bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multifaceted applications of probiotic Bacillus species in aquaculture with special reference to Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Nayak Sukanta K.
Published: September 2020

Microorganisms play an important role in water quality maintenance, waste management, productivity enhancement, nutrient cycling, functional feed development, protection against infectious diseases, delivery of antigens and several other health benefits in aquaculture. The most significant use of microbes in aquaculture to minimize the antibiotics and drugs is through probiotics. The scope of probiotics in modern aquaculture has been enormous due to the detrimental consequences of routinely used antibiotics and chemotherapeutic agents and demand for safe aquatic products for human consumption. Since past few decades, both scientific and commercial interests are burgeoning in this field, and over the years, several probiotics are successfully used in aquaculture. Among various probiotics that are being used, Bacillus species are the common probiotics that are used in different aquatic animals. Several probiotics species belonging to Bacillus genus are currently been used, and Bacillus subtilis is one of such probiotics that is very well‐researched and most widely used probiotics in aquaculture. While its probiotic use has already been an important component in diverse aquaculture practices, its application in water quality improvement, utility in bioflocs/bioremediation and vehicle to express and delivery of heterologous antigen are noteworthy. It exerts innumerable beneficial effects such as improvement of growth, nutrition, immunity and disease resistance in aquatic species. This bacterium adopts a variety of disparate and overlapping mechanisms such as synergistic, antagonistic, competitive exclusion and immune‐stimulating effects. This review summarizes various applications of this bacterium as probiotics, bioremediating agent, bioflocing agent and possible live vaccine vehicle in aquaculture.
Super‐abundant C4 grasses are a mixed blessing in restored prairies
Authors: Grman Emily , Zirbel Chad R. , Bauer Jonathan T. , Groves Anna M. , Bassett Tyler , Brudvig Lars A.
Published: September 2020

Forbs comprise most of the plant diversity in North American tallgrass prairie and provide vital ecosystem services, but their abundance in prairie restorations is highly variable. Restoration practitioners typically sow C4 grasses in high abundances because they are inexpensive, provide fuel for prescribed fires, can dominate reference sites, and suppress weeds that suppress sown forbs. However, C4 grasses can also suppress sown forbs, calling this practice into question. We evaluated how C4 grasses influence the abundance and diversity of sown forbs in 78 restored prairies across Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. We found that the direct negative effects of C4 grasses on sown forbs outweighed indirect positive effects that occurred as C4 grasses suppressed nonsown species, which in turn suppressed sown forbs. This pattern was especially strong for the C4 grass big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii). Therefore, strategies to promote big bluestem and other C4 grasses would not promote sown forbs. Although C4 grass cover was not strongly related to two hypothesized drivers (time since fire or site age), seeding density of C4 grasses increased their cover. Sown forb cover also increased with forb seeding density, increased indirectly with fire (through its negative effect on nonsown species), and decreased indirectly with soil water‐holding capacity (through its positive effect on nonsown species). These results highlight the complex interplay of species groups during grassland restoration and show how managers can promote sown forbs in restored prairies: increasing forb seeding density and reducing time since fire and the abundance of C4 grasses and weeds.
The short pulse equation: Bäcklund transformations and applications
Authors: Mao Hui , Liu Q. P.
Published: September 2020

A Bäcklund transformation (BT), which involves both independent and dependent variables, is established and studied for the short pulse (SP) equation. Based it, the nonlinear superposition formulae for 2‐, 3‐, and 4‐BT are presented. The general result for the composition of ‐BTs is achieved and given in terms of determinants. As applications, various solutions including loop solitons, breather solutions, and their interaction solutions are worked out.
Multiple organic–inorganic interactions and influences on heterogeneous carbonate‐cementation patterns: Example from Silurian deeply buried sandstones, central Tarim Basin, north‐western China
Authors: Ma Benben , Lu Yongchao , Eriksson Kenneth A. , Peng Li , Xing Fengcun , Li Xiangquan
Published: September 2020

This study investigates the importance of multiple organic–inorganic interactions on heterogeneous carbonate cementation patterns in Silurian deeply buried sandstones, central Tarim Basin, north‐western China, to evaluate their effects on reservoir quality. Petrographic observations and mineral geochemistry identify two stages of carbonate cementation: (i) eogenetic, poikilotopic blocky calcite precipitated at 20 to 50°C (δ13CVPDB from −0.3‰ to +6.8‰; δ18OVPDB between −6.6‰ and −2.9‰) and dolomite precipitated at 40 to 62°C (δ13CVPDB from +1.9‰ to +5.3‰; δ18OVPDB between −6.2‰ and −2.1‰); and (ii) mesogenetic, isolated pore‐filling ankerite formed at 70 to 120°C (δ13CVPDB from −14.4‰ to −6.6‰; δ18OVPDB between −11.6‰ and −7.8‰). The eogenetic carbonates are predominantly distributed as carbonate‐cemented beds or concretions along sandstone–mudstone contacts and were derived mainly from microbial methanogenesis of organic matter and dissolution of carbonate minerals in adjacent calcareous mudstones. The mesogenetic ankerite cements occur predominantly as carbonate‐cemented beds, concretions and patches, and are more concentrated in the central sections of sandstone bodies. It is inferred that ankerite cements were sourced from dissolution of eogenetic calcite and dolomite via in situ generation of organic CO2 related to thermal decarboxylation of organic acids within sandstones. Kinetic modelling results coupled with petrographic observations illustrate that mesogenetic dissolution of eogenetic calcite and dolomite cements did not enhance total reservoir porosity due to re‐precipitation of ankerite cements on a very local scale within sandstone bodies. The development of extensively carbonate‐cemented geometries (beds, concretions and patches) created by different generations of carbonate cements derived from external sources, led to reservoir heterogeneity and significant destruction of sandstone reservoir quality especially during diagenesis. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of multi‐stage, intra‐formational mass transfer induced by concentration gradients during organic–inorganic interactions in mediating a variety of spatial patterns of carbonate cementation under different diagenetic regimes. Better insights of these organic–inorganic interactions in a coupled sandstone–mudstone system could improve predictive models of heterogeneous diagenetic alterations in deeply buried sandstones of similar origin.
On the origin and significance of composite particles in mudstones: Examples from the Cenomanian Dunvegan Formation
Authors: Li Zhiyang , Schieber Juergen , Pedersen Per Kent
Published: September 2020

