The Effects of Visualization and Synchronization on Clustered-Based Mobile Web Search

ABSTRACT

Despite the increasing use of mobile web in our everyday lives, mobile web search remains a challenging task mainly due to the intensive scrolling inherent in linear presentation of search engine results (SERs) on the small screen of a mobile device. Drawing on the cognitive load theory and information foraging theory, this study aims to improve user performance in mobile web search by proposing two new artifacts—radial visualization of SERs clusters and synchronization of clusters and individual SERs presentations. These artifacts are hypothesized to improve search efficiency and/or navigation efficiency without affecting search effectiveness. This study also examines a possible moderating effect of search task type (open-ended vs. close-ended tasks). We implemented four mobile web search systems that reflect four combinations of different visualization and synchronization settings and empirically evaluated them using a controlled experiment. The results show that the radial visualization improves search efficiency and navigation efficiency, particularly for the open-ended tasks. In addition, synchronous presentation improves navigation efficiency in terms of path similarity.     

Dynamics of Choline-Containing Phospholipids in Traumatic Brain Injury and Associated Comorbidities

The incidences of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are increasing globally because of expanding population and increased dependencies on motorized vehicles and machines. This has resulted in increased socio-economic burden on the healthcare system, as TBIs are often associated with mental and physical morbidities with lifelong dependencies, and have severely limited therapeutic options. There is an emerging need to identify the molecular mechanisms orchestrating these injuries to life-long neurodegenerative disease and a therapeutic strategy to counter them. This review highlights the dynamics and role of choline-containing phospholipids during TBIs and how they can be used to evaluate the severity of injuries and later targeted to mitigate neuro-degradation, based on clinical and preclinical studies. Choline-based phospholipids are involved in maintaining the structural integrity of the neuronal/glial cell membranes and are simultaneously the essential component of various biochemical pathways, such as cholinergic neuronal transmission in the brain. Choline or its metabolite levels increase during acute and chronic phases of TBI because of excitotoxicity, ischemia and oxidative stress; this can serve as useful biomarker to predict the severity and prognosis of TBIs. Moreover, the effect of choline-replenishing agents as a post-TBI management strategy has been reviewed in clinical and preclinical studies. Overall, this review determines the theranostic potential of choline phospholipids and provides new insights in the management of TBI.     

Venetoclax Induces Cardiotoxicity through Modulation of Oxidative-Stress-Mediated Cardiac Inflammation and Apoptosis via NF-κB and BCL-2 Pathway

Cardiovascular damage induced by anticancer therapy has become the main health problem after tumor elimination. Venetoclax (VTX) is a promising novel agent that has been proven to have a high efficacy in multiple hematological diseases, especially acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Considering its mechanism of action, the possibility that VTX may cause cardiotoxicity cannot be ruled out. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the toxic effect of VTX on the heart. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, low-dose VTX (50 mg/kg via oral gavage), and high-dose VTX (100 mg/kg via oral gavage). After 21 days, blood and tissue samples were collected for histopathological, biochemical, gene, and protein analyses. We demonstrated that VTX treatment resulted in cardiac damages as evidenced by major changes in histopathology and markedly elevated cardiac enzymes and hypertrophic genes markers. Moreover, we observed a drastic increase in oxidative stress, as well as inflammatory and apoptotic markers, with a remarkable decline in the levels of Bcl-2. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report the cardiotoxic effect of VTX. Further experiments and future studies are strongly needed to comprehensively understand the cardiotoxic effect of VTX.