bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular insights into titin’s A-band
Authors: Fleming Jennifer R. , Müller Iljas , Zacharchenko Thomas , Diederichs Kay , Mayans Olga
Published: May 2023

The thick filament-associated A-band region of titin is a highly repetitive component of the titin chain with important scaffolding properties that support thick filament assembly. It also has a demonstrated link to human disease. Despite its functional significance, it remains a largely uncharacterized part of the titin protein. Here, we have performed an analysis of sequence and structure conservation of A-band titin, with emphasis on poly-FnIII tandem components. Specifically, we have applied multi-dimensional sequence pairwise similarity analysis to FnIII domains and complemented this with the crystallographic elucidation of the 3D-structure of the FnIII-triplet A84-A86 from the fourth long super-repeat in the C-zone (C4). Structural models serve here as templates to map sequence conservation onto super-repeat C4, which we show is a prototypical representative of titin’s C-zone. This templating identifies positionally conserved residue clusters in C super-repeats with the potential of mediating interactions to thick-filament components. Conservation localizes to two super-repeat positions: Ig domains in position 1 and FnIII domains in position 7. The analysis also allows conclusions to be drawn on the conserved architecture of titin’s A-band, as well as revisiting and expanding the evolutionary model of titin’s A-band.
Long-read Sequencing and de novo Genome Assembly of Three Aspergillus fumigatus Genomes
Authors: Hemmings Samuel J. , Rhodes Johanna L. , Fisher Matthew C.
Published: June 2023

Aspergillus fumigatus is a genetically diverse fungal species, which is near ubiquitous in its global distribution and is the major cause of the life-threatening disease invasive aspergillosis. We present 3 de novo genome assemblies that were selected to be representative of the genetic diversity of clinical and environmental A. fumigatus. Sequencing using long-read Oxford Nanopore and subsequent assembly of the genomes yielded 10–23 contigs with an N50 of 4.05 Mbp to 4.93 Mbp.
Counteracting effects of soil biota on emergence and growth of herbaceous plants
Authors: Perea Antonio J. , Merelas Meijide Belén , Alguacil María del Mar , Prieto-Rubio Jorge , Azcón-Aguilar Concepción , Alcántara Julio M. , Garrido José L. , López-García Álvaro
Published: June 2023

Background

Plants condition the biotic composition of their rhizosphere. In turn, this plant legacy on the soil biota may affect the performance of plants recruiting in their vicinity. Unravelling how plant-soil legacies drive plant recruitment is key to understand vegetation dynamics and plant community assembly. Studies on the topic usually focus on the effects of soil microbiota as a whole, while the relative role of different guilds of soil organisms in the plant recruitment processes is not usually dissected.

Aims

Here, we used soils of Mediterranean woody plant species to test whether arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and small-size microbiota (< 50 µm) (MB) affect the germination success and growth of eight herbaceous plants.

Results

We documented a significant increase in seedling emergence probability when small-sized MB was present and no effect of AMF. In contrast, the aboveground plant biomass decreased with the presence of MB and increased with that of AMF. Interestingly, those plants growing in the absence of MB and in soils from woody plants associated with higher AMF richness developed higher aboveground biomass.

Conclusion

This study brings new evidence on how soil microbial communities can determine the performance of their associated herb community, and also, how the effects of different microbial guilds may change across the plant ontogeny. Given these results, the differential effect of soil microbial functional guilds should be considered to better understand plant soil legacies and feedbacks, potentially driving plant recruitment and community assembly.
The synergistic response of primary production in grasslands to combined nitrogen and phosphorus addition is caused by increased nutrient uptake and retention
Authors: Vázquez Eduardo , Borer Elizabeth T. , Bugalho Miguel N. , Caldeira Maria C. , McCulley Rebecca L. , Risch Anita C. , Seabloom Eric W. , Wheeler George R. , Spohn Marie
Published: June 2023

Background and aims

A synergistic response of aboveground plant biomass production to combined nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) addition has been observed in many ecosystems, but the underlying mechanisms and their relative importance are not well known. We aimed at evaluating several mechanisms that could potentially cause the synergistic growth response, such as changes in plant biomass allocation, increased N and P uptake by plants, and enhanced ecosystem nutrient retention.

Methods

We studied five grasslands located in Europe and the USA that are subjected to an element addition experiment composed of four treatments: control (no element addition), N addition, P addition, combined NP addition.

