bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Bloomsbury Companion to Political Philosophy
Authors: Fiala Andrew
Published: February 2017

The Bloomsbury Companion to Political Philosophy is the definitive guide to contemporary political philosophy. The book covers all the most pressing and important themes and categories in the field – areas that have continued to attract interest historically as well as topics that have emerged more recently as active areas of research. Fourteen specially commissioned essays from an international team of experts, including Eduardo Mendieta and Gillian Brock, reveal where important work continues to be done in the area and, most valuably, the exciting new directions the field is taking. The Companion explores a range of issues from the nature and history of political philosophy, sovereignty, distributive justice, democratic theory, feminist theory, to toleration, human rights, immigration, cosmopolitanism, peace, war, and the challenge of Eurocentrism in political philosophy. Featuring a series of indispensable research tools, including an A to Z of key terms and concepts, a chronology, a detailed list of resources, and a fully annotated bibliography, this is the essential reference tool for anyone researching or working in political philosophy.
Thomas Aquinas's Relics as Focus for Conflict and Cult in the Late Middle Ages
Authors: Räsänen Marika
Published: February 2017

This book offers a new way of looking at Saint Thomas Aquinas-not as a living man, but as a posthumous source of relics. Marika Räsänen delves deep into the strange relationship between Aquinas's physical remains and the devotional moments they enabled-in many cases in situations where the actual relics were not present, but were recreated verbally, pictorially, or allegorically. Both the actual relics and these extended manifestations of them, Räsänen shows, were equally real to the medieval spectator, though the question of the material presence of Aquinas's remains became increasingly important over time amid the political tumult of southern Italy.
On the Role of Values in Social Research: Weber Vindicated?
Authors: Hammersley Martyn
Published: February 2017

Weber's proposal that social science should aim to be value neutral is now widely rejected. However, I argue that his position was more sophisticated than is generally recognised, and that it is for the most part sound. Clarification of his position is provided, along with an outline of the reasons why it came to be rejected. I suggest that these are, for the most part, based upon misconceptions. I also demonstrate that there are fundamental problems with any notion of normative sociology, ones that are rarely addressed and have not been resolved.
Students’ Constructions of a Christian Future: Faith, Class and Aspiration in University Contexts
Authors: Guest Mathew , Aune Kristin
Published: February 2017

Economic uncertainties have unsettled the status of higher education as an assured means to social mobility, raising questions of how students orient themselves to life after graduation. In this context, how does religion (a neglected aspect of student identity) shape students’ attitudes and plans? This article examines the future aspirations of Christian students, theorising Christian identity as an inter-subjective resource through which ‘alternative’ futures are imagined, a resource variously framed by classed assumptions about propriety. It analyses data from 75 interviews with undergraduates at five English universities, and explores emerging aspirational paradigms structured around hetero-normative domesticity, the formation of Christian counter-narratives to contemporary capitalism and positive submission to God.
‘The Person God Made Me to Be’: Navigating Working-Class and Christian Identities in English Evangelical Christianity
Authors: McKenzie Joanne
Published: February 2017

This article explores the lived experience of class in relation to English evangelical Christianity. It examines how the subjective, affective impacts of class are felt, navigated and negotiated by working-class evangelical church leaders in the context of everyday ministry. Recent class analysis ( Abrahams and Ingram 2013 ; Friedman 2016 ; Reay 2015 ) has mobilized and developed the Bourdieusian concept of ‘cleft’ or divided habitus ( Bourdieu 2000 ) in empirical study of the emotional impact of movement across class fields. Examining data produced in interviews with evangelical leaders, this article draws on this work, exploring how working-class evangelical leaders experience cleft habitus as they engage with different class fields in the course of their work in ministry. It is argued that, whilst often overlooked in research on classed subjectivities, religious identity plays a critical role in provoking distinctive responses to the everyday experience of class. The accounts suggest that, in the negotiation of feelings of cleft habitus, interviewees’ Christian subjectivity prompts a proactive seeking of an integrated identity that is both evangelical and working-class.
Estimates of the aerosol indirect effect over the Baltic Sea region derived from 12 years of MODIS observations
Authors: Saponaro Giulia , Kolmonen Pekka , Sogacheva Larisa , Rodriguez Edith , Virtanen Timo , de Leeuw Gerrit
Published: February 2017

Abstract. Retrieved from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on-board the Aqua satellite, 12 years (2003–2014) of aerosol and cloud properties were used to statistically quantify aerosol–cloud interaction (ACI) over the Baltic Sea region, including the relatively clean Fennoscandia and the more polluted central–eastern Europe. These areas allowed us to study the effects of different aerosol types and concentrations on macro- and microphysical properties of clouds: cloud effective radius (CER), cloud fraction (CF), cloud optical thickness (COT), cloud liquid water path (LWP) and cloud-top height (CTH). Aerosol properties used are aerosol optical depth (AOD), Ångström exponent (AE) and aerosol index (AI). The study was limited to low-level water clouds in the summer. The vertical distributions of the relationships between cloud properties and aerosols show an effect of aerosols on low-level water clouds. CF, COT, LWP and CTH tend to increase with aerosol loading, indicating changes in the cloud structure, while the effective radius of cloud droplets decreases. The ACI is larger at relatively low cloud-top levels, between 900 and 700 hPa. Most of the studied cloud variables were unaffected by the lower-tropospheric stability (LTS), except for the cloud fraction. The spatial distribution of aerosol and cloud parameters and ACI, here defined as the change in CER as a function of aerosol concentration for a fixed LWP, shows positive and statistically significant ACI over the Baltic Sea and Fennoscandia, with the former having the largest values. Small negative ACI values are observed in central–eastern Europe, suggesting that large aerosol concentrations saturate the ACI.
Role of moisture transport for Central American precipitation
Authors: Durán-Quesada Ana María , Gimeno Luis , Amador Jorge
Published: February 2017

