bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of tungsten nanoparticles on sintering of the Sn-Cu-Co-W powder material
Authors: Ozolin A V , Sokolov E G
Published: November 2021

The effect of tungsten nanoparticles on the kinetics of sintering of the Sn-Cu-Co-W powder material used as a binder in diamond tools was studied. The W16,5 grade tungsten powder was mechanically activated in the AGO-2U planetary centrifugal mill for 60 minutes at the carrier rotation frequencies of 800 RPM. The mixture of tungsten, tin, copper, and cobalt powders was compacted by static pressing in press dies and then sintered in vacuum at the temperature of 820°C. The morphology and sizes of powder particles, as well as the structure of the sintered samples, were studied by the methods of scanning electronic microscopy. It has been demonstrated that tungsten nanoparticles have a noticeable effect on the process of dissolution-reprecipitation of cobalt in liquid-phase sintering.
Development of improved technology of production of sewing products using equipment for moisture-heat treatment from a composite material
Authors: Nutfullaeva Lobar
Published: November 2021

The article covers the conditions of formation of package materials for outerwear. The developed new technology for the production of apparels using a new cushion of press equipment for moisture-heat treatment from a composite material has been described. The method of forming a package of clothes from a multilayer textile material has been substantiated. The results of the examination of the experimental wear of jackets made according to the existing and proposed technology are presented in order to conduct a comparative study of the appearance, comfort and wear resistance of products made under identical conditions. Because of theoretical and practical research, the required dimensional stability of outerwear parts has been achieved in the process of the new technology of moisture-heat treatment.
Investigation of the physical and mechanical characteristics of the applied corrosion-resistant powder coating
Authors: Dovbysh N S , Zhdanov A V
Published: November 2021

This article presents the results of experimental work on the development of a laser complex for micro-and nanomodification of metal surfaces using hybrid technologies. As an alloying material, a corrosion-resistant composite powder of the national brand was chosen, which is used in industry to prevent the occurrence of corrosion formations on the working surfaces of the executive parts of machines. One of the most used national grades of structural carbon steels was chosen as the substrate. The parameters of the laser radiation varied in two parameters: scanning speeds in the range of 12-15 mm/sec and radiation power in the range of 3-5 kW. As a result of the work carried out under various power modes, prototypes were obtained. On their basis, tabular data on the obtained values of microhardness, wear resistance and friction coefficients are compiled. The description of the obtained results is given and the direction of further work is indicated.
Digital model of the oil spill process on the Earth’s surface
Authors: Dorrer Georgy , Yarovoy Sergey
Published: November 2021

The Fourth Industrial Revolution currently taking place has an impact on human interaction with the environment, which must move to a new level, ensuring the harmonization of the needs of mankind. Cyber-physical systems can play an important role in the environmental sphere. The possibility of creating a digital model of the process of oil spills with their penetration into the ground and the adjacent water body, which causes significant damage to the environment and the economy, especially in the northern regions, is being considered. An approach to solving this problem is proposed, based on the representation of the soil contamination area in the form of a set of flat layers, each of which is calculated by the method of movable grids.
Analysis of the issue of the selection, operation and improvement of thermal insulation materials for pipelines of heating networks
Authors: Balzamova E Yu , Balzamov D S , Bronskaya V V , Minnegalieva Ch B , Khairullina L E , Khabibullina G Z , Ignashina T V , Kharitonova O S
Published: November 2021

Improving the energy efficiency of thermal energy generation, transportation and consumption systems is one of the priority tasks of the modern development of the fuel and energy complex of Russia. The climatic conditions of Russia determine the heat supply systems as an energy-intensive industry that consumes up to 40% of the primary energy resources of country. Russia is characterized by a high level of centralized heat supply, mainly from sources of combined generation of heat and electric energy, which led to the creation of an extensive pipeline system with a length of more than 250 thousand km with a diameter of 57 to 1400 mm. In practice, the following methods of laying pipelines are used: canal, canal-free, aboveground. The heat losses of pipelines of thermal networks amount to 324 million gcal/year, which is approximately 16% of the heat released to consumers, this indicates significant reserves of saving thermal energy. The successful solution of the problem of reducing heat losses during the transportation of the heat transfer agent can be achieved by using modern materials and developing highly efficient porous thermal insulation structures, as well as improving the methods of calculating heat networks and the optimal choice of thermal insulation materials for the required operating conditions.
Technological assurance of reliability of centrifugal pumps for pumping biomass processing products based on adaptive dampers
Authors: Kolenchukov O A , Kozhukhov E A , Petrovsky E A , Bukhtoyarov V V , Kachaeva V A
Published: November 2021

