bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transcriptomic analysis of the tick midgut and salivary gland responses upon repeated blood-feeding on a vertebrate host
Authors: Medina José María , Jmel Mohamed Amine , Cuveele Brent , Gómez-Martín Cristina , Aparicio-Puerta Ernesto , Mekki Imen , Kotál Jan , Martins Larissa Almeida , Hackenberg Michael , Bensaoud Chaima , Kotsyfakis Michail
Published: August 2022

Ticks are blood-feeding arthropods that use the components of their salivary glands to counter the host’s hemostatic, inflammatory, and immune responses. The tick midgut also plays a crucial role in hematophagy. It is responsible for managing blood meals (storage and digestion) and protecting against host immunity and pathogen infections. Previous transcriptomic studies revealed the complexity of tick sialomes (salivary gland transcriptomes) and mialomes (midgut transcriptomes) which encode for protease inhibitors, lipocalins (histamine-binding proteins), disintegrins, enzymes, and several other tick-specific proteins. Several studies have demonstrated that mammalian hosts acquire tick resistance against repeated tick bites. Consequently, there is an urgent need to uncover how tick sialomes and mialomes respond to resistant hosts, as they may serve to develop novel tick control strategies and applications. Here, we mimicked natural repeated tick bites in a laboratory setting and analyzed gene expression dynamics in the salivary glands and midguts of adult female ticks. Rabbits were subjected to a primary (feeding on a naive host) and a secondary infestation of the same host (we re-exposed the hosts but to other ticks). We used single salivary glands and midguts dissected from individual siblings adult pathogen-free female Ixodes ricinus to reduce genetic variability between individual ticks. The comprehensive analysis of 88 obtained RNA-seq data sets allows us to provide high-quality annotated sialomes and mialomes from individual ticks. Comparisons between fed/unfed, timepoints, and exposures yielded as many as 3000 putative differentially expressed genes (DEG). Interestingly, when classifying the exposure DEGs by means of a clustering approach we observed that the majority of these genes show increased expression at early feeding time-points in the mid-gut of re-exposed ticks. The existence of clearly defined groups of genes with highly similar responses to re-exposure suggests the existence of molecular swiches. In silico functional analysis shows that these early feeding reexposure response genes form a dense interaction network at protein level being related to virtually all aspects of gene expression regulation and glycosylation. The processed data is available through an easy-to-use database-associated webpage (https://arn.ugr.es/IxoriDB/) that can serve as a valuable resource for tick research.
Requirement of Peptidyl-Prolyl Cis/Trans isomerases and chaperones for cellular uptake of bacterial AB-type toxins
Authors: Ernst Katharina
Published: August 2022

Bacterial AB-type toxins are proteins released by the producing bacteria and are the causative agents for several severe diseases including cholera, whooping cough, diphtheria or enteric diseases. Their unique AB-type structure enables their uptake into mammalian cells via sophisticated mechanisms exploiting cellular uptake and transport pathways. The binding/translocation B-subunit facilitates binding of the toxin to a specific receptor on the cell surface. This is followed by receptor-mediated endocytosis. Then the enzymatically active A-subunit either escapes from endosomes in a pH-dependent manner or the toxin is further transported through the Golgi to the endoplasmic reticulum from where the A-subunit translocates into the cytosol. In the cytosol, the A-subunits enzymatically modify a specific substrate which leads to cellular reactions resulting in clinical symptoms that can be life-threatening. Both intracellular uptake routes require the A-subunit to unfold to either fit through a pore formed by the B-subunit into the endosomal membrane or to be recognized by the ER-associated degradation pathway. This led to the hypothesis that folding helper enzymes such as chaperones and peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerases are required to assist the translocation of the A-subunit into the cytosol and/or facilitate their refolding into an enzymatically active conformation. This review article gives an overview about the role of heat shock proteins Hsp90 and Hsp70 as well as of peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerases of the cyclophilin and FK506 binding protein families during uptake of bacterial AB-type toxins with a focus on clostridial binary toxins Clostridium botulinum C2 toxin, Clostridium perfringens iota toxin, Clostridioides difficile CDT toxin, as well as diphtheria toxin, pertussis toxin and cholera toxin.
Biological aspects of phage therapy versus antibiotics against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium infection of chickens
Authors: Kosznik-Kwaśnicka Katarzyna , Podlacha Magdalena , Grabowski Łukasz , Stasiłojć Małgorzata , Nowak-Zaleska Alicja , Ciemińska Karolina , Cyske Zuzanna , Dydecka Aleksandra , Gaffke Lidia , Mantej Jagoda , Myślińska Dorota , Necel Agnieszka , Pierzynowska Karolina , Piotrowska Ewa , Radzanowska-Alenowicz Edyta , Rintz Estera , Sitko Krzysztof , Topka-Bielecka Gracja , Węgrzyn Grzegorz , Węgrzyn Alicja
Published: August 2022

