bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DEVELOPMENT OF SILICON DETECTORS AND ELECTRONIC UNITS FOR RADIOMETER ALPHA-, BETAAND GAMMA-RADIATION
Authors:   Institute of Physics and Technology of the Scientific and Production Association “Physics-Sun” of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan, RADZHAPOV  SALI , NURBOEV  KUVONDIK , MULLAGALIEVA  FANUZA , ZUFAROV  MARS , RADZHAPOV  BEKJAN , ERGASHEV  KAMOLIDDIN ,   Navoi Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan
Published: January 2023

Spectrometry of nuclear radiation using semiconductor detectors (SPDs) originated in the early 1960s. Of all the tasks of nuclear radiation spectrometry, the most urgent is the creation of specialized instruments for scientific research and experiments. With the improvement of PPD manufacturing technology, new opportunities for improving the operational parameters of PPDs appear, and the range of tasks solved with their help is expanding. The article describes a special manufacturing technology for a silicon detector with a large sensitive area and working volume, as well as radiometers based on them. The developed technology for the manufacture of detectors ensures the minimum thickness of the “input” and “output” windows, which is important for measuring low-energy particles and allows measurements in 2π-geometry. In world practice, such detectors are rarely used. The paper presents the structure and block diagram of the developed radiometric device based on large detectors for rapid measurement of low-intensity radiation of radioactive elements. Detectors are developed taking into account the planned physical experiments and are manufactured for certain types of radiometers to perform a specific task. The developed device is designed to measure the volumetric activity of radon alpha radiation and the activity of beta and gamma radiation of natural isotopes (238U, 234U, 232Th, 226Ra, 222Rn, 218Po, 214Bi, etc.) in various media. The device is mobile, compact and safe, and can be used both in the field and stationary. The article presents the results of a study of the activities of alpha, beta and gamma radiation of soil air from a well 1.5 m deep. on the territory of one of the foothill regions of the republic. Measurements are taken in real time, online and the data is displayed on a computer monitor.
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF CHIRAL COPPER NANOTUBES
Authors:   Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, Moscow, Russian Federation, KRASNOV DMITRY , ZHENSA ANDREY , KOLTSOVA ELEONORA
Published: January 2023

The electronic band structures of chiral copper nanotubes are calculated by the method of linearized augmented cylindrical waves. The number of channels of ballistic transport and the values of the magnetic field arising in chiral tubes when a direct electric current passes through them are determined. The results showed that chiral copper nanotubes are promising materials for creating nanosolenoids with desired properties.
Audiencias amplias y visibilidad web: cómo posicionan las revistas académicas de Comunicación en Google
Authors: Lopezosa Carlos , Vállez Mari
Published: January 2023

Esta investigación analiza la visibilidad web de las principales revistas académi-cas iberoamericanas sobre comunicación social con el objetivo de identificar el grado de difusión de sus contenidos a audiencias amplias. Para ello se realiza un análisis de las acciones de posicionamiento en buscadores (SEO por sus siglas en inglés) tomadas por los portales web de 50 revistas académicas identificadas para posicionarse en Google.es, utilizando para ello la herramienta Sistrix Tool-bar. Este estudio ha permitido identificar qué revistas son más visibles cuando se realiza una consulta en Google.es, elaborar un ranking de visibilidad web de las revistas mejor posicionadas y proponer una serie de buenas prácticas SEO. En este sentido se confirma que la revista Comunicar es la que tiene mayor visi-bilidad para un público generalista seguida de Chasqui: Revista Latinoamericana de Comunicación y de Revista Latina de Comunicación Social. En definitiva, los resultados corroboran que el trabajo de optimización en buscadores por parte de las revistas académicas estudiadas tiene amplias posibilidades de mejora si quieren llegar a impactar a audiencias amplias.
Fact-Checking en Youtube en España: tipología de verificaciones en vídeo en 2021
Authors: Abuín-Penas Javier
Published: January 2023

En los últimos años, el fenómeno de la desinformación ha cobrado relevancia, tanto en la sociedad en general, como en la academia en particular. Para combatir la desinformación, los proyectos relacionados con la verificación de hechos (fact-checkers) son una de las alternativas más exitosas. Debido al reciente interés de la población por consumir información en formato vídeo y al aumento de la popularidad de YouTube, esta investigación pretende identificar las características de los vídeos publicados por los fact-checkers españoles que logran más visibilidad e interacción. Para ello, siguiendo una metodología mixta combinando técnicas cualitativas y cuantitativas, se han analizado todos los contenidos publicados en YouTube por los fact-checkers españoles ligados a la IFCN a lo largo del año 2021. Los resultados muestran diferencias en cuanto a las temáticas tratadas, pero similitudes en cuanto a la cantidad y duración de los vídeos publicados. Además, se ha observado que los verificadores españoles parecen no seguir una estrategia de creación de contenido basada en los intereses de su audiencia.
Las redes sociales como vehículo del periodismo científico: 'Scoping Review'
Authors: Martin Neira Juan Ignacio , Trillo-Domínguez Magdalena , Olvera-Lobo María-Dolores
Published: January 2023

