bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Gaze of Schizophrenia Patients Captured by Bottom-up Saliency
Authors: Adámek Petr , Grygarová Dominika , Jajcay Lucia , Bakštein Eduard , Fürstová Petra , Juríčková Veronika , Jonáš Juraj , Langová Veronika , Neskoroďana Iryna , Kesner Ladislav , Horáček Jiří
Published: February 2024

Schizophrenia (SCHZ) notably impacts various human perceptual modalities, including vision. Prior research has identified marked abnormalities in perceptual organization in SCHZ, predominantly attributed to deficits in bottom-up processing. Our study introduces a novel paradigm to differentiate the roles of top-down and bottom-up processes in visual perception in SCHZ. We analysed eye-tracking fixation ground truth maps from 28 SCHZ patients and 25 healthy controls (HC), comparing these with two mathematical models of visual saliency: one bottom-up, based on the physical attributes of images, and the other top-down, incorporating machine learning. While the bottom-up (GBVS) model revealed no significant overall differences between groups (beta = 0.01,p = 0.281, with a marginal increase in SCHZ patients), it did show enhanced performance by SCHZ patients with highly salient images. Conversely, the top-down (EML-Net) model indicated no general group difference (beta = −0.03,p= 0.206, lower in SCHZ patients) but highlighted significantly reduced performance in SCHZ patients for images depicting social interactions (beta = −0.06,p< 0.001). Over time, the disparity between the groups diminished for both models. The previously reported bottom-up bias in SCHZ patients was apparent only during the initial stages of visual exploration and corresponded with progressively shorter fixation durations in this group. Our research proposes an innovative approach to understanding early visual information processing in SCHZ patients, shedding light on the interplay between bottom-up perception and top-down cognition.
Multivalent cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B nucleoside modified mRNA vaccines did not demonstrate a greater antibody breadth
Authors: Wang Hsuan-Yuan , Li Leike , Nelson Cody S. , Barfield Richard , Valencia Sarah , Chan Cliburn , Muramatsu Hiromi , Lin Paulo J. C. , Pardi Norbert , An Zhiqiang , Weissman Drew , Permar Sallie R.
Published: February 2024

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) remains the most common congenital infection and infectious complication in immunocompromised patients. The most successful HCMV vaccine to date, an HCMV glycoprotein B (gB) subunit vaccine adjuvanted with MF59, achieved 50% efficacy against primary HCMV infection. A previous study demonstrated that gB/MF59 vaccinees were less frequently infected with HCMV gB genotype strains most similar to the vaccine strain than strains encoding genetically distinct gB genotypes, suggesting strain-specific immunity accounted for the limited efficacy. To determine whether vaccination with multiple HCMV gB genotypes could increase the breadth of anti-HCMV gB humoral and cellular responses, we immunized 18 female rabbits with monovalent (gB-1), bivalent (gB-1+gB-3), or pentavalent (gB-1+gB-2+gB-3+gB-4+gB-5) gB lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated nucleoside-modified RNA (mRNA–LNP) vaccines. The multivalent vaccine groups did not demonstrate a higher magnitude or breadth of the IgG response to the gB ectodomain or cell-associated gB compared to that of the monovalent vaccine. Also, the multivalent vaccines did not show an increase in the breadth of neutralization activity and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis against HCMV strains encoding distinct gB genotypes. Interestingly, peripheral blood mononuclear cell-derived gB-2-specific T-cell responses elicited by multivalent vaccines were of a higher magnitude compared to that of monovalent vaccinated animals against a vaccine-mismatched gB genotype at peak immunogenicity. Yet, no statistical differences were observed in T cell response against gB-3 and gB-5 variable regions among the three vaccine groups. Our data suggests that the inclusion of multivalent gB antigens is not an effective strategy to increase the breadth of anti-HCMV gB antibody and T cell responses. Understanding how to increase the HCMV vaccine protection breadth will be essential to improve the vaccine efficacy.
Mechanical stimulation and electrophysiological monitoring at subcellular resolution reveals differential mechanosensation of neurons within networks
Authors: Kasuba Krishna Chaitanya , Buccino Alessio Paolo , Bartram Julian , Gaub Benjamin M. , Fauser Felix J. , Ronchi Silvia , Kumar Sreedhar Saseendran , Geissler Sydney , Nava Michele M. , Hierlemann Andreas , Müller Daniel J.
Published: February 2024

A growing consensus that the brain is a mechanosensitive organ is driving the need for tools that mechanically stimulate and simultaneously record the electrophysiological response of neurons within neuronal networks. Here we introduce a synchronized combination of atomic force microscopy, high-density microelectrode array and fluorescence microscopy to monitor neuronal networks and to mechanically characterize and stimulate individual neurons at piconewton force sensitivity and nanometre precision while monitoring their electrophysiological activity at subcellular spatial and millisecond temporal resolution. No correlation is found between mechanical stiffness and electrophysiological activity of neuronal compartments. Furthermore, spontaneously active neurons show exceptional functional resilience to static mechanical compression of their soma. However, application of fast transient (∼500 ms) mechanical stimuli to the neuronal soma can evoke action potentials, which depend on the anchoring of neuronal membrane and actin cytoskeleton. Neurons show higher responsivity, including bursts of action potentials, to slower transient mechanical stimuli (∼60 s). Moreover, transient and repetitive application of the same compression modulates the neuronal firing rate. Seemingly, neuronal networks can differentiate and respond to specific characteristics of mechanical stimulation. Ultimately, the developed multiparametric tool opens the door to explore manifold nanomechanobiological responses of neuronal systems and new ways of mechanical control.
Beyond MD17: the reactive xxMD dataset
Authors: Pengmei Zihan , Liu Junyu , Shu Yinan
Published: February 2024

