bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heat Stress Effect on the Grain Yield of Three Drought-Tolerant Maize Varieties under Varying Growth Conditions
Authors: Chukwudi Uchechukwu Paschal , Kutu Funso Raphael , Mavengahama Sydney
Published: July 2021

A rise in global temperature will reduce maize yield, particularly in Africa, where maize is a staple food. Therefore, improving maize yield under heat stress will promote food security in the region. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of heat stress on the grain yield of drought-tolerant maize varieties under varied growth conditions. The experimental design used was a 2 × 3 × 3 × 2 factorial fitted into a completely randomized design with four replications. The factors were heat stress, maize variety, soil amendment, and soil type. The results showed a better yield from sandy clay loam over loamy sand soil. Varieties WE5323 and ZM1523 amended with poultry manure gave the best yield under the non-heat and heat-stressed environments, respectively. Heat stress reduced the cob weight, grain weight, grain number, and stover dry weight by 64, 73, 69, and 23%, respectively. Grain number, grain weight, and cob weight were the most informative yield attributes in this study and should be considered in a maize selection program. The ranking for the maize varieties was WE5323 > ZM1523 > WE3128. Drought-tolerant maize varieties can be useful in heat stress mitigation. This information is useful for the simulation of maize yields for heat stress-prone areas in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Key Genes Involved in Weevil Resistance in the Hexaploid Sweetpotato
Authors: Nokihara Kanoko , Okada Yoshihiro , Ohata Shinichiro , Monden Yuki
Published: July 2021

Because weevils are the most damaging pests of sweetpotato, the development of cultivars resistant to weevil species is considered the most important aspect in sweetpotato breeding. However, the genes and the underlying molecular mechanisms related to weevil resistance are yet to be elucidated. In this study, we performed an RNA sequencing-based transcriptome analysis using the resistant Kyushu No. 166 (K166) and susceptible Tamayutaka cultivars. The weevil resistance test showed a significant difference between the two cultivars at 30 days after the inoculation, specifically in the weevil growth stage and the suppressed weevil pupation that was only observed in K166. Differential expression and gene ontology analyses revealed that the genes upregulated after inoculation in K166 were related to phosphorylation, metabolic, and cellular processes. Because the weevil resistance was considered to be related to the suppression of larval pupation, we investigated the juvenile hormone (JH)-related genes involved in the inhibition of insect metamorphosis. We found that the expression of some terpenoid-related genes, which are classified as plant-derived JHs, was significantly increased in K166. This is the first study involving a comprehensive gene expression analysis that provides new insights about the genes and mechanisms associated with weevil resistance in sweetpotato.
The Dynamics of Flower Development in Castanea sativa Mill.
Authors: Alhinho Ana Teresa , Ramos Miguel Jesus Nunes , Alves Sofia , Rocheta Margarida , Morais-Cecílio Leonor , Gomes-Laranjo José , Sobral Rómulo , Costa Maria Manuela Ribeiro
Published: July 2021

The sweet chestnut tree (Castanea sativa Mill.) is one of the most significant Mediterranean tree species, being an important natural resource for the wood and fruit industries. It is a monoecious species, presenting unisexual male catkins and bisexual catkins, with the latter having distinct male and female flowers. Despite the importance of the sweet chestnut tree, little is known regarding the molecular mechanisms involved in the determination of sexual organ identity. Thus, the study of how the different flowers of C. sativa develop is fundamental to understand the reproductive success of this species and the impact of flower phenology on its productivity. In this study, a C. sativa de novo transcriptome was assembled and the homologous genes to those of the ABCDE model for floral organ identity were identified. Expression analysis showed that the C. sativa B- and C-class genes are differentially expressed in the male flowers and female flowers. Yeast two-hybrid analysis also suggested that changes in the canonical ABCDE protein–protein interactions may underlie the mechanisms necessary to the development of separate male and female flowers, as reported for the monoecious Fagaceae Quercus suber. The results here depicted constitute a step towards the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in unisexual flower development in C. sativa, also suggesting that the ABCDE model for flower organ identity may be molecularly conserved in the predominantly monoecious Fagaceae family.
Production of Low Molecular Weight Chitosan and Chitooligosaccharides (COS): A Review
Authors: Gonçalves Cleidiane , Ferreira Nelson , Lourenço Lúcia
Published: July 2021

Chitosan is a biopolymer with high added value, and its properties are related to its molecular weight. Thus, high molecular weight values provide low solubility of chitosan, presenting limitations in its use. Based on this, several studies have developed different hydrolysis methods to reduce the molecular weight of chitosan. Acid hydrolysis is still the most used method to obtain low molecular weight chitosan and chitooligosaccharides. However, the use of acids can generate environmental impacts. When different methods are combined, gamma radiation and microwave power intensity are the variables that most influence acid hydrolysis. Otherwise, in oxidative hydrolysis with hydrogen peroxide, a long time is the limiting factor. Thus, it was observed that the most efficient method is the association between the different hydrolysis methods mentioned. However, this alternative can increase the cost of the process. Enzymatic hydrolysis is the most studied method due to its environmental advantages and high specificity. However, hydrolysis time and process cost are factors that still limit industrial application. In addition, the enzymatic method has a limited association with other hydrolysis methods due to the sensitivity of the enzymes. Therefore, this article seeks to extensively review the variables that influence the main methods of hydrolysis: acid concentration, radiation intensity, potency, time, temperature, pH, and enzyme/substrate ratio, observing their influence on molecular weight, yield, and characteristic of the product.
Optimisation of Mechanical Properties in Saw-Dust/Woven-Jute Fibre/Polyester Structural Composites under Liquid Nitrogen Environment Using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Ganesan Velmurugan , Shanmugam Vigneshwaran , Kaliyamoorthy Babu , Sanjeevi Sekar , Shanmugam Suresh Kumar , Alagumalai Vasudevan , Krishnamoorthy Yoganandam , Försth Michael , Sas Gabriel , Javad Razavi Seyed Mohammad , Das Oisik
Published: July 2021