In almost every mechanical system, moving mechanisms slide over stationary parts, creating friction and, as a result, unwanted energy losses. In engineering, sliding or rolling bearings are most often used as supports. However, any system can benefit from a greater reduction in friction between components. As will be shown in this article, the stability problem can be solved by blocking vibrations in the radial direction. The latest technological advances in the field of manufacturing magnetic materials make it possible to integrate magnetic bearings with permanent magnetization (hereinafter - MBPM) into a larger number of mechanical systems. This blocking of radial movement is carried out without the use of a mechanical sliding bearing, chosen for its simplicity and ease of integration. To facilitate the integration of the MBPM into the overall system of the device, it is important to know the mechanical properties of magnetic bearings, namely stiffness and damping, as well as the performance characteristics and limits of their operation. This article examines the possibility of using an adaptive damper in centrifugal pumps to ensure the technological reliability of the equipment. Alternating permanent magnets in the direction of their movement is the most optimal option, leading to large and smooth hysteresis loops of force - displacement. The proposed arrangement of magnets ensures the adaptability of the device with the determination of its optimal size, and also takes into account the edge and surface effects in the design of the damper. In addition, the article discusses theoretical and technical issues of levitation - free floating of bodies. Magnetic suspension can be used to study only those processes where mechanical connections are undesirable. The use of magnetic suspension for balancing centrifugal pumps during transportation of biomass processing products, supports of mixing devices in reactors in biomass processing reactors and other machine components opens up wide opportunities.
Reduction of soot carbon in the exhaust gases of a tractor gas-diesel engine
Authors: Akimov A P , Lekomtsev P L , Likhanov V A , Lopatin O P , Vasiliev A O
Published: November 2021

The rate of oxidation of carbon (including its dispersed forms) has a value much higher than the rate of gasification. Therefore, in the initial part of the flame, when oxygen is still contained in the gas phase, the oxidation of soot will be the process on which the change in the size and concentration of dispersed carbon particles mainly depends. The intensity of oxidation and gasification of dispersed carbon in the flame largely depends on the development of the mixing process, determined by the aerodynamics of the fuel and air jets. The paper presents an analysis of the influence of mixing processes on the oxidation and gasification of dispersed carbon in a natural gas flame in the study of homogeneous flames and mixing of turbulent jets. The results of industrial studies of the mixing of fuel and air in a diffusion torch are taken into account. The results allow us to evaluate the influence of various aerodynamic factors on the processes occurring in the glowing flame of natural gas in the combustion chamber of gas diesel.
Sub-nanosecond synchronization implementation in pure Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA
Authors: Ye Y. , Li H. , Li J. , Gong G.
Published: November 2021

White Rabbit (WR) provides high-performance synchronization
with sub-nanosecond accuracy and picoseconds precision, and it has
been included in the new High Accuracy Default PTP Profile in the
IEEE 1588-2019. As an open-source project, WR Precision Time
Protocol (WR-PTP) core has been implemented in different FPGA
platforms with dedicated clock circuits. This paper presents a novel
approach to achieve the WR function in Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA
depending on the on-chip resource. This approach could achieve
sub-nanosecond accuracy and tens of picoseconds precision,
simplifying WR devices' hardware design and making it possible to
port the WR PTP core to many mature hardware platforms.
Homogeneity of the photocathode in the Hamamatsu R15458-02 Photomultiplier Tube
Authors: Unland Elorrieta M.A. , Busse R.S. , Classen L. , Kappes A.
Published: November 2021

It is common practice to test the optical properties of
photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) by illuminating the entire photocathode
region from the front at once and measuring the average
performance. However, for optimal utilisation of the PMT performance
in experiments, especially in the single-photon region, it is
essential to also know the systematic variations across the
photocathode, which requires measurements with focused light sources
that illuminate only small regions of the PMT. We present a detailed
uniformity characterisation of the gain, transit time, transit time
spread, and pulse shape of the 80 mm Hamamatsu R15458-02 PMT. We
find that the parameters exhibit asymmetry along one axis, likely
caused by the position and geometry of the dynode system. For all
parameters except the transit time, the observed variations are
small given the intrinsic variation of the parameters. For positions
with shifted transit time we observe on average underamplified
pulses which can potentially be exploited to improve the pulse
reconstruction.
Scintillating thermal neutron detectors for cosmic ray soil moisture monitoring
Authors: Stowell P. , Fargher S. , Steer C. , Thompson L.F.
Published: November 2021

Cosmic Ray Neutron Sensing (CRNS) is a powerful technique
that allows non-invasive monitoring of soil moisture on length
scales well matched for agricultural applications. One factor
limiting the use of the technique within industrial agriculture
settings is the high initial cost of Helium-3 or BF3 tubes typically
used for ground level neutron monitoring. This paper discusses the
use of Geant4 to design and optimise an alternative scintillator
based epi-thermal neutron detector that may be applicable for
challenges where cost is a higher driving factor than temporal
resolution.
Unprecedented acceleration of winter discharge of Upper Yenisei River inferred from tree rings
Authors: Panyushkina Irina P , Meko David M , Shiklomanov Alexander , Thaxton Richard D , Myglan Vladimir , Barinov Valentin V , Taynik Anna V
Published: November 2021

