bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The ‘Is’ and the ‘Ought’ of the Animal Organism: Hegel’s Account of Biological Normativity
Authors: Corti Luca
Published: April 2022

This paper investigates Hegel’s account of the animal organism as it is presented in thePhilosophy of Nature, with a special focus on its normative implications. I argue that the notion of “organisation” is fundamental to Hegel’s theory of animal normativity. The paper starts by showing how a Hegelian approach takes up the scientific image of organism and assigns a basic explanatory role to the notion of “organisation” in its understanding living beings. Moving from this premise, the paper turns to the group of accounts in contemporary theoretical biology known as “organisational accounts” (OA), which offer a widely debated strategy for naturalizing teleology and normativity in organisms. As recent scholarship recognizes, these accounts explicitly rely on insights from Kant and Post-Kantianism. I make the historical and conceptual argument that Hegel’s view of the organism shares several basic commitments with OAs, especially regarding the notion of “organisational closure”. I assess the account of normativity that such accounts advance and its implications for how we approach Hegel. Finally, I argue that the notion of “organisation” is more fundamental to Hegel’s theory of animal normativity than the Aristotelian notion of “Gattung” or “species”, which by contrast appears derivative – at least in thePhilosophy of Natureand theLectures– and does not play the central role in his account maintained by some scholars.
Under-extrusion challenges for elastic filaments: the influence of moisture on additive manufacturing
Authors: Bruère V. M. , Lion A. , Holtmannspötter J. , Johlitz M.
Published: April 2022

The applicability of Additive Manufacturing for operational parts expands with the availability of new materials with specific properties. For elastomeric components produced with Fused Filament Fabrication, challenges associated with the printing process due to the nature of the material are faced. This paper investigates the effect of under-extrusion in this process regarding the feeding system and, predominantly, the moisture for thermoplastic polyurethanes with 3D printing experiments and thermomechanical testing. In particular, the filament flow control with a Bowden extruder provides a challenge. A microscopic analysis reveals the signs of under-extrusion, along with the influence of material drying to reduce the moisture content. The drying may depend not only on time and temperature, but also on mass and surface effects. Water uptake measurements exhibit absorptions up to 1.89% in weight, most of which take place during the first 24 h of the experiments. Tensile tests performed on samples with different moisture contents show their influence in the ultimate stresses. The moisture in the material causes under-extrusion induced failures. Those failures are less likely to happen at lower moisture levels, resulting in occasional higher tensile strengths. Overall, the importance of proper storage of the material throughout printing is verified, even under moderate humidity conditions due to its hygroscopic nature.
Chemsex, a Contemporary Challenge for Public Health
Authors: Bolmont Mylene , Tshikung Olivier Nawej , Trellu Laurence Toutous
Published: April 2022

Chemsex, a specific form of sexualized drug use (SDU), has rapidly increased in the last decade. This phenomenon could result in a complex public health issue because of the heterogeneity amongst socio-psychological profiles of the practitioners, leading to the difficulty to target specific populations. Healthcare professionals need to be aware of this practice and its related risks to provide care adapted to the individual who consults. Here, we suggest that better knowledge of this field can help to improve prevention measures and provide information with a non-judgmental and respectful approach to those who practice chemsex.
Income and differential fertility: evidence from oil price shocks
Authors: Hailemariam Abebe
Published: April 2022

This paper examines the effect of national income on the total fertility rate (children born per woman). We estimate the effects on fertility of shocks to national per capita income using plausibly exogenous variations in oil price shock as an instrument for income and using instrumental variable generalized quantile regressions (IV-GQR). Using data for a panel of 122 countries spanning the period 1965–2020, our results show that national per capita income has generally a negative and significant effect on the total fertility rate. Looking at the entire spectrum of the fertility distribution, the IV-GQR estimates exhibit considerable heterogeneity in the impact of income on fertility. The income elasticity of fertility is relatively low at the upper tail of the distribution (for countries with high fertility) compared to the value at the median.
The Ottoman Empire and the Modern Hajj: Converging Histories from Central Asia to the Indian Ocean
Authors: Ahmed Faiz
Published: April 2022

From a devastating pandemic to worldwide protests for racial justice, 2020 is likely to stand out to scholars of globalization and human interconnectivity for several reasons. Thanks to a pair of original and remarkably complementary monographs by historians Lâle Can and Michael Christopher Low published in 2020, we can add groundbreaking scholarship on the hajj pilgrimage to the list. Drawing from diverse but equally impressive stocks of Ottoman, colonial, and privately held archives from the long nineteenth century, Can and Low have unearthed a lost world of contacts and collisions on the high roads and seas to Mecca. Together—and each in its own way—Spiritual Subjects and Imperial Mecca offer fresh historical insights and compelling arguments on the making of the largest annual gathering of people in the world that is the modern Muslim hajj.
TREE FORCING AND DEFINABLE MAXIMAL INDEPENDENT SETS IN HYPERGRAPHS
Authors: SCHILHAN JONATHAN
Published: April 2022

