bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Educational reconstructions of quantum physics using the sum over paths approach with energy dependent propagators
Authors: Malgieri Massimiliano , Onorato Pasquale
Published: June 2021

Moving from the research tradition on the use of Feynman’s sum over paths approach in education, we have developed an educational reconstruction of elementary quantum physics which uses Feynman paths at fixed energy and is capable of a simple conceptual explanation of discrete energy levels in bound systems. The reconstruction has been found to offer several educational advantages, may help students think of quantum physics in a way more akin to how the subject is used by scientists, and allows to shed light on the relationship between energy and time.
Examining Irish Leaving Certificate physics examination questions (1966-2016) according to Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy
Authors: Letmon Damienne , Finlayson Odilla E , Mcloughlin Eilish
Published: June 2021

Over the past half-century free secondary level education has been introduced in the Irish education system and as a result a steady increase in the number of students completing a third level education has been observed. In tandem with this widening participation in second level education, curricula have been adapted to accommodate the varying needs and abilities of students while at the same time, addressing the changing role of science education in the national economy. Between 1966 and 2016, three different physics syllabi have been implemented at the upper secondary level in Irish schools. The focus of this study was to examine what were the cognitive demand of the Leaving Certificate Physics examination questions from 1966-2016. Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives was used as a classification tool of the level of cognitive demand in the analysis of the examination question parts, as it has been used by the Irish Department of Education in the preparing the examination questions. A sample of nine Leaving Certificate Physics examination papers were selected as representative samples of the three syllabi spanning the fifty years. Despite clear changes in the three physics syllabi over the fifty year period with changes in examination question style, there was not a notable change in cognitive domains of examinations papers. All question parts were classified according to four levels of cognitive demand with the cognitive domain ‘remember’ coded most frequently (ranging from 73% in 1967 to 46% in the 2008 examination). Notably, none of the nine examination papers examined in this study contained questions (or question-parts) which coded for the cognitive domains of ‘evaluate’ or ‘create’.
Simple and Beautiful Experiments XII by LADYCATS and the Science Teachers Group: In memory of Hiroshi Kawakatsu
Authors: Ishii Kyoko , Tanemura Masako , Okiharu Fumiko , Onishi Haruka , Takahashi Naoshi
Published: June 2021

The LADYCATS (LADY Creators of Activities for Teaching Science) were founded in 2005 in cooperation with Professor Hiroshi Kawakatsu (1945–2018) to encourage both female physics teachers and students who want to study physics more, and primary school teachers who feel unprepared to teach physics-based lessons. We have demonstrated ‘simple and beautiful experiments’ together for the past 14 years. Our concepts are as follows: the ‘simple’ experiments are easy to complete, while the ‘beautiful’ ones are interesting, and the ‘essential’ experiments demonstrate the principles of physics. We lost our leader, Professor Hiroshi Kawakatsu, in 2018. He always said, ‘Everyone has a right to learn’. We follow in Professor Kawakatsu’s footsteps and demonstrate several educational experiments that he liked and demonstrated.
Robotics in Elementary School using the BIT microcontroller
Authors: Farcas Lidia Cerasela , Caltun Ovidiu Florin
Published: June 2021

Primary education is the first stage of compulsory education and aims to create equal opportunities for all children to achieve a balanced cognitive, emotional and psychomotor development tailored to individual needs. The paper presents informal activities implemented for elementary school students to familiarize them with simple sensors, actuators and BIT microcontrollers that can be programmed with simple software. The activities were carried out in four working groups, organized in the classrooms, the participants being pupils in the third grade. Activities began with a description of the term “robotics” and a short film showing the importance of educational robots. After the introduction into the world of robotics, high school students, member of Nano Tech Robotics Club, implemented interactive activities for elementary school students using Micro: Bit microcontroller and simple sensors.
Replat-Chaos-edu: an interactive educational tool for secondary school students for the illustration of the spreading of volcanic ash clouds
Authors: Haszpra T , Kiss M , Izsa É
Published: June 2021

The continental- and global-scale spreading of pollutants emitted from volcano eruptions or industrial accidents is an everyday issue in our life. Nevertheless, students are generally not aware of the fact that pollutant clouds do not spread in the atmosphere like dye blobs on clothes, rather an initially small and compact pollutant cloud becomes soon strongly stretched, while becoming filamentary and folded. This paper introduces an application called Replat-Chaos-edu by means of which students can investigate the characteristics of the atmospheric dispersion of volcanic ash clouds and other pollutants in an interactive way. The simulations utilize meteorological data and follow the time evolution of pollutant clouds consisting of a large number of individual particles. Replat-Chaos-edu is also a suitable tool for studying the so-called chaotic features of the advection. The software was tested at the Berzsenyi Dániel Grammar School and the Szent István Grammar School (Budapest, Hungary) in the framework of Physics classes and during a project week, respectively.
Preparing teachers in grades K-6 to help young pupils learn physics: toward a common research agenda
Authors: Vokos S , Corni F , Vidic E , Maurizio R , Michelini M , Kapanadze M , López-Gay R , Martínez-Chico M , Jiménez-Liso M R , Castillo F J , Spyrtou A , Chaitidou M , Manou L , Kariotoglou P , Hatzikraniotis E
Published: June 2021

