bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards a research base for textbooks as teacher support: the case of engaging students in active knowledge organization in the KOSIMA project
Authors: Prediger Susanne , Barzel Bärbel , Hußmann Stephan , Leuders Timo
Published: March 2021

Engaging students in processes of mathematizing and active knowledge organization (instead of telling and rehearsing ready-made mathematics) is a key demand for high quality mathematics instruction. Although many mathematically rich context problems have been designed and published in textbooks, their impact on regular mathematics classrooms remains limited, as teachers face challenges in shaping and enacting the important phase of knowledge organization. The 15-year project KOSIMA presented in this paper was aimed at supporting teachers in really enhancing these processes by means of a textbook for Grades 5–10. The paper provides an overview of different studies conducted during the project in order to show how the project developed a research base for the support of teachers. The paper also shows that different research approaches need to be combined to establish an appropriate research base: In iterative design research cycles of topic-specific didactical design research, learning environments were designed and investigated with the aim of understanding the obstacles encountered in implementing the desired processes. In this paper, we focus on an example of one particular obstacle, namely, teachers’ need of support in engaging students in processes of active knowledge organization. This obstacle was overcome by developing new types of tasks for active knowledge organization. The theoretical outcome of the design research resulted in two hypotheses for improving relevant features of the design of these tasks, which were tested in two controlled trials. Finally, a longitudinal field study of 312 students gave first indications that the classes that worked with the textbook had significantly higher learning gains than classes using other textbooks. In sum, we can show that textbooks can support changes in classroom practices when the obstacles that occur for both teachers and students are carefully investigated and treated.
Spectral Estimates for Riemannian Submersions with Fibers of Basic Mean Curvature
Authors: Polymerakis Panagiotis
Published: March 2021

For Riemannian submersions with fibers of basic mean curvature, we compare the spectrum of the total space with the spectrum of a Schrödinger operator on the base manifold. Exploiting this concept, we study submersions arising from actions of Lie groups. In this context, we extend the state-of-the-art results on the bottom of the spectrum under Riemannian coverings. As an application, we compute the bottom of the spectrum and the Cheeger constant of connected, amenable Lie groups.
Correction to: Inherent Complexities of a Multi-stakeholder Approach to Building Community Resilience
Authors: Adekola Josephine , Fischbacher-Smith Denis , Fischbacher-Smith Moira
Published: March 2021

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13753-021-00334-w
The Impact of the Livestock Friendly Designation on the Nebraska Cattle Industry: A Difference-in-Difference with Staggered Treatment Analysis
Authors: Dhoubhadel Sunil P. , Azzam Azzeddine
Published: March 2021

In 2003, the Nebraska Legislature enacted the Livestock Friendly County designation program to promote the livestock industry in the state. Forty-nine of the state’s 93 counties received the designation at staggered years. Our paper estimates the causal effect of the program on the state’s cattle industry using a fixed effect difference-in-difference model that accounts for self-selection and staggered designation. Results indicate that the program does not appear to have a statewide effect on livestock expansion, but it is effective in some crop reporting districts. We offer some hypotheses on why this may be the case and draw some policy implications.
Mereological Composition in Analytic and Buddhist Perspective
Authors: JONES NICHOLAOS
Published: March 2021

Comparing Buddhist and contemporary analytic views about mereological composition reveals significant dissimilarities about the purposes that constrain successful answers to mereological questions, the kinds of considerations taken to be probative in justifying those answers, and the value of mereological inquiry. I develop these dissimilarities by examining three questions relevant to those who deny the existence of composite wholes. The first is a question of justification: What justifies denying the existence of composite wholes as more reasonable than affirming their existence? The second is a question of ontology: Under what conditions are many partless individuals arranged composite-wise? The third is a question of reasonableness: Why, if there are no composites available to experience, do “the folk” find it reasonable to believe there are? I motivate each question, sketch some analytic answers for each, develop in more detail answers from the Theravādin Buddhist scholar Buddhaghosa, and extract comparative lessons.
Normal forms for strong magnetic systems on surfaces: trapping regions and rigidity of Zoll systems
Authors: ASSELLE LUCA , BENEDETTI GABRIELE
Published: March 2021

We prove a normal form for strong magnetic fields on a closed, oriented surface and use it to derive two dynamical results for the associated flow. First, we show the existence of invariant tori and trapping regions provided a natural non-resonance condition holds. Second, we prove that the flow cannot be Zoll unless (i) the Riemannian metric has constant curvature and the magnetic function is constant, or (ii) the magnetic function vanishes and the metric is Zoll. We complement the second result by exhibiting an exotic magnetic field on a flat two-torus yielding a Zoll flow for arbitrarily weak rescalings.
Glacier clear ice bands indicate englacial channel microbial distribution
Authors: Varliero Gilda , Holland Alexandra , Barker Gary L. A. , Yallop Marian L. , Fountain Andrew G. , Anesio Alexandre M.
Published: March 2021

