bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Hazards of Regeneration: From Morgan’s Legacy to Evo-Devo
Authors: Sinigaglia Chiara , Alié Alexandre , Tiozzo Stefano
Published: March 2022

In his prominent book Regeneration (1901), T.H. Morgan’s collected and synthesized theoretical and experimental findings from a diverse array of regenerating animals and plants. Through his endeavor, he introduced a new way to study regeneration and its evolution, setting a conceptual framework that still guides today’s research and that embraces the contemporary evolutionary and developmental approaches.

In the first part of the chapter, we summarize Morgan’s major tenets and use it as a narrative thread to advocate interpreting regenerative biology through the theoretical tools provided by evolution and developmental biology, but also to highlight potential caveats resulting from the rapid proliferation of comparative studies and from the expansion of experimental laboratory models. In the second part, we review some experimental evo-devo approaches, highlighting their power and some of their interpretative dangers. Finally, in order to further understand the evolution of regenerative abilities, we portray an adaptive perspective on the evolution of regeneration and suggest a framework for investigating the adaptive nature of regeneration.
Studying Annelida Body Regeneration Under Environmental Stress in Diopatra neapolitana
Authors: Pires Adília
Published: March 2022

The polychaete Diopatra neapolitana is a cosmopolitan annelid that can robustly regenerate both its anterior and posterior body part depending on the position of the amputation. Previous studies demonstrated that body regeneration represents a sensitive and unspecific response to environmental stresses, including contaminants and climate alterations.

The posterior body regeneration of D. neapolitana is thus a suitable, ecological and relevant biomarker in ecotoxicological and ecological risk assessment assays. Here we describe the amputation process, the monitoring of the regeneration process of the polychaeteD. neapolitana and the quantification of the impact of environmental stresses on its regenerative capacity.
Studying Xenacoelomorpha WBR Using Isodiametra pulchra
Authors: Egger Bernhard
Published: March 2022

Xenacoelomorpha are a phylogenetically and biologically interesting, but severely understudied group of worm-like animals. Among them, the acoel Isodiametra pulchra has been shown to be amenable to experimental work, including the study of stem cells and regeneration. The animal is capable of regenerating the posterior part of the body, but not its head. Here, methods such as nucleic acid extractions, in situ hybridisation, RNA interference, antibody and cytochemical stainings, and the general handling of the animals are presented.
Studying Echinodermata Arm Explant Regeneration Using Echinaster sepositus
Authors: Ferrario Cinzia , Ben Khadra Yousra , Sugni Michela , Candia Carnevali M. Daniela , Martinez Pedro , Bonasoro Francesco
Published: March 2022

Echinoderms are marine invertebrate deuterostomes known for their amazing regenerative abilities throughout all life stages. Though some species can undergo whole-body regeneration (WBR), others exhibit more restricted regenerative capabilities. Asteroidea (starfish) comprise one of the few echinoderm taxa capable of undergoing WBR. Indeed, some starfish species can restore all tissues and organs not only during larval stages, but also from arm fragments as adults. Arm explants have been used to study cells, tissues and genes involved in starfish regeneration. Here, we describe methods for obtaining and studying regeneration of arm explants in starfish, in particular animal collection and husbandry, preparation of arm explants, regeneration tests, microscopic anatomy techniques (including transmission electron microscopy, TEM) used to analyze the regenerating explant tissues and cells plus a downstream RNA extraction protocol needed for subsequent molecular investigations.
Studying Hemichordata WBR Using Ptychodera flava
Authors: Arimoto Asuka , Tagawa Kuni
Published: March 2022

Hemichordates are benthic marine invertebrates closely related to chordates. Several species, including Ptychodera flava in the phylum Hemichordates, can undergo whole body regeneration from a small fragment. P. flava is widely distributed in the warm Indo-Pacific region and is easily collected in the lower tidal zone of a shallow beach with a coral reef. Here, we describe the methods for animal collection and preparation of regenerating tissues. The prepared tissues can be used for various molecular and/or histological experiments. We also demonstrate how to examine gene expression patterns in the tissues using whole mount in situ hybridization.
Studying Regeneration in Ascidians: An Historical Overview
Authors: Vanni Virginia , Ballarin Loriano , Gasparini Fabio , Peronato Anna , Manni Lucia
Published: March 2022

Ascidians are sessile tunicates, that is, marine animals belonging to the phylum Chordata and considered the sister group of vertebrates. They are widespread in all the seas, constituting abundant communities in various ecosystems. Among chordates, only tunicates are able to reproduce asexually, forming colonies. The high regenerative potentialities enabling tunicates to regenerate damaged body parts, or the whole body, represent a peculiarity of this taxon. Here we review the methodological approaches used in more than a century of biological studies to induce regeneration in both solitary and colonial species. For solitary species, we refer to the regeneration of single organs or body parts (e.g., siphon, brain, gonad, tunic, viscera). For colonial species, we review a plethora of experiments regarding the surgical manipulation of colonies, the regeneration of isolated colonial entities, such as single buds in the tunic, or part of tunic and its circulatory system.
Studying Stem Cell Biology in Intact and Whole-Body Regenerating Hydra by Flow Cytometry
Authors: Buzgariu Wanda , Aubry-Lachainaye Jean-Pierre , Galliot Brigitte
Published: March 2022

