bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intranasal delivery of a chimpanzee adenovirus vector expressing a pre-fusion spike (BV-AdCoV-1) protects golden Syrian hamsters against SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Wang Shen , Xu Long , Mu Ting , Qin Mian , Zhao Ping , Xie Liang , Du Linsen , Wu Yue , Legrand Nicolas , Mouchain Karine , Fichet Guillaume , Liu Yi , Yin Wenhao , Zhao Jin , Ji Min , Gong Bo , Klein Michel , Wu Ke
Published: November 2022

We evaluated the immunogenicity and protective ability of a chimpanzee replication-deficient adenovirus vectored COVID-19 vaccine (BV-AdCoV-1) expressing a stabilized pre-fusion SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein in golden Syrian hamsters. Intranasal administration of BV-AdCoV-1 elicited strong humoral and cellular immunity in the animals. Furthermore, vaccination prevented weight loss, reduced SARS-CoV-2 infectious virus titers in the lungs as well as lung pathology and provided protection against SARS-CoV-2 live challenge. In addition, there was no vaccine-induced enhanced disease nor immunopathological exacerbation in BV-AdCoV-1-vaccinated animals. Furthermore, the vaccine induced cross-neutralizing antibody responses against the ancestral strain and the B.1.617.2, Omicron(BA.1), Omicron(BA.2.75) and Omicron(BA.4/5) variants of concern. These results demonstrate that BV-AdCoV-1 is potentially a promising candidate vaccine to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection, and to curtail pandemic spread in humans.
Clinicopathological correlations in heart transplantation recipients complicated by death or re-transplantation
Authors: McDonald Michelle M. , Mihalj Maks , Zhao Bihong , Nathan Sriram , Matejin Stanislava , Ottaviani Giulia , Jezovnik Mateja K. , Radovancevic Rajko , Kar Biswajit , Gregoric Igor D. , Buja L. Maximilian
Published: November 2022

Purpose

This study aimed to identify and correlate pathological findings with clinical outcomes in patients after orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) who either died or underwent a re-transplantation.

Methodology and study design

Single-center retrospective analysis of primary OHT patients who died or were re-transplanted between October 2012 and July 2021. Clinical data were matched with corresponding pathological findings from endomyocardial biopsies on antibody-mediated rejection, cellular rejection, and cardiac allograft vasculopathy. Re-assessment of available tissue samples was performed to investigate acute myocardial injury (AMI) as a distinct phenomenon. These were correlated with clinical outcomes, which included severe primary graft dysfunction. Patients were grouped according to the presence of AMI and compared.

Results

We identified 47 patients with truncated outcomes after the first OHT. The median age was 59 years, 36 patients (76%) were male, 25 patients (53%) had a prior history of cardiac operation, and 21 patients (45%) were supported with a durable assist device before OHT. Of those, AMI was identified in 22 (47%) patients (AMI group), and 25 patients had no AMI (non-AMI group). Groups were comparable in baseline and perioperative data. Histopathological observations in AMI group included a non-significant higher incidence of antibody-mediated rejection Grade 1 or higher (pAMR ≥ 1) (32% vs. 12%, P = 0.154), and non-significant lower incidence of severe acute cellular rejection (ACR ≥ 2R) (32% vs. 40%, P = 0.762). Clinical observations in the AMI group found a significantly higher occurrence of severe primary graft dysfunction (68% vs. 20%, P = 0.001) and a highly significant shorter duration from transplantation to death or re-transplantation (42 days [IQR 26, 120] vs. 1,133 days [711–1,664], P < 0.0001). Those patients had a significantly higher occurrence of cardiac-related deaths (64% vs. 24%, P = 0.020). No difference was observed in other outcomes.

Conclusion

In heart transplant recipients with a truncated postoperative course leading to either death or re-transplantation, AMI in endomyocardial biopsies was a common pathological phenomenon, which correlated with the clinical occurrence of severe primary graft dysfunction. Those patients had significantly shorter survival times and higher cardiac-related deaths. The presence of AMI suggests a truncated course after OHT.
The effect of telemedicine on secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Deng Liangying , Wu Qing , Ding Feng , Liu Yanfeng , Shen Jianping , Lin Yan , Shi Kaihu , Zeng Bailin , Wu Lixing , Tong Huangjin
Published: November 2022

Aim

The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficiency of telemedicine on the secondary level of prevention of patients with arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), provide evidence for the application of telemedicine in secondary prevention and promote the development of telemedicine in secondary prevention.

Methods

A computer-based search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, Pubmed, EBSCO, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Randomized controlled trials regarding the effect of telemedicine on secondary prevention of ASCVD were included from inception to May, 2022. Meta-analysis was used to compare the results of the included studies by RevMan5.4 software. The Cochrane Collaboration bias risk tool was used to perform risk of bias assessment in this study. Outcomes included risk factors, physical activity and exercise, muscle function, exercise compliance, medication adherence, healthy diet, depression and anxiety, self-efficacy, knowledge score, economy, and safety endpoints. Subgroup analysis was carried out for different main intervention measures included in the literature.