La pandemia por COVID-19 ha puesto de manifiesto la importancia del periodismo científico y el rol que desempeña a la hora de transmitir una información rigurosa, contrastada y de calidad a la sociedad. En este contexto, tanto a nivel profesional como académico, se pone el foco en la disciplina y, de forma creciente, en el papel de las redes sociales como vehículo para potenciar los contenidos de divulgación científica. El presente trabajo analiza, por medio de la técnica de scoping review, los artículos publicados sobre periodismo científico y redes sociales en el último lustro (2017 y 2021) con objeto de identificar tópicos y tendencias de investigación, preocupaciones y desafíos. El estudio revela la influencia que las redes sociales están teniendo en el periodismo científico actual, destacando su rol como canal de difusión e interacción con las audiencias y engagement con nuevos públicos. Se advierte, además, del reto que supone para los profesionales mejorar su desempeño para lograr una comunicación efectiva a través de los nuevos canales y generar contenidos cada vez más visuales e interactivos.
Hybrid Fourier series and smoothing spline path non-parametrics estimation model
Authors: Iriany Atiek , Fernandes Adji Achmad Rinaldo
Published: January 2023

Pathway analysis is one way to determine whether there is a causal relationship between extrinsic and intrinsic factors. The linearity assumption is something that can change the model. The shape of the model is subject to linearity assumptions. Path analysis is parametric when the linearity assumption is true, whereas non-parametric path analysis is used when the non-linear shape is unknown and there is no knowledge of the data pattern. Non-linear path analysis is used when the non-linear shape and data pattern are unknown. This work aimed to combine the smoothing spline method and the Fourier series method to compute non-parametric path function and it is believed that they would be able to produce more flexible function estimations for data patterns since both have the benefit of being accurate or close to the real data pattern. As a result, we found that Fourier series and smoothing splines can be used in non-parametric path analysis only if the linearity assumption is violated. Non-parametric regression-based path analysis estimators were then obtained using the ordinary least squares (OLS) approach. It uses a non-parametric approach and therefore gives non-unique estimation results.
Recent developments in isolating methods for exosomes
Authors: Gao Jiahui , Li Ang , Hu Jie , Feng Linxiang , Liu Liu , Shen Zuojun
Published: January 2023

Exosomes are the smallest extracellular vesicles that can be released by practically all cell types, and range in size from 30 nm to 150 nm. As the major marker of liquid biopsies, exosomes have great potential for disease diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis. However, their inherent heterogeneity, the complexity of biological fluids, and the presence of nanoscale contaminants make the isolation of exosomes a great challenge. Traditional isolation methods of exosomes are cumbersome and challenging with complex and time-consuming operations. In recent years, the emergence of microfluidic chips, nanolithography, electro-deposition, and other technologies has promoted the combination and innovation of the isolation methods. The application of these methods has brought very considerable benefits to the isolation of exosomes such as ultra-fast, portable integration, and low loss. There are significant functional improvements in isolation yield, isolation purity, and clinical applications. In this review, a series of methods for the isolation of exosomes are summarized, with emphasis on the emerging methods, and in-depth comparison and analysis of each method are provided, including their principles, merits, and demerits.
Research Progress of Exosomes in Bone Diseases: Mechanism, Diagnosis and Therapy
Authors: Meng Fanying , Xue Xu , Yin Zhifeng , Gao Fei , Wang Xiuhui , Geng Zhen
Published: January 2023

With the global escalation of the aging process, the number of patients with bone diseases is increasing year by year. Currently, there are limited effective treatments for bone diseases. Exosome, as a vital medium in cell-cell communication, can mediate tissue metabolism through the paracrine transmission of various cargos (proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, etc.) carried by itself. Recently, an increasing number of researchers have proven that exosomes play essential roles in the formation, metabolism, and pathological changes of bone and cartilage. Because exosomes have the advantages of small size, rich sources, and low immunogenicity, they can be used not only as substitutes for the traditional treatment of bone diseases, but also as biomarkers for the diagnosis of bone diseases. This paper reviews the research progress of several kinds of cells derived-exosomes in bone diseases and provides a theoretical basis for further research and clinical application of exosomes in bone diseases in the future.
Association of intraoperative hyperglycemia with postoperative composite infection after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Xiong Xinglong , Chen Dongxu , Cai Shuang , Qiu Li , Shi Jing
Published: January 2023

Background

The association between intraoperative hyperglycemia (IH) and postoperative infections in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is inadequately studied.

Methods

A total of 3,428 patients who underwent cardiac surgery with CPB at our institution between June 1, 2019 and July 30, 2021 were enrolled to evaluate the association of IH (blood glucose ≥ 180 mg/dL) with postoperative infection in patients. The new onset of any type of infection and the optimal cutoff values of intraoperative glucose to predict in-hospital infection were determined.

Results

The composite outcome occurred in 497 of 3,428 (14.50%) patients. IH was associated with an increased risk of postoperative composite infection [adjusted odds ratio: 1.39, (95% confidence interval), 1.06–1.82, P = 0.016]. Restricted cubic splines were applied to flexibly model and visualize the association of intraoperative peak glucose with infection, and a J-shaped association was revealed. Besides, it was demonstrated that the possibility of infection was relatively flat till 150 mg/dL glucose levels which started to rapidly increase afterward.

