bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A glimpse of the long view: Human attitudes to an established population of Eurasian beaver (castor fiber) in the lowlands of south-east England
Authors: Oliveira Sara , Buckley Phil , Consorte-McCrea Adriana
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) is a native species to Britain that after being absent for 400 years has been restored to the English countryside. The first beavers were released into a reserve in Kent in 2001/02, making this one of the first beaver release areas in the UK. This paper examines attitudes towards beaver presence in the landscape as well as public perception of beaver benefits and impacts with respect to the environment and human society.

Methods

Qualitative questionnaires were utilised to investigate factors influencing social attitudes and support for beaver reintroduction, as well as the relationship between sociodemographic variables and attitudes. Inhabitants of Kent and its immediate surroundings were surveyed during June and July of 2020 (n=407) with a focus on three interest groups – environmentalists, farmers and the general public.

Results

Perceptions included mostly beneficial impacts on nature and biodiversity, whereas less positive impacts were associated with economics, agriculture and fisheries. In general, local attitudes towards beavers were positive, mainly sustained by feelings of liking this wildlife species and valuing their presence. People´s attitudes positively influence willingness to support the reintroduction of beavers. Twenty years after their initial release, results indicate broad support for the beaver reintroduction in Kent and people´s tolerance of beavers. The majority of respondents were in favour of nonintrusive management techniques to mitigate beavers’ undesirable impacts.

Discussion

These findings suggest the need to develop an optimal management strategy that incorporates public views and gives advice on the best approach to manage this wildlife species. This research provides theoretical and practical underpinning for beaver management and conservation in Britain.
Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is a predictor of arterial stiffness, incidence of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: A longitudinal two-cohort analysis
Authors: Muhammad Iram Faqir , Bao Xue , Nilsson Peter M. , Zaigham Suneela
Published: January 2023

Background

Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is a useful low-cost marker of insulin resistance. We aimed to evaluate the association between TyG index and arterial stiffness, incidence of diabetes, adverse cardiovascular outcomes, and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in two large prospective Swedish cohorts, the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study-Cardiovascular Cohort (MDCS-CV) and the Malmö Preventive Project (MPP).

Methods

Association between baseline TyG index and arterial stiffness, measured by carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (c-f PWV), was assessed using linear regression and general linear models, adjusting for covariates. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to assess the association between TyG index and incidence of diabetes, coronary events (CE), stroke, atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure, and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

Results

After multivariable adjustment, baseline TyG index was significantly associated with increased arterial stiffness (β for c-f PWV = 0.61, p = 0.018). Participants in the highest quartile of TyG index vs. lowest quartile had an increased incidence of diabetes (HR: 3.30, 95% CI: 2.47–4.41), CE (HR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.41–1.68), stroke (HR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.18–1.44), all-cause mortality (HR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.16–1.28), and cardiovascular mortality (HR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.26–1.49) after adjustment for covariates. Per unit increase in TyG index was associated with increased heart failure risk. No significant association was observed for incident AF.

Conclusion

Elevated TyG index is positively associated with increased arterial stiffness and increased incidence of diabetes, CE, stroke, and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The results suggest that TyG index can potentially be useful in the identification of those at increased long-term risk of adverse health outcomes.
A dual osteoconductive-osteoprotective implantable device for vertical alveolar ridge augmentation
Authors: Dairaghi Jacob , Benito Alston Claudia , Cadle Rachel , Rogozea Dan , Solorio Luis , Barco Clark T. , Moldovan Nicanor I.
Published: January 2023

Repair of large oral bone defects such as vertical alveolar ridge augmentation could benefit from the rapidly developing additive manufacturing technology used to create personalized osteoconductive devices made from porous tricalcium phosphate/hydroxyapatite (TCP/HA)-based bioceramics. These devices can be also used as hydrogel carriers to improve their osteogenic potential. However, the TCP/HA constructs are prone to brittle fracture, therefore their use in clinical situations is difficult. As a solution, we propose the protection of this osteoconductive multi-material (herein called “core”) with a shape-matched “cover” made from biocompatible poly-ɛ-caprolactone (PCL), which is a ductile, and thus more resistant polymeric material. In this report, we present a workflow starting from patient-specific medical scans in Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format files, up to the design and 3D printing of a hydrogel-loaded porous TCP/HA core and of its corresponding PCL cover. This cover could also facilitate the anchoring of the device to the patient's defect site via fixing screws. The large, linearly aligned pores in the TCP/HA bioceramic core, their sizes, and their filling with an alginate hydrogel were analyzed by micro-CT. Moreover, we created a finite element analysis (FEA) model of this dual-function device, which permits the simulation of its mechanical behavior in various anticipated clinical situations, as well as optimization before surgery. In conclusion, we designed and 3D-printed a novel, structurally complex multi-material osteoconductive-osteoprotective device with anticipated mechanical properties suitable for large-defect oral bone regeneration.
Geochemical records in subaerial exposure environments in Croatia using discriminant function analysis of bauxite data
Authors: Ilijanić Nikolina , Kovačević Galović Erli , Gizdavec Nikola , Ivkić Filipović Ivona , Miko Slobodan , Peh Zoran
Published: January 2023

