bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Challenges for Tractogram Filtering
Authors: Jörgens Daniel , Descoteaux Maxime , Moreno Rodrigo
Published: February 2021

Tractography aims at describing the most likely neural fiber paths in white matter. A general issue of current tractography methods is their large false-positive rate. An approach to deal with this problem is tractogram filtering in which anatomically implausible streamlines are discarded as a post-processing step after tractography. In this chapter, we review the main approaches and methods from literature that are relevant for the application of tractogram filtering. Moreover, we give a perspective on the central challenges for the development of new methods, including modern machine learning techniques, in this field in the next few years.
Öffentliche Mobilität gestalten – Die Mobilitätsberichterstattung
Authors: Hausigke Sven , Kruse Carolin
Published: February 2021

Wie mobil eine Person ist, wird bestimmt von der Anzahl und Qualität ihrer Möglichkeiten – dem Möglichkeitsraum. Die Mobilität von Menschen ist daher von den äußeren, öffentlichen Einflussfaktoren abhängig, die sich aus dem Verkehrssystem selbst als auch aus den räumlichen, gesellschaftlichen und ökonomischen Einflussfaktoren ergeben. Um Mobilität für alle zu gestalten, sind somit die Bedarfe der Bevölkerung und ihre bestehenden Möglichkeitsräume in der Verkehrsplanung zu berücksichtigen.
Öffentliche Mobilität und eine neue Mobilitätskultur – Grundlagen, Entwicklungen und Wege zur kulturellen Verkehrswende
Authors: Hoor Maximilian
Published: February 2021

Der vorliegende Beitrag setzt sich aus einer kulturtheoretischen Perspektive mit neuen Mobilitätskulturen und ihrer Bedeutung für die Öffentliche Mobilität auseinander. Wenn es das verkehrsplanerische und -politische Ziel ist, jede*r Bürger*in die gesellschaftliche Teilhabe zu gewähren, aber den dadurch verursachten Verkehr in seinen negativen Auswirkungen zu begrenzen (siehe die Einleitung von Schwedes in diesem Band), dann werden vielfältige und mit Konflikten verbundene Umgestaltungs-, Umverteilungs- und Aushandlungsprozesse geführt werden müssen, die sowohl auf materieller wie auf symbolischer Ebene wirken: Es braucht eine neue Mobilitätskultur.
Öffentliche Mobilität finanzieren: Plädoyer für ein neues Verständnis der Mobilitätsfinanzierung im öffentlichen Verkehr
Authors: Mietzsch Oliver
Published: February 2021

Mit der Herausbildung integrativer Planungsansätze zur besseren Erfassung des Phänomens stellt sich nicht nur die Frage nach geeigneten Messinstrumenten zur Beschreibung der Komplexität der Bewegung von Menschen in Raum und Zeit. Vielmehr ergeben sich daraus auch gänzlich neue Anforderungen an den Bereich der Governance, d. h. die immateriellen und materiellen Rahmenbedingungen von Mobilität. Zu den immateriellen Rahmenbedingungen gehören die im historischen Kontext verorteten ethischen Begründungen für die Organisation von Mobilität ebenso wie die daraus entstandenen Handlungsmuster und Routinen, d. h. die Mobilitätskultur (siehe den Beitrag von Hoor in diesem Band).
Two decades since the fetal insulin hypothesis: what have we learned from genetics?
Authors: Hughes Alice E. , Hattersley Andrew T. , Flanagan Sarah E. , Freathy Rachel M.
Published: February 2021

In 1998 the fetal insulin hypothesis proposed that lower birthweight and adult-onset type 2 diabetes are two phenotypes of the same genotype. Since then, advances in research investigating the role of genetics affecting insulin secretion and action have furthered knowledge of fetal insulin-mediated growth and the biology of type 2 diabetes. In this review, we discuss the historical research context from which the fetal insulin hypothesis originated and consider the position of the hypothesis in light of recent evidence. In summary, there is now ample evidence to support the idea that variants of certain genes which result in impaired pancreatic beta cell function and reduced insulin secretion contribute to both lower birthweight and higher type 2 diabetes risk in later life when inherited by the fetus. There is also evidence to support genetic links between type 2 diabetes secondary to reduced insulin action and lower birthweight but this applies only to loci implicated in body fat distribution and not those influencing insulin resistance via obesity or lipid metabolism by the liver. Finally, we also consider how advances in genetics are being used to explore alternative hypotheses, namely the role of the maternal intrauterine environment, in the relationship between lower birthweight and adult cardiometabolic disease.

Graphical abstract
Fireshape: a shape optimization toolbox for Firedrake
Authors: Paganini Alberto , Wechsung Florian
Published: February 2021

We introduce Fireshape, an open-source and automated shape optimization toolbox for the finite element software Firedrake. Fireshape is based on the moving mesh method and allows users with minimal shape optimization knowledge to tackle with ease challenging shape optimization problems constrained to partial differential equations (PDEs).
Deep learning–based metal artefact reduction in PET/CT imaging
Authors: Arabi Hossein , Zaidi Habib
Published: February 2021

Objectives

The susceptibility of CT imaging to metallic objects gives rise to strong streak artefacts and skewed information about the attenuation medium around the metallic implants. This metal-induced artefact in CT images leads to inaccurate attenuation correction in PET/CT imaging. This study investigates the potential of deep learning–based metal artefact reduction (MAR) in quantitative PET/CT imaging.