The Yenisei River is the largest contributor of freshwater and energy fluxes among all rivers draining to the Arctic Ocean. Modeling long-term variability of Eurasian runoff to the Arctic Ocean is complicated by the considerable variability of river discharge in time and space, and the monitoring constraints imposed by a sparse gauged-flow network and paucity of satellite data. We quantify tree growth response to river discharge at the upper reaches of the Yenisei River in Tuva, South Siberia. Two regression models built from eight tree-ring width chronologies ofLarix sibiricaare applied to reconstruct winter (Nov–Apr) discharge for the period 1784–1997 (214 years), and annual (Oct–Sept) discharge for the period 1701–2000 (300 years). The Nov–Apr model explains 52% of the discharge variance whereas Oct–Sept explains 26% for the calibration intervals 1927–1997 and 1927–2000, respectively. This new hydrological archive doubles the length of the instrumental discharge record at the Kyzyl gauge and resets the temporal background of discharge variability back to 1784. The reconstruction finds a remarkable 80% upsurge in winter flow over the last 25 years, which is unprecedented in the last 214 years. In contrast, annual discharge fluctuated normally for this system, with only a 7% increase over the last 25 years. Water balance modeling with CRU data manifests a significant discrepancy between decadal variability of the gauged flow and climate data after 1960. We discuss the impact on the baseflow rate change of both the accelerating permafrost warming in the discontinuous zone of South Siberia and widespread forest fires. The winter discharge accounts for only one third of the annual flow, yet the persistent 25 year upsurge is alarming. This trend is likely caused by Arctic Amplification, which can be further magnified by increased winter flow delivering significantly more fresh water to the Kara Sea during the cold season.
Multistable Perception
Authors: Pastukhov Alexander
Published: November 2021

Multistable perception is produced by stimuli that are consistent with two or more different comparably likely perceptual interpretations. After the initial perception is resolved in favor of one of the interpretations, continued viewing leads to fluctuating subjective experience, as perception spontaneously switches between alternative states. Multistable perception occurs for different modalities, including visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory perception and proprioception, and various conflicting sensory representations, such as eye dominance, depth, motion, or meaning. Despite large differences, multistable stimuli produce quantitatively similar perceptual experience with stereotypical distribution of durations of dominance phases, similar dependence on the absolute and relative strength of competing perceptual interpretations, prior perceptual history, presentation method, attention, and volitional control, and so on. Taken together, this shows that multistable perception reflects the action of general canonical perceptual mechanisms whose purpose is to resolve the conflicting evidence and ensure a single dominant perception that can be used for action. Thus, it informs us about mechanisms of perceptual decision making, including the importance of feedback mechanisms in resolving perceptual ambiguity and the role of parietal and frontal regions in facilitating changes in perception. Multistable perception provides useful constraints for models, inspiring a plethora of models of perception that combine neurally plausible mechanisms, such as neural adaptation and inhibition, or are based on the idea of predictive coding. The sensitive nature of multistable perception makes a valuable experimental tool that can reveal even minor differences due to low- or high-level influences, including genetic or clinical cases. As such, it is an important tool in studying neural and behavioral correlates of consciousness as it dissociates perception from the stimulus.
Water Ownership and Governance
Authors: Babidge Sally
Published: November 2021

Water governance refers to the material and regulatory control of water and waters. It involves questions such as who makes decisions about water and how; at what scale such decisions are made in relation to different waters; and who and which water or ecosystem benefits. Classical work in anthropology considered how irrigation practices may have given rise to the development of state forms, and in response to early-21st-century privatization regimes, anthropologists have considered how different groups have challenged the apparent global dominance of commodity values and water as property. Infrastructures for water distribution in urban areas (such as systems of canals, pipes, and faucets), and considerations of the sociocultural effects of hydrological unit delineation and definition (e.g., groundwater or river “basins”) have become key sites for the ethnographic investigation of water governance, emerging forms of personhood, and societal inequalities. The diversity in anthropologies of water unsettles generalized models in global regimes of water governance.

The anthropology of water governance and ownership considers the context and contingencies of water and power. It reveals the global dominance of markets, rights, and technical approaches to water management, such as the case of “private water” in Chile, in which water markets have failed to provide equity and environmental health, but also how certain groups avoided complete privatization of water under this extreme example. Ethnographic studies of the cultural organization of resource scarcity over topographically complex and remote terrain, such as that of irrigators in the Andean cordillera, express the diversity of human innovation at the intersection of politics and ecology. In arid South Eastern Australia, basin plans that treat water as a unit of calculation and economic trade place social and ecological relations in peril. Infrastructures of development provide a narrative of unsettled state and development ideologies, and the problem of groundwater management reveals governance challenges in the face of unstable, unknown, and invisible material. Anthropological studies of water contribute to knowledge of earth’s diverse humanity, knowledge practices, and ecologies. Researchers propose that water governance might engage with human differences articulated at multiple scales, as well as in understanding water’s material agency and waters as dynamic, especially in an ever-changing climate.
Critical Pedagogy in Community Practice
Authors: Walker Laurie A.
Published: November 2021

