bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Back to Basics in Asthma and COPD: Optimising the Patient Journey
Authors: Kroll Alexander
Published: January 2023

The objective of this symposium was to build on the guiding principles of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to address some of the most frequently encountered challenges in the management of chronic airway disease, using a mix of scientific information and guidance based on clinical practice. Prof Mäkelä opened the symposium by reviewing key achievements from the Finnish asthma, COPD, and allergy programmes. He also highlighted how these co-ordinated educational programmes were responsible for driving an improvement in Finnish public health and reducing the socioeconomic burden of disease. Prof Chrystyn then addressed some of the common misconceptions associated with high-resistance dry powder inhalers; he explained how the properties of these devices make them suitable for use by a broader range of patients than perceived by many clinicians. Next, Prof Lavorini addressed the real-world use of inhalers by highlighting how specific errors in recent real-life studies are associated with a loss of disease control and how the Easyhaler® (Orion Corporation, Espoo, Finland) meets many of the needs of doctors and patients. Finally, Prof Canonica focussed on precision and personalised medicine in chronic airway disease, with an emphasis on how clinicians can optimise patient adherence and, consequently, treatment in daily practice.
Transitioning Clinical Data into Patient Care: Recent Real-Life Experiences with Alpha 1
Authors: Fricker Janet
Published: January 2023

The symposium explored the use of state-of-the-art technologies in building the evidence for Alpha 1 Antitrypsin (AAT) efficacy, namely the use of computed tomography (CT) and recent developments in regional lung density analysis, and current challenges and data gaps for the management of AAT deficiency (AATD). The vital importance of registries in building our knowledge and understanding of AATD and its management were also discussed. Dr Stolk opened the symposium with a brief overview of AATD and the results of the RAPID clinical trial programme, which provided evidence for the efficacy of AAT therapy in slowing the rate of lung density loss in AATD. Prof Parr then presented the rationale and methodology for assessing regional lung density changes, as measured by CT, and the potential clinical relevance of regional treatment variability in AATD. Prof Ficker addressed the clinical implications for AATD treatment, in light of data from the RAPID clinical trial programme, and provided an overview of the current challenges for treating patients with AATD, including questions surrounding when to commence AAT therapy and how the potential life-extending effect of AAT therapy can be assessed and quantified. Finally, the importance of registries was discussed; Prof Strange provided an overview of the USA Alpha 1 Foundation registry and presented key published data. In addition, he discussed current and future initiatives. Dr Stolk considered the European Alpha 1 International Registry (AIR) and presented the results of recent projects supported by this registry.
State-of-the-Art Session: Respiratory Infections
Authors: Syneos Health
Published: January 2023

In recent decades, there has been growing interest in the recognition and management of both bronchiectasis and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) pulmonary disease. More specifically, interest in diagnosing NTM infection in patients with bronchiectasis has dramatically increased. Publication of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) guidelines and results from a number of large clinical trials have resulted in an exciting year for bronchiectasis research. Despite the increased knowledge and expanding options for disease management, a number of challenges persist. There remains a paucity of evidence to support management recommendations, which have not kept pace with the growing attention given to these diseases. To explore these limitations, Prof Chalmers summarised the reasoning behind the new guidelines.

The main objectives of these two presentations were to provide an expert overview of the challenges and achievements in the management of bronchiectasis and NTM pulmonary diseases, as well as predicting future trends. Dr van Ingen called for caution when managing these diseases because neither bronchiectasis nor NTM pulmonary disease can be described as single disease entities and, therefore, cannot be treated as such. The presence of NTM pulmonary disease is often a sign of multiple underlying conditions that must be addressed in tandem with culture conversion. Likewise, bronchiectasis pathogenesis is complex and failure of antibiotic therapy to offer consistent clinical benefit suggests infection is not central to pathogenesis in all patients, and a holistic approach is required. Finally, these interactive sessions uncovered and discussed various aspects and attitudes associated with disease management and highlighted how quality of care may be closely linked to clinical outcomes.
Focussing on The Patient: Future Prospects in Alpha 1 Management
Authors: Fricker Janet
Published: January 2023

With new patient-centric and scientific networks being created, Prof Chorostowska-Wynimko explored how these initiatives, such as the European Alpha-1 Research Collaboration (EARCO) and the European Reference Network-LUNG Alpha1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (ERN-LUNG AATD Core Network), will help to advance the management of alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) patients. EARCO plans to create a registry to gather information from centres across Europe and ERN-LUNG AATD plans to ensure highly specialised healthcare for AATD patients, including reliable AATD diagnostics across European laboratories.

Explaining in more detail the plans for the new EARCO registry, Dr Barrecheguren argued the case for another AATD registry to gather large-scale data that clinical trials cannot provide. She provided an overview of the new EARCO prospective follow-up registry, to be launched next year, which will integrate existing national AATD registries, enhance long-term follow-up and quality of data, and facilitate research and quality improvements across healthcare systems.

