bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on classification method based on multi-scale segmentation and hierarchical classification
Authors: Zhang Xiaohua , Wang Hui , Xue Wenxiang , Qin Chaoyun , Wu Yuping , Wang Shuyuan , Qiu Peng
Published: February 2022

This paper transmission line corridors covering area in Hebei north area as the research object to explore multi-scale segmentation threshold suitable for Hebei north image, found applicable to Hebei north region segmentation threshold rules. Main methods are the object-oriented multi-scale segmentation and hierarchical classification, using image segmentation principle, make full use of high resolution image rich features such as shape, texture, object relationships. It is used for the follow-up investigation of hidden danger of external damage of power transmission channel in northern Hebei region. The main conclusions of the experiment are as follows: 1. By comparing and analyzing the results of five groups of different thresholds (40, 50, 60, 70 and 80), it is concluded that the single threshold of the multi-scale segmentation method suitable for most mountainous images in the study area is 60, and this method can achieve high-precision ground object classification for images in northern Hebei region. 2. The ground feature cover classification method that is more suitable for the parallel processing of a large number of study areas is the object-oriented hierarchical classification method, and preliminary exploration results of detailed parameters have been achieved.
Research on technical scheme for multi type load resource information access
Authors: Wang Xin , WAN Bo , Zhou Wei , Niu Huaitong , Feng Sibo
Published: February 2022

In order to improve the regulation ability of adjustable load resources, realize the aggregation, sharing and regulation of “source-load-storage” regulation resources in the region, and improve the adjustable load management ability, the criteria and methods for accessing the operation system of load resource aggregators to the regulation center are proposed according to the safety protection requirements of power monitoring system and the communication ability of multi type load resource aggregators. To meet the security access of multiple resources, combined with different access modes of load resources, a network security protection mechanism combining software and hardware is proposed. Digital certificate, data encryption, situation awareness, analysis and early warning and other technologies are used to build security protection strategies for private network and different access modes such as Internet, wireless and optical fiber, so as to adapt to the security access of multiple resources. An interaction mode based on standardized data format, using web services (restful HTTPS), file interaction and 104 protocol could be established to adapt multi type adjustable load resource model and safe interaction of real-time data..
Redundancy and overactuation in cephalopod-inspired soft robot arms
Authors: Olson Gina , Adams Julie A. , Mengüç Yiğit
Published: February 2022

Current soft robotic arms commonly follow traditional—i.e. hard—robot design conventions. Omnidirectional soft arms most commonly consist of segments that contain three parallel longitudinal actuators, or actuator groups, of which one or two are activated to induce bending. This design uses the minimum number of actuators required for omnidirectional bending, which is consistent with traditional robot design but unnecessarily constrains the soft arm design space. The cephalopods that frequently inspire soft robot arms have tens of bundles of longitudinal muscle fibers, and these bundles are distributed around the limb circumference rather than grouped. This article analyzes fluid-driven soft arm architectures with up to 12 actuators, which mimics the redundant and distributed nature of cephalopod arms and tentacles, in order to investigate the performance implications of an arm morphology closer to nature. Overactuation (i.e. activating more than two actuators) was considered, which is possible because soft robots—unlike traditional robots—can tolerate misaligned or partially opposed actuation without jamming. A previously-developed generalizable model was used to simulate design performance, and a subset of the examined architectures were constructed and tested. Many-actuator soft arms achieve high strokes under equivalent load and equivalent actuation pressures, without sacrificing no-load reach. These arms are also able to achieve quasi-omnidirectionality, as well as to execute near constant-curvature turns using a simple actuation pattern and a single pressure signal. The introduced framework also enables non-circular cross sections that are not possible with minimalist arm designs, allowing the load capacity and reach to be tuned in multiple directions. Several elliptical cross section arms were analyzed to explore the potential of non-circular cross sections. Overactuated, many-actuator arms significantly expand the design space of soft arms, improving performance in some cases and introducing options to tailor behavior that are infeasible in structurally minimal arms.
Flexible conductive silk-PPy hydrogel toward wearable electronic strain sensors
Authors: Han Yuanyuan , Sun Lu , Wen Chenyu , Wang Zhaohui , Dai Jianwu , Shi Liyang
Published: February 2022

Conductive hydrogels have been studied as promising materials for the flexible and wearable bioelectronics, because of their unique electrical and mechanical properties. Addition of conducting polymers in biomaterial-based hydrogel matrix is a simple yet effective way to construct hydrogels with good conductivity and flexibility. In this work, a conductive hydrogel composed by a silk hydrogel and a conducting polymer, polypyrrole (PPy), is developed via in situ polymerization of pyrrole into the silk fibroin network. The silk-PPy hydrogel shows high conductivity (26 S m−1), as well as sensitive and fast responses to corresponding conformation changes. Taking advantages of these properties, flexible and wearable strain sensors are proposed for the monitoring of various body movements, which can detect both the large and subtle human motions with good sensitivity, reproducibility and stability. The hybridization of biomaterials and conducting polymers endows the multifunctions of the conductive hydrogels, thus showing considerable potentials in the advancement of the wearable electronics.
Modelling avocado-driven deforestation in Michoacán, Mexico
Authors: Arima Eugenio Y , Denvir Audrey , Young Kenneth R , González-Rodríguez Antonio , García-Oliva Felipe
Published: February 2022

