bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Delimiting Europe: Greek State Formation as Border Making
Authors: HOFFMANN Clemens
Published: January 2023

When the Greek prime minister admired Delacroix’ famous painting ‘The Battle of Chios’ in the Louvre Museum during a state visit to France in 2021, this was meaningful in more than one way. Not only did he and French president Macron celebrate the second centenary of the 1821 “Greek Revolution.” They also reaffirmed their 200-year-old geopolitical alliance in the Eastern Mediterranean. An alliance between two countries that see themselves as the birthplace of European civilisation. Then, as now, celebrating their Europeanness went beyond artistic depictions and symbolisms. The creation of a White European space by virtue of a concrete struggle against an Oriental other, thus, delimited not only the Greco-Ottoman, but also Europe’s South-eastern borders. What IR has come to understand as the ‘spatial turn’, a return to emphasising the (un)making of borders and space, took, and takes, place in the Aegean. Looking back at the significance of the Greek War of Independence, this article reveals that, much like the violence in Delacroix’ painting, this formation of inter-national modernity, far from merely being a civilisational achievement, was bloody and genocidal. The painting’s conventional Orientalist understanding sees a white European people massacred by an Oriental occupying force. A careful re-historicisation of the Greek independence struggle reveals, however, that it had highly specific social and geopolitical origins that cannot be reduced to a spreading European Enlightenment. An alliance between local social forces gave rise to a struggle that was consolidated by mass violence. The international invention on behalf of Greece didn’t represent a shift towards a liberal international order giving rise to a reborn Athenian Republic. It represented a compromise between otherwise divided conservative dynasties imposing their designs on the young state. Finally, the article will argue that this historical episode embodies a continuing social process of European border making.
PACKAGE RECEIVER BOX BASED ON IOT USING FUZZY MAMDANI AND MOBILE APPLICATION
Authors: Ashari Ilham Firman Firman , Ayuningtyas Arimbi
Published: January 2023

The development of information technology is currently growing, where now everything has been transformed digitally. Consumers today to shop no longer need to come to the market. Consumers shop through e-commerce applications and just wait for the goods between the couriers from the expedition to arrive at their doorstep. Based on a survey conducted on March 10, 2021, with 100 respondents, it was concluded that 62% of the problems experienced were the process of receiving packages and security risks during package delivery, where the courier did not find the owner of the package at home. Answering the IUI problem requires an IoT-based package receiving box that helps make it easier for couriers to send goods and helps package owners to monitor packages that have been delivered by couriers. This package recipient box is accompanied by an ESP32 Cam camera module to scan the QR code receipt number, ESP8266 helps connectivity and android-based mobile applications with a firebase real-time database to make it easier for package recipients to monitor packages. In helping to facilitate decision making, Mamdani fuzzy logic is used. From the research experiment, it was found that the system can carry out the package storage process with an average time of 11 seconds and the time required to update to firebase is around an average of ±3 seconds.
А. F. Samoilov at scientific meetings of the Kazan Clinical Institute in 1921-1924
Authors: Podolskaya M. A.
Published: January 2023

Since 1921, at the monthly scientific meetings of the Kazan Clinical Institute, opened in 1920, later renamed the Kazan Institute for the Improvement of Physicians, GIDUV, the head of the Department of Physiology of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Kazan University, a world-famous physiologist, made presentations and debates more than once, one of the creators of the theory of electrocardiography and neuromuscular transmission, Professor A. F. Samoilov. A scientist with an encyclopedic education, he generously shared his knowledge with an audience of doctors, took an active part in the development of the scientific life of the Kazan Clinical Institute. His reports at scientific meetings familiarized physicians with the results of the experimental work of the physiological laboratory of A. F. Samoilov at Kazan University, with the works and scientific position of famous physiologists. Scientific meetings, speeches and the presence of prominent scientists of Kazan, rich in form and content of discussions of reports, scientific discussions have become a school of creative thinking for the young generation of doctors and scientists of the Kazan Clinical Institute — GIDUV. The article for the first time presents materials about these speeches by A. F. Samoilov about G. Helmholtz, J. Loeb, recordings of heart sounds, about the galvanic skin reflex, about setting up a scientific and educational process at universities in the USA and Europe.
Outlook for ergometer testing with beat to beat blood pressure measurement
Authors: Tihonenko V. M. , Pivovarov V. V. , Rubinskiy A. V. , Zaitsev G. K. , Kormilitsyn A. Y.
Published: January 2023

