bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
O Ateliê de Pintura e os Documentos de Trabalho: Um Pensamento Criante em Ação
Authors: Facco Marta Lucia Cargnin
Published: March 2023

Resumo: Este texto busca tecer relações entre os documentos de trabalho e o processo de criação no ateliê de pintura, objetivando criar movimentos que possam problematizar os objetos presentes no espaço do ateliê, procurando tornar visí­veis aspectos de sua potência e singularidade nas construções das obras de arte. O conceito que impulsiona este estudo é o de documentos de trabalho proposto por Flávio Gonçalves (2000; 2009), pois traz essa materialidade dos documentos como o universo do artista e da obra, apontando caminhos para pensar o processo criativo em arte e indicando conexões possí­veis entre o material e o imaterial. Assim, aproprio-me deste conceito na intenção de aproximar o fazer pictórico aos objetos que compõem o ateliê, como forma de deambular por um pensamento criante em ação.Palavras-chave: documentos de trabalho; ateliê de pintura; processo de criação.
No Banzo da Negra, a Penca de Balangandãs
Authors: Almeida Anderson Diego , Veras Eduardo Ferreira
Published: March 2023

No banzo, a saudade da terra natal; na cintura, o sí­mbolo de sua existência. Como um signo pictórico pode denunciar a identidade e a transformação social de uma negra? Esta é a perspectiva da narrativa que propomos neste artigo. A análise surge da aquarela de Jean Baptiste Debret, Uma Negra Tatuada Vendendo Caju, de 1827, que traz a penca de balangandãs em sua cintura. Dessa joia de crioula, buscaremos discorrer sobre sua pathosformel a partir da gravura Malencolia I, produzida por Albrecht Dürer em 1514, e percorrer outros contextos visuais e históricos. Assim, compreender o sentido da peça, seu significado social e a função dentro e fora da obra em que ela se encontra, será nosso objetivo.
Educação e formação de um pensamento de comprometimento com o bem comum: abordagens didáticas emergentes
Authors: Rosa Suanno Marilza Vanessa
Published: March 2023

No presente artigo dialogo com duas obras de Stéphane Hessel (2011a, 2011b) e uma obra conjunta de Stéphane Hessel e Edgar Morin (2012) para introduzir a problemática da educação e da formação humana no contexto atual. Hessel (2011a) argumenta que é preciso aprender a indignar-se frente às injustiças, porém alerta (HESSEL, 2011b) que a indignação não é suficiente se não produzir capacidade de ação comprometida com a transformação da realidade que gerou a indignação. Enfatiza e valoriza a defesa do interesse coletivo, do bem comum e dos direitos universais para todos, em detrimento do afã individualista e consumista. Hessel e Morin (2012) sinalizam para um caminho de esperança. Nesse sentido, no campo didático, apresento algumas abordagens contemporâneas que visam ressignificar as discussões emancipatórias e críticas. Assim, apresento fundamentos da ação engajada, comprometida e esperançosa de quatro abordagens didáticas contemporâneas, quais sejam: Didática Intercultural (CANDAU, 2021), Didática Complexa e Transdisciplinar (SUANNO, 2015), Didática Sensível (D’ÁVILA, 2021, 2022), Didática Multidimensional Crítico-Emancipatória (PIMENTA, 2021, 2022). Apresento resultado copilado e religados de três pesquisas de cunho empírico e abordagem qualitativa desenvolvidas pela autora do presente artigo, sendo elas: “Trabalho docente e pedagogia universitária sob a ótica do pensamento complexo e da transdisciplinaridade” (CEP-UFG nº 331/2011-2015); “Formação de professores e didática emergente” (CEP-UFG PI02868/2018-2023) e “Campo didático em contraposição ao neoliberalismo e ao neotecnicismo: apontamentos sobre perspectivas interculturais, complexas, transdisciplinares e sensíveis” (UFNT, 2021).
Transdisciplinaridade e ecoformação nos anos finais do Ensino Fundamental em pesquisas com intervenção do mestrado profissional
Authors: De Souza Guedes Jussara , Carlim Veber Simone , Zwierewicz Marlene , Pereira  da Silva Madalena
Published: March 2023

Tangenciar metodologias de ensino por perspectivas transdisciplinares e ecoformadoras no Ensino Fundamental pode ser um desafio, se considerada a persistência de iniciativas pautadas na fragmentação e descontextualização do conhecimento. Contudo, também é uma possibilidade para articular o que se estuda nos componentes curriculares e vincular seus conteúdos a demandas das realidades local e global. Este artigo tem como objetivo sistematizar uma experiência transdisciplinar e ecoformadora desenvolvida nos anos finais do Ensino Fundamental em uma escola municipal de Timbó Grande, Santa Catarina, por meio de uma intervenção realizada colaborativamente em duas pesquisas do Mestrado Profissional em Educação Básica (PPGEB) da Universidade Alto Vale do Rio do Peixe (UNIARP), Caçador, Santa Catarina. Os resultados indicam que a intervenção proposta nas pesquisas, utilizando como referência a metodologia dos Projetos Criativos Ecoformadores (PCE), contribuiu para vincular o conteúdo de Ciências a outros componentes curriculares ao mesmo tempo que aproximou os conteúdos das diferentes áreas do ensino a demandas locais e globais, atendendo, nesse processo, a necessidades formativas como o estímulo ao protagonismo dos estudantes na solução de problemas e o fortalecimento de competências previstas em Ciências, entre elas, as que envolvem a capacidade de argumentar com base em dados reais. Nesse processo, a intervenção contribuiu para dinamizar práticas transdisciplinares e ecoformadoras como possibilidade de aprender e ensinar na perspectiva de uma educação transformadora, o que pôde ser observado quando os estudantes, mesmo em tempos de pandemia, contribuíram em atividades que favoreceram o bem-estar individual, social e ambiental.
Espaço maker: caminhos para uma aprendizagem criativa
Authors: Noga Veridiana , Penteado Renata
Published: March 2023