Discussing one of the first initiatives of the ERN-LUNG AATD Core Network, Dr Ferrarotti explored how to align AATD testing across Europe with the creation of European LAB-NET, an initiative first involving six European centres that will co-operate to collect, develop, verify, and make reference materials available for molecular and biochemical tests to correctly diagnose AATD and provide quality control in the laboratory diagnosis.

Dr Greulich reported on a post-hoc pooled analysis from the RAPID-randomised controlled trial (RAPID-RCT) and the RAPID-open label extension (RAPID-OLE) study, which compared the safety and tolerability of adverse event (AE) rates for two different alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) dosing patterns, weekly infusions of 60 mg/kg AAT, and bi-weekly infusions of 120 mg/kg AAT. Results showed there were no significant differences for exposure-adjusted event rates (p=0.850), infusion-adjusted event rates (p=0.344), and serious treatment emergent AE (TEAE) (p=1.0); TEAE occurring in the first 24 and 48 hours were comparable for both groups.

Prof Sandhaus presented the results of a telephone survey from the USA AlphaNet organisation of self-infusion practices in 555 patients with AATD. The survey found that 7.9% of respondents self-administered AAT and 92.1% who did not. Of the 44 patients who self-administered AAT, 95.4% reported being very satisfied and 4.6% were satisfied with their treatment.
Metacognition in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Thinking About Our Thinking in Rheumatoid Arthritis Management
Authors: Pedder Alan
Published: January 2023

Metacognition is thinking about thinking, knowing about knowing, and being aware of your own awareness. It refers to the processes used to plan, monitor, and assess our own understanding and performance. By applying this metacognition concept and thinking critically about current beliefs and practices in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), this symposium aimed to help rheumatologists think about how to positively impact patient care. Prof Andrea Rubbert-Roth introduced the meeting by looking at current approaches to the management and treatment of RA and the disconnect between the treatment goals of physicians and patients. Prof John Weinman provided an overview of the causes and extent of non-adherence, focussing on the role of patient beliefs and the use of consultations to facilitate better adherence. In the third presentation, Prof Daniel Aletaha applied the concept of ‘the ideal’ versus ‘the norm’ to three important areas in the management of RA: how we define remission, how we measure remission, and the minimally clinically important difference (MCID) in treatment outcomes as perceived by the patient. Prof Rubbert-Roth followed up with a review of the data on cycling or switching between different classes of biologic treatment and the use of patient characteristics and, eventually, biomarkers to guide the preference of clinicians for drugs targeting tumour necrosis factor (TNF) or other targets with overlapping but distinct signalling pathways, such as IL-6. Finally, Prof Weinman discussed the holistic care and treatment of patients with RA, emphasising the need for an empathic and collaborative approach to patient care.
Affective Assemblages of Material Culture: Qi Pao, Mahjong and Performance in Ang Lee’s Lust, Caution
Authors: Sim Jiaying
Published: January 2023

Using Ang Lee’s Lust, Caution (2007), this article illustrates how an affective mode of address is encouraged when one attends to the ways in which on-screen cinematic audio-visual spectacles are produced through the interaction of different bodies on-screen. Affective cinematic encounters open up other ways of understanding the female body as productive assemblages of everyday affective interactions and relationalities with other bodies within material culture. Particularly, I demonstrate an affective mode of address that attends to the interaction of cinematic objects and how they are constructed, arranged, and engaged with on-screen to reveal hidden dynamics to characters’ relationship and overarching narratives off-screen.
Rethinking Inside and Outside: The Door in Ernst Lubitsch'sWhen I Was Deadand Charlie Chaplin'sThe Adventurer
Authors: Lewit Ido
Published: January 2023

The article investigates the function and signification of doors in two silent films, Ernst Lubitsch's 1916 When I Was Dead and Charlie Chaplin's 1917 The Adventurer. Taking a theoretical perspective provided by the field of intellectual inquiry known as cultural techniques ( Kulturtechniken), the door in these films is studied with respect to its procedural and functional operations. Specifically, the article focuses on the ways in which the employment of doors in each of the films relates to these films' configurations of inside and outside as conceptual realms. The analysis presented shows that Lubitsch and Chaplin engage doors in uniquely different ways. It further reveals that, while the operation of the door in When I Was Dead reinforces an exclusive binary of inside and outside, which itself can be traced back to the film's concern with sexual difference, the operation of the door in The Adventurer essentially deconstructs the inside/outside binary, an act that can be linked to a critique of contemporary notions of industrial management and the treatment of humans as machines.
Film as Museum: One-of-a-Kind Objects in Berkun Oya's Bir Başkadır
Authors: Landry Olivia
Published: January 2023

