bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leading Trauma-Informed Education Practice as an Instructional Model for Teaching and Learning
Authors: Stokes Helen
Published: June 2022

Advances in trauma-informed practices have helped both researchers and educators understand how childhood trauma impacts the developmental capacities required for successful learning within school. However, more investigation is required to understand how leaders can implement trauma-informed practices in targeted areas of their schools. This paper is a case study of one school who intentionally implemented a trauma-informed instructional practice approach after undertaking trauma informed positive education professional learning over a period of two and a half years. The research was guided by three questions: how are students supported in their learning and wellbeing; how can teachers be supported to develop consistent trauma-informed practice in their classrooms; and what is the role of leadership in this process? To research the approach, quantitative measures of staff and student perceptions and qualitative strategies centering the voices and experiences of students, teachers, and school leaders, were employed. Implications for school leaders suggest that when implemented as a whole-school approach through multiple and simultaneous mechanisms, trauma-informed positive education instructional practices have the possibilities of yielding enhanced outcomes for wellbeing and enable students to be ready to learn.
Effect of Hyperthyroidism Control During Pregnancy on Maternal and Fetal Outcome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Alves Junior Jose Mario , Bernardo Wanderley Marques , Ward Laura Sterian , Villagelin Danilo
Published: June 2022

Context

Although the overt hyperthyroidism treatment during pregnancy is mandatory, unfortunately, few studies have evaluated the impact of treatment on reducing maternal and fetal outcomes.

Objective

This study aimed to demonstrate whether treatment to control hyperthyroidism manifested during pregnancy can potentially reduce maternal-fetal effects compared with euthyroid pregnancies through a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Data Source

MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, Cochrane Library Central, LILACS/BIREME until May 2021.

Study Selection

Studies that compared, during the gestational period, treated women with hyperthyroidism versus euthyroid women. The following outcomes of this comparison were: pre-eclampsia, abruptio placentae, fetal growth retardation, gestational diabetes, postpartum hemorrhage, low birth weight, stillbirth, spontaneous abortions, premature birth.

Data Extraction

Two independent reviewers extracted data and performed quality assessments. Dichotomous data were analyzed by calculating risk differences (DR) with fixed and random effect models according to the level of heterogeneity.

Data Synthesis

Seven cohort studies were included. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that there was a lower incidence of preeclampsia (p=0.01), low birth weight (p=0.03), spontaneous abortion (p<0.00001) and preterm birth (p=0.001) favouring the euthyroid pregnant group when compared to those who treated hyperthyroidism during pregnancy. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in the outcomes: abruptio placentae, fetal growth retardation, gestational diabetes mellitus, postpartum hemorrhage, and stillbirth.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrated that treating overt hyperthyroidism in pregnancy is mandatory and appears to reduce some potential maternal-fetal complications, despite there still being a residual risk of negative outcomes.
Identification of Up-Regulated ANXA3 Resulting in Fracture Non-Union in Patients With T2DM
Authors: Liu Changjiang , Liu Yuhang , Yu Yifeng , Zhao Yong , Zhang Dong , Yu Aixi
Published: June 2022

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that increases fracture risk and interferes with bone formation and impairs fracture healing. Genomic studies on diabetes and fracture healing are lacking. We used a weighted co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) method to identify susceptibility modules and hub genes associated with T2DM and fracture healing. First, we downloaded the GSE95849, GSE93213, GSE93215, and GSE142786 data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) website, analyzed differential expression genes and constructed a WGCNA network. Second, we screened out 30 hub genes, which were found to be enriched in neutrophil activation, translational initiation, RAGE receptor binding, propanoate metabolism, and other pathways through Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) analyses. Third, we searched for genes related to bone metabolism and fracture healing in the published genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data, built a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network with hub genes, and found that they were associated with metabolic process, blood vessel development, and extracellular matrix organization. ANXA3 was identified as the biomarker based on gene expression and correlation analysis. And the AUC value of it was 0.947. Fourth, we explored that ANXA3 was associated with neutrophils in fracture healing process by single-cell RNA sequencing analysis. Finally, we collected clinical patient samples and verified the expression of ANXA3 by qRT-PCR in patents with T2DM and fracture non-union. In conclusion, this is the first genomics study on the effect of T2DM on fracture healing. Our study identified some characteristic modules and hub genes in the etiology of T2DM-associated fracture non-union, which may help to further investigate the molecular mechanisms. Up-regulated ANXA3 potentially contributed to fracture non-union in T2DM by mediating neutrophils. It can be a prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target.
The Flexible and Transparent Film Heaters Based on Regenerated Cellulose and Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Cui Jiedong , Lu Pengbo , Li Yinghui , Xu Ke , Li Yang , Shen Haoyu , Liu Chaocheng , Zhang Tianyi , Liu Detao
Published: June 2022

