bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the effects of higher order stress terms in pure mode III loading of bi‐material notches
Authors: Bahrami Bahador , Ayatollahi Majid R. , Mehraban Mohammad R. , Nejati Morteza , Berto Filippo
Published: August 2022

The effects of higher order terms (HOTs) on the stress distribution at the vicinity of the sharp corner of two bonded dissimilar materials were investigated under pure out‐of‐plane (mode III) loading. To achieve this aim, finite element (FE) analysis in conjunction with the over‐deterministic technique were performed for two specimens, each containing four different notch opening angles. The coefficients of singular and non‐singular stress terms were then computed from the displacement field determined from the FE analysis. The elastic stresses obtained directly from the FE analysis were compared with those reconstructed from the truncated series expansions, in order to validate the accuracy of the calculated coefficients. The numerical results show that although the contribution of HOTs in the out‐of‐plane stress field is less than that of the in‐plane notch problems, ignoring their effects can lead to considerable errors in the stress field estimation. The magnitude of numerical error depends on the geometry and loading conditions of the bi‐material notch.
Experiments and numerical simulations on dynamic crack behavior at the interface of layered brittle material
Authors: Zhou Jun , Yue Zhongwen , Feng Chun , Wang Peng , Yue Xiaolei , Tao Tiejun
Published: August 2022

Crack behavior at the interface between two materials is the core problem of layered material fracturing. In this paper, first, experimental tests were conducted on layered material using a drop weight test system following the caustics method. The layered material was made of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and epoxy resin bonded with Loctite‐330 at two inclination angles (30° and 60°). A corresponding numerical simulation was carried out using continuum–discontinuum element methods. Crack propagation is found to mainly occur in mode I in the PMMA and epoxy resin but follows a mixed cracking mode at the interface. The fracture parameters of the crack tip in the layered materials changed substantially owing to the existence and change of the interface structure. After the crack enters the interface, the crack propagation speed increases significantly. Higher crack dip angles are associated with greater crack propagation speed increases after entering the interface. The simulation results indicate that the interface strength properties affect crack behavior at the interface. This effect also varies as a function of interface inclination and impact velocity.
Using plant diversity to reduce vulnerability and increase drought resilience of permanent and sown productive grasslands
Authors: Lüscher Andreas , Barkaoui Karim , Finn John A. , Suter Daniel , Suter Matthias , Volaire Florence
Published: August 2022

Climate change associated with a greater variability of inter‐ and intra‐annual droughts and the occurrence of extreme events act in combination to challenge semi‐natural and sown productive grasslands in Europe. Successful plant strategies under drought strongly depend on stress intensity. Drought resistance to maintain leaf growth under moderate stress trades off with drought survival after growth cessation under life‐threatening drought. Substantial intra‐specific variability exists in key forage grasses originating from the Mediterranean to the cool‐temperate climates and represents a great potential for adaptation of future ecotypes and cultivars to a larger range of drought intensities. Plant species diversity offers an opportunity to stabilize forage production in two ways. First, growth reduction under stress is significantly smaller for diverse compared to simple plant communities because the former offers the opportunity to include drought‐resistant (or drought‐surviving) species. Second, positive interactions among species increase ecosystem functioning of more diverse plant communities under moderate drought, allowing them to compensate for drought‐induced yield reductions. Currently, available cultivars of perennial forage species adapted to dry climate are still rare and only a few forage species are used in productive systems. Thus, both intra‐ and inter‐specific plant diversity should be better valued to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience of productive grasslands.
Zirconium oxycarbides and oxycarbonitrides: A review
Authors: Kucheryavaya Anastasia , Lenčéš Zoltán , Šajgalík Pavol , Harmuth Harald
Published: August 2022

Zirconium oxycarbides and zirconium oxycarbonitrides are high‐temperature ceramic materials with great potential for applications in advanced technologies due to their good refractoriness, mechanical and thermoelectric properties, and corrosion resistance. The properties of ZrCO(N) materials strongly depend on their composition. However, the stoichiometry of stable ZrCO(N) compounds, synthesis chemistry, and thermodynamics of the proceeding reactions require clarification. This review comprehensively interprets data for ZrCO and ZrCON ceramics, including studies that may not have been addressed in prior reviews. It summarizes the state‐of‐the‐art synthesis procedures involving reactions between commonly used zirconia, zirconium carbide, and carbon black, along with other zirconium sources widely used in the last few decades for the preparation of ZrCO(N) materials. The controversial reaction mechanisms of carbothermal reduction of zirconia and the role of CO gas in this process are discussed. The properties of ZrCO and ZrCON and their possible applications are also summarized.
Notch1 signalling controls the differentiation and function of myeloid‐derived suppressor cells in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Li Xiaojing , Fei Fei , Yao Genhong , Yang Xixi , Geng Linyu , Wang Dandan , Gao Yingying , Hou Yayi , Sun Lingyun
Published: August 2022

