bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Learning from History
Authors: Hetherington Peter
Published: May 2022

This chapter reviews the land reforms that were implemented in Britain and provided the means — for those without the considerable means of the ruling, landowning classes — to gain a foothold on the farming or the smallholding ladder. The discussion tackles Liberal MP Joseph Chamberlain's proposal that county councils could buy land and lease it to tenant farmers. A series of Acts in 1890, 1908 and 1925 turned his vision into reality, with the help of Lloyd George. Farms were seen as an essential ‘ladder of opportunity’. In England where private landlordism still accounts for 48 percent of agricultural land, either fully or partly tenanted, Cambridgeshire has the largest farming estate, incorporating 180 farms spread over 33,000 acres, making the authority one of the larger landowners in East Anglia. Like Cambridgeshire, the neighbouring county councils of Norfolk and Suffolk, with 16,800 and 12,400 acres respectively, are similarly committed to maintaining the size of their farming estates, selling some land for housing, often affordable, while buying other parcels where appropriate. The chapter highlights the success of council-owned farmlands, stressing their importance in providing a framework for local goods, sustaining, and creating rural employment beyond the farm gate, improving biodiversity, and providing space both for recreation and for affordable housing. It looks at the limitations of the Agriculture Act of 1970, considered the last substantial piece of legislation aimed at reinforcing the status of county farms in England. The chapter stresses that food security and farming are key responsibilities of the government.
The Hills were Alive
Authors: Hetherington Peter
Published: May 2022

This chapter explores the economy of a depressed, forgotten corner of rural England, dominated by hill farming — an industry with limited prospects — has been transformed by the arrival of the M6 motorway in 1970, employing hundreds and creating local food supply chains to serve a seemingly unglamorous new venture: motorway services, which later accommodated farm shops selling local produce. It highlights the farmers' practice of diversifying — engaging in the sheep business, converting old barns into holiday cottages, and maintaining woodlands, in order to survive. Furthermore, the chapter briefly tackles the case of the ‘land sparers’ who advocate for the concentration of crop production in tightly defined areas so that more space can be left for rewilding elsewhere. It also discusses the problems of hill farmers, such as the price collapse in wool — a primary product produced by sheep.
Communities Renewed or Housing Denied?
Authors: Hetherington Peter
Published: May 2022

This chapter underscores the need for affordable housing for those on low and middle incomes who underpin communities. To renew land and rework the countryside, thriving villages and small towns are vital: at their best, inclusive places with schools, shops, a post office, ideally a health centre-cum-neighbourhood hub and, of course, a pub. The chapter paints the picture of rural Britain, which in large part, became the preserve of a moneyed elite, abandoning larger cities — an exodus intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic — while younger people, born in the countryside, are travelling in the opposite direction, often reluctantly, because they can't find affordable homes. The discussion emphasizes that this is economically illogical and represents a failure by successive governments to value the foundational worth of people to communities.
Who Governs the Night in Cities?
Authors: Acuto Michele , Seijas Andreina , McArthur Jenny , Robin Enora
Published: May 2022

Whether we speak of night mayors, commissions or offices and variations thereof, the current reforms toward night-time management have much to do with governance and urban policy. This first research-based chapter of our volume begins the investigation of how cities are managed at night as a comparative review of experiences from around the world which stems from an explicitly political question of institutions and authority: how has the management of the ‘after hours’ of cities been formalised around the world? What we aim to do here is to kick off our ‘primer’ on night-time governance looking at key lessons emerging from the recent movements to set up night ‘mayors’, ‘managers’, ‘offices’ and ‘commissions’, as tangible instantiations of night-time governance, and comparing how these operate in diverse contexts. To do so we offer some preliminary typologies of these night-time governance arrangements, framed mainly as both a graspable tool for practitioners to understand complex institutional setups in cities, but also as a guide for field researchers.
Night-Time Governance Trajectories: The Importance of Scale and Politics
Authors: Acuto Michele , Seijas Andreina , McArthur Jenny , Robin Enora
Published: May 2022

The trajectories of night-time governance presented in the previous chapter speak to the need to understand the institutionalisation of how we manage the NTE within the broader context of urban governance. This chapter introduces four more case studies: those of Tokyo in Japan, Berlin in Germany, and Valparaiso in Chile and Bogota in Colombia. In doing so we stress the necessity of paying closer attention to the scalar depth of night-time governance and the ‘bottom up’ attention for the night-time economy that might emerge, as the Tokyo story tells us, in the absence of strong government action. The chapter seeks to gesture explicitly to the need to de-centre stories of the night-time beyond the much discussed ‘West’ and account for stories and histories hailing from different ‘Eastern’ and ‘Southern’ experiences. It underlines the necessity to both situate in, and attend to, the broader urban politics the NTE unfolds whilst keeping a close eye on the capacity of non-governmental realities to drive the trajectory of night-time governance.
On a Silicon-based Transhumanism
Authors: Sorgner Stefan Lorenz
Published: May 2022

