bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Secrets and Lies’: Gothic Elements in Irish Crime Fiction
Authors: Cliff Brian
Published: May 2023

Irish crime fiction has largely been a contemporary phenomenon, but it has already shown itself to have highly various preoccupations and influences, including Irish gothic modes as well as the work of international crime writers like Patricia Highsmith and Ross Macdonald. Macdonald’s Lew Archer novels, in particular, are marked by a thematic obsession with ruined and ruinous families, with children cast adrift on seas of generational corruption. Such deep connections between gothic modes, family secrets, and crime fiction offer a cultural foundation that has served Irish crime and mystery writers well. Their narratives weave together local elements with the kinds of genre writing that have, until recent decades, often been seen as importations, as mere pieces in the flotsam and jetsam of transatlantic culture, or as actively contributing to the destabilization of life on the island. Although this essay examines the sometimes spectacular gothic elements in novels by Tana French, John Connolly, and Stuart Neville, the focus is rather on versions of Irish family gothic that surface in the writing of Liz Nugent, Andrea Carter, Declan Hughes, and others. Nugent, for example, fuses a penchant for Highsmithian sociopathic narrator-protagonists with her own sharp eye for familial bloodletting, while Hughes traces generations of corruption through his narrator’s haunting sensations of dislocation and uncanny unease in a Dublin where he has become at once an insider and an outsider. Through their use of such elements, at once intimately specific and readily adaptable, Irish crime writers have both animated their genre and further affirmed the vitality of Irish gothic’s fluid legacy.
Social network documentary and its aesthetic metamorphosis: Reflections from a practice-led research
Authors: Zafra Norman
Published: May 2023

This article employs a practice-led methodology to offer a creative examination of the digital trends, online practices, and shifting aesthetics of political documentary as it migrates in the interstices of social media. At the centre of this research is the production and circulation of Facebook-native microdocumentaries, labelled under the rubric of compact cinematics and radical videos. As a networked platform, Facebook affords opportunities for media experimentation and allows filmmakers to innovate political and sociable contents. I argue that documentaries circulated on Facebook, particularly those with social change outreach, need to undergo an aesthetic adjustment to respond to ongoing ruptures in traditional storytelling and to address the shifting consumption modes of audiences online.
Media selection is highly predictable, In principle
Authors: gong Xuanjun , Huskey Richard
Published: May 2023

Media research is, in part, interested in accurately explaining and predicting people’s media selection. Explanation is an accurate description of the causal mechanisms that govern media selection whereas prediction is focused on making accurate inferences about unobserved data. However, meta-analyses demonstrate that existing media selection theories and models have limited explanatory accuracy. The predictive accuracy of these theories and models is unknown. Our project bridges this gap by empirically specifying how predictable, in principle, media selection is. To achieve this ambition, we articulate key conceptual distinctions between explanation and prediction. Subsequently, we report three empirical studies that examine prediction accuracy as a function of model complexity (study one) and estimate the theoretical maximum predictability of people’s music-listening and web-browsing behaviors (studies two and three). Approximately 80% of music selection and 60% of web-browsing behaviors are predictable. Moreover, a simple Markov Chain model that uses information about people’s prior media selection can achieve about 20% prediction accuracy for music selection and 10% accuracy in predicting web-browsing. By estimating the maximum predictability of people’s media selection behavior, we gain a first-ever benchmark by which media selection theories and models can be compared. More broadly, we show how simple models that account for the sequential dependency in media selection lend new insights and suggest novel directions for future theory development.
Riemann Hypothesis on Grönwall's Function
Authors: Vega Frank
Published: May 2023

Grönwall's function $G$ is defined for all natural numbers $n>1$ by $G(n)=\frac{\sigma(n)}{n \cdot \log \log n}$ where $\sigma(n)$ is the sum of the divisors of $n$ and $\log$ is the natural logarithm. We require the properties of extremely abundant numbers, that is to say left to right maxima of $n \mapsto G(n)$. We also use the colossally abundant and hyper abundant numbers. There are several statements equivalent to the famous Riemann hypothesis. We state that the Riemann hypothesis is true if and only if there exist infinitely many consecutive colossally abundant numbers $3 \leq N
Disrupted dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in patients with active thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy
Authors: Wen Zhi , Kang Yan , Zhang Yu , Yang Huaguang , Zhao Yilin , Huang Xin , Xie Baojun
Published: May 2023

Purpose: Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is an autoimmune disease that affects the orbit and is the most prevalent extra-thyroidal complication of Graves’ disease. Previous neuroimaging studies have focused on abnormal static regional activity and functional connectivity in patients with TAO. However, the characteristics of local brain activity over time are poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate alterations in the dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (dALFF) in patients with active TAO and to distinguish patients with TAO from healthy controls (HCs) using a support vector machine (SVM) classifier.

Methods: A total of 21 patients with TAO and 21 HCs underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. dALFFs were calculated in conjunction with sliding window approaches to assess dynamic regional brain activity and to compare the groups. Then, we used SVM, a machine learning algorithm, to determine whether dALFF maps may be used as diagnostic indicators for TAO.

