bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transient stability enhancement control through VSC-HVDC system and fast frequency response resources
Authors: Xu Qingshen , Lou Jie , Ning Dalei , Li Peihao
Published: January 2023

In addition to the traditional long-distance and bulk power transmission application, the HVDC system can bring additional benefits to the system by providing ancillary service. The high-voltage direct-current transmission (HVDC) system can regulate its power flow in a very short time and can be used to provide emergency support to rescue the disturbed system from very bad conditions. However, because traditional generators cannot meet the great power demand of the HVDC system in a short time, the fast response of the HVDC system may cause severe power-unbalance events in the power supporting system. In this paper, a combination frequency response control (CFRC) is proposed for the fast frequency response (FFR) and HVDC system coordinating under the contingency. With the proposed combination frequency response control, the most use of the frequency response capacity of the HVDC system could be made. Meanwhile, the coordination between the HVDC system and fast frequency response could prevent the frequency of the power-source-provided system from dropping to an unacceptable level. The simulation study is conducted on a highly reduced power system model of the three North American interconnections. The simulation verification shows the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed combination frequency response control and indicates that the frequency stability for both side systems of the HVDC system could be significantly improved with the proposed combination frequency response control. In the future, the communication delay between energy storage and HVDC will be considered in the strategy to further improve the accuracy of fast frequency response.
Disturbance auto-encoder generation model: Few-shot learning method for IGBT open-circuit fault diagnosis in three-phase converters
Authors: Wu Fan , Qiu Gen , Zhang Lefei , Chen Kai , Wang Li , Yu Jinxu , Gao Jinqi
Published: January 2023

With the rapid development of converters in a variety of industrial fields, the fault diagnosis of power switching devices has become an important factor in ensuring the safe and reliable operation of related systems. In recent years, machine learning has performed well in many fault diagnosis tasks. The success of these advanced methods depends on sufficient marked samples for each fault type. However, in most industrial applications, it is expensive and difficult to collect fault samples, and the fault diagnosis model trained under the limited samples cannot meet the requirements of fault diagnosis accuracy. In order to solve this problem, this study proposes a few-shot learning method based on fault sample generation to realize the open-circuit fault diagnosis of IGBT in a three-phase PWM converter. This method is the deformation of the auto-encoder called the disturbance auto-encoder generation model. By designing the model structure and training algorithm constraints, the encoder learns the nonlinear transferable disturbance from the normal operating sample pairs. Then, the disturbance is applied to the decoder to synthesize new fault samples to realize the training of the fault diagnosis model with limited samples. The biggest advantage of this method is that it can achieve 95.90% fault diagnosis accuracy by only collecting the samples in the normal operating conditions of the target system. Finally, the feasibility and advantages of the proposed method are verified by comparative experiments.
Investigating the effects of split injection with different injection patterns on diesel spray mixing
Authors: Naruemon Intarat , Liu Long , Mei Qihao , Wu Yue , Ma Xiuzhen , Nishida Keiya
Published: January 2023

In recent studies, it has been established that improvements in the injection rate results in improved mixing, combustion efficiency, and reduced pollutant emissions. Varying injection rates have been observed to find out the optimization injection rate. In this study, split injection with different injection rates was used as the flexible injection to investigate the diesel spray mixing efficiency. Large eddy simulation (LES) was used to investigate the complex diesel mixing processes of unsteady turbulence. The split injection was combined with different fuel injection rates to approximate the ramping-down rate shape. The simulation results of flexible injection rates showed the formation of a highly unstable aerosol vapor structure with the turbulence structure that produces the vortex in the spray area. The powerful injection rates provide a very strong spray turbulence structure and vortex formation. The backflow and vortex are evident when the dwell time of injection is setup. The flexible injection rates have a huge influence on the mixing efficiency of the fuel spray. Basic mixing efficiency predictions revealed that the dwell time of the split injection and inverse injection pressure affect the turbulence structure. Another prediction is that the initial pressure of the injection rate has a significant impact on evaporation and mixing efficiency, even using the same fuel quantity and same condition. The double-rectangular split injection has a slight effect on the spray radial extension, and the spray area grows rapidly while the equivalence ratio is low. The double-drop split injection with a high pressure difference has a great influence on the spray radial extension and spray length. Additionally, the higher injection pressure results in lower equivalence ratios and more efficient mixing.
The impact of renewable energy transition, green growth, green trade and green innovation on environmental quality: Evidence from top 10 green future countries
Authors: Wei Shanxiang , Jiandong Wen , Saleem Hummera
Published: January 2023

Graphical Abstract

Graphical illustration of D-H panel test.
Estimating the amount of British Columbia’s “big-treed” old growth: Navigating messy indicators
Authors: Price Karen , Daust Dave , Daust Kiri , Holt Rachel
Published: January 2023

