bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Zebrafish Tric-b is required for skeletal development and bone cells differentiation
Authors: Tonelli Francesca , Leoni Laura , Daponte Valentina , Gioia Roberta , Cotti Silvia , Fiedler Imke A. K. , Larianova Daria , Willaert Andy , Coucke Paul J. , Villani Simona , Busse Björn , Besio Roberta , Rossi Antonio , Witten P. Eckhard , Forlino Antonella
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Trimeric intracellular potassium channels TRIC-A and -B are endoplasmic reticulum (ER) integral membrane proteins, involved in the regulation of calcium release mediated by ryanodine (RyRs) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3Rs) receptors, respectively. While TRIC-A is mainly expressed in excitable cells, TRIC-B is ubiquitously distributed at moderate level. TRIC-B deficiency causes a dysregulation of calcium flux from the ER, which impacts on multiple collagen specific chaperones and modifying enzymatic activity, leading to a rare form of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI Type XIV). The relevance of TRIC-B on cell homeostasis and the molecular mechanism behind the disease are still unknown.

Results

In this study, we exploited zebrafish to elucidate the role of TRIC-B in skeletal tissue. We demonstrated, for the first time, that tmem38a and tmem38b genes encoding Tric-a and -b, respectively are expressed at early developmental stages in zebrafish, but only the latter has a maternal expression. Two zebrafish mutants for tmem38b were generated by CRISPR/Cas9, one carrying an out of frame mutation introducing a premature stop codon (tmem38b-/-) and one with an in frame deletion that removes the highly conserved KEV domain (tmem38bΔ120-7/Δ120-7). In both models collagen type I is under-modified and partially intracellularly retained in the endoplasmic reticulum, as described in individuals affected by OI type XIV. Tmem38b-/- showed a mild skeletal phenotype at the late larval and juvenile stages of development whereas tmem38bΔ120-7/Δ120-7 bone outcome was limited to a reduced vertebral length at 21 dpf. A caudal fin regeneration study pointed towards impaired activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts associated with mineralization impairment.

Discussion

Our data support the requirement of Tric-b during early development and for bone cell differentiation.
Evolution of non-thyroidal illness syndrome in acute decompensation of liver cirrhosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure
Authors: Langer Mona-May , Bauschen Alina , Guckenbiehl Sabrina , Klauss Sarah , Lutz Teresa , Denk Gerald , Zwanziger Denise , Moeller Lars C. , Lange Christian M.
Published: January 2023

Background and aims

Non-thyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS) is frequent in critically ill patients and associated with adverse outcomes. We aimed to characterize the evolution of NTIS in patients with acute decompensation (AD) of cirrhosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), since NTIS is not well described in these newly defined syndromes.

Methods

Thyroid hormones (TH) were quantified at baseline in consecutive patients with cirrhosis. In addition, 76 inflammatory mediators were quantified by proximity extension analysis assay in a subgroup of patients. Associations between TH, cirrhosis stage, mortality and inflammation were assessed.

Results

Overall, 437 patients were included, of whom 165 (37.8%), 211 (48.3%), and 61 (14%) had compensated cirrhosis (CC), AD, and ACLF. FT3 concentrations were lower in AD versus CC, and further decreased in ACLF. Importantly, NTIS was present in 83 (39.3%) patients with AD and in 44 (72.1%) patients with ACLF (P<0.001). Yet, TSH and TSH-based indexes (TSH/FT3-ratio, thyroid index) showed an U-shaped evolution during progression of cirrhosis, suggesting a partially preserved responsiveness of the hypothalamus and pituitary in AD. Infections were associated with lower FT3 concentrations in AD, but not in ACLF. Low FT3 concentrations correlated significantly with 90-day mortality. Both, AD/ACLF and NTIS, were associated with signatures of inflammatory mediators, which were partially non-overlapping.

Conclusion

NTIS is frequent already in AD and therefore precedes critically illness in a subgroup of patients with decompensated cirrhosis. This might constitute a new paradigm of TH signaling in cirrhosis, offering opportunities to explore preventive effects of TH in AD.
A low-cost current flow controlling interline hybrid circuit breaker combined with SCR and H-bridge sub-module
Authors: Zeng Qingpeng , Zhu Jin , Guo Xinming , Huo Qunhai , Yin Jingyuan , Wei Tongzhen
Published: January 2023

A massive number of DC circuit breaker is usually necessary to be installed to protect HVDC grids from DC faults, this will lead to high capital costs because large number of expensive IGBT-in-series are used. In this paper, an interline hybrid circuit breaker is proposed by the combination of SCR string and a small number of H-bridge modules (SCR-IHCB). The proposed SCR-IHCB has the capacity of blocking DC fault of two adjacent lines respectively by sharing only one main breaker branch (MB) mainly composed of low-cost SCR string and H-bridge module instead of IGBT-in-series string. The interline current flow control function is also integrated. Hence it has advantages of simple and compact topology, economical design compared with typical IGBT based HCB solutions. The operation process of the proposed SCR-IHCB is discussed in detail, and the performance is verified by MATLAB Simulink simulation and scale-down prototype experiment.
Optimization of photovoltaic panel deployment in centralized photovoltaic power plant under multiple factors
Authors: Fan Rongquan , Ming Ziqiang , Xu Weiting , Li Ting , Han Yuqi , Ma Ruiguang , Liu Jichun , Wu Yiyang
Published: January 2023