Despite the fact that mud‐dominated composite particles have increasingly been recognized as important components of marine mudstones, the characteristics, types and origins of these composite particles remain poorly understood. This incomplete understanding of critical mudstone parameters (for example, depositional grain size, composition at the particle scale and provenance) severely limits the ability to accurately interpret the conditions (for example, depositional environment and climate) under which these rocks were deposited. Herein, detailed petrographic analysis was conducted in core samples from a transect of contemporaneous proximal to distal deposits from the Cenomanian Dunvegan Formation, a fluvial‐dominated delta system in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. Within the well‐developed depositional framework, mud‐dominated composite particles can be tracked along the depositional profile of the Dunvegan Formation from the fluvial to the marine realm (from incised valley to distal prodelta). By following these particles from source (hinterland erosion) to sink (offshore deposition), the origin and dispersal of various types of mud‐dominated composite particles in marine mudstones can be unequivocally determined. Mud‐dominated composite particles derived from a wide range of origins are differentiated. Allochthonous mud‐dominated composite particles, supplied by rivers draining the hinterland, comprise volcanic rock fragments (vitric or felsic in composition), chert fragments, shale lithics (clay‐mineral‐rich or quartz‐rich in composition), metamorphic rock fragments and chlorite/siderite clasts. Autochthonous mud‐dominated composite particles include rip‐up clasts (argillaceous, sideritic or siliceous in composition) formed from intra‐basinal erosion and contemporaneous floccules. The recognition of mud‐dominated composite particles shows that the Dunvegan prodelta ‘mudstones’ are much coarser grained and more heterogeneous in terms of their petrographic composition than the grain size of their component minerals would suggest. Results of this study call for a critical reappraisal of the composition and actual grain size of mudstones in general. Recognition of mud‐dominated composite particles can provide valuable insights to unravel their provenance, transport history and depositional setting, and will greatly enhance their utility as palaeoenvironmental archives.
Naturally occurring language as a source of evidence in suicide prevention
Authors: Resnik Philip , Foreman April , Kuchuk Michelle , Musacchio Schafer Katherine , Pinkham Beau
Published: September 2020

We discuss computational language analysis as it pertains to suicide prevention research, with an emphasis on providing non‐technologists with an understanding of key issues and, equally important, considering its relation to the broader enterprise of suicide prevention. Our emphasis here is on naturally occurring language in social media, motivated by its non‐intrusive ability to yield high‐value information that in the past has been largely unavailable to clinicians.
Shy and still struggling: Examining the relations between subtypes of social withdrawal and well‐being in the 30s
Authors: Nelson Larry J. , Jorgensen Nathan A. , Clifford Brandon N.
Published: September 2020

There is growing evidence that motivations reflecting social withdrawal are linked to various correlates and outcomes in childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood. However, little work has examined the subtypes of withdrawn motivations in early adulthood. Hence, the purpose of this study was to compare shy, avoidant, unsocial, mixed‐withdrawn, and non‐withdrawn men and women in early adulthood on indices of well‐being. This study drew on a large, representative U.S. sample of 5,000 participants (2,930 female) ages 30–35 (Mage = 32.50, SD = 1.70). Findings reveal that shy, avoidant, and mixed‐withdrawal individuals experience more negative outcomes (e.g., receiving less education) and lower well‐being (e.g., lower life satisfaction, more internalizing problems, and regret) in early adulthood.
Genomic full‐length sequence of the HLA‐A*24:225:01 allele, identified by full‐length group‐specific sequencing
Authors: Zhu Yuli , Jiao Shuxian , Feng Zhihui , Pang Shutao
Published: September 2020

Genomic full‐length sequence of the HLA‐A*24:225:01 was identified by a group‐specific sequencing approach in a Chinese Han individual.
Quine's Scientific Realism Revisited
Authors: Pils Raimund
Published: September 2020

