bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Seismic anisotropy across Adria plate, from the Apennines to the Dinarides
Authors: Salimbeni S. , Pondrelli S. , Molinari I. , Stipčević J. , Prevolnik S. , Dasović I. ,   the AlpArray-CASE working group
Published: August 2022

The Adria microplate has the particular feature to be involved in two subduction systems with slab dipping in opposite directions, one toward west beneath the Apennines and the other to the east beneath the Dinarides. The deep structure of Adria and the shape and characteristics of the slabs have mainly been studied through seismic tomography. However, the uncertainty about the presence and dimensions of tear and windows along the Apennines and the Dinarides slabs is still large. An instrument that can be used to draw mantle flows and to support the possible presence of slab windows or tears is the detection of seismic anisotropy, in particular core phases shear wave splitting. In this paper, to give more light to the structure of Adria slabs and possible mantle circulation beneath this microplate, we benefit from data recorded by seismic stations located along a profile running across the central Adriatic from the Apennines to the edge of the Panonnian basin. The new measurements, together with previous findings, show an evident change of the anisotropic properties when moving along the profile. The distribution of SKS-splitting measurements in the Apennines strongly agree with previous measurements that already described the toroidal flow generated by the slab rollback of the Calabrian arc. In addition, the N-S and NE-SW directions found beneath the Apulia are in agreement with those attributed previously in the outer northern Apennines, to a proper typical pattern of the mantle beneath Adria, which is undeformed by the slab retreat. The pattern of the anisotropy in the Dinarides region shows lateral and vertical variations that together with recent tomographic images that better define the slab window allow us to speculate as follows: the new SKS measurements, interpreted in terms of mantle deformation and flows, agree with the geodynamic model that justifies the mantle circulation beneath Adria with the presence of slab windows in both the Apennines and Dinarides slabs.
Debris-Flow Channel Headwater Dynamics: Examining Channel Recharge Cycles With Terrestrial Laser Scanning
Authors: Bonneau David A. , Hutchinson D. Jean , McDougall Scott , DiFrancesco Paul-Mark , Evans Trevor
Published: August 2022

Debris-flows present a natural hazard to the safe operation of linear infrastructure in mountainous environments. The most significant contributor to debris-flow occurrence is a supply of readily erodible material, often created by rockfalls and other shallow landslides. The spatial distribution and total volume of storage are also critical factors, controlling the initiation location, predominant flow type, and termination location of debris-flow surges. Therefore, there is a need to be able to systematically incorporate debris recharge processes and timeframes into the monitoring and characterization of debris-flow hazards. In this work, the authors present the results of 7 years of terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) captured at the White Canyon. The White Canyon represents an analog to large scale, steep catchments to investigate the role of sediment supply on debris-flow processes. The TLS dataset was collected at monthly to quarterly intervals, providing a basis for analysis of debris transfer processes occurring on the study slope. A rockfall database of over 72,000 events was generated from 52 change detection analyses and is linked to catchment recharge and transfer processes. The results indicate that the 17 channels analyzed in the White Canyon do not directly match the conceptual models proposed from the supply theory. The channels display a variety of behaviors when exposed to the same climate signature. The temporal data acquisition rate was found to have a significant influence on the dynamics of movement that can be interpreted from TLS change detection analysis. The work highlights the need for higher frequency monitoring and the integration of climate data into the analysis, in order to better understand these dynamic processes.
Origin of the dolomite in the Buqu Formation (Mid-Jurassic) in the south depression of the Qiangtang Basin, Tibet: Evidence from petrographic and geochemical constraints
Authors: Wan Youli , Lin Jiashan , Zhao Zhan , Wang Zhonglin
Published: August 2022

