bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Why did only one genus of insects, Halobates, take to the high seas?
Authors: Cheng Lanna , Mishra Himanshu
Published: April 2022

Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface and house a dizzying array of organisms. Mammals, birds, and all manner of fish can be commonly sighted at sea, but insects, the world’s most common animals, seem to be completely absent. Appearances can deceive, however, as 5 species of the ocean skater Halobates live exclusively at the ocean surface. Discovered 200 years ago, these peppercorn-sized insects remain rather mysterious. How do they cope with life at the ocean surface, and why are they the only genus of insects to have taken to the high seas?
SNX27–Retromer directly binds ESCPE-1 to transfer cargo proteins during endosomal recycling
Authors: Simonetti Boris , Guo Qian , Giménez-Andrés Manuel , Chen Kai-En , Moody Edmund R. R. , Evans Ashley J. , Chandra Mintu , Danson Chris M. , Williams Tom A. , Collins Brett M. , Cullen Peter J.
Published: April 2022

Coat complexes coordinate cargo recognition through cargo adaptors with biogenesis of transport carriers during integral membrane protein trafficking. Here, we combine biochemical, structural, and cellular analyses to establish the mechanistic basis through which SNX27–Retromer, a major endosomal cargo adaptor, couples to the membrane remodeling endosomal SNX-BAR sorting complex for promoting exit 1 (ESCPE-1). In showing that the SNX27 FERM (4.1/ezrin/radixin/moesin) domain directly binds acidic-Asp-Leu-Phe (aDLF) motifs in the SNX1/SNX2 subunits of ESCPE-1, we propose a handover model where SNX27–Retromer captured cargo proteins are transferred into ESCPE-1 transport carriers to promote endosome-to-plasma membrane recycling. By revealing that assembly of the SNX27:Retromer:ESCPE-1 coat evolved in a stepwise manner during early metazoan evolution, likely reflecting the increasing complexity of endosome-to-plasma membrane recycling from the ancestral opisthokont to modern animals, we provide further evidence of the functional diversification of yeast pentameric Retromer in the recycling of hundreds of integral membrane proteins in metazoans.
Systematic identification and characterization of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) during Aedes albopictus development
Authors: Liu Wenjuan , Cheng Peng , Zhang Kexin , Gong Maoqing , Zhang Zhong , Zhang Ruiling
Published: April 2022

Background

Aedes albopictusoriginated in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia and can currently be found on all continents. As one of the main arboviral vectors, the control ofAe.albopictusrequires novel strategies, informed by a deep knowledge of its biology. Little is known regarding mosquito long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides that lack protein-coding potential and have roles in developmental regulation.

Results

Based on RNA-seq data from five developmental time points, eggs, early larvae, late larvae, pupae, and adults (female and male) ofAe.albopictus, 21,414 lncRNAs were characterized in this study. Differential expression analysis revealed that lncRNAs exhibited developmental stage specificity. The expression of most lncRNAs was upregulated at the onset of metamorphosis developmental stages. More differentially expressed lncRNAs were observed between eggs and early larvae. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) further confirmed that the expression patterns of lncRNAs were obviously correlated with specific developmental time points. Functional annotation using co-expression analysis revealed that lncRNAs may be involved in the regulation of metamorphic developmental transitions ofAe.albopictus. The hub lncRNAs and hub gene clusters were identified for each module that were highly associated with specific developmental time points.

Conclusions

The results of this study will facilitate future researches to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs in the development ofAe.albopictusand utilize lncRNAs to assist with mosquito control.
Identification of new Dickeya dadantii virulence factors secreted by the type 2 secretion system
Authors: Condemine Guy , Le Derout Bastien
Published: April 2022

Dickeya are plant pathogenic bacteria able to provoke disease on a wide range of plants. A type 2 secretion system (T2SS) named Out is necessary for Dickeya virulence. Previous studies showed that the D. dadantii T2SS secretes a wide range of plant cell wall degrading enzymes, including pectinases and a cellulase. However, the full repertoire of exoproteins it can secrete has probably not yet been identified. Secreted proteins possess a signal peptide and are first addressed to the periplasm before their recruitment by Out. T2SS-specific secretion signals remain unknown which prevents in silico identification of T2SS substrates. To identify new Out substrates, we analyzed D. dadantii transcriptome data obtained in plant infection condition and searched for genes strongly induced and encoding proteins with a signal sequence. We identified four new Out-secreted proteins: the expansin YoaJ, the putative virulence factor VirK and two proteins of the DUF 4879 family, SvfA and SvfB. We showed that SvfA and SvfB are required for full virulence of D. dadantii and that svf genes are present in a variable number of copies in other Pectobacteriaceae, up to three in D. fanghzongdai. This work opens the way to the study of the role of non-pectinolytic proteins secreted by the Out pathway in Pectobacteriaceae.
Taxonomy and ecology of genus Psyra Walker, 1860 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae) from Indian Himalaya
Authors: Mallick Kaushik , Dey Rushati , Bandyopadhyay Uttaran , Mazumder Arna , Gayen Subrata , Ali Mohd , Das Gaurab Nandi , Raha Angshuman , Sanyal Abesh Kumar , Gupta Sandeep Kumar , Uniyal Virendra Prasad , Chandra Kailash , Kumar Vikas
Published: April 2022

