Publications by authors named "Hu Xia"
Article Synopsis
- Health event prediction in the ICU is enhanced by using electronic health records (EHR), which include various types of data, but most research only focuses on one type, leaving a gap in multi-modal approaches.
- The proposed CKLE framework leverages large language models (LLMs) to improve health event prediction by distilling knowledge from texts and integrating it with multi-modal EHR data, addressing challenges of modality handling and privacy concerns.
- CKLE uses a cross-modality knowledge distillation method to effectively merge the strengths of LLMs with predictive models, utilizing specialized loss functions to consider the relationships among different types of data and patient similarities.
Article Synopsis
- The study identifies a new strain of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) from an outbreak in Chongqing, China, highlighting the rise in multiviral infections and mutations.
- The optimal trypsin concentration for virus adaptation in Vero cells was determined to be 7.5 µg/mL, but the virus required passage in IPEC-J2 cells for successful adaptation, with a different concentration of 5 µg/mL.
- Genetic analysis revealed that the S gene of this new strain is a recombinant from two parent strains, with significant implications for understanding PEDV evolution and vaccine development.
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on walnut septum polyphenols (WSP), which are known for their health benefits but whose specific effects on blood sugar and fat levels were not well understood.
- WSP was extracted, purified to 87.36% purity, and found to inhibit key enzymes involved in sugar and fat digestion, indicating potential health benefits for conditions like diabetes and obesity.
- Researchers identified eight active compounds in WSP that show strong binding to these enzymes, paving the way for further exploration of walnut septum as a functional food to combat hypoglycemia and high lipid levels.
Article Synopsis
- Increasing demand for rechargeable batteries highlights the need for better electrochemical performance, as traditional methods like elemental doping and surface modification fall short.
- High-entropy materials (HEMs) provide a promising solution due to their stability and flexible composition, leading to enhancements in battery properties, particularly in high-entropy layered oxide cathode materials for various ion batteries.
- The review emphasizes the importance of precise synthesis, understanding reaction mechanisms, and the integration of computational and experimental methods to inspire future research in creating high-performing rechargeable batteries.
Article Synopsis
- The study assessed contrast sensitivity function (CSF) in patients recovering from Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease, particularly focusing on those with and without sunset glow fundus (SGF).
- Patients with SGF exhibited significantly impaired CSF compared to normal controls, especially at medium and high spatial frequencies, while no notable differences were found between the non-SGF group and controls.
- The results indicate that despite good visual acuity recovery, both CSF and outer retinal thickness were reduced in VKH patients, suggesting that CSF is a valuable measure for evaluating functional vision in these cases.
Article Synopsis
- The formation of stable interphases on lithium battery electrodes is essential for maintaining battery efficiency, but challenges like reactivity and structural changes in high-energy next-generation batteries lead to instability and slower ion transport, accelerating degradation.
- Researchers introduce a multicomponent grain-boundary-rich interphase that enhances ion transport and electrode passivation, utilizing theories of solid-state ionics and improved solvation chemistry to enhance performance in cost-effective electrolytes with various lithium salts.
- The enhanced interphases present innovative microstructures that inhibit electrode corrosion, promoting remarkable electrochemical stability, and paving the way for high-capacity anodes and better battery technologies with higher energy density.
Article Synopsis
- This study explores how self-perceived burden mediates the relationship between perceived partner responsiveness and fertility intentions in women with inflammatory bowel disease.
- A sample of 366 women from Changsha, China, revealed moderate fertility intentions and levels of self-perceived burden and partner responsiveness.
- The results show that a supportive partner positively influences fertility intentions, while feeling like a burden negatively impacts those intentions, indicating a complex interplay between these factors.
Selective phthalate removal by molecularly imprinted biomass carbon modified electro-Fenton cathode.
Bioresour Technol
December 2024
Article Synopsis
- A new catalyst made from biomass carbon is developed, which is tailored to effectively target and degrade phthalates in water, showing improved oxygen reduction and hydroxyl radical production.
- The modified catalyst (MIP@BC) has 40% better adsorption for Dimethyl phthalate (DMP), allowing for a much faster breakdown of the compound compared to a non-modified version.