In order to reconnect Quine's views to the current debate on scientific realism, I reframe Quine's scientific realism into a semantic, a metaphysical, and an epistemological dimension. With this conceptual background, I review the historical development of Quine's scientific realism from the late 1940s until his death in 2000. I challenge Soames's view that Quine is a phenomenalist at the time of “Two Dogmas of Empiricism” (1951) and show that he remains agnostic between a realist and an anti‐realist conceptual scheme instead. I also argue that Quine's early views on regimentation are incompatible with a strong formulation of semantic realism. I proceed in reconstructing how he becomes a metaphysical and epistemological realist in the mid‐1950s and argue against the view of Keskinen and Fogelin that interprets Quine as being a metaphysical anti‐realist. Contrary to Davidson, I defend the view that he never gave up normative epistemology and really is a proper epistemological realist. Finally, I discuss how he tries to reconcile his realism with his thesis of ontological relativity and how this necessitates the switch to a stronger form of semantic realism.
Association of four‐factor prothrombin complex concentrate with subsequent plasma transfusion: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Roberts Sammie J. , Pokrandt Paul , Jewell Elizabeth , Engoren Milo , Berg Mary P. , Maile Michael D.
Published: September 2020

Objective

To assess whether patients prescribed four‐factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4FPC) received less plasma during the following 24‐hour period than those treated for the same indications who received only plasma.

Introduction

It is unclear whether 4FPC is associated with a reduction in subsequent plasma transfusion. This is important for minimising transfusion‐associated risks and for inventory management.

Materials and Methods

We retrospectively studied patients treated for bleeding or coagulopathy. Individuals receiving 4FPC were matched by indication to patients treated with only plasma. Blood products received during 24‐hour follow up were compared between 4FPC and plasma‐only patients.

Results

There was no difference in the number of patients receiving additional plasma (19 (21%) 4FPC patients vs 31 (34%) plasma‐only patients, P = .07) nor in the median number of additional plasma units received (0 units for both groups, interquartile range [0, 0] for 4FPC patients vs [0, 1] for plasma‐only patients, P = .09). Subgroup analysis comparing patients who received 4FPC for on‐label vs off‐label indications found no difference in the number of patients receiving plasma nor in the median number of plasma units received.

Conclusion

4FPC was prescribed to a diverse set of patients, and administration was not associated with reduced plasma transfusion at our institution.
National tuberculosis prevalence surveys in Africa, 2008–2016: an overview of results and lessons learned
Authors: Law Irwin , Floyd Katherine ,   the African TB Prevalence Survey Group
Published: September 2020

Objective and methods

Worldwide, tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent. In many countries, national TB prevalence surveys are the only way to reliably measure the burden of TB disease and can also provide other evidence to inform national efforts to improve TB detection and treatment. Our objective was to synthesise the results and lessons learned from national surveys completed in Africa between 2008 and 2016, to complement a previous review for Asia.

Results

Twelve surveys completed in Africa were identified: Ethiopia (2010–2011), Gambia (2011–2013), Ghana (2013), Kenya (2015–2016), Malawi (2013–2014), Nigeria (2012), Rwanda (2012), Sudan (2013–2014), Tanzania (2011–2012), Uganda (2014–2015), Zambia (2013–2014) and Zimbabwe (2014). The eligible population in all surveys was people aged ≥15 years who met residency criteria. In total 588 105 individuals participated, equivalent to 82% (range 57–96%) of those eligible. The prevalence of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB disease in those ≥15 years varied from 119 (95% CI 79–160) per 100 000 population in Rwanda and 638 (95% CI 502–774) per 100 000 population in Zambia. The male:female ratio was 2.0 overall, ranging from 1.2 (Ethiopia) to 4.1 (Uganda). Prevalence per 100 000 population generally increased with age, but the absolute number of cases was usually highest among those aged 35–44 years. Of identified TB cases, 44% (95% CI 40–49) did not report TB symptoms during screening and were only identified as eligible for diagnostic testing due to an abnormal chest X‐ray. The overall ratio of prevalence to case notifications was 2.5 (95% CI 1.8–3.2) and was consistently higher for men than women. Many participants who did report TB symptoms had not sought care; those that had were more likely to seek care in a public health facility. HIV prevalence was systematically lower among prevalent cases than officially notified TB patients with an overall ratio of 0.5 (95% CI 0.3–0.7). The two main study limitations were that none of the surveys included people <15 years, and 5 of 12 surveys did not have data on HIV status.

Conclusions

National TB prevalence surveys implemented in Africa between 2010 and 2016 have contributed substantial new evidence about the burden of TB disease, its distribution by age and sex, and gaps in TB detection and treatment. Policies and practices to improve access to health services and reduce under‐reporting of detected TB cases are needed, especially among men. All surveys provide a valuable baseline for future assessment of trends in TB disease burden.
Circulating Trypanosoma cruzi load and major cardiovascular outcomes in patients with chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Echeverría Luis E. , Rojas Lyda Z. , Rueda‐Ochoa Oscar L. , Gómez‐Ochoa Sergio Alejandro , González Rugeles Clara Isabel , Díaz Martha Lucía , Marcus Rachel , Morillo Carlos A.
Published: September 2020

Objectives

To analyse the effect of parasite load assessed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT‐qPCR) in serum on the prognosis of patients with chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCM) after a 2‐year follow‐up.

Methods

Prospective cohort study conducted between 2015 and 2017. One hundred patients with CCM were included. Basal parasitaemia levels of Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) were measured using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) test. The primary composite outcome (CO) was all‐cause mortality, cardiac transplantation and implantation of a left ventricular assist device. Secondary outcomes were the baseline levels of serum biomarkers and echocardiographic variables.