Abstract. A climatology of moisture sources linked with Central American precipitation was computed based upon Lagrangian trajectories for the analysis period 1980–2013. The response of the annual cycle of precipitation in terms of moisture supply from the sources was analysed. Regional precipitation patterns are mostly driven by moisture transport from the Caribbean Sea (CS). Moisture supply from the eastern tropical Pacific (ETPac) and northern South America (NSA) exhibits a strong seasonal pattern but weaker compared to CS. The regional distribution of rainfall is largely influenced by a local signal associated with surface fluxes during the first part of the rainy season, whereas large-scale dynamics forces rainfall during the second part of the rainy season. The Caribbean Low Level Jet (CLLJ) and the Chocó Jet (CJ) are the main conveyors of regional moisture, being key to define the seasonality of large-scale forced rainfall. Therefore, interannual variability of rainfall is highly dependent of the regional LLJs to the atmospheric variability modes. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) was found to be the dominant mode affecting moisture supply for Central American precipitation via the modulation of regional phenomena. Evaporative sources show opposite anomaly patterns during warm and cold ENSO phases, as a result of the strengthening and weakening, respectively, of the CLLJ during the summer months. Trends in both moisture supply and precipitation over the last three decades were computed, results suggest that precipitation trends are not homogeneous for Central America. Trends in moisture supply from the sources identified show a marked north–south seesaw, with an increasing supply from the CS Sea to northern Central America. Long-term trends in moisture supply are larger for the transition months (March and October). This might have important implications given that any changes in the conditions seen during the transition to the rainy season may induce stronger precipitation trends.
A matrix clustering method to explore patterns of land-cover transitions in satellite-derived maps of the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Müller-Hansen Finn , Cardoso Manoel F. , Dalla-Nora Eloi L. , Donges Jonathan F. , Heitzig Jobst , Kurths Jürgen , Thonicke Kirsten
Published: February 2017

Abstract. Changes in land-use systems in tropical regions, including deforestation, are a key challenge for global sustainability because of their huge impacts on green-house gas emissions, local climate and biodiversity. However, the dynamics of land-use and land-cover change in regions of frontier expansion such as the Brazilian Amazon are not yet well understood because of the complex interplay of ecological and socioeconomic drivers. In this paper, we combine Markov chain analysis and complex network methods to identify regimes of land-cover dynamics from land-cover maps (TerraClass) derived from high-resolution (30 m) satellite imagery. We estimate regional transition probabilities between different land-cover types and use clustering analysis and community detection algorithms on similarity networks to explore patterns of dominant land-cover transitions. We find that land-cover transition probabilities in the Brazilian Amazon are heterogeneous in space, and adjacent subregions tend to be assigned to the same clusters. When focusing on transitions from single land-cover types, we uncover patterns that reflect major regional differences in land-cover dynamics. Our method is able to summarize regional patterns and thus complements studies performed at the local scale.
N2O and N2 losses from simulated injection of biogas digestate depend mainly on soil texture, moisture and temperature
Authors: Fiedler Sebastian Rainer , Augustin Jürgen , Wrage-Mönnig Nicole , Jurasinski Gerald , Gusovius Bertram , Glatzel Stephan
Published: February 2017

Abstract. Biogas digestate (BD) is increasingly used as organic fertiliser, but has a high potential for NH3 losses. Its proposed injection into soils as a counter-measure has been suggested to promote the generation of N2O, leading to a potential trade-off. Furthermore, the effect on N2 losses after injection of BD into soil has not yet been evaluated. We performed a simulated BD injection experiment in a helium-oxygen atmosphere to examine the influence of soil substrate (loamy sand, clayey silt), water-filled pore space (WFPS; 35, 55, 75 %), temperature (2° C, 15° C) and application rate (0, 160, 320 kg N ha−1) as a proxy for row spacing of injection on the emissions of N2O, N2, and CO2. To determine the potential capacity for these gaseous losses, we incubated under anaerobic conditions by purging with helium for the last 24 h of incubation. N2O and N2 emissions as well as the N2 / (N2O + N2) ratio depended on soil type and increased with WFPS and temperature, indicating a crucial role of soil gas diffusivity for the formation of these gases in agricultural soils. However, the emissions did not increase with the application rate of BD, i.e. a broader spacing of injection slits, probably due to an inhibitory effect of the high NH4+ content of BD. Our results suggest that the risk of N2O and N2 losses even after injection of relatively large amounts of BD seems to be small for dry to wet sandy soils and acceptable when regarding simultaneously reduced NH3 emissions for dry silty soils.
Soil moisture redistribution and its effect on inter-annual active layer temperature and thickness variations in a dry loess terrace in Adventdalen, Svalbard
Authors: Schuh Carina , Frampton Andrew , Christiansen Hanne Hvidtfeldt
Published: February 2017

