bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychometric Properties of the Recovery Experiences Questionnaire in Peruvian Teachers of Regular Basic Education
Authors: Carranza Esteban Renzo Felipe , Mamani-Benito Oscar , Zúñiga Dámaris Quinteros , Turpo Chaparro Josué Edison , Romero Abel Apaza , Murillo Walter
Published: July 2022

The objective of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the recovery experiences questionnaire in Peruvian teachers of regular basic education. Instrumental design research, with the participation of 740 regular basic education teachers (494 women and 246 men), whose ages were between 21 and 65 years old (M = 40.22, SD = 9.99). Validity evidence based on the internal structure was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis, based on relation to other variables through correlation analysis, and reliability was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The factorial structure of the questionnaire was confirmed (χ2 = 209.683, degree of freedom (df) = 48, p = 0.000; comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.986; Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = 0.981; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.068; standardized residual value mean square (SRMR) = 0.032; Weighted root mean square residual (WRMR) = 0.951); Therefore, the model of 12 items distributed in four factors (Distancing, Relaxation, Seeking challenges, and Control) is satisfactory and the reliability is acceptable, with α values between 0.80 and 0.83. The recovery experiences questionnaire demonstrates validity and reliability for Peruvian regular basic education teachers.
LncRNA GAS5 Knockdown Mitigates Hepatic Lipid Accumulation via Regulating MiR-26a-5p/PDE4B to Activate cAMP/CREB Pathway
Authors: Xu Shizan , Wang Yajie , Li Zhengyang , Hua Qian , Jiang Miao , Fan Xiaoming
Published: July 2022

Objective

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can be attributed to the dysregulation of hepatic lipid metabolism; however, its cellular and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to explore the effect of long non-coding RNA growth arrest specific 5 (GAS5) on hepatic lipid metabolism in fatty liver models.

Methods

Obese mice, high fat diet-fed mice and free fatty acid-stimulated cells were used for GAS5 expression detection. GAS5 overexpression or knockdown models were established to elucidate the regulatory function of GAS5 in de novo lipogenesis (DNL) and mitochondrial function. Bioinformatic analyses and dual luciferase assays were used to investigate the interaction between GAS5, miR-26a-5p and phosphodiesterase (PDE) 4B. The involvement of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) pathway was evaluated using H89 and forskolin treatment.

Results

GAS5 was activated in vitro and in vivo fatty liver models. Knockdown of GAS5 reduced lipid droplet accumulation, DNL associated enzymes and preserved mitochondrial function, while GAS5 overexpression exacerbated hepatic lipid accumulation. Mechanistically, GAS5 sponged miR-26a-5p to increase PDE4B expression and subsequently modulated DNL and mitochondrial function via the cAMP/CREB pathway.

Conclusion

Downregulation of GAS5 can activate the cAMP/CREB pathway through miR-26a-5p/PDE4B axis to mitigate hepatic lipid accumulation. This study provides evidence that downregulation of GAS5 may be a potential therapeutic option for the treatment of NAFLD.
Aberrant expression of transglutaminase 2 in pancreas and thymus of NOD mice underscores the importance of deamidation in neoantigen generation
Authors: Callebaut Aїsha , Bruggeman Ylke , Zamit Cloé , Sodré Fernanda Marques Câmara , Irla Magali , Mathieu Chantal , Buitinga Mijke , Overbergh Lut
Published: July 2022

Post-translational modifications can lead to a break in immune tolerance in autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes (T1D). Deamidation, the conversion of glutamine to glutamic acid by transglutaminase (TGM) enzymes, is a post-translational modification of interest, with deamidated peptides being reported as autoantigens in T1D. However, little is known about how Tgm2, the most ubiquitously expressed Tgm isoform, is regulated and how tolerance against deamidated peptides is lost. Here, we report on the aberrant expression and regulation of Tgm2 in the pancreas and thymus of NOD mice. We demonstrate that Tgm2 expression is induced by the inflammatory cytokines IL1β and IFNγ in a synergistic manner and that murine pancreatic islets of NOD mice have higher Tgm2 levels, while Tgm2 levels in medullary thymic epithelial cells are reduced. We thus provide the first direct evidence to our knowledge that central tolerance establishment against deamidated peptides might be impaired due to lower Tgm2 expression in NOD medullary thymic epithelial cells, which together with the aberrantly high levels of deamidated peptides in NOD β-cells underscores the role of deamidation in amplifying T-cell reactivity.
Determinants of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy and Their Clinical Significance: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Cheng Yifan , Cao Wen , Zhang Junzhe , Wang Jiabin , Liu Xiang , Wu Qianqian , Lin Qingxia
Published: July 2022

Background

In this study, we investigated the epidemiological characteristics and predictors of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods

The study was designed as a retrospective cohort trial at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. From January 2017 to December 2020, a total of 1,262 patients with DM were enrolled to assess the risk factors for DPN. The patients were divided into two groups (DPN group and non-DPN group). The Mann–Whitney U test or t-test, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses, univariate chi-square analyses, and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the adjusted predictors of DPN.

