bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Timing of infestation influences virulence and parasite success in a dynamic multi-host–parasite interaction between the invasive parasite, Philornis downsi, and Darwin’s finches
Authors: Cimadom Arno , Tebbich Sabine
Published: December 2020

Recently commenced host–parasite interactions provide an excellent opportunity to study co-evolutionary processes. Multi-host systems are especially informative because variation in virulence between hosts and temporal changes provides insight into evolutionary dynamics. However, empirical data under natural conditions are scarce. In the present study, we investigated the interaction between Darwin’s finches and the invasive flyPhilornis downsiwhose larvae feed on the blood of nestlings. Recently, however, the fly has changed its behavior and now also attacks incubating females. Two sympatric hosts are affected differently by the parasite and parasite load has changed over time. Our study observed a reversal of trends described two decades ago: while, currently, small tree finches (Camarhynchus parvulus) experience significantly higher parasite load than warbler finches (Certhidea olivacea), this was the opposite two decades ago. Currently, fledging success is higher in warbler finches compared to small tree finches. Our data indicate that not only intensity but also timing of infestation influences hosts’ reproductive success and parasite fitness. During incubation, prevalence was higher in warbler finches, but once chicks had hatched, prevalence was 100% in both species and parasite load was higher in small tree finches. Furthermore, our results suggest faster development and higher reproductive success ofP. downsiin small tree finch nests. A change in host preference driven by larvae competition could have led to the reversal in parasite load.
Manoeuvring Through the Crisis: Labour Market and Social Policies During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Eichhorst Werner , Marx Paul , Rinne Ulf
Published: December 2020

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has a severe impact on societies, economies and labour markets. However, not all countries, socio-economic groups and sectors are equally affected. Part of this disparity can be related to the different role and extent of short-time work, which is now being used more widely than during the Great Recession. Furthermore, unemployment benefits have been made more generous in many countries. While it is still too early to assess the relative success of national strategies to cope with the pandemic and to revitalise the labour market as well as to evaluate the medium-term fiscal viability of different support measures, a few policy directions become apparent. These include the use of digital tools to increase resilience against economic shocks, the longer-term perspective of short-time workers in the current crisis, social protection for self-employed workers that is robust to economic crises and resilient models for school-to-work transitions of younger workers.
Post-COVID-19 EMU: Economic Distancing by Parallel Currencies
Authors: Mayer Thomas , Schnabl Gunther
Published: December 2020

The coronavirus crisis has caused new distress in the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), as the southern part of the EMU has been hit stronger than the northern part. The common currency prevents nominal exchange rate adjustment in response to the asymmetric shock. Policymakers have therefore taken recourse to large-scale financial transfers. Based on the lessons from the German monetary union, this article proposes instead the introduction of parallel currencies to facilitate relative price changes. Parallel currencies in the south would allow an increase in competitiveness of the south via real depreciation. The introduction of a parallel currency in Germany would lead to capital inflows and a real appreciation of the new German mark. The pre-EMU pressure for structural adjustments and productivity gains would be restored.
On Scripts and Sensibility: Cold War International Law and Revolutionary Caribbean Subjects
Authors: Kumar Vidya
Published: December 2020

Through a literary-theatrical reading of international legality, this Article challenges the “settled script” produced by international legal scholars to frame and assess the legality of two historical events—the Grenada Revolution (1979–1983) and the U.S. Invasion of Grenada (1983). It does so by reading the Cold War as a sensibility performed by these scholars, one that recognized the operation of rival international legal orders and one that crafted a different script—Cold War Customary Law (“CWCL”)—to decide questions of international legality in a Cold War context. In addition to offering a new way to read the Cold War and international legality, this Article argues first that it is important to uncover this parallel and competing script of international legality operating at the time, and not dismiss it as unrelated political or ideological discourse, as it clearly influenced the interpretive logic and reasoning practices international lawyers deployed to frame what constituted legality in international law. Second, it argues that this Cold War sensibility in international legal scholarship on intervention and revolution predated the events in Grenada, and that if a different theatrical mise en scène is adopted—one which eschews “the short durée” or “evental history” of the settled script—this sensibility can be understood as being both continuous and discontinuous with rival imperial forms of international law operating in the Caribbean across time and place, where its discontinuities open up space to recover revolutionary Caribbean subjects of international law and a sensibility of shame in the present.
Association between dietary patterns and risk of breast cancer in Chinese female population: a latent class analysis
Authors: Cao Shang , Lu Shurong , Zhou Jinyi , Zhu Zheng , Li Wei , Su Jian , Yu Hao , Du Wencong , Cui Lan , Dong Yunqiu , Qian Yun , Wu Ming , Wei Pingmin
Published: December 2020

Objective:

To determine if specific dietary patterns are associated with breast cancer (BC) risk in Chinese women.

Design:

Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify generic dietary patterns based on daily food-frequency data.

