bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In-Depth Immunological Typization of Children with Sickle Cell Disease: A Preliminary Insight into Its Plausible Correlation with Clinical Course and Hydroxyurea Therapy
Authors: Giulietti Giulia , Zama Daniele , Conti Francesca , Moratti Mattia , Presutti Maria Teresa , Belotti Tamara , Cantarini Maria Elena , Facchini Elena , Bassi Mirna , Selva Paola , Magrini Elisabetta , Lanari Marcello , Pession Andrea
Published: May 2022

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a condition of functional hypo-/a-splenism in which predisposition to bacterial infections is only a facet of a wide spectrum of immune-dysregulation disorders forming the clinical expression of a peculiar immunophenotype. The objective of this study was to perform an in-depth immunophenotypical characterization of SCD pediatric patients, looking for plausible correlations between immunological biomarkers, the impact of hydroxyurea (HU) treatment and clinical course. This was an observational case–control study including 43 patients. The cohort was divided into two main groups, SCD subjects (19/43) and controls (24/43), differing in the presence/absence of an SCD diagnosis. The SCD group was split up into HU+ (12/19) and HU− (7/19) subgroups, respectively receiving or not a concomitant HU treatment. The principal outcomes measured were differences in the immunophenotyping between SCD patients and controls through chi-squared tests, t-tests, and Pearson’s correlation analysis between clinical and immunological parameters. Leukocyte and neutrophil increase, T-cell depletion with prevalence of memory T-cell compartment, NK and B-naïve subset elevation with memory and CD21low B subset reduction, and IgG expansion, significantly distinguished the SCD HU− subgroup from controls, with naïve T cells, switched-memory B cells and IgG maintaining differences between the SCD HU+ group and controls (p-value of <0.05). The mean CD4+ central-memory T-cell% count was the single independent variable showing a positive correlation with vaso-occlusive crisis score in the SCD group (Pearson’s R = 0.039). We report preliminary data assessing plausible clinical implications of baseline and HU-related SCD immunophenotypical alterations, which need to be validated in larger samples, but potentially affecting hypo-/a-splenism immuno-chemoprophylactic recommendations.
Echocardiographic Assessment of Pulmonary Hypertension in Neonates with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Using Pulmonary Artery Flow Characteristics
Authors: Kipfmueller Florian , Akkas Suemeyra , Pugnaloni Flaminia , Bo Bartolomeo , Lemloh Lotte , Schroeder Lukas , Gembruch Ulrich , Geipel Annegret , Berg Christoph , Heydweiller Andreas , Mueller Andreas
Published: May 2022

Background: Assessment of pulmonary hypertension (PH) is essential in neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Echocardiography is widely established to quantify PH severity, but currently used parameters have inherent limitations. The aim of our study was to investigate the prognostic utility of the index of the pulmonary artery acceleration time to the right ventricular ejection time (PAAT:ET) in CDH neonates assessed using echocardiography. Methods: PAAT:ET values were prospectively measured in CDH neonates on admission, on day of life (DOL) 2 and DOL 5–7. Optimal cut-off values to predict mortality and need for ECMO were calculated and PAAT:ET values were compared between non-ECMO survivors, ECMO-survivors, and ECMO-non-survivors. Results: 87 CDH neonates were enrolled and 39 patients required ECMO therapy. At baseline, PAAT:ET values were significantly lower in ECMO patients compared to non-ECMO patients (p < 0.001). ECMO survivors and ECMO non-survivors had similar values at baseline (p = 0.967) and DOL 2 (p = 0.124) but significantly higher values at DOL 5–7 (p = 0.003). Optimal PAAT:ET cut-off for predicting ECMO was 0.290 at baseline and 0.310 for predicting non-survival in patients on ECMO at DOL 5–7. Conclusion: PAAT:ET is a feasible parameter for early risk assessment in CDH neonates.
Effect of Intraoperative Magnesium Sulfate Administration on Blood Glucose Control following Total Joint Arthroplasty in Patients with Diabetes
Authors: Park Jin-Woo , Kim Eun-Kyoung , Lee Jiyoun , Chung Seung Hyun , Boo Gihong , Do Sang-Hwan
Published: May 2022

Magnesium deficiency, which is known to be highly prevalent among patients with diabetes, has been associated with insulin resistance and poor glucose control. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of intraoperative magnesium administration on postoperative glucose control in patients with diabetes. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with type 2 diabetes who had undergone total joint arthroplasty at a tertiary hospital, where intraoperative magnesium sulfate injections were frequently performed for postoperative analgesia. The patients were grouped based on whether treated with magnesium or not (magnesium vs. control groups). We investigated postoperative blood glucose levels and sliding scale insulin requirements. After propensity matching, 170 patients were allotted to each group. Both the mean glucose level and the incidence of a mean glucose level of >200mg/dL were significantly lower in the magnesium group than in the control group (p = 0.040 and 0.013, respectively). There was also a lower insulin requirement in the magnesium group (p = 0.043). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that magnesium treatment was significantly related to a less frequent incidence of a mean blood glucose level of >200 mg/dL (p = 0.047). This study demonstrated that magnesium sulfate infusion was associated with an improved postoperative blood glucose profile in patients with diabetes.
Elevated Thyroxine Concentration and Lithium Intoxication—An Analysis Based on the LiSIE Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Lieber Ingrid , Ott Michael , Lundqvist Robert , Eliasson Mats , Sandlund Mikael , Werneke Ursula
Published: May 2022