- In real water samples, the degradation of DMP significantly increased, highlighting the potential of this technique for addressing harmful contaminants in polluted water sources.
Article Synopsis
- - The study examined the effects of education, smoking, and alcohol use disorder (AUD) on dementia risk in older adults, aiming to understand how these factors might influence dementia differently among various subgroups.
- - Using data from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (2005-2021), researchers found that a college education was linked to a decreased risk of dementia, particularly in people without hypertension, while smoking and AUD had varying effects based on specific health conditions.
- - The findings highlight the need for a personalized approach in addressing dementia risk, as different factors significantly impact certain groups, suggesting that interventions should be tailored to individual health profiles.
Article Synopsis
- MaltAtt-1 is an antimicrobial peptide with nematocidal properties against the pine wood nematode, successfully expressed using a eukaryotic system (GS115).
- Bioinformatics analysis revealed that MaltAtt-1 is a hydrophilic protein with a structured composition of α-helices and β-folds.
- The optimal fermentation conditions for producing MaltAtt-1 were established, and while it shows good stability against UV and multiple freeze-thaw cycles, its antimicrobial effectiveness is significantly reduced in extreme pH conditions and high temperatures.
Effects of antimony on antioxidant system, damage indexes of blood-brain barrier and ultrastructure of zebrafish (Danio rerio).
Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol
December 2024
Article Synopsis
- Antimony (Sb) is a harmful pollutant linked to cancer, prompting this study to explore its effects on non-enzymatic antioxidants and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in zebrafish, a species closely related to humans.
- Zebrafish were exposed to various doses of antimony in water over 7, 18, and 30 days, revealing that antimony accumulated primarily in the liver, with levels increasing the longer the exposure.
- Findings showed that antimony exposure decreased total antioxidant capacity and specific antioxidants (vitamin C and E), while increasing cysteine levels, and compromised the BBB's structural integrity, allowing other substances to pass through, which could lead to cell damage.
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) in Megalobrama amblycephala, highlighting its role in mucosal immunity and response to Aeromonas hydrophila infection.
- Significant pathological changes were observed in various organs post-infection, alongside an increase in immune-related enzyme activities and inflammatory cytokine gene expressions over time.
- The complete pIgR cDNA sequence was determined, revealing important structural features and phylogenetic relationships with similar genes in cyprinidae fish.
Article Synopsis
- Stroke is a major cause of death and illness, highlighting the need for better early prediction methods to reduce risks.
- Traditional patient evaluation methods like APACHE II/IV and SAPS III are not very accurate or easy to understand.
- This study introduces a new attention-based transformer model aimed at improving early stroke mortality predictions by offering both clear explanations and accurate insights regarding how the model works, while also examining its performance against existing methods.
Article Synopsis
- The Stepped Care Model (SCM) is a targeted treatment strategy that adjusts intervention intensity based on patient needs, but its effectiveness for Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) rehabilitation was previously unstudied.
- The study aimed to evaluate if SCM could enhance early self-reported quality of life and knee function post-TKA using a randomized controlled approach, comparing traditional rehab methods with SCM interventions.
- Results indicated significant improvements in knee scores, daily living abilities, and knee flexion for the SCM group compared to the control group at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery, suggesting SCM is beneficial for TKA rehabilitation.
Objective: To investigate the significance of endoscopic grading (Hill's classification) of gastroesophageal flap valve (GEFV) in the examination of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Methods: One hundred and sixty-two patients undergoing gastroscopy in the Department of Gastroenterology, Xingyi People's Hospital between Apr. 2022 and Sept.
Article Synopsis
- SGLT2 inhibitors may help lower the risk of all-cause dementia in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D), with studies showing a significantly lower incidence compared to those taking sulfonylureas.
- In a study involving over 35,000 T2D patients, 1.8% on SGLT2 inhibitors developed dementia versus 4.7% on sulfonylureas, indicating a risk difference of -2.5% across a 3.2-year follow-up.
