bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Susceptibility of ABO Blood Groups to Venous Thromboembolism in Individuals with Factor V Leiden
Authors: Bawazir Waleed M.
Published: August 2022

A limited number of studies investigated the association between the ABO blood groups and the incidence of venous thromboembolism in individuals with Factor V Leiden; however, discordant findings were reported. Consequently, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the existing evidence on the susceptibility of the ABO blood group to venous thromboembolism in individuals with Factor V Leiden. All English-published articles on the Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar were comprehensively and systematically searched by the author without a time or region limit. Four studies were included in the qualitative synthesis and meta-analysis after the removal of studies that were not eligible. According to the analyses of the fixed and random effects, the point estimates of the effect size and the 95% confidence interval were 0.416 (95% CI: 0.397–0.435) and 0.392 (95% CI: 0.288–0.507), respectively. In contrast, the homogeneity test (Q value) reveals that blood group data distributions have a heterogenous structure (Q = 432.187; p-value < 0.001). The pooled event rates and the 95% CIs for the A, AB, B, and O-blood groups were 0.518 (95% CI: 0.411–0.622), 0.592 (95% CI: 0.495–0.683), 0.205 (95% CI: 0.041–0.612), and 0.283 (95% CI: 0.247–0.322), respectively. According to the findings, people with Factor V Leiden with blood group AB are more likely to develop venous thromboembolism than those with blood groups A, O, and B. The overall statistical significance of the ABO blood group’s susceptibility to venous thromboembolism in individuals with Factor V Leiden was <0.001 (pooled p-value). In conclusion, the current meta-analysis provides an additional indication that blood group AB individuals with Factor V Leiden are at higher risk of developing venous thromboembolism, and blood type B is connected to a lower risk of developing venous thromboembolism.
Gaussian-Based Adaptive Fish Migration Optimization Applied to Optimization Localization Error of Mobile Sensor Networks
Authors: Liu Yong , Zheng Wei-Min , Liu Shangkun , Chai Qing-Wei
Published: August 2022

Location information is the primary feature of wireless sensor networks, and it is more critical for Mobile Wireless Sensor Networks (MWSN) to monitor specific targets. How to improve the localization accuracy is a challenging problem for researchers. In this paper, the Gaussian probability distribution model is applied to randomize the individual during the migration of the Adaptive Fish Migration Optimization (AFMO) algorithm. The performance of the novel algorithm is verified by the CEC 2013 test suit, and the result is compared with other famous heuristic algorithms. Compared to other well-known heuristics, the new algorithm achieves the best results in almost 21 of all 28 test functions. In addition, the novel algorithm significantly reduces the localization error of MWSN, the simulation results show that the accuracy of the new algorithm is more than 5% higher than that of other heuristic algorithms in terms of mobile sensor node positioning, and more than 100% higher than that without the heuristic algorithm.
Common Correlated Effects Estimation for Dynamic Heterogeneous Panels with Non-Stationary Multi-Factor Error Structures
Authors: Cao Shiyun , Zhou Qiankun
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we consider the estimation of a dynamic panel data model with non-stationary multi-factor error structures. We adopted the common correlated effect (CCE) estimation and established the asymptotic properties of the CCE and common correlated effects mean group (CCEMG) estimators, as N and T tend to infinity. The results show that both the CCE and CCEMG estimators are consistent and the CCEMG estimator is asymptotically normally distributed. The theoretical findings were supported for small samples by an extensive simulation study, showing that the CCE estimators are robust to a wide variety of data generation processes. Empirical findings suggest that the CCE estimation is widely applicable to models with non-stationary factors. The proposed procedure is also illustrated by an empirical application to analyze the U.S. cigar dataset.
Dual-Anchor Metric Learning for Blind Image Quality Assessment of Screen Content Images
Authors: Jing Weiyi , Bai Yongqiang , Zhu Zhongjie , Zhang Rong , Jin Yiwen
Published: August 2022

The natural scene statistic is destroyed by the artificial portion in the screen content images (SCIs) and is also impractical for obtaining an accurate statistical model due to the variable composition of the artificial and natural parts in SCIs. To resolve this problem, this paper presents a dual-anchor metric learning (DAML) method that is inspired by metric learning to obtain discriminative statistical features and further identify complex distortions, as well as predict SCI image quality. First, two Gaussian mixed models with prior data are constructed as the target anchors of the statistical model from natural and artificial image databases, which can effectively enhance the metrical discrimination of the mapping relation between the feature representation and quality degradation by conditional probability analysis. Then, the distances of the high-order statistics are softly aggregated to conduct metric learning between the local features and clusters of each target statistical model. Through empirical analysis and experimental verification, only variance differences are used as quality-aware features to benefit the balance of complexity and effectiveness. Finally, the mapping model between the target distances and subjective quality can be obtained by support vector regression. To validate the performance of DAML, multiple experiments are carried out on three public databases: SIQAD, SCD, and SCID. Meanwhile, PLCC, SRCC, and the RMSE are then employed to compute the correlation between subjective and objective ratings, which can estimate the prediction of accuracy, monotonicity, and consistency, respectively. The PLCC and RMSE of the method achieved 0.9136 and 0.7993. The results confirm the good performance of the proposed method.
Data-Intensive Computing in Smart Microgrids: Volume II
Authors: Herodotou Herodotos , Aslam Sheraz
Published: August 2022

