bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PRMT5 promotes progression of endometrioid adenocarcinoma via ERα and cell cycle signaling pathways
Authors: Mei Shuyu , Ge Shuang , Wang Jun , Li Hailing , Jing Xiaotong , Liang Ke , Zhang Xiaoying , Xue Chaoshuai , Zhang Cuijuan , Zhang Tingguo
Published: January 2021

Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) has previously been reported to be upregulated in many malignant tumors. This study investigated the significance of PRMT5 in endometrial carcinoma (EC) and explored its function in tumorigenesis. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate PRMT5 expression in 62 EC and 66 endometrial hyperplasia samples. The functions of PRMT5 were investigated by cell counting kit‐8, plate colony formation, wound healing, and transwell and flow cytometry assays. Quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were used to measure the expression of PRMT5, changes in estrogen receptor α (ERα), and related functional proteins. Coimmunoprecipitation was performed to examine the interaction of PRMT5 with ERα and its coactivator steroid receptor coactivator‐1 (SRC1). Compared to endometrial hyperplasia tissue, PRMT5 was overexpressed in endometrioid adenocarcinoma (EAC) but not overexpressed in mucinous EC. The main expression pattern of PRMT5 in EAC was cytoplasmic. However, the positive cases of endometrial hyperplasia showed both cytoplasmic and nuclear positivity in the endometrial glands or were mainly positive in stromal cells. Knockdown of PRMT5 significantly inhibited the growth and migration ability of EAC cells and promoted their apoptosis by regulating cyclin D1, c‐myc, p53, and Bcl2 proteins. Furthermore, PRMT5 could form a complex with ERα and SRC1 to promote the expression of ERα. In conclusion, PRMT5 plays a significant role in the progression of EAC by interacting with ERα and impacting the cell cycle signaling pathways.
Climate effects on nesting phenology in Nebraska turtles
Authors: Hedrick Ashley R. , Greene Daniel U. , Lewis Erin L. , Hood Andrew S. , Iverson John B.
Published: January 2021

A frequent response of organisms to climate change is altering the timing of reproduction, and advancement of reproductive timing has been a common reaction to warming temperatures in temperate regions. We tested whether this pattern applied to two common North American turtle species over the past three decades in Nebraska, USA. The timing of nesting (either first date or average date) of the Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) was negatively correlated with mean December maximum temperatures of the preceding year and mean May minimum and maximum temperatures in the nesting year and positively correlated with precipitation in July of the previous year. Increased temperatures during the late winter and spring likely permit earlier emergence from hibernation, increased metabolic rates and feeding opportunities, and accelerated vitellogenesis, ovulation, and egg shelling, all of which could drive earlier nesting. However, for the Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta), the timing of nesting was positively correlated with mean minimum temperatures in September, October, December of the previous year, February of the nesting year, and April precipitation. These results suggest warmer fall, and winter temperature may impose an increased metabolic cost to painted turtles that impedes fall vitellogenesis, and April rains may slow the completion of vitellogenesis through decreased basking opportunities. For both species, nest deposition was highly correlated with body size, and larger females nested earlier in the season. Although average annual ambient temperatures have increased over the last four decades of our overall fieldwork at our study site, spring temperatures have not yet increased, and hence, nesting phenology has not advanced at our site for Chelydra. While Chrysemys exhibited a weak trend toward later nesting, this response was likely due to increased recruitment of smaller females into the population due to nest protection and predator control (Procyon lotor) in the early 2000s. Should climate change result in an increase in spring temperatures, nesting phenology would presumably respond accordingly, conditional on body size variation within these populations.
A Direct Liquid Fuel Cell with High Power Density Using Reduced Phosphotungstic Acid as Redox Fuel
Authors: Liu Yiyang , Feng Ting , Lu Shanfu , Wang Haining , Xiang Yan
Published: January 2021

Direct liquid fuel cells (DLFCs) are proposed to address the problems of high cost and complex storage and transportation of hydrogen in traditional hydrogen–oxygen proton exchange membrane fuel cells. However, present fuels of organic small molecules used in DLFCs are restricted to problems of sluggish electrochemical kinetics and easily poisoning of precious metal catalysts. Herein, we demonstrate reduced phosphotungstic acid as a liquid fuel for DLFCs based on its advantages of high chemical and electrochemical stability, high electrochemical activity on common carbon material electrodes, and low permeability through proton exchange membranes. The application of phosphotungstic acid fuel effectively solves the problems of high cost of anode catalysts and serious fuel permeation loss in traditional DLFCs. A phosphotungstic acid fuel cell achieves a peak power density of 466 mW cm−2 at a cell voltage of 0.42 V and good stability at current densities in the range from 20 to 200 mA cm−2.
Microglial inflammasome activation drives developmental white matter injury
Authors: Holloway Rebecca K. , Ireland Graeme , Sullivan Gemma , Becher Julie‐Clare , Smith Colin , Boardman James P. , Gressens Pierre , Miron Veronique E.
Published: January 2021