British Columbia’s (BC) diverse forest ecosystems include highly productive old growth with global importance for carbon storage and biodiversity. Current estimates of the remaining amount of “big-treed” old growth vary 10-fold, creating uncertainty that challenges provincial attempts to shift management policy toward ecological integrity. This uncertainty arises from using different remotely sensed indicators and definitions of tree size. No ideal indicator exists. We attempt to improve clarity by evaluating the reliability of candidate indicators, calibrating selected indicators to improve consistency, and generating multiple estimates of the amount of big-treed old growth using calibrated indicators. To evaluate reliability, we compared inventory estimates of tree size and site productivity with measured tree size in 1,945 ground plots. To assess the amount of big-treed old growth, we determined an equivalent “big” size threshold for each indicator and calculated the area of old growth above the size threshold. Stand volume, tree density, basal area, and diameter estimates performed poorly; we selected tree height and two measures of site productivity for further analysis. Estimated tree height best indicated the current old growth size, followed by inventory-based site index and finally ecosystem-based site index. The calibrated indicators agreed that very little remaining old growth supports large trees (1.5–3.3% for the biggest trees; 6–13% including medium-sized trees that represent the largest growing trees in lower productivity interior ecosystems). Tree height cannot be used to compare the remaining area of big-treed old growth to the area expected naturally, an important input for ecological risk assessment and conservation planning because height data are lost from the inventory after harvest. The two calibrated site productivity indicators agreed that the amount remaining is less than 30% of the expected historical amount, posing a high risk to biodiversity and resilience. We recommend using estimated height to identify the biggest remaining old-growth stands for regional planning and calibrated inventory-based site index for risk assessment until a detailed ecosystem mapping has been verified to represent old-growth variability. To reduce uncertainty, we suggest that planning groups compare several indicators and analysis approaches, adjusted to ensure equivalence, and use precaution to avoid any unknowingly increasing risks.
Cuproptosis-associated CDKN2A is targeted by plicamycin to regulate the microenvironment in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Fan Kaihui , Dong Yuke , Li Tao , Li Yujie
Published: January 2023

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), the most common malignancy of the head and neck, has an overall 5-year survival rate of <50%. Genes associated with cuproptosis, a newly identified copper-dependent form of cell death, are aberrantly expressed in various tumours. However, their role in HNSCC remains unknown. In this study, bioinformatic analysis revealed that the cuproptosis-related gene CDKN2A was correlated with the malignant behaviour of HNSCC. Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves showed that patients with high CDKN2A expression had a better prognosis. Multiomic analysis revealed that CDKN2A may be associated with cell cycle and immune cell infiltration in the tumour microenvironment and is important for maintaining systemic homeostasis in the body. Furthermore, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations suggested strong binding between plicamycin and CDKN2A. And plicamycin inhibits the progression of HNSCC in cellular assays. In conclusion, this study elucidated a potential mechanism of action of the cuproptosis-associated gene CDKN2A in HNSCC and revealed that plicamycin targets CDKN2A to improve the prognosis of patients.
PBRM1 mutation as a predictive biomarker for immunotherapy in multiple cancers
Authors: Dai Jiali , Cui Yanan , Liang Xiao , Xu Jiali , Li Jun , Chen Yu , Zhang Erbao , Guo Renhua
Published: January 2023

Background: There has been evidence that Polybromo-1 (PBRM1) mutation was closely associated with immunotherapy response in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). However, it remains incompletely unclear whether PBRM1 mutations correlate with ICI response in pan-cancer.

Methods: The clinical data and whole exome sequencing (WES) data were collected from seven published immunotherapy studies to evaluate the association between PBRM1 mutation and ICIs efficacy in the discovery cohort. In order to provide further insight into the relationship between PBRM1 and immunity, we analyzed a relatively large sample as a validation cohort. Moreover, we also collected the clinical data and mutation information of 134 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University to verify the findings. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to evaluate the relationship between PBRM1 and immune-related pathway.

Results: Our results found that PBRM1 mutation were associated with immune response in the discovery cohort (Progression free survival [PFS]: hazard ratio (HR) = .51, 95% CI: .28–.95, p = .030; objective response rate [ORR]: 47.92% vs. 28.21%, p = .0044; disease control rate [DCR]: 72.92% vs. 47.53%, p = .0008). In the validation cohort, the patients with PBRM1 mutation had a longer overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio = .69, 95% CI: .53–.91, p = .006). In our non-small cell lung cancer cohort, PFS, objective response rate and disease control rate had obvious superiority in the patients with PBRM1 mutation than those without PBRM1 mutation (PFS: HR = .268, 95% CI: 084–.854, p = .04, ORR: 55.56% vs. 20.00%, p = .027, DCR: 100% vs. 75.20%). Using the Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) in TCGA cohorts, PBRM1 mutation was closely related to immune efficacy and immune microenvironment, including killer cell mediated immunity regulation, cell cytokine production, CD8+ T-cell activation and MHC protein binding process.

