bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on coalbed methane flow characteristics based on fractal bifurcation fracture network model
Authors: Jiang Shuzhen , Xia Binwei , Peng Jiansong , Zeng Tai
Published: January 2023

The geometric structure and distribution of the fracture network significantly impact the coalbed methane flow characteristics. The indoor optical microscope test is utilized to analyze the distribution and structural characteristics of natural fractures in coal. The results indicate that the fracture network in coal consists primarily of irregular bifurcated fractures, but the influence of the bifurcation fracture network’s structural characteristics on permeability remains unclear. Therefore, the fracture network geometric structure characteristic parameters are considered in accordance with the fractal theory, and the analytical formula of the bifurcation fracture network permeability is established. Meanwhile, the bifurcation fracture network geometric model with varied structural parameters is reconstructed using the pixel probability decomposition algorithm. Finally, the influence of the key parameters of the reconstructed bifurcation fracture network on the coal seam permeability is analyzed through numerical simulation. The results indicate that the permeability of the bifurcated fracture network increases with the increase of fracture porosity φf, aperture ratio χ, and proportionality coefficient η, and decreases with the increase of tortuosity fractal dimension DT, bifurcation angle θ, fractal dimension Df, and bifurcation level n. Among them, fracture porosity and proportionality coefficient have the greatest influence on permeability, followed by tortuosity fractal dimension, aperture ratio.
Traffic flow and vehicle speed monitoring with the object detection method from the roadside distributed acoustic sensing array
Authors: Ye Zhipeng , Wang Weijun , Wang Xin , Yang Feng , Peng Fei , Yan Kun , Kou Huadong , Yuan Aijing
Published: January 2023

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) is an emerging technology that transforms a typical glass telecommunications cable into a network of seismic sensors. DAS may, therefore, concurrently record the vibrations of passing vehicles over tens of kilometers and shows potential to monitor traffic at a low cost with minimal maintenance. With big-data DAS recording, automatically recognizing and tracking vehicles on the road in real time still presents numerous obstacles. Therefore, we present a deep learning technique based on the unified real-time object detection algorithm to estimate traffic flow and vehicle speed in DAS data and evaluate them along a 500-m fiber length in Beijing’s suburbs. We reconstructed the DAS recordings into 1-min temporal–spatial images over the fiber section and manually labeled about 10,000 images as vehicle passing or background noise. The precision to identify the passing cars can reach 95.9% after training. Based on the same DAS data, we compared the performance of our method to that of a beamforming technique, and the findings indicate that our method is significantly faster than the beamforming technique with equal performance. In addition, we examined the temporal traffic trend of the road segment and the classification of vehicles by weight.
Exploring the potential of micro-credentials: A systematic literature review
Authors: Tamoliune Giedre , Greenspon Rasa , Tereseviciene Margarita , Volungeviciene Airina , Trepule Elena , Dauksiene Estela
Published: January 2023

Micro-credentials have recently become a huge research interest, as they play an important role in the social, economic, and higher education sectors. Mindful of growing critique in some circles and recent publications, this paper offers an informed analysis of the potential of micro-credentials to foster post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery across a spectrum of dimensions, including supporting innovation in higher education institutions (HEIs). It reports a systematic literature review analysis of scientific articles published between 2015 and January 2022 on micro-credential research in the field of higher education. Results of a bibliometric and qualitative content analysis from 32 scientific articles provided insights into the potential of micro-credentials to foster post-pandemic recovery through social, economic, and higher education innovations. The findings suggest that the potential can be unfolded through multiple dimensions, like offering more possibilities for individuals to up-skill, re-skill and enter the labor market (economic context), enhancing lifelong learning by developing flexible personal learning pathways (social context), extending services in assessment and recognition of non-formal and informal learning, and introducing stackable credits and previous qualifications (higher education context). Even though the paper analyses scientific articles from the pre-pandemic and pandemic period, this study aim to systematize the results of other researchers and to offer sound insights into how further development in micro-credentials could contribute to the post-pandemic recovery.
“Not try to save them or ask them to breathe through their oppression”: Educator perceptions and the need for a human-centered, liberatory approach to social and emotional learning
Authors: Lin Meiko , Olsen Svea , Simmons Dena N. , Miller Miriam , Tominey Shauna L.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Social and emotional learning (SEL) has been identified as one approach to promote positive mental health outcomes while alleviating the stressors of systemic racism and a global pandemic. As the United States turns to SEL as a remedy for mental health challenges and the current civil unrest, it becomes increasingly relevant to understand what SEL means to those who use it the most to strengthen the implementation of current programs as well as to inform the development of new programs to fill existing gaps.

Methods

This abductive qualitative study expands prior research by exploring how in-service educators define SEL (N = 427).

Results

Our findings highlight that educators perceive SEL as more expansive than current competency-based models. Educators describe SEL as a praxis that can be responsive to student and community needs, facilitate healing, and center humanity along with racial and social justice.