Phage therapy is a promising alternative treatment of bacterial infections in human and animals. Nevertheless, despite the appearance of many bacterial strains resistant to antibiotics, these drugs still remain important therapeutics used in human and veterinary medicine. Although experimental phage therapy of infections caused by Salmonella enterica was described previously by many groups, those studies focused solely on effects caused by bacteriophages. Here, we compared the use of phage therapy (employing a cocktail composed of two previously isolated and characterized bacteriophages, vB_SenM-2 and vB_Sen-TO17) and antibiotics (enrofloxacin and colistin) in chickens infected experimentally with S. enterica serovar Typhimurium. We found that the efficacies of both types of therapies (i.e. the use of antibiotics and phage cocktail) were high and very similar to one another when the treatment was applied shortly (one day) after the infection. Under these conditions, S. Typhimurium was quickly eliminated from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), to the amount not detectable by the used methods. However, later treatment (2 or 4 days after detection of S. Typhimurium in chicken feces) with the phage cocktail was significantly less effective. Bacteriophages remained in the GIT for up to 2-3 weeks, and then were absent in feces and cloaca swabs. Interestingly, both phages could be found in various organs of chickens though with a relatively low abundance. No development of resistance of S. Typhimurium to phages or antibiotics was detected during the experiment. Importantly, although antibiotics significantly changed the GIT microbiome of chickens in a long-term manner, analogous changes caused by phages were transient, and the microbiome normalized a few weeks after the treatment. In conclusion, phage therapy against S. Typhimurium infection in chickens appeared as effective as antibiotic therapy (with either enrofloxacin or colistin), and less invasive than the use the antibiotics as fewer changes in the microbiome were observed.
Immune profiles in mouse brain and testes infected by Zika virus with variable pathogenicity
Authors: Shang Jingzhe , Li Chunfeng , Jin Zhujia , Zu Shulong , Chen Songjie , Chen Junlan , Chen Ziyi , Tang Hua , Qin Cheng-Feng , Ye Qing , Wu Aiping
Published: August 2022

The Zika virus is responsible for neurological diseases such as microcephaly, Guillain-Barré syndrome, neuropathy, and myelitis in human adults and children. Previous studies have shown that the Zika virus can infect nerve progenitor cells and interfere with neural development. However, it is unclear how the immune system responds to infection with Zika viruses with variable pathogenicity. Here, we used two Zika strains with relatively different pathogenicity, the Asian ancestral strain CAM/2010 and the America pandemic strain GZ01/2016, to infect the brains of mice. We found that both strains elicited a strong immune response. Notably, the strain with relatively high pathogenicity, GZ01/2016, caused more intense immune regulation, with stronger CD8+ T cell and macrophage activation at 14 days post infection (dpi), as well as a greater immune gene disturbance. Notably, several TNF family genes were upregulated at 14 dpi, including Tnfrsf9, Tnfsf13, Tnfrsf8, Cd40, and Tnfsf10. It was notable that GZ01/2016 could maintain the survival of nerve cells at 7dpi but caused neurological disorders at 14dpi. These results indicate that Zika viruses with high pathogenicity may induce sustained activation of the immune system leading to nerve tissue damage.
The association of long-term blood pressure variability with hemodialysis access thrombosis
Authors: Hsieh Mu-Yang , Cheng Chi-Hung , Chen Chiu-Hui , Liao Min-Tsun , Lin Chih-Ching , Yang Ten-Fang , Chuang Shao-Yuan , Wu Chih-Cheng
Published: August 2022

Background

Blood pressure variability (BPV) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular events in hemodialysis patients. We sought to determine the impact of BPV on hemodialysis access thrombosis.

Methods

We enrolled 1,011 prevalent hemodialysis patients from 12 hemodialysis centers since January 2018 and followed them until December 2020. Predialysis blood pressure (BP) was assessed at 12-week intervals. The coefficient of variation derived from 36 consecutive BP measurements was used as the metric for variability. The primary outcome was incident hemodialysis access thrombosis. Linear regression models were used to assess factors associated with BPV at baseline. Kaplan-Meier curves of the time until vascular access events were drawn and log-rank tests were calculated. Cox proportional hazards models were performed to assess the association of BPV with incident vascular access events.

Results

The average coefficient of variance for systolic BPV was 10.9%. BPV was associated with age, body mass index, mean BP, diabetes, coronary and peripheral artery disease, history of access dysfunction, graft access, intradialytic hypotension, and use of antihypertensive medications. There were 194 access thrombosis events and 451 access stenosis events during a median follow-up period of 30 months. After adjustment of potential confounding factors, BPV was associated with increased risk of access thrombosis [hazard ratio = 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.18–1.44, per 1 standard deviation increase in BPV]. The patients in the highest BPV quartile had 2.45 times the risk of thrombosis (CI, 1.62–3.70). The association was independent of average BP, intradialytic hypotension, and comorbidities. Similar trends of association were found in the subgroups analyzed. Comparative analysis using a time-varying variable model and different metrics of BPV showed consistent results.