Results

Combined NP addition increased the total plant N stocks by 1.47 times compared to the N treatment, while total plant P stocks were 1.62 times higher in NP than in single P addition. Further, higher N uptake by plants in response to combined NP addition was associated with reduced N losses from the soil (evaluated based on soil δ15N) compared to N addition alone, indicating a higher ecosystem N retention. In contrast, the synergistic growth response was not associated with significant changes in plant resource allocation.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that the commonly observed synergistic effect of NP addition on aboveground biomass production in grasslands is caused by enhanced N uptake compared to single N addition, and increased P uptake compared to single P addition, which is associated with a higher N and P retention in the ecosystem.
Finally! How time lapse in Nobel Prize reception affects emotionality in the Nobel Prize banquet speeches
Authors: Aranzales Iván , Chan Ho Fai , Torgler Benno
Published: May 2023

We have a limited understanding of the role emotions play in academia, as exploring emotions consistently and comparably is challenging due to the powerful influence of contextual factors. However, we have identified an interesting setting to empirically investigate the emotional response in academia by examining Nobel Prize winners. Scientists who aspire to earn a Nobel Prize are under pressure from their environment if they have not yet received the Prize. While there are various indicators that suggest the Nobel Prize is forthcoming, the question of “when” weighs heavily on the minds of leading candidates. Consequently, waiting for the Nobel Prize is emotionally taxing. We therefore hypothesize that Nobel laureates who have experienced a prolonged wait for the award would feel a stronger sense of relief upon receiving it. We are interested in measuring their level of emotionality after receiving the Nobel Prize by analyzing their banquet speeches using linguistic content analysis. Banquet speeches provide a consistent and controlled setting to compare emotionality across scientists and over time, as we can measure the same responses to the same recognition under the same circumstances. We expect that waiting longer for the Nobel Prize will increase the positive emotionality of Nobelists’ speeches. The waiting time is determined by calculating the years since the Nobel Prize-winning work was performed. By conducting this time-lapse study, we find a robust positive correlation between waiting time and positive emotions in Nobel Prize banquet speeches. We conclude that scientists who waited longer for the Nobel Prize reported higher levels of positive emotions during their speeches.
A novel methodology to disambiguate organization names: an application to EU Framework Programmes data
Authors: Ancona Andrea , Cerqueti Roy , Vagnani Gianluca
Published: May 2023

The concept of collaborative R&D has been increasing interest among scholars and policy-makers, making collaboration a pivotal determinant to innovate nowadays. The availability of reliable data is a necessary condition to obtain valuable results. Specifically, in a collaborative environment, we must avoid mistaken identities among organizations. In many datasets, indeed, the same organization can appear in a non-univocal way. Thus its information is shared among multiple entities. In this work, we propose a novel methodology to disambiguate organization names. In particular, we combine supervised and unsupervised techniques to design a “hybrid” methodology that is neither fully automated nor completely manual, and easy to adapt to many different datasets. Thus, the flexibility and potential scalability of the methodology make this paper a worthwhile contribution to different research fields. We provide an empirical application of the methodology to the dataset of participants in projects funded by the first three European Framework Programmes. This choice is because we can test the quality of our procedure by comparing the refined dataset it returns to a well-recognized benchmark (i.e., the EUPRO database) in terms of the connection structure of the collaborative networks. Our results show the advantages of our approach based on the quality of the obtained dataset, and the efficiency of the designed methodology, leaving space for the integration of affiliation hierarchies in the future.
The Effects of the COVID-19-induced Lockdown on the Social Capital and Cultural Capital in Italy
Authors: Menardo Elisa , Viola Marta , Bacherini Alice , Angelini Luana , Cubelli Roberto , Balboni Giulia
Published: June 2023

The present study investigated the effects of the first COVID-19 lockdown on the Cultural and Social Capitals in Italy in a large group of adults (n = 1125). The relationships between the COVID-19 spread and participants’ Cultural Capital, Social Capital, educational level, occupational prestige, and age were studied using structural equation models. For women but not for men, pandemic spread was positively affected by occupational prestige and it had a positive relationship with their Social Capital (women: CFI = 0.949; RMSEA = 0.059 [CI = 0.045-0.075]; men: CFI = 0.959; RMSEA = 0.064 [CI = 0.039–0.087]). Moreover, the participants were divided into three validated clusters based on their Cultural and Social Capitals levels to investigate changes in the Capitals compared with the pre-lockdown period. It was found that the lockdown contributed to improving the gap among individuals increasing high levels and decreasing low levels of both the Capitals. People with high Cultural and Social Capitals seemed to have seized the opportunity given by COVID-19 restrictions to cultivate their cultural interests and become more involved within their networks. In contrast, individuals with low Cultural and Social Capitals paid the highest price for the social isolation. Given that the Capitals encourage healthy behavior and influence well-being and mental health, institutions should develop or improve their policies and practices to foster individual resources, and make fairer opportunities available during the pandemic.
Zonal origin of prostate cancer: comparison of long-term outcomes after radical prostatectomy
Authors: Luttrell Laura , Li Jian , Cohen Ronald J.
Published: May 2023

Purpose

To assess the impact of zonal origin on positive bladder neck (BN) margins and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) failure or early adjuvant therapy in the patients with complete long-term follow-up after radical prostatectomy (RP).