The flexible and transparent film heaters (FTFHs) with the advantages of mechanical flexibility, portability, and excellent electrothermal performance, are key to the next generation portable, wearable heaters and thermal protection systems. However, the present flexible and transparent substrates of FTFHs are fabricated by typical plastic PET films, which suffer from poor interfacial adhesion with the thermally conductive materials. In this work, the transparent regenerated cellulose fibers made of completely dissolved in NMMO solution followed by regeneration process is presented to disperse and support carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by a vacuum-dewatering process. In the presence of cellulose fibers, these CNTs have strong hydrogen bonding properties in the dehydration-deposition process and thus respond to tight intertwining structures in fibrous composites. The resulting regenerated cellulose fibers exhibit high optical transparency of 88% (@550 nm) and good mechanical properties (30 MPa). Interestingly, the FTFHs show a rapid heating response, high generation temperature, and resistance stability for up to 2 h. The FTFHs made with earth-abundant, cost-effective, and recyclable materials, have excellent potential in the areas of green flexible and transparent film heaters.
Mudstone Baffles and Barriers in Lower Cretaceous Strata at a Proposed CO2 Storage Hub in Kemper County, Mississippi, United States
Authors: Wethington Conn , Pashin Jack , Wethington Jamar , Esposito Richard , Riestenberg David
Published: June 2022

The Cretaceous and Tertiary deposits in Mississippi, Alabama, and the adjacent continental shelf constitute a widespread succession of sandstone, mudstone, and carbonate that has proven to be an important target for geologic CO2storage in the onshore Gulf of Mexico basin. Integrated analysis of stratigraphy, sedimentology, and reservoir properties based on cores and geophysical well logs indicates that the Paluxy Formation and Washita- Fredericksburg interval present gigatonne-class storage opportunities. The distribution, geometry, and composition of the area is a direct reflection of the original depositional environments, and understanding these factors is essential for understanding the geologic storage potential of the Paluxy Formation and Washita-Fredericksburg interval at the Kemper County energy facility in Mississippi. Geologic characterization of the Mississippi Embayment at the energy facility focused primarily on characterizing the confinement potential of the storage complex. Integration of core analyses and geophysical well logs has yielded a high-resolution stratigraphic analysis of storage reservoirs, baffles, barriers, and seals. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and quantitative X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to characterize microfabric, pore types, and mineralogy within mudstone of the east-central Mississippi Embayment at the Kemper County energy facility. Mudstone beds in the Paluxy Formation and Washita-Fredericksburg interval have variable thickness and continuity. High water saturation in the Cretaceous mudstone units influences swelling smectite clay and mudrock permeability based on pulse decay analysis is 1–96 nD. These low permeability values indicate that the mudstone units are effective baffles, barriers, and confining intervals that make significant migration of injected CO2out of the storage complex unlikely. The numerous baffles and barriers within the target reservoir intervals, moreover, favor the retention of multiple CO2in plumes within the abundant stacked sandstone bodies.
Research on the Internal and External Monitoring Mechanism of the Electricity Market in the Spot Market: From the Perspective of the Evolutionary Game Theory
Authors: Jin Luosong , Liu Weidong , Chen Cheng , Ji Jingping , Wang Wei
Published: June 2022

The internal and external monitoring mechanism is a beneficial monitoring mode which is in line with the current national condition, the situation of the power grid, and the construction progress of the power spot market. However, the independence of third-party monitoring agencies cannot be completely guaranteed because of the incomplete management system of China’s electricity market at present. Therefore, the market is prone to power rent-seeking in which third-party monitoring agencies conspire with the market internal monitoring organization. Based on the evolutionary game theory, this study constructed a coordination game model between third-party monitoring agencies and the market internal monitoring organization, as well as an asymmetric coordination game model between the interest group composed of internal and external monitoring agencies and government regulatory authorities. By analyzing the evolutionarily stable strategy of each game participant, the study identified the underlying factors that affect the strategic choices made by internal and external monitoring agencies and government regulatory authorities and then put forward some reasonable suggestions for reducing the probability of third-party monitoring agencies colluding with internal monitoring organizations so that the efficiency of internal and external monitoring mechanisms can be improved.
Underwater Macroplastic Detection Using Imaging Sonars
Authors: Flores Natasha Y. , Oswald Stephanie B. , Leuven Rob S. E. W. , Collas Frank P. L.
Published: June 2022

Plastic pollution in the ocean occurs mainly via riverine transport. In rivers, plastic is pervasive in sediments and in the water column. Monitoring of floating plastics in rivers is time consuming as it is usually collected using nets and classified by hand, or counted and classified visually. To make plastic detection in the water column more time- and cost-efficient, there is a need to explore remote sensing options. Here we present the results of two semi-controlled pilot tests in standing water using two imaging sonar technologies: an Adaptive Resolution Imaging Sonar (ARIS) sonar and a low-cost side-scan sonar (SSS). Additionally, the ARIS sonar was tested in flowing water at a sheltered shore channel behind a longitudinal training dam in the river Waal, Netherlands. Both technologies were able to detect 100% of the macroplastics tested in standing water. The ARIS sonar provided higher resolution images of the targets tested due to its high operation frequency detecting macroplastics down to a size of 1 cm2. The ARIS sonar detected macroplastics in the field, however, the detection decreased to 67% in flowing water. This sonar was limited to the 2D horizontal position of targets. The SSS is a low-cost option for monitoring of plastics and is integrated with CHIRP sonar technology that combines side and down imaging providing the 3D position of targets. For future monitoring, an ARIS sonar in motion or two ARIS sonars used simultaneously may provide the necessary 3D spatial information of plastic targets.
Emission Reduction Strategies of a Low-Carbon Supply Chain Considering Product Substitution and Government Subsidy
Authors: Zhan Menglin , Chen Yan , Liu Yue
Published: June 2022

