bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Examining pathways linking rural labour outflows to the abandonment of arable land in China
Authors: Chen Lili , Meadows Michael E. , Liu Ye , Lin Yanliu
Published: October 2021

Against the backdrop of increasing rural labour outflow in China, the marginalisation of agriculture and arable land abandonment has become prevalent. Previous studies have examined the linkages between rural labour outflow and arable land at the national scale but have largely ignored regional differences. Moreover, mechanisms linking rural labour outflow to abandonment have not been analysed systematically. This study uses 2016 China Labour‐force Dynamics Survey data (CLDS) and structural equation models (SEMs) to examine the means by which rural labour outflows affect arable land abandonment regionally. The analysis focuses on the mediating role and the moderating role of land tenure approval (LTA), nonagricultural income (NAI), agricultural mechanisation (AMC), and agricultural production efficiency (APE). There are three major findings. Firstly, in the main grain‐producing areas (MGPA), part‐time labour outflow alone is positively associated with arable land abandonment, while in the main grain‐consuming areas (MGCA), only off‐farm labour is directly related; there is no significant relationship between labour outflow and arable land abandonment in grain production and marketing balance areas (GPMBA). Secondly, part‐time labour does not necessarily lead to reduced levels of mechanisation, although lower APE emerges as an important factor in promoting arable land abandonment. Thirdly, the relationships between off‐farm labour/part‐time labour and arable land abandonment are moderated by LTA in both MGPA and GPMBA, while the moderation effect exists only in the case of part‐time labour in MGCA and GPMBA. We conclude that policies and measures in relation to agriculture and abandonment should be formulated differently for different regions.
How families affect aspirational migration amidst political insecurity: The case of Hong Kong
Authors: Lui Lake , Sun Ken Chih‐Yan , Hsiao Yuan
Published: October 2021

The migration literature has examined migrants' political motivations separately from their family's mobility strategies in the face of macro‐political uncertainties. Bridging the two bodies of literature, this study analyses how parental status moderates the relationship between individual political considerations and migration intentions in an increasingly tense political climate. Based on the quantitative data on political protests in Hong Kong, we find that migration intention increases both with mobilisation by protestors and repression by the government. While more active protestors are less likely to migrate, parents who have participated in the protests tend to have a stronger intention to migrate. Our qualitative data explain that despite parent protestors' commitment to the pro‐democratic protests, their encounters with law enforcement create a strong migration intention to ensure their children's political freedom and physical safety. While pro‐government citizens have less intention to migrate than pro‐democracy citizens, both are likely to migrate if they have children. Interviews show that pro‐government citizens' migration hopes for their children's future are de‐politicised. Finally, future‐oriented characteristics of migration motivates parents to prioritise their children's prospects over their obligations to their ageing parents. This study therefore contributes to the understanding of the relationship among migration, politics, and family life.
A Comparative Study of the Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Thin Al2O3Coatings Fabricated by Atomic Layer Deposition and Radio Frequency Sputtering
Authors: Grilli Maria Luisa , Valerini Daniele , Rizzo Antonella , Yilmaz Mehmet , Song Chen , Hu Guohang , Mikhaylov Alexey , Chierchia Rosa , Rinaldi Antonio
Published: October 2021

Thin Al2O3films (150 nm thick) are deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) and radio frequency sputtering on Si substrates and submitted to annealing in N2atmosphere at 900 °C for 90 min. X‐ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS), nanohardness, and fretting wear measurements are used to infer the structural, morphological, mechanical, and wear properties of the as‐deposited and annealed films. Results show a higher hardness for the annealed coatings, being the hardness of the annealed ALD coating the highest (18.8 GPa). The measured mechanical properties convey clear trends of stiffening and hardening associated with selected process (ALD versus sputtering) and postprocessing (annealed versus unannealed).
Sustainable development in nature‐based destinations. The social dilemma of an environmental policy
Authors: González‐Rodríguez M. Rosario , Tussyadiah Iis
Published: October 2021

Drawing on value‐belief‐norm theory and the perspective‐taking approach, this paper aims to explain the attitude‐behaviour dilemma facing the implementation a pro‐environmental action in a nature‐based tourist destination. This research seeks to provide a better understanding of the patterns behind a behaviour intention, by focusing on value orientations and awareness of the adverse environmental consequences. Based on a specific pro‐environmental policy to foster tourism in the Gili Islands, Indonesia, participants were randomly exposed to three scenarios that might affect their behaviour intention with the destination. The findings revealed that differences can be found in their environmental concern and awareness of adverse environmental consequences as well as in their behaviour intentions subsequent to exposure to different scenarios. The study contributes to the extant literature on identifying cognitive and affective mechanisms that affect behaviour intentions and provides relevant insights for governments and Destination Marketing Organisations to promote a tourist destination implementing a pro‐environmental action for a sustainable tourism.
Investigating the effects of food production on sustainable development: The case of the upper middle‐income countries
Authors: Erdogan Seyfettin
Published: October 2021

