bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of inertia forces of interacting bodies of mechanical system on its motion in a dissipative medium and features of motion
Authors:   Siberian State University of Geosystems and Technologies, Savelkaev S. V.
Published: November 2022

At present, the forces of inertia are considered from various points of view. Some consider them fictitious, others - real, that is, capable of influencing the movement of interacting bodies of a mechanical system. Supporters of the latter point of view, for example, Tolchin V.N., who developed in the 1930s. mover (inertioid) and spikes G. I. Shipov, who created the Theory of Physical Vacuum ”(1993) in his interpretation of the“ Paradigm ”, which supposedly substantiates the possibility of directed movement of the inertioid due to the forces of inertia of its internal bodies in space without the interaction of the supporting body (base) with the external environment. The inconsistency of this parodygm was proved by tests of the inercoid in cosmos (2010). In this article, a dynamic analysis of a three-mass mechanical system of the inertioid type is carried out. The purpose of the analysis is to study the influence of the internal bodies inertia forces of a mechanical system interacting with its supporting body on the motion of this mechanical system in a dissipative medium with linear viscous resistance. An equation of its motion is obtained taking into account its internal bodies inertia forces. Based on the simulation of a mechanical system motion, it was found that the displacement of its cen-ter of mass in a wide range of environmental resistance values remains constant, which does not contradict modern ideas about the periodic motions of two-mass systems. Based on mathematical modeling within the framework of the proposed mathematical model, the threshold value of the resistance of the medium below which the displacement of its center of mass is impossible is determined by numerical methods. It is shown that the displacement of the center of mass of a mechanical system is due to the phase difference between the periodic motion of its internal bodies and the support body, which depends on the resistance of the medium to the movement of the support body. According to the results obtained, the inertia forces are real and capable of performing a directed effective motion of a mechanical system in a medium with low resistance. In a medium with zero resistance, the displacement of the center of mass is impossible. In addition, on the basis of the obtained mathematical model, a measuring equation was derived that provides an indirect measurement of the resistance of the external environment depending on the magnitude of the measured amplitude of the mechanical system vibration base, which can have various shapes and sizes. Such a measurement is more accurate and simpler than the Stokes method based on hydrodynamic methods.
The alignment strategy for the Skif synchrotron radiation source
Authors:   Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics of Siberian Branch Russian Academy of Sciences  (BINP SB RAS), Polyansky A. V. , Krapivin V. S. ,   Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics of Siberian Branch Russian Academy of Sciences  (BINP SB RAS), Burenkov D. B. ,   Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics of Siberian Branch Russian Academy of Sciences  (BINP SB RAS), Vonda E. S. ,   Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics of Siberian Branch Russian Academy of Sciences  (BINP SB RAS), Serdakov L. E. ,   Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics of Siberian Branch Russian Academy of Sciences  (BINP SB RAS)
Published: November 2022

Synchrotron radiation sources are technically complex «MegaScience» facilities. The pilot project Siberian Ring Photon Source (SKIF) being implemented in the Novosibirsk Region is the first of the projected specialized synchrotron sources of the fourth generation in the country. The purpose of geodetic support of this project is to comply with the requirements for the mutual position of the electromag-netic axes of the elements during the installation of the complex, determined by the design physical parameters. The article presents the characteristics of the accelerator-storage complex, the main tasks of geodetic support for the project implementation stages and the principles of their solution. To create a geodetic basis, the approach of two-stage construction of support networks was chosen. Data on the number of geodetic signs of networks, measurement schemes and the results of the analysis of the simulated storage network are presented.
OPTIMALISASI PEMANFAATAN LAHAN MELALUI PENERAPAN SISTEM AGROFORESTRI DI DESA LAMBAKARA KECAMATAN LAEYA KABUPATEN KONAWE SELATAN
Authors: Arafah Nur , Bana Sahindomi , Hasani Umar Ode , Manan Abdul , Hajar Nurhayati , Arif Asrianti , Ahmaliun Lade , Gandri La , Hidayat Herlan , Qadri Muhamad Saleh
Published: November 2022

Land use must take into account the ecological, economic and socio-cultural factors of the community. Optimization of ecologically effective land use can provide a soil protection function to maintain soil fertility so that crop yields are maintained without damaging the environment. While economically it can help meet the needs of the household community at a certain time and in the long term. The socio-cultural considerations of the community are considered in order to fulfill the preferences and technology owned by the community in utilizing their land through the agroforestry system. The purpose of this activity is to educate the community about the importance of land management with agroforestry systems. The method used in this activity is a participatory approach through real action involving village officials and local communities. Indicators of the implementation of this program running smoothly can be seen from the involvement of the Lambakara Village government and community members in the activity program starting from the introduction of activities, socialization and training on the application of agroforestry. This activity has also carried out the planting of 1000 trees with an agroforestry approach consisting of 300 nutmeg seedlings, 200 areca nut seedlings, 300 teak seedlings, and 200 red jabon seedlings.
Cell-average based neural network method for third order and fifth order KdV type equations
Authors: Chen Yongsheng , Yan Jue , Zhong Xinghui
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we develop the cell-average based neural network (CANN) method to solve third order and fifth order Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) type equations. The CANN method is based on the weak or integral formulation of the partial differential equations. A simple feedforward network is forced to learn the cell average difference between two consecutive time steps. One solution trajectory corresponding to a generic initial value is used to generate the data set to train the network parameters, which uniquely determine a one-step explicit finite volume based network method. Once well-trained, the CANN method can be generalized to a suitable family of initial value problems. Comparing with conventional explicit methods, where the time step size is restricted as Δt = O(Δx3) or Δt = O(Δx5), the CANN method is able to evolve the solution forward accurately with a much larger time step size of Δt = O(Δx). A large group of numerical tests are carried out to verify the effectiveness, stability and accuracy of the CANN method. Wave propagation is well resolved with indistinguishable dispersion and dissipation errors. The CANN approximations agree well with the exact solution for long time simulation.
Brief research report: Evaluation of photoplethysmographic heart rate monitoring for sheep under heat-stressed conditions
Authors: dos Reis Barbara R. , White Robin R.
Published: November 2022

