bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Left atrial epicardial adipose tissue is associated with low voltage zones in the left atrium in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation
Authors: Shao Yameng , Chen Lei , Chen Wensu , Sang Chuanyi , Xu Changjiang , Zhang Chaoqun
Published: July 2022

Objective

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is related to atrial fibrillation (AF), but the specific mechanism is still unclear. Left atrial (LA) low voltage zones (LVZ) can well reflect atrial fibrosis. This study investigated the relationship between EAT and LVZ in non-valvular AF (NVAF) patients.

Methods

This observational study including patients with NVAF (n = 214) undergoing radiofrequency ablation (RFCA) for the first time in our hospital and 62 matched controls. The EAT volume and attenuation were measured by contrast-enhanced computed tomography. A three-dimensional mapping system was used to map the left atrial endocardium and evaluate LA-LVZ. Patients were divided into LVZ and non-LVZ groups according to the presence or absence of LVZ.

Results

Patients with AF showed higher LA-EAT volume and lower attenuation value than controls (29.7 ± 11.2 cm3 vs. 20.9 ± 8.6 cm3, P = 0.021; −91.2 ± 5.6 HU vs. −88.7 ± 5.9 HU, P < 0.001). Compared with the group without LVZ, there were significant differences in age [65 (59–71) vs. 60 (52–69), P = 0.006], LAVI [75.1 ± 20.7 ml/m2 vs. 67.2 ± 20.9 ml/m2, P = 0.018], LA-EAT volume (34.8 ± 11.5 cm3 vs. 28.1 ± 10.6 cm3, P < 0.001) and LA-EAT attenuation (−93.9 ± 5.3 HU vs. −90.4 ± 5.5 HU, P < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that age (OR = 1.040; 95%CI: 1.001–1.078, P = 0.042), LAVI (OR = 1.019; 95%CI: 1.002–1.037, P = 0.032), LA-EAT volume (OR = 1.193; 95%CI: 1.015–1.402, P = 0.034) and attenuation value (OR = 0.801; 95%CI: 0.701–0.916 P = 0.001) were independent predictors of LVZ. After LA-EAT attenuation was incorporated into the clinical model, the comprehensive discrimination and net reclassification tended to improve (IDI and NRI > 0, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

LA-EAT volume and attenuation values can independently predict the presence of LVZ, and LA-EAT attenuation has a better predictive value than LA-EAT volume.
An Overview of Circulating Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Biomarkers
Authors: Santos-Gomes Joana , Gandra Inês , Adão Rui , Perros Frédéric , Brás-Silva Carmen
Published: July 2022

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), also known as Group 1 Pulmonary Hypertension (PH), is a PH subset characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling and pulmonary arterial obstruction. PAH has an estimated incidence of 15–50 people per million in the United States and Europe, and is associated with high mortality and morbidity, with patients' survival time after diagnosis being only 2.8 years. According to current guidelines, right heart catheterization is the gold standard for diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of PAH patients. However, this technique is highly invasive, so it is not used in routine clinical practice or patient follow-up. Thereby, it is essential to find new non-invasive strategies for evaluating disease progression. Biomarkers can be an effective solution for determining PAH patient prognosis and response to therapy, and aiding in diagnostic efforts, so long as their detection is non-invasive, easy, and objective. This review aims to clarify and describe some of the potential new candidates as circulating biomarkers of PAH.
Endovascular surgery for thoracic aortic pathologies involving the aortic arch
Authors: Lu Heng , Huang Ling-chen , Chen Liang-wan
Published: July 2022

Background

Aortic arch pathologies are serious clinical conditions associated with a very dismal prognosis. Traditional open surgery has a high mortality and is not suitable for critically ill patients. Recently years, endovascular treatment of thoracic aorta has made rapid progress and has been gradually applied to the treatment of aortic arch pathologies. However, maintaining cerebral blood flow during endovascular treatment of aortic arch lesions remains a challenge at this time. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of endovascular treatment of thoracic aortic pathologies involving the aortic arch, and to present initial experience with this technique.

Methods

From October 2016 to December 2020, patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled. All patients underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair with the proximal landing zone of the stent-graft in the aortic arch at Ishimaru zones 0–1, in which cerebral flow needs to be maintained during surgery, and the supra-aortic branches were reconstruction with eitherin situfenestration or the chimney technique.

Results

A total of 62 cases with lesions involving the arch were treated with endovascular surgery. Total supra-aortic branches reconstruction was successfully performed in 51 cases, the left carotid artery (LCA) and the innominate artery reconstruction were performed in eight cases, the left subclavian artery (LSA) and the LCA were reconstructed in three patients. Among them, thein situfenestration or chimney repair technique for the LSA was successful performed in 42 and 12 cases. However, in 20 patients, attempts to reconstruction the LSA using the fenestration technique were unsuccessful due to tortuous and angulated vessels. Early mortality was 6.45%. No neurological complications related to surgery occurred. Computer tomography images at post-operative follow-up (mean 3.51 months) confirmed patency of all branch stents without any signs of endoleaks, migration, conversion to retrograde dissection or receive open-heart surgery.

