bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent advance of metal borohydrides for hydrogen storage
Authors: Liu Jianjun , Ma Yong , Yang Jinggang , Sun Lei , Guo Dongliang , Xiao Peng
Published: August 2022

Hydrogen energy is an excellent carrier for connecting various renewable energy sources and has many advantages. However, hydrogen is flammable and explosive, and its density is low and easy to escape, which brings inconvenience to the storage and transportation of hydrogen. Therefore, hydrogen storage technology has become one of the key steps in the application of hydrogen energy. Solid-state hydrogen storage method has a very high volumetric hydrogen density compared to the traditional compressed hydrogen method. The main issue of solid-state hydrogen storage method is the development of advanced hydrogen storage materials. Metal borohydrides have very high hydrogen density and have received much attention over the past two decades. However, high hydrogen sorption temperature, slow kinetics, and poor reversibility still severely restrict its practical applications. This paper mainly discusses the research progress and problems to be solved of metal borohydride hydrogen storage materials for solid-state hydrogen storage.
Alendronate-functionalized double network hydrogel scaffolds for effective osteogenesis
Authors: Tang Guoke , Zhu Liang , Wang Weiheng , Zuo Dongqing , Shi Changgui , Yu Xiaojie , Chen Rui
Published: August 2022

Development of artificial bone substitutes mimicking the extracellular matrix is a promising strategy for bone repair and regeneration. In views of the actual requirement of biomechanics, biodegradability, and bioactivity, herein, a double-network (DN) hydrogel was constructed by interspersing a methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) network into alendronate (ALN)-modified oxidized alginate (OSA) network via Schiff base reaction and photo-crosslinking process to promote in situ bone regeneration. This GelMA@OSA-ALN DN hydrogel possessed favorable network and pores, good biocompatibility, and enhanced biomechanics. Notably, the introduction of Schiff base furnished the ND hydrogel scaffold with pH-responsive biodegradation and sustained ALN drug release delivery, which could provide effective bioactivity, upregulate osteogenesis-related genes, and promote the cell viability, growth, proliferation, and osteogenesis differentiation for bone regeneration. Therefore, we provide a new insight to develop functional DN hydrogel scaffold toward governing the on-demand drug release and achieving the stem cell therapy, which will be developed into the minimally invasive gelling system to prolong local delivery of bisphosphonates for the bone-related diseases.
Guidezilla™ guide extension catheter I for transradial coronary intervention
Authors: Lei Xinjun , Liang Qi , Fang Yuan , Xiao Yihui , Wang Dongqi , Dong Maozhi , Li Jiancheng , Yu Ting
Published: August 2022

Background

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the preferred treatment method for coronary artery diseases (CAD). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and complications of the Guidezilla™ guide extension catheter I (GGEC I) in transradial coronary intervention (TRI).

Methods

This case series study included patients with CAD who underwent TRI using the GGEC I between August 2016 and January 2019 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University.

Results

A total of 221 patients aged 65.1 ± 9.26 years were included. Coronary angiography results indicated that most patients (77.8%) had triple-vessel lesions, including 47.5% with chronic total occlusion (CTO). A total of 237 target lesions were treated, most being type C lesions (95.8%). The most common indication for GGEC I use was heavy calcification (67%), followed by extreme tortuosity (12.2%), extreme tortuosity and heavy calcification (10.9%), distally located lesion (4.5%), picking up the retrograde wire (3.2%), anomalous vessel origin (1.8%), and releasing the burr incarceration (0.4%). The mean operation time was 58 min, and the overall success rate was 94.1%. Four patients received a drug-coated balloon. No significant differences were found in operation time and success rate among the low (<23), intermediate (23–32), and severe (>32) CAD groups based on SYNTAX score stratification (P > 0.05). Two subacute thrombosis cases each were reported perioperatively, during hospitalization, and at the 1-month follow-up.

Conclusion

The GGEC I might have advantages for TRI and is unaffected by SYNTAX score stratification.
Experimental diagenesis using present-day submarine turbidite sands
Authors: Bello Abdulwahab Muhammad , Charlaftis Dimitrios , Jones Stuart J. , Gluyas Jon , Acikalin Sanem , Cartigny Matthieu , Al-Ramadan Khalid
Published: August 2022