Power grids play an important role in modern societies by providing an uninterrupted energy supply and have become a key driving force behind the growth of the world’s economies [...]
Influence of Local Gas Sources with Variable Density and Momentum on the Flow of the Medium in the Conduit
Authors: Ptaszyński Bogusław , Łuczak Rafał , Kuczera Zbigniew , Życzkowski Piotr
Published: August 2022

In this article, the analysis of mechanical energy changes in a gas medium flow with stable and variable density was presented. To determine the energy losses, the various sources of momentum and mass were used, which had an influence on air flow through the conduit in the system without heat exchange with the environment. The occurrence of varying density gas flow in the conduit (caused by local inflow of mass and momentum) in inclined pipes generates a natural depression–internal mechanical energy. The local momentum sources can facilitate or hinder the gas flow through the conduit. This phenomenon often appears in the network of underground mine workings and in ventilation and air conditioning installations. The characteristic for gas flow through a pipe or mining excavation is the equivalent aerodynamic resistance, the value of which is influenced by the mass and momentum of local sources. This value determines the facilitation or difficulty in gas transport through a section of conduit in relation to the mass stream of the medium. In this article, the dependency of mass flow and gas momentum with different densities on the value of the gas medium flow resistance in the conduit was analyzed. On the basis of the obtained results, the loss of mechanical energy and energy efficiency of flows were determined. In this work, two cases of fan work in suction and blowing modes were analyzed. For these examples, a gas inflow with three different mass streams, a density higher than the main stream density, and with a zero momentum value for this stream was modeled. Ten cases of mass inflow sources were considered. The results of the gas mass flow calculation through the fan m˙w and gas m˙0 and the coefficient of transport efficiency are graphically presented in the paper.
Influence of a Type of Rock Mass on the Stability of Headings in Polish Underground Copper Mines Based on Boundary Element Method
Authors: Adach-Pawelus Karolina , Szyry Natalia
Published: August 2022

This paper presents the results of a numerical analysis of the impact of rock mass geomechanical parameters on the stability of preparatory headings located within the Legnica-Glogow Copper District. The paper shows the results of numerical calculations prepared for headings driven in two rock mass types with different strength and deformation parameters, which allow illustrating their influence on the safety of mining performed in underground copper ore mines. Numerical modeling was performed using the Examine2D 7.0 software, in the plane strain state. Numerical simulations were performed for an isotropic and for a homogenous medium. The rock medium was described with an elastic model. The parameters of the rock mass for numerical modeling were calculated using the Hoek–Brown classification. The Coulomb–Mohr strength criterion was adopted as a measure for assessing the rock mass effort. Numerical simulations confirmed the dependance between the stability of the analyzed excavations and rock mass geomechanical parameters.
A Neuro-Predictive Controller Scheme for Integration of a Basic Wind Energy Generation Unit with an Electrical Power System
Authors: Mohamed Mohamed Abd-El-Hakeem , Abbas Hossam Seddik , Shouran Mokhtar , Kamel Salah
Published: August 2022

Developing control methods that have the ability to preserve the stability and optimum operation of a wind energy generation unit connected to power systems constitutes an essential area of recent research in power systems control. The present work investigates a novel control of a wind energy system connected to a power system through a static VAR compensator (SVC). This advanced control is constructed via integration between the model predictive control (MPC) and an artificial neural network (ANN) to collect all of their advantages. The conventional MPC needs a high computational effort, or it can cause difficulties in implementation. These difficulties can be eliminated by using Laguerre-based MPC (LMPC). The ANN has high performance in optimization and modeling, but it is limited in improving dynamic performance. Conversely, MPC operation improves dynamic performance. The integration between ANN and LMPC increases the ability of the Neuro-MPC (LMPC-ANN) control system to conduct smooth tracking, overshoot reduction, optimization, and modeling. The new control scheme has strong, robust properties. Additionally, it can be applied to uncertainties and disturbances which result from high levels of wind speed variation. For comparison purposes, the performance of the studied system is estimated at different levels of wind speed based on different strategies, which are ANN only, Conventional MPC strategy, MPC-LQG strategy, ANN- LQG strategy, and the proposed control. This comparison proved the superiority of the proposed controller (LMPC-ANN) for improving the dynamic response where it mitigates wind fluctuation effects while maintaining the power generated and generator terminal voltage at optimum values.
Lead–Acid Battery SOC Prediction Using Improved AdaBoost Algorithm
Authors: Sun Shuo , Zhang Qianli , Sun Junzhong , Cai Wei , Zhou Zhiyong , Yang Zhanlu , Wang Zongliang
Published: August 2022

