bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the adjuvant properties of nanoparticles from a birch bark extract used for immunization of mini pigs of the Svetlogorsk population
Authors: Berzina A. G. , Stankova N. V. , Kaplun A. P. , Burkova A. A. , Gamaleya N. B.
Published: October 2021

The adjuvant properties of nanoparticles derived from a dry birch bark extract were studied. Immunization experiments were carried out on mini pigs of the Svetlogorsk population, a human biomodel. Animals received two subcutaneous injections of the antigen at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg with an interval of 14 days. The addition of an aqueous suspension of nanoparticles to the immunogen samples up to a final concentration of 0.5 mg/ml led to an increase in the immune response. No side effects were observed. The antibody titers in blood sera on the 60th and 90th days from the start of immunization were comparable to those obtained under similar conditions using Freund’s adjuvant (1:4000).
Methodical aspects of lipopolysaccharides obtaining and characterization from Escherichia coli cells
Authors: Ageldinov R. A. , Levashova A. I. , Kokhan V. S. , Nesterov M. S.
Published: October 2021

In this study, a procedure was applied to purify lipopolysaccharides from Escherichia coli based on a hot phenolic extraction protocol. The purity of the extracted lipopolysaccharides was assessed by HPLC-UV. Pyrogenic activity was determined using the Limulus Amebocyte Lysate test and used to monitor the functionality of the purified lipopolysaccharides. HPLC analysis showed a high degree of purity comparable to commercial lipopolysaccharide. Pyrogenic activity confirmed the functional activity of purified lipopolysaccharides. The presented protocol can be used to isolate lipopolysaccharides with high purity and functional activity.
Bioinformatical analysis of the level of osteomarkers in the gingival fluid in systemic osteoporosis and local osteo-destructive processes in the dentoalveolar region
Authors: Safronenko A. V. , Kosenko V. A. , Airapetov G. A. , Demidov I. A. , Nazheva M. I. , Polyakov V. M.
Published: October 2021

The informational value of assessing biochemical markers in the gingival fluid of patients with various systemic and local changes in bone tissue was analyzed in a sample of 57 patients and 15 healthy people. The patients were differentiated into 3 groups: 1) 20 patients with ulcerative colitis and steroid osteoporosis due to glucocorticoid therapy; 2) 22 patients diagnosed with cancer of the mucous membrane of the floor of the mouth with erosions of the cortical bone or dental socket by a primary tumor; 3) 15 patients with moderate dental peri-implantitis. Gingival fluid was used as a test material. The content of cathepsin K, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, and bone fraction of alkaline phosphatase was determined. In steroidal osteoporosis, the cathepsin K level in the gingival fluid was found to be statistically significantly increased compared to other markers under study. In group 2, with tumor osteodestruction in the gingival fluid, a 10-fold increase in the concentration of cathepsin K and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase was observed against the background of a moderate increase in the bone fraction of alkaline phosphatase content. In osteodestruction associated with inflammatory dentoalveolar processes, a moderate increase in the concentration of cathepsin K and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase was observed. Thus, the determination of osteomarkers in the gingival fluid can be considered informative in terms of distinguishing between systemic and local changes in the structure of bone tissue.
Rebellion as a learning experience in the light of narrations of adults participating in protests. Selected issues
Authors: Szczygiel Przemyslaw
Published: October 2021

The aim of this article is to show the learning potential of participation in protests in the narratives of several adults. Participation in rebellions is seen as a specific learning experience here. What is the relationship between experience and learning on the example of participation in rebellions? The author analyses this relationship, inter alia, on the example of critical practices described by Usher. This article is a part of a broader research project on learning mechanisms of adults participating in various forms of rebellion. The study is concerned with answering the questions: what and how do protesters learn? what are the social and cultural mechanisms of their learning? In this research project a biographical perspective was used. Within it, the biography is understood in a processual way. The biographical method focuses on the subjective level of experience in the socio-cultural and institutional context. The empirical material was analysed by searching for similarities and differences in rebels’ narratives. The results of the study are above all the identification of learning outcomes and identity-building processes.
Degradation of 3D-Printed Porous Polylactic Acid Scaffolds Under Mechanical Stimulus
Authors: Chen Heming , Shi Quan , Shui Hengtao , Wang Peng , Chen Qiang , Li Zhiyong
Published: October 2021

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable polymer commonly used as a scaffold material to repair tissue defects, and its degradation is associated with mechanical stimulus. In this study, the effect of mechanical stimulus on the degradation of 3D-printed PLA scaffolds was investigated by in vitro experiments and an author-developed numerical model. Forty-five samples with porosity 64.8% were printed to carry out the degradation experiment within 90 days. Statistical analyses of the mass, volume fraction, Young’s modulus, and number average molecular weight were made, and the in vitro experiments were further used to verify the proposed numerical model of the scaffold degradation. The results indicated that the mechanical stimulus accelerated the degradation of the PLA scaffold, and the higher mechanical stimulus led to a faster degradation of the scaffolds at the late stage of the degradation process. In addition, the Young’s modulus and the normalized number average molecular weight of the PLA scaffolds between the experiments and the numerical simulations were comparable, especially for the number average molecular weight. The present study could be helpful in the design of the biodegradable PLA scaffolds.
Near-Infrared Inorganic Nanomaterials for Precise Diagnosis and Therapy
Authors: Li Wenling , Zhang Guilong , Liu Lu
Published: October 2021

