bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Damage softening model and behavior of reinforced soil interface based on the Weibull distribution
Authors: Guo Yihui , Li Mingbao , Zheng Junjie , Yao Wenjie
Published: May 2023

A damage-softening model for a reinforced soil interface is proposed based on the trilinear model of a reinforced soil pullout interface, aiming at the softening phenomenon of the geogrid reinforced soil interface during the pullout process and considering the damage softening of the reinforced soil interface during the pullout process. The damage variable factor D is introduced, and it is assumed that D is a function of the interface displacement. The two-parameter Weibull distribution function is used to express the damage evolution law of the reinforced soil interface. Based on the basic control equation of the reinforced soil interface, the calculation model of the stress state of the geogrid at different stages under the pullout load is deduced. To verify the accuracy and applicability of the model, the prediction results of the model are compared with the test results and the ideal elastic–plastic model, hyperbolic model, elastic–exponential softening model, and the damage softening model based on a lognormal distribution function proposed in this paper. The distribution of interfacial shear stress is studied, and the influence of parameters at each stage is analyzed. The results show that in the elastic stage, with the increase of shear stiffness, the maximum shear stress at the interface increases, and the curvature of the curve also increases, while the elastic modulus is the opposite. In the softening stage, with the increase of softening length, the peak value of the curve moves to the free end. In the residual stage, the shear stress increases from the drawing end to the free end and tends to the residual stress. The research results are in accordance with the actual situation and can be applied to reinforced soil engineering.
Progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes mellitus in adolescents: a real world experience
Authors: Weiner Alyson , Zhang Meng , Ren Sheng , Tchang Beverly , Gandica Rachelle , Murillo Jaime
Published: May 2023

Background

Obesity in pediatric patients is strongly associated with increased vascular and metabolic risk. Prediabetes is present in up to 1 in 5 adolescents, aged 12-18 years-old, though is thought to remit spontaneously in a significant portion. Pediatric patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) have a more rapid decline of beta-cell function and progression to treatment failure than adult T2D patients. Thus, there is a strong interest in better understanding the natural history of prediabetes in these youth. We aimed to evaluate the real-world rate of progression of prediabetes to T2D in adolescent patients.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of 9,275 adolescent subjects aged 12-21 years-old with at least 3 years of de-identified commercial claims data and a new diagnosis of prediabetes during the observation period. Enrollees with a T2D diagnosis and/or diabetes medication use in the 1 year prior to prediabetes diagnosis or a T2D diagnosis in the 1 month following prediabetes diagnosis were excluded. Enrollees with diagnoses of type 1 diabetes (T1D) or polycystic ovarian syndrome over the 3 years were also excluded. Progression to T2D was defined by claims data of two T2D diagnoses at least 7 days apart, HbA1c ≥ 6.5%, and/or prescription of insulin without known T1D. Enrollees were followed for 2 years after prediabetes diagnosis.

Results

Overall, 232 subjects (2.5%) progressed from prediabetes to T2D. There were no differences found in T2D progression based on sex or age. Progression to T2D occurred at a median of 302 days after prediabetes diagnosis (IQR 123 to 518 days). This study was limited by the lack of laboratory/anthropometric data in administrative claims, as well as the exclusion of 23,825 enrollees for lack of continuous commercial claims data over 3 years.

Conclusion

In the largest sample to date on adolescent prediabetes, we found a 2.5% progression of prediabetes to T2D over a median duration of about one year.
A plug-and-play aptamer diagnostic platform based on linear dichroism spectroscopy
Authors: Little Haydn A. , Ali Aysha , Carter Jake G. , Hicks Matthew R. , Dafforn Timothy R. , Tucker James H. R.
Published: May 2023

A plug-and-play sandwich assay platform for the aptamer-based detection of molecular targets using linear dichroism (LD) spectroscopy as a read-out method has been demonstrated. A 21-mer DNA strand comprising the plug-and-play linker was bioconjugated onto the backbone of the filamentous bacteriophage M13, which gives a strong LD signal due to its ready alignment in linear flow. Extended DNA strands containing aptamer sequences that bind the protein thrombin, TBA and HD22, were then bound to the plug-and-play linker strand via complementary base pairing to generate aptamer-functionalised M13 bacteriophages. The secondary structure of the extended aptameric sequences required to bind to thrombin was checked using circular dichroism spectroscopy, with the binding confirmed using fluorescence anisotropy measurements. LD studies revealed that this sandwich sensor design is very effective at detecting thrombin down to pM levels, indicating the potential of this plug-and-play assay system as a new label-free homogenous detection system based on aptamer recognition.
Graphene oxide/polyvinylpyrrolidone-doped MoO3 nanocomposites used for dye degradation and their antibacterial activity: a molecular docking analysis
Authors: Ikram Muhammad , Atiq Iram , Rafiq Butt Alvina , shahzadi Iram , Ul-Hamid Anwar , Haider Ali , Nabgan Walid , Medina Francisco
Published: May 2023