As demand for avocado climbs, avocado production in Michoacán—Mexico’s biggest avocado growing region—expands into new places. We use a spatial probit model to project the geographic distribution of likely future avocado expansion and analyze those results to determine (a) threats to specific forest types and (b) how the distribution of avocado is shifting spatially under current and future climate scenarios. Our results suggest that avocado expansion in Michoacán is strongly driven by distance to existing agriculture, roads, and localities, as well as the dwindling availability of Andosol soils. As future expansion ensues, it presents risk of forest loss across various forest types, with pine-oak forest, mesophilic montane forest, and oyamel fir forest being of particular concern. Moreover, our results suggest that avocado production will occupy wider ranges in terms of temperature, precipitation, slope steepness and soil. The model predicts that climate change will alter the spatial distribution of avocado plantings, expanding into forest types at lower and at higher elevations. Forest loss threatens ecosystem degradation, and a wider avocado crop production footprint could lead to orchard establishment into dwindling forests that host a high diversity of native oaks and charismatic species, including the monarch butterfly.
Boosting climate change mitigation potential of perennial lignocellulosic crops grown on marginal lands
Authors: Martinez-Feria R A , Basso B , Kim S
Published: February 2022

Nitrogen fertilizer (NF) is a major uncertainty surrounding the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of lignocellulosic biofuels. NF enhances agronomic yields and soil C inputs via plant litters, but results in soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition, soil N2O fluxes, and a large fossil energy footprint. Thus, whether NF is beneficial or detrimental to the GHG mitigation of biofuels is unknown. Here, we show the potential GHG mitigation of fertilizing switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) at the NF rate that minimizes net GHG emissions across 7.1 million ha of marginal lands in the Midwest US, with long-term production advantages surpassing emitted GHG by 0.66 Mg CO2e ha−1 yr−1 on the aggregate. Marginal lands limited by poor N fertility could see a much greater benefit, but not SOC-rich lands, limited by low precipitation, or short growing seasons. The objectives of maximizing yield and minimizing GHG overlap only in a few environments, suggesting that maximum yield will reduce the climate benefit of cellulosic biofuels.
Observational constraint on the future projection of temperature in winter over the Tibetan Plateau in CMIP6 models
Authors: Peng Yuzhuo , Duan Anmin , Hu Wenting , Tang Bin , Li Xinyu , Yang Xianyi
Published: February 2022

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is known as one of the sentinels of global climate change. Substantial winter warming over the TP will likely lead, directly or indirectly, to a series of geological disasters such as snow and glacial avalanches. Hence, for better adaptation to climate change, it is vital to project the future change in winter temperature over the TP. However, the current state-of-the-art climate models involved in the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) still produce strong cold biases over most parts of the TP in their historical simulations. On the basis of selecting the optimal models, here we use the statistical downscaling method to constrain the projected winter temperature in CMIP6 models. The results show that the regions with the strongest winter warming over the TP will be near the Himalayas and the densely populated eastern regions. The constrained warming magnitude is much greater than that in the ensemble mean of the original 32 CMIP6 models or six best models over these regions. Therefore, early warning and forecasting services should be strengthened for the future temperature over these regions. Moreover, the long-term spatial warming varies greatly under four different future emission scenarios. Under the most severe scenario, the increase in winter temperature near the Himalayas exceeds 10 °C, which will greatly destabilize glaciers in the region, while the increase is only 4 °C–6 °C under the weakest scenario. Therefore, it is urgent to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to control the future temperature increase at hotspots of climate vulnerability such as the TP.
Biodegradable plastics in aquatic ecosystems: latest findings, research gaps, and recommendations
Authors: Ribba Laura , Lopretti Mary , Montes de Oca-Vásquez Gabriela , Batista Diego , Goyanes Silvia , Vega-Baudrit José Roberto
Published: February 2022