Research on the state of charge (SOC) prediction of lead–acid batteries is of great importance to the use and management of batteries. Due to this reason, this paper proposes a method for predicting the SOC of lead–acid batteries based on the improved AdaBoost model. By using the online sequence extreme learning machine (OSELM) as its weak learning machine, this model can achieve incremental learning of the model, which has a high computational efficiency, and does not require repeated training of old samples. Through improvement of the AdaBoost algorithm, the local prediction accuracy of the algorithm for the sample is enhanced, the scores of the proposed model in the maximum absolute error (AEmax) and maximum absolute percent error (APEmax) indicators are 6.8% and 8.8% lower, and the accuracy of the model is further improved. According to the verification with experimental data, when there are a large number of prediction samples, the improved AdaBoost model can reduce the prediction accuracy indicators of mean absolute percent error (MAPE), mean absolute error (MAE), and mean square error (MSE) to 75.4%, 58.3, and 84.2%, respectively. Compared with various other prediction methods in the prediction accuracy of battery SOC, the prediction accuracy indicators MAE, MSE, MAPE, AEmax, and APEmax of the model proposed in this paper are all optimal, which proves the validity and adaptive ability of the model.
Running Dynamics of Rail Vehicles
Authors: Kalivoda Jan , Neduzha Larysa
Published: August 2022

The importance of simulation calculations in developing railway vehicles and their subsystems is consistently growing compared to physical experiments and track tests [...]
Investigation of the Effectiveness of a New Backfilling Method: “Multi-Arch Pier-Column”
Authors: Xu Guangzheng , Fan Kegong , Li Xuehui , Shi Xinshuai , Ning Jianguo , Wang Jun , Sun Guoqing , Chang Jingyu
Published: August 2022

Owing to the shortcomings of blindness and inaccuracy when backfilling in goafs and based on the key stratum theory, we propose the “multi-arch pier-column” backfilling method. This method involves drilling holes at specific locations on the surface to inject filling and slurry materials into the goaf and separation area under the key stratum. This allows the broken gangue to be cemented to form a stone body, to improve its overall strength. This process, along with filling in the separation area under the key stratum, ensures that the key stratum does not break, forming a joint medium of “separation area filling body + backfilled pier-columns + key stratum + coal column”, which prevents new subsidence on the surface layer. Using the Gaojialiang coal mine as an example, the effects of the proposed method on controlling surface subsidence were determined using a numerical simulation based on FLAC3D simulation software. The results indicate that this method can effectively control the key stratum and ensure that the surface subsidence is within a safe range. The multi-arch pier-column backfilling method utilises the self-bearing capacity of the overburden structure and greatly reduces the backfilling workload and the cost of backfilling for controlling surface subsidence. At present, the multi-arch pier-column system of the new backfill method is an unexplored and new area of research.
Regenerative Braking Logic That Maximizes Energy Recovery Ensuring the Vehicle Stability
Authors: Sandrini Giulia , Chindamo Daniel , Gadola Marco
Published: August 2022

This paper presents a regenerative braking logic that aims to maximize the recovery of energy during braking without compromising the stability of the vehicle. This model of regenerative braking ensures that the regenerative torque of the electric motor (for front- and rear-wheel drive vehicles) or electric motors (for all-wheel drive vehicles equipped with one motor for each axle) is exploited to the maximum, avoiding the locking of the driving wheels and, subsequently, if necessary, integrating the braking with the traditional braking system. The priority of the logic is that of maximizing energy recovery under braking, followed by the pursuit of optimal braking distribution. This last aspect in particular occurs when there is an integration of braking and, for vehicles with all-wheel drive, also when choosing the distribution of regenerative torque between the two electric motors. The logic was tested via simulation on a front-, rear-, and all-wheel drive compact car, and from the simulations, it emerged that, on the WLTC driving cycle, the logic saved between 29.5 and 30.3% in consumption compared to the same vehicle without regenerative recovery, and 22.6–23.5% compared to a logic commonly adopted on the market. On cycle US06, it saves 23.9–24.4% and 19.0–19.5%, respectively.
Analysis of the Spectral Sensitivity of Luxmeters and Light Sensors of Smartphones in Terms of Their Influence on the Results of Illuminance Measurements—Example Cases
Authors: Tabaka Przemyslaw , Wtorkiewicz Justyna
Published: August 2022

The article presents spectral sensitivity curves of 22 typical luxmeters and 3 smartphones as a result of laboratory measurements. Based on the measurement data, errors in the spectral correction of the considered instruments and devices were calculated. Due to the fact that the value of the measured illuminance is influenced by the spectral characteristics of the radiation, in order to determine the spectral corrections coefficients, 10 light sources with different spectral distributions of radiation were taken into account. Spectral corrections factors were determined using two methods for all luxmeters and smartphones. This paper presents the relationship between the shape of the spectral sensitivity curves of a given luxmeter and the measured values of f′1 errors. Moreover, the limitations related to the use of spectral corrections in environmental measurements with the use of a luxmeter were demonstrated.
Ramp Rate Limitation of Wind Power: An Overview
Authors: D’Amico Guglielmo , Petroni Filippo , Vergine Salvatore
Published: August 2022