Conclusion

The endovascular technique is an effective, feasible, safe and repeatable method to reconstruct the aortic arch, which allows for the reconstruction of the supra-aortic branches.
The Future Evolution of the Mortality Acceleration Due to the COVID-19: The Charlson Comorbidity Index in Stochastic Setting
Authors: Carannante Maria , D'Amato Valeria , Iaccarino Guido
Published: July 2022

The empirical evidence from different countries point out many of those who die from coronavirus would have died anyway in the relatively near future due to their existing frailties or co-morbidities. The acceleration of the mortality conceives the underlying insight according to deaths are “accelerated” ahead of schedule due to COVID-19. Starting from this idea, we forecast the future mortality acceleration, based on the deterioration due to the presence of the comorbidities at COVID-19 diagnosis. Accordingly, we explicitly determine the contribution of each comorbidity on the acceleration forecasting, showing the future trend of the excess of deaths due to the COVID-19. To this aim, our proposal consists in developing a revised Charlson Comorbidity Index in a stochastic environment. Based on a post-stratification scheme, we obtain an unbiased comorbidity index that varies by age, centered on the reference population.
Benefits of Interventional Telemonitoring on Survival and Unplanned Hospitalization in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure
Authors: Galinier Michel , Itier Romain , Matta Anthony , Massot Montse , Fournier Pauline , Galtier Ghislaine , Ayot Sandrine , Nader Vanessa , Rene Max , Lecourt Laurent , Roncalli Jerome
Published: July 2022

Aims

To assess the effect of interventional specialized telemonitoring (ITM) compared to standard telemonitoring (STM) and standard of care (SC) on preventing all causes of death, cardiovascular mortality and unplanned hospitalization in heart failure (HF) patients.

Methods

We compared outcomes in three groups of HF patients followed by different modalities: SC, STM and ITM. The telemonitoring was performed by the specialized HF-cardiology staff at Toulouse University Hospital. All patients were followed with the same manner including daily weight monitoring using on-line scales, self-monitoring and reporting symptoms via a device. The difference between groups was in the management of the received alerts. In STM-group, patients were contacted by a member of telemedical center and the main responsibility for patient's therapy was taken by their primary care physicians while in the ITM-group, a cardiologist intervenes immediately in case of alerts for diuretic dose adjustment or escalation therapy or programmed hospitalization if necessary. Outcomes were compared between the three study groups and Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed.

Results

Four hundred fourteen HF-patients derived from two French cohorts (OSICAT and ETAPES) were included in this study and subsequently enrolled in the following three groups: ITM-group (n = 220), STM-group (n = 99), and SC-group (n = 95). During the mean follow-up period of 341 days, there were significantly fewer primary endpoints like unplanned hospitalization (13.6 vs. 34.3 vs. 36.8%, p < 0.05), all-causes of death (4.5 vs. 20.2 vs. 16.8%, p < 0.05) and cardiovascular mortality (3.2 vs. 15.2 vs. 8.4%, p < 0.05) in the ITM-group. The multivariable logistic regression revealed a significant negative association between the ITM and unplanned hospitalization [OR = 0.303 95% CI (0.165–0.555), p < 0.001) and all-causes of death [OR = 0.255 95% CI (0.103–0.628), p = 0.003], respectively. Kaplan Meier and log rank test showed significant difference in median event-free survival in favor of ITM-group.

Conclusions

In the ITM follow-up HF group, delivered by a cardiology team, the rate of unplanned hospitalization and all-causes of death are lower than SC or STM.
Research of Light Use Efficiency for Paddy Rice Using Multi-Angle Hyperspectral Observations
Authors: Guo Jianmao , Zhang Zhanhao , Guo Caiyun , Jin Shuyuan
Published: July 2022

Light use efficiency (LUE) is a critical variable for modeling gross primary production (GPP) of vegetation. The photochemical reflectance index (PRI) is based on reflectance at 531 and 570 nm, which has great potential in predicting the light use efficiency (LUE) and makes LUE related to plant optical characteristics. Despite the great achievement in understanding the correlation of PRI and LUE on forests, the application of PRI in estimating LUE on crops has almost been ignored. The present study reported the ability of multi-angle PRI to track eddy covariance (EC)-based LUE in a rice field in East China. We found that PRI can estimate LUE in sunny days (R2 = 0.4; p < 0.05). The correlation of PRI and LUE was greater than that at OZA of 0° (R2 = 0.4; p < 0.05) after distinguishing different OZAs and scatter directions and was the greatest in the backscatter direction with an OZA of 60° (R2 = 0.7; p < 0.01). This correlation was also corrected by the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), where R2 = 0.72 after correction. We noted that the relationship between PRI and LUE on cloudy days was poor, where R2 = 0.26. Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) had an influence on the LUE and PRI, while vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and air temperature (Ta) had negative influences on the correlation of PRI and LUE. Our research suggests that PRI can efficiently track the LUE of the rice growth period when considering environmental factors and rice canopy structures.
Research on Application of the Bolt-Truss Coupling Support Technology in Roadway With Water-Rich and Soft Rock
Authors: Zhang Jianguo , Wang Yingwei , Qi Xiaohan , Zhu Tongguang
Published: July 2022