Discussion

We discuss implications that highlight the potential risks and harm that can be perpetuated by the current practice of SEL and, like the educators in our study, advocate for dismantling white supremacy structures in education through the co-creation of a humanizing SEL approach.
Students’ perceptions of native/non-native English-speaking EMI teachers: Are NS teachers better than NNS teachers?
Authors: Xu Luyao , Xiao Yangyu
Published: January 2023

Higher Education internalization has prompted a constant growth of EMI (English as a Medium of Instruction) courses delivered by teachers with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Existing literature has revealed that native English-speaking (NS) teachers and non-native English-speaking (NNS) teachers have demonstrated different characteristics in EMI teaching in terms of language proficiency and pedagogy expertise. Previous studies mainly focused on teaching features of NS and NNS EMI teachers that are preferred by students. However, these studies see students as an intact group while ignoring the possible impact of students’ different levels of English proficiency on their perceptions of NS and NNS EMI teachers. This study investigates Chinese tertiary students’ perceptions of NS and local NNS teachers’ competencies in EMI teaching, and how these perceptions connect to their self-perceived English. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with seven Chinese university students who enrolled in EMI courses. The study highlighted that students perceived these two groups of lecturers’ teaching competencies differ regarding their language proficiency and teaching methods. Furthermore, these perceptions can be influenced by students’ self-perceived listening and speaking proficiency. The findings provide insights for EMI implementation in Chinese Higher Education and suggestions for refining EMI teachers’ teaching expertise.
The impact of the digital divide on synchronous online teaching in Kazakhstan during COVID-19 school closures
Authors: Amirova Aida , Nurumov Kaidar , Kasa Rita , Akhmetzhanova Aida , Kuzekova Aizhan
Published: January 2023

This paper examines how factors associated with the digital divide such as ICT access, digital skills, and outcomes influenced synchronous online teaching in urban and rural schools in Kazakhstan during COVID-19 school closures. In addition to school location, this paper addresses how the speed and steadiness of the internet connection, and teacher characteristics such as age, qualification, and experience influenced teacher usage of synchronous teaching and learning mediums. Data in this paper consists of a nationally representative sample of nearly 4,000 teachers. This study found that the digital divide narrows when schools provide teachers with ICT access. While both, the speed of the internet and rural–urban residency have statistically significant effects on the use of ICT tools by teachers when considered separately, the interaction term between these two covariates was not statistically significant. Results indicated that age, experience, teacher workload and professional qualification were important determinants in teachers’ ability to engage in synchronous teaching.
Improving motivation in pre-school education through the use of project-based learning and cooperative learning
Authors: Viñuela Yaiza , de Caso Fuertes Ana María
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The emphasis on skills-based learning has caused curricular change in education systems across the European Union, particularly in terms of the increased use of active teaching methodologies at all stages of education. These sorts of methodology are proven to have a positive impact on students’ motivation to learn and involve teaching strategies that represent a significant departure from traditional approaches. In this way, teachers in Pre-school Education can employ play-based strategies, which not only foster students’ acquisition of new skills but also their motivation. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of using active methodologies on the intrinsic motivation of students in the second cycle of Pre-school Education (3–6 years old) toward the process of teaching and learning.

Methods

To this end, a quantitative investigation was undertaken involving a non-probabilistic, convenience sample of 77 students in publicly funded Pre-schools. The selected students were asked to complete an ad hoc questionnaire to measure their motivation with respect to the methodology implemented in their classroom. Data were analyzed using the statistical program SPSS v.26 statistical significance was reached for all motivation variables (p < 0.05).

Results

A particularly important result was the finding that motivation among our pre-school cohort varied strongly in relation to sex with girls demonstrating greater motivation than boys.

Discussion

Also of interest are the findings that older pupils showed higher levels of motivation and students in the rural center were more motivated than those who study in the urban center. In conclusion, the implementation of active methodologies in Pre-school Education appears to foster students’ motivation to learn.
Fibroblast growth factor 23 is independently associated with renal magnesium handling in patients with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Grigore Teodora V. , Zuidscherwoude Malou , Witasp Anna , Barany Peter , Wernerson Annika , Bruchfeld Annette , Xu Hong , Olauson Hannes , Hoenderop Joost
Published: January 2023

Background

Disturbances in magnesium homeostasis are common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and are associated with increased mortality. The kidney is a key organ in maintaining normal serum magnesium concentrations. To this end, fractional excretion of magnesium (FEMg) increases as renal function declines. Despite recent progress, the hormonal regulation of renal magnesium handling is incompletely understood. Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 (FGF23) is a phosphaturic hormone that has been linked to renal magnesium handling. However, it has not yet been reported whether FGF23 is associated with renal magnesium handling in CKD patients.

Methods

The associations between plasma FGF23 levels, plasma and urine magnesium concentrations and FEMg was investigated in a cross-sectional cohort of 198 non-dialysis CKD patients undergoing renal biopsy.