A run for increasing the integration of renewable energy sources in the electricity network has been seen in recent years because of the big concern about environmental issues and pollution from controllable power units. This paper aims to give a general overview of the concept of ramp rate limitation and its principal applications in the literature regarding the field of control strategies, which deal with smoothing the wind power output. Wind power is one of the most-used renewable energy sources, and the objective of limiting the ramp rate of the power output is to produce more stable power. The studies of ramp rate limitation applied in wind power production deal with the definition and detection of this phenomenon in the real data, the methodologies used to forecast it, its application for managing grids and microgrids, the different actions aimed at physically implementing the restriction, and some of the grid code requirements used in different nations.
Treatment of X-Linked Hypophosphatemia in Children
Authors: Tajima Toshihiro , Hasegawa Yukihiro
Published: August 2022

The conventional treatment for X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH), consisting of phosphorus supplementation and a biologically active form of vitamin D (alfacalcidol or calcitriol), is used to treat rickets and leg deformities and promote growth. However, patients’ adult height often remains less than −2 SD. Moreover, adverse events, such as renal calcification and hyperparathyroidism, may occur. The main pathology in XLH is caused by excessive production of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). Several studies have demonstrated that treatment with burosumab, a blocking neutralizing antibody against FGF23, is better than conventional therapy for severe XLH and has no serious, short-term side effects. Thus, treatment with burosumab may be an option for severe XLH. The present article reviews the conventional and burosumab therapies. In addition to the fact that the long-term efficacy of antibody-based treatment has not been demonstrated, there are other, unresolved issues concerning the burosumab treatment of XLH.
Degradation of Residual Herbicide Atrazine in Agri-Food and Washing Water
Authors: Hong Junting , Boussetta Nadia , Enderlin Gérald , Merlier Franck , Grimi Nabil
Published: August 2022

Atrazine, an herbicide used to control grassy and broadleaf weed, has become an essential part of agricultural crop protection tools. It is widely sprayed on corn, sorghum and sugar cane, with the attendant problems of its residues in agri-food and washing water. If ingested into humans, this residual atrazine can cause reproductive harm, developmental toxicity and carcinogenicity. It is therefore important to find clean and economical degradation processes for atrazine. In recent years, many physical, chemical and biological methods have been proposed to remove atrazine from the aquatic environment. This review introduces the research works of atrazine degradation in aqueous solutions by method classification. These methods are then compared by their advantages, disadvantages, and different degradation pathways of atrazine. Moreover, the existing toxicological experimental data for atrazine and its metabolites are summarized. Finally, the review concludes with directions for future research and major challenges to be addressed.
Describing the Sensory Complexity of Italian Wines: Application of the Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) Method
Authors: Rabitti Noemi Sofia , Cattaneo Camilla , Appiani Marta , Proserpio Cristina , Laureati Monica
Published: August 2022

The aim of this study was to characterise a large and heterogeneous Italian wine sample applying the Rate-All-That-Apply method (RATA) with semi-trained judges. Twelve judges evaluated 46 samples including white, red, rosé and sparkling wines in two replicates. Judges were asked to select from a list of descriptors all the sensations that described the samples and to evaluate their intensity. Judges obtained high repeatability index scores. A good panel reliability was also highlighted in terms of the reproducibility of the whole sensory characterisation through a multi-factor analysis (MFA). MFA results also showed a good discriminatory ability of the panel with red wines described by bitterness, astringency, body, alcohol and specific olfactory stimuli such as red fruits, spicy and roasted, while white wines were salty, sour and characterised by citrus, tropical fruits and white flowers odours. The RATA method is a suitable and reliable methodology for the description of a wide variety of wine samples and a valuable alternative approach to conventional descriptive analysis to gather information about the sensory perception of a very complex product even when large panels of consumers are not available. Furthermore, the present results provide useful information for wine producers to characterise their products as well as for the optimisation of production disciplinaries, which currently are not exhaustive in the description and the discrimination among products.
Attenuation of Chilling Injury and Improving Antioxidant Capacity of Persimmon Fruit by Arginine Application
Authors: Nasr Fahimeh , Razavi Farhang , Rabiei Vali , Gohari Gholamreza , Ali Sajid , Hano Christophe
Published: August 2022

Persimmon is a climacteric perishable fruit with a short storage life. In recent years, using natural compounds that are safe for human health and environment have obtained more attention in postharvest investigations. The current research was conducted to study efficacy of postharvest L-arginine treatment at 0, 0.3, and 0.6 mM in improving chilling tolerance and maintaining the nutritional quality of persimmon fruit during low-temperature storage. According to the results, the highest weight loss (4.3%), malondialdehyde (MDA (5.8 nmol g−1 FW)), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 (22.33 nmol g−1 FW)) was detected in control fruit. Fruit firmness was gradually decreased during storage, but it was slower in L-arginine-treated fruit. The highest tissue firmness (3.8 kg cm−2) was noted in fruit treated with 0.6 mM L-arginine. The chilling was gradually increased during storage. Fruits treated with L-arginine showed a lower chilling injury than the control fruit. Total soluble tannin compound and antioxidant enzymes activities in persimmons declined during cold storage. L-arginine treatment significantly maintained antioxidant enzymes activity, antioxidant capacity, and total soluble tannin compounds, while L-arginine had no significant impact on titratable acidity and total soluble solids. It seems that a reduction in oxidative damage and an increase in quality of persimmon during low-temperature storage manifested several defense mechanisms induced by exogenous application of L-arginine. These findings indicated that the application of L-arginine to maintain the quality and increase postharvest life of persimmon is very useful and can be applied during cold storage.
Impact of Economic Constraints on the Projected Timeframe for Human-Crewed Deep Space Exploration
Authors: Rosen Philip E. , Zhang Dan , Jiang Jonathan H. , Ijzendoorn Leopold Van , Fahy Kristen A. , Zhu Zong-Hong
Published: August 2022

