bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Data-driven approach to integrating genomic and behavioral preclinical traumatic brain injury research
Authors: Huie J. Russell , Nielson Jessica L. , Wolfsbane Jorden , Andersen Clark R. , Spratt Heidi M. , DeWitt Douglas S. , Ferguson Adam R. , Hawkins Bridget E.
Published: January 2023

Understanding recovery from TBI is complex, involving multiple systems and modalities. The current study applied modern data science tools to manage this complexity and harmonize large-scale data to understand relationships between gene expression and behavioral outcomes in a preclinical model of chronic TBI (cTBI). Data collected by the Moody Project for Translational TBI Research included rats with no injury (naïve animals with similar amounts of anesthetic exposure to TBI and sham-injured animals), sham injury, or lateral fluid percussion TBI, followed by recovery periods up to 12 months. Behavioral measures included locomotor coordination (beam balance neuroscore) and memory and cognition assessments (Morris water maze: MWM) at multiple timepoints. Gene arrays were performed using hippocampal and cortical samples to probe 45,610 genes. To reduce the high dimensionality of molecular and behavioral domains and uncover gene–behavior associations, we performed non-linear principal components analyses (NL-PCA), which de-noised the data. Genomic NL-PCA unveiled three interpretable eigengene components (PC2, PC3, and PC4). Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) identified the PCs as an integrated stress response (PC2; EIF2-mTOR, corticotropin signaling, etc.), inflammatory factor translation (PC3; PI3K-p70S6K signaling), and neurite growth inhibition (PC4; Rho pathways). Behavioral PCA revealed three principal components reflecting the contribution of MWM overall speed and distance, neuroscore/beam walk, and MWM platform measures. Integrating the genomic and behavioral domains, we then performed a ‘meta-PCA’ on individual PC scores for each rat from genomic and behavioral PCAs. This meta-PCA uncovered three unique multimodal PCs, characterized by robust associations between inflammatory/stress response and neuroscore/beam walk performance (meta-PC1), stress response and MWM performance (meta-PC2), and stress response and neuroscore/beam walk performance (meta-PC3). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) on genomic–behavioral meta-PC scores tested separately on cortex and hippocampal samples revealed the main effects of TBI and recovery time. These findings are a proof of concept for the integration of disparate data domains for translational knowledge discovery, harnessing the full syndromic space of TBI.
Circularity by stock in Sri Lanka: Economic necessity meets urban fabric renovation
Authors: Pathiraja Milinda , Tombesi Paolo
Published: January 2023

Persistent fiscal and political mismanagement, together with the financial pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic, have driven Sri Lanka into a social and economic crisis triggering a decrease in national foreign exchange reserves, an inability to purchase vital imports, and an unprecedented rise in internal inflation rates. Within the correspondingly distressed construction sector, the idea of ‘design circularity’ gains natural impetus beyond eco-system protection and responsible consumption views, as a critical strategy for responding to the material and fiscal scarcity of the country’s by-now relatively closed economy. This is also in light of the fact that the post-independence history of industrial policy in the island has produced an urban landscape characterised by large underused and increasingly derelict building stock with a significant potential - and need - to be programmatically reorganised, technically recycled, and spatially and culturally re-designed. This paper moves from the proposition that, for ‘circularity’ to be of use at the scale required, its design application must expand beyond conventional interpretations of material recycling, to acknowledge the overall building fabric as a critical, transformative resource available to be renewed or reborn, with varying degrees of reforms as called by the existing opportunities, underlying programmatic needs, and/or industrial constraints. In facilitating this function, architectural design has an important role to play, as particular sets of design strategies must be employed to handle the inevitable complexities between structure and form, material and content, and product and process, against a reflective understanding of local building logic, challenges and potential. To that end, professional design can help foster design approaches to resolve the technical intricacies of building fabric transformations, to strategise actions concerning work procurement and economic planning, and to provide the leading agency in setting up future-industry configurations. How this approach could inform and affect broad market notions of design circularity for Sri Lanka is evaluated through the review of three projects that focus on different programmatic transformations (residential-to-residential, residential-to-recreational, and commercial-to-recreational), are set within different geographical locales (city, periphery and in-between), and situated in and around Kandy, Sri Lanka’s second largest city. The projects illustrate possible tactics for intervening on the existing fabric whilst considering the benefits of each and articulating the structural challenges for the practices involved.
Ixodes ricinus ticks have a functional association with Midichloria mitochondrii
Authors: Guizzo Melina Garcia , Hatalová Tereza , Frantová Helena , Zurek Ludek , Kopáček Petr , Perner Jan
Published: January 2023

