Fixation Time Research Articles

The Role of Format Familiarity and Word Frequency in Chinese Reading.

For Chinese readers, reading from left to right is the norm, while reading from right to left is unfamiliar. This study comprises two experiments investigating how format familiarity and word frequency affect reading by Chinese people. Experiment 1 examines the roles of format familiarity (reading from left to right is the familiar Chinese format, and reading from right to left is the unfamiliar Chinese format) and word frequency in vocabulary recognition. Forty students read the same Chinese sentences from left to right and from right to left. Target words were divided into high and low frequency words. In Experiment 2, participants engaged in right-to-left reading training for 10 days to test whether their right-to-left reading performance could be improved. The study yields several main findings. First, format familiarity affects vocabulary recognition. Participants reading from left to right had shorter fixation times, higher skipping rates, and viewing positions closer to word center.. Second, word frequency affects vocabulary recognition in Chinese reading. Third, right-to-left reading training could improve reading performance. In the early indexes, the interaction effect of format familiarity and word frequency was significant. There was also a significant word-frequency effect from left to right but not from right to left. Therefore, word segmentation and vocabulary recognition may be sequential in Chinese reading.

Canine urothelial carcinoma: a pilot study of microRNA detection in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples and in normal urine.

We assessed the effects of fixation time in formalin and inclusion of surrounding tissue on microRNA (miRNA) cycle quantification (Cq) values in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) urothelial carcinoma (UC) tissue (n = 3), and the effect of conditions on miRNAs in urine from 1 healthy dog. MiRNAs were extracted using commercial kits and quantified using miRNA-specific fluorometry in normal bladder tissue scrolls, UC tissue cores, and bladder muscularis tissue cores from 4 FFPE bladder sections (3 UCs, 1 normal), plus 1 UC stored in formalin for 1, 8, 15, and 22 d before paraffin-embedding. Urine was collected from a healthy dog on 4 occasions; 1-mL aliquots were stored at 20, 4, -20, and -80°C for 4, 8, 24, and 48 h, and 1 and 2 wk. For both FFPE tissue and urine, we used reverse-transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) to quantify miR-143, miR-152, miR-181a, miR-214, miR-1842, and RNU6B in each tissue or sample, using miR-39 as an exogenous control gene. The Cq values were compared with ANOVA and t-tests. The time of tissue-fixation in formalin did not alter miRNA Cq values; inclusion of the muscularis layer resulted in a statistically different miRNA Cq profile for miR-152, miR-181a, and RNU6B in bladder tissue. MiRNAs in acellular urine were stable for up to 2 wk regardless of the storage temperature. Our findings support using stored FFPE and urine samples for miRNA detection; we recommend measuring miRNA only in the tissue of interest in FFPE sections.

Docking site complications analysis of Ilizarov bone transport technique in the treatment of tibial bone defects

BackgroundTreating long bone defects of the extremities caused by trauma, infection, tumours, and nonunion has been challenging for clinical orthopaedic surgeons. Bone transport techniques have the potential to treat bone defects. However, inevitable docking site complications related to bone transport techniques have been reported in many studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors associated with docking site complications in patients who underwent the Ilizarov bone transport technique for the treatment of tibial bone defects.MethodsThis retrospective study included 103 patients who underwent bone transport for the treatment of large bone defects in the tibia from October 2012 to October 2019. Patient demographic data, complications and clinical outcomes after a minimum of 2 years of follow-up were collected and retrospectively analysed. Additionally, univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to analyse the factors that may affect the development of docking site complications in patients with tibial bone defects treated with the Ilizarov bone transport technique. The clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Association for the Study and Application of the Ilizarov criteria (ASAMI) at the last clinical follow-up.ResultsAll 103 patients with an average follow-up of 27.5 months. The docking site complications rate per patient was 0.53, and delayed union occurred in 22 cases (21.4%), axial deviation occurred in 19 cases (18.4%) and soft tissue incarceration occurred in 10 cases (9.7%). According to the results of the logistic regression analysis, the bone defect length (P = 0.001, OR = 1.976), and bone defect of distal 1/3 (P = 0.01, OR = 1.976) were significantly correlated with delayed union. Bone defect length (P < 0.001, OR = 1.981) and external fixation time (P = 0.012, OR = 1.017) were significantly correlated with axial deviation. Soft tissue defects (P = 0.047, OR = 6.766) and the number of previous operations (P = 0.001, OR = 2.920) were significantly correlated with soft tissue incarceration. The ASAMI bone score at the last follow-up showed a rate of excellent and good bone results of 95.1% and a rate of excellent functional results of 90.3%.ConclusionThe Ilizarov bone transport technique is a practical and effective method for the treatment of tibial bone defects. However, the incidence of complications at the docking site is high, of which bone defect length, external fixation time, the number of previous operations, soft tissue defects and the bone defect of distal 1/3 are statistically significantly associated with the occurrence of docking site complications.