We show that after forcing with a countable support iteration or a finite product of Sacks or splitting forcing over L, every analytic hypergraph on a Polish space admits a
$\mathbf {\Delta }^1_2$
maximal independent set. This extends an earlier result by Schrittesser (see [25]). As a main application we get the consistency of
$\mathfrak {r} = \mathfrak {u} = \mathfrak {i} = \omega _2$
together with the existence of a
$\Delta ^1_2$
ultrafilter, a
$\Pi ^1_1$
maximal independent family, and a
$\Delta ^1_2$
Hamel basis. This solves open problems of Brendle, Fischer, and Khomskii [5] and the author [23]. We also show in ZFC that
$\mathfrak {d} \leq \mathfrak {i}_{cl}$
, addressing another question from [5].
Between Legitimacy and Socioemotional Wealth: Family Ownership and the Party Branches Building of Chinese Private Enterprises
Authors: He Xiaobin , Liu Jiankun
Published: April 2022

Since 2012, a large-scale Party branches building campaign intending to regain political influence in the private sector has been sweepingly promoted. Drawing on the Chinese Private Enterprise Survey conducted in 2008, 2012, and 2018, this study investigates private enterprises’ strategies in response to the intensified political pressure by integrating socioemotional wealth theory and neo-institutional theory. It is found that (1) private enterprises with high family ownership tend not to establish Party branches until political pressure is very high; (2) enterprises with high family ownership are more likely to adopt a decoupling strategy of evading the Party's political and social goals; and (3) the owners’ perceptions of a better market and legal environment weaken the negative effect of family ownership on the establishment of Party branches. These results reveal the key logic of preserving the socioemotional wealth and ‘embedded agency’ of Chinese private enterprises when they confront institutional legitimacy mandates. This study also sheds new light on the causes of the decoupling phenomenon and the dynamic interactions between institutional environment and organizational behaviors.
The Intersection of Economic, Social, and Political Forces: Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Family Businesses in China
Authors: Ma Dali , Luo Xiaowei Rose
Published: April 2022

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a significant role in China. Based on recent statistics, about 67% of firms were non-state owned, which contributed 47% of the R&D in 2017 (Report of the Top 500 Firms in China, 2017). The majority of these firms are SMEs, many of which are family businesses. Despite their importance, we lack both theoretical and empirical understanding of how these firms cope with the opportunities and challenges in China's fast-changing transitional market. In light of the mission ofManagement and Organization Review(MOR), i.e., publishing ground-breaking insights about management and organizations in China, we called for this special issue in order to promote the value of the unique Chinese institutional context for management inquiries.
Pulmonary surfactant and COVID-19: A new synthesis
Authors: Ninham Barry , Reines Brandon , Battye Matthew , Thomas Paul
Published: April 2022

Chapter 1: COVID-19 pathogenesis poses paradoxes difficult to explain with traditional physiology. For instance, since type II pneumocytes are considered the primary cellular target of SARS-CoV-2; as these produce pulmonary surfactant (PS), the possibility that insufficient PS plays a role in COVID-19 pathogenesis has been raised. However, the opposite of predicted high alveolar surface tension is found in many early COVID-19 patients: paradoxically normal lung volumes and high compliance occur, with profound hypoxemia. That ‘COVID anomaly’ was quickly rationalised by invoking traditional vascular mechanisms–mainly because of surprisingly preserved alveolar surface in early hypoxemic cases. However, that quick rejection of alveolar damage only occurred because the actual mechanism of gas exchange has long been presumed to be non-problematic, due to diffusion through the alveolar surface. On the contrary, we provide physical chemical evidence that gas exchange occurs by an process of expansion and contraction of the three-dimensional structures of PS and its associated proteins. This view explains anomalous observations from the level of cryo-TEM to whole individuals. It encompasses results from premature infants to the deepest diving seals. Once understood, the COVID anomaly dissolves and is straightforwardly explained as covert viral damage to the 3D structure of PS, with direct treatment implications. As a natural experiment, the SARS-CoV-2 virus itself has helped us to simplify and clarify not only the nature of dyspnea and its relationship to pulmonary compliance, but also the fine detail of the PS including such features as water channels which had heretofore been entirely unexpected.
Consumption of a multi-deficient diet causes dynamic changes in the intestinal morphofunctional barrier, body composition and impaired physical development in post-weaning mice
Authors: Ribeiro Samilly Albuquerque , Rodrigues Francisco Adelvane de Paula , Clementino Marco Antonio de Freitas , Veras Herlice do Nascimento , Siqueira Rômmulo Celly Lima , de Medeiros Pedro Henrique Quintela Soares , Pereira Jeanine Morais , Guanabara Júnior Márcio Flávio Araújo , de Sousa José Kleybson , Santos Ana Karolina Silva , dos Santos Armênio Aguiar , Maciel Bruna Leal Lima , Havt Alexandre , Lima Aldo Ângelo Moreira
Published: April 2022