ThePsyraWalker, 1860, is a typical Sino-Himalayan genus of the subfamily Ennominae, currently known by 18 species/4 subspecies globally and 9 species from India. This study aims to revise the taxonomy and ecology of IndianPsyraby providing a morphology-based diagnostic key, highlighting their altitudinal, habitat and seasonal preferences, and modelling their distribution based on current and future climatic scenarios. Here, we describe a new species,P.variabilissp. nov.and document 4 species and 1 subspecies as new to India, viz.P.gracilis,P.szetschwana,P.dsagara,P.falcipennisandP.debilis debilis, thus updating the global species count to 19 with 14 species/1 subspecies from India. We also submitted partial mitochondrialCOIsequences ofP.crypta,P.similaria,P.spurcatariaandP.gracilisas novel to the global genetic database and calculated the overall genetic divergence was 5.17% within the genus, suggesting strong monophyly. Being a typical montane genus, most of the species ofPsyrawere active within 2000–2280 m altitude, 10.55–15.7°C annual mean temperature, 1200–2300 mm annual precipitation and 168–179 NDVI.Psyraspecies were predominant in wet temperate, mixed coniferous and moist temperate deciduous forests, their abundance and richness being at peak during post-monsoon months of October–November. The major bioclimatic variables influencing the overall distribution of the genus were mean temperature of warmest quarter, temperature seasonality and precipitation of coldest/driest quarter. While two of the modelled species were predicted to lose area occupancy under future climatic scenarios, the narrow-specialist, Trans-Himalayan speciesP.debilis debiliswas projected to gain up to 75% additional area in the years 2041–60. The results of this study will be helpful to identify sites with maximum area loss projection in ecologically fragile Indian Himalaya and initiating conservation management for such climatically vulnerable insect species groups.
Promoting and inhibiting: Corporate charitable donations and innovation investment under different motivation orientations——Evidence from Chinese listed companies
Authors: Wang Hongpeng , Zhang Yang , Tian Ming , Wang Zhenhua , Ding Yuan
Published: April 2022

Corporate charitable donations under different motivations will have different effects on innovation investment through different action paths, which provides a new perspective to solve the inconsistency of existing research results. Based on the resource-dependent and principal-agent theories, this paper compares and discusses the relationship between charitable donations and innovation investment under different motivations. Using 2008 ~2019 relevant data of listed companies as research samples, a mixed regression model is established for the hypothesis test, and further examines the state-ownership of its moderating role. The results show that the altruistic motivation-oriented corporate donations have a significant inverted u-shaped effect on innovation investment. The tool motivation-oriented corporate donations have a significant U-shaped effect on innovation investment. Moreover, it is further found that for ST (Special Treatment) corporates with the risk of delisting in the tool motivation-oriented charitable donations type, the corporate charitable donations have a significant negative effect on innovation investment. State-ownership can enhance the inverted U-shaped relationship between altruistic motivation-oriented corporate donations and innovation investment but weaken the U-shaped relationship between tool motivation-oriented corporate donations and innovation investment.
How do we raise media bias awareness effectively? Effects of visualizations to communicate bias
Authors: Spinde Timo , Jeggle Christin , Haupt Magdalena , Gaissmaier Wolfgang , Giese Helge
Published: April 2022

Media bias has a substantial impact on individual and collective perception of news. Effective communication that may counteract its potential negative effects still needs to be developed. In this article, we analyze how to facilitate the detection of media bias with visual and textual aids in the form of (a) a forewarning message, (b) text annotations, and (c) political classifiers. In an online experiment, we randomized 985 participants to receive a biased liberal or conservative news article in any combination of the three aids. Meanwhile, their subjective perception of media bias in this article, attitude change, and political ideology were assessed. Both the forewarning message and the annotations increased media bias awareness, whereas the political classification showed no effect. Incongruence between an articles’ political position and individual political orientation also increased media bias awareness. Visual aids did not mitigate this effect. Likewise, attitudes remained unaltered.
COVID-19 oriented HRM strategies influence on job and organizational performance through job-related attitudes
Authors: Bieńkowska Agnieszka , Koszela Anna , Sałamacha Anna , Tworek Katarzyna
Published: April 2022

The COVID-19 crisis forced many changes to occur within organizations, which were necessary to keep the continuance of the organization’s operations. Job performance seems to be an important factor determining such continuance, through its influence on the performance of entire organization. Shaping and keeping job performance in times of COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge for organizations, due to its negative impact on employees, causing their stress or lack of sense of security. There is a growing role of HRM specialists in appropriately shaping HRM strategies that can positively shape job-related attitudes, resulting in enhanced job performance during such difficult times. Therefore, this study aims to explain the role of COVID-19 oriented HRM strategies in shaping job performance through job-related attitudes such as work motivation, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment in a time of crisis occurring in the organization due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted among 378 organizations operating in Poland during 2nd wave of COVID-19 pandemic. To verify the hypotheses, descriptive statistics were calculated using IBM SPSS and path analysis was performed using IBM AMOS. The result shows that combined set of "hard" HRM strategies related to the financial aspects and "soft" HRM strategies related to keeping employees’ wellbeing during the crisis gives the best results in shaping job performance through job-related attitudes and consequently strengthening organizational performance. This study contributes to the knowledge concerning the development of COVID-19 oriented HRM strategies, which may also have practical application.
Happy work: Improving enterprise human resource management by predicting workers’ stress using deep learning
Authors: Zhang Yu , Qi Ershi
Published: April 2022