Methods

A set of 4512 men were identified who underwent RP in Western Australia (WA) from March 2000 to December 2016 and had complete long-term follow-up. The t-test, Pearson chi-square test and Kaplan–Meier method with the log-rank test were used to evaluate differences between the transition zone (TZ) and peripheral/central zone (PZ/CZ) cancer. Univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models were applied to assess parameters on PSA failure and early treatment.

Results

The positive BN margin rate for TZ cancer fell significantly over the study period. However, BN margin rates increased for PZ/CZ cancer over the time. Data of 4512 patients with median follow-up of 9.1 years confirmed that the high-risk TZ tumours with negative margins had a significant lower rate of PSA failure or early treatment compared to those high-risk PZ/CZ tumours with negative margins.

Conclusion

Prostate cancer zonal origin significantly impacts long-term biochemical outcomes in high-risk and margin-negative patients. BN invasion with margin involvement is more frequent in the TZ cancer and can be reduced by pre-operative identification of cancer zonal origin and adjustment of surgical procedures.
Development of a multiplex quantitative PCR assay for simultaneous detection of Treponema phagedenis, Treponema pedis, Treponema medium, and ‘Treponema vincentii’ and evaluation on bovine digital dermatitis biopsies
Authors: Frosth Sara , Eriksson Hanna K. , Rosander Anna
Published: June 2023

Bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) is a contagious foot disease with worldwide occurrence in dairy cattle. The disease causes lameness and reduced animal welfare as well as economic losses for the farmer. The aetiology is not fully established but associations have been made with Treponema spp. Today, BDD diagnosis is mainly based on visual inspection of cattle feet, therefore this study aimed to develop a multiplex quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay targeting Treponema phagedenis, Treponema pedis, Treponema medium, and ‘Treponema vincentii’ to aid in diagnosis. The assay was tested for specificity on 53 bacterial strains and in silico on 168 Treponema spp. genomes, representative of at least 24 species. In addition, 37 BDD biopsies were analysed and the results compared to another qPCR assay published during the study period, which we modified by combining into a multiplex qPCR. The qPCR developed herein had a detection limit of 10 copies of each target species per PCR reaction. Both qPCR assays showed 100% specificity when tested on bacterial strains, but the qPCR developed in this study detected 3.4% more T. phagedenis-positive biopsies of lesion category M1-M4.1 than the modified assay. To conclude, the developed qPCR assay detecting T. phagedenis, T. pedis, T. medium, and ‘T. vincentii’ has high analytical sensitivity and specificity and provides a useful complementary tool for diagnosis and epidemiological studies of BDD. The assay could possibly also be used for contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD) as similar bacteriological profiles have been suggested for BDD and CODD, especially regarding certain Treponema spp.
Midhaul Performance Modelling Using Commodity Hardware C-RAN Testbed
Authors: Malm Nicolas , Ruttik Kalle , Tirkkonen Olav
Published: May 2023

Midhauls introduce new characteristics to wireless networks. We study implementation performance behaviour to make appropriate network and algorithm design decisions soft–real-time midhaul-based radio access network implementations. A model is developed based on data obtained using a testbed, which can be used to estimate midhaul latency as a function of the number of communicating nodes. The testbed comprises one central unit (CU) controlling a variable number of distributed units (DU) synchronized over Precision Time Protocol (PTP). Average reporting latencies of $$266~\upmu \hbox {s}$$

266

μ
s

were observed with 16 DUs. Typical jitter performance was 99.99 % of values below $$471.75~\upmu \hbox {s}$$

471.75

μ
s

but maximum values up to an order of magnitude larger. Variations in performance of up to 16.2 times more deadline misses were observed between best and worst performing DUs. A model fitted to the obtained data estimates the latency and jitter of CU-DU communication as a function of the number DUs. Results indicate suitability for application with moderate synchronization requirements, for example positioning, but insufficient for the most stringent uses case such ultra-reliable communication.
Factor Tree Copula Models for Item Response Data
Authors: Kadhem Sayed H. , Nikoloulopoulos Aristidis K.
Published: June 2023

Factor copula models for item response data are more interpretable and fit better than (truncated) vine copula models when dependence can be explained through latent variables, but are not robust to violations of conditional independence. To circumvent these issues, truncated vines and factor copula models for item response data are joined to define a combined model, the so-called factor tree copula model, with individual benefits from each of the two approaches. Rather than adding factors and causing computational problems and difficulties in interpretation and identification, a truncated vine structure is assumed on the residuals conditional on one or two latent variables. This structure can be better explained as a conditional dependence given a few interpretable latent variables. On the one hand, the parsimonious feature of factor models remains intact and any residual dependencies are being taken into account on the other. We discuss estimation along with model selection. In particular, we propose model selection algorithms to choose a plausible factor tree copula model to capture the (residual) dependencies among the item responses. Our general methodology is demonstrated with an extensive simulation study and illustrated by analyzing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
A comparison of 210Pbxs, 137Cs, and Pu isotopes as proxies of soil redistribution in South Spain under severe erosion conditions
Authors: Peñuela A. , Hurtado S. , García-Gamero V. , Mas J. L. , Ketterer M. E. , Vanwalleghem T. , Gómez J. A.
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The use of fallout radionuclides as proxies for the study of soil redistribution processes in semiarid environments of Southern Spain has been restricted to 137Cs. The potential and limitations of alternative proxies such as 239+240Pu and 210Pbxs should be explored given the expected constrains imposed by the features of the study area.

