bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deforestation‐free land‐use change and organic matter‐centered management improve the C footprint of oil palm expansion
Authors: Quezada Juan Carlos , Guillaume Thomas , Poeplau Christopher , Ghazoul Jaboury , Buttler Alexandre
Published: January 2022

In recent decades, mounting evidence has indicated that the expansion of oil palm (OP) plantations at the expense of tropical forest has had a far pernicious effect on ecosystem aspects. While various deforestation‐free strategies have been proposed to enhance OP sustainability, field‐based evidence still need to be consolidated, in particular with respect to savanna regions where OP expansion has recently occurred and that present large area with potential for OP cultivation. Here we show that the common management practice creating within the plantation the so‐called management zones explained nearly five times more variability of soil biogeochemical properties than the savanna land‐use change per se. We also found that clayey‐soil savanna conversion into OP increased total ecosystem C stocks by 40 ± 13 Mg C ha−1 during a full OP cultivation cycle, which was due to the higher OP‐derived C accumulated in the biomass and in the soil as compared to the loss of savanna‐derived C. In addition, application of organic residues in specific management zones enhanced the accumulation of soil organic carbon by up to 1.9 Mg ha−1 year−1 over the full cycle. Within plantation, zones subjected to organic amendments sustained similar soil microbial activity as in neighboring savannas. Our findings represent an empirical proof‐of‐concept that the conversion of non‐forested land in parallel with organic matter‐oriented management strategies can enhance OP agroecosystems C sink capacity while promoting microbe‐mediated soil functioning. Nonetheless, savannas are unique and threatened ecosystems that support a vast biodiversity. Therefore, we suggest to give priority attention to conservation of natural savannas and direct more research toward the impacts of the conversion and subsequent management of degraded savannas.
The role of terrestrial productivity and hydrology in regulating aquatic dissolved organic carbon concentrations in boreal catchments
Authors: Zhu Xudan , Chen Liang , Pumpanen Jukka , Ojala Anne , Zobitz John , Zhou Xuan , Laudon Hjalmar , Palviainen Marjo , Neitola Kimmo , Berninger Frank
Published: January 2022

The past decades have witnessed an increase in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in the catchments of the Northern Hemisphere. Increasing terrestrial productivity and changing hydrology may be reasons for the increases in DOC concentration. The aim of this study is to investigate the impacts of increased terrestrial productivity and changed hydrology following climate change on DOC concentrations. We tested and quantified the effects of gross primary production (GPP), ecosystem respiration (RE) and discharge on DOC concentrations in boreal catchments over 3 years. As catchment characteristics can regulate the extent of rising DOC concentrations caused by the regional or global environmental changes, we selected four catchments with different sizes (small, medium and large) and landscapes (forest, mire and forest‐mire mixed). We applied multiple models: Wavelet coherence analysis detected the delay‐effects of terrestrial productivity and discharge on aquatic DOC variations of boreal catchments; thereafter, the distributed‐lag linear models quantified the contributions of each factor on DOC variations. Our results showed that the combined impacts of terrestrial productivity and discharge explained 62% of aquatic DOC variations on average across all sites, whereas discharge, gross primary production (GPP) and RE accounted for 26%, 22% and 3%, respectively. The impact of GPP and discharge on DOC changes was directly related to catchment size: GPP dominated DOC fluctuations in small catchments (<1 km2), whereas discharge controlled DOC variations in big catchments (>1 km2). The direction of the relation between GPP and discharge on DOC varied. Increasing RE always made a positive contribution to DOC concentration. This study reveals that climate change‐induced terrestrial greening and shifting hydrology change the DOC export from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems. The work improves our mechanistic understanding of surface water DOC regulation in boreal catchments and confirms the importance of DOC fluxes in regulating ecosystem C budgets.
Emicizumab does not interfere with the activated clotting time
Authors: Capdevila Ladislas , Frère Corinne , Desvages Maximilien , Harroche Annie , Bally Cécile , Abbes Ahmed , d'Oiron Roseline , Frenzel Laurent , Borgel Delphine , Lasne Dominique
Published: January 2022

Introduction

The activated clotting time (ACT) is a useful marker of unfractionated heparin (UFH) activity during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) or cardiac catheterization. Emicizumab, recently approved for bleeding prevention in haemophilia A patients, acts like FVIII but does not need prior activation; it therefore shortens coagulation times in assays using intrinsic pathway activators and so is expected to shorten the ACT.

Aim

To evaluated emicizumab's impact on heparin‐induced ACT (Hemochron®) prolongation.

Methods

We measured the high‐range (HR) ACT in citrated blood samples from healthy donors (HDs) (n = 9), CPB patients (n = 3) and emicizumab‐treated patients (n = 5) after spiking with UFH and/or emicizumab. The low range (LR) ACT was also measured in spiked‐samples from HDs and emicizumab‐treated patients.

Results

In HDs, the median [interquartile range] baseline HR‐ACTs were similar with and without emicizumab (129 [123–138] and 136 [115–141] s for 50 μg/ml, respectively); whatever the concentration of emicizumab (10 to 50 μg/ml), increasing the UFH concentration (1–5 UI/ml) prolonged the HR‐ACT. In blood from patients undergoing CPB, the HR‐ACT prolongation observed during this procedure was not masked by emicizumab at any concentration. Likewise, the addition of increasing concentrations of UFH to blood from emicizumab‐treated patients induced a concentration‐dependent prolongation of HR‐ACT. Baseline LR‐ACT were prolonged in emicizumab‐treated patients but as for HR‐ACT, emicizumab does not prevent heparin‐induced prolongation of LR‐ACT.