An eye on semantics: a study on the influence of concreteness and predictability on early fixation durations

ABSTRACT We used eye-tracking during natural reading to study how semantic control and representation mechanisms interact for the successful comprehension of sentences, by manipulating sentence context and single-word meaning. Specifically, we examined whether a word’s semantic characteristic (concreteness) affects first fixation and gaze durations (FFDs and GDs) and whether it interacts with the predictability of a word. We used a linear mixed effects model including several possible psycholinguistic covariates. We found a small but reliable main effect of concreteness and replicated a predictability effect on FFDs, but we found no interaction between the two. The results parallel previous findings of additive effects of predictability (context) and frequency (lexical level) in fixation times. Our findings suggest that the semantics of a word and the context created by the preceding words additively influence early stages of word processing in natural sentence reading.

Influence of formalin fixation duration on RNA quality and quantity from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded hepatocellular carcinoma tissues.

Analyzing RNA samples from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues is essential for precision medicine. We investigated RNA quantity and quality from FFPE tumor tissues fixed in formalin for various times and compared sequencing metrics from next-generation sequencing (NGS). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin (1-240 h) and FFPE blocks were prepared. Total RNA was extracted, and the quantity and quality were assessed using the NanoDrop, Qubit and Bioanalyzer. After preparing sequencing libraries, NGS was performed on the Oncomine Dx Multi-CDx system. Total RNA yields of all samples met the threshold required for NGS, but longer fixation times resulted in decreased total RNA and long RNA fragment (>200 nt) yields. NGS analysis showed fewer sequencing reads of internal control genes from RNA with longer fixation times. RNA extracted from FFPE blocks stored for 500 days had reduced RNA yield and quality compared with RNA obtained from FFPE blocks prepared immediately. In conclusion, short and over-fixation should be avoided because of their negative impact on sequencing quality. Fixation process should be finished promptly within recommended guidelines (6-72 h) for cancer patients.

Partisan voter model: Stochastic description and noise-induced transitions.

We give a comprehensive mean-field analysis of the partisan voter model (PVM) and report analytical results for exit probabilities, fixation times, and the quasistationary distribution. In addition, and similarly to the noisy voter model, we introduce a noisy version of the PVM, named the noisy partisan voter model (NPVM), which accounts for the preferences of each agent for the two possible states, as well as for idiosyncratic spontaneous changes of state. We find that the finite-size noise-induced transition of the noisy voter model is modified in the NPVM leading to the emergence of intermediate phases that were absent in the standard version of the noisy voter model, as well as to both continuous and discontinuous transitions.

Effects of smartwatch usage on Children’s street-crossing behavior and visual attention allocation: An experimental study on street crossing in a real road environment

The use of smartwatches is facilitating the lives of children. However, smartwatch usage while crossing a street may lead to distractions and traffic safety hazards. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of smartwatch usage on the street-crossing behavior and visual strategies of children. Twenty-two children were recruited, and 220 street-crossing experiments were performed in real road environments, including at signalized and unsignalized intersections. ANOVA and Kruskal–Wallis H test calibrations were used to analyze the street-crossing behavior between the control group (who performed a task without smartwatch distraction) and the experimental group (who performed four different tasks with smartwatch distraction), and to visualize and compare the visual behavior data of children crossing the street. The results showed that children wearing smartwatches crossed the street more slowly and had a relatively narrow range of visual search, focusing on only a small area of the zebra crossing around them and the crosswalk area within their sight, whereas children who did not wear smartwatches additionally focused on areas with dangerous oncoming traffic on the left and right sides. Children wearing smartwatches were under various mental workloads and distraction levels as they performed the various distracting tasks, with listening to stories being the least distracting and least intensive, followed by answering phone calls and viewing images; a simple arithmetic operation was the most distracting and intensive task. Children while performing the distracting tasks showed a lower street-crossing speed and scanned left and right fewer times; viewing images and performing the simple arithmetic task also increased their fixation time on the smartwatches, further affecting their street-crossing behavior and thus increasing the risk of collision. At signalized intersections, children paid more attention to hazardous oncoming traffic areas and exhibited cautious crossing behaviors compared with that at unsignalized intersections. This study elucidated the characteristics of the effects of smartwatch usage on the street-crossing behavior of children and the influence pattern of the visual attention allocation and revealed the hazards of smartwatch usage on the street-crossing safety. It can contribute to improving the safety cognition of children distracted by smartwatch usage and reducing the occurrence of distracting behaviors while crossing streets. The results can provide a theoretical basis for scientific interventions and safety improvement measures.