Conclusion

We summarize that IH is associated with an elevated risk of postoperative new-onset composite infections and perioperative blood glucose management should be more stringent, i.e., lesser than 150 mg/dL in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
Carbon footprint of black tea products under different technological routes and its influencing factors
Authors: Zhang Congguang , Ye Xiaojie , Wu Xiaoling , Yang Xiong
Published: January 2023

Tea industry is considered to have a high energy consumption, due to its complex life cycle system. The global change potential (GWP) of the life cycle of tea, is deserving in-depth discussion. This study conducted a life cycle assessment (LCA) towards the Dianhong black tea products, and evaluated the discharge and mitigation potential, and compared with the results of LCA of other tea to clarify the advantages and disadvantages of Chinese black tea industry. The results showed that the planting stage and packaging stage were the main sources of GWP in the life cycle of black tea, accounting for 43.73% and 39.44% respectively, because of the application of chemical fertilizer and the production of aluminum foil. In the tea processing stage, the GWP has a greater impact on the process of heating and withering, accounting for 8.63%. It is followed by the rolling stage, which accounts for 6.85%, mainly from the consumption of electricity during the process. Finally, the key factors affecting tea production efficiency and quality were analyzed by combining the results of contribution and sensitivity analysis. The research will contribute to the establishment of a more sustainable tea value chain.
Reservoir characteristics and pore fluid evaluation of Shan 23 Submember transitional shale, eastern Ordos Basin, China: Insights from NMR experiments
Authors: Cai Guangyin , Gu Yifan , Xiong Xianyue , Li Xingtao , Sun Xiongwei , Ni Jia , Jiang Yuqiang , Fu Yonghong , Ou Fang
Published: January 2023

The Lower Permian Shanxi Formation in the Eastern Ordos Basin is a set of transitional shale, and it is also a key target for shale gas exploration in China. Three sets of organic-rich transitional shale intervals (Lower shale, Middle shale and Upper shale) developed in Shan 23 Submember of Shanxi Formation. Based on TOC test, X-diffraction, porosity, in-situ gas content experiment and NMR experiments with gradient centrifugation and drying temperature, the reservoir characteristics and pore fluid distribution of the three sets of organic-rich transitional shale are studied. The results show that: 1) The Middle and Lower shales have higher TOC content, brittleness index and gas content, reflecting better reservoir quality, while the Upper shales have lower gas content and fracturing ability. The total gas content of shale in the Middle and Lower shales is high, and the lost gas and desorbed gas account for 80% of the total gas content. 2) The Middle shale has the highest movable water content (32.58%), while the Lower shale has the highest capillary bound water content (57.52%). In general, the capillary bound water content of marine-continental transitional shale in the Shan 23 Submember of the study area is high, ranging from 39.96% to 57.52%. 3) Based on pore fluid flow capacity, shale pores are divided into movable pores, bound pores and immovable pores. The Middle shale and the Lower shale have high movable pores, with the porosity ratio up to 27%, and the lower limit of exploitable pore size is 10 nm. The movable pore content of upper shale is 25%, and the lower limit of pore size is 12.6 nm. It is suggested that the Lower and Middle shales have more development potential under the associated development technology.
Reconstruction of a county-level resolution typhoon disaster database from 1980 to 2018 for China’s coastal area
Authors: Wu Caiming , Ren Fumin , Zhu Jing , Chen Peiyan , Lu Yi
Published: January 2023

This study develops a reconstructed typhoon disaster database over a longer period 1980–2018 and at higher spatial resolution by using the county-level resolution disaster records for the eight coastal provinces of China during the shorter period 2004–2013. Typhoon precipitation and wind data over the shorter period are matched to disaster data and a functional relationship is derived between typhoon meteorological impact and typhoon disaster (direct economic loss). This relationship is used to construct a disaster data set for a longer period. The basic characteristics of the reconstructed database are documented and analyzed. The above analyses show that, firstly, the reconstructed disaster data are consistent with the recorded data due to the highly significant correlation. Secondly, an appropriate reconstruction method is developed, involving three main phases: disaster data expansion for individual stations, establishment of relationships between disaster and typhoon precipitation and wind, and disaster database reconstruction. Thirdly, the annual cumulative damage shows an insignificant downward trend over time. Typhoon damage mainly occurred between July and September each year. Landfalling typhoons that moved northwestward and then turned northward always caused more severe damage in China. In general, the reconstructed disaster database can provides a data basis to typhoon risk and disaster mechanism researches.
A comparison between the therapeutic effects of Conbercept combined with panretinal photocoagulation and panretinal photocoagulation monotherapy for high-risk proliferative diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Sun Yaoyao , Qi Huijun
Published: January 2023

Objective

To compare the therapeutic effects of the administration of intravitreal Conbercept (IVC) plus panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) to that of PRP monotherapy in patients with high-risk proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Methods

In this retrospective consecutive case series, we analyzed the data on high-risk PDR patients followed up for 12 months. Patients were divided into two groups: the IVC+PRP group and the PRP monotherapy group. Patients in the IVC+PRP group were initially administered 3 IVC injections and PRP, while patients in the PRP monotherapy group received PRP only. Depending on the grouping criteria, patients in both groups were administered either IVC+PRP or PRP only if the neovascularization (NV) did not regress. From the initiation to month 12 of treatment, we recorded and compared the data on the NV regression rate, improvement in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), laser spots, changes in central macular thickness (CMT), complications, and the need for vitrectomy for all patients.

