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Accurate understanding of traffic signs is integral to driving safety. Questionnaires and behavior tests are usually used to measure sign comprehension. However, biometric indicators have also been developed to measure sign comprehension. This study investigated neural indicators underlying traffic sign understanding by measuring event-related potentials (ERPs). A stimulus 1–stimulus 2 paradigm was adopted. A sign identification experiment was conducted independently in a laboratory setting with 60 participants divided into two groups. ERPs and brain topographies were analyzed to evaluate traffic sign comprehension. Misunderstanding was associated with greater amplitudes of the N300 and N400. The study demonstrates that the N300 and N400 are effective neural indicators for evaluating sign comprehension and can be used for predicting drivers’ sign comprehension and behavior.

Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) development. The purpose of this study is to explore the function and mechanism of circRNA fragile mental retardation 2 (circ-AFF2) in the processes of rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RAFLSs). Methods Circ-AFF2, microRNA (miR)-650, and 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase (CNP) levels were determined in synovial tissues of RA and RAFLSs by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or Western blotting. Cell proliferation, inflammatory response, apoptosis, caspase3 activity, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were investigated using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), flow cytometry, Transwell, and Western blotting analyses. Dual-luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), and pull-down assays were performed to assess the binding relationship. Results Circ-AFF2 expression level was enhanced in synovial tissues of RA and RAFLSs. Circ-AFF2 overexpression facilitated cell proliferation, inflammatory response, migration, invasion, and EMT and repressed apoptosis in RAFLSs. Circ-AFF2 downregulation played an opposite role. Circ-AFF2 targeted miR-650, and miR-650 downregulation reversed the effect of circ-AFF2 interference on RAFLS processes. CNP was targeted by miR-650, and circ-AFF2 increased CNP expression by regulating miR-650. MiR-650 overexpression constrained cell proliferation, inflammatory response, migration, invasion, and EMT and contributed to apoptosis by decreasing CNP in RAFLSs. Conclusion Circ-AFF2 promoted proliferation, inflammatory response, migration, and invasion of RAFLSs by modulating the miR-650/CNP axis.

Previous studies have examined the influence of usability, ease of use, and usefulness on enhancing older adults’ intentions to use virtual agents. However, they have overlooked the impact of doctor-patient relationships. To explore how to improve older adults’ trust and usage intentions, this study expanded Technology Acceptance Model with perceived medical narrativity, medical presence, subjective norms. Data from 230 older adults were collected through online and offline surveys. Structural equation modeling results revealed that perceived ease of use is influenced by subjective norms and perceived medical narrativity. Subjective norms influenced older adults’ medical presence, but perceived medical narrativity did not have the same effect. Medical presence is positively related to older adults’ trust, thus influencing their usage intentions. Perceived usefulness directly influences intention to use, while perceived ease of use influences intention through the mediation of trust and perceived usefulness. This study combines doctor-patient relationships factors with technology perception factors, contributing to the exploration of how social factors can be integrated into technology use.

Asthma is a complex disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation, and obesity can exacerbate its pathological process and reduce the efficacy of conventional treatment. In this study, we constructed an obese asthma mouse model by combining a high-fat diet with ovalbumin (OVA) to investigate the effects and mechanisms of metformin on airway inflammation in obese asthma mice. ELISA was used to detect serum IL-1β, IL-18 and leptin levels, HE staining was used to assess the pathological changes in lung tissue, and Western blot and QRT-PCR were used to analyze the expression of proteins and mRNAs related to the AMPK/NLRP3 signaling pathway. The results demonstrated that the obesity-associated asthma group exhibited significantly higher airway inflammation scores and proportions of leukocyte subtypes (particularly eosinophils) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) compared to the normal asthma group ( P  < 0.05). Additionally, pulmonary expression of p-AMPK was downregulated, while levels of inflammatory mediators including NLRP3 , Caspase-1 , as well as IL-1β, IL-18, and leptin, were markedly elevated.Following metformin intervention, the aforementioned inflammatory parameters were significantly ameliorated: p-AMPK expression was upregulated, NLRP3 inflammasome activation was suppressed, and levels of IL-1β, IL-18, and leptin were reduced ( P  < 0.05). In conclusion, mechanistic investigations indicate that metformin treatment leads to increased AMPK phosphorylation, reduced expression of NLRP3/Caspase-1 , and decreased release of downstream inflammatory cytokines. These findings suggest a potential regulatory relationship between metformin intervention and the activation of AMPK coupled with inhibition of the NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway. Collectively, the results support the promising role of metformin in alleviating obesity-related asthma via modulation of the AMPK/NLRP3 signaling axis.

