bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and Its Applications
Authors: Pía Canales Camila
Published: December 2021

Electrochemistry has become an important and recognized field for the future since many of its approaches contemplate the establishment of stable energy supplies and the minimization of our impact on the environment. In this regard, electrochemistry can face both objectives by studying the electrode/solution interface. As a result, different electrochemical techniques can be used to study the interface to understand the electron transfer phenomena in different reactions. Considering this, one of the most useful techniques to understand the electrode/solution interface is electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. This technique allows us to describe the electrode behavior in the presence of a certain electrolyte in terms of electrical parameters such as resistances and capacitances, among others. With this information, we can infer the electrochemical behavior toward a specific reaction and the capacity of the electrode to carry on the electron transfer depending on its resistance (impedance) values. The aim of this chapter is to go from the theory, based on Ohm’s Law and its derivations, to actual applications. This will lead us to characterize the solution, electrode, and the interface between these two phases based on their electrical components by using an equivalent electrical circuit, such as the Randles equivalent circuit.
Electromagnetic and Acoustic Waves in Bioengineering Applications
Authors: Čáp Ivo , Čápová Klára , Smetana Milan , Borik Štefan
Published: December 2021

The textbook deals with the analysis of oscillations, mechanical and electromagnetic waves and their use in medicine. The individual chapters are based on the theoretical foundations of the issue and describe the use of relevant disciplines in medical practice. The chapter on oscillations is a starting point for explaining the basic principles of waves and focuses on explaining the nature of magnetic resonance. The chapter on mechanical waves explains the nature and properties of sound, infrasound, ultrasound, and medical applications, such as lithotripsy or ultrasonography. The chapter on electromagnetic waves discusses their basic principles, origin and properties, and applications of individual frequency bands from long wavelengths to gamma radiation in therapy and diagnostics. The chapter on wave manifestations explains phenomena such as interference and diffraction and their use in applications such as optical imaging systems, holography, virtual reality, etc. The description complements the explanation of the quantum properties of radiation, which are essential for understanding applications such as laser scalpel, fluorescence microscopy, spectroscopy, generation and detection of X-rays and gamma rays. Special attention is paid to the perception of EM waves by the human eye and the perception of sound by the human ear.
SPATIAL DIFFUSION OF ASIAN DIRECT INVESTMENTS IN THE NORTHERN EUROPEAN EU COUNTRIES
Authors: Kuznetsov Alexey
Published: December 2021

The first publications on the spatial diffusion of foreign direct investment (FDI) appeared in the 1970s-1990s. Since then, many of their provisions have been repeatedly criticized as outdated and inconsistent with the empirical evidence of the current stage of globalisation. Previously, only examples of ‘newcomers’ to internationalisation were used to illustrate distinct phases in the expansion of transnational companies and their effort to first establish themselves in major economic centres, as the factor of gradually growing awareness of potential investors began to play an important role. This article aims to show the persistent character of FDI spatial diffusion patterns and their correlation with the existing hierarchy of cities. In our research, we used the example of Asian companies working in the Baltic countries, Finland, Sweden and Denmark, newcomers to internationalisation, not affected by the ‘neighbourhood effect’, and contrasted them with Western European investors. We confirmed the validity of the hierarchical wave model of the FDI spatial diffusion with the dominance of metropolitan urban agglomerations. It was also found that mergers and acquisitions are dominant forms of FDI in developed countries. Their ascendancy leads both to a distortion of the geographical pattern of subsidiaries networks of investor companies and to the intention of investors to sell their assets in provinces and move their head offices closer to capital cities. Consequently, there is a simplification of the structure of businesses, which is typical of the earlier stages of the FDI spatial diffusion.
THE COASTS WE LIVE IN: CAN THERE BE A SINGLE DEFINITION FOR A COASTAL ZONE?
Authors: Mikhaylov Andrey S. , Plotnikova Angelina P.
Published: December 2021

Throughout the history of humankind, people have settled along seashores. The gradual accumulation of population and industrial activity in coastal areas has created preconditions for coastalisation — the movement of people and socio-economic activity to marine coasts. To date, coastal areas have a higher rate of economic development, fostering migration and an influx of capital across the globe. Scholars and policymakers voice concerns about the asymmetry of regional development and the increasing anthropogenic impact on the coastal ecosystem. It reinforces the importance of coastal zone management. In this study, we use an example of the Baltic region to identify the coastalisation patterns in the Baltic region and answer the question, whether there can be a single definition of the coastal zone of the Baltic region. According to a broad definition, the Baltic macro-region is nearly all coastal and, consequently, all settlements are influenced by the coastalisation effect. We have studied the urban population dynamics in 128 cities of 45 coastal regions through the lens of various characteristics of a coastal city — the distance from the sea (10, 50, 100, and 150 km), location in a coastal region (NUTS 2), availability of a port and its primary maritime activity (tankers, cargo, fishing, passenger, recreational vessels and others). The research results suggest that despite the strong coherence of the Baltic region countries, there should not be a single delimitation approach to defining the coastal zone. Overall, the most active marine economic processes occur in the zone up to 10 km from the seacoast and 30 km from ports and port infrastructure. However, in the case of Sweden, Poland, and Latvia, the coastal zone can be extended to 50 km, and in Germany — up to 150 km inland.
Development of the textile industry in selected transition countries of Europe in 1995-2018
Authors: Nikolić Miroljub , Radovanović Olga , Cvetanović Slobodan , Despotović Danijela
Published: December 2021