Few studies have focused on nutrient-deficient diets and associated pathobiological dynamics of body composition and intestinal barrier function. This study evaluated the impact of a nutrient-deficient diet on physical development and intestinal morphofunctional barrier in mice. C57BL/6 (21 days of age) mice were fed a Northeastern Brazil regional basic diet (RBD) or a control diet for 21 d. The animals were subjected to bioimpedance analysis, lactulose test, morphometric analysis and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR to evaluate tight junctions and intestinal transporters. RBD feeding significantly reduced weight (P < 0·05) from day 5, weight gain from day 3 and tail length from day 14. The intake of RBD reduced total body water, extracellular fluid, fat mass and fat-free mass from day 7 (P < 0·05). RBD induced changes in the jejunum, with an increase in the villus:crypt ratio on day 7, followed by reduction on days 14 and 21 (P < 0·05). Lactulose:mannitol ratio increased on day 14 (P < 0·05). Changes in intestinal barrier function on day 14 were associated with reductions in claudin-1 and occludin, and on day 21, there was a reduction in the levels of claudin-2 and occludin. SGLT-1 levels decreased on day 21. RBD compromises body composition and physical development with dynamic changes in intestinal barrier morphofunctional. RBD is associated with damage to intestinal permeability, reduced levels of claudin-1 and occludin transcripts and return of bowel function in a chronic period.
M&A Activity and the Capital Structure of Target Firms
Authors: Flannery Mark J. , Hanousek Jan , Shamshur Anastasiya , Tresl Jiri
Published: April 2022

We study 6,083 European firms that were acquired between 1999 and 2015. Soon after the acquisition, the acquired firms promptly and substantially close the gap between their actual leverage ratios and their target (optimal) ratios. Firms that were over- (under-) leveraged at the start of their acquisition year move their debt-to-assets ratio from 34.1% to 20% (10% to 18.5%) by the end of the following year. Under-leveraged firms expand their assets rapidly following acquisition, as they gain improved access to investable resources. Our results are consistent with the trade-off theory of capital structure and with the existence of firm-specific target leverage ratios.
Temperature and luminosity outputs of endoscopes used in transcanal endoscopic ear surgery: an experimental study
Authors: Milner T D , Jaffer M , Iyer A
Published: April 2022

Objective

To establish the relationship between endoscope temperatures and luminosity with a variety of light source types, endoscope ages, endoscope sizes, angles and operative distance in transcanal endoscopic ear surgery.

Methods

Transcanal endoscopic ear surgery was simulated in an operating theatre using 7 mm plastic suction tubing coated in insulating tape. An ATP ET-959 thermometer was used to record temperatures, and a Trotec BF06 lux meter was used to measure luminosity. Luminosity and temperature recordings were taken at 0 mm and 5 mm from the endoscope tip.

Results

Thermal energy transfer from operating endoscopes is greatest when: the light intensity is high, there is a light-emitting diode light source and the endoscope is touching the surface. Additionally, larger-diameter endoscopes, angled endoscopes and new endoscopes generated greater heat.

Conclusion

It is recommended that operative light intensity is maintained at the lowest level possible, and that the surgeon avoids contact between patient tissues and the endoscope tip.
Law at the Backbone: The Christian Legal Ecumenism of Norman Doe
Authors: Witte John
Published: April 2022

Welsh jurist and Anglican theologian Norman Doe has pioneered the modern study of comparative ‘Christian law’, analysing the wide variety of internal religious legal systems governing Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant churches worldwide. For Doe, religious law is the backbone of Christian ecclesiology and ecumenism. Despite the deep theological differences that have long divided Christian churches and denominations, he argues, every church – whether an individual congregation or a global denomination – uses law to balance its spiritual and structural dimensions and to keep it straight and strong, especially in times of crisis. This makes church law a fundamental but under-utilised instrument of Christian identity and denominationalism, but also unity and collaboration on many matters of public and private spiritual life, both clerical and lay. Doe has developed this thesis in a series of impressive scholarly projects and books – first on Anglican law, then comparative Anglican-Catholic canon law, then all Christian laws and other Abrahamic laws, and their interaction with secular legal systems. This article offers an appreciative analysis of the development of Professor Doe's scholarship, and situates his work within the broader global field of law and religion studies.
Persecution: Ancient Scourge, Modern Crisis
Authors: Mounstephen Philip
Published: April 2022

Freedom of Religion or Belief (or FoRB), the abuse or loss of which leads to persecution, is both an ancient scourge, and also a profoundly serious modern crisis. It is right that we concern ourselves with the egregious persecution so many of our Christian brothers and sisters the world over experience: and out of love for our neighbour, and respect for the common good, we must extend that concern to all who, in this world today, are discriminated against, marginalised, beaten, threatened, tortured and killed simply because they believe something different from the majority around them. To espouse such a cause is profoundly appropriate for any Christian seeking to engage with integrity in public life today.
Governing Body of the Church in Wales
Authors: Chinery Matthew
Published: April 2022

Depending on how one counts it, the Governing Body of the Church in Wales met either two or three times in 2021. The April session was conducted entirely online, but the September sessions were split between a physical meeting on Monday 6 September and an online meeting on Wednesday 8 September.
General Synod of the Church of Ireland
Authors: Turner Cate
Published: April 2022

