bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-Performance Computing of 3D Magma Dynamics, and Comparison With 2D Simulation Results
Authors: Garg Deepak , Papale Paolo
Published: February 2022

The dynamics of magma is often studied through 2D numerical simulations because 3D simulations are usually complex and computationally expensive. However, magmatic systems and physical processes are 3D and approximating them in 2D requires an evaluation of the information which is lost under different conditions. This work presents a physical and numerical model for 3D magma convection dynamics. The model is applied to study the dynamics of magma convection and mixing between andesitic and dacitic magmas. The 3D simulation results are compared with corresponding 2D simulations. We also provide details on the numerical scheme and its parallel implementation in C++ for high-performance computing. The performance of the numerical code is evaluated through strong scaling exercises involving up to >12,000 cores.
Change in Subduction Dip Angle of the Indian Continental Lithosphere Inferred From the Western Himalayan Eclogites
Authors: Chen Si , Chen Yi , Guillot Stéphane , Li Qiuli
Published: February 2022

The occurrence of ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) and high-pressure (HP) rocks in the Himalayan orogen has been conventionally attributed to the different subduction dip angles along the strike. The western Himalayan UHP eclogites point to a steep continental subduction in the Eocene. The present-day geophysical data show low subduction dip angles of the Indian lithosphere beneath southern Tibet and Karakoram, implying that a shift from steep to low-angle subduction probably happened in the western Himalaya. However, the timing and mechanism of such a subduction-angle change are still unknown. Here we present a combined analysis of zircon geochronology and geochemistry of eclogites and gneiss in the Stak massif, western Himalaya. Metamorphic zircons equilibrated with garnet and omphacite show flat heavy rare earth element patterns without Eu anomalies and, thus, yield similar eclogite-facie ages of ca. 31 Ma. The Stak HP eclogite-facie metamorphism is at least 15 Ma younger than those measured in the western Himalayan UHP eclogites, but broadly contemporaneous with other Himalayan HP rocks. Therefore, all the Himalayan HP rocks record higher peak geothermal gradients and younger ages than those of the UHP rocks. Our new data, combined with the magmatic lull observed in the Kohistan–Ladakh–Gangdese arc and with the convergent rate of the Indian plate, suggest a change in subduction dip angle over time. Consequently, we suggest that the entire Indian continental lithosphere experienced an approximately coherent shift from steep to low-angle subduction after the breakoff of the Neo-Tethyan slab since the middle Eocene. This critical change in subduction geometry is interpreted to be responsible for the transition from continental subduction to collision dynamics.
Interdecadal Modulation of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation on the Relationship Between Spring Arctic Oscillation and the Following Winter ENSO
Authors: Chen Shangfeng , Chen Wen , Ying Jun , Zheng Yuqiong , Lan Xiaoqing
Published: February 2022

Previous studies indicated that Arctic Oscillation (AO) in boreal spring is an important extratropical trigger for the outbreak of El Niño and Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events in the succedent winter. This study reveals that the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) has a strong modulation on the linkage between the spring AO and the following winter ENSO. Particularly, impact of the spring AO on the succedent winter ENSO is strong during positive PDO phase (+PDO). By contrast, the spring AO-winter ENSO connection is weak during negative PDO phase (−PDO). During +PDO, positive spring AO induces a marked anomalous cyclone over the subtropical North Pacific via wave-mean flow interaction. The subtropical cyclonic anomaly leads to sea surface temperature (SST) warming and enhanced atmospheric heating there, which could further propagate southward to the tropical central Pacific via wind-evaporation-SST feedback mechanism and, thus, impact the following winter El Niño via the tropical process. During −PDO, the spring AO-generated SST, the atmospheric circulation, and the heating anomalies over the North Pacific are much weaker. As such, spring AO has weak impacts on the winter ENSO. The spring climatological storm track is stronger during +PDO than −PDO years due to an increase in the mean meridional temperature gradient over the North Pacific. Stronger storm track intensity during +PDO leads to stronger synoptic-scale eddy feedback to the mean flow, which results in stronger AO-related SST and atmospheric anomalies over the North Pacific and, thus, the stronger impact of the spring AO on the following winter ENSO.
Intelligent Objective Osteon Segmentation Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Qin Zichuan , Qin Fangbo , Li Ying , Yu Congyu
Published: February 2022

Histology is key to understand physiology, development, growth and even reproduction of extinct animals. However, the identification and interpretation of certain structures, such as osteons, medullary bone (MB), and Lines of Arrested Growth (LAGs), are not only based on personal judgments, but also require considerable labor for subsequent analysis. Due to the dearth of available specimens, only a few quantitative histological studies have been proceeded for limited dinosaur taxa, most of which focus primarily on their growth, namely, LAGs and other growth lines without much attention to other histological structures. Here we develop a deep convolutional neural network-based method for automated osteohistological segmentation. Raw images are firstly divided into sub-images and the borders are expanded to guarantee the osteon regions integrity. ResNet-50 is employed as feature extractor and atrous spatial pyramid pooling (ASPP) is used to capture multi-scale information. A dual-resolution segmentation strategy is designed to observe the primary and secondary osteon regions from the matrix background. Finally, a segmented map with different osteon regions is obtained. This deep convolutional neural network-based model is tested on a histological dataset derived from various taxa in Alvarezsauria, a highly specialized group of non-avian theropod dinosaurs. The results show that large-scale quantitative histological analysis can be achieved by neural network-based methods, and previously hidden information by traditional methods can be revealed. Phylogenetic mapping of osteon segmentation results suggests a developmental pathway towards miniaturized body sizes in the evolution of Alvarezsauria, which may resemble the transition from non-avian dinosaurs to birds.
Nearest Neighbor Method for Discriminating Aftershocks and Duplicates When Merging Earthquake Catalogs
Authors: Vorobieva I. A. , Gvishiani A. D. , Dzeboev B. A. , Dzeranov B. V. , Barykina Y. V. , Antipova A. O.
Published: February 2022

