bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spectral geometry on manifolds with fibred boundary metrics II: heat kernel asymptotics
Authors: Talebi Mohammad , Vertman Boris
Published: March 2022

In this paper we continue with the analysis of spectral problems in the setting of complete manifolds with fibred boundary metrics, also referred to as $$\phi $$
ϕ
-metrics, as initiated in our previous work (Grieser et al. in Spectral geometry on manifolds with fibred boundary metrics I: Low energy resolvent, 2020). We consider the Hodge Laplacian for a $$\phi $$
ϕ
-metric and construct the corresponding heat kernel as a polyhomogeneous conormal distribution on an appropriate manifold with corners. Our discussion is a generalization of an earlier work by Albin and Sher, and provides a fundamental first step towards analysis of Ray–Singer torsion, eta-invariants and index theorems in the setting.
Univalence properties of an integral operator
Authors: Pârva Oana M. , Breaz Daniel V.
Published: March 2022

In this paper, we determine conditions on $$\beta , \alpha _{i}$$

β
,

α
i

and $$g_{i}$$

g
i

such that the integral operator $${ G_{\alpha _1, \alpha _2,\ldots ,\alpha _n, \beta }}$$

G

α
1

,

α
2

,
…
,

α
n

,
β

is univalent on the exterior of the unit disk for two subclasses of analytical functions.
Heterointerface Engineering of β-Chitin/Carbon Nano-Onions/Ni–P Composites with Boosted Maxwell-Wagner-Sillars Effect for Highly Efficient Electromagnetic Wave Response and Thermal Management
Authors: Pan Fei , Cai Lei , Shi Yuyang , Dong Yanyan , Zhu Xiaojie , Cheng Jie , Jiang Haojie , Wang Xiao , Jiang Yifeng , Lu Wei
Published: March 2022

The rational construction of microstructure and composition with enhanced Maxwell-Wagner-Sillars effect (MWSE) is still a challenging direction for reinforcing electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption performance, and the related EMW attenuation mechanism has rarely been elucidated. Herein, MWSE boosted β-chitin/carbon nano-onions/Ni–P composites is prepared according to the heterointerface engineering strategy via facile layer-by-layer electrostatic assembly and electroless plating techniques. The heterogeneous interface is reinforced from the aspect of porous skeleton, nanomaterials and multilayer construction. The composites exhibit competitive EMW response mechanism between the conductive loss and the polarization/magnetic loss, as describing like the story of “The Hare and the Tortoise”. As a result, the composites not only achieve a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of − 50.83 dB and an effective bandwidth of 6.8 GHz, but also present remarkable EMW interference shielding effectiveness of 66.66 dB. In addition, diverse functions such as good thermal insulation, infrared shielding and photothermal performance were also achieved in the hybrid composites as a result of intrinsic morphology and chemicophysics properties. Therefore, we believe that the boosted MWSE open up a novel orientation toward developing multifunctional composites with high-efficient EMW response and thermal management.
Asthma Inhaler Adherence in Adults: a Rapid Systematic Review with Meta-analysis
Authors: Alwadhahi Amal , Garvey Loretta , Stephenson John , Edward Karen-Leigh
Published: March 2022

The study aims to undertake a rapid systematic review with meta-analysis of the interventions used to promote adherence to asthma medications in adults who have asthma. Three databases (CINAHL, Web of Science, and Medline) were searched systematically up to February 2022, to identify the factors behind the non-adherent behavior of young adults with asthma using preventer medication. Manual searching was also undertaken to detect additional research. The team screened the titles and abstracts to ensure the eligibility of included studies. The full paper was retrieved for further screening and was extracted using an extraction tool. The literature search placed nine studies with a total sample number of 74,540 that were included in the three meta-analyses. Five studies were identified for inclusion in a meta-analysis conducted to assess the effect of the intervention on adherence. The meta-analysis revealed a significant difference in adherence proportion, in favor of the intervention. Interventions delivered through technology were found to significantly enhance adults’ adherence to asthma medications. This review also revealed that there is an obvious gap in the literature that specifically examined young adults aged 18–34 years about asthma medication adherence. This demonstrates the need for robust future research to focus on this demographic (18–34 years) to develop recommendations related to enhancing young adults’ adherence to asthma inhaler medication.
Job analysis and job classification for addressing pay inequality in organizations: Adjusting our methods within a shifting legal landscape
Authors: Strah Nicole , Rupp Deborah E. , Morris Scott B.
Published: March 2022

Pay inequality remains a pervasive problem within the workforce. However, it can be challenging for even well-meaning and responsible organizations to effectively assess which jobs should be considered equivalent and paid the same based on both legal criteria (which have shifted over time and differ across specific statutes and jurisdictions) and scientific evidence (which continues to amass). This paper intends to initiate a solution-focused discussion on how organizations can proactively categorize jobs so that pay decisions that are made about men and women are both legally defensible and fair. We propose that integrating the job analysis/job classification literature and the pay discrimination literature (e.g., legal opinions given by courts) will inform this discussion. We first review federal and state legislation and court opinions that have set legal standards for identifying pay discrimination. We then review the relevance of job analysis/job classification for systematically defining and categorizing jobs, highlighting the legal issues that should be but (to the best of our knowledge) have not been considered when undertaking such processes. Our intention is for this article to spark dialogue among researchers and practitioners regarding the identification of methods with which organizations can strive to meet equal pay standards and goals, applying both legal and scientific perspectives.
Scale dependence of drilling predation in the Holocene of the northern Adriatic Sea across benthic habitats and nutrient regimes
Authors: Zuschin Martin , Nawrot Rafał , Dengg Markus , Gallmetzer Ivo , Haselmair Alexandra , Wurzer Sandra , Tomašových Adam
Published: March 2022

