bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ribosomal protein QM/RPL10 positively regulates defence and protein translation mechanisms during nonhost disease resistance
Authors: Ramu Vemanna S. , Dawane Akashata , Lee Seonghee , Oh Sunhee , Lee Hee‐Kyung , Sun Liang , Senthil‐Kumar Muthappa , Mysore Kirankumar S.
Published: September 2020

Ribosomes play an integral part in plant growth, development, and defence responses. We report here the role of ribosomal protein large (RPL) subunit QM/RPL10 in nonhost disease resistance. The RPL10‐silenced Nicotiana benthamiana plants showed compromised disease resistance against nonhost pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato T1. The RNA‐sequencing analysis revealed that many genes involved in defence and protein translation mechanisms were differentially affected due to silencing of NbRPL10. Arabidopsis AtRPL10 RNAi and rpl10 mutant lines showed compromised nonhost disease resistance to P. syringae pv. tomato T1 and P. syringae pv. tabaci. Overexpression of AtRPL10A in Arabidopsis resulted in reduced susceptibility against host pathogen P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000. RPL10 interacts with the RNA recognition motif protein and ribosomal proteins RPL30, RPL23, and RPS30 in the yeast two‐hybrid assay. Silencing or mutants of genes encoding these RPL10‐interacting proteins in N. benthamiana or Arabidopsis, respectively, also showed compromised disease resistance to nonhost pathogens. These results suggest that QM/RPL10 positively regulates the defence and translation‐associated genes during nonhost pathogen infection.
The Evolution of Income Risk and Consumption Insurance in South Korea over the Last Two Decades*
Authors: Ahn Taehyun , Chee Chung Gu , Kim Seonghoon
Published: September 2020

Using data from the Korea Labor Income Panel Study, we study the evolution of income risk and consumption insurance against transitory and permanent income shocks in South Korea over the last two decades. We find a decreasing trend in both income and consumption risks. Furthermore, we estimate that 47.6% of permanent income shocks and 9.8% of transitory income shocks pass through to consumption. We also provide evidence of substantial improvements in consumption insurance among the less educated and the older cohort nearing retirement. Our results suggest that recent developments of social safety net and welfare system may have played an important role in insuring income shocks in South Korea.
The safety profile and effectiveness of propofol‐remifentanil mixtures for total intravenous anesthesia in children
Authors: Bagshaw Oliver , McCormack Jon , Brooks Peter , Marriott David , Baxter Alistair
Published: September 2020

Background

Total intravenous anesthesia is used in less than 10% of operations in the UK. Many pediatric anesthetists in the UK and Ireland administer total intravenous anesthesia to children using a mixture of propofol and remifentanil in the same syringe. This unlicensed drug has not been studied clinically, because of lack of Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (UK) or Food and Drug Administration (US) approval to undertake such studies.

Aim

The aim of this service evaluation was to assess the safety profile and effectiveness of propofol‐remifentanil mixtures in the pediatric population undergoing a variety of surgical procedures.

Methods

Pediatric Anesthetists in the UK and Ireland who regularly used propofol‐remifentanil mixtures for total intravenous anesthesia were invited to submit data. This data were analyzed to assess the effectiveness of anesthesia and the incidence and nature of any complications that occurred.

Results

Usable data were collected from 873 patients. Mixtures were most commonly administered in gastroenterology and ear, nose, and throat procedures. Two‐thirds of patients were less than 10 years old, and their mean weight was 28.7 kg. Anesthesia using the mixture alone was successful in all but 3 patients. The commonest nonserious complication was coughing (4.6%), followed by movement (3.3%). The overall incidence of serious, related, unexpected adverse events requiring intervention was 1.7%. These included desaturation (5 patients), apnea (3), abdominal/chest rigidity (2), cough requiring paralysis (2), ventilatory problems (2), and hypotension (1). Most occurred at induction, were attributable to the properties of the drugs being administered and not directly related to the use of the mixture. No life‐threatening adverse events were recorded. Complications were less common if a ≤5 μg mL−1concentration of remifentanil was used.

Conclusion

These data demonstrate that effective anesthesia can be administered to pediatric patients undergoing a wide range of procedures using mixtures of propofol and remifentanil. Serious, related, unexpected adverse events requiring intervention had a low incidence and were largely due to predictable effects of the drugs being administered. A ≤5 μg mL−1remifentanil concentration is associated with proportionately less complications.
Efficient Detection of Environmental Violators: A Big Data Approach
Authors: Chang Xiangyu , Huang Yinghui , Li Mei , Bo Xin , Kumar Subodha
Published: September 2020