Solar energy is one of the main renewable energy sources and has rapidly developed in many countries. However, the photovoltaic (PV) output power will be different under various meteorological and geographical conditions. Therefore, this paper presents an optimization method for the deployment of PV panels in a centralized PV power plant considering multiple factors. Firstly, the whole planning area is divided into a certain amount of sub-areas according to a given area, and fuzzy C-means algorithm is used for terrain clustering according to the geographical characteristics of the sub-areas. Secondly, the correlation analysis between each meteorological factor and PV output power is carried out separately to select the main factors affecting PV output power, and then the expected annual PV output power under the joint action of several main meteorological factors in each terrain is calculated by dual-stage attention mechanism based long short-term memory algorithm. Finally, according to the expected annual PV output of each terrain, considering the constraints including cost, area and so on, the deployment optimization of PV panels is obtained to maximize the annual PV output of the whole PV power plant and minimize the construction cost. The results of case studies show that the proposed methods effectively improve the expected PV output power of the PV power plant and reduce the construction cost.
Empirical model for fitting the viscosity of lithium bromide solution with CuO nanoparticles and E414
Authors: Li Jiheng , Wang Gang , Li Jitong , Li Xiao , Liu Yuexi , Zhang Qunli
Published: January 2023

To research viscosity fitting model of stable nano-lithium bromide solution (nano-LiBr), the stability of the nano-LiBr and the dynamic viscosity of LiBr were measued by Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) and rotational viscometer respectively. Two LiBr with different additives were measured, i.e., LiBr with dispersant (E414) and LiBr with dispersant + copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO). The ranges of measuring temperature were from 25°C–60°C, the concentrations of LiBr were from 50%–59%, the volume fractions of the dispersants were from 0%–4%, and the fractions of nanoparticle volume were from 0%–0.05%. Results indicated that the nano-LiBr with E414 had good stability. The viscosity of the LiBr decreased when temperature increased, and increased when LiBr concentration and dispersant amount were increased. It is also found that the viscosity was directly proportional to the volume fraction of the nanoparticles. This study also showed that the higher the concentration of the base fluid was, the more significant increase of the viscosity was. An empirical viscosity model of stable nano-LiBr with a maximum error of 13% was developed.
Influence of installation height of a submersible mixer on solid‒liquid two‒phase flow field
Authors: Tian Fei , Zhang Erfeng , Yang Chen , Sun Dehua , Shi Weidong , Chen Yonghua
Published: January 2023

With the increasingly severe situation of water pollution control, optimal design of the mixing flow field of submersible mixers and improving the mixing uniformity of activated sludge have become key research issues. At present, the research on the submersible mixer is mostly focused on water as the medium, and the flow field characteristics of solid-liquid two-phase flow, which is closer to the actual scene, still need more systematic research. This paper presented numerical simulations of the solid‒liquid two‒phase flow problem at various installation heights based on the coupled CFD‒DEM method in the Euler‒Lagrange framework. The velocity distribution, dead zone distribution, particles’ velocity development, particles’ mixing degree, and particles’ aggregation of the flow field were compared and analyzed for different installation heights. The results show that the flow field has two flow patterns: single‒ and double‒circulation, due to different installation heights, in which the velocity and turbulent kinetic energy of the flow field of the double‒circulation flow pattern are more uniform. The installation height affects the moment particles enter the impeller and the core jet zone, thus affecting the degree of particle mixing and the mixing time. The adjustment of the installation height also has an impact on particle aggregation. These findings indicate that the installation height significantly affects the flow field characteristics and the particle motion distribution. The coupled CFD‒DEM method can analyze the macroscopic phenomenon of the solid‒liquid two‒phase flow field of the submersible mixer from the scale of microscopic particles, which provides a theoretical approach for the optimal design of the mixing flow field. It can provide better guidance for engineering practice.
Three-phase boost-stage coupled current source inverter concept and its space vector modulation
Authors: Wang Weiqi , Li Xinian , Rui Shuling , Xia Xiaoting
Published: January 2023

The current source inverter (CSI) is essentially a converter with inherent boost capability and has been preliminarily applied in the field of renewable energy generation systems. However, conventional CSIs are mostly operated independently. Several existing multilevel CSI topologies entirely rely on parallel combinations, which seems to be not very suitable for capacity expansion. To solve this issue, this paper proposes a concept of three-phase boost-stage coupled current source inverter (BSC-CSI) through the duality principle, which can output multi-level currents with a reduced number of switches as well as hardware costs. Compared with the state-of-the-art CSIs, the proposed BSC-CSI can notably simplify the implementation of the multi-level modulation scheme and meanwhile ensure the power devices switch under lower current stress. To further take full advantage of the modularity and scalability, the BSC-CSI can be constructed by hybrid using silicon-carbide (SiC) and silicon (Si) based semiconductor switches for improving efficiency. The experimental results have verified the theoretical findings.
Distributed topology identification algorithm of distribution network based on neighboring interaction
Authors: Chen Peidong , Cao Huazhen , He Xuan , Yang Yifei , Lin Lingxue
Published: January 2023