Croatian bauxites are long known for their chemical and physical diversity arisen from their characteristic origin and emplacement within the area of the Adriatic–Dinaric carbonate platform (ADCP). They include eight horizons spanning the period between the Upper Triassic (Carnian) and the Miocene, formed on subaerially exposed platform paleoenvironments. The bauxite genesis is recorded in the bauxite geochemical composition as a unique signature of tectonostratigraphic evolution of the different parts of the Croatian Karst, including, for example, the forebulge unconformity typical for the Istrian area. In this work, an explanation of the typical patterns of bauxite formation is based on the construction of a discriminant function model (DFM) resulting from the compositional data (CoDa) analysis of bauxite geochemical data (major and trace elements). The model shows that the greatest part of the variation contained in the analyzed bauxite data (the first discriminant function, DF1) is associated with systematic alteration of geochemical composition in time, emphasizing characteristic decrease in clay component and gradual enrichment in heavy metals from oldest (Upper Triassic) to the youngest (Miocene) bauxites. In the general scheme, particular bauxite horizons represent standalone groups (Upper Triassic) while others form clusters showing increase and/or decrease of a particular set of elements signaling the changes in environmental conditions during the considered geological history of ADCP. Other discriminant functions (DF2 and DF3) also contribute to the all-inclusive distinction between the eight a priori defined bauxite groups discriminated by the characteristic set of geochemical variables where DF2 typically refers to the process of desilication, while DF3 to that of deferralitization.
Experimental study on coal seam permeability enhancement and CO2 permeability caused by supercritical CO2
Authors: Yu Yongjiang , Liu Jingjing , Yang Yuntao , Wu Di , Zhai Wenbo , Miao Feng
Published: January 2023

Permeability is one of the most important parameters for characterizing fluid flow and production from reservoirs. In this paper, experimental studies on the percolation, permeability, and adsorption of supercritical CO2 in coal seams were carried out, taking into account the effects of injection pressure and temperature, comparing the changes in longitudinal wave velocity of specimens before and after the tests, and analyzing the permeability effect of supercritical CO2 on raw coal specimens. The test results showed that when the volume stress was 36 MPa, the permeability of supercritical CO2 in coal increased by 93%, on average, compared with that of CO2. The modified D-R model was used to fit the adsorption data, and it was found that the excess adsorption capacity of supercritical CO2 by coal decreased with increased pressure, with a maximum value of approximately 8 MPa. When the temperature increased by 10°C, the adsorption capacity decreased by 8.3%, on average. In the subcritical CO2 state, the trend of excess CO2 adsorption in coal was consistent with that of absolute adsorption, which was 16% higher than that of excess adsorption, on average. After the action of supercritical CO2, the propagation velocity of the longitudinal wave in the sample decreased significantly, indicating that supercritical CO2 can effectively promote the development of pores and fractures in the coal sample, with an obvious anti-reflection effect on the coal seam and the best permeability enhancement effect at 35°C.
Salt structure identification based on U-net model with target flip, multiple distillation and self-distillation methods
Authors: Li Keran , Song Jinmin , Xia Shun , Luo Beiwei , Wang Junke , Zhong Yong , Ren Shan
Published: January 2023

Salt structures are crucial targets in oil and gas seismic exploitation so that one fast, automatic and accurate method is necessary for accelerating salt structure identification in the exploitation process. With the development of machine-learning algorithms, geophysical scientists adopt machine-learning models to solve problems. Most machine-learning models in geophysics require mass data in the model training. However, the number of seismic images is limited and the class-imbalance is often existed in actuality, causing the machine-learning algorithms to be difficult to apply in exploitation projects. To overcome the challenge of the seismic images’ volume, this work collects a two-dimensional (2D) seismic images dataset and trains several U-net models with the methods of inversion and multiple distillation. Moreover, self-distillation is introduced to boost the model’s performance. A test using a public seismic dataset and the case of salt detection in the Hith evaporite in southern United Arab Emirates and western Oman shows the distillation method is able to identify salt structures automatically and accurately, which has great potential for application in actual exploitation.
Observational study of river-land breeze and its influence on distribution of PM10 concentrations over a main mining city in the Yangtze River Delta, China
Authors: Zhang Hong , Wang Xinqi , Hong Xingyuan , Wang Shuibin , Huang Yong
Published: January 2023