The Qiangtang Mesozoic sedimentary basin is a new field of hydrocarbon exploration, in which the Buqu Formation dolostone reservoirs have attracted increasing attention in recent years. To determine the origin of these reservoirs, petrographic study, fluid inclusion thermometry dating, and C-O and Sr isotopic dating were performed. The results revealed the genesis and evolution of different types of dolomite matrix and cement, as follows: 1) The dolomite texture in the study area is closely related to its formation environment and process and can be categorized as primary fabric well-preserved dolomite (Rd1), primary fabric poorly-preserved dolomite, and dolomite filling. The primary fabric-poorly-preserved dolomite includes fine-grained euhedral dolomite (Rd2), fine-grained planar subhedral dolomite (Rd3), and medium-to coarse-grained anhedral dolomite (Rd4). The dolomite filling includes fine-grained planar subhedral cave-filling dolomite (Cd1) and medium-to coarse-grained anhedral, saddle dolomite (Cd2). 2) Rd1 has δ13C‰PDB of 3.42‰–4.23‰, δ18O‰PDB from −4.22‰ to −3.37‰, and 87Sr/86Sr of 0.707654–0.708176 and was formed in the contemporaneous or penecontemporaneous stage at low temperatures by mimic replacement related to seawater evaporation. Abundant supersaturated dolomitization fluids favored the preservation of its primary dolomite texture. 3) Rd2 has δ13C‰PDB of 3.18‰–4.11‰, δ18O‰PDB from −4.56‰ to −4.23‰, and 87Sr/86Sr (0.707525–0.708037), while Rd3 has δ13C‰PDB of 2.72‰–4.42‰, δ18O‰PDB from −6.57‰ to −5.56‰, and 87Sr/86Sr of 0.707432–0.707990. Both were formed at low temperatures in the shallow-burial stage, when the dolomitization fluid was mainly derived from seawater. Excessive dolomitization during the late shallow-burial stage caused the destruction of the dolomite crystals from euhedral to subhedral. 4) Rd4 has δ13C‰PDB of 3.24‰–4.14‰, δ18O‰PDB from −8.22‰ to −6.37‰, and 87Sr/86Sr of 0.707234–0.707884 and resulted from dolomitization or recrystallization at high temperatures in the medium-to deep-burial stage. The crystal curvature was caused by high environmental temperatures. 5) Cd1 has δ13C‰PDB of 3.02‰, δ18O‰PDB of −5.13‰, and 87Sr/86Sr of 0.708147 and was formed during cavern filling before the shallow-burial stage. Cd2 has δ13C‰PDB of −0.09‰−3.38‰, δ18O‰PDB from −10.41‰ to −8.56‰, and 87Sr/86Sr of 0.708180–0.708876 and was related to the collisional orogeny between the Lhasa termite and the Qiangtang Basin in the late Early Cretaceous. Fluids in the overlying and underlying clastic strata of the Buqu Formation were driven by the thermal hot spot during compressional tectonic setting. These fluids caused negative shifts in the oxygen isotope compositions of the earlier dolomite.
Pleistocene hunter-gatherer coastal adaptations in Atlantic Iberia
Authors: Bicho Nuno , Esteves Eduardo
Published: August 2022

Coastal prehistoric hunter-gatherers in Atlantic Iberia were particularly important to understanding Paleolithic human innovation and resilience. This study will focus on Middle and Upper Paleolithic adaptations to the Iberian Atlantic border. Elements such as intensity and diversity of marine foods, site location, distance to shore, submerged platform, and bathymetry are discussed for the region between Gibraltar and the Gulf of Biscay.
Thermal unrest of a fumarolic field tracked using VIIRS imaging bands: The case of La fossa crater (Vulcano Island, Italy)
Authors: Coppola D. , Laiolo M. , Campus A. , Massimetti F.
Published: August 2022

Detecting precursory signals before an eruption is one of the main objectives of applied volcanology. Among these signals, the variation of the emitted heat flux is certainly an important indicator of a state of disequilibrium within the magmatic system. Here we report the results of a detailed analysis of VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) imaging bands (at 375 m spatial resolution) focused on measuring the Volcanic Radiative Power (VRP) emitted by the fumarole field of La Fossa crater (Vulcano Island, Italy) over the past decade (2012–2022). The analysis reveals that the long-term, steady-state VRP (baseline ∼0.17 MW) was perturbed in 2020–2021 when a prolonged period of lower than normal (<-2σ) radiant flux preceded the major unrest phase that began in mid-September 2021. By early October the anomalous VRP had peaked at ∼1.2 MW (6–8 times the baseline) then started to gradually decline in the following months. A subsequent thermal pulse was recorded in May–July 2022 and was accompanied by a period of seawater discoloration that affected the Baia di Levante (a shallow sea bay ∼1.4 km north of La Fossa crater). The concomitance of these phenomena suggests the occurrence of a second pressurization phase driven by the arrival of deep magmatic fluids within both the central and distal degassing fumarolic zones. These results provide a complementary, important contribution to the understanding of the unrest of La Fossa crater and highlight the potential of VIIRS in detecting pre-eruptive signals at other poorly-monitored volcanoes characterized by high-temperature fumarolic activity.
Experimental and numerical investigation on compressive strength and crack behavior of rock-like specimens with open flaws under confining loads
Authors: Sun Shaorui , Wang Jin , Le Huilin , Fan Haotian , Wang Wuchao
Published: August 2022

Engineering problems are related to the failure of geological material, especially that of jointed rock masses. To investigate the influence of confining stress and inclination angle β on cracking behavior and failure mechanism, triaxial compression tests are conducted on rock-like samples containing parallel opening flaws. There are two patterns, namely, tensile failure and tensile-shear failure, and each occurrence has an equal frequency. Nine crack modes are summarized, and the most special one is mode 8, which is mainly observed in samples with β = 60° at high confining pressure. Both the compressive strength and internal friction in samples with β = 60° are the smallest in the experiments, and those in samples with β = 65.31° based on the improved theory are the smallest. The compressive strength decreases with the increase of inclination angle β when 0°≤β≤60°; however, it increases as inclination angle β increases when 60°<β≤90°. This phenomenon is found in laboratory experiments and numerical tests and is almost even in accordance with theoretical results. Numerical compression tests are performed to investigate the influence of the width-to-length ratio of opening flaws on compressive strength and to verify the improved theory reliability. Compared numerical results with the two kinds of theoretical results, the width-to-length ratio has an obvious impact on compressive strength and the opening fracture intensity factor KⅠ.
The formation mechanism and failure mode of a talus slope induced by rockfalls in Nayong County, Southwest China
Authors: Yang Hufeng , Xing Bencong , He Jiangkun , Jiang Hu , Cheng Qiang
Published: August 2022

