bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mutant SOD1 aggregates formed in vitro and in cultured cells are polymorphic and differ from those arising in the CNS
Authors: Nordström Ulrika , Lang Lisa , Ekhtiari Bidhendi Elaheh , Zetterström Per , Oliveberg Mikael , Danielsson Jens , Andersen Peter M. , Marklund Stefan L.
Published: November 2022

Mutations in the human Superoxide dismutase 1 (hSOD1) gene are well‐established cause of the motor neuron disease ALS. Patients and transgenic (Tg) ALS model mice carrying mutant variants develop hSOD1 aggregates in the CNS. We have identified two hSOD1 aggregate strains, which both transmit spreading template‐directed aggregation and premature fatal paralysis when inoculated into adult transgenic mice. This prion‐like spread of aggregation could be a primary disease mechanism in SOD1‐induced ALS. Human SOD1 aggregation has been studied extensively both in cultured cells and under various conditions in vitro. To determine how the structure of aggregates formed in these model systems related to disease‐associated aggregates in the CNS, we used a binary epitope‐mapping assay to examine aggregates of hSOD1 variants G93A, G85R, A4V, D90A, and G127X formed in vitro, in four different cell lines and in the CNS of Tg mice. We found considerable variability between replicate sets of in vitro‐generated aggregates. In contrast, there was a high similarity between replicates of a given hSOD1 mutant in a given cell line, but pronounced variations between different hSOD1 mutants and different cell lines in both structures and amounts of aggregates formed. The aggregates formed in vitro or in cultured cells did not replicate the aggregate strains that arise in the CNS. Our findings suggest that the distinct aggregate morphologies in the CNS could result from a micro‐environment with stringent quality control combined with second‐order selection by spreading ability. Explorations of pathogenesis and development of therapeutics should be conducted in models that replicate aggregate structures forming in the CNS.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with obesity: A review of programmes for children and young people aged 5–17 years
Authors: Wallace Seaneen , Scarcella Michele , Sealy Louise , Alexander Shirley , Zwi Karen
Published: November 2022

A literature review of overweight and obesity prevention and management programmes for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children 5–17 years to inform a co‐design weight management intervention in an urban Aboriginal community. Systematic searching of PubMed, Science Direct, Lowitja LitSearch and hand‐searching of references, government and Aboriginal websites. Programmes were categorised as including nutrition and food literacy, cooking skills, health education and cultural components. Quality was assessed against the CREATE QAT Tool. Eight programmes, including two evaluations and six programme descriptions, were identified. Interventions ranged in duration from 1 day to 10 weeks involving nutrition education, health information, cooking skills, exercise and cultural content. There were no significant reductions in weight outcomes, although there were reported positive health changes to the children including a reduction in waist circumference and an increase in exercise levels. Insights for future research include effective co‐design with community and the delivery of flexible content through an Aboriginal‐led, multifaceted programme. There is limited evidence for the prevention and management of weight in Aboriginal children with overweight and obesity. Future research efforts should include more time‐intensive, multifaceted, community‐run programmes that are supported by medical, advocacy and evaluation expertise from health services.
Veterinary healthcare needs to talk more about error: For the wellbeing of our patients and medical teams
Authors: Low Rochelle , Wu Albert W.
Published: November 2022

Over the past 2 decades, patient safety has become an established priority in human healthcare. There is a large body of research in human medicine on harm caused by healthcare, its impact, and interventions to prevent it. There are also numerous guidelines, policies, and regulations to improve safety. An important realization has been that the same errors that harm patients can also harm members of the healthcare team. Empathetic handling of safety incidents can have positive effects on both the wellbeing of providers and their care of patients. An essential element in patient safety is the creation of a “culture of safety” within the health care team. A strong culture of safety describes a work environment where risk is acknowledged, individuals can report errors without fear of punishment, and the organization has a commitment to collaboratively implementing system changes to prevent future errors. A key element of safety culture is ensuring that healthcare team members are supported and asked to help create solutions for safer care. The principles of safety science and practices to improve safety have not yet been widely adopted in veterinary medicine. We describe a case of a serious medication error and how it was handled to illustrate key components of a culture of safety and a system‐based approach to improvement. This case is timely as a recent review of patient safety events in 3 veterinary hospitals found medication‐related errors to be the most frequently reported events. Open conversations about safety events and errors that can harm not only our patients but also our healthcare teams will help veterinary professionals learn from their mistakes, support members of the team, and prevent future harm.
Climate change adaptation in Central America: A review of the national policy efforts
Authors: Segura Luis D. , van Zeijl‐Rozema Annemarie , Martens Pim
Published: November 2022