Deep space exploration offers the most profound opportunity for the expansion of humanity and our understanding of the universe but remains extremely challenging. Progress will continue to be paced by uncrewed missions followed up by crewed missions to ever further destinations. Major space powers continue to invest in crewed deep space exploration as an important national strategy. An improved model based on previous work is developed, which projects the earliest possible launch dates for human-crewed missions from cis-lunar space to selected destinations in the Solar System and beyond based on NASA’s historic budget trend and overall development trends of deep space exploration research. The purpose of the analysis is to provide a projected timeframe for crewed missions beyond Mars. Our findings suggest the first human missions from a spacefaring nation or international collaboration to the asteroid belt and Jovian system could be scheduled as soon as ~2071 to ~2087 and ~2101 to ~2121, respectively, while a launch to the Saturn system may occur by the year ~2132, with an uncertainty window of ~2129 to ~2153.
Non-Motherhood between Obligation and Choice: Statistical Analysis Based on Permutation Tests of Spontaneous and Induced Abortion Rates in the Italian Context
Authors: Alibrandi Angela , Merlino Lavinia , Guarneri Claudio , Ingrasciotta Ylenia , Zirilli Agata
Published: August 2022

(1) Background: This paper aims to examine two relevant phenomena in the context of public health: spontaneous abortion (SA) and induced abortion (IA). SA is one of the most common complications of pregnancies; IA is a conscious choice that is made by the mother/couple. (2) Methods: Permutation tests were applied to SA and IA standardized rates detected by ISTAT (2016–2020). The NPC test, chosen for its optimal properties, was applied to compare different Italian territorial divisions (stratifying for year and age classes of women) and analyze the trend of years by stochastic ordering. (3) Results: Only for SA, there are significant differences among the three territorial divisions: the South records higher SA standardized rates than the North and the Center; the rates of IA are similar. Relating to distinct women age classes, the SA standardized rates do not show significant differences among the three analyzed geographical areas; different results are highlighted for IA. Stochastic ordering shows that only the IA standardized rates are characterized by a significant monotonous decreasing trend over the years. (4) Conclusion: The SA phenomenon has shown a decreasing trend that could be justified by the progress of science. For IA, we can certainly say that the general decrease in the phenomenon is due to the greater use of contraceptive methods that help to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
Application of Honey to Reduce Perineal Laceration Pain during the Postpartum Period: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Gerosa Désirée , Santagata Marika , Martinez de Tejada Begoña , Guittier Marie-Julia
Published: August 2022

Perineal lacerations affect between 35 and 85% of women during childbirth and may be responsible for postpartum pain. Honey has been demonstrated to have interesting properties that can promote wound healing. The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the application of honey to the perineum to reduce perineal pain during the early postpartum period. A randomized controlled trial including 68 women was conducted. In the intervention group, honey was applied to perineal lacerations for four days, in addition to standard care. The control group received only standard care. The primary outcome was pain intensity using the Visual Analog Scale and pain perception using the McGill Pain Questionnaire (QDSA). The secondary outcomes were a burning sensation, the use of a pain killer, and the women’s satisfaction with the honey application. The intensity of pain was not significantly different between the groups on Day 1 (VAS 3.38 in the control group versus 3.34 in the intervention group, p = 0.65) or on Day 4 (VAS 2.28 versus 1.41, respectively, p = 0.09). There was no significant difference regarding the perception of pain with the QDSA. Despite this, most of the women in the intervention group (93%) were satisfied or very satisfied with the use of honey on their perineum.
Characterizing Production–Living–Ecological Space Evolution and Its Driving Factors: A Case Study of the Chaohu Lake Basin in China from 2000 to 2020
Authors: Zhang Ruyi , Li Songnian , Wei Baojing , Zhou Xu
Published: August 2022