Early aftershocks contain important information about the physics of earthquake occurrence and postseismic relaxation processes. However, the standard catalogs of early aftershocks are usually incomplete. Many events can be missed in the main shock coda, some of which are strong enough due to the extremely high noise level. Under these conditions, the process of event identification becomes largely stochastic. Due to different network configurations and record processing methods, different agencies may register/miss different events, thus merging catalogs can improve the completeness of the aftershock sequence. When merging catalogs, the problem of identifying duplicates (records related to the same seismic event) arises. The main difficulty is discriminating aftershocks and duplicates, since both are events close in space and time. The problem is analogous to the problem of discriminating aftershocks and independent events. The solution methods are usually similar too. In this paper, we apply the nearest neighbor method modified for our problem. This method has become widespread in recent years in the problem of identifying aftershocks, and a probabilistic metric in the space of network errors in determining the epicenters and times of seismic events. It is applied for automatic identification of duplicates when merging catalogs of aftershocks for the Tohoku earthquake. An analysis of the space-time structure of duplicates and aftershocks shows their significant difference, which makes it possible to successfully solve the problem. In a sample from the global Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) catalog (M> 4), were found more than 700 events missed by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) seismic network, which is one of the best in the world. Among the misses, there are several events with M> 6 in the first hours after the main shock. Duplicate identification reliability is >97%. The method can be used to improve the completeness of aftershock sequences. The reliable identification of duplicates allows, in addition, to study the correspondence of the magnitudes determined by different agencies. Therefore the present method is an effective tool for creating merged catalogs of earthquakes with a uniform magnitude.
Giant Paraganglioma Complicated With Catecholamine Crisis and Catecholamine Cardiomyopathy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Ma Xiangping , Chen Zhen , Xia Peng , Zhang Chunmei , Yan Keqiang , Fan Yidong , Wang Yingli , Ti Yun , Bu Peili
Published: February 2022

Background

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGL) are rare neuroendocrine tumors which overproduce catecholamines. Heart failure and myocardial infarction caused by paraganglioma complicated with catecholamine crisis are the most common causes of death in PPGL patients before surgery. When giant paraganglioma is complicated with catecholamine crisis, treatment brooks no delay.

Case Summary

A 49-year-old man had episodic sweating, tachycardia with irregular pulse, and headaches 5 days before, and then showed up with chest pain and wheezing for 1 day. Meanwhile, he developed symptoms of recurrent severe abdominal pain and loss of consciousness, and his blood pressure was severely unstable (from 70/40 to 300/200 mmHg). First, the electrocardiogram showed ventricular tachycardia, and then we noticed the waves of ST-segment elevation, but we did not find significant abnormalities in coronary angiography. Abdominal CT and MRI revealed a giant lesion with bleeding or infection in the retroperitoneal adrenal area. These imaging findings were confirmed during surgery, and there was vascular adhesion between the retroperitoneal tumor and the inferior vena cava and left and right renal vein. After the successful resection of the tumor, postoperative pathology confirmed paraganglioma, and the patient pulled through and was discharged quickly.

Discussion

This is a rare case of giant paraganglioma complicated with catecholamine crisis and catecholamine cardiomyopathy. We can diagnosis this disease greatly by elevated norepinephrine, and it is a gold biochemical standard at present. Standard treatment is surgical resection, which is effective in treating this rare neuroendocrine tumor.
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Induces Lipid Droplets via Gαi/o and β-Arrestin in an Endometrial Cancer Cell Line
Authors: Sayers Niamh S. , Anujan Priyanka , Yu Henry N. , Palmer Stephen S. , Nautiyal Jaya , Franks Stephen , Hanyaloglu Aylin C.
Published: February 2022