Traditional wavelengths (400–700 nm) have made tremendous inroads in vivo fluorescence imaging. However, the ability of visible light photon penetration hampered the bio-applications. With reduced photon scattering, minimal tissue absorption and negligible autofluorescence properties, near-infrared light (NIR 700–1700 nm) demonstrates better resolution, high signal-to-background ratios, and deep tissue penetration capability, which will be of great significance for in-vivo determination in deep tissue. In this review, we summarized the latest novel NIR inorganic nanomaterials and the emission mechanism including single-walled carbon nanotubes, rare-earth nanoparticles, quantum dots, metal nanomaterials. Subsequently, the recent progress of precise noninvasive diagnosis in biomedicine and cancer therapy utilizing near-infrared inorganic nanomaterials are discussed. In addition, this review will highlight the concerns, challenges and future directions of near-infrared light utilization.
Transcriptional Repression of Ferritin Light Chain Increases Ferroptosis Sensitivity in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Wang Yikun , Qiu Shiyu , Wang Hong , Cui Jiangtao , Tian Xiaoting , Miao Yayou , Zhang Congcong , Cao Leiqun , Ma Lifang , Xu Xin , Qiao Yongxia , Zhang Xiao
Published: October 2021

Ferroptosis is an iron- and lipid peroxidation-dependent form of regulated cell death. The release of labile iron is one of the important factors affecting sensitivity to ferroptosis. Yes-associated protein (YAP) controls intracellular iron levels by affecting the transcription of ferritin heavy chain (FTH) and transferrin receptor (TFRC). However, whether YAP regulates iron metabolism through other target genes remains unknown. Here, we observed that the system Xc– inhibitor erastin inhibited the binding of the WW domain and PSY motif between YAP and transcription factor CP2 (TFCP2), and then suppressed the transcription of ferritin light chain (FTL) simultaneously mediated by YAP, TFCP2 and forkhead box A1 (FOXA1). Furthermore, inhibition of FTL expression abrogated ferroptosis-resistance in cells with sustained YAP expression. Unlike FTH, which exhibited first an increase and then a decrease in transcription, FTL transcription continued to decline after the addition of erastin, and a decrease in lysine acetyltransferase 5 (KAT5)-dependent acetylation of FTL was also observed. In lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) tissues, lipid peroxidation and labile iron decreased, while YAP, TFCP2 and FTL increased compared to their adjacent normal tissues, and the lipid peroxidation marker 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) was negatively correlated with the level of FTL or the degree of LUAD malignancy, but LUAD tissues with lower levels of 4-HNE showed a higher sensitivity to ferroptosis. In conclusion, the findings from this study indicated that the suppression of FTL transcription through the inhibition of the YAP-TFCP2-KAT5 complex could be another mechanism for elevating ferroptosis sensitivity and inducing cell death, and ferroptotic therapy is more likely to achieve better results in LUAD patients with a lower degree of lipid peroxidation.
Capacitation-Induced Mitochondrial Activity Is Required for Sperm Fertilizing Ability in Mice by Modulating Hyperactivation
Authors: Giaccagli María Milagros , Gómez-Elías Matías Daniel , Herzfeld Jael Dafne , Marín-Briggiler Clara Isabel , Cuasnicú Patricia Sara , Cohen Débora Juana , Da Ros Vanina Gabriela
Published: October 2021

To become fully competent to fertilize an egg, mammalian sperm undergo a series of functional changes within the female tract, known as capacitation, that require an adequate supply and management of energy. However, the contribution of each ATP generating pathway to sustain the capacitation-associated changes remains unclear. Based on this, we investigated the role of mitochondrial activity in the acquisition of sperm fertilizing ability during capacitation in mice. For this purpose, the dynamics of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was studied by flow cytometry with the probe tetramethylrhodamine ethyl ester (TMRE). We observed a time-dependent increase in MMP only in capacitated sperm as well as a specific staining with the probe in the flagellar region where mitochondria are confined. The MMP rise was prevented when sperm were exposed to the mitochondrial uncoupler carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazine (CCCP) or the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H89 during capacitation, indicating that MMP increase is dependent on capacitation and H89-sensitive events. Results showed that whereas nearly all motile sperm were TMRE positive, immotile cells were mostly TMRE negative, supporting an association between high MMP and sperm motility. Furthermore, CCCP treatment during capacitation did not affect PKA substrate and tyrosine phosphorylations but produced a decrease in hyperactivation measured by computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA), similar to that observed after H89 exposure. In addition, CCCP inhibited the in vitro sperm fertilizing ability without affecting cumulus penetration and gamete fusion, indicating that the hyperactivation supported by mitochondrial function is needed mainly for zona pellucida penetration. Finally, complementary in vivo fertilization experiments further demonstrated the fundamental role of mitochondrial activity for sperm function. Altogether, our results show the physiological relevance of mitochondrial functionality for sperm fertilization competence.
Dynamics of Transcription Factors in Three Early Phases of Osteogenic, Adipogenic, and Chondrogenic Differentiation Determining the Fate of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Rats
Authors: Zhang Qingyu , Dong Jun , Zhang Peng , Zhou Dongsheng , Liu Fanxiao
Published: October 2021

