bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sindbis Virus Replication Reduces Dependence on Mitochondrial Metabolism During Infection
Authors: Rodriguez Juan L. , Costlow Jessica L. , Sheedy Max , Yoon Kelly T. , Gabaldón Annette M. , Steel J. Jordan
Published: June 2022

Alphaviruses are single stranded, positive sense RNA viruses that are often transmitted through mosquito vectors. With the increasing spread of mosquito populations throughout the world, these arboviruses represent a significant global health concern. Viruses such as Sindbis Virus (SINV), Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV) and Equine Encephalitis Viruses (EEV) are all alphaviruses. As viruses, these pathogens are dependent on the host cell environment for successful viral replication. It has been observed that viruses manipulate cellular metabolism and mitochondrial shape, activity, and dynamics to favor viral infection. This report looked to understand the metabolic changes present during Sindbis virus infection of hamster and human kidney cells. Cells were infected with increasing levels of SINV and at 24 hours post infection the mitochondria morphology was assessed with staining and mitochondrial activity was measured with a real-time Seahorse Bioanalyzer. The relative amount of mitochondrial staining intensity decreased with Sindbis virus infected cells. Both oxygen consumption rate and ATP production were decreased during SINV infection while non-mitochondrial respiration and extracellular acidification rate increased during infection. Collectively, the data indicates that SINV primarily utilizes non-mitochondrial metabolism to support viral infection within the first 24 hours. This understanding of viral preference for host cell metabolism may provide critical targets for antiviral therapies and help further define the nature of alphavirus infection.
The Depletion Mechanism Actuates Bacterial Aggregation by Exopolysaccharides and Determines Species Distribution & Composition in Bacterial Aggregates
Authors: Secor Patrick R. , Michaels Lia A. , Bublitz DeAnna C. , Jennings Laura K. , Singh Pradeep K.
Published: June 2022

Bacteria in natural environments and infections are often found in cell aggregates suspended in polymer-rich solutions, and aggregation can promote bacterial survival and stress resistance. One aggregation mechanism, called depletion aggregation, is driven by physical forces between bacteria and high concentrations of polymers in the environment rather than bacterial activity per se. As such, bacteria aggregated by the depletion mechanism will disperse when polymer concentrations fall unless other adhesion mechanisms supervene. Here we investigated whether the depletion mechanism can actuate the aggregating effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exopolysaccharides for suspended (i.e. not surface attached) bacteria, and how depletion affects bacterial inter-species interactions. We found that cells overexpressing the exopolysaccharides Pel and Psl remained aggregated after short periods of depletion aggregation whereas wild-type and mucoid P. aeruginosa did not. In co-culture, depletion aggregation had contrasting effects on P. aeruginosa’s interactions with coccus- and rod-shaped bacteria. Depletion caused S. aureus (cocci) and P. aeruginosa (rods) to segregate from each other and S. aureus to resist secreted P. aeruginosa antimicrobial factors resulting in species co-existence. In contrast, depletion aggregation caused P. aeruginosa and Burkholderia sp. (both rods) to intermix, enhancing type VI secretion inhibition of Burkholderia by P. aeruginosa, leading to P. aeruginosa dominance. These results show that in addition to being a primary cause of aggregation in polymer-rich suspensions, physical forces inherent to the depletion mechanism can promote aggregation by some self-produced exopolysaccharides and determine species distribution and composition of bacterial communities.
Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing Versus Traditional Laboratory Methods for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infection in Liver Transplantation
Authors: Huang Jun-Feng , Miao Qing , Cheng Jian-Wen , Huang Ao , Guo De-Zhen , Wang Ting , Yang Liu-Xiao , Zhu Du-Ming , Cao Ya , Huang Xiao-Wu , Fan Jia , Zhou Jian , Yang Xin-Rong
Published: June 2022

Background

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has emerged as an effective method for the noninvasive and precise detection of infectious pathogens. However, data are lacking on whether mNGS analyses could be used for the diagnosis and treatment of infection during the perioperative period in patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT).

Methods

From February 2018 to October 2018, we conducted an exploratory study using mNGS and traditional laboratory methods (TMs), including culture, serologic assays, and nucleic acid testing, for pathogen detection in 42 pairs of cadaveric liver donors and their corresponding recipients. Method performance in determining the presence of perioperative infection and guiding subsequent clinical decisions was compared between mNGS and TMs.

Results

The percentage of liver donors with mNGS-positive pathogen results (64.3%, 27/42) was significantly higher than that using TMs (28.6%, 12/42; P<0.05). The percentage of co-infection detected by mNGS in liver donors was 23.8% (10/42) significantly higher than 0.0% (0/42) by TMs (P<0.01). Forty-three pathogens were detected using mNGS, while only 12 pathogens were identified using TMs. The results of the mNGS analyses were consistent with results of the TM analyses in 91.7% (11/12) of donor samples at the species level, while mNGS could be used to detect pathogens in 66.7% (20/30) of donors deemed pathogen-negative using TMs. Identical pathogens were detected in 6 cases of donors and recipients by mNGS, among which 4 cases were finally confirmed as donor-derived infections (DDIs). For TMs, identical pathogens were detected in only 2 cases. Furthermore, 8 recipients developed early symptoms of infection (<7 days) after LT; we adjusted the type of antibiotics and/or discontinued immunosuppressants according to the mNGS results. Of the 8 patients with infections, 7 recipients recovered, and 1 patient died of severe sepsis.

