bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental tests and EDFM method to study gas injection in a fractured granite reservoir
Authors: Nie Zhiquan , Xu Feng , Ouyang Jingqi , Li Xiangling , Zhang Juntao , Liu Shiliang , Han Jinqiang , Li Da
Published: January 2023

The development of granite reservoirs with high dip fractures has many difficulties, such as a high decline rate, early water breakthrough, and numerous economic losses. Gas injection is usually used to maintain the formation pressure to increase single well productivity, and could be carried out in fractured reservoirs to enhance oil recovery. When injecting associated gas, it meets the environmental protection requirements of the local government to further eliminate the flare, implementing the concept of green and low-carbon development. In this study, both laboratory tests and reservoir simulation have been done to study the feasibility and the benefit of associated gas injection in the research target. For physical stimulation, it mainly includes experiments such as associated gas injection expansion, slim tube, long core displacement, and relative permeability. Through these experiments, the changes in the recovery factor after depletion development and gas displacement are systematically described and the key controls are revealed for improving the recovery ratio of fractured basement reservoirs. For the simulation part, the embedded discrete fracture model processor combining commercial reservoir simulators is fully integrated into the research. A 3D model with complex natural fractures is built to perform the associated gas injection performance of the fractured granite reservoir. Complex dynamic behaviors of natural fractures can be captured, which can maintain the accuracy of DFNs and keep the efficiency offered by structured gridding. Depletion development and gas injection development strategy are optimized in this research. The result shows that oil recovery by using gas injection is increased by 16.8% compared with depletion development by natural energy.
Decarbonization roadmap for China’s energy sector in the context of carbon futures trading: An energy-environment-economy assessment perspective
Authors: Li Jidong , Li Xiaojing , Wei Chao , Deng Jian , Chen Shuangyin , Cao Yuwei , Chen Yingqi
Published: January 2023

By virtue of the hedging and price discovery function, carbon futures trading may help carbon market function more effectively. Is it necessary to establish carbon futures trading in China? The authorities have endorsed the idea since 2015, however, the scheme has not yet started; no antecedent pre-assessment quantitative research has been carried out. Therefore this study that attempts to fill this gap in the literature, could be of real significance. Through deriving a potential decarbonization roadmap, this study tries to give some clues pertaining to the converted mitigation strategy imposed by carbon futures trading in China. A model chain has been proposed, which is composed of the Optimal Production Decision-making Model for Producers, Life Cycle Impact Assessment, Monetization, and Genetic Algorithm based optimization, to quantify the environmental benefits (including improvements to human health, ecosystem damage and increased temperature induced GDP losses) of the assumed mitigation trajectories. By setting the maximization of environmental benefits as the objective, the optimal decarbonization roadmap with carbon futures trading is derived. Results show that the optimal emission reductions for power enterprises (covered by the carbon market) for the next 10 years (2021–2030) are around 3.27 billion tonnes CO2e. If 36% of this amount is assigned to previously discussed mitigation trajectories, it is found that 106.98 GW ultra-super critical units, 160.85 GW mono-Si PV facilities and 167.26 GW doubly-fed induction generator wind capacity should be installed. Overall environmental benefits are 4.6 trillion CNY2018, over 5% of China’s 2018 GDP. Results demonstrate the optimal emission reductions and potential decarbonization roadmap for China’s power enterprises (those covered by the carbon market) under the context of carbon futures trading, which can be an important reference for the authorities and therefore encourage the establishment of the scheme.
Fundamentals of energy storage from first principles simulations: Challenges and opportunities
Authors: Kowalski Piotr M. , Bornhake Thomas , Cheong Oskar , Dohrmann Noah , Koch Liston Andre Luiz , Potts Shannon Kimberly , Shad Alison , Tesch Rebekka , Ting Yin-Ying
Published: January 2023

Efficient electrochemical energy storage and conversion require high performance electrodes, electrolyte or catalyst materials. In this contribution we discuss the simulation-based effort made by Institute of Energy and Climate Research at Forschungszentrum Jülich (IEK-13) and partner institutions aimed at improvement of computational methodologies and providing molecular level understanding of energy materials. We focus on discussing correct computation of electronic structure, oxidation states and related redox reactions, phase transformation in doped oxides and challenges in computation of surface chemical reactions on oxides and metal surfaces in presence of electrolyte. Particularly, in the scope of this contribution we present new simulated data on Ni/Co and Am/U-bearing oxides, and Pb, Au and Ag metal surface materials. The computed results are combined with the available experimental data for thoughtful analysis of the computational methods performance.
Combustion Optimization Under Deep Peak Shaving Based on DYNA-A3C With Dynamic Weight
Authors: Wei-Jie Tang , Hai-Tao Wang , Ping-Ji Liu , Feng-Lei Qian
Published: January 2023