System specific neural force fields (NFFs) have gained popularity in computational chemistry. One of the most popular datasets as a bencharmk to develop NFF models is the MD17 dataset and its subsequent extension. These datasets comprise geometries from the equilibrium region of the ground electronic state potential energy surface, sampled from direct adiabatic dynamics. However, many chemical reactions involve significant molecular geometrical deformations, for example, bond breaking. Therefore, MD17 is inadequate to represent a chemical reaction. To address this limitation in MD17, we introduce a new dataset, called Extended Excited-state Molecular Dynamics (xxMD) dataset. The xxMD dataset involves geometries sampled from direct nonadiabatic dynamics, and the energies are computed at both multireference wavefunction theory and density functional theory. We show that the xxMD dataset involves diverse geometries which represent chemical reactions. Assessment of NFF models on xxMD dataset reveals significantly higher predictive errors than those reported for MD17 and its variants. This work underscores the challenges faced in crafting a generalizable NFF model with extrapolation capability.
Bayesian spatio-temporal analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in Catalonia
Authors: Satorra Pau , Tebé Cristian
Published: February 2024

In this study, we modelled the incidence of COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations by basic health areas (ABS) in Catalonia. Spatial, temporal and spatio-temporal incidence trends were described using estimation methods that allow to borrow strength from neighbouring areas and time points. Specifically, we used Bayesian hierarchical spatio-temporal models estimated with Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (INLA). An exploratory analysis was conducted to identify potential ABS factors associated with the incidence of cases and hospitalisations. High heterogeneity in cases and hospitalisation incidence was found between ABS and along the waves of the pandemic. Urban areas were found to have a higher incidence of COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations than rural areas, while socio-economic deprivation of the area was associated with a higher incidence of hospitalisations. In addition, full vaccination coverage in each ABS showed a protective effect on the risk of COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations.
High spatiotemporal-resolution mapping for a seasonal erosion flooding inundation using time-series Landsat and MODIS images
Authors: Zhu Jingrong , Jin Yihua , Zhu Weihong , Lee Dong-Kun
Published: February 2024

Seasonal erosion flooding events present a significant challenge for effective disaster monitoring and land degradation studies. This research addresses this challenge by harnessing the combined capabilities of time-series Landsat and MODIS images to achieve high spatiotemporal-resolution mapping of flooding during such events. The study underscores the critical importance of precise flood monitoring for disaster mitigation and informed land management. To overcome the limitations posed by the trade-off between spatial and temporal resolution in current satellite sensors, we emplyedand theflexible spatiotemporal data fusion (FSDAF) methods to produce synthetic flood images with enhanced spatiotemporal resolutions for mapping by using MODIS and Landsat data from August 29 to September 3, 2016. A comparison was made between flood maps from several post-disaster forecasts based on ground-obtained time-series images of the Tumen River flood in China. According to the FSDAF approach, the input Landsat image of March 25, 2016, and the fused results had a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.0301, average difference of 0.001, r of 0.941, and structure similarity indexof 0.939, indicating that temporal variation data had been effectively incorporated into a forecast on August 16, 2016. Results also indicated that the FSDAF forecast values are lower than those from the actual Landsat image. The results of the study also showed that the generated images could be effectively used for flood mapping. By using our newly developed simulation model, we were able to produce a comprehensive map of the inundated areas during the event from August 29 to September 3, 2016. This shows that FSDAF holds great potential for flood prediction and study and has the potential to benefit further disaster-related land degradation by combining multi-source images to provide high temporal and spatial resolution remote sensing information.
Controlled release herbicide formulation for effective weed control efficacy
Authors: Paul Santosh Kumar , Xi Yunfei , Sanderson Peter , Naidu Ravi
Published: February 2024

Controlled release formulation (CRF) of herbicide is an effective weed management technique with less eco-toxicity than other available commercial formulations. To maximise the effectiveness of CRFs however, it is crucial to understand the herbicide-releasing behaviour at play, which predominately depends on the interaction mechanisms between active ingredients and carrier materials during adsorption. In this study, we investigated and modelled the adsorption characteristics of model herbicide 2,4-D onto two organo-montmorillonites (octadecylamine- and aminopropyltriethoxysilane-modified) to synthesise polymer-based CRFs. Herbicide-releasing behaviour of the synthesised CRF microbeads was then analysed under various experimental conditions, and weed control efficacy determined under glasshouse conditions. Results revealed that adsorption of 2,4-D onto both organo-montmorillonites follows the pseudo-second-order kinetics model and is predominately controlled by the chemisorption process. However, multi-step mechanisms were detected in the adsorption on both organoclays, hence intra-particle diffusion is not the sole rate-limiting step for the adsorption process. Both organoclays followed the Elovich model, suggesting they have energetically heterogeneous surfaces. Herbicide-releasing behaviours of synthesised beads were investigated at various pH temperatures and ionic strengths under laboratory and glasshouse conditions. Furthermore, weed control efficacy of synthesised beads were investigated using pot studies under glasshouse condition. Desorption studies revealed that both synthesised microbeads have slow releasing behaviour at a wide range of pHs (5–9), temperatures (25–45 °C), and ionic strengths. The results also revealed that synthesised microbeads have excellent weed control efficacy on different broad-leaf weed species under glasshouse conditions.
Survival of a microbial inoculant in soil after recurrent inoculations
Authors: Papin M. , Philippot L. , Breuil M. C. , Bru D. , Dreux-Zigha A. , Mounier A. , Le Roux X. , Rouard N. , Spor A.
Published: February 2024

