bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heparan sulfate promotes TRAIL-induced tumor cell apoptosis
Authors: Luo Yin , Hao Huanmeng , Wang Zhangjie , Ong Chihyean , Dutcher Robert , Xu Yongmei , Liu Jian , Pedersen Lars C. , Xu Ding
Published: July 2023

TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) is a potent inducer of tumor cell apoptosis through TRAIL receptors. While it has been previously pursued as a potential anti-tumor therapy, the enthusiasm subsided due to unsuccessful clinical trials and the fact that many tumors are resistant to TRAIL. In this report we identified heparan sulfate (HS) as an important regulator of TRAIL-induced apoptosis. TRAIL binds HS with high affinity (KD= 73 nM) and HS induces TRAIL to form higher-order oligomers. The HS-binding site of TRAIL is located at the N-terminus of soluble TRAIL, which includes three basic residues. Binding to cell surface HS plays an essential role in promoting the apoptotic activity of TRAIL in both breast cancer and myeloma cells, and this promoting effect can be blocked by heparin, which is commonly administered to cancer patients. We also quantified HS content in several lines of myeloma cells and found that the cell line showing the most resistance to TRAIL has the least expression of HS, which suggests that HS expression in tumor cells could play a role in regulating sensitivity towards TRAIL. We also discovered that death receptor 5 (DR5), TRAIL and HS can form a ternary complex and that cell surface HS plays an active role in promoting TRAIL-induced cellular internalization of DR5. Combined, our study suggests that TRAIL-HS interactions could play multiple roles in regulating the apoptotic potency of TRAIL and might be an important point of consideration when designing future TRAIL-based anti-tumor therapy.
Surviving limbo: critical career capital aspects for entrepreneur immigrants in an extreme context
Authors: Arman Gamze
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The present study explored the adjustment (i.e. survival vs stay) of a unique group of Turkish entrepreneur immigrants in the United Kingdom, whose initial experiences upon their move were disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020.

Design/methodology/approach

Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore this immigrant group's experience on the path to potential immigration success or failure as indicators of adjustment. The content of the interviews was analyzed via theoretical thematic analysis.

Findings

Key career capital aspects hindering entrepreneurial effort under the unique conditions of Covid-19 were defined as not knowing how to start a business (in general, in the host country and under extreme conditions), why they should persist to stay, and whom to contact in the host country. Key facilitating career capital aspects were defined as knowing how to revise the business plans when needed and knowing why they left the home country, preferred the host country and should persist to stay there. Each unique aspect was mapped onto specific components of the context (home country, host country and profession) to add depth to the analyses.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the literature primarily by integrating career capital framework with different elements of the context. It also represents the first effort to adopt the framework to identify the critical career capital aspects of entrepreneur immigrants.
Housing market shifts favouring transit-oriented development in emerging economies: the link between metro rails and housing price dynamics in Delhi
Authors: Agnihotri Vivek , Paul Saikat Kumar
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to understand the spatiotemporal influence of metro rail connectivity on housing prices in surrounding areas. The study assesses the average annual price shift for apartments around metro stations in Delhi during the previous decade, specifically from 2010 to 2019. The authors examine the spatiotemporal extents to which housing prices are determined by the prominence of metro stations and spatial development around metro stations.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors perform the cross-tabulation analysis to calculate chi-square values to test the hypotheses concerning the responsiveness of the housing market in Delhi to the number of locational variables in the areas connected with the mass public transportation system.

Findings

The empirical findings verify the existence of a housing market overvaluation in Delhi around metro stations until 2013, which was eventually re-adjusted after 2014. The key findings of the study suggest the role of location variables concerning metro rails in the shooting up of the housing prices in the city. In addition, the research establishes the association of annual housing price shifts to the metro rails in the short-term, mid-term and long-term in conjunction with the distance from the metro station.

Originality/value

In the market, the prices are often overvalued by real estate agents due to better connectivity to the metro stations. The overvaluation eventually causes massive downfalls in housing markets and rollouts as a risk for the investors. However, the effect of mass transportation on housing prices is mixed in nature, limited to a certain extent only and not as influential as frequently portrayed by the market forces. This effect loses colour with time.
Board characteristics and ESG disclosure in energy industry: evidence from emerging economies
Authors: Nuhu Yusuf , Alam Ashraful
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the impact of board characteristics on environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure in the energy industry of emerging economies.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopt the Bloomberg ESG rating to measure the extent of ESG disclosure using a sample of 1,260 observations from BRICS emerging economies. Multiple regression techniques were used to estimate the effect of board characteristics on ESG disclosures of a sample Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) listed companies between 2010 and 2019.

Findings

The authors find a relatively low (at 37%) level of ESG disclosure among the sampled firms and a relatively high degree of variability. The authors also find that board gender diversity, board composition and board diligence are positively related to the level of ESG disclosure while the study documents no relationship between board size and ESG disclosure.

