bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AREAS OF PROFESSIONAL JOB REQUIRED BY EMPLOYERS AND UNIVERSITY TRAINING IN SOME LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES
Authors: Hickman Rodríguez Hortensia , Castañon Rosalva Cabrera , Cansino Patricia Plancarte
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this research is to describe the requirements that psychologists must meet as per required by employers in different Latin American countries and their connection with professional training programs. Three countries were selected Chile, Mexico and Colombia, and as criteria for their selection was the ranking obtained in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). For data collection, web pages were visited. A sample for each country was taken monthly from January to May in the year 2009. All of the job listings for psychologists were registered and also those activities that a psychologist could perform, in spite of the fact that the offer specifically did not mention such professional. The university plans and programs of a representative public university of each country of interest were checked. In general terms we can point out that the psychology professionals that employers require the most are those specialized in the training area in organizations with an emphasis on training, recruitment and selection activities.
Key words: employers, psychology, Latin American countries, university plans.
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS CAUSING TENDENCY TO XENOPHOBIA AT STUDENTS OF HUMANITARIAN COLLEGES
Authors: Litvinova Anna V. , Tarasov Konstantin
Published: March 2022

Research analysis features of the educational environment of higher education institution and personal characteristics of students depending on the tendency to xenophobia. 50 students of humanitarian higher school settlements took part in the research. According to the criterion of «proximity - remoteness» in relation to the category «us - them» two groups of students were singled out - with more and with less expressed tendency to xenophobia’s manifestation. As a result it was established that the tendency for xenophobia depended on some external determinants like culture levels of fellow students, personal and psychological characteristics of teachers, and on such internal determinant as traditional cultural values (interesting work, sense of duty, irreconcilability) and application of socially approved ways of a goal-setting.
Key words: psychological determinants, psychological safety of the educational environment xenophobia, xenophobia mechanisms.
Mitochondrial Respiration of Human Platelets in Young Adult and Advanced Age – Seahorse or O2k?
Authors: JEDLIČKA J , KUNC R , KUNCOVÁ J
Published: March 2022

The objective of the present study was to evaluate platelet mitochondrial oxygen consumption using high-resolution respirometry (HRR) and metabolic flux analysis (MFA) and to verify the effect of advanced age on these parameters. HRR was used to analyze permeabilized and intact platelets, MFA to measure oxygen consumption rates (OCR), extracellular acidification rates (ECAR) and ATP production rate in intact fixed platelets. Two groups of healthy volunteers were included in the study: YOUNG (20-42 years, n=44) and older adults (OLD; 70-89 years; n=15). Compared to YOUNG donors, platelets from group OLD participants displayed significantly lower values of oxygen consumption in the Complex II-linked phosphorylating and uncoupled states and the Complex IV activity in HRR protocols for permeabilized cells and significantly lower resting and uncoupled respirations in intact cells when analyzed by both methods. In addition, mitochondrial ATP production rate was also significantly lower in platelets isolated from older adults. Variables measured by both methods from the same bloods correlated significantly, nevertheless those acquired by MFA were higher than those measured using HRR. In conclusion, the study verifies compromised mitochondrial respiration and oxidative ATP production in the platelets of aged persons and documents good compatibility of the two most widely used methods for determining the global performance of the electron-transporting system, i.e. HRR and MFA.
Investigación y producción intelectual en estudiantes de postgrado de la Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias-Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno
Authors:   Universidad Mayor, Real y Pontificia de San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca, Franco Aguilera Ilse Eliana
Published: March 2022

The objective of this article is to identify the current situation in research and intellectual production of postgraduate students of the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences of the Gabriel René Moreno Autonomous University, with the purpose of once the situation is known, to be able to propose a pedagogical strategy to strengthen the academic training of students in the area of ​​research and intellectual production. The research was propositional, with a cross-sectional cohort and a non-experimental design, for which it was necessary to apply a mixed approach which came from the application of quantitative and qualitative techniques. The type of sampling used was probabilistic, where the universe of the population was 379 students and the sample was delimited by 40 postgraduate students from the different master's programs offered by the postgraduate unit during the 2009-2019 administration. the frequency of participation in research work 37.5% have never participated in a research in the last 5 years, 30% sometimes, 27.5% frequently and 5% always. Upon publication of their research in their area in research journals 57.5% never publish, 25% sometimes, 15% frequently and 2.5% always. Finally, regarding the presentation of their research papers at departmental or national congresses, 75% never present their papers, 20% sometimes, 5% frequently, and 0% present their research papers at conferences.
Don’t Be Fooled by Randomness: Valid p-Values for Single Molecule Microscopy
Authors: Schneider Magdalena C. , Schütz Gerhard J.
Published: March 2022

