bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reviving human γδT cells from apoptosis induced by IL-12/18 via p-JNK inhibition
Authors: Song Yuan , Teo Huey Yee , Liu Yonghao , Zhang Xiaomeng , Chen Jinmiao , Zhang Yongliang , Liu Haiyan
Published: June 2022

γδT cells recognize and exert cytotoxicity against tumor cells independently of MHC restriction and have antigen presentation and regulatory functions to promote adaptive immune responses. They are considered as potential immune cells for cellular immunotherapy in cancer patients. However, it is challenging to ex vivo expand human γδT cells that have superb effector functions and long-term survival for adoptive cancer therapy. We found that IL-12/18 combination could drastically promote IFN-γ secretion and cytotoxicity in human γδT cells. However, the enhanced activation of human γδT cells is accompanied by increased apoptosis and elevated expressions of co-inhibitory receptors under the stimulation of IL-12/18. We further demonstrated that IL-12/18 induced apoptosis of human γδT cells was in a phosphoantigen or IFN-γ-independent manner. Transcriptomic analysis suggested that IL-12/18-induced apoptosis of human γδT cells was mediated by the activation of JNK pathway. p-JNK inhibitor (SP-600125) treatment effectively revived human γδT cells from the apoptosis induced by IL-12/18 and maintained their enhanced IFN-γ production and cytotoxicity against tumor cells. Our results provide a novel and feasible strategy for ex vivo expansion of cytokine-activated human γδT cells, which could promote the efficacy of γδT cell adoptive immunotherapy in cancer patients.
Historical trends in climate indices relevant to surface air temperature and precipitation in Japan for recent 120 years
Authors: Nakaegawa Tosiyuki , Murazaki Kazuyo
Published: June 2022

Geographical distributions of trends in climate indices with statistical significance in Japan are investigated at each of the 51 observation stations for the recent 120 years. We employed a comprehensive set of the 70 climate indices on an annual timescale to detect climate changes and to facilitate climate information for a variety of sectors, which are developed by expert team on sector‐specific indices in the World Meteorological Organization. The rising trends have regional differences such as the annual mean of daily maximum and minimum surface air temperatures in the Kanto‐Koushin region. The statistically significant increasing trends in three daily heavy precipitation‐relevant climate indices, R95p, R99p, and RX1day, are seen in Hokuriku, Shikoku, the western part of Northern and Southern Kyusyu regions, and isolated stations in the other regions. Rotational empirical orthogonal function analysis of R99p revealed different features of statistically significant modes suggesting the trends are attributed to changes in different atmospheric phenomena as well as those of warm spell duration index. The number of the stations with statistically significant trends varies with an index. Indies relevant to daily minimum surface air temperatures have statistically significant trends at most of the 51 stations. Consecutive dry days are the most sensitive to climate changes for the 120 years among the indices relevant to precipitation in this analysis. The indices relevant to heavy precipitation are not always been most sensitive to climate change detections in Japan. The geographical distributions of the percentage of the number of indices with statistically significant changes to the total number of the stations provide information about stations sensitive to climate changes. The highest sensitivity is seen at Kumamoto. These results directly provide detection of climate changes and show the potentials of which index is sensitive to ongoing climate changes from the viewpoint of geographical distributions.
Parametric Nonlinear Optics with Layered Materials and Related Heterostructures
Authors: Dogadov Oleg , Trovatello Chiara , Yao Baicheng , Soavi Giancarlo , Cerullo Giulio
Published: June 2022

Nonlinear optics is of crucial importance in several fields of science and technology with applications in frequency conversion, entangled‐photon generation, self‐referencing of frequency combs, crystal characterization, sensing, and ultra‐short light pulse generation and characterization. In recent years, layered materials and related heterostructures have attracted huge attention in this field, due to their huge nonlinear optical susceptibilities, their ease of integration on photonic platforms, and their 2D nature which relaxes the phase‐matching constraints and thus offers a practically unlimited bandwidth for parametric nonlinear processes. In this review the most recent advances in this field, highlighting their importance and impact both for fundamental and technological aspects, are reported and explained, and an outlook on future research directions for nonlinear optics with atomically thin materials is provided.
Humidity Responsive Reflection Grating Made by Ultrafast Nanoimprinting of a Hydrogel Thin Film
Authors: Cesnik Stefan , Perrotta Alberto , Cian Alessandro , Tormen Massimo , Bergmann Alexander , Coclite Anna Maria
Published: June 2022

The response time of state‐of‐the‐art humidity sensors is ≈8 s. A faster tracking of humidity change is especially required for health care devices. This research is focused on the direct nanostructuring of a humidity‐sensitive polymer thin film and it is combined with an optical read‐out method. The goal is to improve the response time by changing the surface‐to‐volume ratio of the thin film and to test a different measurement method compared to state‐of‐the‐art sensors. Large and homogeneous nanostructured areas are fabricated by nanoimprint lithography on poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) thin films. Those thin films are made by initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD). To the author's knowledge, this is the first time nanoimprint lithography is applied on iCVD polymer thin films. With the imprinting process, a diffraction grating is developed in the visible wavelength regime. The optical and physicochemical behavior of the nanostructures is modeled with multi‐physic simulations. After successful modeling and fabrication a first proof of concept shows that humidity dependency by using an optical detection of the first diffraction order peak is observable. The response time of the structured thin film results to be at least three times faster compared to commercial sensors.
Chicken Muscle Protein‐Derived Peptide VVHPKESF Reduces TNFα‐Induced Inflammation and Oxidative Stress by Suppressing TNFR1 Signaling in Human Vascular Endothelial Cells
Authors: Fan Hongbing , Bhullar Khushwant S. , Wang Zihan , Wu Jianping
Published: June 2022

