bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ETHICAL DISSONANCE, ETHICAL DISJUNCTURE, AND THE AUTONOMOUS SPHERES
Authors: Shingleton Bradley
Published: February 2022

The contemporary ethical landscape appears to many to be marked by a plurality of normative regions. The values and standards of one region may contrast and conflict with those of other regions, creating a sense of dissonance and discontinuity for the individual agent. This article explores how the phenomenon of such dissonance might be conceptualized. It considers the attempts of two thinkers who, following on Weber's notion of autonomous spheres, give a theoretical account of a pluralized ethical environment in terms of distinct, autonomous zones that reflect distinctive assumptions about rationality and action. While such Weber‐inspired theories are compelling in some respects, they have the potential of overemphasizing the autonomy of the various regions. An alternative idea of ethical sectors, rather than orders, seeks to avoid this problem by positing a more porous, less delimited ethical landscape, one that allows for a sense of ethical identity that an agent can maintain across different sectors.
“Justly Shall You Pursue Justice”: Theological Approaches to Evaluative Injustice
Authors: Muers Rachel
Published: February 2022

This article identifies and characterizes the phenomenon of evaluative injustice as the inequitable positioning of persons in relation to the activity of moral judgment, or the inequitable configuration of the space of moral judgment. The two main, closely interconnected, aspects of evaluative injustice are the disproportionate exposure of certain groups to moral judgment, and the disproportionate exclusion of certain groups from agency in moral judgment. Having argued that theology is significantly implicated in, and obligated to respond to, evaluative injustice, I outline a theological response to evaluative injustice through a reading of biblical texts on divine impartiality. The core focus should not be the abstract ideal of impartiality, but rather the role of “judges” and moral reasoners in recognizing and addressing pervasive social injustice.
A time to consider, a time to deliver: The independent and interactive effects of regulatory mode on innovative work behavior
Authors: Liu Haixin , Rubenstein Alex L. , Li Guiquan , Liu Zhaoyan , Zhan Xiaojun , Xiong Jie
Published: February 2022

Although innovative work behavior (IWB) is essential to organizational success and survival, little is known about its dispositional antecedents. In this study, we invoke regulatory mode theory to examine the independent and interactive effects of two regulatory orientations, assessment and locomotion, on three aspects of employee IWB: idea generation, promotion, and realization. Results from lagged survey data generally supported our hypotheses that each orientation would exhibit distinct effect patterns. For idea generation, assessment exhibited a positive relationship, whereas locomotion exhibited a negative relationship. Meanwhile, only locomotion was significantly (positively) related to idea promotion. And for idea realization, both assessment and locomotion exhibited positive associations. Furthermore, the interaction of assessment and locomotion in relation to each aspect of IWB also revealed distinct patterns: for idea generation, higher levels of assessment buffered against the negative effects of locomotion; for idea promotion, higher assessment constrained the positive effects of locomotion; and for idea realization, assessment supported locomotion, such that we observed greater realization levels when both regulatory modes were higher. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our results, as well as promising directions for future research concerning both regulatory mode and IWB.
Patient‐specific genetic factors predict treatment failure in sofosbuvir‐treated patients with chronic hepatitis C
Authors: Loucks Catrina M. , Lin Jennifer J. , Trueman Jessica N. , Drögemöller Britt I. , Wright Galen E. B. , Chang Wan‐Chun , Li Kathy H. , Yoshida Eric M. , Ford Jo‐Ann , Lee Samuel S. , Crotty Pam , Kim Richard B. , Al‐Judaibi Bandar , Schwarz Ute I. , Ramji Alnoor , Farivar Jeanette F. , Tam Edward , Walston Lori Lee , Ross Colin J. D. , Carleton Bruce C.
Published: February 2022

Background & Aims

According to pivotal clinical trials, cure rates for sofosbuvir‐based antiviral therapy exceed 96%. Treatment failure is usually assumed to be because of virological resistance‐associated substitutions or clinical risk factors, yet the role of patient‐specific genetic factors has not been well explored. We determined if patient‐specific genetic factors help predict patients likely to fail sofosbuvir treatment in real‐world treatment situations.

Methods

We recruited sofosbuvir‐treated patients with chronic hepatitis C from five Canadian treatment sites, and performed a case‐control pharmacogenomics study assessing both previously published and novel genetic polymorphisms. Specifically studied were variants predicted to impair CES1‐dependent production of sofosbuvir’s active metabolite, interferon‐λ signalling variants expected to impact a patient’s immune response to the virus and an HLA variant associated with increased spontaneous and treatment‐induced viral clearance.

Results

Three hundred and fifty‐nine sofosbuvir‐treated patients were available for analyses after exclusions, with 34 (9.5%) failing treatment. We identified CES1 variants as novel predictors for treatment failure in European patients (rs115629050 or rs4513095; odds ratio (OR): 5.43; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.64‐18.01; P = .0057), replicated associations with IFNL4 variants predicted to increase interferon‐λ signalling (eg rs12979860; OR: 2.25; 95% CI: 1.25‐4.06; P = .0071) and discovered a novel association with a coding variant predicted to enhance the activity of IFNL4's receptor (rs2834167 in IL10RB; OR: 1.81; 95% CI: 1.01‐3.24; P = .047).

