bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chronic Kidney Disease Increases Risk of Incident HFrEF Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Lai Wenguang , Zhao Xiaoli , Yu Sijia , Mai Ziling , Zhou Yang , Huang Zhidong , Li Qiang , Huang Haozhang , Li Huanqiang , Wei Haiyan , Guo Dachuan , Xie Yun , Li Shanggang , Lu Hongyu , Liu Jin , Chen Shiqun , Liu Yong
Published: April 2022

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is very common in patients who are at a high risk of developing incident heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, the harmful effect of CKD on incident HFrEF has not yet been examined among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods

Patients undergoing PCI with baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 40% were included from January 2007 to December 2018 (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04407936). We defined incident HFrEF as a follow-up LVEF of <40% within 3–12 months after discharge. Multivariable logistical regression was performed to examine the association of CKD with incident HFrEF.

Results

Overall, of 2,356 patients (mean age 62.4 ± 10.7 years, 22.2% women), 435 (18.5%) had CKD, and 83 (3.5%) developed incident HFrEF following PCI. The rate of incident HFrEF in the CKD group was higher than that in the non-CKD group (6.9 vs. 2.8%; p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that CKD was an independent risk factor of incident HFrEF [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.75; 95% CI, 1.03–2.92; p = 0.035] after adjustment for confounders including age, gender, diabetes, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure (CHF), baseline LVEF, ACEI/ARB, and statins. Furthermore, patients with incident HFrEF have a higher ratio of all-cause mortality compared to those without HFrEF (26.5 vs. 8.1%; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Our results suggested that CKD was associated with increased risk of incident HFrEF, which was related to higher all-cause mortality in patients with CAD undergoing PCI. On this basis, more aggressive measures should be taken to prevent patients with CKD undergoing PCI from developing HFrEF.
Two Phases of Metamorphism in the High-Pressure Schists in Central Inner Mongolia, China: Implications for the Tectonic Transition From Terminal Subduction of the Paleo-Asian Ocean to Continental Collision
Authors: Zhang Jinrui , Tang Shuang , Wei Chunjing , Chu Hang , Xu Wenliang , Jiang Ling
Published: March 2022

High-pressure (HP) rocks exhumed from subduction zones usually record much warmer geotherms than numerical modelling results, as their peak mineral assemblages are always modified during the exhumation process. The decompressional metamorphic evolution of HP rocks should be considered carefully if using their P–T records to constrain the thermal structure of a subduction zone. The Ondor Sum Group, known as mélanges containing various high P/T metamorphic rocks in central Inner Mongolia, represents a fragment of subducted oceanic crust in the Early Paleozoic, However, the thermal structure of the subduction zone is unavailable due to an absence of exhumed HP rocks with P–T estimates. In this study, the HP schists were newly discovered in the Ondor Sum Group at Airgin Sum in the central Inner Mongolia. The HP schists include a garnet–phengite schist (sample EL01) and a garnet–amphibole schist (sample EL08). The petrography of these rocks and phase equilibrium modelling using THERMOCALC suggest two phases of metamorphism, both of which are characterized by clockwise P–T evolutions involving pre-peak prograde stage, peak-stage, and post-peak decompression stage. The peak P–T conditions of the early-phase metamorphism are constrained by P–T pseudosections to be ∼18 kbar/∼535°C for sample EL01 and 18 kbar/∼500°C for sample EL08. The peak P–T conditions of the late-phase metamorphism are constrained by P–T pseudosections to be ∼8 kbar/532°C in EL01 and ∼7.0 kbar/495°C in EL08. Available U–Pb data of zircons from the HP schists and a granodiorite vein using LA–ICP–MS constrain the timing of early-phase HP metamorphism in the early Paleozoic and the late-phase metamorphism supposed to be in the Devonian based on the previous reported ages. The peak P–T conditions for the early-phase metamorphism were high-P/T conditions with a thermal gradient of ∼8°C/km, pointing to a warm oceanic subduction. The overprinting late-phase metamorphism represents medium-P/T conditions with a geothermal gradient of 22–25°C/km, which we attribute to a collisional thickening process. As a result, we suggest that the HP schists in the Ondor Sum Group represent the terminal stage of subduction of the Paleo-Asian oceanic plate, and that the schists were involved in the continental collision after the closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean in the Devonian.
Releasing the Time Step Upper Bound of CFL Stability Condition for the Acoustic Wave Simulation With Model-Order Reduction
Authors: Gao Yingjie , Zhu Meng-Hua , Zhang Huai
Published: March 2022

The maximum time step size for the explicit finite-difference scheme complies with the Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy (CFL) stability condition, which essentially restricts the optimization and tuning of the communication-intensive massive seismic wave simulation in a parallel manner. This study brings forward the model-order reduction (MOR) method to simulate acoustic wave propagation. It briefly takes advantage of the update matrix’s eigenvalues and the expansion coefficients of the variables for the time in the semi-discrete scheme of the wave equation, reducing the computational complexity and enhancing its computing efficiency. Moreover, we introduced the eigenvalue abandonment and eigenvalue perturbation methods to stabilize the unstable oscillations when the time step size breaks the CFL stability upper bound. We then introduced the time-dispersion transform method to eliminate the time-dispersion error caused by the large time step and secure the high accuracy. Numerical experiments exhibit that the MOR method, in conjunction with eigenvalue abandonment (and the eigenvalue perturbation) and the time-dispersion transform method, can capture highly accurate waveforms even when the time step size exceeds the CFL stability condition. The eigenvalue perturbation method is suitable for strongly heterogenous media and can maintain the numerical accuracy and stability even when the time step size is toward the upper bound of the Nyquist sampling.
Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation Modulates the Relation of ENSO With the Precipitation in the Central-Western Indian Ocean
Authors: Zhao Chiyu , Geng Xin , Qi Li
Published: March 2022

