bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Controlled Catheter Movement Affects Dye Dispersal Volume in Agarose Gel Brain Phantoms
Authors: Mehta Jason N. , McRoberts Gabrielle R. , Rylander Christopher G.
Published: August 2020

The standard of care for treatment of glioblastoma results in a mean survival of only 12 to 15 months. Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) is an investigational therapy to treat glioblastoma that utilizes locoregional drug delivery via a small-caliber catheter placed into the brain parenchyma. Clinical trials have failed to reach their endpoints due to an inability of standard catheters to fully saturate the entire brain tumor and its margins. In this study, we examine the effects of controlled catheter movement on dye dispersal volume in agarose gel brain tissue phantoms. Four different catheter movement control protocols (stationary, continuous retraction, continuous insertion, and intermittent insertion) were applied for a single-port stepped catheter capable of intrainfusion movement. Infusions of indigo carmine dye into agarose gel brain tissue phantoms were conducted during the controlled catheter movement. The dispersal volume (Vd), forward dispersal volume (Vdf), infusion radius, backflow distance, and forward flow distance were quantified for each catheter movement protocol using optical images recorded throughout the experiment. Vd and Vdf for the retraction and intermittent insertion groups were significantly higher than the stationary group. The stationary group had a small but significantly larger infusion radius than either the retracting or the intermittent insertion groups. The stationary group had a greater backflow distance and lower forward flow distance than either the retraction or the intermittent insertion groups. Continuous retraction of catheters during CED treatments can result in larger Vd than traditional stationary catheters, which may be useful for improving the outcomes of CED treatment of glioblastoma. However, catheter design will be crucial in preventing backflow of infusate up the needle tract, which could significantly alter both the Vd and shape of the infusion.
Like a Rolling Stone: Sting-Cgas Pathway and Cell-Free DNA as Biomarkers for Combinatorial Immunotherapy
Authors: Sicard Guillaume , Fina Frédéric , Fanciullino Raphaelle , Barlesi Fabrice , Ciccolini Joseph
Published: August 2020

Combining immune checkpoint inhibitors with other treatments likely to harness tumor immunity is a rising strategy in oncology. The exact modalities of such a combinatorial regimen are yet to be defined, and most attempts have relied so far on concomitant dosing, rather than sequential or phased administration. Because immunomodulating features are likely to be time-, dose-, and-schedule dependent, the need for biomarkers providing real-time information is critical to better define the optimal time-window to combine immune checkpoint inhibitors with other drugs. In this review, we present the various putative markers that have been investigated as predictive tools with immune checkpoint inhibitors and could be used to help further combining treatments. Whereas none of the current biomarkers, such as the PDL1 expression of a tumor mutational burden, is suitable to identify the best way to combine treatments, monitoring circulating tumor DNA is a promising strategy, in particular to check whether the STING-cGAS pathway has been activated by cytotoxics. As such, circulating tumor DNA could help defining the best time-window to administrate immune checkpoint inhibitors after that cytotoxics have been given.
Synthetic Virus-Derived Nanosystems (SVNs) for Delivery and Precision Docking of Large Multifunctional DNA Circuitry in Mammalian Cells
Authors: Aulicino Francesco , Capin Julien , Berger Imre
Published: August 2020

DNA delivery is at the forefront of current research efforts in gene therapy and synthetic biology. Viral vectors have traditionally dominated the field; however, nonviral delivery systems are increasingly gaining traction. Baculoviruses are arthropod-specific viruses that can be easily engineered and repurposed to accommodate and deliver large sequences of exogenous DNA into mammalian cells, tissues, or ultimately organisms. These synthetic virus-derived nanosystems (SVNs) are safe, readily customized, and can be manufactured at scale. By implementing clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR) associated protein (CRISPR/Cas) modalities into this system, we developed SVNs capable of inserting complex DNAs into genomes, at base pair precision. We anticipate a major role for SVNs as an attractive alternative to viral vectors in accelerating genome engineering and gene therapy applications in the future.
Predicting the Suitable Geographical Distribution of Sinadoxa Corydalifolia under Different Climate Change Scenarios in the Three-River Region Using the MaxEnt Model
Authors: Huang Xiaotao , Ma Li , Chen Chunbo , Zhou Huakun , Yao Buqing , Ma Zhen
Published: August 2020

