bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patterns formed by chains of magnetic beads
Authors: Borges Danilo S. , Herrmann Hans J. , Carmona Humberto A. , Andrade José Soares , Araújo Ascânio D.
Published: June 2021

Magnetic beads attract each other forming rather stable chains. We consider such chains formed by magnetic beads and push them into a Hele-Shaw cell either from the boundary or from the center. When such a chain is pushed into a cavity, it bends and folds spontaneously forming interesting unreported patterns. These patterns are self-similar and an effective fractal dimension can be defined. As found experimentally and with numerical simulations, the numbers of beads, loops and contacts follow power laws as a function of packing fraction and, depending on the injection procedure, even energetically less favorable triangular configurations can be stabilized.
Interprofessionelle Zusammenarbeit im Gesundheitswesen – gemeinsame Ausbildung im Praxisalltag
Authors: Bode Sebastian F. N. , Dürkop Alexandra , Wilcken Helena , Straub Christine , Wershofen Birgit
Published: June 2021

Im Gesundheitswesen arbeiten verschiedene Berufsgruppen zum Wohl von Patienten zusammen. Das geschieht oft parallel – echtes gemeinsames, interprofessionelles Arbeiten ist nicht die Regel. Interprofessionelle Ausbildung kann zukünftige Arbeitende im Gesundheitswesen auf das Arbeiten im interprofessionellen Team vorbereiten, wie es im immer komplexer werdenden Gesundheitssystem zwingend nötig sein wird.
Teilhaben trotz multiresistenter Erreger (MRE)
Authors: Hartenstein-Pinter Almut , Stening Kathrin , Garske Dörte , Schmidt Pia
Published: June 2021

Während der stationären pädiatrischen Palliativversorgung profitieren die Familien vor allem vom sozialen Miteinander auf der Station. Dass Kinder und ihre Familien trotz einer Besiedelung mit einem multiresistenten Erreger (MRE) auch daran teilhaben können, ermöglicht ein eigens dafür entwickeltes Hygienekonzept: PALLINI. Wie dieses Hygienekonzept umgesetzt wurde und wie PALLINI den Alltag der Pflegekräfte beeinflusst, davon berichten die Autorinnen in diesem Beitrag.
Kommunikation mit Mundschutz
Authors: Wienand Gernot
Published: June 2021

Seit die Corona-Pandemie in sehr vielen Bereichen des Lebens das Tragen eines Mund-Nasen-Schutzes erfordert, hat sich die Kommunikation von Menschen untereinander verändert. Das gilt insbesondere auch für Menschen im Krankenhaus – für medizinisches und Pflegepersonal ebenso wie Patienten. Autor Gernot Wienand hat sich die Besonderheiten genauer angesehen und ein paar Tipps für den Alltag zusammengestellt.
Chiari Type I Malformation Presenting with Unilateral Hearing Loss
Authors: Ciçek Abdulhamid , Cortier Jeroen , Hendrickx Sarah , Van Cauwenbergh Johan , Calus Lien , Dehem Johan , Vanhauwaert Dimitri
Published: June 2021

Introduction Chiari type I malformations can present in different ways, but the most frequent symptom is an occipitocervical headache. Hearing loss as the main presenting symptom is rare.

Case A young woman with progressive left-sided unilateral hearing loss was diagnosed with a Chiari type I malformation. She underwent a suboccipital craniectomy with C1 laminectomy and duraplasty. The hearing loss had resolved postoperatively with normalization of the audiometry.

Conclusion Chiari type I malformation can present solely with hearing loss. Improvement after surgical decompression is possible. This phenomenon is not emphasized well enough within the neurologic community. In this report, we present a summary of the pathophysiology and management in Chiari type I malformations.
Districting that minimizes partisan bias
Authors: Brick Aaron , Brick Cameron
Published: June 2021

The shapes of electoral districts determine how votes translate into seats. When districts favor certain political parties, electoral results can be disproportionate and the public may lose faith in the political process. Disagreement about appropriate district shapes is subjective, rarely resolved, and often leads to lawsuits. Previously, many authors have called for objective districting criteria. We offer a novel synthesis of models that enables the proactive comparison of district maps, by relating a planar graph partition, the single-member plurality rule, the maximin decision rule, and any agreed measure of partisan bias with a territorial map and historical vote results. Historical vote totals avoid the complexity and uncertainty associated with counterfactual models of vote swing. Districting plans could be objectively compared on such criteria as party proportionality or compact shape to reject plans with worse bias. Objective tools to reduce partisan bias in district maps could boost collaborative participation, increase perceptions of fairness and justice, and reduce costs.
Fiber-integrated hollow-core light cage for gas spectroscopy
Authors: Jang Bumjoon , Gargiulo Julian , Kim Jisoo , Bürger Johannes , Both Steffen , Lehmann Hartmut , Wieduwilt Torsten , Weiss Thomas , Maier Stefan A. , Schmidt Markus A.
Published: June 2021