Objective. The article discusses the advantages of performing stress tests with pressure control at each heartbeat. The question of increasing accuracy, informativeness and safety of the test is considered.   Materials and methods. We performed 30 bicycle ergometric tests with ECG measurement, beat to beat blood pressure measurement and periodic blood pressure measurement by the Korotkoff method in the shoulder.   Results. It was shown that arterial pressure registered by Korotkoff sounds in the shoulder corresponded with continuous pressure at the registration moment. Because of the impossibility to measure the dynamics, the underestimation of maximum systolic arterial pressure by the Korotkoff method exceeds 20 mm Hg in every 3 tests, and exceeds 30 mm Hg in every 5 tests. Therefore, the beat to beat measurement of BP significantly improves the accuracy and informativeness value of stress tests.   Conclusions. Continuous BP signal in the finger increases reliability of noisy Korotkoff sounds extraction and the results of BP measurement in the shoulder by the classical method. The increased accuracy and reliability of the measurement provides greater patient safety. Continuous pressure corrected by Korotkoff sounds during reference measurements in the shoulder gives a detailed and accurate picture of BP variations, which allows to investigate in detail features of the patient’s cardiovascular system regulation, both during and after the load, which is not available with classical BP measurement.
Management of patients with liver cirrhosis at outpatient stage: How not to miss it?
Authors: Ledeneva E. M. , Vertkin A. L. , Sediakina Yu. V. , Burakova N. A. , Shamuilova M. M. , Kurdjieva S. S.
Published: January 2023

Liver cirrhosis is a disease gastroenterologists and therapists face daily, and not only in the hospital when it comes to treating complications, but also at outpatient appointments, when the disease is in the compensation stage. At the same time, in the age group of 20–40 years, mortality from liver cirrhosis (LC) exceeds that from coronary heart disease. Despite modern advances in intensive care and transplantation, the mortality rate in the development of liver failure remains high [1]. For example, in 2015, there were 1.3 million deaths from liver cirrhosis, of which 348,000 were caused by alcohol, 326,000 by hepatitis C, and 371,000 by hepatitis B [2]. The classic manifestations of cirrhosis leave no doubt in the diagnosis, however, a detailed history taking, active identification of risk factors at the stage of the latent course of liver cirrhosis can prevent many severe complications of this disease and reduce the number of hospitalizations.
Influence of disinfectants on growth of biofilm formed by К. pneumoniae strains
Authors: Shipitsyna I. V. , Osipova E. V.
Published: January 2023

Introduction. Currently, the problem of biofilm-associated infections is of great importance, since the classical methods of antibiotic therapy for purulent-inflammatory diseases become ineffective due to the high resistance of pathogens. An urgent task is to find ways to suppress adhesion processes or destroy an already formed biofilm using various disinfectants, enzymes, a combination of antibacterial and other drugs.

Materials and methods. The object of the study is the bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from wounds and fistulas of patients with chronic osteomyelitis. Biofilms were cultured for two days in the wells of polystyrene plates and on coverslips. In the control series of the experiment, the biofilm-forming ability of K. pneumoniae strains was studied after 48 hours. In the second series, after 24 hours, the emerging biofilm was exposed to a solution of 3 % hydrogen peroxide, in the third series, with a skin antiseptic, and after 48 hours, the intensity of biofilm formation was assessed. For statistical processing of the obtained data, the Gnumeric 1.12.17 spreadsheet program was used.

Results and its discussion. K. pneumoniae strains had a high biofilm-forming ability. The impact of disinfectants on the emerging biofilm led to a decrease in the optical density in the wells of the plates and the intensity of biofilm formation. On cover slips in the second and third series of the experiment, a decrease in the total proportion of microcolonies and individual adherent cells was observed. Disinfectants (hydrogen peroxide and skin antiseptic) had a bacteriostatic effect on biofilms formed by K. pneumoniae strains. In addition, a bactericidal effect of skin antiseptic on planktonic bacterial cells was found.

Conclusions. The data obtained must be taken into account for the selection of effective disinfectants used in the clinic to prevent the emergence of resistant strains of microbes.
Problems of pathoanatomical diagnosis and morphological characteristics of COVID-19
Authors: Pigolkin Yu. I. , Kislov M. A. , Dydykin S. S. , Drakina О. V. , Zhandarov K. A. , Ursov М. A. , Shimanovskiy D. N. , Volkova A. A. , Kuzin A. N.
Published: January 2023

The study of the human corpses who died from the coronavirus infection COVID-19 allows to define the exact cause of death, which helps clinicians in choosing a timely and effective treatment to reduce mortality. The study analyzed the current literature with the results of studies of cadaveric material and described our own pathological observations the macro- and microscopic picture that was encountered during autopsies. The description of cases of autopsies of patients who died from COVID-19 is necessary, and certainly important for a comprehensive analysis of this problem and is of high clinical and epidemiological interest.
Comunicación académica y buscadores científicos: 'Scoping Review'
Authors: Pastor Ramon Elena , Rovira Cristòfol
Published: January 2023

