bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Layered double hydroxides for corrosion-related applications—Main developments from 20 years of research at CICECO
Authors: Tedim João , Galvão Tiago L. P. , Yasakau Kiryl A. , Bastos Alexandre , Gomes José R. B. , Ferreira Mario G. S.
Published: November 2022

This work describes the main advances carried out in the field of corrosion protection using layered double hydroxides (LDH), both as additive/pigment-based systems in organic coatings and as conversion films/pre-treatments. In the context of the research topic “Celebrating 20 years of CICECO”, the main works reported herein are based on SECOP’s group (CICECO) main advances over the years. More specifically, this review describes structure and properties of LDH, delving into the corrosion field with description of pioneering works, use of LDH as additives to organic coatings, conversion layers, application in reinforced concrete and corrosion detection, and environmental impact of these materials. Moreover, the use of computational tools for the design of LDH materials and understanding of ion-exchange reactions is also presented. The review ends with a critical analysis of the field and future perspectives on the use of LDH for corrosion protection. From the work carried out LDH seem very tenable, versatile, and advantageous for corrosion protection applications, although several obstacles will have to be overcome before their use become commonplace.
Design of Sb2Te3 nanoblades serialized by Te nanowires for a low-temperature near-infrared photodetector
Authors: Yin Hong , Li Huaiyu , Yu Xiang-xiang , Cao Minglei
Published: November 2022

The dangling bond on the surface of bulk materials makes it difficult for a physically contacted heterojunction to form an ideal contact. Thus, periodic epitaxial junctions based on Sb2Te3 nanoblades serialized by Te nanowires (Sb2Te3/Te) were fabricated using a one-step hydrothermal epitaxial growth method. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy reveal that the as-prepared product has a good crystal shape and heterojunction construction, which are beneficial for a fast photoresponse due to the efficient separation of photogenerated carriers. When the Sb2Te3/Te composite is denoted as a photodetector, it shows superior light response performance. Electrical analysis showed that the photocurrent of the as-fabricated device declined with temperatures rising from 10K to 300K at 980 nm. The responsivity and detectivity were 9.5 × 1011 μA W−1 and 1.22 × 1011 Jones at 50 K, respectively, which shows better detection performance than those of other Te-based photodetector devices. Results suggest that the as-constructed near-infrared photodetector may exhibit prospective application in low-temperature photodetector devices.
Effects of daphnetin on biofilm formation and motility of pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Ye Zuoji , Ye Liumei , Li Dingbin , Lin Shunsheng , Deng Wusheng , Zhang Li , Liang Jinhua , Li Jinlong , Wei Qingjun , Wang Ke
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common clinical opportunistic pathogen. Antibiotic resistance of P. aeruginosa is frequent, and it affects the clinical curative effect and leads to recurrent infections, disease progression, and difficult treatment, especially in cystic fibrosis patients. The drug-resistance mechanism of P. aeruginosa is complex, and biofilms play an important role. Given the widespread antibiotic resistance of P. aeruginosa, the discovery of a drug that can prevent or eradicate biofilm formation is imperative. Daphnetin (DAP), a coumarin derivative, is a safe, non-toxic, natural compound with antibacterial and anti-biofilm properties. Herein, this study highlights the bacterial motility effects, antibacterial effect, pyocyanin production, and anti-biofilm potential of DAP against P. aeruginosa.

Methods

In this study, the minimal inhibitory concentration of DAP against P. aeruginosa was determined using the microdilution method. The antibiofilm activity of DAP against P. aeruginosa was determined using crystal violet staining, colony-forming unit enumeration, and scanning electron microscopy. The effect of DAP on P. aeruginosa motility was detected using the swimming, swarming, and twitching agar plates to measure the diameter of the concentric area.

Results

We found that DAP at concentrations of 0.445–1.781 mg/mL and 0.89–1.781 mg/mL can effectively inhibit biofilm formation and eradicate the formed biofilm of P. aeruginosa, respectively. DAP reduced pyocyanin production and inhibited bacterial motility of P. aeruginosa.

Discussion

In conclusion, our results support the conclusion that DAP can effectively eradicate formed biofilm and inhibit biofilm formation, bacterial motility, and pyocyanin production of P. aeruginosa and may represent a natural anti-biofilm therapeutic agent.
Interleukin-6 is better than C-reactive protein for the prediction of infected pancreatic necrosis and mortality in patients with acute pancreatitis
Authors: Li Jiarong , Chen Zhenping , Li Lei , Lai Tianming , Peng Hao , Gui Ling , He Wenhua
Published: November 2022

Introduction

This study aimed to identify whether interleukin-6 (IL-6) is better than C-reactive protein (CRP) for the prediction of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN), and mortality.

Methods

Sixty-seven patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) who were hospitalized within 48 h of onset and received serum CRP and IL-6 tests from September 2018 to September 2019 were included. Spearman’s correlation was performed to assess their associations with severity. The areas under the curve (AUCs) for the prediction of SAP, organ failure, pancreatic necrosis, IPN, and mortality were estimated using receiver operating characteristic curves.