Contemporary community engagement pedagogies require critical frameworks that facilitate diverse groups working collaboratively toward socially just outcomes. Critical frameworks acknowledge different ways of knowing and experiencing the world, as well as many means to achieve the desired outcomes. Indigenous values focused on relationship, respect, reciprocity, responsiveness, relevance, and responsibility inform key community engagement principles that are often applicable across many groups. Instructors who center Indigenous and other perspectives of groups that experience marginalization and oppression in social work curriculum are able to create community-engaged and socially just outcomes via institutional change and knowledge production efforts. Contemporary community engagement work embedded in social work values requires frameworks that are strengths based, center historically underrepresented groups working toward social justice on their own terms, and include an analysis of power, positionality, systemic causes of disparities, needed institutional changes, and critiques inclusion assumptions.
Bone Mineral Density, Bone Microarchitecture and Vertebral Fractures in Male Patients with Alcohol Use Disorders
Authors: Balhara Yatan Pal Singh , Narang Parul , Saha Soma , Kandasamy Devasenathipathy , Chattopadhyay Naibedya , Goswami Ravinder
Published: November 2021

Aim

To investigate abnormalities in bone mineral density, trabecular bone score and vertebral fractures in male patients with alcohol use disorder to understand the impact on bone health.

Methods

The study subjects included 134 male patients. Controls were 134 age matched healthy males. Assessments were made of the bone mineral density (BMD), trabecular bone score (TBS) and vertebral morphometry (VFA) for vertebral fractures. Biochemical measurements included serum total T4, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 25- Hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH) D.

Results

The mean BMD at total forearm, proximal forearm (or distal 1/3) and mid forearm was significantly higher in the alcohol use disorders (AUD) group than the controls (P < 0.01). Around 15% of patients with AUD had VFs compared with 9.0% of the healthy controls (P = 0.19). For each kg/m2 gain in body mass index (BMI), lumbar spine and total hip BMD increased by 0.009 and 0.014 g/cm2, respectively. Lumbar and hip BMD decreased by 0.002 and 0.003 g/cm2 per year increase in duration of alcohol used. For every 5 years increase in age of the patients the odds of having VFs increased by 39% (odds ratio 1.393 [95% confidence interval = 1.031–1.881, P = 0.03]).

Conclusion

The findings of the current study suggest that persons with AUD in third and fourth decades of life, with BMI in normal range and with alcohol use disorder duration of around one decade might have no major alteration in BMD and TBS. Impact of alcohol use in this population was manifest by marginal increase in the prevalence of mild grade of vertebral fractures, mostly in the thoracic region.
SIGNET: single-cell RNA-seq-based gene regulatory network prediction using multiple-layer perceptron bagging
Authors: Luo Qinhuan , Yu Yongzhen , Lan Xun
Published: November 2021

High-throughput single-cell RNA-seq data have provided unprecedented opportunities for deciphering the regulatory interactions among genes. However, such interactions are complex and often nonlinear or nonmonotonic, which makes their inference using linear models challenging. We present SIGNET, a deep learning-based framework for capturing complex regulatory relationships between genes under the assumption that the expression levels of transcription factors participating in gene regulation are strong predictors of the expression of their target genes. Evaluations based on a variety of real and simulated scRNA-seq datasets showed that SIGNET is more sensitive to ChIP-seq validated regulatory interactions in different types of cells, particularly rare cells. Therefore, this process is more effective for various downstream analyses, such as cell clustering and gene regulatory network inference. We demonstrated that SIGNET is a useful tool for identifying important regulatory modules driving various biological processes.
trfermikit: a tool to discover VNTR-associated deletions
Authors: McHale Peter , Quinlan Aaron R
Published: November 2021

We present trfermikit, a software tool designed to detect deletions larger than 50 bp occurring in Variable Number Tandem Repeats using Illumina DNA sequencing reads. In such regions, it achieves a better tradeoff between sensitivity and false discovery than a state-of-the-art structural variation caller, Manta and complements it by recovering a significant number of deletions that Manta missed. trfermikit is based upon the fermikit pipeline, which performs read assembly, maps the assembly to the reference genome and calls variants from the alignment.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/petermchale/trfermikit.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Make Interactive Complex Heatmaps in R
Authors: Gu Zuguang , Hübschmann Daniel
Published: November 2021

Heatmap is a powerful visualization method on two-dimensional data to reveal patterns shared by subsets of rows and columns. In this work, we introduce a new R package InteractiveComplexHeatmap that brings interactivity to the widely used ComplexHeatmap package. InteractiveComplexHeatmap is designed with an easy-to-use interface where static complex heatmaps can be directly exported to an interactive Shiny web application only with one additional line of code. InteractiveComplexHeatmap also provides flexible functionalities for integrating interactive heatmap widgets to build more complex and customized Shiny web applications.