The paper examines the development of the textile industry in nine selected European countries in transition (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia) in the period from 1995 to 2018. The aim is to review the basic trends in the development of the textile industry in these countries by achieving the transition to a market model of business with varying degrees of success, which, among other things, is accompanied by a strong wave of deindustrialization. The interdependence of Textiles and clothing industry value added in manufacturing and GDP pc levels in individual countries was calculated by the exponential correlation procedure. It was stated that these countries based their development in the transition period largely on strengthening trade competitiveness, with the textile industry (Textile fibers, yarn, fabrics and clothing) contributing to a significant export expansion. It turned out that the contribution of the textile industry to the economic growth of the analyzed economies was higher in the earlier stages of their economic development. Also, the results of the research confirmed that the textile industry in these countries has maximized its export potential at lower levels of their GDP pc.
Composite materials in automotive industry: A review
Authors: Spasenović Jovana , Blagojević Ivan
Published: December 2021

Composite materials have found extensive use among many industries including automotive. Vehicles are supposed to be lightweight, have low emission and energy consumption to provide some environmental protection while having appropriate stiffness and strength to assure occupant protection. These requirements can be met with the use of composite materials. Although composites have been present in the industry for decades, their use in the automotive sector is moderately new, which requires development in design and manufacturing processes, testing, and recycling - this paper indicates the details by which the automotive industry differs from others. Principal recycling methods, related legislation, and where recycling products are used are described. Specific uses of composite materials that show a high level of innovativeness are indicated - hybrid and natural composites, structural batteries, and high-performance vehicles.
Whitewashing state capture: Discursive legitimization of large construction projects in the Western Balkans
Authors: Marjanović-Rudan Ana
Published: December 2021

Through the use of language, government institutions and officials in elective democracies try to present particular instances of abuse of power and public resources as legitimate and enable similar practices in the future. This article aims to identify and reveal the strategies used within the Western Balkans' official discourses to legitimize particular cases of suspected state capture and assess their outcomes. The empirical study of six prominent cases of suspected state capture in the construction industry in the period from 2010 to 2020 indicates that a single legitimization strategy is used region-wide, and this article contributes to better understanding it. To assess the strategy outcomes, an original analytic model is proposed. The findings suggest that the deployment of the strategy to legitimize the suspected cases of state capture encourages potential captors in the region to consider engaging in similar practices in the future.
State capture and collective action
Authors: Capussela Andrea
Published: December 2021

A promising approach to analyse the phenomena usually described as 'state capture' may be drawn from the literature on 'institutions', 'social orders', and the 'collective action problem'. These studies seem broader and more theoretically persuasive than the literature that confines itself to the notion of 'state capture', and this is especially true in respect of the Balkans, in whose societies it is often hard to draw a fine line between the 'captured' state and its 'captors'. Seen through the lens of those strands of literature, the phenomena usually described as state capture appear to be more widespread than is currently assumed, as they also surface in advanced democracies, and behind them typically lie collective action problems, which prevent the public interest from imposing itself over special interests.
State capture, hybrid regimes, and security sector reform
Authors: Stojanović-Gajić Sonja , Pavlović Dušan
Published: December 2021

In this introduction into the special issue on state capture and security sector governance, we argue that state capture is a relevant concept that helps us understand the current autocratisation and the rise of hybrid regimes. We argue that the extraction of public resources via party patronage, privatization of public administration, judiciary, security institutions, and media are vital for influencing political competition. In the second part of the article, we argue that the concept of state capture brings added value to the understanding of security governance and transformations. We show why the parts or whole of security and justice institutions are the inevitable targets of state capture and what it means to understand the success of security sector reform (SSR). Finally, we examine a range of possible positions of the security sector within the captors and what it means for both the literature on state capture and civil-military relations.
The importance of anti-Serb propaganda and hybrid warfare in the process of the disintegration of Yugoslavia
Authors: Jevtović Zoran
Published: December 2021

The paper focuses on a synthesized image of the propaganda, engineered and coordinated by the totalitarian media of leading Western countries during the 1990s, which reduced the complex Yugoslav reality to spin-off propaganda images that laid the blame on only one side. The negative perception of Serbs was achieved by framing propaganda narratives, created by a strong campaign of well-organized and influential global media. By powerful stigmatization and demonization in political practice, Serbs were branded as responsible for all the conflicts and wars. Combining different methods and techniques of psychological, propaganda and armed activities at the operational or tactical level, Western strategists dedicated a significant part of their engagement to stifling alternative sources of information. This included even their physical destruction, which was realized for the first time in world practice with the NATO bombing of the building of the Serbian Radio and Television and over 300 relays and repeaters. Yugoslavia was gradually torn apart, in line with the interests of the new geopolitical environment, while the Serbs did not quickly understand the process in which, instead of the truth, manipulative notions of "new reality" spread through the global media.
The influence of the epidemic on notary service
Authors: Đurđević Dejan
Published: December 2021