The division of the territorial space functional area is the primary method to study the rational exploitation and use of land space. The research on the Production–Living–Ecological Space (PLES) change and its motivating factors has major implications for managing and optimizing spatial planning and may open up a new research direction for inquiries into environmental change on a global scale. In this study, the transfer matrix and landscape pattern index methods were used to analyze the temporal changes as well as the evolution features of the landscape pattern of the PLES in the Chaohu Lake Basin from 2000 to 2020. Using principal component analysis and grey correlation analysis, the primary driving indicators of the spatial changes of the PLES in the Chaohu Lake Basin and the degree of the influence of various driving factors on various spatial types were determined. The study concluded with a few findings. First, from the standpoint of landscape structure, the Chaohu Lake Basin’s agricultural production space (APS) makes up more than 60% of the total area, and it and urban living space (ULS) are the two most visible spatial categories. Second, the pattern of the landscape demonstrates that the area used for agricultural production holds a significant advantage within the overall structure of the landscape. Although there is less connectedness between different landscape types, less landscape dominance, and more landscape fragmentation, the structure of different landscape types tends to be more varied. Third, the findings of the driving analysis demonstrate that the natural climate, population structure of agricultural development, and industrial structure of economic development are the three driving indicators of the change of the PLES. Finally, in order to promote the formation of a territorial space development pattern with intensive and efficient production space, appropriate living space, and beautiful ecological space, it is proposed to carry out land regulation according to natural factors, economic development, national policies, and other actual conditions.
Efficient Base-Catalyzed Kemp Elimination in an Engineered Ancestral Enzyme
Authors: Gutierrez-Rus Luis I. , Alcalde Miguel , Risso Valeria A. , Sanchez-Ruiz Jose M.
Published: August 2022

The routine generation of enzymes with completely new active sites is a major unsolved problem in protein engineering. Advances in this field have thus far been modest, perhaps due, at least in part, to the widespread use of modern natural proteins as scaffolds for de novo engineering. Most modern proteins are highly evolved and specialized and, consequently, difficult to repurpose for completely new functionalities. Conceivably, resurrected ancestral proteins with the biophysical properties that promote evolvability, such as high stability and conformational diversity, could provide better scaffolds for de novo enzyme generation. Kemp elimination, a non-natural reaction that provides a simple model of proton abstraction from carbon, has been extensively used as a benchmark in de novo enzyme engineering. Here, we present an engineered ancestral β-lactamase with a new active site that is capable of efficiently catalyzing Kemp elimination. The engineering of our Kemp eliminase involved minimalist design based on a single function-generating mutation, inclusion of an extra polypeptide segment at a position close to the de novo active site, and sharply focused, low-throughput library screening. Nevertheless, its catalytic parameters (kcat/KM~2·105 M−1 s−1, kcat~635 s−1) compare favorably with the average modern natural enzyme and match the best proton-abstraction de novo Kemp eliminases that are reported in the literature. The general implications of our results for de novo enzyme engineering are discussed.
Mn(II) Quinoline Complex (4QMn) Restores Proteostasis and Reduces Toxicity in Experimental Models of Huntington’s Disease
Authors: Merino Marián , Sequedo María Dolores , Sánchez-Sánchez Ana Virginia , Clares Mª Paz , García-España Enrique , Vázquez-Manrique Rafael P. , Mullor José L.
Published: August 2022

Huntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder, of the so-called minority diseases, due to its low prevalence. It is caused by an abnormally long track of glutamines (polyQs) in mutant huntingtin (mHtt), which makes the protein toxic and prone to aggregation. Many pathways of clearance of badly-folded proteins are disrupted in neurons of patients with HD. In this work, we show that one Mn(II) quinone complex (4QMn), designed to work as an artificial superoxide dismutase, is able to activate both the ubiquitin-proteasome system and the autophagy pathway in vitro and in vivo models of HD. Activation of these pathways degrades mHtt and other protein-containing polyQs, which restores proteostasis in these models. Hence, we propose 4QMn as a potential drug to develop a therapy to treat HD.
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases Associated Sites of Tobacco Repression of Shoot Growth Regulates Its Localization in Plant Cells
Authors: Wang Luyao , Gui Ying , Yang Bingye , Dong Wenpan , Xu Peiling , Si Fangjie , Yang Wei , Luo Yuming , Guo Jianhua , Niu Dongdong , Jiang Chunhao
Published: August 2022

Plant defense and growth rely on multiple transcriptional factors (TFs). Repression of shoot growth (RSG) is a TF belonging to a bZIP family in tobacco, known to be involved in plant gibberellin feedback regulation by inducing the expression of key genes. The tobacco calcium-dependent protein kinase CDPK1 was reported to interact with RSG and manipulate its intracellular localization by phosphorylating Ser-114 of RSG previously. Here, we identified tobacco mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (NtMPK3) as an RSG-interacting protein kinase. Moreover, the mutation of the predicted MAPK-associated phosphorylation site of RSG (Thr-30, Ser-74, and Thr-135) significantly altered the intracellular localization of the NtMPK3-RSG interaction complex. Nuclear transport of RSG and its amino acid mutants (T30A and S74A) were observed after being treated with plant defense elicitor peptide flg22 within 5 min, and the two mutated RSG swiftly re-localized in tobacco cytoplasm within 30 min. In addition, triple-point mutation of RSG (T30A/S74A/T135A) mimics constant unphosphorylated status, and is predominantly localized in tobacco cytoplasm. RSG (T30A/S74A/T135A) showed no re-localization effect under the treatments of flg22, B. cereus AR156, or GA3, and over-expression of this mutant in tobacco resulted in lower expression levels of downstream gene GA20ox1. Our results suggest that MAPK-associated phosphorylation sites of RSG regulate its localization in tobacco, and that constant unphosphorylation of RSG in Thr-30, Ser-74, and Thr-135 keeps RSG predominantly localized in cytoplasm.
Immunofluorescent Evidence for Nuclear Localization of Aromatase in Astrocytes in the Rat Central Nervous System
Authors: Kata Diána , Gróf Ilona , Hoyk Zsófia , Ducza Eszter , Deli Mária A. , Zupkó István , Földesi Imre
Published: August 2022