The objective of this study was to investigate the accuracy of a wearable photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor in monitoring heart rate (HR) of sheep housed in high-temperature environments. We hypothesized that the PPG sensor would be capable of differentiating low, normal, and high HR, but would struggle to produce exact HR estimates. The sensor was open source and comprised of a microprocessor (SparkFun® ThingPlus), a photoplethysmography sensor (SparkFun® MAX30101 & MAX32664), and a data storage module (SD Card 16GB), all sewn into a nylon collar with hook-and-loop closure. Sheep (n=4) were divided into 2 groups and exposed to different thermal environments in a cross-over design. The collar was placed around the neck of the sheep during the data collection phase and the manual HR were collected twice a day using a stethoscope. Precision and accuracy of numeric heart rate estimates were analyzed in R software using Pearson correlation and root mean squared prediction errors. Random forest regression was used to classify HR based on low, medium, and high to determine opportunities to leverage the PPG sensors for HR classification. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were measured to evaluate the classification approach. Our results indicated that the PPG-based sensor measured sheep HR with poor accuracy and with higher average estimates in comparison with manually measured with a stethoscope. Categorical classification of HR was also poor, with accuracies ranging from 32% to 49%. Additional work is needed focusing on data analytics, and signal optimization to further rely on PPG sensors for accurately measuring HR in sheep.
Research progress of rhizosphere microorganisms in Fritillaria L. medicinal plants
Authors: Zhou Nong , Mei Chun-Mei , Zhu Xing-Yu , Zhao Jing-Jing , Ma Ming-Guo , Li Wei-Dong
Published: November 2022

The soil’s rhizosphere is a highly active place where the exchange of substances and information occurs among plants, soils, and microorganisms. The microorganisms involved are crucial to the activities of plant growth and development, metabolism, and reproduction. Fritillaria L. medicinal plants are unique Chinese medicinal ingredients, but the continuous cropping obstacles formed in the artificial planting process is severely harmful to the growth and development of these medicinal plants. In this review, we summarized the current species and distribution of Fritillaria L. in China, and analyzed the changes in microbial diversity (mainly among bacteria and fungi) in the rhizosphere of these plants under long-term continuous cropping. The fungi showed an increasing trend in the soil rhizosphere, resulting in the transition of the soil from the high-fertility “bacterial type” to the low-fertility “fungal type” as planting years increased. Furthermore, the interaction between Fritillaria L. medicinal plants and the rhizosphere microorganisms was reviewed, and promising applications for the rhizosphere microbiome in the cultivation of Fritillaria L. medicinal plants were suggested. It is expected that this review will facilitate the in-depth understanding of rhizosphere microorganisms in the growth, accumulation of active ingredients, and disease control of Fritillaria L.
Influence of sigmoid plate and dura mater on vascular wall displacement, vibroacoustic/hydroacoustic sources characteristics, and frequency-loudness assessments of venous pulsatile tinnitus: A coupled-computational fluid dynamics study combining transcanal recording investigation
Authors: Wang Xing , Hsieh Yue-Lin , Xu Xiaobing , Wang Wuqing
Published: November 2022