Results

A total of 32 randomized clinical studies (n = 10 997 participants) were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with usual secondary prevention (USP) group, participants in telemedicine of secondary prevention (TOSP) group showed significant improvement in some risk factors including BMI (MD –0.87, p = 0.002), SBP (MD –4.09, p = 0.007) and DBP (MD –2.91, p = 0.0002) when they use the telephone as the intervention. In physical activity and exercise, Patients in TOSP showed an improvement in VO2 Peak (mL⋅kg–1⋅min–1) (OR 1.58, p = 0.02), 6MWT (MD 21.41, p = 0.001), GSLTPA score (MD 2.89, p = 0.005). Effects on medication adherence, exercise compliance, muscle function, healthy diet, economy and self-efficacy were synthesized narratively. Patients in TOSP did not show a reduction in knowledge score, depression, anxiety and safety endpoints.

Conclusion

There is a net benefit of secondary prevention supported by telemedicine (especially when using the telephone as an intervention) in patients with ASCVD in the terms of some risk factors, physical activity and exercise. There are still controversies in the improvement of medication adherence, exercise compliance, muscle function, healthy diet, knowledge score, self-efficacy and economy via telemedicine, which is worth exploring. Larger samples size and longer-term follow-ups are needed in future studies.

Systematic review registration

[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=330478], identifier [CRD42022330478].
The association between socioeconomic distress communities index and amputation among patients with peripheral artery disease
Authors: Witrick Brian , Shi Lu , Mayo Rachel , Hendricks Brian , Kalbaugh Corey A.
Published: November 2022

Background

Socioeconomic factors have been shown to be associated with amputation in peripheral artery disease (PAD); however, analyses have normally focused on insurance status, race, or median income. We sought to determine whether community-level socioeconomic distress was associated with major amputation and if that association differed by race.

Materials and methods

Community-level socioeconomic distress was measured using the distressed communities index (DCI). The DCI is a zip code level compositive socioeconomic score (0–100) that accounts for unemployment, education level, poverty rate, median income, business growth, and housing vacancies. A distressed community was defined as a zip code with DCI of 40 or greater. We calculated one-year risk of major amputation by DCI score for individuals with peripheral artery disease in South Carolina, 2012–2017. Treating death as competing event, we reported Fine and Gray subdistribution hazards ratios (sdHR), adjusted for patient demographic and clinical comorbidities associated with amputation. Further analyses were completed to identify potential differences in outcomes within strata of race and DCI.

Results

Among 82,848 individuals with peripheral artery disease, the one-year incidence of amputation was 3.5% (95% CI: 3.3%, 3.6%) and was significantly greater in distressed communities than non-distressed communities (3.9%; 95% CI: 3.8%, 4.1% vs. 2.4%; 95% CI: 2.2%, 2.6%). After controlling for death and adjusting for covariates, we found an increased hazard of amputation among individuals in a distressed community (sdHR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.37), which persisted across racial strata. However, regardless of DCI score, Black individuals had the highest incidence of amputation.

Conclusion

Socioeconomic status is independently predictive of limb amputation after controlling for demographic characteristics and clinical comorbidities. Race continues to be an important risk factor, with Black individuals having higher incidence of amputation, even in non-distressed communities, than White individuals had in distressed communities.
New factors in heart failure pathophysiology: Immunity cells release of extracellular vesicles
Authors: Vilella-Figuerola Alba , Padró Teresa , Roig Eulàlia , Mirabet Sònia , Badimon Lina
Published: November 2022

Leukocyte-shed extracellular vesicles (EVs) can play effector roles in the pathophysiological mechanisms of different diseases. These EVs released by membrane budding of leukocytes have been found in high amounts locally in inflamed tissues and in the circulation, indicating immunity cell activation. These EVs secreted by immune cell subsets have been minimally explored and deserve further investigation in many areas of disease. In this study we have investigated whether in heart failure there is innate and adaptive immune cell release of EVs. Patients with chronic heart failure (cHF) (n = 119) and in sex- and age-matched controls without this chronic condition (n = 60). Specifically, EVs were quantified and phenotypically characterized by flow cytometry and cell-specific monoclonal antibodies. We observed that even in well medically controlled cHF patients (with guideline-directed medical therapy) there are higher number of blood annexin-V+ (phosphatidylserine+)-EVs carrying activated immunity cell-epitopes in the circulation than in controls (p < 0.04 for all cell types). Particularly, EVs shed by monocytes and neutrophils (innate immunity) and by T-lymphocytes and natural-killer cells (adaptive immunity) are significantly higher in cHF patients. Additionally, EVs-shed by activated leukocytes/neutrophils (CD11b+, p = 0.006; CD29+/CD15+, p = 0.048), and T-lymphocytes (CD3+/CD45+, p < 0.02) were positively correlated with cHF disease severity (NYHA classification). Interestingly, cHF patients with ischemic etiology had the highest levels of EVs shed by lymphocytes and neutrophils (p < 0.045, all). In summary, in cHF patients there is a significant immune cell activation shown by high-release of EVs that is accentuated by clinical severity of cHF. These activated innate and adaptive immunity cell messengers may contribute by intercellular communication to the progression of the disease and to the common affectation of distant organs in heart failure (paracrine regulation) that contribute to the clinical deterioration of cHF patients.
The generic skills learning systematic: Evaluating university students’ learning after complex problem-solving
Authors: van Ravenswaaij Heleen , Bouwmeester Rianne A. M. , van der Schaaf Marieke F. , Dilaver Gönül , van Rijen Harold V. M. , de Kleijn Renske A. M.
Published: November 2022