Sinadoxa corydalifolia is a perennial grass with considerable academic value as a rare species owing to habitat destruction and a narrow distribution. However, its distribution remains unclear. In this study, we predicted the distribution of Sinadoxa corydalifolia in the three-river region (the source of the Yangtze River, Yellow River, and Lancang River) under the context of climate change using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model. Under the current climate scenario, the suitable distribution mainly occurred in Yushu County and Nangqian County. The suitable distribution area of Sinadoxa corydalifolia covered 3107 km2, accounting for 0.57% of the three-river region. The mean diurnal air temperature range (Bio2), temperature seasonality (Bio4), and mean air temperature of the driest quarter (Bio9) contributed the most to the distribution model for Sinadoxa corydalifolia, with a cumulative contribution of 81.4%. The highest suitability occurred when air temperature seasonality (Bio4) ranged from 6500 to 6900. The highest suitable mean air temperature of the driest quarter ranged from −5 to 0 °C. The highest suitable mean diurnal temperature (Bio2) ranged from 8.9 to 9.7 °C. In future (2041–2060) scenarios, the suitable distribution areas of Sinadoxa corydalifolia from high to low are as follows: representative concentration pathway (RCP)26 (6171 km2) > RCP45 (6017 km2) > RCP80 (4238 km2) > RCP60 (2505 km2). In future (2061–2080) scenarios, the suitable distribution areas of Sinadoxa corydalifolia from high to low are as follows: RCP26 (18,299 km2) > RCP60 (11,977 km2) > RCP45 (10,354 km2) > RCP80 (7539 km2). In general, the suitable distribution will increase in the future. The distribution area of Sinadoxa corydalifolia will generally be larger under low CO2 concentrations than under high CO2 concentrations. This study will facilitate the development of appropriate conservation measures for Sinadoxa corydalifolia in the three-river region.
Enzymatic Synthesis of Formate Ester through Immobilized Lipase and Its Reuse
Authors: Baek Yesol , Lee Jonghwa , Son Jemin , Lee Taek , Sobhan Abdus , Lee Jinyoung , Koo Sang-Mo , Shin Weon Ho , Oh Jong-Min , Park Chulhwan
Published: August 2020

Octyl formate is an important substance used in the perfume industry in products such as cosmetics, perfumes, and flavoring. Octyl formate is mostly produced by chemical catalysts. However, using enzymes as catalysts has gathered increasing interest due to their environment-friendly proprieties. In the present study, we aimed to identify the optimal conditions for the synthesis of octyl formate through immobilized enzyme-mediated esterification. We investigated the effects of enzymatic reaction parameters including the type of immobilized enzyme, enzyme concentration, molar ratio of reactants, reaction temperature, and type of solvent using the optimization method of one factor at a time (OFAT). The maximum conversion achieved was 96.51% with Novozym 435 (15 g/L), a 1:7 formic acid to octanol ratio, a reaction temperature of 40 °C, and with 1,2-dichloroethane as solvent. Moreover, we demonstrated that the Novozym 435 can be reused under the optimal conditions without affecting the octyl formate yield, which could help reduce the economic burden associated with enzymatic synthesis.
Characterization of HCN-Derived Thermal Polymer: Implications for Chemical Evolution
Authors: Villafañe-Barajas Saúl A. , Ruiz-Bermejo Marta , Rayo-Pizarroso Pedro , Colín-García María
Published: August 2020

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN)-derived polymers have been recognized as sources of relevant organic molecules in prebiotic chemistry and material sciences. However, there are considerable gaps in the knowledge regarding the polymeric nature, the physicochemical properties, and the chemical pathways along polymer synthesis. HCN might have played an important role in prebiotic hydrothermal environments; however, only few experiments use cyanide species considering hydrothermal conditions. In this work, we synthesized an HCN-derived thermal polymer simulating an alkaline hydrothermal environment (i.e., HCN (l) 0.15 M, 50 h, 100 °C, pH approximately 10) and characterized its chemical structure, thermal behavior, and the hydrolysis effect. Elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopy suggest an important oxidation degree. The thermal behavior indicates that the polymer is more stable compared to other HCN-derived polymers. The mass spectrometric thermal analysis showed the gradual release of several volatile compounds along different thermal steps. The results suggest a complicate macrostructure formed by amide and hydroxyl groups, which are joined to the main reticular chain with conjugated bonds (C=O, N=O, –O–C=N). The hydrolysis treatment showed the pH conditions for the releasing of organics. The study of the synthesis of HCN-derived thermal polymers under feasible primitive hydrothermal conditions is relevant for considering hydrothermal vents as niches of chemical evolution on early Earth.
Taking Youth Suicide Prevention to the Schools: Pilot Evaluation of School-Based Clinician Outcomes and Perspectives of a Multi-Modal Program Including Post-Training Online Consultations for Management of Ongoing Suicide Risk
Authors: Gwyther Kate , McKechnie Ben , Nicoll Helen , Gersh Elon , Davey Christopher G. , Robinson Jo , Mawson Emily , Crlenjak Caroline , Rice Simon M.
Published: August 2020

School-based youth-specific suicide prevention and early intervention initiatives are presently underdeveloped. The current study conducted a pilot evaluation of a multi-modal suicide prevention training program for school-based social workers, ‘Management of Youth Suicidality Training for Schools’ (MYSTS). The program comprised a two-day workshop and six fortnightly post-workshop webinar online consultations. Participants were 36 social workers (years’ experience M = 11.23, SD = 8.29) employed by the Department of Education in Tasmania, Australia. Outcomes were self-rated confidence, competence, and knowledge of self-harm in young people, and attitudes toward suicide prevention and suicide-related behaviors. Exploratory quantitative results indicated significant improvements with large effect sizes for participants’ self-reported competence (d = 1.33), and confidence (d = 1.29) to identify and respond therapeutically to youth suicidality following the workshop. Confidence remained significantly higher than baseline following the online consultations (d = 0.90). Qualitative analysis of online supervision consultations indicated key themes of accessibility, communication and information sharing, and clinical management. Participants endorsed the MYSTS package as well-presented, with relevant topics, and effective learning activities. This study highlights the need for continued supervisory or implementation support to practitioners following suicide prevention training initiatives and suggests web-based teleconference technology as a feasible strategy for this. Further evaluation of the MYSTS package, including a suitable comparison or control condition, is indicated.
Land Surface Temperature Retrieval from Passive Microwave Satellite Observations: State-of-the-Art and Future Directions
Authors: Duan Si-Bo , Han Xiao-Jing , Huang Cheng , Li Zhao-Liang , Wu Hua , Qian Yonggang , Gao Maofang , Leng Pei
Published: August 2020