Abstract. High-resolution field data for the period 2000–2014 consisting of active layer and permafrost temperature, active layer soil moisture, and thaw depth progression from the UNISCALM research site in Adventdalen, Svalbard, is combined with a physically based coupled cryotic and hydrogeological model to investigate active layer dynamics. The site is a loess-covered river terrace characterized by dry conditions with little to no summer infiltration and an unsaturated active layer. A range of soil moisture characteristic curves consistent with loess sediments is considered and their effects on ice and moisture redistribution, heat flux, energy storage through latent heat transfer, and active layer thickness is investigated and quantified based on hydro-climatic site conditions. Results show that soil moisture retention characteristics exhibit notable control on ice distribution and circulation within the active layer through cryosuction and are subject to seasonal variability and site-specific surface temperature variations. The retention characteristics also impact unfrozen water and ice content in the permafrost. Although these effects lead to differences in thaw progression rates, the resulting inter-annual variability in active layer thickness is not large. Field data analysis reveals that variations in summer degree days do not notably affect the active layer thaw depths; instead, a cumulative winter degree day index is found to more significantly control inter-annual active layer thickness variation at this site. A tendency of increasing winter temperatures is found to cause a general warming of the subsurface down to 10 m depth (0.05 to 0.26 °C yr−1, observed and modelled) including an increasing active layer thickness (0.8 cm yr−1, observed and 0.3 to 0.8 cm yr−1, modelled) during the 14-year study period.
The Affordable Care Act (2010) and its perceived impact on assisted fertility care access: Pilot data from a national sample of women’s health practitioners in USA
Authors: Vaughan Denis A , Dimitriadis Irene , Sills Eric Scott , Pagidis Kelly
Published: February 2017

Objective: The Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (ACA), or “Obamacare”, represents the most substantial reform of the U.S. healthcare system since the 1965 creation of Medicare and Medicaid. This investigation sought to ascertain knowledge and opinion among physicians providing women’s healthcare services about how this national health program will impact access to fertility treatments.Methods: Between May-July 2014, doctor’s perceptions of ACA were registered by anonymous questionnaire submitted to program directors and house staff at 50 accredited obstetrics & gynecology training centers in USA. Self-reported political preferences were also tabulated for each respondent.Results: Overall, 53.3% of participants (n = 114) claimed familiarity with ACA although this varied significantly by seniority (68.8% of faculty vs. 40% of trainees; p = .003). Among respondents 54.9% identified as liberal, 23% as moderate, and 19.5% as conservative. Most physicians in this sample (51.8%) anticipated a positive impact on assisted fertility care from ACA, 17.9% predicted an adverse effect, and just under one third (30.3%) either had no opinion or were unable to make a prediction.Conclusions: This study offers the first analysis of women’s healthcare physicians’ opinion about the impact of ACA on assisted fertility services. Our report finds low general familiarity of ACA among doctors. Moreover, marked divisions of opinion exist among physicians concerning the ACA in general, as well as what role the ACA should play in the provision of assisted fertility care specifically. If U.S. physicians are to provide leadership on women’s healthcare policy initiatives with a view to reach consensus (especially with respect to assisted fertility services), improved awareness of the ACA and its sequela will be crucial.
Agroforestry Technique for Minimal Extra-Labour: Influence of Chromolaena-Cajanus Combination on Soil Chemistry and Biology, and Yam Yields
Authors: Kone Armand W. , Kablan Aurore B. M. K. , Gauze-Touao Martine K. , Djessou Serge A. , Kone Brahima
Published: February 2017

Despite the beneficial effects of legumes on soil fertiliy, their adoption by farmers remains low due to the extra labour entailed. Lifting this constraint is of paramount importance in sustainable agriculture. This issue was dealt with in the present study which was carried out in central Côte d’Ivoire through assessing the response of soil (chemical and biological parameters) and subsequent yam yield to two fallow systems: natural C. odorata fallow (control) vs. Combination of C. odorata and Cajanus cajan. The mixed plot was obtained by loosely introducing at the onset of fallow C. cajan which withstands competition by C. odorata. Soil chemical parameters, abundance and diversity of decomposer macrofauna, microbial parameters and subsequent yam tuber yield were measured. After a 30-month period of time, the P content in C. cajan leaf litter increased in the mixed plot. The density of diplopods in leaf litter was lower in the mixed fallow while the average order number in soil was higher. No significant change occurred in earthworm abundance and diversity, nor in microbial activities. SOM and available P increased in the mixed fallow, as well as nitrates. Yam yield increased by 35 % in mixed plots, the controlling factors being soil C and nitrates contents, and leaf litter P, K and Ca stocks (GLM). Although the tested fallow appeared promising, the study should be repeated over a longer period taking into account other macrofauna decomposers for a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the observed changes.
Institutional Strategies for the Teacher Training at a Brazilian Public University in Brazil—Elements of Reflection
Authors: Correa Adriana K. , Catirse Alma B. C. E. B. , Soares Edson G. , Silva Glaucia M. , E Souza Maria Conceição B. M. , Goncalves Marlene F. C. , Rivas Noeli Prestes Padilha , Iamamoto Yassuko
Published: February 2017