This chapter analyses the wide range of digital developments relevant for transhumanism. It first argues that there is no pragmatic need to be concerned with the simulation argument. Digitalization and automation are important developments. However, the most pressing moral issues concerning digitalization do not have to do with our being threatened by a super-intelligent artificial intelligence (AI). They have to do with total surveillance, privacy, and negative freedom. Second, the chapter shows that there is a need to radically reinterpret the relevance of digital privacy, embrace total surveillance, and accept the collection of digital data for a democratic purpose. Finally, the chapter further reflects upon the following issue to provide some information on the question of how such a system could be structured: what it could mean to cherish negative freedom, to respect a person, and to avoid harming a person.
The Critical Sociology of Mad Max: Fury Road
Authors: McGregor Rafe
Published: May 2022

This chapter examines George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). Fury Road has sociological value in illuminating the contribution of feminist resistance, gender cooperation, and feminist statehood to the critique of an ostensibly neutral jurisprudence that disguises male supremacism, but its contribution to the discipline of sociology is the way in which the narrative stages the urgency of the need for radical feminism. Radical feminism is not special pleading or reverse discrimination but a lifting up of all as the most-marginalised group in society leads the struggle for social justice. The final shot of the film operates in both the representational and extra-representational dimensions of the work. Fury Road ends at precisely the right point, with male supremacism overthrown and the promise of the feminist state to come, a state of radical feminist governance that is not only possible but desirable.
Building and the Construction State
Authors: Imrie Rob
Published: May 2022

The chapter considers the importance of building and construction in relation to the growth and development of nation states, and, in particular, in facilitating the social and economic goals of governments. The argument is that construction is integral to the socio-development goals of state actors, ranging from early, pre-modern, forms of defensive construction to assure the protection of populations, to contemporary mega-projects that seek to open up new territories for political control and economic exploitation. The proliferation of building, including its form and performance, is closely intertwined with its institutionalisation, and governance, through the interrelationships between powerful corporate organisations, that include organised crime and state policies and programmes. The significance of state involvement in propagating building and construction, and the rise and the role of ‘construction states’ in shaping the proclivity to build and construct, is discussed.
Discrimination of natural colors in anomalous trichromacy and the effects of EnChroma and Vino filters
Authors: Marques Dora N. , Gomes Andreia E. , Linhares João M. M. , Nascimento Sérgio M. C.
Published: May 2022

It is still unclear how well anomalous trichromats discriminate natural colors and whether commercial spectral filters improve performance in these conditions. We show that anomalous trichromats have good color discrimination with colors drawn from natural environments. It is only about 14% poorer, on average, than normal trichromats in our sample of thirteen anomalous trichromats. No measurable effect of the filters on discrimination was found, even after 8 hours of continuous use. Computations of cone and post-receptoral signals show only a modest increase in medium-to-long-wavelength difference signals, which may explain the absent effect of the filters.
Multi-slice ptychographic imaging with multistage coarse-to-fine reconstruction
Authors: Hu Jing , Li Sunzheng , Xie Hao , Shen Yibing
Published: May 2022

The ability to image 3D samples with optical sectioning is essential for the study of tomographic morphology in material and biological sciences. However, it is often hampered by limitations of acquisition speed and equipment complexity when performing 3D volumetric imaging. Here, we propose, to the best of our knowledge, a new method for 3D reconstruction from a minimum of four intensity-only measurements. The complementary structured patterns provided by the digital micromirror device (DMD) irradiate the outermost layer of the sample to generate the corresponding diffraction intensities for recording, which enables rapid scanning of loaded patterns for fast acquisition. Our multistage reconstruction algorithm first extracts the overall coarse-grained information, and then iteratively optimizes the information of different layers to obtain fine features, thereby achieving high-resolution 3D tomography. The high-fidelity reconstruction in experiments on two-slice resolution targets, unstained Polyrhachis vicina Roger and freely moving C. elegans proves the robustness of the method. Compared with traditional 3D reconstruction methods such as interferometry-based methods or Fourier ptychographic tomography (FPT), our method increases the reconstruction speed by at least 10 times and is suitable for label-free dynamic imaging in multiple-scattering samples. Such 3D reconstruction suggests potential applications in a wide range of fields.
Fast hyperspectral single-pixel imaging via frequency-division multiplexed illumination
Authors: Jiang Xiaoyuan , Li Ziwei , Du Gang , Jia Junlian , Wang Qinghua , Chi Nan , Dai Qionghai
Published: May 2022

Hyperspectral imaging that detects 3D spectra-spatial information has been used in a wide range of applications. Among reported techniques, multiplexed spectral imaging with a single-pixel detector provides as a photon-efficient and low-cost implementation; however, the previous spectral modulation schemes are mostly complicated and sacrifice the imaging speed. Here, we propose a fast and compact hyperspectral single-pixel imaging technique based on programmable chromatic illumination. A multi-wavelength LED array modulated by independent carriers achieves stable and accurate spectral modulation up to MHz in a frequency-division multiplexed manner, hence allowing the full use of the spatial light modulation speed. Additionally, we propose a multi-channel deep convolutional autoencoder network to reconstruct hyperspectral data from highly-compressed 1D measurement. Experimental reconstructions of 12 spectral channels and 64 × 64 pixels are demonstrated for dynamic imaging at 12 fps image rate. The proposed imaging scheme is highly extensible to a wide spectrum range, and holds potential for portable spectral imagers in low-light or scattering applications.
Perfect vortex beam with polarization-rotated functionality based on single-layer geometric-phase metasurface
Authors: Tian Shengnan , Qian Ziheng , Guo Hanming
Published: May 2022