Professionals are increasingly confronted with complex problems that require generic skills. These generic skills are important for a variety of domains and contexts. As the evaluation of such skills can be difficult, this paper reported on the development of the Generic Skills Learning Systematic. With this systematic, university students’ self-perceived generic skills learning after following a complex problem-solving course can be evaluated. The systematic was developed by analysing 43 learner reports in an iterative process, in which students described what they had learned during the course. A formative audit was performed to increase and ensure quality. The Generic Skills Learning Systematic consists of two steps. Step one is identifying students’ learning, where learning is viewed as any described change in generic skills. The changes are called learning categories for which five were distinguished: value, understanding, self-level, intention, and progress. Three checks are described to help with identifying the reported changes in students. In step two, generic skills are identified, using an adapted version of an existing categorisation resulting in 36 generic skills in total. Next, the application of the systematic is described and frequency distributions are given to provide insight into the usability of the systematic for educators. The results show that students report learning in a variety of learning categories and generic skills, indicating the broadness of learning in such a complex problem-solving course. In conclusion, educators are advised to rethink the choices made in education regarding the instruction and assessment of students. Broadening our scope of learning and paying attention to the different learning categories can aid the development of the professionals of the future.
Probiotics for the improvement of metabolic profiles in patients with metabolic-associated fatty liver disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Wang Qiuhong , Wang Ze , Pang Boxian , Zheng Huijuan , Cao Zhengmin , Feng Chunpeng , Ma Wenxin , Wei Junping
Published: November 2022

Objective

This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to assess the efficacy of probiotics in the treatment of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) mainly in terms of liver function, glucose and lipid metabolism, and inflammation.

Methods

RCTs were searched on PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library until June 2022. A meta-analysis was performed on the therapeutic efficacy of probiotics on liver function, glucose and lipid metabolism, and inflammatory biomarkers by using RevMan 5.4 software.

Results

A total of 772 patients from 15 studies were included in the analysis. The methodological quality varied across studies. We found that adding probiotic therapies could reduce the levels of alanine aminotransferase [mean difference (MD): −11.76 (−16.06, −7.46), p < 0.00001], aspartate aminotransferase (MD: −9.08 (−13.60, −4.56), p < 0.0001], γ-glutamyltransferase [MD: −5.67 (−6.80, −4.54), p < 0.00001] and homeostasis model assessment–insulin resistance [MD: −0.62 (−1.08, −0.15), p = 0.01], in patients with MAFLD compared with those in control individuals. However, there was no statistically significant improvement in the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor α among patients with MAFLD. Subgroup analyses showed that other key factors, such as age, participants’ baseline body mass index, and the duration of intervention, may influence probiotic therapy outcomes.

Conclusion

There is promising evidence that probiotic supplementation can reduce liver enzyme levels and regulate glycometabolism in patients with MAFLD. Further rigorous and long-term trials exploring these novel therapeutic perspectives are warranted to confirm these results.
Naoxintong capsule delay the progression of diabetic kidney disease: A real-world cohort study
Authors: Zhang Yuqing , Zhang Yuehong , Yang Cunqing , Duan Yingying , Jiang Linlin , Jin De , Lian Fengmei , Tong Xiaolin
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a severe and growing health problem, associated with a worse prognosis and higher overall mortality rates than non-diabetic renal disease. Chinese herbs possess promising clinical benefits in alleviating the progression of DKD due to their multi-target effect. This real-world retrospective cohort trial aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of Naoxintong (NXT) capsules in the treatment of DKD. Our study is the first real-world study (RWS) of NXT in the treatment of DKD based on a large database, providing a basis for clinical application and promotion.

Methods

The data was collected from Tianjin Healthcare and Medical Big Data Platform. Patients with DKD were enrolled from January 1, 2011, to March 31, 2021. NXT administration was defined as the exposure. The primary outcome was the change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). We employed the propensity score matching (PSM) method to deal with confounding factors.

Results

A total of 1,798 patients were enrolled after PSM, including 899 NXT users (exposed group) and 899 non-users (control group). The eGFR changes from baseline to the end of the study were significantly different in the exposed group compared to the control group (-1.46 ± 21.94 vs -5.82 ± 19.8 mL/(min·1.73m2), P< 0.01). Patients in the NXT group had a lower risk of composite renal outcome event (HR, 0.71; 95%CI, 0.55 to 0.92; P = 0.009) and deterioration of renal function (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56 to 0.99; P = 0.039).