This article explores the 2020 Turkish Netflix series Bir Başkadır ( Ethos) written and directed by Berkun Oya about contemporary Turkey through its objects. With objects surge memories, which are both personal and collective. From the charged objects that convey private attachments, traumas, and histories to ordinary household trinkets and finally archival audiovisual material, this series assumes the status of museum in its drive to carefully exhibit the material world on screen. As the Turkish title of the series indicates, these objects are “ bir başkadır”: one of a kind. Through themes and practices of lost innocence, counter-archives, and archiveology, I sift through the quotidian objects, miniatures, old photos, souvenirs, and analogue film footage re-presented and re-collected in this series with an eye to their new scope and allure. The past and present rest adjacent to one another in the mise-en-scène of this series. In engagement with the philosophical writings of Walter Benjamin on the collector, the archive, and memory, Andreas Huyssen's concept of the “museal gaze,” Jennifer Culbert's “counter-archival sensibility,” and finally Catherine Russell's practice of “archiveology,” this article examines how the objects that fashion the on-screen world acquire depth and meaning and the film as museum comes to form.
Decomposing Geschlecht: Thinking Mother/Land … with Soils
Authors: Staikou Elina
Published: January 2023

The article traces the motif of decomposition in Derrida’s Geschlecht III. It distinguishes Derrida’s understanding of the way decomposition affects sex, language, humanity and place through a logic of dissemination and divisibility from Heidegger’s reversal of decomposition in the polysemic gathering of the land. It shows how the working of the spectral figure of mother in its link to land through natality in Geschlecht III can be extended in its biodeconstructive formulation to a question of soil as multispecies ecology.
A modified method for constructing experimental rat periodontitis model
Authors: Zhang Xuyang , Xu Minglu , Xue Qin , He Yao
Published: January 2023

Background: Periodontitis is a prevalent disease caused teeth lost. The present rat models inducing periodontitis with thread ligature and metal steel ligature have some disadvantages.

Methods: We modified the existing rat ligature periodontitis model by fixing the thread ligature on the metal steel ligature passed through the gap between the first and second molars of rats with detailed modeling steps and illustrations. We research the pathological process of the periodontitis induced by the modified model, and briefly compared the modified model with the thread ligature model and the metal steel ligature model.

Result: Our experimental results showed that there was an aggravation in inflammatory infiltration and alveolar bone resorption in modeling area within 14 days of initial induction. After that, the inflammatory infiltration was reduced. And no significant increase in alveolar bone destruction appeared. The modified model was more reliable compared to the thread ligature model, and had greater ability of bacterial aggregation compared to the metal steel ligature model.

Conclusion: The modified method covered pathological process of the periodontitis, and showed sufficient efficiency and reliability in inducing rat periodontitis.
Prevalence and grade of diabetic peripheral neuropathy among known diabetic patients in rural Uganda
Authors: Munyambalu Dalton Kambale , Hildago Idania , Bafwa Yves Tibamwenda , Lagoro Charles Abonga , Sikakulya Franck Katembo , Vahwere Bienfait Mumbere , Dafiewhare Ephraim , Martinez Lazaro , Charles Fardous Abeya
Published: January 2023

Background

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is the most common complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Approximately 50% of diabetic patients are estimated to develop DPN, depending on disease duration and diabetic control. Early diagnosis of DPN will avoid complications, including non-traumatic lower limb amputation, which is considered the most debilitating complication, as well as significant psychological, social, and economical problems. There is a paucity of literature on DPN from rural Uganda. This study aimed to deliver the prevalence and grade of DPN among DM patients in rural Uganda.

Methods

A cross-sectional study that recruited 319 known DM patients was conducted in an outpatient clinic and a diabetic clinic at Kampala International University-Teaching Hospital (KIU-TH), Bushenyi, Uganda, between December 2019 and March 2020. Questionnaires were used to obtain clinical and sociodemographic data, a neurological examination was carried out to assess the DPN, and a blood sample was collected from each participant (for random/fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin analyses). Data were analyzed using Stata version 15.0.

Results

The sample size was 319 participants. The mean age of study participants was 59.4 ± 14.6 years and there were 197 (61.8%) females. The prevalence of DPN was 65.8% (210/319) (95% CI 60.4% to 70.9%), and 44.8% of participants had mild DPN, 42.4% had moderate DPN, and 12.8% had severe DPN.

Conclusion

The prevalence of DPN at KIU-TH was higher among DM patients and its stage might have a negative impact on the progression of Diabetes Mellitus. Therefore, clinicians should consider neurological examination as a routine during assessment of all DM patients especially in rural areas where resources and facilities are often limited so that complications related to Diabetic mellitus will be prevented.
LL-VNS attenuates SK2 expression and incidence of arrhythmias following acute myocardial infarction in rats
Authors: Chen Mingxian , Zhu Tongjian , Wu Zhihong , Hu Lin , Wu Zhijian , Liu Qiming , Zhou Shenghua
Published: January 2023

Objectives

Our previous study has demonstrated that low-level vagus nerve stimulation (LL-VNS) protects the heart against ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) induced by acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the potential mechanisms by which it influences ventricular electrophysiology remain unknown.

Materials and methods

Forty-five rats were divided into three groups: a Control group (sham AMI followed by sham LL-VNS, n = 15), an AMI group (AMI followed by sham LL-VSN for 60 mins, n = 15), and an AMI + LL-VNS group (AMI followed by LL-VSN for 60 mins, n = 15). Heart rate variability (HRV), ventricular effective refractory period (ERP), ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT), and left stellate ganglion (LSG) activity were measured at baseline and during AMI. Finally, myocardial tissues were collected for tissue analysis.