Distant glacial areas are interconnected by a complex system of fractures and water channels which run in the glacier interior and characterize the englacial realm. Water can slowly freeze in these channels where the slow freezing excludes air bubbles giving the ice a clear aspect. This ice is uplifted to the surface ablation zone by glacial movements and can therefore be observed in the form of clear surface ice bands. We employed an indirect method to sample englacial water by coring these ice bands. We were able, for the first time, to compare microbial communities sampled from clear (i.e. frozen englacial water bands) and cloudy ice (i.e. meteoric ice) through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Although microbial communities were primarily shaped and structured by their spatial distribution on the glacier, ice type was a clear secondary factor. One area of the glacier, in particular, presented significant microbial community clear/cloudy ice differences. Although the clear ice and supraglacial communities showed typical cold-adapted glacial communities, the cloudy ice had a less defined glacial community and ubiquitous environmental organisms. These results highlight the role of englacial channels in the microbial dispersion within the glacier and, possibly, in the shaping of glacial microbial communities.
Do Whisky Investors Read theBible? The Effect of Expert Ratings on the Vintage Single Malt Secondary Market
Authors: Moroz David , Pecchioli Bruno
Published: March 2021

This article aims to estimate the effect of expert assessments on the prices for single malt Scotch whiskies on the investment market. Our results obtained using an original dataset combining data fromJim Murray's Whisky Bibleand a web trading platform specializing in whisky investment show that the quality rating is not a powerful predictor of investor ask prices, especially when controlling for distillery and bottler reputation. This finding suggests that although the Murray score may embed information of use to unsophisticated investors, its effect on price can be outperformed by a detailed knowledge of the whisky industry. (JEL Classifications: L11, L15, Q13)
Analysis of 605 tuberculosis outbreaks in Japan, 1993–2015: time, place and transmission site
Authors: Ota M. , Hoshino Y. , Hirao S.
Published: March 2021

Since 1993, reports on tuberculosis (TB) outbreaks have been collected in Japan; however, there has never been an overall analysis of these TB outbreaks. We aim to provide one here. The TB outbreak data were obtained from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and are described in terms of time, place and transmission site. The average number of TB cases and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) were compared by the transmission site. Some 605 TB outbreaks with 3491 TB cases were reported in 1993–2015 with an increasing trend (r = 0.45), during which time 728 777 TB cases were reported nationwide. On an average, TB outbreaks occurred more often in April to May (5.5 outbreaks per 2 months) than in December to January (3.4). The most common transmission sites were workplaces (n = 255), followed by health facilities (n = 144), schools (n = 60) and welfare facilities (n = 48). Psychiatric hospitals and nursing homes had the highest average number of TB cases per outbreak (8.5 each), whereas schools and prisons had the highest numbers of LTBI cases (29.1 and 38.9, respectively). Countries, particularly those that have resources to investigate TB outbreaks, should collect and analyse findings of TB outbreaks, as it informs surveillance systems and eventually strengthens general health systems.
Exploring the autism spectrum: Moderating effects of neuroticism on stress reactivity and on the association between social context and negative affect
Authors: van Oosterhout Jeroen , van der Linden Kim , Simons Claudia J.P. , van Amelsvoort Thérèse , Marcelis Machteld
Published: March 2021

Neuroticism is associated with increased stress reactivity. In autism spectrum disorders (ASD), emotional stress reactivity is increased and there is some evidence for an increased negative affect (NA) when with less familiar people. The aim of this study was to compare adults with ASD and controls on levels of neuroticism and on interactions between neuroticism and appraised stress or social context in models of NA. This is a cross-sectional observational study comprising a group of 50 adults with ASD and 51 controls. Experience sampling method (ESM) reports were collected for 10 days to measure daily life stress, mood, and social context. Multilevel regression analyses revealed significantly higher neuroticism levels in ASD than in controls. Adults with ASD who scored high on neuroticism showed a significantly stronger association between activity/social stress and NA (i.e., higher stress reactivity) than those with low scores. Furthermore, the association between neuroticism and NA was stronger when adults with ASD were with less familiar people compared with being alone or with familiar people. No consistent corresponding significant interactions were found in the control group. In conclusion, in ASD, neuroticism moderates the association between appraised stress and NA as well as the association between social context and NA.
Malonyl coenzyme A decarboxylase deficiency with a novel mutation
Authors: Kasapkara Cigdem S. , Civelek Ürey Burcu , Ceylan Ahmet C. , Ünal Uzun Özlem , Çetin Ibrahim İ.
Published: March 2021

Malonyl-CoA, a product of acetyl-CoA carboxylase is a metabolic intermediate in lipogenic tissues that include liver and adipose tissue, where it is involved in the de novo fatty acid synthesis and elongation. Malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MLYCD, E.C.4.1.1.9), a 55-kDa enzyme catalyses the conversion of malonyl-CoA to acetyl-CoA and carbon dioxide, thus providing a route for disposal of malonyl-CoA from mitochondria and peroxisomes, whereas in the cytosol, the malonyl-CoA pool is regulated by the balance of MLYCD and acetyl-CoA carboxylase activities. So far, 34 cases with different MLYCD gene defects comprising point mutations, stop codons, and frameshift mutations have been reported in the literature. Here, we describe the follow-up of a patient affected by malonic aciduria upon neonatal onset. Molecular analysis showed novel homozygous mutations in the MLYCD gene. Our findings expand the number of reported cases and add a novel variant to the repertoire of MLYCD mutations.
School-based interventions for the treatment of childhood obesity: a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of cluster randomised controlled trials
Authors: Ho Tarcisus Jian Hui , Cheng Ling Jie , Lau Ying
Published: March 2021

Objective:

Schools offer an ideal setting for childhood obesity interventions due to their access to children and adolescents. This review aimed to systematically review the impact of school-based intervention for the treatment of childhood obesity.