Practical implications

The study’s findings highlight the importance of corporate board attributes in influencing strategic decisions such as the level of ESG disclosure and the findings may be useful to regulators, policymakers and investors in making informed investment decisions.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first attempts at examining the impact of board characteristics on ESG disclosure in the energy industry in emerging economies. The paper provides new evidence on the relationship between board characteristics (BC) and ESG disclosure in the energy industry of emerging BRICS countries within a panel multi-country research setting.
Forest disturbances increase the body mass of two contrasting ungulates
Authors: Reiner Rudolf , Seidl Rupert , Seibold Sebastian , Senf Cornelius
Published: July 2023

As climate change intensifies and demand for timber rises, forest disturbances are increasing. Disturbances in forests cause an abrupt loss in canopy cover and increase resource availability on the ground, which can have manifold effects on the habitat quality of forest‐dwelling species. One pathway through which disturbances influence habitat quality is by creating edges within forests. Disturbance‐created edges differ from edges to other land cover types in that they are transient, that is, they persist only for a limited period of time until canopy closes again. While the effects of permanent edges are well‐studied in ecology, the role of transient edges remains largely unclear.

Here, we investigated whether edges caused by forest disturbances affect the individual fitness of two contrasting ungulates by examining the body mass of 378,602 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra) yearlings collected between 1992 and 2019 in the Eastern Alps.

Transient edges had a significant positive effect on the body mass of both species. The effect size was larger for chamois than for roe deer, with yearling body mass increasing by up to 0.18 kg in female chamois for each 10 m ha−1 increase in edge density. Elevation modulated the effect of edges on chamois body mass, with a weaker effect of transient edges in high‐elevation forests that are naturally more open. The effect duration of transient edges was longer for roe deer than for chamois, lasting for up to 9 years post‐disturbance.

The body mass effect of transient edges created by forest disturbances was an order of magnitude stronger than the effect of permanent edges between forests and other land cover types.

Synthesis and applications: Increasing forest disturbances under climate change could improve the fitness of ungulates, potentially affecting forest recovery through browsing. Managers and hunting authorities should consider the effect of disturbances and dynamically changing carrying capacity of forest landscapes more explicitly when making decisions regarding habitat management and hunting policies. Such a dynamic perspective is an important element in balancing vital ungulate populations and healthy forest ecosystems.
Continuous remobilization from below‐ground provides more than half of all carbon and nitrogen in regrowing shoots after grassland defoliation
Authors: Yang Jinfeng , Lu Jiayu , Liu Mingqi , Dijkstra Feike A.
Published: July 2023

Remobilization of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) from roots and crowns to regrowing shoots is an important strategy for grassland plants to tolerate herbivory. While this remobilization is thought to terminate once plants have the capacity to photosynthesize again and to take up N from the soil, this has rarely been quantified.

Here we investigated the remobilization of C and N to regrowing shoots of a perennial grassland under two defoliation frequencies (every 15 and 30 days) and two N fertilization levels (0 and 2.8 g m−2) by growing intact plant–soil cores for 60 days in a growth chamber. We measured the C remobilization from roots and crowns to regrowing shoots using a novel continuous 13C labelling method, and quantified the N remobilization to regrowing shoots and plant N uptake from soil with a 15N tracer method.

Regrowing shoots relied strongly on below‐ground C reserves, where up to 52% of C in regrowing shoots came from below‐ground during the first 30 days after defoliation. Below‐ground C was still remobilized when plant shoots had fully regrown and retained full capacity to photosynthesize. Plants relied more on C remobilization with shorter times between defoliation events at the expense of root biomass, particularly without N fertilization. Large amounts of C remobilization were accompanied by large amounts of N remobilization (up to 89% of total shoot N) that were positively related, suggesting a coupled C and N transfer from roots and crowns to shoots.

Synthesis. The unexpectedly high dependency on C and N remobilization occurred continuously after defoliation and did not terminate once plants were fully regrown. Our results indicate that remobilization of C and N from below‐ground has profound effects on long‐term productivity and C sequestration that needs to be considered for managing similar grasslands worldwide.
Editorial: The use of Baveno VI and VII criteria in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Moctezuma‐Velazquez Carlos , Abraldes Juan G.
Published: July 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Allaire et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17599 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17648
Editorial: Recognising the regional variations in profile of irritable bowel syndrome—better late than never! Authors' reply
Authors: Chuah Kee‐Huat , Black Christopher J. , Tee Vincent , Lim Sze‐Zee , Hian Wen‐Xuan , Sahran Nur‐Fazimah , Lee Yeong‐Yeh , Mahadeva Sanjiv , Ford Alexander C.
Published: July 2023

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Chuah et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17567 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17620
Liver virome of a Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea) reveals coinfection with a novel parvovirus and two beak and feather disease viruses
Authors: Sutherland M , Sarker S
Published: July 2023

