bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Framework DiKoLAN (Digital Competencies for Teaching in Science Education) as Basis for the Self-Assessment Tool DiKoLAN-Grid
Authors: Kotzebue Lena von , Meier Monique , Finger Alexander , Kremser Erik , Huwer Johannes , Thoms Lars-Jochen , Becker Sebastian , Bruckermann Till , Thyssen Christoph
Published: December 2021

For the planning and implementation of lessons with digital technologies, a subject-specific technology-related professional competence of teachers is of central importance. However, the competency frameworks developed so far remain in a general perspective and do not explicitly address subject-specific issues. Furthermore, digital competencies are predominantly measured with subject-unspecific self-assessment instruments, as subject-specific operationalizations for this area are not yet available in a differentiated form. In this article, the framework for Digital Competencies for Teaching in Science Education (DiKoLAN), a subject-specific framework for pre-service science teachers, is introduced, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, first results of a self-assessment tool based on the framework are described. DiKoLAN defines competency areas highly specific to science, as well as more general competency areas that include aspects common to all subjects. Each competency area is described by competency expectations, which, in turn, are structured with reference to the four technology-related dimensions of the TPACK framework (i.e., Technological and Pedagogical Content Knowledge) and three levels of performance (Name, Describe, Use/Apply). Derived from DiKoLAN, a corresponding self-assessment instrument (DiKoLAN-Grid) was developed and empirically tested for the two competency areas, (n = 118) and Information Search and Evaluation (n = 90), in biology student teachers. By means of path models, tendencies regarding structural correlations of the four components Special Tools (TK), Content-specific Context (TCK), Methods and Digitality (TPK), and Teaching (TPACK) are presented for both competency areas and discussed, as well as in comparison to previously conducted, subject-unspecific surveys.
Developing an Observation Tool to Measure Preschool Children’s Problem-Solving Skills
Authors: Anggoro Florencia K. , Dubosarsky Mia , Kabourek Sarah
Published: December 2021

In the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), problem-solving skills are part of science and engineering practices for K–12 students in the United States. Evaluating these skills for the youngest learners is difficult due to the lack of established measures. This paper reports on our process of developing an observation instrument to measure preschool children’s learning and their application of problem-solving skills, namely, the steps of the engineering design process (EDP). The instrument, Engineering Preschool Children Observation Tool (EPCOT), was intended to evaluate the frequencies of problem-solving behaviors and use of EDP-related vocabulary by observing preschoolers engaged with the Seeds of STEM eight-unit curriculum in the classroom. In this paper, we describe the development process and revision of EPCOT, its current constructs, and present descriptive findings from using the tool in a pilot study with sixteen classrooms: eight intervention classrooms who received the entire curriculum, and eight comparison classrooms who received only the eighth unit of the curriculum (to enable comparison). We found that, out of 34 possible behaviors across the problem-solving process, children in all classrooms engaged in 31 unique problem-solving behaviors, suggesting that preschool children are indeed capable of meaningfully engaging in solving problems. We also observed a trend that children who were exposed to more of the curriculum (the intervention group) produced more novel vocabulary words than those in the comparison group, who tended to repeat vocabulary words. Since EPCOT was developed in alignment with state and national standards, we believe it has the potential to be used with other early childhood engineering/problem-solving curricula.
Using Stochastic Computing for Virtual Screening Acceleration
Authors: Frasser Christiam F. , de Benito Carola , Skibinsky-Gitlin Erik S. , Canals Vincent , Font-Rosselló Joan , Roca Miquel , Ballester Pedro J. , Rosselló Josep L.
Published: December 2021

Stochastic computing is an emerging scientific field pushed by the need for developing high-performance artificial intelligence systems in hardware to quickly solve complex data processing problems. This is the case of virtual screening, a computational task aimed at searching across huge molecular databases for new drug leads. In this work, we show a classification framework in which molecules are described by an energy-based vector. This vector is then processed by an ultra-fast artificial neural network implemented through FPGA by using stochastic computing techniques. Compared to other previously published virtual screening methods, this proposal provides similar or higher accuracy, while it improves processing speed by about two or three orders of magnitude.
The Contribution of Machine Learning and Eye-Tracking Technology in Autism Spectrum Disorder Research: A Systematic Review
Authors: Kollias Konstantinos-Filippos , Syriopoulou-Delli Christine K. , Sarigiannidis Panagiotis , Fragulis George F.
Published: December 2021