The human mind shows extraordinary capability at recognizing patterns, while at the same time tending to underestimate the natural scope of random processes. Taken together, this easily misleads researchers in judging whether the observed characteristics of their data are of significance or just the outcome of random effects. One of the best tools to assess whether observed features fall into the scope of pure randomness is statistical significance testing, which quantifies the probability to falsely reject a chosen null hypothesis. The central parameter in this context is the p-value, which can be calculated from the recorded data sets. In case of p-values smaller than the level of significance, the null hypothesis is rejected, otherwise not. While significance testing has found widespread application in many sciences including the life sciences, it is hardly used in (bio-)physics. We propose here that significance testing provides an important and valid addendum to the toolbox of quantitative (single molecule) biology. It allows to support a quantitative judgement (the hypothesis) about the data set with a probabilistic assessment. In this manuscript we describe ways for obtaining valid p-values in two selected applications of single molecule microscopy: (i) Nanoclustering in single molecule localization microscopy. Previously, we developed a method termed 2-CLASTA, which allows to calculate a valid p-value for the null hypothesis of an underlying random distribution of molecules of interest while circumventing overcounting issues. Here, we present an extension to this approach, yielding a single overall p-value for data pooled from multiple cells or experiments. (ii) Single molecule trajectories. Data from a single molecule trajectory are inherently correlated, thus prohibiting a direct analysis via conventional statistical tools. Here, we introduce a block permutation test, which yields a valid p-value for the analysis and comparison of single molecule trajectory data. We exemplify the approach based on FRET trajectories.
Novel Technique for Confirmation of the Day of Ovulation and Prediction of Ovulation in Subsequent Cycles Using a Skin-Worn Sensor in a Population With Ovulatory Dysfunction: A Side-by-Side Comparison With Existing Basal Body Temperature Algorithm and Vaginal Core Body Temperature Algorithm
Authors: B. S. Hurst , K. Davies , R. C. Milnes , T. G. Knowles , A. Pirrie
Published: March 2022

Objective: Determine the accuracy of a novel technique for confirmation of the day of ovulation and prediction of ovulation in subsequent cycles for the purpose of conception using a skin-worn sensor in a population with ovulatory dysfunction.

Methods: A total of 80 participants recorded consecutive overnight temperatures using a skin-worn sensor at the same time as a commercially available vaginal sensor for a total of 205 reproductive cycles. The vaginal sensor and its associated algorithm were used to determine the day of ovulation, and the ovulation results obtained using the skin-worn sensor and its associated algorithm were assessed for comparative accuracy alongside a number of other statistical techniques, with a further assessment of the same skin-derived data by means of the “three over six” rule. A number of parameters were used to divide the data into separate comparative groups, and further secondary statistical analyses were performed.

Results: The skin-worn sensor and its associated algorithm (together labeled “SWS”) were 66% accurate for determining the day of ovulation (±1 day) or the absence of ovulation and 90% accurate for determining the fertile window (ovulation day ±3 days) in the total study population in comparison to the results obtained from the vaginal sensor and its associated algorithm (together labeled “VS”).

Conclusion: SWS is a useful tool for confirming the fertile window and absence of ovulation (anovulation) in a population with ovulatory dysfunction, both known and determined by means of the timing of ovulation. The body site where the skin-worn sensor was worn (arm or wrist) did not appear to affect the accuracy. Prior diagnosis of known causes of ovulatory dysfunction appeared to affect the accuracy to a lesser extent than those cycles grouped into late ovulation and “early and normal ovulation” groups. SWS is a potentially useful tool for predicting ovulation in subsequent cycles, with greater accuracy obtained for the “normal ovulation” group.
Effect of Long-Distance Running on Inter-segment Foot Kinematics and Ground Reaction Forces: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Li Jialin , Song Yang , Xuan Rongrong , Sun Dong , Teo Ee-Chon , Bíró István , Gu Yaodong
Published: March 2022

Long-distance running has gained massive popularity in recent years, yet the intra-foot adaptations during this event remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the kinematic and ground reaction force alterations induced within the foot following a 5 and 10 km run using the Oxford Foot Model Ten marathon-experienced recreational runners participated in this study. Five-kilometer running led to more rearfoot dorsiflexion, rearfoot eversion, and rearfoot rotation while less forefoot plantarflexion during the stance phase. Increased rearfoot plantarflexion, while decreased forefoot plantarflexion, supination, adduction, and hallux plantarflexion were observed at 10 km. In addition, the forefoot space of footwear was found to play a role in hallux kinematics. Concerning GRFs, only a lesser propulsive force was presented after a 10 km run. Findings of this study showed that 5 km of running would induce excessive foot motion while 10 km of running may gradually change the foot posture and lead to reduced propulsive forces, which could potentially increase the risks of running-related injuries (RRI) due to overuse or fatigue. Nevertheless, further research is warranted, and this study could be used as a preliminary reference to evaluate and predict foot running-related injuries.
Long-Term Limitation Effects of Se(VI), Zn(II), and Ni(II) on Start-Up of the Anammox Process Using Gel Carrier
Authors: Isaka Kazuichi , Sugawara Daichi , Yamazaki Hiroshi , Kimura Yuya , Osaka Toshifumi , Tsuneda Satoshi
Published: March 2022

Anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox) bacteria are inhibited by heavy metals at high concentrations but require trace amounts of some heavy-metal elements for growth and activity maintenance. The present study evaluates the long-term limitation effects of Se(VI), Zn(II), and Ni(II) on the start-up period of an anammox reactor. To strictly limit the levels of heavy metals in the reactor, all tests used ultrapure water as the influent synthetic wastewater and all reactors were installed in a clean booth. The anammox biomass was maintained through the gel entrapment technique. In the absence of Se(VI) and Ni(II), the anammox reactor start-up was 18.9 kg-N (m3-carrier d)−1 (nitrogen conversion rate (NCR) per gel carriers), indicating that Se(VI) and Ni(II) are not required or need not be continuously added to maintain the anammox process. Under Zn(II) limitation, the anammox process failed to start-up and the NCR tended to decrease rapidly. After readdition of 0.005 mg L−1 of Zn(II), the NCR did not decline further and instead partially recovered at a very slow rate. The NCR was completely recovered after adding 0.020 mg L−1 of Zn(II). These results reveal that Zn(II) limitation seriously affects the start-up of the anammox process while Se(VI) and Ni(II) are not required or need not be continuously added to the anammox process.
Strategies and Considerations for Improving Recombinant Antibody Production and Quality in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells
Authors: Zhang Jun-He , Shan Lin-Lin , Liang Fan , Du Chen-Yang , Li Jing-Jing
Published: March 2022

Recombinant antibodies are rapidly developing therapeutic agents; approximately 40 novel antibody molecules enter clinical trials each year, most of which are produced from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. However, one of the major bottlenecks restricting the development of antibody drugs is how to perform high-level expression and production of recombinant antibodies. The high-efficiency expression and quality of recombinant antibodies in CHO cells is determined by multiple factors. This review provides a comprehensive overview of several state-of-the-art approaches, such as optimization of gene sequence of antibody, construction and optimization of high-efficiency expression vector, using antibody expression system, transformation of host cell lines, and glycosylation modification. Finally, the authors discuss the potential of large-scale production of recombinant antibodies and development of culture processes for biopharmaceutical manufacturing in the future.
In Vitro Study of Degradation and Cytocompatibility of Ceramics/PLA Composite Coating on Pure Zinc for Orthopedic Application
Authors: Su Shenghui , Tang Qiangqiang , Qu Dongbin
Published: March 2022

Zinc and its alloys are considered to be next-generation materials for fabricating absorbable biomedical devices. However, cytotoxicity has been reported to be associated with rapid degradation. To address these issues, a composite coating (PLA/Li-OCP) consisting of CaHPO4 conversion coating (Ca-P) and polylactic acid (PLA) decorated with Li-octacalcium phosphate particles was constructed on pure zinc. The immersion tests showed that the presence of Ca-P coating and PLA/Li-OCP coating on pure zinc could reduce the pH value. Compared with Ca-P coating, the introduction of the PLA/Li-OCP film on the Ca-P-coated samples could enhance the corrosion resistance, and there was one order of magnitude decrease in the corrosion current density. The cytocompatibility assay suggested that the PLA/Li-OCP coating favored the cell viability and upregulated the expression of related osteogenic-genes including RUNX2, OCN, and BMP. Therefore, the presence of the PLA/Li-OCP coating on pure zinc could effectively improve the degradation rate and cytocompatibility of pure zinc.
Liraglutide Lowers Palmitoleate Levels in Type 2 Diabetes. A Post Hoc Analysis of the LIRAFLAME Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Wretlind Asger , Zobel Emilie Hein , de Zawadzki Andressa , Ripa Rasmus Sejersten , Curovic Viktor Rotbain , von Scholten Bernt Johan , Mattila Ismo Matias , Hansen Tine Willum , Kjær Andreas , Vestergaard Henrik , Rossing Peter , Legido-Quigley Cristina
Published: March 2022

Background

Liraglutide is a glucose-lowering medication used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. It is a GLP-1 receptor agonist with downstream metabolic changes beyond the incretin system, such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular complications. The understanding of these changes is critical for improving treatment outcomes. Herein, we present a post hoc experimental analysis using metabolomic phenotyping to discover molecular mecphanisms in response to liraglutide.

Method

Plasma samples were obtained from The LiraFlame Study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03449654), a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled clinical trial, including 102 participants with type 2 diabetes randomized to either liraglutide or placebo treatment for 26 weeks. Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics analyses were carried out on samples from baseline and the end of the trial. Metabolites (n=114) were categorized into pathways and linear mixed models were constructed to evaluate the association between changes in metabolites and liraglutide treatment.