Recently, workers in most enterprises suffer from excessive occupational stress in the workplace, which negatively affects workers’ productivity, safety, and health. To deal with stress in workers, it is vital for the human resource management (HRM) department to manage stress effectively, bridging the gap between management and stressed employees. To manage stress effectively, the first step is to predict workers’ stress and detect the factors causing stress among workers. Existing methods often rely on the stress assessment questionnaire, which may not be effective to predict workers’ stress, due to 1) the difficulty of collecting the questionnaire data, and 2) the bias brought by workers’ subjectivity when completing the questionnaires. In this paper, we aim to address this issue and accurately predict workers’ stress status based on Deep Learning (DL) approach. We develop two stress prediction models (i.e., stress classification model and stress regression model) and correspondingly design two neural network architectures. We train these two stress prediction models based on workers’ data (e.g., salary, working time, KPI). By conducting experiments over two real-world datasets: ESI and HAJP, we validate that our proposed deep learning-based approach can effectively predict workers’ stress status with 71.2% accuracy in the classification model and 11.1 prediction loss in the regression model. By accurately predicting workers’ stress status with our method, the HRM of enterprises can be improved.
Development of Duchenne Video Assessment scorecards to evaluate ease of movement among those with Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Contesse Marielle G. , Lowes Linda P. , White Michelle K. , Dalle Pazze Laura , McSherry Christine , Alfano Lindsay N. , Iammarino Megan , Reash Natalie , Bonarrigo Kelly , Kiefer Michael , Laubscher Katie , McIntyre Melissa , Mockler Shelley , Nelson Leslie , Vogel Leslie , Leffler Mindy G.
Published: April 2022

Background

Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) adopt compensatory movement patterns as muscles weaken. The Duchenne Video Assessment (DVA) measures patient ease of movement through identification of compensatory movement patterns. The DVA directs caregivers to video record patients performing specific movement tasks at home using a secure mobile application, and DVA-certified physical therapists (PTs) score the videos using scorecards with prespecified compensatory movement criteria. The goal of this study was to develop and refine the DVA scorecards.

Methods

To develop the initial scorecards, 4 PTs collaboratively created compensatory movement lists for each task, and researchers structured the lists into scorecards. A 2-round modified Delphi process was used to gather expert opinion on the understandability, comprehensiveness, and clinical meaningfulness of the compensatory movements on the scorecards. Eight PTs who had evaluated ≥50 patients with DMD and participated in ≥10 DMD clinical trials were recruited for the panel. In Round 1, panelists evaluated compensatory movement criteria understandability via questionnaire and tested the scorecards. In Round 2, panelists participated in an in-person meeting to discuss areas of disagreement from Round 1 and reach consensus (≥75% agreement) on all revisions to the scorecards.

Results

During the Round 1 revisions to the scorecards, there were 67 changes (44%) to the wording of 153 original compensatory movement criteria and 3 criteria were removed. During the Round 2 revisions to the scorecards, there were 47 changes (31%) to the wording of 150 compensatory movement criteria, 20 criteria were added, and 30 criteria were removed. The panel reached 100% agreement on all changes made to scorecards during Round 2.

Conclusion

PTs with extensive experience evaluating patients with DMD confirmed that the compensatory movement criteria included in the DVA scorecards were understandable, comprehensive, and clinically meaningful.
Patrimonio urbano y planeamiento urbanístico en Sevilla (1956-2000). Un análisis crítico
Authors: Feria Toribio José María
Published: April 2022

Las tramas históricas, en sus vertientes morfológica y estructural, han ido asentándose a lo largo de la segunda mitad del siglo XX, como un bien patrimonial de primer orden. Sin embargo, en el contexto español su debida tutela a través del planeamiento urbanístico no ha sido plenamente efectiva hasta entrado el presente siglo. Mediante el análisis orientado y crítico de discursos, normativas y prácticas urbanísticas, se pretende mostrar las características y consecuencias de su intervención sobre el patrimonio urbano durante ese periodo. Para dicha finalidad se ha elegido como caso de estudio el casco histórico de Sevilla, de dimensiones y complejidad interna apropiados para ser un ejemplo significativo y extrapolable a otras ciudades españolas. Los resultados evidencian que, a pesar de una evolución progresivamente respetuosa, la conjugación de intereses económicos con planteamientos ideológicos y disciplinares contribuyeron de manera directa a una relevante destrucción del patrimonio urbano de la ciudad.
The effect of bile salt diet supplementation on genes related to fat metabolism in yellow-feathered broilers
Authors: Zhang Zhenming , Ding Baoan , He Hailian , Wang Jingge , Liu Xiongjie , Guo Jiahui , Li Pengxiang , Madigosky Stephen R.
Published: April 2022

Background and Aim: As a new feed additive, bile acid (BA) can promote the absorption and transport of lipids and fat-soluble vitamins. In recent years, BAs have been widely used in animal feed to promote fat absorption. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of bile salt supplementation in the diet of yellow-feathered broilers on messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBF1), fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC), and fatty acid transport protein 4 (FATP4).