In the process of underground energy mining, the stability of roadway support is an important guarantee. In order to study the application of the anchor cable-truss support technology in water-rich soft rock roadways, the mechanical analysis of the anchor cable-truss structure is carried out, and the surrounding rock deformation of different supporting methods is numerically simulated under the consideration of the fluid–solid coupled interaction. We observed that the anchor cable (rod)-double arch truss coupling support can control the deformation of the surrounding rock and the expansion of the plastic zone well. The maximum vault subsidence of the roadway is 0.017 m, the horizontal convergence is 0.054 m, and the deformation of floor heave is 0.02 m, which are 3.8, 16.3, and 4% of the deformation under unsupported conditions, respectively; the roadway deformation is effectively controlled. The research results have certain guiding significance for the support design of the water-rich broken soft rock roadway.
A Synthetic Aperture Radar Based Method for Long Term Monitoring of Seasonal Snowmelt and Wintertime Rain-On-Snow Events in Svalbard
Authors: Vickers Hannah , Malnes Eirik , Eckerstorfer Markus
Published: July 2022

Snow cover characteristics are highly sensitive to variations in temperature and precipitation. In Svalbard, these parameters are undergoing significant change in response to a rapidly warming climate and its associated positive feedback processes. The occurrence of wintertime rain-on-snow (ROS) events are expected to increase in frequency and intensity across the Arctic as a result of climate change. ROS events can dramatically alter snow cover characteristics, by saturating the snowpack and enhancing surface runoff as well as causing widespread formation of ground ice, which can negatively impact many ecosystems as well as infrastructure. Knowledge of the spatial and temporal variations in ROS occurrence across Svalbard, both past and present is needed to understand which areas are most vulnerable to ROS impacts and how this may change in the future. Until now comparatively few studies have exploited remote sensing methods to detect and monitor ROS occurrence and even these have been limited to relatively coarse spatial resolutions. This work has utilized C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) observations to produce a 17-year dataset (2004–2020) of wet snow cover observations for Svalbard, from which a method for detecting and mapping both spring melt onset and ROS frequency has been developed. The mean spatial variations in melt onset and ROS occurrence reflect the geographical gradients in temperature and precipitation across the archipelago and are largely in agreement with current knowledge. The timing of ROS onset as detected using the SAR observations coincide well with in-situ measurements of rainfall, however in some cases the duration of a ROS event cannot be reliably estimated using SAR observations of wet snow, in particular after phase transitions from rain to snow. Linear trends derived from the limited time series of observations suggests that ROS frequency is increasing over most of the archipelago, but significant and large increases are confined to the south and west coast of the archipelago. However, low elevation areas in the central parts of the archipelago also exhibit a significant and decreasing trend in ROS occurrence over the time period studied.
Spatiotemporal Variation of Late Quaternary River Incision Along the Heihe River in the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau, Constrained by Dating Fluvial Terraces
Authors: Cao Xilin , Hu Xiaofei , Pan Baotian , Zhao Zhijun
Published: July 2022

Rates of river incision are widely used to track changes in rock uplift rate and climate over time and space. However, the relationship between the spatiotemporal variation of river incision and past tectonic or climatic processes is still unclear. Here, we focus on the spatial patterns of river incision in the interior and front of the Qilian Shan in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. A sequence of late Quaternary terraces is well preserved along the Heihe River across the central Qilian Shan. We complement existing chronologic data with five new optically stimulated luminescence ages and one cosmogenic radionuclide 10Be exposure age of terrace abandonment. At the mountain front, the river incision rate was ∼1 mm/yr over the past 100 kyr, while the range was from 2 to 7 mm/yr during the Holocene. We attribute the fast incision rates during the Holocene to the progressive decrease of the river gradient induced by the warm and wet Holocene climate. In the interior of the mountains (the Qilian basin site), the river incision rates were close to 1 mm/yr since ∼53 ka, suggesting that the upstream incision rate remained stable from the late Pleistocene to the Holocene. This observation further suggests that the adjustment of the climate-induced longitudinal river profile is limited to the downstream reach, especially along the front of the mountain range. We conclude that the long-term incision rate (during the late Pleistocene) is explained by ongoing uplift driven by fault activity, which determines the background rate of fluvial incision (∼1 mm/yr). On the other hand, denudation rates on the millennial timescale estimated by previous studies in this region are < 1 mm/yr, suggesting that landscape-scale erosion lags behind trunk river incision.
Source Model for the 2022 Qinghai Menyuan Ms 6.9 Earthquake Based on D-InSAR
Authors: Liao Jiangtao , Liang Chuntao , Wang Chaoliang , Cao Feihuang , Ye Chengming , Yang Yinghui
Published: July 2022