Hillslope processes and mass movement are key issues in the analysis and evaluation of geological disasters in mountainous regions. A rockfall-dominated talus slope exhibits a typical outcrop–talus slope system as the product of detached boulders and rock fragments. The Zongling rockfall zone is one of the most active outcrop–talus slope systems in southwest China, and it provides a representative case study on the assessment of rockfall hazards at the base of talus slopes. In this article, the formation mechanism and failure mode of this rock-talus system were studied using field investigation, remote sensing image analysis, and numerical simulation. The findings reveal that the lithology and rock mass structure of the study site are controlling factors for outcrop retreat and the progressive development of talus deposits. This process is intensified by rainfall and mining activities. Boulder accumulation on the platform at the middle section of the talus slope serves as top loading for the slope mechanical system. During the boulder–ground interaction, the rockfall impact acts as toe cutting to change the geometry and mechanical balance of the talus slope. It was found that toe cutting significantly influenced the slope stability, which led to a decrease in the antisliding force of the slope. The slope failure induced by rockfalls occurred with the combined effect of top loading and toe cutting on this talus slope. During rockfall prevention and mitigation in this region, the government and residents should consider the geodisaster chain, as this relates to the impact of rockfall on talus slopes, in addition to the risk of damage due to the rockfall trajectory.
Super-resolution domain adaptation networks for semantic segmentation via pixel and output level aligning
Authors: Wu Junfeng , Tang Zhenjie , Xu Congan , Liu Enhai , Gao Long , Yan Wenjun
Published: August 2022

Recently, unsupervised domain adaptation (UDA) has attracted increasing attention to address the domain shift problem in the semantic segmentation task. Although previous UDA methods have achieved promising performance, they still suffer from the distribution gaps between source and target domains, especially the resolution discrepancy in the remote sensing images. To address this problem, this study designs a novel end-to-end semantic segmentation network, namely, Super-Resolution Domain Adaptation Network (SRDA-Net). SRDA-Net can simultaneously achieve the super-resolution task and the domain adaptation task, thus satisfying the requirement of semantic segmentation for remote sensing images, which usually involve various resolution images. The proposed SRDA-Net includes three parts: a super-resolution and segmentation (SRS) model, which focuses on recovering high-resolution image and predicting segmentation map, a pixel-level domain classifier (PDC) for determining which domain the pixel belongs to, and an output-space domain classifier (ODC) for distinguishing which domain the pixel contribution is from. By jointly optimizing SRS with two classifiers, the proposed method can not only eliminate the resolution difference between source and target domains but also improve the performance of the semantic segmentation task. Experimental results on two remote sensing datasets with different resolutions demonstrate that SRDA-Net performs favorably against some state-of-the-art methods in terms of accuracy and visual quality. Code and models are available at https://github.com/tangzhenjie/SRDA-Net.
Gas production prediction and risk quantification of shale gas reservoirs in Sichuan Basin based on Gauss prediction model and Monte Carlo probability method
Authors: Li Haitao , Yu Guo , Fang Yizhu , Chen Yanru , Wang Chongyang , Zhang Dongming
Published: August 2022

The shale gas exploration and development potential in the Sichuan Basin is huge. Production prediction and risk quantification are important in planning of natural gas resources. Hubbert and Gauss models are used to predict the growth trend of production in the gas reservoir. Based on the prediction results, the Monte Carlo simulation is used to calculate the probability of production realization. The evaluation matrix of risk level is established by using indices of production realization probability and dispersion degree for assessing the risk level of shale gas production. The results show that: 1) when URR is at the same growth rate, Gauss model has a more stable yield growth trend than Hubbert model, and the correlation coefficients of Gauss model are all higher than that of Hubbert model. This means that the production prediction results of the Gauss model have higher accuracy. 2) According to the Gauss model, the shale gas will reach peak production of (280–460) × 108 m3/a in 2042 and will have stable production from 2037 to 2047. By the end of the stable production stage, the URR exploitation degree is about 60%; 3) The Monte Carlo method can be used to obtain the production realization probability for each year. The risk level evaluation matrix can be established by taking the probability of realization and the dispersion degree as evaluation indices, which can provide the systematization of the risk levels. This study is helpful to deepen the understanding of natural gas exploration and development. And it is of great significance to gas field development planning and production index realization.
Satellite observations reveal decreasing soil erosion in Northeast Inner Mongolia, China, over the past four decades
Authors: Jiang Wei , Pang Zhiguo , Lv Juan , Ju Hongrun , Li Lin , Fu June
Published: August 2022

Knowledge regarding the soil erosion change patterns in Northeast Inner Mongolia (NIM) is essential for ecological security and sustainable development. Multisource satellite remote sensing with auxiliary data, including meteorology, land use, vegetation coverage, and digital elevation, was collected to establish a distributed soil erosion model to quantify the soil erosion intensity in Northeast Inner Mongolia. The results showed that soil erosion in Northeast Inner Mongolia, China, decreased by 100,654 km2 from 1978 to 2018. The area change rates of the mild, moderate, strong, intensive and severe soil erosion intensities were −48.91%, −41.41%, 32.63%, −91.15%, and −91.14%, respectively. The decrease in soil erosion was mainly located in the Hulunbuir and Tongliao regions. Our findings from satellite observations provide information about the soil erosion intensity and spatial distribution required for policy-making and the management of soil erosion prevention in Northeast Inner Mongolia.
Severity of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is Associated With Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Prehypertension or Hypertension: A Community–Based Cohort Study
Authors: Song Qi–Rui , Liu Shuo–Lin , Ling Qian-Hui , Gao Qian-Nan , Yang Rui-Xue , Chen Shuo-Hua , Wu Shou–Ling , Chen Mu-Lei , Cai Jun
Published: August 2022

Background

It is unclear whether more severe non–alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) combined with prehypertension or hypertension is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular events (CVEs). To evaluate the relationship between the severity of NAFLD and CVEs among patients with prehypertension or hypertension.

