bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A First Evaluation of ERA5-Land Reanalysis Temperature Product Over the Chinese Qilian Mountains
Authors: Zhao Peng , He Zhibin
Published: August 2022

Reanalysis temperature products are important datasets for temperature estimates over high-elevation areas with few meteorological stations. In this study, surface 2 m air temperature data from 17 meteorological stations from 1979 to 2017 in the Qilian Mountains (QLM) are used for comparison with the newest reanalysis product: ERA5-Land derived from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). In general, the ERA5-Land temperature product can reproduce the observation variation at different time scales very well. A high monthly correlation coefficient that ranges from 0.978 to 0.998 suggests that ERA5-Land reanalysis temperature could capture the observations very well. However, attention should be paid before using ERA5-Land at individual sites because of the average root-mean-square-error (RMSE) of 2.2°C of all stations. The biases between ERA5-Land temperature and observations are mainly caused by the elevation differences between ERA5-Land grid points and meteorological sites. The annual mean temperature shows a significant warming trend (0.488°C/decade) from 1979 to 2017 based on the observations. ERA5-Land reanalysis temperature captures the increasing trend very well (0.379°C/decade). The biggest positive warming trends of observations and ERA5-Land are both found in summer with values of 0.574°C/decade and 0.496°C/decade, respectively. We suggest that ERA5-Land generally reproduces the temperature trend very well for observations and is reliable for scientific research over the QLM.
Stratigraphic Characteristics and Sediment-Filling Process of the Early Permian Fengcheng Formation in the Northwestern Margin of the Junggar Basin, Northwest China
Authors: Zhi Dongming , Liu Mingxin , Chen Xinwei , Said Nuru , Tang Wenbin , Hu Chenhui , Qin Zhijun , Zou Hao , Gong Deyu
Published: August 2022

The Permian Fengcheng Formation in the Mahu sag of the Junggar Basin is a crude oil reservoir and source rock. However, its stratigraphic characteristics, the boundary marks of the three members (lower, middle, and upper), and the sediment-filling processes are unclear. This study presents the sedimentary systems and sediment-filling processes in an intracontinental rift basin of this area using sedimentary-faces analysis, sequence stratigraphy, well logs, and two-dimensional seismic interpretations. The results show that the Fengcheng Formation consists of three third-order sequence stratigraphy (SQf1, SQf2, and SQf3). The lowest member of the Fengcheng Formation is composed of gray to dark gray thin middle layers of tuff, lacustrine dolomitic mudstone, and argillaceous dolomite near the depocenter. Tuff, siltstone, a small amount of fan–delta glutenite, volcanic breccia, and basalt are present near the fault zone. The logging curve is characterized by a high gamma-ray (GR) value, high amplitude, wavelength growth, and medium frequency. Near the depocenter, the middle member of the Fengcheng Formation comprises gray and gray–black thin layers of lacustrine muddy dolomite and dolomitic mudstone and thin sandstone and mudstone interbedded between tuff and gravel near the orogenic belt. The logging curve displays high-to-low GR values, high amplitude, short wavelength, and high frequency. The upper member of the Fengcheng Formation is not characterized by lesser tuffaceous and dolomitic components but by an increased fan–delta sandy content. Next, the bottom of the upper member is composed of lacustrine mudstone and siltstone interbedded between dolomitic mudstones; whereas, the top of the upper member is dominated by fan–delta coarse sandstone and sandy conglomerate. The logging curve shows low GR values, small amplitude, and continuous stability. The sediment-filling process of the Fengcheng Formation is controlled by fault activity. Overall, the lower and middle members of the Fengcheng Formation expand during the sediment-filling process of the lake basin of the Mahu sag; whereas, the upper member contracts. The strong uplift of the Horst near the Baiquan and Mahu orogenic belts led to an increase in provenance supply, resulting in a contraction of the southwestern margin of the lake basin during the sedimentation period from lower member to upper member of Fengcheng Formation.
Learning science locally: Community gardens and our future
Authors: Lloyd David , Paige Kathryn
Published: August 2022

The wholistic nature of gardening is an approach to learning that provides opportunities to place science education in a context that also values other ways of knowing and draws on the cognitive, the affective and the spiritual—knowing, feeling, connecting. This paper offers a case study of teaching gardening to primary students at The Old School Community Garden (TOSCG), in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia. As experienced science educators, we find that engaging young people in gardening provides them with the opportunity to see the world as a whole, learn science concepts while also addressing local issues such as organic food production. Our focus in this project is the use of the garden as a learning place for Year 1 students (aged 6–7) working with Year 4 students (aged 9–10). We also argue that nature teaching is part of the answer to liveable futures in this time of climate change, pandemics, and the possible crossing of other Earth boundaries. These challenges require educators to focus on futures thinking and transdisciplinary approaches in order to develop the dispositions needed to live in the present with a well-formed idea of where we want to go. Learning the science of gardening is clearly a central aspect—soil science, biological science, ecosystem management and a sustainable food supply.
Korean university students’ significant learning experiences and associated generic skills: A qualitative essay review
Authors: Lee Ahram , Lee Soo Jeung
Published: August 2022