Conclusion

Our findings underscored the impact of BP fluctuation on vascular access thrombosis.
Development of the Centrifugal Blood Pump for a Hybrid Continuous Flow Pediatric Total Artificial Heart: Model, Make, Measure
Authors: Fox Carson S. , Palazzolo Thomas , Hirschhorn Matthew , Stevens Randy M. , Rossano Joseph , Day Steven W. , Tchantchaleishvili Vakhtang , Throckmorton Amy L.
Published: August 2022

Clinically-available blood pumps and total artificial hearts for pediatric patients continue to lag well behind those developed for adults. We are developing a hybrid, continuous-flow, magnetically levitated, pediatric total artificial heart (TAH). The hybrid TAH design integrates both an axial and centrifugal blood pump within a single, compact housing. The centrifugal pump rotates around the separate axial pump domain, and both impellers rotate around a common central axis. Here, we concentrate our development effort on the centrifugal blood pump by performing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of the blood flow through the pump. We also conducted transient CFD analyses (quasi-steady and transient rotational sliding interfaces) to assess the pump's dynamic performance conditions. Through modeling, we estimated the pressure generation, scalar stress levels, and fluid forces exerted on the magnetically levitated impellers. To further the development of the centrifugal pump, we also built magnetically-supported prototypes and tested these in an in vitro hydraulic flow loop and via 4-h blood bag hemolytic studies (n = 6) using bovine blood. The magnetically levitated centrifugal prototype delivered 0–6.75 L/min at 0–182 mmHg for 2,750–4,250 RPM. Computations predicted lower pressure-flow performance results than measured by testing; axial and radial fluid forces were found to be <3 N, and mechanical power usage was predicted to be <5 Watts. Blood damage indices (power law weighted exposure time and scalar stress) were <2%. All data trends followed expectations for the centrifugal pump design. Six peaks in the pressure rise were observed in the quasi-steady and transient simulations, correlating to the blade passage frequency of the 6-bladed impeller. The average N.I.H value (n = 6) was determined to be 0.09 ± 0.02 g/100 L, which is higher than desired and must be addressed through design improvement. These data serve as a strong foundation to build upon in the next development phase, whereby we will integrate the axial flow pump component.
Ideal cardiovascular health status and risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: over a decade of follow-up in the Tehran lipid and glucose study
Authors: Hadaegh Farzad , Hosseinpour-Niazi Somayeh , Deravi Niloofar , Hasheminia Mitra , Moslehi Nazanin , Toreyhi Hossein , Azizi Fereidoun
Published: August 2022

Objective

To quantify the association between ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) including different subtypes [coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and sudden death], and all-cause mortality in an Iranian population.

Methods

The study population included 6,388 participants (2,726 men) aged 48.0 ± 12.4 years free of CVD at baseline. We utilized the American Heart Association’s 2020 impact target criteria of ideal, intermediate, and poor CVH. The multivariate Cox proportional Hazard model, adjusted for age, sex, educational level, marital status, and family history of CVD, was applied to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of outcomes per one additional metric of ideal CVH metrics. Furthermore, the risk was also calculated for ideal and intermediate categories considering poor category as a reference.

Results

During the median follow-up of 11.26 years, 692 CVD, 589 CHD, 130 stroke, 111 sudden death, and 519 all-cause mortality events were reported. All of the individual ideal CVH metrics were independent predictors except intermediate physical activity level for CVD, BMI < 25 kg/m2, and intermediate physical activity for all-cause mortality. Each additional metrics of ideal CVH decreased the risk by 31 (0.69, 0.65–0.73) for CVD, 32 (0.68, 0.64–0.73) for CHD, 31 (0.69, 0.60–0.80) for stroke, 25 (0.75, 0.64–0.88) for sudden death, and 13% (0.87, 0.81–0.93) for all-cause mortality events. Moreover, intermediate and ideal categories of CVH metrics were associated with lower risk for different CVD outcomes, i.e., 44 (0.56, 0.48–0.65) and 76% (0.24, 0.17–0.35) for CVD; 43 (0.57, 0.47–0.67) and 75% (0.25, 0.16–0.37) for CHD, 58 (0.42, 0.29–0.61) and 86% (0.14, 0.04–0.44) for stroke; 56 (0.44, 0.29–0.66) and 55% (0.45, 0.21–0.99) for sudden death; and 25 (0.75, 0.62–0.90) and 46% (0.54, 0.37–0.80) for all-cause mortality events, respectively. We also assessed the impact of changes in ideal CVH status from phase III to phase IV (2008–2011) on CVD events among 5,666 participants. Accordingly, compared to those remaining in the poor category, all of the changes in ideal CVH categories showed a lower risk for CVD events.

Conclusion

Among the Iranian population, meeting higher ideal CVH metrics is associated with a lower risk of different CVD events and mortality outcomes.
Relationship between serum growth differentiation factor 15, fibroblast growth factor-23 and risk of atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tan Ziqi , Song Tiangang , Huang Shanshan , Liu Menglu , Ma Jianyong , Zhang Jing , Yu Peng , Liu Xiao
Published: August 2022

Background and objective

Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) and fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) are considered predictors of the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. The present meta-analysis aimed to elucidate the associations between GDF-15 and FGF-23 in the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods

An electronic search was conducted in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Embase databases from inception until February 27, 2021. The study protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42020182226).