Conclusions

Ultimately, this work demonstrates that patient‐specific genetic factors could be used as a tool to identify patients at higher risk of treatment failure and allow for these patients to receive effective therapy sooner.
Advances in understanding of the natural history, mechanism, extra‐muscular manifestations and treatment of GNE myopathy
Authors: Yoshioka Wakako , Noguchi Satoru , Mori‐Yoshimura Madoka , Nishino Ichizo
Published: February 2022

GNE myopathy is an autosomal recessive adult‐onset distal myopathy caused by biallelic variants in the GNE gene, which encodes a protein with two key enzymatic activities in the biosynthesis of sialic acid. In 1981, there was a report of a Japanese family in which muscle biopsies showed rimmed vacuoles in tibialis anterior with relative sparing of the quadriceps muscles. Twenty years later, the causative gene was identified to be GNE. Our group has constructed a mouse model that recapitulates the symptoms of GNE myopathy in patients and demonstrates the therapeutic effects of oral sialic acid supplementation on muscle phenotypes. The first clinical trial of N‐acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc) was conducted in 2010 at Tohoku University, and several clinical trials are now underway at multiple sites. Patient registries have also been started, including the Japanese Registry of Muscular Dystrophy (Remudy, established in 2012) and the online international GNE Myopathy Disease Monitoring Program (launched in 2014). These registries have allowed collection of comprehensive patient data, including new clinical features suggesting that GNE myopathy is not only a disease of skeletal muscle. In this review, we summarize the history of research on GNE myopathy and discuss the mechanism of the disease and its more recently identified features.
Breast cancer screening practices and associated factors among Chinese‐Australian women living in Sydney: A cross‐sectional survey study
Authors: Wang Lei , Mackenzie Lynette , Hossain Zakia
Published: February 2022

This study aimed to investigate breast cancer screening practices and associated factors among Chinese‐Australian women. A cross‐sectional quantitative survey method including convenience and snowball sampling was used to recruit 115 Chinese‐Australian women living in Sydney, using a self‐administered survey. In all, 69.8% of participants reported recent clinical breast examinations and 73.3% had mammograms. Age, religion, employment status, and length of residence were associated with having a clinical breast examination. Income was related to having a mammogram. Associations between knowledge of breast cancer, cancer‐related beliefs, and screening participation were found. Length of residence in Australia was the strongest predictor of having a clinical breast examination and mammogram. The most common barrier to mammography was if women felt that doctors did not recommend it to them. Chinese‐Australian women need to be educated about awareness of their usual breast health to be aware of any changes, especially if women are not eligible for mammography or have difficulty in accessing health services. Tailored programs, improving screening experiences, and minimizing perceived barriers are needed to promote early detection of breast cancer among Chinese–Australian women.
The COVID‐19 pandemic: Narratives of front‐line nurses from Wuhan, China
Authors: Zhang Wei Qing , Montayre Jed , Ho Mu‐Hsing , Yuan Fang , Chang Hui‐Chen (Rita)
Published: February 2022

This study aimed to explore the experiences of nurses in Wuhan Hospital as front‐line workers during the COVID‐19 pandemic. A descriptive qualitative study of such nurses was conducted from a tertiary hospital in Wuhan. Semi‐structured individual interviews were undertaken with 8 registered nurses who were front‐line health workers in one of the COVID‐19 wards and 3 nursing managers from the response team. Five discrete themes were identified from the narratives of nurses' experiences during the COVID‐19 outbreak in Wuhan: “content of fundamental care,” “teamwork,” “reciprocity,” “nurses’ own worries,” and “lifelong learning and insights.” Nurses in the front line of care during the COVID‐19 pandemic can contribute important information from their hands‐on experience for providing a holistic response to an infectious outbreak like COVID‐19. The concerns nurses raised at both personal and professional levels have implications for nursing education and clinical practice settings, particularly in the time of a pandemic when nurses' well‐being requires attention, and at the same time for considering organizational factors that enable nurses to provide care to patients with confidence. Hospital policies and nursing management need to be ready and adhere to flexible work planning systems and approaches during a pandemic.
Effect of oil price volatility on the trade balance in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Forson Priscilla , Dramani John Bosco , Frimpong Prince Boakye , Arthur Eric , Mahawiya Sulemana
Published: February 2022

Crude oil price volatility as an important driver of the trade balance of economies has been widely documented in the literature. However, studies on the effect of oil price volatility on the trade balance in sub‐Sahara Africa (SSA) are limited. In this paper, we explore the effect of crude oil price volatility on the trade balance across 34 SSA countries using Pooled Mean Group (PMG) and Common Correlated Effect Pooled Mean Group (CCEPMG) estimators for the period January 2004 to December 2017. We find that crude oil price volatility exerts a negative effect on the trade balance of SSA countries. We further demonstrate that inflation, interest rates and exchange rates are significant transmission channels for oil price volatility to impact trade balance. We suggest that policymakers hedge as well as adopt price‐smoothing schemes to minimise the volatility of oil prices on trade balance. Again, countries should adopt an inflation‐targeting regime to ensure the stability of the general price level. Finally, central banks of the respective countries should apply a combination of foreign exchange market interventions and interest rate changes to reduce the effect of oil price volatility on their trade balance when the exchange rate is taken into account.
The effect of image resolution of display types on accommodative microfluctuations
Authors: Hynes Niall J , Cufflin Matthew P , Hampson Karen M , Mallen Edward AH
Published: February 2022

Purpose

To determine whether accommodative microfluctuations (AMFs) are affected by the image resolution of the display type being observed. The effect of refractive error is also examined.