Conclusions

Our preliminary results show that mNGS analyses can provide rapid and precise pathogen detection compared with TMs in a variety of clinical samples from patients undergoing LT. Combined with symptoms of clinical infection, mNGS showed superior advantages over TMs for the early identification and assistance in clinical decision-making for DDIs. mNGS results were critical for the management of perioperative infection in patients undergoing LT.
microRNA, the Innate-Immune System and SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Hill James M. , Lukiw Walter J.
Published: June 2022

The single-stranded viral RNA (ssvRNA) known as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19 can be effectively inactivated by a number of natural ribonucleic acid-based host cell defenses. One of the most important of these defenses includes the actions of a class of small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) known as microRNAs (miRNAs). Via base-pair complementarity miRNAs are capable of specifically targeting ssvRNA sequences such as SARS-CoV-2 promoting its inactivation and neutralization. RNA-sequencing and bioinformatics analysis indicate that multiple naturally-occurring human miRNAs have extensive complementarity to the SARS-CoV-2 ssvRNA genome. Since miRNA abundance, speciation, and complexity vary significantly amongst human individuals, this may in part explain the variability in the innate-immune and pathophysiological response of different individuals to SARS-CoV-2 and overall susceptibility to ssvRNA-mediated viral infection.
Identification and Validation of Immune-Related Biomarker Gene and Construction of ceRNA Networks in Septic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Li Jingru , Wu Xinyu , Li Chaozhong , Sun Guihu , Ding Peng , Li Yanyan , Yang Ping , Zhang Min , Wang Luqiao
Published: June 2022

Septic cardiomyopathy (SCM) is a cardiac dysfunction caused by severe sepsis, which greatly increases the risk of heart failure and death, and its molecular mechanism is unclear. The immune response has been reported to be an important process in septic cardiomyopathy and is present in the cardiac tissue of patients with sepsis, suggesting that the immune response may be an underlying mechanism of myocardial injury in SCM. Therefore, we explored the role of immune-related genes (IRGs) in SCM and aimed to identify pivotal immune-related targets with the aim of identifying key immune-related targets in SCM and potential therapeutic mechanisms involved in the pathological process of SCM. To explore the regulatory mechanisms of immune responses in SCM, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) shared in the SCM datasets GSE179554 and GSE40180 by bioinformatics analysis and then obtained hub genes from the DEGs. Then, we obtained the immune-related hub genes (IRHGs) by intersecting the hub genes with IRGs and performed quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction to confirm the abnormal expression of IRHGs. Finally, we further constructed an immune-related lncRNA–miRNA–IRHG ceRNA regulatory network. In this study, we identified an IRHG that may be involved in the pathogenesis of SCM, which helps us to further elucidate the role of immune response in SCM and gain insights into the molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets of SCM.
Designing Adjuvant Formulations to Promote Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy of Leptospira Immunoglobulin-Like Protein A Subunit Vaccine
Authors: Techawiwattanaboon Teerasit , Courant Thomas , Brunner Livia , Sathean-anan-kun Suwitra , Krangvichian Pratomporn , Iadsee Nutta , Nakornpakdee Yaowarin , Sangjun Noppadon , Komanee Pat , Collin Nicolas , Ruxrungtham Kiat , Patarakul Kanitha
Published: June 2022

The leptospirosis burden on humans, especially in high-risk occupational groups and livestock, leads to public health and economic problems. Leptospirosis subunit vaccines have been under development and require further improvement to provide complete protection. Adjuvants can be used to enhance the amplitude, quality, and durability of immune responses. Previously, we demonstrated that LMQ adjuvant (neutral liposomes containing monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL) andQuillaja saponariaderived QS21 saponin) promoted protective efficacy of LigAc vaccine againstLeptospirachallenge. To promote immunogenicity and protective efficacy of the subunit vaccines, three alternative adjuvants based on neutral liposomes or squalene-in-water emulsion were evaluated in this study. LQ and LQuil adjuvants combined the neutral liposomes with the QS21 saponin orQuillaja saponariaderived QuilA®saponin, respectively. SQuil adjuvant combined a squalene-in-water emulsion with the QuilA®saponin. The immunogenicity and protective efficacy of LigAc (20 µg) formulated with the candidate adjuvants were conducted in golden Syrian hamsters. Hamsters were vaccinated three times at a 2-week interval, followed by a homologous challenge ofL. interrogansserovar Pomona. The results showed that LigAc combined with LQ, LQuil, or SQuil adjuvants conferred substantial antibody responses and protective efficacy (survival rate, pathological change, andLeptospirarenal colonization) comparable to LMQ adjuvant. The LigAc+LQ formulation conferred 62.5% survival but was not significantly different from LigAc+LMQ, LigAc+LQuil, and LigAc+SQuil formulations (50% survival). This study highlights the potential of saponin-containing adjuvants LMQ, LQ, LQuil, and SQuil for both human and animal leptospirosis vaccines.
Astronauts Plasma-Derived Exosomes Induced Aberrant EZH2-Mediated H3K27me3 Epigenetic Regulation of the Vitamin D Receptor
Authors: Bisserier Malik , Brojakowska Agnieszka , Saffran Nathaniel , Rai Amit Kumar , Lee Brooke , Coleman Matthew , Sebastian Aimy , Evans Angela , Mills Paul J. , Addya Sankar , Arakelyan Arsen , Garikipati Venkata Naga Srikanth , Hadri Lahouaria , Goukassian David A.
Published: June 2022