Natural fibre-based composites are replacing traditional materials in a wide range of structural applications that are used in different environments. Natural fibres suffer from thermal shocks, which affects the use of these composites in cold environment. Considering these, a goal was set in the present research to investigate the impact of cryogenic conditions on natural fibre composites. Composites were developed using polyester as matrix and jute-fibre and waste Teak saw-dust as reinforcement and filler, respectively. The effects of six parameters, viz., density of saw-dust, weight ratio of saw-dust, grade of woven-jute, number of jute layers, duration of cryogenic treatment of composite and duration of alkaline treatment of fibres on the mechanical properties of the composite was evaluated with an objective to maximise hardness, tensile, impact and flexural strengths. Taguchi method was used to design the experiments and response-surface methodology was used to model, predict and plot interactive surface plots. Results indicated that the duration of cryogenic treatment had a significant effect on mechanical properties, which was better only up to 60 min. The models were found to be statistically significant. The study concluded that saw-dust of density 300 kg/m3 used as a filler with a weight ratio of 13 wt.% and a reinforcement of a single layer of woven-jute-fibre mat of grade 250 gsm subjected to alkaline treatment for 4 h in a composite that has undergone 45 min of cryogenic treatment presented an improvement of 64% in impact strength, ca. 21% in flexural strength, ca. 158% in tensile strength and ca. 28% in hardness.
The Amelogenin-Derived Peptide TVH-19 Promotes Dentinal Tubule Occlusion and Mineralization
Authors: Peng Xiu , Han Sili , Wang Kun , Ding Longjiang , Liu Zhenqi , Zhang Linglin
Published: July 2021

In this study, the amelogenin-derived peptide, TVH-19, which has been confirmed to promote mineralization, was evaluated to derive its potential to induce dentinal tubule occlusion. The binding capability of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled TVH-19 to the demineralized dentin surface was analyzed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Additionally, the sealing function of the peptide was studied through the remineralization of demineralized dentin in vitro. The adsorption results showed that TVH-19 could bind to the hydroxyapatite and demineralized dentin surfaces, especially to periodontal dentin. Scanning electron microscopy analysis further revealed that TVH-19 created mineral precipitates. The plugging rate in the TVH-19 group was higher than that in the PBS group. Moreover, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) results indicated that the calcium/phosphorus (Ca/P) ratio of the new minerals induced by TVH-19 was close to that of the hydroxyapatite. Attenuated total internal reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectrometry and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicated that the hydroxyapatite crystals formed via remineralization elongated the axial growth and closely resembled the natural dentin components. These findings indicate that TVH-19 can effectively promote dentin sealing by binding to the periodontal dentin, promoting mineral deposition, and reducing the space between the dentin tubules.
Thermodynamic, Economic and Environmental Analyses of Ammonia-Based Mixed Refrigerant for Liquefied Natural Gas Pre-Cooling Cycle
Authors: Soujoudi Ray , Manteufel Randall
Published: July 2021

Analyzing the entire liquefaction cycle, using a large temperature span with many degrees of freedom, may not always result in a practical solution. The objective of this paper is to investigate the feasibility of using an environmentally friendly refrigerant compound, ammonia, in the mixed refrigerant (MR) for the liquefied natural gas (LNG) pre-cooling cycle through thermodynamic performance, economic analyses and environmental impact. Fifteen cases studies within three major mixed refrigerants groups of MR-1, MR-2 and MR-3 were developed by adding ammonia to various molar compositions of lighter and heavier hydrocarbons. The thermodynamic analysis shows increasing ammonia’s concentrations in the mixed refrigerant by 10% had the largest enhancement on coefficient of performance (COP) of MR-1 by 0.67 and decreased the specific energy consumption of the pre-cooling cycle by 128 kJ/kg compared to the base case. Economic analyses revealed that the mixed refrigerant MR-1, with ammonia, methane, ethane and propane, benefited the most from higher concentration of ammonia in the mixed refrigerant, which resulted in both lower annual capital and operational costs by $2.52 MM and $3.67 MM, respectively. Lastly, reducing the methane concentration in MR and replacing it with ammonia, decreased the amount of refrigerant leakage through compressor’s seals and reduced the global warming potential index (GWPI) of mixed refrigerant up to 24.3%.
Safety Considerations by Synergy of HAZOP/DMRA with Safety Color Maps—Applications on: A Crude-Oil Processing Industry/a Gas Transportation System
Authors: Marhavilas Panagiotis K. , Filippidis Michail , Koulinas Georgios K. , Koulouriotis Dimitrios E.
Published: July 2021