Intelligent distributed control and protection is a promising route towards flexible and safety operation of distribution network with widespread access of distributed energy resources A fundamental premise of the distributed decision-making is that each smart terminal can identify the topological structure of the feeder and track its changes. This paper proposes a distributed topology identification algorithm with high fault tolerance based on peer-to-peer communication. The smart terminal units (STU) installed on the nodes can dynamiclly track and identify the network topology through local measurement and information exchange with neighboring STUs. The proposed algorithm combines local measurement mutual check with contralateral connectivity predictive correction, and significantly improves the tolerance of measurement errors in topology identification. Test examples are presented to verify the effectiveness of the method.
A bright spot detection and analysis method for infrared photovoltaic panels based on image processing
Authors: Liu Jun , Ji Ning
Published: January 2023

The energy crisis and environmental problems have attracted global attention, thus the photovoltaic (PV) power generation technology comes to people’s mind. The application of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) inspection technology can overcome the disadvantages of large scale and high risk of this project. The application of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) infrared detection technology in PV power generation can not only improve work efficiency, but also have high economic benefits. This paper based on U-Net network and HSV space, proposes a method of PV infrared image segmentation and location detection of hot spots, which is used to detect and analyze the shielding of PV panels. Firstly, the main PV modules are automatically split from the different infrared image background based on U-Net. In order to quickly locate the defection location, the mask image is multiplied by the original image and then converted to HSV. The discriminant of bright spot features is introduced, and the discriminant mechanism is summarized according to the experiment, and the formation reason is analyzed. The experiment result shows that the method is not affected by the infrared image under the different background, provides data for the maintenance of power station and improves the detection accuracy. The accuracy rate of analyzing the causes of defects is 92.5%.
Contamination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the water source from a typical agricultural area in North China
Authors: Wang Xiaowei , Zhang Hongwei , He Xiaosong , Liu Jianfei , Yao Zhiliang , Zhao Hongbin , Yu Dayang , Liu Baosen , Liu Tianfu , Zhao Weilong
Published: January 2023

There is limited information on contaminations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the water source affected by agricultural activities. The contamination of PFASs was investigated in the sources of agricultural groundwater and nearby surface water from an important vegetable production base supply for Beijing and Tianjin, located in North China. Σ13PFAS concentrations ranged from 0.321 to 8.285 ng/L, with an average concentration of 2.022 ng/L in the groundwater and 19.673 ng/L in the surface water. With the increase in the carbon chain length, the mean concentrations of PFASs in groundwater generally showed a decreasing trend. The dominated congeners of short-chain perfluorobutanesulfonate and perfluorooctanoate acid (PFOA) were detected in all groundwater samples, with mean concentrations of 0.944 and 0.654 ng/L. The difference was that PFOA and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) were the dominant congeners in nearby surface water, with concentrations of 7.585 and 3.421 ng/L. Thus, the concentrations of PFOA and PFOS in the surface water were about 8.5 times higher than those in the groundwater, indicating that Σ13PFAS concentrations might decrease with the water migration from the overground to the underground. In addition, significant correlations were observed between PFASs and DOC/TN related to agricultural activities, suggesting a certain relationship existed between PFAS conger distributions and organic carbon/nutrients in water. Health risk assessment indicated that the PFAS exposure caused insignificantly immediate harm to residents in the studied area. This survey provided information on the sources, spatial distribution, and potential migration characteristics of PFASs in a typical agricultural area of North China.
Biological responses to change in Antarctic sea ice habitats
Authors: Swadling Kerrie M. , Constable Andrew J. , Fraser Alexander D. , Massom Robert A. , Borup Melanie D. , Ghigliotti Laura , Granata Antonia , Guglielmo Letterio , Johnston Nadine M. , Kawaguchi So , Kennedy Fraser , Kiko Rainer , Koubbi Philippe , Makabe Ryosuke , Martin Andrew , McMinn Andrew , Moteki Masato , Pakhomov Evgeny A. , Peeken Ilka , Reimer Jody , Reid Phillip , Ryan Ken G. , Vacchi Marino , Virtue Patti , Weldrick Christine K. , Wongpan Pat , Wotherspoon Simon J.
Published: January 2023

Sea ice is a key habitat in the high latitude Southern Ocean and is predicted to change in its extent, thickness and duration in coming decades. The sea-ice cover is instrumental in mediating ocean–atmosphere exchanges and provides an important substrate for organisms from microbes and algae to predators. Antarctic krill,Euphausia superba,is reliant on sea ice during key phases of its life cycle, particularly during the larval stages, for food and refuge from their predators, while other small grazers, including copepods and amphipods, either live in the brine channel system or find food and shelter at the ice-water interface and in gaps between rafted ice blocks. Fish, such as the Antarctic silverfishPleuragramma antarcticum, use platelet ice (loosely-formed frazil crystals) as an essential hatching and nursery ground. In this paper, we apply the framework of the Marine Ecosystem Assessment for the Southern Ocean (MEASO) to review current knowledge about relationships between sea ice and associated primary production and secondary consumers, their status and the drivers of sea-ice change in this ocean. We then use qualitative network modelling to explore possible responses of lower trophic level sea-ice biota to different perturbations, including warming air and ocean temperatures, increased storminess and reduced annual sea-ice duration. This modelling shows that pelagic algae, copepods, krill and fish are likely to decrease in response to warming temperatures and reduced sea-ice duration, while salp populations will likely increase under conditions of reduced sea-ice duration and increased number of days of >0°C. Differences in responses to these pressures between the five MEASO sectors were also explored. Greater impacts of environmental pressures on ice-related biota occurring presently were found for the West and East Pacific sectors (notably the Ross Sea and western Antarctic Peninsula), with likely flow-on effects to the wider ecosystem. All sectors are expected to be impacted over coming decades. Finally, we highlight priorities for future sea ice biological research to address knowledge gaps in this field.
Apomixis for no bacteria-induced thelytoky in Diglyphus wani (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)
Authors: Du Sujie , Ye Fuyu , Xu Shiyun , Liang Yongxuan , Wan Fanghao , Guo Jianyang , Liu Wanxue
Published: January 2023