Scope

This study aims to investigate the protective effects of four chicken muscle‐derived peptides Val‐Arg‐Pro (VRP), Leu‐Lys‐Tyr (LKY), Val‐Arg‐Tyr (VRY), and Val‐Val‐His‐Pro‐Lys‐Glu‐Ser‐Phe [VVHPKESF (V‐F)] on tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα)‐induced endothelial inflammation and oxidative stress in human vascular endothelial EA.hy926 cells.

Methods and results

Inflammation and oxidative stress are induced in EA.hy926 cells by TNFα (10 ng mL−1) treatment for different periods of time. Inflammatory proteins and signaling molecules including inducible nitric oxide synthase, intracellular cell adhesion molecule‐1, vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (VCAM‐1), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB), mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and TNFα receptor 1 (TNFR1) are measured by qRT‐PCR or western blotting; soluble TNFR1 level and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate NADPH) oxidase activity are determined by Elisa kits; superoxide is measured by dihydroethidium staining. Only V‐F treatment inhibits the expression of VCAM‐1 and COX2, via suppressing NF‐κB and p38 MAPK signaling, respectively, while reduced oxidative stress via the inhibition of NADPH oxidase activity; V‐F treatment attenuates both gene and protein expressions of TNFR1.

Conclusion

V‐F treatment ameliorates TNFα‐induced endothelial inflammation and oxidative stress likely via the inhibition of TNFR1 signaling, suggesting its potential as a functional food ingredient or nutraceutical in the prevention and treatment of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.
Quantification of lung function on CT images based on pulmonary radiomic filtering
Authors: Yang Zhenyu , Lafata Kyle J. , Chen Xinru , Bowsher James , Chang Yushi , Wang Chunhao , Yin Fang‐Fang
Published: June 2022

Purpose

To develop a radiomics filtering technique for characterizing spatial‐encoded regional pulmonary ventilation information on lung computed tomography (CT).

Methods

The lung volume was segmented on 46 CT images, and a 3D sliding window kernel was implemented across the lung volume to capture the spatial‐encoded image information. Fifty‐three radiomic features were extracted within the kernel, resulting in a fourth‐order tensor object. As such, each voxel coordinate of the original lung was represented as a 53‐dimensional feature vector, such that radiomic features could be viewed as feature maps within the lungs. To test the technique as a potential pulmonary ventilation biomarker, the radiomic feature maps were compared to paired functional images (Galligas PET or DTPA‐SPECT) based on the Spearman correlation (ρ) analysis.

Results

The radiomic feature maps GLRLM‐based Run‐Length Non‐Uniformity and GLCOM‐based Sum Average are found to be highly correlated with the functional imaging. The achieved ρ (median [range]) for the two features are 0.46 [0.05, 0.67] and 0.45 [0.21, 0.65] across 46 patients and 2 functional imaging modalities, respectively.

Conclusions

The results provide evidence that local regions of sparsely encoded heterogeneous lung parenchyma on CT are associated with diminished radiotracer uptake and measured lung ventilation defects on PET/SPECT imaging. These findings demonstrate the potential of radiomics to serve as a complementary tool to the current lung quantification techniques and provide hypothesis‐generating data for future studies.
Dietary acid load and risk of head and neck and oral cavity cancers: An epidemiologic study
Authors: Ronco Alvaro L. , Martínez‐López Wilner , Calderón Juan M. , Storz Maximilian A.
Published: June 2022

Aim

Metabolic acidosis subsequent to a high dietary acid load (DAL) leads to inflammation and cell transformation, which are common features of cancer development. Because the epidemiologic evidence associating DAL and cancer risk is still limited, we sought to explore the potential role of DAL as a risk factor for head and neck and oral cavity tumors.

Methods

A case–control study was performed on 1126 men (563 cases and 563 age frequency and residence matched controls), drawn from the major public hospitals in Montevideo, Uruguay. Participants were interviewed through a multi‐topic questionnaire, including a food frequency questionnaire. Food‐derived nutrients were calculated from available databases. DAL was calculated based on validated measures including potential renal acid load (PRAL) and net endogenous acid production (NEAP) scores. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated by logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

We found significant and direct associations between dietary acid load and risk of head and neck and oral cavity cancers (OR = 2.10 and OR = 1.95 for highest PRAL and NEAP, respectively). In addition, stratified analyses by subsites displayed the highest estimates for pharyngeal cancer (OR = 2.40 and OR = 2.28 for highest PRAL and NEAP, respectively). No association was found for oral cavity cancers.