The main topic of this paper is the manner in which the notary service has been organized and provided in Serbia during the state of emergency, which was declared on March 15, 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The author gives special attention to the possibility to resolve practical problems by adherence to the general rules and principles of the notary service (especially the rules on stay of non-contentious proceedings). The author also examines the contents and applicability of the recommendations issued by the Ministry of Justice of Serbia during the state of emergency.
The importance of introducing internal audit in pre-university education institutions
Authors: Popović Stefan , Đukić-Popović Sonja
Published: December 2021

The aim of this paper is to introduce the standard principles of operation of educational institutions, as well as to emphasize the need for the introduction of internal audit in pre-university institutions. A short research on the educational institutions' management opinion on internal auditing is presented in the text. There is the great need to introduce internal auditing function in these institutions according to modern standards. If they decided to make changes, this process would also encounter the difficulties.
Various approaches to communication in internal audit
Authors: Jeremić Nebojša , Lika Selim
Published: December 2021

In order for the auditor's reports to be adequate, the auditor's communication with the audited entities and its representatives must be adequate. The paper discusses ways how to make internal audit more popular and what communication techniques to use with audit client management. Every aspect of vertical and horizontal communication in internal audit should be approached carefully in order to unify, integrate and focus audit activities on controls, risks and objectives. This includes an introductory and closing meeting, a specific approach to conflicting clients, information on specific objectives and the level of their achievement, using the experience of audit teams in the Telekom Srbija Group.
The phenomenon of signed music in Deaf culture
Authors: Radić-Šestić Marina , Šešum Mia , Isaković Ljubica
Published: December 2021

Introduction. Music in the Deaf community is a socio-cultural phenomenon that depicts a specific identity and way of experiencing the world, which is just as diverse, rich and meaningful as that of members of any other culture. Objective. The aim of this paper was to point out the historical and socio-cultural frameworks, complexity, richness, specific elements, types and forms of musical expression of members of the Deaf community. Methods. The applied methods included comparative analysis, evaluation, and deduction and induction system. Results. Due to limitations or a lack of auditive component, the members of Deaf culture use different communication tools, such as speech, pantomime, facial expressions and sign language. Signed music, as a phenomenon, is the artistic form which does not have long history. However, since the nineties of the past century and with technological development, it has been gaining greater interest and acknowledgement within the Deaf community and among the hearing audience. Signed music uses specific visuo-spatial-kinaesthetic and auditive elements in expression, such as rhythm, dynamism, rhyme, expressiveness, iconicity, intensity of the musical perception and the combination of the role of the performer. Conclusion. Signed music as a phenomenon is an art form that incorporates sign poetic characteristics (lyrical contents), visual musical elements and dance.
The effectiveness of clove oil, its fractions, and clove oil-based fumigant tablet formulations, against Tribolium castaneum (Herbst)
Authors: Asnan Trijanti Anughrahiyaharti Widinni , Widayanti Sri , Harahap Idham Sakti , Widhisatuti Herni
Published: December 2021

Indonesia has seen an increase and widespread reports of resistance among stored-product insect pests to phosphine. The use of Syzigium aromaticum (clove oil) as an alternative fumigant may be a useful strategy to control infestation by phosphine-resistant varieties of stored-product insects. The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of whole (unfractionated) clove oil as well as its component fractions as a fumigant and repellent against the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum (Herbst)), and to develop a simple fumigant formulation for this purpose. The experimental design used to test the effectiveness of clove oil and its fractionation was a completely randomized design (CRD). Meanwhile, testing the effectiveness of tablet formulations was carried out by factorial CRD. Fumigation test results gave LD50 and LD95 values of 0.234 and 1.142 ml/l respectively, for crude clove oil used in a fumigation chamber against T. castaneum. An n-hexane fraction of clove oil tested under the same conditions was more lethal, causing 95% mortality of T. castaneum at the dose of 0.801 ml/l during fumigation. Finally, tablets containing a set proportion of clove oil and naphthalene (1:1) reached LD91 against T. castaneum after 7 days' fumigation.
Experiences of Unemployed Black People Living with Disabilities in Soshanguve Township, South Africa - An Exploratory Study
Authors: Jobodwana Nomna Linda , Tshifhumulo Rendani
Published: December 2021