Conclusion

Emicizumab does not interfere with UFH‐induced ACT prolongation. The hemochron® ACT can be used to monitor UFH in patients receiving emicizumab during CPB or cardiac catheterization.
Contribution of edible insects to improved food and nutrition security: A review
Authors: Matiza Ruzengwe Faith , Nyarugwe Shingai P. , Manditsera Faith A. , Mubaiwa Juliet , Cottin Sarah , Matsungo Tonderayi M. , Chopera Prosper , Ranawana Viren , Fiore Alberto , Macheka Lesley
Published: January 2022

The consumption of insects “entomophagy” or insect‐based foods is increasingly being recognised as an emerging solution to promote diet diversification and address the multiple burden of malnutrition. Although several studies suggest edible insects as valuable nutrient sources, few have evaluated the effects of processing on nutrient bioavailability and bioaccessibility and provided actual evidence on human nutrition. Moreover, there is limited evidence of their actual contribution to improved food and nutrition security. Therefore, the review evaluated existing evidence on human interventions and the effects of processing methods on bioavailability and bioaccessibility of key nutrients since these directly influence food and nutrition security outcomes. Seven human efficacy studies have been conducted to date and these show limited observable effects on nutrition status therefore more research is required. Findings also suggest that the processing method, insect matrix, composition of the food matrix and interaction with other food components can influence nutrient bioavailability and bioaccessibility. Hence, these should be considered during formulation and upscaling for entomophagy and insect‐based foods to be viable intervention strategies against malnutrition.
Prediction of the intramuscular fat and protein content of freeze‐dried ground meat from cattle and sheep using near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)
Authors: Bailes Kristy L. , Meyer Richard G. , Piltz John W.
Published: January 2022

This study assessed the ability of near‐infrared spectroscopy to predict intramuscular fat (IMF) and protein content of freeze‐dried ground beef and sheep meat determined using the modified Soxhlet extraction and Dumas combustion, and ascertain if robust calibration models could be developed for both assays using the combined spectral data from both species. Samples were sourced from sheep and cattle slaughtered for a variety of experiments, which covered a range in age, diet fed and carcase cut. All samples were scanned using a benchtop NIRS instrument to develop calibration models, a subset of which was used for later validation. Intramuscular fat and protein content of samples ranged from 5.1 to 32.8 and 63.4 to 89.8, respectively, with combined species of the R2 values of 98.4 and 96.5 (RMSE 0.74 and 0.76) for IMF and protein respectively. Additionally, animal age and carcase cut were found to have no significant impact on the precision of prediction models. Results from our study showed that individual species as well as combined calibration models can be successfully developed for predicting IMF and protein content of freeze‐dried ground beef and sheep meat.
Phenolic profiling reveals the metabolite basis of flesh colour and fresh‐cut browning in apple fruit
Authors: Fang Ting , Chen Jing , Lin Qiong , Zhong Yaoguang , Duan Yuquan , Bi Jinfeng
Published: January 2022

Flesh colour, which is affected by cultivars and browning, can largely impact consumer acceptance in fresh‐cut apples. The study profiled phenolic metabolites from apple flesh of twenty‐three cultivars by widely targeted metabolomics. Comparison among white‐ and yellow‐fleshed cultivars showed fifteen phenolics, mainly quercetin 3‐O‐glucoside, hyperoside, hesperetin 5‐O‐glucoside and cymaroside, in white‐fleshed apples were significantly higher than those in yellow‐fleshed apples. It may indicate a metabolite basis of yellow and white flesh colour, and better potential nutrition in white‐fleshed apples. In addition, ten phenolic metabolites including five cyanidin glycosides showed significant differences between the highest and the lowest browning groups, indicating them may be crucial in browning of fresh‐cut apple. This work elucidates the differences of phenolic profiles among apple cultivars with different flesh colour and provides useful data to evaluate the suitability of apple for fresh‐cut processing.
Interaction of mulberry anthocyanins with soybean protein isolate: effect on the stability of anthocyanins and protein in vitro digestion characteristics
Authors: Ma Zhen , Cheng Jing , Jiao Shunshan , Jing Pu
Published: January 2022

The interactions of anthocyanins and proteins might mutually influence each other on the physicochemical and functional properties. In this study, the interaction mechanism of soybean protein isolate (SPI) with mulberry anthocyanins (MA), and its effect on the thermal stability of anthocyanins and protein subunits’ digestibility were investigated through multiple spectroscopies and in vitro gastrointestinal models. Results showed that cyanidin‐3‐O‐glucoside (C3G), the main anthocyanin monomer in MA, could bind to SPI through hydrophobic interactions, resulting in static fluorescence quenching of SPI. The secondary structure of SPI changed by binding to C3G, with an increase of β‐sheet and a decrease of α‐helix and random coil. The formation of the SPI‐MA complexes improved the thermal stability of MA at 353 K, while, no significant protection occurred during heating at 368 K. Complexation with MA promoted the digestibility of SPI by pepsin, especially the α′ and α subunits of β‐conglycinin and the basic subunit of glycinin, and slightly delayed the digestibility of SPI under intestinal fluid. These results provide an in‐depth understanding of the influence of the protein‐anthocyanin interactions on the stability of anthocyanins and protein digestibility.
Improved physicochemical and fermentation properties of frozen dough with bacterial cellulose
Authors: Li Zhenni , Fan Shuyuan , Hong Yixin , Li Ning
Published: January 2022