The purpose of the present study was to explore significant learning experiences of Korean university students and examine associated generic skills. The study implemented a document analysis approach to investigate essays collected from 33 students in a 4-year university in Seoul, South Korea. A total of 102 excerpts were coded, forming 14 sub-themes which were categorized into five themes that describe students’ significant learning experiences. The five themes are interacting with others, learning by oneself and about oneself, realizing applicability to real-life, venturing into advanced learning, and experiencing a respectful learning atmosphere. Also, 18 generic skills were identified which were categorized into four clusters, namely comprehensive thinking skills, information utilization skills, interpersonal skills, and personal attributes. The results of the present study provide the groundwork for understanding students’ perceptions of significant learning experiences and associated generic skills.
Monitoring indicators of scholarly language: A progress monitoring tool for documenting changes in narrative complexity over time
Authors: Israelsen-Augenstein Megan , Fox Carly , Gillam Sandra L. , Holbrook Sarai , Gillam Ronald
Published: August 2022

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the differences in narrative macrostructure abilities of children in different age groups using a progress monitoring tool based in discourse theory. A majority of existing research regarding narrative developmental patterns has been based in schema theory. The Monitoring Indicators of Scholarly Language (MISL) rubric is based in discourse theory and was designed to characterize aspects of narrative proficiency in school-age children. The data for this project consisted of 687 narratives elicited using the Aliens subtest from The Test of Narrative Language—Second Edition (TNL-2). There were 1,597 participants who ranged in age from 4; 0 to 15; 0 (year; month). An ordinary least squares regression where age predicted total macrostructure score, followed by a series of post hoc ordinal logistic regressions (OLR) where age predicted each individual MISL rubric element was used. Results of both the simple regression on total macrostructure score and the series of ordinal regression analyses for each macrostructure element indicated that age was a significant predictor of the scores children received. Collectively, these results suggest that the MISL is a developmentally valid measure of narrative production abilities. Developmental milestones based on discourse theory are reported to be substantially later than has been reported for schema theory. The differences are highlighted and the implications for progress monitoring for narrative development are discussed.
Gender and pair programming–Effects of the gender composition of pairs on collaboration in a robotics workshop
Authors: Küng Janine , Schmid Andrea M. , Brovelli Dorothee
Published: August 2022

The goal of this video study was to investigate whether the gender composition of a pair influences collaboration during the pair programming process. Pair programming is an agile software development technique in which two people share a computer and jointly develop a program. One of the programmers, the driver, operates the keyboard and mouse; the other, the navigator, reviews the code and helps without touching the keyboard or mouse. These two roles are swapped at regular intervals. Video data were collected during a half-day robotics workshop for students in Grades 5–9 (10–14 years old) and gifted students in Grades 3–6 (8–11 years old) at the University of Teacher Education Lucerne. A total of 203 pairs with different gender compositions (homogeneous female, homogeneous male, heterogeneous) were filmed during the pair programming process. Without consideration of the grade level the research results showed that there were no significant differences between the pairs based on gender composition in terms of task-solving speed, number of assistance requests, role changes, or rule violations by the navigator. In heterogeneous pairs, male and female students in the navigator role intervened equally often. These results initially appear to be consistent with several previous studies, which also found no significant differences based on gender composition. However, when only students in Grades 7–9 (12–14 years old) were considered, there were two significant differences. First, the homogeneous male pairs violated the rule that the navigator does not touch the keyboard or mouse more often than the other pairs. This suggests that homogeneous male pairs are not ideal for students in Grades 7–9 (12–14 years old). Second, as previously shown in other studies, heterogeneous pairs showed the greatest variability in task-solving speed. This may indicate compatibility issues among some heterogeneous pairs in Grades 7–9. In this study, only quantitatively measurable indicators of collaboration were considered. Further research on gender and pair programming should therefore focus on the quality of collaboration.
Prediction models constructed for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis risk based on clinical and laboratory factors
Authors: Li Peng , Liu Fang , Zhao Minsu , Xu Shaokai , Li Ping , Cao Jingang , Tian Dongming , Tan Yaopeng , Zheng Lina , Cao Xia , Pan Yingxia , Tang Hui , Wu Yuanyuan , Sun Yi
Published: August 2022

Background

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) frequently occurs among autoimmune diseases and may simultaneously appear with thyroid cancer. However, it is difficult to diagnose HT at an early stage just by clinical symptoms. Thus, it is urgent to integrate multiple clinical and laboratory factors for the early diagnosis and risk prediction of HT.