Conclusion

NXT can significantly slow the decline of eGFR and reduce the risk of renal outcomes. However, large cohort studies and RCTs are needed to further confirm our results.
Insulin resistance and inflammation mediate the association of abdominal obesity with colorectal cancer risk
Authors: Li Wenqiang , Liu Tong , Qian Liang , Wang Yiming , Ma Xiangming , Cao Liying , Zhang Qingsong , Qu Jun
Published: November 2022

Background

The close association of abdominal obesity rather than general obesity with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk might be mediated by IR and inflammation, which has never been systematically explored in large-scale prospective studies.

Methods

We prospectively examined the mediation effects of the fasting triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and C-reactive protein (CRP) on the associations of obesity (general and abdominal) with CRC risk among 93,659 participants. We used the Cox proportional hazards regression models and subgroup analyses to evaluate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of CRC. The CAUSALMED procedure was used to perform the mediation analyses.

Results

During 13.02 years of follow-up, a total of 586 CRC cases were verified. Male participants with general obesity and abdominal obesity had a 1.29-fold and a 1.28-fold increased risk of CRC. However, a significant association was only observed among female individuals with abdominal obesity. Both TyG index and CRP were associated with an elevated risk of CRC, and A significant interaction between the TyG index and CRP was found for the risk of CRC (P for interaction<0.05). CRP and the TyG index significantly mediated the positive association between abdominal obesity and CRC risk.

Conclusion

CRP and TyG index increased the risk of CRC independently and synergistically. Mediation effects of CRP and the TyG index were found for the association between abdominal obesity and CRC risk.
A gradient boosting machine-based framework for electricity energy knowledge discovery
Authors: Xie Bingbing , Zhu Chenliang , Zhao Liang , Zhang Jun
Published: November 2022

Knowledge discovery in databases (KDD) has an important effect on various fields with the development of information science. Electricity energy forecasting (EEF), a primary application of KDD, aims to explore the inner potential rule of electrical data for the purpose to serve electricity-related organizations or groups. Meanwhile, the advent of the information society attracts more and more scholars to pay attention to EEF. The existing methods for EEF focus on using high-techs to improve the experimental results but fail to construct an applicable electricity energy KDD framework. To complement the research gap, our study aims to propose a gradient boosting machine-based KDD framework for electricity energy prediction and enrich knowledge discovery applications. To be specific, we draw on the traditional knowledge discovery process and techniques to make the framework reliable and extensible. Additionally, we leverage Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM) to improve the efficiency and accuracy of our approach. We also devise three metrics for the evaluation of the proposed framework including R-square (R2), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE). Besides, we collect the electricity energy consumption (EEC) as well as meteorological data from 2013 to 2016 in New York state and take the EEC prediction of New York State as an example. Finally, we conduct extensive experiments to verify the superior performance of our framework and the results show that our model achieves outstanding results for the three metrics (around 0.87 for R2, 60.15 for MAE, and 4.79 for MAPE). Compared with real value and the official prediction model, our approach also has a remarkable prediction ability. Therefore, we find that the proposed framework is feasible and reliable for EEF and could provide practical references for other types of energy KDD.
Application of concentration and 2-dimensional stable isotope measurements of methane to constrain sources and sinks in a seasonally stratified freshwater lake
Authors: Einzmann Teresa , Schroll Moritz , Kleint Jan F. , Greule Markus , Keppler Frank
Published: November 2022

Methane (CH4) emissions from aquatic systems have recently been comprised to account for up to 50% of global CH4 emissions, with lakes representing one of the largest CH4 sources within this pool. However, there is large uncertainty associated with CH4 emissions from freshwater environments to the atmosphere, because of a lack of understanding in the spatial and temporal dynamics of CH4 sources and sinks, as well as underlying mechanisms and processes. In this study, we investigated the concentrations and stable carbon (δ13C-CH4) and hydrogen (δ2H-CH4) isotope composition of CH4 in a small eutrophic lake (Lake Willersinnweiher) with seasonal stratification and its spatial and temporal variation. We found that while supersaturation of CH4 in the entire water column was present throughout the whole year, the isotopic composition of CH4 in sediment and water column varied depending on lake stratification, physiochemical conditions, and lake depth. During the stratification period, isotopic characteristics of pelagic surface water CH4 differed from littoral and sedimentary CH4, suggesting likely mixing of CH4 from different sources including vertical and lateral input as well as groundwater input and potentially oxic methane production in the mixed surface water layer. Aerobic CH4 oxidation indicated by a strong increase in both δ13C-CH4 and δ2H-CH4 values at the bottom of the oxycline was found to significantly reduce upward migrating CH4 released at the sediment-water interface. In the sediment, stable isotope characteristics of CH4 showed an increasing dominance of the acetoclastic CH4 formation pathway from the pelagic towards the littoral area. Furthermore, the occurrence of sulfate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation in the sediment was suggested by an increase in δ13C-CH4 and δ2H-CH4 values. During the mixing period, the isotopic CH4 composition of the water column was distinctively less negative than during the stratification period potentially resulting from a greater impact of groundwater CH4 input compared to the stratification period. Our findings implicate that the application of concentrations and dual isotope measurements of CH4 is a promising approach for constraining CH4 sinks and sources in Lake Willersinnweiher and potentially other small lakes to clearly disentangle the complex CH4 dynamics in lakes both spatially and seasonally.
Spatiotemporal dynamics of soil water-salt and its topographic gradient effects on Alpine area over the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau, China
Authors: Zhang Xiaoning , Nian Lili , Adingo Samuel , Wang Quanxi , Li Xiaodan , Liu Xuelu , Liu Xingyu Y. , Yang Yingbo , Hui Caihong , Zhang Miaomiao , Mao Zixuan , Li Quanxi , Luo Li , Ma Biao
Published: November 2022

