Li Yifeng
Published: September 2023

Wolbachia have been developed as a tool for protecting humans from mosquito populations and mosquito-borne diseases. The success of using Wolbachia relies on the facts that Wolbachia are maternally transmitted and that Wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility provides a selective advantage to infected over uninfected females, ensuring that Wolbachia rapidly spread through the target pest population. Most transinfected Wolbachia exhibit a strong antiviral response in novel hosts, thus making it an extremely efficient technique. Although Wolbachia has only been used to control mosquitoes so far, great progress has been made in developing Wolbachia-based approaches to protect plants from rice pests and their associated diseases. Here, we synthesize the current knowledge about the important phenotypic effects of Wolbachia used to control mosquito populations and the literature on the interactions between Wolbachia and rice pest planthoppers. Our aim is to link findings from Wolbachia-mediated mosquito control programs to possible applications in planthoppers.
Pharmacological activation of the amygdala, but not single prolonged footshock-induced acute stress, interferes with cue-induced motivation toward food rewards in rats
Authors: Lai Chien-Wen , Chang Chun-hui
Published: September 2023

In the face of threats, animals adapt their behaviors to cope with the situation. Under such circumstances, irrelevant behaviors are usually suppressed. In this study, we examined whether food-seeking motivation would decrease under activation of the amygdala, an important nucleus in the regulation of stress response in the central nervous system, or after a physical acute stress session. In Experiment 1, we pharmacologically activated the basolateral nucleus (BLA) or the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) before a cue-induced reinstatement test in rats. Our results showed that activation of the BLA or the CeA abolished cue-induced motivation toward food rewards, while locomotor activity and free food intake were not affected. In Experiments 2 and 3, we further assessed anxiety and despair levels, as well as cue-induced reinstatement, after a single prolonged footshock-induced acute stress in rats. Behaviorally, acute stress did not affect anxiety level, despair level, or cue-induced motivation toward food rewards. Physiologically, there was no difference in cellular activities of the amygdala immediately after acute stress. To conclude, our results suggested that pharmacological activation of the amygdala decreased cue-induced motivation toward food reward. However, physiological acute stress did not immediately interfere with the negative emotions, motivation, or amygdala activities of the animals.
Prediction of upcoming urinary tract infection after intracerebral hemorrhage: a machine learning approach based on statistics collected at multiple time points
Authors: Zhao Yanjie , Chen Chaoyue , Huang Zhouyang , Wang Haoxiang , Tie Xin , Yang Jinhao , Cui Wenyao , Xu Jianguo
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Accurate prediction of urinary tract infection (UTI) following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) can significantly facilitate both timely medical interventions and therapeutic decisions in neurocritical care. Our study aimed to propose a machine learning method to predict an upcoming UTI by using multi-time-point statistics.

Methods

A total of 110 patients were identified from a neuro-intensive care unit in this research. Laboratory test results at two time points were chosen: Lab 1 collected at the time of admission and Lab 2 collected at the time of 48 h after admission. Univariate analysis was performed to investigate if there were statistical differences between the UTI group and the non-UTI group. Machine learning models were built with various combinations of selected features and evaluated with accuracy (ACC), sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) values.

Results

Corticosteroid usage (p < 0.001) and daily urinary volume (p < 0.001) were statistically significant risk factors for UTI. Moreover, there were statistical differences in laboratory test results between the UTI group and the non-UTI group at the two time points, as suggested by the univariate analysis. Among the machine learning models, the one incorporating clinical information and the rate of change in laboratory parameters outperformed the others. This model achieved ACC = 0.773, sensitivity = 0.785, specificity = 0.762, and AUC = 0.868 during training and 0.682, 0.685, 0.673, and 0.751 in the model test, respectively.

Conclusion

The combination of clinical information and multi-time-point laboratory data can effectively predict upcoming UTIs after ICH in neurocritical care.
Optimizing vestibular neuritis management with modular strategies
Authors: Li Fei , Xu Jin , Liu Dan , Wang Jun , Lu Lingmei , Gao Rui , Zhou Xiaowen , Zhuang Jianhua , Zhang Sulin
Published: September 2023

Objective

This study proposes a “modular management” approach for vestibular neuritis (VN) to reduce chronicization and improve patient prognosis. The approach involves multi-factor grading and hierarchical intervention and was found to be more effective than traditional treatment strategies.