Effects of a novel category of hydrocolloid (Bacterial cellulose, BC) on physicochemical and fermentation properties of frozen dough were studied to address the reduction in baking performance due to refrigeration. The addition of BC reduced free thiol content and inhibited the de‐polymerisation degree of glutenin macropolymers, resulting in enhanced emulsifying activities of frozen dough, when the amount was added up to 0.1 g 100 g−1of wheat flour (dry basis). Further supplement hurt these attributes due to competition for water molecules. However, increasing the addition of BC significantly enhanced its protective effect on yeast activity, which in turn improved the fermentation properties of frozen dough. After 8 weeks of storage at −18 °C, 31% of yeast survived in with the protection of BC. When BC was added at a ratio of 0.1 g 100 g−1 of wheat flour, the improved frozen dough showed maximum volume of gas which was 2.7 times higher than that of the control after 3 h of fermentation. Baking performances confirmed the effect of BC as bread crumbs containing intermediate addition of BC rose optimally during proofing and baking, which contributed to the higher specific volume, less firm and more tender crumb texture of bread. These results suggested that BC might act as an effective additive to improve the shelf‐life stability of frozen food during long periods of frozen storage.
Cellular Lnc_209997 suppresses Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus replication by targeting miR‐275‐5p in B. mori
Authors: Lin Su , Zhang Shao Lun , Yin Hao Tong , Zhao Zhi Meng , Chen Zi Kang , Shen Man Man , Zhang Zheng Dong , Guo Xi Jie , Wu Ping
Published: January 2022

Long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) is a type of non‐coding RNA molecule, which exceeds 200 nucleotides in length and participates in the regulation of a variety of life activities. Recent studies showed that lncRNAs play important roles in viral infection and host immunity. At present, the researches on insect lncRNAs are relatively few. In this study, we found the expression of Lnc_209997 was significantly down‐regulated in silkworm fat body infected with Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrosis virus (BmNPV). Inhibition of Lnc_209997 promoted BmNPV replication. Enhancing the expression of Lnc_209997 inhibited the proliferation of BmNPV. miR‐275‐5p was up‐regulated in silkworm fat body infected with BmNPV. Dual luciferase reporter gene system confirmed the interaction between Lnc_209997 and miR‐275‐5p. Over‐expression of Lnc_209997 inhibited the expression of miR‐275‐5p, while inhibition of Lnc_209997 enhanced the expression of miR‐275‐5p. Further, over‐expression of miR‐275‐5p can facilitate the replication of BmNPV. These results suggested that BmNPV could increase the expression of miR‐275‐5p by inhibiting cellular Lnc_209997 expression to promote their own proliferation. Our results are helpful for better understanding the role of lncRNAs in BmNPV infection, and provide insights into elucidating the molecular mechanism of interaction between Bombyx mori and virus.
Language, networks, and virtual transnationalism: The case of Russian speakers from Estonia living in Finland
Authors: Vorobeva Ekaterina , Jauhiainen Jussi S. , Tammaru Tiit
Published: January 2022

Expanding globalization, widely spread information and communication technologies (ICT), and inexpensive transportation facilitate easy, fast, and necessary connections across borders. Many immigrants maintain transnational connections while gaining local exposure to the national social field. This article studies immigrants’ language and social media uses in transnational and national networks. The case regards Russian speakers from Estonia living in Finland who belong to the global Russian‐speaking diaspora. The data derive from a survey (n = 327) and interviews (n = 16). Results indicate that the national and transnational social fields of the studied Russian speakers affect and shape one another. Their good command of Finnish reduces structural barriers to work, housing, and other functional spheres in Finland, but it does not secure their social inclusion. The latter is counteracted by their local multicultural networks and transnational connections with their country of origin—facilitated by ICT and social media—as a source of positive identity, meaningful relations, and emotional support.
A molecular dynamics survey of grain boundary energy in uranium dioxide and cerium dioxide
Authors: Zhang Yongfeng , Hansen Evan D. , Harbison Tim , Masengale Sean , French Jarin , Aagesen Larry
Published: January 2022

Uranium dioxide (UO2) is the primary fuel material that is used in current nuclear reactors. As one of the most fundamental material parameters, grain boundary (GB) energy strongly influences many fuel properties, and the influences depend on the characters and properties of individual GBs. Using molecular dynamics simulations, a high throughput survey of GB energy in UO2 was carried out for the purpose of elucidating the roles of GB geometry such as misorientation and inclination, as well as the bonding nature of UO2, in affecting GB energy. GB energies in CeO2 were calculated as well for comparison with UO2 to investigate the generality of GB energy anisotropy in fluorite phase oxides. The results show significant GB energy anisotropy in both UO2 and CeO2 that is associated with the cubic symmetry of the fluorite structure. More interestingly, the GB anisotropy is found to be dependent not only on the crystal structure but also the ionic bonding. As such, the GB energy anisotropy in fluorite oxides has significant differences compared with that in fcc metals. The data obtained and the increased knowledge on GB anisotropy will facilitate GB engineering for nuclear fuels with improved properties.
Predictive factors for postpartum glucose intolerance in women with gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Masuko Naohisa , Tanimura Kenji , Kojima Nobue , Imafuku Hitomi , Deguchi Masashi , Okada Yuko , Hirota Yushi , Ogawa Wataru , Yamada Hideto
Published: January 2022