Injury to the developing brain during the perinatal period often causes hypomyelination, leading to clinical deficits for which there is an unmet therapeutic need. Dysregulation of inflammation and microglia have been implicated, yet the molecular mechanisms linking these to hypomyelination are unclear. Using human infant cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and postmortem tissue, we found that microglial activation of the pro‐inflammatory molecular complex the NLRP3 inflammasome is associated with pathology. By developing a novel mouse brain explant model of microglial inflammasome activation, we demonstrate that blocking the inflammasome rescues myelination. In human and mouse, we discovered a link between the inflammasome product IL1β and increased levels of follistatin, an endogenous inhibitor of activin‐A. Follistatin treatment was sufficient to reduce myelination, whereas myelination was rescued in injured explants upon follistatin neutralization or supplementation with exogenous activin‐A. Our data reveal that inflammasome activation in microglia drives hypomyelination and identifies novel therapeutic strategies to reinstate myelination following developmental injury.
Swine manure dilution with lagoon effluent impact on odor reduction and manure digestion
Authors: Hwang Okhwa , Scoggin Kenwood , Andersen Daniel , Ro Kyoung , Trabue Steven
Published: January 2021

Manure management systems have a major impact on odor from swine operations. A study was conducted to compare deep‐pit manure management systems to flushing barn manure management systems for odor reduction and organic matter degradation. Bioreactors were used to mimic manure management systems in which manure and lagoon effluent were loaded initially, and subsequent manure was added daily at 5% of its storage capacity (1 L). Final manure‐to‐lagoon effluent ratios were 10:0 (deep‐pit manure management system), 7:3 (Korean flushing systems), 5:5 (enhanced flushing systems), and 2:8 (enhanced flushing systems). At the end of the trial, at 4 (2:8), 10 (5:5), or 14 (10:0, 7:3) d, manure and gas concentrations of odorants were measured, including total solids (TS), total N (TN), and total C (TC) of manure. Odor was evaluated using the odor activity values (OAVs), and regression analysis was used to determine the effects of dilution and TS on manure properties and OAVs. Solids in the manure were positively correlated to TN, TC, straight chain fatty acids (SCFAs), branch chain fatty acids (BCFAs), total phenols, and total indoles and positively correlated to OAV for SCFAs, BCFAs, ammonia, total phenols, and total indoles. Reducing TS by 90% reduced BCFA, ammonia, phenols, and indoles by equal amounts in air. Carbon dioxide was the main C source evolved, averaging over 90%, and CH4 increased with dilution quadratically. Overall, reducing solids in manure by dilution had the biggest impact on reducing odor and increasing organic C degradation.
Biofortification of pea (Pisum sativum L.): a review
Authors: Guindon María Fernanda , Cazzola Federico , Palacios Tatiana , Gatti Ileana , Bermejo Carolina , Cointry Enrique
Published: January 2021

Biofortification refers to an approach to increase micronutrient concentrations in the edible parts of plants with increased bioavailability to the human population. Conventional, agronomic and transgenic breeding methods can be used to develop these biofortified crops, offering sustainable and cost‐effective strategies. Pea has long been recognized as a valuable, nutritious food for the human diet, but there is a limited amount of information about it, which prevents the full micronutrient enrichment potential of this pulse crop to be reached. Considerations must include not only micronutrient concentrations but also the amount of the nutrient that can be absorbed by the consumer, after processing and cooking. Development of biofortified pea that retains nutrients during cooking and processing is not only essential for fighting micronutrient malnutrition, but also necessary to improve agricultural productivity. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry
Physicochemical and transcriptomic responses of Lactobacillus brevisJLD715 to sodium selenite
Authors: Yang Xinyan , Dai Xiaofei , Jin Haonan , Lin Guangen , Wang Zhenghui , Song Yang , Zhang Wei , Man Chaoxin , Jiang Yujun
Published: January 2021

BACKGROUND

Elemental selenium, as a new type of selenium supplement, can be prepared by microorganisms reducing inorganic selenium. In this study, Lactobacillus brevis JLD715 was incubated in broth containing different concentrations of sodium selenite (Na2SeO3).

RESULTS

The results showed that the bacterial biomass of L. brevis JLD715 decreased due to the inhibition of Na2SeO3. The cell membrane of L. brevis JLD715 treated with Na2SeO3 was damaged, as evidenced by the reduction of intracellular ATP concentration, depolarization of cell membrane, reduction of intracellular pH and impairment of membrane integrity. In addition, we investigated the metabolism mechanism of Na2SeO3 by L. brevis JLD715 based on transcriptome sequencing. A total of 461 genes were significantly differentially expressed under Na2SeO3 treatment, of which 231 genes were up‐regulated and 230 genes were down‐regulated. These genes were involved in pathways such as pyruvate metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis, selenocompound metabolism and nucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain‐like (NOD‐like) receptor signaling. Meanwhile, the genes related to sulfhydryl oxidoreductase, electron carrier proteins and transmembrane transport proteins synthesis were significantly up‐regulated.

