bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of liver fibrosis by transient elastography in young children with chronic hepatitis B virus infection
Authors: Xu Zhiqiang , Zhao Jinfang , Liu Jiaye , Dong Yi , Wang Fuchuan , Yan Jianguo , Cao Lili , Wang Pu , Li Aiqin , Li Jing , Zhu Shishu , Zhong Yanwei , Zhang Min , Wang Fu-Sheng
Published: July 2021

Background

This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography (TE) and biopsy for the detection of liver fibrosis in children with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Methods

This single-center prospective study included 157 CHB children aged 0–6 years. All patients underwent liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by TE and liver biopsy, separated by an interval of less than 1 week.

Results

The LSM, aspartate aminotransferase-platelet ratio index (APRI), and fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) were positively correlated with activity grade and fibrosis stage in CHB children. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) of LSM for identifying significant (F ≥ 2) and advanced (F ≥ 3) fibrosis were 0.732 and 0.941, respectively. The cut-off values, specificity, and sensitivity for significant fibrosis were 5.6 kPa, 75.7%, and 67.4%, respectively; the corresponding values for advanced fibrosis were 6.9 kPa, 91.5%, and 81.3%, respectively. Compared to LSM, the overall diagnostic performances of APRI and FIB-4 for significant and advanced fibrosis were suboptimal, with low AUCs and sensitivity. Since LSM, platelet, and Log10 (hepatitis B surface antigen) were independent factors associated with the fibrosis stage (F < 2 and F ≥ 2), they were used to formulate the “LPS” index for the prediction of F ≥ 2. The AUC of LPS (for F ≥ 2) was higher than that of LSM (0.792 vs. 0.732, p < 0.05), and had an improved sensitivity (76.6% vs. 67.4%).

Conclusions

TE is a promising technology for the diagnosis of advanced fibrosis in CHB children aged 0–6 years.
Integrated CO2-H2S corrosion-erosion modeling in gas production tubing and pipeline by considering passive layer activity
Authors: Rahmawati Silvya Dewi , Santoso Ryan Kurniawan , Tanjungsari Fadhila
Published: July 2021

Corrosion and erosion are the common pipe-integrity issues that occur when carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and sand exist in the gas stream at the same time. Corrosion is developed by the reaction among carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and iron, while erosion by the physical damage through flowing sand. When it comes to the prediction model which could accommodate both events, complex phenomena related to physics, chemistry and metallurgy should be put into account. In this paper, we develop a new-integrated corrosion-erosion model which can calculate the corrosion-erosion rate by considering the interactions among type of passive layer (mackinawite and siderite), formation and removal rate of passive layer, and surface reaction rate. The integrated model consists of fluid flow in pipes equation, kinetics of reaction, fundamental diffusion law, empirical erosion equation and fundamental Faraday’s law. Corrosion-erosion rate is obtained through iteration scenario after establishing pressure and temperature from fluid flow in pipes equation. Pipe dimension used in the simulation has tubing ID 2.992 in for vertical pipe and flowline ID 2.992 in for horizontal pipe. Simulations were conducted using hypothetic gas field data with variation of hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide composition. In constant erosion rate, when the hydrogen sulfide percentage is significantly greater than carbon dioxide, corrosion is more dominant than passive layer formation. However, when the carbon dioxide percentage is greater than that of hydrogen sulfide, the passive layer tends to form, resulting in scaling. These results can be explained by the faster formation rate of siderite than mackinawite. Finally, the proposed model can explain clearly the phenomena of corrosion-erosion and scaling by simplifying the complex phenomena occurred.
Effect of PMMA Removal Methods on Opto-Mechanical Behaviors of Optical Fiber Resonant Sensor With Graphene Diaphragm
Authors: Liu Yujian , Li Cheng , Fan Shangchun , Song Xuefeng
Published: July 2021

Regarding the dependence of the treatment of removing polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) from graphene upon the prestress in the film, two typical PMMA removal methods including acetone-vaporing and high-temperature annealing were investigated based on the opto-mechanical behaviors of the developed optical fiber Fabry-Perot (F-P) resonant sensor with a 125-µm diameter and ∼10-layer-thickness graphene diaphragm. The measured resonant responses showed that the F-P sensor via annealing process exhibited the resonant frequency of 481 kHz and quality factor of 1 034 at ∼2 Pa and room temperature, which are respectively 2.5 times and 33 times larger than the acetone-treated sensor. Moreover, the former achieved a high sensitivity of 110.4 kHz/kPa in the tested range of 2 Pa–2.5 kPa, apparently superior to the sensitivity of 16.2 kHz/kPa obtained in the latter. However, the time drift of resonant frequency also mostly tended to occur in the annealed sensor, thereby shedding light on the opto-mechanical characteristics of graphene-based F-P resonant sensors, along with an optimized optical excitation and detection scheme.
Erratum zu: Die „Checkliste 2021“ für physische Belastungen bei der Arbeit
Authors: Hartmann Bernd , Weber Britta , Ellegast Rolf , Jäger Matthias , Schick Ralf , Spallek Michael
Published: July 2021

Ein Erratum zu dieser Publikation wurde veröffentlicht: 10.1007/s40664-021-00430-0
Zur Fragilität von Gemeinschaft und Inklusion
Authors: Bossen Andrea , Merl Thorsten
Published: July 2021