A collaborative framework by the synergy of Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) process and the Decision-Matrix Risk Assessment (DMRA) in association with safety-color mapping (SCM) is presented, in order to identify critical points and prioritize risks, and also to visualize the occupational safety and health (OSH) situation, at the workplaces (i) of a sour crude-oil processing industry (SCOPI), and (ii) of a measurement and regulatory station (MRS) in a gas transportation system (GTS), situated in Greece. Firstly, the conventional HAZOP analysis is executed in order to identify the potential fault causes of abnormal conditions (deviations) in the plants. The application of the DMRA-modus is valuable to rank the identified risks (hierarchy of risks). In view of the results, both of the HAZOP pattern (for identifying the hazards) and also the DMRA one (for assessing and ranking the risks), SCMs have been derived for the specific workplaces of the SCOPI and the MRS/GTS station, which could be a precious means for safety managers to appraise the urgency of investing limited budgets in measures preventing particular types of deviations, and also protecting the employees.
Eastern Church Fathers on Being Human—Dichotomy in Essence and Wholeness in Deification
Authors: Chistyakova Olga
Published: July 2021

The article traces the formation of Eastern Christian anthropology as a new religious and philosophical tradition within the Early Byzantine culture. The notion “Patristics” is reasoned as a corpus of ideas of the Church Fathers, both Eastern and Western. The term “Eastern Patristics” means the works by Greek-Byzantine Church Fathers, who in the theological disputes with the Western Church Fathers elaborated the Christian creed. Based on an analysis of the texts of Greek-Byzantine Church Fathers, the most important provisions of Eastern Patristics are deduced and discussed, which determined the specificity of Christian anthropology. In this context, different approaches of the Eastern Fathers to the explanation of the Old Testament thesis on the creation of man in God’s image and likeness and the justification of the duality of human essence are shown. Particular attention is paid to considering the idea of deification as overcoming the human dualism and the entire created universe, the doctrine of the Divine Logoi as God’s energies, and the potential elimination of the antinomianism of the earthly and Divine worlds. The article reflects the anthropological ideas of the pre-Nicene Church Father Irenaeus, the non-canonical early Christian work The Shepherd of Hermas, and the teachings on the man of the classical Eastern Patristics period by Athanasius of Alexandria, Gregory of Nyssa, and Maximus the Confessor.
Politics of the Blessed Lady: Catholic Art in the Contemporary Hungarian Culture Industry
Authors: Loustau Marc Roscoe
Published: July 2021

I examine Hungary’s Catholic arts industry and its material practices of cultural production: the institutions and professional disciplines through which devotional material objects move as they become embedded in political processes of national construction and contestation. Ethnographic data come from thirty-six months of fieldwork in Hungary and Transylvania, and focuses on three museum and gallery exhibitions of Catholic devotional objects. Building on critiques of subjectivity- and embodiment-focused research, I highlight how the institutional legacies of state socialism in Hungary and Romania inform a national politics of Catholic materiality. Hungarian cultural institutions and intellectuals have been drawn to work with Catholic art because Catholic material culture sustains a meaningful presence across multiple scales of political contestation at the local, regional, and state levels. The movement of Catholic ritual objects into the zone of high art and cultural preservation necessitates that these objects be mobilized for use within the political agendas of state-embedded institutions. Yet, this mobilization is not total. Ironies, confusions, and contradictions continue to show up in Transylvanian Hungarians’ historical memory, destabilizing these political uses.
Optimization of Rocky Desertification Classification Model Based on Vegetation Type and Seasonal Characteristic
Authors: Qian Chunhua , Qiang Hequn , Wang Feng , Li Mingyang
Published: July 2021

Building a high-precision, stable, and universal automatic extraction model of the rocky desertification information is the premise for exploring the spatiotemporal evolution of rocky desertification. Taking Guizhou province as the research area and based on MODIS and continuous forest inventory data in China, we used a machine learning algorithm to build a rocky desertification model with bedrock exposure rate, temperature difference, humidity, and other characteristic factors and considered improving the model accuracy from the spatial and temporal dimensions. The results showed the following: (1) The supervised classification method was used to build a rocky desertification model, and the logical model, RF model, and SVM model were constructed separately. The accuracies of the models were 73.8%, 78.2%, and 80.6%, respectively, and the kappa coefficients were 0.61, 0.672, and 0.707, respectively. SVM performed the best. (2) Vegetation types and vegetation seasonal phases are closely related to rocky desertification. After combining them, the model accuracy and kappa coefficient improved to 91.1% and 0.861. (3) The spatial distribution characteristics of rocky desertification in Guizhou are obvious, showing a pattern of being heavy in the west, light in the east, heavy in the south, and light in the north. Rocky desertification has continuously increased from 2001 to 2019. In conclusion, combining the vertical spatial structure of vegetation and the differences in seasonal phase is an effective method to improve the modeling accuracy of rocky desertification, and the SVM model has the highest rocky desertification classification accuracy. The research results provide data support for exploring the spatiotemporal evolution pattern of rocky desertification in Guizhou.
Wheat Yield Prediction Based on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles-Collected Red–Green–Blue Imagery
Authors: Zeng Linglin , Peng Guozhang , Meng Ran , Man Jianguo , Li Weibo , Xu Binyuan , Lv Zhengang , Sun Rui
Published: July 2021