Results

In this study, 79 eyes of 58 patients in the IVC+PRP group and 86 eyes of 60 patients in the PRP monotherapy group were included. During the follow-up of 12 months, the number of eyes with complete regression, partial regression, and no regression or increase in NV were 56 (70.88%), 23 (29.12%), and 0 (0%) in the IVC+PRP group and 13 (15.12%), 50 (58.14%), and 23 (26.74%) in the PRP group (p < 0.001). The BCVA was significantly higher and CMT was lower in the patients of the IVC+PRP group than in the PRP monotherapy group at 3, 6, and 12 months of follow-up (p < 0.05). The mean number of laser spots was lower in the patients of the IVC+PRP group than in the PRP group (1,453 ± 87 spots vs. 2,267 ± 94 spots, p < 0.05). A significantly lower percentage of patients in the IVC+PRP group underwent vitrectomy than that in the PRP group (7 (8.86%) vs. 27 (31.40%), p < 0.001).

Conclusion

High-risk PDR patients treated with IVC + PRP showed a higher rate of NV regression, more effective improvement in the BCVA, and lower vitrectomy rate compared to those who were administered PRP monotherapy.
Uterine activity modifies the response of the fetal autonomic nervous system at preterm active labor
Authors: Olmos-Ramírez Rocio Lizbeth , Peña-Castillo Miguel Ángel , Mendieta-Zerón Hugo , Reyes-Lagos José Javier
Published: January 2023

Background

The autonomic nervous system of preterm fetuses has a different level of maturity than term fetuses. Thus, their autonomic response to transient hypoxemia caused by uterine contractions in labor may differ. This study aims to compare the behavior of the fetal autonomic response to uterine contractions between preterm and term active labor using a novel time-frequency analysis of fetal heart rate variability (FHRV).

Methods

We performed a case-control study using fetal R-R and uterine activity time series obtained by abdominal electrical recordings from 18 women in active preterm labor (32−36 weeks of gestation) and 19 in active term labor (39−40 weeks of gestation). We analyzed 20 minutes of the fetal R-R time series by applying a Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) to obtain frequency (HF, 0.2−1 Hz; LF, 0.05−0.2 Hz) and time-frequency (Flux0, Flux90, and Flux45) domain features. Time domain FHRV features (SDNN, RMSSD, meanNN) were also calculated. In addition, ultra-short FHRV analysis was performed by segmenting the fetal R-R time series according to episodes of the uterine contraction and quiescent periods.

Results

No significant differences between preterm and term labor were found for FHRV features when calculated over 20 minutes. However, we found significant differences when segmenting between uterine contraction and quiescent periods. In the preterm group, the LF, Flux0, and Flux45 were higher during the average contraction episode compared with the average quiescent period (p<0.01), while in term fetuses, vagally mediated FHRV features (HF and RMSSD) were higher during the average contraction episode (p<0.05). The meanNN was lower during the strongest contraction in preterm fetuses compared to their consecutive quiescent period (p=0.008).

Conclusion

The average autonomic response to contractions in preterm fetuses shows sympathetic predominance, while term fetuses respond through parasympathetic activity. Comparison between groups during the strongest contraction showed a diminished fetal autonomic response in the preterm group. Thus, separating contraction and quiescent periods during labor allows for identifying differences in the autonomic nervous system cardiac regulation between preterm and term fetuses.
A wildfire occurrence risk model based on a back-propagation neural network-optimized genetic algorithm
Authors: Zhang Hao , Liu Hui , Ma Guoqing , Zhang Yang , Yao Jinxia , Gu Chao
Published: January 2023

To reduce the impact of wildfires on the operation of power systems, a back-propagation neural network (BPNN) model is used to evaluate the wildfire risk distribution after feature selection. Data from 14 types of wildfire-related features, including anthropogenic, geographical, and meteorological factors, were collected from public data websites and local departments. The weight ranking was calculated using filtering and wrapper methods to form five feature subsets. These are used as the input sets of the BPNN model training, and network parameters are optimized by genetic algorithm (GA). Finally, the optimal feature subset is chosen to establish the optimal BPNN model. With the optimal model, the prediction results are graded to draw a wildfire risk distribution map. Situated in medium-, high-, and very-high-risk zones are 90.26% of new fire incidents, indicating the applicability of the proposed BPNN model.
Path planning for EVs based on RA-RRT* model
Authors: Muhammad Said , Zhou Yimin
Published: January 2023