Emerging diseases are acknowledged as a growing threat to wildlife, with the continued identification of pathogenic and potentially pathogenic viruses in avian species resulting from ongoing advances in molecular diagnostic techniques. Parvoviruses under the genus Chaphamaparvovirus (subfamily Hamaparvovirinae) are highly divergent. The detection and characterisation of parvoviruses in psittacine birds is limited. This study reports a novel parvovirus, tentatively named psittaciform chaphamaparvovirus 3 (PsChV‐3) under the genus Chaphamaparvovirus, identified in an Australian free‐ranging little corella (Cacatua sanguinea). The PsChV‐3 genome is 4277 bp in length and encompasses four predicted open‐reading frames, including two major genes, a nonstructural replicase gene (NS1), and a structural capsid gene (VP1). The NS1 and VP1 genes showed the closest amino acid identities of 78.8% and 69.7%, respectively, with a recently sequenced psittaciform chaphamaparvovirus 2 from Australian Neophema species grass parrots. In addition, the presence of two complete novel beak and feather disease (BFDV) genomes, 1993 and 1868 nt in length, respectively, were detected from the same bird. Both these BFDV genomes contained two bidirectional ORFs encoding the putative Rep and Cap proteins. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the sequenced novel BFDV genomes clustered in a distinct subclade with other BFDVs isolated from Australian cockatoos. This study contributes to the characterisation chaphamaparvoviruses and BFDV in Australian parrots and supports the need for ongoing monitoring and molecular studies into the avian virome in native Australian psittacine bird species.
Surgeons' response to reimbursement changes for alternative procedures: Evidence from spine fusion in the U.S.
Authors: Benson Nicholas , Lopez Jose Joaquin
Published: July 2023

Spinal fusion is the highest operating room expense in the U.S. and the performed procedure depends largely on surgeon preference. We use national claims data for 2010–2014 to study changes in the relative frequency of substitutable spinal fusion procedures, following a one‐time cut in Medicare reimbursement fees that switched the ranking of the two procedures with the highest surgical fees. Relative to lower‐fee alternatives with better clinical outcomes, patients were 6.3% more likely to receive the highest‐fee procedure after the policy change. We find no evidence of cost savings following the reimbursement change.
Talk is cheap: Direct evidence of conservation‐based changes in angler behavior
Authors: Gibson Banks Kesley , Streich Matthew K. , Drymon J. Marcus , Scyphers Steven B. , Mohan John A. , Wells R. J. David , Binstock Addie L. , Richards Travis M. , White Connor F. , Whitney Nicholas M. , Stunz Gregory W.
Published: July 2023

Post‐release mortality threatens shark populations already imperiled by overfishing, capture stress, and a changing climate. Few studies have quantified post‐release mortality for sharks captured in land‐based recreational fisheries. From 2018 to 2021, a land‐based shark post‐release mortality study was conducted and identified water temperature and species‐specific behavior as contributing factors to post‐release mortality. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effectiveness of disseminating the recommendation for best practices to recreational shark anglers and to determine if this information influenced angler behavior. Awareness of our post‐release mortality study influenced an angler's likely release behavior, with an increase in sharks landed in the water and corresponding decrease of sharks landed on dry sand. This study demonstrated direct evidence of conservation‐based changes in angler behavior following effective research communication and involvement of anglers in research. Outreach and engagement initiatives aimed at providing best handling practices to recreational anglers should be easily digestible, widely available, and an important component of future research.
Benefits, concerns, and solutions of fishing for tunas with drifting fish aggregation devices
Authors: Pons Maite , Kaplan David , Moreno Gala , Escalle Lauriane , Abascal Francisco , Hall Martin , Restrepo Victor , Hilborn Ray
Published: July 2023

Drifting fish aggregating devices (dFADs) are human‐made floating objects widely used by tropical tuna purse seine (PS) fisheries to increase catch of target species. However, dFAD use has several negative impacts, including increased potential for overfishing, higher juvenile tuna catch, higher bycatch compared to other PS fishing modes, ghost‐fishing, and generation of marine litter. Based on these impacts, some stakeholders, especially environmental non‐governmental organizations and other competing fishing industries, suggest that dFADs should be completely banned. We list the pros and cons of dFAD fishing; address how to improve current management; and suggest solutions for the sustainability of dFAD fishing in the long term. A dFAD ban would lead to major changes in the availability and sourcing of tuna for human consumption and decrease the licensing revenue received by many developing states. Most importantly, we argue that tools exist today to manage for, reduce or eliminate most of the negative impacts of dFADs (e.g., bans on discards, limits on active dFADs, biodegradable non‐entangling constructions, time‐area deployment closures, recovery programs, and full data transparency, among others). Management decisions based on sound scientific reasoning are needed to address the legitimate concerns surrounding dFAD use and ensure the sustainability of both pelagic and coastal ecosystems and tropical tuna PS fisheries.
Coparenting relationship, parenting self‐efficacy, and child adjustment in Chinese mother–grandmother coparenting families: Grandmother role difference
Authors: He Ting , Wu Dazhou , Jiang Yongqiang , Tang Yingying , Zhou Qing , Wu Qinglu , Lin Xiuyun
Published: July 2023

Objective

The study tested the grandmother role difference hypothesis (GRDH) in Chinese three‐generation families by investigating the effects of mothers' and grandmothers' perceptions of the coparenting relationship on child adjustment and the potential mediating effect of parenting self‐efficacy.