Interfacing integrated on-chip waveguides with spectroscopic approaches represents one research direction within current photonics aiming at reducing geometric footprints and increasing device densities. Particularly relevant is to connect chip-integrated waveguides with established fiber-based circuitry, opening up the possibility for a new class of devices within the field of integrated photonics. Here, one attractive waveguide is the on-chip light cage, confining and guiding light in a low-index core through the anti-resonance effect. This waveguide, implemented via 3D nanoprinting and reaching nearly 100% overlap of mode and material of interest, uniquely provides side-wise access to the core region through the open spaces between the cage strands, drastically reducing gas diffusion times. Here, we extend the capabilities of the light cage concept by interfacing light cages and optical fibers, reaching a fully fiber-integrated on-chip waveguide arrangement with its spectroscopic capabilities demonstrated here on the example of tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy of ammonia. Controlling and optimizing the fiber circuitry integration have been achieved via automatic alignment in etched v-grooves on silicon chips. This successful device integration via 3D nanoprinting highlights the fiber-interfaced light cage to be an attractive waveguide platform for a multitude of spectroscopy-related fields, including bio-analytics, lab-on-chip photonic sensing, chemistry, and quantum metrology.
Measurement of discharge channel based on background oriented schlieren technique using an optimized algorithm
Authors: Wang Quansheng , Geng Jianghai , Wang Ping , Lv Fangcheng , Ding Yujian
Published: June 2021

Thermal ionization is the main characteristic of long air gap breakdown. Using the thermal characteristics of the discharge channel can not only analyze the formation and development mechanism of the leader discharge but also better reflect the insulation recovery process of the discharge channel. The background oriented schlieren (BOS) technique is a method generally used for diagnosing flow fields. It can also be used to extract the gradient profile of the refractive index field in long-gap discharge channels, which can then be inverted to yield the temperature field. Based on the BOS, a 1-m rod–plate gap discharge observation system was built and the discharge test was carried out. By optimizing the refractive index reconstruction algorithm, a more accurate temperature field distribution of the discharge channel was obtained. By analyzing the evolution process of the discharge channel, the shock wave radius variation law and insulation recovery time of the channel were obtained, which had a guiding significance for the reclosing time setting.
Asteroid break-ups and meteorite delivery to Earth the past 500 million years
Authors: Terfelt Fredrik , Schmitz Birger
Published: June 2021

Significance

The standard view of meteorite delivery to Earth is that of the cascading model where large asteroid break-ups generate new fragment populations that feed the inner solar system with material for extended time periods. Our investigated time windows, stretching from the Cambrian to the present, do not support this model. In fact, of 70 major family-forming break-ups the past ∼500 Ma, only 1 appears to have given rise to a strongly enhanced flux to Earth. We argue that meteorites and small asteroids delivered to Earth in deep time are not primarily linked to the sequence of asteroid family-forming events. Another, as yet unknown, delivery process appears to be associated with a very restricted region in the asteroid belt.
Herded and hunted goat genomes from the dawn of domestication in the Zagros Mountains
Authors: Daly Kevin G. , Mattiangeli Valeria , Hare Andrew J. , Davoudi Hossein , Fathi Homa , Doost Sanaz Beizaee , Amiri Sarieh , Khazaeli Roya , Decruyenaere Delphine , Nokandeh Jebrael , Richter Tobias , Darabi Hojjat , Mortensen Peder , Pantos Alexis , Yeomans Lisa , Bangsgaard Pernille , Mashkour Marjan , Zeder Melinda A. , Bradley Daniel G.
Published: June 2021

Significance

Goats were among the first domestic animals and today are an important livestock species; archaeozoological evidence from the Zagros Mountains of western Iran indicates that goats were managed by the late ninth/early eighth millennium. We assess goat assemblages from Ganj Dareh and Tepe Abdul Hosein, two Aceramic Neolithic Zagros sites, using complementary archaeozoological and archaeogenomic approaches. Nuclear and mitochondrial genomes indicate that these goats were genetically diverse and ancestral to later domestic goats and already distinct from wild goats. Demographic profiles from bone remains, differential diversity patterns of uniparental markers, and presence of long runs of homozygosity reveal the practicing and consequences of management, thus expanding our understanding of the beginnings of animal husbandry.
Literal is not always easier
Authors: Jiménez-Crespo Miguel A. , Casillas Joseph V.
Published: June 2021

“Literal translation” is a popular construct in Translation Studies. Research from computational approaches has
consistently shown that non-literal translations, i.e., renderings semantically and syntactically different or not close to the
source text, are more difficult or effortful to produce than literal ones. This paper researches whether literal translations are
systematically less effortful to process than non-literal ones using comparable corpus data. The effort incurred in processing
literal translations from a parallel corpus is compared to that of processing the most frequent non-literal renderings found in
previous comparable corpus studies. Ten professional translators edited a text using a mock translation environment setup using
the keylogger Inputlog. The task was presented as a regular editing process with a full cohesive text presented segment pair by
segment pair. Time served as a proxy for overall cognitive effort. We analyzed time from presentation to type
(TTP) and time to completion of segment edit (TC), or complete editing events. Results showed
that processing efforts are indistinguishable between categories, suggesting that cognitive effort to edit non-literal
default translation candidates is not always higher when compared to the most frequent literal translations
from a parallel corpus.
The role of working memory capacity in interpreting performance
Authors: Bae Munjung , Jeong Cheol Ja
Published: June 2021