The latest comparative studies of climate policies reinforce the fundamental importance of employing adaptation planning alongside national development strategies. While these studies are necessary to document and share the knowledge of the practices and experiences undertaken at the national level, documents are still scarce on regions of interest such as Central America. This article scrutinizes the state of adaptation planning through an exhaustive investigation of adaptation policy documents, consisting of National Adaptation Strategies, National Climate Legislation, and National Adaptation Action Plans, which are common in all six Central American countries. The findings reveal a region with an intricate yet progressive trend toward adaptation policies, with each country showing different speeds and qualities of adoption. An increasing learning curve has allowed for the emergence of two generations of adaptation policies with several improved features, including horizontal and vertical coordination, monitoring systems, and the inclusion of heterogeneous instruments to implement these systems. Yet, institutional challenges outside the adaptation realm could hinder the progress attained, due to factors such as political and economic crisis and institutional fragility. Further research into the broader political and governance landscape is needed, focusing on if and how climate policies should address political instability and institutional fragility as vulnerability stressors.
Visibly invisible: The study of middle class African American English
Authors: Weldon Tracey L.
Published: November 2022

Middle class African American English (AAE) has remained largely invisible to the sociolinguistic lens despite the fact that over 50 years of research has made it one of the most examined varieties of American English. This gap in the sociolinguistic literature is largely reflective of a strategic effort on the part of linguists to dismantle the stigma associated with working class vernacular varieties and improve outcomes for working class speakers who face linguistic discrimination in schools. An unfortunate by‐product of this laudable effort, however, has been the erasure of middle‐class speakers from our conceptualisations of the AAE speech community and a virtual obsession with the vernacular end of the AAE continuum. By interrogating the concept of the linguistic lame and giving greater attention to patterns of code‐switching and the ways in which talking Black or sounding Black get defined at the more standard end of the continuum, sociolinguists have an opportunity to broaden our understanding of AAE and its community of speakers and, in so doing, possibly extend our reach to a more diverse and inclusive audience of budding linguists.
Gut microbiome composition better reflects host phylogeny than diet diversity in breeding wood‐warblers
Authors: Baiz Marcella D. , Benavides C. Andrea , Miller Eliot T. , Wood Andrew W. , Toews David P. L.
Published: November 2022

Understanding the factors that shape microbiomes can provide insight into the importance of host–symbiont interactions and on co‐evolutionary dynamics. Unlike for mammals, previous studies have found little or no support for an influence of host evolutionary history on avian gut microbiome diversity and instead have suggested a greater influence of the environment or diet due to fast gut turnover. Because effects of different factors may be conflated by captivity and sampling design, examining natural variation using large sample sizes is important. Our goal was to overcome these limitations by sampling wild birds to compare environmental, dietary and evolutionary influences on gut microbiome structure. We performed faecal metabarcoding to characterize both the gut microbiome and diet of 15 wood‐warbler species across a 4‐year period and from two geographical localities. We find host taxonomy generally explained ~10% of the variation between individuals, which is ~6‐fold more variation of any other factor considered, including diet diversity. Further, gut microbiome similarity was more congruent with the host phylogeny than with host diet similarity and we found little association between diet diversity and microbiome diversity. Together, our results suggest evolutionary history is the strongest predictor of gut microbiome differentiation among wood‐warblers. Although the phylogenetic signal of the warbler gut microbiome is not very strong, our data suggest that a stronger influence of diet (as measured by diet diversity) does not account for this pattern. The mechanism underlying this phylogenetic signal is not clear, but we argue host traits may filter colonization and maintenance of microbes.
Insights into the potential for mutualistic and harmful host–microbe interactions affecting brown alga freshwater acclimation
Authors: KleinJan Hetty , Frioux Clémence , Califano Gianmaria , Aite Méziane , Fremy Enora , Karimi Elham , Corre Erwan , Wichard Thomas , Siegel Anne , Boyen Catherine , Dittami Simon M.
Published: November 2022

Microbes can modify their hosts' stress tolerance, thus potentially enhancing their ecological range. An example of such interactions is Ectocarpus subulatus, one of the few freshwater‐tolerant brown algae. This tolerance is partially due to its (un)cultivated microbiome. We investigated this phenomenon by modifying the microbiome of laboratory‐grown E. subulatus using mild antibiotic treatments, which affected its ability to grow in low salinity. Low salinity acclimation of these algal‐bacterial associations was then compared. Salinity significantly impacted bacterial and viral gene expression, albeit in different ways across algal‐bacterial communities. In contrast, gene expression of the host and metabolite profiles were affected almost exclusively in the freshwater‐intolerant algal‐bacterial communities. We found no evidence of bacterial protein production that would directly improve algal stress tolerance. However, vitamin K synthesis is one possible bacterial service missing specifically in freshwater‐intolerant cultures in low salinity. In this condition, we also observed a relative increase in bacterial transcriptomic activity and the induction of microbial genes involved in the biosynthesis of the autoinducer AI‐1, a quorum‐sensing regulator. This could have resulted in dysbiosis by causing a shift in bacterial behaviour in the intolerant algal‐bacterial community. Together, these results provide two promising hypotheses to be examined by future targeted experiments. Although they apply only to the specific study system, they offer an example of how bacteria may impact their host's stress response.
Patients' experiences of preparing for transfer from the intensive care unit to a hospital ward: A multicentre qualitative study
Authors: Gullberg Agneta , Joelsson‐Alm Eva , Schandl Anna
Published: November 2022

Background

The transfer from an intensive care unit (ICU) to a regular ward often causes confusion and stress for patients and family members. However, little is known about the patients' perspective on preparing for the transfer.

