bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pathway Driven Target Selection in Klebsiella pneumoniae: Insights Into Carbapenem Exposure
Authors: Serral Federico , Pardo Agustin M. , Sosa Ezequiel , Palomino María Mercedes , Nicolás Marisa F. , Turjanski Adrian G. , Ramos Pablo Ivan P. , Fernández Do Porto Darío
Published: January 2022

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-KP) represents an emerging threat to public health. CR-KP infections result in elevated morbidity and mortality. This fact, coupled with their global dissemination and increasingly limited number of therapeutic options, highlights the urgency of novel antimicrobials. Innovative strategies linking genome-wide interrogation with multi-layered metabolic data integration can accelerate the early steps of drug development, particularly target selection. Using the BioCyc ontology, we generated and manually refined a metabolic network for a CR-KP, K. pneumoniae Kp13. Converted into a reaction graph, we conducted topological-based analyses in this network to prioritize pathways exhibiting druggable features and fragile metabolic points likely exploitable to develop novel antimicrobials. Our results point to the aptness of previously recognized pathways, such as lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan synthesis, and casts light on the possibility of targeting less explored cellular functions. These functions include the production of lipoate, trehalose, glycine betaine, and flavin, as well as the salvaging of methionine. Energy metabolism pathways emerged as attractive targets in the context of carbapenem exposure, targeted either alone or in conjunction with current therapeutic options. These results prompt further experimental investigation aimed at controlling this highly relevant pathogen.
Tuberculosis-Specific Antigen/Phytohemagglutinin Ratio Combined With GeneXpert MTB/RIF for Early Diagnosis of Spinal Tuberculosis: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Qi Yiwei , Liu Zhiwei , Liu Xiaojin , Fang Zhong , Liu Yanchao , Li Feng
Published: January 2022

Spinal tuberculosis (TB), the most common form of musculoskeletal tuberculosis, is an infection-related disease globally, with paraplegia occurring in severe cases. Therefore, identification of spinal TB at an early stage is important for early intervention and eventual therapy. In this study, we conducted a prospective cohort study in routine clinical practice to investigate the diagnosis of different TB tests. A total of 519 patients were recruited based on the radiology of spinal TB. The diagnostic model was computed by regression analysis and was determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Specificity, sensitivity, predictive value, likelihood ratio, and accuracy were also computed and compared. GeneXpert MTB/RIF showed a higher positive rate compared to that in the acid-fast bacilli smear andMycobacteriumculture. The results also showed that theMycobacterium tuberculosis-specific antigen/phytohemagglutinin ratio in the T-SPOT assay had a good performance in the preoperative diagnosis and prediction of spinal TB. The diagnostic model based on the ratio of tuberculosis-specific antigen/phytohemagglutinin combined with GeneXpert MTB/RIF showed better efficiency for spinal TB diagnosis. In summary, the tuberculosis-specific antigen/phytohemagglutinin ratio combined with GeneXpert MTB/RIF could provide an early diagnosis of spinal TB.
HBeAg Is Indispensable for Inducing Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cell Activation by Hepatitis B Virus
Authors: Xie Xiaohong , Luo Jinzhuo , Zhu Dan , Zhou Wenqing , Yang Xuecheng , Feng Xuemei , Lu Mengji , Zheng Xin , Dittmer Ulf , Yang Dongliang , Liu Jia
Published: January 2022

Background and Aims

Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) serve as sentinel cells to detect microbial infection and actively contribute to regulating immune responses for surveillance against intrahepatic pathogens. We recently reported that hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) stimulation could induce LSEC maturation and abrogate LSEC-mediated T cell suppression in a TNF-α and IL27 dependent manner. However, it remains unclear how HBeAg deficiency during HBV infection influences LSEC immunoregulation function and intrahepatic HBV-specific CD8 T cell responses.

Methods

The function of LSECs in regulating effector T cell response, intrahepatic HBV-specific CD8 T cell responses and HBV viremia were characterized in both HBeAg-deficient and -competent HBV hydrodynamic injection (HDI) mouse models.

Results

LSECs isolated from HBeAg-deficient HBV HDI mice showed a reduced capacity to promote T cell immunity in vitro compared with those isolated from wild-type HBV HDI mice. HBeAg expression replenishment in HBeAg-deficient HBV HDI mice restored the HBV-induced LSEC maturation, and resulted in potent intrahepatic anti-HBV CD8 T cell responses and efficient control of HBV replication. Moreover, in vivo TNF-α, but not IL27 blockade in HBV HDI mice impaired HBV-specific CD8 T cell immunity and delayed HBV clearance.