Developing effective policy measures for sustainable development is possible by determining the health and environmental impact of durable goods production as well as non‐durable goods production. The findings obtained from researching the effects of each sector where nondurable goods are produced on the environment and health can be evaluated in policy making processes. The food industry mainly produces non‐durable goods and it is constantly growing. It is almost impossible to reduce production in this sector below a certain threshold. Therefore, the environmental and health effects of the food industry should not be neglected. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of food production on the sustainable development in 23 upper middle‐income countries (Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Georgia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Thailand, and Turkey) for the period 1995–2018. CO2 emissions and life expectancy at birth have been selected as indicators of sustainable development. The preferred method is the Panel ARDL. The long‐run analysis results show that while food production increases carbon emissions, there is a positive and significant relationship between food production and life expectancy at birth and these findings are consistent with empirical findings in the literature. The statistically significant relationship between food production and carbon emissions, and life expectancy at birth indicates that food production is an important determinant of sustainable development.
Substitutionally Doped MoSe2 for High‐Performance Electronics and Optoelectronics
Authors: Zhong Fang , Ye Jiafu , He Ting , Zhang Lili , Wang Zhen , Li Qing , Han Bo , Wang Peng , Wu Peisong , Yu Yiye , Guo Jiaxiang , Zhang Zhenhan , Peng Meng , Xu Tengfei , Ge Xun , Wang Yang , Wang Hailu , Zubair Muhammad , Zhou Xiaohao , Gao Peng , Fan Zhiyong , Hu Weida
Published: October 2021

2D materials, of which the carrier type and concentration are easily tuned, show tremendous superiority in electronic and optoelectronic applications. However, the achievements are still quite far away from practical applications. Much more effort should be made to further improve their performance. Here, p‐type MoSe2 is successfully achieved via substitutional doping of Ta atoms, which is confirmed experimentally and theoretically, and outstanding homojunction photodetectors and inverters are fabricated. MoSe2 p–n homojunction device with a low reverse current (300 pA) exhibits a high rectification ratio (104). The analysis of dark current reveals the domination of the Shockley–Read–Hall (SRH) and band‐to‐band tunneling (BTB) current. The homojunction photodetector exhibits a large open‐circuit voltage (0.68 V) and short‐circuit currents (1 µA), which is suitable for micro‐solar cells. Furthermore, it possesses outstanding responsivity (0.28 A W−1), large external quantum efficiency (42%), and a high signal‐to‐noise ratio (≈107). Benefiting from the continuous energy band of homojunction, the response speed reaches up to 20 µs. Besides, the Ta‐doped MoSe2 inverter exhibits a high voltage gain (34) and low power consumption (127 nW). This work lays a foundation for the practical application of 2D material devices.
Ultrasensitive Temperature Sensing Based on Ligand‐Free Alloyed CsPbClxBr3−x Perovskite Nanocrystals Confined in Hollow Mesoporous Silica with High Density of Halide Vacancies
Authors: Huang Yipeng , Lai Zhiwei , Jin Jingwen , Lin Fangyuan , Li Feiming , Lin Longhui , Tian Dongjie , Wang Yiru , Xie Rongjun , Chen Xi
Published: October 2021

Temperature sensing based on fluorescent semiconductor nanocrystals has recently received immense attention. Enhancing the trap‐facilitated thermal quenching of the fluorescence should be an effective approach to achieve high sensitivity for temperature sensing. Compared with conventional semiconductor nanocrystals, the defect‐tolerant feature of lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (LHP NCs) endows them with high density of defects. Here, hollow mesoporous silica (h‐SiO2) template‐assisted ligand‐free synthesis and halogen manipulation (chloride‐importing) are proposed to fabricate highly defective yet fluorescent CsPbCl1.2Br1.8 NCs confined in h‐SiO2 (CsPbCl1.2Br1.8 NCs@h‐SiO2) for ultrasensitive temperature sensing. The trap barrier heights, exciton–phonon scattering, and trap state filling process in the CsPbCl1.2Br1.8 NCs@h‐SiO2 and CsPbBr3 NCs@h‐SiO2 are studied to illustrate the higher temperature sensitivity of CsPbCl1.2Br1.8 NCs@h‐SiO2 at physiological temperature range. By integrating the thermal‐sensitive CsPbCl1.2Br1.8 NCs@h‐SiO2 and thermal‐insensitive K2SiF6:Mn4+ phosphor into the flexible ethylene–vinyl acetate polymer matrix, ratiometric temperature sensing from 30.0 °C to 45.0 °C is demonstrated with a relative temperature sensitivity up to 13.44% °C−1 at 37.0 °C. The composite film shows high potential as a thermometer for monitoring the body temperature. This work demonstrates the unparalleled temperature sensing performance of LHP NCs and provides new inspiration on switching the defects into advantages in sensing applications.
Hierarchical K‐Birnessite‐MnO2 Carbon Framework for High‐Energy‐Density and Durable Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Battery
Authors: Wang Guolong , Wang Yaling , Guan Boyuan , Liu Jiamei , Zhang Yan , Shi Xiaowei , Tang Cheng , Li Guohong , Li Yingbo , Wang Xiao , Li Lei
Published: October 2021