Results

The overall prevalence of DPN in DM patients was 72.7% (n = 793/1,091). Multivariate analysis revealed that age > 66 years (odds ratio [OR], 2.647; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.469–4.770; p = 0.002), history of hypertension (OR, 1.829; 95% CI 1.146–2.920; p = 0.011), neutrophil (NE) levels exceeding 4.0 × 109/L (OR 0.256; 95% CI 0.162–0.405; p = 0.001), lymphocyte (LY) levels over 3.0 × 109/L (OR 7.173; 95% CI 4.258–12.086; p = 0.000), HbA1c > 7.7% (OR 3.151; 95% CI 1.959–5.068; p = 0.000), and FT3 > 4.4 pmol/L (OR 0.417; 95% CI 0.263–0.662; p = 0.000) were six significant predictive factors for the prevalence of DPN.

Conclusions

High levels of LY, HbA1c, history of hypertension, and > 66 years of age increase the risk of DPN in adult patients with DM, while high levels of NE and FT3 were protective factors of DPN. Thus, the prediction of DPN can significantly be improved by identifying older patients over the age of 66 and history of hypertension, as well as establishing the biochemical cutoff values of NE, LY, HbA1c, and FT3.
SP1-Induced Upregulation of lncRNA LINC00659 Promotes Tumour Progression in Gastric Cancer by Regulating miR-370/AQP3 Axis
Authors: Wang Yao , Guo Yuanyuan , Zhuang Tianchi , Xu Ting , Ji Minghui
Published: July 2022

Growing evidence demonstrates that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in various human tumors. LncRNA LINC00659 (LINC00659) is a newly identified lncRNA and its roles in tumors remain largely unclear. In this study, we elucidated the potential functions and molecular mechanisms of LINC00659 on the biological behaviors of gastric cancer (GC), and also explored its clinical significance. We firstly demonstrated that LINC00659 levels were distinctly up-regulated in both GC specimens and cells using bioinformatics analysis and RT-PCR. The results of ChIP assays and luciferase reporter assays confirmed that upregulation of LINC00659 was activated by SP1 in GC. Clinical assays revealed that higher levels of LINC00659 were associated with TNM stage, lymphatic metastasis, and poorer prognosis. Moreover, LINC00659 was confirmed to be an independent prognostic marker for the patients with GC using multivariate assays. Lost-of-function assays indicated that knockdown of LINC00659 suppressed the proliferation, metastasis, and EMT progress of GC cells in vitro. Mechanistic investigation indicated that LINC00659 served as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-370, thereby resulting in the upregulation of leading to the depression of its endogenous target gene AQP3. Overall, our present study revealed that the LINC00659/miR-370/AQP3 axis contributes to GC progression, which may provide clues for the exploration of cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets for GC.
Effect of Science and Technology Finance Policy on Urban Green Development in China
Authors: Gao Chen , Song Pingting , Wen Ya , Yang Deyong
Published: July 2022

Green sustainable development is a major challenge faced by countries worldwide. Against the strategic background of innovation-driven development, studying the impact of science and technology finance policy (STFP) on urban green development is of great practical significance. Based on urban panel data from 2003 to 2019, this study systematically examines whether and how STFP affects urban green development in China using the difference-in-differences (DID) method. The empirical results show that STFP has significantly stimulated the urban green development level, and the effect of policy implementation has increased first and then decreased over time. The findings remain robust when using propensity score matching DID to avoid selection bias and other factors that may interfere with the estimation results. Additionally, technological innovation and green innovation are essential channels for STFP to improve urban green development. The impact of STFP is found to vary by region and by the level of urban innovation. Specifically, the policy effect is more pronounced in midwestern and high-innovation cities but less obvious in eastern and low-innovation cities. In conclusion, this study provides city-level empirical evidence from China for an in-depth understanding of the green economy effect of STFP. It also provides theoretical guidance and policy references for accelerating the green transition in the context of sustainable development.
Online monitoring and sampling analysis of siltation in the middle route of the south-to-north water diversion project
Authors: Zhang Dawei , Han Xiaolin , Zhong Qiang , Wang Shulei , Ding Liuqian , Liu Yuan , Chen Qigang , Wang Fujun
Published: July 2022

The middle route project (MRP) of the South to North Water Diversion Project is a significant infrastructure and alleviating water scarcity in Northern China. MRP suffered from untraditional siltation problems. Obvious siltation occurred in the regulating reservoir at the end of the channel and some locations with weak hydrodynamic conditions in the channel when the mineral siltation concentration in the flow is very low. To study the characteristics of the siltation and the siltation time period, an IoT based automatic siltation monitoring system using cloud was installed at the outlet of the inverted siphon project on Xiao River. Three years of online monitoring data since 2018 and the siltation samples at five sites for particle size analysis were collected. The monitoring data shows that siltation mainly occurs during March to October, and almost no siltation occurs in winter. The maximum siltation speed can reach 390 mm per day. The particle size of the siltation gradually increases from upstream to downstream, which mainly occurs in the range above 100 m. The organic matter contained in the siltation shows a significant increase from 40.3 to 86.4% at upstream and downstream sampling position, respectively. Monitoring results shows the main body of the siltation in the MRP is not the traditional siltation but the remnants of the algae that proliferate in large numbers. During March to October, the temperature is suitable for the proliferation of algae which attaches to the sediment particles and gradually grows downstream with the flow.
The PSR-FA-NAR model for assessing and forecasting environmental impacts: An empirical analysis of Changning–Weiyuan shale gas play in China
Authors: Sun Jinfeng , Yu Yu , Wang Wuli , Zhu Xiaoping , Ma Xiaohu , Sun Xiaoli
Published: July 2022