On 8 January 2022, an Ms 6.9 earthquake occurred in Menyuan County, Qinghai Province, China. This earthquake ruptured a patch of the Qilian-Haiyuan fault in the northeast margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. In order to understand the seismogenic structure of this earthquake and analyze the fault activity, we use differential synthetic aperture radar interferometry (D-InSAR) technology to obtain a complete co-seismic displacement field on the surface, and use pixel tracking algorithm to extract the trace of the ruptured fault. The slip distribution of the seismogenic fault was inverted using the steepest descent method, and the Coulomb stress change caused by the earthquake was also calculated. Surface deformation results show that the Menyuan earthquake produced obvious surface displacements in an area of 50 × 40 km2. The displacements are mainly distributed in the western segment of the Lenglongling fault and the eastern segment of the Tolaishan fault. The maximum displacements in the ascending and descending orbits in the LOS direction are 59.7 and 94.7 cm, respectively. The co-seismic slip results show that the strike, dip and average slip angles of the seismogenic fault are 108°, 79° dipping to SW, and 4°, respectively. On the whole, the fault is mainly of left-lateral, with a small amount of thrust component and only one co-seismic rupture center in our inversion result. The rupture center is located at a depth of ∼5 km below the surface, and the maximum slip is 3.1 m. The total seismic moment released by this earthquake is 1.28 × 1019 N·m, and the corresponding moment magnitude is 6.67. Finally, the static Coulomb stress change results show that parts of the Lenglongling fault, the Tolaishan fault, the Sunan-Qilian fault and the Minyue-Damaging fault are loaded, emphasizing the importance for earthquake risk assessment of these fault.
Reflecting on the Creation of Virtual Laboratory Experiences for Biology Students
Authors: Myburgh Pieter Hermanus
Published: July 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged the status quo of higher education practices. With the transition to remote learning, students and faculty faced several challenges while making great strides in equalizing education access. Although theoretical aspects can be easily taught online, practical experiences are difficult to convey without dedicated laboratories and equipment. This is especially true in biological studies, where practical laboratory training significantly impacts the Student’s professional development. Presented here is an overview of some of the available resources that faculty can implement in their remote teaching curricula, a discussion on a possible approach toward creating in silico practicums, and potential challenges that could be experienced in creating such virtual laboratories (VL). To prevent another interruption in academic training, higher education institutions (HEIs) should focus on designing, developing, and implementing practical educational material. We propose that these resources be free and open-source, allowing for a global effort to create a standardized practical curriculum for basic biological technical skills.
Building Capacities in Open Knowledge: Recommendations for Library and Information Science Professionals and Schools
Authors: Santos-Hermosa Gema , Atenas Javiera
Published: July 2022

The impact openness to knowledge is having, not only in the Higher Education (HE) sector but at the public and institutional policy level, is largely due to the efforts of information professionals and researchers, and thanks to these two groups, initiatives such as open access (OA), open education (OE), and open science (OSC) have changed the way in which research is being taught, conducted, and communicated. Openness is a way to democratise access to knowledge developed through public funds, and this movement has been led by informational professionals worldwide; however, we have observed that to a large extent, professional development in different areas of openness is rather self-taught, informal, mentored, or continuous, but not formalised in information science, documentation, or scientific educational programmes. In this exploratory research, we gathered evidence on how (or if) openness to knowledge is being taught by reviewing a series of syllabi from undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Library and Information Science (LIS) schools sampled from universities that either (a) are leading the agenda in OA, OSC, or OE; or (b) have policies in OA, OSC, or OE; or (c) have national/federal mandates, policies, or regulations regarding OA, OSC, or OE and also from a range of non-formal and/or lifelong learning training programmes offered in these same three areas. We found that while LIS schools are not providing formal training to gain skills and competencies in openness, their libraries are offering different kinds of training in this respect. On the other hand, the good intentions and openness awareness of policies have not yet materialised in actions to ensure capacity building. Research implications aim to influence the development of capacity building in open knowledge, by providing solid evidence for enhancing curriculum advancement in LIS schools and by proposing some recommendations in this direction.
Virtual robotics in education: The experience of eighth grade students in STEM
Authors: Alsoliman Badr Salman H.
Published: July 2022