Microbial inoculants are attracting growing interest in agriculture, but their efficacy remains unreliable in relation to their poor survival, partly due to the competition with the soil resident community. We hypothesised that recurrent inoculation could gradually alleviate this competition and improve the survival of the inoculant while increasing its impact on the resident bacterial community. We tested the effectiveness of such strategy with four inoculation sequences of Pseudomonas fluorescens strain B177 in soil microcosms with increasing number and frequency of inoculation, compared to a non-inoculated control. Each sequence was carried out at two inoculation densities (106 and 108 cfu.g soil−1). The four-inoculation sequence induced a higher abundance of P. fluorescens, 2 weeks after the last inoculation. No impact of inoculation sequences was observed on the resident community diversity and composition. Differential abundance analysis identified only 28 out of 576 dominants OTUs affected by the high-density inoculum, whatever the inoculation sequence. Recurrent inoculations induced a strong accumulation of nitrate, not explained by the abundance of nitrifying or nitrate-reducing microorganisms. In summary, inoculant density rather than inoculation pattern matters for inoculation effect on the resident bacterial communities, while recurrent inoculation allowed to slightly enhance the survival of the inoculant and strongly increased soil nitrate content.
ALDH2 is a novel biomarker and exerts an inhibitory effect on melanoma
Authors: Lei Hua , Liao Jinfeng , Wang Xinyu , Huang Rong , Ying Chuanpeng , Yang Jianing
Published: February 2024

Melanoma is a malignant skin tumor. This study aimed to explore and assess the effect of novel biomarkers on the progression of melanoma. Differently expressed genes (DEGs) were screened from GSE3189 and GSE46517 datasets of Gene Expression Omnibus database using GEO2R. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses were conducted based on the identified DEGs. Hub genes were identified and assessed using protein–protein interaction networks, principal component analysis, and receiver operating characteristic curves. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was employed to measure the mRNA expression levels. TIMER revealed the association between aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) and tumor immune microenvironment. The viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion were detected by cell counting kit-8, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine, wound healing, and transwell assays. Total 241 common DEGs were screened out from GSE3189 and GSE46517 datasets. We determined 6 hub genes with high prediction values for melanoma, which could distinguish tumor samples from normal samples. ALDH2, ADH1B, ALDH3A2, DPT, EPHX2, and GATM were down-regulated in A375 and SK-MEL-2 cells, compared with the human normal melanin cell line (PIG1 cells). ALDH2 was selected as the candidate gene in this research, presenting a high diagnostic and predictive value for melanoma. ALDH2 had a positive correlation with the infiltrating levels of immune cells in melanoma microenvironment. Overexpression of ALDH2 inhibited cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion of A375/SK-MEL-2 cells. ALDH2 is a new gene biomarker of melanoma, which exerts an inhibitory effect on melanoma.
Genome-wide identification of fitness-genes in aminoglycoside-resistant Escherichia coli during antibiotic stress
Authors: Wellner Sandra Marina , Alobaidallah Mosaed Saleh A. , Fei Xiao , Herrero-Fresno Ana , Olsen John Elmerdahl
Published: February 2024

Resistance against aminoglycosides is widespread in bacteria. This study aimed to identify genes that are important for growth of E. coli during aminoglycoside exposure, since such genes may be targeted to re-sensitize resistant E. coli to treatment. We constructed three transposon mutant libraries each containing > 230.000 mutants in E. coli MG1655 strains harboring streptomycin (aph(3″)-Ib/aph(6)-Id), gentamicin (aac(3)-IV), or neomycin (aph(3″)-Ia) resistance gene(s). Transposon Directed Insertion-site Sequencing (TraDIS), a combination of transposon mutagenesis and high-throughput sequencing, identified 56 genes which were deemed important for growth during streptomycin, 39 during gentamicin and 32 during neomycin exposure. Most of these fitness-genes were membrane-located (n = 55) and involved in either cell division, ATP-synthesis or stress response in the streptomycin and gentamicin exposed libraries, and enterobacterial common antigen biosynthesis or magnesium sensing/transport in the neomycin exposed library. For validation, eight selected fitness-genes/gene-clusters were deleted (minCDE, hflCK, clsA and cpxR associated with streptomycin and gentamicin resistance, and phoPQ, wecA, lpp and pal associated with neomycin resistance), and all mutants were shown to be growth attenuated upon exposure to the corresponding antibiotics. In summary, we identified genes that are advantageous in aminoglycoside-resistant E. coli during antibiotic stress. In addition, we increased the understanding of how aminoglycoside-resistant E. coli respond to antibiotic exposure.
Association between triglyceride glucose index and total bone mineral density: a cross-sectional study from NHANES 2011–2018
Authors: Tian Ningsheng , Chen Shuai , Han Huawei , Jin Jie , Li Zhiwei
Published: February 2024