Perfect vortex (PV) beam has seen significant advances in fields like particle manipulation, optical tweezers, and particle trapping, due to the fact that its ring radius is independent of the topological charge. Although geometric-phase metasurfaces have been proposed to generate PV beams, it always relies on circularly or elliptically polarized incident light, which hinders the miniaturization of compact optical devices. Here, using orthogonal decomposition of polarization vectors (ODPV), we proposed a geometric-phase metasurface, which breaks the dependence of circular polarization, to generate PV beam. In the design of the metasurface, we introduced PV phase profiles corresponding to the left-handed circularly polarized (LCP) component and the right-handed circularly polarized (RCP) component into the metasurface based on the principle of ODPV. We further determined the rotation angle of each nanostructure of the metasurface by calculating the argument of the composite vector of LCP and RCP in the transmission field. Simulation results show that the proposed geometric-phase metasurface can generate the PV beam upon the illumination of a linearly polarized incident. Moreover, the PV beam with polarization-rotated functionality is achieved by setting the polarization rotation angle. Furthermore, dual PV beams with orthogonal polarization states is realized at the same time by superimposing two sets of phase profiles on a single metasurface. It is also demonstrated that the PV beam parameters, such as ring radius and/or topological charge, can be set on demand in the metasurface design. The proposed metasurface has the exceptional advantage of high fabrication tolerance and is optical path miniaturization friendly, and will open a new avenue in advanced compact and integrated optical systems.
Higher-order topological states in two-dimensional Stampfli-Triangle photonic crystals
Authors: Peng Yuchen , Liu Exian , Yan Bei , Xie Jianlan , Shi Aoqian , Peng Peng , Li Hang , Liu Jianjun
Published: May 2022

In this Letter, the higher-order topological state (HOTS) and its mechanism in two-dimensional Stampfli-Triangle (2D S-T) photonic crystals (PhCs) is explored. The topological corner states (TCSs) in 2D S-T PhCs are based on two physical mechanisms: one is caused by the photonic quantum spin Hall effect (PQSHE), and the other is caused by the topological interface state. While the former leads to the spin-direction locked effect which can change the distribution of the TCSs, the latter is conducive to the emergence of multiband TCSs in the same structure due to the characteristics of plentiful photonic bandgap (PBG) and broadband in 2D S-T PhCs. These findings allow new, to the best of our knowledge, insight into the HOTS, and are significant to the future design of photonic microcavities, high-quality factor lasers, and other related integrated multiband photonic devices.
Spatial mapping of bleaching in a metal-organic plasmon converter
Authors: Rothe Martin , Zhao Yuhang , Halim Henry , Lu Yan , Benson Oliver
Published: May 2022

Hybrid nanophotonic elements, fabricated by organic and inorganic materials, are going to be key components of modern devices. Coupled systems of photoemitters with a plasmonic waveguide serve the demand for nanoscopic frequency converters. However, processes like the degradation of the photoemitters via photobleaching occur and need to be monitored and controlled, to realize future successful devices. We introduce a hybrid perylene-diimide / silver nanowire as plasmon frequency converter. A versatile method is presented to monitor and analyze the bleaching process. It is based on a time series of photoluminescence images, during the operation of a single converter. An analytical model is applied on the data and unveils that the photobleaching rate is constant and independent of the operation of the plasmon converter.
Synergistic enhancement of spin–phonon interaction in a hybrid system
Authors: Zhou Yuan , Hu Chang-Sheng , Lü Dong-Yan , Li Xin-Ke , Huang Hai-Ming , Xiong Yong-Chen , Lü Xin-You
Published: May 2022

An investigation to significantly enhance coupling to nitrogen−vacancy (NV) centers at a single-quanta level is of great interest to further explore its applications in quantum information processing (QIP). This study explores a joint scheme to further enhance NV–phonon coherent coupling with two methods working together in hybrid optomechanical systems. Both methods are mechanics-induced mode field coupling (MFC) that lead, respectively, to the modification of the spatial distribution of the optical field and the mechanical parametric amplification (MPA) realized by modulating the mechanical spring constant in time. With the joint assistance of MFC and MPA, the coherent coupling between the NV spin and one supermode of the mechanical resonators (MRs) can be further significantly enhanced with the rate

∝

n
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cav

e
r

. Several potential applications are also discussed in this work. With the ultimate goal to enhance the coupling to NV spin at a single-quanta level, this attempt may provide a promising spin–phonon platform to implement more active control.
A genome-scale metabolic model of Cupriavidus necator H16 integrated with TraDIS and transcriptomic data reveals metabolic insights for biotechnological applications
Authors: Pearcy Nicole , Garavaglia Marco , Millat Thomas , Gilbert James P. , Song Yoseb , Hartman Hassan , Woods Craig , Tomi-Andrino Claudio , Reddy Bommareddy Rajesh , Cho Byung-Kwan , Fell David A. , Poolman Mark , King John R. , Winzer Klaus , Twycross Jamie , Minton Nigel P.
Published: May 2022

