bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hydroxyapatite as Remineralization Agent for Children's Dental Care
Authors: Meyer Frederic , Enax Joachim , Amaechi Bennett Tochukwu , Limeback Hardy , Fabritius Helge-Otto , Ganss Bernhard , Pawinska Malgorzata , Paszynska Elzbieta
Published: April 2022

Children are prone to develop dental caries. This is supported by epidemiological data confirming early childhood caries (ECC) as a highly prevalent disease affecting more than every second child worldwide. ECC is known to result from an imbalance between re- and demineralization where demineralization dominates due to frequent acid production by cariogenic bacteria present in oral biofilms. The application of oral care formulations containing remineralizing agents helps to prevent dental caries. As young children are sensitive and usually swallow (intended or unintended) a majority of toothpaste or other oral care products during daily dental care, all ingredients, especially the actives, should be non-toxic. Biomimetic hydroxyapatite [HAP; Ca5(PO4)3(OH)] is known to have favorable remineralizing properties combined with an excellent biocompatibility, i.e., it is safe if accidently swallowed. Several clinical trials as well as in situ and in vitro studies have shown that HAP remineralizes enamel and dentin. Remineralization occurs due to deposition of HAP particles on tooth surfaces forming mineral-mineral bridges with enamel crystals, but also indirectly through calcium and phosphate ions release as well as HAP's buffering properties in acidic environments (i.e., in plaque). HAP induces a homogenous remineralization throughout the subsurface enamel lesions. This review summarizes the current evidence showing HAP as an effective remineralizing agent in oral care products for children. Additional studies showing also further beneficial effects of HAP such as the reduction of biofilm formation and the relief of hypersensitivity in children with molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH). It can be concluded that HAP is an effective and safe remineralizing agent for child dental care.
ADCP Observations of Currents and Suspended Sediment in the Macrotidal Gulf of Martaban, Myanmar
Authors: Harris Courtney K. , Wacht Jacob T. , Fair Matthew J. , Côté Jessica M.
Published: April 2022

The Ayeyarwady and Thanlwin Rivers, which drain Myanmar, together form one of the largest point sources of freshwater and sediment to the global ocean. Combined, these rivers annually deliver an estimated 485 Mt of sediment to the northern Andaman Sea. This sediment contributes to a perennially muddy zone within the macro-tidal Gulf of Martaban, but little is known about the processes that dominate dispersal and trapping of sediment there, as very few water column observations are available. A research cruise in December 2017 provided a rare opportunity to obtain Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) data along transects from the Gulf of Martaban and adjacent continental shelf. Two transects were obtained from the outer portion of the Gulf of Martaban in water depths that ranged from about 20–35 m. These showed very fast currents, especially during flood tide conditions, exceeding 1.5 m/s. The backscatter record from the ADCP indicated asymmetries in distribution of suspended sediment during the ebb versus flood phase of the tide. During ebb tidal conditions, the backscatter record indicated that sediment was transported in either a surface advected layer, or fairly well-mixed throughout the water column. In contrast, during flood tidal conditions, sediment was confined to the bottom boundary layer, even though the velocities were faster during flood than the ebb conditions. The vertical structure of the currents during flood tide conditions indicated the presence of sediment–induced stratification because currents within the near-bed turbid layers were relatively slow, but speeds increased markedly above these layers. This albeit limited dataset provides an exciting glimpse into the dynamics of sediment transport within the muddy, macrotidal Gulf of Martaban, and implies the importance of tidal straining and bottom nepheloid layer formation there.
Source-Reservoir Characteristics and Accumulation of Gas Chimney-Type Gas Hydrates in Qiongdongnan Basin, Northern South China Sea
Authors: Fan Qi , Li Qingping , Zhou Shouwei , Li Lixia , Zhu Zhenyu , Lv Xin
Published: April 2022

The Qiongdongnan Basin is an important gas hydrate exploration area in the South China Sea, but the gas hydrate accumulation process is poorly understood. By selecting an Lingshui (LS) target area and using first-hand geochemical data, three-dimensional seismic data, and an independent thermal insulation and pressure maintaining shipborne core analysis system, in this study, comprehensive geological evaluation was carefully conducted around the gas source and reservoir of the gas chimney hydrates, and the accumulation process was investigated. Geochemical data for a total of 47 sets of gas samples revealed that the gas source of the hydrates in the study area was mainly thermogenic gas supplemented by mixed gas. It was predicted that the contribution of the thermogenic gas to the hydrate accumulation was up to 70%. Using the independent shipborne core analysis system, the characteristics of the low-temperature combustible gas hydrates were determined, and the reservoir in the study area was characterized as non-diagenetic to weakly diagenetic, rich in clay and silt (D50 = 15.1–34.1 μm), weakly self-sustaining, and strongly heterogeneous. Based on the differentiated seismic response of the hydrate layer-gas bearing hydrate layer-shallow gas layer at the top of the gas chimney, the accumulation process in the target area was determined to be as follows: remote thermogenic gas transportation, local microbial genetic gas accumulation, episodic dynamic gas chimney reservoir formation, and source-reservoir control. In addition, the exploration ideas of an effective supply from a gas source and a shallow large-scale sand body are emphasized. The results of this study provide an important reference for the trial production of natural gas hydrates in the South China Sea.
Structural Analysis and Evolution Model of the Longmaxi Formation in the Yanjin–Junlian Area of the Southern Sichuan Basin, China
Authors: Wang Huaimin , Fan Cunhui , Fang Yi , Zhao Shengxian , Shi Xiangchao , Liu Jianfeng , Yang Hongfeng , Hu Jun , Lian Chengbo
Published: April 2022

