bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of effect of maize varieties on selected physical properties
Authors:   Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria., D. O Idowu , T. B. Onifade ,   Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Published: December 2021

The engineering properties of some selected variety of maize (SM39, SM40 and Oba Super 6) which is needed in the design and development of a functional handling and processing equipment for the crop was studied. The seeds were bought from the Agricultural settlements in Ogbomoso South-Western Nigeria. The selected properties are size, shape, weight, true density, and bulk density, angle of repose, coefficient of friction, and moisture content. The results of the experiments showed that the mean length was between 8.7 and 9.78 mm; width, 7.69 and 8.26 mm; thickness, 4.11 and 4.60 mm; geometric mean diameter, 7.17 and 7.78 mm; equivalent diameter, 6.62 and 6.62 mm; unit weight, 0.22 and 0.24 g; true density, 954.25 and 1245 kg/m3; bulk density, 734.45 and 752.23 kg/m3, and angle of repose of the three varieties are between 29.20 and 36.60. While the average values of static coefficient of friction measured was between 0.39 and 0.49. The results from this experiment showed that the effect of varieties is significant on the engineering properties of maize. The results obtained from these studies will be useful for the design and manufacturing of operating system for handling and processing of different varieties of maize. Keywords: Engineering properties, design, processing equipment, manufacturing, varities.
Effect of Continuous Intensive Cultivation on the Chemical and Microbiological Properties of Oxic Dystrandept Soils in the Western Highlands of Cameroon
Authors:   Research Unit of Applied Biology and Ecology, Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, PO Box 67 Dschang, Cameroon P.O. Box 365 Dschang, Cameroon., TSAFACK Honorine NTANGMO
Published: December 2021

Soil fertility indices are well documented as they are directly related to land use and productivity. However, the effect of continuous intensive cultivation on the evolution of soil fertility is still poorly documented. The aim of this study was thus to assess the effect of continuous intensive cultivation on the chemical and microbiological properties of Oxic Dystrandept soils in the Western Highlands of Cameroon. Composite soil samples were taken between 0-15 cm depths on farmlands that have been subjected to continuous intensive cultivation for one, five and ten years meanwhile samples from plots that have never been cultivated served as control. The main results revealed that the ammonium contents dropped abruptly (86%-wt) from the first year of cultivation. The organic carbon (OC) content decreased from 1.81 ± 0.14 %-dm (in control) to 1.69 ± 0.09 % after one year, 1.66 ± 0.10 % after 5 years and 1.58 ± 0.07 % after 10 years. Compared to the control, available phosphorus (P) showed a 13 %-wt drop after one year, 46 % after 5 years and 85 % after 10 years. Dehydrogenase activity showed a 42 % decrease after one year, 50 % after five years and 73 % after 10 years. The other parameters were not significantly different (P<0.05) amongst treatments. Decline of soil productivity was undoubtedly related to the decrease of OC, P, microbial activity and ammonium with continuous intensive cultivation. Thus, management strategies for improved crop production should include selection suitable cropping systems and chemical methods. Keywords: Continuous intensive cultivation, enzymatic activities, soil chemical properties, Oxic Dystrandept, Cameroon western highland
Seasonal variation in the phenology of Atlantic tarpon in the Florida Keys: migration, occupancy, repeatability, and management implications
Authors: Griffin LP , Brownscombe JW , Adams AJ , Holder PE , Filous A , Casselberry GA , Wilson JK , Boucek RE , Lowerre-Barbieri SK , Acosta A , Morley D , Cooke SJ , Danylchuk AJ
Published: December 2021

Atlantic tarponMegalops atlanticusare important mesopredators in the western Atlantic Ocean, and the focus of a popular recreational fishery that targets them throughout their annual migration in the Gulf of Mexico and southeastern USA. Using 4 years of acoustic telemetry data, we quantified the seasonal variation in phenology of arrival and departure, and occupancy for subadult and adultM. atlanticusin the Florida Keys, USA. While detection profiles of subadultM. atlanticus(n = 11) varied in residency and dispersal patterns, all adultM. atlanticusdetection profiles (n = 47) exhibited seasonal residency. The median spring-summer residence period of adultM. atlanticusranged from 40 to 60 d, with a mean of 51 d across years. At the individual level, repeatability in the timing of arrival and duration were high across years, suggesting that photoperiod may be an important migratory cue. Further, the repeatability in the timing of arrival to the Florida Keys for individuals was not associated with sea surface temperature (SST). At the population level, residency corresponded with the spawning season, with the majority of adultM. atlanticusarriving in April once SST reached 26°C, and then departing in June (27-29°C). Highest occupancy probabilities for adultM. atlanticusoccurred in May (26-28°C) and lowest between August and October. Large aggregations ofM. atlanticusthat occur during the spawning season (April-June) are potentially vulnerable to the effects of habitat degradation and angling-related mortality and behavioral changes. These data onM. atlanticusphenology provide insights for implementing science-based strategic management plans.
Could the CCR5-Δ32 Mutation be Protective in SARS-CoV-2 Infection?
Authors: STARČEVIĆ ČIZMAREVIĆ N , KAPOVIĆ M , RONČEVIĆ D , RISTIĆ S
Published: December 2021