Under the background of the low-carbon economy, considering that manufacturers produce common products and low-carbon products simultaneously and the two products are substituting, three models are set up, namely, no government subsidy, subsidy based on the research and development (R&D) cost, and subsidy based on the production volume of low-carbon products. The Stackelberg game theory is used to analyze the optimal decision of the supply chain under the three methods of government subsidy, the influence of the correlation coefficient on optimal decision-making is discussed, and the effects of different government subsidy methods on the equilibrium solutions are compared and analyzed. Finally, the results are verified and illustrated by example analysis. The study found that the government subsidy reduces the sales volume of common products but increases the sales volume of low-carbon products, the emission reduction of unit low-carbon products, total emission reductions, and manufacturer’s profit. The unit emission reduction and total emission reductions are the highest when the government subsidies are according to the R&D cost, and the manufacturer’s profit is the highest when the government subsidies are according to the production volume of low-carbon products. Total emission reduction and supply members’ profit have a positive relationship with the subsidy coefficient and the sensitivity of consumers toward price difference and have a negative relationship with the R&D cost coefficient.
Very-Short-Term Variations of Sea Surface and Atmospheric Parameters Before the Ms 6.2 Zhangbei (China) Earthquake in 1998
Authors: Liu Yingjia , Wu Lixin , Qi Yuan , Ding Yifan
Published: June 2022

The Ms 6.2 Zhangbei earthquake occurred at 3:53 (UTC) on 10 January 1998, with its epicenter located at about 150 km northwest of Beijing, China. Over the past 2 decades, many studies have reported that there was a positive thermal infrared (TIR) anomaly appearing along the direction from the Bohai Sea to Zhangbei within 2–3 days preceding the earthquake, which was considered to be caused by the activity of the great Zhangbei-Bohai fault (ZBF) extending across the Bohai Sea to the southeast, while neither the TIR anomaly is convinced nor the mechanism is clear. A collaborative analysis of the atmospheric disturbances several days before, during, and after the earthquake was conducted by using satellite observations and reanalysis datasets with multiple parameters, including sea surface roughness, evaporation rate, atmospheric CO concentration, atmospheric sea salt concentration, and cloud base height above the sea surface, as well as satellite infrared cloud images. Through individual analysis of the change of each parameter and synergic analysis of multiple parameters, particular atmospheric disturbances, including the formation of strip-shaped clouds on January 7 and 9, were revealed over the ZBF and another great fault named Tancheng-Lujiang fault (TLF), which extends across the Bohai Sea to the northeast. After careful investigation and attribution analysis of the spatio-temporal evolutions of the atmospheric disturbances every hour above and around the Bohai Sea from January 7 to 12, we came to the conclusion that the particular strip-shaped clouds were low-level clouds caused by the seismic activity and submarine gas release from TLF but not ZBF and was forced by particular wind field and lowering boundary layer. As an aftereffect of the gas release from TLF and the formation of the localized low-level clouds of higher brightness temperature than that of the land surface, a positive TIR anomaly, thus, appeared above TLF and by chance along ZBF, preceding the Zhangbei earthquake.
What Is the Impact of the Establishment of Natural Reserves on Rural Residential Land? An Empirical Study From Hunan Province, China
Authors: Wu Yuanlai , Tang Houtian , Jiang Ping , Chen Jinxiu
Published: June 2022

The rural residential land (RRL) in natural reserves has been deeply transformed due to the disturbance constrained by ecological protection policies. Exploring the distribution characteristics and driving factors of RRL in natural reserves and non-natural reserves will help to promote the governance of land space and alleviate the contradiction of land use. Therefore, taking 122 county-level administrative regions in Hunan Province as an example, this article analyzes and compares the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of RRL in natural reserves and non-natural reserves by using land use change dynamics, nuclear density analysis, the transfer matrix model, and the ordinary least-squares model and explores how the establishment of natural reserves affects the RRL area change. The results show that (1) the overall RRL area in Hunan changed from 171,162.27 hm2 in 2000 to 169,914.6 hm2 in 2020, with a total reduction of 1,247.67 hm2 and a decrease of 0.73%, and the distribution of the RRL area change presented a hot trend in the northeast and a cold trend in the southwest. (2) The occupation of urban construction land is the main reason for the reduction in RRL area, and the transformation of cultivated land and forestland into RRL is the main source of the increase in RRL area. (3) During 2000–2020, the overall RRL in natural reserves increased by 1,538.37 hm2, with an increase of 0.11%, while the overall RRL in non-natural reserves decreased by 2,786.04 hm2, with a decrease of 0.14%. (4) The establishment of natural reserves has a significant negative correlation with the area of RRL in 2000, 2010, and 2020, indicating that the establishment of natural reserves can limit the growth speed of the RRL area to a certain extent, but is affected by factors such as economic development and rural population growth; it cannot directly promote the overall reduction of RRL area. The results of this study can provide a reference for decision-making related to the spatial structure optimization of natural reserves and non-natural protected RRL and the coordinated development of urban and rural areas.
Evaluation of ESG Ratings for Chinese Listed Companies From the Perspective of Stock Price Crash Risk
Authors: Li Sicheng , Yin Pengfei , Liu Shuai
Published: June 2022

