bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Archetypal Architecture Construction, Patterning, and Scaling Invariance in a 3D Embryoid Body Differentiation Model
Authors: Gordeeva Olga , Gordeev Andrey , Erokhov Pavel
Published: April 2022

Self-organized patterning and architecture construction studying is a priority goal for fundamental developmental and stem cell biology. To study the spatiotemporal patterning of pluripotent stem cells of different origins, we developed a three-dimensional embryoid body (EB) differentiation model quantifying volumetric parameters and investigated how the EB architecture formation, patterning, and scaling depend on the proliferation, cavitation, and differentiation dynamics, external environmental factors, and cell numbers. We identified three similar spatiotemporal patterns in the EB architectures, regardless of cell origin, which constitute the EB archetype and mimick the pre-gastrulation embryonic patterns. We found that the EB patterning depends strongly on cellular positional information, culture media factor/morphogen content, and free diffusion from the external environment and between EB cell layers. However, the EB archetype formation is independent of the EB size and initial cell numbers forming EBs; therefore, it is capable of scaling invariance and patterning regulation. Our findings indicate that the underlying principles of reaction-diffusion and positional information concepts can serve as the basis for EB architecture construction, patterning, and scaling. Thus, the 3D EB differentiation model represents a highly reproducible and reliable platform for experimental and theoretical research on developmental and stem cell biology issues.
Differential Effects of APOE Genotype on MicroRNA Cargo of Cerebrospinal Fluid Extracellular Vesicles in Females With Alzheimer’s Disease Compared to Males
Authors: Sandau Ursula S. , McFarland Trevor J. , Smith Sierra J. , Galasko Douglas R. , Quinn Joseph F. , Saugstad Julie A.
Published: April 2022

Multiple biological factors, including age, sex, and genetics, influence Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk. Of the 6.2 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2021, 3.8 million are women and 2.4 million are men. The strongest genetic risk factor for sporadic AD is apolipoprotein E-e4 (APOE-e4). Female APOE-e4 carriers develop AD more frequently than age-matched males and have more brain atrophy and memory loss. Consequently, biomarkers that are sensitive to biological risk factors may improve AD diagnostics and may provide insight into underlying mechanistic changes that could drive disease progression. Here, we have assessed the effects of sex and APOE-e4 on the miRNA cargo of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) extracellular vesicles (EVs) in AD. We used ultrafiltration (UF) combined with size exclusion chromatography (SEC) to enrich CSF EVs (e.g., Flotillin+). CSF EVs were isolated from female and male AD or controls (CTLs) that were either APOE-e3,4 or -e3,3 positive (n = 7/group, 56 total). MiRNA expression levels were quantified using a custom TaqMan™ array that assayed 190 miRNAs previously found in CSF, including 25 miRNAs that we previously validated as candidate AD biomarkers. We identified changes in the EV miRNA cargo that were affected by both AD and sex. In total, four miRNAs (miR-16-5p, -331-3p, -409-3p, and -454-3p) were significantly increased in AD vs. CTL, independent of sex and APOE-e4 status. Pathway analysis of the predicted gene targets of these four miRNAs with identified pathways was highly relevant to neurodegeneration (e.g., senescence and autophagy). There were also three miRNAs (miR-146b-5p, -150-5p, and -342-3p) that were significantly increased in females vs. males, independent of disease state and APOE-e4 status. We then performed a statistical analysis to assess the effect of APOE genotype in AD within each sex and found that APOE-e4 status affects different subsets of CSF EV miRNAs in females vs. males. Together, this study demonstrates the complexity of the biological factors associated with AD risk and the impact on EV miRNAs, which may contribute to AD pathophysiology.
Fluorescent Indicators For Biological Imaging of Monatomic Ions
Authors: Wu Sheng-Yi , Shen Yi , Shkolnikov Irene , Campbell Robert E.
Published: April 2022

Monatomic ions play critical biological roles including maintaining the cellular osmotic pressure, transmitting signals, and catalyzing redox reactions as cofactors in enzymes. The ability to visualize monatomic ion concentration, and dynamic changes in the concentration, is essential to understanding their many biological functions. A growing number of genetically encodable and synthetic indicators enable the visualization and detection of monatomic ions in biological systems. With this review, we aim to provide a survey of the current landscape of reported indicators. We hope this review will be a useful guide to researchers who are interested in using indicators for biological applications and to tool developers seeking opportunities to create new and improved indicators.
Regulations of Retinal Inflammation: Focusing on Müller Glia
Authors: Chen Yingying , Xia Qinghong , Zeng Yue , Zhang Yun , Zhang Meixia
Published: April 2022