Standards documents envision that students in grades K-6 engage in developmentally appropriate yet substantive learning in physics and physical science. Students are expected to engage in the practices of the discipline, trying to develop – and experimentally defend – their own explanations of rich everyday phenomena. Teachers need special preparation to meet this challenge. Traditional preparation in lecture-based science university courses or courses that emphasize engaging demonstrations with little intellectual ballast are unlikely to yield the kind of rich experiential and rich discourse-based instructional environment for young pupils to thrive. In this GIREP Symposium, speakers introduced promising models for teacher preparation and enhancement and contribute to a discussion in search of a coherent research-based agenda for like-minded GIREP members.
Validation of a survey to measure pre-service teachers’ sense of agency
Authors: Hull Michael M , Vormayr Katharina , Uematsu Haruko
Published: June 2021

Dissemination of reformed curriculum requires teachers to feel that they have the freedom to implement the curriculum in the classroom. Even instructors who are trained in research-based instruction and are convinced of its value might fail to implement the curriculum in the classroom if, for example, they feel a lack of support from their school or colleagues. In this talk, we will report on the validation process of a survey designed to measure a “teacher’s or pre-service teacher’s perceived agency“, which we define as “a feeling of being in control over what is taught and of how it is taught.”
Modeling in Pre-service Secondary School Teacher Education: developing an School Scientific Model of Energy
Authors: Soto M , Couso D , Pintó R
Published: June 2021

In this document, we will present the results of an investigation carried out in initial teacher education for pre-service secondary school Physics and Mathematics teachers in Chile. A Teaching and Learning Sequence (TLS) was iteratively designed following a Design-based research approach and implemented to promote the construction of an adequate School Scientific Model (SSM) of energy. This SSM is based on the well-known work on energy related concepts in physics education, including the ideas of energy degradation, conservation and transference. The methodology followed in the TLS is based on modeling and model-based inquiry. Subsequently, we have analyzed pre-service teachers’ qualitative productions to identify which model of energy they master at both the beginning and the end of the program. This allowed us to get hints of a learning progression in this field.
A special method of teaching Physics: Outdoors radioactivity measurements
Authors: Garamhegyi G
Published: June 2021

We recognised that students can be motivated by those issues they are personally affected by. Such topic can be nuclear radiation that we live in. The realization led to the school project of radioactivity measurement. We joined the international Safecast projekt. Safecast is an outdoors radioactivity measurement project that represents a long-term and effective way of informal teaching of Physics outside classroom environment.. We noticed a unique contradiction between the demand of developed nuclear technologies and the societal attitude declining these. After the disaster of Fukushima, people’s nuclear sense of security has decreased in a global extent. This model is a successful initiative worldwide for the restoration of trust. Results of the measurement can be viewed by people all around the world on Google Maps and they are incredible impressive. The implemented project is a decent combination of formal and informal learning, based on the model of research-based teaching. After our 1-year observation, we were able to encourage 20% of inactive students to participate in Safecast project – using an informal teaching style. In groups of 20 and 25, the sense of nuclear safety of members increased 18% and 22%.
Science centre as a part of the education system in the Czech Republic
Authors: Chvátal R , Krčmářová Á , Kubínek R
Published: June 2021

The aim of this poster presentation is to present the results of a survey regarding the impact of extracurricular education at Palacký University science centre on pupils’ school performance in comparison with curricular education survey. This survey is realised by a pre-test and a post-test. Furthermore, readers will be introduced to teaching materials used during the science centre lectures-pupils’ worksheets, methodology for teachers and optical lenses preparation manual. These components are used by the pupils during the experiments. After their evaluation, the pupils describe the observed physical phenomena.
Observer based Anti-windup technique for Twin Rotor MIMO System
Authors: Srinivasan C R , Chandrasekar S , Sasnika R , Srividya R
Published: June 2021

Necessary control techniques must be used in control systems for their proper and smooth operation even in the case of uncertainties and disturbances like sensor-actuator failure. The TRMS workshop serves as a simplified model of a helicopter retaining most of the important dynamic characteristics and cross coupling. This project aims to solve the problem of synthesizing anti-windup control technique based on observer to avoid controller signal entering into saturation in TRMS. The effects of saturation is that systems experience Integrator wind-up. Once the input saturates, the integral of the error keeps increasing. Any further change in the input does not lead to any change of the output of the saturated component. The system behaves like an open-loop configuration, and no control is available. The project applies a Sliding mode control algorithm to the TRMS and uses an observer as an anti-windup technique so that the system doesn’t cease to work even in the case of sensor failure. Using this scheme, the entire system of TRMS along with sensor failure was tested by giving step inputs and the outputs, pitch and yaw were obtained. The results obtained indicated that even in the presence of uncertainties, the system was able to track the given step input without going unstable.
Automated paste preparation machine
Authors: Almasood Mohd , Singh Samriddhi , Rajpoot Yogendra Singh , Kumar Deepak
Published: June 2021