(1) Background: It has been suggested that hyperthyroxinaemia is a risk factor for lithium intoxication by altering tubular renal function. (2) Methods: We determined the relevance of hyperthyroxinaemia as a risk factor for lithium intoxication in patients with bipolar or schizoaffective disorder in the framework of the LiSIE (Lithium-Study into Effects and Side Effects) retrospective cohort study. Of 1562 patients included in the study, 897 patients had been exposed to lithium at any time between 1997 and 2017 with 6684 person-years of observation. (3) Results: There were 65 episodes of unintentional lithium intoxication in 53 patients. There were nine episodes with hyperthyroxinaemia at the time of lithium intoxication, yielding an incidence of 1.3 episodes/1000 person-years. For all nine episodes, we could identify alternative, more plausible, explanations for the observed lithium intoxications. (4) Conclusions: We conclude that hyperthyroxinaemia-associated unintentional lithium intoxication is an uncommon event. A direct causal link between hyperthyroxinaemia and altered tubular renal function remains elusive. Increasing the frequency of routine thyroid function tests seems unlikely to decrease the risk of lithium intoxication.
EBSD Characterization of 7075 Aluminum Alloy and Its Corrosion Behaviors in SRB Marine Environment
Authors: Feng Zhiyuan , Li Jiao , Ma Jincai , Su Yongjin , Zheng Xiaoyuan , Mao Yu , Zhao Zilong
Published: May 2022

Aluminum alloy 7075 is an important engineering material for ship structures. However, the corrosion of Al alloys generally exists in various environments, especially in the marine environment. Currently, the corrosion behaviors of Al alloy 7075 in sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) marine environment has not been well-addressed. In this paper, the corrosion effect of SRB on 7075 aluminum alloys was studied by adding SRB to real seawater. The microstructure and grain orientation of the super-hardness Al alloy 7075 were studied via the electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD)technology, and the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) test of the electrochemical corrosion behavior of 7075 in a variety of microorganisms, mainly SRB, in real seawater was continuously performed for 21 days. It was concluded that Al alloy 7075 has the strongest texture intensity on the (001), (111), (010), and (0–10) planes, which is 2.565. Adding SRB to real seawater accelerated the corrosion rate, and after corrosion on the 14th day, the protective film on the 7075 aluminum alloy surface was completely broken, and the impedance was significantly reduced.
Inversion of Left Atrial Appendage Will Cause Compressive Stresses in the Tissue: Simulation Study of Potential Therapy
Authors: Pasta Salvatore , Guccione Julius , Kassab Ghassan
Published: May 2022

In atrial fibrillation (AF), thromboembolic events can result from the particular conformation of the left atrial appendage (LAA) bearing increased clot formation and accumulation. Current therapies to reduce the risk of adverse events rely on surgical exclusion or percutaneous occlusion, each of which has drawbacks limiting application and efficacy. We sought to quantify the hemodynamic and structural loads of a novel potential procedure to partially invert the “dead” LAA space to eliminate the auricle apex where clots develop. A realistic left atrial geometry was first achieved from the heart anatomy of the Living Heart Human Model (LHHM) and then the left atrial appendage inversion (LAAI) was simulated by finite-element analysis. The LAAI procedure was simulated by pulling the elements at the LAA tip and prescribing a displacement motion along a predefined path. The deformed configuration was then used to develop a computational flow analysis of LAAI. Results demonstrated that the inverted LAA wall undergoes a change in the stress distribution from tensile to compressive in the inverted appendage, and this can lead to resorption of the LAA tissue as per a reduced stress/resorption relationship. Computational flow analyses highlighted a slightly nested low-flow velocity pattern for the inverted LAA with minimal differences from that of a model without inversion of the LAA apex. Our study revealed important insights into the biomechanics of LAAI and demonstrated the inversion of the stress field (from tensile to compressive), which &can ultimately lead the long-term resorption of the LAA.
Impaired Interhemispheric Synchrony in Parkinson’s Disease with Fatigue
Authors: Yuan Yong-Sheng , Ji Min , Gan Cai-Ting , Sun Hui-Min , Wang Li-Na , Zhang Ke-Zhong
Published: May 2022

The characteristics of interhemispheric resting-state functional connectivity (FC) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) with fatigue remain unclear; therefore, we aimed to explore the changes in interhemispheric FC in PD patients with fatigue. Sixteen PD patients with fatigue (PDF), 16 PD patients without fatigue (PDNF) and 15 matched healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled in the retrospective cross-sectional study. We used voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) to analyze the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data of these subjects. Compared to PDNF, PDF patients had decreased VMHC values in the supramarginal gyri (SMG). Furthermore, the mean VMHC values of the SMG were negatively correlated with the mean fatigue severity scale (FSS/9) scores (r = −0.754, p = 0.001). Compared to HCs, PDF patients had decreased VMHC in the SMG and in the opercular parts of the inferior frontal gyri (IFG operc). The VMHC values in the IFG operc and middle frontal gyri (MFG) were notably decreased in PDNF patients compared with HCs. Our findings suggest that the reduced VMHC values within the bilateral SMG may be the unique imaging features of fatigue in PD, and may illuminate the neural mechanisms of fatigue in PD.
MDMF: Predicting miRNA–Disease Association Based on Matrix Factorization with Disease Similarity Constraint
Authors: Ha Jihwan
Published: May 2022