El desarrollo científico necesita comunicar la investigación. La comunicación académica ha evolucionado debido a diferentes presiones, pero también ha quedado afectada por los sistemas de las bases de datos y otros sistemas de información. Esta scoping review lleva a cabo un análisis de cómo percibe la academia la influencia de bases de datos como Web of Science y Scopus, que se basan en sus propias colecciones de revistas, y otras bases de datos basadas en la búsqueda web de citas como Google Scholar, Dimensions y The Lens. Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en las bases de datos Lista, WoS y Scopus sobre artículos científicos que mencionaran la comunicación académica y se centrasen en los recursos analizados. Se limitó la búsqueda a los años 2016-2021 y a los idiomas español, inglés, catalán, francés, italiano y portugués. Las bases de datos bibliográficas como WoS y Scopus siguen dando una imagen sesgada de la influencia de las investigaciones, y otras herramien-tas, como GS y Dimensions, son recursos que todavía presentan claroscuros por no permitir la réplica de las búsquedas o la descarga de los datos, como GS, por ejemplo. Por esto se recomienda a los investigadores el uso combinado de diferentes sistemas de información.
Estratégias de uma universidade pública brasileira para comunicar a ciência na pandemia da COVID-19
Authors: Farnese Pedro
Published: January 2023

A circularidade de informações, potencializada pelo avanço tecnológico e social de plataformas midiáticas, favorece o maior alcance de boatos, teorias conspiratórias e produtos comunicacionais que impactam, sobretudo, a ciência. Neste sentido, a pandemia do novo coronavírus mostra-se um evento histórico com importantes consequências para a humanidade e apresenta, dentre outros desafios, a necessidade de difundir informações credíveis que auxiliem no combate à disseminação da doença. Estudar como determinados conteúdos encontram eco a partir do uso das redes sociais abre caminhos para discutir como a comunicação pública da ciência se articula às narrativas em circulação nas redes. É a partir deste contexto que o presente estudo se apresenta, ao mapear as estratégias de comunicação em redes sociais virtuais implementadas pela Universidade de São Paulo (USP) que, de acordo com indicadores, figura como a maior produtora de pesquisa no Brasil e a segunda da América Latina. A análise de conteúdo das postagens do Facebook, publicadas durante os meses iniciais de registro de casos e mortes pelo vírus, de fevereiro a abril de 2020, buscou compreender a relação entre comunicação midiática e a responsabilidade de organizações que produzem ciência para combater a desinformação e movimentos negacionistas.
historias de Instagram de Mariana Rodríguez. Análisis de su agenda y rol como primera dama
Authors: Álvarez-Monsiváis Edrei
Published: January 2023

Mariana Rodríguez (@marianardzcantu) es una empresaria e influencer con más de 2 millones de seguidores en Instagram. Desde octubre de 2021, es la titular de la dependencia Amar a Nuevo León, cargo obtenido al ser la primera dama de dicho estado mexicano. Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo identificar desde qué rol de primera dama se autorrepresentó Rodríguez durante los primeros 100 días en el cargo. Para ello, se analizó cuantitativamente una muestra de N=1816 historias de Instagram publicadas en las cuentas de ella (n=990) y de su esposo, el gobernador Samuel García (n=826), registrando las acciones de Rodríguez, los personajes que la acompañaban y la agenda de temas tratados. Los resultados indican que la primera dama continuó con sus labores de influencer al publicar su vida privada y promocionar distintas marcas. Asimismo, se detectó una personalización populista ya que sus historias la reflejan cercana a la masa ciudadana. Se concluyó que Rodríguez se presentó como una primera dama polifacética, esto es, que se muestra tanto desde roles tradicionales como no tradicionales y desde una posición privilegiada que no cuestiona los marcos elitistas.
Pro-environmental Advertising Strategies of Greatest Impact Among College Audiences
Authors: Del Moral Pérez M. Esther , Bellver Moreno M. Carmen , López-Bouzas Nerea , Castañeda Fernández Jonathan
Published: January 2023

El objetivo es conocer la opinión de los universitarios (N=296) sobre las estrategias audiovisuales más impactantes para diseñar futuras campañas publicitarias para la concienciación medioambiental. La metodología es empírica, no experimental de tipo descriptivo, con carácter exploratorio y analítico, centrada en analizar la opinión de los encuestados sobre: los canales de comunicación preferidos para transmitir mensajes proambientales, los formatos audiovisuales que despiertan su atención, la narrativa más persuasiva, los mensajes más impactantes y los personajes que les ofrecen mayor credibilidad para incorporar en campañas proambientales. Los resultados reflejan que la audiencia juvenil prioriza los medios sociales; las imágenes reales; las narrativas de tipo informativo y testimonial; los mensajes catastrofistas, esperanzadores y movilizadores; y prima la naturaleza como protagonista de los relatos. En conclusión, estas campañas deben aprovechar el potencial de las redes sociales y seleccionar las estrategias audiovisuales más idóneas para garantizar su impacto y propiciar el cambio hacia acciones ecosostenibles.
Interactive extraction of diverse vocal units from a planar embedding without the need for prior sound segmentation
Authors: Lorenz Corinna , Hao Xinyu , Tomka Tomas , Rüttimann Linus , Hahnloser Richard H.R.
Published: January 2023