Classroom teaching with robotics points to a more engaging learning environment in many respects, particularly in terms of tasks related to problem solving and critical thinking in education. Nevertheless, previous studies have cited many obstacles to using robotics in the classroom. These obstacles include the costs of supplying students with robots, fixing and modifying the robots, and school facilities and infrastructure that negatively influence a teacher’s ability to teach a particular STEM subject or to apply new teaching approaches with robotics; these issues seem to have discouraged some teachers from utilizing robotics in their teaching approaches. Accordingly, this study aims to facilitate teaching with robotics through the use of virtual robotics. The study explores the experience of eighth grade students and their teachers engaging with a virtual platform in five different K–12 schools that have formally incorporated physical robotics into STEM classroom teaching. A qualitative phenomenological approach is utilized to explore the experience, using focus groups with students and interviews with teachers. The focus of this study is on the processes of teaching and learning STEM with robotics via virtual platforms, and the perceived effectiveness and practicability of the virtual platform. The study revealed that the use of virtual classrooms and applications has become acceptable by many educational institutions, influenced to move to online platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has laid the foundation for teachers and students, as the end users and main actors in education, to invest the time and effort in improving STEM and other related skills using virtual robotics. They were motivated by the perceived and acquired benefits that are associated with using virtual robotics in a web-mediated educational process. The main barriers were associated with web-mediated cultural norms and educational regulations/policies related to virtual learning. The main recommendations of the study are for teachers to be innovative, to observe, and to listen carefully to their students, relying on their pedagogical knowledge to use available technology to serve student-teacher objectives.
A Mechanism for Ovulation Number Control
Authors: Shilo Michal , Mayo Avi , Alon Uri
Published: July 2022

Every menstrual cycle, many follicles begin to develop but only a specific number ovulate. This ovulation number determines how many offspring are produced per litter, and differs between species. The physiological mechanism that controls ovulation number is unknown; a class of mathematical models can explain it, but these models have no physiological basis. Here, we suggest a physiological mechanism for ovulation number control, which enables selection of a specific number of follicles out of many, and analyze it in a mathematical model of follicular growth. The mechanism is based on a signal, intra-follicular androgen concentration, that measures follicle size relative to the other follicles. This signal has a biphasic effect, suppressing follicles that are too large or too small compared to others. The ovulation number is determined by the androgen inhibitory thresholds. The model has a scaling symmetry that explains why the dominant follicles grow linearly with time, as observed in human ultrasound data. This approach also explains how chronic hyperandrogenism disrupts ovulation in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a leading cause of infertility. We propose specific experiments for testing the proposed mechanism.
Chinese Visceral Adiposity Index Is Associated With Incident Renal Damage in Patients With Hypertension and Abnormal Glucose Metabolism: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Lin Mengyue , Li Nanfang , Heizhati Mulalibieke , Gan Lin , Zhu Qing , Yao Ling , Li Mei , Yang Wenbo
Published: July 2022

Objective

To evaluate the association between Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) and incident renal damage and compared its predictive power with that of other visceral obesity indices in patients with hypertension and abnormal glucose metabolism (AGM).

Methods

This retrospective cohort consecutively included patients with hypertension and AGM who did not have renal damage at baseline. Renal damage was defined using the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine protein. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between CVAI and incident renal damage. Restricted cubic splines were used to determine the shape of the association. The predictive power of the CVAI was examined and directly compared with other indices, including the VAI, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and C-index.

Results

In total, 2,033 patients with hypertension and AGM were included. During a median follow-up of 2.6 years, the incidence of renal damage was 31.5, 48.9, 56.8, and 67.5/1,000 person-years across the quartiles of CVAI. Compared with the first quartile, the risk of renal damage was higher in the second (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.36 [95% CI: 0.93−1.97]), third (HR = 1.57 [95% CI: 1.09−2.27]), and fourth (HR = 1.65 [95% CI: 1.11−2.44]) quartiles (p for trend = 0.011). A linear dose–response association was observed. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses confirmed the robustness and consistency of the results. In terms of predictive power, the CVAI had the highest AUC and C-index values.

Conclusions

CVAI is positively associated with renal damage risk in a linear dose–response pattern and has the best performance in predicting incident renal damage in patients with hypertension and AGM. The CVAI may serve as a reliable indicator for identifying patients at a high risk of renal damage.
Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Mechanism of Natural Ovarian Ageing
Authors: Chen Lili , Ding Bo , Wu Liju , Qiu Jialing , Li Qiong , Ye Zheng , Yang Jinmei
Published: July 2022

Background

The decline in the quantity and quality of oocytes due to ovarian ageing in women is now a significant threat to reproductive health today as the concept of delayed fertility becomes widespread. However, the molecular mechanisms of natural ovarian ageing have not been fully elucidated.

Method

Here, we used transcriptomic data from 180 normal ovarian tissues from GTEx V8 to analyze the expression profile of ovarian tissues from women with age segments of 20-29 (22 individuals), 30-39 (14 individuals), 40-49 (37 individuals), 50-59 (61 individuals), 60-69 (42 individuals), and 70-79 (4 individuals), respectively. XCELL was used to assess the infiltration score of 64 cell types of the ovary. WGCNA was used to characterize the co-expression network during the natural aging of the ovary. ClusterprofileR was used for functional enrichment analysis of co-expression modules. MsViper was used for master regulator analysis.