In addition to being vectors of pathogenic bacteria, ticks also harbor intracellular bacteria that associate with ticks over generations, aka symbionts. The biological significance of such bacterial symbiosis has been described in several tick species but its function in Ixodes ricinus is not understood. We have previously shown that I. ricinus ticks are primarily inhabited by a single species of symbiont, Midichloria mitochondrii, an intracellular bacterium that resides and reproduces mainly in the mitochondria of ovaries of fully engorged I. ricinus females. To study the functional integration of M. mitochondrii into the biology of I. ricinus, an M. mitochondrii-depleted model of I. ricinus ticks was sought. Various techniques have been described in the literature to achieve dysbiosed or apo-symbiotic ticks with various degrees of success. To address the lack of a standardized experimental procedure for the production of apo-symbiotic ticks, we present here an approach utilizing the ex vivo membrane blood feeding system. In order to deplete M. mitochondrii from ovaries, we supplemented dietary blood with tetracycline. We noted, however, that the use of tetracycline caused immediate toxicity in ticks, caused by impairment of mitochondrial proteosynthesis. To overcome the tetracycline-mediated off-target effect, we established a protocol that leads to the production of an apo-symbiotic strain of I. ricinus, which can be sustained in subsequent generations. In two generations following tetracycline administration and tetracycline-mediated symbiont reduction, M. mitochondrii was gradually eliminated from the lineage. Larvae hatched from eggs laid by such M. mitochondrii-free females repeatedly performed poorly during blood-feeding, while the nymphs and adults performed similarly to controls. These data indicate that M. mitochondrii represents an integral component of tick ovarian tissue, and when absent, results in the formation of substandard larvae with reduced capacity to blood-feed.
Browser-based simulation for novice-friendly classroom robotics
Authors: Stein Gordon , Jean Devin , Brady Corey , Lédeczi Ákos
Published: January 2023

Robots are a popular and engaging educational tool for teaching computational thinking, but they often have significant costs and limitations for classroom use. Switching to a simulated environment can eliminate many of these difficulties. By also providing students with a block-based programming environment, the barrier to entry can be further reduced. This paper presents a networked virtual robotics platform designed to create an environment which is highly accessible for novice students and their teachers alike, along with components of a curriculum designed to teach computational thinking skills through robotics programming challenges, including autonomous challenges and in-class competitions. Students access this platform through an extension of the same web interface used for programming their robots, which allows students to collaborate on code and view a shared simulated virtual space. Previously, this virtual robotics platform was used only to facilitate distance education. This paper demonstrates its use in an in-person class during the Spring 2022 semester, illustrating the affordances of a virtual robotics environment for face-to-face learning contexts as well. Students' computational thinking skills were evaluated with assessments both before and after the class, along with surveys and interviews given to determine their opinions and outlooks regarding computer science. The results show that students had a significant improvement in both attitudes and aptitudes.
Long-term follow-up of patients with chronic total coronary artery occlusion previously randomized to treatment with optimal drug therapy or percutaneous revascularization of chronic total occlusion (COMET-CTO)
Authors: Juricic Stefan A. , Stojkovic Sinisa M. , Galassi Alfredo R. , Stankovic Goran R. , Orlic Dejan N. , Vukcevic Vladan D. , Milasinovic Dejan G. , Aleksandric Srdjan B. , Tomasevic Miloje V. , Dobric Milan R. , Nedeljkovic Milan A. , Beleslin Branko D. , Dikic Miodrag P. , Banovic Marko D. , Ostojic Miodrag C. , Tesic Milorad B.
Published: January 2023

Background

The COMET-CTO trial was a randomized prospective study that assessed long-term follow-up in patients with chronic total occlusion (CTO) in coronary arteries treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or with optimal medical therapy (OMT). During the 9-month follow-up, the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) did not differ between the two groups; no death or myocardial infarction (MI) was observed. There was a significant difference in quality of life (QoL), assessed by the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ), in favor of the PCI group. Here we report long-term follow-up results (56 ± 12 months).

Methods

Between October 2015 and May 2017, a total of 100 patients with CTO were randomized into two groups of 50 patients: PCI CTO or OMT group. The primary endpoint of the current study was the incidence of MACE defined as cardiac death, MI, and revascularization [PCI or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)]. As the secondary exploratory outcome, we analyzed all the cause-mortality rate.

Results

Out of 100 randomized patients, 92 were available for long-term follow-up (44 in the PCI group and 48 in the OMT group). The incidence of MACE did not differ significantly between the two groups (p = 0.363). Individual components of MACE were distributed, respectively: cardiac death (OMT vs. PCI group, 6 vs. 3, p = 0.489), MI (OMT vs. PCI group, 1 vs. 0, p = 1), and revascularization (PCI: OMT vs. PCI group, 2 vs. 2, p = 1; CABG: OMT vs. PCI group, 1 vs. 1, p = 1). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the individual component of MACE. Six patients died from non-cardiac causes [five deaths were reported in the OMT group and one death in the PCI group (p = 0.206)]. Kaplan-Meier survival curves for MACE did not differ significantly between the study groups (log-rank 0.804, p = 0.370). Regarding the secondary exploratory outcome, a total of 15 patients died at 56 ± 12 months (11 in the OMT and 4 in the PCI group) (p = 0.093). The Kaplan-Meier survival curves for all-cause mortality rates did not differ significantly between the two groups (log rank 3.404, p = 0.065). There were no statistically significant differences between OMT and PCI groups in all five SAQ domains. There was a significant improvement in three SAQ domains in the PCI group: PL (p < 0.001), AF (p = 0.007), and QoL (p = 0.001).

