bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on physical activity variability and changes of metabolic profile in patients with prediabetes using Fitbit activity trackers data
Authors: Bliudzius Antanas , Puronaite Roma , Trinkunas Justas , Jakaitiene Audrone , Kasiulevicius Vytautas
Published: November 2021

BACKGROUND: Monitoring physical activity with consumers wearables is one of the possibilities to control a patient’s self-care and adherence to recommendations. However, clinically approved methods, software, and data analysis technologies to collect data and make it suitable for practical use for patient care are still lacking. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the potential of patient physical activity monitoring using Fitbit physical activity trackers and find solutions for possible implementation in the health care routine. METHODS: Thirty patients with impaired fasting glycemia were randomly selected and participated for 6 months. Physical activity variability was evaluated and parameters were calculated using data from Fitbit Inspire devices. RESULTS: Changes in parameters were found and correlation between clinical data (HbA1c, lipids) and physical activity variability were assessed. Better correlation with variability than with body composition changes shows the potential to include nonlinear variability parameters analysing physical activity using mobile devices. Less expressed variability shows better relationship with control of prediabetic and lipid parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of physical activity variability is essential for patient health, and these methods used to calculate it is an effective way to analyze big data from wearable devices in future trials.
Novel U-net based deep neural networks for transmission tomography
Authors: Olasz Csaba , Varga László G. , Nagy Antal
Published: November 2021

BACKGROUND: The fusion of computer tomography and deep learning is an effective way of achieving improved image quality and artifact reduction in reconstructed images. OBJECTIVE: In this paper, we present two novel neural network architectures for tomographic reconstruction with reduced effects of beam hardening and electrical noise. METHODS: In the case of the proposed novel architectures, the image reconstruction step is located inside the neural networks, which allows the network to be trained by taking the mathematical model of the projections into account. This strong connection enables us to enhance the projection data and the reconstructed image together. We tested the two proposed models against three other methods on two datasets. The datasets contain physically correct simulated data, and they show strong signs of beam hardening and electrical noise. We also performed a numerical evaluation of the neural networks on the reconstructed images according to three error measurements and provided a scoring system of the methods derived from the three measures. RESULTS: The results showed the superiority of the novel architecture called TomoNet2. TomoNet2 improved the quality of the images according to the average Structural Similarity Index from 0.9372 to 0.9977 and 0.9519 to 0.9886 on the two data sets, when compared to the FBP method. This network also yielded the best results for 79.2 and 53.0 percent for the two datasets according to Peak-Signal-to-Noise-Ratio compared to the other improvement techniques. CONCLUSIONS: Our experimental results showed that the reconstruction step used in skip connections in deep neural networks improves the quality of the reconstructions. We are confident that our proposed method can be effectively applied to other datasets for tomographic purposes.
Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography and Soil-Gas Measurements on Abandoned Mine Tailings Under a Highly Continental Climate, Western Siberia, Russia
Authors: Yurkevich Nataliya V. , Bortnikova Svetlana B. , Olenchenko Vladimir V. , Fedorova Tatyana A. , Karin Yuri G. , Edelev Aleksey V. , Osipova Polina S. , Saeva Olga P.
Published: November 2021

Mine tailings are a very active system in which the processes of oxidation, dissolution, and the re-deposition of substances occur in real-time. Time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography and soil-gas measurements have been used on abandoned mine tailings under a highly continental climate, Western Siberia, Russia. The electrical resistivity tomography method allows the structure of the tailings to be determined, namely, its electrophysical parameters, which are related to the chemical composition and geochemical characteristics of the subsurface substance. The aim of this work is to determine the variations in the geoelectrical zoning of sulfide-bearing mine tailings depending on fluctuations in environmental conditions, i.e., ground and air temperature, in conjunction with volatile compounds of environmental concern emanating from the tailings (SO2, CS2, C2H6S). The hourly observations revealed that the configuration of the geoelectrical section varies during the day. The concentration of gases in the surface air layer varied in accordance with the ambient temperature conditions. In general, the minimum gas concentrations were determined at night, and the increase in gas concentrations began when the temperature increased. The dependence of gas formation on temperature conditions differed during the daytime and nighttime. In warmer hours, gas concentrations are highest. At night, when there was a decrease in the temperature of air and then in the ground temperature, a local increase in the concentration of all measured gases occurred at the maximum temperature difference in the air (14.1 °C), and the ground remained relatively warm (20.8 °C). There is a close relationship between ground temperature, electrical resistivity, and the rate of gas production. Local anomalies with the greatest variation in electrical resistivity are associated with the zones that have the most active gas emanations.
A New Approach to Predict Hydrogeological Parameters Using Shear Waves from the Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves Method
Authors: Cameron Antonio E. , Knapp Camelia C.
Published: November 2021