University pedagogy has been promoted in the context of the policy for valuing undergraduate training at the University of São Paulo (USP). In this regard, one action of the Undergraduate Pro-Rectory was the creation of pedagogic support groups. The objective of this study is to report and analyze the strategies for university teacher training developed by the Pedagogic Support Group at the Ribeirão Preto Campus (GAPRP/USP–Grupo de Apoio Pedagógico do Campus de Ribeirão Preto), during the period from 2002 to 2015. The group takes on a conception of teacher training that extrapolates the technical dimension, considering political-social and historical determinants that have shaped the university, undergraduate teaching, and the faculty, as well as the valorization of strategies promoting reflection, theoretical-practical articulation, and collective learning. During the day-to-day monitoring of these education strategies, a few aspects are highlighted and analyzed: identification of the need for pedagogic training as an individual initiative of the teaching staff, despite the policies for valuing undergraduate training; investment in continuous educational strategies and the education undergone by the faculty that compose GAPRP/USP. To conclude, teacher training means to value the construction of a political project so as to qualify university teachers.
Scenario Based E-Learning in Electrical Engineering Education
Authors: Tambunan Hamonangan , Dalimunte Amirhud , Silitonga Marsangkap
Published: February 2017

The scenario based e-learning in Electrical Engineering Education Learning (EEEL) was developed by covering the scope and characteristics of all subjects and the competence unit of graduates in the field of pedagogy, professional, social and personality, with url addresed http://jpte-ft-unimed.edu20.org. The scenario incorporates the concept of Problem Based Learning (PBL) and Contextual Teaching Learning (CTL), by supporting of Information Communication Technology (ICT) to establish the competence of the students, from beginners to become proficient, as the teachers of electrical engineering, and the electrical technicians. Based on the analysis, it obtained the students’ learning motivation, the lecturers’ attitude in teaching, and the students’ learning outcome are tend to be high, and the competence of the students who used the model are better than not use.
Untangling species identity in gastropods with polymorphic shells in the genus Bolma Risso, 1826 (Mollusca, Vetigastropoda)
Authors: Castelin Magalie , Williams Suzanne T. , Buge Barbara , Maestrati Philippe , Lambourdière Josie , Ozawa Tomowo , Utge José , Couloux Arnaud , Alf Axel , Samadi Sarah
Published: February 2017

In shelled molluscs, assigning valid species names to independent evolutionary lineages can be a difficult task. Most original descriptions are based on empty shells and the high levels of variation in shape, color and pattern in some groups can make the shell a poor proxy for species-level identification. The deep-sea gastropod turbinid genus Bolma is one such example, where species-level identification based on shell characters alone is challenging. Here, we show that in Bolma both traditional and molecular taxonomic treatments are associated with a number of pitfalls that can lead to biased inferences about species diversity. Challenges derive from the few phylogenetically informative characters of shells, insufficient information provided in original descriptions and sampling artefacts, which at the molecular level in spatially fragmented organisms can blur distinctions between genetically divergent populations and separate species. Based on a comprehensive dataset combining molecular, morphological and distributional data, this study identified several cases of shell-morphological plasticity and convergence. Results also suggest that what was thought to be a set of distinct, range-restricted species corresponds instead to a smaller number of more widespread species. Overall, using an appropriate sampling design, including type localities, allowed us to assign available names to evolutionarily significant units.
Bayesian Modelling of Tuberculosis Risk Factors in South Africa 2014
Authors: Dhlakama Hilda , Lougue Siaka
Published: February 2017

Background: Although the number of deaths has declined since 2007, Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be the number one cause of death in South Africa. To create a country free of TB, there is need for continued research to explore models that will provide the Department of Health with new interventions.
Aim: This study was aimed at identifying the risk factors of active self-reported TB prevalence for South Africa in 2014.
Methods: The Frequentist Logistic Regression (FLR) approach was applied on a sample of 19213 individuals taken from the National Income Dynamics Survey (NIDS) wave data. Bayesian analysis with non-informative priors were used to model Wave 1 to 3 data and elicitation of the obtained posterior density parameters by averaging done to obtain the informative priors used to model wave 4. The wave 4 results obtained under the two estimation approaches were compared as well as the results for non-informative and informative priors.
Results: The findings show that self-reported TB prevalence is higher than the reported 1%, Human Immuno Deficiency Virus (HIV) remains a major threat to TB and Eastern Cape is the province mostly affected by TB with Limpopo recording the least prevalence. Poor living conditions and lower socio-economic conditions continue to be drivers of TB whilst English illiteracy, lack of Secondary/Tertiary education, alcohol consumption, marital status, gender and age groups also influence TB progression to disease. FLR yielded similar results to Bayesian with non-informative priors whilst the results are more precise for informative priors.
Conclusion: This study identified individuals and communities at risk of developing active TB disease in South Africa.
Text & Translation - Introduction to the thematic section
Authors: Lauridsen Karen M.
Published: February 2017