The imbalance of osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) occurred in multiple age-related degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. In order to improve our understanding and control of multi-directional differentiation of BMSCs in rats, using high-throughput sequencing, we identified key gene regulatory events in the early stages of lineage commitment. Data analysis revealed two transcription factors (TFs, Tsc22d3, and Epas1) with elevated expression throughout the initiation of differentiation (3 h), lineage acquisition (12 h), and early lineage progression (72 h) of three-directional differentiation. For osteogenic differentiation, 792, 1,042, and 638 differentially expressed genes including 48, 59, and 34 TFs were identified at three time points, respectively. Moreover, the functional analysis demonstrated that 4, 12, and 5 TFs were only differentially expressed during osteogenic differentiation at 3, 12, and 72 h, respectively, and not during other two-directional differentiation. Hopx showed enhanced expression throughout three early phases during the osteogenic differentiation but no significant change in other two-directional differentiation. A similar pattern of Gbx2 expression occurred in chondrogenic differentiation. Thus, Hopx and other early responder TFs may control the osteogenic cell fate of BMSCs and participate in the development of osteoporosis. Gbx2 and other early responder TFs should be considered in mechanistic models that clarify cartilage-anabolic changes in the clinical progression of osteoarthritis.
Image-Based Mechanical Balancing of Reservoir Volumes During Benchtop Flow Battery Operation
Authors: Smith Kirk P. , Monroe Charles W.
Published: October 2021

The long-term maintenance of stable redox-flow-battery performance requires a strategy to manage dynamic volume imbalances between electrolyte reservoirs. Even with ion-selective membranes as separators, bulk liquid exchange can occur within the reactor because of pressure differences across its positive and negative chambers. Disproportionation chemistries, wherein both electrolyte reservoirs have identical composition in the discharged state, tolerate species crossover reversibly. These make possible the use of low-cost porous separators, but such materials are more hydraulically permeable. Here we propose an approach to mitigate reservoir imbalance, using the nonaqueous vanadium acetylacetonate disproportionation chemistry as a test platform. We demonstrate a benchtop-scale control scheme, which relies on a camera that monitors reservoir volumes linked to a microcontroller that regulates the differential flowrate between flow streams. The balancing apparatus introduces no extra wetted components and enables real-time measurements of intra-cycle imbalance due to electroosmosis. All software and firmware is made available for community use.
Thermocatalytic Hydrogen Production Through Decomposition of Methane-A Review
Authors: Naikoo Gowhar A. , Arshad Fareeha , Hassan Israr U. , Tabook Musallam A. , Pedram Mona Z. , Mustaqeem Mujahid , Tabassum Hassina , Ahmed Waqar , Rezakazemi Mashallah
Published: October 2021

Consumption of fossil fuels, especially in transport and energy-dependent sectors, has led to large greenhouse gas production. Hydrogen is an exciting energy source that can serve our energy purposes and decrease toxic waste production. Decomposition of methane yields hydrogen devoid of COx components, thereby aiding as an eco-friendly approach towards large-scale hydrogen production. This review article is focused on hydrogen production through thermocatalytic methane decomposition (TMD) for hydrogen production. The thermodynamics of this approach has been highlighted. Various methods of hydrogen production from fossil fuels and renewable resources were discussed. Methods including steam methane reforming, partial oxidation of methane, auto thermal reforming, direct biomass gasification, thermal water splitting, methane pyrolysis, aqueous reforming, and coal gasification have been reported in this article. A detailed overview of the different types of catalysts available, the reasons behind their deactivation, and their possible regeneration methods were discussed. Finally, we presented the challenges and future perspectives for hydrogen production via TMD. This review concluded that among all catalysts, nickel, ruthenium and platinum-based catalysts show the highest activity and catalytic efficiency and gave carbon-free hydrogen products during the TMD process. However, their rapid deactivation at high temperatures still needs the attention of the scientific community.
The Mittimatalik Siku Asijjipallianinga (Sea Ice Climate Atlas): How Inuit Knowledge, Earth Observations, and Sea Ice Charts Can Fill IPCC Climate Knowledge Gaps
Authors: Wilson Katherine , Arreak Andrew ,   Sikumiut Committee, Bell Trevor , Ljubicic Gita
Published: October 2021