Increasing evidence points to host genetics as a factor in COVID-19 prevalence and outcome. CCR5 is a receptor for proinflammatory chemokines that are involved in host responses, especially to viruses. The CCR5-Δ32 minor allele is an interesting variant, given the role of CCR5 in some viral infections, particularly HIV-1. Recent studies of the impact of CCR5-Δ32 on COVID-19 risk and severity have yielded contradictory results. This ecologic study shows that the CCR5-Δ32 allelic frequency in a European population was significantly negatively correlated with the number of COVID-19 cases (p=0.035) and deaths (p=0.006) during the second pandemic wave. These results suggest that CCR5-Δ32 may be protective against SARS-CoV-2 infection, as it is against HIV infection, and could be predictive of COVID-19 risk and severity. Further studies based on samples from populations of different genetic backgrounds are needed to validate these statistically obtained findings.
SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load Assessment in Lung Transplantation
Authors: NOVYSEDLAK R , VACHTENHEIM J , STRIZ I , VIKLICKY O , LISCHKE R , STRIZOVA Z
Published: December 2021

In the era of COVID-19 pandemic, organ transplantation programs were facing serious challenges. The lung transplantation donor pool was extremely limited and SARS-CoV-2 viral load assessment has become a crucial part of selecting an optimal organ donor. Since COVID-19 is a respiratory disease, the viral load is thought to be more important in lung transplantations as compared to other solid organ transplantations. We present two challenging cases of potential lung donors with a questionable COVID-19 status. Based on these cases, we suggest that the cycle threshold (Ct) value should always be requested from the laboratory and the decision whether to proceed with transplantation should be made upon complex evaluation of diverse criteria, including the nasopharyngeal swab and bronchoalveolar lavage PCR results, the Ct value, imaging findings and the medical history. However, as the presence of viral RNA does not ensure infectivity, it is still to be clarified which Ct values are associated with the viral viability. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA antibodies may support the diagnosis and moreover, novel methods, such as quantifying SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen in serum may provide important answers in organ transplantations and donor selections.
Osobitosti koncepcije biografskih članaka u Leksikonu podunavskih Hrvata – Bunjevaca i Šokaca
Authors: Bačić Slaven
Published: December 2021

Velik dio Leksikona podunavskih Hrvata – Bunjevaca i Šokaca, prvoga leksikografskoga projekta hrvatske manjine izvan matične domovine, koji izlazi u Subotici od 2004. godine, čine biografski članci. Specifičnost ovoga leksikona, kao svojevrsnoga regionalnoga leksikona, uvjetovala je pristup istraživanju i prezentaciji biografija koji se donekle razlikuju od biografskih uzusa leksikografske obrade na nacionalnoj razini. U radu se navode najvažnije osobitosti koncepcije biografskih članaka u Leksikonu te ih obrazlaže. Riječ je ponajprije o imenima roditelja ulaznika, odnosno osoba koje se obrađuju, zatim kako se kroz životni put, rad ili znanstveni interes reflektira njihova povezanost sa zavičajem, a katkada o tome svjedoči i mjesto gdje su pokopane.
Posebno se naglašavaju razlozi zašto je prilikom odabira ulaznika u Leksikon prihvaćeno načelo etničkoga podrijetla, a ne nacionalnoga osjećaja, te se objašnjava drugačija koncepcija biografija Hrvata iz Hrvatske u odnosu na podunavske Hrvate, zemljopisno omeđene područjem predmeta Leksikona (međuriječje Dunava i Tise). Upućuje se i na važnost uključivanja biografija pripadnika drugih naroda (Mađara, Srba) i metodološko koncipiranje tih članaka. Također se obrazlažu načelno nepostojanje donje dobne granice za uvrštavanje u Leksikon, različita koncepcija obrade povijesnih ličnosti i suvremenika te još neke osobitosti.
The Nicolas Criterion for the Riemann Hypothesis
Authors: Vega Frank
Published: December 2021

In mathematics, the Riemann hypothesis is a conjecture that the Riemann zeta function has its zeros only at the negative even integers and complex numbers with real part $\frac{1}{2}$. For every prime number $p_{n}$, we define the sequence $X_{n} = \prod_{q \leq p_{n}} \frac{q}{q-1} - e^{\gamma} \times \log \theta(p_{n})$, where $\theta(x)$ is the Chebyshev function and $\gamma \approx 0.57721$ is the Euler-Mascheroni constant. The Nicolas criterion states that the Riemann hypothesis is true if and only if $X_{n} > 0$ holds for all primes $p_{n} > 2$. For every prime number $p_{k} > 2$, $X_{k} > 0$ is called the Nicolas inequality. We prove that the Nicolas inequality holds for all primes $p_{n} > 2$. In this way, we demonstrate that the Riemann hypothesis is true.
Nivel de conocimiento de los internos rotativos acerca de prevención y detección oportuna del cáncer de mama
Authors: Paredes Barzola Cinthya Mabel
Published: December 2021