Conclusion

After 56 ± 12 months of follow-up, the incidence of MACE, as well as QoL measured by SAQ, did not differ significantly between the PCI and OMT groups.
Postoperative results of minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass procedure in 234 patients
Authors: Monsefi Nadejda , Alaj Eissa , Sirat Sami , Bakhtiary Farhad
Published: January 2023

Introduction

Minimally invasive approach in cardiac surgery has gained popularity. In order to reduce surgical trauma in coronary surgery minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) has already been established. This technique has been introduced for revascularisation of isolated left anterior descending (LAD). It can also be performed for hybrid revascularisation procedure in multi-vessel disease.

Methods

From 2017 to 2021, 234 patients received MIDCAB operation in our heartcenter 73% were male. Most of the patients had two or three vessel disease (74%). The average age of the patients was 66 ± 12 years mean. The left internal mammary artery (LIMA) was anastomosed to the LAD through left minithoracotomy approach. Multi-vessel MIDCAB (MV-MIDCAB) including two anastomoses (T-graft to LIMA with additional saphenous vein graft) was done in 15% (n = 35).

Results

The average operation time was 2.3 ± 0.8 h mean. The 30-day mortality was 1.7% (n = 4). The average amount of packed red blood cells (pRBC) that was given intra- and postoperatively was 0.4 ± 0.8 units mean. The mean intensive care unit stay (ICU) was 1 ± 1.2 days. Three patients (1.3%) had wound infection postoperatively. The rate of neurologic complications was 0.4% (n = 1). Two patients (0.9%) had myocardial infarction and received coronary re-angiography perioperatively including stent implantation of the right coronary artery.

Discussion

The MIDCAB procedure is a safe and less traumatic procedure for selected patients with proximal LAD lesions. It is also an option for hybrid procedure in multi-vessel disease. The ICU stay and application of pRBC’s are low. Our MIDCAB results show a good postoperative clinical outcome. However, follow-up data are necessary to evaluate long-term outcome.
Hyperuricemia predicts increased cardiovascular events in patients with chronic coronary syndrome after percutaneous coronary intervention: A nationwide cohort study from Japan
Authors: Akashi Naoyuki , Kuwabara Masanari , Matoba Tetsuya , Kohro Takahide , Oba Yusuke , Kabutoya Tomoyuki , Imai Yasushi , Kario Kazuomi , Kiyosue Arihiro , Mizuno Yoshiko , Nochioka Kotaro , Nakayama Masaharu , Iwai Takamasa , Nakao Yoko , Iwanaga Yoshitaka , Miyamoto Yoshihiro , Ishii Masanobu , Nakamura Taishi , Tsujita Kenichi , Sato Hisahiko , Fujita Hideo , Nagai Ryozo
Published: January 2023

Background

The causal relationship between hyperuricemia and cardiovascular diseases is still unknown. We hypothesized that hyperuricemic patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) had a higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Methods

This was a large-scale multicenter cohort study. We enrolled patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) after PCI between April 2013 and March 2019 using the database from the Clinical Deep Data Accumulation System (CLIDAS), and compared the incidence of MACE, defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and hospitalization for heart failure, between hyperuricemia and non-hyperuricemia groups.

Results

In total, 9,936 patients underwent PCI during the study period. Of these, 5,138 patients with CCS after PCI were divided into two group (1,724 and 3,414 in the hyperuricemia and non-hyperuricemia groups, respectively). The hyperuricemia group had a higher prevalence of hypertension, atrial fibrillation, history of previous hospitalization for heart failure, and baseline creatinine, and a lower prevalence of diabetes than the non-hyperuricemia group, but the proportion of men and age were similar between the two groups. The incidence of MACE in the hyperuricemia group was significantly higher than that in the non-hyperuricemia group (13.1 vs. 6.4%, log-rank P < 0.001). Multivariable Cox regression analyses revealed that hyperuricemia was significantly associated with increased MACE [hazard ratio (HR), 1.52; 95% confidential interval (CI), 1.23–1.86] after multiple adjustments for age, sex, body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate, left main disease or three-vessel disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, history of myocardial infarction, and history of hospitalization for heart failure. Moreover, hyperuricemia was independently associated with increased hospitalization for heart failure (HR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.69–2.83), but not cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction after multiple adjustments. Sensitive analyses by sex and diuretic use, B-type natriuretic peptide level, and left ventricular ejection fraction showed similar results.

Conclusion

CLIDAS revealed that hyperuricemia was associated with increased MACE in patients with CCS after PCI. Further clinical trials are needed whether treating hyperuricemia could reduce cardiovascular events or not.
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy after cardiac surgery: A case-series and systematic review of literature
Authors: Laghlam Driss , Touboul Olivier , Herry Morgane , Estagnasié Philippe , Dib Jean-Claude , Baccouche Mohamed , Brusset Alain , Nguyen Lee S. , Squara Pierre
Published: January 2023

Background

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is a rare entity after cardiac surgery.