Ayurveda industry is one of the golden industries in ancient India which over the period had declined is witnessing a new surge up; this paper describes an automated approach for developing automated paste preparation machines for the health sector and Ayurveda industry. Automated paste preparation machine models are prepared on the basis of requirements and then tested and finally go into the manufacturing stage. This paper basically describes the methodology of preparation of machine models. In these automated paste preparation machine models, we use cam follower mechanism for the timed opening of valves to ensure the correct amount of ingredients to be instilled into the bowl. Control of opening and closing of valves through cam follower mechanism is achieved by the programming of gear motor with the help of Arduino Uno. An experimental case study is presented to show advantages, which include a verified reduction in model development time and improved modeling consistency and quality.
Prediction of performance parameters of a four stroke diesel engine experimented with blends of vegetable oil biodiesel
Authors: Bharti Deepali , Jain Pushpdant , Koshti Bhupendra , Nag Rajesh
Published: June 2021

Fossil fuel consumption is increasing in a massive amount due to its applications in various sectors. Moreover, use of such fuels creating harmful fumes and gases, which in turn creating an impact on the environment. To reduce the impact on the environment, researchers are continuously trying to research and propose various alternative fuels. In the current study, the Biodiesel was produced from waste soyabean oil and utilized as a fuel in combustion-ignition engine. A four stroke, single cylinder and water-cooled, combustion ignition engine connected is connected with a dynamometer and its performance is checked with prepared Biodiesel. A mixture of waste soyabean oil with pure diesel is mixed with different proportions of blends such as 10%, 20% and 30% to conduct the experiments. Various experiments with different conditions were considered to identify the effect of prepared Biodiesel blends. The experiment results showed that among all blends of Biodiesel, the 20% blend of Biodiesel had given the best results for maximum considered parameters. Such as at highest load of 15 kg, the Brake thermal efficiency obtained maximum as 22.45%, 21.8%, 19.8 and 16.6% for 20%, 10%, pure diesel and 30% blend of Biodiesel. It can be inferred from the experimental investigation suggests that the blended Biodiesel may be considered as an alternate fuel in a four-stroke, single-cylinder diesel engine without any modification in the existing engine. The obtained experimental results may be further utilised to perform the various analysis to enhance engine working conditions.
Experimental and analytical investigation on high performance concrete-filled steel tube stub columns under axial load
Authors: Harini B , Lingeshwaran N , Siva Kishore I
Published: June 2021

There has been an enormous improvement in the construction field in recent few decades among these; construction and material innovation are quite prominent. Concrete - steel composite part is one rising advance as perhaps the fastest technique for development. Steel tube with filled concrete is used to create a composite column. Experimental and theoretical work on high-performance CFST stub columns under axial load is explored in this paper. The parameters included in this study are diameter and thickness of steel tubes, mix design of high-performance concrete & ultimate load-carrying capacity. Six composite stub columns are cast and tested. The design formulas of CFST under axial loading are predicted using EUROCODE 4, ACI 318-95, AS 3600 & AS 4100. The finite element modeling of this composite column is done by using ABAQUS software.
Additive manufacturing of multi-functional biomaterials for bioimplants: a review
Authors: Paul Shubhadip , Nath Ananya , Roy Shibendu Shekhar
Published: June 2021

Additive manufacturing (AM) has been emerged recently as a promising technique to manufacture biomaterials for bioimplants creating a high impact in the field of medical science and research. AM technologies facilitate fabrication of the micro- as well as macro- architectural framework of orthopaedic bioimplants both internally and externally with higher precision and flexibility. The topological as well as geometrical porous nature of metallic biomaterials by means of controlled AM processes for fabrication of bioimplants can be adapted with high precision, leading to the upgradation of mechanical properties for bone-mimicking with improved biodegradation features. The increasing demand for the application of multi-functional biomaterials to manufacture metallic bioimplant sas substitute of bonecon fronts the current additive manufacturing technologies. In this paper, recent technological advancement in the manufacturing of Ti-, Mg- and Fe-based biomaterials utilizing multi-material AM technologies is being reviewed for identifying the knowledge gaps and come up with the directions of further researches leading to the progress of multi-material based additive manufacturing technologies to fabricate metallic bioimplants by virtue of multi-functional biomaterials.
Influence and Application of Poka-Yoke Technique in Automobile Manufacturing System
Authors: Kumar Rajan , Dwivedi Ravi Kumar , Dubey Sudhir K , Singh Anoop Pratap
Published: June 2021

Manufacturing defect are most important parameter to improve the quality of product for the all-manufacturing industries. In the manufacturing sector day by day new tool and new techniques are apply for the improve the quality manufacturing at low cost. In this practical study discussed about the most important tool of lean manufacturing is poka-yoke (mistake proofing) technique. In all the manufacturing sector, a lot of small-small problem is affected the product quality and cost. In this paper the 70×90×10 oil seal mixing poka-yoke is solved for the improvement of quality of the product and save the manufacturing cost.
Creeping flow around a spherical particle covered by semipermeable shell in presence of magnetic field
Authors: Namdeo R. P. , Gupta B. R.
Published: June 2021