Emerging studies have reported the expansion of myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in some autoimmune disorders, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but the detailed molecular mechanisms of the aberrant expansion in SLE are still unclear. In the present study, we confirmed that the increased MDSCs positively correlated with disease activity in SLE patients. The suppressive capacity of MDSCs from patients with high activity was lower than that of MDSCs from patients with low activity. Moreover, the potential precursors for MDSCs, common myeloid progenitors (CMPs) and granulocyte–monocyte progenitors (GMPs), were markedly increased in the bone marrow (BM) aspirates of SLE patients. As an important regulator of cell fate decisions, aberrant activation of Notch signalling was reported to participate in the pathogenesis of SLE. We found that the expression of Notch1 and its downstream target gene hairy and enhancer of split 1 (Hes‐1) increased markedly in GMPs from SLE patients. Moreover, the Notch1 signalling inhibitor DAPT profoundly relieved disease progression and decreased the proportion of MDSCs in pristane‐induced lupus mice. The frequency of GMPs was also decreased significantly in lupus mice after DAPT treatment. Furthermore, the inhibition of Notch1 signalling could limit the differentiation of MDSCs in vitro. The therapeutic effect of DAPT was also verified in Toll‐like receptor 7 (TLR7) agonist‐induced lupus mice. Taken together, our results demonstrated that Notch1 signalling played a crucial role in MDSC differentiation in SLE. These findings will provide a promising therapy for the treatment of SLE.
The diagnostic value of blood sample NGS in patients with early periprosthetic joint infection after total hip arthroplasty
Authors: Zhang Bingshi , Li Mengnan , Liu Yawei , Zhang Binquan , Liu Zeming , Chen Xiao , Huo Jia , Han Yongtai
Published: August 2022

The diagnostic value of next‐generation sequencing (NGS) of blood samples from patients with periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) after total hip arthroplasty (THA) was evaluated by comparing it with drainage fluid NGS and bacterial culture. The study was designed as a retrospective diagnostic test. Thirty‐six infected patients were diagnosed with PJI according to the Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) criteria and 57 volunteers were included in our study. NGS and bacterial culture were chosen to detect PJI after THA. Blood samples and drainage fluid were collected for NGS, and the drainage fluid, which was collected at the same time as the NGS drainage fluid sample, was used for bacterial culture. The primary outcomes of interest were sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. In the infection group, 31 patients showed positive results by blood sample NGS, 33 patients showed positive results by drainage fluid NGS, and 17 patients showed positive bacterial culture results. In the control group, the results of 2 blood sample NGS, 16 drainage fluid NGS, and 3 bacterial cultures were positive. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the blood sample were 0.86, 0.96, and 0.92, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the drainage fluid samples were 0.92, 0.72, and 0.80, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of bacterial culture were 0.47, 0.95, and 0.79, respectively. The study demonstrated that both the sensitivity and specificity of NGS were higher than those of bacterial culture, regardless of the kind of sample. Compared with drainage fluid NGS, the sensitivity of blood sample NGS was slightly lower (0.86 vs 0.92), but blood sample NGS showed higher specificity (0.96 vs 0.72). In total, the diagnostic value of blood sample NGS was superior to that of drainage fluid NGS and bacterial culture. The majority of infected patients could be identified by blood sample NGS. Moreover, because of its high specificity, blood sample NGS can not only detect infectious bacteria but also distinguish infectious from non‐infectious bacteria, which is dramatically different from using drainage fluid NGS.
Millennial land use explains modern high‐elevation vegetation in the submediterranean mountains of Southern Europe
Authors: Morales‐Molino César , Leunda Maria , Morellón Mario , Gardoki Jon , Ezquerra F. Javier , Muñoz Sobrino Castor , Rubiales Juan M. , Tinner Willy
Published: August 2022

Aim

Pinewood decline and scrubland expansion are major features of Late Holocene vegetation history in the Cantabrian Range. However, the drivers of this remarkable vegetation shift remain to be investigated. Here, we aim at disentangling the role of past land use and climate in shaping the high‐elevation Cantabrian landscape during the past two millennia.

Location

Cantabrian Range (northern Iberia).

Taxa

Pinus sylvestris, Betula, Ericaceae, Juniperus, Poaceae.

Methods

We conducted high‐resolution multiproxy palaeoecological analyses (pollen, plant macrofossils, microscopic charcoal and dung fungi) on lake sediments from Lago del Ausente to reconstruct vegetation, fire occurrence and grazing through time. The chronology is based on 14C (terrestrial plant macrofossils) and 210Pb dating, and Bayesian age‐depth modelling (‘rbacon’). We carried out cross‐correlation analysis to quantify vegetation responses to fire.

Results

Between 250 and 900 CE, the vegetation above 1700 m a.s.l. consisted of subalpine scrubland and scattered P. sylvestris trees/stands. Pinewoods with Betula were widespread at slightly lower elevation. This vegetation was resilient to moderate fire disturbance associated with limited pastoral activities. In contrast, enhanced fire occurrence alongside heavier pastoralism led to the demise of pinewoods and their replacement with Betula stands, subalpine scrublands, and meadows between 900 and 1100 CE. Later, the subalpine scrubland‐birch tree line did not respond to Little Ice Age cooling. However, further intensification of transhumant herding between 1300 and 1860 CE (‘La Mesta’) triggered birch decline and the establishment of the modern treeless landscape.