Land surface temperature (LST) is an important variable in the physics of land–surface processes controlling the heat and water fluxes over the interface between the Earth’s surface and the atmosphere. Space-borne remote sensing provides the only feasible way for acquiring high-precision LST at temporal and spatial domain over the entire globe. Passive microwave (PMW) satellite observations have the capability to penetrate through clouds and can provide data under both clear and cloud conditions. Nonetheless, compared with thermal infrared data, PMW data suffer from lower spatial resolution and LST retrieval accuracy. Various methods for estimating LST from PMW satellite observations were proposed in the past few decades. This paper provides an extensive overview of these methods. We first present the theoretical basis for retrieving LST from PMW observations and then review the existing LST retrieval methods. These methods are mainly categorized into four types, i.e., empirical methods, semi-empirical methods, physically-based methods, and neural network methods. Advantages, limitations, and assumptions associated with each method are discussed. Prospects for future development to improve the performance of LST retrieval methods from PMW satellite observations are also recommended.
Scientific Challenges and Present Capabilities in Underwater Robotic Vehicle Design and Navigation for Oceanographic Exploration Under-Ice
Authors: Barker Laughlin D. L. , Jakuba Michael V. , Bowen Andrew D. , German Christopher R. , Maksym Ted , Mayer Larry , Boetius Antje , Dutrieux Pierre , Whitcomb Louis L.
Published: August 2020

This paper reviews the scientific motivation and challenges, development, and use of underwater robotic vehicles designed for use in ice-covered waters, with special attention paid to the navigation systems employed for under-ice deployments. Scientific needs for routine access under fixed and moving ice by underwater robotic vehicles are reviewed in the contexts of geology and geophysics, biology, sea ice and climate, ice shelves, and seafloor mapping. The challenges of under-ice vehicle design and navigation are summarized. The paper reviews all known under-ice robotic vehicles and their associated navigation systems, categorizing them by vehicle type (tethered, untethered, hybrid, and glider) and by the type of ice they were designed for (fixed glacial or sea ice and moving sea ice).
XFinger-Net: Pixel-Wise Segmentation Method for Partially Defective Fingerprint Based on Attention Gates and U-Net
Authors: Wan Guo Chun , Li Meng Meng , Xu He , Kang Wen Hao , Rui Jin Wen , Tong Mei Song
Published: August 2020

Partially defective fingerprint image (PDFI) with poor performance poses challenges to the automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS). To improve the quality and the performance rate of PDFI, it is essential to use accurate segmentation. Currently, most fingerprint image segmentations use methods with ridge orientation, ridge frequency, coherence, variance, local gradient, etc. This paper proposes a method of XFinger-Net for segmenting PDFIs. Based on U-Net, XFinger-Net inherits its characteristics. The attention gate with fewer parameters is used to replace the cascaded network, which can suppress uncorrelated regions of PDFIs. Moreover, the XFinger-Net implements a pixel-level segmentation and takes non-blocking fingerprint images as an input to preserve the global characteristics of PDFIs. The XFinger-Net can achieve a very good segmentation effect as demonstrated in the self-made fingerprint segmentation test.
Using Wearable Sensors and Machine Learning to Automatically Detect Freezing of Gait during a FOG-Provoking Test
Authors: Reches Tal , Dagan Moria , Herman Talia , Gazit Eran , Gouskova Natalia , Giladi Nir , Manor Brad , Hausdorff Jeffrey
Published: August 2020

Freezing of gait (FOG) is a debilitating motor phenomenon that is common among individuals with advanced Parkinson’s disease. Objective and sensitive measures are needed to better quantify FOG. The present work addresses this need by leveraging wearable devices and machine-learning methods to develop and evaluate automated detection of FOG and quantification of its severity. Seventy-one subjects with FOG completed a FOG-provoking test while wearing three wearable sensors (lower back and each ankle). Subjects were videotaped before (OFF state) and after (ON state) they took their antiparkinsonian medications. Annotations of the videos provided the “ground-truth” for FOG detection. A leave-one-patient-out validation process with a training set of 57 subjects resulted in 84.1% sensitivity, 83.4% specificity, and 85.0% accuracy for FOG detection. Similar results were seen in an independent test set (data from 14 other subjects). Two derived outcomes, percent time frozen and number of FOG episodes, were associated with self-report of FOG. Both derived-metrics were higher in the OFF state than in the ON state and in the most challenging level of the FOG-provoking test, compared to the least challenging level. These results suggest that this automated machine-learning approach can objectively assess FOG and that its outcomes are responsive to therapeutic interventions.
Metabolt: An In-Situ Instrument to Characterize the Metabolic Activity of Microbial Soil Ecosystems Using Electrochemical and Gaseous Signatures
Authors: Nazarious Miracle Israel , Zorzano María-Paz , Martín-Torres Javier
Published: August 2020