Background

Mother–grandmother coparenting has become the prevalent parenting mode in urban China, yet previous studies have failed to recognize the differences between the grandmothers by lineage. By reviewing biological theories and sociological contexts, this study proposed the GRDH. The hypothesis posited that in addition to maternal grandmother's benefits on grandchildren over paternal grandmother due to biological drives, maternal and paternal grandmothers exert their effect on child outcomes disparately by developing different relationships with the mother in coparenting.

Method

In total, 409 mother–grandmother coparenting families were recruited. Two identical structural equation models were examined separately for maternal and paternal grandmother groups.

Results

The results of multigroup analysis showed a stronger direct effect by maternal grandmother's perception of coparenting relationship than paternal grandmother on child social competence. The relation between maternal parenting self‐efficacy and child social competence was stronger in households with paternal grandmothers. Furthermore, the mothers' evaluation of the coparenting relationship had a significant spillover effect on the paternal grandmother's parenting self‐efficacy only. The findings also showed the exclusive mediating effect of maternal parenting self‐efficacy linking the mother's perception of the coparenting relationship to child problem behavior in the mother–paternal grandmother group only.

Conclusion and implications

The results overall validated the GRDH while providing further contextual information on the roles of mothers and grandmothers in different types of coparenting families.
Not separate, but certainly unequal: The burdens and coping strategies of low‐status street‐level bureaucrats
Authors: Lotta Gabriela , Krieger Morgana G. Martins , Cohen Nissim , Kirschbaum Charles
Published: July 2023

The literature has usually regarded street‐level bureaucrats (SLBs) as relatively privileged bureaucrats, neglecting an important sub‐group of these civil servants: low‐status SLBs. Even though they may be members of a team with other SLBs who have more status, they may suffer from intraorganizational inequality, meaning unequal access to resources and the requirement that they perform informal tasks associated with their unequal position in the organization. We examine the unique challenges low‐status SLBs are often confronted with, and how they cope with them. Based on 94 interviews with community health workers in Brazil, we identify several types of burdens associated with their ambiguous tasks, as well as the strategies they use to cope with these burdens. The analyses suggest that the burdens and coping strategies are an important source of the inequality on the team. The paper discusses the importance of considering the diversity of roles occupied by SLBs and the inequalities within teams.
Antibiotic resistance and heteroresistance in Helicobacter pylori isolates from symptomatic Vietnamese children: A prospective multicenter study
Authors: Nguyen Tu Cam , Le Giao Kim Ngoc , Pham Dao Thi Hong , Pham Bao Van , Nguyen Loan Thi Hong , Che Thai Hoang , Nguyen Hiep Thanh , Truong Dinh Quang , Robert Annie , Bontems Patrick , Nguyen Phuong Ngoc Van
Published: July 2023

Background

Antibiotic resistance of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is increasing worldwide, with geographical variations, impacting the treatment outcomes. This study assessed the antibiotic resistance patterns of H. pylori in Vietnamese children.

Materials and Methods

Symptomatic children undergoing gastroduodenoscopy at two tertiary Children's Hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City were recruited. Antral and corpus biopsies were obtained and cultured separately. Susceptibility to amoxicillin (AMO), clarithromycin (CLA), metronidazole (MET), levofloxacin (LEV), and tetracycline (TET) was determined using E‐test. Polymerase chain reaction was performed on another antral biopsy to detect the urease gene, cytotoxin‐associated gene A (cagA), vacuolating cytotoxin A (vacA) genotypes, and 23S rRNA mutations conferring CLA resistance.

Results

Among 123 enrolled children, a high primary resistance rate was found for CLA (68.5%, 61/89), followed by LEV (55.1%), MET (31.5%), AMO (25.8%), and TET (1.1%). Secondary resistance rates were 82.1% (7/28), 71.4%, 53.6%, and 3.6% for CLA, LEV, MET, and TET, respectively. Multidrug resistance was frequent (67.7%), with common patterns including CLA + LEV (20.3%) and CLA + MTZ + LEV (15.2%). Heteroresistance was detected in eight children (6.5%). The A2143G mutation was detected in 97.5% (119/122) of children. 86.1% of children had positive cagA strains and 27.9% had multiple vacA genotypes. No factor was significantly associated with antibiotic resistance.

