bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Redox‐sensitive transcriptional regulator SoxR directly controls antibiotic production, development and thiol‐oxidative stress response in Streptomyces avermitilis
Authors: Wang Qian , Lu Xiaorui , Yang Haixin , Yan Hao , Wen Ying
Published: May 2021

The redox‐sensitive transcriptional regulator SoxR is conserved in bacteria. Its role in mediating protective response to various oxidative stresses in Escherichia coli and related enteric bacteria has been well established. However, functions and regulatory mechanisms of SoxR in filamentous Streptomyces, which produce half of known antibiotics, are unclear. We report here that SoxR pleiotropically regulates antibiotic production, morphological development, primary metabolism and thiol‐oxidative stress response in industrially important species Streptomyces avermitilis. SoxR stimulated avermectin production by directly activating ave structural genes. Four genes (sav_3956, sav_4018, sav_5665 and sav_7218) that are homologous to targets of S. coelicolor SoxR are targeted by S. avermitilis SoxR. A consensus 18‐nt SoxR‐binding site, 5′‐VSYCNVVMHNKVKDGMGB‐3′, was identified in promoter regions of sav_3956, sav_4018, sav_5665, sav_7218 and target ave genes, leading to prediction of the SoxR regulon and confirmation of 11 new targets involved in development (ftsH), oligomycin A biosynthesis (olmRI), primary metabolism (metB, sav_1623, plcA, nirB, thiG, ndh2), transport (smoE) and regulatory function (sig57, sav_7278). SoxR also directly activated three key developmental genes (amfC, whiB and ftsZ) and promoted resistance of S. avermitilis to thiol‐oxidative stress through activation of target trx and msh genes. Overexpression of soxR notably enhanced antibiotic production in S. avermitilis and S. coelicolor. Our findings expand our limited knowledge of SoxR and will facilitate improvement of methods for antibiotic overproduction in Streptomyces species.
Automated improvement of stickleback reference genome assemblies with Lep‐Anchor software
Authors: Kivikoski Mikko , Rastas Pasi , Löytynoja Ari , Merilä Juha
Published: May 2021

We describe an integrative approach to improve contiguity and haploidy of a reference genome assembly and demonstrate its impact with practical examples. With two novel features of Lep‐Anchor software and a combination of dense linkage maps, overlap detection and bridging long reads, we generated an improved assembly of the nine‐spined stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) reference genome. We were able to remove a significant number of haplotypic contigs, detect more genetic variation and improve the contiguity of the genome, especially that of X chromosome. However, improved scaffolding cannot correct for mosaicism of erroneously assembled contigs, demonstrated by a de novo assembly of a 1.6‐Mbp inversion. Qualitatively similar gains were obtained with the genome of three‐spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Since the utility of genome‐wide sequencing data in biological research depends heavily on the quality of the reference genome, the improved and fully automated approach described here should be helpful in refining reference genome assemblies.
An exploration of assembly strategies and quality metrics on the accuracy of the rewarewa (Knightia excelsa) genome
Authors: McCartney Ann M. , Hilario Elena , Choi Seung‐Sub , Guhlin Joseph , Prebble Jessica M. , Houliston Gary , Buckley Thomas R. , Chagné David
Published: May 2021

We used long read sequencing data generated from Knightia excelsa, a nectar‐producing Proteaceae tree endemic to Aotearoa (New Zealand), to explore how sequencing data type, volume and workflows can impact final assembly accuracy and chromosome reconstruction. Establishing a high‐quality genome for this species has specific cultural importance to Māori and commercial importance to honey producers in Aotearoa. Assemblies were produced by five long read assemblers using data subsampled based on read lengths, two polishing strategies and two Hi‐C mapping methods. Our results from subsampling the data by read length showed that each assembler tested performed differently depending on the coverage and the read length of the data. Subsampling highlighted that input data with longer read lengths but perhaps lower coverage constructed more contiguous, kmers and gene‐complete assemblies than short read length input data with higher coverage. The final genome assembly was constructed into 14 pseudochromosomes using an initial flye long read assembly, a racon/medaka/pilon combined polishing strategy, salsa2 and allhic scaffolding, juicebox curation, and Macadamia linkage map validation. We highlighted the importance of developing assembly workflows based on the volume and read length of sequencing data and established a robust set of quality metrics for generating high‐quality assemblies. Scaffolding analyses highlighted that problems found in the initial assemblies could not be resolved accurately by Hi‐C data and that assembly scaffolding was more successful when the underlying contig assembly was of higher accuracy. These findings provide insight into how quality assessment tools can be implemented throughout genome assembly pipelines to inform the de novo reconstruction of a high‐quality genome assembly for nonmodel organisms.
Emergency ambulance demand by older adults from rural and regional Victoria, Australia
Authors: McManamny Tegwyn E. , Dwyer Rosamond , Cantwell Kate , Boyd Leanne , Sheen Jade , Smith Karen , Lowthian Judy A.
Published: May 2021

Objective

To describe the demographic profile and clinical case mix of older adults following calls for an emergency ambulance in rural Victoria, Australia.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study using ambulance electronic patient care records from rural‐dwelling older adults (≥65 years old) who requested emergency ambulance attendance during 2017.

