bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fracture Propagation Mechanism of Radial Well-Guided Preflush Fluid Acid Fracturing under Injection Discharge Control
Authors: Gan Junchong , Qi Ning , Shen Yuyang , Zhang Zhenjun
Published: May 2023

In view of the low availability of carbonate reservoirs, a radial well-assisted preflush acid fracturing technology is proposed to help communicate oil and gas reservoirs in non-principal stress directions. The acid fracturing model of the auxiliary preflush in the radial well is established by using the extended finite element and the two-scale continuous model. The mechanism of fracture directional propagation under the control of injection discharge is analyzed, and the deflection coefficient is introduced to characterize the guiding effect quantitatively. The effects of different in-situ stress differences and injection discharge on the guiding effect and guiding mechanism of radial wells are studied emphatically. The results show that the induced stress field caused by radial wells and the high-pressure gradient at the end of fractures are the main reasons for the directional propagation of fractures. Horizontal in-situ stress difference is the main factor, which influences the guiding effect by controlling the induced stress field and pressure gradient. The radial well can effectively guide fracture propagation when the local stress difference is less than 3 MPa. The preflush fluid discharge and acid discharge are important factors affecting the guiding effect. The preflush fluid discharge affects the guiding effect by controlling the induced gravitational field and pressure gradient. The preflush fluid discharge between 2.5-3.5 m3·min-1 is most conducive to the directional expansion of acid fracturing cracks. The acid discharge affects the guiding effect by controlling the pressure gradient: the smaller the acid discharge, the more unfavorable the directional expansion of the acid fracture. Compared with the preflush fluid discharge, the influence of the acid discharge is smaller. The theoretical basis can be used in the field application of radial well-assisted preflush fluid acid fracturing technology through the article.
Optimal Design of Power Plant Boiler Based on Predictive Control
Authors: Dou Zhongzhou , Si Ruicai , Cao Xing , Zhao Jinfeng , Yao Yingying , Wang Hang , Cao Hanwen , Su Chengzhi , Yang Chenyu
Published: May 2023

This paper uses a predictive control algorithm based on ant colony optimization (ACO) and support vector machines (SVM) to simulate the actual historical data of power plant boilers based on the problem that the traditional PID control of boiler combustion process is difficult to achieve the desired control effect, and concludes that the algorithm can effectively overcome the nonlinear, strong coupling, multi-object and large delay characteristics of power plant combustion process. However, its applicability needs to be improved.
Vibration monitoring of optical fiber composited in overhead transmission line using φ-OTDR
Authors: Liu Xinzhan , Bao Zhirong , Luo Hanhui , Chen Junhui , Zhang Zhongfa
Published: May 2023

In order to evaluate the vibration state of the overhead line, the φ-OTDR (phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometry) is applied to the vibration monitoring for the optical fiber composited in overhead transmission line. The principle of φ-OTDR and the IQ demodulation algorithm is introduced. Common mono-mode dark optical fiber simulates the optical fiber composited in an overhead line. The sinusoidal vibration is applied to the optical fiber using an arbitrary waveform generator and piezoelectric ceramic transducer (PZT). The vibration status in the optical fiber is measured by optical fiber vibration monitoring system using φ-OTDR. The result reveals that this system can demodulate the vibration applied to the optical fiber. This paper provides a reference for vibration monitoring optical fiber composite overhead lines.
Design of The Power Supply and Distribution Monitoring System for NNBI
Authors: Li Yibin , Ding Jian , Song Shihua , Jiang Caichao , Duan Lian , Liu Sheng , Pan Junjun , Chen Shiyong
Published: May 2023

The power supply and distribution system provides powerful support for the efficient operation of the negative ion source neutral beam injector (NNBI) experiment. To centrally manage the power supply equipment of each subsystem of NNBI, a power supply, and distribution monitoring system based on WinCC software and SQL Server database is developed. The system has an excellent man-machine interaction interface and realizes the monitoring and management of energy consumption in the power supply and distribution system. It has circuit process monitoring, fault alarm, operation log, historical data query, and other functions. After testing, the system can run stably and reliably control each device. At the same time, the system has good compatibility and expansibility and meets the needs of intelligent management and monitoring of the power supply and distribution system.
Surface Flashover Characteristics of Epoxy Resin Under DC Voltage and its Modification Method
Authors: Lv Jie , Han Shuna , Zhi Yongjun , Zhang Wenqi
Published: May 2023

Epoxy resin is used as insulating material in electrical equipment due to its perfect electrical, mechanical and thermal properties. The accumulation of charge on the surface of the material and its promotion of surface flashover, however, often lead to insulation failure and directly endanger the operation of electrical equipment safety. Therefore, improving the insulation performance of epoxy materials is of great significance for protecting high-voltage power equipment. In this paper, a blend-modified epoxy resin was synthesized by DGEBA and DCPDE, and its surface charge dissipation and surface flashover characteristics with DC voltage were tested. The experimental results show that the surface charge distribution can be effectively changed by changing the ratio of epoxy resin, which is meanful to improve the material’s insulation properties.
Research on overvoltage suppression of hybrid cascaded UHVDC system based on energy dissipation principle
Authors: Zhang Wenbo , Huang Yongrui , Han Kun , Hu Qiuling , Yuan Hongtao , Hong Bo , Liu Guan
Published: May 2023