Conclusions

The alarming rate of antibiotic resistance for H. pylori, especially for CLA, with emerging multi‐ and hetero‐resistant strains, pose a major treatment challenge that precludes CLA use as empirical therapy. Biopsies from both antrum and corpus can improve H. pylori culture, allowing tailored treatment based on antimicrobial susceptibility.
The dyadic self‐care experience of stroke survivors and their caregivers: A qualitative descriptive study
Authors: Wang Wenna , Pucciarelli Gianluca , Mei Yongxia , Zhang Zhenxiang , Vellone Ercole
Published: July 2023

Background

Promoting self‐care is the core response strategy of the global health system to the burden of stroke. Although self‐care in stroke represents a dyadic phenomenon, the dyadic self‐care experience of stroke survivors and their caregivers is often overlooked in clinical practice.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to explore the dyadic self‐care experience of stroke survivors and their caregivers.

Design

A descriptive qualitative design was used to conduct the study.

Results

The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research was used for study reporting. A total of 21 stroke survivor–caregiver dyads were recruited for this study between May 2022 and September 2022. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. In this study, four themes were identified: (1) poor relationship quality of the dyads, (2) dyadic incongruence in managing stroke, (3) a slow and tiring dyadic self‐care process and (4) happy cooperation in coping with dyadic self‐care.

Discussion and Conclusion

Healthcare professionals should give greater consideration to the contradictions and disparities that may arise between stroke survivors and caregivers during the self‐care process. It is crucial for them to provide personalized and tailored support and interventions that can assist these individuals in achieving a more optimal balance in their dyadic self‐care.

Patient/Public Contribution

Patients were involved in the formulation of interview questions for this study. No members of the public were involved in this study.
Dual function of the transcription factor Ftz‐f1 on oviposition in the cockroach Blattella germanica
Authors: Alborzi Zeynab , Piulachs Maria‐Dolors
Published: July 2023

The transcription factor Ftz‐f1 has multiple functions in insect development in a spatial‐temporal line. One of these roles is in the insect ovaries, specifically in the regulation of steroidogenic enzymes production. We studied the function of F in Blattella germanica oogenesis, as it shows two moments of high expression in ovaries: before the imaginal moult, and just before ovulation in the adult. Injecting dsftz‐f1 into adult females, either just after the imaginal moult or just prior to choriogenesis, prevented oviposition, with differences between the two approaches. In 3‐day‐old adult females treated with dsftz‐f1 just after the emergence, the expression of ftz‐f1 was not modified, but the steroidogenic genes increased their expression. ftz‐f1 transcript levels in the ovaries of 5‐day‐old dsftz‐f1‐treated females were significantly depleted, and the expression levels of the same steroidogenic genes began to decrease. These results suggest that Ftz‐f1 regulates the expression of steroidogenic genes in B. germanica, with phm possibly being a key target. Ftz‐f1 has a different temporal function in the cytoskeleton of follicular cells of the basal ovarian follicles. Early in the gonadotrophic cycle, Ftz‐f1 promotes the expression of genes related to the cytoskeleton and muscle proteins, while at the end of the cycle it maintains the expression levels of these genes, thus ensuring correct ovulation.
A stable isotope analysis of the dietary patterns of the aquatic apex predator, the African tigerfish (Hydrocynus vittatus)
Authors: Gerber Ruan , de Necker Lizaan , van Vuren Johan H. J. , Ikenaka Yoshinori , Nakayama Shouta M. M. , Ishizuka Mayumi , Wepener Victor , Smit Nico J.
Published: July 2023

Stable isotope analyses, specifically δ13C and δ15N, are useful tools increasingly used to understand ecosystem function, food web structures, and consumer diets. Although the iconic tigerfish Hydrocynus vittatus is regarded as an apex predator in southern African freshwater systems, little information is available regarding their feeding behavior and how this may change with growth or differ between ecosystems, with most information stemming from stomach content analyses (SCA). The aim of the present study was to address this lack of information through a baseline study of the diet of large and small tigerfish in various lentic and lotic ecosystems in South Africa using stable isotope methods. Fish and various food web components and food sources were collected from two river and two lake ecosystems in South Africa. The δ13C and δ15N values for all samples were determined and multivariate analyses and Bayesian analytical techniques applied to determine the feeding ecology of H. vittatus and how this may differ with size and habitat type. Analyses revealed a substantial difference in the type and abundance of food sources contributing to the diet of H. vittatus between ecosystems, most prominently between the lotic systems, where less dietary specialization was observed, and lentic systems where more specialization was observed. Furthermore, there was a distinct difference in diet between small and large tigerfish, especially in the lotic system, indicating an ontogenetic diet shift as tigerfish grow and further supporting previous SCA studies. This is the first study of its kind on the African continent for H. vittatus and the findings illustrate the value of stable isotope analysis in providing in‐depth information into the feeding ecology of consumers and how this may differ between size classes and habitat types.
OnGuard3e: A predictive, ecophysiology‐ready tool for gas exchange and photosynthesis research
Authors: Nguyen Thanh‐Hao , Silva‐Alvim Fernanda A. L. , Hills Adrian , Blatt Michael R.
Published: July 2023

