bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How the Toxin got its Toxicity
Authors: Jackson Timothy N. W. , Koludarov Ivan
Published: December 2020

Venom systems are functional and ecological traits, typically used by one organism to subdue or deter another. A predominant subset of their constituent molecules—“toxins”—share this ecological function and are therefore molecules that mediate interactions between organisms. Such molecules have been referred to as “exochemicals.” There has been debate within the field of toxinology concerning the evolutionary pathways leading to the “recruitment” of a gene product for a toxic role within venom. We review these discussions and the evidence interpreted in support of alternate pathways, along with many of the most popular models describing the origin of novel molecular functions in general. We note that such functions may arise with or without gene duplication occurring and are often the consequence of a gene product encountering a novel “environment,” i.e., a range of novel partners for molecular interaction. After stressing the distinction between “activity” and “function,” we describe in detail the results of a recent study which reconstructed the evolutionary history of a multigene family that has been recruited as a toxin and argue that these results indicate that a pluralistic approach to understanding the origin of novel functions is advantageous. This leads us to recommend that an expansive approach be taken to the definition of “neofunctionalization”—simply the origins of a novel molecular function by any process—and “recruitment”—the “weaponization” of a molecule via the acquisition of a toxic function in venom, by any process. Recruitment does not occur at the molecular level or even at the level of gene expression, but only when a confluence of factors results in the ecological deployment of a physiologically active molecule as a toxin. Subsequent to recruitment, the evolutionary regime of a gene family may shift into a more dynamic form of “birth-and-death.” Thus, recruitment leads to a form of “downwards causation,” in which a change at the ecological level at which whole organisms interact leads to a change in patterns of evolution at the genomic level.
Anomalous Diffusion in Systems with Concentration-Dependent Diffusivity: Exact Solutions and Particle Simulations
Authors: Hansen Alex , Flekkøy Eirik G. , Baldelli Beatrice
Published: December 2020

We explore the anomalous diffusion that may arise as a result of a concentration dependent diffusivity. The diffusivity is taken to be a power law in the concentration, and from exact analytical solutions we show that the diffusion may be anomalous, or not, depending on the nature of the initial condition. The diffusion exponent has the value of normal diffusion when the initial condition is a step profile, but takes on anomalous values when the initial condition is a spike. Depending on the sign of the exponent in the diffusivity the diffusive behavior will then be either sub-diffusive or super-diffusive. We introduce a particle model that behaves according to the non-linear diffusion equation in the macroscopic limit. This correspondence is demonstrated via kinetic theory, i.e. by means of Chapman-Kolmogorov equation, as well as by direct simulations.
Composite Backward Differentiation Formula for the Bidomain Equations
Authors: Gao Xindan , Henriquez Craig S. , Ying Wenjun
Published: December 2020

The bidomain equations have been widely used to model the electrical activity of cardiac tissue. While it is well-known that implicit methods have much better stability than explicit methods, implicit methods usually require the solution of a very large nonlinear system of equations at each timestep which is computationally prohibitive. In this work, we present two fully implicit time integration methods for the bidomain equations: the backward Euler method and a second-order one-step two-stage composite backward differentiation formula (CBDF2) which is an L-stable time integration method. Using the backward Euler method as fundamental building blocks, the CBDF2 scheme is easily implementable. After solving the nonlinear system resulting from application of the above two fully implicit schemes by a nonlinear elimination method, the obtained nonlinear global system has a much smaller size, whose Jacobian is symmetric and possibly positive definite. Thus, the residual equation of the approximate Newton approach for the global system can be efficiently solved by standard optimal solvers. As an alternative, we point out that the above two implicit methods combined with operator splittings can also efficiently solve the bidomain equations. Numerical results show that the CBDF2 scheme is an efficient time integration method while achieving high stability and accuracy.
Development and Cytomolecular Identification of Monosomic Alien Addition and Substitution Lines of Triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack) With 2Sk Chromosome Conferring Leaf Rust Resistance Derived From Aegilops kotschyi Boiss
Authors: Kwiatek Michał T. , Ulaszewski Waldemar , Belter Jolanta , Phillips Dylan , Skowrońska Roksana , Noweiska Aleksandra , Wiśniewska Halina
Published: December 2020

