bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chronic Hepatitis C Pathogenesis: Immune Response in the Liver Microenvironment and Peripheral Compartment
Authors: Rios Daniela Alejandra , Casciato Paola Cecilia , Caldirola María Soledad , Gaillard María Isabel , Giadans Cecilia , Ameigeiras Beatriz , De Matteo Elena Noemí , Preciado María Victoria , Valva Pamela
Published: August 2021

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) pathogenic mechanisms as well as the participation of the immune response in the generation of liver damage are still a topic of interest. Here, we evaluated immune cell populations and cytokines in the liver and peripheral blood (PB) to elucidate their role in CHC pathogenesis. B, CTL, Th, Treg, Th1, Th17, and NK cell localization and frequency were evaluated on liver biopsies by immunohistochemistry, while frequency, differentiation, and functional status on PB were evaluated by flow cytometry. TNF-α, IL-23, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17A, IL-21, IL-10, and TGF-β expression levels were quantified in fresh liver biopsy by RT-qPCR and in plasma by CBA/ELISA. Liver CTL and Th1 at the lobular area inversely correlated with viral load (r = −0.469, p =0.003 and r = −0.384, p = 0.040). Treg correlated with CTL and Th1 at the lobular area (r = 0.784, p < 0.0001; r = 0.436, p = 0.013). Th17 correlated with hepatic IL-8 (r = 0.52, p < 0.05), and both were higher in advanced fibrosis cases (Th17 p = 0.0312, IL-8 p = 0.009). Hepatic cytokines were higher in severe hepatitis cases (IL-1β p = 0.026, IL-23 p = 0.031, IL-8 p = 0.002, TGF-β, p= 0.037). Peripheral NK (p = 0.008) and NK dim (p = 0.018) were diminished, while NK bright (p = 0.025) was elevated in patients vs. donors. Naïve Th (p = 0.011) and CTL (p = 0.0007) were decreased, while activated Th (p = 0.0007) and CTL (p = 0.0003) were increased. IFN-γ production and degranulation activity in NK and CTL were normal. Peripheral cytokines showed an altered profile vs. donors, particularly elevated IL-6 (p = 0.008) and TGF-β (p = 0.041). Total hepatic CTLs favored damage. Treg could not prevent fibrogenesis triggered by Th17 and IL-8. Peripheral T-lymphocyte differentiation stage shift, elevated cytokine levels and NK-cell count decrease would contribute to global disease.
Deciphering Impacts and Human Responses to a Changing Climate in East Africa
Authors: Thalheimer Lisa , Otto Friederike , Abele Simon
Published: August 2021

Climate-related human mobility (climate mobilities) is often portrayed as a key impact of human-induced climate change. Yet, causal, quantitative evidence on this link remains limited and suffers from disciplinary hurdles. One reason for this is that existing case studies do not incorporate insights from climate science methods and pay little attention to contextual factors in climate mobilities. We use a dual-method approach to categorise and classify. By combining a qualitative case study analysis with statistical approaches from topic modelling in an innovative dual-method framework, we show current empirical evidence on weather and climate-related impacts and human mobility in East Africa, an alleged hot-spot of climate change. We find that although climate change is referred to, implicitly and explicitly, as a tipping point for human mobility, studies imply a causal link between human mobility and climate change while under or misrepresenting evidence in climate science. A map of evidence allows studies to be matched with human mobility types and contextual factors influencing such mobilities in a changing climate with a novel and more ambitious form of synthesis, carving out the multi-causal nature of human mobility. Our findings show that climatic influences on human mobility are not independent. Rather, climate factors influencing human mobility are closely connected with contextual factors such as social norms, economic opportunities, and conflict. The findings suggest that there is currently low confidence in a climate change-human mobility nexus for East Africa. As a way forward, we propose emerging methods to systematically research causal links between climate mobilities and anthropogenic climate change globally.
One-Year Change in the H2FPEF Score After Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With a Normal Left Ventricular Systolic Function
Authors: Kim Min , Yu Hee Tae , Kim Tae-Hoon , Uhm Jae-Sun , Joung Boyoung , Lee Moon-Hyoung , Pak Hui-Nam
Published: August 2021

Background: It is unclear whether atrial fibrillation (AF) catheter ablation (AFCA) improves the left ventricular (LV) diastolic function. We evaluated the 1-year change in the H2FPEF score, which reflects the degree of LV diastolic function, after AFCA among patients with a normal LV systolic function.

Methods and Results: We included 1,471 patients (30.7% female, median age 60 years, paroxysmal-type AF 68.6%) who had available H2FPEF scores at baseline and at 1-year after AFCA to evaluate the 1-year change in the H2FPEF score (ΔH2FPEF score[1−yr]) after AFCA. Baseline high H2FPEF scores (≥6) were independently associated with the female sex, left atrium (LA) diameter, LV mass index, pericardial fat volume, and a low estimated glomerular filtration rate. One year after AFCA, decreased ΔH2FPEF scores[1−yr] were associated with baseline H2FPEF scores of ≥6 [OR, 4.19 (95% CI, 2.88–6.11), p < 0.001], no diabetes [OR, 0.60 (95% CI, 0.37–0.98), p = 0.04], and lower pericardial fat volume [OR, 0.99 (95% CI, 0.99–1.00), p = 0.003]. Increased ΔH2FPEF scores[1−yr] were associated with a baseline H2FPEF score of <6 [OR, 3.54 (95% CI, 2.08–6.04), p < 0.001] and sustained AF after a recurrence within 1 year [SustainAF[1−yr]; OR, 1.89 (95% CI, 1.01–3.54), p = 0.048]. Throughout a 56-month median follow-up, an increased ΔH2FPEF score[1−yr] resulted in a poorer rhythm outcome of AFCA (at 1 year, log-rank p = 0.003; long-term, log-rank p = 0.010).