Gemeinschaft und Inklusion sind schillernde, pädagogisch-normative Grundbegriffe, die beide in ihrem Kern auf etwas Gemeinsames rekurrieren, das mehr ist als die bloße Kopräsenz, zugleich aber häufig ungeklärt bleiben. Darüber hinaus ist bisher nicht geklärt worden, in welchem Verhältnis diese beiden Grundbegriffe zueinander stehen. In Abgrenzung zu programmatischen Bestimmungen fragt der vorliegende Beitrag empirisch rekonstruktiv, wie im Unterricht einer sich neu konstituierenden inklusiven Grundschulklasse Gemeinsames aufgerufen wird, welche Ideen von Gemeinschaft sich dadurch entfalten und wie sich dies zu schulischer Inklusion verhält. Deutlich wird, dass verschiedene Gemeinschaften imaginiert werden, die insofern fragil sind, als sie mit diffusen Erwartungen gefüllt und paradoxerweise zugleich als „schon da“ und „noch herzustellen“ thematisiert werden. Diese fragile Konstruktion hat ebenso Auswirkungen auf den tendenziellen Widerspruch von Inklusion und Gemeinschaft, der sich in unserer Analyse zeigt.
Foundations of American Political Thought
Authors: Fumurescu Alin , Schön Anna Marisa
Published: July 2021

American political thought was shaped by a unique combination of theoretical influences: republicanism, liberalism, and covenant theology. This reader shows how these influences came together. Organized chronologically from the Puritans' arrival in the New World to the Civil War, each chapter includes carefully selected primary sources and substantial commentary to explain the historical context and significance of the excerpts. A coherent interpretative framework is offered by focusing the analysis on the different assumptions of the people - the republican understanding as a corporate whole and the liberal understanding as a multitude of individuals - that were intertwined during the founding. The book features, for the first time, two chapters on non-American authors, who capture the main tenets of republicanism and liberalism and were widely quoted in the era, as well as excerpts from lesser-known sources, including Puritan covenants, the first state constitutions, and Native American speeches.
Spatial and Temporal Trends in the Economic Value of Biotic Pollination Services in Georgia, USA: 2009–2017
Authors: Pless Rachel , Ferreira Susana , Bergstrom John , Rabinowitz Adam N.
Published: July 2021

Using a production function approach, we estimate that the economic value of biotic pollination to Georgia’s agriculture increased from $425 million in 2009 to $488 million in 2017 in real terms. We perform spatial analysis to reveal county-level spatial patterns and temporal trends in that value. Using a unique set of pollinator survey data, we also compare the locations of biotic pollinators to the areas they bring the most economic value to, which provides insights on the variation in the dependency of the crop mix to pollination services.
Classification of environmental factors potentially motivating for dairy cows to access shade
Authors: Deniz Matheus , de Sousa Karolini Tenffen , Gomes Isabelle Cordova , Vale Marcos Martinez do , Dittrich João Ricardo
Published: July 2021

The aim of this Research Communication was to apply the data mining technique to classify which environmental factors have the potential to motivate dairy cows to access natural shade. We defined two different areas at the silvopastoral system: shaded and sunny. Environmental factors and the frequency that dairy cows used each area were measured during four days, for 8 h each day. The shaded areas were the most used by dairy cows and presented the lowest mean values of all environmental factors. Solar radiation was the environmental factor with most potential to classify the dairy cow's decision to access shaded areas. Data mining is a machine learning technique with great potential to characterize the influence of the thermal environment in the cows' decision at the pasture.
Scattering of radiofrequency waves by randomly modulated density interfaces in the edge of fusion plasmas
Authors: Papadopoulos A.D. , Glytsis E.N. , Ram A.K. , Hizanidis K.
Published: July 2021

In the scrape-off layer and the edge region of a tokamak, the plasma is strongly turbulent and scatters the radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic waves that propagate through this region. It is important to know the spectral properties of these scattered RF waves, whether used for diagnostics or for heating and current drive. The spectral changes influence the interpretation of the obtained diagnostic data, and the current and heating profiles. A full-wave, three-dimensional (3-D) electromagnetic code ScaRF (see Papadopouloset al.,J. Plasma Phys., vol. 85, issue 3, 2019, 905850309) has been developed for studying the RF wave propagation through turbulent plasma. ScaRF is a finite-difference frequency-domain (FDFD) method used for solving Maxwell's equations. The magnetized plasma is defined through the cold plasma by the anisotropic permittivity tensor. As a result, ScaRF can be used to study the scattering of any cold plasma RF wave. It can also be used for the study of the scattering of electron cyclotron waves in ITER-type and medium-sized tokamaks such as TCV, ASDEX-U and DIII-D. For the case of medium-sized tokamaks, there is experimental evidence that drift waves and rippling modes are present in the edge region (see Ritzet al.,Phys. Fluids, vol. 27, issue 12, 1984, pp. 2956–2959). Hence, we have studied the scattering of RF waves by periodic density interfaces (plasma gratings) in the form of a superposition of spatial modes with varying periodicity and random amplitudes (see Papadopouloset al.,J. Plasma Phys., vol. 85, issue 3, 2019, 905850309). The power reflection coefficient (a random variable) is calculated for different realizations of the density interface. In this work, the uncertainty of the power reflection coefficient is rigorously quantified by use of the Polynomial Chaos Expansion (see Xiu & Karniadakis,SIAM J. Sci. Comput., vol. 24, issue 2, 2002, pp. 619–644) method in conjunction with the Smolyak sparse-grid integration (see Papadopouloset al.,Appl. Opt., vol. 57, issue 12, 2018, pp. 3106–3114), which is known as the PCE-SG method. The PCE-SG method is proven to be accurate and more efficient (roughly a2-orders of magnitude shorter execution time) compared with alternative methods such as the Monte Carlo (MC) approach.
A numerical study of gravity-driven instability in strongly coupled dusty plasma. Part 2. Hetero-interactions between a rising bubble and a falling droplet
Authors: Dharodi Vikram S.
Published: July 2021

