bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential Expression of Hub Genes and Activation of p53 by Anti-cancer Compound Curaxin CBL0137
Authors: Patel Tanvi , Ratner Rochelle , Nath Niharika
Published: October 2022

Cancer is a global concern and there is a need for effective drugs. CBL0137 is a small water-soluble molecule and a new second-generation compound in the family of curaxins with potential anti-cancer activity. Curaxins in general, including CBL0137 intercalate into DNA, and act by targeting the histone chaperone ‘facilitates chromatin transcription’ (FACT) complex and have the potential to treat tumors by reducing the growth of cancer cells which is shown in a variety of cell lines and animal models. CBL0137 is found to activate the tumor suppressor gene p53. However, the mechanism of p53 activation is poorly understood. Utilizing bioinformatics analysis on available datasets of CBL0137 treated cancer cells of glioma, cervical and multiple myeloma, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that may lead to the activation of p53 were examined. Three GEO datasets of cells treated with various concentrations of CBL0137 were analyzed, namely HSJD-DIPG007 (GSE153441), MM1.S (GSE117611) and HeLa S3 (GSE117611). The DEGs were identified based on p-values less than 0.05, logFC values greater than 1 and less than -1 and analyzed using GEO2R, Enrichr, and STRING, and data visualization was performed on Tableau. Compared to the controls, a total of 229, 1425, and 1005 genes were upregulated while 368, 2322, and 1673 genes were downregulated for HSJD-DIPG007, MM1.S and HeLa S3 datasets, respectively. Further collective analysis revealed a total of 38 common DEGs among the three datasets. Using Enrichr and STRING on these 38 DEGs, seven hub genes were obtained, SKP2, RGS16, CSRP2, CENPA, HJURP, DTL, and HEXIM1 with these possible mechanisms: inhibition of AKT phosphorylation by upregulated genes RGS16 and CSRP2, p300-mediated acetylation of p53 via SKP2, inhibition of MDM2 by DTL downregulation and HEXIM1 upregulation, and inhibition of AURKB via CENPA and HJURP downregulation. This study analyzed the three datasets and highlighted how these identified hub genes may play a role in leading to p53 activation by CBL0137. KEYWORDS: Curaxin; CBL0137; Differentially Expressed Genes; Cancer; p53; Glioblastoma; Cervical; Myeloma
“Foram anos absolutamente brutais!” Sons e memórias do rock na região de Aveiro (1950-2000)
Authors: Calado Artur , Marques Vitor , Hiney Aoife , Aragão Pedro , Miguel Ana Flavia , Sardo Susana
Published: October 2022

O presente artigo pretende contribuir para a memória do rock na região de Aveiro em Portugal através dos testemunhos de músicos que integraram conjuntos de rock cuja atividade decorreu entre os finais da década de 1950 e 1990. Interessa-nos a dinâmica gerada na região pela recepção do rock internacional que conduziu à criação dos conjuntos de rock através de iniciativas locais. Para isso importa caracterizar o contexto social, económico e político em que esses conjuntos emergiram, as suas motivações, os repertórios escolhidos, as dificuldades que enfrentaram, e as transformações a que estiveram sujeitos. Essas transformações abrangem diferentes aspetos que se articulam diretamente com a forte alteração política que decorre da revolução de Abril de 1974 e suas consequências no domínio do acesso à educação, às possibilidades de profissionalização e às tecnologias de suporte no quadro do mercado da música.
“Suite of Movements” de Castilla-Ávila. Movimiento, Emoción y Recursos Sonoros.
Authors: Márquez Vázquez Juan Manuel
Published: October 2022

El movimiento y la emoción son términos que guardan una profunda relación desde el punto de vista musical. El intérprete necesita del movimiento de su cuerpo para producir el sonido con su instrumento y además el gesto indica las intenciones que quiere transmitir el intérprete. Algunas piezas musicales tienen como finalidad transmitir un mensaje que influya en las emociones del oyente. La obra Suite of Movements (2017) para violoncelo solo de Castilla-Ávila se aleja de la suite tradicional y trata de expandir las posibilidades sonoras del instrumento. La obra reflexiona en torno a la relación del movimiento y la música a través de la improvisación, el intercambio de técnicas instrumentales y la búsqueda de nuevos recursos sonoros.
Efficacy evaluation of probiotics combined with prebiotics in patients with clinical hypothyroidism complicated with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth during the second trimester of pregnancy
Authors: Hao Yingqi , Xu Yajuan , Ban Yanjie , Li Jingjing , Wu Bo , Ouyang Qian , Sun Zongzong , Zhang Miao , Cai Yanjun , Wang Mengqi , Wang Wentao
Published: October 2022

Objective

To explore the effect of probiotics combined with prebiotics on clinical hypothyroidism during pregnancy combined with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.

Methods

(1) In total, 441 pregnant women were included in this study. A total of 231 patients with clinical hypothyroidism during the second trimester of pregnancy and 210 normal pregnant women were enrolled in the lactulose methane-hydrogen breath test. The positive rate of intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), gastrointestinal symptoms, thyroid function and inflammatory factors were compared between the two groups by chi-square test and two independent sample t-test. (2) SIBO-positive patients in the clinical hypothyroidism group during pregnancy (n=112) were treated with probiotics combined with prebiotics based on conventional levothyroxine sodium tablets treatment. The changes in the methane-hydrogen breath test, gastrointestinal symptoms, thyroid function and inflammatory factors were compared before treatment (G0) and 21 days after treatment (G21) by chi-square test and paired sample t test.