O presente trabalho de pesquisa é resultado de uma investigação realizada dentro de uma unidade escolar da Rede Privada de Ensino do Município de União da Vitória, do Estado do Paraná, para verificar a viabilidade de implementação de um Espaço Maker, que possa ser um local para uma abordagem criativa, onde são articuladas diferentes metodologias ativas de aprendizagem. O aluno ativo é essencial no processo de aprendizagem, uma vez que hoje o perfil esperado desses indivíduos na sociedade e no mercado de trabalho está ligado a pessoas mais críticas, criativas, proativas, polivalentes e que busquem soluções para os problemas e situações cotidianas. Nesse sentido, com o objetivo de contribuir com a escola por meio de uma proposta de projeto para a construção de um espaço Maker, essa pesquisa se deu de modo qualitativo, com caráter exploratório e bibliográfico. Além disso, ela pautou-se na coleta de dados com os professores dos Anos Iniciais do Ensino Fundamental, no intuito de compreender a real necessidade e a viabilidade da construção desse espaço. Para a análise dos dados, foi utilizada a metodologia proposta por Bardin (1977), que consiste na organização da análise e da codificação da análise
Leveraging primate-specific genomic information for genetic studies of complex diseases
Authors: Wei Wen-Hua , Guo Hui
Published: March 2023

Genomic changes specific to higher primates are regarded as primate-specific genomic information (PSI). Using PSI to inform genetic studies is highly desirable but hampered by three factors: heterogeneity among PSI studies, lack of integrated profiles of the identified PSI elements and dearth of relevant functional information. We report a database of 19,767 PSI elements collated from nine types of brain-related studies, which form 19,473 non-overlapping PSI regions that distribute unevenly but jointly cover only 0.81% of the genome. About 2.5% of the PSI regions colocalized with variants identified in genome-wide association studies, with disease loci more likely colocalized than quantitative trait loci (p = 1.6 × 10−5), particularly in regions without obvious regulatory roles. We further showed an LRP4 exemplar region with PSI elements orchestrated with common and rare disease variants and other functional elements. Our results render PSI elements as a valuable source to inform genetic studies of complex diseases.
Multiscale design of cell-free biologically active architectural structures
Authors: Ho G. , Kubušová V. , Irabien C. , Li V. , Weinstein A. , Chawla Sh. , Yeung D. , Mershin A. , Zolotovsky K. , Mogas-Soldevila L.
Published: March 2023

Cell-free protein expression systems are here combined with 3D-printed structures to study the challenges and opportunities as biofabrication enters the spaces of architecture and design. Harnessing large-scale additive manufacturing of biological materials, we examined the addition of cell-free protein expression systems (“TXTL” i.e., biological transcription-translation machinery without the use of living cells) to printed structures. This allowed us to consider programmable, living-like, responsive systems for product design and indoor architectural applications. This emergent, pluripotent technology offers exciting potential in support of health, resource optimization, and reduction of energy use in the built environment, setting a new path to interactivity with mechanical, optical, and (bio) chemical properties throughout structures. We propose a roadmap towards creating healthier, functional and more durable systems by deploying a multiscale platform containing biologically-active components encapsulated within biopolymer lattices operating at three design scales: (i) supporting cell-free protein expression in a biopolymer matrix (microscale), (ii) varying material properties of porosity and strength within two-dimensional lattices to support biological and structural functions (mesoscale), and (iii) obtaining folded indoor surfaces that are structurally sound at the meter scale and biologically active (we label that regime macroscale). We embedded commercially available cell-free protein expression systems within silk fibroin and sodium alginate biopolymer matrices and used green fluorescent protein as the reporter to confirm their compatibility. We demonstrate mechanical attachment of freeze-dried bioactive pellets into printed foldable fibrous biopolymer lattices showing the first steps towards modular multiscale fabrication of large structures with biologically active zones. Our results discuss challenges to experimental setup affecting expression levels and show the potential of robust cell-free protein-expressing biosites within custom-printed structures at scales relevant to everyday consumer products and human habitats.
Molecular and serological evidence of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever orthonairovirus prevalence in livestock and ticks in Cameroon
Authors: Simo Tchetgna Huguette , Yousseu Francine S. , Cosset François-Loïc , de Freitas Natalia Bezerra , Kamgang Basile , McCall Philip J. , Ndip Roland Ndip , Legros Vincent , Wondji Charles S.
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Despite a high fatality rate in humans, little is known about the occurrence of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) in Cameroon. Hence, this pioneer study was started with the aim of determining the prevalence of CCHFV in domestic ruminants and its potential vector ticks in Cameroon.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out in two livestock markets of Yaoundé to collect blood and ticks from cattle, sheep, and goats. CCHFV-specific antibodies were detected in the plasma using a commercial ELISA assay and confirmed using a modified seroneutralization test. Ticks were screened for the presence of orthonairoviruses by amplification of a fragment of the L segment using RT-PCR. Phylogeny was used to infer the genetic evolution of the virus.