Materials and Methods: Four hundred and twenty commercial male chicks were randomly divided into seven groups (with four replicates per group and 15 chickens per replicate). They were fed diets supplemented with bile salts at 0, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5 mg/kg, and 2 mg/kg tylosin for 30 days. Changes in SREBF1, fatty acid transporter 4, FAS, and acetyl- CoA carboxylase genes in intestinal mucosa and liver of yellow-feathered broilers were determined using a quantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction.

Results: mRNA expression of SREBF1, FAS, ACC, and FATP4 in the small intestine decreased in chicks fed diets supplemented with 3.5 and 4.5 mg/kg bile salts (p<0.05) compared with the control group on 7 days and 14 d. The mRNA expressions of SREBF1, FAS, ACC, and FATP4 in liver tissue decreased in chicks fed diets supplemented with 4.5 and 5.5 mg/kg bile salts (p<0.05) compared to the control group on 7 days. The mRNA expression of SREBF1, FAS, ACC, and FATP4 in the liver at 14 days and the small intestine on 21 days also decreased in chicks fed diets supplemented with 4.5 mg/kg bile salts (p<0.05) compared to the control group. When contrasted with the control group on day 21, the mRNA expression of SRWBF1, FAS, ACC, and FATP4 detected in the liver was lower in chicks fed diets supplemented with bile salts (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The dietary supplementation of bile salts at 4.5 mg/kg effectively regulates the expression of fat metabolism genes, such as SREBF1, FAS, ACC, and FATP4 mRNA. At this concentration, bile salts promote fat catabolism, inhibit fat synthesis, and play an essential role in improving the fat deposition of broilers.
Developing Preservice Teacher Conceptions of Effective Teachers Using Classroom Scenarios to Practice Difficult Conversations
Authors:   West Virginia University, Lindstrom Denise , Jones Gwen ,   Bridgewater College, Thompson Meredith ,   Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Hertlein Joshua ,   West Virginia University
Published: April 2022

Faculty from three different teacher preparation programs implemented classroom scenarios to help preservice teachers practice holding difficult conversations with students. The goal was to enhance critical reflection and discussion around creating culturally responsive classrooms to change preservice teacher conceptions of effective teachers' qualities. Results indicate that preservice teacher conceptions of effective teachers shifted from a focus on personal attributes to teaching skills. This study addresses the need for practice-based teacher education that has advanced in parallel with efforts to find new ways to the practical knowledge needed to be culturally responsive teachers.
A survey of rare species of agaricoid fungi (Basidiomycota) from South Siberia, Russia
Authors: Malysheva Ekaterina F. , Kiyashko Anna A. , Malysheva Vera F. , Shikalova Elena A.
Published: April 2022

In a survey of the agaricoid fungi from the territory of Sayano-Shushensky Biosphere Reserve, Western Sayan Mountains, South Siberia, fifteen species representing thirteen genera are revealed for the first time; among them: one (Mythicomyces corneipes) is new to Asian mycobiota, one (Pluteus rugosidiscus) is new to Russia while all fifteen are new records from the studied region. Descriptions and photos of all species are given with a brief discussion on their taxonomy and distribution. For some studied collections, new nrITS sequences were generated and their GenBank accession numbers are provided.
Cytogenetic evaluation of Pinus sylvestris L. in the European North of Russia (Republic of Karelia)
Authors: Ignatenko Roman V. , Galibina Natalia A. , Raevsky Boris B.
Published: April 2022

This article presents the results of cytogenetic analysis of the Pinus sylvestris L. seed progeny from 5 populations growing in the boreal forests of the European North of Russia (Republic of Karelia). Based on the study of plants karyotype, it was found that in addition to diploid cells some seedlings contained single tetraploid and aneuploid cells. Mainly, mixoploid plants were found in Sheltozerskoye and Ambarnskoye forest divisions. It is important to note that these populations were characterized by high values of such indicators as the frequency of mitotic pathologies at the metaphase and ana-telophase stages (5.3 ± 0.6 and 7.1 ± 0.6 % respectively), as well as the proportion of cells with micronuclei (0.2 ± 0.06 and 0.1 ± 0.04 % respectively) in the root meristem of Pinus sylvestris. However, despite data received, seeds from Sheltozersky and Ambarnsky forest divisions had high germination values. Nine types of chromosome aberrations were found due to the analysis: fragmentation, bridges, ring chromosomes, lagging, chromosome leading, isolation, multipolar and chaotic chromosome divergence, complex (multiple) disorders. In most of the seedlings studied, the most common pathology was chromosome overrun. In addition, the study showed that bridges proportion in the total disturbances’ spectrum at the ana-telophase stages of mitosis increases by ~ 3.5 times in Pinus sylvestris populations growing in the northern taiga subzone compared to the middle taiga populations. In most of the seedlings studied, the most common pathology was chromosome overrun. Thus, the use of a cytogenetic test made it possible to evaluate the state of Pinus sylvestris genome from different populations in the European North of Russia and to identify responses aimed at plant adaptation to environmental conditions at the cellular level.
Racial Disparities in Associations of Alcohol Consumption With Liver Disease Mortality in a Predominantly Low-Income Population: A Report From the Southern Community Cohort Study
Authors: Fan Lei , Zhu Xiangzhu , Shingina Alexandra , Kabagambe Edmond K. , Shrubsole Martha J. , Dai Qi
Published: April 2022

