bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Early Growth Response 1 in Tumor Suppression of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Tseng Yen-Chiang , Shu Chih-Wen , Chang Hui-Min , Lin Yi-Hsuan , Tseng Yen-Han , Hsu Han-Shui , Goan Yih-Gang , Tseng Ching-Jiunn
Published: September 2022

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is associated with poor survival despite surgical resection, and its pathogenesis has been broadly investigated in the past decade. Early growth response 1 (EGR-1) could involve regulating tumor development in ESCC cells. Methods: An attempt was made to examine the molecular and cellular influence of EGR-1 in esophageal cancer cells by RNA extraction, real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), cell culture, small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown, western blot, migration assay, and cell viability assay. One hundred and forty-four samples of ESCC were collected from our hospital and analyzed. Significantly higher EGR-1 expression was noted in tumor-adjacent normal tissue compared with tumor lesions. Results: The univariate analysis showed no significant impacts of EGR-1 expression on patients’ survival. However, after adjusting for the pathological stage, patients with EGR-1 expression > 68th percentile had lower risks of cancer-related death. Moreover, knockdown of EGR-1 significantly enhanced cell migration, invasion, and resistance to chemotherapeutic agents in two ESCC cell lines. Conclusions: EGR-1 plays a key role in tumor suppression involving tumor viability suppression and reflects the treatment effect of current chemotherapy for ESCC.
Early versus Late Discontinuation of Maintenance Therapy in Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Nunnelee Jordan , Cottini Francesca , Zhao Qiuhong , Faisal Muhammad Salman , Elder Patrick , Rosko Ashley , Bumma Naresh , Khan Abdullah , Umyarova Elvira , Devarakonda Srinivas , Benson Don M. , Efebera Yvonne A. , Sharma Nidhi
Published: September 2022

Maintenance therapy after autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) in multiple myeloma (MM) is the standard treatment and recommended to be continued until disease progression. However, in the real world, patients discontinue treatment due to various reasons. We sought to determine the effect of early versus late discontinuation on survival outcomes in MM patients who underwent ASCT at The Ohio State University. We retrospectively reviewed 340 patients who underwent ASCT from 2005 to 2016 and received maintenance therapy for at least six months without progression. We compared the outcomes of patients who received maintenance for three years or less (early group) to the patients who continued maintenance beyond three years (late group). Lenalidomide (89%) and bortezomib (10%) were the most common agents used for maintenance chemotherapy. In Kaplan–Meier analysis, patients in the late group had prolonged progression-free (PFS) (p < 0.001) and overall survival (OS) (p < 0.001). The 5-year estimated OS in late group was 96% vs. 79% in the early group and 5-year PFS was 80% in late group vs. 50% in the early group. The most common reasons for discontinuation of maintenance in early group were adverse events (55.9%) and patient preference (22.5%). For the late group, it was disease progression (23.9%) and adverse events (14.3%). Fifty-five percent of patients in the late group were still on maintenance treatment at the last follow-up. Continuation of maintenance therapy was thus associated with improved outcomes, while adverse events prevented most patients from continuing treatment.
Commentary on Special Issue “Fetal Growth: What Is New in the Clinical Research?”
Authors: Cosmi Erich , Visentin Silvia
Published: September 2022

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a common complication of pregnancy (3–10%) and has been associated with a variety of adverse perinatal outcomes [...]
Inverted-Bearing Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty: Consequences on Scapular Notching and Clinical Results at Mid-Term Follow-Up
Authors: Castagna Alessandro , Borroni Mario , Dubini Luigi , Gumina Stefano , Delle Rose Giacomo , Ranieri Riccardo
Published: September 2022

Background: Scapular notching following reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) is caused by both biological and mechanical mechanisms. Some authors postulated that osteolysis that extends over the inferior screw is caused mainly by biological notching. Inverted-bearing RSA (IB-RSA) is characterized by a polyethylene glenosphere and a metallic humeral liner, decreasing the poly debris formation and potentially reducing high grades of notching. This study aims to report the results of IB-RSA on a consecutive series of patients at mid-term follow-up, focusing on the incidence of Sirveaux grade 3 and 4 scapular notching. Methods: A retrospective study on 78 consecutive patients who underwent primary IB-RSA between 2015–2017 was performed. At a 4 years minimum follow-up, 49 patients were evaluated clinically with Constant score (CS), Subjective shoulder value (SSV), American Shoulder and Elbow score (ASES), pain and range of motion, and with an X-ray assessing baseplate position (high, low), implant loosening, and scapular notching. Results: At a mean follow-up of 5.0 ± 0.9, all the clinical parameters improved (p < 0.05). One patient was revised for an infection and was excluded from the evaluation, two patients had an acromial fracture, and one had an axillary neuropraxia. Scapular notching was present in 13 (27%) patients (six grade 1, seven grade 2) and no cases of grade 3 and 4 were observed. Scapular nothing was significantly associated with high glenoid position (p < 0.001) and with lower CS (70 ± 15 vs. 58 ± 20; p = 0.046), SSV (81 ± 14 vs. 68 ± 20; p = 0.027), ASES (86 ± 14 vs. 70 ± 22; p = 0.031), and anterior elevation (148 ± 23 vs. 115 ± 37; p = 0.006). A 44 mm- compared to 40 mm-glenosphere was associate with better CS (63 ± 17 vs. 78 ± 11; p = 0.006), external (23 ± 17 vs. 36 ± 17; p = 0.036), and internal rotation (4.8 ± 2.7 vs. 7.8 ± 2.2; p = 0.011). Conclusions: IB-RSA is a safe and effective procedure for mid-term follow-up. Inverting biomaterials leads to a distinct kind of notching with mainly mechanical features. Scapular notching is associated with a high baseplate position and has a negative influence on range of motion and clinical outcome.
Development of Multilayer Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride Electrospun Patches for Buccal Drug Delivery
Authors: Teno Jorge , Pardo-Figuerez Maria , Figueroa-Lopez Kelly J. , Prieto Cristina , Lagaron Jose M.
Published: September 2022