This study aims to examine the relationship between working memory (WM) capacity and the performance of student
interpreters defined as the quality of their interpreting output. To measure WM capacity, we administered Korean and English
reading span tasks, and an operation span task. The WM scores were analysed for correlation with simultaneous interpreting (SI)
and consecutive interpreting (CI) scores. The results were mixed: (1) the CI score showed no correlation with any of the WM span
tasks and (2) the SI score correlated with only one WM span task, the operation span task. Given that the participants received
shorter training in SI than in CI, we can tentatively conclude that interpreting performance is influenced more by WM capacity
when the interpreter performs a less familiar type of interpreting. Further research is needed to find out why the reading span
tasks and the operation span task showed different relationships with SI.
Haplaxius crudus (American palm cixiid).
Authors: Whittaker Angela
Published: June 2021

Haplaxius crudus, commonly known as American palm cixiid, is native to the American tropics and subtropics. The species was first described from Jamaica in 1907 and is currently known from northern South America, Central America, certain islands of the Caribbean, and Florida and southern Texas in the USA. The adults of H. crudus feed mainly on palms, particularly coconut palms, while the nymphs feed mainly on grasses. The main economic impact of H. crudus is as a vector of coconut (or palm) lethal yellowing (LY) caused by Candidatus Phytoplasma palmae, a highly destructive disease that affects at least 37 species of palms, including coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) and date palm (Phoenix dactylifera). Control of LY is best achieved by the planting of resistant cultivars integrated with cultural measures such as ground cover management because chemical control of H. crudus is not practical. International trade in palms from LY-infected areas is prohibited because of the threat of the disease and vector spreading not only to coconuts and date palms, but also to palms that are important as ornamental plants or as local sources of food or fibre.
Phytophthora cinnamomi (Phytophthora dieback).
Authors: Davison Elaine
Published: June 2021

P. cinnamomi is a soilborne pathogen that is now widely established in many parts of the world. Initial long-range spread is likely to have been on infected nursery plants (e.g., Kenerley and Bruck, 1983; Benson and Campbell, 1985; Davison et al., 2006), and still occurs in this way. Additional long-range spread is by movement of soil and gravel infested with chlamydospores (e.g., Batini, 1977; Colquhoun and Petersen, 1994). Short-range spread is also by zoospores in drainage, seepage and irrigation water (Kinal et al., 1993; MacDonald et al., 1994). It has a very wide host range (Zentmyer, 1980) so that, once introduced into an area, it can persist on the roots of many different plants without necessarily causing symptoms on the foliage. It is a major pathogen of horticultural crops, in forestry and in natural vegetation, especially in southern Australia (Natural Resource Management Western Australia, 2013 - see http://www.dieback.net.au/pages/1382/susceptible-species). It is regarded as a key threatening process in the Australian environment (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, 1999), affecting both plant communities by reducing diversity, and the animal communities that depend on them. It is considered by ISSG (2012) to be one of the 100 worst invasive species worldwide.
Xylophilus ampelinus (canker of grapevine).
Authors: Dreo Tanja
Published: June 2021

The causative agent of bacterial blight of grapevine, X. ampelinus, is a slow-growing bacterium. It is thought that only European grapevines (Vitis vinifera) are susceptible (Panagopoulos, 1988b). Natural dispersal from infected plants is limited to the vineyard and the immediately surrounding area and is mostly associated with pruning. Dispersal over large distances is expected to occur only associated with host plants, most likely during trading of planting material. It is difficult to control as outbreaks are sporadic and infections are often latent thus hindering detection.
Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. mangiferaeindicae (mango black spot).
Authors: Doy Marion
Published: June 2021

Several commercial cultivars of mango are very susceptible, and losses can be serious if environmental conditions are favourable (Willis, 2009; Pruvost et al., 2011a). On susceptible mango cultivars, namely Keitt, Kent and Tommy Atkins, trees may be weakened through loss of foliage, which eventually leads to lower yields (Kotzé and Visser, 1997).
Design and construction of the mechanical structure for thin-gap RPC triplets for the upgrade of the ATLAS muon spectrometer
Authors: Kortner O.
Published: June 2021

The advent of thin-gap RPCs, with 1 mm gas gaps instead of 2 mm in the present RPCs, opened the possibility to instrument the inner barrel layer of the ATLAS muon spectrometer where there is very limited amount of space in radial direction from the beam line. The environment is particularly dense in the barrel end-cap transition region. A compact mechanical structure coping with the expected thickness variations of the assembled RPCs is needed to fit into the limited available space. At the same time the mechanical structure must be sufficiently rigid to keep the deformations of the RPC packages within the allowed envelopes. The tight space constraints make it impossible to achieve the required rigidity with thick paper honeycomb plates as used in the present ATLAS RPCs. For the phase I upgrade of the barrel end-cap transition region of the ATLAS muon spectrometer three 1 mm gap RPCs are put into an aluminium frame. In this frame the RPC triplet is compressed with pre-bent 2 mm thick aluminium plates. The rigidity of the frame is achieved by stiffening rods connecting the lateral structure of the frame. The same concept can be used for the phase II upgrade of the inner layer of the muon spectrometer.
Retracted: Preparation and biological properties of silk fibroin/nano-hydroxyapatite/hyaluronic acid composite scaffold
Authors: Wang Lu , Nan Xiaoru , Hou Jiaxin , Xia Yijing , Guo Yanqin , Meng Kejing , Xu Changzhen , Lian Jing , Zhang Yufang , Wang Xiangyu , Zhao Bin
Published: June 2021