This paper deals the MHD slow viscous motion of electrically conducting fluid over a rigid sphere surrounded by a concentric permeable sphere. Darcy’s equation is adopted to describe the motion in semipermeable region and Stokes equation is applied to describe the flow of viscous fluid region. For both flow fields, stream functions are calculated. The resistance force on composite sphere is obtained and variation of drag force with respect to different parameters has been plotted graphically. Some limiting cases are deduced and compared with the solution derived in other research papers. We observed that drag force increases with increasing magnetic field.
Development of a low-cost monitoring system for open 3 d printing
Authors: Khandpur M S , Galati M , Minetola P , Marchiandi G , Fontana L , Stiuso V
Published: June 2021

3D printers for Rapid Prototyping and Additive Manufacturing have been widely accepted by large and small-scale industries or by many hobbyists. Due to its nature of layer by layer addition of material, identifying defects between the layers can be a crucial strategy to determine the quality of a 3D printed product by carefully monitoring the layerwise process during part building. This kind of approach gives an advantage in the applications where 3D printing of products requires high customization without compromise on part quality. In this work, a low-cost camera is installed in an open 3D printer, and computer vision algorithms are used to implement an in-situ monitoring system. The defects can be evaluated by comparing the printed layer to the deposition path of the open ISO G-code. The G-code printing file is modified to introduce the image capture step after each layer. The value of the area of missing or exceeding material is returned to the user with the corresponding images. A decision can be made to abort the job in case of important defects to avoid unnecessary waste in material, time, and costs.
Grey wolf optimizer and other metaheuristic optimization techniques with image processing as their applications: a review
Authors: Kumar Alok , Lekhraj  , Singh Safalata , Kumar Anoj
Published: June 2021

Image processing is an evolutionary field in the domain of computer vision that currently has a comprehensive spectrum of applications. It is being employed in image segmentation, image classification, medical imaging, image compression, etc. A lot of real-world prominent issues are tackling employed through these application techniques. These techniques can be employed by means of various algorithms; however, these offered immensely dominant outcomes with existing and modified optimization algorithms. Some of the metaheuristic optimization algorithms applied during the above techniques include Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), Genetic Algorithm (GA), Bat Algorithm (BA), Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO), Evolutionary Strategy (ES), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Genetic Programming (GP), and so forth. Hence, this manuscript’s main objective is that the study of several applied optimization algorithms and their variants thus lead to the various domain of image processing concludes it work more efficiently and robustly.
Glycosuria sensing based on nanometric plasmonic polaritons
Authors: Sahu S , Jain P K , Mudgal N , Singh G
Published: June 2021

Surface Plasmon waves exhibit an interesting characteristic of enclosing light above the diffraction limit. In this work surface plasmon sensor using metal-insulator-metal configuration is demonstrated for an application of Glycosuria detection. The sensing device possesses a slot waveguide and an elliptic cavity in a metallic substrate. On injection of TM polarized mode, surface Plasmon wave coupled with cavity causes the generation of resonating modes the shift in resonant frequency is utilized to detect glucose concentration in urine. The device’s operation is investigated using the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method. The proposed sensor’s sensitivity is evaluated to be 792.80nm/RIU, with a figure of merit of 113.25.Based on the analysis, it is remarked that the device is suitable for an on-chip application.
The Influence of Magnet Number and Dimension on Torque Characteristics in the Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM)
Authors: Yulianto K , Yusivar F , Sudiarto B
Published: June 2021

Permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) are commonly used in electric vehicles because they have specific advantages such as high power density, high torque, and high efficiency. This paper presents the design of an interior permanent magnet (IPM) rotor motor with 5kw capacity as an electric motorcycle propulsion machine. Principal design calculations obtain initial design parameters. The choice of using a magnet dimension has a significant impact on performance. Optimization is applied to achieve the required torque characteristics by varying the permanent magnet size with fixed volume and length. The simulation is performed using finite element analysis software to obtain the speed and torque characteristics. The results showed that the motor torque was higher with a wider magnet scale and fewer magnets per pole. Furthermore, using thicker magnets obtained better motor efficiency. Hence, this needs to be taken into consideration when designing the motor according to torque specifications.
The Effect of 12 Pulse Converter Input Transformer Configuration on Harmonics of Input Current
Authors: Surya Hasan
Published: June 2021

This paper discusses the effect of the 12-pulse converter input transformer configuration on the input harmonic currents. This is done because there are many transformer connection configurations, which according to the standard there are 5 transformer connection groups. The research method begins with a literature study on the 12-pulse converter. Next, determine the specifications of the 12-pulse converter and build the 12-pulse converter. Then, a theoretical analysis was carried out on the waveform of the 12-pulse converter current with the Dy11/d0 and Yd1/y0 input transformer configurations. From the analysis and simulation results, it was found that the THDi of the two 6 pulse converters obtained 29% THDi, while the 12-pulse converter inputs side obtained 11.59%-13,6% THDi. The input transformer configuration does not affect the THDi results, except for the power sent by the 12-pulse converter with the input transformer configuration Yd1_y0 to 1/3 compared to the Dy11_d0 connection.
Virtual Reality Utilization as a Character– building of Children in Waste Problems
Authors: Abioso W S , Imam A I , Maulana Y I , Prasetyo M J
Published: June 2021