In this study, MoO3 nanostructures were prepared, doped with various concentrations of graphene oxide (2 and 4% GO) and a fixed amount of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) using the co-precipitation method. The motive of this study was to examine the catalytic and antimicrobial efficacy with evidential molecular docking analyses of GO/PVP-doped MoO3. GO and PVP were utilized as doping agents to reduce the exciton recombination rate of MoO3 by providing more active sites that increase the antibacterial activity of MoO3. The prepared binary dopant (GO and PVP)-dependent MoO3 was used as an effective antibacterial agent against Escherichia coli (E. coli). Notably, 4% GO/PVP-doped MoO3 showed good bactericidal potential against E. coli at higher concentrations in comparison to ciprofloxacin. Furthermore, in silico docking revealed the possible inhibitory impact of the synthesized nanocomposites on folate and fatty acid synthesis enzymes, dihydrofolate reductase and enoyl-[acyl carrier protein] reductase, respectively.
Comparing timing of other-initiation of repair: a multimodal approach
Authors: Pajo Kati , Laakso Minna
Published: May 2023

When recipients of talk solve troubles of hearing or understanding during a conversation, they utilize other-initiation of repair (OIR), such as questions “what,” “where,” and “you mean x.” These utterances are typically produced with delayed timing. Multimodal, bodily features are also typically included. Although troubles in hearing and understanding are common, there have been few studies comparing the timing of OIR of normally hearing individuals to individuals with hearing impairment, especially from a multimodal perspective. The current study examined video recordings of 14 dyads with normal hearing and with a mild-to-severe degree of hearing impairment. The research focused on verbal OIR sequences (N = 167) and adopted a multimodal approach. The research questions were presented as follows: (1) In relation to the trouble source turn, what is the timing of OIRs?; (2) What visual bodily resources does the recipient utilize during OIR sequences?; (3) Does the timing of OIRs and their visual bodily style of production differ between participants with normal hearing and different degrees of hearing impairment? Conversation analysis with ELAN software was utilized for qualitative and statistical inspection of the data. The results show that gaps preceding OIRs displayed variation and mean values for participants with normal hearing and mild-to-moderate hearing impairment were ~700 ms and with severe hearing impairment ~500 ms. In comparison to other participants in the data, participants with severely deteriorated hearing produced OIRs without delay and utilized more overt visual bodily actions. Especially, the ~200 ms mean gap for open OIRs with participants with severe hearing impairment indicated very fast turn-taking, occurring even in overlap with the trouble source turn. However, all participants took a long time to initiate restricted OIRs than open OIRs. In terms of visual bodily actions, the results showed some fundamental differences. Participants with severe hearing impairment held their gaze at the speaker more intensively than other participants. Other visual bodily actions, such as upper body leaning forward or changes in facial expressions, were found in all participant groups. However, their frequency, timing, and quality displayed variation.
Signs and signals limiting myocardial damage using PICSO: a scoping review decoding paradigm shifts toward a new encounter
Authors: Mohl Werner , Kiseleva Zlata , Jusic Alem , Bruckner Matthäus , Mader Robert M.
Published: May 2023

Background

Inducing recovery in myocardial ischemia is limited to a timely reopening of infarct vessels and clearing the cardiac microcirculation, but additional molecular factors may impact recovery.

Objective

In this scoping review, we identify the paradigm shifts decoding the branching points of experimental and clinical evidence of pressure-controlled intermittent coronary sinus occlusion (PICSO), focusing on myocardial salvage and molecular implications on infarct healing and repair.

Design

The reporting of evidence was structured chronologically, describing the evolution of the concept from mainstream research to core findings dictating a paradigm change. All data reported in this scoping review are based on published data, but new evaluations are also included.

Results

Previous findings relate hemodynamic PICSO effects clearing reperfused microcirculation to myocardial salvage. The activation of venous endothelium opened a new avenue for understanding PICSO. A flow-sensitive signaling molecule, miR-145-5p, showed a five-fold increase in porcine myocardium subjected to PICSO.

Verifying our theory of “embryonic recall,” an upregulation of miR-19b and miR-101 significantly correlates to the time of pressure increase in cardiac veins during PICSO (r2 = 0.90, p < 0.05; r2 = 0.98, p < 0.03), suggesting a flow- and pressure-dependent secretion of signaling molecules into the coronary circulation. Furthermore, cardiomyocyte proliferation by miR-19b and the protective role of miR-101 against remodeling show another potential interaction of PICSO in myocardial healing.

Conclusion

Molecular signaling during PICSO may contribute to retroperfusion toward deprived myocardium and clearing the reperfused cardiac microcirculation. A burst of specific miRNA reiterating embryonic molecular pathways may play a role in targeting myocardial jeopardy and will be an essential therapeutic contribution in limiting infarcts in recovering patients.
Cardiovascular hemodynamics in mice with tumor necrosis factor receptor—associated factor 2 mediated cytoprotection in the heart
Authors: Marshall Andrea G. , Neikirk Kit , Vue Zer , Beasley Heather K. , Garza-Lopez Edgar , Vang Larry , Barongan Taylor , Evans Zoe , Crabtree Amber , Spencer Elsie , Anudokem Josephs , Parker Remi , Davis Jamaine , Stephens Dominique , Damo Steven , Pham Thuy T. , Gomez Jose A. , Exil Vernat , Dai Dao-fu , Murray Sandra A. , Entman Mark L. , Taffet George E. , Hinton Antentor O. , Reddy Anilkumar K.
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Many studies in mice have demonstrated that cardiac-specific innate immune signaling pathways can be reprogrammed to modulate inflammation in response to myocardial injury and improve outcomes. While the echocardiography standard parameters of left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, fractional shortening, end-diastolic diameter, and others are used to assess cardiac function, their dependency on loading conditions somewhat limits their utility in completely reflecting the contractile function and global cardiovascular efficiency of the heart. A true measure of global cardiovascular efficiency should include the interaction between the ventricle and the aorta (ventricular-vascular coupling, VVC) as well as measures of aortic impedance and pulse wave velocity.