There are unique stressors in the spaceflight environment. Exposure to such stressors may be associated with adverse effects on astronauts' health, including increased cancer and cardiovascular disease risks. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs, i.e., exosomes) play a vital role in intercellular communication and regulate various biological processes contributing to their role in disease pathogenesis. To assess whether spaceflight alters sEVs transcriptome profile, sEVs were isolated from the blood plasma of 3 astronauts at two different time points: 10 days before launch (L-10) and 3 days after return (R+3) from the Shuttle mission. AC16 cells (human cardiomyocyte cell line) were treated with L-10 and R+3 astronauts-derived exosomes for 24 h. Total RNA was isolated and analyzed for gene expression profiling using Affymetrix microarrays. Enrichment analysis was performed using Enrichr. Transcription factor (TF) enrichment analysis using the ENCODE/ChEA Consensus TF database identified gene sets related to the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) and Vitamin D receptor (VDR) in AC16 cells treated with R+3 compared to cells treated with L-10 astronauts-derived exosomes. Further analysis of the histone modifications using datasets from the Roadmap Epigenomics Project confirmed enrichment in gene sets related to the H3K27me3 repressive mark. Interestingly, analysis of previously published H3K27me3–chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) ENCODE datasets showed enrichment of H3K27me3 in the VDR promoter. Collectively, our results suggest that astronaut-derived sEVs may epigenetically repress the expression of the VDR in human adult cardiomyocytes by promoting the activation of the PRC2 complex and H3K27me3 levels.
Case Report: Tachycardia, Hypoxemia and Shock in a Severely Burned Pediatric Patient
Authors: Shi Jianshe , Huang Chuheng , Zheng Jialong , Ai Yeqing , Liu Hiufang , Pan Zhiqiang , Chen Jiahai , Shang Runze , Zhang Xinya , Dong Shaoliang , Lin Rongkai , Huang Shurun , Huang Jianlong , Zhang Chenghua
Published: June 2022

Background

Severely burned children are at high risk of secondary intraabdominal hypertension and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS). ACS is a life-threatening condition with high mortality and requires an effective, minimally invasive treatment to improve the prognosis when the condition is refractory to conventional therapy.

Case presentation

A 4.5-year-old girl was admitted to our hospital 30 h after a severe burn injury. Her symptoms of burn shock were relieved after fluid resuscitation. However, her bloating was aggravated, and ACS developed on Day 5, manifesting as tachycardia, hypoxemia, shock, and oliguria. Invasive mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, and percutaneous catheter drainage were applied in addition to medical treatments (such as gastrointestinal decompression, diuresis, sedation, and neuromuscular blockade). These treatments did not improve the patient's condition until she received continuous renal replacement therapy. Subsequently, her vital signs and laboratory data improved, which were accompanied by decreased intra-abdominal pressure, and she was discharged after nutrition support, antibiotic therapy, and skin grafting.

Conclusion

ACS can occur in severely burned children, leading to rapid deterioration of cardiopulmonary function. Patients who fail to respond to conventional medical management should be considered for continuous renal replacement therapy.
RBM20, a Therapeutic Target to Alleviate Myocardial Stiffness via Titin Isoforms Switching in HFpEF
Authors: Li Na , Hang Weijian , Shu Hongyang , Zhou Ning
Published: June 2022

Increased myocardial stiffness is critically involved in heart diseases with impaired cardiac compliance, especially heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Myocardial stiffness mainly derives from cardiomyocyte- and extracellular matrix (ECM)-derived passive stiffness. Titin, a major component of sarcomeres, participates in myocardial passive stiffness and stress-sensitive signaling. The ratio of two titin isoforms, N2BA to N2B, was validated to influence diastolic dysfunction via several pathways. RNA binding motif protein 20 (RBM20) is a well-studied splicing factor of titin, functional deficiency of RBM20 in mice profile improved cardiac compliance and function, which indicated that RBM20 functions as a potential therapeutic target for mitigating myocardial stiffness by modulating titin isoforms. This minor review summarized how RBM20 and other splicing factors modify the titin isoforms ratio, therefore providing a promising target for improving the myocardial compliance of HFpEF.
On the Bleaching Degree of Multi-Grain Coarse Quartz OSL Signal of Near-Surface Aeolian Sediments Around the Tengger Desert: Empirical Investigation and Numerical Validation
Authors: Mo Hongwei , Peng Jun , Li Zhenguo , Song Yan , Feng Teng
Published: June 2022