Introducción: En el año 2020, según datos de Globocan, el Ecuador registró 3.563 casos nuevos de cáncer de mama, siendo el diagnóstico más prevalente en la población femenina, todas las estrategias en la lucha contra esta patología serán de gran valor. El objetivo del estudio es determinar el nivel de conocimiento de los internos rotativos de medicina acerca de la prevención y detección oportuna del cáncer de mama.
Metodología: Estudio descriptivo de corte transversal en 111 internos rotativos de medicina en el Hospital Teodoro Maldonado Carbo de Guayaquil-Ecuador. Se empleó un cuestionario con 15 preguntas cerradas de opción múltiple, registrando características sociodemográficas y preguntas relacionadas a conocimientos en promoción de la salud, identificación de signos, síntomas, factores de riesgo, y tamizaje con mamografía. Dado el contexto de la emergencia sanitaria COVID19 el cuestionario fue virtual.
Resultados: La mediana de edad estuvo entre los 25 y 30 años, el 62.2% fueron mujeres. El 95,5% deseaban realizar la medicatura rural. La medida de prevención menos conocida en un 85.6% fue la edad requerida para iniciar el screening con mamografía. El factor de riesgo menos conocido fue el alcohol 39.6%, mientras que un 85.6% consideró al factor genético-hereditario como elemento predominante para el desarrollo de cáncer de mama.
Conclusión: El nivel de conocimiento de los participantes del estudio se encontró en un nivel suficiente. Es necesario reforzar aspectos como el reconocimiento de signos y síntomas, e identificación de factores de riesgo modificables relacionados.
Проблема адаптации детей иноэтничных мигрантов: негативный дискурс в интернете
Authors: Омельченко Е.А.
Published: December 2021

После заседания Совета по межнациональным отношениям при Президенте РФ, состоявшегося 30 марта 2021 года, в социальных сетях и блогах появилось множество высказываний и комментариев интернет-пользователей, окрашенных довольно негативно и порой даже агрессивно. Эти высказывания были напрямую связаны с темой обучения и адаптации в российских школах детей из семей иноэтничных мигрантов, поднятой на Совете Президентом РФ В.В. Путиным и другими выступающими. Активно проявившийся в интернете, столь негативный дискурс заставляет задуматься о корректности данных о ситуации в сфере межэтнических отношений, которую практически все профильные чиновники характеризуют как достаточно благоприятную. Можно предположить, что, в отличие от «оценки межнациональных отношений в стране», уровень мигрантофобии среди части российского населения продолжает оставаться высоким, особенно когда речь идет о непосредственных ситуациях контактов российских граждан с семьями мигрантов. в образовательных организациях – школах, колледжах и детских садах – такие контакты становятся неизбежными и регулярными. Автор статьи анализирует отдельные аспекты проявленного негативного этнического и миграционного дискурса и дает некоторые рекомендации по возможному исправлению сложившейся ситуации.
Seismic Behavior of Precast Buildings With Dissipative Connections
Authors: De Stefani Lorenzo , Scotta Roberto
Published: December 2021

Recent earthquakes in southern Europe highlighted that the connections of cladding panels to R.C. frames in precast buildings had a major role in the structural collapse. For this reason, there is an urgent need for a review of the design methods for these connections as well as for an improvement in the manufacturing technology. This article aimed to assess the efficiency of dissipative panel-to-structure and roof connections in R.C. precast buildings. A parametric study consisting of linear and non-linear analyses on one case-study building is performed. Different sensitivity analyses are performed varying their mechanical properties (i.e., stiffness, strength, and ductility) to analyze the behavior of the CP/frame connections. The study focuses on dissipative connections with an elastic–plastic behavior, placed between cladding panels (CPs) and frames in precast buildings with stacked horizontal cladding panels. The introduction of dissipative CP/frame connections implies the inclusion of panels in the global seismic resisting system. The “panels + frame” system highlights a high stiffness until the yield strength of the CP/frame connections is reached. The results, obtained from non-linear dynamic analyses (NLDAs), clearly show how the proposed connection improves the structural seismic performance. By contrast, this is no longer true for R.C. precast structures with flexible diaphragms, especially for intermediate columns, far from panels aligned to seismic action. In this case, significant and unexpected axial forces arise on out-of-plane connections between panels and columns. The integration of an efficient diaphragm is essential to prevent these critical issues both on intermediate columns and CP/column connections; it enables the dissipative capacity of the “panels + frame” system, and it significantly limits the forces and displacements of intermediate alignments. Unfortunately, the achievement of a rigid diaphragm is not always feasible in precast buildings. A possible alternative to activate dissipative capacities of the roof diaphragm with limited in-plane stiffness is the use of dissipative connections linking roof beams and main beams. The solutions described in this article can be applied both in the design of new buildings and for the seismic upgrading of existing ones with easy-to-install and low-impact applications.
The Effect of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Derived From Endometriotic Lesions on Natural Killer Cell Function
Authors: Abomaray Fawaz , Wagner Arnika Kathleen , Chrobok Michael , Ekblad-Nordberg Åsa , Gidlöf Sebastian , Alici Evren , Götherström Cecilia
Published: December 2021