ESG investment strategy has attracted increasing attention from the financial market, and the inconsistency of enterprise ESG rating results of different rating agencies has gradually become the focus of attention of regulators and investors. In this article, the listed companies with ESG ratings in Shanghai and Shenzhen A-shares from 2016 to 2020 were selected as the research samples. Combined with difference-in-differences model and ordinary least squares methods, the rationality of these ESG ratings was evaluated by examining the difference in the impact of three international ESG rating agencies, such as Bloomberg, and three Chinese ESG rating agencies, such as Sino-securities, on the stock price crash risk. The research findings are as follows: First, after incorporating the ESG ratings of FTSE Russell, MSCI, and China Alliance of Social Value Investment, the stock price crash risk of enterprises is significantly reduced. Second, the company's share price crash risk will be lower when the ESG evaluation results of Bloomberg or MSCI is better. Third, compared with social indicators, investors pay more attention to the environmental performance of enterprises in decision making. Enterprises with high environmental scores have lower stock price crash risk. The findings of this article play an enlightening role for China to improve its ESG system, construct an ESG disclosure policy, and improve the market role of ESG rating.
Social Cues of Safety Can Override Differences in Threat Level
Authors: Ferreira Clara H. , Heinemans Mirjam , Farias Matheus , Gonçalves Rui , Moita Marta A.
Published: June 2022

Animals in groups integrate social with directly gathered information about the environment to guide decisions regarding reproduction, foraging, and defence against predatory threats. In the context of predation, usage of social information has acute fitness benefits, aiding the detection of predators, the mounting of concerted defensive responses, or allowing the inference of safety, permitting other beneficial behaviors, such as foraging for food. We previously showed that Drosophila melanogaster exposed to an inescapable visual threat use freezing by surrounding flies as a cue of danger and movement resumption as a cue of safety. Moreover, group responses were primarily guided by the safety cues, resulting in a net social buffering effect, i.e., a graded decrease in freezing behavior with increasing group sizes, similar to other animals. Whether and how different threat levels affect the use of social cues to guide defense responses remains elusive. Here, we investigated this issue by exposing flies individually and in groups to two threat imminences using looms of different speeds. We showed that freezing responses are stronger to the faster looms regardless of social condition. However, social buffering was stronger for groups exposed to the fast looms, such that the increase in freezing caused by the higher threat was less prominent in flies tested in groups than those tested individually. Through artificial control of movement, we created groups composed of moving and freezing flies and by varying group composition, we titrated the motion cues that surrounding flies produce, which were held constant across threat levels. We found that the same level of safety motion cues had a bigger weight on the flies’ decisions when these were exposed to the higher threat, thus overriding differences in perceived threat levels. These findings shed light on the “safety in numbers” effect, revealing the modulation of the saliency of social safety cues across threat intensities, a possible mechanism to regulate costly defensive responses.
Biophysical and Biocultural Upheavals in Mesoamerica, a Conservation Perspective: Mountains, Maize-Milpa, and Globalization
Authors: del Castillo Rafael F. , Rivera-García Raúl
Published: June 2022

Three upheavals shaped southern Mexico to Panama (SMP) biodiversity:

   1. The Great American Interchange that allowed migrations between the Neotropical and the Nearctic biogeographic realms;

   2. human colonization with the generation of Mesoamerican cultures; and

   3. the Spaniards’ arrival and globalization.