Results

AMI directly induced hyperactivity in the LSG and reduced vagal tone as indexed by HRV. AMI also decreased VFT, and shortened ERP but increased ERP dispersion. AMI resulted in an increase in expression of ventricular small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SK2). However, LL-VNS significantly mitigated or eliminated the effects of AMI.

Conclusion

LL-VNS altered the electrophysiological properties of the ventricles through inhibition of cardiac sympathetic nervous activity and reduction in SK2 expression.
Efficacy and safety of endothelin receptor antagonists, phosphodiesterase type 5 Inhibitors, and prostaglandins in pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension: A network meta-analysis
Authors: Cao Fen , Wu Kun , Zhu Yong-zhi , Jiang Jun-jun , Zhang Gui , Liu Jun , Xiao Ping , Tian Yang , Zhang Wei , Zhang Sheng , Hou Feng , Bao Zhong-wu
Published: January 2023

Background

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a fatal disease characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling and increased pulmonary artery pressure, leading to impaired lung oxygenation, right heart failure, and even death. Although great advances have been made in PAH-targeted medications for pediatric patients, the efficacy and safety of these treatments are controversial.

Methods

We retrieved relevant articles from electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library until 12 April 2022. To compare the effectiveness and safety of endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs), phosphodiesterase type 5 Inhibitors (PDE-5i), and prostaglandins (ProA) in the treatment of pediatric PAH, we investigated six hemodynamic parameters, four respiratory parameters, intensive care unit (ICU) stay duration, length of hospital stay, and two safety outcomes.

Results

A total of 27 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the meta-analysis with 1,574 pediatric participants. The duration of mechanical ventilation was shorter for patients using bosentan, sildenafil, and ProsA, compared with that for patients using the placebo. Bosentan helped to shorten more time for mechanical ventilation than ProsA did, while ProsA was more effective than sildenafil in this respect. As for the length of stay in the ICU, patients administered by ProsA or sildenafil needed shorter ICU stay, compared to those using the placebo, while ProsA was more effective for shortening ICU stay time. In light of safety outcomes, there was a statistically significant difference between the sildenafil and the placebo group. Sildenafil surpassed ProsA in reducing the incidence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) crisis.

Conclusions

ERAs were more effective than ProsA in shortening the duration of mechanical ventilation, while ProsA were better for shortening the duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay than PDE-5i. PDE-5i were found to generate more benefits in decreasing the occurrence of PH crisis, though further investigation is warranted.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=351505.
High-pass filter settings and the role and mechanism of discrete ventricular electrograms in left bundle branch pacing
Authors: Shen Jiabo , Jiang Longfu , Wu Hao , Li Hengdong , Zhang Lu , Zhong Jinyan , Zhuo Shanshan , Pan Lifang
Published: January 2023

Objective

The characteristics of discrete intracardiac electrogram (EGM) in selective left bundle branch (SLBB) pacing (SLBBP) have not been described in detail previously. This study aimed to examine the effect of different high-pass filter (HPF) settings on discrete local ventricular components in an intracardiac EGM and to analyze its possible mechanisms.

Methods

This study included 144 patients with indications of permanent cardiac pacing. EGMs were collected at four different HPF settings (30, 60, 100, and 200 Hz) with a low-pass filter at 500 Hz, and their possible mechanisms were analyzed.

Results

LBBP was successfully achieved in 91.0% (131/144) of patients. SLBBP was achieved in 123 patients. The occurrence rates of discrete local ventricular EGM were 16.7, 33.3, 72.9, and 85.4% for HPF settings of 30, 60, 100, and 200 Hz, respectively. The analysis of discrete EGM detection showed significant differences between the different HPF settings. By using the discrete local ventricular component and isoelectric interval as the SLBB capture golden standard, the results of EGMs revealed that the 30 Hz HPF has a sensitivity of 19% and specificity of 100%. The 60 Hz HPF had a sensitivity of 39% and a specificity of 100%. The 100 Hz HPF had a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 100%. The 200 Hz HPF had a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 100%.

Conclusion

An optimal HPF setting of 200 Hz is recommended for discrete local ventricular EGM detection. A discrete local ventricular EGM should exhibit an isoelectric interval. A steep deflection and high-frequency ventricular EGM morphology nearly identify an intrinsic EGM morphology.
The effect of acute aerobic exercise on arterial stiffness in individuals with different body fat percentages: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Huang Zegui , Chen Guanzhi , Wang Xianxuan , Zang Yiran , Yue Qing , Cai Zefeng , Ding Xiong , Chen Zekai , Cai Zhiwei , Wu Kuangyi , Zheng Huancong , Wu Weiqiang , Wu Shouling , Chen Youren
Published: January 2023

Background

Body fat percentage were positively correlated with arterial stiffness, but the acute change in arterial stiffness after aerobic exercise in individuals with different body fat percentages remains unclear. This study was aimed to determine the effect of acute aerobic exercise on arterial stiffness in individuals with different body fat percentages.