Results

(1) The positive rates of SIBO in pregnant women in the clinical hypothyroidism group and control group were 48.5% and 24.8%, respectively. (2) The incidence of abdominal distention and constipation in the clinical hypothyroidism group was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the risk of abdominal distention and constipation in SIBO-positive pregnant women was higher than that in SIBO-negative pregnant women. (3) The serum levels of hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), IL-10, IL-6, TNF-α, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol (TC), free fatty acids (FFAs) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) in the hypothyroidism group during pregnancy were higher than those in the control group. (4) After 21 days of probiotics combined with prebiotics, the incidence of pure methane positivity in the methane-hydrogen breath test in the G21 group was significantly reduced, and the average abundance of hydrogen and methane at each time point in the G21 group was lower than that in the G0 group. (5) The incidence of constipation in the G21 group was significantly lower than before treatment. (6) The levels of serum TSH, hsCRP, IL-6, TNF-α, TC and LDL in pregnant women after probiotics combined with prebiotics were lower than those before treatment.

Conclusion

Probiotics combined with prebiotics are effective in the treatment of pregnant patients with clinical hypothyroidism complicated with SIBO, providing a new idea to treat pregnant patients with clinical hypothyroidism complicated with SIBO.
Intuitively visualizing spatial data from biogeographic assessments: A 3-dimensional case study on remotely sensing historic shipwrecks and associated marine life
Authors: Paxton Avery B. , Ebert Erik F. , Casserley Tane R. , Taylor J. Christopher
Published: October 2022

Biogeographic assessments aim to determine spatial and temporal distributions of organisms and habitats to help inform resource management decisions. In marine systems, rapid technological advances in sensors employed for biogeographic assessments allow scientists to collect unprecedented volumes of data, yet it remains challenging to visually and intuitively convey these sometimes massive spatial or temporal data as actionable information in geographically relevant maps or virtual models. Here, we provide a case study demonstrating an approach to bridge this data visualization gap by displaying coastal ocean data in a 3D, interactive online format. Our case study documents a workflow that provides resource managers, stakeholders, and the general public with a platform for direct exploration of and interaction with 3D data from hydrographically mapping shipwrecks and marine life on the continental shelf of North Carolina, USA. We simultaneously mapped shipwrecks and their associated fish using echosounders. A multibeam echosounder collected high-resolution multibeam bathymetry of the shipwrecks and detected the broad extent of fish schools. A calibrated splitbeam echosounder detected individual fish and fish schools. After processing the echosounder data, we built an interactive, online 3D data visualization web application complemented by multimedia and story text using ESRI geographic information systems. The freely available visual environment, called “Living Shipwrecks 3D,” allows direct engagement with the biogeographic assessment data in a customizable format. We anticipate that additional interactive 3D data applications can be constructed using a similar workflow allowing seamless exploration of complex spatial data used in biogeographic assessments.
Adults remember their birth weight, an important anamnestic item for cardiovascular and renal disease risk stratification
Authors: Crivelli-Meyer Alexandra , Giannini Olivier , Bianchetti Mario Giovanni , Simonetti Giacomo Domenico
Published: October 2022

To assess how many adults remember their own birth weight, an important anamnestic item for cardiovascular and renal disease risk stratification, we conducted an inquiry among all employees of public hospitals of Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC) in Ticino region (Southern Switzerland). The results show that the vast majority of adults remember their own birth weight. Hence, it is reasonable to include this information in the stratification of risk for cardiovascular and renal diseases.
Intracardiac echocardiography Chinese expert consensus
Authors: Jingquan Zhong , Deyong Long , Huimin Chu , Hua Fu , Xuebin Han , Chenyang Jiang , Yan Li , Xuebin Li , Min Tang , Zulu Wang , Yumei Xue , Jinlin Zhang , Wei Zhang , Xiaochun Zhang , Daxin Zhou , Yun Zhang , Changsheng Ma , Zei Paul C. , Di Biase Luigi
Published: October 2022

In recent years, percutaneous catheter interventions have continuously evolved, becoming an essential strategy for interventional diagnosis and treatment of many structural heart diseases and arrhythmias. Along with the increasing complexity of cardiac interventions comes ever more complex demands for intraoperative imaging. Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) is well-suited for these requirements with real-time imaging, real-time monitoring for intraoperative complications, and a well-tolerated procedure. As a result, ICE is increasingly used many types of cardiac interventions. Given the lack of relevant guidelines at home and abroad and to promote and standardize the clinical applications of ICE, the members of this panel extensively evaluated relevant research findings, and they developed this consensus document after discussions and correlation with front-line clinical work experience, aiming to provide guidance for clinicians and to further improve interventional cardiovascular diagnosis and treatment procedures.
The effect of plaque morphology, material composition and microcalcifications on the risk of cap rupture: A structural analysis of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques
Authors: Corti Andrea , De Paolis Annalisa , Grossman Pnina , Dinh Phuc A. , Aikawa Elena , Weinbaum Sheldon , Cardoso Luis
Published: October 2022

Background

The mechanical rupture of an atheroma cap may initiate a thrombus formation, followed by an acute coronary event and death. Several morphology and tissue composition factors have been identified to play a role on the mechanical stability of an atheroma, including cap thickness, lipid core stiffness, remodeling index, and blood pressure. More recently, the presence of microcalcifications (μCalcs) in the atheroma cap has been demonstrated, but their combined effect with other vulnerability factors has not been fully investigated.