Results

The infiltration score of endothelial cells and activated antigen-presenting cells during natural ovarian ageing increased significantly at ages 30-39, 40-49, and then decreased, whereas CD4+ Tcm increased with age. WGCNA identified six co-expression modules from ovarian tissue transcriptomic data species. The red module was significantly and positively correlated with senescence and CD4+ Tcm, and the turquoise module was significantly and positively correlated with Endothelial Cells. We further explored ovarian tissue for women aged 20-29 and 30-39 years. The GSEA results showed that the Chemokine signaling pathway was significantly activated in the 30-39-year-old group, while Oocyte meiosis was significantly inhibited. Finally, the results of msviper found that transcription factors such as KDM1A, PRDM5, ZNF726, PPARG, FOXJ2, and GLI2 were mainly activated in the 20-29 years group, while VAV1, RUNX3, ZC3H12D, MYCL, and IRF5 were mainly activated in the 30-39 years group and that these transcription factor activities were diagnostic of natural ovarian ageing (AUC: 0.65-0.71).

Conclusion

Natural ageing of the ovary is significantly correlated with immune cell infiltration and activation of inflammation-related signaling pathways, with inflammation levels reaching a maximum during early ovarian ageing (30-39, 40-49) and then gradually decreasing after that. These studies provide a research basis for exploring the mechanisms of natural ovarian ageing.
The Role of Epigenetic Change in Therapy-Induced Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer Lineage Plasticity
Authors: Storck William K. , May Allison M. , Westbrook Thomas C. , Duan Zhi , Morrissey Colm , Yates Joel A. , Alumkal Joshi J.
Published: July 2022

The androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway is critical for growth and differentiation of prostate cancer cells. For that reason, androgen deprivation therapy with medical or surgical castration is the principal treatment for metastatic prostate cancer. More recently, new potent AR signaling inhibitors (ARSIs) have been developed. These drugs improve survival for men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), the lethal form of the disease. However, ARSI resistance is nearly universal. One recently appreciated resistance mechanism is lineage plasticity or switch from an AR-driven, luminal differentiation program to an alternate differentiation program. Importantly, lineage plasticity appears to be increasing in incidence in the era of new ARSIs, strongly implicating AR suppression in this process. Lineage plasticity and shift from AR-driven tumors occur on a continuum, ranging from AR-expressing tumors with low AR activity to AR-null tumors that have activation of alternate differentiation programs versus the canonical luminal program found in AR-driven tumors. In many cases, AR loss coincides with the activation of a neuronal program, most commonly exemplified as therapy-induced neuroendocrine prostate cancer (t-NEPC). While genetic events clearly contribute to prostate cancer lineage plasticity, it is also clear that epigenetic events—including chromatin modifications and DNA methylation—play a major role. Many epigenetic factors are now targetable with drugs, establishing the importance of clarifying critical epigenetic factors that promote lineage plasticity. Furthermore, epigenetic marks are readily measurable, demonstrating the importance of clarifying which measurements will help to identify tumors that have undergone or are at risk of undergoing lineage plasticity. In this review, we discuss the role of AR pathway loss and activation of a neuronal differentiation program as key contributors to t-NEPC lineage plasticity. We also discuss new epigenetic therapeutic strategies to reverse lineage plasticity, including those that have recently entered clinical trials.
SIRT1 and Autophagy: Implications in Endocrine Disorders
Authors: Kim Ji Yong , Mondaca-Ruff David , Singh Sandeep , Wang Yu
Published: July 2022

Autophagy is a cellular process involved in the selective degradation and recycling of dysfunctional intracellular components. It plays a crucial role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and survival by removing damaged and harmful proteins, lipids, and organelles. SIRT1, an NAD+-dependent multifunctional enzyme, is a key regulator of the autophagy process. Through its deacetylase activity, SIRT1 participates in the regulation of different steps of autophagy, from initiation to degradation. The levels and function of SIRT1 are also regulated by the autophagy process. Dysregulation in SIRT1-mediated autophagy hinders the proper functioning of the endocrine system, contributing to the onset and progression of endocrine disorders. This review provides an overview of the crosstalk between SIRT1 and autophagy and their implications in obesity, type-2 diabetes mellitus, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and hepatic steatosis.
Extracellular Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase Is a Component of the Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype
Authors: Kuehnemann Chisaka , Hu Kang-Quan , Butera Kayla , Patel Sandip K. , Bons Joanna , Schilling Birgit , Aguayo-Mazzucato Cristina , Wiley Christopher D.
Published: July 2022