Tectonic events generated a narrow piece of land with steep topography and high environmental heterogeneity, demanding high levels of local adaptation. Habitat size is usually restricted and reduced by frequent disturbances. Topography imposes few options for individuals forced to displace. Thus, extinction risks should be unusually high. Humans initiated an ongoing defaunation process and introduced the maize and the milpa, an itinerant maize-based slash-and-burn polyculture, which depends on revegetation to re-establish soil fertility. Also, the milpa is a most important pre-Hispanic legacy, a biocultural and landrace reservoir actively affecting landscape configuration, succession, soil development, and the genetic architecture of the species. Unprecedented human epidemics and soil, biodiversity, and culture erosion followed behind the Spanish aftermath and the subsequent globalization. > 63 million people and ≈100 ethnic groups inhabit SMP in 2020, which, with the biota, share the same problems of climate change, disturbance, and acculturation. SMP has been the scenario of severe climate change, fastest and deadliest extinction events (amphibians), a most spectacular exotic-species invasion (Africanized honeybees), and accelerated deforestation, defaunation, and acculturation. Biocultural conflicts between native and non-native people are globalization byproducts and sources of habitat destruction and species decline. Bottom-up initiatives are likely the best option for conservation in indigenous areas, whereas honest (i.e., with truly conservation intentions) top-down initiatives are helpful if the affected people are considered subjects (no objects) of conservation plans. We suggest some unique areas requiring conservation attention and analyzed current conservation initiatives. Not a single initiative is best suited for all conservation needs in SMP. Protection of all successional stages is critical for resilience and revegetation. Conservation of the milpa system (crop fields and subsequent fallows) is an optimal option for minimizing tradeoffs between conservation and people needs and safeguarding traditional culture and local landraces but is limited to areas with indigenous people and may not work for species with large home ranges.
Upregulated miRNAs on the TP53 and RB1 Binding Seedless Regions in High-Risk HPV-Associated Penile Cancer
Authors: da Silva Jenilson , da Costa Carla Cutrim , de Farias Ramos Ingryd , Laus Ana Carolina , Sussuchi Luciane , Reis Rui Manuel , Khayat André Salim , Cavalli Luciane Regina , Pereira Silma Regina
Published: June 2022

Cancer development by the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection can occur through the canonical HPV/p53/RB1 pathway mediated by the E2/E6/E7 viral oncoproteins. During the transformation process, HPV inserts its genetic material into host Integration Sites (IS), affecting coding genes and miRNAs. In penile cancer (PeCa) there is limited data on the miRNAs that regulate mRNA targets associated with HPV, such as the TP53 and RB1 genes. Considering the high frequency of HPV infection in PeCa patients in Northeast Brazil, global miRNA expression profiling was performed in high-risk HPV-associated PeCa that presented with TP53 and RB1 mRNA downregulated expression. The miRNA expression profile of 22 PeCa tissue samples and five non-tumor penile tissues showed 507 differentially expressed miRNAs: 494 downregulated and 13 upregulated (let-7a-5p, miR-130a-3p, miR-142-3p, miR-15b-5p miR-16-5p, miR-200c-3p, miR-205-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-223-3p, miR-22-3p, miR-25-3p, miR-31-5p and miR-93-5p), of which 11 were identified to be in HPV16-IS and targeting TP53 and RB1 genes. One hundred and thirty-one and 490 miRNA binding sites were observed for TP53 and RB1, respectively, most of which were in seedless regions. These findings suggest that up-regulation of miRNA expression can directly repress TP53 and RB1 expression by their binding sites in the non-canonical seedless regions.
miR-19b-3p/PKNOX1 Regulates Viral Myocarditis by Regulating Macrophage Polarization
Authors: Jiahui Chen , Jiadai Zheng , Nan Zheng , Rui Zhou , Lipin Huang , Jian He , Wenzong Zhu , Riyuan Zhang
Published: June 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study was to study the role and mechanism of miR-19b-3p in regulating myocardial inflammation and injury of viral myocarditis in viral myocarditis induced by Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3). A CVB3 infection mouse model was established, the survival rate of mice was recorded after different treatments, cardiac function was detected, the degree of myocardial inflammatory infiltration and injury was detected by immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses, miR-19b-3p and PKNOX1 expression in cardiac tissue and cardiac infiltrating macrophages was detected using RT-PCR, and isolated mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages and the differentiation of macrophages after different transfections were detected. Finally, the binding of miR-19b-3p and PKNOX1 was verified by the dual luciferase reporter gene. The results showed that the expression of miR-19b-3p was significantly downregulated in the cardiac tissue and infiltrating macrophages of CVB3-infected mice, while the expression of PKNOX1 was upregulated. Upregulation of miR-19b-3p has protective effects against CVB3-induced myocardial injury in mice, such as weight gain, prolonged survival, increased left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular short axis shortening, reduced inflammation, creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK)-MB, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels decreased, while interferon-γ and interleukin-6 (IL-6) increased, and the M2/M1 cell ratio was upregulated. In conclusion, miR-19b-3p can regulate macrophage polarization by targeting PKNOX1, and has a protective effect against CVB3-induced inflammation and myocardial injury.
DNA N6-Methyladenine Modification in Eukaryotic Genome
Authors: Li Hao , Zhang Ning , Wang Yuechen , Xia Siyuan , Zhu Yating , Xing Chen , Tian Xuefeng , Du Yinan
Published: June 2022