Main conclusions

The extant high‐elevation vegetation of the Cantabrian Range is largely the legacy of intensive land use starting more than one millennium ago. Recurrent and severe fires to promote pasturelands led to the regional extirpation of the previously widespread Pinus sylvestris. Future management should aim at preserving the valuable cultural open landscape of mountain scrubland and meadows and also at restoring patches of ancient pine‐birch woodlands.
Dietitian‐supported dietary intervention leads to favorable dietary changes in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Kawabata Nao , Okada Kenta , Ando Akihiko , Kurashina Tomoyuki , Takahashi Manabu , Wakabayashi Tetsuji , Nagata Daisuke , Arakawa Yukiko , Haga Atsuko , Kogure Ayako , Chiba Madoka , Mogi Satsuki , Ishikawa Shizukiyo , Ishibashi Shun
Published: August 2022

Aims/Introduction

It remains to be fully elucidated whether nutrition education by dietitians can lead to specific positive changes in the food choices of patients with diabetes.

Materials and Methods

A total of 96 patients with type 2 diabetes and diabetic kidney disease were randomly assigned to the intensive intervention group that received nutritional education at every outpatient visit and the control group that received nutritional education once a year. The total energy intake, energy‐providing nutrients and 18 food groups were analyzed at baseline, and 1 and 2 years after the intervention in 87 patients. Furthermore, the relationship between the changes in hemoglobin A1c, body composition and changes in the total energy or energy‐producing nutrient intake was analyzed in 48 patients who did not use or change hypoglycemic agents during the study period.

Results

The total energy intake, carbohydrates, cereals, confections, nuts and seeds, and seasonings significantly decreased, and fish and shellfish intake significantly increased during the study period in the intensive intervention group, whereas these changes were not observed in the control group. The decrease in the total energy intake and carbohydrates after 2 years was significantly greater in the intensive intervention group than in the control group. The change in the total energy and carbohydrate intake showed a significant positive correlation with that in muscle mass. The multivariate analysis showed that the decrease in total energy intake was independently associated with that in muscle mass.

Conclusion

Dietitian‐supported intensive dietary intervention helps improve the diet of patients with type 2 diabetes.
Using average nucleotide identity (ANI) to evaluate microsporidia species boundaries based on their genetic relatedness
Authors: de Albuquerque Nathalia R. M. , Haag Karen L.
Published: August 2022

Microsporidia are obligatory intracellular parasites related to fungi and since their discovery their classification and origin has been controversial due to their unique morphology. Early taxonomic studies of microsporidia were based on ultrastructural spore features, characteristics of their life cycle and transmission modes. However, taxonomy and phylogeny based solely on these characteristics can be misleading. SSU rRNA is a traditional marker used in taxonomical classifications, but the power of SSU rRNA to resolve phylogenetic relationships between microsporidia is considered weak at the species level, as it may not show enough variation to distinguish closely related species. Overall genome relatedness indices (OGRI), such as average nucleotide identity (ANI), allows fast and easy‐to‐implement comparative measurements between genomes to assess species boundaries in prokaryotes, with a 95% cutoff value for grouping genomes of the same species. Due to the increasing availability of complete genomes, metrics of genome relatedness have been applied for eukaryotic microbes taxonomy such as microsporidia. However, the distribution of ANI values and cutoff values for species delimitation have not yet been fully tested in microsporidia. In this study we examined the distribution of ANI values for 65 publicly available microsporidian genomes and tested whether the 95% cutoff value is a good estimation for circumscribing species based on their genetic relatedness.
Frailty and affective disorders throughout adult life: A 5‐year follow‐up of the Lifelines Cohort Study
Authors: Borges Marcus K. , Jeuring Hans W. , Marijnissen Radboud M. , van Munster Barbara C. , Aprahamian Ivan , van den Brink Rob H. S. , Hoogendijk Emiel O. , Oude Voshaar Richard C.
Published: August 2022

Background

Frailty is an important concept for risk stratification in clinical practice, but it is hardly acknowledged at all in mental healthcare settings. This paper aims to assess the impact of frailty on the course of depression and anxiety, and the impact of these affective disorders on the course of frailty.

Methods

Lifelines, a prospective population‐based cohort study, evaluated 167,729 people living in the northern Netherlands. Frailty was based on the deficit accumulation model, which resulted in a 60‐item frailty index (FI) at baseline and a 35‐item FI at baseline and 5‐year follow‐up. Current depressive and anxiety disorders were assessed with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview according to DSM‐IV criteria. Bidirectional associations between frailty and affective disorders were investigated using separate multivariable regression analyses in younger (<60 years) and older adults (≥60 years).

Results

The FI was associated with the onset of a depressive disorder (younger adults: odds ratio [OR] = 1.12; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11–1.13; older adults: OR = 1.13; 95% CI 1.09–1.16) as well as any anxiety disorder (younger adults: OR = 1.10; 95% CI 1.09–1.10; older adults: OR = 1.07; 95% CI 1.04–1.09). The other way around, depressive disorder and anxiety disorders were associated with an accelerated increase of frailty over time (depressive disorder: younger adults: beta [β] = 0.03, p < 0.001; older adults: β = 0.04, p < 0.001; and any anxiety disorder: younger adults: β = 0.02, p < 0.001; older adults: β = 0.01, p < 0.142), although the effect of anxiety disorders was less equivocal among older adults.