Early and objective autism spectrum disorder (ASD) assessment, as well as early intervention are particularly important and may have long term benefits in the lives of ASD people. ASD assessment relies on subjective rather on objective criteria, whereas advances in research point to up-to-date procedures for early ASD assessment comprising eye-tracking technology, machine learning, as well as other assessment tools. This systematic review, the first to our knowledge of its kind, provides a comprehensive discussion of 30 studies irrespective of the stimuli/tasks and dataset used, the algorithms applied, the eye-tracking tools utilised and their goals. Evidence indicates that the combination of machine learning and eye-tracking technology could be considered a promising tool in autism research regarding early and objective diagnosis. Limitations and suggestions for future research are also presented.
Modeling the Impact of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure on Regional Energy Systems: Fields of Action for an Improved e-Mobility Integration
Authors: Husarek Dominik , Salapic Vjekoslav , Paulus Simon , Metzger Michael , Niessen Stefan
Published: December 2021

Since e-Mobility is on the rise worldwide, large charging infrastructure networks are required to satisfy the upcoming charging demand. Planning these networks not only involves different objectives from grid operators, drivers and Charging Station (CS) operators alike but it also underlies spatial and temporal uncertainties of the upcoming charging demand. Here, we aim at showing these uncertainties and assess different levers to enable the integration of e-Mobility. Therefore, we introduce an Agent-based model assessing regional charging demand and infrastructure networks with the interactions between charging infrastructure and electric vehicles. A global sensitivity analysis is applied to derive general guidelines for integrating e-Mobility effectively within a region by considering the grid impact, the economic viability and the Service Quality of the deployed Charging Infrastructure (SQCI). We show that an improved macro-economic framework should enable infrastructure investments across different types of locations such as public, highway and work to utilize cross-locational charging peak reduction effects. Since the height of the residential charging peak depends up to 18% on public charger availability, supporting public charging infrastructure investments especially in highly utilized power grid regions is recommended.
An Incentive-Based Implementation of Demand Side Management in Power Systems
Authors: Laitsos Vasileios M. , Bargiotas Dimitrios , Daskalopulu Aspassia , Arvanitidis Athanasios Ioannis , Tsoukalas Lefteri H.
Published: December 2021

The growing demand for electricity runs counter to European-level goals, which include activities aimed at sustainable development and environmental protection. In this context, efficient consumption of electricity attracts much research interest nowadays. One environment friendly solution to meet increased demand lies in the deployment of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in the network and in mobilizing the active participation of consumers in reducing the peak of demand, thus smoothing the overall load curve. This paper addresses the issue of efficient and economical use of electricity from the Demand Side Management (DSM) perspective and presents an implementation of a fully-parameterized and explicitly constrained incentive-based demand response program The program uses the Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm and demonstrates the potential advantages of integrating RES while supporting two-way communication between energy production and consumption and two-way power exchange between the main grid and the RES.
Mathematical Modeling of Urea Reaction with Sulfuric Acid and Phosphoric Acid to Produce Ammonium Sulfate and Ammonium Dihydrogen Phosphate Respectively
Authors: Beltrán-Prieto Juan Carlos , Kolomazník Karel
Published: December 2021

Urea is the final product of protein metabolism in mammals and can be found in different biological fluids. Use of mammalian urine in agricultural production as organic fertilizer requires safe handling to avoid the formation of ammonia that will decrease the fertilizer value due to the loss of nitrogen. Safe handling is also required to minimize the decomposition of urea into condensed products such as biuret and cyanuric acid, which will also have a negative impact on the potential sustainable production of crops and sanitation technologies. The study of thermodynamics and reaction kinetics of urea stabilization plays a key role in understanding the conditions under which undesirable compounds and impurities in urea-based fertilizers and urea-based selective catalytic reduction systems are formed. For this reason, we studied the reaction of urea in acid media to achieve urea stabilization by modeling the reaction of urea with sulfuric acid and phosphoric acid, and estimating the reaction enthalpy and adiabatic heat difference for control of the heat released from the neutralization step using Ca(OH)2 or MgO for the safety of the process. Numerical and simulation analyses were performed by studying the effect of the surrounding temperature, the ratio of acid reagent to urea concentration, the rate of addition, and the reaction rate to estimate the required time to achieve an optimum value of urea conversion into ammonium dihydrogen phosphate or ammonium sulfate as potential technological opportunities for by-product valorization. Full conversion of urea was achieved in about 10 h for reaction rates in the order of 1 × 10−5s−1 when the ratio of H2SO4 to CH4N2O was 1.5. When increasing the ratio to 10, the time required for full conversion was considerably reduced to 3 h.
How to Encourage Energy Savings Behaviours? The Most Effective Incentives from the Perspective of European Consumers
Authors: Słupik Sylwia , Kos-Łabędowicz Joanna , Trzęsiok Joanna
Published: December 2021