The Homeostatic Model Assessment for Triglyceride Glucose Index (TyG) and its related indices, including triglyceride glucose-waist circumference (TyG-WC), triglyceride glucose-waist-to-height ratio (TyG-WHtR) and triglyceride glucose-body mass index (TyG-BMI), has emerged as a practical tool for assessing insulin resistance in metabolic disorders. However, limited studies have explored the connection between TyG, TyG-related indices and osteoporosis. This population-based study, utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2018, involved 5456 participants. Through weighted multivariate linear regression and smoothed curve fitting, a significant positive correlation was found between TyG, TyG-related indices and total bone mineral density (BMD) after adjusting for covariates [β = 0.0124, 95% CI (0.0006, 0.0242), P = 0.0390; β = 0.0004, 95% CI (0.0003, 0.0004), P < 0.0001; β = 0.0116, 95% CI (0.0076, 0.0156), P < 0.0001; β = 0.0001, 95% CI (0.0001, 0.0001), P < 0.0001]. In subgroup analysis, race stratification significantly affected the relationship between TyG and total BMD. Additionally, gender and race were both significant for TyG-related indices. Non-linear relationships and threshold effects with inflection points at 9.106, 193.9265, 4.065, and 667.5304 (TyG, TyG-BMI, TyG-WHtR, TyG-WC) were identified. Saturation phenomena were observed between TyG-BMI, TyG-WC and total BMD with saturation thresholds at 314.177 and 1022.0428. These findings contributed to understanding the association between TyG, TyG-related indices and total BMD, offering insights for osteoporosis prevention and treatment.
Assessing HCH isomer uptake in Alnus glutinosa: implications for phytoremediation and microbial response
Authors: Amirbekov Aday , Vrchovecka Stanislava , Riha Jakub , Petrik Ivan , Friedecky David , Novak Ondrej , Cernik Miroslav , Hrabak Pavel , Sevcu Alena
Published: February 2024

Although the pesticide hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and its isomers have long been banned, their presence in the environment is still reported worldwide. In this study, we investigated the bioaccumulation potential of α, β, and δ hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers in black alder saplings (Alnus glutinosa) to assess their environmental impact. Each isomer, at a concentration of 50 mg/kg, was individually mixed with soil, and triplicate setups, including a control without HCH, were monitored for three months with access to water. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry revealed the highest concentrations of HCH isomers in roots, decreasing towards branches and leaves, with δ-HCH exhibiting the highest uptake (roots—14.7 µg/g, trunk—7.2 µg/g, branches—1.53 µg/g, leaves—1.88 µg/g). Interestingly, α-HCH was detected in high concentrations in β-HCH polluted soil. Phytohormone analysis indicated altered cytokinin, jasmonate, abscisate, and gibberellin levels in A. glutinosa in response to HCH contamination. In addition, amplicon 16S rRNA sequencing was used to study the rhizosphere and soil microbial community. While rhizosphere microbial populations were generally similar in all HCH isomer samples, Pseudomonas spp. decreased across all HCH-amended samples, and Tomentella dominated in β-HCH and control rhizosphere samples but was lowest in δ-HCH samples.
ERCP-Net: a channel extension residual structure and adaptive channel attention mechanism for plant leaf disease classification network
Authors: Ma Xiu , Chen Wei , Xu Yannan
Published: February 2024

Plant leaf diseases are a major cause of plant mortality, especially in crops. Timely and accurately identifying disease types and implementing proper treatment measures in the early stages of leaf diseases are crucial for healthy plant growth. Traditional plant disease identification methods rely heavily on visual inspection by experts in plant pathology, which is time-consuming and requires a high level of expertise. So, this approach fails to gain widespread adoption. To overcome these challenges, we propose a channel extension residual structure and adaptive channel attention mechanism for plant leaf disease classification network (ERCP-Net). It consists of channel extension residual block (CER-Block), adaptive channel attention block (ACA-Block), and bidirectional information fusion block (BIF-Block). Meanwhile, an application for the real-time detection of plant leaf diseases is being created to assist precision agriculture in practical situations. Finally, experiments were conducted to compare our model with other state-of-the-art deep learning methods on the PlantVillage and AI Challenger 2018 datasets. Experimental results show that our model achieved an accuracy of 99.82% and 86.21%, respectively. Also, it demonstrates excellent robustness and scalability, highlighting its potential for practical implementation.
Comparison of metabolic and neurological comorbidities in Asian patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis
Authors: Yang Hee Joo , Lee Mi Young , Lee Jeong Hyeon , Jung Chang Jin , Lee Woo Jin , Won Chong Hyun , Lee Mi Woo , Jung Joon Min , Chang Sung Eun
Published: February 2024

