bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on power system flexibility considering uncertainties
Authors: Yang Ce , Sun Weiqing , Han Dong , Yin Xiangyang
Published: September 2022

In order to help achieve the goal of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, the large-scale development and application of clean renewable energy, like wind generation and solar power, will become an important power source in the future. Large-scale clean renewable energy generation has the uncertain characteristics of intermittency, randomness, and volatility, which brings great challenges to the balance regulation and flexible operation of the power system. In addition, the rapid development of renewable energy has led to strong fluctuations in electricity prices in the power market. To ensure the safe, reliable, and economic operation of the power system, how to improve the power system flexibility in an uncertain environment has become a research hotspot. Considering the uncertainties, this article analyzes and summarizes the research progress related to power system flexibility from the perspective of power system planning, operation, and the electricity market. Aiming at the modeling technology of uncertainty, the related modeling methods including stochastic programming, robust optimization, and distributionally robust optimization are summarized from the perspective of mathematics, and the application of these methods in power system flexibility is discussed.
Speed control of a wind turbine–driven doubly fed induction generator using sliding mode technique with practical finite‐time stability
Authors: Ali Mohammad , Amrr Syed Muhammad , Khalid Muhammad
Published: September 2022

This work investigates the application of sliding mode control (SMC) on a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG). In conventional control schemes like PI controllers, the responses are relatively slow, and the transient state is often subjected to sustained oscillation. Further, the PI control achieves lesser invariance behavior against system uncertainties, and the selection of its gain parameters is a skillful task. In contrast, the SMC is well-known for its faster convergence, robustness, and better transient and steady-state behavior. In this study, the nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode control (NSFTSMC) is applied in the speed loop of the rotor side vector control of DFIG. The proposed NSFTSMC scheme results in less speed fluctuation with a change in wind speed, which is maintained by controlling the torque component of the current (iq*). This paper also presents detailed modeling of the DFIG, power converters, and the related control schemes. Moreover, stability analysis of the proposed methodology ensures the practical finite time stability of the overall system. The comparative controller performance and validation are carried out in Matlab/Simulink environment. The proposed control strategy presents much better results than conventional PI-based control.
Effects of long-term application of organic manure and chemical fertilizer on soil properties and microbial communities in the agro-pastoral ecotone of North China
Authors: Gao Riping , Duan Yu , Zhang Jun , Ren Yongfeng , Li Huanchun , Liu Xiaoyue , Zhao Peiyi , Jing Yupeng
Published: September 2022

Long-term irrational fertilizer inputs affect soil nutrients conditions in the agro-pastoral ecotone of North China. However, the mechanisms by which biotic and abiotic factors are affected by different fertilizer types remain unclear. A 16-year, long-term fertilization experiment was conducted to explore how soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities respond to different fertilizer types at an experimental site in North China. The key environmental factors that drove changes in soil microbial communities were also determined. In September 2019, soils were collected from plots of four fertilizer treatments: 1) non-fertilization control (CK), 2) chemical fertilization only (CF), 3) organic manure fertilization only (M), and 4) chemical fertilization plus organic manure (CFM). Compared with CK, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium contents were higher in M and CFM, whereas soil pH was significantly lower in CF. Abundances of dominant soil bacterial phyla Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Gemmatimonadetes were higher in M and CFM than CK. Abundances of dominant soil fungal phyla Ascomycota was lower in CFM than in other treatments. The pathogenic fungiFusarium,Paramyrothecium,Cladosporium, andAlternariahad the highest abundances in CK and CF, whereas abundances of the beneficial fungiMortierellawere significantly higher in M and CFM than in CF and CK. According to partial least squares path modeling, differences in fertilizer types had direct positive effects on fungal communities but little effect on bacterial communities. Overall, CFM maintained higher soil fertility and a healthy ecosystem because it increased beneficial microorganisms and inhibited pathogenic microorganisms, whereas CF increased the risk of crop infection with soil-borne diseases. The study provided a better understanding of how long-term fertilization affects microbial community composition and their associated ecosystem functions.
Causal discovery in high-dimensional, multicollinear datasets
Authors: Jia Minxue , Yuan Daniel Y. , Lovelace Tyler C. , Hu Mengying , Benos Panayiotis V.
Published: September 2022

As the cost of high-throughput genomic sequencing technology declines, its application in clinical research becomes increasingly popular. The collected datasets often contain tens or hundreds of thousands of biological features that need to be mined to extract meaningful information. One area of particular interest is discovering underlying causal mechanisms of disease outcomes. Over the past few decades, causal discovery algorithms have been developed and expanded to infer such relationships. However, these algorithms suffer from the curse of dimensionality and multicollinearity. A recently introduced, non-orthogonal, general empirical Bayes approach to matrix factorization has been demonstrated to successfully infer latent factors with interpretable structures from observed variables. We hypothesize that applying this strategy to causal discovery algorithms can solve both the high dimensionality and collinearity problems, inherent to most biomedical datasets. We evaluate this strategy on simulated data and apply it to two real-world datasets. In a breast cancer dataset, we identified important survival-associated latent factors and biologically meaningful enriched pathways within factors related to important clinical features. In a SARS-CoV-2 dataset, we were able to predict whether a patient (1) had COVID-19 and (2) would enter the ICU. Furthermore, we were able to associate factors with known COVID-19 related biological pathways.
Dental mesowear and microwear for the dietary reconstruction of Quaternary Southeast Asian serows and gorals
Authors: Isarankura Na Ayudhya Jakritip , Merceron Gildas , Wannaprasert Thanakul , Jaeger Jean-Jacques , Chaimanee Yaowalak , Shoocongdej Rasmi , Suraprasit Kantapon
Published: September 2022