Methods

Deep learning–based metal artefact reduction approaches were implemented in the image (DLI-MAR) and projection (DLP-MAR) domains. The proposed algorithms were quantitatively compared to the normalized MAR (NMAR) method using simulated and clinical studies. Eighty metal-free CT images were employed for simulation of metal artefact as well as training and evaluation of the aforementioned MAR approaches. Thirty 18F-FDG PET/CT images affected by the presence of metallic implants were retrospectively employed for clinical assessment of the MAR techniques.

Results

The evaluation of MAR techniques on the simulation dataset demonstrated the superior performance of the DLI-MAR approach (structural similarity (SSIM) = 0.95 ± 0.2 compared to 0.94 ± 0.2 and 0.93 ± 0.3 obtained using DLP-MAR and NMAR, respectively) in minimizing metal artefacts in CT images. The presence of metallic artefacts in CT images or PET attenuation correction maps led to quantitative bias, image artefacts and under- and overestimation of scatter correction of PET images. The DLI-MAR technique led to a quantitative PET bias of 1.3 ± 3% compared to 10.5 ± 6% without MAR and 3.2 ± 0.5% achieved by NMAR.

Conclusion

The DLI-MAR technique was able to reduce the adverse effects of metal artefacts on PET images through the generation of accurate attenuation maps from corrupted CT images.

Key Points

• The presence of metallic objects, such as dental implants, gives rise to severe photon starvation, beam hardening and scattering, thus leading to adverse artefacts in reconstructed CT images.

• The aim of this work is to develop and evaluate a deep learning–based MAR to improve CT-based attenuation and scatter correction in PET/CT imaging.

• Deep learning–based MAR in the image (DLI-MAR) domain outperformed its counterpart implemented in the projection (DLP-MAR) domain. The DLI-MAR approach minimized the adverse impact of metal artefacts on whole-body PET images through generating accurate attenuation maps from corrupted CT images.
Mind wandering increases linearly with text difficulty
Authors: Kahmann Rebecca , Ozuer Yesim , Zedelius Claire M. , Bijleveld Erik
Published: February 2021

Although mind wandering during reading is known to be affected by text difficulty, the nature of this relationship is not yet fully understood. To examine this issue, we conducted an experiment in which participants read non-fiction texts that varied along five levels of difficulty under naturalistic conditions. Difficulty levels were determined based on Flesch–Kincaid Grade Levels and verified with Coh–Metrix indices. Mind wandering was measured with thought probes. We predicted that text difficulty and mind wandering have a U-shaped (i.e., quadratic) relationship. Contrary to our expectations, but in line with some prior studies, mind wandering linearly increased with text difficulty. Additionally, text interest moderated the effect of text difficulty on mind wandering. Finally, mind wandering was associated with worse performance on a comprehension test. Together, our findings extend previous work by showing that (a) a linear relationship between difficulty and mind wandering exists during common page-by-page reading of pre-existing texts and that (b) this relationship holds across a broad range of difficulty levels.
Long-term live cell cycle imaging of single Cyanidioschyzon merolae cells
Authors: Ichinose Takako M. , Iwane Atsuko H.
Published: February 2021

Live cell imaging by fluorescence microscopy is a useful tool for elucidating the localization and function of proteins and organelles in single cells. Especially, time-lapse analysis observing the same field sequentially can be used to observe cells of many organisms and analyze the dynamics of intracellular molecules. By single-cell analysis, it is possible to elucidate the characteristics and fluctuations of individual cells, which cannot be elucidated from the data obtained by averaging the characteristics of an ensemble of cells. The primitive red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae has a very simple structure and is considered a useful model organism for studying the mechanism of organelle division, since the division is performed synchronously with the cell cycle. However, C. merolae does not have a rigid cell wall, and environmental changes such as low temperature or high pH cause morphological change and disruption easily. Therefore, morphological studies of C. merolae typically use fixed cells. In this study, we constructed a long-term time-lapse observation system to analyze the dynamics of proteins in living C. merolae cells. From the results, we elucidate the cell division process of single living cells, including the function of intracellular components.
High-resolution anoscopy, is there a benefit in proceeding directly to the operating room?
Authors: Moeckli B. , Canner J. , Najafian A. , Carbunaru S. , Cowell N. , Atallah C. , Paredes E. , Chudnovets A. , Fang S. H.
Published: February 2021

Background

The development of high-resolution anoscopy (HRA) has advanced our ability to detect anal dysplasia. Historically, HRA is performed in a clinical setting and subsequent ablation is performed in the clinical setting or operating room. The aim of this study was to determine the most effective venue for the performance of HRA.

Methods

Following institutional review board (IRB) approval, the correlation between anal cytology and HRA performed in the clinic versus in the operating room was evaluated. Data were extracted from our IRB-approved prospective HRA database over the time period of 2013–2017.

Results

One hundred twenty-eight HRAs were compared (101 in the clinical setting, 27 in the operating room). There was a statistically significant difference in the correlation between anal cytology and HRA pathology for procedures performed in the clinical setting (55% [56/101]) versus those performed in the operating room (82% [22/27]) (p = 0.014). More biopsies were obtained in the operating room than in the clinic setting (3 vs. 1, p < 0.0001). The majority of patients who had HRA in a clinical setting with subsequent HRA in the operating room stated that they preferred to have their HRAs performed in the operating room due to discomfort from the HRA procedure.