Methods

This retrospective analysis compared two groups of VN patients from two medical institutions. The intervention group of 52 patients received “modular management,” while the control group of 51 patients did not receive this kind of management. Analyzed the early treatment strategies, 6-month prognosis, and other indicators of the two groups of patients, compared and analyzed their overall prognosis, and identified the risk factors affecting the chronicization.

Results

The modular management group had lower dizziness severity, better balance, lower anxiety, and higher video head impulse testing (v-HIT) gain after 6 months of onset. Analysis of factors related to persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) in patients with VN showed positive correlations between the time from onset to diagnosis and PPPD, and Vertigo Symptom Scale (VSS), Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), anxiety, and depression. Normalized vestibular rehabilitation was negatively correlated with PPPD, while gender, age, and early steroid use had no significant correlation. The multi-factor logistic regression model correctly classified 93.20% of the study subjects with a sensitivity of 87.50% and specificity of 94.90%.

Conclusion

The proposed “modular management” scheme for VN is a comprehensive and dynamic approach that includes health education, assessment, rehabilitation, therapy, evaluation, and prevention. It can significantly improve patient prognosis and reduce chronicization by shifting from simple acute treatment to continuous management.
Perioperative cerebral blood flow measured by arterial spin labeling with different postlabeling delay in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy: a comparison study with CT perfusion
Authors: Xu Huimin , Han Hualu , Liu Ying , Huo Ran , Lang Ning , Yuan Huishu , Wang Tao , Zhao Xihai
Published: September 2023

Background

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is a non-invasive technique for measuring cerebral perfusion. Its accuracy is affected by the arterial transit time. This study aimed to (1) evaluate the accuracy of ASL in measuring the cerebral perfusion of patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and (2) determine a better postlabeling delay (PLD) for pre- and postoperative perfusion imaging between 1.5 and 2.0 s.

Methods

A total of 24 patients scheduled for CEA due to severe carotid stenosis were included in this study. All patients underwent ASL with two PLDs (1.5 and 2.0 s) and computed tomography perfusion (CTP) before and after surgery. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) values were measured on the registered CBF images of ASL and CTP. The correlation in measuring perioperative relative CBF (rCBF) and difference ratio of CBF (DRCBF) between ASL with PLD of 1.5 s (ASL1.5) or 2.0 s (ASL2.0) and CTP were also determined.

Results

There were no significant statistical differences in preoperative rCBF measurements between ASL1.5 and CTP (p = 0.17) and between ASL2.0 and CTP (p = 0.42). Similarly, no significant differences were found in rCBF between ASL1.5 and CTP (p = 0.59) and between ASL2.0 and CTP (p = 0.93) after CEA. The DRCBF measured by CTP was found to be marginally lower than that measured by ASL2.0_1.5 (p = 0.06) and significantly lower than that measured by ASL1.5_1.5 (p = 0.01), ASL2.0_2.0 (p = 0.03), and ASL1.5_2.0 (p = 0.007). There was a strong correlation in measuring perioperative rCBF and DRCBF between ASL and CTP (r = 0.67–0.85, p < 0.001). Using CTP as the reference standard, smaller bias can be achieved in measuring rCBF by ASL2.0 (−0.02) than ASL1.5 (−0.07) before CEA. In addition, the same bias (0.03) was obtained by ASL2.0 and ASL1.5 after CEA. The bias of ASL2.0_2.0 (0.31) and ASL2.0_1.5 (0.32) on DRCBF measurement was similar, and both were smaller than that of ASL1.5_1.5 (0.60) and ASL1.5_2.0 (0.60).

Conclusion

Strong correlation can be found in assessing perioperative cerebral perfusion between ASL and CTP. During perioperative ASL imaging, the PLD of 2.0 s is better than 1.5 s for preoperative scan, and both 1.5 and 2.0 s are suitable for postoperative scan.
Wearable rehabilitation wristband for distal radius fractures
Authors: Zha Qing , Xu Zeou , Cai Xuefeng , Zhang Guodong , Shen Xiaofeng
Published: September 2023

Background

Distal radius fractures are a common type of fracture. For patients treated with closed reduction with splinting, a period of rehabilitation is still required after the removal of the splint. However, there is a general lack of attention and low compliance to rehabilitation training during this period, so it is necessary to build a rehabilitation training monitoring system to improve the efficiency of patients’ rehabilitation.