Conclusions

Affective disorders are reciprocally related to frailty. Results with respect to the impact of anxiety disorders on frailty suggest most impact at lower levels of frailty. Our results might imply that interventions to slow biological aging should be broadened towards younger and middle‐aged people as well as non‐frail older patients. To develop targeted treatment, future clinical and epidemiologic studies on the underlying pathways of this bidirectional association are needed.
BioClay™ prolongs RNA interference‐mediated crop protection against Botrytis cinerea
Authors: Niño‐Sánchez Jonatan , Sambasivam Prabhakaran T. , Sawyer Anne , Hamby Rachael , Chen Angela , Czislowski Elizabeth , Li Peng , Manzie Narelle , Gardiner Donald M. , Ford Rebecca , Xu Zhi Ping , Mitter Neena , Jin Hailing
Published: August 2022

One of the most promising tools for the control of fungal plant diseases is spray‐induced gene silencing (SIGS). In SIGS, small interfering RNA (siRNA) or double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) targeting essential or virulence‐related pathogen genes are exogenously applied to plants and postharvest products to trigger RNA interference (RNAi) of the targeted genes, inhibiting fungal growth and disease. However, SIGS is limited by the unstable nature of RNA under environmental conditions. The use of layered double hydroxide or clay particles as carriers to deliver biologically active dsRNA, a formulation termed BioClay™, can enhance RNA durability on plants, prolonging its activity against pathogens. Here, we demonstrate that dsRNA delivered as BioClay can prolong protection against Botrytis cinerea, a major plant fungal pathogen, on tomato leaves and fruit and on mature chickpea plants. BioClay increased the protection window from 1 to 3 weeks on tomato leaves and from 5 to 10 days on tomato fruits, when compared with naked dsRNA. In flowering chickpea plants, BioClay provided prolonged protection for up to 4 weeks, covering the critical period of poding, whereas naked dsRNA provided limited protection. This research represents a major step forward for the adoption of SIGS as an eco‐friendly alternative to traditional fungicides.
Dermoscopic evaluation of the efficacy of combination of topical spironolactone 5% and minoxidil 5% solutions in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: A cross sectional‐comparative study
Authors: Ammar Amr M. , Elshahid Ahmed R. , Abdel‐Dayem Hamdy A. , Mohamed Ahmed A. , Elsaie Mohamed L.
Published: August 2022

Background

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a common chronic dermatological illness that affects both men and women.

Aim

To assess and compare dermoscopically the impact of a combination of topical minoxidil solution (5%) and topical spironolactone solution (5%) in treating AGA in both sexes.

Patients and Methods

One hundred and twenty patients diagnosed with AGA were divided into three groups; each group is composed of 40 patients. Group A (n = 40) were treated with a 5% topical minoxidil solution, group B (n = 40) were treated with a 5% topical spironolactone solution, and group C (n = 40) were treated with a 5% topical minoxidil and spironolactone combination.

Results

Following the initiation of treatment and at 6 weeks (midterm), reduction in all dermoscopic features was observed in all groups; however, it was not statistically significant except for vellus hair reduction (p = 0.033). On the contrary, upright regrowing hairs were insignificantly increased in all groups (p = 1.088). The pattern of dermoscopic features remained to insignificantly decrease toward the end of 12 weeks treatment (full term) in all studied groups except for vellus hair that showed further significant reduction toward the end of the study (p = 0.011).

Conclusion

Both spironolactone as a 5% topical solution and minoxidil as a 5% topical solution might be used safely in a twice‐daily dosage to treat AGA in both genders. Furthermore, combining them in a single topical dose form can boost efficacy and yield greater advantages.
A popularization of curation service for dermatological condition in Republic of Korea
Authors: Park Eunjeong , Kwon Ki Han
Published: August 2022

Background

Consumer and advanced consumption culture in modern society is an era that focuses on individual personality and value, and “my own customized products”, or customized marketing strategies, are actively being developed throughout the industry. Recently, IT technologies that can support personalized services such as artificial intelligence, ubiquitous systems, and marketing automation have been recognized for their potential, directly or indirectly affecting distribution industries affected by personal consumption culture. Accordingly, customized products or services, i.e., customization, are attracting attention as an effective methodology to cope with such market changes.

Objectives

Among the necessities used by modern women, cosmetics account for an endless interest in beauty and maintaining physical and mental health, and as the cosmetics market expands, it is considered that the cosmetics industry needs a clearer and in‐depth study on the cosmetics submarket to satisfy consumers' diverse needs.

Methods

This review paper is a literature review, and a narrative review approach has been used for this study. A total of 300 to 400 references were selected using representative journal search websites such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, ResearchGate, LitCovid, DBPia, and RISS, of which a total of 42 papers were selected in the final stage based on 2013 to 2022 using PRISMA flow diagram.

Results

This study suggested to indicate the changes in the cosmetics market due to the emergence of cosmetics curation services after the coronavirus disease‐19 pandemic, advanced changes in consumer purchase patterns following the 4th Industrial Revolution, and significant future prospects of cosmetics curation services.