The Church of Ireland Synod took place from Thursday 30 September to Saturday 1 October, meeting again by electronic communication technology. Being the first meeting of the triennium, it was for many their first experience of General Synod; yet the online format was a more familiar medium than it had been at the last meeting held in December 2020.
Archaeologies of whiteness
Authors: Reilly Matthew C.
Published: April 2022

In the midst of ardent calls for decolonizing and building a more anti-racist archaeology, whiteness has gone largely unacknowledged in the history of disciplinary thought and practice. As a point of departure, this article asks: why are there so many White archaeologists? In addressing this question, I suggest that the development of early archaeological method and thought was deeply affected by White supremacy. In presenting the two case studies of Montroville Dickson and Flinders Petrie, I suggest that a radical new history of archaeology is needed if we are to build a more equitable, anti-racist field in the future. Central to this process to recognizing the role that whiteness has played and continues to play in archaeological practice and pedagogy.
Tolerance of southern highbush blueberry to 2,4-D choline postemergence-directed
Authors: Sims Kira C. , Jennings Katherine M. , Monks David W. , Mitchem Wayne E. , Jordan David L. , Hoffmann Mark
Published: April 2022

Field studies were conducted on southern highbush blueberry in Elizabethtown and Rocky Point, NC, in 2019, 2020, and 2021 to determine tolerance to 2,4-D choline as a postemergence-directed application. In separate trials for younger and older bearing blueberry bushes, both 2,4-D choline rates and application timing were evaluated. Treatments included 2,4-D choline at 0, 0.53, 1.06, 1.60, and 2.13 kg ae ha–1 applied alone in winter during dormancy, and sequential treatments at 0.53 kg ae ha–1 followed by (fb) 0.53, 1.06 fb 1.06, 1.6 fb 1.6, or 2.13 fb 2.13 kg ae ha–1. The first application of the sequential treatments was applied in winter followed by another application in spring during early green fruit. Injury to blueberry from 2,4-D choline treatments was not observed for either maturity stage, and fruit yield was not affected by any of the treatments. Differences among treatments were not observed for fruit soluble solid content (SSC) in older bushes, or for fruit pH, SSC, and titratable acidity (TA) in younger bushes. In older bushes, fruit pH and TA had rate-by-timing interactions, and TA had a farm-year interaction with differences at Rocky Point in 2019 and Elizabethtown in 2020, but biologically no pattern was observed from the treatments.
Selection and Use of Firearm and Medication Locking Devices in a Lethal Means Counseling Intervention
Authors: Barber Catherine , Azrael Deborah , Berrigan John , Betz Marian E. , Brandspigel Sara , Runyan Carol , Salhi Carmel , Vriniotis Mary , Miller Matthew
Published: April 2022

Abstract. Background: While some suicide prevention initiatives distribute locking devices for firearms and medication, little evidence exists to guide the selection of devices. Aims: This study aimed to describe safety standards for locking devices and compare parental acceptance rates for different types of devices. Method: As part of the larger SAFETY Study, behavioral health clinicians provided free locking devices to parents whose child was evaluated in the emergency department (ED) for a suicide-related or behavioral health-related problem. For logistical reasons, we changed the specific devices offered midstudy. Data on device use came from follow-up interviews with 226 parents. Results: Few effective standards exist for locking devices for home use; we could easily break into some. At follow-up, twice as many gun-owning parents were using ED-provided handgun lockboxes as cable locks (28% vs. 14%, p = .02). Overall, 55% of parents reported using an ED-provided medication lockbox, with more using the drawer-sized lockbox than the larger, steel toolbox (60% vs. 42%, p < .01). Limitations: Storage outcomes are from parents’ self-report and from one state only. Conclusion: Parents appeared to prefer some devices over others. Our findings suggest the need for (a) effective safety standards, (b) affordable devices meeting these standards, and (c) further research on consumer preferences to ensure use.
Development and Validation of a Safety Climate Scale for the German Armed Forces
Authors: Nitzschner Marco M. , Reeb Christian , Erley Oliver
Published: April 2022

Abstract. The Directorate Aviation Safety of the German Armed Forces conducts flight safety audits in flying units. However, up to now, it has not been possible to draw on a psychometrically based instrument for the assessment of safety climate. The goal of this study was to implement an appropriate safety climate questionnaire. To gain flight safety relevant information about the safety climate of the units of the German Armed Forces, the Aviation Safety Climate Scale ( Evans et al. 2007 ) was adapted ( N = 989). Data from half of the sample ( n = 497) were used in an exploratory factor analysis that produced the same three-factor model as in the original scale. A confirmatory factor analysis on the second half of the sample ( n = 492) confirmed the original three-factor model (compared to a two-factor solution and a four-factor solution) as an acceptable fit to the data. Thus, the first evidence supporting reliability and some aspects of the validity was found.
Future Projection of Solar Energy Over China Based on Multi‐Regional Climate Model Simulations
Authors: Wu Jia , Han Zhenyu , Yan Yuping , Gao Xuejie
Published: April 2022