CONCLUSION

To sum up, the findings of this research will contribute to providing support for the application of L. brevis JLD715 in selenium‐enriched functional foods. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry
Spatiotemporal variation in coral recruitment and its association with seawater temperature
Authors: Edmunds Peter J.
Published: January 2021

The supply of propagules mediates recruitment and population dynamics, thereby driving community resilience following disturbances. These relationships are of interest on tropical reefs, where coral populations have drastically declined in abundance and sexual recruitment is the only means by which they will recover. To better understand the causes and implications of variation in this vital rate (i.e., recruitment), coral recruitment was measured in Mo'orea, French Polynesia, and St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, using settlement tiles deployed from 2005 to 2019. The results were used to test two hypotheses: (1) annual variation in recruitment is a weak predictor of long‐term variation in recruitment, but (2) it is associated with seawater temperature. Coral recruitment varied over space and time, so that differences in recruitment between consecutive years were uninformative of long‐term trends. Recruitment varied among years in an apparently chaotic manner, but the variation reflected linear and quadratic associations with mean annual temperature and the daily variation in temperature. These associations are consistent with theory addressing the mechanisms by which temperature affects coral larvae and recruitment. Comprehension of these mechanisms is required to accurately interpret evidence of coral recruitment collapse, and to elucidate the conditions favoring recovery of coral communities through recruitment.
An efficient spectral method for the numerical solution to some classes of stochastic differential equations
Authors: Chauvière Cédric , Djellout Hacène
Published: January 2021

We consider a new approach for the numerical approximation to some classes of stochastic differential equations driven by white noise. The proposed method shares some features with the stochastic collocation techniques, and in particular, it takes advantage of the assumption of smoothness of the functional to be approximated, to achieve fast convergence. The solution to the stochastic differential equation (SDE) is represented by means of Lagrange polynomials. The coefficients of the polynomial basis are functions of time, and they can be computed by solving a system of deterministic ordinary differential equations. Another motivation of this work lies in the novelty of the numerical scheme that does not belong to classical techniques to solve SDEs. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the accuracy and the efficiency of the proposed method. In particular, we observe a spectral convergence for the mean and the variance of the solution.
Sesamol‐based terpenoids as promising bio‐sourced crop protection compounds against the wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici
Authors: Damiens Audrey , Alebrahim Mohammad Taghi , Léonard Estelle , Fayeulle Antoine , Furman Christophe , Hilbert Jean‐Louis , Siah Ali , Billamboz Muriel
Published: January 2021

BACKGROUND

Research into environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional plant protection products, to promote sustainable agriculture and healthy food, is strongly encouraged.

RESULTS

In this context, 20 naturally occurring terpenoids and phenolic compounds were selected and evaluated in vitro as crop protection compounds against Zymoseptoria tritici, the causal agent of Septoria tritici blotch of wheat. After selection of the most active compounds, some hemisynthetic modifications were conducted to modify their lipophilicity. These modifications led to the discovery of sesamol esters as promising antifungal agents, with IC50 around 10 μg/mL and a total absence of cytotoxicity against human cells.

CONCLUSION

These sesamol‐based derivatives should be selected for further evaluations in planta to validate their use as wheat crop protection agents. Moreover, the importance of a balanced hydrophily/lipophilicity ratio should be further studied. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry
Cooperative acoustic navigation of underwater vehicles without a DVL utilizing a dynamic process model: Theory and field evaluation
Authors: Harris Zachary J. , Whitcomb Louis L.
Published: January 2021

This paper reports the theoretical development and at‐sea field evaluation of a novel combined underwater acoustic communication and navigation system, known as cooperative acoustic navigation (CAN), for underwater vehicles (UVs) utilizing a second‐order dynamic plant model of the submerged UVs. The present state‐of‐the‐art in CAN is to utilize one‐way travel‐time acoustic modem telemetry together with purely kinematic, constant‐velocity plant process models. We term this approach CAN‐KIN. At present, CAN‐KIN is utilized with an on‐board bottom‐lock Doppler velocity log (DVL) providing frequent, high‐accuracy velocity corrections. However, DVLs are relatively expensive, have significant power requirements, can be physically large, and have limited acoustic bottom‐lock range, which restricts their use to a maximum of 25–420 m above the sea floor. In this study, we investigate the utility of a second‐order dynamic UV plant process model in CAN of UVs equipped with an acoustic modem, attitude, and depth sensors, but lacking a DVL, and a surface ship equipped with an acoustic modem and global positioning system. We term CAN utilizing a dynamic model CAN‐DYN. This paper reports results from at‐sea field trials conducted in the Chesapeake Bay with the Johns Hopkins University Iver3 UV. These experimental results indicate the submerged UV position estimate from CAN‐KIN is poor and even unstable in the absence of DVL velocity observations. These field experimental results also show that CAN‐DYN performs well without a DVL. Our results suggest CAN‐DYN without a DVL does not exhibit instability as does CAN‐KIN without a DVL, performs similarly to CAN‐KIN with a DVL, and outperforms DVL‐based dead reckoning. Additionally, we report an experimental evaluation of the effect of adding (relative) velocity corrections in the form of acoustic range‐rate observations to CAN utilizing a dynamic model without a DVL. We conclude that the addition of infrequent velocity observations, such as those provided by acoustic range rate, does not appear to improve the performance of CAN‐DYN without a DVL.
A study of differential foundation settlement of piled raft and its effect on the long‐term vertical shortening of super‐tall buildings
Authors: Wang Lilin , Zhao Xin , Liu Shehong
Published: January 2021