Conclusion

As the beauty and cosmetology industry is expected to develop in the future, it will grow as a centerpiece of the beauty industry and symbolizes nationalized cultural pride. Therefore, this review article will be continuing to promote customization as a premium beauty service for dermatological condition in Republic of Korea through corporate analysis.
Frequency of nurse‐provided spiritual care: An international comparison
Authors: Taylor Elizabeth Johnston , Pariñas Sabina , Mamier Iris , Atarhim Mohd Arif , Angeles Leonardo , Aslan Hakime , Aktürk Ümmühan , Ercİ Behice , Soriano Gil , Sinaga Juniarta , Chen Yi‐Heng , Merati‐Fashi Fatemeh , Odonel Girlie , Neathery Melissa , Permatasari Winda , Ricci‐Allegra Patricia , Foith Joanne , Caldeira Silvia , Dehom Salem
Published: August 2022

Aims and objectives

To compare the frequency of nurse‐provided spiritual care across diverse cultures.

Background

Given an ethical imperative to respect patient spirituality and religiosity, nurses are increasingly taught and expected to provide spiritual care. Although nurses report positive attitudes toward spiritual care, they typically self‐report providing it infrequently. Evidence about the reported frequency of spiritual care is constrained by substantial variation in its measurement.

Design

This cross‐sectional, descriptive study involved secondary analysis of data collected in multiple sites globally using one quantitative instrument.

Methods

Data were collected from practicing nurses using the Nurse Spiritual Care Therapeutics Scale and analysed using descriptive statistics and a meta‐analysis procedure with random‐effect modelling. Datasets from 16 studies completed in Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Philippines, Portugal, Taiwan, Turkey and the United States contributed to a pooled sample (n = 4062). STROBE guidelines for cross‐sectional observational studies were observed.

Results

Spiritual care varied between countries and within countries. It was slightly more frequent within Islamic cultures compared with predominantly Christian cultures. Likewise, frequency of spiritual care differed between nurses in palliative care, predominantly hospital/inpatient settings, and skilled nursing homes. Overall, “Remaining present…” was the most frequent therapeutic, whereas documenting spiritual care and making arrangements for the patient's clergy or a chaplain to visit were among the most infrequent therapeutics.

Conclusions

In widely varying degrees of frequency, nurses around the world provide care that is cognisant of the spiritual and religious responses to living with health challenges. Future research should be designed to adjust for the multiple factors that may contribute to nurses providing spiritual care.

Relevance to clinical practice

Findings offer a benchmark and begin to inform nurse leaders about what may be normative in practice. They also encourage nurses providing direct patient care that they are not alone and inform educators about what instruction future nurses require.
Economic effects of recent experiences of federalism: Analysis of the regionalization process in Spain
Authors: Mora‐Sanguinetti Juan S. , Spruk Rok
Published: August 2022

Setting limits on government action is critical to economic development. Some forms of government organization, such as market‐preserving federalism, seem effective to protect property rights in the long term with good results for economic efficiency. Spain endowed its regions with “Statutes of Autonomy” in the 1980s thus moving from a centralized to a decentralized form of government. It renewed and expanded some of the statutes in the 2000s. This article investigates whether these two waves of regionalization, which had their own characteristics in each region, had led to positive effects on economic performance. Using a novel autonomous region/country‐matched balanced sample for the period 1950–2016, we apply the synthetic control method and compare the economic growth trajectories of Spanish regions with their synthetic control groups not affected by the regionalization process. We show that the first wave of “Statutes of Autonomy” had a positive but temporary economic growth impact. By contrast, the second wave of regionalization of the 2000s is associated with a negative growth impact.
Breeding bird population trends during 2013–2019 inside and outside of European badger control areas in England
Authors: Ward C. V. , Heydon M. , Lakin I. , Sullivan A. J. , Siriwardena G. M.
Published: August 2022

Since 2013, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has licenced culling of European badger (Meles meles) populations in several English regions. In the first 7 years, more than 100 000 badgers have been removed. It is critical to evaluate the ecological impact of severely depressing the population of a widespread predator from large areas of the country, such as effects on breeding bird populations. Citizen science survey data on the abundance of breeding birds supports the estimation of population trends, i.e. whether species are exhibiting population growth or declines, and the effects of potential environmental influences, such as badger removal, on these trends. Here, these survey data are used together with data on the presence and amount of culling in an area to explore whether removing badgers has an effect on breeding bird populations both inside and outside culling zones from 2013–2019. This is not equivalent to a controlled trial, but collects critical, landscape‐scale evidence in real‐world conditions. In analyses evaluating the effect of culling presence, 18 of 55 bird species showed significant or near‐significant growth rate changes. Of these, four species had higher growth rates and 14 exhibited lower growth rates in cull areas, compared to areas outside of the culling zones. When using culling intensity data to assess the impact on growth rates, 10 of 55 species showed significant or near‐significant results, with only one species exhibiting a higher population growth rate in the presence of more intensive culling. Predicted sensitivity to badger effects based on species' ecologies did not predict whether the measured relationships were significant, or their directions, suggesting that other factors underlie the patterns seen. Hence, there was little evidence to indicate consistent, community‐level effects of badger removal on bird populations. Reasons why this predator removal has not affected bird populations are discussed.
Estimating volatility in the Merton model: The KMV estimate is not maximum likelihood
Authors: Christoffersen Benjamin , Lando David , Nielsen Søren Feodor
Published: August 2022