The promise of a better life for all made by the South African government in 1994 remains unfulfilled, as many South Africans are still living in the margins of the economy where unemployment and poverty are rampant. People living with disabilities (PLWDs) are the worst affected, as they are poor with no access to jobs and housing. Despite the enactment of the Employment Equity Act (EEA) Number 55 of 1988, employment opportunities for black PLWDs are scarce in South Africa. This is due to, among other reasons, the fact that employers are reluctant to employ disabled people. This narrative study examined the experiences of black people living with disabilities (PLWDs) in Soshanguve Township, Tshwane, South Africa. It employed the symbolic interactionist (SI) theory as a lens to gain insights into the experiences of black women and men living with disabilities in their quest to access employment opportunities. The study was exploratory qualitative in nature and employed the case study design approach. Data were collected using a purposive sample of 15 black men and women living with disabilities in the Soshanguwe Township with whom in-depth interviews were conducted. This was complemented by focus group interviews with 13 purposively selected respondents who met the selection criteria. Findings were that people living with disabilities (PLWDs) were discriminated against and marginalised in employment and the workplace before and after post–apartheid South Africa. This situation leaves them inactive, economically disadvantaged and poor. The study expands knowledge on the experiences of black men and women who live with disabilities, thereby contributing towards the design of public policies and other social security interventions meant to alleviate the plight of marginalised communities in general and people living with disabilities.
3B Yazıcının Kontrolünde Optimizasyon Algoritmalarının Performansı
Authors: ALTAN Aytaç , PARLAK Ahmet
Published: December 2021

Üç boyutlu (3B) biyo yazıcılar, rejeneratif tıp ve doku mühendisliği alanlarında özellikle kulak, burun ve yüz-çene protezlerinin biyo baskılarında yoğun şekilde kullanılmaktadır. Modelden modele farklılık gösteren baskı hataları yapay doku ve organların biyo-baskısında sıklıkla görülmektedir. Modelin yüzeyinde meydana gelen hatalar yazdırılacak organın verimli kullanımına engel olmaktadır. Yapay doku ve organ biyo-baskısı sürecinde meydana gelen hataların en aza indirilebilmesi için 3B yazıcının kontrolcü performansının iyileştirilmesi gerekmektedir. Bu çalışmada, yapay doku ve organların biyo-baskısı için İyileştirilmiş Gri Kurt Optimizasyon (İGKO) tabanlı yeni bir uyarlanabilir PID kontrolcü geliştirilmiştir. Yerel minimumlardan kaçınmak için İGKO algoritması tercih edilmiştir. Önerilen algoritmanın yakınsama hızı PID kontrolcünün parametrelerinin hızlı ve doğru şekilde ayarlanabilmesine olanak sağlamaktadır. Geliştirilen İGKO tabanlı uyarlanabilir PID kontrolcünün performansı, performans metriklerinden biri olan zaman ağırlıklı karesel hatanın integrali (Integral of Time multiplied Squared Error-ITSE) yardımıyla ölçülmüştür. 3B yazıcı için önerilen kontrolcünün performansı, klasik PID ve Balina Optimizasyon Algoritması (BOA) tabanlı PID kontrolcülerin performansı ile karşılaştırılmıştır. Elde edilen deneysel sonuçlardan, önerilen İGKO tabanlı uyarlanabilir PID kontrolcünün 3B yazıcının geçici tepkisini önemli ölçüde iyileştirdiği ve yazdırılan burun ve kulak gibi organlardaki yüzey hatalarını en aza indirdiği görülmektedir.
A Comparative Study of Point-Based Deep Learning Techniques for Semantic Classification in Search and Rescue Arenas
Authors: TURGUT Kaya , KALECİ Burak
Published: December 2021

Post-disaster indoor environments, which occur after calamities such as floods, fires, and poisonous material spread, could include serious risks for search and rescue teams. For example, the building's structural integrity could be corrupted, and some harmful substances for humans and animals could exist. Exploiting robots could prevent search and rescue teams from these risks. Nevertheless, robots need to possess advanced techniques to produce high-level information from raw sensor data in these harsh environments. This study aims to explore the positive and negative aspects of point-based deep learning architectures for the semantic classification of ramps in search and rescue test arenas, which are proposed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Also, we take into account walls and terrain since they can provide crucial information for robots. In this study, we opted to utilize point cloud data that is robust against lousy illumination conditions, which is frequently encountered in post-disaster environments. We used the ESOGU RAMPS dataset that contains point cloud data captured from a simulated environment similar to NIST search and rescue arenas. We selected PointNet, PointNet++, Dynamic Graph Convolutional Neural Network (DGCNN), PointCNN, Point2Sequence, PointConv, and Shellnet point-based deep learning architectures to analyze their performance for semantic classification of ramps, walls, and terrain. The test results indicate that accuracy of semantic classification is over 90% for all architectures.
İnsansız Sualtı Aracı Hareketinin Kalman Filtre İle Kestirimi ve Makine Öğrenmesi ile İyileştirilmesi
Authors: EROL Berna , CANTEKİN Recep , KARTAL Seda , HACIOĞLU Rıfat , GÖRMÜŞ Kurtulus Serdar , KUTOĞLU Şenol Hakan , LEBLEBİCİOĞLU Kemal
Published: December 2021