Aims

To describe patients’ profile who developed postoperative TTC after cardiac surgery, management, and outcomes.

Methods

We performed a systematic literature search to extract cases of TTC after adult cardiac surgery (from 1990 to 2021). Additionally, we extracted all cases of TTC in a prospective single-center cohort database of 10,000+ patients (from 2007 to 2019). We then combined all cases in a single cohort to describe its clinical features.

Results

From 694 screened articles, we retained 71 individual cases published in 20 distinct articles (19 cases reports and 1 case-series). We combined these to 10 cases extracted from our cohort [among 10,682 patients (0.09%)]. Overall, we included 81 cases. Patients were aged 68 ± 10 years-old and 64/81 (79%) were women. Surgery procedures included mitral valve and/or tricuspid valve surgery in 70/81, 86%. TTC was diagnosed in the first days after surgery [median 4 (1–4) days]. Incidence of cardiogenic shock, defined as requirement of vasopressor and/or inotropic support was 24/29, 83% (data available on 29/81 patients). Refractory cardiogenic appeared in 5/81, 6% who required implantation of arterio-venous extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation, and 6/81, 7%, intra-aortic balloon pump. In-hospital mortality was 5/81, 6%.

Conclusion

This systematic review, based on case reports and case series, showed that postoperative TTC appears as a rare complication after cardiac surgery and mainly occurred after mitral and/or tricuspid valve repair procedures. In this population, TTC is associated with high rate of cardiogenic shock.
Case report: Personalized transcatheter approach to mid-aortic syndrome by in vitro simulation on a 3-dimensional printed model
Authors: Giugno Luca , Formato Giovanni Maria , Chessa Massimo , Votta Emiliano , Carminati Mario , Sturla Francesco
Published: January 2023

An 8-year-old girl, diagnosed with mid-aortic syndrome (MAS) at the age of 2 months and under antihypertensive therapy, presented with severe systemic hypertension (>200/120 mmHg). Computed tomography (CT) examination revealed aortic aneurysm between severe stenoses at pre- and infra-renal segments, and occlusion of principal splanchnic arteries with peripheral collateral revascularization. Based on CT imaging, preoperative three-dimensional (3D) anatomy was reconstructed to assess aortic dimensions and a dedicated in vitro planning platform was designed to investigate the feasibility of a stenting procedure under fluoroscopic guidance. The in vitro system was designed to incorporate a translucent flexible 3D-printed patient-specific model filled with saline. A covered 8-zig 45-mm-long Cheatham-Platinum (CP) stent and a bare 8-zig, 34-mm-long CP stent were implanted with partial overlap to treat the stenoses (global peak-to-peak pressure gradient > 60 mmHg), excluding the aneurysm and avoiding risk of renal arteries occlusion. Percutaneous procedure was successfully performed with no residual pressure gradient and exactly replicating the strategy tested in vitro. Also, as investigated on the 3D-printed model, additional angioplasty was feasible across the frames of the stent to improve bilateral renal flow. Postoperative systemic pressure significantly reduced (130/70 mmHg) as well as dosage of antihypertensive therapy. This is the first report demonstrating the use of a 3D-printed model to effectively plan percutaneous intervention in a complex pediatric MAS case: taking full advantage of the combined use of a patient-specific 3D model and a dedicated in vitro platform, feasibility of the stenting procedure was successfully tested during pre-procedural assessment. Hence, use of patient-specific 3D-printed models and in vitro dedicated platforms is encouraged to assist pre-procedural planning and personalize treatment, thus enhancing intervention success.
Causal effect of central obesity on left ventricular structure and function in preserved EF population: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Gao Yue , Zeng Jiaxin , Zou Fengwei , Zhang Xinwei , Qian Zhiyong , Wang Yao , Hou Xiaofeng , Zou Jiangang
Published: January 2023

Background

Observational studies have shown that central obesity is associated with adverse cardiac structure and function. However, causal association between central obesity and left ventricular (LV) structure and function in preserved ejection fraction (EF) population is still uncertain.

Methods

Genome-wide association studies summary data of waist circumference adjusted for body mass index (WCadjBMI) and waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (WHRadjBMI) were selected as instrumental variables from the Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits (GIANT) Consortium (n = 224,459). Outcome datasets for LV parameters including LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), LV end-systolic volume (LVESV), LV ejection fraction (LVEF), LV mass (LVM), and LV mass-to-end-diastolic volume ratio (LVMVR) were obtained from the participants without prevalent myocardial infarction or heart failure (LVEF ≥ 50%) in UK Biobank Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance sub-study (n = 16,923). Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was performed with the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method as the primary estimate and with the weighted median and MR-Egger as the supplemental estimates. Sensitivity analysis was used to assess the heterogeneity and pleiotropic bias in the MR results.

