bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysing the National Education and Learning Priorities Policy Statement Through the Lens of Fielding’s Person-Centred Education Framework
Authors: Adamson Julian
Published: June 2022

In the 30 years since the advent of the fundamentally system-altering ‘Tomorrow’s schools’ reforms in the 1990s, the education system of New Zealand has undergone many reviews and changes. The recent Taskforce Inquiry into the suitability of the current system to deliver equitably for learners as we approach the third decade of the 21st Century has seen a detailed report produced that proposes more significant change for the system. The Ministry of Education has used this to develop its National Education and Learning Priorities that will drive the next stage of development of the education system in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This analysis examines the report, the subsequent National Priorities and their philosophical underpinnings through the lens of Michael Fielding’s typology of Person-centred education frameworks and suggests that despite a significant shift towards Person-centeredness, the underlying neo-liberal building blocks of our current schools remain, and that it is likely the system will remain focused on competition, high-stakes assessment results and a narrow interpretation of educational success and equity.
Conceptualizing the Changing Faces of Pilgrimage Through Contemporary Tourism
Authors: Polus Reni , Carr Neil , Walters Trudie
Published: June 2022

This paper aims to conceptualize the pilgrimage and tourism relationship in the contemporary world. As the boundaries between pilgrimage and tourism have become blurred, there is a need to find a more holistic way to understand the nuances of the pilgrimage-tourism relationship. This conceptual paper argues that pilgrimage offers a stage for rejuvenation in the contemporary era. In the 21st Century, the concept of pilgrimage travel has re-emerged in tourism with a new identity that goes beyond the idea of pilgrimage as a journey to a sacred place. Building on this recognition, this paper provides a conceptual framework that emphasizes the linkages between pilgrimage and contemporary tourism using three core elements: meaning, ritual, and transformation. This framework allows broader interpretations of pilgrimage travel in different phenomena of tourism in the contemporary era.
Source Camera Device Identification from Videos
Authors: Bennabhaktula Guru Swaroop , Timmerman Derrick , Alegre Enrique , Azzopardi George
Published: June 2022

Source camera identification is an important and challenging problem in digital image forensics. The clues of the device used to capture the digital media are very useful for Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), especially to help them collect more intelligence in digital forensics. In our work, we focus on identifying the source camera device based on digital videos using deep learning methods. In particular, we evaluate deep learning models with increasing levels of complexity for source camera identification and show that with such sophistication the scene-suppression techniques do not aid in model performance. In addition, we mention several common machine learning strategies that are counter-productive in achieving a high accuracy for camera identification. We conduct systematic experiments using 28 devices from the VISION data set and evaluate the model performance on various video scenarios—flat (i.e., homogeneous), indoor, and outdoor and evaluate the impact on classification accuracy when the videos are shared via social media platforms such as YouTube and WhatsApp. Unlike traditional PRNU-noise (Photo Response Non-Uniform)-based methods which require flat frames to estimate camera reference pattern noise, the proposed method has no such constraint and we achieve an accuracy of$$72.75 \pm 1.1 \%$$72.75±1.1%on the benchmark VISION data set. Furthermore, we also achieve state-of-the-art accuracy of$$71.75\%$$71.75%on the QUFVD data set in identifying 20 camera devices. These two results are the best ever reported on the VISION and QUFVD data sets. Finally, we demonstrate the runtime efficiency of the proposed approach and its advantages to LEAs.
Prenatal diagnosis and management of placenta accreta in a Moroccan high-level maternity
Authors: Lamrissi Amine , Benjelloun Ahmed Touimi , Harit Amjad , Fichtali Karima , Bouhya Said
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACT

The diagnosis of placenta accreta is not as rare as it used to be, its incidence is clearly increasing and it is correlated with the Caesarean sections rate.

This pathology is responsible for a significant maternal morbidity and mortality although it could be preventable with prenatal diagnosis and a good medical and surgical management.

The aim of this work is to describe the behavior adopted in front of a Placenta Accreta diagnosed in a Moroccan maternity level 3 over a period of six years.

The objective of this descriptive retrospective study is to provide epidemiological results concerning the evolution of this obstetric pathology in recent years and to detect the various complications that may arise.

Noted that no significant series of this pathology has been reported in Morocco.

Highlights
Coastlines at Risk of Hypoxia From Natural Variability in the Northern Indian Ocean
Authors: Pearson Jenna , Resplandy Laure , Poupon Mathieu
Published: June 2022

