Monsoons Climate Change Assessment Wang, Bin; Biasutti, Michela; Byrne, Michael P. ...
Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society,
01/2021, Letnik:
102, Številka:
1
Journal Article
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Monsoon rainfall has profound economic and societal impacts for more than two-thirds of the global population. Here we provide a review on past monsoon changes and their primary drivers, the ...projected future changes, and key physical processes, and discuss challenges of the present and future modeling and outlooks. Continued global warming and urbanization over the past century has already caused a significant rise in the intensity and frequency of extreme rainfall events in all monsoon regions (high confidence). Observed changes in the mean monsoon rainfall vary by region with significant decadal variations. Northern Hemisphere land monsoon rainfall as a whole declined from 1950 to 1980 and rebounded after the 1980s, due to the competing influences of internal climate variability and radiative forcing from greenhouse gases and aerosol forcing (high confidence); however, it remains a challenge to quantify their relative contributions. The CMIP6 models simulate better global monsoon intensity and precipitation over CMIP5 models, but common biases and large intermodal spreads persist. Nevertheless, there is high confidence that the frequency and intensity of monsoon extreme rainfall events will increase, alongside an increasing risk of drought over some regions. Also, land monsoon rainfall will increase in South Asia and East Asia (high confidence) and northern Africa (medium confidence), decrease in North America, and be unchanged in the Southern Hemisphere. Over the Asian–Australian monsoon region, the rainfall variability is projected to increase on daily to decadal scales. The rainy season will likely be lengthened in the Northern Hemisphere due to late retreat (especially over East Asia), but shortened in the Southern Hemisphere due to delayed onset.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease affecting the joint synovium. The normal synovium consists of a lining layer of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) and ...macrophages, one to three cells deep that overlies the loose connective tissue of the synovial sublining. During the course of RA, the synovium is the site of inflammation where immune cells are massively infiltrated, and the lining layer becomes hyperplastic and transforms into a pannus tissue that destroys articular cartilage and bone. FLS play an important role in this RA pathogenesis. In this review, we explain that cadherin-11, an adhesion molecule, is selectively expressed on FLS and required for synovial lining formation. In addition, cadherin-11 on FLS contributes to synovial inflammation and mediates cartilage degradation in a mouse model of inflammatory arthritis. Therefore, we suggest that FLS are critical regulators of synovial inflammation and arthritis pathology via mechanisms that are mediated by cadherin-11.
Fibroblasts regulate tissue homeostasis, coordinate inflammatory responses, and mediate tissue damage. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), synovial fibroblasts maintain chronic inflammation which leads to ...joint destruction. Little is known about fibroblast heterogeneity or if aberrations in fibroblast subsets relate to pathology. Here, we show functional and transcriptional differences between fibroblast subsets from human synovial tissues using bulk transcriptomics of targeted subpopulations and single-cell transcriptomics. We identify seven fibroblast subsets with distinct surface protein phenotypes, and collapse them into three subsets by integrating transcriptomic data. One fibroblast subset, characterized by the expression of proteins podoplanin, THY1 membrane glycoprotein and cadherin-11, but lacking CD34, is threefold expanded in patients with RA relative to patients with osteoarthritis. These fibroblasts localize to the perivascular zone in inflamed synovium, secrete proinflammatory cytokines, are proliferative, and have an in vitro phenotype characteristic of invasive cells. Our strategy may be used as a template to identify pathogenic stromal cellular subsets in other complex diseases.
Air pollution causes various airway diseases. However, many commonly used treatments can have high risks of side effects or are costly. To examine the anti-inflammatory properties of Inula japonica ...Thunb. and Potentilla chinensis Ser., a mouse model was generated via inhalation of both particulate matter 10 and diesel particulate matter, and 30% ethanol extracts of either I. japonica (IJ) or P. chinensis (PC) and a mixture of both ethanol extracts (IP) were orally administered to BALB/c mice for 12 days. IJ, PC, and IP inhibited immune cell numbers and their regulation in both the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lungs. These agents suppressed the levels of interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-17, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL)-1, and CXCL-2 in BALF, and also inhibited F4/80 and IL-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK)-1 in lungs. They reduced the gene expression of TNF-α, CXCL-1, inducible NOS, COX-2, Mucin 5AC, and transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 in lungs. These extracts also reduced histopathological changes and inflammatory progression, manifested as decreased cell infiltration, collagen deposition, and respiratory epithelial cell thickness. I. japonica and P. chinensis show potential for development as pharmaceuticals that suppress inflammatory progression and alleviate airway inflammation diseases caused by air pollutants.