Endometriosis is an inflammatory disease that presents with ectopic endometriotic lesions. Reduced immunosurveillance of these lesions has been proposed to be playing a role in the pathology of endometriosis. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are found in ectopic lesions and may decrease immunosurveillance. In the present study, we examined if MSC contribute to reduced immunosurveillance through their immunosuppressive effects on natural killer (NK) cells. Stromal cells from endometriotic ovarian cysts (ESCcyst) and eutopic endometrium (ESCendo) of women with endometriosis and their conditioned medium were used in co-cultures with allogeneic peripheral blood NK cells. Following culture, NK cells were examined phenotypically for their expression of activating, inhibitory, maturation, and adhesion receptors and co-receptors, as well as the degranulation (CD107a) marker and the immunostimulatory (interferon-γ) and immunosuppressive (transforming growth factor beta 1 and interleukin-10) cytokines. Moreover, NK cell cytotoxicity was examined using chromium 51 release killing assays. There were no differences between ESCcyst and ESCendo regarding their effects on NK cell cytotoxicity in both conditioned medium and direct co-culture experiments. Additionally, there were no differences between ESCcyst and ESCendo regarding their impact on NK cells’ phenotype and degranulation in both conditioned medium and direct co-culture experiments. Although there were no differences found for DNAX accessory molecule-1 (DNAM-1) and NKp44, we found that the expression of the NK cell ligand CD155 that binds DNAM-1 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) that binds NKp44 was significantly less on ESCcyst than on ESCendo. These findings were not supported by the results that the expression of the known and unknown ligands on ESCcyst for DNAM-1 and NKp44 using chimeric proteins was not significantly different compared to ESCendo. In conclusion, the results suggest that ectopic MSC may not contribute to reduced immunosurveillance in endometriosis through their inhibitory effects on NK cells. This suggests that NK cell inhibition in the pelvic cavity of women with endometriosis develops due to other factors.
Mfn2 Regulates High Glucose-Induced MAMs Dysfunction and Apoptosis in Podocytes via PERK Pathway
Authors: Cao Yun , Chen Zhaowei , Hu Jijia , Feng Jun , Zhu Zijing , Fan Yanqin , Lin Qiaoxuan , Ding Guohua
Published: December 2021

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in high glucose (HG)-induced podocyte injury have been demonstrated to the progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). However, the pathological mechanisms remain equivocal. Mitofusin2 (Mfn2) was initially identified as a dynamin-like protein involved in fusing the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM). More recently, Mfn2 has been reported to be located at the ER membranes that contact OMM. Mitochondria-associated ER membranes (MAMs) is the intercellular membrane subdomain, which connects the mitochondria and ER through a proteinaceous tether. Here, we observed the suppression of Mfn2 expression in the glomeruli and glomerular podocytes of patients with DKD. Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats exhibited abnormal mitochondrial morphology and MAMs reduction in podocytes, accompanied by decreased expression of Mfn2 and activation of all three unfolded protein response (UPR) pathways (IRE1, ATF6, and PERK). The HG-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, MAMs reduction, and increased apoptosis in vitro were accompanied by the downregulation of Mfn2 and activation of the PERK pathway. Mfn2 physically interacts with PERK, and HG promotes a decrease in Mfn2-PERK interaction. In addition, Mfn2-silenced podocytes showed mitochondrial dysfunction, MAMs reduction, activation of PERK pathway, and increased apoptosis. Conversely, all these effects of HG stimulation were alleviated significantly by Mfn2 overexpression. Furthermore, the inhibition of PERK phosphorylation protected mitochondrial functions but did not affect the expression of Mfn2 in HG-treated podocytes. Therefore, this study confirmed that Mfn2 regulates the morphology and functions of MAMs and mitochondria, and exerts anti-apoptotic effects on podocytes by inhibiting the PERK pathway. Hence, the Mfn2-PERK signaling pathway may be a new therapeutic target for preventing podocyte injury in DKD.
HMGB3 is Associated With an Unfavorable Prognosis of Neuroblastoma and Promotes Tumor Progression by Mediating TPX2
Authors: Zhong Xiaodan , Zhang Songling , Zhang Yutong , Jiang Zongmiao , Li Yanan , Chang Jian , Niu Junqi , Shi Ying
Published: December 2021

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common solid tumor apart from central nervous system malignancies in children aged 0–14 years, and the outcomes of high-risk patients are dismal. High mobility group box 3 (HMGB3) plays an oncogenic role in many cancers; however, its biological role in NB is still unclear. Using data mining, we found that HMGB3 expression was markedly elevated in NB patients with unfavorable prognoses. When HMGB3 expression in NB cell lines was inhibited, cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were suppressed, and HMGB3 knockdown inhibited NB tumor development in mice. RT−PCR was employed to detect mRNA expression of nine coexpressed genes in response to HMGB3 knockdown, and TPX2 was identified. Furthermore, overexpression of TPX2 reversed the cell proliferation effect of HMGB3 silencing. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that HMGB3 and TPX2 might be independent prognostic factors for overall survival and event-free survival, which showed the highest significance (p < 0.001). According to the nomogram predictor constructed, the integration of gene expression and clinicopathological features exhibited better prognostic prediction power. Furthermore, the random forest algorithm and receiver operating characteristic curves also showed that HMGB3 and TPX2 played important roles in discriminating the vital status (alive/dead) of patients in the NB datasets. Our informatics analysis and biological experiments suggested that HMGB3 is correlated with the unfavorable clinical outcomes of NB, and plays an important role in promoting cell growth, proliferation, and invasion in NB, potentially representing a new therapeutic target for tumor progression.
Heterogeneous Pancreatic Stellate Cells Are Powerful Contributors to the Malignant Progression of Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Zhang Zhilin , Zhang Huan , Liu Tian , Chen Tian , Wang Daorong , Tang Dong
Published: December 2021