Hydrothermal-reactor experiments were conducted to investigate the potential formation of chlorite and microquartz grain coatings on detrital quartz and feldspar grains, and to understand their role in inhibiting the formation of quartz and feldspar (albite) overgrowths. Modern-day proximal and distal unconsolidated sediment from the Bute Inlet (British Columbia, Canada) with known amounts of precursor clay content, were used as starting material. The samples were heated to 250°C at water vapour pressure in a hydrothermal reactor for 72 h. The experiments were performed with and without a silica supersaturated Na2CO3 (0.1 M) solution. Detailed microscopy and EDS mapping analysis identified that the main chlorite precursor, crucial for the formation of the synthesized grain coatings, was a Mg-rich chlorite. The experimental results showed that where the volume of precursor chlorite was low (i.e., 0.1%), notably in the proximal channel Bute samples, chlorite coatings were poorly developed, with a clay volume and maximum chlorite-coating coverage of 0.5% and 47%, respectively. In contrast, with an initial precursor chlorite volume of 14.5%, the distal lobe Bute sample has generated chlorite volume ranging from 42.9% to 56.3% post-experiment, with a maximum chlorite-coating coverage of 77%. The chlorite and microquartz coatings formed in the study are morphologically similar to those seen in natural sandstone reservoirs, and they have restricted the development of quartz and albite cementation in the reactor experiments. The findings provide quantitative data that can be utilised to describe diagenetic changes in mesodiagenetic environments.
Prediction method and distribution characteristics of in situ stress based on borehole deformation—A case study of coal measure stratum in Shizhuang block, Qinshui Basin
Authors: Fang Xinxin , Feng Hong , Wang Yunhong , Fan Tao
Published: August 2022

A geometric equation of borehole deformation under stress was deduced based on the basic theory of elasticity. Subsequently, we established the quantitative relationship between the in situ stress and geometrical parameters of borehole deformation. Furthermore, we proposed an in situ stress prediction model based on borehole deformation. Additionally, numerical simulations of borehole morphology in different lithologies under in situ stress were conducted to analyze the deformation effect. Logging parameters that are sensitive to the shear wave time difference, such as longitudinal wave time difference, density, and natural gamma radiation, were selected for training using an artificial neural network (ANN) to predict the shear wave time difference. The results demonstrated that 1) combining the theoretical derivation and numerical simulation, the borehole geometry under stress was quasi-elliptic, and 2) compared with the existing shear wave time difference curve, the predicted geometry by the ANN was consistent with the actual geometry. Consequently, compared with the tested data from acoustic emission, the overall error of the in situ stress predicted using the new method was less than 9.2%. Moreover, the accuracy of the coal seam was the highest, wherein the average errors of the maximum and minimum horizontal principal stresses were 2.01 and 2.56%, respectively, which confirms the feasibility of the proposed method.
Analyzing spatial-temporal variability of ice motion in Northeast Greenland from 1985 to 2018
Authors: Lu Xi , Jiang Liming , Xiao Cunde , Li Daan
Published: August 2022

The Northeast Greenland Ice Stream (NEGIS), the largest basin in Greenland, is undergoing rapid and sustained dynamic change. However, the ice-flow behaviours over decadal timescales and the impacts of ice geometry and hydrology remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the spatial and temporal characteristics of ice motions of three branches in NEGIS between 1985 and 2018 in response to bed topographic features and surface meltwater runoff based on 33 years of annual ice velocities derived from the satellite image of Landsat series. Spatial heterogeneities in ice velocity were found in three glaciers and were correlated with subglacial topography. Specifically, the peak velocities of both Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden and Zachariæ Isstrøm glaciers occur near the grounding line zone, where tidewater acts as a crucial force causing ice retreat, subglacial melting, and further acceleration. While for the Storstrømmen glacier, changes in the slope of the ice bed might cause an increase in ice motion in its inland segment. The temporal variability of ice velocity for both Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden and Zachariæ Isstrøm glaciers shows a clear regional speedup, with a mean increase of 14.60% and 9.40% in 2001–2018 compared to 1985–2000, but a widespread slowing of Storstrømmen glacier with a mean of 16.30%, which were related to a 184% surface runoff increase. This hydrodynamic coupling on ice motion over decadal timescales in these three glaciers is in line with previous studies on short-term acceleration in NEGIS induced by surface melt, not in agreement with negative feedback between enhanced surface meltwater production and ice motion previously reported in the southwest Greenland ice stream. Our work highlights crucial roles of subglacial topography and surface runoff on ice motion, which helps to promote understanding of dynamic changes of NEGIS response to changing atmospheric circumstances.
Evaluation of fracturability of shale reservoirs in the longmaxi formation in southern sichuan basin
Authors: Guo Ying , Wang Dapeng , Han Xiaoying , Zhang Kaixun , Shang Xiaofei , Zhou Song
Published: August 2022

