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Molecular Psychiatry Jan 2023Oxytocin, a neuropeptide known for its role in reproduction and socioemotional processes, may hold promise as a therapeutic agent in treating social impairments in... (Review)
Review
Oxytocin, a neuropeptide known for its role in reproduction and socioemotional processes, may hold promise as a therapeutic agent in treating social impairments in patient populations. However, research has yet to uncover precisely how to manipulate this system for clinical benefit. Moreover, inconsistent use of standardized and validated oxytocin measurement methodologies-including the design and study of hormone secretion and biochemical assays-present unresolved challenges. Human studies measuring peripheral (i.e., in plasma, saliva, or urine) or central (i.e., in cerebrospinal fluid) oxytocin concentrations have involved very diverse methods, including the use of different assay techniques, further compounding this problem. In the present review, we describe the scientific value in measuring human endogenous oxytocin concentrations, common issues in biochemical analysis and study design that researchers face when doing so, and our recommendations for improving studies using valid and reliable methodologies.
Topics: Humans; Oxytocin; Neuropeptides; Saliva; Research Design; Plasma
PubMed: 35999276
DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01719-z -
Micromachines Aug 2023The research on the remote control of manipulators based on flexible sensor technology is gradually extensive. In order to achieve stable, accurate, and efficient... (Review)
Review
The research on the remote control of manipulators based on flexible sensor technology is gradually extensive. In order to achieve stable, accurate, and efficient control of the manipulator, it is necessary to reasonably design the structure of the sensor with excellent tensile strength and flexibility. The acquisition of manual information by high-performance sensors is the basis of manipulator control. This paper starts with the manufacturing of materials of the flexible sensor for the manipulator, introduces the substrate, sensor, and flexible electrode materials, respectively, and summarizes the performance of different flexible sensors. From the perspective of manufacturing, it introduces their basic principles and compares their advantages and disadvantages. Then, according to the different ways of wearing, the two control methods of data glove control and surface EMG control are respectively introduced, the principle, control process, and detection accuracy are summarized, and the problems of material microstructure, reducing the cost, optimizing the circuit design and so on are emphasized in this field. Finally, the commercial application in this field is explained and the future research direction is proposed from two aspects: how to ensure real-time control and better receive the feedback signal from the manipulator.
PubMed: 37763860
DOI: 10.3390/mi14091697 -
BMC Medical Research Methodology Feb 2021Natural or quasi experiments are appealing for public health research because they enable the evaluation of events or interventions that are difficult or impossible to... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Natural or quasi experiments are appealing for public health research because they enable the evaluation of events or interventions that are difficult or impossible to manipulate experimentally, such as many policy and health system reforms. However, there remains ambiguity in the literature about their definition and how they differ from randomized controlled experiments and from other observational designs. We conceptualise natural experiments in the context of public health evaluations and align the study design to the Target Trial Framework.
METHODS
A literature search was conducted, and key methodological papers were used to develop this work. Peer-reviewed papers were supplemented by grey literature.
RESULTS
Natural experiment studies (NES) combine features of experiments and non-experiments. They differ from planned experiments, such as randomized controlled trials, in that exposure allocation is not controlled by researchers. They differ from other observational designs in that they evaluate the impact of events or process that leads to differences in exposure. As a result they are, in theory, less susceptible to bias than other observational study designs. Importantly, causal inference relies heavily on the assumption that exposure allocation can be considered 'as-if randomized'. The target trial framework provides a systematic basis for evaluating this assumption and the other design elements that underpin the causal claims that can be made from NES.
CONCLUSIONS
NES should be considered a type of study design rather than a set of tools for analyses of non-randomized interventions. Alignment of NES to the Target Trial framework will clarify the strength of evidence underpinning claims about the effectiveness of public health interventions.
Topics: Bias; Causality; Humans; Public Health; Research Design
PubMed: 33573595
DOI: 10.1186/s12874-021-01224-x -
Frontiers in Bioengineering and... 2022Micro-spiral has a wide range of applications in smart materials, such as drug delivery, deformable materials, and micro-scale electronic devices by utilizing the...
