bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Single and Multisite Graphene‐Based Electroretinography Recording Electrodes: A Benchmarking Study
Authors: de la Cruz Jose , Nguyen Diep , Illa Xavi , Bousquet Jessica , Pérez‐Marín Antonio P. , del Corro Elena , Picaud Serge , Garrido Jose A. , Hebert Clement 
Published: December 2021

AbstractElectroretinography (ERG) is a clinical test employed to understand and diagnose many retinopathies. ERG is usually performed by placing a macroscopic ring gold wire electrode on the cornea while flashing light onto the eye to measure changes in the transretinal potential. However, macroscopic gold electrodes are severely limiting since they do not provide a flexible interface to contact the sensitive corneal tissue, making this technique highly uncomfortable for the patient. Another major drawback is the opacity of gold electrodes, which only allows them to record the ERG signal on the corneal periphery, preventing central ERG recordings. To overcome the limitations of metal‐based macroscopic ERG electrodes, flexible electrodes are fabricated using graphene as a transparent, flexible, and sensitive material. The transparency of the graphene is exploited to fabricate microelectrode arrays (MEAs) that are able to perform multisite recording on the cornea. The graphene‐based ERG electrodes are benchmarked against the widely used gold electrodes in a P23H rat model with photoreceptor degeneration. This study shows that the graphene‐based ERG electrodes can faithfully record ERGs under a wide range of conditions (light intensity, stage of photoreceptor degeneration, etc.) while offering additional benefits for ERG recordings such as transparency and flexibility.
Gate‐Tunable Photovoltaic Effect in MoTe2 Lateral Homojunction
Authors: Wen Peiting , Zhang Li , Gao Wei , Yue Qian , Wang Hanyu , Huang Ying , Wu Jing , Yu He , Chen Hongyu , Huo Nengjie , Li Jingbo 
Published: December 2021

AbstractSince it is urgent to develop flexibly tunable photosensors in artificial vision network, atomically thin 2D materials are promising candidates for susceptible gate modulation and thickness‐dependent bandgaps. Here, a gate‐tunable MoTe2 lateral homojunction is reported with asymmetric thickness. Through gate modulation, a tunable and abrupt built‐in field can form at the interface and realize the broadband self‐driven photodetection ranging from visible (405 nm) to near‐wavelength infrared (1550 nm) region. The photocarriers are effectively separated by the tunable electric‐field, leading to an obvious photovoltaic behavior with maximum Voc of 0.27 V (0.20 V) and maximum PCE of 6% (1.85%) under light illumination of 635 nm (1064 nm). It also demonstrates an ultra‐low noise power density at the positive gate voltage, revealing a hypersensitized photodetection with a maximum photoresponsivity of 1200 mA W−1 (560 mA W−1) and specific detectivity up to 1012 (1011) Jones under 635 nm (1064 nm). Meanwhile, the underlying mechanism of the gate control effect on the electrical, optoelectrical properties and noise level is revealed. By utilizing the tunable photovoltages as logic optoelectronic application, the lateral homojunction can convert a light signal to different electric signals. This photovoltage‐tunable homojunction hosts promising innovation for potential development of computational sensors and logic optoelectronics.
The longest reported sibling survivors of a severe form of congenital myasthenic syndrome with the ALG14 pathogenic variant
Authors: Katata Yu , Uneoka Saki , Saijyo Naoya , Aihara Yu , Miyazoe Takamitsu , Koyamaishi Shun , Oikawa Yoshitsugu , Ito Yuya , Abe Yu , Numata‐Uematsu Yurika , Takayama Jun , Kikuchi Atsuo , Tamiya Gen , Uematsu Mitsugu , Kure Shigeo 
Published: December 2021

AbstractCongenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) is a group of diseases that causes abnormalities at the neuromuscular junction owing to genetic anomalies. The pathogenic variant in ALG14 results in a severe pathological form of CMS causing end‐plate acetylcholine receptor deficiency. Here, we report the cases of two siblings with CMS associated with a novel variant in ALG14. Immediately after birth, they showed hypotonia and multiple joint contractures with low Apgar scores. Ptosis, low‐set ears, and high‐arched palate were noted. Deep tendon reflexes were symmetrical. They showed worsening swallowing and respiratory problems; hence, nasal feeding and tracheotomy were performed. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging scans revealed delayed myelination and cerebral atrophy. Exome sequencing indicated that the siblings had novel compound heterozygous missense variants, c.590T>G (p.Val197Gly) and c.433G>A (p.Gly145Arg), in exon 4 of ALG14. Repetitive nerve stimulation test showed an abnormal decrease in compound muscle action potential. After treatment with pyridostigmine, the time off the respirator increased. Their epileptic seizures were well controlled by anti‐epileptic drugs. Their clinical course is stable even now at the ages of 5 and 2 years, making them the longest reported survivors of a severe form of CMS with the ALG14 variant thus far.