Aim

The aim of this prospective cohort study was to evaluate the risk factors for postpartum glucose intolerance (GI) in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Method

A total of 140 women with GDM were enrolled. Of these, 115 underwent a 75‐g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 12 weeks after delivery. Clinical factors and parameters in the antepartum 75‐g OGTT associated with postpartum GI were evaluated by logistic regression analyses.

Results

Twenty‐two (19.1%) of the 115 women with GDM developed postpartum GI. The univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed that low oral disposition index (DI) was a risk factor for postpartum GI (OR, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.04–0.7; p < 0.05), and that no clinical factors were associated with postpartum GI.

Conclusions

Lower oral DI on the antepartum 75‐g OGTT may be a useful marker for identifying GDM women who are at high risk for postpartum GI.
3D‐Printable Denture Base Resin Containing SiO2 Nanoparticles: An In Vitro Analysis of Mechanical and Surface Properties
Authors: Gad Mohammed M. , Al‐Harbi Fahad A. , Akhtar Sultan , Fouda Shaimaa M.
Published: January 2022

Purpose

To evaluate the flexural strength (FS), impact strength (IS), surface roughness (Ra), and hardness of 3D‐printed resin incorporating silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SNPs).

Materials and Methods

A total of 320 acrylic specimens were fabricated with different dimensions according to test specifications and divided into a control group of heat denture base resin, and 3 test groups (80/test (n = 10) of unmodified, 0.25 wt%, and 0.5 wt% SNPs modified 3D‐printed resin. 10,000 thermal cycles were performed to half of the fabricated specimens. FS, IS (Charpy impact), Ra, and hardness were evaluated and the collected data was analyzed with ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test (α = 0.05).

Results

Incorporating SNPs into 3D‐printed resin significantly increased the FS, IS (at 0.5%) and hardness compared to unmodified 3D‐printed resin (p < 0.001). However, the FS of pure 3D‐printed and 3D/SNP‐0.50% resin and IS of all 3D‐printed resin groups were significantly lower than the control group (p < 0.0001). Hardness of 3D/SNP‐0.25% and 3D/SNP‐0.50% was significantly higher than control and unmodified 3D‐printed resin (p < 0.0001), with insignificant differences between them. The Ra of all 3D‐printed resin groups were significantly higher than control group (p < 0.001), while insignificant difference was found between 3D‐printed groups. Thermal cycling significantly reduced FS and hardness for all tested groups, while for IS the reduction was significant only in the control and 3D/SNP‐0.50% groups. Thermal cycling significantly increased Ra of the control group and unmodified 3D‐printed resin (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The addition of SNPs to 3D‐printed denture base resin improved its mechanical properties while Ra was not significantly altered. Thermal cycling adversely affected tested properties, except IS of unmodified 3D‐printed resin and 3D/SNP‐0.25%, and Ra of modified 3D‐printed resin.
Bacteriophages: A possible solution to combat enteropathogenic Escherichia coli infections in neonatal goats
Authors: Bhargava K. , Gururaj K. , Aseri G. K. , Nath G. , Singh N. P. , Pawaiya R. V. S. , Kumar A. , Mishra A. K. , Yadav V. B. , Jain N.
Published: January 2022

Due to awareness and benefits of goat rearing in developing economies, goats' significance is increasing. Unfortunately, these ruminants are threatened via multiple bacterial pathogens such as enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). In goat kids and lambs, EPEC causes gastrointestinal disease leading to substantial economic losses for farmers and may also pose a threat to public health via the spread of zoonotic diseases. Management of infection is primarily based on antibiotics, but the need for new therapeutic measures as an alternative to antibiotics is becoming vital because of the advent of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The prevalence of EPEC was established using bfpA gene, uspA gene and Stx1 gene, followed by phylogenetic analysis using Stx1 gene. The lytic activity of the isolated putative coliphages was tested on multi-drug resistant strains of EPEC. It was observed that a PCR based approach is more effective and rapid as compared to phenotypic tests of Escherichia coli virulence. It was also established that the isolated bacteriophages exhibited potent antibacterial efficacy in vitro, with some of the isolates (16%) detected as T4 and T4-like phages based on gp23 gene. Hence, bacteriophages as therapeutic agents may be explored as an alternative to antibiotics in managing public, livestock and environmental health in this era of AMR.
TOR and SnRK1 fine tune SPEECHLESS transcription and protein stability to optimize stomatal development in response to exogenously supplied sugar
Authors: Han Chao , Qiao Yan , Yao Lianmei , Hao Wei , Liu Yue , Shi Wen , Fan Min , Bai Ming‐Yi
Published: January 2022

In Arabidopsis, the differentiation of epidermal cells into stomata is regulated by endogenous and environmental signals. Sugar is required for plant epidermal cell proliferation and differentiation. However, it is unclear how epidermal cells maintain division and differentiation to generate proper amounts of stomata in response to different sugar availability.