Results: Compared with HCs, patients with active TAO showed decreased dALFF in the right calcarine, lingual gyrus, superior parietal lobule, and precuneus. The SVM model showed an accuracy of 45.24%–47.62% and area under the curve of 0.35–0.44 in distinguishing TAO from HCs. No correlation was found between clinical variables and regional dALFF.

Conclusion: Patients with active TAO showed altered dALFF in the visual cortex and the ventral and dorsal visual pathways, providing further details on the pathogenesis of TAO.
A decade of progress: bibliometric analysis of trends and hotspots in oral microbiome research (2013-2022)
Authors: Li Zhengrui , Fu Rao , Huang Xufeng , Wen Xutao , Zhang Ling
Published: May 2023

Background

Over the past decade, a plethora of studies have delved into the oral microbiome. Our objective was to evaluate the trends in oral microbiome research employing a quantitative approach.

Materials and methods

We extracted clinical studies on the oral microbiome published between 2013 and 2022 from the Web of Science database, yielding 3024 articles. The assembled literature was visually scrutinized using VOSviewer 1.6.18, Citespace 6.1.6, Pajek, Scimago Graphica, and other specialized software to assess authors, institutions, countries, journals, co-cited literature, keywords, genes, and diseases.

Results

Our analysis identified a total of 3024 articles. The volume and rate of annual publications steadily increased, with research interest in the oral microbiome progressively intensifying. The United States, China, and the UK contributed the highest number of publications. Growth rates of publications varied among countries over time. The Forsyth Institute emerged as the most collaborative institution, boasting the highest number of relevant papers (135) and securing the top rank, followed by Sichuan University and Harvard University. Paster Bruce J, Zhou Xuedong, and He Xuesong were pioneers in the field of oral microbiome research. This analysis demonstrates that the homeostatic balance of the oral microbiome, advanced microbial sequencing technology, connections with gut microbiota, and tumorigenesis, including oral cancer, have become emerging topics in the oral microbiome field.

Conclusions

This study delineated a comprehensive landscape of hotspots and frontiers in oral microbiome research, thus facilitating the identification of interdisciplinary advancements. We sincerely hope that our bibliometric analysis will enable researchers to leverage the oral microbiome to ultimately improve human oral health.
Case report: Surgical valvular pulmonary reconstruction for a previous unreported rheumatic right-sided valve disease with severe pulmonary regurgitation
Authors: Zhou Zijing , Tang Weijie , Tu Xiaokang , Li Feng , Huang Zhonghua , Jin Wancun , Wu Qin , Liu Feng , Fan Chengming
Published: May 2023

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a widespread illness in developing countries. RHD causes 99% of mitral stenoses in adults and 25% of aortic regurgitation. However, it only causes 10% of stenoses of the tricuspid valve, and is almost always associated with left-side valvular lesions. Isolated right-side valves are rarely affected, but may result in severe rheumatic pulmonary regurgitation. Herein, we present a case of rheumatic right-sided valve disease with severe pulmonary valve contracture and regurgitation in a symptomatic patient, successfully managed by surgical valvular reconstruction with a tailored bileaflet bovine pericardial patch. The options for surgical approach are also discussed. To our knowledge, the presented rheumatic right-sided valve disease with severe pulmonary regurgitation is the first to be reported in the literature.
Stroke and pump thrombosis following left ventricular assist device implantation: The impact of the implantation technique
Authors: Nozdrzykowski Michal , Bauer Jessica-Marie , Schulz Uwe , Jawad Khalil , Bireta Christian , Eifert Sandra , Sandri Marcus , Jozwiak-Nozdrzykowska Joanna , Borger Michael A. , Saeed Diyar
Published: May 2023

Objectives

Several studies have shown the potential advantage of less-invasive surgery (LIS) for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. This study aims to determine the impact of LIS on stroke and pump thrombosis events after LVAD implantation.

Methods

Between January 2015 and March 2021, 335 consecutive patients underwent LVAD implantation using either conventional sternotomy (CS) or the LIS technique. Patient characteristics was prospectively collected. All patients were followed up until October 2021. Logistic multivariate regression and propensity-matched analyses were performed to account for confounding factors.

Results

A total of 242 patients (F = 32; 13.0%) underwent LVAD implantation with CS and 93 patients (F = 8; 8.6%) with the LIS approach. Propensity matching generated two groups, including 98 patients in the CS group and 67 in the LIS group. Intensive care unit stay for the LIS group patients was significantly shorter than that for the CS group patients [2 (IQR: 2–5) days vs. 4 (IQR: 2–12) days, p < 0.01]. There were no significant differences in the incidence of stroke events (14% in CS vs. 16% in the LIS group; p = 0.6) or in pump thrombosis (6.1% in CS vs. 7.5% in the LIS group; p = 0.8) between the groups. The hospital mortality rate in the matched cohort was significantly lower in the LIS group (7.5% vs. 19%; p = 0.03). However, the 1-year mortality rate showed no significant difference between both groups (24.5% in CS and 17.9% in LIS; p = 0.35).