Results

Overall, 756 plasma samples were collected from 441 cattle, 168 goats, and 147 sheep. The seroprevalence of CCHFV was 61.77% for all animals, with the highest rate found in cattle (433/441, 98.18%) followed by sheep (23/147, 15.65%), and goats (11/168, 6.55%), (p-value < 0.0001). The highest seroprevalence rate was found in cattle from the Far North region (100%). Overall, 1500 ticks of the Rhipicephalus (773/1500, 51.53%), Amblyomma (341/1500, 22.73%), and Hyalomma (386/1500, 25.73%) genera were screened. CCHFV was identified in one Hyalomma truncatum pool collected from cattle. Phylogenetic analysis of the L segment classified this CCHFV strain within the African genotype III.

Conclusion

These seroprevalence results call for additional epidemiological studies on CCHFV, especially among at-risk human and animal populations in high-risk areas of the country.
Phagocytosis is a primary determinant of pulmonary clearance of clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates
Authors: van der Geest Rick , Fan Hongye , Peñaloza Hernán F. , Bain William G. , Xiong Zeyu , Kohli Naina , Larson Emily , Sullivan Mara L. G. , Franks Jonathan M. , Stolz Donna B. , Ito Ryota , Chen Kong , Doi Yohei , Harriff Melanie J. , Lee Janet S.
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is a common cause of hospital-acquired pneumonia. Although previous studies have suggested that evasion of phagocytic uptake is a virulence determinant of Kp, few studies have examined phagocytosis sensitivity in clinical Kp isolates.

Methods

We screened 19 clinical respiratory Kp isolates that were previously assessed for mucoviscosity for their sensitivity to macrophage phagocytic uptake, and evaluated phagocytosis as a functional correlate of in vivo Kp pathogenicity.

Results

The respiratory Kp isolates displayed heterogeneity in the susceptibility to macrophage phagocytic uptake, with 14 out of 19 Kp isolates displaying relative phagocytosis-sensitivity compared to the reference Kp strain ATCC 43816, and 5 out of 19 Kp isolates displaying relative phagocytosis-resistance. Intratracheal infection with the non-mucoviscous phagocytosis-sensitive isolate S17 resulted in a significantly lower bacterial burden compared to infection with the mucoviscous phagocytosis-resistant isolate W42. In addition, infection with S17 was associated with a reduced inflammatory response, including reduced bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) polymorphonuclear (PMN) cell count, and reduced BAL TNF, IL-1β, and IL-12p40 levels. Importantly, host control of infection with the phagocytosis-sensitive S17 isolate was impaired in alveolar macrophage (AM)-depleted mice, whereas AM-depletion had no significant impact on host defense against infection with the phagocytosis-resistant W42 isolate.

Conclusion

Altogether, these findings show that phagocytosis is a primary determinant of pulmonary clearance of clinical Kp isolates.
Combining bioinformatics and machine learning to identify common mechanisms and biomarkers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and atrial fibrillation
Authors: Sun Ziyi , Lin Jianguo , Zhang Tianya , Sun Xiaoning , Wang Tianlin , Duan Jinlong , Yao Kuiwu
Published: March 2023

Background

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often present with atrial fibrillation (AF), but the common pathophysiological mechanisms between the two are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the common biological mechanisms of COPD and AF and to search for important biomarkers through bioinformatic analysis of public RNA sequencing databases.

Methods

Four datasets of COPD and AF were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The overlapping genes common to both diseases were screened by WGCNA analysis, followed by protein-protein interaction network construction and functional enrichment analysis to elucidate the common mechanisms of COPD and AF. Machine learning algorithms were also used to identify key biomarkers. Co-expression analysis, “transcription factor (TF)-mRNA-microRNA (miRNA)” regulatory networks and drug prediction were performed for key biomarkers. Finally, immune cell infiltration analysis was performed to evaluate further the immune cell changes in the COPD dataset and the correlation between key biomarkers and immune cells.

Results

A total of 133 overlapping genes for COPD and AF were obtained, and the enrichment was mainly focused on pathways associated with the inflammatory immune response. A key biomarker, cyclin dependent kinase 8 (CDK8), was identified through screening by machine learning algorithms and validated in the validation dataset. Twenty potential drugs capable of targeting CDK8 were obtained. Immune cell infiltration analysis revealed the presence of multiple immune cell dysregulation in COPD. Correlation analysis showed that CDK8 expression was significantly associated with CD8+ T cells, resting dendritic cell, macrophage M2, and monocytes.