Conclusions

An acidogenic diet may increase the risk of head and neck cancers. Our findings align well with our previous studies focused on other anatomic sites. Studies conducted on food groups and nutritional patterns align with our results. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Listening to music before tooth extraction attenuates sympathetic nervous system activity: A randomized control trial
Authors: Yamashita Kaoru , Uto Akari , Uchino Minako , Kibe Toshiro , Sugimura Mitsutaka
Published: June 2022

Aim

The effect of listening to music before tooth extraction on the autonomic nervous system and psychological state remains unclear. This prospective study explored the hypothesis that playing music before the extraction of an impacted mandibular third molar would stabilize patients' autonomic nervous system activity and circulatory dynamics.

Methods

Thirty‐six patients were randomized into two groups: control and music. Patients in the music group listened to music before tooth extraction. Heart rate variability and circulatory dynamics were recorded during the procedure. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale and State Trait Anxiety Inventory scale scores were recorded before the procedure, and the latter was used to assess postoperative anxiety scores.

Results

Sympathetic nervous activity significantly increased in the control group during the administration of local anesthesia, bone removal, and extraction (p < 0.01), although this increase was lower in the music group during the administration of local anesthesia and extraction (p < 0.05). In the music group, the postoperative anxiety score was significantly lower than the preoperative score (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Playing music preoperatively may help reduce sympathetic nerve activity during the administration of local anesthesia and tooth extraction.
Ecosystem restoration job creation potential in Brazil
Authors: Brancalion Pedro H. S. , de Siqueira Ludmila Pugliese , Amazonas Nino T. , Rizek Mayte B. , Mendes Alex F. , Santiami Edson L. , Rodrigues Ricardo Ribeiro , Calmon Miguel , Benini Rubens , Tymus Julio R. C. , Holl Karen D. , Chaves Rafael B.
Published: June 2022

The central motivation to restore ecosystems at a planetary scale has been to reverse degradation and provide multiple environmental benefits, but key global players like governments may be more interested in social outcomes from undertaking restoration, such as job creation. Assessing the job opportunities stemming from ongoing restoration programmes can leverage additional investments for their implementation and support their long‐term maintenance.

Here, we aimed to understand and quantify current and potential ecosystem restoration jobs in Brazil, based on a widely distributed online survey performed in 2020 and led by the main restoration networks in the country. We explored the structure, job distribution and outputs of the national restoration supply chain.

At the beginning of 2020, 4713 temporary and 3510 permanent jobs were created, nearly 60% of which were generated by organizations specialized in restoration, mainly from the non‐profit (48%) and private (37%) sectors.

Restoration jobs were concentrated in organizations working in one (58%) or two (28%) biomes, and the vast majority were in the Atlantic Forest (85%). Similarly, most restoration jobs were concentrated in the southeast region (61%), with one‐third in the state of São Paulo. This geographical distribution was more strongly associated with the states' GDP than with the legal deficit of native vegetation area.

Nearly 20% of the restoration jobs were terminated during the COVID‐19 pandemic in 2020.

We estimate that restoration activities can generate 0.42 jobs per hectare undergoing restoration, which could potentially create 1.0–2.5 million direct jobs through the implementation of Brazil's target of restoring 12 million hectares.

We conclude by reinforcing the value of ecosystem restoration in promoting economic development and job creation, which can be crucial to promote countries' effective engagement in the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. We also highlight the critical role of grassroots organizations to maximize restoration opportunities for socioeconomic development during the post‐pandemic economic recovery.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Obvious improvement of dispersion of multiwall carbon nanotubes in polymer matrix through careful interface design
Authors: Chang Chengbi , Wang Yanbin , Horiuchi Yuya , Do Kim Hyung , Fang Yawen , Ohkita Hideo , Wang Biaobing
Published: June 2022

Herein, a simple and effective approach has been proposed to enhance the interfacial strength between multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and polymer matrix for improving the dispersion of MWCNTs. In more detail, a soluble polyaniline derivate containing polar group (POMA) was selectively incorporated into the binary blend of poly(amide‐imide) (PAI) and MWCNTs. The surface energy and atomic force microscope measurements suggested that POMA was located at the interface of PAI and MWCNTs. Fourier transform infrared measurement indicated that POMA simultaneously interacted with MWCNTs and PAI by hydrogen bonding and π–π interaction, providing stronger interfacial strength between conductive filler and polymer matrix. As a result, the dispersion of MWCNTs and the surface roughness of PAI composites were obviously improved, which is helpful for charge and load transfer in the PAI/MWCNTs/POMA ternary films. As a result, the conductivity increased by 250% from 13 S m−1 for PAI/MWCNTs binary composites to 48 S m−1 for PAI/MWCNTs/POMA ternary composites, and the tensile strength increased from 52 MPa for PAI/MWCNTs binary composites to 66 MPa for PAI/MWCNTs/POMA ternary composites. These findings imply that polar aromatic polymers with suitable surface energy will be a desirable compatibilizer for optimizing the dispersion of carbon nanotubes in the polymer matrix.
Cold ablation robot‐guided laser osteotomy in hand, wrist and forearm surgery—A feasibility study
Authors: Honigmann Philipp , Hofer Maximilian , Hirsch Sibylle , Morawska Marta , Müller‐Gerbl Magdalena , Thieringer Florian M. , Coppo Enrico
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Traditional bone surgery using saws and chisels is associated with direct contact of instruments with the bone causing friction, heat and pressure and hence, damaging the bone and the surrounding soft tissues.

