bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Greening drylands despite warming consistent with carbon dioxide fertilization effect
Authors: Gonsamo Alemu , Ciais Philippe , Miralles Diego G. , Sitch Stephen , Dorigo Wouter , Lombardozzi Danica , Friedlingstein Pierre , Nabel Julia E. M. S. , Goll Daniel S. , O'Sullivan Michael , Arneth Almut , Anthoni Peter , Jain Atul K. , Wiltshire Andy , Peylin Philippe , Cescatti Alessandro
Published: April 2021

The rising atmospheric CO2 concentration leads to a CO2 fertilization effect on plants—that is, increased photosynthetic uptake of CO2 by leaves and enhanced water‐use efficiency (WUE). Yet, the resulting net impact of CO2 fertilization on plant growth and soil moisture (SM) savings at large scale is poorly understood. Drylands provide a natural experimental setting to detect the CO2 fertilization effect on plant growth since foliage amount, plant water‐use and photosynthesis are all tightly coupled in water‐limited ecosystems. A long‐term change in the response of leaf area index (LAI, a measure of foliage amount) to changes in SM is likely to stem from changing water demand of primary productivity in water‐limited ecosystems and is a proxy for changes in WUE. Using 34‐year satellite observations of LAI and SM over tropical and subtropical drylands, we identify that a 1% increment in SM leads to 0.15% (±0.008, 95% confidence interval) and 0.51% (±0.01, 95% confidence interval) increments in LAI during 1982‒1998 and 1999‒2015, respectively. The increasing response of LAI to SM has contributed 7.2% (±3.0%, 95% confidence interval) to total dryland greening during 1999‒2015 compared to 1982‒1998. The increasing response of LAI to SM is consistent with the CO2 fertilization effect on WUE in water‐limited ecosystems, indicating that a given amount of SM has sustained greater amounts of photosynthetic foliage over time. The LAI responses to changes in SM from seven dynamic global vegetation models are not always consistent with observations, highlighting the need for improved process knowledge of terrestrial ecosystem responses to rising atmospheric CO2 concentration.
The association between apical periodontitis and adverse pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review
Authors: Jakovljevic A. , Sljivancanin Jakovljevic T. , Duncan H. F. , Nagendrababu V. , Jacimovic J. , Aminoshariae A. , Milasin J. , Dummer P. M. H.
Published: April 2021

Background

The association between adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) and maternal apical periodontitis remains unclear as it has not been examined rigorously or reviewed systematically.

Objective

To systematically review and critically evaluate the available evidence on the association of maternal apical periodontitis with several APOs.

Methods

A literature search was conducted using the following electronic databases: Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), from inception to 25 February 2021, with no language restrictions. Observational studies including longitudinal clinical trials, cohort, case–control and cross‐sectional studies of prospective and retrospective design were included. Articles with duplicate or overlapping results, abstract‐only papers, case reports, case series, animal studies and reviews were excluded. Two independent reviewers were involved in study selection, data extraction and appraising the included studies; disagreements were resolved by a third reviewer. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) and the adapted form of the NOS were used to assess the quality for case–control and cross‐sectional studies, respectively.

Results

Two case–control and one cross‐sectional study were included in the current review. The included studies were published between 2015 and 2017, with a total of 1187 participating individuals with an approximate age range of 15 to 40 years. As the included studies reported different outcomes, the heterogeneity of data prevented a meta‐analysis being undertaken. The overall quality of the evidence was ‘Fair’ for two out of three included studies, while one study was categorized as ‘Good’.

Discussion

Two out of three included primary studies had a substantial number of methodological inconsistencies and flaws, and therefore caution should be exercised in interpreting the results of this systematic review because several important covariates were not considered in the original investigations.

Conclusion

Based on a limited volume and ‘Fair’ and ‘Good’ quality of evidence, a positive association between maternal apical periodontitis and APOs was observed. However, more ‘Good’ quality clinical studies are needed to confirm the results of the current review.

Funding

None

Registration

PROSPERO database (CRD42‐2191987)
Influence of heating rate during microwave pasteurization of ground beef products: Experimental and numerical study
Authors: De Albuquerque Clarissa Detomi , Curet Sébastien , Boillereaux Lionel
Published: April 2021

A finite element model coupling electromagnetism with standing‐wave propagation, heat transfer and microbial inactivation equations has been developed to study microwave food pasteurization with three heating rates (7, 10, and 13°C/min). Inactivation of a target microorganism was studied from a single temperature measurement at a given location. Electric fields, temperature distribution and inactivation kinetics were predicted as a function of time and space coordinates. Good agreement was found between experimental and predicted thermal and inactivation curves. The inactivation kinetics parameters (Dandz‐value) identified under water bath heating remained valid during the microwave process. Thus, theE. coliinactivation is mainly due to the thermal effect under lethal conditions. The differences between logarithmic reductions between both heating processes was attributed to the non‐uniform temperature distribution.