Unmanned aerial vehicles-collected (UAVs) digital red–green–blue (RGB) images provided a cost-effective method for precision agriculture applications regarding yield prediction. This study aims to fully explore the potential of UAV-collected RGB images in yield prediction of winter wheat by comparing it to multi-source observations, including thermal, structure, volumetric metrics, and ground-observed leaf area index (LAI) and chlorophyll content under the same level or across different levels of nitrogen fertilization. Color indices are vegetation indices calculated by the vegetation reflectance at visible bands (i.e., red, green, and blue) derived from RGB images. The results showed that some of the color indices collected at the jointing, flowering, and early maturity stages had high correlation (R2 = 0.76–0.93) with wheat grain yield. They gave the highest prediction power (R2 = 0.92–0.93) under four levels of nitrogen fertilization at the flowering stage. In contrast, the other measurements including canopy temperature, volumetric metrics, and ground-observed chlorophyll content showed lower correlation (R2 = 0.52–0.85) to grain yield. In addition, thermal information as well as volumetric metrics generally had little contribution to the improvement of grain yield prediction when combining them with color indices derived from digital images. Especially, LAI had inferior performance to color indices in grain yield prediction within the same level of nitrogen fertilization at the flowering stage (R2 = 0.00–0.40 and R2 = 0.55–0.68), and color indices provided slightly better prediction of yield than LAI at the flowering stage (R2 = 0.93, RMSE = 32.18 g/m2 and R2 = 0.89, RMSE = 39.82 g/m2) under all levels of nitrogen fertilization. This study highlights the capabilities of color indices in wheat yield prediction across genotypes, which also indicates the potential of precision agriculture application using many other flexible, affordable, and easy-to-handle devices such as mobile phones and near surface digital cameras in the future.
Shortcut Faults and Lateral Spreading Activated in a Pull-Apart Basin by the 2018 Palu Earthquake, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia
Authors: Komura Keitaro , Sugimoto Jun
Published: July 2021

Our understanding of pull-apart basins and their fault systems has been enhanced by analog experiments and simulations. However, there has been scarce interest to compare the faults that bound pull-apart basins with surface ruptures during earthquakes. In this study, we investigated the effects of a 2018 earthquake (Mw 7.5) on a pull-apart basin in the Palu–Koro fault system, Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, using geomorphic observations on digital elevation models and optical correlation with pre- and post-earthquake satellite images. A comparison of active fault traces determined by geomorphology with the locations of surface ruptures from the 2018 earthquake shows that some of the boundary faults of the basin are inactive and that active faulting has shifted to basin-shortcut faults and relay ramps. We also report evidence of lateral spreading, in which alluvial fan materials moved around the end of the alluvial fan. These phenomena may provide insights for anticipating the location of future surface ruptures in pull-apart basins.
Impact of Base-to-Height Ratio on Canopy Height Estimation Accuracy of Hemiboreal Forest Tree Species by Using Satellite and Airborne Stereo Imagery
Authors: Goldbergs Grigorijs
Published: July 2021

The present study assessed the large-format airborne (UltraCam) and satellite (GeoEye1 and Pleiades1B) image-based digital surface model (DSM) performance for canopy height estimation in predominantly mature, closed-canopy Latvian hemiboreal forestland. The research performed the direct comparison of calculated image-based DSM models with canopy peaks heights extracted from reference LiDAR data. The study confirmed the tendency for canopy height underestimation for all satellite-based models. The obtained accuracy of the canopy height estimation GeoEye1-based models varied as follows: for a pine (−1.49 median error, 1.52 m normalised median absolute deviation (NMAD)), spruce (−0.94 median, 1.97 m NMAD), birch (−0.26 median, 1.96 m NMAD), and black alder (−0.31 median, 1.52 m NMAD). The canopy detection rates (completeness) using GeoEye1 stereo imagery varied from 98% (pine) to >99% for spruce and deciduous tree species. This research has shown that determining the optimum base-to-height (B/H) ratio is critical for canopy height estimation efficiency and completeness using image-based DSMs. This study found that stereo imagery with a B/H ratio range of 0.2–0.3 (or convergence angle range 10–15°) is optimal for image-based DSMs in closed-canopy hemiboreal forest areas.
Optimizing the Performance of Pure ALOHA for LoRa-Based ESL
Authors: Khan Malak Abid Ali , Ma Hongbin , Aamir Syed Muhammad , Jin Ying
Published: July 2021