In this study, the long‐term differential foundation settlement and vertical shortening of super‐tall buildings are investigated considering the coupling effect. At first, a time‐dependent settlement model is proposed to predict the foundation settlement based on the construction sequence method, in which both soil compression and pile shortening are considered. The pile shortening including the elasticity, shrinkage, and creep contributes to the most settlement of a single pile. The distribution of foundation settlement of piled raft is pot shaped with a large value in the core while small values in the surroundings. A time‐dependent soil‐foundation‐structure system is then developed using a series of equivalent springs to represent the distributed foundation settlements, by which the vertical shortenings of shear wall and mega column are predicted considering the coupling effect and moisture distribution. The pot‐shaped distribution of foundation settlement of piled raft leads to the decrease of vertical shortening for shear wall while the increase of vertical shortening for mega column, especially in the low stories. Finally, some health monitoring records of the Shanghai Tower are applied to validate the proposed time‐dependent settlement model and soil‐foundation‐structure system. The predicted foundation settlements show reasonable agreement with the monitoring records. The predicted vertical shortenings with considering the differential foundation settlement agree better with measurements than those without considering the differential foundation settlement.
Vibration busters: An interdisciplinary approach to learning of dynamical systems
Authors: Walentyński Ryszard , Słota Damian , Szczygieł Marcin
Published: January 2021

A group of six pre‐graduated students of Civil Engineering, Mathematics and Mechatronics studied problems of dynamics of structures within a project called Vibration Busters implemented in a formula of Project Based Learning. They worked under supervision of professors from the above mentioned faculties. Students, according to their competencies, implemented a procedure of numerical analysis of the problem within Mathematica system, built a physical model of a frame and loaded it with vibrating electrical motors and measured behaviour of the structure. The aim of the project was to develop methods of passive and active controlling of vibrations of building structures. A technology of 3D printing was implemented to build a structure. Thanks to the project students had an opportunity to share their skills and knowledge and acquire several new hard and soft skills. It was also a unique experience for supervisors and a great opportunity to extend fields of interdisciplinary cooperation. The aim of the presentation is to share results and experience gained thanks to this extraordinary and successful educational project.
On the Betti numbers of compact holomorphic symplectic orbifolds of dimension four
Authors: Fu Lie , Menet Grégoire
Published: January 2021

We extend a result of Guan by showing that the second Betti number of a 4-dimensional primitively symplectic orbifold is at most 23 and there are at most 91 singular points. The maximal possibility 23 can only occur in the smooth case. In addition to the known smooth examples with second Betti numbers 7 and 23, we provide examples of such orbifolds with second Betti numbers 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14 and 16. In an appendix, we extend Salamon’s relation among Betti/Hodge numbers of symplectic manifolds to symplectic orbifolds.
Segregierte Schulmilieus, variierende Unterrichtsbedingungen und Lernleistungen der Schülerinnen und Schüler. Eine Analyse mit Daten der Grundschulen in Rheinland-Pfalz 2015/16
Authors: Kraus Thorben , Weishaupt Horst , Hosenfeld Ingmar
Published: January 2021

Auf der Grundlage der VERA3-Daten der Grundschulen in Rheinland-Pfalz wird der Zusammenhang zwischen der sozialen Zusammensetzung der Schülerinnen und Schüler der einzelnen Schulen und den durchschnittlichen Leistungen im Leseverstehen und in Mathematik analysiert. Besonders interessiert der vermittelnde Einfluss der schulstatistisch erfassten schul- und unterrichtsorganisatorischen Bedingungen, weil sie – im Gegensatz zu der familiären Situation der Schülerinnen und Schüler – schulpolitisch beeinflusst werden können. Neben deskriptiven Befunden wird ein Pfadmodell berechnet, in das die schulorganisatorischen Variablen als vermittelnde Prozessvariablen des Zusammenhangs zwischen Merkmalen der Schülerschaft und den gemessenen durchschnittlichen Leistungen enthalten sind.
A new meta-heuristic pathfinder algorithm for solving optimal allocation of solar photovoltaic system in multi-lateral distribution system for improving resilience
Authors: Janamala Varaprasad
Published: January 2021

A new meta-heuristic Pathfinder Algorithm (PFA) is adopted in this paper for optimal allocation and simultaneous integration of a solar photovoltaic system among multi-laterals, called interline-photovoltaic (I-PV) system. At first, the performance of PFA is evaluated by solving the optimal allocation of distribution generation problem in IEEE 33- and 69-bus systems for loss minimization. The obtained results show that the performance of proposed PFA is superior to PSO, TLBO, CSA, and GOA and other approaches cited in literature. The comparison of different performance measures of 50 independent trail runs predominantly shows the effectiveness of PFA and its efficiency for global optima. Subsequently, PFA is implemented for determining the optimal I-PV configuration considering the resilience without compromising the various operational and radiality constraints. Different case studies are simulated and the impact of the I-PV system is analyzed in terms of voltage profile and voltage stability. The proposed optimal I-PV configuration resulted in loss reduction of 77.87% and 98.33% in IEEE 33- and 69-bus systems, respectively. Further, the reduced average voltage deviation index and increased voltage stability index result in an improved voltage profile and enhanced voltage stability margin in radial distribution systems and its suitability for practical applications.
Numerical study of time-dependent ferrofluid flow past a cylinder in the presence of stationary magnetic field
Authors: Bhandari Anupam
Published: January 2021