Methods

In this prospective community–based Kailuan cohort, participants without cardiovascular disease and alcohol abuse, or other liver diseases were enrolled. NAFLD was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasonography. Prehypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure (BP) of 120–139 mmHg or diastolic BP of 80–89 mmHg. Participants with NAFLD were divided into mild, moderate, and severe subgroups. Follow–up for CVEs including myocardial infarction, hemorrhagic stroke, and ischemic stroke. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% CIs of CVEs according to the severity of NAFLD and hypertensive statutes. The C-statistic was used to evaluate the efficiency of models.

Results

A total of 71926 participants (mean [SD] age, 51.83 [12.72] years, 53794 [74.79%] men, and 18132 [25.21%] women) were enrolled in this study, 6,045 CVEs occurred during a median of 13.02 (0.65) years of follow–up. Compared with participants without NAFLD, the hazard ratios of CVEs for patients with mild, moderate, and severe NAFLD were 1.143 (95% CI 1.071–1.221, P < 0.001), 1.218 (95% CI 1.071–1.221, P < 0.001), and 1.367 (95% CI 1.172–1.595, P < 0.001), respectively. Moreover, participants with prehypertension plus moderate/severe NAFLD and those with hypertension plus moderate/severe NAFLD had 1.558–fold (95% CI 1.293–1.877, P < 0.001) and 2.357–fold (95% CI 2.063–2.691, P < 0.001) higher risks of CVEs, respectively, compared with those with normal BP and no NAFLD. Adding a combination of NAFLD and BP status to the crude Cox model increased the C–statistic by 0.0130 (0.0115–0.0158, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Our findings indicated that the increased cardiovascular risk with elevated BP is largely driven by the coexistence of moderate/severe NAFLD, suggesting that the severity of NAFLD may help further stratify patients with prehypertension and hypertension.
Tumor size is an independent negative prognostic factor for event free survival in children with differentiated thyroid cancer
Authors: Parvathareddy Sandeep Kumar , Siraj Abdul K. , Annaiyappanaidu Padmanaban , Siraj Nabil , Haqawi Wael , Al-Sobhi Saif S. , Al-Dayel Fouad , Al-Kuraya Khawla S.
Published: August 2022

Background

The incidence of pediatric differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is increasing. Despite the advanced disease at presentation, the overall prognosis of DTC in children is excellent. The aim of this study is to investigate the risk stratifying factors for event free survival (EFS) of pediatric DTC from Middle Eastern ethnicity.

Methods

Eighty-eight patients aged ≤18 years with diagnosis of primary DTC were retrospectively analyzed. Cox proportional hazards model were used to calculate Hazard Ratios (HR) and Kaplan–Meier analysis were conducted to investigate EFS.

Results

Eighty-eight (23 males and 65 females) pediatric DTCs who underwent surgery and radioactive iodine therapy had been reported (median age at diagnosis 15 years; range 5.9-17.9), with lymph node metastasis (LNM) noted in 70.5% and distant metastasis in 13.6%. Mean follow-up was 8.4 years. Ten-year overall survival rate was 98.4% while 10-year EFS was 79.2%. EFS was negatively impacted by the presence of LNM, distant metastasis and tumor size >4cm. American Thyroid Association risk stratification did not impact EFS in our cohort. Multivariate analysis revealed tumor size >4cm (HR = 5.34; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.36 – 20.22; p = 0.0177) and distant metastasis (HR = 8.73; 95% CI = 1.48 – 60.05; p = 0.0154) as independent negative prognostic factors for EFS.

Conclusions

Primary tumor size and the presence of distant metastasis at diagnosis are the only independent prognostic risk factors for EFS in pediatric DTC in Middle Eastern ethnicity. Children with tumor size over 4cm had poor EFS, which may justify the need of more aggressive treatment and frequent follow-up.
Biological effects and regulation of IGFBP5 in breast cancer
Authors: Dittmer Jürgen
Published: August 2022

The insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF1R) pathway plays an important role in cancer progression. In breast cancer, the IGF1R pathway is linked to estrogen-dependent signaling. Regulation of IGF1R activity is complex and involves the actions of its ligands IGF1 and IGF2 and those of IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs). Six IGFBPs are known that share the ability to form complexes with the IGFs, by which they control the bioavailability of these ligands. Besides, each of the IGFBPs have specific features. In this review, the focus lies on the biological effects and regulation of IGFBP5 in breast cancer. In breast cancer, estrogen is a critical regulator of IGFBP5 transcription. It exerts its effect through an intergenic enhancer loop that is part of the chromosomal breast cancer susceptibility region 2q35. The biological effects of IGFBP5 depend upon the cellular context. By inhibiting or promoting IGF1R signaling, IGFBP5 can either act as a tumor suppressor or promoter. Additionally, IGFBP5 possesses IGF-independent activities, which contribute to the complexity by which IGFBP5 interferes with cancer cell behavior.
Green electricity generation from biogas of cattle manure: An assessment of potential and feasibility in Pakistan
Authors: Arshad Muhammad , Ansari Abdur Rahman , Qadir Rahman , Tahir Mudassir Hussain , Nadeem Ans , Mehmood Tahir , Alhumade Hesham , Khan Nasrullah
Published: August 2022

In several countries, organic or municipal solid wastes, such as cattle and buffalo manure, have become a serious political and environmental issue owing to organic waste incineration and garbage disposal. To overcome this problem, biogas production from manure, a green treatment that both contributes to the availability of sustainable energy and assists in reducing global warming, was considered. The current study was conducted on the generation of green electricity using cattle and buffalo manure in Pakistan. In 2021, Pakistan has generated 102.742-terawatt hour (TWh) of electricity collectively; biogas share in total production accounted for only 0.98%, which is approximately 1 TWh. Unfortunately, most of the electricity was generated from nonrenewable energy sources. One large animal produces 9–10 kg of manure per day. A system for manure collection can be developed; 30% of total manure produced every day by cattle and buffalo can be collected. Such a type of system is already used for the collection of poultry manure. Pakistan has been blessed with almost 42.4 million buffaloes and 51.5 million cattle. The annual collection of manure from cattle and buffalo at the rate of 30% will be 92.53 million tons. From this manure, approximately 4.63 billion m3of biogas can be produced and 70% can be collected, which will be 3.24 billion m3. Thus, Pakistan has the potential of generating 19.79 TWh of electricity per day from cattle and buffalo manure. Biogas has the potential to generate over 20% of Pakistan’s total electricity. At the farm level, 100 cattle ranches with 60% collected manure can create roughly 57% of their total consumed electricity. Slurry, a byproduct of anaerobic digestion, can be used as a biofertilizer in fields. It is possible to use cattle manure to make biogas, which is “made by fermentation of organic waste in the absence of oxygen.” It aids in the reduction of fossil fuel dependency, solid waste management, and air pollution control by lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Biogas contributes to the three pillars of sustainable development: economic, environmental, and social development. Biogas contributes significantly to the SDGs and other aspects of sustainable development.
Wind power probabilistic forecasting based on combined decomposition and deep learning quantile regression
Authors: Zhu Zhenglin , Xu Yusen , Wu Junzhao , Liu Yiwen , Guo Jianwei , Zang Haixiang
Published: August 2022

With the expansion of scale of the grid-connected wind power, wind power forecasting plays an increasing important role in ensuring the security and steady operation and instructing the dispatch of power systems. In consideration of the randomness and intermittency of wind power, the probabilistic forecasting is required in quantifying the uncertainty of wind power. This study proposes a probabilistic wind power prediction method that combines variational modal decomposition (VMD), singular spectrum analysis (SSA), quantile regression (QR), convolutional neural network (CNN) and bidirectional gated neural network (BGRU). Firstly, a combination decomposition method VMDS combining VMD and SSA is proposed to decompose wind power sequence to reduce the complexity of the sequence. Next, a feature extractor based on CNN and BGRU (CBG) is used to extract complex dynamic features of NWP data and high-frequency components. Then, the QR is performed by the BGRU based on the high-order features to obtain the predicted values for different quantiles. Finally, the kernel density estimation (KDE) is employed to estimate the probability density curve of wind power. The proposed model can achieve reliable probabilistic prediction while achieving accurate deterministic prediction. According to comparisons with related prediction models, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified with the example test using datasets from the wind farm in China.
High-entropy spinel-structure oxides as oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalyst
Authors: Stenzel David , Zhou Bei , Okafor Chukwudalu , Kante Mohana Veeraju , Lin Ling , Melinte Georgian , Bergfeldt Thomas , Botros Miriam , Hahn Horst , Breitung Ben , Schweidler Simon
Published: August 2022

High-entropy oxides are an upcoming research topic due to their broad range of possible crystal structures and applications. In this work, we want to present the change in the catalytic properties when using different elements to create a high-entropy spinel. Therefore, we used the nebulized-spray pyrolysis to synthesize the high-entropy spinel (Mn0.2Fe0.2Ni0.2Mg0.2Zn0.2)3O4 and later on exchanged the Mg or the Zn with elements with multiple possible oxidation states, in our example each with Cr or Co. The phase purity, morphology, microstructure and homogeneity were investigated by XRD, SEM and STEM-EDX. Their electrocatalytic performance and stability was measured via oxygen evolution reaction and cyclic voltammetry and compared to IrO2, used as reference. The best performance of the synthesized materials was achieved by (Mn0.2Fe0.2Ni0.2Mg0.2Cr0.2)3O4.
Suction effect on MHD flow of Brinkman-type fluid with heat absorption and first-order chemical reaction
Authors: Yao Shao-Wen , Ahmad Mushtaq , Inc Mustafa , Ahmad Ikhlaq , Asjad Muhammad Imran , Nazar Mudassar
Published: August 2022