An eco-friendly approach: effect of fixation time on colour and comfort properties of digital printed fabric

This study will examine how digital printing affects clothing comfort on knitted fabrics from different raw materials. Garments significantly affect the heat exchange between the human body and the environment. Therefore, consumers prefer thermally balanced and effective moisture-controlled products in the selection of clothing. Air permeability is also important in explaining the comfort performance of the product in the textile industry. On the other hand, digital printing machines have become the centre of attention of consumers as a print type on which the desired pattern can be printed on the chosen fabric and more ecological, faster, and economical. However different printing processes can change the comfort characteristics of the garments. In this study, single jersey knitted fabrics 100% Ne 12/1 cotton, 100% Ne 30/1 cotton, and Ne 12/1 70% cotton + 30% Hemp were produced. Raw materials were bleached and singed, then coloured with digital printing. After that, air permeability, bursting strength, stiffness, ironing fastness, and SEM analyses were applied to samples when the results were determined, it was seen that heavier fabric will have higher stiffness. Also, thicker yarns have higher bursting strength. It follows that the cotton-hemp blended fibres (PK) have high unevenness, and the bursting strength of the fabrics produced from this raw material is lower than cotton fabrics (P12). Similarly, since the thin-thick place values of cotton-hemp blended yarns are high, porosity is one of the most important factors affecting air permeability in fabrics. This porous structure also increased the air permeability of the fabric.

Ethanol, Carnoy, and paraformaldehyde as fixative solutions for histological evaluation of preantral follicles in equine ovarian tissue

The most adequate fixative solution for equine ovarian tissue is still to be determined as a tool to evaluate the improvement of methodological studies in assisted reproductive techniques and fertility preservation. This study aimed to evaluate a short-time ethanol 70% (ST-EtOH, 45 min) exposure as an alternative fixative compared with two classically fixatives [Carnoy’s (CAR) solution and paraformaldehyde 4% (PFA)] at different fixation times (6 h, 12 h). The end points evaluated were morphology and classes of preantral follicles, follicular and stromal cell densities, and follicular and oocyte nuclear diameters in equine ovarian tissue. Ovaries (n = 6) from ovariectomized young mares were fragmented (3 × 3 × 1 mm; 20 fragments/ovary) and fixed in the tested treatments. Overall, a total of 11,661 preantral follicles were evaluated in 1444 histological slides. The ST-EtOH similarly preserved the preantral follicle morphometry and stromal cell density compared to the PFA fixative, regardless of the exposure time. Nonetheless, the CAR fixative solution had the greatest percentage of normal preantral follicles and the highest stromal cell density among all treatments. In conclusion, Carnoy’s solution must be preferred compared with ST-EtOH and PFA fixatives for studies concerning the cellular morphology of equine ovarian tissue. Moreover, ST-EtOH fixative is a good alternative for equine ovarian tissue when a quick histological evaluation is required instead of more time-consuming and expensive techniques. Additional studies concerning the impact of different fixatives on the ultrastructure of cellular populations and their compatibility with IHC and molecular techniques in equine ovarian tissue are warranted.

Effective factors of icons searching performance based on visual attention capture for the nuclear power plants

AbstractWith the rapid development of digital and intelligent information systems, the display of visual information on interfaces has become an important challenge in the field of human‐computer interaction, as well as the human‐computer interface of nuclear power plants. This paper examines effective factors affecting visual attention capture based on icons related to the human‐computer interface of nuclear power plants. Experiments were conducted on multiple factors of visual search tasks with reference to information features to analyze information display factors affecting visual cognitive performance. The experimental results showed that the three factors, icon shape, feature display, and target position, have a great effect on information searching performance. The main effect of reaction time on three factors all reached a significance level congruent with the effect on fixation time and pupil response. Eye gaze indexes of feature display factors presented an increasing trend, which indicates that the information block spends more time on cognitive processing than icon features in the human‐computer interface of nuclear power plants. Pupil diameter was dilated when searching icons under difficult visual cognition conditions, and when searching information blocks, pupils were dilated more than searching single icons. Therefore, shape highlighting of data icons in the human‐computer interface of nuclear power plants can effectively improve the attention capture of the operator's visual search, and the ease of icon discrimination is an influential factor in visual attention capture.