Major breakthroughs have been made in the exploration and development of shale gas in the Longmaxi Formation in the southern Sichuan Basin, China. The previous have adopted various methods to study the fracturability of shale, but the quantitative characterization of the comprehensive properties of shale during hydraulic fracturing is still difficult. For this reason, in this study, taking the Longmaxi Formation shale in the Changning and Luzhou Blocks in the southern Sichuan Basin as an example, the mineral composition, petrophysical properties, rock mechanical properties and in-situ stress of the shale were systematically studied using X-ray diffraction, pulsed porosity-permeability analysis, rock mechanics and in-situ stress tests. Furthermore, the brittle mineral content, elastic modulus, and in -situ stress parameters were calculated, and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was adopted to establish a comprehensive evaluation index of shale fracturability. The research results show that the shale of the Longmaxi Formation in southern Sichuan is dominated by mixed shale facies, and it has the characteristics of high content of brittle minerals, low porosity, large compressive strength and Young’s modulus, and small value of in-situ stress difference coefficient. Therefore, the Longmaxi Formation shale has good fracturing conditions. TOC and quartz contents have important effects on the fracturability of the Longmaxi shale. The analytic hierarchy process was adopted to determine the weight coefficients of the modulus brittleness index, mechanical brittleness index, in-situ stress difference coefficient, rock compressive strength and TOC content. Furthermore, a comprehensive evaluation index of fracturability was constructed. Calculations show that the comprehensive fracability indices of shale in the Changning and Luzhou Blocks are 0.49 and 0.59, respectively. Moreover, the quality of shale in the Luzhou Block is better than that in the Changning Block, which is related to the organic matter and quartz content and the microscopic pore structures inside the shale.
Parathyroid hormone alleviates non-alcoholic liver steatosis via activating the hepatic cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway
Authors: Feng Xu , Xiao Ye , Guo Qi , Peng Hui , Zhou Hai-Yan , Wang Jian-Ping , Xia Zhu-Ying
Published: August 2022

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), hallmarked by liver steatosis, is becoming a global concern, but effective and safe drugs for NAFLD are still lacking at present. Parathyroid hormone (PTH), the only FDA-approved anabolic treatment for osteoporosis, is important in calcium-phosphate homeostasis. However, little is known about its potential therapeutic effects on other diseases. Here, we report that intermittent administration of PTH ameliorated non-alcoholic liver steatosis in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice and db/db mice, as well as fasting-induced hepatic steatosis. In vitro, PTH inhibits palmitic acid-induced intracellular lipid accumulation in a parathyroid hormone 1 receptor (PTH1R)-dependent manner. Mechanistically, PTH upregulates the expression of genes involved in lipid β-oxidation and suppresses the expression of genes related to lipid uptake and de novo lipogenesis by activating the cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway. Taken together, our current finding proposes a new therapeutic role of PTH on NAFLD.
Individualized model for predicting pathological complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer: A multicenter study
Authors: Qian Bei , Yang Jing , Zhou Jun , Hu Longqing , Zhang Shoupeng , Ren Min , Qu Xincai
Published: August 2022

Background

Pathological complete response (pCR) is considered a surrogate for favorable survival in breast cancer (BC) patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), which is the goal of NACT. This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram for predicting the pCR probability of BC patients after NACT based on the clinicopathological features.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 527 BC patients treated with NACT between January 2018 and December 2021 from two institutions was conducted. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to select the most useful predictors from the training cohort (n = 225), and then a nomogram model was developed. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated with respect to its discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness. Internal validation and external validation were performed in an independent validation cohort of 96 and 205 consecutive BC patients, respectively.

Results

Among the 18 clinicopathological features, five variables were selected to develop the prediction model, including age, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) T stage, Ki67 index before NACT, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and hormone receptor (HR) status. The model showed good discrimination with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.825 (95% CI, 0.772 to 0.878) in the training cohort, and 0.755 (95% CI, 0.658 to 0.851) and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.724 to 0.856) in the internal and external validation cohorts, respectively. The calibration curve presented good agreement between prediction by nomogram and actual observation, and decision curve analysis (DCA) indicated that the nomogram had good net benefits in clinical scenarios.

Conclusion

This study constructed a validated nomogram based on age, AJCC T stage, Ki67 index before NACT, HER2, and HR status, which could be non-invasively applied to personalize the prediction of pCR in BC patients treated with NACT.
The role of protein kinase C in diabetic microvascular complications
Authors: Pan Deng , Xu Lin , Guo Ming
Published: August 2022

Protein kinase C (PKC) is a family of serine/threonine protein kinases, the activation of which plays an important role in the development of diabetic microvascular complications. The activation of PKC under high-glucose conditions stimulates redox reactions and leads to an accumulation of redox stress. As a result, various types of cells in the microvasculature are influenced, leading to changes in blood flow, microvascular permeability, extracellular matrix accumulation, basement thickening and angiogenesis. Structural and functional disorders further exacerbate diabetic microvascular complications. Here, we review the roles of PKC in the development of diabetic microvascular complications, presenting evidence from experiments and clinical trials.
Study on multi-objective optimization for nuclear reactor radiation shield design coupling genetic algorithm with paralleling discrete ordinate code
Authors: Liu Bin , Tan Yi , Jing Futing , Hu Guang , Yan Mingfei
Published: August 2022

An optimization method combining a genetic algorithm and the paralleling discrete ordinate code is developed and applied to the shielding design of the Savannah reactor. Several approaches are studied to cope with the multi-objective optimization problem, such as transforming into single-objective optimization approach, non-dominated sorting approach, and the approach of adding constraints on sub-objectives. Comparing with the current design methods, the optimization method developed in this study shows better performance since the discrete ordinate calculations are free of statistical fluctuations. The multi-objective optimization approach with constraints on sub-objectives seems to have the best performance. More optimized individuals satisfying the constraints can be obtained, and the optimized objectives show the best improvements comparing with the initial design.
Influence for Ambient Relative Humidity and Pollution on Infrared Detection of Zero Resistance Insulators
Authors: Chen Ling , Lin Feng , Chen Minjiang , Huang Xiongtao , He Ruomei , Zheng Yaqing
Published: August 2022