Retinal inflammation underlies multiple prevalent retinal diseases. While microglia are one of the most studied cell types regarding retinal inflammation, growing evidence shows that Müller glia play critical roles in the regulation of retinal inflammation. Müller glia express various receptors for cytokines and release cytokines to regulate inflammation. Müller glia are part of the blood-retinal barrier and interact with microglia in the inflammatory responses. The unique metabolic features of Müller glia in the retina makes them vital for retinal homeostasis maintenance, regulating retinal inflammation by lipid metabolism, purine metabolism, iron metabolism, trophic factors, and antioxidants. miRNAs in Müller glia regulate inflammatory responses via different mechanisms and potentially regulate retinal regeneration. Novel therapies are explored targeting Müller glia for inflammatory retinal diseases treatment. Here we review new findings regarding the roles of Müller glia in retinal inflammation and discuss the related novel therapies for retinal diseases.
Interfacial Assemble of Prussian Blue Analog to Access Hierarchical FeNi (oxy)-Hydroxide Nanosheets for Electrocatalytic Water Splitting
Authors: Hong Jinquan , Lv Jiangquan , Chen Jialing , Cai Lanxin , Wei Mengna , Cai Guoseng , Huang Xin , Li Xiaoyan , Du Shaowu
Published: April 2022

Developing facile methods for the synthesis of active and stable electrocatalysts is vitally important to realize overall water splitting. Here, we demonstrate a practical method to obtain FeNiOOH nanosheets on nickel foam (NF) as bifunctional electrocatalyst by growing a FeCo Prussian blue analog with further in situ oxidation under ambient conditions. The binder-free, self-standing FeNiOOH/NF electrode with hierarchical nanostructures requires low overpotentials of 260 mV and 240 mV at a current density of 50 mA cm−2 for oxygen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction, respectively, in 1.0 M KOH solution. Therefore, an alkaline water electrolyzer constructed by bifunctional FeNiOOH/NF electrode as both anode and cathode delivers 50 mA cm−2 under a cell voltage of 1.74 V with remarkable stability, which outperforms the IrO2-Pt/C-based electrolyzer. The excellent performance could be ascribed to the superior FeNiOOH intrinsic activity and the hierarchical structure. This work provides a cost-efficient surface engineering method to obtain binder-free, self-standing bifunctional electrocatalyst on commercial NF, which could be further extended to other energy and environment applications.
Metabolomic and Microbial Remodeling by Shanmei Capsule Improves Hyperlipidemia in High Fat Food-Induced Mice
Authors: Du Lijing , Wang Qian , Ji Shuai , Sun Yuanfang , Huang Wenjing , Zhang Yiping , Li Shasha , Yan Shikai , Jin Huizi
Published: April 2022

Hyperlipidemia refers to a chronic disease caused by systemic metabolic disorder, and its pathophysiology is very complex. Shanmei capsule (SM) is a famous preparation with a long tradition of use for anti-hyperlipidemia treatment in China. However, the regulation mechanism of SM on hyperlipidemia has not been elucidated so far. In this study, a combination of UPLC-Q-TOF/MS techniques and 16S rDNA gene sequencing was performed to investigate the effects of SM treatment on plasma metabolism-mediated change and intestinal homeostasis. The results indicated that SM potently ameliorated high-fat diet-induced glucose and lipid metabolic disorders and reduced the histopathological injury. Pathway analysis indicated that alterations of differential metabolites were mainly involved in glycerophospholipid metabolism, linolenic acid metabolism, α-linoleic acid metabolism, and arachidonic acid metabolism. These changes were accompanied by a significant perturbation of intestinal microbiota characterized by marked increased microbial richness and changed microbiota composition. There were many genera illustrating strong correlations with hyperlipidemia-related markers (e.g., weight gains, GLU, and total cholesterol), including the Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group and the Lachnospiraceae NK4B4 group. Overall, this study initially confirmed that hyperlipidemia is associated with metabolic disturbance and intestinal microbiota disorders, and SM can be employed to help decrease hyperlipidemia risk, including improving the abnormal metabolic profile and maintaining the gut microbial environment.
Development and Validation of a Risk Score for Predicting Invasive Candidiasis in Intensive Care Unit Patients by Incorporating Clinical Risk Factors and Lymphocyte Subtyping
Authors: Zhang Jiahui , Cheng Wei , Li Dongkai , Chen Jianwei , Zhao Guoyu , Wang Hao , Cui Na
Published: April 2022

Objective

To develop and validate a rapid invasive candidiasis (IC)-predictive risk score in intensive care unit (ICU) patients by incorporating clinical risk factors and parameters of lymphocyte subtyping.

Methods

A prospective cohort study of 1054 consecutive patients admitted to ICU was performed. We assessed the clinical characteristics and parameters of lymphocyte subtyping at the onset of clinical signs of infection and their potential influence on IC diagnosis. A risk score for early diagnosis of IC was developed and validated based on a logistic regression model.