The negative impact of plastic accumulation in aquatic ecosystems is a known and undeniable problem. However, while many of the scientific community’s countermeasures against such accumulation target the effects of the most common commodity plastics, the consequences of so-called ‘biodegradable’ plastics in those ecosystems are seldom discussed. After all, though their alleged biodegradability sustains the widespread belief that they are harmless to the environment, because a material’s fate determines its classification as biodegradable or not, many plastics classified as biodegradable do not in fact meet the required norms and standards of biodegradability in aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, during the past five years, the scientific community has shown that the degradation of such plastics can generate bio-microplastics that have effects similar to or worse than those of conventional microplastics (MPs). Against that background, this review details the latest findings regarding how biodegradable plastics can influence aquatic ecosystems and thus cause adverse health effects in living organisms and/or act as vectors of chemical pollutants. Beyond that, it identifies the key aspects of such trends to be investigated in greater depth, including the need to consider a wider variety of biodegradable plastics and to develop systematic methods that allow quantifying and identifying the remains of those pollutants in living species. Other aspects worth considering include the arrival and mobilisation dynamics of MPs in oceans. The ways in which small animals fed by filtering (e.g. red crabs and other zooplankton organisms) move MPs through the water column and into food webs also merit attention, for those MPs are ingested by numerous species at different trophic levels, at which point bioaccumulation in tissues has to be considered as a factor of toxicity. This review closes with a series of recommendations and perspectives for future studies on ‘biodegradable plastics’ in aquatic ecosystems.
A new approach for determining optimal placement of PM2.5air quality sensors: case study for the contiguous United States
Authors: Kelp Makoto M , Lin Samuel , Kutz J Nathan , Mickley Loretta J
Published: February 2022

Considerable financial resources are allocated for measuring ambient air pollution in the United States, yet the locations for these monitoring sites may not be optimized to capture the full extent of current pollution variability. Prior research on best sensor placement for monitoring fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution is scarce: most studies do not span areas larger than a medium-sized city or examine timescales longer than 1 week. Here we present a pilot study using multiresolution dynamic mode decomposition (mrDMD) to identify the optimal placement of PM2.5sensors from 2000 to 2016 over the contiguous United States. This novel approach incorporates the variation of PM2.5on timescales ranging from 1 d to over a decade to capture air pollution variability. We find that the mrDMD algorithm identifies more high-priority sensor locations in the western United States than those expected along the eastern coast, where a large number of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) PM2.5monitors currently reside. Specifically, 53% of mrDMD optimized sensor locations are west of the 100th meridian, compared to only 32% in the current EPA network. The mrDMD sensor locations can capture PM2.5from wildfires and high pollution events, with particularly high skill in the west. These results suggest significant gaps in the current EPA monitoring network in the San Joaquin Valley in California, northern California, and in the Pacific Northwest (Idaho, and Eastern Washington and Oregon). Our framework diagnoses where to place air quality sensors so that they can best monitor smoke from wildfires. Our framework may also be applied to urban areas for equitable placement of PM2.5monitors.
Terahertz dynamic π-phase modulation with high transmittance using graphene-metal metamaterials
Authors: Huang Wenli , Luo Xiaoqing , Hu Fangrong , Li Guangyuan
Published: February 2022

Dynamic phase modulation of electromagnetic waves is desirable in many applications such as beaming, tunable focusing, and holography. However, it remains challenging to achieve both large dynamic phase shift and high transmittance based on terahertz metamaterials. Here we propose a double-layered graphene-metal metamaterial for achieving transmissive terahertz phase modulator with large dynamic phase modulation range and meanwhile high transmittance. Numerical results show that a large dynamic transmission phase shift reaching up to 180∘ and relatively high transmittance above 22% can be achieved simultaneously by varying the graphene Fermi level from 0 to 1 eV. We attribute this striking performance to the transition of the resonance type when the graphene Fermi level is tuned across a threshold. We expect that the proposed dynamic phase modulator will find applications in the tunable lens, holographic imaging and phased array antenna in terahertz regime.
Computing-in-memory with thin-filmtransistors: challenges and opportunities
Authors: Tang Wenjun , Liu Jialong , Li Hongtian , Chen Deyun , Jiang Chen , Li Xueqing , Yang Huazhong
Published: February 2022

Thin-film transistors (TFTs) have attracted significant interest recently fortheir great potential in a wide range of edge computing applications, due to their advantages such as large-area low-cost flexible fabrications, and well integration with sensors and displays. With the support of in situ processing of sensor data, TFT-based edge systems show their advantages in large-scale dense sensing with real-time energy-efficient processing and interaction, and more excitingly, they provide the opportunity to eliminate the massive data transfer to the cloud servers. However, the design of high-performance processing modules based on TFT is difficult, due to large device variation, poor stability, and low mobility. Computing-in-memory (CiM), which has been proposed recently as a high-efficiency high-parallelism computing approach, is expected to improve the capacity of TFT-based edge computing systems. In thispaper, various recent works on TFT-based CiM have been summarized, showing the superiority to conventional processing flow by efficient in-memory analog computation with mitigation of data transfer, and reduced analog-to-digital converter usage for sensor data. With both opportunities and challenges, the design space and trend of TFT-based CiM to be explored are then described. Finally, further development and co-optimization from device to system are discussed for the flourishing of the next-generation intelligent TFT-based edge system.
Optimization and modelling of the fracture inhibition potential of heat treated doum palm nut fibres in phenolic resin matrix polymer composite: a Taguchi approach
Authors: Alabi Abdulmumin Akoredeley , Samuel Bassey Okon , Peter Maiwada Elisha , Tahir Suraya Mohd
Published: February 2022