Aim

The purpose of the study was to describe patients' experiences of preparing for transfer from an ICU to a ward.

Study Design

Individual interviews with 14 former ICU patients from three urban hospitals in Stockholm, Sweden were conducted 3 months after hospital discharge. Qualitative content analysis was used to interpret the interview transcripts. Reporting followed the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research checklist.

Results

The results showed that the three categories, the discharge decision, patient involvement, and practical preparations were central to the patients' experiences of preparing for the transition from the intensive care unit to the ward. The discharge decision was associated with a sense of relief, but also worry about what would happen on the ward. The patients felt that they were not involved in the decision about the discharge or the planning of their health care. To handle the situation, patients needed information about planned care and treatment. However, the information was often sparse, delivered from a clinician's perspective, and therefore not much help in preparing for transfer.

Conclusions

ICU patients experienced that they were neither involved in the process of forthcoming care nor adequately prepared for the transfer to the ward. Relevant and comprehensible information and sufficient time to prepare were needed to reduce stress and promote efficient recovery.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

The study suggests that current transfer strategies are not optimal, and a more person‐centred discharge procedure would be beneficial to support patients and family members in the transition from the ICU to the ward.
Cooperative interactions between nitrogen fixation and phosphorus nutrition in legumes
Authors: Zhong Yongjia , Tian Jiang , Li Xinxin , Liao Hong
Published: November 2022

Legumes such as soybean are considered important crops as they provide proteins and oils for humans and livestock around the world. Different from other crops, leguminous crops accumulate nitrogen (N) for plant growth through symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) in coordination with rhizobia. A number of studies have shown that efficient SNF requires the cooperation of other nutrients, especially phosphorus (P), a nutrient deficient in most soils. During the last decades, great progress has been made in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the interactions between SNF and P nutrition, specifically through the identification of transporters involved in P transport to nodules and bacteroids, signal transduction, and regulation of P homeostasis in nodules. These studies revealed a distinct N–P interaction in leguminous crops, which is characterized by specific signaling cross talk between P and SNF. This review aimed to present an updated picture of the cross talk between N fixation and P nutrition in legumes, focusing on soybean as a model crop, and Medicago truncatula and Lotus japonicus as model plants. We also discuss the possibilities for enhancing SNF through improving P nutrition, which are important for high and sustainable production of leguminous crops.
Problematic internet use and attachment styles among adolescents in Japan
Authors: Suzuki Hiromi , Miyatake Nobuyuki , Kusaka Takashi
Published: November 2022

Background

Problematic Internet use (PIU) remains a significant social concern in Japan and across the globe. Numerous studies have been conducted to examine the prevalence of PIU, and its association with lifestyle habits and mental health status. To the best of our knowledge, few studies have examined the association between parental attachment and PIU in Japan. Furthermore, preventive measures in Japan have primarily targeted adolescents via education. Therefore, in this study we explored the association between PIU and attachment styles among adolescents to seek a new approach for the development of appropriate, effective measures.

Methods

A self‐administered survey was conducted at one private (in 2018) and two public junior high schools (in 2020) in Kagawa Prefecture, western Japan. We used the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Experiences in Close Relationships–Relationship Structures (ECR–RS) questionnaire, and the Birleson Depression Self‐Rating Scale for Children (DSRS‐C). Multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the association between IAT scores and attachment styles.

Results

Of 1,413 participants (grades 7–9; 700 boys and 713 girls), 39% of the students showed possible PIU and 3% showed PIU. Students with PIU tended to sleep for shorter durations, access the Internet for long hours, and have a poor mental health status (p < 0.01). PIU was significantly associated with insecure attachment (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

The findings of our study imply that improving attachment styles and developing secure attachment between the child and parent might help mitigate and/or prevent PIU.
Intraoperative portal vein stenting through umbilical vein approach: An innovative salvage procedure for portal vein thrombosis in pediatric liver transplant
Authors: Venuthurimilli Arun kumar , Gupta Rigved , Singhal Saurabh , Madaan Varun , Kumar Pradeep , Singh Akanand , Sah Rambabu , Rastogi Harsh , Vohra Sandeep , Sahni Reeti , Bharadwaj Ravi , Kumar Karunesh , Malhotra Smita , Jerat Namit , Sibal Anupam , Goyal Neerav
Published: November 2022

Background

IPVS is considered a last resort or a salvage procedure in the event of recurrent PV thrombosis despite multiple attempts at redo PV anastomosis. We employed the opened umbilical vein approach to place the stent in the PV and deliver anticoagulation through a catheter.

Materials and Methods

From Jan 2017 to Feb 2022, 150 patients underwent pediatric transplantation at department of liver transplant and hepatobiliary surgery unit, Indraprastha Apollo hospitals, New Delhi. Age, weight, PELD Score, diagnosis, portal vein diameter on preoperative CT, Portal flow after stenting, decrease in spleen size after stenting in follow‐up CT were collected from a prospectively maintained data base and reviewed.