Methods

We measured cardiac Doppler velocities, blood pressures, along with VVC, aortic impedance, and pulse wave velocity to evaluate global cardiac function in a mouse model of cardiac-restricted low levels of TRAF2 overexpression that conferred cytoprotection in the heart.

Results

While previous studies reported that response to myocardial infarction and reperfusion was improved in the TRAF2 overexpressed mice, we found that TRAF2 mice had significantly lower cardiac systolic velocities and accelerations, diastolic atrial velocity, aortic pressures, rate-pressure product, LV contractility and relaxation, and stroke work when compared to littermate control mice. Also, we found significantly longer aortic ejection time, isovolumic contraction and relaxation times, and significantly higher mitral early/atrial ratio, myocardial performance index, and ventricular vascular coupling in the TRAF2 overexpression mice compared to their littermate controls. We found no significant differences in the aortic impedance and pulse wave velocity.

Discussion

While the reported tolerance to ischemic insults in TRAF2 overexpression mice may suggest enhanced cardiac reserve, our results indicate diminished cardiac function in these mice.
Thoracic lymphatic anomalies in patients with univentricular hearts: correlation of morphologic findings in isotropic T2-weighted MRI with the outcome after fontan palliation
Authors: Hanser Anja , Hofbeck Michael , Hofmeister Melanie , Martirosian Petros , Hornung Andreas , Esser Michael , Schick Fritz , Kaulitz Renate , Michel Jörg , Nikolaou Konstantin , Schäfer Jürgen , Schlensak Christian , Sieverding Ludger
Published: May 2023

Objectives

In this study we examined the correlation between the extent of thoracic lymphatic anomalies in patients after surgical palliation by total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) and their outcome in terms of clinical and laboratory parameters.

Materials and methods

We prospectively examined 33 patients after TCPC with an isotropic heavily T2-weighted MRI sequence on a 3.0 T scanner. Examinations were performed after a solid meal, slice thickness of 0.6 mm, TR of 2400 ms, TE of 692 ms, FoV of 460 mm, covering thoracic and abdominal regions. Findings of the lymphatic system were correlated with clinical and laboratory parameters obtained at the annual routine check-up.

Results

Eight patients (group 1) showed type 4 lymphatic abnormalities. Twentyfive patients (group 2) presented less severe anomalies (type 1–3). In the treadmill CPET, group 2 reached step 7.0;6.0/8.0 vs. 6.0;3.5/6.8 in group 1 (p = 0.006*) and a distance of 775;638/854 m vs. 513;315/661 m (p = 0.006*). In the laboratory examinations, group 2 showed significantly lower levels of AST, ALT and stool calprotectin as compared to group 1. There were no significant differences in NT-pro-BNP, total protein, IgG, lymphocytes or platelets, but trends. A history of ascites showed 5/8 patients in group 1 vs. 4/25 patients in group 2 (p = 0.02*), PLE occurred in 4/8 patient in group 1 vs. 1/25 patients in group 2 (p = 0.008*).

Conclusion

In the long-term follow-up after TCPC, patients with severe thoracic and cervical lymphatic abnormalities showed restrictions in exercise capacity, higher liver enzymes and an increased rate of symptoms of imminent Fontan-failure such as ascites and PLE.
The impact of tumor characteristics on cardiovascular disease death in breast cancer patients with CT or RT: a population-based study
Authors: Chi Kaiyi , Luo Zehao , Zhao Hongjun , Li Yemin , Liang Yinglan , Xiao Zhaoling , He Yiru , Zhang Hanbin , Ma Zaiying , Zeng Liangjia , Zhou Ruoyun , Feng Manting , Li Wangen , Rao Huying , Yi Min
Published: May 2023

Background

Previous studies focused on the impact of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk factors in breast cancer patients with chemotherapy (CT) or radiotherapy (RT). This study aimed to identify the impact of tumor characteristics on CVD death in these patients.

Methods

Data of female breast cancer patients with CT or RT between 2004 and 2016 were included. The risk factors of CVD death were identified using Cox regression analyses. A nomogram was constructed to evaluate the predicted value of tumor characteristics, and then validated by the concordance indexes (C-index) and calibration curves.