Alien chromosome introgression has become a valuable tool to broaden the genetic variability of crop plants via chromosome engineering. This study details the procedure to obtain monosomic addition and monosomic substitution lines of the triticale carrying 2Skchromosome fromAegilops kotchyiBoiss., which harborsLr54+Yr37leaf and stripe rust-resistant gene loci, respectively. Initially,A. kotschyi×Secale cerealeartificial amphiploids (2n= 6x= 42 chromosomes, UUSSRR) were crossed with triticale cv. “Sekundo” (2n= 6x= 42, AABBRR) in order to obtain fertile offspring. Cyto-molecular analyses of five subsequent backcrossing generations revealed that 2Skchromosome was preferentially transmitted. This allowed for the selection of monosomic 2Skaddition (MA2Sk) lines of triticale. Finally, the 2Sk(2R) substitution plants were obtained by crossing MA2Skwith the nullisomic (N2R) plants of triticale. The presence of 2Skchromosome in subsequent generations of plants was evaluated using SSR markers linked toLr54+Yr37loci. Disease evaluation of the monosomic 2Sk(2R) substitution plants for the reaction to leaf and stripe rust infection were carried out under controlled conditions in a growth chamber. The results showed significant improvement of leaf rust resistance severity of monosomic substitution plants compared with control (“Sekundo”). In contrast, the introgression of theLr54+Yr37loci did not lead to improvement of stripe rust resistance. In summary, the creation of monosomic addition and monosomic substitution lines of triticale is the starting point for the precise and guided transfer ofLr54+Yr37loci. The results showed that the developed materials could be exploited for the development of triticale varieties with resistance to leaf rust.
Local Responses and Systemic Induced Resistance Mediated by Ectomycorrhizal Fungi
Authors: Dreischhoff Steven , Das Ishani S. , Jakobi Mareike , Kasper Karl , Polle Andrea
Published: December 2020

Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) grow as saprotrophs in soil and interact with plants, forming mutualistic associations with roots of many economically and ecologically important forest tree genera. EMF ensheath the root tips and produce an extensive extramatrical mycelium for nutrient uptake from the soil. In contrast to other mycorrhizal fungal symbioses, EMF do not invade plant cells but form an interface for nutrient exchange adjacent to the cortex cells. The interaction of roots and EMF affects host stress resistance but uncovering the underlying molecular mechanisms is an emerging topic. Here, we focused on local and systemic effects of EMF modulating defenses against insects or pathogens in aboveground tissues in comparison with arbuscular mycorrhizal induced systemic resistance. Molecular studies indicate a role of chitin in defense activation by EMF in local tissues and an immune response that is induced by yet unknown signals in aboveground tissues. Volatile organic compounds may be involved in long-distance communication between below- and aboveground tissues, in addition to metabolite signals in the xylem or phloem. In leaves of EMF-colonized plants, jasmonate signaling is involved in transcriptional re-wiring, leading to metabolic shifts in the secondary and nitrogen-based defense metabolism but cross talk with salicylate-related signaling is likely. Ectomycorrhizal-induced plant immunity shares commonalities with systemic acquired resistance and induced systemic resistance. We highlight novel developments and provide a guide to future research directions in EMF-induced resistance.
SKIP Silencing Decreased Disease Resistance Against Botrytis cinerea and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 in Tomato
Authors: Zhang Huijuan , Yin Longfei , Song Fengming , Jiang Ming
Published: December 2020

SKIP, a component of the spliceosome, is involved in numerous signaling pathways. However, there is no direct genetic evidence supporting the function of SKIP in defense responses. In this paper, two SKIPs, namely, SlSKIP1a and SlSKIP1b, were analyzed in tomato. qRT-PCR analysis showed that the SlSKIP1b expression was triggered via Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) DC3000 and Botrytis cinerea (B. cinerea), together with the defense-associated signals. In addition, the functions of SlSKIP1a and SlSKIP1b in disease resistance were analyzed in tomato through the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) technique. VIGS-mediated SlSKIP1b silencing led to increased accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), along with the decreased expression of defense-related genes (DRGs) after pathogen infection, suggesting that it reduced B. cinerea and Pst DC3000 resistance. There was no significant difference in B. cinerea and Pst DC3000 resistance in TRV-SlSKIP1a-infiltrated plants compared with the TRV-GUS-silencing counterparts. As suggested by the above findings, SlSKIP1b plays a vital role in disease resistance against pathogens possibly by regulating the accumulation of ROS as well as the expression of DRGs.
Plant Molecular Farming as a Strategy Against COVID-19 – The Italian Perspective
Authors: Lico Chiara , Santi Luca , Baschieri Selene , Noris Emanuela , Marusic Carla , Donini Marcello , Pedrazzini Emanuela , Maga Giovanni , Franconi Rosella , Di Bonito Paola , Avesani Linda
Published: December 2020

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has killed more than 37,000 people in Italy and has caused widespread socioeconomic disruption. Urgent measures are needed to contain and control the virus, particularly diagnostic kits for detection and surveillance, therapeutics to reduce mortality among the severely affected, and vaccines to protect the remaining population. Here we discuss the potential role of plant molecular farming in the rapid and scalable supply of protein antigens as reagents and vaccine candidates, antibodies for virus detection and passive immunotherapy, other therapeutic proteins, and virus-like particles as novel vaccine platforms. We calculate the amount of infrastructure and production capacity needed to deal with predictable subsequent waves of COVID-19 in Italy by pooling expertise in plant molecular farming, epidemiology and the Italian health system. We calculate the investment required in molecular farming infrastructure that would enable us to capitalize on this technology, and provide a roadmap for the development of diagnostic reagents and biopharmaceuticals using molecular farming in plants to complement production methods based on the cultivation of microbes and mammalian cells.
Three Aphid-Transmitted Viruses Encourage Vector Migration From Infected Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) Plants Through a Combination of Volatile and Surface Cues
Authors: Wamonje Francis O. , Tungadi Trisna D. , Murphy Alex M. , Pate Adrienne E. , Woodcock Christine , Caulfield John C. , Mutuku J. Musembi , Cunniffe Nik J. , Bruce Toby J. A. , Gilligan Christopher A. , Pickett John A. , Carr John P.
Published: December 2020

Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV), bean common mosaic necrosis virus (BCMNV), and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) are important pathogens of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), a crop vital for food security in sub-Saharan Africa. These viruses are vectored by aphids non-persistently, with virions bound loosely to stylet receptors. These viruses also manipulate aphid-mediated transmission by altering host properties. Virus-induced effects on host-aphid interactions were investigated using choice test (migration) assays, olfactometry, and analysis of insect-perceivable volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using gas chromatography (GC)-coupled mass spectrometry, and GC-coupled electroantennography. When allowed to choose freely between infected and uninfected plants, aphids of the legume specialist species Aphis fabae, and of the generalist species Myzus persicae, were repelled by plants infected with BCMV, BCMNV, or CMV. However, in olfactometer experiments with A. fabae, only the VOCs emitted by BCMNV-infected plants repelled aphids. Although BCMV, BCMNV, and CMV each induced distinctive changes in emission of aphid-perceivable volatiles, all three suppressed emission of an attractant sesquiterpene, α-copaene, suggesting these three different viruses promote migration of virus-bearing aphids in a similar fashion.
Access to Interaction and Context Through Situated Descriptions: A Study of Interpreting for Deafblind Persons
Authors: Raanes Eli
Published: December 2020

This article focuses on how to provide environmental descriptions of the context with the intent of creating access to information and dialogical participation for deafblind persons. Multimodal interaction is needed to communicate with deafblind persons whose combined sensory loss impedes their access to the environment and ongoing interaction. Empirical data of interpreting for deafblind persons are analyzed to give insight into how this task may be performed. All communicative activities vary due to their context, participants, and aim. In this study, our data are part of a cross-linguistic study of tactile sign language and were gathered during a guided tour for a deafblind group. The guided tour was tailored to a specific group (adult deafblind tactile signers and their interpreters) visiting one of the oldest cathedrals and pilgrim sites in Scandinavia, with interpreters following up the guide’s presentation and providing descriptions based on the given situation. The tour and the interpreters’ work were videotaped, and the ongoing interaction and communication have been studied through video-ethnographic methods and conversational analysis. The data have been investigated for the research question: What elements are involved in descriptions to provide deafblind individuals access to their environments? Theories from multimodality communicative studies are relevant for the ways tactile descriptions are presented and analyzed. Some of this is an investigation at a microlevel of interaction. An overall inspiration for this study is interaction studies with data from authentic formal and informal conversations and ways of analyzing embodied action and situated gestures in studies of human interaction. Also, concepts of “frontstage,” “backstage,” and “main conversation” are brought into our interpreter-mediated data to follow the role of building meaning in complex conversations. Theories on interaction are used in the analyses to illustrate the participating framework between the guide, the interpreter, the deafblind person, and the situated frame of their interaction. The study opens for a broader understanding of the repertoire of multimodal interaction and how such interaction may be handled as inputs in communication processes. This is of relevance for communication with deafblind persons, for professionals meeting blind and deafblind clients, and for knowledge of multimodal interaction in general.
Individuals’ Self-Reactions Toward COVID-19 Pandemic in Relation to the Awareness of the Disease, and Psychological Hardiness in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alsukah Aljawharh Ibrahim , Algadheeb Nourah Abdulrhman , Almeqren Monira Abdulrahman , Alharbi Fatimah Sayer , Alanazi Rasis Abdullah , Alshehri Amal Abdulrahman , Alsubie Futiem Nasha , Ahajri Reem Khalid
Published: December 2020

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak around the world has caused public health concerns and changes in peoples’ behaviors and psychological distress. The pandemic impacts on human behavior, emotions, and cognition, leading to diverse reactions in relation to awareness of the disease. However, there is little understanding around the psychological impacts of the pandemic and strategies to overcome this impact. This study aimed to examine individuals’ reactions toward the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to their psychological hardiness, their degree of awareness toward the pandemic, and precautionary measures taken. Individuals living in Saudi Arabia were invited to complete an online questionnaire which included demographic items, psychological responses to the pandemic, awareness of COVID-19, and measures of psychological hardiness. A total of 1272 individuals were recruited into the study, with the majority being female (85%). Results indicated that the average psychological responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in the study sample were 75.85%. This indicates that the sample generally has a high level of positive psychological responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The awareness of COVID-19 among Saudi was 91.50%. This indicates a high level of awareness among the study sample.
Linking Leader Humor to Employee Innovative Behavior: The Roles of Work Engagement and Supervisor’s Organizational Embodiment
Authors: Zhang Jingjing , Su Weilin
Published: December 2020