Results

A total of 84 785 older adults requested emergency ambulance attendance, representing a rate of 278 per 1000 population aged ≥65 years. More than 10% of calls were to residential aged care homes. Medical complaints and trauma accounted for 69% and 18% of attendances, respectively. The predominant cause of trauma was ground‐level falls. Common reasons for call‐outs were for pain (17.5%), respiratory problems (9.7%) and cardiovascular problems (8.5%). Increased demand was associated with increasing age and winter months.

Conclusions

Older adults from rural Victoria have high rates of emergency ambulance attendance and transportation to an emergency department, particularly with increasing age.
The ingenious mast cell: Contemporary insights into mast cell behavior and function
Authors: Dahlin Joakim S. , Maurer Marcus , Metcalfe Dean D. , Pejler Gunnar , Sagi‐Eisenberg Ronit , Nilsson Gunnar
Published: May 2021

Mast cells are (in)famous for their role in allergic diseases, but the physiological and pathophysiological roles of this ingenious cell are still not fully understood. Mast cells are important for homeostasis and surveillance of the human system, recognizing both endogenous and exogenous agents, which induce release of a variety of mediators acting on both immune and non‐immune cells, including nerve cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and epithelial cells. During recent years, clinical and experimental studies on human mast cells, as well as experiments using animal models, have resulted in many discoveries that help decipher the function of mast cells in health and disease. In this review, we focus particularly on new insights into mast cell biology, with a focus on mast cell development, recruitment, heterogeneity, and reactivity. We also highlight the development in our understanding of mast cell‐driven diseases and discuss the development of novel strategies to treat such conditions.
Sialic acid‐binding immunoglobulin‐like lectin (Sigelac)‐15 is a rapidly internalised cell‐surface antigen expressed by acute myeloid leukaemia cells
Authors: Cao Huan , Neerincx Andreas , de Bono Bernard , Lakner Ursula , Huntington Catherine , Elvin John , Gudgin Emma , Pridans Clare , Vickers Mark A. , Huntly Brian , Trowsdale John , Barrow Alexander D.
Published: May 2021

Sialic acid‐binding immunoglobulin‐like lectin (Siglec)‐15 has recently been identified as a critical tumour checkpoint, augmenting the expression and function of programmed death‐ligand 1. We raised a monoclonal antibody, A9E8, specific for Siglec‐15 using phage display. A9E8 stained myeloid leukaemia cell lines and peripheral cluster of differentiation (CD)33+ blasts and CD34+ leukaemia stem cells from patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). By contrast, there was minimal expression on healthy donor leucocytes or CD34+ stem cells from non‐AML donors, suggesting targeting Siglec‐15 may have significant therapeutic advantages over its fellow Siglec CD33. After binding, A9E8 was rapidly internalised (half‐life of 180 s) into K562 cells. Antibodies to Siglec‐15 therefore hold therapeutic potential for AML treatment.
Efficacy of Permacol injection for perianal fistulas in a tertiary referral population: poor outcome in patients with complex fistulas
Authors: Vollebregt Paul F. , Vander Mijnsbrugge Grietje J. , Molenaar Charlotte B. H. , Felt‐Bersma Richelle J. F.
Published: May 2021

Aim

Injection of Permacol collagen paste can be used as a sphincter‐sparing treatment for perianal fistulas. In a tertiary referral population we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Permacol injection and the clinical and fistula‐related factors associated with recurrence.

Method

This was a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with perianal fistulas treated with Permacol injection at a specialist centre between June 2015 and April 2019. Endoanal ultrasonography was systematically reanalysed, blinded to treatment outcome. Rectovaginal, anovaginal and Crohn's disease fistulas were excluded. Healed fistulas were defined as absent anal symptoms and a closed external opening on physical examination at a minimum follow‐up of 6 months. Regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with unhealed fistulas.

Results

A total of 90 patients (51 men; median age 45 years) were analysed. Seventy‐two (80.0%) patients had complex perianal fistulas (greater than one‐third sphincter involvement or multiple tracts). After a single Permacol injection, fistulas were healed in 20 (22.2%) patients at 3 months follow‐up and in 18 (20.0%) patients at a median follow‐up of 30 months (interquartile range 17–37). Eight (11.1%) patients with unhealed fistulas had significant improvement in their symptoms. Complex fistulas were significantly associated with unhealed status [OR 3.53 (95% CI 1.12–11.09); p = 0.031]. Twenty patients underwent subsequent Permacol injections, which were successful in six (30.0%) patients after one (n = 3) or two (n = 3) additional injections.