Conclusions

The LIS approach for LVAD implantation is a safe procedure with potential advantage in the early postoperative period. However, the LIS approach remains comparable to the sternotomy approach in terms of postoperative stroke, pump thrombosis, and outcome.
Impacts of large-scale circulation patterns on the temperature extremes in the cold regions of China with global warming
Authors: Dong Yiyang , Zhai Jiaqi , Zhao Yong , Liu Zhiwu , Yang Qin , Jiang Shan , Lv Zhenyu , Yan Dianyi , Liu Kuan , Ding Zhiyong
Published: May 2023

The cold regions of China (CRC) are important and vulnerable freshwater recharge areas on land, and any changes in them are related to the survival of millions of people in East Asia. However, for nearly half a century, in cold regions, the extreme temperature response to global warming is still poorly understood. In this study, we systematically studied the temperature extreme changes in cold regions of China since 1961 and discussed the possible circulation factors in detail. The results showed that 1) the warming magnitudes in cold nights and warm nights are greater than those in cold days and warm days, and decreases in cold nights and cold days and increases in warm days and warm nights appeared in almost all of cold regions of China. Most of the temperature indices displayed the largest magnitudes of warming in winter. 2) Spatially, for most of the temperature extremes, the stations located at Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (TPC) and Northwest China (NWC) showed a larger warming trend than that shown by the station at Northeast China (NEC). 3) The responses of temperature extremes at different cold regions to each circulation index are variable. Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) has a significant relationship with almost all the indices in cold regions of China. Almost all the temperature extremes of TPC and NWC showed closely relationship with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), especially for diurnal temperature range (DTR), daily maximum temperature, and the cold extremes. Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) is significantly related to most the temperature indices of Northwest China and Northeast China. However, MEI has a significant impact on only TPC’s diurnal temperature range and warmest night (TNx). 4) Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation displayed significant relationships with most the temperature extremes in every season in cold regions of China. However, the summer and winter MEI and the summer and winter North Atlantic Oscillation showed significant impacts on only diurnal temperature range, daily minimum temperatures (TNm), and TNx.
Seasonal enrichment of heavy isotopes in meltwater runoff from Haig Glacier, Canadian Rocky Mountains
Authors: Penn Kristina , Marshall Shawn J. , Sinclair Kate E.
Published: May 2023

Glacier melt provides an important source of freshwater, particularly during dry years and late in the summer, after most of the seasonal snow has melted. Glaciers are losing mass in most of the world’s mountain regions, which leads to uncertainties around the availability of freshwater to the downstream catchments. While contributions of glacial meltwater to rivers can be quantified through hydrograph separation methods, changes in the chemical characteristics of glacial meltwater may impact these calculations. We collected samples of supraglacial snow and ice and proglacial stream water over the course of a melt season at Haig Glacier in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and analyzed these samples for stable water isotopes (oxygen-18 and deuterium) and dissolved major ions to assess their seasonal variability. We identify isotopic enrichment in stable water isotopes on the surface of Haig Glacier as dry snow turns to wet snow and eventually in the bare ice that remains. This enrichment is reflected in isotopic ratios in the proglacial stream. Two possible explanations include: 1) isotopic enrichment through sublimation or liquid water evaporation on the glacier surface, 2) isotopic fractionation during diurnal freeze-thaw cycles, with the heavier isotopes preferentially refreezing. We evaluate both of these scenarios and conclude that both processes are likely active, with evaporation effects sufficient to explain much of the observed isotopic enrichment in the glacial runoff.
Geochemical records and environmental analysis of the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary in Eastern Yunnan, South China
Authors: Yang Xuan , Chang Chao , Chen Yanlong , Topper Timothy , Liu Fan , Liang Yue , Fang Ruisen , Zhang Zhifei
Published: May 2023