Conclusion

Our study underlines that HBeAg is indispensable for HBV-induced LSEC maturation to trigger intrahepatic HBV-specific T cell activation, and provides a new mechanism to elucidate the intrahepatic immune microenvironment regulation upon HBV exposure.
Capecitabine and Warfarin Interaction: A Case Report With Review of Literature and Management Options
Authors: Althiab Khalefa , Aljohani Manal , Alraddadi Sultan , Algarni Mohammed
Published: January 2022

Capecitabine is an orally active prodrug of 5-fluorouracil with improved safety and efficacy that is extensively used as an antineoplastic agent. It is converted to 5-Fluorouracil in the liver and tumor tissues. In vitro assays did not reveal any significant potential for interaction between capecitabine and its metabolites with warfarin. However, several reports provided clinical evidence of such interaction resulting in an elevated international normalized ratio (INR) and bleeding. Here, we report another case of capecitabine and warfarin concurrent administration that resulted in sub- or supra- therapeutic INR without any bleeding episode or venous-thromboembolic event through the follow-up period. Moreover, a review of available management options is also presented in this paper.
Prognostic Implications of a Second Peak of High-Sensitivity Troponin T After Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Hartikainen Tau S. , Goßling Alina , Sörensen Nils A. , Lehmacher Jonas , Neumann Johannes T. , Blankenberg Stefan , Westermann Dirk
Published: January 2022

Background

After an acute myocardial infarction (MI), repeated measurement of cardiac biomarkers is commonly performed, although not recommended in current guidelines. There is only limited data on the kinetics of troponin in this phase. For high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT), but not high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI), late increases in terms of a second peak have been described. Their impact on the prognosis of patients with MI remains unclear.

Methods

We included 2,305 patients presenting to the emergency department with symptoms suggestive of MI. Five hundred and seven were diagnosed with MI. Hs-cTnT, creatine kinase (CK) and the MB fraction of CK (CK-MB) were measured at admission, after 1 and 3 h and thereafter as indicated by the treating physician. A mixed-model approach was applied for modeling the biomarker kinetics. All patients were followed up to assess a composite endpoint of mortality, recurrent MI, revascularization and rehospitalization and to investigate the effect of a second hs-cTnT peak on prognosis.

Results

Out of 507 patients with MI, 192 had a sufficient amount of hs-cTnT measurements after the index MI. In 111 (57.8%) patients a second hs-cTnT peak was found after 4.48 days. For CK and CK-MB a second peak could not be identified. Regarding the composite endpoint there was no significant difference between patients with and without a second hs-cTnT peak.

Conclusion

In our analyses, a second peak of hs-cTnT after an acute MI was common, but not associated with poorer outcome. Thus, the clinical value of hs-cTnT for monitoring myocardial ischemia might be limited in this phase and other biomarkers might be more suitable.

Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT02355457, Date of registration: February 4, 2015.
Endothelial Agrin Is Dispensable for Normal and Tumor Angiogenesis
Authors: Ye Peng , Fu Zelong , Chung Jeff Yat-Fai , Cao Xiaoyun , Ko Ho , Tian Xiao Yu , Tang Patrick Ming-Kuen , Lui Kathy O.
Published: January 2022

Recently, the extracellular matrix protein agrin has been reported to promote tumor angiogenesis that supports tumorigenesis and metastasis; however, there is a lack of in vivo genetic evidence to prove whether agrin derived from the tumors or endothelial cells (ECs) systemically should be the therapeutic target. To date, the physiological role of endothelial agrin has also not been investigated. In the EC-specific agrin knockout mice, we observed normal endothelial and haematopoietic cell development during embryogenesis. Moreover, these mice develop normal vascular barrier integrity and vasoreactivity at the adult stage. Importantly, the growth of localized or metastatic cancer cells was not affected after implantation into endothelial agrin depleted mice. Mechanistically, agrin did not regulate endothelial ERK1/2, YAP or p53 activation in vivo that is central to support endothelial proliferation, survival and invasion. Cumulatively, our findings may suggest that agrin could play a redundant role in endothelial development during physiological and tumor angiogenesis. Targeting the endothelial derived agrin might not be effective in inhibiting tumor angiogenesis.
Coronary Computed Tomography Angiographic Predictors of Non-culprit Territory Unrecognized Myocardial Infarction Assessed by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in Non-ST-elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: Matsuda Kazuki , Hoshino Masahiro , Kanaji Yoshihisa , Sugiyama Tomoyo , Misawa Toru , Hada Masahiro , Nagamine Tatsuhiro , Nogami Kai , Sayama Kodai , Teng Yun , Ueno Hiroki , Yonetsu Taishi , Sasano Tetsuo , Kakuta Tsunekazu
Published: January 2022

Objectives

This study sought to assess the predictors of coronary computed tomography angiographic findings for non-infarct-related (non-IR) territory unrecognized myocardial infarction (UMI) in patients with a first episode of non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS).

Background

UMI detected by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with both acute coronary syndrome and chronic coronary syndrome. However, the association between the presence of UMI and coronary computed tomography angiographic (CCTA) findings remains unknown.

Methods

We investigated 158 patients with a first clinical episode of NSTE-ACS, who underwent pre-PCI 320-slice CCTA and uncomplicated urgent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) within 48 h of admission. In these patients, post-PCI CMR was performed within 30 days from urgent PCI and before non-IR lesion staged PCI. UMI was assessed using late gadolinium enhancement (LGE)-CMR by identifying regions of hyperenhancement with an ischemic distribution pattern in non-IR territories (non-IR UMI). CCTA analysis included qualitative and quantitative assessments of the culprit segment, Agatston score, mean peri-coronary fat attenuation index (FAI), epicardial fat volume (EFV) and epicardial fat attenuation (EFA).

Results

Non-IR UMI was detected in 30 vessel territories (9.7%, 30/308 vessels) of 28 patients (17.7%, 28/158 patients). The presence of low-attenuation plaque, spotty calcification, napkin ring sign, and positive remodeling was not significantly different between vessels with and without subtended non-IR UMI. Agatston score >30.0 (OR: 8.39, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.17 to 32.45, p = 0.002), mean FAI >-64.3 (OR: 3.23, 95% CI: 1.34 to 7.81, p = 0.009), and stenosis severity (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.06, p < 0.001) were independently associated with non-IR UMI. Neither EFV (p = 0.340) nor EFA (p = 0.700) was associated with non-IR UMI.