Soil water–salt variations at different spatiotemporal scales and their influencing factors are essential for regional vegetation restoration and management. However, the study of soil water–salt of the alpine area has not taken into account the effect of topography, especially in the long time series. This work investigated the spatiotemporal characteristics of water and salt in topsoil from 2000 to 2021, using regression analysis of on-site data and MODIS products. The heterogeneity and trends of soil water–salt in various topographic factors (elevation, slope, and aspect) were also explored by selecting the maximum area of each gradient factor as the constrained condition with the help of ArcGIS software. The results revealed that 1) the models applied to SWC (soil water content), EC (electrical conductivity), and pH utilizing vegetation indices were suitable for estimating the spatiotemporal variations of soil water–salt. 2) Soil water–salt exhibited local aggregation characteristics with an upward trend in SWC and a downward trend in EC and pH as a whole. 3) Mean annual SWC peaked at 3,400–3,800 m with increasing elevation and trended downward with increasing slope. The aspect of mean annual SWC was characterized by lower values in the southwest and south and higher values in the north, while the results for pH were reversed. The slope had a greater influence on EC than on SWC and pH. 4) The trend change of SWC, EC, and pH fluctuated at 2000–2,400 m and >4,600 m with a clear inflection point at 4°–8° and 20°–24°, respectively. In summary, the effects of topography responded to the distribution and trends of soil water–salt. The results have significant implications for implementing ecological improvements in regions with complicated topography and can serve as a reference for formulating future ecological policies.
Litter C and N losses at different decomposition stages of Robinia pseudoacacia: The weaker effects of soil enzyme activities compared with those of litter quality and the soil environment
Authors: Su Zhuoxia , Zhu Xiaoyue , Wang Yaobin , Mao Shenglin , Shangguan Zhouping
Published: November 2022

Litter decomposition promotes soil carbon and nitrogen cycling and is driven by litter quality, the soil environment and enzyme activities. The relative importance of these factors may change during the litter decomposition, however, very few studies have emphasized the temporal dynamics of these factors across plantation ecosystem, which limits our understanding of litter decomposition. To evaluate the temporal dynamic of above-mentioned litter decomposition drivers, we collected leaf and fine root litters from four different years of restoration of Robinia pseudoacacia on the Loess plateau of China and placed them on soil from the corresponding sites to incubate for 210 days. We constructed successive litter decomposition stages according to litter mass-loss interval, and we also used partial least squares path modelling (PLSPM) to evaluate the relative importance of these drivers. Our results showed that the C and N losses in leaf litter were significantly higher than those in root litter regardless of stand age. Leaf litter C and N losses increased with restoration duration, while root litter C and N showed an opposing trend with restoration duration, with the lowest levels of losses occurring at older stand ages. The initial litter quality, litter quality and the soil environment regulated leaf and root litter C loss, and enzyme activity also determined root C loss. Litter quality, the soil environment and enzyme activity influence leaf litter N loss, while root N loss was controlled by initial litter quality and the soil environment. Overall, enzyme activities had a relatively weak influence on litter C and N losses, and they impacted litter C and N losses only during the early stages. Therefore, our results revealed substantial differences in different restoration durations and litter types at the different decomposition stages, which has important significance for understanding carbon and nitrogen cycling on the Loess Plateau of China.
Financial development and real exchange rate misalignments effects on environmental pollution
Authors: Xiao Lin , Ahmad Muneeb , Waseem Liaqat Ali , Ahmad Muhammad Munir , Khan Ashfak Ahmad
Published: November 2022