The freshwater Hydra polyp is a versatile model to study whole-body regeneration from a developmental as well as a cellular point of view. The outstanding regenerative capacities of Hydra are based on its three populations of adult stem cells located in the central body column of the animal. There, these three populations, gastrodermal epithelial, epidermal epithelial, and interstitial, continuously cycle in homeostatic conditions, and their activity is locally regulated after mid-gastric bisection. Moreover, they present an unusual cycling behavior with a short G1 phase and a pausing in G2. This particular cell cycle has been studied for a long time with classical microscopic methods. We describe here two flow cytometry methods that provide accurate and reproducible quantitative data to monitor cell cycle regulation in homeostatic and regenerative contexts. We also present a cell sorting procedure based on flow cytometry, whereby stem cells expressing a fluorescent reporter protein in transgenic lines can be enriched for use in applications such as transcriptomic, proteomic, or cell cycle analysis.
Noninvasive Intravascular Microtransfusion in Colonial Tunicates
Authors: Serrato Lluìs Albert Matas , Bilella Alessandro , Blanchoud Simon
Published: March 2022

Tunicates are a diverse group of worldwide marine filter-feeders that are vertebrates’ closest invertebrate relatives. Colonial tunicates are the only know chordates that have been shown to undergo whole-body regeneration (WBR). Botrylloides in particular can regenerate one fully functional adult from a minute fragment of their vascular system in as little as 10 days. This regenerative process relies on the proliferation of circulating stem cells, likely supported by the activity of some of the 11 identified types of hemocytes. To study and challenge WBR, it is thus important to have the capacity to isolate, analyze, and manipulate hemolymph in regenerating colonies. Here we present a microtransfusion technique that permits the collection of pure hemocytes, the quantification of their purity, their labeling, and reinjection into colonial tunicates. To exemplify our approach, we present in addition a protocol to analyze the isolated hemocytes using flow cytometry. Our approach is minimally invasive, does not induce lethality, and therefore allows repeated transfusion into exactly the same colony with minimal disruption to the process being studied.
Manipulation of Gene Activity in the Regenerative Model Sea Anemone, Nematostella vectensis
Authors: Hill Eric M. , Chen Cheng-Yi , del Viso Florencia , Ellington Lacey R. , He Shuonan , Karabulut Ahmet , Paulson Ariel , Gibson Matthew C.
Published: March 2022

With a surprisingly complex genome and an ever-expanding genetic toolkit, the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis has become a powerful model system for the study of both development and whole-body regeneration. Here we provide the most current protocols for short-hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated gene knockdown and CRISPR/Cas9-targeted mutagenesis in this system. We further show that a simple Klenow reaction followed by in vitro transcription allows for the production of gene-specific shRNAs and single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) in a fast, affordable, and readily scalable manner. Together, shRNAknockdown and CRISPR/Cas9-targeted mutagenesis allow for rapid screens of gene function as well as the production of stable mutant lines that enable functional genetic analysis throughout the Nematostella life cycle.
Single-Cell Transcriptomic Analysis in the Regenerating Cnidarian Nematostella vectensis
Authors: Plessier Flora , Schmutz Sandrine , Novault Sophie , Marlow Heather
Published: March 2022

Cnidarians have historically served as excellent laboratory models for regenerative development given their capacity to regrow large portions of the adult organism. This capacity is notably absent or poorly developed in the powerful genetic laboratory models Drosophila, C. elegans, and mouse. Increasingly, development of genetic and genomic resources and the application of next-generation sequencing-based techniques in cnidarian systems has further expanded the potential of cnidarian regenerative models. Here, we present a workflow for the characterization of the regenerative response in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis utilizing fluorescence-activated cell sorting and a plate-based single-cell RNA-sequencing pipeline. This approach can characterize the transcriptional response during regeneration in distinct populations of cells, thus providing a quantitative view of a whole organism process at cellular resolution.
Characterization of Soluble Cell-Free Coelomic Fluid Proteome from the Starfish Marthasterias glacialis
Authors: Gomes Laidson Paes , Gouveia e Silva Catarina , Gaillard Jean-Charles , Armengaud Jean , Coelho Ana Varela
Published: March 2022

Proteomics combined to advanced bioinformatics tools is acquiring a pivotal role in the comprehensive understanding of living organism’s biology, in particular for non-model organisms, which includes most marine and aquatic invertebrates. Depicting of protein composition in a whole organ/organism followed by their assembling in functional protein association networks promotes the understanding of key biological processes. Here, we provide a detailed description of the extraction procedure of cell-free coelomic fluid soluble proteins and the characterization of the proteome of the starfish Marthasterias glacialis. Due to coelomic fluid richness in glycoproteins, which complicates protein identification, extracts of soluble proteins are deglycosylated prior to tandem mass spectrometry. This experimental approach is useful at improving knowledge on the coelomic fluid physiological role and deciphering its involvement in regeneration of starfish body parts when comparing different regeneration conditions.
Combining RNAi-Mediated β-Catenin Inhibition and Reaggregation to Study Hydra Whole-Body Regeneration
Authors: Vogg Matthias Christian , Galliot Brigitte
Published: March 2022