For near-surface contaminant characterization, the accurate prediction of hydrogeological parameters in anisotropic and heterogeneous environments has been a challenge since the last decades. However, recent advances in near-surface geophysics have facilitated the use of geophysical data for hydrogeological characterization in the last few years. A pseudo 3-D high resolution P-wave shallow seismic reflection survey was performed at the P Reactor Area, Savannah River Site, South Carolina in order to delineate and predict migration pathways of a large contaminant plume including trichloroethylene. This contaminant plume originates from the northwest section of the reactor facility that is located within the Upper Atlantic Coastal Plain. The data were collected with 40 Hz geophones, an accelerated weight-drop as seismic source and 1 m receiver spacing with near- and far-offsets of 0.5 and 119.5 m, respectively. In such areas with near-surface contaminants, a detailed subsurface characterization of the vadose zone hydraulic parameters is very important. Indeed, an inexpensive method of deriving such parameters by the use of seismic reflection surveys is beneficial, and our approach uses the relationship between seismic velocity and hydrogeological parameters together with empirical observations relating porosity to permeability and hydraulic conductivity. Shear wave velocity ( Vs) profiles were estimated from surface wave dispersion analysis of the seismic reflection data and were subsequently used to derive hydraulic parameters such as porosity, permeability, and hydraulic conductivity. Additional geophysical data including core samples, vertical seismic profiling, surface electrical resistivity tomography, natural gamma and electrical resistivity logs allowed for a robust assessment of the validity and geological significance of the estimated Vs and hydrogeological models. The results demonstrate the usefulness of this approach for the upper 15 m of shallow unconsolidated sediments even though the survey design parameters were not optimal for surface wave analysis due to the higher than desired frequency geophones.
Seismic Shear-Wave Characterization of Sand and Gravel Groundwater Aquifers in Northern Illinois
Authors: Sazal Zonaed , Ismail Ahmed , Thomason Jason
Published: November 2021

Groundwater is a nearly exclusive water resource, specifically for the communities which are part of the Chicago metropolitan area. However, water shortage is predicted for many communities in this region, and demand for locating and delineating groundwater is increasing to fulfill the water supply. Shallow sand and gravel aquifers within the glacial deposits of the area specifically are high volume aquifer and less stressed compare to deeper bedrock aquifer. Yet, these aquifers are poorly understood in terms of their extent and lateral variability. This study applied the shear-wave seismic reflection method to delineate the thickness, lateral extent, and internal variability of these aquifers. We acquired horizontally polarized shear-wave (SH-waves) reflection data along five profiles of a total length of 11 km using the land streamer technology in McHenry County in northern Illinois to delineate sand and gravel aquifers. As shear waves propagate through the rock matrix and less sensitive to the presence of water, information from nearby borings and water wells aided the interpretation of the acquired SH-wave seismic profiles. We delineated multiple sand and gravel units of potential aquifers of different thicknesses and lateral extent along with the seismic profiles. The relatively higher vertical and lateral resolution of the shear-waves reflection method and its insensitivity to water saturation or chemistry made it an ideal method to resolve sand and gravel units of potential aquifers within the complex geological environment if aided by water-well information.
Manejo e Prevenção de Reações Adversas da Quimioterapia Antineoplásica com Platinas em Pacientes com Cânceres Esofágico e Gástrico: Revisão Sistemática da Literatura
Authors: Pereira Ney Moura Lemos , Lemos Telma Maria Araújo Moura , Martins Rand Randall , Costa Roberto Fernandes da , Raffin Fernanda Nervo
Published: November 2021

Introdução: O câncer gástrico é a quinta doença maligna mais comum em todo o mundo. Trata-se do tumor maligno mais incidente na Ásia, especialmente na China. O carcinoma esofágico é um dos tipos mais agressivos de tumor maligno. Os tratamentos multimodais, incluindo quimioterapia neoadjuvante e quimiorradioterapia, são utilizados e podem causar fadiga, vômito, diarreia, alterações cutâneas, caquexia e neuropatia periférica, que podem ser efeitos colaterais importantes para muitos pacientes que realizam seus tratamentos. Objetivo: Realizar uma revisão sistemática sobre o manejo e a prevenção de reações adversas da quimioterapia antineoplásica com platinas em pacientes com câncer esofágico e tumor gástrico. Método: Para seleção dos artigos, foi realizada a busca em três bases de dados: MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane e Embase, com a estratégia PICO, variando os descritores MeSH/DeCS e operadores booleanos. Resultados: Foram encontrados 455 títulos, dos quais, após utilizar a diretriz PRISMA, restaram 15 artigos para a revisão sistemática, que abordavam o manejo e a prevenção de náusea e vômitos, neuropatia periférica, caquexia, suplementação de magnésio, tratamento de depressão e toxicidade geral. Conclusão: Verificou-se que náuseas, vômitos, neuropatia e hipomagnesemia tiveram maior número de estudos relacionados ao manejo e à prevenção desses sintomas, nos quais identificaram-se algumas sugestões de condutas com maior evidência para essas reações. As demais reações encontradas ainda carecem de mais estudos, principalmente nos casos de cânceres gástrico e esofágico.
MICROCREDIT AS A TOOL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR LOW-RELEASED POPULATIONS
Authors:   Sumy State University, Miroshnik Mykola , Didenko Iryna ,   Sumy State University
Published: November 2021