Cellular senescence is a stress or damage response by which a cell adopts of state of essentially permanent proliferative arrest, coupled to the secretion of a number of biologically active molecules. This senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) underlies many of the degenerative and regenerative aspects of cellular senescence - including promoting wound healing and development, but also driving diabetes and multiple age-associated diseases. We find that nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) biosynthesis, is elevated in senescent cells without a commensurate increase in NAD levels. This elevation is distinct from the acute DNA damage response, in which NAD is depleted, and recovery of NAD by NAMPT elevation is AMPK-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-dependent. Instead, we find that senescent cells release extracellular NAMPT (eNAMPT) as part of the SASP. eNAMPT has been reported to be released as a catalytically active extracellular vesicle-contained dimer that promotes NAD increases in other cells and extends lifespan, and also as free monomer that acts as a damage-associated molecular pattern and promotes conditions such as diabetes and fibrosis. Senescent cells released eNAMPT as dimer, but surprisingly eNAMPT appeared in the soluble secretome while being depleted from exosomes. Finally, diabetic mice showed elevated levels of eNAMPT, and this was lowered by treatment with the senolytic drug, ABT-263. Together, these data reveal a new SASP factor with implications for NAD metabolism.
Comparing Clinical and Genetic Characteristics of De Novo and Inherited COL1A1/COL1A2 Variants in a Large Chinese Cohort of Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Authors: Mei Yazhao , Zhang Hao , Zhang Zhenlin
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Nearly 85%-90% of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) cases are caused by autosome dominant mutations of COL1A1 and COL1A2 genes, of which de novo mutations cover a large proportion, whereas their characteristics remain to be elucidated. This study aims to compare the differences in clinical and genetic characteristics of de novo and inherited COL1A1/COL1A2 mutations of OI, assess the average paternal and maternal age at conception in de novo mutations, and research the rate of nonpenetrance in inherited mutations.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective comparison between de novo and inherited mutations was performed among 135 OI probands with COL1A1/COL1A2 mutations. Mutational analyses of all probands and their family members were completed by Sanger sequencing. A new clinical scoring system was developed to assess the clinical severity of OI quantitatively.

Results

A total of 51 probands (37.78%) with de novo mutations and 84 probands (62.22%) with inherited mutations were grouped by the results of the parental gene verification. The proportion of clinical type III (P<0.001) and clinical scores (P<0.001) were significantly higher in de novo mutations. Missense mutations covered a slightly higher proportion of de novo COL1A1 mutations (46.34%) compared with inherited COL1A1 mutations (33.33%), however, lacking a significant difference (P=0.1923). The mean BMD Z/T-score at the lumbar spine in de novo mutations was -2.3 ± 1.5, lower than inherited mutations (-1.7 ± 1.8), but lacking statistical significance (P=0.0742). There was no significant difference between the two groups in OI-related phenotypes (like fracture frequency, blue sclera, and hearing loss) and biochemical indexes. In de novo mutations, the average paternal and maternal age at conception was 29.2 (P<0.05) and 26.8 (P<0.0001), respectively, which were significantly younger than the average gestational age of the population. Additionally, 98.04% of pedigrees (50/51) with de novo mutations were spontaneous conception. The rate of nonpenetrance of parents with pathogenic variants in the inherited mutation group was 25.64% (20/78).

Conclusions

Our data revealed that the proportion of clinical type III and clinical scores were significantly higher in de novo mutations than in inherited mutations, demonstrating that de novo mutations are more damaging because they have not undergone purifying selection.
An Enhancement of the Solar Panel Efficiency: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Parthiban R. , Ponnambalam P.
Published: July 2022

Recently solar panels are gaining popularity in the field of non-conventional energy sources for generating green and clean electric power. On the negative side, the photovoltaic efficiency is reduced with an increase in ambient temperature. The production of energy is dropped by 0.33% for every degree Celsius above STC. Consequently, the electric power which is generated by the solar panel may not be sufficient to run the load. It is important to realize that in some applications, such as standalone electric vehicles, space for providing an additional solar panel to compensate for the decremented output power may not be feasible. By implementing the cooling arrangements, this excessive heat might be reduced. Several cooling techniques have been implemented, named as active and passive methods. This article presents a review on maximizing the efficiency of the solar panel by utilizing different cooling methods and by integrating TEG with solar panels.
Experimental Investigation on Two-Phase Rotating Detonation Fueled by Kerosene in a Hollow Directed Combustor
Authors: Xue Sainan , Ying Zhuojun , Ma Hu , Zhou Changsheng
Published: July 2022