Practical Applications

From the industrial point of view, temperature heterogeneity is known to be the main barrier impeding the development of microwave food pasteurization technology. The use of a multiphysics model that takes into account the real geometry of the microwave cavity made it possible to optimize the process and achieve a more uniform temperature distribution within the product. Therefore, the simulation of the electric field distribution can provide relevant information on the amplitude and shape of the electromagnetic field. The degrees of freedom of the model led to the optimization of parameters, such as cavity size, microwave frequency shifting, product mass, the position of the sample in the cavity, and the optimization of the shape of the product containers and supports. The combination of microwaves (with or without modulated power input) with other energy sources (i.e., hot air injection, immersion of the product in water) also seemed promising for pasteurization applications.
The Misallocation of Finance
Authors: WHITED TONI M. , ZHAO JAKE
Published: April 2021

We estimate real losses arising from the cross‐sectional misallocation of financial liabilities. Extending a production‐based framework of misallocation measurement to the liabilities side of the balance sheet and using manufacturing firm data from the United States and China, we find significant misallocation of debt and equity in China but not the United States. Reallocating liabilities of firms in China to mimic U.S. efficiency would produce gains of 51% to 69% in real value‐added, with only 17% to 21% stemming from inefficient debt‐equity combinations. For Chinese firms that are large or in developed cities, we estimate lower distortionary financing costs.
Asset ownership & incentives to undertake non‐contractible actions: The case of trucking
Authors: Miller Jason , Skowronski Keith , Saldanha John
Published: April 2021

Firms must continually adjust their operations and those of their supply chain members in response to a continually evolving external environment. Many of these modifications are non‐contractible in that firms cannot devise and enforce contracts on these behaviors. In this research, we extend property rights theory of the firm (PRTF) by suggesting that small entrepreneurs’ ownership of assets used to perform delegated tasks does not always incentivize small entrepreneurs to undertake non‐contractible actions (NCAs) as assumed by canonical PRTF. We argue that the ability of asset ownership to incentivize small entrepreneurs to undertake NCAs will be muted when undertaking NCAs reduces small entrepreneurs’ productivity. We test our hypotheses by examining how trucking companies’ use of independent contractors affected the rate at which they improved compliance with different types of safety rules following a major regulatory change. Consistent with our arguments, we find that the use of independent contractors slowed carriers’ rate of firm‐wide improvement on compliance with hours‐of‐service and vehicle maintenance rules relative to driving safety rules. These results, which remain after extensive robustness testing, have important implications for theory and practice.
Leaf decomposition depends on nutritional trait values but increasing trait variability does not always increase decomposition efficiency
Authors: Plazas‐Jiménez Daniel , Cianciaruso Marcus V.
Published: April 2021

The mass ratio (MRH) and niche complementarity (NCH) hypotheses can explain how leaf trait composition drives decomposition, an ecosystem process linked to nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. However, few studies have used an experiment designed to disentangle the role of the mechanisms proposed by these hypotheses. This is especially true regarding the role of leaf functional traits for decomposition rates in tropical ecosystems. Here, we quantified the biomass loss of 120 leaf mixtures assembled according to four quasi‐orthogonal combinations of different mean trait values (community‐weighted mean; CWM) and trait variability (functional diversity; FD) of three leaf functional traits (leaf nitrogen and leaf magnesium concentrations and specific leaf area). We found that CWM values of leaf nutritional traits were positively related to greater biomass loss. This supports the hypothesis that the mean trait values of leaf mixtures can drive biomass loss (MRH). However, contrary to NCH expectations, in some circumstances, increasing trait variability of leaf nutritional traits decreased biomass loss. Our results reinforce some previous evidence that, together, CWM and FD can explain leaf decomposition and highlight that the mean resource quality of leaf mixtures is a driver of biomass loss. Also, as previously reported for temperate ecosystems, trait variability does not always increase leaf decomposition in tropical ecosystems. Therefore, there is a need to consider simultaneously both MRH and NCH in future studies, using an appropriate design, keeping in mind that both mechanisms will always be present in any species mixture or combination.
Home delivery of the communicator for remote monitoring of cardiac implantable devices: A multicenter experience during the covid‐19 lockdown
Authors: Magnocavallo Michele , Bernardini Alessia , Mariani Marco Valerio , Piro Agostino , Marini Massimiliano , Nicosia Antonino , Adduci Carmen , Rapacciuolo Antonio , Saporito Davide , Grossi Stefano , Santarpia Giuseppe , Vaccaro Paola , Rordorf Roberto , Pentimalli Francesco , Giunta Giuseppe , Campari Monica , Valsecchi Sergio , Lavalle Carlo
Published: April 2021

Background

During the COVID‐19 pandemic in‐person visits for patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices should be replaced by remote monitoring (RM), in order to prevent viral transmission. A direct home‐delivery service of the RM communicator has been implemented at 49 Italian arrhythmia centers.

Methods

According to individual patient preference or the organizational decision of the center, patients were assigned to the home‐delivery group or the standard in‐clinic delivery group. In the former case, patients received telephone training on the activation process and use of the communicator. In June 2020, the centers were asked to reply to an ad hoc questionnaire to describe and evaluate their experience in the previous 3 months.

Results

RM was activated in 1324 patients: 821 (62%) received the communicator at home and the communicator was activated remotely. Activation required one additional call in 49% of cases, and the median time needed to complete the activation process was 15 min [25th‐75th percentile: 10–20]. 753 (92%) patients were able to complete the correct activation of the system. At the time when the questionnaire was completed, 743 (90%) communicators were regularly transmitting data. The service was generally deemed useful (96% of respondents) in facilitating the activation of RM during the COVID‐19 pandemic and possibly beyond.