The chemical treatment of natural fibres for its surface modification for the development of polymer composites is popular but it comes with an adverse effect of a chemical change of the fibres. In this study, the surface modification of natural fibres (doum palm nut (DPN) fibres) with low-temperature heat treatment (30 °C–75 °C) has been reported as an alternative method to the treatment of natural fibres for the development of polymer composites. Taguchi method of the design of experiment was employed to determine the effect of temperature and fibre content on the mechanical properties (hardness and fracture toughness) of DPN fibre-reinforced phenolic resin polymer composite. The process showed that the best combination of fibre content and fibre treatment temperature for optimum hardness and fracture toughness and results proved to be at 5% and 75 °C respectively. Statistical analysis established the significance of heat treatment in improving the fracture toughness of DPN fibre reinforced phenolic resin composites. Physical observation with scanning electron microscope and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the improvement in interfacial bonding between the fibre and the matrix with the increase in fibre treatment temperature without a change in the chemical properties of the treated fibres. The study concludes that the treatment of fibres with temperature is an alternative and effective method to the chemical treatment.
On small values of indefinite diagonal quadratic forms at integer points in at least five variables
Authors: Buterus Paul , Götze Friedrich , Hille Thomas
Published: February 2022

For anyε>0\varepsilon > 0we derive effective estimates for the size of a non-zero integral pointm∈Zd∖{0}m \in \mathbb {Z}^d \setminus \{0\}solving the Diophantine inequality|Q[m]|>ε\lvert Q[m] \rvert > \varepsilon, whereQ[m]=q1m12+…+qdmd2Q[m] = q_1 m_1^2 + \ldots + q_d m_d^2denotes a non-singular indefinite diagonal quadratic form ind≥5d \geq 5variables. In order to prove our quantitative variant of the Oppenheim conjecture, we extend an approach developed by Birch and Davenport to higher dimensions combined with a theorem of Schlickewei. The result obtained is an optimal extension of Schlickewei’s result, giving bounds on small zeros of integral quadratic forms depending on the signature(r,s)(r,s), to diagonal forms up to a negligible growth factor.
Microlocal characterization of Lusztig sheaves for affine quivers and 𝑔-loops quivers
Authors: Hennecart Lucien
Published: February 2022

We prove that for extended Dynkin quivers, simple perverse sheaves in Lusztig category are characterized by the nilpotency of their singular support. This proves a conjecture of Lusztig in the case of affine quivers. For cyclic quivers, we prove a similar result for a larger nilpotent variety and a larger class of perverse sheaves. We formulate conjectures concerning similar results for quivers with loops, for which we have to use the appropriate notion of nilpotent variety, due to Bozec, Schiffmann and Vasserot. We prove our conjecture for

g
g

-loops quivers (

g
≥
2

g\geq 2

).
Minimality and uniqueness for decompositions of specific ternary forms
Authors: Angelini Elena , Chiantini Luca
Published: February 2022

The paper deals with the computation of the rank and the identifiability of a specific ternary form. Often, one knows some short Waring decomposition of a given form, and the problem is to determine whether the decomposition is minimal and unique. We show how the analysis of the Hilbert-Burch matrix of the set of points representing the decomposition can solve this problem in the case of ternary forms. Moreover, when the decomposition is not unique, we show how the procedure of liaison can provide alternative, maybe shorter, decompositions. We give an explicit algorithm that tests our criterion of minimality for the case of ternary forms of degree

9
9

. This is the first numerical case in which a new phenomenon appears: the span of

18
18

general powers of linear forms contains points of (subgeneric) rank

18
18

, but it also contains points whose rank is

17
17

, due to the existence of a second shorter decomposition which is completely different from the given one.
Eucalyptol targets PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway to inhibit skin cancer metastasis
Authors: Rahaman Ashikur , Chaudhuri Ankur , Sarkar Arnab , Chakraborty Sibani , Bhattacharjee Shamee , Mandal Deba Prasad
Published: February 2022

Eucalyptol (EU) is a monoterpenoid found as an active compound of many plants such as bay leaves, cardamom and is also found as a major constituent in eucalyptus oil. Although the anticancer activity of eucalyptol (EU) has been reported in a few cancer cell lines, its effect on tumor metastasis has not been studied so far. Here, we have shown that the EU has anti-metastatic activity against skin cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. EU decreases migration and invasion of skin cancer cells. Further, it reduces the expression of mesenchymal markers vimentin, snail, slug, twist, and induces the expression of epithelial marker, E-cadherin which indicates that it reverses the epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Gelatin zymography shows that the EU reduces the activity of MMP2 and MMP9. Furthermore signaling study by molecular docking and western blotting shows that EU modulates PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. The reduction in the expression of PI3K/Akt/mTOR was enhanced by the use of the PI3K inhibitor, LY294002. In vivo, the anti-metastatic potential of EU was confirmed in C57BL/6 mouse. In conclusion, the EU inhibits migration and invasion of skin cancer by modulating PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway both in in vitro and in vivo and might provide a new therapeutic approach in skin cancer.
The human vestibular cortex: functional anatomy of OP2, its connectivity and the effect of vestibular disease
Authors: Ibitoye Richard T , Mallas Emma-Jane , Bourke Niall J , Kaski Diego , Bronstein Adolfo M , Sharp David J
Published: February 2022