Conclusions

Detection rates for anal dysplasia on HRA, are significantly higher when performed in the operating room. To prevent discomfort in the clinical setting, patients with high-grade dysplasia on anal pap testing may benefit from proceeding directly to the operating room for concurrent HRA and ablation.
The social drift of trees. Consequence for growth trend detection, stand dynamics, and silviculture
Authors: Pretzsch Hans
Published: February 2021

Recently, many studies worldwide tapped tree ring pattern for detection of growth events and trends caused by weather extremes and climate change. As long-term experiments with permanent survey of all trees are rare, growth trend analyses are mostly based on retrospective measurements of growth via increment coring or stem analyses of the remaining individual trees in older forest stands. However, the growth of the survivor trees in older stands may only unsufficiently represent the course of growth of the dominant trees throughout the stand development. Here, the more than 100 years survey data of the European beech (Fagus sylvaticaL.) thinning experiment Fabrikschleichach in South Germany are used to show the long-term changes in social ranking of trees and their consequences for growth trend detection by retrospective tree ring analyses, for stand dynamics and silvicultural management. Firstly, a significant social upwards drift of initially medium-sized trees till 2010 is shown based on the trees' percentiles in the stem diameter distribution in 1904 versus 2010. The social climbing is stronger on the thinned compared to the unthinned plots. Secondly, we show that 40–60% of the 100 tallest trees in 1904 were replaced by social climbers and down-ranked below the 100 tallest trees till 2010. Linear mixed model analyses reveal that the long-term trend of the diameter growth of the 100 dominant survivors in 2010 was on average by 23% steeper than the trend of the 100 tallest starters in 1904. This indicates that the survivors had a steeper and longer lasting growth than the originally dominant trees. Thirdly, the diameter growth trend in the last 20 years, from 1990 to 2010, is analyzed in dependency on the current and past social position. A linear model shows that early subdominance or suppression can significantly steepen the growth trend a century later and vice versa.

Finally, we discuss the implications of the social drift for the survivor-based growth trend analyses, for the stand dynamics, and silvicultural management.
Imaging of pediatric bone and growth disorders: Of diagnostic workhorses and new horizons
Authors: Mehany Sarah N. , Patsch Janina M.
Published: February 2021

Children and adolescents with bone and growth disorders require interdisciplinary care from various specialists including pediatric radiologists with a focus on musculoskeletal disorders. This article covers routine topics, differential diagnoses, and selected research imaging in children with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), X‑linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XLH), achondroplasia, and other bone and growth disorders from the standpoint of a tertiary referral center.
Landrace added value and accessibility in Europe: what a collection of case studies tells us
Authors: Raggi L. , Caproni L. , Negri V.
Published: February 2021

In the actual climate change scenario, in situ conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture can significantly contribute broadening the diversity of our food system as well as increasing its resilience; nevertheless, landrace cultivation has been dramatically reduced in the last decades all over Europe. One of the most effective approaches to counteract the loss of landrace diversity in situ is facilitating its use. Aims of this study were to (i) describe how in situ maintenance of landraces occurs in different agro-environmental conditions in Europe and (ii) identify the main factors influencing landrace added values and accessibility as means to increase their adoption by new farmers. To the purpose, a collection of 95 case studies of both garden and open field landraces maintained in situ was analysed. A first description was obtained by classifying the information into 18 purposely defined categories. Data on landraces added values and accessibility were further transformed into weighted variables; the derived quantitative scores were then used as dependent variables in univariate and multivariate analyses. Results showed that farmers alone are still the main actors maintaining landraces in situ across different European biogeographical regions, mainly carrying out their activity under organic or low-input conditions, often in marginal areas. Results of the multivariate analysis showed that (i) type of actor involved in the multiplication, (ii) the main use of the product and (iii) presence of promotion actions significantly affect garden landraces added value and accessibility; presence of promotion actions was the only factor affecting added value of open field entries. Evidence arising from this work can contribute to the establishment of a fruitful ground of discussion for future European policies and strategies to protect and increase landrace use.
Disentangling Turbulent Gas Diffusion from Non-diffusive Transport in the Boundary Layer
Authors: Kowalski Andrew S. , Serrano-Ortiz Penélope , Miranda-García Gabriela , Fratini Gerardo
Published: February 2021

An analysis based on the law of linear momentum conservation demonstrates unequivocally that the mass fraction is the scalar whose gradient determines gas diffusion, both molecular and turbulent. It illustrates sizeable errors in previous micrometeorological definitions of the turbulent gas flux based on fluctuations in other scalars such as the mixing ratio or density. In deference to conservation law, we put forth a new definition for the turbulent gas flux. Net gas transport is then defined as the sum of this turbulent flux with systematic transport by the mean flow. This latter, non-diffusive flux is due to the net upward boundary-layer momentum, a Stefan flow forced by evaporation, which is the dominant surface gas exchange. A comparison with the traditional methodology shows exact agreement between the two methods regarding the net flux, but with the novelty of partitioning gas transport according to distinct physical mechanisms. The non-diffusive flux is seen to be non-negligible in general, and to dominate turbulent transport under certain conditions, with broad implications for boundary-layer meteorology.
Development of antibacterial and UV protective cotton fabrics using plant food waste and alien invasive plant extracts as reducing agents for the in-situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles
Authors: Čuk Nina , Šala Martin , Gorjanc Marija
Published: February 2021