The research examined the influence of the fundamental exchange rate misalignment and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in Asia and Africa’s financial development on CO2 emissions in Asian countries using panel data from 1970 to 2021. The methodology consists of ARDL bound testing and PMG/ARDL estimators with dynamic OLS estimators. The results reveal that the long-run real exchange rates for least developed countries (LDCs) are expected to rise in CO2 emissions in Asian and African countries with improved trade and net foreign asset positions. The relative productivity and trade openness also increase the exchange rate, which also plays a vital role in the growth of CO2 emissions. Except for Egypt, all least developed countries (LDCs) currencies are overpriced throughout the research period at the same time; it would be harmed by increased openness, foreign direct investment inflows, and currency misalignment. Overvaluation harms Bahrain’s economic growth. In comparison, undervaluation helps Egypt that currency misalignment does not affect financial growth in any LDCs over the long run. In the short-run, more real investment, net foreign assets, and official assistance inflows would enhance financial growth in Qatar, Bahrain, Singapore, and South Korea. In contrast, trade openness would slow it down in Egypt and Kuwait. The study suggested that the poor economic performance is due to RER misalignment, which occurs when exchange rate policies are improper and causes a rise in CO2 emissions in many developing countries.
Can urban green space water planes be quantified? A new way of thinking about landscape planning and design
Authors: Wu Haoqi , Chen Zhenan , Yan Jun , Wu Hang
Published: November 2022

Water bodies in urban green spaces are important parts of urban landscapes, and their planar shapes are an important factor governing the creation of waterfront landscapes. To improve the aesthetics and functionality of water bodies, this paper takes Nanjing as an example for analysis to investigate whether it is possible to scientifically quantify the planar shape of urban green space water bodies. First, water bodies meeting the conditions within the municipal area were selected as the study objects for classification. Second, in view of the lack of theoretical and innovative problems in previous studies, the use of fractal theory was proposed to improve the scientificity. Finally, remote sensing data images were used to extract water body planes, and the fractal dimensions were calculated and quantitatively evaluated by coupling the box dimension method with fractal theory. The results show that the fractal dimension could be used as a quantitative parameter to determine the planar morphology of water bodies in urban green spaces, and the fractal dimension value is positively correlated with the complexity of the water body, which can be used for both quantitative assessment of the landscape aesthetics of existing water bodies in urban green spaces and theoretical support for the future design of water planar morphology.
Biosonar discrimination of fine surface textures by echolocating free-tailed bats
Authors: Smotherman Michael S. , Croft Thomas , Macias Silvio
Published: November 2022

Echolocating bats are able to discriminate between different surface textures based on the spectral properties of returning echoes. This capability is likely to be important for recognizing prey and for finding suitably perching sites along smooth cave walls. Previous studies showed that bats may exploit echo spectral interference patterns in returning echoes to classify surface textures, but a systematic assessment of the limits of their discrimination performance is lacking and may provide important clues about the neural mechanisms by which bats reconstruct target features based on echo acoustic cues. We trained three Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) on a Y-maze to discriminate between the surfaces of 10 different sheets of aluminum-oxide abrasive sandpapers differing in standardized grit sizes ranging from 40 grit (coarse, 425 μm mean particle diameter) to 240 grit (fine, 54 μm mean particle diameter). Bats were rewarded for choosing the coarsest of two choices. All three bats easily discriminated all abrasive surfaces from a smooth plexiglass control and between all sandpaper comparisons except the two with the smallest absolute difference in mean particle sizes, the 150 vs. 180 grit (92 vs. 82 μm) and the 220 vs. 240 grit (68 vs. 54 μm) surfaces. These results indicate that echolocating free-tailed bats can use slight variations in the echo spectral envelope to remotely classify very fine surface textures with an acuity of at least 23 μm, which rivals direct tactile discrimination performance of the human hand.
Lipid metabolism characterization in gastric cancer identifies signatures to predict prognostic and therapeutic responses
Authors: Zeng Jiawei , Tan Honglin , Huang Bin , Zhou Qian , Ke Qi , Dai Yan , Tang Jie , Xu Bei , Feng Jiafu , Yu Lin
Published: November 2022

Purpose: Increasing evidence has elucidated the significance of lipid metabolism in predicting therapeutic efficacy. Obviously, a systematic analysis of lipid metabolism characterizations of gastric cancer (GC) needs to be reported.

Experimental design: Based on two proposed computational algorithms (TCGA-STAD and GSE84437), the lipid metabolism characterization of 367 GC patients and its systematic relationship with genomic characteristics, clinicopathologic features, and clinical outcomes of GC were analyzed in our study. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified based on the lipid metabolism cluster. At the same time, we applied single-factor Cox regression and random forest to screen signature genes to construct a prognostic model, namely, the lipid metabolism score (LMscore). Next, we deeply explored the predictive value of the LMscore for GC. To verify the specific changes in lipid metabolism, a total of 90 serum, 30 tumor, and non-tumor adjacent tissues from GC patients, were included for pseudotargeted metabolomics analysis via SCIEX triple quad 5500 LC-MS/MS system.

Results: Five lipid metabolism signature genes were identified from a total of 3,104 DEGs. The LMscore could be a prognosticator for survival in different clinicopathological GC cohorts. As well, the LMscore was identified as a predictive biomarker for responses to immunotherapy and chemotherapeutic drugs. Additionally, significant changes in sphingolipid metabolism and sphingolipid molecules were discovered in cancer tissue from GC patients by pseudotargeted metabolomics.