Materials and methods

We performed numerical simulations on 3D idealized lesions and a microCT-derived human coronary atheroma, to quantitatively analyze the atheroma cap rupture. From the predicted cap stresses, we defined a biomechanics-based vulnerability index (VI) to classify the impact of each risk factor on plaque stability, and developed a predictive model based on their synergistic effect.

Results

Plaques with low remodeling index and soft lipid cores exhibit higher VI and can shift the location of maximal wall stresses. The VI exponentially rises as the cap becomes thinner, while the presence of a μCalc causes an additional 2.5-fold increase in vulnerability for a spherical inclusion. The human coronary atheroma model had a stable phenotype, but it was transformed into a vulnerable plaque after introducing a single spherical μCalc in its cap. Overall, cap thickness and μCalcs are the two most influential factors of mechanical rupture risk.

Conclusions

Our findings provide supporting evidence that high risk lesions are non-obstructive plaques with softer (lipid-rich) cores and a thin cap with μCalcs. However, stable plaques may still rupture in the presence of μCalcs.
Identification of distinct circulating microRNAs in acute ischemic stroke patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Toor Salman M. , Aldous Eman K. , Parray Aijaz , Akhtar Naveed , Al-Sarraj Yasser , Abdelalim Essam M. , Arredouani Abdelilah , El-Agnaf Omar , Thornalley Paul J. , Pananchikkal Sajitha V. , Pir Ghulam Jeelani , Kuni Raheem Ayadathil Thazhhe , Shuaib Ashfaq , Alajez Nehad M. , Albagha Omar M. E.
Published: October 2022

Stroke is the second leading cause of global mortality and continued efforts aim to identify predictive, diagnostic, or prognostic biomarkers to reduce the disease burden. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as potential biomarkers in stroke. We performed comprehensive circulating miRNA profiling of ischemic stroke patients with or without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), an important risk factor associated with worse clinical outcomes in stroke. Serum samples were collected within 24 h of acute stroke diagnosis and circulating miRNAs profiled using RNA-Seq were compared between stroke patients with T2DM (SWDM; n = 92) and those without T2DM (SWoDM; n = 98). Our analysis workflow involved random allocation of study cohorts into discovery (n = 96) and validation (n = 94) datasets. Five miRNAs were found to be differentially regulated in SWDM compared to SWoDM patients. Hsa-miR-361-3p and -664a-5p were downregulated, whereas miR-423-3p, -140-5p, and -17-3p were upregulated. We also explored the gene targets of these miRNAs and investigated the downstream pathways associated with them to decipher the potential pathways impacted in stroke with diabetes as comorbidity. Overall, our novel findings provide important insights into the differentially regulated miRNAs, their associated pathways and potential utilization for clinical benefits in ischemic stroke patients with diabetes.
The association between electronic cigarettes, sleep duration, and the adverse cardiovascular outcomes: Findings from behavioral risk factor surveillance system, 2020
Authors: Liu Xingyou , Yuan Zhichao , Ji Yuelong
Published: October 2022

The joint effect of electronic cigarette smoking and insufficient sleep duration on cardiovascular disease (CVD) was unclear. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the association between electronic cigarettes, sleep duration, and risk of CVD among American adults. The participants who completed the survey from the behavioral risk factor surveillance system in 2020 were included in this study. The status of electronic cigarette smoking was divided into never, former, and current use. The duration of sleep was categorized into insufficient (<6 h), appropriate (6–9 h), and excessive (>9 h) groups. The CVD group was defined as a patient having any of the following conditions: heart attack, coronary heart disease, or stroke according to self-report. The multivariate logistic regression model was adopted to determine the association between electronic cigarettes, sleep duration, and the risk of CVD. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the joint effects on the risk of CVD subtypes, including heart attack, coronary heart disease, and strokes, respectively. Subgroup analyses were performed to estimate the joint effects within the stratum of the age group. The total number of participants included in the present study was 253,561. Of which, 22,908 patients had CVD. In total, 61,293 participants had previously or currently used electronic cigarettes and 37,429 participants had inappropriate sleep duration. Former electronic cigarette users had a 10.8% increased risk of having CVD (OR = 1.108, 95% CI: 1.001–1.227) compared to users who never had electronic cigarettes. Insufficient and excessive sleep durations are associated with increased risks of CVD (OR = 1.592, 95% CI: 1.460–1.735; OR = 1.523, 95% CI: 1.320–1.758). The participants with current vaping status and lack of sleep had a 159.6% increased risk of CVD (OR = 2.596, 95% CI: 1.810–3.723). Sensitivity analyses found similar joint effects of current vaping and insufficient sleep on the risk of heart attack, coronary heart attack, and stroke. The subgroup analyses across each age stratum found that the middle-aged group is most vulnerable to the joint effect of current vaping and insufficient sleep. This study found that both current vaping and inappropriate sleep duration were associated with CVD. Additionally, there was a significant joint effect of current vaping and insufficient sleep on the risk of CVD, especially for middle-aged participants.
Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identifies dysregulated B-cell receptor signaling pathway and novel genes in pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Chen Yuanrong , Wu Chaoling , Wang Xiaoping , Zhou Xufeng , Kang Kunpeng , Cao Zuofeng , Yang Yihong , Zhong Yiming , Xiao Genfa
Published: October 2022

Background

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating cardio-pulmonary vascular disease in which chronic elevated pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular remodeling lead to right ventricular failure and premature death. However, the exact molecular mechanism causing PAH remains unclear.