Setting:

The Chinese Wuxi Exposure and Breast Cancer Study (2013–2014).

Participants:

A population-based case–control study (695 cases, 804 controls).

Results:

Four dietary patterns were identified, Prudent, Chinese traditional, Western and Picky; the proportion in the controls and cases was 0·30/0·32/0·16/0·23 and 0·29/0·26/0·11/0·33, respectively. Women in Picky class were characterised by higher extreme probabilities of non-consumption of specific foods, the highest probabilities of consumption of pickled foods and the lowest probabilities of consumption of cereals, soya foods and nuts. Compared with Prudent class, Picky class was associated with a higher risk (OR = 1·42, 95 % CI 1·06, 1·90), while the relevant association was only in post- (OR = 1·44, 95 % CI 1·01, 2·05) but not in premenopausal women. The Western class characterised by high-protein, high-fat and high-sugar foods, and the Chinese traditional class characterised by typical consumption of soya foods and white meat over red meat, both of them showed no difference in BC risk compared with Prudent class did.

Conclusions:

LCA captures the heterogeneity of individuals embedded in the population and could be a useful approach in the study of dietary pattern and disease. Our results indicated that the Picky class might have a positive association with the risk of BC.
The economic costs of planting, preserving, and managing the world’s forests to mitigate climate change
Authors: Austin K. G. , Baker J. S. , Sohngen B. L. , Wade C. M. , Daigneault A. , Ohrel S. B. , Ragnauth S. , Bean A.
Published: December 2020

Forests are critical for stabilizing our climate, but costs of mitigation over space, time, and stakeholder group remain uncertain. Using the Global Timber Model, we project mitigation potential and costs for four abatement activities across 16 regions for carbon price scenarios of $5–$100/tCO2. We project 0.6–6.0 GtCO2 yr−1 in global mitigation by 2055 at costs of 2–393 billion USD yr−1, with avoided tropical deforestation comprising 30–54% of total mitigation. Higher prices incentivize larger mitigation proportions via rotation and forest management activities in temperate and boreal biomes. Forest area increases 415–875 Mha relative to the baseline by 2055 at prices $35–$100/tCO2, with intensive plantations comprising <7% of this increase. Mitigation costs borne by private land managers comprise less than one-quarter of total costs. For forests to contribute ~10% of mitigation needed to limit global warming to 1.5 °C, carbon prices will need to reach $281/tCO2 in 2055.
Efficient spin excitation via ultrafast damping-like torques in antiferromagnets
Authors: Tzschaschel Christian , Satoh Takuya , Fiebig Manfred
Published: December 2020

Damping effects form the core of many emerging concepts for high-speed spintronic applications. Important characteristics such as device switching times and magnetic domain-wall velocities depend critically on the damping rate. While the implications of spin damping for relaxation processes are intensively studied, damping effects during impulsive spin excitations are assumed to be negligible because of the shortness of the excitation process. Herein we show that, unlike in ferromagnets, ultrafast damping plays a crucial role in antiferromagnets because of their strongly elliptical spin precession. In time-resolved measurements, we find that ultrafast damping results in an immediate spin canting along the short precession axis. The interplay between antiferromagnetic exchange and magnetic anisotropy amplifies this canting by several orders of magnitude towards large-amplitude modulations of the antiferromagnetic order parameter. This leverage effect discloses a highly efficient route towards the ultrafast manipulation of magnetism in antiferromagnetic spintronics.
Gap junctions amplify spatial variations in cell volume in proliferating tumor spheroids
Authors: McEvoy Eoin , Han Yu Long , Guo Ming , Shenoy Vivek B.
Published: December 2020

Sustained proliferation is a significant driver of cancer progression. Cell-cycle advancement is coupled with cell size, but it remains unclear how multiple cells interact to control their volume in 3D clusters. In this study, we propose a mechano-osmotic model to investigate the evolution of volume dynamics within multicellular systems. Volume control depends on an interplay between multiple cellular constituents, including gap junctions, mechanosensitive ion channels, energy-consuming ion pumps, and the actomyosin cortex, that coordinate to manipulate cellular osmolarity. In connected cells, we show that mechanical loading leads to the emergence of osmotic pressure gradients between cells with consequent increases in cellular ion concentrations driving swelling. We identify how gap junctions can amplify spatial variations in cell volume within multicellular spheroids and, further, describe how the process depends on proliferation-induced solid stress. Our model may provide new insight into the role of gap junctions in breast cancer progression.
Towards a unified open access dataset of molecular interactions
Authors: Porras Pablo , Barrera Elisabet , Bridge Alan , del-Toro Noemi , Cesareni Gianni , Duesbury Margaret , Hermjakob Henning , Iannuccelli Marta , Jurisica Igor , Kotlyar Max , Licata Luana , Lovering Ruth C. , Lynn David J. , Meldal Birgit , Nanduri Bindu , Paneerselvam Kalpana , Panni Simona , Pastrello Chiara , Pellegrini Matteo , Perfetto Livia , Rahimzadeh Negin , Ratan Prashansa , Ricard-Blum Sylvie , Salwinski Lukasz , Shirodkar Gautam , Shrivastava Anjalia , Orchard Sandra
Published: December 2020