Result

A total of 28,539 patients were included with an average follow-up of 6.1 years. Tumor size > 45 mm (adjusted HR = 1.431, 95% CI = 1.116–1.836, P = 0.005), regional (adjusted HR = 1.278, 95% CI = 1.048–1.560, P = 0.015) and distant stage (adjusted HR = 2.240, 95% CI = 1.444–3.474, P < 0.001) were risk factors of CVD death for breast cancer patients with CT or RT. The prediction nomogram of tumor characteristics (tumor size and stage) on CVD survival was established. The C-index of internal and external validation were 0.780 (95% Cl = 0.751–0.809), and 0.809 (95% Cl = 0.768–0.850), respectively. The calibration curves showed consistency between the actual observation and nomogram. The risk stratification was also significant distinction (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Tumor size and stage were related to the risk of CVD death for breast cancer patients with CT or RT. The management of CVD death risk in breast cancer patients with CT or RT should focus not only on CVD risk factors but also on tumor size and stage.
Influence of exercise type and duration on cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular strength in post-menopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Khalafi Mousa , Sakhaei Mohammad Hossein , Habibi Maleki Aref , Rosenkranz Sara K. , Pourvaghar Mohammad Javad , Fang Yiqun , Korivi Mallikarjuna
Published: May 2023

Background and aim

Both cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and muscular strength are reported to decrease with age and menopause, which considered to be risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Previous relevant meta-analyses are inconclusive on the beneficial effects of exercise, particularly in post-menopausal women. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we investigated the effects of exercise modalities on CRF and muscular strength in post-menopausal women, and identified the effective exercise type and duration.

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Medline to identify the randomized controlled trials, which evaluated exercise effect on CRF, lower- and upper-body muscular strength, and/or handgrip strength in post-menopausal women and compared the results with control. Standardized mean differences (SMD), weighted mean differences (WMD), and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated using random effects models.

Results

A total of 129 studies comprising 7,141 post-menopausal women with mean age and BMI ranging from ∼53 to 90 years and 22 to 35 kg/m2, respectively, were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, exercise training effectively increased CRF (SMD: 1.15; 95% CI: 0.87, 1.42; p = 0.001), lower-body muscular strength (SMD: 1.06; 95% CI: 0.90, 1.22; p = 0.001), upper-body muscular strength (SMD: 1.11; 95% CI: 0.91, 1.31; p = 0.001), and handgrip strength (WMD: 1.78 kg; 95% CI: 1.24, 2.32; p = 0.001) in post-menopausal women. These increments were found to be irrespective of ages and intervention durations. Regarding exercise type, aerobic, resistance, and combined training significantly increased CRF and lower-body muscular strength, while resistance and combined training effectively increased handgrip strength. However, only resistance training increased the upper-body muscular strength in women.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that exercise training is effective in increasing CRF and muscular strength in post-menopausal women, which might be cardioprotective. Both aerobic and resistance training alone or in combination increased CRF and lower-body muscular strength, but only resistance training increased upper-body strength in women.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=283425, identifier: CRD42021283425.
Ensemble learning analysis of influencing factors on the distribution of urban flood risk points: a case study of Guangzhou, China
Authors: Zhao Juchao , Wang Jin , Abbas Zaheer , Yang Yao , Zhao Yaolong
Published: May 2023

Urban waterlogging is a major natural disaster in the process of urbanization. It is of great significance to carry out the analysis of influencing factors and susceptibility assessment of urban waterlogging for related prevention and control. However, the relationship between urban waterlogging and different influencing factors is often complicated and nonlinear. Traditional regression analysis methods have shortcomings in dealing with high-dimensional nonlinear issues. Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT) is an excellent ensemble learning algorithm that is highly flexible and efficient, capable of handling complex non-linear relationships, and has achieved significant results in many fields. This paper proposed a technical framework for quantitative analysis and susceptibility assessment on influencing factors of urban waterlogging based on the GBDT in a case study in Guangzhou city, China. Main factors and indicators affecting urban waterlogging in terrain and topography, impervious surface, vegetation coverage, drainage facilities, rivers, etc., were selected for the GBDT. The results demonstrate that: (1) GBDT performs well, with an overall accuracy of 83.5% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.669. (2) Drainage density, impervious surface, and NDVI are the most important influencing factors resulting in rainstorm waterlogging, with a total contribution of 85.34%. (3) The overall distribution of urban waterlogging susceptibility shows a characteristic of “high in the southwest and low in the northeast”, in which the high-susceptibility areas are mainly distributed in Yuexiu District (34%), followed by Liwan District (22%) and Haizhu District (20%). To mitigate the impact of frequent urban flooding disasters, future measures should focus on strengthening drainage networks, such as optimizing impervious surface spatial patterns, controlling construction activities in high-risk areas, and preventing excessive development of green spaces.
The effect of double-row wing bag sand barrier on wind prevention and sand fixation: wind tunnel simulation and field verification
Authors: Han Xue-Ying , Yang Wen-Bin , Gao Tian-Xiao , Jia Guang-Pu , Liu Jing
Published: May 2023

Introduction: Most of the sand fixation technologies utilized locally and internationally are static or dynamic, making it challenging for a single sand fixation mode to function in a harsh environment. Therefore, the development of a sand fixation mode that combines resistance and consolidation has emerged as a trending topic in sand control research. Our team developed the wing bag sand barrier, which is a static and dynamic combination of sand fixation mode.