Characteristics of cortical structures in relation to affective neuropsychiatric symptoms during cognitive decline: A cross‐sectional MRI study
Authors: Ronat Lucas Alexis , Hanganua Alexandru 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundNeuropsychiatric Symptoms (NPS) are related to increased risk of age‐related cognitive decline. Three clusters are commonly highlighted in cognitive decline: a mood/affective cluster, a psychotic cluster and an hyperactivity/behavioral cluster. The mood cluster is formed by at least depression and anxiety and seems to increase the risk of dementia. Their implications to brain changes are not well‐known.Method217 cognitively healthy participants (CH), 362 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 174 patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) were extracted from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database. Each subject was assessed with a NeuroPsychiatric Inventory and a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment and realized a 3T MRI. Statistical analysis was based‐on the General Linear Model (FreeSurfer 7.1.1 mri_glmfit) in which linear regression between affective NPS severity (depression and anxiety) and cortical area/thickness was analysed in each group and between groups two‐by‐two.ResultIn the CH group, severity of depression was positively correlated to the left anterior cingulate area and negatively to the left posterior cingulate thickness. In the AD group, severity of depression was positively correlated to right anterior cingulate thickness whereas severity of anxiety was positively correlated to rostral middle frontal thickness. There were no significant results in the MCI group. In two‐by‐two comparisons : (1) more severe was depression and anxiety, thinner was left middle, inferior temporal, entorhinal, inferior parietal, lateral occipital, precuneus, cingulate isthmus and superior, middle frontal cortices in MCI compared to CH; (2) more severe was depression and anxiety, thinner was left temporopolar, middle temporal, entorhinal, supramarginal, anterior cingulate, cingulate isthmus and superior, middle, inferior frontal cortices in AD compared to MCI; and (3) few cortices was no thinner in AD compared to CH : it concerned precentral, postcentral, occipitopolar, cuneus and lingual cortices.ConclusionOur data suggest that affective NPS induce size modifications of cortical areas during cognitive decline but also in CN subjects. Thus, this confirms data already present in the literature showing that the comorbidity of NPS with cognitive impairment could be a factor in accelerating decline and neurodegenerative processes. This underlines the importance of understanding the emergence of NPS in CH elderly subjects.
Does blood pressure variability predict cognitive decline better than hypertension itself? A harmonised analysis of 10 studies
Authors: Lennon Matthew J , Lam Ben CP , Lipnicki Darren M , Crawford John D , Sachdev Perminder S 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundMidlife hypertension is a known risk factor for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease but in late life hypertension has been associated variously with better or no different cognition. New research suggests rather than average blood pressure, blood pressure variability best predicts cognitive decline because of excessive flow pulsatility that damages cerebral microcirculation and results in ischaemia.MethodThe Cohort Studies of Memory in an International Consortium (COSMIC) (10 Studies, n=26,227) comprises adults aged 53 – 102 with follow up between 1 and 19.6 years. Cognitive domain scores were aggregated into global cognition scores. Baseline Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) was analysed categorically (in three groups <120 mmHg, 120 – 139 mmHg, ≥140 mmHg). Visit‐to‐visit SBP variability was captured by variation independent of the mean (VIM). Mixed models were used to examine the association between the parameters at baseline, mean studies mid‐point (3.2 years) and over time with global cognition.ResultSBP groups 120 – 139 mmHg and ≥140 mmHg had significantly worse global cognition at baseline and study midpoint than those with SBP <120 mmHg (Fully adjusted model at baseline, B=‐.148, p=.000 and B=‐.503, p=.000 respectively). There were no between‐group differences in cognitive trajectories over time. There was no significant effect of the antihypertensive use*SBP interaction either at baseline, study midpoint or over time on cognition. Increasing variability was also associated with poorer cognition at study midpoint (B=‐.024, p=.000) but had no effect on cognitive trajectories over time. This effect was reduced but still present when controlling for SBP at baseline (B= ‐.018, p=.000).ConclusionThis study showed that baseline hypertension is associated with poorer cognition at baseline and study midpoint in a dose dependent fashion indicating a likely causative relationship. Interestingly, this relationship was not modified by antihypertensive use, possibly reflecting an inability of late‐life antihypertensive use to reverse hypertensive damage established in mid‐life. This study also showed that blood pressure variability (VIM) is associated with poorer cognition at study mid‐point in a separate but overlapping manner to baseline blood pressure itself. Future blood pressure management guidelines should consider treatment modalities for controlling blood pressure variability as well as mean blood pressure itself.