The International Molecular Exchange (IMEx) Consortium provides scientists with a single body of experimentally verified protein interactions curated in rich contextual detail to an internationally agreed standard. In this update to the work of the IMEx Consortium, we discuss how this initiative has been working in practice, how it has ensured database sustainability, and how it is meeting emerging annotation challenges through the introduction of new interactor types and data formats. Additionally, we provide examples of how IMEx data are being used by biomedical researchers and integrated in other bioinformatic tools and resources.
Stem cell preservation for regenerative therapies: ethical and governance considerations for the health care sector
Authors: Master Zubin , Crowley Aidan P. , Smith Cambray , Wigle Dennis , Terzic Andre , Sharp Richard R.
Published: December 2020

The stem cell preservation industry has grown substantially with private businesses, public hospitals, and academic medical centers considering preserving induced pluripotent stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and other cell types of patients and the public in order to potentially use them for stem cell therapy should such an intervention exist in the future. Despite this growth and interest among private firms and academic centers, no study has yet considered the bioethical issues of such platforms. In this article, we explore several ethical and social issues related to the biopreservation of stem cells for future regenerative therapies. We analyze a range of bioethical considerations that public and private institutions should bear in mind as they develop stem cell preservation platforms. These include medical validation of regenerative interventions and their influence on the public understanding of stem cell therapies, the impact of public trust of organizations creating a private, for-profit venture of stem cell preservation, and logistical issues in the governance of the collection including ownership and dispositional authority, informed consent and access, and withdrawal and non-payment. These considerations should be incorporated into current and future stem cell preservation platforms in order to promote the responsible translation of regenerative medicine.
Effect of welfare standards and biosecurity practices on antimicrobial use in beef cattle
Authors: Diana Alessia , Lorenzi Valentina , Penasa Mauro , Magni Edoardo , Alborali Giovanni L. , Bertocchi Luigi , De Marchi Massimo
Published: December 2020

Antimicrobial use (AMU) in livestock species and the associated antimicrobial resistance are a global concern, thus strategies for their reduction and a more judicious use are needed. Previous research has revealed a link between improved animal welfare, biosecurity and AMU reduction in pig and dairy sectors, however, little is known about the beef sector. This study aimed to investigate the impact of welfare standards and biosecurity on AMU in beef cattle. Data on performance traits and AMU were collected over a 3.5 year time from 27 specialised beef farms and a treatment incidence was calculated using the defined daily dose for animals. An on-farm assessment was carried out by assigning a score from 0 (very poor) to 100% (very good) to 3 sections: welfare, biosecurity and emergency management. The highest average score was obtained for the welfare section (76%) followed by emergency management (39%) and biosecurity (24%). This suggests that major focus on strategies for the implementation of biosecurity measures and emergency management is needed, due to the low scores reported. A statistically significant lower AMU was observed with improved level of welfare. These results may be helpful for farm benchmarking and highlight the importance of improved animal welfare for an efficient antimicrobial stewardship.
Integrating liquid chromatography mass spectrometry into an analytical protocol for the identification of organic colorants in Japanese woodblock prints
Authors: Vermeulen Marc , Tamburini Diego , Müller Emily M. K. , Centeno Silvia A. , Basso Elena , Leona Marco
Published: December 2020

Three Japanese woodblock prints from the Edo period (1603–1868) underwent a scientific investigation with the aim of understanding the changes in the colorants used in Japanese printing techniques. A multi-analytical approach was adopted, combining non-invasive techniques, such as fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS), Raman spectroscopy, multispectral imaging (MSI), and macro X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF) with minimally invasive surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The results enabled many of the pigments to be identified and their distribution to be studied, apart from two shades of purple of organic composition. Consequently, the potential of high-pressure liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS) was explored for the first time with application to Japanese woodblock prints. The intrinsic sensitivity of the instrument and an effective extraction protocol allowed us to identify a mixture of dayflower (Commelina communis) blue and safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) red in purple samples constituted of 2–3 single fibers. In addition to the innovative integration of MA-XRF and HPLC–MS/MS to investigate these delicate artworks, the study concluded on the use of traditional sources of colors alongside newly introduced pigments in late Edo-period Japan. This information is extremely important for understanding the printing practices, as well as for making decisions about display, conservation, and preservation of such artworks.
On the early stages of localised atmospheric corrosion of magnesium–aluminium alloys
Authors: Shahabi-Navid M. , Cao Y. , Svensson J. E. , Allanore A. , Birbilis N. , Johansson L. G. , Esmaily M.
Published: December 2020