Methods

A wearable rehabilitation training wristband was proposed, which could be used in the patient’s daily rehabilitation training scenario and could recognize four common wrist rehabilitation actions in real-time by using three thin film pressure sensors to detect the pressure change curve at three points on the wrist. An algorithmic framework for classifying rehabilitation training actions was proposed. In our framework, an action pre-detection strategy was designed to exclude false detections caused by switching initial gestures during rehabilitation training and wait for the arrival of the complete signal. To classify the action signals into four categories, firstly an autoencoder was used to downscale the original signal. Six SVMs were then used for evaluation and voting, and the final action with the highest number of votes would be used as the prediction result.

Results

Experimental results showed that the proposed algorithmic framework achieved an average recognition accuracy of 89.62%, an average recognition recall of 88.93%, and an f1 score of 89.27% on the four rehabilitation training actions.

Conclusion

The developed device has the advantages of being small size and easy to wear, which can quickly and accurately identify and classify four common rehabilitation training actions. It can easily be combined with peripheral devices and technologies (e.g., cell phones, computers, Internet) to build different rehabilitation training scenarios, making it worthwhile to use and promote in clinical settings.
Bacterial extracellular vesicles – brain invaders? A systematic review
Authors: Kaisanlahti Anna , Salmi Sonja , Kumpula Sohvi , Amatya Sajeen Bahadur , Turunen Jenni , Tejesvi Mysore , Byts Nadiya , Tapiainen Terhi , Reunanen Justus
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Knowledge on the human gut microbiota in health and disease continues to rapidly expand. In recent years, changes in the gut microbiota composition have been reported as a part of the pathology in numerous neurodegenerative diseases. Bacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been suggested as a novel mechanism for the crosstalk between the brain and gut microbiota, physiologically connecting the observed changes in the brain to gut microbiota dysbiosis.

Methods

Publications reporting findings on bacterial EVs passage through the blood–brain barrier were identified in PubMed and Scopus databases.

Results

The literature search yielded 138 non-duplicate publications, from which 113 records were excluded in title and abstract screening step. From 25 publications subjected to full-text screening, 8 were excluded. The resulting 17 publications were considered for the review.

Discussion

Bacterial EVs have been described with capability to cross the blood–brain barrier, but the mechanisms behind the crossing remain largely unknown. Importantly, very little data exists in this context on EVs secreted by the human gut microbiota. This systematic review summarizes the present evidence of bacterial EVs crossing the blood–brain barrier and highlights the importance of future research on gut microbiota-derived EVs in the context of gut-brain communication across the blood–brain barrier.
Peripheral mechanisms of peripheral neuropathic pain
Authors: Pacifico Paola , Coy-Dibley James S. , Miller Richard J. , Menichella Daniela M.
Published: September 2023

Peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP), neuropathic pain that arises from a damage or disease affecting the peripheral nervous system, is associated with an extremely large disease burden, and there is an increasing and urgent need for new therapies for treating this disorder. In this review we have highlighted therapeutic targets that may be translated into disease modifying therapies for PNP associated with peripheral neuropathy. We have also discussed how genetic studies and novel technologies, such as optogenetics, chemogenetics and single-cell RNA-sequencing, have been increasingly successful in revealing novel mechanisms underlying PNP. Additionally, consideration of the role of non-neuronal cells and communication between the skin and sensory afferents is presented to highlight the potential use of drug treatment that could be applied topically, bypassing drug side effects. We conclude by discussing the current difficulties to the development of effective new therapies and, most importantly, how we might improve the translation of targets for peripheral neuropathic pain identified from studies in animal models to the clinic.
Lifestyle and the risk of acute coronary event: a retrospective study of patients after myocardial infarction
Authors: Szczepańska Elżbieta , Białek-Dratwa Agnieszka , Filipów Katarzyna , Kowalski Oskar
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Unhealthy lifestyle behaviours that may contribute to the development of disorders leading to MI include consuming foods with a high glycaemic load and excessive supply of saturated fats, especially trans fats. Limiting the consumption of simple and refined carbohydrates, such as sweets, sweet drinks, white bread, or white pasta, has a positive effect on the lipid profile by lowering the concentration of triglycerides. Eliminating simple sugars, especially fructose, prevents the deposition of visceral adipose tissue.