Methods

We recruited 1,303 participants, including 866 non-HT controls and 437 diagnosed HT patients. 44 HT patients also had thyroid cancer. Firstly, we compared the difference in thyroid goiter degrees between controls and patients. Secondly, we collected 15 factors and analyzed their significant differences between controls and HT patients, including age, body mass index, gender, history of diabetes, degrees of thyroid goiter, UIC, 25-(OH)D, FT3, FT4, TSH, TAG, TC, FPG, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Thirdly, logistic regression analysis demonstrated the risk factors for HT. For machine learning modeling of HT and thyroid cancer, we conducted the establishment and evaluation of six models in training and test sets.

Results

The degrees of thyroid goiter were significantly different among controls, HT patients without cancer (HT-C), and HT patients with thyroid cancer (HT+C). Most factors had significant differences between controls and patients. Logistic regression analysis confirmed diabetes, UIC, FT3, and TSH as important risk factors for HT. The AUC scores of XGBoost, LR, SVM, and MLP models indicated appropriate predictive power for HT. The features were arranged by their importance, among which, 25-(OH)D, FT4, and TSH were the top three high-ranking factors.

Conclusions

We firstly analyzed comprehensive factors of HT patients. The proposed machine learning modeling, combined with multiple factors, are efficient for thyroid diagnosis. These discoveries will extensively promote precise diagnosis, personalized therapies, and reduce unnecessary cost for thyroid diseases.
Case report: Early-onset osteoporosis in a patient carrying a novel heterozygous variant of the WNT1 gene
Authors: Campopiano Maria Cristina , Fogli Antonella , Michelucci Angela , Mazoni Laura , Longo Antonella , Borsari Simona , Pardi Elena , Benelli Elena , Sardella Chiara , Pierotti Laura , Dinoi Elisa , Marcocci Claudio , Cetani Filomena
Published: August 2022

The WNT1 gene is crucial for bone development and homeostasis. Homozygous mutations in WNT1 cause severe bone fragility known as osteogenesis imperfecta type XV. Moreover, heterozygous WNT1 mutations have been found in adults with early-onset osteoporosis. We identified a 35 year-old Caucasian woman who experienced multiple vertebral fractures two months after her second pregnancy. There was no history of risk factors for secondary osteoporosis or family history of osteoporosis. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry confirmed a marked reduction of bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine (0.734 g/cm2, Z-score -2.8), femoral neck (0.48 g/cm2, Z-score -3.5), and total hip (0.589 g/cm2, Z-score -3.0). Blood tests excluded secondary causes of bone fragility. Genetic analysis revealed a heterozygous missense mutation (p.Leu370Val) in the WNT1 gene. Varsome classified it as a variant of uncertain significance. However, the fact that the Leucine residue at position 370 is highly conserved among vertebrate species and the variant has a very low allelic frequency in the general population would exclude the possibility of a polymorphism. The patient was treated for two years with teriparatide therapy associated with calcium and vitamin D supplements. During the follow-up period she did not report further clinical fractures. After 24 months of teriparatide, BMD increased at lumbar spine (+14.6%), femoral neck (+8.3%) and total hip (+4.9%) compared to baseline. We confirm that the heterozygous WNT1 mutation could cause a variable bone fragility and low turnover osteoporosis. We suggest that teriparatide is one of the most appropriate available therapies for this case.
Association of occlusal support with type 2 diabetes: A community-based study
Authors: Da Dongxin , Ge Suyu , Zhang Hao , Zeng Xiaoli , Jiang Yiwei , Yu Jin , Wang Huning , Wu Wanqing , Xiao Zhenxu , Liang Xiaoniu , Ding Ding , Zhang Ying
Published: August 2022

Occlusal support was proved to be associated with type 2 diabetes. Our aim was to investigate the association between the Eichner index and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. We included 715 participants with oral health examinations in the Shanghai Aging Study. The occlusal support status was determined by the number of functional occlusal support areas and Eichner index classifications. Those with fasting plasma glucose ≥126 mg/dL and/or hemoglobin A1c ≥6.5% and/or current medications for type 2 diabetes with relevant medical history were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Multiple logistic regression models were used to analyze the relationship between occlusal support status and type 2 diabetes. The average age of 715 participants was 73.74 ± 6.49 years old. There were 84 diabetics with 1.71 occlusal supporting areas on average. Seven hundred and fifteen participants were divided into 3 groups according to Eichner classifications: Eichner group A with 4 occlusal functional areas, Eichner group B with 1-3 occlusal functional areas or 0 area with anterior occlusal contact, and Eichner group C with no functional occlusal contact. Blood glucose level was significantly lower in participants of Eichner group A compared to those in group B or C. The ordinal logistic regression showed more occlusal supporting areas were significantly associated with less type 2 diabetes cases with an Odds Ratio(OR) of 0.253(95%CI 0.108-0.594) after adjusting covariates. Participants in Eichner group A had a significantly much lower OR of 0.078 for type 2 diabetes (95%CI 0.009-0.694) compared to those in Eichner group C after adjustment. The number of functional occlusal support areas might be inversely related to the blood glucose level and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes.
Thyroid hormones act as modulators of inflammation through their nuclear receptors
Authors: Lasa Marina , Contreras-Jurado Constanza
Published: August 2022