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have drawn enormous attention owing to their significant roles in various biological processes, as well as in the pathogenesis of human diseases. Therefore, predicting miRNA–disease associations is a pivotal task for the early diagnosis and better understanding of disease pathogenesis. To date, numerous computational frameworks have been proposed to identify potential miRNA–disease associations without escalating the costs and time required for clinical experiments. In this regard, I propose a novel computational framework (MDMF) for identifying potential miRNA–disease associations using matrix factorization with a disease similarity constraint. To evaluate the performance of MDMF, I calculated the area under the ROC curve (AUCs) in the framework of global and local leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV). In conclusion, MDMF achieved reliable AUC values of 0.9147 and 0.8905 for global and local LOOCV, respectively, which was a significant improvement upon the previous methods. Additionally, case studies were conducted on two major human cancers (breast cancer and lung cancer) to validate the effectiveness of MDMF. Comprehensive experimental results demonstrate that MDMF not only discovers miRNA–disease associations efficiently but also deciphers the underlying roles of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of diseases at a system level.
Identification of DCAF1 by Clinical Exome Sequencing and Methylation Analysis as a Candidate Gene for Autism and Intellectual Disability: A Case Report
Authors: Clothier Jeffery L. , Grooms Amy N. , Porter-Gill Patricia A. , Gill Pritmohinder S. , Schaefer G. Bradley
Published: May 2022

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders and occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. Cutting-edge technologies are contributing to understanding genetic underpinnings in ASD. The reported patient is a 32-year-old male and as an infant was noted to have microcephaly, hypospadias, pulmonary vascular anomaly, and small stature. He was diagnosed with Cornelia De Lange Syndrome (CDLS) at that time based on the clinical features. As a child, he had autistic features and intellectual disabilities and as diagnoses with autism and intellectual disability. He was referred as an adult to our neurodiversity clinic and a full exome trio sequencing with reflex to mitochondrial genes identified a de novo variant of uncertain significance in a candidate gene, DCAF1. The specific variant was c.137 C > T (p.Thr46Ile) in exon 4 in the DCAF1 gene. In silico analysis supports a deleterious effect on protein structure/function. DCAF1 participates with DDB1 and CUL4 as a part of the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. The E3 ligase complex has been associated with a syndromic form of X-linked intellectual disability. The DDB1/CUL4 E3 ubiquitination complex plays a role in methylation-dependent ubiquitination. Next, a methylation study identified a signature similar to the methylation pattern found in X- linked intellectual disability type 93. This is associated with variants of the BRWD3 gene, which is linked with the functioning of the DDB1/CUL4 E3 ubiquitination complex. Taken together, this suggests that the de novo DCAF1 variant may be a newly identified molecular cause of autism and intellectual disability.
The Effect of Gout on Thyroid Cancer Incidence: A Nested Case-Control Study Using a National Health Screening Cohort
Authors: Kim So Young , Yoo Dae Myoung , Kwon Mi Jung , Kim Ji Hee , Kim Joo-Hee , Bang Woo Jin , Kim Sung Kyun , Choi Hyo Geun
Published: May 2022

In this study, we investigated the risk of thyroid cancer in patients with gout. Participants ≥40 years old in the Korean National Health Insurance Service–Health Screening Cohort were investigated. A total of 5844 patients with thyroid cancer were paired with 23,376 comparison participants (no history of thyroid cancer) to build the nested case–control study. A previous history of gout was collected from both the thyroid cancer and comparison participants. The relationship of thyroid cancer with a prior history of gout was analyzed using a conditional logistic regression model. The rate of gout was higher in the patients with thyroid cancer than in the comparison group. In the total study population, the relationship of thyroid cancer with a prior history of gout was not statistically evident. A previous history of gout was related to an increased risk of gout in the <60 years old, normal weight, abnormal blood pressure, and CCI score = 0 groups. The occurrence of thyroid cancer was not associated with a prior history of gout in the general adult population. However, a prior history of gout was related to an elevated risk of thyroid cancer in middle-aged and healthy populations without comorbidities.
Dynamic Causality Analysis of COVID-19 Pandemic Risk and Oil Market Changes
Authors: So Mike , Chan Jacky , Chu Amanda
Published: May 2022

Crude oil draws attention in recent research as its demand may indicate world economic growth trend in the post-COVID-19 era. In this paper, we study the dynamic lead–lag relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and crude oil future prices. We perform rolling-sample tests to evidence whether two pandemic risk scores derived from network analysis, including a preparedness risk score and a severity risk score, Granger-cause changes in oil future prices. In our empirical analysis, we observe 49% to 60% of days in 2020 to 2021 during which the pandemic scores significantly affected oil futures. We also find an asymmetric lead–lag relationship, indicating that there is a tendency for oil futures to move significantly when the pandemic is less severe but not when it is more severe. This study adopts preparedness risk score and severity risk score as proxy variables to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic risk on oil market. The asymmetric lead–lag behavior between pandemic risk and oil future prices provides insights on oil demand and consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Synergistic Mechanism of the High-Quality Development of the Urban Digital Economy from Blockchain Adoption Perspective—A Configuration Approach
Authors: Xia Ming , Xie Zhimin , Lin Hui , He Xiangwu
Published: May 2022