The fault conditions at the receiving end of the hybrid cascaded UHVDC project cause the transmission energy to be blocked, and the sending end cannot respond quickly in a short time, resulting in temporary excess power in the receiving system. A DC controllable self-recovery energy dissipation device for a hybrid cascaded UHVDC project is proposed. The related technical research is carried out, the working principle of the controllable self-recovery energy dissipation device is explained, and the design scheme of the controllable self-recovery energy dissipation device is given. Finally, the feasibility and reliability of the controllable self-recovery energy dissipation device for suppressing system transient overvoltage are verified by simulation. The successful development of the controlled self-recovery energy dissipation device provides a new technology for suppressing transient overvoltage of hybrid cascaded UHVDC faults.
Study on Improving the Stability of Series Resonant Ozone Generator
Authors: Liu Yuhang , Liu Zhongyang
Published: May 2023

This paper analyzes the load characteristics of the ozone generator, gives the change rule of the ozone generator equivalent impedance and the reason for instability, studies the impact of the impedance change on the operation of the equipment, and proposes the solution of parallel compensation inductance. The influence of parallel compensation inductance on system dynamic performance is analyzed, which can improve system stability and response speed. At the same time, the influence of the parallel compensation inductance on the system stability is studied to improve the working stability of the ozone generator, and the value formula of the parallel compensation inductance is given.
Oil Level Detection Device for Power Transformer Based on Double Pressure Sensors
Authors: Wang Xiang , Wang Wei , Lv Gang , Zhang Ruiliang , Wang Qiuyang , Xu Hengshan
Published: May 2023

The oil level of the power transformer is an important predictor to analyze the working state. The conventional oil level detection method cannot detect the level when the power transformer is working, which is not convenient for the actual application. In this paper, an oil level detection method based on double pressure sensors is proposed to online measure the oil level for power transformer, the basic principle of the proposed oil level detection method is explained and studied, and a prototype is developed to verify the proposed method. The tested results show that the developed prototype can reach high precision for oil level detection of a transformer.
Structure Design and Performance Analysis of Insulator Replacement Device Based on Live Working in A Distribution Network
Authors: Bian Hairui , Wang Bin , Jiang Songting , Gong Fuxing
Published: May 2023

In order to solve the problems of high risk and low automation of manual insulator replacement, a live working insulator replacement device is developed. Firstly, according to the shape parameters of insulators, the mechanical structure is composed of a positioning mechanism, a limiting mechanism, a clamping mechanism, and a driving mechanism. Secondly, the control system of the device is designed, and the mechanism is controlled by wireless remote control. Thirdly, the static simulation analysis of the clamping mechanism is carried out by using the finite element analysis software ANSYS Workbench. The simulation results show that the maximum elastic deformation is 0.14366mm, the stress distribution is relatively uniform, and the strain is small, meeting the structural design requirements. Finally, the motion control function test and insulation performance test of the device are carried out. The results show that the designed device has good insulation performance. It meets the needs of daily maintenance and emergency repair of distribution networks below 10kV and has high promotion and application value.
Optimal dispatch of isolated island micro-grid based on W-K-PSO algorithm
Authors: Lu Yao
Published: May 2023

Aiming at the micro-grid system with wind turbines, photovoltaics, micro gas engines, fuel cells, energy storage batteries, and loads, taking the optimal economic and environmental benefits as the objective function and considering the output constraints and climbing power constraints of each distributed power supply, battery charging and discharging protection and power balance constraints in micro-grid, the output models of each distributed power supply are established. On this basis, particle swarm optimization with improved inertia weight and contraction divisor is used to solve the objective function. Combined with the time-division scheduling strategy, the simulation analysis is carried out on the MATLAB2021a platform. The results show that the time-division scheduling strategy can reduce the total cost more effectively, which verifies the rationality and feasibility of this method.
Loss Calculation of Single Power Supply to Single Load Based on Power Component Theory
Authors: Zhang Shi , Wu Jun , Li Kunmiao , Bao Hai
Published: May 2023

To calculate the loss in each power supply supplying power to different loads in a multi-power supply system, this paper proposes a complex proportional relationship between the power supply loss in the power transmission process to a specific load and the power injected by the power supply. And based on the circuit theory, the theoretical derivation is carried out. According to the known power flow results, this method uses the power component theory to track the network power flow forward and backward to construct a single power supply to a single load power supply network. It then scientifically strips out the loss of a single power supply to a single load power supply from the total loss and its complex proportional relationship to the power generation. The derivation process satisfies the classical circuit theory and does not introduce too many assumptions. While ensuring accuracy, it makes up for the lack of physical meaning of the previous network loss calculation methods. It provides a physical basis for formulating more economical scheduling schemes and promoting fair trading in the transmission market. The method is applied to a 7-node distribution network system, and the results confirm the correctness and effectiveness of the model.
Transformer Vibration Analysis Based on Double Branch Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Zheng Jianhan , Gui Shengqing , Zhang Haomin
Published: May 2023