Design:

Eight databases were searched from inception till 30 May 2020. A revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations criteria were used to evaluate the risk of bias and overall evidence. Meta-analysis and meta-regression were performed on Stata software using the random effects model. Overall effect was evaluated using Hedges’ g, and heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran’s Q andI2.

Setting:

Cluster randomised controlled trials (cluster-RCT) delivered in school.

Participants:

Children and adolescents (6–18 years of age) with overweight and obesity.

Results:

Twelve cluster-RCT from seven countries with 1755 participants were included in the meta-analysis. School-based interventions for the treatment of childhood obesity reduced BMI and BMIz-scores with a medium effect (g= 0·52). Subgroup analyses showed greater effectiveness of brief school-based interventions and the interventions conducted in lower-middle to upper-middle economies. Meta-regression assessed the heterogeneity and the final model, with covariates of the type of economies and trial duration, accounted for 41·2 % of the variability. The overall quality of evidence was rated low because of the high risk of bias and inconsistency.

Conclusions:

School-based interventions are a possible approach to provide universal healthcare for the treatment of childhood obesity, and further well-designed cluster-RCT with longer follow-up are needed. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020160735).
Growing Healthy Minds, Bodies, and Communities: early childhood teachers’ perceptions of a nutrition-integrated pilot curriculum
Authors: Stapp Alicia C , Lambert Laurel , Mann Georgianna , Wolff Kenya
Published: March 2021

Objective:

Healthy eating behaviours are often developed early in life, yet nutrition is rarely emphasised in early childhood education. Integration of nutrition into academic content is warranted, still its ability to positively impact teaching and learning has been understudied. Therefore, the current study explored the feasibility of application in the classroom and the perceived usability of a nutrition-integrated pilot curriculum.

Design:

Early childhood teachers’ perceptions of four nutrition-integrated lessons were explored through a qualitative research approach. Data were collected through pre- and post-focus groups, lesson observations and teacher feedback. Focus group transcripts were analysed using inductive thematic analysis and supplemented with observations and lesson feedback.

Setting:

This pilot study took place in Northwest Mississippi at three pre-schools which are part of the Mississippi Early Learning Collaborative.

Participants:

A non-probability convenience sample was utilised to acquire participants. Ten early childhood teachers and 132 Pre-K4 students participated in the study.

Results:

Three themes emerged and were categorised accordingly: (a) preconceived concern of the unknown v. experienced reality, (b) promoting buy-in and engagement through hands-on learning experiences and (c) manifestation of perceived prioritisation.

Conclusions:

Nutrition-integrated lessons were reported to be creative, facilitate positive food behaviours and highly engaging for teachers and children. Concerns for new and unfamiliar curriculum were noted but could be alleviated with more detailed instructions. Future nutrition-integrated curriculum efforts should include detailed video instructions and offer a gradual and flexible schedule allowing teacher autonomy in how to prioritise implementation.
Household and schooling rather than diet offset the adverse associations of height with school competence and emotional disturbance among Taiwanese girls
Authors: Huang Lin-Yuan , Lee Meei-Shyuan , Chiang Po-Huang , Huang Yi-Chen , Wahlqvist Mark L
Published: March 2021

Objective:

Short stature may reflect health in early life and be an enduring disability. How birth weight, gender, household, elementary schooling and diet play a role in associations between stature and overall school competence (OSC) have been assessed.

Design:

The 2001–2002 Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT) for elementary schoolchildren (n 2274, 52·1 % boys) was linked to birth records. It provided sociodemographic, dietary quality, body compositional and school performance (as Scale for Assessing Emotional Disturbance, SAED; OSC as an SAED subscale) data. Lower birth weight was ≤15th percentile: 2850 g for boys and 2700 g for girls, and stature as z-scores for Taiwanese. Multivariable linear regression was used for relationships between OSC and stature. Trends in OSC by stature and school grade were assessed.

Setting:

The 2001–2002 NAHSIT for elementary schoolchildren.

Participants:

Totally, 2274 schoolchildren aged 6–13 years.

Results:

Compared to normal height (−2< height for age z-score (HAZ) <2), shorter girls (HAZ ≤ −2) had a lower OSC (8·87 v. 10·5, P < 0·05) and taller girls (HAZ ≥ 2) had a better OSC (12·3 v. 10·5, P < 0·001). Maternal education and household income each contributed more than 5 % of OSC variance. OSC and HAZ among girls were positively associated and emotional disturbance negatively associated. Shortness-associated lower OSC underwent remediation with advancing school grade. Stature and OSC were not evidently related in boys.