Porcelain insulators play a vital role for the safety and stability operations of electric systems. In a strong electric field, these insulators easily break down and become zero resistance insulators, which impacts the safety and stability operations of an electric system. As a result, a three-dimensional zero resistance insulator model is set up based on COMSOL. To proceed, first, we studied the voltage and current density law of insulator string when ambient relative humidity, pollution degree, and pollution salt composition are different. Then, the insulator infrared detection test is carried out in an artificial fog chamber. Results showed that the zero resistance insulator has the greatest influence on voltage when it is at a high voltage terminal, and it has the least influence on voltage when it is in the middle position. As the relative range between non-adjacent insulators and zero resistance insulators increases, the implications for a zero resistance insulator on adjacent position insulators will decrease continuously. Farther is the range between different positions on the insulators and the center axis of rotation and lower is the current density and temperature rise. The overall temperature rise of the insulator string gradually increases due to the increase in the relative humidity and pollution degree of the environment. Finally, the results indicate that the temperature difference between zero resistance insulators and other insulators gradually increases and can provide support for the infrared detection of zero resistance insulators.
Intelligent quantitative assessment on the spray performance of alternative aviation fuel
Authors: Liu Ziyu , Wang Zhichao , Gu Xiaoyu , Liu Haobo , Yang Luhua , Yang Jingying , Yang Xiaoyi
Published: August 2022

Drop-in alternative aviation fuel (AAF), as a blend of petroleum-derived kerosene with sustainable jet fuel, has the advantage in CO2 reduction and could be used without any modifications to the engine and aircraft. Therefore, drop-in AAF blending could not scarify the performance compared to traditional jet fuel. For assessing the spray performance quantitatively, traditional jet fuel (RP-3) with blending alternative compositions including paraffins, cycloparaffins, and aromatics was designed. Carbon number distribution and classification distribution in jet fuel compositions that would influence spray performance are well investigated. The cone angle and liquid length are recognized by a shadow image, while Sauter mean diameter (SMD) and velocity are investigated by phase-Doppler anemometry (PDA). The liquid length and droplet size of bicyclohexane, phenyl-cyclohexane, heptadecane, and octadecane conduct a significant deviation compared with RP-3, which complies with the large deviations of Lb (f)[σ0.25 μf0.25 ρf0.25], which extracted the fuel property item from the liquid length, and Oh(f) [μfσ−0.5ρf−0.5], which extracted the fuel property item from the Ohnesorge number. The blending fuels of those cannot be certified as drop-in fuel due to obvious deviation to RP-3, which also presents differences in carbon number distribution and classification distribution. The spray empirical models were established quantitatively to assess the characteristics of the liquid sheet and droplet for discovering the blend fuel effects. The empirical equations of the liquid length and SMD calibrated by evaporation constants can agree well with the experimental data except for blends of bicyclohexane, phenyl-cyclohexane, C17, and C18. The integrated spray performance assessment models developed could benefit from certifying drop-in fuel at the spray level quantitatively.
Demand-response oriented multi-dimension refined portrait of adjustable resources based on load and survey data fusion
Authors: Chen Shaocong , Gan Lei , Chen Canyang , Yu Kun , Pi Huimin , Qian Zi’ang , Dai Ran
Published: August 2022

Adjustable resources on the demand side of power system plays a vital role to improve operational flexibility of future low-carbon power system integrated with high-penetration renewable generations. While, these demand-side resources may underperform their expected potentials, due to the lack of understanding on consumers’ refined behaviors. Facing the flexibility improvement of future power system, refined portrait structure of single user combining load characteristics and subjective behavior, is constructed with multi-dimension label system from 4 aspects, including energy consumption and load characteristics, adjustable potential, behavioral awareness and user’s nature. Aiming at supplying demand response service, several key indexes are selected and further evaluated here, via data-driven load character analysis and social-survey-driven user’s subjective consciousness mining based on comprehensive evaluation with combination weighting approach. For practical application to demand response decision making, large-scale user adjustable resource is evaluated and classified based on multivariate density-based clustering algorithm. Numerical results show the feasibility and rationality of the proposed assessment method.
New techniques for old fires: Using deep learning to augment fire maps from the early satellite era
Authors: Boothman Rylan , Cardille Jeffrey A.
Published: August 2022