Methods

Twenty participants, (10 myopes and 10 emmetropes) observed a target on four different displays: paper, smartphone, e‐reader and visual display unit screen (VDU), whilst their accommodative responses were measured using a continuous recording infrared autorefractor. The accommodative response and AMF measures comprising low frequency components (LFC), high frequency components (HFC) and the root mean square (RMS) of the AMFs were analysed.

Results

A significant increase in LFC power was observed for the paper stimulus when compared to the VDU and smartphone conditions. Myopes demonstrated a significantly higher LFC and mean accommodative response compared to emmetropes across the four displays. A significant difference in the mean AR between the displays with the lowest and highest resolution was found. A higher mean AR was found with higher resolution of the image. The HFC and RMS accommodation were not affected by display type.

Conclusion

The mean accommodative response and the mean LFC power appear to respond differently depending on the type of display in use. Higher resolution devices showed a reduced lag of accommodation to the accommodative demand; however, this may cause a lead of accommodation in myopes for higher resolution display types.
The LONELY GUY gene family: from mosses to wheat, the key to the formation of active cytokinins in plants
Authors: Chen Lei , Jameson Geoffrey B. , Guo Yichu , Song Jiancheng , Jameson Paula E.
Published: February 2022

LONELY GUY (LOG) was first identified in a screen of rice mutants with defects in meristem maintenance. In plants, LOG codes for cytokinin riboside 5′‐monophosphate phosphoribohydrolase, which converts inactive cytokinin nucleotides directly to the active free bases. Many enzymes with the PGGxGTxxE motif have been misannotated as lysine decarboxylases; conversely not all enzymes containing this motif are cytokinin‐specific LOGs. As LOG mutants clearly impact yield in rice, we investigated the LOG gene family in bread wheat. By interrogating the wheat (Triticum aestivum) genome database, we show that wheat has multiple LOGs. The close alignment of TaLOG1, TaLOG2 and TaLOG6 with the X‐ray structures of two functional Arabidopsis thaliana LOGs allows us to infer that the wheat LOGs 1‐11 are functional LOGs. Using RNA‐seq data sets, we assessed TaLOG expression across 70 tissue types, their responses to various stressors, the pattern of cis‐regulatory elements (CREs) and intron/exon patterns. TaLOG gene family members are expressed variously across tissue types. When the TaLOG CREs are compared with those of the cytokinin dehydrogenases (CKX) and glucosyltransferases (CGT), there is close alignment of CREs between TaLOGs and TaCKXs reflecting the key role of CKX in maintaining cytokinin homeostasis. However, we suggest that the main homeostatic mechanism controlling cytokinin levels in response to biotic and abiotic challenge resides in the CGTs, rather than LOG or CKX. However, LOG transgenics and identified mutants in rice variously impact yield, providing interesting avenues for investigation in wheat.
Tinea capitis with multiple isolates: The interaction of nature, animal and child
Authors: Porter Emma , Kanaan Ansam , Carty Kieran , Stapleton Patrick J. , Hay Roderick , Field Sinead
Published: February 2022

Tinea capitis is an infection of the scalp and hair commonly seen in the pediatric population. Detection of multiple dermatophytes is unusual, and true mixed infections have been rarely reported. Herein, we describe an 8‐year‐old girl with tinea capitis revealing three different dermatophyte isolates that highlight the clinical challenge posed by this phenomenon.
Vaccinated kindergartens: A community‐based bottom‐up initiative addressing vaccine hesitancy in Israel
Authors: Popper‐Giveon Ariela , Keshet Yael
Published: February 2022

Background

Vaccine hesitancy (VH) has grown over recent decades. While most of the strategies implemented to cope with VH are
top‐down interventions, the present article focuses on a unique community‐based bottom‐up initiative conducted in Israel: Mehusgan—the vaccinated kindergarten.

Objective

The objective of the study was to learn about the vaccinated kindergarten initiative: its implementation, benefits, and challenges as well as its broader potential impact.

Methodology

During 2020, we conducted 13 semi‐structured in‐depth interviews with parents, kindergarten teachers and managers, and physicians.

Findings

The interviews revealed that parents are encouraged to complete the vaccination program as recommended; additional kindergartens join the initiative; and additional kindergartens become vaccinated.

Conclusions

Mehusgan is a unique and growing initiative that leads to vaccinated kindergartens and, therefore, contributes to public health. This case study can encourage other community‐based bottom‐up initiatives that seek to raise vaccination rates.
Forecasting childhood adversities from conditions of birth
Authors: Green Melissa J. , Watkeys Oliver J. , Kariuki Maina , Hindmarsh Gabrielle , Whitten Tyson , Dean Kimberlie , Laurens Kristin R. , Harris Felicity , Carr Vaughan J.
Published: February 2022

Background

Childbirth presents an optimal time for identifying high‐risk families to commence intervention that could avert various childhood health and social adversities.

Objective

We sought to establish the minimum set of exposures required to accurately predict a range of adverse childhood outcomes up to the age of 13 years, from a set of 14 individual and familial risk exposures evident at the time of birth.

Methods

Participants were 72,059 Australian children and their parents drawn from a multi‐register population cohort study (data spanning 1994–2018). Risk exposures included male sex, young mother (aged ≤21 years), no (or late first; >16 weeks) antenatal visit, maternal smoking during pregnancy, small for gestational age, preterm birth, pregnancy complications (any of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes or pre‐eclampsia), >2 previous pregnancies of ≥20 weeks, socio‐economic disadvantage, prenatal child protection notification, and maternal or paternal mental disorder or criminal offending history. Individual outcomes included early childhood developmental vulnerability (age 5 years), sustained educational underachievement (age 8 and 10 years), mental disorder diagnoses, substantiated childhood maltreatment, and contact with the police as a victim or person‐of‐interest up to age 13–14 years.