In the current coronavirus crisis, there is an exacerbation of economic and social problems that provoke a deterioration of the situation in a country with poverty. In such circumstances, the poor are particularly vulnerable, whose income for survival and so below the subsistence level. The loss of even a small source of income can lead to negative consequences. In such conditions, the task of the state is to adapt social policy to such changes, taking into account the capabilities of the financial sector. One of the rather new for Ukraine, but already popular tools for the development of financial services and financial inclusion for such a social group is microcredit. This article is devoted to his research, which provides a theoretical analysis of the nature and main features of microcredit, their main representatives (microfinance organizations and their brands) in Ukraine and their financial characteristics. In essence, this is a type of consumer loan that is provided for a relatively short period (up to one month) at a fairly high interest rate (average 2%) per day in the amount of less than one minimum wage. At the same time, there is a growing popularity of remote (online) service, which involves minimal time and does not require many documents from customers. The main providers of such services are microfinance organizations, whose presence are constantly growing in the market and are characterized by diversified activities – sometimes represented by several brands. A study of the top 10 leaders showed fluctuations in daily and annual interest rates, and a study of their net income – the profitability of this type of business over the past two years. In this regard, there is a need to increase attention to their activities by the main regulator – the National Bank of Ukraine. Despite existing measures to increase consumer protection in the process of obtaining microcredit services and prohibiting unethical actions of collectors through debt collection, it is recommended to develop a system for identifying and preventing credit risks to prevent future financial losses and intensify information campaign to increase financial literacy of the poor.
INTELLECTUAL CONTENT OF GREEN GROWTH IN CONDITIONS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Authors:   Prydniprovska State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Dryhola Kristina , Khlivitskaya Alona ,   Prydniprovska State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Vydai Daria ,   Prydniprovska State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture
Published: November 2021

The article is devoted to the analysis of the essence of the intellectual content of green growth in the framework of the global course of mankind for sustainable development. The gradual transition in scientific works from information economy and knowledge economy to intellectual economy, which is characterized by directing human intellectual activity to environmentally friendly activities aimed at achieving global goals of sustainable development, has been analyzed. It has been noted that the intellectual economy is the foundation of green growth and the importance of knowledge, skills, theoretical and practical competencies, creativity, which act as a driver of development of green sectors of the economy has been highlighted. It has been determined that there are nine types of human capital, of which the intellectual plays a leading role at the present stage of development of socio-economic processes. In the conditions of building a green economy, capital acquires green features, which is manifested through green intellectual capital, the main components of which are green human capital, green organizational capital and green relational capital. The interaction of green human and green organizational capital forms green relational capital, which is expressed in the form of green jobs, inclusiveness and gender equality. It has been noted that in the long run the development of green intellectual capital leads to the effect of decoupling, which is manifested in the gap between indicators of economic prosperity and environmental degradation. That is why strategies for the development of green intellectual capital should be the basis for the development of countries around the world to achieve global goals of sustainable development in terms of green growth.
NÜKLEER SANTRAL KAZALARINDAN DOĞAN SORUMLULUK ve TAZMİNAT -FUKUSHİMA DAİİCİ NÜKLEER SANTRAL KAZASI IŞIĞINDA-
Authors: ZORLUOĞLU YILMAZ Ayça
Published: November 2021

Türkiye’nin artan enerji ihtiyacını karşılamak amacıyla nükleer enerjinin kullanılmasına karar verilmiştir. Bu amaçla Mersin Akkuyu’da ilk nükleer santralin inşasına başlanmıştır. Türkiye’nin nükleer enerji ile buluşması, pek çok tartışmayı da beraberinde getirmiştir. Özellikle bir nükleer santral kazası durumunda, bunun insan sağlığı ve çevre üzerinde meydana getirebileceği zarar riski dikkate değerdir. Zaman bakımından en yakın tarihli nükleer santral kazası Fukushima Daiici Nükleer Santral kazası olduğundan, bu kaza ile bir örneklendirme yapmak suretiyle benzer bir kazanın Türkiye’de gerçekleşmesi durumunda nükleer santrallerden doğan sorumluluk ve tazminatın belirlenmesi konusu bu çalışma ile incelenmeye çalışmıştır. Bu çerçevede mücbir sebebin nükleer santral kazalarındaki rolü üzerinde de durulmuştur.
Az építés automatizálása, a 3D betonnyomtatás aktualitása
Authors: Balogh Tamás
Published: November 2021