Metabolt is a portable soil incubator to characterize the metabolic activity of microbial ecosystems in soils. It measures the electrical conductivity, the redox potential, and the concentration of certain metabolism-related gases in the headspace just above a given sample of regolith. In its current design, the overall weight of Metabolt, including the soils (250 g), is 1.9 kg with a maximum power consumption of 1.5 W. Metabolt has been designed to monitor the activity of the soil microbiome for Earth and space applications. In particular, it can be used to monitor the health of soils, the atmospheric-regolith fixation, and release of gaseous species such as N2, H2O, CO2, O2, N2O, NH3, etc., that affect the Earth climate and atmospheric chemistry. It may be used to detect and monitor life signatures in soils, treated or untreated, as well as in controlled environments like greenhouse facilities in space, laboratory research environments like anaerobic chambers, or simulating facilities with different atmospheres and pressures. To illustrate its operation, we tested the instrument with sub-arctic soil samples at Earth environmental conditions under three different conditions: (i) no treatment (unperturbed); (ii) sterilized soil: after heating at 125 °C for 35.4 h (thermal stress); (iii) stressed soil: after adding 25% CaCl2 brine (osmotic stress); with and without addition of 0.5% glucose solution (for control). All the samples showed some distinguishable metabolic response, however there was a time delay on its appearance which depends on the treatment applied to the samples: 80 h for thermal stress without glucose, 59 h with glucose; 36 h for osmotic stress with glucose and no significant reactivation in the pure water case. This instrument shows that, over time, there is a clear observable footprint of the electrochemical signatures in the redox profile which is complementary to the gaseous footprint of the metabolic activity through respiration.
Node Deployment of Marine Monitoring Networks: A Multiobjective Optimization Scheme
Authors: Duan Jian-Li , Lin Bin , Cai Lin X. , Liu Yu-Xiang , Wu Yuan
Published: August 2020

The increasing demands for real-time marine monitoring call for the wide deployment of Marine Monitoring Networks (MMNs). The low-rate underwater communications over a long distance, long propagation delay of underwater acoustic channel, and high deployment costs of marine sensors in a large-scale three-dimensional space bring great challenges in the network deployment and management of MMN. In this paper, we first propose a multitier, hierarchical network architecture of MMN with the support of edge computing (HMMN-EC) to enable efficient monitoring services in a harsh marine environment, taking into consideration the salient features of marine communications. Specifically, HMMN-EC is composed of three subnetworks, i.e., underwater acoustic subnetwork, the sea-surface wireless subnetwork, and the air wireless subnetwork, with a diversity of network nodes with different capabilities. We then jointly investigate the deployment diverse network nodes with various constraints in different subnetworks of HMMN-EC. To this end, we formulate a Multiobjective Optimization (MO) problem to minimize the network deployment cost while achieving the maximal network lifetime, subject to the limited energy of different marine nodes and the complex deployment environment. To solve the formulated problem, we present an Ant-Colony-based Efficient Topology Optimization (AC-ETO) algorithm to find the optimal locations of nodes in different subnetworks of MMN in a large-scale deployment. The time complexity of the proposed algorithm is also analyzed. Finally, extensive simulations are carried out to validate the superior performance of the proposed algorithm compared with some existing solutions.
Blood Pressure Sensors: Materials, Fabrication Methods, Performance Evaluations and Future Perspectives
Authors: Al-Qatatsheh Ahmed , Morsi Yosry , Zavabeti Ali , Zolfagharian Ali , Salim Nisa , Z. Kouzani Abbas , Mosadegh Bobak , Gharaie Saleh
Published: August 2020

Advancements in materials science and fabrication techniques have contributed to the significant growing attention to a wide variety of sensors for digital healthcare. While the progress in this area is tremendously impressive, few wearable sensors with the capability of real-time blood pressure monitoring are approved for clinical use. One of the key obstacles in the further development of wearable sensors for medical applications is the lack of comprehensive technical evaluation of sensor materials against the expected clinical performance. Here, we present an extensive review and critical analysis of various materials applied in the design and fabrication of wearable sensors. In our unique transdisciplinary approach, we studied the fundamentals of blood pressure and examined its measuring modalities while focusing on their clinical use and sensing principles to identify material functionalities. Then, we carefully reviewed various categories of functional materials utilized in sensor building blocks allowing for comparative analysis of the performance of a wide range of materials throughout the sensor operational-life cycle. Not only this provides essential data to enhance the materials’ properties and optimize their performance, but also, it highlights new perspectives and provides suggestions to develop the next generation pressure sensors for clinical use.
Preservation without Representation: Making CLG Programs Vehicles for Inclusive Leadership, Historic Preservation, and Engagement
Authors: Roberts Andrea R.
Published: August 2020