The combustion process of boilers under deep peak shaving is a multivariate process which has complex characteristics such as super multivariability, being nonlinear, and large delay. It is difficult to handle complex data and calculate appropriate distributed results. To this end, this study applies the A3C method based on the dynamic weight Dyna structure to the boiler combustion system. This method trains and optimizes the boiler combustion system by establishing a data center and designing appropriate states and reward values, and the simulation results show that this method can be used to optimize the boiler combustion system. It can effectively reduce NOX emissions and improve the boiler combustion efficiency.
Ecological vulnerability assessment based on remote sensing ecological index (RSEI): A case of Zhongxian County, Chongqing
Authors: Lan Guoxin , Jiang Xiaolan , Xu Denghui , Guo Xianhua , Wu Yan , Liu Yixuan , Yang Yuzheng
Published: January 2023

The ecological vulnerability evaluation index was established through Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Wetness (WET), Normalized Difference Build-up and Soil Index (NDBSI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST) indicators, comprehensively evaluate the ecological vulnerability of Zhongxian County of Chongqing in 2002, 2009, and 2016 by Principal Components Analysis (PCA), and analyze its spatio-temporal evolution. The vulnerability areas of five levels were calculated respectively, and the overall index of ecological vulnerability was also calculated. The index of remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index decreased first and then increased; the Wetness index showed an upward trend; the Normalized Difference Build-up and Soil Index index increased first and then decreased; and the Land Surface Temperature index decreased. The ecological vulnerability body index (EVBI) shows a downward trend, and the incremental changes are mainly concentrated in the negligible vulnerability areas and light vulnerability area, while the medium vulnerability, strong vulnerability and extreme vulnerability area generally show a downward trend. Furthermore, the new increment of ecological vulnerability grade area concentrates on negligible vulnerability area and light vulnerability area from 2002 to 2016. In general, the ecological vulnerability gradually shifts to low vulnerability, and the ecological environment tends to develop healthily.
The impact of export tax rebate reform on industrial exporters’ soot emissions: Evidence from China
Authors: Tian Qian , Hu Anqin , Zhang Yuexing , Meng Yagang
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we systematically explore the environmental effects of the export tax rebate rate reduction policy using the China Industrial Enterprise Database, the China Industrial Enterprise Pollution Database, and the China Customs Import and Export Database from 2005 to 2013. Our difference-in-difference (DID) estimates show that the reduction in the export tax rebate rate significantly reduces the intensity of corporate soot emissions, and this finding holds after a series of robustness tests. For every 1-unit reduction in export tax rebate rate, industrial exporters’ soot emission intensity decreases by 2.63%. The mechanism analysis shows that the decrease in soot generation, the decrease in coal use intensity, the increase in total amount and efficiency of soot treatment are important channels. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the reduction of export tax rebate rate has a more significant impact on the intensity of soot emissions of high pollution, high energy consumption and resource-based enterprises. This study may provide a reference for other developing countries that also rely on export tax rebates to adjust their policies to combine economic growth with pollution control.
miRdisNET: Discovering microRNA biomarkers that are associated with diseases utilizing biological knowledge-based machine learning
Authors: Jabeer Amhar , Temiz Mustafa , Bakir-Gungor Burcu , Yousef Malik
Published: January 2023

During recent years, biological experiments and increasing evidence have shown that microRNAs play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of human complex diseases. Therefore, to diagnose and treat human complex diseases, it is necessary to reveal the associations between a specific disease and related miRNAs. Although current computational models based on machine learning attempt to determine miRNA-disease associations, the accuracy of these models need to be improved, and candidate miRNA-disease relations need to be evaluated from a biological perspective. In this paper, we propose a computational model named miRdisNET to predict potential miRNA-disease associations. Specifically, miRdisNET requires two types of data, i.e., miRNA expression profiles and known disease-miRNA associations as input files. First, we generate subsets of specific diseases by applying the grouping component. These subsets contain miRNA expressions with class labels associated with each specific disease. Then, we assign an importance score to each group by using a machine learning method for classification. Finally, we apply a modeling component and obtain outputs. One of the most important outputs of miRdisNET is the performance of miRNA-disease prediction. Compared with the existing methods, miRdisNET obtained the highest AUC value of .9998. Another output of miRdisNET is a list of significant miRNAs for disease under study. The miRNAs identified by miRdisNET are validated via referring to the gold-standard databases which hold information on experimentally verified microRNA-disease associations. miRdisNET has been developed to predict candidate miRNAs for new diseases, where miRNA-disease relation is not yet known. In addition, miRdisNET presents candidate disease-disease associations based on shared miRNA knowledge. The miRdisNET tool and other supplementary files are publicly available at: https://github.com/malikyousef/miRdisNET.
Clinical characteristics and long-term outcome of patients with
gastrointestinal involvement in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis
Authors: Li Rongli , Chen Yingying , Zhang Shangzhu , Peng Linyi , Zhou Jiaxin , Fei Yunyun , Zhang Wen , Zhao Yan , Zeng Xiaofeng
Published: January 2023

Objective

This study aims to investigate clinical characteristics, potential risk factors, as well as long-term outcome in EGPA patients with GI involvement.