Materials and methods

Four soil and one sediment cores were collected in a highly eroded area to test the feasibility of these proxies under demanding conditions. The use of gamma spectrometry and ICP-MS did allow exploring the potential of 210Pbxs and Pu isotopes against the well-established tracer, 137Cs. The activity ratios 239+240Pu/137Cs were explored to evaluate the previous evolution of the sampling sites. Soil redistribution rates were estimated using the model MODERN.

Results and discussion

Despite all the profiles showed intense perturbation, Pu isotopes showed the highest potential thanks to higher sensitivity and sample throughput. The deviations of 239+240Pu/137Cs inventory ratios (0.012–0.158) from the global fallout average (0.026 ± 0.003) suggest that the sediment core was a deposition site involving alternate episodes of topsoil removal and incorporation from different sources. The calculated erosion rates ranged 34–43 t ha−1 year−1, being in good agreement for 137Cs and 239+240Pu. 210Pbxs was not used due to low-quality data.

Conclusions

The use of Pu as a tracer of soil redistribution processes in semiarid areas seems to be promising even under severe erosion conditions. The use of 210Pbxs is not recommended in this area due to its low concentration.

Graphical Abstract
What are the experiences of supportive care in people affected by brain cancer and their informal caregivers: A qualitative systematic review
Authors: Paterson C. , Roberts C. , Li J. , Chapman M. , Strickland K. , Johnston N. , Law E. , Bacon R. , Turner M. , Mohanty I. , Pranavan G. , Toohey K.
Published: May 2023

Purpose

To critically synthesise qualitative research to understand experiences of supportive care in people affected by brain cancer and their informal caregivers.

Methods

A qualitative systematic review was conducted according to the Joanna Briggs methodology and has been reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) Guidelines. Electronic databases were searched by an expert systematic review librarian for all qualitative studies irrespective of research design. All publications were double screened by two reviewers using a pre-determined exclusion and inclusion criteria. The review was managed using Covidence systematic review software. Methodological quality assessment and data extraction were performed. Qualitative findings accompanied by illustrative quotes from included studies were extracted and grouped into categories, which created the overall synthesised findings.

Results

A total of 33 studies were included which represented a total sample of 671 participants inclusive of 303 patients and 368 informal caregivers. There was a total of 220 individual findings included in this review, which were synthesised into two findings (1) caregivers and patients perceived supports which would have been helpful and (2) caregiver and patient experiences of unmet supportive care needs.

Conclusion

This review highlighted the suffering and distress caused by brain cancer and associated treatments. Both patients and their informal caregivers experienced disconnect from themselves in renegotiating roles, and a profound sense of loneliness as the physical deterioration of the disease progressed. Both patients and informal caregivers reported similar unmet needs within the current service provision for brain cancer. However, what is apparent is that current cancer services are provided solely for patients, with little or no consideration to the support needs of both the patient and their informal caregiver. Service re-design is needed to improve care coordination with individualised informational support, implementation of holistic needs assessments for both the patients and their caregivers, better community support provision, improved opportunities for emotional care with early referral for palliative care services.

Implications for cancer survivors

It is recommended that members of the multidisciplinary brain cancer team reflect on these findings to target holistic needs assessments and develop shared self-management care plans for both the patient and the informal caregiver.
Erectile dysfunction and metabolic syndrome components in obese men with psoriasis: response to a 12-week randomized controlled lifestyle modification program (exercise with diet restriction)
Authors: Ismail Ali Mohamed Ali , Hamed Dina E.
Published: May 2023

Background

Erectile dysfunction (ED) and metabolic syndrome (MeTS) are highly prevalent in chronic plaque psoriasis (CPP).

Objective

The aim of this lifestyle modification study is to explore the response of MeTS components and ED to a 12-week lifestyle modification program (low-calorie diet and moderate-intensity treadmill walking) in 60 obese men with CPP, mild and moderate ED, and MeTS.

