bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identifying Heated Rocks Through Feldspar Luminescence Analysis (pIRIR290) and a Critical Evaluation of Macroscopic Assessment
Authors: Pop E. , Reidsma F. H. , Reimann T. , Sier M. J. , Arps C. E. S. , Gaudzinski-Windheuser S. , Roebroeks W.
Published: April 2021

Throughout (pre)history, non-flint rocks have been used to structure fireplaces, to retain heat, to boil liquids, and to cook food. Thus far, the identification of heated non-flint rocks in archaeological contexts largely depends on a visual (macroscopic) assessment using criteria thought to be diagnostic for thermal alteration. However, visual identification can be subject to observer bias, and some heat-induced traces can be quite difficult to distinguish from other types of weathering or discolouration. In this paper, we present feldspar luminescence analysis as an independent, objective way to identify heated non-flint rocks and to evaluate the results against the established visual macroscopic method for the identification of such pieces. This is done by submitting manuported rocks with and without inferred macroscopic characteristics of heating, originating from the Last Interglacial, Middle Palaeolithic site Neumark-Nord 2/2 (Germany), to feldspar luminescence analysis (pIRIR290). Results of the feldspar luminescence analysis are compared with the visual assessments. This proof of concept study demonstrates the potential of luminescence analyses as an independent, quantitative method for the identification of heated rocks—and their prehistoric applications like hot-stone cooking, specifically for cases where macroscopic assessment cannot provide reliable determinations.
Zu wenig oder zu viel? Warum Dankbarkeit im Rahmen der Gabe-Theorie betrachtet werden sollte
Authors: Landweer Hilge
Published: April 2021

In Schnitzlers Erzählung „Wohltaten still und rein gegeben“ geht es zentral um das Betteln. Die Hauptfigur erhält eine größere Geldgabe, will aber die Dankesschuld nicht übernehmen, die damit verbunden ist. Der Empfänger der Gabe glaubt, durch das Akzeptieren der Dankesschuld den Status eines Bettlers zugewiesen zu bekommen. Der Beitrag interpretiert Schnitzlers Erzählung neu, und zwar stärker gabentheoretisch. Dies erlaubt eine andere Perspektive als die von Nisters auf die Asymmetrien, die durch Wohltaten entstehen, und wirft die Frage auf, in welchen Fällen sie ausgeglichen werden sollten, falls sie überhaupt ausgeglichen werden können.

Beim Betteln gibt es auf beiden Seiten Unsicherheiten über die Bewertung der Größe der Gabe; in der Erzählung kippt die Bewertung von „zu groß“ in „zu wenig“. Allgemein ist beim Geben, so die These, „zu viel“ ebenso problematisch wie „zu wenig“: Im ersten Fall verpflichtet der Gebende den Empfänger in unstatthafter Weise, nämlich so, dass er sich nicht revanchieren kann und sich dadurch erniedrigt fühlt. Im zweiten kommt der Geber einer unausgesprochenen Verpflichtung nicht nach, dem Anderen vom eigenen Wohlstand in angemessener Weise abzugeben und demütigt den Empfänger durch die Geringfügigkeit. Beim Ausgleich von Gabe und Gegengabe, auch durch Dankbarkeit, geht es nicht um exakte Symmetrie, sondern um Angemessenheit an die Situation.

Eine Dankesschuld, zu der man sich gegen den eigenen Willen und damit zu Unrecht verpflichtet fühlt, kann als dunkle Seite der Dankbarkeit verstanden werden. Eine solche Schuld verwandelt das Gefühl von Dankbarkeit in Ärger.
Der doppelte Franz und das Danaergeschenk
Authors: Nickl Peter
Published: April 2021

Während Thomas Nisters eine Parallele zwischen Dankbarkeit und Ärger zu ziehen versucht, könnte die Pointe der Geschichte in einer mehrfachen Verdoppelung zu sehen sein: der schenkenden Handlung, der Gabe, der beschenkten Person, des Schenkenden. Der Umschlag von Dankbarkeit zu Ärger ist weniger verwunderlich, wenn wir uns an die Lehre von Thomas von Aquin erinnern, dass „die Vergeltung einer Gunst mehr vom affectus des Gebenden als vom effectus [der Gabe] abhängt.“
Intrinsically bad gratitude
Authors: Löschke Jörg
Published: April 2021

This paper discusses under which circumstances grateful responses can become intrinsically bad. It is argued that gratitude should be understood as an appropriate response to value and that it is subject to the so-called recursive account of intrinsic value, according to which appropriate responses to value are intrinsically good, and inappropriate responses to value are intrinsically bad. As a result, gratitude can become intrinsically bad in two cases: i) when gratitude has the wrong object, i.e., is a pro-response to an intrinsically bad act, ii) when the grateful response is grossly disproportionate, i.e., the intensity of the response does not match the goodness of the act that it is a response to.
Functionalization of hydrophobic nonwoven cotton fabric for oil and water repellency
Authors: Saha Pran Krisna , Mia Rony , Zhou Yang , Ahmed Taosif
Published: April 2021

