bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Holocene paleotemperature reconstruction based on phytolith records of lacustrine sediments in the Badain Jaran Desert, northwestern China
Authors: Wang Yixin , Ning Kai , He Qinghua , Jie Dongmei , Guan Qingyu 
Published: September 2022

Quantitative reconstruction of regional paleotemperature is the key to understanding temperature change and its driving mechanisms. In this study, 133 phytolith samples were collected as proxy indicators from lacustrine sediments of the Zhunzhahanjilin (ZZH) profile in the hinterland of the Badain Jaran Desert, China. The phytolith samples were then analyzed to quantitatively reconstruct the Holocene paleotemperature at the millennial scale. Based on accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), 14C dates and an ordered clustering method were used to divide the phytoliths into five assemblage zones with environmental significance. The quantitative reconstruction results indicated that the paleotemperature in the Badain Jaran Desert was relatively high during the early Holocene (11,040–8,200 cal a BP), and the average paleotemperature was approximately 9.5°C. This may have led to increased melt water near the surrounding area and recharged the lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert, resulting in the expansion of the lakes during the early Holocene. The average paleotemperature during the middle Holocene (8,200–3,100 cal a BP) was approximately 7.9°C. This period was warm and the environment was humid, with extensive precipitation from summer monsoons and low evaporation leading to higher water levels in the lakes. The paleotemperature decreased during the late Holocene (3,100 cal a BP to the present), and lakes retreated or dried up because of the decreased summer monsoon rains. The Holocene paleotemperature in the Badain Jaran Desert may have been related to July insolation in the Northern Hemisphere and had a range of impacts on the hydrological cycle in this arid region.
Migration law of different top coal thicknesses in top coal caving
Authors: Nan Hua , Wang Shuai 
Published: September 2022

Top coal caving has become one of the main mining methods for thick and extrathick coal seams. Because of coal seam conditions, the top coal thickness is not constant. It is necessary to study the influence of top coal thickness changes on the top-coal-caving mining process. To explore the migration law of top coal failure, the experimental means of similar simulation experiment, numerical simulation experiment and field monitoring data were used. Through a similar simulation test of three different top coal thicknesses, the change rule of top coal migration was analyzed. Moreover, the stress and displacement changes of a 14 m coal seam over a thick top coal caving face were monitored and analyzed comprehensively with the simulation results. The results show that when the top coal thickness is unchanged, the top coal vertical displacement in the upper part is larger than that in the middle part due to the top plate rotation in front of the working face, and the stress change follows an opposite trend. The simulation results were the same as the field test results. When the top coal thickness is changed, whether it is upper top coal or middle top coal, the top coal displacement and stress changes will increase. The top coal migration will be more obvious, and thus the crushing will be more serious.
Inverse association between blood ethylene oxide levels and obesity in the general population: NHANES 2013–2016
Authors: Cheang Iokfai , Zhu Xu , Zhu Qingqing , Li Menghuan , Liao Shengen , Zuo Zhi , Yao Wenming , Zhou Yanli , Zhang Haifeng , Li Xinli 
Published: September 2022

BackgroundEthylene oxide (EO) has been shown to associate with increased cardiovascular risk. This study aimed to explore the relationship and its meditating factors between EO exposure and the major cardiovascular risk factor of obesity among the general adult population.MethodsCross-sectional data of 3,220 participants from National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013–2016 were enrolled. Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2, and abdominal obesity was defined as waist circumference (WC) ≥102 cm in men and ≥88 cm in women. The association among hemoglobin adduct of EO (HbEO), inflammatory biomarkers, and obesity was evaluated using restricted cubic splines and the multivariable linear regression model. Mediation analysis was used to further assess their association.ResultsThe increased quartiles of HbEO were inversely associated with BMI and WC [Q1 vs. Q4, BMI: β = −2.98 (−3.74, −2.22), WC: β = −6.50 (−8.60, −4.39); all p for trend &lt; 0.05], and were inversely associated with obesity after full adjustment [obesity: OR = 0.43 (0.31, 0.58), abdominal obesity: OR = 0.42 (0.27, 0.65); all p for trend &lt; 0.05]. The levels of alkaline phosphatase, white blood cells, lymphocytes, and neutrophils were also positively associated with BMI and WC (all p &lt; 0.05). Mediation analysis showed that exposure of EO not only had a negative direct effect on BMI and WC, but also generated an inverse indirect effect.ConclusionsCurrent findings showed an inverse association between HbEO and obesity, and suggested that systemic inflammation may not be their only mediator. Additional research is required to explore the underlying link of EO and system metabolism.
Long-term survival outcomes of pediatric adrenal malignancies: An analysis with the upstaged SEER registry during 2000-2019
Authors: Lv Zemin , Yu Yunyun , Luo Yangmei , Lin Song , Xiang Xuang , Mao Xiaowen , Cheng Shigang 
Published: September 2022