Results

In the IVW analysis, every 1-standard deviation (SD) higher WHRadjBMI was significantly associated with higher LVMVR (β = 0.4583; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.2921 to 0.6244; P = 6.418 × 10–8) and lower LVEDV (β = –0.2395; 95% CI: –0.3984 to –0.0807; P = 0.0031) after Bonferroni adjustment. No heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy were detected in the analysis. No association of WCadjBMI was found with LVEF, LVEDV, LVESV, LVM, or LVMVR.

Conclusion

Our findings provide evidence of significant causal association between WHRadjBMI and adverse changes in LV structure and function in preserved EF population.
A novel electronic patient-reported outcome delivery system to implement health-related quality of life measures in routine clinical care: An analysis of 5 years of experience
Authors: Tymms Kathleen , O'Sullivan Catherine , Smith Tegan , Littlejohn Geoffrey , Freeman Tim , Hoffman David , Segelov Dana , Griffiths Hedley , Ciciriello Sabina , Youssef Peter , Mathers David , Deakin Claire T
Published: January 2023

Objective

To develop a simple and secure technological solution to incorporate electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) into routine clinical care.

Methods

A novel ePRO questionnaire delivery system was developed by Software for Specialists (S4S) in partnership with OPAL Rheumatology Australia. Validated questionnaires were sent from the electronic medical record (EMR) (Audit4) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), lupus or giant cell arteritis (GCA) and delivered to the patient's email address or completed in the clinic waiting room using a smart device (in-practice). Completed questionnaires were encrypted and returned to the patient's Audit4. Deidentified clinical data was extracted and aggregated across all sites. Data collected between April 2016-Dec 2020 were analysed descriptively.

Results

Between April 2016 to Dec 2020, 221,352 Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Fatigue (FACIT-F), Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) and/or HealthCare Resource Utilization (HCRU) questionnaires were sent from 39 of 42 contributing clinics (93%). 85% of questionnaires were delivered via email and 15% in-practice. Overall, 85% of patients completed at least one questionnaire, and of all questionnaires sent, 73% were completed. Females were more likely to engage with the questionnaires than males (87% vs. 81%), and older patients were slightly more likely to complete all questionnaires delivered.

Conclusions

The novel Audit4 ePRO delivery system is an effective tool for incorporating PROs into routine clinical care. The data generated provides a unique opportunity to understand the full burden of disease for patients in the real-world setting and the impact of interventions.
Effects of surface roughness on wettability and surface energy of coal
Authors: Zhang Jian , Xu Bo , Zhang Pengyan , Cai Maolin , Li Bo
Published: January 2023

Surface roughness has an important effect on the wettability and surface energy of coal. Although the predecessors had studied the effect of surface roughness on the wettability of coal, there were few researches on the effect of surface energy of coal, and the relationship between wettability and surface energy had not been thoroughly studied. This paper aimed to study the effect of surface roughness on the wettability and surface energy of coal, and revealed the relationship between the wettability and surface energy of coal. Based on the surface roughness of coal, this paper selected Hami lignite, Anyang coking coal and Zhaogu anthracite as the research objects, used the experimental methods to measure the surface roughness and experimental contact angle of coal under different conditions to study the effect of surface roughness on the wettability, and then applied the OWRK method to calculate the surface energy of coal to study the effect of surface roughness on the surface energy. The experimental results showed that the wettability of hydrophilic coal became better and the surface energy increased with the increase of surface roughness, while the results of hydrophobic coal were opposite. There was a positive correlation between the wettability and surface energy of coal, and the wettability of coal could be analyzed from the perspective of surface energy. Surfactant could change the wettability of coal, but unchanged the law of wettability with surface roughness.
Ancient genomes reveal the origin and evolutionary history of Chinese populations
Authors: Gao Shizhu , Cui Yinqiu
Published: January 2023

Mitochondrial DNA was first successfully extracted from ancient remains approximately 4 decades ago. Research into ancient DNA has been revolutionized due to improvements in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology in the early 21st century, as well as advances in the field of ancient DNA extraction and enhancement. In recent years, a large number of paleogenomic data has shed light on the origin and evolution of humans, and provided new insights into the migration and admixture events of populations, as well as the spread of languages and technologies. As China is located in the eastern part of Eurasia, it plays an integral role in exploration of the genetic history of Eurasians throughout the history of modern human habitation. Here we review recent progress deriving from paleogenomic analysis, which helps to reconstruct the prehistory of China.
Petrology of UHP eclogite-facies felsic schist in the Western Tianshan subduction zone, China
Authors: Zhang Lijuan , Zhang Lifei , Qi Ning , Bader Thomas
Published: January 2023