The Longmaxi Formation in the southern Sichuan Basin is an important target for shale gas exploration and development. The characteristics and stages of structural development significantly impact shale gas preservation and enrichment. Taking the Longmaxi Formation in the Yanjin–Junlian area of the southern Sichuan Basin as an example and based on the results of surface and underground structural analysis, fluid inclusion tests, apatite fission track experiments, and burial-thermal evolution history analysis, a comprehensive study of the development characteristics and structural stages of the Longmaxi Formation was carried out, and an evolution model was developed. (1) The Longmaxi Formation of the Yanjin–Junlian area has been affected by multistage structural movements and exhibits structural compounding and superposition corresponding to different stages. The formation of surface tracks of the folds and faults has been affected by multidirectional extrusion stresses of the near SN, NE, and near EW. There are three stages of underground faults in the Longmaxi Formation, and the strikes are nearly EW, NE, and nearly SN. (2) Three distribution intervals for the homogenization temperature ranges of fracture fillings are 161–195°C, 121–143°C, and 74–105°C. The apatite thermal history simulation reveals that the Longmaxi Formation experienced three stages of tectonic movement after its formation. (3) There were clearly three stages in the structural development of the Longmaxi Formation in this area: the late Jurassic–Palaeocene (55 ± 5–38 ± 2 Ma), Eocene–early Miocene (38 ± 2–15.5 ± 3.5 Ma), and late Miocene-present (15.5 ± 3.5 Ma–present). Thus, a compound fracture system with superimposed structural deformations in different directions and at different stages formed in the study area. (4) A model for the stages and development of structural tracks in the Longmaxi Formation was established in conjunction with structural analysis and geomechanical theory. The results have guiding significance for the evaluation of shale gas preservation conditions and accumulation in the study area.
Possible Lagged Impact of the Arctic Sea Ice in Barents–Kara Seas on June Precipitation in Eastern China
Authors: Yang Huidi , Rao Jian , Chen Haishan
Published: April 2022

Based on the Hadley Centre sea ice concentration, the ERA5 reanalysis, and three precipitation datasets, the possible lagged impact of the Barents–Kara sea ice on June rainfall across China is investigated. Using the singular value decomposition, it is revealed that the state of sea ice concentration in Barents–Kara Seas from November to December is closely related to regional precipitation in June, which is most evident across the Yangtze–Huai Rivers Valley and South China. Possible pathways from preceding Arctic sea ice concentration to June precipitation are examined and discussed. First, the sea ice concentration usually has a long memory, which exerts a long-lasting and lagged impact, although the sea ice anomaly amplitude gradually weakens from early winter to early summer. Second, an increase in Barents–Kara sea ice usually corresponds to a stronger stratospheric polar vortex in midwinter by suppressing extratropical wave activities, which is projected to the positive phase of northern annular mode (NAM). Strong vortex gradually recovers to its normal state and even weakens in spring, which corresponds to the negative NAM response from spring to early summer. Third, the stratospheric anomalies associated with the Barents–Kara sea ice variations propagate downward. Due to the out-of-phase relationship between the lower and upper stratospheric circulation anomalies after midwinter, westerly anomalies in midwinter are followed by easterly anomalies in later months in the circumpolar region, consistent with the positive NAM response in midwinter, negative NAM response in spring, and a wave train-like response in early summer to Barents–Kara sea ice increase (and vice versa). The observed lagged impact of Barents–Kara sea ice on China rainfall in June is limitedly simulated in the ten CMIP6 models used in this study.
ENSO Diversity Simulated in a Revised Cane-Zebiak Model
Authors: Geng Licheng , Jin Fei-Fei
Published: April 2022

