bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gastric microbiota in gastric cancer: Different roles of Helicobacter pylori and other microbes
Authors: Guo Yang , Cao Xue-Shan , Zhou Meng-Ge , Yu Bo
Published: January 2023

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The gastric microbiota plays a critical role in the development of GC. First, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is considered a major risk factor for GC. However, recent studies based on microbiota sequencing technology have found that non-H. pylori microbes also exert effects on gastric carcinogenesis. Following the infection of H. pylori, gastric microbiota dysbiosis could be observed; the stomach is dominated by H. pylori and the abundances of non-H. pylori microbes reduce substantially. Additionally, decreased microbial diversity, alterations in the microbial community structure, negative interactions between H. pylori and other microbes, etc. occur, as well. With the progression of gastric lesions, the number of H. pylori decreases and the number of non-H. pylori microbes increases correspondingly. Notably, H. pylori and non-H. pylori microbes show different roles in different stages of gastric carcinogenesis. In the present mini-review, we provide an overview of the recent findings regarding the role of the gastric microbiota, including the H. pylori and non-H. pylori microbes, in the development of GC.
Changes in the microbiota in different intestinal segments of mice with sepsis
Authors: Peng Yahui , Wei Jieling , Jia Xiaonan , Luan Feiyu , Man Mingyin , Ma Xiaohui , Luo Yinghao , Li Yue , Li Nana , Wang Qian , Wang Xibo , Zhou Yang , Ji Yuanyuan , Mu Wenjing , Wang Jun , Wang Chunying , Zhang Qianqian , Yu Kaijiang , Zhao Mingyan , Wang Changsong
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The small intestine, as the main digestion and absorption site of the gastrointestinal tract, is often overlooked in studies, and the overall microbiota does not reflect the makeup of the microbiota in different segments of the intestine. Therefore, we aimed to exclude the influence of routine ICU treatment measures on sepsis patients and observed changes in the diversity and abundance of gut microbiota in different intestinal segments of septic mice.

Methods

The mice were randomly divided into the CLP6h group and the sham group. The contents of the colon and small intestine of the experimental group and the control group were collected after 6 h.

Results

After CLP, the number and structure of the gut microbiota in the colon changed most obviously, among which Bacteroidetes had the most significant changes. Akkermansia, D.Firmicutes_bacterium_M10_2, Blautia, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Candidatus_Arthromitus, and Muribaculaceae were changed in the colon. Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Akkermansia, Blautia, Candidatus_Arthromitus, and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group were changed in the small intestine.

Discussion

Our experiment found that there were different numbers of unique and common gut microbiota in the small intestine and colon after sepsis, and the gut microbiota of the colon changed more drastically after sepsis than the small intestine. Thus, we should focus on protective gut microbiota and mucin-degrading microbes. We hope that these results will provide help for sepsis treatment in the future.
Rhine low water crisis: From individual adaptation possibilities to strategical pathways
Authors: Gobert Julie , Rudolf Florence
Published: January 2023

Introduction

In 2018, the Rhine transport sector experienced an unprecedented low water crisis, during which large cargo vessels were no longer able to navigate on certain sections of the river. This led to a major disruption in inland waterway transport. This article aims at questioning how the crisis acted as a stimulus for port authorities and their customers to consider the risks for their assets and operations and as a window of opportunity for creating a new collective and for defining “solutions.”

Methodology

Inspired by the Impact Chain methodology, a step-by-step protocol integrating focus groups and interviews, was applied so that stakeholders affected by low waters can identify their individual and common vulnerability and define possible ways of acting (pathways).

Results

One of these pathways, the transitional infrastructural pathway, targets to increase the water level and overcome low water levels (use of Lake Constance as a water reservoir or creation of new water storage areas; deepening of the channel at Kaub and Maxau). It appears as the most suitable because it is a technical, well-controlled process that provides a comfortable solution in the short term. It exemplifies the lock-ins set by infrastructure.

Discussion

However, the participative approach also highlights the fundamental challenge of developing new processes and new intermodal organizations in the long term.
Modified Linggui Zhugan Decoction protects against ventricular remodeling through ameliorating mitochondrial damage in post-myocardial infarction rats
Authors: Xiang Mi , Zhao Xin , Lu Yingdong , Zhang Yang , Ding Fan , Lv Lifei , Wang Yuling , Shen Zihuan , Li Li , Cui Xiangning
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Modified Linggui Zhugan Decoction (MLZD) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine prescription developed from Linggui Zhugan Decoction (LZD) that has been used for the clinical treatment of ischemic cardiovascular diseases. However, the cardioprotective mechanism of MLZD against post-myocardial infarction (MI) ventricular remodeling remains unclear.

Methods

We explored the effects of MLZD on ventricular remodeling and their underlying mechanisms, respectively, in SD rats with MI models and in H9c2 cardiomyocytes with oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) models. The cardiac structure and function of rats were measured by echocardiography, HE staining, and Masson staining. Apoptosis, inflammation, mitochondrial structure and function, and sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) expression were additionally examined.