DNA methylation is treated as an important epigenetic mark in various biological activities. In the past, a large number of articles focused on 5 mC while lacking attention to N6-methyladenine (6 mA). The presence of 6 mA modification was previously discovered only in prokaryotes. Recently, with the development of detection technologies, 6 mA has been found in several eukaryotes, including protozoans, metazoans, plants, and fungi. The importance of 6 mA in prokaryotes and single-celled eukaryotes has been widely accepted. However, due to the incredibly low density of 6 mA and restrictions on detection technologies, the prevalence of 6 mA and its role in biological processes in eukaryotic organisms are highly debated. In this review, we first summarize the advantages and disadvantages of 6 mA detection methods. Then, we conclude existing reports on the prevalence of 6 mA in eukaryotic organisms. Next, we highlight possible methyltransferases, demethylases, and the recognition proteins of 6 mA. In addition, we summarize the functions of 6 mA in eukaryotes. Last but not least, we summarize our point of view and put forward the problems that need further research.
Safety and Immunogenicity of an Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine, WIBP-CorV, in Healthy Children: Interim Analysis of a Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled, Phase 1/2 Trial
Authors: Xia Shengli , Duan Kai , Zhang Yuntao , Zeng Xiaoqing , Zhao Dongyang , Zhang Huajun , Xie Zhiqiang , Li Xinguo , Peng Cheng , Zhang Wei , Yang Yunkai , Chen Wei , Gao Xiaoxiao , You Wangyang , Wang Xuewei , Wang Zejun , Shi Zhengli , Wang Yanxia , Yang Xuqin , Li Qingliang , Huang Lili , Wang Qian , Lu Jia , Yang Yongli , Guo Jing , Zhou Wei , Wan Xin , Wu Cong , Wang Wenhui , Huang Shihe , Du Jianhui , Nian Xuanxuan , Deng Tao , Yuan Zhiming , Shen Shuo , Guo Wanshen , Liu Jia , Yang Xiaoming
Published: June 2022

Safe and effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 for children are urgently needed. Here we aimed to assess the safety and immunogenicity of an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine candidate, WIBP-CorV, in participants aged 3-17 years. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1/2 clinical trial was conducted in Henan Province, China, in healthy children aged 3-17 years. 240 participants in phase 1 trial and 576 participants in phase 2 trial were randomly assigned to vaccine or control with an age de-escalation in three cohorts (3-5, 6-12 and 13-17 years) and dose-escalation in three groups (2.5, 5.0 and 10.0μg/dose), and received 3 intramuscular injections at day 0, 28, and 56. WIBP-CorV showed a promising safety profile with approximately 17% adverse reactions within 30 days after injection and no grade 3 or worse adverse events. The most common adverse reaction was injection site pain, followed by fever, which were mild and self-limiting. The geometric mean titers of neutralizing antibody ranged from 102.2 to 1065.5 in vaccinated participants at 28 days after the third vaccination, and maintained at a range of 14.3 to 218.2 at day 180 after the third vaccination. WIBP-CorV elicited significantly higher titers of neutralizing antibody in the cohort aged 3-5 years than the other two cohorts. There were no detectable antibody responses in all alum-only groups. Taken together, our data demonstrate that WIBP-CorV is safe and well tolerated at all tested doses in participants aged 3-17 years, and elicited robust humoral responses against SARS-CoV-2 lasted for at least 6 months after the third vaccination. This study is ongoing and is registered with www.chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2000031809.
Risk Assessment of Whale Entanglement and Vessel Strike Injuries From Case Narratives and Classification Trees
Authors: Carretta James V. , Henry Allison G.
Published: June 2022

Entanglements and vessel strikes impact large whales worldwide. Post-event health status is often unknown because whales are seen once or over short spans that conceal long-term health declines. Well-studied populations with high site fidelity verified by photo-ID offer opportunity to confirm deaths, health declines and recoveries. We used known outcome entanglements and vessel strikes of right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) to model probabilities of deaths, health declines and recoveries with Random Forest (RF) classification trees. Variables included presence or absence of phrases from case narratives (‘deep laceration’, ‘cyamid’, ‘healing’, ‘superficial’) and a categorical variable for vessel size. Health status post-entanglement was correctly classified in 95.7% of right whale and 93.6% of humpback whale cases (expected by chance=50%). Health status post-vessel strike was correctly classified in 91.4% of right whale and 88.6% of humpback whale cases. Important variables included cyamid presence, emaciation, discolored skin, constricting entanglements, gear-free resightings, superficial or healing lacerations, and vessel size. Cross-validated RF models were applied to unknown outcome cases to estimate the probability of deaths, health declines and recoveries. Total serious injuries (probability of death or health decline > 0.50) assigned by RF were nearly equal to current injury assessment methods applied by biologists for known outcomes. However, RF consistently predicted higher serious injury totals for unknown outcomes, suggesting that current assessment methods may underestimate risk for cases lacking details or long-term observations. Advantages of the RF method include: 1) risk models are based on known outcomes; 2) unknown outcomes are assigned post-event health status probabilities; and 3) identification of important predictor variables improves data collection standards.
Ontogeny and Early Steps of the Calcification Process in Coralline Algae Lithophyllum corallinae (Florideophyceae, Rhodophyta)
Authors: de Carvalho Rodrigo Tomazetto , Wendt Camila Hübner Costabile , Willemes Maria Julia , Bahia Ricardo da Gama , Farina Marcos , Salgado Leonardo Tavares
Published: June 2022