Az építőiparban a digitalizáció az elmúlt években rohamosan fejlődött. Az egyes folyamatok külön-külön is nagy fokú digitalizáltsággal jellemezhetők, de ami fontosabb, hogy a folyamatok közötti kapcsolat, a szoftverek közötti kommunikáció, átjárhatóság, az adatok áramlása is nagymértékben egyszerűsödött. A cél a teljes digitalizáció, nyomon követhetőség, kiszámíthatóság. Ezzel a digitalizációs folyamattal ellentétben a kivitelezés során a munkaterületen még igen sok esetben hagyományos, 20-30 éve bevált technológiákkal történik az építés. Az építési idők rövidülése, a költségek optimalizálása, az építészeti szabadság iránti igény és a fokozódó szakemberhiány új technológiák megjelenését generálta a piacon. Az új technológiák megjelenésével a kivitelezésben is elindulhat egy folyamat, amelynek eredményeképpen az építkezések egy részén megjelenhetnek a ma még drága, vagy kísérleti fázisban lévő technológiák. Ez a cikk egy sorozat első része, amely sorozat az építőiparban elterjedő automatizálási technológiák közül a 3D betonnyomtatást, mint additív gyártástechnológiát, történetét, jelenlegi előnyeit, hátrányait mutatja be. Az első rész az építés automatizálásához használt és használható technológiák rövid áttekintésével foglalkozik.
Spotted seal Phoca largha underwater vocalisations in relation to ambient noise
Authors: Yang L , Xu X , Berggren P
Published: November 2021

Animals use different strategies to adjust their vocalisations to compensate for ambient noise interference. This is true for some marine mammals, especially cetaceans, but relatively little is known about this for pinnipeds. We recorded 4 major call types (drum, growl, knock, and sweep) of spotted sealsPhoca larghain Liaodong Bay, China, to investigate if seals adjusted their vocalisation parameters in relation to broadband (50-4000 Hz) ambient noise recorded immediately preceding each seal vocalisation. Regression analyses showed that the received level of growls, in both broadband and 1/3-octave bands, centred at 200 and 400 Hz, significantly increased with increasing ambient noise levels. These relationships were not observed in the other 3 call types. Further, regardless of call type, the duration, centroid frequency, and root mean squared bandwidth parameters showed no statistical relationship with noise levels. The noise measured in this study had relatively low broadband levels of 116-132 dB re 1 µPa, and no masking was predicted for any of the 4 call types at 200 and 400 Hz when applying a standard critical ratio approach. It is therefore possible that the ambient noise levels in the study area were not sufficiently loud to induce vocal compensation to avoid masking, but loud enough for the seals to adjust their growl vocalisations. To our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate potential vocal adjustment of spotted seals in relation to ambient noise and is important in light of increasing anthropogenic noise in the marine environment.
Nutrient Expert for High Yield and Use Efficiency in Rainfed Bt Cotton Hybrids
Authors: Manikandan Angamuthu , Blaise Desouza , Dutta Sudarshan , Satyanarayana T. , Bussa Bhargavi
Published: November 2021

Low cotton productivity in the rainfed cotton grown in central India is attributed to abiotic (water and nutrients) and biotic (insect pests and diseases) stress. Nutrient stress can be overcome by providing nutrients in right amounts and at the right time when the plant needs the most. Field studies in cereal crops have demonstrated fertilizer recommendations by using the Nutrient Expert®(NE) decision support system to improve crop yields. However, such information in the case of the commercial crop, cotton, is scarce. Therefore, on-farm trials were conducted in three districts of Maharashtra, India during 2018–2020 with the hypothesis that the NE-based fertilizer recommendation would lead to higher cotton productivity and savings in fertilizer. Averaged over two seasons and locations, lint yield was significantly greater in the NE based than the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), soil test crop response (STCR), and farmers' practice (FP). Internal utilization efficiency (IE) did not differ among treatments for N (4.8 to 5.9 kg lint kg−1nutrient uptake) and K (6.7 to 7.2 kg lint kg−1nutrient uptake). With regard to the fertilizer P applied, the FP treatment had the least IE (17.0 kg lint kg−1nutrient uptake) and was significantly lower than the other treatments. Partial nutrient balance (PNB) did not vary among treatments for applied fertilizer N. The FP treatment had PNB < 1 in case of fertilizer P and ~20 in the case of fertilizer K. This indicates farmers applied excess of P fertilizers. On the other hand, farmers in the region applied very small amount of K. Although the NE treatment had the highest cost of cultivation, net returns were the greatest followed by the STCR and RDF treatments. Our studies demonstrate that the NE-based fertilizer recommendation is not only productive, but also profitable.
Comprehensive Analysis Uncovers Prognostic and Immunogenic Characteristics of Cellular Senescence for Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Lin Weihao , Wang Xin , Wang Zhen , Shao Fei , Yang Yannan , Cao Zheng , Feng Xiaoli , Gao Yibo , He Jie
Published: November 2021