Conclusions

Home delivery of the communicator proved to be a successful approach to system activation, and received positive feedback from clinicians. The increased use of a RM protocol will reduce risks for both providers and patients, while maintaining high‐quality care.
Detection and diversity of viruses infecting African yam (Dioscorea rotundata) in a collection and F1 progenies in Côte d'Ivoire shed light to plant‐to‐plant viral transmission
Authors: Bakayoko Yacouba , Kouakou Amani M. , Kouassi Abou B. , Gomez Rose‐Marie , Dibi Konan E. B. , Essis Brice S. , N’Zué Boni , Adebola Patrick , N’Guetta Assanvon S.‐P. , Umber Marie
Published: April 2021

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is a major staple food whose production is hampered by viral diseases. However, the prevalence, diversity, transmission, and impact of yam‐infecting viruses remain poorly documented. This study reports on the symptomatology, prevalence, and molecular diversity of eight viruses in 38 D. rotundata accessions from a germplasm collection and 206 F1 hybrid progenies maintained in Côte d'Ivoire. Mean severity scores as assessed from leaf symptoms ranged from 2 to 4 in the germplasm collection and from 1 to 3 in F1 hybrids, respectively. Dioscorea mosaic‐associated virus (DMaV), potexviruses, and yam mosaic virus (YMV) were detected by PCR‐based diagnosis tools in single and mixed infections in both the D. rotundata collection and F1 progenies, whereas badnaviruses were detected only in the germplasm collection. In contrast, cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), yam macluraviruses, yam asymptomatic virus 1 (YaV1), and yam mild mosaic virus (YMMV) could not be detected. No correlation could be established between severity scores and indexing results. Phylogenetic analysis performed on partial viral sequences amplified from infected samples unveiled the presence of two putative novel viral species belonging to genera Badnavirus and Potexvirus and provided evidence for plant‐to‐plant transmission of YMV, DMaV, and yam potexviruses.
Digital media and identity construction: Exploring the discourse of Pakistani vloggers
Authors: Farrukh Fizza , Haidar Sham , Shehzad Wasima
Published: April 2021

Negative framing of the image of Muslims, especially after 9/11, has caused numerous Muslim communities to become apprehensive about the way their identity is presented in the mass media. One such community being affected by negative representations based on Islamophobia and other gender‐related stereotypes is Pakistan. As a result, these misunderstandings are being addressed through the construction of alternative and contrasting online identities by Pakistani vloggers through digital media. This paper excavates the diversified constructions of vloggers’ online identities using two theoretical approaches to explaining identity construction: micro‐hegemonies and the investment model. Nineteen Pakistani vloggers were purposively selected for the study, who were observed over a period of two years using online observations, interviews, and email conversations, adopting a digital ethnographic approach. The investigation found that the vloggers choose to portray their religious practices, Pakistani identity, and local culture and norms while simultaneously utilizing Western norms to indicate their modernity. Moreover, they regularly emphasize that they are normal, regular human beings. Hence, the paper contributes to understanding how Pakistanis present a complex, hybrid identity which counters the dominant narratives in the media.
LOS DAÑOS COLECTIVOS, PROSPECTIVA GENERAL, DE LIDIA M. GARRIDO CORDOBERA
Authors: Kemelmajer de Carlucci Aída
Published: April 2021

Bogotá. Ed. de la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. Colombia. (2009). 349 páginas.
LA ORGANIZACIÓN JURÍDICA DEL PODER: EL SISTEMA DE FUENTES EN LA CONSTITUCIÓN BOLIVIANA DEL 2009
Authors: Andaluz Vegacenteno Horacio
Published: April 2021

La recientemente en vigor Constitución boliviana del 2009 trae consigo cambios en la estructura del sistema jurídico. Este artículo analiza dichas transformaciones a través de las relaciones formales entre las distintas fuentes del derecho y expone la estructura unitaria y a la vez territorialmente descentralizada inaugurada por la Constitución. Además de un marco teórico previo, el artículo está dividido en dos partes principales: la primera se ocupa de la Constitución como fuente del derecho, e incluye las consecuencias jurídicas de su supremacía, los límites de la cláusula de interpretación de la Constitución y el carácter vinculante de los precedentes del Tribunal Constitucional; la segunda parte presenta las fuentes de derecho ordinario, sus respectivas posiciones en la estructura del sistema y las relaciones formales de jerarquía y competencia entre ellas.
Estimation of Vortex-Induced Vibration Based on Observed Wakes Using Computational Fluid Dynamics-Trained Deep Neural Network
Authors: Misaka Takashi
Published: April 2021