This article examines public historic preservation agencies’ ability to support social inclusion aims within the context of the Certified Local Government (CLG) program. Though administered by the Texas Historical Commission, Texas’ State CLG program is federally-funded and makes available special access to technical assistance, grants, and loans to qualifying communities contingent on compliance. Program surveys the state staff administered to city and county historical commissions with the CLG designation indicate challenges around diversifying their leadership and identifying training opportunities. This article reviews those surveys to detect insights into how the state CLG program can create spaces in which local commissions can increase their “representativeness” through changes in assessment and training content. Specifically, I analyze two government assessment tools used to evaluate local CLGs’ ability to meet federal and state training and participation expectations. I compare these survey results to self-assessment activities and questionnaires collected during a pilot training on implicit bias, outreach, and cultural resource surveying I conducted with multiple CLGs in Gonzales, Texas. Findings suggest more creatively designed training and capacity building is necessary around inclusion, identifying structural barriers to participation, and foundational knowledge of historic preservation and planning practice, and ethics.
Post-Exercise Sweat Loss Estimation Accuracy of Athletes and Physically Active Adults: A Review
Authors: O’Neal Eric , Boy Tara , Davis Brett , Pritchett Kelly , Pritchett Robert , Nepocatych Svetlana , Black Katherine
Published: August 2020

The main purposes of this review were to provide a qualitative description of nine investigations in which sweat losses were estimated by participants following exercise and to perform a quantitative analysis of the collective data. Unique estimations (n = 297) were made by 127 men and 116 women after a variety of exercise modalities in moderate to hot environmental conditions. Actual sweat loss exceeded estimated sweat loss (p < 0.001) for women (1.072 ± 0.473 vs. 0.481 ± 0.372 L), men (1.778 ± 0.907 vs. 0.908 ± 0.666 L) and when all data were combined (1.428 ± 0.806 vs. 0.697 ± 0.581 L), respectively. However, estimation accuracy did not differ between women (55.2 ± 51.5%) and men (62.4 ± 54.5%). Underestimation of 50% or more of sweat losses were exhibited in 168 (54%) of estimation scenarios with heavier sweaters displaying a higher prevalence and trend of greater underestimations in general. Most modern guidelines for fluid intake during and between training bouts are based on approximate sweat loss estimation knowledge. These guidelines will likely have minimal efficacy if greater awareness of how to determine sweat losses and accurate recognition of sweat losses is not increased by coaches and athletes.
Study of the Effects of the Addition of Fly Ash from Carwash Sludge in Lime and Cement Pastes
Authors: Rodríguez-Fernández María C. , Alonso Juan D. , Montero Carolina , Saldarriaga Juan F.
Published: August 2020

Sludge from carwash wastewater treatment plants has been evaluated as substitute for lime paste, as well as its behavior in cement mortars. Dry sludge waste was used with (CSlud) and without (USlud) pretreatment and have been characterized. The pastes were prepared with weight replacement of 5, 10, 15, and 20% of sludge. The formation of calcium silicate hydrate was determined by TGA, both in lime and cement pastes. The compressive strength properties were evaluated in mortars. It was found the mixtures which present the best results were those of 5 and 10% for USlud, and 10 and 20% for CSlud.
Determinants of the Public Debt in the Eurozone and Its Sustainability Amid the Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Briceño Hernán Ricardo , Perote Javier
Published: August 2020

Different economic studies have been concentrated on specific and/or isolated factors to explain public debt evolution. In this article we have developed an integrated viewpoint based on financial, social and governance or institutional factors. Under our dynamic econometric assessment for the last two decades (i.e., since the Euro currency inception), economic growth, interest rate, life expectancy at birth, unemployment, government effectiveness and the last sovereign debt crisis have resulted as being the major determinants of its evolution. Public debt sustainability must be assessed continuously with the aim to discuss technical recommendations to maintain it at an even rate, to allow sustainable economic growth and better life standards, in the context of life expectancy increasing and stable governance and institutional conditions. Undoubtedly, the Covid-19 pandemic leads more damaged Eurozone countries with negative real economic growth and high unemployment rates to increase dramatically their current public debts, to such an extent that they could fall into unsustainable paths. Therefore, substantial reforms in European pension and unemployment insurance systems are necessary conditions to ensure public debt sustainability amid Covid-19 pandemic.
Classification of Sustainable Activities: EU Taxonomy and Scientific Literature
Authors: Lucarelli Caterina , Mazzoli Camilla , Rancan Michela , Severini Sabrina
Published: August 2020

In March 2020, the European Commission published the EU Taxonomy, a classification system of economic activities that can be considered environmentally sustainable. Motivated by this policy initiative, we propose a bibliometric analysis, based on the Web of Science database for the period January 1990–March 2020, regarding the extant scientific production related to the EU Taxonomy environmental objectives and macro-sectors. We find that a considerable number of scientific works—161,595 publications—have investigated Taxonomy-related areas, showing that the EU Taxonomy defined a working method, based on the cooperation among regulators, academics, and industry, representing a valuable example of evidence-based policy making. Furthermore, topic modelling analysis shows that extracted papers focused on improvements in production processes, innovation, and environmental performance. Thus, exploiting time and geographic patterns of the scientific publications, we perform a multivariate analysis to investigate its relationship with subsequent levels of pollution. Our evidence shows that, for the past, a higher level of EU Taxonomy-related publications is associated with a lower level of CO2 emissions, supporting the view that scientific production has a societal impact in terms of environmental sustainability. Accordingly, now that EU Taxonomy-related topics have been incorporated into policy measures, further positive environmental effects are expected from here on out.
Riparian Land-Use, Stream Morphology and Streambank Erosion within Grazed Pastures in Southern Iowa, USA: A Catchment-Wide Perspective
Authors: Tufekcioglu Mustafa , Schultz Richard C. , Isenhart Thomas M. , Kovar John L. , Russell James R.
Published: August 2020