Gradual Correction of Valgus Deformities of the Tibia Using a Monolateral External Fixator.

To present a review of patients subjected to gradual correction of a valgus deformity of the tibia using a monolateral external fixator. This retrospective review included patients from January 2012 to May 2022 who met the following inclusion criteria: deviation of mechanical axis of the limb due to valgus deformity of the tibia; tibial deformity in the coronal plane on radiographic examination; a documented outpatient pre-operative evaluation by an orthopaedic surgeon and age between 10 and 70 years. The following exclusion criteria were applied: the presence of another tibia deformity preventing gradual correction using the proposed assembly; skin conditions incompatible with the surgical procedure; inadequate pre- or post-operative radiological evaluation; and insufficient information in the medical records. The mean age of patients with a valgus deformity of the tibia was 30.8 ± 15.9 years. These patients had a body mass index (BMI) of 26.1 ± 5.5 kg/m2. A congenital or developmental aetiology was attributed to 58.3% of the cases. Most commonly, the deformity was found in the middle third of the tibia with a mean deformity of 14.7 ± 6.6 degrees. The total external fixator time ranged from 73 to 229 days (average 149.7 ± 36.1 days). The mean medial proximal and lateral distal tibial angles differed significantly for pre- and post-operative measurements (p ≤ 0.05). There were complications in eight cases; five cases of pin site infections, two cases of medial cortical fracture and one case of peroneal nerve neuropraxia. The proposed correction technique produces a satisfactory angular correction and with similar outcomes as described in the literature. Motta DP, Faria JLR, Couto A, et al. Gradual Correction of Valgus Deformities of the Tibia Using a Monolateral External Fixator. Strategies Trauma Limb Reconstr 2023;18(2):123-132.

Reverse Micellar Dyeing of Cotton Fabric with Reactive Dye Using Biodegradable Non-Ionic Surfactant as Nanoscale Carrier: An Optimisation Study by One-Factor-at-One-Time Approach.

This study investigates the feasibility of using biodegradable secondary alcohol ethoxylate (SAE) non-ionic surfactant as a building block for the formation of reverse micelles, functioning as reactive dye carriers for the dyeing of cotton fabric in non-aqueous octane medium. Ten dyeing parameters were optimised, by a one-factor-at-a-time approach, namely: (i) effect of colour fixation agent; (ii) surfactant-to-water mole ratio; (iii) surfactant-to-co-surfactant mole ratio; (iv) volume of soda ash; (v) volume of dye; (vi) solvent-to-cotton ratio; (vii) dyeing temperature; (viii) dyeing time; (ix) fixation time; (x) soda-ash-to-cotton ratio. The colour properties, fastness properties and physical properties of SAE-dyed samples were experimentally compared with the conventional water-dyed samples. The optimised condition was found when SAE samples were dyed as follows: (a) 1:20 surfactant-to-water ratio; (b) 1:8 surfactant-to-co-surfactant ratio; (c) 10:1 solvent ratio; (d) 40 min dyeing time; (e) 60 min fixation time; and (f) 70 °C dyeing and fixation temperature. The results showed that SAE-dyed samples have better colour strength, lower reflectance percentage and comparable levelness, fastness and physical properties than that of water-dyed samples. SEM images revealed that the dyed cotton fibres had no severe surface damage caused by an SAE-based reverse micellar dyeing system. The TEM image depicts that the reverse micelle was of nanoscale, spherical-shaped and had a core-shell structure, validating the presence of reverse micelle as a reactive dye carrier and the potential of an SAE-based reverse micellar system for dyeing of cotton fabrics.