The design, settings, participants, and intervention

In this lifestyle modification randomized study, a university-based hospital recruitment of 60 obese men with CPP, mild and moderate ED, and MeTS was randomly performed. Men were randomly assigned to the lifestyle modification group (n = 30, received low-calorie diet and moderate-intensity treadmill walking programs) or waitlist group (n = 30). The following outcomes were assessed as follows: body mass index, psoriasis severity (assessed via psoriasis area and severity index), ED (assessed by the five-item internal index of erectile function), and components of MeTS (waist circumference, blood pressure, serum high-density lipoprotein, serum triglycerides, and serum fasting blood glucose).

Results

Trends of significant improvements in all outcomes were documented in favor of the lifestyle modification group. All outcomes of the waitlist group did not show the same reported significant improvements of the lifestyle modification group.

Conclusion

A 12-week lifestyle modification program as a tool for weight loss in obese men with CPP is a good therapeutic method to improve psoriasis severity and psoriasis-associated ED and MeTS.
The Characteristics of Virtual Child Sexual Abuse Material Offenders and the Harms of Offending: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Print Media
Authors: Christensen Larissa S. , Vickery Noah
Published: May 2023

Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) has become a global problem. With technological advancements, a sub-type of material has emerged: virtual child sexual abuse material (VCSAM). Despite the far-reaching harms of this material, little is known about VCSAM offenders. Research has found some disconnect between the perceived harmfulness of VCSAM and legislative definitions, compared with CSAM. Given the media’s influential ability to shape public perceptions, this exploratory study aimed to: (1) identify the characteristics of VCSAM offenders and (2) explore whether the harms of VCSAM are represented in this reporting. For the most up-to-date data, the search spanned 1 January 2019 to 23 September 2022. Of the 160 newspaper articles that appeared, 25 met the inclusion criteria. Four themes emerged from the qualitative content analysis: (1) VCSAM is a form of CSAM, (2) potential for escalation in offending from viewing VCSAM, (3) offenders have preferences in specific types of VCSAM (with the sub-theme: written stories and documents are VCSAM too), and (4) offenders “didn’t know” the material was illegal. Overall, these findings were positive; how cases were reported may broadly educate the public about VCSAM offending, with articles signifying the harms of this offending. The current findings have the potential to contribute to prevention and intervention efforts, with utility in policymaking, criminal justice, media, and psychology disciplines.
The Influence of Leadership on Employees’ Work-nonwork Interface and Wellbeing: A Scoping Review
Authors: Czakert Jan Philipp , Berger Rita
Published: June 2023

Many current working conditions are characterized by increasing blurred boundaries between work and nonwork with spillover that impact employees’ and recovery processes and wellbeing. Research, although emerging, considers these processes in the leadership-wellbeing relationship insufficiently. The main aim of this study, therefore, was to enhance our understanding of the role of leadership on employee’s work-nonwork interface and wellbeing. To address these processes adequately, longitudinal research is most appropriate. To our best knowledge, no review exists that could inform longitudinal studies on the leadership-employee wellbeing relationship with a focus on spillover and recovery processes. Following the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews, we apply a narrative synthesis of 21 identified studies to organize the research landscape. We make three main contributions: First, we adopt an integrated resource-demands based process perspective and expand the leadership-employee wellbeing relationship by including spillover and recovery. Second, we map the used theoretical approaches and analyzed research gaps. Third, we offer a list of the issues and potential remedies of applied methodologies to orient further research. Results show, that while work-nonwork research is predominantly approached from a negative conflict-based view, research focused more on positive than on negative leadership. We identify two broad categories of investigated mechanisms, namely bolstering/hampering mechanisms, and buffering/strengthening mechanisms. Findings also highlight the importance of personal energy resources and therefore call for more attention to affect-driven theories. The identified predominance of the IT and healthcare sectors and of working parents warrants more representative research. We offer recommendations to advance future research both theoretically and methodologically.
Moral foundations of pro-choice and pro-life women
Authors: Paruzel-Czachura Mariola , Domurat Artur , Nowak Marta
Published: June 2023

Opinions on abortion are more polarized than opinions on most other moral issues. Why are some people pro-choice and some pro-life? Religious and political preferences play a role here, but pro-choice and pro-life people may also differ in other aspects. In the current preregistered study (N = 479), we investigated how pro-choice women differ in their moral foundations from pro-life women. When the Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ) was applied (i.e., when declared moral principles were measured), pro-life women scored higher than pro-choice women in loyalty, authority, and purity. However, when women were asked about moral judgments indirectly via more real-life problems from the Moral Foundations Vignettes (MFV), pro-choice women scored higher than pro-life women in emotional and physical care and liberty but lower in loyalty. When we additionally controlled for religious practice and political views, we found no differences between groups in declaring moral foundations (MFQ). However, in the case of real-life moral judgments (MFV), we observed higher care, fairness, and liberty among pro-choice and higher authority and purity among pro-life. Our results show intriguing nuances between women pro-choice and pro-life as we found a different pattern of moral foundations in those groups depending on whether we measured their declared abstract moral principles or moral judgment about real-life situations. We also showed how religious practice and political views might play a role in such differences. We conclude that attitudes to abortion “go beyond” abstract moral principles, and the real-life context matters in moral judgments.