The optimal path planning for EVs (electric vehicles) has gained great attention during the last decade due to the zero pollution emission characteristics and limited power capacity of EV batteries. In this paper, an optimal route search is proposed considering multiple charging stations in a dynamic urban environment, while it is still applicable when the initial available amount of the battery fails to cover a certain travel range. The TRDP (transit route design problem) and TNDP (transit node design problem) are used to search for the most feasible routes based on time and driving range via the improved route-assisted rapid random tree (RA-RRT*) algorithm. Considering the status of charge of an EV’s battery during optimal routes search, three states are investigated between the destination and the aggregators: (1) bypassing the aggregators, (2) stopping over a single aggregator, and (3) stopping over multiple aggregators. During the states (2) and (3), it is required that the EVs be charged at the charging stations obtained by the RA-RRT* algorithm while approaching the destination. The proposed algorithm is tested on a random dataset under certain conditions, that is, traffic flow with congestion and assigned target locations from a given map data, with comparison experiments for efficacy verification.
Phosphorus addition alleviates the inhibition of nitrogen deposition on photosynthesis of Potentilla tanacetifolia
Authors: Hao Jianhui , Han Hongkun , Liu Ying , Li Jiahuan , Yang Jiyun , Ren Baihui , Bai Long
Published: January 2023

Atmospheric nitrogen(N) deposition increased soil active N, and excessive N content led to the increase of the ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus (N: P), which changed plant growth from N limitation to phosphorus(P) limitation. Potentilla is not only an important native greening material, but also a common diversity component in various grasslands in China. Its population fluctuation in the process of N deposition will affect the species diversity and productivity of grassland ecosystem. Potting experiment was conducted for 2 years with Potentilla tanacetifolia, a common species in the northern warm steppe, as the material. Through the interactive treatment of different N addition (0, 10, 20, 40 kg N ha yr−1) and P addition (4, 6, 8 kg P ha yr−1) gradients, to analysis the feedback effect between leaf N and P content and net photosynthetic rate (Pn). We explored the N: P threshold of N and P limitation from the perspective of Pn. The results showed that: 1) Under low soil N concentration, P addition can promote N absorption of P.tanacetifolia, while the high soil N concentration can reduce the N: P by increasing the leaf P content to weaken the limiting effect caused by nutrient imbalance of plants. 2) In N addition environment, proper P addition increased Pn by increasing stomatal conductance (Gs), while excessive P addition decreased Gs and inhibited Pn. 3) The Pn showed a single peak normal distribution characteristic with the enhancement of the N: P of leaves, and the Pn was at a high level between 14.5–17.0. It was preliminarily believed that the threshold value of N: P in leaves of P.tanacetifolia was 14.5–17.0. Plant photosynthesis is very sensitive to the environment and easy to be affected by the external environment. The results of N and P addition showed that Pn of broad-leaf forbs was easily affected by N and P restriction, and P addition increased Pn of broad-leaf forbs under N restriction. There was a certain relationship between N:P and Pn. It was preliminarily believed that the N: P of P.tanacetifolia leaves is not limited by nitrogen and phosphorus in the range of 14.5-17.0.
The north–south gap and spillover effect of Chinese service industry green development
Authors: Chen Baoqi , Xu Xiaotong
Published: January 2023

Taking the Qinling-Huaihe River as the boundary, this paper divides the Chinese service industry into north and south regions. The current study calculates the green total factor productivity of the Chinese service industry from 2003 to 2019 by using the DEA-Malmquist productivity index method. The influencing factors of the service industry in the north and south of China are tested by the Moran index and the spatial Durbin model. The results show that the green total factor productivity of the Chinese service industry shows great regional heterogeneity. The average green total factor productivity of northern China is 1.4 percentage points lower than that of southern China. The leading factor for the growth of green total factor productivity in southern China is technological progress, while TFP in northern China mainly depends on technical efficiency improvement. The results of spatial econometric regression show that the intensive level of producer services plays a significant role in promoting the green development of the service industry. The transportation infrastructure can significantly promote the green development level of the service industry. Finally, some suggestions are provided to narrow the gap between the north and south of the Chinese service industry.
Distinct traces of mixed ancestry in western commercial pig genomes following gene flow from Chinese indigenous breeds
Authors: Peng Yebo , Derks Martijn FL , Groenen Martien AM , Zhao Yiqiang , Bosse Mirte
Published: January 2023