The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon features rich sea surface temperature (SST) spatial pattern variations dominated by the Central Pacific (CP) and Eastern Pacific (EP) patterns during its warm phase. Understanding such ENSO pattern diversity has been a subject under extensive research activity. To provide a framework for unveiling the fundamental dynamics of ENSO diversity, an intermediate coupled model based on the Cane-Zebiak-type framework, named RCZ, is established in this study. Compared with the original Cane-Zebiak model, RCZ consists of revised model formulation and well-tuned parameterization schemes. All model components are carefully validated against the observations via the standalone mode, in which the observed anomalous SST (wind stress) forcing is prescribed to drive the atmospheric (oceanic) component. The superiority of RCZ’s model components over those in the original Cane-Zebiak model is evidenced by their better performance in simulating the observations. Coupled simulation with RCZ satisfactorily reproduces aspects of the observed ENSO characteristics, including the spatial pattern, phase-locking, amplitude asymmetry, and, particularly, ENSO diversity/bi-modality. RCZ serves as a promising tool for studying dynamics of ENSO diversity as it resolves most of the relevant processes proposed in the literature, including atmospheric nonlinear convective heating, oceanic nonlinear dynamical heating, and the ENSO/westerly wind burst interaction.
Right Cortical Activation During Generation of Creative Insights: An Electroencephalographic Study of Coaching
Authors: Bartolomé Gorka , Vila Sergi , Torrelles-Nadal Cristina , Blanco Eduardo
Published: April 2022

Coaching as a human development methodology has been demonstrating its results for more than four decades. Even so, the level of confusion about its essence and its lack of a definitive theoretical and methodological framework has caused its effectiveness to be questioned. Although studies on coaching with neuroimaging methodologies have been developed, there is no recent evidence about the brain changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) activity during a coaching session. The present research aims to make a comparison between EEG measurements of three different conditions, namely, rumination (R), directive (DC), and non-directive coaching (NDC), during the process of problem solving and goal achievement. Our hypothesis was that the use of the meta-competencies of NDC should induce a higher activation of brain mechanisms that facilitate the insight process, therefore causing an improvement in creative capacity. Results showed significant changes in alpha and theta frequencies in the right temporal region, and alpha, theta, and gamma in the right parietal region in the NDC condition compared to other experimental conditions. The correct use of the meta-competencies of NDC facilitates the rise of insight and the generation of creativity processes at the brain level. Thus, the application of the methodological framework of the NDC was related, in a specific way, to the creativity and the development of human knowledge.
Perspectives of Children and Youth With Disabilities and Special Needs Regarding Their Experiences in Inclusive Education: A Meta-Aggregative Review
Authors: Paul Tithi , Di Rezze Briano , Rosenbaum Peter , Cahill Peter , Jiang Annie , Kim Eileen , Campbell Wenonah
Published: April 2022

Inclusive education is important to achieve high-quality education for all; however, there is an important gap in the literature surrounding inclusive education, namely representation of the perspectives of children and youth with disabilities and special needs. In this study, we used a meta-aggregative approach to qualitative evidence synthesis to bring together systematically the perspectives of these children and youth regarding their experiences in inclusive education, and to generate recommendations for action. After selecting and critically appraising the methodological quality of eligible qualitative studies, we extracted the findings from the results sections of 27 studies involving children and youth with various diagnoses and special needs. We aggregated the findings to develop 19 categories, which we further synthesized into six overarching statements pertaining to: (i) teachers’ and education workers’ support and attitudes; (ii) implementation of support and accommodations; (iii) need for safe and accommodating physical environment; (iv) preparation for high school transitions; (v) friendships and peer interactions; and (vi) participants’ own views of themselves. Implications of our findings include: (i) a need for strong leadership at the school level to support implementation of inclusive education; (ii) a need for leadership from government agencies and schools to provide opportunities for teachers to train and collaborate with other professionals; and (iii) a need for flexibility in curriculum and instruction, for which educators require training and experience. Most importantly, our findings show that children and youth with disabilities and special needs, when provided opportunities, demonstrate profound personal understandings of their strengths and needs, their conditions and how these impact their lives, leading to insightful information that can enhance inclusive education practice and policy.
Quercetin Attenuates Osteoporosis in Orchiectomy Mice by Regulating Glucose and Lipid Metabolism via the GPRC6A/AMPK/mTOR Signaling Pathway
Authors: Sun Jie , Pan Yalan , Li Xiaofeng , Wang Lining , Liu Mengmin , Tu Pengcheng , Wu Chengjie , Xiao Jirimutu , Han Qiuge , Da Weiwei , Ma Yong , Guo Yang
Published: April 2022