The development of cellulose-based textiles that are functionalised with silver nanoparticles (AgNP), synthesised according to a green approach, and offer protection against ultraviolet (UV) radiation and pathogenic bacteria is very important today. In the present work we demonstrate the environmentally friendly approach to obtain such textile material by AgNP synthesis directly (in-situ) on cotton fabrics, using water extracts of plant food waste (green tea leaves, avocado seed and pomegranate peel) and alien invasive plants (Japanese knotweed rhizome, goldenrod flowers and staghorn sumac fruit) as reducing agents. The extracts were analysed for their total content of phenols and flavonoids and their antioxidant activity. The synthesised AgNP on cotton were round, of different size and amount depending on the reducing agent used. The highest amount of AgNP was found for samples where Japanese knotweed rhizome extract was used as reducing agent and the lowest where extracts of goldenrod flowers and green tea leaves were used. Regardless of the reducing agent used to form AgNP, all cotton samples showed excellent protection againstE. coliandS. aureusbacteria and against UV radiation with UV protection factor values above 50. The best results for UV protection even after the twelve repetitive washing cycles were found for the sample functionalized with AgNP synthesised with an extract of the Japanese knotweed rhizome. Due to the presence of AgNP on cotton, the air permeability and thermal conductivity decreased. AgNP had no effect on the change in breaking strength or elongation of fabrics.

Graphic abstract
Internalizing Symptoms Among Youth in Foster Care: Prevalence and Associations with Exposure to Maltreatment
Authors: Moussavi Yasmin , Wergeland Gro Janne , Bøe Tormod , Haugland Bente Storm Mowatt , Larsen Marit , Lehmann Stine
Published: February 2021

Among youth in foster care (N = 303, aged 11–17 years), we investigated prevalence of internalizing symptoms; associations between symptom level and maltreatment types and numbers; and the interaction between gender and maltreatment, on internalizing symptoms. Youth completed Spence Children Anxiety Scale, Short Mood Feelings Questionnaire, and Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen. Compared to community samples, symptom levels above clinical cut-off was more frequent, with social- and generalized anxiety (ES = 0.78–0.88) being most prevalent among youth in foster care. Girls reported more internalizing symptoms (ES = 0.59–0.93). Sexual abuse and neglect were associated with a broader range of internalizing symptoms (ES = 0.35–0.64). Increased incidence of maltreatment was associated with increased levels of symptoms (ES = 0.21–0.22). Associations between maltreatment and symptom level were stronger for girls. This study stresses the importance of broad screening of maltreatment and internalizing symptoms to meet the needs of youth in foster care.
On the Kirchhoff-Love Hypothesis (Revised and Vindicated)
Authors: Ozenda Olivier , Virga Epifanio G.
Published: February 2021

The Kirchhoff-Love hypothesis expresses a kinematic constraint that is assumed to be valid for the deformations of a three-dimensional body when one of its dimensions is much smaller than the other two, as is the case for plates. This hypothesis has a long history checkered with the vicissitudes of life: even its paternity has been questioned, and recent rigorous dimension-reduction tools (based on standard$\varGamma $Γ-convergence) have proven to be incompatible with it. We find that an appropriately revised version of the Kirchhoff-Love hypothesis is a valuable means to derive a two-dimensional variational model for elastic plates from a three-dimensional nonlinear free-energy functional. The bending energies thus obtained for a number of materials also show to contain measures of stretching of the plate’s mid surface (alongside the expected measures of bending). The incompatibility with standard$\varGamma $Γ-convergence also appears to be removed in the cases where contact with that method and ours can be made.
Eye‐body allometry across biphasic ontogeny in anuran amphibians
Authors: Shrimpton Samuel J. , Streicher Jeffrey W. , Gower David J. , Bell Rayna C. , Fujita Matthew K. , Schott Ryan K. , Thomas Kate N.
Published: February 2021

Animals with biphasic lifecycles often inhabit different visual environments across ontogeny. Many frogs and toads (Amphibia: Anura) have free-living aquatic larvae (tadpoles) that metamorphose into adults that inhabit a range of aquatic and terrestrial environments. Ecological differences influence eye size across species, but these relationships have not yet been explored across life stages in an ontogenetic allometric context. We examined eye-body size scaling in a species with aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults, the common frog Rana temporaria, using a well-sampled developmental series. We found a shift in ontogenetic allometric trajectory near metamorphosis indicating prioritized growth in tadpole eyes. To explore the effects of different tadpole and adult ecologies on eye-body scaling, we expanded our taxonomic sampling to include developmental series of eleven additional anuran species. Intraspecific eye-body scaling was variable among species, with 8/12 species exhibiting a significant change in allometric slope between tadpoles and adults. Traits categorizing both tadpole ecology (microhabitat, eye position, mouth position) and adult ecology (habitat, activity pattern) across species had significant effects on allometric slopes among tadpoles, but only tadpole eye position had a significant effect among adults. Our study suggests that relative eye growth in the preliminary stages of biphasic anuran ontogenies is somewhat decoupled and may be shaped by both immediate ecological need (i.e. tadpole visual requirements) and what will be advantageous during later adult stages.
Green synthesis of silver, iron and gold nanoparticles of lycopene extracted from tomato: their characterization and cytotoxicity against COLO320DM, HT29 and Hella cell
Authors: Shejawal Kiran P. , Randive Dheeraj S. , Bhinge Somnath D. , Bhutkar Mangesh A. , Todkar Sachin S. , Mulla Anjum S. , Jadhav Namdeo R.
Published: February 2021