Consistent with previous cross-sectional studies, in the Southern Community Cohort Study, the largest cohort for Black Americans conducted in a predominantly low-income population with 81,694 participants, we found that moderate alcohol drinking was associated with a significantly increased risk of mortality due to liver disease in Black Americans (hazard ratio = 2.06; 95% confidence interval: 1.08–3.94) but not in White Americans (hazard ratio = 0.87; 95% confidence interval: 0.52–1.44). We found that heavy drinking was significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality due to liver disease in both Black and White Americans. Future studies are warranted to understand the mechanism involving such racial disparity.
Size and Concentration of Extracellular Vesicles in Pancreatic Juice From Patients With Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Nesteruk Kateryna , Levink Iris J.M. , Dits Natasja F.J. , Cahen Djuna L. , Peppelenbosch Maikel P. , Bruno Marco J. , Fuhler Gwenny M.
Published: April 2022

INTRODUCTION:

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their cargo may provide promising biomarkers for the early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Although blood-borne EVs are most frequently studied as cancer biomarkers, pancreatic juice (PJ) may represent a better biomarker source because it is in close contact with the ductal cells from which PDAC arises. It is, as yet, unknown whether PDAC results in a distinct type or increased number of particles in PJ and whether this has diagnostic value.

METHODS:

Secretin-stimulated PJ was collected from the duodenum of 54 cases and 117 nonmalignant controls under surveillance for PDAC. Serum was available for a subset of these individuals. The vesicular composition of these biofluids was analyzed with nanoparticle tracking analysis.

RESULTS:

The concentration of EVs did not differ between controls and PDAC cases. However, a higher number of large vesicles were found in PJ (but not serum) for patients with PDAC compared with controls.

DISCUSSION:

The composition of isolated EVs from PJ, but not serum, is altered in patients with PDAC. This suggests that PJ may carry disease-specific markers not present in serum and provides a valuable biomarker source for PDAC diagnosis. The nature of the larger particles in EV isolates from PJ of PDAC cases requires further investigation.
Environmental impacts of using desalinated water in concrete production in areas affected by freshwater scarcity
Authors: Arrigoni Alessandro , Opher Tamar , Spatari Sabrina , Arosio Valeria , MacLean Heather L. , Panesar Daman K. , Dotelli Giovanni
Published: April 2022

Up to 500 litres of water may be consumed at the batching plant per cubic meter of ready mix concrete, if water for washing mixing trucks and equipment is included. Demand for concrete is growing almost everywhere, regardless of local availability of freshwater. The use of freshwater for concrete production exacerbates stress on natural water resources. In water-stressed coastal countries such as Israel, desalinated seawater (DSW) is often used in the production of concrete. However, the environmental impacts of this practice have not yet been assessed. In this study the effect of using DSW on the water and carbon footprints of concrete was investigated using life cycle assessment. Water footprint results highlight the benefits of using DSW rather than freshwater to produce concrete in Israel. In contrast, because desalination is an energy intensive process, using DSW increases the greenhouse gas intensity of concrete. Nevertheless, this increase (0.27 kg CO2e/m3 concrete) is small, if compared to the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of concrete. Our results show that using untreated seawater in the mix (transported by truck from the coast) in place of DSW, would be beneficial in terms of water and carbon footprints if the batching plant were located less than 13 km from the withdrawal point. However, use of untreated seawater increases steel reinforcement corrosion, resulting in loss of structural integrity of the reinforced concrete composite. Sustainability of replacing steel with non-corrosive materials should be explored as a way to reduce both water and carbon footprints of concrete.
Effect of superplasticizer on the strength of fly ash based geopolymer concrete
Authors: Dela Cruz Rhem Leoric Cantos , Roriguez Leah Monica Alaurin , Tiongco Emmanuel Josh Yambing , Yulas Khim Denize Asilo , Ongpeng Jason Maximino
Published: April 2022

In this research, the effect of a polycarboxylate based superplasticizer on the strength of Geopolymer Concrete (GPC) was investigated. A fixed amount of superplasticizer (1.5 % of Fly Ash weight) was utilized along with alkali activators Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) and Sodium Silicate (Na2SiO3). The Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Test determined the strength development of concrete. The quality of the GPC improved when a higher concentration of alkali activator was applied based on the Concrete Quality Designation. In detecting the color development of GPC, samples were put through MATLAB and specimens became lighter as time passes due to dehydration (a process where water escapes from the sample). Stress strain diagrams were generated which generally indicate that GPC specimens are ductile. The researchers were able to assess the workability of the mix designs using a rating from 1 to 5, with 1 being the least workable and 5 being the most workable.
Fire spalling sensitivity of concrete made with recycled concrete aggregates (RCA)
Authors: Fernandes Bruno , Carré Hélène , Mindeguia Jean-Christophe , Perlot Céline , La Borderie Christian
Published: April 2022