Quercetin, a flavonoid found in natural medicines, has shown a role in disease prevention and health promotion. Moreover, because of its recently identified contribution in regulating bone homeostasis, quercetin may be considered a promising agent for improving bone health. This study aimed to elucidate the role of quercetin in androgen deprivation therapy-induced osteoporosis in mice. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to orchiectomy, followed by quercetin treatment (75 and 150 mg/kg/d) for 8 weeks. Bone microstructure was then assessed by micro-computed tomography, and a three-point bending test was used to evaluate the biomechanical parameters. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was used to examine the shape of the distal femur, gastrocnemius muscle, and liver. The balance motion ability in mice was evaluated by gait analysis, and changes in the gastrocnemius muscle were observed via Oil red O and Masson’s staining. ELISA and biochemical analyses were used to assess markers of the bone, glucose, and lipid metabolism. Western blotting analyses of glucose and lipid metabolism-related protein expression was performed, and expression of the GPCR6A/AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway-related proteins was also assessed. After 8 weeks of quercetin intervention, quercetin-treated mice showed increased bone mass, bone strength, and improved bone microstructure. Additionally, gait analysis, including stride length and frequency, were significantly increased, whereas a reduction of the stride length and gait symmetry was observed. H&E staining of the gastrocnemius muscle showed that the cross-sectional area of the myofibers had increased significantly, suggesting that quercetin improves balance, motion ability, and muscle mass. Bone metabolism improvement was defined by a reduction of serum levels of insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein, whereas levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 and high-density lipoprotein were increased after quercetin treatment. Expression of proteins involved in glucose uptake was increased, whereas that of proteins involved in lipid production was decreased. Moreover, the GPRC6A and the phospho-AMPK/AMPK expression ratio was elevated in the liver and tibia tissues. In contrast, the phospho-mTOR/mTOR ratio was reduced in the quercetin group. Our findings indicate that quercetin can reduce the osteoporosis induced by testosterone deficiency, and its beneficial effects might be associated with the regulation of glucose metabolism and inhibition of lipid metabolism via the GPCR6A/AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway.
HOXA10 Regulates the Synthesis of Cholesterol in Endometrial Stromal Cells
Authors: Yu Meixing , Tang Jia , Huang Yanqing , Guo Chenbing , Du Peng , Li Ning , Quan Qingli
Published: April 2022

Background

The expression of homeobox A10 (HOXA10) in endometrial stromal cells is regulated by steroid hormones, especially by estrogen. As a precursor molecule of estrogen, abnormal cholesterol metabolism is significantly positively correlated with endometriosis. The purpose of this study was to explore the regulation of HOXA10 on cholesterol synthesis in endometrial stromal cells.

Method

mRNA expression data of eutopic endometrial stromal cell (ESC) and ovarian endometriotic cysts stromal cell (OESC) were download from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Overexpression and silence of HOXA10 were conducted in cultured ESC and subjected to mRNA sequencing. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were selected by analyzing the sequencing data. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was applied to identify the key genes associated with HOXA10. The methylation rate of HOXA10 CpGs and the correlation between HOXA10 expression and the methylation in eutopic endometrial tissue (EU) and ovarian cyst (OC) were analyzed.

Results

HOXA10 in ESC was significantly higher expressed than that in OESC. Six key genes (HMGCR, MSMO1, ACAT2, HMGCS1, EBP, and SQLE), which were regulated by HOXA10, were identified from the salmon4 module by WGCNA. All these key genes were enriched in cholesterol synthesis. Moreover, the expression of HOXA10 was negatively related to its CpGs methylation rate.

Conclusion

In this study, six key genes that were regulated by HOXA10 were selected, and all of them were enriched in cholesterol synthesis. This finding provided a new insight into the metabolic mechanism of cholesterol in ESC. It also provided a potential treatment strategy for cholesterol metabolism maladjustment in patients with ovarian endometriosis.
Exosomal RNA Expression Profiles and Their Prediction Performance in Patients With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Macrosomia
Authors: Yuan Yingdi , Li Ying , Hu Lingmin , Wen Juan
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Exosomes are cell-derived vesicles that are present in many biological fluids. Exosomal RNAs in cord blood may allow intercellular communication between mother and fetus. We aimed to establish exosomal RNA expression profiles in cord blood from patients with gestational diabetes mellitus and macrosomia (GDM-M) and evaluate their prediction performance.

Methods

We used microarray technology to establish the differential messenger RNA (mRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and circular RNA (circRNA) expression profiles in cord blood exosomes from 3 patients with GDM-M compared with 3 patients with GDM and normal neonatal weight, followed by qPCR validation in an additional 40 patients with GDM. Logistic regression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and graphical nomogram were applied to evaluate the performance of exosomal RNA (in peripheral blood) in macrosomia prediction.

Results

A total of 98 mRNAs, 372 lncRNAs, and 452 circRNAs were differentially expressed in cord blood exosomes from patients with GDM-M. Pathway analysis based on screening data showed that the differential genes were associated with Phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3acK)-Akt signaling pathway, Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway, Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta signaling pathway, insulin resistance, glycerolipid metabolism, fatty acid degradation, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. After validation by qPCR, the expressions of GDF3, PROM1, AC006064.4, lnc-HPS6-1:1, and circ_0014635 were significantly increased and the expression of lnc-ZFHX3-7:1 was significantly decreased in cord blood exosomes of an additional 20 patients with GDM-M. The risk prediction performance of the expression of these validated genes (in peripheral blood exosomes) for GDM-related macrosomia was also evaluated. Only GDF3 expression and AC006064.4 expression showed well prediction performance [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.78 and 0.74, respectively]. Excitingly, the model including maternal age, fasting plasma glucose, 2-h plasma glucose, GDF3 expression, and AC006064.4 expression in peripheral blood exosomes had better prediction performance with an AUC of 0.86 (95% CI = 0.75–0.97).