The Ediacaran–Cambrian transition is characterized by an unprecedented change in biosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere. However, the identification of this transition and its global correlation remains debated. East Yunnan is a region of utmost importance in the study of the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition. Although strata from this region have been well studied, recognition of the base of the Cambrian continues to be controversial. This paper presents, a carbon chemostratigraphic isotope and trace element profile through the Dengying and Zhujiaqing formations in the Sujiawa section in East Yunnan. Through carbon isotope and trace element analyses of the Dengying and Zhujiaqing formations we attempt to regionally correlate the section and discuss the paleo-marine redox environment changes during this period. The Fe content of samples is low and the Mn/Sr ratios of the majority of the Sujiawa section samples is lower than 10 and shows no correlations with δ13Ccarb and δ18Ocarb values, indicating that the samples retain near-primary δ13Ccarb characteristics. The carbon isotope profile from the Sujiawa section, shows a prominent negative δ13Ccarb in the basal Zhongyicun Member (N1’, −7.3‰) that most likely represents the prominent negative excursion recorded in Ediacaran-Cambrian strata across the world. REE patterns and Y/Ho ratios were used to screen samples, to ensure that the primary seawater REE features and Ce anomalies were preserved. The samples satisfying this screening process show seawater-like REE distribution patterns in leached carbonates and may have recorded Ce anomalies of the seawater from which the carbonates precipitated. These data show that the Baiyanshao Member has Ce/Ce* values between 0.57 and 0.88, the Daibu Member between 0.56 and 0.83, and the Zhongyicun Member between 0.60 and 0.96. The Ce anomalies through the section indicates that the region experienced suboxic-oxic-anoxic conditions throughout the Ediacaran-Cambrian period. Carbon isotope and trace element analyses indicate that the strata record a negative carbon isotope excursion event and anoxic conditions during the period of deposition. This study complements the carbon chemostratigraphic information and trace element data in the region and provides valuable clues for understanding the lithofacies changes through the Ediacaran and Cambrian in different regions of South China.
Development and validation of a scale to measure the simulation-based learning outcomes in teacher education
Authors: Levin Orna , Frei-Landau Rivi , Goldberg Chen
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Simulation-based learning (SBL) is gradually being integrated into the field of teacher education. However, beyond specific content acquisition, comprehensive knowledge of SBL outcomes is limited. This research aimed to systematically develop a scale to measure SBL outcomes in teacher education.

Methods

A mixed-methods sequential exploratory design was implemented, to develop the Simulation-based Learning Outcomes in Teacher Education (SLOTE) scale. Data were collected in two phases: a qualitative (N = 518) phase followed by a quantitative (N = 370) phase.

Results

The qualitative analysis revealed three overarching themes: communication skills, collaborative-learning-related insights, and emotional self-awareness. The scale items were prepared based on key quotes from the qualitative data. To define, quantify, and validate learning outcomes of SBL in teacher education, EFA and CFA were used to test the relationship among 29 items of the scale.

Discussion

The study provides a theoretical conceptualization of SBL’s multifaceted learning outcomes in teacher education. These findings allow for a better understanding of the observers’ role in SBL, suggesting that enacting the simulation is not inherently more emotionally demanding and, consequently, participants in both roles are apt to benefit equally from the experiential learning afforded by the SBL process. Theoretical and practical implications of using SBL in teacher education are discussed.
Secondary school students’ school-related stressors during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Sabah, Malaysia
Authors: Wider Walton , Chua Bee Seok , Mutang Jasmine Adela , Pan Lee Ching
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Due to the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruption of education systems worldwide, secondary schools in Malaysia have shifted to online classes to ensure educational continuity. Therefore, it was necessary to investigate the various effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on secondary school students.

Methods

A self-reported survey with closed and open-ended questions was used to collect data involving 1,067 secondary school students from eight schools in Sabah, Malaysia. The participants were mostly male (53.4%), with a mean age of 14.8 (SD = 1.64). The study involved students from various levels/grades, including transition class, forms 1–5, lower six, and upper six.

Results

Students faced a variety of school-related stressors, including academic failure due to a poor online course; general mental health issues; a poor internet connection; a lack of in-person interaction; a SOP restriction; an inability to focus; too many homework assignments; burnout; becoming lazier; home conditions; and financial difficulties.

Discussion

The implications for classroom practice, policy formulation, and future research are examined.
Abiraterone acetate and prednisone in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a real-world retrospective study in China
Authors: Liu Min , Yan Jiaqing , Le Kaidi , Li Ying , Xing Nianzeng , Li Guohui
Published: May 2023

Background

This research work was aimed at evaluating the incidence and risk factors of adverse events (AEs) occurring in patients treated with abiraterone acetate (AA) and prednisone (PDN) outside clinical trials. These associations were assessed regarding the survival outcomes.

Methods

The study included 191 patients aged ≥18 years of confirmed metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) between March 2017 and April 2022. AE incidences were descriptively summarized from the whole cohort. Baseline characteristics, safety (treatment-emergent AEs and severe AEs), and efficacy [progression-free survival (PFS)] were analyzed. Multi-variable Cox proportional hazards models were employed to assess the factors linked with PFS.

Results

Overall, the median PFS was 17.16 months (range, 0.5–57.58). Patient baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≧̸10 ng/ml (p = 0.000), multiple organ metastasis (p = 0.007), hypertension (p = 0.004), and coronary heart disease (p = 0.004) were associated with worse PFS; however, radiotherapy (p = 0.028) was linked to better PFS at univariate analysis in the overall cohort. Baseline multiple organ metastasis, hypertension, and radiotherapy remained statistically significant in multivariable models (p = 0.007, p= 0.005, and p = 0.011, respectively).Incidence of AEs showed increased bilirubin (BIL) (55/191 patients, 28.8%) followed by increased alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase (ALT/AST) (48/191 patients, 25.09%). The most common grade 3 AEs were increased ALT (3/191, 1.57%) followed by elevated BIL, hypercholesterolemia, and hypokalemia. Anemia had shorter PFS. There were no unexpected AEs in any patient.