Cellular senescence plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis, development and immune modulation in cancers. However, to date, a robust and reliable cellular senescence-related signature and its value in clinical outcomes and immunotherapy response remain unexplored in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients. Through exploring the expression profiles of 278 cellular senescence-related genes in 936 LUAD patients, a cellular senescence-related signature (SRS) was constructed and validated as an independent prognostic predictor for LUAD patients. Notably, patients with high SRS scores exhibited upregulation of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) and an immunosuppressive phenotype. Further analysis showed that SRS combined with immune checkpoint expression or TMB served as a good predictor for patients’ clinical outcomes, and patients with low SRS scores might benefit from immunotherapy. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that SRS involved in the regulation of the tumor immune microenvironment through SASP was a robust biomarker for the immunotherapeutic response and prognosis in LUAD.
Recent Progress of Ferroptosis in Lung Diseases
Authors: Yu Shangjiang , Jia Jinqiu , Zheng Jinyu , Zhou Yiyang , Jia Danyun , Wang Junlu
Published: November 2021

Ferroptosis is a new form of programmed cell death due to iron-dependent excess accumulation of lipid peroxides and differs from other programmed cell deaths in morphological and biochemical characteristics. The process of ferroptosis is precisely regulated by iron metabolism, lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and numerous signaling pathways, and plays a complex role in many pathophysiological processes. Recent studies have found that ferroptosis is closely associated with the development and progression of many lung diseases, including acute lung injury, pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary fibrosis. Here, we present a review of the main regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis and its research progress in the pathogenesis and treatment of lung diseases, with the aim of providing new ideas for basic and clinical research of lung-related diseases.
Biomimetic Nanomaterials Triggered Ferroptosis for Cancer Theranostics
Authors: Zhang Xinyu , Ma Yanling , Wan Jipeng , Yuan Jia , Wang Diqing , Wang Weiyi , Sun Xiao , Meng Qingwei
Published: November 2021

Ferroptosis, as a recently discovered non-apoptotic programmed cell death with an iron-dependent form, has attracted great attention in the field of cancer nanomedicine. However, many ferroptosis-related nano-inducers encountered unexpected limitations such as immune exposure, low circulation time, and ineffective tumor targeting. Biomimetic nanomaterials possess some unique physicochemical properties which can achieve immune escape and effective tumor targeting. Especially, certain components of biomimetic nanomaterials can further enhance ferroptosis. Therefore, this review will provide a comprehensive overview on recent developments of biomimetic nanomaterials in ferroptosis-related cancer nanomedicine. First, the definition and character of ferroptosis and its current applications associated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy for enhancing cancer theranostics were briefly discussed. Subsequently, the advantages and limitations of some representative biomimetic nanomedicines, including biomembranes, proteins, amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and biomineralization-based ferroptosis nano-inducers, were further spotlighted. This review would therefore help the spectrum of advanced and novice researchers who are interested in this area to quickly zoom in the essential information and glean some provoking ideas to advance this subfield in cancer nanomedicine.
Multielement Characterization and Antioxidant Activity of Italian Extra-Virgin Olive Oils
Authors: Astolfi Maria Luisa , Marini Federico , Frezzini Maria Agostina , Massimi Lorenzo , Capriotti Anna Laura , Montone Carmela Maria , Canepari Silvia
Published: November 2021

Food product safety and quality are closely related to the elemental composition of food. This study combined multielement analysis and chemometric tools to characterize 237 extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) samples from 15 regions of Italy, and to verify the possibility of discriminating them according to different quality factors, such as varietal or geographical origin or whether they were organically or traditionally produced. Some elements have antioxidant properties, while others are toxic to humans or can promote oxidative degradation of EVOO samples. In particular, the antioxidant activity of oils’ hydrophilic fraction was estimated and the concentrations of 45 elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). At first, univariate and multivariate analyses of variance were used to compare the element concentrations, and statistically significant differences were found among samples from different regions. Successively, discriminant classification approaches were used to build a model for EVOO authentication, considering, in turn, various possible categorizations. The results have indicated that chemometric methods coupled with ICP-MS have the potential to discriminate and characterize the different types of EVOO, and to provide “typical” elemental fingerprints of the various categories of samples.
Rational Design of Peptide-based Smart Hydrogels for Therapeutic Applications
Authors: Das Saurav , Das Debapratim
Published: November 2021

Peptide-based hydrogels have captivated remarkable attention in recent times and serve as an excellent platform for biomedical applications owing to the impressive amalgamation of unique properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, easily tunable hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, modular incorporation of stimuli sensitivity and other functionalities, adjustable mechanical stiffness/rigidity and close mimicry to biological molecules. Putting all these on the same plate offers smart soft materials that can be used for tissue engineering, drug delivery, 3D bioprinting, wound healing to name a few. A plethora of work has been accomplished and a significant progress has been realized using these peptide-based platforms. However, designing hydrogelators with the desired functionalities and their self-assembled nanostructures is still highly serendipitous in nature and thus a roadmap providing guidelines toward designing and preparing these soft-materials and applying them for a desired goal is a pressing need of the hour. This review aims to provide a concise outline for that purpose and the design principles of peptide-based hydrogels along with their potential for biomedical applications are discussed with the help of selected recent reports.
Development of a Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Assay for Schistosomiasis Japonica Diagnosis in the Experimental Mice and Domestic Goats
Authors: Guo Qinghong , Zhou Kerou , Chen Cheng , Yue Yongcheng , Shang Zheng , Zhou Keke , Fu Zhiqiang , Liu Jinming , Lin Jiaojiao , Xia Chenyang , Tang Wenqiang , Cong Xiaonan , Sun Xuejun , Hong Yang
Published: November 2021