Ongoing climate change and increasing energy consumption are becoming a serious threat to international development efforts. To ensure a secure and sustainable future, local, national and regional authorities, as well as energy companies, need to be involved in improving energy efficiency and promoting rational energy use. The consumer is always at the centre of interest of policy and energy reduction strategies makers. It is their behaviour, motives and beliefs that can lead to optimised and economical energy management. This paper responds to the need to identify the individual preferences of energy consumers. The presented research fills an existing gap in the literature by analysing the strength of the influence of different types of instruments and external stimuli shaping pro-environmental attitudes of consumers of different behavioural types. The analysis presented in this paper is the result of the next stage of the authors’ research on energy consumers modelling, their segmentation and comprehensive characteristics. The analysis was conducted on a representative sample of N = 4332 respondents from 8 European countries (Czech Republic, France, Greece, Spain, Germany, Poland, Romania, and the United Kingdom). The study used multivariate statistical methods, such as: Correspondence Analysis, Factor Analysis and Kruskal-Wallis test. These methods are adequate to the assumptions of the research procedure and allowed for the identification of 4 latent factors that link the incentives into groups, where the motivation to save energy is based on: information (“Information and Knowledge”), social norms (“Social Influence”), investment funding (“Investments”) and energy price changes (“Energy Price”). In addition, the level of effectiveness of the studied incentives and motivators depends on the behavioural type of energy consumers and increases with rising levels of their intrinsic pro-environmental motivation.
Evaluation of Thermoelectric Generators under Mismatching Conditions
Authors: Sanin-Villa Daniel , Monsalve-Cifuentes Oscar D. , Henao-Bravo Elkin E.
Published: December 2021

Due to the wide usability of thermoelectric generators (TEG) in the industry and research fields, it is plausible that mismatching conditions are present on the thermal surfaces of a TEG device, which induces negative-performance effects due to uneven surface temperature distributions. For this reason, the objective of this study is to characterize numerically the open-circuit electric output voltage of a TEG device when a mismatching condition is applied to both the cold and hot sides of the selected N and P-type semiconductor material Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3. A validated numerical simulation paired with a parametric study is conducted using the Thermal-Electric module of ANSYS 2020 R1, for which different thermal boundary and mismatching conditions are applied while considering the temperature-dependent thermoelectrical properties of the N and P-type material. The results show an inverse relationship between the open-circuit voltage and the mismatching temperature difference. When a mismatching condition is applied on the hot side of the TEG device, the temperature-dependent electrical resistance has lower values, deriving in higher voltage results (linear tendency) compared to a mismatching condition applied to the cold side (non-linear tendency).
Maximum Electrical Power Extraction from Sources by Load Matching
Authors: Singer Sigmund , Efrati Shlomi , Alon Meir , Shmilovitz Doron
Published: December 2021

This paper describes the matching of various loads to sources (including nonlinear ones). The purpose of matching is to extract the maximum available power from the source. This has particular importance for renewable sources and energy-harvesting devices, in which unused energy is just wasted. The main innovations in this paper include (and followed by examples) simplified calculation of the matching parameter for a controllable load and matching by means of a family of power-conservative two-port networks, denoted POPI (Pin = Pout), such as transformers, gyrators, loss-free resistors (LFRs) and series LFRs (SLFRs). An additional innovation described in this paper is a new, simplified model of an HF power amplifier based on the series LFR concept. This model predicts that the efficiency of the HF power amplifier operated under the matched-mode condition can significantly exceed the 50% efficiency limit that is predicted by the conventional model. As HF power amplifiers drive antennas in transmission and some wireless power transfer (which uses radiative techniques) systems, it is clear that the operation of such systems in the matched-mode condition is not restricted to a 50% efficiency limit.
Adaptation to EUTR Requirements: Insights from Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia
Authors: Radosavljević Maja , Masiero Mauro , Rogelja Todora , Glavonjić Branko
Published: December 2021

Eight years after the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) came into force, its effectiveness is still unsatisfactory due to deficient and uneven implementation among member states. In addition, some Western Balkan countries have poor legality monitoring systems, increasing the risk of trade in illegally harvested timber. Regardless of this, no recent work has analyzed the adaptation of national forest policies to the EUTR obligations. Our study aims to contribute to the understanding of EUTR implementation by analyzing the adaptation of policies of the Western Balkan countries (Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia) to the EUTR. Qualitative content analysis was conducted on 22 policy documents from Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia. Documents were coded using coding categories derived from EUTR. Our results point out that none of the analyzed countries have a policy to directly address illegal logging or prevention of illegal activities. As EU members, Slovenia and Croatia has implemented EUTR through laws. The Slovenian Forest Act addresses all EUTR obligations, while Croatian Law on EUTR Implementation does not directly address the obligation of legality. This obligation is addressed by the Law on Forests. As Serbia is not an EU member, it did not implement EUTR. Nevertheless, Serbian Law on Forests addresses all EUTR obligations, but has some discrepancies regarding Traceability obligation. With ongoing discourses on Green Deal policies and the increasing focus on “deforestation-free” commodities, stricter implementation might be expected of EUTR at EU level. Most countries would probably have to build capacities for EUTR implementation and become more transparent and responsible concerning information availability. To successfully implement EUTR, an increased number of checks as well as stricter fines will be needed.
Response of Spatio-Temporal Differentiation Characteristics of Habitat Quality to Land Surface Temperature in a Fast Urbanized City
Authors: Hu Yongge , Xu Enkai , Kim Gunwoo , Liu Chang , Tian Guohang
Published: December 2021