Bu çalışmada bir insansız sualtı aracının altı serbestlik dereceli doğrusal olmayan matematiksel modeli elde edilmiştir. Aracın matematiksel model cevabından aracın konum ve yönelim bilgileri elde edilmiştir. Elde edilen konum ve yönelim bilgilerine gürültü eklenerek navigasyon sensör verileri üretilmiştir. Üretilen gürültülü sensör verilerinin kestirimi için kokusuz ve genişletilmiş Kalman filtre algoritmaları kullanılmıştır. Kokusuz Kalman filtresinde, sistem modeli için insansız sualtı aracının doğrusal olmayan modeli kullanılmıştır. Genişletilmiş Kalman filtresinde ise sualtı aracının doğrusal olmayan modeli belirli denge noktalarında doğrusallaştırılmıştır. Kokusuz ve genişletilmiş Kalman filtresi kestirim sonuçları karşılaştırılmıştır. Kokusuz Kalman filtre ve genişletilmiş Kalman filtre kestirimlerine makine öğrenmesi olan Destek Vektör Makinesi algoritması uygulanarak, gürültünün fazla olduğu durumlar için, kestirimler iyileştirilmiştir. Buna ek olarak, aracın verilen bir kare yolu takip ettiği hareketi için kokusuz Kalman filtre ve genişletilmiş Kalman filtre kestirimleri iyileştirilmiştir. Tüm çalışma MATLAB/Simulink ortamında yapılmıştır.
Low-Latency SoC Design with High-Level Accelerators Specific to Sound Effects
Authors: ESEN Yunus Emre , SAN İsmail
Published: December 2021

High-quality sound processing requires hardware acceleration in order to reduce the processing latency of the applied effect over the sound. Computational latency of creating enhanced sound from the audio input is an important delay component and affects the performance especially in artists’ live performance or high-quality sound generation. Artists want to apply a sound effect on their music and latency is the main problem when these systems running in real-time. CPU-based systems present flexibility, but introduce a high amount of latency while processing, which in fact affects the artist negatively. In this study, to get the flexibility through software and the acceleration via hardware specialization, we present a system-on-chip (SoC) solution with HW/SW co-design methodology for sound-effects. We reduce the latency and increase the frequency by applying pipelining through MATLAB. The system is implemented and tested on programmable SoC platform, ZedBoard, which contains ZC7020 Zynq chip with a dual-core ARM-Cortex-A9 processor. The ARM processor enables the management of sound-effect hardware accelerator running on FPGA and communication with user. Sound effect is designed with block models provided by MATLAB & Simulink. HDL Coder converts these blocks into RTL-level hardware designs. The followed design methodology provided by MATLAB & Simulink enables high-level block design that can be embedded into FPGA at RTL-level to benefit from the speed provided by high-speed hardware registers and to have an AXI interconnect interfacing with software in order to utilize the software flexibility. The study shows that latency is reduced significantly.
Fabrication and electrochemical properties of hollow cage-like nickel cobalt layered hydroxides with porous structure
Authors: Yang Wen , Ding Qian-Yao , Zhai Dong-Mei , Bo Kai-Wen , Feng Yan-Yan , Wen Jie , He Fang ,   Guangxi Key Laboratory of Electrochemical and Magneto-chemical Functional Materials, College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China,   College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China,   College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, China
Published: December 2021

Supercapacitors have attracted extensive attention in various storage devices due to their high power density, long life and friendly environment. Hence, improving the energy storage performances of electrode materials are of great significance for supercapacitors. Functional materials with specific nanostructures, as energy storage materials, can display excellent electrochemical performances, for they will provide rich electrochemically active sites, high specific surface area and enhance electrolyte contact area. Consequently, hollow cage-like nickel cobalt layered hydroxides (NiCo-LDH) are prepared via nitrate etching of ZIF-67 nanocrystals, and investigated as electrode materials of supercapacitor. The morphology, structure and electrochemical properties of the obtained materials are investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, N 2 adsorption/desorption and a series of electrochemical tests (including cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge and discharge and AC impedance). The results show that the NiCo-LDH samples assembled by nanosheets present a porous structure with hollow cages and high specific area surfaces, which conduces to increasing the electroactive sites, enhancing the contact between the electrolyte and the electrode material, and thus significantly improving the electrochemical performance of the materials. With the mass ratio of nickel to cobalt salt being 1∶1, the specific capacitance of Ni 1Co 1-LDH is 801 F·g –1 at a current density of 0.5 A·g –1, and a specific capacitance of 582 F·g –1 can still be maintained at a high current density of 10 A·g –1. Moreover, the specific capacitance retention of Ni 1Co 1-LDH is 100.2% after 2000 cycles at a current density of 15 A·g –1, displaying good electrochemical performance and great potential in supercapacitor applications.
Dynamic decision policy reconfiguration under outcome uncertainty
Authors: Bond Krista , Dunovan Kyle , Porter Alexis , Rubin Jonathan E , Verstynen Timothy
Published: December 2021