Coastal hypoxia—harmfully low levels of oxygen—is a mounting problem that jeopardizes coastal ecosystems and economies. The northern Indian Ocean is particularly susceptible due to human‐induced impacts, vast naturally occurring oxygen minimum zones, and strong variability associated with the seasonal monsoons and interannual Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). We assess how natural factors influence the risk of coastal hypoxia by combining a large set of oxygen measurements with satellite observations to examine how the IOD amplifies or suppresses seasonal hypoxia tied to the Asian Monsoon. We show that on both seasonal and interannual timescales hypoxia is controlled by wind‐ and coastal Kelvin wave‐driven upwelling of oxygen‐poor waters onto the continental shelf and reinforcing biological feedbacks (increased subsurface oxygen demand). Seasonally, the risk of hypoxia is highest in the western Arabian Sea in summer/fall (71% probability of hypoxia). Major year‐to‐year impacts attributed to the IOD occur during positive phases along the eastern Bay of Bengal (EBoB), where the risk of coastal hypoxia increases from moderate to high in summer/fall (21%–46%) and winter/spring (31%–42%), and along the eastern Arabian Sea (i.e., India, Pakistan) where the risk drops from high to moderate in summer/fall (53%–34%). Strong effects are also seen in the EBoB during negative IOD phases, when the risk reduces from moderate to low year‐round (∼25% to ∼5%). This basin‐scale mapping of hypoxic risk is key to aid national and international efforts that monitor, forecast, and mitigate the impacts of hypoxia on coastal ecosystems and ecosystem services.
Numerical Upscaling of Seismic Signatures of Poroelastic Rocks Containing Mesoscopic Fluid‐Saturated Voids
Authors: He Yanbin , Rubino J. Germán , Solazzi Santiago G. , Barbosa Nicolás D. , Favino Marco , Chen Tianning , Gao Jinghuai , Holliger Klaus
Published: June 2022

We present a novel coupled fluid‐poroelastic model and an associated numerical upscaling procedure to calculate seismic attenuation and velocity dispersion in porous rocks induced by fluid pressure diffusion (FPD) in the presence of mesoscopic fluid‐saturated voids, such as, for example, vugs or factures. By applying appropriate interface conditions, the proposed model couples the Navier‐Stokes equations for viscous fluids with Biot's equations of poroelasticity to model the mesoscopic voids and the embedding background, respectively. A finite element method is employed to solve the coupled problem for a set of three relaxation tests, which enables us to compute the complex‐valued and frequency‐dependent equivalent stiffness matrix of the considered synthetic sample. The newly proposed fluid‐poroelastic approach is compared with a purely poroelastic one as well as a fluid‐elastic approach in a benchmark model containing interconnected mesoscopic fractures embedded in a poroelastic background. We obtain excellent agreement for the proposed approach and the purely poroelastic model by optimizing the material properties of the fractures for the latter, which demonstrates both the correctness and advantages of our method over the purely poroelastic approach for modeling fluid‐saturated mesoscopic voids. We also observe that, while the coupled fluid‐elastic approach and the proposed method provide consistent results with regard to seismic attenuation due to the fracture‐to‐fracture FPD, the latter also allows to account for the effects of fracture‐to‐background FPD. Finally, we employ the proposed methodology to explore the seismic characteristics of a synthetic “vuggy” carbonate‐type sample, for which we visualize and interpret the resulting seismic attenuation in terms of FPD between the microscopic and mesoscopic pores.
Impacts of Autumn‐Winter Tibetan Plateau Snow Anomalies on North Atlantic‐Europe and Arctic Climate
Authors: Liu Shizuo , Wu Qigang , Yao Yonghong , Schroeder Steve , Wang Lei
Published: June 2022

Previous empirical studies have indicated strong influences of autumn and winter Tibetan Plateau (TP) snow cover extent (SCE) anomalies on the winter Pacific‐North American (PNA) and also East Atlantic teleconnection patterns over the North Atlantic and Europe. Our early numerical experiments reproduced an observed wintertime PNA response to an extensive heavy TP snow anomaly. This study further investigates impacts of autumn‐winter TP snow anomalies on North Atlantic‐Europe and Arctic climate. Expressing snow conditions as snow water equivalent (SWE), observational analysis shows that the principal component time series associated with the leading empirical orthogonal function (EOF1) pattern of autumn TP SWE anomalies is significantly correlated to a remote equivalent barotropic tripole structure in winter, which resembles the negative phases of two teleconnections, North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) at the surface and West Atlantic (WA) in the mid‐troposphere. This indicates that the hydrological effect of TP SWE differs from the albedo effect of TP SCE in snow‐atmosphere teleconnections. Numerical experiments using autumn TP SWE EOF1 and its persistent changes in winter as idealized snow forcing in a coupled atmosphere‐ocean general circulation model simulate a winter negative NAO/WA response over the North Atlantic‐Europe sector and a negative Arctic Oscillation over the Northern Hemisphere similar to observations. The NAO/WA responses result from mechanisms of horizontal propagation of stationary Rossby wave energy and a transient eddy feedback. Results also indicate that heavy TP SWE induces significant Eurasia cooling, and a consistent pattern of Arctic sea ice anomalies, demonstrating widespread Northern Hemispheric impacts of TP snow anomalies.
Global Radiative Convective Equilibrium With a Slab Ocean: SST Contrast, Sensitivity and Circulation
Authors: Hartmann Dennis L. , Dygert Brittany D.
Published: June 2022