In part 1 (V. S. Dharodi and A. Das, J. Plasma Phys. 87 (02), 905870216 (2021)), we simulated the individual dynamics of a bubble (a localized low-density region) and a droplet (a localized high-density region) in a strongly coupled dusty plasma. We observed that under the influence of gravity, the result of a pair of counter-rotating vorticity lobes causes the bubble to rise and droplet to fall. With an interest to understand the hetero- (bubble–droplet) interactions between them, we extend this study to their combined evolution through the following two arrangements. First, both are placed side-by-side in a row at the same height. We observe that the overall dynamics is governed by the competition between the net vertical motion induced by gravity and rotational motion induced by the pairing between two co-rotating inner vorticity lobes. In the second arrangement, the vertically aligned bubble (below) and droplet (above) after collision exchange their partners and subsequently start to move horizontally in opposite directions away from each other. This horizontal movement becomes slower with increasing coupling strength. For these arrangements, we consider varying the distance between the fixed-size bubble and droplet, and varying the coupling strength. To visualize the bubble–droplet interactions, a series of two-dimensional simulations have been conducted in the framework of an incompressible generalized hydrodynamic viscoelastic fluid model.
Building Britannia: Pre-Flavian Private and Public Construction across Southern Britain
Authors: Fulford Michael , Machin Sara
Published: July 2021

Excavation of the Roman tilery at Little London, Pamber, Hampshire, has prompted a reassessment of the dating of relief-patterned tile, assigning the bulk of production to the Claudio-Neronian period rather than the late first to mid-/late second century. This material has been privileged for retention in excavation archives but can now be seen as a proxy for the manufacture of a much wider range of ceramic building material, typically discarded on site, which, in the case of products from Little London and pre-Flavian Minety (Wiltshire), travelled distances of up to 100 km. Redating implies more extensive public and private building in town and country south and east of the Fosse Way before the Flavian period than has previously been envisaged. While private building included the construction of bath-houses, heated rooms and the provision of roofing materials, public building, we suggest, provided tabernas et praetoria along the principal roads of the province. In the private sphere such building provides a possible context for Dio Cassius’ mention of the recall and confiscation of large loans made to Britons before the Boudican rebellion. Finally, consideration of fabric needs to be added to the criteria for retaining ceramic building material in excavation archives.
Analysis of exit probability for a trajectory tracking robot in case of a rare event
Authors: Rana Rohit , Gaur Prerna , Agarwal Vijyant , Parthasarathy Harish
Published: July 2021

In this paper, a novel statistical application of large deviation principle (LDP) to the robot trajectory tracking problem is presented. The exit probability of the trajectory from stability zone is evaluated, in the presence of small-amplitude Gaussian and Poisson noise. Afterward, the limit of the partition function for the average tracking error energy is derived by solving a fourth-order system of Euler–Lagrange equations. Stability and computational complexity of the proposed approach is investigated to show the superiority over the Lyapunov method. Finally, the proposed algorithm is validated by Monte Carlo simulations and on the commercially available Omni bundleTM robot.
Back to the Coordinated Attack Problem
Authors: Godard Emmanuel , Perdereau Eloi
Published: July 2021

We consider the well-known Coordinated Attack Problem, where two generals have to decide on a common attack, when their messengers can be captured by the enemy. Informally, this problem represents the difficulties to agree in the presence of communication faults. We consider here only omission faults (loss of message), but contrary to previous studies, we do not to restrict the way messages can be lost, i.e., we make no specific assumption, we use no specific failure metric. In the large subclass of message adversaries where the double simultaneous omission can never happen, we characterize which ones are obstructions for the Coordinated Attack Problem. We give two proofs of this result. One is combinatorial and uses the classical bivalency technique for the necessary condition. The second is topological and uses simplicial complexes to prove the necessary condition. We also present two different Consensus algorithms that are combinatorial (resp. topological) in essence. Finally, we analyze the two proofs and illustrate the relationship between the combinatorial approach and the topological approach in the very general case of message adversaries. We show that the topological characterization gives a clearer explanation of why some message adversaries are obstructions or not. This result is a convincing illustration of the power of topological tools for distributed computability.
‘The Surest of All Morale Barometers’: Transnational Encounters in the XV International Brigade
Authors: Raeburn Fraser
Published: July 2021

Despite considerable scholarly and popular interest in the International Brigades, which fought on the side of the Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War of 1936–9, traditional approaches centred on ‘national’ contingents of foreign volunteers have left significant gaps in historical knowledge. In particular, relations between the foreign volunteers and their Spanish hosts have received little attention, even though these relationships were fundamental to the everyday experience of volunteering, as well as affecting the International Brigades’ cohesion during their time in Spain. This account introduces a range of new archival material relating to the English-speaking XV International Brigade, arguing that pervasive structural and cultural factors led to a complex and variable set of outcomes that defy binary categorisation. In doing so, this study contributes to an emerging new literature on transnational approaches to the Spanish Civil War and interwar anti-fascisms, as well as comparative approaches to foreign fighter mobilisations.
Freiheitsentziehende Maßnahmen in bayerischen Heimeinrichtungen für Kinder, Jugendliche und junge Volljährige mit Intelligenzminderung
Authors: Geissler Julia , Werner Elisabeth , Dworschak Wolfgang , Romanos Marcel , Ratz Christoph
Published: July 2021