Methods

A total of 94 EGPA patients were included in this cohort study. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data, treatment, and outcome of 21 EGPA patients with GI involvement and compared them with other 73 EGPA patients without GI involvement. Multivariate logistic regression was used to find potential risk factors associated with GI involvement in EGPA patients.

Results

Compared with EGPA patients without GI involvement, EGPA patients with GI involvement had higher level of hs-CRP (65.1 (24.5-138.9) vs. 21.3 (5.7-39.1) mg/L, p=0.005), higher grades of Birmingham vasculitis activity score (BVAS) (20 (13-29.5) vs. 12 (16-19), p=0.022), higher Five Factor Score (FFS) (1 (1-2) vs. 0 (0-1), p<0.001), and were more likely to have weight loss (66.7% vs. 38.4%, p=0.021) at baseline. In EGPA patients with GI involvement, the most common gastrointestinal symptoms were abdominal pain (90.5%) and diarrhea (42.9%). Weight loss was identified as a potential risk factor for GI involvement in EGPA patients (OR = 4.304, 95% CI 1.339–13.841). During follow-up, EGPA patients with GI involvement showed lower 1-year cumulative survival rate (75.2% vs. 100.0%, P <0.0001) and 3-year cumulative survival rate (67.7% vs. 100.0%, P<0.0001), lower long-term remission rate (33.3% vs. 86.3%, P<0.001), but higher 1-year cumulative relapse rate (19.2% vs. 3.8%, P=0.03) and 3-year cumulative relapse rate (54.6% vs. 13.1%, P<0.001) compared with patients without GI involvement.

Conclusion

EGPA patients with GI involvement had distinct features from those without GI involvement, including higher hs-CRP level, higher BVAS and FFS scores. EGPA patients with GI involvement showed lower cumulative survival rate, lower long-term remission rate and higher cumulative relapse rate compared with those without GI involvement.
The practice of genomic medicine: A delineation of the process and its governing principles
Authors: Handra Julia , Elbert Adrienne , Gazzaz Nour , Moller-Hansen Ashley , Hyunh Stephanie , Lee Hyun Kyung , Boerkoel Pierre , Alderman Emily , Anderson Erin , Clarke Lorne , Hamilton Sara , Hamman Ronnalea , Hughes Shevaun , Ip Simon , Langlois Sylvie , Lee Mary , Li Laura , Mackenzie Frannie , Patel Millan S. , Prentice Leah M. , Sangha Karan , Sato Laura , Seath Kimberly , Seppelt Margaret , Swenerton Anne , Warnock Lynn , Zambonin Jessica L. , Boerkoel Cornelius F. , Chin Hui-Lin , Armstrong Linlea
Published: January 2023

Genomic medicine, an emerging medical discipline, applies the principles of evolution, developmental biology, functional genomics, and structural genomics within clinical care. Enabling widespread adoption and integration of genomic medicine into clinical practice is key to achieving precision medicine. We delineate a biological framework defining diagnostic utility of genomic testing and map the process of genomic medicine to inform integration into clinical practice. This process leverages collaboration and collective cognition of patients, principal care providers, clinical genomic specialists, laboratory geneticists, and payers. We detail considerations for referral, triage, patient intake, phenotyping, testing eligibility, variant analysis and interpretation, counseling, and management within the utilitarian limitations of health care systems. To reduce barriers for clinician engagement in genomic medicine, we provide several decision-making frameworks and tools and describe the implementation of the proposed workflow in a prototyped electronic platform that facilitates genomic care. Finally, we discuss a vision for the future of genomic medicine and comment on areas for continued efforts.
Effectiveness and safety of anakinra in gouty arthritis: A case series and review of the literature
Authors: Jeria-Navarro Sicylle , Gomez-Gomez Alejandro , Park Hye Sang , Calvo-Aranda Enrique , Corominas Hector , Pou Maria Antonia , Diaz-Torne Cesar
Published: January 2023

Background

Gout is the most common type of inflammatory arthritis. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and colchicine are the first-line agents, although they are contraindicated in many patients. Blockade of IL-1 with anakinra can be an alternative.

Objective

To present a case series of 10 difficult-to-treat gout patients treated with anakinra and perform a scoping review of the effectiveness and safety of anakinra in gout patients.

Methods

A total of 1,519 citations were screened. The reviewers ran a two-stage screening process by title/abstract and full-text reading. Thirty-eight articles finally met the selection criteria and were included for data extraction and synthesis. Experience in difficult-to treat and complex clinical scenarios, such as active infection, hemodialysis, and transplantation, were specifically described.

Results

The study sample comprised 551 patients, from whom 648 flares were finally analyzed. The mean age was 57.9 years, and 82.9% were men. The clinical presentation was polyarticular in 47.5% and tophaceous in 66.9%. Sixty-five patients with an active infection, 41 transplanted patients and 14 in haemodyalisis treated with anakinra are described. More than half of the patients had >1 associated comorbidity. Anakinra was effective both for flares (94%) and for long-term treatment (91%) and well tolerated. In the case of flares, 34 (6.7%) adverse effects were registered. Adverse events were more prevalent in long-term treatment.