Investigations of pulsatile tinnitus (PT) caused by sigmoid sinus wall anomalies (SSWAs) using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) have recently increased in prevalence. However, accurate modeling of anatomical structures regarding sigmoid plate dehiscence and acoustic sources of PT remains lacking. This study incorporates coupled CFD techniques, micro-computed tomography, and scanning electron microscope to reveal the vibroacoustic and hydroacoustic sources and displacement characteristics of the transverse-sigmoid sinus system. Furthermore, the in vivo transcanal-recording technique combined with ipsilateral internal jugular vein compression was implemented to cross-reference the captured acoustic profile of PT with the calculated results. In this study, the transient state coupled CFD technique was used to calculate the vibroacoustic and hydroacoustic sources. The dehiscent sigmoid plate and periosteal dura mater were then reconstructed. The displacement characteristics and acoustic results were analyzed. The displacement of the vascular wall underneath the dehiscent area was 9.6 times larger than that of the sigmoid plate and 3,617 times smaller than that of the vascular wall without the overlying osseous structures. The peak amplitude of flow-induced vibroacoustic noise was 119.3 dB at 20.2 Hz measured at the transverse sinus. Within the observed 20–1,000 Hz frequency range, the largest peak amplitude of hydroacoustic noise was 80.0 dB at 20.2 Hz located at the jugular bulb region. The simulated results conformed with the in vivo acoustic profile which the major frequency of PT falls within 1,000 Hz. In conclusion, 1) the sigmoid plate and dura mater greatly impact vascular wall displacement, which should not be overlooked in CFD simulations. 2) By incorporating the transcanal recording technique with IJV compression test, the primary frequency of PT was found fluctuating below 1,000 Hz, which matches the frequency component simulated by the current CFD technique; amplitude-wise, however, the peak amplitude of in vivo pulse-synchronous somatosound measures approximately 10 dB, which is comparatively lesser than the CFD results and the subjectively perceived loudness of PT. Thus, the transmission pathway, intramastoid acoustic impedance/amplification effect, and the perceptive threshold of PT require further investigations to minimize the incidence of surgical failure.
The diversity of trophoblast cells and niches of placenta accreta spectrum disorders revealed by single-cell RNA sequencing
Authors: Ma Jingmei , Liu Yawei , Guo Zhirong , Sun Run , Yang Xinrui , Zheng Weiran , Ma Yongdan , Rong Yin , Wang Hongmei , Yang Huixia , Xiao Zhenyu
Published: November 2022

Placenta accreta spectrum disorders (PAS) are severe pregnancy complications that occur when extravillous trophoblast cells (EVTs) invade beyond the uterine inner myometrium and are characterized by hypervascularity on prenatal ultrasound and catastrophic postpartum hemorrhage. The potential mechanisms remain incompletely understood. With single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis on the representative invasive parts and the normal part obtained from the same PAS placenta, we profiled the pathological landscape of invasive PAS placenta and deciphered an intensified differentiation pathway from progenitor cytotrophoblasts (CTBs) to EVTs via LAMB4+ and KRT6A+ CTBs. In the absence of the decidua, the invasive trophoblasts of various differentiation states interacted with ADIRF+ and DES+ maternal stromal cells. The PAS-associated hypervascularity might be due to the enhanced crosstalk of trophoblasts, stromal cells and vascular endothelial cells. Finally, we presented an immune microenvironmental landscape of invasive PAS. The pathogenesis of PAS could be further explored with current resources for future targeted translational studies.
Epigenetics alternation in lung fibrosis and lung cancer
Authors: Li Xueren , Feng Chunjing , Peng Shouchun
Published: November 2022

Respiratory disease including interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) and lung cancer is a group of devastating diseases that linked with increased morbidity and healthcare burden. However, respiratory diseases cannot be fully explained by the alternation of genetic information. Genetic studies described that epigenetic mechanisms also participate to transmit genetic information. Recently, many studies demonstrated the role of altered epigenetic modification in the pathogenesis of lung cancer and pulmonary fibrosis. Due to lacking effective medication, the underlying pathophysiological processes and causal relationships of lung diseases with epigenetic mechanisms still need to be better understood. Our present review provided a systematic revision of current knowledge concerning diverse epigenetic aberrations in major lung diseases, with special emphasis on DNA methylation, histone modifications, lncRNAs profiles, telomere patterns, as well as chromatin-remodelling complexes. We believed that a new target therapy for lung disease based on findings of the involved epigenetic pathway is a promising future direction.
Radiosynthesis, quality control, biodistribution, and infection-imaging study of a new 99mTc-labeled ertapenem radiopharmaceutical
Authors: Naqvi Syed Ali Raza , Jabbar Tania , Alharbi Maha A. , Noureen Asma , Alharbi Nada K. , Sherazi Tauqir A. , Shahzadi Anum , Ahmed Ahmed Ezzat , Afzal M. Shahzad , Imran M. Babar
Published: November 2022

Ertapenem is a member of carbapenem antibiotics used for the treatment of moderate-to-severe intra-abdominal, urinary tract, acute pelvic, and post-surgical gynecologic infections. The antibacterial activity of ertapenem is mediated through binding to penicillin-binding proteins which results in inhibiting the cross-linking of the peptidoglycan layer of the bacterial cell wall. Therefore, ertapenem can be labeled with technetium-99m (99mTc), a gamma emitter radionuclide, for the diagnosis of deep-seated bacterial infections, such as urinary tract, intra-abdominal, osteomyelitis, and post-surgical gynecologic infections. The labeling procedure was carried out by varying the reaction conditions, such as the amount of the ligand and reducing agent, pH, reaction time and temperature, and radioactivity. At optimized reaction conditions more than 93% 99mTc–ertapenem radioconjugate was obtained. 99mTc–ertapenem was found 90% intact in saline medium up to 6 h, while 88% intact in human blood serum up to 3 h. Biodistribution study showed target-to-non-target ratios of 2.91 ± 0.19, 2.39 ± 0.31, and 1.23 ± 0.22 in S. aureus, E. coli, and turpentine oil-infected rat models, respectively. The SPECT scintigraphy showed high uptake of 99mTc–ertapenem in bacterial-infected abscesses, and low counts were recorded in normal and turpentine oil-inflamed tissues. In conclusion, 99mTc–ertapenem can be a potent infection-imaging agent, which can diagnosis deep-seated bacterial infections at early stage but need further pre-clinical evaluation in variety of infection models.
Lipocalin-2 participates in sepsis-induced myocardial injury by mediating lipid accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction
Authors: Liu Weizhuo , Guo Xiaoyu , Jin Lei , Hong Ting , Zhang Qianyun , Su Fan , Shen Yi , Li Saiqi , He Bin
Published: November 2022

