bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Promising Application of a New Ulnar Nerve Compound Muscle Action Potential Measurement Montage in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Zhang Yixuan , Ma Jingyue , Zhang Shuo , Yu Zhou , Fan Dongsheng 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Objective

Detecting peripheral nerve damage by electrophysiology examination accurately and sensitively is important for the follow-up evaluation of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS). In this study, we applied a new proximal E2 electrode in the ulnar motor nerve conduction study with E1 on abductor digiti minimi(ADM), and investigated its effect on the compound muscle action potential(CMAP) of the ulnar nerve.
Methods

We included 64 ALS patients and 64 age- and sex- matched controls. Patients characteristics were collected for phenotype, symptom duration and site of onset. The revised ALS Functional Rating Scale(ALSFRS-R) was evaluated at the time of administration to assess the severity of ALS. The ulnar nerve CMAP was recorded using an E1 electrode on the muscle belly and an E2 electrode on distal tendon(traditional montage, CMAP-dE2) and proximal tendon(new montage, CMAP-pE2) respectively.
Results

The waveform of CMAP-pE2 was steadier presenting a uniform unilobed pattern. In the controls, there were no significant differences between the amplitudes of CMAP-dE2 and CMAP-pE2(p=0.96). In ALS patients, the amplitude of CMAP-pE2 was significantly lower than that of CMAP-dE2(p<0.01), especially for patients with ADM spontaneous activity and muscular atrophy. Using the new method, the damaged axons were more likely to be stratified into more severe decreased levels. Furthermore, the decline of CMAP-pE2 was significantly correlated with ALSFRS-R(p<0.01).
Conclusions

The new electrode configuration in the ulnar nerve conduction test could reflect the degree of axonal injury much more sensitively after the presence of ulnar nerve degeneration and was more suitable for the evaluation of disease progression.
Multi-Seam Tracking With a Portable Robotic Welding System in Unstructured Environments
Authors: Yu Shuangfei , Guan Yisheng , Yang Zhi , Liu Chutian , Hu Jiacheng , Hong Jie , Zhu Haifei , Zhang Tao 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Most welding manufacturing of the heavy industry, such as shipbuilding and construction, is carried out in an unstructured workspace. The term Unstructured indicates the production environment is irregular, changeable and without model. In this case, the changeable workpiece position, workpiece shape, environmental background, and environmental illumination should be carefully considered. Because of such complicated characteristics, the welding is currently being relied on the manual operation, resulting in high cost, low efficiency and quality. This work proposes a portable robotic welding system and a novel seam tracking method. Compared to existing methods, it can cope with more complex general spatial curve weld. Firstly, the tracking pose of the robot is modeled by a proposed dual-sequence tracking strategy. On this basis, the working parameters can be adjusted to avoid robot-workpiece collision around the workpiece corners during the tracking process. By associating the forward direction of the welding torch with the viewpoint direction of the camera, it solves the problem that the weld feature points are prone to be lost in the tracking process by conventional methods. Point cloud registration is adopted to globally locate the multi-segment welds in the workpiece, since the system deployment location is not fixed. Various experiments on single or multiple welds under different environmental conditions show that even if the robot is deployed in different positions, it can reach the starting point of the weld smoothly and accurately track along the welds.
MicroRNA-124 Attenuates PTSD-like Behaviors and Reduces the Level of Inflammatory Cytokines by Downregulating the Expression of TRAF6 in the Hippocampus of Rats Following Single-prolonged Stress
Authors: Chen Yao , Tong Lei , Nie Peng-Yin , Chen Yu-Lu , Ji Lili 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
BackgroundMicroRNA-124-3p (miR-124) plays an important role in neuroprotective functions in various neurological disorders, but whether miR-124 participates in the pathological progression of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains poorly understood. MethodsIn the present study, we evaluated the level of neuroinflammation in the hippocampus of rats exposed to single-prolonged stress (SPS) by western blot and immunofluorescence staining, while the effect of miR-124 on PTSD-like behaviors was evaluated by behavioral test. ResultsOur results demonstrated that the level of miR-124 in the hippocampus of rats exposed to SPS was downregulated and that the upregulation of miR-124 could alleviate the PTSD-like behaviors of SPS rats. This effect of miR-124 might be achieved through TNF receptor-associated Factor 6 (TRAF6), which is a target gene of miR-124 and plays an important role in the immune and inflammatory reaction by regulating nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB). Furthermore, we found that miR-124 not only decreased the level of proinflammatory cytokines but also increased the expression levels of synaptic proteins (PSD95 and synapsin I) and regulated the morphology of neurons. ConclusionThese results suggested that miR-124 might attenuate PTSD-like behaviors and decrease the level of proinflammatory cytokines by downregulating the expression of TRAF6 in the hippocampus of rats exposed to SPS.