Results

Risk exposures at birth predicted individual childhood outcomes with fair to excellent accuracy: the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves ranged between 0.60 (95% CI 0.58, 0.62) for childhood mental disorder and 0.83 (95% CI 0.82, 0.85) for substantiated child maltreatment. The presence of five or more exposures characterised 12–25% of children with one or more adverse outcomes and showed high predictive certainty for models predicting multiple outcomes, which were apparent in 9% of the population.

Conclusions

Up to a quarter of the neonatal population at risk of multiple adverse outcomes can be detected at birth, with implications for population health screening. However, cautious implementation of these models is warranted, given their relatively low positive predictive values.
Politicalized empowered learning and complex policy implementation: Targeted poverty alleviation in China's county governments
Authors: Cai Changkun , Li Yuexiao , Tang Na
Published: February 2022

The implementation of complex policies is of critical significance for the achievement of many central governments' policy expectations. How do local governments implement complex policies? By using a structured‐learning framework constructed from the governance‐localization perspective, we evaluated the mode three Chinese counties employed to implement the targeted poverty alleviation (TPA) policy. We found poverty alleviation task teams were the core TPA practitioners, and the implementation mode was politicalized empowered learning. Local governments reconstructed their implementation structures through the establishment of politicised project organisations. By involving and braiding multiple policy actors, vertical and horizontal conflicts were resolved, and collective action structures were constructed. They also constructed governance mechanisms for policy learning. Top‐down policy knowledge was translated and shared; bottom‐up local knowledge was produced; and, policy knowledge and local knowledge were integrated. The relationships between implementation structures, policy learning, and political steering led to diverse and unexpected policy implementation outcomes.
Grassland rehabilitation significantly increases soil carbon stocks by reducing net soil CO2 emissions
Authors: Abdalla Khatab , Mutema Macdex , Chivenge Pauline , Everson Colin , Chaplot Vincent
Published: February 2022

Restoration of degraded grasslands through improved management is among the possible sustainable solutions to compensate for anthropogenic soil carbon (C) emissions. While several studies have shown a positive effect of rehabilitation on soil C, the impact on soil CO2 emissions is still uncertain. Therefore, this study aimed at quantifying the impact of grassland rehabilitation on soil CO2 emissions in a degraded grassland, South Africa. Commonly used rehabilitation practices were considered, that is rotational grazing (RG), livestock exclosure with fertilizer application (EF) and annual burning (AB), all being compared with traditional free grazing (FG). A total of 2880 in situ measurements of CO2 emissions were performed over 2.5 years under field conditions simultaneously with aboveground biomass, soil temperature, water content and soil organic C (SOC) to understand the changes in C fluxes. The RG performed the best under degraded grasslands by decreasing net CO2 emissions (per g of C) by 17% compared to FG, while EF increased emissions by 76% and AB had similar emissions to FG. The lower net emission under RG is associated with an increase in SOC stocks by 50% and aboveground biomass by 93%, after three years of implementation. Soil CO2 emissions were correlated positively to aboveground biomass and topsoil temperature (r = 0.91 and 0.60, respectively), implying a high effect of grass cover on soil microclimate and microbial activity. These results suggested RG as a potential cost‐effective nature‐based soil management strategy to increase SOC stocks into degraded grassland. However, long‐term trials replicated in different environments are still required.
Translational profile of developing phellem cells in Arabidopsis thaliana roots
Authors: Leal Ana Rita , Barros Pedro Miguel , Parizot Boris , Sapeta Helena , Vangheluwe Nick , Andersen Tonni Grube , Beeckman Tom , Oliveira M. Margarida
Published: February 2022

The phellem is a specialized boundary tissue providing the first line of defense against abiotic and biotic stresses in organs undergoing secondary growth. Phellem cells undergo several differentiation steps, which include cell wall suberization, cell expansion, and programmed cell death. Yet, the molecular players acting particularly in phellem cell differentiation remain poorly described, particularly in the widely used model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Using specific marker lines we followed the onset and progression of phellem differentiation in A. thaliana roots and further targeted the translatome of newly developed phellem cells using translating ribosome affinity purification followed by mRNA sequencing (TRAP‐SEQ). We showed that phellem suberization is initiated early after phellogen (cork cambium) division. The specific translational landscape was organized in three main domains related to energy production, synthesis and transport of cell wall components, and response to stimulus. Novel players in phellem differentiation related to suberin monomer transport and assembly as well as novel transcription regulators were identified. This strategy provided an unprecedented resolution of the translatome of developing phellem cells, giving a detailed and specific view on the molecular mechanisms acting on cell differentiation in periderm tissues of the model plant Arabidopsis.
An overview of Inuit perspectives on Franklin’s lost expedition (1845–1846): a few avenues for discussion and future research – commentary to Pawliw, Berthold, and Lasserre
Authors: Mossé Marie
Published: February 2022