Factors related to willingness to participate in AD biomarker studies that disclose personal results
Authors: Erickson Claire M , Jonaitis Erin M , Chin Nathaniel A , Gleason Carey E , Johnson Sterling C , Clark Lindsay R 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundWith improved temporal identification and characterization of AD biomarkers, disclosure of personal biomarker information will become increasingly relevant. Understanding participant factors related to willingness to learn such information may inform relationship‐building with communities, especially those historically excluded from biomedical research, and aid the development of guidelines for safe, effective disclosure.MethodWe developed a 30‐minute phone survey to gather information from Black and W participants on willingness to enroll in different types of biomarker disclosure studies (general AD biomarker, PET, CSF, and blood‐based), reasons for enrolling, and potential outcomes following a hypothetical positive result. Data were collected from cognitively healthy participants (n=334, mean age=64.8±7.7, 45% Black) enrolled in the Wisconsin ADRC or Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention. Using linear regression, we assessed the relationship between willingness to enroll in various hypothetical AD biomarker disclosure studies and age, sex, race, education, family dementia history, trust in medical research, concern about developing AD, and experiences of discrimination.ResultTrust in medical research and race were significant predictors of willingness to enroll in all the hypothetical AD biomarker disclosure studies, with higher willingness associated with greater trust in research and with White racial identification. We did not find a significant difference in trust in medical research between Black and White participants (t(df)=‐1.42(299.13), p.14). In secondary analyses, we included covariate interactions with race to assess racial differences in their effects. We found that the gender gap for Black participants in willingness to enroll in an AD CSF disclosure study was larger than that for White participants, but other effects were nonsignificant.ConclusionThese results suggest that trust in medical research is related to willingness to enroll in AD biomarker studies that disclose results to participants. As race is a social construct representing a combination of ancestry and experience, we plan to further explore the relationship between study enrollment willingness and race through a mixed‐methods approach examining quantitative and qualitative data. Understanding factors related to participant enrollment willingness may be crucial for developing culturally informed best practices for personal biomarker disclosure and in engaging and bolstering representation from historically minoritized groups into AD biomarker research.
Investigating the relationships between race, cardiovascular disease, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and functional outcomes among older former National Football League players
Authors: Brett Benjamin L , Campbell Hope , Aggarwal Neelum T , Kerr Zachary Y , Chandran Avinash , Walton Samuel , Mannix Rebekah , DeFreese JD , Echemendia Ruben J , Guskiewicz Kevin M , Meehan William P , McCrea Michael A 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundHigher prevalence rates of Alzheimer’s disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) have been reported among former National Football League (NFL) players. Ethnoracial minorities comprise a large proportion of NFL players; among the general population, they experience higher rates of CVD. Ethnoracial minority group membership and CVD are independent risk factors for ADRD. We investigated the associations of race and CVD on risk of AD, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and functional difficulties in older former NFL players.MethodFormer NFL players (N=944; 656 self‐identified as White [69.5%]), aged 50‐92 years (M=64.8+8.9)completed a general health survey involving comprehensive health history and current function. CVD included the presence of at least one of the following: coronary artery disease or/myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular disease, and/or stroke. Logistic models assessed individual and interaction effects of CVD and race on odds of MCI and AD; covariates included age, education, and concussion history. A multivariate regression (additional covariate of current psychosocial stressors [Life Events Scale]) examined associations between race and CVD on current function (Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System [PROMIS] Depression, Cognitive Function, and Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities).ResultsCVD (AdjOR=1.73[1.17‐2.55]) and Race (non‐White participants; AdjOR=2.16[1.52‐3.07]) were significantly associated with higher odds of MCI diagnosis. Race (AdjOR=2.90[1.44‐5.83]), not CVD, significantly predicted AD diagnosis. Significant race by CVD interactions were not observed for either MCI or AD. Race (non‐White) was significantly associated with greater depression symptoms (ηp2=.022), subjective cognitive difficulties (ηp2=.017), and social roles/activity disruptions (ηp2=.019). The presence of CVD was associated with greater depression symptoms (ηp2=.016) and social roles/activity disruptions (ηp2=.011). A significant race by CVD interaction was observed, suggesting that the presence of CVD was disproportionately associated with significantly greater depression symptoms (ηp2=.010), subjective cognitive difficulties (ηp2=.004), social activity/roles disruption (ηp2=.005) among non‐White individuals.ConclusionSimilar to the general population, race and CVD are uniquely and dynamically associated with MCI, AD, and functional difficulties among former NFL players, independent of concussion history. Future work should investigate social determinants of health contributing to racial disparities of long‐term outcomes within this sample.