The power transformer is one of the important pieces of equipment in the power grid system, and its normal operation is related to the safety and reliability of the whole power system. There are many factors influencing transformer vibration in operation, and its characteristics are complex, so it is difficult to be directly used for transformer state analysis. This paper proposes a method for vibration signal analysis based on a continuous wavelet time-frequency graph. The segmented samples of transformer vibration signals are selected by the time-domain sample segmentation method, and the segmented time sequence samples are transformed by continuous wavelet transform to obtain a two-dimensional time-frequency graph. The time-frequency graph is input into the two-branch convolutional neural network, and the transformer state classification is given based on the features extracted from the network. The simulation analysis on transformer vibration data measured by multiple measuring points shows that the proposed method has an average recognition accuracy of 98.3%. The work in this paper can provide a reference for the vibration analysis of the transformer.
Optimal Allocation of Energy Storage Capacity in Distributed Micro-grid Based on Improved Whale Algorithm
Authors: Chen Zhiyuan , Zhang Zhipeng , Kong Weilu , Xu Dongjie
Published: May 2023

At present, the setting of monitoring nodes for optimal allocation of energy storage capacity in micro-grid is generally target-based, with slow allocation speed and weak pertinence, which can easily lead to the increase of the final difference adjustment coefficient and affect the final allocation effect. Therefore, the research and analysis on the optimal allocation method of distributed micro-grid energy storage capacity based on the improved whale algorithm are proposed. According to the actual disposal requirements and standards, the basic operation frequency and reserve capacity of the micro-grid are determined, the multi-level monitoring node deployment form is set, the monitoring range is expanded, and the speed and pertinence of configuration are improved to complete the layout of energy storage capacity monitoring nodes. The optimal allocation model of the improved whale calculation of grid energy storage capacity is constructed. The optimal allocation is realized by constraint programming. The test results verify that the energy storage power of the micro-grid will be enhanced with the increase of the frequency modulation times of energy storage calculated by the whale calculation optimization configuration test group. In this context, the difference adjustment coefficient of the micro-grid configuration becomes lower, only 1.03, indicating that in the process of practical application, the energy storage capacity configuration of micro-grid is optimized. The frequency modulation fluctuation is slowed down, the running frequency is faster, and the method has practical application value.
Yield- and protein-neutral reduction in fertilizer rate for wheat, maize and rice can reduce the release of reactive nitrogen and greenhouse gas emissions in China
Authors: Hu Changlu , Sadras Victor O , Wang Zhaodong , Du Wenting , Lei Xiaoxiao , Yang Maolin , Zhao Longcai , Zhang Panxin , Liu Junmei , Lu Guoyan , Yang Xueyun , Zhang Shulan
Published: May 2023

Seeking food security, contemporary Chinese agriculture has followed a trajectory of overfertilization and associated environmental problems, hence the need for nitrogen-balancing practices that do not compromise yield and quality. Here we present a national meta-analysis using 224 studies with 1972 comparisons to quantify the potential to reduce nitrogen (N) fertilization to improve environmental outcomes while maintaining yield and grain protein. We calculated a nitrogen reduction ratio (NRR), as 100 × (N
C − N
T)/N
C; where N is N fertilizer rate and subscripts indicate farmer practice (C) and reduced N rate treatment (T). Our meta-analysis showed that the NRR that maintained yield and grain protein content at the level of current practice was up to 10% in wheat and up to 30% in maize and rice. Larger yield-neutral NRR could be achieved in more fertile, heavier-textured soils, and with practices including enhanced-efficiency N fertilizer, combined application of organic and inorganic N fertilizer, and incorporated straw. Assuming a reduction in N fertilizer usage by 10% for wheat and by 30% for maize and rice in the current cropping area, there is a potential to save 5.7 Mt N yr−1; reduce loss of reactive nitrogen by 1.26 Mt N yr−1, equivalent to 63% of annual total Nr losses for rice in China, reduce N-related greenhouse emissions by 75.2 Mt CO2-eq yr−1, equivalent to 14.5%–25% of the emissions associated with the N fertilizer chain in China; and improve N use efficiency by 23%. Our results highlight the feasibility of maintaining yield and grain protein, and achieving substantial environmental benefits with reduced fertilization rate, and the environmental and agronomic scenarios where these outcomes are more likely.
Concurrent and Prospective Associations Between Communicated Emotional Arousal and Adjustment Among Couples Coping With Cancer
Authors: Weber Danielle M , Baucom Brian R W , Baucom Donald H , Fischer Melanie S , Ramos Katherine , Romano Joan M , Porter Laura S , Langer Shelby L
Published: May 2023

Background

The experience of cancer can create considerable emotional distress for patients and their committed partners. How couples communicate about cancer-related concerns can have important implications for adjustment. However, past research has primarily utilized cross-sectional designs and retrospective self-reports of couple communication. While informative, little is known about how patients and partners express emotion during conversations about cancer, and how these emotional patterns predict individual and relational adjustment.