Results

We found the free fatty acid palmitoleate was significantly reduced in the liraglutide group compared to placebo (adjusted for multiple testing p-value = 0.04). The activity of stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1), the rate limiting enzyme for converting palmitate into palmitoleate, was found significantly downregulated by liraglutide treatment compared to placebo (p-value = 0.01). These metabolic changes have demonstrated to be linked to insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular health.
Fertilization, Oocyte Activation, Calcium Release and Epigenetic Remodelling: Lessons From Cancer Models
Authors: Shafqat Areez , Kashir Junaid , Alsalameh Sulaiman , Alkattan Khaled , Yaqinuddin Ahmed
Published: March 2022

Oocyte activation deficiency (OAD) is the basis of Total Fertilisation Failure (TFF) and is attributed to mutations in the PLCζ gene—termed male factor infertility. This derives abnormal Ca2+ oscillations and could be the main cause of primary disruptions in the gene expression of Ca2+-related proteins. Epigenetic mechanisms are universally accepted as key regulators of gene expression. However, epigenetic dysregulations have not been considered as potential mechanisms of oocyte-borne OAD. Herein, we discuss changes in the DNA methylome during oogenesis and embryogenesis. We further highlight key pathways comprising the oocyte Ca2+ toolkit, which could be targets of epigenetic alterations, especially aberrations in DNA methylation. Considering that the vast majority of epigenetic modifications examined during fertilization revolve around alterations in DNA methylation, we aim in this article to associate Ca2+-specific mechanisms with these alterations. To strengthen this perspective, we bring evidence from cancer research on the intricate link between DNA methylation and Ca2+ signaling as cancer research has examined such questions in a lot more detail. From a therapeutic standpoint, if our hypothesis is proven to be correct, this will explain the cause of TFF in idiopathic cases and will open doors for novel therapeutic targets.
Hearing Function, Degeneration, and Disease: Spotlight on the Stria Vascularis
Authors: Thulasiram Matsya R , Ogier Jacqueline M , Dabdoub Alain
Published: March 2022

The stria vascularis (SV) is a highly vascularized tissue lining the lateral wall of the cochlea. The SV maintains cochlear fluid homeostasis, generating the endocochlear potential that is required for sound transduction. In addition, the SV acts as an important blood-labyrinth barrier, tightly regulating the passage of molecules from the blood into the cochlea. A healthy SV is therefore vital for hearing function. Degeneration of the SV is a leading cause of age-related hearing loss, and has been associated with several hearing disorders, including Norrie disease, Meniere’s disease, Alport syndrome, Waardenburg syndrome, and Cytomegalovirus-induced hearing loss. Despite the SV’s important role in hearing, there is still much that remains to be discovered, including cell-specific function within the SV, mechanisms of SV degeneration, and potential protective or regenerative therapies. In this review, we discuss recent discoveries elucidating the molecular regulatory networks of SV function, mechanisms underlying degeneration of the SV, and otoprotective strategies for preventing drug-induced SV damage. We also highlight recent clinical developments for treating SV-related hearing loss and discuss future research trajectories in the field.
Fermentative Lactic Acid Production From Lignocellulosic Feedstocks: From Source to Purified Product
Authors: Yankov Dragomir
Published: March 2022

The second (lignocellulosic biomass and industrial wastes) and third (algal biomass) generation feedstocks gained substantial interest as a source of various value-added chemicals, produced by fermentation. Lactic acid is a valuable platform chemical with both traditional and newer applications in many industries. The successful fractionation, separation, and hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass result in sugars’ rich raw material for lactic acid fermentation. This review paper aims to summarize the investigations and progress in the last 5 years in lactic acid production from inexpensive and renewable resources. Different aspects are discussed—the type of raw materials, pretreatment and detoxification methods, lactic acid-producers (bacteria, fungi, and yeasts), use of genetically manipulated microorganisms, separation techniques, different approaches of process organization, as well as main challenges, and possible solutions for process optimization.
Seed-Mediated, Shape-Controlled Synthesis Methods for Platinum-Based Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction—A Mini Review
Authors: Gray Daisy E. , Munshi Tasnim , Scowen Ian J. , Brett Dan J. L. , He Guanjie
Published: March 2022

Overcoming the slow oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics at the cathode of the hydrogen fuel cells requires the use of electrocatalysts containing expensive and scare platinum to achieve reasonable performance, hampering widespread use of the technology due to high material costs and sustainability issues. One option available to tackle this issue is to use new designs to create nanomaterials which achieve excellent electrocatalytic performances and long-lasting stabilities whilst using less platinum than is currently required. Reliably producing nanomaterials with predictable activities and stabilities using simple, safe, and scalable methods is an important research topic to the advancement of fuel cell technologies. The oxygen reduction reaction occurs at the surface of electrocatalytic materials, and since nanomaterial structures exhibit different catalytic activities, their shapes have a strong relationship to the final performance. Seed-mediated synthesis can be used to control the shape of materials with the aim of obtaining products with the most desirable surface properties for the ORR. This review summarized the current advancement of the synthesis of platinum-based ORR and provided the insights for the future development of this field.
Inflammation/Coagulopathy/Immunology Responsive Index Predicts Poor COVID-19 Prognosis
Authors: An Hui , Zhang Jitai , Li Ting , Hu Yuxin , Wang Qian , Chen Chengshui , Ying Binyu , Jin Shengwei , Li Ming
Published: March 2022