Blockchain technology is suited to the high-quality development of the digital economy in addressing privacy and data security issues. This study explores the synergistic mechanism of the following six factors from three dimensions based on the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework theory with a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fs/QCA) method: technology, organization, and environment, namely, Blockchain service capability, Blockchain knowledge accumulation, government attention allocation, government funding support, industry carrying capacity and blockchain technology R&D environment, on the quality of the digital economy of 43 cities in China. The conclusions are as follows: (1) the absence of government funding regarding the blockchain domain is a condition contributing to the absence of high urban digital economy quality; (2) there are three driving configurations for the high-quality urban digital economy in the blockchain technology adoption perspective, which are as follows: knowledge-industry driven, government-service driven, and R&D-service driven; (3) there is one driving configuration for the absence of high urban digital economy quality, namely the knowledge-R&D-funding-inhibiting type. The relevant policy implications can provide theoretical references for local governments to develop the digital economy with the help of blockchain technology.
Surface Reflectance–Derived Spectral Indices for Drought Detection: Application to the Guadalupe Valley Basin, Baja California, Mexico
Authors: Del-Toro-Guerrero Francisco José , Daesslé Luis Walter , Méndez-Alonzo Rodrigo , Kretzschmar Thomas
Published: May 2022

Evaluating how meteorological drought affects areas covered by natural ecosystems is challenging due to the lack of ground-based climate data, historical records, and weather station observation with limited coverage. This research tests how the surface reflectance–derived indices (SRDI) may solve this problem by assessing the condition and vegetation dynamics. We use long–term, monthly surface reflectance data (26 hydrological years, 1992/93–2017/18) from Landsat 5 TM, 7 ETM+, and 8 OLI/TIRS satellites and calculated the following five SRDI: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Land Surface Temperature (LST), Vegetation Health Index (VHI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), and Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSAVI). The SRDI allows us to detect, classify, and quantify the area affected by drought in the Guadalupe Valley Basin (GVB) via correlations with the Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI) and the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) (weather station-based data). For particular SRDI–RDI and SRDI–SPI combinations, we find positive seasonal correlations during April–May (IS2) and for annual (AN) values (MSAVI IS2–RDI AN, R = 0.90; NDWI IS2–SPI AN, R = 0.89; VHI AN–RDI AN, R = 0.86). The drought–affected GVB area accounted for >87% during 2001/02, 2006/07, 2013/14, and 2017/18. MSAVI and NDWI are the best meteorological drought indicators in this region, and their application minimizes the dependence on the availability of climatic data series.
Effects of Combined Application of Compost and Mineral Fertilizer on Soil Carbon and Nutrient Content, Yield, and Agronomic Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Maize-Potato Cropping Systems in Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Asaye Zeleke , Kim Dong-Gill , Yimer Fantaw , Prost Katharina , Obsa Oukula , Tadesse Menfese , Gebrehiwot Mersha , Brüggemann Nicolas
Published: May 2022

Low nutrient input and low soil fertility are limiting agricultural productivity in Ethiopia. The main objectives were therefore to evaluate the effects of combined compost and mineral fertilizer (MF) application on soil properties, yield, agronomic nitrogen use efficiency, and adoption of compost application in maize (Zey mays L.)—potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cropping systems. Yield data were collected from 20 smallholders applying (i) compost and MF at a total rate of 110 kg N ha−1, with 6 Mg compost ha−1 + MF (6CF), 12 Mg compost ha−1 + MF (12CF), and 16 Mg compost ha−1 + MF (16CF; compost on a fresh weight basis), (ii) MF application of 108 kg N ha−1 (F), and (iii) zero fertilization. Soil from 0–20 and 20–40 cm depths was collected from 16 farms using compost and MF. Compost + MF treatments showed significantly lower soil bulk density and iron contents, while pH, electrical conductivity, and cation exchange capacity were higher compared to F treatments. The 6CF, 12CF, and 16CF showed 22, 43, and 54% higher maize grain yield and 8, 16, and 18% higher potato tuber yield compared to F, respectively. The scarcity of organic material was a major socioeconomic constraint for smallholders for producing and applying compost.
Spatiotemporal Evolution of Crop Planting Structure in the Black Soil Region of Northeast China: A Case Study in Hailun County
Authors: Li Quanfeng , Liu Wei , Du Guoming , Faye Bonoua , Wang Huanyuan , Li Yunkai , Wang Lu , Qu Shijin
Published: May 2022

Detailed characteristics of crop planting structure (CPS) evolution can inform the optimization of the crop yield proportion in the black soil region of Northeast China (BSRNC). Choosing Hailun County as an example, this study sought to analyze the geographic characteristics of CPS evolution from 2000 to 2020. Our analysis produced new spatiotemporal information based on the remote-sensing interpretation data, namely, Landsat4-5 TM, Landsat7 ETM+, and Landsat8 OLI images. The study characterized the temporal and spatial dynamics of CPS. Our results showed the following: (1) Soybean and maize were the main crops, with a total land area of 70%; they alternated as the most dominant crop. (2) The distribution breadth and aggregation intensity of soybean and maize were spatially complementary; rice had the smallest distribution range but strong water aggregation. (3) The evolution pattern of CPS was the interconversion between a single type of soybean and maize. Our results indicate that the future CPS adjustment of BSRNC needs to consider the county-level optimization of crop area proportion and crop spatial distribution. This context has excellent implications in geographically informing policymaking to adjust county-level CPS of BSRNC, thus safeguarding food security.
A Novel Spectral Index to Identify Cacti in the Sonoran Desert at Multiple Scales Using Multi-Sensor Hyperspectral Data Acquisitions
Authors: Hartfield Kyle , Gillan Jeffrey K. , Norton Cynthia L. , Conley Charles , van Leeuwen Willem J. D.
Published: May 2022