Conclusion

Anakinra was effective and safe for management of gout flares in difficult-to-treat patients. It has been used in multiple complex scenarios, such as active infections, dialysis, transplantation, chronic kidney disease, and polyarticular gout. Anakinra has also proven effective as long-term treatment, although there are more concerns about its safety.
Radix paeoniae alba polysaccharide attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced intestinal injury by regulating gut microbiota
Authors: Li Aoyun , Ding Jinxue , Shen Ting , Liang Ying , Wei Fan , Wu Yi , Iqbal Mudassar , Kulyar Muhammad Fakhar-e-Alam , Li Kun , Wei Kunhua
Published: January 2023

Accumulating evidence indicated that oxidative stress is closely related to inflammation and the progression of multiple chronic diseases, which seriously threaten the host health. Currently, multiple plant-derived polysaccharides have been demonstrated to ameliorate the negative effects of oxidative stress on the host, but the potential protective effect of radix paeoniae alba polysaccharide (RPAP) on host have not been well characterized. Here, we investigated whether different doses of RPAP administration could alleviate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal injury and gut microbial dysbiosis in mice. Results indicated that RPAP administration effectively alleviated LPS-induced intestinal damage in dose dependent. Additionally, amplicon sequencing showed that RPAP administration reversed the significant decrease in gut microbial diversity caused by LPS exposure and restored the alpha-diversity indices to normal levels. Microbial taxonomic investigation also indicated that LPS exposure resulted in significant changes in the gut microbial composition, characterized by a decrease in the abundances of beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillus, Alistipes, Bacillus, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, etc.) and an increase in the contents of pathogenic bacteria (Klebsiella, Helicobacter, Enterococcus, etc.). However, RPAP administration, especially in high doses, could improve the composition of the gut microbiota by altering the abundance of some bacteria. Taken together, this study demonstrated that RPAP administration could ameliorate LPS-induced intestinal injury by regulating gut microbiota. Meanwhile, this also provides the basis for the popularization and application of RPAP and alleviating oxidative stress from the perspective of gut microbiota.
Adaptive optimal output regulation for wheel-legged robot Ollie: A data-driven approach
Authors: Zhang Jingfan , Li Zhaoxiang , Wang Shuai , Dai Yuan , Zhang Ruirui , Lai Jie , Zhang Dongsheng , Chen Ke , Hu Jie , Gao Weinan , Tang Jianshi , Zheng Yu
Published: January 2023

The dynamics of a robot may vary during operation due to both internal and external factors, such as non-ideal motor characteristics and unmodeled loads, which would lead to control performance deterioration and even instability. In this paper, the adaptive optimal output regulation (AOOR)-based controller is designed for the wheel-legged robot Ollie to deal with the possible model uncertainties and disturbances in a data-driven approach. We test the AOOR-based controller by forcing the robot to stand still, which is a conventional index to judge the balance controller for two-wheel robots. By online training with small data, the resultant AOOR achieves the optimality of the control performance and stabilizes the robot within a small displacement in rich experiments with different working conditions. Finally, the robot further balances a rolling cylindrical bottle on its top with the balance control using the AOOR, but it fails with the initial controller. Experimental results demonstrate that the AOOR-based controller shows the effectiveness and high robustness with model uncertainties and external disturbances.
A spiking network model for clustering report in a visual working memory task
Authors: Lei Lixing , Zhang Mengya , Li Tingyu , Dong Yelin , Wang Da-Hui
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Working memory (WM) plays a key role in many cognitive processes, and great interest has been attracted by WM for many decades. Recently, it has been observed that the reports of the memorized color sampled from a uniform distribution are clustered, and the report error for the stimulus follows a Gaussian distribution.

Methods

Based on the well-established ring model for visuospatial WM, we constructed a spiking network model with heterogeneous connectivity and embedded short-term plasticity (STP) to investigate the neurodynamic mechanisms behind this interesting phenomenon.

Results

As a result, our model reproduced the clustering report given stimuli sampled from a uniform distribution and the error of the report following a Gaussian distribution. Perturbation studies showed that the heterogeneity of connectivity and STP are necessary to explain experimental observations.

Conclusion

Our model provides a new perspective on the phenomenon of visual WM in experiments.
Transfemoral trans-facial vein-superior ophthalmic vein to embolize cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas
Authors: Zhou Zibo , Xu Kan , Yu Jinlu
Published: January 2023

Cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistula (CS-DAVF) is an abnormal communication between the CS and dural arteries from the internal carotid artery and external carotid artery. CS-DAVFs are not uncommon. The preferred treatment for most CS-DAVFs is transvenous embolization (TVE), which can achieve a high cure rate with few complications. The trans-inferior petrous sinus (IPS) route from the internal jugular vein to the CS is the favorite and most direct route to perform TVE in the great majority of CS-DAVFs. However, when the trans-IPS route fails and if the facial vein (FV) is patent and dilated, transfemoral trans-FV-superior ophthalmic vein (SOV) embolization of the CS-DAVF can be attempted. However, the transfemoral trans-FV-SOV route to embolize CS-DAVFs is often challenging, and there is insufficient knowledge about it. Therefore, an updated review of the transfemoral trans-FV-SOV route to embolize CS-DAVFs is necessary, and this review includes our experience. The images in this review are from our institute without the dispute of copyright. Issues regarding the transfemoral trans-FV-SOV route to embolize CS-DAV were discussed, including the FV anatomy and variation, various TVE routes to access CS-DAVF, the procedure of the transfemoral trans-FV-SOV route to embolize CS-DAVF, difficulty, and solution of the transfemoral trans-FV-SOV route to embolize CS-DAVF, and complications and prognosis of transfemoral trans-FV-SOV to embolize CS-DAVF. By reviewing the transfemoral trans-FV-SOV route to embolize CS-DAVFs, we found that this route provides a valuable alternative to the other transvenous routes. A good prognosis can be obtained with the transfemoral trans-FV-SOV route to embolize CS-DAVFs in select cases.
Sport-specific training induced adaptations in postural control and their relationship with athletic performance
Authors: Zemková Erika , Kováčiková Zuzana
Published: January 2023

Effects of various exercise programs on postural balance control in athletes and their underlying physiological mechanisms have been extensively investigated. However, little is known regarding how challenging sport-specific conditions contribute to the improvement of body balance and to what extent these changes may be explained by sensorimotor and/or neuromuscular function adaptations. Analysis of the literature could provide useful information on the interpretation of changes in postural sway variables in response to long-term sport-specific training and their association with performance measures. Therefore, the aim of this scoping review was (1) to analyze the literature investigating postural control adaptations induced by sport-specific training and their relationship with measures of athletic performance, and (2) to identify gaps in the existing research and to propose suggestions for future studies. A literature search conducted with Scopus, Web of Science, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library was completed by Elsevier, SpringerLink and Google Scholar with no date restrictions. Overall, 126 articles were eligible for inclusion. However, the association between variables of postural balance control and measures of sport-specific performance was investigated in only 14 of the articles. A relationship between static and/or dynamic balance and criterion measures of athletic performance was revealed in shooting, archery, golf, baseball, ice-hockey, tennis, and snowboarding. This may be ascribed to improved ability of athletes to perform postural adjustments in highly balanced task demands. However, the extent to which sport-specific exercises contribute to their superior postural stability is unknown. Although there is a good deal of evidence supporting neurophysiological adaptations in postural balance control induced by body conditioning exercises, little effort has been made to explain balance adaptations induced by sport-specific exercises and their effects on athletic performance. While an enhancement in athletic performance is often attributed to an improvement of neuromuscular functions induced by sport-specific balance exercises, it can be equally well ascribed to their improvement by general body conditioning exercises. Therefore, the relevant experiments have yet to be conducted to investigate the relative contributions of each of these exercises to improving athletic performance.
A method for reconstruction of interpretable brain networks from transient synchronization in resting-state BOLD fluctuations
Authors: Noro Yusuke , Li Ruixiang , Matsui Teppei , Jimura Koji
Published: January 2023

Resting-state (rs) fMRI has been widely used to examine brain-wide large-scale spatiotemporal architectures, known as resting-state networks (RSNs). Recent studies have focused on the temporally evolving characteristics of RSNs, but it is unclear what temporal characteristics are reflected in the networks. To address this issue, we devised a novel method for voxel-based visualization of spatiotemporal characteristics of rs-fMRI with a time scale of tens of seconds. We first extracted clusters of dominant activity-patterns using a region-of-interest approach and then used these temporal patterns of the clusters to obtain voxel-based activation patterns related to the clusters. We found that activation patterns related to the clusters temporally evolved with a characteristic temporal structure and showed mutual temporal alternations over minutes. The voxel-based representation allowed the decoding of activation patterns of the clusters in rs-fMRI using a meta-analysis of functional activations. The activation patterns of the clusters were correlated with behavioral measures. Taken together, our analysis highlights a novel approach to examine brain activity dynamics during rest.
Regionally restricted modulation of Sam68 expression and Arhgef9 alternative splicing in the hippocampus of a murine model of multiple sclerosis
Authors: Adinolfi Annalisa , Di Sante Gabriele , Rivignani Vaccari Luca , Tredicine Maria , Ria Francesco , Bonvissuto Davide , Corvino Valentina , Sette Claudio , Geloso Maria Concetta
Published: January 2023