Although quartzo-feldspathic metasedimentary rocks are widespread in high pressure-ultrahigh pressure (HP-UHP) metamorphic belts worldwide, their petrogenesis and metamorphic evolution is poorly understood. We discovered an UHP eclogite-facies felsic schist in the Western Tianshan metamorphic belt, China. Petrological observations and phase equilibria modeling both indicate the felsic schist experienced UHP metamorphism in the coesite stability field. In particular, it experienced prograde metamorphism at 21–24 kbar, 445°C–470°C, a pressure peak at 25–28 kbar and 490°C–525°C, and eventually heating with decompression to 20 kbar and 560°C. The obtained clockwise P-T path was consistent with those of other lithologies (eclogite and pelitic schist) from the same belt, which provides new evidence for the coherent exhumation of the UHP unit of the Western Tianshan metamorphic belt. The final uplift of the Western Tianshan oceanic crust to the surface is attributed to fluid activity and late tectonic deformation.
Stability prediction for soil-rock mixture slopes based on a novel ensemble learning model
Authors: Fu Xiaodi , Zhang Bo , Wang Linjun , Wei Yong , Leng Yangyang , Dang Jie
Published: January 2023

Soil-rock mixtures are geological materials with complex physical and mechanical properties. Therefore, the stability prediction of soil-rock mixture slopes using machine learning methods is an important topic in the field of geological engineering. This study uses the soil-rock mixture slopes investigated in detail as the dataset. An intelligent optimization algorithm-weighted mean of vectors algorithm (INFO) is coupled with a machine learning algorithm. One of the new ensemble learning models, which named IN-Voting, is coupled with INFO and voting model. Twelve single machine learning models and sixteen novel IN-Voting ensemble learning models are built to predict the stability of soil-rock mixture slopes. Then, the prediction accuracies of the above models are compared and evaluated using three evaluation metrics: coefficient of determination (R2), mean square error (MSE), and mean absolute error (MAE). Finally, an IN-Voting ensemble learning model based on five weak learners is used as the final model for predicting the stability of soil-rock mixture slopes. This model is also used to analyze the importance of the input parameters. The results show that: 1) Among 12 single machine learning models for the stability prediction of soil-rock mixture slopes, MLP (Multilayer Perceptron) has the highest prediction accuracy. 2) The IN-Voting model has higher prediction accuracy than single machine learning models, with an accuracy of up to 0.9846) The structural factors affecting the stability of soil-rock mixture slopes in decreasing order are the rock content, bedrock inclination, slope height, and slope angle.
Scaling ratios for spectral accelerations caused by seismic site effect under site condition classifications in China
Authors: Wang Yushi , Ding Yi , Li Xiaojun
Published: January 2023

The spectral accelerations (Sa), which are widely used as ground motion inputs in structural seismic designing, are significantly affected by local site conditions classified by near-surface geology. A novel approach of quantifying the scaling ratios for Sa on site class I, II, III, and IV under the site condition classifications in Chinese seismic codes, was proposed. In this integrated approach, the scaling ratios for Sa on each site class were subordinated to three constituents, i.e., scaling ratios for peak ground acceleration (PGA), scaling ratios for PGA-normalized Sa, and non-linear decay exponents. The scaling ratios for peak ground acceleration were derived from recent studies and numerical simulations of 1,138 borehole models in China, the scaling ratios for PGA-normalized Sa were derived from 3,584 strong motion records in NGA West two database, and the non-linear decay exponents were derived from about 140 thousand borehole observation data recorded by KiK-net. Consequently, this approach was solidly based on statistics of observation data in company with numerical simulations, which resulted in more reasonable and more reliable scaling ratios for Sa caused by the seismic site effect under site condition classifications in China.
A subterranean estuarine typology analogous to open-water estuaries
Authors: Bokuniewicz Henry
Published: January 2023

Subterranean estuaries (STEs), like open-water estuaries are zones of mixing between seawater and freshwater with a characteristic structure. Despite the diverse manifestations of STEs, the mixing processes have elements in common with open-water estuaries, which can serve as a basis for their classification. A typology for STEs might provide a road map for further distilling a working definition of STEs. By analogy with open-water estuaries, a typology for STEs might include characteristic physical drivers and processes, morphology, and biologically relevant parameters. I suggest that such a typology be based on salinity structure to include at a minimum the 1) coastal slope, 2) tidal range, 3) hydraulic conductivity, and 4) recharge. Even a partially applicable definition permits classification, encourages comparisons and can provide a framework for management.
Differential impact of COVID-19 school closures on immigrant students: A transnational comparison
Authors: Finch Holmes , Hernández Finch Maria E. , Avery Brooke
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on many aspects of life, perhaps most notably education. Efforts to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic, particularly lockdowns, led to major disruptions in schools and resulted in both learning loss and increased mental health challenges for students. These deleterious impacts appear to have been felt most keenly by students from marginalized communities, including first and second generation students.

Materials and methods

This study sought to investigate the mechanisms underlying these negative effects of pandemic mitigation efforts, particularly in terms of school efforts to support teachers and parents of students not speaking the language of instruction for three nations (Denmark, Russia, and Slovenia) included in the Responses to Educational Disruption Survey (REDS) survey.