Accurate identification of cacti, whether seen as an indicator of ecosystem health or an invasive menace, is important. Technological improvements in hyperspectral remote sensing systems with high spatial resolutions make it possible to now monitor cacti around the world. Cacti produce a unique spectral signature because of their morphological and anatomical characteristics. We demonstrate in this paper that we can leverage a reflectance dip around 972 nm, due to cacti’s morphological structure, to distinguish cacti vegetation from non-cacti vegetation in a desert landscape. We also show the ability to calculate two normalized vegetation indices that highlight cacti. Furthermore, we explore the impacts of spatial resolution by presenting spectral signatures from cacti samples taken with a handheld field spectroradiometer, drone-based hyperspectral sensor, and aerial hyperspectral sensor. These cacti indices will help measure baseline levels of cacti around the world and examine changes due to climate, disturbance, and management influences.
Agriculture and Temperate Fruit Crop Dynamics in South-Central Chile: Challenges for Fruit Crop Production in La Araucanía Region, Chile
Authors: Montenegro-Romero Tatiana , Vergara-Fernández Cristián , Argandoña-Castro Fabian , Peña-Cortés Fernando
Published: May 2022

The expansion of agricultural, forest plantation, and urban areas is among the main drivers of worldwide land use/cover change. However, little is known about the changes in the extent of highly profitable crops in the temperate zones of South America and their association with other land use/cover changes, especially in south-central Chile, which has experienced massive changes in recent decades. In this context, we aimed to assess land use/cover and fruit crop area changes at the regional and county levels in the Araucanía region, Chile. Hence, the quantity and location of past and future changes were identified using cross-tabulation, Markov chains and cellular automata. The results showed that agricultural land and meadows have decreased by 18% and 26%, respectively, between 1997 and 2013, mainly due to the expansion of forest plantations and urban areas. However, the fruit crop area increased by 645% between the years 2000 and 2019 and will continue increasing to 2033. These changes modified the relative weights of economic activities within the region, changing from cattle raising and marginal agriculture to more profitable activities such as fruit crops and forest plantations. Finally, this work shows a need to move toward the spatial monitoring of agriculture and fruit crops within the country.
An Analysis of Residents’ Social Profiles Influencing Their Participation in Community Micro-Regeneration Projects in China: A Case Study of Yongtai Community, Guangzhou
Authors: Chen Weixuan , Cheshmehzangi Ali , Mangi Eugenio , Heath Timothy , Ye Changdong , Wang Ling
Published: May 2022

Urban regeneration has become one of the most effective ways to develop urban areas that have declined. Compared with other types of urban regeneration, community micro-regeneration is characterised by scattered stakeholders. Existing studies on public participation in community micro-regeneration mainly focus on revealing the interaction between different stakeholders with less attention to the main users’ social profiles in their participation process. This paper explores residents’ social profiles influencing their participation in community micro-regeneration projects in China. An evaluation framework for residents’ participation in community micro-regeneration projects is designed through literature research, the Delphi technique, and an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) based on the case study of Yongtai community, Guangzhou. Relative residents’ social profiles with the data from the questionnaire and literature research are further verified by stepwise linear regression. The results show that residents’ participation is still in the stage of tokenism with high-level passive information receipt but low-level enthusiasm for interactive activities. The older (i.e., 65-years of age and above) and middle-income groups (i.e., between 3000 and 14,999 CNY/Month) are positively associated with their participation in the Yongtai community micro-regeneration project. These findings can provide references for managers to distribute social resources.
Research on Hollow Village Governance Based on Action Network: Mode, Mechanism and Countermeasures—Comparison of Different Patterns in Plain Agricultural Areas of China
Authors: Qu Yanbo , Zhao Weiying , Zhao Lijun , Zheng Yanfeng , Xu Zhiwei , Jiang Huailong
Published: May 2022

With the large-scale development of urbanization in the world, phenomena such as the unbalanced allocation of various elements of the rural regional system, as well as the decline of the economic and social structure and functions in the process of urban and rural economic and social transformation and development in China, have endangered the healthy development of rural areas. The “hollowing” of rural areas is becoming more and more intense, and the governance of hollow villages has become a key link to stimulating the vitality of rural development and realizing the coordinated development of urban and rural areas. Taking a typical hollow village in Fangsi Town, Yucheng City, Shandong Province, China as an example, through the recognition method of hollow villages mode, the study adopted the in-depth interviews and questionnaires to obtain governance of hollow villages. Moreover, this study uses the actor–network theory to discuss the governance model mechanism and policy response of hollow villages, extract the applicable conditions of different hollow village governance modes, and provide the promotion of the hollow village governance mechanism. Our findings show that: (1) the governance modes of hollow villages are diverse. Under certain geographical conditions, the governance of hollow villages shows the relocation and merger–urban–rural integration mode, village integration-scale operation mode, village intensive-idle land revitalization mode, and original site optimization–sightseeing tourism development mode, along with other types. In the process of promotion and use, appropriate adjustments should be made in combination with differences and changes in system conditions, and the accurate governance of villages should be carried out. (2) The governance process of hollow villages is dynamic. The governance of hollow villages represents a heterogeneous network of actors led by key actors, which mainly realizes changes in the rural material space. With the change of development goals of the hollow village, the network of actors has been readjusted around the new OPP, and the role of the actors has changed, correspondingly showing a transition from the governance of the hollow village to the optimized development, thus further realizing the transformation of the hollow village.
Urgent Biophilia: Green Space Visits in Wellington, New Zealand, during the COVID-19 Lockdowns
Authors: MacKinnon Maggie , MacKinnon Rebecca , Pedersen Zari Maibritt , Glensor Kain , Park Tim
Published: May 2022

