bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Whole Agrocybe cylindracea Prevented Obesity Linking with Modification of Gut Microbiota and Associated Fecal Metabolites in High‐Fat Diet‐Fed Mice
Authors: Zhu Zhenjun , Huang Rui , Liu Wei , Wang Juan , Wu Shujian , Chen Mengfei , Huang Aohuan , Xie Yizhen , Chen Moutong , Jiao Chunwei , Zhang Jumei , Wu Qingping , Ding Yu 
Published: January 2022

ScopeWhole‐food‐based strategies to prevent metabolic diseases are growing interests. Agrocybe cylindracea (AC) is a major edible mushroom with high values of nutrition, but little is known about its health benefits as a portion of whole food.Methods and ResultsDiet‐induced obese, C57BL/6J mice are fed an high‐fat diet (HFD) with or without AC (3% or 5%, w/w in the diet) for 9 weeks. The results show that dietary AC reduced body weight, adipose accumulation, impairment of glucose tolerance, lipid levels, and liver injury in HFD‐fed mice. Moreover, AC not only prevents HFD‐induced gut disorder, as indicates by the enriched probiotic Bifidobacterium and reduced endotoxin‐bearing Proteobacteria, but also improve the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) level and gut tissue structure. Fecal metabolites such as harmine and harmanine are also remarkably altered by AC. Spearman's correlation analysis reveals that the AC‐altered microbes and metabolites are strongly correlated with obesity‐related indexes.ConclusionThese findings suggest that dietary AC prevents HFD‐induced obesity and its complications in association with modulating gut microbiota and associated fecal metabolites.
S‐Allylcysteine Ameliorates Aging Features via Regulating Mitochondrial Dynamics in Naturally Aged C57BL/6J Mice
Authors: Chen Pin‐Hua , Chang Chun‐Han , Lin Wei‐Sheng , Nagabhushanam Kalyanam , Ho Chi‐Tang , Pan Min‐Hsiung 
Published: January 2022

ScopeS‐Allylcysteine (SAC) is the most abundant organosulfur molecule derived from aged garlic. The effects ofSAC on improving Aging in naturally aged C57BL/6J male mice and mitochondrial dynamics in Caenorhabditis elegans and its underlying mechanisms is evaluated.Methods and ResultsWhen mice have attained reproductive senescence at 60 weeks of age, SAC is supplemented to 0.05% and 0.2% into their normal diet for 12 weeks. The results show that SAC could significantly improve the level of hepatic optic atrophy 1 (OPA1) mRNA, which is a key factor for mitochondrial fusion, and consequently elevated the mitochondrial biogenesis‐related proteins sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐gamma coactivator‐1 alpha (PGC‐1α), thus ameliorating oxidative stress, such as malondialdehyde (MDA) in the liver and 8‐hydroxy‐2'‐deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG) in urine. Among the biochemical markers of aging, SAC significantly reduces liver galactosidase β1 (GLB1) and senescence‐associated β‐galactosidase (SA‐βgal), which are induced by replicative senescence. The mitochondria with green fluorescent protein (GFP)‐tagged transgenic strain SJ4103 C. elegans is incubated with 5 or 50 µM SAC, and SAC treated groups maintain the linear morphology of mitochondria.ConclusionSAC regulates mitochondrial dynamics and ameliorated aging to a significant degree. This study also confirms that mitochondrial dynamics are a promising target for screening materials to combat aging and as a direction for anti‐aging product development.
Learning white matter subject‐specific segmentation from structural MRI
Authors: Yang Qi , Hansen Colin B. , Cai Leon Y. , Rheault Francois , Lee Ho Hin , Bao Shunxing , Chandio Bramsh Qamar , Williams Owen , Resnick Susan M. , Garyfallidis Eleftherios , Anderson Adam W. , Descoteaux Maxime , Schilling Kurt G. , Landman Bennett A. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractPurposeMapping brain white matter (WM) is essential for building an understanding of brain anatomy and function. Tractography‐based methods derived from diffusion‐weighted MRI (dMRI) are the principal tools for investigating WM. These procedures rely on time‐consuming dMRI acquisitions that may not always be available, especially for legacy or time‐constrained studies. To address this problem, we aim to generate WM tracts from structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image by deep learning.MethodsFollowing recently proposed innovations in structural anatomical segmentation, we evaluate the feasibility of training multiply spatial localized convolution neural networks to learn context from fixed spatial patches from structural MRI on standard template. We focus on six widely used dMRI tractography algorithms (TractSeg, RecoBundles, XTRACT, Tracula, automated fiber quantification (AFQ), and AFQclipped) and train 125 U‐Net models to learn these techniques from 3870 T1‐weighted images from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, the Human Connectome Project S1200 release, and scans acquired at Vanderbilt University.ResultsThe proposed framework identifies fiber bundles with high agreement against tractography‐based pathways with a median Dice coefficient from 0.62 to 0.87 on a test cohort, achieving improved subject‐specific accuracy when compared to population atlas‐based methods. We demonstrate the generalizability of the proposed framework on three externally available datasets.ConclusionsWe show that patch‐wise convolutional neural network can achieve robust bundle segmentation from T1w. We envision the use of this framework for visualizing the expected course of WM pathways when dMRI is not available.
Accelerating joint relaxation‐diffusion MRI by integrating time division multiplexing and simultaneous multi‐slice (TDM‐SMS) strategies
Authors: Ji Yang , Hoge W. Scott , Gagoski Borjan , Westin Carl‐Fredrik , Rathi Yogesh , Ning Lipeng 
Published: January 2022