As urbanization quickens, the role of public art in urban landscape design gains prominence. Nevertheless, how stylistic characteristics of landscape public art affect aesthetic preferences remains insufficiently discussed, particularly with objective assessment methods. The use of event-related potential (ERP) can offer neurophysiological evidence to support research and practice in landscape art design. We employed a 2 (artistic features) × 2 (professional proficiency) repeated-measures design, involving abstract and figurative experimental stimuli; both experts and non-experts participated, with their aesthetic reactions and relevant electroencephalographic data recorded. Behavioral findings show a preference for figurative public artworks regardless of professional background. From neurophysiological outcomes, stimuli elicit an elevated N100 during early perceptual processing, signifying increased attentional resources. During aesthetic processing, figurative stimuli more effectively evoke positive emotions, particularly among professionals, yielding a heightened P200 response. Conversely, abstract stimuli may evoke a higher N200 amplitude, reflecting augmented negative biases. Nevertheless, non-experts exhibit no marked differences in their stimulus responses during aesthetic processing. Research indicates that low-level physical attributes of public artworks are initially noted, while the visual processing of artistic traits lies at a higher perceptual level, necessitating specialized expertise involvement. Furthermore, the complexity of visual perceptual processing plays a significant role in the assessment of landscape art preferences. This study not only offers crucial reference indices for designing urban landscapes that satisfy diverse public aesthetic needs but also lays the foundation for neural techniques to assess landscape design preferences and expands the field of landscape design research.

Oxidation intermediates in a DNA repair dioxygenase The AlkB type proteins are demethylases that are thought to play a part in DNA repair by oxidatively removing methyl adducts on DNA, RNA and histones. Yi et al . have determined the structure of AlkB oxygenase crystallized in complex with various modified DNAs. By growing the crystals under anaerobic conditions and then exposing them to dioxygen to initiate oxidation, two different intermediates were trapped. A third type of intermediate was determined using additional computational analysis. These structures provide detailed mechanistic insight into how these enzymes perform oxidative demethylation. Mononuclear iron-containing oxygenases have many important roles in the cell, including the demethylation of DNA and histones. These authors crystallized the AlkB oxygenase in complex with various modified DNAs. By growing the crystals under anaerobic conditions and then exposing them to dioxygen to initiate oxidation, two different intermediates were trapped. A third type of intermediate was determined using additional computational analysis. These structures provide insight into how these enzymes perform oxidative demethylation. Mononuclear iron-containing oxygenases conduct a diverse variety of oxidation functions in biology 1 , 2 , including the oxidative demethylation of methylated nucleic acids and histones 3 , 4 . Escherichia coli AlkB is the first such enzyme that was discovered to repair methylated nucleic acids 5 , 6 , which are otherwise cytotoxic and/or mutagenic. AlkB human homologues are known to play pivotal roles in various processes 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 . Here we present structural characterization of oxidation intermediates for these demethylases. Using a chemical cross-linking strategy 12 , 13 , complexes of AlkB–double stranded DNA (dsDNA) containing 1,N 6 -etheno adenine (εA), N 3 -methyl thymine (3-meT) and N 3 -methyl cytosine (3-meC) are stabilized and crystallized, respectively. Exposing these crystals, grown under anaerobic conditions containing iron(II) and α-ketoglutarate (αKG), to dioxygen initiates oxidation in crystallo . Glycol (from εA) and hemiaminal (from 3-meT) intermediates are captured; a zwitterionic intermediate (from 3-meC) is also proposed, based on crystallographic observations and computational analysis. The observation of these unprecedented intermediates provides direct support for the oxidative demethylation mechanism for these demethylases. This study also depicts a general mechanistic view of how a methyl group is oxidatively removed from different biological substrates.