Highly hydrophobic surfaces exhibit a remarkable feature in the repellency of oil and water. However, the relatively complex preparation process, high costs, and harmful compounds have largely limited their applications. This research aim is to fabricate hydrophobic nonwoven fabrics with low-cost and nontoxic materials. Despite various wettable materials, nonwoven cotton fabric material bearing hydrophobic surfaces has been received significant attention. This is mainly owing to its easy handling, high flexibility, environment friendly, low cost, biodegradability, high efficiency, and easily scalable fabrication. In this study, a simple chemical modification method using hexadecyltrimethoxysilane (HDTMS) with ethanol which is a better method in comparison with other methods since it is an inexpensive, simple method, and offers an easy adjustment of chemical composition required for a surface to show hydrophobic behaviors. The wetting behavior of cotton samples was investigated by water contact angle measurement. The best result comes from 2 ml HDTMS with 40 ml ethanol at 60 °C. The result shows that the treated cotton fabrics exhibited excellent chemical stability and outstanding non-wettability with the WCA of 126 ± 2°. It also shows that standard oil and water repellency, which offers an opportunity to accelerate the large-scale production of hydrophobic textile materials for new industrial applications.

Graphic abstract
QDNN: deep neural networks with quantum layers
Authors: Zhao Chen , Gao Xiao-Shan
Published: April 2021

In this paper, a quantum extension of classical deep neural network (DNN) is introduced, which is called QDNN and consists of quantum structured layers. It is proved that the QDNN can uniformly approximate any continuous function and has more representation power than the classical DNN. Moreover, the QDNN still keeps the advantages of the classical DNN such as the non-linear activation, the multi-layer structure, and the efficient backpropagation training algorithm. Furthermore, the QDNN uses parameterized quantum circuits (PQCs) as the basic building blocks and hence can be used on near-term noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) processors. A numerical experiment for an image classification task based on QDNN is given, where a high accuracy rate is achieved.
The Reverberator
Authors: James Henry
Published: April 2021

Often overlooked by modern critics, The Reverberator was a departure from Henry James' immediately preceding novels, The Bostonians and The Princess Casamassima, returning to the popular 'international theme' of his earlier fiction. Its comedy of manners explores the conflicting values of American and Europeanized characters in the context of topical cultural concerns. Most notably, in its satire on popular journalism and an emerging mass-media through the scandal sheet 'The Reverberator', the novel dramatizes what James presciently saw as the 'devouring publicity' of modern life. This edition, based on the most reliable of the work's first book appearances (Macmillan, 1888), provides a thorough account of the novel's sources and composition, literary and historical contexts, and extensive revision for the New York Edition (1908), as well as extensive annotation. It will be of interest to James scholars, students of nineteenth-century Anglo-American literature and culture, and historians of journalism and new media.
Radial density profile and stability of capillary discharge plasma waveguides of lengths up to 40 cm
Authors: Turner M. , Gonsalves A. J. , Bulanov S. S. , Benedetti C. , Bobrova N. A. , Gasilov V. A. , Sasorov P. V. , Korn G. , Nakamura K. , van Tilborg J. , Geddes C. G. , Schroeder C. B. , Esarey E.
Published: April 2021

We measured the parameter reproducibility and radial electron density profile of capillary discharge waveguides with diameters of 650

$\mathrm{\mu} \mathrm{m}$

to 2 mm and lengths of 9 to 40 cm. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, 40 cm is the longest discharge capillary plasma waveguide to date. This length is important for

$\ge$

10 GeV electron energy gain in a single laser-driven plasma wakefield acceleration stage. Evaluation of waveguide parameter variations showed that their focusing strength was stable and reproducible to

$<0.2$

% and their average on-axis plasma electron density to

$<1$

%. These variations explain only a small fraction of laser-driven plasma wakefield acceleration electron bunch variations observed in experiments to date. Measurements of laser pulse centroid oscillations revealed that the radial channel profile rises faster than parabolic and is in excellent agreement with magnetohydrodynamic simulation results. We show that the effects of non-parabolic contributions on Gaussian pulse propagation were negligible when the pulse was approximately matched to the channel. However, they affected pulse propagation for a non-matched configuration in which the waveguide was used as a plasma telescope to change the focused laser pulse spot size.
Towards best practice in school management of students with depressive disorders
Authors: Burns John R.
Published: April 2021

There is growing evidence of an escalation of depression in young people. In light of this, schools are increasingly being confronted with the challenge of how to best manage students with depressive disorders. Such management includes consideration of the academic, behavioural, social and emotional implications of the disorder. This article provides school practitioners and management with a review of what constitutes ‘best practice’ in school management of students with depressive disorders. It adopts the mental health intervention framework of the Institute of Medicine, considering how school-based intervention occurs across the four domains of mental health promotion, prevention, case identification and treatment, as well as maintenance of students with or at-risk of depression. It provides a checklist for practitioners at each stage of the Institute of Medicine intervention spectrum. Moreover, it takes the view that best practice in psychology is always evidence-based practice, although discerning a clear path through the available research is not always obvious.
On Postcolonial Suffering: George Floyd and the Scene of Contamination
Authors: Quayson Ato
Published: April 2021