The IPCC special report on the ocean and cryosphere in a changing climate (SROCC) highlights with high confidence that declining Arctic sea ice extents and increased ship-based transportation are impacting the livelihoods of Arctic Indigenous peoples. Current IPCC assessments cannot address the local scale impacts and adaptive needs of Arctic Indigenous communities based on the global, top-down model approaches used. Inuit maintain the longest unrecorded climate history of sea ice in Canada, and to support Inuit community needs, a decolonized, Inuit knowledge-based approach was co-developed in the community of Mittimatalik, Nunavut (Canada) to create the Mittimatalik siku asijjipallianinga (sea ice climate atlas) 1997–2019. This paper presents the novel approach used to develop the atlas based on Inuit knowledge, earth observations and Canadian Ice Service (CIS) sea ice charts, and demonstrates its application. The atlas provides an adaptation tool that Mittimatalik can use to share locations of known and changing sea ice conditions to plan for safe sea ice travel. These maps can also be used to support the safety and situational awareness of territorial and national search and rescue partners, often coming from outside the region and having limited knowledge of local sea ice conditions. The atlas demonstrates the scientific merit of Inuit knowledge in environmental assessments for negotiating a proposal to extend the shipping seasons for the nearby Mary River Mine. The timing and rates of sea ice freeze-up (October–December) in Mittimatalik are highly variable. There were no significant trends to indicate that sea ice is freezing up later to support increased shipping opportunities into the fall. The atlas shows that the first 2 weeks of November are critical for landfast ice formation, and icebreaking at this time would compromise the integrity of the sea ice for safe travel, wildlife migration and reproduction into the winter months. There was evidence that sea ice break-up (May–July) and the fracturing of the nearby floe edge have been occurring earlier in the last 10 years (2010–2019). Shipping earlier into the break-up season could accelerate the break-up of an already declining sea ice travel season, that Inuit are struggling to maintain.
Carotid Geometry and Wall Shear Stress Independently Predict Increased Wall Thickness—A Longitudinal 3D MRI Study in High-Risk Patients
Authors: Strecker Christoph , Krafft Axel Joachim , Kaufhold Lilli , Hüllebrandt Markus , Treppner Martin , Ludwig Ute , Köber Göran , Hennemuth Anja , Hennig Jürgen , Harloff Andreas
Published: October 2021

Introduction: Carotid geometry and wall shear stress (WSS) have been proposed as independent risk factors for the progression of carotid atherosclerosis, but this has not yet been demonstrated in larger longitudinal studies. Therefore, we investigated the impact of these biomarkers on carotid wall thickness in patients with high cardiovascular risk.

Methods: Ninety-seven consecutive patients with hypertension, at least one additional cardiovascular risk factor and internal carotid artery (ICA) plaques (wall thickness ≥ 1.5 mm and degree of stenosis ≤ 50%) were prospectively included. They underwent high-resolution 3D multi-contrast and 4D flow MRI at 3 Tesla both at baseline and follow-up. Geometry (ICA/common carotid artery (CCA)-diameter ratio, bifurcation angle, tortuosity and wall thickness) and hemodynamics [WSS, oscillatory shear index (OSI)] of both carotid bifurcations were measured at baseline. Their predictive value for changes of wall thickness 12 months later was calculated using linear regression analysis for the entire study cohort (group 1, 97 patients) and after excluding patients with ICA stenosis ≥10% to rule out relevant inward remodeling (group 2, 61 patients).

Results: In group 1, only tortuosity at baseline was independently associated with carotid wall thickness at follow-up (regression coefficient = −0.52, p < 0.001). However, after excluding patients with ICA stenosis ≥10% in group 2, both ICA/CCA-ratio (0.49, p < 0.001), bifurcation angle (0.04, p = 0.001), tortuosity (−0.30, p = 0.040), and WSS (−0.03, p = 0.010) at baseline were independently associated with changes of carotid wall thickness at follow-up.

Conclusions: A large ICA bulb and bifurcation angle and low WSS seem to be independent risk factors for the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in the absence of ICA stenosis. By contrast, a high carotid tortuosity seems to be protective both in patients without and with ICA stenosis. These biomarkers may be helpful for the identification of patients who are at particular risk of wall thickness progression and who may benefit from intensified monitoring and treatment.
Effectiveness and Safety of Cryoablation in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Episodes of <24 h Duration: A Propensity-Matched Analysis
Authors: Jiang Chunying , Zhao Dongdong , Tang Kai , Wang Yiqian , Li Xiang , Jia Peng , Xu Yawei , Han Bing
Published: October 2021

Background: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) is closely related to pathophysiologic processes and clinical outcomes. However, it is uncertain whether cryoablation of pulmonary veins isolation is effective and safe for patients with symptomatic and drug refractory AF episodes of <24-h duration.

Methods: The patients were designed into Group A (253 patients with paroxysmal AF episodes of <24-h duration) and Group B (253 patients with paroxysmal AF lasting for 24 h or longer) on a 1:1 basis by identical propensity scores. Mortality, stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA), and complications relevant to the cryoablation procedure were compared, and recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmia was analyzed for clinical independent predictors.

Results: The rate of atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence was 21.74% in Group A and 30.04% in Group B, respectively (P = 0.042). At 12-month follow-up from the procedure, lower incidences of stroke/TIA endpoint of the patients were observed in Group A compared with Group B by Kaplan–Meier analysis [HR 0.34 (0.13–0.87), P = 0.025]. No significant differences in mortality and complications relevant to the cryoablation procedure were observed between Group A and Group B. Moreover, adjusted multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that <24-h paroxysmal AF type (HR 0.644, 95% CI: 0.455–0.913, P = 0.014) and left atrium diameter (LAD) (>40 mm) (HR 1.696, 95% CI: 1.046–2.750, P = 0.032) were independently associated with the incidence of recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmia in the study.