It is well known that the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) could affect the precipitation anomalies in the central-western Indian Ocean (CWIP) through modifying the Walker circulation, with an El Niño generally accompanied by an enhanced CWIP. In this study, we find that this positive association is modulated by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). When ENSO and AMO are out-of-phase combinations (i.e., AMO-/El Niño and AMO+/La Niña), the CWIP is significantly stronger than that when they are in-phase cooperated. It is suggested that the AMO’s modulating effect mainly comprises two pathways that influence ENSO’s linkage with the CWIP. On one hand, AMO could modulate the SST variability in the central-eastern tropical Pacific with a stronger ENSO SST amplitude during its negative phase, thus influencing the ENSO-CWIP relationship. On the other hand, AMO is associated with a multidecadal atmospheric variation in the Walker circulation. The weakened circulation during the negative AMO phase favors an anomalous ascending flow over the central-western Indian Ocean, thereby favoring an enhanced CWIP there. Therefore, El Niño is accompanied by a more pronounced CWIP during the negative AMO phase compared to that during a positive AMO phase. For La Niña episodes, however, these two pathways have opposite modulation effects. Although AMO+/La Niña is weaker than AMO-/La Niña, the accompanied CWIP is relatively stronger as an multidecadal dry background induced by the Atlantic warming reinforces the negative CWIP anomaly generated by La Niña. We here highlight that the AMO decadal forcing needs to be considered when investigating the Indian Ocean atmospheric variabilities during ENSO events.
Inside the Next Black Box: Examining Students’ Responses to Teacher Feedback in a Formative Assessment Context
Authors: Lui Angela M. , Andrade Heidi L.
Published: March 2022

Attempts to explain inconsistencies in findings on the effects of formative assessment and feedback have led us to study the next black box: how students interpret and subsequently use formative feedback from an external source. In this empirical study, we explore how students understand and process formative feedback and how they plan to use this information to inform next steps. We present findings from a study that examined students’ affective and cognitive responses to feedback, operationalized as emotions, interpretations (i.e., judgments, meaning making, attributions), and decision-making. Relationships among these processes and students’ initial motivational states were also explored. Survey data were collected from 93 students of a 7th grade English/Language Arts teacher who employed formative assessment practices. The results indicate that students tended to have positive emotions and judgments in response to their teacher’s feedback and make controllable attributions. They generally made informative meaning of the feedback and constructive decisions about next steps. Correlational findings showed that (1) emotions, judgments, meaning making, and attributions are related; (2) judgments of and the meaning that students made about the feedback were most strongly related to decision-making about next steps; and (3) task value was the only motivation variable related to responses to feedback. We conclude with implications for research and practice based on the expected and unexpected findings from this study.
Endocrine and Growth Disorders in Taiwanese Children With 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome
Authors: Lin Han-Yi , Tsai Wen-Yu , Tung Yi-Ching , Liu Shih-Yao , Lee Ni-Chung , Chien Yin-Hsiu , Hwu Wuh-Liang , Lee Cheng-Ting
Published: March 2022

Background

Endocrine disorders are common in patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS). This study aimed to elucidate the clinical manifestations of endocrine disorders, including parathyroid, thyroid and growth disorders, in Taiwanese patients with 22q11.2DS.

Methods

From 1994 to 2020, the medical records of 138 patients with 22q11.2DS diagnosed at a tertiary referral medical center in Taiwan were thoroughly reviewed retrospectively.

Results

Hypocalcemia was detected in 57 of 135 patients (42%); 33 of 104 patients (32%) had hypoparathyroidism, and in 87% of them, hypocalcemia was detected before the age of one. Most patients had precipitating stressors during symptomatic hypocalcemic episodes. Eighteen of 29 patients had overt hypoparathyroidism at the last visit: 11 had persistent hypoparathyroidism and the other seven had recurrent hypoparathyroidism. Four of 84 patients had thyroid disorders, including thyroid developmental anomalies in two, dyshormonogenesis in one and Graves’ disease in one. Fifty of 126 patients (40%) had short stature. Age (odds ratio (OR) 0.91; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86-0.96; P<0.001) and airway anomalies (OR 2.75; 95% CI 1.04-7.31; P<0.05) were significant risk factors for short stature in multivariate logistic regression model. Twenty-eight of the 30 patients with airway anomalies were associated with severe congenital heart disease. Adult height standard deviation score (SDS) in 19 patients was significantly lower than target height SDS (-1.15 ± 0.90 vs -0.08 ± 0.65, P<0.001).