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and its G protein-coupled receptor, FSHR, represents a paradigm for receptor signaling systems that activate multiple and complex pathways. Classically, FSHR activates Gαs to increase intracellular levels of cAMP, but its ability to activate other G proteins, and β-arrestin-mediated signaling is well documented in many different cell systems. The pleiotropic signal capacity of FSHR offers a mechanism for how FSH drives multiple and dynamic downstream functions in both gonadal and non-gonadal cell types, including distinct diseases, and how signal bias may be achieved at a pharmacological and cell system-specific manner. In this study, we identify an additional mechanism of FSH-mediated signaling and downstream function in the endometrial adenocarcinoma Ishikawa cell line. While FSH did not induce increases in cAMP levels, this hormone potently activated pertussis toxin sensitive Gαi/o signaling. A selective allosteric FSHR ligand, B3, also activated Gαi/o signaling in these cells, supporting a role for receptor-mediated activation despite the low levels of FSHR mRNA. The low expression levels may attribute to the lack of Gαs/cAMP signaling as increasing FSHR expression resulted in FSH-mediated activation of the Gαs pathway. Unlike prior reports for FSH-mediated Gαs/cAMP signaling, FSH-mediated Gαi/o signaling was not affected by inhibition of dynamin-dependent receptor internalization. While chronic FSH did not alter cell viability, FSH was able to increase lipid droplet size. The β-arrestins are key adaptor proteins known to regulate FSHR signaling. Indeed, a rapid, FSH-dependent increase in interactions between β-arrestin1 and Gαi1 was observed via NanoBiT complementation in Ishikawa cells. Furthermore, both inhibition of Gαi/o signaling and siRNA knockdown of β-arrestin 1/2 significantly reduced FSH-induced lipid droplet accumulation, implying a role for a Gαi/o/β-arrestin complex in FSH functions in this cell type. As FSH/FSHR has been implicated in distinct hormone-dependent cancers, including endometrial cancer, analysis of the cancer genome database from 575 human endometrial adenocarcinoma tumors revealed that a subpopulation of samples expressed FSHR. Overall, this study highlights a novel mechanism for FSHR signal pleiotropy that may be exploited for future personalized therapeutic approaches.
Mitochondrial-Derived Peptides in Diabetes and Its Complications
Authors: Wu Ying , Sun Liankun , Zhuang Zhoudao , Hu Xiaoqing , Dong Delu
Published: February 2022

The changes of mitochondrial function are closely related to diabetes and its complications. Here we describe the effects of mitochondrial-derived peptides (MDPs), short peptides formed by transcription and translation of the open reading frame site in human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), on diabetes and its complications. We mainly focus on MDPs that have been discovered so far, such as Humanin (HN), mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA-c (MOTS-c) and Small humanin-like peptides (SHLP 1-6), and elucidated the role of MDPs in diabetes and its major complications stroke and myocardial infarction by improving insulin resistance, inhibiting inflammatory response and anti-apoptosis. It provides more possibilities for the clinical application of mitochondrial derived peptides.
Genetically Predicted Causality of 28 Gut Microbiome Families and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Risk
Authors: Xiang Kun , Zhang Jing-Jing , Xu Yuan-Yuan , Zhong Xing , Ni Jing , Pan Hai-Feng
Published: February 2022

Mounting evidence indicates that gut microbiome may be involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, there is no consensus on whether there is a causal link between gut microbiome and T2DM risk. In the present study, the Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed to investigate whether gut microbiome was causally linked to T2DM risk. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were significantly related to exposure from published available genome-wide association study (GWAS) were selected as instrumental variables (IVs). The robust methods including inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR Egger, and weighted median were conducted to infer the causal links. Mendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) and MR-Egger regression were used to test whether there was horizontal pleiotropy and identify outlier SNPs. The estimates of IVW suggested that Streptococcaceae (odds ratio (OR) = 1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04–1.31, p = 0.009) was associated with higher risk of T2DM in European population. In Asian population, the MR IVW estimates revealed that there was a causal link between Acidaminococcaceae and T2DM risk (OR = 1.17, 95% CI, 1.04–1.31, p = 0.008). There was no evidence of notable heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy. However, after false discovery rate (FDR) correction, the causal link between gut microbiome and T2DM was absent (FDR, p > 0.05). In summary, using genetic instruments, this study does not find evidence of association between the 28 gut microbiome families and T2DM risk. However, Streptococcaceae and Acidaminococcaceae may have a borderline positive correlation with T2DM risk.
Whole Transcriptome Profiling of Adrenocortical Tumors Using Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Samples
Authors: Iwahashi Norifusa , Umakoshi Hironobu , Ogata Masatoshi , Fukumoto Tazuru , Kaneko Hiroki , Terada Eriko , Katsuhara Shunsuke , Uchida Naohiro , Sasaki Katsuhiko , Yokomoto-Umakoshi Maki , Matsuda Yayoi , Sakamoto Ryuichi , Ogawa Yoshihiro
Published: February 2022

Whole transcriptome profiling is a promising technique in adrenal studies; however, whole transcriptome profiling of adrenal disease using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples has to be further explored. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of transcriptome data from FFPE samples of adrenocortical tumors. We performed whole transcriptome profiling of FFPE and fresh frozen samples of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC, n = 3), aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA, n = 3), and cortisol-producing adenoma (CPA, n = 3), and examined the similarity between the transcriptome data. We further examined whether the transcriptome data of FFPE samples could be used to distinguish tumor types and detect marker genes. The number of read counts was smaller in FFPE samples than in fresh frozen samples (P < 0.01), while the number of genes detected was similar (P = 0.39). The gene expression profiles of FFPE and fresh frozen samples were highly correlated (r = 0.93, P < 0.01). Tumor types could be distinguished by consensus clustering and principal component analysis using transcriptome data from FFPE samples. In the differential expression analysis between ACC and APA-CPA, known marker genes of ACC (e.g., CCNB2, TOP2A, and MAD2L1) were detected in FFPE samples of ACC. In the differential expression analysis between APA and CPA, known marker genes of APA (e.g., CYP11B2, VSNL1, and KCNJ5) were detected in the APA of FFPE samples. The results suggest that FFPE samples may be a reliable alternative to fresh frozen samples for whole transcriptome profiling of adrenocortical tumors.
Developmental Origins of Metaflammation; A Bridge to the Future Between the DOHaD Theory and Evolutionary Biology
Authors: Itoh Hiroaki , Ueda Megumi , Suzuki Misako , Kohmura-Kobayashi Yukiko
Published: February 2022

