Highlights • vHPC → PFC causality in the center is higher than near the wall in open-field test. • vHPC → PFC and PFC → vHPC causality shows no difference between light and dark areas. • PFC → dHPC ...driving is higher than dHPC → PFC driving in social interaction test. • Social interaction can be predicted by prefrontal to dorsal hippocampal causality.
Summary
Background
Transient elastography is a non‐invasive method for staging liver fibrosis. The meta‐analysis using the hierarchical models to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of transient ...elastography for the staging of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B was rarely reported.
Aim
A meta‐analysis using the hierarchical models was performed to assess transient elastography for diagnosing and stage liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
Methods
Electronic databases were searched and studies were identified to assess the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography in CHB patients for staging fibrosis F ≥ 2, F ≥ 3 and F = 4 with liver biopsy as a reference standard. The hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve and the bivariate models were performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography, and meta‐regression analyses were performed to explore the heterogeneity. The quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies‐2 tool was used to assess the quality of studies.
Results
Twenty‐seven studies with a total of 4386 patients were included in the meta‐analysis. The summary sensitivity of transient elastography for staging fibrosis F ≥ 2, F ≥ 3 and F = 4 was 0.806 (95% CI, 0.756–0.847), 0.819 (95% CI, 0.748–0.874) and 0.863 (95% CI, 0.818–0.898), respectively, and the summary specificity was 0.824 (95% CI, 0.761–0.873), 0.866 (95% CI, 0.824–0.899) and 0.875 (95% CI, 0.840–0.903), respectively. The corresponding area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.88 (95% CI, 0.85–0.91), 0.91 (95% CI, 0.88–0.93) and 0.93 (95% CI, 0.91–0.95), respectively. Meta‐regression showed that patient age contributed to heterogeneity.
Conclusions
Transient elastography performs well to diagnose liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B, which may reduce the use of liver biopsy.
This paper analyzes the effects of pore pressure rate for a spring‐block system that is a simple model of a laboratory experiment. Pore pressure is increased at a constant rate in a remote reservoir, ...and slip is governed by rate and state friction. The frequency of rapid slip events increases with the increase of a nondimensional pressure rate that is the ratio of the time scale of frictional sliding to that for pressure increase. As the pressure rate increases, the more rapid increase of pore pressure on the slip surface quickly stabilizes slip events due to rate and state friction. Rate and state and pressure rate effects interact in a limited range of pressure rate and diffusivity. This range includes pressure rates and diffusivities representative of recent laboratory experiments.
Plain Language Summary
Recent field observations have identified fluid injection as an important factor in causing the dramatic increase of earthquakes in the central United States, and recent laboratory experiments have observed effects of fluid pressure rate on frictional sliding. This paper studies a simple model of a laboratory experiment: a block resting on a frictional surface and pulled by a spring. The frictional resistance to sliding depends on the rate and history of sliding. Fluid pressure is increased at a constant rate at a distance remote from the surface. The paper calculates the types and characteristics of rapid slip events and their dependence on the pressure rate and how fast fluid can diffuse from the reservoir to the frictional surface.