Conclusions

Hypoparathyroidism is a common endocrine disorder in patients with 22q11.2DS. It is prudent to assess parathyroid function at diagnosis and during follow-up, especially in the presence of stress, to prevent symptomatic hypocalcemia. Although thyroid disorders are not so common as hypoparathyroidism, screening of thyroid dysfunction is justified in these patients. Patients with 22q11.2DS demonstrate a retarded growth pattern with a tendency of catch-up and regular monitoring of growth is indicated.
Salivary Glycopatterns as Potential Non-Invasive Biomarkers for Diagnosing and Reflecting Severity and Prognosis of Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Han Qiuxia , Wang Xiaochen , Ding Xiaonan , Hao Jing , Li Qi , Wang Jifeng , Yu Hanjie , Tang Zhen , Yang Fuquan , Cai Guangyan , Zhang Dong , Zhu Hanyu
Published: March 2022

Discriminating between diabetic nephropathy (DN) and non-diabetic renal disease (NDRD) can help provide more specific treatments. However, there are no ideal biomarkers for their differentiation. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify biomarkers for diagnosing and predicting the progression of DN by investigating different salivary glycopatterns. Lectin microarrays were used to screen different glycopatterns in patients with DN or NDRD. The results were validated by lectin blotting. Logistic regression and artificial neural network analyses were used to construct diagnostic models and were validated in in another cohort. Pearson’s correlation analysis, Cox regression, and Kaplan–Meier survival curves were used to analyse the correlation between lectins, and disease severity and progression. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and bioinformatics analyses were used to identify corresponding glycoproteins and predict their function. Both the logistic regression model and the artificial neural network model achieved high diagnostic accuracy. The levels of Aleuria aurantia lectin (AAL), Lycopersicon esculentum lectin (LEL), Lens culinaris lectin (LCA), Vicia villosa lectin (VVA), and Narcissus pseudonarcissus lectin (NPA) were significantly correlated with the clinical and pathological parameters related to DN severity. A high level of LCA and a low level of LEL were associated with a higher risk of progression to end-stage renal disease. Glycopatterns in the saliva could be a non-invasive tool for distinguishing between DN and NDRD. The AAL, LEL, LCA, VVA, and NPA levels could reflect the severity of DN, and the LEL and LCA levels could indicate the prognosis of DN.
Increased Risk of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder in Osteoporosis Patients: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Kim So Young , Yoo Dae Myoung , Kwon Mi Jung , Kim Ji Hee , Kim Joo-Hee , Byun Soo-Hwan , Park Bumjung , Lee Hyo-Jeong , Choi Hyo Geun
Published: March 2022

Background

The objective of this study was to investigate the risk of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) in patients with osteoporosis.

Methods

Data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort from 2002 to 2015 were collected. Participants ≥ 40 years old were enrolled, and the history of osteoporosis was evaluated. The 62,328 osteoporosis patients were matched for age, sex, income, and region of residence with 62,328 control participants. The occurrence of TMD was assessed in both the osteoporosis and control groups during the follow-up period. Stratified Cox proportional hazard analyses for TMD were conducted for the osteoporosis and control groups. The hazard ratios (HRs) of osteoporosis for TMD were further analyzed by age and sex subgroups.

Results

A total of 1.2% (725/61,320) of the osteoporosis patients and 0.6% (339/61,320) of the control participants had TMD (P<0.001). Osteoporosis was associated with an elevated HR of TMD (adjusted HR=1.96, 95% CI=1.72–2.23, P<0.001). Among the age and sex subgroups, the < 60-year-old mal\e group demonstrated an adjusted HR of osteoporosis for TMD as high as 4.47 (95% CI=1.17–17.12, P=0.029). Other age and sex subgroups also showed a higher HR for TMD associated with osteoporosis (adjusted HR=2.30, 95% CI=1.90–2.78, P<0.001 for the ≥ 60-year-old female group).

Conclusion

Osteoporosis was related to a higher risk of TMD in the adult population. A prominent association of osteoporosis with TMD was noted in middle-aged men and older women.
Female Reproductive Health Disturbance Experienced During the COVID-19 Pandemic Correlates With Mental Health Disturbance and Sleep Quality
Authors: Maher Michelle , O’ Keeffe Aedín , Phelan Niamh , Behan Lucy Ann , Collier Sonya , Hevey David , Owens Lisa
Published: April 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected population mental health. Periods of psychological distress can induce menstrual dysfunction. We previously demonstrated a significant disruption in women’s reproductive health during the first 6 months of the pandemic. The present study investigates longer-term reproductive and mental health disturbances. A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 1335 women of reproductive age in April 2021. It included validated standardized measures of depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7) and sleep quality (PSQI). 581 (56%) of women reported an overall change in their menstrual cycle since the beginning of the pandemic. There was no change in median cycle length [28 days (28-30)] or days of menses [5 (4-5)], but there was a wider variability in minimum (p<0.0001) and maximum (p<0.0001) cycle length. There was a significant increase in heavy menstrual bleeding, painful periods and missed periods compared to pre-pandemic (all p<0.0001). 64% of women reported worsening pre-menstrual symptoms. Rates of severe depression, anxiety and poor sleep were more than double those from large scale representative community samples. Poor sleep quality was an independent predictor of overall change in menstrual cycle (OR=1.11, 95%CI 1.05-1.18), and missed periods (OR=1.11, 95%CI 1.03-1.19) during the pandemic. Increased anxiety was independently associated with a change from non-painful to painful periods (OR=1.06, 95%CI 1.01-1.11) and worsening of pre-menstrual symptoms (OR=1.06, 95%CI 1.01-1.07) during the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to bear a significant impact on female reproductive health. Increased levels of psychological distress and poor sleep are associated with menstrual cycle disruption.
Zinc-Loaded Black Phosphorus Multifunctional Nanodelivery System Combined With Photothermal Therapy Have the Potential to Treat Prostate Cancer Patients Infected With COVID-19
Authors: Li Linfeng , Zhou Baotong , Xu Haoyang , Shi Hailin , Gao Li , Ge Bo
Published: March 2022