Conclusion

AA is effective and tolerated in asymptomatic or slightly symptomatic mCRPC in “real-life” setting. The survival outcomes are influenced by multiple organ metastasis, hypertension, and radiotherapy.
Riverine nitrogen flux and its response to management, climate, and other environmental factors in Northeast and Midwest United States
Authors: Maxfield Nicolas E. , Smith Richard A. , Chang Joseph , Ando Amy W. , Lin Tzu-Shun , Vörösmarty Charles J. , Shih Jhih-Shyang
Published: May 2023

The rate and extent of anthropogenic alteration of the global nitrogen cycle over the past four decades has been extensive, resulting in cascading negative impacts on riverine and coastal water quality. In this paper, we investigate the individual effects of a set of management, technology, and policy mechanisms that alter total reactive nitrogen (TN) flux through rivers, using a modified, spatially detailed SPARROW TN model, between 1980 and 2019 in the Northeast (NE) and Midwest (MW) of the United States. Using the recalibrated model, we simulate and validate a historical baseline, to which we compare a set of climate and non-climate single factor experiments (SFEs) in which individual factors are held at 1980s levels while all other factors change dynamically. We evaluate SFE performance in terms of differences in TN flux and willingness to pay. The largest effect on TN flux are related to reduction in cropland area and atmospheric nitrogen deposition. Multi-factor experiments (MFEs) suggest that increasingly efficient corn cultivars had a larger influence than increasing fertilizer application rate, while population growth has a larger influence than wastewater treatment. Extreme climate SFEs suggest that persistent wet conditions increase TN flux throughout the study region. Meanwhile, persistent hot years result in reduced TN flux. The persistent dry climate SFE leads to increased TN flux in the NE and reduced TN flux in the MW. We find that the potential for TN removal through aquatic decay is greatest in MW, due to the role of long travel time of rivers draining into the Lower Mississippi River. This paper sheds light on how a geographically and climatologically diverse region would respond to a representative selection of management options.
Effects of polystyrene microplastics on dechlorane plus bioaccumulation in the thick-shell mussel
Authors: Xu Qiuxia , Peng Xijian , Guo Yuanming , Hao Qing , Hou Yanlin , Yang Chenghu
Published: May 2023

The combined pollution of microplastics (MPs) and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have attracted increasing attention from the international community in recent years. MPs can affect the toxicity, bioenrichment rate and bioavailability of POPs through adsorption and other interactions. Dechlorane Plus (DP) is a chlorinated flame retardant and a typical. DPs used mainly in various polymer materials, such as electrical wire and cable coating. The pollutions of MPs and DPs (syn and anti isomers, syn-DP [s-DP] and anti-DP [a-DP]) are ubiquitously present in the environment. However, the effect of MPs on the bioaccumulation of DP has not been reported. In this study, thick-shell mussels (Mytilus coruscus) were exposed to DPs (10 ng/L, DP10), DPs and polystyrene microplastics (PS) (10 ng/L DP +10 μg/L PS, DP10/PS10; 10 ng/LDP+20 μg/L PS, DP10/PS20) for 28 days to investigate the effect of MPs on DPs enrichment. Thick-shell mussels accumulated DPs in the adductor muscle, gill, and gonad showed an increasing trend with time, but the concentration of DPs in the visceral mass does not show a time-dependent manner. The concentration of DPs in the gonads and gills was significantly affected by the concentration of PS (p < 0.05), but there was no significant correlation between the concentration of DPs and the concentration of PS in the adductor muscle and visceral mass (p > 0.05). Moreover, DPs showed selective enrichment of syn-DP in thick-shell mussel tissues, and there was no significant correlation between this result and PS concentration (p > 0.05). These findings provide a new entry point for studying the interaction between microplastics and persistent organic pollutants in marine organisms.
Ecological restoration projects enhanced terrestrial carbon sequestration in the karst region of Southwest China
Authors: Lv Yan , Zhang Li , Li Pan , He Honglin , Ren Xiaoli , Zhang Mengyu
Published: May 2023

The karst region of southwest China showed a significant increase in vegetation cover and vegetation carbon stocks under the implementation of a series of ecological restoration projects. However, the relative contribution of ecological restoration projects to terrestrial carbon sequestration in the context of climate change has yet to be well quantified. Here, we used the Community Land Model (CLM4.5) to investigate the trend of net ecosystem productivity (NEP) and attribution to multiple environmental factors in the karst region of southwest China during 2000–2018. The result showed that ecosystems with a significant increasing trend of NEP covered about 46% of the study region, which were mainly located in the peak forest plain region, colliculus region, peak cluster depression region, and middle-high hill region. The simulation experiments suggested that land use change associated with ecological restoration projects caused a large contribution of 53% to the increasing NEP trend, followed by CO2 fertilization (72%), while climate factors and nitrogen deposition showed minor negative effects. Especially, the NEP trend induced by land use change in the 100 pilot counties with the implementation of rocky desertification control project was significantly higher than that in the other karst area. Moreover, moderate and high levels of restoration efforts invested into recovery led to a larger increasing trend (0.66 gC/m2/yr2 and 0.48 gC/m2/yr2) in NEP than the low efforts level (0.22 gC/m2/yr2). Our results highlight the important role of ecological restoration projects in the enhanced terrestrial carbon sequestration in the karst region of southwest China, and recommend a comprehensive assessment of ecological restoration projects for policymaking.
Characterization, comparative analyses, and phylogenetic implications of mitochondrial genomes among bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae)
Authors: Guo Qiuhong , Huang Weidong , Sang Wen , Chen Xiaosheng , Wang Xingmin
Published: May 2023