PurposeTo accelerate the acquisition of relaxation‐diffusion imaging by integrating time‐division multiplexing (TDM) with simultaneous multi‐slice (SMS) for EPI and evaluate imaging quality and diffusion measures.MethodsThe time‐division multiplexing (TDM) technique and SMS method were integrated to achieve a high slice‐acceleration (e.g., 6×) factor for acquiring relaxation‐diffusion MRI. Two variants of the sequence, referred to as TDM3e‐SMS and TDM2s‐SMS, were developed to simultaneously acquire slice groups with three distinct TEs and two slice groups with the same TE, respectively. Both sequences were evaluated on a 3T scanner with in vivo human brains and compared with standard single‐band (SB) ‐EPI and SMS‐EPI using diffusion measures and tractography results.ResultsExperimental results showed that the TDM3e‐SMS sequence with total slice acceleration of 6 (multiplexing factor (MP) = 3 × multi‐band factor (MB) = 2) provided similar image intensity and microstructure measures compared to standard SMS‐EPI with MB = 2, and yielded less bias in intensity compared to standard SMS‐EPI with MB = 4. The three sequences showed a similar positive correlation between TE and mean kurtosis (MK) and a negative correlation between TE and mean diffusivity (MD) in white matter. Multi‐fiber tractography also shows consistency of results in TE‐dependent measures between different sequences. The TDM2s‐SMS sequence (MP = 2, MB = 2) also provided imaging measures similar to standard SMS‐EPI sequences (MB = 2) for single‐TE diffusion imaging.ConclusionsThe TDM‐SMS sequence can provide additional 2× to 3× acceleration to SMS without degrading imaging quality. With the significant reduction in scan time, TDM‐SMS makes joint relaxation‐diffusion MRI a feasible technique in neuroimaging research to investigate new markers of brain disorders.
Individualized and accurate SAR characterization method based on equivalent circuit model for MRI system
Authors: Jiang Weiman , Yang Fan , Wang Kun 
Published: January 2022

PurposeTo protect patients from RF heating in MRI scan, this work proposes an accurate and patient‐specific whole‐body specific absorption rate (SAR) characterization method based on an equivalent circuit model. Compared to the standard pulse energy method defined in NEMA MS 8‐2016, this method avoids the complexity of integrating flux loops and has the potential to be easily implemented in MRI scanners.Theory and MethodsIn this study, we use an equivalent parallel circuit to model the power distribution on the transmit coil and subject. The coil and subject equivalent resistances are fitted by the frequency response functions of reflection coefficient and are thereafter used to calculate the power ratio between them. To assess the accuracy of this method, we measured the subject absorbed power of 2 phantoms and 5 volunteers and compared it with the standard pulse energy method with flux loops.ResultsThe resistances, resonant frequencies, and quality factors of the transmit coil are fitted with the equivalent circuit model in both unloaded and loaded conditions. Whole‐body SAR of 5 volunteers is measured at 2 different landmarks. In addition, the relationship between SAR and the working frequencies of the transmit coil is measured and analyzed. The subject absorbed power measured by the proposed method demonstrates good accuracy (RMS error and maximum error of 3.77% and 9.47%, respectively) relative to the flux loop method.ConclusionThe equivalent circuit model‐based method enables individualized, accurate, and simplified SAR characterization for clinical applications and research with moderate implementation complexity.
An end‐to‐end AI‐based framework for automated discovery of rapid CEST/MT MRI acquisition protocols and molecular parameter quantification (AutoCEST)
Authors: Perlman Or , Zhu Bo , Zaiss Moritz , Rosen Matthew S. , Farrar Christian T. 
Published: January 2022