In this study, the silk fibroin/nano-hydroxyapatite/hyaluronic acid (SF/nHAp/HA) composite scaffolds with different HA contents were developed by blending, cross-linking and freeze-drying, and their physicochemical properties and cell biocompatibility in vitro were subsequently studied. It was observed that the molecular conformation of the composite scaffolds was mainly composed of silk I and a small amount of the β-sheets structure. On enhancing the HA content, the pore size of the scaffold decreased, while the porosity, water absorption, swelling ratio and mechanical properties were observed to increase. In particular, the SF/nHAp/HA scaffold with a 5.0 wt% ratio exhibited the highest water absorption and mechanical properties among the developed materials. In addition, the in vitro cytocompatibility analysis showed that the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells exhibited excellent cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation ability on the SF/nHAp/5.0 wt%HA scaffolds, as compared with the other scaffolds. It can be concluded that the developed composite scaffolds represent a promising class of materials for the bone tissue repair and regeneration.
Pulled paper slows hunt for Majorana
Authors: Hellemans Alexander
Published: June 2021

Physicists remain convinced that the elusive Majorana particle will be found, despite the retraction of a paper claiming its discovery, as Alexander Hellemans reports
US physicists draw up roadmap towards pilot fusion plant
Authors: Gwynne Peter
Published: June 2021

A panel of US fusion experts has outlined how the US could create a small fusion pilot plant to produce net electricity to the grid by 2040.
A decade of success
Authors: McKenzie James
Published: June 2021

James McKenzie celebrates some of the firms that have won business innovation awards from the Institute of Physics over the last 10 years
Solar superpower
Authors: Stevenson Richard
Published: June 2021

Multi-layered solar cells stand on the brink of 50% efficiency, but the practical benefits of such high-efficiency cells are more likely to be realized in space than on Earth, as Richard Stevenson explains
Relation Between Post-Augmentation Parenchymal Atrophy and Local Tissue Pressure
Authors: Pontello João , Roxo Ana Claudia , Abreu Maria Lidia , Torezani Rodrigo , Pamplona Djenane
Published: June 2021

Background

Breast parenchyma interacts dynamically with an inserted implant, which may lead to local atrophy and sensory involvement, changes in vascular tissue and lactation, and volume reduction over time. The inversely proportional relationship between pressure and volume cannot be stated with certainty; that is, the larger implants having more local pressure would lead to compression, thus leading to atrophy of parenchyma more intensely compared with smaller implants. The objective of this study was to assess and list breast parenchyma volume changes with different pressure levels due to silicone implants of several sizes.

Objectives

The authors sought to list the pressure exerted by silicone implants and the atrophy caused in the breast tissue.

Methods

Thirty-six women were placed in 3 groups (n = 12) and subjected to augmentation mammoplasty in the subglandular plane. The measurement of pressure in millimeters of mercury was conducted with help of molds with the same base and projection of implants introduced posteriorly. MRI was conducted in all participants in the preoperative period and at 6 and 12 months after surgery.

Results

Twelve months after breast implant insertion, the groups had a significant glandular volume reduction (mean, 12.97% in the right breast and 12.42% in the left breast). There was a statistically significant difference in the proportions of volume reduction and the pressure levels measured.

Conclusions

A reduction in breast volume was verified. This reduction was also related to the level of pressure exerted on the implant.

Level of Evidence: 3
Navigating Ecological Transformation: Resist–Accept–Direct as a Path to a New Resource Management Paradigm
Authors: Schuurman Gregor W , Cole David N , Cravens Amanda E , Covington Scott , Crausbay Shelley D , Hoffman Cat Hawkins , Lawrence David J , Magness Dawn R , Morton John M , Nelson Elizabeth A , O'Malley Robin
Published: June 2021

Natural resource managers worldwide face a growing challenge: Intensifying global change increasingly propels ecosystems toward irreversible ecological transformations. This nonstationarity challenges traditional conservation goals and human well-being. It also confounds a longstanding management paradigm that assumes a future that reflects the past. As once-familiar ecological conditions disappear, managers need a new approach to guide decision-making. The resist–accept–direct (RAD) framework, designed for and by managers, identifies the options managers have for responding and helps them make informed, purposeful, and strategic choices in this context. Moving beyond the diversity and complexity of myriad emerging frameworks, RAD is a simple, flexible, decision-making tool that encompasses the entire decision space for stewarding transforming ecosystems. Through shared application of a common approach, the RAD framework can help the wider natural resource management and research community build the robust, shared habits of mind necessary for a new, twenty-first-century natural resource management paradigm.
Air Pollution and Violent Criminal Behaviour
Authors: Cruz Erik , D’alessio Stewart J , Stolzenberg Lisa
Published: June 2021