Method

Cold ablation laser osteotomy offers new possibilities to perform corrective osteotomies in the field of bone surgery. We introduce the technology of navigated cold ablation robot‐guided laser osteotomy, present potential applications, and preliminary pre‐clinical cadaver test results in the field of hand‐, wrist‐ and forearm surgery.

Results

The cadaver tests showed first promising results for corrections in all planes and axes using different cutting patterns.

Conclusion

Cold ablation laser osteotomy seems to be a feasible new method to perform osteotomies in the field of hand‐, wrist‐ and forearm surgery. Primary osseous stability could be achieved using various cutting patterns which could lead to reduction of the amount of hardware required for osteosynthesis. Further tests are required to proof the latter and precision.
From lessons on the long‐term effects of the preimplantation environment on later health to a “modified ART‐DOHaD” animal model
Authors: Bari Md Wasim , Ishiyama Shiori , Matsumoto Sachi , Mochizuki Kazuki , Kishigami Satoshi
Published: June 2022

Background

At its earliest stages, mammalian embryonic development is apparently simple but vulnerable. The environment during the preimplantation period, which only lasts a couple of days, has been implicated in adult health, extending to such early stages the concept of the developmental origin of health and disease (DOHaD).

Methods

In this review, we first provide a brief history of assisted reproductive technology (ART) focusing on in vitro culture and its outcomes during subsequent development mainly in mice and humans. Further, we introduce the “MEM mouse,” a novel type 2 diabetes mouse model generated by in vitro culture of preimplantation embryos in alpha minimum essential medium (αMEM).

Main findings

The association between ART and its long‐term effects has been carefully examined for its application in human infertility treatment. The “MEM mouse” develops steatohepatitis and kidney disease with diabetes into adulthood.

Conclusion

The close association between the environment of preimplantation and health in postnatal life is being clarified. The approach by which severe mouse phenotypes are successfully induced by manipulating the environment of preimplantation embryos could provide new chronic disease animal models, which we call “modified ART‐DOHaD” animal models. This will also offer insights into the mechanisms underlying their long‐term effects.
Analysis of clinical outcomes and meiotic segregation modes following preimplantation genetic testing for structural rearrangements using aCGH/NGS in couples with balanced chromosome rearrangement
Authors: Nakano Tatsuya , Ammae Michiko , Satoh Manabu , Mizuno Satoshi , Nakaoka Yoshiharu , Morimoto Yoshiharu
Published: June 2022

Purpose

To retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness of PGT‐SR by array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) or next‐generation sequencing (NGS) in preventing recurrent miscarriages.

Methods

Thirty one couples with balanced translocation who underwent 68 PGT‐SR cycles between 2012 and 2020 were evaluated. A total of 242 blastocysts were biopsied for aCGH or NGS. The genetically transferable blastocysts were transferred in the subsequent frozen‐thawed single embryo transfer cycle.

Results

The genetically transferable blastocyst rate was 21.2% (51/241). Thirty five genetically transferable blastocysts were transferred into the uterine cavity. The clinical pregnancy rate was 57.1% (20/35), and the ongoing pregnancy rate was 100.0% (20/20). The incidence of interchromosomal effect (ICE) was influenced by ovarian stimulation protocol, female age, and carrier's gender, but dependent on the types of balanced translocation carriers. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in meiotic segregation modes in ovarian stimulation protocols and carrier's gender. Interestingly, the incidence of adjacent‐1 segregation in ≧40 years group increased significantly compared with <35 years group.

Conclusions

For the first time in Japan, we show the effectiveness of PGT‐SR using aCGH or NGS, which enables comprehensive analysis of chromosomes, in the prevention of recurrent miscarriages. Furthermore, our results may support better genetic counseling of balanced translocation carriers for PGT‐SR cycles.
The Increasing Number of Electron Reservoirs in Nonporous, High‐Conducting Coordination Polymers CuxBHT (x = 3, 4, and 5, BHT = Benzenehexathiol) for Improved Faradaic Capacitance
Authors: Sun Yong , Jin Yigang , Xu Cheng , Zhu Mengsu , Li Yang , Li Ze , Sun Yimeng , Xu Wei , Zhu Daoben
Published: June 2022

Although asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) can achieve high energy density, the lifespan and power density are severely suppressed due to the low conductivity of using pseudocapacitive or battery‐type electrode materials. Recently, nonporous conductive coordination polymers (c‐CPs) have sparked interests in supercapacitors. However, their performance is expected to be limited by the nonporous features, low specific surface area and absence of ion‐diffusion channels. Here, it is demonstrated that the capacity of nonporous CPs will be significantly enhanced by maximizing the number of faradaic redox sites in their structures through a comparative investigation on three highly conductive nonporous c‐CPs, CuxBHT(x = 3, 4, 5.5). They show excellent capacitance of 312.1 F g‐1 (374.5 C g‐1) (Cu3BHT), 186.7 F g‐1 (224.0 C g‐1) (Cu4BHT) and 89.2 F g‐1 (107.0 C g‐1) (Cu5.5BHT) at 0.5 A g‐1 in a sequence related to the number of electron storage units in structures and outstanding rate performance and cycle stability. Furthermore, the constructed Cu3BHT//MnO2 ASC device exhibits capacity retention of 92% (after 1500 cycles at 3 A g‐1) and delivers a high energy density of 39.1 Wh kg‐1 at power density of 549.6 W kg‐1 within a large working potential window of 0‐2.2 V.
Observation of Long‐Term Stable Response in MAPbBr3 Single Crystals Monitored through Displacement Currents under Varying Illumination
Authors: García-Batlle Marisé , Zia Waqas , Aranda Clara A. , Saliba Michael , Almora Osbel , Guerrero Antonio , Garcia-Belmonte Germà
Published: June 2022