Bacterial infections in the oral cavity can become a serious problem causing pain, sores and swelling for several weeks. This type of infection could be alleviated using mucoadhesive delivery systems, allowing local administration of the antibiotic to inhibit bacterial spreading. This work reports the development of a multilayer antibiotic patch containing ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CPX)-loaded electrospun fibers for the treatment of such infections. For this, the release kinetics of the CPX-loaded fibers was modulated using different ratios of polyester blends. The selected reservoir layer was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), wide angle x-ray scattering (WAXS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). These analyses confirmed the presence and good distribution of the drug in the fibers and that the drug is in an amorphous state within the reservoir layer. To enhance mucoadhesion whilst ensuring drug directionality, the reservoir layer was assembled to a backing and an adhesive layer. This multilayer patch was assessed in terms of in vitro drug release, adhesion and antimicrobial properties. The multilayer strategy showed excellent antimicrobial properties over time and also a strong adhesion patch time in the volunteers for an average of 7 h. These results highlight the capabilities of multilayer electrospun patches as platforms to treat oral infections.
Emotionally Intelligent People Use More High-Engagement and Less Low-Engagement Processes to Regulate Others’ Emotions
Authors: Xiao Hester , Double Kit Spencer , Walker Sarah Ann , Kunst Hannah , MacCann Carolyn
Published: September 2022

Existing research has linked emotional intelligence (EI) with intrinsic emotion regulation (processes people use to regulate their own emotions). However, there has not yet been an empirical examination of whether EI abilities relate to extrinsic emotion regulation (processes people use to regulate other people’s emotions). This study (N = 178 undergraduates) examines whether ability EI (as measured by the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test) correlates with eight extrinsic regulation processes (as measured by the Regulation of Others’ Emotions Scale, including downward comparison, expressive suppression, humour, distraction, direct action, reappraisal, receptive listening and valuing). Total ability EI score is significantly positively correlated with three high-engagement processes (r = .24, .40, and .16 for reappraisal, receptive listening, and valuing) and negatively correlated with two low-engagement processes (r = −.30 and −.38 for downward comparison and expressive suppression). When all four EI branches predicted each regulation process in multiple regression, only emotion management significantly predicted downward comparison, receptive listening and valuing, and only emotion management and understanding predicted expressive suppression (no significant regression coefficients for reappraisal). We conclude that the drivers of EI/extrinsic regulation associations are engagement with the target’s emotion and the emotion management branch of EI.
Study of the LQRY-SMC Control Method for the Longitudinal Motion of Fully Submerged Hydrofoil Crafts
Authors: Liu Hongdan , Fu Yunxing , Li Bing
Published: September 2022

The control system is one of the important components of the hydrofoil craft. By adjusting the navigation attitude of the craft, the hydrofoil craft can navigate stably and safely in the turbulent environment. Aiming at the problem that existing control algorithms have poor stability in the longitudinal motion control of hydrofoil craft, the longitudinal motion reduction is limited, and there are excessive requirements for accurate disturbance wave data. Based on the fully submerged hydrofoil craft model, this article proposes a joint control method LQRY-SMC combining linear-quadratic optimal control with output regulation (LQRY) and sliding-mode control (SMC), and adds genetic algorithm to optimize the weighting matrix parameters, get better control-feedback gain, improve the global optimal-control stability, thus improving the comfort of the crew, and prevent the attack of the hull, deck wetness and damage to instruments. The simulation results show that compared with the existing methods, the heave displacement and pitch angle obtained by LQRY-SMC under the turbulent flow of different significant wave heights are reduced by about 50%, and the influence of longitudinal motion on hydrofoil crafts is avoided to a large extent, which proves the effectiveness and superiority of the method proposed.
A Deep Neural Network Method for Water Areas Extraction Using Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Krivoguz Denis , Bespalova Liudmila , Zhilenkov Anton , Chernyi Sergei
Published: September 2022