The detection of environmental violators is critical to the long‐term adoption of sustainability in supply chain management. However, there exist manufacturing facilities that report false environmental monitoring data, thereby seriously hampering governments’ efforts to identify true offenders and to properly intervene. We integrate waste gas data from the world’s largest Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS) with a publicly available Violation and Punishment Dataset (VPD) to build prediction models for the identification of environmental violators. We utilize and create innovative machine learning approaches to overcome analytical challenges associated with empirical data. First, we use a feature engineering approach to generate features from the raw, and possibly fraudulent, reporting data. This overcomes the challenges associated with low fidelity, irregularity, and the presence of extreme values in the raw dataset. Second, while building prediction models, we develop new approaches to positive and unlabeled learning to overcome the challenges posed by sparsity and mislabeled data. Our prediction model achieves satisfactory results in a related field test. Our study develops new techniques for big data analytics, which greatly improve the efficiency and effectiveness in detection of environmental violators and enhance operational outcomes of environmental protection agencies. This research is a joint effort between academia and practitioners, as evidenced by the participation of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of People’s Republic of China. The Ministry kindly granted us direct data access, as well as opportunities to interview Subject Matter Experts at the Ministry, which led to research insights incorporated in this manuscript. Our research findings have global implications, as CEMS devices are universally adopted to monitor waste gas emissions.
Soybean sudden death syndrome: Fungal pathogenesis and plant response
Authors: Spampinato Claudia P. , Scandiani María M. , Luque Alicia G.
Published: September 2020

Soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS) is a fungal disease caused by members of clade 2 of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC). These fungi are soilborne pathogens that infect soybean plants through the roots and produce toxins that translocate to aerial parts of the plant, inducing foliar chlorosis and necrosis followed by premature defoliation. Here, we first give the current state of knowledge of early pathogen detection and infection establishment for the SDS pathosystem. Subsequently, we discuss the nature and activity of secreted toxins, followed by an overview of changes in plant metabolism and factors that influence fungus–soybean interaction. Finally, we summarize the advances in plant disease resistance, symptom evaluation, and treatment.
Evaluation of candidate genotype of leptin gene associated with fertility and production traits in Hardhenu (Bos taurus × Bos indicus) cattle
Authors: Yadav Tejwanti , Magotra Ankit , Kumar Ramesh , Bangar Yogesh C. , Garg Asha Rani , Kumar Sunil , Jeet Vikram , Malik Baljit S.
Published: September 2020

The present study was conducted on Hardhenu cattle to screen genomic region of leptin gene with an objective to find the association of genotypes with fertility and production traits. The association analysis with traits under study was analysed by least squares analysis of variance by taking SNPs genotype as fixed effects in the statistical model. The genotypic frequencies with respect to targeted loci g.92450765 G > A indicated that AG (0.54) genotype was highest in Hardhenu cattle. Chi‐squared tests showed that g.92450765G > A SNP meet with the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (p > .05).The association analysis revealed significant association of genotypes with total milk yield (TMY) and 305 days milk yield (MY) (p < .05). Service period (SP) and calving interval (CI) were also found significantly associated with genotypes (p < .05). Whereas, lactation length (LL), dry days (DD) and age at first calving (AFC) did not divulge any significant association with genotype. The AG and GG genotypes were associated with higher milk yields as compared to AA genotype, indicating that allele G was associated with superior milk performance. However, AA genotyped cattle found to be favourable with SP, CI and artificial insemination (AI) per conception compared to AG and GG genotyped cows. Chi‐square analysis revealed that genetic variants of g.92450765 G > A SNP of leptin gene differ significantly with regard to reproductive disorders incidence (p < .05). The frequency of GG genotype (88.89%) in the affected animal group was very high followed by AG. The animals with GG genotype were found to be more susceptible to reproductive disorders as suggested by the higher odd ratio value (16.00) in logistic model. These observations and their differential association with the fertility and production traits can be utilized as an aid to selection for genetic improvement of antagonistic traits in dairy cows.
Exploring Probabilistic Network‐Based Modeling of Multidimensional Factors Associated with Country Risk
Authors: Qazi Abroon , Khan M. Sajid
Published: September 2020

Assessment of country risk provides a vital source of information to organizations for expanding and globalizing their operations. Various rating agencies are involved in developing models for assessing country risk, which utilize different statistical techniques for establishing the overall impact of individual factors on country risk. The main limitation of existing studies on country risk is their limited focus on exploring the relative contribution of individual factors to country risk in a probabilistic network setting. Utilizing real data, we develop a probabilistic network model that captures dependencies among multidimensional factors associated with country risk. Further, we assess the network‐wide vulnerability and resilience potential of individual factors to identify critical factors. The findings of this study provide policy‐makers with some unique insights into prioritizing strategies to mitigate country risk. Further, this study provides the context for multinational enterprises to utilize the proposed methodology for prioritizing key factors associated with the relative variables of interest such as regional stability and business environment among others.
Prevalence and Correlates of Perceived Infertility in Ghana
Authors: Polis Chelsea B. , Otupiri Easmon , Hindin Michelle , Chiu Doris W. , Keogh Sarah C. , Aidoo Cara , Larsen‐Reindorf Roderick , Bell Suzanne O.
Published: September 2020