Zusammenfassung. Fragestellung: In Bayern leben etwa 10 % aller jungen Menschen mit Intelligenzminderung in Heimeinrichtungen. 2016 wurde in Presseberichten der Vorwurf unzulässiger freiheitsentziehender Maßnahmen formuliert. Im Rahmen des Projekts REDUGIA wurde in bayerischen Heimeinrichtungen eine repräsentative Erhebung zu freiheitsentziehenden Maßnahmen (FeM), herausforderndem Verhalten (hfV) und der Mitarbeiterbelastung (MaB) durchgeführt. Methodik: 65 Einrichtungen für junge Menschen mit Intelligenzminderung in Bayern wurde ein Fragebogen zu strukturellen Gegebenheiten sowie MaB, hfV und FeM zugesendet. Neben deskriptiven Auswertungen wurden korrelative Analysen bzw. Regressionsanalysen zum Zusammenhang zwischen hfV, FeM und MaB durchgeführt. Ergebnisse: Es wurden Daten zu 1839 Personen in 61 Einrichtungen erhoben. 84.3 % der Einrichtungen berichteten geringe Raten an hfV und FeM, während 15.7 % ein gehäuftes Vorkommen von hfV und FeM angaben. Auf n = 1809 Vollzeitäquivalente kam es innerhalb von 14 Tagen zu 639 körperlichen Angriffen durch Bewohner_innen. In 12 Monaten wurden problemverhaltensassoziiert 85 Krankmeldungen sowie 33 Versetzungsanträge/Kündigungen berichtet. Es zeigte sich ein signifikant positiver Zusammenhang zwischen hfV und FeM ( R ² = .307, F = 21.719, p < .001). Die Mitarbeiterbelastung korrelierte positiv mit hfV ( r = .507, p < .001). Schlussfolgerungen: Die Studienbefunde weisen darauf hin, dass hfV sowie FeM bei jungen Menschen mit Intelligenzminderung kein flächendeckendes Phänomen darstellen, sondern sich auf wenige spezialisierte Einrichtungen fokussieren. Mögliche Maßnahmen zur Prävention von Problemverhalten und Freiheitsentzug werden diskutiert.
ADHS – Störungskonzepte und Anfänge der Pharmakotherapie in Bundesrepublik und DDR
Authors: Struß Nadja , Stoff Heiko
Published: July 2021

Zusammenfassung. Das Störungskonzept der Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS) etablierte sich nach sporadischen Abhandlungen vor 1900 im Laufe des 20. Jahrhunderts. Das hyperaktive und aufmerksamkeitsgestörte Kind rückte im Nachgang der Europäischen Schlafkrankheit über postenzephalitische Residualzustände in den Fokus der Neuropädiatrie. Aus diesem Patientenkollektiv destillierten Medizinerinnen und Mediziner eine Untergruppe mit leerer neurologischer Anamnese, aber eindrücklicher klinischer Symptomatik heraus. Die Mitte des Jahrhunderts aufkommende Kinderpsychiatrie studierte diese frühkindlich Hirngeschädigten und suchte nach Ursachen und Therapien. Die Störungskonzepte von Reinhart Lempp und Gerhard Göllnitz stellen bedeutende Beiträge aus der Bundesrepublik und der DDR dar, die aufschlussreiche Einblicke in die Etablierung der Pharmakotherapie mit Stimulanzien in den 1970er-Jahren ermöglichen.
Lithospheric Structure Near the Northern Xainza‐Dinggye Rift, Tibetan Plateau–Implications for Rheology and Tectonic Dynamics
Authors: Sheng Yue , Jin Sheng , Comeau Matthew J. , Dong Hao , Zhang Letian , Lei Lulu , Li Baochun , Wei Wenbo , Ye Gaofeng , Lu Zhanwu
Published: July 2021

The Xainza‐Dinggye rift, an approximately north‐south trending Cenozoic fault zone across the Lhasa Terrane, is an ideal location to investigate extensional mechanisms in the upper crust and lithospheric deformation caused by the subducting Indian Plate beneath the central‐southern Tibetan Plateau. The 3‐D electrical resistivity structure was obtained by modeling magnetotelluric data from an array across the rift zone. Using the temperature distribution throughout the crust combined with the pressure and water content, we compute the pure melt conductivity. This enables estimation of the partial melt fraction of large‐area conductive zones imaged throughout the crust, and thus allows their rheology and strength to be evaluated. The heterogeneous distribution of high melt fraction areas in the crust has implications for the local continuous migration of fluids in the east‐west direction. The electrical structure also reveals a dipping resistive zone beneath the Tethys‐Himalaya terrane that represents the subducted Indian Plate. Significantly, its depth is observed to vary substantially from east (deeper) to west (shallower), which may indicate tearing of the plate. We suggest that the cause of extension and the formation of the crustal rift zone is related to tearing of the plate directly below this location, and the subsequent partial melting of the mid‐lower crust. Furthermore, the ascent of deep hydrothermal fluids, and heating of the shallow subsurface, likely led to the formation of the congruent Xainza‐Dinggye Thermal Belt. Additionally, the emplacement of numerous adjacent magmatic‐hydrothermal ore deposits is also likely related to partial melting and hydrothermal fluid migration in the crust.
Constraining Global Marine Iron Sources and Ligand‐Mediated Scavenging Fluxes With GEOTRACES Dissolved Iron Measurements in an Ocean Biogeochemical Model
Authors: Somes Christopher J. , Dale Andrew W. , Wallmann Klaus , Scholz Florian , Yao Wanxuan , Oschlies Andreas , Muglia Juan , Schmittner Andreas , Achterberg Eric P.
Published: July 2021