Water bodies on the Earth’s surface are an important part of the hydrological cycle. The water resources of the Kerch Peninsula at this moment can be described as a network with temporary streams and small rivers that dry up in summer. Partially, they are often used in fisheries. But since permanent field monitoring is quite financially and resource-intensive, it becomes necessary to find a way for the automated remote monitoring of water bodies using remote sensing data. In this work, we used remote sensing data obtained using the Sentinel-2 satellite in the period from 2017 to 2022 during the days of field expeditions to map the water bodies of the Kerch Peninsula. As a training data set for surface water prediction, field expeditions data were used. The area for test data collection is located near Lake Tobechikskoye, where there are five water bodies. The Keras framework, written in Python, was used to build the architecture of a deep neural network. The architecture of the neural network consisted of one flattened and four dense layers fully connected. As a result, it achieved a model prediction accuracy of 96% when solving the problem of extracting the area of the water surface using remote sensing data. The obtained model showed quite good results in the task of identifying water bodies using remote sensing data, which will make it possible to fully use this technology in the future both in hydrological studies and in the design and forecasting of fisheries.
Origin and Implications of Pollution in Coastal Groundwater of the Guangdong Province
Authors: Li Chenzhe , Fu Tengfei , Fu Yushan , Wang Zhenyan , Li Bin , Qi Chen , Chen Guangquan , Xu Xingyong , Yu Hongjun
Published: September 2022

The groundwater resource is crucial to the urbanization and industrialization in the Guangdong coastal area; the rapid development of Daya Bay has presented a challenge for the management of the groundwater quantity and quality. Therefore, a novel approach to hydrochemical analysis, which, combined with the health risk model and the water quality index (WQI), was used to explain the hydrochemistry characteristics and risks to human health of groundwater in the Guangdong coastal areas in addition to investigating the factors controlling groundwater quality. The results showed that the average concentration of total dissolved solids (TDS) in groundwater was 1935.26 mg/L and the quality of water was weakly alkaline. The dominant hydrochemical types of groundwater were identified to be Mg-HCO3 and Na-Cl·HCO3. The main factor influencing the hydrochemical composition was rock weathering, while the result of principal component analysis (PCA) shows seawater intrusion and anthropogenic inputs also have an effect on the water quality. The conclusions of the water quality assessment indicated that most of the groundwater samples were acceptable for drinking. However, both WQI and the non-carcinogenic hazard quotient (HQ) values indicated unacceptable risks in any area of Maoming, Zhanjiang and Shantou, and, according to the hazard index (HI) value, children in the study area are at more danger to health risks than adults. It is suggested that both groundwater salinization and nitrate pollution should be paid attention to when improving groundwater quality and exploring the sustainable utilization of groundwater resources.
Identifying the Main Drivers in Microbial Diversity for Cabernet Sauvignon Cultivars from Europe to South Africa: Evidence for a Cultivar-Specific Microbial Fingerprint
Authors: Tronchoni Jordi , Setati Mathabatha Evodia , Fracassetti Daniela , Valdetara Federica , Maghradze David , Foschino Roberto , Curiel Jose Antonio , Morales Pilar , Gonzalez Ramon , Vigentini Ileana , Bauer Florian Franz
Published: September 2022

Microbial diversity in vineyards and in grapes has generated significant scientific interest. From a biotechnological perspective, vineyard and grape biodiversity has been shown to impact soil, vine, and grape health and to determine the fermentation microbiome and the final character of wine. Thus, an understanding of the drivers that are responsible for the differences in vineyard and grape microbiota is required. The impact of soil and climate, as well as of viticultural practices in geographically delimited areas, have been reported. However, the limited scale makes the identification of generally applicable drivers of microbial biodiversity and of specific microbial fingerprints challenging. The comparison and meta-analysis of different datasets is furthermore complicated by differences in sampling and in methodology. Here we present data from a wide-ranging coordinated approach, using standardized sampling and data generation and analysis, involving four countries with different climates and viticultural traditions. The data confirm the existence of a grape core microbial consortium, but also provide evidence for country-specific microbiota and suggest the existence of a cultivar-specific microbial fingerprint for Cabernet Sauvignon grape. This study puts in evidence new insight of the grape microbial community in two continents and the importance of both location and cultivar for the definition of the grape microbiome.
Using Ex Situ Seedling Baiting to Capture Seedling-Associated Mycorrhizal Fungi in Medicinal Orchid Dendrobium officinale
Authors: Wu Yi-Hua , Chen De-Yun , Wang Xin-Ju , Li Neng-Qi , Gao Jiang-Yun
Published: September 2022