Micro-spiral has a wide range of applications in smart materials, such as drug delivery, deformable materials, and micro-scale electronic devices by utilizing the manipulation of electric fields, magnetic fields, and flow fields. However, it is incredibly challenging to achieve a massively parallel manipulation of the micro-spiral to form a particular microstructure in these conventional methods. Here, a simple method is reported for assembling micro-spirals into various microstructures optoelectronic tweezers (OETs), which can accurately manipulate the micro-/bio-particles by projecting light patterns. The manipulation force of micro-spiral is analyzed and simulated first by the finite element simulation. When the micro-spiral lies at the bottom of the microfluidic chip, it can be translated or rotated toward the target position by applying control forces simultaneously at multiple locations on the long axis of the micro-spiral. Through the OET manipulation, the length of the micro-spiral chain can reach 806.45 μm. Moreover, the different parallel manipulation modes are achieved by utilizing multiple light spots. The results show that the micro- can be manipulated by a real-time local light pattern and be flexibly assembled into design microstructures by OETs, such as a T-shape circuit, link lever, and micro-coil pairs of devices. This assembly method using OETs has promising potential in fabricating innovative materials and microdevices for practical engineering applications.
PubMed: 35387303
DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.868821 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... May 2021Harnessing placebo and nocebo effects has significant implications for research and medical practice. Placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia, the most well-studied... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Harnessing placebo and nocebo effects has significant implications for research and medical practice. Placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia, the most well-studied placebo and nocebo effects, are thought to initiate from the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and then trigger the brain's descending pain modulatory system and other pain regulation pathways. Combining repeated transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), an expectancy manipulation model, and functional MRI, we investigated the modulatory effects of anodal and cathodal tDCS at the right DLPFC on placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia using a randomized, double-blind and sham-controlled design. We found that compared with sham tDCS, active tDCS could 1) boost placebo and blunt nocebo effects and 2) modulate brain activity and connectivity associated with placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia. These results provide a basis for mechanistic manipulation of placebo and nocebo effects and may lead to improved clinical outcomes in medical practice.
Topics: Adult; Analgesia; Analysis of Variance; Brain; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Hyperalgesia; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Nocebo Effect; Pain; Pain Management; Placebo Effect; Prefrontal Cortex; Surveys and Questionnaires; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; Young Adult
PubMed: 33941677
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2101273118 -
Nutrients Dec 2020The microbiome lies at the forefront of scientific research, as researchers work to uncover its mysterious influence on human development and disease. This paper reviews... (Review)
Review
The microbiome lies at the forefront of scientific research, as researchers work to uncover its mysterious influence on human development and disease. This paper reviews how the microbiome is studied, how researchers can improve its study, and what clinical applications microbiome research might yield. For this review, we analyzed studies concerning the role of the microbiome in disease and early development, the common methodologies by which the microbiome is researched in the lab, and modern clinical treatments for dysbiosis and their possible future applications. We found that the gut microbiome is essential for proper development of various physiological systems and that gut dysbiosis is a clear factor in the etiology of various diseases. Furthermore, we found that germ-free animal models and microbiome manipulation techniques are inadequate, reducing the efficacy of microbiome research. Nonetheless, research continues to show the significance of microbiome manipulation in the clinical treatment of disease, having shown great promise in the prevention and treatment of dysbiosis. Though the clinical applications of microbiome manipulation are currently limited, the significance of dysbiosis in the etiology of a wide array of diseases indicates the significance of this research and highlights the need for more effective research methods concerning the microbiome.
Topics: Animals; Cecum; Disease; Dysbiosis; Fecal Microbiota Transplantation; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Gastrointestinal Tract; Germ-Free Life; Growth and Development; Humans; Microbiota; Models, Animal; Research Design; Research Personnel
PubMed: 33383647
DOI: 10.3390/nu13010074 -
The Journal of Neuroscience : the... Nov 2023A common neuroscience application of Pavlovian fear conditioning is to manipulate neuron-type activity, pair a cue with foot shock, then measure cue-elicited freezing in...