Key Points
Rapid slip events occur during the duration of a representative experiment in a limited range of pressure rate and diffusivity
Above a certain pressure rate slip events are strongly damped by a rapid decrease of effective stress
Interaction between fluid diffusion and pressure rate affects the type, frequency, and magnitude of slip events
Extreme precipitation in the monsoon region of China can cause a variety of weather and climate disasters, and its long-term change has a significant impact on human life and social production. ...However, due to the lack of high-resolution precipitation data for the early 20th century, the variation characteristics and causes or mechanisms of extreme precipitation change in eastern China in the last 100 yr or more are still unclear. Based on the ‘daily precipitation dataset of 60 city stations in mainland China from 1901 to 2020’ developed by the National Meteorological Information Center, China Meteorological Administration, the main characteristics of extreme precipitation changes at 38 stations in eastern China during a recent 120 yr period (1901-2020) are analyzed in this paper. The results show that: (1) From 1901 to 2020, there was no significant trend in precipitation amount and precipitation days in the region, but a quasi-period of about 15 to 20 yr or longer existed during the period. (2) The average daily precipitation intensity and most of the extreme precipitation indices first decreased and then increased over the whole time period. In the period 1901-1950, which has rarely been studied in the past, most of the extreme precipitation indices, including intense rainfall, rainstorms, and the maximum precipitation within 1 day, 3 consecutive days, and 5 consecutive days, showed a significant decreasing trend. Since 1951, however, various indices have tended to increase. (3) From 1901 to 2020, the precipitation and extreme precipitation indices to the north of 35° N generally decreased, while they consistently increased in the south. The spatial pattern of extreme precipitation changes for the first half of 20th century was also quite different from that of the last 70 yr. Overall, the mean and extreme precipitation change trends in eastern China were not consistent in different sub-periods during the past century.
AbstractA multilevel modeling framework for the failure analyses of structures made of steel-fiber–reinforced concrete (SFRC), which allows researchers to follow the effects of design parameters such ...as fiber type, distribution, and orientation from the scale of fiber–matrix interaction to the structural behavior, is proposed. The basic ingredient at the level of single fibers is an analytical model for the prediction of the pullout response of straight or hooked-end fibers. For an opening crack in a specific SFRC composite, the fiber bridging effect is computed via the integration of the pullout response of all fibers intercepting the crack, taking anisotropic fiber orientations into consideration. For the finite-element analysis of the failure behavior of SFRC structures, interface solid elements are used to represent cracks. The softening behavior of opening cracks is governed by cohesive tractions and the fiber bridging effect. The use of an implicit/explicit integration scheme enhances the computational robustness considerably. Numerical analyses of selected benchmark problems demonstrate that the model is able to predict the structural response for different fiber cocktails in good agreement with experimental results.
Summary
Bacillus species are widely recognized as good industrial platform strains, which can produce a variety of valuable products including enzymes and functional proteins. Bacillus expression ...systems gain various competitive edges over other expression systems, with respect to nontoxicity, convenience for gene modification and high yield of target proteins. Recently, a number of Bacillus expression systems have been developed, and various strategies were conducted to improve the yields of target proteins. In this review, we focused on the strategies of host strain optimization for heterologous protein production, including secretion pathway optimization, RNA and protein stability enhancement, cell growth facilitation, genome streamlining and transcriptional regulator engineering. In addition, Bacillus spore surface display and food‐grade expression systems were developed to expand the application of Bacillus expression system in recent years. Finally, the challenges and prospects of Bacillus expression system were discussed regarding the recent progresses, challenges and trends in this field.
AbstractIn the context of multiscale-oriented computational analyses of fiber-RC (FRC) structures, the modeling of single fiber pullout behavior represents the basic constituent to provide ...traction-displacement relations to be used for the modeling of FRC on a macroscopic scale. This essential ingredient needs to be formulated such that it only requires minimal computational effort. To this end, an analytical model for the pullout behavior of single fibers embedded in a concrete matrix for various configurations of fiber type, matrix strength, and embedment condition is proposed. An interface law is developed for the frictional behavior between the fiber and matrix. In the case of inclined fibers, the plastic deformation of the fiber and the local damage of concrete are also considered. For hooked-end fibers, the anchorage effect due to the deformed topology of the fiber ends is taken into account in the formulation. By combining these submodels, the pullout response of single fibers embedded in a concrete matrix is predicted. In addition, numerical simulations of pullout tests are performed to obtain insight into the local fiber-concrete interactions and provide supporting information for analytical modeling. The model is successfully validated by means of representative experimental results.