Background

Sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC) is one major cause of death for sepsis but lacks timely diagnosis and specific treatment due to unclear mechanisms. Lipocalin-2 (LCN-2) is a key regulator of lipid metabolism which has been recently proved closely related to sepsis, however, the relationship between LCN-2 and septic myocardial injury remains unknown. We aim to explore the role of LCN-2 in the pathological progress of SIC based on clinical and laboratory evidence.

Methods

Consecutive patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) from August 2021 to April 2022 fulfilling the criteria of severe sepsis were included. The level of LCN-2 in plasma was assayed and analyzed with clinical characteristics. Biostatistical analysis was performed for further identification and pathway enrichment. Mouse model for SIC was thereafter established, in which plasma and tissue LCN-2 levels were tested. RNA sequencing was used for verification and to reveal the possible mechanism. Mitochondrial function and intracellular lipid levels were assayed to further assess the biological effects of targeting LCN-2 in cardiomyocytes with small interference RNAs (siRNAs).

Results

The level of LCN-2 in plasma was markedly higher in patients with severe sepsis and was associated with higher cardiac biomarkers and lower LVEF. In the in vivo experiment, circulating LCN-2 from plasma was found to increase in SIC mice. A higher level of LCN-2 transcription in myocardial tissue was also found in SIC and showed a clear time relationship. RNA sequencing analysis showed the level of LCN-2 was associated with several gene-sets relevant to mitochondrial function and lipid metabolism-associated pathways. The suppression of LCN-2 protected mitochondrial morphology and limited the production of ROS, as well as restored the mitochondrial membrane potential damaged by LPS. Neutral lipid staining showed prominent lipid accumulation in LPS group, which was alleviated by the treatment of siLCN2.

Conclusion

The level of LCN-2 is significantly increased in SIC at both circulating and tissue levels, which is correlated with the severity of myocardial injury indicators, and may work as an early and great predictor of SIC. LCN-2 probably participates in the process of septic myocardial injury through mediating lipid accumulation and affecting mitochondrial function.
Short sleep duration associated with increased risk for new-onset cardiovascular diseases in individuals with metabolic syndromes: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study
Authors: Sun Jiaxin , Chen Yizhou , Sun Yazhou , Yang Bo , Zhou Jining
Published: November 2022

To explore the impact and risk of short sleep duration (sleep duration < 6 h/night) on new-onset cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) in people with metabolic syndromes (Mets), this study used the 2011 baseline and 2015 follow-up data from the China Longitudinal Study of Health and Retirement (CHARLS) to conduct a prospective study of people aged ≥ 45 years in China. A total of 5,530 individuals without pre-existing CVDs in baseline were included. Mets were defined according to the harmonized criteria. We applied the Logistic Regression (LR), the Deep Neural Networks (DNN), and the Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost), to evaluate the association between Mets components, short sleep, and the risk of new-onset CVDs, and the importance of multiple variates for new-onset CVDs. During the 4-year follow-up period, 512 individuals developed CVDs, and short sleep increased the risk of CVD in individuals with Mets. The odds ratio for prevalent CVD in Mets with short sleep group was 3.73 (95%CI 2.95–4.71; P < 0.001) compared to the normal group, and 1.99 (95% CI 1.58–2.51; P < 0.001) compared to the Mets without short sleep group. The DNN method reached the highest precision of 92.24% and f1-score of 95.86%, and the Adaboost method reached the highest recall of 99.92%. Both DNN and Adaboost have better predictive performance than LR and revealed short sleep duration and components of Mets are all the strongest predictors of CVD onset.
Apple Watch-guided diagnosis of AVNRT in a pregnant woman—A case report and literature review
Authors: Hawryszko Maja , Sławiński Grzegorz , Kozłowski Dariusz , Lewicka Ewa
Published: November 2022

Cardiac arrhythmias occurring during pregnancy pose a therapeutic problem as antiarrhythmic drugs can be potentially harmful to the fetus. A 35-years-old woman in the 20th week of pregnancy was admitted to the Department of Cardiology due to the first episode of arrhythmia in her life. During the event, the patient was wearing an Apple Watch Series 6, which records a 30-sec single-channel ECG. The recording showed narrow QRS complex tachycardia of 216 bpm, and short RP interval and atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) was recognized. Due to the mild nature of the arrhythmia, antiarrhythmic pharmacotherapy was not initiated. The use of mobile health (mHealth) devices such as wearables and health monitoring applications is now a valuable addition to routine cardiac diagnostics for patients of all ages and levels of cardiovascular risk.
Spatial data analysis for intelligent buildings: Awareness of context and data uncertainty
Authors: Li Huan , Liu Tiantian , Chan Harry Kai-Ho , Lu Hua
Published: November 2022