The influence of leader humor on employee innovative behavior has been attracting increasingly more attention from various scholars and enterprises. Based on previous relevant literatures in the fields of humor, leadership, and innovation, this study proposes and verifies a model to examine the internal mechanism and boundary condition of the relationship between leader humor, work engagement, supervisor’s organizational embodiment, and employee innovative behavior. Specifically, this study introduces work engagement as a mediator in the relationship between leader humor and employee innovative behavior, and supervisor’s organizational embodiment as a moderator in the relationship between leader humor and work engagement. Then, this study conducts two separate questionnaire surveys on Chinese employees and their direct supervisors at two different times to collect the sample data. In total, 383 supervisor–subordinate dyads were collected. The results suggest that leader humor can promote employee innovative behavior. Work engagement can partly mediate the influence of leader humor on employee innovative behavior. Supervisor’s organizational embodiment of employee can positively moderate the influence of leader humor on work engagement, which in turn ultimately should account for positive increases of employee innovative behavior. The conclusions from the analyses above not only further verify and develop some previous points on leader humor and employee innovation but also derive certain management implications for promoting employee innovative behavior from the perspective of leader humor.
Reducing Internet Gambling Harms Using Behavioral Science: A Stakeholder Framework
Authors: Gainsbury Sally M. , Black Nicola , Blaszczynski Alex , Callaghan Sascha , Clancey Garner , Starcevic Vladan , Tymula Agnieszka
Published: December 2020

Internet gambling provides a unique environment with design mechanics and data-driven opportunities that can impact gambling-related harms. Some elements of Internet gambling including isolation, lack of interruption, and constant, easy access have been argued to pose specific risks. However, identifiable player accounts enable identification of behavioral risk markers and personalized private interfaces to push customized messages and interventions. The structural design of the Internet gambling environment (website or app) can have a strong influence on individual behavior. However, unlike land-based venues, Internet gambling has few specific policies outlining acceptable and unacceptable design practices. Harm minimization including responsible gambling frameworks typically include roles and responsibilities for multiple stakeholders including individual users, industry operators, government regulators, and community organizations. This paper presents a framework for how behavioral science principles can inform appropriate stakeholder actions to minimize Internet gambling-related harms. A customer journey through internet gambling demonstrates how a multidisciplinary nexus of collaborative effort may facilitate a reduction in harms associated with Internet gambling for consumers at all stages of risk. Collaborative efforts between stakeholders could result in the implementation of appropriate design strategies to assist individuals to make decisions and engage in healthy, sustainable behaviors.
Rapid Assessment of Price Instability and Paucity of Medicines and Protection for COVID-19 Across Asia: Findings and Public Health Implications for the Future
Authors: Godman Brian , Haque Mainul , Islam Salequl , Iqbal Samiul , Urmi Umme Laila , Kamal Zubair Mahmood , Shuvo Shahriar Ahmed , Rahman Aminur , Kamal Mustafa , Haque Monami , Jahan Iffat , Islam Md. Zakirul , Hossain Mohammad Monir , Munzur-E-Murshid  , Kumar Santosh , Charan Jaykaran , Bhatt Rohan , Dutta Siddhartha , Abhayanand Jha Pallavi , Sharma Yesh , Saleem Zikria , Phuong Thuy Nguyen Thi , Kwon Hye-Young , Kurdi Amanj , Wale Janney , Sefah Israel
Published: December 2020

Background: Countries have introduced a variety of measures to prevent and treat COVID-19 with medicines and personal protective equipment (PPE), with some countries adopting preventative strategies earlier than others. However, there has been considerable controversy surrounding some treatments. This includes hydroxychloroquine where the initial hype and misinformation lead to shortages, price rises and suicides. Price rises and shortages have also been seen for PPE. Such activities can have catastrophic effects on patients where there are high co-payment levels and issues of affordability. Consequently, there is a need to investigate this further.

Objective: Assess changes in the availability, utilization and prices of relevant medicines and PPE during the pandemic among a range of Asian countries.

Our approach: Narrative literature review combined with interviews among community pharmacists to assess changes in consumption, prices and shortages of medicines and PPE from the beginning of March 2020 until end of May 2020. In addition, suggestions on ways to reduce misinformation.

Results: 308 pharmacists took part from five Asian countries. There was an appreciable increase in the utilization of antimicrobials in Pakistan (in over 88% of pharmacies), with lower increases or no change in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and Vietnam. Encouragingly, there was increased use of vitamins/immune boosters and PPE across the countries, as well as limited price rises for antimicrobials in India, Malaysia and Vietnam, although greater price rises seen for analgesics and vitamin C/immune boosters. Appreciable price increases were also seen for PPE across some countries.