Serows and gorals (Bovidae, Caprinae) are emblematic antelopes distributed in Southeast Asia. They all are nearly threaten or vulnerable species nowadays despite having a more widespread distribution during the Pleistocene. Fossils of three native caprine species, i.e., a Sumatran serowCapricornis sumatraensis, Chinese goralNaemorhedus griseus, and Himalayan goralNaemorhedus goral, were recovered from four Pleistocene paleontological and archeological sites in Thailand, namely Pha Bong, Khok Sung, Tham Wiman Nakin, and Tham Lod Rockshelter. To investigate dietary changes of these Southeast Asian serows and gorals through the Quaternary, differences in feeding habits and habitat preferences between the Pleistocene and extant populations were examined using the hypsodonty index (HI) together with the mesowear II method and the dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA). The HI and mesowear-II results showed that Pleistocene and extant caprines were mixed feeders. For the Pleistocene caprine populations, the DMTA results suggested more browsing signals forC. sumatraensisthan bothNaemorhedusspecies that were mixed feeders similar to their extant populations. The DMTA demonstrated a considerable dietary overlap among the Pleistocene sympatric caprine populations. The dental microwear results also revealed that the extantC. sumatraensisis a leaf-dominant browser, while the extantN. griseuspossibly feeds on seeds or tough food items. These data combined with previous stable carbon isotope analyses reinforce the idea that the restricted ranges of habitats for these extant serow and goral populations have possibly been driven by the Holocene climatic and environmental changes as well as the negative effects of human activities.
Effects of source sample amount on biodiversity surveys of bacteria, fungi, and nematodes in soil ecosystems
Authors: Kageyama Takuya , Toju Hirokazu
Published: September 2022

Bacteria, fungi, and nematodes are major components of soil ecosystems, playing pivotal roles in belowground material cycles and biological community processes. A number of studies have recently uncovered the diversity and community structure of those organisms in various types of soil ecosystems based on DNA metabarcoding (amplicon sequencing). However, because most previous studies examined only one or two of the three organismal groups, it remains an important challenge to reveal the entire picture of soil community structure. We examined how we could standardize DNA extraction protocols for simultaneous DNA metabarcoding of bacteria, fungi, and nematodes. Specifically, in an Illumina sequencing analysis of forest and farmland soil samples, we performed DNA extraction at five levels of soil-amount (0.5, 2, 5, 10, and 20 g). We then found that DNA extraction with the 0.5 g soil setting, which had been applied as default in many commercial DNA extraction kits, could lead to underestimation of α-diversity in nematode community. We also found that dissimilarity (β-diversity) estimates of community structure among replicate samples could be affected by soil sample amount. Based on the assays, we conclude that DNA extraction from at least 20 g of soil is a standard for comparing biodiversity patterns among bacteria, fungi and nematodes.
Fire hazard assessment at different scales in the wildland-urban interface of semiarid areas of northern Patagonia
Authors: Gonzalez Sofía , Aller Soledad Arias , Ghermandi Luciana
Published: September 2022

Wildland-urban interface (WUI) fires have increased in the last decades, putting lives and homes at risk, and fire hazard assessment is a useful tool to develop plans for prevention and fire management. In northwestern Patagonia, the WUI areas are principally located around the urbanized zones that are not only cities or towns but settlements surrounded by the natural environment. In Patagonia, there are the largest and most ancient national parks of Argentina with areas where former settlers develop their livestock activities. We assessed the fire hazard in the Laguna Blanca National Park (LBNP) located in Neuquén province (Patagonia, Argentina) dominated by steppe vegetation. We performed the study at two scales: community and species. Community scale comprised the variables vegetation cover, slope, and rock fragments, whereas species scale included flammability variables of dominant species (tussock grasses and shrubs) at leaf- and plant-level. We integrated all variables at different scales and grouped the vegetation units into three classes using multivariate analysis. Finally, we established three fire hazard categories for each vegetation unit: low, moderate, and high, to elaborate a fire hazard map. Three vegetation units, which represented 37% of the area of the park, were categorized with high fire hazard because of the high cover and horizontal continuity of dominant vegetation. The tussock grass Pappostipa speciosa and the shrubs Mulinum spinosum, Nassauvia axillaris, and Anarthorphyllum rigidum were the most flammable species and the most frequent species in the park. Land uses in the park (i.e., transhumance and tourism) would be regulated with the collaboration of settlers because increase the vulnerability to wildfires. Our fire hazard map constitutes a valuable tool because it identified the most vulnerable WUI in the LBNP. This study emphasizes the need to include flammability and fuel load studies in fire management plans to better protect human lives and natural resources in protected areas.
Cuproptosis patterns and tumor immune infiltration characterization in colorectal cancer
Authors: Du Yan , Lin Yilin , Wang Bo , Li Yang , Xu Duo , Gan Lin , Xiong Xiaoyu , Hou Sen , Chen Shuang , Shen Zhanlong , Ye Yingjiang
Published: September 2022