This study investigates the impact of high-pressure hydrogen gas exposure on the structural and morphological characteristics of O-ring materials. O-ring specimens undergo two cycles of sealing under ...70 MPa hydrogen gas, and their resulting variations are examined using advanced characterization techniques, including powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Our findings reveal that the lattice parameters of the O-ring material show no significant changes when exposed to 70 MPa hydrogen gas. However, in the micrometre range, the formation of a hierarchical channel morphology becomes evident. This morphology is accompanied by the separation of carbon black filler from the rubber matrix, contributing to mechanical weakening of the O-ring. These observations can be attributed to the pressure gradient that develops between the inner and outer radii of the O-ring, resulting from compression forces acting perpendicularly to the radial direction due to clamp locking.
•This is the first meta-analysis based on the accurate prescription dose of radiation therapy (RT) after keloid surgery.•A more precise estimate of the effect of the biologically effective dose on ...the recurrence rate was provided.•Derive a model for estimating the recurrence rate using the dose fractionation scheme.
Adjuvant electron beam radiation therapy after keloid excision has been proven as highly effective in reducing local recurrence. We performed a meta-analysis of studies on hypofractionated electron beam radiation therapy after keloid excision based on accurate radiation dose information to provide a more precise estimate of the effect of the biologically effective dose (BED) on recurrence rate.
A literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for the period from 1990 to December 2021. Studies that provided information on the recurrence rate for the exact prescription dose were selected for analysis. The recurrence rate with respect to the BED was evaluated using forest plots and the best-fit lines on scatter plots.
From the 28 studies that were included for analysis, a total of 37 radiation dose datasets were extracted and 3128 excised keloids were identified. The recurrence rate for all sites and for the ear was 0.16 (95% confidence interval, 0.12–0.21; P < 0.01) and 0.11 (95% confidence interval, 0.06–0.20; P < 0.01), respectively. The estimated recurrence rate for all sites and the ear was calculated as “−1.992 + 1018.226/BED2” or “2.982 + 330.51/BED10” and “−16.8 + 1597.84/BED2” or “−14.65 + 656.58/BED10,” respectively.
Postoperative radiation therapy with higher BED resulted in lower recurrence rates. As expected, ear keloids had lower estimated recurrence rates than all keloids at all sites. We derived a model for estimating the recurrence rate using the dose fractionation scheme.
Beta-blockers are often not the preferred treatment for patients with vasospastic angina. However, nebivolol, beta-blocker with nitric oxide-releasing effect, could theoretically improve coronary ...vasospasm. We compared nebivolol versus diltiazem in improving coronary vasospasm and quality of life in patients with hypertensive vasospastic angina during a 12-week follow-up. Fifty-one hypertensive patients with documented coronary vasospasm were randomly allocated into 3 treatment groups: (1) Nebivolol Group (5mg for 2 weeks/10mg for 10 weeks); (2) Diltiazem Group (90mg for 2 weeks/180mg for 10 weeks); (3) Low-dose Combination Group (2.5mg + 45mg for 2 weeks/5mg + 90mg for 10 weeks). The primary endpoint was to compare the percent changes in coronary vasospasm at 12 weeks from baseline among the 3 groups. The secondary endpoints included changes in quality of life based on the Seattle Angina Questionnaire and changes in blood pressure at 12 weeks from baseline. Significant improvements in coronary vasospasm were found in all groups; however, the improvement in percent changes in coronary artery spasm was greatest in the Diltiazem Group (50.4±8.8% vs. 67.8±12.8% vs. 46.8±12.3%, Nebivolol Group vs. Diltiazem Group p = 0.008; Nebivolol Group vs. Low-dose Combination Group p = 0.999; Diltiazem Group vs. Low-dose Combination Group p = 0.017). The overall Seattle Angina Questionnaire scores were significantly elevated at 12 weeks compared to the baseline in entire study population. There were no significant differences between the three groups in the overall Seattle Angina Questionnaire score changes and blood pressure changes. Both nebivolol and diltiazem showed significant coronary vasospasm reduction effect, but the effect was greater for diltiazem.