This study advances the literature by examining the effect of carbon monoxide emissions on the degree of physical violence exhibited by a criminal offender during the commission of a criminal offense. A multilevel analysis is conducted to probe the relationship between carbon monoxide levels and whether a criminal offender physically injures his or her victim. The offender-level data are drawn from the National Incident-Based Reporting System and represent 139,709 single offender/single victim crime incidents for 109 cities in 22 states during 2015. Carbon monoxide concentration and city-level contextual control variables are drawn from other sources. Results show that while carbon monoxide emissions have little effect on the overall level of physical violence displayed by a criminal offender, both the offender’s race and sex moderate the relationship between air pollution and victim injury. As carbon monoxide levels rise in a city, both black and male offenders are more likely to injure their victims physically. We theorize that black and male offenders are more vulnerable to the violence-inducing effects of air pollution because of pronounced racial and sex differences in carbon monoxide exposure.
Impaired dopamine metabolism is linked to fatigability in mice and fatigue in Parkinson’s disease patients
Authors: Scheffer Débora da Luz , Freitas Fernando Cini , Aguiar Jr Aderbal Silva , Ward Catherine , Guglielmo Luiz Guilherme Antonacci , Prediger Rui Daniel , Cronin Shane J F , Walz Roger , Andrews Nick A , Latini Alexandra
Published: June 2021

Fatigue is a common symptom of Parkinson’s disease that compromises significantly the patients’ quality of life. Despite that, fatigue has been under-recognized as symptom, its pathophysiology remains poorly understood, and there is no adequate treatment so far. Parkinson’s disease is characterized by the progressive loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons, eliciting the classical motor symptoms including slowing of movements, muscular rigidity and resting tremor. The dopamine synthesis is mediated by the rate-limiting enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase, which requires tetrahydrobiopterin as a mandatory cofactor. Here, we showed that reserpine administration (1 mg/kg, two intraperitoneal injections with an interval of 48 h) in adult Swiss male mice (8–10 weeks; 35–45 g) provoked striatal depletion of dopamine and tetrahydrobiopterin, and intolerance to exercise. The poor exercise performance of reserpinized mice was not influenced by emotional or anhedonic factors, mechanical nociceptive thresholds, electrocardiogram pattern alterations or muscle-impaired bioenergetics. The administration of levodopa (100 mg/kg; i.p.) plus benserazide (50 mg/kg; i.p.) rescued reserpine-induced fatigability-like symptoms and restored striatal dopamine and tetrahydrobiopterin levels. Remarkably, it was observed, for the first time, that impaired blood dopamine metabolism inversely and idependently correlated with fatigue scores in eighteen idiopathic Parkinson’s disease patients (male n = 13; female n = 5; age 61.3 ± 9.59 years). Altogether, this study provides new experimental and clinical evidence that fatigue symptoms might be caused by the impaired striatal dopaminergic neurotransmission, pointing to a central origin of fatigue in Parkinson’s disease.
Coalitions of Socio-Technical Infrastructure: Platforms as Essential Services
Authors: Surie Aditi
Published: June 2021

This commentary explores the experimental ways in which delivery platforms and local governments in India collaborated during the COVID19 lockdown in India in 2020. The case of one district government, which partnered with a large, corporate food delivery platform is explored here to investigate the platform functionalities that were the most useful to the local government. My exploration highlights how the developmental state mobilized commercial platforms for their constituent socio-technical infrastructural elements. What happens when corporate platforms are unexpectedly ushered into the realm of public values? Addressing this question, I argue that the government’s instrumental re-tooling of the private sector’s platforms to manage a public emergency contests absolute formulations of corporate platform power.
Effects of micropore structure of activated carbons on the CH4/N2 adsorption separation and the enrichment of coal-bed methane
Authors: Zhang Jinhua , Li Lanting , Qin Qiang
Published: June 2021

In the process of enriching CH4 from coal-bed methane, the separation of CH4/N2 is very difficult to accomplish by an adsorption process due to the similar physico-chemical properties of the two molecules. A series of coconut-shell-based granular activated carbons (GACs) with different pore structures were prepared, which were characterized by different methods. The influence of the pore structure on the separation properties was investigated in detail. The results show that one of the carbons prepared (GAC-3) has high CH4 equilibrium adsorption capacity (3.28 mol·kg–1) at 298 K and equilibrium separation coefficient (3.95). The CH4/N2 separation on the GACs is controlled by adsorption equilibrium as compared with the dynamic effect. Taking the specific surface area, for example, the common characterization index of the pore structure is not enough to judge the separation performance of the GACs. However, the microstructure of carbon materials plays a decisive role for CH4/N2 separation. According to the pore-structure analysis, the effective pore size for the CH4/N2 separation is from 0.4 to 0.9 nm, with the optimum effect occurring in the range of 0.6–0.7 nm, followed by the range of 0.7~0.9 nm. Also, a four-bed vacuum pressure swing adsorption process was adopted to evaluate the performance of GACs for the separation of CH4 from nitrogen.
Efficient HPLC Separation on a Core-C30 Column with MS2 Characterization of Isomers, Derivatives and Unusual Carotenoids from Tomato Products
Authors: Daood Hussein G , Ráth Szilvia , Palotás Gábor , Halász Gábor , Hamow Kamiran , Helyes Lajos
Published: June 2021