Although various comorbidities have been noted to be associated with atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis, few studies have compared comorbidities between the two diseases, and little is known about whether these comorbidities vary by the subtypes of psoriasis. In this study of 1:1 age- and sex-matched pair analysis between patients diagnosed with either psoriasis or AD at Asan Medical Center between 1991 and 2020, comorbidities, as determined by the International Classification of Diseases-10 codes, and likelihood ratios of metabolic and neurologic comorbidities in psoriasis compared with AD were studied using a logistic regression model. Among a total of 14,128 patients, the psoriasis group had higher odds of obesity (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.49 [1.34–1.66]), hypertension (1.14 [1.03–1.26]), diabetes mellitus (1.46 [1.29–1.66]), chronic kidney disease (1.59 [1.22–2.08]), and Parkinson's disease (2.1 [1.15–3.83]) than the AD group. Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with plaque psoriasis had higher odds of obesity (1.18 [1.05–1.33]), hypertension (1.18 [1.06–1.32]), diabetes mellitus (1.53 [1.34–1.75]), chronic kidney disease (1.66 [1.26–2.17]), and Parkinson’s disease (2.12 [1.16–3.88]) compared with AD. Meanwhile, guttate psoriasis was associated with higher odds of dementia (3.63 [1.06–12.40]) and patients with generalized pustular psoriasis showed higher odds of diabetes mellitus (5.42 [1.56–18.83]) compared with AD. In conclusion, Asian patients with all types of psoriasis should be closely monitored for the development of metabolic and neurologic diseases, especially men and those aged ≥ 40 years.
Exploring new horizons in neuroscience disease detection through innovative visual signal analysis
Authors: Amer Nisreen Said , Belhaouari Samir Brahim
Published: February 2024

Brain disorders pose a substantial global health challenge, persisting as a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis is crucial for diagnosing brain disorders, but it can be challenging for medical practitioners to interpret complex EEG signals and make accurate diagnoses. To address this, our study focuses on visualizing complex EEG signals in a format easily understandable by medical professionals and deep learning algorithms. We propose a novel time–frequency (TF) transform called the Forward–Backward Fourier transform (FBFT) and utilize convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to extract meaningful features from TF images and classify brain disorders. We introduce the concept of eye-naked classification, which integrates domain-specific knowledge and clinical expertise into the classification process. Our study demonstrates the effectiveness of the FBFT method, achieving impressive accuracies across multiple brain disorders using CNN-based classification. Specifically, we achieve accuracies of 99.82% for epilepsy, 95.91% for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), 85.1% for murmur, and 100% for mental stress using CNN-based classification. Furthermore, in the context of naked-eye classification, we achieve accuracies of 78.6%, 71.9%, 82.7%, and 91.0% for epilepsy, AD, murmur, and mental stress, respectively. Additionally, we incorporate a mean correlation coefficient (mCC) based channel selection method to enhance the accuracy of our classification further. By combining these innovative approaches, our study enhances the visualization of EEG signals, providing medical professionals with a deeper understanding of TF medical images. This research has the potential to bridge the gap between image classification and visual medical interpretation, leading to better disease detection and improved patient care in the field of neuroscience.
Deep clustering using 3D attention convolutional autoencoder for hyperspectral image analysis
Authors: Zheng Ziyou , Zhang Shuzhen , Song Hailong , Yan Qi
Published: February 2024

Deep clustering has been widely applicated in various fields, including natural image and language processing. However, when it is applied to hyperspectral image (HSI) processing, it encounters challenges due to high dimensionality of HSI and complex spatial-spectral characteristics. This study introduces a kind of deep clustering model specifically tailed for HSI analysis. To address the high dimensionality issue, redundant dimension of HSI is firstly eliminated by combining principal component analysis (PCA) with t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE). The reduced dataset is then input into a three-dimensional attention convolutional autoencoder (3D-ACAE) to extract essential spatial-spectral features. The 3D-ACAE uses spatial-spectral attention mechanism to enhance captured features. Finally, these enhanced features pass through an embedding layer to create a compact data-representation, and the compact data-representation is divided into distinct clusters by clustering layer. Experimental results on three publicly available datasets validate the superiority of the proposed model for HSI analysis.
Inflammation drives pathogenesis of early intestinal failure-associated liver disease
Authors: Fligor Scott C. , Tsikis Savas T. , Hirsch Thomas I. , Jain Ashish , Sun Liang , Rockowitz Shira , Gura Kathleen M. , Puder Mark
Published: February 2024

Patients with intestinal failure who receive long-term parenteral nutrition (PN) often develop intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD). Although there are identified risk factors, the early pathogenesis is poorly understood and treatment options are limited. Here, we perform a transcriptomic analysis of liver tissue in a large animal IFALD model to generate mechanistic insights and identify therapeutic targets. Preterm Yorkshire piglets were provided PN or bottle-fed with sow-milk replacer for 14 days. Compared to bottle-fed controls, piglets receiving PN developed biochemical cholestasis by day of life 15 (total bilirubin 0.2 vs. 2.9 mg/dL, P = 0.01). RNA-Seq of liver tissue was performed. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis identified 747 differentially expressed genes (343 upregulated and 404 downregulated) with an adjusted P < 0.05 and a fold-change of > |1|. Enriched canonical pathways were identified, demonstrating broad activation of inflammatory pathways and inhibition of cell cycle progression. Potential therapeutics including infliximab, glucocorticoids, statins, and obeticholic acid were identified as predicted upstream master regulators that may reverse the PN-induced gene dysregulation. The early driver of IFALD in neonates may be inflammation with an immature liver; identified therapeutics that target the inflammatory response in the liver should be investigated as potential treatments.
Assessing the efficacy of simulation-based education for paramedics in extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma under physician guidance
Authors: Ohira Akiko , Maki Jota , Ageta Kohei , Nakato Hikari , Oba Hikaru , Mitoma Tomohiro , Mishima Sakurako , Tani Kazumasa , Kirino Satoe , Eto Eriko , Nakao Atsunori , Masuyama Hisashi
Published: February 2024