If, as Eric J. Cassell suggests in The Nature of Suffering and the Goals of Medicine, “Suffering occurs when an impending destruction of the person is perceived; [and] continues until the threat of disintegration has passed or until the integrity of the person can be restored in some manner,” and that suffering is due to both emotional and physical conditions, then there has been much suffering concentrated into the year that was 2020.1 All definitions of suffering have to find a way of aligning two central vectors: the Self as category has to be defined in all its variegated possibilities and contradictory levels and then correlated to the category of World. But often Self and World are not easily separable even for heuristic purposes given the boundaries of one overlap with the other and the two are often completely co-constitutive. Although the Self may disintegrate in direct response to reversals of fortune, it may also, properly speaking, suffer an experience of painful biographical discontinuity simply at losing the capacity to produce a coherent account of the world to itself and to others.2 This sense of incoherence is central to the conditions that were experienced under colonialism and its aftermath in many parts of the world, where the instruments for making meaning both communally and individually were often seen to have been compromised by the impositions of colonial history.
Addiction, Intoxicants, and the Humoral Body
Authors: Withington Phil
Published: April 2021

Taking the humoral body as its spatial focus, this article considers how medical writers and practitioners engaged with ‘intoxicants’ both in terms of the prescription of medicines and in the conceptualization of compulsive consumption – or what is often styled by modern practitioners as ‘addiction’. Focusing in the first instance on the compilers of vernacular pharmacopoeia – compilations of medical ingredients and techniques – the article argues that just as sugar, tobacco, and especially opiates had a significant and possibly transformative role in everyday physic, so the ‘operation’ of opiates, distilled spirits, and tobacco was crucial in stimulating new thinking about how bodies became substance-dependent. The article also argues, however, that, in order to conceptualize the problem, writers turned to the venerable language of custom rather than the relatively new language of addiction – in particular, the ancient idea of custom as ‘second nature’.
The global challenge of hidden hunger: perspectives from the field
Authors: Lowe Nicola M.
Published: April 2021

The aim of this review paper is to explore the strategies employed to tackle micronutrient deficiencies with illustrations from field-based experience. Hidden hunger is the presence of multiple micronutrient deficiencies (particularly iron, zinc, iodine and vitamin A), which can occur without a deficit in energy intake as a result of consuming an energy-dense, but nutrient-poor diet. It is estimated that it affects more than two billion people worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where there is a reliance on low-cost food staples and where the diversity of the diet is limited. Finding a way to improve the nutritional quality of diets for the poorest people is central to meeting the UN sustainable development goals particularly sustainable development goal 2: end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. As we pass the midpoint of the UN's Decade for Action on Nutrition, it is timely to reflect on progress towards achieving sustainable development goal 2 and the strategies to reduce hidden hunger. Many low- and middle-income countries are falling behind national nutrition targets, and this has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other recent shocks to the global food system which have disproportionately impacted the world's most vulnerable communities. Addressing inequalities within the food system must be central to developing a sustainable, cost-effective strategy for improving food quality that delivers benefit to the seldom heard and marginalised communities.
Is resolve mainly about resisting hyperbolic discounting?
Authors: Ross Don
Published: April 2021

Ainslie insightfully refines the concept of willpower by emphasizing low-effort applications of resolve. However, he gives undue weight to intertemporal discounting as the problem that willpower is needed to overcome. Nonhumans typically don't encounter choices that differ only in the time of consumption. Humans learn to transform uncertainty into problems they can solve using culturally evolved mechanisms for quantifying risk.
Putting the pieces together: Self-control as a complex interaction of psychological processes
Authors: Strack Fritz , Deutsch Roland , Abraham Bleen
Published: April 2021

Ainslie's account of willpower addresses many important mechanisms (e.g., habit, visceral activation, and implementation intention). We argue that a model of willpower should be grounded in general psychological principles and with a primary focus on their interplay. We discuss the reflective-impulsive model that covers willpower and impulsiveness as special constellations of processes that govern various forms of cognition and behavior.
Protective effect of oral contraceptive against Helicobacter pylori infection in US adult females: NHANES 1999–2000
Authors: Fong P. , Wang Q. T.
Published: April 2021

Recently, the antibacterial properties of oestrogen and progestogen were discovered. The aim of this study was to find the cross-sectional association between oral contraceptive use and Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence. Data were obtained from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The H. pylori immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to categorise participants as seropositive or seronegative. The study population included 799 female participants who had information on H. pylori seroprevalence and all other covariates and had not been taking any medications (except oral contraceptives). The bivariate Rao–Scott chi-square test indicated a significant association between H. pylori seroprevalence and contraceptive use (P < 0.01). The variables of race, education, poverty income ratio, smoking, and blood lead and cadmium levels were also significantly associated with H. pylori seroprevalence (P < 0.01). Multiple logistic regression analysis of the age-adjusted model revealed that contraceptive users are 65% less likely of being H. pylori seropositive as compared to non-contraceptive users (odds ratio (OR): 0.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.18–0.68). This association is stronger with the final multivariate model (OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.23–0.89). Conclusions: This finding reveals the potential protective effect of oral contraceptives against H. pylori infection and serves as a foundation study for further investigations.
Assessing the Risk of Democratic Reversal in the United States: A Reply to Kurt Weyland
Authors: López Matias , Luna Juan Pablo
Published: April 2021