In addition to its ability to regenerate any amputated body part, the Hydra freshwater polyp shows the amazing ability to regenerate as a full polyp after a complete dissociation of its tissues. The developmental processes at work in reaggregates undergoing whole-body regeneration can be investigated at the molecular level by RNA interference (RNAi). Here we provide a protocol that combines β-catenin RNAi with reaggregation. This protocol serves as a basis to generate “RNAi-reaggregates,” followed by the extraction of high-quality RNA for the precise quantification of gene expression by real-time PCR. This protocol is efficient, providing both a molecular signature, with the significant downregulation of β-catenin and Wnt3, as well as a robust phenotype, the lack of axis formation, which is observed in all reaggregates.
Studying Ctenophora WBR Using Mnemiopsis leidyi
Authors: Ramon-Mateu Julia , Edgar Allison , Mitchell Dorothy , Martindale Mark Q.
Published: March 2022

Ctenophores, also known as comb jellies, are a clade of fragile holopelagic, carnivorous marine invertebrates, that represent one of the most ancient extant groups of multicellular animals. Ctenophores show a remarkable ability to regenerate in the adult form, being capable of replacing all body parts (i.e., whole-body regeneration) after loss/amputation. With many favorable experimental features (optical clarity, stereotyped cell lineage, multiple cell types), a full genome sequence available and their early branching phylogenetic position, ctenophores are well placed to provide information about the evolution of regenerative ability throughout the Metazoa. Here, we provide a collection of detailed protocols for use of the lobate ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi to study whole-body regeneration, including specimen collection, husbandry, surgical manipulation, and imaging techniques.
Studying Placozoa WBR in the Simplest Metazoan Animal, Trichoplax adhaerens
Authors: Osigus Hans-Jürgen , Eitel Michael , Horn Karolin , Kamm Kai , Kosubek-Langer Jennifer , Schmidt Moritz Jonathan , Hadrys Heike , Schierwater Bernd
Published: March 2022

Placozoans are a promising model system to study fundamental regeneration processes in a morphologically and genetically very simple animal. We here provide a brief introduction to the enigmatic Placozoa and summarize the state of the art of animal handling and experimental manipulation possibilities.
Collecting and Culturing Bryozoans for Regenerative Studies
Authors: Smith Abigail M. , Batson Peter B. , Achilleos Katerina , Tamberg Yuta
Published: March 2022

Among marine invertebrates, bryozoans are small, not well known, and complex to identify. Nevertheless, they offer unique opportunities for whole-body generation research, because of their colonial, modular mode of growth. Here, we describe detailed methods for collection of bryozoans from a range of environments, sample preparation and identification, culture and feeding, spawning and breeding, marking colonies for growth studies, and histological preparation.
Volunteer Work from an International Perspective
Authors: Güntert Stefan T. , Wehner Theo , Mieg Harald A.
Published: March 2022

Those who volunteer do so for individual motives. A particular volunteering activity may be undertaken for a range of individual motives. At the same time, some motives are more important for commitment than others if we compare one and the same volunteer activity and volunteers with the same socio-demographic background across countries. How can this be explained? In this chapter, we will look at societal factors that can influence individual motives for volunteering.
Practical Implications
Authors: Güntert Stefan T. , Wehner Theo , Mieg Harald A.
Published: March 2022

We close our book with some practical implications. On the one hand, we look specifically at the conditions for sustained volunteering, and on the other hand, we derive some general practical implications from an organizational psychology perspective.
Die dispositive Konstruktion multimodaler Wirklichkeit
Authors: Egbert Simon
Published: March 2022

Nachdem in dem vorangegangenen Kapitel vorgestellt wurde, dass und in welcher Form Diskurse als multimodale Einheiten der Wissenskreation und -zirkulation zu verstehen sind und welche wirkmächtige Rolle technische Artefakte dabei spielen (können), wird nun dargelegt, wie dies konzeptuell umgesetzt werden kann. Zu diesem Zweck wird vorgeschlagen, den Foucault’schen Begriff des Dispositivs zu nutzen und für die empirische Analyse multimodalen Diskurszusammenhänge fruchtbar zu machen.
Color-octet contributions for J/ψ inclusive production at B factories in soft gluon factorization
Authors: Chen An-Ping , Jin Xiao-Bo , Ma Yan-Qing , Meng Ce
Published: March 2022

Abstract

We have studied color-octet contributions for J/ψ inclusive production at B factories, i.e., e+e− → J/ψ(3$$ {P}_J^{\left[8\right]} $$

P
J

8

,1$$ {S}_0^{\left[8\right]} $$

S
0

8

) + $$ {X}_{\mathrm{non}-c\overline{c}} $$

X

non
−
c

c
¯

, using the soft gluon factorization (SGF) approach, in which the J/ψ energy spectrum is expressed in a form of perturbatively calculable short-distance hard parts convoluted with one-dimensional soft gluon distributions (SGDs). The series of velocity corrections originated from kinematic effect can be naturally resummed in this approach. Short-distance hard parts have been calculated analytically to next-to-leading order in αs. Renormalization group equations for SGDs have been derived and solved, which resums Sudakov logarithms originated from soft gluon emissions. Our final result gives a upper bound for color-octet matrix elements consistent with that extracted from hadron colliders. This may relieve the well-known universality problem in the NRQCD factorization.