Conclusion: There is a strong correlation between PBRM1 mutation and prognosis and immune response. Based on the findings, PBRM1 mutation may be a promising immunotherapeutic signature that could guide clinical management and personalized immunotherapy.
Case report: Osteo-oto-hepato-enteric syndrome caused by UNC45A deficiency
Authors: Wang Ruixue , Wang Yizhong , Yu Ronghua , Xu Wuhen , Zhang Ting , Xiao Yongmei
Published: January 2023

Background: Recently, UNC45 myosin chaperone A (UNC45A) deficiency was identified as a cause of osteo-oto-hepato-enteric syndrome (O2HE) characterized by congenital diarrhea, neonatal cholestasis, deafness, and bone fragility. To date, only a few O2HE cases have been reported in the literature.

Case presentation: Here, we present a child from China diagnosed with O2HE with novel compound heterozygous variants in UNC45A. The patient suffered with neonatal jaundice, cholestasis, and intractable diarrhea after birth. Laboratory tests revealed highly elevated levels of total serum bilirubin (TB), direct bilirubin (DB), and total bile acid (TBA). The patient was managed with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA)-based treatments, and the clinical symptoms and abnormal liver functions were significantly relieved. The patient’s hearing was normal, and no sign of bone fragility was observed. Exome sequencing (ES) identified novel compound heterozygote variants c.292C>T (p.Arg98Trp)/c.2534-2545del (p.Leu845-Met848del) in UNC45A, which were inherited from her mother and father, respectively. Both variants are predicted to be deleterious by in silico predictors.

Conclusion: We present an O2HE child from China with novel compound heterozygous variants in UNC45A. Our patient’s clinical manifestations were less severe than those of the previous reported cases, which expands the clinical spectrum of O2HE.
The role of serine metabolism in lung cancer: From oncogenesis to tumor treatment
Authors: Zhou Xijia , Tian Chang , Cao Yingshu , Zhao Min , Wang Ke
Published: January 2023

Metabolic reprogramming is an important hallmark of malignant tumors. Serine is a non-essential amino acid involved in cell proliferation. Serine metabolism, especially the de novo serine synthesis pathway, forms a metabolic network with glycolysis, folate cycle, and one-carbon metabolism, which is essential for rapidly proliferating cells. Owing to the rapid development in metabolomics, abnormal serine metabolism may serve as a biomarker for the early diagnosis and pathological typing of tumors. Targeting serine metabolism also plays an essential role in precision and personalized cancer therapy. This article is a systematic review of de novo serine biosynthesis and the link between serine and folate metabolism in tumorigenesis, particularly in lung cancer. In addition, we discuss the potential of serine metabolism to improve tumor treatment.
Epigenetic modifications in chronic rhinosinusitis with and without nasal polyps
Authors: Li Jing , Qiu Chang-Yu , Tao Yue-Jin , Cheng Lei
Published: January 2023

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) has brought a huge socioeconomic burden. However, its mechanism is still elusive, which may involve genetic, environmental and some other factors. Epigenetic analyses have been conducted to explore the mechanisms underlying CRS. Here, we reviewed the fruits in the epigenetic studies on DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA regulation. We concluded that the epigenetic research on CRS has made great breakthroughs, especially in the past 5 years and the field of microRNAs. “Epigenetic therapies” are expected to be designed to treat CRS in the future.
Identification and validation of immune cells and hub genes alterations in recurrent implantation failure: A GEO data mining study
Authors: Yu Liangcheng , Wang Lu , Wang Lijin , Yan Song , Chen Shuqiang , Xu Qian , Su Danjie , Wang Xiaohong
Published: January 2023

Introduction: Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is a distressing problem in assisted reproductive technology (ART). Immunity plays a vital role in recurrent implantation failure (RIF) occurrence and development, but its underlying mechanism still needs to be fully elucidated. Through bioinformatics analysis, this study aims to identify the RIF-associated immune cell types and immune-related genes.

Methods: The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened based on RIF-associated Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Then, the enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis were conducted with the DEGs. The RIF-associated immune cell types were clarified by combining single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) and CIBERSORT. Differentially expressed immune cell types-related modules were identified by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and local maximal quasi-clique merger (lmQCM) analysis. The overlapping genes between DEGs and genes contained by modules mentioned above were delineated as candidate hub genes and validated in another two external datasets. Finally, the microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that interacted with hub genes were predicted, and the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network was structured.

Results: In the present study, we collected 324 DEGs between RIF and the control group, which functions were mainly enriched in immune-related signaling pathways. Regarding differential cell types, the RIF group had a higher proportion of activated memory CD4 T cells and a lower proportion of γδ T cells in the endometrial tissue. Finally, three immune-related hub genes (ALOX5AP, SLC7A7, and PTGS2) were identified and verified to effectively discriminate RIF from control individuals with a specificity rate of 90.8% and a sensitivity rate of 90.8%. In addition, we constructed a key ceRNA network that is expected to mediate molecular mechanisms in RIF.