Faced with the high heterogeneity and poor prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC), this study sought to find new predictive prognostic strategies to improve the situation. Cuproptosis is a novel cell death mechanism that relies on copper regulation. However, the role of cuproptosis-related gene (CRG) in CRC remains to be elucidated. In this study, we comprehensively assessed the CRG landscape in CRC based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We identified differential expression and genetic alterations of CRG in CRC. CRG is highly correlated with initiation, progression, prognosis, and immune infiltration of CRC. We construct a risk score signature containing 3 CRGs based on LASSO. We explored the correlation of CRG-Score with clinicopathological features of CRC. Age, stage, and CRG-Score were integrated to construct a nomogram. The nomogram has robust predictive performance. We also understand the correlation of CRG-Score with CRC immune landscape. CRG-Score can effectively predict the immune landscape of CRC patients. Low-risk CRC patients have greater immunogenicity and higher immune checkpoint expression. Low-risk CRC patients may be better candidates for immunotherapy. At the same time, we also predicted more sensitive drugs in the high-risk CRC patients. In conclusion, the CRG risk score signature is a strong prognostic marker and may help provide new insights into the treatment of individuals with CRC.
SARS-CoV-2 Nsp14 protein associates with IMPDH2 and activates NF-κB signaling
Authors: Li Tai-Wei , Kenney Adam D. , Park Jun-Gyu , Fiches Guillaume N. , Liu Helu , Zhou Dawei , Biswas Ayan , Zhao Weiqiang , Que Jianwen , Santoso Netty , Martinez-Sobrido Luis , Yount Jacob S. , Zhu Jian
Published: September 2022

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection leads to NF-κB activation and induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, though the underlying mechanism for this activation is not fully understood. Our results reveal that the SARS-CoV-2 Nsp14 protein contributes to the viral activation of NF-κB signaling. Nsp14 caused the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65. Nsp14 induced the upregulation of IL-6 and IL-8, which also occurred in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. IL-8 upregulation was further confirmed in lung tissue samples from COVID-19 patients. A previous proteomic screen identified the putative interaction of Nsp14 with host Inosine-5’-monophosphate dehydrogenase 2 (IMPDH2), which is known to regulate NF-κB signaling. We confirmed the Nsp14-IMPDH2 protein interaction and identified that IMPDH2 knockdown or chemical inhibition using ribavirin (RIB) and mycophenolic acid (MPA) abolishes Nsp14- mediated NF-κB activation and cytokine induction. Furthermore, IMPDH2 inhibitors (RIB, MPA) or NF-κB inhibitors (bortezomib, BAY 11-7082) restricted SARS-CoV-2 infection, indicating that IMPDH2-mediated activation of NF-κB signaling is beneficial to viral replication. Overall, our results identify a novel role of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp14 in inducing NF-κB activation through IMPDH2 to promote viral infection.
SARS-CoV-2 modulates virus receptor expression in placenta and can induce trophoblast fusion, inflammation and endothelial permeability
Authors: Agostinis Chiara , Toffoli Miriam , Spazzapan Mariagiulia , Balduit Andrea , Zito Gabriella , Mangogna Alessandro , Zupin Luisa , Salviato Tiziana , Maiocchi Serena , Romano Federico , Crovella Sergio , Fontana Francesco , Braga Luca , Confalonieri Marco , Ricci Giuseppe , Kishore Uday , Bulla Roberta
Published: September 2022

SARS-CoV-2 is a devastating virus that induces a range of immunopathological mechanisms including cytokine storm, apoptosis, inflammation and complement and coagulation pathway hyperactivation. However, how the infection impacts pregnant mothers is still being worked out due to evidence of vertical transmission of the SARS-CoV-2, and higher incidence of pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, caesarian section, and fetal mortality. In this study, we assessed the levels of the three main receptors of SARS-CoV-2 (ACE2, TMPRSS2 and CD147) in placentae derived from SARS-CoV-2 positive and negative mothers. Moreover, we measured the effects of Spike protein on placental cell lines, in addition to their susceptibility to infection. SARS-CoV-2 negative placentae showed elevated levels of CD147 and considerably low amount of TMPRSS2, making them non-permissive to infection. SARS-CoV-2 presence upregulated TMPRSS2 expression in syncytiotrophoblast and cytotrophoblast cells, thereby rendering them amenable to infection. The non-permissiveness of placental cells can be due to their less fusogenicity due to infection. We also found that Spike protein was capable of inducing pro-inflammatory cytokine production, syncytiotrophoblast apoptosis and increased vascular permeability. These events can elicit pre-eclampsia-like syndrome that marks a high percentage of pregnancies when mothers are infected with SARS-CoV-2. Our study raises important points relevant to SARS-CoV-2 mediated adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Crosstalk between dendritic cells and regulatory T cells: Protective effect and therapeutic potential in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Li Ruoyu , Li Hui , Yang Xiaoyan , Hu Huiru , Liu Peidong , Liu Hongbo
Published: September 2022