Suction/injection is a mechanical effect and used to control the energy losses in the boundary layer region by reducing the drag on the surface. In this study, unsteady MHD flow of Brinkman-type fluid with suction/injection, heat absorption, and chemical reaction is investigated and an analytical solution is established. The corresponding results for temperature, concentration, and velocity fields are obtained with the help of the Laplace transformation method analytically. The physical effects of thermal and mass Grashoff number, Prandtl number, Schmidt number, heat absorption parameter, first-order chemical reaction parameter, suction/injection, Brinkman parameter, and magnetic parameter have been discussed graphically. Finally, it is observed that in the presence of suction effect, fluid’s velocity decreases gradually by increasing the value of suction parameter while show an increasing trend for the increasing value of the injection parameter.
Experimental validation and intelligent control of a stand-alone solar energy conversion system using dSPACE platform
Authors: Yahiaoui Fatah , Chabour Ferhat , Guenounou Ouahib , Zaouche Faika , Belkhier Youcef , Bajaj Mohit , Shouran Mokhtar , Elgamli Elmazeg , Kamel Salah
Published: August 2022

This paper presents the performances of an artificial intelligent fuzzy logic controller (FLC) based maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and a conventional perturb and observe (P&O) based MPPT controller is presented for a stand-alone PV system and tested in an emulated test bench experimentation. The studied system is composed of a DC power supply emulating the PV panel, a DC/DC boost converter, a variable resistive load and a real-time MPPT controller implemented in the dSPACE DS1104 controller. To verify the performance of the FLC proposed, several simulations have been performed in Matlab/Simulink environment. The proposed method outperforms the P&O method in terms of global search capability and dynamic performance, according to the comparison with the P&O method. To verify the practical implementation of the proposed method, the control of the emulated PV source and the MPPT algorithms are designed using the simulink/Matlab environment and implemented on dSPACE DS1104 controller. Experimental results confirm the efficiency of the proposed method and its high accuracy to handle the resistance varying.
Spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of water resources in the Hanjiang River Basin of China over 50 years under a changing environment
Authors: Li Yiting , Deng Jinglin , Zang Chuanfu , Kong Ming , Zhao Jieni
Published: August 2022

In the formulation of scientific water resource management systems and strategies for improving water resource utilization efficiency, the effects of land use change and climate change on the temporal and spatial distribution of water resources cannot be overlooked. And the Hanjiang basin is the main source of water supply to eastern Guangdong and southwestern Fujian, China. However, the basin is experiencing a significant imbalance between water resource supply and demand. This study investigated the spatiotemporal distribution of water resources in the Hanjiang River Basin under changing environmental conditions using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool model. The findings reveal that, from 1980 to 2020, changes in water resources significantly varied among sub-basins, reflecting spatial heterogeneity. Moreover, sub-basins with severe land use changes showed significant changes in water resources. From 1970 to 2020, the water resources of each sub-basin changed with climate change, indicating temporal variability. Under the combined effects of land use change and climate change, the amount of water resources decreased and its spatial distribution changed dramatically. At the same time, the evolution of water resources under climate change was consistent with that under the combined influence of both land use change and climate change, indicating that climate change is the primary driver. The findings provide theoretical guidance for water resource research and management.
A framework for application of the landscape approach to forest conservation and restoration in Sierra Leone
Authors: Bakarr Mohamed I. , Abu-Bakarr Ibrahim
Published: August 2022

Sierra Leone has made some progress in creating protected areas for wildlife and biodiversity conservation. Yet deforestation and habitat loss remain pervasive, driven largely by unregulated exploitation and poor land use practices. With over 50% of the country (∼36,000 km2) having climate that is favorable for tropical forest vegetation, there is considerable opportunity to advance the landscape approach for forest conservation. We propose a framework to address this need for the globally threatened Upper Guinea rainforest, which has its westernmost extent in Sierra Leone. The framework considers forest and tree cover in the following categories: old growth, disturbed old growth, secondary growth, and managed. We discuss how this typology can foster application of the landscape approach to forest conservation and restoration, including policy options to enhance protection of forests, increase tree cover in production systems, and incentivize innovative land use practices by local communities.
Cold adaptation strategies in plants—An emerging role of epigenetics and antifreeze proteins to engineer cold resilient plants
Authors: Satyakam  , Zinta Gaurav , Singh Rajesh Kumar , Kumar Rajiv
Published: August 2022

Cold stress adversely affects plant growth, development, and yield. Also, the spatial and geographical distribution of plant species is influenced by low temperatures. Cold stress includes chilling and/or freezing temperatures, which trigger entirely different plant responses. Freezing tolerance is acquired via the cold acclimation process, which involves prior exposure to non-lethal low temperatures followed by profound alterations in cell membrane rigidity, transcriptome, compatible solutes, pigments and cold-responsive proteins such as antifreeze proteins. Moreover, epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin dynamics and small non-coding RNAs play a crucial role in cold stress adaptation. Here, we provide a recent update on cold-induced signaling and regulatory mechanisms. Emphasis is given to the role of epigenetic mechanisms and antifreeze proteins in imparting cold stress tolerance in plants. Lastly, we discuss genetic manipulation strategies to improve cold tolerance and develop cold-resistant plants.
Identification of the pyroptosis-related prognostic gene signature and characterization of tumor microenvironment infiltration in triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: Liu Ji , Ma Jianli , Zhang Qingyuan
Published: August 2022

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer remains a highly malignant disease due to the lack of specific targeted therapy and immunotherapy. A growing body of evidence supports the role of pyroptosis in tumorigenesis and prognosis, but further exploration is needed to improve our understanding of the tumor microenvironment in patients with triple-negative breast cancer.