(1) Background: The scientific development in the field of industrialization demands the automization of electronic shelf labels (ESLs). COVID-19 has limited the manpower responsible for the frequent updating of the ESL system. The current ESL uses QR (quick response) codes, NFC (near-field communication), and RFID (radio-frequency identification). These technologies have a short range or need more manpower. LoRa is one of the prominent contenders in this category as it provides long-range connectivity with less energy harvesting and location tracking. It uses many gateways (GWs) to transmit the same data packet to a node, which causes collision at the receiver side. The restriction of the duty cycle (DC) and dependency of acknowledgment makes it unsuitable for use by the common person. The maximum efficiency of pure ALOHA is 18.4%, while that of slotted ALOHA is 36.8%, which makes LoRa unsuitable for industrial use. It can be used for applications that need a low data rate, i.e., up to approximately 27 Kbps. The ALOHA mechanism can cause inefficiency by not eliminating fast saturation even with the increasing number of gateways. The increasing number of gateways can only improve the global performance for generating packets with Poisson law having a uniform distribution of payload of 1~51 bytes. The maximum expected channel capacity usage is similar to the pure ALOHA throughput. (2) Methods: In this paper, the improved ALOHA mechanism is used, which is based on the orthogonal combination of spreading factor (SF) and bandwidth (BW), to maximize the throughput of LoRa for ESL. The varying distances (D) of the end nodes (ENs) are arranged based on the K-means machine learning algorithm (MLA) using the parameter selection principle of ISM (industrial, scientific and medical) regulation with a 1% DC for transmission to minimize the saturation. (3) Results: The performance of the improved ALOHA degraded with the increasing number of SFs and as well ENs. However, after using K-mapping, the network changes and the different number of gateways had a greater impact on the probability of successful transmission. The saturation decreased from 57% to 1~2% by using MLA. The RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) plays a key role in determining the exact position of the ENs, which helps to improve the possibility of successful transmission and synchronization at higher BW (250 kHz). In addition, a high BW has lower energy consumption than a low BW at the same DC with a double-bit rate and almost half the ToA (time on-air).
Rapid Prototyping of Inertial MEMS Devices through Structural Optimization
Authors: Giannini Daniele , Bonaccorsi Giacomo , Braghin Francesco
Published: July 2021

In this paper, we propose a novel design and optimization environment for inertial MEMS devices based on a computationally efficient schematization of the structure at the a device level. This allows us to obtain a flexible and efficient design optimization tool, particularly useful for rapid device prototyping. The presented design environment—feMEMSlite—handles the parametric generation of the structure geometry, the simulation of its dynamic behavior, and a gradient-based layout optimization. The methodology addresses the design of general inertial MEMS devices employing suspended proof masses, in which the focus is typically on the dynamics associated with the first vibration modes. In particular, the proposed design tool is tested on a triaxial beating-heart MEMS gyroscope, an industrially relevant and adequately complex example. The sensor layout is schematized by treating the proof masses as rigid bodies, discretizing flexural springs by Timoshenko beam finite elements, and accounting for electrostatic softening effects by additional negative spring constants. The MEMS device is then optimized according to two possible formulations of the optimization problem, including typical design requirements from the MEMS industry, with particular focus on the tuning of the structural eigenfrequencies and on the maximization of the response to external angular rates. The validity of the proposed approach is then assessed through a comparison with full FEM schematizations: rapidly prototyped layouts at the device level show a good performance when simulated with more complex models and therefore require only minor adjustments to accomplish the subsequent physical-level design.
Low-Cost and Highly Sensitive Pressure Sensor with Mold-Printed Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Dispersed in Polydimethylsiloxane
Authors: de Rijk Tim Mike , Lang Walter
Published: July 2021

Flexible pressure sensors with piezoresistive polymer composites can be integrated into elastomers to measure pressure changes in sealings, preemptively indicating a replacement is needed before any damage or leakage occurs. Integrating small percentages of high aspect ratio multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into polymers does not significantly change its mechanical properties but highly affects its electrical properties. This research shows a pressure sensor based on homogeneous dispersed MWCNTs in polydimethylsiloxane with a high sensitivity region (0.13% kPa−1, 0–200 kPa) and sensitive up to 500 kPa. A new 3D-printed mold is developed to directly deposit the conductive polymer on the electrode structures, enabling sensor thicknesses as small as 100 μm.
Optimization of the Critical Speed Concept for Tactical Professionals: A Brief Review
Authors: Dicks Nathan D. , Pettitt Robert W.
Published: July 2021

Tactical professionals often depend on their physical ability and fitness to perform and complete occupational tasks to successfully provide public services or survive on the battlefield. Critical speed (CS), or maximal aerobic steady-state, is a purported measure that predicts performance, prescribes exercise, and detects training adaptions with application to tactical professionals. The CS concept has the versatility to adapt to training with load carriage as an integrated bioenergetic system approach for assessment. The aims of this review are to: (1) provide an overview of tactical populations and the CS concept; (2) describe the different methods and equipment used in CS testing; (3) review the literature on CS associated with tactical occupational tasks; and (4) demonstrate the use of CS-derived exercise prescriptions for tactical populations.
An Attack on the Separation of Powers? Strategic Climate Litigation in the Eyes of U.S. Judges
Authors: Nedevska Jasmina
Published: July 2021