Results

Eight patients underwent IPVS following LDLT (mean age‐10.6 ± 2.2 months, mean weight 8.1 ± 1.6, mean PELD score 32.7 ± 7.3). The mean PV diameter on preoperative CT scan was 3.6 mm (range 2.7–5.6 mm). The mean portal flow following stenting was 718.75 cc/min. Percentage reduction in size of the spleen was 26.35% beyond 2nd post‐operative week. No patient had recurrent PV thrombosis following IPVS and all maintained an adequate portal flow throughout the immediate postoperative period. Two patients had in‐hospital mortality secondary to septic complications.

Conclusion

Umbilical vein approach is technically feasible, easy to manipulate the stent and catheter placement after stenting helps to deliver anticoagulants locally.
Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals key genes for polyphyllin difference in five Paris species
Authors: Hou Lixiu , Zhang Furui , Yuan Xincheng , Li Song , Tian Weijun , Tian Weirong , Li Jiaru
Published: November 2022

Paris species accumulate a large amount of steroidal saponins, which have numerous pharmacological activities and have become an essential component in many patented drugs. However, only two among all Paris species. Paris are identified as official sources due to high level of bioactive compounds. To clarify the composition of steroidal saponins and the molecular basis behind the differences between species, we investigated transcriptome and metabolic profiles of leaves and rhizomes in Paris polyphylla var. chinensis (PPC), Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis (PPY), Paris polyphylla var. stenophylla (PPS), Paris fargesii (PF), and Paris mairei (PM). Phytochemical results displayed that the accumulation of steroidal saponins was tissue‐ and species‐specific. PF and PPS contained more steroidal saponins in leaves than rhizomes, while PPY accumulated more steroidal saponins in rhizomes than leaves. PPC and PM contained similar amounts of steroidal saponins in leaves and rhizomes. Transcriptome analysis illustrated that most differentially expressed genes related to the biosynthesis of steroidal saponins were abundantly expressed in rhizomes than leaves. Meanwhile, more biosynthetic genes had significant correlations with steroidal saponins in rhizomes than in leaves. The result of CCA indicated that ACAT, DXS, DWF1, and CYP90 constrained 97.35% of the variance in bioactive compounds in leaves, whereas CYP72, UGT73, ACAT, and GPPS constrained 98.61% of the variance in phytochemicals in rhizomes. This study provided critical information for enhancing the production of steroidal saponins by biotechnological approaches and methodologies.
From the AKAP to AKAIE model to assess the uptake of technological innovations in the aquaculture sector
Authors: Vecchio Yari , Masi Margherita , Adinolfi Felice
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this study is to explore the adoption of innovation in the aquaculture sector through the Awareness Knowledge Adoption Implementation Effectiveness (AKAIE) sequence. The AKAIE is an extension of the Awareness Knowledge Adoption Product (AKAP) model in order to better investigate the post‐adoption phases. Using the ‘Implementation’ and ‘Effectiveness’ phases, this study aims to further the understanding of both the different levels of adoption and the impact of innovation in terms of environmental, economic and social benefits produced. The proposed sequence is contextualised in light of the multidimensional scenario of on‐farm and off‐farm factors acting alongside the adoption of new technologies in the aquaculture sector. In this paper, the perspective of aquaculturists is represented with the concept of perceived complexity as the central node of the adoption process. The proposed tool could support policy makers in understanding and disseminating innovation in aquaculture.
From biogenic silica and organic matter to authigenic clays and dolomite: Insights from Messinian (upper Miocene) sediments of the Northern Mediterranean
Authors: Pellegrino Luca , Natalicchio Marcello , Birgel Daniel , Pastero Linda , Carnevale Giorgio , Jordan Richard W. , Peckmann Jörn , Zanellato Nicolò , Dela Pierre Francesco
Published: November 2022

The biogeochemical cycles of carbon and silicon are tightly coupled in modern marine environments due to the pivotal role of planktonic diatoms. Once diatoms are sedimented, the fate of organic matter and biogenic silica is initially governed by bottom water oxygen levels and bacterial communities involved in remineralization processes. The early diagenesis of biosiliceous sediments may result in drastic changes in composition, sometimes hampering palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Sedimentary successions deposited in the Mediterranean region during the Messinian salinity crisis (5.97–5.33 Ma) allow to explore the early diagenetic transformation of organic matter and biogenic silica in a restricted basin experiencing a severe palaeoceanographic turnover. Sedimentological and petrographic observations coupled to elemental, mineralogical, inorganic and organic geochemical analyses were carried out on biosiliceous (diatomaceous shales and diatom‐bearing mudstones) and associated clay‐rich and dolomite‐rich sediments (dolomitic mudstones) interbedded with primary gypsum layers in the Piedmont Basin (north‐west Italy). The state of preservation of biogenic silica was governed by different pathways of organic matter remineralization, depending on bottom and pore water redox conditions, which were controlled by the structure of the water column. Aerobic respiration of organic matter in a mixed water column and an oxygenated seafloor promoted biogenic silica preservation. In contrast, bottom water anoxia induced by permanent stratification of the water column favoured the concomitant formation of dolomite and authigenic clays. In particular, organic matter degradation through bacterial sulphate reduction increased pore water alkalinity, promoting the precipitation of dolomite. At the same time, the rise in pH promoted the dissolution of biogenic silica which, reacting with pore water cations, ultimately caused the formation of authigenic clays. This study suggests that the apparent annihilation of Mediterranean marine biota during the Messinian salinity crisis partially reflects an early diagenetic bias produced by interactions of the carbon, silicon and sulphur biogeochemical cycles in a restricted basin.
Physical activity volume and intensity distribution in relation to bone, lean and fat mass in children
Authors: Skinner Annie M. , Vlachopoulos Dimitris , Barker Alan R. , Moore Sarah A. , Rowlands Alex V. , Soininen Sonja , Haapala Eero A. , Väistö Juuso , Westgate Kate , Brage Soren , Lakka Timo A.
Published: November 2022