Conclusions:

Shorter stature can compromise OSC among school girls. The major determinants in shorter girls are less household income and limited parental education.
Constructions of Undeservingness around the Figure of the Undocumented Pregnant Woman in the French Department of Mayotte
Authors: Sahraoui Nina
Published: March 2021

This article examines how Comorian pregnant women in Mayotte, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean, came to embody an unwanted presence as irregular migrants due to their children’s and their own potential claims to belonging, while they are entitled by law to access perinatal and maternal care. This article argues that framing undocumented pregnant women as a threat led to significant shortcomings in perinatal care delivery and that those shortages in turn worsened access to healthcare services for the Mahoran-French population as well, exacerbating feelings of resentment towards Comorians. Drawing on this case-study, the article foregrounds the malleability of the CARIN criteria (Control, Attitude, Reciprocity, Identity and Need), a theoretical tool to analyse ideas related to deservingness, by demonstrating how actors re-think the meanings of ‘identity’, ‘control’, ‘attitude’ and ‘need’ and assign different weights to them in the context of a dominant frame of undeservingness.
Rethinking the Study of Electoral Politics in the Developing World: Reflections on the Indian Case
Authors: Auerbach Adam Michael , Bussell Jennifer , Chauchard Simon , Jensenius Francesca R. , Nellis Gareth , Schneider Mark , Sircar Neelanjan , Suryanarayan Pavithra , Thachil Tariq , Vaishnav Milan , Verma Rahul , Ziegfeld Adam
Published: March 2021

In the study of electoral politics and political behavior in the developing world, India is often considered to be an exemplar of the centrality of contingency in distributive politics, the role of ethnicity in shaping political behavior, and the organizational weakness of political parties. Whereas these axioms have some empirical basis, the massive changes in political practices, the vast variation in political patterns, and the burgeoning literature on subnational dynamics in India mean that such generalizations are not tenable. In this article, we consider research on India that compels us to rethink the contention that India neatly fits the prevailing wisdom in the comparative politics literature. Our objective is to elucidate how the many nuanced insights about Indian politics can improve our understanding of electoral behavior both across and within other countries, allowing us to question core assumptions in theories of comparative politics.
A NOTE ON THE LEARNING-THEORETIC CHARACTERIZATIONS OF RANDOMNESS AND CONVERGENCE
Authors: STEIFER TOMASZ
Published: March 2021

Recently, a connection has been established between two branches of computability theory, namely between algorithmic randomness and algorithmic learning theory. Learning-theoretical characterizations of several notions of randomness were discovered. We study such characterizations based on the asymptotic density of positive answers. In particular, this note provides a new learning-theoretic definition of weak 2-randomness, solving the problem posed by (Zaffora Blando, Rev. Symb. Log. 2019). The note also highlights the close connection between these characterizations and the problem of convergence on random sequences.
The Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Decision-Making Processes
Authors: Romero-Rivas Carlos , Rodriguez-Cuadrado Sara
Published: March 2021

A sample of 641 participants were presented with four decision-making tasks during the first stages of the COVID–19 lockdown in Spain: The dictator game, framing problems, utilitarian/deontological and altruistic/egoistic moral dilemmas. Participants also completed questionnaires on mental health status and experiences related to the COVID–19 pandemic. We used boosted regression trees (an advanced form of regression analysis based on machine learning) to model relationships between responses to the questionnaires and decision-making tasks. Results showed that the psychological impact of the COVID–19 pandemic predicted participants’ responses to the framing problems and utilitarian/deontological and altruistic/egoistic moral dilemmas (but not to the dictator game). More concretely, the more psychological impact participants suffered, the more they were willing to choose the safest response in the framing problems, and the more deontological/altruistic were their responses to moral dilemmas. These results suggest that the psychological impact of the COVID–19 pandemic might prompt automatic processes.
Evaluating shade cloth to simulate Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) competition in sweetpotato
Authors: Moore Levi D. , Jennings Katherine M. , Monks David W. , Jordan David L. , Leon Ramon G. , Boyette Michael D.
Published: March 2021

Field studies were conducted in 2019 and 2020 to compare the effects of shade cloth light interception and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeriS. Watson) competition on ‘Covington’ sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas(L.) Lam.]. Treatments consisted of a seven by two factorial arrangement, in which the first factor included shade cloth with an average measured light interception of 41%, 59%, 76%, and 94% andA. palmerithinned to 0.6 or 3.1 plants m−2or a nontreated weed-free check; and the second factor included shade cloth orA. palmeriremoval timing at 6 or 10 wk after planting (WAP).Amaranthus palmerilight interception peaked around 710 to 840 growing degree days (base 10 C) (6 to 7 WAP) with a maximum light interception of 67% and 84% for the 0.6 and 3.1 plants m−2densities, respectively. Increasing shade cloth light interception by 1% linearly increased yield loss by 1% for No. 1, jumbo, and total yield. Yield loss increased by 36%, 23%, and 35% as shade cloth removal was delayed from 6 to 10 WAP for No. 1, jumbo, and total yield, respectively.F-tests comparing reduced versus full models of yield loss provided no evidence that the presence of yield loss fromA. palmerilight interception caused yield loss different than that explained by the shade cloth at similar light-interception levels. Results indicate that shade cloth structures could be used to simulate Covington sweetpotato yield loss fromA. palmericompetition, and light interception could be used as a predictor for expected yield loss fromA. palmericompetition.
Hysteresis Patterns of Watershed Nitrogen Retention and Loss Over the Past 50 years in United States Hydrological Basins
Authors: Newcomer Michelle E. , Bouskill Nicholas J. , Wainwright Haruko , Maavara Taylor , Arora Bhavna , Siirila‐Woodburn Erica R. , Dwivedi Dipankar , Williams Kenneth H. , Steefel Carl , Hubbard Susan S.
Published: March 2021