This work investigates time-dependent ferrofluid flow past in a cylinder in the presence of a 10 kilo-ampere per meter magnetic field. The Reynolds number is about a hundred to keep the laminar flow and it is high enough to form a von Karman vortex street. This study presents the results for the velocity distributions, pressure distributions, lift coefficient, and drag coefficient under the influence of the stationary magnetic field. These results are compared with the flow in the absence of the magnetic field. The presence of the magnetic field diminishes the velocity distributions in the flow due to magnetization force and magnetic field dependent viscosity. This reduction in the velocity reduces the average velocity in the flow and therefore the magnetic field intensity enhances the coefficients of drag and lift. In the presence of the applied magnetic field, the velocity drops from 2.19 to 1.97 m/s at t = 7 s. However, the lift coefficients enhance from 3 m2s2/kg to 3.4 m2s2/kg and the drag coefficient enhances from 0.9 to 3 m2s2/kg. The numerical simulation of the problem is obtained using the finite element method in COMSOL Multiphysics.
Detail investigation of thermoelectric performance and magnetic properties of Cs-doped Bi2Sr2Co2Oy ceramic materials
Authors: Özçelik B. , Gürsul M. , Çetin G. , Özçelik C. , Torres M. A. , Madre M. A. , Sotelo A.
Published: January 2021

Bi2Sr2−xCsxCo2Oy materials with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15, have been fabricated via the classical ceramic technique. XRD results have indicated that undoped and Cs-substituted samples are composed of Bi2Sr2Co2Oy phase as the major one. Microstructural studies have demonstrated the formation of a liquid phase, which allows a drastic grain growth. This factor is responsible for a drastic improvement of relative density, reaching about 95% of the theoretical one for 0.125 Cs content. On the other hand, electrical resistivity has been reduced up to 14 mΩ cm at 650 °C for 0.125 Cs content, around 40% lower than the obtained in undoped samples. As a consequence, Seebeck coefficient has been decreased due to the raise in charge carrier concentration. The highest power factor at 650 °C (0.21 mW/K2 m) has been found for 0.125 Cs substituted sample, about 40% larger than the obtained in undoped samples, and very similar to the notified in single crystals (0.26 mW/K2 m). Magnetisation with respect to temperature results have demonstrated that measured samples have a paramagnetic property above 50 K, except 0.10 Cs. Magnetic hysteresis curves have shown that the slopes and the magnitudes have increased with decreasing temperature.
Rising Waves of Feminism or Faltering Steps of Criminal Justice – What Plagues India?
Authors: Dube Dipa , Chakraborty Ankita
Published: January 2021

In the recent past, the #MeToo movement has shaken India. A docket of high-flying names, from politicians to celebrities and journalists, have come under scrutiny for alleged sexual abuse of women. Flagged by a Bollywood actress, the #MeToo campaign in India ignited feminists, academicians, and policymakers to re-examine women’s continued abuse in all sections of society. Despite a stringent legal regime enforced after the Nirbhaya tragedy, the abuse of women continues unabated. Feminists opine that violence against women remains an ongoing concern that is heightened in the face of a waning criminal justice system that fails to address their plight. Lack of confidence in the system discourages women from approaching the authorities, something palpable in #MeToo allegations, where women preferred to remain silent in the face of inevitable backlash from society, lack of support and cooperation from police and prosecution and finally, courts, where the victim is positioned as the accused to respond to questions of how and why? This article examines the #MeToo movement against the rising crime graph’s backdrop and the criminal justice system’s consequent failure to respond to the same.
On subshifts with slow forbidden word growth
Authors: PAVLOV RONNIE
Published: January 2021

In this work, we treat subshifts, defined in terms of an alphabet
$\mathcal {A}$
and (usually infinite) forbidden list
$\mathcal {F}$
, where the number of n-letter words in
$\mathcal {F}$
has ‘slow growth rate’ in n. We show that such subshifts are well behaved in several ways; for instance, they are boundedly supermultiplicative in the sense of Baker and Ghenciu [Dynamical properties of S-gap shifts and other shift spaces. J. Math. Anal. Appl.430(2) (2015), 633–647] and they have unique measures of maximal entropy with the K-property and which satisfy Gibbs bounds on large (measure-theoretically) sets. The main tool in our proofs is a more general result, which states that bounded supermultiplicativity and a sort of measure-theoretic specification property together imply uniqueness of the measure of maximum entropy and our Gibbs bounds. We also show that some well-known classes of subshifts can be treated by our results, including the symbolic codings of
$x \mapsto \alpha + \beta x$
(the so-called
$\alpha $
-
$\beta $
shifts of Hofbauer [Maximal measures for simple piecewise monotonic transformations. Z. Wahrsch. verw. Geb.52(3) (1980), 289–300]) and the bounded density subshifts of Stanley [Bounded density shifts. Ergod. Th. & Dynam. Sys.33(6) (2013), 1891–1928].
Exploring the impact of decentralized leadership on knowledge sharing and work hindrance networks in healthcare teams
Authors: Scheuer Cara-Lynn , Voltan Annika , Kumanan Kothai , Chakraborty Subhajit
Published: January 2021