Predation has strongly shaped past and modern marine ecosystems, but the scale dependency of patterns in drilling predation, the most widely used proxy for predator–prey interactions in the fossil record, is a matter of debate. To assess the effects of spatial and taxonomic scale on temporal trends in the drilling frequencies (DFs), we analyzed Holocene molluscan assemblages of different benthic habitats and nutrient regimes from the northern Adriatic shelf in a sequence-stratigraphic context. Although it has been postulated that low predation pressures facilitated the development of high-biomass epifaunal communities in the eastern, relatively oligotrophic portion of the northern Adriatic shelf, DFs reaching up to 30%–40% in the studied assemblage show that drilling predation levels are comparable to those typical of late Cenozoic ecosystems. DFs tend to increase from the transgressive systems tract (TST) into the highstand systems tract (HST) at the local scale, reflecting an increase in water depth by 20–40 m and a shift from infralittoral to circalittoral habitats over the past 10,000 years. As transgressive deposits are thicker at shallower locations and highstand deposits are thicker at deeper locations, a regional increase in DFs from TST to HST is evident only when these differences are accounted for. The increase in DF toward the HST can be recognized at the level of total assemblages, classes, and few abundant and widespread families, but it disappears at the level of genera and species because of their specific environmental requirements, leading to uneven or patchy distribution in space and time.
From ‘ethnic militias’ to ‘jungle justice’? Research and change in vigilantism in Nigeria
Authors: Tiwa Dany Franck A.
Published: March 2022

The aim of this article is to initiate a new debate on vigilantism in Nigeria by arguing for a re-examination of the links between crime and vigilantism. It contends that, although the existing literature has shed considerable light on the practice of vigilantism in Nigeria, it has also obscured entire dimensions of the problem. By focusing exclusively on vigilante groups or ethnic militias, scholars have failed to anticipate the shift of the bulk of the violence from these social agencies to spontaneous mobs. After highlighting the factors that help explain the marginalization of ‘mob’ vigilantism in the scholarship about Nigerian vigilantism, I use ethnographic materials from my own field research in Lagos to show how crime – or more precisely unexplained crime – fuels intra-community distrust, which in turn fuels vigilante mobilization and violence as it increases the social control that crime-beset communities apply to some of their members who resent such distrust and consider it unfair. The data presented provide fresh insights into one of the most intriguing features of Nigeria vigilantism: the involvement of social delinquents at the roots of urban insecurity.
“Let Our Ballots Secure What Our Bullets Have Won”: Union Veterans and the Making of Radical Reconstruction
Authors: WEAVER MICHAEL
Published: March 2022

After the Civil War, congressional Republicans used sweeping powers to expand and enforce civil rights for African Americans. Though the electoral benefits of African American suffrage were clear, Republicans had to overcome party divisions and racist voters. This paper argues that the war imbued Northern veterans with the belief that true victory required renewing the Union by abolishing slavery and establishing (imperfect) legal equality. This made veterans more receptive to Radical Reconstruction and ignited activism for it from below. Using difference-in-differences, I show that greater enlistment increased Republican vote share, particularly in pivotal postwar elections. Moreover, “as-if” random exposure to combat deaths increased Republican partisanship among soldiers after the war. Finally, I show that veterans became more likely to vote for African American suffrage. The paper concludes that Union veterans, through their votes and their activism, were a decisive part of the white coalition that backed America’s “Second Revolution.”
Harnessing thermal plasticity to enhance the performance of mass-reared insects: opportunities and challenges
Authors: Sinclair Brent J. , Sørensen Jesper Givskov , Terblanche John S.
Published: March 2022

Insects are mass-reared for release for biocontrol including the sterile insect technique. Insects are usually reared at temperatures that maximize the number of animals produced, are chilled for handling and transport, and released into the field, where temperatures may be considerably different to those experienced previously. Insect thermal biology is phenotypically plastic (i.e. flexible), which means that there may exist opportunities to increase the performance of these programmes by modifying the temperature regimes during rearing, handling, and release. Here we synthesize the literature on thermal plasticity in relation to the opportunities to reduce temperature-related damage and increase the performance of released insects. We summarize how and why temperature affects insect biology, and the types of plasticity shown by insects. We specifically identify aspects of the production chain that might lead to mismatches between the thermal acclimation of the insect and the temperatures it is exposed to, and identify ways to harness physiological plasticity to reduce that potential mismatch. We address some of the practical (especially engineering) challenges to implementing some of the best-supported thermal regimes to maximize performance (e.g. fluctuating thermal regimes), and acknowledge that a focus only on thermal performance may lead to unwanted trade-offs with other traits that contribute to the success of the programme. Together, it appears that thermal physiological plasticity is well-enough understood to allow its implementation in release programmes.
Production and nutritive value of Tifton 85 bermudagrass pastures overseeded with annual ryegrass and inoculated with diazotrophic bacteria
Authors: Casagrande L. G. , Olivo C. J. , Aires J. F. , Vieira A. C. , Charão A. A. , Quatrin M. P. , Grzelak F. A. , Frantz M. D. , Salvador M. E. C. , de Andrade B. M. , dos Santos P. B. , Tonin T. J.
Published: March 2022

The inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense has the potential to reduce the use of mineral fertilizers with efficient capacity to promote plant growth and yield. Most studies on the Azospirillum–plant association have been conducted on cereals and annual grasses. More studies are needed in perennial pastures, such as bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) that require substantial nitrogen (N) fertilization to maximize their production potential. Therefore, pastures based on Tifton 85 bermudagrass in association with annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), which were inoculated with A. brasilense and fertilized with increasing amounts of N fertilizer and grazed by lactating Holstein cows were evaluated. Three grazing systems were evaluated: (i) Tifton 85, inoculated + 180 kg N/ha per year; (ii) Tifton 85 + 230 kg N/ha per year; and (iii) Tifton 85 + 280 kg N/ha per year. Forage samples were collected before and after grazing to evaluate the responses of the plants and animals. The forage yields of the systems were 21.0, 20.8 and 22.1 t DM/ha per year and the stocking rates were 3.9, 3.8 and 4.0 animal unit/ha per day, respectively. Crude protein, total digestible nutrients and neutral detergent fibre concentrations were 162, 560 and 667 g/kg, respectively. Inoculation in pastures planted with Tifton 85 bermudagrass in combination with ryegrass (plus 180 kg N/ha per year) had a positive effect, providing forage yield and nutritional value equivalent to those with fertilization with 230 kg N/ha per year.
Nasal nerve ablation, nasal swell body and inferior turbinate reduction for nasal obstruction and congestion relief
Authors: Krespi Y P , Wilson K A , Kizhner V
Published: March 2022

Objective

Nasal obstruction and congestion can occur because of turbinate and septal variations with or without rhinitis. A combined treatment for nasal obstruction and congestion was examined retrospectively in cases where the nasal swell body was addressed with inferior turbinectomy, with or without posterior nasal nerve ablation.

Methods

A 940 nm laser was utilised for contact (nasal swell body, septum and inferior turbinate) and non-contact (posterior nasal nerve) ablation. Total Nasal Symptoms Score, visual analogue scale pain score, complications and procedure location (office vs operating theatre) were recorded.

Results

All 242 patients underwent nasal swell body reduction with inferior turbinate reduction, and 150 had posterior nasal nerve ablation also. No laser complications were observed. An 80 per cent reduction in medication usage was noted. Total Nasal Symptoms Score decreased by 73 per cent; rhinorrhoea and congestion scores decreased by 54 per cent and 81 per cent respectively. Crusting, epistaxis and infections were minimal, and resolved within two weeks.

Conclusion

Nasal swell body with inferior turbinate reduction, with or without posterior nasal nerve ablation, is a new method of treating nasal obstruction and congestion. Laser posterior nasal nerve ablation can be utilised as a complementary tool to deliver anatomical obstruction relief.
Financialization of Eldercare in a Nordic Welfare State
Authors: HOPPANIA HANNA-KAISA , KARSIO OLLI , NÄRE LENA , VAITTINEN TIINA , ZECHNER MINNA
Published: March 2022

The increasing presence of for-profit service providers in publicly-funded eldercare has transformed care in Nordic welfare states which have a strong tradition of public care provision. Macro-level research on care policies has mainly focused on public institutions, national policies, and marketization. The financialization of eldercare has not received much scholarly attention, and existing studies mostly focus on the UK. The financialization of eldercare refers to the ways in which care is both a site of profit extraction and financial engineering. The Nordic system is relatively universal, and, with rapidly ageing demographics, there is a secured demand for eldercare services. However, these services have been heavily marketized over the past two decades, opening up lucrative possibilities for financialized actors who have established a stronghold over the markets. We analyse these processes through selected empirical examples from Finland, and argue that the financialization of eldercare in the Nordic context demands attention as we are witnessing a new configuration between the constitutional order of the welfare state, public finances, and private profit which is neither transparent, nor democratic.
Attracted to feed, not to be fed upon – on the biology of Toxomerus basalis (Walker, 1836), the kleptoparasitic ‘sundew flower fly’ (Diptera: Syrphidae)
Authors: Fleischmann Andreas , Gonella Paulo M. , Rojo Santos , Mengual Ximo
Published: March 2022

The complete life history of the kleptoparasitic ‘sundew flower fly’, Toxomerus basalis, is presented and illustrated. Adults of this species are photographed alive for the first time, including video recordings of larval and adult behaviour. Adult flies of both sexes visit Drosera (sundews) and show territorial behaviour around the plants, avoiding the dangerous sticky traps and demonstrating recognition of their larval host plant. Females lay eggs directly on non-sticky parts of the Drosera host plants, such as on the lower surface of the leaves and flower stalks, but apparently also on other plants growing in close proximity with the sundews.
The application framework of big data technology during the COVID-19 pandemic in China
Authors: Chen Wenyu , Yao Ming , Dong Liang , Shao Pingyang , Zhang Ye , Fu Binjie
Published: March 2022