Results

Sixty-nine patients (6.5%) had IC. Patients in the cohort (N=1054) were randomly divided into a development (n=703) or validation (n=351) cohorts. Multivariate logistic regression identified that CD8+ T-cell count ≤143 cells/mm3, receipt of high-dose corticosteroids (dose ≥50 mg prednisolone equivalent), receipt of carbapenem/tigecycline, APACHE II score≥15, (1,3)-β-D-glucan (BDG) positivity and emergency gastrointestinal/hepatobiliary (GIT/HPB) surgery were significantly related with IC. IC risk score was calculated using the following formula: CD8+ T-cell count ≤143 cells/mm3 + receipt of high-dose corticosteroids + receipt of carbapenem/tigecycline + APACHE II score ≥15 + BDG positivity + emergency GIT/HPB surgery ×2. The risk scoring system had good discrimination and calibration with area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve of 0.820 and 0.807, and a non-significant Hosmer-Lemeshow test P=0.356 and P=0.531 in the development and validation cohorts, respectively. We categorized patients into three groups according to risk score: low risk (0-2 points), moderate risk (3-4 points) and high risk (5-7 points). IC risk was highly and positively associated with risk score (Pearson contingency coefficient=0.852, P for trend=0.007). Candida score had a moderate predicting efficacy for early IC diagnosis. The AUROC of the risk score was significantly larger than that of Candida score (0.820 versus 0.711, Z=2.013, P=0.044).

Conclusions

The predictive scoring system, which used both clinical factors and CD8+ T cell count, served as a clinically useful predictive model for rapid IC diagnosis in this cohort of ICU patients.

Clinical Trial Registration

chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR-ROC-17010750.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Tanreqing Targets Both Cell Division and Virulence in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Yang Weifeng , Cui Kaiyu , Tong Qian , Ma Shuhua , Sun Yanan , He Gaiying , Li Dongying , Lin Longfei , Blazekovic Biljana , Chevalier Sylvie , Wang Yuanhong , Wei Qing , Wang Yi
Published: April 2022

Staphylococcus aureus has been recognized as an important human pathogen and poses a serious health threat worldwide. With the advent of antibiotic resistance, such as the increased number of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), there is an urgent need to develop new therapeutical agents. In this study, Chinese traditional medicine Tanreqing (TRQ) has been used as an alternative treating agent against MRSA and we aim to unravel the mode of action of TRQ underlying MRSA inhibition. TRQ treatment affected numerous gene expression as revealed by RNA-seq analysis. Meanwhile, TRQ targeted cell division to inhibit cell growth as shown by illumination microscopy. Besides, we confirmed that TRQ downregulates the expression of virulence factors such as hemolysin and autolysin. Finally, we used a murine model to demonstrate that TRQ efficiently reduces bacterial virulence. Altogether, we have proved TRQ formula to be an effective agent against S. aureus infections.
Integrating Multiple Perspectives Into an Impact Mitigation Program for Sustainable Whale and Dolphin Tourism Management
Authors: Ferdin Arockia E. J. , Jhong Yan-Cheng , Lee Chun-Hung
Published: April 2022

Balancing the sustainable practices of whale watching and cetacean species conservation is an enormous challenge for the countries that rely on whale watching tourism industry. In this study, we employ the choice experiment method to estimate the tourists' heterogeneity preferences (THP) on different attributes to establish an impact mitigation program in Taiwan. We found that the scenario of integrated cetacean conservation and sustainable whale-dolphin watching has the highest welfare effects among all the proposed scenarios. Features that affect the differentiation of THP are: (1) tourists' awareness, and conservation attitudes, (2) nationality, and (3) monthly income. The findings from this research could assist the government and tour operators to tailor their policy and management strategy that respond to the present issues by focusing on time schedule management, vessel slowdown distance, set up maximum boat numbers, build-up operational guidance, and by establishing a conservation fund.
Epidemiology of Congenital Heart Disease in Jinan, China From 2005 to 2020: A Time Trend Analysis
Authors: Zhang Lihua , Liu Bei , Li Huimin , Wang Chengxiang , Yang Shimin , Li Zhongliang
Published: April 2022

Background

Although congenital heart defect (CHD) was the dominating birth defect, the time trend analysis of CHD was largely unknown. In our study, the time trend analysis of CHD from 2005 to 2020 in Jinan was conducted, aimed to reveal the epidemiological characteristics in a city and provided the data basis for the government to make a policy intervention.

Methods

A multi-institutional and retrospective review of CHD for all births from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2020 was performed. Proportioner prevalence was used to describe the distribution of CHD. Comparisons of CHD characteristics among different groups were assessed with Chi-squares tests. Cochran-Armitage tests (CAT) were used to track changes in CHD prevalence.

Results

About 322,374 births and 5,180 CHD in Jinan were included from 2005 to 2020, and the total CHD prevalence was 3.92 per 1,000 births. The CHD prevalence showed an upward trend, with a total increase of 227.66% from 2005 to 2020. The CHD prevalence in urban areas was 34.17% higher than that in rural areas, but the gap was narrowing. Atrial septal defect (3.07 per 1,000 births), patent ductus arteriosus (1.62 per 1,000 births), ventricular septal defect (1.18 per 1,000 births), tetralogy of Fallot (0.62 per 1,000 births), and atrioventricular septal defect (0.47 per 1,000 births) were the 5 most common subtypes.