We investigated the effectiveness of simulation-based education in Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) to increase the number of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) capable of performing ultrasound examinations in vehicles under the guidance of a physician. Twenty-eight paramedics watched a 14-min video on the features of the ultrasound system, its use, and the scanning method for each part of the body. Each participant performed four FAST examinations using a portable ultrasound device, and the task performance was rated using the Task Specific Checklist (TSC) and Global Rating Scale (GRS). The time required for visualizing each examination site and each FAST was assessed. The mean time required for the first and fourth FAST was 144.6 ± 52.4 s and 90.5 ± 31.0 s, respectively. The time required for each test significantly decreased with repeated testing (p < 0.001). The time to complete FAST was significantly shortened for the pericardial cavity (33.4 ± 23.1/15.3 ± 10.6 s, p < 0.01), right thoracic cavity (25.2 ± 11.8/12.1 ± 8.3 s, p < 0.01), Morrison fossa (19.1 ± 10.8/10.8 ± 6.3 s, p < 0.05), and left thoracic cavity (19.0 ± 8.3/15.6 ± 8.3 s, p < 0.05). TSC and GRS scores were elevated, and all EMTs could obtain valid images. The combination of a brief video lecture and hands-on training significantly reduced the time required for FAST performance. Moreover, repeated practice enabled the EMTs to efficiently obtain accurate and clinically useful images.
Comparison of tendon and muscle belly vibratory stimulation in the treatment of post-stroke upper extremity spasticity: a retrospective observational pilot study
Authors: Takeuchi Kenta , Takebayashi Takashi , Hanioka Daiki , Okita Yuho , Shimada Shinichi
Published: February 2024

Previous studies have reported the effects of vibratory stimulation (VS) therapy in reducing upper extremity spasticity after stroke. However, the effective location of the VS in patients with stroke remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the VS location that is most effective in reducing post-stroke finger and wrist flexor spasticity. We enrolled 27 consecutive patients with stroke and upper extremity spasticity in this retrospective observational study. The participants received stretching, tendon vibration, and muscle belly vibration for 5 min over a period of 3 days. To evaluate spasticity, we assessed the Modified Ashworth Scale score before and immediately after each treatment and immediately after voluntary finger flexion. Participants who received tendon vibration showed greater improvement in flexor tone in the fingers than participants who received stretching and muscle belly vibration (P < 0.05 and < 0.001, respectively). Participants who underwent VS showed no significant improvement in the wrist flexor tone compared to those who underwent stretching. Our results suggest that the tendon may be the most effective location for treating spasticity of the finger flexor muscles and that VS may not significantly improve spasticity of the wrist flexors more than stretching.
Consistent detection of Trypanosoma brucei but not T. congolense DNA in faeces of experimentally infected cattle
Authors: Saldanha Isabel , Betson Martha , Vrettou Christina , Paxton Edith , Nixon James , Tennant Peter , Ritchie Adrian , Matthews Keith R. , Morrison Liam J. , Torr Stephen J. , Cunningham Lucas J.
Published: February 2024

Animal African trypanosomiasis (AAT) is a significant food security and economic burden in sub-Saharan Africa. Current AAT empirical and immunodiagnostic surveillance tools suffer from poor sensitivity and specificity, with blood sampling requiring animal restraint and trained personnel. Faecal sampling could increase sampling accessibility, scale, and species range. Therefore, this study assessed feasibility of detecting Trypanosoma DNA in the faeces of experimentally-infected cattle. Holstein–Friesian calves were inoculated with Trypanosoma brucei brucei AnTat 1.1 (n = 5) or T. congolense Savannah IL3000 (n = 6) in separate studies. Faecal and blood samples were collected concurrently over 10 weeks and screened using species-specific PCR and qPCR assays. T. brucei DNA was detected in 85% of post-inoculation (PI) faecal samples (n = 114/134) by qPCR and 50% by PCR between 4 and 66 days PI. However, T. congolense DNA was detected in just 3.4% (n = 5/145) of PI faecal samples by qPCR, and none by PCR. These results confirm the ability to consistently detect T. brucei DNA, but not T. congolense DNA, in infected cattle faeces. This disparity may derive from the differences in Trypanosoma species tissue distribution and/or extravasation. Therefore, whilst faeces are a promising substrate to screen for T. brucei infection, blood sampling is required to detect T. congolense in cattle.
Genome-wide identification, phylogeny and expressional profile of the Dmrt gene family in Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis)
Authors: Hu Yacheng , Tan Ruihua , Zhu Xin , Wang Binzhong , Wang Jingshu , Guo Baifu , Li Yuan , Du Hejun , Yang Yuanjin
Published: February 2024

Chinese sturgeon Dmrt gene family was identified and characterized for the first time. A total of 5 putative Dmrt genes were identified. The gene structure, conserved protein domain and the phylogenetic relationship of Dmrt gene family were systematically analyzed. The expressed profile of Chinese sturgeon Dmrt genes in gonad, pituitary and hypothalamus in the male and female were investigated. The results indicated that the accumulation of Dmrt genes was involved in different tissues, and the expression profile also differed among each Dmrt genes. ASDmrt1A, ASDmrt2, ASDmrt3, and ASDmrtA1 were highly expressed in the testis in comparison with other tissue. This result showed that ASDmrt1A, ASDmrt2, ASDmrt3, and ASDmrtA1 played an important role in the development of testicle, and may be useful tool in distinguishing between male and female of Chinese sturgeon. Our study will provide a basis for additional analyses of Chinese sturgeon Dmrt genes. This systematic analysis provided a foundation for further functional characterization of Dmrt genes with an aim of study of Chinese sturgeon Dmrt gene family.
Numerical investigations of AC arcs’ thermal characteristics in the short gap of copper-cored wires
Authors: Li Yu , Zhang Rencheng , Yang Kai , Qi Yufan , Tu Ran
Published: February 2024