Result

Serum CRP and IL-6 levels were significantly positively correlated with the severity of AP (p < 0.05). The AUC for the prediction of SAP based on the CRP level was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.66–0.89) and that based on the IL-6 level was 0.69 (95% CI, 0.56–0.82). For the prediction of organ failure and pancreatic necrosis, CRP was more accurate than IL-6 (AUC 0.80 vs. 0.72 and 0.75 vs. 0.68, respectively). However, CRP was less accurate than IL-6 for predicting mortality and IPN (AUC 0.70 vs. 0.75 and 0.65 vs. 0.81, respectively). Systemic inflammatory response syndrome plus CRP was more accurate than systemic inflammatory response syndrome plus IL-6 (AUC 0.79 vs. 0.72) for the prediction of SAP.

Conclusions

IL-6 was more accurate than CRP for predicting mortality and IPN in patients with AP.
Sentence repetition span in primary progressive aphasia and Alzheimer's disease: Insights from preliminary results
Authors: Arslan Seçkin , Plonka Alexandra , Mouton Aurélie , Lemaire Justine , Cogordan Magali Payne , Sacco Guillaume , Manera Valeria , Gros Auriane , Meunier Fanny
Published: November 2022

Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) is a neurocognitive disorder ascribed to cortical atrophy impacting language abilities. It is widely classified into three main variants, logopenic PPA (lvPPA), the semantic variant of PPA (svPPA), and the non-fluent PPA (nfvPPA), showing different impairment patterns across variants. However, in the early phases of PPA, it is not always easy to dissociate different PPA variants and distinguish PPA from other neurodegenerative disorders. One characteristic language symptom that seems to be a distinguishing factor of PPA, especially the logopenic variant, is impaired sentence repetition. Nonetheless, studies examining sentence repetition in PPA, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) more broadly, have resulted in mixed findings. To better understand the working memory-intensive nature of sentence repetition deficits, we designed a sentence repetition span task. We seek to understand (i) whether three diagnostic groups (lvPPA, svPPA, and AD) encounter greater sentence repetition difficulties than the controls, and (ii) whether using a span task design, in which the number of content words increases as the span length increases, would help dissociate PPA variants from AD type dementia. In this study, we administered a sentence repetition span task to four groups of French-speaking individuals with lvPPA (n = 14), svPPA (n = 5), and with AD (n = 13), and their age-matched healthy controls (n = 61). The results showed that all three diagnostic groups (lvPPA, svPPA, and AD) performed equally poorly compared to the controls on the repetition span task virtually in all measures (i.e., sentence span, the number of content words, and the number of omission and substitution errors). One intriguing finding was that the lvPPA group produced an exalted number of phonological errors during repeating sentences, while this type of error was somewhat moderate in the svPPA group and only minimal in the AD group. We conclude that the sentence repetition difficulty in PPA and AD should be modulated by working memory capacity, as our participants undoubtedly demonstrated greater difficulty as the span length increased. However, we note that working memory-intensive sentence repetition deficits based on the number of content words might not reveal critical diagnostic differences between the neurodegenerative groups.
Bibliometric and visual analysis of coronary microvascular dysfunction
Authors: Lin Xiaoxiao , Wu Guomin , Gao Beibei , Wang Shuai , Huang Jinyu
Published: November 2022

Background

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) may play an important role in various cardiovascular diseases, including HFpEF and both obstructive and non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). To date, there has been no bibliometric analysis to summarize this field. Here, we aim to conduct a bibliometric analysis of CMD to determine the current status and frontiers in this field.

Materials and methods

Publications about CMD were taken from the Web of Science Core Collection database (WOSCC). WOSCC’s literature analysis wire, the VOSviewer 1.6.16, and CiteSpace 5.1.3 were used to conduct the analysis.

Results

A total of 785 publications containing 206 reviews and 579 articles are included in the sample. The leading authors are Iacopo Olivotto, Paolo G. Camici, and Carl J. Pepine. The most productive institutions are the University of Florence, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, and Harvard University. The most productive countries are the USA, Italy, and England. There are a total of 237 journals that contribute to this field, and the leading journals in our study were the International Journal of Cardiology, the European Heart Journal and the JACC. From 2012 to 2021, the top three most-cited articles focused on the association between HFpEF and CMD. The important keywords are heart failure, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, chest pain, women, coronary flow reserve (CFR), endothelial dysfunction and prognostic value. “Positron emission tomography” shows the strongest burst strength, followed by “blow flow” and “artery.” The keywords that started to burst from 2015 are particularly emphasized, including “heart failure,” “coronary flow reserve,” and “management.”