Metabolic syndrome refers to obesity-associated metabolic disorders that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, coronary diseases, stroke, and other disabilities. Environmental imbalance during the early developmental period affects health and increases susceptibility to non-communicable diseases, including metabolic syndrome, in later life; therefore, the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) theory was established. According to the DOHaD theory, the hypothesis of the energy-saving ‘Thrifty Phenotype’ in undernourished fetuses is one of the well-accepted schemes as a risk of developing metabolic syndrome. This phenotype is evolutionarily advantageous for survival of the fittest in a hangry environment after birth, a strong selection pressure, but increases the risk of developing metabolic syndrome under an obesogenic diet according to the ‘Mismatch’ hypothesis. Increasing evidences support that chronic inflammation pathophysiologically connects obesity to metabolic disorders in metabolic syndrome, leading to the concept of ‘Metaflammation’. ‘Metaflammation’ in humans is proposed to originate from the evolutionary conservation of crosstalk between immune and metabolic pathways; however, few studies have investigated the contribution of evolutionary maladaptation to the pathophysiology of ‘Metaflammation’. Therefore, it is promising to investigate ‘Metaflammation’ from the viewpoint of selective advantages and its ‘Mismatch’ to an unexpected environment in contemporary lifestyles, in consideration of the principal concept of evolutionarily conserved nutrient sensing and immune signaling systems.
Flow Conditioning to Control the Effects of Inlet Swirl on Brush Seal Performance in Gas Turbine Engines
Authors: Liu Yuxin , Dong Wenlei , Chew John , Pekris Michael , Yue Benzhuang , Kong Xiaozhi
Published: February 2022

When subject to highly swirling inlet flow, the bristles on the upstream face of a brush seal in gas turbine engines tend to slip circumferentially, which may lead to aeromechanical instability and seal failure. In this article, a new design of the front plate of brush seal, which mitigates this effect, is presented. Angled ribs on the upstream side of the front plate are used to reduce the swirl of the flow impacting on the bristle pack. The effects of the rib geometry, including angle of inclination and height-to-spacing ratio, are investigated using computational fluid dynamics, and a bulk porous medium model of the bristle pack, on a simple seal geometry. Results show that the ribs can effectively regulate the flow upstream of the bristle pack, reducing the swirl and channeling flow radially inward to the sealing section, resulting in decreased circumferential forces on the bristles. Ribs inclined at 20° to the radial direction and with height-to-spacing ratio of 0.4 were selected as the most effective of those investigated for the seal geometry under study. A model of an aeroengine preswirled cooling air chamber was created to give insight into the inlet swirl boundary conditions that a preswirl seal brush seal could be subjected to at a range of leakage flow rates and inlet swirl velocities. The new design and upstream roughness feature substantially reduced inlet swirl velocity incident on the bristle pack. The findings in this work could have a significant impact on brush seal design and, in particular, mitigate a significant operational risk of swirl-induced instability in high-pressure, high-speed shaft seal locations.
Research on the Trading Arrangement and Clearing Model of Medium- and Long-Term Inter-Provincial Markets Considering Security Constraints
Authors: Fu Xueqian , Yang Kaitao , Li Guodong , Zeng Dan
Published: February 2022

In the process of deepening market-oriented reform, the most important thing in China is building a national unified electricity market system under a high renewable energy penetration scenario. The new round of market-oriented reform proposes to establish an inter-provincial electricity-trading arrangement. Due to imperfect market mechanisms and immature inter-provincial electricity markets, we investigate the electricity market operation system of the national unified electricity market. Existing transmission commitments, trading cycles, market participants, strategic bids, and clearing and settlement mechanisms are analyzed for inter-provincial medium- and long-term markets. For security reasons of interchange schedules, we propose a novel inter-provincial market-clearing model based on static security regions, which consider inter-provincial electricity transmissions and direct current power flows. The proposed market-clearing model is simulated and verified in a 3-bus system and an IEEE 30-bus system. The proposed clearing model and rational market theory are conducive not only to promoting renewable energy consumption but also to improving the linkages between inter-provincial medium- and long-term markets.
Distribution Network Voltage Arc Suppression Method Based on Flexible Regulation of Neutral Point Potential of the New Grounding Transformer
Authors: Lifang Wu , Hao Bai , Ke Zhou , Zhiyong Yuan , Xiaoyong Yu , Jinyong Lei , Yu Zou , Yuan Zhang
Published: February 2022