Dynamic Mechanism of Epilepsy Generation and Propagation After Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Yu Yangyang , Li Jiajia , Yuan Zhixuan , Fan Yongchen , Wu Ying 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Epilepsy is the second largest neurological disease which seriously threatens human life and health. The one important reason of inducing epilepsy is ischemic stroke which causes insufficient oxygen supply from blood vessels to neurons. However, few studies focus on the underlying mechanism of the generation and propagation of epilepsy after ischemic stroke by utilizing modeling methods. To explore the mechanism, this paper establishes a coupled network model consisting of neurons and astrocytes, and introduces a blood vessel to simulate the condition of ischemic stroke. First we study the effect of the degree of vascular blockage on the generation of epilepsy. The results demonstrate that the important reason of epilepsy after ischemic stroke is the disruption of ion concentration gradient. Then we study three factors that influence the epileptic propagation after ischemic stroke: massive glutamate release, excessive receptor activation and high extracellular potassium concentration. The results demonstrate that massive glutamate acting on postsynaptic neurons and the excessive activation of glutamate receptors on postsynaptic neurons promote the epileptic propagation in neuronal population, and massive glutamate acting on astrocytes and excessive activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors on presynaptic neurons inhibit the epileptic propagation, and the potassium uptake by astrocytes suppresses the epileptic propagation. The results are consistent with the experimental phenomena. The simulation results also shed light on the fact that astrocytes have neuroprotective effect. Our results on the generation and propagation of epilepsy after ischemic stroke could offer theoretical guidelines for the treatment of epilepsy after ischemic stroke.
Impaired Brain Activity in Patients With Persistent Atrial Fibrillation Assessed by Near-infrared Spectroscopy and Its Changes After Catheter Ablation
Authors: Yoshihisa Akiomi , Kono Soichi , Kaneshiro Takashi , Ichijo Yasuhiro , Misaka Tomofumi , Yamada Shinya , Oikawa Masayoshi , Miura Itaru , Yabe Hirooki , Takeishi Yasuchika 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Although the prevalence of cognitive impairment and depression is higher in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) than in the general population, the mechanism has not been fully examined and impact of catheter ablation (CA) of AF also remains unclear. Recently, the development of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has enabled noninvasive measurements of regional cerebral blood volume and brain activity, in terms of cerebral oxyhemoglobin in the cerebral cortex. We assessed brain activities by NIRS, depressive symptoms by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and cognitive function by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). We then compared the results between AF patients (paroxysmal AF n=18 and persistent AF n=14) and control subjects (n=29). Next, we also followed up persistent AF patients who kept sinus rhythm at 3 months after CA (n=8) and measured their brain activities using NIRS, CES-D and MMSE after CA to investigate the associations of changes in brain activities with changes in both CES-D and MMSE. Our results showed that 1) frontal and temporal brain activities were lower in patients with persistent AF than both in control subjects and paroxysmal AF patients (P<0.01), 2) frontal and temporal brain activities were improved in more than half of the persistent AF patients who kept sinus rhythm at 3 months after CA, especially in those who presented impaired brain activity before CA, and 3) improvement of frontal brain activity was associated with improvement of CES-D (R=-0.793, P=0.019), whereas improvement of temporal brain activity was associated with improvement of MMSE (R=0.749, P=0.033). NIRS measurement showed reduced frontal and temporal brain activities in the persistent AF patients, CA improved frontal and temporal brain activities in some of these patients, and associated with improvement of depressive state and/or improvement of cognitive function.