Wind data from air pollutant observation networks and meteorological stations are used to analyze the characteristics of river-land breeze near Tongling city (a main mining city in the Yangtze River Delta). The inhomogeneous distribution of pollutant matters near Tongling city due to river-land breeze is also investigated. Our results show the following conclusions. 1) The river breeze during the daytime is stronger than the land breeze at night. And the speed of river-land breeze is increased rapidly from 7:00 and arrived at the maximum at 12:00. After 15:00, the speed is slowed rapidly. 2) The river-land breeze in city area (east of Yangtze River, speed is .07 m/s) is weaker than the natural area (west of Yangtze River, speed is 0.18 m/s). Furthermore, the seasonal variations of breeze both in the west and east sides are different. In west side, the breeze is strongest in spring. And in the east side, the breeze is strongest in summer. 3) Under a weak breeze (≤0.45 m/s), the PM10 is moved by the breeze within the region and causes the heterogeneity. While with a strong breeze (>0.45 m/s), the PM10 is transported out of the region, and the PM10 concentration becomes homogenous. 4) The river breeze leads to a reduction of the pollutant concentration near the Yangtze River, but an increase in the city due to the transportation of pollutant particles from coast to city at daytime.
A novel Dynahead-Yolo neural network for the detection of landslides with variable proportions using remote sensing images
Authors: Han Zheng , Fang Zhenxiong , Li Yange , Fu Bangjie
Published: January 2023

Efficient and automatic landslide detection solutions are beneficial for regional hazard mitigation. At present, scholars have carried out landslide detection based on deep learning. However, continuous improvement regarding the accuracy of landslide detection with better feature extraction of landslides remain an essential issue, especially small-proportion landslides in the remote sensing images are difficult to identify up to date. To address this issue, we propose a detection model, the so-called Dynahead-Yolo which is designed by combining unifying scale-aware, space-aware, and task-aware attention mechanisms into the YOLOv3 framework. The proposed method focuses on the detailed features of landslide images with variable proportions, improving the ability to decode landslides in complex background environments. We determine the most efficient cascade order of the three modules and compare previous detection networks based on randomly generated prediction sets from the three study areas. Compared with the traditional YOLOv3, the detection rate of Dynahead-Yolo in small-proportion landslides and complex background landslides is increased by 13.67% and 14.12%, respectively.
Spatial averaging implied in aquifer test interpretation: The meaning of estimated hydraulic properties
Authors: Manewell Neil , Doherty John , Hayes Phil
Published: January 2023

Processing of aquifer test drawdowns to obtain estimates of transmissivity, and sometimes storativity, is an integral part of hydrogeological site investigations. Analysis of these data often relies on an assumption of hydraulic property uniformity. Aquifer properties are often estimated by fitting a Theis curve to measured drawdowns. Where an aquifer exhibits heterogeneity, quantities that are forthcoming from such analyses are assumed to represent spatially-averaged properties. However the nature of the averaging process, and the area over which averaging takes place are unknown. In this study we derive spatial averaging functions that link inferred hydraulic properties to real-world hydraulic properties. These functions employ Fréchet integrals derived by previous investigators that link observation well drawdowns to aquifer properties under an assumption of mild aquifer heterogeneity. It is shown that these hydraulic property spatial averaging functions are complex, especially at times that immediately follow the commencement of pumping. Furthermore, they cross hydraulic property boundaries, so that estimates of storativity can be contaminated by heterogeneities in real-world transmissivity, and vice versa. Because of its greater averaging area at later times, estimates of transmissivity are generally more immune to the effects of local hydraulic property heterogeneity than are those of storativity. They are therefore more reflective of broadscale real-world hydraulic properties, particularly those that prevail in areas that are removed from the immediate vicinity of the pumping and observation wells.
Periodic variations of phosphorus migration and transformation in a eutrophic lake of China: The role of algae bloom and collapse
Authors: Han Chaonan , Tang Yu , Wu Hao , Sun Ningning , Dai Yan , Dai Tianhao
Published: January 2023

It is a two-way interaction between algae bloom events and nutrient cycles in aquatic environments. In Meiliang bay of Taihu Lake, phosphorus (P) forms in the water, sediment and pore water, and bacterial community structures in the sediment were investigated in June 2021 (the algae bloom period) and December 2021 (the algae collapse period). The aim of this study is to clarify the periodic variations of P migration and transformation driven by algae bloom and collapse. Results showed that concentrations of total P and total particulate P in the water during the algae bloom period (.13–.25 mg/L) were much higher than those during the algae collapse period (0–.13 mg/L), which was mainly caused by the uptake of phosphate (PO43-) by algae in the surface water. Compared with the algae bloom period, there were higher concentrations of organic P (OP), iron-bound P (FeP) and inorganic P in the sediments during the algae collapse period. The propositions of OP and FeP in total P in the sediments increased from 19% to 17% during the algae bloom period to 27% and 33% during the algae collapse period. These suggest the cumulative trend of OP and FeP in the sediments during the algae collapse period, and FeP might be formed through the processes of OP mineralization and P adsorption by iron oxides/hydroxides in the sediments. Different routes of sediment P regeneration existed over the two periods. During the algae bloom period, the similar vertical variations of labile PO43- and labile Fe2+ in the sediments provided in situ, high-resolution evidence for FeP reductive dissolution driven by FRBs activities. During the algae collapse period, OP mineralization driven by organic P-solubilizing bacteria activities and accelerated by the sulfate reduction process was confirmed by the similar vertical variations of labile PO43- and labile S2- in the sediments. Therefore, treatment approaches and management practices should consider the periodic variations of internal P cycles in aquatic environments during the algae bloom and algae collapse periods to avoid inefficient treatments of lake eutrophication and algae bloom.
Resistivity correction and water saturation evaluation for calcareous tight sandstone reservoir: A case study of G oil field in Sichuan Basin
Authors: Yu Zhang , Jun Jia , Hua Hu , Yao Du , Hongyi An , Shi Fang
Published: January 2023