Conclusion: In conclusion, multivariate analysis revealed that the LMscore was an independent prognostic biomarker of patient survival and therapeutic responses in GC. Depicting a comprehensive landscape of the characteristics of lipid metabolism may help to provide insights into the pathogenesis of GC, interpret the responses of gastric tumors to therapies, and achieve a better outcome in the treatment of GC. In addition, significant alterations of sphingolipid metabolism and increased levels of sphingolipids, in particular, sphingosine (d16:1) and ceramide, were discovered in GC tissue by lipidome pseudotargeted metabolomics, and most of the sphingolipid molecules have the potential to be diagnostic biomarkers for GC.
Primary antibody response after influenza virus infection is first dominated by low-mutated HA-stem antibodies followed by higher-mutated HA-head antibodies
Authors: Aartse Aafke , Mortier Daniella , Mooij Petra , Hofman Sam , van Haaren Marlies M. , Corcoran Martin , Karlsson Hedestam Gunilla B. , Eggink Dirk , Claireaux Mathieu , Bogers Willy M. J. M. , van Gils Marit J. , Koopman Gerrit
Published: November 2022

Several studies have shown that the first encounter with influenza virus shapes the immune response to future infections or vaccinations. However, a detailed analysis of the primary antibody response is lacking as this is difficult to study in humans. It is therefore not known what the frequency and dynamics of the strain-specific hemagglutinin (HA) head- and stem-directed antibody responses are directly after primary influenza virus infection. Here, sera of twelve H1N1pdm2009 influenza virus-infected cynomolgus macaques were evaluated for HA-head and HA-stem domain antibody responses. We observed an early induction of HA-stem antibody responses, which was already decreased by day 56. In contrast, responses against the HA-head domain were low early after infection and increased at later timepoint. The HA-specific B cell repertoires in each animal showed diverse VH-gene usage with preferred VH-gene and JH-gene family usage for HA-head or HA-stem B cells but a highly diverse allelic variation within the VH-usage. HA-head B cells had shorter CDRH3s and higher VH-gene somatic hyper mutation levels relative to HA-stem B cells. In conclusion, our data suggest that HA-stem antibodies are the first to react to the infection while HA-head antibodies show a delayed response, but a greater propensity to enter the germinal center and undergo affinity maturation.
Pan-cancer analysis identifies migrasome-related genes as a potential immunotherapeutic target: A bulk omics research and single cell sequencing validation
Authors: Qin Yan , Yang Jie , Liang Cao , Liu Jun , Deng Zhixing , Yan Binli , Fu Ying , Luo Yinghua , Li Xiaozhen , Wei Xiaoying , Li Wei
Published: November 2022

Introduction

The migrasome is a newly discovered organelle that resembles extracellular vesicles in structure. However, the function of the migrasome in tumors, particularly in relation to tumor immunity and tumor microenvironment, is unclear.

Methods

Gene expression data, copy number variation raw data, and methylation data of 33 cancer types were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) based on 114 case of colorectal cancer was used to validate the expression of the migrasome hub-gene. We analyzed the expression, prognosis, genetic variation, and drug sensitivity profiles of migrasome-related genes (MRGs) in pan-cancer datasets. A migrasome score was constructed based on gene set enrichment analysis, and the correlation of migrasomes with the tumor microenvironment was assessed. The CancerSEA was used to perform a single-cell level functional analysis of the migrasome. Additionally, we also analyzed the correlation between migrasomes and tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion scores. Single-cell transcriptome sequencing (scRNA-seq) data was used to assess the activation state of migrasomes in the tumor microenvironment.

Results

PIGK expression was significantly up-regulated in 22 of 33 tumors, and high expression of migrasome was estimated to have contributed to poor prognosis. Missense mutations are the most common type of mutation in MRGs. We identified piperlongumine as a potential drug targeting migrasomes. The migrasome score was significantly and positively correlated with the tumor immunity score and the stroma score. In most tumors, the abundance of macrophages in the tumor microenvironment was significantly and positively correlated with the migrasome score. Additionally, the migrasome scores were significantly correlated with the immune checkpoint genes in pan-cancer as well as immune checkpoint therapy-related markers including TMB and MSI. According to scRNA-seq analysis, migrasome differed significantly among cells of the tumor microenvironment. IHC confirmed low expression of ITGA5 and PIGK in colorectal cancer.

Discussion

We performed the first pan-cancer analysis of migrasomes and discovered that they play an important role in tumor development and immune escape. Our study provides new insights into the role of migrasomes in tumor prognosis and immunotherapy.
Sinking krill carcasses as hotspots of microbial carbon and nitrogen cycling in the Arctic
Authors: Franco-Cisterna Belén , Glud Anni , Bristow Laura A. , Rudra Arka , Sanei Hamed , Winding Mie H.S. , Nielsen Torkel G. , Glud Ronnie N. , Stief Peter
Published: November 2022