P85α, which acts as a tumour suppressor, is frequently found to be downregulated in various human cancers. However, the role of p85α in the tumour microenvironment is unknown. Here, we report that ...aberrantly low expression of p85α in breast cancer stroma is clinically relevant to breast cancer disease progression. Stromal fibroblasts can acquire the hallmarks of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) as a result of the loss of p85α expression. Paracrine Wnt10b from p85α-deficient fibroblasts can promote cancer progression via epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by the canonical Wnt pathway. Moreover, exosomes have a key role in paracrine Wnt10b transport from fibroblasts to breast cancer epithelial cells. Our results reveal that p85α expression in stromal fibroblasts haves a crucial role in regulating breast cancer tumourigenesis and progression by modifying stromal-epithelial crosstalk and remodelling the tumour microenvironment. Therefore, p85α can function as a tumour suppressor and represent a new candidate for diagnosis, prognosis and targeted therapy.
Purpose
Characterization of the human microbiome has become more precise with the application of powerful molecular tools utilizing the unique 16S ribosomal subunit’s hypervariable regions to greatly ...increase sensitivity. The microbiome of the lower genital tract can prognosticate obstetrical outcome while the upper reproductive tract remains poorly characterized. Here, the endometrial microbiome at the time of single embryo transfer (SET) is characterized by reproductive outcome.
Methods
Consecutive patients undergoing euploid, SET was included in the analysis. After embryo transfer, performed as per routine, the most distal 5-mm portion of the transfer catheter was sterilely placed in a DNA free PCR tube. Next-generation sequencing of the bacteria specific 16S ribosome gene was performed, allowing genus and species calls for microorganisms.
Results
Taxonomy assignments were made on 35 samples from 33 patients and 2
Escherichia coli
controls. Of the 33 patients, 18 had ongoing pregnancies and 15 did not. There were a total of 278 different genus calls present across patient samples. The microbiome at time of transfer for those patients with ongoing pregnancy vs. those without ongoing pregnancy was characterized by top genera by sum fraction.
Lactobacillus
was the top species call for both outcomes.
Conclusions
The data presented here show the microbiome at the time of embryo transfer can successfully be characterized without altering standard clinical practice. This novel approach, both in specimen collection and analysis, is the first step toward the goal of determining physiologic from pathophysiologic microbiota. Further studies will help delineate if differences in the microbiome at the time of embryo transfer have a reliable impact on pregnancy outcome.
The flux of eruptible magma into a magmatic plumbing system influences eruption size and timing. If magma transfer is possible between two hydraulically‐connected magma lenses, system destabilization ...can tap a larger magma volume than stored in any one melt lens. This study identifies two distinct magma reservoirs beneath Ambrym, a basaltic island volcano in Vanuatu, during the time period February 2019 to January 2022. Using InSAR time series and a data assimilation approach, we estimate pressure changes within two reservoirs (located 5–7 and 4–6 km b.s.l.). Furthermore, a theoretical model demonstrates that the reservoirs may not currently be hydraulically connected, despite evidence of physical mixing of magma derived from each reservoir during the December 2018 eruption. These findings further our understanding of how magmatic plumbing systems at basaltic calderas may change after rift‐zone eruptions.
Plain Language Summary
To improve eruption forecasting, it is important to put limits of the volume of eruptible magma stored beneath a volcano. There is evidence that regions of magma storage can be approximated by multiple “reservoirs” of magma beneath a single volcano. If magma can be transferred between these reservoirs, more magma may be available when an eruption occurs. We use models of ground displacements measured by satellite over 3 years to identify two reservoirs of magma at Ambrym volcano, located in Vanuatu, from 2019 to 2022. We then estimate how much magma entered or left these respective reservoirs during this time. Finally, we conclude that magma cannot be transferred between the two reservoirs efficiently, which controls the total amount of magma that can erupt at Ambrym.
Key Points
At least two deformation sources were active at Ambrym volcano between the 2018 and 2022 eruptions
Lava lake drainage caused closed‐system activity in 2019, resulting in uplift from ≥0.122 km3/year of magma inflow into a tilted reservoir
Parameter space exploration of a theoretical model indicates that the two distinct reservoirs are not efficiently hydraulically connected
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