In uncertain or unstable environments, sometimes the best decision is to change your mind. To shed light on this flexibility, we evaluated how the underlying decision policy adapts when the most rewarding action changes. Human participants performed a dynamic two-armed bandit task that manipulated the certainty in relative reward (conflict) and the reliability of action-outcomes (volatility). Continuous estimates of conflict and volatility contributed to shifts in exploratory states by changing both the rate of evidence accumulation (drift rate) and the amount of evidence needed to make a decision (boundary height), respectively. At the trialwise level, following a switch in the optimal choice, the drift rate plummets and the boundary height weakly spikes, leading to a slow exploratory state. We find that the drift rate drives most of this response, with an unreliable contribution of boundary height across experiments. Surprisingly, we find no evidence that pupillary responses associated with decision policy changes. We conclude that humans show a stereotypical shift in their decision policies in response to environmental changes.
Molecular determinants of phase separation for Drosophila DNA replication licensing factors
Authors: Parker Matthew W , Kao Jonchee A , Huang Alvin , Berger James M , Botchan Michael R
Published: December 2021

Liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) of intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) in proteins can drive the formation of membraneless compartments in cells. Phase-separated structures enrich for specific partner proteins and exclude others. Previously, we showed that the IDRs of metazoan DNA replication initiators drive DNA-dependent phase separation in vitro and chromosome binding in vivo, and that initiator condensates selectively recruit replication-specific partner proteins (Parker et al., 2019). How initiator IDRs facilitate LLPS and maintain compositional specificity is unknown. Here, using Drosophila melanogaster (Dm) Cdt1 as a model initiation factor, we show that phase separation results from a synergy between electrostatic DNA-bridging interactions and hydrophobic inter-IDR contacts. Both sets of interactions depend on sequence composition (but not sequence order), are resistant to 1,6-hexanediol, and do not depend on aromaticity. These findings demonstrate that distinct sets of interactions drive condensate formation and specificity across different phase-separating systems and advance efforts to predict IDR LLPS propensity and partner selection a priori.
A dual endosymbiosis supports nutritional adaptation to hematophagy in the invasive tick Hyalomma marginatum
Authors: Buysse Marie , Floriano Anna Maria , Gottlieb Yuval , Nardi Tiago , Comandatore Francesco , Olivieri Emanuela , Giannetto Alessia , Palomar Ana M , Makepeace Benjamin L , Bazzocchi Chiara , Cafiso Alessandra , Sassera Davide , Duron Olivier
Published: December 2021

Many animals are dependent on microbial partners that provide essential nutrients lacking from their diet. Ticks, whose diet consists exclusively on vertebrate blood, rely on maternally inherited bacterial symbionts to supply B vitamins. While previously studied tick species consistently harbor a single lineage of those nutritional symbionts, we evidence here that the invasive tick Hyalomma marginatum harbors a unique dual-partner nutritional system between an ancestral symbiont, Francisella, and a more recently acquired symbiont, Midichloria. Using metagenomics, we show that Francisella exhibits extensive genome erosion that endangers the nutritional symbiotic interactions. Its genome includes folate and riboflavin biosynthesis pathways but deprived functional biotin biosynthesis on account of massive pseudogenization. Co-symbiosis compensates this deficiency since the Midichloria genome encompasses an intact biotin operon, which was primarily acquired via lateral gene transfer from unrelated intracellular bacteria commonly infecting arthropods. Thus, in H. marginatum, a mosaic of co-evolved symbionts incorporating gene combinations of distant phylogenetic origins emerged to prevent the collapse of an ancestral nutritional symbiosis. Such dual endosymbiosis was never reported in other blood feeders but was recently documented in agricultural pests feeding on plant sap, suggesting that it may be a key mechanism for advanced adaptation of arthropods to specialized diets.
Small-scale drivers on plant and ant diversity in a grassland habitat through a multifaceted approach
Authors: Mugnai Michele , Frasconi Wendt Clara , Balzani Paride , Ferretti Giulio , Dal Cin Matteo , Masoni Alberto , Frizzi Filippo , Santini Giacomo , Viciani Daniele , Foggi Bruno , Lazzaro Lorenzo
Published: December 2021

Semi-natural grasslands are characterized by high biodiversity and require multifaceted approaches to monitor their biodiversity. Moreover, grasslands comprise a multitude of microhabitats, making the scale of investigation of fundamental importance. Despite their wide distribution, grasslands are highly threatened and are considered of high conservation priority by Directive no. 92/43/EEC. Here, we investigate the effects of small-scale ecological differences between two ecosites present within the EU habitat of Community Interest of semi-natural dry grasslands on calcareous substrates (6210 according to Dir. 92/43/EEC) occurring on a Mediterranean mountain. We measured taxonomic and functional diversity of plant and ant communities, evaluating the differences among the two ecosites, how these differences are influenced by the environment and whether vegetation affects composition of the ant community. Our results show that taxonomic and functional diversity of plant and ant communities are influenced by the environment. While vegetation has no effect on ant communities, we found plant and ant community composition differed across the two ecosites, filtering ant and plant species according to their functional traits, even at a small spatial scale. Our findings imply that small-scale monitoring is needed to effectively conserve priority habitats, especially for those that comprise multiple microhabitats.
Linking individual and population patterns of rocky-shore mussels
Authors: Barbosa Romina Vanessa , Bacher Cédric , Jean Fred , Thomas Yoann
Published: December 2021