Results

In total, 15 studies that enrolled 36,017 participants were included. Both serum FGF-23 and GDF-15 were elevated in patients with AF. Analysis of categorical variables showed higher serum FGF-23 levels were associated with an increased risk of AF [relative risk (RR) = 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05–1.56]. In contrast, this association was not found with GDF-15 (RR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.20–4.04). In dose-response analysis, a linear positive association was noted between serum FGF-23 levels and the risk of AF (P nonlinear = 0.9507), with a RR elevation of 7% for every 20 pg/ml increase in the serum FGF-23 levels (95% CI: 1.02–1.13). No remarkable relationship was found between serum GDF-15 levels and the risk of AF, and the overall RR for the association between a 100 ng/L increment in GDF-15 levels and AF was 1.01 (95% CI: 0.998–1.02).

Conclusion

Our study showed a positive linear correlation between serum FGF-23 levels and the risk of AF. However, no significant association was found between GDF-15 and the risk of AF. Further studies are warranted to clarify whether serum FGF-23 levels may be considered in predicting the risk of AF.

Systematic Review Registration:http:www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd, identifier CRD42020182226.
High resolution C-isotopic data from microbialites in the aftermath of the end-Permian mass extinction in South China
Authors: Huang Xiemin , Li Dandan , Zhang Xiaolin , Xu Yilun , Sun Lilin , Li Menghan , Shen Yanan
Published: August 2022

Globally, Late Permian to Early Triassic carbonate rocks record several pronounced positive and negative C-isotope excursions, indicating a dramatic reorganization of the global carbon cycle. These C-isotopic anomalies provide important constraints on environmental changes that occurred during the end-Permian extinction and the subsequent delayed biotic recovery. In this study, we present high-resolution carbonate C-isotopic data (δ13Ccarb) spanning the Permian-Triassic transition at Dajiang, South China. Our results reveal a general decrease in δ13Ccarb of ∼3.3‰ during the microbialite formation which was followed by an increase. C-isotopic chemostratigraphic correlation between the Dajiang section and the Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) at Meishan suggest a hiatus of several thousands of years between the pre-extinction skeletal limestones and the microbialite deposition in the aftermath of the end-Permian extinction in South China. We suggest that multiple sources of 13C-depleted dissolved carbon are required to explain the negative δ13Ccarb excursions as well as the δ13Ccarb differences among microbialites deposited in various paleogeographic locations. Our study shows that carbon cycles during the formation of microbialite may have been more complex than previously thought, and cessation of microbialite formation may have been controlled by both global and local environmental changes.
Failure mechanism and support system of roofs in advance areas affected by mining under the condition of soft rock stratum
Authors: Li Jun , Lian Xiaoyong , Li Chen , Wu Zheng , Wang Jun
Published: August 2022

The advance area affected by mining (AAAM) of the Lijiahao coal mine is influenced by the superposition of the side and advance abutment pressure, and the roadway roof is considerably damaged. General support technology and equipment cannot economically and effectively maintain the stability of the roadway roof of AAAM. Through field detection, theoretical analysis, and numerical simulation, this study analyzes the structure of the surrounding rock, the evolution characteristics of the regional stress field, the distribution of the surrounding rock plastic zone, and the influencing factors of the plastic zone in the AAAM of the Lijiahao mine. The results show the following: 1) the direct roof and floor of the roadway comprise coal, siltstone, and sandy mudstone, which has low strength and can be easily broken. 2) The maximum and minimum principal stresses in the AAAM reach 2.3 and 1.5 times of in situ stress, respectively, and the ratio of the two stresses reaches 2–8, which causes the shape of the plastic zone of the surrounding rock to turn into a butterfly shape. 3) The principal stress direction of AAAM deflects at a large angle, which causes the deepest failure direction of the surrounding rock to rotate to the roof and floor of the roadway. Accordingly, a self-moving foldable support system is proposed to support the AAAM of the Lijiahao coal mine. The system will not support the roof repeatedly and is suitable for soft rock stratum. In addition, it can also adapt to the heave of roadway floor and avoid dumping. The mechanized operation of the system makes the roof support in AAAM more efficient and safer.
Workspace analysis and motion control strategy of robotic mine anchor drilling truck manipulator based on the WOA-FOPID algorithm
Authors: Jun Zhang , Yiliang Wang , Liming Che , Ning Wang , Yuepin Bai , Chaofan Wang
Published: August 2022

The manipulator is the key component of the anchor drilling robot to automatically complete the anchoring operation underground. Due to the complexity of its motion equation and the limitations of its control strategy, the real-time pose and the positioning accuracy of the manipulator are inferior, which seriously restricts the safety, efficiency, and speed of roadway excavation. In order to improve the positioning accuracy and realize the optimal efficiency of the manipulator, this article designs a manipulator structure with four degrees of freedom. With the help of the D-H method and the intelligent parameter setting method, this article carries out the basic theoretical research on the kinematics and the fractional order FOPID control algorithm of the manipulator of the mining roof bolter, and formulates a manipulator motion control strategy. At the same time, combined with numerical simulations and field experiments, we explore the robustness and control efficiency of the hydraulic system of the manipulator under the working conditions of a harsh environment and limited space, and reveal that the intelligent optimization algorithm can control the motion state of the manipulator more accurately and stably after the parameters of the fractional order FOPID controller are positively determined. This study effectively solved the dynamic model uncertainty caused by time-varying internal parameters and external loads of the hydraulic servo system, optimized and reconstructed the structure and motion coefficient parameters of the manipulator, and revealed the control mechanism of a precise spatial positioning and online trajectory planning of the hydraulic servo system of the manipulator. Compared with the traditional PID control algorithm, this algorithm has a faster response speed and better expected track tracking ability. This research lays a theoretical foundation for the precise positioning and automatic support of the manipulator, and also provides a reference for the design of similar motion control algorithms.
Developing an evaluation model based on unascertained measurement for evaluation of tunnel squeezing
Authors: Wei Cong , Zhu Shuangli , Chen Chao , Zhou Jian
Published: August 2022