An efficient and rapid liquid chromatographic method was developed for the separation of carotenoids and their geometrical isomers in tomato products using a core C30 column of 2.6 μm particles with gradient elution of tert-butyl-methyl-ether in 2% water in methanol. Excellent separation of the major carotenoids such as lycopene, β-carotene and lutein as well as their geometrical isomers and oxygen-containing derivatives with resolution factors ranging between 0.78 and 4.0 and selectivity of 1.01–1.63 was achieved. Validation of the developed method met the acceptance criteria concerning linearity, recovery, precision and limit of detection and quantification. Calibrations were linear with correlation coefficient (R2) values between 0.9966 and 0.9999. The limit of detection and quantification values were found to be 0.008 and 0.017 and 0.029 and 0.056 μg/mL, respectively. Recovery of 94.3–99.9%, intraday precision of 1.81–4.45% and interday precision of 3.13–6.86% were obtained. The hyphenation of liquid chromatography with diode-array and mass spectrometry was helpful in the identification of the separated carotenoids particularly the unusual di-hydroxy cyclolycopene adduct and di-methoxy lycopene determined for the first time in tomato products. Commercially available kinds of tomato juice and ketchup were evaluated based on their carotenoid content.
Phage satellites and their emerging applications in biotechnology
Authors: Ibarra-Chávez Rodrigo , Hansen Mads Frederik , Pinilla-Redondo Rafael , Seed Kimberley D , Trivedi Urvish
Published: June 2021

The arms race between (bacterio)phages and their hosts is a recognised hot spot for genome evolution. Indeed, phages and their components have historically paved the way for many molecular biology techniques and biotech applications. Further exploration into their complex lifestyles has revealed that phages are often parasitised by distinct types of hyperparasitic mobile genetic elements. These so-called phage satellites exploit phages to ensure their own propagation and horizontal transfer into new bacterial hosts, and their prevalence and peculiar lifestyle has caught the attention of many researchers. Here, we review the parasite–host dynamics of the known phage satellites, their genomic organisation and their hijacking mechanisms. Finally, we discuss how these elements can be repurposed for diverse biotech applications, kindling a new catalogue of exciting tools for microbiology and synthetic biology.
The Rise and Fall of Dagong Global Credit Rating Agency: A Geopolitical Challenge for the Rating Industry
Authors: Bush Chunping
Published: June 2021

Dagong Global Credit Rating Agency (Dagong) was originally branded as a Chinese national representative credit rating agency. Its international expansion in the US and the EU, in order to challenge the biggest international credit rating agencies, was unsuccessful and achieved little of significance. Dagong’s business suffered a complete halt because of a one-year suspension by the Chinese financial regulators. Its ratings heeded China’s geopolitical interest and China’s strategic plans of economic development rather than signalling the credit risks of debt instruments. Dagong’s ratings had a significant political bias towards countries which were China’s economic and political allies or supplied raw materials to China. Dagong officially became a state-owned credit rating agency following a reconstruction by the Chinese state in 2019. This article concludes that this new ownership may exacerbate the geopolitical characteristics of Dagong and poses a challenge to the international financial market.
First case of human echinostomiasis in the urinary bladder
Authors: Miao Feng , Dong Chunfu , Zhou Chunxue , Zhou Huaiyu
Published: June 2021

This is the first case on Echinostoma infection in the urinary bladder of a human, and provides useful visual information for non-specialist clinicians and general travellers.
Outcome of Thoracic Column Antedisplacement and Fusion in Treatment of Thoracic Myelopathy Caused by Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament: A Case Series Study
Authors: Ma Xiangyang , Wang Binbin , Chen Yuyue , Ge Su , Zou Xiaobao , Zhang Shuang , Xia Hong
Published: June 2021

BACKGROUND

Up to date, surgical outcome of multilevel thoracic ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (T-OPLL) with high canal occupation ratio is less satisfactory.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the result of thoracic column antedisplacement and fusion (TCAF) in treatment of multilevel T-OPLL with high canal occupation ratio.

METHODS

A total of 5 patients who underwent TCAF procedure for T-OPLL were retrospectively reviewed. Parameters including extent of OPLL, thickness of the maximal OPLL (max-OPLL), maximal canal occupying ratio (max-COR) of OPLL, effective canal diameter (ECD) at the max-OPLL level, antedisplacement distance of thoracic columns, ASIA grades, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores, and complications were collected and analyzed at preoperation and the last follow-up.

RESULTS

All patients (5 F, mean age 61.0 yr, mean follow-up 18.0 months) underwent TCAF successfully and no spinal cord injury or cerebrospinal fluid leakage occurred. The mean extent of OPLL was 2.8 vertebral bodies. The mean preoperative thickness of the max-OPLL was 5.9 mm. The average antedisplacement distance of thoracic columns was 5.6 mm. The mean ECD was improved from 6.5 mm to 10.9 mm, and the max-COR was improved from 50.7% to 7.1% at last follow-up. Two patients showed improvement in ASIA grades and JOA scores were significantly improved from 5.6 points to 10.4 points at final follow-up. The overall therapeutic results of 1 patient were classified into good and 4 into fair at last follow-up.