Gas exchange across the stomatal pores of leaves is a focal point in studies of plant‐environmental relations. Stomata regulate atmospheric exchange with the inner air spaces of the leaf. They open to allow CO2 entry for photosynthesis and close to minimize water loss. Models that focus on the phenomenology of stomatal conductance generally omit the mechanics of the guard cells that regulate the pore aperture. The OnGuard platform fills this gap and offers a truly mechanistic approach with which to analyse stomatal gas exchange, whole‐plant carbon assimilation and water‐use efficiency. Previously, OnGuard required specialist knowledge of membrane transport, signalling and metabolism. Here we introduce OnGuard3e, a software package accessible to ecophysiologists and membrane biologists alike. We provide a brief guide to its use and illustrate how the package can be applied to explore and analyse stomatal conductance, assimilation and water use efficiencies, addressing a range of experimental questions with truly predictive outputs.
The Rule of Law, Comprehensive Doctrines, Overlapping Consensus, and the Future of Europe
Authors: Avbelj Matej
Published: July 2023

For more than a decade now a profound rule‐of‐law crisis has gripped the European Union, and while the fight for the rule of law has topped not only the academic but also the judicial and political agenda, the results have been disappointingly meagre. This article argues that the main reason for that should be sought in a political strategic move of justifying the assaults on the rule of law by resorting to an “illiberal democracy.” This premeditated political narrative shift has unleashed onto the political sphere and onto public discourse at large comprehensive doctrines which had hitherto been left dormant thanks to an overlapping consensus on the rule of law as a central building block of the political conception of justice à la Rawls. Once this overlapping consensus was broken, the rule of law itself lost its neutral character as a referee on the right among the many conceptions of the good, itself becoming part of the highly politicized power play for dominance among irreconcilable—liberal and illiberal—comprehensive doctrines. The overlapping consensus in the EU is thus broken, but there are no conceptual reasons inherent to the rule of law itself for which it could not be rebuilt in the future.
Benchmark dose modeling for epidemiological dose–response assessment using prospective cohort studies
Authors: De Pretis Francesco , Zhou Yun , Xun Pengcheng , Shao Kan
Published: July 2023

Benchmark dose (BMD) methodology has been employed as a default dose–response modeling approach to determine the toxicity value of chemicals to support regulatory chemical risk assessment. Especially, a relatively standardized BMD analysis framework has been established for modeling toxicological data regarding the formats of input data, dose–response models, definitions of benchmark response, and model uncertainty consideration. However, the BMD approach has not been well developed for epidemiological data mainly because of the diverse designs of epidemiological studies and various formats of data reported in the literature. Although most of the epidemiological BMD analyses were developed to solve a particular question, the methods proposed in two recent studies are able to handle cohort and case–control studies using summary data with consideration of adjustments for confounders. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to investigate and compare the “effective count”‐based BMD modeling approach and adjusted relative risk (RR)‐based BMD analysis approach to identify an appropriate BMD modeling framework that can be generalized for analyzing published data of prospective cohort studies for BMD analysis. The two methods were applied to the same set of studies that investigated the association between bladder and lung cancer and inorganic arsenic exposure for BMD estimation. The results suggest that estimated BMDs and BMDLs are relatively consistent; however, with the consideration of established common practice in BMD analysis, modeling adjusted RR values as continuous data for BMD estimation is a more generalizable approach harmonized with the BMD approach using toxicological data.
“Spilling the tea” on generation Z social media use and body image
Authors: Kiefner‐Burmeister Allison , Domoff Sarah , Waltz Hayley , Jacobs Alli , Ramirez Clarissa , Heilman Claire C.
Published: July 2023

Over ninety percent of American teens and the majority of children have smartphones. As access to social media increases so does the growing concern for the psychological well‐being of today's youth. The current cross‐sectional study examined the media use, appearance pressure, and body image of 150 Midwestern American Generation Z (born in 1997–2012) youth. This study assessed media use by child‐report, parent‐report, and by gathering data directly from the child's smartphone. Results demonstrated that media use was higher in teens than children, but did not suggest strong gender differences. The data also showed the inconsistencies present in media use reporting, with parents overestimating the amount of time their children spend on phones. Media use was found to be unrelated to body image. Media pressure and social media integration into participants’ social routines were intercorrelated and higher in the older age groups than the younger ones. Media pressure and media use was found to be less gendered than expected, but greatly shifted with age. Time spent on social media may be less influential on body image than the content of the media being consumed.
Characterization of the novel HLA‐DPA1*02:115 allele by sequencing‐based typing
Authors: Blandin Lucie , Visentin Jonathan , Cargou Marine , Lemal Richard , Rouzaire Paul
Published: July 2023

HLA‐DPA1*02:115 differs from HLA‐DPA1*02:01:01:06 by one nucleotide substitution in codon 224 in exon 4.
Thromboelastographic results and hypercoagulability in dogs with surgically treated hepatocellular adenoma and carcinoma: A Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology prospective study
Authors: Fontes Gabrielle S. , Wavreille Vincent A. , Lapsley Janis M. , Cooper Edward S. , Guillaumin Julien , Selmic Laura E.
Published: July 2023

Background

The most common haemostatic abnormality in dogs with cancer is hypercoagulability. A transient hypercoagulability has been documented in people with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that resolves within weeks following hepatic tumour resection.