Our study aimed at development of Silver, Iron and Gold nanoparticles of Lycopene isolated from tomato by using green synthesis technique and to evaluate its anticancer potential against colorectal and cervical cancer. Lycopene was extracted by benzene extraction method and the silver, iron and gold nanoparticles were developed by green synthesis method. 1% aqueous extract of isolated Lycopene was mixed with 1% solutions of AgNO3, FeCl3and HAuCl4solutions and incubated at ambient temperature for 3–4 h separately and observed for the color change which is an indicative of formation of the nanoparticles. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by FTIR, SEM, XRD analysis and evaluated for their antimicrobial potential. The cytotoxicity studies were carried out by in vitro assay like MTT, SRB and Tryphan blue method against Colo 320 DM, HT 29, and Hella. SEM showed nanosized particles of 50–100 nm range, whereas no antimicrobial activity was exhibited by the prepared nanoparticles. In MTT assay the LyAgNP showed maximum 41.41 ± 0.4124% inhibition against COLO320DM, whereas LyGNP exhibited 41.47 ± 0.4469% inhibition against HT 29 and LyAgNP showed 40.9 ± 0.6908% inhibition against Hella cells. In SRB assay LyAgNP showed maximum 82.68 ± 1.1798% inhibition against COLO320DM, whereas LyGNP exhibited maximum 91.21 ± 0.2372% inhibition against HT29 and 87.98 ± 0.5878% inhibition against Hella cells. In tryphan blue assay against COLO320DM, HT29 and Hella cells, the maximum inhibition exhibited by the prepared nanoparticles were observed as LyGNP 83.45 ± 0.4694%, LyAgNP 88.05 ± 0.1870% and LyAgNP65.47 ± 0.4766%. We conclude that the developed nanoparticles of Lycopene exhibited potential anticancer activity against Colorectal and cervical cancer cell as compared with pure Lycopene.
Persistence of the spectral gap for the Landau–Pekar equations
Authors: Feliciangeli Dario , Rademacher Simone , Seiringer Robert
Published: February 2021

The Landau–Pekar equations describe the dynamics of a strongly coupled polaron. Here, we provide a class of initial data for which the associated effective Hamiltonian has a uniform spectral gap for all times. For such initial data, this allows us to extend the results on the adiabatic theorem for the Landau–Pekar equations and their derivation from the Fröhlich model obtained in previous works to larger times.
Choosing the Narrative: the Shadow Banking Crisis in Light of Covid
Authors: Miller Marcus
Published: February 2021

Could experiencing a health pandemic aid in understanding the nature of financial crisis? It might, for example, help to discriminate between different narratives that claim to do so. In this spirit, two influential accounts of the near-collapse of shadow banking in the US financial crisis of 2008 are analysed: one developed by Mark Gertler and Nobuhiro Kiyotaki and the other presented by the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission of the US Congress. Using a common two-sector framework, key features of these contrasting accounts of the market for banking services are presented, along with their corresponding diagnoses of what precipitated financial crisis. To see what the experience of Covid might imply about their relative credibility, four aspects of the current pandemic are considered: how it began from a small biological shock; how it gets spread by contagion; the significance of externalities; and how it may end with a vaccine. But the reader is left to form his or her own judgement.
Genome-wide identification and characterization of long non-coding RNAs involved in flag leaf senescence of rice
Authors: Huang Xiaoping , Zhang Hongyu , Wang Qiang , Guo Rong , Wei Lingxia , Song Haiyan , Kuang Weigang , Liao Jianglin , Huang Yingjin , Wang Zhaohai
Published: February 2021

Key message

This study showed the systematic identification of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) involving in flag leaf senescence of rice, providing the possible lncRNA-mRNA regulatory relationships and lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA networks during leaf senescence.

LncRNAs have been reported to play crucial roles in diverse biological processes. However, no systematic identification of lncRNAs associated with leaf senescence in plants has been studied. In this study, a genome-wide high throughput sequencing analysis was performed using rice flag leaves developing from normal to senescence. A total of 3953 lncRNAs and 38757 mRNAs were identified, of which 343 lncRNAs and 9412 mRNAs were differentially expressed. Through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), 22 continuously down-expressed lncRNAs targeting 812 co-expressed mRNAs and 48 continuously up-expressed lncRNAs targeting 1209 co-expressed mRNAs were considered to be significantly associated with flag leaf senescence. Gene Ontology results suggested that the senescence-associated lncRNAs targeted mRNAs involving in many biological processes, including transcription, hormone response, oxidation–reduction process and substance metabolism. Additionally, 43 senescence-associated lncRNAs were predicted to target 111 co-expressed transcription factors. Interestingly, 8 down-expressed lncRNAs and 29 up-expressed lncRNAs were found to separately target 12 and 20 well-studied senescence-associated genes (SAGs). Furthermore, analysis on the competing endogenous RNA (CeRNA) network revealed that 6 down-expressed lncRNAs possibly regulated 51 co-expressed mRNAs through 15 miRNAs, and 14 up-expressed lncRNAs possibly regulated 117 co-expressed mRNAs through 21 miRNAs. Importantly, by expression validation, a conserved miR164-NAC regulatory pathway was found to be possibly involved in leaf senescence, where lncRNA MSTRG.62092.1 may serve as a ceRNA binding with miR164a and miR164e to regulate three transcription factors. And two key lncRNAs MSTRG.31014.21 and MSTRG.31014.36 also could regulate the abscisic-acid biosynthetic gene BGIOSGA025169 (OsNCED4) and BGIOSGA016313 (NAC family) through osa-miR5809. The possible regulation networks of lncRNAs involving in leaf senescence were discussed, and several candidate lncRNAs were recommended for prior transgenic analysis. These findings will extend the understanding on the regulatory roles of lncRNAs in leaf senescence, and lay a foundation for functional research on candidate lncRNAs.
Drought alters plant‐soil feedback effects on biomass allocation but not on plant performance
Authors: Wilschut Rutger A. , van Kleunen Mark
Published: February 2021