The degradation and loss of global urban habitat and biodiversity have been extensively studied as a global issue. Urban heat islands caused by abnormal land surface temperature (LST) have been shown to be the main reason for this problem. With the accelerated urbanization process and the increasing possibility of abnormal temperatures in Zhengzhou, China, more and more creatures cannot adapt and survive in urban habitats, including humans; therefore, Zhengzhou was selected as the study area. The purpose of this study is to explore the response of urban habitat quality to LST, which provides a basis for the scientific protection of urban habitat and biodiversity in Zhengzhou from the perspective of alleviating heat island effect. We used the InVEST-Habitat Quality model to calculate the urban habitat quality, combined with GIS spatial statistics and bivariate spatial autocorrelation analysis, to explore the response of habitat quality to LST. The results show the following: (1) From 2000 to 2015, the mean value of urban habitat quality gradually decreased from 0.361 to 0.304, showing a downward trend as a whole. (2) There was an obvious gradient effect between habitat quality and LST. Habitat quality’s high values were distributed in the central and northern built-up area and low values were distributed in the high-altitude western forest habitat and northern water habitat. However, the distribution of LST gradient values were opposite to the habitat quality to a great extent. (3) There were four agglomeration types between LST and habitat quality at specific spatial locations: the high-high type was scattered mainly in the western part of the study area and in the northern region; the high-low type was mainly distributed in the densely populated and actively constructed central areas; the low-low type was mainly distributed in the urban-rural intersections and small and medium-sized rural settlements; and the low-high type was mainly distributed in the western mountainous hills and the northern waters.
Cross-Cultural Leadership Enables Collaborative Approaches to Management of Kauri Dieback in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: Hill Lee , Ashby Edward , Waipara Nick , Taua-Gordon Robin , Gordon Aleesha , Hjelm Fredrik , Bellgard Stanley E. , Bodley Emma , Jesson Linley K.
Published: December 2021

In Aotearoa/New Zealand, the soilborne pathogen Phytophthora agathidicida threatens the survival of the iconic kauri, and the ecosystem it supports. In 2011, a surveillance project to identify areas of kauri dieback caused by Phytophthora agathidicida within the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park (WRRP) highlighted the potential impact of the pathogen. A repeat of the surveillance in 2015/16 identified that approximately a quarter of the kauri area within the Regional Park was infected or possibly infected, an increase from previous surveys. The surveillance program mapped 344 distinct kauri areas and showed that 33.4% of the total kauri areas were affected or potentially affected by kauri dieback and over half (58.3%) of the substantial kauri areas (above 5 ha in size) were showing symptoms of kauri dieback. Proximity analysis showed 71% of kauri dieback zones to be within 50 m of the track network. Spatial analysis showed significantly higher proportions of disease presence along the track network compared to randomly generated theoretical track networks. Results suggest that human interaction is assisting the transfer of Phytophthora agathidicida within the area. The surveillance helped trigger the declaration of a cultural ban (rāhui) on recreational access. Te Kawerau ā Maki, the iwi of the area, placed a rāhui over the kauri forest eco-system of the Waitākere Forest (Te Wao Nui o Tiriwa) in December 2017. The purpose of the rāhui was to help prevent the anthropogenic spread of kauri dieback, to provide time for investment to be made into a degraded forest infrastructure and for research to be undertaken, and to help protect and support forest health (a concept encapsulated by the term mauri). Managing the spread and impact of the pathogen remains an urgent priority for this foundation species in the face of increasing pressures for recreational access. Complimentary quantitative and qualitative research programs into track utilization and ecologically sensitive design, collection of whakapapa seed from healthy and dying trees, and remedial phosphite treatments are part of the cross-cultural and community-enabled biosecurity initiatives to Kia Toitu He Kauri “Keep Kauri Standing”.
Water Availability Controls the Biomass Increment of Melia dubia in South India
Authors: Röll Alexander , Ramesha Mundre N. , Link Roman M. , Hertel Dietrich , Schuldt Bernhard , Patil Shekhargouda L. , Hölscher Dirk
Published: December 2021