Annotating and proofreading data sets of complex natural behaviors such as vocalizations are tedious tasks because instances of a given behavior need to be correctly segmented from background noise and must be classified with minimal false positive error rate. Low-dimensional embeddings have proven very useful for this task because they can provide a visual overview of a data set in which distinct behaviors appear in different clusters. However, low-dimensional embeddings introduce errors because they fail to preserve distances; and embeddings represent only objects of fixed dimensionality, which conflicts with vocalizations that have variable dimensions stemming from their variable durations. To mitigate these issues, we introduce a semi-supervised, analytical method for simultaneous segmentation and clustering of vocalizations. We define a given vocalization type by specifying pairs of high-density regions in the embedding plane of sound spectrograms, one region associated with vocalization onsets and the other with offsets. We demonstrate our two-neighborhood (2N) extraction method on the task of clustering adult zebra finch vocalizations embedded with UMAP. We show that 2N extraction allows the identification of short and long vocal renditions from continuous data streams without initially committing to a particular segmentation of the data. Also, 2N extraction achieves much lower false positive error rate than comparable approaches based on a single defining region. Along with our method, we present a graphical user interface (GUI) for visualizing and annotating data.
Comparing the Characteristics of Amniotic Membrane-, Endometrium-, and Urinary-Derived ECMs and Their Effects on Endometrial Regeneration in a Rat Uterine Injury Model
Authors: Ji Wanqing , Wen Jiaming , Lin Weige , He Ping , Hou Bo , Quan Song
Published: January 2023

The decellularized extracellular matrices (d-ECMs) currently utilized to repair endometrial injuries are derived from three tissue sources, the endometrium (dE-ECM), placental amniotic membrane (dA-ECM), and urinary (dU-ECM). Notably, the structures of dU-ECM and dE-ECM are similar. These d-ECMs are derived from different tissues, and their specific roles in endometrial injury repair remain unclear. This study aimed to analyse the characteristics of the tissue microstructures and compositions to confirm specific differences among the three ECM types. And using a rat model of endometrial injury, the effects of all the matrices after implantation in vivo on the promotion of endometrial regeneration were analysed. After decellularization, dE-ECM had more residual active factors than the other two ECM types, while dA-ECM had significantly less DNA, α-Gal antigen components and extracellular matrix components than the other two groups. Although the three ECMs had no effect on the proliferation of stromal cells in vitro, dA-ECM may have increased the sensitivity of stromal cells to oestradiol (E2) responses. In vivo experiments confirmed the promotional effect of dA-ECM on endometrial regeneration. For example, the endometrial thickness, collagen deposition, endometrial tissue regeneration, vascular regeneration and pregnancy outcomes were significantly better in this group than in the other two groups. These findings might be associated with the excellent immune tolerance of dA-ECM. Therefore, when selecting a d-ECM for the treatment of endometrial injury, dE-ECM, which has the strongest tissue specificity, is not the preferred choice. Controlling the inflammatory responses in local lesions at the early stage may be a prerequisite for ECMs to exert their functions.
Making the head: Caspases in life and death
Authors: Svandova Eva , Lesot Herve , Sharpe Paul , Matalova Eva
Published: January 2023

The term apoptosis, as a way of programmed cell death, was coined a half century ago and since its discovery the process has been extensively investigated. The anatomy and physiology of the head are complex and thus apoptosis has mostly been followed in separate structures, tissues or cell types. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of recent knowledge concerning apoptosis-related molecules involved in the development of structures of head with a particular focus on caspases, cysteine proteases having a key position in apoptotic pathways. Since many classical apoptosis-related molecules, including caspases, are emerging in several non-apoptotic processes, these were also considered. The largest organ of the head region is the brain and its development has been extensively investigated, including the roles of apoptosis and related molecules. Neurogenesis research also includes sensory organs such as the eye and ear, efferent nervous system and associated muscles and glands. Caspases have been also associated with normal function of the skin and hair follicles. Regarding mineralised tissues within craniofacial morphogenesis, apoptosis in bones has been of interest along with palate fusion and tooth development. Finally, the role of apoptosis and caspases in angiogenesis, necessary for any tissue/organ development and maintenance/homeostasis, are discussed. Additionally, this review points to abnormalities of development resulting from improper expression/activation of apoptosis-related molecules.
Copolymerized carbon nitride nanoparticles for near-infrared II photoacoustic-guided synergistic photothermal/radiotherapy
Authors: Wu Min , Huang Yuxin , Huang Xiaoyu , Wang Fu , Wei Xunbin
Published: January 2023