Big data has been reported widely to facilitate epidemic prevention and control in health care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, there is still a lack of practical experience in applying it to hospital prevention and control. This study is devoted to the practical experience of design and implementation as well as the preliminary results of an innovative big data-driven COVID-19 risk personnel screening management system in a hospital. Our screening system integrates data sources in four dimensions, which includes Health Quick Response (QR) code, abroad travelling history, transportation close contact personnel and key surveillance personnel. Its screening targets cover all patients, care partner and staff who come to the hospital. As of November 2021, nearly 690 000 people and 5.79 million person-time had used automated COVID-19 risk screening and monitoring. A total of 10 376 person-time (0.18%) with abnormal QR code were identified, 242 person-time with abroad travelling history were identified, 925 person-time were marked based on the data of key surveillance personnel, no transportation history personnel been reported and no COVID-19 nosocomial infection occurred in the hospital. Through the application of this system, the hospital's expenditure on manpower and material resources for epidemic prevention and control has also been significantly reduced. Collectively, this study has proved to be an effective and efficient model for the use of digital health technology in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the data from multiple sources, this system has an irreplaceable role in identifying close contacts or suspicious person, and can significantly reduce the social burden caused by COVID-19, especially the human resources and economic costs of hospital prevention and control. It may provide guidance for clinical epidemic prevention and control in hospitals, as well as for future public health emergencies.
Climate scenario analysis for pension schemes: a UK case study
Authors: Bongiorno Luca , Claringbold Andrew , Eichler Lisa , Jones Claire , Kramer Bert , Pryor Louise , Spencer Nick
Published: March 2022

This paper demonstrates how climate scenario analysis can be used for forward-looking assessment of the risks and opportunities for financial institutions, using a case study for a UK defined benefit pension scheme. It uses a top-down modelling tool developed by Ortec Finance in partnership with Cambridge Econometrics to explore the possible impacts of three plausible (not extreme) climate pathways of the scheme’s assets and liabilities. It finds that the funding risks are greater under all three climate pathways than under the climate-uninformed base scenario. In the absence of changes to the investment strategy or recovery plan, the time taken to reach full funding is increased by three to nine years. Given that most models currently used by actuaries do not make explicit adjustments for climate change, these modelled results suggest it is quite likely that pension schemes are systematically underestimating the funding risks they face.
Secondary Fast Breakdown in Narrow Bipolar Events
Authors: Li Dongshuai , Luque Alejandro , Gordillo‐Vázquez F. J. , Silva Caitano da , Krehbiel Paul R. , Rachidi Farhad , Rubinstein Marcos
Published: March 2022

The physical mechanism of Narrow bipolar events (NBEs) has been studied for decades but it still holds many mysteries. Recent observations indicate that the fast breakdown discharges that produce NBEs sometimes contain a secondary fast breakdown that propagates back in the opposite direction but this has not been fully addressed so far in electromagnetic models. In this study, we investigate fast breakdown using different approaches that employ a Modified Transmission Line with Exponential decay (MTLE) model and propose a new model, named “rebounding MTLE model,” which reproduces the secondary fast breakdown current in NBEs. The model provides new insights into the physics of the fast breakdown mechanism.
Pipe Dreams: The Effects of Stream Bank Soil Pipes on Hyporheic Denitrification Caused by a Peak Flow Event
Authors: Lotts W. Seth , Hester Erich T.
Published: March 2022

Peak flow events in gaining stream/river channels cause lung model hyporheic exchange with the banks (bank storage), which fosters beneficial reactions as polluted channel water cycles through riparian groundwater. Soil pipes are common along stream/riverbanks, and enhance exchange, yet their effect on reactions such as denitrification is unknown. We used MODFLOW with the Conduit Flow Package to simulate lung model exchange during a peak flow event in a section of stream bank/riparian soil with soil pipes, and MT3D‐USGS to estimate nitrate transport and denitrification. We varied soil matrix hydraulic conductivity (K) and first‐order reaction constant (k), as well as soil pipe density, length, and height above the initial channel water surface elevation (H). The addition of soil pipes enhanced stream bank (riparian) denitrification relative to banks without pipes, e.g., a 76% increase due to adding a single 1.5 m pipe. Denitrification increased linearly with pipe density but exhibited nonlinear trends with other parameters. Sensitivity analysis revealed length and density to be most influential. Soil pipe enhancement of denitrification was governed by hyporheic volume in most cases in our study. Exceptions included (a) coarse soil (K = 10−3 m/s) and (b) lowkandH > 0. Scaling our results to the stream corridor scale estimated that five soil pipes per m cumulatively induced 3% nitrate removal along a 1 km reach. Overall, soil pipes enhanced advection of nitrate into the banks, and also increased residence times of that nitrate under certain conditions, which together enhanced denitrification. This enhancement has implications for excess nitrate management in watersheds.
Estimating Soil Water Retention Curve by Extreme Learning Machine, Radial Basis Function, M5 Tree and Modified Group Method of Data Handling Approaches
Authors: Rastgou M. , Bayat H. , Mansoorizadeh M. , Gregory A. S.
Published: March 2022