The surface film on pure magnesium and two aluminium-containing magnesium alloys was characterised after 96 h at 95% RH and 22 °C. The concentration of CO2 was carefully controlled to be either 0 or 400 ppm. The exposed samples were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy. The results showed that when the alloys were exposed to the CO2-containing environment, aluminium cations (Al3+) was incorporated into a layered surface film comprising a partially “hydrated” MgO layer followed by Mg(OH)2, and magnesium hydroxy carbonates. The results indicated that aluminium-containing magnesium alloys exhibited considerably less localised corrosion in humid air than pure magnesium. Localised corrosion in the materials under investigation was attributed to film thinning by a dissolution/precipitation mechanism.
Time limited self-organised criticality in the high rate deformation of face centred cubic metals
Authors: Lea Lewis , Brown Lawrence , Jardine Andrew
Published: December 2020

Plastic deformation is a fundamentally important physical process, ultimately determining how materials can be used. Metal plasticity is governed by dislocation dynamics and lattice twinning. Although many continuum constitutive models exist, plasticity is now known to occur in discrete events arising from the self-organisation of dislocations into ‘avalanches’ under applied stress. Here we extend avalanche plasticity to high strain rates, by introducing time limitation to self-organisation. At high rates large avalanches fail to form; the system must self-organise around new constraints. Various macroscopic consequences include an increasing rate of work hardening with strain rate. We perform new measurements on high purity copper that distinguish between instantaneous and permanent strength contributions across a strength transition at 104 s−1, showing the transition to be a change in structural evolution. Strong model agreement validates our time limited self-organisation approach. Our work results in a unified, physically realistic framework for plasticity, with wide applicability.
Data‐driven enzyme immobilisation: a case study using DNA to immobilise galactose oxidase
Authors: Ott Wolfgang , Ceccarelli Alessandro , Manning Jack , Turner Nicholas J. , Oppenheimer Robert
Published: December 2020

Biocatalysis has the potential to enable green chemistry. New methods of enzyme immobilisation will be required to improve enzyme stability, product purification, and compatibility of different enzymes in the same reaction conditions. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) stands out among supramolecular scaffolds, as simple Watson–Crick base‐pairing rules can be used to rationally design a unique nanoscale environment around each individual enzyme in a cascade. Enhancements of enzyme activity and stability on DNA nanostructures have previously been reported, but never in the context of industrially relevant chemical syntheses or reaction conditions. Here, the authors show DNA can enhance the activity and stability of a galactose oxidase mutant, which could be used in a cascade to produce bioplastics from lignin. The enzyme was enhanced in the cell‐free extract, which to their knowledge has not been shown before for any enzymes on DNA. This is significant because crude biocatalytic reactions are vastly more cost‐effective. This opens the door to further work on multienzyme cascades by tuning the properties of individual enzymes.
Exact hybrid-kinetic equilibria for magnetized plasmas with shearing flows
Authors: Guzzi G. , Settino A. , Valentini F. , Malara F.
Published: December 2020

Context.Magnetized plasmas characterized by shearing flows are present in many natural contexts, such as the Earth’s magnetopause and the solar wind. The collisionless nature of involved plasmas requires a kinetic description. When the width of the shear layer is on the order of ion scales, the hybrid Vlasov-Maxwell approach can be adopted for this purpose.

Aims.The aim of this work is to derive explicit forms for stationary configurations of magnetized plasmas with planar shearing flows within the hybrid Vlasov-Maxwell description. Two configurations are considered: the first with a uniform magnetic field obliquely directed with respect to the bulk velocity and the second with a uniform-magnitude variable-direction magnetic field.

Methods.We obtained stationary ion distribution functions by combining single-particle constant of motions, which are derived through the study of particle dynamics. Preliminary information about the form of the distribution functions were analytically derived in considering a local approximation for the background electromagnetic field. Then a numerical method was set up to obtain a solution for general profiles.

Results.We determined explicit distribution functions that allow us to obtain profiles of density, bulk velocity, temperature, and heat flux. Anisotropy and agyrotropy in the distribution function were also evaluated. The stationarity of the solution during numerical simulations was checked in the uniform oblique magnetic field case.

Conclusions.The configurations considered here can be used as models for the Earth’s magnetopause in simulations of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability.
Metal Powder and Wire Additive Manufacturing Technology
Authors: Liu Yan , Du Anna , Zhou Guishen , Liu Jiapeng
Published: December 2020

Additive manufacturing technology can quickly manufacture parts with dense microstructures and excellent mechanical properties, so that it shows a broad application prospect in aerospace and other fields. Additive manufacturing technology was briefly introduced in this paper. On this basis, the technology and characteristics of metal powder and wire additive manufacturing were systematically analyzed and compared, and the development of additive manufacturing technology was prospected.
Mixed convection flow and heat transfer in a double lid- driven cavity containing a heated square block in the center
Authors: Ouahouah Asma , Kherroubi Seddik , Bourada Abderrahmane , Labsi Nabila , Benkahla Youb Khaled
Published: December 2020