Results

After a 2 years of follow‐up, the primary CO rate was 16%. A positive qPCR was not associated with a higher risk of the CO. However, when parasitaemia was evaluated by comparing tertiles (tertile 1: undetectable parasitaemia, tertile 2: low parasitaemia and tertile 3: high parasitaemia), a higher risk of the CO (HR 3.66; 95% CI 1.11–12.21) was evidenced in tertile 2. Moreover, patients in tertile 2 had significantly higher levels of high‐sensitivity troponin T and cystatin C and more frequently exhibited an ejection fraction <50%.

Conclusion

Low parasitaemia was associated with severity markers of myocardial injury and a higher risk of the composite outcome when compared with undetectable parasitaemia. This finding could be hypothetically explained by a more vigorous immune response in patients with low parasitaemia that could decrease T. cruzi load more efficiently, but be associated with increased myocardial damage. Additional studies with a larger number of patients and cytokine measurement are required to support this hypothesis.
Patterns of healthcare seeking among people reporting chronic conditions in rural sub‐Saharan Africa: findings from a population‐based study in Burkina Faso
Authors: Do Stefanie , Lohmann Julia , Brenner Stephan , Koulidiati Jean‐Louis , Souares Aurelia , Kuunibe Naasegnibe , Hamadou Saidou , Hien Hervé , Winkler Volker , De Allegri Manuela
Published: September 2020

Objective

Non‐communicable diseases are rapidly becoming one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in sub‐Saharan Africa. Yet, little is known about patterns of healthcare seeking among people with chronic conditions in these settings. We aimed to explore determinants of healthcare seeking among people who reported at least one chronic condition in rural Burkina Faso.

Methods

Data were drawn from a cross‐sectional population‐based survey conducted across 24 districts on 52 562 individuals from March to June 2017. We used multinomial logistic regression to assess factors associated with seeking care at a formal provider (facility‐based care) or at an informal provider (home and traditional treatment) compared to no care.

Results

1124 individuals (2% of all respondents) reported at least one chronic condition. Among those, 22.8% reported formal care use, 10.6% informal care use, and 66.6% no care. The presence of other household members reporting a chronic condition (RRR = 0.57, 95%‐CI [0.39, 0.82]) was negatively associated with seeking formal care. Wealthier households (RRR = 2.14, 95%‐CI [1.26, 3.64]), perceived illness severity (RRR = 3.23, 95%‐CI [2.22, 4.70]) and suffering from major chronic conditions (RRR = 1.54, 95%‐CI [1.13, 2.11]) were positively associated with seeking formal care.

Conclusion

Only a minority of individuals with chronic conditions sought formal care, with important differences due to socio‐economic status. Policies and interventions aimed at increasing the availability and affordability of services for early detection and management in peripheral settings should be prioritised.
Dual‐color 3D‐dSTORM colocalization and quantification of ROXY1 and RNAPII variants throughout the transcription cycle in root meristem nuclei
Authors: Maß Lucia , Holtmannspötter Michael , Zachgo Sabine
Published: September 2020

To unravel the function of a protein of interest, it is crucial to asses to what extent it associates via direct interactions or by overlapping expression with other proteins. ROXY1, a land plant‐specific glutaredoxin, exerts a function in Arabidopsis flower development and interacts with TGA transcription factors in the nucleus. We detected a novel ROXY1 function in the root meristem. Root cells that lack chlorophyll reducing plant‐specific background problems that can hamper colocalization 3D microscopy. Thus far, a super‐resolution three‐dimensional stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (3D‐dSTORM) approach has mainly been applied in animal studies. We established 3D‐dSTORM using the roxy1 mutant complemented with green fluorescence protein‐ROXY1 and investigated its colocalization with three distinct RNAPII isoforms. To quantify the colocalization results, 3D‐dSTORM was coupled with the coordinate‐based colocalization method. Interestingly, ROXY1 proteins colocalize with different RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) isoforms that are active at distinct transcription cycle steps. Our colocalization data provide new insights on nuclear glutaredoxin activities suggesting that ROXY1 is not only required in early transcription initiation events via interaction with transcription factors but likely also participates throughout further transcription processes until late termination steps. Furthermore, we showed the applicability of the combined approaches to detect and quantify responses to altered growth conditions, exemplified by analysis of H2O2 treatment, causing a dissociation of ROXY1 and RNAPII isoforms. We envisage that the powerful dual‐color 3D‐dSTORM/coordinate‐based colocalization combination offers plant cell biologists the opportunity to colocalize and quantify root meristem proteins at an increased, unprecedented resolution level <50 nm, which will enable the detection of novel subcellular protein associations and functions.
Space and the desire for democracy in the 15M
Authors: Purcell Mark
Published: September 2020

This paper examines the relationship between democracy and space by investigating the spaces produced by the explosion of democratic desire during the 15M movement in Spain in 2011. It argues that participants produced a space that was more an agora than a parliament, more a plaza than a factory floor, and space that was more for use than for exchange. The paper argues that if the project for democracy is to thrive, it should be unceasingly attentive to the spaces that democratic desire produces, both in spectacular movements like the 15M and in the more quotidian practices of ordinary inhabitants all over the world.
Evaluation of the effects of intraabdominal hypertension on equine central venous pressure
Authors: Munsterman Amelia S. , Gillen Alexandra M. , Coleridge Matthew O. D. , Hanson R. Reid
Published: September 2020

Objective

To evaluate the effect of changes in intraabdominal pressure (IAP) on central venous pressure (CVP) in normal horses.

Design

Experimental, in vivo study.

Setting

University Teaching Hospital.