Conclusions

This study highlights the role of the inflammatory immune response in COPD combined with AF. The prominent link between CDK8 and the inflammatory immune response and its characteristic of not affecting the basal expression level of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) make it a possible promising therapeutic target for COPD combined with AF.
Role of two-stage strike slip faulting in the tectonic evolution of the Doseo depression in the central Africa rift system
Authors: Zhang Xinshun , Dou Lirong , Nie Zhiquan , Xiao Kunye , Wang Lin , Du Yebo , Chen Shi , Wang Li , Zhou Xiaorong
Published: March 2023

Doseo depression of Central African Rift System is an important onshore frontier area for oil and gas exploration in Africa, with rift development characterized by the dual control of fault-depression development and strike slip faulting. According to the latest drilling and seismic data in recent years, through the fine seismic interpretation, the calculation of paleo-fault throw and fault growth index and the method of balanced profile cross-section restorations, the fault characteristics and tectonic setting of Doseo depression are analyzed in detail, especially the fault activity, tectonic evolution and genetic mechanism of two large-scale strike slip movements in Doseo depression. The results show that the Doseo depression experienced five main tectonic phases, including two stages of strike slip tectonic movements with different mechanisms. The first stage is characterized by strike slip tectonic movements under tilting extension, which controls the overall structure of the depression. The second stage is characterized by strike slip tectonic movements under transform compression, which play an important role in the formation of some inversion structures and SW-NE trending anticlines and faulted anticlines. The superposition of an early faulted-depression and two later stages of strike slip tectonics led to current pattern of Doseo depression.
Maternal and fetal predictors of anthropometry in the first year of life in offspring of women with GDM
Authors: Antoniou Maria-Christina , Quansah Dan Yedu , Mühlberg Suzanne , Gilbert Leah , Arhab Amar , Schenk Sybille , Lacroix Alain , Stuijfzand Bobby , Horsch Antje , Puder Jardena Jacqueline
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) carries an increased risk for adverse perinatal and longer-term cardiometabolic consequences in offspring. This study evaluated the utility of maternal anthropometric, metabolic and fetal (cord blood) parameters to predict offspring anthropometry up to 1 year in pregnancies with GDM.

Materials and methods

In this prospective analysis of the MySweetheart study, we included 193/211 women with GDM that were followed up to 1 year postpartum. Maternal predictors included anthropometric (pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain (GWG), weight and fat mass at the 1st GDM visit), and metabolic parameters (fasting insulin and glucose, Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), Quantitative insulin-sensitivity check index (QUICKI), HbA1c, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) at the 1st visit and HbA1c at the end of pregnancy). Fetal predictors (N=46) comprised cord blood glucose and insulin, C-Peptide, HOMA-IR, triglycerides and HDL. Offspring outcomes were anthropometry at birth (weight/weight z-score, BMI, small and large for gestational age (SGA,LGA)), 6-8 weeks and 1 year (weight z-score, BMI/BMI z-score, and the sum of 4 skinfolds).

Results

In multivariate analyses, birth anthropometry (weight, weight z-score, BMI and/or LGA), was positively associated with cord blood HDL and HbA1c at the 1st GDM visit, and negatively with maternal QUICKI and HDL at the 1st GDM visit (all p ≤ 0.045). At 6-8 weeks, offspring BMI was positively associated with GWG and cord blood insulin, whereas the sum of skinfolds was negatively associated with HDL at the 1st GDM visit (all p ≤0.023). At 1 year, weight z-score, BMI, BMI z-score, and/or the sum of skinfolds were positively associated with pre-pregnancy BMI, maternal weight, and fat mass at the 1st GDM visit and 3rd trimester HbA1c (all p ≤ 0.043). BMI z-score and/or the sum of skinfolds were negatively associated with cord blood C-peptide, insulin and HOMA-IR (all p ≤0.041).

Discussion

Maternal anthropometric, metabolic, and fetal metabolic parameters independently affected offspring anthropometry during the 1st year of life in an age-dependent manner. These results show the complexity of pathophysiological mechanism for the developing offspring and could represent a base for future personalized follow-up of women with GDM and their offspring.
Geogenic and anthropogenic contamination in river water and groundwater of the lower Cauvery Basin, India
Authors: Keerthan Lingaiah , RamyaPriya Ramesh , Elango Lakshmanan
Published: March 2023

Degradation of water quality is a major challenge in both developed and developing countries since it poses a great risk to ecological health. The Cauvery river is one of the most important rivers of southern India, where the effect of seasonal variation on the quality of river water and its adjoining groundwater on the lower part of the basin has not yet been studied. Hence, the present study was carried out to evaluate the river water and adjacent groundwater for drinking and irrigational purposes, and also to identify the sources affecting the water quality. About 118 river water and 131 groundwater samples were collected over 4 months from May 2018 to August 2019. The water samples were analyzed for electrical conductivity (EC), pH, major and minor ions, and trace elements. The major, minor, and trace elements were then compared with the Bureau of Indian Standards and World Health Organization for drinking water quality assessment. The drinking water quality was assessed, indicating that both river water and groundwater were unsuitable in the coastal regions, especially during dry seasons. Irrigation water quality was also assessed, which indicates that most of the river water and groundwater samples were unsuitable near the coastal region. The quality of river water and groundwater in the lower Cauvery Basin was found to be better during wet periods compared to the dry season. It was observed that the rock–water interactions was the major factor controlling the water quality for groundwater and surface water, followed by anthropogenic activities such as disposal of domestic sewage and effluents into the river, as runoff from irrigated lands. The study emphasizes the development of a finer observational network for water quality, along with stringent monitoring of the disposal of contaminants in the rivers and groundwater.
Corporate sustainability disclosure on social media and its difference from sustainability reports:Evidence from the energy sector
Authors: Zhong Ma , Wang Mingyue
Published: March 2023