Conclusions: AFCA appears to improve LV diastolic dysfunction. However, SustainAF[1−yr] may contribute to worsening LV diastolic dysfunction, and it was shown by increased ΔH2FPEF scores[1−yr], which was independently associated with higher risk of AF recurrence rate after AFCA.

Clinical Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02138695.
Detecting Spurious Correlations With Sanity Tests for Artificial Intelligence Guided Radiology Systems
Authors: Mahmood Usman , Shrestha Robik , Bates David D. B. , Mannelli Lorenzo , Corrias Giuseppe , Erdi Yusuf Emre , Kanan Christopher
Published: August 2021

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been successful at solving numerous problems in machine perception. In radiology, AI systems are rapidly evolving and show progress in guiding treatment decisions, diagnosing, localizing disease on medical images, and improving radiologists' efficiency. A critical component to deploying AI in radiology is to gain confidence in a developed system's efficacy and safety. The current gold standard approach is to conduct an analytical validation of performance on a generalization dataset from one or more institutions, followed by a clinical validation study of the system's efficacy during deployment. Clinical validation studies are time-consuming, and best practices dictate limited re-use of analytical validation data, so it is ideal to know ahead of time if a system is likely to fail analytical or clinical validation. In this paper, we describe a series of sanity tests to identify when a system performs well on development data for the wrong reasons. We illustrate the sanity tests' value by designing a deep learning system to classify pancreatic cancer seen in computed tomography scans.
Adaption of Theoretical Adsorption Model on Coal: Physical Structure
Authors: Guodai Wu , Linhua Pan , Bingxiang Huang , Jinhua Luan , Ye Zhang , Ruigang Zhang , Zheng Sun
Published: August 2021

With the motivation to investigate the role of coal physical structure on the adsorption performance of coal reservoir, 18 different types of coal samples with different coal structures were collected from six coal profiles of four production mines located at China. The adsorption characteristics of CH4 on coal samples with different coal structures were examined, and then experimental results were fitted and analyzed by the Langmuir model and the adsorption potential model (D-R and D-A). The prominent factors in terms of adsorption capacity of coal with different coal structures and its adaptability to the model were discussed. Results indicate the following: a) under the condition of a similar coal rank, the adsorption performance of coal is governed by coal rock composition and adsorption heat, the effect of structural deformation on the adsorption performance of coal is not obvious; b) the Langmuir model has a certain adaptability to coal samples with different coal structures, while the D-R model is evidently not suitable to describe coal samples with scaly coal, part of broken coal with small vitrinite content; c) the D-A model has a high adaptability to coal samples with various coal structure types, and the stronger the coal deformation is, the higher the accuracy is.
The Nitrogen Cycle in an Epeiric Sea in the Core of Gondwana Supercontinent: A Study on the Ediacaran-Cambrian Bambuí Group, East-central Brazil
Authors: Fraga-Ferreira Paula Luiza , Ader Magali , Caetano-Filho Sérgio , Sansjofre Pierre , Paula-Santos Gustavo Macedo , Babinski Marly , Guacaneme Cristian , Bedoya-Rueda Carolina , Rojas Virginia , Reis Humberto L. S. , Kuchenbecker Matheus , Trindade Ricardo I. F.
Published: August 2021

The Ediacaran-Cambrian transition is marked by the diversification of metazoans in the marine realm. However, this is not recorded by the Ediacaran-Cambrian Bambuí Group of the São Francisco basin, Brazil. Containing the sedimentary record of a partially confined foreland basin system, the Bambuí strata bear rare metazoan remnants and a major carbon isotope positive excursion decoupled from the global record. This has been explained by changes in the paleogeography of the basin, which became a restricted epicontinental sea in the core of the Gondwana supercontinent, promoting episodes of shallow water anoxia. Here, we report new δ15Nbulk data from the two lowermost second-order transgressive-regressive sequences of the Bambuí Group. The results show a rise of δ15N values from +2 to +5‰ in the transgressive system tract of the basal sequence, which was deposited when the basin was connected to other marginal seas. Such excursion is interpreted as an oxygenation event in the Bambuí sea. Above, in the regressive systems tract, δ15N values vary from +2 to +5‰, pointing to instabilities in the N-cyle that are concomitant with the onset of basin restrictions, higher sedimentary supply/accommodation ratios, and the episodic anoxia. In the transgressive systems tract, the δ15N values stabilise at ∼+3.5‰, pointing to the establishment of an appreciable nitrate pool in shallow waters in spite of the basin full restriction as marked by the onset of a positive carbon isotope excursion. In sum, our data show that the N-cycle and its fluctuations were associated with variations in sedimentary supply/accommodation ratios induced by tectonically-related paleogeographic changes. The instability of the N-cycle and redox conditions plus the scarcity of nitrate along regression episodes might have hindered the development of early benthic metazoans within the Bambuí seawater and probably within other epicontinental seas during the late Ediacaran-Cambrian transition.
Continuous Intraoperative Nerve Monitoring in Thyroid Surgery: Can Amplitude Be a Standardized Parameter?
Authors: Mazzone Sara , Esposito Adelaide , Giacomarra Vittorio
Published: August 2021