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system related to autoimmunity and is characterized by demyelination, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration. Cell therapies mediated by dendritic cells (DCs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) have gradually become accumulating focusing in MS, and the protective crosstalk mechanisms between DCs and Tregs provide the basis for the efficacy of treatment regimens. In MS and its animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, DCs communicate with Tregs to form immune synapses and complete a variety of complex interactions to counteract the unbalanced immune tolerance. Through different co-stimulatory/inhibitory molecules, cytokines, and metabolic enzymes, DCs regulate the proliferation, differentiation and function of Tregs. On the other hand, Tregs inhibit the mature state and antigen presentation ability of DCs, ultimately improving immune tolerance. In this review, we summarized the pivotal immune targets in the interaction between DCs and Tregs, and elucidated the protective mechanisms of DC-Treg cell crosstalk in MS, finally interpreted the complex cell interplay in the manner of inhibitory feedback loops to explore novel therapeutic directions for MS.
Inborn errors of immunity and related microbiome
Authors: Hazime Raja , Eddehbi Fatima-Ezzohra , El Mojadili Saad , Lakhouaja Nadia , Souli Ikram , Salami Abdelmouïne , M’Raouni Bouchra , Brahim Imane , Oujidi Mohamed , Guennouni Morad , Bousfiha Ahmed Aziz , Admou Brahim
Published: September 2022

Inborn errors of immunity (IEI) are characterized by diverse clinical manifestations that are dominated by atypical, recurrent, chronic, or severe infectious or non-infectious features, including autoimmunity, lymphoproliferative disease, granulomas, and/or malignancy, which contribute substantially to morbidity and mortality. Some data suggest a correlation between clinical manifestations of IEI and altered gut microbiota. Many IEI display microbial dysbiosis resulting from the proliferation of pro-inflammatory bacteria or a decrease in anti-inflammatory bacteria with variations in the composition and function of numerous microbiota. Dysbiosis is considered more established, mainly within common variable immunodeficiency, selective immunoglobulin A deficiency, severe combined immunodeficiency diseases, Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome, Hyper-IgE syndrome, autoimmune polyendocrinopathy–candidiasis–ectodermal-dystrophy (APECED), immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy X-linked (IPEX) syndrome, IL-10 receptor deficiency, chronic granulomatous disease, and Kostmann disease. For certain IEIs, the specific predominance of gastrointestinal, respiratory, and cutaneous involvement, which is frequently associated with dysbiosis, justifies the interest for microbiome identification. With the better understanding of the relationship between gut microbiota, host immunity, and infectious diseases, the integration of microbiota modulation as a therapeutic approach or a preventive measure of infection becomes increasingly relevant. Thus, a promising strategy is to develop optimized prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics, and fecal microbial transplantation to rebalance the intestinal microbiota and thereby attenuate the disease activity of many IEIs.
The peripheral and decidual immune cell profiles in women with recurrent pregnancy loss
Authors: Qin Dengke , Xu Huihui , Chen Zechuan , Deng Xujing , Jiang Shan , Zhang Xiaoming , Bao Shihua
Published: September 2022

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) affects 1-2% of couples of reproductive age. Immunological analysis of the immune status in RPL patients might contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of RPL. However, the exact immune cell composition in RPL patients is still unclear. Here, we used flow cytometry to investigate the immune cell profiles of peripheral blood and decidual tissue of women who experienced RPL. We divided peripheral immune cells into 14 major subgroups, and the percentages of T, natural killer T (NKT)-like and B cells in peripheral blood were increased in RPL patients. The decidual immune cells were classified into 14 major subpopulations and the percentages of decidual T, NKT-like cells and CD11chi Mφ were increased, while those of CD56hi decidual NK cells and CD11clo Mφ were decreased in RPL patients. The spearmen correlation analysis showed that the proportion of peripheral and decidual immune cells did not show significant correlations with occurrences of previous miscarriages. By using flow cytometry, we depicted the global peripheral and decidual immune landscape in RPL patients. The abnormalities of peripheral and decidual immune cells may be involved in RPL, but the correlations with the number of previous miscarriages need further verification.
Modeling drift and fate of microplastics in the Baltic Sea
Authors: Murawski Jens , She Jun , Frishfelds Vilnis
Published: September 2022