Iron is a key micronutrient controlling phytoplankton growth in vast regions of the global ocean. Despite its importance, uncertainties remain high regarding external iron source fluxes and internal cycling on a global scale. In this study, we used a global dissolved iron data set, including GEOTRACES measurements, to constrain source and scavenging fluxes in the marine iron component of a global ocean biogeochemical model. Our model simulations tested three key uncertainties: source inputs of atmospheric soluble iron deposition (varying from 1.4 to 3.4 Gmol/yr), reductive sedimentary iron release (14–117 Gmol/yr), and compared a variable ligand parameterization to a constant distribution. In each simulation, scavenging rates were tuned to reproduce the observed global mean iron inventory for consistency. The variable ligand parameterization improved the global model‐data misfit the most, suggesting that heterotrophic bacteria are an important source of ligands to the ocean. Model simulations containing high source fluxes of atmospheric soluble iron deposition (3.4 Gmol/yr) and reductive sedimentary iron release (114 Gmol/yr) further improved the model most notably in the surface ocean. High scavenging rates were then required to maintain the iron inventory resulting in relatively short surface and global ocean residence times of 0.83 and 7.5 years, respectively. The model simulates a tight spatial coupling between source inputs and scavenging rates, which may be too strong due to underrepresented ligands near source inputs, contributing to large uncertainties when constraining individual fluxes with dissolved iron concentrations. Model biases remain high and are discussed to help improve global marine iron cycle models.
Southern Ocean Phytoplankton Community Structure as a Gatekeeper for Global Nutrient Biogeochemistry
Authors: Nissen Cara , Gruber Nicolas , Münnich Matthias , Vogt Meike
Published: July 2021

Upwelling and the biological pump in the Southern Ocean control the amount and stoichiometry of nutrients available for lateral export to lower latitudes, thereby collectively acting as a gatekeeper for the global thermocline nutrient distribution and global ocean productivity. Yet, the exact role played by phytoplankton and its community composition in this gatekeeping has not been well established. Here, we investigate this role using a high‐resolution model of the Southern Ocean (ROMS‐BEC) with an explicit parametrization of silicifying diatoms and calcifying coccolithophores. Consistent with expectations, diatoms are very efficient in consuming the upwelled Si south of the Antarctic Polar Front, and exporting it to depth at a rate of 91 Tmol Si . This leads to Si being trapped in the Southern Ocean, preventing it from leaking laterally into the Subantarctic. Model experiments reveal that this trapping is driven by both high Si‐to‐N diatom uptake ratios and the relatively slow dissolution of the exported opal, with the latter being the dominant mechanism. The low consumption resulting from this high uptake ratio allows a good fraction of the upwelled to reach the Subantarctic where it fuels the growth of a mixed community including coccolithophores. Coccolithophore production and export of calcite at a rate of 0.16 Pg C facilitates an efficient transfer of the exported organic matter to depth, thereby further modifying the laterally exported nutrient levels and stoichiometry. Our results thus demonstrate a key role of phytoplankton community structure in controlling the Southern Ocean biogeochemical gate.
Wavenumber‐4 Patterns of the Sporadic E Over the Middle‐ and Low‐Latitudes
Authors: Liu Zhendi , Fang Hanxian , Yue Xinan , Lyu Huijuan
Published: July 2021

The COSMIC radio occultation observations are used to investigate the wavenumber‐4 (WN4) structure of the Sporadic E (Es) layer during 2007–2018. The WN4 pattern is observed in the Es occurrence rate over the middle‐ and low‐latitudes. This pattern is stronger at the low‐latitudes than at the middle‐latitudes. It shows the peak intensity in latitude bands between 5° and 15° dip latitudes in both hemispheres. The WN4 structure occurs predominantly during daytime. It appears above 110 km in the morning, then descends slowly down to about 105 km, and finally disappears after sunset. The WN4 structure moves eastward with a speed of approximately 90°/day. It is prominent in boreal autumn and summer, and disappears in boreal winter. The dominant role of the DE3 tide for the formation of the WN4 structure is supported by similar features between the Es occurrence rate and the DE3 tide of the zonal wind shear, such as the phase, eastward speed, seasonal variation, symmetrical distribution, and strong activity at the low‐latitudes.
Micromagnetic Calculations of the Effect of Magnetostatic Interactions on Isothermal Remanent Magnetization Curves: Implications for Magnetic Mineral Identification
Authors: Bai Fan , Chang Liao , Berndt Thomas A. , Pei Zhaowen
Published: July 2021

Isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) curves are used widely in rock magnetic and environmental magnetic studies to characterize magnetic properties of natural samples. Previous theoretical and experimental investigations indicate that magnetostatic interactions can strongly affect the IRM behavior. In order to quantitatively investigate this effect, we modeled IRM curves and hysteresis properties for magnetite assemblages with variable morphologies (grain size, elongation, and shape) using the finite‐element micromagnetic modeling code MERRILL. We also conducted an analytical study of IRM behavior for noninteracting single domain grains utilizing the Stoner–Wohlfarth model. It is found that multiple Gaussian components do not necessarily reflect multiple magnetic mineral populations. For example, magnetostatic interactions can produce coercivity distributions that resemble results of some samples containing a detrital and extracellular (D + EX) and a biogenic soft or hard (BS/BH) coercivity components. Simulated IRM curves for different morphologies of interacting flattened grains are similar, indicating that the effect of interactions can overshadow the effect of grain morphologies. Moreover, our micromagnetic and analytical calculations consistently indicate that the IRM curves for noninteracting fine‐grained assemblages are mostly determined by grain shape (elongated or flattened) and elongation distributions of the magnetic mineral assemblages. Our simulations present possible outcome of IRM curves for magnetic mineral assemblages with controlled grain size, shape and microstructures, which provides important theoretical constraints on characterizing complex magnetic mineral components in natural samples through IRM curves and hysteresis.
LncRNA RCAT1 promotes tumor progression and metastasis via miR-214-5p/E2F2 axis in renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Guo Renbo , Zou Benkui , Liang Yiran , Bian Jiasheng , Xu Jian , Zhou Qian , Zhang Chao , Chen Tao , Yang Mingshan , Wang Huansheng , Pei Fajun , Xu Zhonghua
Published: July 2021