Results

MLZD treatment significantly ameliorated cardiac structure and function, and thus reversed ventricular remodeling, compared with the control. Further research showed that MLZD ameliorated mitochondrial structural disruption, protected against mitochondrial dynamics disorder, restored impaired mitochondrial function, inhibited inflammation, and thus inhibited apoptosis. Moreover, the decreased expression level of SIRT3 was enhanced after MLZD treatment. The protective effects of MLZD on SIRT3 and mitochondria, nevertheless, were blocked by 3-TYP, a selective inhibitor of SIRT3.

Discussion

These findings together revealed that MLZD could improve the ventricular remodeling of MI rats by ameliorating mitochondrial damage and its associated apoptosis, which might exert protective effects by targeting SIRT3.
3D echocardiography in mitral valve prolapse
Authors: Mantegazza Valentina , Gripari Paola , Tamborini Gloria , Muratori Manuela , Fusini Laura , Ghulam Ali Sarah , Garlaschè Anna , Pepi Mauro
Published: January 2023

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is the leading cause of mitral valve surgery. Echocardiography is the principal imaging modality used to diagnose MVP, assess the mitral valve morphology and mitral annulus dynamics, and quantify mitral regurgitation. Three-dimensional (3D) echocardiographic (3DE) imaging represents a consistent innovation in cardiovascular ultrasound in the last decades, and it has been implemented in routine clinical practice for the evaluation of mitral valve diseases. The focus of this review is the role and the advantages of 3DE in the comprehensive evaluation of MVP, intraoperative and intraprocedural monitoring.
Involvement of SUR2/Kir6.1 channel in the physiopathology of pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Le Ribeuz Hélène , Masson Bastien , Dutheil Mary , Boët Angèle , Beauvais Antoine , Sabourin Jessica , De Montpreville Vincent Thomas , Capuano Véronique , Mercier Olaf , Humbert Marc , Montani David , Antigny Fabrice
Published: January 2023

Aims

We hypothesized that the ATP-sensitive K+ channels (KATP) regulatory subunit (ABCC9) contributes to PAH pathogenesis. ABCC9 gene encodes for two regulatory subunits of KATP channels: the SUR2A and SUR2B proteins. In the KATP channel, the SUR2 subunits are associated with the K+ channel Kir6.1. We investigated how the SUR2/Kir6.1 channel contributes to PAH pathogenesis and its potential as a therapeutic target in PAH.

Methods and results

Using in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo approaches, we analyzed the localization and expression of SUR2A, SUR2B, and Kir6.1 in the pulmonary vasculature of controls and patients with PAH as in experimental pulmonary hypertension (PH) rat models and its contribution to PAH physiopathology. Finally, we deciphered the consequences of in vivo activation of SUR2/Kir6.1 in the monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PH model. We found that SUR2A, SUR2B, and Kir6.1 were expressed in the lungs of controls and patients with PAH and MCT-induced PH rat models. Organ bath studies showed that SUR2 activation by pinacidil induced relaxation of pulmonary arterial in rats and humans. In vitro experiments on human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells (hPASMCs and hPAECs) in controls and PAH patients showed decreased cell proliferation and migration after SUR2 activation. We demonstrated that SUR2 activation in rat right ventricular (RV) cardiomyocytes reduced RV action potential duration by patch-clamp. Chronic pinacidil administration in control rats increased heart rate without changes in hemodynamic parameters. Finally, in vivo pharmacological activation of SUR2 on MCT and Chronic-hypoxia (CH)-induced-PH rats showed improved PH.

Conclusion

We showed that SUR2A, SUR2B, and Kir6.1 are presented in hPASMCs and hPAECs of controls and PAH patients. In vivo SUR2 activation reduced the MCT-induced and CH-induced PH phenotype, suggesting that SUR2 activation should be considered for treating PAH.
Effectiveness of Yiqi Fumai lyophilized injection for acute heart failure: Rationale and design of the AUGUST-AHF cohort study
Authors: Zhang Xuecheng , Kang Jing , Zhang Jingjing , Chen Ying , Dai Hengheng , Hu Mingzhi , Liu Yan , Shang Hongcai
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The effect of Yiqi Fumai lyophilized injection (YQFM) on acute heart failure (AHF) patients has been evaluated in a large sample, randomized, controlled trial (AUGUST-AHF RCT study). However, restrictive eligibility criteria from a randomized clinical trial may raise concerns about the generalizability of the results to under-represented groups or complex patients with multimorbidity. Therefore, we intend to conduct the AUGUST-AHF cohort study which aims to assess the effectiveness of YQFM in patients with AHF in a real-world setting and compare the results with AUGUST-AHF RCT study.

Methods and analysis

This prospective, multicenter cohort study will be conducted at 50 secondary and tertiary hospitals in China and comprise 1,200 patients with AHF. The participants will be followed for up to at least 180 days. The primary outcome is a composite of 90-day all-cause mortality or readmission for heart failure. The secondary outcomes include length of hospital stay, cardiac-specific death, MACE, NYHA cardiac function classification. Cox proportional-hazards regression models will be used to estimate the association between YQFM use and the primary outcome. The primary analysis will use propensity-score matching methods to balance the differences in baseline variables between treatment cohorts.