Results

FGF23 was significantly correlated with FEMg (Pearson’s correlation coefficient = 0.37, p<0.001) and urinary magnesium (-0.14, p=0.04), but not with plasma magnesium. The association between FGF23 and FEMg remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders, including estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), parathyroid hormone and 25-hydroxyvitamin D.

Conclusions

We report that plasma FGF23 is independently associated with measures of renal magnesium handling in a cohort of non-dialysis CKD patients. A potential causal relationship should be investigated in future studies.
Corticosterone induces obesity partly via promoting intestinal cell proliferation and survival
Authors: Wang Guanhao , Li Shuanqing , Li Yingqi , Zhang Meihui , Xu Ting , Li Tianming , Cao Lining , Lu Jianfeng
Published: January 2023

Introduction

A vicious cycle ensues whereby prolonged exposure to social stress causes increased production of glucocorticoids (GCs), leading to obesity even further. Understanding the role of GCs, the key element in the vicious circle, might be helpful to break the vicious circle. However, the mechanism by which GCs induce obesity remains elusive.

Methods

Corticosterone (CORT) was administered to mice for 8 weeks. Food and water intake were recorded; obesity was analyzed by body-weight evaluation and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); intestinal proliferation and survival were evaluated by H&E staining, EdU-progression test, TUNEL assay and immunofluorescence staining of Ki67 and CC3; RNA-seq was performed to analyze transcriptional alterations in small intestines and livers.

Results

Chronic CORT treatment induced obesity, longer small intestines, hepatic steatosis and elevated levels of serum insulin and leptin in mice; CORT-treated mice showed increased cell proliferation and decreased apoptosis of small intestines; RNA-seq results indicate that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in several cell growth/death-associated signaling pathways.

Discussion

Herein we find that administration of CORT to mice promotes the proliferation and survival of intestinal cells, which might contribute to the longer small intestines and the elongated intestinal villi, thus leading to increased nutrient absorption and obesity in mice. Understanding CORT-induced alterations in intestines and associated signaling pathways might provide novel therapeutic clues for GCs or stress-associated obesity.
The applicability of sunshine-based global solar radiation models modified with meteorological factors for different climate zones of China
Authors: Lan Kun , Wang Lingyu , Zhou Yong , Zhang Zehao , Fang Songlin , Cao Pangong
Published: January 2023

With the development of renewable energy, the exploitation and utilization of solar energy resources also need continuous progress, but solar radiation data shortage has become a serious concern. A method for estimating global solar radiation has been developed to address this issue. The sunshine-based model is currently the most widely used model due to its high calculation accuracy and few input parameters. This paper will first review 13 subcategories (8 categories in total) of the global solar radiation prediction model based on sunshine. Subsequently, the astronomical factors were introduced to modify empirical coefficients, and 8 new categories of models based on sunshine rate were introduced. The radiation data from 83 meteorological stations in China was used to train and validate the model, and the performance of the model was evaluated by using evaluation indicators, such as coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute bias error (MABE), mean bias error (MBE), and global performance index (GPI). The results show that the R2 value of the unmodified empirical model is in a range of 0.82–0.99, and the RMSE value is in a range of 0.018–3.09. In contrast, with the introduction of the astronomical factor, the model accuracy improves significantly, and the modified power function model (N3) gains its best performance. The R2 of model N3 is in a range of 0.86–0.99, and the RMSE value is in a range of 0.018–2.62. The R2 increases by 0.49%, while the RMSE value 6.44%. Above all, it does not require the input of other meteorological parameters for predicting the value of global solar radiation.
The impact of China’s fertility policies on the future electricity demand of residential households
Authors: Wang Li , Zhang Xin-Hua
Published: January 2023

Under China’s “comprehensive two-child” policy (UTCP) and “three-child” policy (TCP), household’s age structure is bound to change, and this change will further have an impact on household demand for electricity. In order to accurately forecast the impact of fertility policy on residential household electricity demand, we firstly construct a prediction model with annual household electricity consumption as the dependent variable and average electricity price and household-level old-age dependency ratio (HODR) as the independent variables. Second, we use the cohort-component projection model (CCPM) to construct a population prediction model to obtain the macrolevel old-age dependency ratio (MODR). Third, based on the interactive ritual chain (IRC) theory, we explore the statistical relationship between macrolevel old-age dependency ratio and household-level old-age dependency ratio to obtain a prediction method for the household-level old-age dependency ratio. Finally, we take five households as examples and predict their electricity demand from 2022–2035. The following conclusions are obtained: 1) the average electricity price and the household-level old-age dependency ratio have a significant suppressive effect on the electricity demand; 2) for households without the pressure of old-age dependency, the Under China’s “comprehensive two-child” policy’s contribution to electricity demand is pregnant, while “three-child” policy’s is limited; 3) the Under China’s “comprehensive two-child” policy and “three-child” policy cannot fundamentally curb the declining trend of residential electricity demand of China in the long term.
The impact of solar energy investment in multilateral development banks on technological innovation: Evidence from a multi-period DID method
Authors: Sun Weijia , Li Ruotong , Cai Renjie , Ji Zheyan , Cheng Mingshuang
Published: January 2023