Coralline algae (Rhodophyta, Florideophyceae) are one of the most abundant organisms in the hard-bottom marine photic zone where they provide settlement substrates, structure and shelter on rocky substrates. Coralline algae also play important roles in tropical reefs, both cementing corals together and producing substantial amounts of calcium carbonate. The ecological roles of coralline algae in the marine environment are related to the biomineralization process that occurs in the cell walls. Currently, this group of algae is receiving renewed attention from researchers from different fields, especially due to possible effects of climate changes over its magnesium calcite skeleton. Despite this renewed attention, we still have poor information regarding the first steps of coralline algae ontogeny and calcification. The aim of this study was to describe the earlier steps ofLithophyllum corallinaedevelopment and its calcification process. Algae were collected at Vermelha Beach, Rio de Janeiro city. Adult crusts released spores that settled over microscope slides. The germinating spores were analyzed by Polarizing Light Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy. Results showed that cell walls mineralization begins at third spore cell division (8 cells specimen), evidenced by changes in light polarization, elemental composition and hardness, restricted to the cell walls of the innermost part of the developing spore. Nanopores in calcite crystals structure were identified, evidencing macromolecules occlusion, a feature especially important to prevent calcite skeleton cracking in high-energy environments. The beginning of this process could be related to spore size, availability of organic matrix and energy from photosynthesis. All the analysis also confirmed the lack of calcification in the cell walls of the outermost part of the germinating spore, which allows the growth of the individual; but mainly indicates a high level of control in coralline algae mineralization process, representing a relevant information in future studies on coralline algae calcification, including those testing climate changes scenarios.
Characterization of Kordiimonas marina sp. nov. and Kordiimonas laminariae sp. nov. and Comparative Genomic Analysis of the Genus Kordiimonas, A Marine-Adapted Taxon
Authors: Ye Yu-Qi , Hao Zhi-Peng , Yue Yu-Yan , Ma Lu , Ye Meng-Qi , Du Zong-Jun
Published: June 2022

Two novel rod-shaped and Gram-negative bacterial strains, designated A6E486T and 5E331T, were isolated from a coastal sediment sample taken from Xiaoshi Island, Weihai, China, and a fresh kelp sample collected from a kelp culture area, Rongcheng, China, respectively. Growth of strain A6E486T occurred at 20°C–43°C (optimum, 33°C–35°C) at pH 5.5–7.5 (optimum, 6.5) and in the presence of 1.0%–5.5% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2.5%–3.0%). Strain 5E331T grew with 1.5%–5.0% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 3.0%) at 15°C–40°C (optimum, 33°) and pH 6.0–8.5 (optimum, 7.0). The similarity of 16S rRNA gene sequence between the two strains was 95.2%. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strains A6E486T and 5E331T belong to the genus Kordiimonas, sharing the highest similarity to the genus Kordiimonas (94.6%–96.8%, 94.9%–96.1%, respectively). Strains A6E486T and 5E331T had percentage of conserved protein (POCP) values of 56.0%–67.3% and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values of 68.8%–73.1% to members of the genus Kordiimonas. The major polar lipids detected in the two strains were phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), and unidentified glycolipids, aminolipids, and lipids. The predominant respiratory quinone of the two strains was Q-10. Based upon the results presented in this study, strains A6E486T and 5E331T represent two novel species of the genus Kordiimonas, for which the names Kordiimonas marina and Kordiimonas laminariae are proposed with the type strains A6E486T (= KCTC 82758T = MCCC 1H00470T) and 5E331T (= KCTC 92199T = MCCC 1H00515T), respectively. Comparative genomic analysis showed that seven species of the genus Kordiimonas shared 1,258 core genes and had differences in carbohydrate metabolism, energy metabolism, and cofactor and vitamin metabolism. The pan-genome of the genus Kordiimonas was open. The prediction of secondary metabolites showed that most strains of the genus Kordiimonas had the ability to produce homoserine lactones, one of the most important signal molecules in the quorum-sensing system of Gram-negative bacteria. Additionally, numerous genes involved in bacterial defense, motility and chemotaxis, cold adaptation, and environment stress response were found in the genus Kordiimonas, indicating the marine-adapted lifestyle of members of the genus Kordiimonas.
Process-Oriented Estimation of Chlorophyll-a Vertical Profile in the Mediterranean Sea Using MODIS and Oceanographic Float Products
Authors: Li Xiaojuan , Mao Zhihua , Zheng Hongrui , Zhang Wei , Yuan Dapeng , Li Youzhi , Wang Zheng , Liu Yunxin
Published: June 2022