Warming experiments with a uniformly insolated, non‐rotating climate model with a slab ocean are conducted by increasing the solar irradiance. As the global mean surface temperature is varied across the range from 289 to 319K, the sea surface temperature (SST) contrast at first declines, then increases then declines again. Increasing SST contrast with global warming is associated with reduced climate sensitivity, while decreasing SST contrast is associated with enhanced climate sensitivity. The changing SST contrast and climate sensitivity are both related fundamentally to the effect of water vapor on clear‐sky radiative cooling. The clouds in the convective region are always more reflective than those in the subsiding region and so always act to reduce the SST contrast. At lower temperatures between 289 and 297 K the shortwave suppression of SST contrast increases faster than the longwave enhancement of SST contrast. At warmer temperatures between 297 and 309 K the longwave enhancement of SST contrast with warming is stronger than the shortwave suppression of SST contrast, so that the SST contrast increases. Above 309 K the greenhouse effect in the subsiding region begins to grow, the SST contrast declines and the climate sensitivity increases. The transitions at 297 and 309 K can be related to the increasing vapor pressure path with warming. The mass circulation rate between warm and cool regions consists of shallow and deep cells. Both cells increase in strength with SST contrast. The lower cell remains connected to the surface, while the upper cell rises to maintain a roughly constant temperature.
Temperature Sensitivity of Freshwater Denitrification and N2O Emission—A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Velthuis Mandy , Veraart Annelies J.
Published: June 2022

Freshwater denitrification removes a considerable amount of nitrogen from inland waters, which are under pressure from eutrophication and warming. However, incomplete denitrification can lead to the formation of N2O, a potent greenhouse gas, which can amplify climatic warming. Although temperature effects on denitrification are well studied in individual habitats and experiments, global patterns in temperature‐responses of denitrification and N2O emissions remain to be elucidated. Here, we investigated the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of denitrification and N2O emissions in freshwater ecosystems worldwide, using a meta‐analytic approach. To this end, Q10 values from in‐situ and temperature manipulation studies were related to environmental nutrient conditions, O2, pH, sediment organic matter (SOM), and geographic location. Temperature sensitivity of denitrification displayed a strong positive correlation with environmental nitrogen concentrations, pH and O2. Significant correlations with SOM and SOM:N ratios were observed as well, but the direction of the effect differed between in‐situ and temperature manipulation studies. Surprisingly, temperature sensitivity of N2O emissions did not correlate with pH, SOM, nutrient or O2 conditions. Temperature sensitivity of the ratio between N2O emission and NO3− concentration (adapted EF5 values) was 6.6 times higher in Australia and New Zealand compared to other geographic regions. As global temperatures and nitrogen deposition in freshwater ecosystems are expected to increase over the coming decades, our results suggest enhanced future denitrification, which may present a natural way to balance eutrophication. The observed temperature sensitivity of N2O emission factors, however, may indicate enhanced denitrification‐derived N2O emissions from freshwater ecosystems in a future warmer world.
Subsurface Multi‐Physical Monitoring of a Reservoir Landslide With the Fiber‐Optic Nerve System
Authors: Ye Xiao , Zhu Hong‐Hu , Wang Jia , Zhang Qin , Shi Bin , Schenato Luca , Pasuto Alessandro
Published: June 2022

Reservoir landslides are typical geohazards with sophisticated thermo‐hydro‐mechanical interactions. However, direct observations of subsurface multi‐physical processes in bank slopes remain rare. Herein we present the design, implementation and evaluation of an innovative fiber‐optic nerve system based on weak‐reflection fiber Bragg grating to monitor a giant landslide located in the Three Gorges Reservoir region, China. The system is capable of measuring and imaging spatiotemporal distributions of temperature, moisture and strain along boreholes in near real‐time. Such visual profiles offer unique insights into the subsurface thermo‐hydro‐mechanical link between external conditions and geotechnical deformation, making it possible to decipher the substantial trigger of accelerated movements. Multi‐physical responses at depths of interest also enable us to better understand the evolution mechanism of reservoir landslides. Fiber‐optic nerve sensing can synergize with remote sensing and surface‐based technologies to build a space‐sky‐ground‐subsurface integrated monitoring system for landslides.
Two Sources of Deep Decadal Variability in the Central Labrador Sea Open‐Ocean Convection Region
Authors: Thomas M. D. , Zhang R.
Published: June 2022

The ventilation of the central Labrador Sea is important for the uptake of ocean tracers and carbon. Using historical ocean observations, we construct a simple multiple linear regression model that successfully reconstructs the decadal variability of the upper ∼2,000 m of the central Labrador Sea water properties based on observed indices that represent two different open‐ocean ventilation mechanisms. The first mechanism is the modification of deep ocean properties through local decadal variability of the Labrador Sea deep convective mixing. The second, more novel, mechanism is the climatological convective vertical redistribution of upper central Labrador Sea temperature and salinity anomalies associated with the nonlocal large‐scale subpolar Atlantic Multidecadal Variability and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. The ventilated decadal central Labrador Sea signal subsequently spreads into the western subpolar North Atlantic. The results have important implications for predicting decadal ventilated signals in the Labrador Sea that are associated with the large‐scale climate variability.
“Phase Portraits” of Alfven Waves in Magnetospheric Plasma
Authors: Leonovich A. S. , Zong Q.‐G. , Kozlov D. A. , Vlasov A. A.
Published: June 2022