Conclusion

The prevalence of CHD in Jinan was gradually on the rise, which needs to be highly focused on by the health management department. Older pregnant women and women in rural areas should be concerned, and targeted measures need to be introduced.
Practice and Evaluation of a Protocol for Collating Information Related to the Emergency Clinical Pathway for Patients With Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Cao Jun , Ge Zi , Zhao Hui , Ma Ke , Xia Zhijie
Published: April 2022

Acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a common acute and critical disease that requires rapid treatment within a limited window of time. In this study, we attempt to introduce a clinical pathway for the whole-process management of emergency STEMI based on the creation of a specific information system that matches the characteristics of emergency clinical work and evaluates their clinical value by quality control analysis. We deployed this system for 3 years and found that complications, heart failure, and medical costs during hospitalization were significantly reduced (p = 0.019) in patients with STEMI. By analyzing each link in the clinical pathway, our research indicates the clear clinical importance of developing methods to continuously improve data quality. Collectively, out research led to the optimization of an information system that will facilitate the clinical management of patients with STEMI.
Left Heart Chamber Volumetric Assessment by Automated Three-Dimensional Echocardiography in Heart Transplant Recipients
Authors: Zhang Yiwei , Wu Chun , Sun Wei , Zhu Shuangshuang , Zhang Yanting , Xie Yuji , Zhu Ye , Zhang Zisang , Zhao Yang , Li Yuman , Xie Mingxing , Zhang Li
Published: April 2022

Background

Recently, a new automated software (Heart Model) was developed to obtain three-dimensional (3D) left heart chamber volumes. The aim of this study was to verify the feasibility and accuracy of the automated 3D echocardiographic algorithm in heart transplant (HTx) patients. Conventional manual 3D transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) tracings and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) images were used as a reference for comparison.

Methods

This study enrolled 103 healthy HTx patients prospectively. In protocol 1, left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), LV end-systolic volume (LVESV), left atrial max volume (LAVmax), LA minimum volume (LAVmin) and LV ejection fraction (LVEF) were obtained using the automated 3D echocardiography (3DE) and compared with corresponding values obtained through the manual 3DE. In protocol 2, 28 patients’ automated 3DE measurements were compared with CMR reference values. The impacts of contour edit and surgical technique were also tested.

Results

Heart Model was feasible in 97.1% of the data sets. In protocol 1, there was strong correlation between 3DE and manual 3DE for all the parameters (r = 0.77 to 0.96, p<0.01). Compared to values obtained through manual measurements, LV volumes and LVEF were overestimated by the automated algorithm and LA volumes were underestimated. All the biases were small except for that of LAVmin. After contour adjustment, the biases reduced and all the limits of agreement were clinically acceptable. In protocol 2, the correlations for LV and LA volumes were strong between automated 3DE with contour edit and CMR (r = 0.74 to 0.93, p<0.01) but correlation for LVEF remained moderate (r = 0.65, p < 0.01). Automated 3DE overestimated LV volumes but underestimated LVEF and LA volumes compared with CMR. The limits of agreement were clinically acceptable only for LVEDV and LAVmax.

Conclusion

Simultaneous quantification of left heart volumes and LVEF with the automated Heart Model program is rapid, feasible and to a great degree it is accurate in HTx recipients. Nevertheless, only LVEDV and LAVmax measured by automated 3DE with contour edit seem applicable for clinical practice when compared with CMR. Automated 3DE for HTx recipients is a worthy attempt, though further verification and optimization are needed.
Establishment and Validation of a Multivariate Predictive Scoring Model for Intravenous Immunoglobulin-Resistant Kawasaki Disease: A Study of Children From Two Centers in China
Authors: Li Changjian , Wu Shu , Shi Yuanyuan , Liao Ying , Sun Yan , Yan Hui , Zhang Qingyou , Fu Jia , Zhou Dan , Zhang Yong , Jin Hongfang , Du Junbao
Published: April 2022

Background

Early identification of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG)-resistant Kawasaki disease (KD) is important for making a suitable therapeutic strategy for children with KD.

Methods

This study included a training set and an external validation set. The training set included 635 children (588 IVIG-sensitive and 47 IVIG-resistant KD) hospitalized in Wuhan Children’s Hospital, Hubei, China. Univariate analyses and binary logistic regression equation was incorporated to find the associated variables of the IVIG-resistant KD. A scoring model for predicting IVIG-resistant KD was established according to odds ratio (OR) values and receiver operating characteristic curves. The external validation set consisted of 391 children (358 IVIG-sensitive and 33 IVIG-resistant KD) hospitalized in Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China. The predictive ability of the model of IVIG-resistant KD were externally validated by the real clinically diagnosed KD cases.

Results

Fifteen variables in the training set were statistically different between IVIG-sensitive and IVIG-resistant KD children, including rash, duration of fever, peripheral blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), percentage of monocytes and percentage of eosinophils, and serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin (TB), direct bilirubin, glutamyl transpeptidase, prealbumin, sodium ion, potassium ion and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. According to logistic equation analysis, the final three independent correlates to IVIG-resistant KD were serum TB ≥ 12.8 μmol/L, peripheral blood NLR ≥ 5.0 and peripheral blood PNI ≤ 52.4. According to the OR values, three variables were assigned the points of 2, 2 and 1, respectively. When the score was ≥ 3 points, the sensitivity to predict IVIG-resistant KD was 80.9% and the specificity was 77.6%. In the validation set, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the predictive model of IVIG-resistant KD were 72.7%, 84.9%, and 83.9%, respectively.