Perceived infertility is an understudied phenomenon in low‐ and middle‐income countries, where biomedical infertility can have severe consequences, particularly for women. We conducted a nationally representative survey of Ghanaian women, estimated the prevalence of and reasons for perceived infertility, and assessed factors associated with higher levels of perceived infertility using a partial proportional odds model. Among 4,070 women, 13 percent believed they were “very likely” to have difficulty getting pregnant when they wanted to, 21 percent believed this was “somewhat likely,” and 66 percent believed this was “not at all likely.” Reasons for perceived infertility varied by whether the respondent was currently seeking pregnancy. In multivariable analysis, several factors were associated with higher levels of perceived infertility, while unexpectedly, women who reported ever using contraception were less likely to report perceived infertility. Acknowledging the need to address infertility globally and understanding the role of perceived infertility are important components in supporting people's ability to decide whether and when to have children.
Pedagogy and Activism – Do the Two Mix? A Dialogue on Social Justice and Its Place in The Classroom
Authors: Mitra Diditi
Published: September 2020

In this introductory essay, I reflect on the connection between pedagogy and activism and introduce the three contributors to this special section on the topic. More specifically, I chart key points in the history of sociology in the West asking readers to consider whether sociology has ever been value‐free. In the process, I invoke sociologists who thought it essential for integration of sociological thought and practice (albeit not necessarily in the form of activism), ponder the meaning of science and think about the meaning of an education in sociology. As part of the discussion, I also present my position on sociology, pedagogy, and activism.
Effect of fertilization of a biochar and compost amended technosol: Consequence on Ailanthus altissima growth and As‐ and Pb‐specific root sorption
Authors: Lebrun Manhattan , Alidou Arzika Ibrahim , Miard Florie , Nandillon Romain , Bayçu Gülriz , Bourgerie Sylvain , Morabito Domenico
Published: September 2020

The remediation of metal(loid) polluted soil using plants (i.e. phytoremediation) often requires the application of amendments, as well as chemical fertilizer. However, such fertilizers can have negative effects when applied alone and can thus be applied together with other organic amendments to diminish this negative effect. Finally, plants to be used in phytoremediation should be selected based on their adaptive capacity and tolerance to poor and highly contaminated soils, characteristics that possesses Ailanthus altissima. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of osmocote fertilization on the amended mining technosol properties and plant growth parameters, as well as to study the accumulation pattern of As and Pb in plant roots. Results showed that osmocote ameliorated soil conditions, but increased Pb mobility. It also greatly improved plant growth. Finally, different behaviours of metal(loid) accumulation were observed in the roots: As was absorbed mainly in the roots because of its similarity with P, with very low amounts in the leaves, whereas Pb was adsorbed mainly on the root surface, with lesser proportion absorbed inside the root system.
Silvopastoral systems in dry Chaco, Argentina: Impact on soil chemical parameters and bacterial communities
Authors: Viruel Emilce , Fontana Cecilia A. , Bassi Daniela , Puglisi Edoardo , Radrizzani Alejandro , Martinez Calsina Luciana , Banegas Natalia R. , Cocconcelli Pier S.
Published: September 2020

The Dry Chaco region is a vast plain that extends throughout north‐western Argentina. This region concentrates about 13% of the total Argentine cattle national stock. Beef cattle systems in the north‐west of Argentina are highly varied including extensive pastoral systems, silvopastoral systems and intensive grazing systems. Little is known about the impact of these systems on microbial biodiversity and soil quality in this region. This study describes the relationship between soil parameters (FDA, MBC, SOC, CFU, pH, TN and MR) and bacterial communities in silvopastoral systems (SPS) of the Argentine Dry Chaco region. The bacterial composition, evaluated through Illumina MiSeq sequencing of ribosomal 16S amplicons, differed between SPS and pastoral systems, being also influenced byLeucaenaandProsopistree species. Higher diversity of bacterial populations was detected in SPS withProsopis. The phylum Firmicutes and Bacilli class were the most abundant in all the treatments. As indicated by Mantel tests, changes in soil bacteria community were related to soil parameters (e.g. SOC and pH). SPSs are viable alternatives for improving soil quality, supported by a significant increase in microbial biomass and activity in comparison with pastoral systems. Furthermore, the different livestock systems strongly affected microbiomes. Overall, the results of the present study suggest that soil bacterial populations are involved in nutrient cycling processes in SPSs of the Argentine Dry Chaco. Further, the composition of soil bacterial communities was related to the analysed soil parameters and tree species.
Beyond rupture: Christian culture in the Pacific
Authors: McDougall Debra
Published: September 2020

In its many forms, Christianity tends to focus adherents’ attention upon earlier religious traditions, compelling them to renew their faith, repent and seek redemption. This special issue takes up questions about Christianity’s temporal ‘secondarity’. Contributors move beyond increasingly futile theoretical debates about rupture and continuity by considering how Christians in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands conceptualise and enact their fraught relationships with prior religious traditions. By examining the place of culture within Christianity, contributors avoid the analytical pitfalls of assuming that Pacific culture is not already thoroughly Christian. Rather than taking up questions about initial Christian conversion, these articles focus on revival. The relentless campaigns of Christian renewal that have transformed religious landscapes more than a generation aim not only to overcome pre‐Christian powers, but also to supersede earlier versions of Christianity. In examining not only highly localised ethnotheologies, but also regional movements, this issue opens questions that should be of interest beyond the anthropology of Christianity.
Extent and potential determinants of resource misallocation: A cross‐sectional study for developing countries
Authors: Fossati Roman , Rachinger Heiko , Stivali Matheus
Published: September 2020