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and long-term survival outcomes of pediatric adrenal malignancies.MethodThis study retrospectively analyzed children with pathologically confirmed pediatric adrenal malignancies from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Database from 2000 to 2019. Kaplan-Meier curve was used to assess the overall survival (OS) and cancer-special survival (CSS), and the Log-Rank method was used to calculate statistical differences. Cox proportional hazards model and Fine-and-Grey model were used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) of all-cause mortality risk and the sub-distribution HR (sHR) of disease-specific mortality risk, respectively, and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI).Results1601 children were included in the study in which 1335 (83.4%) neuroblastoma, 151 (9.4%) ganglioneuroblastoma, 89 (5.6%) adrenocortical carcinoma, and 26 (1.6%) were diagnosed with other types malignancies. Metastatic disease accounted for the largest proportion (69.3%), and the proportion of metastases diagnosed by neuroblastoma was higher than that of adrenocortical carcinoma and ganglioneuroblastoma (73.9% vs. 45.7% vs. 47.2%). The 5-year OS and CSS of all cohort were 69.5% and 70.5%, respectively. Adrenal cortical carcinoma had the worst prognosis, with 5-year OS and CSS of 52.5% and 53.1%, respectively. Patients in recent years had no better OS and CSS than in previous years at diagnosis. The tumor stage remained the main prognostic predictor. Compared to metastatic adrenal tumors, the risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted HR: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.06-0.25, P &lt; 0.001) and the risk of disease-specific mortality (adjusted sHR: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.05-0.25, P&lt;0.001) was significantly lower for patients with localized diseases. Additionally, higher age, adrenal cortical carcinoma, and lack of complete tumor resection are independent risk factors for poor prognosis. Furthermore, it was found that the prognosis of patients who received chemotherapy was worse than those who did not, mainly because the former mostly had metastasis at the presentation and complete resection of the tumor cannot be achieved.ConclusionThe clinicopathological characteristics of pediatric adrenal malignancies have not changed significantly in the past two decades, while the prognosis of patients has improved. Early diagnosis of disease and complete resection of local tumors are the keys to improving prognosis.
Pleistocene climate and geomorphology drive the evolution and phylogeographic pattern of Triplophysa robusta (Kessler, 1876)
Authors: Zhong Hui , Sun Yaxian , Wu Huihui , Li Shengnan , Shen Zhongyuan , Yang Conghui , Wen Ming , Chen Peng , Gu Qianhong 
Published: September 2022

Montane systems provide excellent opportunities to study the rapid radiation influenced by geological and climatic processes. We assessed the role of Pleistocene climatic oscillations and mountain building on the evolution history of Triplophysa robusta, a cold-adapted species restricted to high elevations in China. We found seven differentiated sublineages of T. robusta, which were established during the Mid Pleistocene 0.87–0.61 Mya. The species distribution modeling (SDM) showed an expansion of T. robusta during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and a considerable retraction during the Last Interglacial (LIG). The deep divergence between Clade I distributed in Qinling Mountains and Clade II in Northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) was mainly the result of a vicariance event caused by the rapid uplifting of Qinling Mountains during the Early Pleistocene. While the middling to high level of historical gene flow among different sublineages could be attributed to the dispersal events connected to the repetition of the glacial period during the Pleistocene. Our findings suggested that frequent range expansions and regressions due to Pleistocene glaciers likely have been crucial for driving the phylogeographic pattern of T. robusta. Finally, we urge a burning question in future conservation projection on the vulnerable cold-adapted species endemic to high elevations, as they would be negatively impacted by the recent rapid climate warming.
G × EBLUP: A novel method for exploring genotype by environment interactions and genomic prediction
Authors: Song Hailiang , Wang Xue , Guo Yi , Ding Xiangdong 
Published: September 2022