Methods: In this study, we examined the characteristics of airflow velocity field and sand resistance near double-row wing bag sand barrier under different wind conditions to screen out the optimal mode of wing bag sand barrier. The analyses were conducted under nine configuration modes through the wind tunnel simulation experiment and the field experiment.

Results: The inflection point of the airflow was always 5H on the windward side of the wing bag sand barrier, regardless of the wind speed. The protection range of the wing bag sand barrier with the same specifications was gradually weakened with the increase of the wind speed. However, there was an upward trend in both total sand accumulation and sand accumulation of each height layer. When the wind speed was slower than 8 m/s, the sand accumulation behind the barrier was mainly concentrated in the 0–10 cm height layer, and when the wind speed was 12 m/s, it was mainly concentrated in the 30–60 cm height layer. At the leeward side of the wing bag sand barrier, sand particles were rejected in the range of 0–30 cm; however, they were conducted in the range of 30–60 cm. The protective effect of the wing bag sand barrier simulated in the wind tunnel experiment was consistent with that of the field experiment.

Discussion: For a wind speed of slower than 6 m/s, the recommended specification for the field-installed wing bag sand barrier was 25 cm × 20 cm or 30 cm × 20 cm. The specifications 25 cm × 20 cm and 25 cm × 25 cm were recommended at an inlet wind speed of 8 m/s. When the wind speed was greater than 12 m/s, the recommended specifications were 25 cm × 25 cm, 25 cm × 20 cm, and 20 cm × 25 cm.
Seasonal ice-covered lake surface likely caused the spatial heterogeneity of aeolian sediment grain-size in the source region of Yellow River, northeastern Tibetan Plateau, China
Authors: Hu Guangyin , Hu Jingjing , Dong Zhibao , Yang Linhai
Published: May 2023

The area of lakes in Tibetan Plateau (TP) is 36522 km2, accounting for nearly half (49.1%) of the total lake surface area in China, and the lakes in TP are seasonally ice-covered for 4–5 months per year. In such a high-cold Third Pole with extensive lakes, how does aeolian sediment transport on ice cover and to what extent can seasonal ice-covered lake cause sediment redistribution by providing pathways for sediment migration is rarely studied. The source region of Yellow River (SRYR) is located in the northeastern TP with an altitude above 4000 m, is home to large area of seasonal frozen lakes. Nine sections of aeolian sediments were collected from SRYR for grain-size study. The end-member modeling analysis (EMMA) provides a greater chance of resolving aeolian sediment sources since it can quantitatively separate the particle size components of various sedimentary dynamic processes and sources in the sediment. The result shows great spatial difference of the mean grain sizes (mainly varying between 70 and 230 μm). Parametric EMMA is applied to study the provenance tracing of aeolian sediment, combining with remote sensing images and wind data. Aeolian processes were analyzed by separating and extracting the grain size end-members of nine sections, and four statistical end-members (modal grain size is 8.9, 79.5, 141.6, and 251.8 μm, respectively) were classified from the grain size distribution. It shows that the sedimentary sequences in sections 7 and 8 have high EM2 and EM3 fractions and very low EM4 content at all depths. Based on comprehensive analysis of aeolian sediment grain-size, phenology of ice lake, wind regime and remote sensing images, it revealed that the fine aeolian sediments (sections 7 and 8) on the downwind shore of Ngoring Lake likely transported from the upwind shore, which were blown across the ice-covered lake surface by prevailing west wind in winter and spring, but the coarse sediments could be trapped by ice cracks. Therefore, it’s concluded that the aeolian sediment transport on seasonal ice-covered lakes may lead to the spatial heterogeneity of aeolian sediment grain-size in the SRYR.
Diverse bone microanatomy in cetaceans from the Eocene of Ukraine further documents early adaptations to fully aquatic lifestyle
Authors: Davydenko Svitozar , Tretiakov Roman , Gol’din Pavel
Published: May 2023

Basilosauridae, fully aquatic archaeocetes from the Eocene, had osteosclerotic or pachyosteosclerotic structure of ribs and, sometimes, other bones. Such a structure is far different from osteoporotic-like bones of modern cetaceans. A microanatomical and histological study was conducted on axial and limb skeleton of several basilosaurid specimens assigned to the genus Basilotritus, from Bartonian (late middle Eocene) deposits of Ukraine, remarkable for its pachyostotic bones. The postcranial skeleton of these specimens is a complex mosaic of diverse types of bone structure, which include pachyosteosclerotic, osteosclerotic and cancellous elements. The vertebrae have a pachyostotic layered cortex reaching its greatest thickness in the lumbar region. This cortex was strongly vascularized, and its layered structure is due to concentric circles mostly made by longitudinal vascular canals, in addition to cyclical growth lines. Heavy bones are concentrated in the dorsal and ventral areas. Swollen distal ends of thoracic ribs are interpreted as serving as ballast in the ventral area, as also previously proposed for Basilosaurus cetoides. Cortical bone tissue in vertebrae and ribs showed signs of intensive resorption and remodeling. This indicates the use of the axial skeleton not only for buoyancy control but also possibly for calcium and phosphorus recycling.
Permian sedimentary evolution and hydrocarbon accumulation effects in the central-southern South Yellow Sea Basin
Authors: Wang Mingjian , Huang Long , Lei Baohua , Zhang Yunbo , Pan Jun
Published: May 2023