To support future solar energy deployment in China, long‐term changes in solar energy resources over China were investigated based on high‐resolution dynamical downscaling simulations under three emission scenarios. First, an evaluation of model performance was conducted through comparison with station and ERA5 data, which indicated that although consistent overestimation was found, the spatial distribution and intra‐annual variation of solar radiation were captured well by ensemble simulation, showing added value over regions with complex topography as well. Then, the trends of the solar power output from photovoltaic (PV) systems during 2020–2099 were projected, characterized by an increase in east and central China, and a consistent decrease in the solar‐energy‐abundant regions (e.g., northeast China, the Tibetan Plateau, and northwest China) under the three scenarios. Except for under the low emission scenario, the regional averaged trends of PV were projected to decrease consistently over China in all four seasons, with significant magnitude apparent in both spring and winter. In addition, a more intense magnitude of decline was found under the higher emission scenario, with more subregions with a significant trend and higher intra‐annual and inter‐annual variability. However, it seems that the emission scenarios impact the spatial pattern only remarkably in the late century, however strengthened the decreasing magnitude in all future periods. In addition, results indicate decline in the future PV potential over most of subregions of China due to reduced radiation and increased temperature, but for the decrease over Tibetan Plateau the reduced wind speed also act as an important factor.
Cause of a Lower‐Tropospheric High‐Ozone Layer in Spring Over Hanoi
Authors: Ogino S.‐Y. , Miyazaki K. , Fujiwara M. , Nodzu M. I. , Shiotani M. , Hasebe F. , Matsumoto J. , Witte J. , Thompson A. M. , Nguyen‐Thi H. A. , Nguyen T. V.
Published: April 2022

The ozonesonde observations in Hanoi, Vietnam, over 14 years since 2004, have confirmed an enhancement in lower tropospheric ozone concentration at about 3 km altitude in the spring season. We investigated the evolution of the ozone enhancement from analysis of meteorological data, backward trajectories, and model sensitivity experiments. In spring, air masses over Hanoi exhibit strong height dependence. At 3 km, the high‐ozone air masses originate from the land area to the west of Hanoi, while low‐ozone air masses below about 1.5 km are from the oceanic area to the east. Above 4 km, the air masses are mostly traced back to the farther west area. The chemical transport model simulations revealed that precursor emissions from biomass burning in the inland Indochina Peninsula have the largest contribution to the lower tropospheric ozone enhancement, which is transported upward and eastward and overhangs the clean air intrusion from the ocean to the east of Hanoi. At this height level, the polluted air has the horizontal extent of about 20° in longitude and latitude. The polluted air observed in Hanoi is transported further east and widely spread over the northern Pacific Ocean.
The Erosional and Depositional Potential of Holocene Tibetan Megafloods Through the Yarlung Tsangpo Gorge, Eastern Himalaya: Insights From 2D Hydraulic Simulations
Authors: Morey Susannah M. , Huntington Katharine W. , Turzewski Michael D. , Mangipudi Mahathi , Montgomery David R.
Published: April 2022

Profound effects of episodic megafloods (≥106 m3/s) have been observed on Earth and Mars. Quaternary megafloods sourced from valley‐blocking glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau likely play an important role in the geomorphic evolution of the Yarlung‐Tsangpo Gorge and mountain landscape of the eastern Himalaya. We use the first 2D numerical simulation of a megaflood sourced from a reconstructed 81 km3 Tibetan lake to analyze flood hydraulics and examine the erosional and depositional potential of megafloods in mountain landscapes. The simulated flood has a duration >60 hr and a peak discharge of 3.1 × 106 m3/s. We find that the extent of inundated features like terraces, narrow valley sections, tight meander bends, and overtopped ridges influences locations of observed maximum depth (370 m), speed (76 m/s), and bed shear stress (>100 kPa), creating dynamic patterns of erosive potential. Consequently, it is difficult to predict local (≤1 km) patterns of megaflood erosional potential from either unit stream power or flood power from smaller magnitude outburst floods. However, both are useful when predicting regional (≥25 km) order‐of‐magnitude shifts in megaflood flood power. Portions of the flood domain downstream of the Gorge experience lower bed shear stresses and flood power <5 kW/m2, indicating potential for significant deposition. We suggest widespread deposition of boulders within the modern channel and fine‐grained particles on hillslopes during a megaflood likely impedes subsequent erosion and affects channel width and longitudinal form throughout the flood pathway. Our findings show the legacy of megaflooding in mountainous terrain includes both extensive erosion and deposition.
Elevated Nitrate Preference Over Ammonium in Aquatic Plants by Nitrogen Loadings in a City River
Authors: Guo Hao‐Ran , Wu Yun , Hu Chao‐Chen , Liu Xue‐Yan
Published: April 2022

Aquatic plants are the dominant biota in retaining nitrogen (N) pollutants discharged into river ecosystems, but the sensitivity of plant N pools and N assimilation to riverine N loadings, which is essential for evaluating river biogeochemistry and functions, remains poorly understood. Here, concentrations and stable isotopes of N in river water and aquatic plants were measured along the Nanming River in Guiyang of southwestern China. Total N (TN) contents of aquatic plants increased, but the increments decreased with river N concentrations. The δ15N of plant TN decreased with sewage N loadings along the river, which revealed a distinct shift of plant N preference from ammonium to nitrate. Higher levels of nitrate reductase activity in plants at the downstream river section supported the elevated nitrate preference and assimilation, which might explain the decreased nitrate concentrations observed in the river water of the downstream section. These findings contributed to understanding riverine N biogeochemical processes and their response to N loadings, which can help trace sewage N pollution and its ecological effects on river ecosystems.
Knowledge integration and decision support for accelerated discovery of antibiotic resistance genes
Authors: Youn Jason , Rai Navneet , Tagkopoulos Ilias
Published: April 2022