Animals

Convenience sample of 7 mixed breed horses—5 geldings and 2 mares.

Interventions

Pneumoperitoneum was induced in horses under standing sedation with carbon dioxide gas using a laparoscopic insufflator for a total of 60 minutes to simulate clinical elevation in IAP. Pressure was increased stepwise to 20 mm Hg over 30 minutes, and maintained at that pressure for 30 minutes to evaluate the effect of sustained intraabdominal hypertension. CVP was obtained from the cranial vena cava, concurrent with pressure obtained from the peritoneal cavity.

Measurements and main results

CVP increased as IAP increased up to 12 mm Hg, and declined as IAP increased further. The changes in CVP over time were significantly different (P < 0.03). Repeated measures correlation was positive, and highest, for mean CVP as IAP increased from 0 to 12 mm Hg (r = .70; 95% CI, .43–.85;P < 0.0001). Correlation of mean CVP with insufflation pressure became negative as IAP increased further from 15 to 20 mm Hg (r = –.47; 95% CI, –.66 to –.21;P = 0.0006).

Conclusions

This report provides preliminary data demonstrating a biphasic trend in equine CVP caused by changes in IAP, similar to that observed in other species. Further investigations are needed to evaluate this trend and to confirm these results in clinical patients.
Influence of peer‐derived donor recruitment on the youth perception on blood donation among college students
Authors: Al‐Riyami Arwa Z. , Draz Munther , Al‐Haddadi Fatma , Al‐Kabi Aisha , AlManthari Abdullah , Panchatcharam Sathiya Murthi , Al‐Sabti Hilal
Published: September 2020

Background

Donor recruitment and retention pose an ongoing challenge to the blood banks. One approach to improve the effectiveness of recruitment strategies is to target influencing factors. A league is conducted yearly at the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) to encourage blood donation. This study aims at assessing the youth perception towards blood donation at SQU and non‐SQU students.

Study design and methods

A comprehensive voluntary survey was developed to assess perception of students attending SQU and non‐SQU colleges. Student demographics, donation experience and factors influencing donation decisions were assessed. The analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 22.0. A total of 600 college students filled the survey (43·5%; n = 261 males, 56·5%, n = 339 females). Half of the surveyed college students believed they have enough knowledge on blood donation. SQU students reported greater influence of peers (84% vs. 60·7%, P < 0·001), personal knowledge (82·3% vs. 74·7%, P = 0·029) and personal experiences (79·3% vs. 69%, P = 0·005). They also reported more commitment to the society (90·3% vs. 78%, P < 0·001) and altruism (89·3% vs. 71%, P < 0·001). SQU students reported lower rates of fear from needles (18% vs. 32%, P < 0·001) and from seeing blood (15·7% vs. 29·3%, P < 0·001).

Conclusion

Sultan Qaboos University students reported higher rates of motivating and lower rates of discouraging factors towards blood donation. These results highlighted the positive impact and important role of the youth in promoting blood donations among themselves. Distinct promotion strategies should be adopted to increase blood donation among the youth.
Crop residue retention suppresses seedling emergence and biomass of winter and summer Australian weed species
Authors: Mobli Ahmadreza , Chauhan Bhagirath Singh
Published: September 2020

Crop residue retention could affect the emergence and biomass of weeds in different ways. A summer and winter pot study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different amounts of sorghum and wheat residue on the emergence and biomass of 12 summer and winter Australian weeds. The equivalent amount of sorghum residue to 0, 1, 2, 4 and 6 t/ha was used in the summer study and winter weed seeds were covered with wheat residue equivalent to the amount of 0, 1, 2, 4 and 8 t/ha in the winter study. The emergence and biomass of Amaranthus retroflexus and Echinochloa colona was not affected by sorghum residue treatment. For other summer weeds, the use of the 6 t/ha sorghum residue treatment resulted in 59–94% reductions in biomass compared to no‐sorghum residue retention. Similarly, the application of 8 t/ha wheat residue in the winter study resulted in a reduced biomass of 15–100% compared to no‐crop residue treatment. The results demonstrated the high potential of using crop residues in eco‐friendly weed management strategies, such as harvest weed seed control tactics.
Removal of endosulfan in a sequencing batch reactor: addition of granular activated carbon as improvement strategy
Authors: Reynoso Varela Andrea , Vázquez Contreras Fabián P. , de los Santos Villalobos Sergio , Alvarez Valencia Luis H. , Ulloa Mercado Ruth G. , Serrano Palacios Denisse
Published: September 2020

A granular activated carbon‐sequencing batch reactor (GAC‐SBR) was used to assess the removal of organochlorine endosulfan pesticide. The reactor operated in three stages: (I) starter and stabilization; (II) addition of 4 mg/L of endosulfan in feed; and (III) a single addition of 1 g/L of GAC to mixed liquor. During the 249 days of operation, the removal efficiency of COD was 96 ± 2%; for ‐N 72 ± 1%; and for PO4−3‐P 48 ± 13%. Was eliminated the 79% of endosulfan in stage II and 99% in stage III, not found its metabolite (endosulfan sulphate) in the reactor effluent. A consortium of eight bacterial strains was identified in the reactor stages, assessing five of them in the presence of 4 mg endosulfan/L by growth kinetics. According to the results, the joint action of the consortium and GAC addition is the responsible of eliminating the pesticide.
PREDICTION OF THE SOLUBILITY OF CAFFEIC ACID IN WATER USING AN ACTIVITY COEFFICIENT MODEL
Authors: Mat Nor Mohd Shukri , Abd Manan Zainuddin , Mustaffa Azizul Azri , Lee Suan Chua
Published: September 2020