The largest ever investment in shale gas resources has induced potential environmental threats in China. The assessment and forecasting of environmental impacts associated with shale gas production is highly challenging due to the characteristics of high uncertainty, nonlinearity, and complexity. This paper proposes a new hybrid model by combining the pressure-state-response (PSR) framework with the firefly algorithm (FA) and a nonlinear auto-regressive (NAR) dynamic neural network (the PSR-FA-NAR model) to detect and forecast the state of the environment as well as send warning signals for shale gas production. Then, an empirical sample, the Changning-Weiyuan national-level shale gas pilot zone that produces more than 50% of Chinese shale gas output, is used to test the effectiveness of the proposed model. The results show that Changning play will predictably face severe environmental threats imposed by rapid development, and the model is not only able to capture nonlinearity time-series and present cause-effect relationships but is also able to improve the predictive performance and forecasting accuracy. It proves that the PSR-FA-NAR model can effectively address the problems with high dimensionality, complexity, and nonlinearity and provides a practical methodology to quantify and identify the potential environmental impacts of unconventional oil and gas production.
Vocal behavior and the use of social information during roost finding
Authors: Sagot Maria , Giacomini Giada , Chaves-Ramírez Silvia , Hernández-Pinsón H. Andrés , Chaverri Gloriana
Published: July 2022

When selecting feeding, hiding, or resting areas, animals face multiple decisions with different fitness consequences. To maximize efficiency, individuals can either collect personal information, or use information gathered and transmitted by other individuals (social information). Within group living species, organisms often specialize in either generating social information or using information gathered by other groups members. That is the case of the Spix’s disk-winged bat, Thyroptera tricolor. This species uses contact calls during roost finding. Social groups are composed by a mix of vocal and non-vocal individuals and those vocal roles appear to be consistent over time. Moreover, their vocal behavior can predict roost finding in natural settings, suggesting that vocal individuals are capable of generating social information that can be used by other group members. To date, however, we do not know if when presented with social information (contact calls) during roost finding, vocal individuals will make more or less use of these cues, compared to non-vocal individuals. To answer this question, we broadcast contact calls from a roost inside a flight cage to test whether vocal individuals could find a potential roost faster than non-vocal individuals when they encounter sounds that signal the presence of a roost site. Our results suggest that non-vocal individuals select roost sites based primarily on social information, whereas vocal individuals do not rely heavily on social information when deciding where to roost. This study provides the first link between vocal behavior and the use of social information during the search for roosting resources in bats. Incorporating ideas of social roles, and how individuals decide when and where to move based on the use of social information, may shed some light on these and other outstanding questions about the social lives of bats.
Genomic characterization of polyextremotolerant black yeasts isolated from food and food production environments
Authors: Cai Shiyu , Snyder Abigail B.
Published: July 2022

Black yeasts have been isolated from acidic, low water activity, and thermally processed foods as well as from surfaces in food manufacturing plants. The genomic basis for their relative tolerance to food-relevant environmental stresses has not been well defined. In this study, we performed whole genome sequencing (WGS) on seven black yeast strains including Aureobasidium (n=5) and Exophiala (n=2) which were isolated from food or food production environments. These strains were previously characterized for their tolerance to heat, hyperosmotic pressure, high pressure processing, hypochlorite sanitizers, and ultraviolet light. Based on the WGS data, three of the strains previously identified as A. pullulans were reassigned as A. melanogenum. Both haploid and diploid A. melanogenum strains were identified in this collection. Single-locus phylogenies based on beta tubulin, RNA polymerase II, or translation elongation factor protein sequences were compared to the phylogeny produced through SNP analysis, revealing that duplication of the fungal genome in diploid strains complicates the use of single-locus phylogenetics. There was not a strong association between phylogeny and either environmental source or stress tolerance phenotype, nor were trends in the copy numbers of stress-related genes associated with extremotolerance within this collection. While there were obvious differences between the genera, the heterogenous distribution of stress tolerance phenotypes and genotypes suggests that food-relevant black yeasts may be ubiquitous rather than specialists associated with particular ecological niches. However, further evaluation of additional strains and the potential impact of gene sequence modification is necessary to confirm these findings.
A Genome-Wide Analysis of StTGA Genes Reveals the Critical Role in Enhanced Bacterial Wilt Tolerance in Potato During Ralstonia solanacearum Infection
Authors: Tian Tian , Yu Ruimin , Suo Yanyun , Cheng Lixiang , Li Guizhi , Yao Dan , Song Yanjie , Wang Huanjun , Li Xinyu , Gao Gang
Published: July 2022