The vibration of a circular cylinder due to fluid forces is of interest in various engineering fields. In this study, we investigate an approach to estimate the fluid forces acting on a circular cylinder in a flow field based on experimental flow visualizations using a deep neural network (DNN). Specifically, the wake patterns and fluid forces are correlated in a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation, and the forces in the experiment are estimated by comparing experimental and computational wake patterns using a DNN. The approach is tested via dye-ink visualization around a circular cylinder at a Reynolds number of 560, referring to Seyed-Aghazadeh et al. (2015, “An Experimental Investigation of Vortex-Induced Vibration of a Rotating Circular Cylinder in the Crossflow Direction,” Phys. Fluids, 27(6), p. 067101). First, the CFD simulation of a circular cylinder with forced vibration in the crossflow direction is conducted with various vibration frequencies. Subsequently, the visualized wake images of the resulting flow fields and corresponding fluid forces are used as training data for the DNN. In the estimation, the images from the experiment are detected by the CFD-trained DNN. Thus, we can recall the correlated fluid forces using CFD simulation. The average drag coefficient and peak value of the lift coefficient estimated using streaming experimental images, have standard deviations of 2.1–13.7% and 6.6–18.6%, respectively, depending on the number of training images. The root-mean-square value of the lift coefficient obtained from the estimation is 0.82, which is comparable to the experimental value of 0.8, under the same flow and oscillation conditions.
A Comprehensive Micro-Milling Force Model for a Low-Stiffness Machining System
Authors: Qu Da , Wang Bo , Gao Yuan , Cao Huajun
Published: April 2021

Micro-milling is widely used in various crucial fields with the ability of machining micro- and meso-scaled functional structures on various materials efficiently. However, the micro-milling force model is not comprehensively developed yet when tool feature sizes continually decrease to under 200 µm in a low-stiffness system. This paper proposes an analytical force model considering the influence of tool radius, size effect, tool runout, tool deflection, and the actual trochoidal trajectories and the interaction of historical tool teeth trajectories (IHTTT). Different micro-milling status are recognized by analyzing the cutting process of different tool teeth. Conditions of single-tooth cutting status are determined by a proposed numerical algorithm, and entry angle and exit angle are analyzed under various cutting conditions for the low-stiffness system. Three micro-milling status, including single-tooth cutting status, are distinguished based on the instantaneous undeformed chip thickness resulting in three types of material removal mechanisms in predicting micro-milling force components. Discontinuous change rates of undeformed chip thickness are found in the low-stiffness micro-milling system. The proposed micro-milling force model is then verified through experiments of micro slot milling Elgiloy alloy with a 150-μm-diametrical two-teeth micro-end mill. The experimental results show a root-mean-square error (RSME) of 0.092 N in the predicted resultant force, accounting for approximately 5.12% of the measured force, by which the proposed theoretical model is verified to be of good prediction accuracy.
Approximate Solution of the Varying Speed Impact of Three-Dimensional Bodies on the Water Surface
Authors: Wen Xueliang , Liu Peiqing , Qu Qiulin , Hu Tianxiang
Published: April 2021

This paper proposes an approximate solution for the varying speed impact of three-dimensional (3D) bodies on the water surface, with the assumptions that the fluid is considered to be incompressible, inviscid, weightless, and with negligible surface tension effects and the flow to be irrotational. The approximate solution provides a linear relationship between Cp and a dimensionless variable K, and the equation of body acceleration. These equations can be used to rapidly predict the pressure distribution on the body surface and the motions of the body. The predictions of the approximate solution match the computational fluid dynamics results very well for the varying speed impacts, including the normal and oblique impacts of a cone on the water surface and the normal impact of a pyramid on the water surface. The present approximate solution can be suitable for the two-dimensional, axisymmetric, and fully 3D impacts of bodies on the water surface with varying speed.
The Transient Temperature Prediction in the Deepwater Riserless Well
Authors: Feng Ming , Teodoriu Catalin , Schubert Jerome
Published: April 2021

The purpose of this study is to analyze the transient thermal problem of the circulation fluids in riserless wells, which is critical to well integrity and thus to operational safety of the well. The transient heat transfer model is based on the theory of the energy balance and control volumes to solve the downhole circulation fluids temperature distribution in a riserless well. Examples demonstrate the calculated circulation fluids temperature distribution in the wellbore by using this model.
A Nonlinear Programming Continuation Strategy one Parameter Design Optimization Problems
Authors: Rao J. R. J. , Papalambros P. Y.
Published: April 2021

An algorithm for computing the effect of large parameter changes on an optimal design solution is presented in some detail. The numerical procedure involves a path-following continuation strategy that takes advantage of the usual computations performed by a nonlinear programming algorithm, specifically the sequential quadratic programming method. One of the applications of this method is to allow the designer to introduce an arbitrary parameter embedding in the model for which a local optimum is known and then to explore the path that this solution would follow under large parameteric deformation. Several examples are included, but detailed design examples are deferred to a sequel article. The present article is itself a sequel to a previous one that presents the theoretical foundation and design motivation for this algorithm.
Systematic Construction of the Equations of Motion for Multibody Systems Containing Closed Kinematic Loops
Authors: Nikravesh P. E. , Gim G.
Published: April 2021

This paper presents a systematic method for deriving the minimum number of equations of motion for multibody system containing closed kinematic loops. A set of joint or natural coordinates is used to describe the configuration of the system. The constraint equations associated with the closed kinematic loops are found systematically in terms of the joint coordinates. These constraints and their corresponding elements are constructed from known block matrices representing different kinematic joints. The Jacobian matrix associated with these constraints is further used to find a velocity transformation matrix. The equations of motions are initially written in terms of the dependent joint coordinates using the Lagrange multiplier technique. Then the velocity transformation matrix is used to derive a minimum number of equations of motion in terms of a set of independent joint coordinates. An illustrative example and numerical results are presented, and the advantages and disadvantages of the method are discussed.
Design of ultrasonic standing wave levitation support for three-dimensional printed filaments
Authors: Wu Huaying , Zhu Jingjun , Wang Xuan , Li Yuqiang
Published: April 2021