As a comparison, we also analytically calculated short-distance hard parts in the NRQCD factorization, with Sudakov logarithms resummed by using soft collinear effective theory. The comparison shows that velocity corrections from kinematic effect, which have been resummed in SGF, are significant for phenomenological study. Furthermore, it is found that Sudakov logarithms originated from soft gluon emissions are very important, while it is not the case for Sudakov logarithms originated from jet function. Therefore, the partial Sudakov resummation in SGF has already captured the main physics.
A Method for Estimating the Rheological Properties of Fractured Rock Inside a Shear Zone
Authors: Chen Zuan , Li Xian , Huang Xiaoge , Jin Zhihe
Published: April 2022

This paper is concerned with the creep properties of fractured rock in a shear zone. We consider a cube rock model which consists of the rock matrix and cracks. A finite element method with discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) is used to simulate the creep response of the fractured rock sample. The DDA is used to describe the interactions among the contacting blocks at their interfaces (cracks). In all numerical simulations of the creep test, the strain rates are those typical values corresponding to effective viscosities of 1017–1019 Pa s, similar to that obtained from geophysical observations in a shear zone. The effects of temperature, confining pressure, crack length and tilt on the creep responses are examined using the simulation results. The numerical results indicate that our method is a useful tool for simulating creep deformation of fractured rock. The present study represents an effort to use a numerical method to simulate the rheological properties of fractured rock in the field of micro-geodynamics.
Primäre synoviale Chondromatose
Authors: Riechelmann F. , Hackl W. , Schmitz K. , Henninger B. , Keiler A.
Published: March 2022

Hintergrund

Die primäre synoviale Chondromatose (SC) ist eine seltene Erkrankung der Synovialmembran unklarer Ätiologie. Der aktuelle Wissensstand zu dieser Erkrankung soll in einer kurzen Übersicht dargestellt werden.

Methoden

Übersichtsarbeiten und rezente Fallberichte zur SC wurden systematisch ausgewertet und mit Daten eigener Fälle in Kontext gesetzt.

Ergebnisse

Auf Grund neuer genomischer Daten wird die SC als benigne Neoplasie eingestuft. In 60 % der Fälle liegen Mutationen im Fibronektin-1-Gen (FN1) und/oder im Gen für den Activin-A-Typ-II-Rezeptor (ACVR2A) vor. Diagnoseweisend ist die Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) und die meist arthroskopische Biopsie der Synovia. An einem Fallbeispiel soll gezeigt werden, dass die Knorpelaggregate der SC radiologisch nicht immer schattengebend sein müssen. Differenzialdiagnostisch kommen Monarthritiden anderer Ursachen, andere Gelenk- und Muskelerkrankungen mit Mineralisierung sowie weitere von der Synovialmembran ausgehende Erkrankungen in Betracht. Die Entartungsrate liegt bei 2–4 %. Therapeutisch hat sich in den letzten Jahren das arthroskopische Vorgehen durchgesetzt, das an die Ausdehnung der Erkrankung adaptiert wird.

Schlussfolgerung

Genomische Untersuchungen sowie Fallserien und Fallberichte aus jüngerer Zeit werfen ein neues Licht auf die SC. Therapeutisch wird in jüngeren Arbeiten überwiegend arthroskopisch vorgegangen.
Elucidating the Effects of Combined Treatments of Salicylic Acid and l-Proline on Greenhouse-Grown Cucumber Under Saline Drip Irrigation
Authors: Mugwanya Muziri , Kimera Fahad , Dawood Mahmoud , Sewilam Hani
Published: March 2022

Salinity is one of the major abiotic stress factors that threaten crop development and sustainable food production. As a mitigation strategy, several plant growth regulators and osmoprotectants have been applied to ameliorate the negative effects of salinity stress in plants. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the effect of foliar applications of different concentrations of salicylic acid and proline on the growth, yield, fruit quality, and nutritional composition of cucumber crops grown under saline conditions. The three main irrigation salinity variations included electrical conductivity (EC) of 0.5 dS/m (control), EC 6.0 dS/m, and EC 12.0 dS/m. Foliar spray treatments were as follows: T1 (distilled water), T2 (1.0 mM salicylic acid), T3 (1.0 mM salicylic acid + 5.0 mM proline), and T4 (1.0 mM salicylic acid + 10 mM proline). Our results showed that foliar application of salicylic acid alone or in combination with proline under non-saline conditions improved the growth and yield of cucumber, with T4 recording the highest values. Irrigating plants with saline water (EC 6.0 and 12.0 dS/m) severely compromised cucumber's growth performance and yield, with the lowest values recorded at EC 12.0 dS/m. However, under EC 6.0 dS/m, T2 and T3 slightly ameliorated salinity stress effects regarding fruit yield, for T2, and nutritive composition of fruits, for T2 and T3. Overall, this study demonstrated that cucumber (Cucumis sativa L.) could tolerate irrigation salinity levels of up to EC 6.0 dS/m without significant detrimental effects on the growth performance, yield, and nutritional composition of fruits.
Steigt die Prävalenz der rheumatoiden Arthritis wirklich an?
Authors: Albrecht Katinka , Callhoff Johanna , Strangfeld Anja
Published: March 2022