Tunnel squeezing brought great difficulties to the construction and severely threatened the safety of on-site operators. The researches regarding large deformation evaluation have been widely developed, but actual conditions of tunnels are considerably complex, producing a large variety of uncertainty information existing in the evaluation process. Therefore, we constructed an unascertained measurement model incorporating four membership functions for evaluation of tunnel squeezing based on the collected datasets. Simultaneously, information entropy was introduced to objectively calculate the index importance for each index. For the first group data (GPI), the accuracy associated with four membership functions are 100%, 83.33%, 50%, and 83.33%, respectively, while the accuracy of GPII are 70%、77.5%、67.5%, and 70%, respectively. Linear function and parabolic function show better performance on uncertainty information interpretation according to the classification results. The results revealed that the uncertainty model constructed in this study can enrich the available uncertainty evaluation system.
Using framing to foster creativity in learning: Reflective tool to analyze and discuss practice
Authors: Jónsdóttir Svanborg Rannveig , Macdonald Marey Allyson
Published: August 2022

Several models have been devised in Iceland in recent years to analyze emerging pedagogies in practice. In this article we present a model that was developed and tested in research on innovation and entrepreneurial education in 2011 and subsequently applied in two participatory action research (PAR) projects with teachers in Iceland both focusing on creativity. The model draws on sociological concepts from Basil Bernstein’s theories, such as “framing and classification” and “power and control” in school settings. Through multiple iterations, the model was converted into a practical analytical tool. The tool helps to reveal the range of elements that teachers can control or give students agency by applying different strengths of framing. When breaking down the elements we found that concepts such as freedom versus control can help to identify how these elements emerge and are applied in school practice and how they can support or hinder creativity. Working in the two PARs with subject teachers on four different school levels, we found out how the teachers used the tool to support their understanding of how to cultivate creativity in their students’ learning. We found that the tool is useful for teachers at any school level and in any subject to identify and understand which elements they control in teaching and learning processes and how they can support students’ creativity.
A Practical Guide to Causal Mediation Analysis: Illustration With a Comprehensive College Transition Program and Nonprogram Peer and Faculty Interactions
Authors: Chi W. Edward , Huang Sijia , Jeon Minjeong , Park Elizabeth S. , Melguizo Tatiana , Kezar Adrianna
Published: August 2022

Experimental and quasi-experimental designs have been increasingly employed in education. Mediation analysis has long been used to measure the role of mediators. Causal mediation analysis provides a modern approach to evaluate potential causal roles of mediators. Compared with conventional mediation analysis, causal mediation analysis has several advantages, e.g., by enabling us to evaluate necessary assumptions to establish a valid causal role of the mediator of interest. Despite these advantages and the availability of various software programs, causal mediation analysis has not been employed frequently in educational research. In this paper, we provide a step-by-step guide to causal mediation analysis using the freeRpackagemediationin order to promote the more frequent application of causal mediation analysis in education, with an accessible data example from a Comprehensive College Transition Program (CCTP).
An improved seven-level switched-capacitor-based neutral-point clamped inverter
Authors: Kakar Saifullah , Arif M. Saad Bin , Ayob Shahrin Md. , Nordin Norjulia B. M. , Mekhilef Saad , Seyedmahmoudian Mehdi , Stojcevski Alex
Published: August 2022

Multilevel inverters (MLIs) have seen significant growth in a variety of medium- to high-power industrial applications and have become a mature and viable solution for renewable energy systems over the past decade. The major concerns of MLIs are the high component count and the buck-type feature of the ac output voltage when used for grid-connected renewable-energy-based sources such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. As another option, a switched-capacitor (SC)-based inverter possessing the feature of boost ability is a prime solution to meet the requirements of ac power applications. Integrating an SC network with a neutral-point clamped (NPC) structure makes leakage current alleviation viable for transformerless PV grid-connected systems. In this article, an improved SCMLI based on the NPC structure is proposed to reduce the number of active switches and the number of switches in the charging loop, significantly reducing the power loss. It can generate seven voltage levels with voltage boosting and self-balancing of capacitors within a single-stage power conversion. The working principle of the proposed topology, circuit description, and control technique are presented. Further, the proposed inverter was compared with other recent SC topologies to show its superiority. In the end, a laboratory prototype was developed and tested for the seven-level module under steady-state and dynamic conditions to validate the practical viability of the proposed configuration. The proposed inverter’s maximum efficiency was 97.5% at 1.2 kW rated power.
Regional differential decomposition and the formation mechanism of the dynamic carbon emissions efficiency of industrial energy in China
Authors: Li Xiaoye , Tang Yixuan , Liu Pingsheng , Cheng Zhengrong
Published: August 2022