Using orchid mycorrhizal fungi (OMFs) to facilitate orchid proliferation is considered an effective method of orchid conservation. Based on the success of using in situ seedling baiting to obtain plant growth-promoting fungi in our previous study, in this study, we developed the method of using ex situ seedling baiting to capture seedling-associated fungi from Dendrobium officinale. We collected substrates (e.g., litters, barks and mosses) from six original habitats of D. officinale in different geographical locations in China, and then, transplanted in vitro-produced seedlings of D. officinale into the substrates. After cultivation for 75 days, it was obvious that fungi colonized the seedling roots and formed large numbers of pelotons in all six groups. From these seedling roots, a total of 251 fungal strains, which were divided into 16 OMF and 11 non-OMF species, were successfully isolated. The 16 OMFs included 13 Tulasnella and 3 Serendipitaceae species. The fungal species isolated from the different groups (original habitat sources) were not identical, but the dominant OMFs with high isolation frequencies (more than 10 times) were commonly isolated from more than four original sources. Among the 11 non-OMFs, Fusarium oxysporum TP-18 and Muscodor sp. TP-26 were the dominant endophytes. Fusarium oxysporum is a common endophyte associated with many orchid species, including D. officinale. The results suggest that ex situ seedling baiting is an easy and efficient approach to obtaining seedling-associated fungi for this species and could be performed for other over-collected species, especially orchids for which wild plants have disappeared in the field but their original habitats are known. This approach has great potential for application in OMF studies in the future.
Radio-lncRNAs: Biological Function and Potential Use as Biomarkers for Personalized Oncology
Authors: Kozłowska-Masłoń Joanna , Guglas Kacper , Paszkowska Anna , Kolenda Tomasz , Podralska Marta , Teresiak Anna , Bliźniak Renata , Lamperska Katarzyna
Published: September 2022

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) consist of at least 200 nucleotides. Although these molecules do not code proteins, they carry many regulatory functions in normal cells, as well as in cancer cells. For instance, many of these molecules have been previously correlated with tumorigenesis of different cancers and their reaction to various stress factors, such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or reactive oxygen species (ROS). The lncRNAs are associated not only with dysregulation in cancers after applied treatment but also with beneficial effects that may be achieved by modulating their expression, often significantly enhancing the patients’ outcomes. A multitude of these molecules was previously considered as potential biomarkers of tumor development, progression, or cells’ response to radio- or chemotherapy. Irradiation, which is often used in treating numerous cancer types, is not always sufficient due to cells gaining resistance in multiple ways. In this review, studies considering lncRNAs and their reaction to radiotherapy were examined. These molecules were divided regarding their role in specific processes strictly related to irradiation, and their influence on this type of treatment was explained, showing how vast an impact they have on IR-supported combat with the disease. This review aims to shed some light on potential future lncRNA-based biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Kidney Function Trajectory within Six Months after Acute Kidney Injury Inpatient Care and Subsequent Adverse Kidney Outcomes: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Tain You-Lin , Liu Chien-Liang , Kuo Hsiao-Ching , Hsu Chien-Ning
Published: September 2022

Timing and extent of kidney function recovery after an acute kidney injury (AKI) episode are associated with chronic kidney disease onset and progression. This study aimed to categorize AKI recovery patterns within 6 months after index hospital discharge and associate them with kidney outcomes. This was a retrospective cohort study of 234,867 patients, hospitalized between 2010 and 2017, and classified as AKI or no AKI. Kidney function recovery from pre-hospitalization baseline within 1.5× serum creatinine (SCr) were evaluated at 3 and 6 months after hospital discharge and categorized as persistent non-recovery (PNR: SCr not recovered at 3 and 6 months), non-recovery (NR: SCr not recovered at 6 months), and recovery (SCr recovered at 6 months). A composite of incident chronic kidney disease, kidney replacement therapy, and estimated glomerular filtration rate reduction >30% from baseline and <15 mL/min/1.73 m2 was evaluated. Of 14,673 AKI surviving patients, 10.18% had PNR and 14.33% showed NR. Compared with no AKI, PNR and NR of AKI were associated with an increased risk of composite adverse outcomes (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) 4.55; 95% CI, 4.05–5.11; SHR, 3.54; 95% CI, 3.18–3.94, respectively). Patients with NR showed a greater risk of adverse outcomes than those with non-rapid recovery at 3 months after hospital discharge. The AKI recovery pattern within 6 months following inpatient care revealed an increasing continuum of risk of long-term adverse kidney outcomes. Risk stratification and a kidney function monitoring plan at discharge are needed to improve post-AKI care.
Identification of Patients with Potential Atrial Fibrillation during Sinus Rhythm Using Isolated P Wave Characteristics from 12-Lead ECGs
Authors: Yang Hui-Wen , Hsiao Cheng-Yi , Peng Yu-Qi , Lin Tse-Yu , Tsai Lung-Wen , Lin Chen , Lo Men-Tzung , Shih Chun-Ming
Published: September 2022

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is largely underdiagnosed. Previous studies using deep neural networks with large datasets have shown that screening AF with a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) during sinus rhythm (SR) is possible. However, the poor availability of these trained models and the small size of the retrievable datasets limit its reproducibility. This study proposes an approach to generate explainable features for detecting AF during SR with limited data. We collected 94,224 12-lead ECGs from 64,196 patients from Taipei Medical University Hospital. We selected ECGs during SR from 213 patients before AF diagnosis and randomly selected 247 age-matched participants without AF records as the controls. We developed a signal-processing technique, MA-UPEMD, to isolate P waves, and quantified the spatial and temporal features using principal component analysis and inter-lead relationships. By combining these features, the machine learning models yielded AUC of 0.64. We showed that, even with this limited dataset, the P wave, representing atrial electrical activity, is depicted by our proposed approach. The extracted features performed better than the bandpass filter-extracted P waves and deep neural network model. We provided a physiologically explainable and reproducible approach for classifying patients with AF during SR.
Folate Pathway Gene Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Neural Tube Defects: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Almekkawi Ahmad K. , AlJardali Marwa W. , Daadaa Hicham M. , Lane Alison L. , Worner Ashley R. , Karim Mohammad A. , Scheck Adrienne C. , Frye Richard E.
Published: September 2022