Factors influencing streambank erosion at the field/reach scale include both watershed and riparian land-uses, stream hydrology and channel morphology at the catchment scale. This study assesses the relationship of riparian land-uses, stream morphologic characteristics and catchment scale variables to streambank erosion within grazed riparian pastures in the Southern Iowa Drift Plain. Thirteen cooperating beef cow–calf farms and their catchments ranging from 2.5 to 12.9 km2 in the Rathbun Lake watershed in South Central Iowa (USA) were chosen to conduct this study. Results suggest that the integration of stream morphologic characteristics and riparian land-uses at both the reach and catchment scale are necessary to explain the current level of streambank erosion measured at the reach scale. Larger catchment size or catchments with more total channel length were found to experience more bank erosion at the reach scale. A significant positive relationship between percent sand-and-silt in the bank soil and bank erosion rates implies that bank soils with less cohesiveness are more erodible. Catchment-scale assessments of the thirteen watersheds showed that within the 50 m corridor on both sides of the stream, 46 to 61% of riparian area was devoted to agricultural use and only 6 to 11% was in ungrazed perennial vegetation, much of it enrolled in the USDA Conservation Reserve Program. Overall, this and previous Rathbun watershed studies have shown that intensive agricultural use of riparian areas over such extents of time and scale could be directly (in field scale) and/or indirectly (watershed scale) related to excessive amounts of streambank erosion (ranging from 8.6 to 38.3 cm/yr) to receiving streams and lakes leading to their impairment and reduction in ecological services. Exclusion of cattle grazing in the riparian areas along buffered stream lengths (2.1% of the total watershed area) of the Rathbun watershed would reduce this impact. This approach could also be applicable to other similar watersheds with extensive land-use under grazed management.
Changing Agricultural Systems and Food Diets to Prevent and Mitigate Global Health Shocks
Authors: Détang-Dessendre Cécile , Guyomard Hervé , Réquillart Vincent , Soler Louis-Georges
Published: August 2020

No one would dispute that agricultural systems and food diets are not sustainable from an environmental and health point of view, and that increasing their sustainability must be a major objective of farm and food policies. Simultaneously, climatic, environmental, and health shocks are likely to increase in the coming years. This note defends the idea of an additional double benefit of public policies, aiming at favoring environmentally friendly food systems and healthy diets through two channels: by reducing the risks of developing shocks and by limiting their negative impacts on populations when they occur. As a result, public policies should address, simultaneously and consistently, supply and demand issues. This is illustrated in the case of the European Union. Supply measures should favor the agro-ecological transition of agricultural systems through a more rigorous application of the polluter pays principle, implying notably the taxation of the main determinants of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions (cattle heads and nitrogen fertilizers) and biodiversity loss (mineral fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, and antibiotic treatments). This would send the right signals to farmers and would legitimize an extended use of the provider gets principle, allowing the remuneration of positive externalities. Demand measures should favor the adoption of healthier and environmentally friendly food diets by changing consumer behaviors through dietary recommendations, information campaigns, nutritional labeling, and fiscal instruments.
Analysis of Variance Amplification and Service Level in a Supply Chain with Correlated Demand
Authors: Shaban Ahmed , Shalaby Mohamed A. , Di Gravio Giulio , Patriarca Riccardo
Published: August 2020

The bullwhip effect reflects the variance amplification of demand as they are moving upstream in a supply chain, and leading to the distortion of demand information that hinders supply chain performance sustainability. Extensive research has been undertaken to model, measure, and analyze the bullwhip effect while assuming stationary independent and identically distributed (i.i.d) demand, employing the classical order-up-to (OUT) policy and allowing return orders. On the contrary, correlated demand where a period’s demand is related to previous periods’ demands is evident in several real-life situations, such as demand patterns that exhibit trends or seasonality. This paper assumes correlated demand and aims to investigate the order variance ratio (OVR), net stock amplification ratio (NSA), and average fill rate/service level (AFR). Moreover, the impact of correlated demand on the supply chain performance under various operational parameters, such as lead-time, forecasting parameter, and ordering policy parameters, is analyzed. A simulation modeling approach is adopted to analyze the response of a single-echelon supply chain model that restricts return orders and faces a first order autoregressive demand process AR(1). A generalized order-up-to policy that allows order smoothing through the proper tuning of its smoothing parameters is applied. The characterization results confirm that the correlated demand affects the three performance measures and interacts with the operating conditions. The results also indicate that the generalized OUT inventory policy should be adopted with the correlated demand, as its smoothing parameters can be adapted to utilize the demand characteristics such that OVR and NSA can be reduced without affecting the service level (AFR), implying sustainable supply chain operations. Furthermore, the results of a factorial design have confirmed that the ordering policy parameters and their interactions have the largest impact on the three performance measures. Based on the above characterization, the paper provides management with means to sustain good performance of a supply chain whenever a correlated demand pattern is realized through selecting the control parameters that decrease the bullwhip effect.
Evolution of Partnerships for Sustainable Development: The Case of P4G
Authors: Choi Gayoung , Jin Taeyoung , Jeong Yoonjeong , Lee Sue Kyoung
Published: August 2020