Patterns of watershed nitrogen (N) retention and loss are shaped by how watershed biogeochemical processes retain, biogeochemically transform, and lose incoming atmospheric deposition of N. Loss patterns represented by concentration, discharge, and their associated stream exports are important indicators of integrated watershed N retention behaviors. We examined continental United States (CONUS) scale N deposition (e.g., wet and dry atmospheric deposition), vegetation trends, and stream trends as potential indicators of watershed N‐saturation and retention conditions, and how watershed N retention and losses vary over space and time. By synthesizing changes and modalities in watershed nitrogen loss patterns based on stream data from 2200 U.S. watersheds over a 50 years record, our work revealed two patterns of watershed N‐retention and loss. One was a hysteresis pattern that reflects the integrated influence of hydrology, atmospheric inputs, land‐use, stream temperature, elevation, and vegetation. The other pattern was a one‐way transition to a new state. We found that regions with increasing atmospheric deposition and increasing vegetation health/biomass patterns have the highest N‐retention capacity, become increasingly N‐saturated over time, and are associated with the strongest declines in stream N exports—a pattern, that is, consistent across all land cover categories. We provide a conceptual model, validated at an unprecedented scale across the CONUS that links instream nitrogen signals to upstream mechanistic landscape processes. Our work can aid in the future interpretation of in‐stream concentrations of DOC and DIN as indicators of watershed N‐retention status and integrators of watershed hydrobiogeochemical processes.
Polar Drift in the 1990s Explained by Terrestrial Water Storage Changes
Authors: Deng S. , Liu S. , Mo X. , Jiang L. , Bauer‐Gottwein P.
Published: March 2021

Secular polar drift underwent a directional change in the 1990s, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, polar motion observations are compared with geophysical excitations from the atmosphere, oceans, solid Earth, and terrestrial water storage (TWS) during the period of 1981–2020 to determine major drivers. When contributions from the atmosphere, oceans, and solid Earth are removed, the residual dominates the change in the 1990s. The contribution of TWS to the residual is quantified by comparing the hydrological excitations from modeled TWS changes in two different scenarios. One scenario assumes that the TWS change is stationary over the entire study period, and another scenario corrects the stationary result with actual glacier mass change. The accelerated ice melting over major glacial areas drives the polar drift toward 26°E for 3.28 mas/yr after the 1990s. The findings offer a clue for studying past climate‐driven polar motion.
Dispersion of Droplet Size Distributions in Supercooled Non‐precipitating Stratocumulus from Aircraft Observations Obtained during the Southern Ocean Cloud Radiation Aerosol Transport Experimental Study
Authors: Wang Yang , Zhao Chuanfeng , McFarquhar Greg M. , Wu Wei , Reeves Mike , Li Jiming
Published: March 2021

The characteristics of cloud droplet size distributions and statistical relations of the relative dispersion (ε) with the vertical velocity (w) and with the interstitial aerosol concentration (Nia) are investigated for ubiquitous supercooled shallow stratocumulus observed over the Southern Ocean (SO) using aircraft measurements obtained during the Southern Ocean Cloud Radiation Aerosol Transport Experimental Study. Distinct vertical variations have been found using 36 non‐precipitating cloud profiles. The cloud droplet effective radius (re) increases nearly monotonically from 5.3 ± 1.9 μm at cloud base to 9.4 ± 2.2 μm at cloud top. The ε decreases rapidly from cloud base (0.42 ± 0.13) and then remains relatively constant in the upper cloud layer (0.27 ± 0.09). This study also shows robust dependence of ε on both Nia and w. The ε increases (decreases) with increasing Nia (w) at a 95% confidence level when values of w (low Nia) are restricted to a small range. The important roles of aerosols and dynamics on ε are demonstrated and are crucial to estimating aerosol indirect radiative forcing, especially for pristine SO regions where models almost universally underestimate reflected radiation.
Is the Combination of Linearized Theoretical Analysis and Sand Column Experiment Always Suitable for Estimating the Complex Effective Porosity?
Authors: Yang Mingzhe , Liu Haijiang , Meng Wenjian
Published: March 2021