Purpose

The current investigation examined how patterns of emotional arousal within couples’ communication about cancer was associated with concurrent and prospective individual psychological and relational adjustment.

Methods

At baseline, 133 patients with stage II– breast, lung, or colorectal cancer and their partners completed a conversation about a cancer-related concern. Vocally expressed emotional arousal (f0) was extracted from recorded conversations. Couples completed self-report measures of individual psychological and relational adjustment at baseline and at 4, 8, and 12 months later.

Results

Couples who started the conversation higher in f0 (i.e., greater emotional arousal) reported better individual and relational adjustment at baseline. If the non-cancer partner had lower f0 relative to patients, this predicted worse individual adjustment across follow-up. Additionally, couples who maintained their level of f0 rather than decreasing later in the conversation reported improvements in individual adjustment across follow-up.

Conclusions

Elevated emotional arousal within a cancer-related conversation may be adaptive for adjustment, as it may reflect greater emotional engagement and processing of an important topic. These results may suggest ways for therapists to guide emotional engagement to enhance resilience in couples experiencing cancer.
Census of exposed aggregation-prone regions in proteomes
Authors: Falgarone Théo , Villain Etienne , Richard Francois , Osmanli Zarifa , Kajava Andrey V
Published: May 2023

Loss of solubility usually leads to the detrimental elimination of protein function. In some cases, the protein aggregation is also required for beneficial functions. Given the duality of this phenomenon, it remains a fundamental question how natural selection controls the aggregation. The exponential growth of genomic sequence data and recent progress with in silico predictors of the aggregation allows approaching this problem by a large-scale bioinformatics analysis. Most of the aggregation-prone regions are hidden within the 3D structure, rendering them inaccessible for the intermolecular interactions responsible for aggregation. Thus, the most realistic census of the aggregation-prone regions requires crossing aggregation prediction with information about the location of the natively unfolded regions. This allows us to detect so-called ‘exposed aggregation-prone regions’ (EARs). Here, we analyzed the occurrence and distribution of the EARs in 76 reference proteomes from the three kingdoms of life. For this purpose, we used a bioinformatics pipeline, which provides a consensual result based on several predictors of aggregation. Our analysis revealed a number of new statistically significant correlations about the presence of EARs in different organisms, their dependence on protein length, cellular localizations, co-occurrence with short linear motifs and the level of protein expression. We also obtained a list of proteins with the conserved aggregation-prone sequences for further experimental tests. Insights gained from this work led to a deeper understanding of the relationship between protein evolution and aggregation.
A-269 IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON SURGERY FOR INDETERMINATE THYROID NODULES: RESULTS FROM A LARGE MULTICENTRIC INTERNATIONAL (THE THYCOVID) STUDY
Authors: Medas F , Calò P G , Dobrinja C ,   THYCOVID study group
Published: May 2023

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, planned surgery was ubiquitously suspended or slowed down. We focused our attention on surgery for indeterminate thyroid nodules (ITNs).

Methods

This was a retrospective multicentric study. Patients with ITNs were included in the study and were divided into three groups based on when they were submitted to thyroidectomy:

The main aims of the THYCOVID study were:

Results

We included 22974 patients with ITNs from 157 centers, mainly located in Europe (76.5%) and Asia (11.8%). The median monthly operations per center were 2 (IQR: 0.9-3.7) in P1, 1.4 (IQR: 0.6-3.4) in P2, and 2.3 (IQR: 1-5) in P3; the differences among the phases were all significant (p<0.001).

At pathological examination, the incidence of lymph node metastases was significantly higher in P2 (11.7%) and in P3 (12.2%) than in P1 (9.3%; p<0.0001). Considering the ATA classification for risk of disease recurrence, the incidence of high-risk tumours increased over time from 203 (5.7%) patients in P1, to 198 (6.2%) in P2, and to 155 (7.7%) in P3; the difference between P1 and P3 was significant (p=0.0072).

Conclusion

Surgical activity for ITNs decreased significantly during the pandemic. In the last phase, an increased incidence of aggressive tumours was found.
Strategies to avoid mastectomy skin-flap necrosis during nipple-sparing mastectomy
Authors: Moo Tracy-Ann , Nelson Jonas A , Sevilimedu Varadan , Charyn Jillian , Le Tiana V , Allen Robert J , Mehrara Babak J , Barrio Andrea V , Capko Deborah M , Pilewskie Melissa , Heerdt Alexandra S , Tadros Audree B , Gemignani Mary L , Morrow Monica , Sacchini Virgilio
Published: May 2023

Background

Nipple-sparing mastectomy is associated with a higher risk of mastectomy skin-flap necrosis than conventional skin-sparing mastectomy. There are limited prospective data examining modifiable intraoperative factors that contribute to skin-flap necrosis after nipple-sparing mastectomy.

Methods

Data on consecutive patients undergoing nipple-sparing mastectomy between April 2018 and December 2020 were recorded prospectively. Relevant intraoperative variables were documented by both breast and plastic surgeons at the time of surgery. The presence and extent of nipple and/or skin-flap necrosis was documented at the first postoperative visit. Necrosis treatment and outcome was documented at 8–10 weeks after surgery. The association of clinical and intraoperative variables with nipple and skin-flap necrosis was analysed, and significant variables were included in a multivariable logistic regression analysis with backward selection.