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are congenital abnormalities in the central nervous system. The exact etiology of NTDs is still not determined, but several genetic and epigenetic factors have been studied. Folate supplementation during gestation is recommended to reduce the risk of NTDs. In this review we examine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the genes in the folate pathway associated with NTD. We reviewed the literature for all papers discussing both NTDs and SNPs in the folate pathway. Data were represented through five different genetic models. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) and Cohen’s Kappa inter-rater coefficient assessed author agreement. Fifty-nine papers were included. SNPs in MTHFR, MTRR, RFC genes were found to be highly associated with NTD risk. NOS showed that high quality papers were selected, and Kappa Q-test was 0.86. Our combined results support the notion that SNPs significantly influence NTDs across the population, particularly in Asian ethnicity. Additional high-quality research from diverse ethnicities is needed and meta-regression analysis based on a range of criteria may provide a more complete understanding of the role of folate metabolism in NTDs.
Risk of Ischemic Heart Disease Associated with Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Yeh Chung-Hsin , Muo Chih-Hsin , Sung Fung-Chang , Yen Pao-Sheng
Published: September 2022

The awareness on ischemic heart disease (IHD) in women with dysmenorrhea is insufficient. We utilized the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan to evaluate this relationship. From the claims data, we established a cohort of women aged 15–50 years with primary dysmenorrhea diagnosed from 2000 to 2008 (n = 18,455) and a comparison cohort (n = 36,910) without dysmenorrhea, frequency matched by age and diagnosis date. Both cohorts were followed until the end of 2013 to assess IHD events. With 75% of study population aged 15–29 years, the incidence of IHD was greater in the dysmenorrheal cohort than in the comparison cohort (1.93 versus 1.18 per 10,000 person-years), with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.60 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.38–1.85). The incidence increased with age and the rate of increase was greater in the dysmenorrheal cohort than the comparison cohort. Nested case-control analysis in the dysmenorrhea cohort showed that IHD risk was also associated with hypertension and arrhythmia, with adjusted odds ratios of 2.50 (95% CI = 1.64–3.81) and 3.30 (95% CI = 2.25–4.86), respectively. Women with dysmenorrhea are at a higher risk of developing IHD, particularly for older patients and patients with comorbidity.
Increasing Spatial Mismatch of Cropland-Grain Production-Population in China over the Past Two Decades
Authors: Li Lanhui , Jiang Pingshan , Liu Wenfeng , Sun Yaxin , Dang Zhanhao
Published: September 2022

Identifying the spatiotemporal coupling characteristics of cropland-grain production-population is essential for the rational utilization of cropland and the evaluation of national and regional food security. Based on the grain production statistical data, GlobeLand30, and WorldPop data in the years 2000, 2010, and 2020, the spatiotemporal changes in China’s cropland area, grain production, and population and their coupling characteristics over the past two decades were detected at the grid level using the models of barycenter fitting and coupled dynamic analysis. The results showed that spatial change of cropland area in China was roughly characterized by the increase in the northwest and the decrease in the southeast; while grain production was characterized by an increase in the north and a decrease in the south, and population was roughly characterized by an increase in urban areas of the southeast coastal regions and a decrease in traditional agricultural areas. The barycenter of cropland area and that of grain production moved toward the northwest and the northeast, respectively, which mismatch the spatial pattern of hydro-thermal conditions of cropland resources in China and thus result in the increased risk of the national grain production system. Meanwhile, the barycenter of grain production and that of population continued to move in opposite directions overall, and the distances between their barycenters increased from 119.65 km in 2000 to 455.16 km in 2020, indicating that the phenomenon of ‘north-to-south grain diversion’ is intensifying. Our results highlight that the spatial mismatch of cropland-grain production-population in China has increased over the past two decades.
A Reconstruction of Irrigated Cropland Extent in China from 2000 to 2019 Using the Synergy of Statistics and Satellite-Based Datasets
Authors: Bai Minghao , Zhou Shenbei , Tang Ting
Published: September 2022