Considering physical activity (PA) volume and intensity may provide novel insights into the relationships of PA with bone, lean, and fat mass. This study aimed to assess the associations of PA volume, PA intensity distribution, including moderate‐to‐vigorous PA (MVPA) with total‐body‐less‐head bone mineral content (BMC), lean, and fat mass in children. A population sample of 290 Finnish children (158 females) aged 9–11 years from the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) Study was studied. PA, including MVPA, was assessed with a combined heart rate and movement sensor, and the uniaxial acceleration was used to calculate average‐acceleration (a proxy metric for PA volume) and intensity‐gradient (reflective of PA intensity distribution). Linear regression analyzed the associations of PA volume, PA intensity and MVPA with BMC, lean mass, and fat mass assessed by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry. PA volume was positively associated with BMC in females (unstandardised regression coefficient [ß] = 0.26) and males (ß = 0.47), and positively associated with lean (ß = 7.33) and negatively associated with fat mass in males (ß = −20.62). PA intensity was negatively associated with BMC in males (ß = −0.13). MVPA was positively associated with lean mass in females and males (ß = 0.007 to 0.012), and negatively associated with fat mass in females and males (ß = −0.030 to −0.029). PA volume may be important for improving BMC in females and males, and increasing lean and reducing fat mass in males, whereas MVPA may be important for favorable lean and fat outcomes in both sexes.
Effects of plyometric training on different 8‐week training intensity distributions in well‐trained endurance runners
Authors: Filipas Luca , Bonato Matteo , Maggio Alice , Gallo Gabriele , Codella Roberto
Published: November 2022

The aim of this four‐armed parallel group randomized‐controlled trial was to evaluate if plyometric training could have different effects on running performance and physiological adaptations depending on the training intensity distribution (TID) in an 8‐week intervention in endurance athletes. Sixty well‐trained male runners (age: 34 ± 6 years, relative ⩒O2peak: 69 ± 3 ml kg−1 min−1) were recruited and allocated to a pyramidal (PYR), pyramidal + plyometric training (PYR + PLY), polarized (POL), and polarized + plyometric training (POL + PLY) periodization. The periodization patterns were isolated manipulations of TID, while training load was kept constant. Participants were tested pre‐ and post‐intervention for body mass, velocity at 2 and 4 mmol·L−1 of blood lactate concentration (vBLa2, vBLa4), absolute and relative ⩒O2peak and 5‐km running time trial performance, counter movement jump and squat jump. There were significant group × time interactions for vBla4 (p = 0.0235), CMJ (p = 0.0234), SJ (p = 0.0168), and 5‐km running time trial performance (p = 0.0035). Specifically, vBla4 and 5‐km running time trial performance showed the largest post‐intervention improvements in PYR + PLY (2.4% and 1.6%) and POL + PLY (2.1% and 1.8%), respectively. No significant interactions were observed for body mass, absolute and relative ⩒O2peak, peak heart rate, lactate peak and rating of perceived exertion. In conclusion, an 8‐week training periodization seems to be effective in improving performance of well‐trained endurance runners. Including plyometric training once a week appeared to be more efficacious in maximizing running performance improvements, independently from the TID adopted.
Which employers have refugee employees—And which do not? Employer typologies developed through hierarchical cluster analyses
Authors: Ravn Rasmus Lind
Published: November 2022

Employers can be regarded as gatekeepers of jobs. They decide how to post vacancies, whom to recruit and whom to dismiss. In recent years, a growing body of research has highlighted the crucial role of employers in relation to labour market participation of disadvantaged groups. This article contributes to this research by exploring which types of employers have refugee employees—and which do not. We develop the typologies through hierarchical cluster analyses using a nationally representative survey of Danish workplaces. We find that the employers who have experiences with having refugee employees can be grouped into three based on their attitudes and preconceptions; knights, knaves and squires. Likewise, employers who have never had refugee employees can also be divided into three groups; aspiring knights, knights of fortune, and commoners. The groups differ in their attitudes and motivations for (not) having refugee employees. Our main contribution to the literature is the development of new nuanced employer typologies, and the finding that employers differ in their motivations for having, or not having, refugee employees.
Sebaceoma on the nose mimicking basal cell carcinoma: Pitfalls of dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy
Authors: Ning Xiaoli , Wang Huijing , Zheng Zhancai , Wang Ying , Cui Yong
Published: November 2022