Methods

Individuals who both participated in the seventh survey of the Kailuan study and the fifth iteration of National Physical Fitness Monitoring were enrolled in our study. All participants underwent measurement of brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity, blood pressure, and heart rate before and after a two-stage load test on cycle ergometry. Additionally, the generalized linear model was established to analyse between-group differences of the change in brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity before and after exercise for individuals with different body fat percentages.

Results

The participants (N = 940, 36.8 ± 7.7years old, all male) were divided into: Q1 10.0–19.3%, Q2 19.3–23.3%, Q3 23.3–27.1% and Q4 27.1–37.7% by body fat percentage quartile. Overall, after exercise, brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity decreased significantly (before, 1,375.1 ± 209.1; after, 1,341.5 ± 208.0cm/s; p < 0.01). After adjusting for confounding factors, the generalized linear model showed that the β values and 95% confidence interval (CI) of Q1, Q2 and Q3 groups were −38.1 (95% CI: −57.3, −19.0), −8.5 (95% CI: −25.8, 3.7),−3.7 (95% CI: −20.5, 13.0), respectively, when compared with Q4. For an increase in body fat percentage by one standard deviation (5.8%), β = 14.5 (95% CI: 7.3, 21.6). Similar results were obtained in sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions

Acute aerobic exercise had a positive effect on the arterial stiffness of adults with different body fat percentages. Compared with individuals with high body fat percentages, the arterial stiffness of people with low body fat percentages had significant reduction after exercise.
Cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle fitness, and physical activity in children with long QT syndrome: A prospective controlled study
Authors: Souilla Luc , Avesani Martina , Boisson Aymeric , Requirand Anne , Matecki Stefan , Vincenti Marie , Werner Oscar , De La Villeon Gregoire , Pommier Victor , Pasquie Jean-Luc , Guillaumont Sophie , Amedro Pascal
Published: January 2023

Background

In children with congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS), the risk of arrhythmic events during exercise commonly makes it difficult to balance exercise restrictions versus promotion of physical activity. Nevertheless, in children with LQTS, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle fitness, and physical activity, have been scarcely explored.

Materials and methods

In this prospective, controlled, cross-sectional study, 20 children with LQTS (12.7 ± 3.7 years old) and 20 healthy controls (11.9 ± 2.4 years old) were enrolled. All participants underwent a cardiopulmonary exercise test, a muscular architecture ultrasound assessment, (cross-sectional area on right rectus femoris and pennation angle), a handgrip muscular strength evaluation, and a standing long broad jump test. The level of physical activity was determined using with a waist-worn tri-axial accelerometer (Actigraph GT3X).

Results

Peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VAT) were lower in children with LQTS than in healthy controls (33.9 ± 6.2 mL/Kg/min vs. 40.1 ± 6.6 mL/Kg/min, P = 0.010; 23.8 ± 5.1 mL/Kg/min vs. 28.8 ± 5.5 mL/Kg/min, P = 0.007, respectively). Children with LQTS had lower standing long broad jump distance (119.5 ± 33.2 cm vs. 147.3 ± 36.1 cm, P = 0.02) and pennation angle (12.2 ± 2.4° vs. 14.3 ± 2.8°, P = 0.02). No differences in terms of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were observed (36.9 ± 12.9 min/day vs. 41.5 ± 18.7 min/day, P = 0.66), but nearly all children were below the WHO guidelines.

Conclusion

Despite similar physical activity level, cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle fitness in children with LQTS were lower than in healthy controls. The origin of this limitation seemed to be multifactorial, involving beta-blocker induced chronotropic limitation, physical and muscle deconditioning. Cardiovascular rehabilitation could be of interest in children with LQTS with significant physical limitation.
Identification of novel biomarkers involved in doxorubicin-induced acute and chronic cardiotoxicity, respectively, by integrated bioinformatics
Authors: Qian Hongyan , Qian Yi , Liu Yi , Cao Jiaxin , Wang Yuhang , Yang Aihua , Zhao Wenjing , Lu Yingnan , Liu Huanxin , Zhu Weizhong
Published: January 2023

Background

The mechanisms of doxorubicin (DOX) cardiotoxicity were complex and controversial, with various contradictions between experimental and clinical data. Understanding the differences in the molecular mechanism between DOX-induced acute and chronic cardiotoxicity may be an ideal entry point to solve this dilemma.

Methods

Mice were injected intraperitoneally with DOX [(20 mg/kg, once) or (5 mg/kg/week, three times)] to construct acute and chronic cardiotoxicity models, respectively. Survival record and ultrasound monitored the cardiac function. The corresponding left ventricular (LV) myocardium tissues were analyzed by RNA-seq to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) found the key biological processes and signaling pathways. DOX cardiotoxicity datasets from the Gene expression omnibus (GEO) database were combined with RNA-seq to identify the common genes. Cytoscape analyzed the hub genes, which were validated by quantitative real-time PCR. ImmuCo and ImmGen databases analyzed the correlations between hub genes and immunity-relative markers in immune cells. Cibersort analyzed the immune infiltration and correlations between the hub genes and the immune cells. Logistic regression, receiver operator characteristic curve, and artificial neural network analysis evaluated the diagnosis ability of hub genes for clinical data in the GEO dataset.