By replying to Kurt Weyland’s (2020) comparative study of populism, we revisit optimistic perspectives on the health of American democracy in light of existing evidence. Relying on a set-theoretical approach, Weyland concludes that populists succeed in subverting democracy only when institutional weakness and conjunctural misfortune are observed jointly in a polity, thereby conferring on the United States immunity to democratic reversal. We challenge this conclusion on two grounds. First, we argue that the focus on institutional dynamics neglects the impact of the structural conditions in which institutions are embedded, such as inequality, racial cleavages, and changing political attitudes among the public. Second, we claim that endogeneity, coding errors, and the (mis)use of Boolean algebra raise questions about the accuracy of the analysis and its conclusions. Although we are skeptical of crisp-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis as an adequate modeling choice, we replicate the original analysis and find that the paths toward democratic backsliding and continuity are both potentially compatible with the United States.
Husten aus gastroenterologischer Sicht
Authors: Sedelmayr Michael , Lenglinger Johannes , Juillerat Pascal
Published: April 2021

Zusammenfassung. Chronischer Husten als Symptom kann vielfältige Ursachen haben. Grundsätzlich sollte eine Abklärung von chronischem Husten immer multidisziplinär erfolgen, um zunächst andere Ursachen (kardiale, pulmonale, strukturelle Veränderungen von Pharynx und Larynx, Allergien, Malignome) auszuschliessen. Husten als extraösophageale Manifestation der gastroösophagealen Refluxerkrankung (GERD) stellt ein häufiges Symptom dar. Aus gastroenterologischer Perspektive kommt differenzialdiagnostisch auch eine eosinophile Ösophagitis (EoE) und seltenere Ursachen wie ösophageale Motilitätsstörungen in Frage. Bei gleichzeitigem Vorliegen von Alarm-Symptomen (Gewichtsverlust, Anämie, Dysphagie) sollte zuerst eine endoskopische Abklärung mittels Ösophago-Gastroduodenoskopie (ÖGD) erfolgen, um ein Malignom auszuschliessen. Hierbei sollten Stufenbiopsien vom Ösophagus erfolgen, um eine eosinophile Ösophagitis auszuschliessen. Bei unauffälligem makroskopischen und histopathologischem ÖGD-Befund kann zunächst eine probatorische säuresuppressive Therapie mit Protonenpumpen-Inhibitoren (PPI) als erste therapeutische Massnahme versucht werden. Bei Nicht-Ansprechen auf die PPI-Therapie sollten funktionsdiagnostische Untersuchungen durchgeführt werden. Mittels ambulanter pH-Impedanz-Messung kann eine nicht-erosive Refluxerkrankung und eine Hypersensitivität des Ösophagus nachgewiesen werden. Mit Hilfe der Ösophagusmanometrie können wertvolle Informationen über die physiologische Antirefluxbarriere gewonnen werden und Motilitätsstörungen des Ösophagus diagnostiziert werden. Für bestimmte therapierefraktäre Patienten mit bestätigtem Reflux-assoziiertem Husten kommt eine chirurgische Therapie (Antirefluxchirurgie) in Betracht. Dieser Übersichtsartikel soll einen Überblick über den diagnostisch-therapeutischen Algorithmus aus Sicht eines Gastroenterologen geben, um das Symptom Husten anzugehen.
Husten aus pharmakologischer Sicht
Authors: Späni Selina , Hübner Simona T. , Leuppi-Taegtmeyer Anne
Published: April 2021

Zusammenfassung. Zur Linderung einer Hustensymptomatik können diverse Arzneimittel mit verschiedenen protussiven oder antitussiven Wirkmechanismen eingesetzt werden. Für gewisse Indikationen spielen auch Phytopharmaka eine bedeutende Rolle. In der Ursachensuche eines persistierenden Hustens ist die Dauermedikation kritisch zu prüfen und bei Verdacht auf eine unerwünschte Arzneimittelwirkung gegebenenfalls anzupassen.
Eignung und Zulassung von Bewerber_innen auf ein Hochschulstudium
Authors: Besser Michael , Göller Robin , Depping Denise , Ehmke Timo , Freund Philipp A. , Leiss Dominik
Published: April 2021

Zusammenfassung. Mit dem Urteil des Bundesverfassungsgerichts vom Dezember 2017 ist es Hochschulen in Deutschland zukünftig untersagt, Bewerber_innen auf einen Studienplatz allein unter Rückgriff auf die Note der Hochschulzugangsberechtigung auszuwählen. Hochschulen stehen daher vor der Herausforderung, Auswahlverfahren zu entwickeln, die die Eignung der Bewerber_innen feststellen und hierauf aufbauend die „besten Bewerber_innen“ für einen Studiengang zulassen. Im Beitrag werden theoretische Fundierung und empirische Befunde eines Auswahlverfahrens für Bewerber_innen auf ein Lehramtsstudium vorgestellt. Das Verfahren erhebt neben kognitiven Fähigkeiten auch Vorwissen, außerschulisches Engagement, Interesse, Motivation und pädagogische Vorerfahrungen von Studieninteressierten. Die auf diese Weise im Auswahlverfahren erhobene Studieneignung korreliert positiv mit der späteren Studienleistung der Bewerber_innen.
Spatial Analysis of Ambient Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Hospitalization Across Sweden
Authors: Aturinde Augustus , Farnaghi Mahdi , Pilesjö Petter , Sundquist Kristina , Mansourian Ali
Published: April 2021