Distortions in the allocation of resources across establishments might account for significant differences in total factor productivity and output per capita across countries. This paper identifies and measures the effect of specific self‐reported firm‐level and objective country‐level distortions on resource misallocation and productivity in Latin America and Africa, using standardised data for several developing countries. The particular distortions we study were not considered in the previous empirical literature based on the Hsieh and Klenow (The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 124, 1403–1448) methodology. In contrast to previous evidence, distortions affecting international trade are key factors generating resource misallocation. In particular, at firm level, an increase in the degree to which customs represent an obstacle increases the resource misallocation by 18.2%. At country level, an additional day it takes to export is associated with a 1.83% increase in the resource misallocation. Further, the median resource misallocation is 63% and 86% higher for Latin American and African countries, respectively, than the one for the United States. While most of the Latin American economies improved or maintained their situation in terms of resource misallocation, the opposite happened in the African economies. Finally, the median reallocation gain for the considered countries is 38.4% higher than the one of the US economy.
Lipoprotein characterization in Quaker parrots (Myiopsitta monachus) using gel‐permeation high‐performance liquid chromatography
Authors: Beaufrère Hugues , Gardhouse Sara , Ammersbach Mélanie
Published: September 2020

Background

Lipid accumulation disorders, such as atherosclerosis and hepatic lipidosis, are common in psittacine birds and associated with various dyslipidemias. Gel‐permeation high‐performance liquid chromatography (GP‐HPLC) is a reference method for advanced lipoprotein profiling based on particle size separation, followed by an analysis of lipid contents.

Objectives

The objectives were to (a) characterize Quaker parrot lipoproteins using a commercial GP‐HPLC method (Liposearch panel), and (b) obtain preliminary information on the reliability of the Friedewald formula for low‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (LDL‐C) measurements.

Methods

Plasma samples were collected from 12 fasted healthy Quaker parrots. Cholesterol concentrations, triglyceride concentrations, particle sizes, and particle numbers were determined by GP‐HPLC for four classes and 20 sub‐fractions of lipoproteins. The LDL‐C concentrations obtained using the Friedewald formula and direct measurements were compared with Bland‐Altman plots. Alternate formulas were determined using multiple linear regression.

Results

High‐density lipoprotein (HDL) was the predominant lipoprotein in Quaker parrots, and most particles were of medium‐to‐small sizes belonging to two sub‐fractions (average size, 10.6 nm). LDL was the second most common lipoprotein and included large‐to‐small particles belonging to three sub‐fractions (average size, 24.9 nm). Very‐low‐density lipoproteins (VLDL) and portomicrons were present in low concentrations. The Friedewald formula underestimated LDL‐C concentrations with a significant bias of 0.44 mmol/L. An alternate formula was proposed: LDL‐C = 0.75*Non‐HDL‐C.

Conclusions

GP‐HPLC allowed unprecedented characterization of plasma lipoproteins in Quaker parrots. Characterizing psittacine lipoprotein is useful for validation and interpretation of routine clinical tests as well as for use in epidemiologic and experimental research on psittacine lipid accumulation disorders.
Thromboelastographic evaluation of 2 dogs with boomslang (Dispholidus typus) envenomation
Authors: Kopke Matthew A. , Botha Willem J.
Published: September 2020

Objectives

To describe 2 cases of boomslang (Dispholidus typus) envenomation in dogs, with thromboelastographic evaluation performed both pre‐ and postadministration of monovalent antivenom, and to contrast the clinical application of thromboelastography (TEG) with that of conventional coagulation testing in 1 of these cases for monitoring coagulation status in dogs suffering from such envenomation.

Case Series Summary

Two dogs, a Weimeraner and a Dachshund, were referred, on separate occasions, for stabilization and treatment following observed boomslang envenomation. Initial physical examination revealed minor bleeding from the bite wound site in both dogs, along with mild swelling of the surrounding tissue. The Weimeraner also demonstrated bleeding from the gingival margin and had pale mucous membranes at time of presentation. Findings consistent with a diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) were noted on conventional coagulation testing. TEG tracings in both dogs revealed a hypocoagulable state preadministration of monovalent antivenom, followed by return to a normocoagulable state immediately postadministration, along with resolution of clinical bleeding. Both dogs were successfully discharged from the hospital, with no adverse reactions, either acute or delayed being noted.