Results

Some 299 patients underwent 515 nipple-sparing mastectomies (54.8 per cent (282 of 515) prophylactic, 45.2 per cent therapeutic). Overall, 23.3 per cent of breasts (120 of 515) developed nipple or skin-flap necrosis; 45.8 per cent of these (55 of 120) had nipple necrosis only. Among 120 breasts with necrosis, 22.5 per cent had superficial, 60.8 per cent had partial, and 16.7 per cent had full-thickness necrosis. On multivariable logistic regression analysis, significant modifiable intraoperative predictors of necrosis included sacrificing the second intercostal perforator (P = 0.006), greater tissue expander fill volume (P < 0.001), and non-lateral inframammary fold incision placement (P = 0.003).

Conclusion

Modifiable intraoperative factors that may decrease the likelihood of necrosis after nipple-sparing mastectomy include incision placement in the lateral inframammary fold, preserving the second intercostal perforating vessel, and minimizing tissue expander fill volume.
The political economy of destructing essential Services in the Quest for basic services: the case of violent protest in Cato Manor
Authors: Yende Nsizwazonke E
Published: May 2023

Protesting in post-apartheid South Africa is perceived as one of the significant democratic methods of participation and engagement with the government and its executive. As a result, since the early 2000s, community-led participation has been preferred over government-led forms of participatory methods, including mayoral forums and izimbizo (interactive dialogues between government officials and the people). However, the community-invented spaces of participation in the form of protests have been accompanied by violent tactics that have severely impacted infrastructure. The violent tactics used during protests related to service delivery have been more conspicuous in the local sphere of government, especially in places composed of informal settlements. Hence, Cato Manor has not been immune to this but continues to experience violence during service delivery protests, which causes damage to assets. This article explores the destruction of infrastructure in the quest for basic services in Cato Manor. A qualitative research design was adopted to guide the study, together with the displaced-aggression theory, as a theoretical lens to interpret the findings. The study used a purposive and snowball sampling method to recruit thirty-three participants. Thematic analysis facilitated by NVivo was adopted for data analysis purposes. Thus, the study’s findings illustrate that the damage to essential services in the quest for basic services emanates from the frustration of the local people due to the government’s inability to address the prevailing socioeconomic issues. The destruction of key infrastructure occurs when the primary cause of the frustration is not within the reach of the people.
Disruptive dermatology education: a worked example of the flipped classroom and semi-synchronous innovation
Authors: Guckian Jonathan , Golenya Rebecca , Campbell Fiona , Warburton Katharine
Published: May 2023

The postpandemic technology-enhanced learning revolution has been criticized for promoting learner passivity and undermining learner–educator interactions. We aimed to evaluate integration of the flipped classroom within a digital undergraduate setting, specifically assessing subjective impact on problem solving and analytical skills.
The elevation of the anion gap in steady state chronic kidney disease may be less prominent than generally accepted
Authors: Zijlstra Hendrik W , Stegeman Coen A
Published: May 2023

Background

A presumed cause of metabolic acidosis in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is accumulation of unmeasured anions, leading to a high anion gap (AG). In patients with CKD with a high AG, only minor increases are expected. The aim of this study is to evaluate the magnitude of the AG in documented steady state CKD to examine the effect of CKD on a high-AG metabolic acidosis (HAGMA).

Methods

In this cross-sectional study the AG, bicarbonate, and chloride were evaluated in 1045 blood and urine samples of 501 patients with steady state CKD in the outpatient clinic. The influence of phosphate, albumin and potassium on the AG were evaluated.

Results

The mean AG increased from 8.8 mEq/l (±1.57) in CKD stage 1 to 11.2 mEq/l (±2.22) in CKD stage 5 (P < 0.001). Correction for albumin or phosphate did not influence the magnitude of the AG. Correction for potassium did alter the prevalence of HAGMA, but not the severity. [HCO3−] decreased between CKD stages 1 and 5 by 5.1 mEq/l. The [Cl−] increased by 2.6 mEq/l between CKD stages 1 and 5.

Conclusions

The elevation of the AG in patients with steady state CKD is limited and less pronounced than the decrease in [HCO3−]. Normal AG metabolic acidosis seems to be more important in CKD than HAGMA. The CKD stage and the magnitude of the AG should be taken into account when evaluating a patient with HAGMA. This study suggests that an AG >15 mEq/l is rarely due to renal failure alone.
Transforming growth factor-β2 is associated with atherosclerotic plaque stability and lower risk for cardiovascular events
Authors: Edsfeldt Andreas , Singh Pratibha , Matthes Frank , Tengryd Christoffer , Cavalera Michele , Bengtsson Eva , Dunér Pontus , Volkov Petr , Karadimou Glykeria , Gisterå Anton , Orho-Melander Marju , Nilsson Jan , Sun Jiangming , Gonçalves Isabel
Published: May 2023

Aims

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) exists in three isoforms TGF-β1, -β2, and -β3. TGF-β1 has been suggested to be important for maintaining plaque stability, yet the role of TGF-β2 and -β3 in atherosclerosis remains to be investigated.