Aims

Drought events can alter the composition of plant and soil communities, and are becoming increasingly common and severe due to climate change. However, how droughts affect plant-soil feedbacks is still poorly understood. Plants accumulate species-specific rhizosphere communities, and droughts may have varying impacts across plant species and soil biota. We therefore tested the hypothesis that drought alters plant-soil feedbacks differently among closely related plant species that differ in their preferences for soil moisture.

Methods

In a two-phase greenhouse experiment, we first conditioned grassland soil with sevenGeraniumspecies and, as controls, we conditioned soil with a grass species or left soil unplanted. In the second phase, we grew theGeraniumspecies in conspecific, grass-conditioned and unplanted soil, maintained soil moisture at 5 %, 10 % or 20 % (w/w), and determined biomass responses after 35 days.

Results

Independent of conditioning, plants showed a weaker performance with decreasing soil moisture. Under the driest conditions, soil conditioning by conspecifics most negatively affected relative root weight in comparison to plants growing in unplanted control soil, while the effects of conspecific conditioning on relative root weights were species-specific when compared to plants grown in grass-conditioned control soil.

Conclusions

We conclude that decreased soil moisture modified plant-soil feedback effects on biomass allocation, and that these modifications acted in species-specific ways. However, drought effects on plant-soil feedbacks were subtle, and did not affect overall plant performance. Therefore, plant-soil feedback effects on plant performance during a drought event may be limited in comparison with the direct effects of drought.
Reasonableness of Limits, Reasonableness as Limit (in Legal Interpretation)
Authors: Manzin Maurizio
Published: February 2021

This short essay aims at discussing the opposition between two different views on limits in legal interpretations: I will call them (i) “no-limits option” and (ii) “pro-limits option”. As for (i), it is based on a widely diffused understanding of individual freedom: that of an unceasing breaking of all limits. This idea involves nowadays not only a number of once accepted moral limits, nor the material or social limits suffered by people, but also the limits of conceptual determinations. As for (ii), it is based on the conjecture that limit would be the condition of “no longer, not yet”—as such, a matter of authentic freedom. The “no-limits option” can easily lead, in legal interpretation, to a radical contextualism according to which there would be unlimited meanings for a syntactically and semantically same legal text. The “pro-limits option”, on the contrary, maintains that the existence of limits is reasonable, and that reasonableness is itself a limit to interpretation. In other words, the undetermined space of “no longer, not yet” in which the limits consist of is open to exploration on and beyond through appropriate procedures of reason-giving. According to the “pro-limits option”, a reasonably common core-meaning of a legal text should be sought also when cases of application vary—and that would be precisely the nature of legal interpretation. Arguments in favor of this thesis can be found in Western philosophy from Aristotle to contemporary neurosciences (according to which reasonableness is natural). A remarkable consequence of my discussion on these two options deals with the concept of normativity, given that option (i) conceives normativity only as an expression of will (the one to establish and to infringe limits), whereas option (ii) links normativity to reasonableness.
BepiColombo Science Investigations During Cruise and Flybys at the Earth, Venus and Mercury
Authors: Mangano Valeria , Dósa Melinda , Fränz Markus , Milillo Anna , Oliveira Joana S. , Lee Yeon Joo , McKenna-Lawlor Susan , Grassi Davide , Heyner Daniel , Kozyrev Alexander S. , Peron Roberto , Helbert Jörn , Besse Sebastien , de la Fuente Sara , Montagnon Elsa , Zender Joe , Volwerk Martin , Chaufray Jean-Yves , Slavin James A. , Krüger Harald , Maturilli Alessandro , Cornet Thomas , Iwai Kazumasa , Miyoshi Yoshizumi , Lucente Marco , Massetti Stefano , Schmidt Carl A. , Dong Chuanfei , Quarati Francesco , Hirai Takayuki , Varsani Ali , Belyaev Denis , Zhong Jun , Kilpua Emilia K. J. , Jackson Bernard V. , Odstrcil Dusan , Plaschke Ferdinand , Vainio Rami , Jarvinen Riku , Ivanovski Stavro Lambrov , Madár Ákos , Erdős Géza , Plainaki Christina , Alberti Tommaso , Aizawa Sae , Benkhoff Johannes , Murakami Go , Quemerais Eric , Hiesinger Harald , Mitrofanov Igor G. , Iess Luciano , Santoli Francesco , Orsini Stefano , Lichtenegger Herbert , Laky Gunther , Barabash Stas , Moissl Richard , Huovelin Juhani , Kasaba Yasumasa , Saito Yoshifumi , Kobayashi Masanori , Baumjohann Wolfgang
Published: February 2021