Although the prevalence of schistosomiasis japonica has declined gradually in China, more accurate and sensitive diagnostic methods are urgently needed for the prevention and control of this disease. Molecular diagnostic methods are advantageous in terms of sensitivity and specificity, but they are time-consuming and require expensive instruments and skilled personnel, which limits their application in low-resource settings. In this study, an isothermal DNA amplification assay and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) combined with lateral flow dipstick (LFD) were set up. It was used to detect S. japonicum infections in experimental mice and domestic goats by amplifying a specific DNA fragment of S. japonicum. The lower limit of detection for the LFD-RPA assay was evaluated using dilutions of plasmid containing the target sequence. Cross-reactivity was evaluated using genomic DNA from eight other parasites. The effectiveness of the LFD-RPA assay was verified by assessing 36 positive plasma samples and 36 negative plasma samples from mice. The LFD-RPA assay and real-time PCR were also used to assess 48 schistosomiasis japonica-positive plasma samples and 53 negative plasma samples from goats. The LFD-RPA assay could detect 2.6 femtogram (fg) of S. japonicum target DNA (~39 fg genomic DNA of S. japonicum), only 10-fold less sensitive than real-time PCR assay. There was no cross-reactivity with DNA from the other eight parasites, such as Haemonchus contortus and Spirometra. The whole amplification process could be completed within 15 min at 39°C, and the results can be observed easily using the LFD. The sensitivity and specificity of the LFD-RPA assay were 97.22% (35/36, 95% CI, 85.47%–99.93%) and 100% (36/36, 95% CI, 90.26%–100%) in mice, and 93.75% (45/48, 95% CI, 82.80%–98.69%) and 100% (53/53, 95% CI, 93.28%–100%) in goats. By comparison, the sensitivity and specificity of real-time PCR were 100% (36/36, 95% CI, 90.26%–100%) and 100% (36/36, 95% CI, 90.26%–100%) for mice, and 97.92% (47/48, 95% CI, 88.93%–99.95%) and 100% (53/53, 95% CI, 93.28%–100%) for goats. The LFD-RPA assay exhibits high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis japonica, and it is an alternative method for diagnosis schistosomiasis japonica in low resource setting.
Translating Monastic Lessons to Teaching Undergraduate Biology
Authors: Pierce B. Daniel
Published: November 2021

My participation in the Emory Tibet Science Initiative (ETSI) has afforded me considerable means to enrich my teaching at the undergraduate level. Here, I discuss how I translated lessons learned from working with Tibetan Monks to teaching in a primarily undergraduate institution, including: 1) introducing each course with a challenge to the assumptions made as “Western scientists” 2) using the unique monastic pedagogy of debate to facilitate classroom scholarship, and 3) embracing compassion as a central tenet to engage and empower student learning, which has become the cornerstone of my teaching philosophy. In addition, I brought undergraduates with me to participate in ETSI, and the experience had a profound effect on their educational and career paths. These experiences with the Tibetan monks transformed my teaching and continue to inform how I approach undergraduate education.
Association Between Left Ventricular Global Function Index and Outcomes in Patients With Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Liu Tong , Zhou Zhen , Bo Kairui , Gao Yifeng , Wang Hui , Wang Rui , Liu Wei , Chang Sanshuai , Liu Yuanyuan , Sun Yuqing , Firmin David , Yang Guang , Dong Jianzeng , Xu Lei
Published: November 2021

Purpose: Left ventricular global function index (LVGFI) assessed using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) seems promising in the prediction of clinical outcomes. However, the role of the LVGFI is uncertain in patients with heart failure (HF) with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). To describe the association of LVGFI and outcomes in patients with DCM, it was hypothesized that LVGFI is associated with decreased major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in patients with DCM.

Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted from January 2015 to April 2020 in consecutive patients with DCM who underwent CMR. The association between outcomes and LVGFI was assessed using a multivariable model adjusted with confounders. LVGFI was the primary exposure variable. The long-term outcome was a composite endpoint, including death or heart transplantation.

Results: A total of 334 patients (mean age: 55 years) were included in this study. The average of CMR-LVGFI was 16.53%. Over a median follow-up of 565 days, 43 patients reached the composite endpoint. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that patients with LVGFI lower than the cutoff values (15.73%) had a higher estimated cumulative incidence of the endpoint compared to those with LVGFI higher than the cutoff values (P = 0.0021). The hazard of MACEs decreased by 38% for each 1 SD increase in LVGFI (hazard ratio 0.62[95%CI 0.43–0.91]) and after adjustment by 46% (HR 0.54 [95%CI 0.32–0.89]). The association was consistent across subgroup analyses.