Intelligent buildings are among the most active Internet-of-Things (IoT) verticals, encompassing various IoT-enabled devices and sensing technologies for digital transformation. Analysis of spatial data, a very common type of data collected in intelligent buildings, offers a lot of insights for many purposes such as facilitating space management and enhancing the utilization efficiency of buildings. In this paper, we recognize two major challenges in spatial data analysis for intelligent buildings (SDAIB): (1) the complicated analytical contexts that are related to the building space and internal entities and (2) the uncertainty of spatial data due to the limitations of positioning and other sensing technologies. To address these challenges, we identify and categorize different kinds of analytical contexts and spatial data uncertainties in SDAIB, and propose a unified modeling framework for handling them. Furthermore, we showcase how the proposed framework and the associated modeling techniques are used to enable context-aware and uncertainty-aware SDAIB, in the tasks of hotspot discovery, path planning, semantic trajectory generation, and distance monitoring. Finally, we offer several research directions of SDAIB, in line with the emerging trends of the IoT.
Modes and geometry of crustal-scale detachment folding in hot orogens—Insights from physical modeling
Authors: Krýza Ondřej , Závada Prokop , Shu Tan , Semerád Jiří
Published: November 2022

Detachment folding can be defined as the displacement and buckling of a competent layer above a rheologically weak horizon during tectonic shortening, frequently addressed in the context of salt tectonics. More recent studies have focused on influence of detachments in large-scale lithospheric deformation where the detachment horizon is represented by partially molten lower crust.

This study addresses the geometric, kinematic and dynamic behavior of crustal-scale detachment folds using heated paraffin wax as an analogue for partially molten lower crust. Various thermal and shortening rate scenarios were tested in order to characterize deformation patterns within hot orogens in general, and to find an appropriate range of temperature gradients and shortening rates for the detachment folding regime. Five different regimes of lower crustal deformation were identified: 1. Homogeneous thickening or bulging, 2. Short-wavelength folding, 3. Development of diapir-shape folds or ductile faults, 4. Detachment folding and 5. Formation of lower crustal finger-like protrusions.

Models are compared to various natural prototypes worldwide, in particular a series of metamorphic domes in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). Detailed analysis of the kinematic-dynamic evolution of the detachment folding scenario revealed an asymmetrical evolution of the folds associated with rotation of the limbs, as well as flexural flow of the lower weak mushy crust around the molten core. Pressure gradients in the fold cores saturated by melt controlled the sequential injections and outflows of partially/molten material between folds’ cores and the melt source layer at the base of the system. This resulted in accumulation of melt in the foreland of the accretionary zone, with higher melt absorption potential for newly developed folds. These observations may have significant implications for the development of pseudo-symmetrical metamorphic domes in the CAOB.
University students’ beliefs about errors predict their willingness to take academic risks
Authors: Hübner Vanessa , Pfost Maximilian
Published: November 2022

Students’ beliefs about errors have become a field of interest within higher education research. Studies show that these are associated with students’ GPA as well as their learning strategies. Whether students’ beliefs about errors are associated with their willingness to engage in learning situations in which making errors is likely, is still an open question. To address this research gap, we measured error beliefs on three dimensions (affect, cognition, and behavior) on a sample of N = 159 university students. Applying stepwise linear regression and using academic risk taking as dependent variable for learning behavior that is characterized by a risk of making errors, this article shows that beliefs about errors influence students’ willingness to engage in error-prone situations within seminar settings. Students who do not show negative affect after making errors tend to take more academic risks within seminar settings, and students who are behaviorally apt to work with their errors take less academic risks. In contrast, beliefs about errors do not seem to relate to students’ engagement in academic risks in front of their peers. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of students’ beliefs about their errors for educational dynamics and processes. They also offer implications for practitioners such as promoting strategies for emotional regulation following errors.
Case report: Two sisters with a germline CHEK2 variant and distinct endocrine neoplasias
Authors: Vallera Raphaelle D. , Ding Yanli , Hatanpaa Kimmo J. , Bishop Justin A. , Mirfakhraee Sasan , Alli Abdel A. , Tevosian Sergei G. , Tabebi Mouna , Gimm Oliver , Söderkvist Peter , Estrada-Zuniga Cynthia , Dahia Patricia L. M. , Ghayee Hans K.
Published: November 2022

Genetic testing has become the standard of care for many disease states. As a result, physicians treating patients who have tumors often rely on germline genetic testing results for making clinical decisions. Cases of two sisters carrying a germline CHEK2 variant are highlighted whereby possible other genetic drivers were discovered on tumor analysis. CHEK2 (also referred to as CHK2) loss of function has been firmly associated with breast cancer development. In this case report, two siblings with a germline CHEK2 mutation also had distinct endocrine tumors. Pituitary adenoma and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET) was found in the first sibling and pheochromocytoma (PCC) discovered in the second sibling. Although pituitary adenomas, PNETs, and PCC have been associated with NF1 gene mutations, the second sister with a PCC did have proven germline CHEK2 with a pathogenic somatic NF1 mutation. We highlight the clinical point that unless the tumor is sequenced, the real driver mutation that is causing the patient’s tumor may remain unknown.
JMJD6 orchestrates a transcriptional program in favor of endocrine resistance in ER+ breast cancer cells
Authors: Das Partha , Gupta Aritra , Desai Kartiki V.
Published: November 2022