PurposeTo develop an automated machine‐learning‐based method for the discovery of rapid and quantitative chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MR fingerprinting acquisition and reconstruction protocols.MethodsAn MR physics‐governed AI system was trained to generate optimized acquisition schedules and the corresponding quantitative reconstruction neural network. The system (termed AutoCEST) is composed of a CEST saturation block, a spin dynamics module, and a deep reconstruction network, all differentiable and jointly connected. The method was validated using a variety of chemical exchange phantoms and in vivo mouse brains at 9.4T.ResultsThe acquisition times for AutoCEST optimized schedules ranged from 35 to 71 s, with a quantitative image reconstruction time of only 29 ms. The resulting exchangeable proton concentration maps for the phantoms were in good agreement with the known solute concentrations for AutoCEST sequences (mean absolute error = 2.42 mM; Pearson’s , ), but not for an unoptimized sequence (mean absolute error = 65.19 mM; Pearson’s , ). Similarly, improved exchange rate agreement was observed between AutoCEST and quantification of exchange using saturation power (QUESP) methods (mean absolute error: 35.8 Hz, Pearson’s , ) compared to an unoptimized schedule and QUESP (mean absolute error = 58.2 Hz; Pearson’s , ). The AutoCEST in vivo mouse brain semi‐solid proton volume fractions were lower in the cortex (12.77% ± 0.75%) compared to the white matter (19.80% ± 0.50%), as expected.ConclusionAutoCEST can automatically generate optimized CEST/MT acquisition protocols that can be rapidly reconstructed into quantitative exchange parameter maps.
Nerve ultrasound detects abnormally small nerves in patients with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy
Authors: Pelosi Luciana , Ghosh Avroneel , Leadbetter Ruth , Lance Sean , Rodrigues Miriam , Roxburgh Richard 
Published: January 2022

AbstractIntroduction/AimsSensory impairment secondary to dorsal root ganglion neuronopathy is common, although often subclinical, in X‐linked spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA).We investigated the hypothesis that nerves of SBMA patients show the same morphological changes on ultrasound as other inherited sensory neuronopathies and that these changes are distinct from those in axonal neuropathy.MethodsWe compared the ultrasound cross‐sectional areas (CSAs) of median, ulnar, sural, and tibial nerves of prospectively recruited SBMA patients with those of patients with acquired axonal neuropathy and healthy controls.We also compared the individual nerve CSAs of SBMA and neuropathy patients with our laboratory reference values.ResultsThere were 7 SBMA patients, 18 neuropathy patients, and 42 healthy controls.The nerve CSAs of the SBMA patients were significantly smaller than those of patients in the other two groups. The changes were most prominent in the upper limbs (p < .001), with the nerves of the SBMA patients being on average approximately half the size of the controls and a third the size of the neuropathy patients. On individual analysis, the ultrasound abnormality was sufficiently characteristic to be detected in all but one SBMA patient.DiscussionThese ultrasound changes are similar to those reported in other inherited sensory neuronopathies and clearly different from the ultrasound findings in axonal neuropathy.Smaller nerves are possibly a distinctive finding in SBMA that may distinguish it from other motor neuron syndromes. Further studies are warranted to confirm this and determine the optimal sonographic protocol.
Patient safety awareness, knowledge and attitude about fire risk assessment during time‐out among perioperative nurses in Korea
Authors: Cho Ok‐Hee , Lee Dayun , Hwang Kyung‐Hye 
Published: January 2022

