bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A generic streaming data acquisition system for high-energy physics experiments
Authors: Wang T. , Yang J. , Sun Z. , Zhang L. , Song K.
Published: March 2022

The data acquisition system is a vital component in the high-energy physics experiment. To reduce redundant developments and allow for a fast setup under changing conditions, D-Matrix has been developed as an integrative solution in digital signal domain, including the hardware infrastructure and the data handling logical system. Its philosophy is to abstract different tasks in the data processing and encapsulate them as reusable modules with standard inter-module connectors. Furthermore, D-Matrix builds a unified model to integrate software and hardware design so that the system can be built from a global view. D-Matrix will be used in ion cooler-storage-ring external-target experiments. It aims at the research of phase structure of cold and high baryon density nuclear matter and the equation of states of cold asymmetric nuclear matter at supra-saturation densities. This DAQ can also be used in other high-energy physics experiments with little modifications. This paper presents the architecture and some details of the D-Matrix.
Recent rainfall conditions in the Congo Basin
Authors: Nicholson Sharon E , Klotter Douglas A , Zhou Liming , Hua Wenjian
Published: March 2022

In the Congo Basin, a drying trend in the April–May–June rains prevailed between 1979 and 2014, accompanied by a decline in forest productivity. This article examines the subsequent years, in order to determine whether rainfall conditions have improved and to examine meteorological factors governing conditions in those years. It is shown that a wetter period, comparable to that of 1979–1993, spanned the years 2016–2020. However, the meteorological factors responsible for the wetter conditions appear to be significantly different from those related to the earlier wet period. The wetter conditions of 1979–1993 were associated with changes in the tropical Walker circulation, in moisture flux and flux divergence, and in Pacific sea-surface temperatures (SST), namely a warmer central and eastern Pacific and a cooler western Pacific, compared to the dry phase in 2000–2014. This resulted in a lower-than-average trans-Pacific SST gradient. In contrast, SSTs were almost ubiquitously higher in the 2016–2020 period than in either prior period. However, there was some reduction in the trans-Pacific gradient. The Walker circulation and moisture flux/flux divergence were not factors in this episode. The major factors provoking the return to wetter years appear to be an increase in convective available potential energy and in total column water vapor. This could be related to the general warming of the oceans and land.
Economic incentives modify agricultural impacts of nuclear war
Authors: Hochman Gal , Zhang Hainan , Xia Lili , Robock Alan , Saketh Aleti , van der Mensbrugghe Dominique Y , Jägermeyr Jonas
Published: March 2022

A nuclear war using less than 1% of the current global nuclear arsenal, which would inject 5 Tg of soot into the stratosphere, could produce climate change unprecedented in recorded human history and significant impacts on agricultural productivity and the economy. These effects would be most severe for the first five years after the nuclear war and may last for more than a decade. This paper calculates how food availability would change by employing the Environmental Impact and Sustainability Applied General Equilibrium model. Under a robust world trading system, global food availability would drop by a few percentage points. If the war would destabilize trade, it would magnify by several times the negative ramifications of land productivity shocks on food availability. If exporting countries redirect production to domestic consumption at the expense of importing countries, it would lead to the destabilization of international trade. The analysis suggests that economic models aiming to inform policymakers require both economic behavior analysis and biophysical drivers. Policy lessons derived from a crop model can be significantly nuanced when coupled with economic feedback derived from economic models. Through the impact on yield, farmers could shift production among crops and reallocate land use to maximize profits, showing the importance of general equilibrium effects such as product and input substitution and international trade. Although the global impact on corn and soybean production would be significant when just considering crop production, it could be considerably smaller under the economic model. However, this would be at the expense of other sectors, including livestock. In addition, the costs borne from disruptions to climate would vary significantly across regions, with significant adverse effects in high latitude regions. The severity of the shocks in the high-latitude areas would marginalize the farmers’ product and input substitution ability.
Designing of Higher-Order Series-Parallel resonant converter with improved ZVS under variable source condition for constant DC-bus System
Authors: Sharma Shivam , Kaur Gagandeep , Sharma Naveen K.
Published: March 2022