Availability and implementation

The InteractiveComplexHeatmap package and documentations are freely available from the Bioconductor project: https://bioconductor.org/packages/InteractiveComplexHeatmap/. A complete and printer-friendly version of the documentation can also be found in Supplementary File S1.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A Multilevel Investigation of the Association between Collective Psychological Ownership as Psychosocial Resources and Social Workers’ Turnover Intention
Authors: Su Xuebing , Wong Victor , Liang Kun
Published: November 2021

Using a multilevel approach and a nationally representative sample of 5,478 social workers from 813 social service organisations in China, this study investigated the association between collective psychological ownership (CPO), an emerging construct of psychosocial resources characterised by sharedness, and social workers’ turnover intention by controlling for psychological demands (i.e. emotional exhaustion and role ambiguity) and psychological resources (i.e. self-perceived autonomy, self-perceived and composite person–organisation value congruence, and self-perceived and composite social support). The results showed that CPO conceptualised as both individual- and organisational-level psychosocial resources were negatively associated with social workers’ turnover intention. The findings of the study will draw implications for keeping social workers and other helping professionals in their organisations by practicing co-workers’ shared agency and joint actions defined in terms of collective decision-making and hardship endurance.
Spike firing attenuation of serotonin neurons in learned helplessness rats is reversed by ketamine
Authors: Hashimoto Kouichi , Yamawaki Yosuke , Yamaoka Kenji , Yoshida Takayuki , Okada Kana , Tan Wanqin , Yamasaki Miwako , Matsumoto-Makidono Yoshiko , Kubo Reika , Nakayama Hisako , Kataoka Tsutomu , Kanematsu Takashi , Watanabe Masahiko , Okamoto Yasumasa , Morinobu Shigeru , Aizawa Hidenori , Yamawaki Shigeto
Published: November 2021

Animals suffering from uncontrollable stress sometimes show low effort to escape stress (learned helplessness). Changes in serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) signalling are thought to underlie this behaviour. Although the release of 5-hydroxytryptamine is triggered by the action potential firing of dorsal raphe nuclei 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons, the electrophysiological changes induced by uncontrollable stress are largely unclear. Herein, we examined electrophysiological differences among 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons in naïve rats, learned helplessness rats and rats resistant to inescapable stress (non-learned helplessness). Five-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to inescapable foot shocks. After an avoidance test session, rats were classified as learned helplessness or non-learned helplessness. Activity-dependent 5-hydroxytryptamine release induced by the administration of high-potassium solution was slower in free-moving learned helplessness rats. Subthreshold electrophysiological properties of 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons were identical among the three rat groups, but the depolarization-induced spike firing was significantly attenuated in learned helplessness rats. To clarify the underlying mechanisms, potassium (K+) channels regulating the spike firing were initially examined using naïve rats. K+ channels sensitive to 500 μM tetraethylammonium caused rapid repolarization of the action potential and the small conductance calcium-activated K+ channels produced afterhyperpolarization. Additionally, dendrotoxin-I, a blocker of Kv1.1 (encoded by Kcna1), Kv1.2 (encoded by Kcna2) and Kv1.6 (encoded by Kcna6) voltage-dependent K+ channels, weakly enhanced the spike firing frequency during depolarizing current injections without changes in individual spike waveforms in naïve rats. We found that dendrotoxin-I significantly enhanced the spike firing of 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons in learned helplessness rats. Consequently, the difference in spike firing among the three rat groups was abolished in the presence of dendrotoxin-I. These results suggest that the upregulation of dendrotoxin-I-sensitive Kv1 channels underlies the firing attenuation of 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons in learned helplessness rats. We also found that the antidepressant ketamine facilitated the spike firing of 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons and abolished the firing difference between learned helplessness and non-learned helplessness by suppressing dendrotoxin-I-sensitive Kv1 channels. The dendrotoxin-I-sensitive Kv1 channel may be a potential target for developing drugs to control activity of 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons.
The effect of micro-osteoperforations on orthodontic space closure investigated over 12 weeks: a split-mouth, randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Li Jiaojiao , Papadopoulou Alexandra K , Gandedkar Narayan , Dalci Kerem , Darendeliler Mehmet Ali , Dalci Oyku
Published: November 2021

Objectives

To evaluate the effects of minimally invasive micro-osteoperforations (MOPs) on orthodontic tooth movement and pain.

Design

Prospective, split-mouth, randomized controlled trial.

Setting

Single-centre, university hospital.

Methods

Twenty subjects requiring maxillary first premolar extractions were included. Right and left sides of the maxilla were randomly allocated into experimental and controls. Space closure was initiated following alignment on 0.20″ stainless steel archwires, using 150 g force, applied by coil springs on power arms. Nance-TPA was used for anchorage. On the experimental side, two 5 mm deep MOPs in vertical alignment on distal aspect of the maxillary canine mid-root region were performed prior to space closure.