Conclusion

A scoring model was constructed to predict IVIG-resistant KD, which would greatly assist pediatricians in the early prediction of IVIG-resistant KD.
The Developments and Iterations of a Mobile Technology-Based Fall Risk Health Application
Authors: Hsieh Katherine L. , Frechette Mikaela L. , Fanning Jason , Chen Lingjun , Griffin Aileen , Sosnoff Jacob J.
Published: April 2022

Falls are a prevalent and serious health concern across clinical populations. A critical step in falls prevention is identifying modifiable risk factors, but due to time constraints and equipment costs, fall risk screening is rarely performed. Mobile technology offers an innovative approach to provide personalized fall risk screening for clinical populations. To inform future development, this manuscript discusses the development and testing of mobile health fall risk applications for three unique clinical populations [older adults, individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and wheeled-device users]. We focus on key lessons learned and future directions to improve the field of fall risk mHealth. During the development phase, we first identified fall risk factors specific to each population that are measurable with mobile technology. Second, we determined whether inertial measurement units within smartphones can measure postural control within the target population. Last, we developed the interface of each app with a user-centered design approach with usability testing through iterative semi-structured interviews. We then tested our apps in real-world settings. Our cumulative work demonstrates that mobile technology can be leveraged to provide personalized fall risk screening for different clinical populations. Fall risk apps should be designed and tailored for the targeted group to enhance usefulness and feasibility. In addition, fall risk factors measured with mobile technology should include those that are specific to the population, are measurable with mobile technology, and can accurately measure fall risk. Future work should improve fall risk algorithms and implement mobile technology into fall prevention programs.
Small Human Population Drastic Impact, as Inferred From Multi-Proxies of a Temporary Carpathian Lake
Authors: Moldovan Oana Teodora , Miko Ladislav , Panaiotu Cristian , Roban Relu-Dumitru , Gąsiorowski Michał , Hercman Helena , Orza Răzvan , Kenesz Marius , Mirea Ionuț Cornel , Petculescu Alexandru , Robu Marius , Constantin Silviu
Published: April 2022

Over the last thousands of years, human impact led to significant changes in the landscape, with impacts on the environment and the functioning of the ecosystems. We assumed that even small human settlements developed around water bodies might have a substantial impact that surpasses the natural cycles of climate change in an area, especially linked to forest cutting. We have chosen a temporary lake in the Romanian Carpathians as temporary lakes are overlooked in paleoclimatic studies, although they have potential as hotspots for paleoenvironmental research studies. Zăton Lake has exposed riverbank sediments dated with radioactive lead and optical stimulated luminescence techniques, analyzed for sediments and paleomagnetism, and sampled for fossil Oribatida mites. The results show that for the last 2,200 years, natural cycles of warm and cold periods changed the oribatid communities around the lake, with warmer cycles of rich fauna alternating with poor fauna during colder periods. However, in the last few centuries, the increased human occupation in the area replaced the ecologically diverse fauna with eurytopic taxa, more similar to the colder periods of the environmental evolution around the lake. Even if the human occupation around the lake was negligible, probably a few hundred to ∼2,500 people as in the present, the impact on the area is drastic, with ecologically nonspecific species becoming dominant. In conclusion, even small and temporary water bodies can contain unique and valuable information on past histories of climate change and human impacts. At regional scales, the combined effects of climate change and long-term human impacts in local areas can have deleterious effects on invertebrate species and communities.
Study on the Pore Structures and Adsorption Characteristics of Coking Coal of Liulin Mining in China Under the Condition of High Temperature and High Pressure
Authors: Lingling Qi , Xinshan Peng , Zhaofeng Wang , Xiangjun Chen , Juhua Dai
Published: April 2022