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and its preclinical models are characterized by marked changes in neuroplasticity, including excitatory/inhibitory imbalance and synaptic dysfunction that are believed to underlie the progressive cognitive impairment (CI), which represents a significant clinical hallmark of the disease. In this study, we investigated several parameters of neuroplasticity in the hippocampus of the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) SJL/J mouse model, characterized by rostral inflammatory and demyelinating lesions similar to Relapsing–Remitting MS. By combining morphological and molecular analyses, we found that the hippocampus undergoes extensive inflammation in EAE-mice, more pronounced in the CA3 and dentate gyrus (DG) subfields than in the CA1, associated with changes in GABAergic circuitry, as indicated by the increased expression of the interneuron marker Parvalbumin selectively in CA3. By laser-microdissection, we investigated the impact of EAE on the alternative splicing of Arhgef9, a gene encoding a post-synaptic protein playing an essential role in GABAergic synapses and whose mutations have been related to CI and epilepsy. Our results indicate that EAE induces a specific increase in inclusion of the alternative exon 11a only in the CA3 and DG subfields, in line with the higher local levels of inflammation. Consistently, we found a region-specific downregulation of Sam68, a splicing-factor that represses this splicing event. Collectively, our findings confirm a regionalized distribution of inflammation in the hippocampus of EAE-mice. Moreover, since neuronal circuit rearrangement and dynamic remodeling of structural components of the synapse are key processes that contribute to neuroplasticity, our study suggests potential new molecular players involved in EAE-induced hippocampal dysfunction.
What is the level of nutrition literacy of Saudi adolescents? A national wide exploratory cross-sectional study
Authors: Bookari Khlood
Published: January 2023

Background

Despite being a prolific research topic, studies evaluating nutrition literacy in the Arab world are scant and still nonexistent in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Therefore, a national study was launched with the aim to (1) assess nutrition literacy among Saudi adolescents aged 10–19 years old and (2) determine its correlates.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was launched across all Saudi provinces between 29 April and 6 June 2022, enrolling a convenience sample of 2,115 adolescents (mean age = 16.8 ± 2.5; girls: 48.7%). An online self-administered questionnaire was disseminated to eligible participants to collect relevant data.

Results

Study findings showed that nearly half of the adolescents (44.6%) had poor nutrition literacy. The male gender doubled the risk of adolescents having poor nutrition literacy (OR = 2.0, CI = 1.5-2.5, p < 0.001). Northern border residents were 14 times more likely to be nutritionally illiterate, in contrast to adolescents residing in Riyadh (OR = 14.0, CI = 7.3–28.0, p < 0.001). Adolescents were more likely to be nutritionally illiterate if they were underweight or overweight (OR = 2.7, CI = 1.6–4.7, p < 0.001; OR = 2.2, CI = 1.7–2.9, p < 0.001). School students had 2 times more risk of having poor nutrition literacy, in contrast to those who were enrolled in universities (OR = 1.8, CI = 1.4–2.4, p < 0.001). Nutrition illiteracy was 4 times higher among adolescents having caregivers else than their parents (OR = 3.9, CI = 2.2–6.9, p < 0.001). Parental education level also contributed to determining adolescents' nutrition literacy status.

Conclusions

It has become essential to courage the development of supportive school environments in Saudi Arabia to promote nutrition education and improve adolescents' nutrition literacy. Without a doubt, this calls for taking a holistic approach on the part of education and health ministries, nutrition professionals, educators, parents, and, most importantly, the teenagers themselves, who must have the desire and motivation to learn.
Development and validation of a cuproptosis-associated prognostic model for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Zhang Bingxin , Zhang Tianyu , Zheng Ziwei , Lin Zhili , Wang Quanqiang , Zheng Dong , Chen Zixing , Ma Yongyong
Published: January 2023

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a highly heterogeneous disease. Therefore, more reliable biomarkers are required to better predict the prognosis of DLBCL. Cuproptosis is a novel identified form of programmed cell death (PCD) that is different from oxidative stress-related cell death (e.g., apoptosis, ferroptosis, and necroptosis) by Tsvetkov and colleagues in a recent study released in Science. Cuproptosis is copper-dependent PCD that is closely tied to mitochondrial metabolism. However, the prognostic value of cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) in DLBCL remains to be further elucidated. In the present study, we systematically evaluated the molecular changes of CRGs in DLBCL and found them to be associated with prognosis. Subsequently, based on the expression profiles of CRGs, we characterized the heterogeneity of DLBCL by identifying two distinct subtypes using consensus clustering. Two isoforms exhibited different survival, biological functions, chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity, and immune microenvironment. After identifying differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between CRG clusters, we built a prognostic model with the Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis and validated its prognostic value by Cox regression analysis, Kaplan-Meier curves, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. In addition, the risk score can predict clinical characteristics, levels of immune cell infiltration, and prognosis. Furthermore, a nomogram incorporating clinical features and risk score was generated to optimize risk stratification and quantify risk assessment. Compared to the International Prognostic Index (IPI), the nomogram has demonstrated more accuracy in survival prediction. Furthermore, we validated the prognostic gene expression levels through external experiments. In conclusion, cuproptosis-related gene signature can serve as a potential prognostic predictor in DLBCL patients and may provide new insights into cancer therapeutic targets.
Research trends and hotspots of neurodegenerative diseases employing network pharmacology: A bibliometric analysis
Authors: Zhu Jie , Liang Qingchun , He Siyi , Wang Chen , Lin Xiafei , Wu Duozhi , Lin Guanwen , Wang Zhihua
Published: January 2023

Background: Employing network pharmacology in neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) has been extensively studied recently. However, no comprehensive study has conducted on this subject employing bibliometrics so far. The purpose of this study was to find out the developmental trends and hotspots, and to predict potential research directions in this filed.