The objective of this study is to evaluate electromyographic waveforms related to vagus monitoring. We collected data from patients undergoing thyroidectomy with CIONM, regardless of vocal cord response amplitude initially measured. We divided data of 193 nerves into three groups, according to initial amplitude value: ≥500 µV (Group 1,110 pt.), between 100 and 500 µV (Group 2, 79 pt.), and <100 µV (Group 3, 4 pt.). ROC curve showed a high diagnostic accuracy of final amplitude absolute value in vocal cord paralysis detection in both groups (89 and 86%). An increase of vocal cord paralysis risk was associated with progressive amplitude reduction (Group 1: OR=1.05, CI=1.02–1.09, p=0.001; Group 2: OR=1.05, CI=1.02–1.08, p=0.002). Cut-off values for amplitude reduction with optimal sensitivity and specificity were −77% in Group 1 and −15% in Group 2. In Group 3 signals showed an amplitude <100 µV for all monitoring, with no loss of a recognizable signal and normal postoperative cordal functionality. The use of a strict amplitude signal cut-off value ≥500 µV could be too restrictive. Also, signal with baseline amplitude <500 µV may be considered equally adequate. Setting the alarm for a reduction of 77% in patients with initial amplitude ≥500 µV and of 15% for those <500 µV could make monitoring safe and an effective aid for surgeons. In conclusion, there are cases in which initial amplitude is lower than that considered as adequate by current literature but with well recognizable and stable EMG waveforms. How those cases should be approached and what should the surgeon’s attitude be are a matter of discussion.
The Association Between Dietary Inflammatory Potential and Sex Hormones in Male Children and Adolescents Aged 6–19 Years
Authors: Qin Zheng , Liu Nuozhou , Liao Ruoxi , Jiang Luojia , Su Baihai
Published: August 2021

Aims

This study aimed to assess the relationship between dietary inflammatory index (DII) and sex hormones in male children and adolescents aged 6-19 years.

Methods

We obtained data from the 2013-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Male participants aged 6-19 years old with the complete data of DII and sex hormones were included. Weighted multiple regression analysis and subgroup analysis were preformed to estimate the independent relationship between DII and sex hormones.

Results

A total of 1717 male participants with the average age of 13.02 ± 3.82 years were enrolled, of whom 41.3% (n=713) were children and 58.47% (n=1004) were adolescents. In children, mean DII was 0.18 ± 1.67, with scores ranging from -4.53 to 4.08. As for adolescents, the mean DII was 0.36 ± 1.98, mean total testosterone (TT) was 376.94 ± 206.69 ng/dl overall. A negative association between DII with TT and estradiol (E2) was observed (TT: β=-11.97, P=0.0006; E2: β=-0.45, P=0.0108) in male adolescent. Subgroup analysis and interaction test results indicated that this association was similar in male adolescents with different body mass index. No statistically significant association was observed in children.

Conclusions

Pro-inflammatory diet was associated with lower TT and E2 level in male adolescent, while no association with statistical significance between them was observed in male children. However, more studies are still needed to validate the causal relationship between DII and sex hormones.
A Fault Diagnosis Method for Lithium-Ion Battery Packs Using Improved RBF Neural Network
Authors: Wang Jia , Zhang Shenglong , Hu Xia
Published: August 2021

With the increasing demand for electric vehicles, the high voltage safety of electric vehicles has attracted significant attention. More than 30% of electric vehicle accidents are caused by the battery system; hence, it is vital to investigate the fault diagnosis method of lithium-ion battery packs. The fault types of lithium-ion battery packs for electric vehicles are complex, and the treatment is cumbersome. This paper presents a fault diagnosis method for the electric vehicle power battery using the improved radial basis function (RBF) neural network. First, the fault information of lithium-ion battery packs was collected using battery test equipment, and the fault levels were then determined. Subsequently, the improved RBF neural networks were employed to identify the fault of the lithium-ion battery pack system using the experimental data. The diagnosis test results showed that the improved RBF neural networks could effectively identify the fault diagnosis information of the lithium-ion battery packs, and the diagnosis accuracy was about 100%.
The Promise of Genetics and Genomics for Improving Invasive Mammal Management on Islands
Authors: Burgess Brock T. , Irvine Robyn L. , Howald Gregg R. , Russello Michael A.
Published: August 2021

Invasive species are major contributors to global biodiversity decline. Invasive mammalian species (IMS), in particular, have profound negative effects in island systems that contain disproportionally high levels of species richness and endemism. The eradication and control of IMS have become important conservation tools for managing species invasions on islands, yet these management operations are often subject to failure due to knowledge gaps surrounding species- and system-specific characteristics, including invasion pathways and contemporary migration patterns. Here, we synthesize the literature on ways in which genetic and genomic tools have effectively informed IMS management on islands, specifically associated with the development and modification of biosecurity protocols, and the design and implementation of eradication and control programs. In spite of their demonstrated utility, we then explore the challenges that are preventing genetics and genomics from being implemented more frequently in IMS management operations from both academic and non-academic perspectives, and suggest possible solutions for breaking down these barriers. Finally, we discuss the potential application of genome editing to the future management of invasive species on islands, including the current state of the field and why islands may be effective targets for this emerging technology.
SNPs in Mammary Gland Epithelial Cells Unraveling Potential Difference in Milk Production Between Jersey and Kashmiri Cattle Using RNA Sequencing
Authors: Ahmad Syed Mudasir , Bhat Basharat , Bhat Shakil Ahmad , Yaseen Mifftha , Mir Shabir , Raza Mustafa , Iquebal Mir Asif , Shah Riaz Ahmad , Ganai Nazir Ahmad
Published: August 2021