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) three-dimensional (3D) printing is the process of forming a part by depositing molten thermoplastic materials layer by layer. Support structures need to be added below the overhangs or bridges in 3D printing. This paper proposes an idea for support-free FDM printing by studying the method of filament levitation. In this paper, an ultrasonic phased array device is designed, and different slender objects with length much longer than the sound wavelength are levitated in the air by multiple standing wave points. Experiments show that slender objects can be stably held at the sound pressure nodes in the standing wave field. After adding the ultrasonic field in FDM printing, the maximum deformation of single filament due to gravity on the bridge structure decreases from 5 to 2 mm. This proves that it is feasible for an ultrasonic phased array system to play an important role in the field of support-free FDM printing.
Dynamics and healing behavior of metallosupramolecular polymers
Authors: Neumann Laura N. , Oveisi Emad , Petzold Albrecht , Style Robert W. , Thurn-Albrecht Thomas , Weder Christoph , Schrettl Stephen
Published: April 2021

Metal ion tracking allows monitoring of the healing process in supramolecular polymers on the nanoscale.
Hormone autocrination by vascularized hydrogel delivery of ovary spheroids to rescue ovarian dysfunctions
Authors: Yoon Hyo-Jin , Lee Yong Jae , Baek Sewoom , Chung Young Shin , Kim Dae-Hyun , Lee Jae Hoon , Shin Yong Cheol , Shin Young Min , Ryu Chungsoon , Kim Hye-Seon , Ahn So Hyun , Kim Heeyon , Won Young Bin , Lee Inha , Jeon Myung Jae , Cho Si Hyun , Lee Byung Seok , Sung Hak-Joon , Choi Young Sik
Published: April 2021

Engineered ovary mimetics enable hormone autocrination and restore ovarian functions with reduction of menopause risks.
Transcriptional landscapes of floral meristems in barley
Authors: Thiel J. , Koppolu R. , Trautewig C. , Hertig C. , Kale S. M. , Erbe S. , Mascher M. , Himmelbach A. , Rutten T. , Esteban E. , Pasha A. , Kumlehn J. , Provart N. J. , Vanderauwera S. , Frohberg C. , Schnurbusch T.
Published: April 2021

High-resolution spatial transcriptomics identifies previously unknown regulators for barley floral meristem development.
PM
2.5
polluters disproportionately and systemically affect people of color in the United States
Authors: Tessum Christopher W. , Paolella David A. , Chambliss Sarah E. , Apte Joshua S. , Hill Jason D. , Marshall Julian D.
Published: April 2021

Nearly all major emission categories contribute to the systemic PM
2.5
exposure disparity experienced by people of color.
The hypothalamus predates the origin of vertebrates
Authors: Lemaire Laurence A. , Cao Chen , Yoon Peter H. , Long Juanjuan , Levine Michael
Published: April 2021

Some
Ciona
neurons show transcriptional similarities to the mouse hypothalamus, suggesting that it predates vertebrates.
Multimechanistic Monoclonal Antibody Combination Targeting Key Staphylococcus aureus Virulence Determinants in a Rabbit Model of Prosthetic Joint Infection
Authors: Mao Yanjie , Valour Florent , Nguyen Nhu T. Q. , Doan Thien M. N. , Koelkebeck Holly , Richardson Christopher , Cheng Lily I. , Sellman Bret R. , Tkaczyk Christine , Diep Binh An
Published: April 2021

In a rabbit model of methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
prosthetic joint infection (PJI), prophylaxis with AZD6389*—a combination of three monoclonal antibodies targeting alpha-hemolysin, bicomponent cytotoxins (LukSF/LukED/HlgAB/HlgCB), and clumping factor A—resulted in significant reductions in joint swelling, erythema, intra-articular pus, and bacterial burden in synovial tissues and biofilm-associated prosthetic implants compared with isotype-matched control IgG.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Shewanella
sp. Strain Lzh-2, an Algicidal Bacterial Strain Isolated from Lake Taihu, People’s Republic of China
Authors: Li Zhenghua , Song Feng , Chen Mei
Published: April 2021

Shewanella
sp. strain Lzh-2 is an algicidal bacterium isolated from surface water samples collected from Meiliang Bay of Lake Taihu. Here, we present the complete genome sequence of
Shewanella
sp. Lzh-2. Some functional genes and secondary metabolite gene clusters were predicted.
Closed and High-Quality Bacterial Genome Sequences of the Oligo-Mouse-Microbiota Community
Authors: Lamy-Besnier Quentin , Koszul Romain , Debarbieux Laurent , Marbouty Martial
Published: April 2021