The South Yellow Sea Basin (SYSB) is an extension of the Lower Yangtze Block to the sea. The basin has undergone a complex tectonic-sedimentary evolution, and there has been no breakthrough in oil and gas exploration. Based on newly collected and processed well drilling data, cores, and seismic data of the central-southern SYSB and adjacent areas, the understudy area is set in the Lower Yangtze Region (LYR) to compare the overall sequence division and sedimentary facies. The Permian isochronous stratigraphic framework is methodically established in the central-southern SYSB, and the corresponding sedimentary facies and their distribution are examined in some detail. Finally, together with the previous investigations of tectonic evolution, the potential Permian oil-gas accumulation modes are proposed. The achieved results reveal that the second-order Permian sequence developed in the central-southern SYSB is consistent with the LYR. There exists a relatively complete second-order sequence I developed in the middle-bottom section and the transgressive systems tract of sequence II in the upper section. The Permian sedimentary system in the central-southern SYSB can be compared to the LYR and is generally distributed in a northeast direction. The transgressive systems tract of sequence I is broadly developed with the restricted platform and open platform as the dominant facies. The highstand systems tract of sequence I has been only developed in the northwest of the understudy area, with the shelf as the dominant facies. The transgressive systems tract of sequence II is mostly dominated by delta facies and swamp-lagoon facies with thick coal-measure layers, which provide a material basis for the formation of large-scale oil and gas fields. The thermal evolution of Permian source rocks was controlled by a combination of tectonic evolution and paleothermal gradient. Permian source rocks may have experienced secondary hydrocarbon generation in the western part of the southern Depression, whereas source rocks elsewhere experience only one hydrocarbon generation in the Early Triassic. The obtained results reveal that there are significant differences in the accumulation mode of different structural units.
Recycling of continental crust materials: Geochemical constraints from post-collisional alkaline intrusive rocks in the Dabie orogen
Authors: Sun Guo-Chao , Xia You-Shan , Wen Gang , Qin Lei , Xu Qing-Yang , Dai Li-Qun , Zhao Zi-Fu
Published: May 2023

Post-collisional alkaline intrusive rocks from the Dabie orogen were studied for their whole-rock major-trace elements and Sr-Nd-Hf-Pb isotopes, as well as zircon U-Pb ages and Hf-O isotopes. The results provide geochemical constraints on the nature of their mantle sources and thus insight into crust-mantle interaction in the continental collision zone. The alkaline intrusive rocks are composed of syenite and nepheline syenite. Syn-magmatic zircon U-Pb dating by LA-ICP-MS for them yielded Early Cretaceous ages of 131.3 ± 1.4 Ma to 122.6 ± 0.6 Ma, coeval with the post-collisional magmatism in the Dabie orogen. One relict zircon with U-Pb age of 211 Ma is consistent with the timing of metamorphism for the ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks in this orogen. They have arc-like trace element distribution patterns, such as enrichment in LILE (large ion lithophile element) and LREE (light rare earth element) but depletion in HFSE (high field strength element), and enriched whole-rock Sr-Nd-Hf isotope compositions with high (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios of 0.7077–0.7131 but negative εNd(t) values of −16.0 to −9.4 and εHf(t) values of −17.5 to −12.7. Their syn-magmatic zircons have three groups of Hf-O isotope compositions comparable to those of UHP metamorphic rocks in Central-South Dabie and North Dabie, which represent the upper and middle continental crust of the subducted South China Block, respectively. In this regard, slab–mantle interaction is evident during the Triassic continental collision. We suggest that the melts derived from the subducted South China Block reacted with the lithospheric mantle wedge of the North China Block, resulting in phlogopite-bearing metasomatites, whose partial melting would generate the post-collisional alkaline intrusive rocks during the Early Cretaceous.
Altered adolescents obesity metabolism is associated with hypertension: a UPLC-MS-based untargeted metabolomics study
Authors: Wu Zhi-Ping , Wei Wei , Cheng Yuan , Chen Jing-Yi , Liu Yang , Liu Shan , Hu Meng-Die , Zhao Heng , Li Xiao-Feng , Chen Xin
Published: May 2023

Objective

This study aimed to explore the relationship between the plasma metabolites of adolescent obesity and hypertension and whether metabolite alterations had a mediating effort between adolescent obesity and hypertension.

Methods

We applied untargeted ultra-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) to detect the plasma metabolomic profiles of 105 adolescents. All participants were selected randomly based on a previous cross-sectional study. An orthogonal partial least squares- discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), followed by univariate statistics and enrichment analysis, was used to identify differential metabolites. Using logistic regression for variable selection, an obesity-related metabolite score (OMS, OMS=∑k=1nβnmetabolite n) was constructed from the metabolites identified, and hypertension risk was estimated.