Disturbances such as fire play a critical role in forest ecosystems. However, anthropogenic fires can profoundly impact forests to the point of destabilizing ecosystems. In addition, fires have legacy effects on environments which may be observed in forests for decades after the fire is extinguished. Thus, understanding the extent of historic fires in a landscape is vital to understanding current forest structure and ecological processes (e.g., carbon sequestration capacity and provision of habitat) and, therefore, essential for informing land-management decisions. However, little work has been done to map forest fires pre 1980s due to the challenges of interpreting imagery from the 1970s-era Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) platform. MSS imagery is distinguished from recent satellite missions through lower temporal, spatial, and spectral resolutions. Recent advances in image processing have brought the goal of high-quality MSS classifications within reach. In this study, we use deep learning, specifically UNet (a fully convolutional neural network (CNN)), to detect historic forest fires in MSS imagery for the forest-dominated regions of Quebec, Canada. While other studies have applied deep learning to present-day satellite data for land cover classification, hardly any work has specifically applied deep learning to MSS data for fire detection. We trained our UNet model on 206 MSS images that were labelled by applying thresholds to the Burned Area Index inside polygons drawn by the authors around burned areas. We then used the trained model to label burns in 5104 MSS images that were compiled to generate annual burned area maps. Our results identified (with a 95% confidence interval) 3503.95 ± 484.90 km2 of burns not previously reported in any database; this represents a 35.30 ± 3.94% increase in the total known burned area across the forest-dominated regions of Quebec between 1973 and 1982.
Too little or too much? Exploring the inverted U-shaped nexus between voluntary environmental, social and governance and corporate financial performance
Authors: Teng Xiaodong , Ge Yongbo , Wu Kun-Shan , Chang Bao-Guang , Kuo Lopin , Zhang Xinwen
Published: August 2022

This study aims to examine the nonlinear relationship between environmental, social and governance (ESG) and corporate financial performance (CFP) using Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE) listed firms with ESG disclosure between 2005 and 2019. The pooled ordinary least square (OLS) regression estimation results indicate the ESG-CFP nexus is a nonlinear (inverted U-shaped pattern). Furthermore, the individual ESG pillars each have a different relationship with CFP. Both the environmental and social pillars have an inverted U-shaped relationship with CFP, whereas there is no significant relationship between the governance pillar and CFP. The concave nonlinear relationship also supports the tenets of the “too-much-of-a-good-thing” effect. This research confirms that TSE listed firms should identify the optimal ESG value (threshold point), where ESG costs and benefits balance, to maintain sustainable development and stakeholder engagement.
Characterization of the PM2.5 aerosol fraction monitored at a suburban site in south-eastern Italy by integrating isotopic techniques and ion beam analysis
Authors: Romano Salvatore , Pichierri Susy , Fragola Mattia , Buccolieri Alessandro , Quarta Gianluca , Calcagnile Lucio
Published: August 2022

Both teflon and quartz PM2.5 filters collected from January to July 2021 at the monitoring site of the Department of Mathematics and Physics of the University of Salento in Lecce (Italy) were analyzed by integrating different characterization techniques (Particle Induced X-ray Emission PIXE, Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry IRMS, and Accelerator Mass Spectrometry AMS) at the CEDAD (Center of Applied Physics, Dating and Diagnostics) of the Department of Mathematics and Physics, University of Salento. The PM2.5 concentration analyses allowed to identify the variation of the main PM2.5 characteristics as a function of the season and the day of the week. This last characterization was integrated by the results from the PIXE, which allowed to identify the heavy elements and their concentrations. The main results showed the presence of different elements, such as S and Zn (considered as markers of anthropogenic sources for PM2.5) and Ca and Fe (as markers of natural sources). The concentrations of these elements showed a significant decrease during the weekend, mostly in the case of elements of anthropogenic origin, according to the data on the PM2.5 temporal evolution. Using the isotopic markers of carbon and nitrogen by means of the IRMS, we determined values of δ15N between 4.5 and 10.6‰, which are consistent with the origin of PM2.5 from anthropic combustion processes and a secondary contribution from vehicular traffic. Similarly, the values of δ13C obtained by IRMS were in the range between −24.4 and −26.7‰, generally associated with biomass combustion and with vehicular traffic. An analysis of the fossil and modern contribution was carried out on the PM2.5 filters by measuring radiocarbon using the integrated IRMS-EA system connected with the TANDETRON accelerator and AMS spectrometer. In more detail, we found a percentage of modern carbon in the range 71.6–92.4% that indicates a larger bio-derived contribution with respect to the contribution from fossil sources during the analyzed period. The parameters obtained from PIXE, IRMS, and AMS techniques were finally used as input for different ordination methods that allowed their deeper characterization.
Transient co-singing of offspring and mothers in non-duetting Javan gibbons (Hylobates moloch)
Authors: Yi Yoonjung , Choi Ahyun , Lee Saein , Ham Soojung , Jang Haneul , Oktaviani Rahayu , Mardiastuti Ani , Choe Jae C.
Published: August 2022