Since 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has swept the world and become a new virus threatening the health of all mankind. The survey found that prostate cancer accounts for one in three male cancer patients infected with COVID-19. This undoubtedly makes prostate cancer patients face a more difficult situation. Prostate cancer is the second most harmful malignant tumor in men because of its insidious onset, easy metastasis, and easy development into castration-resistant prostate cancer even after treatment. Due to its high immunogenicity and a small number of specific infiltrating T cells with tumor-associated antigens in the tissue, it is difficult to obtain a good therapeutic effect with immune checkpoint blocking therapy alone. Therefore, in the current study, we developed a platform carrying Doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded black phosphate nanometer combined with photothermal therapy (PTT) and found this drug combination stimulated the immungentic cell death (ICD) process in PC-3 cells and DC maturation. More importantly, zinc ions have a good immunomodulatory function against infectious diseases, and can improve the killing ability of the nanosystem against prostate cancer cells. The introduction of Aptamer (Apt) enhances the targeting of the entire nanomedicine. We hope that this excellent combination will lead to effective treatment strategies for prostate cancer patients infected with COVID-19.
Numerical and Experimental Study on the Opening Angle of the Double-Stage Flap Valves in Pumping Stations
Authors: Xi Wang , Lu Weigang , Wang Chuan , Fu Guocong
Published: March 2022

Double-stage flap valves are widely used in new pumping stations. The different opening angles of the double-stage flap valves have a great influence on the outflow. To gain insight into this phenomenon, four commonly used operating conditions with opening angles were selected to perform three-dimensional simulation calculations and physical model studies on the flow pattern of the water behind the valves at different flow rates. The flow pattern of the water flow is analyzed by three indicators: the streamline of the water flow, the uniformity of the flow velocity, and the head loss in the culvert. The result shows that the coefficient of resistance loss along the way of the outlet culvert has a negative correlation with the opening angle. The larger the opening angle of the flap valve, the less the head loss of the water flow in the outlet culvert, and the flow pattern of the water flow in the culvert gradually becomes better.
External Current Source–Based Unilluminated PV Partial Shading Emulation System Verified Through the Hybrid Global Search Adaptive Perturb and Observe MPPT Algorithm
Authors: Wang Yidong , Yanarates Cagfer , Zhou Zhongfu
Published: April 2022

In this study, a novel PV emulator and the state-of-art learning–based real-time hybrid global search adaptive perturb and observe (P&O) maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm have been presented. The prime objective of the constructed emulator based on integration of unilluminated solar panels with an external current source to overcome the constraints such as the need for wide surrounding space, high installation cost, and lack of control over the environmental conditions. Moreover, the developed algorithm resolved the drawbacks of the conventional P&O MPPT method associated with the use of a constant perturbation size that leads to poor transient response, high continuous steady-state oscillation, and inefficient tracking performance of maximum power point voltage in the presence of partial shading. The intended algorithm has been verified using MATLAB/Simulink by applying comparative analysis with the conventional P&O MPPT. In addition, the performance of the proposed control scheme is validated experimentally with the implementation of MATLAB/Simulink/Stateflow a on dSPACE Real-Time-Interface (RTI) 1007 processor board and DS2004 A/D and CP4002 Digital I/O boards. The results indicate that the algorithm is effective in reducing power losses and faster in tracking the speed of the maximum power point with less oscillation. In addition, excellent dynamic characteristics of the proposed emulator have been proven to be an ideal tool for testing PV inverters and various maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms for commercial applications and university studies.
How Government Corruption and Market Segmentation Affect Green Total Factor Energy Efficiency in the Post-COVID-19 Era: Evidence From China
Authors: Zhou Qingjie , Du Mingyue , Ren Siyu
Published: March 2022

Energy and environmental pollution have attracted wide attention, but few studies have been conducted on green total factor energy efficiency (GTFEE) from the perspective of government corruption and market segmentation. By using the panel data of 30 provinces in China for the period 2006 to 2017, this paper tests the relationship between government corruption, market segmentation, and GTFEE. Moreover, considering the threshold effect of government corruption and market segmentation on GTFEE, the system generalized method of moments and the dynamic threshold panel model are adopted to analyze the nonlinear relationship. The regression results indicate that government corruption significantly decreases GTFEE, and market segmentation also has a significant negative impact on GTFEE. Moreover, market segmentation exacerbates the negative impact of corruption on GTFEE. The more serious the government corruption, the more severe the inhibitory effect of market segmentation on GTFEE. Similarly, the higher degree of market segmentation can increase the restraining effect of corruption on GTFEE. The results are still valid after a series of robustness tests. This paper suggests that countries should adopt severe anti-corruption actions, speed up the process of regional integration, and provide a good institutional environment support for the improvement of GTFEE.
Spatial–Temporal Pattern and Influencing Factors of Drought Impacts on Agriculture in China
Authors: Deng Xiyuan , Wang Guoqing , Yan Haofang , Zheng Jintao , Li Xuegang
Published: March 2022