Here, we show that two evolutionarily conserved kinase Snf1‐related protein kinase 1 (SnRK1) and Target of rapamycin (TOR) play critical roles in the regulation of stomatal development under different sugar availability.

When plants are grown on a medium containing 1% sucrose, sucrose‐activated TOR promotes the stomatal development by inducing the expression of SPEECHLESS (SPCH), a master regulator of stomatal development. SnRK1 promotes stomatal development through phosphorylating and stabilizing SPCH. However, under the high sucrose conditions, the highly accumulated trehalose‐6‐phosphate (Tre6P) represses the activity of KIN10, the catalytic α‐subunit of SnRK1, by reducing the interaction between KIN10 and its upstream kinase, consequently promoting SPCH degradation and inhibiting stomatal development.

Our findings revealed that TOR and SnRK1 finely regulate SPCH expression and protein stability to optimize the stomatal development in response to exogenously supplied sugar.
Update on COVID‐19 vaccination in pediatric solid organ transplant recipients
Authors: Dulek Daniel E. , Ardura Monica I. , Green Michael , Michaels Marian G. , Chaudhuri Abanti , Vasquez Luciola , Danziger‐Isakov Lara , Posfay‐Barbe Klara M. , McCulloch Mignon I. , L’Huillier Arnaud G. , Benden Christian
Published: January 2022

Background

COVID‐19 vaccination has been successful in decreasing rates of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in areas with high vaccine uptake. Cases of breakthrough SARS‐CoV‐2 infection remain infrequent among immunocompetent vaccine recipients who are protected from severe COVID‐19. Robust data demonstrate the safety, immunogenicity, and effectiveness of several COVID‐19 vaccine formulations. Importantly, Pfizer‐BioNTech BNT162b2 mRNA COVID‐19 vaccine studies have now included children as young as 5 years of age with safety, immunogenicity, and effectiveness data publicly available. In the United States, emergency use authorization by the Federal Drug Administration and approval from the Centers for Disease Control/Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have been provided for the 5‐ to 11‐year‐old age group.

Methods

Members of the International Pediatric Transplant Association (IPTA) provide an updated review of current COVID‐19 vaccine data with focus on pediatric solid organ transplant (SOT)‐specific issues.

Results

This review provides an overview of current COVID‐19 immunogenicity, safety, and efficacy data from key studies, with focus on data of importance to pediatric SOT recipients. Continued paucity of data in the setting of pediatric transplantation remains a challenge.

Conclusions

Further studies of COVID‐19 vaccination in pediatric SOT recipients are needed to better understand post‐vaccine COVID‐19 T‐cell and antibody kinetics and determine the optimal vaccine schedule. Increased COVID‐19 vaccine acceptability, uptake, and worldwide availability are needed to limit the risk that COVID‐19 poses to pediatric solid organ transplant recipients.
Representing Personal and Professional Identities in Policing: Sources of Strength and Conflict
Authors: Headley Andrea M.
Published: January 2022

Representing diverse identities in government is important for equal employment, symbolic benefits, and opportunities to improve public service outcomes. This article uses qualitative interviews with 32 frontline police officers to examine the ways in which personal and professional identities intersect to promote or impede those benefits. The findings highlight how holding similar sociodemographic identities with the public can be a source of strength as it pertains to promoting shared understanding and reducing the social distance that comes with identity incongruence. However, internal identity conflicts arise as White officers overcome culture shock and endure learning curves, whereas officers of color navigate the dual pressures of empathetic treatment (that comes with shared personal identity) versus arms‐length treatment (that comes with professional identification). Even then, as seen in this study, the way officers treat and interact with the community is imperative and can overcome symbolic identity barriers.
The market made us do it: Public procurement and collaborative labour market inclusion governance from below
Authors: Norbäck Maria , Zapata Campos María José
Published: January 2022

This article examines the challenges and opportunities for novel governance instruments for labour market inclusion of foreign‐born citizens, developed by local governments in collaboration with non‐profit civil society organisations in Sweden. It is informed by the case of the collaborative arrangements developed between the city of Gothenburg and work integration social enterprises (WISE). The article builds upon collaborative governance and innovation literature and focuses specifically on the first reserved public procurements for buying work training and other services from WISE. Our findings show how a tool that originates from a market governing mechanism can develop into a collaborative governance and innovation instrument. The design and implementation of the reserved procurements set in motion collaborative innovation through creation of collaborative spaces, joint ownership and empowerment, and by turning market governance mechanisms into collaborative governance. First, the ‘looseness’ and ‘openness’ of the governmental arrangements and collaboration spaces created by local actors enabled collaborative innovation. Second, the longstanding innovativeness and collaboration of WISE also played an important role in the development of this collaborative instrument. Third, the small scale of WISE and the larger scale of municipal contracts resulted in scaling up strategies that helped shape collaborative, rather than competitive, practices among WISE, as well as the implementation and diffusion of the innovation. We end the article by discussing the study's implications for collaborative governance and innovation between local governments and civil society.
Phylogeny and disparate selection signatures suggest two genetically independent domestication events in pea (Pisum L.)
Authors: Hellwig Timo , Abbo Shahal , Ophir Ron
Published: January 2022