Area OP2 in the posterior peri-sylvian cortex has been proposed to be the core human vestibular cortex. We investigated the functional anatomy of OP2 and adjacent areas (OP2+) using spatially constrained independent component analysis (ICA) of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from the Human Connectome Project. Ten ICA-derived subregions were identified. OP2+ responses to vestibular and visual motion were analyzed in 17 controls and 17 right-sided vestibular neuritis patients who had previously undergone caloric and optokinetic stimulation during fMRI. In controls, a posterior part of right OP2+ showed: (i) direction-selective responses to visual motion and (ii) activation during caloric stimulation that correlated positively with perceived self-motion, and negatively with visual dependence and peak slow-phase nystagmus velocity. Patients showed abnormal OP2+ activity, with an absence of visual or caloric activation of the healthy ear and no correlations with vertigo or visual dependence—despite normal slow-phase nystagmus responses to caloric stimulation. Activity in a lateral part of right OP2+ correlated with chronic visually induced dizziness in patients. In summary, distinct functional subregions of right OP2+ show strong connectivity to other vestibular areas and a profile of caloric and visual responses, suggesting a central role for vestibular function in health and disease.
Diagnosis and Management of Genital Herpes: Key Questions and Review of the Evidence for the 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines
Authors: Johnston Christine
Published: February 2022

Genital herpes, caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 or type 2, is a prevalent sexually transmitted infection (STI). Given that HSV is an incurable infection, there are important concerns about appropriate use of diagnostic tools, management of infection, prevention of transmission to sexual partners, and appropriate counseling. In preparation for updating the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) STI treatment guidelines, key questions for management of genital herpes infection were developed with a panel of experts. To answer these questions, a systematic literature review was performed, with tables of evidence including articles that would change guidance assembled. These data were used to inform recommendations in the 2021 CDC STI treatment guidelines.
Middle-term outcomes in renal transplant recipients with COVID-19: a national, multicenter, controlled study
Authors: Oto Ozgur Akin , Ozturk Savas , Arici Mustafa , Velioğlu Arzu , Dursun Belda , Guller Nurana , Şahin İdris , Eser Zeynep Ebru , Paydaş Saime , Trabulus Sinan , Koyuncu Sümeyra , Uyar Murathan , Ural Zeynep , Sadioğlu Rezzan Eren , Dheir Hamad , Koç Neriman Sıla , Özer Hakan , Durak Beyza Algül , Gül Cuma Bülent , Kasapoğlu Umut , Oğuz Ebru Gök , Tanrısev Mehmet , Kuzgun Gülşah Şaşak , Mirioglu Safak , Dervişoğlu Erkan , Erken Ertuğrul , Görgülü Numan , Özkurt Sultan , Aydın Zeki , Kurultak İlhan , Öğütmen Melike Betül , Bakırdöğen Serkan , Kaya Burcu , Karadağ Serhat , Ulu Memnune Sena , Güngör Özkan , Bakır Elif Arı , Odabaş Ali Rıza , Seyahi Nurhan , Yıldız Alaattin , Ateş Kenan
Published: February 2022

Background

In this study, we evaluated 3-month clinical outcomes of kidney transplant recipients (KTR) recovering from COVID-19 and compared them with a control group.

Method

The primary endpoint was death in the third month. Secondary endpoints were ongoing respiratory symptoms, need for home oxygen therapy, rehospitalization for any reason, lower respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection, biopsy-proven acute rejection, venous/arterial thromboembolic event, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection/disease and BK viruria/viremia at 3 months.

Results

A total of 944 KTR from 29 different centers were included in this study (523 patients in the COVID-19 group; 421 patients in the control group). The mean age was 46 ± 12 years (interquartile range 37–55) and 532 (56.4%) of them were male. Total number of deaths was 8 [7 (1.3%) in COVID-19 group, 1 (0.2%) in control group; P = 0.082]. The proportion of patients with ongoing respiratory symptoms [43 (8.2%) versus 4 (1.0%); P < 0.001] was statistically significantly higher in the COVID-19 group compared with the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of other secondary endpoints.