Agricultural drought disaster is a major natural disaster affecting economic and social development. It is of significance to investigate the spatial–temporal pattern and the dominant influence of natural and human factors on agricultural drought disasters for drought hazard relief. In this study, Mann–Kendall test was adopted to explore the evolution of agricultural drought disasters. Random forest algorithm, which integrates feature importance and accumulated local effects plot, was applied to quantify the effect of principal influencing factors on agricultural drought disasters. Results show that over the period from 1950 to 2019, agricultural drought disasters in China have undergone significant fluctuations. The spatial pattern of agricultural drought disaster tends to decrease in severity from north to south. The total sown area of crops, precipitation, effective irrigation area, domestic patent application authorization, and regional GDP are the top 5 dominant factors influencing agricultural drought disasters. It also found that agricultural drought disaster negatively correlates with precipitation, domestic patent application authorization, and regional GDP, and the nonlinear response of agricultural drought disaster to total sown area of crops and effective irrigation area can be basically divided into two stages. In the first stage, with the increase of feature value, agricultural drought disaster is also increasing. In the second stage, with the increase of feature value, agricultural drought disaster is growing slow or just decreasing. The results can deepen the understanding of agricultural drought disasters and provide scientific basis for drought event monitoring, evaluation, and early warning.
Spatial Mapping of Dissolved Gases in the Danube Delta Reveals Intense Plant-Mediated Gas Transfer
Authors: Maier Marie-Sophie , Canning Anna R. , Brennwald Matthias S. , Teodoru Cristian R. , Wehrli Bernhard
Published: March 2022

Global estimates see river deltas and estuaries contributing about equally to CO2 and CH4 emissions as lakes and reservoirs, despite a factor 6 smaller surface area. Assessing the horizontal gradients in dissolved gas concentrations from large river reaches to connecting canals and wetland lakes remains a challenge in many deltaic systems. To elucidate the processes affecting local CO2 and CH4 concentrations in the Romanian part of the Danube Delta, we mapped dissolved O2, N2, He and Ar using a portable gas-equilibration membrane-inlet mass spectrometer (GE-MIMS), along with CO2, CH4, water temperature and conductivity. We measured the concentrations along the aquatic continuum from a small houseboat during two campaigns, in spring and autumn, to capture different hydrological and plant growth conditions. Delta-scale concentration patterns were comparably stable across seasons. Small connecting channels were highly influenced by the riparian wetland, which was strongest in the eastern part of the biosphere reserve. These sites represented the delta’s CO2 and CH4 hotspots and showed clear signs of excess air, i.e., supersaturation of dissolved noble gases with respect to air-saturated water. As the adjacent wetland was permanently inundated, this signal was likely caused by root aeration of Phragmites australis, as opposed to traditional excess air formation via water table fluctuations in the unsaturated zone. The special vegetation setting with reed growing on floating peat coincided with the highest CO2 and CH4 concentrations (>700 μmol/L CO2 and 13 μmol/L CH4, respectively) observed in an adjacent channel. Shallow lakes, on the other hand, were major sites of photosynthetic production with O2 oversaturation reaching up to 150% in spring. The observed deficit in non-reactive gases (He, Ar and N2) indicated that the lakes were affected by O2 ebullition from macrophytes. According to our estimations, this ebullitive flux decreased O2 concentrations by up to 2 mg/L. This study highlights the effect of plant-mediated gas transfer on dissolved gas concentrations and supports recent studies stressing the need to account for ebullitive gas exchange when assessing metabolism parameters from O2 in shallow, productive settings.
Aircraft Observation of a Two-Layer Cloud and the Analysis of Cold Cloud Seeding Effect
Authors: Dong Xiaobo , Sun Xiaoshen , Yan Fei , Zhang Jiannan , Wang Shuyi , Peng Min , Zhu Haipeng
Published: April 2022

A two-layer stratus cloud was developed under the weather of an upper-level trough and return flow in North China. King-air 350 meteorological aircraft was designated to acquire the microphysical characteristics of this cloud. Within the lower-level warm cloud, the width of cloud particle size distribution (PSD) grew larger from the cloud top to the base. The particles in the warm cloud were developed mostly through collision–coalescence process. Supercooled liquid water (SLW) was detected abundantly in the upper layer cold cloud, which was developed under the westerly trough. In this study, the cold cloud in the upper level was targeted for AgI seeding. After seeding, the PSD of both cloud droplets and ice crystals were broadened as SLW was consumed and developed into ice crystals.
Digitalization, Financial Development, Trade, and Carbon Emissions; Implication of Pollution Haven Hypothesis During Globalization Mode
Authors: Ke Jiaming , Jahanger Atif , Yang Bo , Usman Muhammad , Ren Fei
Published: April 2022