Outcomes

The primary outcome was the amount of tooth movement during space closure, measured every 4 weeks for 12 weeks (T1, T2, and T3). Secondary outcome was the pain levels related to MOP, measured using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) questionnaires. Significance was set at P < 0.01.

Randomization

Randomization was generated using a randomization table, and allocation was concealed in sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes.

Blinding

Blinding was not possible during the experiment but assessor was blinded during outcome assessment.

Results

All subjects completed the study, with tooth movement measurements available for all 20 patients for T0–T2. In three patients, space was closed on one side at T2. The average tooth movement between sides at three intervals (T0–T1, T1–T2, and T2–T3) were not significantly different. Overall difference following 12 weeks (T0–T3) was 0.69 mm higher on the experimental side (P < 0.001). No harms were observed.

Limitations

Short-term study, cast measurements done with digital callipers.

Conclusion

This 12-week randomized split-mouth controlled clinical trial showed two MOPs that are 5 mm deep, applied once prior to space closure, did not create clinically significant increase in maxillary premolar space closure.

Protocol

The protocol was not published before trial commencement.

Registration

Trial was not registered.

Funding

The Australian Society of Orthodontists Foundation for Research and Education.
Startlingly strong shape anisotropy of AC magnetic susceptibility due to eddy currents
Authors: Ježek Josef , Hrouda František
Published: November 2021

In order to better understand the anisotropy of AC magnetic susceptibility due to eddy currents (EC susceptibility) in rocks and minerals, we investigated the anisotropy of both in-phase (ipAMS) and out-of-phase (opAMS) magnetic susceptibility. Copper cylinders were chosen as experimental material because copper is diamagnetic, internally isotropic magnetically, and its out-of-phase magnetic susceptibility is no doubt due to eddy currents. Results of laboratory measurements were successfully compared to theoretical models. Both the in-phase and out-of-phase EC susceptibility components are strongly frequency dependent. The principal directions of both ipAMS and opAMS are closely related to the shapes of the copper bodies. While the degree of AMS of elongated cylinders asymptotically approaches 2, which is the value for infinite cylinder, it can be two orders higher in strongly flattened cylinders of the same volume. Analysis of directional susceptibilities has shown that EC susceptibility is well described by the tensor of second rank. These results are useful for the structural interpretation of the opAMS of rocks and ores whose opAMS is due to eddy currents (in electrically conductive minerals, such as graphite, and galena).
Development and simulation testing for a new approach to density dependence in species distribution models
Authors: Thorson James T
Published: November 2021

Density dependence is included in many population–dynamics models, but few options exist within species distribution models (SDMs). One option for density-dependence in SDMs proceeds by including an independent time-series of population abundance as covariate using a spatially varying coefficient (SVC). We extend this via three alternative approaches that replace the independent time-series with information available within the SDM. We recommend the “intermediate complexity” approach that estimates a SVC responding to median abundance in each time; this SVC indicates whether a given location has a smaller- or greater-than-average sensitivity to changes in median abundance. We next develop a reaction–advection–diffusive simulation model, wherein individuals avoid habitats that exceed a threshold in local density. This movement model results in an estimated SVC that is negatively correlated with the average spatial distribution. Finally, we show that a SVC can be identified using bottom trawl data for four species in the eastern Bering Sea from 1982 to 2019. We conclude that the common “basin-model” for animal movement results in an ecological teleconnection, wherein population depletion or recovery at one locations will affect resulting dynamics at geographically distant habitats, and that this form of density dependence can be detected using SDMs.
Cooperative decisions of competitive supply chains considering carbon trading mechanism
Authors: Li Hui , Li Rou , Shang Meng , Liu Yu , Su Dandan
Published: November 2021

Carbon emissions trading policy is a market mechanism which promotes global greenhouse gas emissions reduction and reduces global carbon dioxide emissions. The emissions reduction in the supply chain operation has become a hot issue in supply chain management. Thus, this paper studies the optimal cap setting and pricing in chain-to-chain system under carbon emissions trading mechanism. Based on the double decentralized scenario, the five different cooperation models are established by introducing the structural cooperation and the contractual cooperation (the wholesale price contract) of supply chains. The optimal solutions of these models are obtained through the Stackelberg game and Nash game. The results show that the bargaining power of the supply chains is changed by the asymmetric competition structure. Besides, the government should emphasize the influencing factors change of the cap in the process of setting carbon emissions cap.
Early Immunogenicity and Safety of the Third Dose of BNT162b2 Messenger RNA Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine Among Adults Older Than 60 Years: Real-World Experience
Authors: Gilboa Mayan , Mandelboim Michal , Indenbaum Victoria , Lustig Yaniv , Cohen Carmit , Rahav Galia , Asraf Keren , Amit Sharon , Jaber Hanaa , Nemet Ital , Kliker Limor , Bar-Haim Erez , Mendelson Ella , Doolman Ram , Rubin Carmit , Regev-Yochay Gili , Kreiss Yitshak
Published: November 2021

Background

Despite high vaccine coverage, an increase in breakthrough coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections, prompted administration of a third BNT162b2 dose to people aged >60 years in Israel since July 2021. Here, we report real-world immunogenicity following third dose.