The purpose of this study is to examine the sustainability information that energy companies provide on social media and the relationship between that data and that which is shared in conventional sustainability reports. Based on stakeholder theory, we use a sample of Chinese A-share listed energy corporations in 2020 and refer to GRI G4 guidelines to conduct content analysis on their 17,451 tweets from the WeChat platform and 53 sustainability reports. The analysis results show the following: 1) both the sustainability disclosures of Chinese energy firms on WeChat platform and sustainability reports focus on investor and employee dimensions. Among them, the average proportion of investor dimension disclosure to total disclosure is 31.92% and 35.19% on social media and sustainability reports, respectively, and the average proportion of employee dimension disclosure is 27.22% and 17.92%, respectively. However, the two channels show a large difference in the environment and government dimensions. The average proportion of environment disclosure in sustainability reports is 13.44%, while on social media it is only 2.01%. Government disclosure in sustainability reports is 8.24% and as high as 20.43% on social media. (2) Chinese energy firms prefer to provide supplementary information on social media. For example, using the investor dimension as an example, the average proportion of non-GRI information on social media is 71.47%, while that of the sustainability report is only 48.56%. This study helps stakeholders to better understand sustainable information on social media.
Spatiotemporal features of the soil moisture across Northwest China using remote sensing data, reanalysis data, and global hydrological model
Authors: Wang Meijun , Yin Gang , Mao Min , Zhang Hao , Zhang Hua , Hu Zengyun , Chen Xi
Published: March 2023

Soil moisture is an important factor affecting the change of land surface hydrological processes and the distribution of material and energy exchanges between the land and atmosphere and vegetation’s temporal and spatial distributions, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. This paper focuses on soil moisture features across Northwest China, the core region of the Silk Road Economic Belt. Six soil moisture datasets from the period 1981–2020 were employed, which included ERA5 (the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Atmospheric Reanalysis 5), ESA-CCI (European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative), GLDAS (Global Land Data Assimilation System), MERRA-2 (The Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2), RSSSM (A Remote Sensing-based global 10-day resolution Surface Soil Moisture dataset), and SSM-Feng (Regional multimodal fusion of surface soil moisture data in China). The temporal and spatial variation of the linear trend and abrupt change characteristics at seasonal and annual scale were explored. The results are as follows: 1) ESA-CCI, GLDAS, and MERRA-2 showed a slow increase in annual soil moisture tendency at a rate of less than 0.001 m3/m3/year, while ERA5 and SSM-Feng showed a significant decreasing linear trend at a rate of 1.31 × 10−4 m3/m3/year and 1.01 × 10−4 m3/m3/year (p < 0.05), respectively. 2) In autumn and winter, only GLDAS and MERRA-2 showed significant increasing trends. In the growing season (i.e., from April to October), the soil moisture of ESA-CCI, GLDAS, and MERRA-2 significantly increased at the rates of 3.29 × 10−4 m3/m3/year, 3.30 × 10−4 m3/m3/year, and 6.64 × 10−4 m3/m3/year (p < 0.05), respectively. 3) ERA5 and ESA-CCI have frequent abrupt changes in 1984, 1987, and 2006 for ERA5, 2010–2012 and 2019–2020 for ESA-CCI. 4) In terms of spatial variations, most datasets show that soil moisture has increased across most regions. The ERA5, ESA-CCI, GLDAS, MERRA-2, and SSM-Feng datasets show decreased soil moisture in the Tarim Basin. The conclusions of this study deepen the understanding of temporal and spatial variation in soil moisture in arid areas of Northwest China. Through these conclusions, a certain theoretical basis can be provided for the complex water cycle process in the arid region.
Role and mechanism of DNA methylation and its inhibitors in hepatic fibrosis
Authors: Lyu Shi-Yi , Xiao Wang , Cui Guang-Zu , Yu Cheng , Liu Huan , Lyu Min , Kuang Qian-Ya , Xiao En-Hua , Luo Yong-Heng
Published: March 2023

Liver fibrosis is a repair response to injury caused by various chronic stimuli that continually act on the liver. Among them, the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and their transformation into a myofibroblast phenotype is a key event leading to liver fibrosis, however the mechanism has not yet been elucidated. The molecular basis of HSC activation involves changes in the regulation of gene expression without changes in the genome sequence, namely, via epigenetic regulation. DNA methylation is a key focus of epigenetic research, as it affects the expression of fibrosis-related, metabolism-related, and tumor suppressor genes. Increasing studies have shown that DNA methylation is closely related to several physiological and pathological processes including HSC activation and liver fibrosis. This review aimed to discuss the mechanism of DNA methylation in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis, explore DNA methylation inhibitors as potential therapies for liver fibrosis, and provide new insights on the prevention and clinical treatment of liver fibrosis.
The alternative transcription and expression characterization of Dmc1 in autotetraploid Carassius auratus
Authors: Xu Xidan , Wang Chongqing , Xiao Qingwen , Huang Xu , Zhou Yue , Luo Xiang , Zhang Yuxin , Xu Xiaowei , Qin Qinbo , Liu Shaojun
Published: March 2023