Genotype by environment (G × E) interaction is fundamental in the biology of complex traits and diseases. However, most of the existing methods for genomic prediction tend to ignore G × E interaction (GEI). In this study, we proposed the genomic prediction method G × EBLUP by considering GEI. Meanwhile, G × EBLUP can also detect the genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) subject to GEI. Using comprehensive simulations and analysis of real data from pigs and maize, we showed that G × EBLUP achieved higher efficiency in mapping GEI SNPs and higher prediction accuracy than the existing methods, and its superiority was more obvious when the GEI variance was large. For pig and maize real data, compared with GBLUP, G × EBLUP showed improvement by 3% in the prediction accuracy for backfat thickness, while our findings indicated that the trait of days to 100 kg of pig was not affected by GEI and G × EBLUP did not improve the accuracy of genomic prediction for the trait. A significant advantage was observed for G × EBLUP in maize; the prediction accuracy was improved by ∼5.0 and 7.7% for grain weight and water content, respectively. Furthermore, G × EBLUP was not influenced by the number of environment levels. It could determine a favourable environment using SNP Bayes factors for each environment, implying that it is a robust and useful method for market-specific animal and plant breeding. We proposed G × EBLUP, a novel method for the estimation of genomic breeding value by considering GEI. This method identified the genome-wide SNPs that were susceptible to GEI and yielded higher genomic prediction accuracies and lower mean squared error compared with the GBLUP method.
Case Report: The third-generation sequencing confirmed a novel 7.2 Kb deletion at β-globin gene in a patient with rare β-thalassemia
Authors: Zhong Guoxing , Zhong Zeyan , Guan Zhiyang , Chen Dina , Wu Zhiyong , Yang Kunxiang , Chen Dan , Liu Yinyin , Xu Ruofan , Chen Jianhong 
Published: September 2022

Background: Thalassemia was the most common monogenic diseases worldwide, which was caused by mutations, deletions or duplications in human globin genes which disturbed the synthesis balance between α- and β-globin chains of hemoglobin. There were many classics methods to diagnose thalassemia, but all of them had limitations. Although variations in the human β-globin gene cluster were mainly point mutations, novel large deletions had been described in recent years along with the development of DNA sequencing technology.Case report: We present a case of 32-year-old male with abnormal hematological results. However, 23 genotypes of the most common thalassemia were not detected by two independent conventional platforms. Finally, using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA), third-generation sequencing (TGS) and Gap PCR detection methods, we first confirmed the case with a novel 7.2 Kb deletion (Chr11:5222800-5230034, hg38) located at HBB gene.Conclusion: Our results showed that TGS technology was a powerful tool for thalassemia breakpoint detection, had promising potentiality in genetic screening of novel thalassemia, especially for the novel deletions in globin genes.
Comparison of intravitreal ranibizumab monotherapy vs. ranibizumab combined with dexamethasone implant for macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion
Authors: Liang Xuemei , Shen Baiyun , Ou Zuguo , An Hongmei , Li Li 
Published: September 2022