In this study, the degree of bleaching of multi-grain coarse quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signal of near-surface aeolian samples collected around the Tengger Desert is assessed. The single-aliquot regenerative dose (SAR) protocol and the standardized growth curve (SGC) method are applied to measure the equivalent dose (De) of these samples. The bleaching degree of the samples is assessed by investigating 1) the relationship between Ln/Tn and SAR De and 2) the SGC De distribution. Various degrees of heterogeneously-bleached multi-grain dose distributions synthetized with a numerical simulation method is further used to validate the bleaching performance of the samples. It demonstrates that the investigated samples are characterized by tight De distributions and the maximum De estimate is smaller than 1.1 Gy. The numerical simulation method which uses as input a large proportion of fully-bleached grains and a small baseline dose is able to reproduce multi-grain De distributions similar to the measured ones. We conclude that OSL signals of multi-grain coarse quartz extracted from most of the investigated aeolian samples are fully bleached before deposition.
Geochemical Constraints on the Hydrothermal Dolomitization of the Middle-Upper Cambrian Xixiangchi Formation in the Sichuan Basin, China
Authors: Liang Jintong , Liu Sibing , Li Luping , Dai Jie , Li Xiaotian , Mou Chuanlong
Published: June 2022

The Middle-Upper Cambrian Xixiangchi carbonates in the Sichuan Basin have been pervasively dolomitized. In the presented work, petrographic investigation revealed three generations of the Xixiangchi dolomites, consisting of dolomicrite (D1, 5–20 μm) with a planar-s to non-planar texture, fabric destructive dolomite (D2, 50–150 μM) with a planar-s to planar-e texture, and saddle dolomite (D3, 300 μm to 4 mm) with a planar-s to planar-e texture. D1 and D2 dolomites are presented as matrix dolomites, whereas D3 dolomites are observed as fracture-filling dolomites. Compared with the matrix D1 and D2 dolomites, which are interpreted as products of dolomitization under near-surface or at shallow burial conditions, the depleted δ13C and δ18O values of D3 than D1 and D2 dolomites are probably caused by the temperature-controlled isotopic fractionation within an increasing fluid–rock interaction at burial. The enriched Mn, Sr, and Ba concentrations of D3 than D1 and D2 dolomites suggest a newly introduced type of diagenetic fluids, which is probably related to the upwelling of magmatic activities (Emeishan large igneous province). By contrast, the abnormally depleted Fe concentration in D3 dolomites is attributed to its preferential incorporation into other solid phases rather than its true concentration. The similar rare earth element (REE) partition patterns of D1 and D2 dolomites demonstrate similar dolomitization fluids related to seawater or marine-origin fluids. The hydrothermal-derived D3 dolomites exhibit a different REE partition pattern by contrast. The negative Eu anomalies of D3 dolomites may represent hydrothermal fluid cooling or an association with intermediate-felsic igneous rocks. The findings of the presented work would enhance our understanding on the hydrothermal dolomitization of the Middle-Upper Cambrian Xixiangchi Formation.
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Among Asians – A Systematic Review From a Population Health Perspective
Authors: Li Ling-Jun , Huang Lihua , Tobias Deirdre K. , Zhang Cuilin
Published: June 2022

Objective

Since Asians are particularly vulnerable to the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), the lifecourse health implications of which are far beyond pregnancy, we aimed to summarize the literature to understand the research gaps on current GDM research among Asians.

Methods

We systematically searched the articles in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus by 30 June 2021 with keywords applied on three topics, namely “GDM prevalence in Asians”, “GDM and maternal health outcomes in Asians”, and “GDM and offspring health outcomes in Asians”.

Results

We observed that Asian women (natives and immigrants) are at the highest risk of developing GDM and subsequent progression to type 2 diabetes among all populations. Children born to GDM-complicated pregnancies had a higher risk of macrosomia and congenital anomalies (i.e. heart, kidney and urinary tract) at birth and greater adiposity later in life.

Conclusion

This review summarized various determinants underlying the conversion between GDM and long-term health outcomes in Asian women, and it might shed light on efforts to prevent GDM and improve the lifecourse health in Asians from a public health perspective.

Systematic Review Registration

Prospero, CRD42021286075.
Histone Lysine Methylation Modification and Its Role in Vascular Calcification
Authors: Cao Ye-Chi , Shan Su-Kang , Guo Bei , Li Chang-Chun , Li Fu-Xing-Zi , Zheng Ming-Hui , Xu Qiu-Shuang , Wang Yi , Lei Li-Min , Tang Ke-Xin , Ou-Yang Wen-Lu , Duan Jia-Yue , Wu Yun-Yun , Ullah Muhammad Hasnain Ehsan , Zhou Zhi-Ang , Xu Feng , Lin Xiao , Wu Feng , Liao Xiao-Bo , Yuan Ling-Qing
Published: June 2022

Histone methylation is an epigenetic change mediated by histone methyltransferase, and has been connected to the beginning and progression of several diseases. The most common ailments that affect the elderly are cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disorders. They are the leading causes of death, and their incidence is linked to vascular calcification (VC). The key mechanism of VC is the transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) into osteoblast-like phenotypes, which is a highly adjustable process involving a variety of complex pathophysiological processes, such as metabolic abnormalities, apoptosis, oxidative stress and signalling pathways. Many researchers have investigated the mechanism of VC and related targets for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Their findings revealed that histone lysine methylation modification may play a key role in the various stages of VC. As a result, a thorough examination of the role and mechanism of lysine methylation modification in physiological and pathological states is critical, not only for identifying specific molecular markers of VC and new therapeutic targets, but also for directing the development of new related drugs. Finally, we provide this review to discover the association between histone methylation modification and VC, as well as diverse approaches with which to investigate the pathophysiology of VC and prospective treatment possibilities.
Favorable Genotypes of Type III Interferon Confer Risk of Dyslipidemia in the Population With Obesity
Authors: Xu Tiantian , Peng Bo , Liu Mengmeng , Liu Qingjing , Yang Junya , Qu Minli , Liu Na , Lin Lizhen , Wu Jing
Published: June 2022

Background

Studies have indicated that the chronic state of inflammation caused by obesity leads to dyslipidemia. However, how the polymorphisms involved in these inflammatory pathways affect the lipid metabolism in people with obesity is poorly understood. We investigated the associations of inflammation-related gene polymorphisms with dyslipidemia in individuals with obesity living in China.