Ethics and dissemination

Approval for the study has been obtained from the Ethical Committee of Dongzhimen Hospital (approval No. 2022DZMEC-327-02) and registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05586048). The study results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific conferences.
Alteration of the gut microbiota and metabolite phenylacetylglutamine in patients with severe chronic heart failure
Authors: Zhang Zhendong , Cai Bin , Sun Yanzhuan , Deng Haiyan , Wang Hongwei , Qiao Zengyong
Published: January 2023

Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) is the end result of nearly all cardiovascular disease and is the leading cause of deaths worldwide. Studies have demonstrated that intestinal flora has a close relationship with the development of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and plays a vital role in the disease evolution process. Phenylacetylglutamine (PAGln) a metabolite of the intestinal flora, is one of the common chronic kidney disease toxins. Its concentrations in plasma were higher in patients with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) however, its variation in patients with various degrees of CHF has rarely been reported. Therefore, we collected stool and plasma samples from 22 healthy controls, 29 patients with NYHA Class III and 29 patients with NYHA Class IV CHF (NYHA stands for New York Heart Association) from the Department of Cardiology of Shanghai Fengxian District Central Hospital. Next, we analyzed these samples by performing bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The result shows: The Chao 1 index was significantly lower in both NYHA class III and NYHA class IV than it was in the control group. The beta diversity was substantially dissimilar across the three groups. The linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis (LEfSe) showed that the bacterial species with the largest differences were Lachnospiraceae in control group, Enterobacteriaceae in NYHA class III, and Escherichia in NYHA class IV. The concentration of PAGln was significantly different between CHF and control groups and increased with the severity of heart failure. Finally, the correlation analysis represented that Parabacteroides and Bacteroides were negatively correlated to brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and PAGln; Romboutsia and Blautia adversely associated with PAGln; Klebsiella was positively interrelated with BNP; Escherichia-Shigella was positively correlated with PAGln and BNP; Alistipes was contrasted with BNP; and Parabacteroides was negatively correlated with the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD). This study presented that the intestinal flora and its metabolite PAGln were altered with different grades of CHF and illustrated the effects of the gut flora and its metabolite on CHF.
ProKnow: Process knowledge for safety constrained and explainable question generation for mental health diagnostic assistance
Authors: Roy Kaushik , Gaur Manas , Soltani Misagh , Rawte Vipula , Kalyan Ashwin , Sheth Amit
Published: January 2023

Virtual Mental Health Assistants (VMHAs) are utilized in health care to provide patient services such as counseling and suggestive care. They are not used for patient diagnostic assistance because they cannot adhere to safety constraints and specialized clinical process knowledge (ProKnow) used to obtain clinical diagnoses. In this work, we define ProKnow as an ordered set of information that maps to evidence-based guidelines or categories of conceptual understanding to experts in a domain. We also introduce a new dataset of diagnostic conversations guided by safety constraints and ProKnow that healthcare professionals use (ProKnow-data). We develop a method for natural language question generation (NLG) that collects diagnostic information from the patient interactively (ProKnow-algo). We demonstrate the limitations of using state-of-the-art large-scale language models (LMs) on this dataset. ProKnow-algo incorporates the process knowledge through explicitly modeling safety, knowledge capture, and explainability. As computational metrics for evaluation do not directly translate to clinical settings, we involve expert clinicians in designing evaluation metrics that test four properties: safety, logical coherence, and knowledge capture for explainability while minimizing the standard cross entropy loss to preserve distribution semantics-based similarity to the ground truth. LMs with ProKnow-algo generated 89% safer questions in the depression and anxiety domain (tested property: safety). Further, without ProKnow-algo generations question did not adhere to clinical process knowledge in ProKnow-data (tested property: knowledge capture). In comparison, ProKnow-algo-based generations yield a 96% reduction in our metrics to measure knowledge capture. The explainability of the generated question is assessed by computing similarity with concepts in depression and anxiety knowledge bases. Overall, irrespective of the type of LMs, ProKnow-algo achieved an averaged 82% improvement over simple pre-trained LMs on safety, explainability, and process-guided question generation. For reproducibility, we will make ProKnow-data and the code repository of ProKnow-algo publicly available upon acceptance.
Dependable modulation classifier explainer with measurable explainability
Authors: Duggal Gaurav , Gaikwad Tejas , Sinha Bhupendra
Published: January 2023