Domestication is considered a model of adaptation that can be used to draw conclusions about the modus operandi of selection in natural systems. Investigating domestication may give insights into how plants react to different intensities of human manipulation, which has direct implication for the continuing efforts of crop improvement. Therefore, scientists of various disciplines study domestication‐related questions to understand the biological and cultural bases of the domestication process. We employed restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing (RAD‐seq) of 494 Pisum sativum (pea) samples from all wild and domesticated groups to analyze the genetic structure of the collection. Patterns of ancient admixture were investigated by analysis of admixture graphs. We used two complementary approaches, one diversity based and one based on differentiation, to detect the selection signatures putatively associated with domestication. An analysis of the subpopulation structure of wild P. sativum revealed five distinct groups with a notable geographic pattern. Pisum abyssinicum clustered unequivocally within the P. sativum complex, without any indication of hybrid origin. We detected 32 genomic regions putatively subjected to selection: 29 in P. sativum ssp. sativum and three in P. abyssinicum. The two domesticated groups did not share regions under selection and did not display similar haplotype patterns within those regions. Wild P. sativum is structured into well‐diverged subgroups. Although Pisum sativum ssp. humile is not supported as a taxonomic entity, the so‐called 'southern humile' is a genuine wild group. Introgression did not shape the variation observed within the sampled germplasm. The two domesticated pea groups display distinct genetic bases of domestication, suggesting two genetically independent domestication events.
Algunos intentos por escribir sobre Beatriz Sarlo
Authors: Saítta Sylvia
Published: January 2022

Este artículo estudia la trayectoria intelectual de Beatriz Sarlo a través de la lectura de sus ensayos, sus escritos académicos y sus artículos periodísticos. A partir de esto, propone una periodización de sus diferentes etapas de intervención pública, un análisis de los variados modos de interpelar al lector y una interpretación de las distintas instancias de construcción de su escritura.
Charmless $$B_s\rightarrow V S$$ decays in PQCD approach
Authors: Liu Zhao-Wu , Zou Zhi-Tian , Li Ying , Liu Xin , Wang Jie
Published: January 2022

In this work, we investigate the $$B_s\rightarrow V S$$

B
s

→
V
S

decays in the perturbative QCD approach, where V and S denote the vector meson and scalar meson respectively. Based on the two-quark structure, considering two different scenarios for describing the scalar mesons, we calculate the branching fractions and the direct CP asymmetries of all $$B_s\rightarrow VS$$

B
s

→
V
S

decays. Most branching fractions are predicted to be at $$10^{-7}$$

10

-
7

to $$10^{-5}$$

10

-
5

, which could be measured in the LHCb and Belle-II experiments, especially for these color-allowed decays $$B_s\rightarrow \kappa (800)(K_0^*(1430))K^*$$

B
s

→
κ

(
800
)

(

K
0
∗

(
1430
)

)

K
∗

and $$B_s\rightarrow K_0^{*-}(1430)\rho ^+$$

B
s

→

K
0

∗
-

(
1430
)

ρ
+

. It is found that the branching fractions of $$B_s\rightarrow K_0^{*0}(1430){\bar{K}}^{*0}$$

B
s

→

K
0

∗
0

(
1430
)

K

¯

∗
0

and $$B_s\rightarrow K_0^{*+}(1430){\bar{K}}^{*-}$$

B
s

→

K
0

∗
+

(
1430
)

K

¯

∗
-

are very sensitive to the scenarios, which can be used to determine whether $$K_0^{*0}(1430)$$

K
0

∗
0

(
1430
)

belongs to the ground state or the first excited state, if the data were available. We also note that some decays have large direct CP asymmetries, some of which are also sensitive to the scenarios, such as the $$B_s \rightarrow a_0^+(1450)K^{*-}$$

B
s

→

a
0
+

(
1450
)

K

∗
-

and the $$B_s\rightarrow f_0(1500) K^{*0}$$

B
s

→

f
0

(
1500
)

K

∗
0

decays. Since the experimental measurements of $$B_s\rightarrow VS$$

B
s

→
V
S

decays are on the way, combined with the available data in the future, we expect the theoretical predictions will shed light on the structure of the scalar mesons.
Constraints on the maximum mass of quark star and the GW 190814 event
Authors: Tangphati Takol , Karar Indrani , Pradhan Anirudh , Banerjee Ayan
Published: January 2022

Gravitational-waves (GWs) data have widely been used for testing preferred modified gravity theories. In this paper, we investigate the possibility of testing them in the strong gravity regime by looking at the properties of compact objects in dense matter physics. In this direction modified gravity theories such as f(R, T) gravity can be tested with the recently discovered compact binary merger, GW 190814, containing a compact object with mass 2.50–2.67 $$M_{\odot }$$