In the modern era of globalization, information and telecommunication technologies (ICTs) have become an important factor influencing carbon dioxide (CO2) emission; however, the specific effect produced by ICTs is still not clear. Therefore, the study examines the nexus between ICTs, foreign direct investment, globalization, and CO2 emission in 77 developing countries. The novel attribute of this research is the ICTs with financial development and the international trade interaction term. The results of this study are based on the pooled regression and generalized method of moment (GMM) techniques from 1990 to 2016. The subsequent empirical findings are established as follows: first, the ICTs positively contribute to reducing CO2 emission. Second, globalization significantly increases the CO2 emission; third; the interaction between ICTs and financial development increases CO2 emissions, and the moderating effect of ICTs and international trade performs the similar role. Fourth, the empirical finding verifies the presence of the pollution haven hypothesis. Fifth, our robustness tests confirmed that our empirical results were consistent. We suggest that policymakers should be using ICTs as a policy tool to mitigate CO2 emission and should invite such investments in ICT sectors, which help maintain the environment quality.
Individual Variation in Thermal Reaction Norms Reveals Metabolic-Behavioral Relationships in an Ectotherm
Authors: Baškiera Senka , Gvoždík Lumír
Published: April 2022

Ectothermic organisms respond to rapid environmental change through a combination of behavioral and physiological adjustments. As behavioral and physiological traits are often functionally linked, an effective ectotherm response to environmental perturbation will depend on the direction and magnitude of their association. The role of various modifiers in behavioral-physiological relationships remains largely unexplored. We applied a repeated-measures approach to examine the influence of body temperature and individual variation on the link between resting metabolic rate (RMR) and exploratory locomotor activity (ELA) in juvenile Alpine newts, Ichthyosaura alpestris. We analyzed trait relationships at two body temperatures separately and as parameters, intercepts and slopes, of thermal reaction norms for both traits. Body temperature affected the level of detectable among-individual variation in two different directions. Among-individual variation in ELA was detected at 12°C, while RMR was repeatable at 22°C. We found no support for a link between RMR and ELA at either temperature. While analysis of intercepts revealed among-individual variation in both traits, among-individual variation in slopes was detected in RMR only. Intercepts were positively associated at the individual, but not the whole-phenotypic, level. For ELA, the target of selection should be individual trait values across temperatures, rather than their thermal sensitivities. The positive association between intercepts of thermal reaction norms for ELA and RMR suggests that phenotypic selection acts on both traits in a correlated fashion. Measurements at one body temperature and within-individual variation hide the metabolic-behavioral relations. We conclude that correlative studies on flexible behavioral and physiological traits in ectotherms require repeated measurement at two or more body temperatures in order to avoid misleading results. This approach is needed to fully understand ectotherm responses to environmental change and its impact on their population dynamics.
Quantification and Variation of Microclimatic Variables Within Tree Canopies - Considerations for Epiphyte Research
Authors: Murakami Mariana , Nunes Ramos Flavio , Durand Maxime , Ashton Robert , Batke Sven P.
Published: March 2022

Forest canopies are incredibly complex self-maintaining biological structures. Conditions above and within the canopy can differ vastly, often resulting in a vertical gradient of microclimate conditions. Canopy epiphytic plants have to deal with climatic variability on much more variable scales compared to many other plant groups. The difficulty of sensor installation and their high cost can explain why it has been ignored in many studies on canopy epiphytes. Direct measurements of microenvironmental conditions are the only accurate way to assess specific intra-canopy environmental conditions, as there is also still a lack of methodologically and financially viable alternatives to allow the collection of this type of data. This study aims to make recommendations for the direct use of microclimate measurements in epiphyte research and to summarize key discussion points concerning the number and placement of sensors required for different types of epiphyte studies. In addition, we presented high-resolution field data from the United Kingdom, where we employed over 56 microclimate sensors, to demonstrate the spatial and temporal variability of radiation, temperature, and relative humidity (RH) in a tree canopy. Our data demonstrated that sensor height in the tree and leaf-set were the most important factors determining microclimate variability in the canopy. For the first time, we have made recommendations regarding the placement and number of sensors required in studies that specifically require the use of microclimate sensors in epiphyte studies in forest canopies.
Construction of the Six-lncRNA Prognosis Signature as a Novel Biomarker in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Zheng Ze-Jun , Li Yan-Shang , Zhu Jun-De , Zou Hai-Ying , Fang Wang-Kai , Cui Yi-Yao , Xie Jian-Jun
Published: March 2022

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a common malignant gastrointestinal tumor threatening global human health. For patients diagnosed with ESCC, determining the prognosis is a huge challenge. Due to their important role in tumor progression, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) may be putative molecular candidates in the survival prediction of ESCC patients. Here, we obtained three datasets of ESCC lncRNA expression profiles (GSE53624, GSE53622, and GSE53625) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The method of statistics and machine learning including survival analysis and LASSO regression analysis were applied. We identified a six-lncRNA signature composed of AL445524.1, AC109439.2, LINC01273, AC015922.3, LINC00547, and PSPC1-AS2. Kaplan–Meier and Cox analyses were conducted, and the prognostic ability and predictive independence of the lncRNA signature were found in three ESCC datasets. In the entire set, time-dependent ROC curve analysis showed that the prediction accuracy of the lncRNA signature was remarkably greater than that of TNM stage. ROC and stratified analysis indicated that the combination of six-lncRNA signature with the TNM stage has the highest accuracy in subgrouping ESCC patients. Furthermore, experiments subsequently confirmed that one of the lncRNAs LINC01273 may play an oncogenic role in ESCC. This study suggested the six-lncRNA signature could be a valuable survival predictor for patients with ESCC and have potential to be an auxiliary biomarker of TNM stage to subdivide ESCC patients more accurately, which has important clinical significance.
A de Novo ZMIZ1 Pathogenic Variant for Neurodevelopmental Disorder With Dysmorphic Facies and Distal Skeletal Anomalies
Authors: Lu Guanting , Ma Liya , Xu Pei , Xian Binqiang , Wu Lianying , Ding Jianying , He Xiaoyan , Xia Huiyun , Ding Wuwu , Yang Zhirong , Peng Qiongling
Published: March 2022