In vitro and in silico investigation of cholinesterase inhibition and anti‐radical properties of Solanum macrocarpon leaf extracts: A preliminary anti‐Alzheimer's study
Authors: Idowu Gbohunmi Paul , Obuotor Efere Martins , Onajobi Funmilayo Dorcas 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundAlzheimer's disease (AD) is an age‐associated, progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by decline in cognitive function. There is presently no cure for AD and the currently used drugs have limited efficacy. Cholinergic enzyme inhibition, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation have been growing areas of research in the pharmacological management of AD (Simunkova et al., 2019). Furthermore, computational approaches have been instrumental in designing and discovering new drugs for several diseases (Romano & Tatonetti, 2018). Solanum macrocarpon L. (eggplant) is a specie of African ancestry reported to be an ethno‐ medicinal plant that improves memory (Ogunsuyi et al., 2018). This study therefore investigated the antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory potential of S. macrocarpon leaf extracts, identified active compound(s) and explored their enzyme‐ligand interactions using In silico approaches to discover new functional leads for AD.MethodMethanol extract and fractions of S. macrocarpon leaves were subjected to phytochemical investigation of AChE inhibitory activity and cell‐free antioxidant activity. Phytochemicals were identified through the profiling of the most potent fraction using Liquid Chromatography‐Mass Spectrometry (LC‐MS) and Gas Chromatography‐Mass Spectrometry (GC‐MS). Molecular docking was performed employing AutoDock Vina. The prediction of the ADMET properties was obtained using pkCSM and SwissADME online tools. Furthermore, the compound(s) with favorable pharmacokinetic properties and interaction with key residues within the AChE active site was selected for molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies using GROMACS 5.0.7.ResultThe S. macrocarpon leaves ethyl‐acetate fraction (SMEA) displayed the highest concentration‐dependent inhibition of AChE and highest antioxidant capacity among the fractions. Seventy‐eight (78) and sixty (60) compounds were tentatively identified from the LC‐MS and GC‐MS of SMEA respectively. A total number of 21 compounds demonstrated better docking score than the standard, eserine and interacted with key residues within the human acetylcholinesterase (PDB ID:4EY7) active site akin to Donepezil. Amongst the compounds with the least docking score, 1,1‐Biphenyl‐4‐carboxylic acid showed the most favorable pharmacokinetic properties. Also, the 10ns MD produced a trajectory which showed stable Root‐Mean‐Square‐Deviation and favorable g_mmpbsa energy calculations.ConclusionThe current study proposes that 1,1‐Biphenyl‐4‐carboxylic acid, a constituent of S. macrocarpon is a potential lead compound for AD management.
The effect of illiteracy on performance in screening tools for dementia: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Maher Caragh , Calia Clara 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundResearch indicates that many tools designed for screening dementia are affected by literacy level (Ardila et al., 2010; Kosmidis, 2018). However, no systemic analysis exists to evaluate the overall effects of this important confounding factor. We systematically reviewed and meta‐analytically estimated the differences in performance in dementia screening tools between literate and illiterate individuals.MethodElectronic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and EMBASE) were searched from 1975 to February 2020 to identify empirical studies examining performance in dementia screening tools in literate and illiterate individuals over 50 years old. Data for effect sizes, participant demographic information, and study information were extracted.ResultsWe identified 28 studies collectively comprising of 28,298 individuals classified as literate and 15,995 individuals classified as illiterate. Of the 28 studies, 24 included the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) or an adapted version of the MMSE. Eleven studies included a cognitive screening tool that was adapted for use in illiterate/low educated participants. Nineteen studies were methodologically suitable for meta‐analysis. Multi‐level random‐effects modelling demonstrated a significant overall effect, with literate participants scoring significantly higher than illiterate participants (g = ‐1.2962, 95% CI = ‐1.6200, ‐0.9723, p < 0.001; Figure 1). Moderator analyses indicated significant effects of test type and the presence of cognitive impairment on the extent of the difference in performance between literate and illiterate participants. The difference in performance between groups was smaller in screening tests designed or modified for illiterate individuals (p < 0.05), and in individuals with cognitive impairment (p < 0.01).ConclusionOur findings confirm the unsuitability of many dementia screening tools for individuals who are illiterate. The results of this systematic review and meta‐analysis emphasise the need for the development, validation, and use of tools that are suitable for individuals of all literacy abilities. References: Ardila, Bertolucci, P. H., Braga, L. W., Castro‐Caldas, A., Judd, T., Kosmidis, M. H., Rosselli, M. (2010). Illiteracy: the neuropsychology of cognition without reading. Arch Clin Neuropsychol, 25(8), 689‐712. doi:10.1093/arclin/acq079. Kosmidis, M. H. (2018). Challenges in the neuropsychological assessment of illiterate older adults. Language, Cognition and Neuroscience, 33(3), 373‐386. doi:10.1080/23273798.2017.1379605