Conclusion

Studies about CMD are relatively limited, and the largest contribution comes from the USA, Italy and England. More studies are needed, and publications from other countries should be enhanced. The main research hotspots in the CMD field include CMD in patients with HFpEF, sex differences, the new methods of diagnosis for CMD, and the effective treatment of CMD. Attention should be given to CMD in patients with HFpEF, and untangling the association between CMD and HFpEF could be helpful in the development of physiology-stratified treatment for patients with CMD and HFpEF.
Development and validation of a cardiovascular diseases risk prediction model for Chinese males (CVDMCM)
Authors: Shan Ying , Zhang Yucong , Zhao Yanping , Lu Yueqi , Chen Bangwei , Yang Liuqiao , Tan Cong , Bai Yong , Sang Yu , Liu Juehan , Jian Min , Ruan Lei , Zhang Cuntai , Li Tao
Published: November 2022

Background

Death due to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) increased significantly in China. One possible way to reduce CVD is to identify people at risk and provide targeted intervention. We aim to develop and validate a CVD risk prediction model for Chinese males (CVDMCM) to help clinicians identify those males at risk of CVD and provide targeted intervention.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 2,331 Chinese males without CVD at baseline to develop and internally validate the CVDMCM. These participants had a baseline physical examination record (2008–2016) and at least one revisit record by September 2019. With the full cohort, we conducted three models: A model with Framingham CVD risk model predictors; a model with predictors selected by univariate cox proportional hazard model adjusted for age; and a model with predictors selected by LASSO algorithm. Among them, the optimal model, CVDMCM, was obtained based on the Akaike information criterion, the Brier's score, and Harrell's C statistic. Then, CVDMCM, the Framingham CVD risk model, and the Wu's simplified model were all validated and compared. All the validation was carried out by bootstrap resampling strategy (TRIPOD statement type 1b) with the full cohort with 1,000 repetitions.

Results

CVDMCM's Harrell's C statistic was 0.769 (95% CI: 0.738–0.799), and D statistic was 4.738 (95% CI: 3.270–6.864). The results of Harrell's C statistic, D statistic and calibration plot demonstrated that CVDMCM outperformed the Framingham CVD model and Wu's simplified model for 4-year CVD risk prediction.

Conclusions

We developed and internally validated CVDMCM, which predicted 4-year CVD risk for Chinese males with a better performance than Framingham CVD model and Wu's simplified model. In addition, we developed a web calculator–calCVDrisk for physicians to conveniently generate CVD risk scores and identify those males with a higher risk of CVD.
Predictive ability of obesity- and lipid-related indicators for metabolic syndrome in relatively healthy Chinese adults
Authors: Duan Yuting , Zhang Weiguang , Li Zhe , Niu Yue , Chen Yizhi , Liu Xiaomin , Dong Zheyi , Zheng Ying , Chen Xizhao , Feng Zhe , Wang Yong , Zhao Delong , Liu Qiu , Li Hangtian , Peng Huifang , Sun Xuefeng , Cai Guangyan , Jiang Hongwei , Chen Xiangmei
Published: November 2022

Background and objective

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular complications and kidney damage. Obesity- and lipid-related indices are closely related to MetS, and different indices have different predictive abilities for MetS. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of eight obesity- and lipid-related indicators, namely, body mass index (BMI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), body roundness index (BRI), Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI), body adiposity index (BAI), abdominal volume index (AVI), triglyceride glucose index (TYG), and visceral adiposity index (VAI), for MetS.

Methods

A total of 1,452 relatively healthy people in Beijing were enrolled in 2016, and the correlation between the eight indicators and MetS was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to analyze the predictive ability of the eight indicators for MetS. The Delong test was used to compare the AUC values of the eight indicators. MetS was defined according to the Chinese Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes (2020 edition), the revised National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Group (NCEP-ATPIII), and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF).

Results

Using these three sets of criteria, LAP, TYG, CVAI, and VAI, which are based on blood lipids, had higher AUC values for MetS prediction than BMI, BRI, AVI, and BAI, which are based on anthropometry. LAP had the highest AUC values of 0.893 (0.874–0.912), 0.886 (0.869–0.903), and 0.882 (0.864–0.899), separately, based on the three sets of criteria.

Conclusion

The eight obesity- and lipid-related indicators had screening value for MetS in relatively healthy people, and of the eight indicators, LAP performed the best.
The role of vitamin D on rotator cuff tear with osteoporosis
Authors: Liu Gejun , Li Wenjun , Zhang Liyun , Zhou Chao , Cong Ruijun
Published: November 2022

Backgrounds

Osteoporosis (OP) is an important risk factor for rotator cuff tears (RCTs). However, the relationship and mechanism between rotator cuff injury and osteoporosis are unclear. Therefore, to investigate association between rotator cuff injury and osteoporosis, and find clinical characteristics, bone mineral density, bone metabolism markers, and nutrient levels in rotator cuff injury patients with or without osteoporosis.

Methods

One hundred and four cases of patients (RCTs, n=32; RCTs-OP, n=72) who underwent rotator cuff injury and need arthroscopic rotator cuff repair between June 2021 and February 2022, along with the diagnosis of osteoporosis were identified from the dual-energy X-ray bone density screening(DXA). The outcome measure includes clinical characteristics, bone mineral density, bone metabolism markers, vitamins, and amino acids. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to build a predicting model incorporating the feature selected in the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression model. Discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness of the predicting model were assessed using the C-index, calibration plot, and decision curve analysis. Internal validation was assessed using bootstrapping validation.