Results

Results of the study revelated that in Denmark greater school-level support to teachers of non-native language students moderated the relationship between home language status and student perceptions of their relative academic performance before and during the pandemic, but that such was not the case in Russia or Slovenia. Likewise, school-level support to teachers moderated the relationship between home language status and perceived teacher support in Denmark but not in Russia or Slovenia. Implications of these results are discussed.
Reading skills promotion: Results on the impact of a preschool intervention
Authors: Sucena Ana , Silva Ana Filipa , Marques Cátia
Published: January 2023

There is a strong correlation between preschool education skills such as phonological awareness and language and success in reading and spelling acquisition. Even though, this is still not the focus of the early intervention. This study presents the preliminary results of the impact of an intervention program developed to promote reading foundation skills. The study was conducted with 627 children in the last year of preschool education (54.2% boys), ages between 4 years and 10 months and 6 years and 1 month. Participants were divided into intervention (n = 242) and comparative (n = 385) group. Language, implicit, and explicit phonological awareness, and rime implicit awareness were assessed. The intervention group reached statistically higher values in all dimensions at the post-test, a higher magnitude effect and 80% of these children entered the first-grade overpassing cut-off criteria for reading acquisition difficulties. These results support the impact of the program.
Systematic review of transcriptome and microRNAome associations with gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Lewis Kimberly A. , Chang Lisa , Cheung Julinna , Aouizerat Bradley E. , Jelliffe-Pawlowski Laura L. , McLemore Monica R. , Piening Brian , Rand Larry , Ryckman Kelli K. , Flowers Elena
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Gestational diabetes (GDM) is associated with increased risk for preterm birth and related complications for both the pregnant person and newborn. Changes in gene expression have the potential to characterize complex interactions between genetic and behavioral/environmental risk factors for GDM. Our goal was to summarize the state of the science about changes in gene expression and GDM.

Design

The systematic review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Methods

PubMed articles about humans, in English, from any date were included if they described mRNA transcriptome or microRNA findings from blood samples in adults with GDM compared with adults without GDM.

Results

Sixteen articles were found representing 1355 adults (n=674 with GDM, n=681 controls) from 12 countries. Three studies reported transcriptome results and thirteen reported microRNA findings. Identified pathways described various aspects of diabetes pathogenesis, including glucose and insulin signaling, regulation, and transport; natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity; and fatty acid biosynthesis and metabolism. Studies described 135 unique miRNAs that were associated with GDM, of which eight (miR-16-5p, miR-17-5p, miR-20a-5p, miR-29a-3p, miR-195-5p, miR-222-3p, miR-210-3p, and miR-342-3p) were described in 2 or more studies. Findings suggest that miRNA levels vary based on the time in pregnancy when GDM develops, the time point at which they were measured, sex assigned at birth of the offspring, and both the pre-pregnancy and gestational body mass index of the pregnant person.

Conclusions

The mRNA, miRNA, gene targets, and pathways identified in this review contribute to our understanding of GDM pathogenesis; however, further research is warranted to validate previous findings. In particular, longitudinal repeated-measures designs are needed that control for participant characteristics (e.g., weight), use standardized data collection methods and analysis tools, and are sufficiently powered to detect differences between subgroups. Findings may be used to improve early diagnosis, prevention, medication choice and/or clinical treatment of patients with GDM.
Applications of spatially resolved omics in the field of endocrine tumors
Authors: Hou Yinuo , Gao Yan , Guo Shudi , Zhang Zhibin , Chen Ruibing , Zhang Xiangyang
Published: January 2023

Endocrine tumors derive from endocrine cells with high heterogeneity in function, structure and embryology, and are characteristic of a marked diversity and tissue heterogeneity. There are still challenges in analyzing the molecular alternations within the heterogeneous microenvironment for endocrine tumors. Recently, several proteomic, lipidomic and metabolomic platforms have been applied to the analysis of endocrine tumors to explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms of tumor genesis, progression and metastasis. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of spatially resolved proteomics, lipidomics and metabolomics guided by mass spectrometry imaging and spatially resolved microproteomics directed by microextraction and tandem mass spectrometry. In this regard, we will discuss different mass spectrometry imaging techniques, including secondary ion mass spectrometry, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and desorption electrospray ionization. Additionally, we will highlight microextraction approaches such as laser capture microdissection and liquid microjunction extraction. With these methods, proteins can be extracted precisely from specific regions of the endocrine tumor. Finally, we compare applications of proteomic, lipidomic and metabolomic platforms in the field of endocrine tumors and outline their potentials in elucidating cellular and molecular processes involved in endocrine tumors.
Between innovative and habitual behavior. Evidence from a study on sustainability in Greece, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, and the United Kingdom
Authors: Baran Małgorzata , Hazenberg Richard , Iwińska Katarzyna , Kasianiuk Krzysztof , Perifanos Ioannis , Ferreira Da Silva Joana Maria , Vasconcelos Clara
Published: January 2023

In this article, we explore individuals’ pro-environmental innovative behavior (PEIB) as one of the conditions for developing more sustainable cities. We assume that energy-efficient sustainable cities are those where people behave sustainably. Hence, studying the conditions of human behavior is essential for understanding the transformation of cities. We focused on individual antecedents of pro-environmental innovative behavior with a survey conducted in five European countries and a sample of 2502 participants. Descriptive and correlation statistical analyses confirm a moderate relationship between environmental awareness and environmental action. Based on this rudimentary analysis, we suggest further research on city energy transformation, including multiple aspects of individual behavior.
Research on identification of server energy consumption characteristics via dirichlet max-margin factor analysis similarity preservation model
Authors: Chen Buhua , Liu Hanjiang , Shen Chengbin , Shen Buyang , Li Kunlun
Published: January 2023