Conclusion

These results showed that exosomal RNAs are aberrantly expressed in the cord blood of patients with GDM-M and highlighted the importance of exosomal RNAs in peripheral blood for GDM-M prediction.
Is Glucagon Receptor Activation the Thermogenic Solution for Treating Obesity?
Authors: Conceição-Furber Ellen , Coskun Tamer , Sloop Kyle W. , Samms Ricardo J.
Published: April 2022

A major challenge of obesity therapy is to sustain clinically relevant weight loss over time. Achieving this goal likely requires both reducing daily caloric intake and increasing caloric expenditure. Over the past decade, advances in pharmaceutical engineering of ligands targeting G protein-coupled receptors have led to the development of highly effective anorectic agents. These include mono-agonists of the GLP-1R and dual GIPR/GLP-1R co-agonists that have demonstrated substantial weight loss in experimental models and in humans. By contrast, currently, there are no medicines available that effectively augment metabolic rate to promote weight loss. Here, we present evidence indicating that activation of the GCGR may provide a solution to this unmet therapeutic need. In adult humans, GCGR agonism increases energy expenditure to a magnitude sufficient for inducing a negative energy balance. In preclinical studies, the glucagon-GCGR system affects key metabolically relevant organs (including the liver and white and brown adipose tissue) to boost whole-body thermogenic capacity and protect from obesity. Further, activation of the GCGR has been shown to augment both the magnitude and duration of weight loss that is achieved by either selective GLP-1R or dual GIPR/GLP-1R agonism in rodents. Based on the accumulation of such findings, we propose that the thermogenic activity of GCGR agonism will also complement other anti-obesity agents that lower body weight by suppressing appetite.
Prevalence and Hospital Admissions in Patients With Osteogenesis Imperfecta in The Netherlands: A Nationwide Registry Study
Authors: Storoni Silvia , Treurniet Sanne , Maugeri Alessandra , Pals Gerard , van den Aardweg Joost G. , van der Pas Stéphanie L. , Elting Mariet W. , Kloen Peter , Micha Dimitra , Eekhoff Elisabeth Marelise W.
Published: April 2022

Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) is a complex disease caused by genetic alterations in production of collagen type I, and collagen-related proteins. Bone fragility is the most common patient issue, but extraskeletal complications also present an adverse factor in the quality of life and prognosis of patients with OI. However, still little is known about the morbidity and mortality of these patients. The objective of this paper is to determine and describe to what extent OI impacts patients’ life in terms of hospitalization and complications describing the incidence and prevalence of the Dutch cohort of OI patients and the characteristics of their hospital admissions. Information regarding OI patients and their hospital admission was extracted from the Statistics Netherlands Database and matched to the OI Genetics Database of Amsterdam UMC. Hospital admission data was available for 674 OI patients. This OI nationwide registry study shows that the life expectancy of OI patients is adversely affected by the disease. The median annual incidence risk of OI between 1992 and 2019 was 6.5 per 100,000 live births. Furthermore, patients with OI had a 2.9 times higher hospitalization rate compared to the general Dutch population. The highest hospitalization rate ratio of 8.4 was reported in the patient group between 0 and 19 years old. OI type and severity had impact on extraskeletal manifestations, which play a key role in the numerous hospital admissions. More awareness about the impact of OI on patients’ life is needed to improve and implement prevention and follow-up guidelines.
Robust Bi-Level Planning Method for Multi-Source Systems Integrated With Offshore Wind Farms Considering Prediction Errors
Authors: Jian Qingzhi , Liu Xiaoming , Du Xinye , Zhang Yuyue , Wang Nan , Sun Yonghui
Published: April 2022

Considering the economy, reliability, and output characteristics of multiple power sources (MPS) and energy storage (ES) comprehensively, a multi-source system integrated with offshore wind farms (OWFs) and its construction cost, and operating and maintenance cost model are established. The system is mainly composed of OWFs, thermal power plants, gas turbine power plants, and pumped hydro storage plants. Given the economy of the power system and offshore wind power accommodation, a bi-level optimal capacity configuration and operation scheduling method is proposed for the multi-source system integrated with OWF clusters with the objective function of optimal total cost. Then, a robust bi-level planning method for the multi-source system integrated with OWFs considering the dual uncertainty of load and offshore wind power prediction is proposed, in which the upper and lower models are solved by an improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm and CPLEX solver, respectively. Based on the method, the cost-optimal capacity configuration and operation scheduling scheme of an MPS and ES can be obtained. Finally, an OWF group in Shandong Province is taken as an example to check the validity and feasibility of the proposed method.
Influence of Solid–Liquid Two-Phase Flow on Cavitation of Tubular Turbine Blades Under Combined Conditions
Authors: Cheng Chuang , Li Zhenggui , He Fubing , Wu Siyuan , Zeng Chuchu , Zhang Kui , Zheng Jing
Published: April 2022