Bark and ambrosia beetles of Scolytinae are well-known forest pests which can cause significant economic losses to trees and timber. Comparative analyses of structural characteristics of mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) and phylogenetic analyses could significantly improve our understanding of mitogenomic evolution and evolutionary history of this important group. Here, we have assembled new mitogenome data of four taxa (Euwallacea interjectus, E. fornicatus, E. similis, and Xylosandrus sp.) and presented a comparative analysis with available mitogenomes of Scolytinae. Phylogenetic analyses of Scolytinae were also conducted with different methods and datasets. The four mitogenomes are 15,419–16,265 bp in length and contain 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a control region, except for E. similis wherein the trnI is not detected. All PCGs initiate with either standard start codon of ATN or nonstandard GTG/TTG. TAA codon is used for termination more than TAG and incomplete T. The analysis of nonsynonymous/synonymous mutation ratio (Ka/Ks) of PCGs suggests the highest and lowest evolutionary rates are within nad4 and cox1, respectively. The heterogeneity analyses of different mitogenomic datasets show excluding the third-codon positions from the datasets largely reduce their heterogeneity. Our phylogenetic analyses derived from mitogenome data provide new evidence toward the revision of the distinguishing characteristics of related genera in this subfamily and highly supported most of nodes at deeper and shallow level. The present study highlights the utility of mitogenome data for resolving the phylogenetic framework of bark and ambrosia beetles, although more taxa sampling is needed to elucidate the complicated relationships of Scolytinae.
Allelopathic potential of root and leaf aqueous extracts of invasive alien plant species, Cryptostegia grandiflora, on germination and seedling growth of Linum usitatissimum and Guizotia abyssinica
Authors: Seifu Amare , Lulekal Ermias , Demissew Sebsebe , Woldu Zerihun
Published: May 2023

C. grandiflora has been termed the worst invasive alien plant species. However, its allelopathic potential has not been studied yet. The goal of this research was to study the allelopathic potential of C. grandiflora on the germination and seedling growth of L. usitatissimum and G. abyssinica. Plant specimens and samples of C. grandiflora were collected from the Minjar-Shenkora district, North Shewa Zone, Ethiopia. An experimental investigation was conducted to check the impact of its leaf and root extracts on the growth and germination parameters of the indicated test plant species. The root and leaf samples were extracted with water and methanol (99.85%). Leaf and root samples of 25 g were steeped separately in 250 ml of each of the specified solvents to make the stock solutions. The experiment was conducted in 9-cm-diameter Petri-dishes and laid out in completely random designs, replicated thrice with five blocks, each block representing a different concentration of extract (25, 50, 75, and 100%) and control. Twenty-five seeds of each test plant were placed in a petri-dish along with five ml of each extract. Differences between treatments were evaluated using one-way-ANOVA and Tukey's Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) Test. Results revealed that the inhibitory effect of water extracts of roots and leaves samples was concentration-dependent. With leaf extracts as opposed to root, the inhibitory effect was more pronounced. Hence, when L. usitatissimum seeds were treated with 100% concentration of water extracts from leaf samples of C. grandiflora germination-percentage, seedlings dry-weight, plumule, and radicle length were reduced by 80, 79.3, 73.6, and 79.4% respectively compared to the control. The above parameters also dropped considerably when G. abyssinica seeds were treated with the indicated concentrations. Conversely, the germination of seeds from both test plant species was entirely inhibited in methanol extracts. From this study, it can be deduced that these invasive plant extracts have herbicidal properties. Further phytochemical and molecular study is recommended to identify the active ingredients of C. grandiflora and determine their characteristics. Besides, the integration of identified allelopathic substances as a tool in the management of invasive species is proposed as an environment-friendly option to lessen the deterioration of ecosystem services.
Optimizing trajectories for highway driving with offline reinforcement learning
Authors: Mirchevska Branka , Werling Moritz , Boedecker Joschka
Published: May 2023