Conclusion: Encouraging to see increases in utilization of vitamins/immune boosters and PPE. However, increases in the utilization and prices of antimicrobials is a concern that needs addressing alongside misinformation and any unintended consequences from the pandemic. Community pharmacists can play a key role in providing evidence-based advice, helping to moderate prices, as well as helping address some of the unintended consequences of the pandemic.
The Limits of Conventional Justification: Inductive Risk and Industry Bias Beyond Conventionalism
Authors: Ohnesorge Miguel
Published: December 2020

This article develops a constructive criticism of methodological conventionalism. Methodological conventionalism asserts that standards of inductive risk ought to be justified in virtue of their ability to facilitate coordination in a research community. On that view, industry bias occurs when conventional methodological standards are violated to foster industry preferences. The underlying account of scientific conventionality, however, is insufficient for theoretical and practical reasons. Conventions may be justified in virtue of their coordinative functions, but often qualify for posterior empirical criticism as research advances. Accordingly, industry bias does not only threaten existing conventions but may impede their empirically warranted improvement if they align with industry preferences. My empiricist account of standards of inductive risk avoids such a problem by asserting that conventional justification can be pragmatically warranted but has, in principle, only a provisional status. Methodological conventions, therefore, should not only be defended from preference-based infringements of their coordinative function but ought to be subjected to empirical criticism.
The City as a License. Implications of Blockchain and Distributed Ledgers for Urban Governance
Authors: Gloerich Inte , De Waal Martijn , Ferri Gabriele , Cila Nazli , Karpinski Tara
Published: December 2020

Distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) such as blockchain have in recent years been presented as a new general-purpose technology that could underlie many aspects of social and economic life, including civics and urban governance. In an urban context, over the past few years, a number of actors have started to explore the application of distributed ledgers in amongst others smart city services as well as in blockchain for good and urban commons-projects. DLTs could become the administrative backbones of such projects, as the technology can be set-up as an administration, management and allocation tool for urban resources. With the addition of smart contracts, DLTs can further automate the processing of data and execution of decisions in urban resource management through algorithmic governance. This means that the technological set-up and design of such DLT based systems could have large implications for the ways urban resources are governed. Positive contributions are expected to be made toward (local) democracy, transparent governance, decentralization, and citizen empowerment. We argue that to fully scrutinize the implications for urban governance, a critical analysis of distributed ledger technologies is necessary. In this contribution, we explore the lens of “the city as a license” for such a critical analysis. Through this lens, the city is framed as a “rights-management-system,” operated through DLT technology. Building upon Lefebvrian a right to the city-discourses, such an approach allows to ask important questions about the implications of DLTs for the democratic governance of cities in an open, inclusive urban culture. Through a technological exploration combined with a speculative approach, and guided by our interest in the rights management and agency that blockchains have been claimed to provide to their users, we trace six important issues: quantification; blockchain as a normative apparatus; the complicated relationship between transparency and accountability; the centralizing forces that act on blockchains; the degrees to which algorithmic rules can embed democratic law-making and enforcing; and finally, the limits of blockchain's trustlessness.
Measuring What Matters, Where It Matters: A Spatially Explicit Urban Environment and Social Inclusion Index for the Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Hsu Angel , Chakraborty Tirthankar , Thomas Ryan , Manya Diego , Weinfurter Amy , Chin Nicholas Jian Wei , Goyal Nihit , Feierman Andrew
Published: December 2020

The Urban Environment and Social Inclusion Index (UESI) creates a new spatial framework to measure progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG-11). SDG-11 aims for cities to be both sustainable and inclusive by 2030 and conceptualizes this goal in spatially-explicit ways. Few data sources or indices, however, measure its progress in both a comprehensive (global coverage) and detailed (intra-city) manner. To address this gap, we use publicly-available datasets including detailed census data, satellite remote sensing, and crowdsourced data that provide global coverage and regular temporal resolution to develop spatially-explicit indicators to measure neighborhood-level environmental performance in 164 global cities. The UESI framework includes 10 indicators that assess air pollution, urban tree cover, public transit access, and urban heat at the neighborhood scale, and water stress and carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels at the city-level. We also present a new method for quantifying distributional equity to measure how evenly or unevenly cities are distributing environmental benefits and burdens across neighborhoods. We find that the majority of the UESI cities disproportionately burden lower-income communities with higher shares of environmental burdens and lower shares of environmental benefits. This finding holds true even in cities that perform highly on environmental indicators. In light of the challenging, rapidly evolving urban contexts, the UESI framework serves as a way of addressing some of the central challenges—data standardization, data gathering, and data localization—around the SDGs.
Securing Data in Life Sciences—A Plant Food (Edamame) Systems Case Study
Authors: Duncan Susan E. , Zhang Bo , Thomason Wade , Ellis Margaret , Meng Na , Stamper Michael , Carneiro Renata , Drape Tiffany
Published: December 2020