The influence of sediment media on the blade pressure and cavitation of a tubular turbine was investigated in this study. The Zwart–Geber–Belamri cavitation model and the shear stress transport k–w turbulence model were applied to numerically simulate and experimentally validate the full flow path of the tubular turbine under combined conditions for sediment particle sizes of 0.01 and 0.05 mm and concentrations of 1%, 1.5%, and 2%. The results show that the pressure of the blade increases with the sediment concentration. Cavitation mainly occurs between the blade shroud and the leading edge. The higher the sediment concentration, the lower the vapor volume fraction at the same sediment particle size. The presence of sediments inhibits further cavitation development, and the inhibition effect is significant. At the same concentration, the larger the particle size of the sediment, the lower the vapor volume fraction. Thus, the increase in the particle size inhibits cavitation, but the inhibition effect is not significant.
Vegetation Dynamics and its Response to Climate Change in the Yellow River Basin, China
Authors: Zhan Cun , Liang Chuan , Zhao Lu , Jiang Shouzheng , Niu Kaijie , Zhang Yaling , Cheng Long
Published: April 2022

As an important ecological corridor, the Yellow River basin (YRB) is crucial for the eco-environmental security and sustainable socio-economic development of China. Systematic studies on the spatiotemporal evolution of vegetation cover and the response of vegetation dynamics to climate change in the YRB at different timescales are lacking. Utilizing a long-term remotely sensed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and gridded climate dataset, we examined the spatiotemporal variability of vegetation cover and its response to climate variables in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) at multiple timescales by using the Mann-Kendall test, rescaled range analysis, and partial correlation analysis. Results indicated that the annual NDVI in the YRB decreased spatially from southeast to northwest, and peaked in August. From 1982 to 2015, the YRB experienced greening during the annual, growing season and spring, with statistically significant NDVI increases (p < 0.05) recorded in over 55% of the vegetated areas. NDVI trends should be expected to persist in the future, as evidenced by the Hurst index exceeding 0.5 in over 85% areas of the YRB. Temperature and precipitation determined the spatiotemporal pattern of vegetation cover in the YRB, and vegetation dynamics response to climatic variations varied among seasons and climatic zones. In contrast to other seasons, spring NDVI was significantly correlated with temperature, whereas winter vegetation was more vulnerable to suppression by increased precipitation. Vegetation growth was more susceptible to precipitation than to temperature in the arid and semiarid zones, while temperature dominated vegetation dynamics in the semi-humid zone, and the sunshine duration was essential for vegetation growth in high-altitude regions. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the interrelationship between vegetation dynamics and climate change in the YRB and provides useful suggestions for the regional ecological conservation in the context of global warming.
Potential Application of SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Diagnostic Tests for the Detection of Infectious Individuals Attending Mass Gatherings – A Simulation Study
Authors: McAloon Conor G. , Dahly Darren , Walsh Cathal , Wall Patrick , Smyth Breda , More Simon J. , Teljeur Conor
Published: April 2022

Rapid Antigen Diagnostic Tests (RADTs) for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 offer advantages in that they are cheaper and faster than currently used PCR tests but have reduced sensitivity and specificity. One potential application of RADTs is to facilitate gatherings of individuals, through testing of attendees at the point of, or immediately prior to entry at a venue. Understanding the baseline risk in the tested population is of particular importance when evaluating the utility of applying diagnostic tests for screening purposes. We used incidence data from January and from July-August 2021, periods of relatively high and low levels of infection, to estimate the prevalence of infectious individuals in the community at particular time points and simulated mass gatherings by sampling from a series of age cohorts. Nine different illustrative scenarios were simulated, small (n = 100), medium (n = 1,000) and large (n = 10,000) gatherings each with 3 possible age constructs: mostly younger, mostly older or a gathering with equal numbers from each age cohort. For each scenario, we estimated the prevalence of infectious attendees, then simulated the likely number of positive and negative test results, the proportion of cases detected and the corresponding positive and negative predictive values, and the cost per case identified. Our findings suggest that for each reported case on a given day, there are likely to be 13.8 additional infectious individuals also present in the community. Prevalence ranged from 0.26% for “mostly older” events in July-August, to 2.6% for “mostly younger” events in January. For small events (100 attendees) the expected number of infectious attendees ranged from <1 across all age constructs of attendees in July-August, to 2.6 for “mostly younger” events in January. For large events (10,000 attendees) the expected number of infectious attendees ranged from 27 (95% confidence intervals 12 to 45) for mostly older events in July-August, to 267 (95% confidence intervals 134 to 436) infectious attendees for mostly younger attendees in January. Given rapid changes in SARS-CoV-2 incidence over time, we developed an RShiny app to allow users to run updated simulations for specific events.
Does Population Size Drive Changes in Transatlantic Vagrancy for Gulls? A Study of Seven North Atlantic Species
Authors: Acosta Alamo Marlen , Manne Lisa L. , Veit Richard R.
Published: April 2022