Groundwater hydrodynamics are significantly affected by the capillary effect when groundwater table approaches sand surface. A complex effective porosity was suggested to replace the specific yield to represent the capillary effect based on varieties of sand column experiments, and its estimation is based on the assumption that the response of time‐varying groundwater table is a simple harmonic motion. Nevertheless, groundwater hydrodynamics always consist of multiple harmonic components, which should be further examined. In this study, we first conducted laboratory sand column experiments with respect to different periodic oscillation conditions. Then, a fast Fourier transformation algorithm was applied to analyze the measured groundwater table, upon which the high order harmonic components under high frequency wave conditions was demonstrated. Subsequently, based on a perturbation approach, we presented a third order analytical solution of time‐varying groundwater table under a simple harmonic oscillation. The gradient descent method was applied to estimate the complex effective porosity by fitting the high order analytical solution to the experimental data. In addition, effects of various parameters, representing different driving head conditions and sediment properties, were testified through parametric studies, which demonstrates high order harmonic components should not be neglected under the conditions of large relative amplitude of driving head, short period oscillation, and the ratio of hydraulic conductivity to dynamic effective porosity being around 1 m/s, for example, in the scenarios of wave‐dominant swash zone. These new findings are of great importance to extend our understandings of the capillary effect on groundwater hydrodynamics.
Future Evolution of an Eddy Rich Ocean Associated with Enhanced East Atlantic Storminess in a Coupled Model Projection
Authors: Grist Jeremy P. , Josey Simon A. , Sinha Bablu , Catto Jennifer L. , Roberts Malcolm J. , Coward Andrew C.
Published: March 2021

Improved representation of air‐sea fluxes afforded by eddy‐rich oceans in high‐resolution coupled ocean‐atmosphere models may modify the tracks and intensity of storms and their response to climate change. We examine changes in winter surface ocean conditions and storminess associated with moving from an eddy‐permitting (1/4°, HM) to an eddy‐rich (1/12°, HH) ocean in control and climate change (SSP585) simulations of the HadGEM3‐GC3.1 model in which atmosphere resolution is kept at 25 km. Differences in North Atlantic climate in the control runs stem from a revised location of the Gulf Stream in the eddy‐rich model. Projections reveal greater warming in the western Atlantic in HH than HM and a pronounced increase in eastern Atlantic storminess with changes six times greater than in the eddy‐permitting model. This increase is associated with the distinctive long‐term evolution of the North Atlantic warming hole and the Gulf Stream separation in the eddy‐rich model.
Drivers and constraints on offshore foraging in harbour seals
Authors: Vance H. M. , Hooker S. K. , Mikkelsen L. , van Neer A. , Teilmann J. , Siebert U. , Johnson M.
Published: March 2021

Central place foragers are expected to offset travel costs between a central place and foraging areas by targeting productive feeding zones. Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) make multi-day foraging trips away from coastal haul-out sites presumably to target rich food resources, but periodic track points from telemetry tags may be insufficient to infer reliably where, and how often, foraging takes place. To study foraging behaviour during offshore trips, and assess what factors limit trip duration, we equipped harbour seals in the German Wadden Sea with high-resolution multi-sensor bio-logging tags, recording 12 offshore trips from 8 seals. Using acceleration transients as a proxy for prey capture attempts, we found that foraging rates during travel to and from offshore sites were comparable to offshore rates. Offshore foraging trips may, therefore, reflect avoidance of intra-specific competition rather than presence of offshore foraging hotspots. Time spent resting increased by approx. 37 min/day during trips suggesting that a resting deficit rather than patch depletion may influence trip length. Foraging rates were only weakly correlated with surface movement patterns highlighting the value of integrating multi-sensor data from on-animal bio-logging tags (GPS, depth, accelerometers and magnetometers) to infer behaviour and habitat use.
Author Correction: Observation of morphological abnormalities in silkworm pupae after feeding 137CsCl-supplemented diet to evaluate the effects of low dose-rate exposure
Authors: Tanaka Sota , Kinouchi Tadatoshi , Fujii Tsuguru , Imanaka Tetsuji , Takahashi Tomoyuki , Fukutani Satoshi , Maki Daisuke , Nohtomi Akihiro , Takahashi Sentaro
Published: March 2021

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Methylation analysis of Klebsiella pneumoniae from Portuguese hospitals
Authors: Spadar Anton , Perdigão João , Phelan Jody , Charleston James , Modesto Ana , Elias Rita , de Sessions Paola Florez , Hibberd Martin L. , Campino Susana , Duarte Aida , Clark Taane G.
Published: March 2021