Conclusion

The prevalence of non-IR UMI was 17.7 % in patients with first NSTE-ACS presentation. Agatston score, mean FAI, and coronary stenosis severity were independent CCTA predictors of the presence of non-IR UMI. The integrated CCTA assessment may help identify the presence of non-IR UMI before urgent PCI.
E-Selectin-Overexpressing Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy Confers Improved Reperfusion, Repair, and Regeneration in a Murine Critical Limb Ischemia Model
Authors: Quiroz Hallie J. , Valencia Samantha F. , Shao Hongwei , Li Yan , Ortiz Yulexi Y. , Parikh Punam P. , Lassance-Soares Roberta M. , Vazquez-Padron Roberto I. , Liu Zhao-Jun , Velazquez Omaida C.
Published: January 2022

Aims

Novel cell-based therapeutic angiogenic treatments for patients with critical limb ischemia may afford limb salvage. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) do not overexpress E-selectin; however, we have previously demonstrated the cell-adhesion molecule's vital role in angiogenesis and wound healing. Thus, we created a viral vector to overexpress E-selectin on MSCs to increase their therapeutic profile.

Methods and Results

Femoral artery ligation induced hind limb ischemia in mice and intramuscular injections were administered of vehicle or syngeneic donor MSCs, transduced ex vivo with an adeno-associated viral vector to express either GFP+ (MSCGFP) or E-selectin-GFP+ (MSCE−selectin−GFP). Laser Doppler Imaging demonstrated significantly restored reperfusion in MSCE−selectin−GFP-treated mice vs. controls. After 3 weeks, the ischemic limbs in mice treated with MSCE−selectin−GFP had increased footpad blood vessel density, hematoxylin and eosin stain (H&E) ischemic calf muscle sections revealed mitigated muscular atrophy with restored muscle fiber size, and mice were able to run further before exhaustion. PCR array-based gene profiling analysis identified nine upregulated pro-angiogenic/pro-repair genes and downregulated Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) gene in MSCE−selectin−GFP-treated limb tissues, indicating that the therapeutic effect is likely achieved via upregulation of pro-angiogenic cytokines and downregulation of inflammation.

Conclusion

This innovative cell therapy confers increased limb reperfusion, neovascularization, improved functional recovery, decreased muscle atrophy, and thus offers a potential therapeutic method for future clinical studies.
Noninvasive Aortic Ultrafast Pulse Wave Velocity Associated With Framingham Risk Model: in vivo Feasibility Study
Authors: Kang Jinbum , Han Kanghee , Hyung Jihyun , Hong Geu-Ru , Yoo Yangmo
Published: January 2022

Background

Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) enables the direct assessment of aortic stiffness, which is an independent risk factor of cardiovascular (CV) events. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between aortic PWV and CV risk model classified into three groups based on the Framingham risk score (FRS), i.e., low-risk (<10%), intermediate-risk (10~20%) and high-risk (>20%).

Methods

To noninvasively estimate local PWV in an abdominal aorta, a high-spatiotemporal resolution PWV measurement method (>1 kHz) based on wide field-of-view ultrafast curved array imaging (ufcPWV) is proposed. In the ufcPWV measurement, a new aortic wall motion tracking algorithm based on adaptive reference frame update is performed to compensate errors from temporally accumulated out-of-plane motion. In addition, an aortic pressure waveform is simultaneously measured by applanation tonometry, and a theoretical PWV based on the Bramwell-Hill model (bhPWV) is derived. A total of 69 subjects (aged 23–86 years) according to the CV risk model were enrolled and examined with abdominal ultrasound scan.

Results

The ufcPWV was significantly correlated with bhPWV (r = 0.847, p < 0.01), and it showed a statistically significant difference between low- and intermediate-risk groups (5.3 ± 1.1 vs. 8.3 ± 3.1 m/s, p < 0.01), and low- and high-risk groups (5.3 ± 1.1 vs. 10.8 ± 2.5 m/s, p < 0.01) while there is no significant difference between intermediate- and high-risk groups (8.3 ± 3.1 vs. 10.8 ± 2.5 m/s, p = 0.121). Moreover, it showed a significant difference between two evaluation groups [low- (<10%) vs. higher-risk group (≥10%)] (5.3 ± 1.1 vs. 9.4 ± 3.1 m/s, p < 0.01) when the intermediate- and high-risk groups were merged into a higher-risk group.

Conclusion

This feasibility study based on CV risk model demonstrated that the aortic ufcPWV measurement has the potential to be a new approach to overcome the limitations of conventional systemic measurement methods in the assessment of aortic stiffness.
Interaction of Lipids, Mean Platelet Volume, and the Severity of Coronary Artery Disease Among Chinese Adults: A Mediation Analysis
Authors: Yao Yao , Li Xiaoye , Wang Zi , Ji Qiuyi , Xu Qing , Yan Yan , Lv Qianzhou
Published: January 2022

Objective

Currently, coronary artery disease (CAD) is regarded as one of the leading global disease burdens. Evidence proved that platelet activation in dyslipidemia induced CAD, however, their interaction has not been well-established in vivo. This study aims to assess the mediation effects of mean platelet volume (MPV) in lipids and the severity of CAD.