Individual traits and population parameters can be used as proxies of processes taking place within a range of scales, thus improving the way we can evaluate species response to environmental variability. In intertidal rocky shores, patterns at the within-site scale, i.e., between centimeters to hundreds of meters, are important for understanding the population response into these highly variable environments. Here, we studied a rocky-shore mussel population at the within-site spatial scale (1) to test how intertidal height and orientation of the shore affect individual traits and population parameters, (2) to infer the link between individual and population level features, and (3) to explore the upscaling mechanisms driving population structure and processes. We analyzed the patterns of six population parameters: density, biomass, crowding, median individual size, recruitment and mortality rate, and four individual traits: growth rate, spawning phenology, size and condition index. Crowding was defined as the degree of overlapping of individuals within a given area, for which we created a “crowding index”. Mussels were studied along the intertidal height gradient in two rocky shores with contrasted orientation at one site over a full year. Our results showed a significant effect of intertidal height and shore orientation on most of individual traits and population parameters studied. In contrast, biomass contained in a full covered surface did not vary in space nor in time. This pattern likely results from relatively constant crowding and a trade-off between median individuals’ size and density. We hypothesize that growth, mortality and recruitment rates may all play roles in the stability of the crowding structure of mussel aggregations. Variation in spawning phenology between the two shores in the study site was also observed, suggesting different temporal dynamics of microclimate conditions. Interestingly, despite the different population size distribution between the two shores, our estimates indicate similar potential reproductive output. We hypothesize that the structure of the patches would tend to maintain or carry a maximum of biomass due to trade-offs between density and size while maintaining and maximizing the reproductive output. The patterns of spatial variability of individual traits and population parameters in our study site suggest that heterogeneous within-site conditions influence variation in individual performance and population processes. These results provide insights about the relationship between individual traits and how these relationships make patterns at the population level emerge. They provide baseline information necessary to improve models of metapopulation with spatially explicit processes.
Three new species of Byrsopteryx Flint microcaddisflies from Peru (Insecta: Trichoptera) including DNA-based larval associations
Authors: Santos Allan P.M. , Takiya Daniela Maeda
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we have described and illustrated three new species of Byrsopteryx from Peru: Byrsopteryx inti, sp. nov. Byrsopteryx mamaocllo sp. nov., and Byrsopteryx mancocapac sp. nov. Larvae of the latter two were also associated to male specimens based on comparison of a fragment of COI gene and pharate male identification. Byrsopteryx inti sp. nov. and Byrsopteryx mamaocllo sp. nov. share a unique feature: a semi-dome process formed by a thickened area on male forewings. The three species can be easily identified by wing coloration and male genitalia. Furthermore, Byrsopteryx inti sp. nov. can be recognized by its sternum VIII with a median digitate process on posterior margin, slightly capitate; and by long dorsolateral processes from segment VIII, which cross each other apically in dorsal view. Byrsopteryx mamaocllo sp. nov. can be distinguished by sternum VIII bearing a pair of short, posterior, spinelike processes, which are curved inwards and bordered by a rounded, membranous structure, and by a pair of short, heavily sclerotized, dorsolateral processes. Byrsopteryx mancocapac sp. nov. can be distinguished by strong spine-like processes arising dorsally from subgenital plate and by sternum VIII with posterior margin divided into two plate-like lobes. Larvae of B. mamaocllo sp. nov. and B. mancocapac sp. nov. are similar to other Byrsopteryx larvae known. They can be distinguished from each other by the shape of the operculum formed by terga VIII and IX, and number of setae on the second abdominal pleurite. Maximum likelihood analyses of 20 COI sequences, including nine Byrsopteryx species, placed B. inti sp. nov. and B. mamaocllo sp. nov. as sister species and related to a clade including B. gomezi, B. tapanti, and B. esparta, while B. mancocapac sp. nov. was found as sister to B. abrelata. Despite the close phylogenetic relationship found between B. inti sp. nov. and B. mamaocllo sp. nov., they are separated by 14.9% minimum K2P divergence of COI. The highest intraspecific distance observed was 1.4% for B. mancocapac sp. nov. individuals. Although the Peruvian caddisfly fauna has around 320 known species and almost a third of them are microcaddisflies, in this paper we present the first descriptions of Byrsopteryx species for the country.
Bacterial diversity and potential risk factors associated with Salmonella contamination of seafood products sold in retail markets in Bangkok, Thailand
Authors: Atwill Edward R. , Jeamsripong Saharuetai
Published: December 2021