Graphical abstract
Spatial-Temporal Determinants of Income Inequality in the Cantons of Ecuador between 2010 and 2019: a Spatial Panel Econometric Analysis
Authors: Quito Byron , del Río-Rama María de la Cruz , Peris-Ortiz Marta , Álvarez-García José
Published: June 2023

Inequality is a problem that remains latent throughout generations, despite the growth of countries and the mechanisms that were implemented to mitigate it. Understanding the structure of spillovers from a spatial point of view would allow for the management of current resources, with the aim of improving the distribution among individuals at the cantonal level for Ecuador. In this context, this study aims to estimate the effect of the determinants of income inequality at the cantonal level, through the use of spatial models during the period 2010–2019, for 213 cantons in Ecuador. The Kuznets inverted-U theory is applied, which allows us to understand the changes that economic growth produces on income inequality levels. The approach indicates that the current average rate of growth of production per capita has made inequality levels decrease. In addition, human capital has the opposite effect to that expected, increasing inequality levels as a result of a concentration of this resource in certain cantons. On the other hand, the entrepreneurial structure of micro and small enterprises allows to mitigate the inequality levels between cantons. In this sense, among the policy objectives is to prioritize a more homogeneous growth of the cantons of Ecuador, likewise, generate policies that allow reducing the concentration of human capital in certain regions, as well as financial development. On the other hand, it is important to strengthen the prevalence of Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the long term, with the aim of improving family income levels and reducing inequality.
Mechanism and visualization of streamline adjustment in enhanced oil recovery: a comparative study between well pattern adjustment and polymer flooding
Authors: Li Yu , Liu Huiqing , Dong Xiaohu , Wang Qing , Wang Wuchao , Wang Zhipeng
Published: May 2023

Due to the long-term scouring of steam/water flooding, the water channels restricts the expansion of streamlines in the swept region. The formation of the main streamline, an inevitable and troublesome challenge during steam/water flooding, restrict the spread of the sweep region and the oil extraction in oil reservoirs. To realize the swept main streamlines adjustment (SA), well pattern adjustment (WPA) and polymer flooding (PF) are the mature technologies applied in the development of reservoir. The WAF and PF, as two kinds of oil extracting methods with different principles and operations, is difficult to directly verify the disturbance law to main streamlines in the same model or experimental physical field. Two-dimensional sand-packed model can elucidate the mechanism of WPA and PF for SA based on the direct processing of images and data analysis of production data. Through the oil–water distribution images from displacement experiment, the influence of viscous fingering generated by streamlines development can be obtained and described by the mathematical model to illustrate the relationship between penetration intensity and mobility ratio. In addition, the dynamic production data can reflect the change of flow resistance and water cut during the expansion of swept region. Based on observations of macro and micro perspectives, the experimental results show that the WPA greatly expands the coverage region of the streamlines, while PF makes the streamlines denser in the swept region. By comparing the distribution of streamlines between the two methods, the different shapes of streamlines are deeply influenced by the mobility ratio that determines the viscous fingering and the well pattern type. Finally, the adaptability of different methods for extracting the remaining oil is proposed. The WPA pays attention to improving the macro sweep efficiency outside the swept region. Meanwhile, the PF strategy pays more attention to improving the micro sweep efficiency in the swept region. The analysis of single-factor shows that viscous fingering has an obvious interference effect on the streamline morphology development, which highlights the meaning and importance of using the synergistic effect of WPA and PF to enhance oil recovery.
Genetic diversity and population structure of the Saharan honey bee Apis mellifera sahariensis from southeastern Morocco: introgression assessment and implications for conservation
Authors: Aglagane Abdessamad , Oleksa Andrzej , Er-Rguibi Omar , Tofilski Adam , El Mouden El Hassan , Aamiri Ahmed , Aourir Mohamed
Published: June 2023

This study assessed the conservation status of the Saharan honey bee (Apis mellifera sahariensis) from southeastern Morocco using 12 microsatellite loci to examine genetic diversity and hybridization with other subspecies. Samples from 148 colonies were clustered into seven populations representing the expected distribution of A. m. intermissa and A. m. sahariensis, and reference samples from two European subspecies, A. m. carnica and A. m. mellifera, were included. Moroccan honey bees showed higher genetic diversity than European reference samples, and genetic structure analysis revealed two distinct clusters in Morocco separated by the High Atlas Mountains (FST = 0.05). Although high rates of hybridization with A. m. intermissa jeopardize the genetic integrity of the Saharan honey bee, no evidence of introgression was detected from the European reference subspecies. Additionally, we found that the probability of assignment to Saharan subspecies decreased with increasing human management intensity and precipitation. These findings are important for developing a conservation strategy for the Saharan honey bee in Morocco.
Catching up or getting stuck: convergence in Eastern European economies
Authors: Konya Istvan
Published: May 2023