Pancreatic cancer is associated with highly malignant tumors and poor prognosis due to strong therapeutic resistance. Accumulating evidence shows that activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) play an important role in the malignant progression of pancreatic cancer. In recent years, the rapid development of single-cell sequencing technology has facilitated the analysis of PSC population heterogeneity, allowing for the elucidation of the relationship between different subsets of cells with tumor development and therapeutic resistance. Researchers have identified two spatially separated, functionally complementary, and reversible subtypes, namely myofibroblastic and inflammatory PSC. Myofibroblastic PSC produce large amounts of pro-fibroproliferative collagen fibers, whereas inflammatory PSC express large amounts of inflammatory cytokines. These distinct cell subtypes cooperate to create a microenvironment suitable for cancer cell survival. Therefore, further understanding of the differentiation of PSC and their distinct functions will provide insight into more effective treatment options for pancreatic cancer patients.
Engineering Electrospun Nanofibers for the Treatment of Oral Diseases
Authors: Wang Yuanfei , Liu Yingnan , Zhang Xiaopei , Liu Na , Yu Xixi , Gao Meihua , Wang Wanchun , Wu Tong
Published: December 2021

With the increase of consumption of high-sugar foods, beverages, tobacco, and alcohol, the incidence rate of oral diseases has been increasing year by year. Statistics showed that the prevalence of oral diseases such as dental caries, dental pulpal disease, and periodontal disease has reached as high as 97% in 2015 in China. It is thus urgent to develop functional materials or products for the treatment of oral diseases. Electrospinning has been a widely used technology that is capable of utilizing polymer solution to generate micro/nano fibers under an appropriate high voltage condition. Owing to their excellent structures and biological performances, materials prepared by electrospinning technology have been used for a wide range of oral-related applications, such as tissue restoration, controlled drug release, anti-cancer, etc. In this regard, this article reviews the application and progress of electrospun nanofibers to various oral diseases in recent years. Firstly, engineering strategies of a variety of nanofiber structures together with their resultant functions will be introduced. Then, biological functions of electrospun nanofibers as well as their applications in the treatment of oral diseases are summarized and demonstrated. Finally, the development viewpoint of functional nanofibers is prospected, which is expected to lay the foundation and propose the direction for further clinical application.
Epidemiological Aspects, Prenatal Screening and Diagnosis of Congenital Heart Defects in Beijing
Authors: Zhang Yanchun , Zhang Wen , Xu Hongyan , Liu Kaibo
Published: December 2021

Background: In China, congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect type, with approximately 13,000 new cases annually. This study aimed to investigate high-risk factors, prenatal screening and prenatal diagnosis as a basis for clinical decisions.

Methods: All CHD cases identified from 2018 to 2020 were obtained from the Beijing city birth defect surveillance system and prenatal diagnosis institutions. The prenatal CHD diagnosis was confirmed by fetal echocardiography and amniotic fluid or cord blood genetic examination. Chi-square, odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI), and univariate and multivariate logistic analyses were used to explore the high-risk factors, prenatal screening and prenatal diagnosis of CHD. Results: In total, 6,786/594,860 fetuses with CHD were diagnosed by prenatal echocardiography. The average incidence of CHD was 11.4 per 1,000 births, with an increase of 30.7 per 1,000 births from 2018 to 2020 (P < 0.05); the average incidence of complex CHD (CCHD) was 2.02 per 1,000 births, with no significant change from 2018 to 2020 (P > 0.05). Women age ≥35 years (OR 1.06, 95% CI 0.77–1.46) was at higher risk of having babies with CHD than women aged 21–34 years. Overall, CHD incidence increased with maternal age (OR1.03, 95% CI 1.02–1.03). Additionally, women who had a non-local household registration (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.10–1.22) or had diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.96–1.25) were at higher risk of CHD. As an independent factor, CCHD was related to maternal age, DM, fetal gender, and maternal education level (all P < 0.05). The prenatal ultrasound screening detection rate of CCHD was 97.59%, which was far higher than that of total CHD (51.67%) (P < 0.001). The prenatal ultrasound diagnosis rate of CCHD was higher than that of simple CHD (P < 0.001), but the coincidence rate in the ultrasound diagnosis of CCHD was lower than that of simple CHD (P < 0.001). Prenatal genetic testing revealed chromosomal abnormalities in 25.62% (279/1089) of CHD cases with indications for a prenatal diagnosis.

Conclusions: Maternal age, household registration and DM were related to CHD occurrence. Prenatal ultrasound screening is a highly effective method for CCHD diagnosis, and CHD fetuses should be closely evaluated to exclude chromosomal abnormalities.
Achieving Spread, Scale Up and Sustainability of Video Consulting Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic? Findings From a Comparative Case Study of Policy Implementation in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Authors: Shaw Sara E. , Hughes Gemma , Wherton Joseph , Moore Lucy , Rosen Rebecca , Papoutsi Chrysanthi , Rushforth Alex , Morris Joanne , Wood Gary W. , Faulkner Stuart , Greenhalgh Trisha
Published: December 2021