This study explores the association of the three isoforms of TGF-β with plaque stability in the human atherosclerotic disease.

Methods and results

TGF-β1, -β2, and -β3 proteins were quantified in 223 human carotid plaques by immunoassays. Indications for the endarterectomy were: symptomatic carotid plaque with stenosis >70% or without symptoms and >80% stenosis. Plaque mRNA levels were assessed by RNA sequencing. Plaque components and extracellular matrix were measured histologically and biochemically. Matrix metalloproteinases and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was measured with immunoassays. The effect of TGF-β2 on inflammation and protease activity was investigated in vitro using THP-1 and RAW264.7 macrophages. Patients were followed longitudinally for cardiovascular (CV) events.

TGF-β2 was the most abundant isoform and was increased at both protein and mRNA levels in asymptomatic plaques. TGF-β2 was the main determinant separating asymptomatic plaques in an Orthogonal Projections to Latent Structures Discriminant Analysis. TGF-β2 correlated positively to features of plaque stability and inversely to markers of plaque vulnerability. TGF-β2 was the only isoform inversely correlated to the matrix-degrading matrix metalloproteinase-9 and inflammation in the plaque tissue. In vitro, TGF-β2 pre-treatment reduced MCP-1 gene and protein levels as well as matrix metalloproteinase-9 gene levels and activity. Patients with plaques with high TGF-β2 levels had a lower risk to suffer from future CV events.

Conclusions

TGF-β2 is the most abundant TGF-β isoform in human plaques and may maintain plaque stability by decreasing inflammation and matrix degradation.
SmartWoodID—an image collection of large end-grain surfaces to support wood identification systems
Authors: De Blaere Ruben , Lievens Kévin , Van Hassel Dieter , Deklerck Victor , De Mil Tom , Hubau Wannes , Van Acker Joris , Bourland Nils , Verwaeren Jan , Van den Bulcke Jan , Beeckman Hans
Published: May 2023

Wood identification is a key step in the enforcement of laws and regulations aimed at combatting illegal timber trade. Robust wood identification tools, capable of distinguishing a large number of timbers, depend on a solid database of reference material. Reference material for wood identification is typically curated in botanical collections dedicated to wood consisting of samples of secondary xylem of lignified plants. Specimens from the Tervuren Wood Collection, one of the large institutional wood collections around the world, are used as a source of tree species data with potential application as timber. Here, we present SmartWoodID, a database of high-resolution optical scans of the end-grain surfaces enriched with expert wood anatomical descriptions of macroscopic features. These can serve as annotated training data to develop interactive identification keys and artificial intelligence for computer vision–based wood identification. The first edition of the database consists of images of 1190 taxa, with a focus on potential timber species from the Democratic Republic of the Congo with at least four different specimens per species included.

Database URL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12624/SmartWoodID_first_edition
Social determinants of health and disease in companion dogs: a cohort study from the Dog Aging Project
Authors: McCoy Brianah M , Brassington Layla , Jin Kelly , Dolby Greer A , Shrager Sandi , Collins Devin , Dunbar Matthew ,   Dog Aging Project Consortium, Akey Joshua M , Benton Brooke , Borenstein Elhanan , Castelhano Marta G , Coleman Amanda E , Creevy Kate E , Crowder Kyle , Dunbar Matthew D , Fajt Virginia R , Fitzpatrick Annette L , Jeffery Unity , Jonlin Erica C , Kaeberlein Matt , Karlsson Elinor K , Kerr Kathleen F , Levine Jonathan M , Ma Jing , McClelland Robyn L , Promislow Daniel E L , Ruple Audrey , Schwartz Stephen M , Shrager Sandi , Snyder-Mackler Noah , Tolbert Katherine , Urfer Silvan R , Wilfond Benjamin S , Ruple Audrey , Snyder-Mackler Noah
Published: May 2023

Exposure to social environmental adversity is associated with health and survival across many social species, including humans. However, little is known about how these health and mortality effects vary across the lifespan and may be differentially impacted by various components of the environment. Here, we leveraged a relatively new and powerful model for human aging, the companion dog, to investigate which components of the social environment are associated with dog health and how these associations vary across the lifespan. We drew on comprehensive survey data collected on 21,410 dogs from the Dog Aging Project and identified five factors that together explained 33.7% of the variation in a dog’s social environment. Factors capturing financial and household adversity were associated with poorer health and lower physical mobility in companion dogs, while factors that captured social support, such as living with other dogs, were associated with better health when controlling for dog age and weight. Notably, the effects of each environmental component were not equal: the effect of social support was 5× stronger than financial factors. The strength of these associations depended on the age of the dog, including a stronger relationship between the owner’s age and the dog’s health in younger as compared to older dogs. Taken together, these findings suggest the importance of income, stability and owner’s age on owner-reported health outcomes in companion dogs and point to potential behavioral and/or environmental modifiers that can be used to promote healthy aging across species.
P373 IN SUPPORT OF THE NEED FOR P.E.R.T. (PULMONARY EMBOLISM RESPONSE TEAMS) IN PULMONARY EMBOLISM (PE)
Authors: Camassa N , De Michele L , De Tommasi E , D’Agostino C
Published: May 2023