This paper aims to explain the benefits of Virtual Reality (VR) technology as an alternative solution to limited facilities in building children’s awareness of waste problems. The method used is a descriptive method that explains how Indonesians treat waste and validates the effectiveness of using VR to develop an awareness of waste. The results showed that children are now more interested in using VR in education to care about the earth’s environment. This can happen because it is interactive, but the immersive effect impacts the effectiveness of the learning experience felt by children. The use of Virtual Reality is the main solution with the latest technology in overcoming waste problems in Indonesia by building character since childhood.
Developing Information System of Population
Authors: Rohmawati T , Khotimah S , Difa L , Efrianto B
Published: June 2021

This research aims to develop information systems in the population administration section in Pahlawan subdistrict in Palembang to facilitate the collection of the population in the subdistrict quickly and accurately. To support the research, we use qualitative methods in descriptions and interviews with several subdistrict employees. The result analysis shows that in Pahlawan subdistrict still uses Information System in Microsoft Excel to record population data; it has not been automated and slow in adding, changing, or deleting data and other population data collections. This study shows that the development of the Visual Studio Information System can provide many conveniences in processing population data. The conclusion of this study is that by creating a population administration information system, the processing of population data such as family card data, birth data, death data, and moving data can be done more quickly and accurately because the data input can be connected well and the data is stored centrally in the database and can facilitate in making population reports based on data that has been inputted into the information system. The impact of this research resulted in a design of an information system that is expected to be used and help Pahlawan subdistrict in recording population data as a useful source of information for decision making in government, especially for Pahlawan subdistrict to be more effective and efficient.
Pharmacoepidemiology, Machine Learning, and COVID-19: An Intent-to-Treat Analysis of Hydroxychloroquine, With or Without Azithromycin, and COVID-19 Outcomes Among Hospitalized US Veterans
Authors: Gerlovin Hanna , Posner Daniel C , Ho Yuk-Lam , Rentsch Christopher T , Tate Janet P , King Joseph T , Kurgansky Katherine E , Danciu Ioana , Costa Lauren , Linares Franciel A , Goethert Ian D , Jacobson Daniel A , Freiberg Matthew S , Begoli Edmon , Muralidhar Sumitra , Ramoni Rachel B , Tourassi Georgia , Gaziano J Michael , Justice Amy C , Gagnon David R , Cho Kelly
Published: June 2021

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) was proposed as an early therapy for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) after in vitro studies indicated possible benefit. Previous in vivo observational studies have presented conflicting results, though recent randomized clinical trials have reported no benefit from HCQ among patients hospitalized with COVID-19. We examined the effects of HCQ alone and in combination with azithromycin in a hospitalized population of US veterans with COVID-19, using a propensity score–adjusted survival analysis with imputation of missing data. According to electronic health record data from the US Department of Veterans Affairs health care system, 64,055 US Veterans were tested for the virus that causes COVID-19 between March 1, 2020 and April 30, 2020. Of the 7,193 veterans who tested positive, 2,809 were hospitalized, and 657 individuals were prescribed HCQ within the first 48-hours of hospitalization for the treatment of COVID-19. There was no apparent benefit associated with HCQ receipt, alone or in combination with azithromycin, and there was an increased risk of intubation when HCQ was used in combination with azithromycin (hazard ratio = 1.55; 95% confidence interval: 1.07, 2.24). In conclusion, we assessed the effectiveness of HCQ with or without azithromycin in treatment of patients hospitalized with COVID-19, using a national sample of the US veteran population. Using rigorous study design and analytic methods to reduce confounding and bias, we found no evidence of a survival benefit from the administration of HCQ.
Population structure, activity potential and ecotype partitioning ofPseudoalteromonasalong the vertical water column of the New Britain Trench
Authors: Wei Wenxia , Wang Li , Fang Jiasong , Liu Rulong
Published: June 2021

Microbial degradation of organic matter along the vertical profile of the water column is a major process driving the carbon cycle in the ocean. Pseudoalteromonas has been identified as a dominant genus in pelagic marine environments worldwide, playing important roles in the remineralization of organic carbon. However, the current understanding of Pseudoalteromonas was mainly based on shallow water populations or cultivated species. This study analyzed for the first time the structure, activity potential and ecotypes differentiation of Pseudoalteromonas in the water column of the New Britain Trench (NBT) down to 6000 m. Analysis on diversities of the 16S rRNA gene and their transcripts showed that Pseudoalteromonas was greatly enriched in deep-sea waters and showed high activity potentials. The deep-sea Pseudoalteromonas were significantly different from their shallow-water counterparts, suggesting an obvious ecotype division along with the vertical profile. Phylogenetic analysis on the 16S rRNA gene and hsp60 gene of 219 Pseudoalteromonas strains isolated from different depths further showed that the vertical ecotype division could even occur at the strain level, which might be a result of long-term adaptation to environmental conditions at different depths. The discovered depth-specific strains provide valuable models for further studies on adaptation, evolution and functions of the deep-sea Pseudoalteromonas.
AddTag, a two-step approach with supporting software package that facilitates CRISPR/Cas-mediated precision genome editing
Authors: Seher Thaddeus D , Nguyen Namkha , Ramos Diana , Bapat Priyanka , Nobile Clarissa J , Sindi Suzanne S , Hernday Aaron D
Published: June 2021