High expression of Jumonji domain containing protein 6 (JMJD6) is strongly associated with poor prognosis in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer. We overexpressed JMJD6 in MCF7 cells (JOE cells) and performed RNA-seq analysis. 76% of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) overlapped with ER target genes. Pathway analysis revealed that JMJD6 upregulated a larger subset of genes related to cell proliferation as compared to ER. Interestingly, JOE cells showed a decrease in ER target gene expression prompting us to check ER levels. Indeed, JOE cells showed a significant decrease in both ESR1 and ER levels and JMJD6 siRNA transfection increased the expression of both. Additionally, JOE cells showed increased RET and ERK1 expression, events associated with resistance to endocrine therapy. Accordingly, JOE cells displayed lower sensitivity and survived better at higher doses of 4-hydroxy tamoxifen (Tam) as compared to parental MCF-7 cells. Conversely, LTED-I and TAM R that resist Tam induced death, showed high expression of JMJD6. Further, JMJD6 siRNA treatment decreased growth and improved Tam sensitivity in TAM R. Comparison of JOE DEGs with known Tam signature genes showed a substantial overlap. Overall, these data suggest that blocking ER alone in patients may not eradicate proliferation of JMJD6 expressing ER+ cells and JMJD6 may predispose and sustain endocrine therapy resistance. We propose that immunostaining for JMJD6 could be developed as a potential marker for predicting endocrine therapy resistance. Further, antagonizing JMJD6 action in women expressing higher amounts of this protein, may offer a greater clinical benefit than endocrine therapy.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease across endocrinopathies: Interaction with sex hormones
Authors: Arefhosseini Sara , Ebrahimi-Mameghani Mehrangiz , Najafipour Farzad , Tutunchi Helda
Published: November 2022

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the most frequent chronic liver disease globally. NAFLD is strongly associated with metabolic syndrome and it has been recently suggested that to rename NAFLD as metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). NAFLD has been studied in different endocrine axes and accumulating body of clinical and experimental studies have suggested that NAFLD is associated with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), hypopituitarism, growth hormone deficiency (GHD), hypogonadism and other endocrine disorders. In fact, endocrine dysfunction may be considered as the major contributor for the development, progression, and severity of NAFLD. In the present comprehensive review, we discussed the epidemiological and clinical evidence on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management of NAFLD in endocrine disorders, with an emphasis on the effects of sex-specific hormones/conditions as well as molecular basis of NAFLD development in these endocrine diseases.
Groundwater contamination through potentially harmful metals and its implications in groundwater management
Authors: Ullah Zahid , Rashid Abdur , Ghani Junaid , Nawab Javed , Zeng Xian-Chun , Shah Muddaser , Alrefaei Abdulwahed Fahad , Kamel Mohamed , Aleya Lotfi , Abdel-Daim Mohamed M. , Iqbal Javed
Published: November 2022

Groundwater contamination through potentially harmful metals (PHMs) is an environmental hazard in Pakistan with significant human health risk reports. The current research was conducted in Sheikhupura District, which is a major industrial site in Punjab, Pakistan. According to the Punjab Directorate of Industries in Pakistan, there are a total of 748 industries in this area. These industries produce a lot of waste and effluent, which contaminate the environment with harmful and toxic materials. Continuous irrigation with industrial effluent and sewage sludge may make groundwater sources vulnerable. Therefore, we collected 243 groundwater samples from community tube wells to investigate the groundwater quality cconcerning PHM contaminations in the study area. This research presents the values of pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), and potentially harmful metals (PHMs) like arsenic (As), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and iron (Fe). PHMs such as As (91%), Mn (14%), Pb (97%), Fe (45%), Zn (15%), in these samples were beyond the permitted limit recommended by the world health organization (WHO). Principal component analysis (PCA) results with total variability of (60%) reveal that the groundwater sources of the study area are contaminated about 30.9, 31.3, and 37.6% of contaminations of groundwater sources of this study are resulted from geogenic sources, anthropogenic sources, or both geogenic and anthropogenic sources, respectively. Such sources may include rock-water interaction, mining actions, agricultural practices, domestic sewage, and industrial effluent in the study area. Saturation indices show that the aquifers of the study area are saturated with lead hydroxide, zinc hydroxide, and goethite minerals, indicating that these minerals have a vital role in the contamination of groundwater. Health risk assessment results predicted that the non-carcinogenic risk (HQ) values of PHMs were found within the permissible limit (<1), except As (1.58E+00) for children, while carcinogenic risk (CR) values of all selected PHMs were lower than the maximum threshold CR value (1 × 10−4).
The role of environmental taxes and stringent environmental policies in attaining the environmental quality: Evidence from OECD and non-OECD countries
Authors: Chen Mingliu , Jiandong Wen , Saleem Hummera
Published: November 2022