Alfven waves have a very small‐scale radial (across magnetic shells) structure, in an inhomogeneous magnetospheric plasma. This structure is determined by the Alfven wave type. In spacecraft observations, it is difficult to separate local oscillations of the wavefield from oscillations due to the spacecraft crossing the small‐scale transverse structure of such a wave. We propose a new method (“phase portraits”) to determine the type of Alfven waves observed onboard. What we call a “phase portrait” of monochromatic Alfven wave are two related plots: (a) radial distribution of the transverse components of the electric or magnetic field of the wave; and (b) radial distribution of the phase shift between these components. In order to construct such a “phase portrait,” we propose using the transverse components of the wavefield as registered onboard a spacecraft crossing the region occupied by the wave. It is demonstrated that the phase shift between the oscillations of the transverse components of the electric/magnetic field in a monochromatic Alfven wave is uniquely related to its radial structure. The transverse structure of the spacecraft‐observed Alfven wave can be determined by plotting the radial dependence of the phase shift between the wavefield transverse components. Comparing this plot to the calculated theoretical “phase portraits” we can select the most appropriate (similar) portrait in order to determine the radial structure and type of the wave. In this paper, “phase portraits” are constructed for most types of ULF monochromatic Alfven waves observed in the Earth's magnetosphere.
Surface Sublimation/Evaporation and Condensation/Deposition and Their Links to Westerlies During 2020 on the August‐One Glacier, the Semi‐Arid Qilian Mountains of Northeast Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Guo Shuhai , Chen Rensheng , Li Hongyuan
Published: June 2022

To identify the links between glacier sublimation/evaporation, condensation/deposition and westerlies, in situ meteorological data and surface roughness lengths during 2020 were collected on a mid‐latitude and westerlies‐controlled glacier in the northeast TP. Snow or ice sublimation rate was generally believed to be higher during the weather conditions with stronger winds and drier air, while our results showed that the strong westerlies in winter brought the driest and windiest conditions, but did not cause the most sublimation loss due to extremely low surface temperature. The weakening of westerlies intensity and the increased precipitation during summer suppressed the sublimation and evaporation for the low wind speed and high air humidity, and condensation or deposition was more possible during the nighttime of summer together with the radiative cooling on surface and enhancement in atmosphere stability, while annual condensation and deposition were only 1.3 and 14 mm, respectively, which were negligibly small compared to sublimation (115 mm). The westerlies in autumn and spring strengthened sublimation with relatively stronger winds and drier air than summer and higher temperature than winter. Sublimation was more intense in autumn (41 mm/0.4 mm d−1) and spring (35 mm/0.4 mm d−1) than winter (23 mm/0.2 mm d−1) and summer (17 mm/0.2 mm d−1). Therefore, westerlies may not be the most crucial driver of glacier sublimation as its effect may be restricted by low surface temperature during a very cold weather.
Satellite‐Based Detection of Secondary Droplet Activation in Convective Clouds
Authors: Efraim Avichay , Lauer Oliver , Rosenfeld Daniel , Braga Ramon C. , Franco Marco A. , Kremper Leslie A. , Zhu Yannian , Pöschl Ulrich , Pöhlker Christopher , Andreae Meinrat O. , Artaxo Paulo , de Araújo Alessandro C. , Pöhlker Mira L.
Published: June 2022

We present a new approach of analyzing and interpreting vertical profiles of cloud microstructure obtained by satellite remote sensing. The method is based on a spectral bin microphysics adiabatic parcel model and aims to elucidate the effects of aerosols on the evolution of convective clouds and related microphysical processes, including the activation of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), the growth of cloud droplets, and the formation of precipitation. Characteristic features in the vertical profiles of effective radius (re) and temperature (T) reveal different microphysical zones in convective clouds related to the change increase of re with decreasing T. The classification of the different microphysical zones includes the (a) condensational growth of droplets, (b) growth by coalescence, (c) rainout, (d) secondary droplet activation zone (SAZ), (e) mixed‐phase of ice particles and water droplets, and (f) glaciation of the cloud. The detection of the SAZ is introduced here for the first time. This method allows us to identify the activation of aerosol particles above cloud base and their role in the invigoration of deep convective clouds.
Enhanced Impacts of Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temperature on the Dry/Wet Variations Over Northwest China
Authors: Wang Shanshan , Huang Jianping , Huang Gang , Luo Fu , Ren Yulong , He Yongli
Published: June 2022

Most western Northwest China (WNWC) has experienced notable wetting in recent decades. Despite the widespread attention of scientific community, the causes of such climate shift are still not well‐understood. In this study, we find that the dominant mode of Indian Ocean sea surface temperature variability — Indian Ocean Basin mode (IOBM) plays a crucial role in the precipitation over WNWC. Nonetheless, such a close lagged relationship is unstable, and varies with Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). When the PDO is in its warm phase, there is no robust lagged relationship between April‐June WNWC precipitation variations and January‐March IOBM. When the PDO is in its cold phase, the warm phase of the IOBM inspires a wavetrain across the Eurasian continent in the next April‐June, with an uncommon low pressure around Lake Baikal, thereby enhancing the westerlies and thus more moisture into the WNWC region. This enables the IOBM‐based statistical rainfall prediction scheme to estimate the precipitation in the WNWC region with some confidence. This remarkable contrast in the influence of IOBM between the two phases of the PDO highlights exciting new avenues for improving climate predictions over the WNWC.
Multi‐Stage Soil‐Hydraulic Recovery and Limited Ravel Accumulations Following the 2017 Nuns and Tubbs Wildfires in Northern California
Authors: Perkins Jonathan P. , Diaz Carlos , Corbett Skye C. , Cerovski‐Darriau Corina , Stock Jonathan D. , Prancevic Jeff P. , Micheli Elisabeth , Jasperse Jay
Published: June 2022