MnO2‐based material is one of the most promising cathode candidates of aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs), but its commercialization is hindered by the sluggish reaction kinetics and poor structural stability. Herein, a hierarchical framework consisting of core–shell structured carbon nanotubes@K‐birnessite‐MnO2 enwrapped by graphene/carbon black bicomponent networks (CNT@KMO@GC) via a simple method for ZIBs is designed and developed. The hierarchical framework characterized with favorable K+ preintercalation, δ‐phase, and vertically aligned nanoflake arrays of KMO and 3D electrically conductive network shows the enhanced electronic/ionic conductivity and improved wettability with electrolyte, resulting in the fast charge/mass transport and stable structural stability of CNT@KMO@GC. When used as cathode in ZIBs, CNT@KMO@GC exhibits exciting electrochemical performance with remarkable capacity (405.5 mAh g−1 at 0.30 A g−1), high rate performance (166.6 mAh g−1 up to 10.0 A g−1), and impressive cycling stability (almost no capacity decay after 2000 cycles and 77.3% retention after 10 000 cycles at 10.0 A g−1). The energy storage mechanism of CNT@KMO@GC is clarified as H+/Zn2+ coinsertion/extraction via electrochemical analysis and ex situ characterization. This study offers an innovative paradigm for the advance of ZIBs.
Electrospun PCL/MoS2 Nanofiber Membranes Combined with NIR‐Triggered Photothermal Therapy to Accelerate Bone Regeneration
Authors: Ma Ke , Liao Chuanan , Huang Lanli , Liang Ruiming , Zhao Jinmin , Zheng Li , Su Wei
Published: October 2021

Electrospun nanofiber membranes have been widely used for guided bone regeneration (GBR). For assistance in bone healing, photothermal therapy which renders moderate heat stimulation to defect regions by near‐infrared (NIR) light irradiation has attracted much attention in recent years. Combined with photothermal therapy, novel electrospun poly(ε‐caprolactone)/molybdenum disulfide (PCL/MoS2) nanofiber membranes are innovatively synthesized as GBR for bone therapy, wherein the exfoliated MoS2 nanosheets served as osteogenic enhancers and NIR photothermal agents. With the doping of MoS2, the mechanical properties of nanofiber membranes got improved with the degradation unaffected. The composite PCL/MoS2 membranes show enhanced cell growth and osteogenic performance compared with PCL alone. Under NIR‐triggered mild photothermal therapy, osteogenesis and bone healing are accelerated by using PCL/MoS2 nanofiber membranes for growth of bone mesenchymal stem cells in vitro and repair of rat tibia bone defect in vivo. The novel nanofiber membranes may be developed as intelligent GBR in the therapy of bone defects.
Flexible High‐Stability Self‐Variable‐Voltage Monolithic Integrated System Achieved by High‐Brightness LED for Information Transmission
Authors: Jia Yanqing , Guo Haibin , Ning Jing , Zhang Jincheng , Wang Dong , Wang Boyu , Wu Haidi , Shen Xue , Zhang Chi , Hao Yue
Published: October 2021

The emergence of visible light information transmission systems is profoundly affecting the future of the Internet of Things (IoT) technology. The complex sensing and driving circuits of the IoT have become the key factor to hinder signal conversion and processing. Herein, a high‐performance self‐variable‐voltage light information transmission integrated system (SVV‐LTS) is reported and its application potential in low‐power, self‐powered optical communication transmission systems is demonstrated. Diffusion–adsorption regulation growth method and laser induction technology are innovatively used to realize high‐brightness light‐emitting diode (LED) and flexible micro‐supercapacitor (MSC) on graphene. Meanwhile, MSC realizes the dual functions of supplying power to the system, realizing pressure signal response, and converting pressure signals into electrical signals. Finally, the MSC as power, sensor and LED as signal transmitter are integrated into an SVV‐LTS. The response time of SVV‐LTS is 80 ms and the luminous wavelength fluctuation of the LED is stable at 1.2 nm. This study will provide a new approach to realize low‐power optical communication transmission systems affecting the IoT technology.
Investigation of Gallium–Boron Spin‐On Codoping for poly‐Si/SiOx Passivating Contacts
Authors: Truong Thien N. , Le Tien T. , Yan Di , Phang Sieu Pheng , Tebyetekerwa Mike , Young Matthew , Al-Jassim Mowafak , Cuevas Andres , Macdonald Daniel , Stuckelberger Josua , Nguyen Hieu T.
Published: October 2021

A doping technique for p‐type poly‐Si/SiOx passivating contacts using a spin‐on method for different mixtures of Ga and B glass solutions is presented. Effects of solution mixing ratios on the contact performance (implied open circuit voltage iVoc, contact resistivity ρc) are investigated. For all as‐annealed samples at different drive‐in temperatures, increasing the percentage of Ga in the solution shows a decrement in iVoc (from ∼680 to ∼610 mV) and increment in ρc (from ∼3 to ∼800 mΩ cm2). After a hydrogenation treatment by depositing a SiNx/AlOx stack followed by forming gas annealing, all samples show improved iVoc (∼700 mV with Ga‐B co‐doped, and ∼720 mV with all Ga). Interestingly, when co‐doping Ga with B, even a small amount of B in the mixing solution shows negative effects on the surface passivation. Active and total dopant profiles obtained by electrical capacitance voltage and secondary‐ion mass spectrometry measurements, respectively, reveal a relatively low percentage of electrically‐active Ga and B in the poly‐Si and Si layers. These results help understand the different features of the two dopants: a low ρc with B, a good passivation with Ga, their degree of activation inside the poly‐Si and Si layers, and the annealing effects.
Effective fault localization and context‐aware debugging for concurrent programs
Authors: Chu Justin , Yu Tingting , Huffman Hayes Jane , Han Xue , Zhao Yu
Published: October 2021