Irrigated agriculture has undergone rapid developments in China, which has greatly increased food production but overexploited water resources as well. Spatial information on irrigated cropland is critical to balance irrigation yield gains against the negative impact on water resources. However, remote-sensing-based maps on irrigated areas with short temporal coverage often suffer from undermined accuracy in humid areas and inconsistency with statistics, which limit their applications in food policy and water management. The following study integrates existing irrigation maps, observed data on irrigated cropping system, and statistics by a synergy approach to map irrigated areas in China from 2000 to 2019. We also incorporate past information on actual irrigation to avoid divergence between observations and statistics from its fluctuation. Afterwards, 614 reference samples across mainland China have been used to validate resultant maps, which show that outperformance was above overall accuracy and Kappa coefficients. Moreover, our maps share a similar spatial pattern with Irrimap-Syn maps rather than remote-sensing-based maps (CCI-LC). Irrigated areas have grown rapidly from 55.42 Mha in 2000 to 71.33 Mha in 2019 but with different growth trends in different regions. Simultaneous large-scale expansion and abandonment occur in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain and Yangtze River Basin, while the Northwest Inland Region and the Northeast Plain are the two largest net area gains. Rainfed croplands are dominant sources of expansion, followed by pastures, respectively, with over 70% and 20% contributions in total gains. This not only is a shift from rainfed to irrigated systems but also indicates an intensification of agriculture, which might contribute to agricultural drought reductions in the north and wide soil suitability. Other efforts on agricultural sustainability also have been detected, such as geographical shifts from vulnerable to relatively suitable areas, grain for green, cropland protection, and cropland protection in the competition of urbanization.
Effect of Landscape Structure on Land Surface Temperature in Different Essential Urban Land Use Categories: A Case Study in Jiaozuo, China
Authors: Jia Xiaoli , Song Peihao , Yun Guoliang , Li Ang , Wang Kun , Zhang Kaihua , Du Chenyu , Feng Yuan , Qu Kexin , Wu Meng , Ge Shidong
Published: September 2022

Understanding the relationship between different essential urban land use categories and the urban thermal environment is essential for urban planning, resource allocation and decision support. However, most of the spatiotemporal correlations between land use types and LST are focused on industrial land use and urban green space, and there are fewer discussions on the totality of urban land use types. Here, using multi-source remote sensing images, correlation analysis and the stepwise regression method, we elaborate the relationship between landscape structure and land surface temperature (LST) across the different seasons of 850 planning management units in Jiaozuo, China. Our results show that the degree of explanation of surface temperature by landscape structure increased with a fine division of land use. The imprint of urban–rural gradients on LST was largely masked by the land use categories at the regional scales. Moreover, the tridimensional structure of buildings significantly affected the LST of residential regions, and the large number of low-rise buildings in urban planning practice contributes to high LSTs. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the effects of each land use type and landscape structure on surface temperature in urban space and also provides strategies and methods for urban planning in rapidly developing regions of the country.
Changes in Vegetation Coverage and Migration Characteristics of Center of Gravity in the Arid Desert Region of Northwest China in 30 Recent Years
Authors: Li Xuewu , Zulkar Hailili , Wang Daoyang , Zhao Tingning , Xu Wentong
Published: September 2022

Vegetation coverage is important in global landscape change patterns, but research on temporal and spatial dynamic changes and analysis of vegetation landscape pattern is relatively lacking. The present study aimed to investigate the dynamic changes of vegetation coverage in the arid desert region of Northwest China and analyze the characteristics of its center of gravity migration. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and pixel binary model were used to calculate the vegetation coverage to analyze the vegetation distribution characteristics and vegetation migration in the arid desert area in Northwest China in 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2015 and 2020. The results showed that from 1990 to 2020, the proportion of light and severe vegetation coverage in the arid desert region of Northwest China increased, while the proportion of medium vegetation coverage decreased. The distribution types of medium- and high-grade vegetation generally migrate to the southeast and south, which may be mainly due to the humid climate conditions and higher population density in this direction. The vegetation center of gravity migration is mainly concentrated in the southeast-south direction. Vegetation degradation occurs in the northwest region, and vegetation improvement is the main trend in the southeast and south region. The direction of vegetation migration may be affected by precipitation and soil humidity. This study provides a theoretical basis and has certain guiding significance for desertification control, ecological sustainable management, ecological restoration, and protection in the arid desert region of Northwest China.
Stimulating Poverty Alleviation by Developing Tourism in Marginalised Roma Communities: A Case Study of the Central Spiš Region (Slovakia)
Authors: Matlovičová Kvetoslava , Kolesárová Jana , Demková Michaela , Kostilníková Katarína , Mocák Peter , Pachura Piotr , Payne Mark
Published: September 2022

The main objective of this study is to demonstrate that opportunities to support the poor marginalised Roma communities (MRCs) by creating opportunities for their active participation in tourism development have been under-ultilised to date. In particular, the application of a pro-poor tourism (PPT) approach is an advantage that allows the cultural specificities of the MRCs to be exploited for their own development. A risk factor for successful implementation is the considerable differentiation within Roma communities. This study analyses the approaches of 65 municipalities of the Central Spiš region to the development of PPT as an option for poverty reduction in the MRCs in Slovakia. Based on the analysis of the local preconditions for tourism development, the specific potential for the development of Roma culture and the traditional economic activities, human resources, and the degree of segregation, we show that there is no universal solution that would be applicable in all communities. The limited possibilities to obtain relevant data determined the analysis options we used. Therefore, we used a mixed-method approach, in which we subjected the quantitative data to qualitative analysis based on interviews with the mayors of the communities being studied. Four assumptions were verified in the aforementioned way: (1) the MRCs in villages in the immediate vicinity of developed tourist centres show a higher level of activity in relation to their own development; (2) Roma who are active in small-scale farming will also be more active in maintaining other traditional craft activities, typical for Roma communities in Slovakia, forming the basis for the development of their own PPT product; (3) the activity of NGO’s focusing on the development of the local MRC’s is not a guarantee for the development of PPT activities in the villages; and finally that (4) the high level of segregation of marginalised Roma communities is a major obstacle for the implementation of PPT. This paper concludes with a typology of municipalities in relation to the preconditions for the development of PPT, which can be considered as a contribution to the discussion on the possibilities of a differentiated approach to PPT development strategies at the level of municipalities with the numerous MRC’s.
Locational Dynamics of Luxury Hotels in Shanghai Metropolis, China: A Spatial-Temporal Perspective
Authors: Zhao Hongbo , Gu Tianshun , Yue Li , Xu Xiaoman
Published: September 2022