TGA is one of the members of TGACG sequence-specific binding protein family, which plays a crucial role in the regulated course of hormone synthesis as a stress-responsive transcription factor (TF). Little is known, however, about its implication in response to bacterial wilt disease in potato (Solanum tuberosum) caused by Ralstonia solanacearum. Here, we performed an in silico identification and analysis of the members of the TGA family based on the whole genome data of potato. In total, 42 StTGAs were predicted to be distributed on four chromosomes in potato genome. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the proteins of StTGAs could be divided into six sub-families. We found that many of these genes have more than one exon according to the conserved motif and gene structure analysis. The heat map inferred that StTGAs are generally expressed in different tissues which are at different stages of development. Genomic collinear analysis showed that there are homologous relationships among potato, tomato, pepper, Arabidopsis, and tobacco TGA genes. Cis-element in silico analysis predicted that there may be many cis-acting elements related to abiotic and biotic stress upstream of StTGA promoter including plant hormone response elements. A representative member StTGA39 was selected to investigate the potential function of the StTGA genes for further analysis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays indicated that the expression of the StTGAs was significantly induced by R. solanacearum infection and upregulated by exogenous salicylic acid (SA), abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellin 3 (GA3), and methyl jasmonate (MeJA). The results of yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) assay showed that StTGA39 regulates S. tuberosum BRI1-associated receptor kinase 1 (StBAK1) expression. Thus, our study provides a theoretical basis for further research of the molecular mechanism of the StTGA gene of potato tolerance to bacterial wilt.
Potentials and challenges of chromosomal microarray analysis in prenatal diagnosis
Authors: Liu Xijing , Liu Shanling , Wang He , Hu Ting
Published: July 2022

Introduction: For decades, conventional karyotyping analysis has been the gold standard for detecting chromosomal abnormalities during prenatal diagnosis. With the development of molecular cytogenetic methods, this situation has dramatically changed. Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA), a method of genome-wide detection with high resolution, has been recommended as a first-tier test for prenatal diagnosis, especially for fetuses with structural abnormalities.

Methods: Based on the primary literature, this review provides an updated summary of the application of CMA for prenatal diagnosis. In addition, this review addresses the challenges that CMA faces with the emergence of genome sequencing techniques, such as copy number variation sequencing, genome-wide cell-free DNA testing, and whole exome sequencing.

Conclusion: The CMA platform is still suggested as priority testing methodology in the prenatal setting currently. However, pregnant women may benefit from genome sequencing, which enables the simultaneous detection of copy number variations, regions of homozygosity and single-nucleotide variations, in near future.
The clinical significance, immune infiltration, and tumor mutational burden of angiogenesis-associated lncRNAs in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Wei , Liu Zhiming , Wang Jinpeng , Geng Bo , Hou Wenbin , Zhao Enyang , Li Xuedong
Published: July 2022

Background

Poor prognosis of kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is often related to angiogenesis. The lncRNAs that regulate angiogenesis could also affect the prognosis of KIRC. It is meaningful for us to use lncRNAs related to angiogenesis to construct a generic, individualized prognostic signature for patients with KIRC.

Methods

We identified eight angiogenesis-associated genes (AAGs) by differential expression analysis and univariate Cox regression from The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset, including 537 KIRC samples and 72 normal samples. In total, 23 prognostic lncRNAs were screened out after Pearson correlation analysis and univariate Cox regression analysis. Then, we performed least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and multivariate Cox regression to establish a four-AAG-related lncRNA prognostic signature.

Results

The risk score was calculated for each KIRC patients by using a four-AAG-related lncRNA prognostic signature. We divided the KIRC patients into high- and low-risk groups by the median of the risk score. It was confirmed that the AAG-related lncRNA prognostic signature has good prognostic value for KIRC patients by time-dependent receiver operating characteristic and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. We identified 3,399 differentially expressed genes between the high- and low-risk groups and performed their functional enrichment analyses. The AAG-related lncRNA prognostic signature was an independent prognostic predictor for KIRC patients and was used to perform a combined nomogram. We reevaluated them in terms of survival, clinic characteristics, tumor-infiltrating immune cells and tumor mutation burden.

Conclusion

Our research indicates that the AAG-related lncRNA prognostic signature is a promising and potential independent prognostic indicator for KIRC patients. Then, it could offer new insights into the prognosis assessment and potential treatment strategies of KIRC patients.
CipA mediates complement resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii by formation of a factor I-dependent quadripartite assemblage
Authors: Ries Julia I. , Heß Marie , Nouri Noura , Wichelhaus Thomas A. , Göttig Stephan , Falcone Franco H. , Kraiczy Peter
Published: July 2022

Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is known to be one of the leading pathogens that cause severe nosocomial infections. To overcome eradication by the innate immune system during infection, A. baumannii developed a number of immune evasion strategies. Previously, we identified CipA as a plasminogen-binding and complement-inhibitory protein. Here we show that CipA inhibits all three complement activation pathways and interacts with key complement components C3, C3b, C4b, C5, Factor B, Factor D, and in particular Factor I. CipA also targets function of the C5 convertase as cleavage of C5 was impaired. Systematic screening of CipA variants identified two separate binding sites for C3b and a Factor I-interacting domain located at the C-terminus. Structure predictions using AlphaFold2 and binding analyses employing CipA variants lacking Factor I-binding capability confirmed that the orientation of the C-terminal domain is essential for the interaction with Factor I. Hence, our analyses point to a novel Factor I-dependent mechanisms of complement inactivation mediated by CipA of A. baumannii. Recruitment of Factor I by CipA initiates the assembly of a quadripartite complex following binding of either Factor H or C4b-binding protein to degrade C3b and C4b, respectively. Loss of Factor I binding in a CipA-deficient strain, or a strain producing a CipA variant lacking Factor I-binding capability, correlated with a higher susceptibility to human serum, indicating that recruitment of Factor I enables A. baumannii to resist complement-mediated killing.
The promising immune checkpoint LAG-3 in cancer immunotherapy: from basic research to clinical application
Authors: Huo Jin-Ling , Wang Ya-Tao , Fu Wen-Jia , Lu Nan , Liu Zhang-Suo
Published: July 2022

LAG-3, a type of immune checkpoint receptor protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily, is confirmed to be expressed on activated immune cells, mainly including activated T cells. LAG-3 can negatively regulate the function of T cells, exerting important effects on maintaining the homeostasis of the immune system under normal physiological conditions and promoting tumor cells immune escape in the tumor microenvironment. Given its important biological roles, LAG-3 has been regarded as a promising target for cancer immunotherapy. To date, many LAG-3 inhibitors have been reported, which can be divided into monoclonal antibody, double antibody, and small molecule drug, some of which have entered the clinical research stage. LAG-3 inhibitors can negatively regulate and suppress T cell proliferation and activation through combination with MHC II ligand. Besides, LAG-3 inhibitors can also affect T cell function via binding to Galectin-3 and LSECtin. In addition, LAG-3 inhibitors can prevent the FGL1-LAG-3 interaction, thereby enhancing the human body’s antitumor immune effect. In this review, we will describe the function of LAG-3 and summarize the latest LAG-3 inhibitors in the clinic for cancer therapy.
Dynamic prediction of the ricker-type model of Portunus trituberculatus on the basis of marine environmental factors
Authors: Gao Li , Bai Xuan , Wang Yingbin
Published: July 2022

Based on the data of Portunus trituberculatus and environmental factors in the northern East China Sea from 2001 to 2014, a Ricker-type model was used in investigating the effects of environmental factors on P. trituberculatus recruitment. The main environmental factors include the area of red tide, sea level height, sea surface salinity, and typhoon landing times with wind forces above 6 near the center. We assumed that the distributions of environmental data vary and selected AIC, BIC, and maximum likelihood as criteria for the selection of the best distribution of each environmental factor. Environmental factor data were simulated according to the distributions (repeated 10,000 times). The Ricker model with ln-linear environmental impact was used in predicting the recruitment of P. trituberculatus under different combinations of various environmental factors for a given spawning stock biomass. Results show that the predicted recruitment abundance most likely appears between 10 × 103 and 15 × 103 million individuals, and the probability is approximately 39.56%. The environmental condition in which the four environmental factors have the best and worst combinations was also simulated. Our results indicate that red tide and typhoon are the two dominant factors affecting the recruitment of P. trituberculatus. The results show that at the 5% significance level, if the recruitment is less than 6.394 × 103 million individuals, then it is probably under a bad environment condition. Similarly, if recruitment is more than 28.305 × 103 million individuals, then it is probably under a good environmental condition. This study provides a technical reference for the scientific prediction and management of P. trituberculatus and other fishery resources subjected to various environmental conditions.
Striped marlin in their Pacific Ocean milieu: Vertical movements and habitats vary with time and place
Authors: Lam Chi Hin , Tam Clayward , Lutcavage Molly E.
Published: July 2022

Striped marlin, Kajikia audax, a top bycatch of the longline fishery, has been designated as being in overfished condition in the Western and Central North Pacific, and overfishing is still occurring. This prompts an urgent need to devise conservation and management measures based on the best, current information on the biology and ecology of this species. Despite decades of conventional tagging around the Hawaiian waters, ecological research on striped marlin in the Central North Pacific has been lacking since 2005, and little is known about striped marlin’s vertical habitat, diving behavior and bycatch vulnerability in this area. To address this knowledge void, 31 popup satellite archival tags (4 X-Tags; Microwave Telemetry, Inc. and 27 MiniPATs; Wildlife Computers Inc.) were deployed on striped marlin (138-192 cm eye fork length) between 2016 and 2019 via the Hawaii-based longline fleet. Transmitted time series records revealed striped marlin spent 38 and 81% of their day and night in the top 5 m, with median daytime and night depths of 44 m and 2 m, respectively. Temperatures experienced were 23.3°C, daytime median, and 24.6°C, nighttime median, to a minimum of 7.6°C at the deepest depth logged, 472 m. Striped marlin exhibited distinct swimming behaviors, including diel depth distributions, excursions around the top of the thermocline, and extended time at the surface, most likely reflecting the dynamic biophysical environment and intrinsic life history of this highly migratory predator. High post-release survivorship (86%) in tagged striped marlin, and their predominant use of the sea surface and mixed layer indicate that live release measures can be a viable bycatch reduction strategy.
Fine-scale survey of intertidal macroalgae reveals recent changes in a cold-water biogeographic stronghold
Authors: Monteiro Cátia , Pereira Joana , Seabra Rui , Lima Fernando P.
Published: July 2022