Results

OP with RCTs has a lower level of in 25-vitD, osteocalcin (OCN), serum Ca2+, ornithine, diaminocaproic_acid but the high level of Vitamin_B12, PTH, Vitamin_D3,γ_aminobutyric_acid, Vitamin_C and Vitamin_E than RCTs patients without OP. Predictors contained in the prediction nomogram included lumber T score, femur T score, Niacin_B3, and vitamin D, reflecting the combined effect of vitamins on RCTs-related OP progression. The model has good discriminative ability with a C-index of 0.938(95% CI:-1.83-1.39) and good scaling ability. The high C-index value of 0.95 is still achievable with range validation. Analysis of decision curves showed that non-adherence is clinically useful when intervention decisions are at the 14% probability limit of non-adherence.

Conclusion

This study supports the hypothesis that lumber T score, femur T score, Niacin_B3, and Vitamin D are valuable prognostic biomarkers on RCTs related OP progression.

What is known about the subject

It is found that vitamin D are valuable prognostic biomarkers, reflecting the combined effect of vitamins on RCTs related OP progression.

What this study adds to existing knowledge

These findings also highlight that nutrients condition such as vitamins and amino acids of patients provide a new understanding of the development of RCTs.
Effects of obesity indices/GDM on the pregnancy outcomes in Chinese women: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Song Zhimin , Cheng Yan , Li Tingting , Fan Yongfang , Zhang Qingying , Cheng Haidong
Published: November 2022

Objective

To analyze pregnancy complications and outcomes of mothers with obesity or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods

15065 mothers were categorized into four and three groups by pre-pregnancy body mass index (preBMI) and abdominal circumference (AC), respectively, or divided into GDM or non-GDM groups. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to identify independent factors associated with pregnancy complications and outcomes.

Results

The overweight and obesity groups accounted for 16.0% and 4.0% of the total population, respectively. GDM incidence rate was 12.3%. The overweight and obesity groups (pre-pregnancy body mass index [preBMI] ≥ 24 kg/m2) were at higher risks for GDM, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), gestational proteinuria, postpartum hemorrhage, preterm delivery, fetal malformation or stillbirth, neonatal asphyxia, large for gestational age (LGA), shoulder dystocia, and increased cesarean section rate. Similar results were obtained with AC grouping. GDM pregnant women had higher risks of HDP, preterm delivery, small for gestational age (SGA), LGA, and increased cesarean section rate.

Conclusion

People with obesity had a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. The recommended preBMI is 19.2-22.7 kg/m2. The recommended AC at 11-13+6 gestational weeks is 74.0-84.0 cm, and that value in normal preBMI is 74.0-82.0 cm.
Correlation of thyroid-related hormones with vascular complications in type 2 diabetes patients with euthyroid
Authors: Lin Jie , Xiang Xin , Qin Yahui , Gui Jing , Wan Qin
Published: November 2022

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between thyroid-related hormones and vascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with euthyroidism.

Methods

We enrolled 849 patients with T2DM after screening out the ineligible. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between fT3, fT4, the fT3/fT4 ratio, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and diabetic vascular complications. Spearman correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between thyroid-related hormones and vascular complications.

Results

In this cross-sectional study of T2DM, 538 patients with carotid atherosclerosis (CA) and 299 patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). The prevalence of DPN was negatively correlated with fT3 and the fT3/fT4 ratio but positively correlated with fT4 (all P<0.01). At the same time, the odds ratio for DPN decreased with increasing fT3 (T1: reference; T2: OR: 0.689, 95%CI: 0.477, 0.993; T3: OR: 0.426, 95% CI: 0.286, 0.633, all P<0.05) and fT3/fT4 ratio (T1: reference; T2: OR: 0.528, 95% CI: 0.365, 0.763; T3: OR: 0.413, 95% CI: 0.278, 0.613, all P<0.001). In terms of sensitivity and specificity, fT4 was found to be 39.5% and 71.4% accurate, respectively, with a 95% CI of 0.531-0.611.

Conclusions

We found a negative correlation between fT3 and fT3/fT4 ratio and the number of individuals with DPN, and a positive correlation between fT4 and the prevalence of DPN.
Metabolomics study identified bile acids as potential biomarkers for gastric cancer: A case control study
Authors: Pan Chen , Deng Dawei , Wei Tianfu , Wu Zeming , Zhang Biao , Yuan Qihang , Liang Guogang , Liu Yanfeng , Yin Peiyuan
Published: November 2022

Gastric cancer (GC) is a common lethal malignancy worldwide. Gastroscopy is an effective screening technique for decreasing mortality. However, there are still limited useful non-invasive markers for early detection of GC. Bile acids are important molecules for the modulation of energy metabolism. With an in-depth targeted method for accurate quantitation of 80 bile acids (BAs), we aimed to find potential biomarkers for the early screening of GC. A cohort with 280 participants was enrolled, including 113 GC, 22 benign gastric lesions (BGL) and 145 healthy controls. Potential markers were identified using a random forest machine algorithm in the discovery cohort (n=180), then validated in an internal validation cohort (n=78) and a group with 22 BGL. The results represented significant alterations in the circulating BA pool between GC and the controls. BAs also exhibited significant correlations with various clinical traits. Then, we developed a diagnostic panel that comprised six BAs or ratios for GC detection. The panel showed high accuracy for the diagnosis of GC with AUC of 1 (95%CI: 1.00-1.00) and 0.98 (95%CI: 0.93-1.00) in the discovery and validation cohort, respectively. This 6-BAs panel was also able to identify early GC with AUC of 1 (95%CI: 0.999-1.00) and 0.94 (95%CI: 0.83-1.00) in the discovery and validation cohort, respectively. Meanwhile, this panel achieved a good differential diagnosis between GC and BGL and the AUC was 0.873 (95%CI: 0.812-0.934). The alternations of serum bile acids are characteristic metabolic features of GC. Bile acids could be promising biomarkers for the early diagnosis of GC.
Childhood obesity and central precocious puberty
Authors: Shi Li , Jiang Zhiyan , Zhang Li
Published: November 2022