CRISPR/Cas-induced genome editing is a powerful tool for genetic engineering, however, targeting constraints limit which loci are editable with this method. Since the length of a DNA sequence impacts the likelihood it overlaps a unique target site, precision editing of small genomic features with CRISPR/Cas remains an obstacle. We introduce a two-step genome editing strategy that virtually eliminates CRISPR/Cas targeting constraints and facilitates precision genome editing of elements as short as a single base-pair at virtually any locus in any organism that supports CRISPR/Cas-induced genome editing. Our two-step approach first replaces the locus of interest with an “AddTag” sequence, which is subsequently replaced with any engineered sequence, and thus circumvents the need for direct overlap with a unique CRISPR/Cas target site. In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of our approach by editing transcription factor binding sites within Candida albicans that could not be targeted directly using the traditional gene-editing approach. We also demonstrate the utility of the AddTag approach for combinatorial genome editing and gene complementation analysis, and we present a software package that automates the design of AddTag editing.
Determinants of Total End-of-Life Health Care Costs of Medicare Beneficiaries: A Quantile Regression Forests Analysis
Authors: Li Lihua , Hu Liangyuan , Ji Jiayi , Mckendrick Karen , Moreno Jaison , Kelley Amy S , Mazumdar Madhu , Aldridge Melissa
Published: June 2021

Background

To identify and rank the importance of key determinants of end-of-life (EOL) health care costs, and to understand how the key factors impact different percentiles of the distribution of health care costs.

Method

We applied a principled, machine learning-based variable selection algorithm, using Quantile Regression Forests, to identify key determinants for predicting the 10th (low), 50th (median), and 90th (high) quantiles of EOL health care costs, including costs paid for by Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), private HMOs, and patient’s out-of-pocket expenditures.

Results

Our sample included 7 539 Medicare beneficiaries who died between 2002 and 2017. The 10th, 50th, and 90th quantiles of EOL health care cost are $5 244, $35 466, and $87 241, respectively. Regional characteristics, specifically, the EOL-Expenditure Index, a measure for regional variation in Medicare spending driven by physician practice, and the number of total specialists in the hospital referral region were the top 2 influential determinants for predicting the 50th and 90th quantiles of EOL costs but were not determinants of the 10th quantile. Black race and Hispanic ethnicity were associated with lower EOL health care costs among decedents with lower total EOL health care costs but were associated with higher costs among decedents with the highest total EOL health care costs.

Conclusions

Factors associated with EOL health care costs varied across different percentiles of the cost distribution. Regional characteristics and decedent race/ethnicity exemplified factors that did not impact EOL costs uniformly across its distribution, suggesting the need to use a “higher-resolution” analysis for examining the association between risk factors and health care costs.
N-glycan structures of Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac2 binding protein in the serum of patients with liver fibrosis
Authors: Noro Erika , Matsuda Atsushi , Kyoutou Takuya , Sato Takashi , Tomioka Azusa , Nagai Misugi , Sogabe Maki , Tsuruno Chikayuki , Takahama Yoichi , Kuno Atsushi , Tanaka Yasuhito , Kaji Hiroyuki , Narimatsu Hisashi
Published: June 2021

The extent of liver fibrosis predicts prognosis and is important for determining treatment strategies for chronic hepatitis. During the fibrosis progression, serum levels of Mac2 binding protein (M2BP) increase and the N-glycan structure changes to enable binding to Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA) lectin. As a novel diagnostic marker, glycosylation isomer of M2BP (M2BPGi) has been developed. However, its glycan structures recognized by WFA are unclear. In this study, we analyzed site-specific N-glycan structures of serum M2BP using Glyco-RIDGE (Glycan heterogeneity-based Relational IDentification of Glycopeptide signals on Elution profile) method. We evaluated five sample types: (1) M2BP immunoprecipitated from normal healthy sera (NHS-IP(+)), (2) M2BP immunoprecipitated from sera of patients with liver cirrhosis (stage 4; F4-IP(+)), (3) M2BP captured with WFA from serum of patients with liver cirrhosis (stage 4; F4-WFA(+)), (4) recombinant M2BP produced by HEK293 cells (rM2BP) and (5) WFA-captured rM2BP (rM2BP-WFA(+)). In NHS-IP(+) M2BP, bi-antennary N-glycan was the main structure, and LacNAc extended to its branches. In F4-IP(+) M2BP, many branched structures, including tri-antennary and tetra-antennary N-glycans, were found. F4-WFA(+) showed a remarkable increase in branched structures relative to the quantity before enrichment. In recombinant M2BP, both no sialylated-LacdiNAc and -branched LacNAc structures were emerged. The LacdiNAc structure was not found in serum M2BP. Glycosidase-assisted HISCL assays suggest that reactivity with WFA of both serum and recombinant M2BP depends on unsialylated and branched LacNAc and in part of recombinant depends on LacdiNAc. On M2BPGi, the highly branched LacNAc, probably dense cluster of LacNAc, would be recognized by WFA.
Aligning integrated ecosystem assessment with adaptation planning in support of ecosystem-based management
Authors: Woods Pamela J
Published: June 2021