Conclusion: Our findings indicated that <24-h paroxysmal AF type was obviously associated with an increased success rate of cryoablation and reduced incidence of stroke/TIA during the follow-up period. Therefore, there is superior effectiveness and similar safety in patients with AF episodes of <24-h duration compared with patients with longer paroxysmal AF duration.
Spatiotemporal Variability of the Nitrous Oxide Concentrations and Fluxes From a Cascaded Dammed River
Authors: Wu Shengnan , Wang Xiaofeng , Liu Tingting , He Yixin , Que Ziyi , Wang Jilong , Li Hang , Yu Lele , Zhang Yuanyuan , Yuan Xingzhong
Published: October 2021

Rivers have been largely considered as the source of nitrous oxide (N2O) to the atmosphere. N2O emissions from rivers could be seriously influenced by damming and exhibit unique spatiotemporal patterns in river-reservoir systems. Multiple research studies report N2O emissions from rivers with single reservoirs, but the spatiotemporal patterns and controls of N2O emissions from cascaded river-reservoir system remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the spatiotemporal variations of N2O concentrations and fluxes along a cascade damming river (Wubu River) in Southwest China. Our results showed that N2O concentrations in the Wubu River ranged from 2.5 to 283.2 nmol L−1 with a mean of 50.7 ± 52.3 nmol L−1 and were generally supersaturated with gas fluxes ranging from 11.8 to 805.6 μmol m−2 d−1. N2O concentrations and fluxes showed a significant longitudinal variation with increasing fluxes from upstream to downstream. Meanwhile, for each river-reservoir-released water continuum, local variation of N2O concentrations was also prominent. Reservoir sections and released water sections had 2.7 (1.2–7.9) and 3.4 (1.3–12.2) times higher N2O concentrations than the corresponding upstream river reaches and acted as hotpots for N2O emission. The N2O concentrations had significant correlations with organic carbon, phosphorus, and Chl-a in surface water. Furthermore, the N2O concentrations and fluxes in reservoirs had a significant correlation with hydraulic residence time and hydraulic load, suggesting that fragmentation of hydrologic conditions was an important driver for the spatial variations of N2O concentrations in the Wubu River cascade reservoirs. Our results suggested that hydraulic residence time could predict the variation pattern of N2O fluxes in this small river basin. Seasonal variations of N2O concentrations and fluxes were the highest in autumn and lowest in winter and were mainly attributed to temperature and rainfall. N2O fluxes were much higher in the Wubu River than the average levels of China’s reservoirs and global reservoirs, acting as enhanced N2O emitter. Our study highlighted that the cascade reservoirs not only act as exciters for N2O production and emissions but also form cumulative effects and local hotpots along the longitudinal dimension, which could significantly increase the complexity of the spatiotemporal variability in riverine N2O emissions. Given the increasing construction of new river dams due to growing energy demand, more research should be done to quantify the contribution of cascaded damming to riverine N2O budgets.
Analyzing the Effect of Local Government Competition on Green Total Factor Productivity From the Market Segmentation Perspective in China—Evidence From a Three-Stage DEA Model
Authors: Tang Juan , Qin Fangming
Published: October 2021

Under both Chinese-style fiscal decentralization (vertical competition) and promotion tournament systems (horizontal competition), the economic development system used by the government determines whether local government competition significantly influences green total factor productivity (GTFP). Moreover, market segmentation, an important strategic tool for local government competition, will significantly impact GTFP because of the implied changes in production efficiency and blocked factor flows. This study applies GMM and the mediation effect model to explore the relationship between local government competition and GTFP from the market segmentation perspective using statistical data from 30 provinces from 2006 to 2017 in China. Overall, our results demonstrate that local government competition significantly inhibits GTFP promotion. Local government competition also has a negative impact on GTFP by promoting market segmentation. As a mediating variable, the market segmentation coefficient was statistically significant. Considering regional heterogeneity, in the eastern region, local government competition has no significant inhibitory effect on GTFP. Moreover, market segmentation has no intermediary effect. In the central and western regions, GTFP remains significantly inhibited by local government competition, and the mediation effect of market segmentation is significant. Finally, our empirical results are robust.
COVID-19 and Greenhouse Gas Emission Mitigation: Modeling the Impact on Environmental Sustainability and Policies
Authors: Mohsin Muhammad , Naseem Sobia , Sarfraz Muddassar , Ivascu Larisa , Albasher Gadah
Published: October 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled countries worldwide to enforce stringent measures to maintain social distancing, by locking down populations and restricting all kinds of transport. Besides their impact on the virus, these dramatic changes may also have positively contributed to a sustainable environment. The study aims to measure the effect of COVID-19 on environmental sustainability by employing the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model. The study is based on the daily data of COVID-19 confirmed cases; confirmed deaths; manually generated lockdown data by the indexing method; and NO2, NH3, SO2, and CO levels from March 3, 2020, to July 27, 2021. This research study investigates the long- and short-term relationship between COVID-19 and the aforementioned greenhouse gases. The findings suggest conclusively that NO2, SO2, and CO declined during the COVID-19 period in India because these gases are anthropologically emitted by transport, industries, and fossil fuel burning. On the other hand, the evolving NH3 is not related to COVID-19 confirmed cases and deaths but is impacted by lockdown because ammonia emission is directly related to agricultural activities. Therefore, a decline in pollutants such as greenhouse gases during the COVID-19 period until July 2021 was observed. This means the prioritized control of human activities can be helpful to enhance the quality of the environment.
Major Evolutionary Transitions in Social Insects, the Importance of Worker Sterility and Life History Trade-Offs
Authors: Bernadou Abel , Kramer Boris H. , Korb Judith
Published: October 2021