Exploiting biological processes to recycle renewable carbon into high value platform chemicals provides a sustainable and greener alternative to current reliance on petrochemicals. In this regardCupriavidus necatorH16 represents a particularly promising microbial chassis due to its ability to grow on a wide range of low-cost feedstocks, including the waste gas carbon dioxide, whilst also naturally producing large quantities of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) during nutrient-limited conditions. Understanding the complex metabolic behaviour of this bacterium is a prerequisite for the design of successful engineering strategies for optimising product yields. We present a genome-scale metabolic model (GSM) ofC.necatorH16 (denotediCN1361), which is directly constructed from the BioCyc database to improve the readability and reusability of the model. After the initial automated construction, we have performed extensive curation and both theoretical and experimental validation. By carrying out a genome-wide essentiality screening using a Transposon-directed Insertion site Sequencing (TraDIS) approach, we showed that the model could predict gene knockout phenotypes with a high level of accuracy. Importantly, we indicate how experimental and computational predictions can be used to improve model structure and, thus, model accuracy as well as to evaluate potential false positives identified in the experiments. Finally, by integrating transcriptomics data withiCN1361 we create a condition-specific model, which, importantly, better reflects PHB production inC.necatorH16. Observed changes in the omics data andin-silico-estimated alterations in fluxes were then used to predict the regulatory control of key cellular processes. The results presented demonstrate thatiCN1361 is a valuable tool for unravelling the system-level metabolic behaviour ofC.necatorH16 and can provide useful insights for designing metabolic engineering strategies.
Divergent transcriptional and transforming properties of PAX3-FOXO1 and PAX7-FOXO1 paralogs
Authors: Manceau Line , Richard Albert Julien , Lollini Pier-Luigi , Greenberg Maxim V. C. , Gilardi-Hebenstreit Pascale , Ribes Vanessa
Published: May 2022

The hallmarks of the alveolar subclass of rhabdomyosarcoma are chromosomal translocations that generate chimeric PAX3-FOXO1 or PAX7-FOXO1 transcription factors. Overexpression of either PAX-FOXO1s results in related cell transformation in animal models. Yet, in patients the two structural genetic aberrations they derived from are associated with distinct pathological manifestations. To assess the mechanisms underlying these differences, we generated isogenic fibroblast lines expressing either PAX-FOXO1 paralog. Mapping of their genomic recruitment using CUT&Tag revealed that the two chimeric proteins have distinct DNA binding preferences. In addition, PAX7-FOXO1 binding results in greater recruitment of the H3K27ac activation mark than PAX3-FOXO1 binding and is accompanied by greater transcriptional activation of neighbouring genes. These effects are associated with a PAX-FOXO1-specific alteration in the expression of genes regulating cell shape and the cell cycle. Consistently, PAX3-FOXO1 accentuates fibroblast cellular traits associated with contractility and surface adhesion and limits entry into S phase. In contrast, PAX7-FOXO1 drives cells to adopt an amoeboid shape, reduces entry into M phase, and causes increased DNA damage. Altogether, our results argue that the diversity of rhabdomyosarcoma manifestation arises, in part, from the divergence between the genomic occupancy and transcriptional activity of PAX3-FOXO1 and PAX7-FOXO1.
Population bottlenecks constrain host microbiome diversity and genetic variation impeding fitness
Authors: Ørsted Michael , Yashiro Erika , Hoffmann Ary A. , Kristensen Torsten Nygaard
Published: May 2022

It is becoming increasingly clear that microbial symbionts influence key aspects of their host’s fitness, and vice versa. This may fundamentally change our thinking about how microbes and hosts interact in influencing fitness and adaptation to changing environments. Here we explore how reductions in population size commonly experienced by threatened species influence microbiome diversity. Consequences of such reductions are normally interpreted in terms of a loss of genetic variation, increased inbreeding and associated inbreeding depression. However, fitness effects of population bottlenecks might also be mediated through microbiome diversity, such as through loss of functionally important microbes. Here we utilise 50 Drosophila melanogaster lines with different histories of population bottlenecks to explore these questions. The lines were phenotyped for egg-to-adult viability and their genomes sequenced to estimate genetic variation. The bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified in these lines to investigate microbial diversity. We found that 1) host population bottlenecks constrained microbiome richness and diversity, 2) core microbiomes of hosts with low genetic variation were constituted from subsets of microbiomes found in flies with higher genetic variation, 3) both microbiome diversity and host genetic variation contributed to host population fitness, 4) connectivity and robustness of bacterial networks was low in the inbred lines regardless of host genetic variation, 5) reduced microbial diversity was associated with weaker evolutionary responses of hosts in stressful environments, and 6) these effects were unrelated to Wolbachia density. These findings suggest that population bottlenecks reduce hologenomic variation (combined host and microbial genetic variation). Thus, while the current biodiversity crisis focuses on population sizes and genetic variation of eukaryotes, an additional focal point should be the microbial diversity carried by the eukaryotes, which in turn may influence host fitness and adaptability with consequences for the persistence of populations.
Early midcell localization of Escherichia coli PBP4 supports the function of peptidoglycan amidases
Authors: Verheul Jolanda , Lodge Adam , Yau Hamish C. L. , Liu Xiaolong , Boelter Gabriela , Liu Xinwei , Solovyova Alexandra S. , Typas Athanasios , Banzhaf Manuel , Vollmer Waldemar , den Blaauwen Tanneke
Published: May 2022