Supporting resilience is a common goal of natural resource management, but managing under changing conditions that requires adaptation is a modern challenge. A state-of-the-art framework for implementing an integrated ecosystem assessment (IEA), the NOAA IEA approach, is used as an example to demonstrate whether and how assessment in ecosystem-based management (EBM), as often implemented in fisheries, can be expected to facilitate planned adaptation. Using comparisons with another assessment framework developed for implementing a climate change adaptation project, the United Nations Development Programme-Global Environment Facility Adaptation Policy Framework (UNDP-GEF APF), this paper expands and operationalizes the concepts of managing for resilience versus change in EBM as presented by West et al.(2009). It first introduces a variety of terms from climate change adaptation literature to help institutionalize “planned adaptation” as a useful concept within fisheries, then presents an expanded map of adaptive management processes in EBM. Finally, it proposes steps for enhancing processes supporting planned adaptation in individual applications of EBM in fisheries. Steps include (i) recognizing interest and funding for adaptation planning as prerequisites, (ii) evaluating what information or actors are lacking to implement better planning, and (iii) determining what institutional processes within an adaptive management cycle need augmentation.
Performance of disc diffusion, MIC gradient tests and Vitek 2 for ceftolozane/tazobactam and ceftazidime/avibactam susceptibility testing ofPseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Daragon Brice , Fournier Damien , Plésiat Patrick , Jeannot Katy
Published: June 2021

Objectives

To assess performance of disc diffusion, gradient tests and Vitek 2 system to determine the susceptibility of clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains to ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) and ceftazidime/avibactam (CZA).

Methods

Two-hundred non-duplicate P. aeruginosa strains isolated by 47 French medical laboratories were selected to cover a wide range of C/T and CZA MICs. Performance of C/T disc (30/10 μg, Bio-Rad), CZA discs (10/4 μg) (Thermo Fisher and Bio-Rad), C/T and CZA gradient tests (Etest, BioMérieux; MIC Test Strip, Liofilchem), and AST-XN12 card of Vitek 2 system (BioMérieux) were compared with a broth microdilution (BMD) method (Thermo Fisher). MIC and disc results were interpreted using current EUCAST breakpoints.

Results

Twenty percent and 17% of strains were resistant to C/T and CZA, respectively. All the methods tested satisfactorily determined the susceptibility of P. aeruginosa to C/T [Category Agreement (CA) ≥95%] except the disc diffusion method. Because of the high rates of Major Errors (MEs) (12.5%), this latter method tends to overestimate the resistance. For CZA, only the gradient tests yielded more than 90% of CA. The Vitek 2 system and disc diffusion misclassified 18.1%, 10.1% (disc Bio-Rad) and 11.9% (disc Thermo Fisher) of susceptible strains, respectively.

Conclusions

The gradient tests (MIC Test Strip and Etest) and Vitek 2 card XN12 performed the best to determine the susceptibility of P. aeruginosa to C/T, whereas gradient tests were an acceptable alternative to BMD to assess CZA susceptibility.
Patent Assertion Entities and Patent Ownership Transparency: Strategic Recording of Patent Transactions at the Uspto
Authors: Sterzi Valerio
Published: June 2021

Many patent assertion entities (PAEs) hide behind multiple unknown subsidiaries or shell companies with obscure ownership. Meanwhile, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), like many other patent offices, does not impose a strict time period for recording the change of ownership of a patent, allowing the holder to gain an advantage by controlling the timing of its ownership disclosure. In this paper, we study to which extent PAEs delay the recording of the U.S. patent reassignments of patents that they will subsequently use in infringement patent lawsuits. On average, PAEs notify the change of ownership more quickly than producing firms, but this is not the case for the patents that they will litigate relatively far in time. In particular, the correlation between the recording lag of the patent transaction and the litigation spell is higher when the patent acquirer is a PAE (than when it is a producing firm) or when the acquirer will litigate the patent in the Eastern District of Texas, famously home to opportunistic litigations. Finally, we find that transactions involving unknown subsidiaries of PAEs are recorded at the USPTO significantly later than those involving PAE parent companies or their known subsidiaries.
Determining the impact of vitamin C use with the common cold on loss of labour and medical treatment costs for Turkey
Authors: Oğuzhan Gülpembe , Ökçün Selin , Kurnaz Mustafa , Koçkaya Güvenç , Şen Selçuk , Kahveci Kaplan Burçin , Mete Şaylan İsmail
Published: June 2021

Objectives

As one of the most common health problems, the common cold may lead to negative consequences such as work or school absenteeism, poor productivity and labour loss. Vitamin C supports immune system defences by supporting the various cellular functions of the immune system, both congenital and adaptive. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of vitamin C in white-collar workers and its impact on medical care costs and its impact on the workforce in association with the common cold.