Conclusion: Our study identified the intricate correlation between immune cell types and RIF and provided new immune-related hub genes that offer promising diagnostic and therapeutic targets for RIF.
Multi-view graph convolutional network for cancer cell-specific synthetic lethality prediction
Authors: Fan Kunjie , Tang Shan , Gökbağ Birkan , Cheng Lijun , Li Lang
Published: January 2023

Synthetic lethal (SL) genetic interactions have been regarded as a promising focus for investigating potential targeted therapeutics to tackle cancer. However, the costly investment of time and labor associated with wet-lab experimental screenings to discover potential SL relationships motivates the development of computational methods. Although graph neural network (GNN) models have performed well in the prediction of SL gene pairs, existing GNN-based models are not designed for predicting cancer cell-specific SL interactions that are more relevant to experimental validation in vitro. Besides, neither have existing methods fully utilized diverse graph representations of biological features to improve prediction performance. In this work, we propose MVGCN-iSL, a novel multi-view graph convolutional network (GCN) model to predict cancer cell-specific SL gene pairs, by incorporating five biological graph features and multi-omics data. Max pooling operation is applied to integrate five graph-specific representations obtained from GCN models. Afterwards, a deep neural network (DNN) model serves as the prediction module to predict the SL interactions in individual cancer cells (iSL). Extensive experiments have validated the model’s successful integration of the multiple graph features and state-of-the-art performance in the prediction of potential SL gene pairs as well as generalization ability to novel genes.
A novel prognostic gene set for colon adenocarcinoma relative to the tumor microenvironment, chemotherapy, and immune therapy
Authors: Zhou Hui , Wang Yongxiang , Zhang Zijian , Xiong Li , Liu Zhongtao , Wen Yu
Published: January 2023

Background: Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is a common aggressive malignant tumor. Heterogeneity in tumorigenesis and therapy response leads to an unsatisfactory overall survival of colon adenocarcinoma patients. Our study aimed to identify tools for a better prediction of colon adenocarcinoma prognosis, bolstering the development of a better personalized treatment and management.

Method: We used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox model to analyze the prognosis-related gene datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and verified them using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to evaluate the predictive ability of the risk score model. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was used to identify the significantly enriched and depleted biological processes. The tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) algorithm was taken to explore the relationship between the risk score and immunotherapy. The observations collectively helped us construct a nomogram to predict prognosis. Finally, the correlation between drug sensitivity and prognostic gene sets was conducted based on the Cancer Therapeutics Response Portal (CTRP) analyses.

Results: We constructed a scoring model to assess the significance of the prognosis risk-related gene signatures, which was relative to common tumor characteristics and tumor mutational burdens. Patients with a high-risk score had higher tumor stage and poor prognosis (p< 0.05). Moreover, the expressions of these genes were in correlation with changes in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The risk score is an independent prognostic factor for COAD (p< 0.05). The accuracy of the novel nomogram model with a risk score and TNM-stage prediction prognosis in the predicting prognosis was higher than that of the TNM stage. Further analysis showed that a high-risk score was associated with tumor immune rejection. Patients with a low-risk score have a better prognosis with chemotherapy than those with a high-risk score. Compared to patients in the high-risk group, patients in the low-risk group had a significant survival advantage after receiving chemotherapy. In addition, the prognostic gene sets aid the assessment of drug sensitivity.

Conclusion: This study establishes a new prognostic model to better predict the clinical outcome and TME characteristics of colon adenocarcinoma. We believe, our model also serves as a useful clinical tool to strengthen the functioning of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted drugs.
Immune microenvironment infiltration landscape and immune-related subtypes in prostate cancer
Authors: Wu Wei , Wang Xin’an , Le Wei , Lu Chang , Li Haopeng , Zhu Yaru , Chen Xi , An Wenbin , Xu Chengdang , Wu Qiang , Wang Licheng
Published: January 2023

Background

The tumor microenvironment (TME) primarily comprises cancer cells, cancer-infiltrating immune cells, and stromal cells. The tumor cells alter the TME by secreting signaling molecules to induce immune tolerance. The immune cell infiltrating the TME influences the prognosis of patients with cancers. However, immune cell infiltration (ICI) in the TME of patients with prostate cancer (PC) has not yet been studied.

Methods

In this study, we used Cell-type Identification by Estimating Relative Subsets of RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT) and Estimation of Stromal and Immune cells in Malignant Tumors using Expression data (ESTIMATE) algorithms to identify three ICI clusters based on 1,099 genes associated with ICI in the TME. The patients were classified into three distinct ICI gene clusters based on overlapping differentially expressed genes in ICI clusters. Furthermore, the ICI scores were calculated using principal component analysis.

Results

The results revealed that patients with high ICI scores had poor prognoses and reduced expression of immune-checkpoint genes and immune-related genes. Furthermore, the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and WNT-β signaling pathways were enriched in the high ICI score subgroup, which suggests that suppression of T cells could contribute to poor prognosis of patients with PC. A positive correlation was observed between the high-ICI-score subgroup and the high tumor mutation burden (TMB) value. Patients with low ICI scores could benefit from immunotherapy, indicating that the ICI score could be used to predict the efficacy of immunotherapeutic response.