Long life of perovskite devices in working conditions remains the bottleneck for technology application. Stable charge carriers’ transport together with nonreactive contact materials contributes to the increase of the device operation time. Still, an appropriate model for transport carrier mechanisms is needed because of the complex ionic–electronic interplay. Herein, methylammonium lead bromide perovskite single crystals are used to analyze the current flowing across the perovskite sample after biasing. Two methods are performed: 1) direct measurement using an amperemeter and 2) indirect method by means of an induced potential in a reference capacitor. Because of the continuity of the current, the latest method measures direct current through the sample by monitoring displacements currents. Intriguing features are observed: the displacement currents result in stable and highly reproducible responses for long‐term biasing (≈2000 s), while the direct measurements produce larger and exponentially increasing current dependence on time. These findings highlight the nontrivial effect of contacting and measuring procedures in exploring thick perovskite electrical response.
Codesigning Alloy Compositions of CdSeyTe1−y Absorbers and MgxZn1−xO Contacts to Increase Solar Cell Efficiency
Authors: Khan Imran S. , Ablekim Tursun , McGott Deborah L. , Good Brian , Perkins Craig L. , Metzger Wyatt K. , Zakutayev Andriy
Published: June 2022

Thin‐film solar cells such as CdTe are a major commercial photovoltaic technology, with more than 25 GW installed worldwide and levelized costs of electricity competitive with fossil fuels. Further progress may result from integrating CdSeyTe1−y absorbers with MgxZn1−xO contacts, but the device efficiency is difficult to maximize due to coupled dependence on chemical composition of both alloys. Herein, a high‐throughput approach is demonstrated to codesign chemical compositions in alloyed MgxZn1−xO/CdSeyTe1−y thin‐film solar cells, using combinatorial libraries of PV devices with orthogonal composition gradients in CdSeyTe1−y absorbers and MgxZn1−xO contacts. It is found that the solar cell performance is a strong and coupled function of both elemental compositions, with efficiency up to 17.7% (VOC = 836 mV, fill factor = 69%, JSC = 30.6 mA cm−2) at atomic compositions of Mg/(Mg + Zn) ≈18% and average Se/(Se + Te) ≈4%. These performance trends among >100 devices are explained by >100 ns lifetime of photoexcited charge carriers at the MgxZn1−xO/CdSeyTe1−y interface where strong Se accumulation is also observed. This study reports the optimal compositions of the commercially relevant MgxZn1−xO/CdSeyTe1−y solar cells and demonstrates a general approach to codesigning performance of alloyed thin‐film solar cells and other optoelectronic devices.
Enzymatic HES Conjugation with Recombinant Human Erythropoietin via Variant Microbial Transglutaminase TG16
Authors: Hore Rana , Alaneed Razan , Pietzsch Markus , Kressler Jörg
Published: June 2022

Microbial transglutaminases (mTGases) or protein‐glutamine γ‐glutamyltransferases are a family of enzymes that catalyze the transamidation of glutamine (Gln) residues of proteins or peptides with various primary amines. mTGase is suitable for site‐specific enzymatic modification of therapeutic proteins. Here, the enzymatic conjugation of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) with the semisynthetic starch derivative, hydroxyethyl starch (HES), is studied, using a thermoresistant variant mTGase TG16. An amine‐modified HES (HES‐g‐NH2) is synthesized to act as an acyl acceptor substrate for TG16 and characterized by 1H NMR, 2D NMR, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Subsequently, HES‐g‐NH2 is labeled with rhodamine B‐isothiocyanate resulting in rhodamine B‐labeled HES‐g‐NH2 (HES‐g‐NH2‐R). Finally, amine‐modified HES before and after labeling is applied for the conjugation reaction with rHuEPO at its transition temperature Tm. Using SDS‐PAGE, high molar mass conjugates as well as aggregates are observed, thus, demonstrating the efficient conjugation of HES with the acyl donor rHuEPO. Importantly, it is shown that this enzymatic method gives easy access to the preparation of rHuEPO‐HES conjugates.
Conservative and Liberal Values in Relation to Religiosity
Authors: Novis-Deutsch Nurit , Keysar Ariela , Beit-Hallahmi Benny , Sztajer Sławomir , Klingenberg Maria , Piltzecker Thea
Published: June 2022