Methods

RNA sequencing was used to analyze the transcriptional profiling of controls and rats treated with monocrotaline (MCT) for 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was employed to identify the key modules associated with the severity of PAH. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed to explore the potential biological processes and pathways of key modules. Real-time PCR and western blot analysis were used to validate the gene expression. The hub genes were validated by an independent dataset obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database.

Results

A total of 26 gene modules were identified by WGCNA. Of these modules, two modules showed the highest correlation with the severity of PAH and were recognized as the key modules. GO analysis of key modules showed the dysregulated inflammation and immunity, particularly B-cell-mediated humoral immunity in MCT-induced PAH. KEGG pathway analysis showed the significant enrichment of the B-cell receptor signaling pathway in the key modules. Pathview analysis revealed the dysregulation of the B-cell receptor signaling pathway in detail. Moreover, a series of humoral immune response-associated genes, such as BTK, BAFFR, and TNFSF4, were found to be differentially expressed in PAH. Additionally, five genes, including BANK1, FOXF1, TLE1, CLEC4A1, and CLEC4A3, were identified and validated as the hub genes.

Conclusion

This study identified the dysregulated B-cell receptor signaling pathway, as well as novel genes associated with humoral immune response in MCT-induced PAH, thereby providing a novel insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying inflammation and immunity and therapeutic targets for PAH.
High salt intake damages myocardial viability and induces cardiac remodeling via chronic inflammation in the elderly
Authors: Li Ke , Song Huajing , Wei Fang , Liu Di , Zhao Yingxin , Yin Haipeng , Cui Yi , Zhang Hua , Liu Zhendong
Published: October 2022

Background

The heart is an important target organ for the harmful effects of high dietary salt intake. However, the effects and associations of high salt intake on myocardial viability, cardiac function changes, and myocardial remodeling are unclear.

Methods

A total of 3,810 participants aged 60 years and older were eligible and enrolled from April 2008 to November 2010 and from August 2019 to November 2019 in the Shandong area of China. Salt intake was estimated using 24-h urine collection consecutively for 7 days. Myocardial strain rates, cardiac function and structure, and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels were assessed. Participants were classified into low (n = 643), mild (n = 989), moderate (n = 1,245), and high (n = 933) groups, corresponding to < 6, 6–9, 9–12, and >12 g/day of salt intake, respectively, depending on the salt intake estimation.

Results

The global early diastolic strain rate (SRe) and late diastolic strain rate (SRa) in the high group were 1.58 ± 0.26, 1.38 ± 0.24. respectively, and significantly lower compared with the low, mild, and moderate groups (all P < 0.05). The global systolic strain rate (SRs) in the high group was −1.24 ± 0.24, and it was higher than those in the low, mild, and moderate groups (all P < 0.05). Salt intake was independently and positively correlated with global SRs, Tei index, and the parameters of left ventricular structure separately; negatively correlated with global SRe and SRa, left ventricular short axis shortening rate, left ventricular ejection fraction after adjusting for confounders (all Padjusted < 0.001). Hayes process analyses demonstrated that the mediating effects of hsCRP on global SRe, SRa, and SRs; Tei index; and left ventricular remodeling index were −0.013 (95% CI: −0.015 to −0.010), −0.010 (−0.012 to −0.008), 0.008 (0.006–0.010), 0.005 (0.003–0.006), and 0.010 (0.009–0.012), respectively (all Padjusted < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our data indicate that excess salt intake is independently associated with the impairment in myocardial viability and cardiac function, as well as myocardial remodeling. Chronic inflammation might play a mediating role in the association between high salt intake and cardiac function damage and myocardial remodeling.
Nicotine and novel tobacco products drive adverse cardiac remodeling and dysfunction in preclinical studies
Authors: Fried Nicholas D. , Oakes Joshua M. , Whitehead Anna K. , Lazartigues Eric , Yue Xinping , Gardner Jason D.
Published: October 2022

Background

The heart undergoes structural and functional changes in response to injury and hemodynamic stress known as cardiac remodeling. Cardiac remodeling often decompensates causing dysfunction and heart failure (HF). Cardiac remodeling and dysfunction are significantly associated with cigarette smoking. Although cigarette smoking has declined, the roles of nicotine and novel tobacco products (including electronic cigarettes and heat-not-burn tobacco) in cardiac remodeling are unclear. In this perspective, we present evidence demonstrating maladaptive cardiac remodeling in nicotine-exposed mice undergoing hemodynamic stress with angiotensin (Ang)-II infusion and review preclinical literature linking nicotine and novel tobacco products with cardiac remodeling and dysfunction.

Methods

Adult, male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to room air or chronic, inhaled nicotine for 8 weeks. A subset of mice was infused with Ang-II via subcutaneous osmotic mini-pumps during the final 4 weeks of exposure. Left ventricular structure and function were assessed with echocardiography.