Methods

Overall, 208 healthcare workers aged >60 years were included. Paired pre– and post–second and/or third dose immunoglobulin G (IgG) and neutralizing antibody titers were compared. A subpopulation of low responders to the second dose was also tested for T-cell activation. For 25 paired serum samples, we tested neutralization of wild-type vs neutralization of Delta and Lambda variants, pre– and post–third dose. Active surveillance of vaccine adverse events was conducted through surveys.

Results

A pronounced immune response was observed following the third dose, including a 33-fold and 51-fold increase in IgG and neutralizing antibody, respectively. The neutralizing antibody levels post–third dose were 9.34 times higher than post–second dose (geometric mean titer, 2598 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2085–3237] vs 207 [95% CI, 126–339]). Nine previously low responders had a significant antibody increase post–third dose, and 7 of 9 showed increase in T-cell activation. Additionally, sera obtained post–third dose highly and comparably neutralized the wild-type and Delta and Lambda variants. Of 1056 responders to the adverse-event survey, none had serious events.

Conclusions

We demonstrate a rapid and broad immune response to the third BNT162b2 dose in individuals >60 years of age.
Increase in antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli in food animals between 1980 and 2018 assessed using genomes from public databases
Authors: Pires João , Huisman Jana S , Bonhoeffer Sebastian , Van Boeckel Thomas P
Published: November 2021

Background

Next-generation sequencing has considerably increased the number of genomes available in the public domain. However, efforts to use these genomes for surveillance of antimicrobial resistance have thus far been limited and geographically heterogeneous. We inferred global resistance trends in Escherichia coli in food animals using genomes from public databases.

Methods

We retrieved 7632 E. coli genomes from public databases (NCBI, PATRIC and EnteroBase) and screened for antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) using ResFinder. Selection bias towards resistance, virulence or specific strains was accounted for by screening BioProject descriptions. Temporal trends for MDR, resistance to antimicrobial classes and ARG prevalence were inferred using generalized linear models for all genomes, including those not subjected to selection bias.

Results

MDR increased by 1.6 times between 1980 and 2018, as genomes carried, on average, ARGs conferring resistance to 2.65 antimicrobials in swine, 2.22 in poultry and 1.58 in bovines. Highest resistance levels were observed for tetracyclines (42.2%–69.1%), penicillins (19.4%–47.5%) and streptomycin (28.6%–56.6%). Resistance trends were consistent after accounting for selection bias, although lower mean absolute resistance estimates were associated with genomes not subjected to selection bias (difference of 3.16%±3.58% across years, hosts and antimicrobial classes). We observed an increase in extended-spectrum cephalosporin ARG blaCMY-2 and a progressive substitution of tetB by tetA. Estimates of resistance prevalence inferred from genomes in the public domain were in good agreement with reports from systematic phenotypic surveillance.

Conclusions

Our analysis illustrates the potential of using the growing volume of genomes in public databases to track AMR trends globally.
Evaluation of abdominal aortic calcification by plain CT predicts anastomotic leakage in laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer
Authors: Morita Satoru , Tsuruta Masashi , Okabayashi Koji , Shigeta Kohei , Seishima Ryo , Monno Masayoshi , Itano Osamu , Kitagawa Yuko
Published: November 2021

Background

Anastomotic leakage is one of the most severe and critical complications of laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer. However, definitive preoperative predictors of anastomotic leakage remain elusive. With the ageing of society, the number of colorectal cancer patients with arteriosclerotic disease in Japan is increasing. This study was performed to evaluate the correlation between preoperative arteriosclerosis and anastomotic leakage.

Methods

In total, 98 patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer with reconstruction using the double-stapling technique without diversion of the stoma were enrolled in the study. Preoperative assessment of arteriosclerotic disease was performed by abdominal computed tomography. The calcification volume percentage of the aorta between the level of the celiac artery root and aortic bifurcation was calculated using ZIOstation2 software, and the relationship between arteriosclerosis and anastomotic leakage was analysed.