Nanotheranostic agents that integrate diagnosis and treatment are promising for precision medicine, but they encounter some obstacles such as penetration depth and efficiency. In this study, novel carbon nitride-rose bengal nanoparticles (CN-RB NPs) with a graphite carbon nitride skeleton were synthesized by one-step thermal copolymerization. The enhanced absorption in the near-infrared-II region (NIR-II) endows CN-RB NPs with an excellent photothermal effect under 1064 nm laser irradiation, as well as an obvious photoacoustic signal for imaging in vivo. Interestingly, due to the introduced iodine element, CN-RB NPs exhibit enhanced radiation therapy, indicating that CN-RB NPs can achieve ideal therapeutic outcome through collaborative photothermal/radiation therapy under the guidance of NIR-II photoacoustic imaging. Moreover, CN-RB NPs demonstrate minimal side effects and long-term biological stability after 14 days. Therefore, the proposed new multifunctional nano-platform CN-RB NPs hold great potential in the application of deep therapeutics.
Metagenomics next-generation sequencing provides insights into the causative pathogens from critically ill patients with pneumonia and improves treatment strategies
Authors: Liu Ying , Zhang Rui , Yao Bo , Yang Jun , Ge Huimin , Zheng Shuyun , Guo Qi , Xing Jinyan
Published: January 2023

Background

The metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is a promising technique for pathogens diagnosis. However, whether the application of mNGS in critically ill patients with pneumonia could cause anti-infection treatment adjustment and thereby affect the prognosis of these patients has not been explored.

Methods

We retrospectively collected the clinical data of patients diagnosed with pulmonary infection in the ICU of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2018 to January 2021. These patients with pneumonia were divided into mNGS group and no-mNGS group by whether being performed NGS or not. The clinical data, including demographics, illness history, APACHE II score, length of mechanical ventilation, length of stay in the hospital, length of stay in ICU and outcome, were collected. In addition, the data of pathogens and anti-infection treatment before and after NGS were also collected. Propensity score matching was performed to evaluate the mortality and deterioration rate between NGS group and non-NGS group.

Results

A total of 641 patients diagnosed with pneumonia were screened, and 94 patients were excluded based on exclusion criteria. Finally, 547 patients were enrolled, including 160 patients being performed NGS. Among these 160 patients, 142 cases had NGS-positive results. In addition, new pathogens were detected in 132 specimens by NGS, which included 82 cases with virus, 18 cases with fungus, 17 cases with bacteria, 14 cases with mycoplasma, and 1 case with mycobacterium tuberculosis. Anti-infection treatments were adjusted in some patients who performed NGS, including 48 anti-bacterial treatments, 20 antifungal treatments and 20 antiviral treatments. There were no significant differences in the mortality and deterioration rate between NGS and non-NGS group, but it exhibited a trend that the mortality and deterioration rate of NGS group was lower than non-NGS group after the propensity score matching analysis (15.8% vs 24.3%, P=0.173; 25.6% vs 37.8%, P=0.093).

Conclusion

NGS could affect the anti-infection treatments and had a trend of reducing the mortality and deterioration rate of critically ill patients with pneumonia.
Associations between endogenous sex hormone levels and adipokine levels in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
Authors: Varma Bhavya , Ogunmoroti Oluseye , Ndumele Chiadi E. , Kazzi Brigitte , Rodriquez Carla P. , Osibogun Olatokunbo , Allison Matthew A. , Bertoni Alain G. , Michos Erin D.
Published: January 2023

Background

Differences in sex hormone levels contribute to differences in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Adipokines play a role in cardiometabolic pathways and have differing associations with CVD. Adipokine levels differ by sex; however, the association between sex hormone profiles and adipokines is not well established. We hypothesized that a more androgenic sex hormone profile would be associated with higher leptin and resistin and lower adiponectin levels among postmenopausal women, with the opposite associations in men.

Methods

We performed an analysis of 1,811 adults in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis who had both sex hormones and adipokines measured an average of 2.6 years apart. Sex hormones [Testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)] were measured at exam 1; free T was estimated. Serum adipokines (leptin, resistin, adiponectin) were measured at exams 2 or 3. We used multivariable linear regression to examine the cross-sectional associations between sex hormones and adipokines.

Results

The mean (SD) age was 63 (10) years, 48% were women; 59% non-White participants. For leptin, after adjusting for demographics only, higher free T and lower SHBG, were associated with higher leptin in women; this association was attenuated after further covariate adjustment. However in men, higher free T and lower SHBG were associated with greater leptin levels in fully adjusted models. For adiponectin, lower free T and higher SHBG were associated with greater adiponectin in both women and men after adjustment for CVD risk factors. For resistin, no significant association was found women, but an inverse association with total T and bioT was seen in men.

Conclusion

Overall, these results further suggest a more androgenic sex profile (higher free T and lower SHBG) is associated with a less favorable adipokine pattern. These findings may provide mechanistic insight into the interplay between sex hormones, adipokines, and CVD risk.
Early and dynamic detection of doxorubicin induced cardiotoxicity by myocardial contrast echocardiography combined with two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography in rats
Authors: Zhang Jun , Li Xin , Liu Juan , Shang Yongning , Tan Lin , Guo Yanli
Published: January 2023

Background

Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is well-known as a side effect of chemotherapy. Currently, clinical imaging techniques are not capable to detect doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity before a functional decline. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) can dynamically monitor the cardiac changes in the early stage in the DOX-induced rat model of cardiotoxicity.