In the early stage of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), most cases are identified as mild or moderate illnesses. Approximately 20% of hospitalised patients become severe or critical at the middle or late stage of the disease. The predictors and risk factors for prognosis in those with mild or moderate disease remain to be determined. Of 694 patients with COVID-19, 231 patients with mild or moderate disease, who were hospitalised at 10 hospitals in Wenzhou and nearby counties in China, were enrolled in this retrospective study from 17 January to 20 March 2020. The outcomes of these patients included progression from mild/moderate illness to severe or critical conditions. Among the 231 patients, 49 (21.2%) had a poor prognosis in the hospital. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that higher inflammation/coagulopathy/immunology responsive index (ICIRI=[c-reactive protein × fibrinogen × D-dimer]/CD8 T cell count) on admission (OR=345.151, 95% CI=23.014−5176.318) was associated with increased odds ratios for poor prognosis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for ICIRI predicting severe and critical condition progression was 0.65 (95% CI=0.519−0.782) and 0.80 (95% CI=0.647−0.954), with cut-off values of 870.83 and 535.44, respectively. Conversely, age, sex, comorbidity, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, CD8 T cell count, and c-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and D-dimer levels alone at admission were not good predictors of poor prognosis in patients with mild or moderate COVID-19. At admission, a novel index, ICIRI, tends to be the most promising predictor of COVID-19 progression from mild or moderate illness to severe or critical conditions.
Impact of Early Feeding: Metagenomics Analysis of the Infant Gut Microbiome
Authors: Di Guglielmo Matthew D. , Franke Karl R. , Robbins Alan , Crowgey Erin L.
Published: March 2022

Background

Different feeding regimens in infancy alter the gastrointestinal (gut) microbial environment. The fecal microbiota in turn influences gastrointestinal homeostasis including metabolism, immune function, and extra-/intra-intestinal signaling. Advances in next generation sequencing (NGS) have enhanced our ability to study the gut microbiome of breast-fed (BF) and formula-fed (FF) infants with a data-driven hypothesis approach.

Methods

Next generation sequencing libraries were constructed from fecal samples of BF (n=24) and FF (n=10) infants and sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq 2500. Taxonomic classification of the NGS data was performed using the Sunbeam/Kraken pipeline and a functional analysis at the gene level was performed using publicly available algorithms, including BLAST, and custom scripts. Differentially represented genera, genes, and NCBI Clusters of Orthologous Genes (COG) were determined between cohorts using count data and R (statistical packages edgeR and DESeq2).

Results

Thirty-nine genera were found to be differentially represented between the BF and FF cohorts (FDR ≤ 0.01) including Parabacteroides, Enterococcus, Haemophilus, Gardnerella, and Staphylococcus. A Welch t-test of the Shannon diversity index for BF and FF samples approached significance (p=0.061). Bray-Curtis and Jaccard distance analyses demonstrated clustering and overlap in each analysis. Sixty COGs were significantly overrepresented and those most significantly represented in BF vs. FF samples showed dichotomy of categories representing gene functions. Over 1,700 genes were found to be differentially represented (abundance) between the BF and FF cohorts.

Conclusions

Fecal samples analyzed from BF and FF infants demonstrated differences in microbiota genera. The BF cohort includes greater presence of beneficial genus Bifidobacterium. Several genes were identified as present at different abundances between cohorts indicating differences in functional pathways such as cellular defense mechanisms and carbohydrate metabolism influenced by feeding. Confirmation of gene level NGS data via PCR and electrophoresis analysis revealed distinct differences in gene abundances associated with important biologic pathways.
Evidence for Increasing Frequency of Extreme Coastal Sea Levels
Authors: Wong Tony E. , Sheets Hannah , Torline Travis , Zhang Mingxuan
Published: March 2022

Projections of extreme sea levels (ESLs) are critical for managing coastal risks, but are made complicated by deep uncertainties. One key uncertainty is the choice of model structure used to estimate coastal hazards. Differences in model structural choices contribute to uncertainty in estimated coastal hazard, so it is important to characterize how model structural choice affects estimates of ESL. Here, we present a collection of 36 ESL data sets, from tide gauge stations along the United States East and Gulf Coasts. The data are processed using both annual block maxima and peaks-over-thresholds approaches for modeling distributions of extremes. We use these data sets to fit a suite of potentially non-stationary generalized extreme value distributions and generalized Pareto distributions by covarying the ESL statistics with multiple climate variables. For all of the sites and statistical model structures for tide surge considered here, we find that accounting for changes in the frequency of coastal extreme sea levels provides a better fit to data than using a stationary extreme value model. Further, when maximizing the a posteriori probability of the model parameters, given the available tide gauge data, generalized extreme value distribution structures with non-stationary scale parameter are preferred over non-stationary location parameter. These results have implications for how deep uncertainties in coastal flood hazards are characterized, particularly in how studies incorporate potential non-stationarity in storm surge statistics.
Dioscin Alleviates Cardiac Dysfunction in Acute Myocardial Infarction via Rescuing Mitochondrial Malfunction
Authors: Shen Tianyu , Lyu Dayin , Zhang Mengping , Shang Hui , Lu Qiulun
Published: March 2022