Solar energy technology innovation plays a crucial role in achieving green and sustainable development and a low-carbon economy. The literature focuses on the economic and environmental effects of solar energy but ignores the role of solar energy investment in multilateral development banks (MDBs) on technological innovation. Using the panel data of 37 countries, including OECD countries and China, from 2006 to 2019, we adopt a multi-period DID model to empirically analyze the impact of solar energy investment in MDBs on technological innovation. The results show that solar energy investment in MDBs can significantly promote technological innovation, with the conclusion still being valid after conducting a series of robustness tests. The heterogeneity results indicate that the promoting effect of solar energy investment in MDBs on technological innovation is more significant in regions with higher human capital and higher innovation ability. The findings of this paper can be a useful addition to the literature on solar energy and technological innovation and serve as a useful reference for countries around the world as they accelerate solar energy investment and promote technological innovation.
Physical modeling of development adjustment mechanism for heterogeneous thick oil reservoir
Authors: Chen Xu , Zhang Zubo , Liu Qingjie , Sun Linghui , Xiao Hanmin , Gao Jian , Kang Hao
Published: January 2023

With the gradually deep development of oil field, the remaining oil in reservoir become more scattered, to exploit them within the high water-cut pay become extremely difficult. Based on the characteristics of extremely high water-cut reservoir, three large scale physical models with different injection-production well patterns are designed. Through the analysis of oil production rate and the data of Computed Tomography (CT) scanning, the change law of fluid content within the core are obtained; The new calculation method of sweep efficiency for waterflooding within non-homogeneous models are set up in accordance with the CT number at different waterflooding stages. Furthermore, the development results of different plans are compared with each other, both injection and production with horizontal wells at low-permeability formation have the best recovery, because the displacement fluid can reach the places in reservoir where conventional waterflooding cannot. Therefore, this well pattern is the optimum plan for the positive rhythm model in this experiment, and the development strategy optimization is realized for high water-cut thick oil formation.
Influence of spatial scale on the study of access fairness of urban park green space
Authors: Xu Shuna , Wang Yinzhen
Published: January 2023

Park green space is an important ecological factor of the urban built-up environment, and it plays an increasingly important role in improving human welfare and the quality of urban life. Accessibility analysis of urban park green space is an issue of social equity and environmental justice that has received widespread attention. The accessibility of a city’s park green space must be evaluated under the correct scale and resolution before it can be applied to urban green space planning. To measure the impact of different research scales on accessibility, Weidu District of Xuchang City, Henan Province, China, was taken as the experimental area. The Gaussian-based two-step floating catchment area method was used to compare and analyze the accessibility differences under three scales: subdistrict, community, and residential quarter. The influence of the source and destination point modes on accessibility was analyzed at the residential quarter scale. Results show that the accessibility of park green space at the subdistrict scale is different from that at the community and residential quarter scales in terms of spatial distribution characteristics and quantitative relationship. The accessibility of the geometric center mode and the entrance and exit mode at the residential quarter scale is similar in overall distribution and different in local quantity. Overall, the accessibility of the park green space at the residential quarter scale under the entrance and exit mode and the spatial fairness of visiting the park green space are better than that under the geometric mode. Therefore, accessibility analysis of park green space should be performed cautiously when taking the aggregation unit as the basic research unit. The accessibility of the aggregation unit is not the statistical summary of its subunits, especially when the area of the aggregation unit is far larger than the walking range of residents, and is thus likely to lead to wrong conclusions. Accessibility analysis should be conducted on the finest scale possible rather than the aggregation scale and use true distance rather than the centroid-to-centroid surrogate to obtain reliable results for further guiding urban green space planning.
Effects of local aerosol and transported dust pollution on the surface energy balance over farmland in eastern China during spring
Authors: Zhou Chuanru , Duan Zexia , Ling Xinfeng , Yang Yuanjian
Published: January 2023

Compared with the urban boundary layer, air pollution–surface energy budget interactions in farmland areas are relatively sparse. To investigate the roles of local aerosol and transported dust pollution on the surface energy balance over farmland, a field experiment was conducted during spring 2016 in eastern China. The heavy pollution episodes during the measurement period were typically accompanied by easterly winds, low wind speeds, and high relative humidity. On polluted days, relative to clean days, both downward and upward shortwave radiation decreased by 46%, while downward and upward longwave radiation increased by 4% and 1%. The combined effects of the four radiation components resulted in a 33% reduction in net radiation on polluted days, and thus, the surface energy budget changed. Polluted days had 15% (58%) less sensible (latent) heat flux than clean days. This resulted in a higher daytime Bowen ratio on polluted days (0.83) compared to clean days (0.44). In a case analysis of dust pollution, high wind speeds and continuous high pressure induced the outbreak of the dust pollution episodes. Compared to local pollution events, the latent (sensible) heat flux was reduced more (less) than that in transported dust pollution events. Generally, this work has important implications for understanding the surface energy balance across land–atmosphere interactions over farmland regions, which are experiencing frequent aerosol pollution from local emissions and transboundary dust events.
Research on multiagent governance of the marine ecoeconomic system in China considering marine scientific research institutions and media
Authors: Gao Lehua , Yan Hongyi , Cai Dongyang
Published: January 2023