Methods: Relevant research were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection Bibliometrics and visual analysis were executed using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, Histcite and R-bibliometrix.

Results: A total of 420 English articles on network pharmacology in NDs published in 2008–2022 were obtained from the WOSCC database. From 2008 to 2022, annual publications showed a steady growing trend, especially in 2014–2022. China, Beijing Univ Chinese Med, Frontiers in Pharmacology, and Geerts H are the most prolific country, institution, journal, and author, respectively. China, Nucleic Acids Research, and Hopkins AL are the most highly cited country, journal, and author, respectively. Moreover, network pharmacology and Alzheimer’s disease are the focal areas of current researches according to analysis of co-cited references and keywords. Finally, in the detection of burst keywords, systems pharmacology and database are new approaches to disease and drug research, while traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Alzheimer’s disease are hot research directions. The above keywords are speculated to be the research frontiers.

Conclusion: Network pharmacology and Alzheimers’ disease are the main topics of researches on network pharmacology in NDs. Network pharmacology and the TCM treatment of Alzheimer’s disease have been the recent research hotspots. To sum up, the potential for exploring TCM treatment of AD with network pharmacology is huge.
Piper sarmentosum Roxb. methanolic extract prevents stress-induced gastric ulcer by modulating oxidative stress and inflammation
Authors: Akmal Muhamad Nurul , Abdel Aziz Ibrahim , Nur Azlina Mohd Fahami
Published: January 2023

This study investigated the gastroprotective effect of Piper sarmentosum (PS) on stress-induced gastric ulcers in rats by measuring its effect on oxidative stress, gastric mucosal nitric oxide (NO), and inflammatory biomarkers. Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups; two control groups (non-stress and stress) and two treated groups supplemented with either methanolic PS extract (500 mg/kg body weight) or omeprazole (OMZ; 20 mg/kg) orally. After 28 days of treatment, the stress control, PS, and OMZ groups were subjected to water-immersion restrain stress (WIRS) for 3.5 h. Gastric tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), NO, superoxide dismutase (SOD), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), SOD mRNA, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 levels were measured. WIRS significantly increased gastric MDA, NO, and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels compared to the non-stressed control group. PS and omeprazole supplementation significantly reduced WIRS-exposure-induced gastric ulcers and MDA, iNOS, and IL-1β levels. However, only PS reduced NO, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels, which were upregulated in this ulcer model. In conclusion, the gastroprotection afforded by PS is possibly mediated by gastric mucosal NO normalization through reduced iNOS expression and attenuation of inflammatory cytokines. PS showed a greater protective effect than omeprazole in reducing gastric lesions and NO, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels, and iNOS expression.
Development and characterisation of caesium lead halide perovskite nanocomposite scintillators for X-ray detection
Authors: O’Neill Joseph , Braddock Isabel , Crean Carol , Ghosh Joydip , Masteghin Mateus , Richards Sion , Wilson Matthew , Sellin Paul
Published: January 2023

We present work on the development of mixed-halide perovskite (CsPbClxBr(1−x)) nanocrystal scintillators for X-ray detection applications. The effect of the varying the halide composition on the resulting peak emission and light yield is discussed, with the CsPbBr3 materials displaying the greatest light yield. These perovskite nanocrystals were successfully loaded into PMMA, an inert plastic, at 2% mass weighting and the responses of these composites were compared to that of their colloidal dispersions. The composites were also characterised in terms of the radioluminescent light yield and decay response, alongside their X-ray sensitivity, in which the PMMA-CsPbBr3 composites again outperformed the materials containing Cl− anions.
Salinity alleviator bacteria in rice (Oryza sativa L.), their colonization efficacy, and synergism with melatonin
Authors: Gupta Amrita , Tiwari Rajesh Kumar , Shukla Renu , Singh Arvind Nath , Sahu Pramod Kumar
Published: January 2023

In this study, rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria were tested for the alleviation of salinity stress in rice. Endophytic isolates were taken from previous studies based on their salt stress-alleviating traits. The rhizospheric bacteria were isolated from rice and screened based on salt tolerance and plant growth-promoting traits. Molecular identification indicated the presence of class Gammaproteobacteria, Bacillota, and Actinomycetia. Two-two most potential isolates each from rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria were selected for in planta trials. Results showed that microbial inoculation significantly improved germination and seedling vigor under elevated salinity. The confocal scanning laser microscopy showed higher bacterial colonization in inoculated rice roots than in control. Based on this experiment, rhizospheric bacteria Brevibacterium frigoritolerans W19 and endophytic Bacillus safensis BTL5 were selected for pot trial along with a growth-inducing compound melatonin 20 ppm. Inoculation of these two bacteria improved the levels of chlorophyll, proline, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, polyphenol oxidase, root-shoot length, and dry weight under elevated salt concentration. The gene expression studies showed modulation of SOD1, CATa, NHX1, and PAL1 genes by the bacterial strains and melatonin application. The inoculation was found to have additive effects with 20 ppm melatonin. This enhancement in dry matter accumulation, compatible solute production, and oxidative stress regulation could help plants in mitigating the ill effects of high salinity. Exploring such a combination of microbes and inducer molecules could be potentially useful in developing stress-alleviating bioformulations.
Physiological and biochemical responses of Isatis indigotica to deficit irrigation in a cold and arid environment
Authors: Zhou Chenli , Yu Shouchao , Zhang Hengjia , Li Fuqiang
Published: January 2023