Wildfire can impact soil‐hydraulic properties by reducing saturated hydraulic conductivity and sorptivity, making recently burned landscapes prone to debris flows and flash floods. The post‐fire hazard window can range from years to decades. In Northern California, where wildfire frequency is steadily increasing, the impact and soil‐hydraulic recovery from wildfires is unknown. Following the October 2017 Nuns and Tubbs fires in the Northern Bay Area of California, we established 41 monitoring sites for repeat tension‐disc infiltrometer measurements of field‐saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) over 3.5 years. Our site arrays, which encompass grasslands, chaparral, and oak and conifer forests across a range in lithology, show a marked decrease in Kfs following the wildfires and a swift partial recovery following the initial post‐fire rainy season. Our time series reveals a complex path to soil‐hydraulic recovery marked by distinct seasonal stages. Analysis of changing Kfs, sorptivity, and infiltration model residuals collectively suggests that these stages are related to transitions between soil‐hydraulic processes like structural soil sealing from rainsplash, thermal cracking of bare soil, and vegetation regrowth. While soil infiltration rates were strongly impacted by the 2017 fires, dry ravel estimates are an order of magnitude less for similar slopes than the 2009 Station fire in the San Gabriel mountains of Southern California, suggesting that limited ravel flux may insufficiently load channels for debris flows that initiate from within‐channel failure. Our analysis suggests that burned landscapes in the Northern Bay Area of California may experience rapid soil‐hydraulic recovery and limited pathways toward post‐fire debris flow initiation.
Targeting protein phosphatases for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases: From signaling to therapy
Authors: Pan Jie , Zhou Lisha , Zhang Chenyang , Xu Qiang , Sun Yang
Published: June 2022

Inflammation is the common pathological basis of autoimmune diseases, metabolic diseases, malignant tumors, and other major chronic diseases. Inflammation plays an important role in tissue homeostasis. On one hand, inflammation can sense changes in the tissue environment, induce imbalance of tissue homeostasis, and cause tissue damage. On the other hand, inflammation can also initiate tissue damage repair and maintain normal tissue function by resolving injury and restoring homeostasis. These opposing functions emphasize the significance of accurate regulation of inflammatory homeostasis to ameliorate inflammation-related diseases. Potential mechanisms involve protein phosphorylation modifications by kinases and phosphatases, which have a crucial role in inflammatory homeostasis. The mechanisms by which many kinases resolve inflammation have been well reviewed, whereas a systematic summary of the functions of protein phosphatases in regulating inflammatory homeostasis is lacking. The molecular knowledge of protein phosphatases, and especially the unique biochemical traits of each family member, will be of critical importance for developing drugs that target phosphatases. Here, we provide a comprehensive summary of the structure, the “double-edged sword” function, and the extensive signaling pathways of all protein phosphatases in inflammation-related diseases, as well as their potential inhibitors or activators that can be used in therapeutic interventions in preclinical or clinical trials. We provide an integrated perspective on the current understanding of all the protein phosphatases associated with inflammation-related diseases, with the aim of facilitating the development of drugs that target protein phosphatases for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases.
OPTN attenuates the neurotoxicity of abnormal Tau protein by restoring autophagy
Authors: Xu Yin , Liu Yun , Chen Xi , Xu Qia , Liu Liwei , Liu Hui , Guo Ruowen , Qin Yide
Published: June 2022

OPTN is an autophagy receptor involved in autophagic degradation. Here we studied the role of OPTN in attenuating the neurotoxicity induced by mutated Tau protein. We constructed recombinant adeno-associated viruses with OPTN and Tau-P301L genes, respectively. Through virus coinfection on neuronal cell line HT22 in vitro and Kunming mice in vivo, we found that autophagy- and apoptosis-associated genes are altered by Tau-P301L at both mRNA and protein levels, which are restored by OPTN expression. Functionally, OPTN suppresses apoptosis and enhances cellular viability in Tau-P301L expressing HT22 cells, and increases learning and memory in Tau-P301L expressing mice, respectively. Last, we found that OPTN reduces the p-Tau levels in vitro and in vivo. Our results reveal the function of OPTN in lowering the p-Tau level and the expressions of apoptosis genes, and increasing the expressions of autophagic genes, indicating a beneficial role of OPTN in Tau pathology.
Nuclear p120 catenin is a component of the perichromosomal layer and coordinates sister chromatid segregation during mitosis in lung cancer cells
Authors: Chow Shu-Er , Meir Yaa-Jyuhn J. , Li Jhy-Ming , Hsu Ping-Chih , Yang Cheng-Ta
Published: June 2022