Achieving feasible, smooth and efficient trajectories for autonomous vehicles which appropriately take into account the long-term future while planning, has been a long-standing challenge. Several approaches have been considered, roughly falling under two categories: rule-based and learning-based approaches. The rule-based approaches, while guaranteeing safety and feasibility, fall short when it comes to long-term planning and generalization. The learning-based approaches are able to account for long-term planning and generalization to unseen situations, but may fail to achieve smoothness, safety and the feasibility which rule-based approaches ensure. Hence, combining the two approaches is an evident step towards yielding the best compromise out of both. We propose a Reinforcement Learning-based approach, which learns target trajectory parameters for fully autonomous driving on highways. The trained agent outputs continuous trajectory parameters based on which a feasible polynomial-based trajectory is generated and executed. We compare the performance of our agent against four other highway driving agents. The experiments are conducted in the Sumo simulator, taking into consideration various realistic, dynamically changing highway scenarios, including surrounding vehicles with different driver behaviors. We demonstrate that our offline trained agent, with randomly collected data, learns to drive smoothly, achieving velocities as close as possible to the desired velocity, while outperforming the other agents.
Dynamic polarization of tumor-associated macrophages and their interaction with intratumoral T cells in an inflamed tumor microenvironment: from mechanistic insights to therapeutic opportunities
Authors: Han Jiashu , Dong Luochu , Wu Mengwei , Ma Fei
Published: May 2023

Immunotherapy has brought a paradigm shift in the treatment of tumors in recent decades. However, a significant proportion of patients remain unresponsive, largely due to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play crucial roles in shaping the TME by exhibiting dual identities as both mediators and responders of inflammation. TAMs closely interact with intratumoral T cells, regulating their infiltration, activation, expansion, effector function, and exhaustion through multiple secretory and surface factors. Nevertheless, the heterogeneous and plastic nature of TAMs renders the targeting of any of these factors alone inadequate and poses significant challenges for mechanistic studies and clinical translation of corresponding therapies. In this review, we present a comprehensive summary of the mechanisms by which TAMs dynamically polarize to influence intratumoral T cells, with a focus on their interaction with other TME cells and metabolic competition. For each mechanism, we also discuss relevant therapeutic opportunities, including non-specific and targeted approaches in combination with checkpoint inhibitors and cellular therapies. Our ultimate goal is to develop macrophage-centered therapies that can fine-tune tumor inflammation and empower immunotherapy.
SLAM-family receptors come of age as a potential molecular target in cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Farhangnia Pooya , Ghomi Shamim Mollazadeh , Mollazadehghomi Shabnam , Nickho Hamid , Akbarpour Mahzad , Delbandi Ali-Akbar
Published: May 2023

The signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) family receptors were discovered in immune cells for the first time. The SLAM-family receptors are a significant player in cytotoxicity, humoral immune responses, autoimmune diseases, lymphocyte development, cell survival, and cell adhesion. There is growing evidence that SLAM-family receptors have been involved in cancer progression and heralded as a novel immune checkpoint on T cells. Previous studies have reported the role of SLAMs in tumor immunity in various cancers, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, acute myeloid leukemia, hepatocellular carcinoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, pancreas, lung, and melanoma. Evidence has deciphered that the SLAM-family receptors may be targeted for cancer immunotherapy. However, our understanding in this regard is not complete. This review will discuss the role of SLAM-family receptors in cancer immunotherapy. It will also provide an update on recent advances in SLAM-based targeted immunotherapies.
C-reactive protein as the biomarker of choice to monitor the effects of exercise on inflammation in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Mehta Niyati , Luthra Nijee S. , Corcos Daniel M. , Fantuzzi Giamila
Published: May 2023

Parkinson’s disease (PD), a heterogeneous disease with no disease-modifying treatments available, is the fastest growing neurological disease worldwide. Currently, physical exercise is the most promising treatment to slow disease progression, with evidence suggesting it is neuroprotective in animal models. The onset, progression, and symptom severity of PD are associated with low grade, chronic inflammation which can be quantified by measuring inflammatory biomarkers. In this perspective, we argue that C-reactive protein (CRP) should be used as the primary biomarker for monitoring inflammation and therefore disease progression and severity, particularly in studies examining the impact of an intervention on the signs and symptoms of PD. CRP is the most studied biomarker of inflammation, and it can be detected using relatively well-standardized assays with a wide range of detection, allowing for comparability across studies while generating robust data. An additional advantage of CRP is its ability to detect inflammation irrespective of its origin and specific pathways, an advantageous characteristic when the cause of inflammation remains unknown, such as PD and other chronic, heterogeneous diseases.
Role of polymetallic-nodule dependent fauna on carbon cycling in the eastern Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (Pacific)
Authors: Stratmann Tanja
Published: May 2023