Global warming has been causing severe impacts on marine ecosystems, a notorious one being shifts in the geographical ranges of species. The north-western coast of the Iberian Peninsula is an especially interesting zone to study distributional shifts as it has a strong latitudinal thermal gradient, is influenced by the Canary upwelling system (which partially cancels coastal warming) and holds some of the most diverse macroalgae communities in Europe. Notably, it is within this region that many cold-water species, common in northern Europe, have their southernmost distribution refuge. Recent studies hypothesize that the environmental conditions may be nonetheless changing and already threatening this biodiversity hotspot. The main goal of this study was to carry out a fine-scale assessment of the distributional limits of several macroalgae in North-western Iberia, as well as identify possible population and range shifts using historical data (2001-2005) as reference. In addition, non-indigenous species were also surveyed. We also assessed if the regions of (i) Galicia, (ii) Northern Portugal, and (iii) Central Portugal displayed distinctive characters regarding macroalgae composition and abundance. We identified an increase in abundance of some non-indigenous macroalgae as well as a decrease in the abundance of some cold-water species. In the most severe cases, cold-water species were extirpated along hundreds of km. The compounded effect of the decrease in the abundance of cold-water species and the increase in the abundance of non-indigenous species is leading to the homogenization of macroalgae communities in north-western Iberia.
Temporal Change and Fishing Down Food Webs in Small-Scale Fisheries in Morondava, Madagascar
Authors: Gough Charlotte , Ateweberhan Mebrahtu , Godley Brendan J. , Harris Alasdair , Le Manach Frédéric , Zafindranosy Erude , Broderick Annette C.
Published: July 2022

Small-scale fisheries (SSFs) are often undervalued and unmanaged as a result of a lack of data. A study of SSFs in Menabe, western Madagascar in 1991 found diverse catches and a productive fishery with some evidence of declining catches. Here we compare data collected at the same landing site in 1991 and 2011. 2011 had seven times greater total monthly landings due to more people fishing and higher individual catches. Catch composition showed a lower mean trophic level in 2011 indicating overfishing, the true extent of which may be masked due to changes in technology and fishing behaviours. Limited management action since 2011 means these trends have likely continued and an urgent need for both greater understanding, and management of these fisheries remains if they are to continue providing food and income for fishing communities.
Evaluation of Food Web Structure and Complexity in the Process of Kelp Bed Recovery Using Stable Isotope Analysis
Authors: Kim Moon Jung , Yun Hee Young , Shin Kyung-Hoon , Kim Jeong Ha
Published: July 2022

Kelp forests have declined gradually all over the world. Understanding the trophic structure of such a productive and diverse ecosystem is crucial for its restoration and effective management. Few studies, however, have focused on the trophic structure and functional recovery of kelp forests in the process of restoration. This study was conducted in the eastern coast of Korea where kelp bed restoration was in process with the removal of sea urchins. In addition to quantitative measurement for recovery using common community parameters, we investigated how fast the stability of a food web structure could be established in the newly restored kelp beds with an initially barren condition, using stable isotope analysis, in comparison with a nearby natural bed and barren site. At the restored bed, total algal biomass and diversity reached the levels of the natural bed within 1 year. While the δ13C and δ15N values of macroalgae and organic matter were separated isotopically, they were similar among sites, excluding organic matter at the natural bed in 2019. Most consumers showed similar isotopic values among sites, with overlapping range for δ13C of producers. However, some herbivores showed higher δ15N values as predators/omnivores, particularly at barrens, which could be explained by trophic plasticity depending on the macroalgal structure. In the restored bed, for the first year, higher trophic diversity (CR, CD) and lower trophic redundancy (MNND, SDNND) showed non-overlapping >50% CIs among sites. However, this distinctive stage moved toward the natural bed upon entering the second year as trophic diversity decreased and trophic redundancy increased while natural bed overlapped at<50% CIs. The recovery speed in this system was fast (1 year for quantitative perspectives and 2 years for functional completion). After removing the sea urchins, recruitment of macroalgae quickly increased concomitantly with consumer groups, boosting the diversity and trophic structure of the restored bed. The trophic structure of the first year of restoration was not an intermediate stage toward the completion, but a transient over-shooting state. This might have been triggered by the fast introduction of diverse macroalgae to the urchin-free bare rock space, providing an interesting finding needed to be tested in other temperate marine systems.
Small tropical islands as hotspots of crustose calcifying red algal diversity and endemism
Authors: Mills Matthew S. , Deinhart Mari E. , Heagy Mackenzie N. , Schils Tom
Published: July 2022