CONCLUSION

TCAF may be a safe and effective procedure in treatment of multilevel T-OPLL with high canal occupation ratio.
Understanding the Size of the Government Spending Multiplier: It’s in the Sign
Authors: Barnichon Regis , Debortoli Davide , Matthes Christian
Published: June 2021

This article argues that an important, yet overlooked, determinant of the government spending multiplier is the direction of the fiscal intervention. Regardless of whether we identify government spending shocks from (1) a narrative approach or (2) a timing restriction, we find that the contractionary multiplier—the multiplier associated with a negative shock to government spending—is above 1 and largest in times of economic slack. In contrast, the expansionary multiplier—the multiplier associated with a positive shock—is substantially below 1 regardless of the state of the cycle. These results help understand seemingly conflicting results in the literature. A simple theoretical model with incomplete financial markets and downward nominal wage rigidities can rationalize our findings.
The Belgian private foundation
Authors: Ex Mathieu , Verbeke Alain Laurent , Verdickt Bart
Published: June 2021

The Belgian Private Foundation is celebrating its 19th anniversary this year. The broad contractual freedom, combined with the favourable tax regime, makes this legal entity an interesting vehicle in terms of estate planning and for private charitable purposes. There have been some important changes to its legal framework given the new Company and Associations Code (CAC). In this article we provide an overview of the main characteristics of the Belgian private foundation.
Made for Each Other: Vector–Pathogen Interfaces in the Huanglongbing Pathosystem
Authors: Killiny Nabil
Published: June 2021

Citrus greening, or huanglongbing (HLB), currently is the most destructive disease of citrus. HLB disease is putatively caused by the phloem-restricted α-proteobacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’. This bacterium is transmitted primarily by the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae). Most animal pathogens are considered pathogenic to their insect vectors, whereas the relationships between plant pathogens and their insect vectors are variable. Lately, the relationship of ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ with its insect vector, D. citri, has been well investigated at the molecular, biochemical, and biological levels in many studies. Herein, the findings concerning this relationship are discussed and molecular features of the acquisition of ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ from the plant host and its growth and circulation within D. citri, as well as its transmission to plants, are presented. In addition, the effects of ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ on the energy metabolism (respiration, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and adenosine triphosphate production), metabolic pathways, immune system, endosymbionts, and detoxification enzymes of D. citri are discussed together with other impacts such as shorter lifespan, altered feeding behavior, and higher fecundity. Overall, although ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ has significant negative effects on its insect vector, it increases its vector fitness, indicating that it develops a mutualistic relationship with its vector. This review will help in understanding the specific interactions between ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ and its psyllid vector in order to design innovative management strategies.
Roles of Inn1, Cyk3, and PaxB Proteins in Cytokinesis in the Filamentous Fungus Aspergillus nidulans
Authors: Williamson McLean , Rowland Lauren , Beckman Spencer , Jackson‐Hayes Loretta , Hill Terry William
Published: June 2021

Cytokinesis is an essential component of cellular development in filamentous fungi. The process parallels that of cell division in animal cells in requiring assembly and constriction of a contractile actomyosin ring (CAR) in the cell periphery. However, the process differs from that in animals by involving the simultaneous construction of a chitin‐rich cross wall termed a septum, which separates semi‐independent compartments of the fungal hypha. We have recently identified three genes, designated inn1, cyk3, and paxB, that we hypothesized would play roles in septum formation, based on sequence homologies to proteins performing similar functions in yeasts. GFP tagging demonstrates that the protein products encoded by these genes (Inn1, Cyk3, and PaxB, respectively) all localize to sites of septum formation and in fact colocalize with actin during at least part of CAR assembly and constriction. We have also deleted all three genes or repressed their expression using regulatable promoters, demonstrating in each case significant effects upon septation. In further work, we have generated double‐mutant strains in which a GFP‐tagged septation‐related protein is expressed in a cell that also bears a loss‐of‐function mutation in a second septation protein, demonstrating a network of interactions between inn1, cyk3, and paxB (on the one hand) and a number of previously characterized septation proteins. We will present an integrated interaction model placing the Inn1, Cyk3, and PaxB proteins within a system of interacting proteins necessary for septum formation in filamentous fungi.

Support or Funding Information

National Science Foundation Grant 1615192 (Loretta Jackson‐Hayes, PI)

This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Characterization of Coq11, a novel protein involved in the biosynthesis of coenzyme Q in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Bradley Michelle Celine , Ibarra Hope , Awad Agape , Tsui Hui , Yang Krista , Allan Christopher , Clarke Catherine
Published: June 2021

Coenzyme Q, also known as ubiquinone or Q, is a redox‐active lipid component of the electron transport chain that functions in cellular energy metabolism. Due to its redox capabilities, reduced Q (or QH2) also serves as an important lipid‐soluble antioxidant effective in alleviating lipid peroxidative damage. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, thirteen known mitochondrial proteins (Coq1–Coq11, Yah1, and Arh1) drive Q biosynthesis. Many of these Coq polypeptides required for Q production are localized to the matrix side of the mitochondrial inner membrane where they form a high molecular weight, multi‐subunit complex known as the ‘CoQ‐synthome’. Absence of individual Coq proteins causes severe defects in Q biosynthesis, and such coq null mutants lose the ability to respire. However, the functional roles of some Coq polypeptides as well as several steps in the Q biosynthetic pathway remain unknown. Here, we present the identification of a novel mitochondrial protein that associates with the CoQ‐synthome encoded by the open reading frame YLR290C, which we renamed Coq11. Co‐immunoprecipitation and lipid analyses demonstrate that Coq11 interacts with other Coq polypeptides as well as Q and Q‐intermediates, and is required for efficient de novo Q biosynthesis in the BY4742 genetic background. We have begun work towards understanding the function of Coq11 in CoQ‐synthome formation, as well as the role of Coq11 as a putative redundant decarboxylase in Q biosynthesis. Taken together, this project will provide powerful insights into Q biosynthesis and regulation towards the objective of designing effective therapeutics for diseases caused by Q deficiencies.