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important nosocomial infectious agent with a high antimicrobial resistance (AMR) burden. The application of long read sequencing technologies is providing insights into bacterial chromosomal and putative extra-chromosomal genetic elements (PEGEs) associated with AMR, but also epigenetic DNA methylation, which is thought to play a role in cleavage of foreign DNA and expression regulation. Here, we apply the PacBio sequencing platform to eight Portuguese hospital isolates, including one carbapenemase producing isolate, to identify methylation motifs. The resulting assembled chromosomes were between 5.2 and 5.5Mbp in length, and twenty-six PEGEs were found. Four of our eight samples carry blaCTX-M-15, a dominant Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase in Europe. We identified methylation motifs that control Restriction–Modification systems, including GATC of the DNA adenine methylase (Dam), which methylates N6-methyladenine (m6A) across all our K. pneumoniae assemblies. There was a consistent lack of methylation by Dam of the GATC motif downstream of two genes: fosA, a locus associated with low level fosfomycin resistance, and tnpB transposase on IncFIB(K) plasmids. Overall, we have constructed eight high quality reference genomes of K. pneumoniae, with insights into horizontal gene transfer and methylation m6A motifs.
Developmental exposure to silver nanoparticles leads to long term gut dysbiosis and neurobehavioral alterations
Authors: Lyu Zhen , Ghoshdastidar Shreya , Rekha Karamkolly R. , Suresh Dhananjay , Mao Jiude , Bivens Nathan , Kannan Raghuraman , Joshi Trupti , Rosenfeld Cheryl S. , Upendran Anandhi
Published: March 2021

Due to their antimicrobial properties, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are used in a wide range of consumer products that includes topical wound dressings, coatings for biomedical devices, and food-packaging to extend the shelf-life. Despite their beneficial antimicrobial effects, developmental exposure to such AgNPs may lead to gut dysbiosis and long-term health consequences in exposed offspring. AgNPs can cross the placenta and blood–brain-barrier to translocate in the brain of offspring. The underlying hypothesis tested in the current study was that developmental exposure of male and female mice to AgNPs disrupts the microbiome–gut–brain axis. To examine for such effects, C57BL6 female mice were exposed orally to AgNPs at a dose of 3 mg/kg BW or vehicle control 2 weeks prior to breeding and throughout gestation. Male and female offspring were tested in various mazes that measure different behavioral domains, and the gut microbial profiles were surveyed from 30 through 120 days of age. Our study results suggest that developmental exposure results in increased likelihood of engaging in repetitive behaviors and reductions in resident microglial cells. Echo-MRI results indicate increased body fat in offspring exposed to AgNPs exhibit.Coprobacillusspp.,Mucispirillumspp., andBifidobacteriumspp. were reduced, whilePrevotellaspp.,Bacillusspp.,Planococcaceae,Staphylococcusspp.,Enterococcusspp., andRuminococcusspp. were increased in those developmentally exposed to NPs.These bacterial changes were linked to behavioral and metabolic alterations. In conclusion, developmental exposure of AgNPs results in long term gut dysbiosis, body fat increase and neurobehavioral alterations in offspring.
Reduced scan time and superior image quality with 3D flow MRI compared to 4D flow MRI for hemodynamic evaluation of the Fontan pathway
Authors: Rijnberg Friso M. , van Assen Hans C. , Juffermans Joe F. , Kroft Lucia J. M. , van den Boogaard Pieter J. , de Koning Patrick J. H. , Hazekamp Mark G. , van der Woude Séline F. S. , Warmerdam Evangeline G. , Leiner Tim , Grotenhuis Heynric B. , Goeman Jelle J. , Lamb Hildo J. , Roest Arno A. W. , Westenberg Jos J. M.
Published: March 2021

Long scan times prohibit a widespread clinical applicability of 4D flow MRI in Fontan patients. As pulsatility in the Fontan pathway is minimal during the cardiac cycle, acquiring non-ECG gated 3D flow MRI may result in a reduction of scan time while accurately obtaining time-averaged clinical parameters in comparison with 2D and 4D flow MRI. Thirty-two Fontan patients prospectively underwent 2D (reference), 3D and 4D flow MRI of the Fontan pathway. Multiple clinical parameters were assessed from time-averaged flow rates, including the right-to-left pulmonary flow distribution (main endpoint) and systemic-to-pulmonary collateral flow (SPCF). A ten-fold reduction in scan time was achieved [4D flow 15.9 min (SD 2.7 min) and 3D flow 1.6 min (SD 7.8 s), p < 0.001] with a superior signal-to-noise ratio [mean ratio of SNRs 1.7 (0.8), p < 0.001] and vessel sharpness [mean ratio 1.2 (0.4), p = 0.01] with 3D flow. Compared to 2D flow, good–excellent agreement was shown for mean flow rates (ICC 0.82–0.96) and right-to-left pulmonary flow distribution (ICC 0.97). SPCF derived from 3D flow showed good agreement with that from 4D flow (ICC 0.86). 3D flow MRI allows for obtaining time-averaged flow rates and derived clinical parameters in the Fontan pathway with good–excellent agreement with 2D and 4D flow, but with a tenfold reduction in scan time and significantly improved image quality compared to 4D flow.
Development of a semi-automated segmentation tool for high frequency ultrasound image analysis of mouse echocardiograms
Authors: Powers Kristi , Chang Raymond , Torello Justin , Silva Rhonda , Cadoret Yannick , Cupelo William , Morton Lori , Dunn Michael
Published: March 2021