While the vocalizations of non-human primates were thought to be innate, recent studies have revealed highly flexible vocalizations in immatures. This behavior suggests that social influences have an important role in developing vocalizations. Yet not much is known about how non-human primate vocalization develop and how the vocalizations of immature animals differ between sexes. Here, we analyzed 95 cases of co-singing between mothers and offspring out of 240 female songs from three groups of wild Javan gibbon (Hylobates moloch) in Gunung Halimun-Salak National Park, Indonesia, between 2009 and 2021. Hylobates moloch is one of only two gibbon species with pairs that do not duet. Instead, they produce sex-specific solo songs. We found that both offspring female and male H. moloch follow their mothers’ female-specific songs, similar to other duetting gibbon species. Immatures started co-singing with their mothers from 7 months old, but with an average starting age of about 24 months. As female offspring grew older, they co-sung with mothers more often while male offspring did not. After 7 years of age, both sexes stopped co-singing with their mothers and started singing alone, following their own sex-specific vocalizations. We did not find any relation between male offspring co-singing and territorial functions (e.g., co-singing more during intergroup encounters or closer to home range borders). Our results suggest that mothers’ songs may trigger male offspring and females to practice singing, but not specifically for males to defend territories. We highlight that despite the absence of duets, H. moloch develop their vocalizations from early infancy and throughout their maturation while co-singing with mothers. However, the level of co-singing varies depending on the sexes. Our study is the first to elucidate the sex-specific trajectories of vocal development in H. moloch across years, indicating that offspring in non-duetting gibbons co-sing with mothers like in duetting species.
A comparative analysis of extraction protocol performance on degraded mammalian museum specimens
Authors: Hawkins Melissa T. R. , Flores Mary Faith C. , McGowen Michael , Hinckley Arlo
Published: August 2022

The extraction of nucleic acids is one of the most routine procedures used in molecular biology laboratories, yet kit performance may influence the downstream processing of samples, particularly for samples which are degraded, and in low concentrations. Here we tested several commercial kits for specific use on commonly sampled mammalian museum specimens to evaluate the yield, size distribution, and endogenous content. Samples were weighed and had approximately equal input material for each extraction. These sample types are typical of natural history repositories ranged from 53 to 130 years old. The tested protocols spanned spin-column based extractions, magnetic bead purification, phenol/chloroform isolation, and specific modifications for ancient DNA. Diverse types of mammalian specimens were tested including adherent osteological material, bone and teeth, skin, and baleen. The concentration of DNA was quantified via fluorometry, and the size distributions of extracts visualized on an Agilent TapeStation. Overall, when DNA isolation was successful, all methods had quantifiable concentrations, albeit with variation across extracts. The length distributions varied based on the extraction protocol used. Shotgun sequencing was performed to evaluate if the extraction methods influenced the amount of endogenous versus exogenous content. The DNA content was similar across extraction methods indicating no obvious biases for DNA derived from different sources. Qiagen kits and phenol/chloroform isolation outperformed the Zymo magnetic bead isolations in these types of samples. Statistical analyses revealed that extraction method only explained 5% of the observed variation, and that specimen age explained variation (29%) more effectively.
The overexpression of GPX8 is correlated with poor prognosis in GBM patients
Authors: Li Sibo , Jiang Xudong , Guan Meicun , Zhang Yi , Cao Yanfei , Zhang Lina
Published: August 2022

Glutathione peroxidase 8 (GPX8), located in the endoplasmic reticulum, is associated with poor prognosis in several cancers. However, the expression and functions of GPX8 in cancers remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the expression and functions of GPX8 in glioblastoma (GBM). We obtained expression data of GPX8 by accessing the TCGA, CGGA, GEPIA, and TIMER2.0 databases and validated them using western blot and immunohistochemistry. The Kaplan–Meier overall survival curve and Cox regression model were used to evaluate the prognostic value of GPX8 in glioma patients. Gene ontology (GO) and function enrichment analysis were used to investigate the potential function of GPX8 in GBM. Correlation analysis was used to clarify the role of GPX8 in proneural–mesenchymal transition (PMT). We studied the correlation between GPX8 expression and GBM immune infiltration by accessing cBioPortal and TIMER2.0 databases. Here, we demonstrated that GPX8 was significantly upregulated in GBM, and was associated with IDH-wildtype and mesenchymal subtype with poor prognosis. Survival analysis results indicated that GPX8 is an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) in all WHO-grade glioma patients. Through the functional studies, we found that high expression of GPX8 correlated with mesenchymal signature and negatively correlated with proneural signature, indicating that GPX8 might promote PMT in GBM. Finally, based on correlation analysis, we found that the expression of GPX8 was associated with immune infiltration and the IL1/MYD88/IRAK/NF-κB pathway in GBM. Our results show that GPX8 is a key factor affecting the prognosis of GBM patients, and its targeting has the potential to provide a novel therapeutic approach.
Evaluating the clinical relevance of the enterotypes in the Estonian microbiome cohort
Authors: Aasmets Oliver , Krigul Kertu Liis , Org Elin
Published: August 2022