Concurrent programs are difficult to debug because concurrency faults usually occur under specific inputs and thread interleavings. Fault localization techniques for sequential programs are often ineffective because the root causes of concurrency faults involve memory accesses across multiple threads rather than single statements. Previous research has proposed techniques to analyse passing and failing executions obtained from running a set of test cases for identifying faulty memory access patterns. However, stand‐alone access patterns do not provide enough contextual information, such as the path leading to the failure, for developers to understand the bug. We present an approach, Coadec, to automatically generate interthread control flow paths that can link memory access patterns that occurred most frequently in the failing executions to better diagnose concurrency bugs. Coadec consists of two phases. In the first phase, we use feature selection techniques from machine learning to localize suspicious memory access patterns based on failing and passing executions. The patterns with maximum feature diversity information can point to the most suspicious pattern. We then apply a data mining technique and identify the memory access patterns that occurred most frequently in the failing executions. Finally, Coadec identifies faulty program paths by connecting both the frequent patterns and the suspicious pattern. We also evaluate the effectiveness of fault localization using test suites generated from different test adequacy criteria. We introduce and have evaluated Coadec on 10 real‐world multithreaded Java applications. Results indicate that Coadec outperforms state‐of‐the‐art approaches for localizing concurrency faults and that Coadec's context debugging can help developers understand concurrency fault by inspecting a small percentage of code.
Knowledge of pet‐related zoonotic diseases and pet care in Hong Kong, a heavily crowded urban setting
Authors: Lee E.C.Y. , Devlin J.M.
Published: October 2021

BACKGROUND

With the rapid expansion of pet animal populations worldwide, pet‐related zoonotic diseases are becoming an important issue in public health. Hong Kong (HK), located in southern China, is one of the most crowded urban centres in the world. The population of pets, especially exotic pets, in HK has grown significantly in recent decades, potentially elevating the risk of pet‐related zoonotic diseases. However, no studies have been conducted to explore the knowledge of HK public towards pet‐related zoonotic diseases and animal husbandry practices.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the level of awareness among the HK public of pet‐related zoonotic diseases and their understanding of proper animal husbandry practices.

METHODS

The study was carried out in HK from June–August 2019 using both online and paper versions of a questionnaire. A total of 362 completed questionnaires (74.3% return rate) were collected and the responses analysed.

RESULTS

Sixty percent of the participants were current or past pet owners or planned on becoming pet owners in the coming 2 years, irrespective of their income or size of their living space. Among the participants, pet owners (including those who planned pet ownership) had a relatively higher level of awareness of pet‐related zoonotic disease. However, the overall awareness of zoonotic diseases among both pet and non‐pet owners was low with a knowledge score of <50%. A similar trend was observed for knowledge about proper animal husbandry practices.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that the HK public was generally not familiar with pet‐related zoonotic diseases and proper pet care. These knowledge gaps could potentially increase the risk of disease transmission. Further studies focusing on specific pet species and on people of different social‐economic backgrounds are needed to provide future direction of efforts to reduce the risk of pet‐related zoonotic diseases and to enhance pet‐related animal and human welfare.
Climate change and early urbanism in Southwest Asia: A review
Authors: Lawrence Dan , Philip Graham , de Gruchy Michelle W.
Published: October 2021

During the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age (c. 6500–4000 BP), the Fertile Crescent in Southwest Asia saw the earliest development of cities anywhere in the world. Climate and environmental factors are generally considered to be significant in these changes because in pre‐industrial societies they directly relate to food production and security. The emergence of cities also coincides with a decoupling of settlement and climate trends, suggesting urbanism may have enhanced the adaptive capacity of societies to withstand changing climatic conditions. Urban forms followed a variety of different trajectories, with a much more sporadic and episodic history in the dry farming plains of the North and West of the study region compared to the stable build‐up in the irrigated South. Although models dealing with urban growth have emphasized the differential access to agrarian resources as a key driver in promoting hierarchical social systems, climate has rarely been explicitly discussed. In contrast, so‐called “collapse” events brought about by extreme, but short‐lived, climate changes such as droughts have been blamed for declines in urban and rural populations, social complexity, political systems, and entire empires. However, the extent to which these “collapses” are visible in the archeological record, let alone how far they can be attributed to climate changes, is a matter of intense debate. The archeological and historical record, the variegated environmental conditions, and the deep time perspective on complexity available, make the Fertile Crescent an ideal laboratory for assessing causal links between urban formations and climate fluctuations.