Background Circular RNA (circRNA) has been shown to be associated with osteoarthritis (OA) progression. Circ_0116061 has been found to be highly expressed in OA cartilage tissues, but its role and mechanism in OA progression remain unclear. Methods Expression levels of circ_0116061, microRNA (miR)-200b-5p, and Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor 2 (SMURF2) were detected using quantitative real-time PCR. The proliferation and apoptosis of cells were measured using cell counting kit 8 (CCK8) assay, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry. Furthermore, the protein levels of proliferation-related marker, apoptosis-related markers, inflammatory factors, and SMURF2 were tested using western blot (WB) analysis. In addition, the interaction between miR-200b-3p and circ_0116061 or SMURF2 was examined using dual-luciferase reporter assay and biotin-labeled RNA pull-down assay. Results Circ_0116061 and SMURF2 were highly expressed, and miR-200b-3p was lowly expressed in OA cartilage tissues. Knockdown of circ_0116061 could promote the proliferation and inhibit the apoptosis and inflammation of OA chondrocytes. MiR-200b-3p could be sponged by circ_0116061, and its inhibitor could reverse the regulation of circ_0116061 silencing on the biological functions of OA chondrocytes. SMURF2 was a target of miR-200b-3p, and its expression was positively regulated by circ_0116061. Silencing of SMURF2 also could enhance the proliferation and suppress the apoptosis and inflammation of OA chondrocytes. Furthermore, the regulation of circ_0116061 silencing on the biological functions of OA chondrocytes also could be reversed by SMURF2 overexpression. Conclusion Our data showed that circ_0116061 might regulate the miR-200b-3p/SMURF2 axis to promote the progression of OA. Keywords: Osteoarthritis, Chondrocytes, Circ_0116061, MiR-200b-3p, SMURF2

Early pulmonary rehabilitation is recommended for patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, yet challenges like monotony and poor adherence remain. This study evaluated a novel multi-parameter respiratory trainer against traditional methods. In a randomized controlled trial, 90 patients were assigned to three groups: multi-parameter device, three-ball trainer, or pursed-lip breathing, alongside standard medication. The primary outcomes were dyspnea, health status, and exercise capacity, with psychological status and lung function as secondary outcomes. Baseline data were comparable. Post-treatment, the multi-parameter device group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in dyspnea, CAT score, six-minute walking distance, and depression and anxiety scores compared to both traditional groups. For lung function, this group also showed superior improvement in FEV1 change versus the pursed-lip breathing group. All three groups showed significant within-group improvements. The intervention was safe, with no adverse events reported. Under supervised inpatient conditions, the multi-parameter respiratory training device is safe and effective for short-term pulmonary rehabilitation in AECOPD patients, offering superior improvements in patient-centered outcomes compared with conventional methods. However, the evidence is limited to supervised inpatient settings, and the device should be considered a complementary option to, not a replacement for, basic respiratory training when resources permit.

Design aesthetics is playing an important role in design education, as well as design practice. Certain biological signals can reveal people’s attitudes toward design works. This study used eye movement data to examine the effect of design aesthetics and professional background on viewing strategies of design proposals. Participants were asked to observe 12 excavator design proposals while their eye movement data were recorded. Experiment was designed and conducted. Through a series of statistical analyses, the results showed that design aesthetics had main effect on dwell time and fixation count in different areas of interest. The most appealing design proposals obtained more fixations and longer duration than the unappealing ones. Besides, professional background significantly influenced the scan paths of design proposals. The comparison of viewing sequences showed that industrial design students were more flexible, while engineering students followed the similar viewing sequence.

Background Circular RNA (circRNA) has been shown to be associated with osteoarthritis (OA) progression. Circ_0116061 has been found to be highly expressed in OA cartilage tissues, but its role and mechanism in OA progression remain unclear. Methods Expression levels of circ_0116061, microRNA (miR)-200b-5p, and Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor 2 (SMURF2) were detected using quantitative real-time PCR. The proliferation and apoptosis of cells were measured using cell counting kit 8 (CCK8) assay, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry. Furthermore, the protein levels of proliferation-related marker, apoptosis-related markers, inflammatory factors, and SMURF2 were tested using western blot (WB) analysis. In addition, the interaction between miR-200b-3p and circ_0116061 or SMURF2 was examined using dual-luciferase reporter assay and biotin-labeled RNA pull-down assay. Results Circ_0116061 and SMURF2 were highly expressed, and miR-200b-3p was lowly expressed in OA cartilage tissues. Knockdown of circ_0116061 could promote the proliferation and inhibit the apoptosis and inflammation of OA chondrocytes. MiR-200b-3p could be sponged by circ_0116061, and its inhibitor could reverse the regulation of circ_0116061 silencing on the biological functions of OA chondrocytes. SMURF2 was a target of miR-200b-3p, and its expression was positively regulated by circ_0116061. Silencing of SMURF2 also could enhance the proliferation and suppress the apoptosis and inflammation of OA chondrocytes. Furthermore, the regulation of circ_0116061 silencing on the biological functions of OA chondrocytes also could be reversed by SMURF2 overexpression. Conclusion Our data showed that circ_0116061 might regulate the miR-200b-3p/SMURF2 axis to promote the progression of OA.