In the tropics, crustose calcifying red algae (Corallinophycidae and Peyssonneliales; CCRA) are dominant and important reef builders that serve a suite of ecological functions affecting reef health. However, CCRA taxa have historically been overlooked in floristic and ecological studies because of their high degrees of phenotypic plasticity and morphological convergence that impede reliable identifications based on morphology. This study provides an update of the CCRA diversity of Guam (Mariana Islands) based on a recent DNA barcoding effort. This account of CCRA taxa is compared to (1) the most current species inventories for Guam based on morphological identifications and (2) similar floristic accounts of CCRA from other regions using DNA barcoding. 492 CCRA specimens were collected from Guam for which two markers, COI-5P andpsbA, were used for phylogenetic analysis and species delimitation. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred using maximum likelihood. Species richness estimates were obtained through a conservative approach using the Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery method for species delimitation. A total of 154 putative CCRA species were identified, with 106 representatives of the subclass Corallinophycidae and 48 belonging to the order Peyssonneliales. When compared to previous studies based on morphological identification, molecular data suggests that all but one of the CCRA species reported for Guam were incorrectly identified and CCRA species richness is more than six times higher than previously assumed. Species accumulation curves show that CCRA species richness will continue to rise with increased sampling effort and the exploration of new (micro)habitats before reaching a plateau. Guam’s true CCRA richness might eventually exceed the currently reported species richness of all marine red algae for the island. Of the 154 putative species documented in this study, only ten closely match (≥ 98% COI-5P sequence similarity) previously described species, implying that many are probably new species to science. The here-reported CCRA diversity for Guam as a small, remote tropical island in the Western Pacific Ocean is greater than those of well-documented CCRA floras for much larger nearshore ecosystems in Brazil and New Zealand, emphasizing the value of tropical islands as hotspots of marine biodiversity.
Human-Induced Hydrological Connectivity: Impacts of Footpaths on Beach Wrack Transport in a Frequently Visited Baltic Coastal Wetland
Authors: Karstens Svenja , Kiesel Joshua , Petersen Lennart , Etter Kilian , Schneider von Deimling Jens , Vafeidis Athanasios T. , Gross Felix
Published: July 2022

Coastal wetlands depend on vertical accretion to keep up with sea level rise in cases where embankment restricts accommodation space and landward migration. For coastal wetland survival, autogenic productivity (litter, root decay) as well as allogenic matter input are crucial. Beach wrack composed of seagrass and algae can serve as an important allogenic matter source, increase surface roughness, elevate the backshore, and influence the blue carbon budget. The objective of this study is to understand how human footpaths in a frequently accessed Baltic coastal wetland influence beach wrack transport and accumulation. Beach wrack monitoring during the winter storm season 2021/2022 was conducted in high spatial and temporal resolution with bi-weekly UAV flights. Object-based identification, segmentation, and classification of orthophotos with open-source software allowed the detection of beach wrack patches with a mean area of 0.6–2.7 m². Three major storm events occurred during the monitoring period (Arwen, Malik, Eunice). Regardless of wind speed or direction, the main accumulation zones remained stable. The east-west footpath that crosses the coastal wetland and connects the tourist hotspots served as a “highway” for water-mediated transport of beach wrack. Total area covered by beach wrack fluctuated between 1,793 and 2,378 m² with a peak after storm Malik in January 2022. The densely accumulated beach wrack along the main east-west footpath formed an elongated micro-cliff-like structure and limited landward transport. Additional aerial image analysis for the last 15 years showed that the position of the footpaths remained stable. This pioneering study offers first insights into the fate of beach wrack in an anthropogenically influenced Baltic coastal wetland where larger tidal channels that usually generate hydrological connectivity are missing. The identified transport patterns and accumulation hotspots are a starting point for further research on how beach wrack behaves in (waterlogged) coastal wetlands compared to decomposition on sandy beaches.
Effects of different stocking densities on the CO2 fluxes at water-air interface and the respiration metabolism in sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka)
Authors: Mei Yaoping , Tian Yuan , Gao Qinfeng , Dong Shuanglin , Li Xueqi , Xu Yuling
Published: July 2022

Recently, abundant research has been devoted to investigating the variations of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. However, the information of CO2 fluxes at the water-air interface remains limited, especially those from the respiratory metabolism of aquatic organisms. In the present study, a comprehensive analysis was carried out to evaluate the effects of different stocking densities of sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) on the CO2 fluxes at water-air interface, and to explore the relationships between CO2 fluxes and respiratory metabolism. A total of 60 sea cucumbers were randomly classified into 4 groups with different stocking densities, including 2, 5 and 8 ind./tank (namely D2, D5 and D8 groups). After 34-day feeding trial, individuals in D5 had superior growth performance rather than D2 and D8. The analysis of modified floating static chambers clearly showed that the mean CO2 flux at the water-air interface in D5 was significantly higher than D2 and D8. Meanwhile, energy budget analysis revealed that D5 had higher carbon and nitrogen utilization, excretion energy and metabolizable energy, suggesting relatively active respiration metabolism in moderate stocking density. The activities of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (OGDH) in respiratory tree and body wall tissues provided additional evidence for the higher respiration metabolism rate of individuals at D5, which may be responsible for the higher CO2 fluxes at the water-air interface. Transcriptome analysis was performed to uncover the molecular mechanism of respiratory metabolism affected by different stocking densities. The differentially expressed genes in respiration trees and body walls were significantly enriched in peroxisome, fatty acid degradation, and oxidative phosphorylation pathways. It may explain the differences of respiration metabolism rates at different stocking densities. The present study preliminarily revealed the CO2 fluxes variation at the water-air interface from aquatic invertebrates, and provided the scientific basis for the efficient and low-carbon agricultural technologies of sea cucumber.
Isolation, identification, molecular docking analysis, and cytoprotection of seven novel angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory peptides from miiuy croaker byproducts-swim bladders
Authors: Zhu Wang-Yu , Wang Yu-Mei , Suo Shi-Kun , Zheng Shuo-Lei , Wang Bin
Published: July 2022