Urgent biophilia describes the conscious desire of humans to seek interactions with nature during periods of stress. This study examines the changes in frequency and reason for visiting urban green spaces by residents of Wellington, New Zealand, to determine whether resident behavior during a stressful period exemplifies the principles of urgent biophilia. The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns were used as the study period due to the significant physical and mental health stressors they triggered. Pedestrian and cyclist counters located in key urban green spaces in Wellington were used to collect data on visits pre- and post-pandemic. Two surveys were used to assess residents’ reasons for visiting urban green spaces during lockdowns. Increased green space visits were seen during the strictest lockdowns, though there was some variation in visits depending on the location of the green space. The most frequently reported reason for visiting green spaces during lockdown was mental wellbeing, followed by recreation. These results suggest that Wellington residents used urban green spaces as a coping mechanism during stressful lockdown periods for wellbeing benefits, exemplifying the principles of urgent biophilia. Urban planners and policymakers must consider and implement urban green infrastructure as a public health resource.
Urban Land Monetization-Driven Land Use Orientations: An Insight from Land Lease Prices in Addis Ababa
Authors: Weldegebriel Amanuel , Assefa Engdawork , Tekalign Meron , Van Rompaey Anton
Published: May 2022

Urban land leasing is a land monetization strategy that was introduced in 1991 by the contemporary regime. Since then, urban center slum demolitions and their replacement by high-end commercial buildings and urban peripheral low-cost residential condominium expansions have been common occurrences in Addis Ababa. Land rentiers quote extreme land prices at the city center and relatively low prices towards the periphery. Therefore, it has been hypothesized that urban land supply and land prices are determinant factors for urban land use orientations, which have pushed low-end groups towards the periphery. Therefore, based on a lens of land rent theory, 1524 land lease prices and 1038 randomly selected land parcels using Google Earth were used to evaluate locational trends in land prices and land use orientations, respectively. This study revealed that there are significant variabilities between government benchmark land prices and actual quoted land prices. Because of the high rent gaps at the city center, significant land price quotations were recorded, and this overlaps with the urban center slum demolitions and slum resident resettlements at low-cost residential condominiums in the urban periphery. In the first 5 km from the urban economic center, land prices show a declining trend towards the periphery. The central business district is dominated by slums partially under demolition and high-end commercial buildings, while the periphery is dominated by high-rise low-cost residential condominiums. Therefore, the distance from the city center was found to be an explanatory factor of urban land prices. The contributions of other urban utilities to land prices, such as access to transportation routes, could be a future research area.
A Usage-Based Approach to Pattern Finding: The Traceback Method Meets Code-Mixing
Authors: Quick Antje Endesfelder , Backus Ad
Published: May 2022

Usage-based approaches have become increasingly important in research on language acquisition and recently also in bilingual first language acquisition. Lexically specific patterns, such as What’s this? and frame-and-slot patterns, such as [I want X] play an important role in language acquisition scenarios. The ubiquity of such conventionalized chunks and frame-and-slot patterns supports the idea that children construct their early utterances out of concrete pieces they have heard and stored before. To investigate the emergence of patterns in children’s speech the traceback method has been developed, which accounts for the composition of utterances by relying on previously acquired material. Recently, the traceback method has also been applied to code-mixed utterances in bilingual children testing the assumption that bilingual utterances are structured around a frame-and-slot pattern in which the open slot is filled by (a) word(s) from the other language, e.g., [where is X] as in where is das feuer ‘where is the fire’. In this paper we want to present how the empirical use of the traceback method, and the general adoption of a usage-based theoretical perspective, can shed new lights on the study of bilingual phenomena, such as code-mixing.
Prediction and Experimental Validation of a New Salinity-Responsive Cis-Regulatory Element (CRE) in a Tilapia Cell Line
Authors: Kim Chanhee , Wang Xiaodan , Kültz Dietmar
Published: May 2022