Industrial carbon emissions efficiency requires a balance between economic development and carbon reduction to be achieved through structural adjustment and technological change, which is the key to low-carbon economic development and the essence of China’s carbon reduction commitment. Existing research has focused more on static carbon emission efficiency and provides insufficient analysis of the internal causes of inter-regional differences in carbon emission efficiency. This paper aims to fill this gap in the existing research. The data of 30 provinces in China, obtained from the Chinese Official Statistical Yearbook, were taken as the sample. We accurately measured the dynamic carbon emission efficiency of industrial energy (DCEEIE) in China by combining the three-stage slacks-based measure data envelopment analysis (SBM-DEA) model and the Malmquist-Luenberger model. This study further uses Dagum’s Gini coefficient decomposition and the panel vector auto regression (PVAR) model to empirically estimate regional differences in DCEEIE and the effects of its internal structure. The results show, first, that DCEEIE in China is increasing, and that overall energy efficiency is at a high level. Although both efficiency change and technological change are fundamental to efficiency, an attenuation of efficiency and a diffusion of technology are evident. Second, the total Gini coefficients of dynamic efficiency, efficiency change (EC), and technological change (TC) are all decreasing; regional differences and transvariation intensity are the main reasons for long-term gaps. Third, TC improves dynamic efficiency in the initial stages, but the main driving force in the long run is EC. The limitation of this paper is that we do not fully discuss the external factors which might impact TC and EC, nor do we continue the discussion on how to transform the energy mix by improving carbon efficiency, which is the future direction for green development. These issues represent avenues for future research.
Remote bednet use monitoring to describe patterns of use and exposure to female Anopheles mosquitoes in an Ugandan cohort
Authors: Krezanoski Paul J. , Rek John , Musiime Alex , Otto Geoffrey , Kyagamba Patrick , Rwatooro Jackson Asiimwe , Walters Kelly , Romanel Alina , Arinaitwe Emmanuel , Nankabirwa Joaniter I. , Drakeley Chris J. , Kamya Moses , Dorsey Grant
Published: August 2022

Background

Long lasting insecticide-treated bednets (LLINs) are the most widely used tool for preventing malaria. There has been a plateau in progress in the highest burden African countries since 2015, leading to questions about the effectiveness of LLINs. In this study, remote LLIN use monitors were deployed in a cohort in Eastern Uganda to explore how LLIN use interacts with mosquito exposure.

Methods

The SmartNet study included 20 households from May to October 2019. SmartNet devices recorded, every 15 min, whether an LLIN was unfurled or folded up. Unannounced visits were used to assess SmartNet accuracy. Risk factors associated with poor LLIN use were assessed using generalized linear equations. Female Anopheles exposure was estimated by combining hourly probabilities of exposure from human landing catches and measures of density from biweekly CDC light traps in participants rooms. Mosquito exposure averted by LLINs was quantified using SmartNet measurements and age-related differences were estimated using generalized linear equations, adjusting for relevant covariates and household clustering.

Results

96 individuals contributed 5,640 SmartNet observation nights. In 126 unannounced visits, SmartNet had an area under the curve of 0.869 in classifying whether the LLIN was up or down. The rate of non-use was 13.5% of nights (95% CI: 12.6–14.3%). Compared to children under 5, non-use was 1.8 times higher (95% CI: 1.6–2.1; p < 0.001) in children 5–15 years and 2.6 times higher (95% CI: 2.2–3.1; p < 0.001) in participants aged 15– <30years. There was no difference between children under 5 years and adults > 30 years. LLIN use averted 50.3% of female Anopheles mosquito exposure (95% CI: 40.0–60.0%), with decreasing point estimates of efficacy across age groups: from 61.7% (95% CI: 42.6–80.7%) in children under 5 years to 48.0% (95% CI: 29.1–66.8%) in adults over 30.

Conclusions

Objective monitors are accurate and can feasibly be deployed to obtain data about LLIN use. LLINs provided protection from only 50% of female Anopheles mosquito exposure in this cohort and protection was dependent upon age. In assessing the role of LLINs in malaria prevention it is crucial to consider the dynamics between mosquito exposure and LLIN use behaviors.
Ecological niche modelling for delineating livestock ecotypes and exploring environmental genomic adaptation: The example of Ethiopian village chicken
Authors: Vallejo-Trujillo Adriana , Kebede Adebabay , Lozano-Jaramillo Maria , Dessie Tadelle , Smith Jacqueline , Hanotte Olivier , Gheyas Almas A.
Published: August 2022