The associations of multiple pollutants and cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity, and the spatial variations of these associations have not been nationally studied in Sweden. The main aim of this study was, thus, to spatially analyze the associations between ambient air pollution (black carbon, carbon monoxide, particulate matter (both <10 µm and <2.5 µm in diameter) and Sulfur oxides considered) and CVD admissions while controlling for neighborhood deprivation across Sweden from 2005 to 2010. Annual emission estimates across Sweden along with admission records for coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, atherosclerotic and aortic disease were obtained and aggregated at Small Areas for Market Statistics level. Global associations were analyzed using global Poisson regression and spatially autoregressive Poisson regression models. Spatial non‐stationarity of the associations was analyzed using Geographically Weighted Poisson Regression. Generally, weak but significant associations were observed between most of the air pollutants and CVD admissions. These associations were non‐homogeneous, with more variability in the southern parts of Sweden. Our study demonstrates significant spatially varying associations between ambient air pollution and CVD admissions across Sweden and provides an empirical basis for developing healthcare policies and intervention strategies with more emphasis on local impacts of ambient air pollution on CVD outcomes in Sweden.
The Latitudinal Variation and Hemispheric Asymmetry of the Ionospheric Lunitidal Signatures in the American Sector During Major Sudden Stratospheric Warming Events
Authors: Liu Jing , Zhang Donghe , Goncharenko Larisa P. , Zhang Shun‐Rong , He Maosheng , Hao Yongqiang , Xiao Zuo
Published: April 2021

During sudden stratospheric warming events, the ionosphere exhibits phase‐shifted semidiurnal perturbations, which are typically attributed to vertical coupling associated with the semidiurnal lunar tide (M2). Our understanding of ionospheric responses to M2 is limited. This study focuses on fundamental vertical coupling processes associated with the latitudinal extent and hemispheric asymmetry of ionospheric M2 signatures using total electron content data from the American sector. Our results illustrate that the asymmetry maximizes at 15°N and 20°S magnetic latitudes. In the Southern Hemisphere, the M2‐like signatures extend deep into midlatitude and encounter the Weddell Sea Anomaly. The time evolution of the Anomaly exhibits a distortion, which is attributed to an M2 modulation. The hemispheric asymmetry of M2 signatures in the low latitude can be primarily explained by the transequatorial wind modulation of the equatorial plasma fountain. Other physical processes could also be relevant, including hemispheric asymmetry of the M2 below the F‐region, the ambient thermospheric composition and ionospheric plasma distribution, and the geomagnetic field configuration.
The Semi‐Analytical Solution for Non‐Equilibrium Solute Transport in Dual‐Permeability Porous Media
Authors: Sharma Abhimanyu , Swami Deepak , Joshi Nitin , Chandel Aman , Šimůnek Jirka
Published: April 2021

This study presents a conceptual Dual‐Permeability Non‐Equilibrium (DPNE) model that accounts for both physical and chemical non‐equilibria to describe the reactive solute transport through a porous medium. A semi‐analytical solution of the DPNE model is derived in the Laplace domain, which is then numerically inverted to obtain concentrations in different domains at different times and depths. The derived semi‐analytical solution is validated using experimental data and existing analytical (for simple problems) and numerical solutions. The Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) is performed to identify model parameters with an impact on nonreactive tracer breakthrough curves (BTC) for a selected data set. A sensitivity‐based calibration of the DPNE model’s parameters is carried out to simulate a BTC with multiple inflection points. The DPNE model can better describe the experimental datasets than the model based on the dual‐porosity (MIM) concept with first‐order mass transfer. Since the DPNE model considers detailed sorption and mass transfer dynamics, it is suitable for process‐based investigations.
The Fractal Scaling Relationship for River Inlets to Lakes
Authors: Seekell D. , Cael B. , Lindmark E. , Byström P.
Published: April 2021

Scaling relationships provide simple rules for understanding complex hydrographic patterns. Globally, river inlet abundance varies among lakes by about three orders of magnitude, but few scaling relationships describe this aspect of lake‐river connectivity. In this study, we describe a simple theoretical scaling relationship between lake surface area and river inlet abundance, and test this theory using data from Scandinavia. On average, the number of inlets increases by 67% for each doubling of lake area. However, lakes of vastly different areas can have the same number of inlets with relatively small variations of drainage density, lake shape, or junction angle ‐ characteristics that can often be linked to specific geological processes. Our approach bridges the gap between the detailed understanding of geomorphic processes and large‐scale statistical relationships, and engenders predictions about additional patterns including the relationship between lake area and water residence time.
Maternal immune activation generates anxiety in offspring: A translational meta-analysis
Authors: Quagliato Laiana A. , de Matos Ursula , Nardi Antonio E.
Published: April 2021