Methods

We prospectively enrolled 5,188 consecutive subjects who underwent coronary angiography between 2015 and 2020. Participants were grouped according to their CAD events, which was defined as stenosis ≥50% in at least one coronary artery, and whose severity was evaluated by the Gensini score (GS). A lipid index was drawn by principal component analysis to weight related lipid parameters including total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), non-HDL-C, apolipoprotein (apo) A1 B. The interaction of lipids and MPV in atherosclerosis was evaluated by the mediation analysis.

Results

Lipid index increased with elevated GS irrespective of statin status (not on statin: β = 0.100, p < 0.001; on statin: β = 0.082, p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression indicated positive correlation between MPV and GS after adjustment (β = 0.171, p < 0.001). Subjects in the highest MPV tertile had higher levels of atherogenic lipid parameters and lipid index (p < 0.001). The adjusted odds ratios were greater among individuals undergoing statin medications who had high GS and higher MPV levels by elevated lipid index tertiles [1.168 (0.893–1.528) vs. 2.068 (1.552–2.756) vs. 1.764 (1.219–2.551)]. The combination of lipid index and MPV provided better prediction for high GS than individual lipid index or MPV, as shown by receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves (areas under ROC curves were 0.700 and 0.673 in subjects on or not on statin treatment, respectively). Significantly, mediation analysis revealed the mediation interaction of lipid index on GS by MPV, whose effect size reached 20.71 and 20.07% in participants with or without statin medications.

Conclusion

The increased risk of dyslipidemia on CAD was partly enhanced by elevated MPV levels, whose mediating effect was around 20%.
Genetic Determinants of Visit-to-Visit Lipid Variability: Genome-Wide Association Study in Statin-Naïve Korean Population
Authors: Park Jun-Bean , Shin Eunsoon , Lee Jong-Eun , Lee Seung Jae , Lee Heesun , Choi Su-Yeon , Choe Eun Kyung , Choi Seung Ho , Park Hyo Eun
Published: January 2022

Background and Aim

There is a growing evidence that fluctuation in lipid profiles is important in cardiovascular outcomes. We aimed to identify single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variants associated with low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) variability in statin-naïve Korean subjects and evaluate their associations with coronary atherosclerosis.

Methods

In statin-naïve subjects from Gene-Environment of Interaction and phenotype cohort, we performed genome-wide association studies of lipid variability; the discovery (first) and replication (second) sets included 4,287 and 1,086 subjects, respectively. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and degree of coronary artery stenosis were used as outcome measures. Cholesterol variability was determined by standard deviation and average successive variability, and significant coronary atherosclerosis was defined as CAC score ≥400 or coronary stenosis ≥70%.

Results

Mean HDL-C and LDL-C level were 54 ± 12 and 123 ± 30 mg/dL in the first set and 53 ± 12 and 126 ± 29 mg/dL in the second set. APOA5 rs662799 and APOA5 rs2266788 were associated with LDL-C variability and PXDNL rs80056520, ALDH2 rs671, HECTD4 rs2074356, and CETP rs2303790 were SNPs associated for HDL-C variability. APOA5 rs662799 passed Bonferroni correction with p-value of 1.789 × 10−9. Among the SNPs associated with cholesterol variability, rs80056520 and rs2266788 variants were associated with CACS ≥400 and coronary stenosis ≥70% and rs662799 variant was associated with coronary stenosis ≥70%.

Conclusion

Two SNPs associated with LDL-C variability (APOA5 rs662799 and rs2266788) and one SNP associated with HDL-C variability (PXDNL rs80056520) were significantly associated with advanced coronary artery stenosis. Combining GWAS results with imaging parameters, our study may provide a deeper understanding of underlying pathogenic basis of the link between lipid variability and coronary atherosclerosis.
Ancient and Modern Geochemical Signatures in the 13,500-Year Sedimentary Record of Lake Cadagno
Authors: Berg Jasmine S. , Lepine Mathilde , Laymand Emile , Han Xingguo , Vogel Hendrik , Morlock Marina A. , Gajendra Niroshan , Gilli Adrian , Bernasconi Stefano M. , Schubert Carsten J. , Su Guangyi , Lever Mark A.
Published: January 2022

Although lake sediments are globally important organic carbon sinks and therefore important habitats for deep microbial life, the deep lacustrine biosphere has thus far been little studied compared to its marine counterpart. To investigate the impact of the underexplored deep lacustrine biosphere on the sediment geochemical environment and vice versa, we performed a comprehensive microbiological and geochemical characterization of a sedimentary sequence from Lake Cadagno covering its entire environmental history since formation following glacial retreat. We found that both geochemical gradients and microbial community shifts across the ∼13.5 kyr subsurface sedimentary record reflect redox changes in the lake, going from oxic to anoxic and sulfidic. Most microbial activity occurs within the top 20 cm of sediment, where millimolar sulfate concentrations diffusing in from the bottom water are almost completely consumed. In deeper sediment layers, organic carbon remineralization is much slower but microorganisms nonetheless subsist on fermentation, sulfur cycling, metal reduction, and methanogenesis. The most surprising finding was the presence of a deep, oxidizing groundwater source. This water source generates an inverse redox gradient at the bottom of the sedimentary sequence and could contribute to the remineralization of organic matter sequestered in the energy-limited deep subsurface.
The Influence of the Distribution Characteristics of Complex Natural Fracture on the Hydraulic Fracture Propagation Morphology
Authors: Zhao Huan , Li Wei , Wang Lei , Fu Jing , Xue Yun Long , Zhu Jian Jun , Li Si Qi
Published: January 2022