Requirements for physical distancing as a result of COVID-19 and the need to reduce the risk of infection prompted policy supporting rapid roll out of video consulting across the four nations of the UK—England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Drawing on three studies of the accelerated implementation and uptake of video consulting across the four nations, we present a comparative and interpretive policy analysis of the spread and scale-up of video consulting during the pandemic. Data include interviews with 59 national level stakeholders, 55 health and social care staff and 30 patients, 20 national documents, responses to a UK-wide survey of NHS staff and analysis of routine activity data. Sampling ensured variations in geography, clinical context and adoption progress across the combined dataset. Comparative analysis was guided by theory on policy implementation and crisis management. The pandemic provided a “burning platform” prompting UK-wide policy supporting the use of video consulting in health care as a critical means of managing the risk of infection and a standard mode of provision. This policy push facilitated interest in video consulting across the UK. There was, however, marked variation in how this was put into practice across the four nations. Pre-existing infrastructure, policies and incentives for video consulting in Scotland, combined with a collaborative system-level approach, a program dedicated to developing video-based services and resourcing and supporting staff to deliver them enabled widespread buy-in and rapid spread. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, pre-existing support for digital health (e.g., hardware, incentives) and virtual care, combined with reduced regulation and “light touch” procurement managed to override some (but by no means all) cultural barriers and professional resistance to implementing digital change. In Northern Ireland and Wales, limited infrastructure muted spread. In all three countries, significant effort at system level to develop, review and run video consulting programs enabled a substantial number of providers to change their practice, albeit variably across settings. Across all four nations ongoing uncertainty, potential restructuring and tightening of regulations, along with difficulties inherent in addressing inequalities in digital access, raise questions about the longer-term sustainability of changes to-date.
Testing Interscience in Understanding and Tackling Disaster Risk
Authors: Bwambale Bosco , Kervyn Matthieu
Published: December 2021

Efforts in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) are widely geared towards integrating indigenous knowledge and science. Several conceptual frameworks have thus evolved towards co-creating knowledge and co-designing DRR measures from the standpoint of the communities-at-risk. This is claimed to foster optimization and sustainability of measures. This study tests the effectiveness of this standpoint argument based on the case of floods in the Rwenzori, western Uganda, where a mismatch is noted between research, policy, and action. A protocol was developed to stimulate dialogue on knowledge co-creation and co-designing of DRR measures among participants from three stakeholder groups: scientists, policymakers, and communities-at-risk. Beyond convergence on some measures among participants, equitable deliberations were observed among the different stakeholders. This enabled three processes: coalescing some of the proposed measures, the emergence of hybrid worldviews, and co-design of alternative options. The co-designed options fall within the contemporary conceptualization of nature-based solutions and sustainability. This meant that they are adoptable and optimizable over time by communities-at-risk. This constructive knowledge integration and co-design of DRR options were favored by three attributes: coalescing overlaps in theorizations of processes, embracing diversity in ontological values, and self-critiques among policymakers. Lessons are drawn on how these attributes facilitate bridging gaps between science, policy, and action in DRR.
Mitochondria in Sex Hormone-Induced Disorder of Energy Metabolism in Males and Females
Authors: Yin Lijun , Luo Man , Wang Ru , Ye Jianping , Wang Xiaohui
Published: December 2021

Androgens have a complex role in the regulation of insulin sensitivity in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. In male subjects, a reduction in androgens increases the risk for insulin resistance, which is improved by androgen injections. However, in female subjects with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), androgen excess becomes a risk factor for insulin resistance. The exact mechanism underlying the complex activities of androgens remains unknown. In this review, a hormone synergy-based view is proposed for understanding this complexity. Mitochondrial overactivation by substrate influx is a mechanism of insulin resistance in obesity. This concept may apply to the androgen-induced insulin resistance in PCOS. Androgens and estrogens both exhibit activities in the induction of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. The two hormones may synergize in mitochondria to induce overproduction of ATP. ATP surplus in the pancreatic β-cells and α-cells causes excess secretion of insulin and glucagon, respectively, leading to peripheral insulin resistance in the early phase of type 2 diabetes. In the skeletal muscle and liver, the ATP surplus contributes to insulin resistance through suppression of AMPK and activation of mTOR. Consistent ATP surplus leads to mitochondrial dysfunction as a consequence of mitophagy inhibition, which provides a potential mechanism for mitochondrial dysfunction in β-cells and brown adipocytes in PCOS. The hormone synergy-based view provides a basis for the overactivation and dysfunction of mitochondria in PCOS-associated type 2 diabetes. The molecular mechanism for the synergy is discussed in this review with a focus on transcriptional regulation. This view suggests a unifying mechanism for the distinct metabolic roles of androgens in the control of insulin action in men with hypogonadism and women with PCOS.
The Key Factors for the Fate and Transport of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Soil With Related in/ex Situ Measurement Methods: An Overview
Authors: Wang Liang , Cheng Ying , Naidu Ravi , Bowman Mark
Published: December 2021