Climate change litigation has emerged as a powerful tool as societies steer towards sustainable development. Although the litigation mainly takes place in domestic courts, the implications can be seen as global as specific climate rulings influence courts across national borders. However, while the phenomenon of judicialization is well-known in the social sciences, relatively few have studied issues of legitimacy that arise as climate politics move into courts. A comparatively large part of climate cases have appeared in the United States. This article presents a research plan for a study of judges’ opinions and dissents in the United States, regarding the justiciability of strategic climate cases. The purpose is to empirically study how judges navigate a perceived normative conflict—between the litigation and an overarching ideal of separation of powers—in a system marked by checks and balances.
Sustainability in Education: A Scale on Perceptions of Organisational Discipline Related to the COVID-19 Period
Authors: Yerel Rasiha , Dagli Gokmen , Altinay Fahriye , Ossiannilsson Ebba , Altinay Mehmet , Altinay Zehra
Published: July 2021

Higher education institutions are the most important institutions that form the basis of societies. The devoted students, academic and administrative employees enlighten the future and keep these institutions alive. Employees of higher education institutions have to teach a discipline with the order existing in their organisation and their relations with each other. The purpose of this study is to determine using the “organisational discipline” perceptions of higher education employees in different situations and determine the differences according to their socio-demographic characteristics. In the literature review of this study, no scale related to the perception of organisa-tional discipline was found. For this purpose, a scale consisting of six sub-dimensions that will cover the perception of organisational discipline was prepared. The validity and reliability of the prepared scale were determined by conducting a study. COVID-19 pandemic affected the world in all sectors throughout, a prepared scale was applied to 357 higher education institution academics who has been teaching online for a long time. Forward-looking sustainable higher education strategy, the discipline scale plays an essential role in the organisation. In this period, the perceptions of organisational discipline were tried to be determined by considering their current situation. The data obtained in the research were applied independent sample t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA); T-test, one of the post-hoc tests, was used as further analysis. The study determined that if there is significant difference in perceptions of organisational discipline related to gender, age, nationality, educational status, professional seniority, academic title and working style.
The Triadic Framework: Integrating Nature, Communities, and Belief Systems into the Self-Concept for Sustained Conservation Action
Authors: Korach Jill , McConnell Allen R.
Published: July 2021

It can be difficult for people to perform the behaviors necessary to address sustainability challenges because selfish actions are often more appealing than choices that benefit nature and future generations. Although many useful approaches to pro-environmentalism focus on strengthening relatively simple bivariate relations (e.g., nature connectedness and community-based conservation), we propose that more effective outcomes can be realized by combining three mutually reinforcing elements that support sustainability. Specifically, we outline our Triadic Framework, which focuses on the integration of nature, communities, and belief systems with each other and within people’s self-concepts. In addition to emphasizing the shared overlap among these reciprocal elements, this framework stresses that greater integration of one’s sense of self with these elements will heighten personal motivations to perform sustainable actions. Our paper examines (1) the interconnections among nature, communities, and belief systems and (2) how these three elements can be interrelated and enmeshed in people’s self-concepts to produce greater commitment to conservation. Finally, we describe a real-world example of the Triadic Framework used effectively to promote conservation of mature forests in the Western Ghats of India, and we outline ways for others to leverage this framework to address everyday sustainability challenges.
Model Membrane Systems Used to Study Plasma Membrane Lipid Asymmetry
Authors: Scott Haden L. , Kennison Kristen B. , Enoki Thais A. , Doktorova Milka , Kinnun Jacob J. , Heberle Frederick A. , Katsaras John
Published: July 2021

It is well known that the lipid distribution in the bilayer leaflets of mammalian plasma membranes (PMs) is not symmetric. Despite this, model membrane studies have largely relied on chemically symmetric model membranes for the study of lipid–lipid and lipid–protein interactions. This is primarily due to the difficulty in preparing stable, asymmetric model membranes that are amenable to biophysical studies. However, in the last 20 years, efforts have been made in producing more biologically faithful model membranes. Here, we review several recently developed experimental and computational techniques for the robust generation of asymmetric model membranes and highlight a new and particularly promising technique to study membrane asymmetry.
Temporal Klein Model for Particle-Pair Creation
Authors: Mendonça José Tito
Published: July 2021

This work considers the creation of electron-positron pairs from intense electric fields in vacuum, for arbitrary temporal field variations. These processes can be useful to study quantum vacuum effects with ultra-intense lasers. We use the quantized Dirac field to explore the temporal Klein model. This model is based on a vector potential discontinuity in time, in contrast with the traditional model based on a scalar potential discontinuity in space. We also extend the model by introducing a finite time-scale for potential variations. This allows us to study the transition from a singular electric field spike, with infinitesimal duration, to the opposite case of a static field where the Schwinger formula would apply. The present results are intrinsically non-perturbative. Explicit expressions for pair-creation as a function of the potential time-scales are derived. This work explores the spacetime symmetry associated with pair creation in vacuum: the space symmetry breaking of the old Klein paradox model, in contrast with the time symmetry breaking of the temporal Klein model.
Potential Utility of Natural Killer Cells for Eliminating Cells Harboring Reactivated Latent HIV-1 Following the Removal of CD8+ T Cell-Mediated Pro-Latency Effect(s)
Authors: Khoury Georges , Kulpa Deanna A. , Parsons Matthew S.
Published: July 2021