This study aims to investigate the spatial associations of luxury hotels by using geographical information system (GIS) tools and the multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model to examine the relationships between the distribution of luxury hotels and exogenous (regional) determinants of urban subdistricts in which the luxury hotels are located. Shanghai City is used as an example. The study first introduces the spatial-temporal characteristics of luxury hotels in Shanghai City, and the key exogenous determinants that contribute to luxury hotel location choice are identified with the MGWR model. The nearest neighbor index decreased from 1.01 to 0.47 and Moran’s I statistics increased from 0.268 to 0.452, revealing that the spatial-temporal evolution pattern of luxury hotels presents a cluster trend from 1995 to 2015. The significance level of the standard regression coefficient shows that the institutional proximity, room rate, green space and the World Expo are the primary determining factors that influence the distribution of luxury hotels in Shanghai City. The analysis is important theoretically, as it presents new and novel methodologies for shedding light on the influencing factors of the locational dynamics of luxury hotels. Meanwhile, it enriches the methodologies for analyzing the relationships between luxury hotels and urban structures, and it is important for practitioners, as it provides strategic information that would enable them to globally select appropriate locations for luxury hotels.
Land-Use Change Dynamics of Agricultural Land within Belgrade–Novi Sad Highway Corridor: A Spatial Planning Perspective
Authors: Živanović Miljković Jelena , Dželebdžić Omiljena , Čolić Nataša
Published: September 2022

At the global level, there is an awareness of the need to protect agricultural land from permanent physical loss through land-use change. Preservation of high-quality agricultural land is currently at the center of the international debates, including those of food safety. The main aim of this paper is to provide quantitative analysis of agricultural land-use change dynamics within the area of the Belgrade–Novi Sad highway corridor, as a distinct route that connects two largest cities in Serbia. The results in land-use change and the accompanying contextual aspects are observed between 1990 and 2018, i.e., within the four research periods: 1990–2000, 2000–2006, 2006–2012 and 2012–2018, using GIS-based analysis. The research methodology used Corine Land Cover and Urban Atlas data and revealed dynamics relating to the most influential land take directions during the ca. 30 years by the means of the land take indicator. The results were complemented with the qualitative content analysis of spatial and regulatory urban plans for the study area, as one of the land-use management instruments in Serbia. The findings indicate that the most intense agricultural land-use change to non-agricultural land occurred in the period 1990-2000 due to various drivers (vicinity of large cities, illegal construction, developed transport infrastructure), but also distinguish the role of spatial and urban planning documentation in promoting the new land take.
Processing Gapped and Gapless Relative Clauses in Mandarin: Evidence from Event–Related Brain Potentials
Authors: Qian Zhiying , Packard Jerome
Published: September 2022

This paper reports an event–related potential (ERP) study examining the processing of “gapless” relative clauses (RCs), normal (“gapped”) RCs, attributive clauses, Subject–Verb–Object (SVO) forms and the morphological markers de and le in Mandarin Chinese. The objectives were to (1) determine whether a processing cost signature can be identified for gap–filler processing by comparing gapped RCs with SVO forms; and (2) determine whether processing gapless RCs is more similar to processing gapped RCs that they resemble on surface or attributive clauses that they resemble structurally by comparing gapped RCs, gapless RCs, and attributive clauses. ERP data was collected from 27 native speakers as they read 160 sentences containing gapped, gapless, attributive, and SVO sentences, which differed only in the second word of the string (e.g., 教授设计的/烧菜的/助手的/设计了/那个广告… The professor designed Ø/cooked food/assistant’s/designed that advertisement…). Results indicate that (1) the head noun evoked larger N400 and P600 components and the determiner elicited a larger sustained anterior negativity for the gapped RCs than for the SVO forms, and (2) the word immediately following the head noun evoked a larger P600 and the determiner elicited a larger sustained anterior negativity for both gapped and gapless RCs than for attributive clauses. These results indicate that (1) gap–filler integration in Mandarin is both semantic (hence the N400) and syntactic (hence the P600) in nature, and (2) gapless RCs are neurophysiologically processed more like gapped RCs than attributive clauses. The ERP signatures to verb+le, verb+de, verbs with verb–object (VO)+de morphological structure, and noun+de revealed that the processing costs for VO verbs and noun modifications were higher than for simple verbs, and the morphological markers de and le induced similar processing costs, even though de triggered the positing of a syntactic gap whereas le did not.
Atopy and Multisensitizations in Specific IgE Microarrays and Their Impact on Severe Asthma
Authors: Romantowski Jan , Górska Aleksandra , Moszkowska Grażyna , Kulczycka Julia , Minkowska Karolina , Rolewicz Agata , Nittner-Marszalska Marita , Niedoszytko Marek
Published: September 2022