Conclusion

This largest study to date in patients with mainly complex perianal fistulas, demonstrated that the efficacy of a single Permacol injection was only 20%. Complex fistulas were associated with a poor outcome.
Price premiums for wildlife‐friendly rice: Insights from Japanese retail data
Authors: Mameno Kota , Kubo Takahiro , Shoji Yasushi
Published: May 2021

Integrating the benefits associated with biodiversity into market mechanisms can play an important role in conservation practice. Food labeling is a widely used measure that highlights biodiversity conservation benefits to the market. However, few studies have explored the effects of labels on staple agricultural products that are associated with agro‐ecosystem conservation. We evaluated the biodiversity price premium of wildlife‐friendly rice by analyzing data from retail stores in Japan. The results showed a significant positive impact of biodiversity‐relevant labels on rice prices. Specifically, rice with this type of labeling had about 20% price premium as compared with rice that did not. The results also showed that outcome‐based certifications have the potential to work well in the market. The findings highlight the role of conservation marketing in agro‐ecosystem conservation and its potential to help balance biodiversity conservation and food security.
Quota allocation for stocks that span multiple management zones: analysis with a vector autoregressive spatiotemporal model
Authors: Adams Charles F. , Brooks Elizabeth N. , Legault Christopher M. , Barrett Melanie A. , Chevrier David F.
Published: May 2021

Allocating quotas among stakeholders requires an agreed‐upon formula. If the stock unit spans multiple management jurisdictions, the formula may require updated biomass estimates of the stock's spatial distribution with respect to those jurisdictions. Data for calculating stock biomass often come from fishery‐independent surveys. While stratified random sampling is a common design, strata boundaries may not always align with state or national jurisdictions, requiring post hoc stratification and imputation to calculate area‐specific biomass. The vector autoregressive spatiotemporal (VAST) model was explored as a tool for calculating fish biomass within subareas of a defined stock unit for three different stocks jointly managed by the United States and Canada on Georges Bank in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. VAST estimated proportions of stock biomass in each nation's waters were compared with an existing allocation algorithm that utilises a loess smooth through the average design‐based swept area biomass from three fishery‐independent surveys. The ability of VAST to impute biomass when no tows occur in a subarea of a survey stratum was demonstrated, as well as the relatively smoother biomass trend compared with design‐based estimates, which may be desirable if the intent is to avoid large inter‐annual swings in allocated quota.
Court performance and citizen attitudes toward fighting corruption
Authors: Barbabela Letícia , Pellicer Miquel , Wegner Eva
Published: May 2021

This article investigates the relationship between court performance and citizen attitudes toward corruption. We develop a framework inspired by signaling theory that focuses on the need for institutional actors to send credible signals about their commitment against corruption if they seek to engage citizens. We suggest two channels that link court signals to citizen attitudes, an “institutional channel” linking signals to trust in courts and attitudes about state‐driven anti‐corruption measures and a “citizen channel” linking signals to citizen efficacy and norms about bribe paying. We investigate these channels with a survey experiment about a fictional court case in low income areas in South Africa and Tunisia. We find evidence that impartiality and efficiency by courts in corruption cases activate the institutional channel. Our findings suggest that courts can play an important role in the fight against corruption, not just by acting as deterrents but by affecting citizen attitudes toward corruption.
Zirconium diboride laminates for improved damage tolerance at elevated temperatures
Authors: Neuman Eric W. , Wittmaier Connor C. , Fahrenholtz William G. , Hilmas Gregory E.
Published: May 2021

The mechanical response was studied for dense laminates containing layers of ZrB2 (~145 µm) and graphite—10 vol% ZrB2 (~20 µm). Individual layers were formulated by mixing starting powders with thermoplastic polymers and pressing into sheets. Laminates were produced by stacking and warm pressing the sheets, debinding, and hot pressing at 2050°C, 32 MPa, in Ar. The laminates were fractured at temperatures up to 2000°C in Ar. Laminates exhibited room temperature flexure strength of 260 MPa, increasing to 300 MPa at 1600°C, and then decreasing to 160 MPa at 2000°C. Inelastic work of fracture was 0.6 kJ/m2 at room temperature, reached a maximum of 1.3 kJ/m2 at 1400°C, and reverted to linear elastic failure at 2000°C. During fracture, cracks were deflected at the interfaces between the strong ZrB2 layers and the relatively weak C‐ZrB2 layers, which led to an increased inelastic work of fracture by more than an order of magnitude compared to conventional ZrB2 ceramics. This study demonstrated that laminate architectures are a promising approach for improving the damage tolerance of ZrB2‐based ceramics at elevated temperatures.
“When nothing happens, nobody is afraid!” beliefs and perceptions around self‐care and health‐seeking behaviours: Voices of patients living with diabetic lower extremity amputation in primary care
Authors: Zhu Xiaoli , Lee Mary , Chew Evelyn AL , Goh Ling Jia , Dong Lijuan , Bartlam Bernadette
Published: May 2021