The calcareous tight sandstone reservoir of the Triassic Shaximiao Formation in the G oil field of the central Sichuan Basin has high calcium content and abnormally high resistivity, making it difficult to reveal the oil-bearing property, evaluate water saturation, and calculate geological reserves. In this work, a petrophysical volume model of calcareous tight sandstone was established through systematic petrophysics experiments and the analysis of the main control factors of oil bearing grade. A method of using conventional logging data to calculate the calcium content of the reservoir and correct the calcium content of resistivity was proposed. After resistivity correction, the water saturation of the tight calcareous sandstone reservoir was more accurately calculated based on variable rock-electro parameters. The results indicated that with the decrease in calcium content and the increase in feldspar content, the reconstructive effect of corrosion was enhanced, the physical properties and pore structure of the reservoir were improved, and the oil bearing grade increased. The calcium content of the reservoir can be continuously calculated by the volume model and the crossplot of logRtn/ACn and Vca/POR. The resistivity of the reservoir with a high calcium content can be corrected using the resistivity index of calcium content (Ica). In conjunction with the water saturation calculation model using variable parameters, the accuracy of calculated water saturation was 14% and 5.8% higher than the calculation results without resistivity correction and using fixed rock-electro parameters, which can satisfy the requirements for reservoir evaluation and the calculation accuracy of hydrocarbon reserves.
Study on the permeability coefficient model of salinized frozen soil based on unfrozen water content curve
Authors: Liu Gunag , Zhang Zhilong , Cheng Zhe , Hao Ge , Hao Yufeng , Fu Ting
Published: January 2023

Due to the fact that the permeability coefficient of salinized frozen soil is difficult to measure through experimental test, this paper develops a model of the permeability coefficient of salinized frozen soil by using SFCC curves, which takes into account the effects of velocity slip on pore wall and seepage of unfrozen water film. This model is on the basis of capillary bundle model, and combines with phase diagram theory of water-salt binary system. For the silty clay from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and silts from Onedia, the permeability coefficient fluctuation vs. temperature is calculated using the model. The estimated calculations of the permeability coefficient model were all found to be in good agreement with the experimental data by comparison. Additionally, the variation trend of permeability coefficient of NaCl, Na2SO4, and Na2CO3 type saline soils containing different salt contents is examined. The results indicate that before saline soils freeze, NaCl does not crystallize and thus has little impact on the permeability coefficient, whereas Na2SO4 and Na2CO3 both crystallize and block the pores, the permeability coefficient decreases with decreasing temperature. Once the saline soils have frozen, the freezing temperature has a larger impact on the permeability coefficient. During the early stage of freezing, the lower the freezing temperature is, the larger the permeability coefficient is. In the late stage of freezing, the permeability coefficients with various salt contents tended to be the same.
Reconstruction of 3D multi-mineral shale digital rock from a 2D image based on multi-point statistics
Authors: Liu Lei , Yao Jun , Imani Gloire , Sun Hai , Zhang Lei , Yang Yongfei , Zhang Kai
Published: January 2023

Introduction: Shale oil and gas reservoirs contain a variety of inorganic and organic pores that differ significantly from conventional reservoirs, making traditional experiments ineffective. Instead, the pore-scale imaging and modeling method, regarded as a novel and practical approach, is proposed to characterize shale microstructure and petrophysical properties. Therefore, it is of great significance to accurately reconstruct the three-dimensional (3D) microstructure of the porous medium, that is, the digital rock. However, microstructural images of shale at high-resolution, obtained through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are constrained in the two-dimensional (2D) scale.

Method: In this work, a novel iterative algorithm to reconstruct 3D multi-phase shale digital rock from a 2D image using multi-point statistics has been proposed. A multi-grid data template was used to capture the conditional probabilities and data events. The novelty of this work stems from an accurate representation of different types of pores and the mineral characteristics of shale rock from 2D images.