The operating characteristic of two-phase rotating detonation fueled by kerosene in a hollow combustor with the isolation section is experimentally studied. When the air mass flow rate is 1.5 kg/s, the equivalence ratio is 0.98, and the total temperature of the mixture is 650 K, the stable rotating detonation wave (RDW) is obtained, which verifies the feasibility of the designed two-phase rotating detonation combustor (RDC). It is found that there is a high-frequency oblique shock induced by the upstream rotating detonation wave in the isolation section. A series of experimental tests have been carried out by changing the total temperature of incoming air , which is an important factor affecting the initiation. When the equivalent ratio of reactants is between 0.950–1.152, a stable single-wave detonation is formed. With the increase of equivalent ratio, the time of detonation wave establishment decreases, the intensity and frequency of detonation wave increases, and the temperature of engine tail flame rises. The equivalent chamber pressure Δpφ was defined, and the curve of the performance of the RDC with the equivalent ratio was obtained. The velocity of the RDW increases with the increase of equivalent ratio, and the chamber pressure has an optimal value, a higher or lower equivalent ratio will lead to the decrease of equivalent chamber pressure and the combustion chamber performance.
Spatial Heterogeneity Impacts of Bilateral Foreign Direct Investment on Green Energy Efficiency in China
Authors: Ma Guangcheng , Cao Jianhua
Published: July 2022

At present, green energy transformation and climate policy are increasingly connected. The need to improve national competitiveness and implement climate and energy strategies means that an energy-consuming country like China must rapidly enhance its green energy efficiency (GEE) and energy consumption structure. The following paper contributes to the existing literature by analyzing the effects of bilateral FDI on GEE from the perspective of spatial correlation. Based on data from 30 Chinese provinces between 2003 and 2020, this paper uses multiple undesired output indicators covering eight pollutants to measure GEE and then uses the coupling function to measure the coordinated development level of bilateral FDI (CDFDI). According to the Panel Vector Autoregression model, there is a coupling relationship between bilateral FDI. Both the global Moran index and the local Moran scatter plot shows that GEE and CDFDI are characterized by spatial aggregation. This paper adopts the dynamic Spatial Dubin Model for empirical analysis. Our results reveal a significant positive impact of CDFDI on GEE in local and nearby regions. The impact of CDFDI on GEE is moderated by technological diffusion, nationalization, and environmental regulation, resulting in differential impacts on GEE in local and nearby regions. Furthermore, CDFDI with different investment motives has a boosting effect on local GEE. Among them, the mutual investment portfolio between China and developed countries has a negative impact on the local GEE. By contrast, the complementary investment motivation portfolio can boost GEE in local and adjoining regions in any period. This is the first paper to study the spatial effects of green energy efficiency and the heterogeneity of investment incentives to help Chinese international investment policymakers better understand the contribution of CDFDI to improving GEE and inform supportive policies. To improve green energy efficiency, the government must strengthen the implementation of the opening-up policy and create international capital flows suitable for local needs.
Climate Change and Farmers’ Household Financial Vulnerability: Evidence From China
Authors: Yang Sen , Zou Kai , Lei Tianyi , Ni Zehua , Yang Jingyi
Published: July 2022

Climate change is one of the most severe threats to human survival and a significant factor influencing financial stability. Different from previous studies, this paper investigates the economic impact of climate change at the micro level based on data from China Meteorological Administration database, and China Household Finance Survey (CHFS) 2017 released in 2019. The empirical findings indicate that climate change contributes to the financial vulnerability of farmers’ households, which is confirmed following robustness tests. The mechanism analysis reveals that climate change has effects on rural households’ financial vulnerability via farmers’ health, credit availability, and agricultural output. Furthermore, the effect of climate change on farmers’ household financial vulnerability (HFV) is more pronounced in farmers with lower education levels. The changes in temperature and precipitation show different intensity effects in different areas, but all of them provide reasonable heterogeneity mechanisms. This paper’s policy value is demonstrated by the fact that it uncovers the effects of climate change on farmers’ HFV, information that may be useful for addressing climate change and rural financial stability.
The Coupling Relationship Between Urbanization and Carbon Emissions From Land Use in Ningxia
Authors: Huang Wei , Li Jiaxin
Published: July 2022

To understand the complex relationship between urbanization and carbon emissions, this study measures the urbanization level and land-use carbon emissions of 19 counties and districts in Ningxia from 2009 to 2019 using the integrated index method and carbon emission model, respectively, and explores the coupling relationship based on the coupling coordination degree model, to provide theoretical support for low-carbon urbanization and carbon emission reduction planning in Ningxia. The research results showed that the comprehensive evaluation index of the Ningxia urbanization system shows a linear increasing trend with an average annual growth of 1.6%, but the overall level is low, and the overall spatial pattern being high in the North and low in the South is shown. The dominant type of urbanization is population and economic urbanization. The average annual growth rate of net carbon emissions from land use in Ningxia is 4.75 106t/a. Spatially, it is characterized by higher levels in cities in the North along the Yellow River Ecological and Economic Zone and lower levels in the central arid zone and southern mountainous areas. The coupling degree and coupling coordination degree of Ningxia urbanization and land use carbon emissions show a fluctuating upward trend but belong to a low level of mutual constraints, i.e., the low level of development of Ningxia urbanization, backward industries, and low energy utilization lead to the growth of carbon emissions in Ningxia and restrict the development of urbanization. The government should take into account the regional differences when formulating carbon emission reduction policies to maintain appropriate population size, optimize the economic structure, and improve the land use efficiency.