M
⊙

. By considering these constraints on maximum mass of such an object, we predict the existence of quark stars (QSs) made of quark matter in the color-flavor-locked (CFL) phase of color superconductivity. Such a state is significantly more bound than ordinary quark matter and enhances the possibility of the existence of a pure stable QS. We focus on the following aspects in particular: mass–radius profile, mass-central mass density relation, compactness and the corresponding effective adiabatic index for stability related issues. Our result implies that predicted properties for QSs are well consistent with GW 190814 observational data that helps us to impose constraints on the theoretical models of dense nuclear matter.
Evaluating Electric Vehicle Policy Effectiveness and Equity
Authors: Sheldon Tamara L.
Published: January 2022

In this article, I review the academic literature on the economics of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), with a focus on PEV policy, benefits, and equity. PEVs are one of the most promising technologies for decarbonizing the transportation sector. As such, many government policies exist to promote their adoption. Understanding the effectiveness and equity of existing policies, what the realized environmental benefits are, and how these benefits compare to costs is crucial to improving future PEV policy. This review suggests that consumer PEV subsidies are not cost-effective and are often expensive relative to estimated environmental benefits. Furthermore, higher-income households who make up a larger share of the PEV market receive both a disproportionate amount of government subsidies as well as PEV benefits. There is considerable room for policy improvement.
Defect-Induced Properties and Thermodynamics of La0.5Ba0.5CoO3–δ
Authors: Malyshkin Dmitry A. , Sereda Vladimir V. , Sednev-Lugovets Anton L. , Ivanov Ivan L. , Tsvetkov Dmitry S. , Zuev Andrey Yu.
Published: January 2022

The defect structure model of La0.5Ba0.5CoO3–δ
was successfully verified using a combined set of coulometric and thermogravimetric data. The results were used to model the dependences of Seebeck coefficient, measured vs T and pO2 simultaneously with the total conductivity, and chemical strain of this oxide. The partial molar enthalpy of oxygen in La0.5Ba0.5CoO3–δ
was calculated from the defect structure model and used to evaluate the enthalpy increments and high-temperature heat capacity of an oxide with constant chemical composition, La0.5Ba0.5CoO2.99, from the drop calorimetric measurement results in air. The standard enthalpies of formation of cubic La0.5Ba0.5CoO2.95 and double LaBaCo2O5.90 perovskites, and the enthalpy of cation ordering in A-sublattice of La0.5Ba0.5CoO2.95, were found using the results of solution calorimetry at 298.15 K. With the data obtained, we predicted the chemical compatibility of La0.5Ba0.5CoO3–δ
with solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrolyte materials.
Effect of Kinetic and Thermodynamic Properties of Solid Contact Ion-Selective Electrodes on the Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Response
Authors: Kovács Miklós Márton , Höfler Lajos
Published: January 2022

Solid contact ion-selective electrodes (SCISEs) offer many benefits over traditional liquid contact ion-selective electrodes. Their small size made them the default choice in many clinical analysis tools. Reproducibility of their production is crucial in achieving calibration-free sensors. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is a versatile technique that can provide valuable information on many physico-chemical parameters of examined SCISEs and it can give results under 1 min. Discerning different phenomena that govern the EIS spectrum require the theoretical understanding of the processes (e.g., diffusion, heterogeneous kinetics etc.) that determine the time-dependent response of SCISEs. EIS simulations of SCISEs with Nernst-Planck-Poisson finite element method are applied to describe the experimental response of SCISEs. The numerical simulations are used to train a black-box supervised learning algorithm—a deep feedforward neural network—and a white-box symbolic regression algorithm to learn the underlying model of EIS spectra of SCISEs. The neural networks are used to significantly speed up the solution of the inverse problem of obtaining physico-chemical parameters from experimental data.
Carbon-Encapsulated Cobalt Phosphide Catalyst for Efficient Electrochemical Synthesis of Hydrogen Peroxide
Authors: Guo Xishuang , Pan Longhai , Yu Jiuyang , Shen Hangjia , Thomas Tiju , Yang Minghui
Published: January 2022

Metal phosphides with high electronic conductivity are recognized as promising electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Herein, we report a family of cobalt phosphides (CoP, CoP2, and CoP/CoP2) encapsulated in thin carbon layer as two-electron (2e-) ORR electrocatalysts for H2O2 production. Benefiting from the regulation of cobalt phosphide, CoP/CoP2@NPC exhibited the highest H2O2 yield among the three types of cobalt phosphides studied, with a high H2O2 selectivity (>90%) over a potential ranging from 0.2 to 0.7 V vs the reversible hydrogen electrode. Continuous generation of H2O2 is achieved at an outstanding rate of 1.93 mol

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with a Faraday efficiency of 83%.
In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Different Honey Samples against Clinical Isolates
Authors: Wadi Mahasin Ahmed
Published: January 2022