Timing to Rib Fixation in Patients With Flail Chest

IntroductionFlail chest (FC) after blunt trauma is associated with significant morbidity and prolonged hospitalizations. The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between timing of rib fixation (ORIF) and pulmonary morbidity and mortality in patients with FC. MethodsFC patients were identified from the Trauma Quality Improvement Program database over 3-year, ending 2019. Demographics, severity of injury and shock, time to ORIF, pulmonary morbidity, and mortality were recorded. Youden's index identified optimal time to ORIF. Patients were compared based on undergoing ORIF versus nonoperative management, then for patients undergoing ORIF based on time from admission to operation, utilizing Youden's index to determine the preferred time for fixation. Multivariable logistic regression determined predictors of pulmonary morbidity and mortality. Results20,457 patients were identified: 3347 (16.4%) underwent ORIF. The majority were male (73%) with median age and injury severity score of 58 and 22, respectively. Patients undergoing ORIF were clinically similar to those managed nonoperatively but had increased pulmonary morbidity (27.6 versus 15.2%, P < 0.0001) and reduced mortality (2.9 versus 11.7%, P < 0.0001). Multivariable logistic regression identified ORIF as the only modifiable risk factor significantly associated with reduced mortality (odds ratio: 0.26; 95% CI:0.21-0.32, P < 0.0001). Youden's index identified the inflection point for time to ORIF as 4 d postinjury: EARLY (≤4 d) and LATE (>4 d). EARLY fixation was associated with a significant decrease in ventilator days, intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, and pulmonary morbidity. ConclusionsPatients undergoing ORIF for FC experienced increased pulmonary morbidity; however, had an associated reduced mortality benefit compared to the nonoperative cohort. EARLY ORIF was associated with a reduction in pulmonary morbidity, without impacting the mortality benefit found with ORIF. Thus, for patients with FC, ORIF performed within 4 d postinjury may help reduce pulmonary morbidity, length of stay, and mortality.

Poor socioeconomic status is associated with delayed femoral fracture fixation in adolescent patients

IntroductionHealthcare disparities continue to exist in pediatric orthopedic care. Femur fractures are the most common diaphyseal fracture and the leading cause of pediatric orthopedic hospitalization. Prompt time to surgical fixation of femur fractures is associated with improved outcomes. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate associations between socioeconomic status and timing of femoral fixation in adolescents on a nationwide level. MethodsThe 2016–2020 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was queried using International Classification of Disease, 10th edition (ICD-10) codes for repair of femur fractures. Patients between the ages of 10 and 19 years of age with a principal diagnosis of femur fracture were selected. Patients transferred from outside hospitals were excluded. Baseline demographics and characteristics were described. Patients were categorized as poor socioeconomic status (PSES) if they were classified in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's (HCUP) lowest 50th percentile median income household categories and on Medicaid insurance. The primary outcome studied was timing to femur fixation. Delayed fixation was defined as fixation occurring after 24 h of admission. Secondary outcomes included length of stay (LOS) and discharge disposition. ResultsFrom 2016–2020, 10,715 adolescent patients underwent femur fracture repair throughout the United States. Of those, 765 (7.1 %) underwent late fixation. PSES and non-white race were consistently associated with late fixation, even when controlling for injury severity. Late fixation was associated with decreased rate of routine discharge (p < 0.01), increased LOS (p < 0.01) and increased total charges (p < 0.01). ConclusionPatients of PSES or non-white race were more likely to experience delayed femoral fracture fixation. Delayed fixation led to worse outcomes and increased healthcare resource utilization. Research studying healthcare disparities may provide insight for improved provider education, implicit bias training, and comprehensive standardization of care.

Evaluation of osteosynthesis of miniplate versus lag screw in management of mandibular angle fracture - A comparative study

The aim of the study was to compare lag screw and standard (Champy’s) miniplate fixation in the management of mandibular angle fractures and to analyze advantages and disadvantages of one over the other. A total of 30 patients involving mandibular angle fracture reporting to the Department of Oral, Maxillofacial and Reconstructive Surgery, Bapuji Dental College and Hospital, Davangere, were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups randomly. The procedure was carried out under general anesthesia. Following strict aseptic precautions, an appropriate intraoral/extra-oral incision was selected; fracture site identified, reduced, and after obtaining satisfactory occlusion, temporary maxillo-mandibular fixation was placed using either Erich’s arch bar or Ivy loop eyelet wiring. Fixation was done using either standard miniplate (Group 1) or lag screw (Group 2). The patients were followed up for a period of 2 months at the interval of 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks by a blinded experienced oral surgeon for infection, segmental mobility, postoperative occlusion and radiological evaluation of reduction and fixation. Duration of fixation was found to be less in lag screw group than in miniplate group. Radiological evaluation of reduction and fixation was significant in both the groups. No significant difference was found between both the groups in clinical parameters such as infection, segmental mobility and postoperative occlusion. The clinical outcomes of both the lag screw system and standard miniplate systems in the present study were similar. However, the following advantages with the use of lag screw can be highlighted: Relatively lesser fixation time, Superior fracture fragment stability, fewer complications, Stable occlusion &amp; less hardware, less cost required.