In order to study the change of pore structure and adsorption characteristics of coking coal after the high-temperature and high-pressure adsorption test, the coking coal from the Liulin coalmine was selected for the research. Both the mercury injection experiments were carried out on the raw coal and the coal after the isothermal adsorption experiment processing with a pressure of 11 MPa and temperature ranging from 30 to 90°C. The results show that the pressure is beneficial to gas adsorption, while the temperature has a restraining effect on the gas adsorption of coking coal, and there is a good negative exponential relationship between the adsorption capacity and temperature. The hysteresis loop of that after the high-temperature and high-pressure isothermal adsorption test is smaller than that of raw coal, and the connectivity of pores becomes worse. In the process of the mercury injection experiment, the hysteresis loop of coking coal after the high-temperature and high-pressure adsorption experiment is smaller than that of raw coal. This demonstrates that the open pores decrease and the semi-closed pores increase, and then the connectivity of the pores becomes worse, which is not conducive to the gas flow when the coking is subjected to high-temperature and high-pressure action. After the high-temperature and high-pressure adsorption experiment, the volume of macropores, visible pores, and crannies of the coking coal decreases, and the volume of micropores and minipores increases. However, the total pore volume reduced overall. Under the same pressure, with the increase in temperature, the volume of macropores, visible pores, and crannies increases, while the volume of micropores and minipores decreases, and the total pore volume increases. After the high-temperature and high-pressure adsorption experiment, the proportion of micropores and minipores increases, and the specific surface area also increases. Under the same pressure, the surface areas of micropores and minipores decrease and the total specific surface area also decreases with the increase in temperature.
Characterization of Deep-Water Submarine Fan Reservoir Architecture: AB120 Reservoir in the Campos Basin
Authors: Zhao Chen , Hu Xiuquan , Li Jianghan , Yi Chi , Li Jieyi , Niu Zhipeng
Published: April 2022

The exploration of deep-water submarine fan reservoirs has become a prominent research area for hydrocarbon discovery and recovery. However, the high operational costs render efficient exploration of this type of reservoir crucial, and the pivotal foundation lies in studying reservoir architectures. A case study of deep-water submarine fans in the Albacora Leste oilfield in Brazil is presented along with a characterization of the underground reservoir architecture based on well-log and seismic model fitting. A sedimentary microfacies distribution model is systematically established for each reservoir based on a detailed stratigraphic framework with a well-seismic joint characterization method and various types of data (e.g., geological, well-log, and seismic data). The results are as follows: the sedimentary microfacies of the deep-water submarine fans in the study area can be subdivided into tongue-shaped-lobe, muddy-channel, sandy-channel, and contourite deposits. Owing to data abundance and quality constraints, the architecture of the target layer in the study area was characterized based on Level 4 architectural elements. The AB120 Reservoir consisted of three complex channels (I, II, and III) and two tongue-shaped complex lobes (I and II). Complex channels I and III were the first and last to be deposited, respectively, and complex lobe I was deposited earlier than complex lobe II. Complex channels II and III supply complex lobes I and II, respectively. Vertically, complex lobe II was composed of three single lobes formed at different stages, the youngest of which was distributed over the largest area. Complex lobe II has already been drilled and is currently under development. However, complex lobe I has not yet been developed. This study has great practical significance for the effective development of deep-water submarine-fan reservoirs in this area and is of considerable theoretical significance for the advancement of deep-water sedimentology.
The Effects of Wind Regime and Sand Supply on the Coexistence of Barchans and Linear Dunes in China’s Qaidam Basin
Authors: Ma Fang , Lü Ping , Cao Min
Published: April 2022

Dunes composed of granular materials are present in deserts and other environments, such as subaqueous environments and environments on other planets, with very different time and length scales for their evolution. In arid regions, barchans (transverse dunes) develop under a unimodal wind regime, and are oriented perpendicular to the sand transport direction, whereas linear (longitudinal) dunes develop under a bimodal wind regime and are oriented parallel to the sand transport direction. However, field survey results cannot be explained solely by the wind because barchans and linear dunes can coexist under the same wind regime. Here, we investigated China’s Qaidam Basin, where barchans and linear dunes coexist. We measured dune morphology, analyzed wind data, and quantified the sand supply (equivalent sand thickness) to describe their development environment, and focused on the effect of sand supply to explore the combined effects of wind regime and sand supply on the coexistence of barchans and linear dunes. In our study area, barchans and linear dunes had low heights. The wind regime was narrowly bimodal, with low directional variability. The sand supply was limited (low equivalent sand thickness), but was greater for barchan chains than for barchans, and linear dunes had the smallest supply; the equivalent sand thickness in the linear dune areas was half that in barchan areas and one-quarter that in barchan chain areas. Except in the presence of topographical barriers and cohesive sediments, a unimodal or bimodal wind regime with an acute angle allows barchans and linear dunes to coexist under a low sand supply. The linear dunes and the barchans migrated along the resultant drift direction. Though we studied aeolian dunes, these findings will increase our understanding of these similar bedforms that develop in other planetary environments (e.g., Mars).
Strengths and Weaknesses of Emergency Remote Teaching in Higher Education From the Students’ Perspective: The Portuguese Case
Authors: Albuquerque Fábio , dos Santos Paula G. , Martinho Carla
Published: April 2022

Motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic, most students of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Portugal experienced online learning from March 2020 to July 2020. Based on the answers obtained from students to a set of two open questions included in a questionnaire, this article aims to identify the positive (strengths) and negative (weaknesses) aspects of online learning during this period, which is also known as emergency remote teaching (ERT). A total of 2,107 valid answers were gathered. Issues related to comfort and time management were the topics most frequently mentioned by students as strengths, particularly for those who are simultaneously workers. In contrast, the assessments, interaction, and self-confidence comprised the set of the most frequently mentioned by students as weaknesses. In this latter context, the most evident differences were found by age, type of course, and students’ status. The breakdown by gender did not show any relevant difference, regardless of the item under analysis. These findings may be useful for decision-makers to plan their actions, particularly regarding the new challenges for the future of higher education programs. Those actions may include the options regarding the most proper learning model among face-to-face, online, or blended learning by case, as well as the measures to improve the overall quality of the online learning to increase the students’ satisfaction.
Optimal Photovoltaic Panel Direction and Tilt Angle Prediction Using Stacking Ensemble Learning
Authors: Khan Prince Waqas , Byun Yung-Cheol , Lee Sang-Joon
Published: April 2022