Materials and methods

The study included 116 patients of the Silesian Centre for Heart Diseases in Zabrze (SCCS; Poland), with their average age being 59.45 ± 11.54 years, staying in the SCCS due to MI, from March to November 2022. The comprehensive assessment of diet quality included 72 patients: 15 women and 57 men. The research tool was the KomPAN questionnaire for examining dietary views and habits, developed by the Committee on Human Nutrition Science of the Polish Academy of Sciences, evaluating the diet in the year preceding the study. The following three indicators were used to assess the diet quality: pro-Healthy Diet Index (pHDI), non-Healthy Diet Index (nHDI) and Diet Quality Index (DQI).

Results

Most patients ate white wheat bread several times a day (39.66% of patients, with a higher percentage in men than in women – 42.35% vs. 32.26%), and white rice, fine-ground groats and pasta once a week (40.52% of patients, including 41.17% of men and 38.71% of women). Legume seeds were predominantly eaten 1–3 times a month (51.73% of responses, with comparable percentages of men and women, i.e., 51.76% vs. 51.62%), vegetables several times a week (42.25% of responses, including more women than men, i.e., 54.84% vs. 37.64%), and fruit once a day (40.52% of responses, including more men than women: 45.89% vs. 25.81%).

Conclusion

The results of our assessment of individual behaviours of the whole group may indicate errors in the diet. The value of the pro-Healthy Diet Index appears to confirm this fact, while the non-Healthy Diet Index and Diet Quality Index values do not clearly demonstrate its potential adverse impact on health. These limitations of our study may be due to differences in the size of the study population and the size of the population included in the comprehensive diet assessment. Therefore, it seems necessary to conduct further research.
A randomized trial involving a multifunctional diet reveals systematic lipid remodeling and improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors in middle aged to aged adults
Authors: Arroyo Claudia Balderas , Ocariz Maider Greño , Rogova Oksana , Al-Majdoub Mahmoud , Björck Inger , Tovar Juscelino , Spégel Peter
Published: September 2023

Background

A multifunctional diet (MFD) combining foods and ingredients with proven functional properties, such as fatty fish and fiber-rich foods, among others, was developed and shown to markedly reduce cardiometabolic risk-associated factors.

Objective

Here, we aim at examining metabolic physiological changes associated with these improvements.

Methods

Adult overweight individuals without other risk factors were enrolled in an 8-week randomized controlled intervention following a parallel design, with one group (n = 23) following MFD and one group (n = 24) adhering to a control diet (CD) that followed the caloric formula (E%) advised by the Nordic Nutritional Recommendations. Plasma metabolites and lipids were profiled by gas chromatography and ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Results

Weight loss was similar between groups. The MFD and CD resulted in altered levels of 137 and 78 metabolites, respectively. Out of these, 83 were uniquely altered by the MFD and only 24 by the CD. The MFD-elicited alterations in lipid levels depended on carbon number and degree of unsaturation.

Conclusion

An MFD elicits weight loss-independent systematic lipid remodeling, promoting increased circulating levels of long and highly unsaturated lipids.

Clinical trial registration

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02148653?term=NCT02148653&draw=2&rank=1, NCT02148653.
DelicacyNet for nutritional evaluation of recipes
Authors: Li Ruijie , Ji Peihan , Kong Qing
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we are interested in how computers can be used to better serve us humans, such as helping humans control their nutrient intake, with higher level shortcuts. Specifically, the neural network model was used to help humans identify and analyze the content and proportion of nutrients in daily food intake, so as to help humans autonomously choose and reasonably match diets. In this study, we formed the program we wanted to obtain by establishing four modules, in which the imagination module sampled the environment, then relied on the encoder to extract the implicit features of the image, and finally relied on the decoder to obtain the required feature vector from the implicit features, and converted it into the battalion formation table information through the semantic output module. Finally, the model achieved extremely high accuracy on recipe1M+ and food2K datasets.