Methods

A weekly injection of 2.5 mg/kg of DOX was used to generate a rat model of cardiotoxicity. All groups underwent ultrasonic examinations including standard echocardiography, 2D speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE), and MCE. Then all rats were sacrificed immediately for histopathological evaluation.

Results

A total of eight control rats and 32 DOX-treated rats were included in the study and grouped according to their treatment period. Decreased quantitative parameters of myocardial blood flow (MBF) (control vs. group 1: 133.31 ± 20.23 dB/s vs. 103.35 ± 21.60 dB/s, P = 0.048) and β (control vs. group 2: 11.17 ± 1.48/s vs. 7.15 ± 1.23/s, P < 0.001) were observed after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, respectively, while left ventricular global strain (control vs. group 3: −23.67 ± 3.92% vs. −16.01 ± 3.40%, P = 0.002) decreased after 6 weeks of treatment and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (control vs. group 4: 82.41 ± 3.20% vs. 70.89 ± 9.30%, P = 0.008) decreased after 8 weeks of treatment. The main histopathological features are increased myocardial vacuolization and interstitial fibrosis and decreased myocardial microvessel density.

Conclusion

Compared with standard echocardiography and 2D-STE, MCE can accurately and non-invasively detect changes in early myocardial perfusion, demonstrating the clinical potential of continuous and dynamic monitoring of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.
A high-resolution soil moisture content analysis product in Jing-Jin-Ji using the successive correction method
Authors: Shao Changliang , Guo Yakai , Cao Yunchang , Wang Jiao
Published: January 2023

Two soil moisture content analysis products, each with a spatial resolution of 0.0625° and a temporal resolution of 1 h from 1 October 2015 to 1 October 2021 in the Jing-Jin-Ji area, have been developed and evaluated. Using a quality control (QC) scheme based on the biweight method and a successive correction method (SCM) with different weighting functions introduced from the Cressman and/or Barnes methods, the soil moisture collected from China Land Data Assimilation System version 2.0 was taken as the background data. Two soil analysis products with induced hourly station soil observations were constructed and further compared with in situ observations and satellite products. Results show that with the biweight method, the outliers of soil moisture could be identified, and that the number of these was less than 10% of the actual reported samples. The analysis product is more accurate with the Cressman weighting function than with the Barnes as the root mean square error was reduced by 30% to 0.06, while the correlation coefficient increased by 73% to 0.59, compared to the control. These results indicate that the Cressman product is a useful and promising soil moisture data set. The proposed Cressman method is computationally simple and efficient, so the product can be easily updated to keep pace with significant increases in the volume of soil moisture data. The methods used here for QC, SCM, and comparison could help evaluate and improve land surface models and their soil moisture products.
Spatial-temporal evolution of vegetation coverage and its relationship with terrain and human factors in the upper reaches of Ganjiang River Basin, China
Authors: Liu Youcun , Huang Haohong , Meng Lihong , Liu Mingxia , Wu Zidan , Liu Tao , Labat David
Published: January 2023

Vegetation coverage is an important indicator for evaluating regional environmental quality. Based on MODIS NDVI and DEM data collected for the upper reaches of the Ganjiang River Basin, China, this study used trend analysis, coefficient of variation, Hurst index, and linear regression to analyze the temporal and spatial evolution of vegetation coverage and its relationship with terrain factors in the basin during the years 2000–2020. The vegetation coverage in the study area showed a fluctuating increasing trend at a rate of 5%/10y, and an increasing trend with increasing elevation. The maximum vegetation coverage was identified in the elevation zone of 750–1,000 m, with an average of 83.54%. Vegetation coverage also showed an increasing trend with increasing slope. The maximum vegetation coverage was up to 82.22% in the slope zone of ≥25°. There were no significant differences among the distributions of vegetation coverage in different aspects because the terrain in the study area is not rugged enough to form barriers against sunlight. The vegetation coverage was relatively stable in the study area, with an average coefficient of variation of 14.8%. Hurst analysis showed that the anti-sustainability effect of vegetation change was stronger than that of sustainability, and weak anti-sustainability was dominant. The effects of human activities mainly concentrated in the areas of low elevation and small slopes less than 2°where cities and towns are located. The findings can provide a scientific basis for the management of regional ecosystems in the future.
Enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation reduces methane emission in one of the oldest and largest rice terraces in China but triggers new challenges
Authors: Yan Kai , Wang Can , Li Xiang , Li Mingrui , Zhan Fangdong , Li Zuran , Li Yuan , He Yongmei
Published: January 2023

Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation enhancement and climate warming are two critical environmental issues worldwide. Understanding the effects of enhanced UV-B radiation on methane (CH4) emission and rice growth in paddy fields are fundamental for human sustainability. In situ field experiments with ambient and supplemental UV-B radiation stresses were conducted in paddy fields subjected to prolonged flooding at Yuanyang Terraces, Southwest China. Annual dynamics and driving factors of CH4 emission were investigated; the effects of enhanced UV-B radiation on soil carbon conversion, enzyme activities and rice growth were studied. Yuanyang Terrace’s CH4 emission levels were 1.6 and 3.3 times higher than China’s and global mean values, respectively. Weather conditions (27.02%) and the stage of rice cultivation (25.65%) were the predominant factors in driving CH4 emission. During the winter fallow period, enhanced UV-B principally affected rice straw and its decomposition, subsequently changing both soil enzyme activities and labile organic carbon levels to reduce CH4 emission. On the other hand, during the rice-growing period, enhanced UV-B affected rice growth, subsequently changing rhizospheric microorganism and soil enzyme activities to reduce CH4 emission. Meanwhile, enhanced UV-B could affect the growing of rice to further change the balance between CH4 and CO2 in the rhizosphere, and the corresponding trade-off could reduce the shifts in global warming potential of rice terraces. In total, enhanced UV-B reduced CH4 emission in the rice terraces by 15.70%, but would increase CO2 and N2O emissions, and negatively affect paddy yields, thus hindering regional food security and sustainable development. Therefore, integrating a consideration of the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions with a concern for food security is a prospect for future research.
A characteristics analysis of carbon emission based on multi-dimensional carbon emission accounting methods and structural decomposition analysis: A case study of Beijing, China
Authors: Li QingHua , Chen Cong
Published: January 2023

The city’s industrial transformation leads to a large amount of carbon emissions, which poses a thorny problem for the allocation of carbon responsibilities. This study established a multi-dimension long-term carbon emission analysis model to explore the characteristic of Beijing’s embodied carbon emissions, which could calculate the production-based, consumption-based and income-based carbon emissions. Then, structural decomposition analysis was adopted to quantify the contribution of socioeconomic factors in local and imported carbon emissions. In addition, emission linkage analysis was used for revealing the long-term evolutionary trajectories of sectors. The key discovery can be summarized as follows: 1) the fluctuation trend of production-side and income-side carbon emissions in Beijing is stable and decreased by 3.53% from 2002 to 2017, while consumption-side carbon emissions increased rapidly by 795.45%. 2) The energy, transportation and other services sectors from the supply, production and consumption perspectives. 3)Per capita consumption, production structure and consumption structure are the major contributors of carbon emissions. The study is expected to provide decision support for policymakers to reasonably formulate carbon mitigation policies and allocate carbon mitigation responsibilities from multiple perspectives, and promote the realization of the “carbon peak and carbon neutrality” strategy.
Does the VDR gene polymorphism influence the efficacy of denosumab therapy in postmenopausal osteoporosis?
Authors: Wawrzyniak Anna , Skrzypczak-Zielińska Marzena , Michalak Michał , Kaczmarek-Ryś Marta , Ratajczak Alicja Ewa , Rychter Anna Maria , Skoracka Kinga , Marcinkowska Michalina , Słomski Ryszard , Dobrowolska Agnieszka , Krela-Kaźmierczak Iwona
Published: January 2023

Introduction

One of the challenges of personalized medicine is a departure from traditional pharmacology toward individualized, genotype-based therapies. Postmenopausal osteoporosis is a prevalent condition requiring intensive treatment, whose effects are measurable only after a long time, and the goal is bone fracture prevention. This study aimed to determine the influence of VDR gene variation on anti-osteoporotic one-year treatment with denosumab in 63 Polish women with postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Materials and methods

The correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar vertebral column (L1–L4) and femoral neck, and genotype distributions for the ApaI, BsmI, FokI, and TaqI variants of the VDR gene was analyzed. Bone fractures during denosumab therapy were also investigated.

Results

In the case of the Bsml polymorphism, female patients with BB and Bb genotypes had statistically significantly higher values of BMD and T-score/Z-score indicators, which persisted after a year of denosumab treatment. Our results indicated that the Bsml polymorphism contributes to better bone status, and, consequently, to more efficient biological therapy. The study did not reveal significant differences between changes (delta) in BMD and genotypes for the analyzed VDR gene loci. In the entire study group, one bone fracture was observed in one patient throughout the yearlong period of denosumab therapy.

Conclusions

BB and Bb genotypes of the Bsml polymorphism of the VDR gene determine higher DXA parameter values both before and after one-year denosumab therapy in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.
Isolated growth hormone deficiency in children with vertically transmitted short stature: What do the genes tell us?
Authors: Plachy Lukas , Amaratunga Shenali Anne , Dusatkova Petra , Maratova Klara , Neuman Vit , Petruzelkova Lenka , Zemkova Dana , Obermannova Barbora , Snajderova Marta , Kolouskova Stanislava , Sumnik Zdenek , Lebl Jan , Pruhova Stepanka
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The growth hormone deficiency (GHD) diagnosis is controversial especially due to low specificity of growth hormone (GH) stimulation tests. It is therefore believed that children diagnosed with GHD form a heterogeneous group with growth disorder frequently independent on GH function. No study evaluating the complex etiology of growth failure in children with diagnosed GHD has been performed thus far.

Aims

To discover genetic etiology of short stature in children with diagnosed GHD from families with short stature.