Myocardial infarction is one of the most severe heart diseases, leading to sudden death. Currently, angiography and stenting are widely performed in clinics, yet more effective treatment is still needed. Herein, we presented that dioscin, a natural product, showed protective effect on infarcted hearts via mitochondrial maintenance. Upon dioscin treatment, cardiac dysfunction was alleviated, and remodeling is prevented. Mechanistically, disocin maintains mitochondria function through the maintenance of Kreb's cycle, and suppresion of ROS accumulation. In this way, by targeting mitochondrial dysfunction, dioscin is a potential drug for infarcted hearts.
Are There Any Differences in the Prognostic Value of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction in Coronary Artery Disease Patients With or Without Moderate and Severe Mitral Regurgitation?
Authors: Li Qiang , Zhang Yifei , Huang Haozhang , Chen Weihua , Shi Shanshan , Chen Shiqun , Wang Bo , Lai Wenguang , Huang Zhidong , Luo Zhiling , Chen Jiyan , Tan Ning , Liu Jin , Liu Yong
Published: March 2022

Background

Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is a vital variable to describe left ventricle systolic function and contractility of left ventricle. However, the association between LVEF and the prognostic effect in patients with moderate or severe mitral regurgitation (MR) is still controversial.

Methods

This study comprised 30,775 coronary artery disease (CAD) patients who underwent coronary arteriography (CAG) in the Cardiorenal ImprovemeNt (CIN) registry from January 2007 to December 2018. Patients were divided into none or mild MR group and moderate or severe MR group, and 3 levels of LVEF ≥50, 40–50%, and <40% were further distinguished according to hospital baseline. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional analyses were used to investigate the association between LVEF levels and long-term all-cause mortality in patients with different MR severities.

Results

Of 30,775 CAD patients (62.9 ± 10.6 years, females 23.8%), 26,474 (86.0%) patients had none or mild MR. Compared with none or mild MR patients, patients with moderate or severe MR were older and had worse cardio-renal function. In multivariable Cox proportional analysis, LVEF <40% was independently associated with higher mortality compared with LVEF ≥ 50% in all kinds of MR severity {none or mild MR [adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 1.79; 95% CI: 1.56–2.05, p < 0.001], moderate or severe MR [adjusted HR: 1.57; 95% CI: 1.29–1.91, p < 0.001]}.

Conclusions

LVEF is a reliable prognostic index in CAD patients, even in those with moderate or severe MR. LVEF monitoring would still be clinically useful in CAD patients with moderate or severe MR. Clinical trials are needed to prospectively evaluate the optimal threshold for LVEF in patients with moderate or severe MR.
3D Tissue-Engineered Vascular Drug Screening Platforms: Promise and Considerations
Authors: Marei Isra , Abu Samaan Tala , Al-Quradaghi Maryam Ali , Farah Asmaa A. , Mahmud Shamin Hayat , Ding Hong , Triggle Chris R.
Published: March 2022

Despite the efforts devoted to drug discovery and development, the number of new drug approvals have been decreasing. Specifically, cardiovascular developments have been showing amongst the lowest levels of approvals. In addition, concerns over the adverse effects of drugs to the cardiovascular system have been increasing and resulting in failure at the preclinical level as well as withdrawal of drugs post-marketing. Besides factors such as the increased cost of clinical trials and increases in the requirements and the complexity of the regulatory processes, there is also a gap between the currently existing pre-clinical screening methods and the clinical studies in humans. This gap is mainly caused by the lack of complexity in the currently used 2D cell culture-based screening systems, which do not accurately reflect human physiological conditions. Cell-based drug screening is widely accepted and extensively used and can provide an initial indication of the drugs' therapeutic efficacy and potential cytotoxicity. However, in vitro cell-based evaluation could in many instances provide contradictory findings to the in vivo testing in animal models and clinical trials. This drawback is related to the failure of these 2D cell culture systems to recapitulate the human physiological microenvironment in which the cells reside. In the body, cells reside within a complex physiological setting, where they interact with and respond to neighboring cells, extracellular matrix, mechanical stress, blood shear stress, and many other factors. These factors in sum affect the cellular response and the specific pathways that regulate variable vital functions such as proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation. Although pre-clinical in vivo animal models provide this level of complexity, cross species differences can also cause contradictory results from that seen when the drug enters clinical trials. Thus, there is a need to better mimic human physiological conditions in pre-clinical studies to improve the efficiency of drug screening. A novel approach is to develop 3D tissue engineered miniaturized constructs in vitro that are based on human cells. In this review, we discuss the factors that should be considered to produce a successful vascular construct that is derived from human cells and is both reliable and reproducible.
A Fractal Model for Effective Thermal Conductivity in Complex Geothermal Media
Authors: Zeng Yan , Ji Bingyu , Zhang Ying , Feng Jianyun , Luo Jun , Wang Mingchuan
Published: March 2022