Aiming at the problems that the existing arc suppression cabinet technology cannot adjust the zero sequence voltage flexibly and the control and hardware implementation of active arc suppression equipment based on power electronics are difficult, a new method of voltage arc suppression in the distribution network based on the flexible regulation of the neutral point potential of the new grounding transformer is proposed. From the perspective of the sequence component, the variation law of the neutral point voltage before and after the closing of the tapped grounding branch of the new grounding transformer is analyzed. By selecting the appropriate initial tap position of the tap-to-ground switch, the fault phase voltage is flexibly controlled so that the fault phase voltage is reduced to below the reignition voltage to quickly solve the influence of the single-phase grounding fault, and the risk of non-fault phase insulation breakdown is reduced to ensure the stable operation of the distribution network. According to the ratio of the fault phase current to the zero sequence voltage before and after the gear inputs, whether the arc suppression of the single-phase grounding fault is completed is judged. Compared with power electronic products, the new grounding transformer has the advantages of high reliability, long service life, and low cost and has strong economy and applicability in engineering. The single-phase grounding fault model of the 10kV distribution network is built in the PSCAD/EMTDC simulation environment, and the new method of the distribution network voltage arc suppression based on the flexible regulation of neutral point potential of the new grounding transformer is verified. The simulation results show that the proposed method can effectively reduce the fault phase voltage to achieve the reliable arc suppression of the single-phase grounding fault.
Analysis of Energy Input–Output of Farms and Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Case Study of Cotton Growers
Authors: Abbas Adnan , Zhao Chengyi , Waseem Muhammad , Ahmed khan Khurshied , Ahmad Riaz
Published: February 2022

The concept of agricultural and environmental sustainability refers to minimizing the degradation of natural resources while increasing crop productions; assessment of inflow and outflow energy resources is helpful in highlighting the resilience of the system and maintaining its productivity. In this regard, the current study evaluated the amount of energy input–output of cotton productions and their environmental interventions. Data are randomly collected from 400 cotton farmers through face-to-face interview. Results suggested that the major energy is consumed by three culprits, i.e., chemical fertilizer, diesel fuel, and irrigation water (11,532.60, 11,121.54, and 4,531.97 MJ ha−1, respectively). Total greenhouse gas (GHG) emission is 1,106.12 kg CO2eq ha−1 with the main share coming from diesel fuel, machinery, and irrigation water. Stimulating data of energies, e.g., energy use efficiency (1.53), specific energy (7.69 MJ kg−1), energy productivity (0.13 kg MJ−1), and net energy gained (16,409.77 MJ ha−1). Further analysis using data envelopment analysis (DEA) showed that low technical efficiency, i.e., 69.02%, is the most probable cause of poor energy use efficiency. The impermanent trend in growth of energy efficiency has been witnessed with plausible potential of energy savings from 4,048.012 to 16,194.77 MJ ha−1 and a reduction of 148.96–595.96 kg CO2eq ha−1 in GHG emission. Cobb–Douglas production function is further applied to discover the associations of energy input to output, which inferred that chemical fertilizer, diesel fuel, machinery, and biocides have significant effect on cotton yield. The marginal physical productivity (MPP) values obliged that the additional use in energy (1 MJ) from fuel (diesel), biocides, and machinery can enhance cotton yield at the rate of 0.35, 1.52, and 0.45 kg ha−1, respectively. Energy saving best links with energy sharing data, i.e., 55.66% (direct), 44.34% (indirect), 21.05% (renewable), and 78.95% (nonrenewable), further unveiled the high usage of nonrenewable energy resources (fossil fuels) that ultimately contributes to high emissions of GHGs. We hope that these findings could help in the management of energy budget that we believe will reduce the high emissions of GHGs.
Concentrations, Compositions, and Deposition Rates of Dissolved Nitrogen in Western China: Insights From Snow Records
Authors: An Yanqing , Xu Jianzhong , Liu Yanmei , Li Xiaofei , Zhao Huabiao , Kang Shichang
Published: February 2022

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition is an important contributor to global and regional nitrogen cycles, and atmospheric nitrogen could be a critical limit nutrient for remote areas. In this study, nitrogen species compositions, deposition fluxes, and historical records in the mountains of Western China, including the Tibetan Plateau, were determined from snowpit and ice core samples collected from mountain glaciers. The mean concentration of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) in the snowpit samples was 12.6 μmol L−1 (8.0–17.8 μmol L−1) and comprised 59% ammonium nitrogen, 35% nitrate nitrogen, and ∼6% dissolved organic nitrogen. The deposition of nitrogen species, except organic nitrogen (likely due to its low concentrations and/or different origination), varied seasonally in a similar way based on the records of the snowpit profile. Based on monthly surface sample collection in one of the glaciers, the mass concentration and composition of nitrogen species varied monthly, mainly because of melting processes. During melting, the inorganic nitrogen content could be lost significantly, whereas the dissolved organic nitrogen concentration could be enriched because of microbial activity. For the historical records, the nitrogen deposition in mountain areas of Western China after 1960s was increased by about one time of that during 1900–1950 and was dominated by ammonium-N. From the snowpit data, we estimated the total dissolved nitrogen deposition flux at 0.56–1.3 (mean 0.88) kg ha−1 a−1 in the mountain area of Western China. These results could improve our understanding of nitrogen deposition and cycle in the mountain areas of Western China.
Selecting and Assessing Underutilized Trees for Diverse Urban Forests: A Participatory Research Approach
Authors: Hilbert Deborah R. , Koeser Andrew K. , Roman Lara A. , Andreu Michael G. , Hansen Gail , Thetford Mack , Northrop Robert J.
Published: February 2022