Results

In our study, based on P< 0.05, variable importance in projection (VIP) > 1.0, and impact value > 0.1, we identified a total of 12 differential metabolites. Significantly altered metabolic pathways were the sphingolipid metabolism, purine metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, phospholipid metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine biosynthesis. The logistic regression selection resulted in a four-metabolite score (thymidine, sphingomyelin (SM) d40:1, 4-hydroxyestradiol, and L-lysinamide), which was positively associated with hypertension risk (odds ratio: 7.79; 95% confidence interval: 2.13, 28.47; for the quintile 4 compared with quartile 1 of OMS) after multivariable adjustment.

Conclusions

The OMS constructed from four differential metabolites was used to predict the risk of hypertension in adolescents. These findings could provide sensitive biomarkers for the early recognition of hypertension in adolescents with obesity.
High-temperature irradiation-resistant thermocouple instability model for in-pile reactor use
Authors: Skifton Richard
Published: May 2023

This article presents an instability model for the high-temperature irradiation-resistant thermocouple (HTIR-TC). Here the term instability defines the superposition of both drift and inhomogeneity of TC thermoelements occurring simultaneously. The HTIR-TC is an advanced thermocouple (TC) that uses the refractory metals niobium and molybdenum as sensing thermoelements for generating electromotive force (EMF) in a field of neutrons and at temperatures upward of 1,600°C. In the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) 5/6/7 tests conducted at Idaho National Laboratory’s Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), the HTIR-TCs showed low to moderate instability throughout the life of the test. The instability model reveals that HTIR-TCs can, when the operating temperature of the reactor fuel is normal, maintain performance throughout an 18-month refueling cycle typical of nuclear power plants, reflecting an instability of less than ±1%. The HTIR-TC is also qualified for incorporation into a test fixture during the testing of new fuels.
Metagenomics: an emerging tool for the chemistry of environmental remediation
Authors: Offiong Nnanake-Abasi O. , Edet John B. , Shaibu Solomon E. , Akan Nyaknno E. , Atakpa Edidiong O. , Sanganyado Edmond , Okop Imeh J. , Benson Nsikak U. , Okoh Anthony
Published: May 2023

Metagenomics is the study of genetic information, including the sequences and genomes of microorganisms present in an environment. Since 1998, the full-scale application of this technique to environmental chemistry has brought significant advances in the characterization of the nature and chemical composition/distribution of contaminants present in environmental matrices of contaminated and/or remediated sites. This has been critical in the selection of microorganisms and has contributed significantly to the success of this biological treatment over the years. Metagenomics has gone through different phases of development, which ranges from initial sequencing strategies to next-generation sequencing (NGS), which is a recently developed technology to obtain more robust deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) profile of microorganisms devoid of chimeric sequences which reduces the quality of metagenomic data. Therefore, the objective of this review is to evaluate the applications of metagenomics in the understanding of environmental dynamics of chemical contaminants during remediation studies. Also, this review presents the relationship between biological characteristics of microorganisms and chemical properties of chemical compounds, which forms the basis of bioremediation and could be useful in developing predictive models that could enhance remediation efficiency. In conclusion, metagenomic techniques have improved the characterisation of chemical contaminants in the environment and provides a correlation for useful prediction of the type of contaminant expected in various environmental matrices.
Soil and groundwater contamination by crude oil spillage: A review and implications for remediation projects in Nigeria
Authors: Adeniran Margaret A. , Oladunjoye Michael A. , Doro Kennedy O.
Published: May 2023

Management of soil and groundwater resources has been recognized as essential to meeting the sustainable development goals of Agenda 2063 of the African Union. As Africa’s fastest growing population with over 200 million people, Nigeria is responsible for leading the continent’s environmental sustainability goal. Nigeria has seen a sizable number of crude oil spillages that have contaminated its soils and groundwater resources, and several of these contaminated sites are to be cleaned up yet. There needs to be more scientific data to design an effective cleanup and to manage the soil and groundwater resources effectively. So far, the only extensive crude oil-contaminated site remediation project documented is on Ogoniland in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. However, this project resulted in less effective, albeit temporary, cleanup solutions. This review presents a state-of-the-art synthesis of research on soil and groundwater contamination by crude oil. It includes sections on processes, measurements, predictions, and management, as well as an analysis of the state and challenges in Nigeria. In-depth field, laboratory, and computer models for crude oil contamination investigation have been developed with over 60 years of significant research. However, studies and case projects in Nigeria have relied on point sampling to determine the concentration of crude oil contaminants in soil and groundwater. This method offers limited information on the solute concentration and hydraulic distribution, which regulates pollutant mobility within the subsurface. The absence of baseline and high-resolution subsurface characterization data has also resulted in a need for more process-based knowledge to direct the development of site-specific remediation strategies. As a result, it is challenging to design a conceptual model that is detailed enough to help with predictions of the flow dynamics of crude oil contaminants in the unsaturated and saturated zones. It is anticipated that this review will stimulate further multidisciplinary research through site evaluation and monitoring to provide reliable information that can be used to develop appropriate model-based remediation solutions.
Effectiveness of the Swachh Bharat Mission and barriers to ending open defecation in India: a systematic review
Authors: VerKuilen Anna , Sprouse Lauren , Beardsley Rachel , Lebu Sarah , Salzberg Aaron , Manga Musa
Published: May 2023