Result: A series of simulations were conducted to reconstruct 2D shale digital rock from a 2D segmented training image, 3D shale digital rock from a 2D segmented training image, a 2D gray training image to reconstruct 2D shale digital rock, and a 2D gray training image to reconstruct 3D shale digital rock.

Discussion: To corroborate the accuracy of the reconstructed digital rock and evaluate the reliability of the proposed algorithm, we compared the construction image with the training image with the two-point correlation function, geometry, morphological topology structure, and flow characteristics. The reconstruction accuracy indicates that the proposed algorithm can replicate the higher-order statistical information of the training image.
Transcriptomic profiling of hepatic tissues for drug metabolism genes in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A study of human and animals
Authors: Chen Li , Chen Lu , Li Xu , Qin Lin , Zhu Yan , Zhang Qianru , Tan Daopeng , He Yuqi , Wang Yu-He
Published: January 2023

Background

Drug metabolism genes are involved in the in vivo metabolic processing of drugs. In previous research, we found that a high-fat diet affected the transcript levels of mouse hepatic genes responsible for drug metabolism.

Aims

Our research intends to discover the drug metabolism genes that are dysregulated at the transcriptome level in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Methods

We analyzed the transcriptome for drug metabolism genes of 35 human liver tissues obtained during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Additionally, we imported transcriptome data from mice fed a high-fat diet in previous research and two open-access Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets (GSE63067 and GSE89632). Then, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), we cross-linked the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in clinical and animal samples and validated the common genes.

Results

In this study, we identified 35 DEGs, of which 33 were up-regulated and two were down-regulated. Moreover, we found 71 DEGs (39 up- and 32 down-regulated), 276 DEGs (157 up- and 119 down-regulated), and 158 DEGs (117 up- and 41 down-regulated) in the GSE63067, GSE89632, and high-fat diet mice, respectively. Of the 35 DEGs, nine co-regulated DEGs were found in the Venn diagram (CYP20A1, CYP2U1, SLC9A6, SLC26A6, SLC31A1, SLC46A1, SLC46A3, SULT1B1, and UGT2A3).

Conclusion

Nine significant drug metabolism genes were identified in NAFLD. Future research should investigate the impacts of these genes on drug dose adjustment in patients with NAFLD.

Clinical Trial Registration

http://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2100041714.
A new perspective on semen quality of aged male: The characteristics of metabolomics and proteomics
Authors: Guo Yi , Li Jinli , Hao Fengdan , Yang Yang , Yang Hao , Chang Qiurong , Kong Pengcheng , Liu Wenqiang , Jiao Xianting , Teng Xiaoming
Published: January 2023

Background

Semen quality is negatively correlated with male age and is mainly quantified by a routine semen analysis, which is descriptive and inconclusive. Sperm proteins or semen metabolites are used as the intermediate or end-products, reflecting changes in semen quality, and hold much promise as a new biomarker to predict fertility in advanced-aged males.

Objectives

In this study, we sought to assess whether the semen metabolome and proteome of aged males can affect semen quality and serve as biomarkers for predicting semen quality.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively analyzed 12825 males that underwent semen routine analysis to understand the age-dependent changes in sperm quality. To identify the difference between aged and young adults, metabolomics (n=60) analyses of semen and proteomics (n=12) analyses of sperm were conducted. Finally, integrated machine learning of metabolomics was conducted to screen biomarkers to identify aging semen.

Results

We discovered that male age was positively correlated with sperm concentration as well as DNA fragmentation index(DFI), and negatively with progressive motile sperm count, total sperm count, sperm volume and progressive sperm motility. The differential metabolites were significantly enriched in various metabolic pathways, and four of these differential metabolites (Pipamperone, 2,2-Bis(hydroxymethyl)-2,2’,2’’-nitrilotriethanol, Arg-Pro and Triethyl phosphate) were utilized to establish a biomarker panel to identify aging semen. Proteomic analysis showed that differential proteins were significantly enriched in protein digestion and absorption and some energy-related pathways. An integrated analysis of the metabolome and proteome identified differential energy metabolism and oxidative stress-related proteins, which could explain the decreased motility and the increased DFI of aging sperm

Discussion and conclusion

We provide compelling evidence that the changes in semen metabolome and sperm proteome are related to the decline of semen quality in aged males. Moreover, a biomarker panel based on four metabolites was established to identify aging semen.
Extracellular vesicles derived from different sources play various roles in diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Chen Tingting , Wang Fang , Wei Jiayi , Feng Le
Published: January 2023