New or Unique Information Provided

Boomslang envenomation (hemotoxic snake venom) in dogs is rare, with currently only 3 cases in the literature. Herein, we document a further 2 cases and contrast changes on TEG with that noted on a routine hemostatic testing profile in 1 of these cases, to assess overall coagulation status both pre‐ and postadministration of antivenom.
Iron deficiency among French whole‐blood donors: first assessment and identification of predictive factors
Authors: Fillet Anne‐Marie , Martinaud Christophe , Malard Lucile , Le Cam Sophie , Hejl Carine , Chenus Florence , Woimant Geneviève , Chueca Marine , Jacquot Eric , Besiers Christophe , Morel Pascal , Djoudi Rachid , Garrabé Eliane , Gross Sylvie
Published: September 2020

Background

The objectives of this study are to estimate the prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) among French whole‐blood (WB) donors to identify factors associated with ID and to generate decision trees.

Study design and methods

A prospective National multicentre study was performed on WB donors from March 11, to April 5th, 2019. Samples were selected randomly to perform serum ferritin. ID was defined as ferritin value under 26 ng/ml. All results were stratified by sex. Factors associated with ID were analysed using multivariate logistic regression model. CART algorithm was used for decision trees.

Results

Eleven thousand two hundred fifty eight WB donors were included. ID was more frequent in women (39·5%) than in men (18·0%). Among 7200 repeated donors, women below 50 yo had a higher risk (OR = 2·37; [1·97–2·85] IC95) than those above 50 yo. Factors associated with ID were: haemoglobin level under the threshold at donation n‐1 except for women and n‐2 donation; a low mean corpuscular haemoglobin at n‐1 and n‐2 donations; a shorter interval since n‐1 donation and between n‐1 and n‐2 donations except for women; and women who had given three or four times in the last year. CART algorithm defined high risk of ID subgroups within three populations of donors, new female donors, repeated male donors and repeated female donors. In these identified subgroups, prevalence of ID was up to 72·1%.

Conclusions

Our study showed the high prevalence of ID among French WB donors, identified well‐known and new factors associated with ID and defined algorithms predicting ID in three populations.
Effect of HIV pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) on detection of early infection and its impact on the appropriate post‐PrEP deferral period
Authors: Seed Clive R. , Styles Claire E. , Hoad Veronica C. , Yang Hung , Thomas Michael J. , Gosbell Iain B.
Published: September 2020

Introduction

HIV antivirals for pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are known to affect detection of early HIV infection through suppression of viral load and delayed seroconversion. To cover potential delay in HIV detection associated with PrEP use by blood donors in the context of international reductions in sexual activity‐based deferral periods, we analysed the available data to determine the appropriate minimum post‐PrEP deferral period for blood donation.

Materials and methods

Published cases of incident HIV infection when PrEP use was objectively demonstrable were identified, consisting principally of seroconverters from the Partners PrEP study (a clinical trial of PrEP efficacy). Data were reviewed to determine the impact of PrEP on the detection of HIV RNA, p24 Ag and seroconversion delay.

Results

Nucleic acid testing (NAT) detected early HIV infection in the presence of PrEP prior to or in concordance with serological testing in approximately 90% of cases. Undetectable HIV RNA would rebound to detectable levels within two months of PrEP cessation. PrEP delayed p24 antigen detection and antibody seroconversion by about 7 days.

Conclusion

Even when daily PrEP is continued, it is likely that the majority of early HIV infections are detectable by individual donation (ID)‐NAT, with p24 Ag or antibody seroconversion occurring conservatively within four weeks of exposure. HIV RNA levels also rebound rapidly in the absence of PrEP. In Australia, a three‐month deferral period for blood donation after the last dose of PrEP provides an appropriate safety margin to mitigate the residual risk of transfusion‐transmitted HIV.
NPK DETECTION SPECTROSCOPY ON NON-AGRICULTURE SOIL
Authors: Mohd Yusof Khairunnisa , Isaak Suhaila , Che Abd Rashid Nurfatihah , Ngajikin Nor Hafizah
Published: September 2020

Soil is a medium for plant roots to grow, absorb water and necessary solutes for growth. Soil macronutrient testing is helpful for determining the nutrients content in soil before applying fertilizer for quality and process controls of agricultural produce and soil fertility. Spectroscopy is an emerging technology which is rapid and simple has been widely used in agricultural and food analysis processes. The capability of spectroscopy to characterize material from the transmission or absorbance has been used in this paper to measure nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) content in non-agriculture soil. The paper details preliminary characterization of soil spectroscopy with a Deuterium-Halogen light source and Ocean Optic spectrometer to measure the absorbance level of the macronutrients. The extracted nutrients were mixed with the colour reagent and specific colored solution was developed. Two soil samples have been employed for the experimental characterization, which are mud flood and kaolin. The result shows that high absorbance level of N at 450 nm in wavelength, P at 750 nm for both samples.  The absorbance level of K was measured high at 500nm for mud flood and 450nm for kaolin. In addition, the tested macronutrients give similar wavelength of peak absorbance level at 970 nm for both samples. For future works, the optical measurements will be implemented using visible and near infrared LED and the photodetector in order to replace the spectrometer usage for soil spectroscopy. This would lead to achieve the primary objective of this research in developing a simple and low cost spectroscopy uses light-emitting diode (LED).
Influence of Data Acquisition Algorithms on X-Ray Phase Contrast Imaging Computed Tomography
Authors: Epstein Collin J. C. , Goodner Ryan N. , Derek West R. , Thompson Kyle R. , Dagel Amber L.
Published: September 2020