Estrogens regulate a variety of neuroendocrine, reproductive and also non-reproductive brain functions. Estradiol biosynthesis in the central nervous system (CNS) is catalyzed by the enzyme aromatase, which is expressed in several brain regions by neurons, astrocytes and microglia. In this study, we performed a complex fluorescent immunocytochemical analysis which revealed that aromatase is colocalized with the nuclear stain in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) positive astrocytes in cell cultures. Confocal immunofluorescent Z-stack scanning analysis confirmed the colocalization of aromatase with the nuclear DAPI signal. Nuclear aromatase was also detectable in the S100β positive astrocyte subpopulation. When the nuclear aromatase signal was present, estrogen receptor alpha was also abundant in the nucleus. Immunostaining of frozen brain tissue sections showed that the nuclear colocalization of the enzyme in GFAP-positive astrocytes is also detectable in the adult rat brain. CD11b/c labelled microglial cells express aromatase, but the immunopositive signal was distributed only in the cytoplasm both in the ramified and amoeboid microglial forms. Immunostaining of rat ovarian tissue sections and human granulosa cells revealed that aromatase was present only in the cytoplasm. This novel observation suggests a new unique mechanism in astrocytes that may regulate certain CNS functions via estradiol production.
N-Octyl Caffeamide, a Caffeic Acid Amide Derivative, Prevents Progression of Diabetes and Hepatic Steatosis in High-Fat Diet Induced Obese Mice
Authors: Wu Miao-Yi , Liu Chia-Chu , Lee Su-Chu , Kuo Yueh-Hsiung , Hsieh Tusty-Jiuan
Published: August 2022

The underlying pathological mechanisms of diabetes are complicated and varied in diabetic patients, which may lead to the current medications often failing to maintain glycemic control in the long term. Thus, the discovery of diverse new compounds for developing medicines to treat diabetes and its complications are urgently needed. Polyphenols are metabolites of plants and have been employed in the prevention and treatment of a variety of diseases. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a category of compounds structurally similar to polyphenols. In this study, we aimed to investigate the antidiabetic activity and potential molecular mechanisms of a novel synthetic CAPE derivative N-octyl caffeamide (36M) using high-fat (HF) diet induced obese mouse models. Our results demonstrate that 36M prevented the progression of diabetes in the HF diet fed obese mice via increasing phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibiting expression of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B). We also found that 36M could prevent hepatic lipid storage in the HF diet fed mice via inhibition of fatty acid synthase and lipid droplet proteins, including perilipins and Fsp27. In conclusion, 36M is a potential candidate compound that can be developed as AMPK inhibitor and PTP1B inhibitor for treating diabetes and hepatic steatosis.
Functionalized Nanogels with Endothelin-1 and Bradykinin Receptor Antagonist Peptides Decrease Inflammatory and Cartilage Degradation Markers of Osteoarthritis in a Horse Organoid Model of Cartilage
Authors: Cullier Aurélie , Cassé Frédéric , Manivong Seng , Contentin Romain , Legendre Florence , Garcia Ac Aracéli , Sirois Pierre , Roullin Gaëlle , Banquy Xavier , Moldovan Florina , Bertoni Lélia , Audigié Fabrice , Galéra Philippe , Demoor Magali
Published: August 2022

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative and heterogeneous disease that affects all types of joint structures. Current clinical treatments are only symptomatic and do not manage the degenerative process in animals or humans. One of the new orthobiological treatment strategies being developed to treat OA is the use of drug delivery systems (DDS) to release bioactive molecules over a long period of time directly into the joint to limit inflammation, control pain, and reduce cartilage degradation. Two vasoactive peptides, endothelin-1 and bradykinin, play important roles in OA pathogenesis. In this study, we investigated the effects of two functionalized nanogels as DDS. We assessed the effect of chitosan functionalized with a type A endothelin receptor antagonist (BQ-123-CHI) and/or hyaluronic acid functionalized with a type B1 bradykinin receptor antagonist (R-954-HA). The biocompatibility of these nanogels, alone or in combination, was first validated on equine articular chondrocytes cultured under different oxic conditions. Further, in an OA equine organoid model via induction with interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), a combination of BQ-123-CHI and R-954-HA (BR5) triggered the greatest decrease in inflammatory and catabolic markers. In basal and OA conditions, BQ-123-CHI alone or in equimolar combinations with R-954-HA had weak pro-anabolic effects on collagens synthesis. These new nanogels, as part of a composite DDS, show promising attributes for treating OA.
Effect of Heat Shock Preconditioning on Pressure Injury Prevention via Hsp27 Upregulation in Rat Models
Authors: Xu Huiwen , Takashi En , Liang Jingyan , Chen Yajie , Yuan Yuan , Fan Jianglin
Published: August 2022