Marine plastic litter has been recognized as a growing problem and a threat to the marine environment and ecosystems, although its impacts on the marine life are still largely unknown. Marine protection and conservation actions require a detailed knowledge of the marine pathways, sources, and sinks of land-emitted plastic pollution. Model-based assessments provide a systematic way to map the occurrence of microplastics in the marine environment and to link the coastal sources to the accumulation zones in the sea. New modeling capacities have been developed, which include relevant key processes, i.e., current- and wave-induced horizontal and vertical transport, biofilm growth on the particle surface, sinking, and sedimentation. The core engine is the HIROMB-BOOS ocean circulation model, which has been set up for the Baltic Sea in a high, eddy-permitting resolution of approximately 900 m. We introduce the three-dimensional modeling tool for microplastics and demonstrate its ability to reproduce the drift pattern of microplastics in the Baltic Sea. The results of a multiyear run 2014–2019 provide the basis for an extensive validation study, which allows the evaluation of the model quality. The assessments focus on three types of microplastics, from car tires and household products, with different densities and particle sizes, which cover a broad range of land-emitted microplastic pollution. We show that the model is applicable to the task of identifying high concentration zones in the Baltic Sea and that it can be a useful tool to support the study of the environmental impacts of microplastics in the Baltic Sea. Our results suggest that microplastic concentrations in coastal regions close to major sources reach values above 0.0001 g/m3 near the surface, dependent on the buoyancy of the plastic material and the amount of discharge. The comparison with observations shows that the model is able to reproduce the average concentrations of measured microplastics in the size class of 300 μm with statistical significance, but it underestimates the very high concentrations associated either with flooding or high river-runoff events or generated by sub-mesoscale transport. The model is able to reproduce the seasonal dynamic in Latvian and Estonian waters, except for October, when the increase of modelled microplastics in the ocean is too slow. But the general spatial patterns are sufficiently well reproduced, which makes the developed model a tool sufficient for the assessment of microplastic transport and accumulation pattern.
Daily timing of low tide drives seasonality in intertidal emersion mortality risk
Authors: Buckee Joanna , Hetzel Yasha , Edge William , Verduin Jennifer , Pattiaratchi Chari
Published: September 2022

Sea level exerts a fundamental influence on the intertidal zone, where organisms are subject to immersion and emersion at varying timescales and frequencies. While emersed, intertidal organisms are exposed to atmospheric stressors which show marked diurnal and seasonal variability, therefore the daily and seasonal timing of low water is a key determinant of survival and growth in this zone. Using the example of shallow coral reefs, the coincidence of emersion with selected stressors was investigated for eight locations around the Australian coastline. Hourly water levels (1992 – 2016) from a high-resolution sea level hindcast (http://sealevelx.ems.uwa.edu.au), were linked to maximum surface solar radiation data from the Copernicus ERA5 atmospheric model and minimum atmospheric temperature observations from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology to identify seasonal patterns and historical occurrence of coral emersion mortality risk. Local tidal characteristics were found to dictate the time of day when low water, and therefore emersion mortality risk occurs, varying on a seasonal and regional basis. In general, risk was found to be greatest during the Austral spring when mean sea levels are lowest and a phase change in solar tidal constituents occurs. For all Great Barrier Reef sites, low tide occurs close to midday during winter and midnight in the summer, which may be fundamental factor supporting the historical bio-geographical development of the reef. Interannual variability in emersion mortality risk was mostly driven by non-tidal factors, particularly along the West Coast where El Niño events are associated with lower mean sea levels. This paper highlights the importance of considering emersion history when assessing intertidal environments, including shallow coral reef platform habitats, where critical low water events intrinsically influence coral health and cover. The study addresses a fundamental knowledge gap in both the field of water level science and intertidal biology in relation to the daily timing of low tide, which varies predictably on a seasonal and regional basis.
Molecular simulation and experimental investigation on enhancement of microbe cement in municipal solid waste incineration fly ash
Authors: Sun Ming , Hu Kaiyue , Zhang Yonghong , Wei Guanqi , Rong Hui
Published: September 2022

The enhancing effects of microbe cement on municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash have been modeled by molecular dynamics and investigated experimentally. Molecular dynamics is utilized to explore the adsorption mechanism of heavy metal (Pb ions) in cementitious materials in four aspects: intensity distribution, mean square displacement (MSD), radial distribution function (RDF) and time correlation functions (TCF), revealing that the stable formation of chemical adsorption with C-S-H is the main reason. So the leaching of heavy metals can be reduced with cement hydration such as microbe cement with MSWI fly ash. Furthermore, the strengthening effects of microbe cement are inspected experimentally with a compression test, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and atomic absorption spectrometer with a content range from 0 to 60%. The results of compressive strength, microstructure inspection and heavy metals’ leaching concentration show that the optimum content of microbe cement for solidifying and enhancing MSWI fly ash is 30% above range.
Antimicrobial effect of fungal melanin in combination with plant oils for the treatment of wood
Authors: Tran-Ly Anh N. , Heeb Markus , Kalac Tine , Schwarze Francis W. M. R.
Published: September 2022