Maternal immune activation (MIA) during pregnancy is recognized as an etiological risk factor for various psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and autism. Prenatal immune challenge may serve as a “disease primer” for alteration of the trajectory of fetal brain development that, in combination with other genetic and environmental factors, may ultimately result in the emergence of different psychiatric conditions. However, the association between MIA and an offspring’s chance of developing anxiety disorders is less clear. To evaluate the effect of MIA on offspring anxiety, a systematic review and meta-analysis of the preclinical literature was conducted. We performed a systematic search of the PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library electronic databases using the PRISMA and World Health Organization (WHO) methodologies for systematic reviews. Studies that investigated whether MIA during pregnancy could cause anxiety symptoms in rodent offspring were included. Overall, the meta-analysis showed that MIA induced anxiety behavior in offspring. The studies provide strong evidence that prenatal immune activation impacts specific molecular targets and synapse formation and function and induces an imbalance in neurotransmission that could be related to the generation of anxiety in offspring. Future research should further explore the role of MIA in anxiety endophenotypes. According to this meta-analysis, MIA plays an important role in the pathophysiological mechanisms of anxiety disorders and is a promising therapeutic target.
Uncovering marine connectivity through sea surface temperature
Authors: Novi Ljuba , Bracco Annalisa , Falasca Fabrizio
Published: April 2021

A foundational paradigm in marine ecology is that Oceans are divided into distinct ecoregions demarking unique assemblages of species where the characteristics of water masses, and quantity and quality of environmental resources are generally similar. In most of the world Ocean, defining these ecoregions is complicated by data sparseness away of coastal areas and by the large-scale dispersal potential of ocean currents. Furthermore, ocean currents and water characteristics change in space and time on scales pertinent to the transitions of biological communities, and predictions of community susceptibility to these changes remain elusive. Given recent advances in data availability from satellite observations that are indirectly related to ocean currents, we are now poised to define ecoregions that meaningfully delimit marine biological communities based on their connectivity and to follow their evolution over time. Through a time-dependent complex network framework applied to a thirty-year long dataset of sea surface temperatures over the Mediterranean Sea, we provide compelling evidence that ocean ecoregionalization based on connectivity can be achieved at spatial and time scales relevant to conservation management and planning.
Identification of genes associated with altered gene expression and m6A profiles during hypoxia using tensor decomposition based unsupervised feature extraction
Authors: Roy Sanjiban Sekhar , Taguchi Y.-H.
Published: April 2021

Although hypoxia is a critical factor that can drive the progression of various diseases, the mechanism underlying hypoxia itself remains unclear. Recently, m6A has been proposed as an important factor driving hypoxia. Despite successful analyses, potential genes were not selected with statistical significance but were selected based solely on fold changes. Because the number of genes is large while the number of samples is small, it was impossible to select genes using conventional feature selection methods with statistical significance. In this study, we applied the recently proposed principal component analysis (PCA), tensor decomposition (TD), and kernel tensor decomposition (KTD)-based unsupervised feature extraction (FE) to a hypoxia data set. We found that PCA, TD, and KTD-based unsupervised FE could successfully identify a limited number of genes associated with altered gene expression and m6A profiles, as well as the enrichment of hypoxia-related biological terms, with improved statistical significance.
Quantitative imaging of membrane contact sites for sterol transfer between endo-lysosomes and mitochondria in living cells
Authors: Juhl Alice Dupont , Heegaard Christian W. , Werner Stephan , Schneider Gerd , Krishnan Kathiresan , Covey Douglas F. , Wüstner Daniel
Published: April 2021

Mitochondria receive cholesterol from late endosomes and lysosomes (LE/LYSs) or from the plasma membrane for production of oxysterols and steroid hormones. This process depends on the endo-lysosomal sterol transfer protein Niemann Pick C2 (NPC2). Using the intrinsically fluorescent cholesterol analog, cholestatrienol, we directly observe sterol transport to mitochondria in fibroblasts upon treating NPC2 deficient human fibroblasts with NPC2 protein. Soft X-ray tomography reveals the ultrastructure of mitochondria and discloses close contact to endosome-like organelles. Using fluorescence microscopy, we localize endo-lysosomes containing NPC2 relative to mitochondria based on the Euclidian distance transform and use statistical inference to show that about 30% of such LE/LYSs are in contact to mitochondria in human fibroblasts. Using Markov Chain Monte Carlo image simulations, we show that interaction between both organelle types, a defining feature of membrane contact sites (MCSs) can give rise to the observed spatial organelle distribution. We devise a protocol to determine the surface fraction of endo-lysosomes in contact with mitochondria and show that this fraction does not depend on functional NPC1 or NPC2 proteins. Finally, we localize MCSs between LE/LYSs containing NPC2 and mitochondria in time-lapse image sequences and show that they either form transiently or remain stable for tens of seconds. Lasting MCSs between endo-lysosomes containing NPC2 and mitochondria move by slow anomalous sub-diffusion, providing location and time for sterol transport between both organelles. Our quantitative imaging strategy will be of high value for characterizing the dynamics and function of MCSs between various organelles in living cells.
Classification of patients with Alzheimer’s disease using the arterial pulse spectrum and a multilayer-perceptron analysis
Authors: Lin Shun-Ku , Hsiu Hsin , Chen Hsi-Sheng , Yang Chang-Jen
Published: April 2021