In the present work, laminar mixed convection of a Newtonian fluid around a hot obstacle in a square cavity with moving vertical walls is studied numerically. The objective of this study is to analyze the effect of the Richardson number (0 ≼ Ri ≼ 10) and Reynolds number (50 ≼ Re ≼ 500) on both hydrodynamic and thermal characteristics around a hot obstacle in the enclosure. The analysis of the obtained results shows that the heat transfer is enhanced for high values of Richardson and Reynolds numbers.
Numerical simulation of double jet impinging a flat and fixed wall with WALE model
Authors: Sahnoun Rachid , Abderrahmane Aissa , Ismail Drai , El Ganaoui Mohmmed
Published: December 2020

This work focuses on the study of the averaged velocity and the turbulent intensity of the double jet impingement is used to separate two adjacent cellule. Numerical LES investigations are carried out in this study. A jet impingement against a flat and smooth surface without recirculation was used for this. The WALE (Wall Adapting Local Eddy) structure models the sub grid-scale tensor. The jet opening ratio is H/e = 10 and the Reynolds Number Re= 2000. Result comparisons to available experimental measurements are performed and good agreements are noticed.
Physico-mechanical characterisation of construction materials based on agro-sourced particles: Hemp concrete
Authors: Zerrouki Redouane , Benazzouk Amar , Daher Suzanne , Beji Hassen
Published: December 2020

The study reported in this paper was undertaken to investigate the feasibility of lightweight construction materials, based on vegetable particles. The developed material consists of reference mortar containing different levels of hemp particles as partial replacement of sand in mixture by volume at: 0% (MR), 50%, and 100%. The binder nature has been selected based on the results obtained of chemical compatibility evaluation that highlight the reduction in inhibitory effect exerted by particles on cement hydration. The objective of this work is to evaluate the physico-mechanical properties, through the examination of materials lightning, mechanical strengths (compressive/flexural), and the elasticity behavior of the material at different volume rates of hemp particles. The influence of the direction after casting the material, according to the parallel (//) and perpendicular (?) orientations, with respect to the direction of the stress has been examined. Test-results have shown that despite a significant reduction in mechanical properties, the material exhibits higher residual stress that highlight a ductile behaviour, compared to the reference material. Results also indicated that the perpendicular (?) casting direction leads to exhibit higher mechanical properties, compared to the parallel state.
Active wall through a porous media foam type: flow and transfer characterization
Authors: Deptulski Rafael , Vieira Gisele , Bennacer Rachid
Published: December 2020

Despite the efforts to develop new solutions to achieve the objectives of positive buildings in energy, a few studies in this area has been performed using a porous media foam type. The aim of this paper is to present the behaviour transfers of flow through a multi-structured porous media and to achieve the influence of the porosity and the thermal conductivity properties of the skeletal phase, and the interaction with a cross flow in order to get the equivalent of a perfect insulator. Therefore, in a specially made device, a finite volume method was applied to study a flow through a porous media foam-type, which was simulated to characterize the properties of the equivalent medium in terms of permeability and thermal conductivity. The analysis demonstrates that the solid phase composition and the medium porosity, as well as the distribution of pore size, are preponderant characteristics to constitute a foam structured media. Furthermore, the thermal boundary layer given by a forced convection through the porous medium has demonstrated the important influence of the flow phenomenon in a thermodynamic coupling. Lastly, three optimum configurations for the construction envisaging a balance of depleted thermal and dynamic powers for a relative conductivity *=10 were found between the velocity 2 10-3 (m/s) and 4 10-3 (m/s).
Developing
Authors: Callegari Ferrari Renata , Pires Bittencourt Priscila , Yumi Nagumo Paula , Silva Oliveira Willian , Aurineide Rodrigues Maria , Hartwell James , Freschi Luciano
Published: December 2020

Previously regarded as an intriguing photosynthetic curiosity, the occurrence of C4 and Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) photosynthesis within a single organism has recently emerged as a source of information for future biotechnological use. Among C4/CAM facultative species, Portulaca oleracea L. has been used as a model for biochemical and gene expression analysis of C4/CAM under field and laboratory conditions. In the present work, we focussed on developing molecular tools to facilitate functional genomics studies in this species, from the optimisation of RNA isolation protocols to a method for stable genetic transformation. Eleven variations of RNA extraction procedures were tested and compared for RNA quantity and quality. Also, 7 sample sets comprising total RNA from hormonal and abiotic stress treatments, distinct plant organs, leaf developmental stages, and subspecies were used to select, among 12 reference genes, the most stable reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis of each experimental condition. Furthermore, different explant sources, Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains, and regeneration and antibiotic selection media were tested in various combinations to optimise a protocol for stable genetic transformation of P. oleracea. Altogether, we provide essential tools for functional gene analysis in the context of C4/CAM photosynthesis, including an efficient RNA isolation method, preferred reference genes for RT-qPCR normalisation for a range of experimental conditions, and a protocol to produce P. oleracea stable transformants using A. tumefaciens.
Impulse Response Function Analysis of Shandong Residential Electricity Demand Based on the VAR Model
Authors: Zhang Zhiwei , Li Bing
Published: December 2020