Microbial deterioration of wood has gradually destroyed precious historic musical instruments. The Serpentino (English: serpent/little snake) is a wind instrument used for over 400 years and is considered the godfather of modern instruments such as the saxophone and the tuba. Many original instruments have been totally destroyed due to colonization and degradation by bacteria and fungi. Reconstructing the serpent in particular and other ancient instruments in general requires the preservation of wood against bio-deterioration. Conventional chemical preservatives based on copper and boron compounds have been used in the wood processing industry; however, they are not ideal for protecting musical instruments and may pose a negative impact on the health and safety of musicians with direct mouth contact. Non-biocidal preservatives, such as plant oils, have attracted a lot of attention. Herein, we report the antimicrobial efficacy of plant oils, alone and in combination with fungal melanin, for protecting walnut wood that is used to make the serpent, against oral bacteria and wood-decay fungi. Linseed and tea tree oils were found to have a strong antibacterial effect, reducing the survival rate of Streptococcus mutans, a bacterium commonly found in human saliva, to below 1%. Impregnation of wood with plant oils and melanin significantly increased the antibacterial effect when compared to that of the oil(s) alone. A satisfactory antifungal effect was also achieved after 2 weeks as indicated by a reduction (<10%) in the survival rate of Chaetomium globosum on the radial longitudinal wood surface. In addition, the treated wood samples absorbed less water than the untreated wood, and maintained their dimensions at different humidity conditions, highlighting the potential of this approach for wood protection.
Genome-wide identification, evolution and function analysis of UGTs superfamily in cotton
Authors: Sun Liangqing , Zhao Lanjie , Huang Hui , Zhang Yuexin , Wang Junjuan , Lu Xuke , Wang Shuai , Wang Delong , Chen Xiugui , Chen Chao , Guo Lixue , Xu Nan , Zhang Hong , Wang Jing , Rui Cun , Han Mingge , Fan Yapeng , Nie Taili , Ye Wuwei
Published: September 2022

Glycosyltransferases mainly catalyse the glycosylation reaction in living organisms and widely exists in plants. UGTs have been identified from G. raimondii, G. arboreum and G. hirsutum. However, Genome-wide systematic analysis of UGTs superfamily have not been studied in G. barbadense. 752 UGTs were identified from four cotton species and grouped into 18 clades, of which R was newly discovered clades. Most UGTs were clustered at both ends of the chromosome and showed a heterogeneous distribution. UGT proteins were widely distributed in cells, with the highest distribution in chloroplasts. UGTs of the same clade shared similar intron/exon structural features. During evolution, the gene family has undergone strong selection for purification. UGTs were significantly enriched in “transcriptional activity (GO:0016758)” and “metabolic processes (GO:0008152)”. Genes from the same clade differed in function under various abiotic stresses. The analysis of cis-acting element and qRT–PCR may indicate that GHUGTs play important roles in plant growth, development and abiotic stress. We further found that GHUGT74-2 plays an important role under submergence. The study broadens the understanding of UGTs in terms of gene characteristics, evolutionary processes, and gene function in cotton and provides a new way to systematically and globally understand the structure–function relationship of multigene families in the evolutionary process.
DNA damage response and GATA4 signaling in cellular senescence and aging-related pathology
Authors: Xiong Hao , Hua Fuzhou , Dong Yao , Lin Yue , Ying Jun , Liu Jie , Wang Xifeng , Zhang Lieliang , Zhang Jing
Published: September 2022

Aging is the continuous degradation of biological function and structure with time, and cellular senescence lies at its core. DNA damage response (DDR) can activate Ataxia telangiectasia-mutated serine/threonine kinase (ATM) and Rad3-related serine/threonine kinase (ATR), after which p53 activates p21, stopping the cell cycle and inducing cell senescence. GATA4 is a transcription factor that plays an important role in the development of many organs, such as the heart, testis, ovary, foregut, liver, and ventral pancreas. Studies have shown that GATA4 can also contribute to the DDR, leading to aging. Consistently, there is also evidence that the GATA4 signaling pathway is associated with aging-related diseases, including atherosclerosis and heart failure. This paper reviews the relationship between GATA4, DDR, and cellular senescence, as well as its effect on aging-related diseases.
Clinical and mechanism advances of neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease
Authors: Liu Yueqi , Li Hao , Liu Xuan , Wang Bin , Yang Hao , Wan Bo , Sun Miao , Xu Xingshun
Published: September 2022

Due to the high clinical heterogeneity of neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID), it is easy to misdiagnose this condition and is considered to be a rare progressive neurodegenerative disease. More evidence demonstrates that NIID involves not only the central nervous system but also multiple systems of the body and shows a variety of symptoms, which makes a clinical diagnosis of NIID more difficult. This review summarizes the clinical symptoms in different systems and demonstrates that NIID is a multiple-system intranuclear inclusion disease. In addition, the core triad symptoms in the central nervous system, such as dementia, parkinsonism, and psychiatric symptoms, are proposed as an important clue for the clinical diagnosis of NIID. Recent studies have demonstrated that expanded GGC repeats in the 5′-untranslated region of the NOTCH2NLC gene are the cause of NIID. The genetic advances and possible underlying mechanisms of NIID (expanded GGC repeat-induced DNA damage, RNA toxicity, and polyglycine-NOTCH2NLC protein toxicity) are briefly summarized in this review. Interestingly, inflammatory cell infiltration and inflammation were observed in the affected tissues of patients with NIID. As a downstream pathological process of NIID, inflammation could be a therapeutic target for NIID.
Initial and mid-term results of LEO Baby stent-assisted coiling of intracranial aneurysms located in small arteries: A single-center experience with 131 consecutive patients
Authors: Shen Yunan , Ni Heng , Li Jingfeng , Jia Zhenyu , Cao Yuezhou , Shi Haibin , Zhao Linbo , Liu Sheng
Published: September 2022

Background and purpose

Low-profile intracranial stents such as the LEO Baby stents are considered to be advantageous for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms originating from small arteries. This study aimed to evaluate the initial and mid-term clinical and angiographic results of LEO Baby stents in stent-assisted coiling of intracranial aneurysms with small parent arteries (<2.5 mm).