Background: Neurodevelopmental disorder with dysmorphic facies and distal skeletal anomalies (NEDDFSA) is a rare syndromic disorder characterized by global neurodevelopmental delay, early-onset hypotonia, poor overall growth, poor speech/language ability, and additional common phenotypes such as eye anomalies, joint hypermobility, and skeletal anomalies of the hands and feet. NEDDFSA is caused by heterozygous pathogenic variants in the ZMIZ1 gene on chromosome 10q22.3 with autosomal dominant (AD) mode of inheritance. All the 32 reported cases with variants in ZMIZ1 gene had a genetic background in Caucasian, Hispanic, North African, and Southeastern Asian. Until now, there are no reports of Chinese patients with ZMIZ1 pathogenic variants.

Methods: A 5-year-old girl was found to have the characteristic phenotypes of NEDDFSA. Array-Comparative Genomic Hybridization (array-CGH) and whole exome sequencing (WES) were applied for the trio of this female patient. Sanger sequencing was used to verify the selected variants. A comprehensive molecular analysis was carried out by protein structure prediction, evolutionary conservation, motif scanning, tissue-specific expression, and protein interaction network to elucidate pathogenicity of the identified ZMIZ1 variants.

Results: The karyotype was 46, XX with no micro-chromosomal abnormalities identified by array-CGH. There were 20 variants detected in the female patient by WES. A de novo heterozygous missense variant (c.2330G > A, p.Gly777Glu, G777E) was identified in the exon 20 of ZMIZ1. No variants of ZMIZ1 were identified in the non-consanguineous parents and her healthy elder sister. It was predicted that G777E was pathogenic and detrimental to the spatial conformation of the MIZ/SP-RING zinc finger domain of ZMIZ1.

Conclusion: Thus far, only four scientific articles reported deleterious variants in ZMIZ1 and most of the cases were from Western countries. This is the first report about a Chinese patient with ZMIZ1 variant. It will broaden the current knowledge of ZMIZ1 variants and variable clinical presentations for clinicians and genetic counselors.
Applications of Non-Coding RNAs in Patients With Retinoblastoma
Authors: Fernandez-Diaz Daniel , Rodriguez-Vidal Cristina , Silva-Rodríguez Paula , Paniagua Laura , Blanco-Teijeiro María José , Pardo María , Piñeiro Antonio , Bande Manuel
Published: March 2022

Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in childhood. In the carcinogenic process of neoplasms such as RB, the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) has been widely demonstrated recently. In this review, we aim to provide a clinical overview of the current knowledge regarding ncRNAs in relation to RB. Although ncRNAs are now considered as potential diagnostic biomarkers, prognostic factors, and therapeutic targets, further studies will facilitate enhanced understanding of ncRNAs in RB physiopathology and define the roles ncRNAs can play in clinical practice.
Mutation Analysis of the RPGR Gene in a Chinese Cohort
Authors: Liu Hong-Li , Gao Feng-Guan , Wang Dan-Dan , Hu Fang-Yuan , Xu Ping , Chang Qing , Xu Ge-Zhi , Wu Ji-Hong
Published: March 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical and genetic characteristics of the retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulatory factor gene (RPGR) in a Chinese cohort.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 80 subjects with RPGR-retinal dystrophy (RPGR-RD) for detailed genetic and clinical characterization. The panel-based next-generation sequencing of 792 causative genes involved in common genetic eye diseases was conducted in all individuals, followed by clinical variant interpretation. Information, including age, sex, geographic distribution, family history, consanguineous marriage, age at symptom onset, disease duration, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and complete ophthalmologic examination results, was collected.

Results: This cohort (41 men and 39 women) included 26 families (26 probands and their available family members) and 13 sporadic cases. The average age of these participants was 36.35 ± 17.68 years, and the majority of the families were from eastern China (28 families, 71.79%). The average duration of disease in the probands was 22.68 ± 15.80 years. In addition, the average BCVA values of the right and left eyes in the probands were 0.96 ± 0.77 and 1.00 ± 0.77, respectively. A total of 34 RPGR variants were identified, including 6 reported variants and 28 novel variants. Among these variants, NM_001034853.1: c.2899_2902delGAAG and c.2744_2745ins24 were considered de novo variants. The majority of the RPGR variants were classified as likely pathogenic, accounting for 70.59% of the variants (24 variants). The most common nucleotide and amino acid changes identified in this study were deletions (16 variants, 45.06%) and frameshifts (17 variants, 50.00%), respectively. Genetic analysis revealed that these RPGR variants were distributed in 10 different subregions of RPGR, and 70.59% of the RPGR variants (24 variants) were located in exon 15. Four RPGR variants, NM_001034853.1: c.2405_2406delAG, c.1345C > T, c.2218G > T and c.2236_2237delGA, occurred at a very high frequency of 28.21% (11 families) among 39 unrelated families.