Conclusions

In summary, we provide a comprehensive overview of the landscape of ICI in PC, which could aid in designing the strategies for immunotherapy for patients with PC.
Secretomes derived from osteogenically differentiated jaw periosteal cells inhibit phenotypic and functional maturation of CD14+ monocyte-derived dendritic cells
Authors: Cen Wanjing , Umrath Felix , Salgado António José , Reinert Siegmar , Alexander Dorothea
Published: January 2023

The jaw periosteal tissue is generally recognized as a suitable source for the isolation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In previous studies we showed evidence that two- and three-dimensionally cultured jaw periosteum-derived MSCs (JPCs) are able to induce a more immature phenotype of dendritic cells (DCs). To further expand our knowledge of JPCs’ immunoregulative function, we investigated the effects of JPC secretomes derived from undifferentiated (CO) or osteogenically differentiated cells (treated with or without dexamethasone: OB+/-D) on CD14+ monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs). We detected a remarkably reduced formation of MoDC homotypic clusters under the influence of secretomes from osteogenically induced JPCs. Further, significantly decreased numbers of CD83+ cells, up-regulated CD209 and down-regulated CD80, CD86 and CD197 expression levels were detected on the surface of MoDCs. Whereas secretomes from JPCs osteogenically stimulated with dexamethasone significantly enhanced FITC-dextran uptake capacity of MoDCs, the increase by secretomes of JPCs treated without dexamethasone did not reach significance. The analysis of mixed lymphocyte reactions revealed that OB+/-D secretomes were able to significantly reduce the numbers of proliferating CD14- peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and of proliferating CD4+ T cells. The OB-D secretome significantly promoted the expansion of regulatory CD25+ T cells. Regarding gene expression of MoDCs, remarkably up-regulated mRNA expression of CD209, HLA-DRA, CSF3, IL10 and IL8 was detected when DCs were cultured in the presence of OB+/-D secretomes. At the same time, secretomes seemed to have an impact in the down-regulation of IFNγ and IL12B gene expression. At protein level, OB+/-D secretomes significantly up-regulated IL-10 and IDO (indoleamine-pyrrole 2,3-dioxygenase) levels whereas IL-12/IL-23p40 levels were down-regulated in supernatants of MoDCs when cultured under the presence of OB+/-D secretomes. Taken together, while secretomes from untreated JPCs had only little effects on the process of maturation of MoDCs, secretomes derived from osteogenically induced JPCs were able to inhibit the phenotypic and functional maturation of MoDCs.
The role of Th17 cells in inflammatory bowel disease and the research progress
Authors: Chen Lu , Ruan Guangcong , Cheng Yi , Yi Ailin , Chen Dongfeng , Wei Yanling
Published: January 2023

Th17 cells play an important role in the abnormal immune response in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and are involved in the development and progression of inflammation and fibrosis. An increasing amount of data has shown that gut microbes are important parts of intestinal immunity and regulators of Th17 cellular immunity. Th17 cell differentiation is regulated by intestinal bacteria and cytokines, and Th17 cells regulate the intestinal mucosal immune microenvironment by secreting cytokines, such as IL-17, IL-21, and IL-26. Solid evidence showed that, regarding the treatment of IBD by targeting Th17 cells, the therapeutic effect of different biological agents varies greatly. Fecal bacteria transplantation (FMT) in the treatment of IBD has been a popular research topic in recent years and is safe and effective with few side effects. To further understand the role of Th17 cells in the progression of IBD and associated therapeutic prospects, this review will discuss the progress of related research on Th17 cells in IBD by focusing on the interaction and immune regulation between Th17 cells and gut microbiota.
Systematic comparison of HIV-1 Envelope-specific IgG responses induced by different vaccination regimens: Can we steer IgG recognition towards regions of viral vulnerability?
Authors: Horvath Augusta , Rogers Lisa , Pollakis Georgios , Baranov Olga , Pieroth Nora , Joseph Sarah , Chachage Mkunde , Heitzer Asli , Maganga Lucas , Msafiri Frank , Joachim Agricola , Viegas Edna , Eller Leigh-Anne , Kibuuka Hannah , Rerks-Ngarm Supachai , Pitisuttithum Punnee , Nitayapan Sorachai , Dhitavat Jittima , Premsri Nakorn , Fidler Sarah , Shattock Robin J. , Robb Merlin Lee , Weber Jonathan , McCormack Sheena , Munseri Patricia Jane , Lyamuya Eligius , Nilsson Charlotta , Kroidl Arne , Hoelscher Michael , Wagner Ralf , Geldmacher Christof , Held Kathrin
Published: January 2023