This work is attempting to analyse the responses of Shandong residential electricity demand by the impulses from GDP and other important factors with a VAR model approach. We use IRF analysis method to do the research. From the research, we can say that the impulses of Shandong GDP will cause a temporary big upward and later downward impact to the residential electricity demand. The impulses of GDP per capita will lead to increased residential electricity demand and the impulses from number of household will lead to smooth development of residential electricity demand and the impulses from population will lead to lower level of electricity in the short periods but an increased trend in the long periods. The significance of our study is that we can provide some indication for policy making that investment measures have to be adopted to ensure the steady growth of the GDP and GDP per capita so as to keep a steady demand in residential electricity demand.
Research on Bi-directional DC / DC Converter for Energy Storage System
Authors: Nie Zheng , Chen Jianming , Dai Ruijin , Han Yi , Peng Yong
Published: December 2020

When the grid connected photovoltaic power is scarce, the energy storage device can play an important role in power supplement to stabilize the grid. A bi-directional three-level Buck / Boost converter topology has been studied, and its working principle has been introduced in detail in this Paper. Based on the working characteristics of energy storage battery, combined with the battery “Three-stage” charging method, the voltage and current closed-loop control strategy of three-level DC/DC converter has been studied. It can work in constant power charging and discharging as well as constant current charging and discharging. The simulation platform of 50KW energy storage power device has been set up, which can freely switch from charging state to discharging state. The results show that the research on bidirectional three-level DC / DC converter is feasible and effective.
Inclined Wellbore Stability in High Temperature Formations of Drilling
Authors: Xue Liang , Hong Yuqun , Liu Zhengli , Qin Jianyu , Du Xu
Published: December 2020

In recent years, exploring and developing oil and gas continuously expands into high-temperature environments, such as the Gulf of Mexico, North Sea, South China Sea, etc. Development of a high-temperature oil field from a platform always requires directional wells or extended reach wells (ERWs) departing from a central cluster to their targets at different depth of water in various azimuth. When drilling wells in high temperature formations, there is commonly associated with a suite of wellbore instability problems that are not normally encountered in onshore and normal temperature formations drilling. These problems are usually related to the presence of typically weak overburden sediments, unconsolidated formations, a small sedimentary coverage above the reservoir, and a great temperature difference between the drilling fluid and formation at the bottom hole In the past decades, a number of studies have been conducted to study the wellbore stability. However, few of the models are specific for wellbore stability of the inclined high temperature wellbores. In this work, an inclined wellbore stability model for high temperature formations is developed. The numerical method of the model is also provided. The study shows that drilling along the direction of minimum horizontal in-situ stress is safer than drilling in other directions, and the wellbore with a high inclination poses more risk of wellbore instability than the wellbore with a low inclination. It also shows that both of the wellbore collapse pressure gradients and wellbore fracture pressure gradients will increase as the temperature of borehole rises, and the fracture pressure is more sensitive to temperature. The model provides a practical tool to predict the stability of inclined wellbores for high temperature formations.
Analysis and Forecast of Rainfall in Shapingba District of Chongqing
Authors: Xu Zongjiang , Chen Jing , Zhu Guangping , Nan Linjiang , Zeng Fengling , Jin Junying
Published: December 2020

Flood and seasonal drought occur frequently in Chongqing area. The study of rainfall distribution may provide the theoretical basis for flood control and drought resistance. Daily rainfall data of Shapingba District in Chongqing from 1995 to 2014 are used in this paper to analyse the annual distribution using the method of uneven distribution coefficient, complete adjustment coefficient and concentration degree, meanwhile, the annual variation of rainfall are analysed by the Mann-Kendall trend test and Spearman rank correlation method. The results show that the rainfall in Shapingba area is mainly concentrated in April-September, accounting for 78% of the annual rainfall, Especially in June, the rainfall is the most, accounting for 20% of the annual rainfall, which is the key period for flood control. The annual distribution of rainfall is relatively concentrated, and shows an upward trend on the whole, and there is no sudden change in many years. Summer is the most obvious seasonal rainfall change, which may be related to local climate characteristics. The difference of forecasting precipitation was little between P-III distribution and Gumbel distribution. Especially for normal year (P=50%) and dry year (P=90%), the precipitation was very close. Thus, either method can be used to forecast precipitation in the future.
Research on Combustion Characteristics of Vulcanized Rubber Based on Fire Propagation Apparatus
Authors: Wei Lingling , Gao Junhao , Li Li , Qiu Tingting , Hou Lijun , Li Changhai , Lu Shouxiang
Published: December 2020