Studying gene flow between different livestock breeds will benefit the discovery of genes related to production traits and provide insight into human historical breeding. Chinese pigs have played an indispensable role in the breeding of Western commercial pigs. However, the differences in the timing and volume of the contribution of pigs from different Chinese regions to Western pigs are not yet apparent. In this paper, we combine the whole-genome sequencing data of 592 pigs from different studies and illustrate patterns of gene flow from Chinese pigs into Western commercial pigs. We describe introgression patterns from four distinct Chinese indigenous groups into five Western commercial groups. There were considerable differences in the number and length of the putative introgressed segments from Chinese pig groups that contributed to Western commercial pig breeds. The contribution of pigs from different Chinese geographical locations to a given western commercial breed varied more than that from a specific Chinese pig group to different Western commercial breeds, implying admixture within Europe after introgression. Within different Western commercial lines from the same breed, the introgression patterns from a given Chinese pig group seemed highly conserved, suggesting that introgression of Chinese pigs into Western commercial pig breeds mainly occurred at an early stage of breed formation. Finally, based on analyses of introgression signals, allele frequencies, and selection footprints, we identified a ∼2.65 Mb Chinese-derived haplotype under selection in Duroc pigs (CHR14: 95.68–98.33 Mb). Functional and phenotypic studies demonstrate that this PRKG1 haplotype is related to backfat and loin depth in Duroc pigs. Overall, we demonstrate that the introgression history of domestic pigs is complex and that Western commercial pigs contain distinct traces of mixed ancestry, likely derived from various Chinese pig breeds.
Performance of expanded non-invasive prenatal testing for fetal aneuploidies and copy number variations: A prospective study from a single center in Jiangxi province, China
Authors: Zou Yongyi , Feng Chuanxin , Qin Jiawei , Wang Xinrong , Huang Tingting , Yang Yan , Xie Kang , Yuan Huizhen , Huang Shuhui , Yang Bicheng , Lu Wan , Liu Yanqiu
Published: January 2023

To evaluate the performance of expanded non-invasive prenatal testing (expanded noninvasive prenatal testing, NIPT-Plus) in screening for fetal chromosomal abnormalities includes aneuploidies and copy number variations, a total of 23,116 pregnant women with a singleton pregnancy were recruited for NIPT-Plus. Screening positive results were verified by karyotype analysis and chromosomal microarray analysis after amniocentesis. A total of 264 pregnancies (1.14%) were positive results as predicted by NIPT-Plus, including 233 aneuploidies and 31 copy number variations. Following genetic counseling, 233 (88.26%) pregnant women underwent invasive prenatal diagnosis and 136 were verified as true positives, comprising 72 common trisomies (T21, T18, T13), 47 sex chromosomal abnormalities two rare autosomal aneuploidies (RATs) and 15 copy number variations The positive predictive value for common trisomies, SCAs, RATs and CNVs were 68.57%, 68.12%, 6.67% and 51.72%, respectively. Pregnant women with screen-positive results for common trisomies have higher rates of invasive prenatal diagnosis and pregnancy termination than those with positive results for SCAs, RATs, and CNVs. NIPT-Plus showed a good performance in detecting common trisomies, SCAs and also contributed to detecting pathogenic CNVs, but higher accuracy was required in the detection of RATs. In summary, this study provides a reference for the clinical application of NIPT-Plus for screening fetal chromosomal abnormalities in this region. Therefore, we suggest that NIPT-Plus could be widely used in clinical screening for fetal chromosomal abnormalities in combination with prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling.
Protective effects of conditioned media of immortalized stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth on pressure ulcer formation
Authors: Katahira Yasuhiro , Murakami Fumihiro , Inoue Shinya , Miyakawa Satomi , Sakamoto Eri , Furusaka Yuma , Watanabe Aruma , Sekine Ami , Kuroda Masahiko , Hasegawa Hideaki , Mizoguchi Izuru , Yoshimoto Takayuki
Published: January 2023

Pressure ulcers (PUs) are increasing with aging worldwide, but there is no effective causal therapy. Although mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) promote cutaneous wound healing, the effects of the conditioned medium (CM) of MSCs on cutaneous PU formation induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury have been poorly investigated. To address this issue, herein, we first established an immortalized stem cell line from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED). This cell line was revealed to have superior characteristics in that it grows infinitely and vigorously, and stably and consistently secretes a variety of cytokines. Using the CM obtained from the immortalized SHED cell line, we investigated the therapeutic potential on a cutaneous ischemia-reperfusion mouse model for PU formation using two magnetic plates. This is the first study to show that CM from immortalized SHEDs exerts therapeutic effects on PU formation by promoting angiogenesis and oxidative stress resistance through vascular endothelial growth factor and hepatocyte growth factor. Thus, the CM of MSCs has potent therapeutic effects, whereas these therapies have not been implemented in human medicine. To try to meet the regulatory requirements for manufacturing and quality control as much as possible, it is necessary to produce CM that is consistently safe and effective. The immortalization of stem cells could be one of the breakthroughs to meet the regulatory requirements and consequently open up a novel avenue to create a novel type of cell-free regenerative medicine, although further investigation into the quality control is warranted.
Pre-transplant CD69+ extracellular vesicles are negatively correlated with active ATLG serum levels and associate with the onset of GVHD in allogeneic HSCT patients
Authors: Storci Gianluca , Barbato Francesco , Ricci Francesca , Tazzari Pier Luigi , De Matteis Serena , Tomassini Enrica , Dicataldo Michele , Laprovitera Noemi , Arpinati Mario , Ursi Margherita , Maffini Enrico , Campanini Elena , Dan Elisa , Manfroi Silvia , Santi Spartaco , Ferracin Manuela , Bonafe Massimiliano , Bonifazi Francesca
Published: January 2023

Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a major complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Rabbit anti-T lymphocyte globulin (ATLG) in addition to calcineurin inhibitors and antimetabolites is a suitable strategy to prevent GVHD in several transplant settings. Randomized studies already demonstrated its efficacy in terms of GVHD prevention, although the effect on relapse remains the major concern for a wider use. Tailoring of ATLG dose on host characteristics is expected to minimize its side effects (immunological reconstitution, relapse, and infections). Here, day -6 to day +15 pharmacokinetics of active ATLG serum level was first assayed in an explorative cohort of 23 patients by testing the ability of the polyclonal serum to bind antigens on human leukocytes. Significantly lower levels of serum active ATLG were found in the patients who developed GVHD (ATLG_AUCCD45: 241.52 ± 152.16 vs. 766.63 +/- 283.52 (μg*day)/ml, p = 1.46e-5). Consistent results were obtained when the ATLG binding capacity was assessed on CD3+ and CD3+/CD4+ T lymphocytes (ATLG_AUCCD3: 335.83 ± 208.15 vs. 903.54 ± 378.78 (μg*day)/ml, p = 1.92e-4; ATLG_AUCCD4: 317.75 ± 170.70 vs. 910.54 ± 353.35 (μg*day)/ml, p = 3.78e-5. Concomitantly, at pre-infusion time points, increased concentrations of CD69+ extracellular vesicles (EVs) were found in patients who developed GVHD (mean fold 9.01 ± 1.33; p = 2.12e-5). Consistent results were obtained in a validation cohort of 12 additional ATLG-treated HSCT patients. Serum CD69+ EVs were mainly represented in the nano (i.e. 100 nm in diameter) EV compartment and expressed the leukocyte marker CD45, the EV markers CD9 and CD63, and CD103, a marker of tissue-resident memory T cells. The latter are expected to set up a host pro-inflammatory cell compartment that can survive in the recipient for years after conditioning regimen and contribute to GVHD pathogenesis. In summary, high levels of CD69+ EVs are significantly correlated with an increased risk of GVHD, and they may be proposed as a tool to tailor ATLG dose for personalized GVHD prevention.
Releasing the restraints of Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells in cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Ridgley Laura A. , Caron Jonathan , Dalgleish Angus , Bodman-Smith Mark
Published: January 2023

Objectives

Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells are a subset of T-cells with a crucial role in immunosurveillance which can be activated and expanded by multiple means to stimulate effector responses. Little is known about the expression of checkpoint molecules on this cell population and whether the ligation of these molecules can regulate their activity. The aim of this study was to assess the expression of both activatory and inhibitory receptors on Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells to assess potential avenues of regulation to target with immunotherapy.

Methods

Expression of various activatory and inhibitory receptors was assessed on Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells by flow cytometry following activation and expansion using zoledronic acid (ZA) and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). Expression of these markers and production of effector molecules was also examined following co-culture with various tumour cell targets. The effect of immune checkpoint blockade on Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells was also explored.

Results

Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells expressed high levels of activatory markers both at baseline and following stimulation. Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells expressed variable levels of inhibitory checkpoint receptors with many being upregulated following stimulation. Expression of these markers is further modulated upon co-culture with tumour cells with changes reflecting activation and effector functions. Despite their high expression of inhibitory receptors when cultured with tumour cells expressing cognate ligands there was no effect on Vδ2+ T-cell cytotoxic capacity or cytokine production with immune checkpoint blockade.

Conclusions

Our work suggests the expression of checkpoint receptors present on Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells which may provide a mechanism with the potential to be utilised by tumour cells to subvert Vγ9Vδ2 T-cell cytotoxicity. This work suggests important candidates for blockade by ICI therapy in order to increase the successful use of Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells in immunotherapy.
Distinct SARS-CoV-2 RNA fragments activate Toll-like receptors 7 and 8 and induce cytokine release from human macrophages and microglia
Authors: Wallach Thomas , Raden Martin , Hinkelmann Lukas , Brehm Mariam , Rabsch Dominik , Weidling Hannah , Krüger Christina , Kettenmann Helmut , Backofen Rolf , Lehnardt Seija
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The pandemic coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and is marked by thromboembolic events and an inflammatory response throughout the body, including the brain

Methods

Employing the machine learning approach BrainDead we systematically screened for SARS-CoV-2 genome-derived single-stranded (ss) RNA fragments with high potential to activate the viral RNA-sensing innate immune receptors Toll-like receptor (TLR)7 and/or TLR8. Analyzing HEK TLR7/8 reporter cells we tested such RNA fragments with respect to their potential to induce activation of human TLR7 and TLR8 and to activate human macrophages, as well as iPSC-derived human microglia, the resident immune cells in the brain.

Results

We experimentally validated several sequence-specific RNA fragment candidates out of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA fragments predicted in silico as activators of human TLR7 and TLR8. Moreover, these SARS-CoV-2 ssRNAs induced cytokine release from human macrophages and iPSC-derived human microglia in a sequence- and species-specific fashion.

Discussion

Our findings determine TLR7 and TLR8 as key sensors of SARS-CoV-2-derived ssRNAs and may deepen our understanding of the mechanisms how this virus triggers, but also modulates an inflammatory response through innate immune signaling.
The association between sedentary behavior, exercise, and sleep disturbance: A mediation analysis of inflammatory biomarkers
Authors: You Yanwei , Chen Yuquan , Fang Wen , Li Xingtian , Wang Rui , Liu Jianxiu , Ma Xindong
Published: January 2023

Background

Two related lifestyle behaviors associated with sleep disturbance are sedentary behavior and physical exercise participation. We aimed to use a population-based study to disentangle the relationships between sedentary behavior, exercise, and sleep disturbance based on blood-cell-based inflammatory biomarkers.