Renewable energy sources produce electricity without causing increment in pollution, and solar energy is one of the primary renewable sources. Switching to renewable electricity is particularly impactful for companies whose emissions from purchased energy are the primary source. The Renewable Energy (RE100) initiative provides awareness to governments and the general public. Therefore, organizations must now move from renewable energy sources to clean energy sources. Solar panels are the primary source of renewable energy. However, a harsh environment or solar panel malfunction can lead to missing data, which causes various problems, such as data processing complexity, severe biases, and commitment to data quality. Optimal orientation and tilt angle for solar panels effectively get more energy from the solar panels. We have used machine learning to predict the optimal angle for a solar panel according to the season and time. This article studies solar panel data’s photovoltaic energy generation value and proposes a machine learning model based on the stacking ensemble learning technique. Three ML models, including catboost, XGboost, and random forest, are ensebmled. Experimental data are obtained by setting up sixteen solar panels with different combinations of tilt and direction. The performance of the proposed method is compared with other ML and statistical models. We obtained a regression score (R2) of 0.86 and a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 2.54%.
Dual Benefits of Enhanced Oil Recovery and CO2 Sequestration: The Impact of CO2 Injection Approach on Oil Recovery
Authors: Alam Mir Muhammad Mansoor , Hassan Amjed , Mahmoud Mohamed , Sibaweihi Najmudeen , Patil Shirish
Published: April 2022

Injection of CO2 to enhance oil recovery is widely used due to its multiple advantages such as mobilizing the oil and sequestration of carbon dioxide. Injection of CO2 can enhance oil recovery by reducing oil viscosity and improving overall fluid mobility. However, several problems are associated with CO2 injection such as viscous fingering, gravity override, and CO2 channeling that results in early gas breakthrough, low sweep efficiency, and low ultimate oil recovery. In this study, dual benefits of CO2 injection are presented: enhancing oil recovery and sequestering carbon dioxide. In this work, different scenarios of field scale simulation were conducted to evaluate oil recovery during CO2 injection, and the CMG (Computer Modeling Group) software package was used. Three main scenarios were examined which are CO2 injection into the reservoir, CO2 injection into the aquifer, and CO2 injection into the aquifer followed by waterflooding. Also, three well configurations were utilized—all injectors and producers are drilled vertically, all wells are drilled horizontally, and vertical injectors and horizontal producers are used. Therefore, the oil recovery profiles were examined for nine scenarios over a 20-year period. In all simulated models, CO2 injection was started at the residual oil saturation (Sor) conditions, to represent the cases of depleted oil reservoirs. The results indicated that the highest oil recovery of 73% of the original oil-in-place (OOIP) can be achieved by injecting CO2 into the reservoir, utilizing vertical injectors and producers. While injecting CO2 into aquifers can significantly enhance oil recovery by around 68–70% of the OOIP, using horizontal wells can provide more oil recovery (67.7%) than that using vertical wells (54.8%), in the same conditions. Moreover, around 7,928 tons of carbon dioxide can be sequestered in underground formations, on average. Finally, CO2 injection outperformed the conventional waterflooding, where 68 and 12% of the OOIP were obtained, respectively. Overall, injection of CO2 into the depleted reservoir can provide dual benefits of CO2 sequestration and improved oil recovery. CO2 can be injected into the water zone resulting in a slow release of CO2 which will reduce the fluid viscosity, enhance oil recovery, and reduce the greenhouse effect.
Day-Ahead Optimal Interval Scheduling for Building Energy System Considering Building Envelope Virtual Energy Storage Uncertainties
Authors: Mu Yunfei , Zhang Yaqing , Liu Zhe , Gao Yi , Deng Youjun , Jin Xiaolong , Jia Hongjie , Zhang Jiarui
Published: April 2022

The heat storage property of building envelopes is usually modeled into virtual energy storage (VES) and regarded as a flexibility resource to support the energy scheduling of building energy systems (BESs). However, the adjustable potential of VES is uncertain, incurred by several ambient random variables with/without specific probability distributions, posing challenges in determining the operational planning schemes of the BES. This article is intended to study a day-ahead optimal scheduling method for a PV-integrated BES (known as PV-BES) with the consideration of VES using interval optimization methods. First, an interval number is used to characterize the uncertainties of outdoor temperature, light irradiance, and the occupant’s behavior reflected by the uncontrollable household load. Second, an interval VES model is developed by modeling VES’s virtual charge–discharge power (VCDP) with an interval number. Finally, a day-ahead optimal interval scheduling model for the PV-BES considering VES is formulated, aiming to minimize the electricity energy purchase cost of the PV-BES from the external grid. Numerical simulation is conduced, and the results validated the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Pathogenic Bacterial Communities of Dust in a Coal Mine
Authors: Xue Sheng , Liu Xiaozhou , Li Yang , Liu Bingjun , Tu Qingyi , Li Cheng
Published: April 2022