Self‐management and self‐care are the cornerstone of diabetes care and an essential part of successfully preventing or delaying diabetes complications. Yet, despite being armed with the required information and guidance for self‐management, self‐care and adherence to foot self‐care recommendations and compliance to medication among patients with diabetic foot ulcer and diabetic lower extremity amputations remain low and suboptimal. This study reveals in‐depth account of nine such patients' beliefs and perceptions around their illness, their self‐care, and their health‐seeking behaviours. Patients living with diabetic lower extremity amputation displayed profound lack of knowledge of self‐care of diabetes and foot and passive health‐related behaviours. The overarching sense that "when nothing happens, nobody is afraid," points to a lack of motivation in taking charge of one's own health, whether this is with reference to treatment or care adherence, following recommended self‐care advice, or seeking timely treatment. The Health Beliefs Model provides the theoretical framework for probing into the factors for the participants' suboptimal self‐care and passive health‐seeking behaviours. Two themes emerged from data analysis: profound knowledge deficit and passive health‐related behaviours. The beliefs and perceptions around self‐care and health‐seeking behaviours for patients with lower extremity amputation are interpreted as the “ignorant self” with passive health‐seeking behaviours. Patients with diabetes and diabetic foot diseases may benefit from personalized education, motivational interviewing, and family support.
Sensory‐based approaches in psychiatric care: A systematic mixed‐methods review
Authors: Ma Dongfei , Su Jianping , Wang Hong , Zhao Yingnan , Li Huanhuan , Li Yijing , Zhang Xu , Qi Yicheng , Sun Jiao
Published: May 2021

Aims

Sensory‐based approaches, including sensory room, sensory cart and specific sensory integration programs, feature various sensory stimulations to focus on a particular space or program. This systematic mixed‐methods review describes the impact of sensory‐based approaches in psychiatric care and summarizes the important components of sensory interventions.

Design

Systematic mixed‐methods review was based on the guidelines by Pluye and Hong for comprehensively searching, appraising and synthesizing research evidence.

Data sources

Data were collected from five databases: CINAHL, Embase, Pubmed, Web of Science and Cochrane before March 9, 2020.

Review methods

Qualitative, quantitative, mixed‐methods and original studies published in English on sensory‐based approaches in psychiatric care were included. The studies were selected by screening titles, abstracts and full texts, and the quality of each study was assessed by two researchers independently. The data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Sixteen studies were chosen for review. Through data integration, four subthemes with positive effects were formed: (1) calming of the patient's mood; (2) calming of the patient's body; (3) improvement of self‐care ability; and (4) improvement of the nurse‐patient relationship. The sensory‐based approach may also lead to negative effects.

Conclusions

Several important components play important roles in the sensory‐based approaches: (1) rich, culture‐based, personalized sensory stimulation; (2) a quiet, safe, home‐based physical environment; (3) a good one‐to‐one nurse‐patient relationship; (4) and the cultivation of patient autonomy and self‐management. Sensory‐based approaches in a multicultural environment and home environment will be important topics of psychiatric care in the future.

Impact

There is a lack of synthesis of studies on results of sensory‐based approaches in psychiatric care. Four components are important to sensory interventions. It is necessary for mental health service centres and home care for the patients with psychotic disorders to use sensory‐based approaches for reference.
Construction of a SUMOylation regulator‐based prognostic model in low‐grade glioma
Authors: Li Xiaozhi , Meng Yutong
Published: May 2021

Low‐grade glioma (LGG) is an intracranial malignant tumour that mainly originates from astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. SUMOylation is one of the post‐translational modifications but studies of SUMOylation in LGG is quite limited. Transcriptome data, single nucleotide variant (SNV) data and clinical data of LGG were derived from public databases. The differences between the expression of SUMOylation regulators in LGG and normal brain tissue were analysed. Cox regression was used to construct a prognostic model in the training cohort. Kaplan‐Meier survival curves and ROC curves were plotted in the training and the validation cohort to evaluate the effectiveness of the prognostic model. GO and KEGG analyses were applied to preliminarily analyse the biological functions. Compared with normal brain tissue, SENP1 and SENP7 were up‐regulated and SENP5 was down‐regulated in LGG. SUMOylation regulators may be involved in functions such as mRNA splicing, DNA replication, ATPase activity and spliceosome. One prognostic model was established based on the 4 SUMOylation regulator‐related signatures (RFWD3, MPHOSPH9, WRN and NUP155), which had a good predictive ability for overall survival. This study is expected to provide targets for the diagnosis and treatment of low‐grade glioma.
Cash flow growth and stock returns
Authors: Jansen Benjamin A.
Published: May 2021

I extend the financial economic literature by presenting and testing a model that expresses a firm's expected stock return as a function of its expected free cash flow growth. Results suggest that cash flow growth is positively associated with stock returns. Furthermore, additional information is reflected through cash flow growth relative to cash flow, profits, and dividends. Evidence additionally suggests that operating activities explain more than investment activities of the firm. I find that $1 invested in the long–short cash flow growth portfolio grows to $15.30 over the sample period, whereas $1 invested in the stock market grows to $9.85.
Hyperactive behaviour in Angelman syndrome: the association with sleep problems and age of epilepsy onset
Authors: Bakke K. A. , Howlin P. , Helverschou S. B.
Published: May 2021

Background

Sleep problems are common in many neurodevelopmental disorders, but little is known about how sleep is related to behavioural symptoms in Angelman syndrome (AS) or other genetic disorders. Hyperactive behaviour, sleep problems and epilepsy seem to be more common in AS than in other genetic conditions associated with severe intellectual disability. We hypothesised that both more sleep problems and earlier onset of epileptic seizures would predict more symptoms of hyperactivity. Hence, the aim of the project was to explore the association between hyperactive behaviour, sleep problems and age of epilepsy onset in individuals with AS.