The conservative versus the liberal conflict currently seems to be prevalent in Western societies. This chapter tests the association between conservative and liberal worldviews and basic human values: conservation values (CONS) versus values we term “liberal attitude values” (LA). We explore their association to each other, to religiosity, and to social policy attitudes. We first explore these associations in the full Young Adults and Religion in a Global Perspective (YARG) sample, and then focus on three samples from countries that have recently experienced a liberal-conservative political polarization: Poland, Israel (Jewish sample), and the United States. The contribution of the YARG data is in the ability to present a more nuanced view of this dimension, with an emphasis on its relation to religiosity. Our intention is to unpack the conservative and the liberal worldviews in order to explore the elements that each of them promotes and to identify variance within national contexts, shifting the liberal-conservative dichotomy to a culturally-nuanced spectrum.
Common Patterns of Religion and Spirituality: A Contribution to the Discussion on Typologies
Authors: Nynäs Peter , Novis-Deutsch Nurit , Stenner Paul
Published: June 2022

The aim to discern variation in religion and spirituality has been central to the Study of Religions, and in particular, it has fueled the discussion on typologies. In this chapter, we analyze five distinct worldview profiles (prototypes) that we extracted from our study in 12 countries with the Faith Q-Sort (FQS). The FQS enables us to investigate in detail how certain ideas, practices, attitudes etc. vary in relevance between prototypes, and reveals patterns of importance for the discussion on typology. It provides a meaningful methodological tool for assessing and comprehending worldviews and how these are configured. Our findings show that our five prototypes, on the one hand, are distinguished by certain characteristics and that they, on the other hand, also are multidimensional and emerge as variations of how several elements are combined and emphasized.
Coastal-Marine Ecosystem Accounting to Support Integrated Coastal Zone Management
Authors: Chen Wenting , Barton David N. , Sander Gunnar
Published: June 2022

Significance Statement

Coastal and marine ecosystems face historical deterioration worldwide. This negatively affects the provisioning of ecosystem services to society. The UN has recently approved a statistical standard for ecosystem accounting to measure the contribution of ecosystem services to the national economy and track changes in the value of naturel capital. It has been suggested that ecosystem accounting can also be used to support policy and management at regional and local level. This study presents an exploratory assessment of ecosystem accounting’s role in supporting integrated coastal zone planning using the Oslofjord in Norway as a case. We discuss how ecosystem accounting, and ecosystem service use and monetary accounts in particular, could be useful to support various aspects of integrated coastal zone planning, nature conservation and financing.
A Network Approach to Green Infrastructure: How to Enhance Ecosystem Services Provision?
Authors: Staccione Andrea , Candiago Sebastian , Mysiak Jaroslav
Published: June 2022

Significance Statement

Landscape fragmentation is increasingly undermining the capacity of ecosystems to provide services and benefits to humans. The development of a green infrastructure network can enhance the provision of ecosystem services connecting ecosystem features. We review and explore the concepts, methodologies, and applications that allow to analyse connectivity of green infrastructure networks and the role of spatial connectivity for supporting and maintaining ecosystem services. Together with connectivity, the quality, quantity, diversity, redundancy, and distances of ecosystem elements result to be important characteristics to support the provision of services. We report how spatial and connectivity-based methodologies (for example, network indices and spatial pattern analysis) can support characterisation and prioritization of green infrastructure networks for crucial interventions, both for preserving and restoring connection elements.
Earth Observations of Human-Nature Interactions from a Cultural Ecosystem Service Perspective
Authors: Vaz Ana Sofia , Moreno-Llorca Ricardo , Carvalho-Santos Cláudia , Cardoso Ana Sofia , Honrado João P. , Cabello Javier , Alcaraz-Segura Domingo
Published: June 2022

Significance Statement

Reconciling nature conservation and cultural ecosystem services (CES) has become fundamental to manage mountain protected areas. The timely monitoring of CES opportunities at large scales is therefore a pressing need. We combined social media data and Earth observations (EO) into a multi model inference framework to assess CES opportunities in two contrasting mountain Biosphere Reserves in Southern Europe: Peneda-Gerês (Portugal) and Sierra Nevada (Spain). EO indicators expressing people’s accessibility to leisure elements and landscape visual-sensory characteristics appear to be effective candidates for the monitoring of attributes underlying CES. Our findings recognise EO as complementary tools to socio-cultural approaches for the evaluation of CES, aiding stakeholders in their management decisions focused on the resilience and sustainability of mountain protected areas.
Information Requirements for an Efficient Renovation Process
Authors: Lupica Spagnolo Sonia , Signorini Martina , Vesanen Teemu , Pavan Alberto , Kousouris Spiros
Published: June 2022

When a renovation process takes place, different stakeholders are responsible of several activities and their interaction occurs at different stages of the building process. Therefore, a deep analysis of possible activities for different stakeholders in each different stage of the life cycle helps outlining how to optimize their interaction, thanks to the use of BIM-based tools that can smooth collaboration and data gathering. As it is commonly agreed that information losses, data lacks or redundancies are one of the main causes of time delay and cost increase, a flowchart representing the building process in case of renovation has been developed and then used to design a BIM management system (BIMMS) to allow every stakeholder along the life cycle of a building (and built asset) finding required information and share existing or new datasets in a straightforward and conflict-free manner. A particular attention has been paid in individualising differences between the public and private sectors, to be successfully applied to the renovation process in both the sectors.
Digital Tools for Fast Mapping of Buildings
Authors: Bolognesi Cecilia Maria , Kurkinen Eva-Lotta , Andersson Per
Published: June 2022