This reflection deals with the role Inuit knowledges and oral history played in the discovery of Franklin expedition’s shipwreck at the turn of the 2010s and, more specifically, with the process through which those knowledges were finally taken into account by Canadian political and scientific institutions as well as medias and public opinion. I aim to highlight the fundamental ambivalence of this process and to address the questions whether and how it finds its place in the global context of Canadian Reconciliation process, and why it contributes to “recomplexify” the Canadian and Western representation of Arctic.
Discusión en redes sociales sobre el rastreo digital de contactos para COVID-19: retos para la salud pública desde Colombia
Authors: Agudelo-Londoño Sandra Milena , Núñez Avilés Clara Andrea
Published: February 2022

Introducción. Aunque las pandemias no son un fenómeno nuevo para la humanidad, la pandemia por COVID-19 trae consigo preocupaciones inéditas que ameritan una lectura atenta, en especial en lo relacionado con el rastreo digital de contactos. Métodos. Entre marzo y septiembre de 2020 se realizó una etnografía digital con el fin de caracterizar las aplicaciones móviles creadas en Colombia para el rastreo digital de contactos por la pandemia de COVID-19. Se hizo énfasis en la aplicación CoronApp respaldada por el gobierno nacional y se realizó un análisis de la discusión ciudadana sobre estas intervenciones en las redes sociales. Resultados. Se identificaron 16 tecnologías para COVID-19 entre aplicaciones móviles para el rastreo y aplicativos web para el control de actividades laborales, sociales o de movilidad. La aplicación CoronApp tenía más de 10 millones de descargas y el uso más extendido en el país. Las preocupaciones de los usuarios fueron frecuentes, en especial frente a las pocas garantías de confidencialidad en el manejo de los datos, la invasión a la privacidad, el riesgo de mercantilización, el poder del Estado y el rol de los derechos ciudadanos digitales, así como la poca claridad en la política epidemiológica detrás de las aplicaciones. Discusión. La pandemia de COVID-19 es el primer evento global que se combate digitalmente, lo que significa un nuevo universo de posibilidades para la salud pública, pero también, retos sociales y ciudadanos sobre el gobierno de la salud y la vida que no deben pasarse por alto.
Damage Model Prediction of Crack Initiation and Propagation in Five Fracture Geometries for X80 Pipeline Steel
Authors: Williams Bruce W. , Xue Jia , Xu Su , Park Dong-Yeob , Tyson William R.
Published: February 2022

Test specimens used to calibrate damage-mechanics models are designed to produce a range of stress triaxialities and Lode angles to accurately capture the fracture envelope of the metal. Many of these specimens have lower constraint than deeply notched fracture specimens that undergo stable tearing and have high constraint at the crack tip. Often just one or two fracture geometries are used to calibrate the model. In this work, the ability of a damage model to capture variability associated with constraint at a crack tip, particularly for crack initiation, is assessed. A recent round-robin (Wilkowski et al., 2019, “1st Round-Robin for Exploring the Effects of Constraint on Fracture Initiation Toughness for Surface-Cracked Pipe/Fittings,” Panel Session held in Conjunction With ASME PVP2019, San Antonio, TX) study on the initiation toughness of X80 provided data for five fracture specimens in which crack tip constraint varied. As a damage model for X80 was not available, the well-calibrated modified Mohr–Coulomb (MMC) damage models from literature for X65 and X70 were used as a starting point for the model. Experimental data from the single compact tension C(T) specimen were used to slightly modify the X65 and X70 models to capture the X80 fracture response. The MMC damage model was applied in finite element analysis (FEA) to simulate both the crack initiation and propagation responses of single-edge-notched-tension (SENT) and surface-cracked pipe specimens. Except for a low J-integral at initiation predicted for the C(T) specimen, the remaining predicted responses for force, pressure, and initiation were in good agreement with the experimental data provided in the round-robin.
A Numerical Study on Heat Transfer Enhancement and Fluid Flow of Enhanced Tube With Ellipsoidal Dimples and Protrusions
Authors: Zheng Ji-yu , Zhang Liang , Liu Cheng-Gang , Liang Zheng , Deng Xiong
Published: February 2022

Heat transfer enhancement is an important thermal–hydraulic phenomenon in heat exchangers. Previous investigations mostly focused on unidirectional heat transfer enhancement inside the tube. In order to realize the bidirectional heat transfer enhancement inside and outside the tube, an enhanced tube with ellipsoidal dimples and protrusions is proposed. Through comparison among three computational conditions, the non-conjugate and periodic condition is adopted in this paper. Flow characteristics and heat transfer performance of the enhanced tube are investigated by numerical method. The distributions of temperature and flow fields are carried out to illustrate the heat transfer enhancement mechanisms. The Nusselt number, friction coefficient, and performance evaluation criteria (PEC) are presented to reveal thermal–hydraulic performance. Moreover, the effects of the geometric parameters such as dimple depth, dimple pitch, dimples/protrusions numbers in the circumference, and arrangement mode on thermal–hydraulic characteristics are investigated. The results show that the structure of dimples and protrusions induces intensive impingement and interrupts the boundary layers, improving the heat transfer for the internal and external flow, respectively. Besides, the Nu increases with depth and dimples/protrusions numbers in the circumference and decreases with the pitch in most cases. The overall heat transfer performance of staggered arrangement is better than that of aligned arrangement. For the present parameter conditions, when D = 2 mm, P = 25 mm, n = 6, and Re = 5000, the largest PEC of 1.40 and 1.42 occurs for the internal and external flow, respectively.
Boeing 737-400 Passenger Air Conditioner Control System Model for Accurate Fault Simulation
Authors: Chowdhury Shafayat H. , Ali Fakhre , Jennions Ian K.
Published: February 2022