Conclusion: This study expands the known mutational spectrum of RPGR, and we provide a new reference for the genetic diagnosis of RPGR variants.
RNA-Seq-Based Transcriptomics Study to Investigate the Genes Governing Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Indian Wheat Cultivars
Authors: Kaur Sarabjit , Shamshad M. , Jindal Suruchi , Kaur Amandeep , Singh Satinder , sharma Achla , Kaur Satinder
Published: March 2022

High NUE (nitrogen use efficiency) has great practical significance for sustainable crop production. Wheat is one of the main cultivated crops worldwide for human food and nutrition. However, wheat grain productivity is dependent upon cultivars with high NUE in addition to the application of nitrogen fertilizers. In order to understand the molecular mechanisms exhibiting a high NUE response, a comparative transcriptomics study was carried out through RNA-seq analysis to investigate the gene expression that regulates NUE, in root and shoot tissue of N-efficient (PBW677) and N-inefficient (703) cultivars under optimum and nitrogen (N) stress. Differentially expressed gene analysis revealed a total of 2,406 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) present in both the contrasting cultivars under N stress. The efficient genotype PBW677 had considerably more abundant DEGs with 1,653 (903 roots +750 shoots) compared to inefficient cultivar PBW703 with 753 (96 roots +657 shoots). Gene ontology enrichment and pathway analysis of these DEGs suggested that the two cultivars differed in terms of adaptive mechanism. Gene enrichment analysis revealed that among the upregulated and downregulated genes the overrepresented and underrepresented gene categories belonged to biological processes like DNA binding, response to abiotic stimulus, photosynthesis, carbon fixation, carbohydrate metabolic process, nitrogen compound metabolic process, nitrate transport, and translation in cultivar PBW677, while the enriched biological processes were nucleosome assembly, chromatin remodeling, DNA packaging, lipid transport, sulfur compound metabolic process, protein modifications, and protein folding and refolding in N inefficient cultivar PBW703. We found several transcription factors (MYB, WRKY, RING finger protein, zinc finger protein, transporters, NRT1, amino acid transporters, sugar), protein kinases, and genes involved in N absorption, transportation, and assimilation to be highly expressed in high NUE cultivar PBW677. In our study, we report 13 potential candidate genes which showed alternate gene expression in the two contrasting cultivars under study. These genes could serve as potential targets for future breeding programs.
Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly of Bupleurum chinense DC Provides Insights Into the Saikosaponin Biosynthesis
Authors: Zhang Quanfang , Li Min , Chen Xueyan , Liu Guoxia , Zhang Zhe , Tan Qingqing , Hu Yue , Fan Yangyang , Liu Yanyan , Zhu Tongshan , Yang Xue , Yue Mingming , Bu Xun , Zhang Yongqing
Published: March 2022

Bupleurum chinense DC is a plant widely used in Chinese traditional medicine. Saikosaponins are the major bioactive constituents of B. chinense DC. Saikosaponins biosynthesis in Bupleurum has been more intensively studied than any other metabolic processes or bioactive constituents. However, whole-genome sequencing and chromosome-level assembly for Bupleurum genus have not been reported yet. Here, we report a high-quality chromosome-level genome of B. chinense DC. through the integration of PacBio long-read sequencing, Illumina short-read sequencing, and Hi-C sequencing. The genome was phased into haplotype 0 (621.27 Mb with a contig N50 of 16.86 Mb and a scaffold N50 of 92.25 Mb) and haplotype 1 (600.48 Mb with a contig N50 of 23.90 Mb and a scaffold N50 of 102.68 Mb). A total of 45,909 and 35,805 protein-coding genes were predicted in haplotypes 0 and 1, respectively. The enrichment analyses suggested that the gene families that expanded during the evolution of B. chinense DC are involved in the biosynthesis of isoquinoline alkaloid, tyrosine, and anthocyanin. Furthermore, we analyzed the genes involved in saikosaponin biosynthesis and determined the candidate P450 and UGT genes in the third stage of saikosaponins biosynthetic, which provided new insight into the saikosaponins biosynthetic. The genomic data provide a valuable resource for future investigations of the molecular mechanisms, biological functions, and evolutionary adaptations of B. chinense DC.
Biology and Clinical Relevance of HCMV-Associated Adaptive NK Cells
Authors: Gao Fei , Zhou Zhengwei , Lin Ying , Shu Guang , Yin Gang , Zhang Tianxiang
Published: March 2022

Natural killer (NK) cells are an important component of the innate immune system due to their strong ability to kill virally infected or transformed cells without prior exposure to the antigen (Ag). However, the biology of human NK (hNK) cells has largely remained elusive. Recent advances have characterized several novel hNK subsets. Among them, adaptive NK cells demonstrate an intriguing specialized antibody (Ab)-dependent response and several adaptive immune features. Most adaptive NK cells express a higher level of NKG2C but lack an intracellular signaling adaptor, FcϵRIγ (hereafter abbreviated as FcRγ). The specific expression pattern of these genes, with other signature genes, is the result of a specific epigenetic modification. The expansion of adaptive NK cells in vivo has been documented in various viral infections, while the frequency of adaptive NK cells among peripheral blood mononuclear cells correlates with improved prognosis of monoclonal Ab treatment against leukemia. This review summarizes the discovery and signature phenotype of adaptive NK cells. We also discuss the reported association between adaptive NK cells and pathological conditions. Finally, we briefly highlight the application of adaptive NK cells in adoptive cell therapy against cancer.