Methods

A total of 22,599 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were included in the analyses. Sleep disturbance was assessed according to the NHANES questionnaire. Exercise participation ansd sedentary behavior were evaluated by the global physical activity questionnaire. The inflammatory biomarkers in the examination were white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil count (NEU), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and systemic immune inflammation index (SII). A complex multistage sampling design and weighted multivariable logistic regression were applied for further analysis. Mediation models were constructed to figure out the mediating role of inflammatory biomarkers.

Results

The weighted prevalence of sleep disturbance was 24.17%. Sedentary behavior and exercise were associated with sleep disturbance after full adjustment [for sedentary behavior, OR (95% CI): 1.261 (1.154, 1.377); for exercise, OR (95% CI): 0.849 (0.757, 0.953)]. In severe sedentary behavior groups, the mitigation effect of exercise on sleep disturbance was observed [OR (95% CI): 0.687 (0.551, 0.857)]. For the mechanism, strong associations were detected between inflammatory biomarkers and sleep disturbance. Mediation analysis showed that WBC, NEU, NLR, and SII mediated the statistical association between sedentary behavior and sleep disturbance with proportions (%) of 2.09, 2.27, 1.76, and 0.82, respectively.

Conclusions

Our data suggested that sedentary behavior was a risk factor for sleep disturbance. Blood-cell-based inflammatory biomarkers were an easily accessible and cost-effective strategy for identifying sleep disturbance and also significantly mediated the association between sedentary behavior and sleep disturbance. Exercise was proved to be effective in severe sedentary behavior groups to improve sleep disturbance symptoms, while the internal mechanism needed further exploration.
Multi-scale ship target detection using SAR images based on improved Yolov5
Authors: Yasir Muhammad , Shanwei Liu , Mingming Xu , Hui Sheng , Hossain Md Sakaouth , Colak Arife Tugsan Isiacik , Wang Dawei , Jianhua Wan , Dang Kinh Bac
Published: January 2023

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging is used to identify ships, which is a vital task in the maritime industry for managing maritime fisheries, marine transit, and rescue operations. However, some problems, like complex background interferences, various size ship feature variations, and indistinct tiny ship characteristics, continue to be challenges that tend to defy accuracy improvements in SAR ship detection. This research study for multiscale SAR ships detection has developed an upgraded YOLOv5s technique to address these issues. Using the C3 and FPN + PAN structures and attention mechanism, the generic YOLOv5 model has been enhanced in the backbone and neck section to achieve high identification rates. The SAR ship detection datasets and AirSARship datasets, along with two SAR large scene images acquired from the Chinese GF-3 satellite, are utilized to determine the experimental results. This model’s applicability is assessed using a variety of validation metrics, including accuracy, different training and test sets, and TF values, as well as comparisons with other cutting-edge classification models (ARPN, DAPN, Quad-FPN, HR-SDNet, Grid R-CNN, Cascade R-CNN, Multi-Stage YOLOv4-LITE, EfficientDet, Free-Anchor, Lite-Yolov5). The performance values demonstrate that the suggested model performed superior to the benchmark model used in this study, with higher identification rates. Additionally, these excellent identification rates demonstrate the recommended model’s applicability for maritime surveillance.
Surgical treatment of locally advanced right colon cancer invading neighboring organs
Authors: Ri HyokJu , Kang HaoNan , Xu ZhaoHui , Gong ZeZhong , Jo HyonSu , Amadou Boureima Hamidou , Xu Yang , Ren YanYing , Zhu WanJi , Chen Xin
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Invasion of the pancreas and/or duodenum with/without neighboring organs by locally advanced right colon cancer (LARCC) is a very rare clinical phenomenon that is difficult to manage. The purpose of this review is to suggest the most reasonable surgical approach for primary right colon cancer invading neighboring organs such as the pancreas and/or duodenum.

Methods

An extensive systematic research was conducted in PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) using the MeSH terms and keywords. Data were extracted from the patients who underwent en bloc resection and local resection with right hemicolectomy (RHC), the analysis was performed with the survival rate as the outcome parameters.

Results

As a result of the analysis of 117 patient data with locally advanced colon cancer (LACC) (73 for males, 39 for females) aged 25–85 years old from 11 articles between 2008 and 2021, the survival rate of en bloc resection was 72% with invasion of the duodenum, 71.43% with invasion of the pancreas, 55.56% with simultaneous invasion of the duodenum and pancreas, and 57.9% with invasion of neighboring organs with/without invasion of duodenum and/or pancreas. These survival results were higher than with local resection of the affected organ plus RHC.

Conclusion

When the LARCC has invaded neighboring organs, particularly when duodenum or pancreas are invaded simultaneously or individually, en bloc resection is a reasonable option to increase patient survival after surgery.