The aircraft environmental control system (ECS) is a highly integrated and complex system. The passenger air conditioner (PACK) is the heart of the ECS and has been reported as a key driver of unscheduled maintenance by aircraft operators. This is principally due to the PACK’s ability to compensate for degraded components, and hence mask their real condition, so that when failure occurs it is a major event. The development of an accurate diagnostic solution would identify the degradation early and hence focus effective maintenance and reduce cost. This paper is a continuation of the authors’ work on the development of a systematically derived PACK simulation for accurate fault diagnostics, utilizing a model-based approach. In practice, the PACK simulation accuracy is dependent on a number of factors, which include the understanding of its control system. The paper addresses this by taking an in-depth look at the factors controlling the operation of the PACK to enable the gap between the theoretical understanding of the PACK and the engineering design of the system to be bridged, and accurate simulations under healthy and degraded scenarios obtained. This paper provides a comprehensive explanation of the PACK control system elements (principally valves) and verifies their operation based on experimental test data acquired from a B737-400 aircraft. A discussion of the control used in the simulation is then given, resulting in the correct temperature, pressure, and flow being delivered to the cabin. The overall simulation results are then presented to demonstrate the importance of using a systematically derived control logic. They are then further used to assess the impact of degradation in the main PACK valves (PVs).
Injection-free multiwavelength electroluminescence devices based on monolayer semiconductors driven by an alternating field
Authors: Feng Jiabin , Li Yongzhuo , Zhang Jianxing , Tang Yuqian , Sun Hao , Gan Lin , Ning Cun-Zheng
Published: February 2022

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors have emerged as promising candidates for various optoelectronic devices especially electroluminescent (EL) devices. However, progress has been hampered by many challenges including metal contacts and injection, transport, and confinement of carriers due to small sizes of materials and the lack of proper double heterostructures. Here, we propose and demonstrate an alternative approach to conventional current injection devices. We take advantage of large exciton binding energies in 2D materials using impact generation of excitons through an alternating electric field, without requiring metal contacts to 2D materials. The conversion efficiency, defined as the ratio of the emitted photons to the preexisting carriers, can reach 16% at room temperature. In addition, we demonstrate the first multiwavelength 2D EL device, simultaneously operating at three wavelengths from red to near-infrared. Our approach provides an alternative to conventional current-based devices and could unleash the great potential of 2D materials for EL devices.
Electro-assembly of a dynamically adaptive molten fibril state for collagen
Authors: Lei Miao , Qu Xue , Wan Haoran , Jin Dawei , Wang Shijia , Zhao Zhiling , Yin Meng , Payne Gregory F. , Liu Changsheng
Published: February 2022

Collagen is a biological building block that is hierarchically assembled into diverse morphological structures that, in some cases, is dynamically adaptive in response to external cues and in other cases forms static terminal structures. Technically, there is limited capabilities to guide the emergence of collagen’s hierarchical organization to recapitulate the richness of biological structure and function. Here, we report an electro-assembly pathway to create a dynamically adaptive intermediate molten fibril state for collagen. Structurally, this intermediate state is composed of partially aligned and reversibly associating fibrils with limited hierarchical structure. These molten fibrils can be reversibly reconfigured to offer dynamic properties such as stimuli-stiffening, stimuli-contracting, self-healing, and self-shaping. Also, molten fibrils can be guided to further assemble to recapitulate the characteristic hierarchical structural features of native collagen (e.g., aligned fibers with D-banding). We envision that the electro-assembly of collagen fibrils will provide previously unidentified opportunities for tailored collagen-based biomedical materials.
Elongation factor-2 kinase is a critical determinant of the fate and antitumor immunity of CD8
+
T cells
Authors: Das Jugal Kishore , Ren Yijie , Kumar Anil , Peng Hao-Yun , Wang Liqing , Xiong Xiaofang , Alaniz Robert C. , de Figueiredo Paul , Ren Xingcong , Liu Xiaoqi , Ryazonov Alexey G. , Yang Jin-Ming , Song Jianxun
Published: February 2022

eEF-2K has important roles in stress responses and cellular metabolism. We report here a previously unappreciated but critical role of eEF-2K in regulating the fate and cytocidal activity of CD8
+
T cells. CD8
+
T cells from eEF-2K KO mice were more proliferative but had lower survival than their wild-type counterparts after their activation, followed by occurrence of premature senescence and exhaustion. eEF-2K KO CD8
+
T cells were more metabolically active and showed hyperactivation of the Akt-mTOR-S6K pathway. Loss of eEF-2K substantially impaired the activity of CD8
+
T cells. Furthermore, the antitumor efficacy and tumor infiltration of the CAR-CD8
+
T cells lacking eEF-2K were notably reduced as compared to the control CAR-CD8
+
T cells. Thus, eEF-2K is critically required for sustaining the viability and function of cytotoxic CD8
+
T cells, and therapeutic augmentation of this kinase may be exploited as a novel approach to reinforcing CAR-T therapy against cancer.
Dipeptidase-1 governs renal inflammation during ischemia reperfusion injury
Authors: Lau Arthur , Rahn Jennifer J. , Chappellaz Mona , Chung Hyunjae , Benediktsson Hallgrimur , Bihan Dominique , von Mässenhausen Anne , Linkermann Andreas , Jenne Craig N. , Robbins Stephen M. , Senger Donna L. , Lewis Ian A. , Chun Justin , Muruve Daniel A.
Published: February 2022