Results

The survival curves and ultrasound monitoring demonstrated that cardiotoxicity models were constructed successfully. In the acute model, 788 DEGs were enriched in the activated metabolism and the suppressed immunity-associated signaling pathways. Three hub genes (Alas1, Atp5g1, and Ptgds) were upregulated and were negatively correlated with a colony of immune-activating cells. However, in the chronic model, 281 DEGs showed that G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-related signaling pathways were the critical events. Three hub genes (Hsph1, Abcb1a, and Vegfa) were increased in the chronic model. Furthermore, Hsph1 combined with Vegfa was positively correlated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)-induced heart failure (HF) and had high accuracy in the diagnosis of DCM-induced HF (AUC = 0.898, P = 0.000).

Conclusion

Alas1, Atp5g1, and Ptgds were ideal biomarkers in DOX acute cardiotoxicity. However, Hsph1 and Vegfa were potential biomarkers in the myocardium in the chronic model. Our research, first, provided bioinformatics and clinical evidence for the discovery of the differences in mechanism and potential biomarkers of DOX-induced acute and chronic cardiotoxicity to find a therapeutic strategy precisely.
Discrimination of debris flow in narrow-steep type and wide-gentle type gullies in Wenchuan meizoseismal area
Authors: Xu Guoqing , Ji Jiejie , Luo Dengze , Qi Shunchao , Li Hongtao , Dembele Molobaly Dit Mahamadou , Yao Qiang
Published: January 2023

The debris flow disasters in the Wenchuan meizoseismal area are dominantly triggered by the gully-type debris flow. Research on its classification method can be of great theoretical value and practical significance for developing targeted prevention measures. The current empirical classification method has some disadvantages, such as inconsistent discrimination criteria and poor practicability. In this paper, in order to overcome these drawbacks, the topography, rainfall, and source characteristics data of 176 gully-type debris flows in the Wenchuan “5.12” meizoseismal area since 2008 were collected and divided into the narrow-steep, transitional, and wide-gentle types based on field investigation. The narrow-steep type gullies are mainly concentrated in small catchments with severe erosion. In contrast, the wide-gentle type gullies are often characterized by big catchments, gentle vertical slopes, and debris flows movement dominated by deposition. An empirical discrimination method for debris flow gullies is proposed based on the characters of the gullies in the meizoseismal area, and a mathematical discrimination model named Gully Geomorphology Index (GGI) is also constructed. The results from existing cases indicated that both methods were accurate to discriminate between the narrow-steep and wide-gentle debris flow gullies. According to the empirical discrimination method, among the 176 channel-type debris flows, the numbers of narrow-steep, transitional, and wide-gentle channel types are 105 (59.66%), 12 (6.82%), and 59 (33.52%), respectively. While for the GGI method, the value 0.05 and 0.10 were defined as the threshold of the three types, and the distribution of the results is 104 (59.09%) for the narrow-steep type, 16 (9.09%) for the transitional type, and 56 (31.82%) for the narrow-steep type, which can better classify the transitional type gullies and is more practical. We hope that the discrimination methods proposed in this paper will help better understand the disaster-causing mechanism and improve the prevention measures of debris flow in the Wenchuan meizoseismal area.
Study on soil freezing characteristic curve during a freezing-thawing process
Authors: Bi Jun , Wu Zhijian , Lu Yu , Wen Haiyan , Zhang Yingmin , Shen Yunxia , Wei Tingting , Wang Guoxu
Published: January 2023

Soil freezing characteristic curve (SFCC) defines the relationship between unfrozen water content and subzero temperature. The SFCC is widely applied to estimate the soil properties. The current study explored the effects of initial water content, dry density, soil type and desalination on the SFCC during a freezing-thawing process. It showed that the initial water content, soil type and desalination had great impacts on SFCC, while the dry density had an insignificant effect on SFCC. Hysteresis behavior was observed for all the soil samples. The hysteresis behavior was obvious in the temperature range of -5°C < T < 0, but not obvious in the temperature range of T ≤ -10 °C. A new equation containing freezing/thawing point was proposed to model the SFCC. The new model and four SFCC models were evaluated with measured data in this study. It showed that the new model performed best among these models. The new model accurately mimics the SFCC and is continuous near the freezing/thawing point and 0 °C. It can be easily incorporated into numerical algorithms for coupled heat and mass transfer in cold regions.
Study on the dynamic response and the hazard of rock burst under the influence of fault slip
Authors: Kong Peng , Liu Rong , Xing Luyi , Li Zhihong , Xu Chuanwei , Zhang Zhongteng
Published: January 2023