Farmland tree cultivation is considered an important option for enhancing wood production. In South India, the native leaf-deciduous tree species Melia dubia is popular for short-rotation plantations. Across a rainfall gradient from 420 to 2170 mm year–1, we studied 186 farmland woodlots between one and nine years in age. The objectives were to identify the main factors controlling aboveground biomass (AGB) and growth rates. A power-law growth model predicts an average stand-level AGB of 93.8 Mg ha–1 for nine-year-old woodlots. The resulting average annual AGB increment over the length of the rotation cycle is 10.4 Mg ha–1 year–1, which falls within the range reported for other tropical tree plantations. When expressing the parameters of the growth model as functions of management, climate and soil variables, it explains 65% of the variance in AGB. The results indicate that water availability is the main driver of the growth of M. dubia. Compared to the effects of water availability, the effects of soil nutrients are 26% to 60% smaller. We conclude that because of its high biomass accumulation rates in farm forestry, M. dubia is a promising candidate for short-rotation plantations in South India and beyond.
Effect of Initial Planting Density on Growth Traits and Wood Properties of Triploid Chinese White Poplar (Populus tometosa) Plantation
Authors: Sang Yaru , Gao Peng , Kang Xiangyang , Zhang Pingdong
Published: December 2021

Planting density primarily affects the yield and wood quality of plantations. There are multiple reports on the effects of planting density on growth traits and wood properties in young triploid Chinese white poplar (Populus tomentosa) plantations. Nevertheless, assessment of the effects of initial planting density is lacking for plantations older than ten years. Here, an 11-year-old plant density trial (2490, 1665, 1110, 832, 624, 499, and 416 trees/hm2) established with four hybrid clones (S86, B301, B331 and 1316) in northern China was used to determine the effect of initial planting density on growth traits (diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height (H), stem volume (SV) and stand wood volume (SWV)), basic wood density (BWD), and fiber properties (fiber length (FL), fiber width (FW), and the ratio of fiber length to width (FL/FW)). A total of 84 trees from four clones were sampled. In this study, the initial planting density had a highly significant effect on growth traits (p < 0.001) and had a moderate effect on FL. Overall, the reduction in initial planting density led to the increase in DBH, H, SV, and FL/FW. Triploid hybrid clones planted at 416 trees/hm2 had the largest DBH, H, SV, FL/FW and the smallest SWV and FW. Clonal effects were also significant (p < 0.05) for all studied traits except for FL. Clone S86 had a higher growth rate and the largest BWD and FW. Clones–initial planting densities interaction was insignificant for all growth traits and wood properties. A weak and positive estimated correlation between BWD and growth traits (H, SV, SWV) within each planting density was seen. Our results demonstrate that an appropriate reduction in initial density in triploid Chinese white poplar plantations with long rotation is a suitable strategy to promote tree growth and retain excellent wood processing characteristics.
Multidimensional Dominance Drawings and Their Applications
Authors: Ortali Giacomo , Tollis Ioannis G.
Published: December 2021

In a dominance drawing Γ of a directed acyclic graph (DAG) G, a vertex v is reachable from a vertex u if, and only if all the coordinates of v are greater than or equal to the coordinates of u in Γ. Dominance drawings of DAGs are very important in many areas of research. They combine the aspect of drawing a DAG on the grid with the fact that the transitive closure of the DAG is apparently obvious by the dominance relation between grid points associated with the vertices. The smallest number d for which a given DAG G has a d-dimensional dominance drawing is called dominance drawing dimension, and it is NP-hard to compute. In this paper, we present efficient algorithms for computing dominance drawings of G with a number of dimensions respecting theoretical bounds. We first describe a simple algorithm that shows how to compute a dominance drawing of G from its compressed transitive closure. Next, we describe a more complicated algorithm, which is based on the concept of modular decomposition of G, and obtaining dominance drawings with a lower number of dimensions. Finally, we consider the concept of weak dominance, a relaxed version of the dominance, and we discuss interesting experimental results.
Hot Spots Drift in Synchronous and Asynchronous Polars: Results of Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation
Authors: Bisikalo Dmitry , Sobolev Andrey , Zhilkin Andrey
Published: December 2021

In this paper, the characteristics of hot spots on an accretor surface are investigated for two types of polars: the eclipsing synchronous polar V808 Aur and the non-eclipsing asynchronous polar CD Ind in configuration of an offset and non-offset magnetic dipole. The drift of hot spots is analyzed based on the results of numerical calculations and maps of the temperature distribution over the accretor surface. It is shown that a noticeable displacement of the spots is determined by the ratio of ballistic and magnetic parts of the jet trajectory. In the synchronous polar, the dominant influence on the drift of hot spots is exerted by variations in the mass transfer rate, which entail a change in the ballistic part of the trajectory. It was found that when the mass transfer rate changes within the range of 10−10M⊙/year to 10−7M⊙/year, the displacement of the hot spot in latitude and longitude can reach 30∘. In the asynchronous polar, a change in the position of hot spots is mainly defined by the properties of the white dwarf magnetosphere, and the displacement of hot spots in latitude and longitude can reach 20∘.
Defining the Influence of the A12.2 Subunit on Transcription Elongation and Termination by RNA Polymerase I In Vivo
Authors: Clarke Andrew M. , Huffines Abigail K. , Edwards Yvonne J. K. , Petit Chad M. , Schneider David A.
Published: December 2021