Established autotetraploids often have a highly stable meiosis with high fertility compared with neo-autotetraploids. The autotetraploid Carassius auratus (4n = 200, RRRR) (4nRR), which stemmed from whole-genome duplication of Carassius auratus red var. (2n = 100, RR) (RCC), produces diploid gametes with an adopted diploid-like chromosome pairing in meiosis and maintains the formation of autotetraploid lineages. In this study, we focused on Dmc1, a meiosis-specific recombinase during the prophase of meiosis I, and elaborated on the genetic variation, alternative transcription, expression characterization, and epigenetic modification of Dmc1 in RCC and 4nRR. Two original Dmc1 from RCC were identified in 4nRR, and two duplicated Dmc1 differences in genetic composition were observed in 4nRR. Furthermore, we only noticed that one original and one duplicated Dmc1 were expressed in RCC and 4nRR, respectively. However, both possessed identical gene expression profiles, differential expression of sexual dimorphism, and hypomethylation levels. These results indicated that the specific expression of duplicated Dmc1 may be involve in the progression of meiosis of the diploid-like chromosome pairing in autotetraploid Carassius auratus. Herein, the findings significantly increase knowledge of meiosis of autopolyploid fish and provide meaningful insights into genetic breeding in polyploidy fish.
Investigating iron intake in risk of progression from islet autoimmunity to type 1 diabetes: The diabetes autoimmunity study in the young
Authors: Elhassan Sulafa , Dong Fran , Buckner Teresa , Johnson Randi K. , Seifert Jennifer A. , Carry Patrick M. , Vanderlinden Lauren , Waugh Kathleen , Rewers Marian , Norris Jill M.
Published: March 2023

Background

Studies of the role of iron in the risk of type 1 diabetes (T1D) have been inconsistent. Given that iron generates reactive oxygen radicals, which can lead to oxidative damage and apoptosis in the beta cells of the pancreas, we examined whether iron intake was associated with the risk of progressing to T1D in individuals with islet autoimmunity (IA), the pre-clinical phase of T1D.

Methods

DAISY is a prospective cohort following 2,547 children at increased risk for IA and progression to T1D. IA is defined as at least two consecutive serum samples positive for at least one autoantibody (insulin, GAD, IA-2, or ZnT8). We measured dietary intake at the time of IA seroconversion in 175 children with IA, and of these, 64 progressed to T1D. We used Cox regression to examine the association between energy-adjusted iron intake and progression to T1D, adjusting for HLA-DR3/4 genotype, race/ethnicity, age at seroconversion, presence of multiple autoantibodies at seroconversion, and multiple vitamin use. In addition, we tested whether this association was modified by vitamin C or calcium intake.

Results

In children with IA, high iron intake (as defined as above the 75th percentile, > 20.3 mg/day) was associated with decreased risk of progression to T1D compared to moderate iron intake (as defined by the middle 25-75th percentiles, 12.7-20.3 mg/day) (adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 0.35; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.15, 0.79). The association between iron intake and T1D was not modified by vitamin C nor calcium intake. In a sensitivity analysis, the removal of six children who had been diagnosed with celiac disease prior to IA seroconversion did not affect this association.

Conclusion

Higher iron intake at the time of IA seroconversion is associated with a lower risk of progression to T1D, independent of multivitamin supplement use. Further research that includes plasma biomarkers of iron status is needed to investigate the relationship between iron and the risk of T1D.
Targeting chemoattractant chemokine (C–C motif) ligand 2 derived from astrocytes is a promising therapeutic approach in the treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders
Authors: Wang Yupeng , Bian Jiangping , Yao Mengyuan , Du Li , Xu Yun , Chang Haoxiao , Cong Hengri , Wei Yuzhen , Xu Wangshu , Wang Huabing , Zhang Xinghu , Geng Xingchao , Yin Linlin
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G (AQP4-IgG)-induced astrocytes injury is a key mechanism in the pathogenesis of neuromyelitis spectrum disorder (NMOSD), and although CCL2 is involved, its specific role has not been reported. We aimed to further investigate the role and potential mechanisms of CCL2 in AQP4-IgG-induced astrocyte injury.

Methods

First, we evaluated CCL2 levels in paired samples of subject patients by automated microfluidic platform, Ella®. Second, we knock down astrocyte's CCL2 gene in vitro and in vivo to define the function of CCL2 in AQP4-IgG-induced astrocyte injury. Third, astrocyte injury and brain injury in live mice were assessed by immunofluorescence staining and 7.0T MRI, respectively. Western blotting and high-content screening were conducted to clarify the activation of inflammatory signaling pathways, and changes in CCL2 mRNA and cytokine/chemokines were measured by qPCR technique and flow cytometry, respectively.

Results

There were greatly higher CSF-CCL2 levels in NMOSD patients than that in other non-inflammatory neurological diseases (OND) groups. Blocking astrocyte CCL2 gene expression can efficiently mitigate AQP4-IgG-induced damage in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, prevention of CCL2 expression could decrease other inflammatory cytokines released, including IL-6 and IL-1β. Our data suggest that CCL2 involves in the initiation and plays a pivotal role in AQP4-IgG-damaged astrocytes.