Insertion of new material into theEscherichia colipeptidoglycan (PG) sacculus between the cytoplasmic membrane and the outer membrane requires a well-organized balance between synthetic and hydrolytic activities to maintain cell shape and avoid lysis. Since most bacteria carry multiple enzymes carrying the same type of PG hydrolytic activity, we know little about the specific function of given enzymes. Here we show that the DD-carboxy/endopeptidase PBP4 localizes in a PBP1A/LpoA and FtsEX dependent fashion at midcell during septal PG synthesis. Midcell localization of PBP4 requires its non-catalytic domain 3 of unknown function, but not the activity of PBP4 or FtsE. Microscale thermophoresis with isolated proteins shows that PBP4 interacts with NlpI and the FtsEX-interacting protein EnvC, an activator of amidases AmiA and AmiB, which are needed to generate denuded glycan strands to recruit the initiator of septal PG synthesis, FtsN. The domain 3 of PBP4 is needed for the interaction with NlpI and EnvC, but not PBP1A or LpoA.In vivocrosslinking experiments confirm the interaction of PBP4 with PBP1A and LpoA. We propose that the interaction of PBP4 with EnvC, whilst not absolutely necessary for mid-cell recruitment of either protein, coordinates the activities of PBP4 and the amidases, which affects the formation of denuded glycan strands that attract FtsN. Consistent with this model, we found that the divisome assembly at midcell was premature in cells lacking PBP4, illustrating how the complexity of interactions affect the timing of cell division initiation.
Cost-effectiveness evaluation of different control strategies for Clonorchis sinensis infection in a high endemic area of China: A modelling study
Authors: He Yun-Ting , Huang Xiao-Hong , Fang Yue-Yi , Zeng Qing-Sheng , Li Lai-De , Luo Le , Lai Ying-Si
Published: May 2022

Clonorchiasis is an important food-borne parasitic disease caused by Clonorchis sinensis infection. The evaluation of long-term cost-effectiveness of control strategies is important for disease control and prevention. The present study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of the three recommended strategies (i.e., WHO, Chinese and Guangdong strategies) and different combinations of commonly used measures (i.e., preventive chemotherapy, information, education, and communication (IEC) and environmental improvement) on clonorchiasis. The study area, Fusha town in Guangdong Province, was a typical high endemic area in China. The analysis was based on a multi-group transmission model of C. sinensis infection. We set the intervention duration for 10 years and post-intervention period for 50 years. The corresponding costs and DALYs were estimated. Strategies with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) less than 1/5 of the willingness-to-pay threshold were identified as highly cost-effective strategies. The optimal control strategy was obtained using the next best comparator method. The ICERs of Guangdong strategy were $172 (95% CI: $143-$230) US for praziquantel and $106 (95% CI: $85-$143) US for albendazole, suggesting the highest cost-effectiveness among the three recommended strategies. For praziquantel, 470 sets of control strategies were identified as highly cost-effective strategies for achieving infection control (prevalence<5%). The optimal strategy consisted of chemotherapy targeted on at-risk population, IEC and environmental improvement, with coverages all being 100%, and with the ICER of $202 (95% CI: $168-$271) US. The results for transmission control (prevalence<1%) and albendazole were obtained with the same procedures. The findings may help to develop control policies for C. sinensis infection in high endemic areas. Moreover, the method adopted is applicable for assessment of optimal strategies in other endemic areas.
Shorter constant work rate cycling tests as proxies for longer tests in highly trained cyclists
Authors: du Plessis Chantelle , Andrews Mark , Mitchell Lachlan J. G. , Cochrane Wilkie Jodie , King Trish , Blazevich Anthony J.
Published: May 2022

Severe-intensity constant work rate (CWR) cycling tests simulate the high-intensity competition environment and are useful for monitoring training progression and adaptation, yet impose significant physiological and psychological strain, require substantial recovery, and may disrupt athlete training or competition preparation. A brief, minimally fatiguing test providing comparable information is desirable. Purpose To determine whether physiological variables measured during, and functional decline in maximal power output immediately after, a 2-min CWR test can act as a proxy for 4-min test outcomes. Methods Physiological stress (V˙O2 kinetics, heart rate, blood lactate concentrations ([La-]b)) was monitored and performance fatigability was estimated (as pre-to-post-CWR changes in 10-s sprint power) during 2- and 4-min CWR tests in 16 high-level cyclists (V˙O2peak=64.4±6.0 ml∙kg-1∙min-1). The relationship between the 2- and 4-min CWR tests and the physiological variables that best relate to the performance fatigability were investigated. Results The 2-min CWR test evoked a smaller decline in sprint mechanical power (32% vs. 47%, p<0.001). Both the physiological variables (r = 0.66–0.96) and sprint mechanical power (r = 0.67–0.92) were independently and strongly correlated between 2- and 4-min tests. Differences in V˙O2peak and [La-]b in both CWR tests were strongly associated with the decline in sprint mechanical power. Conclusion Strong correlations between 2- and 4-min severe-intensity CWR test outcomes indicated that the shorter test can be used as a proxy for the longer test. A shorter test may be more practical within the elite performance environment due to lower physiological stress and performance fatigability and should have less impact on subsequent training and competition preparation.
Estimated quantity of swine virus genomes based on quantitative PCR analysis in spray-dried porcine plasma samples collected from multiple manufacturing plants
Authors: Blázquez Elena , Pujols Joan , Segalés Joaquim , Rodríguez Carmen , Campbell Joy , Russell Louis , Polo Javier
Published: May 2022