We present a machine learning framework to automate knowledge discovery through knowledge graph construction, inconsistency resolution, and iterative link prediction. By incorporating knowledge from 10 publicly available sources, we construct anEscherichia coliantibiotic resistance knowledge graph with 651,758 triples from 23 triple types after resolving 236 sets of inconsistencies. Iteratively applying link prediction to this graph and wet-lab validation of the generated hypotheses reveal 15 antibiotic resistantE. coligenes, with 6 of them never associated with antibiotic resistance for any microbe. Iterative link prediction leads to a performance improvement and more findings. The probability of positive findings highly correlates with experimentally validated findings (R2 = 0.94). We also identify 5 homologs inSalmonella entericathat are all validated to confer resistance to antibiotics. This work demonstrates how evidence-driven decisions are a step toward automating knowledge discovery with high confidence and accelerated pace, thereby substituting traditional time-consuming and expensive methods.
Effects of local compositional and structural disorder on vacancy formation in entropy-stabilized oxides from first-principles
Authors: Chae Sieun , Williams Logan , Lee Jihang , Heron John T. , Kioupakis Emmanouil
Published: April 2022

Entropic stabilization has evolved into a strategy to create new oxide materials and realize novel functional properties engineered through the alloy composition. Achieving an atomistic understanding of these properties to enable their design, however, has been challenging due to the local compositional and structural disorder that underlies their fundamental structure-property relationships. Here, we combine high-throughput atomistic calculations and linear regression algorithms to investigate the role of local configurational and structural disorder on the thermodynamics of vacancy formation in (MgCoNiCuZn)O-based entropy-stabilized oxides (ESOs) and their influence on the electrical properties. We find that the cation-vacancy formation energies decrease with increasing local tensile strain caused by the deviation of the bond lengths in ESOs from the equilibrium bond length in the binary oxides. The oxygen-vacancy formation strongly depends on structural distortions associated with the local configuration of chemical species. Vacancies in ESOs exhibit deep thermodynamic transition levels that inhibit electrical conduction. By applying the charge-neutrality condition, we determine that the equilibrium concentrations of both oxygen and cation vacancies increase with increasing Cu mole fraction. Our results demonstrate that tuning the local chemistry and associated structural distortions by varying alloy composition acts an engineering principle that enables controlled defect formation in multi-component alloys.
Protecting qubit coherence by spectrally engineered driving of the spin environment
Authors: Joos Maxime , Bluvstein Dolev , Lyu Yuanqi , Weld David , Bleszynski Jayich Ania
Published: April 2022

Modern quantum technologies rely crucially on techniques to mitigate quantum decoherence; these techniques can be either passive, achieved for example via materials engineering, or active, typically achieved via pulsed monochromatic driving fields applied to the qubit. Using a solid-state defect spin coupled to a microwave-driven spin bath, we experimentally demonstrate a decoherence mitigation method based on spectral engineering of the environmental noise with a polychromatic drive waveform, and show that it outperforms monochromatic techniques. Results are in agreement with quantitative modeling, and open the path to active decoherence protection using custom-designed waveforms applied to the environment rather than the qubit.
An integrated network representation of multiple cancer-specific data for graph-based machine learning
Authors: Pu Limeng , Singha Manali , Wu Hsiao-Chun , Busch Costas , Ramanujam J. , Brylinski Michal
Published: April 2022

Genomic profiles of cancer cells provide valuable information on genetic alterations in cancer. Several recent studies employed these data to predict the response of cancer cell lines to drug treatment. Nonetheless, due to the multifactorial phenotypes and intricate mechanisms of cancer, the accurate prediction of the effect of pharmacotherapy on a specific cell line based on the genetic information alone is problematic. Emphasizing on the system-level complexity of cancer, we devised a procedure to integrate multiple heterogeneous data, including biological networks, genomics, inhibitor profiling, and gene-disease associations, into a unified graph structure. In order to construct compact, yet information-rich cancer-specific networks, we developed a novel graph reduction algorithm. Driven by not only the topological information, but also the biological knowledge, the graph reduction increases the feature-only entropy while preserving the valuable graph-feature information. Subsequent comparative benchmarking simulations employing a tissue level cross-validation protocol demonstrate that the accuracy of a graph-based predictor of the drug efficacy is 0.68, which is notably higher than those measured for more traditional, matrix-based techniques on the same data. Overall, the non-Euclidean representation of the cancer-specific data improves the performance of machine learning to predict the response of cancer to pharmacotherapy. The generated data are freely available to the academic community at https://osf.io/dzx7b/.
An algorithm of calculating transport parameters of thermoelectric materials using single Kane band model with Riemann integral methods
Authors: Lin Fei-Hung , Liu Chia-Jyi
Published: April 2022