Reciprocal crosstalk between endocrine and immune systems has been well-documented both in physiological and pathological conditions, although the connection between the immune system and thyroid hormones (THs) remains largely unclear. Inflammation and infection are two important processes modulated by the immune system, which have profound effects on both central and peripheral THs metabolism. Conversely, optimal levels of THs are necessary for the maintenance of immune function and response. Although some effects of THs are mediated by their binding to cell membrane integrin receptors, triggering a non-genomic response, most of the actions of these hormones involve their binding to specific nuclear thyroid receptors (TRs), which generate a genomic response by modulating the activity of a great variety of transcription factors. In this special review on THs role in health and disease, we highlight the relevance of these hormones in the molecular mechanisms linked to inflammation upon their binding to specific nuclear receptors. In particular, we focus on THs effects on different signaling pathways involved in the inflammation associated with various infectious and/or pathological processes, emphasizing those mediated by NF-kB, p38MAPK and JAK/STAT. The findings showed in this review suggest new opportunities to improve current therapeutic strategies for the treatment of inflammation associated with several infections and/or diseases, such as cancer, sepsis or Covid-19 infection.
Bibliometric insights in advances of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: Research situation, hot points, and global trends
Authors: Chen Kefan , Wang Zhongqing , Sun Wei , Zhang Dalin , Zhang Ting , He Liang , Zhang Hao
Published: August 2022

Background

Thyroid cancer has been on the rise over the last decade. Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) accounts for more than half of all thyroid cancers. Micropapillary carcinoma of the thyroid is a common but non-fatal form of thyroid cancer. To better comprehend, nearly two decades of scientific outputs were analyzed and summarized using bibliometric methods in this study.

Methods

Approximately 1098 publications from 2000 and 2021 were included in WoS database through systematic retrieval. The general information was characterized, and developmental skeleton and research frontiers were explored. CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and R, Tableau were used to evaluate and visualize the results.

Results

A total of 1098 publications from across 75 countries were identified. The annual number of publications showed an increasing trend in the past 21 years. China, Korea, the United States of America (USA), Italy, and Japan made remarkable contributions to the research of PTMC. Thyroid was the most productive journal. Miyauchi Akira published maximum articles. The utmost productive institution was the University of Ulsan. Risk stratification, active surveillance, and thermal ablation garnered the attention of researchers leading to novel approaches in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of micropapillary thyroid carcinoma.

Conclusions

This bibliometric study provides a comprehensive analysis of global productivity, collaboration, and research hotspots within PTMC field, which will aid in directing research toward PTMC in the coming years.
The PNA mouse may be the best animal model of polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Ren Jingyi , Tan Guangqing , Ren Xinyi , Lu Weiyu , Peng Qiling , Tang Jing , Wang Yingxiong , Xie Biao , Wang Meijiao
Published: August 2022

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) exerts negative effects on females of childbearing age. It is important to identify more suitable models for fundamental research on PCOS. We evaluated animal models from a novel perspective with the aim of helping researchers select the best model for PCOS. RNA sequencing was performed to investigate the mRNA expression profiles in the ovarian tissues of mice with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) plus high-fat diet (HFD)-induced PCOS. Meanwhile, 14 datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), including eight studies on humans, three on rats and three on mice, and genes associated with PCOS were obtained from the PCOSKB website. We compared the consistency of each animal model and human PCOS in terms of DEGs and pathway enrichment analysis results. There were 239 DEGs shared between prenatally androgenized (PNA) mice and PCOS patients. Moreover, 1113 genes associated with PCOS from the PCOSKB website were identified among the DEGs of PNA mice. A total of 134 GO and KEGG pathways were shared between PNA mice and PCOS patients. These findings suggest that the PNA mouse model is the best animal model to simulate PCOS.
Solution-plasma-induced oxygen vacancy enhances MoOx/Pt electrocatalytic counter electrode for bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Li Yanan , Wang Yinglin , Lin Jianfei , Shi Yuming , Zhu Kuangyu , Xing Yanmei , Li Xiaofei , Jia Yuwen , Zhang Xintong
Published: August 2022

Bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), harvesting light from both front and rear sides, are potential high-efficiency photovoltaic devices with broad application environments. The electrocatalytic counter electrodes (CEs) of bifacial DSCs could determine the light-harvesting from the rear side and the charge collection of solar cells through electrocatalytic processes. As a result, high-activity and high-transparency CEs are essential for bifacial DSCs. Recently, novel CEs based on strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) have been proven to improve the catalysis and stability of the metal catalytic sites and induce great efficiency increase of bifacial DSCs. However, the contradiction between the transparency and conductivity of support is still a major challenge for the application of SMSI-based CEs on bifacial DSCs. Herein, we utilized a solution plasma (SP) method to introduce oxygen vacancies into a transparent MoOx support film. These SP-induced oxygen vacancies improved the conductivity of MoOx and the interaction between the metal Pt catalytic sites and support, thereby enhancing the catalytic activity and transparency of MoOx/Pt CEs. Consequently, the bifacial DSCs with MoOx/Pt CEs yielded a high efficiency of 7.56% and 6.41% with the front- and rear-side illumination, respectively. This impressive front-to-rear efficiency ratio of 85% indicates that the SP method has a positive effect in constructing high-performance CEs and other electrocatalytic materials based on the SMSI.
Can Neo-Rural Initiatives Bolster Community Resilience in Depopulated Coupled Human and Natural System?: Insights From Stakeholder Perceptions in Central Spain
Authors: Sansilvestri Roxane , de Lucio José Vicente , Seijo Francisco , Zavala Miguel A.
Published: August 2022

Preindustrial era agro-sylvopastoral land uses have influenced structure, function and disturbance in Mediterranean type mountainous landscapes for millennia. In this study we analyze through semi-structured interviews, stakeholder perceptions of coupled human and natural system (CHANS) community resilience in one such landscape; the municipality of Puebla de la Sierra, Madrid. The municipality is part of the Biosphere Reserve of the Sierra del Rincon and the Natura 2000 network and as such is subject to various conservationist regulations emanating from multiple levels of governance. In the preindustrial past most municipal lands formed an oak “dehesa” or open forest CHANS that made biomass extraction through pollarding compatible with pastoralism and shifting agriculture. After a period of rapid land-use change in the early 20th century—marked by the state led plantation of coniferous forests, the final decades of the last century were characterized by rural abandonment and the collapse of traditional forms of land use as well as the gradual transformation of the municipality into an eco-touristic, exurban destination for Madrid residents. More recently, the municipality has experienced an influx of neo-rural settlers in the area wishing to connect traditional knowledge and management with modern agro-environmental practices. In our study, we identify two limiting factors to community resilience in Puebla de la Sierra; governance and financing. The current governance model is perceived by respondents to be contrary to their reality and needs, which translates into environmental, urban and health regulations that, in their views, penalizes agroecological and small-scale economic activities. In addition, respondents believe there is a dearth of material and financial resources to initiate these transformative local actions which further weakens community resilience. Stakeholders however also identified other factors that reinforce community resilience such as a collective willingness to revive key traditional ecosystem management practices such as pollarding, the networks of trust existing between the people participating in these new initiatives and the capacity for deliberating between different visions of future development pathways amongst local stakeholders.
RETRACTED: Energy Transition, Sustainable Development Opportunities, and Carbon Emissions Mitigation: Is the Developed World Converging Toward SDGs-2030?
Authors: Lyu Yixin , Ali Syed Ahtsham , Yin Weihua , Kouser Robina
Published: August 2022

The success of sustainable development heavily depends on successful energy transition toward renewable or carbon-free energy sources. This study attempted to analyze the impact of sustainable development and environmental initiatives on sustainable energy transition in selected OECD economies. For this purpose, the study generated the dataset of environment air and GHG emission, environmental-related technologies, development (gross domestic product, trade openness, and gross domestic spending on R&D) and sustainable environment (air and GHG emission and environmental-related technologies), and energy sources (renewable energy consumption, nonrenewable energy consumption, and sum of total energy consumption) of selected economies of OECD between 2000 and 2020. This study utilized dynamic panel GMM for regression analysis, and FMOLS and DOLS were applied as the robustness models. Empirical results indicated that sustainable development and a sustainable environment contribute positively to the energy transition process in OECD economies. However, these factors also negatively contribute to non-renewable energy consumption in OECD. Thus, the study’s outcomes confirmed the sustainable energy transition in OECD. Therefore, this study suggested that the success of Sustainable Development Goals depends on successful energy transition.
RETRACTED: Foreign Assistance, Sustainable Development, and Commercial Law: A Comparative Analysis of the Impact of Corruption on Developing Economies
Authors: Yu Ying , Lihong Huang , Mouneer Salma , Ali Hina , Munir Arshad
Published: August 2022

The essential purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between foreign assistance and economic growth. It also analyzes the role corruption might play in influencing this relationship in aid-recipient countries that have similar real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, but different development patterns. An analysis is performed on specific samples from 2000 to 2019. The model is split into three sections for this purpose: i.e., all developing economies, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and the most corrupt countries from regions other than SSA. The difference generalized method of moments (GMM) panel framework is used for empirical analysis. The study concludes that foreign aid does not result in encouraging and significant changes in overall economic growth in developing economies. By contrast, corruption has a powerful impact on foreign aid effectiveness. It is also observed from the analysis that SSA economies receive high levels of foreign assistance, but still cannot extract maximum benefit due to various economic and social problems. Furthermore, foreign assistance effectiveness is almost insignificant in most corrupt economies from other regions.
Spatial dynamics of dissolved organic matter among different segments of a large-scale reservoir in the water-level declining period
Authors: Wang Kai , Xiao Shangbin , Liu Jia , Li Penghui , He Chen , Shi Quan , He Ding
Published: August 2022