Every Renewable based energy source requires an additional buffer unit to deliver power to either a standalone system or a grid system. Most of the time unit buffer either provides constant voltage DC-power or AC-power. Higher efficiency in the conversion process can only be achieved if ongoing losses of the buffer system are low. Square sine control approach for Higher-Order Series-Parallel resonant DC-DC Converter is presented in the paper which provides excellent results in both highly and lightly loaded conditions. This control also provides stable bandwidth for input voltage source acceptance which is mostly to be considered as a PV-based source. The strategy also enhances the reliability of the converter by providing a stable and most delightful way of soft switching triggering so as to maintain the output voltage by un-affecting the switching cycle of the Solid-State Semi-conducting Device (SSSD). Selection for the components used in converter design was also studied with a susceptive case study. Further to this control for the entire converter unit is maintained to single variable control so as to reduce the complexity of the system and enhance efficiency. The simulated results of the programmable single variable square sine-wave control is presented for the higher-order resonant converter operating under variable input condition.
A Critical Review of Coating on AISI 1045 Steel Substrate by High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF)
Authors: Alam Md Sarfaraz , Das Anil Kumar
Published: March 2022

Coating of surface is a cost-effective way to make materials, equipment, and machine components with desired surface characteristics including high hardness, resistance against erosion, wear and corrosion. To obtain the necessary characteristics, several coatings are employed. The surface characteristic of the AISI1045 steel is not optimum, despite its desired strength, resistance against wear, hardness or corrosion. Thermal spraying is currently a leading way in which materials are avoided for days to wear abrasively, corrosion at high temperatures, erosive wear and stress because of increased material life in use. Spraying using high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) is a kind of thermal spraying noted for its resistance against wear, micro-hardness and thick micro structured coatings. The aim of this review paper is to provide a state-of-the-art about the research done by various scholars to improve physical, mechanical, wear, erosion and corrosion characteristics of AISI 1045 by the application of different or combination of coating powders utilising the HVOF Spray method.
A Review on Electrical and Electronics Part of 3D Printer
Authors: Kiranlal S , Brathikan V M , Anandh B , Vikash S
Published: March 2022

3D printing is one of the additive manufacturing technologies in the everyday field where three-dimensional objects are created by laying down successive layers. The electrical parts hold nearly 80% process of the printer. The major electrical components are the controller, motor, sensors, and extruders. In present years, FDM technology (Fused Deposition Modelling) is one of the most widely used 3D printers. This paper will give detailed information on the electrical and electronic parts of the 3D printer and its types. It gives the information of each controller with the respective data. The division of each electrical part in a printer is analyzed.
Design and implementation of RESTFUL API based model for vulnerability detection and mitigation
Authors: Modi Bhavya , Chourasia Uday , Pandey Rajeev
Published: March 2022

With the rapid rise of online applications in the contemporary digital world, security concerns are also developing day by day. A web application is a collection of several web pages that are kept on a server. It is stated that as the economy grows, so will the security risks. There are numerous current web vulnerabilities that are still a significant concern, and with time, there will be much more new vulnerability that emerges as technology advances. In this paper, There is a detailed study of various web threats i.e., vulnerabilities that are emerging and proposed a system which detects those vulnerabilities, resolves them for the user and generates a user log for the administrator to monitor the type of vulnerabilities. In the proposed model we have generated the system in the format of API. In the testing phase we’ve detected various web vulnerabilities such as SQL Injections, Cross Site Scripting, Session Hijacking, Unauthorized access, Middle man attack etc.
Machining of Polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) bone cement-based nanocomposite using Combined compromise solution (CoCoSo) theory
Authors: Vidyasagar Virat Mani , Kumar Kuldeep , Dubey Umang , Kesarwani Shivi , Verma Rajesh Kumar
Published: March 2022

Polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) bone cement has become an effective biomaterial in orthopedic applications due to its outstanding biocompatibility and mechanical properties. A machining test is essential required while using PMMA bone cement nanocomposite in implant applications. Drilling on the prosthetic product is mainly needed when using PMMA to insert bolts for safety and fixation in the human body. The drilling on bone cement-based prostheses is the most often used machining method during bone-grafting and implant interface surgical procedures. Henceforth, this article focus on the relatively new Combined compromise solution (CoCoSo) theory to study the influence of varying process variables on the drilling performance of Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNP) infused PMMA bone cement nanocomposites. The control of process constraints, namely, GNP weight percentage (Wt.%), spindle speed (SPEED), and drill bit tool material (TOOL) such as HSS, Carbide, and TiAlN, is mainly done to achieve the desired value of Surface roughness (SR) and Material removal rate (MRR) during the drilling experimentation. Using the CoCoSo technique, the optimum setting was attained as Wt.% = 4, SPEED = 1428 rpm, and a Carbide drill bit tool. The synthesized sample was also subjected to an XRD examination to validate the appropriate infusion of nanomaterials in PMMA bone cement. The flexural analysis of the developed nanocomposite sample indicates that mechanical property improves significantly due to the supplement of GNP in PMMA. The findings of the proposed nanocomposites material show its feasibility in biomedical functions. Also, the drilling optimization results demonstrate new criteria to control the quality and productivity indices. It can be recommended for multicriteria optimization case studies.
Stability Enhancement of Electric Power Systems by Employing Variable Frequency Transformer
Authors: Mushtaq Basit , Mufti Mairaj-Ud-Din
Published: March 2022