This article is categorized under:

Climate, History, Society, Culture > Major Historical Eras
Numerical investigation of wind turbine wakes under high thrust coefficient
Authors: Martínez‐Tossas Luis A , Branlard Emmanuel , Shaler Kelsey , Vijayakumar Ganesh , Ananthan Shreyas , Sakievich Philip , Jonkman Jason
Published: October 2021

We study wind turbine wakes of rotors operating at high thrust coefficients (CT > 24/25) using large‐eddy simulations with a rotating actuator disk model. Wind turbine wakes at high thrust coefficients are different from wakes at low thrust coefficients. Wakes behave differently at high thrust, with increased turbulence and faster recovery. Lower induction in the wake is achieved because wakes in high‐thrust conditions recover much faster than in normal operating conditions. This enhanced recovery is possible thanks to the turbulence generated in the near wake. We explore the mechanism behind this behavior and propose a simple model to reproduce it. We also propose a Gaussian fit for the wakes under high‐thrust conditions and use it use it to initialize an Ainslie type model within the FAST.Farm framework.
Attitudes about Brain–Computer Interface (BCI) technology among Spanish rehabilitation professionals
Authors: Monasterio Astobiza Aníbal , Rodriguez Arias-Vailhen David , Ausín Txetxu , Toboso Mario , Aparicio Manuel , López Daniel
Published: October 2021

To assess—from a qualitative perspective—the perceptions and attitudes of Spanish rehabilitation professionals (e.g. rehabilitation doctors, speech therapists, physical therapists) about Brain–Computer Interface (BCI) technology. A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive study was carried out by means of interviews and analysis of textual content with mixed generation of categories and segmentation into frequency of topics. We present the results of three in-depth interviews that were conducted with Spanish speaking individuals who had previously completed a survey as part of a larger, 3-country/language, survey on BCI perceptions. 11 out of 15 of these Spanish respondents (survey) either strongly or somewhat accept the use of BCI in rehabilitation therapy. However, the results of our three in-depth interviews show how, due to a strong inertia of attitudes and perceptions about BCI technology, most professionals feel reluctant to use BCI technology in their daily practice (interview).
On and beyond artifacts in moral relations: accounting for power and violence in Coeckelbergh’s social relationism
Authors: Tollon Fabio , Naidoo Kiasha
Published: October 2021

The ubiquity of technology in our lives and its culmination in artificial intelligence raises questions about its role in our moral considerations. In this paper, we address a moral concern in relation to technological systems given their deep integration in our lives. Coeckelbergh develops a social-relational account, suggesting that it can point us toward a dynamic, historicised evaluation of moral concern. While agreeing with Coeckelbergh’s move away from grounding moral concern in the ontological properties of entities, we suggest that it problematically upholds moral relativism. We suggest that the role of power, as described by Arendt and Foucault, is significant in social relations and as curating moral possibilities. This produces a clearer picture of the relations at hand and opens up the possibility that relations may be deemed violent. Violence as such gives us some way of evaluating the morality of a social relation, moving away from Coeckelbergh’s seeming relativism while retaining his emphasis on social–historical moral precedent.
Predicting Douglas-fir knot size in the stand: a random forest model based on CT and field measurements
Authors: Longo Bruna L. , Brüchert Franka , Becker Gero , Sauter Udo H.
Published: October 2021

Branches are not only of vital importance to tree physiology and growth but are also one of the most influential features in wood quality. To improve the availability of data throughout the forest-to-industry production, information on internal quality (e.g. knots) of both felled and standing trees in the forest would be desirable. This study presents models for predicting the internal knot diameter of Douglas-fir logs based on characteristics measured in the field. The data were composed of 87 trees (aged from 32 to 78 years), collected from six trial sites in southwest Germany, and cut into 4–5 m logs on-site. The internal knot diameter was obtained by applying a knot detection algorithm to the CT images of the logs. Applying the Random Forest (RF) technique, two models were developed: (1) MBD: to predict the branch diameter (BD) at different radial positions within the stem, and (2) MBDmax: to predict the maximum internal branch diameter (BDmax). Both models presented a good performance, predicting BD with an RMSE of 4.26 mm (R2 = 0.84) and BDmaxwith an RMSE of 5.65 mm (R2 = 0.78). In this context, the innovative combination of CT technology and RF modelling technique showed promising potential to be used in future investigations, as it provided a good performance while being flexible in terms of input data structure and also allowing the inclusion of otherwise underexplored databases. This study showed a possibility to predict the internal diameter of branches from field measurements, introducing an advance towards connecting forest and sawmill.
Molecular imaging of cellular immunotherapies in experimental and therapeutic settings
Authors: Shalaby Nourhan , Dubois Veronica Phyllis , Ronald John
Published: October 2021