The Internet of Things (IoT) plays a significant role in building smart cities worldwide. Smart cities use IoT devices to collect and analyze data to provide better services and solutions. These IoT devices are heavily dependent on the network for communication. These new-age networks use artificial intelligence (AI) that plays a crucial role in reducing network roll-out and operation costs, improving entire system performance, enhancing customer services, and generating possibilities to embed a wide range of telecom services and applications. For IoT devices, it is essential to have a robust and trustable network for reliable communication among devices and service points. The signals sent between the devices or service points use modulation to send a password over a bandpass frequency range. Our study focuses on modulation classification performed using deep learning method(s), adaptive modulation classification (AMC), which has now become an integral part of a communication system. We propose a dependable modulation classifier explainer (DMCE) that focuses on the explainability of modulation classification. Our study demonstrates how we can visualize and understand a particular prediction made by seeing highlighted data points crucial for modulation class prediction. We also demonstrate a numeric explainability measurable metric (EMM) to interpret the prediction. In the end, we present a comparative analysis with existing state-of-the-art methods.
Blockchains as a means to promote privacy protecting, access availing, incentive increasing, ELSI lessening DNA databases
Authors: Zarchi Gal , Sherman Maya , Gady Omer , Herzig Tomer , Idan Ziv , Greenbaum Dov
Published: January 2023

Not all blockchains are created equal, and many cannot accommodate all of the primary characteristics of big data: Variety, Velocity, Volume and Veracity. Currently, public blockchains are slow and clunky, it can be expensive to keep up with the velocity of genomic data production. Further, the transparent and universally accessible nature of public blockchain doesn't necessarily accommodate all of the variety of sequence data, including very private information. Bespoke private permissioned blockchains, however, can be created to optimally accommodate all of the big data features of genomic data. Further, private permissioned chains can be implemented to both protect the privacy and security of the genetic information therein, while also providing access to researchers. An NFT marketplace associated with that private chain can provide the discretized sale of anonymous and encrypted data sets while also incentivizing individuals to share their data through payments mediated by smart contracts. Private blockchains can provide a transparent chain of custody for each use of the customers' data, and validation that this data is not corrupted. However, even with all of these benefits there remain some concerns with the implementation of this new technology including the ethical, legal and social implications typically associated with DNA databases.
Is the damage worth it? Testing handheld XRF as a non-destructive analytical tool for determining biogenic bone and tooth chemistry prior to destructive analyses
Authors: Simpson Emily M. B. , Crowley Brooke E. , Sturmer Daniel M.
Published: January 2023

Isotopic analysis is destructive and requires that a specimen retains its original (biogenic) chemical composition. A specimen's relative abundance of calcium and phosphorous (Ca/P) or carbonate and phosphate (CO3/PO4) is often used to assess preservation. If a specimen's Ca/P or CO3/PO4 is similar to modern specimens, a specimen's isotopic composition may be biogenic. However, most methods for measuring these proxies are destructive. Moreover the relationships between Ca/P, CO3/PO4 and isotopic preservation are poorly established. In this study, we assessed the ability of handheld X-ray fluorescence (hXRF) to non-destructively evaluate a specimen's preservation by characterizing the calcium to phosphorous ratio (Ca/P). We first established that surface Ca/P (Ca/Psurface) for modern specimens was consistent with expectations for unaltered bone (1.3–2.3). Several specimens had slightly larger ratios, suggesting the currently accepted range may need to be expanded. Second, we tested the ability of Ca/Psurface to detect alteration using twenty Quaternary mammal teeth from Big Bone Lick, Kentucky. Ten specimens had Ca/Psurface between 1.3 and 2.3 and ten had larger ratios, suggesting alteration. Because most methods measure Ca/P in powder (Ca/Ppowder), we compared Ca/Psurface, Ca/Ppowder, and the enamel subsurface (Ca/Psubsurface). With two exceptions, Ca/Psubsurface and Ca/Ppowder were below 2.3, regardless of Ca/Psurface, suggesting that Ca/Ppowder and Ca/Psubsurface underestimate alteration. We next compared Ca/Psurface, CO3/PO4, and carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope values for the fossil teeth. Fourteen specimens were identified as altered or unaltered by both proxies, but six specimens only had one altered proxy. Specimens with both proxies altered had lower, less variable δ13C values than specimens with both proxies unaltered. Median δ18O values were similar between these groups. Individuals with altered Ca/Psurface but unaltered CO3/PO4 isotopically resembled specimens with both proxies altered. Conversely, specimens with unaltered Ca/Psurface and altered CO3/PO4 were similar to specimens with both proxies unaltered. Notably, all individuals with both proxies altered had relatively low δ13C values, including a horse and mammoth, which are normally considered grazers (and therefore should have higher δ13C values). These and other altered specimens may be isotopically compromised. Overall, our results suggest that Ca/Psurface is effective at detecting alteration non-destructively, quickly, and affordably, making it an attractive approach for analyzing unique specimens.
Instability simulation of the submerged anti-dip slope based on the CFD-DEM coupling method
Authors: Xie Liangfu , Zhu Qingyang , Ge Ying , Qin Yongjun
Published: January 2023