This study was conducted to assess the applicability of novel types of neural network methods (extreme learning machine (ELM), radial basis function (RBF), modified group method of data handling (M‐GMDH)) and M5 tree methods for the prediction of the soil water retention curve (SWRC) and compare their performance with that of derived methods and pedotransfer functions (PTFs) of other studies for soils in Iran. Then, 15 PTFs were developed. Predictions were evaluated by the integral root mean square error (IRMSE), integral mean error (IME), Akaike's information criterion (AIC), and coefficient of determination (R2). The RBF‐based PTFs were better than the M5 tree, M‐GMDH, and ELM‐based PTFs in terms of the IRMSE criterion in the testing step. Also, PTFs and methods developed in the present study were more reliable than other derived PTFs and methods by diﬀerent researchers. The values of the IRMSE and R2 in the best PTFs (with inputs of sand, clay, total porosity and the moisture content at field capacity and permanent wilting point) of the testing data set of the RBF method were 0.037 cm3cm−3 and 0.988, respectively. For the testing data set, the average values of the IRMSE criterion for all the PTFs of the RBF, ELM, M‐GMDH, and M5 tree methods were 0.051, 0.062, 0.055, and 0.054 cm3cm−3, respectively. Therefore, the differences were considerable only between the ELM and other methods. The IRMSE criterion results of the testing data set showed the suitability of the RBF method in the development of PTFs for the prediction of the SWRC.
Enhanced NAPL Removal and Mixing With Engineered Injection and Extraction
Authors: Wang Yufei , Fernàndez‐Garcia Daniel , Sole‐Mari Guillem , Rodríguez‐Escales Paula
Published: March 2022

Aquifer remediation with in‐situ soil washing techniques and enhanced oil removal typically involves the injection of liquid solutions into the geological formation to displace and mobilize non‐aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). The efficiency of these systems is oftentimes low because the displacing fluid bypasses large quantities of NAPL due to the inherent complexity of a heterogeneous natural system. Here, engineered injection and extraction (EIE) generated by rotating periodic injection is proposed as a method to enhance NAPL removal and mixing. To evaluate the method, we perform two‐phase flow simulations in multiple realizations of random permeability fields with different correlation structures and connectivity between injection and extraction wells embedded in a five‐spot pattern. Results show that EIE can significantly improve removal efficiency and mixing depending on several controlling factors. The effects of EIE are more significant under unfavorable conditions, that is, when injection and extraction wells are well‐connected through preferential channels, permeabilities are highly heterogeneous, and/or the mobility ratio between the wetting and the non‐wetting fluids is larger than one. Removal efficiency reaches its maximum value when the Kubo number is close to one, that is, when the saturation front travels one range of the permeability field in an injection pulse. These effects can develop in just a few cycles. However, removal efficiency should undergo first an early stage with detrimental effects in order to maximize removal in the long term. EIE not only enhances NAPL removal and mixing but also reduces the uncertainty, making the system more reliable and less dependent on heterogeneity.
Seasonal and Longitudinal Variations in Suspended Load Connectivity Between River Channels and Their Margins
Authors: Renshaw C. E. , Dethier E. N. , Landis J. D. , Kaste J. M.
Published: March 2022

Input of organic matter into stream channels is the primary energy source for headwater ecosystems and ultimately carbon to the oceans and hence is an important component of the global carbon cycle. Here, we quantify organic‐rich fine sediment mobilization, transport, and storage in a Strahler fourth‐order stream during individual intermediate‐sized storm events. By combining measurements of fallout radionuclides (FRNs)7Be and210Pb and stable water isotopes with a conceptual model of suspended load trapping by channel margins, we find that the channel bed was consistently a source of suspended load to the channel margins. Relative to storage on the channel margins, suspended load export increased through the spring and summer, perhaps related to the in‐channel decomposition of organic debris as indicated by its FRN exposure age and changing bulk δ13C composition. Trapping of suspended load by riparian margins limits sediment transport distances, which, given sufficient discharge to fully suspend the load, is nearly independent of stream discharge for sub‐bankfull discharges. Limited data indicate that the fractional size of the channel margins where trapping occurs decreases with increasing watershed area. Increasing transport length and decreasing fractional margin area with increasing watershed area results in a systematic downstream decoupling of the channel from local terrestrial organic matter exchange. These findings provide a framework for understanding suspended load dynamics in formerly glaciated regions where sediment production and fluxes are generally low and thus the annual input of organic debris is a major component of suspended load budget.
Exploring the Influence of Seasonal Cropland Abandonment on Evapotranspiration and Water Resources in the Humid Lowland Region, Southern China
Authors: Yan Renhua , Li Lingling , Gao Junfeng , Huang Jiacong
Published: March 2022