Sebaceoma is a rare benign sebaceous tumor that usually occurs on the face and scalp. We report a case of a 3‐mm solitary pink papule on the nose in an elderly woman. Dermoscopic examination showed yellow‐pinkish background with a central yellow homogeneous structure, peripheral branching vessels (crown vessels), and scattered gray or reddish‐brown irregular areas. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) revealed tumor islands with massive dendritic cells and scattered bright fine granules in the dermis, a suspicious palisading arrangement at the periphery, and there seemed to be peritumoral dark spaces. The combined dermoscopic and RCM examination were highly suspicious for the diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), so the lesion was excised completely, but was eventually diagnosed as sebaceoma by histopathology. This case suggests that there are some overlaps in both dermoscopic and RCM features between sebaceoma and BCC. The application of dermoscopy and RCM to the diagnosis of sebaceoma is challenging, further studies are needed in this field.
Intercropping with herbs minimizes cadmium availability through altering physicochemical dynamics and metabolite profiles in wheat rhizosphere
Authors: Yu Lei , Qin Luyao , Sun Xiaoyi , Wang Lifu , Chen Shibao , Wang Meng
Published: November 2022

For the past few years, the production of safe crops in Cd‐contaminated soil has attracted more and more attention, and the intercropping of wheat and herbaceous plants has gradually become an effective way. However, how the physicochemical and metabolic processes because of the intercropping change Cd availability are still unclear. In this study, we studied the influence of changes in soil physicochemical properties induced by intercropping of wheat with different herbs on soil Cd availability of Cd. Meanwhile, we innovatively studied the effect of intercropping on rhizosphere metabolites and evaluated the impact on Cd transfer. Results showed that the highest wheat biomass was presented in the intercropping system with the Cichorium intybus L. (W4) and Aus hypochondriacus L. (W5) increasing by 57.66% and 54.05% individually, compared with monocropping, while W1, W2, and W3 increasing slightly. Further, the Cd accumulation in wheat grains under W4 and W5 treatment decreased by 44.95% and 43.12%, respectively. Structural equation model confirmed that the increased pH, CEC contributed to the decreased Cd availability in soil, as well the changed metabolic profiles in wheat rhizosphere after intercropping. Specially, up‐regulation of fatty acid metabolism allowed wheat plants to maintain a normal intracellular environment under stress conditions. Similarly, up‐regulation of saccharide and amino acid metabolism induced the accumulation of sugars and proteins, which positively increased wheat biomass and Cd‐binding proteins, thus inhibiting the migration of soil Cd into wheat tissue. Collectively, this study provided reasonable insights towards understanding the metabolic mechanisms how intercropping altered Cd availability.
The Effect of Strain Rate on the Hydrogen Embrittlement Susceptibility of Aluminum 7075
Authors: Baltacioglu Mehmet Furkan , Cetin Baris , Bal Burak
Published: November 2022

The effects of changing the strain rate regime from quasi-static to medium on hydrogen susceptibility of aluminum (Al) 7075 were investigated using tensile tests. Strain rates were selected as 1 s−1 and 10−3 s−1 and tensile tests were conducted on both hydrogen uncharged and hydrogen charged specimens at room temperature. Electrochemical hydrogen charging method was utilized and the diffusion length of hydrogen inside Al 7075 was modeled. Material characterizations were carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and microstructural observations of hydrogen uncharged and hydrogen charged specimens were performed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). As opposed to earlier studies, hydrogen embrittlement (HE) was more pronounced at high strain rate cases. Moreover, hydrogen enhanced localized plasticity (HELP) was the more dominant hydrogen embrittlement mechanism at slower strain rate but coexistence of hydrogen enhanced localized plasticity and hydrogen enhanced decohesion was observed at a medium strain rate. Overall, the current findings shed light on the complicated hydrogen embrittlement behavior of Al 7075 and constitute an efficient guideline for the usage of Al 7075 that can be subject to different strain rate loadings in service.
Hydrodynamic Responses of a Novel Modular Floating Structure System With Multi-Direction Expansion
Authors: Li Yanwei , Li Xiang , Ren Nianxin , Ou Jinping
Published: November 2022