Large-scale reservoirs exhibit complex hydrological conditions and exert a significant alteration on river flowing. Although dissolved organic matter (DOM) is noted to involve in biogeochemical processes, the variation mechanism of DOM chemistry across a large-scale reservoir is not well assessed. Here, we investigated four tributaries across different segments (e.g., the front and non-front areas) of the world’s largest Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR). Optical techniques and ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry were used to comprehensively explore the variation of DOM chemistry across TGR in the water-level declining period, and biological incubation experiments were conducted to trace its biogeochemical influences. We found that the variation of DOM composition and property between tributary and river mouth sites show different patterns between front and non-front areas of TGR. In particular, there was more terrestrial derived and biologically recalcitrant DOM in the river mouth than tributaries in the front area, while the opposite variation was observed in the non-front area. Integrated with hydrological information, the results demonstrated that the density current exerts a significant influence on DOM dynamics. Furthermore, the biological incubation experiments suggested that this variation of DOM property among tributaries would involve in the spatial dynamics of carbon dioxide (CO2) was emitted in TGR that more CO2 was emitted in the tributary of the front area than of the non-front area during the water-level declining period.
Seedling age of Abies georgei var. smithii reveals functional trait coordination in high-altitude habitats in southeast tibet
Authors: Zhang Xinsheng , Zhao Ningning , Zhou Chenni , Lu Jie , Wang Xiangtao
Published: August 2022

Functional trait-based plant ecology is often used to study plant survival strategies and growth processes. In this work, the variation regularity of functional traits and their correlations were studied in Abies georgei var. smithii seedlings of different seedling ages found along the altitude gradient (3,800–4,400 m) in Sejila Mountain, Southeast Tibet. The following functional traits of seedlings in five age classes were determined: above-ground functional traits∼leaf thickness (T), leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), and leaf dry matter content (LDMC); below-ground functional traits∼specific stem length (SSL), specific root length (SRL), specific root surface area (SRA), root tissue density (RTD), and root dry matter content (RDMC). Results showed that (1) except for LDMC, most of the functional traits of the seedlings at different altitudes showed a regular change trend over time. The changes in traits caused by seedling age had significant effects on other traits (p < 0.05). Altitude only had significant effects on T, LA, SLA, SRA, RTD, and RDMC (p < 0.05). (2) The correlation between the above- and below-ground traits was more significant in 5-6-year-old seedlings than in other age classes (p < 0.05). Principal component analysis (PCA) results showed that LA and SLA were the dominant traits of fir seedlings in five age categories Pearson correlation analysis indicated a correlation between RTD and above-ground traits, thus validating the correlation between the above- and below-ground traits of seedlings of Abies georgei var. smithii of different ages. (3) Available potassium, total potassium, and total organic carbon (TOC) had the greatest influence on the traits of 5-6-year-old seedlings. This study revealed that the functional traits of Abies georgei var. smithii seedlings at different altitudesdynamically change with seedling age. The findings help in understanding the growth strategies of seedlings during early development. Future research on the combination of soil factors and seedling traits will provide a theoretical basis for artificial cultivation and protection of native vegetation.
Comprehensive analysis of 7-methylguanosine and immune microenvironment characteristics in clear cell renal cell carcinomas
Authors: Xiao Yu , Yang Junfeng , Yang Maolin , Len Jinjun , Yu Yanhong
Published: August 2022

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is one of the most common tumors in the urinary system. ccRCC has obvious immunological characteristics, and the infiltration of immune cells is related to the prognosis of ccRCC. The effect of immune checkpoint therapy is related to the dynamic changes of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIM). The 7-methylguanosine (m7G) is an additional mRNA modification ability besides m6A, which is closely related to the TIM and affects the occurrence and development of tumors. At present, the correlations between m7G and the immune microenvironment, treatment, and prognosis of ccRCC are not clear. As far as we know, there was no study on the relationship between m7G and the immune microenvironment and survival of clear cell renal cell carcinomas. A comprehensive analysis of the correlations between them and the construction of a prognosis model are helpful to improve the treatment strategy. Two different molecular subtypes were identified in 539 ccRCC samples by describing the differences of 29 m7G-related genes. It was found that the clinical features, TIM, and prognosis of ccRCC patients were correlated with the m7G-related genes. We found that there were significant differences in the expression of PD-1, CTLA4, and PD-L1 between high- and low-risk groups. To sum up, m7G-related genes play a potential role in the TIM, treatment, and prognosis of ccRCC. Our results provide new findings for ccRCC and help to improve the immunotherapy strategies and prognosis of patients.
Functional Evaluation and Genetic Landscape of Children and Young Adults Referred for Assessment of Bronchiectasis
Authors: Chau Jeffrey Fong Ting , Lee Mianne , Chui Martin Man Chun , Yu Mullin Ho Chung , Fung Jasmine Lee Fong , Mak Christopher Chun Yu , Chau Christy Shuk-Kuen , Siu Ka Ka , Hung Jacqueline , Yeung Kit San , Kwong Anna Ka Yee , O'Callaghan Christopher , Lau Yu Lung , Lee Chun-Wai Davy , Chung Brian Hon-Yin , Lee So-Lun
Published: August 2022