AbstractAimThis study aims to investigate the relationship between patient safety awareness, knowledge (risk‐Knowledge) and attitude about fire risk assessment during time‐out (risk‐Attitude) of perioperative nurses.DesignA cross‐sectional study.MethodsPerioperative nurses (N = 158) from 22 small‐ and medium‐sized hospitals participated in the study. Participants’ characteristics, knowledge and attitude about fire risk assessment were investigated using structured questionnaires.ResultsPatient safety awareness, risk‐Knowledge and risk‐Attitude scores were high among nurses who received frequent patient safety education or fire preparedness training, while patient safety awareness partially mediated the effect of risk‐Knowledge on risk‐Attitude. To increase perioperative nurses’ risk‐Attitude, it would be effective to increase not only their risk‐Knowledge but also overall patient safety awareness.
Theoretical insights into effects of solvent polarity on excited‐state N–H proton transfer behavior for a new fluorophore of 3‐tosylamino‐N‐cyclohexylphthalimide
Authors: Meng Xuan , Song Liying , Zhao Jinfeng , Han Haiyun , Zheng Daoyuan 
Published: January 2022

AbstractCompared with O–H···O‐type system, the N–H···O‐type system with excited‐state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) provides a better research object for exploring kinetics and thermodynamics because the existence of amino group can be replaced by various groups. In this work, the ESIPT mechanism of a novel amino type proton donor (3TsAPI) has been studied, and its effects of solvent polarity have been investigated. We optimize the structures of 3TsAPI using density functional theory (DFT)/time‐dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) methods, and electronic spectra data are consistent with the experiment. Through the analyses of structural parameters and spectra related to hydrogen bonding, it is found hydrogen bonding is enhanced in S1 state, and analyses of bond critical point (BCP) parameters and core‐valence bifurcation (CVB) indexes show excited‐state hydrogen bonding is stronger in solvents with weaker polarity. We construct the potential energy curves and find polarity of solvents can regulate the potential energy barrier of ESIPT process and then further elucidate the ESIPT mechanism of 3TsAPI.
Additive‐Assisted Growth of Scaled and Quality 2D Materials
Authors: Zhang Qing , Xiao Xixi , Li Lin , Geng Dechao , Chen Wei , Hu Wenping 
Published: January 2022

Abstract2D materials are increasingly becoming key components in modern electronics because of their prominent electronic and optoelectronic properties. The central and premise to the entire discipline of 2D materials lie in the high‐quality and scaled preparations. The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method offers compelling benefits in terms of scalability and controllability in shaping large‐area and high‐quality 2D materials. The past few years have witnessed development of numerous CVD growth strategies, with the use of additives attracting substantial attention in the production of scaled 2D crystals. This review provides an overview of different additives used in CVD growth of 2D materials, as well as a methodical demonstration of their vital roles. In addition, the intrinsic mechanisms of the production of scaled 2D crystals with additives are also discussed. Lastly, reliable guidance on the future design of optimal CVD synthesis routes is provided by analyzing the accessibility, pricing, by‐products, controllability, universality, and commercialization of various additives.
Polyolefin Catalyst Research: A Product‐Driven Industrial Perspective
Authors: Atiqullah Muhammad , Al‐Asiri Hassan S. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThis account narrates polyolefin catalyst research at the Research Institute Interdisciplinary Research Center for Refining & Advanced Chemicals (IRCRAC). We particularly address catalyst performance and kinetic evaluation, novelty in supported metallocene catalysts, the apparently absurd residual catalyst structure and solid‐state electronic environment, illustration of supported metallocene catalyst active site distribution thru model and experiment, preparation of spheroidal MgCl2 support, and catalytic synthesis of energy‐saving drag reducing UHMW polymers using local petrochemical feedstock. Each area has been assessed from the product development perspective. Our PO catalyst research aligns with Saudi Arab's Vision 2030 National Strategic Plan (NSP). We also present a circular research concept which shows how product‐driven research with a commercial driving force can significantly advance fundamental PO catalyst chemistry to valuable applications for Saudi Arabia. Finally, we focus on establishing spinoffs using local raw materials. We highlight the role, to be played by researchers, R&D management, and potential investors, to develop the appropriate innovation diffusion culture. The critical need is to understand why an innovation will fail to be marketed. We particularly stress the importance of conducive sociology (environment), psychology (mental state), and mindset (preparedness to make and accept changes) that precede innovation and technology.
Material inquiry and transformation as prerequisite processes of scientific argumentation: Toward a social‐material theory of argumentation
Authors: Tang Kok‐Sing 
Published: January 2022