The Genetic Structure of Pain in Depression Patients: A Genome-Wide Association Study and Proteome-Wide Association Study
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Liu Li , Zhang Huijie , Li Chun'e , Chen Yujing , Zhang Jingxi , Pan Chuyu , Cheng Shiqiang , Yang Xuena , Meng Peilin , Yao Yao , He Dan , Jia Yumeng , Wen Yan , Zhang Feng 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Background

Pain symptoms are common in the patients with depression. Comparing with the general population, the pain in depression patients has more complex biological mechanism. We aim to explore the etiological mechanism of pain in depression patients from the perspective of genetics.
Methods

Utilizing the UK Biobank samples with self-reported depression status or PHQ score ≥10, we conducted genome-wide association study (GWAS) of seven pain traits (N=1,133-58,349). The GWAS summary were then integrated with two different reference protein weights (ROS/MAP and Banner) for proteome-wide association study (PWAS) using the FUSION pipeline. Additionally, LDSC analysis was performed to explore the genetic correlation between pain traits in depression patients and common psychiatry disorders. And biological processes and functions that related to pain associated genes in depression patients were analyzed by gene set enrichment analysis.
Results

GWAS identified 3 significant genes associated with different pain traits in depression patients, including TRIOBP (PGWAS= 4.48× 10−8) for stomach or abdominal pain, SLC9A9(PGWAS= 2.77× 10−8) for multisite chronic pain (MCP) and ADGRF1 (PGWAS= 1.51× 10−8) for neck or shoulder pain. PWAS also identified multiple candidate genes associated with different pain traits in depression patients, such as TPRG1L (permutation-based PPWAS−Banner= 3.38× 10−2) and SIRPA (permutation-based PPWAS−Banner= 3.65×10−2) for MCP etc. LDSC analysis results showed that MCP was positively correlated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (genetic correlation(rg) = 0.123, PLDSC = 0.039) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (rg = 0.217, PLDSC = 0.029).
Conclusions

We reported multiple novel candidate genes and genetic correlations for pain traits in depression patients, providing novel clues for understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying the pain in depression patients.
Effects of Vitrified Cryopreservation Duration on the IVF and Neonatal Outcomes
Authors: Mao Yuling , Yin Ping , Luo Yanfen , Qiao Jingda , Li Lei 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the impact of cryopreservation storage duration on embryo viability, implantation competence, pregnancy outcome and neonatal outcomes.Design: Retrospective study.Setting: Center for Reproductive Medicine，The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University.Patient(s): In vitro fertilization patients who had vitrified cryopreserved embryos and following the first frozen embryo transfer cycles from January 2004 to August 2019. A total of 31143 patients met the inclusion criteria and were grouped according to the storage time (20926 patients in Group 1 with storage time <3 months, 6472 patients in Group 2 with storage time between 3 and 6 months, 2237 patients in Group 3 with storage time between 6 and 12 months and 746 in Group 4 with storage time between 12 and 24 months, 762 patients in Group 5 with storage time >24 months).Intervention(s): None.Main Outcome Measure(s): In the total FET cycles, the embryo survival rate was decreased significantly with the increase of cryopreservation time, and the highest rate was 98. 63 % in the 1-3 months group, and the lowest was 71.13% in the >=731 days group (P <0. 01). The HCG positive rate (57.85%) and clinical pregnancy rate (55. 26%) in the 1-3 months group were the highest (P<0. 01). The >=731 group had the lowest sex ratio of 0.96. There were no significant differences in neonatal birth weight, neonatal height and congenital anomalies among the groups (P>0. 05).Result(s): Length of storage time had a significant effect on post-thaw survival and outcomes for IVF cycles. Conclusion(s): With the prolongation of cryopreservation time, the embryonic survival rate and pregnancy rate were decreased significantly. Short-term cryopreservation (<=3 months) can obtain higher clinical pregnancy rate. Therefore, although long-term hryopreservation of the embryo has no effect on the health of the new baby, but hryopreserved embryos should be recovery as soon as possible if condition allows.