Results

Chronic, inhaled nicotine abrogated Ang-II-induced thickening of the left ventricular posterior wall, leading to reduced relative wall thickness. Ang-II infusion was associated with increased left ventricular mass index in both air- and nicotine-exposed mice.

Conclusions

These changes suggest a phenotypic shift from concentric hypertrophy to eccentric hypertrophy in nicotine-exposed, hemodynamically-stressed mice which could drive HF pathogenesis. These findings join a growing body of animal studies demonstrating cardiac remodeling and dysfunction following nicotine and electronic cigarette exposure. Further exploration is necessary; however, clinicians and researchers should not overlook these emerging products as potential risk factors in the pathogenesis of cardiac remodeling and associated diseases including HF.
Association of obesity, triglyceride-glucose and its derivatives index with risk of hyperuricemia among college students in Qingdao, China
Authors: Zhou Shizhe , Yu Yajie , Zhang Zengxiao , Ma Lidan , Wang Can , Yang Min , Cheng Xiaoyu , Liu Tian , Sun Ruixia , Chen Ying
Published: October 2022

Objective

To analyze and compare the associations of hyperuricemia (HUA) with obesity, triglyceride-glucose (TyG), and its derivatives in college students. To provide early guidance on risk predictors of HUA in college students.

Methods

This study was a cross-sectional survey including 23,411 participants (age: 17-20 years). Investigators conducted face-to-face interview surveys and physical examinations. Automated biochemical methods were used to detect biochemical indicators such as serum uric acid (UA). Calculation of obesity, TyG, and their derivatives indices were performed. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between different indexes and hyperuricemia. OR value and 95% CI were also calculated. ROC curve was used for assessing the predictive ability of different indices of hyperuricemia.

Results

After adjusting for age, SBP, DBP, ALT, AST, TC, BUN, and CREA, multivariate logistic regression showed that the OR value of LAP in the obesity index was higher, especially in women (male OR: 4.347, 95%CI: 3.807, 4.964; female OR: 4.672, 95%CI: 3.800, 5.744). The other three quartiles of TyG derivatives were highly associated with hyperuricemia in men and women compared with the top quartile (all P< 0.05). The risk of hyperuricemia increased with an increase in quartiles. For college students, all indicators could distinguish the presence of hyperuricemia. For men, the area under the curve (AUC) of TyG-WC was the largest (AUC: 0.694; 95%CI: 0.684-0.704; P<0.05), according to the Maximum Youden index 0.290 with cut point value 477.853. In women, TyG-BMI showed a maximum AUC value of 0.702 (95%CI: 0.685-0.719; P<0.05), according to the maximum Youden index of 0.317 with cut point value 132.446. The TyG-WC, TyG-WHtR, TyG-LAP, and LAP indices also had relatively high AUC.

Conclusion

In clinical practice, LAP, TYG, and their related derivatives may be used as sensitive indicators for HUA prediction in college students.
Grid-connected photovoltaic-based microgrid as charging infrastructure for meeting electric vehicle load
Authors: Chowdary Appalanaidu , Rao Sura Srinivasa
Published: October 2022

Concerns about charging Infrastructure have arisen as electric vehicles (EVs) gain popularity in the transportation sector. Like gas stations, the charging infrastructure is mainly used to power the EV batteries until they are fully charged. As a result, many alternative options for creating charging stations were explored in the literature. This study proposes a grid-connected photovoltaic-based microgrid for EV charging infrastructure. It has two objectives: to design and model a grid-connected photovoltaic-based microgrid and to analyze a hypothetical EV population charging. While modeling, the realistic EV loads are considered, and the simulation is carried out. Results of this study include the power generation potential from the solar power plant, the energy mix of the microgrid (i.e., grid shared energy and onsite solar generation), and supply and load mismatch relationships. The analysis results include the weather parameter influence on power produced, followed by sensitivity analysis quantifying the impact of scaled EV sessions over microgrid power balances. Overall, it is understood that grid-connected microgrids support the seamless charging of EVs even in the case of uncertainties observed with onsite solar energy generation.
Impact of an annular solar eclipse on trace gases and meteorological parameters over Jaipur, Northwestern India
Authors: Prakash Divya , Verma Sunita , Payra Swagata , Kumar Vivek
Published: October 2022

This study aimed to identify the impact of an annular solar eclipse i.e., 21 June 2020 on the variation of meteorological parameters along with trace gases using statistical analyses. The study site is located at Poornima University, Jaipur (26.7796°N, 75.8771°E), Rajasthan, India. The observational analysis indicates a rapid decrease in solar direct radiation (SDR) which varied between 706 and 79 W/m2 during the eclipse. SDR was reduced to 79 W/m2 at the maximum peak of the solar eclipse at 11:55 a.m. at the study location. The comparative analysis shows the variation of SDR during the solar eclipse day, the previous day, and the day after the event. A strong dip was observed in SDR during the annular eclipse day concerning before (734.31 W/m2) and after (734.375 W/m2) eclipse event. Furthermore, the impact of the solar eclipse on temperature (Ts) and Relative Humidity (RH) was analyzed over Jaipur. The statistical analyses demonstrate an apparent decrease in temperature of about 2°C while RH shows a slight increment (3.45%) during the solar eclipse event. The results show an inverse correlation between the solar eclipse and trace gases variations during the eclipse due to the changes in solar radiation, surface temperature, and variation in winds that might affect the photochemical processes.
Fine crop classification in high resolution remote sensing based on deep learning
Authors: Lu Tingyu , Wan Luhe , Wang Lei
Published: October 2022