More and more underwater-related geotechnical problems have arisen, but there is little research about the instability process of submerged anti-dip slopes. This study built the CFD–DEM coupling method based on the CFD solver OpenFOAM and the DEM solver PFC. The Ergun test was selected as the benchmark test to verify the accuracy of the coupling method, and the pressure drop predicted from the coupling method agreed well with the analytic solution. Then, we built a numerically submerged anti-dip slope model, and a special effort was made to study its instability characteristic. The flow of water will weaken the slope stability, and the birth of cracks will be accelerated. The drag force will restrain the toppling deformation, resulting in a deeper fracture surface. Then, we changed the joint thickness and joint angle to study its effect on slope stability. The collapse load increases with the joint thickness, and the form of toppling deformation changes from flexural failure to block failure. The collapse load increases with the decreasing joint dip, and the position of the damaged area becomes higher; the angle between the bottom fracture surface and the vertical line to joints becomes smaller with the decreasing joint dip.
Determining effective faults for hydrocarbon accumulation in slope areas of petroliferous basins: Methods and applications
Authors: Zili Fan , Guang Fu , Xiaodong Fan , Shuli Wang , Hongwei Xiao , Hongjun Fu , Xiaobo Guo
Published: January 2023

From accumulation mechanisms and the identification of effective faults, hydrocarbon distribution in slope areas of petroliferous basins is assessed. In this study, we superimpose two methods to develop a set of key methods, which can identify effective faults for hydrocarbon accumulation in slope areas. The first of this set of methods includes locating the distribution area of the connected sand bodies and paleotectonic ridges overlying the formation where the sand bodies are located, which aids determining the lateral migration path of hydrocarbons in slope areas. The second set of methods includes identifying the lateral sealing parts of faults that are oriented perpendicular or oblique to the channel sand bodies, thereby determining the faults that are effective for hydrocarbon accumulation. By applying these methods, we identify the effective faults in the first member of the Nantun Formation (K1n1) on the Wunan slope of the Wuerxun Depression in the Hailar Basin. The results show that the effective faults in K1n1 are located mainly in its middle and northern parts, with a few distributed in the south-central part. This is conducive to reservoir development, since hydrocarbons which were generated in the western trough source rocks of K1n1, accumulated in the nearby trap formed from a suitable configuration of the fault and sand body of K1n1. This is consistent with previous exploration data, and the observation that hydrocarbons discovered in K1n1 on the Wunan slope are mainly distributed in the middle and northern parts of the region, and a small amount occur in the south-central part. The results show that this set of methods is feasible for determining effective faults for hydrocarbon accumulation in slope areas.
Evaluating western North Pacific tropical cyclone forecast in the subseasonal to seasonal prediction project database
Authors: Wang Xiaochun , Waliser Duane , Jiang Xianan , Asharaf Shakeel , Vitart Frederic , Jie Weihua
Published: January 2023

The Daily Tropical Cyclone Probability (DTCP), defined as the probability of tropical cyclone occurrence within 500 km of a location in 1 day, is proposed and used in evaluating subseasonal to seasonal (S2S) predictions from the subseasonal to seasonal Prediction Project Database, from May 1 to October 31, 1999 to 2010. The ensemble forecasts are collected from eleven operational centers, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), China Meteorological Administration (CMA), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), Hydrometeorological Centre of Russia (HMCR), the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate of the National Research Council of Italy (ISAC), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), Météo-France/Centre National de Recherche Meteorologiques (METFR), the United States National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), and the United Kingdom Met Office (UKMO). In both observation and these eleven forecast models, the daily tropical cyclone probability is modulated by the Boreal Summer Intraseasonal Oscillation (BSISO), depicted by the two indices, boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation 1 and boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation 2. During boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation 1 phases 1, 5, 6, 7, and 8, the daily tropical cyclone probability in the western North Pacific region is ∼3.5 times higher. Similarly, during phases 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 of boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation 2, the daily tropical cyclone probability is ∼2.5 times higher. Among the eleven models, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts model best reproduces the climatological daily tropical cyclone probability and its modulation by the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation in the western North Pacific region, followed by the United States National Centers for Environmental Prediction, the Korea Meteorological Administration, the Japan Meteorological Agency models. Using the daily tropical cyclone probability metric, the highest debiased Brier Skill Score of the eleven models is from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, which has a slightly less skillful prediction than the reference climatological forecast with lead time 11–30 days. The skill of the eleven models is higher during the non-active phases of tropical cyclone activity than their skill during the active phases.
Evaluation of planetary boundary layer schemes on the urban heat islands in the urban agglomeration over the greater bay area in South China
Authors: Huang Ling , Bai Lanqiang
Published: January 2023