Deep RNA sequencing experiment was employed to detect putative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in mammary epithelial cells between two diverse cattle breeds (Jersey and Kashmiri) to understand the variations in the coding regions that reflect differences in milk production traits. The low milk-producing Kashmiri cattle are being replaced by crossbreeding practices with Jersey cattle with the aim of improving milk production. However, crossbred animals are prone to infections and various other diseases resulting in unsustainable milk production. In this study, we tend to identify high-impact SNPs from Jersey and Kashmiri cows (utilizing RNA-Seq data) to delineate key pathways mediating milk production traits in both breeds. A total of 607 (442 SNPs and 169 INDELs) and 684 (464 SNPs and 220 INDELs) high-impact variants were found specific to Jersey and Kashmir cattle, respectively. Based on our results, we conclude that in Jersey cattle, genes with high-impact SNPs were enriched in nucleotide excision repair pathway, ABC transporter, and metabolic pathways like glycerolipid metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, and amino acid synthesis (glycine, serine, and threonine). Whereas, in Kashmiri cattle, the most enriched pathways include endocytosis pathway, innate immunity pathway, antigen processing pathway, insulin resistance pathway, and signaling pathways like TGF beta and AMPK which could be a possible defense mechanism against mammary gland infections. A varied set of SNPs in both breeds, suggests a clear differentiation at the genomic level; further analysis of high-impact SNPs are required to delineate their effect on these pathways.
Analysis of Longevity Traits in Holstein Cattle: A Review
Authors: Hu Honghong , Mu Tong , Ma Yanfen , Wang XingPing , Ma Yun
Published: August 2021

Dairy cow longevity is an essential economic trait that can supplement the breeding value of production traits, which is related to the herd time and lifetime milk yield of dairy cows. However, longevity is a relatively difficult trait to select for dairy cow breeding due to low heritability and numerous influence factors of the longevity in dairy cows. Longevity trait has been used as an important breeding target of a comprehensive selection index in many dairy developed countries; however, it has not been included in performance index in many developing countries. At present, cows in these countries are still in the primary stage of “large quantity, low quality, high cost, and low yield.” The average parity of dairy cows is less than 2.7, which is difficult to maintain the production efficiency to meet the demands of the dairy industry. Therefore, there is an urgent need to select and breed for the longevity of dairy cows. The various definitions and models (including linear, threshold, random regression, sire, and survival analysis) of longevity were reviewed and standardized. Survival analysis is the optimal model to evaluate longevity, and the longevity heritability is 0.01–0.30 by using different definitions and models. Additionally, the relationship between longevity and other traits was summarized, and found that longevity was regulated by multiple factors, and there were low or medium genetic correlations between them. Conformation traits, milk production traits, reproductive traits, and health traits may be used as indicators to select and breed the longevity of dairy cows. The genetic assessment methods, heritability, influencing factors, importance, breeding, and genetics of longevity were reviewed in the manuscript, which could provide a valuable reference for the selective breeding to extend the productive life of Holstein cattle.
Mycobacterium-Induced Th1, Helminths-Induced Th2 Cells and the Potential Vaccine Candidates for Allergic Asthma: Imitation of Natural Infection
Authors: Abdelaziz Mohamed Hamed , Ji Xiaoyun , Wan Jie , Abouelnazar Fatma A. , Abdelwahab Sayed F. , Xu Huaxi
Published: August 2021

Bronchial asthma is one of the most chronic pulmonary diseases and major public health problems. In general, asthma prevails in developed countries than developing countries, and its prevalence is increasing in the latter. For instance, the hygiene hypothesis demonstrated that this phenomenon resulted from higher household hygienic standards that decreased the chances of infections, which would subsequently increase the occurrence of allergy. In this review, we attempted to integrate our knowledge with the hygiene hypothesis into beneficial preventive approaches for allergic asthma. Therefore, we highlighted the studies that investigated the correlation between allergic asthma and the two different types of infections that induce the two major antagonizing arms of T cells. This elucidation reflects the association between various types of natural infections and the immune system, which is predicted to support the main objective of the current research on investigating of the benefits of natural infections, regardless their immune pathways for the prevention of allergic asthma. We demonstrated that natural infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) prevents the development of allergic asthma, thus Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is suggested at early age to mediate the same prevention particularly with increasing its efficiency through genetic engineering-based modifications. Likewise, natural helminth infections might inhabit the allergic asthma development. Therefore, helminth-derived proteins at early age are good candidates for designing vaccines for allergic asthma and it requires further investigation. Finally, we recommend imitation of natural infections as a general strategy for preventing allergic asthma that increased dramatically over the past decades.
The Transcriptomic Profile of Monocytes from Patients With Sjögren’s Syndrome Is Associated With Inflammatory Parameters and Is Mimicked by Circulating Mediators
Authors: Lopes Ana P. , Bekker Cornelis P. J. , Hillen Maarten R. , Blokland Sofie L. M. , Hinrichs Anneline C. , Pandit Aridaman , Kruize Aike A. , Radstake Timothy R. D. J. , van Roon Joel A. G.
Published: August 2021

Primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by infiltration of the exocrine glands and prominent B cell hyperactivity. Considering the key role of monocytes in promoting B cell hyperactivity, we performed RNA-sequencing analysis of CD14+ monocytes from patients with pSS, non-Sjögren’s sicca (nSS), and healthy controls (HC). We demonstrated that the transcriptomic profile of pSS patients is enriched in intermediate and non-classical monocyte profiles, and confirmed the increased frequency of non-classical monocytes in pSS patients by flow-cytometry analysis. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified four molecular signatures in monocytes from pSS patients, functionally annotated for processes related with translation, IFN-signaling, and toll-like receptor signaling. Systemic and local inflammatory features significantly correlated with the expression of these signatures. Furthermore, genes highly associated with clinical features in pSS were identified as hub-genes for each signature. Unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis of the hub-genes identified four clusters of nSS and pSS patients, each with distinct inflammatory and transcriptomic profiles. One cluster showed a significantly higher percentage of pSS patients with higher prevalence of anti-SSA autoantibodies, interferon-score, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate compared to the other clusters. Finally, we showed that the identified transcriptomic differences in pSS monocytes were induced in monocytes of healthy controls by exposure to serum of pSS patients. Representative hub-genes of all four signatures were partially inhibited by interferon-α/β receptor blockade, indicating that the circulating inflammatory mediators, including type I interferons have a significant contribution to the altered transcriptional profile of pSS-monocytes. Our study suggests that targeting key circulating inflammatory mediators, such as type I interferons, could offer new insights into the important pathways and mechanisms driving pSS, and holds promise for halting immunopathology in Sjögren’s Syndrome.
Cooperation Between Systemic IgG1 and Mucosal Dimeric IgA2 Monoclonal Anti-HIV Env Antibodies: Passive Immunization Protects Indian Rhesus Macaques Against Mucosal SHIV Challenges
Authors: Gong Siqi , Lakhashe Samir K. , Hariraju Dinesh , Scinto Hanna , Lanzavecchia Antonio , Cameroni Elisabetta , Corti Davide , Ratcliffe Sarah J. , Rogers Kenneth A. , Xiao Peng , Fontenot Jane , Villinger François , Ruprecht Ruth M.
Published: August 2021

Understanding the interplay between systemic and mucosal anti-HIV antibodies can provide important insights to develop new prevention strategies. We used passive immunization via systemic and/or mucosal routes to establish cause-and-effect between well-characterized monoclonal antibodies and protection against intrarectal (i.r.) SHIV challenge. In a pilot study, for which we re-used animals previously exposed to SHIV but completely protected from viremia by different classes of anti-HIV neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), we made a surprise finding: low-dose intravenous (i.v.) HGN194-IgG1, a human neutralizing mAb against the conserved V3-loop crown, was ineffective when given alone but protected 100% of animals when combined with i.r. applied HGN194-dIgA2 that by itself had only protected 17% of the animals. Here we sought to confirm the unexpected synergy between systemically administered IgG1 and mucosally applied dIgA HGN194 forms using six groups of naïve macaques (n=6/group). Animals received i.v. HGN194-IgG1 alone or combined with i.r.-administered dIgA forms; controls remained untreated. HGN194-IgG1 i.v. doses were given 24 hours before – and all i.r. dIgA doses 30 min before – i.r. exposure to a single high-dose of SHIV-1157ipEL-p. All controls became viremic. Among passively immunized animals, the combination of IgG1+dIgA2 again protected 100% of the animals. In contrast, single-agent i.v. IgG1 protected only one of six animals (17%) – consistent with our pilot data. IgG1 combined with dIgA1 or dIgA1+dIgA2 protected 83% (5/6) of the animals. The dIgA1+dIgA2 combination without the systemically administered dose of IgG1 protected 67% (4/6) of the macaques. We conclude that combining suboptimal antibody defenses at systemic and mucosal levels can yield synergy and completely prevent virus acquisition.
Placental Immune Tolerance and Organ Transplantation: Underlying Interconnections and Clinical Implications
Authors: Sun Jin-Yu , Wu Rui , Xu Jiang , Xue Hui-Ying , Lu Xiao-Jie , Ji Jiansong
Published: August 2021

The immune system recognizes and attacks non-self antigens, making up the cornerstone of immunity activity against infection. However, during organ transplantation, the immune system also attacks transplanted organs and leads to immune rejection and transplantation failure. Interestingly, although the embryo and placenta are semi-allografts, like transplanted organs, they can induce maternal tolerance and be free of a vigorous immune response. Also, embryo or placenta-related antibodies might adversely affect subsequent organ transplantation despite the immune tolerance during pregnancy. Therefore, the balance between the immune tolerance in maternal-fetal interface and normal infection defense provides a possible desensitization and tolerance strategy to improve transplantation outcomes. A few studies on mechanisms and clinical applications have been performed to explore the relationship between maternal-fetal immune tolerance and organ transplantation. However, up to now, the mechanisms underlying maternal-fetal immune tolerance remain vague. In this review, we provide an overview on the current understanding of immune tolerance mechanisms underlying the maternal-fetal interface, summarize the interconnection between immune tolerance and organ transplantation, and describe the adverse effect of pregnancy alloimmunization on organ transplantation.
GMMA-Based Vaccines: The Known and The Unknown
Authors: Mancini Francesca , Micoli Francesca , Necchi Francesca , Pizza Mariagrazia , Berlanda Scorza Francesco , Rossi Omar
Published: August 2021