Cell-based cancer immunotherapies are becoming a routine part of the armamentarium against cancer. While remarkable successes have been seen, including durable remissions, not all patients will benefit from these therapies and many can suffer from life-threatening side effects. These differences in efficacy and safety across patients and across tumor types (e.g., blood vs. solid), are thought to be due to differences in how well the immune cells traffic to their target tissue (e.g., tumor, lymph nodes, etc.) whilst avoiding non-target tissues. Across patient variability can also stem from whether the cells interact with (i.e., communicate with) their intended target cells (e.g., cancer cells), as well as if they proliferate and survive long enough to yield potent and long-lasting therapeutic effects. However, many cell-based therapies are monitored by relatively simple blood tests that lack any spatial information and do not reflect how many immune cells have ended up at particular tissues. The ex vivo labeling and imaging of infused therapeutic immune cells can provide a more precise and dynamic understanding of whole-body immune cell biodistribution, expansion, viability, and activation status in individual patients. In recent years numerous cellular imaging technologies have been developed that may provide this much-needed information on immune cell fate. For this review, we summarize various ex vivo labeling and imaging approaches that allow for tracking of cellular immunotherapies for cancer. Our focus is on clinical imaging modalities and summarize the progression from experimental to therapeutic settings. The imaging information provided by these technologies can potentially be used for many purposes including improved real-time understanding of therapeutic efficacy and potential side effects in individual patients after cell infusion; the ability to more readily compare new therapeutic cell designs to current designs for various parameters such as improved trafficking to target tissues and avoidance of non-target tissues; and the long-term ability to identify patient populations that are likely to be positive responders and at low-risk of side effects.
A Local-in-Time Theory for Singular SDEs with Applications to Fluid Models with Transport Noise
Authors: Alonso-Orán Diego , Rohde Christian , Tang Hao
Published: October 2021

We establish a local theory, i.e., existence, uniqueness and blow-up criterion, for a general family of singular SDEs in Hilbert spaces. The key requirement relies on an approximation property that allows us to embed the singular drift and diffusion mappings into a hierarchy of regular mappings that are invariant with respect to the Hilbert space and enjoy a cancellation property. Various nonlinear models in fluid dynamics with transport noise belong to this type of singular SDEs. By establishing a cancellation estimate for certain differential operators of order one with suitable coefficients, we give the detailed constructions of such regular approximations for certain examples. In particular, we show novel local-in-time results for the stochastic two-component Camassa–Holm system and for the stochastic Córdoba–Córdoba–Fontelos model.
Relationship of maternal obesity and vitamin D concentrations with fetal growth in early pregnancy
Authors: Zhang Qianqian , Zhang Chen , Wang Yi , Zhao Jiuru , Li Haiyuan , Shen Qianwen , Wang Xiaoli , Ni Meng , Ouyang Fengxiu , Vinturache Angela , Chen Hao , Liu Zhiwei
Published: October 2021

Purpose

To evaluate the effects of the association between first trimester vitamin D (VitD) concentrations and increased prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) on early fetal growth restriction (FGR).

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included 15,651 women with singleton pregnancy who delivered at the International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital between January 2015 and November 2016. Women were classified in two groups based on their serum 25(OH)D vitamin levels status: VitD sufficient (SUFF) group and VitD insufficient or deficient (INSUFF/DEF). The cut-off point for VitD concentration was 50.00 nmol/L. Comparisons were made between women with normal prepregnancy body weight (BMI 18.5–23.9 kg/m2) and overweight and obese (OWO) women (BMI > 24.0 kg/m2). Early FGR was defined as first-trimester gestational age-adjusted crown-rump length (CRL) in the lowest 20th centile of the population. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between maternal serum 25(OH)D levels and prepregnancy BMI with first trimester CRL and early FGR.

Results

In VitD INSUFF/DEF group, the first trimester CRL was decreased (P = 0.005), and the risk of early FGR was increased by 13% (95% CI 1.04–1.24, P = 0.004) compared to the VitD SUFF group. In OWO group, the first trimester CRL was also significantly decreased (P < 0.0001), and the risk of early FGR was significantly increased by 58% (95% CI 1.40–1.78, P < 0.001) compared with normal weight group. Furthermore, there was a significant combined effect of maternal VitD concentrations and OWO on CRL (P for interaction = 0.02) and the risk of early FGR (P for interaction = 0.07).

Conclusion

Sufficient first trimester serum 25(OH)D concentration was a protective factor for early fetal growth, especially among OWO mothers. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Registration number: ChiCTR1900027447 with date of registration on November 13, 2019-retrospectively registered).
Areas of research to support the system of radiological protection
Authors: Laurier D. , Rühm W. , Paquet F. , Applegate K. , Cool D. , Clement C. ,   the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP)
Published: October 2021

This document presents the ICRP's updated vision on “Areas of Research to Support the System of Radiological Protection”, which have been previously published in 2017. It aims to complement the research priorities promoted by other relevant international organisations, with the specificity of placing them in the perspective of the evolution of the System of Radiological Protection. This document contributes to the process launched by ICRP to review and revise the System of Radiological Protection that will update the 2007 General Recommendations in ICRP Publication 103.
An in vitro assay of the effect of lysine oxidation end-product, α-aminoadipic acid, on the redox status and gene expression in probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri PL503
Authors: Padilla Patricia , Andrade María J. , Peña Fernando J. , Rodríguez Alicia , Estévez Mario
Published: October 2021