AbstractArgumentation as a scientific practice has largely been examined along an epistemic and/or dialogic perspective in science education research. Both perspectives have sidelined the use of real material objects that are indispensable for scientists to construct arguments about the natural world. To address this gap, this article investigates how material objects are used to coordinate with our speech and actions to shape argumentation in secondary physical science. Drawing on actor‐network theory, the article reframes argumentation as a chain of human‐material interactions incorporating the role of physical things to construct evidence. Based on a collective case study comprising classroom video data generated from two grade nine science classrooms, the article examines how teachers and students used material objects to engage in argumentation related to qualitative analysis in chemistry and Newton's laws of motions in physics. The analysis reveals two major themes: (a)material inquiryas the framing of questions and statements about the behavior or property of the material world and (b)material transformationas the orchestration of material objects, embodied actions, and words to actively create evidence. This article concludes that both material inquiry and material transformation are essential prerequisites for scientific argumentation to take place, not only in research laboratories, but also in science classrooms. The contribution to the development of a future socio‐material theory of scientific argumentation, which takes material agency and multimodal discourse into account, are also discussed.
How Does Creativity Affect Second Language Speech Production? The Moderating Role of Speaking Task Type
Authors: Suzuki Shungo , Yasuda Toshinori , Hanzawa Keiko , Kormos Judit 
Published: January 2022

AbstractOur study investigated the role of creativity in second language (L2) speech production using a picture narrative and an open‐ended argumentative task administered to 60 Japanese‐speaking learners of English. Following recent findings in the field of psychology, the participants’ creativity was assessed in terms of cognitive dimensions (divergent thinking fluency, convergent thinking) and a personality dimension (openness to experience). Participants’ speaking performance was analyzed using a set of complexity, accuracy, fluency and discourse measures. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that both divergent thinking fluency and convergent thinking played a role in the cohesion of speech (indexed by the frequency of connectives) in both speaking tasks, while only in the argumentative task did divergent thinking fluency contribute to an increase in the amount of information (indexed by the total number of words produced). Meanwhile, openness to experience was found to enhance syntactic and lexical complexity only in the picture narrative task. These findings suggest that speakers’ creativity is linked to syntactic and lexical sophistication and discourse aspects of L2 oral performance, all of which are related to conceptualization processes in L2 speech production.
Use of health parameter trends to communicate pet health information in companion animal practice: A mixed methods analysis
Authors: Janke Natasha , Coe Jason B. , Bernardo Theresa M. , Dewey Cate E. , Stone Elizabeth A. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractBackgroundReviewing patient health parameter trends can strengthen veterinarian–client–patient relationships. The objective of this study is to identify characteristics associated with veterinarians’ communication of health parameter trends to companion animal clients.MethodsUsing a sequential exploratory mixed methods design, independent pet owner (n = 27) and veterinarian (n = 24) focus groups were conducted and analysed via content analysis to assess perceptions of how health parameter trends are communicated by veterinarians. Subsequently, a quantitative assessment of video recorded veterinary appointments (n = 917) compared characteristics identified in focus groups with health parameter trend discussions in practice. A mixed logistic model was used to assess characteristics associated with the occurrence of weight trend discussions.ResultsFifteen characteristics relating to veterinarians’ use of health parameter trends were identified across focus groups. Veterinarians discussed 77 health parameter trends in relation to bodyweight (57/77), blood work (15/77) and other health parameters (5/77), within 73 (73/917) appointments. The odds of a weight trend discussion were higher if the veterinarian identified the pet as overweight or obese compared to an ideal bodyweight (odds ratio (OR) = 2.17; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.15–4.09; p = 0.016).ConclusionMention of a health parameter trend was uncommon and rarely included use of visual aids. Health parameter trends related to bodyweight were discussed reactively, rather than proactively.