In order to comprehensively utilize ocean resources and renewable energy, a novel modular floating structure (MFS) system with multi-direction expansibility has been proposed, which includes inner hexagonal tension leg platform (TLP) modules and outermost floating artificial reef modules coupled with the function of the wave energy converter (WEC). Considering both the hydrodynamic interaction effect and the mechanical coupling effect, the main dynamic responses of the MFS system have been analyzed under different incident wave directions, and the corresponding physical mechanism has been clarified. Results indicate that connector loads slightly increase, but motion responses of the MFS system are more stable when the outermost floating artificial reefs serve as the up-wave modules. Outermost floating artificial reef modules have shown good wave-attenuation capacity for inner TLP modules, as well as producing considerable output wave power. The effect of key power take-off (PTO) parameters on the WECs’ performance has been investigated, and the optimal PTO damping coefficient has been suggested. In addition, extreme responses of the proposed MFS system have been further studied, and its safety has been well verified under typical extreme sea conditions. The main results of this work can serve as a helpful reference for the construction of future offshore floating cities.
Research on Tribo-Dynamic Characteristics of Double Involute Gears Based on Multiphysics Coupling
Authors: Yin Zhaoming , Fan Yu , Xu Jun , Fan Zhimin , Duan Zhenya
Published: November 2022

In order to accurately obtain the dynamic characteristics of double involute gears (DIGs), according to the characteristics of tooth profile engagement, a tribo-dynamic model of DIGs with multiphysics coupling characteristics is proposed by integrating the thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication (TEHL) model, the temperature field analysis model and the dynamic model. The influence of different factors on its dynamic behaviors and the difference in dynamic characteristics between DIGs and common involute gears (CIGs) are comparatively analyzed. The results show that the thermal effect and tooth friction can intensify the dynamic response of the gear transmission. The variation of rotational velocity and torque has a significant impact on the dynamic behaviors of DIGs, the change of tooth waist order parameters have little effect on its dynamic characteristics, and the dynamic characteristics between DIGs and CIGs exist difference, but the difference is not obvious. Additionally, the theoretical model is verified through experiments.
Techno-Economic Optimization of a Hybrid PV-CSP Plant With Molten Salt Thermal Energy Storage and Supercritical CO2 Brayton Power Cycle
Authors: Guccione Salvatore , Trevisan Silvia , Guedez Rafael , Laumert Björn , Maccarini Simone , Traverso Alberto
Published: November 2022

High-efficient supercritical CO2 (sCO2) power blocks and the hybridization with solar photovoltaic (PV) plants have been identified as two viable solutions to enhance the economic competitiveness of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plants. This work introduces an innovative hybrid PV-CSP system layout with molten salt thermal energy storage and a sCO2 power block. An active hybridization has been proposed employing a molten salt electric heater that allows storing the excess PV production as thermal energy. The scalability of the plant has been investigated using size-dependent cost functions and introducing a novel methodology for scaling the sCO2 turbomachinery efficiencies. The conducted techno-economic optimizations show that the proposed hybrid PV-CSP plants can be cost-competitive. For a European solar resource location - 1900 kWh/(m2yr) - Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) values lower than 66 EUR/MWh and capacity factors higher than 70 % can be achieved at 100 MWe. For a high-irradiance location - 3400 kWh/(m2yr) - a capacity factor of 85 % and a LCOE of 46 EUR/MWh have been found for the same scale. The selection of the sCO2 power cycle has a marginal impact on these results so that a simple recuperated cycle can yield similar LCOEs as the recompressed, reheated, and intercooled layouts. For smaller scales, systems with large gaps between the PV and CSP capacities are preferred, laying the optimal conditions for the electric heater integration with utilization factors up to 21 %.
An Alternate Means to Form Non-Dimensional Products in Dimensional Analysis
Authors: Clark John P.
Published: November 2022

Dimensional analysis is taught early in an undergraduate curriculum for mechanical engineering, usually during the very first course in fluid mechanics. Such analysis has its roots in the work of Lord Rayleigh, and the mechanics of the process as typically taught to undergraduates follows directly from the classic paper due to Buckingham on what is now known as the Pi Theorem. Students are meant to learn that dimensional analysis is a powerful tool for: developing insight with respect to flow physics, creating new models of physical processes, guiding the performance of experiments and flowfield simulations, aiding the sensible presentation of technical results, and fostering the replication of experiments and simulations. Unfortunately, the usual method for finding non-dimensional products taught to undergraduates requires the selection of scaling variables that can seem arbitrary and the solution of a number of sets of simultaneous equations that is typically tedious and prone to simple errors of arithmetic. As a consequence, students often fail to gain the intended appreciation for the usefulness of dimensional analysis. Fortunately, another technique for forming Π products that does not suffer from these same drawbacks was presented by the late Prof. B. S. Massey of University College London. This paper is intended to disseminate his so-called “step-by-step method” to a wider audience and thus to encourage the adoption of the technique for use in undergraduate curricula.
Gas Turbine’s Role in Energy Transition
Authors: Gülen S. Can , Curtis Martin
Published: November 2022