Natural fractures are common in unconventional reservoirs (e.g., tight oil and gas, shale oil and gas), for which hydraulic fracturing is the main exploitation method. Natural fractures influence the propagation and final transformation effect of hydraulic fractures, which is an important factor for fracture optimization design. In this work, the method of globally embedding zero-thickness cohesive zone elements is applied to establish a dynamic propagation model of hydraulic fractures in naturally fractured reservoirs, and the influence of natural fracture development on the fracture propagation patterns is investigated. The results show that the hydraulic fracture propagation paths in fractured reservoirs are highly complex, and steering, branching, and merging of the propagation paths may occur. When the natural fracture development is small, the fracture propagation pattern is mainly influenced by the minimum horizontal principal stress. In contrast, when the natural fracture development is large, the fracture propagation pattern is influenced by the natural fracture distribution. With increasing natural fracture angle, hydraulic fractures can easily pass through natural fractures and form wide fracturs. Higher numbers of natural fracture groups and fractal dimensions increase the number of fracture propagation directions and communicating natural fractures, and the fractures tend to be narrow and complex.
Source Identification of brGDGTs in the Surface Sediments of the East China Sea
Authors: Wang Yipeng , Yang Jialei , Wang Guichen , Zhang Yinyi , Zhang Rui , Li Tiegang , Russell James , Wang Jiayue , Wang Xinling , Zhang Fan , Song Yuehua , Yu Xiaoxiao , Hu Junjie , Liu Zhiyong , Guan Minglei , Han Qi
Published: January 2022

Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) are components of bacterial membranes in terrestrial soils, which are widely used in paleoenvironmental reconstruction in global terrestrial soils and marine sediments. In marine sediments, the mixed sources of brGDGTs complicate the applications of brGDGT-related indicators in reconstructing terrestrial environments. In this study, we reported the spatial distribution of brGDGT-related indicators (MBTʹ 5ME, CBTʹ 5ME, #Ringstetra, and IIIa/IIa) in surface sediments from the East China Sea (ECS). MBTʹ 5ME and CBTʹ 5ME showed a stepped trend from the inner shelf to the outer shelf, and #Ringstetra and ∑IIIa/∑IIa values in sediments of the ECS are distinct compared with those in the catchment soils, suggesting marine in situ production of brGDGTs. We also examined the existence of marine in situ brGDGTs and quantitatively determined the contributions of terrestrial and in situ production of brGDGTs. This study reported mixed sources of soil-derived brGDGTs were dominant, and marine in situ brGDGTs were overprinted. Our results indicate that there were predominantly marine in situ brGDGTs (avg. 60.5 ± 5.5%) in the outer shelf due to the weak riverine transportation and were characterized by high #Ringstetra and IIIa/IIa.
The Effect of Mentoring on Undergraduate Mentors: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Leavitt Andrew S. , Nelson Kari L. , Cutucache Christine E.
Published: January 2022

Multiple meta-analyses and systematic reviews have been conducted to evaluate methodological rigor in research on the effect that mentoring has on the mentee. However, little reliable information exists regarding the effect of mentoring on the mentor. As such, we conducted a systematic review of the literature focused on such an effect (if any) within the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), aiming to better understand the quality of the research that has been conducted. We focused on undergraduate or post-secondary students as mentors for near-peers and/or youth. This review functions to identify commonalities and disparities of the mentoring program and research components and further promote methodological rigor on the subject by providing a more consistent description of the metrics utilized across studies. We analyzed articles from 2013 to 2020 to determine the features of undergraduate mentor programs and research, the methodological rigor of research applied, and compared them to prior research of this nature. In total, 80 eligible articles were identified through Cronbach’s UTOS framework and evaluated. Our key findings were that nearly all studies employed non-experimental designs, most with solely qualitative measurements and all lacked a full description of program components and/or experimental design, including theoretical framework. Overall, we identified the following best practice suggestions for future research on the effect of mentoring on mentors, specifically: the employment of longitudinal and exploratory mixed methods designs, utilizing sequential collection, and experimental descriptions nested within a theoretical framework.
A Chinese Patent Medicine JiaYanKangTai Alleviates Inflammatory Lesions of Experimental Autoimmune Thyroiditis by Regulating Interleukin-17 Signaling
Authors: Pan Yajing , Zhang Qiue , Zhang Chengfei , Wu Lili , Qin Lingling , Liu Tonghua , Hu Kaiwen
Published: January 2022

Objective

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of JiaYanKangTai (JYKT) on regulating interleukin-17 (IL-17) signaling in rats with autoimmune thyroiditis.

Methods

Lewis rats were administrated with JYKT for eight weeks after a seven-week subcutaneous injection of thyroglobulin with adjuvant and feeding iodine water. Ultrasonography was performed and total volume of thyroid was calculated. The expressions of autoantibodies and hormones were detected. Morphological changes of thyroid were observed. Metabolomics profile and metabolic network analysis were conducted. IL-17 signaling was detected by polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry separately.