Generalized Modules for Membrane Antigens (GMMA) are outer membrane vesicles derived from Gram-negative bacteria engineered to provide an over-vesiculating phenotype, which represent an attractive platform for the design of affordable vaccines. GMMA can be further genetically manipulated to modulate the risk of systemic reactogenicity and to act as delivery system for heterologous polysaccharide or protein antigens. GMMA are able to induce strong immunogenicity and protection in animal challenge models, and to be well-tolerated and immunogenic in clinical studies. The high immunogenicity could be ascribed to their particulate size, to their ability to present to the immune system multiple antigens in a natural conformation which mimics the bacterial environment, as well as to their intrinsic self-adjuvanticity. However, GMMA mechanism of action and the role in adjuvanticity are still unclear and need further investigation. In this review, we discuss progresses in the development of the GMMA vaccine platform, highlighting successful applications and identifying knowledge gaps and potential challenges.
A Non-destructive Method to Create a Time Series of Surface Area for Coral Using 3D Photogrammetry
Authors: Conley Daniel D. , Hollander Erin N. R.
Published: August 2021

The wax dip method typically used to determine the surface area of corals for data normalization is destructive, rendering the collection of time series for such data impossible. With recent advancements in photogrammetric technology, it is now possible to collect these data in a non-destructive manner at very high levels of accuracy. This photogrammetric method using Agisoft’s Metashape is compared to the standard wax-dip method using both objects of known surface area and objects of unknown surface area. Objects of known surface area (i.e., objects that have surface areas that can be calculated using geometrical formulas) were estimated with a similar degree of accuracy with the Photogrammetry (PG) method (R2 = 0.9922, slope = 0.9835) as with the wax-dip method (R2 = 0.9872, slope = 1). A single factor ANOVA confirmed that there was no significant difference between measurements from the three methods of geometrical calculation, wax dipping, or photogrammetry for objects of known surface area. This paper describes the methods for rapidly collecting surface area data of small to moderately sized coral nubbins in a laboratory setting and characterizes the relationship between buoyant weight and surface area over time for the coral species Stylophora pistillata. Finally, two predictive models are proposed to estimate surface area from weight in air measurements.
Diversity, Distribution, and Density of Marine Mammals Along the Saudi Waters of the Arabian Gulf: Update From a Multi-Method Approach
Authors: Rabaoui Lotfi , Roa-Ureta Ruben H. , Yacoubi Lamia , Lin Yu-Jia , Maneja Rommel , Joydas Thadickal V. , Panickan Premlal , Gopalan Jinoy , Loughland Ronald , Prihartato Perdana K. , Qassem Ali , Hikmawan Tyas I. , Diaz Lopez Bruno , Qurban Mohammed A.
Published: August 2021

Despite the important role of marine mammals in marine ecosystems and the imperative for their conservation, there is still a great lack of information on the diversity, distribution, and density of these animals in the Saudi waters of the Arabian Gulf. To fill this gap, an integrative data-collection approach including fishermen’s questionnaires, opportunistic sighting reports, and directed boat-based surveys, was undertaken between 2016 and 2020, leading to the first scientific report of marine mammal diversity, distribution, and density in the region. The results of the different approaches carried out during the study confirmed a high diversity of cetaceans on the west coast of the study area, with bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus), humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea) and dugongs (Dugong dugon) as the most common species. While the two dolphin species were found to be widely distributed in both coastal and offshore waters,D. dugonappears to occur exclusively in coastal waters in the southern part of the study area, mainly in the Gulf of Salwah. The presence of both species of dolphins increased during the summer months and in the vicinity of the numerous oil and gas facilities in this region. The distribution of the observed dolphins was found mostly within a 10–20 km radius around each facility. Other cetacean species observed less frequently in the area include Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni), killer whale (Orcinus orca), common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides). Regarding the density of marine mammals in the region, boat-based surveys confirmed the results of fishermen’s questionnaires and reports of opportunistic sightings, with bottlenose and humpback dolphins being the most abundant species. These results provide a baseline for policies oriented to the conservation of mammals in the Saudi waters of the Arabian Gulf.
Corticosterone Can Be an Essential Stress Index in Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
Authors: Xiao Kang , Wang Xi , Liu Wen-Bin , Zhang Ding-Dong , Li Xiang-Fei , Zhang Chun-Nuan , Chen Wei-Hua , Abasubong Kenneth Prudence , Jiang Guang-Zhen
Published: August 2021