Excessive alternating current (AC) arcs generated in electric systems will accumulate heat and easily cause fire. This paper studies the thermal characteristics of different numbers of AC arc plasma generated in a short gap of copper-cored wires in the air. The number of AC arcs is controlled in the AC arc experiment and an infrared thermal imager measures the temperature change at the specified position. Based on magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), a two-dimensional axisymmetric AC arc discharge numerical simulation model is established. The volt-ampere characteristic of the AC arc is used to solve the MHD simulation model to obtain the same 'zero current' characteristics as the real AC arc in the experiment. A large amount of heat accumulates in the electrode gaps when the arc generation, and then the heat dissipates in the 'zero current' stage. The continuously generated arc makes the temperature higher. The volume of the space area with a temperature higher than 10,000 K increases with the arc current, but is unrelated to the number of arcs. The volume of the space area with a temperature higher than 524.15 K and the temperature on the electrode are both positively correlated with the number of AC arcs and arc current. The results of this study can provide a reference for the detection standard of AC arc faults and the prevention of electrical fire.
Novel tumor marker index using carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 is a significant prognostic factor for resectable colorectal cancer
Authors: Kamada Teppei , Ohdaira Hironori , Takahashi Junji , Aida Takashi , Nakashima Keigo , Ito Eisaku , Hata Taigo , Yoshida Masashi , Eto Ken , Suzuki Yutaka
Published: February 2024

We evaluated the usefulness of a newly devised tumor marker index (TMI), namely, the geometric mean of normalized carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), in determining colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis. This retrospective cohort study included 306 patients with stages I–III CRC who underwent elective laparoscopic resection between April 2010 and March 2020. Survival rates and risk factors of relapse-free survival (RFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards model. High-TMI group (122 patients) had significantly lower rates (95% confidence interval [95% CI]) for 5-year RFS (89.7%, 83.9–93.5 vs. 65.8%, 56.3–73.8, p < 0.001) and CSS (94.9%, 89.4–97.6 vs. 77.3%, 67.7–84.4, p < 0.001) than low-TMI group. Multivariate analysis (hazard ratio [95% CI]) indicated ≥ T3 disease (RFS: 2.69, 1.12–6.45, p = 0.026; CSS: 7.64, 1.02–57.3, p = 0.048), stage III CRC (RFS: 3.30, 1.74–6.28, p < 0.001; CSS: 6.23, 2.04–19.0, p = 0.001), and high TMI (RFS: 2.50, 1.43–4.38, p = 0.001; CSS: 3.80, 1.63–8.87, p = 0.002) as significant RFS and CSS predictors. Area under the curve (AUC) of 5-year cancer deaths (0.739, p < 0.001) was significantly higher for TMI than for CEA or CA19-9 alone. Preoperative TMI is a useful prognostic indicator for patients with resectable CRC.
Introducing a new auto edge detection technique capable of revealing cervical root resorption in CBCT scans with pronounced metallic artifacts
Authors: Khosravifard Negar , Vadiati Saberi Bardia , Khosravifard Amir , Hendi Amirreza , Shadi Kimia , Mihandoust Sanaz , Yousefi Zahra , Mortezaei Tahereh , Ghaffari Mohammad Ebrahim
Published: February 2024

Cervical resorption is a serious threat to the longevity of the teeth. In this study, the Canny edge-detection algorithm was applied on CBCT images to compare the accuracy of original and Canny views for diagnosing cervical resorption in endodontically treated teeth. Intracanal metallic posts were inserted in 60 extracted teeth being randomly divided into three groups: control, 0.5 mm, and 1 mm cervical resorption. CBCT scans of the teeth were presented to three observers in both original and Canny formats with the accuracy being determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The DeLong test was used for paired comparisons with the significance level set at 0.05. The highest accuracy belonged to Canny images in 1 mm resorption, followed by Canny images in 0.5 mm resorption, original images in 1 mm resorption, and original images in 0.5 mm resorption, respectively. The Canny images were significantly more accurate in the diagnosis of 0.5 mm (p < 0.001) and 1 mm (p = 0.009) resorption. Application of the Canny edge-detection algorithm could be suggested as a new technique for facilitating the diagnosis of cervical resorption in teeth that are negatively affected by metallic artifacts.
Prompt engineering in consistency and reliability with the evidence-based guideline for LLMs
Authors: Wang Li , Chen Xi , Deng XiangWen , Wen Hao , You MingKe , Liu WeiZhi , Li Qi , Li Jian
Published: February 2024