Immunogens and vaccination regimens can influence patterns of immune-epitope recognition, steering them towards or away from epitopes of potential viral vulnerability. HIV-1 envelope (Env)-specific antibodies targeting variable region 2 (V2) or 3 (V3) correlated with protection during the RV144 trial, however, it was suggested that the immunodominant V3 region might divert antibody responses away from other relevant sites. We mapped IgG responses against linear Env epitopes in five clinical HIV vaccine trials, revealing a specific pattern of Env targeting for each regimen. Notable V2 responses were only induced in trials administering CRF01_AE based immunogens, but targeting of V3 was seen in all trials, with the soluble, trimeric CN54gp140 protein eliciting robust V3 recognition. Strong V3 targeting was linked to greater overall response, increased number of total recognised antigenic regions, and where present, stronger V2 recognition. Hence, strong induction of V3-specific antibodies did not negatively impact the targeting of other linear epitopes in this study, suggesting that the induction of antibodies against V3 and other regions of potential viral vulnerability need not be necessarily mutually exclusive.
Identification of a CD4+ conventional T cells-related lncRNAs signature associated with hepatocellular carcinoma prognosis, therapy, and tumor microenvironment
Authors: Zhu Lin , Zhang Xiu-Ping , Xu Shuai , Hu Ming-Gen , Zhao Zhi-Ming , Zhao Guo-Dong , Xiao Zhao-Hui , Liu Rong
Published: January 2023

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and CD4+ T lymphocytes can inhibit hepatocarcinogenesis and mediate tumor regression. However, few studies have focused on the prognostic power of CD4+ Tconv-related lncRNAs in HCC patients.

Method

We obtained data from TCGA and GEO databases and identified CD4+Tconv-related lncRNAs in HCC. The risk score was constructed using lasso regression and the model was validated using two validation cohorts. The RS was also assessed in different clinical subgroups, and a nomogram was established to further predict the patients’ outcomes. Furthermore, we estimated the immune cell infiltration and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) through TIMER databases and assessed the role of RS in immune checkpoint inhibitors response.

Results

We constructed a CD4+ Tconv-related lncRNAs risk score, including six lncRNAs (AC012073.1, AL031985.3, LINC01060, MKLN1-AS, MSC-AS1, and TMCC1-AS1), and the RS had good predictive ability in validation cohorts and most clinical subgroups. The RS and the T stage were included in the nomogram with optimum prediction and the model had comparable OS prediction power compared to the AJCC. Patients in the high-risk group had a poor immune response phenotype, with high infiltrations of macrophages, CAFs, and low infiltrations of NK cells. Immunotherapy and chemotherapy response analysis indicated that low-risk group patients had good reactions to immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Conclusion

We constructed and validated a novel CD4+ Tconv-related lncRNAs RS, with the potential predictive value of HCC patients’ survival and immunotherapy response.
Three-dimensional numerical study of cooling water discharge of Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant in southern coast of China during summer
Authors: Geng Bingxu , Lu Lingyan , Cao Qian , Zhou Wen , Li Shiyu , Wen Ding , Hong Man
Published: January 2023

The impact of thermal pollution caused by cooling water discharge of power plant on the surrounding marine ecology has been a hot issue in oceanographic research. To reveal the distribution pattern of cooling water discharge of Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant in summer and the impact on the surrounding marine environment, this research established a high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) numerical model based on ECOMSED in the Daya Bay. The model results are consistent with the observations on the distribution of tide level and temperature. The simulated horizontal distribution of temperature rise is consistent with the distribution trend of remote sensing images. The study showed that the stratification of the Daya Bay water is stronger in summer. The cooling water mainly spreads in the surface layer, and the temperature rise in the bottom layer is not apparent. Quantitative analysis showed that around 18.8-21.6 km2 of the area has 1°C surface temperature rises. The area of temperature rises that exceeds 2 °C is between 6.2 and 8.1 km2. The area of temperature rises that exceeds 4 °C is between no more than 1.2 km2. The area with a bottom temperature rises of 1 °C does not exceed 2.2 km2, and there is no area that has a bottom temperature rise over 1 °C. The tidal dynamics process influences on the dispersion of cooling water discharge from Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant, where the influence is more significant in the spring tide period than in the neap tide period. Our findings are consistent with previous researches.
Foredune growth and storm surge protection potential at the Eiderstedt Peninsula, Germany
Authors: Mehrtens Björn , Lojek Oliver , Kosmalla Viktoria , Bölker Thea , Goseberg Nils
Published: January 2023

In the context of climate change and associated sea level rise, coastal dunes can provide an essential contribution to coastal protection against wave attack and flooding. Since dunes are highly dynamic systems, their potential safety levels are related to their long-term development, varying in time and space, however pertinent research that ties those aspects together are generally scarce. The objective of this study is to analyze the long-term development of a young coastal foredune at the Eiderstedt peninsula, Germany and assess its coastal protection potential. This research presents (i) a novel semi-automated Dune Toe Tracking (DTT) method to systematically extract dune toes from cross-shore elevation profiles; (ii) established tools to derive the extraction of characteristic dune parameters and (iii) a newly defined Critical Storm Surge Level (CSSL) to relate spatio-temporal dune growth with coastal storm surge protection. Based on geospatial survey data, initial dune formation was identified in the 1980s. By 2015, the foredune had developed over a 6.5 km coastal stretch with a mean annual growth of 7.4m³/m. During the course of dune evolution, the seaward dune toe shifted seaward by an average of 2.3m/yr, while simultaneously increasing in height by an average of 1.1 cm/yr. Overall, the foredune formation established a new line of defense in front of an existing dike/dune line that provides spatially varying protection against a mean CSSL of 3.4m + NHN and can serve as an additional buffer against wave attack during severe storm events.
Influence of Loop Current and eddy shedding on subseasonal sea level variability along the western Gulf Coast
Authors: Shinoda Toshiaki , Tissot Philippe , Reisinger Anthony
Published: January 2023