Urban forests provide critical environmental benefits, but the resilience of these socio-ecological systems to stresses like pest and disease outbreaks relies on tree health and diversity. Despite this, low species diversity continues to be a challenge in urban forest management. Using a participatory research approach in central Florida (United States), we selected and tested underutilized native tree species (Celtis laevigata Willd., Ilex vomitoria Aiton, Taxodium ascendens Brongn., Ulmus alata Michx., and Viburnum obovatum Walter) in two urban settings (streetscape and park) in four communities (total n = 200). Our collaborative process was organized into five steps, including a 2-year monitoring period to assess mortality and health through establishment. At the end of the trial, 156 trees survived with annual mortality rates differing by species and plot type. Taxodium ascendens had the highest annual mortality of the five species trialed. Overall, U. alata and V. obovatum showed the greatest potential in central Florida urban settings. Our tree selection process can guide others who want to create forward-thinking and diverse planting lists. Furthermore, this project demonstrates that co-production of knowledge involving members of local municipalities, practitioners, and researchers can be an effective strategy for selecting and testing underutilized tree species.
Genetic Loci Associated With COVID-19 Positivity and Hospitalization in White, Black, and Hispanic Veterans of the VA Million Veteran Program
Authors: Peloso Gina M. , Tcheandjieu Catherine , McGeary John E. , Posner Daniel C. , Ho Yuk-Lam , Zhou Jin J. , Hilliard Austin T. , Joseph Jacob , O’Donnell Christopher J. , Efird Jimmy T. , Crawford Dana C. , Wu Wen-Chih , Arjomandi Mehrdad ,   VA Million Veteran Program COVID-19 Science Initiative, Sun Yan V. , Assimes Themistocles L , Huffman Jennifer E.
Published: February 2022

SARS-CoV-2 has caused symptomatic COVID-19 and widespread death across the globe. We sought to determine genetic variants contributing to COVID-19 susceptibility and hospitalization in a large biobank linked to a national United States health system. We identified 19,168 (3.7%) lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases among Million Veteran Program participants between March 1, 2020, and February 2, 2021, including 11,778 Whites, 4,893 Blacks, and 2,497 Hispanics. A multi-population genome-wide association study (GWAS) for COVID-19 outcomes identified four independent genetic variants (rs8176719, rs73062389, rs60870724, and rs73910904) contributing to COVID-19 positivity, including one novel locus found exclusively among Hispanics. We replicated eight of nine previously reported genetic associations at an alpha of 0.05 in at least one population-specific or the multi-population meta-analysis for one of the four MVP COVID-19 outcomes. We used rs8176719 and three additional variants to accurately infer ABO blood types. We found that A, AB, and B blood types were associated with testing positive for COVID-19 compared with O blood type with the highest risk for the A blood group. We did not observe any genome-wide significant associations for COVID-19 severity outcomes among those testing positive. Our study replicates prior GWAS findings associated with testing positive for COVID-19 among mostly White samples and extends findings at three loci to Black and Hispanic individuals. We also report a new locus among Hispanics requiring further investigation. These findings may aid in the identification of novel therapeutic agents to decrease the morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 across all major ancestral populations.
Integrated Analysis of Transcriptome and Proteome to Reveal Pupal Color Switch in Papilio xuthus Butterflies
Authors: He Jin-Wu , Dong Zhi-Wei , Hu Ping , Liu Wei , Zhang Ru , Liu Gui-Chun , Zhao Ruo-Ping , Wan Wen-Ting , Wang Wen , Li Xue-Yan
Published: February 2022

Pupal color polyphenism in Papilio butterflies, including green, intermediate, or brown, is an excellent study system for understanding phenotypic plasticity. Previous studies suggested that development of brown pupae may be controlled by a hormone called pupal-cuticle-melanizing-hormone (PCMH) which is synthesized and secreted from brain-suboesophageal ganglion and prothoracic ganglion complexes (Br-SG-TG1) during the pre-pupa stage. However, detailed molecular mechanisms of neuroendocrine regulation in pupal color development remain unknown. In this study, we integrated the expression profiles of transcriptome and proteome at pre-pupa stages [2 h after gut purge (T1) and 3 h after forming the garter around the body (T2)] and pigmentation stages [10 h after ecdysis (T3) and 24 h after ecdysis (T4)] to identify important genes and pathways underlying the development of green and brown pupa in the swallowtail butterfly Papilio xuthus. Combined comparisons of each developmental stage and each tissue under green and brown conditions, a total of 1042 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 430 different abundance proteins (DAPs) were identified. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and enrichment analysis indicate that these DEGs were mainly related to oxidation-reduction, structural constituent of cuticle, and pigment binding. Soft clustering by Mfuzz and enrichment analysis indicate that these DAPs are mainly involved in tyrosine metabolism, insect hormone biosynthesis, and melanogenesis. By homologous alignment, we further identified those genes encoding neuropeptides (51), GPCRs (116), G-proteins (8), cuticular proteins (226), chitinases (16), and chitin deacetylases (8) in the whole genome of P. xuthus and analyzed their expression profiles. Although we identified no gene satisfying with hypothesized expression profile of PCMH, we found some genes in the neuropeptide cascade showed differentially expressed under two pupal color conditions. We also found that Toll signaling pathway genes, juvenile hormone (JH) related genes, and multiple cuticular proteins play important roles in the formation of selective pupal colors during the prepupal-pupal transition. Our data also suggest that both green and brown pupa include complex pigment system that is regulated by genes involved in black, blue, and yellow pigments. Our results provide important insights into the evolution of pupal protective colors among swallowtail butterflies.
Aberrant Expressional Profiling of Small RNA by Cold Atmospheric Plasma Treatment in Human Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Cells
Authors: Guo Bo , Li Wen , Liu Yijie , Xu Dehui , Liu Zhijie , Huang Chen
Published: February 2022