Transcriptional regulation is a major mechanism by which organisms integrate gene x environment interactions. It can be achieved by coordinated interplay between cis-regulatory elements (CREs) and transcription factors (TFs). Euryhaline tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) tolerate a wide range of salinity and thus are an appropriate model to examine transcriptional regulatory mechanisms during salinity stress in fish. Quantitative proteomics in combination with the transcription inhibitor actinomycin D revealed 19 proteins that are transcriptionally upregulated by hyperosmolality in tilapia brain (OmB) cells. We searched the extended proximal promoter up to intron1 of each corresponding gene for common motifs using motif discovery tools. The top-ranked motif identified (STREME1) represents a binding site for the Forkhead box TF L1 (FoxL1). STREME1 function during hyperosmolality was experimentally validated by choosing two of the 19 genes, chloride intracellular channel 2 (clic2) and uridine phosphorylase 1 (upp1), that are enriched in STREME1 in their extended promoters. Transcriptional induction of these genes during hyperosmolality requires STREME1, as evidenced by motif mutagenesis. We conclude that STREME1 represents a new functional CRE that contributes to gene x environment interactions during salinity stress in tilapia. Moreover, our results indicate that FoxL1 family TFs are contribute to hyperosmotic induction of genes in euryhaline fish.
Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1 (MCP1) Accumulation in Human Osteoclast Precursor Cultures
Authors: Morrison Nigel A. , Forwood Mark R.
Published: May 2022

In vitro osteoclast methods require constant treatment with macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) to support precursor survival and addition of the differentiation agent receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL). Constant exposure to granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) suppresses human osteoclast formation in vitro. Addition of the chemokine monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP1) to such cultures dramatically increases osteoclast formation and overcomes GM-CSF mediated suppression. We investigated the effect of M-CSF, GM-CSF and the combination of M-CSF and GM-CSF treatment on the expression of chemokines in human CD14+ cells in culture. Of assayed chemokines, MCP1 was the most abundant in terms of mRNA transcript and protein in M-CSF treated cultures and was suppressed by GM-CSF. MCP1 protein accumulated up to 50 ng/mL in culture medium, greatly exceeding other assayed chemokines. C-C chemokine receptor-2 (CCR2) is the receptor for MCP1: the formation of osteoclast-like cells was inhibited by constant exposure to the CCR2 antagonist RS102895, in part by decreasing expression of RANK, the receptor for RANKL.
Neonatal Oral Administration of Chrysin Prevents Long-Term Development of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in a Sexually Dimorphic Manner in Fructose Nurtured Sprague Dawley Rats
Authors: Ajah Austin A. , Lembede Busisani W. , Nkomozepi Pilani , Erlwanger Kennedy H. , Nyakudya Trevor T.
Published: May 2022

High-fructose diets are linked with the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the management of which is a burden to society. Interventions with phytochemicals in the early postnatal period may prevent fructose-induced NAFLD later in adulthood. We investigated the protective potential of chrysin against fructose-induced NAFLD. Four-day-old male and female suckling Sprague Dawley rats (N = 112) were randomly grouped and orally gavaged daily with distilled water (negative Control-Cn + W), chrysin(Chr-100 mg/kg), fructose-solution (Fr-20% w/v), and Chr + Fr between postnatal day (PND) 4 and 21 and then weaned onto normal rat chow and plain drinking water to PND 55. From PND 56 to 130, half of the rats continued on plain water, and the rest had Fr as drinking fluid. Terminally, the liver tissue was collected, and the lipid content was determined and histologically assessed for NAFLD. Dietary Fr induced an increased hepatic lipid content (p = 0.0001 vs. Cn + W) both sexes, and it was only attenuated by neonatal Chr in female rats (p < 0.05). Histologically, there was increased microvesicular steatosis (p = 0.0001 vs. Cn + W) in both sexes, and it was prevented by neonatal Chr (p > 0.05). Fr caused macrovesicular steatosis (p = 0.01 vs. Cn + W) in females only, and chrysin did not prevent it (p > 0.05). Fr induced hepatocellular hypertrophy, and inflammation was observed in females only (p = 0.01 vs. Cn + W), and this was prevented by Chr (p > 0.05). The collagen area fraction was increased by Fr (p = 0.02 (males) and p = 0.04 (females) vs. Cn + W, respectively; however, chrysin did not prevent this (p > 0.05). Neonatal chrysin prevented some of the deleterious effects of the high-fructose diet on the liver, suggesting that chrysin should be further explored as a strategic prophylactic neonatal intervention against high-fructose-diet-induced NAFLD.
A Seed-Borne Bacterium of Rice, Pantoea dispersa BB1, Protects Rice from the Seedling Rot Caused by the Bacterial Pathogen Burkholderia glumae
Authors: Kouzai Yusuke , Akimoto-Tomiyama Chiharu
Published: May 2022

Seedling rot, caused by the bacterial pathogen Burkholderia glumae, is a major disease of rice. It originates from pathogen-contaminated seeds and is thus mainly controlled by pesticide treatments of seeds. We previously demonstrated that the seed-borne bacteria of rice may be a useful and sustainable alternative to pesticides to manage seedling rot, but they are limited in terms of variety. Here, we report that another seed-borne bacterium, Pantoea dispersa BB1, protects rice from B. glumae. We screened 72 bacterial isolates from rice seeds of three genetically different cultivars inoculated or non-inoculated with B. glumae. 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that pathogen inoculation affected the composition of culturable seed-borne bacterial communities and increased the presence of Pantoea and Paenibacillus species. Among three Pantoea and Paenibacillus isolates that exhibit tolerance to toxoflavin, a virulence factor of B. glumae, P. dispersa BB1 significantly mitigated the symptoms of rice seedling rot. The culture filtrate of BB1 inhibited the growth of B. glumae in vitro, suggesting that this isolate secretes antibacterial compounds. Seed treatment with BB1 suppressed pathogen propagation in plants, although seed treatment with the culture filtrate did not. Because BB1 did not show pathogenicity in rice, our findings demonstrate that BB1 is a promising biocontrol agent against seedling rot.
Noninvasive Mapping of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-2 in Pigeons Using Micro Positron Emission Tomography
Authors: Wang Zilei , Liu Ziyu , Yang Lanxin , Ding Jin , Wang Feng , Liu Teli , Yang Zhi , Wang Chao , Zhu Hua , Liu Youping
Published: May 2022