The multiagent governance model of the marine ecoeconomic system requires local governments to actively guide the participation of social subjects. Under the new reality of multiagent governance mechanism, this study proposes an analytical framework for describing the dynamic relation between local governments and marine production enterprises. It uses the analytical tools of evolutionary game theory to establish an evolutionary game system between the two parties and takes China as the specific research object. For doing so, it selects marine scientific research institutions and media with a strong public value representation and discusses the unilateral evolutionary stability strategy of the system by introducing four parameters, namely, the number of marine scientific research institutions, the contribution level of marine scientific research institutions, the participation level of media, and the authenticity level of information released by media. Furthermore, we used MATLAB to simulate and analyze by combining our research data in 14 cities in coastal areas of China. The results demonstrate that: 1) improving the contribution level and number of marine scientific research institutions is conducive to the collaborative governance of the marine ecoeconomic system; 2) the authenticity level of information released by media is positively correlated with the development of the multiagent governance model of the marine ecoeconomic system; and 3) differently biased objects with distorted media report information affect the trend of the governance effect of the marine ecoeconomic system. Thus, a timely improvement or reduction of the participation level of media is necessary.
Ariadne’s thread and the extension of cognition: A common but overlooked phenomenon in nature?
Authors: Parise André Geremia , Gubert Gabriela Farias , Whalan Steve , Gagliano Monica
Published: January 2023

Over recent decades, our philosophical and scientific understanding of cognition has changed dramatically. We went from conceiving humans as the sole truly cognitive species on the planet to endowing several organisms with cognitive capacities, from considering brains as the exclusive seat of cognition to extending cognitive faculties to the entire physical body and beyond. That cognition could extend beyond the organism’s body is no doubt one of the most controversial of the recent hypotheses. Extended cognition (ExC) has been discussed not only to explain aspects of the human cognitive process, but also of other species such as spiders and more recently, plants. It has been suggested that ExC could offer insights for the grounding of environmentally extended cognitive traits in evolved ecological functions. Here, we reviewed the ecological literature for possible ExC examples that satisfy the mutual manipulability criterion, which can be used to establish experimentally the boundaries of cognitive systems. Our conclusion is that ExC might be far more common than previously thought, and present in organisms as diverse as plants, fungi, termites, spiders, mammals, and slime moulds. Experimental investigation is needed to clarify this idea which, if proven correct, could illuminate a new path into understanding the origins and evolution of cognition.
Scaling of ant colony interaction networks
Authors: Toth J. M. , Fewell Jennifer H. , Waters James S.
Published: January 2023

In social insect colonies, individuals are physically independent but functionally integrated by interaction networks which provide a foundation for communication and drive the emergence of collective behaviors, including nest architecture, division of labor, and potentially also the social regulation of metabolic rates. To investigate the relationship between interactions, metabolism, and colony size, we varied group size for harvester ant colonies (Pogonomyrmex californicus) and assessed their communication networks based on direct antennal contacts and compared these results with proximity networks and a random movement simulation. We found support for the hypothesis of social regulation; individuals did not interact with each other randomly but exhibited restraint. Connectivity scaled hypometrically with colony size, per-capita interaction rate was scale-invariant, and smaller colonies exhibited higher measures of closeness centrality and edge density, correlating with higher per-capita metabolic rates. Although the immediate energetic cost for two ants to interact is insignificant, the downstream effects of receiving and integrating social information can have metabolic consequences. Our results indicate that individuals in larger colonies are relatively more insulated from each other, a factor that may reduce or filter noisy stimuli and contribute to the hypometric scaling of their metabolic rates, and perhaps more generally, the evolution of larger colony sizes.
Uncovering the molecular mechanisms between heart failure and end-stage renal disease via a bioinformatics study
Authors: Bian Rutao , Xu Xuegong , Li Weiyu
Published: January 2023

Background: Heart failure (HF) is not only a common complication in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) but also a major cause of death. Although clinical studies have shown that there is a close relationship between them, the mechanism of its occurrence is unclear. The aim of this study is to explore the molecular mechanisms between HF and ESRD through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis, providing a new perspective on the crosstalk between these two diseases.