In the process of coal mine production, rock burst accidents near faults occur frequently. In order to further reveal the induced mechanism of fault slip rock burst, a numerical simulation method for dynamic calculation of fault slip under the influence of mining is proposed, and the law of fault slip and dynamic response characteristics of the stope are studied. The study shows that with the working face getting closer to the fault, the fault activity and the number of high-energy microseismic events increase significantly, and the fault slip dynamic load has a significant impact on the vibration velocity and abutment stress of coal and rock mass near the stope. Under the effect of a strong fault slip dynamic load, the coal and rock mass in the area with peak abutment stress undergo plastic failure and release a large amount of energy, and the potential of fault slip rock burst is high. The evaluation index Icd of rock burst hazard under fault slip dynamic load is proposed, and the rock burst hazard of working face passing through the fault is analyzed. The research results provide a theoretical basis for further revealing the induced mechanism and hazard assessment of fault slip rock bursts.
Research on direct shear test of rock-like materials with two closed pre-existing cracks of different attitudes
Authors: Yue Ling , Niu Jie , Ma Qingshan , Zhao Chengxi , Cao Minjun , Yu Bangyong
Published: January 2023

To investigate the failure mode and strength characteristics of rock-like materials containing two non-coplanar closed discontinues, and the influence of crack attitude on the shear failure of rock mass, a series of direct shear tests are carried out on rock-like materials containing two pre-existing cracks of different attitudes, one of them is horizontal crack, and the other is inclined crack. The specimens containing pre-existing cracks of four inclinations (0°, 45°, 135°, and 180°) and three dip angles (30°, 60°, and 90°) are prepared, and the failure form and stress-displacement curve are recorded during the tests. The results show that the attitude of the crack has a significant effect on the failure form and strength characteristics. In positive shear, the shear stress increases slowly and the crack initiation of the crack occurs relatively late, and in negative shear, the shear stress increases rapidly and the crack initiation stage appears earlier. Under the normal stress of 1 MPa, the fracture surface fluctuates along the pre-existing cracks, and the difference in shear strength of each specimen is less than 1.0 MPa. Under the normal stress of 5 MPa, the fracture surface mostly distributes along the horizontal direction, and the difference in shear strength of each specimen is about 2.0 MPa. Under the same level of normal stress, the crack initiation and peak stress vary with the attitude of pre-existing crack, and the variation trend of peak stress is changed when the normal stress increased due to the difference in failure form. It is calculated that the ratio of crack initiation stress to peak stress ranges from 0.61 to 0.80.
Trend and spatial-temporal variation of drought characteristics over equatorial East Africa during the last 120 years
Authors: Omondi Onyango Augustine , Lin Zhaohui
Published: January 2023

Centennial drought characteristics in Equatorial East Africa (EEA) is investigated using the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) derived from the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) dataset. The spatial pattern of drought distribution, as well as drought duration, intensity and frequency, are analyzed for SPEI at a 3-month timescale for March-April-May (MAM) season. Rotated Empirical Orthogonal Function (REOF), Mann-Kendall method (MK), and wavelet analyses are used to study drought’s spatial pattern, trend, and periodicity. The result of the principal component analysis returned six homogenous drought sub-regions. A low drought frequency characterizes EEA (<20%). The drought in the MAM season lasts between 2.2 and 2.8 months. Overall, the result showed a weak long-term drying trend for most parts of EEA that were significant in some sub-regions and insignificant in others. An increase in drought areal extent after the 1980s could be ascribed to the increase in potential evapotranspiration (PET) and is consistent with the negative trend in SPEI value over the six sub-regions. The apparent increase is mainly attributed to the increase in moderate and severe droughts area rather than extreme drought areas. The spectral analysis further reveals that inter-annual drought variability with periodicities less than 8 years dominates in all sub-regions of Equatorial East Africa, which is associated with the critical role of El-Niño in driving the drought variations in EEA.
Geochemistry of Precambrian dyke swarms in the Singhbhum craton, India: Implications for recycled crustal components in the mantle source
Authors: Manu Prasanth M. P. , Pang Kwan-Nang , Hari K. R. , Sahoo Bibhuti Bhusan , Ravindran Arathy , Iizuka Yoshiyuki
Published: January 2023

The Singhbhum craton, eastern India records multiple stages of emplacement of Precambrian dyke swarms with contrasting petrogenetic models proposed for their formation. In this study, we document elemental and Sr-Nd isotopic data for three major dyke swarms in the southern part of the craton, including the ca. 2.7 Ga Ghatgaon dyke swarm, the Early Proterozoic Keonjhar dyke swarm and the ca. 1.76 Ga Pipilia dyke swarm. Dyke compositions are dominated by basalt and basaltic andesite with minor andesite, showing trace element signatures typical of continental crustal rocks. Age-corrected Nd isotopic data for Ghatgaon (εNdt = −4.8 to + 4.6), Keonjhar (εNdt = −11.9 to + 3.8), and Pipilia (a single sample with εNdt = −8.8) dyke swarms display substantial variations. The lack of magma compositions that could indicate the presence of elevated mantle potential temperature among the rocks suggests melting regime was likely similar to the ambient mantle. The Dy/Yb and Dy/Dy* systematics of the rocks indicates melting occurred between spinel-stable depths and the spinel-garnet transition zone. The dominantly mafic compositions of the rocks and ubiquitous continental crustal trace element signature are best explained by peridotite source with recycled crustal components, probably in the form of pyroxenites. Our new Nd isotopic data, which argue against any simple secular evolution trend invoked in previous studies, indicate that crustal recycling was likely an episodic phenomenon rather than a discrete, single-stage process since the Archean. Geochemical modelling indicates that a sublithospheric mantle source with (10% or less) recycled crustal components satisfactorily explains the trace element variations of the dyke swarms.
A preliminary analysis of the mining-induced rock movement characteristics in the Xinli deposit of the Sanshandao gold mine
Authors: Liu Jia , Ma Fengshan , Guo Jie , Li Guang , Song Yewei , Li Fangrui
Published: January 2023