Human gut microbiome is subject to high inter-individual and temporal variability, which complicates building microbiome-based applications, including applications that can be used to improve public health. Categorizing the microbiome profiles into a small number of distinct clusters, such as enterotyping, has been proposed as a solution that can ameliorate these shortcomings. However, the clinical relevance of the enterotypes is poorly characterized despite a few studies marking the potential for using the enterotypes for disease diagnostics and personalized nutrition. To gain a further understanding of the clinical relevance of the enterotypes, we used the Estonian microbiome cohort dataset (n = 2,506) supplemented with diagnoses and drug usage information from electronic health records to assess the possibility of using enterotypes for disease diagnostics, detecting disease subtypes, and evaluating the susceptibility for developing a condition. In addition to the previously established 3-cluster enterotype model, we propose a 5-cluster community type model based on our data, which further separates the samples with extremely high Bacteroides and Prevotella abundances. Collectively, our systematic analysis including 231 phenotypic factors, 62 prevalent diseases, and 33 incident diseases greatly expands the knowledge about the enterotype-specific characteristics; however, the evidence suggesting the practical use of enterotypes in clinical practice remains scarce.
A multi-omic approach reveals utility of CD45 expression in prognosis and novel target discovery
Authors: Ye Ni , Cai Jie , Dong Yulong , Chen Huiyao , Bo Zhiyuan , Zhao Xiaogang , Xia Mingyang , Han Mei
Published: August 2022

CD45, the leukocyte common antigen, is expressed on almost all cells of the immunological and hematological systems. CD45 expression is related to a variety of diseases, including leukemia and lymphoma. In this study, we analyzed the expression level of CD45 across cancers and evaluated the relationship between its expression and patient prognosis. We further integrated methylation data to explore the differences in CD45 across cancers from a multi-omics perspective. We also analyzed the relationship between CD45 expression and levels of immune cell infiltrates and immune modifiers. Our results revealed the distinct expression characteristics and prognostic value of CD45 across multiple tumors. In addition, we screened drug targets based on the immune index defined by CD45 expression and identified that GPR84 affected the proliferation of tumor cells and was associated with the inflammation caused by immunotherapy. In summary, our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of CD45 in oncogenesis and its prognostic significance across cancers.
Exploration of shared gene signature with development of pre-eclampsia and cervical cancer
Authors: Yin Tingting , Yin Yin , Qu Lin
Published: August 2022

Background: The relationship between pre-eclampsia (PE) and cervical cancer (CC) has drawn more attention recently, while little is known about the shared pathogenesis of CC and PE. In the present research, we aimed to generate the shared gene network as well as the prognostic model to reveal the development of CC and PE.

Methods: The transcription data of CC and PE patients were obtained and enrolled into weighted gene co-expression network (WGCNA) analysis. Disease-specific modules in CC and PE were determined to discover the shared genes. The expression patterns of genes at protein level were examined by HPA database. Further, LASSO penalty regression and Cox analysis were applied to create a prognostic signature based on the shared genes, with survival curves and ROC plots employed to confirm the predictive capacity. To uncover the function roles and pathways involved in signature, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted. Finally, the immune infiltration status in CC was depicted using CIBERSORT algorithms.

Results: WGCNA determined three hub modules between CC and PE. A total of 117 shared genes were obtained for CC and PE and mainly enriched in cell proliferation, regulation of cell development and neuron differentiation. Then, we created a robust prognostic model based on the 10 shared genes by performing stepwise Cox analyses. Our proposed model presented a favorable ability in prognosis forecast and was correlated with the infiltration of immunocytes including B cells, macrophages and T cells. GSEA disclosed that high-risk group was involved in cancer-related pathways.

Conclusion: The present project identified the shared genes to uncover the pathogenesis of CC and PE and further proposed and validated a prognostic signature to accurately forecast the clinical outcomes of CC patients.
European Registry on Helicobacter pylori Management (Hp-EuReg): Most relevant results for clinical practice
Authors: Nyssen Olga P. , Moreira Leticia , García-Morales Natalia , Cano-Català Anna , Puig Ignasi , Mégraud Francis , O’Morain Colm , Gisbert Javier P.
Published: August 2022

Background

The ideal treatment approach for H. pylori infection has not yet been defined; therefore, the most effective management strategies for adult patients need to be identified to ensure clinical practice is aligned with the best standard of care. Our aim was to perform a review of research studies from the European Registry on H. pylori management (Hp-EuReg) by synthesizing the most clinically relevant information from each published manuscript.

Methods

All research studies published between 2013 and 2022, evaluating any information related to H. pylori infection management within the Hp-EuReg, a long-term registry of routine clinical practice by gastroenterologists in Europe, were included in the review.

Results

Overall, 26 studies have been published to date, where 12 evaluated the overall European data and the remaining were performed locally among the 28 participating countries. Eighteen studies evaluated the effectiveness of first- and/or second-line treatment, where one focused on penicillin allergic patients, six focused on specific treatment schemes, one evaluated the role of statins as a concomitant drug when combined with the eradication therapy, one assessed the adverse event profile of treatments, one evaluated the bacterial antibiotic resistance trends, and a last one reported on the common mistakes in routine clinical practice of European gastroenterologists.