Once petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs) are released into the soil, the interaction between PHs and soil media is dependent not only upon the soil properties but also on the characteristics of PHs. In this study, the key factors influencing the interactions between PHs and soil media are discussed. The key factors include: 1) the characteristics of PHs, such as volatility and viscosity; and 2) soil properties, such as porosity, hydraulic properties and water status, and organic matter; and 3) atmospheric circumstances, such as humidity and temperature. These key factors can be measured either ex-situ using conventional laboratory methods, or in situ using portable or handheld instruments. This study overviews the current ex/in situ techniques for measuring the listed key factors for PH contaminated site assessments. It is a tendency to apply in situ methods for PH contaminated site characterisation. Furthermore, handheld/portable Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) instrument provides tremendous opportunities for in-field PH contaminated site assessment. This study also reviewed the non-destructive FTIR spectroscopy analysis coupling with handheld FTIR for in-field PH contaminated site characterisation, including determining the concentration of total PH, dominant PH fractions and soil key properties for PH transport modelling.
Ciprofloxacin Causes the Greatest Bacterial Community Variation in Swine Manure Composting
Authors: Song Tingting , Zhu Changxiong , Li Binxu , Jiang Kaiyang , Wang Xuerong , Sardar Muhammad Fahad , Xue Sha , Huang Yali , Li Hongna
Published: December 2021

In this study, the influence of ciprofloxacin, chlorotetracycline, lincomycin, and sulfamethoxazole on the composition of the bacterial community structure was studied during aerobic composting with swine manure. Firmicutes (26.67%) and Chloroflexi (23.33%) were the most widely distributed phyla. Under all antibiotic treatments, the relative abundances of Bacillaceae, Streptosporangiaceae, Limnochordaceae, and Peptostreptococcaceae increased during the composting process. Moreover, norank_SBR1031, Planococcaceae, Thermomonosporaceae, Peptostreptococcaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae, Limnochordaceae, and Clostridiaceae_1 were the families showing the most significant differences across all treatments (p < 0.05). Principal co-ordinates analysis indicated that the family composition in the ciprofloxacin treatment significantly differed from the other treatments. The presence of ciprofloxacin increased both the abundance and diversity of the bacterial community (the Chao index changed from 588.44 to 680.17, and the Shannon index changed from 3.41 to 4.06) in the end of composting. Crocinitomicaceae dominated (relative abundance of 79.10%) among the unique families in the ciprofloxacin treatment. Network analysis indicated that ciprofloxacin altered the synergistic or competitive relationships between different families (norank_SBR1031 and Microscillaceae), leading to different bacterial community composition compared with other treatments. Further, a structural equation model showed that the C:N ratio was significantly negatively correlated with the bacterial community (λ = −0.869, p < 0.01), whereas pH showed a direct, significant positive relationship with the bacterial community (λ = 0.701, p < 0.01), especially in ciprofloxacin treatment. Overall, ciprofloxacin significantly influenced the physical and chemical properties of composting, altered the bacterial community structure. These findings have important implications for a better understanding of the effects of antibiotic types on bacterial community structure and the involved mechanisms during swine manure composting.
Improving the Accuracy of Species Identification by Combining Deep Learning With Field Occurrence Records
Authors: Sun Jianqiang , Futahashi Ryo , Yamanaka Takehiko
Published: December 2021

Citizen science is essential for nationwide ecological surveys of species distribution. While the accuracy of the information collected by beginner participants is not guaranteed, it is important to develop an automated system to assist species identification. Deep learning techniques for image recognition have been successfully applied in many fields and may contribute to species identification. However, deep learning techniques have not been utilized in ecological surveys of citizen science, because they require the collection of a large number of images, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. To counter these issues, we propose a simple and effective strategy to construct species identification systems using fewer images. As an example, we collected 4,571 images of 204 species of Japanese dragonflies and damselflies from open-access websites (i.e., web scraping) and scanned 4,005 images from books and specimens for species identification. In addition, we obtained field occurrence records (i.e., range of distribution) of all species of dragonflies and damselflies from the National Biodiversity Center, Japan. Using the images and records, we developed a species identification system for Japanese dragonflies and damselflies. We validated that the accuracy of the species identification system was improved by combining web-scraped and scanned images; the top-1 accuracy of the system was 0.324 when trained using only web-scraped images, whereas it improved to 0.546 when trained using both web-scraped and scanned images. In addition, the combination of images and field occurrence records further improved the top-1 accuracy to 0.668. The values of top-3 accuracy under the three conditions were 0.565, 0.768, and 0.873, respectively. Thus, combining images with field occurrence records markedly improved the accuracy of the species identification system. The strategy of species identification proposed in this study can be applied to any group of organisms. Furthermore, it has the potential to strike a balance between continuously recruiting beginner participants and updating the data accuracy of citizen science.
Identification and Validation of a Potent Multi-lncRNA Molecular Model for Predicting Gastric Cancer Prognosis
Authors: Guo Zhiguo , Liang Erbo , Zhang Tao , Xu Mengqing , Jiang Xiaohan , Zhi Fachao
Published: December 2021