Childhood obesity is a major public health problem worldwide, and the relationship between obesity and central precocious puberty has long been confirmed, however, the mechanisms underlying this association remain elusive. This review provides an overview of the recent progress regarding how childhood obesity impacts on hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and pubertal onset, focusing on adipokines (leptin and ghrelin), hormone (insulin), and lipid (ceramide), as well as critical signaling pathways (AMPK/SIRT, mTOR) that integrate the peripheral metabolism and central circuits. Notably, prevention of obesity and CPP is beneficial for the adult life of the children, thus we further summarize the potential strategies in treating and preventing childhood obesity and CPP. The updated understanding of metabolic stress and pediatric endocrine disease will arise the attention of society, and also contribute to preventing more serious comorbidities in the later period of life in children.
Influence of a complex impeller with tip clearance on the internal and external characteristics of a multiphase pump
Authors: Yao Xin , Shi Guangtai , Wen Haigang , Huang Zongliu
Published: November 2022

With the exploitation of deep sea and desert oil fields, multiphase pumps have come into the public eye. However, due to the nature of the medium and operating environment, the performance of traditional multiphase pumps has diminished, leading to problems such as increased recovery cycles and rising costs. In order to obtain a high-head, high-reliability multiphase pump, this paper uses the model optimization method to design a complex pattern impeller. The best complex impeller with 17.25% increase in head was selected with the external characteristics as the optimization index, and a comparative analysis of the internal flow field was carried out between the complex impeller and original impeller when the inlet gas volume fraction was 10%. The results show that in the complex impeller, the short blade reduced the proportion of the high-speed zone, inhibited the appearance of the main blade suction surface low-speed zone, and significantly improved the return flow. The slope of the pressure boosting curve at the relative position 1.5–2.0 was increased, and the pressure boosting capacity was increased by 16.34 kPa. The short blade weakens the leakage movement while reducing the pressure effect on the main blade. In addition, the short blade not only improved the gas phase gathering but also reduced its size and made it closer to the main blade suction surface, which improved the uniformity of the gas phase distribution in the flow channel and also enhanced the inlet flow capacity. The results can provide a reference for future optimization and performance improvement of multiphase pump models.
Methodology, assessment and application of biotope mapping for urban parks in China: A case study on Riverside Park, Yichang
Authors: Zhao Cong-cong , Yang Yu-Qi , Hu Yuan-Dong
Published: November 2022

China, like many other countries in the world, has declining biodiversity caused by urbanization. Urban parks are a patchwork of distinct biotopes and have significant conservation value for biodiversity. Biotope mapping is an essential tool for urban biodiversity conservation, ecological spatial planning and ecosystem management, however there are few studies on it in China. This study explores a practical scheme of biotope classification, assessment and application for urban parks. The classification scheme which integrated vegetation structure was updated to make it clearer and more appropriate for urban parks in factor selection and grade. To identify problems in the biotope, the assessment tool assessed biotope fragmentation and spontaneous vegetation diversity. The number of patches (NP), mean patch size (MPS) and fragmentation index (FI) were used to measure biotope fragmentation, and for species level the richness index and the Jaccard index were selected. These methods were applied to Riverside Park, Yichang as a case study site to verify the applicability and explore methods for biodiversity conservation and restoration based on biotope mapping. The results show that this classification scheme has the potential to become a standard system for urban parks in China, according to the advantages of recognition of human activities and other species, and easy learning. It is also shows that the evaluation method integrating fragmentation and diversity is feasible and reliable to identify the problems of biotope types, and practical strategies are developed according to the assessment results. Our findings provide guidance and reference for professionals on a new method to take urban biodiversity conservation and restoration from research to practice.
Comparing satellite image and GIS data classified local climate zones to assess urban heat island: A case study of Guangzhou
Authors: Xu Xiang , Qiu Waishan , Li Wenjing , Huang Dingxi , Li Xiaohui , Yang Sijie
Published: November 2022