- Subgroup analysis revealed that Hispanic ethnicity and chronic kidney disease influenced the risk reduction, suggesting that not all patients with T2D benefit equally from SGLT2 inhibitors
Article Synopsis
- Researchers are focusing on creating complex chiral molecules quickly using readily available materials, with radical-mediated alkene difunctionalizations being a promising method.
- An innovative asymmetric technique is introduced that utilizes photocatalysis and nickel catalysis to activate C-H bonds, allowing for efficient creation of two carbon-carbon bonds on alkenes.
- This method is simple to use, works with a variety of substrates, and offers excellent selectivity, making it suitable for synthesizing valuable pharmaceutical compounds.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines the chloroplast genome variation of 46 samples of a medicinal plant and its relatives, highlighting the need for research on their genetic diversity and phylogeny.
- The findings reveal substantial genetic variations, including thousands of single-nucleotide polymorphisms and indels, resulting in the identification of six variable genetic markers.
- Analysis shows that the samples form five distinct clades based on geography, indicating potential impacts of environmental barriers on genetic diversity and highlighting implications for conservation efforts.
Article Synopsis
- Anion-intercalation lithium metal batteries (AILMBs) are attractive because they are cost-effective and allow for quick charging and discharging using graphite cathodes.
- A new difluoroester electrolyte significantly enhances the performance of AILMBs by offering high oxidation resistance, nonflammability, and improved ionic conductivity, along with excellent compatibility with electrodes.
- These advancements lead to remarkable battery longevity, with minimal capacity loss over 10,000 cycles, and reliable performance even at low temperatures and under extreme conditions.
Article Synopsis
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias are progressive brain disorders that worsen over time, starting from normal cognition to advanced dementia.
- There's a need for better prediction models to identify individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at risk of progressing to AD, especially since many models currently overlook the impact of competing risks like death.
- This study focuses on creating a new prediction model for AD/ADRD that accounts for the risk of death in patients with MCI using a semi-competing risk approach.
Article Synopsis
- Electronic phenotyping is crucial for identifying specific patient groups, contributing to precision medicine and supporting various biomedical tasks like disease diagnosis and clinical trials.
- The rise of electronic health records and advanced machine learning has improved electronic phenotyping, but there is a lack of focus on fairness, which risks underrepresenting certain patient subgroups.
- This study examines bias in electronic phenotyping models for pneumonia and sepsis, testing nine phenotyping methods and five bias mitigation strategies to improve the equity of patient representation in healthcare.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers are exploring the effectiveness of CRISPR/Cas9 technology for specific cell depletion, which is crucial for studying cell function and tissue regeneration.
- Despite advancements, achieving complete depletion of targeted cells remains a challenge, prompting the investigation of using repetitive DNA sequences as targets.
- In zebrafish experiments, injecting a combination of CRISPR components significantly increased cell apoptosis, effectively reducing primordial germ cells (PGCs) to low levels, demonstrating the potential of this method for efficient cell target depletion.
DiscoverPath: A Knowledge Refinement and Retrieval System for Interdisciplinarity on Biomedical Research.
Yu-Neng Chuang Guanchu Wang Chia-Yuan Chang Kwei-Herng Lai Daochen Zha Ruixiang Tang Xiaoqian Jiang Xia Hu
Proc ACM Int Conf Inf Knowl Manag
October 2023
Article Synopsis
- The increasing volume of scholarly publications in interdisciplinary fields makes it hard for researchers to find relevant articles using traditional keyword searches.
- DiscoverPath is a knowledge graph-based search engine designed for biomedical research that employs advanced techniques like Named Entity Recognition (NER) and part-of-speech (POS) tagging to improve article retrieval.
- It offers a user-friendly interface that visualizes the knowledge graph, provides query recommendations, and helps users focus on relevant information, making interdisciplinary knowledge exploration more efficient.
Article Synopsis
- TCF12 is overexpressed in osteosarcoma tissues and is linked to poor patient outcomes and increased metastasis.
- Disruption of TCF12 function reduced aggressive behaviors like cell growth and migration in osteosarcoma cells.
- TCF12 activates SPHK1, leading to higher levels of sphingosine-1-phosphate, which promotes angiogenesis through the S1PR4/STAT3 signaling pathway.