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 2015 with a universal call for action to achieve a better and global sustainable future by 2030. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) have been recognized as an innovative mechanism for achieving UN SDGs because they help the public sector provide basic goods and services by enabling the use of the experience and funds of the private sector. This study examines the PPP network by visualizing the relationship among stakeholders through social network analysis. Considering the case of the Partnership for Green Growth and Global Goals 2030 (P4G), this study investigates the actors and the relationship between the actors by stage and year. As a result, the study visualized the network of PPPs in P4G, thereby revealing that the partnerships were evolving since the participants’ relationships became stronger each year. Moreover, the role of each actor became clearer at each stage. The findings provide practical guidance for practitioners interested in promoting international development cooperation through PPPs in the future.
Similarities in Multiparticle Production Processes in pp Collisions as Imprints of Nonextensive Statistics
Authors: Rybczynski Maciej , Wlodarczyk Zbigniew
Published: August 2020

The transverse momentum pT spectra of both hadrons and jets produced in pp collisions at beam energies from hundreds GeV to a few TeV exhibit power-law behavior of 1/pTn at high pT, with similar power indices n. The respective nonextensivity parameters for transverse momenta distributions and the global nonextensivity parameter obtained from multiplicities are compared. In particular, data on kaon to pion (charged particles) multiplicity ratio are analyzed, assuming that the reaction occurs in some nonextensive environment. The values of the corresponding nonextensivity parameters were found to be similar, strongly indicating the existence of a common mechanism behind all these observables.
The Equation of State of Nuclear Matter: From Finite Nuclei to Neutron Stars
Authors: Burgio G. Fiorella , Vidaña Isaac
Published: August 2020

Background. We investigate possible correlations between neutron star observables and properties of atomic nuclei. In particular, we explore how the tidal deformability of a 1.4 solar mass neutron star, M1.4, and the neutron-skin thickness of 48Ca and 208Pb are related to the stellar radius and the stiffness of the symmetry energy. Methods. We examine a large set of nuclear equations of state based on phenomenological models (Skyrme, NLWM, DDM) and ab initio theoretical methods (BBG, Dirac–Brueckner, Variational, Quantum Monte Carlo). Results: We find strong correlations between tidal deformability and NS radius, whereas a weaker correlation does exist with the stiffness of the symmetry energy. Regarding the neutron-skin thickness, weak correlations appear both with the stiffness of the symmetry energy, and the radius of a M1.4. Our results show that whereas the considered EoS are compatible with the largest masses observed up to now, only five microscopic models and four Skyrme forces are simultaneously compatible with the present constraints on L and the PREX experimental data on the 208Pb neutron-skin thickness. We find that all the NLWM and DDM models and the majority of the Skyrme forces are excluded by these two experimental constraints, and that the analysis of the data collected by the NICER mission excludes most of the NLWM considered. Conclusion. The tidal deformability of a M1.4 and the neutron-skin thickness of atomic nuclei show some degree of correlation with nuclear and astrophysical observables, which however depends on the ensemble of adopted EoS.
Ionospheric Behavior of foF2 over Chinese EIA Region and Its Comparison with IRI-2016
Authors: Zhu Peng , Xie Cong , Jiang Chunhua , Yang Guobin , Liu Jing , Li Zhengqiang , Zhao Zhengyu
Published: August 2020

The ionograms, which were recorded by the ionosonde located at Pu’er station (PUR, 22.7° N, 101.05° E, Dip Latitude 12.9° N) in the Southwest of China in the year of 2016, were used to study the ionospheric behavior of the ordinary critical frequency of the F2 layer (foF2) in the region of the northern equatorial ionization anomaly. To verify the performance of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) over the Southwest of China, a comparative study of the observed foF2 and the latest version of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI-2016) was carried out. We found that the foF2 in equinox months is greater than summer and winter. Moreover, a higher frequency of the observed bite-out of foF2 in January and April than other months and the IRI-2016 cannot represent the bite-out of foF2 in diurnal variations. Compared to the observations at Pu’er Station, the IRI-2016 underestimated foF2 for most time of the year. The IRI with the International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR) option overestimated foF2 is higher than that with the International Union of Radio Science (URSI) option. Furthermore, the normalized root mean square error of foF2 from the IRI-2016 with the CCIR option is less than that with the URSI.
Spatial Factor—Using a Random Forest Classification Model to Measure an Internationally Comparable Urbanity Index
Authors: Niklas Ulrich , von Behren Sascha , Soylu Tamer , Kopp Johanna , Chlond Bastian , Vortisch Peter
Published: August 2020