The evolution of eusociality in social insects, such as termites, ants, and some bees and wasps, has been regarded as a major evolutionary transition (MET). Yet, there is some debate whether all species qualify. Here, we argue that worker sterility is a decisive criterion to determine whether species have passed a MET (= superorganisms), or not. When workers are sterile, reproductive interests align among group members as individual fitness is transferred to the colony level. Division of labour among cooperating units is a major driver that favours the evolution of METs across all biological scales. Many METs are characterised by a differentiation into reproductive versus maintenance functions. In social insects, the queen specialises on reproduction while workers take over maintenance functions such as food provisioning. Such division of labour allows specialisation and it reshapes life history trade-offs among cooperating units. For instance, individuals within colonies of social insects can overcome the omnipresent fecundity/longevity trade-off, which limits reproductive success in organisms, when increased fecundity shortens lifespan. Social insect queens (particularly in superorganismal species) can reach adult lifespans of several decades and are among the most fecund terrestrial animals. The resulting enormous reproductive output may contribute to explain why some genera of social insects became so successful. Indeed, superorganismal ant lineages have more species than those that have not passed a MET. We conclude that the release from life history constraints at the individual level is a important, yet understudied, factor across METs to explain their evolutionary success.
Transcriptomic and Lipidomic Analysis of Lipids in Forsythia suspensa
Authors: Wu Bei , Li Yinping , Zhao Wenjia , Meng Zhiqiang , Ji Wen , Wang Chen
Published: October 2021

Forsythiae Fructus (Lianqiao in Chinese) is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. The lipid components in Forsythiae Fructus are the basis of plant growth and active metabolism. Samples were collected at two growth stages for a comprehensive study. Transcriptome and lipidomics were performed by using the RNA-seq and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS techniques separately. For the first time, it was reported that there were 5802 lipid components in Lianqiao comprised of 31.7% glycerolipids, 16.57% phospholipids, 13.18% sphingolipids, and 10.54% fatty acids. Lipid components such as terpenes and flavonoids have pharmacological activity, but their content was low. Among these lipids which were isolated from Forsythiae Fructus, 139 showed significant differences from the May and July harvest periods. The lipids of natural products are mainly concentrated in pregnenolones and polyvinyl lipids. RNA-Seq analysis revealed 92,294 unigenes, and 1533 of these were differentially expressed. There were 551 differential genes enriched in 119 KEGG pathways. The de novo synthesis pathways of terpenoids and flavonoids were explored. Combined with the results of lipidomics and transcriptomics, it is hypothesized that in the synthesis of abscisic acid, a terpenoid, may be under the dynamic regulation of genes EC: 1.1.1.288, EC: 1.14.14.137 and EC: 1.13.11.51 in balanced state. In the synthesis of gibberellin, GA20-oxidase (GA20ox, EC: 1.14.11.12), and GA3-oxidase (GA3ox, EC: 1.14.11.15) catalyze the production of active GAs, and EC: 1.14.11.13 is the metabolic enzymes of active GAs. In the synthesis of flavonoids, MF (multifunctional), PAL (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase), CHS (chalcone synthase), ANS (anthocyanidin synthase), FLS (flavonol synthase) are all key enzymes. The results of the present study provide valuable reference information for further research on the metabolic pathways of the secondary metabolites of Forsythia suspensa.
On the Advection of Upwelled Water on the Western Yucatan Shelf
Authors: Kurczyn Jorge. A. , Duran Rodrigo , Beier Emilio , Souza Alejandro J.
Published: October 2021

Upwelling events over the Yucatan Shelf are an important physical phenomenon to the region. They typically happen during spring and summer and had been studied for some time with a primary focus on the development on the eastern side of the shelf and later transport to the central part of the Peninsula. There has been very little effort looking at the impact of upwelling on the western shelf, on the Campeche side. Using a combination of observations and modeling from 2018, we show evidence for the first time, of the presence of upwelled water on the western side. Particle tracking, integrated back-in-time, was used to identify the origin of the upwelled water. Our results show that Caribbean Subtropical Underwater was brought from the northeast shelf, over 500 km away from the study area, by advection. This water took over a month (40 days) to arrive at the study region, traveling along-shelf with an average velocity of 14.5 cm/s. In the nearshore waters off the Campeche Coast, Caribbean Tropical Water was underlain by upwelling Caribbean Subtropical Underwater. Monthly averaged sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies from a 39-year time series suggest that upwelled water off Campeche is a regular phenomenon during summer, while the recurrence of westward advection is supported by climatological Lagrangian Coherent Structures. More studies are needed to explore the frequency of occurrence and impact of these events on the western shelf.
Inverted Hysteresis Loops in the Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 Alloy With Small Coercivity
Authors: Shen P. P. , Wang Y. T. , Sun B. A.
Published: October 2021

The phenomenon of inverted hysteresis loop has been observed in many materials for the past decades. However, the physical origin of the inverted hysteresis loop has long been debated. Here, we report the completely inverted hysteresis loop with a clockwise cycle in the soft-magnetic nanocrystalline Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 alloy and amorphous Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 alloy at room temperature. The negative remanence and positive coercivity were observed in the descending branch of magnetization curve when the scan field range was above 1 KOe. By comparing the results with that of the standard Pd sample, we found that the net coercivities of the nanocrystalline Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 alloy and standard Pd sample are almost equal for the different scanning field ranges. Therefore, it is confirmed that the phenomenon of completely inverted hysteresis loop is caused by the remanence of superconducting magnet rather than the structural inhomogeneity effects. Our results suggest that special care should be taken during the measurement of hysteresis loops using MPMS 3, especially for the materials with small coercivity.
Low-Reflectivity Drusen With Overlying RPE Damage Revealed by Spectral-Domain OCT: Hint for the Development of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Yang Shasha , Gao Zongyin , Qiu Haijiang , Zuo Chengguo , Mi Lan , Xiao Hui , Liu Xing
Published: October 2021