Cities are frontlines to tackle climate change challenges including the urban heat island (UHI) effect. The classification and mapping of local climate zones (LCZs) can effectively and consistently describe the urban surface structure across urban regions. This study pays attention to two mainstream methods in classifying LCZs, namely, by using geographic information system (GIS) data such as building footprints or remote sensing (RS) satellite images. Little has been done to compare the divergence and coherence of the abovementioned two methods in modeling UHI. Thus, by comparing pairwise LCZ classes of different urban form characteristics in Guangzhou, this study investigated how GIS- and RS-based approaches complement or conflict with each other in explaining the variance of UHI measured by land surface temperature (LST). First, while both GIS-based (R2 0.724) and RS-based (R2 0.729) approaches can effectively explain heat risks measured by LST, the RS-based method slightly outperforms the GIS counterpart. Second, the sizes of LCZs classified by two methods in urban core districts tend to converge but diverge in urban outskirts with disparities in low-rise urban forms. Both approaches found that LCZs with higher heights are all cooler among compact forms. LCZ E is always related to the highest average LST, and LCZ 7, 8, and 10 contribute significantly to heat islands from both GIS and RS results. This study has developed a comparable framework that is evident based for city planners, architects, and urban policy makers to evaluate which approaches can more accurately reveal relations between UHI and urban geometry with land cover.
Green HRM and employee efficiency: The mediating role of employee motivation in emerging small businesses
Authors: Khan Ali Junaid , Ul Hameed Waseem , Iqbal Jawad , Shah Ashfaq Ahmad , Tariq Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman , Bashir Furrukh
Published: November 2022

The modern organizational structure expects that the human resource department should train the employees effectively to sustain the environment. This study aims to understand the role of green human resource management (GHRM) in the efficiency of organizations’ employees in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of Pakistan. The questionnaire was developed on a five-point Likert scale to collect primary data from the target respondents, and the target respondents of this study were the employees of SMEs in Pakistan. The results of the study indicate that GHRM is an important tool to motivate and train employees, which ultimately increases the efficiency of employees. This study demonstrates that the SMEs in Pakistan need to consider the critical role of GHRM as it is emerging and provides reliable resources as per the organization’s requirements for better performance. This study provides recommendation for future studies to consider and contribute to the literature and to the practices of SMEs in Pakistan for the efficiency of their employees.
The temporal and spatial patterns and contributing factors of green development in the Chinese service industry
Authors: Chen Baoqi , Xu Xiaotong , Zhang Yuchang , Wang Jia
Published: November 2022

The service industry has become the driving force of Chinese economic development. Promoting the green and high-quality development of the service industry is of great significance to the realization of the “dual carbon” goal. The current studies use the DEA-Malmquist index method to measure the green total factor productivity of the service industry in 31 provinces and cities in China from 2009 to 2019. The spatial correlation characteristics and contributing factors to the green development of the service industry are analyzed through the social network analysis method. Our results show that the added value of the service industry accounts for a high proportion of GDP. However, the service industries are not green enough due to their large low added value and high energy consumption sections. The green development of the service industry shows complex spatial correlation characteristics, and the service industry in the eastern province is the core of the spatial network. The bridge mediating effect of green development of the service industry in the southern region is significant. The green development of the service sector has a significant spatial spillover effect, and no region can be good alone in green development. Provinces should cooperate to promote green development in the service industry.
Dynamic changes in soil moisture in three typical landscapes of the Heihe River Basin
Authors: Gou Qianqian , Guo Wenting , Li Yuda , Liu Jing , Wang Guohua
Published: November 2022

The water diversion scheme of Heihe River Basin was implemented in 2000. Herein, we investigated the dynamic changes in soil moisture content and analyzed the fundamental reasons supporting the water diversion plan in this typical inland river basin in northwest China. Accordingly, we selected three typical landscape gradients—a mountain water conservation forest belt, an artificial sand-fixing forest belt at the edge of a desert oasis, and a desert riparian forest belt in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Heihe River Basin, respectively. In these diverse landscapes, an environmental measuring system was used to continuously monitor the dynamic and differentiation regularity of soil moisture in the 0–160 cm layer for 5 years. The results revealed that 1) the soil moisture content in each landscape increased and varied significantly across seasons. In the upper and middle reaches, the soil moisture content was significantly higher during the growing season than in the non-growing season, whereas the lower reach displayed a converse pattern. 2) The distribution of soil moisture at various depths of soil profiles varied significantly for each landscape. As the soil depth increased, the soil moisture in the upper reach decreased. Although the deep layers (120–160 cm) could store water in the non-growing season, the stored water was consumed during the growing season. The soil moisture content in the mid-reach initially increased, later decreased, and ultimately attained its highest level at 40–60 cm; however, the soil moisture content in the lower reach increased, and reached its highest level at 120–160 cm. 3) In the upper and middle reaches, the coefficient of variation of soil moisture decreased with an increasing soil depth, whereas the lower reach exhibited a converse trend. Similarly, the coefficient of variation of soil water storage were higher during the non-growing season than during the growing season within the upper and middle reaches, whereas an opposite trend was observed in the lower reach. 4) Since the implementation of the Heihe river water diversion plan, the soil moisture content in both the upper and middle reaches have increased but that of the lower reach has fluctuated and declined, especially in the shallow depths during the growing season. The present findings imply that the lower reaches of the Heihe River may require additional water transfers during the growing season.
Case Report: Precision genetic diagnosis in a case of Dyggve-Melchior-Clausen syndrome reveals paternal isodisomy and heterodisomy of chromosome 18 with imprinting clinical implications
Authors: López-Garrido María-Pilar , Carrascosa-Romero María-Carmen , Montero-Hernández Minerva , Serrano-Martínez Caridad-María , Sánchez-Sánchez Francisco
Published: November 2022