Solubility of solid compounds is one of the most widely used physicochemical properties in chemical engineering design and experiments. Experimental works for solubility are not always possible because of the small amount of yield available in the phytochemicals extraction. Thus, one interesting perspective is the used of thermodynamic models, which are usually employed for predicting the activity coefficients in the case of solid–liquid equilibria (SLE). Phytochemical compound used in this study is caffeic acid where a comparative study of the MPP-UNIFAC and Pharma Modified UNIFAC were used to predict the solubilities of this phytochemical. The performances of these two activity coefficient models were compared using the experimental solubilities data obtained from the literature in the temperature range of 288 to 323 K and were evaluated by analysing the absolute relative errors (ARE) between the experimental and the predicted values. Moreover, the model errors were also discussed according to the functional groups of the molecules and water as the solvent. In general, the MPP UNIFAC showed better accuracy as compared to the Pharma Modified UNIFAC in predicting the solubility of caffeic acid in water. Nevertheless, both models give very poor qualitative predictions.
The effects of high altitude ascent on splenic contraction and the diving response during voluntary apnoea
Authors: Holmström Pontus K. , Bird Jordan D. , Thrall Scott F. , Kalker Ann , Herrington Brittney A. , Soriano Jan E. , Mann Leah M. , Rampuri Zahrah H. , Brutsaert Tom D. , Karlsson Øyvind , Sherpa Mingma T. , Schagatay Erika K. A. , Day Trevor A.
Published: September 2020

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

What is the relative contribution of a putative tonic splenic contraction to the haematological acclimatization process during high altitude ascent in native lowlanders?

What is the main finding and its importance?

Spleen volume decreased by −14.3% (−15.2 ml) per 1000 m ascent, with an attenuated apnoea‐induced [Hb] increase, attesting to a tonic splenic contraction during high altitude ascent. The [Hb]‐enhancing function of splenic contraction may contribute to restoring oxygen content early in the acclimatization process at high altitude.

Voluntary apnoea causes splenic contraction and reductions in heart rate (HR; bradycardia), and subsequent transient increases in haemoglobin concentration ([Hb]). Ascent to high altitude (HA) induces systemic hypoxia and reductions in oxygen saturation (), which may cause tonic splenic contraction, which may contribute to haematological acclimatization associated with HA ascent. We measured resting cardiorespiratory variables (HR, , [Hb]) and resting splenic volume (via ultrasound) during incremental ascent from 1400 m (day 0) to 3440 m (day 3), 4240 m (day 7) and 5160 m (day 10) in non‐acclimatized native lowlanders during assent to HA in the Nepal Himalaya. In addition, apnoea‐induced responses in HR, and splenic volume were measured before and after two separate voluntary maximal apnoeas (A1–A2) at 1400, 3440 and 4240 m. Resting spleen volume decreased −14.3% (−15.2 ml) per 1000 m with ascent, from 140 ± 41 ml (1400 m) to 108 ± 28 ml (3440 m; P > 0.99), 94 ± 22 ml (4240 m; P = 0.009) and 84 ± 28 ml (5160 m; P = 0.029), with concomitant increases in [Hb] from 125 ± 18.3 g l−1 (1400 m) to 128 ± 10.4 g l−1 (3440 m), 138.8 ± 12.7 g l−1 (4240 m) and 157.5 ± 8 g l−1 (5160 m; P = 0.021). Apnoea‐induced splenic contraction was 50 ± 15 ml (1400 m), 44 ± 17 ml (3440 m; P > 0.99) and 26 ± 8 ml (4240 m; P = 0.002), but was not consistently associated with increases in [Hb]. The apnoea‐induced bradycardia was more pronounced at 3440 m (A1: P = 0.04; A2: P = 0.094) and at 4240 m (A1: P = 0.037 A2: P = 0.006) compared to values at 1400 m. We conclude that hypoxia‐induced splenic contraction at rest (a) may contribute to restoring arterial oxygen content through its [Hb]‐enhancing contractile function and (b) eliminates further apnoea‐induced [Hb] increases in hypoxia. We suggest that tonic splenic contraction may contribute to haematological acclimatization early in HA ascent in humans.
Bursting mitral cells time the oscillatory coupling between olfactory bulb and entorhinal networks in neonatal mice
Authors: Kostka Johanna K. , Gretenkord Sabine , Spehr Marc , Hanganu‐Opatz Ileana L.
Published: September 2020

Key points

During early postnatal development, mitral cells show either irregular bursting or non‐bursting firing patterns

Bursting mitral cells preferentially fire during theta bursts in the neonatal olfactory bulb, being locked to the theta phase

Bursting mitral cells preferentially fire during theta bursts in the neonatal lateral entorhinal cortex and are temporally related to both respiration rhythm‐ and theta phase

Bursting mitral cells act as a cellular substrate of the olfactory drive that promotes the oscillatory entrainment of entorhinal networks