We compare two methods for estimating the asset volatility in the Merton model using observed equity prices: maximum likelihood and an iterative method commonly referred to as the KMV method. The two methods often yield extremely similar estimates, which has led to the conjecture that the two methods are equivalent. We show that this is not true and we provide a necessary and sufficient condition that the inverse of the equity pricing function would have to satisfy for the two methods to be equivalent. Moreover, we show numerically that this condition is very close to being true for in‐the‐money options.
Complete metamorphosis and microbiota turnover in insects
Authors: Manthey Christin , Johnston Paul R. , Nakagawa Shinichi , Rolff Jens
Published: August 2022

The insects constitute the majority of animal diversity. Most insects are holometabolous: during complete metamorphosis their bodies are radically reorganized. This reorganization poses a significant challenge to the gut microbiota, as the gut is replaced during pupation, a process that does not occur in hemimetabolous insects. In holometabolous hosts, it offers the opportunity to decouple the gut microbiota between the larval and adult life stages resulting in high beta diversity whilst limiting alpha diversity. Here, we studied 18 different herbivorous insect species from five orders of holometabolous and three orders of hemimetabolous insects. Comparing larval and adult specimens, we find a much higher beta‐diversity and hence microbiota turnover in holometabolous insects compared to hemimetabolous insects. Alpha diversity did not differ between holo‐ and hemimetabolous insects nor between developmental stages within these groups. Our results support the idea that pupation offers the opportunity to change the gut microbiota and hence might facilitate ecological niche shifts. This possible effect of niche shift facilitation could explain a selective advantage of the evolution of complete metamorphosis, which is a defining trait of the most speciose insect taxon, the holometabola.
A new species Christisonia rarissima (Orobanchaceae) from the southern Western Ghats of India
Authors: Kanivalan I. , Rajendran A.
Published: August 2022

A root parasitic plant species Christisonia rarissima (Orobanchaceae) is described as a new species from the Tamil Nadu parts of outhern Western Ghats, India.
Two newly recorded species of the genera, Chamaemyces and Hodophilus, from Turkey
Authors: Şengül Demirak Meryem Şenay , Kaygusuz Oğuzhan
Published: August 2022

Two rare species of the genera Chamaemyces and Hodophilus, Chamaemyces fracidus and Hodophilus tenuicystidiatus, are described as new records from Aegean part of Turkey. The phylogenetic placement of C. fracidus and H. tenuicystidiatus are investigated based on multi‐gene molecular analyses containing nrITS and nrLSU data sets. Results indicate that collections for the two species formed separate lineages in the Chamaemyces and Hodophilus clades respectively. Detailed description of the morphological characters, line drawings of micromorphological features, color photographs, ecological preferences are provided and species delimitation are supported with phylogenetic analyses.
Paired unilateral scapular pits in a neonate
Authors: Kattapuram Meera , Briones Naomi , Mancuso Jennifer
Published: August 2022

Congenital skin pits have been observed as a sporadic anatomic variant as well as in association with trauma, maternal infection, genetic syndromes, and metabolic disorders. We present a case of a neonate with paired unilateral scapular pits, which to our knowledge has not yet been reported. Although this is favored to be a benign finding in an otherwise healthy baby, we review important considerations in the clinical evaluation of a neonate with congenital skin pitting.
Motor‐induced oscillations in choice response performance
Authors: Pomper Ulrich , Ansorge Ulrich
Published: August 2022

Recently, numerous studies have revealed 4–12 Hz fluctuations of behavioral performance in a multitude of tasks. The majority has utilized stimuli near detection threshold and observed related fluctuations in hit‐rates, attributing these to perceptual or attentional processes. As neural oscillations in the 8–20 Hz range also feature prominently in cortical motor areas, they might cause fluctuations in the ability to induce responses, independent of attentional capabilities. Additionally, different effectors (e.g., the left versus right hand) might be cyclically prioritized in an alternating fashion, similar to the attentional sampling of distinct locations, objects, or memory templates. Here, we investigated these questions via a behavioral dense‐sampling approach. Twenty‐six participants performed a simple visual discrimination task using highly salient stimuli. We varied the interval between each motor response and the subsequent target from 330 to 1040 ms, and analyzed performance as a function of this interval. Our data show significant fluctuations of both RTs and sensitivity between 12.5 and 25 Hz, but no evidence for an alternating prioritization of left‐ versus right‐hand responses. While our results suggest an impact of motor‐related signals on performance oscillations, they might additionally be influenced by perceptual processes earlier in the processing hierarchy. In summary, we demonstrate that behavioral oscillations generalize to situations involving highly salient stimuli, closer to everyday life. Moreover, our work adds to the literature by showing fluctuations at a high speed, which might be a consequence of both low task difficulty and the involvement of sensorimotor rhythms.
Recovery of soil microbial biomass, stoichiometry, and herb‐layer diversity with chronosequence of farmland land abandonment in the central Himalayas, India
Authors: Joshi Rajendra Kr. , Garkoti Satish Chandra , Gupta Rajman , Kumar Shailendra , Mishra Ambuj , Kumar Mukesh
Published: August 2022