The paper studies the convergence and growth behavior of 11 Central and Eastern European members states of the European Union between 2000–2019, using a modified development accounting approach based on the neoclassical growth model. The main goal of the exercise is to decompose the still existing development gap relative to Western Europe (Austria) into three components: convergence, productivity, and long-run factors. The latter may include general institutional features such as population growth, or capital market imperfections measured by the capital wedge. The capital wedge is identified by leveraging the neoclassical growth model’s ability to explain the observed behavior of the capital-output ratio. The main conclusions are that for most countries, lower productivity and capital distortions are both important to understand underdevelopment. Economic policy, therefore, should primarily target productivity growth and a free and efficient capital market.
The Short-Term Impact of Formal Controls on Subsequent Offending and Future Formal Controls in a German and UK City
Authors: Boers Klaus , Kaiser Florian , Schaerff Marcus , Wikström Per-Olof H.
Published: June 2023

The study of sanctioning effects has a rich history in deterrence and labeling theory. Most analyses have only used official data to study these effects. Yet, some more recent studies indicate that it is necessary to investigate self-reported as well as official data since it appears that sanctioning has differential effects on self-reported delinquency and formal control interventions. The current study contributes to this small body of research by using propensity score matching to analyze panel data from an ongoing English (Peterborough Adolescent and Young Adult Developmental Study) and a German (Crime in the modern City) study. We estimated average treatment effects of system contacts on both reoffending and subsequent contacts for juveniles living in Peterborough (ENG) and Duisburg (GER). Our findings are that (1) although official contacts have no substantial effects on the prevalence or versatility of reoffending, (2) they substantially increase the risk of a future formal contact. These results were almost identical at both sites, which may indicate a more general finding on the effects of formal control interventions.
Experimental study on hydraulic fracture propagation behavior of horizontal well on multilayered rock
Authors: Kong Xiangwei , Shi Xian , Gao Qi , Xu Hongxing , Ge Xiaoxin , Cui Hangbo
Published: June 2023

A series of true axial hydraulic fracturing experiments were conducted to understand the complex hydraulic fracture initiation and propagation behavior of multilayered rocks. Moreover, a new and convenient grid measurement method was presented to describe hydraulic fracturing effectiveness. The experimental results revealed that transverse vertical and non-planar axial fractures could be created in the hydraulic fracturing of multilayered rocks. Moreover, the fracture area scanning results by the grid measurement method match the results indicated by the traditional Geomagic method. The fracture behavior close to the layer contact determines how complex the produced fishbone structure fracture system is. Near the hole zones, secondary axial and deviated transverse fractures were found due to multiple layers. The fracture system can be managed by modifying the fracturing treatment parameters. Low-principle horizontal stress contrast and low-viscosity fracturing fluid can produce complicated fractures, and an increase in perforation numbers can make the fracture more complex and produce abnormally high breakdown pressure. Larger fracture areas benefit from high perforation rates and pump rates, but larger fracture areas may not always benefit from a decreased fracturing fluid viscosity. The breakdown pressure was the highest for the samples with two sets of oriented perforations, and the stress shadowing effect should be considered in the multiple fracture treatment. The increase in the pump rate generates a more complex fracture path in the horizontal well despite the fracturing fluid types but also yields a high breakdown pressure. The increased fracturing fluid viscosity can constrain the random fracture extension, which is beneficial for decreasing the near-wellbore tortuosity. The occurrence of shear fracture along the interface in a multilayered formation could be a risk for proppant injection and placement.
Stratum Griseum Periventriculare-mediated Fear Emotion Regulates Motor Behavior in Pigeons
Authors: Xu Wenbo , Yang Long , Wang Zishi , Yang Lifang , Cheng Han , Zhu Shixin , Shang Zhigang , Wang Zhenlong
Published: May 2023

A pigeon robot is an ideal experimental animal for research in flying animal robots. The majority of current research publications have entailed electrical stimulation of the motor nuclei to regulate movement forcibly, and although a “virtual fear” behavior model has been proposed, the structure, location, and function of the nuclei that generate fear emotions remain obscure. Previous studies have shown that the Stratum Griseum Periventriculare (SGP) of pigeons is homologous to the mammalian periaqueductal gray (PAG), which plays an essential role in mammalian fear. To reveal the role of fear mediated by the SGP in behavioral regulation, we evaluated the structure and location of the SGP by histologic identification combined with magnetic resonance imaging, and analyzed the behavior of the SGP by electrical stimulation. Finally, the function of the SGP was verified with escape testing and homing experiments in an open field. Our results showed that the SGP is located in the pigeon midbrain and divided into two subregions, the dorsal part of the stratum griseum periventriculare (SGPd) and the ventral part of the stratum griseum periventriculare (SGPv) (the ranges were AP1.5–4.75 mm, ML1.75–6.75 mm, and DV2.2–7.1 mm), and that wired and wireless electrical stimulation freezing was the dominant behavior. In the escape test, SGP electrical stimulation caused the pigeons to flee to a safe place, while in the open-field homing test, electrical stimulation of the SGP induced evasive behavior in pigeons away from their original homing route. These results confirm that the SGP plays a crucial role in fear, and that electrical stimulation of this nucleus induces corresponding fear behaviors.
Plant Growth and Root Morphology Are Affected by Earthworm-Driven (Eisenia sp.) Changes in Soil Chemico-Physical Properties: a Mesocosm Experiment with Broccoli and Faba Bean
Authors: Reyes Francesco , Sorgonà Agostino , Briones Maria J. I. , Crecchio Carmine , Sofo Adriano
Published: May 2023