Efforts to identify specialty crop genetics and agronomics, such as for edamame (vegetable soybean), that improve crop yields, resilience, and sustainability often fail to account for data on nutritional content, sensory profile, and/or consumer acceptability. Limited exchange of data across agricultural and food sectors challenges the design of specialty crops that meet consumer needs and expectations and the value chain, and can increase cyberbiosecurity risks. Communication and collaboration within the multi-sector system are essential to address cyberbiosecurity issues related to privacy of data producers, ownership of original data, risks of data sharing, security protection for data transfer and storage, and public perceptions of the food supply chain. This paper introduces a new exploration to design domestic (U.S.) edamame, which is based on both our domain knowledge of life science and our information-sharing mechanisms across the agriculture and food sectors. A case study, involving a multidisciplinary team of breeders and non-breeder researchers with expertise in crop/food production, processing, quality, and economics, serves as a model. We introduce the value chain attributed to combining and linking data from different sectors in the research and development phase, and explain why we believe such data-sharing mechanisms can facilitate better analyses that resonate throughout the full system, from seed to consumer. Our perspective illustrates that, by securely sharing and interpreting data across sectors and identifying cyberbiosecurity risks, we can design promising agricultural and food systems to better meet consumers' need and protection of life science data.
Case Report: Human Dermatitis Linked to Ornithonyssus bursa (Dermanyssoidea: Macronyssidae) Infestation in Portugal
Authors: Waap Helga , Aguin-Pombo Dora , Maia Maria
Published: December 2020

Ornithonyssus bursa (Berlese, 1888), also known as the tropical fowl mite, is a blood-feeding ectoparasite of domestic and wild birds. It is considered a serious pest to poultry in warm and tropical climates and has been reported to attack humans, causing gamasoidosis. Avian-mite dermatitis may be difficult to recognize and misdiagnosed as bites from other arthropods. The present report describes two cases of human dermatitis linked to O. bursa infestation. Both cases occurred in an apartment in a residential area in Oeiras, Portugal, where two members of the same family presented with pruritic erythematous skin eruptions disseminated over their body over a period of 4 months. The lesions were located mostly in the pelvic, gluteal, coccygeal, and perineal regions, and also on the neck, wrists and torso. On inspecting the mattresses and the covers of the bedrooms, three mites ~1 mm long by 0.5 mm wide were found. The three specimens were identified as O. bursa. Investigations tracing back the source of infestation, revealed that the mites were carried over from chickens raised 45 km away (Sesimbra, Setúbal) that, after being slaughtered for consumption, had been transported by car to the apartment in Oeiras. The chickens were farmed in an open backyard henhouse that allowed free access to several species of wild birds, including pigeons (Columba livia), turtle doves (Streptopelia decaocto), and sparrows (Passer domesticus). Recent reports suggest that O. bursa may be established in Mediterranean countries, increasing the risk of gamasoidosis. This is the first record linking O. bursa infestation of chickens with human dermatitis in continental Portugal. More research is needed to assess the extent of poultry infestation and evaluate the possible implications for the poultry industry, as well as for human health in Portugal.
Comparison of Two Dosing Regimens of Miltefosine, Both in Combination With Allopurinol, on Clinical and Parasitological Findings of Dogs With Leishmaniosis: A Pilot Study
Authors: Iarussi Fabrizio , Paradies Paola , Foglia Manzillo Valentina , Gizzarelli Manuela , Caratozzolo Mariano Francesco , Navarro Christelle , Greco Beatrice , Rubino Giuseppe Tommaso Roberto , Oliva Gaetano , Sasanelli Mariateresa
Published: December 2020

Miltefosine (MIL)–allopurinol combination therapy administered at standard dosage is effective to treat canine leishmaniosis, nevertheless for some dogs the digestive tolerance of MIL is not acceptable. This study evaluates an alternative therapeutic protocol by using a modified dosage of MIL to increase its effectiveness and improve the digestive tolerance. Thirty-four Leishmania infantum owned naturally infected dogs were included and monitored for 180 days. The dogs were allocated in two randomized groups: Group X−18 dogs treated with MIL registered dose of 2 mg/kg, oral administration, once daily, for 28 days; Group Y−16 dogs treated with 1.2 mg/kg for 5 days followed by 2.5 mg/kg for 25 days. Both groups were also treated with allopurinol. Digestive tolerance was monitored by adverse events observation. Treatments effectiveness was evaluated by monitoring the reduction of clinical score, the improvement of clinicopathological abnormalities, the reduction of parasitological load by PCR and the number of relapses. 16.6% dogs of group X and 12.5% dogs of group Y showed treatment associated adverse events. The reduction of clinical score was 61.7% for group X and 71.6% for group Y. All dogs showed an improvement of laboratory parameters after treatment. Quantitative PCR showed better results in group Y compared to group X; relapses were only registered in four dogs of group X. The modified protocol demonstrates a better trend of results in term of tolerance, clinical effectiveness, parasitological load reduction and relapses control, suggesting it could be considered for new large-scale studies.
A Novel Computer-Controlled Maskless Fabrication Process for Pneumatic Soft Actuators
Authors: Tinsley Luke J. , Harris Russell A.
Published: December 2020