Method

All known parents/guardians (n = 115) of individuals with AS in Norway were invited to participate in this descriptive correlational study. Fifty‐six individuals (49%) responded, and 42 people (25 male and 17 female; mean age 18.5 years, range 2–57 years) with genetically verified AS were included. Scores for ‘hyperactivity’ and ‘sleep problems’ were derived from questionnaire data. Information on epilepsy was obtained from medical records.

Results

‘Hyperactivity’ was positively correlated with ‘total sleep problems’ (r = 0.46, P = 0.002) and negatively correlated with ‘age of epilepsy onset’ (r = −0.47, P = 0.01). ‘Age of epilepsy onset’ was not correlated with ‘total sleep problems’. An overall multiple regression model with ‘hyperactivity’ as the dependent variable and ‘age of epilepsy onset’ and ‘total sleep problems’ as covariates was significant (R2 = 0.39, F = 8.16, P = 0.002). Hence, hyperactivity in AS could be predicted from both age of epilepsy onset and current sleep problems.

Conclusions

Sleep problems may increase hyperactivity symptoms in individuals with AS. The association between hyperactivity and sleep problems in AS indicates that both should be investigated together as part of routine clinical assessment and intervention for either area of difficulty. Younger age of epilepsy onset was associated with more hyperactivity in AS, which may be related to encephalopathic effects of seizures and epilepsy.
Resources Needed for Education and Meal Programs by Urban Schoolteachers and Staff During the 2019 Coronavirus Pandemic
Authors: Chrisman Matthew S. , Alnaim Lubna
Published: May 2021

Background

Adjustments in teaching resources and school meal programs are urgently needed during the COVID‐19 pandemic. This study examined teaching resources that would have been helpful when schools closed, and how school meal programs should be changed in the 2020‐2021 school year.

Methods

In October 2020, a 27‐item, cross‐sectional, online survey was administered to 99 teachers and staff members in an urban, Midwestern school district. Data were analyzed using frequencies and proportions, and open‐ended responses were analyzed using content analysis.

Results

Online teaching was difficult for teachers and students, and training for online teaching, improved Internet access, and more time for grading or office hours would have been helpful when schools closed. Meal programs were offered by 86% of schools after closing, and many participants supported continuing meal programs for 2020‐2021. Resources needed to continue meal programs included funding for meal reimbursement, transportation to the meal sites, and more staff. Suggested changes to meal programs included offering more variety or more food, and solving transportation issues.

Conclusion

Addressing these concerns can improve school and community health. Findings will inform efforts to enhance online teaching and improve and continue school meal programs as the world continues to be affected by COVID‐19.
Substance use disorders in the farming population: Scoping review
Authors: Watanabe‐Galloway Shinobu , Chasek Christine , Yoder Aaron M. , Bell Jesse E.
Published: May 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this scoping review is to summarize the current knowledge base in order to make recommendations for prevention and treatment of substance use disorders among the farming populations.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review of peer‐reviewed articles published between January 1989 and September 2019. The search yielded 3,426 citations and the final review was conducted on 42 articles. The full review was conducted by 4 authors to extract information about the target population, data collection methods, and main results.

Findings

There were 21 articles on farmers and 21 articles on farmworkers. The majority of the articles were about alcohol. Overall, farmers had higher prevalence of risky alcohol consumption patterns than nonfarmers. The prevalence of risky alcohol consumption was also high among farmworkers compared to the general population. Risk factors for risky alcohol consumption included male gender, lower socioeconomic status, and psychological problems (eg, depression). Recommendations for prevention and intervention of alcohol disorders included policy development and implementation to curb alcohol access by taxation, screening of alcohol‐related problems, and alternative means of recreation instead of alcohol consumption.

Conclusions

This review confirmed that alcohol‐related problems are prevalent among farmers and farmworkers. More population‐based research is called for to understand the additional risk factors of alcohol disorders and the prevalence of other substance‐related disorders. Also, interventions should be tailored to the unique culture of farmers and farmworkers.
Personality and public performance
Authors: Harré Rom
Published: May 2021

My aim is to present a unified, though complex, set of ideas as to what personalities are and how we might go about studying them. Psychology has tried in the past to make itself ‘scientific’ just by changing its clothes. Instead of talking of thoughts and feelings, projects and ambitions, there has been talk of measures and numbers, and the doing of much statistical calculation. Adopting a scientific rhetoric has tempted psychologists of personality to gloss over the difficulties of actually getting down to the actual substance of truly scientific study. So when I am talking about new techniques and methods I am not going to be talking about new techniques of measurements or hitherto unconsidered variables, I am going to be talking about what constitutes the very heart of a scientific enterprise and that is our method of constructing concepts and conceptual systems for understanding and analysing what we are interested in ‐ in this case personality.
‘If you read at home, it's more relaxed, there are no limits’: Insights into domestic reading practices of Croatian and Slovenian university students
Authors: Vogrinčič Čepič Ana , Kotrla Topić Marina
Published: May 2021