Methods

For calculation of the effect of 1000 mg vitamin C daily on the workforce and possible healthcare services costs, a Markov-based model was simulated with 6 cycles consistent with the literature that constituted the model input for the 6-month common cold season. The simulated Markov model included parameters for the number of seasonal flu episodes with or without vitamin C use, the duration of the episodes, productivity loss and daily labour costs. The TreeAge Healthcare Pro 2020 program was used for the Markov model.

Key findings

The calculations revealed that the common cold lasted 0.47 days less with vitamin C use. The calculations revealed that the number of days absent from work is 0.38 days more without vitamin C use compared with vitamin C use. The calculations revealed that the medical treatment costs for the common cold is TL 1723.98. According to the analysis conducted based on the Markov model, the total cost of lost productivity and medical treatment that would occur in case of a common cold is TL 3704.97 with vitamin C use and TL 4223.26 without vitamin C use.

Conclusion

Based on the results of the analysis, we can suggest that regular vitamin C supplementation may prevent the impact of the common cold on public health and the resulting economic burden.
Capitalism as Death: Loss of Life and the Finnish Migrant Left in the Early Twentieth Century
Authors: Saramo Samira
Published: June 2021

In early twentieth-century Canada and the United States, Finnish migrants faced dangerous working conditions and regularly lost lives on the job. To counter government and company inaction, migrant workers supported each other through grassroots community systems of reciprocity and participation in unionism and socialism. This article pairs migrant labor history with the history of death and mourning to explore how the relationship between the two may mutually develop our understandings of everyday life. Three case studies are at the center of analysis: the Italian Hall Tragedy of 1913 (Calumet, Michigan), the Hollinger Gold Mine Disaster of 1928 (Timmins, Ontario), and the deaths of lumber union organizers Viljo Rosvall and Janne Voutilainen in 1929 (Thunder Bay District, Ontario). By focusing on the death, grief, and mourning at the core of these events and on the days immediately following the tragedies, I demonstrate that death and loss were central to Finnish migrant workers’ everyday encounters with community and class-consciousness. I analyze newspaper coverage of these deaths in order to investigate the strategies of the Finnish language socialist press and leadership to emphasize the deadly power of the capitalist socioeconomic structure, but also seek the everyday spaces, feelings, and relationships caught among labor tensions. In analyzing the cases, I aim to highlight opportunities for new types of dialogue on migrant social history that come from bringing together death, the everyday, and the political.
Gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor mepiquat chloride enhances root K+ uptake in cotton by modulating plasma membrane H+-ATPase
Authors: Zhang Rui , Wang Ning , Li Shuying , Wang Yiru , Xiao Shuang , Zhang Yichi , Egrinya Eneji A , Zhang Mingcai , Wang Baomin , Duan Liusheng , Li Fangjun , Tian Xiaoli , Li Zhaohu
Published: June 2021

Potassium deficiency causes severe losses in yield and quality in crops. Mepiquat chloride, a plant growth regulator, can increase K+ uptake in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), but the underlying physiological mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we used a non-invasive micro-test technique to measure K+ and H+ fluxes in the root apex with or without inhibitors of K+ channels, K+ transporters, non-selective cation channels, and plasma membrane H+-ATPases. We found that soaking seeds in mepiquat chloride solution increased the K+ influx mediated by K+ channels and reduced the K+ efflux mediated by non-selective cation channels in cotton seedlings. Mepiquat chloride also increased negative membrane potential (Em) and the activity of plasma membrane H+-ATPases in roots, due to higher levels of gene expression and protein accumulation of plasma membrane H+-ATPases as well as phosphorylation of H+-ATPase 11 (GhAHA11). Thus, plasma membrane hyperpolarization mediated by H+-ATPases was able to stimulate the activity of K+ channels in roots treated with mepiquat chloride. In addition, reduced K+ efflux under mepiquat chloride treatment was associated with reduced accumulation of H2O2 in roots. Our results provide important insights into the mechanisms of mepiquat chloride-induced K+ uptake in cotton and hence have the potential to help in improving K nutrition for enhancing cotton production.
Far-UV Fe emission as proxy of Eddington ratios
Authors: Zheng Wei
Published: June 2021

The Eddington ratio is a key parameter that governs the diversity of quasar properties. It can be scaled with a strong anticorrelation between optical Fe iiopt and [O iii] emission. In search of such indicators in the far-UV band, the Hubble Space Telescope far-UV spectra of 150 low-redshift quasars are analysed in combination with their optical SDSS counterparts. The strength of Fe ii+Fe iii λ1123 emission is significantly correlated with that of Fe iiopt. A moderate correlation may also exist between Fe ii λ1071 and Fe iiopt. The finding opens the possibility that far-UV Fe ii emission may serve as a new gauge of the Eddington ratios. The high- and low-ionization lines in the far-UV band display different patterns: for the quasars with higher Eddington ratios, the low-ionization UV lines are stronger, and the high-ionization lines are broader and weaker.