The fire spalling of concrete is a complex phenomenon, which can affect the integrity of the structures during a fire. This thermal instability is associated with a complex coupled chemo-thermo-hydro-mechanical mechanism and it can be influenced by many factors, related to material (e.g. per- meability, porosity and water content), geometry (e.g. shape and size) and environmental parameters (e.g. mechanical load and heating rate). Concrete made with recycled concrete aggregates presents higher porosity, higher water content and different interfaces between aggregates and mortar. All these aspects can lead to a different behaviour under fire exposure, including the spalling risk of these sustainable concretes. The main objective of this paper is to analyse the influence of the use of recycled concrete aggregates on the spalling risk of concrete. In this paper, concrete prisms with different replacement rates of recycled coarse aggregates (0 up to 100%) were exposed to a standard fire curve (ISO 834-1) with a constant uniaxial compression load. After heating, samples surfaces were evaluated by means of digital photogrammetry. Results showed that concrete with RCA is sensitive to explosive spalling. All replacement rates presented higher degree of spalling than concrete made with natural aggregates.
Bending behavior of adhesively-bonded engineered wood-concrete composite decks
Authors: Fu Qiuni , Yanb Libo , Kasal Bohumil
Published: April 2022

Four-point bending tests were conducted on five medium-sized (i.e., 2300 mm in length and 215 mm in width) engineered timber (laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and cross-laminated timber (CLT)) - concrete (wood chip concrete and plain concrete) composite decks. The concrete was glued to the wood substrate with epoxy and polyurethane adhesives. The observed failure modes of the composite decks were concrete crushing or wood failure in tension or shear. No failure of the adhesive interface was observed and the decks behaved linearly until failure. In the subsequent analysis, the authors quantified the shear flexibility of transverse layers (stressed perpendicular to the fiber direction) in CLT and LVL boards and its effect on the bending stiffness on the composite decks using γ-method described in EN 1995-1-1 (EC5). The analytical predictions of the effective bending stiffness were verified via experiments, showing consistently good agreement.
Technical effectiveness of cement-based mortar for high-reflective building envelope through building energy simulations: preliminary results
Authors: Gugliandolo Alessandra , Genova Enrico , Baldi Francesco , Capone Claudia , Segreto Maria Anna
Published: April 2022

In areas with high levels of solar radiation, decreasing the amount of solar energy absorbed by the building envelope is useful to reduce the need of air conditioning and "heat island" effects. Most high-reflective products, however, suffer from low durability. The COOL-IT project is developing an innovative high-reflective cement based mortar for precast products to be used as outer layer in buildings for both vertical and horizontal surfaces, or for road pavement. The mix design is aimed at increasing the durability of this cement-based component while retaining high reflectance to solar radiation. This paper presents the preliminary results of the project, based on the simulation of the energy demand of a residential building, intended as a support to optimize the proposed mixes. The model is analysed in three different locations in Italy, for one year of operation. This allows evaluating the trade-off of the energy demand between the winter increase and the summer reduction.
Equivalent thermal diffusivity of natural and recycled aggregate concrete at temperature up to 350 ⁰C
Authors: Hager Izabela , Mróz Katarzyna , Tracz Tomasz , Kočí Václav , Fiala Lukáš
Published: April 2022

The paper presents the evolution of equivalent thermal diffusivity with temperature of concretes with natural coarse aggregates and recycled concrete aggregates. Thermal diffusivity was evaluated based on the temperature measurements made on cylindrical samples using so-called "inverse technique". Thermal diffusivity parameter was estimated for concretes manufactured with different replacement ratios of natural by recycled coarse aggregate (0, 50 and 100 %) produced by crushing the worn-out concrete pavement that was dismounted after exploitation period. The diffusivity of concrete was tested up to 350 ◦C. The progressive decrease of thermal diffusivity was observed, and the lowest D values were obtained for higher recycled concrete aggregates content. The results were presented against the background of other authors results and referred to the D values proposed in EUROCODE 2.
Correlation of porosity and properties of recycled fine aggregate concrete with fly ash
Authors: Lin Hangwei , Takasu Koji , Koyamada Hidehiro , Suyama Hiroki
Published: April 2022

In this paper, we presented the experimental discussion of samples of recycled aggregate concrete with replacement of natural fine aggregate by recycled fine aggregate. Three mix kinds were produced and, for each of these three kinds, two levels of water to blinder ratio were used with 0%, 10% and 20% of FA. The result of the tests of drying shrinkage and compressive strength of recycled concrete were used for comparison with tests of mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), in which the cumulative pore volume and different intervals of pore volume were studied at ages of 28 and 91 days. Correlation graph of compressive strength and cumulative pore volume might be predicted with given W/B, days and FA of the concrete or none given and drying shrinkage might be predicted with given FA.
Glued timber concrete composite walls using ultra-high-performance concrete
Authors: Oberndorfer Thomas , Hunger Frank , Fischer Oliver
Published: April 2022