An impediment to curing HIV-1 infection is the persistence of latently infected cells in ART-treated people living with HIV (PLWH). A key strategy for curing HIV-1 infection is to activate transcription and translation of latent virus using latency reversing agents (LRAs) and eliminate cells harboring reactivated virus via viral cytopathic effect or immune clearance. In this review, we provide an overview of available LRAs and their use in clinical trials. Furthermore, we describe recent data suggesting that CD8+ T cells promote HIV-1 latency in the context of ART, even in the presence of LRAs, which might at least partially explain the clinical inefficiency of previous “shock and kill” trials. Here, we propose a novel cure strategy called “unlock, shock, disarm, and kill”. The general premise of this strategy is to shut down the pro-latency function(s) of CD8+ T cells, use LRAs to reverse HIV-1 latency, counteract anti-apoptotic molecules, and engage natural killer (NK) cells to mediate the killing of cells harboring reactivated latent HIV-1.
Special Issue “Structural Variations and Molecular Genetics of Hepatitis Virus and Related Viruses”
Authors: Fujiwara Kei
Published: July 2021

In this special issue, we present collected updated data on the hepatitis viruses [...]
Design, Simulation and Optimization of an Electrical Drive-Train
Authors: Schumacher Sven , Schmid Stefan , Wieser Philipp , Stetter Ralf , Till Markus
Published: July 2021

Today, design engineers engaged in the development of a high-performance electrical drive-train are challenged by the multitude of possible topological choices and numerous mutually interconnected physical phenomena. Development teams around the globe struggle with this challenge; usually they employ several tools for simulation and topology optimization and transfer multiple versions of their product models in a mainly manual process. The research presented in this paper aims to explore a holistic possibility to realize a sensible analysis-synthesis cycle that takes into consideration current developments in design, simulation and optimization processes. This kind of process can enhance the transparency of design decisions, can reduce the risk of design and process flaws and can support the approach toward a holistic optimum. The investigation starts with the development of the topological concept of the drive-train and continues over the interconnected simulation of several decisive properties of the drive-train. Obviously, these properties concern several domains (mechanical, electrical, thermal and the control domain). The optimization of the drive-train takes into consideration the main requirement—in the investigated example, which is a formula student drive-train—the lap time. The result is a holistic concept for a design, simulation and optimization approach that considers topological variety, interconnected multi-domain simulation and a continuous connection to the decisive requirements.
Land consolidation and the development of rent relations in agriculture
Authors: Sagaydak A. E. , Sagaydak A. A.
Published: July 2021

The article analyzes the impact of agricultural land consolidation on the development of rent relations in the agrarian sector of the national economy.
Geophysical model to determine density of the gravitating body
Authors: Kochiev A. A. , Cherviakov A. V.
Published: July 2021

In [5], an analytical formula for determining the density is obtained in the case when the external gravitational fi eld of the body is zero, it is absent. In this paper we continue the research started in [5]. The inhomogeneous linear integrodifferential equation of Geophysics for determination of density of the gravitating body is received. It is proved that with the help of this equation it is possible to obtain the solution of internal and external boundary value Dirichlet problems and to determine the density of the gravitational body. However, in our opinion, much more important is the fact that the density cannot be determined in other ways, because it is impossible to penetrate into the body.
Narcisismo e Melancolia em Psicologia das Massas e Análise do Eu: aproximações
Authors: Abreu Pereira Mateus , Rodrigues de Souza Mauricio
Published: July 2021

Ao levar em conta a sua importância tanto metapsicológica quanto social, este artigo traça um itinerário das noções de narcisismo e melancolia no escopo de “Psicologia das Massas e Análise do Eu”. Neste sentido, ao promover uma reconstituição do caminho que se inicia em “Introdução ao Narcisismo” e “Luto e Melancolia” até a reaparição desses conceitos no texto sobre a psicologia das massas, pretende lançar luz sobre os processos de idealização, identificação e introjeção que, de acordo com Freud, ladrilham uma continuidade entre sujeito e sociedade. Conclusivamente, aponta possíveis conexões entre a cisão do Eu, a servidão melancólica e as tentativas de reaver um narcisismo mediante a imersão nas massas hodiernas.
Питання залучення молоді на державну службу
Authors: Dotsenko Tetiana
Published: July 2021