The dual spacecraft mission BepiColombo is the first joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to explore the planet Mercury. BepiColombo was launched from Kourou (French Guiana) on October 20th, 2018, in its packed configuration including two spacecraft, a transfer module, and a sunshield. BepiColombo cruise trajectory is a long journey into the inner heliosphere, and it includes one flyby of the Earth (in April 2020), two of Venus (in October 2020 and August 2021), and six of Mercury (starting from 2021), before orbit insertion in December 2025. A big part of the mission instruments will be fully operational during the mission cruise phase, allowing unprecedented investigation of the different environments that will encounter during the 7-years long cruise. The present paper reviews all the planetary flybys and some interesting cruise configurations. Additional scientific research that will emerge in the coming years is also discussed, including the instruments that can contribute.
Beyond level of self-esteem: exploring the interplay of level, stability, and contingency of self-esteem, mediating factors, and academic achievement
Authors: Kärchner Henrike , Schöne Claudia , Schwinger Malte
Published: February 2021

Self-esteem plays a decisive role for students in achievement situations. However, it is still unclear how different self-esteem facets and their interactions influence academic achievement and which psychological mechanisms mediate these relationships. In Study 1, we investigated self-handicapping and effort-management as mediators of the effects of self-esteem facets on academic Study 2 achievement in a sample ofN = 600 university students, while in we examined test anxiety as mediating variable in a sample ofN = 1052 school students. Path analyses revealed various relations between self-esteem facets, learning strategies, test anxiety, and academic achievement. Moreover, effort-management and test anxiety were identified as meaningful mediators of the effects of self-esteem facets. Implications for further research and for educational practice are discussed.
Entwicklung eines komplexen Führungsverständnisses mit Hilfe von psychodramatischer Organisationsaufstellung
Authors: Schweiger Sylvia
Published: February 2021

Dieser Artikel der Zeitschrift für Psychodrama und Soziometrie zeigt auf, dass es nicht einfach ist, eine (gute) Führungskraft zu sein. Allerdings hilft es, sich ein komplexes Verständnis von Führung anzueignen. Ein komplexes Verständnis von Führung zu haben impliziert, dass Individuen über die Fähigkeit verfügen, dialektisch zu denken. Die aktuelle Forschung liefert allerdings wenig konkrete Ansätze, wie ein derartiges Denken gefördert werden kann. Mit Hilfe eines Fallbeispiels, in dem die Methode der psychodramatischen Organisationsaufstellung angewandt wurde, leistet dieser Artikel drei konkrete Beiträge. Erstens zeigt er auf, dass die Methode der psychodramatischen Organisationsaufstellung wesentlich dazu beitragen kann, ein komplexes Führungsverständnis zu entwickeln. Zweitens veranschaulicht dieser Artikel, dass durch die Anwendung der psychodramatischen Organisationsaufstellung neue Forschungserkenntnisse generiert werden können. Drittens erörtert der Beitrag, warum die psychodramatische Organisationsaufstellung als eine äußerst vielversprechende Methode zur Datengenerierung und Datenanalyse im Bereich der empirischen Sozialforschung angesehen werden kann.
Association of daily step count and serum testosterone among men in the United States
Authors: Del Giudice Francesco , Glover Frank , Belladelli Federico , De Berardinis Ettore , Sciarra Alessandro , Salciccia Stefano , Kasman Alex M. , Chen Tony , Eisenberg Michael L.
Published: February 2021

Purpose

To describe the association between daily activity (i.e., daily step counts and accelerometer intensity measures) and serum TT levels in a representative sample of US adults aged 18 years or older.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was carried out utilizing the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) 2003–2004 cycle. Physical activity was measured with a waist-worn uniaxial accelerometer (AM-7164; ActiGraph) for up to 7 days using a standardized protocol. Using linear and multivariable logistic regression controlling for relevant social, demographic, lifestyle, and comorbidity characteristics, we assessed the association between daily step counts and TT.

Results

A total of 279 subjects with a median age 46 (IQR: 33–56) were included in the analysis. 23.3% of the cohort had a low serum TT level (TT < 350 ng/dl). Compared to men who took <4000 steps per day, men who took >4000 or >8000 steps/day had a lower odd of being hypogonadal (OR 0.14, 95% CI: 0.07–0.49 and 0.08, 95%CI: 0.02–0.44, respectively). While a threshold effect was noted on average, TT increased 7 ng/dL for each additional 1000 steps taken daily (β-estimate: 0.007, 95% CI: 0.002–0.013).

Conclusions

Patients with the lowest daily step counts had higher odds of being hypogonadal. The current work supports a possible association between daily steps, total testosterone, and hypogonadism for men in the US.
Adenosquamous carcinoma of the breast: a population-based study
Authors: Xu Cheng , Gu Zhangyuan , Liu Juan , Lin Xiaoyan , Wang Cheng , Li Jiejing , Fu Yun , Cheng Xiaolin , Zhuang Zhigang
Published: February 2021

Background

To summarize the clinicopathological characteristics, prognosis, and management of breast adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC).