(1) Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease. Around 3–10% of patients experience severe refractory asthma. These patients with high symptom intensity and frequent exacerbations present a challenge for allergologists. Their allergic vs. non-allergic profile might be different from the standard asthmatic group and this difference is vital in qualifying for anti-IgE biologicals. The aim of the study was to analyze multiple sensitizations in patients with severe asthma and assess their impact on the course of the disease. (2) Forty-two patients with severe asthma according to GINA were enrolled. They experienced at least two exacerbations during the past year and had uncontrolled asthma despite high inhaled steroid use. A microarray serum Alex test (allergen-specific IgE to 295 extracts and components) was performed together with Complete Blood Count tests, the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ), the Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (MiniAQLQ), and spirometry. (3) There were 29 female and 13 male patients. The patient mean age was 50.4 (22–70). In 25 (60%) patients, inhalant sensitizations were detected. In 9 (21%) cases, a new perennial allergen was discovered that might enable anti-IgE treatment in the future. In the entire studied group, 8 patients (19%) would still not qualify for anti-IgE, anti-IL4, or anti-IL5 treatment. A linear regression analysis revealed that a Canis familiaris allergen (Can f 1) correlated with worse asthma control in ACQ. An Aspergillus allergen (Asp f 6) correlated negatively with Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1). (4) The study presents the usefulness of the ALEX test in 21% of patients with severe asthma in qualification for anti-IgE treatment. It highlights the impact of canine and Aspergillus sensitizations on worse control in patients with severe asthma.
Euglena, a Gravitactic Flagellate of Multiple Usages
Authors: Häder Donat-P. , Hemmersbach Ruth
Published: September 2022

Human exploration of space and other celestial bodies bears a multitude of challenges. The Earth-bound supply of material and food is restricted, and in situ resource utilisation (ISRU) is a prerequisite. Excellent candidates for delivering several services are unicellular algae, such as the space-approved flagellate Euglena gracilis. This review summarizes the main characteristics of this unicellular organism. Euglena has been exposed on various platforms that alter the impact of gravity to analyse its corresponding gravity-dependent physiological and molecular genetic responses. The sensory transduction chain of gravitaxis in E. gracilis has been identified. The molecular gravi-(mechano-)receptors are mechanosensory calcium channels (TRP channels). The inward gated calcium binds specifically to one of several calmodulins (CaM.2), which, in turn, activates an adenylyl cyclase. This enzyme uses ATP to produce cAMP, which induces protein kinase A, followed by the phosphorylation of a motor protein in the flagellum, initiating a course correction, and, finally, resulting in gravitaxis. During long space missions, a considerable amount of food, oxygen, and water has to be carried, and the exhaled carbon dioxide has to be removed. In this context, E. gracilis is an excellent candidate for biological life support systems, since it produces oxygen by photosynthesis, takes up carbon dioxide, and is even edible. Various species and mutants of Euglena are utilized as a producer of commercial food items, as well as a source of medicines, as it produces a number of vitamins, contains numerous trace elements, and synthesizes dietary proteins, lipids, and the reserve molecule paramylon. Euglena has anti-inflammatory, -oxidant, and -obesity properties.
Influence of Plant Growth Regulators and Artificial Light on the Growth and Accumulation of Inulin of Dedifferentiated Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) Callus Cells
Authors: Kirakosyan Rima N. , Sumin Anton V. , Polupanova Anna A. , Pankova Maria G. , Degtyareva Irina S. , Sleptsov Nikolay N. , Khuat Quyet V.
Published: September 2022

Chicory (Chicorium intybus L.) is a perennial herb of the family Asteraceae, widely distributed in Asia and Europe, commonly used industrially as a raw material for extracting inulin because of a high content of inulin and biologically active compounds. Light conditions and plant growth regulators (PGRs) are two of many factors that affect the growth and inulin content of chicory callus. The aim of this work is to study the effect of PGRs and light conditions on proliferation and accumulation of inulin of chicory callus in vitro. In this study, we used semi-solid MS medium supplemented with different auxins (including Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), naphthylacetic acid (NAA), and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)) at a concentration of 5.5–9.5 mg/L in combination with 2.0 mg/L 6 benzylaminopurine (BA) to determine induction and proliferation of callus. The increasing value of callus fresh weight was used to assess the growth of the callus in treatments. The results showed that a steady increase in callus fresh weight and inulin content in callus cells was obtained when they were cultured on MS medium supplemented with a combination of 2.0 mg/L BA with 7.5 mg/L IAA in lighting conditions with radiation equalized by the flux density of photosynthetic photons and ratios of radiation levels in the region of FR—far red > R—red. Increasing demand for organic inulin sources in production practice can be met by our finding.