Mapping the crop type can provide a basis for extracting information on crop planting structure, and area and yield estimation. Obtaining large-scale crop-type mapping by field investigation is inefficient and expensive. Traditional classification methods have low classification accuracy due to the fragmentation and heterogeneity of crop planting. However, the deep learning algorithm has a strong feature extraction ability and can effectively identify and classify crop types. This study uses GF-1 high-resolution remote sensing images as the data source for the Shuangcheng district, Harbin city, Heilongjiang Province, China. Two spectral feature data sets are constructed through field sampling and employed for training and verification, combined with basic survey data of grain production functional areas at the plot scale. Traditional machine learning algorithms, such as random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM), and a popular deep learning algorithm, convolution neural network have been utilized. The results show that the fusion of multi-spectral information and vegetation index features helps improve classification accuracy. The deep learning algorithm is superior to the machine learning algorithm in both classification accuracy and classification effect. The highest classification accuracy of Crop Segmentation Network (CSNet) based on fine-tuning Resnet-50 is 91.2%, kappa coefficient is 0.882, and mean intersection over union is 0.834. The classification accuracy is 13.3% and 9.5% points higher than RF and SVM, respectively, and the best classification performance is obtained. The classification accuracy and execution efficiency of the model are suitable for a wide range of crop classification tasks and exhibit good transferability.
Mapping seasonal sentiments of people visiting blue spaces in urban wetlands: A pilot study on inland cities of China
Authors: Li Yanjiao , Sun Yuxiang , Zhao Yan , Wang Yang , Cheng Shiping
Published: October 2022

To evoke positive human emotions is a critical goal of blue spaces in urban wetland parks. However, information is still scarce on how people self-express across the spatiotemporal spectrum when they come across wetlands which include varying levels of elevation in a single landscape and microclimate. In this study, 30 urban wetland parks were selected from 17 cities in Central China, where a total of 1,184 portrait photos of visitors were obtained from a social media platform (Sina Weibo) to analyze their expressed sentiments by rating facial expression scores of happy and sad emotions and net positive emotion index (NPE; happy-score minus sad-score) in 2020. Landscape metrics were remotely evaluated for every wetland park, and microclimatic factors were obtained for the days when the photos were taken. Based on regressions of park-level data, blue-space areas could be perceived as a positive driver to trigger happiness in spring (regression coefficient [RC] of 0.20), but it triggered negative emotions in autumn (RC of −2.98). The higher elevation areas triggered positive emotions in summer and autumn (RC of 1.35 × 10−3), but extreme daily temperature, air humidity, and wind velocity together triggered sadness (RC of 0.11, 0.03, and 0.51, respectively). Mapped distribution of the area and corresponding emotions showed that visiting blue space evoked more smiles in wetland parks of northern Hunan, southern Hubei, and eastern Anhui in spring. Blue spaces in Shanxi and northwestern Hebei evoked better moods in autumn. Smaller blue spaces in wetlands located at higher elevations were recommended for nature enthusiasts in warm seasons to overcome the prevalent sadness characteristic of that time of the year and location.
Neurobehavioral phenotype of Kabuki syndrome: Anxiety is a common feature
Authors: Kalinousky Allison J. , Rapp Tyler , Hijazi Hadia , Johnson Jennifer , Bjornsson Hans Tomas , Harris Jacqueline R.
Published: October 2022

Kabuki syndrome (KS) is a Mendelian Disorder of the Epigenetic Machinery (MDEM) caused by loss of function variants in either of two genes involved in the regulation of histone methylation, KMT2D (34–76%) or KDM6A (9–13%). Previously, representative neurobehavioral deficits of KS were recapitulated in a mouse model, emphasizing the role of KMT2D in brain development, specifically in ongoing hippocampal neurogenesis in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus. Interestingly, anxiety, a phenotype that has a known association with decreased hippocampal neurogenesis, has been anecdotally reported in individuals with KS. In this study, anxiety and behavior were assessed in a cohort of 60 individuals with molecularly confirmed KS and 25 unaffected biological siblings, via questionnaires (SCARED/GAS-ID and CBCL/ABCL). Participant age ranged from 4 to 43 years old, with 88.3% of participants having a pathogenic variant in KMT2D, and the rest having variants in KDM6A. In addition, data was collected on adaptive function and positive affect/quality of life in participants with KS using appropriate online surveys including ABAS-III and PROMIS Positive Affect. Survey scores were compared within the KS participants across age groups and between KS participants and their unaffected siblings. We found that children with KS have significantly higher anxiety scores and total behavior problem scores than their unaffected siblings (p = 0.0225, p < 0.0001). Moreover, a large proportion of affected individuals (22.2% of children and 60.0% of adults) surpassed the established threshold for anxiety; this may even be an underestimate given many patients are already treated for anxiety. In this sample, anxiety levels did not correlate with level of cognitive or adaptive function in any KS participants, but negatively correlated with positive affect in children with KS (p = 0.0005). These findings indicate that anxiety is a common neurobehavioral feature of KS. Providers should therefore carefully screen individuals with KS for anxiety as well as other behavioral issues in order to allow for prompt intervention. Neurobehavioral anxiety measures may also prove to be important outcome measures for clinical trials in KS.
Prevalence, antibiotic profile, virulence determinants, ESBLs, and non-β-lactam encoding genes of MDR Proteus spp. isolated from infected dogs
Authors: El-Tarabili Reham M. , Ahmed Elsayyad M. , Alharbi Nada K. , Alharbi Maha A. , AlRokban Ahlam H. , Naguib Doaa , Alhag Sadeq K. , El Feky Tamer Mohamed , Ahmed Ahmed Ezzat , Mahmoud Ahmed E.
Published: October 2022