European gulls Chroicocephalus ridibundus, Larus canus, and L. graellsii have dispersed to North America and C. ridibundus and L. graellsii have bred or attempted to breed. North American gulls L. delawarensis, Leucophaeus atricilla, Leucophaeus pipixcan, and Chroicocephalus philadelphia have dispersed to Europe, although no successful breeding by non-hybrid pairs has yet occurred. We hypothesized that as gull population sizes increase, the number of birds exploring potential new breeding sites also increases. To test our hypothesis, we compared the number of transatlantic vagrants to the population size on the previous year using generalized linear models. We found an increasing number of transatlantic vagrants moving in both directions, which suggests that vagrancy is not a random phenomenon driven by strong winds nor caused by reverse migration. Population size predicted transatlantic vagrancy in four of the seven species. However, our hypothesis that increases in population size drive increases in vagrancy was only supported in two of these instances. We further looked at sub-populations of L. delawarensis in North America and tested our hypothesis for each subpopulation. We found partial support for our hypothesis for these data. Even within one species, we observed multiple relationships between vagrancy and population size. Our results showed that size or trend in source population size—in some circumstances—is clearly a driver of vagrancy, but other factors must play an important role too. As anthropogenic development continues, and high-quality habitats become farther apart, it is important that we continue to investigate all drivers of vagrancy because the persistence of a species may depend crucially on its longest-distance dispersers.
Prediction of Air Pollution Interval Based on Data Preprocessing and Multi-Objective Dragonfly Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Wang Jiyang , Li Jingrui , Li Zhiwu
Published: April 2022

With the rapid development of global industrialization and urbanization, as well as the continuous expansion of the population, large amounts of industrial exhaust gases and automobile exhaust are released. To better sound an early warning of air pollution, researchers have proposed many pollution prediction methods. However, the traditional point prediction methods cannot effectively analyze the volatility and uncertainty of pollution. To fill this gap, we propose a combined prediction system based on fuzzy granulation, multi-objective dragonfly optimization algorithm and probability interval, which can effectively analyze the volatility and uncertainty of pollution. Experimental results show that the combined prediction system can not only effectively predict the changing trend of pollution data and analyze local characteristics but also provide strong technical support for the early warning of air pollution.
Impact of Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution on River Water Quality: Evidence From China
Authors: Xu Hanxiao , Tan Xinxiang , Liang Jie , Cui Yuhu , Gao Qiang
Published: April 2022

Identifying the effect of agricultural non-point source pollutants on water quality is very important for water pollution management. This study used NH3N as an indicator to empirically study the influence of fertilizer application on river water quality based on panel data of 46 prefecture-level cities and 18 state-controlled water quality monitoring points through which the main streams of Yangtze River and Yellow River flow from 2004 to 2019. It is found that: (1) An increase in agricultural fertilizer application amount will exacerbate water pollution, and the worsening water quality in the upper watershed and the influence of precipitation will lead to transboundary water pollution in the lower watershed. (2) The amount of fertilizer application and fertilizer application intensity had a threshold effect on river water quality pollution. When the former exceeded the threshold value of 11.496 tons, and the latter exceeded the threshold value of 7.991 ton/km2, the positive effect of fertilizer application on pollutants in rivers was further enhanced. (3) The amount of fertilizer applied had a long-term effect on water quality through a lagged effect, and as the number of lags increased, the accumulative effect of the negative influence gradually rose. Based on the findings of the empirical study, it is proposed that the inter-basin and inter-regional synergy should be formed in the prevention and control of agricultural non-point source pollution, and the overall top-level design of agricultural subsidies and agricultural environmental policies in the areas along the basin should be considered.
Climate Shocks and Farmers’ Agricultural Productive Investment: Resisting Risk or Escaping Production?
Authors: Zhou Ziming , Yu Zhiming , Gao Sihan
Published: April 2022

Climate shocks can increase uncertainty in agricultural production. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), this study examines the impact of climate shocks on farmers’ productive investment and its mechanism of village public productive investment. The study found the following: (1) The impact of climate shocks have a significant impact on farmers’ productive investment choices. Farmers who are greatly impacted by climate shocks have a significantly lower probability of increasing their total productive investment. (2) In terms of investment content, climate shocks will reduce farmers’ investment in machinery (invest1) and investment in the cost of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides (invest3) and increase investment in agricultural productive services (invest2). (3) However, there is heterogeneity in the village climate characteristics and farmers’ risk preferences in this result. (4) From the perspective of the transmission mechanism, village public production investment has a moderating effect between climate shocks and farmer agricultural production investment. For total investment and invest3, village public production investment will weaken the main effect of climate shock, significantly reduce the impact of climate shock, and alleviate the inhibitory effect of climate shocks on farmers’ investment. Agricultural productive services (invest2) will strengthen the main effect of climate shocks and promote farmer households’ agricultural productive service investment. The article finally concludes and discusses some policy implications.
Non-Lethal Sampling Supports Integrative Movement Research in Freshwater Fish
Authors: Thorstensen Matt J. , Vandervelde Carolyn A. , Bugg William S. , Michaleski Sonya , Vo Linh , Mackey Theresa E. , Lawrence Michael J. , Jeffries Ken M.
Published: April 2022