Objective

The objective was to compare the haemostatic status of dogs with liver tumours and healthy control dogs, by comparing coagulation and thromboelastography (TEG) measurements at three time points.

Methods

Liver tumour and healthy control dogs receiving surgery for liver lobectomy and ovariohysterectomy, respectively, were prospectively enrolled. All dogs had blood collected at three time points: pre‐operative, 24 h post‐operative and ~2 weeks post‐operative. Haematological and haemostatic values were compared across time points in each group using repeated measures ANOVA tests.

Results

Ten and eight dogs were enrolled for the liver and control groups, respectively. Platelet count was significantly higher in the liver group than the control group at all time points, but within the normal range (pre‐operative: 438.7 vs. 300.9 × 109/L, p = .0078; 24 h post‐operative: 416.2 vs. 283.9 × 109/L, p = .0123; 10–14 days post‐operative: 524.6 vs. 317.3 × 109/L, p = .0072). The measure of the overall coagulant state (G‐value) was significantly increased for the liver group compared to the control group at all time points (pre‐operative: 15.6 vs. 8.6 d/sc, p = .0003; 24 h post‐operative: 18.3 vs. 11.2 d/sc, p = .039; 10–14 days post‐operative: 15.1 vs. 9.6 d/sc, p = .015).

Conclusion

The liver group was hypercoagulable based on elevated G‐values at all time points compared to the control group. This hypercoagulability was attributed to the effect of hepatic tumours alone, and not secondary to surgery and anaesthesia.
Hydrodynamics of a Multisized Particle Mixture in Shallow Fluidized Bed With Immersed Tubes
Authors: Zheng Nan , Liu Huang , Huang Long , Fang Jiabin , Wei Jinjia
Published: July 2023

Inert solid particles have made the integration of more efficient power cycles with super high operating temperatures into the concentrated solar power (CSP) station feasible. Fluidized bed heat exchangers with feature of high heat transfer coefficient have great application potential in the particle-based CSP. However, the parasitic loads of the additional fluidizing gas loop and the finely sieved monosized particles may deteriorate the economic efficiency of the integrated system. In order to cope with this problem, a conceptual design of a shallow fluidized bed (SFB) heat exchanger is proposed for the new generation CSP technology. Fluidization characteristics of bauxite particles with a nonuniform particle size distribution in SFB with immersed tubes are investigated with a combination of experimental measurements and computational fluid dynamics simulations. Results show that the static bed height and opening area ratio of the distributor has insignificant influence on the range of semifluidized region and the minimum fluidization velocity Umf. The standard deviation of bed pressure drop σ in the grid region can be used as an alternative criterion for identifying the fluidization state. A range of superficial velocity that distinguishes two different solid circulation patterns exists, with its boundary values being four times and eight times the Umf, respectively. The immersed tubes can inhibit the asymmetric particle circulation patterns from developing in the SFB, but cause a substantial increase in the σ within the grid region.
Concurrent Engineering and the Virtual Factory: Developing Products With Supply Chains
Authors: Shina Sammy G. , Saigal Anil
Published: July 2023

Several recent developments have led to significant changes in the way new products are developed. The emphasis on core competency has resulted in having many companies discard their manufacturing capability, and hence becoming dependent on outside manufacturing suppliers. At the same time, the cost of acquiring expensive modern manufacturing equipment has become prohibitive, and the pace of new manufacturing technology has quickened, making companies reluctant to invest in their manufacturing plants lest they become obsolete in a short time. In addition, the advent of global competition for quality and cost has increased the need for new product design teams to incorporate early manufacturing feedback into the design of the products. The confluence of these issues have led to a set of unique problems and trends in modern industry. Manufacturing has become a worldwide commodity through the growth of contract manufacturing companies, which supply product companies with manufacturing expertise and capability. The companies’ relationships with product design teams is much more formal and subject to a contractual bidding process, without the benefits of detailed designs that can be bid on.