Seasonal abandonment in the previously rice‐based rotation system is increasingly prevalent worldwide particularly in southern China. Assessing the effect of this abandonment on evapotranspiration (ET) and water resources is of major importance for regional water cycle change and agricultural water management. This study analyzed the ET characterization of rice‐winter rape and rice‐winter fallow rotation systems and its relation to weather factors in a humid lowland region, southern China based on a half‐hourly ET measurement with Bowen ratio energy balance system from 2017 to 2020. Then the strategic modeling experiment combining ET and rainfall‐runoff models was used to explore the land abandoning effect on ET and water resources. The results showed that the daily ET values of the rice, rape, and fallow seasons were 3.30 ± 1.89, 1.31 ± 1.31, and 1.55 ± 1.19 mm/d, respectively. The averaged summed ET values of the rice‐winter rape and rice‐fallow rotation systems were 652.3 and 737.8 mm, respectively. Net radiation (Rn) was identified as the most critical weather factor for ET of all seasons. Air temperature and water vapor pressure deficit mainly affected ET indirectly through the path of Rn. Compared with the previously winter rape, the change in daily ET caused by seasonal abandonment was 0.13 ± 0.11 mm/d. This abandonment‐induced ET change increased the average daily storage deficit by 12.0% and groundwater depth by 4.5%, while reduced the daily runoff by 20.3%.
Disturbances in the Ionosphere That Accompanied Typhoon Activity in the Vicinity of China in September 2019
Authors: Chernogor Leonid F. , Garmash Kostyntyan P. , Guo Qiang , Rozumenko Victor T. , Zheng Yu , Luo Yiyang
Published: March 2022

We have acquired HF Doppler measurements and studied the dynamics of the ionosphere in the ∼100–300 km altitude range during the 1–10 September 2019 period of typhoon activity near the People's Republic of China (PRC). The multifrequency multiple path system located at the Harbin Engineering University campus, the PRC, and probing the ionosphere at oblique incidence was used to identify the effects from the typhoons. The response of the ionosphere to the Typhoon Lingling was detected along three adjacent radio‐wave propagation paths where chaotic and quasiperiodic variations in the Doppler shift and a significant (from −1 to 1 Hz or greater) Doppler spectrum broadening were observed to occur. The Doppler spectrum chaotic variations are due to plasma turbulence generated by typhoons in the ionosphere, and the Doppler shift quasiperiodic variations along the main ray are due to infrasound and atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) launched by the typhoons. The relative amplitude of quasiperiodic variations in the electron density in the field of the infrasound wave reached several percent, and in the field of the AGW attained from ten to a few tens of percent. The effects of the Typhoon Faxai during 9/10 and 10/11 September 2019 nights were accompanied by a 27% decrease in the electron density in the ionospheric E and F regions. At the closest approach of the Typhoon Faxai to the ionosonde during 8/9 September 2019 night, when it had the largest energy, a 56% increase was detected in the ionospheric F region electron density.
The impact of catch-up bivalent human papillomavirus vaccination on cervical screening outcomes: an observational study from the English HPV primary screening pilot
Authors: Rebolj Matejka , Pesola Francesca , Mathews Christopher , Mesher David , Soldan Kate , Kitchener Henry
Published: March 2022

Background

In England, bivalent vaccination (Cervarix) against high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) genotypes 16/18 was offered in a population-based catch-up campaign in 2008–2010 to girls aged 14–17 years. These women are now entering the national cervical screening programme. We determined the impact of catch-up bivalent vaccination on their screening outcomes.

Methods

We studied the overall and genotype-specific screening outcomes in 108,138 women aged 24–25 (offered vaccination) and 26–29 years (not offered vaccination) included in the English HPV screening pilot between 2013 and 2018.

Results

At 24–25 years, the detection of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+) associated with HPV16/18 decreased from 3 to 1% (p < 0.001), with estimated vaccine effectiveness of 87% (95% CI: 82–91%). The detection of any CIN2+ halved from 6 to 3% (p < 0.001), with an estimated vaccine effectiveness of 72% (95% CI: 66–77%). The positive predictive value of a colposcopy for CIN2+ decreased for both low-grade (p < 0.001) and high-grade (p = 0.02) abnormalities on triage cytology. The decreases in screen-detected abnormalities at age 26-29 were of a substantially smaller magnitude.

Conclusions

These data confirm high effectiveness of bivalent HPV vaccination delivered through a population-based catch-up campaign in England. These findings add to the rationale for extending screening intervals for vaccinated cohorts.
Inhibition of cGAS-STING by JQ1 alleviates oxidative stress-induced retina inflammation and degeneration
Authors: Zou Ming , Ke Qin , Nie Qian , Qi Ruili , Zhu Xingfei , Liu Wei , Hu Xuebin , Sun Qian , Fu Jia-Ling , Tang Xiangcheng , Liu Yizhi , Li David Wan-Cheng , Gong Lili
Published: March 2022