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular death with a wide range of criticality and complex and varied pathogenesis. A rapid therapeutic decision reverses the rapid progression towards a fatal outcome. A 64 years old patient, obese and hypertensive, returning from an intercontinental flight, went to the emergency room because of worsening dyspnoea and chest pain, which he had been suffering for a week; he arrived tachycardic, tachypnoic and with 91% O2 saturation in ambient air. A CT angiography showed extensive thrombosis of both main branches of the pulmonary artery (PA). Echocardiography confirmed right ventricular involvement, which was already hypokinetic and with a RV/LV ratio double than normal, which corresponds to a progressive drop in pressure and for which he was transferred to the cardiac intensive unit. The patient‘s history, comorbidities, risk of haemorrhage, imaging and laboratory data were analysed, leading to an evaluation of high risk PE, hemodynamic instability and positive cardiac biomarkers. With the availability of on–site equipment and trained personnel, the patient underwent ultrasound–guided locoregional thrombolysis through the placement of dedicated catheters capable of infusing into each PA branch 1mg of rtPA/h for 12 hours and ultrasound throughout the course of the catheter to increase the penetrance of thrombolysis into old thrombi (Ultrasound Accelerated Thrombolysis). As early as 6 hours, at echocardiographic control, there was a reduction in the RV/LV ratio to below 1.5, corresponding to a restoration of pressor stability. PERT shortens the time of decision of the best medical approach, which is the most effective method available to deal with the emergency. But PERT is also useful in low–risk PE in patients with significant comorbidities that contraindicate anticoagulant therapy, or in PE that is an incidentalomas, according to the wisdom of the radiologists in the group who know how to identify inveterate thromboses or PA sarcoma occlusion which are otherwise treatable. Hence the need for a multidisciplinary team: a) able to assess the patient with PE and provide the correct treatment which includes a range of medical, surgical and endovascular therapies; b) skilled in ensuring the follow–up of the patient with PE (post–thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension; c) skilled in getting the components to communicate about the effectiveness of treatment in the individual patient.
Nuclear genome organization in fungi: from gene folding to Rabl chromosomes
Authors: Torres David E , Reckard Andrew T , Klocko Andrew D , Seidl Michael F
Published: May 2023

Comparative genomics has recently provided unprecedented insights into the biology and evolution of the fungal lineage. In the postgenomics era, a major research interest focuses now on detailing the functions of fungal genomes, i.e. how genomic information manifests into complex phenotypes. Emerging evidence across diverse eukaryotes has revealed that the organization of DNA within the nucleus is critically important. Here, we discuss the current knowledge on the fungal genome organization, from the association of chromosomes within the nucleus to topological structures at individual genes and the genetic factors required for this hierarchical organization. Chromosome conformation capture followed by high-throughput sequencing (Hi-C) has elucidated how fungal genomes are globally organized in Rabl configuration, in which centromere or telomere bundles are associated with opposite faces of the nuclear envelope. Further, fungal genomes are regionally organized into topologically associated domain-like (TAD-like) chromatin structures. We discuss how chromatin organization impacts the proper function of DNA-templated processes across the fungal genome. Nevertheless, this view is limited to a few fungal taxa given the paucity of fungal Hi-C experiments. We advocate for exploring genome organization across diverse fungal lineages to ensure the future understanding of the impact of nuclear organization on fungal genome function.
Bidirectional Associations of Awareness of Age-Related Change and Attitudes Toward Own Aging With Social Media Use
Authors: Sabatini Serena , Wilton-Harding Bethany , Ballard Clive , Brooker Helen , Corbett Anne , Hampshire Adam , Windsor Tim D
Published: May 2023

Objectives

We test whether higher awareness of age-related gains (AARC-gains), lower awareness of age-related losses (AARC-losses), and more positive attitudes toward own aging (ATOA) are cross-sectionally related to more frequent social media use. We also investigate the strength and direction of the associations of AARC-gains, AARC-losses, and ATOA with social media use over 1 year, from before to after the onset of the coronavirus 2019 pandemic.

Methods

We used cross-sectional data from 8,320 individuals (mean age = 65.95 years; standard deviation = 7.01) and longitudinal data from a subsample of 4,454 individuals participating in the UK PROTECT study in 2019 and 2020. We used ordered regression models, linear regression models, and tests of interaction. Models were adjusted for age, sex, education, and employment.

Results

Higher AARC-gains and more positive ATOA, but not AARC-losses, were cross-sectionally associated with more frequent social media use. Social media use became more frequent at follow-up. In the longitudinal models controlling for baseline levels of the outcome variable, more frequent baseline social media use predicted increases in AARC-gains, whereas baseline AARC-gains did not significantly predict the frequency of social media use at follow-up. Baseline frequency of social media use did not significantly predict AARC-losses, nor ATOA at follow-up, whereas lower levels of AARC-losses and more positive ATOA predicted more frequent social media use at follow-up.