Methods

We performed a retrospective study to identify 131 patients with aneurysms arising from small parent arteries treated with Leo Baby stent-assisted coiling in a single institution between October 2018 and June 2021. We assessed the immediate and progressive aneurysm occlusion rates, procedure-related complications, and clinical outcomes.

Results

A total of 131 patients with 135 aneurysms were identified, including 65 (48.1%) cases of acutely ruptured aneurysms. Technical success was achieved in all cases (100%). The immediate angiography showed complete occlusion in 111 aneurysms (82.2%), neck remnants in 19 (14.1%), and residual sac in 5 (3.7%). Procedure-related complications occurred in 14 cases (10.3%), including 13 (9.6%) thromboembolic complications and 1 (0.7%) hemorrhagic complication. Six-month follow-up angiography was achieved in 106 (78.5%) aneurysms, which showed complete occlusion in 102 (96.2%) aneurysms, neck remnants in 2 (1.9%), and residual sac in 2 (1.9%). Clinical follow-up was available in all patients with a median duration of 6.8 months, and favorable clinical outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score: 0–2) reached 91.6%. The mortality rate was 4.6%.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that stent-assisted coiling of intracranial aneurysms located on small arteries using LEO Baby stents is technically feasible, highly effective, and has midterm durability in aneurysmal occlusion.
DNA methyltransferase activity in the basolateral amygdala is critical for reconsolidation of a heroin reward memory
Authors: Qian Shuyi , Shi Cuijie , Huang Shihao , Yang Chang , Luo Yixiao
Published: September 2022

The persistence of drug memory contributes to relapse to drug seeking. The association between repeated drug exposure and drug-related cues leads to cravings triggered by drug-paired cues. The erasure of drug memories has been considered a promising way to inhibit cravings and prevent relapse. The re-exposure to drug-related cues destabilizes well-consolidated drug memories, during which a de novo protein synthesis-dependent process termed “reconsolidation” occurs to restabilize the reactivated drug memory. Disrupting reconsolidation of drug memories leads to the attenuation of drug-seeking behavior in both animal models and people with addictions. Additionally, epigenetic mechanisms regulated by DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) are involved in the reconsolidation of fear and cocaine reward memory. In the present study, we investigated the role of DNMT in the reconsolidation of heroin reward memory. In the heroin self-administration model in rats, we tested the effects of DNMT inhibition during the reconsolidation process on cue-induced reinstatement, heroin-priming-induced reinstatement, and spontaneous recovery of heroin-seeking behavior. We found that the bilateral infusion of 5-azacytidine (5-AZA) inhibiting DNMT into the basolateral amygdala (BLA) immediately after heroin reward memory retrieval, but not delayed 6 h after retrieval or without retrieval, decreased subsequent cue-induced and heroin-priming-induced reinstatement of heroin-seeking behavior. These findings demonstrate that inhibiting the activity of DNMT in BLA during the reconsolidation of heroin reward memory attenuates heroin-seeking behavior, which may provide a potential strategy for the therapeutic of heroin addiction.
Identification of two novel variants of the BCL11B gene in two Chinese pedigrees associated with neurodevelopmental disorders
Authors: Che Fengyu , Tie Xiaoling , Lei Hong , Zhang Xi , Duan Mingyue , Zhang Liyu , Yang Ying
Published: September 2022

Objective

According to a recent report, the mutation of transcription factor gene BCL11B is associated with the development of neurodevelopmental disorders and immune deficiency. By analyzing both clinical features and genetic variations, this study aims to reveal the genetic etiology of four patients with neurodevelopmental disorders from two unrelated Chinese pedigrees.

Methods

From the 4 cases, the clinical data were collected. The potential pathogenic gene variations were analyzed by means of based-trio whole exome sequencing (Trio-WES) and then validated through Sanger sequencing in their respective pedigrees. Furthermore, both the in vitro minigene assay and the NMD assay were performed to evaluate the impact of splicing and frameshift variants.