Shortly after birth, the olfactory system provides not only the main source of environmental inputs to blind, deaf, non‐whisking and motorically‐limited rodents, but also the drive boosting the functional entrainment of limbic circuits. However, the cellular substrate of this early communication remains largely unknown. Here, we combine in vivo and in vitro patch‐clamp and extracellular recordings to reveal the contribution of mitral cell (MC) firing to early patterns of network activity in both the neonatal olfactory bulb (OB) and the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC), the gatekeeper of limbic circuits. We show that MCs predominantly fire either in an irregular bursting or non‐bursting pattern during discontinuous theta events in the OB. However, the temporal spike‐theta phase coupling is stronger for bursting than non‐bursting MCs. In line with the direct OB‐to‐LEC projections, both bursting and non‐bursting discharge augments during co‐ordinated patterns of entorhinal activity, albeit with higher magnitude for bursting MCs. For these neurons, temporal coupling to the discontinuous theta events in the LEC is stronger. Thus, bursting MCs might drive the entrainment of the OB–LEC network during neonatal development.
Exploring the Life Form of a Student Athlete Afforded by a Dual Career Development Environment in Finland
Authors: Korhonen Natalia , Nikander Aku , Ryba Tatiana V.
Published: September 2020

The current paper introduces a case study conducted in one of the most well-established athletic talent development environments in Finland, with the focus on the environment’s ecological dynamics and organizational culture, in light of its recent effort to rebrand itself as a dual career development environment. Our analysis has been inspired by the holistic ecological approach and ecological dynamics, wherein the authors have considered a dual career development environment from the point of view of its transactions with agentic individuals and affordances for student athletes in the study domain, the sports domain, and the private domain. The authors believe our findings can provide other sports environments with insight into what to consider when transforming the organizational culture of an environment to better aid their student athletes in realizing their dual career goals.
“Make a Home Run for Suffrage”: Promoting Women’s Emancipation Through Baseball
Authors: Parks Pieper Lindsay
Published: September 2020

At specific moments in history, women publicly entered the masculine realm of baseball to advance female suffrage in the United States. Girls and women took to the field in the nineteenth century, enjoying newfound bodily freedoms and disrupting Victorian constraints. While their performances may not have always translated into explicit suffrage activism, their athleticism demonstrated strength at a time when many people used women’s supposed weakness as an argument against their political enfranchisement. However, as the popularity of baseball increased at the turn of the century, the number of female ballplayers decreased. Activism in the sport therefore changed. In the mid-1910s, suffragists advertised at men’s baseball games. The women recognized the value of promoting suffrage through sport; yet, they also acknowledged that by entering ballparks, they entered a male space. Suffragists therefore exhibited conventional White gender norms to avoid aggrieving male voters. Women’s different engagements with baseball, as either players or spectators, had varying consequences for women’s political and sporting emancipation. Women’s physical activism in baseball demonstrated female prowess and strength in sport, but only abstractly advanced women’s political rights; suffragists’ promotional efforts through men’s baseball more directly influenced the eventual passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, but their actions supported women’s position on the sidelines.
The lncRNA TUG1 promotes cell growth and migration in colorectal cancer via the TUG1–miR-145-5p–TRPC6 pathway
Authors: Wang Xiaoqiang , Bai Xiaomin , Yan Zhonghui , Guo Xinyu , Zhang Youcheng
Published: September 2020

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third-most prevalent malignant tumor. Taurine upregulated gene 1 (TUG1), a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), is reportedly involved in the physiological and pathological processes of CRC. However, the role of TUG1 in the progression of CRC and its underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we measured the expression of TUG1 in clinical samples from CRC patients and found that the expression level of TUG1 was higher in CRC tissues compared with the normal adjacent tissues. We then performed knockdown of TUG1 with siRNAs in two CRC cell lines and found that TUG1 knockdown inhibited the viability, proliferation, and migration of CRC cells, and reduced the ability of CRC cells to form subcutaneous tumors. Furthermore, we discovered that TUG1 affects the cellular processes in CRC cells by sponging miR-145-5p. We further found that miR-145-5p inhibits the expression of the protein-encoding gene Transient Receptor Potential Cation Channel Subfamily C Member 6 (TRPC6), and that overexpression of TRPC6 restored the inhibitory role of miR-145-5p in CRC cells. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that TUG1 exerts its role by modulating the TUG1–miR-145-5p–TRPC6 regulatory axis, thus revealing a novel molecular mechanism for the effects of TUG1 in the progression of CRC. Our data indicate that the TUG1–miR-145-5p–TRPC6 signaling pathway could serve as a target for the diagnosis and treatment of CRC.
Subleading contributions to the nuclear scalar isoscalar current
Authors: Krebs H. , Epelbaum E. , Meißner U.-G.
Published: September 2020

We extend our recent analyses of the nuclear vector, axial-vector and pseudoscalar currents and derive the leading one-loop corrections to the two-nucleon scalar current operator in the framework of chiral effective field theory using the method of unitary transformation. We also show that the scalar current operators at zero momentum transfer are directly related to the quark mass dependence of the nuclear forces.
Resonant $$a_0(980)$$ state in triangle rescattering $$D_s^+\rightarrow \pi ^+\pi ^0\eta $$ decays
Authors: Hsiao Yu-Kuo , Yu Yao , Ke Bai-Cian
Published: September 2020

We study the $$D_s^+\rightarrow \pi ^+(a_0(980)^0\rightarrow )\pi ^0\eta $$

D
s
+

→

π
+

(

a
0

(
980
)

0

→
)