Modern heavy duty industrial gas turbines in combined cycle configuration, with rated efficiencies (at ISO base load) above 60% net LHV, are expected to play a significant role in reducing the carbon footprint of utility scale electricity generation. Even without post-combustion capture, simply switching from coal-fired generation to natural gas-fired generation reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 60% (on a kg per MWh of generation basis). In simple cycle mode, with efficiencies above 40% net LHV and startup times around 20 minutes, 300 to 400+ MW gas turbines can easily serve as peakers to support variable renewable resources, i.e., wind and solar. In this paper, a close quantitative look is taken at the capabilities of gas turbines firing natural gas, hydrogen, or a blend thereof, both in simple and combined cycle configurations. Furthermore, using published data, first-principles calculations, and software simulations, it will be shown that the gas turbine constitutes an efficient and cost-effective technology, with and without carbon capture, as a key player in decarbonization of the electric power sector.
Growth and characterization of α-Ga2O3 on sapphire and nanocrystalline β-Ga2O3 on diamond substrates by halide vapor phase epitaxy
Authors: Modak Sushrut , Lundh James Spencer , Al-Mamun Nahid Sultan , Chernyak Leonid , Haque Aman , Tu Thieu Quang , Kuramata Akito , Tadjer Marko J. , Pearton Stephen J.
Published: November 2022

Halide vapor phase epitaxial (HVPE) Ga2O3 films were grown on c-plane sapphire and diamond substrates at temperatures up to 550 °C without the use of a barrier dielectric layer to protect the diamond surface. Corundum phase α-Ga2O3 was grown on the sapphire substrates, whereas the growth on diamond resulted in regions of nanocrystalline β-Ga2O3 (nc-β-Ga2O3) when oxygen was present in the HVPE reactor only during film growth. X-ray diffraction confirmed the growth of α-Ga2O3 on sapphire but failed to detect any β-Ga2O3 reflections from the films grown on diamond. These films were further characterized via Raman spectroscopy, which revealed the β-Ga2O3 phase of these films. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated the nanocrystalline character of these films. From cathodoluminescence spectra, three emission bands, UVL′, UVL, and BL, were observed for both the α-Ga2O3/sapphire and nc-Ga2O3/diamond, and these bands were centered at approximately 3.7, 3.2, and 2.7 eV.
Variation in global and intonational pitch settings among black and white speakers of Southern American English
Authors: Li Aini , Purse Ruaridh , Holliday Nicole
Published: November 2022

This article revisits classic questions about how pitch varies between groups by examining global and intonational pitch differences between black and white speakers from Memphis, Tennessee, using data from read speech to control for stylistic and segmental variables. Results from both mixed-effects regression modeling and smoothing spline analysis of variance find no difference between black and white men in mean F0 and pitch range measures. However, black women produced consistently lower mean F0 than white women. These findings suggest that while pitch patterns in black women's speech remain underexplored in the literature, they may play an important role in shaping attitudes and ideological associations concerning black American speakers in general. Moreover, vocal pitch may be a linguistic variable subject to variation, especially in a context of racialized and gendered linguistic standards.
Speech sounds in larger inventories are not (necessarily) less variable
Authors: Hauser Ivy
Published: November 2022

This paper reconsiders a classic claim about phonetic variability—that speech sounds in larger phonemic inventories should exhibit less within-category variability in production. Although this hypothesis is intuitive, existing literature provides limited unqualified support for the claim, further complicated by the fact that null results (like those failing to find a difference in variability between languages) often go unpublished. Even so, existing work suggests that factors contributing to extent of variability are multifaceted. While phonological contrast may affect variability patterns, inventory size alone is not a reliable predictor of variability differences. This paper reviews relevant findings in the literature, presents an additional case study, and argues for more nuanced alternatives to account for cross-linguistic differences in extent of phonetic variability.
Underwater-art: Expanding information perspectives with text templates for underwater acoustic target recognition
Authors: Xie Yuan , Ren Jiawei , Xu Ji
Published: November 2022

Underwater acoustic target recognition is an intractable task due to the complex acoustic source characteristics and sound propagation patterns. Limited by insufficient data and narrow information perspective, recognition models based on deep learning seem far from satisfactory in practical underwater scenarios. Although underwater acoustic signals are severely influenced by distance, channel depth, or other factors, annotations of relevant information are often nonuniform, incomplete, and hard to use. In this work, the proposal is to implement underwater acoustic recognition based on templates made up of rich relevant information (UART). The templates are designed to integrate relevant information from different perspectives into descriptive natural language. UART adopts an audio-spectrogram-text trimodal contrastive learning framework, which endows UART with the ability to guide the learning of acoustic representations by descriptive natural language. These experiments reveal that UART has better recognition capability and generalization performance than traditional paradigms. Furthermore, the pretrained UART model could provide superior prior knowledge for the recognition model in the scenario without any auxiliary annotation.
Solving brain circuit function and dysfunction with computational modeling and optogenetic fMRI
Authors: Lee Jin Hyung , Liu Qin , Dadgar-Kiani Ehsan
Published: November 2022

Can we construct a model of brain function that enables an understanding of whole-brain circuit mechanisms underlying neurological disease and use it to predict the outcome of therapeutic interventions? How are pathologies in neurological disease, some of which are observed to have spatial spreading mechanisms, associated with circuits and brain function? In this review, we discuss approaches that have been used to date and future directions that can be explored to answer these questions. By combining optogenetic functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with computational modeling, cell type–specific, large-scale brain circuit function and dysfunction are beginning to be quantitatively parameterized. We envision that these developments will pave the path for future therapeutics developments based on a systems engineering approach aimed at directly restoring brain function.