У статті подано результати аналізу питання залучення молодих людей на державну службу з огляду на суспільні настрої і тенденції, що побутують серед сучасної молоді. Автором, на базі тематичного опитувальника та аналізу вітчизняних і зарубіжних досліджень попередніх років, проаналізовано перелік основних показників, що є вирішальними при виборі молодою людиною напряму свого професійного шляху, серед яких: домінуючі мотиваційні елементи; основні проблеми і недоліки державної служби; категорії престижності і привабливості; фокус на пріоритетних напрямках роботи; ціннісні установки та визначення найвагоміших компетентностей з огляду на світогляд молодої людини.
Встановлено, що ключовим елементом життєздатності української державної служби майбутнього є залучення молодих та амбітних фахівців із модерним поглядом на питання державного будівництва, неприйняттям застарілих, рудиментарних підходів до розуміння сутності державного управління, сформованим європейсько-орієнтованим світоглядом, мобільністю, відкритістю та політичною незаангажованістю. З іншого боку, наголошується на необхідності реформування окремих елементів сучасної державної служби, що не кореспондують із світоглядом і поведінковими особливостями молодих людей.
У статті зазначено основні підходи до визначення рівнів симпатії та антипатії до державної служби, виокремлені основні стоп-фактори і недоліки, що заважають залученню молоді у державний сектор, змодельовані характерні для більшості сучасної молоді морально-ціннісні орієнтири та досягнуто розуміння первинних потреб молодих державних службовців, з огляду на загальну психосоціальну та філософсько-світоглядну модель сприйняття суспільства і держави молоддю.
Автором наголошується на важливості оптимізації наявної системи залучення кадрів на державну службу з урахуванням дослідження суспільного клімату, поступовому підвищені престижності державної служби та створені більшої кількості можливостей для творчої та професійної реалізації молодих людей.
Polycystic ovary syndrome metabolic and hormonal dysfunction in relation to osteoarthritis onset and development: innocent bystander or major risk factor?
Authors: Georgiev Tsvetoslav , Kabakchieva Plamena
Published: July 2021

The close link between osteoarthritis (OA) and metabolic disorders on the one hand and hormonal disorders on the other suggests a possible association between OA and endocrine-metabolic disorders, such as PCOS. The aim of this review is to analyze the relationship between PCOS and OA, to consider the common pathogenetic mechanisms between the two conditions, and to summarize the data accumulated so far in the literature. For the purposes of our narrative review, a comprehensive search was conducted within credible databases. Our literature search found that epidemiological studies have shown a higher incidence of knee and hip OA in women with PCOS. This can be partly explained by obesity, which is a common intersection between the two conditions. Potential mechanisms among OA, PCOS, and obesity were considered. Another common point between OA and PCOS is that both conditions can be considered as highly heterogeneous syndromes with various etiologies, the result of a combination of systemic (genetic, hormonal, and metabolic) and local factors. To date, hyperandrogenism and greater cartilage thickness in young women with PCOS remain unclear in terms of determining the risk of developing OA. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to assess the “fate” of the weight-bearing joints in women with PCOS, who are more likely to suffer from knee joint complaints.
Noite
Authors: Silva Kayo Henriky Lima da
Published: July 2021

Produção Artística
A emergência do comentário oral via WhatsApp como gênero catalisador da correção
Authors: Moés Guilherme , Cavalcanti Iara Francisca Araújo
Published: July 2021

Este artigo apresenta os resultados de uma pesquisa que teve como objetivo investigar o uso do comentário oral por meio do WhatsApp, uma tecnologia digital móvel, no processo de correção de textos produzidos por alunos de um curso preparatório para o Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio (Enem). Esse curso, que em 2020 foi ofertado na modalidade remota, integra uma ação extensionista de uma universidade pública do interior da Paraíba. Nele, houve a implementação de uma sequência didática voltada para o desenvolvimento da argumentação e da informatividade. Do ponto de vista metodológico, este trabalho é um estudo de caso realizado no âmbito da Linguística Aplicada. As análises estão fundamentadas em estudos sobre (re)escrita e correção de textos advindos, principalmente, do campo aplicado dos estudos da linguagem. Os resultados apontaram a predominância da correção resolutiva e textual-interativa na composição do comentário oral, bem como que esse gênero catalisador ampliou as possibilidades de diálogo entre professor e aluno acerca do texto. Dessa forma, a correção favoreceu a apropriação de saberes sobre argumentação e informatividade pelos alunos na construção da nova versão da redação do Enem. Com isso, concluiu-se que a correção de texto demanda personalização, isto é, o estabelecimento de uma interação um-para-um.
A correção de textos escolares como prática e como objeto de pesquisa: entrevista com Eliana Donaio Ruiz
Authors: Bazarim Milene , Caiado Roberta Varginha Ramos
Published: July 2021

Eliana Donaio Ruiz é autora do livro “Como corrigir redações na escola: Uma Proposta Textual-Interativa”, cuja primeira edição foi publicada em 2001. Trata-se de um livro pioneiro no Brasil a respeito da correção de textos escolares e uma referência praticamente obrigatória tanto para pesquisadores que contemplam a correção enquanto objeto de estudo quanto para professores interessados em compreender e aperfeiçoar a sua prática corretiva.A autora possui Pós-doutorado em Linguística Aplicada, Doutorado e Mestrado em Linguística pela Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP (SP). Ruiz já foi professora de Língua Portuguesa na Educação Básica e, durante quase duas décadas, também prestou assessoria e consultoria em elaboração de textos e ensino de línguas.Atualmente, é professora adjunta do Departamento de Letras Vernáculas e Clássicas da Universidade Estadual de Londrina - UEL (PR), atuando na Licenciatura em Letras e no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Estudos da Linguagem (PPGEL). Eliana Ruiz tem se dedicado ao estudo do processo de ensino-aprendizagem e de formação de professores de Língua Portuguesa. Mais recentemente, suas pesquisas concentram-se na área da Linguística Aplicada e seus interesses atuais estão ligados ao ensino de português como língua materna, ao ensino-aprendizagem da escrita e às relações entre tecnologias digitais e educação linguística.A entrevista foi realizada em março de 2021 via e-mail.