Results

The 4 patients displayed mild-to-severe intellectual developmental disorder, which was accompanied by speech delay, dysmorphic facies, and serious caries. In addition, the extended phenotype of developmental regression was observed in the proband from Family 1, which has been unreported previously. Molecular analysis was conducted to identify two novel heterozygous variants in the BCL11B gene: a maternal splicing variant c.427 + 1G > A in Family 1 and a de novo frameshift variant c.2461_2462insGAGCCACACCGGCG (p.Glu821Glyfs*28) in Family 2. As revealed by the in vitro minigene assay, the c.427 + 1G > A variant activated a new cryptic splice site. As confirmed by an overexpression assay, there was no significant difference in the level of mRNA and protein expression between the mutate-BCL11B (p.Glu821Glyfs*28) and the wild type. It confirms that p.Glu821Glyfs*28 variant could be an NMD escaping variant.

Conclusion

The extended phenotype of BCL11B-related disorders is reported in this study to reveal the clinical and genetic heterogeneity of the disease. The study starts by identifying a splicing variant and a novel frameshift variant of the BCL11B gene, thus confirming its aberrant translation. The findings of this study expand the mutation spectrum of the genetic BCL11B gene, which not only improves the understanding of the associated neurodevelopmental disorders from a clinical perspective but also provides guidance on diagnosis and genetic counseling for patients.
Prophylactic cholecystectomy: A valuable treatment strategy for cholecystolithiasis after gastric cancer surgery
Authors: Liu Haipeng , Liu Jie , Xu Wei , Chen Xiao
Published: September 2022

The main treatment for gastric cancer is surgical excision. Gallstones are one of the common postoperative complications of gastric cancer. To avoid the adverse effects of gallstone formation after gastric cancer surgery, we reviewed the causes and risk factors and mechanisms involved in gallstone formation after gastric cancer surgery. The evidence and value regarding prophylactic cholecystectomy (PC) during gastric cancer surgery was also reviewed. Based on previous evidence, we summarized the mechanism and believe that injury or resection of the vagus nerve or changes in intestinal hormone secretion can lead to physiological dysfunction of the gallbladder and Oddi sphincter, and the lithogenic components in the bile are also changed, ultimately leading to CL. Previous studies also have identified many independent risk factors for CL after gastric cancer, such as type of gastrectomy, reconstruction of the digestive tract, degree of lymph node dissection, weight, liver function, sex, age, diabetes and gallbladder volume are closely related to CL development. At present, there are no uniform guidelines for the selection of treatment strategies. As a new treatment strategy, PC has undeniable advantages and is expected to become the standard treatment for CL after gastric cancer in the future. The individualized PC strategy for CL after gastric cancer is the main direction of future research.
Untargeted serum metabolomics reveals potential biomarkers and metabolic pathways associated with esophageal cancer
Authors: Yang Xiao-li , Wang Peng , Ye Hua , Jiang Ming , Su Yu-bin , Peng Xuan-xian , Li Hui , Zhang Jian-ying
Published: September 2022

Metabolomics has been reported as an efficient tool to screen biomarkers that are related to esophageal cancer. However, the metabolic biomarkers identifying malignant degrees and therapeutic efficacy are still largely unknown in the disease. Here, GC-MS-based metabolomics was used to understand metabolic alteration in 137 serum specimens from patients with esophageal cancer, which is approximately two- to fivefold as many plasma specimens as the previous reports. The elevated amino acid metabolism is in sharp contrast to the reduced carbohydrate as a characteristic feature of esophageal cancer. Comparative metabolomics showed that most metabolic differences were determined between the early stage (0–II) and the late stage (III and IV) among the 0–IV stages of esophageal cancer and between patients who received treatment and those who did not receive treatment. Glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism and glycine were identified as the potentially overlapped metabolic pathway and metabolite, respectively, in both disease progress and treatment effect. Glycine, fructose, ornithine, and threonine can be a potential array for the evaluation of disease prognosis and therapy in esophageal cancer. These results highlight the means of identifying previously unknown biomarkers related to esophageal cancer by a metabolomics approach.
Cytochrome C as a potential clinical marker for diagnosis and treatment of glioma
Authors: Rana Rashmi , Huirem Rohit Singh , Kant Ravi , Chauhan Kirti , Sharma Swati , Yashavarddhan M. H. , Chhabra Satnam Singh , Acharya Rajesh , Kalra Samir Kumar , Gupta Anshul , Jain Sunila , Ganguly Nirmal Kumar
Published: September 2022

Gliomas are the most prevalent kind of malignant and severe brain cancer. Apoptosis regulating mechanisms are disturbed in malignant gliomas, as they are in added forms of malignancy. Understanding apoptosis and other associated processes are thought to be critical for understanding the origins of malignant tumors and designing anti-cancerous drugs for the treatment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the variation in the expression level of several apoptotic proteins that are responsible for apoptosis in low to high-grade glioma. This suggests a significant change in the expression of five apoptotic proteins: Clusterin, HSP27, Catalase, Cytochrome C, and SMAC. Cytochrome C, one of the five substantially altered proteins, is a crucial component of the apoptotic cascade. The complex enzyme Cytochrome C is involved in metabolic pathways such as respiration and cell death. The results demonstrated that Cytochrome C expression levels are lower in glioma tissues than in normal tissues. What’s more intriguing is that the expression level decreases with an increase in glioma grades. As a result, the discovery shows that Cytochrome C may be a target for glioma prognostic biomarkers.