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are present in almost all biological fluids and secreted by almost all cell types. A growing number of studies have revealed the potential roles of EVs in the diagnosis and treatment of the diabetic retinopathy (DR). Changes in the quantity and content of EVs may serve as biomarkers of cause or consequence of pathological status of DR, such as inflammation, neovascularization and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. In addition, as natural, safe and efficient drug carrier, EVs have been reported to play important roles in intercellular communication by acting for essential cell-specific information to target cells. In this review, we summarize the roles of EVs, secreted by various types of cells and participated in various biological processes, in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of DR.
A novel risk model based on the correlation between the expression of basement membrane genes and immune infiltration to predict the invasiveness of pituitary adenomas
Authors: Chen Zheng , Sun Xin , Kang Yin , Zhang Jian , Jia Fang , Liu Xiyao , Zhu Hongwei
Published: January 2023

Objective

Invasive pituitary adenomas (IPAs) are common tumors of the nervous system tumors for which invasive growth can lead to difficult total resection and a high recurrence rate. The basement membrane (BM) is a special type of extracellular matrix and plays an important role in the invasion of pituitary adenomas (PAs). The aim of this study was to develop a risk model for predicting the invasiveness of PAs by analyzing the correlation between the expression of BM genes and immune infiltration.

Methods

Four datasets, featuring samples IPAs and non-invasive pituitary adenomas (NIPAs), were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO). R software was then used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and analyze their functional enrichment. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was used to screen BM genes, which were analyzed for immune infiltration; this led to the generation of a risk model based on the correlation between the expression of BM genes and immunity. A calibration curve and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to evaluate and validate the model. Subsequently, the differential expression levels of BM genes between IPA and NIPA samples collected in surgery were verified by Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) and the prediction model was further evaluated. Finally, based on our analysis, we recommend potential drug targets for the treatment of IPAs.

Results

The merged dataset identified 248 DEGs that were mainly enriching in signal transduction, the extracellular matrix and channel activity. The PPI network identified 11 BM genes from the DEGs: SPARCL1, GPC3, LAMA1, SDC4, GPC4, ADAMTS8, LAMA2, LAMC3, SMOC1, LUM and THBS2. Based on the complex correlation between these 11 genes and immune infiltration, a risk model was established to predict PAs invasiveness. Calibration curve and ROC curve analysis (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.7886194) confirmed the good predictive ability of the model. The consistency between the qPCR results and the bioinformatics results confirmed the reliability of data mining.

Conclusion

Using a variety of bioinformatics methods, we developed a novel risk model to predict the probability of PAs invasion based on the correlation between 11 BM genes and immune infiltration. These findings may facilitate closer surveillance and early diagnosis to prevent or treat IPAs in patients and improve the clinical awareness of patients at high risk of IPAs.
Low temperature ensures FeS2 cathode a superior cycling stability in Li7P3S11-based all-solid-state lithium batteries
Authors: Wang Ru , Wu Zhongkai , Yu Chuang , Wei Chaochao , Peng Linfeng , Wang Liping , Cheng Shijie , Xie Jia
Published: January 2023

All-solid-state lithium sulfide batteries exhibit great potential as next-generation energy storage devices due to their low cost and high energy density. However, the poor conductivity of the solid electrolytes and the low electronic conductivity of sulfur limit their development. In this work, the highly conductive Li7P3S11 glass-ceramic solid electrolyte with room temperature conductivity of 1.27 mS cm−1 is synthesized and combined with the FeS2 cathode and Li-In anode to fabricate FeS2/Li7P3S11/Li-In all-solid-state Li-S battery. The assembled battery delivers high initial discharge capacities of 620.8, 866.4 mAh g−1, and 364.8 mAh g−1 at 0.1C under room temperature, 60°C and 0°C, respectively. It shows a discharge capacity of 284.8 mAh g−1 with a capacity retention of 52.4% after 80 cycles at room temperature. When the operating temperature rises to 60°C, this battery suffers a fast decay of capacity in 40 cycles. However, this battery sustains a high discharge capacity of 256.6 mAh g−1 with a capacity retention of 87.9% after 100 cycles under 0°C, smaller volume expansion of ASSBs at 0°C keep the solid/solid contact between the electrolyte particles, thus resulting in better electrochemical performances. EIS and in situ pressure characterizations further verify that the differences of electrochemical performances are associated with the volume variations caused by the temperature effects. This work provides a guideline for designing all-solid-state Li-S which is workable in a wide temperature range.
Trace metal fate in soil after application of digestate originating from the anaerobic digestion of non-source-separated organic fraction of municipal solid waste
Authors: Baldasso Veronica , Bonet-Garcia Neus , Sayen Stéphanie , Guillon Emmanuel , Frunzo Luigi , Gomes Carlos A. R. , Alves Maria João , Castro Ricardo , Mucha Ana Paula , Almeida C. Marisa R.
Published: January 2023

Introduction: Digestate originating from anaerobic digestion of non-source-separated organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) is produced abundantly worldwide and generally discarded in landfills. However, it can be a valuable resource for many bioeconomy strategies as land restoration, only if a consolidated understanding of the contaminants’ presence and behaviour in digestate-amended soil is achieved. This study aimed to investigate the fate of trace metals, namely Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cr found in the digestate, along the soil profile after digestate application on soil, and the influence that other contaminants as pharmaceutical compounds can have on their behaviour in the soil system.