Conclusion

The Hp-EuReg had a major influence on the routine clinical practice of European gastroenterologists, improving H. pylori eradication treatment success, allowing to make recommendations in line with the current consensus guidelines and potentially serving as a model for other diseases.
Quality of information offered to women by drug sellers providing medical abortion in Nigeria: Evidence from providers and their clients
Authors: Akinyemi Akanni , Owolabi Onikepe Oluwadamilola , Erinfolami Temitope , Stillman Melissa , Bankole Akinrinola
Published: August 2022

Background

Evidence confirmed that the demand for medical abortion (MA) increased significantly during the COVID-19 outbreak in many developing countries including Nigeria. In an abortion-restrictive setting like Nigeria, local pharmacies, and proprietary patent medicine vendors (PPMVs) continue to play a major role in the provision of MA including misoprostol. There is the need to understand these providers' knowledge about the use of misoprostol for abortion and the quality of information they provide to their clients. This analysis is focused on assessing the quality of care provided by both drug seller types, from drug sellers' and women's perspectives.

Methodology

This study utilized primary data collected from drug sellers (pharmacists and PPMVs) and women across 6 Local Government Areas in Lagos State, Nigeria. The core sample included 126 drug sellers who had sold abortion-inducing drugs and 386 women who procured abortion-inducing drugs from the drug sellers during the time of the study. We calculate quality-of-care indices for the care women received from drug sellers, drawing on WHO guidelines for medication abortion provision. The index based on information from the sellers had two domains—technical competency and information provided to clients, while the index from the women's perspectives includes an additional domain, client experience.

Results

Results show that the majority of drug sellers in the sample, 56% (n = 70), were pharmacists. However, far more than half of women 60% (n = 233) had visited PPMVs. Overall, the total quality score amongst all drug sellers (mean 0.48, SD0.15) was higher than the total score calculated based on women's responses (mean 0.39, SD 0.21). Using our quality-of-care index, pharmacies and PPMVs seem to have similar technical competency (mean score of 0.23, SD 0.13 in both groups (range 0–1), whilst PPMV's performed better on the information provided to client domain (mean score of 0.79, SD 0.17 compared with pharmacies 0.69, SD 0.25). Based on women's reports, PPMVs scored better on both quality of care domains (technical competency and information provided to clients) compared with pharmacies.

Program/Policy Implication

In resource-constrained settings such as Nigeria, particularly in the context of health emergencies like COVID-19, there is the need to continue to strengthen and engage PPMVs' capacity and skills in dispensing and administration of MA drugs as a harm reduction strategy. Also, there is the need to target frontline providers in pharmacies for training and skill upscale in MA provision.
Layer-by-Layer Delivery of Multiple Antigens Using Trimethyl Chitosan Nanoparticles as a Malaria Vaccine Candidate
Authors: Xu Yang , Zhou Ziyou , Brooks Brad , Ferguson Tammy , Obliosca Judy , Huang Jing , Kaneko Izumi , Iwanaga Shiroh , Yuda Masao , Tsuji Yukiko , Zhang Huitang , Luo Christina C. , Jiang Xunqing , Kong Xiang-Peng , Tsuji Moriya , Tison Christopher K.
Published: August 2022

Developing a safe and effective malaria vaccine is critical to reducing the spread and resurgence of this deadly disease, especially in children. In recent years, vaccine technology has seen expanded development of subunit protein, peptide, and nucleic acid vaccines. This is due to their inherent safety, the ability to tailor their immune response, simple storage requirements, easier production, and lower expense compared to using attenuated and inactivated organism-based approaches. However, these new vaccine technologies generally have low efficacy. Subunit vaccines, due to their weak immunogenicity, often necessitate advanced delivery vectors and/or the use of adjuvants. A new area of vaccine development involves design of synthetic micro- and nano-particles and adjuvants that can stimulate immune cells directly through their physical and chemical properties. Further, the unique and complex life cycle of the Plasmodium organism, with multiple stages and varying epitopes/antigens presented by the parasite, is another challenge for malaria vaccine development. Targeting multistage antigens simultaneously is therefore critical for an effective malaria vaccine. Here, we rationally design a layer-by-layer (LbL) antigen delivery platform (we called LbL NP) specifically engineered for malaria vaccines. A biocompatible modified chitosan nanoparticle (trimethyl chitosan, TMC) was synthesized and utilized for LbL loading and release of multiple malaria antigens from pre-erythrocytic and erythrocytic stages. LbL NP served as antigen/protein delivery vehicles and were demonstrated to induce the highest Plasmodium falciparum Circumsporozoite Protein (PfCSP) specific T-cell responses in mice studies as compared to multiple controls. From immunogenicity studies, it was concluded that two doses of intramuscular injection with a longer interval (4 weeks) than traditional malaria vaccine candidate dosing would be the vaccination potential for LbL NP vaccine candidates. Furthermore, in PfCSP/Py parasite challenge studies we demonstrated protective efficacy using LbL NP. These LbL NP provided a significant adjuvant effect since they may induce innate immune response that led to a potent adaptive immunity to mediate non-specific anti-malarial effect. Most importantly, the delivery of CSP full-length protein stimulated long-lasting protective immune responses even after the booster immunization 4 weeks later in mice.