Discussion

Our results indicate that CCL2 may serve as a promising candidate target for inflammatory disorder therapy, including NMOSD.
CD226 identifies functional CD8+T cells in the tumor microenvironment and predicts a better outcome for human gastric cancer
Authors: Huang Hao , Huang Ziyi , Ge Junwei , Yang Jiayi , Chen Junjun , Xu Bin , Wu Shaoxian , Zheng Xiao , Chen Lujun , Zhang Xueguang , Jiang Jingting
Published: March 2023

It is well-known that CD226 serves as a critical activating receptor on various immune cells, such as lymphocytes and monocytes, and it is suggested to promote anti-tumor immunity in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Herein, we showed a crucial regulatory role of CD226 in CD8+T cell-mediated anti-tumor response in TME of human gastric cancer (GC). Specifically, the increased CD226 expression in cancer tissues was significantly associated with better clinical outcomes in GC patients. Moreover, the increased infiltrating CD226+CD8+T cells and the increased ratio of infiltrating CD226+CD8+T cells in CD8+T subpopulation within cancer tissues could also be valuable prognostic predictors for GC patients. Mechanically, the assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) analysis revealed that the chromatin accessibility of CD226 in CD4+ and CD8+TILs was significantly higher than that in CD8+T cells in normal tissues. Further analysis showed that CD8+TILs highly expressed immune checkpoint molecules, such as TIGIT, LAG3, and HAVCR2, which means CD8+TILs are more exhausted. In addition, our multi-color immunohistochemical staining (mIHC) revealed that GC patients with higher frequency of IFN-γ+CD226+CD8+TILs showed poorer prognosis. Combined with the single-cell transcriptome sequencing (scRNA-seq) data analysis, we found that the expressions of IFN-γ and TIGIT in CD8+TILs were significantly and positively correlated. The expression of TIGIT in IFN-γ+CD226+CD8+TILs was higher, while that in IFN-γ-CD226+CD8+TILs was significantly lower. The correlation analysis showed that the expression of CD226 was positively correlated with the score of effector T cells but negatively correlated with that of immunosuppressive factors, such as Tregs and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Collectively, we showed that the frequency of CD226+CD8+TILs was an excellent prognostic predictor for GC patients. Our findings provided insights into the interaction pattern between co-stimulatory receptor CD226 and tumor cells as well as the infiltrating immune cells in the TME in GC.
Current research into A20 mediation of allergic respiratory diseases and its potential usefulness as a therapeutic target
Authors: Liu Yan , Xu Kai , Yao Yin , Liu Zheng
Published: March 2023

Allergic airway diseases are characterized by excessive and prolonged type 2 immune responses to inhaled allergens. Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) is a master regulator of the immune and inflammatory response, which has been implicated to play a prominent role in the pathogenesis of allergic airway diseases. The potent anti-inflammatory protein A20, termed tumor necrosis factor-α-inducible protein 3 (TNFAIP3), exerts its effects by inhibiting NF-κB signaling. The ubiquitin editing abilities of A20 have attracted much attention, resulting in its identification as a susceptibility gene in various autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. According to the results of genome-wide association studies, several TNFAIP3 gene locus nucleotide polymorphisms have been correlated to allergic airway diseases. In addition, A20 has been found to play a pivotal role in immune regulation in childhood asthma, particularly in the protection against environmentally mediated allergic diseases. The protective effects of A20 against allergy were observed in conditional A20-knockout mice in which A20 was depleted in the lung epithelial cells, dendritic cells, or mast cells. Furthermore, A20 administration significantly decreased inflammatory responses in mouse models of allergic airway diseases. Here, we review emerging findings elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which A20 regulates inflammatory signaling in allergic airway diseases, as well as discuss its potential as a therapeutic target.
Relationships between the Hadley circulation and tropical sea surface temperature with different meridional structures simulated in CMIP6 models
Authors: Li Yan , Du Mengying , Feng Juan , Xu Falei , Song Wenjun
Published: March 2023

The variability of the Hadley Circulation (HC) is greatly impacted by the meridional structure of sea surface temperature (SST), which has varied effects depending on its symmetrical or asymmetrical pattern relative to the equator. By using the Coupled Comparison Program International Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) model outputs and reanalysis datasets, this study assesses the capacity of CMIP6 models to simulate the relationship between the HC and tropical SST under different meridional structures, as well as investigates the possible causes for simulation biases. It is shown that the CMIP6 models can successfully reproduce climatological HC, tropical SST, and their spatial patterns of first leading modes under different meridional structures, where the correlation coefficient between simulations and observations reaches 0.8 or above. By comparison, the CMIP6 model outputs exhibit substantial differences in simulating the HC to SST response over the different meridional structures, with obvious inter-model differences. Considering the capability in simulating the HC to tropical SST response, the CMIP6 models are divided into two types, Type I model and Type II model. Models of Type I are those whose simulation results are basically close to the reanalysis data, with the biases being less than 20%. The models of Type II are those whose simulated response ratios are much stronger than those of the reanalysis. It is found that the models of Type II overestimate the intensity of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, and remarkably underestimate the HC and SST correlation in the equatorial symmetric part, resulting in the inability of the models of Type II to capture the connection of the HC and tropical SST. The results indicate that, the component of the CMIP6 models in reproducing the ENSO events has a considerable impact on the simulation of the HC and tropical SST relationship, which offers recommendations for enhancing the capability of models to simulate large-scale tropical air-sea interactions.
Compound small peptide of Chinese medicine alleviates cyclophosphamide induced immunosuppression in mice by Th17/Treg and jejunum intestinal flora
Authors: Cui Yuqing , Zhang Lu , Liu Ying , Liu Wei , Shi Wanyu , Bao Yongzhan
Published: March 2023