Methods: For that, a 90-day soil column experiment was conducted using a fine loamy sand soil topped with a layer of digestate-amended soil. Digestate-amended soil had a soil to digestate proportion of 14 to 1 (dry weight). Two experimental conditions were tested: soil amended with digestate, and soil amended with digestate spiked with the antidiabetic drug metformin. Soil samples were taken at 4 depths on days 1, 7, 21, 35 and 90, and total trace metals concentrations and fractionation were determined via atomic absorption spectroscopy.

Results: Results showed that Zn, Cu, Pb ad Cr initially present in the digestate were transferred from the digestate-amended soil layer to the underlying soil layer over time, although in low amounts. Nevertheless, no transfer was detected to the deeper soil layers. Trace metals in soil were predominantly in immobile and less bioavailable forms associated with clay and silicate mineral groups, whereas in the digestate-amended soil they were in more bioavailable forms, which could be related to metals’ migration in the soil layers below. Results also show that the presence of metformin had no influence on trace metal behaviour, giving insight also on possible interactions with other potentially present contaminants as microplastics.

Conclusion: The current study showed that OFMSW digestate can be a promising organic nutrient-rich matrix for land restoration even if it may contain high metals’ concentrations because low metal mobility along the soil profile can be expected.
Research on an equilibrium development model between urban and rural areas of Henan including carbon sink assets under the dual carbon goal
Authors: Xinfa Tang , Guozu Hao , Yonghua Wang , Dan Li , Yan Luo
Published: January 2023

With the improvement of China’s industrialization and urbanization level, the problem of urban–rural dual structure is becoming increasingly obvious. The balanced development of urban and rural areas is a problem that China is striving to solve. Against the background of dual carbon goal, urban enterprises are reducing carbon emissions, while the rural carbon sink potential is huge, and carbon optimization is becoming the basis for balanced urban–rural development co-occurrence. This paper discusses the construction of an urban–rural mutual aid model from the perspective of carbon sink value. Using the case study method and the system theory research method, this paper analyzes the development status of rural agriculture and farmers, reveals the potential economic value of rural carbon sink assets, constructs an urban–rural mutual aid mechanism for industry feedback into agriculture, and proposes an implementation path for urban–rural mutual aid and the coordinated development of carbon sink assets under the dual carbon goal. The results show that the urban–rural mutual assistance model of carbon sink assets is conducive to the balanced development of urban and rural areas in Henan Province and the common prosperity of the people.
The impact of temperature on labor productivity——evidence from temperature-sensitive enterprises
Authors: Zhang Wei , Ding Ning , Han Yilong , He Jie , Zhang Na
Published: January 2023

Climate change increases the frequency of extreme climate events and impacts the economy and the society in a negative way. As typical climate events, temperature anomalies affect individual health and working conditions, particularly for industries that depend heavily on temperatures. Using a research setting of Chinese temperature-sensitive enterprises, we analyze the impact of temperature on labor productivity. The findings indicate an inverse U-shaped relationship between temperature and labor productivity, with labor productivity peaking at 24.90°C on average. Further analysis shows that labor productivity peaks in the eastern regions at a higher level (26.25°C) than in the central and western regions (20°C). Moreover, we note that technological innovation is crucial for enterprises to manage climate risks and maintain effective labor productivity. This study provides empirical evidence on the relationship between environmental risk and corporate operations, shedding light on the significance of corporate sustainable development against accelerating global climate change.
RETRACTED: An empirical analysis of FDI and institutional quality on environmental quality and economic growth, evidence from the panel of asian oil-producing and non-oil-producing economies
Authors: Yang Yi , Xu Xiaobing , Yin Jiemin , Zhang Taiming
Published: January 2023