Urbanization of large cities exerts significant changes in surface air temperature, which subsequently lead to inadvertent local weather and climate changes. The exchanges of momentum, moisture and heat within the planetary boundary layer (PBL) impact the urban atmosphere representation. The applicability of PBL schemes in regional modeling varies with different climate regimes and underlying surface. As the first step to gaining a better forecast of urban climates, the performances of multiple PBL schemes (YSU, MRF, ACM2, BL, MYNN, UW and GBM) on reproducing the low-level urban atmosphere are evaluated over the Greater Bay Area, South China, during April–June 2018. With the aid of observations from in situ weather stations and radiosondes, the urban environmental characteristics, including surface air temperature and humidity, temperature profile, urban heat island (UHI), and PBL height, are assessed. The results show a cool/moist bias near the surface during nighttime and a warm/dry bias during daytime for all PBL schemes. The daytime bias is significant on weak-UHI days while the nocturnal bias appears to be significant on strong-UHI days. The so-called best scheme depends on the exact meteorological variables, diurnal cycles, and thermodynamic conditions that are of interest. Specifically, the MYNN and MRF schemes perform the best for the daytime and nighttime air temperature, respectively. The MRF scheme also presents the best performance in simulating the observed UHI, with a good agreement with the observed diurnal variation. The numerical exercises in this study may serve as a reference for an efficient operational way that is readily accessible to forecast air temperature in the urban agglomeration over South China.
Metallogeny of the Yi’nan Tongjing Au–Cu skarn deposit, Luxi district, North China Craton: Perspective from in-suit trace elements, sulfur and lead isotopes of sulfides
Authors: Cai Wen-Yan , Zhang Zhao-Lu , Liu Xiao , Gao Ji-Lei , Ma Ming , Li Yadong , Song Ying-Xin , Li Zeng-Sheng
Published: January 2023

Gold–Cu skarn deposits are characterized by a diverse mineral assemblage, whosein-situmajor/trace elements and isotope compositions can provide key constraints to the migration and enrichment of Au during hydrothermal processes. The Yi’nan Tongjing Au–Cu deposit is located in the central part of the Luxi district, and both skarn and Au–Cu ore bodies occur at the contact between the Early Cretaceous diorite porphyry and the Neoproterozoic to Cambrian carbonate rocks. Five stages of mineralization were identified: 1) early skarn (garnet–diopside–wollastonite); 2) late skarn (magnetite–epidote–actinolite±tremolite); 3) oxide (specularite–hematite); 4) sulfide (pyrite–chalcopyrite–sphalerite–quartz–chlorite); and 5) late quartz–calcite. The mineralization process in the Tongjing Au-Cu deposit was revealed by detailed scanning electron microscope-backscattered electron imaging, electron probe microanalysis,in-situtrace element, sulfur and lead isotope analysis. Magnetite is enriched in chalcophile elements (Cu, Zn, Pb), Co and Ni, probably due to hydrothermal overprint. The substitution of As and other elements in the formation of pyrite is conducive to the entry of Au into pyrite. The increase of Se and As contents in pyrite from stage IVa to IVb indicates that the temperature, salinity and oxygen fugacity of the ore-forming fluid decrease while the pH rises, resulting in the unloading of Au. The temperature of Au mineralization based on the Se content in pyrite does not exceed 300°C. Furthermore, V positively correlated with Ti and Ni/Cr ratios ≥1 in magnetite and most Co/Ni ratios in pyrite >10 all confirm their hydrothermal origins. The restricted sulfur (δ34SV-CDT= −0.5–1.2‰; mean = 0.4‰) and lead (206Pb/204Pb = 17.323–17.383;207Pb/204Pb = 15.424–15.452;208Pb/204Pb = 37.367–37.454) isotopic compositions suggest that the deep magma provided the primary mineralized material, accompanied by a relatively small amount of shallow crustal material. The Yi’nan Tongjing Au–Cu skarn deposit was formed in the Early Cretaceous, which is an important metallogenic response to the strong decratonization of the North China Craton induced by the paleo-Pacific Plate roll-back. This study shows that there is a large potential of Early Cretaceous skarn mineralization in the Luxi district.
Seismic site classification of Nakhon Nayok City, central Thailand, using the MASW technique
Authors: Thitimakorn Thanop , Arjwech Rungroj , Kupongsak Sasikan
Published: January 2023

Shear-wave velocity (Vs) of soils in Nakhon Nayok City, Central Thailand were determined using the Multi-Channel Analysis of Surface Wave technique. The Vs. of 35 tested sites were weighted average to 30 m depth based on the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) criteria, which revealed NEHRP site classes C, D, and E within the study area. Soil class C was found in the north of the city. Moreover, most of the residential area of Nakhon Nayok City is positioned on soil classes D and E. The soil in the area of study has an amplification value ranging from 1.4 to 3.9. The central and southwestern parts of the city, which mainly consist of soft sediments, have a higher amplification value than that in the northern part, which mainly consists of coarse grain soils of colluvial deposits. Based on the NEHRP and amplification value, the Nakhon Nayok City area will experience some effect from ground shaking from nearby and far away earthquake seismic sources.
Numerical analysis of metro station pit dewatering and its influence
Authors: Ma Zongyuan , Tang Shitong , Yang Zhiguo
Published: January 2023