Osteoperiosteal Iliac Autograft Transplantation for Unreconstructable Tibial Plafond After Malunions of Pilon Fractures in Young Patients.

Malunion of tibial pilon fracture, especially with a large cartilage loss of the tibial plafond, is a tough clinical conundrum. This study describes a joint-preserving technique that mainly involves corrective intraarticular osteotomy and osteoperiosteal iliac autograft transplantation for treating these generally considered unreconstructable tibial plafond. Sixteen patients with an average age of 33.6 years who were treated with this joint-preserving method between 2013 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Ankle distraction was applied in all patients. Additional osteochondral autograft transplantation for talus was performed in 4 patients and supramalleolar osteotomy in 2 patients. The visual analog scale (VAS) score, the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) score, and the ankle range of motion (ROM) were used for outcome analysis. Radiographic assessment was conducted, and the complications were recorded. At a mean follow-up of 41.1 months, the mean VAS, AOFAS, and SF-36 scores improved from 6.3, 47.6, and 38.0 to 1.7, 84.4, and 70.8, respectively (P < .001 for each). The ankle ROM improved from 27.5 to 32.2 degrees (P = .023). The mean area of ilium blocks was 3.5 cm2, and the mean external fixation time was 94.1 days. Radiographs showed that good osteointegration was found in all patients and no significant progression of osteoarthritis in 15 patients. The major complications included poor incision healing in 2 patients and severe ankle stiffness in 2 patients, with one of them developing considerable varus-type osteoarthritis but reporting no pain. No deep infection, nonunion, or malunion occurred, and no secondary arthrodesis was performed during the final follow-up. Osteoperiosteal iliac autograft transplantation might be an alternative surgical option for reconstructing unreconstructable malunited pilon fractures with a large cartilage loss of the tibial plafond in young patients. Level IV, case series.

Transcriptomic profiling of nuclei from paraformaldehyde-fixed and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded brain tissues

BackgroundParaformaldehyde (PFA) fixation is necessary for histochemical staining, and formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue archives are the largest repository of clinically annotated specimens. Single-cell gene expression workflows have recently been developed for PFA-fixed and FFPE tissue specimens. However, for tissues where intact cells are hard to recover, including tissues containing highly interconnected neurons, single-nuclear transcriptomics is beneficial. Moreover, since RNA is very unstable, the effects of standard pathological practice on the transcriptome of samples obtained from such archived specimens like FFPE samples are largely anecdotal. ResultsWe evaluated the effects of polyformaldehyde (PFA) fixation and paraffin-embedding on transcriptional profiles of the mouse hippocampus obtained by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). The transcriptomic signatures of nuclei isolated from fresh PFA-fixed and fresh FFPE tissues were comparable to those of cryopreserved samples. However, more differentially expressed genes were obtained for brains after PFA fixation for more than 3 days than in fresh PFA-fixed samples, especially genes involved in spliceosome and synaptic-related pathways. Importantly, the real cell states were destroyed, with oligodendrocyte precursor cells depleted in the 1day fixed hippocampus. After fixation for 3 days, the proportions of neuronal cells and oligodendrocytes decreased and microglia increased; however, relative frequencies remained constant for longer fixation durations. The storage time of FFPE samples had a negligible effect on the cell composition. SignificanceThis represents the first work to investigate the effects of fixation and storage time of brains on its nuclear transcriptome signatures in detail. The fixation time had more influences on the nuclear transcriptomic profiles than FFPE retention time, and the cliff-like effects appeared to occur over a fixed period of 1–3 days. These findings are expected to guide sample preparation for single-nucleus RNA-seq of FFPE samples, particularly in transcriptomic studies focused on brain diseases.

Identification of diagnostic markers for ASD: a restrictive interest analysis based on EEG combined with eye tracking.