Krill represent a major link between primary producers and higher trophic levels in polar marine food webs. Potential links to lower trophic levels, such as heterotrophic microorganisms, are less well documented. Here, we studied the kinetics of microbial degradation of sinking carcasses of two dominant krill species Thysanoessa raschii and Meganyctiphanes norvegica from Southwest Greenland. Degradation experiments under oxic conditions showed that 6.0-9.1% of carbon and 6.4-7.1% of nitrogen were lost from the carcasses after one week. Aerobic microbial respiration and the release of dissolved organic carbon were the main pathways of carbon loss from the carcasses. Ammonium release generally contributed the most to carcass nitrogen loss. Oxygen micro profiling revealed anoxic conditions inside krill carcasses/specimens, allowing anaerobic nitrogen cycling through denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). Denitrification rates were up to 5.3 and 127.7 nmol N carcass-1 d-1 for T. raschii and M. norvegica, respectively, making krill carcasses hotspots of nitrogen loss in the oxygenated water column of the fjord. Carcass-associated DNRA rates were up to 4-fold higher than denitrification rates, but the combined activity of these two anaerobic respiration processes did not contribute significantly to carbon loss from the carcasses. Living krill specimens did not harbor any significant denitrification and DNRA activity despite having an anoxic gut as revealed by micro profiling. The investigated krill carcasses sink fast (1500-3000 m d-1) and our data show that only a small fraction of the associated carbon is lost during descent. Based on data on krill distribution, our findings are used to discuss the potential importance of sinking krill carcasses for sustaining benthic food webs in the Arctic.
Radiocarbon and OSL dating on cores from the Chaoshan delta in the coastal South China Sea
Authors: Zhong Jiemei , Ling Ken , Yang Meifei , Shen Qinjing , Abbas Mahmoud , Lai Zhongping
Published: November 2022

Accurate chronology plays a crucial role in reconstructing delta evolution. Radiocarbon (14C) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating are widely used to establish a stratigraphic chronology of the late Quaternary sediments. The Chaoshan plain is located on the southern coast of China and borders the South China Sea. The thickness of Quaternary sediments in this area extends to a depth of 140 m and is considered a valuable archive for studying the evolution of the delta in response to climate and sea-level changes. However, reliable chronological data are still very limited. In this paper, eighteen accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C and thirteen quartz OSL ages were obtained from two cores from the Rongjiang plain, the middle part of the Chaoshan plain: ZK001 (90.85 m in depth) and ZK002 (100 m in depth). The present study aims to provide a reliable chronology of the Chaoshan plain based on OSL and 14C dating methods and examine the upper limit of the 14C dating on plant remains. Our results show that (1) OSL ages of cores ZK001 and ZK002 range from 56 to 1.7 ka and from 177 to 15 ka, respectively; (2) 14C ages of core ZK002 range from 8.8 to 41 cal ka BP, showing that all 14C ages below ca. 30 m depth are younger than OSL ages and that the upper limit of plant remains is around 35 cal ka BP. OSL ages are consistent with stratigraphic order within uncertainties. The oldest OSL age obtained from core ZK002 is 177 ± 20 ka at a depth of 93 m, and is considered a minimum age. This indicates that the Quaternary deposition in the Rongjiang plain can trace back to at least the marine isotope stage (MIS) 6 during sea-level lowstand, during which the plain is mainly influenced by the fluvial process. The comparison between 14C and OSL ages in the Chaoshan plain suggests that 14C ages older than 35 cal ka BP need to be re-evaluated. However, the OSL dating method proves reliable for establishing a comprehensive chronological framework for the late Quaternary sediments in this area.
Similarity of the turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate distribution in the upper mixed layer of the tropical Indian Ocean
Authors: Cen Xian-Rong , Guo Shuang-Xi , Wang Yan , Zhou Sheng-Qi
Published: November 2022

Turbulence within the upper ocean mixed layer plays a key role in various physical, biological, and chemical processes. Between September and November 2011, a dataset of 570 vertical profiles of the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation rate, as well as conventional hydrological and meteorological data, were collected in the upper layer of the tropical Indian Ocean. These data were used to statistically analyze the vertical distribution of the TKE dissipation rate in the mixed layer. The arithmetic-mean method made the statistical TKE dissipation rate profile more scattered than the median and geometric-mean methods. The statistical TKE dissipation rate were respectively scaled by the surface buoyancy flux and the TKE dissipation rate at the mixed-layer base. It was found that the TKE dissipation rate scaled by that at the mixed-layer base exhibited better similarity characteristics than that scaled by the surface buoyancy flux, whether the stability parameter D/|LMO| was greater or less than 10, indicating that the TKE dissipation rate at the mixed-layer base is a better characteristic scaling parameter for reflecting the intrinsic structure of the TKE dissipation rate in the mixed layer, where D and LMO are respectively the mixed-layer thickness and the Monin-Obukhov length scale. The parameterization of the TKE dissipation rate at the mixed-layer base on the shear-driven dissipation rate and the surface buoyancy flux was further explored. It was found that the TKE dissipation rate at the mixed-layer base could be well fitted by a linear combination of three terms: the wind-shear-driven dissipation rate, the surface buoyancy flux, and a simple nonlinear coupling term of these two .