Commensurate with economic globalization, the demand for mineral resources is increasing. With increased mining activity, problems related to ground subsidence and rock movement are becoming increasingly prominent, even affecting mining production activities. However, the physical mechanisms behind the ground subsidence phenomenon have been poorly studied, especially for metal mines with a steep dip. This paper applies the Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technique and the numerical simulation method to deduce the characteristics of rock movement in the Xinli deposit of the steeply inclined Sanshandao gold mine. The InSAR results indicate that more subsidence has occurred in the southern part of the Xinli Village coastline area than in the northern part. This is also supported by the numerical simulation results obtained by the fast Lagrangian analysis of continua in three dimensions (FLAC3D). Notably, the range of ground subsidence obtained by numerical simulation shows an obvious asymmetry. The monitoring data of the No. 55 prospecting profile offer a plausible explanation for this, as the surrounding rock of the fault’s hanging wall has a wider range of rock movements. Furthermore, the sublevels of the No. 55 prospecting profile at different depths show different rock movement characteristics, and a logistic function can be well applied to the right part of the settlement curve; the parameter “a” in the function formula is very close to the maximum subsidence value for each sublevel. We defined the ratio “r” to measure the difference between the maximum subsidence value and the corresponding parameter “a” and found this value to be positively correlated with the fractal dimension value of deeper sublevels (−320 m, −400 m, −480 m, and −600 m) and negatively correlated with the fractal dimension value of lower sublevels (−200 m and −240 m).
Characteristics and genesis of light oil in Tabei Area, Tarim Basin, Northwestern China
Authors: Wang Yang , Zhang Shaonan , Xie Honglei , Wang Qi , Tian Jinqiang
Published: January 2023

Light oil is a high-quality crude oil. The formation and chemical composition of light oil is a matter of great concern to petroleum geologists. Yakela Field and Shunbei Field, which are located in Yakela and Shunbei regions, respectively, are the two main light oil fields in the Tabei uplift of the Tarim Basin. In order to identify the causative mechanism of light oils in these two fields, 17 crude oil samples were selected and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) for saturated hydrocarbons and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GCMS) for saturated and aromatic biomarkers. Then, the compounds were measured via the mass spectrometry detector after GC separation. The molecular geochemical characteristics showed that the light oils in the two fields are sourced from similar marine source rocks deposited under weak oxidative and reductive environments. The maturity of crude oil in the Shunbei Field is higher than that in the Yakela Field. Simulation results of hydrocarbon generation history of source rocks in two fields showed that the formation mechanism of the two light oils is different. The light oil in the Yakela Field is directly generated by the source rock in the late oil-generating window. The crude oil in the Shunbei Field is formed by the deep burial and maturation of the crude oil generated in the early stage of the source rock.
Identification of the late Quaternary activity of the littoral fault zone at the Northern Jiangsu province in China
Authors: Ji Haomin , Ren Zhikun , Zhu Menghao , Min Wei , Liu Jinrui , Feng Yingci
Published: January 2023

It has been accepted that a littoral fault zone (LFZ) exists at the Northern Jiangsu Province, but its geometric distribution and the late Quaternary activity are still controversial. In this study, to constrain its late Quaternary activity, we collected two high-resolution shallow-reflection seismic profiles crossing the northern segment of the littoral fault zone (NLFZ) in the Yellow Sea, using mini-multichannel seismograph. Four reflection interfaces were identified clearly in the reflection profiles, dividing Quaternary strata in the study area into four seismic units. Combined with the existing regional borehole data, it is inferred that these units correspond to strata in the Holocene, the Late Pleistocene, the Middle Pleistocene, and the Early Pleistocene. The breakpoints F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, and F6 correspond to the NLFZ, and the uppermost offset marker is the Late Pleistocene–Holocene interface. Therefore, the NLFZ is tentatively identified as a Late Pleistocene–Holocene active fault. Our method utilized to obtain high-resolution profiles also provides a good example for research studies at similar sites. Moreover, considering the regional tectonic background, its fault length, and long aseismic period, the NLFZ is capable of generating strong earthquakes of Mw 6.5 or above in the future, which needs further investigation. Finally, based on our profiles and previous studies, it is inferred that the kinematic properties of the LFZ transformed at the Middle Pleistocene, at least.