The ACE2 receptor, as the potential entrance site of SARS-CoV-2-affected cells, plays a crucial role in spreading infection. The DX600 peptide is a competitive inhibitor of ACE2. We previously constructed the 68Ga-labeled DOTA-DX600 (also known as 68Ga-HZ20) peptide and confirmed its ACE2 binding ability both in vitro and in vivo. In this research, we aimed to investigate the noninvasive mapping of ACE2 expression in fowl using 68Ga-HZ20 micro-PET. We chose pigeons as an animal model and first studied the administration method of 68Ga-HZ20 by direct site injection or intravenous injection. Then, the dynamic micro-PET scan of 68Ga-HZ20 was conducted at 0–40 min. Additionally, 18F-FDG was used for comparison. Finally, the pigeons were sacrificed, and the main organs were collected for further immunoPET and IHC staining. Micro PET/CT imaging results showed that 68Ga-HZ20 uptake was distributed from the heart at the preliminary injection to the kidneys, liver, stomach, and lungs over time, where the highest uptake was observed in the kidneys (SUVmax = 6.95, 20 min) and lung (SUVmax = 1.11, 20 min). Immunohistochemical experiments were carried out on its main organs. Compared to the SUVmax data, the IHC results showed that ACE2 was highly expressed in both kidneys and intestines, and the optimal imaging time was determined to be 20 min after injection through correlation analysis. These results indicated that 68Ga-HZ20 is a potential target molecule for SARS-CoV-2 in fowl, which is worthy of promotion and further study.
High Fat High Sucrose Diet Modifies Uterine Contractility and Cervical Resistance in Pregnant Rats: The Roles of Sex Hormones, Adipokines and Cytokines
Authors: Gáspár Róbert , Hajagos-Tóth Judit , Schaffer Annamária , Kothencz Anna , Siska-Szabó Lilla , Ducza Eszter , Csányi Adrienn , Tábi Tamás , Bagaméry Fruzsina , Szökő Éva , Kovács Orsolya , Barna Tamara , Samavati Reza , Mirdamadi Mohsen , Sztojkov-Ivanov Anita , Szűcs Kálmán Ferenc , Vari Sandor G.
Published: May 2022

Background: In obesity, the adipose tissue becomes a very significant endocrine organ producing different factors called adipokines, such as leptin, adiponectin and kisspeptin; however, no data are available about their actions on uterine contraction in obese pregnant rats. Our aim was to study the impact of obesity on pregnant uterine contraction in a rat model. Methods: Obesity was induced by the consumption of a high fat high sucrose diet (HFHSD) for 9 weeks, including pregnancy. Glucose tolerance, sex hormone, cytokine and adipokine levels were measured. Uterine contractions and cervical resistance, as well as their responses to adipokines, were tested along with the expressions of their uterine receptors. Results: HFHSD increased body weight, and altered glucose tolerance and fat composition. The uterine leptin and kisspeptin pathway affect increased. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines were reduced, while the plasma level of progesterone was increased, resulting in weaker uterine contractions, and improving the uterine relaxing effects of adipokines. HFHSD reduced cervical resistance, but the core effect of adipokines is difficult to determine. Conclusions: Obesity in pregnant rats reduces uterine contractility and cytokine-induced inflammatory processes, and therefore obese pregnant rat methods are partially applicable for modelling human processes.
Distinct Cytokine Profiles in Severe COVID-19 and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Papic Neven , Samadan Lara , Vrsaljko Nina , Radmanic Leona , Jelicic Karlo , Simicic Petra , Svoboda Petra , Lepej Snjezana Zidovec , Vince Adriana
Published: May 2022

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is identified as a risk factor for developing severe COVID-19. While NAFLD is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation, mechanisms leading to immune system hyperactivation remain unclear. The aim of this prospective observational study is to analyze cytokine profiles in patients with severe COVID-19 and NAFLD. A total of 94 patients with severe COVID-19 were included. Upon admission, clinical and laboratory data were collected, a liver ultrasound was performed to determine the presence of steatosis, and subsequently, 51 were diagnosed with NAFLD according to the current guidelines. There were no differences in age, sex, comorbidities, and baseline disease severity between the groups. Serum cytokine concentrations were analyzed using a multiplex bead-based assay by flow cytometry. Upon admission, the NAFLD group had higher C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and fibrinogen. Interleukins-6, -8, and -10 and CXCL10 were significantly higher, while IFN-γ was lower in NAFLD patients. Patients with NAFLD who progressed to critical illness had higher concentrations of IL-6, -8, -10, and IFN-β, and IL-8 and IL-10 appear to be effective prognostic biomarkers associated with time to recovery. In conclusion, NAFLD is associated with distinct cytokine profiles in COVID-19, possibly associated with disease severity and adverse outcomes.