Methods: The HF and ESRD datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database; we identified and analyzed common differentially expressed genes (DEGs). First, Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and gene set variation analyses (GSVA) were applied to explore the potential biological functions and construct protein−protein interaction (PPI) networks. Also, four algorithms, namely, random forest (RF), Boruta algorithm, logical regression of the selection operator (LASSO), and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE), were used to identify the candidate genes. Subsequently, the diagnostic efficacy of hub genes for HF and ESRD was evaluated using eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm. CIBERSORT was used to analyze the infiltration of immune cells. Thereafter, we predicted target microRNAs (miRNAs) using databases (miRTarBase, TarBase, and ENOCRI), and transcription factors (TFs) were identified using the ChEA3 database. Cytoscape software was applied to construct mRNA−miRNA−TF regulatory networks. Finally, the Drug Signatures Database (DSigDB) was used to identify potential drug candidates.

Results: A total of 68 common DEGs were identified. The enrichment analysis results suggest that immune response and inflammatory factors may be common features of the pathophysiology of HF and ESRD. A total of four hub genes (BCL6, CCL5, CNN1, and PCNT) were validated using RF, LASSO, Boruta, and SVM-RFE algorithms. Their AUC values were all greater than 0.8. Immune infiltration analysis showed that immune cells such as macrophages, neutrophils, and NK cells were altered in HF myocardial tissue, while neutrophils were significantly correlated with all four hub genes. Finally, 11 target miRNAs and 10 TFs were obtained, and miRNA−mRNA−TF regulatory network construction was performed. In addition, 10 gene-targeted drugs were discovered.

Conclusion: Our study revealed important crosstalk between HF and ESRD. These common pathways and pivotal genes may provide new ideas for further clinical treatment and experimental studies.
Transcriptomics and metabolomics reveal tolerance new mechanism of rice roots to Al stress
Authors: Wang Jingbo , Su Chang , Cui Zhibo , Huang Lixiang , Gu Shuang , Jiang Sixu , Feng Jing , Xu Hai , Zhang Wenzhong , Jiang Linlin , Zhao Minghui
Published: January 2023

The prevalence of soluble aluminum (Al) ions is one of the major limitations to crop production worldwide on acid soils. Therefore, understanding the Al tolerance mechanism of rice and applying Al tolerance functional genes in sensitive plants can significantly improve Al stress resistance. In this study, transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses were performed to reveal the mechanism of Al tolerance differences between two rice landraces (Al-tolerant genotype Shibanzhan (KR) and Al-sensitive genotype Hekedanuo (MR) with different Al tolerance. The results showed that DEG related to phenylpropanoid biosynthesis was highly enriched in KR and MR after Al stress, indicating that phenylpropanoid biosynthesis may be closely related to Al tolerance. E1.11.1.7 (peroxidase) was the most significant enzyme of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis in KR and MR under Al stress and is regulated by multiple genes. We further identified that two candidate genes Os02g0770800 and Os06g0521900 may be involved in the regulation of Al tolerance in rice. Our results not only reveal the resistance mechanism of rice to Al stress to some extent, but also provide a useful reference for the molecular mechanism of different effects of Al poisoning on plants.
Chromosome genome assembly for the meagre, Argyrosomus regius, reveals species adaptations and sciaenid sex-related locus evolution
Authors: Papadogiannis Vasileios , Manousaki Tereza , Nousias Orestis , Tsakogiannis Alexandros , Kristoffersen Jon B. , Mylonas Constantinos C. , Batargias Costas , Chatziplis Dimitrios , Tsigenopoulos Costas S.
Published: January 2023

The meagre, Argyrosomus regius, has recently become a species of increasing economic interest for the Mediterranean aquaculture and there is ongoing work to boost production efficiency through selective breeding. Access to the complete genomic sequence will provide an essential resource for studying quantitative trait-associated loci and exploring the genetic diversity of different wild populations and aquaculture stocks in more detail. Here, we present the first complete genome for A. regius, produced through a combination of long and short read technologies and an efficient in-house developed pipeline for assembly and polishing. Scaffolding using previous linkage map data allowed us to reconstruct a chromosome level assembly with high completeness, complemented with gene annotation and repeat masking. The 696 Mb long assembly has an N50 = 27.87 Mb and an L50 = 12, with 92.85% of its length placed in 24 chromosomes. We use this new resource to study the evolution of the meagre genome and other Sciaenids, via a comparative analysis of 25 high-quality teleost genomes. Combining a rigorous investigation of gene duplications with base-wise conservation analysis, we identify candidate loci related to immune, fat metabolism and growth adaptations in the meagre. Following phylogenomic reconstruction, we show highly conserved synteny within Sciaenidae. In contrast, we report rapidly evolving syntenic rearrangements and gene copy changes in the sex-related dmrt1 neighbourhood in meagre and other members of the family. These novel genomic datasets and findings will add important new tools for aquaculture studies and greatly facilitate husbandry and breeding work in the species.
Natural killer cell therapy potentially enhances the antitumor effects of bevacizumab plus irinotecan in a glioblastoma mouse model
Authors: Tran Thi-Anh-Thuy , Kim Young-Hee , Duong Thi-Hoang-Oanh , Thangaraj JayaLakshmi , Chu Tan-Huy , Jung Shin , Kim In-Young , Moon Kyung-Sub , Kim Young-Jin , Lee Tae-Kyu , Lee Chul Won , Yun Hyosuk , Lee Je-Jung , Lee Hyun-Ju , Lee Kyung-Hwa , Jung Tae-Young
Published: January 2023