This paper gives a short introduction of the development of cross laminated timber (CLT) concrete composite walls with a glued connection. In the composite walls, prefabricated ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) lamellas replace timber lamellas at the core layer of the CLT elements. To check the feasibility of gluing timber to UHPC small-scale shear, delamination and bonding tests were performed and showed promising results. The load bearing behaviour was analysed with centrically and eccentrically loaded tests on wall segments. Analytic modelling of the wall experiments using an effective bending stiffness, based on shear analogy method, showed a good correlation to the experimental results.
Influence of steel fibers on the fatigue behavior of high-performance concretes under cyclic loading
Authors: Ov David , Breitenbücher Rolf
Published: April 2022

Due to the advancement of high-performance concretes, the development of filigree constructions has been improved in the last decades. However, as the demand to create more filigree designs increases, the vulnerability to fatigue loads of such structures has also become a decisive factor. Various construction projects, such as wide-span bridges or wind turbines, are exposed to fatigue loads. Especially wind turbines are permanently subjected to wind and wave loads of several hundred million load cycles during their service life. At present, the fatigue behavior of high-performance concretes under cyclic loading is still unknown. In a worst-case scenario, the significantly lower ductility can lead to a sudden failure of the entire structure. In this case, the addition of steel fibers could be advantageous, as they significantly improve the ductility of concretes. However, it is still undetermined how the material fatigue is influenced by steel fibers. Hence, systematic investigations on the fatigue behavior of various high-strength concretes with steel fibers were conducted. Since the crack-bridging effect of fibers is relevant for tensile stresses, predominantly cyclic bending tests were performed on concrete beams with different steel fiber variations. To accomplish the investigations, a test setup has been developed which allows the simultaneous testing of a total of six specimens. Based on the predetermined static concrete strengths, the specimens were subjected to cyclic loads with a defined lower stress level and various upper stress levels. During these cyclic tests, the cycles-to-failure as well as the degradation within the microstructure were detected.
Quantitative analysis of the strength generating C-S-H-phase in concrete by IR-spectroscopy
Authors: Schmidt-Döhl Frank Michael , Schulenberg David , Tralow Franziska , Neubauer Jürgen , Wolf Julian Johannes , Ectors Dominique
Published: April 2022

The C-S-H-phase is the most important strength generating phase in concrete and other cementitious materials. The analysis of C-S-H is therefore an important instrument of innovations in the field of concrete and its durability and sustainability. The quantification and insights in C-S-H are hindered by the predominantly amorphous structure of C-S-H. Only the time consuming and expensive solid state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) gives a chance to get results, but is restricted to model substances. A new technique, based on the cheap and widespread infrared-spectroscopy (IR) was developed. The quantitative analysis is based on the silicon content in the different structural units of C-S-H and a calibration with natural and synthetic materials with known silicon content in these units. The technique allows to investigate specimens from real structures. Specimens with quartz or limestone aggregate can be analyzed directly. In other cases the aggregates must be separated, for example with heavy liquid separation. Tests with different mortars showed a good correspondence of measured and expected values of C-S-H concentration.
Environmental assessment of non-metallic reinforcement for concrete structures as an alternative to steel reinforcement
Authors: Stoiber Nadine , Hammerl Mathias , Kromoser Benjamin
Published: April 2022

The concrete industry accounts for a significant amount of CO2 emissions worldwide. One approach to counter this issue includes material reduction of structural components via the use of non-metallic reinforcement, such as carbon, glass and basalt fibre reinforced polymers. On the one hand, non-metallic reinforcement. However, as its environmental impact has not been sufficiently investigated yet, a Life Cycle Assessment of the production phase is presented within this paper. In a first step, the environmental impact of the sole various reinforcement components and types is compared to each other per mass, per tensile or rather yield strength as well as density unit, at which an environmental disadvantage of especially carbon-fibre reinforced polymers is apparent in most cases. In a further step, a focus is put on applying the environmental data of carbon-fibre reinforced polymers to a pedestrian bridge, which is finally compared to a conventionally reinforced concrete bridge and a steel bridge with similar boundary conditions. The latter results indicate that an adequate application of carbon-fibre reinforcement in structural components has the potential to lead to designs of less environmental impact in comparison to conventionally reinforced pendants.
Reduction of dissolved oxygen in minimizing corrosion
Authors: Ventanilla Mary Grace , Ongpeng Jason , Takahiro Nishida , Kawaai Keiyu
Published: April 2022