A common neuroscience application of Pavlovian fear conditioning is to manipulate neuron-type activity, pair a cue with foot shock, then measure cue-elicited freezing in a novel context. If the manipulation reduces freezing, the neuron type is implicated in Pavlovian fear conditioning. This application reduces Pavlovian fear conditioning to a single concept. In this Viewpoint, I describe experiments supporting the view that Pavlovian fear conditioning refers to three distinct concepts: procedure, process, and behavior. An experimenter controls procedure, observes behavior, but infers process. Distinguishing these concepts is essential because: (1) a shock-paired cue can engage numerous processes and behaviors; (2) experimenter decisions about procedure influence the processes engaged and behaviors elicited; and (3) many processes are latent, imbuing the cue with properties that only manifest outside of the original conditioning setting. This means we could understand the complete neural basis of freezing, yet know little about the neural basis of fear. Neuroscientists can choose to use a variety of procedures to study a diversity of processes and behaviors. Manipulating neuron-type activity in multiple procedures can reveal specific, general, or complex neuron-type contributions to cue-elicited processes and behaviors. The results will be a broader and more detailed neural basis of fear with greater relevance to the spectrum of symptoms defining anxiety and stressor-related disorders.
Topics: Humans; Conditioning, Classical; Fear; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Neurons
PubMed: 38030400
DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0256-23.2023 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2022Vision is the main component of current robotics systems that is used for manipulating objects. However, solely relying on vision for hand-object pose tracking faces...
Vision is the main component of current robotics systems that is used for manipulating objects. However, solely relying on vision for hand-object pose tracking faces challenges such as occlusions and objects moving out of view during robotic manipulation. In this work, we show that object kinematics can be inferred from local haptic feedback at the robot-object contact points, combined with robot kinematics information given an initial vision estimate of the object pose. A planar, dual-arm, teleoperated robotic setup was built to manipulate an object with hands shaped like circular discs. The robot hands were built with rubber cladding to allow for rolling contact without slipping. During stable grasping by the dual arm robot, under quasi-static conditions, the surface of the robot hand and object at the contact interface is defined by local geometric constraints. This allows one to define a relation between object orientation and robot hand orientation. With rolling contact, the displacement of the contact point on the object surface and the hand surface must be equal and opposite. This information, coupled with robot kinematics, allows one to compute the displacement of the object from its initial location. The mathematical formulation of the geometric constraints between robot hand and object is detailed. This is followed by the methodology in acquiring data from experiments to compute object kinematics. The sensors used in the experiments, along with calibration procedures, are presented before computing the object kinematics from recorded haptic feedback. Results comparing object kinematics obtained purely from vision and from haptics are presented to validate our method, along with the future ideas for perception via haptic manipulation.
Topics: Haptic Technology; Robotics; Hand; Upper Extremity; Feedback
PubMed: 36616974
DOI: 10.3390/s23010376 -
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry Sep 2023As a continuation of part A, focusing on advances in testing for sample manipulation of urine samples in clinical and forensic toxicology, part B of the review article... (Review)
Review
As a continuation of part A, focusing on advances in testing for sample manipulation of urine samples in clinical and forensic toxicology, part B of the review article relates to hair, another commonly used matrix for abstinence control testing. Similar to urine manipulation, relevant strategies to manipulate a hair test are lowering drug concentrations in hair to undercut the limits of detection/cut-offs, for instance, by forced washout effects or adulteration. However, distinguishing between usual, common cosmetic hair treatment and deliberate manipulation to circumvent a positive drug test is often impossible. Nevertheless, the identification of cosmetic hair treatment is very relevant in the context of hair testing and interpretation of hair analysis results. Newly evaluated techniques or elucidation of specific biomarkers to unravel adulteration or cosmetic treatment often focused on specific structures of the hair matrix with promising strategies recently proposed for daily routine work. Identification of other approaches, e.g., forced hair-washing procedures, still remains a challenge in clinical and forensic toxicology.
Topics: Forensic Toxicology; Substance Abuse Detection; Hair; Biomarkers; Drug Contamination
PubMed: 37115212
DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-04706-7 -
Micromachines Jan 2023Micro-devices that use electric fields to trap, analyze and inactivate micro-organisms vary in concept, design and application. The application of electric fields to... (Review)
Review
Micro-devices that use electric fields to trap, analyze and inactivate micro-organisms vary in concept, design and application. The application of electric fields to manipulate and inactivate bacteria and single-celled organisms has been described extensively in the literature. By contrast, the effect of such fields on viruses is not well understood. This review explores the possibility of using existing methods for manipulating and inactivating larger viruses and bacteria, for smaller viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2. It also provides an overview of the theoretical background. The findings may be used to implement new ideas and frame experimental parameters that optimize the manipulation, sampling and inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 electrically.
PubMed: 36838044
DOI: 10.3390/mi14020345