Saccharomyces cerevisiae has approximately 200 copies of the 35S rDNA gene, arranged tandemly on chromosome XII. This gene is transcribed by RNA polymerase I (Pol I) and the 35S rRNA transcript is processed to produce three of the four rRNAs required for ribosome biogenesis. An intergenic spacer (IGS) separates each copy of the 35S gene and contains the 5S rDNA gene, the origin of DNA replication, and the promoter for the adjacent 35S gene. Pol I is a 14-subunit enzyme responsible for the majority of rRNA synthesis, thereby sustaining normal cellular function and growth. The A12.2 subunit of Pol I plays a crucial role in cleavage, termination, and nucleotide addition during transcription. Deletion of this subunit causes alteration of nucleotide addition kinetics and read-through of transcription termination sites. To interrogate both of these phenomena, we performed native elongating transcript sequencing (NET-seq) with an rpa12Δ strain of S. cerevisiae and evaluated the resultant change in Pol I occupancy across the 35S gene and the IGS. Compared to wild-type (WT), we observed template sequence-specific changes in Pol I occupancy throughout the 35S gene. We also observed rpa12Δ Pol I occupancy downstream of both termination sites and throughout most of the IGS, including the 5S gene. Relative occupancy of rpa12Δ Pol I increased upstream of the promoter-proximal Reb1 binding site and dropped significantly downstream, implicating this site as a third terminator for Pol I transcription. Collectively, these high-resolution results indicate that the A12.2 subunit of Pol I plays an important role in transcription elongation and termination.
Importance of the Spatial Distribution of Rare Earth Elements in the Bottom Sediments of Reservoirs as a Potential Proxy for Tracing Sediments Sources. A Case Study in the Dominican Republic
Authors: Fonseca Rita , Araújo Joana Fonseca , Pinho Catarina Gomes
Published: December 2021

The geochemical composition of rare earth elements (REE) in the bottom sediments of two Dominican reservoirs and in soils from their catchments was studied to identify possible sources of the deposited materials. Knowledge of the origin of the sediments will serve to control the excessive rates of erosion and sedimentation that occur annually due to periodic extreme climatic events that promote excessive silting of the lakes, followed by loss of storage capacity and degradation of water quality. The REE contents of sediments and soils were normalized to the North American Shale Composite (NASC) and the ratio of light/heavy rare earths (LREE/HREE ratio), Ce and Eu anomalies, and some fractionation parameters were determined. The REE patterns are more homogeneous in the sediments, indicating uniform sedimentation in both deposits. The sediment data reflect depletion of REE from the sources, enrichment of light REE (LREE) and some middle REE (MREE), and positive Eu and Ce anomalies. All data were plotted in correlation diagrams between some fractionation parameters of light–middle–heavy REE and anomalies of Ce and Eu. The similarity of the ratios between these parameters in all samples and the overlap of data from soils and rocks on the sediment projection in the diagrams allowed a good discrimination of the main sources of the materials.
Beach Deployment of a Low-Cost GNSS Buoy for Determining Sea-Level and Wave Characteristics
Authors: Knight Philip J. , Bird Cai O. , Sinclair Alex , Higham Jonathan , Plater Andrew J.
Published: December 2021

Spatially explicit data on tidal and waves are required as part of coastal monitoring applications (e.g., radar monitoring of coastal change) for the design of interventions to mitigate the impacts of climate change. A deployment over two tidal cycles of a low-cost Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) buoy at Rossall (near Fleetwood), UK demonstrated the potential to record good quality sea level and wave data within the intertidal zone. During each slack water and the following ebb tide, the sea level data were of good quality and comparable with data from nearby tide gauges on the national tide gauge network. Moreover, the GNSS receiver was able to capture wave information and these compared well with data from a commercial wave buoy situated 9.5 km offshore. Discontinuities were observed in the elevation data during flood tide, coincident with high accelerations and losing satellite signal lock. These were probably due to strong tidal currents, which, combined with spilling waves, would put the mooring line under tension and allow white water to spill over the antenna resulting in the periodic loss of GNSS signals, hence degrading the vertical solutions.
Production Technology of Glazed Pottery in Chalcis, Euboea, during the Middle Byzantine Period
Authors: Panagopoulou Adamantia , Vroom Joanita , Hein Anno , Kilikoglou Vassilis
Published: December 2021