Small RNAs (sRNAs), particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), are functional molecules that modulate mRNA transcripts and have been implicated in the etiology of various types of cancer. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a physical technology widely used in the field of cancer treatment after exhibiting extensive lethality on cancer cells. However, few studies have reported the exact role of miRNAs in CAP-induced anti-cancer effects. The aim of the present study was to determine whether miRNAs are involved in CAP-induced cytotoxicity by using high-throughput sequencing. Our research demonstrated that 28 miRNAs were significantly changed (17 upregulated and 11downregulated) following 24 h of treatment with a room-temperature argon plasma jet for 90 s compared with that of the untreated group in human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells. GO enrichment analysis revealed that these target genes were related to cell organelles, protein binding, and single-organism processes. Furthermore, KEGG pathway analysis demonstrated that the target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs were primarily involved in the cAMP signaling pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, and phosphatidylinositol signaling system. Taken together, our study demonstrated that CAP treatment could significantly alter the small RNA expression profile of chronic myeloid leukemia cells and provide a novel theoretical insight for elucidating the molecular mechanisms in CAP biomedicine application.
Skeletal Muscle Expression of Actinin-3 (ACTN3) in Relation to Feed Efficiency Phenotype of F2Bos indicus - Bos taurus Steers
Authors: Vaughn Robert N. , Kochan Kelli J. , Torres Aline K. , Du Min , Riley David G. , Gill Clare A. , Herring Andy D. , Sanders James O. , Riggs Penny K.
Published: February 2022

In this study, actinin-3 (ACTN3) gene expression was investigated in relation to the feed efficiency phenotype in Bos indicus - Bos taurus crossbred steers. A measure of relative feed efficiency based on residual feed intake relative to predictions from the NRC beef cattle model was analyzed by the use of a mixed linear model that included sire and family nested within sire as fixed effects and age, animal type, sex, condition, and breed as random effects for 173 F2 Nellore-Angus steers. Based on these residual intake observations, individuals were ranked from most efficient to least efficient. Skeletal muscle samples were analyzed from 54 steers in three groups of 18 (high efficiency, low efficiency, and a statistically average group). ACTN3, which encodes a muscle-specific structural protein, was previously identified as a candidate gene from a microarray analysis of RNA extracted from muscle samples obtained from a subset of steers from each of these three efficiency groups. The expression of ACTN3 was evaluated by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR analysis. The expression of ACTN3 in skeletal muscle was 1.6-fold greater in the inefficient steer group than in the efficient group (p = 0.007). In addition to expression measurements, blocks of SNP haplotypes were assessed for breed or parent of origin effects. A maternal effect was observed for ACTN3 inheritance, indicating that a maternal B. indicus block conferred improved residual feed efficiency relative to the B. taurus copy (p = 0.03). A SNP haplotype analysis was also conducted for m-calpain (CAPN2) and fibronectin 1 (FN1), and a significant breed effect was observed for both genes, with B. indicus and B. taurus alleles each conferring favorable efficiency when inherited maternally (p = 0.03 and p = 0.04). Because the ACTN3 structural protein is specific to fast-twitch (type II) muscle fibers and not present in slow-twitch muscle fibers (type I), muscle samples used for expression analysis were also assayed for fiber type ratio (type II/type I). Inefficient animals had a fast fiber type ratio 1.8-fold greater than the efficient animals (p = 0.027). Because these fiber-types exhibit different metabolic profiles, we hypothesize that animals with a greater proportion of fast-twitch muscle fibers are also less feed efficient.
THBS2 is Closely Related to the Poor Prognosis and Immune Cell Infiltration of Gastric Cancer
Authors: Zhang Shiyu , Yang Huiying , Xiang Xuelian , Liu Li , Huang Huali , Tang Guodu
Published: February 2022

Background: The potential functions of Thrombospondin 2 (THBS2) in the progression and immune infiltration of gastric cancer (GC) remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of THBS2 in GC prognosis and the relationship between THBS2 and GC immune cell infiltration.