This study investigated the prevalence, antibiogram, virulence, extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), and non-β-lactam encoding genes of Proteus species isolated from infected dogs in Ismailia province, Egypt. The study was conducted on 70 fecal swabs collected from dogs with diarrhea for bacteriological identification of Proteus spp. The positive isolates were evaluated for antibiotic susceptibility, molecular tests of virulence, ESBLs, and non-β-lactam encoding genes. Prevalence of Proteus spp. was 35.7% (25/70), including Proteus mirabilis (n = 23) and Proteus vulgaris (n = 2). The Proteus spp. prevalence revealed diversity, higher in males than females, in ages < 12 weeks. Investigation of antimicrobial resistance was found against penicillin and amoxicillin (100%), amoxicillin–clavulanic acid (32%), cephalosporins: cefotaxime and ceftazidime (36%), and monobactam: aztreonam (28%) as ESBLs, in addition to tetracycline (32%) and trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole (100%). The strains retrieved by PCR revealed ureC, zapA, and rsbA virulence genes with variant prevalence as 92%, 60%, and 52%, respectively. In addition, the recovered strains contained ESBL genes with a dramatic variable prevalence of 100%, 92%, 36%, and 32%, to blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTX-M, and blaOXA-1, respectively, and non β-lactam encoding genes with a prevalence of 100%, 48%, 44%, 20%, and 12%, to sul1, tetA, intI1, qnrA, and aadA1. Moreover, 28% (7/25) of recovering strains were MDR (multidrug-resistant) up to four classes of antimicrobials, and 48% (12/25) of the examined strains were MDR up to three antimicrobial classes. In conclusion, to the best of our knowledge, our study could be the first report recording MDR Proteus spp. in dogs in Egypt.
Exosomes in the tumor microenvironment: Promoting cancer progression
Authors: Jin Ye , Xing Jianming , Xu Kejin , Liu Da , Zhuo Yue
Published: October 2022

Exosomes, which are extracellular vesicles produced by endosomes, are important performers of intercellular communication functions. For more than three decades, there has been a growing awareness of exosomes as the contents of the tumor microenvironment and their intimate connection to the development of cancer. The composition, generation, and uptake of exosomes as well as their roles in tumor metastasis, angiogenesis, and immunosuppression are discussed in this paper. In order to stop the progression of cancer, it is crucial to find new diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the disease. Knowing the biological characteristics of exosomes and their functions in tumor development helps in this endeavor.
Integrated machine learning methods identify FNDC3B as a potential prognostic biomarker and correlated with immune infiltrates in glioma
Authors: Wang Xiao , Huang Yeping , Li Shanshan , Zhang Hong
Published: October 2022

Background

Recent discoveries have revealed that fibronectin type III domain containing 3B (FNDC3B) acts as an oncogene in various cancers; however, its role in glioma remains unclear.

Methods

In this study, we comprehensively investigated the expression, prognostic value, and immune significance of FNDC3B in glioma using several databases and a variety of machine learning algorithms. RNA expression data and clinical information of 529 patients from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and 1319 patients from Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) databases were downloaded for further investigation. To evaluate whether FNDC3B expression can predict clinical prognosis of glioma, we constructed a clinical nomogram to estimate long-term survival probabilities. The predicted nomogram was validated by CGGA cohorts. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected by the Wilcoxon test based on the TCGA-LGG dataset and the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was implemented to identify the significant module associated with the expression level of FNDC3B. Furthermore, we investigated the correlation between FNDC3B with cancer immune infiltrates using TISIDB, ESTIMATE, and CIBERSORTx.

Results

Higher FNDC3B expression displayed a remarkably worse overall survival and the expression level of FNDC3B was an independent prognostic indicator for patients with glioma. Based on TCGA LGG dataset, a co-expression network was established and the hub genes were identified. FNDC3B expression was positively correlated to the tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and immune infiltration score, and high FNDC3B expression was accompanied by the increased expression of B7-H3, PD-L1, TIM-3, PD-1, and CTLA-4. Moreover, expression of FNDC3B was significantly associated with infiltrating levels of several types of immune cells and most of their gene markers in glioma.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that FNDC3B may be involved in the occurrence and development of glioma and can be regarded as a promising prognostic and immunotherapeutic biomarker for the treatment of glioma.
Comprehensive computational analysis reveals YXXΦ[I/L/M/F/V] motif and YXXΦ-like tetrapeptides across HFRS causing Hantaviruses and their association with viral pathogenesis and host immune regulation
Authors: Noor Fatima , Ashfaq Usman Ali , Asif Muhammad , Adeel Muhammad Muzammal , Alshammari Abdulrahman , Alharbi Metab
Published: October 2022