Methods

Fifty-two children diagnosed with primary GHD and vertically transmitted short stature (height SDS in the child and his/her shorter parent <-2 SD) were included to our study. The GHD diagnosis was based on growth data suggestive of GHD, absence of substantial disproportionality (sitting height to total height ratio <-2 SD or >+2 SD), IGF-1 levels <0 for age and sex specific SD and peak GH concentration <10 ug/L in two stimulation tests. All children were examined using next-generation sequencing methods, and the genetic variants were subsequently evaluated by American College of Medical Genetics standards and guidelines.

Results

The age of children at enrollment into the study was 11 years (median, IQR 9-14 years), their height prior to GH treatment was -3.0 SD (-3.6 to -2.8 SD), IGF-1 concentration -1.4 SD (-2.0 to -1.1 SD), and maximal stimulated GH 6.3 ug/L (4.8-7.6 ug/L). No child had multiple pituitary hormone deficiency or a midbrain region pathology. Causative variant in a gene that affects growth was discovered in 15/52 (29%) children. Of them, only 2 (13%) had a genetic variant affecting GH secretion or function (GHSR and OTX2). Interestingly, in 10 (67%) children we discovered a primary growth plate disorder (ACAN, COL1A2, COL11A1, COL2A1, EXT2, FGFR3, NF1, NPR2, PTPN11 [2x]), in one (7%) a genetic variant impairing IGF-1 action (IGFALS) and in two (12%) a variant in miscellaneous genes (SALL4, MBTPS2).

Conclusions

In children with vertically transmitted short stature, genetic results frequently did not correspond with the clinical diagnosis of GH deficiency. These results underline the doubtful reliability of methods standardly used to diagnose GH deficiency.
Research on the impact of digital transformation on green development of manufacturing enterprises
Authors: Chen Shi , Yang Yang , Wu Tingting
Published: January 2023

Digital development is changing with each passing day, and the traditional manufacturing industry is gradually shifting from extensive development to intensive development, the most prominent manifestation of which is the digital transformation and development of enterprises. This paper first discusses the internal mechanism of digital transformation promoting the green development of manufacturing enterprises from three aspects: product greening, technology greening and investment greening. Then, based on the panel data of China’s listed manufacturing enterprises from 2011 to 2019, the fixed effect model, two-stage least squares method, mediating effect model and moderating effect model were used to test the relationship between them. The results show that digital transformation can promote the green development of manufacturing enterprises, and this conclusion still holds after a series of robustness tests. The empirical results of the mediating effect model show that digital transformation promotes the green development of manufacturing enterprises through three mediating paths: increasing green product output, technological innovation level and green investment level. Moreover, the promoting effect of digital transformation on the green development of enterprises will be moderated by the heterogeneous effect of environmental uncertainty. Therefore, accelerating the digital development of enterprises and promoting the construction of digital China is conducive to the green development of enterprises, and finally realizing the common development of digitalization and greening.
Strategy optimization of emergency frequency control based on new load with time delay characteristics
Authors: Sun Lixia , Tian Yiyun , Wu Yichao , Huang Wenzhe , Yan Chenhui , Jin Yuqing
Published: January 2023

With the development of modern communication technology and the large number of new controllable loads connected to the power grid, the new controllable loads with flexible regulation characteristics can participate in the emergency frequency stability control. However, the communication state differences and spatial distribution characteristics of controllable load will affect the actual effect of frequency control. In this paper, an emergency frequency control method based on deep reinforcement learning is proposed considering the response time of controllable load shedding. The proposed method evaluates response ability for emergency control of controlled loads through load response time, controllable load amount and controllable load buses. Then, the controllable load with smaller response time is cut out preferentially to ensure rapid control, and the Markov Decision Process (MDP) is used to model the emergency frequency control problem. Finally, Rainbow algorithm of Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) is used to optimize the emergency frequency stability control strategy involving controllable load resources. The formation of emergency load shedding instruction is directly driven by high-dimensional operation state data after power grid failure, so that, the aim of minimizing the economic cost is achieved under the constraint of system stability. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified in the IEEE 39-bus system.
Foreign body intrusion monitoring and recognition approach in a power distribution room based on the improved YOLOv4 deep learning network
Authors: Chen Shenyu , Dai Xiaofeng , Wang Zengyu , Zhang Pan , Chen Zetao
Published: January 2023

In order to avoid safety problems caused by foreign bodies such as mice that may appear in the power distribution room and by demarcating the electronic fence area for key monitoring in the video surveillance screen, a foreign body intrusion monitoring and recognition approach in a power distribution room based on the improved YOLOv4 deep learning network is proposed. To optimize the detection effects, the YOLOv4 algorithm is improved from the aspects of network structure, frame detection, and loss function. At the same time, the channel pruning algorithm is used to prune the model to simplify the model structure. The experimental results show the effectiveness of the improved YOLOv4 deep learning network, which has high detection accuracy, fast detection speed, and takes up less space after pruning.