Immer mehr Auswertungen von Krankenkassendaten zeigen einen Anstieg der Prävalenz der rheumatoiden Arthritis (RA) in Deutschland. Die Studien beziehen sich auf die Abrechnungsdiagnose einer RA, die in Krankenkassendaten in den letzten Jahren im Vergleich zu früheren Zeiträumen häufiger zu finden ist. Je nach Falldefinition variieren die Zahlen zwischen 0,6% und 1,4% der erwachsenen Bevölkerung. In dieser Arbeit werden die verschiedenen Studien hinsichtlich der Datenquellen, der Falldefinitionen einer RA und der Diagnosehäufigkeit beleuchtet. Aufgrund der fehlenden klinischen Validierung lässt sich die Prävalenz anhand von Abrechnungsdaten nicht präzise bestimmen.
Robust hybrid/mixed finite elements for rubber-like materials under severe compression
Authors: Schönherr Josef Arthur , Schneider Patrick , Mittelstedt Christian
Published: March 2022

A new family of hybrid/mixed finite elements optimized for numerical stability is introduced. It comprises a linear hexahedral and quadratic hexahedral and tetrahedral elements. The element formulation is derived from a consistent linearization of a well-known three-field functional and related to Simo–Taylor–Pister () elements. For the quadratic hexahedral and tetrahedral elements we derive (static reduced) discontinuous hybrid elements, as well as continuous mixed finite elements with additional primary unknowns for the hydrostatic pressure and the dilation, whereas the linear hexahedral element is of the discontinuous type. The elements can readily be used in combination with any isotropic, invariant-based hyperelastic material model and can be considered as being locking-free. In a representative numerical benchmark test the elements numerical stability is assessed and compared to -elements and the family of discontinuous hybrid elements implemented in the commercial finite element code Abaqus/Standard. The new elements show a significant advantage concerning the numerical robustness.
Spatio temporal hydrological extreme forecasting framework using LSTM deep learning model
Authors: Anshuka Anshuka , Chandra Rohitash , Buzacott Alexander J. V. , Sanderson David , van Ogtrop Floris F.
Published: March 2022

Hydrological extremes occupy a large spatial extent, with a temporal sequence, both of which can be influenced by a range of climatological and geographical phenomena. Understanding the key information in the spatial and temporal domain is essential to make accurate forecasts. The capabilities of deep learning methods can be applied in such instances due to their enhanced ability in learning complex relationships. Given its success in other domains, this study presents a framework that features a long short-term memory deep learning model for spatio temporal hydrological extreme forecasting in the South Pacific region. The data consists of satellite rainfall estimates and sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies. We use the satellite rainfall estimate to calculate the effective drought index (EDI), an indicator of hydrological extreme events. The framework is developed to forecast monthly EDI using three different approaches: (i) univariate (ii) multivariate with neighbouring spatial points (iii) multivariate with neighbouring spatial points and the eigenvector values of SST. Additionally, better identification of extreme wet events is noted with the inclusion of the eigenvector values of SST. By establishing the framework for the multivariate approach in two forms, it is evident that the model accuracy is contingent on understanding the dominant feature which influences precipitation regimes in the Pacific. The framework can be used to better understand linear and non-linear relationships within multi-dimensional data in other study regions, and provide long-term climate outlooks.
Spatial influence on the distribution of downhill skiers in Sweden
Authors: Falk Martin , Hagsten Eva , Lin Xiang
Published: March 2022

This study investigates empirically how natural snow depth affects the number of downhill skiers. Data include the number of skier visits for the 32 largest ski resorts in Sweden from the 1998/1999 to the 2018/2019 seasons. Results of spatial dynamic estimations show that an increase in natural snow depth in the ski area has a significant negative impact on the number of skier visits in the short term, although the magnitude is small. This implies that a snow deficit leads to increased demand for downhill skiing both directly and indirectly (in the neighbouring areas). The variable snow depth in the neighbouring ski areas is not significantly different from zero, indicating that no spatial substitution takes place. There is, however, a strong positive relationship between skier visits to neighbouring areas, revealing that ski resorts are complements rather than substitutes. The long-term influence of snow depth is not significant, implying that the ski business is independent of variations in snow depth. Instead, the number of skier visits is mainly determined by past visits, revealing a high degree of persistence.
Mesostigmata diversity by manure type: a reference study and new datasets from southwestern Iran
Authors: Farahi Sara , Shishehbor Parviz , Nemati Alireza , Perotti M. Alejandra
Published: March 2022

Manure-inhabiting Mesostigmata mites are important biological control agents of pest flies. However, the biodiversity of this mite community is mainly known from Europe and America, and especially from cattle manure. This study examined the diversity and abundance of Mesostigmata mites associated with various types of manure in an (intensive) agricultural region of the Middle East, i.e., the city Ahvaz and its suburbs, in southwest Iran. Mite samples were extracted from manure of cattle, buffalo, sheep, horse, poultry and quail in 30 livestock and poultry farms. In total, 40 species belonging to 24 genera and 16 families were identified. The most diverse families were Laelapidae with eight species, Macrochelidae with seven and Parasitidae with six.Macrocheles muscaedomesticaeandUroobovella marginatawere the most widespread species, recorded in 28 and 27 out of 30 collection sites, respectively. Two species,M. sumbaensisandU. marginata, were found in all studied manures. Simpson’s diversity index recorded the highest diversity in buffalo and sheep manure. Real and theoretical species richness (rarefaction curves) were congruent in number of individuals. The presence of seven species of Macrochelidae in the manure confirms that these are important predators of the house fly for the region of Ahvaz and its suburbs. Members of the Parasitidae were highly prevalent, with one species known as a specialized predator of house fly eggs. This work aims to encourage further studies on the diversity of Mesostigmata in these agricultural settings, and further continue assessing the feasibility of these mites as effective biocontrol agents of filth flies in different types of manure and from different corners of the world.
Phenotypic responses in fish behaviour narrow as climate ramps up
Authors: Rodriguez-Dominguez Almendra , Connell Sean D. , Coni Ericka O. C. , Sasaki Minami , Booth David J. , Nagelkerken Ivan
Published: March 2022