Although cortisol is considered the main glucocorticoid involved in regulating stress in fish by elevating the serum glucose, the presence of serum corticosterone and whether its level can be used as an indicator for fish stress activation and reflect the degree of fish stress remains to be determined. To comprehensively and accurately evaluate the performance of two glucocorticoids after stress, in this study, seven of the most common stressors (ammonia nitrogen, high-temperature, acid, alkali, Aeromonas hydrophila, and salinity) in aquaculture were selected. The levels of serum corticosterone, cortisol, and glucose were detected within 48 h, and then the dynamic changes were analyzed. In addition, the kidneys were collected to detect the expression of corresponding proteins involved in corticosterone and cortisol synthesis (3 β-HSD and CYP17A1) for further exploration. From the results obtained, the content of serum corticosterone was about 100 times higher than that of cortisol, and it was found that corticosterone and cortisol showed different dynamic changes within 48 h among the seven kinds of stress. In the subsequent detection of glucose, it was found that the dynamic shift in glucose was not consistent with the dynamic changes of corticosterone or cortisol entirely but seemed to be caused by the combination of the two. In the follow-up protein expression detection, we found that corticosterone seemed to respond to stress earlier. Therefore, it is concluded that the responses of corticosterone and cortisol to stress are independent, corticosterone may be more sensitive in the current seven acute stresses, and then they regulate glucose together to resist stress. The study aimed to fill the vacancy of corticosterone in fish research and provide a reference for the complete evaluation of fish stress degree.
Consensus Guidelines for Advancing Coral Holobiont Genome and Specimen Voucher Deposition
Authors: Voolstra Christian R. , Quigley Kate M. , Davies Sarah W. , Parkinson John Everett , Peixoto Raquel S. , Aranda Manuel , Baker Andrew C. , Barno Adam R. , Barshis Daniel J. , Benzoni Francesca , Bonito Victor , Bourne David G. , Buitrago-López Carol , Bridge Tom C. L. , Chan Cheong Xin , Combosch David J. , Craggs Jamie , Frommlet Jörg C. , Herrera Santiago , Quattrini Andrea M. , Röthig Till , Reimer James D. , Rubio-Portillo Esther , Suggett David J. , Villela Helena , Ziegler Maren , Sweet Michael
Published: August 2021

Coral research is being ushered into the genomic era. To fully capitalize on the potential discoveries from this genomic revolution, the rapidly increasing number of high-quality genomes requires effective pairing with rigorous taxonomic characterizations of specimens and the contextualization of their ecological relevance. However, to date there is no formal framework that genomicists, taxonomists, and coral scientists can collectively use to systematically acquire and link these data. Spurred by the recently announced “Coral symbiosis sensitivity to environmental change hub” under the “Aquatic Symbiosis Genomics Project” - a collaboration between the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to generate gold-standard genome sequences for coral animal hosts and their associated Symbiodiniaceae microalgae (among the sequencing of many other symbiotic aquatic species) - we outline consensus guidelines to reconcile different types of data. The metaorganism nature of the coral holobiont provides a particular challenge in this context and is a key factor to consider for developing a framework to consolidate genomic, taxonomic, and ecological (meta)data. Ideally, genomic data should be accompanied by taxonomic references, i.e., skeletal vouchers as formal morphological references for corals and strain specimens in the case of microalgal and bacterial symbionts (cultured isolates). However, exhaustive taxonomic characterization of all coral holobiont member species is currently not feasible simply because we do not have a comprehensive understanding of all the organisms that constitute the coral holobiont. Nevertheless, guidelines on minimal, recommended, and ideal-case descriptions for the major coral holobiont constituents (coral animal, Symbiodiniaceae microalgae, and prokaryotes) will undoubtedly help in future referencing and will facilitate comparative studies. We hope that the guidelines outlined here, which we will adhere to as part of the Aquatic Symbiosis Genomics Project sub-hub focused on coral symbioses, will be useful to a broader community and their implementation will facilitate cross- and meta-data comparisons and analyses.
Climate Services Transformed: Decision-Making Practice for the Coast in a Changing Climate
Authors: Lawrence Judy , Stephens Scott , Blackett Paula , Bell Robert G. , Priestley Rebecca
Published: August 2021

Climate services play an important role in informing decision makers about how to reduce the impact of climate-related hazards, by building capacity through access to relevant data and information globally and regionally. Different types of climate services include long-term warning systems, projections, monitoring/triggers and signals, risk evaluation tools, and behavior change tools. However, climate services are often promoted as “improving uptake” and “translating and communicating science” This framing, which assumes that climate services are developed by scientists and “provided” to users, has limitations for decision makers designing actions to address changing coastal hazard risk driven by sea-level rise. Acting upon the IPCC 1.5 Degree Special Report imperative for urgent actions to reduce exposure and vulnerability at the coast will require a transformation in the way climate services are developed and delivered, in tandem with an understanding of the decision-making and policy context. Tools and policies must explicitly address deepening uncertainty and changing risk over long timeframes. Their use also must be compatible with the jurisdiction’s institutional frameworks and decision-making practice and relevant to user needs as changing risks unfold. Attention to both short- and long-term decisions are paramount to avoid lock-in and path dependency of decisions taken today, and to ensure relevance for the timeframes of investments in infrastructure and settlements. This requires actionable science and usable tools developed through multi-disciplinary efforts by scientists, co-producing them with decision agencies and communities. We give examples of different types of climate services developed with users and draw out some universal lessons learned in developing and applying them in New Zealand.
Phytoplankton and Bacterial Responses to Monsoon-Driven Water Masses Mixing in the Kuroshio Off the East Coast of Taiwan
Authors: Lai Chao-Chen , Wu Chau-Ron , Chuang Chia-Ying , Tai Jen-Hua , Lee Kuo-Yuan , Kuo Hsiang-Yi , Shiah Fuh-Kwo
Published: August 2021