Bronchiectasis is the abnormal dilation of the airway which may be caused by various etiologies in children. Beyond the more recognized cause of bacterial and viral infections and primary immunodeficiencies, other genetic conditions such as cystic fibrosis and primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) can also contribute to the disease. Currently, there is still debate on whether genome sequencing (GS) or exome sequencing reanalysis (rES) would be beneficial if the initial targeted testing results returned negative. This study aims to provide a back-to-back comparison between rES and GS to explore the best integrated approach for the functional and genetics evaluation for patients referred for assessment of bronchiectasis. In phase 1, an initial 60 patients were analyzed by exome sequencing (ES) with one additional individual recruited later as an affected sibling for ES. Functional evaluation of the nasal nitric oxide test, transmission electron microscopy, and high-speed video microscopy were also conducted when possible. In phase 2, GS was performed on 30 selected cases with trio samples available. To provide a back-to-back comparison, two teams of genome analysts were alternatively allocated to GS or rES and were blinded to each other’s analysis. The time for bioinformatics, analysis, and diagnostic utility was recorded for evaluation. ES revealed five positive diagnoses (5/60, 8.3%) in phase 1, and four additional diagnoses were made by rES and GS (4/30, 13%) during phase 2. Subsequently, one additional positive diagnosis was identified in a sibling by ES and an overall diagnostic yield of 10/61 (16.4%) was reached. Among those patients with a clinical suspicion of PCD (n = 31/61), the diagnostic yield was 26% (n = 8/31). While GS did not increase the diagnostic yield, we showed that a variant of uncertain significance could only be detected by GS due to improved coverage over ES and hence is a potential benefit for GS in the future. We show that genetic testing is an essential component for the diagnosis of early-onset bronchiectasis and is most effective when used in combination with functional tools such as TEM or HSVM. Our comparison of rES vs. GS suggests that rES and GS are comparable in clinical diagnosis.
Prognostic value of SOX9 in cervical cancer: Bioinformatics and experimental approaches
Authors: Chen Huan , Chen Xupeng , Zeng Fanhua , Fu Aizhen , Huang Meiyuan
Published: August 2022

Among gynecological cancers, cervical cancer is a common malignancy and remains the leading cause of cancer-related death for women. However, the exact molecular pathogenesis of cervical cancer is not known. Hence, understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying cervical cancer pathogenesis will aid in the development of effective treatment modalities. In this research, we attempted to discern candidate biomarkers for cervical cancer by using multiple bioinformatics approaches. First, we performed differential expression analysis based on cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, then used differentially expressed genes for weighted gene co-expression network construction to find the most relevant gene module for cervical cancer. Next, the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were performed on the module genes, followed by using protein–protein interaction network analysis and Cytoscape to find the key gene. Finally, we validated the key gene by using multiple online sites and experimental methods. Through weighted gene co-expression network analysis, we found the turquoise module was the highest correlated module with cervical cancer diagnosis. The biological process of the module genes focused on cell proliferation, cell adhesion, and protein binding processes, while the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway of the module significantly enriched pathways related to cancer and cell circle. Among the module genes, SOX9 was identified as the hub gene, and its expression was associated with cervical cancer prognosis. We found the expression of SOX9 correlates with cancer-associated fibroblast immune infiltration in immune cells by Timer2.0. Furthermore, cancer-associated fibroblast infiltration is linked to cervical cancer patients’ prognosis. Compared to those in normal adjacent, immunohistochemical and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) showed that the protein and mRNA expression of SOX9 in cervical cancer were higher. Therefore, the SOX9 gene acts as an oncogene in cervical cancer, interactive with immune infiltration of cancer-associated fibroblasts, thereby affecting the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer.
Evaluation of serological response to anti-SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in hematological patients
Authors: Pascale Sara Pasquina , Nuccorini Roberta , Pierri Teresa , Di Mare Roberta , Fabio Lucia , Lerose Emilia , Merlino Maria Antonietta , Schiavo Pietro , Amendola Angela , Brucoli Gino , Caputo Maria Denise , Chitarrelli Ida , Cimminiello Michele , Coluzzi Sabrina , Filardi Nunzio Biagio , Matturro Angela , Vertone Domenico , Poggiaspalla Monica , Malaspina Francesco , Musuraca Gerardo , Coralluzzo Gennaro , Mannarella Clara , Musto Clelia , Bellettieri Angela Pia , Martinelli Giovanni , Cerchione Claudio , Pizzuti Michele
Published: August 2022

Introduction

In immunocompromised patients, SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine has been used in Italy from the beginning of the vaccination campaign, but several studies have shown that the serological response of onco-hematological patients was reduced compared to healthy subjects, due to the state of immunosuppression because of both underlying disease and administered therapy.