Template-based and additive manufacturing techniques have demonstrated some fabrication routes for creating pneumatic soft actuators. However, as the complexity and capability of the actuators continue to develop, the limitations of these approaches are becoming evident. These include difficulties for design variations, process speed and resolution, material compatibility and scalability, which hinder and restrict both the possible capabilities of the technology and its transition from research to industry. This body of work presents a computer-controlled, maskless manufacturing process with a different approach to allow for high-speed, low-cost and flexible creation of pneumatic soft actuation networks comprising multi-material construction. This was investigated through a bespoke fabrication platform that provides computer-controlled localised plasma treatment to selectively modify the chemical behaviour on the surface of silicone and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bodies. The altered surface chemistry facilitated selective bond formation between the treated parts of the surface and, consequently, greater design variation and control over the pneumatic chambers that were formed. Selective treatment patterns allowed nonlinear pneumatic chamber designs to be created, and the strength of bonded silicone structures was shown to facilitate large deformations in the actuators. Furthermore, the different interactions between the plasma and silicone were leveraged to achieve feature sizes of <1 mm and treatment speeds of 20 mm2 per second of exposure. Two multi-material pneumatic soft actuators were then fabricated to demonstrate the potential of the platform as an automated manufacturing route for soft actuators.
Biointerface Materials for Cellular Adhesion: Recent Progress and Future Prospects
Authors: Nguyen John V. L. , Ghafar-Zadeh Ebrahim
Published: December 2020

While many natural instances of adhesion between cells and biological macromolecules have been elucidated, understanding how to mimic these adhesion events remains to be a challenge. Discovering new biointerface materials that can provide an appropriate environment, and in some cases, also providing function similar to the body’s own extracellular matrix, would be highly beneficial to multiple existing applications in biomedical and biological engineering, and provide the necessary insight for the advancement of new technology. Such examples of current applications that would benefit include biosensors, high-throughput screening and tissue engineering. From a mechanical perspective, these biointerfaces would function as bioactuators that apply focal adhesion points onto cells, allowing them to move and migrate along a surface, making biointerfaces a very relevant application in the field of actuators. While it is evident that great strides in progress have been made in the area of synthetic biointerfaces, we must also acknowledge their current limitations as described in the literature, leading to an inability to completely function and dynamically respond like natural biointerfaces. In this review, we discuss the methods, materials and, possible applications of biointerface materials used in the current literature, and the trends for future research in this area.
Modelling Flexibility and Qualification Ability to Assess Electric Propulsion Architectures for Satellite Megaconstellations
Authors: Panarotto Massimo , Borgue Olivia , Isaksson Ola
Published: December 2020

The higher satellite production rates expected in new megaconstellation scenarios involve radical changes in the way design trade-offs need to be considered by electric propulsion companies. In relative comparison, flexibility and qualification ability will have a higher impact in megaconstellations compared to traditional businesses. For these reasons, this paper proposes a methodology for assessing flexible propulsion architectures by taking into account variations in market behavior and qualification activities. Through the methodology, flexibility and qualification ability can be traded against traditional engineering attributes (such as functional performances) in a quantitative way. The use of the methodology is illustrated through an industrial case related to the study of xenon vs. krypton architectures for megaconstellation businesses. This paper provides insights on how to apply the methodology in other case studies, in order to enable engineering teams to present and communicate the impact of alternative architectural concepts to program managers and decision-makers.
Application of the HPCMP CREATETM-AV Kestrel to an Integrated Propeller Prediction
Authors: Aref Pooneh , Ghoreyshi Mehdi , Jirasek Adam , Seidel Jürgen
Published: December 2020

This article presents the results of a computational investigation of an integrated propeller test case using the HPCMP CREATETM-AV Kestrel simulation tools. There is a renewed interest in propeller-driven aircraft for unmanned aerial vehicles, electric aircraft, and flying taxies. Computational resources can significantly accelerate the generation of aerodynamic models for these vehicles and reduce the development cost if the prediction tools can accurately predict the aircraft/propeller aerodynamic interactions. Unfortunately, limited propeller experimental data are available to validate computational methods. An American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) workshop was therefore established to address this problem. The objective of this workshop was to generate an open access-powered wind tunnel test database for computational validation of propeller effects on the wing aerodynamics, specifically for wing-tip-mounted propellers. The propeller selected for the workshop has four blades and a diameter of 16.2 in. The wing has a root and tip chord of 11.6 and 8.6 in, respectively. Two different simulation approaches were used: one using a single grid including wind tunnel walls and the second using a subset grid overset to an adaptive Cartesian grid that fills the space between the near-body grid and wind tunnel walls. The predictions of both approaches have been compared with available experimental data from the Lockheed Martin low-speed wind tunnel to investigate the grid resolution required for accurate prediction of flowfield data. The results show a good agreement for all tested conditions. The measured and predicted data show that wing aerodynamic performance is improved by the spinning tip-mounted propeller.
Effects of Irrigation on N2O Emissions in a Maize Crop Grown on Different Soil Types in Two Contrasting Seasons
Authors: Ottaiano Lucia , Di Mola Ida , Di Tommasi Paul , Mori Mauro , Magliulo Vincenzo , Vitale Luca
Published: December 2020