Vulcanized rubber is widely used as a vibration damping material for high-speed train floors. This paper aims to study the combustion characteristics of vulcanized rubber materials under fire propagation apparatus at 20-50 kW/m2. The results show that the ignition time and the time to peak heat release rate of the vulcanized rubber decrease with the increase of the external heat flux, and the transformed ignition time (l/tign)n
increases linearly with the external heat flux. The fire risk of vulcanized rubber and the possibility of flashover increase with the increase of external heat flux. In addition, higher external heat flux will accelerate the generation of smoke in the fire scene, threatening the lives of people on the train. These data and results can be used to evaluate the interior materials of high-speed trains.
Transmission pathways of the helminths of the digestive system of the european perch Perca fluviatilis (Actinopterygii: Perciformes) in the fish communities of the water bodies of the national park “Samarkskaya Luka” (Russia)
Authors: Rubanova M V , Mukhortova O V
Published: December 2020

Studied the dynamics of infection of the European perch Perca fluviatilis (Peciformes) by the helminths of the digestive system and their invasion of 13 native and 2 alien fish species in the water bodies of the National Park “Samarskaya Luka”. The similarity of the composition of the fauna of helminths of the digestive system of the European perch and other fish species has been analyzed for the period of 1990-2016. Peculiarities of the distribution of Perca fluviatilis parasites along the trophic chains of the fish community at different stages of ecosystem succession were revealed. Human activity promoted the penetration of alien species of aquatic organisms into the water bodies, their incorporation into the trophic chains and parasitic sub-systems “fish – helminths of the digestive system”. The historically established trophic relations of carnivorous fish with Perca fluviatilis are nowadays weakened; usual food objects are replaced by the invasive fish species. Invasive species participae actively in the formation of trophic chains of the ecosystem; in some cases, it leads to an increase in the invasion rates of indigenous hosts by alien parasites.
Efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines in older people
Authors: Soiza Roy L , Scicluna Chiara , Thomson Emma C
Published: December 2020

Several vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are on the cusp of regulatory approval. Their safety and efficacy in older people is critical to their success. Even though care home residents and older people are likely to be amongst the first to be vaccinated, these patient groups are usually excluded from clinical trials. Data from several Phase II trials have given cause for optimism, with strong antibody responses and reassuring safety profiles but, with the exception of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, recruited few older people. Overall, the sparse data from Phase II trials suggest a reduction in both antibody responses and mild to moderate adverse events in well older people compared to younger participants. Many of the Phase III trials have made a conscious effort to recruit older people, and interim analyses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine have led to press releases announcing high degrees of efficacy. However, older people with co-morbidities and frailty have once again been largely excluded and there are no published data on safety and efficacy in this group. Although the speed and impact of the pandemic on older people with frailty justify an approach where they are offered vaccination first, patients and their carers and supervising health care professionals alike will need to make a decision on accepting vaccination based on limited evidence. Here we review the main candidate vaccines that may become available, with a focus on the evidence of safety and efficacy in older people.
Do Investor-State Dispute Settlement Cases Influence Domestic Environmental Regulation? The Role of Respondent State Bureaucratic Capacity
Authors: Berge Tarald Laudal , Berger Axel
Published: December 2020

Does international politics influence domestic politics? In the investment treaty regime, there is currently a debate about whether investor-state dispute settlement cases influence respondent state domestic regulation. We present a systematic test of this relationship. Using two unique datasets, we examine whether investor-state cases targeting environmental measures influence respondent states’ environmental regulation. We make two theoretical contributions. First, we present an integrated typology of potential regulatory responses to investor-state dispute settlement cases. Second, we propose a novel, conditional theory of regulatory responses to investor-state cases. We argue that states’ responses should depend on their bureaucratic capacity. In our analysis, we find that respondent state bureaucratic capacity conditions the relationship between investor-state cases and subsequent domestic regulation. There is a more pronounced negative relationship between investor-state cases and regulatory behavior in states with high bureaucratic capacity than in low-capacity states.
The persistent consequences of adverse shocks: how the 1970s shaped UK regional inequality
Authors: Rice Patricia G , Venables Anthony J
Published: December 2020

The economic shocks experienced by the UK economy in the 1970s brought major changes in the spatial distribution of employment rates in the UK. This paper traces the long-run implications of these changes, suggesting that they were highly persistent and to a large extent shape current UK regional disparities. Most of the Local Authority Districts that experienced large negative shocks in the 1970s had high deprivation rates in 2015, and they constitute two-thirds of all districts with the highest deprivation rates. We conclude that neither economic adjustment processes nor policy measures have acted to reverse the effect of negative shocks incurred nearly half a century ago.
The Environmental Bias of Trade Policy*
Authors: Shapiro Joseph S
Published: December 2020