In Hymenoptera species, the reproductive mode is usually arrhenotoky, where haploid males arise from unfertilized eggs and diploid females from fertilized eggs. In addition, a few species reproduce by thelytoky, where diploid females arise from unfertilized eggs. Diploid females can be derived through various cytological mechanisms in thelytokous Hymenoptera species. Hitherto, these mechanisms were revealed mainly in endosymbiont-induced thelytokous Hymenoptera species. In contrast, thelytokous Hymenoptera species in which a reproductive manipulator has not been verified or several common endosymbionts have been excluded were paid less attention in their cytological mechanisms, for instance, Diglyphus wani (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Here, we investigated the cytological mechanism of D. wani using cytological methods and genetic markers. Our observations indicated that the diploid karyotypes of two strains of D. wani consist of four pairs of relatively large metacentric chromosomes and one pair of short submetacentric chromosomes (2n = 10). The arrhenotokous strains could complete normal meiosis, whereas the thelytokous strain lacked meiosis and did not expulse any polar bodies. This reproductive type of lacking meiosis is classified as apomictic thelytoky. Moreover, a total of 636 microsatellite sequences were obtained from thelytokous D. wani, dominated by dinucleotide repeats. Genetic markers results showed all three generations of offspring from thelytokous strain maintained the same genotype as their parents. Our results revealed that D. wani is the first eulophid parasitoid wasp in Hymenoptera whose thelytoky was not induced by bacteria to form an apomictic thelytoky. These findings provide a baseline for future inner molecular genetic studies of ameiotic thelytoky.
The expression pattern, subcellular localization and function of three sterol 14α-demethylases in Aspergillus oryzae
Authors: Jin Qi , Li Ganghua , Qin Kunhai , Shang Yitong , Yan Huanhuan , Liu Hongliang , Zeng Bin , Hu Zhihong
Published: January 2023

Sterol 14α-demethylase catalyzes lanosterol hydroxylation, which is one of the key reactions in the biosynthetic pathway of sterols. There is only one sterol 14α-demethylases gene named Erg11 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome. In this study, three sterol 14α-demethylases genes named AoErg11A, AoErg11B and AoErg11C were identified in Aspergillus oryzae genome through bioinformatics analysis. The function of these three genes were studied by yeast complementation, and the expression pattern/subcellular localization of these genes/proteins were detected. The results showed that the three AoErg11s were expressed differently at different growth times and under different abiotic stresses. All of the three proteins were located in endoplasmic reticulum. The AoErg11s could not restore the temperature-sensitive phenotype of S. cerevisiae erg11 mutant. Overexpression of the three AoErg11s affected both growth and sporulation, which may be due to the effect of AoErg11s on ergosterol content. Therefore, this study revealed the functions of three AoErg11s and their effects on the growth and ergosterol biosynthesis of A. oryzae, which may contribute to the further understanding of the ergosterol biosynthesis and regulation mechanism in this important filamentous fungus, A. oryzae.
Mining legume germplasm for genetic gains: An Indian perspective
Authors: Gayacharan  , Parida Swarup K. , Mondal Nupur , Yadav Rashmi , Vishwakarma Harinder , Rana Jai C.
Published: January 2023

Legumes play a significant role in food and nutritional security and contribute to environmental sustainability. Although legumes are highly beneficial crops, it has not yet been possible to enhance their yield and production to a satisfactory level. Amid a rising population and low yield levels,per capitaaverage legume consumption in India has fallen by 71% over the last 50 years, and this has led to protein-related malnutrition in a large segment of the Indian population, especially women and children. Several factors have hindered attempts to achieve yield enhancement in grain legumes, including biotic and abiotic pressures, a lack of good ideotypes, less amenability to mechanization, poorer responsiveness to fertilizer input, and a poor genetic base. Therefore, there is a need to mine the approximately 0.4 millionex situcollections of legumes that are being conserved in gene banks globally for identification of ideal donors for various traits. The Indian National Gene Bank conserves over 63,000 accessions of legumes belonging to 61 species. Recent initiatives have been undertaken in consortia mode with the aim of unlocking the genetic potential ofex situcollections and conducting large-scale germplasm characterization and evaluation analyses. We assume that large-scale phenotyping integrated with omics-based science will aid the identification of target traits and their use to enhance genetic gains. Additionally, in cases where the genetic base of major legumes is narrow, wild relatives have been evaluated, and these are being exploited through pre-breeding. Thus far, >200 accessions of various legumes have been registered as unique donors for various traits of interest.
STAT5b: A master regulator of key biological pathways
Authors: Smith Madison R. , Satter Lisa R. Forbes , Vargas-Hernández Alexander
Published: January 2023

The Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT)-5 proteins are required in immune regulation and homeostasis and play a crucial role in the development and function of several hematopoietic cells. STAT5b activation is involved in the expression of genes that participate in cell development, proliferation, and survival. STAT5a and STAT5b are paralogs and only human mutations in STAT5B have been identified leading to immune dysregulation and hematopoietic malignant transformation. The inactivating STAT5B mutations cause impaired post-natal growth, recurrent infections and immune dysregulation, whereas gain of function somatic mutations cause dysregulated allergic inflammation. These mutations are rare, and they are associated with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations which provide a disease model elucidating the biological mechanism of STAT5 by studying the consequences of perturbations in STAT5 activity. Further, the use of Jak inhibitors as therapy for a variety of autoimmune and malignant disorders has increased substantially heading relevant lessons for the consequences of Jak/STAT immunomodulation from the human model. This review summarizes the biology of the STAT5 proteins, human disease associate with molecular defects in STAT5b, and the connection between aberrant activation of STAT5b and the development of certain cancers.
Clostridium butyricum alleviates LPS-induced acute immune stress in goats by regulating bacterial communities and blood metabolites
Authors: Zhang Chengrui , Hou Tingyi , Wang Jihong , Yu Qingyuan , Zhang Yonggen , Sun Yukun
Published: January 2023

The mitigation and prevention of acute immune stress are essential for livestock production. Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum) has shown positive effects in stabilizing intestinal microbiota disorders, improving immune function and inhibiting disease development, but its effects on ruminants are unclear. Therefore, the current trial hypothesized that C. butyricum could improve goats’ immune function and antioxidant capacity by regulating bacterial communities and blood metabolism and effectively alleviating the acute immune stress induced by Lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Sixteen healthy goats were fed C. butyricum for 70 days, and the goats were challenged with LPS on day 71. Blood and feces were collected at 0 h and 6 h after the challenge to evaluate the effects of C. butyricum on their intestinal microbiota, immune function, antioxidant function, and plasma metabolites. The results showed that C. butyricum had no significant effect on plasma biochemical parameters at the beginning of the LPS challenge. However, supplementation with C. butyricum increased plasma levels of IgA, IgG, T-SOD, and T-AOC (P < 0.05), but TNF-α, IL-6, and MDA were decreased (P < 0.05). In contrast, IL-10 showed an increasing trend (P < 0.10). Rectal microbiota analysis showed that C. butyricum significantly increased the relative abundance of Epsilonbacteraeota at the phylum level of goats; at the genus level, the relative abundances of Campylobacter and Anaerorhabdus]_furcosa_group were also significantly increased (P < 0.05). Christensenellaceae_R-7_group as the dominant microbiota also showed a significant increase in their abundance values, while Clostridium and Lachnospiraceae_UCG-001 were significantly lower (P < 0.05). When the LPS challenge continued up to 6 h, dietary supplementation with C. butyricum still resulted in significantly higher plasma concentrations of IgA, IL-10, and T-SOD in goats than in the control group, reducing TNF-α levels (P < 0.05). In addition, plasma levels of T-CHOL and LDL were significantly reduced, and the expression of d-proline was significantly upregulated according to metabolomic analysis (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with C. butyricum helped optimize the expression of bacterial communities and plasma metabolites to enhance the ability of goats to alleviate acute immune stress.
Role of pyroptosis in hemostasis activation in sepsis
Authors: Zhu Chengrui , Liang Yingjian , Luo Yangtuo , Ma Xiaochun
Published: January 2023

Sepsis is frequently associated with hemostasis activation and thrombus formation, and systematic hemostatic changes are associated with a higher risk of mortality. The key events underlying hemostasis activation during sepsis are the strong activation of innate immune pathways and the excessive inflammatory response triggered by invading pathogens. Pyroptosis is a proinflammatory form of programmed cell death, that defends against pathogens during sepsis. However, excessive pyroptosis can lead to a dysregulation of host immune responses and organ dysfunction. Recently, pyroptosis has been demonstrated to play a prominent role in hemostasis activation in sepsis. Several studies have demonstrated that pyroptosis participates in the release and coagulation activity of tissue factors. In addition, pyroptosis activates leukocytes, endothelial cells, platelets, which cooperate with the coagulation cascade, leading to hemostasis activation in sepsis. This review article attempts to interpret the molecular and cellular mechanisms of the hemostatic imbalance induced by pyroptosis during sepsis and discusses potential therapeutic strategies.
Benefits of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin on mortality in patients with severe COVID-19: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Liu Xiaosheng , Zhang Yuelun , Lu Lianfeng , Li Xiaodi , Wu Yuanni , Yang Yang , Li Taisheng , Cao Wei
Published: January 2023

Background

The clinical benefits of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in treating COVID-19 remained controversial.

Methods

We systematically searched databases up to February 17, 2022, for studies examining the efficacy of IVIg compared to routine care. Meta-analyses were conducted using the random-effects model. Subgroup analysis, meta-regression, and trial series analysis w ere performed to explore heterogeneity and statistical significance.