No abstract.
Useful Research for Students in T & I Institutions
Authors: Gile Daniel
Published: February 2017

The usefulness of research in T&I training institutions is not a matter of course, and some efforts to find the optimum cost/benefit ratio in each environment is desirable. Gains can be sought in modest findings, enhanced reasoning skills and increased familiarity with scientific texts for students, and in higher academic status for the relevant institutions. Student research should not demand unreasonable investment in time and efforts. Students should benefit from close guidance, and collective work may have a multiplier effect on the benefit to be reaped from their investment. Empirical studies may be generally more suited to the students’ needs than theoretical work, and interdisciplinary projects should be contemplated with caution. Potentially useful projects in the T&I training environment can be sought inter alia in the following axes: literature analysis, language exploration, information loss and errors in Translation, Translation strategies, training and learning, quality perception.
Data-driven identification of potential Zika virus vectors
Authors: Evans Michelle V , Dallas Tad A , Han Barbara A , Murdock Courtney C , Drake John M
Published: February 2017

Zika is an emerging virus whose rapid spread is of great public health concern. Knowledge about transmission remains incomplete, especially concerning potential transmission in geographic areas in which it has not yet been introduced. To identify unknown vectors of Zika, we developed a data-driven model linking vector species and the Zika virus via vector-virus trait combinations that confer a propensity toward associations in an ecological network connecting flaviviruses and their mosquito vectors. Our model predicts that thirty-five species may be able to transmit the virus, seven of which are found in the continental United States, including Culex quinquefasciatus and Cx. pipiens. We suggest that empirical studies prioritize these species to confirm predictions of vector competence, enabling the correct identification of populations at risk for transmission within the United States.
27 T ultra-high static magnetic field changes orientation and morphology of mitotic spindles in human cells
Authors: Zhang Lei , Hou Yubin , Li Zhiyuan , Ji Xinmiao , Wang Ze , Wang Huizhen , Tian Xiaofei , Yu Fazhi , Yang Zhenye , Pi Li , Mitchison Timothy J , Lu Qingyou , Zhang Xin
Published: February 2017

Purified microtubules have been shown to align along the static magnetic field (SMF) in vitro because of their diamagnetic anisotropy. However, whether mitotic spindle in mammalian cells can be aligned by magnetic field has not been experimentally proved. In particular, the biological effects of SMF of above 20 T (Tesla) on mammalian cells have never been reported. Here we found that in both CNE-2Z and RPE1 human cells spindle orients in 27 T SMF. The direction of spindle alignment depended on the extent to which chromosomes were aligned to form a planar metaphase plate. Our results show that the magnetic torque acts on both microtubules and chromosomes, and the preferred direction of spindle alignment relative to the field depends more on chromosome alignment than microtubules. In addition, spindle morphology was also perturbed by 27 T SMF. This is the first reported study that investigated the mammalian cellular responses to ultra-high magnetic field of above 20 T. Our study not only found that ultra-high magnetic field can change the orientation and morphology of mitotic spindles, but also provided a tool to probe the role of spindle orientation and perturbation in developmental and cancer biology.
Autophagy functions as an antiviral mechanism against geminiviruses in plants
Authors: Haxim Yakupjan , Ismayil Asigul , Jia Qi , Wang Yan , Zheng Xiyin , Chen Tianyuan , Qian Lichao , Liu Na , Wang Yunjing , Han Shaojie , Cheng Jiaxuan , Qi Yijun , Hong Yiguo , Liu Yule
Published: February 2017

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process that recycles damaged or unwanted cellular components, and has been linked to plant immunity. However, how autophagy contributes to plant immunity is unknown. Here we reported that the plant autophagic machinery targets the virulence factor βC1 of Cotton leaf curl Multan virus (CLCuMuV) for degradation through its interaction with the key autophagy protein ATG8. A V32A mutation in βC1 abolished its interaction with NbATG8f, and virus carrying βC1V32A showed increased symptoms and viral DNA accumulation in plants. Furthermore, silencing of autophagy-related genes ATG5 and ATG7 reduced plant resistance to the DNA viruses CLCuMuV, Tomato yellow leaf curl virus, and Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus, whereas activating autophagy by silencing GAPC genes enhanced plant resistance to viral infection. Thus, autophagy represents a novel anti-pathogenic mechanism that plays an important role in antiviral immunity in plants.
Species-specific markers provide molecular genetic evidence for natural introgression of bullhead catfishes in Hungary
Authors: Béres Beatrix , Kánainé Sipos Dóra , Müller Tamás , Staszny Ádám , Farkas Milán , Bakos Katalin , Orbán László , Urbányi Béla , Kovács Balázs
Published: February 2017