The aim of this interview study is to explore how skilled readers use their homes as their reading space, while paying attention to what ‘home’ refers to, what they read there, the ‘where’ and ‘when’ aspects of reading at home, and home reading rituals. We conducted semistructured in‐depth interviews with ten university students (four from Croatia and six from Slovenia). Based on what the students said and how they said it, we tried to show that reading is a complex phenomenon, a physical experience, embodied and situated, and, as such, influenced by the immediate environment. Our basic finding is that the comfort of home is often reflected in the comfort of reading. Our participants emphasize the need to feel relaxed and to create private reading atmosphere. Home is a place where they can adjust the space according to their requirements, instead of them adjusting to the environment in which they read. However, when asked about their ideal reading situations, they often talked about other, mostly outdoor, settings that cannot always be adjusted to one's comfort. The paper also discusses different methodological approaches that could grasp domestic reading practices more in depth and emphasize the emotional side of the experience.
The Beta vulgaris‐derived resistance gene Rz2 confers broad‐spectrum resistance against soilborne sugar beet‐infecting viruses from different families by recognizing triple gene block protein 1
Authors: Wetzel Veronika , Willlems Glenda , Darracq Aude , Galein Yann , Liebe Sebastian , Varrelmann Mark
Published: May 2021

Sugar beet cultivation is dependent on an effective control of beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV, family Benyviridae), which causes tremendous economic losses in sugar production. As the virus is transmitted by a soilborne protist, the use of resistant cultivars is currently the only way to control the disease. The Rz2 gene product belongs to a family of proteins conferring resistance towards diverse pathogens in plants. These proteins contain coiled‐coil and leucine‐rich repeat domains. After artificial inoculation of homozygous Rz2 resistant sugar beet lines, BNYVV and beet soilborne mosaic virus (BSBMV, family Benyviridae) were not detected. Analysis of the expression of Rz2 in naturally infected plants indicated constitutive expression in the root system. In a transient assay, coexpression of Rz2 and the individual BNYVV‐encoded proteins revealed that only the combination of Rz2 and triple gene block protein 1 (TGB1) resulted in a hypersensitive reaction (HR)‐like response. Furthermore, HR was also triggered by the TGB1 homologues from BSBMV as well as from the more distantly related beet soilborne virus (family Virgaviridae). This is the first report of an R gene providing resistance across different plant virus families.
Moving closer to clinical application of the forced oscillation technique in asthma monitoring?
Authors: Siddiqui Salman
Published: May 2021

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Populist Attitudes and Direct Democracy: A Questionable Relationship
Authors: Gherghina Sergiu , Pilet Jean‐Benoit
Published: May 2021

Earlier research links citizens’ populist attitudes with the support for referendums. However, the foundations and meaning of this relationship remain unclear. This research note proposes a theoretical, conceptual and methodological discussion that identifies three main problems: studies linking populist attitudes with support for referendums have a rather narrow theoretical framing limited to populist studies, there is much ambiguity surrounding the role of direct democracy in the political system, and there is a tautology in studying the relationship between populist attitudes as measured through various indices and the preferences for direct democracy. Our goal is to discuss such problems and to propose several avenues to circumvent them. In particular, we believe that connecting to adjacent literatures beyond populist studies could be an important improvement.
The Democratic Ambivalence of EU Disintegration: A Mapping of Costs and Benefits
Authors: Patberg Markus
Published: May 2021

Since Brexit, there has been increasing interest in democratic theory in the question of the conditions under which reversals of European integration can be considered legitimate. So far, however, the literature is very much focused on the specific case of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union. In this article, I seek to prepare the ground for a systematic theory that clarifies, at a general level, the scope and limits as well as the actors and procedures of democratically legitimate disintegration. To that end, I map the potential democratic costs and benefits of EU disintegration. In doing so, I distinguish five types of disintegration: retreat, revocation, exit, expulsion, and dissolution. All of these measures can produce conflicts between the democratic claims of citizens and peoples. Many of these cannot be resolved but must be dealt with politically. Overall, disintegration bears more potential costs for citizens than for peoples.
Molecular phylogeny of Megasternini terrestrial water scavenger beetles (Hydrophilidae) reveals repeated continental interchange during Paleocene‐Eocene thermal maximum
Authors: Arriaga‐Varela Emmanuel , Sýkora Vít , Fikáček Martin
Published: May 2021