This paper adopts an explanatory sequential mixed method design to explore the impact of decentralized (vs. centralized) leadership on cross-functional teams' resource exchanges at a long-term care facility in Canada. In the quantitative phase, social network analyses were used to examine the direct and moderated effects (via leader–follower relationship quality; LMX) of the presence of formal decentralized leaders on: (1) knowledge sharing, and (2) work hindrance networks within cross-functional healthcare teams. In the qualitative phase, team members were interviewed regarding the impact of their decentralized leaders. Collectively, the findings suggest that the presence of a decentralized leader may enhance knowledge sharing and safeguard against work hindrance behaviors in cross-functional healthcare teams. However, these effects are contingent on the situation (e.g., LMX quality and status-based hierarchies). Implications for research and healthcare practice are discussed.
Provenance and paleoclimatic implications of loess deposits in Shandong Province, eastern China
Authors: Wang Yongda , Yang Shiling , Ding Zhongli
Published: January 2021

The loess deposits in Shandong Province in eastern China potentially provide valuable insights into past environmental changes. However, their precise provenance and paleoclimatic implications are unclear. We studied three loess sections located in the piedmont of the Central Shandong Mountains (PCSM) and in an offshore island in Bohai Gulf. Both the glacial loess and interglacial paleosol units are characterized by a coarse grain size, indicating a proximal sediment source. Using the “grain size–transport distance” model established for the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), the estimated source-sink distance is ~200–300 km for the PCSM loess and ~100–200 km for the coastal loess. This suggests that fluvial deposits of the Yellow River system in the North China Plain and sediments on the adjacent continental shelf are the major provenance for the Shandong loess. In contrast to the CLP, the Shandong loess does not show a consistent pattern of coarse grain size and low magnetic susceptibility values in glacial loess compared with interglacial paleosols, likely due to frequent changes in dust sources caused by diversions of the Yellow River and local hydroclimatic conditions. Nevertheless, the loess-paleosol alternations in the Shandong loess are a product of global glacial–interglacial cycles.
Pleistocene golden mole and sand-swimming trace fossils from the Cape coast of South Africa
Authors: Lockley Martin G. , Helm Charles W. , Cawthra Hayley C. , De Vynck Jan C. , Perrin Michael R.
Published: January 2021

More than 250 Pleistocene vertebrate trace fossil sites have been identified on the Cape south coast of South Africa in aeolianites and cemented foreshore deposits. These discoveries, representing the epifaunal tracks of animals that moved over these sand substrates, complement traditional body fossil studies, and contribute to palaeo-environmental reconstruction. Not described in detail until now, but also important faunal components, are the infaunal traces of animals that moved within these sandy substrates. Six golden mole burrow trace sites (Family Chrysochloridae) have been identified on the Cape south coast. In addition, three sites, including one on the Cape southeast coast, have been identified that show evidence of sand-swimming, probably by a golden mole with a means of locomotion similar to that of the extantEremitalpagenus. Such traces have not been described in detail in the global ichnology record, and merit the erection of a new ichnogenusNatatorichnus, with two ichnospecies,N. subarenosaichnosp. nov andN. sulcatusichnosp. nov. Care is required in the identification of such traces, and the orientation of the trace fossil surface needs to be determined, to avoid confusion with hatchling turtle tracks. Substantial regional Pleistocene dune environments are inferred from these sand-swimming traces.
Disaster microconchids from the uppermost Permian and Lower Triassic lacustrine strata of the Cis-Urals and the Tunguska and Kuznetsk basins (Russia)
Authors: Shcherbakov Dmitry E. , Vinn Olev , Zhuravlev Andrey Yu.
Published: January 2021

We describe aggregative microconchid (Lophophorata) tubes from the uppermost Permian (upper Changhsingian) and Lower Triassic (Olenekian) lacustrine and fluvial strata of the Tunguska and Kuznetsk basins and the southern Cis-Urals, Russia. These attach to clam shrimp carapaces, bivalve shells, terrestrial plant fragments and a horseshoe crab head shield, and also form their own monospecific agglomerations. Planispiral tubes of a wide size range (0.1–2.5 mm) create dense settlements on these firm substrates, which likely comprise multiple generations of the same species. These finds confirm that this extinct lophophorate group was inhabiting non-marine continental basins during latest Permian and earliest Triassic time, when they were major suspension feeders in such limnic ecosystems. Microconchids dispersed extensively and rapidly in the aftermath of the Permian–Triassic mass extinction into both marine and continental basins at low and moderately high latitudes, which were notably different in salinity, temperature, depth and redox conditions. This confirms that small lightly calcified microconchids were a genuine disaster eurytopic group, whose expansion may have been promoted by low predator pressure and low competition for substrate.
European Goods Market Integration in the Very Long Run: From the Black Death to the First World War
Authors: Federico Giovanni , Schulze Max-Stephan , Volckart Oliver
Published: January 2021