Results

JYKT reduced the mean volumes of thyroid, decreased both levels of TPOAb and TGAb, and alleviated lymphocytic infiltration of the thyroid. Metabolic network analysis of metabolomics proved IL-17 signaling pathway as a critical pathway in JYKT administration for autoimmune thyroiditis. JYKT downregulated expressions of IL-17A, TRAF6, p-ERK1/2 and TNF-α.

Conclusion

JYKT alleviated inflammatory lesions of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis by regulating IL-17 signaling.
Building Structure-Property Relationships of Cycloalkanes in Support of Their Use in Sustainable Aviation Fuels
Authors: Landera Alexander , Bambha Ray P. , Hao Naijia , Desai Sai Puneet , Moore Cameron M. , Sutton Andrew D. , George Anthe
Published: January 2022

In 2018 13.7 EJ of fuel were consumed by the global commercial aviation industry. Worldwide, demand will increase into the foreseeable future. Developing Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs), with decreased CO2 and soot emissions, will be pivotal to the on-going mitigation efforts against global warming. Minimizing aromatics in aviation fuel is desirable because of the high propensity of aromatics to produce soot during combustion. Because aromatics cause o-rings to swell, they are important for maintaining engine seals, and must be present in at least 8 vol% under ASTM-D7566. Recently, cycloalkanes have been shown to exhibit some o-ring swelling behavior, possibly making them an attractive substitute to decrease the aromatic content of aviation fuel. Cycloalkanes must meet specifications for a number of other physical properties to be compatible with jet fuel, and these properties can vary greatly with the cycloalkane chemical structure, making their selection difficult. Building a database of structure-property relationships (SPR) for cycloalkanes greatly facilitates their furthered inclusion into aviation fuels. The work presented in this paper develops SPRs by building a data set that includes physical properties important to the aviation industry. The physical properties considered are energy density, specific energy, melting point, density, flashpoint, the Hansen solubility parameter, and the yield sooting index (YSI). Further, our data set includes cycloalkanes drawn from the following structural groups: fused cycloalkanes, n-alkylcycloalkanes, branched cycloalkanes, multiple substituted cycloalkanes, and cycloalkanes with different ring sizes. In addition, a select number of cycloalkanes are blended into Jet-A fuel (POSF-10325) at 10 and 30 wt%. Comparison of neat and blended physical properties are presented. One major finding is that ring expanded systems, those with more than six carbons, have excellent potential for inclusion in SAFs. Our data also indicate that polysubstituted cycloalkanes have higher YSI values.
Time-Resolved Particle Image Velocimetry Measurements and Proper Orthogonal Decomposition Analysis of Unsteady Flow in a Centrifugal Impeller Passage
Authors: Chen Bo , Li Xiaojun , Zhu Zuchao
Published: January 2022

Time-resolved particle image velocimetry (TR-PIV) measurements were conducted to analyze the unsteady flow field developing in a centrifugal pump. The flow structures in the impeller passage under different flow rates were investigated. The overall statistical characteristics of the flow were obtained with the study of relative phase-averaged flow field, phase-averaged turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), and the analysis of frequency. Through the study of the first few proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) modes of the flow field, the coherent flow structures under several flow rates were revealed, consequently, the flow fields were reconstructed by the POD modes. Results show that the main flow structures could be reflected by the first few modes of the flow field: when the fluid follows the blade contour well, the first few modes corresponded to the “jet-wake” structures; when the large-scale flow structures appear in the passage, the 1st and 2nd modes were associated in pairs and corresponded to the stall cells, the 3rd and 4th modes corresponded to the “jet-wake” structures, and the 5th and 6th modes corresponded to the passage vortexes or the “jet-wake” structures (for the extreme part-load conditions). The flow structures that were reflected by the first few modes change as the decrease of flow rate, especially, at the extreme part-load condition, not only the shapes of the flow structures changed, but also the flow direction is reversed. This indicates that the generation mechanism of turbulent kinetic energy in the flow passage changed at the extreme part-load conditions.
Sci/Comm Scholars: A Facilitated Peer-To-Peer Working Group for Integrating Rhetorical and Social Scientific Approaches for Inclusive Science Communication
Authors: King-Kostelac Amelia , Gomez Eres A. , Finucane Mary M. , Gorton Sarah , Killian Jamie L. , Walker Kenneth , Bush Janis K. , Smith Jennifer A.
Published: January 2022

Graduate students emerging from STEM programs face inequitable professional landscapes in which their ability to practice inclusive and effective science communication with interdisciplinary and public audiences is essential to their success. Yet these students are rarely offered the opportunity to learn and practice inclusive science communication in their graduate programs. Moreover, minoritized students rarely have the opportunity to validate their experiences among peers and develop professional sensibilities through research training. In this article, the authors offer the Science Communication (Sci/Comm) Scholar’s working group at The University of Texas at San Antonio as one model for training graduate students in human dimensions and inclusive science communication for effective public engagement in thesis projects and beyond. The faculty facilitated peer-to-peer working group encouraged participation by women who often face inequities in STEM workplaces. Early results indicate that team-based training in both the science and art of public engagement provides critical exposure to help students understand the methodological care needed for human dimensions research, and to facilitate narrative-based citizen science engagements. The authors demonstrate this through several brief profiles of environmental science graduate students’ thesis projects. Each case emphasizes the importance of research design for public engagement via quantitative surveys and narrative-based science communication interventions. Through a faculty facilitated peer-to-peer working group framework, research design and methodological care function as an integration point for social scientific and rhetorical training for inclusive science communication with diverse audiences.
Dominance of Diffusive Methane Emissions From Lowland Headwater Streams Promotes Oxidation and Isotopic Enrichment
Authors: Robison Andrew L. , Wollheim Wilfred M. , Perryman Clarice R. , Cotter Annie R. , Mackay Jessica E. , Varner Ruth K. , Clarizia Paige , Ernakovich Jessica G.
Published: January 2022