Echocardiography is a widely used and clinically translatable imaging modality for the evaluation of cardiac structure and function in preclinical drug discovery and development. Echocardiograms are among the first in vivo diagnostic tools utilized to evaluate the heart due to its relatively low cost, high throughput acquisition, and non-invasive nature; however lengthy manual image analysis, intra- and inter-operator variability, and subjective image analysis presents a challenge for reproducible data generation in preclinical research. To combat the image-processing bottleneck and address both variability and reproducibly challenges, we developed a semi-automated analysis algorithm workflow to analyze long- and short-axis murine left ventricle (LV) ultrasound images. The long-axis B-mode algorithm executes a script protocol that is trained using a reference library of 322 manually segmented LV ultrasound images. The short-axis script was engineered to analyze M-mode ultrasound images in a semi-automated fashion using a pixel intensity evaluation approach, allowing analysts to place two seed-points to triangulate the local maxima of LV wall boundary annotations. Blinded operator evaluation of the semi-automated analysis tool was performed and compared to the current manual segmentation methodology for testing inter- and intra-operator reproducibility at baseline and after a pharmacologic challenge. Comparisons between manual and semi-automatic derivation of LV ejection fraction resulted in a relative difference of 1% for long-axis (B-mode) images and 2.7% for short-axis (M-mode) images. Our semi-automatic workflow approach reduces image analysis time and subjective bias, as well as decreases inter- and intra-operator variability, thereby enhancing throughput and improving data quality for pre-clinical in vivo studies that incorporate cardiac structure and function endpoints.
Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) in the primary motor cortex and its effects on sensorimotor function: a quasi-experimental single-blind sham-controlled trial
Authors: Lerma-Lara Sergio , De Cherade Montbron Marina , Guérin Mathias , Cuenca-Martínez Ferran , La Touche Roy
Published: March 2021

The main aim was to assess the short-term effects of active-tDCS (a-tDCS) in the primary motor cortex (anodal stimulation-M1) on sensorimotor variables. These variables included discriminative sensation through the two-point discrimination (2-PD) test, tactile acuity threshold and pressure pain threshold (PPT), and electromyographic (EMG) activity compared with a sham-tDCS (s-tDCS) in healthy individuals. A total of 100 participants were included. Fifty of the participants received the a-tDCS application of 2 mA for 20 min, whereas the remaining fifty received the s-tDCS. The 2-PD and tactile acuity threshold in thenar eminence of the hand and in the dorsal part of the foot and also, PPT and EMG activity during maximal voluntary contraction in the biceps brachii and rectus femoris were assessed before and after the tDCS application. The a-tDCS intervention was not significantly superior to the s-tDCS in any variable. However, significant within-group pre- and post-intervention differences were found in the a-tDCS, such as the tactile acuity threshold in thenar eminence of the hand, with a small effect size (p = .012, d = 0.20) and in the PPT of the rectus femoris, also with a small effect size (p = .001, d =  − 0.17). Regarding EMG activity, a trend towards greater activity was observed in participants with a-tDCS compared with s-tDCS, which showed a trend towards decreased EMG activity. In fact, although no differences were found between the groups, within-group differences were statistically significant in the biceps brachii pre- and postintervention (p = .023, d =  − 0.16, and p = .002, d = 0.18, respectively), and also in the rectus femoris, only in the a-tDCS, with a small effect size (p = .011, d =  − 0.14). This study showed no significant between-group differences in sensorimotor outcomes. A single session of tDCS in isolation appears to produce immediate effects in healthy participants on sensorimotor function; however, these effects were very small.
Cardiothoracic imaging findings of Proteus syndrome
Authors: Mirmomen S. Mojdeh , Arai Andrew E. , Turkbey Evrim B. , Bradley Andrew J. , Sapp Julie C. , Biesecker Leslie G. , Sirajuddin Arlene
Published: March 2021

In this work, we sought to delineate the prevalence of cardiothoracic imaging findings of Proteus syndrome in a large cohort at our institution. Of 53 individuals with a confirmed diagnosis of Proteus syndrome at our institution from 10/2001 to 10/2019, 38 individuals (men, n = 23; average age = 24 years) underwent cardiothoracic imaging (routine chest CT, CT pulmonary angiography and/or cardiac MRI). All studies were retrospectively and independently reviewed by two fellowship-trained cardiothoracic readers. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. Differences between variables were analyzed via parametric and nonparametric tests based on the normality of the distribution. The cardiothoracic findings of Proteus syndrome were diverse, but several were much more common and included: scoliosis from bony overgrowth (94%), pulmonary venous dilation (62%), band-like areas of lung scarring (56%), and hyperlucent lung parenchyma (50%). In addition, of 20 individuals who underwent cardiac MRI, 9/20 (45%) had intramyocardial fat, mostly involving the endocardial surface of the left ventricular septal wall. There was no statistically significant difference among the functional cardiac parameters between individuals with and without intramyocardial fat. Only one individual with intramyocardial fat had mildly decreased function (LVEF = 53%), while all others had normal ejection fraction.
Author Correction: Rescue of germ cells in dnd crispant embryos opens the possibility to produce inherited sterility in Atlantic salmon
Authors: Güralp Hilal , Skaftnesmo Kai O. , Kjærner‑Semb Erik , Straume Anne Hege , Kleppe Lene , Schulz Rüdiger W. , Edvardsen Rolf B. , Wargelius Anna
Published: March 2021

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.