Conclusion

The prevalence of ongoing respiratory symptoms increased in the first 3 months post-COVID in KTRs who have recovered from COVID-19, but mortality was not significantly different.
DSDBASE 2.0: updated version of DiSulphide dataBASE, a database on disulphide bonds in proteins
Authors: Kalmankar Neha V , Pavalam Murugavel , Indrakumar Sowmya , Srinivasan Narayanaswamy , Sowdhamini Ramanathan
Published: February 2022

Disulphide bonds are stabilizing crosslinks in proteins and serve to enhance their thermal stability. In proteins that are small and rich in disulphide bonds, they could be the major determining factor for the choice of conformational state since their constraints on appropriate backbone conformation can be substantial. Such crosslinks and their positional conservation could itself enable protein family and functional association. Despite the importance of the field, there is no comprehensive database on disulphide crosslinks that is available to the public. Herein we provide information on disulphides in DSDBASE2.0, an updated and significantly expanded database that is freely available, fully annotated and manually curated database on native and modelled disulphides. The web interface also provides several useful computational tools that have been specifically developed for proteins containing disulphide crosslinks. The modelling of disulphide crosslinks is performed using stereochemical criteria, coded within our Modelling of Disulphides in Proteins (MODIP) algorithm. The inclusion of modelled disulphides potentially enhances the loop database substantially, thereby permitting the recognition of compatible polypeptide segments that could serve as templates for immediate modelling. The DSDBASE2.0 database has been updated to include 153,944 PDB entries, 216,096 native and 20,153,850 modelled disulphide bond segments from PDB January 2021 release. The current database also provides a resource to user-friendly search for multiple disulphide bond containing loops, along with annotation of their function using GO and subcellular localization of the query. Furthermore, it is possible to obtain the three-dimensional models of disulphide-rich small proteins using an independent algorithm, RANMOD, that generates and examines random, but allowed backbone conformations of the polypeptide. DSDBASE2.0 still remains the largest open-access repository that organizes all disulphide bonds of proteins on a single platform. The database can be accessed from http://caps.ncbs.res.in/dsdbase2.
Native Flowering Border Crops Attract High Pollinator Abundance and Diversity, Providing Growers the Opportunity to Enhance Pollination Services
Authors: Butters Jessica , Murrell Ebony , Spiesman Brian J , Kim Tania N
Published: February 2022

Over the past century, habitat loss from agricultural intensification has contributed to pollinator decline. One way to mitigate the harmful effects of agricultural intensification is through the re-introduction of native flowering plants as border strips that provide supplemental floral and nesting resources to pollinators. However, border crop species vary in bloom period and flower densities, and are thus likely to attract different suites of pollinator species. Resulting differences in pollinator community composition are likely to affect their ability to provide pollination services to adjacent crop habitat. To address these issues, we implemented a two-year study on the impact of different flowering border crops on pollinator abundance, richness, and community composition. We also examined which crop features (bloom duration, number of flowers, floral area) were most likely to affect pollinator densities. We found that native flowering plant border crops of diverse prairie mix and monocultures of silflower (Silphium integrifolium Michx.) and cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) attracted the highest abundance and species richness of bees and pollinator groups combined, while alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) attracted the highest lepidopteran abundance and species richness. We also found a significant, positive relationship between pollinator abundance and floral resource amount and bloom duration. These findings offer valuable insight into the impacts of different land management strategies on different pollinator groups, and thus provide landowners with management options for attracting specific pollinator groups and species.
Basic mechanisms in cardiogenic shock: part 2 – biomarkers and treatment options
Authors: Krychtiuk Konstantin A , Vrints Christiaan , Wojta Johann , Huber Kurt , Speidl Walter S
Published: February 2022

Cardiogenic shock mortality rates remain high despite significant advances in cardiovascular medicine and the widespread uptake of mechanical circulatory support systems. Except for early invasive angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention of the infarct-related artery, all other widely used therapeutic measures are based on low-quality evidence. The grim prognosis and lack of high-quality data warrant further action. Within Part 2 of this two-part educational review on basic mechanisms in cardiogenic shock, we aimed to highlight the current status of translating our understanding of the pathophysiology of cardiogenic shock into clinical practice. We summarize the current status of biomarker research in risk stratification and therapy guidance. In addition, we summarized the current status of translating the findings from bench-, bedside, and biomarker studies into treatment options. Several large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are underway, providing a huge opportunity to study contemporary cardiogenic shock patients. Finally, we call for translational, homogenous, biomarker-based, international RCTs testing novel treatment approaches to improve the outcome of our patients.
Implications of structural right ventricular involvement in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Zhang Yu , Zhu Yuming , Zhang Mo , Liu Jie , Wu Guixin , Wang Jizheng , Sun Xiaolu , Wang Dong , Jiang Wen , Xu Lianjun , Kang Lianming , Song Lei
Published: February 2022

Aims

In the clinical practice, the right ventricular (RV) manifestations have received less attention in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This paper aimed to evaluate the risk prediction value and genetic characteristics of RV involvement in HCM patients.

Methods and results

A total of 893 patients with HCM were recruited. RV hypertrophy, RV obstruction, and RV late gadolinium enhancement were evaluated by echocardiography and/or cardiac magnetic resonance. Patients with any of the above structural abnormalities were identified as having RV involvement. All patients were followed with a median follow-up time of 3.0 years. The primary endpoint was cardiovascular death; the secondary endpoints were all-cause death and heart failure (HF)-related death. Survival analyses were conducted to evaluate the associations between RV involvement and the endpoints. Genetic testing was performed on 669 patients. RV involvement was recognized in 114 of 893 patients (12.8%). Survival analyses demonstrated that RV involvement was an independent risk factor for cardiovascular death (P = 0.002), all-cause death (P = 0.011), and HF-related death (P = 0.004). These outcome results were then confirmed by a sensitivity analysis. Genetic testing revealed a higher frequency of genotype-positive in patients with RV involvement (57.0% vs. 31.0%, P < 0.001), and the P/LP variants of MYBPC3 were more frequently identified in patients with RV involvement (30.4% vs. 12.0%, P < 0.001). Logistic analyses indicated the independent correlation between RV involvement and these genetic factors.