Inland waters are the largest natural source of methane (CH4) to the atmosphere, yet the contribution from small streams to this flux is not clearly defined. To fully understand CH4 emissions from streams and rivers, we must consider the relative importance of CH4 emission pathways, the prominence of microbially-mediated production and oxidation of CH4, and the isotopic signature of emitted CH4. Here, we construct a complete CH4 emission budgets for four lowland headwater streams by quantifying diffusive CH4 emissions and comparing them to previously published rates of ebullitive emissions. We also examine the isotopic composition of CH4 along with the sediment microbial community to investigate production and oxidation across the streams. We find that all four streams are supersaturated with respect to CH4 with diffusive emissions accounting for approximately 78–100% of total CH4 emissions. Isotopic and microbial data suggest CH4 oxidation is prevalent across the streams, depleting approximately half of the dissolved CH4 pool before emission. We propose a conceptual model of CH4 production, oxidation, and emission from small streams, where the dominance of diffusive emissions is greater compared to other aquatic ecosystems, and the impact of CH4 oxidation is observable in the emitted isotopic values. As a result, we suggest the CH4 emitted from small streams is isotopically heavy compared to lentic ecosystems. Our results further demonstrate streams are important components of the global CH4 cycle yet may be characterized by a unique pattern of cycling and emission that differentiate them from other aquatic ecosystems.
Heatwave-Like Events During Development Are Sufficient to Impair Bumblebee Worker Responses to Sensory Stimuli
Authors: Perl Craig D. , Johansen Zanna B. , Moradinour Zahra , Guiraud Marie , Restrepo C. E. , Wen Jie Vun , Miettinen A. , Baird Emily
Published: January 2022

Heatwaves are increasingly common globally and are known to have detrimental impacts on animal morphology and behaviour. These impacts can be severe, especially if heatwaves occur during development, even on animals that can regulate the temperature of their developing young. The onset and duration of heatwaves are stochastic and therefore may affect all or only part of development. In the heterothermic bumblebee Bombus terrestris, elevated temperatures over the entirety of development cause morphological changes in adults, despite their capability to regulate brood temperature. However, the effects of heatwaves that occur during a short period of development are unclear. We test the impact of elevated developmental temperature during the latter fraction of development on the behaviour and morphology of adult worker B. terrestris. We show that exposure to elevated temperature over a portion of late development is sufficient to impair the initial behavioural responses of workers to various sensory stimuli. Despite this, exposure to elevated temperatures during a period of development did not have any significant impact on body or organ size. The negative effect of elevated developmental temperatures was independent of the exposure time, which lasted from 11–20 days at the end of the workers’ developmental period. Thus, heat stress in bumblebees can manifest without morphological indicators and impair critical behavioural responses to relevant sensory stimuli, even if only present for a short period of time at the end of development. This has important implications for our understanding of deleterious climactic events and how we measure indicators of stress in pollinators.
Double Infections of the Invasive Ladybird Harmonia axyridis
Authors: de Groot Michiel D. , Haelewaters Danny
Published: January 2022

The dramatic spread of invasive alien species over the past century is considered to be an important threat to ecosystems worldwide. The harlequin ladybird,Harmonia axyridis, from eastern Asia, is considered to be one of the most invasive species. Originally introduced across the world as a biological control agent against crop pests owing to its voracious appetite and hardiness, those same qualities have madeH. axyridisan invader that is difficult to eradicate.Harmonia axyridishas proven resilient against a variety of pathogens that have negative effects on other coccinellids. However, little research has examined the effects of simultaneous infections of multiple natural enemies onH. axyridis. Here we present the available information on such double infections onH. axyridis, and discuss further research directions in this area.
KeyPathwayMineR: De Novo Pathway Enrichment in the R Ecosystem
Authors: Mechteridis Konstantinos , Lauber Michael , Baumbach Jan , List Markus
Published: January 2022

De novo pathway enrichment is a systems biology approach in which OMICS data are projected onto a molecular interaction network to identify subnetworks representing condition-specific functional modules and molecular pathways. Compared to classical pathway enrichment analysis methods, de novo pathway enrichment is not limited to predefined lists of pathways from (curated) databases and thus particularly suited for discovering novel disease mechanisms. While several tools have been proposed for pathway enrichment, the integration of de novo pathway enrichment in end-to-end OMICS analysis workflows in the R programming language is currently limited to a single tool. To close this gap, we have implemented an R package KeyPathwayMineR (KPM-R). The package extends the features and usability of existing versions of KeyPathwayMiner by leveraging the power, flexibility and versatility of R and by providing various novel functionalities for performing data preparation, visualization, and comparison. In addition, thanks to its interoperability with a plethora of existing R packages in e.g., Bioconductor, CRAN, and GitHub, KPM-R allows carrying out the initial preparation of the datasets and to meaningfully interpret the extracted subnetworks. To demonstrate the package’s potential, KPM-R was applied to bulk RNA-Seq data of nasopharyngeal swabs from SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals, and on single cell RNA-Seq data of aging mice tissue from the Tabula Muris Senis atlas.
Trends and Health Risk of Trace Metals in Fishes in Liaodong Bay, China, From 2015 to 2020
Authors: Wang Sujing , Zheng Na , Sun Siyu , An Qirui , Li Pengyang , Li Xiaoqian , Li Zimeng , Zhang Wenhui
Published: January 2022