Natural selection alters the distribution of phenotypes as animals adjust their behaviour and physiology to environmental change. We have little understanding of the magnitude and direction of environmental filtering of phenotypes, and therefore how species might adapt to future climate, as trait selection under future conditions is challenging to study. Here, we test whether climate stressors drive shifts in the frequency distribution of behavioural and physiological phenotypic traits (17 fish species) at natural analogues of climate change (CO2 vents and warming hotspots) and controlled laboratory analogues (mesocosms and aquaria). We discovered that fish from natural populations (4 out of 6 species) narrowed their phenotypic distribution towards behaviourally bolder individuals as oceans acidify, representing loss of shyer phenotypes. In contrast, ocean warming drove both a loss (2/11 species) and gain (2/11 species) of bolder phenotypes in natural and laboratory conditions. The phenotypic variance within populations was reduced at CO2 vents and warming hotspots compared to control conditions, but this pattern was absent from laboratory systems. Fishes that experienced bolder behaviour generally showed increased densities in the wild. Yet, phenotypic alterations did not affect body condition, as all 17 species generally maintained their physiological homeostasis (measured across 5 different traits). Boldness is a highly heritable trait that is related to both loss (increased mortality risk) and gain (increased growth, reproduction) of fitness. Hence, climate conditions that mediate the relative occurrence of shy and bold phenotypes may reshape the strength of species interactions and consequently alter fish population and community dynamics in a future ocean.
FARMIT: continuous assessment of crop quality using machine learning and deep learning techniques for IoT-based smart farming
Authors: Perales Gómez Ángel Luis , López-de-Teruel Pedro E. , Ruiz Alberto , García-Mateos Ginés , Bernabé García Gregorio , García Clemente Félix J.
Published: March 2022

The race for automation has reached farms and agricultural fields. Many of these facilities use the Internet of Things technologies to automate processes and increase productivity. Besides, Machine Learning and Deep Learning allow performing continuous decision making based on data analysis. In this work, we fill a gap in the literature and present a novel architecture based on IoT and Machine Learning / Deep Learning technologies for the continuous assessment of agricultural crop quality. This architecture is divided into three layers that work together to gather, process, and analyze data from different sources to evaluate crop quality. In the experiments, the proposed approach based on data aggregation from different sources reaches a lower percentage error than considering only one source. In particular, the percentage error achieved by our approach in the test dataset was 6.59, while the percentage error achieved exclusively using data from sensors was 6.71.
Designed to break: planned obsolescence as corporate environmental crime
Authors: Bisschop Lieselot , Hendlin Yogi , Jaspers Jelle
Published: March 2022

Planned obsolescence is the practice of deliberately designing products to limit their life span to encourage replacement. It is a common business strategy for consumer goods, with far-reaching ecological and social consequences. Here, we examine the definition, causes and consequences of planned obsolescence by using insights from corporate crime literature, integrated with environmental philosophy, management sciences, technology studies and law. Focusing on cases of planned obsolescence in consumer electronics, we show that the concept and procedure carries conceptual ambiguity and moral ambivalence, bearing diffuse harms, benefitting short-term corporate profit but undermining consumer confidence, and posing a major barrier to environmental sustainability. We discuss the system lock-ins driving companies to engage in planned obsolescence, and reframe the practice as a form of corporate environmental crime.
Dialogic Priming and Dynamic Resonance in Autism: Creativity Competing with Engagement in Chinese Children with ASD
Authors: Tantucci Vittorio , Wang Aiqing
Published: March 2022

A growing body of research has focused on the relationship between priming and engagement through dialogue (e.g. Tantucci and Wang in Appl Linguist 43(1):115–146, 2022; Mikulincer et al. in Cognit Emotion 25:519–531, 2011). The present study addresses this issue also in relation to creativity and provides a new applied model to measure intersubjective engagement in ASD vs neurotypical populations’ speech. We compared two balanced corpora of naturalistic Mandarin interaction of typically developing children and children diagnosed with ASD (cf. Zhou and Zhang in Xueqian jiaoyu yanjiu [Stud Preschool Educ] 6:72–84, 2020). We fitted a mixed effects linear regression showing that, in both neurotypical and ASD populations, dialogic priming significantly correlates with engagement and with whether the child could creatively re-use the original input to produce a new construction. What we found is that creativity and intersubjective engagement are in competition in children with ASD in contrast with the neurotypical population. This finding points to a relatively impeded ability in ASD to re-combine creatively a priming input during the here-and-now of a dialogic event.
Person-Centered Maternal Emotion Socialization and Child Temperament: Relations to Children’s Emotion Regulation and Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms
Authors: Howe Sarah L. , Zimmer-Gembeck Melanie J.
Published: March 2022