While the construction sector embraces digitalization, new technologies related to it are spreading benefits. The need of creating a 3D model of a building, a digital copy of something existing, is not new. Mediated by the advent of photographic and laser instrumentation, the construction of a digital model has crossed the fields of surveying with increasing accuracy and precision, imposing standards of capturing the existing first and modelling then ever higher. But while the Building Information Modelling allows a virtual representation of the existing asset enriching its geometry with precious and significant information related to its properties, advanced survey has always faced the impossibility to break the surface of the building, surveying what is inside walls, thus excluding what necessary should be contained within a BIM model. Also, BIM models do not consider the real-time component and do not report the real-time behaviour of the building. In this chapter we will investigate several technologies and instruments exploited till now for the surveying and positioning of existing buildings, plants included, and a new toolkit based on AR that, coupled with sensors and visualisation tools developed by BIM4EEB, offers many advantages when surveying the whole building.
Digital Tools for HVAC-Design, Operation and Efficiency Management
Authors: Vesanen Teemu , Shemeikka Jari , Tsatsakis Kostas , O’Regan Brian , Hryshchenko Andriy , O’Leidhin Eoin , O’Sullivan Dominic
Published: June 2022

The project BIM4EEB aims also to develop digital tools to support the design, procurement, installation, post-renovation operation, user feedback and profiling of building automation systems for HVAC. This helps supporting decision making, interaction with tenants and owners during the design, construction, and post-renovation operation phases. The development of the tools will be underpinned by a sound methodological approach. Work will include considerations of interoperability with Smart City technology of automation systems for HVAC. Specific objectives will be related to the development of the following software tools:

A software component supporting the automatic generation of the layout for control systems emphasising on user preferences and including constraint checking of BAC-topologies against selected building codes. Data and information stored in BIM models are used to generate the initial recommendations and constraints and to deliver the final installation instructions.

A software component allowing the seamless specification and evaluation of user comfort and systems performance. The underpinning information model will merge data sources from BIM (dimensional data) and BAC (factual data).

An energy-refurbishment assessment tool, for bridging the gap between commercial simulators and the BIM management system.

A user-profiling component allowing to compare expectations of tenants and owners regarding comfort and systems’ performance against monitored parameters. The results of this software component can be used in the pre- and post-renovation phases to update the content of BIM systems and thus to improve their accuracy and to reduce efforts for data acquisition and verification.
Producing Pathways to Success: New Perspectives on Social Mobility
Authors: Pott Andreas , Crul Maurice , Schneider Jens
Published: June 2022

This chapter sketches the state of the debate on the roles and positions of native-born children of immigrants in European countries more than half a century after the transformation of these countries into immigration societies. It focusses on the social mechanisms, potentials and effects of the increasing number of socially upwardly mobile offspring of immigrant working-class families – and the lacunae in research on them. We introduce some of the central theoretical concepts that have informed the diverse research projects within the Pathways to Success consortium and the empirical comparisons throughout this book. We describe and justify why we talk about new social mobilities in light of the extraordinary nature of this group’s social mobility. Many of the social climbers’ parents, recruited as part of ‘guest worker’ schemes, had attained levels of formal education well below the average of non-immigrant workers’ families. But having taken the risk of migrating to another country, these parents also transmitted high levels of ambition and expectations to their children. In addition to individual characteristics, we emphasize the importance of institutional arrangements by making use of the integration context theory, which offers an important framework for understanding the opportunities and obstacles put in place by educational and labour market systems and specific professional sectors.
Becoming Elite in an Egalitarian Context: Pathways to Law and Medicine Among Norway’s Second-Generation
Authors: Midtbøen Arnfinn H. , Nadim Marjan
Published: June 2022

This chapter examines the extent to which elite occupations such as medicine and law are open to ambitious second-generation individuals in Norway, with regard to both institutional access and social inclusion. We use population-wide registry data to study the share of second-generation individuals who have degrees in law and medicine and are working as lawyers and doctors. Drawing on 40 in-depth interviews with children of labour migrants who have managed to secure jobs as lawyers and medical doctors, we moreover explore the informants’ pathways to their current labour market positions and their experiences of both barriers and opportunities in their work contexts. Although medicine and law are elite fields characterized by occupational closure, both in their access policies and in their recruitment practices, second-generation individuals are overrepresented in both fields, especially in medicine. However, the qualitative data suggest that many have accessed these fields through second-chance options or alternative routes. Furthermore, although many informants are able to take advantage of their ethnic minority background in their working lives, some also experience the burden of feeling ‘out of place’ in work places traditionally reserved for majority individuals of elite social origins. The following chapter paints an optimistic picture of second-generation access to elite positions in institutional terms, while simultaneously suggesting that formal access does not necessarily protect against subtle processes of exclusion.
Entwicklung eines integrierten theoretischen Bezugsrahmens und Ableitung von Hypothesen zur Erklärung des Wirkungsbeitrags des Design Thinking Mindset zur marktorientierten Unternehmensführung und zum Unternehmenserfolg
Authors: Kiefer Iphigenie Leandra
Published: June 2022