This study was designed to gain information about the underlying mechanisms of the effects of a food-occurring free oxidized amino acid, α-aminoadipic acid (AAA), on the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri PL503. This bacterium was incubated in colonic-simulated conditions (37 °C for 24 h in microaerophilic conditions) and exposed to three food-compatible AAA concentrations, namely, 1 mM, 5 mM, and 10 mM. A control group with no AAA exposure was also considered. Each of the four experimental conditions was replicated three times and samplings were collected at 12, 16, 20, and 24 h. The downregulation of the uspA gene by AAA (0.5-fold decrease as compared to control) suggests that AAA is identified as a potential chemical threat. The dhaT gene, implicated in the antioxidant defense, was found to be upregulated in bacteria treated with 1 and 5 mM AAA (up to twofold increase, as compared to control), which suggest the ability of the oxidized amino acid to impair the redox status of the bacterium. In fact, AAA caused an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the accretion of post-translational changes (protein carbonylation) in L. reuteri (up to 13 nmol allysine/mg protein vs 1.8 nmol allysine/mg protein in control). These results suggest that probiotic bacteria identify oxidized amino acids as harmful species and activate mechanisms that may protect themselves and the host against their noxious effects.
Safety and efficacy of ampreloxetine in symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension: a phase 2 trial
Authors: Kaufmann Horacio , Vickery Ross , Wang Whedy , Kanodia Jitendra , Shibao Cyndya A. , Norcliffe-Kaufmann Lucy , Haumann Brett , Biaggioni Italo
Published: October 2021

Purpose

In neurogenic orthostatic hypotension, blood pressure falls when upright owing to impaired release of norepinephrine, leading to dizziness. Ampreloxetine, a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, increases circulating norepinephrine levels. This study explored the safety of ampreloxetine and its effect on blood pressure and symptoms in patients with neurogenic orthostatic hypotension.

Methods

A multicenter ascending-dose trial (range 1–20 mg, Part A) was followed by a 1 day, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study (median dose 15 mg, Part B). Eligible patients then enrolled in a 20-week, open-label, steady-state extension phase (median dose 10 mg, Part C) followed by a 4-week withdrawal. Assessments included the Orthostatic Hypotension Symptom Assessment Scale (item 1), supine/seated/standing blood pressure, and safety.

Results

Thirty-four patients (age 66 ± 8 years, 22 men) were enrolled. Part A: The proportion of participants with a positive response (i.e., increase from baseline in seated systolic blood pressure of ≥ 10 mmHg) was greater with the 5 and 10 mg ampreloxetine doses than with placebo or other active ampreloxetine doses. Part B: Seated blood pressure increased 15.7 mmHg 4 h after ampreloxetine and decreased 14.2 mmHg after placebo [least squares mean difference (95% CI) 29.9 mmHg (7.6–52.3); P = 0.0112]. Part C: Symptoms of dizziness/lightheadedness improved 3.1 ± 3.0 points from baseline and standing systolic blood pressure increased 11 ± 12 mmHg. After 4 weeks of withdrawal, symptoms returned to pretreatment levels. The effect of ampreloxetine on supine blood pressure was minimal throughout treatment duration.

Conclusion

Ampreloxetine was well tolerated and improved orthostatic symptoms and seated/standing blood pressure with little change in supine blood pressure.

Trial registration

NCT02705755 (first posted March 10, 2016).
Biosorption of nickel, cobalt, zinc and copper ions by Serratia marcescens strain 16 in mono and multimetallic systems
Authors: Díaz A. , Marrero J. , Cabrera G. , Coto O. , Gómez J. M.
Published: October 2021

The metallurgical industry is one of the main sources of heavy metal pollution, which represents a severe threat to life. Metals can be removed from aqueous solutions by using microbial biomasses. This paper analyses the heavy metal biosorption capacity ofSerratia marcescensstrain 16 in single and multimetallic systems. The results obtained show that Co(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) biosorption in monometallic systems is two to three times higher than in the presence of bi-metallic and multimetallic solutions. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed that carbonyl, carboxyl and hydroxyl were the main functional groups, as well as the amide bands I and II involved in metal uptake, which are present in external structures of the bacterial cell. The results obtained demonstrated the viability ofS. marcescensstrain 16 as a biosorbent for the design of eco-friendly technologies for the treatment of waste liquor.
How local communities attribute livelihood vulnerabilities to climate change and other causes: a case study in North Vanuatu
Authors: Nef Danny Philipp , Neneth Daniel , Dini Patteson , Abad Carmenza Robledo , Kruetli Pius
Published: October 2021

Understanding the causal factors of livelihood challenges and associated vulnerabilities is essential for developing viable adaptation strategies. However, clarifying which livelihood challenges can be attributed to which causal factors remains a challenge. In this paper, we used a case study in Vanuatu to show how local populations attribute subsistence challenges to underlying causes. Particularly, we are interested in whether there is a tendency to view climate change as the primary cause, and if so, why. We followed a participatory approach involving local community members and experts at all stages of the study process. For this, we used complementary research methods such as resource mapping, participant observation, and in-depth interviews with local community members and local agriculture experts. The results show that local populations are indeed inclined to attribute problems to external causes, particularly climate change. However, the results also indicate that this external attribution is not definitive. Rather, we find that over the course of participatory reflection, attribution to climate change was supplemented and even replaced by internal causal factors, such as changes in garden practices. Our findings suggest that the initial emphasis on climate change may be related to prevailing narratives that may have influenced individual perceptions of the study participants and created social desirability. If such bias is not recognized, the narratives risk being reified, with potential new insights being overlooked. As a result, local attribution may overstate or understate specific causes, such as climate change.
Intrinsic Defects in B Cell Development and Differentiation, T Cell Exhaustion and Altered Unconventional T Cell Generation Characterize Human Adenosine Deaminase Type 2 Deficiency
Authors: Yap Jin Yan , Moens Leen , Lin Ming-Wei , Kane Alisa , Kelleher Anthony , Toong Catherine , Wu Kathy H.C. , Sewell William A. , Phan Tri Giang , Hollway Georgina E. , Enthoven Karen , Gray Paul E. , Casas-Martin Jose , Wouters Carine , De Somer Lien , Hershfield Michael , Bucciol Giorgia , Delafontaine Selket , Ma Cindy S. , Tangye Stuart G. , Meyts Isabelle
Published: October 2021