The mechanisms that drive leukocyte recruitment to the kidney are incompletely understood. Dipeptidase-1 (DPEP1) is a major neutrophil adhesion receptor highly expressed on proximal tubular cells and peritubular capillaries of the kidney. Renal ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) induces robust neutrophil and monocyte recruitment and causes acute kidney injury (AKI). Renal inflammation and the AKI phenotype were attenuated in

Dpep1
−/−

mice or mice pretreated with DPEP1 antagonists, including the LSALT peptide, a nonenzymatic DPEP1 inhibitor. DPEP1 deficiency or inhibition primarily blocked neutrophil adhesion to peritubular capillaries and reduced inflammatory monocyte recruitment to the kidney after IRI. CD44 but not ICAM-1 blockade also decreased neutrophil recruitment to the kidney during IRI and was additive to DPEP1 effects. DPEP1, CD44, and ICAM-1 all contributed to the recruitment of monocyte/macrophages to the kidney following IRI. These results identify DPEP1 as a major leukocyte adhesion receptor in the kidney and potential therapeutic target for AKI.
Harnessing the circular economy to develop sustainable soft robots
Authors: Tan Yu Jun
Published: February 2022

Fully recyclable and degradable materials have been used for the development of soft devices for omnidirectional sensing and actuation.
NF-κB perturbation reveals unique immunomodulatory functions in Prx1
+
fibroblasts that promote development of atopic dermatitis
Authors: Ko Kang I. , Merlet Jean J. , DerGarabedian Brett P. , Zhen Huang , Suzuki-Horiuchi Yoko , Hedberg Matthew L. , Hu Eileen , Nguyen Anh T. , Prouty Stephen , Alawi Faizan , Walsh Matthew C. , Choi Yongwon , Millar Sarah E. , Cliff Ashley , Romero Jonathon , Garvin Michael R. , Seykora John T. , Jacobson Daniel , Graves Dana T.
Published: February 2022

Skin is composed of diverse cell populations that cooperatively maintain homeostasis. Up-regulation of the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway may lead to the development of chronic inflammatory disorders of the skin, but its role during the early events remains unclear. Through analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data via iterative random forest leave one out prediction, an explainable artificial intelligence method, we identified an immunoregulatory role for a unique paired related homeobox-1 (Prx1)
+
fibroblast subpopulation. Disruption of
Ikkb
–NF-κB under homeostatic conditions in these fibroblasts paradoxically induced skin inflammation due to the overexpression of C-C motif chemokine ligand 11 (CCL11; or eotaxin-1) characterized by eosinophil infiltration and a subsequent T
H
2 immune response. Because the inflammatory phenotype resembled that seen in human atopic dermatitis (AD), we examined human AD skin samples and found that human AD fibroblasts also overexpressed CCL11 and that perturbation of
Ikkb
–NF-κB in primary human dermal fibroblasts up-regulated CCL11. Monoclonal antibody treatment against CCL11 was effective in reducing the eosinophilia and T
H
2 inflammation in a mouse model. Together, the murine model and human AD specimens point to dysregulated Prx1
+
fibroblasts as a previously unrecognized etiologic factor that may contribute to the pathogenesis of AD and suggest that targeting CCL11 may be a way to treat AD-like skin lesions.
Protective activity of mRNA vaccines against ancestral and variant SARS-CoV-2 strains
Authors: Ying Baoling , Whitener Bradley , VanBlargan Laura A. , Hassan Ahmed O. , Shrihari Swathi , Liang Chieh-Yu , Karl Courtney E. , Mackin Samantha , Chen Rita E. , Kafai Natasha M. , Wilks Samuel H. , Smith Derek J. , Carreño Juan Manuel , Singh Gagandeep , Krammer Florian , Carfi Andrea , Elbashir Sayda M. , Edwards Darin K. , Thackray Larissa B. , Diamond Michael S.
Published: February 2022

Although mRNA vaccines encoding the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) prevent COVID-19, the emergence of new viral variants jeopardizes their efficacy. Here, we assessed the immunogenicity and protective activity of historical (mRNA-1273, designed for Wuhan-1 spike protein) or modified (mRNA-1273.351, designed for B.1.351 spike protein) Moderna mRNA vaccines in 129S2 and K18-hACE2 mice. Mice were immunized with either high-dose or low-dose formulations of the mRNA vaccines, where low-dose vaccination modeled suboptimal immune responses. Immunization with formulations at either dose induced neutralizing antibodies in serum against ancestral SARS-CoV-2 WA1/2020 and several virus variants, although serum titers were lower against the B.1.617.2 (Delta) virus. Protection against weight loss and lung pathology was observed with all high-dose vaccines against all viruses. However, low-dose formulations of the vaccines, which produced lower magnitude antibody and T cell responses, showed breakthrough lung infections with B.1.617.2 and development of pneumonia in K18-hACE2 mice. Thus, in individuals with reduced immunity after mRNA vaccination, breakthrough infection and disease may occur with some SARS-CoV-2 variants.
A Multicomponent THF Hydroxylase Initiates Tetrahydrofuran Degradation in
Cupriavidus metallidurans
ZM02
Authors: Ren Hao , Wang Haixia , Wang Yang , Chen Yiyang , Lu Zhenmei
Published: February 2022