In evolutionary ecology, an “ecotype” is a population that is genetically adapted to specific environmental conditions. Environmental and genetic characterisation of livestock ecotypes can play a crucial role in conservation and breeding improvement, particularly to achieve climate resilience. However, livestock ecotypes are often arbitrarily defined without a detailed characterisation of their agro-ecologies. In this study, we employ a novel integrated approach, combining ecological niche modelling (ENM) with genomics, to delineate ecotypes based on environmental characterisation of population habitats and unravel the signatures of adaptive selection in the ecotype genomes. The method was applied on 25 Ethiopian village chicken populations representing diverse agro-climatic conditions. ENM identified six key environmental drivers of adaptation and delineated 12 ecotypes. Within-ecotype selection signature analyses (using Hp and iHS methods) identified 1,056 candidate sweep regions (SRs) associated with diverse biological processes. While most SRs are ecotype-specific, the biological pathways perturbed by overlapping genes are largely shared among ecotypes. A few biological pathways were shared amongst most ecotypes and the genes involved showed functions important for scavenging chickens, e.g., neuronal development/processes, immune response, vision development, and learning. Genotype-environment association using redundancy analysis (RDA) allowed for correlating ∼33% of the SRs with major environmental drivers. Inspection of some strong candidate genes from selection signature analysis and RDA showed highly relevant functions in relation to the major environmental drivers of corresponding ecotypes. This integrated approach offers a powerful tool to gain insight into the complex processes of adaptive evolution including the genotype × environment (G × E) interactions.
Ecological, physiological and life-history traits correlate with genome sizes in decapod crustaceans
Authors: Iannucci Alessio , Saha Anik , Cannicci Stefano , Bellucci Arianna , Cheng Christine L. Y. , Ng Ka Hei , Fratini Sara
Published: August 2022

Crustaceans are characterized by some of the most variable genome sizes among animals. Significant relationships between genome size and specific eco-physiological and morphological features have been described in many crustacean taxa, such as Amphipoda, Ostracoda, Cladocera, and Copepoda. A consistent pattern of genome size variation is yet to be found, however, in one of the most specious order of crustaceans, the Decapoda. We investigated how genome size is related to selected eco-physiological and life-history traits in species belonging to this order. We analyzed the respiratory, excretory, and developmental adaptations of 179 decapod species inhabiting shallow marine, deep marine, freshwater, intertidal, and terrestrial habitats. Our results show that the genome size is significantly larger in decapods that have a direct development. Moreover, in Anomura, Astacidea, and Brachyura we found larger genome sizes in species (i) living in freshwater habitats, (ii) using gills as a strictly water-breathing organs, and (iii) presenting a direct development. While species that (i) live in shallow waters, and intertidal and terrestrial habitats, (ii) have some degrees of air-breathing adaptations, namely gills that can exchange oxygen with air if wet or branchiostegal lungs, and (iii) possess an indirect or extended development are characterized by significantly smaller genomes. Our analyses show that developmental complexity affects genome size in decapods, and that multiple eco-physiological and life-history traits correlate with genome size in Anomura, Astacidea, and Brachyura.
Predicting the potential geographical distribution of Ageratina adenophora in China using equilibrium occurrence data and ensemble model
Authors: Xian Xiaoqing , Zhao Haoxiang , Wang Rui , Zhang Hongbin , Chen Baoxiong , Huang Hongkun , Liu Wanxue , Wan Fanghao
Published: August 2022

Invasive alien plants (IAPs) pose a significant threat to the ecological environment and agricultural production in China. Ageratina adenophora is one of the most aggressive IAPs in China and poses serious ecological and socioeconomic threats. Estimating the distribution pattern of A. adenophora in China can provide baseline data for preventing damage by this weed. In the present study, based on the equilibrium occurrence data of A. adenophora in China and related environmental variables, we used an ensemble model to predict the distribution pattern of A. adenophora in China under climate change. Our findings indicated that true skill statistic (TSS), area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), and Cohen’s Kappa (KAPPA) values for the ensemble model were 0.925, 0.993, and 0.936, respectively. The prediction results of the ensemble model were more accurate than those of the single models. Temperature variables had a significant impact on the potential geographical distribution (PGD) of A. adenophora in China. The total, high, and moderate suitability habitat areas of A. adenophora in China were 153.82 × 104, 92.13 × 104, and 21.04 × 104 km2, respectively, accounting for 16.02, 9.60, and 2.19% of the Chinese mainland area, respectively. The PGD of A. adenophora in China under the current climate is mainly located in southwestern and southeastern China, which are located in the tropical and subtropical zone. The high-suitability habitat areas of A. adenophora decreased under the future climate scenarios, mainly by changing to moderately suitable habitats in Southwest China. The geographical distribution of A. adenophora in southwestern China is currently saturated and will spread to southeastern China under climate change in the future. More attention should be paid to early warning and monitoring of A. adenophora in southeastern China to prevent its further spread.
Phyto-ecological analysis of Phytolacca acinosa Roxb. assemblages in Kashmir Himalaya, India
Authors: Magray Junaid A. , Wani Bilal A. , Islam Tajamul , Ganie Aijaz H. , Nawchoo Irshad A.
Published: August 2022