Biomechanical Evaluation of the Mandibular First Molar After Simulated Occlusal Wear Using 3D Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Guo Ke , Sun Shoufu , Shi Yueqi , Zhang Ying , Wei Wenjia , Zhao Haoming 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
PURPOSE：This study aimed to investigate the biomechanical basis of vertical tooth fracture occurring in the mesial root of the mandibular first molar. METHODS：We used 3D finite elements to analyze the stress distribution and transient displacement of the mandibular first molar after occlusal surface wear and tooth tilt. Based on four degrees of wear within each of the surface wear and tooth tilt groups, eight models were established in addition to the control model. A simulated bite force of 200 N was loaded on the occlusal surface, and nonlinear finite element analysis was used to explore the biomechanical basis of vertical root fracture. RESULTS：When the distal tipping angle of the abrasion plane of the mandibular first molar increased from 5° to 15°, the angle between the instantaneous displacement contours and the long axis of the tooth decreased. Meanwhile, the mesial root was found to suffer the highest stress concentration, and the possibility of longitudinal root fracture was increased. CONCLUSION: By evaluating the biomechanical effect of tooth wear and occlusal loading, we are able to identify some clinical interventions that may prevent vertical tooth fracture.
Antigen evolution from D614, to G614, and to Delta subtype of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Zuo Peijun , Li Liping 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Since 2019, the antigens from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are keeping in evolution from initial D614, to G614, to Delta, and to Omicron. Seven of the peptides from SARS-CoV-2 are analyzed. The finding is that, the rule or route for the evolution of their antigens are exactly from “rough” status to “precise”. In this paper, we would like to show the initial data how the antigens from initial D614, conducted evolution to G614, to Delta of SARS-CoV-2. This finding can help the development of reagents for detecting the both “rough” and “precise” antigens, or even help for the development of the vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. And finally, to help the control of epidemic covid-19. According to such rule or route, the “common precise” antigens of the SARS-CoV-2 can be designed in silicon, developed in laboratory, and confirmed in animals. The way should be very tough and long.
Efficacy and safety of convalescent plasma therapy for severe COVID-19 patients：case series study and literature review
Authors: Huang Jinbao , Lan Changqing 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Background
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new acute respiratory infectious disease which can lead to multiple organ dysfunction in severe patients. However, it is still a lack of effective antiviral drugs for COVID-19. Herein we investigated the efficacy and safety of convalescent plasma (CP) in the treatment of severe COVID-19, with an attempt to explore new therapeutic method.
Methods
Clinical data of three imported severe COVID-19 patients with CP treatment, who were under quarantine and treated in a designated COVID-19 hospital from March 2020 to April 2020, were collected and analyzed.
Results
The three patients were clinically classified as severe type, including one male and two females, aged 57, 59 and 65 years old, respectively. The main underling diseases included hypertension, diabetes, sequela of cerebral infarction and postoperative thyroid adenoma. The common symptoms included cough, fever and short of breath. All the patients received antiviral drugs and other supportive treatments. Additionally, CP treatment was also administrated for them. Forty-eight to seventy-two hours after CP transfusion, all the patients improved with alleviated symptoms, elevated arterial oxygen saturation, decreased C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 markers. And the total lymphocytes, T lymphocytes (CD3+) and their subsets (CD4+, CD8+) also obviously increased. Repeated chest CTs also showed obvious absorption of lesions in bilateral lung. Only one patient had mild allergic reaction during CP infusion, but no severe adverse reactions were found.
Conclusions
The early application of CP for severe COVID-19 patients can improve the condition rapidly, and the therapy is generally effective and safe.
The Piston Effect inside a microchannel with Carbon Dioxide near Critical conditions
Authors: Manda Uday , Parahovnik Anatoly , Peles Yoav 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Heat transfer near the critical condition of Carbon Dioxide due to thermo-acoustic waves in a 100-µm high microchannel was numerically studied. The temperature at a point farthest away from the heated surface was compared between computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models and a pure conduction model. The comparison revealed that the CFD model predicted a temperature increase furthest from the surface much faster than the time constant required for such increase purely by conduction. It is believed that another heat transfer process, termed the piston effect (PE), which is associated with pressure waves in the fluid, was responsible for this increase. Explicit unsteady methodology in the fluid model indicated that propagation of pressure waves due to a rapid expansion of the boundary layer and the associate change in the fluid density distribution resulted in this temperature raise. It was confirmed that natural convection wasn’t responsible for the temperature increase under quiescent conditions. In addition, it was discovered that the PE is significant for certain forced convection conditions.
Treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia and acute respiratory distress with ramatroban, a thromboxane A2 and prostaglandin D2 receptor antagonist: A 4-Patient Case Series Report
Authors: Ogletree Martin L. , Chiang Kate Chander , Kulshreshta Rashmi , Agarwal Aditya , Agarwal Ashutosh , Gupta Ajay 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Importance Hypoxemia in COVID-19 pneumonia is dispositive for hospitalization and mechanical ventilation and contributes to mortality. Other than oxygen supplementation, there is no treatment that resolves hypoxemia in COVID-19 pneumonia. Objective COVID-19 pneumonia sustains a massive increase in lipid mediators, especially thromboxane A2 >> PGE2 > PGD2. Thromboxane A2 induces pulmonary venoconstriction, increases pulmonary capillary pressure and contributes to pulmonary edema. High thromboxane A2 metabolite levels are strongly associated with respiratory failure and mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Ramatroban (Baynas®, Bayer Yakuhin Ltd., Japan) is an inexpensive, orally bioavailable, thromboxane A2 receptor antagonist. Ramatroban was administered to patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and hypoxemia to explore the effect of thromboxane A2 antagonism on clinical symptoms and outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective case series comprising 4 consecutive outpatients, 22 to 87 years of age, with COVID-19 pneumonia and hypoxemia treated with ramatroban between April and July 2021 in India. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome measure was blood oxygen saturation using pulse oximetry (SpO2). Secondary outcome measures were respiratory distress and need for hospitalization. Results Four COVID-19 outpatients had developed progressive respiratory distress and hypoxemia. Within 12-36 hours of the first dose of ramatroban, all four patients experienced increase in SpO2 and decrease in respiratory distress, which obviated hospitalization. Continued treatment for 5 days was associated with complete resolution of respiratory distress and hypoxemia. Conclusions and Relevance There is an unmet medical need for drugs that target the hemodynamic, prothrombotic, and maladaptive immune responses that lead to pneumonia and respiratory failure following SARS-CoV-2 infection. As an anti-vasospastic, broncho-relaxant, anti-thrombotic and immunomodulatory agent, ramatroban addresses the fundamental host response mechanisms underlying respiratory and critical organ failure in COVID-19. Ramatroban merits study in randomized clinical trials that might offer hope for a cost-effective pandemic treatment.
Biomimetic non-classical crystallization induced hierarchically structured efficient circularly polarized phosphors
Authors: Yao Hong-Bin , Feng Li-Zhe , Wang Jing-Jing , Ma Tao , Yin Yi-Chen , Song Kuang-Hui , Li Zi-Du , Zhou Man-Man , Jin Shan , Zhuang Taotao , Fan Fengjia , Zhu Manzhou 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Hierarchically structured chiral luminescent materials hold promise for achieving efficient circularly polarized luminescence. However, a feasible chemical route to fabricate hierarchically structured chiral luminescent polycrystals is still elusive because of their complex structures and complicated formation process. We here report a biomimetic non-classical crystallization (BNCC) strategy for preparing efficient hierarchically structured chiral luminescent polycrystals using well-designed highly luminescent homochiral copper(I)-iodide hybrid clusters as basic units for biomimetic crystallization. By monitoring the crystallization process, we unravel the BNCC mechanism, which involves crystal nucleation, nanoparticles aggregation, oriented attachment, and mesoscopic transformation processes. We finally obtain the circularly polarized phosphors with both high luminescent efficiency (32%) and high luminescent dissymmetry factor (1.5 × 10-2), achieving the first demonstration of a circularly polarized phosphor converted light emitting diode with a polarization degree of 1.84% at room temperature. Our designed BNCC strategy provides a simple, reliable and large-scale synthetic route for preparing bright circularly polarized phosphors.