Abnormal expression of p120 catenin is associated with the malignant phenotype in human lung cancer. Numerous studies have focused on the function of p120 catenin in the juxta-membrane compartment. However, the role of nuclear p120 catenin remains unclear. In this study, the dynamic changes in nuclear p120 catenin localization during cell cycle progression were investigated. Immunofluorescent staining, FACS analysis, and western blotting revealed that nuclear p120 catenin is a major architectural constituent of the chromosome periphery during mitosis. During mitosis, granule-like p120 catenin dispersed into a cloudy-like structure and formed cordon-like structures surrounding the condensed chromosomes to create the peri-chromosomal layer. Interestingly, lumican and p120 catenin colocalized at the spindle fiber where the perichromosomal layer connects to the condensed chromosomes during mitosis. Furthermore, downregulation of p120 catenin using a specific siRNA induced cell cycle stalling in the G2/M phase and promoted aneuploidy. This study validates the role of nuclear p120 catenin in the formation of the chromosome periphery and reveals the p120 catenin-lumican interaction may couple orientation of cell division with the segregation of sister chromatids during mitosis. Our data suggest the protective role of p120 catenin in maintaining the integrity of chromosomes, and also warrants further studies to evaluate the contribution of the loss of p120 catenin to the creation of gene rearrangement in cancer evolution and tumor progression.
Systematic analyses identify the anti-fibrotic role of lncRNA TP53TG1 in IPF
Authors: Sun Jian , Guo Yingying , Chen Tingting , Jin Tongzhu , Ma Lu , Ai Liqiang , Guo Jiayu , Niu Zhihui , Yang Ruoxuan , Wang Qianqian , Yu Xiaojiang , Gao Huiying , Zhang Yuhan , Su Wei , Song Xiaoying , Ji Weihang , Zhang Qing , Huang Mengqin , Fan Xingxing , Du Zhimin , Liang Haihai
Published: June 2022

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) was reported to be a critical regulator of cellular homeostasis, but poorly understood in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Here, we systematically identified a crucial lncRNA, p53-induced long non-coding RNA TP53 target 1 (TP53TG1), which was the dysregulated hub gene in IPF regulatory network and one of the top degree genes and down-regulated in IPF-drived fibroblasts. Functional experiments revealed that overexpression of TP53TG1 attenuated the increased expression of fibronectin 1 (Fn1), Collagen 1α1, Collagen 3α1, ACTA2 mRNA, Fn1, and Collagen I protein level, excessive fibroblasts proliferation, migration and differentiation induced by TGF-β1 in MRC-5 as well as PMLFs. In vivo assays identified that forced expression of TP53TG1 by adeno-associated virus 5 (AAV5) not only prevented BLM-induced experimental fibrosis but also reversed established lung fibrosis in the murine model. Mechanistically, TP53TG1 was found to bind to amount of tight junction proteins. Importantly, we found that TP53TG1 binds to the Myosin Heavy Chain 9 (MYH9) to inhibit its protein expression and thus the MYH9-mediated activation of fibroblasts. Collectively, we identified the TP53TG1 as a master suppressor of fibroblast activation and IPF, which could be a potential hub for targeting treatment of the disease.
Dynamics of microbial communities on the corrosion behavior of steel in freshwater environment
Authors: Wakai Satoshi , Eno Nanami , Miyanaga Kazuhiko , Mizukami Hirotaka , Sunaba Toshiyuki , Miyano Yasuyuki
Published: June 2022

In a freshwater environment, accelerated corrosion of carbon and stainless steels is frequently observed. Here, an immersion study was conducted using nine types of steels in a freshwater pool for 22 mo. Accelerated corrosion was observed in carbon and Cr-containing steels and cast iron, whereas no visible corrosion was observed in stainless steels, even after 22 mo. Microbial community analysis showed that, in general corrosion, Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria were enriched in the early corrosion phase, Fe(III)-reducing bacteria increased in the corrosion-developing phase, and sulfate-reducing bacteria were enriched in the corrosion products during the final corrosion phase. In contrast, in the 9% Cr steel with localized corrosion, the family Beggiatocaea bacteria were particularly enriched. These microbial community compositions also differed from those in the water and sediment samples. Therefore, microbial communities are drastically altered with the progression of corrosion, and iron-dependent microbial energy metabolism contributes to an environment that enables the enrichment of other microorganisms.
Convergent and divergent gray matter volume abnormalities in unaffected first-degree relatives and ultra-high risk individuals of schizophrenia
Authors: Lin Bei , Li Xian-Bin , Ruan Sen , Wu Yu-Xin , Zhang Chao-Yue , Wang Chuan-Yue , Wang Lu-Bin
Published: June 2022

High-risk populations of schizophrenia can be mainly identified as genetic high-risk based on putative endophenotypes or ultra-high-risk (UHR) based on clinically manifested symptoms. Previous studies have consistently shown brain structural abnormalities in both genetic high-risk and UHR individuals. In this study, we aimed to disentangle the convergent and divergent pattern of gray matter alterations between UHR and unaffected first-degree relatives from genetic high-risk individuals. We used structural MRI scans and voxel-based morphometry method to examine gray matter volume (GMV) differences among 23 UHR subjects meeting the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS) criteria, 18 unaffected first-degree relatives (UFDR), 26 first-episode schizophrenia patients (FES) and 54 healthy controls (CN). We found that a number of brain regions exhibited a monotonically decreasing trend of GMV from CN to UFDR to UHR to FES. Compared with CN, the UHR subjects showed significant decreases of GMV similar to the patients in the inferior temporal gyrus, fusiform gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, insula, and limbic regions. Moreover, the UHR transformed subgroup had significantly lower GMV than UHR non-transformed subgroup in the right inferior temporal/fusiform gyrus. On the other hand, the UFDR subjects only showed significant GMV decreases in the inferior temporal gyrus and fusiform. Moreover, we found GMV in the occipital lobe was negatively correlated with the UHR subjects’ composite positive symptom of SIPS, and GMV in the cerebellum was positively correlated with FES subjects’ symptom severity. Our results suggest that GMV deficits and regional dysfunction are evident prior to the onset of psychosis and are more prominent in the UHR than the UFDR individuals.
Macrophage depletion alters bacterial gut microbiota partly through fungal overgrowth in feces that worsens cecal ligation and puncture sepsis mice
Authors: Hiengrach Pratsanee , Panpetch Wimonrat , Chindamporn Ariya , Leelahavanichkul Asada
Published: June 2022