Reconstructing chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) vertical profile is a promising approach for investigating the internal structure of marine ecosystem. Given that the process of profile classification in current process-oriented profile inversion methods are either too subjective or too complex, a novel Chl-a profile reconstruction method was proposed incorporating both a novel binary tree profile classification model and a profile inversion model in the Mediterranean Sea. The binary tree profile classification model was established based on a priori knowledge provided by clustering Chl-a profiles measured by BGC-Argo floats performed by the profile classification model (PCM), an advanced unsupervised machine learning clustering method. The profile inversion model contains the relationships between the shape-dependent parameters of the nonuniform Chl-a profile and the corresponding Chl-a surface concentration derived from satellite observations. According to quantitative evaluation, the proposed profile classification model reached an overall accuracy of 89%, and the mean absolute percent deviation (MAPD) of the proposed profile inversion model ranged from 12%–37% under different shape-dependent parameters. By generating monthly three dimensions Chl-a concentration from 2011 to 2018, the proposed process-oriented method exhibits great application potential in investigating the spatial and temporal characteristics of Chl-a profiles and even the water column total biomass throughout the Mediterranean Sea.
Study on Coal Pillar Size Design Based on Non-integral Contact Structure of Coal and Rock Under Static and Dynamic Loads
Authors: Li Qinghai , Li Jingkai , Wang Zhiqiang , Li Kaixin , Zhang Cunzhi
Published: June 2022

Reasonable coal pillar size of roadway protection is an important guarantee for roadway stability under the action of static-dynamic coupling loadings in deep mines. Coal pillar and roof-floor rock form a non-integral contact structure of coal and rock. However, in the existing literature, there is no research on the size of the coal pillar under static-dynamic coupling loadings based on the non-integral contact structure of coal and rock. In this study, the coal-rock non-integral contact composite specimens are designed, and the coal pillar size is simulated by the radial sizes of the specimens. The failure characteristics of coal-rock under the static-dynamic coupling loadings are studied by the SHPB test, which provides the basis for the design of coal pillar size, and finally determines the reasonable coal pillar size by combining with numerical simulation. The test results show that the strength of the specimens decreases with the decrease of section size of coal and increases with the increase of dynamic load, but there is a critical value for static load. When the coal sections radial sizes are 50, 45, and 40 mm and dynamic loads are applied, the stress-strain curve of the specimens has a plastic stage, but the rest do not exist. The minimum coal section radial size which can ensure the stability of the specimens is 40 mm, and the similar calculation of coal pillar size is 88 m. Combined with numerical simulation, the final coal pillar size is 90 m. This study provides a more accurate and reliable method to determine the size of a coal pillar under the action of static-dynamic coupling loadings.
Effect of a Fast Potential Change on the Early Stage of Zinc Passivation in a Saturated Calcium Hydroxide Solution
Authors: Garnica-Rodríguez Armando , Montoya R. , Rodríguez-Gomez Francisco Javier , Pérez-López Tezozomoc , Genesca Juan
Published: June 2022

The fast and sharp corrosion potential change from the active state to the passive state, that pure zinc plates immersed in calcium hydroxide saturated solutions with and without chlorides spontaneously exhibit at the early stage of passivation, was studied. The corrosion behavior was investigated by corrosion potential monitoring, anodic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The zinc surface was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. Experimental results show that the presence of chlorides increases the rate of change of potential by 10-fold in the early stage of passivation, producing a porous passivating film of corrosion products mainly made of calcium hydroxy-zincate Ca(Zn(OH)3)2·2 H2O, with a less protective barrier effect than the non-porous film formed without chlorides. On the other hand, a modeling approach was achieved by solving the transient 2D Nernst–Planck equations and considering 12 chemical species. Numerical results confirm that the composition of the chemical products generated on the Zn surface certainly depends on the concentration of Cl¯ ions: Simonkolleite and hidroxides become unstable in the presence of high Cl¯ concentrations, whereas calcium hydroxyl-zincate is the main chemical compound generated on the Zn surface. However, the presence of the latter compound is much more important in electrolytes with very low concentration of Cl¯ ions.
Parametric Curves Metamodelling Based on Data Clustering, Data Alignment, POD-Based Modes Extraction and PGD-Based Nonlinear Regressions
Authors: Champaney Victor , Pasquale Angelo , Ammar Amine , Chinesta Francisco
Published: June 2022

In the context of parametric surrogates, several nontrivial issues arise when a whole curve shall be predicted from given input features. For instance, different sampling or ending points lead to non-aligned curves. This also happens when the curves exhibit a common pattern characterized by critical points at shifted locations (e.g., in mechanics, the elastic-plastic transition or the rupture point for a material). In such cases, classical interpolation methods fail in giving physics-consistent results and appropriate pre-processing steps are required. Moreover, when bifurcations occur into the parametric space, to enhance the accuracy of the surrogate, a coupling with clustering and classification algorithms is needed. In this work we present several methodologies to overcome these issues. We also exploit such surrogates to quantify and propagate uncertainty, furnishing parametric stastistical bounds for the predicted curves. The procedures are exemplified over two problems in Computational Mechanics.