The underground water level in Xi’an city is generally shallow, and the excavation of the deep foundation pit mainly needs underground water dewatering. The ground deformation due to the dewatering and its influences should be fully analyzed. The empirical formula estimates the water inflow of the foundation pit, and the process of dewatering and metro station construction is simulated via the finite element method and the theory of soil consolidation according to the field investigation and survey data of the natural geological and hydrological environment. The time of water level falling and recovery, ground settlement, and strata deformation caused by pit dewatering and excavation are predicted. The analysis results of the ground settlement are within reasonable limits and close to the previous metro projects. Finally, the influence of groundwater dewatering on Xi’an Metro Line 14 is discussed. The settlement induced by dewatering for constructing a metro station in the sandy stratum is relatively small, and the loess stratum has the most significant dewatering settlement. The proportion of settlement due to dewatering of the station construction in the loess stratum is nearly 1/3 versus the total land subsidence.
Data assimilation, sensitivity analysis and uncertainty quantification in semi-arid terminal catchments subject to long-term rainfall decline
Authors: De Sousa Eduardo R. , Hipsey Matthew R. , Vogwill Ryan I. J.
Published: January 2023

Quantification of long-term hydrologic change in groundwater often requires the comparison of states pre- and post-change. The assessment of these changes in ungauged catchments using numerical models and other quantitative methods is particularly difficult from a conceptual point of view and due to parameter non-uniqueness and associated uncertainty of quantitative frameworks. In these contexts, the use of data assimilation, sensitivity analysis and uncertainty quantification techniques are critical to maximize the use of available data both in terms of conceptualization and quantification. This paper summarizes findings of a study undertaken in the Lake Muir-Unicup Natural Diversity Recovery Catchment (MUNDRC), a small-scale endorheic basin located in southwestern Australia that has been subject to a systematic decline in rainfall rates since 1970s. A combination of data assimilation techniques was applied to conceptual and numerical frameworks in order to understand and quantify impacts of rainfall decline on the catchment using a variety of metrics involving groundwater and lake levels, as well as fluxes between these compartments and mass balance components. Conceptualization was facilitated with the use of a novel data-driven method relating rainfall and groundwater responses running backwards in time, allowing the establishment of the likely baseline conditions prior to rainfall decline, estimation of net recharge rates and providing initial heads for the forward numerical modelling. Numerical model parameter and predictive uncertainties associated with data gaps were then minimized and quantified utilizing an Iterative Ensemble Smoother algorithm, while further refinement of conceptual model was made possible following results from sensitivity analysis, where major parameter controls on groundwater levels and other predictions of interest were quantified. The combination of methods can be considered as a template for other long-term catchment modelling studies that seek to constrain uncertainty in situations with sparse data availability.
In situ observation of wave-induced deformation of submarine landslides in tidal channel areas
Authors: Xue Liang , Liu Hanlu , Li Zhenghui , Sun Zhongqiang , Shan Hongxian , Jia Yonggang
Published: January 2023

Landslides often occur in land slopes, estuaries, fjords, and intertidal zones in the marine environment, while landslides in tidal channels have not been systematically reported. The Zhoushan sea area is dotted with islands and crisscross tidal channels, which is a typical tidal channel development area. The data from the coastal zone and island survey, offshore engineering site selection, and environmental survey show that landslides are very common in tidal channel areas. The detailed study of this kind of landslide will enrich the research theory of submarine landslide and have important guiding significance for marine planning, development and site selection, and construction of coastal engineering in coastal areas. First, the submarine landslide in southwest of Zhujiajian Island in Zhoushan is investigated in this study. It is found that the sliding zone is parallel to the island coastline, with a length of about 250 m and an extension of 2 km, and the buried depth of the sliding surface is generally 8–10 m; then, through the self-developed seabed deformation observation system, combined with the hydrodynamic observation system, the landslide was observed in situ for 75 days. The observation results showed that the landslide slides at a constant speed along the sliding surface under the action of weight; the slides accelerate under the action of waves, and multiple sliding surfaces are generated in the landslide body at the same time. Finally, the genetic mechanism of submarine landslides in tidal channel areas is put forward.
Hazard assessment and formation mechanism of debris flow outbursts in a small watershed of the Linxia Basin
Authors: Yang Weimin , Wan Feipeng , Ma Siqi , Qu Jingkai , Zhang Chunshan , Tang Haibing
Published: January 2023

The Linxia Basin is located in the transition zone between the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and the Loess Plateau in China. Collapse–landslide–debris flow geological disasters are particularly prevalent in this region. Taking a debris flow that occurred in Zhangjiayuan gully, Dongxiang County, as an example, the characteristics and formation mechanism were studied through field investigation and remote sensing interpretation methods. The hazard zoning and influence range of the debris flow were analysed under different precipitation conditions using numerical simulations. The results show that the debris flow in Zhangjiayuan gully experienced medium-to small-scale, rapid and catastrophic viscous mud flows, with activity frequencies ranging from medium to low. Because large numbers of landslides, collapses and overland flows developed on the gully bank slope, material sources for debris flows were abundant but were supplied intermittently. Induced by heavy rainfall, the landslides on the bank slipped into the gully, and then the landslide mass blocked the channel and formed a weir dam. As water converged in the gully, the dam body softened to mud, seepage deformation occurred, and the dam then burst to form a debris flow. This disaster mode represents a kind of rainfall-type landslide–blockage–debris flow disaster chain. Under varying conditions in which heavy rainfall occurs once every 10 years or once every 50 years, debris flows may break out in Zhangjiayuan gully, and the Zheda highway and the associated tunnels located below the gully are in medium–high debris flow danger zones. When a debris flow rushes out of the gully mouth and cannot be discharged in time, it accumulates and buries the highway and tunnels. Therefore, attention should be given to preventing such small-scale sudden debris flow disasters and strengthening the early warning capacity of debris flow prevention to ensure the safe operation of highway.
Comparing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in bilingual children and their monolingual peers
Authors: Greenwald Declan G. , Shan Liantao , Boldt Tori A. , Truong Brandon B. , Gonzalez Guido S. , Chen Carolyn H. , Corpus Jennifer Henderlong
Published: January 2023