Coal mine dust is an important factor leading to occupational diseases of mine workers, however, it remains poorly understood about the non-viral pathogens in coal mine dust. In this study, bacterial communities in total dust and respirable dust from different laneways in Hongliulin coal mine (Shaanxi, China) were analyzed by PacBio high-throughput sequencing. The results showed no significant differences in the number, diversity and structure of bacterial communities in different laneways. Gammaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria were the numerically dominant groups in dust samples which accounted for 72.5% of the total sequences. Among them, a total of seven known bacterial pathogens species including Aeromonas hydrophila, Burkholderia cenocepacia, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Serratia marcescens, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus saccharolyticus and two bacterial genera (Actinomyces and Peptostreptococcus) with extensive pathogenicity were detected in the respirable dust samples. And linear discriminant analysis indicated that prominent pathogens were detected in the respirable dust for the return laneway and the digging tunnel, such as K. pneumoniae and S. saccharolyticus in return laneway and B. cenocepacia in the digging tunnel. In parallel, PICRUST2 was performed to predict the functions in dust, and the human diseases count accounted for 4.31% of the total predictive function. In addition, the predictive count of human diseases in the respirable dust was closely related to bacterial diversity and structure. In summary, this study complemented the information of pathogenic bacteria in dust, especially in respirable dust, and suggested that non-viral pathogens should be considered in the process of mine dust prevention and control.
Suitability Evaluation of the Water-Energy-Food System: A Case Study in Sichuan Province, China
Authors: Xu Peng , Wu Shiqiang , Zhang Jianmin , Wu Xiufeng , Jia Benyou , Dai Jiangyu , Yu Lei , Zhang Yu , Qi Yongfei
Published: April 2022

Water, energy, and food are the basic resources on which human beings depend for survival and development. However, these resources, ecosystem, society, and economy interact with each other in highly complex and interlinked ways, that is, the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus, which is difficult to evaluate quantitatively, particularly whether there is a harmonious, matching, and benign interaction in the WEF system for a given spatial and temporal scale, that is, the WEF system suitability. Thus, we developed a comprehensive model for the WEF system suitability evaluation, including stability, coordination, and sustainability. The model mainly contains the index system construction, weight calculation, and TOPSIS evaluation method. Specifically, we proposed an improved weight calculation method (i.e., network assignment method) based on the network analysis method and Amal’s method. A case study in Sichuan Province, China, has shown that 1) the overall level of the WEF system suitability in Sichuan Province is above medium and shows a fluctuating trend; 2) in terms of the proportion of each indicator to the total, the contribution of coordination indicators to the comprehensive evaluation decreases slightly, and the contribution of sustainability indicators is greater, but the three remain in a balanced state, as evinced by good underlying conditions and potential for future development; 3) the network assignment method can obtain more suitable statistical characteristics (standard deviation, mean, maximum, and minimum) compared with the Entropy method, Amal’s method, and analytic network process method, which are consistent with the actual conditions in the study area. In general, the evaluation results obtained by the network assignment method can better characterize the nexus at the core of complex multi-resource systems and have significant advantages in the application of comprehensive evaluation of the suitability of WEF systems.
Functional Traits, Species Diversity and Species Composition of a Neotropical Palm Community Vary in Relation to Forest Age
Authors: Lueder Sarah , Narasimhan Kaushik , Olivo Jorge , Cabrera Domingo , Jurado Juana G. , Greenstein Lewis , Karubian Jordan
Published: April 2022

Understanding the factors that shape the diversity and composition of biotic communities in natural and human-modified landscapes remains a key issue in ecology. Here, we evaluate how functional traits, species diversity and community composition of palm species vary in relation to biogeographic variables and forest age in northwest Ecuador. Functional traits capture essential aspects of species’ ecological tradeoffs and roles within an ecosystem, making them useful in determining the ecological consequences of environmental change, but they have not been used as commonly as more traditional metrics of species diversity and community composition. We inventoried palm communities in 965 10 × 10 m plots arrayed in linear transects placed in forests of varying age. Adult palms in forests of younger regeneration stages were characterized by species with greater maximum stem height, greater maximum stem diameter, and solitary stems. The shift in functional features could indicate that shade tolerant palms are more common in old-growth forest. The shift could also reflect the legacy of leaving canopy palms as remnants in areas that were cleared and then allowed to regrow. Moreover, younger forest age was associated with decreased abundance and altered species composition in both juvenile and adult palms, and decreased species richness in adults. These results highlight the importance of retaining intact, old-growth forest to preserve functional and species diversity and highlight the importance of considering multiple aspects of diversity in studies of vegetation communities.