π
0

η

, $$\pi ^0(a_0(980)^+\rightarrow )\pi ^+\eta $$

π
0

(

a
0

(
980
)

+

→
)

π
+

η

decays, which have been recently measured by the BESIII collaboration. We propose that $$D_s^+\rightarrow \pi ^{+(0)}(a_0(980)^{0(+)}\rightarrow )\pi ^{0(+)}\eta $$

D
s
+

→

π

+
(
0
)

(

a
0

(
980
)

0
(
+
)

→
)

π

0
(
+
)

η

receives the contributions from the triangle rescattering processes, where $$M^0$$

M
0

and $$\rho ^+$$

ρ
+

in $$D_s^+\rightarrow M^0 \rho ^+$$

D
s
+

→

M
0

ρ
+

, by exchanging $$\pi ^{0(+)}$$

π

0
(
+
)

, are formed as $$a_0(980)^{0(+)}$$

a
0

(
980
)

0
(
+
)

and $$\pi ^{+(0)}$$

π

+
(
0
)

, respectively, with $$M^0=(\eta ,\eta ')$$

M
0

=

(
η
,

η
′

)

. Accordingly, we calculate that $$\mathcal{B}(D_s^+\rightarrow a_0(980)^{0(+)}\pi ^{+(0)})= (1.7\pm 0.2\pm 0.1)\times 10^{-2}$$

B

(

D
s
+

→

a
0

(
980
)

0
(
+
)

π

+
(
0
)

)

=

(
1.7
±
0.2
±
0.1
)

×

10

-
2

and $$\mathcal{B}(D_s^+\rightarrow \pi ^{+(0)}(a_0(980)^{0(+)}\rightarrow )\pi ^{0(+)}\eta ) =(1.4\pm 0.1\pm 0.1)\times 10^{-2}$$

B

(

D
s
+

→

π

+
(
0
)

(

a
0

(
980
)

0
(
+
)

→
)

π

0
(
+
)

η
)

=

(
1.4
±
0.1
±
0.1
)

×

10

-
2

, being consistent with the data.
SafeRoute
Authors: Levy Sharon , Xiong Wenhan , Belding Elizabeth , Wang William Yang
Published: September 2020

Recent studies show that 85% of women have changed their traveled routes to avoid harassment and assault. Despite this, current mapping tools do not empower users with information to take charge of their personal safety. We propose SafeRoute, a novel solution to the problem of navigating cities and avoiding street harassment and crime. Unlike other street navigation applications, SafeRoute introduces a new type of path generation via deep reinforcement learning. This enables us to successfully optimize for multi-criteria path-finding and incorporate representation learning within our framework. Our agent learns to pick favorable streets to create a safe and short path with a reward function that incorporates safety and efficiency. Given access to recent crime reports in many urban cities, we train our model for experiments in Boston, New York, and San Francisco. We test our model on areas of these cities, specifically the populated downtown regions with high foot traffic. We evaluate SafeRoute and successfully improve over state-of-the-art methods by up to 17% in local average distance from crimes while decreasing path length by up to 7%.
An Extensible Framework of Leveraging Syntactic Skeleton for Semantic Relation Classification
Authors: Wang Hao , Tao Qiongxing , Du Siyuan , Luo Xiangfeng
Published: September 2020

Relation classification is one of the most fundamental upstream tasks in natural language processing and information extraction. State-of-the-art approaches make use of various deep neural networks (DNNs) to extract higher-level features directly. They can easily access to accurate classification results by taking advantage of both local entity features and global sentential features. Recent works on relation classification devote efforts to modify these neural networks, but less attention has been paid to the feature design concerning syntax. However, from a linguistic perspective, syntactic features are essential for relation classification. In this article, we present a novel linguistically motivated approach that enhances relation classification by imposing additional syntactic constraints. We investigate to leverage syntactic skeletons along with the sentential contexts to identify hidden relation types. The syntactic skeletons are extracted under the guidance of prior syntax knowledge. During extraction, the input sentences are recursively decomposed into syntactically shorter and simpler chunks. Experimental results on the SemEval-2010 Task 8 benchmark show that incorporating syntactic skeletons into current DNN models enhances the task of relation classification. Our systems significantly surpass two strong baseline systems. One of the substantial advantages of our proposal is that this framework is extensible for most current DNN models.
TinyLink
Authors: Dong Wei , Li Borui , Guan Gaoyang , Cheng Zhihao , Zhang Jiadong , Gao Yi
Published: September 2020

Rapid development is essential for IoT (Internet of Things) application developers to obtain first-mover advantages and reduce the development cost. In this article, we present TinyLink, a holistic system for rapid development of IoT applications. The key idea of TinyLink is to use a
top-down
approach for designing both the hardware and the software of IoT applications. Developers write the application code in a C-like language to specify the key logic of their applications, without dealing with the details of the specific hardware components. Taking the application code as input, TinyLink automatically generates the hardware configuration as well as the binary program executable on the target hardware platform. TinyLink provides unified APIs for applications to interact with the underlying hardware components. We implement TinyLink and evaluate its performance using real-world IoT applications. Results show that (1) TinyLink achieves rapid development of IoT applications, reducing 52.58% of lines of code on average compared with traditional approaches; (2) TinyLink searches a much larger design space and thus can generate a superior solution for the hardware configuration, compared with the state-of-the-art approach; (3) TinyLink incurs acceptable overhead in terms of execution time and program memory.