Numerous economies focus on attaining a clean environment by applying environmental policies and green technology. This study examined the impact of GDP growth, non-renewable, technological change, environmental tax, and strict regulations on an ecological footprint for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Non-OECD (not members of OECD) economies from 1990 to 2015. This analysis applied the Cross-Sectionally Augmented Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (CS-ARDL) to identify the role of GDP, and environmental taxes, with selected control factors on ecological degradation. These CS-ARDL techniques resolve the issues of slope heterogeneity, endogeneity, and cross-sectional dependence. For robustness, this study used Augmented Mean Group (AMG), and Common Correlated Effect Mean Group (CCEMG) tests to check the long-run association between variables. The empirical findings of CS-ARDL have confirmed that environmental taxes, stringent environmental policies, and ecological innovation significantly improve environmental quality in OECD compared to the Non-OECD countries. The D-H panel Granger causality test results show the unidirectional causality moving from environmental tax to ecological footprint, which referred to the “green dividend” hypothesis of minimizing environmental degradation. Using AMG and CCEMG tests for Robustness checks indicates that environmental taxes and tight environmental policy can effectively improve the environment’s quality in both regions. Hence, environmental protection awareness is forcing policymakers to minimize the impact of environmental degradation to achieve sustainable growth.
Soil nematode community assembly in a primary tropical lowland rainforest
Authors: Hou Weichen , He Mengfei , Qi Yanwen , Liu Tiedong , Luo Jinhuan
Published: November 2022

More than half of the world's tropical lowland rainforests have been lost due to conversion to agricultural land (such as rubber plantations). Thus, ecological restoration in degraded tropical lowland rainforests is crucial. The first step to restoration is restoring soil functioning (i.e., soil fertility, carbon, and nitrogen cycling) to levels similar to those in the primary tropical lowland rainforest. This requires understanding soil nematode community assembly in primary tropical lowland rainforest, which has never been explored in this habitat. In this study, we measured species compositions of plant and soil nematode communities and soil characteristics (pH, total and available nitrogen, phosphorus, and soil water content) in a primary tropical lowland rainforest, which is located on Hainan Island, China. We performed two tests (the null-model test and distance-based Moran's eigenvector maps (MEM) and redundancy analysis-based variance partitioning) to quantify the relative contribution of the deterministic (abiotic filtering and biotic interactions) and stochastic processes (random processes and dispersal limitation) to the soil nematode community. We found that a deterministic process (habitat filtering) determined nematode community assembly in our tropical lowland rainforest. Moreover, soil properties, but not plant diversity, were the key determinants of nematode community assembly. We have, for the first time, managed to identify factors that contribute to the nematode community assembly in the tropical lowland rainforest. This quantified community assembly mechanism can guide future soil functioning recovery of the tropical lowland rainforest.
Living and dead bivalves are congruent surrogates for whole benthic macroinvertebrate communities in Puget Sound
Authors: Kokesh Broc S. , Burgess Dany , Partridge Valerie , Weakland Sandra , Kidwell Susan M.
Published: November 2022

To integrate paleoecological data with the “whole fauna” data used in biological monitoring, analyses usually must focus on the subset of taxa that are inherently preservable, for example by virtue of biomineralized hardparts, and those skeletal remains must also be identifiable in fragmentary or otherwise imperfect condition, thus perhaps coarsening analytical resolution to the genus or family level. Here we evaluate the ability of readily preserved bivalves to reflect patterns of compositional variation from the entire infaunal macroinvertebrate fauna as typically sampled by agencies in ocean monitoring, using data from ten long-established subtidal stations in Puget Sound, Washington State. Similarity in compositional variation among these stations was assessed for five taxonomic subsets (the whole fauna, polychaetes, malacostracans, living bivalves, dead bivalves) at four levels of taxonomic resolution (species, genera, families, orders) evaluated under four numerical transformations of the original count data (proportional abundance, square root- and fourth root-transformation, presence-absence). Using the original matrix of species-level proportional abundances of the whole fauna as a benchmark of “compositional variation,” we find that living and dead bivalves had nearly identical potential to serve as surrogates of the whole fauna; they were further offset from the whole fauna than was the polychaete subset (which dominates the whole fauna), but were far superior as surrogates than malacostracans. Genus- and family-level data were consistently strong surrogates of species-level data for most taxonomic subsets, and correlations declined for all subsets with increasing severity of data transformation, although this effect lessened for subsets with high community evenness. The strong congruence of death assemblages with living bivalves, which are themselves effective surrogates of compositional variation in the whole fauna, is encouraging for using bivalve dead-shell assemblages to complement conventional monitoring data, notwithstanding strong natural environmental gradients with potential to bias shell preservation.
Deforestation alters dissolved organic carbon and sulfate dynamics in a mountainous headwater catchment—A wavelet analysis
Authors: Wang Qiqi , Qu Yuquan , Robinson Kerri-Leigh , Bogena Heye , Graf Alexander , Vereecken Harry , Tietema Albert , Bol Roland
Published: November 2022