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is an acute zoonotic disease transmitted through aerosolized excrement of rodents. The etiology of HFRS is complex due to the involvement of viral factors and host immune and genetic factors. The viral species that dominantly cause HFRS are Puumala virus (PUUV), Seoul virus (SEOV), Dobrava-Belgrade virus (DOBV), and Hantaan virus (HTNV). Despite continuous prevention and control measures, HFRS remains a significant public health problem worldwide. The nucleocapsid protein of PUUV, SEOV, DOBV, and HTNV is a multifunctional viral protein involved in various stages of the viral replication cycle. However, the exact role of nucleoproteins in viral pathogenesis is yet to be discovered. Targeting a universal host protein exploited by most viruses would be a game-changing strategy that offers broad-spectrum solutions and rapid epidemic control. The objective of this study is to understand the replication and pathogenesis of PUUV, SEOV, DOBV, and HTNV by targeting tyrosine-based motif (YXXΦ[I/L/M/F/V]) and YXXΦ-like tetrapeptides. In the light of the current study, in silico analysis uncovered many different YXXΦ[I/L/M/F/V] motifs and YXXΦ-like tetrapeptides within nucleoproteins of PUUV, SEOV, DOBV, and HTNV. Following that, the 3D structures of nucleoproteins were predicted using AlphaFold2 to map the location of YXXΦ[I/L/M/F/V] motif and YXXΦ-like tetrapeptides in a 3D environment. Further, in silico analysis and characterization of Post Translational Modifications (PTMs) revealed multiple PTMs sites within YXXΦ[I/L/M/F/V] motif and YXXΦ-like tetrapeptides, which contribute to virulence and host immune regulation. Our study proposed that the predicted YXXΦ[I/L/M/F/V] motif and YXXΦ-like tetrapeptides may confer specific functions such as virulence, host immune regulation, and pathogenesis to nucleoproteins of PUUV, SEOV, DOBV, and HTNV. However, in vivo and in vitro studies on YXXΦ[I/L/M/F/V] motif and YXXΦ-like tetrapeptides will assign new biological roles to these antiviral targets.
Divergent SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses in intensive care unit workers following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination
Authors: Salgado Del Riego Estefanía , Saiz María Laura , Corte-Iglesias Viviana , Leoz Gordillo Blanca , Martin-Martin Cristina , Rodríguez-Pérez Mercedes , Escudero Dolores , Lopez-Larrea Carlos , Suarez-Alvarez Beatriz
Published: October 2022

The cellular immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in response to full mRNA COVID-19 vaccination could be variable among healthy individuals. Studies based only in specific antibody levels could show an erroneous immune protection at long times. For that, we analyze the antibody levels specific to the S protein and the presence of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells by ELISpot and AIM assays in intensive care unit (ICU) workers with no antecedents of COVID-19 and vaccinated with two doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. All individuals were seronegative for the SARS-CoV-2 protein S before vaccination (Pre-v), but 34.1% (14/41) of them showed pre-existing T lymphocytes specific for some viral proteins (S, M and N). One month after receiving two doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine (Post-v1), all cases showed seroconversion with high levels of total and neutralizing antibodies to the spike protein, but six of them (14.6%) had no T cells reactive to the S protein. Specifically, they lack of specific CD8+ T cells, but maintain the contribution of CD4+ T cells. Analysis of the immune response against SARS-CoV-2 at 10 months after full vaccination (Post-v10), exhibited a significant reduction in the antibody levels (p<0.0001) and protein S-reactive T cells (p=0.0073) in all analyzed individuals, although none of the individuals become seronegative and 77% of them maintained a competent immune response. Thus, we can suggest that the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 elicited by the mRNA vaccines was highly variable among ICU workers. A non-negligible proportion of individuals did not develop a specific T cell response mediated by CD8+ T cells after vaccination, that may condition the susceptibility to further viral infections with SARS-CoV-2. By contrast, around 77% of individuals developed strong humoral and cellular immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 that persisted even after 10 months. Analysis of the cellular immune response is highly recommended for providing exact information about immune protection against SARS-CoV-2.
Macrophage autophagy in macrophage polarization, chronic inflammation and organ fibrosis
Authors: Wen Jun-Hao , Li Dong-Yi , Liang Shan , Yang Chen , Tang Ji-Xin , Liu Hua-Feng
Published: October 2022

As the essential regulators of organ fibrosis, macrophages undergo marked phenotypic and functional changes after organ injury. These changes in macrophage phenotype and function can result in maladaptive repair, causing chronic inflammation and the development of pathological fibrosis. Autophagy, a highly conserved lysosomal degradation pathway, is one of the major players to maintain the homeostasis of macrophages through clearing protein aggregates, damaged organelles, and invading pathogens. Emerging evidence has shown that macrophage autophagy plays an essential role in macrophage polarization, chronic inflammation, and organ fibrosis. Because of the high heterogeneity of macrophages in different organs, different macrophage types may play different roles in organ fibrosis. Here, we review the current understanding of the function of macrophage autophagy in macrophage polarization, chronic inflammation, and organ fibrosis in different organs, highlight the potential role of macrophage autophagy in the treatment of fibrosis. Finally, the important unresolved issues in this field are briefly discussed. A better understanding of the mechanisms that macrophage autophagy in macrophage polarization, chronic inflammation, and organ fibrosis may contribute to developing novel therapies for chronic inflammatory diseases and organ fibrosis.