PurposeTo compare the efficacy and the injection number of intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) monotherapy vs. intravitreal ranibizumab plus dexamethasone (IVR + DEX) implants for macular edema (ME) secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO).MethodsThis prospective, control trial comprised 96 eyes of 96 patients with ME due to non-ischemic RVO divided into two groups. The IVR monotherapy group consisted of 61 patients (29 with CRVO and 32 with BRVO) treated with ranibizumab with three consecutive loading doses at a monthly + pro re nata (three + PRN) regimen. The IVR + DEX implant group consisted of 35 patients (19 with CRVO and 16 with BRVO) treated with intravitreal ranibizumab plus DEX implant. All eyes underwent best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA, log MAR), central foveal thickness (CFT), and intraocular pressure (IOP). In case of recurrence, each group received initial medication.ResultsAt the 12-month visit, the mean log MAR BCVA that was improved from baseline was 0.23 with the IVR group and 0.30 with the IVR + DEX group. CFT decreased on average by 420 ± 292 μm with the IVR group and 393 ± 259 μm with the IVR + DEX implant group. No significant differences were detected in BCVA improvement and CFT reduction between the two groups (p &gt; 0.05). The mean number of injections was 5.4 in the IVR group and 3.9 in the IVR + DEX implant group (p &lt; 0.001). The mean reinjection interval for patients with the IVR + DEX implant was 131.2 ± 8.9 days (range: 98–150). The incidence of high IOP and cataract progression were significantly higher in the IVR + DEX implant group than in the IVR group (both p &lt; 0.001).ConclusionIn RVO-ME, the IVR + DEX implant did not have synergistic efficacy, providing further improvement in BCVA and a reduction in CFT. However, the IVR + DEX implant still had an advantage in reducing the number of injections and prolonging the time between injections.
Strategies for dispersion of cariogenic biofilms: applications and mechanisms
Authors: Chen Rourong , Du Minquan , Liu Chang 
Published: September 2022

Bacteria residing within biofilms are more resistant to drugs than planktonic bacteria. They can thus play a significant role in the onset of chronic infections. Dispersion of biofilms is a promising avenue for the treatment of biofilm-associated diseases, such as dental caries. In this review, we summarize strategies for dispersion of cariogenic biofilms, including biofilm environment, signaling pathways, biological therapies, and nanovehicle-based adjuvant strategies. The mechanisms behind these strategies have been discussed from the components of oral biofilm. In the future, these strategies may provide great opportunities for the clinical treatment of dental diseases.Graphical Abstract
Curcumin-mediated transcriptional regulation of human N-acetylgalactosamine-α2,6-sialyltransferase which synthesizes sialyl-Tn antigen in HCT116 human colon cancer cells
Authors: An So-Young , Kim Kyoung-Sook , Cho Jong-Hyun , Kim Hee-Do , Kim Cheorl-Ho , Lee Young-Choon 
Published: September 2022

Human N-acetylgalactosamine-α2,6-sialyltransferase (hST6GalNAc I) is the major enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of sialyl-Tn antigen (sTn), which is known to be expressed in more than 80% of human carcinomas and correlated with poor prognosis in cancer patients. Athough high expression of hST6GalNAc I is associated with augmented proliferation, migration and invasion in various cancer cells, transcriptional mechanism regulating hST6GalNAc I gene expression remains largely unknown. In this study, we found that hST6GalNAc I gene expression was markedly augmented by curcumin in HCT116 human colon carcinoma cells. To understand the molecular mechanism for the upregulation of hST6GalNAc I gene expression by curcumin in HCT116 cells, we first determined the transcriptional start site of hST6GalNAc I gene by 5′-RACE and cloned the proximal hST6GalNAc I 5′-flanking region spanning about 2 kb by PCR. Functional analysis of the hST6GalNAc I 5′ flanking region of hST6GalNAc I by sequential 5′-deletion, transient transfection of reporter gene constructs and luciferase reporter assays showed that -378/-136 region is essential for maximal activation of transcription in response to curcumin in HCT 116 cells. This region includes putative binding sites for transcription factors c-Ets-1, NF-1, GATA-1, ER-α, YY1, and GR-α. ChIP analysis and site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that estrogen receptor α (ER-α) binding site (nucleotides -248/-238) in this region is crucial for hST6GalNAc I gene transcription in response to curcumin stimulation in HCT116 cells. The transcription activity of hST6GalNAc I gene induced by curcumin in HCT116 cells was strongly inhibited by PKC inhibitor (Gö6983) and ERK inhibitor (U0126). These results suggest that curcumin-induced hST6GalNAc I gene expression in HCT116 cells is modulated through PKC/ERKs signal pathway.
The role of PKC/PKR in aging, Alzheimer's disease, and perioperative neurocognitive disorders
Authors: Lu Wenping , Tang Sailan , Li Ao , Huang Qiuyue , Dou Mengyun , Zhang Ye , Hu Xianwen , Chang Raymond Chuen Chung , Wong Gordon Tin Chun , Huang Chunxia 
Published: September 2022