The abyssal seafloor in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCZ) in the central Pacific is covered with large densities of polymetallic nodules, i.e., metal concretions containing iron, manganese, nickel, cobalt, and copper. Nodules are of economic importance for these metals, but they also host a variety of deep-sea fauna. In a recent study it was estimated that the removal of these nodules would lead to a loss of up to 18% of all taxa in the CCZ. Here, I assess the impact of removing these nodule-dependent taxa on carbon cycling at two sites (B4S03, B6S02) of the Belgian exploration license area in the eastern CCZ. For this purpose, I developed two highly resolved carbon-based food web models with 71 (B6S02) to 75 (B4S03) food-web compartments consisting of different detritus pools, bacteria, metazoan meiobenthos, macrobenthic isopods, polychaetes and other macrobenthos, megabenthic cnidarians, crustaceans, poriferans, holothurians and other invertebrate megabenthos, and fish. These compartments were connected with 303 (B6S02) to 336 (B4S03) links which were reduced by 5–9% when nodule-dependent faunal compartments were removed. The models estimated the “total system throughput” T.. i.e., the sum of all carbon flows in the food webs, in intact food webs as 1.18 mmol C m-2 d-1 and 1.20 mmol C m-2 d-1 at B4S03 and B6S02, respectively, whereby 69.8% (B6S02) to 71.2% (B4S03) of T.. flowed through the microbial loop. A removal of the nodule-dependent fauna did not affect this microbial loop but reduced the scavenger loop by 56.5% (B6S02) to 71.6% (B4S03). Overall, nodule-dependent fauna is responsible for only a small fraction of total carbon cycling at the eastern CCZ. Therefore, when the effect of prospective deep-seabed mining on carbon cycling is investigated, its impact on benthic prokaryotes and the microbial loop should be addressed specifically.
Dietary protein requirements of whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) post-larvae during nursery phase in clear-water recirculating aquaculture systems
Authors: Barreto André , Silva Andreia , Peixoto Diogo , Fajardo Carlos , Pinto Wilson , Rocha Rui J. M. , Conceição Luís E. C. , Costas Benjamín
Published: May 2023

Whiteleg shrimp Penaeus vannamei farming in clear water recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) is relatively recent, and consequently, knowledge on the shrimp dietary demands is still insufficient, particularly in the initial developmental stages. This study aimed at assessing the dietary protein requirement of whiteleg shrimp post-larvae (PL) in a clear-water recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). Six microdiets were formulated to contain 34%, 44%, 49%, 54%, 58%, and 63% crude protein (P34, P44, P49, P54, P58 and P63, respectively) and were evaluated in triplicates. Whiteleg shrimp PL (3.2 mg wet weight) were reared for 21 days in a clear-water RAS at Riasearch Lda. At the end of the feeding period, the optimal protein requirement was estimated at 47.1%, 46.4%, 47.2%, and 44.0% for weight gain, relative growth rate (RGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and survival, respectively. PL fed the P54, P58, and P63 diets achieved significantly higher final body weights than those fed P34. PL fed P34 showed significantly lower RGR and survival and significantly higher FCR values than those fed the remaining diets, suggesting that low protein diets may not be adequate to be used in this stage of shrimp development and/or for the clear-water RAS husbandry conditions. Moreover, diet P34 seemingly reduced the overall antioxidant status of the PL when compared to P44, P49, and P54. However, the P34 diet seems to have stimulated the PL immune mechanisms when compared to P44, P49, and P54, possibly due to increased levels of fish and algae oil. Similarly, despite the good growth performances, a diet containing 63% of protein also seemed to have compromised the overall shrimp PL antioxidant status and stimulate their immune system. Shrimp fed diet P54 showed an apparent overall superior antioxidant status when compared to the remaining diets, evidencing that using protein inclusion levels up to 54% in aquafeeds not only potentiates growth performances and survival but also can potentially be beneficial to the health status of P. vannamei PL grown in a clear-water RAS. Hence, results from this study suggest that a minimum of approximately 47% of protein should be considered when tailoring microdiets for whiteleg shrimp PL grown in a clear-water RAS, but inclusion levels up to 54% can be used with benefits to the PL antioxidant status.
The large-scale impact of anthropogenic mixing by offshore wind turbine foundations in the shallow North Sea
Authors: Christiansen Nils , Carpenter Jeffrey R. , Daewel Ute , Suzuki Nobuhiro , Schrum Corinna
Published: May 2023

Structure drag from offshore wind turbines and its physical impacts on the marine environment of the German Bight are investigated in this study. The flow past vertical cylinders, such as wind turbine foundations, and associated turbulent mixing has long been studied, but questions remain about anticipated regional implications of offshore wind infrastructure on physical and biogeochemical conditions. Here, we present two existing modeling approaches for simulating wind turbine foundation effects in regional ocean models and discuss the problematic use of very high resolution in hydrostatic modeling. By implementing a low-resolution structure drag parameterization in an unstructured-grid model, we demonstrate the impacts of monopile drag on hydrodynamic conditions, validated against recent in-situ measurements. Although the anthropogenic mixing is confined at wind farm sites, our simulations show that structure-induced mixing affects much larger, regional scales. The additional turbulence production emerges as the driving mechanism behind the monopile impacts, leading to changes in both the current velocities and stratification, with magnitudes of about 10%, similar in magnitude to regional annual and interannual variabilities. This study provides new insights into the hydrodynamic impact of offshore wind farms at their current development levels and emphasizes the need for further research in view of potential restructuring of the future coastal environment.