Mechanisms that generate subseasonal (1-2 months) events of sea level rise along the western Gulf Coast are investigated using the data collected by a dense tide gauge network: Texas Coastal Ocean Observation Network (TCOON) and National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON), satellite altimetry, and high-resolution (0.08°) ocean reanalysis product. In particular, the role of Loop Current and eddy shedding in generating the extreme sea level rise along the coast is emphasized. The time series of sea level anomalies along the western portion of the Gulf Coast derived from the TCOON and NWLON tide gauge data indicate that a subseasonal sea level rise which exceeds 15 cm is observed once in every 2-5 years. Based on the analysis of satellite altimetry data and high-resolution ocean reanalysis product, it is found that most of such extreme subseasonal events are originated from the anti-cyclonic (warm-core) eddy separated from the Loop Current which propagates westward. A prominent sea level rise is generated when the eddy reaches the western Gulf Coast, which occurs about 6-8 months after the formation of strong anti-cyclonic eddy in the central Gulf of Mexico. The results demonstrate that the accurate prediction of subseasonal sea level rise events along the Gulf Coast with the lead time of several months require a full description of large-scale ocean dynamical processes in the entire Gulf of Mexico including the characteristics of eddies separated from the Loop Current.
Mucus-associated microbiotas among different body sites of wild tuna from the South China Sea
Authors: Zou Ying , Wu Di , Wei Lu , Xiao Juan , Zhang Pengfei , Huang Hai , Zhang Yanjie , Guo Zhiqiang
Published: January 2023

The mucus-associated symbionts have profound impacts on the pathogen defense, metabolism, and development of aquatic animals. To understand the microbial structure of regional endothermic fish, a total of 52 samples from the skin, oral, gill, and hindgut of wild tuna Thunnus albacares and T. obesus were determined by 16S amplicon sequencing. The results showed the diversity and composition of microbial communities varied in the four different body sites of tunas, with a greater heterogeneity between the external surface and the gut. Phyla Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and genus Acinetobacter were found in high relative abundance in all body sites. The other abundant taxa were enriched in different body sites, such as Lactobacillus and Kocuria in the skin and Geobacillus in the gut. The core taxa interacted with each other to different degrees in the four body sites, which may be related to species’ co-evolution and microbial community stability. Finally, the correlation between biomarkers and COG functions highlighted the importance of microbial biomarkers to the host. This work firstly characterized the microbial feature in different body sites of wild tunas, providing a foundational dataset to understand the microbial role in endothermic fish and to find key microbial components beneficial to farmed tunas.
Film-cooling hole optimization and experimental validation considering the lateral pressure gradient
Authors: Zhang Hao , Gou Jinlan , Yin Peng , Su Xinrong , Yuan Xin
Published: January 2023

The flow in the turbine endwall region consists of the complicated secondary flow structures driven by the lateral pressure gradient, which heavily affects the performance of film cooling. In this work, the film-cooling hole design optimization is performed considering the existence of the lateral pressure gradient in the real flow environment. Results have shown that the optimal film-cooling hole design is heavily influenced by the lateral pressure gradient in the endwall region, especially the compound angle design is clearly different from the flat plate flow environment. The optimization results are further validated with experiments using the pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) technique, and the film cooling performance is shown to be improved by 42.9%. This work demonstrates the importance of considering the real flow environment in the film-cooling hole design and also can provide guidance to the film-cooling hole design in the endwall region.
Abnormal lens thickening in a child with Weill–Marchesani syndrome 4: A 3-year follow-up case report
Authors: Huang Junting , Nie Kailai , Lv Xinpin , Liu Yuting , Yang Guiqi , Fu Junjiang , Liu Longqian , Lv Hongbin
Published: January 2023

Background

Weill–Marchesani syndrome 4 (WMS4) is caused by ADAMTS17 gene variant and clinical abnormalities including lenticular myopia, ectopia lentis, glaucoma, microspherophakia, brachydactyly, and short stature. Due to free of heart defects and joint stiffness compared with other WMS forms, WMS4 has an insidious onset and is often misdiagnosed as high myopia. We combined multiple imaging biometry and whole-exome sequencing to diagnose a case of WMS4 with a 3-year follow-up.