Earthworms are “ecosystem engineers” that improve soil water and nutrient content, soil macroporosity, and aeration, and provide suitable habitats for microbial populations. This study aimed at defining if the presence of epigeic earthworms (Eisenia sp.) affected the growth and development of two plant species (Brassica oleracea and Vicia faba) via the modifications of soil chemico-physical properties. A mesocosm experiment, in which plants were grown outdoors for 4 months with or without earthworms, was performed. The two plant species were selected based on their different habitus and root architecture and morphology. Soil macroporosity (Msoil) and water holding capacity (WHCsoil) were determined. Earthworm-driven bioturbation (Bsoil) was measured by filling mesh bags with artificial soil. Earthworm abundance and biomass, together with plant morphometric parameters (root and leaf morphology by imaging and microscope techniques), were measured at the end of the trial. The presence of earthworms increased Msoil (on average +16%) and WHCsoil (on average +9%) and this was accompanied by a remarkable degree of Bsoil. In most of the cases, earthworms enhanced plant growth in the two plant species studied, with a significant positive influence on the majority of the shoot and root traits. A significant increase of stomatal density (on average +24%) occurred in the leaves of both the plant species in the presence of earthworms. Our results confirmed the hypothesis that bioturbation by Eisenia sp. had a significant positive effect on plant growth, independently from the plant species cultivated, and that these growth-promoting effects were mediated by changes in soil chemico-physical parameters. By taking into account the essential role of earthworms in maintaining healthy soils and the vegetation they support, soils can become more resilient against environmental perturbations and climate change.
Development of a novel 124 MPa strength green reactive powder concrete employing waste glass and locally available cement
Authors: Abellan-Garcia Joaquin , Redondo-Mosquera Jesús , Khan M. Iqbal , Abbas Yassir M. , Castro-Cabeza Andrea
Published: June 2023

In this study, a new reactive powder concrete (RPC) was developed, with environmentally friendly typical RPC components obtained from ground quartz substituted by the waste glass. In this manner, the carbon footprint and final cost are minimized by replacing aggregates and reducing cement. A challenge in this study was using high-celite phase available cement and avoiding the alkali-silica reaction. The Box–Wilson design and Derringer–Suich optimization were used to create an RPC mixture with a low cement content and high-volume waste glass dosage that achieved a compressive strength of more than 120 MPa. It was demonstrated that having all ground waste glass particles smaller than 1000 µm is not sufficient to prevent the alkali-silica expansion. Furthermore, commercially available cement with a high celite proportion had a modest beneficial influence on the compressive strength at an early-age but a significant detrimental impact on the RPC’s compressive strength at 28 days. Finally, the current study proved the potential of manufacturing an RPC that satisfied the strength threshold criterion while utilizing a local cement with over 12% celite and a substantial volume of waste glass powder comprising more than half of the RPC weight.
Differences in viral decay and production following exposure to sunlight and dark
Authors: Chen Patrichka Wei-Yi , Olivia Madeline , Chou Wen-Chen , Mukhanov Vladimir , Tsai An-Yi
Published: June 2023

Although we have gained insight into the biological and biochemical effects of natural sunlight exposure on prokaryotes, little is known about sunlight exposure on natural virus communities. To address this question, an investigation of the effects of sunlight and dark treatments on viral communities, viral production and decay rates in Kenting coastal waters was conducted. The average rate of net viral production in the sunlight and dark treatment was 0.010 and 0.018 × 106 viruses mL–1 h− 1, respectively. Furthermore, averaged value for viral decay in the sunlight treatment was 0.016 × 106 viruses mL− 1 h− 1, a significant decrease (ca. 60%=((0.83 − 0.33)/(0.83 × 100%)) was observed in sunlight conditions, whereas no significant changes occurred in dark conditions. The gross viral production under sunlight conditions was slightly higher, however, non-significantly higher than that in the dark treatment. As a result, we suggest that sunlight damages a large portion of the natural viral community, affecting the role viruses play in food webs.