We develop an algorithm called SKBcal to conveniently calculate within minutes the thermoelectric transport parameters such as reduced Fermi level (η), electronic thermal conductivity (κe), lattice thermal conductivity (κl), Hall factor (A), effective mass (m*), quality factor (β) and theoretical zT within the framework of single Kane band (SKB) model. The generalized Fermi–Dirac integral for SKB model is integrated by left Riemann integral method. A concept of significant digits of relative error is involved to determine the accuracy of calculation. Furthermore, a combined program of "For" and "While" is coded to set up an iteration for refining the reduced Fermi level. To easily obtain the quality factor, we re-derive the expression into a formula related to carrier mobility. The results calculated by SKBcal are consistent with the data reported in the literatures.
A method for continuous study of soaring and windhovering birds
Authors: Penn Matthew , Yi George , Watkins Simon , Martinez Groves-Raines Mario , Windsor Shane P. , Mohamed Abdulghani
Published: April 2022

Avian flight continues to inspire aircraft designers. Reducing the scale of autonomous aircraft to that of birds and large insects has resulted in new control challenges when attempting to hold steady flight in turbulent atmospheric wind. Some birds, however, are capable of remarkably stable hovering flight in the same conditions. This work describes the development of a wind tunnel configuration that facilitates the study of flapless windhovering (hanging) and soaring bird flight in wind conditions replicating those in nature. Updrafts were generated by flow over replica “hills” and turbulence was introduced through upstream grids, which had already been developed to replicate atmospheric turbulence in prior studies. Successful flight tests with windhovering nankeen kestrels (Falco cenchroides) were conducted, verifying that the facility can support soaring and wind hovering bird flight. The wind tunnel allows the flow characteristics to be carefully controlled and measured, providing great advantages over outdoor flight tests. Also, existing wind tunnels may be readily configured using this method, providing a simpler alternative to the development of dedicated bird flight wind tunnels such as tilting wind tunnels, and the large test section allows for the replication of orographic soaring. This methodology holds promise for future testing investigating the flight behaviour and control responses employed by soaring and windhovering birds.
Insights into the structure and function of the human organic anion transporter 1 in lipid bilayer membranes
Authors: Janaszkiewicz Angelika , Tóth Ágota , Faucher Quentin , Martin Marving , Chantemargue Benjamin , Barin-Le Guellec Chantal , Marquet Pierre , Di Meo Florent
Published: April 2022

The human SLC22A6/OAT1 plays an important role in the elimination of a broad range of endogenous substances and xenobiotics thus attracting attention from the pharmacological community. Furthermore, OAT1 is also involved in key physiological events such as the remote inter-organ communication. Despite its significance, the knowledge about hOAT1 structure and the transport mechanism at the atomic level remains fragmented owing to the lack of resolved structures. By means of protein-threading modeling refined by μs-scaled Molecular Dynamics simulations, the present study provides the first robust model of hOAT1 in outward-facing conformation. Taking advantage of the AlphaFold 2 predicted structure of hOAT1 in inward-facing conformation, we here provide the essential structural and functional features comparing both states. The intracellular motifs conserved among Major Facilitator Superfamily members create a so-called “charge-relay system” that works as molecular switches modulating the conformation. The principal element of the event points at interactions of charged residues that appear crucial for the transporter dynamics and function. Moreover, hOAT1 model was embedded in different lipid bilayer membranes highlighting the crucial structural dependence on lipid-protein interactions. MD simulations supported the pivotal role of phosphatidylethanolamine components to the protein conformation stability. The present model is made available to decipher the impact of any observed polymorphism and mutation on drug transport as well as to understand substrate binding modes.
Promotion of seed germination and early plant growth by KNO3 and light spectra in Ocimum tenuiflorum using a plant factory
Authors: Thongtip Akira , Mosaleeyanon Kriengkrai , Korinsak Siripar , Toojinda Theerayut , Darwell Clive Terence , Chutimanukul Preuk , Chutimanukul Panita
Published: April 2022

The plant factory with artificial light (PFAL) is a novel cultivation system of agriculture technology for crop production under controlled-environment conditions. However, there are a number of issues relating to low quality of seed germination and seedling vigor that lead to decreased crop yields. The present study investigates the optimal KNO3 concentration for seed germination, and the influence of different light spectra on early plant growth in holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) under a PFAL system. Experiment 1 investigated the effects of KNO3 concentration (0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6%) on germination of seeds primed for 24 h under white Light emitting diodes (LED). Results show that sowing holy basil seeds in 0.4% KNO3 enhanced seed germination percentage (GP) and germination index (GI), while decreasing mean germination time (MGT). Experiment 2 investigated the effect of four light spectra on seed germination and early plant growth by sowing with 0 and 0.4% KNO3 and germinating for 15 days continuously under different monochromatic light settings: white, red, green and blue in PFAL. It was found that the green spectrum positively affected shoot and root length, and also decreased shortened MGT at 0 and 0.4% KNO3 when compared with other light treatments. Additionally, pre-cultivated seedlings under the green spectrum showed significant improvement in the early plant growth for all holy basil varieties at 15 days after transplanting by promoting stem length, stem diameter, plant width, fresh weights of shoot and root, and dry weights of shoot and root. These findings could be useful in developing seed priming and light treatments to enhance seed germination and seedling quality of holy basil resulting in increased crop production under PFAL.
In-situ scalable manufacturing of Epstein–Barr virus-specific T-cells using bioreactor with an expandable culture area (BECA)
Authors: Chen Sixun , Bin Abdul Rahim Ahmad Amirul , Wang Who-Whong , Cheong Rachael , Prabhu Akshaya V. , Tan Jerome Zu Yao , Naing May Win , Toh Han Chong , Liu Dan
Published: April 2022