Maternal emotion socialization and children’s temperament are two foundations of children’s emotional development. Yet, emotion socialization and temperament are multidimensional, which suggests behavioral profiles are important to consider. We used a person-centered approach to compare children’s emotion regulation and anxiety and depressive symptoms between maternal emotion socialization and child temperament profiles, uniquely and interactively. The participants were 322 mothers of a child ages 6–8 years (Mage = 7.4 years, SD = 0.84, 51% boys). Mothers completed survey questions about children’s emotion regulation, anxiety and depressive symptoms, temperament traits, and mothers’ emotion socialization behaviors. Four profiles of maternal emotion socialization (coaching/accepting, blended, punishing/minimizing, and low involved) were identified that explained significant variation in children’s emotion regulation and anxiety symptoms. Four temperament profiles were found which revealed two vulnerable groups, namely emotional/cautious and emotional/impulsive, which distinguished children with more emotion dysregulation and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Unique associations of maternal and temperament profiles were found, but no interaction of profiles was significant in relation to children’s emotion regulation or their internalizing symptoms. There is merit in continuing to examine parenting behaviors and their influence by drawing from a person-centered perspective.
Cut-off points for the rational believer
Authors: Lissia Lina Maria
Published: March 2022

I show that the Lottery Paradox is just a version of the Sorites, and argue that this should modify our way of looking at the Paradox itself. In particular, I focus on what I call “the Cut-off Point Problem” and contend that this problem, well known by Sorites scholars, ought to play a key role in the debate on Kyburg’s puzzle.

Very briefly, I show that, in the Lottery Paradox, the premises “ticket n°1 will lose”, “ticket n°2 will lose”… “ticket n°1000 will lose” are equivalent to soritical premises of the form “~(the winning ticket is in {…, (tn)}) ⊃ ~(the winning ticket is in {…, tn, (tn+ 1)})” (where “⊃” is the material conditional, “~” is the negation symbol, “tn” and “tn+ 1” are “ticket n°n” and “ticket n°n+ 1” respectively, and “{}” identify the elements of the lottery tickets’ set. The brackets in “(tn)” and “(tn+ 1)” are meant to point out that in the antecedent of the conditional we do not always have a “tn” (and, as a result, a “tn+ 1” in the consequent): consider the conditional “~(the winning ticket is in {}) ⊃ ~(the winning ticket is in {t1})”).

As a result, failing to believe, for some ticket, that it will lose comes down to introducing a cut-off point in a chain of soritical premises.

In this paper I explore the consequences of the different ways of blocking the Lottery Paradox with respect to the Cut-off Point Problem. A heap variant of the Lottery Paradox is especially relevant for evaluating the different solutions.

One important result is that the most popular way out of the puzzle, i.e., denying the Lockean Thesis, becomes less attractive. Moreover, I show that, along with the debate on whether rational belief is closed under classical logic, the debate on the validity of modus ponens should play an important role in discussions on the Lottery Paradox.
Improving the vertical solar distiller performance using rotating wick discs and integrated condenser
Authors: Diab Mohamed Ragab , Abou-Taleb Fawzy Shaban , Essa Fadl Abdelmonem , Omara Zakaria Mohamed
Published: March 2022

Freshwater is one of the most essential needs of society. Due to the limited amount of potable water on Earth, guaranteeing the supply of clean water to society is a major challenge. By utilizing abundant sunshine, solar still could be utilized to provide the necessary amount of drinking water in remote locations. The issue of restricted daily production inspires researchers to investigate novel ways for enhancing the thermal performance of desalination techniques while lowering expenses. In this work, the scholars improved a unique distillation method related to solar stills. The authors presented a novel improvement to the vertical distiller design to enhance the exposure area while decreasing the thickness of the water layer as much as possible. Thus, two rotational discs (flat type) covered with wick were integrated into the vertical distiller basin at 1.5 rpm and 5 cm water depth. Furthermore, providing vacuum via a fan with an external condenser. Besides, various rotating speeds (from 400 to 2000 rpm) were tested to determine the perfect fan speed that provides the maximum yield. The experimental findings revealed that the modified vertical distiller produced more pure water than the conventional distiller. Moreover, the rotation of wick discs and vacuum fan enhanced the yield of distillers enormously. Besides, the highest distiller performance was obtained at 1.5 rpm (wick disc speed) and 1600 rpm (fan speed, 10 min ON, and 10 min OFF). Moreover, the daily freshwater output was 19.1 L/m2 day for MDSVD without the fan and 23.65 L/m2 day for MDSVD with the fan. So, the yield of MSSVD without/with vacuum fan was improved by 548.65% and 660.45%, respectively, over that of CTD. The best thermal efficacy for MDSVD without/with vacuum fan was 77.47% and 84.05%, respectively. Lastly, the average cost of freshwater was 0.021, 0.0177, and 0.0164 $/L for CTD, MDSVD without/with vacuum fan, respectively.
Teachers’ and students’ perceptions of students’ ability and importance value in math and reading: A latent difference score analysis of intra-individual cross-domain differences
Authors: ten Hagen Inga , Benden Daria K. , Lauermann Fani , Eccles Jacquelynne S.
Published: April 2022