Methods: Consensus clustering analysis was performed to construct pattern clusters. A correlation analysis was conducted between the pattern clusters and the tumor microenvironment using GSVA, ESTIMATE, and CIBERSORT. Then, a risk score and a nomogram were constructed and verified to predict overall survival.

Results: Two pyro-clusters and three pyro-gene clusters that differed significantly in terms of prognosis, biological processes, clinical features, and tumor microenvironment were identified. The different clusters corresponded to different immune expression profiles. The constructed risk score predicted patient prognosis and response to immunotherapy. Patients with low risk scores exhibited favorable outcomes with increased immune cell infiltration and expression of immune checkpoint molecules. Compared to other models, the nomogram was extremely effective in predicting prognosis.

Conclusion: In the landscape of the immune microenvironment, pyroptosis-mediated pattern clusters differed markedly. Both the developed risk score and the nomogram were effective predictive models. These findings could help develop customized treatment for patients with triple-negative breast cancer.
Decoding regulatory associations of G-quadruplex with epigenetic and transcriptomic functional components
Authors: Fang Shuyi , Liu Sheng , Yang Danzhou , Yang Lei , Hu Chang-Deng , Wan Jun
Published: August 2022

G-quadruplex (G4) has been previously observed to be associated with gene expression. In this study, we performed integrative analysis on G4 multi-omics data from in-silicon prediction and ChIP-seq in human genome. Potential G4 sites were classified into three distinguished groups, such as one group of high-confidence G4-forming locations (G4-II) and groups only containing either ChIP-seq detected G4s (G4-I) or predicted G4 motif candidates (G4-III). We explored the associations of different-confidence G4 groups with other epigenetic regulatory elements, including CpG islands, chromatin status, enhancers, super-enhancers, G4 locations compared to the genes, and DNA methylation. Our elastic net regression model revealed that G4 structures could correlate with gene expression in two opposite ways depending on their locations to the genes as well as G4-forming DNA strand. Some transcription factors were identified to be over-represented with G4 emergence. The motif analysis discovered distinct consensus sequences enriched in the G4 feet, the flanking regions of two groups of G4s. We found high GC content in the feet of high-confidence G4s (G4-II) when compared to high TA content in solely predicted G4 feet of G4-III. Overall, we uncovered the comprehensive associations of G4 formations or predictions with other epigenetic and transcriptional elements which potentially coordinate gene transcription.
Contrasting population differentiation in two sympatric Triplophysa loaches on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
Authors: Jin Ling , Li Zitong , Wang Chongnv , Wang Yingnan , Li Xinxin , Yang Jian , Zhao Yahui , Guo Baocheng
Published: August 2022

Genetic differentiation in aquatic organisms is usually shaped by drainage connectivity. Sympatric aquatic species are thus expected to show similar population differentiation patterns and similar genetic responses to their habitats. Water bodies on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) have recently experienced dramatic physicochemical changes, threatening the biodiversity of aquatic organisms on the “roof of the world.” To uncover ecological genetics in Tibetan loaches (Triplophysa)—the largest component of the QTP ichthyofauna—we characterized population differentiation patterns and adaptive mechanisms to salinity change in two sympatric and phylogenetically closely related Tibetan loaches,T. stewartiandT. stenura, by integrating population genomic, transcriptomic, and electron probe microanalysis approaches. Based on millions of genome-wide SNPs, the two Tibetan loach species show contrasting population differentiation patterns, with highly geographically structured and clear genetic differentiation amongT. stewartipopulations, whereas there is no such observation inT. stenura, which is also supported by otolith microchemistry mapping. While limited genetic signals of parallel adaption to salinity changes between the two species are found from either genetic or gene expression variation perspective, a catalog of genes involved in ion transport, energy metabolism, structural reorganization, immune response, detoxification, and signal transduction is identified to be related to adaptation to salinity change inTriplophysaloaches. Together, our findings broaden our understanding of the population characteristics and adaptive mechanisms in sympatric Tibetan loach species and would contribute to biodiversity conservation and management of aquatic organisms on the QTP.
Twelve exonic variants in the SLC12A1 and CLCNKB genes alter RNA splicing in a minigene assay
Authors: Xin Qing , Liu Qihua , Liu Zhiying , Shi Xiaomeng , Liu Xuyan , Zhang Ruixiao , Hong Yefeng , Zhao Xiangzhong , Shao Leping
Published: August 2022

Background: Bartter syndrome (BS) is a rare renal tubular disease caused by gene variants in SLC12A1, KCNJ1, CLCNKA, CLCNKB, BSND or MAGED2 genes. There is growing evidence that many exonic mutations can affect the pre-mRNA normal splicing and induce exon skipping by altering various splicing regulatory signals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to gain new insights into the consequences of exonic mutations associated with BS on pre-mRNA splicing.