This study applies the augmented mean group (AMG) estimation technique to investigate whether institutional quality and FDI contribute to economic growth and environmental quality in emerging Asian oil-producing and non-oil-producing countries during the period 1975–2020. The estimation of AMG strategy indicates that for every 1% increase in FDI, institutional quality and carbon emissions can significantly boost economic growth by 0.882%, 0.659%, and 0.605%, respectively. Likewise, trade liberalization, transport infrastructure and urbanization can significantly boost economic growth. Long-term variable elasticity coefficients based on carbon emissions model suggest that FDI can stimulate carbon emissions, thereby validating the Pollution Heaven Hypothesis (PHH) in selected panel of countries. Institutional quality has a significant negative impact on carbon emissions, while GDP, trade openness, urbanization, and investment in transport infrastructure contribute significantly to carbon dioxide emissions. Country wise estimates of the AMG strategy show that the institutional quality of oil-producing countries has no significant impact on economic growth, but does boost economic growth in non-oil producing countries. The quality of institutions in both non-oil and oil-producing countries can significantly reduce carbon emissions. FDI stimulates economic growth in oil-producing countries compared to non-oil-producing countries. However, FDI contributes significantly to both oil and non-oil-producing CO2 emissions, thus validating PHH. Controlling factors such as economic growth increase significantly to CO2 emissions in oil-producing countries, while, CO2 emissions from petro-states stimulate more to economic growth than non-petroleum states. The impact of trade liberalization on economic growth is significantly positive in both oil and non-oil-producing countries, but the contribution of non-oil-producing economies is higher than that of oil-producing countries. Compared with non-oil producing countries, trade liberalization in oil-producing countries contributes more to carbon emissions. Investment in transportation infrastructure significantly boosted economic growth in both oil and non-oil producing countries, but oil producing countries contributed more than non-oil producing countries. A range of policy proposals were discussed to achieve economic and environmental sustainability.
Directing the wind: Techno-economic feasibility of green ammonia for farmers and community economic viability
Authors: Ofori-Bah Catherine Obiribea , Amanor-Boadu Vincent
Published: January 2023

There has been increasing interest in low-carbon technologies to reduce climate change impacts. However, careful assessments of their implications for the vibrancy of local economies are rare. This paper employs techno-economic analysis to assess the technical and economic feasibility of investment in one such technology: local green ammonia production and its contribution to the economic viability of the local economy. The analysis considers price projection and debt financing options, and alternative energy-to-ammonia technologies. The approach is broadly applicable and is illustrated here using a case study in which 248,188 MT of traditional ammonia are replaced with local wind energy-produced ammonia for farmers in Southwest Kansas, United States. Economic feasibility is defined as the ability to accrue enough discounted cash flow at the end of the turbines’ 25-year lifespan to enable their replacement. The alternative technologies are the traditional Haber-Bosch and the emerging solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC). The total plant capital cost amounted to $781.72 million while the plant operating costs were set at $100/MT with the energy supplied by the project’s energy system. The results show how economic feasibility sensitivity to technology and financing options are evaluated and communicated to scientists, policymakers, and farmers. The 6.5 MWh/MT wind energy-to-ammonia SOEC technology presented the best economic results under all price projections. The community’s investment yielded the highest return when debt was used to finance 50% of the capital investment. Returns exceeded the average annual S&P return of about 7% from 1957 to 2021. The work shows how consideration of technology efficiencies and creative financing strategies can contribute to the economic welfare of farmers and their communities even as they contributed to reducing crop production’s carbon footprint.
Variations in precipitation and temperature in Xinjiang (Northwest China) and their connection to atmospheric circulation
Authors: Zhou Guixiang , Chen Yaning , Yao Junqiang
Published: January 2023

As one of the most vulnerable types of global ecosystems and water resource systems, arid regions are most sensitive to climate change. The Xinjiang (XJ) region is an important part of the arid region in Central Asia and is representative of global arid regions. The complex topography and underlying surface result in distinct climate change characteristics in XJ. In this study, XJ was divided into five sub-regions: the Irtysh River Basin (IRB), the economic belt on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains (NSTM), the Ili River Basin (ILRB), the Turpan-Hami Basin (THB), and the Tarim River Basin (TRB). The change in temperature and precipitation over XJ and its sub-regions were investigated from 1960 to 2019 using the Mann-Kendall method and cross-wavelet analysis. Moreover, the multi-timescale correlations between the variations in temperature and precipitation and the atmospheric circulation indices were explored. The results show significant warming and wetting trends in XJ from 1960 to 2019. The warming rate was 0.32°C/10 a (p < 0.01), with an abrupt change during the mid-1990s. The increasing rate of precipitation was 9.24 mm/10 a (p < 0.01), with an abrupt change during the middle to late 1990s. In terms of seasonal variation, the greatest warming rate was during winter (0.37°C/10 a), whereas the precipitation increase was concentrated in summer (3.48 mm/10 a). In terms of spatial variation, a significant warming trend was observed in THB, IRB, ILRB, and NSTM, and precipitation increased significantly in ILRB, NSTM, and the western TRB in southern XJ. The Hurst index analysis indicated that the warming and wetting trends in XJ will slow in the future. Climate change in XJ was closely related to atmospheric circulation at multiple timescales. The subtropical high, Northern-Hemisphere polar vortex activities and the Tibetan Plateau have a significant impact on climate change in XJ. The annual mean temperature in XJ was positively correlated with the area and intensity index of the subtropical high over North Africa, Atlantic, and North America, and negatively correlated with the area and intensity index of the Asia polar vortex. The XJ annual precipitation was positively correlated with the index of the Tibet Plateau Region one and negatively correlated with the intensity index of the Atlantic and European polar vortex, and the area and intensity index of the Northern Hemisphere polar vortex. The results of this study can provide some references for the scientific assessment and accurate prediction of climate change in XJ.