Background. The emergence of multi‐drug‐resistant organisms has created a lot of clinical problems. Hence, there is a need to find natural alternative treatment to counter the multi‐drug‐resistant organisms. Honey has a well‐established usage as wound dressing in ancient and traditional medicine. Objective. The objective of this study is to establish a baseline for the antibacterial activity of 32 global raw natural and commercial various honey samples against 8 clinical isolates. Methods. Thirty‐two honey samples (raw and commercial honey) collected from different global countries with different floral origins were tested in vitro for antibacterial activity against 8 clinical isolates collected from patients, at private hospital from Sudan, using disk diffusion technique. The following 6 epsilometer tests (Etest), amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, and tetracycline, were used against 8 clinical isolates for Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). Results. The following 8 clinical isolates were identified by conventional bacteriological methods: Staphylococcus aureus, (S. aureus) Escherichia coli (E. coli), Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), Proteus vulgaris (P. vulgaris), Salmonella Typhi (S. Typhi), Shigella sonnei (S. sonnei), and methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Both raw natural and commercial honey exhibited antibacterial properties against tested Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. The tested organisms showed low sensitivity to antibiotic Etest. Conclusion. All of the bacterial species studied were uniformly receptive to all raw and commercial tested honey samples; in contrast, the tested organisms showed low sensitivity to antibiotics. Commercial honey has the same antibacterial activity as the raw natural unprocessed honey against tested clinical isolates. Thus, honey is a successful alternative to conventional antibiotics as has been proved against clinical isolates.
Serum Cystatin, Chemokine, and Gastrin‐Releasing Peptide Precursors and Their Clinical Value in Patients with Chronic Renal Failure
Authors: Liu Xiaoli , Liu Xin , Cai Jing , Xun Zhijie , Song Qian , Wang Ruixia , Li Guiying , Xu Zhongxin
Published: January 2022

Objective. To investigate the serum cystatin (CysC), Chemerin, and gastrin‐releasing peptide precursor (ProGRP) levels in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). Methods. CRF patients admitted to our hospital from February 2019 to July 2019 were selected as the observation group, and 50 healthy patients were selected as the control group. The serum levels of CysC, Chemerin, ProGRP, and Scr of all subjects were detected. Patients with CRF were admitted for peritoneal dialysis (PD) treatment for 1 week, and continued treatment was performed. The survival rate of patients with CRF in nearly 1 year after continuous treatment was observed. Multivariate analysis of factors affecting survival time of CRF patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis was performed. The results were compared with those in the health group. The expression levels of CysC, Chemerin, ProGRP, and Scr in the observation group were all decreased, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that Scr expression in CRF patients is positively correlated with CysC, Chemerin, and ProGRP (P < 0.001). The survival rate of 98 patients with CRF was 80.61% (79/98), and the mortality rate was 19.39% (19/98). Serum levels of CysC, Chemerin, ProGRP, and Scr in the death group are all higher than those in the survival group, and the differences are statistically significant (P < 0.05). CysC, Chemerin, ProGRP, and Scr are independent risk factors affecting survival time (P < 0.05). The AUC aspects of serum CysC, Chemerin, ProGRP, and Scr in predicting the survival rate of CRF patients in the treatment phase are 0.840, 0.775, 0.782, and 0.725, respectively. Conclusion. The serum levels of CysC, Chemerin, and ProGRP of CRF patients are abnormally elevated and are positively correlated with serum Scr of patients, which can be used as a reliable indicator of pathogenesis and prognosis assessment of CRF patients.
A Lightweight Face Verification Based on Adaptive Cascade Network and Triplet Loss Function
Authors: Lin Jianhong , Ye Chaoyang , Liu Weinan , Ren Siqi , Wang Ye , Ma Wenrui , Xu Bin , Ding Yifan
Published: January 2022

In the past few years, with the continuous breakthrough of technology in various fields, artificial intelligence has been considered as a revolutionary technology. One of the most important and useful applications of artificial intelligence is face detection. The outbreak of COVID-19 has promoted the development of the noncontact identity authentication system. Face detection is also one of the key techniques in this kind of authentication system. However, the current real-time face detection is computationally expensive which hinders the application of face recognition. To address this issue, we propose a face verification framework based on adaptive cascade network and triplet loss. The framework is simple in network architecture and has light-weighted parameters. The training network is made of three stages with an adaptive cascade network and utilizes a novel image pyramid based on scales with different sizes. We train the face verification model and complete the verification within 0.15 second for processing one image which shows the computation efficiency of our proposed framework. In addition, the experimental results also show the competitive accuracy of our proposed framework which is around 98.6%. Using dynamic semihard triplet strategy for training, our network achieves a classification accuracy of 99.2% on the dataset of Labeled Faces in the Wild.
Analysis and Parametrical Estimation with Real COVID‐19 Data of a New Extended SEIR Epidemic Model with Quarantined Individuals
Authors: Legarreta C. , Alonso-Quesada S. , De la Sen M.
Published: January 2022

During the recent COVID‐19 pandemic, quarantine and testing policies have been of vital importance since the causative agent has been a novel virus and no vaccine was developed at the time. In this work, a new epidemiological deterministic model is proposed, analyzed, and discussed. Such a model includes quarantine periods of people with symptoms that have been tested positive, and it will trigger a trace of their close contact, who will be also tested and put in quarantine if the result is positive. Moreover, how the model parameters affect its stability is analyzed with the basic reproduction number R0. Since the COVID‐19 outbreak in Spain (approximately 13/03/2020) until 25/04/2021, different restrictions have been applied. For discussion of a real case study, data have been gathered and used from the Spanish Autonomous Community of Cantabria to estimate the parameters and to see how the restrictions have affected their values. In the parameter estimation process, it has been assumed that the constructed model follows the structure of an ARX model. Finally, by considering that the gathered data are subject to certain errors, the paper discusses how to adequate the model usefulness for its use in fitting and processing data through an estimation mechanism involving the provided daily total and positive performed tests.