Growing server energy consumption is a significant environmental issue, and mitigating it is a key technological challenge. Application-level energy minimization strategies depend on accurate modeling of energy consumption during an application’s execution. This paper presents a theoretical and experimental study of the dpMMSPFA model in the field of server energy consumption identification. The dpMMSPFA for classification of hidden spaces uses latent variable support vector machines (LVSVM) to learn discriminative subspaces with maximal marginal constraints. The factor analysis (FA) model, the similarity preservation (SP) item, the Dirichlet process mixture (DPM) model, and the maximal marginal classifier are jointly learned beneath a unified Bayesian architecture to advance classification of predictive power. The parameters of the proposed model can be inferred by the simple and efficient Gibbs sampling in terms of the conditional conjugate property. Empirical results on various datasets demonstrate that 1) max-margin joint learning can significantly improve the prediction performance of the model implemented by feature extraction and classification separately and meanwhile retain the generative ability; 2) dpMMSPFA is superior to MMFA when employing SP item and Dirichlet process mixture as prior knowledge; 3) the classification of dpMMSPFA model can often achieve better results on benchmark and measured energy server consumption datasets; 4) and the recognition rate can reach as high as 95.79% at 10 components, far better than other models on measured energy server consumption datasets.
Concept for an irradiation experiment to test a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy off-gas sensor for molten salt systems
Authors: Andrews Hunter B. , Myhre Kristian G. , McFarlane Joanna
Published: January 2023

This paper focuses on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) as an off-gas sensor and details a conceptual irradiation experiment to evaluate its performance in an environment that is more realistic of an operational molten salt reactor (MSR). MSRs are a promising advanced nuclear design that use high-temperature liquid salts as the coolant, fuel, or a combination of both. They will generate and subsequently evolve fission products into the reactor headspace during operation. These evolved fission products will necessitate an online off-gas system to treat the reactor cover gas before recycling it to the core. Such a system, especially during the early deployment phase, will benefit from online sensors to inform operators of the treatment system’s performance. Optical spectroscopy is well-suited to fit this task as it can be remotely deployed using fiber-optics and can detect most species at high frequencies. LIBS can detect nearly every element on the Periodic Table, stable or radioactive, making it an ideal candidate. The provided conceptual experiment discusses the facility requirements, salt capsule design, and detailed testing campaigns with corresponding simulated LIBS spectra.
Research on optimum extended phase-shift control with minimum peak-to-peak current of DAB converter applied to small DC power grid
Authors: Shi Shuhuai , Du Junli , Xia Binbing , Xia Dawei , Guan Honglu , Wang Feng
Published: January 2023

The Dual Active Bridge (DAB) DC-DC converter has the ability of bidirectional power transmission and the modulation scheme that is easy to implement, which can ensure the efficient transmission of energy in the system. Therefore, it is often used in various scenarios of small DC grid, such as energy storage, photovoltaic system, electric vehicle charging and so on. The main methods to improve the efficiency of dual active bridge include reducing the effective value of current and widening the soft switching area. Based on the above idea, an optimized extended phase-shift (EPS) modulation strategy is proposed in this paper. The modulation strategy achieves the goal of reducing the effective value of the current through the constraint optimization of the corresponding variables, and then improves the efficiency of the converter. In this paper, the working principles of several typical modulation strategies are introduced in detail, and then the power characteristics and soft-switching characteristics of the new method and other commonly used modulation schemes are analyzed and compared. Finally, the effectiveness of the optimization method for extended phase-shift modulation strategy is verified by the dual active bridge experimental prototype.
How the carbon emissions trading system affects green total factor productivity? A quasi-natural experiment from 281 Chinese cities
Authors: Shao Wei , Yang Ke , Jin Zebin
Published: January 2023

China’s emissions trading system is often cited as a model for developing countries using market-based means to solve pollution problems, but few have objectively assessed the solution from a productivity perspective. Therefore, in this study, the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of 281 prefecture-level cities was calculated by using the DEA–Malmquist method, and the policy effects were evaluated by setting up quasi-natural experiments. The results show that the carbon emissions trading system has a positive contribution to GTFP; when facing a more compatible carbon trading system, enterprises will choose two paths: innovation compensation and industrial upgrading to improve GTFP, so as to get rid of the cost constraints caused by carbon emission control; the policy effect of the carbon emissions trading system varies significantly in different regions. In the economically developed eastern region, the effect of policy implementation is relatively significant, while the effect of policy implementation in the western region is not significant. Further analysis shows that as a market-based environmental policy, the incentive effect of the carbon trading system relies on a perfect market system. This study provides empirical evidence and policy enlightenment for developing countries to build and improve the emissions trading system.