The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of Compound small peptide of Chinese medicine (CSPCM) on cyclophosphamide (CTX) induced immunosuppression in mice. The 100 male Kunming mice were divided into 5 groups: group A (control group), group B (model group), group C (100 mg/kg.bw CSPCM), group D (200 mg/kg.bw CSPCM) and group E (400 mg/kg.bw CSPCM). At 1–3 days, mice of group B, C, D and E were intraperitoneally injected with 80 mg/kg.bw CTX. The results showed that compared with group A, the immune organ index, body weight change, RORγ T gene expression, RORγ T protein expression, CD3+ cell number, Th17 number and Alpha index, white blood cell count, lymphocyte count and monocyte count were significantly decreased in group B (p < 0.05), while Foxp3 gene expression, Foxp3 protein expression and Treg cell number were significantly increased (p < 0.05), CSPCM has a good therapeutic effect on the above abnormalities caused by CTX. CTX caused the decrease of intestinal flora richness and the abnormal structure of intestinal flora, and CSPCM could change the intestinal flora destroyed by CTX to the direction of intestinal flora of healthy mice. On the whole, CSPCM has a good therapeutic effect on CTX-induced immunosuppression in mice, which is reflected in the index of immune organs, the number of T lymphocytes and Th17 cells increased, the number of Treg cells decreased and the structure of intestinal flora was reconstructed.
Gut microbiota of two invasive fishes respond differently to temperature
Authors: Zhang Lixia , Yang Zi , Yang Fan , Wang Gege , Zeng Ming , Zhang Zhongxin , Yang Mengxiao , Wang Zhanqi , Li Zhibing
Published: March 2023

Temperature variation structures the composition and diversity of gut microbiomes in ectothermic animals, key regulators of host physiology, with potential benefit to host or lead to converse results (i.e., negative). So, the significance of either effect may largely depend on the length of time exposed to extreme temperatures and how rapidly the gut microbiota can be altered by change in temperature. However, the temporal effects of temperature on gut microbiota have rarely been clarified. To understand this issue, we exposed two juvenile fishes (Cyprinus carpio and Micropterus salmoides), which both ranked among the 100 worst invasive alien species in the world, to increased environmental temperature and sampled of the gut microbiota at multiple time points after exposure so as to determine when differences in these communities become detectable. Further, how temperature affects the composition and function of microbiota was examined by comparing predicted metagenomic profiles of gut microbiota between treatment groups at the final time point of the experiment. The gut microbiota of C. carpio was more plastic than those of M. salmoides. Specifically, communities of C. carpio were greatly altered by increased temperature within 1 week, while communities of M. salmoides exhibit no significant changes. Further, we identified 10 predicted bacterial functional pathways in C. carpio that were temperature-dependent, while none functional pathways in M. salmoides was found to be temperature-dependent. Thus, the gut microbiota of C. carpio was more sensitive to temperature changes and their functional pathways were significantly changed after temperature treatment. These results showed the gut microbiota of the two invasive fishes differ in response to temperature change, which may indicate that they differ in colonization modes. Broadly, we have confirmed that the increased short-term fluctuations in temperatures are always expected to alter the gut microbiota of ectothermic vertebrates when facing global climate change.
Changes in the structure and function of rhizosphere soil microbial communities induced by Amaranthus palmeri invasion
Authors: Zhang Mei , Shi Cong , Li Xueying , Wang Kefan , Qiu Zhenlu , Shi Fuchen
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Plant invasion can profoundly alter ecosystem processes driven by microorganisms. The fundamental mechanisms linking microbial communities, functional genes, and edaphic characteristics in invaded ecosystems are, nevertheless, poorly understood.

Methods

Here, soil microbial communities and functions were determined across 22 Amaranthus palmeri (A. palmeri) invaded patches by pairwise 22 native patches located in the Jing-Jin-Ji region of China using high-throughput amplicon sequencing and quantitative microbial element cycling technologies.

Results

As a result, the composition and structure of rhizosphere soil bacterial communities differed significantly between invasive and native plants according to principal coordinate analysis. A. palmeri soils exhibited higher abundance of Bacteroidetes and Nitrospirae, and lower abundance of Actinobacteria than native soils. Additionally, compared to native rhizosphere soils, A. palmeri harbored a much more complex functional gene network with higher edge numbers, average degree, and average clustering coefficient, as well as lower network distance and diameter. Furthermore, the five keystone taxa identified in A. palmeri rhizosphere soils belonged to the orders of Longimicrobiales, Kineosporiales, Armatimonadales, Rhizobiales and Myxococcales, whereas Sphingomonadales and Gemmatimonadales predominated in the native rhizosphere soils. Moreover, random forest model revealed that keystone taxa were more important indicators of soil functional attributes than edaphic variables in both A. palmeri and native rhizosphere soils. For edaphic variables, only ammonium nitrogen was a significant predictor of soil functional potentials in A. palmeri invaded ecosystems. We also found keystone taxa in A. palmeri rhizosphere soils had strong and positive correlations with functional genes compared to native soils.

Discussion

Our study highlighted the importance of keystone taxa as a driver of soil functioning in invaded ecosystem.