Phyto-ecological studies are essential in understanding community structure, organization and their response to changes in other environmental factors. In this study we analyzed the phytosociological and soil characteristics of Phytolacca acinosa communities and their correlation. 110 quadrats were laid across ten randomly selected sites in Kashmir Himalaya, India. Soil analysis was done using standard protocols. Overall, 161 species were recorded, belonging to 128 genera and 49 families. The species richness (SR) ranges from 27 to 83. Highest IVI was recorded for Poa angustifolia (60.06) and least for Berberis lycium, Abies pindrow, Plectranthus ragosus, and Ailanthus altissima (0.37 each). P. acinosa showed 100% random associations with other plant species. Soil properties varied significantly across the selected sites. Significant positive correlation was found between species richness (SR), Organic matter (OM) (r = 0.79), Organic carbon (OC) (r = 0.79) and Shannon–Wiener index (H) (r = 0.92). Nitrogen content also showed positive correlation with SR and H. Floristic composition of P. acinosa assemblages was governed by soil properties and habitat characteristics of sampling sites. Areas with highest floral diversity had high soil fertility while areas with low soil fertility possess lower diversity and need restoration. The knowledge may prove helpful in management of these habitats, boost conservation and mitigate the effects of changing climate.
Identification of a novel cellular senescence-related signature for the prediction of prognosis and immunotherapy response in colon cancer
Authors: Dai Longfei , Wang Xu , Bai Tao , Liu Jianjun , Chen Bo , Li Ting , Yang Wenqi
Published: August 2022

The study was conducted to construct a cellular senescence-related risk score signature to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response in colon cancer. Colon cancer data were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas databases. And cellular senescence-related genes were obtained from the CellAge database. The colon cancer data were classified into different clusters based on cellular senescence-related gene expression. Next, prognostic differential genes among clusters were identified with survival analysis. A cellular senescence-related risk score signature was developed by performing the LASSO regression analysis. Finally, PCA analysis, t-SNE analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, ROC analysis, univariate Cox regression analysis, multivariate Cox regression analysis, C-index analysis, meta-analysis, immune infiltration analysis, and IPS score analysis were used to evaluate the significance of the risk signature for predicting prognosis and immunotherapy response in colon cancer. The colon cancer data were classified into three clusters. The patients in cluster A and cluster B had longer survival. A cellular senescence-related risk score signature was developed. Patients in the low-risk score group showed a better prognosis. The risk score signature could predict colon cancer patients’ prognosis independently of other clinical characteristics. The risk score signature predicted the prognosis of colon cancer patients more accurately than other signatures. Patients in the low-risk score group showed a better response to immunotherapy. The opposite was true for the high-risk score group. In conclusion, the cellular senescence-related risk score signature could be used for the prediction of prognosis and immunotherapy response in colon cancer.
Humoral responses to the SARS-CoV-2 spike and receptor binding domain in context of pre-existing immunity confer broad sarbecovirus neutralization
Authors: Hauser Blake M. , Sangesland Maya , Lam Evan C. , Feldman Jared , Balazs Alejandro B. , Lingwood Daniel , Schmidt Aaron G.
Published: August 2022

Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 (SARS-2), multiple vaccine candidates were developed and studied both preclinically and clinically. Nearly all are based on the SARS-2 spike glycoprotein or its receptor binding domain (RBD). Studies of these vaccine candidates have largely been in a SARS-2 naïve context. However, pre-existing immunity to SARS-2 acquired through infection or vaccination continues to increase. Evaluating future vaccine candidates in context of this pre-existing immunity is necessary to understand how immune responses are subsequently influenced. Here, we evaluated the serum and IgG+B cell responses to the SARS-2 RBD in context of pre-existing immunity elicited by the full SARS-2 spike, and we compared this to boosting with the full SARS-2 spike. Boosting with the SARS-2 RBD resulted in increased reactivity to RBD epitopes, but both immunization regimens resulted in similarly broad neutralization across diverse sarbecoviruses. These findings may inform comparison among SARS-2 RBD-based vaccine candidates to currently approved spike-based candidates.
Transformation in times of climate change: what makes a fisher diversify livelihoods?
Authors: Salgueiro-Otero Diego , Barnes Michele L. , Ojea Elena
Published: August 2022

Despite the importance of livelihood diversification as a transformation strategy in small-scale fisheries facing climate change, empirical evidence on this complex phenomenon is scarce. This work aims to shed light on factors that help to explain the transformative behavior of small-scale fishers when faced with climate change impacts. Using primary survey data from 404 small-scale fishers across 9 communities in Galicia, NW Spain, we examined how different aspects of fishers’ adaptive capacities relate to their stated decisions to engage in livelihood diversification when faced with hypothetical climate change scenarios. The results of our multinomial multilevel mixed-effect logit model show that flexibility (current income diversification level and diversity of target fishery resources) has a strong, positive relationship with livelihood diversification responses. In contrast, learning, social organization, and competing concerns played a complex role. Specifically, we found that social-ecological system knowledge, communication with different fishing groups (bridging communication), trust in institutional actors, and gender (female) were positively related to livelihood diversification when faced with climate impacts. Fishing experience, communication within fishing groups (bonding communication), and trust in other fishing groups (bridging trust) were negatively related to diversification. Our results provide new empirical evidence on the factors associated with fisher’s decisions to engage in livelihood diversification when faced with climate impacts on fishery resources, lending critical insight for climate adaptation programs and policies.