This survey was conducted to estimate the incidence and level of potential viral contamination in commercially collected porcine plasma. Samples of spray dried porcine plasma (SDPP) were collected over a 12- month period from eight spray drying facilities in Spain, England, Northern Ireland, Brazil, Canada, and the United States. In this survey, viral load for several porcine pathogens including SVA, TGEV, PRRSV (EU and US strains), PEDV, PCV-2, SIV, SDCoV and PPV were determined by qPCR. Regression of Ct on TCID50of serial diluted stock solution of each virus allowed the estimate of potential viral level in SDPP and unprocessed liquid plasma (using typical solids content of commercially collected porcine plasma). In this survey SVA, TGEV or SDCoV were not detected in any of the SDPP samples. Brazil SDPP samples were free of PRRSV and PEDV. Samples of SDPP from North America primarily contained the PRRSV-US strain while the European samples contained the PRRSV-EU strain (except for one sample from each region containing a relatively low estimated level of the alternative PRRSV strain). Estimated viral level tended to be in the range from <1.0 log10TCID50to <2.5 log10TCID50. Estimated level of SIV was the exception with a very low incidence rate but higher estimated viral load <3.9 log10TCID50. In summary, the incidence of potential viral contamination in commercially collected porcine plasma was variable and estimated virus level in samples containing viral DNA/RNA was relatively low compared with that occurring at the peak viremia during an infection for all viruses or when considering the minimal infectious dose for each of them.
Environmental conditions driven method for automobile cabin pre-conditioning with multi-satisfaction objectives
Authors: Li Weijian , Chen Jiqing , Lan Fengchong
Published: May 2022

The optimal initial pre-conditioning parameter is essential to properly adjust the temperature within the cabin in an effective and accurate way, especially while passengers’ thermal comfort and energy-saving properties are both considered. Under the various environmental thermal loads, the pre-conditioning solutions resulting from those pre-fixed cooling parameters are unfeasible for achieving accurately passengers’ comfort temperature. In addition, it is also difficult in such a narrow car space to identify a lot of local attributes due to the different material properties and sizes of a variety of structural parts that have various thermal responses to environmental conditions. This paper presents a data-driven decision model to numerically identify the degrees of the cabin thermal characteristic to determine satisfactory pre-conditioning parameter schemes. Initially, based on the thermal data within a vehicle recorded through the whole year at a selected hot climate region of the Middle East, the study levels multiple climate scenes corresponding to change in the cabin air temperature. Then three classification algorithms (Support Vector Machines, Decision Tree, and K-nearest neighbor model) are used to comparatively identify climate levels according to the input conditions. Based on the identified climate level, an appropriate parameters scheme for this level is applied. A comprehensive evaluation index (CEI) is proposed to characterize the passengers’ satisfaction in numerical computation, on considering multi-satisfaction objectives including Predicted Mean Vote (PMV), local temperature, air quality, and energy efficiency; and it formulates the pre-conditioning parameter scheme for each climate scene with CEI. Several scene cases are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed models. The result shows that the pre-conditioning schemes of the model can effectively satisfy passengers in multi-satisfaction objectives.
Toxic and repellent impacts of botanical oils against Callosobruchus maculatus (Bruchidae: Coleoptera) in stored cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.]
Authors: Nisar Muhammad Shahid , Ali Shahbaz , Hussain Tassaduq , Ramzan Hassan , Niaz Yasir , Haq Inzamam Ul , Akhtar Faiza , Alwahibi Mona S. , Elshikh Mohamed S. , Kalaji Hazem M. , Telesiński Arkadiusz , Ahmed Mohamed A. A. , Mackled Marwa I.
Published: May 2022