Thermal conductivity is an important macroscopic thermo-physical parameter due to its significant effects on the temperature field distribution and heat flow magnitude in the material at heat conduction equilibrium. However, because of the extremely complex pore structure and disordered pore distribution, a well-accepted relationship between effective thermal conductivity (ETC) and geometric structural parameters is still lack. In this study, a novel fractal model with variation pore diameter is established systematically based on the assumption that the rough elements of wall surface, pore size distribution and capillary tortuosity follow the fractal scaling law. Thermal-electrical analogy is introduced to predict the ETC of unsaturated geothermal media. The proposed model explicitly relates the ETC to the microstructural parameters (relative roughness, porosity, fractal dimensions and radius fluctuation amplitude) and fluid properties. The proposed model is validated by comparing with existing experimental data. A parametric analysis is performed for presenting the effects of the structural parameters and fluid properties on the ETC. The results show that pore structure has significant effect on ETC of unsaturated porous media. ETC gradually decreases with the increment of porosity, relative roughness, and fractal dimensions. The present study improves the accuracy in predicting ETC and sheds light on the heat transfer mechanisms of geothermal media.
Development and Validation of the Nomograms for Predicting Overall Survival and Cancer-Specific Survival in Patients With Synovial Sarcoma
Authors: Song Zhengqing , Cheng Lisha , Lu Lili , Lu Weiqi , Zhou Yuhong , Wang Zhiming
Published: March 2022

Background

The study aimed to build and validate practical nomograms to predict overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) for patients with synovial sarcoma (SyS).

Methods

A total of 893 eligible patients confirmed to have SyS between 2007 and 2015 were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients were randomly divided into the training cohort (n = 448) and validation cohort (n = 445). Clinically independent prognostic and important factors were determined according to the Akaike information criterion in multivariate Cox regression models when developing the nomograms with the training cohort. The predictive accuracy of nomograms was bootstrapped validated internally and externally with the concordance index (C-index) and calibration curve. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was performed to compare the clinical usefulness between nomograms and American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) staging system.

Results

Two nomograms shared common indicators including age, insurance status, tumor site, tumor size, SEER stage, surgery, and radiation, while marital status and tumor site were only included into the OS nomogram. The C-index of nomograms for predicting OS and CSS was 0.819 (0.873–0.764) and 0.821 (0.876–0.766), respectively, suggesting satisfactory predictive performance. Internal and external calibration curves exhibited optimal agreement between the nomogram prediction and the actual survival. Additionally, DCA demonstrated that our nomograms had obvious superiority over the AJCC staging system with more clinical net benefits.

Conclusions

Two nomograms predicting 3- and 5-year OS and CSS of SyS patients were successfully constructed and validated for the first time, with higher predictive accuracy and clinical values than the AJCC staging system regarding OS and CSS.
Vitamin D Status and All-Cause Mortality in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in China
Authors: Fan Yuxin , Ding Li , Zhang Yalan , Shu Hua , He Qing , Cui Jingqiu , Hu Gang , Liu Ming
Published: March 2022

Objective

To assess the association between vitamin D status and all-cause mortality among type 2 diabetes patients.

Research Design and Methods

We prospectively followed 1,291 participants with type 2 diabetes aged 20–80 years during 2013–2018. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate the association between different vitamin D status and all-cause mortality risk among hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes.

Results

During a median follow-up of 4.15 years (5,365 person-years in total), 61 cases of death were identified. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality across the quartiles of baseline circulating 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OH vitamin D) were 2.70 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12–6.54], 1.00, 1.39 (95% CI 0.53–3.65), 2.31 (95% CI 0.96–5.54), respectively. Multivariable-adjusted HRs for all-cause mortality by different groups of baseline 25-OH vitamin D concentrations (<25, 25–49, 50–100, and ≥100 nmol/L) were 1.31 (95% CI 0.58–2.96), 0.94 (95% CI 0.47–1.87), 1.00, and 3.58 (95% CI 1.43–8.98), respectively.

Conclusions

Very low or high concentrations of vitamin D may be associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes.
Effect of the Type of Wind Data on Regional Potential Wind Erosion Estimation
Authors: Zhang Li , Guo Zhongling , Li Jifeng , Chang Chunping , Wang Rende , Li Qing
Published: March 2022