The ex-vivo expansion of antigen-specific T-cells for adoptive T-cell immunotherapy requires active interaction between T-cells and antigen-presenting cells therefore culture density and environment become important variables to control. Maintenance of culture density in a static environment is traditionally performed by the expansion of the culture area through splitting of culture from a single vessel into multiple vessels—a highly laborious process. This study aims to validate the use and efficacy of a novel bioreactor, bioreactor with an expandable culture area—dual chamber (BECA-D), that was designed and developed with a cell chamber with expandable culture area (12–108 cm2) and a separate media chamber to allow for in-situ scaling of culture with maintenance of optimum culture density and improved nutrient and gas exchange while minimizing disturbance to the culture. The performance of BECA-D in the culture of Epstein–Barr virus-specific T-cells (EBVSTs) was compared to the 24-well plate. BECA-D had 0.9–9.7 times the average culture yield of the 24-well plates across 5 donor sets. BECA-D was able to maintain the culture environment with relatively stable glucose and lactate levels as the culture expanded. This study concludes that BECA-D can support the culture of ex-vivo EBVSTs with lower manufacturing labour and time requirements compared to the use of the 24-well plate. BECA-D and its adaptation into a closed system with an automated platform (currently being developed) provides cell therapy manufacturers and developers with a closed scale-out solution to producing adoptive cell therapy for clinical use.
A scalable hyperthermic intravesical chemotherapy (HIVEC) setup for rat models of bladder cancer
Authors: Van Hattum J. W. , Scutigliani E. M. , Helderman R. F. C. P. A. , Zweije R. , Rodermond H. M. , Oei A. L. , Crezee J. , Oddens J. R. , De Reijke T. M. , Krawczyk P. M.
Published: April 2022

Hyperthermic intravesical chemotherapy (HIVEC)—whereby the bladder is heated to ± 43 °C during a chemotherapy instillation—can improve outcomes of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) treatments. Experiments in animal models are required to explore new hyperthermia based treatments. Existing HIVEC devices are not suitable for rodents or large-scale animal trials. We present a HIVEC setup compatible with orthotopic rat models. An externally heated chemotherapeutic solution is circulated in the bladder through a double-lumen catheter with flow rates controlled using a peristaltic pump. Temperature sensors in the inflow channel, bladder and outflow channel allow temperature monitoring and adjustments in real-time. At a constant flow rate of 2.5 mL/min the system rapidly reaches the desired bladder temperature of 42–43 °C with minimal variability throughout a one-hour treatment in a rat bladder phantom, as well as in euthanised and live rats. Mean intraluminal bladder temperatures were 42.92 °C (SD = 0.15 °C), 42.45 °C (SD = 0.37 °C) and 42.52 °C (SD = 0.09 °C) in the bladder phantom, euthanised, and live rats respectively. Thermal camera measurements showed homogenous heat distributions over the bladder wall. The setup provides well-controlled thermal dose and the upscaling needed for performing large scale HIVEC experiments in rats.
Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment induces more severe macular capillary changes than central serous chorioretinopathy
Authors: Lee Junyeop , Seo Eoi Jong , Yoon Young Hee
Published: April 2022

To investigate hemodynamic changes in macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and its impact on visual prognosis by comparing with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). Using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), vascular density in the superficial capillary plexus and deep capillary plexus (DCP) was retrospectively compared with that in contralateral unaffected eyes in macula-off RRD and CSC eyes. In RRD eyes, pre- and postoperative ultra-widefield (UWF) fluorescein angiography (FA) were obtained to analyze vascular changes. In OCTA, both macula-off RRD and CSC eyes showed less density in macular DCP, compared to the unaffected fellow eyes. Compared to CSC, eyes affected by macula-off RRD showed a reduction in DCP vascular density and an increase in foveal avascular zone area, although it had a much shorter macular detachment period. In macula-off RRD, less density of DCP was strongly correlated with longer duration of detachment, greater ellipsoid zone disruption, and poor visual recovery. In UWF-FA, detached retina showed capillary hypoperfusion, venous stasis and leakage, which were improved after reattachment. In conclusion, macular capillary loss of flow, which was associated with photoreceptor disruption, correlated with duration of detachment in RRD. Early reattachment and reperfusion are required for minimizing macular vasculature and photoreceptor damage in macula-off RRD.