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an important legume which is consumed globally for protein intake, particularly in Asian states. It is a well-known source of dietary fiber, protein, minerals, and vitamins. The cowpea grains are stored after harvest and used till the next harvest. However, the grains are infested by storage pests, primarily Callosobruchus maculatus. Hence, effective management strategies are needed to protect the stored grains form the pests. This study assessed the efficacy of some edible oils in suppressing C. maculatus infestation in stored cowpea grains. Four different botanical oils (i.e., mustard, neem, poppy, and pumpkin) at four different concentrations (i.e., 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 ml per 100 g grain) were included in the study. A control treatment without any botanical oil was also included for comparison. The relevant concentrations of botanical oils were poured into plastic containers containing 100 g cowpea grains and ten C. maculatus adults were released. The jars were sealed and placed at room temperature. Data relating to mortality, oviposition, F1 adult emergence, and seed weight loss were recorded. The tested botanical oils and their concentrations significantly affected mortality after one day. Mortality after 2nd and 3rd days remained unaffected by botanical oils and their different concentrations. The highest mortality was recorded in neem oil-treated grains followed by poppy, pumpkin, and mustard oils. Increased oviposition rate was observed in the grains treated with mustard and pumpkin oils, while those treated with neem and poppy oil recorded decreased oviposition. The control treatment had increased oviposition rate compared to tested botanical oils. All botanical oils significantly inhibited egg laying percentage. The highest germination was recorded for the grains treated with mustard oil followed by pumpkin, poppy, and neem oils, respectively. The lowest germination was recorded for control treatment. Significant differences were noted for C. maculatus repellency among botanical oils. No emergence of adults (F1 progeny) was recorded in all tested botanical oils; thus, F1 progeny was inhibited by 100%. Weight loss, damage percentage, and holes in the grains were not recorded since F1 progeny did not emerge. It is concluded that tested botanical oils are promising and could be utilized to control C. maculatus in cowpea grains during storage.
The effect of dietary behaviors on the nutritional status and associated factors of Yemeni students in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alshammari Ghedeir M. , Osman Magdi A. , Alabdulkarem Kholoud B. , Alsoghair Saleh M. , Mohammed Mohammed A. , Al-Harbi Laila Naif , Yahya Mohammed Abdo
Published: May 2022

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has undergone a significant transformation in eating habits and the native diets have been replaced with Western diets. The present study investigated the effect of dietary behavior on nutritional status and associated factors of Yemeni students studying in Saudi Arabia. The socioeconomic characteristics, food habits, daily food intake, and anthropometric measurement (BMI) were used to assess the nutrition status of 240 adults (120 males and 120 females) Yemni students with the ages ranging from 18 to 35 years studying at King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. The majority of students were married, had higher education level and reasonable income and eat three meals a day. Higher number of female studnets skipped breakfast compared to male students. Energy intake, i.e., vitamins and minerals was lower than the dietary recommended intake (DRI) for both male and female students. The majority of males were overweight compared to females. Most of the socioeconomic characteristics and food habits had positive or negative correlation with body mass index (BMI). Overall, the results revealed that the majority of Yemeni male students had poor eating habits compared to females, resulting in obesity. High income, number of meals per day, breakfast consumption, restaurant meals, consumption of soft drinks, sweets, and potato chips were identified as factors associated with the nutritional status of male and female students included in the study.
Neighbourhood prevalence-to-notification ratios for adult bacteriologically-confirmed tuberculosis reveals hotspots of underdiagnosis in Blantyre, Malawi
Authors: Khundi McEwen , Carpenter James R. , Corbett Elizabeth L. , Feasey Helena R. A. , Soko Rebecca Nzawa , Nliwasa Marriott , Twabi Hussein , Chiume Lingstone , Burke Rachael M. , Horton Katherine C. , Dodd Peter J. , Cohen Ted , MacPherson Peter
Published: May 2022

Local information is needed to guide targeted interventions for respiratory infections such as tuberculosis (TB). Case notification rates (CNRs) are readily available, but systematically underestimate true disease burden in neighbourhoods with high diagnostic access barriers. We explored a novel approach, adjusting CNRs for under-notification (P:N ratio) using neighbourhood-level predictors of TB prevalence-to-notification ratios. We analysed data from 1) a citywide routine TB surveillance system including geolocation, confirmatory mycobacteriology, and clinical and demographic characteristics of all registering TB patients in Blantyre, Malawi during 2015–19, and 2) an adult TB prevalence survey done in 2019. In the prevalence survey, consenting adults from randomly selected households in 72 neighbourhoods had symptom-plus-chest X-ray screening, confirmed with sputum smear microscopy, Xpert MTB/Rif and culture. Bayesian multilevel models were used to estimate adjusted neighbourhood prevalence-to-notification ratios, based on summarised posterior draws from fitted adult bacteriologically-confirmed TB CNRs and prevalence. From 2015–19, adult bacteriologically-confirmed CNRs were 131 (479/371,834), 134 (539/415,226), 114 (519/463,707), 56 (283/517,860) and 46 (258/578,377) per 100,000 adults per annum, and 2019 bacteriologically-confirmed prevalence was 215 (29/13,490) per 100,000 adults. Lower educational achievement by household head and neighbourhood distance to TB clinic was negatively associated with CNRs. The mean neighbourhood P:N ratio was 4.49 (95% credible interval [CrI]: 0.98–11.91), consistent with underdiagnosis of TB, and was most pronounced in informal peri-urban neighbourhoods. Here we have demonstrated a method for the identification of neighbourhoods with high levels of under-diagnosis of TB without the requirement for a prevalence survey; this is important since prevalence surveys are expensive and logistically challenging. If confirmed, this approach may support more efficient and effective targeting of intensified TB and HIV case-finding interventions aiming to accelerate elimination of urban TB.
Random forest vs. logistic regression: Predicting angiographic in-stent restenosis after second-generation drug-eluting stent implantation
Authors: Jiang Zhi , Tian Longhai , Liu Wei , Song Bo , Xue Chao , Li Tianzong , Chen Jin , Wei Fang
Published: May 2022