Economical and technical advantages inherent in the coordinated operation of power systems resulted in large-scale grid interconnection. The major concern regarding the interconnection of the neighbouring power systems with relatively weak tie-lines is the appearance of poorly damped electromechanical oscillations. Inter-area (IA) oscillations reduce system stability and transmission capacity, and without an efficient damping mechanism, these oscillations can cause system failure and even lead to large-scale blackouts. In this work, the impact of variable frequency transformer (VFT) on the IA oscillations of a two-area power system connected in series with the tie-line is investigated. The VFT is a recent power transmission technology that offers continuous control over bi-directional power flow with no harmonic injection. The VFT is made up of a rotary transformer for continuously regulated phase shift, as well as a drive system and control that regulates the power flow through the VFT by adjusting the angle and speed of the rotary transformer. The VFT is controlled to increase system damping, and consequently suppress inter-area oscillations. A comprehensive model of the interconnected power system including VFT is developed in the MATLAB/Simulink environment to study the efficacy of the proposed scheme.
Review on various materials used in Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Sangeetha N , Monish P , Brathikan V M
Published: March 2022

3D printing or Additive manufacturing or Rapid prototyping is a technology where 3D structures are designed and printed which is currently doing good for the manufacturing sector of many industries such as automotive, aerospace, medical, jewellery, constructions etc. Additive Manufacturing is a fast-emerging technology which has been exceedingly used for mass customization and fabrication of free design sourced products. Additive manufacturing is a method where the materials are put together in a desired shape via a certain process with the appropriate material type. The property of the materials used for 3D printing is highly dependent on the type and composition of the material. The various types and compositions of materials hugely impacts their implementation in potential applications which is discussed in this paper. The dominantly used materials, their composition, their properties, their applications and their future scope are discussed. This paper gives a clear overview on the material technology used in the additive manufacturing industry.
A review on various types of densification/briquetting technologies of biomass residues
Authors: Vaish Sunny , Sharma Naveen Kumar , Kaur Gagandeep
Published: March 2022

The growing development, industrialization and population is the main reason of the increment in the global power demand around the world. The conventional power resources are limited and not eco-friendly as well as diminished in the future. Now, every country is move towards the more utilization of renewable energy resources. The biomass renewable energy source is one of them. The biomass residues material can be utilized for the production of power and also overcome the problem of decomposition of agricultural wastes and other wastes products by conversion into solid biomass fuels. The conversion of scattered agricultural residues/wastes into the useful product (biomass fuel) through the technology known as densification. The densification process supports the more utilization of renewable source and clean energy demands. The environmental challenges related with burning of biomass residues in the open field can be minimized by the densification of biomass residues. The densification is the process of compaction or densifying the biomass residues or waste through the application of various pressure levels. The challenges associated with handling, storage and transportation of biomass residues can also be minimize by densification technology. Briquettes and pellets are the end product of densification applications. The various types of densification pressure application and comparison have been discussed in the paper.
Comparison of the emissions of different biofuels with fossil fuel through the utilization of GREET Model
Authors: Hira Jaspreet , Chaudhary Nalin , Dogra Bharat Ankur , Sharma Rohit , Kumar Vikas , Rani Kavita
Published: March 2022

Biofuels are the alternate solutions in the fossil fuel family and has been mainly utilized for the reduction in the emissions that are been generated through I.C. engine combustion. This comparison study basically works on the emission characteristics of various types of biofuels with the existing fossil fuel utilized in an internal combustion engine. Through the research work it has been concluded that the biofuels or contributing to the lower emission levels as compared to fossil fuels. According to the Greet model study, methanol produced by gasification is the best recommended fuel for combustion with the lowest emission levels. This study shown that using methanol fuel produced by gasification results in the lowest GHG emission value of 11.44 gm using the GREET model.
Exploitation of polypyrrole nanostructured thin films for detecting poisonous lead metal ions using surface plasmon resonance technique
Authors: Paliwal A , Tyagi U P
Published: March 2022