Material and Methods: The differential expression levels of THBS2 in the GC and cancer-adjacent tissues were identified using the TCGA databases and verified using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunohistochemical staining and two datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). THBS2 related differential expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and used for further functional enrichment analysis and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). Furthermore, a THBS2-related immune infiltration analysis was also performed. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were utilized to illustrate the effects of THBS2 on the prognosis and clinical variables of GC. Finally, a nomogram was constructed to predict the survival probability of patients with GC.

Results: The THBS2 expression in GC was significantly higher than that in cancer-adjacent tissues (p < 0.001), which was verified using real-time PCR, immunohistochemical staining and datasets from GEO. The 599 identified DEGs were primarily enriched in pathways related to tumorigenesis and tumor progression, including the focal adhesion pathway, signaling by vascular endothelial growth factor, and Wnt signaling. THBS2 expression was positively correlated with the enrichment of the macrophages (r = 0.590, p < 0.001), which was also confirmed by immunohistochemistry; however, negatively correlated with the enrichment of Th17 cells (r = 0.260, p < 0.001). The high expression of THBS2 was significantly correlated with the pathological grade (p < 0.01), histological grade (p < 0.05), histological type (p < 0.05), T stage (p < 0.001), and poor overall survival (OS) (P = 0.003) of GC. The constructed nomogram can well predict the 1-, 3-, and 5-years OS probability of patients with GC (C-index [95% confidence interval] = 0.725 [0.701–0.750]).

Conclusion: THBS2 is closely related to the poor prognosis and immune infiltration of gastric cancer.
Familial Hypercholesterolemia Prevalence Among Ethnicities—Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Toft-Nielsen Frida , Emanuelsson Frida , Benn Marianne
Published: February 2022

Background: Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common genetic disorder leading to premature cardiovascular disease and death as a result of lifelong high plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, if not treated early in life. The prevalence of FH varies between countries because of founder effects, use of different diagnostic criteria, and screening strategies. However, little is known about differences in FH prevalence according to ethnicity. We aimed to investigate the ethnic distribution of FH in diverse populations and estimate the prevalence of FH according to ethnicity.

Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis, searching PubMed and Web of Science for studies presenting data on the prevalence of heterozygous FH among different ethnicities in non-founder populations. Studies with more than 100 individuals, relevant data on prevalence, ethnicity, and using the Dutch Lipid Clinical Network Criteria, Simon Broome, Making Early Diagnosis Prevents Early Death, genetic screening, or comparable diagnostic criteria were considered eligible for inclusion.

Results: Eleven general population studies and two patient studies were included in a systematic review and 11 general population studies in a random-effects meta-analysis. The overall pooled FH prevalence was 0.33% or 1:303 in 1,169,879 individuals (95% confidence interval: 0.26–0:40%; 1:385–1:250). Included studies presented data on six ethnicities: black, Latino, white, Asian, brown, and mixed/other. Pooled prevalence was estimated for each group. The highest prevalence observed was 0.52% or 1:192 among blacks (0.34–0.69%; 1:294–1:145) and 0.48% or 1:208 among browns (0.31–0.74%; 1:323–1:135) while the lowest pooled prevalence was 0.25% or 1:400 among Asians (0.15–0.35; 1:500–1:286). The prevalence was 0.37% or 1:270 among Latino (0.24–0.69%; 1:417–1:145), 0.31% or 1:323 among white (0.24–0.41%; 1:417–1:244), and 0.32% or 1:313 among mixed/other individuals (0.13–0.52%; 1:769–1:192).

Conclusion: The estimated FH prevalence displays a variation across ethnicity, ranging from 0.25% (1:400) to 0.52% (1:192), with the highest prevalence seen among the black and brown and the lowest among the Asian individuals. The differences observed suggest that targeted screening among subpopulations may increase the identification of cases and thus the opportunity for prevention.
About Face: How the People’s Republic of China Harnessed Health to Leverage Soft Power on the World Stage
Authors: Kadetz Paul , Stanley-Baker Michael
Published: February 2022

In the fifteen year period from 1964–1979, The People’s Republic of China engaged in an unprecedented number of domestic and international health campaigns that were utilized for China’s entrance onto the world stage. From Mao Zedong’s vision of a new form of medicine via the unification of Chinese medicines and biomedicine to the adoption of a Chinese model of healthcare integration and primary healthcare by the World Health Organization in the Declaration of Alma Ata, the PRC entered the world stage through its health exports and its distinctive adaptation of modernity to serve domestic, and often foreign policy goals. These exports include Sino-African health diplomacy; the globalization of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and in particular the global utilization and scientific recognition of the antimalarial artemisinin derived from the Chinese herbQinghao; and a model of primary and rural universal healthcare utilizing community health workers that garnered multilateral support. However, the face of benevolence displayed on the world stage was often contradicted by what was occurring domestically, behind the scenes, with the marked state enforcement of many of these same health campaigns in front of the backdrop of the cultural revolution. This paper examines if, and how, the West may have orientalized and romanticized China’s healthcare exports. Furthermore, we analyze the World Health Organization’s adoption and global promotion of a model for universal healthcare using healthcare integration that was only able to be achieved through the often brutal enforcement of the state, whilst rejecting grass-roots movements enacted during the same period, such as the practitioner-led integration of Ayurvedic medicine in India.