Freshwater ecosystems and fishes are enormous resources for human uses and biodiversity worldwide. However, anthropogenic climate change and factors such as dams and environmental contaminants threaten these freshwater systems. One way that researchers can address conservation issues in freshwater fishes is via integrative non-lethal movement research. We review different methods for studying movement, such as with acoustic telemetry. Methods for connecting movement and physiology are then reviewed, by using non-lethal tissue biopsies to assay environmental contaminants, isotope composition, protein metabolism, and gene expression. Methods for connecting movement and genetics are reviewed as well, such as by using population genetics or quantitative genetics and genome-wide association studies. We present further considerations for collecting molecular data, the ethical foundations of non-lethal sampling, integrative approaches to research, and management decisions. Ultimately, we argue that non-lethal sampling is effective for conducting integrative, movement-oriented research in freshwater fishes. This research has the potential for addressing critical issues in freshwater systems in the future.
A Novel CRISPR/Cas9 Screening Potential Index for Prognostic and Immunological Prediction in Low-Grade Glioma
Authors: Li Xiangpan , Xiong Kewei , Bi Dong , Zhao Chen
Published: April 2022

Glioma is a malignancy with the highest mortality in central nervous system disorders. Here, we implemented the computational tools based on CRISPR/Cas9 to predict the clinical outcomes and biological characteristics of low-grade glioma (LGG). The transcriptional expression profiles and clinical phenotypes of LGG patients were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas. The CERES algorithm was used to screen for LGG-lethal genes. Cox regression and random survival forest were adopted for survival-related gene selection. Nonnegative matrix factorization distinguished patients into different clusters. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis was employed to create a novel CRISPR/Cas9 screening potential index (CCSPI), and patients were stratified into low- and high-CCSPI groups. Survival analysis, area under the curve values (AUCs), nomogram, and tumor microenvironment exploration were included for the model validation. A total of 20 essential genes in LGG were used to classify patients into two clusters and construct the CCSPI system. High-CCSPI patients were associated with a worse prognosis of both training and validation set (p < 0.0001) and higher immune fractions than low-CCSPI individuals. The CCSPI system had a promising performance with 1-, 3-, and 5-year AUCs of 0.816, 0.779, 0.724, respectively, and the C-index of the nomogram model reached 0.743 (95% CI = 0.725–0.760). Immune-infiltrating cells and immune checkpoints such as PD-1/PD-L1 and POLD3 were positively associated with CCSPI. In conclusion, the CCSPI had prognostic value in LGG, and the model will deepen our cognition of the interaction between the CNS and immune system in different LGG subtypes.
Establishment and Application of a Prognostic Risk Score Model Based on Characteristics of Different Immunophenotypes for Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Gao Hong , Liu Yanhong , Hu Yue , Ge Meiling , Ding Jie , Ye Qing
Published: April 2022

Objective: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a highly heterogeneous tumor. Tumor mutations and the immune microenvironment play important roles in LUAD development and progression. This study was aimed at elucidating the characteristics of patients with different tumor immune microenvironment and establishing a prediction model of prognoses and immunotherapy benefits for patients with LUAD.

Materials and Methods: We conducted a bioinformatics analysis on data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus (training and test sets, respectively). Patients in the training set were clustered into different immunophenotypes based on tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs). The immunophenotypic differentially expressed genes (IDEGs) were used to develop a prognostic risk score (PRS) model. Then, the model was validated in the test set and applied to evaluate 42 surgery patients with early LUAD.

Results: Patients in the training set were clustered into high (Immunity_H), medium (Immunity_M), and low (Immunity_L) immunophenotype groups. Immunity_H patients had the best survival and more TIICs than Immunity_L patients. Immunity_M patients had the worst survival, characterized by most CD8+ T and Treg cells and highest expression of PD-1 and PD-L1. The PRS model, which consisted of 14 IDEGs, showed good potential for predicting the prognoses of patients in both training and test sets. In the training set, the low-risk patients had more TIICs, higher immunophenoscores (IPSs) and lower mutation rates of driver genes. The high-risk patients had more mutations of DNA mismatch repair deficiency and APOBEC (apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like). The model was also a good indicator of the curative effect for immunotherapy-treated patients. Furthermore, the low-risk group out of 42 patients, which was evaluated by the PRS model, had more TIICs, higher IPSs and better progression-free survival. Additionally, IPSs and PRSs of these patients were correlated with EGFR mutations.

Conclusion: The PRS model has good potential for predicting the prognoses and immunotherapy benefits of LUAD patients. It may facilitate the diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment decision-making for LUAD patients.