Methods: We analyzed all the missense, nonsense and synonymous variants described in six pathogenic genes by bioinformatics programs and identified candidate mutations that may promote exon skipping through a minigene system.

Results: Results of the study showed that 12 of 14 candidate variants distributed in SLC12A1 (c.728G>A, C.735C>G, c.904C>T, c.905G>A, c.1304C>T, c.1493C>T, c.2221A>T) and CLCNKB (c.226C>T, c.228A>C, c.229G>A, c.229G>C, c.1979C>A) were identified to induce splicing alterations. These variants may not only disrupt exonic splicing enhancers (ESEs) but also generate new exonic splicing silencers (ESSs), or disturb the classic splicing sites.

Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is a comprehensive study regarding alterations in pre-mRNA of exonic variants in BS pathogenic genes. Our results reinforce the necessity of assessing the consequences of exonic variants at the mRNA level.
mHealth interventions to reduce maternal and child mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia: A systematic literature review
Authors: Bossman Elvis , Johansen Monika A. , Zanaboni Paolo
Published: August 2022

Background

Reducing maternal mortality, neonatal mortality and under 5-year mortality are important targets addressed by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Despite studies reported an improvement in maternal and child health indicators, the progress achieved is not uniform across regions. Due to the increasing availability of mobile phones in low and middle-income countries, mHealth could impact considerably on reducing maternal and child mortality and maximizing women's access to quality care, from the antenatal stage to the post-natal period.

Methods

A systematic literature review of mHealth interventions aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. Primary outcomes were maternal mortality, neonatal mortality, and under-five mortality. Secondary outcomes were skilled birth attendance, antenatal care (ANC) and post-natal care (PNC) attendance, and vaccination/immunization coverage. We searched for articles published from January 2010 to December 2020 in Embase, Medline and Web of Science. Quantitative comparative studies were included. The protocol was developed according to the PRISMA Checklist and published in PROSPERO [CRD42019109434]. The Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies was used to assess the quality of the eligible studies.

Results

23 studies were included in the review, 16 undertaken in Sub-Saharan Africa and 7 in Southern Asia. Most studies used SMS or voice message reminders for education purposes. Only two studies reported outcomes on neonatal mortality, with positive results. None of the studies reported results on maternal mortality or under-five mortality. Outcomes on skilled birth attendance, ANC attendance, PNC attendance, and vaccination coverage were reported in six, six, five, and eleven studies, respectively. Most of these studies showed a positive impact of mHealth interventions on the secondary outcomes.

Conclusion

Simple mHealth educational interventions based on SMS and voice message reminders are effective at supporting behavior change of pregnant women and training of health workers, thus improving ANC and PNC attendance, vaccination coverage and skilled birth attendance. Higher quality studies addressing the role of mHealth in reducing maternal and child mortality in resource-limited settings are needed, especially in Southern Asia.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42019109434, identifier CRD42019109434.
Pulmonary infection and baseline mRS scores predict poor prognosis in anti-GABABR encephalitis
Authors: Ding Junqing , Xu Dingkang , Lv Jie , Wu Tianwen , Li Jinghong , Tian Mi , Lian Yajun
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Anti-gamma-aminobutyric-acid type B receptor (anti-GABABR) encephalitis is a rare autoimmune condition caused by the presence of GABABR antibodies in the limbic system. However, its clinical features and prognostic factors are poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to explore factors that affect the response to first-line treatment in patients with anti-GABABR encephalitis.

Methods

Thirty-four patients with an initial diagnosis of anti-GABABR encephalitis were retrospectively enrolled from December 2015 to June 2021. Clinical features and experimental data recorded within 24 h of admission were extracted from the patients’ medical records. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was utilized to assess disease severity at admission and functional recovery after immunotherapy. Independent prognostic factors were determined by ordinal logistic regression analysis.

Results

Of the 34 anti-GABABR encephalitis patients, 12 (35%) presented with cancer; all of these patients had lung cancer. According to multivariate regression analysis, the cancer group exhibited a decrease in the peripheral blood absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) (odds ratio [OR]: 0.063, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.006-0.639, P=0.019) and hyponatremia (OR: 9.268, 95% CI: 1.054-81.502, 0.045). In addition, the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) did not significantly differ according to mRS scores in patients receiving first-line treatment. No patients with mild or moderate mRS scores (0-2) at admission developed symptoms after treatment; in contrast, only 11 patients with a severe mRS scores (≥3, 11/18) experienced symptom alleviation. Ordinal regression analysis indicated that worse prognosis was associated with pulmonary infection (OR=9.885, 95% CI: 1.106-88.323, P=0.040) and baseline mRS scores (OR= 24.047, 95% CI: 3.294-175.739, P=0.002) in the adjusted model.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate that pulmonary infection and baseline mRS scores are independent risk factors for poor prognosis in patients with anti-GABABR encephalitis after first-line treatment. ALC and hyponatremia are potential biomarkers for anti-GABABR encephalitis cases accompanied by lung cancer.