Methods

This case–control study in a population with obesity involved 194 individuals with dyslipidemia and 103 individuals without dyslipidemia. Anthropometric indices of obesity, fasting plasma glucose, blood pressure, blood lipids, and C-reactive protein were evaluated. The genes we tested were IL6 (interleukin 6), IL6R (interleukin 6 receptor), FOXP3 (forkhead box P3), TLR2 (toll-like receptor 2), TLR4 (toll-like receptor 4), IFNL3 (interferon lambda 3, formerly known as IL28B), and IFNL4 (interferon lambda 4, formerly known as IL29). Polymorphisms were genotyped using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry.

Results

There were significant differences in the allelic and genotype frequencies of IFNL3 (IL28B) rs12971396, rs8099917, rs11882871, rs12979860, rs4803217 between non-dyslipidemia and dyslipidemia groups in people with obesity. These single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IFNL3 were highly linked (D′ and r > 0.90), so the result of one SNP could represent the result of other SNPs. For IFNL3 rs12971396, people with the homozygous genotype (the major group) carried a higher risk of dyslipidemia than people with the heterozygous genotype (P < 0.001, OR = 4.46, 95%CI, 1.95–10.22).

Conclusions

The favorable genotypes of type III interferon, which have a beneficial role in anti-virus function, were associated with dyslipidemia in a Chinese population with obesity. Type III interferon could have a pathologic role and confer risk of dyslipidemia in people with obesity and chronic inflammation.
Numerical Analysis of the Condensing Steam Flow by Means of ANSYS Fluent and in-House Academic Codes With Respect to the Capacity for Thermodynamic Assessment
Authors: Shabani Sima , Majkut Mirosław , Dykas Sławomir , Wiśniewski Piotr , Smołka Krystian , Cai Xiaoshu , Zhang Guojie
Published: June 2022

In this paper numerical analysis of the condensing steam flow in a converging-diverging nozzle is investigated. The ANSYS Fluent results are compared with the results of the in-house academic Computational fluid dynamics code with respect to the capacity for thermodynamic assessment. The “local” real gas equation of state is used as a mathematical complement of flow governing equations in the in-house code. In the Fluent code, the thermodynamic functions as well as the steam and water physical properties are calculated based on the IAPWS formulation with the use of the UDF. The condensation model with the Fuchs and Sutigin correction of the droplet growth equation and nucleation rate with the Kantrowitz correction is implemented in both CFD codes. The CFD results are compared with the obtained experimental data. The experiment was carried out using an in-house steam facility with a transonic steam tunnel. The investigated geometry is a converging-diverging nozzle as adopted under the International Wet Steam Experimental Project with the diverging section expansion rate of 3,000 s−1 and the total throat height of 40 mm.
A Data Driven Based Ultra Short PV Forecasting Method With Sky Images
Authors: Liang Liang , Bai Xiaoyang
Published: June 2022

With increasing levels of renewable energy in power systems, the coordination of different types of dispatchable resources, such as coal-fired power plants, hydropower plants, energy storage systems, and electric vehicles, has become more important than before. To optimally dispatch these operating units, the quality of the forecasting results becomes increasingly important for the operation of power systems. In this study, an ultra-short forecasting method was proposed for photovoltaic (PV) systems. It provided a forecast of the power output for the following 5 min using sky images obtained photographically in real time. The brightness of the key area was an important factor in determining the output power of the PV system. The output power was calculated using several different features extracted from the sky images. The brightness and other key features were then processed by a bidirectional long short-term memory network. The accuracy of the proposed PV forecasting method improved the accuracy of the forecast for the total power system. A testbed system was established to capture sky images in real time and verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Power Oscillation Analysis of PMSG Wind Power Generation System Considering Power Control Nonlinearity
Authors: Liu Jianing , Yu Miao , Zhao Jinghan , Xia Yanghong , Wei Wei
Published: June 2022