This paper examines price convergence and changes in the efficiency of wheat markets, covering the period from the mid-fourteenth to the early twentieth century and most of Europe. The analysis is based on a new data set of prices from almost 600 markets. Unlike previous research, we find that convergence was a predominantly pre-modern phenomenon. It started in the late fifteenth century, advanced rapidly until the beginning of the seventeenth century when it temporarily stalled, resumed after the Thirty Years’ War, and accelerated after the Napoleonic Wars in response to trade liberalization. From the late 1840s, convergence petered out and turned into divergence after 1875 as policy decisions dominated technological change. Our results point to the ‘Little Divergence’ between North-Western Europe and the rest of the continent as starting about 1600. Long-term improvements in market efficiency began in the early sixteenth century, with advances over time being as uneven as in price convergence. We trace this to differential institutional change and the non-synchronous spread of modern media and systems of information transmission that affected the ability of merchants to react to news.
PTSD and complex PTSD in sentenced male prisoners in the UK: prevalence, trauma antecedents, and psychiatric comorbidities
Authors: Facer-Irwin Emma , Karatzias Thanos , Bird Annie , Blackwood Nigel , MacManus Deirdre
Published: January 2021

Background

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent within prison settings, yet is often unidentified and undertreated. Complex PTSD (CPTSD) has been recently formally recognised in the International Classification of Diseases 11th revision (ICD-11) diagnostic framework but has never been explored in prison settings. We aimed to establish the prevalence of ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD in a UK prison sample using a validated instrument (the International Trauma Questionnaire). We also explored the associations of these two diagnoses with their traumatic antecedents and psychiatric comorbidities.

Method

Randomly selected male, sentenced prisoners in a large medium-security prison in south London (N = 221) took part in a clinical interview which assessed PTSD, CPTSD, trauma histories, and comorbid disorders. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to examine differences between those with PTSD or CPTSD, and those without symptoms.

Results

A total of 7.7% (95% CI 4.5–12) of the male sentenced prisoners met diagnostic criteria for ICD-11 PTSD and 16.7% (95% CI 12.1–22.3) for CPTSD. A diagnosis of PTSD was associated with more recent traumatic exposure, comorbid generalised anxiety disorder, alcohol dependence, and Cluster B personality disorder. A diagnosis of CPTSD was associated with complex trauma exposure antecedents (developmental, interpersonal, repeated, or multiple forms), and comorbid with anxiety, depression, substance misuse, psychosis, and ADHD.

Conclusions

This study confirms that CPTSD is a very common and comorbid condition in male prisoners. There is an urgent need to develop trauma-informed care in prisons.
Neurodevelopmental disorders among Spanish school-age children: prevalence and sociodemographic correlates
Authors: Bosch Rosa , Pagerols Mireia , Rivas Cristina , Sixto Laura , Bricollé Laura , Español-Martín Gemma , Prat Raquel , Ramos-Quiroga Josep A. , Casas Miquel
Published: January 2021

Background

Prevalence estimates of neurodevelopmental disorders (ND) are essential for treatment planning. However, epidemiological research has yielded highly variable rates across countries, including Spain. This study examined the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of ND in a school sample of Spanish children and adolescents.

Methods

The Child Behaviour Checklist/Teacher's Report Form/Youth Self-Report and the Conners' Rating Scales were administered for screening purposes. Additionally, teachers provided information on reading and writing difficulties. Subjects who screened positive were interviewed for diagnostic confirmation according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria. The final population comprised 6834 students aged 5–17. Multivariate analyses were performed to determine the influence of gender, age, educational stage, school type, socioeconomic status (SES), and ethnicity on the prevalence estimates.

Results

A total of 1249 (18.3%) subjects met criteria for at least one ND, although only 423 had already received a diagnosis. Specifically, the following prevalence rates were found: intellectual disabilities (ID), 0.63%; communication disorders, 1.05%; autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 0.70%; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 9.92%; specific learning disorder (SLD), 10.0%; and motor disorders, 0.76%. Students of foreign origin and from low SES evidenced higher odds of having ID. Boys were more likely to display ASD or a motor disorder. Age, SES, and ethnicity were significant predictors for SLD, while communication disorders and ADHD were also associated with gender.

Conclusions

The prevalence of ND among Spanish students is consistent with international studies. However, a substantial proportion had never been previously diagnosed, which emphasise the need for early detection and intervention programmes.
ON SMOOTH TESTS FOR THE EQUALITY OF DISTRIBUTIONS
Authors: Song Xiaojun , Xiao Zhijie
Published: January 2021

This note re-investigates the smooth tests for the equality of distributions introduced by Bera et al. (2013, Econometric Theory 29, 419–446) and provides a modified smooth test which works for the general case with two sample sizes m and n. Asymptotic properties of the proposed test statistic under both the null and the alternative hypothesis are studied.
Delineating the developmental sequelae of children's risky involvement in interparental conflict
Authors: Thompson Morgan J. , Davies Patrick T. , Hentges Rochelle F. , Sturge-Apple Melissa L.
Published: January 2021