Gastric cancer (GC) remains the third deadliest malignancy in China. Despite the current understanding that the long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a pivotal function in the growth and progression of cancer, their prognostic value in GC remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to construct a polymolecular prediction model by employing a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network signature obtained by integrated bioinformatics analysis to evaluate patient prognosis in GC. Overall, 1,464 mRNAs, 14,376 lncRNAs, and 73 microRNAs (miRNAs) were found to be differentially expressed in GC. Gene Ontology (GO) function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses revealed that these differentially expressed RNAs were mostly enriched in neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction, chemical carcinogenesis, epidermis development, and digestion, which were correlated with GC. A ceRNA network consisting of four lncRNAs, 21 miRNAs, and 12 mRNAs were constructed. We identified four lncRNAs (lnc00473, H19, AC079160.1, and AC093866.1) as prognostic biomarkers, and their levels were quantified by qRT-PCR in cancer and adjacent noncancerous tissue specimens. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses suggested statistically significant differences in age, stage, radiotherapy, and risk score groups, which were independent predictors of prognosis. A risk prediction model was created to test whether lncRNAs could be used as an independent risk predictor of GC or not. These novel lncRNAs’ signature independently predicted overall survival in GC (p < 0.001). Taken together, this study identified a ceRNA and protein–protein interaction networks that significantly affect GC, which could be valuable for GC diagnosis and therapy.
Comparative Genome and Transcriptome Integration Studies Reveal the Mechanism of Pectoral Muscle Development and Function in Pigeons
Authors: Hou Haobin , Wang Xiaoliang , Yang Changsuo , Cai Xia , Lv Wenwei , Tu Yingying , Bao Aodungerile , Wu Quanli , Zhao Weimin , Yao Junfeng , Ding Weixing
Published: December 2021

Pigeon breed resources provide a genetic model for the study of phenomics. The pectoral muscles play a key role for the meat production performance of the meat pigeon and the athletic ability of the High flyers. Euro-pigeons and Silver King pigeons are commercial varieties that exhibit good meat production performance. In contrast to the domestication direction of meat pigeons, the traditional Chinese ornamental pigeon breed, High flyers, has a small and light body. Here, we investigate the molecular mechanism of the pectoral muscle development and function of pigeons using whole-genome and RNA sequencing data. The selective sweep analysis (FST and log2 (θπ ratio)) revealed 293 and 403 positive selection genes in Euro-pigeons and Silver King, respectively, of which 65 genes were shared. With the Silver King and Euro-pigeon as the control group, the High flyers were selected for 427 and 566 genes respectively. There were 673 differentially expressed genes in the breast muscle transcriptome between the commercial meat pigeons and ornamental pigeons. Pigeon genome selection signal combined with the breast muscle transcriptome revealed that six genes (SLC16A10, S100B, SYNE1, HECW2, CASQ2 and LOC110363470) from commercial varieties of pigeons and five genes (INSC, CALCB, ZBTB21, B2M and LOC110356506) from Chinese traditional ornamental pigeons were positively selected which were involved in pathways related to muscle development and function. This study provides new insights into the selection of different directions and the genetic mechanism related to muscle development in pigeons.
Combining Polygenic Risk Score and Voice Features to Detect Major Depressive Disorders
Authors: Di Yazheng , Wang Jingying , Liu Xiaoqian , Zhu Tingshao
Published: December 2021

Background: The application of polygenic risk scores (PRSs) in major depressive disorder (MDD) detection is constrained by its simplicity and uncertainty. One promising way to further extend its usability is fusion with other biomarkers. This study constructed an MDD biomarker by combining the PRS and voice features and evaluated their ability based on large clinical samples.

Methods: We collected genome-wide sequences and utterances edited from clinical interview speech records from 3,580 women with recurrent MDD and 4,016 healthy people. Then, we constructed PRS as a gene biomarker by p value-based clumping and thresholding and extracted voice features using the i-vector method. Using logistic regression, we compared the ability of gene or voice biomarkers with the ability of both in combination for MDD detection. We also tested more machine learning models to further improve the detection capability.

Results: With a p-value threshold of 0.005, the combined biomarker improved the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) by 9.09% compared to that of genes only and 6.73% compared to that of voice only. Multilayer perceptron can further heighten the AUC by 3.6% compared to logistic regression, while support vector machine and random forests showed no better performance.

Conclusion: The addition of voice biomarkers to genes can effectively improve the ability to detect MDD. The combination of PRS and voice biomarkers in MDD detection is feasible. This study provides a foundation for exploring the clinical application of genetic and voice biomarkers in the diagnosis of MDD.
Systematic Analysis of mRNAs and ncRNAs in BMSCs of Senile Osteoporosis Patients
Authors: Geng Yiyun , Chen Jinfu , Chang Chongfei , Zhang Yifen , Duan Li , Zhu Weimin , Mou Lisha , Xiong Jianyi , Wang Daping
Published: December 2021

Senile osteoporosis (SOP) is a worldwide age-related disease characterized by the loss of bone mass and decrease in bone strength. Bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) play an important role in the pathology of senile osteoporosis. Abnormal expression and regulation of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) are involved in a variety of human diseases. In the present study, we aimed to identify differentially expressed mRNAs and ncRNAs in senile osteoporosis patient-derived BMSCs via high-throughput transcriptome sequencing in combination with bioinformatics analysis. As a result, 415 mRNAs, 30 lncRNAs, 6 circRNAs and 27 miRNAs were found to be significantly changed in the senile osteoporosis group. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were applied to analyze the function of differentially expressed mRNAs and ncRNAs. The circRNA–miRNA–mRNA regulatory network was constructed using the cytoHubba plugin based on the Cytoscape software. Interestingly, circRNA008876-miR-150-5p-mRNA was the sole predicted circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network. The differential expression profile of this ceRNA network was further verified by qRT-PCR. The biological function of this network was validated by overexpression and knockdown experiments. In conclusion, circRNA008876-miR-150-5p-mRNA could be an important ceRNA network involved in senile osteoporosis, which provides potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for senile osteoporosis.