Building from previous research showing a bilingual advantage in school, the present study investigated the link between bilingualism and academic motivation. We asked whether bilingual students would exhibit higher levels of intrinsic or extrinsic motivation than their monolingual peers, how intrinsic and extrinsic motivation would change over time, and the extent to which those forms of motivation would be in tension with one another. Relative to their monolingual peers, we expected bilingual students to (1) report higher levels of both intrinsic and extrinsic forms of motivation, and (2) show a weaker negative correlation between intrinsic and extrinsic forms of motivation. Bilingual status, intrinsic motivation, and extrinsic motivation were measured at two time points in a diverse sample of 1047 3rd-grade through 8th-grade students (851 monolingual, 196 bilingual). Bilingual students reported significantly higher levels of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation than monolingual students. They also showed a sharper decline in intrinsic motivation from fall to spring. Intrinsic and extrinsic forms of motivation were negatively correlated for monolinguals, but unrelated for bilinguals, suggesting that the two motive types may be less antagonistic among students who speak a language other than English at home. These differences may be driven by both cognitive (e.g., executive functioning skills) and cultural (e.g., family cohesion, interdependent orientation) factors, and may inform educators who wish to support learning for students from diverse groups.
Teaching practices for English as foreign language at the tertiary level: A comprehensibility perspective
Authors: Alzubi Ali Abbas Falah , Nazim Mohd , Al-Mwzaiji Khaled Nasser Ali
Published: January 2023

Comprehension is one of the most crucial factors contributing to acquiring a new language; therefore, teachers must facilitate language comprehensibility using the best teaching practices to help learners understand the target language. This study aimed to identify tertiary EFL teachers’ practices for teaching language comprehensibility to assist in highlighting the comprehensibility practices tertiary EFL teachers employ to ensure that students understand, interact with, and use the English language. To identify the extent that the teachers employ language comprehensibility practices in an EFL context, the descriptive-correlational approach was employed. A closed-item questionnaire was administered to a sample of 65 teachers in Najran University, Saudi Arabia in the academic year 2021–2022. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS v. 23) was used to analyze the data. The results showed that tertiary EFL teachers taught language comprehensibility very skillfully. Also, no significant difference in teaching language comprehensibility was found concerning the gender variable. There were, however, differences in the means of the sample’s responses towards methods of teaching language comprehensibility according to years of experience, particularly for those with the most years of experience. Considering the results, the study suggested paying more attention to integrating language comprehensibility practices in EFL contexts.
Identification and characterization of novel compound heterozygous variants in FSHR causing primary ovarian insufficiency with resistant ovary syndrome
Authors: Chen Xiaopan , Chen Linjie , Wang Yang , Shu Chongyi , Zhou Yier , Wu Ruifang , Jin Bihui , Yang Leixiang , Sun Junhui , Qi Ming , Shu Jing
Published: January 2023

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is among the foremost causes of women infertility due to premature partial or total loss of ovarian function. Resistant ovary syndrome (ROS) is a subtype of POI manifested as normal ovarian reserve but insensitive to gonadotropin stimulation. Inactivating variants of follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), a class A G-protein coupled receptor, have been associated with POI and are inherited via an autosomal recessive pattern. In this study, we investigated the genetic causes of a primary infertility patient manifested as POI with ROS, and elucidated the structural and functional impact of variants of uncertain significance. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) combined with Sanger sequencing revealed novel compound heterozygous FSHR variants: c.1384G>C/p.Ala462Pro and c.1862C>T/p.Ala621Val, inherited from her father and mother, respectively. The two altered amino acid sequences, localized in the third and seventh transmembrane helix of FSHR, were predicted as deleterious by in silico prediction. In vitro experiments revealed that the p.Ala462Pro variant resulted in barely detectable levels of intracellular signaling both in cAMP-dependent CRE-reporter activity and ERK activation and displayed a severely reduced plasma membrane receptor expression. In contrast, the p.Ala621Val variant resulted in partial loss of receptor activation without disruption of cell surface expression. In conclusion, two unreported inactivating FSHR variants potentially responsible for POI with ROS were first identified. This study expands the current phenotypic and genotypic spectrum of POI.