Because macrophage dysfunction from some emerging therapies might worsen gut-derived sepsis, cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) sepsis are performed in mice with clodronate-induced macrophage depletion. Macrophage depletion (non-sepsis) increased fecal Ascormycota, with a subtle change in bacterial microbiota, that possibly induced gut-barrier defect as Candida pintolopesii and Enterococcus faecalis were identified from blood. Sepsis in macrophage-depleted mice was more severe than sepsis control as indicated by mortality, cytokines, organ injury (liver, kidney, and spleen), gut-leakage (FITC-dextran), fecal Proteobacteria, and blood organisms (bacteria and fungi). Lysate of C. pintolopesii or purified (1 → 3)-β-d-glucan (BG; a major component of fungal cell wall) enhanced growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli that were isolated from the blood of macrophage-depleted CLP mice implying a direct enhancer to some bacterial species. Moreover, the synergy of LPS and BG on enterocytes (Caco-2) (Transepithelial electrical resistance) and neutrophils (cytokines) also supported an influence of gut fungi in worsening sepsis. In conclusion, macrophage depletion enhanced sepsis through the selectively facilitated growth of some bacteria (dysbiosis) from increased fecal fungi that worsened gut-leakage leading to the profound systemic responses against gut-translocated LPS and BG. Our data indicated a possible adverse effect of macrophage-depleted therapies on enhanced sepsis severity through spontaneous elevation of fecal fungi.
Physiological and biochemical responses of Tanacetum balsamita L. to the foliar application of Dobogen biostimulant, glucose and KNO3 under salinity stress
Authors: Hassanpouraghdam Mohammad Bagher , Vojodi Mehrabani Lamia , Kheiri Mehdi , Chrysargyris Antonios , Tzortzakis Nikolaos
Published: June 2022

Salinity is one of the predominant abiotic stress factors that influence the growth and productivity of plants. Salinity adversely impacts the growth responses via ionic toxicity, osmotic stress, impaired nutrients uptake, hormonal disparity, and the over-production of reactive oxygen species. To study the effects of salinity stress (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM) and foliar treatments (dH2O, 2 g L−1 Dobogen biostimulant, 2 g L−1 KNO3, and 2 g L−1d-glucose) on the growth and physiological responses of Tanacetum balsamita, a factorial experiment was conducted based on the completely randomized design at the research greenhouse of Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Iran. The results showed the significant interaction effects of salinity and foliar sprays on chlorophyll a, K+, Na+, Mg2+, Fe2+, Zn2+, Mn2+, and Si content, K/Na ratio, and total phenolics and flavonoids content. The highest phenolic content was acquired with 100 mM salinity and foliar spray of Dobogen and glucose, 50 mM NaCl × KNO3 application, and 50 mM salinity × no-foliar application. The highest K/Na ratio was observed in control plants and controls × KNO3 and/or Dobogen application. The greatest Si content was recorded with no-salinity × Dobogen and KNO3 applications and no-saline × no-foliar (control) plants. The independent effects of treatments influenced malondialdehyde, flavonoids, proline contents, and catalase activity. Chlorophyll b and superoxide dismutase were affected by the salinity. Total soluble solids and Ca2+ content were responsive to the foliar applications. Malondialdehyde and proline content was the highest at 150 mM salinity. Salinity adversely affected the physiological responses of costmary. However, foliar treatments partially ameliorated the salinity effect, and the results with more detailed studies would be advisable to the extension section and pioneer farmers.
Effect of Nosema ceranae infection and season on the gut bacteriome composition of the European honeybee (Apis mellifera)
Authors: Jabal-Uriel Clara , Alba Claudio , Higes Mariano , Rodríguez Juan Miguel , Martín-Hernández Raquel
Published: June 2022