Renal cell carcinoma is the second malignant tumors in the urinary system with high mortality and morbidity. Increasing evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in tumor development and progression. In the current study, based on the publicly available data obtained from GEO and TCGA database, we identified five prognosis-related lncRNAs with the ability to predict the prognosis of patients with renal cell carcinoma. Among them, the uncharacterized and upregulated lncRNA RCAT1 (renal cancer-associated transcript 1) was identified as the key lncRNA. Our data further revealed that the expression of lncRNA RCAT1 was significantly upregulated in renal cell carcinoma tissues and cells. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies showed that lncRNA RCAT1 promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we verified that lncRNA RCAT1 could abundantly sponge miR-214-5p, which served as a tumor suppressor in renal cell carcinoma. Significantly, miR-214-5p overexpression could attenuate the promotion of cell proliferation and metastasis induced by lncRNA RCAT1. Moreover, we found that E2F2 was a direct target of miR-214-5p, and lncRNA RCAT1 could protect E2F2 from miR-214-5p-mediated degradation. Taken together, our findings suggested that lncRNA RCAT1 could enhance the malignant phenotype of renal cell carcinoma cells by modulating miR‐214‐5p/E2F2 axis, and lncRNA RCAT1 might be a novel prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for renal cell carcinoma.
IGF-1 protects against angiotensin II-induced cardiac fibrosis by targeting αSMA
Authors: Ock Sangmi , Ham Woojin , Kang Chae Won , Kang Hyun , Lee Wang Soo , Kim Jaetaek
Published: July 2021

The insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) signaling in cardiomyocytes is implicated in physiological hypertrophy and myocardial aging. Although fibroblasts account for a small amount of the heart, they are activated when the heart is damaged to promote cardiac remodeling. However, the role of IGF-1R signaling in cardiac fibroblasts is still unknown. In this study, we investigated the roles of IGF-1 signaling during agonist-induced cardiac fibrosis and evaluated the molecular mechanisms in cultured cardiac fibroblasts. Using an experimental model of cardiac fibrosis with angiotensin II/phenylephrine (AngII/PE) infusion, we found severe interstitial fibrosis in the AngII/PE infused myofibroblast-specific IGF-1R knockout mice compared to the wild-type mice. In contrast, low-dose IGF-1 infusion markedly attenuated AngII-induced cardiac fibrosis by inhibiting fibroblast proliferation and differentiation. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that IGF-1-attenuated AngII-induced cardiac fibrosis through the Akt pathway and through suppression of rho-associated coiled-coil containing kinases (ROCK)2-mediated α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) expression. Our study highlights a novel function of the IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling in agonist-induced cardiac fibrosis. We propose that low-dose IGF-1 may be an efficacious therapeutic avenue against cardiac fibrosis.
MYC-targeted WDR4 promotes proliferation, metastasis, and sorafenib resistance by inducing CCNB1 translation in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Xia Peng , Zhang Hao , Xu Kequan , Jiang Xiang , Gao Meng , Wang Ganggang , Liu Yingyi , Yao Ye , Chen Xi , Ma Weijie , Zhang Zhonglin , Yuan Yufeng
Published: July 2021

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. However, there still remains a lack of effective diagnostic and therapeutic targets for this disease. Increasing evidence demonstrates that RNA modifications play an important role in the progression of HCC, but the role of the N7-methylguanosine (m7G) methylation modification in HCC has not been properly evaluated. Thus, the goal of the present study was to investigate the function and mechanism of the m7G methyltransferase WD repeat domain 4 (WDR4) in HCC as well as its clinical relevance and potential value. We first verified the high expression of WDR4 in HCC and observed that upregulated WDR4 expression increased the m7G methylation level in HCC. WDR4 promoted HCC cell proliferation by inducing the G2/M cell cycle transition and inhibiting apoptosis in addition to enhancing metastasis and sorafenib resistance through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Furthermore, we observed that c-MYC (MYC) can activate WDR4 transcription and that WDR4 promotes CCNB1 mRNA stability and translation to enhance HCC progression. Mechanistically, we determined that WDR4 enhances CCNB1 translation by promoting the binding of EIF2A to CCNB1 mRNA. Furthermore, CCNB1 was observed to promote PI3K and AKT phosphorylation in HCC and reduce P53 protein expression by promoting P53 ubiquitination. In summary, we elucidated the MYC/WDR4/CCNB1 signalling pathway and its impact on PI3K/AKT and P53. Furthermore, the result showed that the m7G methyltransferase WDR4 is a tumour promoter in the development and progression of HCC and may act as a candidate therapeutic target in HCC treatment.
Teprotumumab for the treatment of chronic thyroid eye disease
Authors: Ugradar Shoaib , Kang Julia , Kossler Andrea L. , Zimmerman Erin , Braun Jenna , Harrison Andrew R. , Bose Swaraj , Cockerham Kimberly , Douglas Raymond S.
Published: July 2021

Background

Teprotumumab, a novel IGF-1R antibody was recently shown to significantly reduce the signs of active Thyroid eye disease (TED). The current study reviews its efficacy in chronic TED.