BackgroundThe incidence of perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PNDs) is reportedly higher in older patients. Mitochondrial and synaptic dysfunctions have consistently been demonstrated in models of aging and neurodegenerative diseases; nonetheless, their role in PND is not well understood.MethodsThe Morris water maze and elevated plus maze tests were used to assess the learning and memory abilities of both C57BL/6 and 3×Tg-AD mice of different ages (8 and 18 months). PND was induced by laparotomy in C57BL/6 mice and 3×Tg-AD mice (8 months old). Markers associated with neuroinflammation, mitochondrial function, synaptic function, and autophagy were assessed postoperatively. The roles of protein kinase C (PKC) and double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) were further demonstrated by using PKC-sensitive inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide X (BIMX) or PKR−/− mice.ResultsSignificant cognitive impairment was accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction and autophagy inactivation in both aged C57BL/6 and 3×Tg-AD mice. Laparotomy induced a significant neuroinflammatory response and synaptic protein loss in the hippocampus. Cognitive and neuropathological changes induced by aging or laparotomy were further exacerbated in 3×Tg-AD mice. Deficits in postoperative cognition, hippocampal mitochondria, autophagy, and synapse were significantly attenuated after pharmacological inhibition of PKC or genetic deletion of PKR.ConclusionsOur findings suggest similar pathogenic features in aging, Alzheimer's disease, and PND, including altered mitochondrial homeostasis and autophagy dysregulation. In addition, laparotomy may exacerbate cognitive deficits associated with distinct neuronal inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuronal loss independent of genetic background. The dysregulation of PKC/PKR activity may participate in the pathogenesis of these neurodegenerative diseases.
Treatment with morning blue light increases left amygdala volume and sleep duration among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder
Authors: Killgore William D. S. , Vanuk John R. , Dailey Natalie S. 
Published: September 2022

BackgroundPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with numerous cognitive, affective, and psychophysiological outcomes, including problems with sleep and circadian rhythms. We tested the effectiveness of a daily morning blue-light exposure treatment (BLT) versus a matched amber light treatment (ALT) to regulate sleep in individuals diagnosed with PTSD. Moreover, PTSD is also associated with reliable findings on structural neuroimaging scans, including reduced amygdala volumes and other differences in cortical gray matter volume (GMV) that may be indicative of underlying neurobehavioral dysfunctions. We examined the effect of BLT versus ALT on GMV and its association with sleep outcomes.MethodsSeventy-six individuals (25 male; 51 female) meeting DSM-V criteria for PTSD (Age = 31.45 years, SD = 8.83) completed sleep assessments and structural neuroimaging scans, followed by random assignment one of two light groups, including BLT (469 nm; n = 39) or placebo ALT (578 nm; n = 37) light therapy daily for 30-min over 6-weeks. Participants wore a wrist actigraph for the duration of the study. After treatment, participants returned to complete sleep assessments and a structural neuroimaging scan. Neuroimaging data were analyzed using the Computational Anatomy Toolbox (CAT12) and Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM) modules within the Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM12) software.ResultsThe BLT condition produced significant increases in total time in bed and total sleep time from actigraphy compared to the ALT condition, while ALT improved wake after sleep onset and sleep efficiency compared to BLT. Additionally, BLT led to an increase in left amygdala volume compared to ALT but did not affect hypothesized medial prefrontal regions. Finally, within group correlations showed that improvements in sleep quality and nightmare severity were correlated with increases in left amygdala volume over the course of treatment for the BLT group but not the ALT group.ConclusionIn individuals with PTSD, daily exposure to morning blue light treatment was associated with improvements in objective sleep duration and increased volume of the left amygdala compared to amber placebo light treatment, and changes in amygdala volume correlated with subjective improvement in sleep. These findings suggest that daily morning BLT may provide an important non-pharmacologic adjunctive approach for facilitating sleep and neurobehavioral recovery from PTSD.