This paper focuses on various categories of glazed pottery, which were in circulation in western Euboea (Greece) during the Middle Byzantine and Late Byzantine periods. The production technology and particularly the surface treatment of Byzantine glazed pottery have been investigated on the basis of 56 ceramic fragments from a rescue excavation in Orionos street in Chalkis, Euboea. This paper focuses on the manufacture of glazed pottery within the local pottery repertoire of Chalkis, while trying to contextualise the pottery typology and to consider the issues of technology. The chemical analysis by non-invasive energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) provided information about the compositional variation of the examined glazed ceramics assemblage. Moreover, sections of the samples were examined by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in order to determine the microstructure of the samples, as well as the vitrification and the porosity of the ceramic body. Finally, X-ray diffraction (XRD) was applied for qualitative mineralogical analysis indicating presence or absence of high temperature phases and information about firing conditions.
Assessing the Impact of (Self)-Quarantine through a Basic Model of Infectious Disease Dynamics
Authors: Farkas József Z. , Chatzopoulos Roxane
Published: December 2021

We introduce a system of differential equations to assess the impact of (self-)quarantine of symptomatic infectious individuals on disease dynamics. To this end we depart from using the classic bilinear infection process, but remain within the framework of the mass-action assumption. From the mathematical point of view, the model we propose is interesting due to the lack of continuous differentiability at disease-free steady states, which implies that the basic reproductive number cannot be computed following established mathematical approaches for certain parameter values. However, we parametrise our mathematical model using published values from the COVID-19 literature, and analyse the model simulations. We also contrast model simulations against publicly available COVID-19 test data, focusing on the first wave of the pandemic during March–July 2020 in the UK. Our simulations indicate that actual peak case numbers might have been as much as 200 times higher than the reported positive test cases during the first wave in the UK. We find that very strong adherence to self-quarantine rules yields (only) a reduction of 22% of peak numbers and delays the onset of the peak by approximately 30–35 days. However, during the early phase of the outbreak, the impact of (self)-quarantine is much more significant. We also take into account the effect of a national lockdown in a simplistic way by reducing the effective susceptible population size. We find that, in case of a 90% reduction of the effective susceptible population size, strong adherence to self-quarantine still only yields a 25% reduction of peak infectious numbers when compared to low adherence. This is due to the significant number of asymptomatic infectious individuals in the population.
SARS-CoV-2 and the Immune Response in Pregnancy with Delta Variant Considerations
Authors: Rangchaikul Patrida , Venketaraman Vishwanath
Published: December 2021

As of September 2021, there has been a total of 123,633 confirmed cases of pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection in the US according to the CDC, with maternal death being 2.85 times more likely, pre-eclampsia 1.33 times more likely, preterm birth 1.47 times more likely, still birth 2.84 times more likely, and NICU admission 4.89 times more likely when compared to pregnant women without COVID-19 infection. In our literature review, we have identified eight key changes in the immunological functioning of the pregnant body that may predispose the pregnant patient to both a greater susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2, as well as a more severe disease course. Factors that may impede immune clearance of SARS-CoV-2 include decreased levels of natural killer (NK) cells, Th1 CD4+ T cells, plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC), a decreased phagocytic index of neutrophil granulocytes and monocytes, as well as the immunomodulatory properties of progesterone, which is elevated in pregnancy. Factors that may exacerbate SARS-CoV-2 morbidity through hyperinflammatory states include increases in the complement system, which are linked to greater lung injury, as well as increases in TLR-1 and TLR-7, which are known to bind to the virus, leading to increased proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α, which are already elevated in normal pregnant physiology. Other considerations include an increase in angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in the maternal circulation, leading to increased viral binding on the host cell, as well as increased IL-6 and decreased regulatory T cells in pre-eclampsia. We also focus on how the Delta variant has had a concerning impact on SARS-CoV-2 cases in pregnancy, with an increased case volume and proportion of ICU admissions among the infected expecting mothers. We propose that the effects of the Delta variant are due to a combination of (1) the Delta variant itself being more transmissible, contagious, and efficient at infecting host cells, (2) initial evidence pointing to the Delta variant causing a significantly greater viral load that accumulates more rapidly in the respiratory system, (3) the pregnancy state being more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, as discussed in-depth, and (4) the lower rates of vaccination in pregnant women compared to the general population. In the face of continually evolving strains and the relatively low awareness of COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women, it is imperative that we continue to push for global vaccine equity.
On-Line Control of Feast/Famine Cycles to Improve PHB Accumulation during Cultivation of Mixed Microbial Cultures in Sequential Batch Reactors
Authors: Cabrera Francisco , Torres-Aravena Álvaro , Pinto-Ibieta Fernanda , Campos José Luis , Jeison David
Published: December 2021

Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) has generated great interest as building blocks for bioplastic production. Their production using mixed microbial cultures represents an interesting alternative, since it enables the use of organic wastes as a carbon source. Feast/famine strategy is a common way to promote selection of microorganisms with PHA accumulation capacity. However, when using waste sources, changes in substrate concentration are expected, that may affect performance and efficiency of the process. This study showed how the dissolved oxygen level can be used for online control of the cycle time, ensuring that the desired feast/famine ratio is effectively applied. An operation strategy is presented and validated, using sequential batch reactors fed with acetate as the carbon source. Production of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) was studied, which is the expected type of PHA to be synthetized when using acetate as substrate. Two reactors were operated by applying the proposed control strategy, to provide F/F ratios of 0.2 and 0.6, respectively. A third reactor was operated with a fixed cycle time, for comparison purposes. Results showed that the reactor that operated at an F/F ratio of 0.6 promoted higher biomass productivity and PHB content, as a result of a better use of available time, preventing unnecessary long famine times. The application of the tested strategy is a simple a reliable way to promote a better performance of feast/famine-based bioreactors involving mixed microbial cultures for PHB production.
Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training on Quality of Life, Sleep Quality, Exercise Motivation and Enjoyment in Sedentary People with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Alarcón-Gómez Jesús , Chulvi-Medrano Iván , Martin-Rivera Fernando , Calatayud Joaquín
Published: December 2021

(1) Background: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) people’s health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is affected by glycemic control. Regular exercise is strongly recommended to these patients due to its cardiovascular and metabolic benefits. However, a large percentage of patients with T1DM people present a sedentary behavior because of the fear of a post-exercise hypoglycemia event, lack of time, lack of motivation and the complicated management of exercise, glycemic and insulin dose interaction. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an efficient and safe methodology since it prevents hypoglycemia and does not require much time, which are the main barriers for this population to doing exercise and increasing physical conditioning. (2) Methods: Nineteen sedentary adults (37 ± 6.5 years) with T1DM, were randomly assigned to 6 weeks of either HIIT (12-16-20 × 30-s intervals interspersed with 1-min rest periods) performed thrice weekly, or to the control group, which did not train. HRQoL, sleep quality, exercise motivation and enjoyment were measured as psychological variables. (4) Results: HRQoL improved in physical and social domains, PF (1.9%); PR (80.3%); GH (16.6); SF (34.1%). Sleep quality improved in the HIIT group by 21.4%. Enjoyment improved by 7% and intrinsic motivation was increased by 13%. (5) Conclusions: We suggest that the 6-week HIIT program used in the present study is safe, since no severe hypoglycemia were reported, and an effective strategy in improving HRQoL, sleep quality, exercise motivation and enjoyment which are important psychological well-being factors in T1DM people.
Agricultural Migrants’ Health and Ability to Access Care: A Case Study in Southern Italy
Authors: Lamberti-Castronuovo Alessandro , Pine Jeremy A. , Brogiato Giorgio , Kinkel Hans-Friedemann
Published: December 2021

Although a large amount of research exists about migration into the European Union (EU) and the role of migrants in European society, relatively little information is available on the health status of migrants after arriving in the EU. This is particularly true in the case of the most marginalised migrants, migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, who work as itinerant laborers harvesting fruits and vegetables in southern Italy. This study analyzes demographic and health data gathered by a non-governmental organization-run primary healthcare clinic in order to understand the challenges these migrants face when trying to maintain their health. Results show that their health suffers greatly due to substandard living and working conditions, partially due to the fact that these individuals experience many barriers when trying to access care from the national health system. The health status of this population cannot improve without broad reforms to the welfare system and the agricultural sector. Government action is needed to ensure that such individuals are not denied their basic human rights and freedoms, including the right to health.
The Effect of Differential Repeated Sprint Training on Physical Performance in Female Basketball Players: A Pilot Study
Authors: Arede Jorge , Poureghbali Sogand , Freitas Tomás , Fernandes John , Schöllhorn Wolfgang I. , Leite Nuno
Published: December 2021

This pilot study aimed to determine the effects of differential learning in sprint running with and without changes of direction (COD) on physical performance parameters in female basketball players and to determine the feasibility of the training protocol. Nine female basketball players completed 4 weeks of repeated sprint training (RST) with (COD, n = 4) or without (NCOD, n = 5) changes of direction. A battery of sprints (0–10 and 0–25 m), vertical jumps (counter movement jump (CMJ), drop jump, and single-leg CMJs), and COD tests were conducted before and after intervention. NCOD completed two sets of ten sprints of 20 m, whereas COD performed 20 m sprints with a 180 degree turn at 10 m, returning to the starting line. Before each sprint, participants were instructed to provide different fluctuations (i.e., differential learning) in terms of varying the sprint. Both groups had 30 s of passive recovery between two sprints and 3 min between sets. A significant effect of time for the 0–10 m sprint, CMJ, and single leg-CMJ asymmetries were observed. Adding “erroneous” fluctuation during RST seems to be a suitable and feasible strategy for coaches to enhance physical performance in young female basketball players. However, further studies including larger samples and controlled designs are recommended to strengthen present findings.