Since three bullhead catfish species were introduced to Europe in the late 19th century, they have spread to most European countries. In Hungary, the brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) was more widespread in the 1970s–1980s, but the black bullhead (Ameiurus melas) has gradually supplanted since their second introduction in 1980. The introgressive hybridization of the two species has been presumed based on morphological examinations, but it has not previously been supported by genetic evidence. In this study, 11 different Hungarian habitats were screened with a new species-specific nuclear genetic, duplex PCR based, marker system to distinguish the introduced catfish species,Ameiurus nebulosus, Ameiurus melas, andAmeiurus natalis, as well as the hybrids of the first two. More than 460 specimens were analyzed using the above markers and additional mitochondrial sequence analyses were also conducted on >25% of the individuals from each habitat sampled. The results showed that only 7.9% of the specimens from two habitats belonged toAmeiurus nebulosus, and 92.1% were classified asAmeiurus melasof all habitats, whereas the presence ofAmeiurus nataliswas not detected. Two specimens (>0.4%) showed the presence of both nuclear genomes and they were identified as hybrids ofAmeiurus melas and Ameiurus nebulosus. An additional two individuals showed contradicting results from the nuclear and mitochondrial assays as a sign of a possible footprint of introgressive hybridization that might have happened two or more generations before. Surprisingly, the level of hybridization was much smaller than expected based on the analyses of the North American continent’s indigenous stock from the hybrid zones. This phenomenon has been observed in several invasive fish species and it is regarded as an added level of complexity in the management of their rapid adaptation.
Facilitating permeability of landscapes impacted by roads for protected amphibians: patterns of movement for the great crested newt
Authors: Matos Cátia , Petrovan Silviu , Ward Alastair I. , Wheeler Philip
Published: February 2017

Amphibian populations are highly vulnerable to road mortality and habitat fragmentation caused by road networks. Wildlife road tunnels are considered the most promising road mitigation measure for amphibians yet generally remain inadequately monitored, resulting in mixed success rates in the short-term and uncertain conservation benefits in the long-term. We monitored a complex multi-tunnel and fence system over five years and investigated the impact of the scheme on movement patterns of two newt species, including the largest known UK population of the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus),a European Protected Species. We used a stage descriptive approach based on capture positions to quantify newt movement patterns. Newt species successfully used the mitigation but the system constituted a bottleneck to movements from the fences to the tunnels. Crossing rates varied widely among years and were skewed towards autumn dispersal rather than spring breeding migration. There was a substantial negative bias against adult male great crested newts using the system. This study indicates that road tunnels could partially mitigate wider connectivity loss and fragmentation at the landscape scale for newt species. However, the observed bottleneck effects and seasonal bias could have population-level effects which must be better understood, especially for small populations, so that improvements can be made. Current requirements for monitoring mitigation schemes post-implementation are probably too short to assess their effectiveness in maintaining connectivity and to adequately understand their population-level impacts.
Transcriptome analysis ofPolygonum minusreveals candidate genes involved in important secondary metabolic pathways of phenylpropanoids and flavonoids
Authors: Loke Kok-Keong , Rahnamaie-Tajadod Reyhaneh , Yeoh Chean-Chean , Goh Hoe-Han , Mohamed-Hussein Zeti-Azura , Zainal Zamri , Ismail Ismanizan , Mohd Noor Normah
Published: February 2017

Background

Polygonum minusis an herbal plant in the Polygonaceae family which is rich in ethnomedicinal plants. The chemical composition and characteristic pungent fragrance ofPolygonum minushave been extensively studied due to its culinary and medicinal properties. There are only a few transcriptome sequences available for species from this important family of medicinal plants. The limited genetic information from the public expressed sequences tag (EST) library hinders further study on molecular mechanisms underlying secondary metabolite production.

Methods

In this study, we performed a hybrid assembly of 454 and Illumina sequencing reads fromPolygonum minusroot and leaf tissues, respectively, to generate a combined transcriptome library as a reference.

Results

A total of 34.37 million filtered and normalized reads were assembled into 188,735 transcripts with a total length of 136.67 Mbp. We performed a similarity search against all the publicly available genome sequences and found similarity matches for 163,200 (86.5%) ofPolygonum minustranscripts, largely fromArabidopsis thaliana(58.9%). Transcript abundance in the leaf and root tissues were estimated and validated through RT-qPCR of seven selected transcripts involved in the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids and flavonoids. All the transcripts were annotated against KEGG pathways to profile transcripts related to the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites.

Discussion

This comprehensive transcriptome profile will serve as a useful sequence resource for molecular genetics and evolutionary research on secondary metabolite biosynthesis in Polygonaceae family. Transcriptome assembly ofPolygonum minuscan be accessed athttp://prims.researchfrontier.org/index.php/dataset/transcriptome.
Construction patterns of birds’ nests provide insight into nest-building behaviours
Authors: Biddle Lucia , Goodman Adrian M. , Deeming D. Charles
Published: February 2017

Previous studies have suggested that birds and mammals select materials needed for nest building based on their thermal or structural properties, although the amounts or properties of the materials used have been recorded for only a very small number of species. Some of the behaviours underlying the construction of nests can be indirectly determined by careful deconstruction of the structure and measurement of the biomechanical properties of the materials used. Here we examined this idea in an investigation of Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) nests as a model for open-nesting songbird species that construct a “twig” nest, and tested the hypothesis that materials in different parts of nests serve different functions. The quantities of materials present in the nest base, sides and cup were recorded before structural analysis. Structural analysis showed that the base of the outer nests were composed of significantly thicker, stronger and more rigid materials compared to the side walls, which in turn were significantly thicker, stronger and more rigid than materials used in the cup. These results suggest that the placement of particular materials in nests may not be random, but further work is required to determine if the final structure of a nest accurately reflects the construction process.
Predatory blue crabs induce stronger nonconsumptive effects in eastern oystersCrassostrea virginicathan scavenging blue crabs
Authors: Scherer Avery E. , Garcia Miranda M. , Smee Delbert L.
Published: February 2017