Due to their toxicity, non-biodegradability, and biological amplification in the food chain, heavy metal accumulation in humans via the consumption of fishes has become a problem. In this study, we analyzed the concentrations of six trace metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) in 12 marine fish species collected from Liaodong Bay, China, from 2015 to 2020, to understand the pollution status of the bay and evaluate the impact of fish consumption on human health. In addition, 5 fish species with the potential to serve as bioindicators of metal contamination were identified. In general, the average concentrations were Zn > Pb ≈ Cr > Ni ≈ Cu > Cd. There were significant differences in the concentrations in the muscle tissues of fish with different feeding strategies. The total target hazard quotient values of some fish were greater than 1 in 2015, suggesting that people were susceptible to high health risks. The year 2017 had the lowest values, which suggests that metal pollution in Liaodong Bay may have been decreasing at that time. Monitoring of metal concentrations in marine fish from Liaodong Bay warrants more study.
Modeling the Growth Potential of the Kelp Saccharina Latissima in the North Atlantic
Authors: Strong-Wright Jago , Taylor John R.
Published: January 2022

It has recently been proposed that macroalgae (e.g., kelp) could be grown in the open ocean as a CO2 removal strategy. Most macroalgae naturally grow in shallow coastal waters, and their ability to grow in open ocean conditions is largely untested. Here we quantify macroalgae growth potential in the North Atlantic using an established model of Saccharina latissima forced by an ocean state estimate. In the relatively clear open ocean waters, we find that growth is possible to depths of up to 50 m across most of the region, with the maximum depth-integrated growth potential between 40 and 50°N. The model exhibits a large carbon to nitrogen ratio at the southern end of the growth range. The ratio of kelp carbon to phytoplankton biomass is also relatively high in the southeastern portion of the growth range. Using a sensitivity analysis, we find that the position of the southern limit of the growth range is largely modulated by temperature tolerance on the western side of the basin in the Gulf Stream and low nitrate on the eastern side of the basin. We also find a statistically significant reduction in the kelp growth potential over the period from 2002 to 2019, reflecting the warming of the surface ocean over this period.
Temperate Kelp Forest Collapse by Fish Herbivory: A Detailed Demographic Study
Authors: Barrientos Sara , Piñeiro-Corbeira Cristina , Barreiro Rodolfo
Published: January 2022

Kelps dominate rocky shores in temperate latitudes, acting as important foundation species. Recently, kelp forests have received growing attention for their decline around the world. Climate change is one of the main drivers of their deforestation, both through abiotic stress and/or distortion of biotic interactions. In NW Spain, golden kelp (Laminaria ochroleuca) forests have recently declined in some areas due to excessive grazing. To further investigate the mechanisms behind this decline, a thorough 1-year seasonal demographic study was carried out on eight golden kelp reefs: four healthy and four degraded by herbivory. Kelps covered the full range of size classes throughout the year on healthy reefs. By contrast, only small, newly recruited kelps were found on degraded reefs in spring-summer, because excessive herbivory in autumn-winter caused a total collapse of kelp populations on a reef-scale (i.e., all kelps reduced to inviable stubs with no blade and no growth meristem). Bite marks in kelps covering all size classes showed that fishes, instead of invertebrates, were the culprits of the excessive herbivory. Recent studies, mostly conducted in the Indo-Pacific, also found that fish herbivory, alone or in combination with abiotic stressors, can maintain a canopy-free state in kelp reefs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that fish is also shown to cause the collapse of entire kelp forests on a reef scale in the temperate Atlantic. The implications of this finding for the management and potential recovery of degraded reefs are discussed.
Fatigue Behavior of Super Duplex Stainless Steel Exposed in Natural Seawater Under Cathodic Protection
Authors: Vucko Flavien , Ringot Geoffrey , Thierry Dominique , Larché Nicolas
Published: January 2022

Under operating conditions, alternated loading and fatigue are encountered, controlling the durability and safety of components and structures made of super duplex stainless steel (SDSS). In particular, the use of a cathodic protection (CP) system to protect the structure against corrosion can induce hydrogen charging of the SDSS. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the sensitivity of some industrial products made of SDSS 2507 (UNS S32750), without artificial thermal aging, under test conditions as close as possible to real environments. In situ fatigue tests under alternated 4-point bending conditions were conducted in natural seawater with and without CP. The fatigue behavior was evaluated as a function of environmental parameters, such as temperature, and material parameters, particularly the austenite spacing and microstructure around orbital welds by Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding and stress concentrations, through the presence of surface defects. The fatigue life obtained in air or in seawater at the open circuit potential (OCP) was rather similar. Fatigue life enhancement was systematically observed under CP particularly in the range of low applied load, despite evidence of brittle failure on the fracture surfaces of samples tested under CP. The data suggest immunity of the SDSS to hydrogen embrittlement under the present experimental conditions of fatigue testing.