Conclusion

RV involvement was an independent risk factor for cardiovascular death, all-cause death and HF-related death in HCM patients. Genetic factors might contribute to RV involvement in HCM.
Towards the new construct of academic English in the digital age
Authors: Khabbazbashi Nahal , Chan Sathena , Clark Tony
Published: February 2022

The increasing use of digital educational technologies in higher education (HE) means that the nature of communication may be shifting. Assessments of English for academic purposes (EAP) need to be reconceptualized accordingly to reflect the new and complex ways in which language is used in HE. With a view to inform EAP assessments, our study set out to identify key trends related to academic English using a scoping review of the literature. Findings revealed two major trends: (1) a shift towards multimodal communication which has in turn resulted in the emergence of new types of academic assignments, multimodal genres, and the need for students to acquire new skills to operate within this multimodal arena; and (2) the limitations of existing skills-based approaches to assessment and the need to move towards integrated skills assessment. We discuss the implications of these findings for EAP assessments.
Wage Differences between Atypical and Standard Workers in European Countries: Moving beyond Average Effects
Authors: Westhoff Leonie
Published: February 2022

This article provides a detailed picture of wage differences between atypical and standard workers across the wage distribution. It compares two distinct types of atypical employment, part-time and temporary employment, and examines seven European countries. Using 2016 EU-SILC data, the article presents quantile regression estimates of wage gaps associated with atypical employment across the wage distribution. The results show that wage patterns associated with different types of atypical employment are diverse and complex. Temporary employment is associated with significant wage penalties that decrease but largely remain significant towards the upper end of the wage distribution. In contrast, wage differences between part-time and full-time workers are smaller and range from part-time penalties at lower deciles of the wage distribution to non-significant differences or premiums at the top. These results suggest that different mechanisms may drive wage differences associated with different types of atypical employment. In particular, the article highlights the role of occupation in affecting atypical workers’ labour market position and, consequently, wages relative to standard workers. Overall, the significant heterogeneity in atypical employment and its wage consequences calls into question the usefulness of the concept as a unifying category for research.
Institutions and power relations and the implementation of community forestry: a case study of Taiwan
Authors: Li Shau Yin , Marafa Lawal M
Published: February 2022

Policy implementation outcomes occur through the interplay between the political interests and power relationships of actors within the underlying institutional arrangements. Using the Community Forestry Program in Taiwan as a case study, this study aims to (1) identify how the historical development of forestry policies shapes current institutional arrangements and the political interests of actors, (2) determine how institutional arrangements shape the power relationships and interactions between actors and (3) understand how these interactions produce the policy implementation outcomes. Focusing on eastern Taiwan, 24 semi-structured interviews were conducted. The respondents included officers at different tiers of Taiwan’s forestry authority and the communities that had participated in the policy between 2013 and 2017. Findings from the thematic analysis reveal that the forestry officers and communities have divergent political interests and expectations for the policy, and when disagreements arose, the political interests of forestry officers often prevailed over those of the communities. These findings further exemplify the state’s dominance in Taiwan’s forest management, wherein local communities are placed at the periphery and power has not yet been devolved formally to the communities under the existing institutional arrangements. Amendments to the broader legal framework are required to alter the existing power relationships and achieve decentralization of forest resource management.
Multi-trait selection for improved solid wood physical and flexural properties in white spruce
Authors: Rashidi-Jouybari Iman , Lenz Patrick , Beaulieu Jean , Nadeau Simon , Bousquet Jean , Achim Alexis
Published: February 2022