Megasternini is the largest group of terrestrial water scavenger beetles (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) represented by ca. 600 described species distributed worldwide. The highest species diversity is known from tropical areas of all continents. In this study, we used sequences of eight gene regions (five nuclear and three mitochondrial) to investigate the phylogenetic relationships and historical biogeography of this group, implementing maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian topology inference, Bayesian divergence dating, ML‐based ancestral area estimation and Bayesian diversification analyses. Topology analyses reveal two main lineages of Megasternini characterized by the morphology of male genitalia and surrounding sclerites; these lineages are defined here as subtribes Megasternina Mulsant and Oosternina new subtribe. We identify 12 principal clades of Megasternini, three in Oosternina and nine in Megasternina. These clades group the taxa largely by their geographic distribution rather than morphology, indicating a parallel evolution of morphological characters. Genera Cercyon Leach, Oosternum Sharp, Cetiocyon Hansen, Australocyon Hansen and Pelosoma Mulsant were not recovered as monophyletic. Species of Cercyon, the most diverse genus in the tribe, are found in all principal clades in both subtribes. These results suggest a need for the reorganization of generic concepts in the tribe. The historical biogeography analysis reveals a series of parallel intercontinental dispersal events, including the colonization of South America by Australian members of Oosternina ca. 90 million years ago (mya) and at least five dispersal events between Asia and America ca. 63–55 mya via the Beringia land bridge. The timing of the Asia‐America faunal interchange corresponds to the hyperthermal climate of the Late Paleocene and Early Eocene that allowed the expansion of tropical and subtropical biomes towards polar regions. Diversification analyses revealed no effect of intercontinental dispersals on speciation or extinction rates and suggested a possible effect of declining global temperatures in the last 20 million years.
The origin of Upper Permian basinal dolomites in SW Poland: Impact of ascending brines
Authors: Peryt Tadeusz M.
Published: May 2021

The conventional mechanism for dolomitization in evaporitic basins is by drawdown‐related reflux of brines, but it seems that ascending brines were responsible in the case of basal Zechstein (Wuchiapingian) strata. Dolomite of basinal sections of the Zechstein Limestone in SW Poland show mostly fabric‐destructive dolomitization and wide δ18OVPDB and δ13CVPDB ranges (−3.78 to 6.47‰ and −1.64 to +5.3‰ respectively). The maximum δ18O value reflects the temperature of dolomitizing fluid equal to approximately 38°C, if the δ18O of water = +4‰ is assumed. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the dolomite samples vary from 0.707924 to 0.711164 and are clearly enriched with respect to the contemporaneous seawater values. The basinal dolomites have originated owing to interaction of low‐temperature brines from the underlying red beds and hypersaline brines originated during the Zechstein evaporite deposition. The conventional concept connecting the highly radiogenic strontium values recorded in dolomites with the overlying formations, and thus implying the reflux mechanism of dolomitization, should be re‐evaluated.
Travel time errors caused by geomasking might be different between transportation modes and types of urban area
Authors: Kim Junghwan , Kwan Mei‐Po
Published: May 2021

This article examines the effects of two widely used geomasking methods (aggregation and the bimodal Gaussian method) on errors in car‐ and transit‐based travel times from people's homes to health facilities using Cook County in Illinois as a case study area. It addresses two research questions: (Q1) How do the effects of geomasking on travel time errors differ between transportation modes? (Q2) How do errors in car‐ and transit‐based travel times differ between urban and suburban areas? The results indicate that geomasking introduces considerable errors in travel times. Specifically, errors in transit‐based travel times are significantly higher than those in car‐based travel times. Moreover, when large radii are used for geomasking, errors in car‐based travel times in urban areas are significantly higher than those in suburban areas. On the contrary, transit‐based travel time errors in urban areas are significantly lower than those in suburban areas. Because transportation modes and urban area types play essential roles in travel time errors caused by geomasking, researchers need to mitigate these errors when using geomasked locations for their analysis (e.g., evaluating the spatial accessibility of certain facilities, such as hospitals or healthy food outlets).
Modeling urban regions: Comparing random forest and support vector machines for cellular automata
Authors: Rienow Andreas , Mustafa Ahmed , Krelaus Leonie , Lindner Claudia
Published: May 2021

Cellular automat​on (CA) are important tools that provide insight into urbanization dynamics and possible future patterns. The calibration process is the core theme of these models. This study compares the performance of two common machine‐learning classifiers, random forest (RF), and support vector machines (SVM), to calibrate CA. It focuses on the sensitivity analysis of the sample size and the number of input variables for each classifier. We applied the models to the Wallonia region (Belgium) as a case study to demonstrate the performance of each classifier. The results highlight that RF produces a land‐use pattern that simulates the observed pattern more precisely than SVM especially with a low sample size, which is important for study areas with low levels of land‐use change. Although zoning information notably enhances the accuracy of SVM‐based probability maps, zoning marginally influences the RF‐derived probability maps. In the case of the SVM, the CA model did not significantly improve due to the increased sample size. The performance of the 5,000 sample size was observed to be better than the 15,000 sample size. The RF‐driven CA had the best performance with a high sample, while zoning information was excluded.
A high‐efficiency global model of optimization design of impervious surfaces for alleviating urban waterlogging in urban renewal
Authors: Yu Huafei , Zhao Yaolong , Xu Tao , Li Jiufeng , Tang Xianzhe , Wang Fangfang , Fu Yingchun
Published: May 2021