Various combination treatments have been considered to attain the effective therapy threshold by combining independent antitumor mechanisms against the heterogeneous characteristics of tumor cells in malignant brain tumors. In this study, the natural killer (NK) cells associated with bevacizumab (Bev) plus irinotecan (Iri) against glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) were investigated. For the experimental design, NK cells were expanded and activated by K562 cells expressing the OX40 ligand and membrane-bound IL-18 and IL-21. The effects of Bev and Iri on the proliferation and NK ligand expression of GBM cells were evaluated through MTT assay and flow cytometry. The cytotoxic effects of NK cells against Bev plus Iri-treated GBM cells were also predicted via the LDH assay in vitro. The therapeutic effect of different injected NK cell routes and numbers combined with the different doses of Bev and Iri was confirmed according to tumor size and survival in the subcutaneous (s.c) and intracranial (i.c) U87 xenograft NOD/SCID IL-12Rγnull mouse model. The presence of injected-NK cells in tumors was detected using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry ex vivo. As a result, Iri was found to affect the proliferation and NK ligand expression of GBM cells, while Bev did not cause differences in these cellular processes. However, the administration of Bev modulated Iri efficacy in the i.c U87 mouse model. NK cells significantly enhanced the cytotoxic effects against Bev plus Iri-treated GBM cells in vitro. Although the intravenous (IV) injection of NK cells in combination with Bev plus Iri significantly reduced the tumor volume in the s.c U87 mouse model, only the direct intratumorally (IT) injection of NK cells in combination with Bev plus Iri elicited delayed tumor growth in the i.c U87 mouse model. Tumor-infiltrating NK cells were detected after IV injection of NK cells in both s.c and i.c U87 mouse models. In conclusion, the potential therapeutic effect of NK cells combined with Bev plus Iri against GBM cells was limited in this study. Accordingly, further research is required to improve the accessibility and strength of NK cell function in this combination treatment.
Combination of GD2-directed bispecific trifunctional antibody therapy with Pd-1 immune checkpoint blockade induces anti-neuroblastoma immunity in a syngeneic mouse model
Authors: Ivasko Sara Marie , Anders Kathleen , Grunewald Laura , Launspach Michael , Klaus Anika , Schwiebert Silke , Ruf Peter , Lindhofer Horst , Lode Holger N. , Andersch Lena , Schulte Johannes H. , Eggert Angelika , Hundsdoerfer Patrick , Künkele Annette , Zirngibl Felix
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Despite advances in treating high-risk neuroblastoma, 50-60% of patients still suffer relapse, necessitating new treatment options. Bispecific trifunctional antibodies (trAbs) are a promising new class of immunotherapy. TrAbs are heterodimeric IgG-like molecules that bind CD3 and a tumor-associated antigen simultaneously, whereby inducing a TCR-independent anti-cancer T cell response. Moreover, via their functional Fc region they recruit and activate cells of the innate immune system like antigen-presenting cells potentially enhancing induction of adaptive tumor-specific immune responses.

Methods

We used the SUREK trAb, which is bispecific for GD2 and murine Cd3. Tumor-blind trAb and the monoclonal ch14.18 antibody were used as controls. A co-culture model of murine dendritic cells (DCs), T cells and a neuroblastoma cell line was established to evaluate the cytotoxic effect and the T cell effector function in vitro. Expression of immune checkpoint molecules on tumor-infiltrating T cells and the induction of an anti-neuroblastoma immune response using a combination of whole cell vaccination and trAb therapy was investigated in a syngeneic immunocompetent neuroblastoma mouse model (NXS2 in A/J background). Finally, vaccinated mice were assessed for the presence of neuroblastoma-directed antibodies. We show that SUREK trAb-mediated effective killing of NXS2 cells in vitro was strictly dependent on the combined presence of DCs and T cells.

Results

Using a syngeneic neuroblastoma mouse model, we showed that vaccination with irradiated tumor cells combined with SUREK trAb treatment significantly prolonged survival of tumor challenged mice and partially prevent tumor outgrowth compared to tumor vaccination alone. Treatment led to upregulation of programmed cell death protein 1 (Pd-1) on tumor infiltrating T cells and combination with anti-Pd-1 checkpoint inhibition enhanced the NXS2-directed humoral immune response.