Support or Funding Information

This research was supported by NSF MCB‐1330803 and the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award GM007185.

This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Effects of 5‐Hydroxymethyl‐2‐Furfural (5‐HMF) on Skeletal Muscle Performance in Rats Exposed to an Acute Bout of Hypobaric Hypoxia
Authors: Ciarlone Geoffrey E. , Roney Nicholas G. , Gasier Heath G. , Mahon Richard T. , Swift Joshua M.
Published: June 2021

Exposure to high altitude is associated with a reduction in the partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) that subsequently affects all components of the oxygen transport cascade, from lung to mitochondria. Impaired oxygen transport contributes to decrements in exercise capacity at high altitude. Strategies aimed at improving blood oxygenation are therefore an important focus of study. 5‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐furfural (5‐HMF) may offer prophylaxis at high altitude due to induction of a leftward‐shift in the oxygen‐hemoglobin dissociation curve that results in increased arterial blood oxygen saturation. The objective of this research is to determine whether the benefits afforded by 5‐HMF to blood oxygenation create a measureable attenuation in the decline in physical performance known to occur in hypoxia. Fisher 344male rats (n=40) were implanted with osmotic pumps to continuously deliver either inactive saline or 5‐HMF (40 mg/kg/d), and exposed to either sea level(SL, n=20/group) or a simulated altitude of 18,000 feet (HH, n=20/group) in ahypobaric hypoxic chamber for 24 hours. Muscle function testing was conducted both pre‐ and post‐HH and SL exposures, including peak torque output, force‐frequency analysis, and time to fatigue. Following SL/HH exposure, animals had repeat muscle function testing, then were weighed, had blood collected for determination of blood gases and complete blood counts (CBC), and were humanely euthanized. Muscles were then harvested with wet weights recorded. Rats exposed to HH for 24 hours displayed a 9% decrease in body mass. In 5‐HMF treated animals, increases in erythrocytes (14%), hemoglobin (14%) and hematocrit (16%) were documented. HH led to a 38% reduction in PO2; however 5‐HMF did not attenuate this decline. Posterior crural muscle strength was unaltered in HH‐exposed rats, and although non‐significant, a 9% increase in peak torque output was documented in 5‐HMF treated animals. In spite of 5‐HMFimproving blood oxygen carrying capacity, only modest improvements were observed in muscle function following a 24 hour exposure to a simulated altitude of 18,000 ft. Current studies are underway to assess the benefits of5‐HMF on blood oxygenation with extended HH exposure. In addition, these experiments will determine whether overt alterations in anabolic pathways occur and precede outward functional changes in muscle.

Support or Funding Information

These studies were supported by an Office of Naval Research Grant to NGR.

This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.
Exploring Enzyme Catalysis: A 3D Model of the Myocobacterium tuberculosis MazF‐mt6 toxin
Authors: Billings Ryan , Avila Giovanni , Craft Alexis , Gilmore Keviyanah , Patterson Dajah , Jones Candace , Van Stry Melanie
Published: June 2021

Toxin‐antitoxin systems are present in bacterial and archaeal genomes and regulate cellular survival in response to stressors including antibiotics and host immune responses. The toxin‐antitoxin systems all consist of a toxin protein that blocks essential cellular functions such as translation, and either an antitoxin RNA or protein that inhibits toxin function through a variety of mechanisms. Escherichia coli has at least 36 assumed toxin‐antitoxin gene pairs, whereas the pathogenic Myocobacterium tuberculosis has over 90 toxin‐antitoxin pairs. The E. coli MazF toxin proteins are ribonucleases that cleave cellular mRNA once stress has been encountered, while the nine M. tuberculosis MazF family proteins cleave mRNA, tRNA, or rRNA. MazF‐mt6 cleaves helix 70 of the 23S rRNA. Here, we have designed a 3D of model of the MazF‐mt6 protein using Jmol that highlights the overall architecture and the active site based on the crystal structure solved by Dr. Dunham and colleagues (PDB 5UCT; Hoffer et al. 2017 JBC 292 (19):7718–26). MazF‐mt6 protein has Pemk‐like fold with three alpha‐helices, shown in grey, and 2 beta‐sheets shown in purple, one of which folds into a five‐stranded beta‐barrel fold similar to the SH3 domain. The active site is solvent accessible and contains several charged or polar residues that may be involved in catalysis. Our 3D model highlights the critical residues in the active site. Site‐directed mutagenesis studies reveal that Asp10, Arg13, Lys11, and Thr36 are necessary for MazF‐mt6 induced growth arrest, whereas Thr37 and Thr38 are not. In addition, Asp10, Arg13, and Thr36 are necessary for enzymatic activity, suggesting that they are part of a catalytic triad. Designing 3D protein models enables students to explore complex molecular structure‐function relationships.

Support or Funding Information

NSF DUE1725940 and NSF HRD1623340

This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.