For efficiently utilizing the processing byproducts of miiuy croaker to prepare novel angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory (ACEi) peptides, in vitro gastrointestinal (GI) digestion method was screened and employed to prepare swim bladder hydrolysate with the highest ACEi activity. Subsequently, seven novel ACEi peptides were isolated from the hydrolysate and identified as DEGPE, EVGIQ, SHGEY, GPWGPA, GPFGTD, SPYGF, and VIGPF with molecular weights of 545.49, 544.58, 591.55, 583.63, 592.59, 569.60, and 531.63 Da, respectively. SHGEY and SPYGF exhibited remarkable ACEi activity with IC50 values of 0.86 ± 0.12 and 0.37 ± 0.06 mg/mL. Molecular docking experiment illustrated that the significant ACEi activity of SHGEY and SPYGF with the affinity of -8.7 and -9.7 kcal/mol mainly attributed to effectively combining with the ACEi active sites by hydrophobic interaction, electrostatic force and hydrogen bonding. Moreover, SHGEY and SPYGF could significantly up-regulate the nitric oxide (NO) production and decrease the endothelin-1 (ET-1) secretion in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), but also abolished the negative impacting of norepinephrine to the levels of NO and ET-1. Furthermore, SHGEY and SPYGF showed significant protection to HUVECs against H2O2 damage by increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity to lower the contents of reactive oxide species and malondialdehyde. Consequently, ACEi peptides derived from miiuy croaker swim bladders, especially SHGEY and SPYGF, are health-promoting ingredients for functional products as a supplementary treatment to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.
Deep Learning-Based Automatic Assessment of Lung Impairment in COVID-19 Pneumonia: Predicting Markers of Hypoxia With Computer Vision
Authors: Statsenko Yauhen , Habuza Tetiana , Talako Tatsiana , Pazniak Mikalai , Likhorad Elena , Pazniak Aleh , Beliakouski Pavel , Gelovani Juri G. , Gorkom Klaus Neidl-Van , Almansoori Taleb M. , Al Zahmi Fatmah , Qandil Dana Sharif , Zaki Nazar , Elyassami Sanaa , Ponomareva Anna , Loney Tom , Naidoo Nerissa , Mannaerts Guido Hein Huib , Al Koteesh Jamal , Ljubisavljevic Milos R. , Das Karuna M.
Published: July 2022

Background

Hypoxia is a potentially life-threatening condition that can be seen in pneumonia patients.

Objective

We aimed to develop and test an automatic assessment of lung impairment in COVID-19 associated pneumonia with machine learning regression models that predict markers of respiratory and cardiovascular functioning from radiograms and lung CT.

Materials and Methods

We enrolled a total of 605 COVID-19 cases admitted to Al Ain Hospital from 24 February to 1 July 2020 into the study. The inclusion criteria were as follows: age ≥ 18 years; inpatient admission; PCR positive for SARS-CoV-2; lung CT available at PACS. We designed a CNN-based regression model to predict systemic oxygenation markers from lung CT and 2D diagnostic images of the chest. The 2D images generated by averaging CT scans were analogous to the frontal and lateral view radiograms. The functional (heart and breath rate, blood pressure) and biochemical findings (SpO2, HCO3-, K+, Na+, anion gap, C-reactive protein) served as ground truth.

Results

Radiologic findings in the lungs of COVID-19 patients provide reliable assessments of functional status with clinical utility. If fed to ML models, the sagittal view radiograms reflect dyspnea more accurately than the coronal view radiograms due to the smaller size and the lower model complexity. Mean absolute error of the models trained on single-projection radiograms was approximately 11÷12% and it dropped by 0.5÷1% if both projections were used (11.97 ± 9.23 vs. 11.43 ± 7.51%; p = 0.70). Thus, the ML regression models based on 2D images acquired in multiple planes had slightly better performance. The data blending approach was as efficient as the voting regression technique: 10.90 ± 6.72 vs. 11.96 ± 8.30%, p = 0.94. The models trained on 3D images were more accurate than those on 2D: 8.27 ± 4.13 and 11.75 ± 8.26%, p = 0.14 before lung extraction; 10.66 ± 5.83 and 7.94 ± 4.13%, p = 0.18 after the extraction. The lung extraction boosts 3D model performance unsubstantially (from 8.27 ± 4.13 to 7.94 ± 4.13%; p = 0.82). However, none of the differences between 3D and 2D were statistically significant.

Conclusion

The constructed ML algorithms can serve as models of structure-function association and pathophysiologic changes in COVID-19. The algorithms can improve risk evaluation and disease management especially after oxygen therapy that changes functional findings. Thus, the structural assessment of acute lung injury speaks of disease severity.