Atrophic (“dry”) form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss characterized by macular retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and the ensuing photoreceptor degeneration. cGAS-STING signaling is a key cytosolic DNA sensor system in innate immunity and have recently been shown promotes RPE degeneration. However, expression regulation and therapeutic potential of cGAS and STING are not explored in retina under dry AMD pathogenic conditions. Our analysis shows upregulatedSTINGRNA and increased chromatin accessibility aroundcGASandSTINGpromoters in macular retinas from dry AMD patients. cGAS-STING activation was detected in oxidative stress-induced mouse retina degeneration, accompanied with cytosolic leakage of damaged DNA in photoreceptors. Pharmaceutical or genetic approaches indicates STING promotes retina inflammation and degeneration upon oxidative damage. Drug screening reveals that BRD4 inhibitor JQ1 reduces cGAS-STING activation, inflammation and photoreceptor degeneration in the injured retina. BRD4 inhibition epigenetically suppressesSTINGtranscription, and promotes autophagy-dependent cytosolic DNA clearance. Together, our results show that activation of cGAS-STING in retina may present pivotal innate immunity response in GA pathogenesis, whereas inhibition of cGAS-STING signaling by JQ1 could serve as a potential therapeutic strategy.
Fibroblast growth factor 20 attenuates pathological cardiac hypertrophy by activating the SIRT1 signaling pathway
Authors: Chen Yunjie , An Ning , Zhou Xuan , Mei Lin , Sui Yanru , Chen Gen , Chen Huinan , He Shengqu , Jin Cheng , Hu Zhicheng , Li Wanqian , Wang Yang , Lin Zhu , Chen Peng , Jin Litai , Guan Xueqiang , Wang Xu
Published: March 2022

Cardiac hypertrophy occurs initially in response to an increased cardiac load as a compensatory mechanism to maintain cardiac output. However, sustained pathological hypertrophy can develop into heart failure and cause sudden death. Fibroblast growth factor 20 (FGF20) is a member of the fibroblast growth factor family, which involved in apoptosis, aging, inflammation, and autophagy. The precise function of FGF20 in pathological cardiac hypertrophy is unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that FGF20 was significantly decreased in response to hypertrophic stimulation. In contrast, overexpression of FGF20 protected against pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Mechanistically, we found that FGF20 upregulates SIRT1 expression, causing deacetylation of FOXO1; this effect promotes the transcription of downstream antioxidant genes, thus inhibits oxidative stress. In content, the anti-hypertrophic effect of FGF20 was largely counteracted in SIRT1-knockout mice, accompanied by an increase in oxidative stress. In summary, our findings reveal a previously unknown protective effect of FGF20 on pathological cardiac hypertrophy by reducing oxidative stress through activation of the SIRT1 signaling pathway. FGF20 is a potential novel molecular target for preventing and treating pressure overload-induced myocardial injury.
The impact of pre-existing hypertension and its treatment on outcomes in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19
Authors: McFarlane Ewan , Linschoten Marijke , Asselbergs Folkert W. , Lacy Peter S. , Jedrzejewski Dawid , Williams Bryan ,   on Behalf of the CAPACITY-COVID Consortium
Published: March 2022

The impact of pre-existing hypertension on outcomes in patients with the novel corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) remains controversial. To address this, we examined the impact of pre-existing hypertension and its treatment on in-hospital mortality in patients admitted to hospital with Covid-19. Using the CAPACITY-COVID patient registry we examined the impact of pre-existing hypertension and guideline-recommended treatments for hypertension on in-hospital mortality in unadjusted and multi-variate-adjusted analyses using logistic regression. Data from 9197 hospitalised patients with Covid-19 (median age 69 [IQR 57–78] years, 60.6% male, n = 5573) was analysed. Of these, 48.3% (n = 4443) had documented pre-existing hypertension. Patients with pre-existing hypertension were older (73 vs. 62 years, p < 0.001) and had twice the occurrence of any cardiac disease (49.3 vs. 21.8%; p < 0.001) when compared to patients without hypertension. The most documented class of anti-hypertensive drugs were angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) or angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) (n = 2499, 27.2%). In-hospital mortality occurred in (n = 2020, 22.0%), with more deaths occurring in those with pre-existing hypertension (26.0 vs. 18.2%, p < 0.001). Pre-existing hypertension was associated with in-hospital mortality in unadjusted analyses (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.42,1.74), no significant association was found following multivariable adjustment for age and other hypertension-related covariates (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.87,1.10). Use of ACEi or ARB tended to have a protective effect for in-hospital mortality in fully adjusted models (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.78,0.99). After appropriate adjustment for confounding, pre-existing hypertension, or treatment for hypertension, does not independently confer an increased risk of in-hospital mortality patients hospitalized with Covid-19.
Knowledge graph-based recommendation framework identifies drivers of resistance in EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Gogleva Anna , Polychronopoulos Dimitris , Pfeifer Matthias , Poroshin Vladimir , Ughetto Michaël , Martin Matthew J. , Thorpe Hannah , Bornot Aurelie , Smith Paul D. , Sidders Ben , Dry Jonathan R. , Ahdesmäki Miika , McDermott Ultan , Papa Eliseo , Bulusu Krishna C.
Published: March 2022

Resistance to EGFR inhibitors (EGFRi) presents a major obstacle in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). One of the most exciting new ways to find potential resistance markers involves running functional genetic screens, such as CRISPR, followed by manual triage of significantly enriched genes. This triage process to identify ‘high value’ hits resulting from the CRISPR screen involves manual curation that requires specialized knowledge and can take even experts several months to comprehensively complete. To find key drivers of resistance faster we build a recommendation system on top of a heterogeneous biomedical knowledge graph integrating pre-clinical, clinical, and literature evidence. The recommender system ranks genes based on trade-offs between diverse types of evidence linking them to potential mechanisms of EGFRi resistance. This unbiased approach identifies 57 resistance markers from >3,000 genes, reducing hit identification time from months to minutes. In addition to reproducing known resistance markers, our method identifies previously unexplored resistance mechanisms that we prospectively validate.
The phytochrome interacting proteins ERF55 and ERF58 repress light-induced seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Li Zenglin , Sheerin David J. , von Roepenack-Lahaye Edda , Stahl Mark , Hiltbrunner Andreas
Published: March 2022