Pressure injury (PI) prevention is a huge industry and involves various interventions. Temperature and moisture are important factors for wound healing; however, the active mechanism by which “moist heat” affects PI prevention has not yet been clarified. Thus, we explored the protective and therapeutic effects of hydrotherapy on PI based on the preconditioning (PC) principle, which might be useful for clinical practice. This study aimed to investigate the preventive mechanisms of heat shock preconditioning on PIs in rat models. The experiment was performed in the basic medical laboratory of Nagano College of Nursing in Japan. Ten rats were divided into two groups, with five rats in each group. Rats in the control group were not bathed. Rats in the preconditioning group (PC group) were bathed with hot tap-water. Bathing was conducted thrice a week. After bathing for 4 weeks, the PI model was constructed on the rats’ dorsal skin. The skin temperature, skin moisture, and area of ulcers were compared between the two groups. In vitro, we investigated the expression of heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) in 6, 12, and 24 h after the PI model was constructed through Western blot analysis. Ulcers occurred in the control group 24 h after the PI model constructed, wheras the PC group exhibited ulcers after 36 h. The ulcer area was larger in the control group than that in the PC group after 24 h (all p < 0.05). The temperatures of PI wounds in the control group decreased and were lower than those in the PC group after 1, 6, 12, 36, and 48 h (all p < 0.05). However, the skin moisture levels of PI wounds increased in the control group and were higher than those in the PC group at the same time (all p < 0.05). Using Western blot analysis, hydrotherapy preconditioning showed the potential to increase Hsp27 expression after pressure was released (p < 0.05). We determine that heat shock preconditioning had a preventive effect on PIs in rat models, a result that may be associated with their actions in the upregulation of Hsp27.
High-Depth Transcriptome Reveals Differences in Natural Haploid Ginkgo biloba L. Due to the Effect of Reduced Gene Dosage
Authors: Hu Yaping , Šmarda Petr , Liu Ganping , Wang Beibei , Gao Xiaoge , Guo Qirong
Published: August 2022

As a representative of gymnosperms, the discovery of natural haploids of Ginkgo biloba L. has opened a new door for its research. Haploid germplasm has always been a research material of interest to researchers because of its special characteristics. However, we do not yet know the special features and mechanisms of haploid ginkgo following this significant discovery. In this study, we conducted a homogenous garden experiment on haploid and diploid ginkgo to explore the differences in growth, physiology and biochemistry between the two. Additionally, a high-depth transcriptome database of both was established to reveal their transcriptional differences. The results showed that haploid ginkgo exhibited weaker growth potential, lower photosynthesis and flavonoid accumulation capacity. Although the up-regulated expression of DEGs in haploid ginkgo reached 46.7% of the total DEGs in the whole transcriptome data, the gene sets of photosynthesis metabolic, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways, which were significantly related to these differences, were found to show a significant down-regulated expression trend by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). We further found that the major metabolic pathways in the haploid ginkgo transcriptional database were down-regulated in expression compared to the diploid. This study reveals for the first time the phenotypic, growth and physiological differences in haploid ginkgos, and demonstrates their transcriptional patterns based on high-depth transcriptomic data, laying the foundation for subsequent in-depth studies of haploid ginkgos.
Characterization of Calpain and Caspase-6-Generated Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Breakdown Products Following Traumatic Brain Injury and Astroglial Cell Injury
Authors: Yang Zhihui , Arja Rawad Daniel , Zhu Tian , Sarkis George Anis , Patterson Robert Logan , Romo Pammela , Rathore Disa S. , Moghieb Ahmed , Abbatiello Susan , Robertson Claudia S. , Haskins William E. , Kobeissy Firas , Wang Kevin K. W.
Published: August 2022

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is the major intermediate filament III protein of astroglia cells which is upregulated in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Here we reported that GFAP is truncated at both the C- and N-terminals by cytosolic protease calpain to GFAP breakdown products (GBDP) of 46-40K then 38K following pro-necrotic (A23187) and pro-apoptotic (staurosporine) challenges to primary cultured astroglia or neuron-glia mixed cells. In addition, with another pro-apoptotic challenge (EDTA) where caspases are activated but not calpain, GFAP was fragmented internally, generating a C-terminal GBDP of 20 kDa. Following controlled cortical impact in mice, GBDP of 46-40K and 38K were formed from day 3 to 28 post-injury. Purified GFAP protein treated with calpain-1 and -2 generates (i) major N-terminal cleavage sites at A-56*A-61 and (ii) major C-terminal cleavage sites at T-383*Q-388, producing a limit fragment of 38K. Caspase-6 treated GFAP was cleaved at D-78/R-79 and D-225/A-226, where GFAP was relatively resistant to caspase-3. We also derived a GBDP-38K N-terminal-specific antibody which only labels injured astroglia cell body in both cultured astroglia and mouse cortex and hippocampus after TBI. As a clinical translation, we observed that CSF samples collected from severe human TBI have elevated levels of GBDP-38K as well as two C-terminally released GFAP peptides (DGEVIKES and DGEVIKE). Thus, in addition to intact GFAP, both the GBDP-38K as well as unique GFAP released C-terminal proteolytic peptides species might have the potential in tracking brain injury progression.