Concrete structures are susceptible to corrosion especially when exposed to marine environment. In order to minimize the corrosion in reinforced concrete, reduction of dissolved Oxygen (DO) in mixing water is recommended. The DO is the measurement of the amount of free Oxygen that is dissolved in water which is proportional to the corrosion rate of steel bars inside concrete. In this paper, the use of industrial waste/by-products, agricultural waste, natural minerals, and green inhibitors as additive for cement in reducing the DO level of the mixing water was explored. Candidate materials from different types of agricultural waste, industrial waste, natural minerals, and green inhibitors. The percentage difference of DO were computed for all types of materials as ash or powder or extract in room temperature. This is the percentage difference of DO level in distilled water and the solution mixed with the candidate material having a mass ratio of 3 : 2 and/or 3 : 1. Results showed that more than 90% reduction of DO level were achieved when mixed with ginger extract, ginger powder, aloe vera extract, ginger pulp, and rice hull ash. Future experimental studies using the candidate materials producing reinforced concrete specimens with high reduction of DO level in mixing water is recommended.
Clinical case of indolent primary medullary cancer
Authors: Miroshnikov S. V. , Demin D. B. , Belyaeva A. I.
Published: April 2022

Medullary thyroid cancer (MRSH) has a high malignant potential in the vast majority of cases, but in some patients with MRSH is characterized by a sluggish, non-aggressive course, when patients with the presence of proven medullary carcinoma or distant metastases and / or relapse, can live without progression for a sufficiently long time. Such a course of a malignant tumor is called indolent. The article presents a clinical case of diagnosis and treatment of indolent primary MRSH in a patient with a duration of the disease of 11 years. Shows some features of the dynamics of the level of basal calcitonin and cancer-embryonic antigen (CEA), ultrasound characteristics and data of fine-needle puncture biopsy of the tumor. The phenomenon of indolent course of MRSH characterized, as a rule, by a high malignant potential, is probably due to the biological characteristics of the tumor and requires further research.
CSR Disclosure Quality and Quantity: Do Corporate Governance and Multinationality Matters?
Authors: Jeanette Rosaline , Eriandani Rizky
Published: April 2022

This research aims to explain the effect of corporate governance and the degree of multinational activities on CSR disclosure quality and quantity in a multinational enterprises. This research uses samples of 97 multinational enterprises listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange within 2018-2020. CSR disclosure is measured by conducting a content analysis and they were analyzed using a multiple linear regression model. The results indicate that corporate governance variables that significantly affect CSR disclosure quality are independent commissioners and CSR committees. Independent commissioner harms CSR disclosure quality, while CSR committee has a positive effect on CSR disclosure quality. The results also show thatÂ corporate governance variables that significantly affect CSR disclosure quantity areÂ Board size and CSR committee. Board size and CSR committee have a positive effectÂ on CSR disclosure quantity. The degree of multinational activity does not affect CSRÂ disclosure. This research contributes to the development of literature on CSRÂ disclosure of multinational companies in developing countries. For multinationalÂ companies, this research can provide information on the importance of the characteristics of corporate governance, namely the size of the board of commissionersÂ and CSR committees, in increasing CSR disclosure.
Short‐term exposure to urban PM2.5 particles induces histopathological and inflammatory changes in the rat small intestine
Authors: Ohlsson Lena , Isaxon Christina , Wrighton Sebastian , El Ouahidi Wissal , Fornell Lisa , Uller Lena , Ansar Saema , Voss Ulrikke
Published: April 2022

Air pollution and exposure to fine airborne particles with aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm (PM2.5) negatively impacts human health. Airways constitute a primary route of exposure but PM2.5‐contaminated food, drinks as well as mucociliary and hepatobiliary clearance all constitute potential entry points into the intestine. This study evaluated intestinal histopathological and inflammatory changes as well as enteric neuronal numbers after short‐ or long‐term exposure to urban PM2.5. Using a nebulizer, male rats were exposed to a mist with a concentration of 5.3mg PM2.5/m3 for 8 h (short term) or 1.8 mg PM2.5/m3 for 3 h/day, 5 days/week for 8 weeks (long‐term) with controls run in parallel. Samples were taken from three regions of the small intestine as well as the colon. Results showed that short‐term exposure to PM2.5 induces mucosal lesions and reduces IL1β levels in the small intestine but not colon. No significant changes were observed after long‐term exposure, suggesting the presence of intestinal adaptation to environmental stressors in the PM2.5. To our knowledge, this is the first study to systematically characterize regional effects along the intestine.
Economic Context and Entrepreneurial Intention: Analysis of Individuals’ Perceptions in a Spanish University Context
Authors: Gil-Soto Esperanza , García-Rodríguez Francisco J. , Ruiz-Rosa Inés , Gutiérrez-Taño Desiderio
Published: April 2022

Entrepreneurship has been emphasized as a way of boosting economic growth. However, there is a lack of knowledge about whether changes in economic context influence entrepreneurial activity. This paper analyzes the influence that such economic changes may have on entrepreneurial intention and its antecedents from individuals’ cognitive perspectives. With this aim, an empirical study is conducted using the Partial Least Squares technique on a sample of 7454 Spanish university students, who had participated in the Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Student Survey 2013 and 2018 editions. The results indicate that in times of optimistic job prospects arising from a period of economic growth, individuals reduce their entrepreneurial intentions as a professional option for the future. Despite this, improvements in the economic situation can intensify the perception of support from those closest to potential young entrepreneurs, as well as the confidence that these people have in themselves to start a new business. Moreover, our findings suggest that better economic expectations negatively influence the relationship between social support perceived and young people’s motivations (attitude and self-efficacy) towards the decision to become an entrepreneur.