A twelve-year-old patient with a previous clinical diagnosis of spondylocostal skeletal dysplasia and moderate intellectual disability was genetically analyzed through next generation sequencing of a targeted gene panel of 179 genes associated to skeletal dysplasia and mucopolysaccharidosis in order to stablish a precision diagnosis. A homozygous nonsense [c.62C>G; p.(Ser21Ter)] mutation inDYMgene was identified in the patient. Null mutations inDYMhave been associated to Dyggve-Melchior-Clausen syndrome, which is a rare autosomal-recessive disorder characterized by skeletal dysplasia and mental retardation, compatible with the patient´s phenotype. To confirm the pathogenicity of this mutation, a segregation analysis was carried out, revealing that the mutation p(Ser21Ter) was solely inherited from the father, who is a carrier of the mutation, while the mother does not carry the mutation. With the suspicion that a paternal disomy could be causing the disease, a series of microsatellite markers in chromosome 18, where theDYMgene is harbored, was analyzed in all the members of the family. Haplotype analysis provided strong evidence of paternal isodisomy and heterodisomy in that chromosome, confirming the pathological effect of this mutation. Furthermore, the patient may have a compromised expression of theELOA3gene due to modifications in the genomic imprinting that may potentially increase the risk of digestive cancer. All these results highlight the importance of obtaining a precision diagnosis in rare diseases.
Case report and a brief review: Analysis and challenges of prenatal imaging phenotypes and genotypes in Joubert syndrome
Authors: Huang Ling-Xi , Lu Xian-Gui , Liu Jiao-Xiang , Xu Ling , Shang Ning , Guo Li , OuYang Yan-Chun
Published: November 2022

Prenatal imaging phenotypes and genotypes were analyzed in 13 cases prenatally diagnosed with Joubert syndrome (JS), all of which underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, and genetic testing. Prenatal MRI diagnosed 10 cases as JS with a typical molar tooth sign (MTS), while prenatal ultrasound diagnosed or suspiciously diagnosed 11 cases as JS with typical or mild MTS in 10 cases. Mutations in JS-related genes and other prenatal JS imaging phenotypes were identified in 10 cases, including OFD1 in two cases [cerebellar vermis (CV) absence, posterior fossa dilation, ventriculomegaly, polydactyly, malformations of cortical development (MCD), and persistent left superior vena cava], TMEM67 in two cases (CV absence, polydactyly, hyperechoic kidneys or polycystic kidneys, posterior fossa dilation, and ventriculomegaly), CC2D2A in two cases (CV absence, polydactyly, MCD, agenesis of the corpus callosum, encephalocele and hydrocephalus, ventriculomegaly, and posterior fossa dilation), RPGRIP1L in one case (CV absence), TCTN3 in one case (CV absence, polydactyly, MCD, and posterior fossa dilation), CEP290 in one case (CV absence and polycystic kidney), and NPHP1 in one case (CV absence). The prenatal diagnosis of JS presents a number of challenges, including the variants of unknown significance, the lack of functional assessment in prenatal imaging, unclear phenotype–genotype relationships in prenatal evaluation, and the incorrect identification of the JS hallmark, the MTS, in prenatal imaging, especially on ultrasound. Although combined MRI, ultrasound, and exome sequencing could help improve the prenatal diagnosis of JS, there still exist significant challenges.
Paternal epigenetic influences on placental health and their impacts on offspring development and disease
Authors: Bhadsavle Sanat S. , Golding Michael C.
Published: November 2022

Our efforts to understand the developmental origins of birth defects and disease have primarily focused on maternal exposures and intrauterine stressors. Recently, research into non-genomic mechanisms of inheritance has led to the recognition that epigenetic factors carried in sperm also significantly impact the health of future generations. However, although researchers have described a range of potential epigenetic signals transmitted through sperm, we have yet to obtain a mechanistic understanding of how these paternally-inherited factors influence offspring development and modify life-long health. In this endeavor, the emerging influence of the paternal epigenetic program on placental development, patterning, and function may help explain how a diverse range of male exposures induce comparable intergenerational effects on offspring health. During pregnancy, the placenta serves as the dynamic interface between mother and fetus, regulating nutrient, oxygen, and waste exchange and coordinating fetal growth and maturation. Studies examining intrauterine maternal stressors routinely describe alterations in placental growth, histological organization, and glycogen content, which correlate with well-described influences on infant health and adult onset of disease. Significantly, the emergence of similar phenotypes in models examining preconception male exposures indicates that paternal stressors transmit an epigenetic memory to their offspring that also negatively impacts placental function. Like maternal models, paternally programmed placental dysfunction exerts life-long consequences on offspring health, particularly metabolic function. Here, focusing primarily on rodent models, we review the literature and discuss the influences of preconception male health and exposure history on placental growth and patterning. We emphasize the emergence of common placental phenotypes shared between models examining preconception male and intrauterine stressors but note that the direction of change frequently differs between maternal and paternal exposures. We posit that alterations in placental growth, histological organization, and glycogen content broadly serve as reliable markers of altered paternal developmental programming, predicting the emergence of structural and metabolic defects in the offspring. Finally, we suggest the existence of an unrecognized developmental axis between the male germline and the extraembryonic lineages that may have evolved to enhance fetal adaptation.
Detection and evolutionary dynamics of somatic FAS variants in autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome: Diagnostic implications
Authors: Batlle-Masó Laura , Garcia-Prat Marina , Parra-Martínez Alba , Franco-Jarava Clara , Aguiló-Cucurull Aina , Velasco Pablo , Antolín María , Rivière Jacques G. , Martín-Nalda Andrea , Soler-Palacín Pere , Martínez-Gallo Mónica , Colobran Roger
Published: November 2022

Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) is a rare primary immune disorder characterized by impaired apoptotic homeostasis. The clinical characteristics include lymphoproliferation, autoimmunity (mainly cytopenia), and an increased risk of lymphoma. A distinctive biological feature is accumulation (>2.5%) of an abnormal cell subset composed of TCRαβ+ CD4-CD8- T cells (DNTs). The most common genetic causes of ALPS are monoallelic pathogenic variants in the FAS gene followed by somatic FAS variants, mainly restricted to DNTs. Identification of somatic FAS variants has been typically addressed by Sanger sequencing in isolated DNTs. However, this approach can be costly and technically challenging, and may not be successful in patients with normal DNT counts receiving immunosuppressive treatment. In this study, we identified a novel somatic mutation in FAS (c.718_719insGTCG) by Sanger sequencing on purified CD3+ cells. We then followed the evolutionary dynamics of the variant along time with an NGS-based approach involving deep amplicon sequencing (DAS) at high coverage (20,000-30,000x). Over five years of clinical follow-up, we obtained six blood samples for molecular study from the pre-treatment (DNTs>7%) and treatment (DNTs<2%) periods. DAS enabled detection of the somatic variant in all samples, even the one obtained after five years of immunosuppressive treatment (DNTs: 0.89%). The variant allele frequency (VAF) range was 4%-5% in pre-treatment samples and <1.5% in treatment samples, and there was a strong positive correlation between DNT counts and VAF (Pearson’s R: 0.98, p=0.0003). We then explored whether the same approach could be used in a discovery setting. In the last follow-up sample (DNT: 0.89%) we performed somatic variant calling on the FAS exon 9 DAS data from whole blood and purified CD3+ cells using VarScan 2. The c.718_719insGTCG variant was identified in both samples and showed the highest VAF (0.67% blood, 1.58% CD3+ cells) among >400 variants called. In summary, our study illustrates the evolutionary dynamics of a somatic FAS mutation before and during immunosuppressive treatment. The results show that pathogenic somatic FAS variants can be identified with the use of DAS in whole blood of ALPS patients regardless of their DNT counts.
Transcriptomic study reveals lncRNA-mediated downregulation of innate immune and inflammatory response in the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination breakthrough infections
Authors: Chattopadhyay Partha , Mishra Pallavi , Mehta Priyanka , Soni Jyoti , Gupta Rohit , Tarai Bansidhar , Budhiraja Sandeep , Pandey Rajesh
Published: November 2022

Introduction

The emergence of multiple variants of concerns (VOCs) with higher number of Spike mutations have led to enhanced immune escape by the SARS-CoV-2. With the increasing number of vaccination breakthrough (VBT) infections, it is important to understand the possible reason/s of the breakthrough infections.

Methods

We performed transcriptome sequencing of 57 VBT and unvaccinated COVID-19 patients, followed by differential expression and co-expression analysis of the lncRNAs and the mRNAs. The regulatory mechanism was highlighted by analysis towards repeat element distribution within the co-expressed lncRNAs, followed by repeats driven homologous interaction between the lncRNAs and the promoter regions of genes from the same topologically associated domains (TAD).

Results

We identified 727 differentially expressed lncRNAs (153 upregulated and 574 downregulated) and 338 mRNAs (34 up- and 334 downregulated) in the VBT patients. This includes LUCAT1, MALAT1, ROR1-AS1, UGDH-AS1 and LINC00273 mediated modulation of immune response, whereas MALAT1, NEAT1 and GAS5 regulated inflammatory response in the VBT. LncRNA-mRNA co-expression analysis highlighted 34 lncRNAs interacting with 267 mRNAs. We also observed a higher abundance of Alu, LINE1 and LTRs within the interacting lncRNAs of the VBT patients. These interacting lncRNAs have higher interaction with the promoter region of the genes from the same TAD, compared to the non-interacting lncRNAs with the enrichment of Alu and LINE1 in the gene promoter.

Discussion

Significant downregulation and GSEA of the TAD gene suggest Alu and LINE1 driven homologous interaction between the lncRNAs and the TAD genes as a possible mechanism of lncRNA-mediated suppression of innate immune/inflammatory responses and activation of adaptive immune response. The lncRNA-mediated suppression of innate immune/inflammatory responses and activation of adaptive immune response might explain the SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections with milder symptoms in the VBT. Besides, the study also highlights repeat element mediated regulation of genes in 3D as another possible way of lncRNA-mediated immune-regulation modulating vaccination breakthroughs milder disease phenotype and shorter hospital stay.