Wegen des zentralen Ziels der vorliegenden Arbeit, den Wirkungsbeitrag des DT Mindset zur marktorientierten Unternehmensführung und zum Unternehmenserfolg zu untersuchen, wurden in den vorangegangenen Kapiteln die theoretischen und konzeptionellen Grundlagen sowie die bisherigen empirischen Erkenntnisse zu den zentralen Konstrukten der MO und des DT Mindset systematisch analysiert und deren Verortung im Untersuchungskontext dargestellt. Aus dem vorgenannten Ziel ergibt sich als zentraler Anspruch an die vorliegende Untersuchung nun die Entwicklung eines integrativen Bezugsrahmens und die theoriegeleitete Ableitung von Hypothesen zur Erklärung des Wirkungsbeitrags des DT Mindsets zur marktorientierten Unternehmensführung und zum Unternehmenserfolg. Hierbei ist ebenso die Frage von Bedeutung, durch welche Einflussfaktoren der Wirkungszusammenhang zwischen dem DT Mindset und der MO systematisch gesteigert oder behindert wird.
Schlussbetrachtung und Ausblick
Authors: Kiefer Iphigenie Leandra
Published: June 2022

Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit erfolgte eine theoretisch-konzeptionelle sowie empirische Analyse des Beitrags des DT Mindset zur marktorientierten Unternehmensführung und zum Unternehmenserfolg. Obwohl die vorliegende Arbeit primär explikativ ausgerichtet ist, steht neben der wissenschaftlich-analytischen Durchdringung des Phänomens DT Mindset auch die branchenübergreifende, empirische Erforschung seiner unternehmensspezifischen Einflussfaktoren und Wirkungsdimensionen im Augenmerk der vorliegenden Arbeit. Die empirische Analyse liefert wertvolle Erkenntnisse, um präskriptive Handlungsempfehlungen für die Implementierung von DT in biparadigmatischen Unternehmen ableiten zu können.
Mixing particle production for relaxion mechanism
Authors: Klangburam Tanech , Waeming Areef , Tantirangsri Predee , Samart Daris , Pongkitivanichkul Chakrit
Published: June 2022

Abstract

We consider the production of two heavy gauge bosons as a relaxation stopping mechanism. In this work, we analyse the conditions for a tachyonic mode for a linear combination of gauge bosons and show that the criteria are significantly different than the single gauge boson case. Moreover, the implementation of the mechanism on the U(1)′ model is demonstrated. We discuss various constraints for the relaxion mechanism. The phenomenology of the heavy gauge boson is also explored. We finally show a benchmark point of parameter space considering all constraints from relaxion and the U(1)′ mixing sector.
CFT correlators, $$ \mathcal{W} $$-algebras and generalized Catalan numbers
Authors: Karlsson Robin , Kulaxizi Manuela , Ng Gim Seng , Parnachev Andrei , Tadić Petar
Published: June 2022

Abstract

In two spacetime dimensions the Virasoro heavy-heavy-light-light (HHLL) vacuum block in a certain limit is governed by the Catalan numbers. The equation for their generating function can be generalized to a differential equation which the logarithm of the block satisfies. We show that a similar story holds for the HHLL $$ \mathcal{W} $$
W
N vacuum blocks, where a suitable generalization of the Catalan numbers plays the main role. Moreover, the $$ \mathcal{W} $$
W
N blocks have the same form as the stress tensor sector of HHLL near lightcone conformal correlators in 2(N − 1) spacetime dimensions. In the latter case the Catalan numbers are generalized to the numbers of linear extensions of certain partially ordered sets.
A genome-wide cross-trait analysis identifies shared loci and causal relationships of type 2 diabetes and glycaemic traits with polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Liu Qianwen , Tang Bowen , Zhu Zhaozhong , Kraft Peter , Deng Qiaolin , Stener-Victorin Elisabet , Jiang Xia
Published: June 2022

Aims/hypothesis

The link underlying abnormal glucose metabolism, type 2 diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) that is independent of BMI remains unclear in observational studies. We aimed to clarify this association using a genome-wide cross-trait approach.

Methods

Summary statistics from the hitherto largest genome-wide association studies conducted for type 2 diabetes, type 2 diabetes mellitus adjusted for BMI (T2DMadjBMI), fasting glucose, fasting insulin, 2h glucose after an oral glucose challenge (all adjusted for BMI), HbA1c and PCOS, all in populations of European ancestry, were used. We quantified overall and local genetic correlations, identified pleiotropic loci and expression–trait associations, and made causal inferences across traits.

Results

A positive overall genetic correlation between type 2 diabetes and PCOS was observed, largely influenced by BMI (rg=0.31, p=1.63×10–8) but also independent of BMI (T2DMadjBMI–PCOS: rg=0.12, p=0.03). Sixteen pleiotropic loci affecting type 2 diabetes, glycaemic traits and PCOS were identified, suggesting mechanisms of association that are independent of BMI. Two shared expression–trait associations were found for type 2 diabetes/T2DMadjBMI and PCOS targeting tissues of the cardiovascular, exocrine/endocrine and digestive systems. A putative causal effect of fasting insulin adjusted for BMI and type 2 diabetes on PCOS was demonstrated.

Conclusions/interpretation

We found a genetic link underlying type 2 diabetes, glycaemic traits and PCOS, driven by both biological pleiotropy and causal mediation, some of which is independent of BMI. Our findings highlight the importance of controlling fasting insulin levels to mitigate the risk of PCOS, as well as screening for and long-term monitoring of type 2 diabetes in all women with PCOS, irrespective of BMI.

Graphical abstract