Informed by Eccles and colleagues’ expectancy-value theory and Möller and Marsh’s dimensional comparison theory, we examined cross-domain intra-individual differences in elementary teachers’ (N = 57) and their students’ (N = 469) ratings of students’ ability and subjective importance of math and reading. Latent difference score analyses revealed that students perceived greater intra-individual differences in their own math versus reading ability than did their teachers. Analogous results emerged for students’ and teachers’ ratings of students’ valuing (i.e., perceived importance) of math versus reading, suggesting differing dimensional comparison processes for students’ self-judgments vs. their teachers’ judgments. Cross-domain differences in teachers’ and students’ perceptions were positively associated for ratings of students’ ability but not for ratings of students’ perceived importance. Moreover, intra-individual differences varied substantially across students, in both students’ and teachers’ ratings. Students’ gender and prior achievement in math and reading contributed to this variation.
High-Speed Erichsen Testing of Grain-Refined 301LN Austenitic Stainless Steel Processed by Double-Reversion Annealing
Authors: Hamada Atef , Khosravifard Ali , Ghosh Sumit , Jaskari Matias , Järvenpää Antti , Karjalainen Pentti
Published: March 2022

Austenitic Cr–Ni stainless-type 301LN steel was subjected to a double-reversion annealing (DRA) treatment to develop bulk grain-refined microstructures. The tensile properties and formability of the DRA structures were determined by high-speed tensile and Erichsen cupping tests at a strain rate of 1.5 s−1 (50 mm s−1) and compared with those of coarse-grained steel. Detailed microstructural features of the DRA structures were characterized using the electron backscatter diffraction technique and X-ray diffraction analysis. The DRA structures achieved by annealing for 1 second at 800 °C and 900 °C exhibited a superior combination of yield (~ 950 and 770 MPa, respectively) and tensile (~ 1050 and 950 MPa, respectively) strengths and ductility (~ 35 and 40 pct, respectively, as well as reasonable Erichsen index values under high-speed biaxial strain. Due to adiabatic heating, the DRA structures had higher austenite stability during high-speed stretch forming, i.e., were less prone to strain-induced martensitic transformation. The finite-element method (FEM) was used to conduct coupled field thermomechanical analyses of the high-speed deformation processes for the coarse-grained and DRA structures. Comparison of the FEM analyses with the experimental results revealed a considerable influence (~ 20 pct) of martensitic transformation on the adiabatic temperature rise. The balance of the yield strength and Erichsen index value of the developed nanograined microstructure is comparable to that of coarse-grained commercial steel.
Single-Track Laser Scanning as a Method for Evaluating Printability: The Effect of Substrate Heat Treatment on Melt Pool Geometry and Cracking in Medium Carbon Tool Steel
Authors: Antikainen Atte , Reijonen Joni , Lagerbom Juha , Lindroos Matti , Pinomaa Tatu , Lindroos Tomi
Published: April 2022

Nearly all commercially available alloys have been developed for manufacturing processes other than additive manufacturing. Most of those alloys are not suitable for laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) processing due to the non-weldable nature of the alloys developed for casting, forging, and machining. Even some weldable alloys can be difficult to produce with L-PBF because the characteristics of L-PBF, such as highly concentrated heat input and the extremely high cooling rate, can lead to very high residual stresses and cracking. In order to speed up the development process of new alloys for additive manufacturing, a powder-free evaluation method was used to evaluate the materials processing window and susceptibility to cracking. Single tracks were scanned with an L-PBF machine onto H13 steel substrates. The substrate condition was varied, and its effect on melt pool geometry and cracking behavior was evaluated. The results clearly show that thermal history of the substrate influences its thermal conductivity, affecting melt pool volume. Melting point of the substrate was not found as significant factor as thermal conductivity on melt pool dimensions. Cracking type was noted to differ between substrates. If printability is assessed without powder, the substrate microstructure should be similar to rapidly solidified material. It is recognized that single-track tests are not adequate in terms of residual stress evaluation, but they can give valuable information about materials’ melting, segregation, and micro-scale cracking behavior.
Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der strafrechtlichen Begutachtung nach Aktenlage
Authors: Habermeyer Elmar , Saß Henning
Published: April 2022

Lehnt ein Proband die Mitwirkung an der Begutachtung ab, stellt sich die Frage, ob ein Aktengutachten erstellt werden soll. Die vorliegende Arbeit skizziert Grenzen der Begutachtung nach Aktenlage, aber auch mögliche Arbeitsgrundlagen und das praktische Vorgehen bei der Schuldfähigkeits- und Prognosebegutachtung. Da sich in Deutschland die Möglichkeit ergibt, Erkenntnisse aus der Hauptverhandlung in das abschließende Gutachten einfließen zu lassen, wird dafür plädiert, schriftliche Aussagen zur Schuldfähigkeit als vorläufig zu bezeichnen und bis zum Abschluss der Beweisaufnahme im Rahmen der Hauptverhandlung mit diagnostischen- und Sachverhaltshypothesen zu arbeiten.
What does a vector field know about volume?
Authors: Geiges Hansjörg
Published: April 2022

This note provides an affirmative answer to a question of Viterbo concerning the existence of nondiffeomorphic contact forms that share the same Reeb vector field. Starting from an observation by Croke–Kleiner and Abbondandolo that such contact forms define the same total volume, we discuss various related issues for the wider class of geodesible vector fields. In particular, we define an Euler class of a geodesible vector field in the associated basic cohomology and give a topological characterisation of vector fields with vanishing Euler class. We prove the theorems of Gauß–Bonnet and Poincaré–Hopf for closed, oriented 2-dimensional orbifolds using global surfaces of section and the volume determined by a geodesible vector field. This volume is computed for Seifert fibred 3-manifolds and for some transversely holomorphic flows.