Purpose

Deficiency of adenosine deaminase type 2 (ADA2) (DADA2) is a rare inborn error of immunity caused by deleterious biallelic mutations in ADA2. Clinical manifestations are diverse, ranging from severe vasculopathy with lacunar strokes to immunodeficiency with viral infections, hypogammaglobulinemia and bone marrow failure. Limited data are available on the phenotype and function of leukocytes from DADA2 patients. The aim of this study was to perform in-depth immunophenotyping and functional analysis of the impact of DADA2 on human lymphocytes.

Methods

In-depth immunophenotyping and functional analyses were performed on ten patients with confirmed DADA2 and compared to heterozygous carriers of pathogenic ADA2 mutations and normal healthy controls.

Results

The median age of the patients was 10 years (mean 20.7 years, range 1–44 years). Four out of ten patients were on treatment with steroids and/or etanercept or other immunosuppressives. We confirmed a defect in terminal B cell differentiation in DADA2 and reveal a block in B cell development in the bone marrow at the pro-B to pre-B cell stage. We also show impaired differentiation of CD4+ and CD8+ memory T cells, accelerated exhaustion/senescence, and impaired survival and granzyme production by ADA2 deficient CD8+ T cells. Unconventional T cells (i.e. iNKT, MAIT, Vδ2+ γδT) were diminished whereas pro-inflammatory monocytes and CD56bright immature NK cells were increased. Expression of the IFN-induced lectin SIGLEC1 was increased on all monocyte subsets in DADA2 patients compared to healthy donors. Interestingly, the phenotype and function of lymphocytes from healthy heterozygous carriers were often intermediate to that of healthy donors and ADA2-deficient patients.

Conclusion

Extended immunophenotyping in DADA2 patients shows a complex immunophenotype. Our findings provide insight into the cellular mechanisms underlying some of the complex and heterogenous clinical features of DADA2. More research is needed to design targeted therapy to prevent viral infections in these patients with excessive inflammation as the overarching phenotype.
Tabu search for a parallel-machine scheduling problem with periodic maintenance, job rejection and weighted sum of completion times
Authors: Krim Hanane , Zufferey Nicolas , Potvin Jean-Yves , Benmansour Rachid , Duvivier David
Published: October 2021

We consider in this work a bicriteria scheduling problem on two different parallel machines with a periodic preventive maintenance policy. The two objectives considered involve minimization of job rejection costs and weighted sum of completion times. They are handled through a lexicographic approach, due to a natural hierarchy among the two objectives in the applications considered. The main contributions of this paper are first to present a new problem relevant to practice, second, to develop a mixed-integer-linear-program model for the problem, and third, to introduce two generalizable tabu-search metaheuristics relying on different neighborhood structures and solution spaces. Computational results for 120 instances (generated from a real case) are reported to empirically demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed metaheuristics.
New Tour on the Subdifferential of Supremum via Finite Sums and Suprema
Authors: Hantoute A. , López-Cerdá M. A.
Published: October 2021

This paper provides new characterizations for the subdifferential of the pointwise supremum of an arbitrary family of convex functions. The main feature of our approach is that the normal cone to the effective domain of the supremum (or to finite-dimensional sections of it) does not appear in our formulas. Another aspect of our analysis is that it emphasizes the relationship with the subdifferential of the supremum of finite subfamilies, or equivalently, finite weighted sums. Some specific results are given in the setting of reflexive Banach spaces, showing that the subdifferential of the supremum can be reduced to the supremum of a countable family.
Are sustainability-oriented investors different? Evidence from equity crowdfunding
Authors: Hornuf Lars , Stenzhorn Eliza , Vintis Tim
Published: October 2021

In this article, we examine how investor motives affect investment behavior in equity crowdfunding. In particular, we compare the investment behavior of sustainability-oriented with ordinary crowd investors on six leading equity crowdfunding platforms in Austria and Germany and investigate whether they suffer from a default shock that was recently identified by Dorfleitner et al. (2019). In general, we find evidence of a default shock in equity crowdfunding that occurs immediately after the event or if investors experience more than two insolvencies. Moreover, we find that sustainability-oriented investors pledge larger amounts of money and invest in more campaigns than ordinary crowd investors. The results also suggest that sustainability-oriented crowd investors care about non-financial returns, as they react more sensitively after experiencing a default in their equity crowdfunding portfolios, which indicates that they suffer beyond the pure financial loss. These findings contribute to recent literature on equity crowdfunding, socially responsible investing, and how individual investment motives and personal experiences affect investment decisions.