Deforestation has a wide range of effects on hydrological and geochemical processes. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) dynamics, a sensitive environmental change indicator, is expected to be affected by deforestation, with changes in atmospheric sulfur (S) deposition compounding this. However, how precisely anthropogenic disturbance (deforestation) under a declining atmospheric S input scenario affects the underlying spatiotemporal dynamics and relationships of river DOC and sulfate with hydro-climatological variables e.g., stream water temperature, runoff, pH, total dissolved iron (Fetot), and calcium (Ca2+) remains unclear. We, therefore, examined this issue within the TERENO Wüstebach catchment (Eifel, Germany), where partial deforestation had taken place in 2013. Wavelet transform coherence (WTC) analysis was applied based on a 10-year time series (2010–2020) from three sampling stations, whose (sub) catchment areas have different proportions of deforested area (W10: 31%, W14: 25%, W17: 3%). We found that water temperature and DOC, sulfate, and Fetot concentrations showed distinct seasonal patterns, with DOC averaging concentrations ranging from 2.23 (W17) to 4.56 (W10) mg L–1 and sulfate concentration ranging from 8.04 (W10) to 10.58 (W17) mg L–1. After clear-cut, DOC significantly increased by 59, 58% in the mainstream (W10, W14), but only 26% in the reference stream. WTC results indicated that DOC was negatively correlated with runoff and sulfate, but positively correlated with temperature, Ca2+, and Fetot. The negative correlation between DOC with runoff and sulfate was apparent over the whole examined 10-year period in W17 but did end in W10 and W14 after the deforestation. Sulfate (SO4) was highly correlated with stream water temperature, runoff, and Fetot in W10 and W14 and with a longer lag time than W17. Additionally, pH was stronger correlated (higher R2) with sulfate and DOC in W17 than in W10 and W14. In conclusion, WTC analysis indicates that within this low mountainous forest catchment deforestation levels over 25% (W10 and W14) affected the coupling of S and C cycling substantially more strongly than “natural” environmental changes as observed in W17.
Integrated bioinformatics, network pharmacology, and artificial intelligence to predict the mechanism of celastrol against muscle atrophy caused by colorectal cancer
Authors: Wu Ming , Zhang Yan
Published: November 2022

Muscle atrophy due to colorectal cancer severely reduces the quality of life and survival time of patients. However, the underlying causative mechanisms and therapeutic agents are not well understood. The aim of this study was to screen and identify the microRNA (miRNA)–mRNA regulatory network and therapeutic targets of celastrol in colorectal cancer causing muscle atrophy via blood exosomes. Datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus online database. Differential expression analysis was first performed using the blood exosome dataset GSE39833 from colorectal cancer and normal humans to identify differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs, and then, transcriptional enrichment analysis was performed to identify important enriched genes. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed by FunRich software. Using the muscle atrophy sample GSE34111, the DE mRNAs in the muscle atrophy sample were analyzed, a regulatory network map was established based on miRNA‒mRNA regulatory mechanisms, further GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed for the DE genes in muscle atrophy via Cytoscape’s ClueGO plug-in, and the network pharmacology pharmacophore analysis method was used to analyze the celastrol therapeutic targets, taking intersections to find the therapeutic targets of celastrol, using the artificial intelligence AlphaFold2 to predict the protein structures of the key targets, and finally using molecular docking to verify whether celastrol and the target proteins can be successfully docked. A total of 82 DE miRNAs were obtained, and the top 10 enriched target genes were identified. The enrichment of the 82 miRNAs showed a close correlation with muscle atrophy, and 332 DE mRNAs were found by differential expression analysis in muscle atrophy samples, among which 44 mRNA genes were involved in miRNA‒mRNA networks. The DE genes in muscle atrophy were enriched for 30 signaling pathways, and 228 target genes were annotated after pharmacophore target analysis. The NR1D2 gene, the target of treatment, was found by taking intersections, the protein structure of this target was predicted by AlphaFold2, and the structure was successfully docked and validated using molecular docking. In our present study, colorectal cancer likely enters the muscle from blood exosomes and regulates skeletal muscle atrophy through miRNA‒mRNA regulatory network mechanisms, and celastrol treats muscle through NR1D2 in the miRNA‒mRNA regulatory network.
”Sociobiome”: How do socioeconomic factors influence gut microbiota and enhance pathology susceptibility? - A mini-review
Authors: Nobre José Guilherme , Alpuim Costa D.
Published: November 2022

The gut microbiota is becoming well recognized as a key determinant of health and disease. As a result, several studies have focused on causality and the predictive/prognostic value of the microbiota in a wide range of diseases. However, it is of greater importance to understand what sparks changes in the microbiota and how these alterations contribute to an increased susceptibility to disease. A few studies have already demonstrated that the gut microbiota could be modified by lifestyle, consequently leading to pathology. What if socioeconomic factors can also impact the gut microbiota composition and, thus, increase the susceptibility to disease? Perhaps, this is one of the factors that may have contributed to the increased inequalities between people with higher and lower socioeconomic status in terms of health. In this review, we aimed to understand more about this topic and the real impact of the “sociobiome.” Furthermore, we proposed measures to mitigate the impact of these factors on the gut microbiota composition.