Methods

A population-based study was performed using retrospectively extracted data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database for breast cancer patients with histological diagnoses of ASC, infiltrating duct carcinoma (IDC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) from 2004 to 2016.

Results

ASC presented similar tumor size but low histological grade and less lymph node metastasis compared to IDC. ASC expressed less positive rate of hormone receptors and barely HER2, which was similar with SCC. ASC patients underwent the similar surgical and systematic treatment as IDC, only with less radiotherapy. Median follow-up data of 78 months showed that the prognosis of IDC patients was better than that of ASC patients (allp < 0.05 for BCSM and OS). ASC was not an independent prognosis factor of breast cancer. After propensity score matching (PSM), no significant difference in BCSM nor OS was observed between ASC and IDC groups. In HR-negative patients, the prognosis of ASC was similar with that of IDC, and both were superior to SCC. In HR-positive patients, the 5-year survival rate of ASC was 63.5%, which was far less than that in ASC of HR-negative (81.0%). Multivariate analysis showed that older age (age > 60) and advanced AJCC-stage were independent factors of poor prognosis in ASC, breast-conserving surgery was also ideally suited for ASC.

Conclusions

ASC has unique clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis. It is imperative to focus on a more precise and personalized treatment management of ASC patients.
Designing a Novel Robot Activist Model for Interactive Child Rights Education
Authors: Chew Esyin , Khan Umer Sikander , Lee Pei Hsi
Published: February 2021

The paper presents an original research titled, ‘SUHAKAM Going Digital with Monash’, a two years Human Right Education initiatives in Malaysia. SUHAKAM is the National Human Rights Institution established by the Malaysia Parliament and is actively finding innovative approach for Human Rights public awareness, especially child rights education in Malaysia. Monash University Malaysia is a prominent University in Malaysia that have the latest educational technologies with effective pedagogy. The synergy between SUHAKAM and Monash for child rights education innovation aimed to bring the ground breaking Robot Activist across schools in Malaysia. The research seeks to understand the educational barriers that SUHAKAM are currently facing in meeting their obligations, to assist SUHAKAM in promoting child rights agenda across Malaysia in an innovative approach. A Robot Activist is thoughtfully designed, developed and deployed to introduce what SUHAKAM is, the Child Rights Conventions (in both Malay and English) with smart Q&A; followed by an interactive game session, “Simon Says” with pupils. This paper discusses the Robot Activist design research, operation and fun interactions. The finding shows that the educational robot acts as a catalyst to formalise the international human rights education in Malaysia, with the inter-disciplinary synergies of educational sessions using humanities aspects of advanced robotics for next generation engagement. The key constraints, reflections and recommendations are critically discussed on how an educational robot, the Robot Activist can engage children with the heavy-weighted topic such as child rights conventions. Recommendations to the next phase of the model design is proposed.
Tribological properties of multilayer tetrahedral amorphous carbon coatings deposited by filtered cathodic vacuum arc deposition
Authors: Jang Young-Jun , Kim Jae-Il , Lee WooYoung , Kim Jongkuk
Published: February 2021

Tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) has emerged as an excellent coating material for improving the reliability of application components under high normal loads. Herein, we present the results of our investigations regarding the mechanical and tribological properties of a 2-µm-thick multilayer ta-C coating on high-speed steel substrates. Multilayers composed of alternating soft and hard layers are fabricated using filtered a cathodic vacuum arc with alternating substrate bias voltages (0 and 100 V or 0 and 150 V). The thickness ratio is discovered to be 1:3 for the sp2-rich and sp3-rich layers. The results show that the hardness and elastic modulus of the multilayer ta-C coatings increase with the sp3 content of the hard layer. The hardness reached approximately 37 GPa, whereas an improved toughness and a higher adhesion strength (> 29 N) are obtained. The friction performance (µ = 0.07) of the multilayer coating is similar to that of the single layer ta-C thick coating, but the wear rate (0.13 × 10−6 mm3/(N·m)) improved under a high load of 30 N. We further demonstrate the importance of the multilayer structure in suppressing crack propagation and increasing the resistance to plastic deformation (H3/E2) ratio.
Black Nurses Collaborative Approach to Addressing COVID-19 in Black Communities
Authors: Dawson Martha A.
Published: February 2021

As with other national disasters, epidemics, and pandemics, the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted health disparities in Black communities in the USA. Healthcare providers, community activists, politicians, members of faith-based organizations, professional athletes, and Black families are asking crucial questions about why Black and Brown people are disproportionately infected by, and dying from, the COVID-19. Evidence in healthcare and social sciences literature demonstrates that historically, systemic racism and injustices play a large role in the health and well-being of Blacks living in the USA. For decades, the National Black Nurses Association has been on the forefront, engaging our people using a collaborative community-based practice model. The healthcare goal in the USA should center on health protection, promotion, and prevention, moving toward a wellness model and away from treatment of illnesses that contribute to healthcare waste. Finally, awareness of social determinants of health has taken center stage, demonstrating how laws, policies, and practice affect health outcomes and the well-being of Black and Brown communities. In order to address social determinants of health and healthcare inequity, the National Black Nurses Association has called for an increase in the number of Black registered nurses and licensed vocational and practical nurses. The healthcare goal in the USA should center on health protection, promotion, and preventions moving toward a wellness model and away from treatment of illnesses that contributes to healthcare waste.