Biogeochemical responses to mixing were examined in two cruise surveys along a transect across the Kuroshio Current (KC) in May and July 2020. Two stations located at the South China Sea (SCS)–KC mixing and the KC waters were chosen for the diel study. In the euphotic zone (~100 m depth), the average values of nitrate (0.97–1.62 μM), chlorophyll-a (Chl-a, 0.36–0.40 mg/m3), and primary production (PP; 3.46 ± 1.37 mgC/m3/day) of the mixing water station (MWS) of the two cruises were several folds higher than those of the KC station (KCS; nitrate, 0.03–0.10 μM; Chl-a, 0.14–0.24 mg/m3; and PP, 0.91 ± 0.47 mgC/m3/day). In the July cruise, the maximal bacterial production (BP) at the MWS (3.31 mgC/m3/day) was 82% higher in comparison with that of the KCS (1.82 mgC/m3/day); and the readings of Chl-a showed no trend with BP in the oligotrophic KCS, but a positive relationship was found among these measurements at the mesotrophic MWS. This implies that the trophic status of the system might affect phytoplankton–bacteria interactions. The backward-trajectory analyses conducted by an observation-validated three-dimensional model identified that the prevailing southwest monsoon drove a northeastward “intrusion” of the SCS waters in July 2020, resulted in mixing between SCS and Kuroshio (KC) waters off the east coast of southern Taiwan. For the first time, this study demonstrates that the high biological biomass and activities that occur in the KC are induced by the northward intrusion of the SCS waters.
The Effects of Combined Ocean Acidification and Nanoplastic Exposures on the Embryonic Development of Antarctic Krill
Authors: Rowlands Emily , Galloway Tamara , Cole Matthew , Lewis Ceri , Peck Victoria , Thorpe Sally , Manno Clara
Published: August 2021

In aquatic environments, plastic pollution occurs concomitantly with anthropogenic climate stressors such as ocean acidification. Within the Southern Ocean, Antarctic krill (Euphausia Superba) support many marine predators and play a key role in the biogeochemical cycle. Ocean acidification and plastic pollution have been acknowledged to hinder Antarctic krill development and physiology in singularity, however potential multi-stressor effects of plastic particulates coupled with ocean acidification are unexplored. Furthermore, Antarctic krill may be especially vulnerable to plastic pollution due to their close association with sea-ice, a known plastic sink. Here, we investigate the behaviour of nanoplastic [spherical, aminated (NH2), and yellow-green fluorescent polystyrene nanoparticles] in Antarctic seawater and explore the single and combined effects of nanoplastic (160 nm radius, at a concentration of 2.5 μg ml–1) and ocean acidification (pCO2 ∼900, pHT 7.7) on the embryonic development of Antarctic krill. Gravid female krill were collected in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean (North Scotia Sea). Produced eggs were incubated at 0.5 °C in four treatments (control, nanoplastic, ocean acidification and the multi-stressor scenario of nanoplastic presence, and ocean acidification) and their embryonic development after 6 days, at the incubation endpoint, was determined. We observed that negatively charged nanoplastic particles suspended in seawater from the Scotia Sea aggregated to sizes exceeding the nanoscale after 24 h (1054.13 ± 53.49 nm). Further, we found that the proportion of embryos developing through the early stages to reach at least the limb bud stage was highest in the control treatment (21.84%) and lowest in the multi-stressor treatment (13.17%). Since the biological thresholds to any stressors can be altered by the presence of additional stressors, we propose that future nanoplastic ecotoxicology studies should consider the changing global ocean under future climate scenarios for assessments of their impact and highlight that determining the behaviour of nanoplastic particles used in incubation studies is critical to determining their toxicity.
Grass Growth and N2O Emissions From Soil After Application of Jellyfish in Coastal Areas
Authors: Borchert Florian , Emadodin Iraj , Kluß Christof , Rotter Ana , Reinsch Thorsten
Published: August 2021

The supply of nutrients for agricultural production faces enormous challenges as food security and sustainability goals have to be ensured. Processing of marine biomass has high potential to provide nutrients for agricultural purposes in coastal areas. One underexplored resource are jellyfish, which occur as blooms and by-catch of the fishing industry. In this context, a pot experiment investigated the effects of jellyfish as a fertilizer on biomass accumulation of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), and its effect on the important greenhouse gas N2O as a sustainability indicator of novel fertilizers. Dried and ground jellyfish was applied [3 species: Aurelia aurita (AA), Cyanea capillata (CC), Periphylla periphylla (PP)] and compared with an unfertilized and a mineral fertilized (calcium-ammonium-nitrate, CAN) treatment. Dried jellyfish and CAN were applied at equal N rates of 5 g N per m2. The N2O-fluxes from soil were measured over 56 days after fertilizer application. Grass dry matter yields, when using CC and PP treatments, were not significantly different to the CAN treatment (p > 0.05). After reducing its salinity, AA also showed no differences to CAN on plant growth and the lowest coefficient of variation for dry matter yield as an indicator for yield stability. Accumulated N2O-emissions were lowest in the control and were 3-times higher in AA and CC compared to CAN (p < 0.05). If salinity levels are moderate, jellyfish application to soil can compete with artificial mineral fertilizers in terms of N-supply for above- and belowground yield response, regardless of jellyfish species used. However, elevated N2O-emissions are likely to affect its suitability for large-scale application. Nevertheless, if energy-efficient methods of drying and desalination of jellyfish can be developed, in coastal areas dried jellyfish is a valuable fertilizer in coastal areas, particularly in situations where nutrient supplies for agriculture are limited.