Conclusion: In this study, an increase in CMR-LVGFI was associated with decreasing the long-term risk of MACEs with DCM after adjustment for traditional confounders.
Volume Overload Initiates an Immune Response in the Right Ventricle at the Neonatal Stage
Authors: Cui Qing , Sun Sijuan , Zhu Hongbin , Xiao Yingying , Jiang Chuan , Zhang Hao , Liu Jinfen , Ye Lincai , Shen Jie
Published: November 2021

Background: Pulmonary regurgitation caused by the correction or palliation of pediatric tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) leads to chronic right ventricular (RV) volume overload (VO), which induces adolescent RV dysfunction. A better understanding of the molecular mechanism by which VO initiates neonatal RV remodeling may bring new insights into the post-surgical management of pediatric TOF.

Methods and Results: We created a fistula between the abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava on postnatal day 1 (P1) using a rat model to induce neonatal VO. Echocardiography revealed that the velocity and velocity- time-integral of the pulmonary artery (PA) were significantly elevated, and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining showed that the diameter of the RV significantly increased. RNA-seq analysis of the RV on P7 indicated that the top 10 enriched Gene Ontology (GO) terms and the top 20 enriched terms in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were associated with immune responses. Flow-cytometric analysis demonstrated that the number of CD4+and CD8+ immune cells were significantly augmented in the VO group compared with the sham group.

Conclusions: A neonatal cardiac VO rat model on P1 was successfully created, providing a platform for studying the molecular biology of neonatal RV under the influence of VO. VO - induces an immune response at the neonatal stage (from P1 to P7), suggesting that immune responses may be an initiating factor for neonatal RV remodeling under the influence of VO and that immunosuppressants may be used to prevent pediatric RV remodeling caused by VO.
Anomaly Detection for the Centralised Elasticsearch Service at CERN
Authors: Andersson Jennifer R. , Moya Jose Alonso , Schwickerath Ulrich
Published: November 2021

For several years CERN has been offering a centralised service for Elasticsearch, a popular distributed system for search and analytics of user provided data. The service offered by CERN IT is better described as a service of services, delivering centrally managed and maintained Elasticsearch instances to CERN users who have a justified need for it. This dynamic infrastructure currently consists of about 30 distinct and independent Elasticsearch installations, in the following referred to as Elasticsearch clusters, some of which are shared between different user communities. The service is used by several hundred users mainly for logs and service analytics. Due to its size and complexity, the installation produces a huge amount of internal monitoring data which can be difficult to process in real time with limited available person power. Early on, an idea was therefore born to process this data automatically, aiming to extract anomalies and possible issues building up in real time, allowing the experts to address them before they start to cause an issue for the users of the service. Both deep learning and traditional methods have been applied to analyse the data in order to achieve this goal. This resulted in the current deployment of an anomaly detection system based on a one layer multi dimensional LSTM neural network, coupled with applying a simple moving average to the data to validate the results. This paper will describe which methods were investigated and give an overview of the current system, including data retrieval, data pre-processing and analysis. In addition, reports on experiences gained when applying the system to actual data will be provided. Finally, weaknesses of the current system will be briefly discussed, and ideas for future system improvements will be sketched out.
Intensified Late Miocene Deformation in the Northern Qaidam Basin, Northern Tibetan Plateau, Constrained by Apatite Fission-Track Thermochronology
Authors: He Pengju , Song Chunhui , Wang Yadong , Zhang Yihu , Chen Wenqi , Meng Qingquan , Zhao Yuanhao
Published: November 2021

The Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the North Qaidam-Qilian Shan fold-thrust belt in the northern Tibetan Plateau is important to understanding the tectonic rejuvenation of orogeny and growth of the plateau. However, the deformation processes in this region remain controversial. This study presents new apatite fission track (AFT) data from Paleogene strata in the northern Qaidam Basin to investigate the time of deformation in this site. Thermal modeling of these partially annealed detrital AFT ages shows a thermal history with a noticeable transition from heating to cooling after ∼10 Ma. This transition is attributed to the intensified thrusting and folding of the northern Qaidam Basin since ∼10 Ma. Integrated with published tectonics and thermochronology results, we suggest the North Qaidam-Qilian Shan fold-thrust belt experienced prevailing tectonism since the late Miocene.
A Novel Phase Unwrapping Method Used for Monitoring the Land Subsidence in Coal Mining Area Based on U-Net Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Wang Zhiyong , Li Lu , Yu Yaran , Wang Jian , Li Zhenjin , Liu Wei
Published: November 2021