High proportion of renewable energy generation, especially wind power generation, has changed the dynamic behavior of power systems and leads to emerging stability issues such as oscillation accidents. The commonly used stability analysis methods based on linear system theory cannot tackle the influence of nonlinear elements in the control loop. To fill this gap, the describing function method is used to analyze the stability and power oscillations of a grid-connected permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) wind power generation system in this paper. A complete PMSG system model is taken into consideration, including a wind turbine, a generator, a machine-side converter, a grid-side converter, and a weak grid. Particularly, the nonlinear element introduced by maximum power point tracking control in the power control loop is modeled and analyzed, and the influences of critical system parameters are studied. With the high accuracy of the describing function method, it is revealed that the machine-side converter mainly influences the oscillation amplitude, while the grid-side converter mainly influences the oscillation frequency. Furthermore, the following results can be obtained: 1) High bandwidth of maximum power point tracking control and rotation speed control may enlarge the oscillation amplitude, while a fast current loop of the machine-side converter is beneficial to the stability; 2) Grid-side voltage loop can significantly affect the frequency of the oscillation, and improper high bandwidth of a phase-locked loop (PLL) is harmful to system stability; 3) A stronger grid is not always beneficial to the system stability, and the influence of grid strength should be carefully analyzed and examined when nonlinear elements are considered. All analyses are verified by simulations based on MATLAB/Simulink.
Using eDNA to Identify the Dynamic Evolution of Multi-Trophic Communities Under the Eco-Hydrological Changes in River
Authors: Liang Dong , Xia Jun , Song Jinxi , Sun Haotian , Xu Wenjin
Published: June 2022

As significant players in material cycling and energy flow, bacteria and eukaryotes play a vital role in the ecosystem. Nevertheless, the community dynamics of bacteria and eukaryotes in rivers and their responses to changes in ecological hydrology have not been studied thoroughly. Based on eDNA technology, this study investigated the bacterial and eukaryotic communities in the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Weihe River in different seasons. The seasonal variation and geographical distribution of bacterial and eukaryotic community structures showed significant heterogeneity. The selective theory well explained the response of microbial community assembly to seasonal changes. Deterministic processes dominate microbial community assembly in the middle and lower reaches. The composition and metabolic potential of key functional genes of nitrogen and phosphorus cycling (nosZ, pqqB, pqqD, and pqqE) exhibited strong seasonal patterns and were significantly correlated with the physical and chemical properties of water. There were significant differences in molecular ecological networks in different periods (p < 0.05), with a gradually increasing trend in the complexity of the network from winter to summer. The keystone species (Hub) of the microbial food web in each season included microorganisms (Malikia), algae (Stephanodiscus), and invertebrates (Polyarthra). Structural equation modeling (SEM) results indicated that invertebrate was an important driving factor affecting the changes in community structures. In micro-food webs, both “bottom-up” (resources) and “top-down” (predation) forces strictly controlled the relationship between taxa. Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations affected microbial networks, and there was a significant correlation between bacterial and eukaryotic groups and eco-hydrological variables (p < 0.05). Furthermore, we identified the taxon’s change point using threshold indicator taxa analysis (TITAN), quantitatively revealing the response thresholds of taxa to eco-hydrological changes.
Modern Pollen Assemblages From Lake Sediments and Soil in East Siberia and Relative Pollen Productivity Estimates for Major Taxa
Authors: Geng Rongwei , Andreev Andrei , Kruse Stefan , Heim Birgit , van Geffen Femke , Pestryakova Luidmila , Zakharov Evgenii , Troeva Elena , Shevtsova Iuliia , Li Furong , Zhao Yan , Herzschuh Ulrike
Published: June 2022

Modern pollen–vegetation–climate relationships underpin palaeovegetation and palaeoclimate reconstructions from fossil pollen records. East Siberia is an ideal area for investigating the relationships between modern pollen assemblages and near natural vegetation under cold continental climate conditions. Reliable pollen-based quantitative vegetation and climate reconstructions are still scarce due to the limited number of modern pollen datasets. Furthermore, differences in pollen representation of samples from lake sediments and soils are not well understood. Here, we present a new pollen dataset of 48 moss/soil and 24 lake surface-sediment samples collected in Chukotka and central Yakutia in East Siberia. The pollen–vegetation–climate relationships were investigated by ordination analyses. Generally, tundra and taiga vegetation types can be well distinguished in the surface pollen assemblages. Moss/soil and lake samples contain generally similar pollen assemblages as revealed by a Procrustes comparison with some exceptions. Overall, modern pollen assemblages reflect the temperature and precipitation gradients in the study areas as revealed by constrained ordination analysis. We estimate the relative pollen productivity (RPP) of major taxa and the relevant source area of pollen (RSAP) for moss/soil samples from Chukotka and central Yakutia using Extended R-Value (ERV) analysis. The RSAP of the tundra-forest transition area in Chukotka and taiga area in central Yakutia are ca. 1300 and 360 m, respectively. For Chukotka, RPPs relative to both Poaceae and Ericaceae were estimated while RPPs for central Yakutia were relative only to Ericaceae. Relative to Ericaceae (reference taxon, RPP = 1), Larix, Betula, Picea, and Pinus are overrepresented while Alnus, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, and Salix are underrepresented in the pollen spectra. Our estimates are in general agreement with previously published values and provide the basis for reliable quantitative reconstructions of East Siberian vegetation.
The Activation of Protamine 1 Using Epigenome Editing Decreases the Proliferation of Tumorigenic Cells
Authors: Namous Hadjer , Braz Camila Urbano , Wang Yiding , Khatib Hasan
Published: June 2022

DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) and histone deacetylases (HDAC) inhibitors are used as cancer epigenome drugs. However, these epigenetic drugs lack targeting specificity and could risk inducing genome instability and the expression of oncogenes. Therefore, there is a need to develop new therapeutic strategies where specific cancer genes can be targeted for silencing or activation. The CRISPR/dCas9 system represents a promising, powerful therapeutic tool because of its simplicity and specificity. Protamine 1 (PRM1) is exclusively expressed in sperm and has a vital role in the tight packaging of DNA, thus inducing transcriptional silencing in sperm cells. We hypothesized that the activation of the PRM1 gene in tumorigenic cells would lead to DNA condensation and reduce the proliferation of these cells. To test our hypothesis, we transfected human embryonic kidney cells 293T with a dCas9-P300 plasmid that adds acetyl groups to the promoter region of PRM1 via specific gRNAs plasmids. RNA-Seq analysis of transfected cells revealed high specificity of targeted gene activation. PRM1 expression resulted in a significant decrease in cell proliferation as measured by the BrdU ELISA assay. To confirm that the activation of PRM1 was due to acetyl groups deposited to H3K27, a ChIP-qPCR was performed. The acetylation of the PRM1 promoter region targeted by dCas9-p300 in transfected cells was higher than that of the control cells. Interestingly, the targeted promoter region for acetylation showed reduced DNA methylation. These findings demonstrate the efficacy of epigenome editing in activating PRM1 in non-expressing tumorigenic cells, which could be used as a promising therapeutic strategy in cancer treatment.
Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Lipid Metabolism in Rats With NAFLD
Authors: Zhou Tongxi , Niu Mengfan , Liu Ruichen , Li Li
Published: June 2022

This work aimed to study the intervention effect of exercise on lipid metabolism in NAFLD rats, provide a more scientific experimental basis for exploring and improving the theoretical system of exercise intervention in NAFLD, and further provide a theoretical research basis for clinical treatment of NAFLD. Forty healthy male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into a blank control group (BC,14) and a model group (MO, 26). After 6°weeks of modeling, the MO group was randomly divided into the model control group (MC, 12) and the aerobic exercise group (AE, 12). Platform running intervention in group E was conducted at a slope of 0°, a speed of 15 m/min, 1 h/time, once a day, six times a week, and a day of rest, for 8°weeks in total. After the intervention, the liver tissues of rats were taken for pathological sections, and serum was taken and analyzed for TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, and FFA levels. Under the light microscope, the liver tissue structure of rats in the BC group was complete and clear, the structure of liver lobules was clear and normal, the volume of hepatocytes was uniform, the nucleus was in the middle, and the cytoplasm was red-stained, and no steatosis of hepatocytes was found. The liver of rats in the MC group showed diffuse fatty lesions, disordered structure of hepatic lobules, disordered arrangement of hepatic cords, different sizes of hepatocytes, loose cytoplasm, and diffuse lipid droplets of different sizes in the cytoplasm. The accumulation of liver lipid droplets in the AE group was improved compared with the MC group, the number of fat vacuoles in hepatocytes was significantly reduced, and the degree of liver lipid deposition was reduced. Compared with the BC group, the content of TC, TG, LDL-C, and FFA in the serum of the MC group increased significantly (p < 0.01), and the content of HDL-C decreased significantly (p < 0.01). Compared with the MC group, the content of TC, TG, LDL-C, and FFA in the serum of the AE group decreased significantly (p < 0.01/p < 0.05), and the content of HDL-C increased significantly (p < 0.01). Therefore, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise has an intervention effect on lipid metabolism in NAFLD rats, which can be used as one of the means to treat NAFLD.
Identification of NAD+ Metabolism-Derived Gene Signatures in Ovarian Cancer Prognosis and Immunotherapy
Authors: Lin Liang , Chen Li , Xie Zuolian , Chen Jian , Li Ling , Lin An
Published: June 2022

Background: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) has emerged as a critical regulator of cell signaling and survival pathways, affecting tumor initiation and progression. In this study it was investigated whether circulating NAD+ metabolism-related genes (NMRGs) could be used to predict immunotherapy response in ovarian cancer (OC) patients.

Method: In this study, NMRGs were comprehensively examined in OC patients, three distinct NMRGs subtypes were identified through unsupervised clustering, and an NAD+-related prognostic model was generated based on LASSO Cox regression analysis and generated a risk score (RS). ROC curves and an independent validation cohort were used to assess the model’s accuracy. A GSEA enrichment analysis was performed to investigate possible functional pathways. Furthermore, the role of RS in the tumor microenvironment, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy was also investigated.

Result: We found three different subgroups based on NMRGs expression patterns. Twelve genes were selected by LASSO regression to create a prognostic risk signature. High-RS was founded to be linked to a worse prognosis. In Ovarian Cancer Patients, RS is an independent prognostic marker. Immune infiltrating cells were considerably overexpressed in the low-RS group, as immune-related functional pathways were significantly enriched. Furthermore, immunotherapy prediction reveal that patients with low-RS are more sensitive to immunotherapy.