Commercial production of high-quality lumber for Nordic conifers is negatively impacted by long rotation age and adverse negative correlations between growth and wood quality traits. A prospective solution to ensure sufficient fibre quality from future plantations is to identify key wood traits for desired applications and to consider them in tree breeding programs. In this study, we used the widespread and largely reforested white spruce (Picea glauca [Moench] Voss) in Canada to investigate the genetic control of wood flexural properties such as stiffness, i.e. modulus of elasticity (MOE), and strength, i.e. modulus of rupture (MOR). We also looked at their phenotypic and genetic correlations with other wood quality and growth traits to assess the efficiency of indirect methods of selection to improve wood flexural properties in the context of multi-trait selection in tree breeding programs. To achieve this, standardized solid wood samples, growth records and standing tree wood quality traits were collected from 289 trees belonging to 38 white spruce families from a polycross genetic trial established on two different sites in the province of Quebec, Canada. Flexural stiffness and strength, height, diameter at breast height (DBH) and wood density showed moderate to high heritability. Flexural stiffness was also positively correlated at the genetic level with flexural strength, average wood density and acoustic velocity as an indirect measure of dynamic MOE (${r}_{\mathrm{G}}$ = 0.99, ${r}_{\mathrm{G}}$ = 0.78 and ${r}_{\mathrm{G}}$= 0.78, respectively). When selecting the top 5 per cent of the trees, the expected genetic gains varied from 3.6 per cent for acoustic velocity to 16.5 per cent for MOE. Selection based on wood density and acoustic velocity would result in considerable genetic gains in flexural stiffness. Several multi-trait selection scenarios were tested to investigate the genetic gains obtained from selecting with different combinations of growth and wood quality traits. The results showed that indirect selection for wood flexural properties by means of acoustic velocity and wood density are efficient methods that can be combined in operational white spruce breeding programs to increase simultaneously genetic gains for growth and wood flexural properties.
Champagne: Automated Whole-Genome Phylogenomic Character Matrix Method Using Large Genomic Indels for Homoplasy-Free Inference
Authors: Schull James K , Turakhia Yatish , Hemker James A , Dally William J , Bejerano Gill
Published: February 2022

We present Champagne, a whole-genome method for generating character matrices for phylogenomic analysis using large genomic indel events. By rigorously picking orthologous genes and locating large insertion and deletion events, Champagne delivers a character matrix that considerably reduces homoplasy compared with morphological and nucleotide-based matrices, on both established phylogenies and difficult-to-resolve nodes in the mammalian tree. Champagne provides ample evidence in the form of genomic structural variation to support incomplete lineage sorting and possible introgression in Paenungulata and human–chimp–gorilla which were previously inferred primarily through matrices composed of aligned single-nucleotide characters. Champagne also offers further evidence for Myomorpha as sister to Sciuridae and Hystricomorpha in the rodent tree. Champagne harbors distinct theoretical advantages as an automated method that produces nearly homoplasy-free character matrices on the whole-genome scale.
Factors That Affect the Rates of Adaptive and Nonadaptive Evolution at the Gene Level in Humans and Chimpanzees
Authors: Soni Vivak , Eyre-Walker Adam
Published: February 2022

The rate of amino acid substitution has been shown to be correlated to a number of factors including the rate of recombination, the age of the gene, the length of the protein, mean expression level, and gene function. However, the extent to which these correlations are due to adaptive and nonadaptive evolution has not been studied in detail, at least not in hominids. We find that the rate of adaptive evolution is significantly positively correlated to the rate of recombination, protein length and gene expression level, and negatively correlated to gene age. These correlations remain significant when each factor is controlled for in turn, except when controlling for expression in an analysis of protein length; and they also generally remain significant when biased gene conversion is taken into account. However, the positive correlations could be an artifact of population size contraction. We also find that the rate of nonadaptive evolution is negatively correlated to each factor, and all these correlations survive controlling for each other and biased gene conversion. Finally, we examine the effect of gene function on rates of adaptive and nonadaptive evolution; we confirm that virus-interacting proteins (VIPs) have higher rates of adaptive and lower rates of nonadaptive evolution, but we also demonstrate that there is significant variation in the rate of adaptive and nonadaptive evolution between GO categories when removing VIPs. We estimate that the VIP/non-VIP axis explains about 5–8 fold more of the variance in evolutionary rate than GO categories.
Time-course analysis and transcriptomic identification of key response strategies of Nelumbo nucifera to complete submergence
Authors: Deng Xianbao , Yang Dong , Sun Heng , Liu Juan , Song Heyun , Xiong Yaqian , Wang Yunmeng , Ma Junyu , Zhang Minghua , Li Jing , Liu Yanling , Yang Mei
Published: February 2022

Water submergence is an environmental stress with detrimental effects on plant growth and survival. As a wetland plant species, lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is widely cultivated in flood-prone lowlands throughout Asian countries, but little is known about its endurance and acclimation mechanisms to complete submergence. Here, we performed a time-course submergence experiment and an RNA-sequencing transcriptome analysis of the two lotus varieties “Qiuxing” and “China Antique”. Both varieties showed low submergence tolerance, with a median lethal time of approximately 10 days. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified a number of key genes putatively involved in lotus submergence responses. Lotus plants under complete submergence developed thinned leaves and elongated petioles containing a high density of aerenchyma. All four lotus submergence-responsive ERF-VII genes and gene sets corresponding to the low oxygen “escape” strategy (LOES) were elevated. In addition, a number of lotus innate immunity genes were rapidly induced by submergence, probably to confer resistance to possible pathogen infections. Our data also reveal the probable involvement of jasmonic acid in the modulation of lotus submergence responses, although to a lesser extent than the gaseous hormone ethylene. These results suggest that lotus plants primarily use the LOES strategy to cope with complex submergence-induced stresses, and they will be valuable for understanding the molecular basis underlying plant submergence acclimation.