Conclusion

Here, we provide first preclinical evidence that a tumor vaccination combined with SUREK trAb therapy induces an endogenous anti-neuroblastoma immune response reducing tumor recurrence. Furthermore, a combination with anti-Pd-1 immune checkpoint blockade might even further improve this promising immunotherapeutic concept in order to prevent relapse in high-risk neuroblastoma patients.
Three doses of BNT162b2 COVID-19 mRNA vaccine establish long-lasting CD8+ T cell immunity in CLL and MDS patients
Authors: Hernandez Susana Patricia Amaya , Hersby Ditte Stampe , Munk Kamilla Kjærgaard , Tamhane Tripti , Trubach Darya , Tagliamonte Maria , Buonaguro Luigi , Gang Anne Ortved , Hadrup Sine Reker , Saini Sunil Kumar
Published: January 2023

Patients with hematological malignancies are prioritized for COVID-19 vaccine due to their high risk for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection-related disease and mortality. To understand T cell immunity, its long-term persistence, and its correlation with antibody response, we evaluated the BNT162b2 COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-specific immune response in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and myeloid dysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients. Longitudinal analysis of CD8+ T cells using DNA-barcoded peptide-MHC multimers covering the full SARS-CoV-2 Spike-protein (415 peptides) showed vaccine-specific T cell activation and persistence of memory T cells up to six months post-vaccination. Surprisingly, a higher frequency of vaccine-induced antigen-specific CD8+ T cells was observed in the patient group compared to a healthy donor group. Furthermore, and importantly, immunization with the second booster dose significantly increased the frequency of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells as well as the total number of T cell specificities. Altogether 59 BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine-derived immunogenic responses were identified, of which 23 established long-term CD8+ T cell memory response with a strong immunodominance for NYNYLYRLF (HLA-A24:02) and YLQPRTFLL (HLA-A02:01) epitopes. In summary, we mapped the vaccine-induced antigen-specific CD8+ T cells and showed a booster-specific activation and enrichment of memory T cells that could be important for long-term disease protection in this patient group.
The therapeutic potential of non-invasive brain stimulation for the treatment of Long-COVID-related cognitive fatigue
Authors: Linnhoff Stefanie , Koehler Lilli , Haghikia Aiden , Zaehle Tino
Published: January 2023

Following an acute COVID-19 infection, a large number of patients experience persisting symptoms for more than four weeks, a condition now classified as Long-COVID syndrome. Interestingly, the likelihood and severity of Long-COVID symptoms do not appear to be related to the severity of the acute COVID-19 infection. Fatigue is amongst the most common and debilitating symptoms of Long-COVID. Other symptomes include dyspnoea, chest pain, olfactory disturbances, and brain fog. Fatigue is also frequently reported in many other neurological diseases, affecting a broad range of everyday activities. However, despite its clinical significance, limited progress has been made in understanding its causes and developing effective treatment options. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) methods offer the unique opportunity to modulate fatigue-related maladaptive neuronal activity. Recent data show promising results of NIBS applications over frontoparietal regions to reduce fatigue symptoms. In this current paper, we review recent data on Long-COVID and Long-COVID-related fatigue (LCOF), with a special focus on cognitive fatigue. We further present widely used NIBS methods, such as transcranial direct current stimulation, transcranial alternating current stimulation, and transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation and propose their use as possible therapeutic strategies to alleviate individual pathomechanisms of LCOF. Since NIBS methods are safe and well-tolerated, they have the potential to enhance the quality of life in a broad group of patients.
Development and validation of a task battery for verbal and non-verbal first- and second-order theory of mind
Authors: Marinis Theodoros , Andreou Maria , Bagioka Dafni Vaia , Baumeister Franziska , Bongartz Christiane , Czypionka Anna , Golegos Angelika , Peristeri Eleni , Skrimpa Vasileia , Durrleman Stephanie , Terzi Arhonto
Published: January 2023

This paper presents a new toolkit for assessing Theory of Mind (ToM) via performance in first and second-order false belief (FB) tasks. The toolkit includes verbal and non-verbal versions of first and second-order FB tasks; the verbal version is currently available in Greek and German. Scenarios in the toolkit are balanced for factors that may influence performance, like the reason for the FB (deception, change-of-location, unexpected content). To validate our toolkit, we tested the performance of neurotypical adults in the non-verbal and verbal versions in two studies: Study 1 with 50 native speakers of German and Study 2 with 50 native speakers of Greek. The data from both studies yield similar results. Participants performed well in all conditions, showing slightly more difficulties in the second- than first-order FB conditions, and in the non-verbal than the verbal version of the task. This suggests that the task is at the high end of the sensitive range for neurotypical adults, and is expected to be well inside the sensitive range for children and populations that have difficulties in ToM. Factors like deception and type of outcome in the video-scenarios did not influence the behavior of neurotypical adults, suggesting that the task does not have any confounds related to these factors. The order of presentation of the verbal and non-verbal version has an influence on performance; participants beginning with the verbal version performed slightly better than participants beginning with the non-verbal version. This suggests that neurotypical adults used language to mediate ToM performance and learn from a language-mediated task when performing a non-verbal ToM task. To conclude, our results show that the scenarios in the toolkit are of comparable difficulty and can be combined freely to match demands in future research with neurotypical children and autistic individuals, as well as other populations that have been shown to have difficulties in ToM. Differences between baseline and critical conditions can be assumed to reflect ToM abilities, rather than language and task-based confounding factors.