The present study examined the developmental value of parsing different forms of children's risky involvement in interparental conflict as predictors of children's subsequent psychological adjustment. Participants included a diverse sample of 243 preschool children (Mage = 4.6 years) and their mothers across two measurement occasions spaced 2 years apart. Three forms of risky involvement (i.e., cautious, caregiving, and coercive) were identified using maternal narratives describing children's emotional and behavioral reactivity during and immediately following interparental conflict. Utilizing a multimethod, multi-informant design, findings revealed that each form of involvement prospectively predicted unique configurations of children's developmental outcomes. Greater coercive involvement was associated with higher levels of externalizing problems, callous and unemotional traits, and extraversion. Higher levels of caregiving involvement were linked with greater separation anxiety. Finally, cautious involvement predicted more separation anxiety and social withdrawal.
Anomalous aortic origin of a right coronary artery: two brothers with an identical pattern
Authors: Giusti Giuliano , Caputo Salvatore , Pozzi Marco
Published: January 2021

We report on the diagnosis of anomalous coronary artery in two brothers. Following the diagnosis of anomalous coronary artery in one sibling, we screened immediate family relatives and found the same anomaly in the older brother. Familiarity in this pathology is extremely rare. We analysed and compared clinical, echocardiographic and radiological findings in the two brothers.
THE DIFFUSION OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY ACROSS SPACE: A NEW APPROACH
Authors: Camacho Carmen , Pérez-Barahona Agustín
Published: January 2021

Dynamic spatial theory has been a fruitful approach to understanding economic phenomena involving time and space. However, several central questions still remain unresolved in this field. The identification of the social optimal allocation of economic activity across time and space is particularly problematic, not been ensured yet in economic growth. Developing a monotone method, we study the optimal solution of the spatial Ramsey model. Under fairly general assumptions, we prove the existence of unique social optimum. Considering a numerical implementation of our algorithm, we study the role played by capital mobility in the neoclassical growth environment. With capital irreversibility and economic openness, space allows for transitional dynamics. Moreover, in this context, capital mobility is beneficial as well in terms of social welfare and inequality. We also consider an application of our method to an extension of the spatial Ramsey model for optimal land-use planning.
LINEARLY IMPLICIT ENERGY-PRESERVING FOURIER PSEUDOSPECTRAL SCHEMES FOR THE COMPLEX MODIFIED KORTEWEG–DE VRIES EQUATION
Authors: YAN J. L. , ZHENG L. H. , ZHU L. , LU F. Q.
Published: January 2021

We propose two linearly implicit energy-preserving schemes for the complex modified Korteweg–de Vries equation, based on the invariant energy quadratization method. First, a new variable is introduced and a new Hamiltonian system is constructed for this equation. Then the Fourier pseudospectral method is used for the space discretization and the Crank–Nicolson leap-frog schemes for the time discretization. The proposed schemes are linearly implicit, which is only needed to solve a linear system at each time step. The fully discrete schemes can be shown to conserve both mass and energy in the discrete setting. Some numerical examples are also presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed schemes.
FACTORIZATION LENGTH DISTRIBUTION FOR AFFINE SEMIGROUPS III: MODULAR EQUIDISTRIBUTION FOR NUMERICAL SEMIGROUPS WITH ARBITRARILY MANY GENERATORS
Authors: GARCIA STEPHAN RAMON , OMAR MOHAMED , O’NEILL CHRISTOPHER , WESLEY TIMOTHY
Published: January 2021

For numerical semigroups with a specified list of (not necessarily minimal) generators, we describe the asymptotic distribution of factorization lengths with respect to an arbitrary modulus. In particular, we prove that the factorization lengths are equidistributed across all congruence classes that are not trivially ruled out by modular considerations.
IS THE BRAIN A DIGITAL COMPUTER? RETHINKING A BINARY QUESTION
Authors: Erden Yasemin J.
Published: January 2021

Is the brain a digital computer? What about your own brain? This article will examine these questions, some possible answers, and what persistent disagreement on the topic might indicate. Along the way we explore the metaphor at the heart of the question and assess how observer relativity features in it. We also reflect on the role of models in scientific endeavour. By the end you should have a sense of why the question matters, what some answers to it might be, and why your preferred answer is highly pertinent to any discussion.
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND RELATIONSHIPS OF VALUE
Authors: Godman Marion
Published: January 2021

In this article, I consider my relationship with my father who developed Alzheimer's disease and criticize dominant models of social interactions and relationships. I argue that the point of a relationship is not what we exchange or achieve within it. The point is not even that we depend on others for our vital needs. The point is simply that a relationship is valuable in and of itself.
MOORE ON THE SCEPTICAL PHILOSOPHER
Authors: Longworth Guy
Published: January 2021

1. Since I don't know who you are, dear reader, and since I know that some people don't have hands, I don't know whether you have hands. Probably you do, but knowing that something is probable is rarely, if ever, a way of knowing that thing. By contrast, I know that I have hands. Let me check. Yes, here is one of my hands; and here is another. Since I know that here is one of my hands and that here is another, and since I know that it follows from those two claims that I have hands, I can deduce that I have hands. So, I know that I have hands.