The Agro-Pastoral Ecotone of Northern China (APEC) is a transitional area suffering from severe wind erosion. The wind data used in wind erosion modeling generally have different temporal resolutions and spatial station distributions. Previous studies have suggested that the temporal wind speed resolution influences the prediction of wind erosion events at the field scale. To date, no studies have been conducted to assess the impact of the type of wind data on regional wind erosion estimation. In this study, the Revised Wind Erosion Equation (RWEQ) and the Integrated Wind Erosion Modeling System (IWEMS) were used to evaluate the regional potential wind erosion in the Agro-Pastoral Ecotone of Northern China (APEC) during 2000 and 2012 based on four wind data type scenarios, including basic weather stations with daily wind statistics, basic weather stations with four wind speed measurements per day, reference climatological stations with daily wind statistics, and reference climatological stations with four wind speed measurements per day. The principal results reveal that the potential wind erosion estimates evaluated using the two models are closely correlated with the measured wind erosion data reported in the published literature, but the predicted values are generally lower than the observed values for the different scenarios. The magnitudes of the mean potential wind erosion ranged from 15.73 to 27.33 t ha−1 a−1 by RWEQ and changed between 61.77 and 98.54 t ha−1 a−1 by IWEMS for different scenarios. The spatial distribution and temporal trends of the annual or seasonal potential wind erosion obtained using the two models were similar for the different scenarios. This study revealed that wind speed is the most sensitive input, and hourly wind speed generated by the different temporal interpolation can significantly affect regional wind erosion estimation. Some studies involving precise regional wind erosion estimation, such as the impacts of landscape changes (land use/cover) on wind erosion, ecosystem service evaluation of reducing soil erosion, soil carbon sequestration and emissions through wind erosion, and wind erosion induced surface soil nutrient loss (e.g., nitrogen and phosphorus), may have been influenced by conducting regional wind erosion modeling based on different types of wind data. The users need to calibrate and validate the selected models for precise wind erosion prediction.
RETRACTED: A Study on the Participation of Peasants in Rural Environmental Improvement From the Perspective of Sustainable Development
Authors: Lin Runtian , Ma Xiaowei , Li Bizhen , Ye Xinyu , Chen Xiaomeng , Liang Shengkai
Published: March 2022

Peasants are producers and the direct stakeholders of rural environmental problems, and also the core subject of the comprehensive rural ecological improvement. However, in the current mode of rural environmental governance, the government takes the dominant role, with low participation of peasants. Based on the representative micro-survey data of China, and from the perspective of the psychosocial effects of the peasants’ self-identification, this research made use of instrumental variables and generalized structural equation mode (GSEM) to explore the reason behand this phenomenon. The research shows that, first, at present Chinese peasants have a low degree of self-identification, and self-identification has a remarkable and positive stimulating effect on the participation of peasants in rural ecological improvement; second, heterogeneity analysis shows that self-identification is a stronger incentive for peasant groups with female offspring and rural families with relatively higher incomes in the participation of rural environmental improvement, and is a less remarkable incentive for rural families with relatively low incomes; and third, the mediation model results indicate that social fairness and social capital are important mediating paths with which self-identification influences the participation of peasants in rural environmental improvement, and the exertion of the stimulating effect of self-identification on the participation in rural environmental improvement is inseparable from the coordination and integration of the perception effect of peasants as the behavioral subject in terms of social fairness, and is still more inseparable from the support of corresponding social capital. What we’ve discovered means that the enhancement of self-identification of peasants by strengthening the construction of public cultural services and cultural guidance in rural area is the crucial element to motivate the peasants to participate in rural environmental improvement so as to realize sustainable rural development.
DNA Metabarcoding Enables High-Throughput Detection of Spotted Wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) Within Unsorted Trap Catches
Authors: Piper Alexander M. , Cunningham John Paul , Cogan Noel O. I. , Blacket Mark J.
Published: March 2022

The spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii, Matsumara) is a rapidly spreading global pest of soft and stone fruit production. Due to the similarity of many of its life stages to other cosmopolitan drosophilids, surveillance for this pest is currently bottlenecked by the laborious sorting and morphological identification of large mixed trap catches. DNA metabarcoding presents an alternative high-throughput sequencing (HTS) approach for multi-species identification, which may lend itself ideally to rapid and scalable diagnostics of D. suzukii within unsorted trap samples. In this study, we compared the qualitative (identification accuracy) and quantitative (bias toward each species) performance of four metabarcoding primer pairs on D. suzukii and its close relatives. We then determined the sensitivity of a non-destructive metabarcoding assay (i.e., which retains intact specimens) by spiking whole specimens of target species into mock communities of increasing specimen number, as well as 29 field-sampled communities from a cherry and a stone fruit orchard. Metabarcoding successfully detected D. suzukii and its close relatives Drosophila subpulchrella and Drosophila biarmipes in the spiked communities with an accuracy of 96, 100, and 100% respectively, and identified a further 57 non-target arthropods collected as bycatch by D. suzukii surveillance methods in a field scenario. While the non-destructive DNA extraction retained intact voucher specimens, dropouts of single species and entire technical replicates suggests that these protocols behave more similarly to environmental DNA than homogenized tissue metabarcoding and may require increased technical replication to reliably detect low-abundance taxa. Adoption of high-throughput metabarcoding assays for screening bulk trap samples could enable a substantial increase in the geographic scale and intensity of D. suzukii surveillance, and thus likelihood of detecting a new introduction. Trap designs and surveillance protocols will, however, need to be optimized to adequately preserve specimen DNA for molecular identification.