Results

A total of 4,711 hospitalized COVID-19 patients (1,925 IVIg treated and 2786 control) were collected from 17 studies, including five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 12 cohort studies. The application of IVIg was not associated with all-cause mortality (RR= 0.89 [0.63, 1.26], P= 0.53; I2 = 75%), the length of hospital stays (MD= 0.29 [-3.40, 6.44] days, P= 0.88; I2 = 96%), the needs for mechanical ventilation (RR= 0.93 ([0.73, 1.19], P= 0.31; I2 = 56%), or the incidence of adverse events (RR= 1.15 [0.99, 1.33], P= 0.06; I2 = 20%). Subgroup analyses showed that overall mortality among patients with severe COVID-19 was reduced in the high-dose IVIg subgroup (RR= 0.33 [0.13, 0.86], P= 0.02, I2 = 68%; very low certainty).

Conclusions

Results of this study suggest that severe hospitalized COVID-19 patients treated with high-dose IVIg would have a lower risk of death than patients with routine care.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021231040, identifier CRD42021231040.
Serum cytokine change profile associated with HBsAg loss during combination therapy with PEG-IFN-α in NAs-suppressed chronic hepatitis B patients
Authors: Wang Wen-Xin , Jia Rui , Jin Xue-Yuan , Li Xiaoyan , Zhou Shuang-Nan , Zhang Xiao-Ning , Zhou Chun-Bao , Wang Fu-Sheng , Fu Junliang
Published: January 2023

Objective

The aim of this study was to explore the profile of cytokine changes during the combination therapy with pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN-α) and its relationship with HBsAg loss in nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs)-suppressed chronic hepatitis B patients.

Methods

Seventy-six patients with chronic hepatitis B with HBsAg less than 1,500 IU/ml and HBV DNA negative after receiving ≥ 1-year NAs therapy were enrolled. Eighteen patients continued to take NAs monotherapy (the NAs group), and 58 patients received combination therapy with NAs and PEG-IFN-α (the Add-on group). The levels of IFNG, IL1B, IL1RN, IL2, IL4, IL6, IL10, IL12A, IL17A, CCL2, CCL3, CCL5, CXCL8, CXCL10, TNF, and CSF2 in peripheral blood during treatment were detected.

Results

At week 48, 0.00% (0/18) in the NAs group and 25.86% (15/58) in the Add-on group achieved HBsAg loss. During 48 weeks of combined treatment, there was a transitory increase in the levels of ALT, IL1RN, IL2, and CCL2. Compared to the NAs group, CXCL8 and CXCL10 in the Add-on group remain higher after rising, yet CCL3 showed a continuously increasing trend. Mild and early increases in IL1B, CCL3, IL17A, IL2, IL4, IL6, and CXCL8 were associated with HBsAg loss or decrease >1 log, while sustained high levels of CCL5 and CXCL10 were associated with poor responses to Add-on therapy at week 48.

Conclusions

The serum cytokine change profile is closely related to the response to the combination therapy with PEG-IFN-α and NAs, and may help to reveal the mechanism of functional cure and discover new immunological predictors and new therapeutic targets.
Sepsis-induced changes in differentiation, maintenance, and function of memory CD8 T cell subsets
Authors: Heidarian Mohammad , Griffith Thomas S. , Badovinac Vladimir P.
Published: January 2023

Formation of long-lasting memory lymphocytes is one of the foundational characteristics of adaptive immunity and the basis of many vaccination strategies. Following the rapid expansion and contraction of effector CD8 T cells, the surviving antigen (Ag)-specific cells give rise to the memory CD8 T cells that persist for a long time and are phenotypically and functionally distinct from their naïve counterparts. Significant heterogeneity exists within the memory CD8 T cell pool, as different subsets display distinct tissue localization preferences, cytotoxic ability, and proliferative capacity, but all memory CD8 T cells are equipped to mount an enhanced immune response upon Ag re-encounter. Memory CD8 T cells demonstrate numerical stability under homeostatic conditions, but sepsis causes a significant decline in the number of memory CD8 T cells and diminishes their Ag-dependent and -independent functions. Sepsis also rewires the transcriptional profile of memory CD8 T cells, which profoundly impacts memory CD8 T cell differentiation and, ultimately, the protective capacity of memory CD8 T cells upon subsequent stimulation. This review delves into different aspects of memory CD8 T cell subsets as well as the immediate and long-term impact of sepsis on memory CD8 T cell biology.
SARS-CoV-2 spike HexaPro formulated in aluminium hydroxide and administered in an accelerated vaccination schedule partially protects Syrian Hamsters against viral challenge despite low neutralizing antibody responses
Authors: Christensen Dennis , Polacek Charlotta , Sheward Daniel J. , Hanke Leo , McInerney Gerald , Murrell Ben , Hartmann Katrine Top , Jensen Henrik Elvang , Zimmermann Julie , Jungersen Gregers , Illigen Kristin Engelhart , Isling Louise Krag , Fernandez-Antunez Carlota , Ramirez Santseharay , Bukh Jens , Pedersen Gabriel Kristian
Published: January 2023