Travel behavior can be determined by its spatial context. If there are many shops and restaurants in close proximity, various activities can be done by walking or cycling, and a car is not needed. It is also more difficult (e.g., parking space, traffic jams) to use a car in high-density areas. Overall, travel behavior and dependencies on travel behavior are influenced by urbanity. These relationships have so far only been examined very selectively (e.g., at city level) and not in international comparison. In this study we define an Urbanity Index (UI) at zip code level, which considers factors influencing mobility, international comparability, reproducibility as well as practical application and the development of a scalable methodology. In order to describe urbanity, data were collected regarding spatial structure, population, land use, and public transport. We developed the UI using a supervised machine learning technique which divides zip codes into four area types: (1) super-urban, (2) urban, (3) suburban/small town, (4) rural. To train the model, the perception from experts in known zip codes concerning urbanity and mobility was set as ground truth. With the UI, it is possible to compare countries (Germany and France) with a uniform definition and comparable datasets.
Special Issue: “The Complexity of the Potyviral Interaction Network”
Authors: German-Retana Sylvie , Mäkinen Kristiina
Published: August 2020

Many potyvirus species are among the most economically-significant plant viruses as they cause substantial yield losses to crop plants globally [...]
Gammaherpesvirus in Cervid Species from Norway: Characterization of a New Virus in Wild and Semi-Domesticated Eurasian Tundra Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus)
Authors: das Neves Carlos G. , Sacristán Carlos , Madslien Knut , Tryland Morten
Published: August 2020

Gammaherpesvirus infections have been described in cervids worldwide, mainly the genera Macavirus or Rhadinovirus. However, little is known about the gammaherpesviruses species infecting cervids in Norway and Fennoscandia. Blood samples from semi-domesticated (n = 39) and wild (n = 35) Eurasian tundra reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus), moose (Alces alces, n = 51), and red deer (Cervus elaphus, n = 41) were tested using a panherpesvirus DNA polymerase (DPOL) PCR. DPOL-PCR-positive samples were subsequently tested for the presence of glycoprotein B (gB) gene. The viral DPOL gene was amplified in 28.2% (11/39) of the semi-domesticated reindeer and in 48.6% (17/35) of the wild reindeer. All moose and red deer tested negative. Additionally, gB gene was amplified in 4 of 11 semi-domesticated and 15 of 17 wild Eurasian reindeer DPOL-PCR-positive samples. All the obtained DPOL and gB sequences were highly similar among them, and corresponded to a novel gammaherpesvirus species, tentatively named Rangiferine gammaherpesvirus 1, that seemed to belong to a genus different from Macavirus and Rhadinovirus. This is the first report of a likely host-specific gammaherpesvirus in semi-domesticated reindeer, an economic and cultural important animal, and in wild tundra reindeer, the lastpopulation in Europe. Future studies are required to clarify the potential impact of this gammaherpesvirus on reindeer health.
Structural Insights into Lactococcal Siphophage p2 Baseplate Activation Mechanism
Authors: Spinelli Silvia , Tremblay Denise , Moineau Sylvain , Cambillau Christian , Goulet Adeline
Published: August 2020

Virulent phages infecting L. lactis, an industry-relevant bacterium, pose a significant risk to the quality of the fermented milk products. Phages of the Skunavirus genus are by far the most isolated lactococcal phages in the cheese environments and phage p2 is the model siphophage for this viral genus. The baseplate of phage p2, which is used to recognize its host, was previously shown to display two conformations by X-ray crystallography, a rested state and an activated state ready to bind to the host. The baseplate became only activated and opened in the presence of Ca2+. However, such an activated state was not previously observed in the virion. Here, using nanobodies binding to the baseplate, we report on the negative staining electron microscopy structure of the activated form of the baseplate directly observed in the p2 virion, that is compatible with the activated baseplate crystal structure. Analyses of this new structure also established the presence of a second distal tail (Dit) hexamer as a component of the baseplate, the topology of which differs largely from the first one. We also observed an uncoupling between the baseplate activation and the tail tip protein (Tal) opening, suggesting an infection mechanism more complex than previously expected.
Evaluation of Vehicle Ride Height Adjustments Using a Driving Simulator
Authors: Sadraei Ehsan , Romano Richard , Jamson Samantha , Markkula Gustav , Tomlinson Andrew , Horrobin Anthony
Published: August 2020

Testing of vehicle design properties by car manufacturers is primarily performed on-road and is resource-intensive, involving costly physical prototypes and large time durations between evaluations of alternative designs. In this paper, the applicability of driving simulators for the virtual assessment of ride, steering and handling qualities was studied by manipulating vehicle air suspension ride height (RH) (ground clearance) and simulator motion platform (MP) workspace size. The evaluation was carried out on a high-friction normal road, routinely used for testing vehicle prototypes, modelled in a driving simulator, and using professional drivers. The results showed the differences between the RHs were subjectively distinguishable by the drivers in many of the vehicle attributes. Drivers found standard and low RHs more appropriate for the vehicle in terms of the steering and handling qualities, where their performance was deteriorated, such that the steering control effort was the highest in low RH. This indicated inconsistency between subjective preferences and objective performance and the need for alternative performance metrics to be defined for expert drivers. Moreover, an improvement in drivers’ performance was observed, with a reduction of steering control effort, in larger MP configurations.