By influencing critical prey traits such as foraging or habitat selection, predators can affect entire ecosystems, but the nature of cues that trigger prey reactions to predators are not well understood. Predators may scavenge to supplement their energetic needs and scavenging frequency may vary among individuals within a species due to preferences and prey availability. Yet prey reactions to consumers that are primarily scavengers versus those that are active foragers have not been investigated, even though variation in prey reactions to scavengers or predators might influence cascading nonconsumptive effects in food webs. OystersCrassostrea virginicareact to crab predators by growing stronger shells. We exposed oysters to exudates from crabs fed live oysters or fed aged oyster tissue to simulate scavenging, and to controls without crab cues. Oysters grew stronger shells when exposed to either crab exudate, but their shells were significantly stronger when crabs were fed live oysters. The stronger response to predators than scavengers could be due to inherent differences in diet cues representative of reduced risk in the presence of scavengers or to degradation of conspecific alarm cues in aged treatments, which may mask risk from potential predators subsisting by scavenging.
A submodular optimization approach to trustworthy loan approval automation
Authors: Lee Kyungsik , Yoo Hana , Shin Sumin , Kim Wooyoung , Baek Yeonung , Kang Hyunjin , Kim Jaehyun , Kim Kee‐Eung
Published: October 2024

In the field of finance, the underwriting process is an essential step in evaluating every loan application. During this stage, the borrowers' creditworthiness and ability to repay the loan are assessed to ultimately decide whether to approve the loan application. One of the core components of underwriting is credit scoring, in which the probability of default is estimated. As such, there has been significant progress in enhancing the predictive accuracy of credit scoring models through the use of machine learning, but there still exists a need to ultimately construct an approval rule that takes into consideration additional criteria beyond the score itself. This construction process is traditionally done manually to ensure that the approval rule remains interpretable to humans. In this paper, we outline an automated system for optimizing a rule‐based system for approving loan applications, which has been deployed at Hyundai Capital Services (HCS). The main challenge lays in creating a high‐quality rule base that is simultaneously simple enough to be interpretable by risk analysts as well as customers, since the approval decision should be easily understandable. We addressed this challenge through principled submodular optimization. The deployment of our system has led to a 14% annual growth in the volume of loan services at HCS, while maintaining the target bad rate, and has resulted in the approval of customers who might have otherwise been rejected.
Stochastic Multiscale Modeling of Electrical Conductivity of Carbon Nanotube Polymer Nanocomposites: An Interpretable Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Elaskalany Mostafa , Behdinan Kamran
Published: October 2024

This study introduces an interpretable machine learning (ML) framework for efficiently predicting the electrical conductivity of carbon nanotube (CNT)/polymer nanocomposites. A stochastic multiscale numerical model based on representative volume element (RVE) is employed to generate a representative dataset. This dataset is used to train three ML models, including random forest, XGBoost, and artificial neural networks (ANN). The dataset includes six input features: CNT length, aspect ratio, intrinsic CNT conductivity, number of CNT conduction channels, energy barrier height, and volume fraction, with the electrical conductivity of the nanocomposites as the output feature. The findings highlight the exceptional accuracy of the ANN model in predicting electrical conductivity at significantly lower computational costs. Furthermore, the use of Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) enhances the interpretability of these ML models, identifying the volume fraction, energy barrier height, and intrinsic CNT conductivity as the most influential factors affecting conductivity. This approach sets the stage for rapid and efficient modeling of CNT/polymer nanocomposites facilitating the design of materials with tailored electrical properties for diverse applications.
Synthesis of Ni(OH)2‐g‐C3N4/C Composite by Biological Template for Asymmetric Supercapacitor
Authors: Chen Fei , Liu Chengbao , Zheng Leizhi , Chen Feng , Qian Junchao , Qiu Yongbin , Meng Xianron , Chen Zhigang
Published: October 2024

Nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)2) is recognized as a promising material for electrodes in supercapacitors owing to its exceptional theoretical specific capacitance. However, Ni(OH)2 has several drawbacks, including a short cycle life, susceptibility to volume expansion, and poor electrical conductivity. In this work, Ni(OH)2 nanosheets anchored on layered g‐C3N4/C (Ni(OH)2–g–C3N4/C) are designed by biological template induction and a hydrothermal method. Ni(OH)2–g–C3N4/C has unique petal‐like structures, which can provide a vertical charge transport channel to increase reaction potential of the material during the charge–discharge process. The introduction of biomass carbon can solve the problem of the bulk phase accumulation of g‐C3N4 and can also improve the overall conductivity of the composite. Compared to Ni(OH)2 (522 F g−1), g‐C3N4/C (76.2 F g−1), and g‐C3N4 (16 F g−1), the Ni(OH)2–g–C3N4/C‐0.75 (NGC‐0.75) composite exhibits the highest specific capacitance of 1034 F g−1 at 1 A g−1. Furthermore, after 5000 cycles at 5 A g−1, the capacitance of the material is maintained at 85.97%. Meanwhile, the asymmetric supercapacitor based on the NGC‐0.75 shows a high energy density of 18.29 Wh kg−1 at the power density of 400.02 W kg−1 with excellent cyclic stability of 127.45% over 10 000 cycles.
Mechanical Properties and Energy Absorption Characteristics of Additively Manufactured Lattice Structures of a High‐Temperature Titanium Matrix Composite
Authors: Liu Shun , Guo Ruiqi , Niu Hongzhi , Wang Xiaopeng , Yang Jianhui , Zhang Deliang
Published: October 2024

Lightweight lattice structure is of great significance in the fields of aerospace thermal protection and energy absorption. In this study, compressive properties and energy‐absorbing characteristics of additively manufactured body‐centered cubic (BCC) lattice structures of a high‐temperature titanium matrix composite (TMC) are investigated systematically. It is found that compressive strength increases monotonically as either lattice strut diameter or temperature increases. With lattice strut diameter increasing from 1.0 to 1.5 and 2.0 mm, strength increases from 78 to 94 and 108 MPa at room temperature (RT) and from 71 to 104 and 123 MPa at 650 °C. Unexpectedly, specific energy absorption (SEA) capability increases as strut diameter decreases, although also increases as temperature increases. BCC lattice structure with a strut diameter of 1.0 mm presents the highest SEA being up to 13.7 MJ m−3 at RT and 142 MJ m−3 at 650 °C. And sphericizing the lattice nodes is found incapable of enhancing strength and SEA. Besides, numerical simulation is used to demonstrate the compressive stress and strain fields, in order to explain the fracture modes and SEA capability of individual BCC lattice structures. This study provides deep insights into the mechanical properties and energy absorption behavior of additively manufactured lattice structures of TMCs.
Li‐ion Exchange‐Driven Interfacial Buffer Layer for All‐Solid‐State Lithium Metal Batteries
Authors: Han Songyi , Liu Shuling , Chen Junchao , Zhu Yunpeng , Zhang Jingze , Wu Yongmin , Yu Shangbo , Tang Weiping , Zhu Lei , Wang Xiaowei
Published: October 2024

The goal of achieving batteries with high energy density and high safety profile has been a driving force in developing all‐solid‐state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs). However, the complex issues arising from the interfacial interaction between lithium anode/cathode and solid‐state electrolytes (SSE) have hindered the progress of ASSLMBs. This study presents a strategy for constructing an organic/inorganic buffer layer via employing Li‐ion exchanging chemistry of H1.6Mn1.6O4 (HMO) with a flexible matrix of polyethylene oxide (PEO). The buffer layer shows a remarkable ion conductivity of 3.21 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 25 °C originating from the exceptional Li+‐H+ ion exchange capability of HMO. This PEO/HMO buffer layer not only establishes an intimate physical contact between the Li anode/cathode and the SSE but also functions as a dynamic Li+ transfer station to facilitate Li+ movement through the interfaces improving interfacial stability. By pairing with cathodes of LiFePO4 (LFP) and LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811), the ASSLMBs feature high‐rate capability and stable cycling performance with low polarization. This marks the utilization of HMO as a superior interfacial material to replace conventional lithium salts, with improved ion transport, decreased polarization, and enhanced overall performances. This constitutes a significant advancement toward the next‐generation energy storage solutions for ASSLMBs.
Highly Reliable and Ultra‐Flexible Wearable OLEDs Enabled by Environmentally and Mechanically Robust Hybrid Multibarrier Encapsulation Layers
Authors: Lee Sun‐Woo , Son Young Hyun , Lee Sangmin , Oh Seung Jin , Jeon Yongmin , Kim Hyeunwoo , Kim Taek‐Soo , Kwon Jeong Hyun
Published: October 2024

Thin‐film encapsulation is a core technology that determines the reliability of next‐generation displays, including wearable and stretchable displays. However, the encapsulation technologies developed to date are highly vulnerable to mechanical stress and harsh hygrothermal environments. Therefore, the degradation of their original encapsulation performance (as determined by mechanical and environmental reliability tests) is a major limitation. This paper describes a novel inorganic/organic multibarrier encapsulation method based on structural and material design to overcome the reliability problems of freeform displays. The highly reliable mechanical properties of the encapsulation system are verified using the tensile‐testing‐on‐water method, which is the most reliable method for thin films with thicknesses of tens to hundreds of nanometers. The optimal encapsulation system developed herein achieves an unprecedented elongation of 2.8% in its freestanding form, surpassing the elastic limit of traditional inorganic materials, and maintains a notable elongation of 1.43% after being exposed to harsh environments for 30 h (85 °C and 85% relative humidity). The inorganic/organic hybrid encapsulation system designed through systematic analysis in this study is expected to increase the lifetime of devices and facilitate high outdoor usability in applying ultraflexible wearable organic light‐emitting diodes.