Crop management and soil properties affect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from cropping systems. Irrigation is one of the agronomical management practices that deeply affects soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Careful management of irrigation, also concerning to soil type, might mitigate the emissions of this powerful GHG from agricultural soils. In the Mediterranean area, despite the relevance of the agricultural sector to the overall economy and sustainable development, the topic of N2O emissions does not have the same importance as N2O fluxes in temperate agricultural areas. Only some research has discussed N2O emissions from Mediterranean cropping systems. Therefore, in this study, N2O emissions from different soil types (sandy-loam and clay soils) were analyzed in relation to the irrigation of a maize crop grown in two contrasting seasons (2009–2010). The irrigation was done using a center pivot irrigation system about twice a week. The N2O emissions were monitored throughout the two-years of maize crop growth. The emissions were measured with the accumulation technique using eight static chambers (four chambers per site). Nitrogen fertilizer was applied in the form of ammonium sulphate and urea with 3,4 dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) nitrification inhibitors. In 2009, the N2O emissions and crop biomass measured in both soil types were lower than those measured in 2010. This situation was a lower amount of water and nitrogen (N) available to the crop. In 2010, the N2O fluxes were higher in the clay site than those in the sandy-loam site after the first fertilization, whereas an opposite trend was found after the second fertilization. The soil temperature, N content, and soil humidity were the main drivers for N2O emission during 2009, whereas during 2010, only the N content and soil humidity affected the nitrous oxide emissions. The research has demonstrated that crop water management deeply affects soil N2O emissions, acting differently for denitrification and nitrification. The soil properties affect N2O emission by influencing the microclimate conditions in the root zone, conditioning the N2O production.
Enteric Methane Emissions of Dairy Cattle Considering Breed Composition, Pasture Management, Housing Conditions and Feeding Characteristics along a Rural-Urban Gradient in a Rising Megacity
Authors: Pinto Ana , Yin Tong , Reichenbach Marion , Bhatta Raghavendra , Malik Pradeep Kumar , Schlecht Eva , König Sven
Published: December 2020

Greenhouse gas emissions from livestock farming and in particular enteric methane (CH4) from ruminants are criticized for being one of the main contributors to climate change. Different breeding, feeding and management strategies are tested to decrease these emissions, but a status quo analysis is also relevant to implement such measures. The present study aimed to analyze the concentration of CH4 in air exhaled by dairy cows along a rural-urban gradient of Bangalore, India. Urban, mixed and rural areas were defined based on a survey stratification index (SSI) comprising build-up density and distance to the city center. Using a laser methane detector (LMD), CH4 concentration was determined in 2-min spot measurements of exhaled air of 448 cows at three equally spaced visits between June 2017 and April 2018. Mean, maximum and CH4 concentration per duration of the overall measurement, eructation and respiration bouts were calculated. For the overall mean and respiration bouts, CH4 concentration was higher in cows from urban areas, which had also higher milk yield than cows from mixed and rural areas. Although no differences were found in terms of the intake level of fibrous diet components, the type of measurement location (indoor, half-outdoor or outdoor) and pasture access had an impact on CH4 concentration. To our knowledge, this is the first study using the LMD on-farm and in an urbanizing environment. The LMD measurements show variations in enteric CH4 emissions along the rural-urban gradient of Bangalore that reflect differences in dairy husbandry systems governed by the social-ecological context.
Effects of Social Network on Herder Livestock Production Income and the Mediation by Fund Loans
Authors: Shao Liqun , Zhou Yimeng , Chen Haibin , Wang Yu
Published: December 2020

Due to its alpine geography and harsh environment, the pastoral region of Qinghai Province is widely recognized as one of China’s concentrated and contiguous poverty-stricken regions, while climate change, market competition and grazing control exert further pressure on the income security of herders. After more than 1000 years of nomadic practice, cooperation and reciprocity have been entrenched in the culture of pastoral ethnic minorities, in which a well-developed social network may play a crucial role in herders’ social and economic activities, including their financial and production behaviors. Based on a questionnaire survey of 278 households in two counties of Qinghai, this study empirically examined the effects of herders’ social network on their livestock production income and the mediation function of fund loans therein. The social network was found to exert a significant positive impact on household income, and loans had a positive mediation effect. By comparison, the mediation effect of formal borrowing channels was statistically significant while that of informal channels was not, which may be attributed to the relative degree of maturity of the two disparate financial markets. It is suggested that a closer and more inclusive social network should be fostered, the quality of bank financial services should be improved, and the regulation on informal credit activities should be reinforced, so as to fully exploit the positive roles of the social network and fund loans for income growth of herder households in vast pastoral areas of China.