The rapid expansion and unreasonable design of impervious surfaces caused by urbanization have seriously aggravated urban waterlogging. Determining how to optimize the spatial layout of impervious surfaces is the focus of urban waterlogging prevention in urban renewal. The existing urban‐renewal methods include constructing low‐impact development measures by reducing the area of impervious surfaces or implementing a local high‐strength design based on the ant colony algorithm (ACA) from the viewpoint of optimization design. However, these methods have obvious shortcomings in terms of time efficiency, and their optimized design schemes are insufficient at considering the global impervious surface design. Therefore, to address these problems, the study proposes a coupled model of multivariate linear programming and Soil Conservation Service curve number. The model is employed in the central city of Guangzhou, China. The results show, first, that the optimal design of impervious surfaces in urban renewal is to construct a discontinuous connection of high‐low‐high‐density impervious surfaces; second, that, compared with ACA, our method has higher robustness, increases the average optimization rate by 4.48 to 14.00%, and reduces the optimization time over 30 days to 20.8 s; and third, that the optimal results realize the global low‐strength transformation as complements of the existing design scheme of local high‐strength transformation. This study optimizes methods for alleviating urban waterlogging urban renewal at different scales or intensities.
Utilizing of Spent Fuel Storage Pool in Gamma Irradiation Experiments
Authors: Abdelhady Amr
Published: May 2021

The objective of this study is suggesting a new method for gamma irradiating experiment using spent fuel elements (SFEs). An irradiation device was developed to contain the sample during the gamma irradiation process under water in spent fuel storage pool. The maximum burned fuel elements were used as a source of gamma rays with intensity and energy spectrum depend on the decay time from the reactor core withdrawal. A SFE configuration was introduced to verify an ideal condition of irradiating the sample with uniform gamma flux. The gamma dose rate inside the sample chamber was calculated using SCALE/MAVRIC code for the SFEs configuration source at decay times ranging between 0 and 5 years. A relationship was introduced to obtain the required accumulated dose depending on choosing the proper SFE configuration with the proper irradiation time.
A Review of Models for the Sodium Boiling Phenomena in Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor Subassemblies
Authors: Tsige-Tamirat Haileyesus , Perez-Martin Sara , Pfrang Werner , Anderhuber Marine , Gerschenfeld Antoine , Laborde Laurent , Mikityuk Konstantin , Peniguel Christophe , Mimouni Stephane
Published: May 2021

The Euratom Horizon-2020 project European sodium fast reactor safety measures assessment and research tools (ESFR-SMART) aims to enhance the safety and performance of the European sodium-cooled fast reactor (ESFR) considering safety objectives envisaged for generation-IV reactors and the update of European and international safety frameworks, taking into account the Fukushima accident. Further, the project aims to support the development and validation of the computational tools for the situations to be considered at each defense-in-depth level in order to support the safety assessments using data produced in the project as well as selected legacy data. Within this activity, the focus is on the assessment and when needed further development of computer codes for the analysis of the sodium thermal-hydraulics phenomena in sodium cooled fast reactor (SFR) subassemblies under operational and accidental conditions including sodium boiling and transitional convection from forced to natural/mixed convection. In support of this activity, a review is performed for the sodium boiling models used in the codes participating in benchmark activities within the project. The objective of this paper is to summarize the result of the review, which encompasses both the phenomenological and mathematical models implemented in the codes. In particular, the review addresses the physical bases of sodium boiling models, the analytical models in connection with the numerical implementations in the codes, and the geometry representations ranging from a one-dimensional single channel and finite volume to full three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and porous media representations. Finally, the needs for further developments are discussed.
Processing Aleatory and Epistemic Uncertainties in Experimental Data From Sparse Replicate Tests of Stochastic Systems for Real-Space Model Validation
Authors: Romero Vicente J. , Black Amalia R.
Published: May 2021

This paper presents a practical methodology for propagating and processing uncertainties associated with random measurement and estimation errors (that vary from test-to-test) and systematic measurement and estimation errors (uncertain but similar from test-to-test) in inputs and outputs of replicate tests to characterize response variability of stochastically varying test units. Also treated are test condition control variability from test-to-test and sampling uncertainty due to limited numbers of replicate tests. These aleatory variabilities and epistemic uncertainties result in uncertainty on computed statistics of output response quantities. The methodology was developed in the context of processing experimental data for “real-space” (RS) model validation comparisons against model-predicted statistics and uncertainty thereof. The methodology is flexible and sufficient for many types of experimental and data uncertainty, offering the most extensive data uncertainty quantification (UQ) treatment of any model validation method the authors are aware of. It handles both interval and probabilistic uncertainty descriptions and can be performed with relatively little computational cost through use of simple and effective dimension- and order-adaptive polynomial response surfaces in a Monte Carlo (MC) uncertainty propagation approach. A key feature of the progressively upgraded response surfaces is that they enable estimation of propagation error contributed by the surrogate model. Sensitivity analysis of the relative contributions of the various uncertainty sources to the total uncertainty of statistical estimates is also presented. The methodologies are demonstrated on real experimental validation data involving all the mentioned sources and types of error and uncertainty in five replicate tests of pressure vessels heated and pressurized to failure. Simple spreadsheet procedures are used for all processing operations.