X-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) is a nondestructive evaluation technique that enables high-contrast detection of low-attenuation materials that are largely transparent in traditional radiography. Extending a grating-based Talbot-Lau XPCI system to three-dimensional imaging with computed tomography (CT) imposes two motion requirements: the analyzer grating must translate transverse to the optical axis to capture image sets for XPCI reconstruction, and the sample must rotate to capture angular data for CT reconstruction. The acquisition algorithm choice determines the order of movement and positioning of the two stages. The choice of the image acquisition algorithm for XPCI CT is instrumental to collecting high fidelity data for reconstruction. We investigate how data acquisition influences XPCI CT by comparing two simple data acquisition algorithms and determine that capturing a full phase-stepping image set for a CT projection before rotating the sample results in higher quality data.
Macro Energy Trends and the Future of Geothermal Within the Low-Carbon Energy Portfolio
Authors: Ball Philip J.
Published: September 2020

Exploratory analysis was conducted to understand energy diversification trends within the oil, gas, and power industry and to examine whether geothermal technologies play a role in the low-carbon energy mix. Investigations were completed using the 2018 end of year financial reports for 36 companies. Macro-scale insights reveal a significant split between European and US-based oil and gas companies in terms of strategy which is mirrored by the power companies. Diversification into low-carbon technologies is driving an energy convergence between the oil and gas and power sectors. Presently, the oil and gas industry is not actively investing in geothermal technologies, favoring instead solar photovoltaic (solar PV), onshore/offshore wind, biomass/gas, gas to power and storage. The macro-scale analysis is coupled with, 20, semi-structured interviews with geothermal and energy specialists. The interviews provided an insight why oil and gas companies have resisted entering the geothermal industry. In addition the interviews were organized into a Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental, PESTLE, analysis to understand the present-day external environment of the geothermal industry in the USA today. The combined analyses indicate that the regulatory, business and finance environment for geothermal, in the USA, is challenging. Recent geothermal innovations that increase the footprint of the geothermal industry, offering new scalable, low-carbon baseload concepts, might provide an avenue for the oil and gas industry to enter the geothermal domain, while leveraging their existing core competencies, intellectual property (IP), technology, assets, and workforce knowledge skills and experience.
Viewing the Core of the Sun
Authors: Lincoln Don
Published: September 2020

The Sun is a central feature to the human experience. It is found in many familiar idioms like “nothing new under the Sun.” It defines our days, makes our planet habitable, and is the ultimate origin of your last meal. Yet how do we understand how it works?
Anti-Deficit Framing of Sociological Physics Education Research
Authors: Exarhos Stephen
Published: September 2020

I begin this manuscript by taking the assumption that addressing issues of diversity in physics higher education (PHE) in the United States is a priority for institutional, departmental, and individual policy and practice. These issues encompass a symptom—the inequitable distributions of diverse student populations in physics in comparison with those of higher education in the United States at large—and the underlying malady—the sociocultural and political constitution of physics as a field. The objective in this work is to emphasize to the physics education research (PER) community the vocabulary with which we can appropriately frame our sociological research on minoritized student success in PHE. By systematically invoking such a perspective in our research and in our practice, outcomes will be more equity-oriented and we will instill a shift in the culture surrounding PHE to be more student-centered rather than discipline-centered.
Smartphones and Gravitational Acceleration I: Overview
Authors: Berrada Meryem , Littleton Joshua A.H. , Secco Richard A.
Published: September 2020

Geodesy is a very active and essential research discipline in geophysics but it is not a commonly studied subject at the secondary school or junior post-secondary levels. Far more frequently, gravity and gravitational acceleration are discussed, to some extent, in elementary kinematics or classical mechanics courses. This often takes the form of the force acting on a body or bodies due to gravity, or that the acceleration (agrav) of a free-falling body is 9.8(1) m/s2—which implies the setting of the question is at Earth’s surface. While the latter is a reasonable and practical approximation, agrav observed over the surface of Earth varies and is dependent on several factors. These are normally related to elevation and latitude variations caused by Earth’s rotation. Earth’s rotation contributes negatively to agrav at the equator due to the centrifugal force outward and equatorial bulge, which makes the equatorial radius larger than the polar radius. Offsetting this partially is the positive contribution to agrav at the equator caused by the equatorial bulge because of the extra mass comprising the bulge.
Smartphones and Gravitational Acceleration II: Applications
Authors: Berrada Meryem , Littleton Joshua A.H. , Secco Richard
Published: September 2020