This article describes a new fact, then analyzes its causes and consequences: in most countries, import tariffs and nontariff barriers are substantially lower on dirty than on clean industries, where an industry’s “dirtiness” is defined as its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per dollar of output. This difference in trade policy creates a global implicit subsidy to CO2 emissions in internationally traded goods and contributes to climate change. This global implicit subsidy to CO2 emissions totals several hundred billion dollars annually. The greater protection of downstream industries, which are relatively clean, substantially accounts for this pattern. The downstream pattern can be explained by theories where industries lobby for low tariffs on their inputs but final consumers are poorly organized. A quantitative general equilibrium model suggests that if countries applied similar trade policies to clean and dirty goods, global CO2 emissions would decrease and global real income would change little.
Fabry disease pain: patient and preclinical parallels
Authors: Burand Anthony J. , Stucky Cheryl L.
Published: December 2020

Severe neuropathic pain is a hallmark of Fabry disease, a genetic disorder caused by a deficiency in lysosomal α-galactosidase A. Pain experienced by these patients significantly impacts their quality of life and ability to perform everyday tasks. Patients with Fabry disease suffer from peripheral neuropathy, sensory abnormalities, acute pain crises, and lifelong ongoing pain. Although treatment of pain through medication and enzyme replacement therapy exists, pain persists in many of these patients. Some has been learned in the past decades regarding clinical manifestations of pain in Fabry disease and the pathological effects of α-galactosidase A insufficiency in neurons. Still, it is unclear how pain and sensory abnormalities arise in patients with Fabry disease and how these can be targeted with therapeutics. Our knowledge is limited in part due to the lack of adequate preclinical models to study the disease. This review will detail the types of pain, sensory abnormalities, influence of demographics on pain, and current strategies to treat pain experienced by patients with Fabry disease. In addition, we discuss the current knowledge of Fabry pain pathogenesis and which aspects of the disease preclinical models accurately recapitulate. Understanding the commonalities and divergences between humans and preclinical models can be used to further interrogate mechanisms causing the pain and sensory abnormalities as well as advance development of the next generation of therapeutics to treat pain in patients with Fabry disease.
Blood in the water: recent uses of zebrafish to study myeloid biology
Authors: Wattrus Samuel J. , Zon Leonard I.
Published: December 2020

Purpose of review

Myeloid cells contribute to immune response to infection and tissue regeneration after injury as well as to the developmental induction of the hematopoietic system overall. Here we review recent uses of zebrafish to advance the study of myeloid biology in development and disease.

Recent findings

Recent studies have made use of advanced imaging and genetic strategies and have highlighted key concepts in myeloid cell behavior. These include immune-cell cross-talk and subpopulation response in infection and regeneration, and tightly regulated inflammatory and tissue remodeling behaviors in development.

These new findings will shape our understanding of the developmental origins of immune populations as well as their specific cellular behaviors at all stages of infection, regeneration, and myeloid neoplasms.
A Neutralizing Antibody-Conjugated Photothermal Nanoparticle Captures and Inactivates SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Cai Xiaolei , Prominski Aleksander , Lin Yiliang , Ankenbruck Nicholas , Rosenberg Jillian , Chen Min , Shi Jiuyun , Chang Eugene B. , Penaloza-MacMaster Pablo , Tian Bozhi , Huang Jun
Published: December 2020

The outbreak of 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in a global pandemic. Despite intensive research including several clinical trials, currently there are no completely safe or effective therapeutics to cure the disease. Here we report a strategy incorporating neutralizing antibodies conjugated on the surface of a photothermal nanoparticle to actively capture and inactivate SARS-CoV-2. The photothermal nanoparticle is comprised of a semiconducting polymer core and a biocompatible polyethylene glycol surface decorated with neutralizing antibodies. Such nanoparticles displayed efficient capture of SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses, excellent photothermal effect, and complete inhibition of viral entry into ACE2-expressing host cells via simultaneous blocking and inactivating of the virus. This photothermal nanoparticle is a flexible platform that can be readily adapted to other SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and extended to novel therapeutic proteins, thus providing a broad range of protection against multiple strains of SARS-CoV-2.
Coaching millennials: 10 ways to engage and inspire future leaders
Authors: Aziz Khalid
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Everyone is different and without making generalizations, millennials have been shown to behave differently to other generations. As coaches and organizational psychologists, it’s important to appreciate how these differences translate in a professional context, in order to get the most from them when investing in coaching programs.

Design/methodology/approach

The article offers insights based on our own experience of coaching millennials, sharing ten important characteristics to bear in mind.

Findings

As extensive research shows, there are some subtle intergenerational differences evident in the millennial demographic but they do not confirm to popular stereotypes. Coaches can draw on these insights to create powerful interventions that enable clients to engage and maximize the value of organizational talent across the generations.

Originality/value

A group of Aziz Corporate's most experienced coaches share their own personal insights gained whilst working with millennial coaches.