Electroencephalography (EEG) functional connectivity (EFC) and eye tracking (ET) have been explored as objective screening methods for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but no study has yet evaluated restricted and repetitive behavior (RRBs) simultaneously to infer early ASD diagnosis. Typically developing (TD) children (n = 27) and ASD (n = 32), age- and sex-matched, were evaluated with EFC and ET simultaneously, using the restricted interest stimulus paradigm. Network-based machine learning prediction (NBS-predict) was used to identify ASD. Correlations between EFC, ET, and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2) were performed. The Area Under the Curve (AUC) of receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) was measured to evaluate the predictive performance. Under high restrictive interest stimuli (HRIS), ASD children have significantly higher α band connectivity and significantly more total fixation time (TFT)/pupil enlargement of ET relative to TD children (p = 0.04299). These biomarkers were not only significantly positively correlated with each other (R = 0.716, p = 8.26e-4), but also with ADOS total scores (R = 0.749, p = 34e-4) and RRBs sub-score (R = 0.770, p = 1.87e-4) for EFC (R = 0.641, p = 0.0148) for TFT. The accuracy of NBS-predict in identifying ASD was 63.4%. ROC curve demonstrated TFT with 91 and 90% sensitivity, and 78.7% and 77.4% specificity for ADOS total and RRB sub-scores, respectively. Simultaneous EFC and ET evaluation in ASD is highly correlated with RRB symptoms measured by ADOS-2. NBS-predict of EFC offered a direct prediction of ASD. The use of both EFC and ET improve early ASD diagnosis.

The Effects of Quiet Eye Training on Attention in Children with ADHD.

Based on linkage between attention control, gaze and visuomotor control, previous studies suggested that quiet eye training (QET) could improve attention control. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of QET-based visuomotor intervention on different aspects of attention in children with ADHD. Fifty seven children with ADHD aged 9-12 years, were tested on focused, tonic and phasic attention, as well as attention control during a throwing task analysed via eye tracking, in pre- and post-test sessions, six weeks apart. The QET group that underwent specific 5-week QET-based intervention significantly increased focused attention including its accuracy aspect. Reaction times (RTs) and intraindividual RT variability under non-alert and alert conditions as measures of tonic and phasic attention did not change over time in either group. In contrast with the control (CON) group, an extended total time of eye fixations during the pre-throw and throw phase was found in the QET group after the intervention. The results of this study suggest that focused attention in children with ADHD can be improved by a short-term QET-based visuomotor intervention. Future research needs to examine the effects of a longer QET-based intervention, or the intervention in combination with other cognitive training of attention.

Machine learning for distinguishing saudi children with and without autism via eye-tracking data

BackgroundDespite the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) globally, there’s a knowledge gap pertaining to autism in Arabic nations. Recognizing the need for validated biomarkers for ASD, our study leverages eye-tracking technology to understand gaze patterns associated with ASD, focusing on joint attention (JA) and atypical gaze patterns during face perception. While previous studies typically evaluate a single eye-tracking metric, our research combines multiple metrics to capture the multidimensional nature of autism, focusing on dwell times on eyes, left facial side, and joint attention.MethodsWe recorded data from 104 participants (41 neurotypical, mean age: 8.21 ± 4.12 years; 63 with ASD, mean age 8 ± 3.89 years). The data collection consisted of a series of visual stimuli of cartoon faces of humans and animals, presented to the participants in a controlled environment. During each stimulus, the eye movements of the participants were recorded and analyzed, extracting metrics such as time to first fixation and dwell time. We then used these data to train a number of machine learning classification algorithms, to determine if these biomarkers can be used to diagnose ASD.ResultsWe found no significant difference in eye-dwell time between autistic and control groups on human or animal eyes. However, autistic individuals focused less on the left side of both human and animal faces, indicating reduced left visual field (LVF) bias. They also showed slower response times and shorter dwell times on congruent objects during joint attention (JA) tasks, indicating diminished reflexive joint attention. No significant difference was found in time spent on incongruent objects during JA tasks. These results suggest potential eye-tracking biomarkers for autism. The best-performing algorithm was the random forest one, which achieved accuracy = 0.76 ± 0.08, precision = 0.78 ± 0.13, recall = 0.84 ± 0.07, and F1 = 0.80 ± 0.09.ConclusionsAlthough the autism group displayed notable differences in reflexive joint attention and left visual field bias, the dwell time on eyes was not significantly different. Nevertheless, the machine algorithm model trained on these data proved effective at diagnosing ASD, showing the potential of these biomarkers. Our study shows promising results and opens up potential for further exploration in this under-researched geographical context.