The exercises described here conveniently exploit the built-in acceleration sensors in smartphones, devices that are becoming ubiquitous if not essential items for most students. This allows each student to have the opportunity for a hands-on experience and to collect their own data, reduces preparation time, and greatly reduces cost by removing the need of purchasing a gravimeter to perform the same or similar tasks in gravity surveys. These exercises further demonstrate the educational value of using smartphones as scientific tools and that freely available accelerometer software applications operate with acceptable tolerance. The differences between accelerometers placed in smartphones and gravimeters are further discussed in the companion paper, “Part 1: Smartphone Applications for Gravitational Acceleration Surveys.”
Developing Educational YouTube Videos as a Tool to Learn and Teach Physics
Authors: Aragoneses Andrés , Messer Rebecca
Published: September 2020

Introductory physics courses can be a challenge for some college students, especially those that have not taken Advanced Placement (AP) physics courses in high school. Even some classical mechanics concepts, such as energy, power, or the laws of Newton, can be non-intuitive and hard to grasp. When it comes to evaluating the learning outcome of our students, some of the aspects we evaluate are their abilities to solve numerical problems. By solving problems the students show how well they understood the concepts and the problem-solving methods. But students can practice enough and learn how to solve related numerical exercises without a deep understanding of the physical concepts. When asked more conceptual questions, some students struggle and lack confidence.
What if Energy Flowed from Cold to Hot? Counterfactual Thought Experiments
Authors: Leff Harvey S. , Kaufman Richard
Published: September 2020

What if energy flowed from cold to hot regions? How would thermodynamics be different? We examine such an imagined cold-to-hot world, abbreviated here as a C2H world, and show that the unfamiliar direction of energy flow implies that two thermally interacting objects at different temperatures will not equilibrate. We find that there is no operational definition of temperature, and the first, second, and third laws of thermodynamics become meaningless.
The versatile constant velocity car
Authors: Chiaverina Christopher
Published: September 2020

The constant velocity car, or Tumble Buggy as it is sometimes known, is the perfect vehicle (pun intended) for introducing kinematical concepts and conducting experiments that call for objects that move at a constant speed. This article will revisit a few of the car’s more familiar uses as well as describe some novel applications.
Using an online virtual oscilloscope
Authors: Lincoln James
Published: September 2020

If you are teaching a course that includes sound or alternating currents, you should teach your students to use an oscilloscope. Yet mastering the use of oscilloscope can take several hours of independent study, and oscilloscopes are generally large and expensive, which makes it unlikely that students will take them home. Fortunately, there are free online virtual oscilloscopes that can come to the rescue; these enable students to learn almost all the essential features of a real oscilloscope. In this article, I describe how best to interface with a virtual oscilloscope, suggest some sample lab experiments, and explore the limitations and the possibilities of these devices. For teachers looking for some authentic distance learning opportunities, this is pretty much as good as it gets.
Direct probing of atomically dispersed Ru species over multi-edged TiO
2
for highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution
Authors: Zhang Huabin , Zuo Shouwei , Qiu Mei , Wang Sibo , Zhang Yongfan , Zhang Jing , Lou Xiong Wen (David)
Published: September 2020

The structural evolution of the cocatalyst in the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution process is directly probed.
The unfolding COVID-19 pandemic: A probability-based, nationally representative study of mental health in the United States
Authors: Holman E. Alison , Thompson Rebecca R. , Garfin Dana Rose , Silver Roxane Cohen
Published: September 2020

As the COVID pandemic unfolded, acute stress and depressive symptoms increased alongside deaths in a U.S. probability-based sample.
A High-Efficacy CRISPR Interference System for Gene Function Discovery in Zymomonas mobilis
Authors: Banta Amy B. , Enright Amy L. , Siletti Cheta , Peters Jason M.
Published: September 2020

Biofuels produced by microbial fermentation of plant feedstocks provide renewable and sustainable energy sources that have the potential to mitigate climate change and improve energy security. Engineered strains of the bacterium
Z. mobilis
can convert sugars extracted from plant feedstocks into next-generation biofuels like isobutanol; however, conversion by these strains remains inefficient due to key gaps in our knowledge about genes involved in metabolism and stress responses such as alcohol tolerance. Here, we develop CRISPRi as a tool to explore gene function in
Z. mobilis
. We characterize genes that are essential for growth, required to ferment sugar to ethanol, and involved in resistance to isobutanol. Our
Z. mobilis
CRISPRi system makes it straightforward to define gene function and can be applied to improve strain engineering and increase biofuel yields.
Comparison of Single and Multiple Turnovers of SecYEG in Escherichia coli
Authors: Mao Chunfeng , Bariya Priya , Suo Yuying , Randall Linda L.
Published: September 2020

Vastly different experimental techniques and conditions have been used to study export in
E. coli
. We demonstrated that altering experimental conditions can change the step that is observed during study. Investigators should consider specific experimental conditions when comparing data from different laboratories, as well as when comparing data from different experiments within a laboratory. We have shown that each precursor species has inherent properties that determine the translocation rate; thus generalizations from studies of a single species must be made with caution. A summary of advantages and disadvantages in use of nine precursors is presented.
Cross-Protection against MERS-CoV by Prime-Boost Vaccination Using Viral Spike DNA and Protein
Authors: Choi Jung-ah , Goo Junghyun , Yang Eunji , Jung Dae-Im , Lee Sena , Rho Semi , Jeong Yuji , Park Young-Shin , Park Hayan , Moon Young-hye , Park Uni , Seo Sang-Hwan , Lee Hyeja , Lee Jae Myun , Cho Nam-Hyuk , Song Manki , Kim Jae-Ouk
Published: September 2020