In 2016, nearly 60% of the population of India practiced open defecation (OD), which was 4 times the global rate, and reducing OD in India will be essential in meeting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.2 and improving global public health. The government of India launched the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) in 2014 with one key goal for all Indian states to achieve OD-free (ODF) status by 2019. Despite reports from the Government of India on the success of SBM, the true ODF status of Indian states is still unknown. A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature was conducted to assess the impact of SBM on OD in India, evaluate the barriers to reducing OD, and provide recommendations for future interventions to reduce or eliminate OD in India. A total of 237 publications were screened, and 22 were selected for inclusion. While the Prime Minister declared India ODF in 2019, studies suggest that the government monitoring system overestimates numbers of ODF villages and toilet coverage. Reasons for households’ continued OD practice include financial constraints, lack of water supply, governmental mistrust, cultural beliefs, and personal preference. Community incentives and penalties have been used to encourage proper sanitation practices with varying success. Overarching strategies and approaches that have worked well across study districts to reduce OD include high involvement of district leadership and innovative behavior-change and local community mobilization campaigns.
Time-varying risk aversion and dynamic dependence between crude oil futures and European Union allowance futures markets
Authors: Wu Xinyu , Zhu Zhitian
Published: May 2023

In this paper, we propose the copula-mixed frequency data sampling model incorporating time-varying risk aversion (RA) (copula-MIDAS-RA model) to investigate the impact of time-varying RA on the dynamic dependence between crude oil futures and European Union allowance (EUA) futures markets. An empirical analysis based on the daily data on the Brent crude oil futures and EUA futures returns and the monthly data on the RA index shows that the Student-t copula-MIDAS-RA model has better goodness-of-fit than other copulas, suggesting that the tail dependence between crude oil futures and EUA futures markets is symmetric and time-varying. More importantly, we observe that the RA has a significantly positive impact on the dynamic dependence between crude oil futures and EUA futures markets. That is, the dynamic dependence between crude oil futures and EUA futures markets is expected to increase with the level of RA increases. Moreover, we observe that the Student-t copula-MIDAS-RA model improves the accuracy in risk management relative to other copula models. Our findings have implication for hedging strategies and asset pricing.
Large variation in Mekong river plastic transport between wet and dry season
Authors: van Emmerik Tim H. M. , Schreyers Louise J. , Mellink Yvette A. M. , Sok Ty , Arias Mauricio E.
Published: May 2023

Plastic pollution in rivers is of increased global concern. Rivers act both as pathways for land-based plastic waste into the ocean, and as plastic reservoirs for long-term retention. Reliable observations are key to designing, optimizing and evaluating strategies to prevent and reduce plastic pollution. Several measurement methods have been developed to quantify macroplastic (>0.5 cm) storage and transport in rivers, including visual counting from bridges, net sampling, and images-based techniques. Method harmonization is crucial to make sure data collected using different techniques remains consistent. In turn, this would allow for comparative analysis of plastic pollution within and between rivers. In this paper, we present a harmonization approach to estimate floating plastic item and mass transport from data collected using different methods. The approach allows estimating the same values based on different measurement methods and data collection protocols. We applied our approach to the Mekong-Tonlé Sap-Bassac river system around the city of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We estimated the floating plastic item and mass transport in the wet and dry season by combining data from net sampling and visual counting. During the wet season, plastic transport in the Mekong increased with a factor of up to 170 (item transport) and 294 (mass transport) compared to the dry season. The river plastic mass balance around Phnom Penh changed considerably, which was mainly due to the flow reversal of Tonlé Sap river between the wet and dry season. Downstream of Phnom Penh, the total plastic transport was consistently higher than upstream, although less in the wet season (1.5–1.7 times) compared to the dry season (3.8–5.9 times), emphasizing the city’s role as entry point of plastic pollution into the Mekong. The largest sources of uncertainty are assumed to be caused by key differences between methods, including the size ranges, extrapolation from observation point to full river width, and the contribution of submerged plastic to the total transport. Future work should focus on including data from other methods than net sampling and visual counting, and reducing the uncertainties related to combining data from different methods. Our results show that river plastic transport dynamics are highly variable over time and space, especially around confluences, bifurcations and urban areas. With our paper we aim to contribute to further harmonization of river plastic monitoring.
Research on the farmers’ agricultural digital service use behavior under the rural revitalization strategy—Based on the extended technology acceptance model
Authors: Wang Bo , Dong Hao
Published: May 2023

The effective use of agricultural digital services can promote the transformation of agricultural production methods and actively promote the development of agricultural economy. However, in the process of agricultural production and operation, farmers are difficult to use agricultural digital services and are still at a disadvantage in the use of information. The rapid development and promotion of agricultural digital services provide opportunities for farmers to cross the “digital divide” and obtain “data dividend.” Based on the extended technology acceptance model, this paper uses the partial least squares structural equation model to empirically analyze the key influencing factors of farmers’ agricultural digital service use behavior. The research shows that farmers’ agricultural digital use behavior is mainly affected by two key factors: adoption intention and facility conditions. Among them, adoption intention has a more significant impact on use behavior. At the same time, adoption intention is affected by performance expectation, social influence and data quality, which is an important pre-factor affecting behavior.