Revegetation after farmland abandonment not only changes the aboveground biodiversity but also soil physicochemical properties and soil microbial biomass. However, how the revegetation after farmland abandonment influences soil properties and herb‐layer biodiversity remains unclear. In the present study, we examined the variation in soil chemical and biological properties (soil microbial biomass, stock, and stoichiometry), herb‐layer diversity indices, and aboveground biomass, their relationships in a chronosequence of 2, 5, 7, 11, 16, and 35 years following revegetation of abandoned farmland in the central Himalaya, India. Results revealed that the diversity indices, biomass, and soil properties significantly changed over successional stages. The species in the plant community shifted from the forbs in earlier stages to grasses and sedges in later stages. Our results indicated that the soil microbial carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents and stocks increased along the chronosequence and were highest at the 35‐year‐old fallow. However, soil microbial phosphorus (P) contents and stock generally decreased with time. The soil nutrient and microbial biomass were significantly correlated, which indicate close coupling between soil and microbial C, N, and P contents. Soil, microbial C/P, and N/P ratios were the lowest in 7‐ and 11‐year‐old fallows, indicating that middle‐aged fallows were more P‐limited. Our results suggest that revegetation changes the soil and microbial stoichiometry, potentially changing the vegetation composition and nutrient cycling of the abandoned farmland ecosystems.
Non-Parametric Bayesian Covariate-Dependent Multivariate Functional Clustering: An Application to Time-Series Data for Multiple Air Pollutants
Authors: Yang Daewon , Choi Taeryon , Lavigne Eric , Chung Yeonseung
Published: August 2022

Air pollution is a major threat to public health. Understanding the spatial distribution of air pollution concentration is of great interest to government or local authorities, as it informs about target areas for implementing policies for air quality management. Cluster analysis has been popularly used to identify groups of locations with similar profiles of average levels of multiple air pollutants, efficiently summarising the spatial pattern. This study aimed to cluster locations based on the seasonal patterns of multiple air pollutants incorporating the location-specific characteristics such as socio-economic indicators. For this purpose, we proposed a novel non-parametric Bayesian sparse latent factor model for covariate-dependent multivariate functional clustering. Furthermore, we extend this model to conduct clustering with temporal dependency. The proposed methods are illustrated through a simulation study and applied to time-series data for daily mean concentrations of ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) collected for 25 cities in Canada in 1986–2015.
Association of HLA‐DRB1*15:02:01, DQB1*05:01:24 and DPB1*13:01:01 in Thai patients with systemic sclerosis
Authors: Louthrenoo Worawit , Kasitanon Nuntana , Wongthanee Antika , Okudaira Yuko , Takeuchi Masumi , Nakajima Fumiaki , Habata Miwa , Masuya Anri , Noguchi Hiroshi , Inoko Hidetoshi , Takeuchi Fujio
Published: August 2022

HLA studies in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) have shown variable results. This study aimed to examine the association of HLA class I and II risk alleles in Thai SSc patients, and clarify the contribution of risk HLA alleles to the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations. Blood samples from 92 SSc patients and 135 healthy controls (HCs) were collected. Eleven loci of the HLA class I (HLA‐A, B, and C) and class II (HLA‐DR, DP, and DQ) genes were determined by a 3‐field (6‐digit) analysis using the Next Generation DNA Sequencing (NGS) method. Anti‐topoisomerase‐I antibodies (ATA) and anti‐centromere antibodies (ACA) were identified by ELISA methods. Allele frequencies (AFs) of HLA‐DRB1*15:02:01, DRB5*01:02:01, DQB1*05:01:24, DPB1*13:01:01, and DQA1*01:01:01 were increased significantly in the whole SSc and SSc patients with positive ATA, but with negative ACA (SSc/ATA+/ACA−). Of these, DPB1*13:01:01 was the most susceptible allele. The DRB1*15:02:01, DQB1:05:01:24, and DPB1*13:01:01 alleles were estimated to locate on the unique haplotype, and haplotype frequency was estimated to be significantly higher than those in the HCs (p = 0.002). The linkage analysis of DRB1*15/16 revealed that most of the DRB1*15:02:01 alleles were linked to DRB5*01:02:01 or DRB5*01:08:01N. The linkage of DRB1*16:02:01 to DRB5*01:01:01 was observed frequently. The associations of risk alleles with several SSc clinical features were observed. HLA‐DRB1*15:02:01, DRB5*01:02:01, DQB1*05:01:24, and DPB1*13:01:01 on the unique haplotype were associated with the pathogenesis and clinical features of SSc in Thai patients. The linkage of DRB1*15:02:01 to DRB5*01:08:01N was observed commonly in northern Thai patients.
Leukoreduction filters: Still stuck on sickle trait red cells
Authors: Hopkins Courtney K. , Townsend Mary , Vassallo Ralph R.
Published: August 2022

See article on page 1727–1730, in this issue
Tear film breakup time and Schirmer tear test in normal dogs: Effects of age, sex, reproductive status, skull type, and nasolacrimal duct patency
Authors: Faghihi Houman , Rajaei Seyed Mehdi
Published: August 2022

Objective

The present study aimed to determine the effects of age, sex, reproductive status, skull type, and nasolacrimal duct (NLD) patency on tear production and tear film breakup time (TBUT) in normal dogs.

Animals studied

The ophthalmic data of 82 healthy adult dogs were evaluated in this study.