Multicomponent MOs catalyzing the initial hydroxylation of THF are vital rate-limiting enzymes in the THF degradation pathway. Previous studies of THF degradation gene clusters have focused on Gram-positive bacteria, and the molecular mechanism of THF degradation in Gram-negative bacteria has rarely been reported.
Differential Response of Bacterial Microdiversity to Simulated Global Change
Authors: Scales N. C. , Chase A. B. , Finks S. S. , Malik A. A. , Weihe C. , Allison S. D. , Martiny A. C. , Martiny J. B. H.
Published: February 2022

Microbial communities play an integral role in global biogeochemical cycling, but our understanding of how global change will affect microbial community structure and functioning remains limited. Microbiome analyses typically aggregate large amounts of genetic diversity which may obscure finer variation in traits.
Detection of Newly Secreted Antibodies Predicts Nonrecurrence in Primary Clostridioides difficile Infection
Authors: Haddad Natalie S. , Nozick Sophia , Kim Geena , Ohanian Shant , Kraft Colleen S. , Rebolledo Paulina A. , Wang Yun , Wu Hao , Bressler Adam , Le Sang Nguyet Thi , Kuruvilla Merin , Runnstrom Martin C. , Ramonell Richard P. , Cannon L. Edward , Lee F. Eun-Hyung , Daiss John L.
Published: February 2022

Within 8 weeks of primary
Clostridioides difficile
infection (CDI), as many as 30% of patients develop the recurrent disease with the associated risks of multiple relapses, morbidity, and economic burden. There are no clear clinical correlates or validated biomarkers that can predict recurrence during primary infection.
Stop Waiting for Tomorrow: Disk Diffusion Performed on Early Growth Is an Accurate Method for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing with Reduced Turnaround Time
Authors: Webber Daniel M. , Wallace Meghan A. , Burnham Carey-Ann D.
Published: February 2022

Disk diffusion is a slow but reliable standard method for measuring the antimicrobial susceptibility of microorganisms. Our objective was to improve the turnaround time for this method by reducing the time that cultures are incubated before setting up disk diffusion testing.
Identification of Chicken CD44 as a Novel B Lymphocyte Receptor for Infectious Bursal Disease Virus
Authors: Liu Aijing , Pan Qing , Wang Suyan , Zhang Yu , Li Yue , Wang Yongqiang , Qi Xiaole , Gao Li , Liu Changjun , Zhang Yanping , Cui Hongyu , Li Kai , Wang Xiaomei , Gao Yulong
Published: February 2022

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) causes severe immunosuppressive disease in chickens, inducing huge economic losses for the poultry industry. However, the specific mechanism of IBDV invading host cells of IBDV was not very clear.
Inferring Protein Function in an Emerging Virus: Detection of the Nucleoprotein in Tilapia Lake Virus
Authors: Abu Rass Reem , Kustin Talia , Zamostiano Rachel , Smorodinsky Nechama , Ben Meir Daniella , Feder Daniel , Mishra Nischay , Lipkin W. Ian , Eldar Avi , Ehrlich Marcelo , Stern Adi , Bacharach Eran
Published: February 2022

Tilapia is an important source of dietary protein, especially in developing countries. Massive losses of tilapia were identified worldwide, risking the food security of millions of people.
Restriction of Viral Replication, Rather than T Cell Immunopathology, Drives Lethality in Murine Norovirus CR6-Infected STAT1-Deficient Mice
Authors: Sharon Andrew J. , Filyk Heather A. , Fonseca Nicolette M. , Simister Rachel L. , Filler Renata B. , Yuen Wallace , Hardman Blair K. , Robinson Hannah G. , Seo Jung Hee , Rocha-Pereira Joana , Welch Ian , Neyts Johan , Wilen Craig B. , Crowe Sean A. , Osborne Lisa C.
Published: February 2022

The intestinal microbiota is a collection of bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses that colonize the mammalian gut. Coevolution of the host and microbiota has required development of immunological tolerance to prevent ongoing inflammatory responses against intestinal microbes.
Sustainable Antiviral Efficacy of Rejuvenated HIV-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes Generated from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Authors: Miki Shoji , Kawai Yohei , Nakayama-Hosoya Kaori , Iwabuchi Ryutaro , Terahara Kazutaka , Tsunetsugu-Yokota Yasuko , Koga Michiko , Matano Tetsuro , Kaneko Shin , Kawana-Tachikawa Ai
Published: February 2022

Elimination of latently HIV-infected cells is required for HIV cure. In the “kick and kill” strategy proposed for a cure to HIV, the host immune system, including HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), play a central role in eliminating HIV antigen-expressing cells following reactivation by latency-reversing agents (LRAs).
Simultaneous Single-Cell Genome and Transcriptome Sequencing of Termite Hindgut Protists Reveals Metabolic and Evolutionary Traits of Their Endosymbionts
Authors: Stephens Michael E. , Benjamino Jacquelynn , Graf Joerg , Gage Daniel J.
Published: February 2022

The composition and structure of wood, which contains cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, prevent most organisms from using this common food source. Termites are a rare exception among animals, and they rely on a complex microbiota housed in their hindguts to use wood as a source of food.
OptiFit: an Improved Method for Fitting Amplicon Sequences to Existing OTUs
Authors: Sovacool Kelly L. , Westcott Sarah L. , Mumphrey M. Brodie , Dotson Gabrielle A. , Schloss Patrick D.
Published: February 2022

Advancements in DNA sequencing technology have allowed researchers to affordably generate millions of sequence reads from microorganisms in diverse environments. Efficient and robust software tools are needed to assign microbial sequences into taxonomic groups for characterization and comparison of communities.