Water shortage and wastage are critical challenges to sustainable agricultural development, especially in arid and semiarid regions worldwide. Isatis indigotica (woad), as a traditional Chinese herb, was planted in a large area in a cold and arid environment of Hexi. Regulated deficit irrigation can reduce the growth of some vegetative organs by changing the accumulation and distribution of photosynthetic products in crops, thus increasing the economic yield of crops. In agricultural production, crop productivity may be improved by mulched drip irrigation and deficit irrigation. Hence, a field experiment was conducted to investigate the responses of photosynthesis, malondialdehyde, osmotic regulators, antioxidant enzyme activities, and the yield of woad to water deficit at different growth stages. The growth stage of woad was divided in four stages: seedling, vegetative growth, fleshy root growth, and fleshy root maturity. During vegetative growth, fleshy root growth, and fleshy root maturity, three water gradients were set for plants with mild (65–75% in field water capacity, FC), moderate (55–65% in FC), and severe (45–55% in FC) deficits, respectively. In contrast, an adequate water supply (75–85% in FC) during the growth period was designed as the control (CK). The net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance of woad significantly decreased (P< 0.05) by moderate and severe water deficits. Still, rehydration after the water deficit could produce a noticeable compensation effect. In contrast, malondialdehyde and proline accumulation significantly increased under moderate and severe water deficits. At the same time, the superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase all had high activities (increased significantly by 19.87–39.28%, 19.91–34.26%, and 10.63–16.13% compared with CK, respectively), but yields were substantially lower, compared to CK. Additionally, the net photosynthetic rate was negatively correlated with antioxidant enzyme activity. The economic yield of plants subjected to continuous mild water deficit during both vegetative and fleshy root growth was not significantly different from that in CK. Still, the water use efficiency improved significantly. Therefore, the continuous mild water deficit during vegetative and fleshy root growth could improve the physiological and biochemical mechanisms of the plant, representing an optimal irrigation strategy for woad in cold and arid areas.
Transcriptomic profiling of wheat stem during meiosis in response to freezing stress
Authors: Yao Danyu , Wang Juan , Peng Wentao , Zhang Bowen , Wen Xiaolan , Wan Xiaoneng , Wang Xiuyuan , Li Xinchun , Ma Jian , Liu Xiaofen , Fan Yinglun , Sun Guozhong
Published: January 2023

Low temperature injury in spring has seriously destabilized the production and grain quality of common wheat. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying spring frost tolerance remain elusive. In this study, we investigated the response of a frost-tolerant wheat variety Zhongmai8444 to freezing stress at the meiotic stage. Transcriptome profiles over a time course were subsequently generated by high-throughput sequencing. Our results revealed that the prolonged freezing temperature led to the significant reductions in plant height and seed setting rate. Cell wall thickening in the vascular tissue was also observed in the stems. RNA-seq analyses demonstrated the identification of 1010 up-regulated and 230 down-regulated genes shared by all time points of freezing treatment. Enrichment analysis revealed that gene activity related to hormone signal transduction and cell wall biosynthesis was significantly modulated under freezing. In addition, among the identified differentially expressed genes, 111 transcription factors belonging to multiple gene families exhibited dynamic expression pattern. This study provided valuable gene resources beneficial for the breeding of wheat varieties with improved spring frost tolerance.
What factors affect team members’ evaluation of collaboration in medical teams?
Authors: Kämmer Juliane E. , Ehrhard Simone , Kunina-Habenicht Olga , Weber-Schuh Sabine , Hautz Stefanie C. , Birrenbach Tanja , Sauter Thomas C. , Hautz Wolf E.
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Perceived teamwork quality is associated with numerous work-related outcomes, ranging from team effectiveness to job satisfaction. This study explored what situational and stable factors affect the perceived quality of teamwork during a specific team task: when a medical team comprising a senior (supervisor) and a junior (trainee) physician diagnoses a patient.

Methods

During a field study in an emergency department, multisource data describing the patients, the diagnosing physicians, and the context were collected, including physicians’ ratings of their teamwork. The relationships between perceived teamwork quality and situational (e.g., workload) and stable (e.g., seniority) factors were estimated in a latent regression model using the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach.

Results

Across the N = 495 patients included, SEM analyses revealed that the patient-specific case clarity and urgency influenced the perceived teamwork quality positively, whereas the work experience of the supervisor influenced the perceived teamwork quality of both supervisor and trainee negatively, albeit to different degrees.

Discussion

Our findings shed light on the complex underpinnings of perceived teamwork quality, a performance-relevant factor that may influence work and organizational effectiveness in healthcare settings.