This paper addresses the conflicting issues raised above by identifying the changes required to the traditional methods of new product development and proposing a set of tools and metrics to address issues of manufacturing supplier selection, communications, cost, quality and capability in the new product development cycle. Methodologies and tools discussed in this paper include the modification of the product development process to include the contractors’ role in the timely execution of the project plans, the necessary identification of cost and quality for each manufacturing technology as well as volume level, and the clear understanding of the tradeoffs involved in the design and manufacturing process selection. In addition, the paper explores the issues of reduced manufacturing expertise within the parent company. As manufacturing becomes a world wide commodity, a good understanding of these issues is very important to the future survival of the manufacturing contracting enterprise. Contract manufacturers need to balance their investments in maintaining the technological edge in the manufacturing process, successfully bidding on their customers new products and clearly identifying their capabilities and levels of capacity, costs and quality without the risk of exposing their future strategy.
Using Near-Misses From Feature Recognition to Generate Redesign Suggestions for Increased Manufacturability
Authors: Hayes Caroline C. , Gaines Daniel M.
Published: July 2023

This paper presents a method for generating design alternatives aimed at making a mechanical part more manufacturable. The method is intended to be used in the context of a human-computer collaboration in which the computer suggests design alternatives and the designer decides which alternatives effectively meet his or her overall design goals. The mechanism presented in this work for producing design alternatives uses “near-misses” generated during the feature extraction process. Most approaches to suggestion generation produce design alternatives through use of library of alternatives. However, this is not a very general or flexible approach. The approach proposed in this paper offers a more general method that can replace the library method. Advantages include a more general mechanism for generating design alternatives, and generation of a broader variety of more contextually appropriate alternatives.
Estimating Coulomb and Viscous Friction From Free-Vibration Decrements
Authors: Liang J. W. , Feeny B. F.
Published: July 2023

This study introduces an algorithm for the simultaneous estimation of Coulomb and viscous damping effects from free-vibration decrements in a damped linear single degree-of-freedom (DOF) mass-spring system. Numerical and experimental estimations are included. The algorithm complements existing ideas for the estimation of either viscous or Coulomb as the sole damping source in a system. Analysis shows that both damping effects can indeed be separated. Numerical study of a combined-damping system demonstrates a perfect match between the simulation parameters and the estimated values. Experimental study includes two types of real systems. Experimental results illustrate the reliability of this method. An analysis provides conservative bounds on different estimations errors.
Heat Transfer Coefficients in Bubbly and Slug Flows Under Microgravity Conditions
Authors: Rezkallah Kamiel S. , Rite Raymond W.
Published: July 2023

Experimental local heat transfer data were collected onboard NASA’s KC-135 reduced gravity aircraft for two-phase, air-water flow in vertical, upward, co-current flow through a 9.53 mm circular tube. It was found that in the bubbly and slug flow regimes (surface tension dominated regimes), reduced gravity has a tendency to lower the heat transfer coefficient by up to 50% at the lowest gas qualities. As the gas quality is increased (transition to annular flow), the difference between the 1-g and μ-g heat transfer coefficients is much less significant. Empirical correlations were developed in terms of the pertinent dimensionless groups; namely the superficial liquid Reynolds number, the Froude number, the Graetz number and the Morton number. The correlations predicted the experimental data within 10–25%, depending on the flow regime and the superficial gas Weber number.
Numerical Simulations of Phase Change in Microgravity
Authors: Juric Damir , Tryggvason Grétar
Published: July 2023

Direct numerical simulations of liquid-solid and liquid-vapor phase change are conducted under microgravity conditions. The time-dependent governing equations are solved using a two-dimensional finite-difference/front-tracking method. Large interface deformations, topology change, latent heat, surface tension and unequal material properties between the phases are included in the simulations. Results are presented for two specific problems: directional solidification of a dilute binary alloy and the rapid evaporation of a superheated liquid (vapor explosion). For the directional solidification problem, solution of the fully coupled solute and energy equations reveals the evolution of morphologically complex structures such as tip splitting, coarsening and droplet detachment from deep intercellular grooves. A variety of important solute segregation patterns such as necking, coring and banding are also observed. The boiling problem couples the phase change with fluid flow. This requires the solution of the Navier-Stokes and energy equations with interphase mass transfer. The energetic growth of instabilities on planar and circular interfaces during the unstable explosive evaporation of a superheated liquid in microgravity is demonstrated.
Simulation of Temperature Profiles at the Superfluid to Normal-Fluid Interface in Helium-4 for Prediction of Temperature Measurement Accuracy
Authors: Hensinger David M. , Duncan Robert V. , Gianoulakis Stephen E.
Published: July 2023

The purpose of this work was to model the conditions in a test cell containing normal-fluid and superfluid helium-4 and to predict the accuracy of temperature measurements made on this system in the presence of non-ideal wall materials and probe geometries. A thermal model of helium-4 in the vicinity of its normal-fluid to superfluid transition temperature was used to calculate the temperature profiles within a helium-4 filled experimental test cell. Calculated temperature profiles were used to predict the temperature measurement accuracy which could be expected from a test cell and temperature probe design. The superfluid phase of helium-4 was represented as a highly-conductive, diffusive material to approximate a superconductor of heat. The thermal model included the influences of temperature, heat flux, and hydrostatic pressure on the properties of helium-4. The model was solved for quasi-static temperature profiles using a finite element method and employing a transformed and expanded temperature scale to allow resolution of nK/cm temperature gradients in the presence of a 2 K absolute temperature.