The Oligo-Mouse-Microbiota (OMM
12
) gnotobiotic murine model is an increasingly popular model in microbiota studies. However, following Illumina and PacBio sequencing, the genomes of the 12 strains could not be closed. Here, we used genomic chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) data to reorganize, close, and improve the quality of these 12 genomes.
Confirmation of slow Ti diffusion in quartz by diffusion couple
experiments and evidence from natural samples
Authors: Audétat Andreas , Miyajima Nobuyoshi , Wiesner Dorothea , Audinot Jean-Nicolas
Published: April 2021

Titanium diffusion profiles in natural quartz crystals have become an increasingly popular tool to reconstruct the time scales of various magmatic, metamorphic, and hydrothermal processes. However, the original calibration of Ti diffusion rates in quartz has recently been challenged, and diffusivities were found to be about three orders of magnitude lower. We performed annealing experiments on crystal-crystal diffusion couples consisting of Ti-free synthetic quartz seeds over which Ti-rich quartz (100–3000 μg/g Ti) was grown hydrothermally. The annealing experiments were performed at 1000–1600 °C and 0.1 MPa to 2.0 GPa, and they lasted for 3–84 days. The resulting diffusion profiles were mapped by cathodoluminescence (CL), transmission electron microscope–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (TEM-EDXS), and, for the first time, by helium ion microscope–secondary ion mass spectrometry (HIM-SIMS). Obtained diffusion coefficients range from values similar to the lower range in previous research to values up to two orders of magnitude lower. In addition, inversely zoned quartz and sanidine phenocrysts in a natural rhyolite were studied. Comparison of the diffusion profiles suggests that at ~735 °C, the Ti diffusivity in quartz is ~1.5 and 3.0 orders of magnitude lower than that of Ba and Sr, respectively, in sanidine. The combined evidence confirms that Ti diffusion in quartz is very slow, potentially even slower than proposed earlier. Consequently, previous time scales derived from Ti diffusion profiles in quartz are likely orders of magnitude too short, and further experiments are necessary to fully clarify the issue.
High-grade serous cancer of undetermined primary origin presenting as solitary inguinal lymph node enlargement
Authors: Dam Karen , Peeters Frederik , Verhoeven Didier , Duwel Valerie
Published: April 2021

A 62-year-old woman presented with unilateral inguinal lymphadenopathy, existing for several months. As it was initially thought to be lymphoma, the lymph node was resected. Pathology, however, revealed a metastasis of a high-grade papillary serous cancer, according to its stainings, most likely ovarian in origin. Further staging showed lymphadenopathies in the inguinofemoral, para-aortic and mediastinal regions. Consequently, the multidisciplinary oncologic meeting advised a diagnostic laparoscopy which showed no macroscopic spread within the abdomen. Pathological examination of biopsies as well as both ovaries showed no sign of ovarian cancer. The patient received standard chemotherapy, that is, carbo-Taxol-Avastin, to which she showed complete response after three cycles as shown on positron emission tomography–CT. A review of existing literature showed that this is a very unusual case of high-grade serous carcinoma, where no site of origin could be found.
Serum galectin-3BP as a novel marker of obesity and metabolic syndrome in Chinese adolescents
Authors: Zhen Shihan , Ma Yanan , Han Yanshuo , Zhao Zhongyi , Yang Xuelian , Wen Deliang
Published: April 2021

Introduction

Childhood obesity (OB) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) have become a worldwide health problem. Comparative proteomic approaches are widely used in human OB to analyze protein changes in blood plasma. The present study determined the galectin-3 binding protein (galectin-3BP) expression level in different weight categories and assessed the associations between galectin-3BP and OB and MetS.

Research design and methods

The current study included 932 Chinese adolescents 13–18 years of age. The biochemical and anthropometric variables of all the subjects were evaluated using standardized procedures. The differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were investigated among 60 adolescents (20 normal weight, 20 overweight and 20 obese) using tandem mass tag (TMT) quantitative proteomics. The serum galectin-3BP level was measured using ELISA. The associations between galectin-3BP and OB and MetS were analyzed in 932 adolescents using multiple logistic regression analyses.

Results

A significant DEP, galectin-3BP, can effectively separate the obese from the normal weight group using TMT. Adolescents in tertile 3 of galectin-3BP, when compared with adolescents in the tertile 1, were positively associated with OB (OR=3.32, 95% CI 1.79 to 6.16) and MetS (OR=3.28, 95% CI 1.30 to 8.26). The receiver operating characteristic curve for galectin-3BP in subjects with MetS indicated that the area under the curve was 0.85 (95% CI 0.79 to 0.91).

Conclusions

This study confirmed an association between galectin-3BP and OB in Chinese adolescents, and galectin-3BP was also positively associated with MetS, and thus might be useful for identifying adolescents with MetS.
Accelerated resolution therapy and a thematic approach to military experiences in US Special Operations Veterans
Authors: Hernandez Diego , Kip K E , Long C J , Redman J L
Published: April 2021

Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is an emerging therapeutic intervention that has demonstrated effectiveness in treating post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression. The ART protocol aligns with first-line trauma-focused psychotherapies and clinical guides in the USA and UK. This review addresses previous ART research that includes members of US Special Operations Forces. Observations from that research has led to a thematic conceptualisation of trauma through ART interventions. These include three clusters of traumatic memories and several themes relevant to individual distress but not necessarily symptoms that meet diagnostic criteria for PTSD. ART represents a movement in treatment away from the symptoms, to the individuals’ story. Not only the story of an event, but how that experience becomes incorporated into one’s sense of identity. The themes identified (and treated with ART) appear to have broader application to the entirety of one’s military experience, not just PTSD. These themes may be helpful in directing treatment and may help to focus on significant aspects of service not traditionally associated with PTSD. Theoretically, some of these areas may have protective implications in suicide.
Should healthcare workers be prioritised during the COVID-19 pandemic? A view from Madrid and New York
Authors: Real de Asua Diego , Fins Joseph J
Published: April 2021

While COVID-19 has generated a massive burden of illness worldwide, healthcare workers (HCWs) have been disproportionately exposed to SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection. During the so-called ‘first wave’, infection rates among this population group have ranged between 10% and 20%, raising as high as one in every four COVID-19 patients in Spain at the peak of the crisis. Now that many countries are already dealing with new waves of COVID-19 cases, a potential competition between HCW and non-HCW patients for scarce resources can still be a likely clinical scenario. In this paper, we address the question of whether HCW who become ill with COVID-19 should be prioritised in diagnostic, treatment or resource allocation protocols. We will evaluate some of the proposed arguments both in favour and against the prioritisation of HCW and also consider which clinical circumstances might warrant prioritising HCW and why could it be ethically appropriate to do so. We conclude that prioritising HCW’s access to protective equipment, diagnostic tests or even prophylactic or therapeutic drug regimes and vaccines might be ethically defensible. However, prioritising HCWs to receive intensive care unit (ICU) beds or ventilators is a much more nuanced decision, in which arguments such as instrumental value or reciprocity might not be enough, and economic and systemic values will need to be considered.
Effects of landscape composition on wetland occupancy by Blanding’s Turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) as determined by environmental DNA and visual surveys
Authors: Fyson Vincent K. , Blouin-Demers Gabriel
Published: April 2021

Habitat loss and degradation have led to the extinction of many species worldwide. The endangered Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii (Holbrook, 1838)), a semi-aquatic freshwater turtle, occupies a wide range of wetlands and landscapes primarily in southeastern Canada and the Great Lakes region of the United States. We explored whether the probability of wetland occupancy by Blanding’s Turtles is affected by the surrounding landscape. We used visual surveys, environmental DNA, and Atlas data to document the presence of Blanding’s Turtles in wetlands in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. We tabulated landscape composition at multiple scales surrounding the wetlands to determine whether landscape composition can predict wetland occupancy. Generally, wetlands surrounded by forest and other undisturbed lands were most likely to harbour Blanding’s Turtles, whereas those surrounded by more human-disturbed lands were least likely to harbour Blanding’s Turtles. Larger wetlands and a high proportion of wetlands in the surrounding landscape also increased the probability of occupancy by Blanding’s Turtles. Finally, older wetlands were more likely to be occupied by Blanding’s Turtles. The ability to estimate a species’ probability of occupancy can aid in conservation efforts, such as critical habitat delineation.
Data blinding for the nEDM experiment at PSI
Authors: Ayres N. J. , Ban G. , Bison G. , Bodek K. , Bondar V. , Chanel E. , Chiu P.-J. , Crawford C. B. , Daum M. , Emmenegger S. , Ferraris-Bouchez L. , Flaux P. , Grujić Z. , Harris P. G. , Hild N. , Hommet J. , Kasprzak M. , Kermaïdic Y. , Kirch K. , Komposch S. , Kozela A. , Krempel J. , Lauss B. , Lefort T. , Lemiere Y. , Leredde A. , Mohanmurthy P. , Mtchedlishvili A. , Naviliat-Cuncic O. , Pais D. , Piegsa F. M. , Pignol G. , Rawlik M. , Rebreyend D. , Rienäcker I. , Ries D. , Roccia S. , Rozpedzik D. , Schmidt-Wellenburg P. , Schnabel A. , Virot R. , Weis A. , Wursten E. , Zejma J. , Zsigmond G.
Published: April 2021

Psychological bias towards, or away from, prior measurements or theory predictions is an intrinsic threat to any data analysis. While various methods can be used to try to avoid such a bias, e.g. actively avoiding looking at the result, only data blinding is a traceable and trustworthy method that can circumvent the bias and convince a public audience that there is not even an accidental psychological bias. Data blinding is nowadays a standard practice in particle physics, but it is particularly difficult for experiments searching for the neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM), as several cross measurements, in particular of the magnetic field, create a self-consistent network into which it is hard to inject a false signal. We present an algorithm that modifies the data without influencing the experiment. Results of an automated analysis of the data are used to change the recorded spin state of a few neutrons within each measurement cycle. The flexible algorithm may be applied twice (or more) to the data, thus providing the option of sequentially applying various blinding offsets for separate analysis steps with independent teams. The subtle manner in which the data are modified allows one subsequently to adjust the algorithm and to produce a re-blinded data set without revealing the initial blinding offset. The method was designed for the 2015/2016 measurement campaign of the nEDM experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute. However, it can be re-used with minor modification for the follow-up experiment n2EDM, and may be suitable for comparable projects elsewhere.
Sub-TeV hadronic interaction model differences and their impact on air showers
Authors: Pastor-Gutiérrez Á. , Schoorlemmer H. , Parsons R. D. , Schmelling M.
Published: April 2021