Consumption of contaminated food causes 600 million cases, including 420,000 of fatal infections every year. Estimated cost from food-borne illnesses is USD 110 billion per year, which is an economic burden to low- and middle-income countries. Thailand is a leading producer and consumer of seafood, but little is known about bacterial contamination in seafood. In particular, public health agencies need to know the relationship between Salmonella contamination in seafood and risk factors, as assessed with readily available culture-dependent and bacterial phenotyping methods. To address this, levels of indicator bacteria, Salmonella and Vibrio in various seafood products were determined to identify risk factors associated with Salmonella contamination. A total of 335 samples were collected from October 2018 to July 2019 at seafood markets throughout Bangkok, Thailand; overall sample composition was Pacific white shrimp (n = 85), oysters (n = 82), blood cockles (n = 84), and Asian seabass (n = 84). Prevalence was 100% for fecal coliforms and 85% for E. coli. In contrast, prevalence was 59% for V. parahaemolyticus, 49% for V. cholerae, 19% for V. alginolyticus, 18% for V. vulnificus, and 36% for Salmonella. Highest concentrations of fecal coliforms and E. coli were in oysters. Highest concentrations of Salmonella with Matopeni (31%) being the predominant serotype were in shrimp. Salmonella contamination was significantly associated with type of seafood, sampling location, retail conditions, and the presence of E. coli, V. alginolyticus and V. vulnificus. A cutoff value for E. coli concentration of 1.3 × 104 MPN/g predicted contamination of Salmonella, with a sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 61%. Displaying seafood products on ice, presence of E. coli and Vibrio, and seafood derived from Eastern Thailand were associated with an increased risk of Salmonella contamination.
Passive regeneration of morichales (Mauritia flexuosa L.f.) in the eastern savannas of Colombia
Authors: Narváez-Ortiz Ildefonso , Ortíz Paz Rocío Alexandra , López Patarroyo Edigson
Published: December 2021

Los morichales son ecosistemas presentes en el centro y norte de Sudamérica, de importancia ecológica, cultural y económica; sin embargo, existe escasa información relacionada con su regeneración. No existe información científica del efecto de la exclusión de ganado en la regeneración natural de Mauritia flexuosa. La presente investigación se inició en abril de 2014 en la Orinoquía colombiana con el objetivo de evaluar la efectividad de la exclusión del ganado utilizando cercas como estrategia de restauración pasiva de un morichal durante tres años. El área del morichal, se dividió en dos partes: área de restauración pasiva y área sin ningún manejo (compartida con ganadería). En abril de 2017 se establecieron seis parcelas de muestreo cada una de 2000 m2 (tres en cada una de las dos áreas de evaluación). En total se registraron 330 individuos de diferentes edades, 235 bajo restauración pasiva y 95 en el área sin manejo. Se presentó distribución espacial agregada y hubo diferencias significativas en densidad (W = 9, P = 0.049) solamente en las plántulas. Se confirmó el impacto positivo de la restauración pasiva, al encontrar activación de regeneración demostrada con el mayor reclutamiento de plántulas de hasta 1 m de altura (48 %); mientras que en el área sin cercado la mayor cantidad de individuos son adultos. Si las condiciones de restauración pasiva se mantienen, el proceso de regeneración que se logró activar garantiza la supervivencia del morichal.
Collective methods to weave the pathway from desertification to sustainable development: Participatory Social-Ecological Observatories
Authors: Lauterio Martínez Claudia Lorena , Huber-Sannwald Elisabeth , Hernández Valdéz Sandra Daniela , Leyva Aguilera Juana Claudia , Lucatello Simone , Martínez Tagüeña Natalia , Mata Páez Ricardo Ismael , Reyes Gómez Víctor Manuel , Seingier Georges
Published: December 2021

Las zonas áridas cubren 40% de la superficie terrestre en donde habita el 40% de la población humana. Tras el desarrollo de las zonas áridas estas evolucionaron como sistemas socio-ecológicos (SSE) altamente vulnerables al cambio climático y a la desertificación. Para cumplir con los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS), se requieren nuevas formas de generar conocimiento útil. Una opción es la coproducción de marcos de acción basados en una gestión integral de los SSE, porque se tejen sistemas de conocimiento en alianzas con sectores clave. La Red Internacional para la Sostenibilidad de las Zonas Áridas (RISZA) aborda los grandes retos que emergen en las zonas áridas de manera transdisciplinaria. Nuestra finalidad es proteger la diversidad biótica y cultural como base esencial del desarrollo sostenible. Un modus operandi de RISZA son los Observatorios Participativos Socio-Ecológicos (OPSE), entendidos como laboratorios en un territorio real, donde se exploran de manera participativa las rutas de acción y se aplican metodologías participativas como “participatory rural appraisal”. El fin de los OPSE es desarrollar planes de acción para implementar innovaciones sociales y facilitar la cogestión de conocimiento de cada SSE. Los OPSE son sitios/espacios presenciales y virtuales donde se recopila, intercambia y cogenera nuevo conocimiento como un “hub” de innovación para el desarrollo sostenible en las zonas áridas.