Cerebrovascular atherosclerosis has been identified as a prominent pathological feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD); the link between vessel pathology and AD risk may also extend to extracranial arteries. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of using arterial pulse-wave measurements and multilayer perceptron (MLP) analysis in distinguishing between AD and control subjects. Radial blood pressure waveform (BPW) and finger photoplethysmography signals were measured noninvasively for 3 min in 87 AD patients and 74 control subjects. The 5-layer MLP algorithm employed evaluated the following 40 harmonic pulse indices: amplitude proportion and its coefficient of variation, and phase angle and its standard deviation. The BPW indices differed significantly between the AD patients (6247 pulses) and control subjects (6626 pulses). Significant intergroup differences were found between mild, moderate, and severe AD (defined by Mini-Mental-State-Examination scores). The hold-out test results indicated an accuracy of 82.86%, a specificity of 92.31%, and a 0.83 AUC of ROC curve when using the MLP-based classification between AD and Control. The identified differences can be partly attributed to AD-induced changes in vascular elastic properties. The present findings may be meaningful in facilitating the development of a noninvasive, rapid, inexpensive, and objective method for detecting and monitoring the AD status.
Promoter switching in response to changing environment and elevated expression of protein-coding genes overlapping at their 5’ ends
Authors: Rosikiewicz Wojciech , Sikora Jarosław , Skrzypczak Tomasz , Kubiak Magdalena R. , Makałowska Izabela
Published: April 2021

Despite the number of studies focused on sense-antisense transcription, the key question of whether such organization evolved as a regulator of gene expression or if this is only a byproduct of other regulatory processes has not been elucidated to date. In this study, protein-coding sense-antisense gene pairs were analyzed with a particular focus on pairs overlapping at their 5’ ends. Analyses were performed in 73 human transcription start site libraries. The results of our studies showed that the overlap between genes is not a stable feature and depends on which TSSs are utilized in a given cell type. An analysis of gene expression did not confirm that overlap between genes causes downregulation of their expression. This observation contradicts earlier findings. In addition, we showed that the switch from one promoter to another, leading to genes overlap, may occur in response to changing environment of a cell or tissue. We also demonstrated that in transfected and cancerous cells genes overlap is observed more often in comparison with normal tissues. Moreover, utilization of overlapping promoters depends on particular state of a cell and, at least in some groups of genes, is not merely coincidental.
VEHiCLE: a Variationally Encoded Hi-C Loss Enhancement algorithm for improving and generating Hi-C data
Authors: Highsmith Max , Cheng Jianlin
Published: April 2021

Chromatin conformation plays an important role in a variety of genomic processes. Hi-C is one of the most popular assays for inspecting chromatin conformation. However, the utility of Hi-C contact maps is bottlenecked by resolution. Here we present VEHiCLE, a deep learning algorithm for resolution enhancement of Hi-C contact data. VEHiCLE utilises a variational autoencoder and adversarial training strategy equipped with four loss functions (adversarial loss, variational loss, chromosome topology-inspired insulation loss, and mean square error loss) to enhance contact maps, making them more viable for downstream analysis. VEHiCLE expands previous efforts at Hi-C super resolution by providing novel insight into the biologically meaningful and human interpretable feature extraction. Using a deep variational autoencoder, VEHiCLE provides a user tunable, full generative model for generating synthetic Hi-C data while also providing state-of-the-art results in enhancement of Hi-C data across multiple metrics.
Zinc oxide nanoparticles using plant Lawsonia inermis and their mosquitocidal, antimicrobial, anticancer applications showing moderate side effects
Authors: Amuthavalli Pandiyan , Hwang Jiang-Shiou , Dahms Hans-Uwe , Wang Lan , Anitha Jagannathan , Vasanthakumaran Murugan , Gandhi Arumugam Dhanesh , Murugan Kadarkarai , Subramaniam Jayapal , Paulpandi Manickam , Chandramohan Balamurugan , Singh Shivangi
Published: April 2021

Microbes or parasites spread vector-borne diseases by mosquitoes without being affected themselves. Insecticides used in vector control produce a substantial problem for human health. This study synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using Lawsonia inermis L. and were characterized by UV–vis, FT-IR, SEM with EDX, and XRD analysis. Green synthesized ZnO NPs were highly toxic against Anopheles stephensi, whose lethal concentrations values ranged from 5.494 ppm (I instar), 6.801 ppm (II instar), 9.336 ppm (III instar), 10.736 ppm (IV instar), and 12.710 ppm (pupae) in contrast to L. inermis treatment. The predation efficiency of the teleost fish Gambusia affinis and the copepod Mesocyclops aspericornis against A. stephensi was not affected by exposure at sublethal doses of ZnO NPs. The predatory potency for G. affinis was 45 (I) and 25.83% (IV), copepod M. aspericornis was 40.66 (I) and 10.8% (IV) while in an ZnO NPs contaminated environment, the predation by the fish G. affinis was boosted to 71.33 and 34.25%, and predation of the copepod M. aspericornis was 60.35 and 16.75%, respectively. ZnO NPs inhibited the growth of several microbial pathogens including the bacteria (Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis) and the fungi (Alternaria alternate and Aspergillus flavus), respectively. ZnO NPs decreased the cell viability of Hep-G2 with IC50 value of 21.63 µg/mL (R2 = 0.942; P < 0.001) while the concentration increased from 1.88 to 30 µg/mL. These outcomes support the use of L. inermis mediated ZnO NPs for mosquito control and drug development.
Local administration of HMGB-1 promotes bone regeneration on the critical-sized mandibular defects in rabbits
Authors: Monir Ahmed , Mukaibo Taro , Abd El-Aal Abdel Basit M. , Nodai Tomotaka , Munemasa Takashi , Kondo Yusuke , Masaki Chihiro , El-Shair Mahasen A. , Matsuo Kou , Hosokawa Ryuji
Published: April 2021