Conclusion: For a patient with OC, NMRGs are promising biomarkers. Our prognostic signature has potential predictive value for OC prognosis and immunotherapy response. The results of this study may help improve our understanding of NMRG in OCs.
Clinical Characteristics, In Silico Analysis, and Intervention of Neonatal-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease With Combined Immunodeficiency Caused by Novel TTC7A Variants
Authors: Chen Yun-e , Chen Jingfang , Guo Wenxing , Zhang Yanhong , Li Jialing , Xie Hui , Shen Tong , Ge Yunsheng , Huang Yanru , Zheng Wenying , Lu Mei
Published: June 2022

We aimed to explore the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of neonatal-onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with combined immunodeficiency due to TTC7A mutation. We examined the clinical manifestations, imaging results, endoscopic and histological findings, interventions, and prognosis of a proband with neonatal-onset IBD and performed biochemical analyses, whole-exome sequencing (WES), and in silico analysis. Our proband developed severe early-onset diarrhea, malnutrition, electrolyte imbalance, dehydration, and recurrent infections after birth. Radiographic and ultrasonic images showed no specific manifestations. Endoscopic and histological examination revealed chronic inflammation. Immune function examination indicated immunodeficiency. WES identified compound heterozygous TTC7A mutations (c.2355+4A>G, c.643G>T) in the proband. In the expression analysis, no abnormal splicing in the TTC7A sequence was observed due to the c.2355+4A>G mutation; however, the mRNA expression was reduced. The proband’s condition did not improve after treatment with methylprednisolone or leflunomide. The proband died when treatment was stopped at the age of 5 months and 19 days. Compound heterozygous mutations (c.2355+4A>G, c.643G>T) in the TTC7A gene are described and verified for the first time. Our report expands the phenotypic spectrum of TTC7A mutations and the genotypic spectrum of very early-onset IBD with combined immunodeficiency.
Knowledge, Perceptions and Attitudes Toward HPV Vaccination: A Survey on Parents of Girls Aged 11–18 Years Old in Greece
Authors: Naoum Panagiota , Athanasakis Kostas , Zavras Dimitris , Kyriopoulos John , Pavi Elpida
Published: June 2022

Objective

To investigate knowledge, perceptions and practices of parents of girls aged 11–18 years old in Greece toward HPV vaccination, and determine which factors are associated with parents' decision to vaccinate their daughters.

Methods

A close-end questionnaire was constructed and telephone interviews were conducted upon informed consent. The sample was random, national, stratified by geographic region and representative of the general population of parents of girls aged 11–18. The data collected include: general knowledge, attitudes and perceptions concerning HPV and HPV vaccine, information regarding their daughters' HPV vaccination, and sociodemographic characteristics. Statistical analysis included descriptives and a logistic regression model to investigate which factors are associated with HPV vaccination.

Results

Overall, 1,000 parents participated in the study, 99.4% of which knew what HPV is and 98.8% knew there is a vaccine available against HPV. Furthermore, 47% of the parents stated that their daughters had been vaccinated against HPV, while further analysis revealed that only 35% had received all the recommended doses. In the logistic regression analysis, the following variables had a statistically significant association with HPV vaccination: perceived ease of contracting HPV (OR = 1.105), level of trust in medical profession regarding information on prevention (OR = 1.205), overall perception regarding importance of children's vaccination (OR = 0.618), internet/social media as a source of parent information regarding HPV (OR = 0.886), participant (parent) age (OR = 1.125), and daughter's treating physician's recommendation for HPV vaccination (OR = 7.319).

Conclusions

HPV vaccination coverage is still suboptimal. Comprehension of the obstacles toward this goal is important and the role of healthcare professionals is crucial to increase acceptance.
Development and Optimization of Bifunctional Fusion Proteins to Locally Modulate Complement Activation in Diseased Tissue
Authors: Fahnoe Kelly C. , Liu Fei , Morgan Jennifer G. , Ryan Sarah T. , Storek Michael , Stark Ellen Garber , Taylor Fred R. , Holers V. Michael , Thurman Joshua M. , Wawersik Stefan , Kalled Susan L. , Violette Shelia M.
Published: June 2022

Sustained complement activation is an underlying pathologic driver in many inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Currently approved anti-complement therapies are directed at the systemic blockade of complement. Consequently, these therapies provide widespread inhibition of complement pathway activity, beyond the site of ongoing activation and the intended pharmacodynamic (PD) effects. Given the essential role for complement in both innate and adaptive immunity, there is a need for therapies that inhibit complement in diseased tissue while limiting systemic blockade. One potential approach focuses on the development of novel fusion proteins that enable tissue-targeted delivery of complement negative regulatory proteins. These therapies are expected to provide increased potency and prolonged tissue PD, decreased dosing frequency, and the potential for improved safety profiles. We created a library of bifunctional fusion proteins that direct a fragment of the complement negative regulator, complement receptor type 1 (CR1) to sites of tissue injury. Tissue targeting is accomplished through the binding of the fusion protein to complement C3 fragments that contain a surface-exposed C3d domain and which are covalently deposited on tissues where complement is being activated. To that end, we generated a fusion protein that contains an anti-C3d monoclonal antibody recombinantly linked to the first 10 consensus repeats of CR1 (CR11-10) with the intention of delivering high local concentrations of this complement negative regulatory domain to tissue-bound complement C3 fragments iC3b, C3dg and C3d. Biochemical and in vitro characterization identified several fusion proteins that inhibit complement while maintaining the C3d domain binding properties of the parent monoclonal antibody. Preclinical in vivo studies further demonstrate that anti-C3d fusion proteins effectively distribute to injured tissue and reduce C3 fragment deposition for periods beyond 14 days. The in vitro and in vivo profiles support the further evaluation of C3d mAb-CR11-10 as a novel approach to restore proper complement activation in diseased tissue in the absence of continuous systemic complement blockade.