We previously reported that an exopolysaccharide-enriched fraction from Bacillus subtilis J92 (B-EPS) could improve immune functions by regulating the immunological parameters of IFN-γ-primed ...macrophages, CD3/CD28-stimulated splenocytes, and in cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mice. In the present study, we investigated whether B-EPS contributes to the maintenance of intestinal barrier integrity in a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model that mimics human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). B-EPS treatment improved histological characteristics and common features including a high disease activity index (DAI), an increased spleen weight, and colon shortening in DSS-induced colitis. B-EPS also effectively restored intestinal barrier function by modulating tight junction-related proteins (claudin-1, claudin-2, and occludin) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker proteins (E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and vimentin). Moreover, B-EPS downregulated immune cell infiltration and inflammatory responses including the production of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6 and IL-1β, and activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). Taken together, these results suggest that B-EPS could serve as a functional food ingredient for improving intestinal barrier function and alleviating colonic inflammation in IBD.
The apoptosis of cancer cells is associated with changes in the important cell properties including morphology, surface roughness and stiffness. Therefore, the changes in morphology and biophysical ...properties can be a good way of evaluating the anticancer activity of a drug. This study examined the effect of paclitaxel on the properties of Ishikawa and HeLa cells using atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the relationship between the changes in morphology and the biophysical properties and apoptosis was discussed. The viability and proliferation of the cells were analyzed using the methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) method and a TUNEL assay to confirm cellular apoptosis due to a paclitaxel treatment. AFM observations clearly showed the apoptotic morphological and biophysical changes in Ishikawa and HeLa cells. After the paclitaxel treatment, the cell membrane was torn and holed, the surface roughness was increased, and the stiffness was decreased. These changes were observed more apparently after a 24 h treatment and in Ishikawa cells compared to HeLa cells. The MTT and TUNEL assays results revealed the Ishikawa cells to be more sensitive to paclitaxel than HeLa cells and definite apoptosis occurred after a 24 h treatment. These results showed good agreement with the AFM results. Therefore, research on the morphological and biophysical changes by AFM in cancer cells will help to evaluate the anticancer activities of the drugs.
A polysaccharide fraction from
(PLE0) leaves was previously reported to possess immunostimulatory, anti-osteoporotic, and TGF-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition inhibitory activities. ...Although a few beneficial effects against colon cancer metastasis have been reported, we aimed to investigate the anti-metastatic activity of PLE0 and its underlying molecular mechanisms in HT-29 and HCT-116 human colon cancer cells. We conducted a wound-healing assay, invasion assay, qRT-PCR analysis, western blot analysis, gelatin zymography, luciferase assay, and small interfering RNA gene silencing in colon cancer cells. PLE0 concentration-dependently inhibited metastasis by suppressing cell migration and invasion. The suppression of N-cadherin and vimentin expression as well as upregulation of E-cadherin through the reduction of p-GSK3β and β-catenin levels resulted in the outcome of this effect. PLE0 also suppressed the expression and enzymatic activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, while simultaneously increasing the protein and mRNA levels of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP-1). Furthermore, signaling data disclosed that PLE0 suppressed the transcriptional activity and phosphorylation of p65 (a subunit of NF-κB), as well as the phosphorylation of c-Jun and c-Fos (subunits of AP-1) pathway. PLE0 markedly suppressed JNK phosphorylation, and JNK knockdown significantly restored PLE0-regulated MMP-2/-9 and TIMP-1 expression. Collectively, our data indicate that PLE0 exerts an anti-metastatic effect in human colon cancer cells by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition and MMP-2/9 via downregulation of GSK3β/β-catenin and JNK signaling.
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