Case presentation

An 8-year-old boy presented to our ophthalmology department with progressive myopia for 1 year. He had high myopia in both eyes with normal funds, intraocular pressure, and axial length. Ocular examination revealed thicker lenses (right 4.38 mm, left 4.31 mm) with a smaller equatorial diameter (right 7.33 mm and left 7.17 mm) compared to normal children of the same age. Finger length measurement indicates brachydactyly. Whole-exome sequencing identified compound heterozygous missense variants c.2984G > A (p.Arg995Gln) and c.2254A > G (p.Ile752Val) in the ADAMTS17 gene. During the 3 years of follow-up, the thickness of lenses increased significantly (right 4.49 mm, left 4.48 mm), but the equatorial diameter of the lenses had no significant change (right 7.32 mm, left 7.21 mm). As the equivalent lens power increased, the patient’s myopia spherical refractive error rose accordingly. Although the anterior chamber angle remained open during follow-up, the intraocular pressure increased to right 20.4 mmHg and left 19.6 mmHg, Iridodonesis and short stature were present.

Conclusion

This case report highlights the abnormal thickening of the lens in WMS4 compared to the physiological thinning process during childhood. Comprehensive clinical examinations and genetic testing may improve diagnosis, which allows early therapeutic interventions for complications and better visual outcomes for the patient.
Self-care and lifestyle interventions of complementary and integrative medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic—A cross-sectional study
Authors: Jeitler Michael , Erehman Avital , Koppold Daniela A. , Ortiz Miriam , Jerzynski Lea , Stöckigt Barbara , Rotter Gabriele , Blakeslee Sarah , Brinkhaus Benno , Michalsen Andreas , Seifert Georg , Cramer Holger , Kandil Farid I. , Kessler Christian S.
Published: January 2023

Background

Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM), including self-care healthy life-style promotion strategies, is widely used in Germany. Aim of this study was to assess the use of self-care and lifestyle interventions as well as mental/emotional state experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

An exploratory cross-sectional online study was conducted with adults in Germany through an online survey. Custom-developed questions in respiratory disease-status (including COVID-19), CIM-based self-care/lifestyle interventions and dietary patterns, and mental/emotional state as well as parameters for wellbeing (World Health Organization Well-Being Index, WHO-5) and self-efficacy (General Self-Efficacy Short Scale, GSE-3) were assessed. Data was analyzed using frequency and parametric measures.

Results

The online survey was performed from January to March 2021 and included 1,138 participants (81.5% female; mean age: 49.2 ± 13.7 years; 54.9% holding a university degree) living in Germany, of which 62 had had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, 4 an influenza infection and 375 participants other respiratory infections. The following individual health promotion strategies were reported: spending time in nature (90%; n = 1,024), physical activity (69.3%; n = 789), naturopathic remedies (63.1%; n = 718), plant-based diet (56.3%; n = 640), and Mind-Body interventions (54.7%; n = 623). No differences in strategies between individuals with respiratory diseases or the sample overall were found. Well-being had a mean value of 15.2 ± 5 (WHO-5) and self-efficacy 4.1 ± 0.6 (GSE-3). Nearly 8% reported a low mental/emotional state regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusion

Self-care and lifestyle interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic were reported by participants who were predominantly female, middle-aged, and well-educated. Most participants showed an overall balanced mental/emotional state. Further studies should include a representative control group from the general population.

Clinical trial registration

clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT04653727.
Comparison of prognosis of patients with endometrial cancer after hysteroscopy versus dilatation and curettage: A multicenter retrospective study
Authors: Liu Shihuang , Zhen Lan , Zhang Shaoyu , Cai Yurong , Lin Yanying , Chen Fulian , Li Xiaowen , You Qianru , Lai Xiaohong , Lai Hangbo , Zheng Xiangqin , Yi Huan
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Hysteroscopy is a useful procedure for diagnosing endometrial cancer. There is controversy regarding whether hysteroscopy affects the prognosis of endometrial cancer by prompting cancer cell into intraperitoneal dissemination. Our purpose was to confirm whether hysteroscopy could be a risk factor of the tumor stage, recurrence and survival rate of endometrial cancer.

Methods

This multicenter retrospective study included all consecutive patients who had endometrial carcinoma diagnosed preoperatively with hysteroscopy and directed endometrial biopsy (HSC, group A) and dilatation and curettage (D&C, group B) between February 2014 and December 2018 at the Fujian Provincial, China. We compared the demographic feature, clinical characteristics and prognosis between the two groups.

Results

A total of 429 patients were included in the study (Group A, n = 77; Group B, n = 352). There was no significant difference between their baseline characteristics [including age, BMI, histological type and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage]. By comparing several pathological conditions that may affect prognosis, there were no significant differences between the two groups in the peritoneal cytology, depth of myometrial invasion, the positivity of lymph nodes, lymphovascular space invasion and paraaortic lymph node dissection. Finally, no significant difference was found between the two groups in overall survival (OS) (P = 0.189) or recurrence free survival (RFS) (P = 0.787).

Conclusion

Under certain inflation pressure and distension medium, hysteroscopic examination and lesion biopsy ensure the safety and have no adverse effects on prognosis compared to conventional curettage.