The use of large language models (LLMs) in clinical medicine is currently thriving. Effectively transferring LLMs’ pertinent theoretical knowledge from computer science to their application in clinical medicine is crucial. Prompt engineering has shown potential as an effective method in this regard. To explore the application of prompt engineering in LLMs and to examine the reliability of LLMs, different styles of prompts were designed and used to ask different LLMs about their agreement with the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) osteoarthritis (OA) evidence-based guidelines. Each question was asked 5 times. We compared the consistency of the findings with guidelines across different evidence levels for different prompts and assessed the reliability of different prompts by asking the same question 5 times. gpt-4-Web with ROT prompting had the highest overall consistency (62.9%) and a significant performance for strong recommendations, with a total consistency of 77.5%. The reliability of the different LLMs for different prompts was not stable (Fleiss kappa ranged from −0.002 to 0.984). This study revealed that different prompts had variable effects across various models, and the gpt-4-Web with ROT prompt was the most consistent. An appropriate prompt could improve the accuracy of responses to professional medical questions.
NIPBL-mediated RAD21 facilitates tumorigenicity by the PI3K pathway in non-small-cell lung cancer
Authors: Xu Xiaoling , Wang Ding , Xu Weizhen , Li Huihui , Chen Ning , Li Na , Yao Qifeng , Chen Wei , Zhong Jianxiang , Mao Weimin
Published: February 2024

It is urgent to identify novel early diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for 85% of lung cancer cases and has a 5-year survival rate of 4–17%. Here, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was used to identify DNA‒protein interactions, RNA methylation was determined by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP), RNA stability was tested by an RNA decay assay. We showed that RAD21, a member of the cohesin complex, is upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines and found to be an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) of NSCLC patients. Mechanistically, the cohesin loading factor Nipped-B-Like Protein (NIPBL) promoted RAD21 gene transcription by enhancing histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27) demethylation via recruiting lysine demethylase 6B (KDM6B) to the RAD21 gene promoter. RAD21 enhanced phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) gene transcription, and NIPBL reversed the effect of enhancer of zeste 2; catalytic subunit of polycomb repressive complex 2 (EZH2) on RAD21-mediated PI3K gene transcription by disrupting the association between EZH2 and RAD21. Moreover, NIPBL level was increased by stabilization of its transcripts through mRNA methylation. These findings highlight the oncogenic role of RAD21 in NSCLC and suggest its use as a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for NSCLC.
Downregulation of praja2 restrains endocytosis and boosts tyrosine kinase receptors in kidney cancer
Authors: Rinaldi Laura , Chiuso Francesco , Senatore Emanuela , Borzacchiello Domenica , Lignitto Luca , Iannucci Rosa , Donne Rossella Delle , Fuggi Mariano , Reale Carla , Russo Filomena , Russo Nicola Antonino , Giurato Giorgio , Rizzo Francesca , Sellitto Assunta , Santangelo Michele , De Biase Davide , Paciello Orlando , D’Ambrosio Chiara , Amente Stefano , Garbi Corrado , Dalla Emiliano , Scaloni Andrea , Weisz Alessandro , Ambrosino Concetta , Insabato Luigi , Feliciello Antonio
Published: February 2024

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common kidney cancer in the adult population. Late diagnosis, resistance to therapeutics and recurrence of metastatic lesions account for the highest mortality rate among kidney cancer patients. Identifying novel biomarkers for early cancer detection and elucidating the mechanisms underlying ccRCC will provide clues to treat this aggressive malignant tumor. Here, we report that the ubiquitin ligase praja2 forms a complex with-and ubiquitylates the AP2 adapter complex, contributing to receptor endocytosis and clearance. In human RCC tissues and cells, downregulation of praja2 by oncogenic miRNAs (oncomiRs) and the proteasome markedly impairs endocytosis and clearance of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and amplifies downstream mitogenic and proliferative signaling. Restoring praja2 levels in RCC cells downregulates EGFR, rewires cancer cell metabolism and ultimately inhibits tumor cell growth and metastasis. Accordingly, genetic ablation of praja2 in mice upregulates RTKs (i.e. EGFR and VEGFR) and induces epithelial and vascular alterations in the kidney tissue.

In summary, our findings identify a regulatory loop between oncomiRs and the ubiquitin proteasome system that finely controls RTKs endocytosis and clearance, positively impacting mitogenic signaling and kidney cancer growth.
In-situ gelation of fibrin gel encapsulating platelet-rich plasma-derived exosomes promotes rotator cuff healing
Authors: Li Molin , Shi Lin , Chen Xianghui , Yi Dan , Ding Yufei , Chen Jian , Xing Guanghui , Chen Siming , Wang Li , Zhang Yongyi , Zhu Yaqiong , Wang Yuexiang
Published: February 2024

Although platelet-rich plasma-derived exosomes (PRP-Exos) hold significant repair potential, their efficacy in treating rotator cuff tear (RCT) remains unknown. In light of the potential for clinical translation of fibrin gel and PRP-Exos, we evaluated their combined impact on RCT healing and explored suitable gel implantation techniques. In vitro experiments demonstrated that PRP-Exos effectively enhanced key phenotypes changes in tendon stem/progenitor cells. Multi-modality imaging, including conventional ultrasound, shear wave elastography ultrasound, and micro-computed tomography, and histopathological assessments were performed to collectively evaluate the regenerative effects on RCT. The regenerated tendons exhibited a well-ordered structure, while bone and cartilage regeneration were significantly improved. PRP-Exos participated in the healing process of RCT. In-situ gelation of fibrin gel-encapsulated PRP-Exos at the bone-tendon interface during surgery proved to be a feasible gel implantation method that benefits the healing outcome. Comprehensive multi-modality postoperative evaluations were necessary, providing a reliable foundation for post-injury repair.