Reconstruction of a critical-sized osseous defect is challenging in maxillofacial surgery. Despite novel treatments and advances in supportive therapies, severe complications including infection, nonunion, and malunion can still occur. Here, we aimed to assess the use of a beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffold loaded with high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB-1) as a novel critical-sized bone defect treatment in rabbits. The study was performed on 15 specific pathogen-free New Zealand rabbits divided into three groups: Group A had an osseous defect filled with a β-TCP scaffold loaded with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (100 µL/scaffold), the defect in group B was filled with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (rhBMP-2) (10 µg/100 µL), and the defect in group C was loaded with HMGB-1 (10 µg/100 µL). Micro-computed tomography (CT) examination demonstrated that group C (HMGB-1) showed the highest new bone volume ratio, with a mean value of 66.5%, followed by the group B (rhBMP-2) (31.0%), and group A (Control) (7.1%). Histological examination of the HMGB-1 treated group showed a vast area covered by lamellar and woven bone surrounding the β-TCP granule remnants. These results suggest that HMGB-1 could be an effective alternative molecule for bone regeneration in critical-sized mandibular bone defects.
Author Correction: Anti-icing performance on aluminum surfaces and proposed model for freezing time calculation
Authors: Nguyen Van-Huy , Nguyen Ba Duc , Pham Hien Thu , Lam Su Shiung , Vo Dai-Viet N. , Shokouhimehr Mohammadreza , Vu Thi Hong Hanh , Nguyen Thanh-Binh , Kim Soo Young , Le Quyet Van
Published: April 2021

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Gene network and biological pathways associated with susceptibility to differentiated thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Kulkarni Om , Sugier Pierre-Emmanuel , Guibon Julie , Boland-Augé Anne , Lonjou Christine , Bacq-Daian Delphine , Olaso Robert , Rubino Carole , Souchard Vincent , Rachedi Frédérique , Lence-Anta Juan Jesus , Ortiz Rosa Maria , Xhaard Constance , Laurent-Puig Pierre , Mulot Claire , Guizard Anne-Valérie , Schvartz Claire , Boutron-Ruault Marie-Christine , Ostroumova Evgenia , Kesminiene Ausrele , Deleuze Jean-François , Guénel Pascal , De Vathaire Florent , Truong Thérèse , Lesueur Fabienne
Published: April 2021

Variants identified in earlier genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) explain about 10% of the overall estimated genetic contribution and could not provide complete insights into biological mechanisms involved in DTC susceptibility. Integrating systems biology information from model organisms, genome-wide expression data from tumor and matched normal tissue and GWAS data could help identifying DTC-associated genes, and pathways or functional networks in which they are involved. We performed data mining of GWAS data of the EPITHYR consortium (1551 cases and 1957 controls) using various pathways and protein–protein interaction (PPI) annotation databases and gene expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. We identified eight DTC-associated genes at known loci 2q35 (DIRC3), 8p12 (NRG1), 9q22 (FOXE1, TRMO, HEMGN, ANP32B, NANS) and 14q13 (MBIP). Using the EW_dmGWAS approach we found that gene networks related to glycogenolysis, glycogen metabolism, insulin metabolism and signal transduction pathways associated with muscle contraction were overrepresented with association signals (false discovery rate adjusted p-value < 0.05). Additionally, suggestive association of 21 KEGG and 75 REACTOME pathways with DTC indicate a link between DTC susceptibility and functions related to metabolism of cholesterol, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, steroid biosynthesis, and downregulation of ERBB2 signaling pathways. Together, our results provide novel insights into biological mechanisms contributing to DTC risk.
Rearing experience with ramps improves specific learning and behaviour and welfare on a commercial laying farm
Authors: Norman Kate I. , Weeks Claire A. , Tarlton John F. , Nicol Christine J.
Published: April 2021

To access resources in commercial laying houses hens must move between levels with agility to avoid injury. This study considered whether providing ramps during rear improved the ability of birds to transition between levels. Twelve commercial flocks (2000 birds/flock) on a multi-age site were examined between 1 and 40 weeks of age. All birds had access to elevated perching structures from 4 days of age. Six treatment flocks were also provided with ramps during rear to facilitate access to these structures. Flocks were visited three times during rear and three times at lay to record transitioning behaviour and use of the elevated structures, together with scores for keel bone and feather damage. Ramp reared flocks used the elevated structures to a greater extent at rear (P = 0.001) and at lay, when all flocks had ramps, showed less hesitancy [i.e. pacing (P = 0.002), crouching (P = 0.001) and wing-flapping (P = 0.001)] in accessing levels. Mean levels of keel bone damage were reduced in ramp reared flocks (52%) compared with control flocks (64.8%) at 40 weeks of age (P = 0.028). The early life experience of the ramp reared flocks enabled specific learning that translated and persisted in later life and resulted in overall welfare benefits.