Procedures

Age, sex, breed, and reproductive status were recorded. Schirmer tear test (STT) and TBUT were assessed in all dogs, and interferometry was available for the selected dogs. The Jones test was used to evaluate NLD patency. The cephalic index (CI) was calculated for each dog (skull width/skull length ×100).

Results

Mean (SD) values for the STT results for the right (OD) and left (OS) eyes were 20.6 (2.7) and 20.2 (2.7) mm/min, respectively. Mean (SD) TBUT values for OD and OS were 6.5 (2.5) and 6.1 (2.3) mm/min in all dogs, respectively. Sex and reproductive status had no significant effect on STT and TBUT (P[OU] > 0.05). Skull type significantly affected TBUT in both eyes (P(OD) = 0.01, P(OS) = 0.003), but had no effect on STT (P[OU] > 0.3). Age had no correlation with STT and TBUT in either eye (P[OU] > 0.05). STT and TBUT had no correlation in either eye (P[OU] > 0.2). NLD patency had no significant effect on STT or TBUT (P[OU] > 0.1).

Conclusions

The results of this study showed lower TBUT values in brachycephalic breeds than in non‐brachycephalic breeds. A compensatory increase in STT values was observed in dogs with low TBUT values.
Circumferentially Grooved Seal Flow Field Analysis Based on Effective Film Thickness to Improve Bulk Flow Models
Authors: Gibbons Nathaniel , Watson-Kassa Cori , Goyne Christopher , He Minhui
Published: August 2022

Bulk flow methods for circumferentially grooved seals use simplified physics models to predict leakage and rotordynamic coefficients efficiently, but uncertainty in empirical quantities like friction factors and loss coefficients leads to limited accuracy. To develop a more fundamental understanding of incompressible grooved seal flow, this study utilizes computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and an effective film thickness, a physical boundary between the jet and recirculating flows, to investigate Reynolds number effects on flow fields and shear stresses. Simulations are run using ansyscfx for a single groove seal model where streamlined analysis produces the effective film thickness. Flow structures, film thicknesses, shear stresses, and net flow expansion into the groove are found to be described completely by the ratio of circumferential to axial Reynolds number and the total resultant Reynolds number. Decreases in leakage with rotor speed are found to be dictated by increased land shear stresses and a decreased role of the groove in inducing pressure drop. An optimal groove aspect ratio between 0.07 and 0.19 is presented based on maximizing expanded film area while retaining a main groove recirculation region. This is the first paper to analyze circumferentially grooved seal flow from an effective film thickness standpoint. The results highlight bulk flow analysis areas where an effective film thickness approach could lead to new, physics-motivated model development and the elimination of particular empirical coefficients, thus providing a foundation on which substantial improvements in bulk flow modeling accuracy can be achieved.
Assessment of Two Harmonic Balance Method-Based Numerical Strategies for Blade-Tip/Casing Interactions: Application to NASA Rotor 67
Authors: Vadcard Thibaut , Colaïtis Yann , Batailly Alain , Thouverez Fabrice
Published: August 2022

The study presented in this paper focuses on the analysis of rubbing interactions—including unilateral contact and dry friction—between a rotating fan blade and a rigid casing by frequency domain methods. Two previously published Harmonic Balance Method-based methodologies are assessed: (1) an approach relying on augmented Lagrangians and (2) a second method using a regularized penalty law combined with a Lanczos σ-approximation filter. As a reference point for this comparison, a time-domain numerical strategy relying on a Lagrange multiplier-based contact treatment is considered. All computations are run with the NASA rotor 67 fan blade, an open industrial blade geometry. As it undergoes structural contacts, this blade features an intricate dynamics response, thus making it a challenging case study for nonlinear iterative solvers. The contact scenario is chosen to be an ovalization of the casing with no external forcing. This scenario induces highly nonlinear responses of the blade and complex phenomena such as isolated frequency response curves. The results presented underline a very good agreement of the different strategies with the reference time marching approach. An in-depth comparison is made with an emphasis on nonlinear frequency response curves (NFRC) and time signals. Finally, a physical analysis of the encountered isolas is presented through an in-depth investigation of the main modal contributions for each computed solution. In the end, this paper provides new qualitative elements allowing for a better understanding of rubbing interactions that may not be efficiently obtained with time marching procedures.
Unfair, Innocent, Flamed: Examining How the Chinese Public Perceived Sun Yang’s 8-Year Doping Sanction
Authors: Li Bo , Scott Olan K.M. , Sharpe Stirling , Zhong Qian
Published: August 2022

International sport has always been associated with nationalism. The purpose of the study was to explore how Chinese media and the general public perceived the doping scandal of their national sports hero, Sun Yang. Through analyzing 11 Chinese media outlets’ coverage on Chinese social media Weibo, the results revealed that Chinese media covered Sun and his team’s reaction and perspectives on this issue more when compared with other news. The general public’s perceptions toward this scandal tended to be favorable toward Sun, with 55.5% of selected Weibo comments defending Sun after his 8-year ban for doping was handed down. The analysis of these social media comments posted by sports fans showed that the general public’s perceptions might have been impacted by their nationalism, international relations, and media coverage. In addition, the study revealed the Chinese public’s perceptions toward current antidoping regulations.