SARS-CoV-2 continues to pose a threat to human health as new variants emerge and thus a diverse vaccine pipeline is needed. We evaluated SARS-CoV-2 HexaPro spike protein formulated in Alhydrogel® (aluminium oxyhydroxide) in Syrian hamsters, using an accelerated two dose regimen (given 10 days apart) and a standard regimen (two doses given 21 days apart). Both regimens elicited spike- and RBD-specific IgG antibody responses of similar magnitude, but in vitro virus neutralization was low or undetectable. Despite this, the accelerated two dose regimen offered reduction in viral load and protected against lung pathology upon challenge with homologous SARS-CoV-2 virus (Wuhan-Hu-1). This highlights that vaccine-induced protection against SARS-CoV-2 disease can be obtained despite low neutralizing antibody levels and suggests that accelerated vaccine schedules may be used to confer rapid protection against SARS-CoV-2 disease.
Lightweight object detection algorithm based on YOLOv5 for unmanned surface vehicles
Authors: Zhang Jialin , Jin Jiucai , Ma Yi , Ren Peng
Published: January 2023

Visual detection technology is essential for an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) to perceive the surrounding environment; it can determine the spatial position and category of the object, which provides important environmental information for path planning and collision prevention of the USV. During a close-in reconnaissance mission, it is necessary for a USV to swiftly navigate in a complex maritime environment. Therefore, an object detection algorithm used in USVs should have high detection s peed and accuracy. In this paper, a YOLOv5 lightweight object detection algorithm using a Ghost module and Transformer is proposed for USVs. Firstly, in the backbone network, the original convolution operation in YOLOv5 is upgraded by convolution stacking with depth-wise convolution in the Ghost module. Secondly, to exalt feature extraction without deepening the network depth, we propose integrating the Transformer at the end of the backbone network and Feature Pyramid Network structure in the YOLOv5, which can improve the ability of feature expression. Lastly, the proposed algorithm and six other deep learning algorithms were tested on ship datasets. The results show that the average accuracy of the proposed algorithm is higher than that of the other six algorithms. In particular, in comparison with the original YOLOv5 model, the model size of the proposed algorithm is reduced to 12.24 M, the frames per second reached 138, the detection accuracy was improved by 1.3%, and the mean of average precision (0.5) reached 96.6% (from 95.3%). In the verification experiment, the proposed algorithm was tested on the ship video collected by the “JiuHang 750” USV under different marine environments. The test results show that the proposed algorithm has a significantly improved detection accuracy compared with other lightweight detection algorithms.
Association between Legionella species and humic substances during early summer in the northern Baltic Sea
Authors: Eriksson Karolina Ida Anna , Ahlinder Jon , Ramasamy Kesava Priyan , Andersson Agneta , Sundell David , Karlsson Linda , Sjödin Andreas , Thelaus Johanna
Published: January 2023

Climate change is projected to cause alterations in northern coastal systems, including humification and intensified nutrient loads, which can lead to ecosystem imbalances and establishment of new bacterial species. Several potential pathogens, such as different species of Legionella, hide in the environment between infections, some by living inside protozoan host cells. Knowledge about the occurrence of Legionella in natural waters is missing, which disable risk assessments of exposure. We performed a study of the species diversity of Legionella in the northern Baltic Sea (Gulf of Bothnia) during early summer to map their occurrence and to identify possible environmental drivers. We detected Legionella and potential protozoan hosts along gradients of the Gulf of Bothnia. We also for the first time present third generation full-length 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing (Nanopore) to resolve environmental species classification of Legionella, with a method suitable to study all bacteria. Our data show that full length 16S rRNA sequences is sufficient to resolve Legionella while the standard short Illumina sequences did not capture the entire diversity. For accurate species classification of Legionella, harmonization between the Nanopore classification methods is still needed and the bias toward the well-studied Legionella pneumophila need to be resolved. Different Legionella species occurred both in the Bothnian Sea and in the Bothnian Bay and their abundance were linked to humic substances and low salinity. The relative abundance of Legionella was higher in the humic-rich northern waters of the Bothnian Bay. The link between Legionella species and humic substances may be indirect via promotion of the heterotrophic microbial food web, allowing Legionella species and similar bacteria to establish. Humic substances are rich in iron, which has been shown crucial for growth of Legionella species and other pathogens. Considering climate change projections in this regional area, with increased humification and freshwater inflow, this bacterial niche containing potential pathogens might become more widespread in the future Baltic Sea. This study demonstrates the significance of DNA sequencing to monitor public health relevant bacteria like Legionella species in the environment. Including sequencing of bacteria and protozoa in the environmental monitoring programs could be used to identify ecosystem imbalances, which enable appropriate responses to emerging diseases.
A new merged dataset of global ocean chlorophyll-a concentration for better trend detection
Authors: Yu Shujie , Bai Yan , He Xianqiang , Gong Fang , Li Teng
Published: January 2023