Seed germination is a critical step in the life cycle of plants controlled by the phytohormones abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellin (GA), and by phytochromes, an important class of photoreceptors in plants. Here we show that light-dependent germination is enhanced in mutants deficient in the AP2/ERF transcription factors ERF55 and ERF58. Light-activated phytochromes repress ERF55/ERF58 expression and directly bind ERF55/ERF58 to displace them from the promoter of PIF1 and SOM, genes encoding transcriptional regulators that prevent the completion of germination. The same mechanism controls the expression of genes that encode ABA or GA metabolic enzymes to decrease levels of ABA and possibly increase levels of GA. Interestingly, ERF55 and ERF58 are themselves under transcriptional control of ABA and GA, suggesting that they are part of a self-reinforcing signalling loop which controls the completion of germination. Overall, we identified a role of ERF55/ERF58 in phytochrome-mediated regulation of germination completion.
A mathematical analysis of an extended MHD Darcy–Forchheimer type fluid
Authors: Díaz Palencia José Luis
Published: March 2022

The presented analysis has the aim of introducing general properties of solutions to an Extended Darcy–Forchheimer flow. The Extended Darcy–Forchheimer set of equations are introduced based on mathematical principles. Firstly, the diffusion is formulated with a non-homogeneous operator, and is supported by the addition of a non-linear advection together with a non-uniform reaction term. The involved analysis is given in generalized Hilbert–Sobolev spaces to account for regularity, existence and uniqueness of solutions supported by the semi-group theory. Afterwards, oscillating patterns of Travelling wave solutions are analyzed inspired by a set of Lemmas focused on solutions instability. Based on this, the Geometric Perturbation Theory provides linearized flows for which the eigenvalues are provided in an homotopy representation, and hence, any exponential bundles of solutions by direct linear combination. In addition, a numerical exploration is developed to find exact Travelling waves profiles and to study zones where solutions are positive. It is shown that, in general, solutions are oscillating in the proximity of the null critical state. In addition, an inner region (inner as a contrast to an outer region where solutions oscillate) of positive solutions is shown to hold locally in time.
An integrative re-evaluation of Typhlatya shrimp within the karst aquifer of the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico
Authors: Ballou Lauren , Brankovits David , Chávez-Solís Efraín M. , Chávez Díaz José M. , Gonzalez Brett C. , Rohret Shari , Salinas Alexa , Liu Arielle , Simões Nuno , Álvarez Fernando , Miglietta Maria Pia , Iliffe Thomas M. , Borda Elizabeth
Published: March 2022

The Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico is a carbonate platform well-known for extensive karst networks of densely stratified aquifer ecosystems. This aquifer supports diverse anchialine fauna, including species of the globally distributed anchialine shrimp genusTyphlatya(Atyidae). Four species (T. campecheae,T. pearsei,T. dzilamensisandT. mitchelli)are endemic to the Peninsula, of which three are federally listed in Mexico. This first integrative evaluation (i.e., molecular, morphological, broad geographic and type locality sampling, and environmental data) of YucatánTyphlatyareveals considerable species identity conflict in prior phylogenetic assessments, broad species ranges, syntopy within cave systems and five genetic lineages (of which two are new to science). Despite sampling from the type locality ofendangered T. campecheae, specimens (and molecular data) were indistinguishable fromvulnerable T. pearsei. Ancestral/divergence reconstructions support convergent evolution of a low-salinity ancestor for a post-Paleogene arc Yucatán + CubaTyphlatyaclade within the anchialine Atyidae clade. A secondary adaptation for the coastal-restricted euryhaline (2–37 psu),Typhlatya dzilamensis(unknown conservation status) was identified, while remaining species lineages were low-salinity (< 5 psu) adapted and found within the meteoric lens of inland and coastal caves. This study demonstrates the need for integrative/interdisciplinary approaches when conducting biodiversity assessments in complex and poorly studied aquifers.
Real-time reconstruction of high energy, ultrafast laser pulses using deep learning
Authors: Stanfield Matthew , Ott Jordan , Gardner Christopher , Beier Nicholas F. , Farinella Deano M. , Mancuso Christopher A. , Baldi Pierre , Dollar Franklin
Published: March 2022

We report a method for the phase reconstruction of an ultrashort laser pulse based on the deep learning of the nonlinear spectral changes induce by self-phase modulation. The neural networks were trained on simulated pulses with random initial phases and spectra, with pulse durations between 8.5 and 65 fs. The reconstruction is valid with moderate spectral resolution, and is robust to noise. The method was validated on experimental data produced from an ultrafast laser system, where near real-time phase reconstructions were performed. This method can be used in systems with known linear and nonlinear responses, even when the fluence is not known, making this method ideal for difficult to measure beams such as the high energy, large aperture beams produced in petawatt systems.