Purpose: To observe the relationship between the characteristic changes in the drusen morphology revealed by the spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: A total of 380 drusen in 45 eyes in 35 patients with the intermediate drusen were longitudinally followed up every 6 months by SD-OCT for a period of 24 months. The drusen were divided into the dynamic group and stable group according to the following parameters: number, volume, concurrent retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)/ellipsoid zone (EZ) damage, and the development of advanced AMD. The morphological characteristics of the progressive or stable drusen were further analyzed. Odds ratios (ORs) and the risk for the drusen progression were calculated.

Results: The level of interobserver and intraobserver agreement for each drusen tomographic morphological parameters ranged from 82.7 to 90%. At the end of an average follow-up of 15.92 ± 6.99 months, six patients developed choroidal neovascularization and no patients developed geographic atrophy. Finally, 139 drusen changed and 241 drusen remained stable. The drusen with low reflectivity (p < 0.001; OR: 5.26; 95% CI: 2.24–12.36), non-homogeneity without a core (p < 0.001; OR: 4.31; 95% CI: 2.08–8.92), RPE damage (p < 0.001; OR: 28.12; 95% CI: 9.43–83.85), and the EZ damage (p < 0.001; OR: 14.01; 95% CI: 5.28–37.18) were significantly associated with active change; the drusen with low reflectivity (p = 0.01; OR: 2.95; 95% CI: 1.29–6.75) and decreased overlying RPE reflectivity (p < 0.001; OR: 21.67; 95% CI: 9.20–51.02) were the independent predictors for progression. The drusen with high reflectivity were significantly associated with stabilization (p = 0.03; OR: 0.17; 95% CI: 0.04–0.84).

Conclusion: Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography is an optimized, accurate, and efficient method to follow-up the drusen. The intermediate non-exudative AMD prognosis of the patient was most strongly correlated with the drusen reflectivity and disruption of the overlying RPE layer. The drusen with low reflectivity and overlying RPE damage were more likely to progress and required frequent follow-up.
Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Colonization in a Birth Cohort of Early Childhood: The Role of Maternal Carriage
Authors: Tsai Ming-Han , Chiu Chih-Yung , Su Kuan-Wen , Liao Sui-Ling , Shih Hsiang-Ju , Hua Man-Chin , Yao Tsung-Chieh , Lai Shen-Hao , Yeh Kuo-Wei , Chen Li-Chen , Huang Jing-Long
Published: October 2021

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization in infants may pose a risk for subsequent infection in children. The study aimed to determine S. aureus colonization patterns in infancy, and strain relatedness between maternal and infant colonization.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted for nasopharyngeal S. aureus detection in neonates at delivery; in children at 1, 6, 12, 24, 36, and 60 months of age; and from mothers immediately after the delivery of their baby and when their child is 1 month old. A questionnaire for infants and mothers was administered at each planned visit.

Results: In total, 521 and 135 infant–mother dyads underwent nasopharyngeal swab collection at 1 month and immediately after delivery, respectively. Among the 521 dyads at 1 month of age, concordant S. aureus colonization was found in 95 dyads, including MRSA in 48.4% (46/95). No concordant MRSA carriage was present among the 135 dyads at delivery. The genetic relatedness of concurrent MRSA-colonized dyads showed that more than two-thirds (32/46 [69.6%]) had identical genotypes, mainly ST 59/PVL-negative/SCCmec IV. Infants aged 1 month had the highest incidence of S. aureus, and the trend declined to a nadir at the age of 12 months. Carrier mothers who smoked cigarettes may increase the risk of infant Staphylococcus colonization (odds ratio, 2.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.23–3.66; p < 0.01).

Conclusions: Maternal–infant horizontal transmission may be the primary source of MRSA acquisition in early infancy. The avoidance of passive smoking could be recommended for the prevention of S. aureus carriage.
RESTORE Survey on the Public Perception of Advanced Therapies and ATMPs in Europe—Why the European Union Should Invest More!
Authors: Goldsobel Gady , von Herrath Christoph , Schlickeiser Stephan , Brindle Nicola , Stähler Frauke , Reinke Petra , Aberman Zami , Ofir Racheli , Dessole Gabriella , Benvenuti Stefano , Neves Nuno M. , Reis Rui L. , Moll Guido , Volk Hans-Dieter
Published: October 2021

Advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) are potential game changers in modern medical care with an anticipated major impact for patients and society. They are a new drug class often referred to as “living drugs,” and are based on complex components such as vectors, cells and even tissues. The production of such ATMPs involves innovative biotechnological methods. In this survey, we have assessed the perception of European citizens regarding ATMPs and health care in Europe, in relation to other important topics, such as safety and security, data protection, climate friendly energy supply, migration, and others. A crucial question was to determine to what extent European citizens wish to support public funding of innovations in healthcare and reimbursement strategies for ATMPs. To answer this, we conducted an online survey in 13 European countries (representative of 85.3% of the entire EU population including the UK in 2020), surveying a total of 7,062 European citizens. The survey was representative with respect to adult age groups and gender in each country. Healthcare had the highest ranking among important societal topics. We found that 83% of the surveyed EU citizens were in support of more public funding of technologies in the field of ATMPs. Interestingly, 74% of respondents are in support of cross-border healthcare for patients with rare diseases to receive ATMP treatments and 61% support the reimbursement of very expensive ATMPs within the European health care system despite the current lack of long-term efficacy data. In conclusion, healthcare is a top ranking issue for European Citizens, who additionally support funding of new technologies to enable the wider application of ATMPs in Europe.
Mixture of Five Fermented Herbs (Zhihuasi Tk) Alters the Intestinal Microbiota and Promotes the Growth Performance in Piglets
Authors: Li Yong , Sun Tiehu , Hong Yuxuan , Qiao Tong , Wang Yongsheng , Li Wei , Tang Shi , Yang Xin , Li Jie , Li Xiaowen , Zhou Zutao , Xiao Yuncai
Published: October 2021

To explore the feasibility of using fermented Chinese herbal mixture Zhihuasi Tk (Z. Tk) supplementation to increase the swine production, the protective effect of dietary supplementation with Z. Tk on the intestinal oxidative stress model and the regulation of both growth performance and intestinal microbiota of weaned piglets were investigated in vitro. Our results showed that the addition of Z. Tk increased the cell viability, prevented the decrease of glutathione peroxidase, and significantly increased the total antioxidant capacity and reduced the damage caused by H2O2 to the tight junction proteins of the porcine small intestinal epithelial cell line (IPEC-J2). Furthermore, weaned piglets supplemented with either 2 kg/ton zinc oxide (ZnO) or 4 kg/ton of Z. Tk in the diet increased body weight as well as average daily feed intake and daily gain, while the feed conversion rate and diarrhea rate decreased within 0–35 days. Results of the taxonomic structure of the intestinal microbiota showed that, in 21 days after weaning, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in experimental group was increased, while the abundance of beneficial bacteria such, as Lactobacillus, was increased by Z. Tk, showing inhibitory effect on pathogenic bacteria such as members of Proteobacteria. In summary, dietary supplementation with Z. Tk maintained the intestinal microbiota in a favorable state for the host to effectively reduce the abnormal changes in the intestinal microbial structure and improved growth performance of weaned piglets. Therefore, Z. Tk may potentially function as a substitute for ZnO in feed additives for weaned piglets in modern husbandry.
Sevoflurane Alleviates Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion Injury by Inhibiting P2X7-NLRP3 Mediated Pyroptosis
Authors: Wu Jiaxuan , Cai Wenfeng , Du Ruiming , Li Haiyang , Wang Bin , Zhou Yanqiong , Shen Daifei , Shen Huimin , Lan Yang , Chen Lesi , Zheng Xiaoxia , Huang Danmei , Shi Ganggang
Published: October 2021

Myocardial ischemia is common in aging population. This study investigates the protective effect of Sevoflurane on myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (MIRI) and its underlying mechanism. A total of 87 patients with a history of myocardial ischemia who underwent abdominal surgery with Sevoflurane general anesthesia were recruited in the study. The clinical data, blood pressure, heart rate, pressure-rate quotient (PRQ) and rate-pressure product (RPP) were recorded. Serum samples were collected and heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP), ischemia modified albumin (IMA), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-18 (IL-18) were measured to observe whether Sevoflurane anesthesia had protective effect on myocardium. In addition, MIRI rats and hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury cell model was established using neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVM). Rats or NRVM were pretreated with sevoflurane for 45min before hypoxia. The mRNA expression of purinergic receptor-7 (P2X7) and NLR family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3) were examined. The protein expression of P2X7, NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), cysteine aspartic acid specific protease-1(Caspase-1), Gasdermin-D (GSDMD), Bcl-2 Associated X Protein (Bax), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) in myocardial tissue and cells were evaluated. The serum contents of IL-1β, IL-18, Malondialdehyde (MDA), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Creatine kinase (CK), and Creatine kinase isoenzymes (CK-MB) were measured. The cellular localization and fluorescence intensity of NLRP3 and ASC in cells were detected. It was found that the secretion of IL-1β and IL-18 decreased in the patients. After I45 min/R3h in SD rats and H3h/R1h in NRVM, the protein expressions of P2X7, NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1 and GSDMD were increased, the release of IL-1β, IL-18, CK, CK-MB, LDH and MDA were increased, and SOD activity was decreased. Sevoflurane treatment inhibited the high expression of P2X7, NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1 and GSDMD, inhibited the release of LDH, CK,CK-MB and MDA in cells, and improved the activity of SOD, indicating that Sevoflurane alleviated the damage of MIRI of rats and H/R of NRVM, and had myocardial protective effect. Taken together, our study suggests that Sevoflurane inhibited the expression of IL-1β, IL-18 and GSDMD by inhibiting the P2X7-NLRP3 signaling pathway. It reduced the H/R injury of cardiomyocytes and protected the cardiac function by regulating inflammatory reaction and pyroptosis.