Chlorophyll-a concentration (Chla) is recognized as an essential climate variable and is one of the primary parameters of ocean-color satellite products. Ocean-color missions have accumulated continuous Chla data for over two decades since the launch of SeaWiFS (Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor) in 1997. However, the on-orbit life of a single mission is about five to ten years. To build a dataset with a time span long enough to serve climate change related studies, it is necessary to merge the Chla data from multiple sensors. The European Space Agency has developed two sets of merged Chla products, namely GlobColour and OC-CCI (Ocean Colour Climate Change Initiative), which have been widely used. Nonetheless, issues remain in the long-term trend analysis of these two datasets because the inter-mission differences in Chla have not been completely corrected. To obtain more accurate Chla trends in the global and various oceans, we produced a new dataset by merging Chla records from the SeaWiFS, MODIS (Medium-spectral Resolution Imaging Spectrometer), MERIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer), VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite), and OLCI (Ocean and Land Colour Instrument) with inter-mission differences corrected in this work. The fitness of the dataset on long-term Chla trend study was validated by using in situ Chla and comparing the trend estimates to the multi-annual variability of different satellite Chla records. The results suggest that our dataset can be used for long-term series analysis and trend detection. We also provide the global trend map in Chla over 23 years (1998–2020) and present a significant positive global trend with 0.67% ± 0.37%/yr.
Multiscale analysis of the unusually complex muscle fibers for the chiton radulae
Authors: Sun Dawei , Liu Chuang , Wang Zhenglu , Huang Jingliang
Published: January 2023

Chiton teeth in the radula are one of the hardest biomaterials in nature. Chiton uses radula to scrape algae on hard surfaces. The ultrastructure and composition of teeth are well known while how they move is less clear. This study used an array of material characterizations including soft-tissue micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), histology, scanning electron microscopy, and proteomics to investigate the tissue that may control the movement of the radula of Acanthopleura loochooana. Surprisingly, unusually complex muscle fibers were found around the radula. 54 muscle fibers with diameters of around 130 µm were anchored to the second and third shell plates. These muscle fibers are in close contact with the radula and cartilage beneath the radula. Proteomics using a recently published chiton genome as a reference confirmed the proteins related to energy metabolism, calcium metabolism, as well as a cartilage oligomeric matrix protein in the muscle. qPCR found that the above proteins were highly expressed in the radula muscle compared to the foot. Taken together, this study provides insights into the complex tissue structures that control the movement of the radula, which may inspire robotics design relating to hard-soft tissue interfaces.
Hair regrowth treatment efficacy and resistance in androgenetic alopecia: A systematic review and continuous Bayesian network meta-analysis
Authors: Feldman Peter R. , Gentile Pietro , Piwko Charles , Motswaledi Hendrik M. , Gorun Samantha , Pesachov Jacob , Markel Michael , Silver Maxwell I. , Brenkel Megan , Feldman Oriel J. , Kamen Corey L. , Uleryk Elizabeth , Guevara-Aguirre Jaime , Fiebig Klaus M.
Published: January 2023

Background

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) affects almost half the population, and several treatments intending to regenerate a normal scalp hair phenotype are used. This is the first study comparing treatment efficacy response and resistance using standardized continuous outcomes.

Objective

To systematically compare the relative efficacy of treatments used for terminal hair (TH) regrowth in women and men with AGA.

Methods

A systematic literature review was conducted (from inception to August 11, 2021) to identify randomized, Placebo-controlled trials with ≥ 20 patients and reporting changes in TH density after 24 weeks. Efficacy was analyzed by sex at 12 and 24 weeks using Bayesian network meta-analysis (B-NMA) and compared to frequentist and continuous outcomes profiles.

Results

The search identified 2,314 unique articles. Ninety-eight were included for full-text review, and 17 articles met the inclusion criteria for data extraction and analyses. Eligible treatments included ALRV5XR, Dutasteride 0.5 mg/day, Finasteride 1 mg/day, low-level laser comb treatment (LLLT), Minoxidil 2% and 5%, Nutrafol, and Viviscal. At 24 weeks, the B-NMA regrowth efficacy in TH/cm2 and significance (**) in women were ALRV5XR: 30.09**, LLLT: 16.62**, Minoxidil 2%: 12.13**, Minoxidil 5%: 10.82**, and Nutrafol: 7.32**, and in men; ALRV5XR: 21.03**, LLLT: 18.75**, Dutasteride: 18.37**, Viviscal: 13.23, Minoxidil 5%: 13.13**, Finasteride: 12.38, and Minoxidil 2%: 10.54. Two distinct TH regrowth response profiles were found; Continuous: ALRV5XR regrowth rates were linear in men and accelerated in women; Resistant: after 12 weeks, LLLT, Nutrafol, and Viviscal regrowth rates attenuated while Dutasteride and Finasteride plateaued; Minoxidil 2% and 5% lost some regrowth. There were no statistical differences for the same treatment between women and men. B-NMA provided more accurate, statistically relevant, and conservative results than the frequentist-NMA.

Conclusion

Some TH regrowth can be expected from most AGA treatments with less variability in women than men. Responses to drug treatments were rapid, showing strong early efficacy followed by the greatest resistance effects from flatlining to loss of regrowth after 12–16 weeks. Finasteride, Minoxidil 2% and Viviscal in men were not statistically different from Placebo. LLLT appeared more efficacious than pharmaceuticals. The natural product formulation ALRV5XR showed better efficacy in all tested parameters without signs of treatment resistance (see Graphical abstract).

Systematic review registration

www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.asp?ID=CRD42021268040, identifier CRD42021268040.