Methods

We evaluated the association of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG titers in 215 hematological patients with clinical and demographic variables to verify if it was possible to identify predictive parameters of serological response, as well as using a control group, consisting of healthy health workers of San Carlo Hospital in Potenza. Anti-SARS-CoV2 IgG titers were evaluated after 30–45 days post second dose vaccine using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay technology.

Results

Patients with hematological malignancies, compared with the control arm, had both a mean concentration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG significantly lower and a seroconversion rate numerically lower. All chronic lymphatic leukemia patients showed levels of antibody titer below the mean concentration, also in only clinical surveillance patients. Comparing serological response in hematological malignancies, only acute leukemia patients who were off therapy had the highest seroconversion rate among the patients’ cohorts and a mean antibody concentration greater than the control arm. Patients treated with steroids and rituximab showed a lower level of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG. Differences in anti-spike IgG levels among chronic myeloid leukemia patients stratified according to tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy and molecular response were observed, and they could have interesting implications on the evaluation of the effects of these drugs on the immune system, but having not reached statistical significance at the moment. The cohort of patients who received a stem cell transplant was very heterogeneous because it included different hematological malignancies and different types of transplant; however, a mean concentration of anti-SARS-CoV2 IgG greater than the control arm was reported. Indeed, among patients who performed a transplant for over 6 months only one had a spike IgG concentration below the cutoff.

Conclusions

Our data confirm reduced serological response in hematological patients after anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. However, we found a great diversity of SARS-CoV-2 antibody response according to types of pathologies and therapies.
N6-Methyladenosine regulator RBM15B acts as an independent prognostic biomarker and its clinical significance in uveal melanoma
Authors: Wang Tianyu , Bai Jianhao , Zhang Yuanyuan , Xue Yawen , Peng Qing
Published: August 2022

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most frequent intraocular malignant tumor in adults. N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is recognized as the most critical epigenetic change and is implicated in the development of many malignancies. However, its prognostic value in UM is poorly understood. RNA-seq and clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) help us better understand the relationship between m6A regulators and UM patients. Herein, four UM groups established by consensus clustering were shown to have different immune cell infiltrations and prognostic survival. Five m6A regulators, including RBM15B, IGF2BP1, IGF2BP2, YTHDF3, and YTHDF1, were associated with the prognosis of UM patients. Intriguingly, RBM15B was confirmed to be the only independent prognostic factor for UM and it was significantly correlated with clinicopathologic characteristics of UM. Notably, RBM15B expression was significantly negatively correlated with immune checkpoints. Furthermore, LINC00665/hsa-let-7b-5p/RBM15B axis and LINC00638/hsa-miR-103a-3p/RBM15B axis were found to be potential prognostic biomarkers in UM. In a nutshell, this work, through bioinformatics analysis, systematically described the gene signatures and prognostic values of m6A regulators. RBM15B is an independent protective prognostic factor, which may help us better understand the crosstalk within UM.
Mer Tyrosine Kinase (MERTK) modulates liver fibrosis progression and hepatocellular carcinoma development
Authors: Pipitone Rosaria Maria , Calvaruso Vincenza , Di Marco Lorenza , Di Salvo Francesca , Gaggianesi Miriam , Lupo Giulia , Zito Rossella , La Mantia Claudia , Ramazzotti Matteo , Petta Salvatore , Di Marco Vito , Craxì Antonio , Grimaudo Stefania
Published: August 2022

Background

MerTK is a tyrosine kinase receptor that belongs to the TAM (Tyro3/Axl/Mer) receptor family. It is involved in different processes including cellular proliferation/survival, cellular adhesion/migration, and release of the inflammatory/anti-inflammatory cytokines. Although it is reported that MERTK polymorphisms affect the severity of viral and metabolic liver diseases, being able to influence fibrosis progression and hepatocellular carcinoma development, the mechanisms remain unknown. Methods: using a microarray approach, we evaluated the liver expression of genes involved in fibrogenesis and hepatocarcinogenesis in patient with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), stratified for MERTK genotype and MERTK expression. Results: we found that the rs 4374383 AA homozygosity is associated with lower MERTK expression in CHC patients and that, depending on MERTK genotype, Matrix Metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), Matrix Metallopeptidase 7 (MMP7), Secreted Frizzled Related Protein 1 (SFRP1) and WNT gene family 11(WNT11) show differential expression in patients with CHC with or without neoplastic progression. Conclusions: our results confirm that MERTK represents a genetic biomarker for progression of liver disease and are suggestive of translational relevance for the study of downstream pathways involved in fibrogenesis and hepatocarcinogenesis.