Methods

In this retrospective review, consecutive patients with chronic stable TED (>2 years), who had received ≥3 infusions of teprotumumab were included. All patients had measurements of proptosis, and calculation of the CAS and diplopia scores before and after therapy. Five-point strabismus scores were also calculated. Patients who had imaging within 4 months prior to therapy and 6 weeks post therapy underwent orbital 3D volumetric analysis.

Results

Thirty-one patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean (SD) duration of TED was 81 months (56) and the mean (SD) number of infusions received by each patient was 7 (2). Mean (SD) reduction in proptosis for each study orbit was 3.5 mm (0.4) and 3 mm (0.3) for the fellow orbit. The CAS response was 90% for the study orbit and 87% for the fellow orbit. Of the 15 patients who had diplopia at baseline, 67% had a clinically significant response, while 47% had complete resolution following treatment. Following teprotumumab, mean (SD) reduction of muscle tissue was 2011 mm3 (1847) in the study orbit and 1620 mm3 (1759) in the fellow orbit. The mean (SD) reduction of fat volume was 2101 mm3 (1681) in the study orbit and 1370 mm3 (1181) in the fellow orbit.

Conclusion

Teprotumumab significantly reduces proptosis, inflammation, diplopia, strabismus and orbital soft tissue volume in patients with chronic TED.
Evaluation of standard of care intravitreal aflibercept treatment of diabetic macular oedema treatment-naive patients in the UK: DRAKO study 12-month outcomes
Authors: Sivaprasad Sobha , Ghanchi Faruque , Kelly Simon P. , Kotagiri Ajay , Talks James , Scanlon Peter , McGoey Hellen , Nolan Andrew , Saddiq Moneeb , Napier Jackie ,   on behalf of the DRAKO study group
Published: July 2021

Objectives

DRAKO (NCT02850263) is a 24-month, prospective, non-interventional, multi-centre cohort study which enroled patients diagnosed with centre-involving diabetic macular oedema (DMO). The study aims to evaluate standard of care with intravitreal aflibercept (IVT-AFL) treatment in the UK. This analysis describes the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment-naive patient cohort after 12-month follow-up.

Methods

Study eyes were treated with IVT-AFL as per local standard of care. The mean change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central subfield thickness (CST) from baseline at 12 months were measured and stratified by baseline factors. The number of injections and safety data were also evaluated.

Results

A total of 507 patients were enroled from 35 centres. Mean (SD) baseline BCVA was 71.4 (12.0) letters and CST was 448.7 (88.7) µm, with 63.1% of patients presenting with baseline BCVA ≥ 70 letters (mean 78.1). Mean (SD) change in BCVA of 2.5 (12.2) letters and CST of −119.1 (116.4) µm was observed at month 12. A 7.3 letter gain was observed in patients with baseline BCVA < 70 letters. Mean number (SD) of injections in year one was 6.4 (2.1). No significant adverse events were recorded.

Conclusion

Year one results indicated that IVT-AFL was an effective treatment for DMO in standard of care UK clinical practice, maintaining or improving visual acuity in treatment-naive patients with good baseline visual acuity, despite some patients being undertreated versus the summary of product characteristics. These results also demonstrated the clinical importance and meaningful impact of diabetic retinopathy screening in the UK.
Common irrigation drivers of freshwater salinisation in river basins worldwide
Authors: Thorslund Josefin , Bierkens Marc F. P. , Oude Essink Gualbert H. P. , Sutanudjaja Edwin H. , van Vliet Michelle T. H.
Published: July 2021

Freshwater salinisation is a growing problem, yet cross-regional assessments of freshwater salinity status and the impact of agricultural and other sectoral uses are lacking. Here, we assess inland freshwater salinity patterns and evaluate its interactions with irrigation water use, across seven regional river basins (401 river sub-basins) around the world, using long-term (1980–2010) salinity observations. While a limited number of sub-basins show persistent salinity problems, many sub-basins temporarily exceeded safe irrigation water-use thresholds and 57% experience increasing salinisation trends. We further investigate the role of agricultural activities as drivers of salinisation and find common contributions of irrigation-specific activities (irrigation water withdrawals, return flows and irrigated area) in sub-basins of high salinity levels and increasing salinisation trends, compared to regions without salinity issues. Our results stress the need for considering these irrigation-specific drivers when developing management strategies and as a key human component in water quality modelling and assessment.
In situ observation of thermal-driven degradation and safety concerns of lithiated graphite anode
Authors: Liu Xiang , Yin Liang , Ren Dongsheng , Wang Li , Ren Yang , Xu Wenqian , Lapidus Saul , Wang Hewu , He Xiangming , Chen Zonghai , Xu Gui-Liang , Ouyang Minggao , Amine Khalil
Published: July 2021

Graphite, a robust host for reversible lithium storage, enabled the first commercially viable lithium-ion batteries. However, the thermal degradation pathway and the safety hazards of lithiated graphite remain elusive. Here, solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) decomposition, lithium leaching, and gas release of the lithiated graphite anode during heating were examined by in situ synchrotron X-ray techniques and in situ mass spectroscopy. The source of flammable gas such as H2 was identified and quantitively analyzed. Also, the existence of highly reactive residual lithium on the graphite surface was identified at high temperatures. Our results emphasized the critical role of the SEI in anode thermal stability and uncovered the potential safety hazards of the flammable gases and leached lithium. The anode thermal degradation mechanism revealed in the present work will stimulate more efforts in the rational design of anodes to enable safe energy storage.
Subduction history of the Caribbean from upper-mantle seismic imaging and plate reconstruction
Authors: Braszus Benedikt , Goes Saskia , Allen Rob , Rietbrock Andreas , Collier Jenny , Harmon Nick , Henstock Tim , Hicks Stephen , Rychert Catherine A. , Maunder Ben , van Hunen Jeroen , Bie Lidong , Blundy Jon , Cooper George , Davy Richard , Kendall J. Michael , Macpherson Colin , Wilkinson Jamie , Wilson Marjorie
Published: July 2021