Coronavirus is an RNA virus with a higher mutation rate than DNA viruses. Therefore, a mutation in S-protein, which mediates viral infection by binding to a human cellular receptor, is expected to cause difficulties in vaccine development. Given that DNA-protein vaccines promote stronger cell-mediated immune responses than protein-only vaccination, we immunized mice with various combinations of DNA priming and protein boosting using the S-subunit sequences of the MERS-CoV EMC/2012 strain. We demonstrated a cross-protective effect against wild-type KOR/KNIH/002, a strain with two mutations in the S amino acids, including one in its RBD. The vaccine also provided cross-neutralization against 15 different S-pseudotyped viruses. These suggested that a vaccine targeting one variant of S can provide cross-protection against multiple viral strains with mutations in S. The regimen of DNA priming/Protein boosting can be applied to the development of other coronavirus vaccines.
Complete Genome Sequence of Enterococcus faecium FS86, Used for Propagation of Bacteriophages with Therapeutic Potential
Authors: Buzikov Rustam M. , Piligrimova Emma G. , Shadrin Andrey M.
Published: September 2020

The
Enterococcus faecium
FS86 genome consists of a 2,685,395-bp chromosome and a 9,751-bp plasmid. The plasmid harbors mobilization-related genes. The pathogenicity factor genotype is
cylA
negative,
aggA
negative,
gelE
negative,
sprE
negative,
esp
negative,
eep
positive, and
efaA
positive.
E. faecium
FS86 belongs to multilocus sequence type 296, together with the probiotic strain
E. faecium
SF68.
Draft Genome Sequences of Isolates of Diverse Host Origin from the E. coli Reference Center at Penn State University
Authors: Lacher David W. , Mammel Mark K. , Gangiredla Jayanthi , Gebru Solomon T. , Barnaba Tammy J. , Majowicz Sydney A. , Dudley Edward G.
Published: September 2020

Escherichia coli
strains present a vast genomic diversity. We report the draft genome sequences of 1,000 isolates from the
E. coli
Reference Center at Penn State University. These strains were originally isolated from multiple animal and environmental sources over the past 50 years.
Soft sediment deformation in dry pyroclastic deposits at Ubehebe Crater, Death Valley, California
Authors: Valentine Greg A. , Fierstein Judy , White James D.L.
Published: September 2020

Soft sediment deformation structures are common in fine-grained pyroclastic deposits and are often taken, along with other characteristics, to indicate that deposits were emplaced in a wet and cohesive state. At Ubehebe Crater (Death Valley, California, USA), deposits were emplaced by multiple explosions, both directly from pyroclastic surges and by rapid remobilization of fresh, fine-ash-rich deposits off steep slopes as local granular flows. With the exception of the soft sediment deformation structures themselves, there is no evidence of wet deposition. We conclude that deformation was a result of destabilization of fresh, fine-grained deposits with elevated pore-gas pressure and dry cohesive forces. Soft sediment deformation alone is not sufficient to determine whether parent pyroclastic surges contained liquid water and caused wet deposition of strata.
Supplemental Material: Identification of Jurassic mafic arc magmatism in the eastern North China Craton: Geochemical evidence for westward subduction of the Paleo-Pacific slab
Authors: Fang Wei , Dai Li-Qun , al. et
Published: September 2020

Table S1: Major and trace element compositions of lamprophyres from the eastern North China Craton; Table S2: Whole-rock Sr, Nd, and Hf isotope compositions of lamprophyres from the eastern North China Craton; Table S3: LA-ICPMS Zircon U-Pb isotope compositions of lamprophyres from the eastern North China Craton; Table S4: Zircon LA-MC-ICPMS Lu-Hf isotope compositions of lamprophyres from the eastern North China Craton.
Rowell’s syndrome: a rare but distinct entity in rheumatology
Authors: Chandra Atanu , Saha Swarup Kanta , Ray Aritra Kumar , Karmakar Parthasarathi
Published: September 2020

Rowell’s syndrome is a rare disorder characterised by an association of lupus erythematosus with erythema multiforme (EM)-like skin lesions. EM as the initial clinical presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus is also atypical and even rarer. We report the case of an 18-year-old girl admitted to our hospital with fever and polyarthralgia along with multiple discrete ill-defined target lesions with crust formation over forehead, cheek, external ears, scalp, upper chest and back (predominantly over sun-exposed areas) with ulceration over hard palate. Investigations revealed pancytopaenia, a positive rheumatoid factor, positive antinuclear antibody with a speckled pattern, anti-Smith antibody and strongly positive anti-Ro. Patient was diagnosed with Rowell’s syndrome as per clinical and laboratory features. Majority of skin lesions including oral ulcerations subsided gradually after treatment with steroids and hydroxychloroquine.