Nosema ceranae is an intracellular parasite that infects honeybees’ gut altering the digestive functions; therefore, it has the potential of affecting the composition of the gut microbiome. In this work, individual bees of known age were sampled both in spring and autumn, and their digestive tracts were assessed for N. ceranae infection. Intestinal microbiome was assessed by sequencing the bacterial 16S rRNA gene in two different gut sections, the anterior section (AS; midgut and a half of ileum) and the posterior section (PS; second half of ileum and rectum). A preliminary analysis with a first batch of samples (n = 42) showed that AS samples had a higher potential to discriminate between infected and non-infected bees than PS samples. As a consequence, AS samples were selected for subsequent analyses. When analyzing the whole set of AS samples (n = 158) no changes in α- or β-diversity were observed between infected and non-infected bees. However, significant changes in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes appeared when a subgroup of highly infected bees was compared to the group of non-infected bees. Seasonality and bees’ age had a significant impact in shaping the bacteriome structure and composition of the bees’ gut. Further research is needed to elucidate possible associations between the microbiome and N. ceranae infection in order to find efficient strategies for prevention of infections through modulation of bees’ microbiome.
High-resolution deposition of conductive and insulating materials at micrometer scale on complex substrates
Authors: Łysień Mateusz , Witczak Łukasz , Wiatrowska Aneta , Fiączyk Karolina , Gadzalińska Jolanta , Schneider Ludovic , Stręk Wiesław , Karpiński Marcin , Kosior Łukasz , Granek Filip , Kowalczewski Piotr
Published: June 2022

Additive manufacturing transforms the landscape of modern microelectronics. Recent years have witnessed significant progress in the fabrication of 2D planar structures and free-standing 3D architectures. In this work, we present a much-needed intermediary approach: we introduce the Ultra-Precise Deposition (UPD) technology, a versatile platform for material deposition at micrometer scale on complex substrates. The versality of this approach is related to three aspects: material to be deposited (conductive or insulating), shape of the printed structures (lines, dots, arbitrary shapes), as well as type and shape of the substrate (rigid, flexible, hydrophilic, hydrophobic, substrates with pre-existing features). The process is based on the direct, maskless deposition of high-viscosity materials using narrow printing nozzles with the internal diameter in the range from 0.5 to 10 µm. For conductive structures we developed highly concentrated non-Newtonian pastes based on silver, copper, or gold nanoparticles. In this case, the feature size of the printed structures is in the range from 1 to 10 µm and their electrical conductivity is up to 40% of the bulk value, which is the record conductivity for metallic structures printed with spatial resolution below 10 µm. This result is the effect of the synergy between the printing process itself, formulation of the paste, and the proper sintering of the printed structures. We demonstrate a pathway to print such fine structures on complex substrates. We argue that this versatile and stable process paves the way for a widespread use of additive manufacturing for microfabrication.
Solar radio emission as a disturbance of radiomobile networks
Authors: Muratore Giuliano , Giannini Teresa , Micheli Davide
Published: June 2022

This paper analyses the effects of solar radio emissions in the radiomobile context, for the first time leveraging massive European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) 3rd Generation Partnership Program (3GPP) Minimization of Drive Test (MDT) radio measures produced by 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) terminals and by 4G LTE Base Station cells. A method to study solar noise effects starting from radiomobile 3GPP standard MDT measures is illustrated and correlated with the excellent 10.7 cm (2800 MHz) indicator of solar activity (National Research Council Canada). The effects of solar disturbance on the LTE radio access network for mobile services are analysed, and possible countermeasures are presented from the perspective of radiomobile network evolution to 5G and 6G.
COVID-19 waves: variant dynamics and control
Authors: Dutta Abhishek
Published: June 2022

The waves of COVID-19 infections driven by its variants continue to nullify the success we achieved through efficacious vaccines, social restrictions, testing and quarantine policies. This paper models the two major variants-driven waves by two sets of susceptible-infected-quarantined-recovered-vaccinated-deceased coupled dynamics that are modulated by the three main interventions: vaccination, quarantine and restrictions. This $$SI^2Q^2R^2VD$$

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system is used to demonstrate that the second major novel coronavirus wave in the US is caused by the delta variant and the corresponding rapid surge in infectious cases is driven by the unvaccinated pool of the populace. Next, a feedback control based planned vaccination strategy is derived and is shown to be able to suppress the surge in infections effectively.
Multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) LC–MS/MS quantitation of venlafaxine and its O-desmethyl metabolite for a preclinical pharmacokinetic study in rabbits
Authors: Fazli Abdul Aala , Panigrahy Bala Krishna , Kumar Varinder , Raza Syed Naiem , Zarger Bilal Ahmad , Wani Taha Umair , Ahmad Shavej , Khuroo Arshad , Khan Nisar Ahmad
Published: June 2022

Preclinical pharmacokinetic (PK) studies in animal models during the formulation development phase give preliminary evidence and near clear picture of the PK behavior of drug and/or its dosage forms before clinical studies on humans and help in the tailoring of the dosage form according to the expected and requisite clinical behavior. The present work reports a first of its kind preclinical PK study on extended-release (ER) solid oral dosage forms of venlafaxine (VEN) in New Zealand White rabbits. The VEN is a highly prescribed and one of the safest and most effective therapeutic agents used in the treatment of different types of depression disorders worldwide. The multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) LC–MS/MS method developed for this purpose demonstrated enough reliability in simultaneously quantitating VEN and its equipotent metabolite O-desmethylvenlafaxine (ODV) in rabbit plasma. The method described uses solid-phase extraction for sample preparation followed by an ultrafast LC–MS/MS analysis. The chromatographic separation was achieved isocratically with a predominantly polar mobile phase by employing RPLC. The triple quadrupole LC/MS/MS system operated in MRM mode used an ESI probe as an ion source in positive polarity. The validation results are within the permissible limits of US FDA recommendations and acceptance criteria for bioanalytical method validation.