Results

Among 98 cases, anastomotic leakage was observed in 16 (16.3%). The median calcification volume percentage (range) was 2.35% (0–40.3%). Age, male sex, hypertension, dissection number, estimated glomerular filtration rate and tumour location were correlated with anastomotic leakage on statistical analysis. Statistical analysis showed that calcification volume percentage was one of the robust risk factors for anastomotic leakage (odds ratio: 1.09, 95% confidence interval: 1.03–1.17, P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Calcification of the abdominal aorta may be a promising predictor of AL after laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer reconstruction using the double-stapling technique.
Biological and internal dosimetry for radiation medicine: current status and future perspectives
Authors: Sudprasert Wanwisa , Belyakov Oleg V , Tashiro Satoshi
Published: November 2021

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Hiroshima International Council for Health Care of the Radiation-Exposed (HICARE) jointly organized two relevant workshops in Hiroshima, Japan, i.e. a Training Meeting ‘Biodosimetry in the 21st century’ (BIODOSE-21) on 10–14 June 2013 and a Workshop on ‘Biological and internal dosimetry: recent advance and clinical applications’ which took place between 17 and 21 February 2020. The main objective of the first meeting was to develop the ability of biodosimetry laboratories to use mature and novel techniques in biological dosimetry for the estimation of radiation doses received by individuals and populations. This meeting had a special focus on the Asia-Pacific region and was connected with the then on-going IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) E35008 ‘Strengthening of “Biological dosimetry” in IAEA Member States: Improvement of current techniques and intensification of collaboration and networking among the different institutes’ (2012–17). The meeting was attended by 25 participants, which included 11 lecturers. The 14 trainees for this meeting came from India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. During the meeting 13 lectures by HICARE and IAEA invited lecturers were delivered besides eight research reports presented by the IAEA CRP E35008 network centers from the Asia-Pacific region. Two laboratory exercises were also undertaken, one each at Hiroshima University and the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF). The second training workshop aimed to discuss with the participants the use of mature and novel techniques in biological and internal dosimetry for the estimation of radiation effects by accidental, environmental and medical exposures. The workshop was attended by 19 participants from Indonesia, Jordan, Oman, Philippines, Singapore, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, UAE, USA and Yemen. The main outcome of both meetings was a review of the state-of-the-art of biodosimetry and internal dosimetry and their future perspectives in medical management. This report highlights the learning outcome of two meetings for the benefit of all stake-holders in the field of biological and internal dosimetry.
Evidence for evolution and selection of drought-resistant genes based on high-throughput resequencing in weedy rice
Authors: Han Bing , Cui Di , Ma Xiaoding , Cao Guilan , Zhang Hui , Koh Hee Jong , Han Longzhi
Published: November 2021

Weedy rice (Oryza sativa f. spontanea) is a relative of cultivated rice that propagates in paddy fields and has strong drought resistance. In this study, we used 501 rice accessions to reveal the selection mechanism of drought resistance in weedy rice through a combination of selection analysis, genome-wide association studies, gene knockout and overexpression analysis, and Ca2+ and K+ ion flux assays. The results showed that the weedy rice species investigated have gene introgression with cultivated rice, which is consistent with the hypothesis that weedy rice originated from de-domestication of cultivated rice. Regions related to tolerance have particularly diversified during de-domestication and three drought-tolerance genes were identified. Of these, Os01g0800500 was also identified using an assay of the degree of leaf withering under drought, and it was named as PAPH1, encoding a PAP family protein. The drought-resistance capacity of PAPH1-knockout lines was much lower than that of the wild type, while that of overexpression lines was much higher. Concentrations of Ca2+ and K+ were lower in the knockout lines and higher in the overexpression lines compared with those of the wild type, suggesting that PAPH1 plays important roles in coping with drought stress. Our study therefore provides new insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying adaptive tolerance to drought in wild rice and highlights potential new resistance genes for future breeding programs in cultivated rice.
The Arabidopsis HDZIP class II transcription factor ABA INSENSITIVE TO GROWTH 1 functions in leaf development
Authors: Preciado Jesus , Begcy Kevin , Liu Tie
Published: November 2021

Leaf laminar growth and adaxial–abaxial boundary formation are fundamental outcomes of plant development. Boundary and laminar growth coordinate the further patterning and growth of the leaf, directing the differentiation of cell types within the top and bottom domains and promoting initiation of lateral organs along their adaxial or abaxial axis. Leaf adaxial–abaxial polarity specification and laminar outgrowth are regulated by two transcription factors, REVOLUTA (REV) and KANADI (KAN). ABA INSENSITIVE TO GROWTH 1 (ABIG1) encodes a HOMEODOMAIN-LEUCINE ZIPPER (HD-ZIP) class II transcription factor and is a direct target of the adaxial–abaxial regulators REV and KAN. To investigate the role of ABIG1 in leaf development and in the establishment of polarity, we examined the phenotypes of both gain-of-function and loss-of-function mutants. Through genetic interaction analysis with REV and KAN mutants, we determined that ABIG1 plays a role in leaf laminar growth as well as in adaxial–abaxial polarity establishment. Genetic and physical interaction assays showed that ABIG1 interacts with the transcriptional TOPLESS corepressor. This study provides new evidence that ABIG1, another HD-ZIP II, facilitates growth through the corepressor TOPLESS.