In the sub-TeV regime, the most widely used hadronic interaction models disagree significantly in their predictions for post-first interaction and ground-level particle spectra from cosmic ray induced air showers. These differences generate an important source of systematic uncertainty in their experimental use. We investigate the nature and impact of model uncertainties through a simultaneous analysis of ground level particles and first interaction scenarios. We focus on air shower primaries with energies close to the transition between high and low energy hadronic interaction models, where the dissimilarities have been shown to be the largest and well within the range of accelerator measurements. Interaction models are shown to diverge as several shower scenarios are compared, reflecting intrinsic differences in the model theoretical frameworks. Finally, we discuss the importance of interactions in the energy regime where the switching between models occurs ($$<1$$

<
1

 TeV) and the effect of the choice of model on the number of hadronic interactions within cosmic ray induced air showers of higher energies.
Investigation of $$\varXi _c^0$$ in a chiral quark model
Authors: Hu Xiaohuang , Tan Yue , Ping Jialun
Published: April 2021

Recently, three new states of $$\varXi _c^0$$

Ξ
c
0

were observed in the invariant mass spectrum of $$\varLambda ^+_cK^-$$

Λ
c
+

K
-

by LHCb collaboration. In this work, we use a chiral quark model to investigate these three exited states with the help of Gaussian expansion method both in three-quark structure and in five-quark structure with all possible quantum numbers $$IJ^P=\frac{1}{2}(\frac{1}{2})^-$$

I

J
P

=

1
2

(

1
2

)

-

, $$\frac{1}{2}(\frac{3}{2})^-$$

1
2

(

3
2

)

-

, $$\frac{1}{2}(\frac{5}{2})^-$$

1
2

(

5
2

)

-

, $$\frac{3}{2}(\frac{1}{2})^-$$

3
2

(

1
2

)

-

, $$\frac{3}{2}(\frac{3}{2})^-$$

3
2

(

3
2

)

-

and $$\frac{3}{2}(\frac{5}{2})^-$$

3
2

(

5
2

)

-

. The calculations shows that the masses of 2S and 1D states of $$\varXi _c$$

Ξ
c

are comparable to experimental results; In addition, the resonance states of five-quark configuration are possible candidates of these new states with negative parity by using the real scaling method and their decay width is also given.
Universality and herd immunity threshold: Revisiting the SIR model for COVID-19
Authors: Chowdhury Sourav , Roychowdhury Suparna , Chaudhuri Indranath
Published: April 2021

COVID-19 pandemic has been raging all around the world for almost a year now, as of November 1, 2020. In this paper, we try to analyze the variation of the COVID-19 pandemic in different countries in the light of some modifications to the susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) model. The SIR model was modified by taking time-dependent rate parameters. From this modified SIR model, the basic reproduction number, effective reproduction number, herd immunity, and herd immunity threshold are redefined. The re-outbreak of the COVID-19 is a real threat to various countries. We have used the above-mentioned quantities to find the reasons behind the re-outbreak of this disease. Also, the effectiveness of herd immunity to prevent an epidemic has been analyzed with respect to this model. We have also tried to show that there are certain universal aspects in the spread and containment of the disease in various countries for a short period of time. Finally, we have also analyzed the current pandemic situation in India and have attempted to discuss the possibilities in order to predict its future behavior using our model.
Nucleon gluon distribution function from 2 + 1 + 1-flavor lattice QCD
Authors: Fan Zhouyou , Zhang Rui , Lin Huey-Wen
Published: April 2021

The parton distribution functions (PDFs) provide process-independent information about the quarks and gluons inside hadrons. Although the gluon PDF can be obtained from a global fit to experimental data, it is not constrained well in the large-[Formula: see text] region. Theoretical gluon-PDF studies are much fewer than those of the quark PDFs. In this work, we present the first lattice-QCD results that access the [Formula: see text]-dependence of the gluon unpolarized PDF of the nucleon. The lattice calculation is carried out with nucleon momenta up to 2.16 GeV, lattice spacing [Formula: see text] fm, and with valence pion masses of 310 and 690 MeV. We use reduced Ioffe-time distributions to cancel the renormalization and implement a one-loop perturbative pseudo-PDF gluon matching. We neglect mixing of the gluon operator with the quark singlet sector. Our matrix-element results in coordinate space are consistent with those obtained from the global PDF fits of CT18 NNLO and NNPDF3.1 NNLO. Our fitted gluon PDFs at both pion masses are consistent with global fits in the [Formula: see text] region.
Knowledge Management Processes and Service Innovation: Key Insights from Saudi International Airports
Authors: Almahamid Soud Mohammad , Al-Jayyousi Odeh Rashid , Alalawi Adel Ismail , AlQarny Adel Saad
Published: April 2021

This study aims to examine the influence of knowledge management processes and organizational creativity on service innovation for international airports in Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was used to collect data from a convenient sample of 315 respondents. The results extend the “spiral” knowledge assumption to include knowledge sharing and application processes. The study finds that knowledge creation has a significant positive impact on knowledge sharing, which in turn influences knowledge application. Moreover, knowledge management processes have a significant positive impact on organizational creativity, whereas organizational creativity does not have any impact on service innovation.