Discussion

Although effect sizes were small, decreasing negative views on aging may help increase the engagement of middle-aged and older people with social media. At the same time, fostering social media use could promote positive self-perceptions of aging.
Distribution and biomass estimation of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) off the South Orkney Islands during 2011–2020
Authors: Skaret G , Macaulay G J , Pedersen R , Wang X , Klevjer T A , Krag L A , Krafft B A
Published: May 2023

Antarctic krill is a key species in the Southern Ocean and subject to the most extensive fishery in the Antarctic. The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research has conducted acoustic-trawl monitoring of krill off the South Orkneys annually since 2011 in collaboration with the krill fishing industry. Average krill biomass within the 60000 km2 survey area ranged from 1.4 to 7.8 million tonnes in the period 2011–2020, strongly supporting that this is among the regions in the Scotia Sea with consistently highest krill densities. There were no significant (p ≈ 0.18, non-parametric Mann–Kendall test) monotonic trends in estimated krill biomass over the 10 years. The highest krill densities were associated with the shelf edge and submarine canyons on the north side of the South Orkneys. Our comparison with the CCAMLR 9.3% reference exploitation rate suggests that management of the krill fishery in the South Orkneys region is precautionary. The monitoring is run on fishing vessels, so e.g. acoustic frequencies applied could not always be in compliance with the standard CCAMLR methodology. Estimated deviance in krill backscatter when comparing 38 kHz to the standard 120 kHz ranged from −1.1% to 12.8%. Our results show that industry-based surveys are cost-efficient approaches to high-quality monitoring of krill.
Intake of sugary beverages with chronic conditions and multimorbidity: a prospective cohort study of UK Biobank
Authors: Zhang Yue , Chen Hui , Lim Carmen C W , Carrillo-Larco Rodrigo M , Yan Lijing L , Mishra Gita D , Yuan Changzheng , Xu Xiaolin
Published: May 2023

Background

The burden of chronic conditions associated with sugary beverages is increasing but little is known about the role of different types of sugary beverages in the co-occurrence of multiple chronic conditions (‘multimorbidity’). To inform future sugar-reduction guidelines, we aimed to examine the associations of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), artificially sweetened beverages (ASB) and natural juices (NJ) with multimorbidity.

Methods

This prospective cohort study included 184 093 UK Biobank participants aged 40–69 years at baseline who completed at least one occasion of 24-h dietary recall between 2009 and 2012. Daily consumptions of SSB, ASB and NJ were assessed using 24-h dietary recall. Participants were followed from the first 24-h assessment until the onset of two or more new chronic conditions, or the end of follow-up (31 March 2017), whichever occurred first. Logistic regression models, Cox proportional hazard models and quasi-Poisson mixed effects models were used to estimate the association of beverages intakes with chronic conditions and multimorbidity.

Results

A total of 19 057 participants had multimorbidity at baseline and 19 968 participants developed at least two chronic conditions during follow-up. We observed dose–response relationships of SSB and ASB consumptions with the prevalence and incidence of multimorbidity. For example, the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs of the incidence of developing at least two chronic conditions ranged from 1.08 (1.01–1.14) for SSB intake of 1.1–2 units/day to 1.23 (1.14–1.32) for >2 units/day compared with 0 units/day. Also, the adjusted HRs (95% CIs) of ASB consumption ranged from 1.08 (1.03–1.13) for 0.1–1 unit/day to 1.28 (1.17–1.40) for >2 units/day compared with non-consumers. Conversely, moderate consumption of NJ was associated with a smaller risk of the prevalence and incidence of multimorbidity. Moreover, higher intakes of SSB and ASB were positively associated whereas moderate intake of NJ was inversely associated with increased number of new-onset chronic conditions during follow-up.

Conclusions

Higher SSB and ASB intakes were positively associated whereas moderate NJ intake was inversely associated with the higher risk of multimorbidity and increased number of chronic conditions. Current and intended policy options to decrease the burden of chronic conditions and multimorbidity need a formulation of SSB and ASB reduction strategies.
Approximately low-rank recovery from noisy and local measurements by convex program
Authors: Lee Kiryung , Sharma Rakshith Srinivasa , Junge Marius , Romberg Justin
Published: May 2023

Low-rank matrix models have been universally useful for numerous applications, from classical system identification to more modern matrix completion in signal processing and statistics. The nuclear norm has been employed as a convex surrogate of the low-rankness since it induces a low-rank solution to inverse problems. While the nuclear norm for low rankness has an excellent analogy with the $\ell _1$ norm for sparsity through the singular value decomposition, other matrix norms also induce low-rankness. Particularly as one interprets a matrix as a linear operator between Banach spaces, various tensor product norms generalize the role of the nuclear norm. We provide a tensor-norm-constrained estimator for the recovery of approximately low-rank matrices from local measurements corrupted with noise. A tensor-norm regularizer is designed to adapt to the local structure. We derive statistical analysis of the estimator over matrix completion and decentralized sketching by applying Maurey’s empirical method to tensor products of Banach spaces. The estimator provides a near-optimal error bound in a minimax sense and admits a polynomial-time algorithm for these applications.