As the rate of percutaneous coronary intervention increases, in-stent restenosis (ISR) has become a burden. Random forest (RF) could be superior to logistic regression (LR) for predicting ISR due to its robustness. We developed an RF model and compared its performance with the LR one for predicting ISR. We retrospectively included 1501 patients (age: 64.0 ± 10.3; male: 76.7%; ISR events: 279) who underwent coronary angiography at 9 to 18 months after implantation of 2nd generation drug-eluting stents. The data were randomly split into a pair of train and test datasets for model development and validation with 50 repeats. The predictive performance was assessed by the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC). The RF models predicted ISR with larger AUC-ROCs of 0.829 ± 0.025 compared to 0.784 ± 0.027 of the LR models. The difference was statistically significant in 29 of the 50 repeats. The RF and LR models had similar sensitivity using the same cutoff threshold, but the specificity was significantly higher in the RF models, reducing 25% of the false positives. By removing the high leverage outliers, the LR models had comparable AUC-ROC to the RF models. Compared to the LR, the RF was more robust and significantly improved the performance for predicting ISR. It could cost-effectively identify patients with high ISR risk and help the clinical decision of coronary stenting.
High expression of SLC20A1 is less effective for endocrine therapy and predicts late recurrence in ER-positive breast cancer
Authors: Onaga Chotaro , Tamori Shoma , Matsuoka Izumi , Ozaki Ayaka , Motomura Hitomi , Nagashima Yuka , Sato Tsugumichi , Sato Keiko , Xiong Yuyun , Sasaki Kazunori , Ohno Shigeo , Akimoto Kazunori
Published: May 2022

Estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer intrinsically confers satisfactory clinical outcomes in response to endocrine therapy. However, a significant proportion of patients with ER+ breast cancer do not respond well to this treatment. Therefore, to evaluate the effects of endocrine therapy, there is a need for identification of novel markers that can be used at the time of diagnosis for predicting clinical outcomes, especially for early-stage and late recurrence. Solute carrier family 20 member 1 (SLC20A1) is a sodium/inorganic phosphate symporter that has been proposed to be a viable prognostic marker for the luminal A and luminal B types of ER+ breast cancer. In the present study, we examined the possible association of SLC20A1 expression with tumor staging, endocrine therapy and chemotherapy in the luminal A and luminal B subtypes of breast cancer. In addition, we analyzed the relationship between SLC20A1 expression and late recurrence in patients with luminal A and luminal B breast cancer following endocrine therapy. We showed that patients with higher levels of SLC20A1 expression (SLC20A1high) exhibited poorer clinical outcomes in those with tumor stage I luminal A breast cancer. In addition, this SLC20A1high subgroup of patients exhibited less responses to endocrine therapy, specifically in those with the luminal A and luminal B subtypes of breast cancer. However, patients with SLC20A1high showed good clinical outcomes following chemotherapy. Patients tested to be in the SLC20A1high group at the time of diagnosis also showed a higher incidence of recurrence compared with those with lower expression levels of SLC20A1, at >15 years for luminal A breast cancer and at 10–15 years for luminal B breast cancer. Therefore, we conclude that SLC20A1high can be used as a prognostic biomarker for predicting the efficacy of endocrine therapy and late recurrence for ER+ breast cancer.
Geometric distortion assessment in 3T MR images used for treatment planning in cranial Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Radiotherapy
Authors: Theocharis Stefanos , Pappas Eleftherios P. , Seimenis Ioannis , Kouris Panagiotis , Dellios Dimitrios , Kollias Georgios , Karaiskos Pantelis
Published: May 2022

Magnetic Resonance images (MRIs) are employed in brain Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Radiotherapy (SRS/SRT) for target and/or critical organ localization and delineation. However, MRIs are inherently distorted, which also impacts the accuracy of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging/Computed Tomography (MRI/CT) co-registration process. In this phantom-based study, geometric distortion is assessed in 3T T2-weighted images (T2WIs), while the efficacy of an MRI distortion correction technique is also evaluated. A homogeneous polymer gel-filled phantom was CT-imaged before being irradiated with 26 4-mm Gamma Knife shots at predefined locations (reference control points). The irradiated phantom was MRI-scanned at 3T, implementing a T2-weighted protocol suitable for SRS/SRT treatment planning. The centers of mass of all shots were identified in the 3D image space by implementing an iterative localization algorithm and served as the evaluated control points for MRI distortion detection. MRIs and CT images were spatially co-registered using a mutual information algorithm. The inverse transformation matrix was applied to the reference control points and compared with the corresponding MRI-identified ones to evaluate the overall spatial accuracy of the MRI/CT dataset. The mean image distortion correction technique was implemented, and resulting MRI-corrected control points were compared against the corresponding reference ones. For the scanning parameters used, increased MRI distortion (>1mm) was detected at areas distant from the MRI isocenter (>5cm), while median radial distortion was 0.76mm. Detected offsets were slightly higher for the MRI/CT dataset (0.92mm median distortion). The mean image distortion correction improves geometric accuracy, but residual distortion cannot be considered negligible (0.51mm median distortion). For all three datasets studied, a statistically significant positive correlation between detected spatial offsets and their distance from the MRI isocenter was revealed. This work contributes towards the wider adoption of 3T imaging in SRS/SRT treatment planning. The presented methodology can be employed in commissioning and quality assurance programmes of corresponding treatment workflows.