Large-scale and high-intensity mining underground coal has resulted in serious land subsidence. It has caused a lot of ecological environment problems and has a serious impact on the sustainable development of economy. Land subsidence cannot be accurately monitored by InSAR (interferometric synthetic aperture radar) due to the low coherence in the mining area, excessive deformation gradient, and the atmospheric effect. In order to solve this problem, a novel phase unwrapping method based on U-Net convolutional neural network was constructed. Firstly, the U-Net convolutional neural network is used to extract edge to automatically obtain the boundary information of the interferometric fringes in the region of subsidence basin. Secondly, an edge-linking algorithm is constructed based on edge growth and predictive search. The interrupted interferometric fringes are connected automatically. The whole and continuous edges of interferometric fringes are obtained. Finally, the correct phase unwrapping results are obtained according to the principle of phase unwrapping and the wrap-count (integer jump of 2π) at each pixel by edge detection. The Huaibei Coalfield in China was taken as the study area. The real interferograms from D-InSAR (differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar) processing used Sentinel-1A data which were used to verify the performance of the new method. Subsidence basins with clear interferometric fringes, interrupted interferometric fringes, and confused interferometric fringes are selected for experiments. The results were compared with the other methods, such as MCF (minimum cost flow) method. The tests showed that the new method based on U-Net convolutional neural network can resolve the problem that is difficult to obtain the correct unwrapping phase due to interrupted or partially confused interferometric fringes caused by low coherence or other reasons in the coal mining area. Hence, the new method can help to accurately monitor the subsidence in mining areas under different conditions using InSAR technology.
The Quasi-Biweekly Oscillation of Summer Rainfall in Southern China and Its Relationship With the Geopotential Height Anomaly Over the North Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Huang Qian , Yin Xinyu , Yao Suxiang
Published: November 2021

Summer precipitation in East Asia has significant quasi-biweekly (10–30-day) oscillation characteristics. By using gauge-based precipitation and ERA-Interim reanalysis data, the basic mode of the quasi-biweekly oscillation of summer precipitation in East Asia and the related circulation from 1979 to 2012 were analyzed. It was found that the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and its south in China were among the key areas for the 10- to 30-day oscillation of summer precipitation. After selecting typical summer precipitation events with 10- to 30-day oscillation characteristics in key areas and conducting composite analysis, it is found that in the dry (wet) phase of quasi-biweekly precipitation in southern China, it is controlled by quasi-biweekly anticyclone (cyclone) at 500 hPa above the key area. During the evolution of quasi-biweekly precipitation, the ridge of the Northwest Pacific Subtropical High is located between 20 and 22°N latitude, and there is no significant variability in the large-scale background circulation. Furthermore, composite analysis of the precursory signal at 500 hPa during quasi-biweekly precipitation in southern China found that there was an obvious quasi-biweekly geopotential height anomaly over the North Atlantic Ocean almost 30 days before the peak day of quasi-biweekly precipitation. While the quasi-biweekly geopotential height anomaly at 500 hPa in the North Atlantic propagates eastward, it also leads the cold air to transport southward. Cold air from high latitudes and warm air from low latitudes converge in southern China, which affects the quasi-biweekly oscillation of precipitation. Hysteresis synthesis of precipitation based on 500 hPa geopotential height’s quasi-biweekly oscillation events over the North Atlantic Ocean comes to almost the same conclusion. Therefore, the 500 hPa geopotential height quasi-biweekly anomaly in the North Atlantic may have important prediction significance for an extended-range forecast of summer rainfall in China.
Mitochondrial DNA Content May Not Be a Reliable Screening Biomarker for Live Birth After Single Euploid Blastocyst Transfer
Authors: Zhou Xuanyou , Liu Xueli , Shi Weihui , Ye Mujin , Chen Songchang , Xu Chenming
Published: November 2021

An increasing number of studies have related the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content to embryo viability and transfer outcomes. However, previous studies have focused more on the relationship between mtDNA and embryo implantation, few studies have studied the effect of the mtDNA content on live birth. In the study, we investigated whether mtDNA content is a reliable screening biomarker for live birth after single blastocyst transfer. A total of 233 couples with 316 blastocyst stage embryos undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment and pre-implantation genetic testing analysis were included in the study. All embryos were chromosomally normal and had undergone single-embryo transfers. There was no significant difference observed in the blastocyst mtDNA content among the live birth, miscarriage and non-implanted groups (p=0.999), and the mtDNA content in blastocysts from the miscarriage and live birth groups was similar [median (interquartile range), 1.00*108(7.59*107- 1.39*108) vs 1.01*108 (7.37*107- 1.32*108)]. Similarly, no significant association was observed between mtDNA content and embryo implantation potential (p=0.965). After adjusting for multiple confounders in a logistic regression analysis with generalized estimating equations, no associations between mtDNA content and live birth were observed in all blastocysts, Day-5 and Day-6 blastocysts (p=0.567, p=0.673, p=0.165, respectively). The live birth rate was not significantly different between blastocysts with an elevated mtDNA content and blastocysts with a normal mtDNA content (26.7% vs 33.6% p=0.780). Additionally, there was no linear correlation between the mtDNA content and maternal age (p=0.570). In conclusion, the mtDNA content does not seem to be a potential biomarker for embryo transfer outcomes (i.e., implantation and live birth) based on the existing testing tools. Embryos with an elevated mtDNA content also have development potential for successful live birth.