The margins of the Caribbean and associated hazards and resources have been shaped by a poorly understood history of subduction. Using new data, we improve teleseismicP-wave imaging of the eastern Caribbean upper mantle and compare identified subducted-plate fragments with trench locations predicted from plate reconstruction. This shows that material at 700–1200 km depth below South America derives from 90–115 Myr old westward subduction, initiated prior to Caribbean Large-Igneous-Province volcanism. At shallower depths, an accumulation of subducted material is attributed to Great Arc of the Caribbean subduction as it evolved over the past 70 Ma. We interpret gaps in these subducted-plate anomalies as: a plate window and tear along the subducted Proto-Caribbean ridge; tearing along subducted fracture zones, and subduction of a volatile-rich boundary between Proto-Caribbean and Atlantic domains. Phases of back-arc spreading and arc jumps correlate with changes in age, and hence buoyancy, of the subducting plate.
Effective silencing of miR-126 after ischemic stroke by means of intravenous α-tocopherol–conjugated heteroduplex oligonucleotide in mice
Authors: Suzuki Motohiro , Ishibashi Satoru , Iwasawa Eri , Oguma Takahiro , Saito Yasuhiro , Li Fuying , Otsu Shinichi , Ichinose Keiko , Yoshioka Kotaro , Nagata Tetsuya , Yokota Takanori
Published: July 2021

Brain endothelial cells (BECs) are involved in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. Recently, several microRNAs (miRNAs) in BECs were reported to regulate the endothelial function in ischemic brain. Therefore, modulation of miRNAs in BECs by a therapeutic oligonucleotide to inhibit miRNA (antimiR) could be a useful strategy for treating ischemic stroke. However, few attempts have been made to achieve this strategy via systemic route due to lack of efficient delivery-method toward BECs. Here, we have developed a new technology for delivering an antimiR into BECs and silencing miRNAs in BECs, using a mouse ischemic stroke model. We designed a heteroduplex oligonucleotide, comprising an antimiR against miRNA-126 (miR-126) known as the endothelial-specific miRNA and its complementary RNA, conjugated to α-tocopherol as a delivery ligand (Toc-HDO targeting miR-126). Intravenous administration of Toc-HDO targeting miR-126 remarkably suppressed miR-126 expression in ischemic brain of the model mice. In addition, we showed that Toc-HDO targeting miR-126 was delivered into BECs more efficiently than the parent antimiR in ischemic brain, and that it was delivered more effectively in ischemic brain than non-ischemic brain of this model mice. Our study highlights the potential of this technology as a new clinical therapeutic option for ischemic stroke.
The effect of total factor productivity of forestry industry on CO2 emissions: a spatial econometric analysis of China
Authors: Zhong Shen , Wang Hongli
Published: July 2021

Forestry plays an essential role in reducing CO2 emissions and promoting green and sustainable development. This paper estimates the CO2 emissions of 30 provinces in China from 2008 to 2017, and uses Global DEA-Malmquist to measure the total factor productivity of the forestry industry and its decomposition index. On this basis, by constructing a spatial econometric model, this paper aims to empirically study the impact of forestry industry's total factor productivity and its decomposition index on CO2 emissions, and further analyze its direct, indirect and total effects. The study finds that the impact of forestry industry's total factor productivity on CO2 emissions shows an "inverted U-shaped" curve and the inflection point is 0.9395. The spatial spillover effect of CO2 emissions is significantly negative. The increase of CO2 emissions in adjacent areas will provide a "negative case" for the region, so that the region can better address its own energy conservation and emission reduction goals. TFP of forestry industry also has positive spatial spillover effect. However, considering the particularity of forestry industry, this effect is not very significant. For other factors, such as foreign direct investment, urbanization level, industrial structure and technology market turnover will also significantly affect regional CO2 emissions.
Design of a dual-signal sensing platform for d-penicillamine based on UiO-66-NH2 MOFs and APBA@Alizarin Red
Authors: Wang Nan , Wu Youwei , Wang Mengke , Li Zhengxuan , Wang Guannan , Su Xingguang
Published: July 2021

Through the FRET of UiO-66-NH2 and APBA@ARS with the reaction of copper ions, alizarin red and d-PA, fluorescence and colorimetric platform detection are realized. The mobile phone RGB detection are realized owing to the change of solution color.
Synthesis of bifunctional fluorescent nanohybrids of carbon dots–copper nanoclusters via a facile method for Fe3+ and Tb3+ ratiometric detection
Authors: Lin Shumin , Dong Jiangxue , Zhang Bangwen , Yuan Zeming , Lu Chunxiao , Han Pei , Xu Jia , Jia Lina , Wang Li
Published: July 2021

A bifunctional fluorescent nanohybrids sensor is designed to realize the simultaneous detection of Fe3+ and Tb3+ in the same solution.
Influence of catalyst zeta potential on the activation of persulfate
Authors: Silvestri Daniele , Krawczyk Kamil , Pawlyta Mirosława , Krzywiecki Maciej , Padil Vinod V.T. , Torres-Mendieta Rafael , Ghanbari Farshid , Dinc Ozge , Černík Miroslav , Dionysiou Dionysios D. , Wacławek Stanisław
Published: July 2021

We report the close correlation between the zeta potential values of catalysts and the kapp of the oxidation of several organic compounds.