Optical refractive index sensor based on highly sensitive and reliable technique i.e. Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) uses the principle of refractive index change at the interface of metal and dielectric for sensitive detection of analyte. In SPR configuration, Surface Plasmon (SP) mode is excited at the interface. Polymer film of polypyrrole nanostructured thin film was prepared using chemical route and spin coating method. Lead metal ions solution was prepared of different concentration. The resonance parameters of the prepared sensor structure showed a systematic variation with continuous rise in the concentration of lead ions. The prepared sensor structure i.e. prism/Au/PPy is found to be highly sensitive towards detecting lead ions at room temperature. The sensor was tested for a concentration range varying from 0.5 to 50 ppm and found to exhibit fast response and recovery time. Sensitivity ∼ 0.767 °/ppm was achieved for the presently prepared sensor for detecting low concentration of 0.5 to 10 ppm.
Performance Assessment of IEEE/IEC Method and Duval Triangle technique for Transformer Incipient Fault Diagnosis
Authors: Manisha  , Kaur Kulraj , Sharma Naveen Kumar , Singh Jashandeep , Bhalla Deepika
Published: March 2022

Power transformers are among the most important equipment in a power system. The assessment of the transformer’s condition which is connected to a system is needed to avoid disastrous failures and the subsequent power outages. Although transformers are highly dependable and efficient, but are always under the influence of thermal, electrical stresses which are caused due to the deterioration of transformer insulation. Internal faults in a transformer can be classified as incipient faults and internal short circuit faults. The former type of faults develops over an extended period of time and lead to the degradation of insulation. Incipient faults are generally the result of deterioration of the dielectric strength of transformer mineral oil due to hydrolysis, pyrolysis, and oxidation, which result in the formation of gases that are collected in the gap between the oil and tank and partially get dissolved in it. If incipient conditions are not corrected timely, they may finally lead to collapse of the system where such a transformer is installed. Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) methods are extensively accepted by utilities for detection of developing faults. In this work, the brief study of two of the prevalent DGA methods for identification of incipient faults has been carried out. The methods that have been studied are IEEE/IEC Ratio Method and Duval’s Triangle Method. The published DGA data where the actual fault is known is used for identification of the incipient faults and the results have been compared.
Equivalent models of solar photovoltaic cells and discuss the effects of resistance on maximum output power curve
Authors: Vaish Sunny , Sharma Naveen Kumar , Kaur Gagandeep
Published: March 2022

The usage of renewable energy for power generation plays a key role in power sector through reduces the noxious impacts of conventional fuels to generate power. Solar photovoltaic is a clean and emission-free renewable energy sources which is widely used for the power generation in the world. The solar photovoltaic array is made up of solar modules. These modules are act as an interfacing unit. The conversion process from sunlight to electricity is obtained through modules. But, the generation of power through involving the solar photovoltaic is dependent on variation of environments. The solar photovoltaic arrays have non-linear characteristics and depend on available solar insolation and operating temperature. A problem can be raised if these cells have not synchronized with each other. The variation of series resistance can cause the more absorption of current by the leakage current resistance. Due to this, a substantial reduction of current flows through the load circuit. So, the variation in shunt (parallel) resistance and series resistance can obtained a significant change in output characteristics. The data sheet provided by manufacturer of solar photovoltaic module contains current-voltage (I-V) and power-voltage (P-V) characteristics. The datasheet contains various parameters of solar module. But there are some parameters not provided in the datasheet by the manufacturer. This paper presents the effect of series resistance (Rs) and parallel resistance (Rp) on solar photovoltaic characteristics curves. The variation in characteristics curve (or maximum power output curve) well shown by the graphical representations.
Java script animation of generator rotors under different modes of oscillation in two area four machine system
Authors: Manzoor Aaqib , Mufti Mairaj ud Din , Nabi Mohammad Younis
Published: March 2022

Computer technology advancements aid in the creation of instructional plans that allow students to study in a variety of ways. Animations and digital maps make it easier to understand abstract concepts and ensure that learning is permanent. Animation is a technique of creating continuous motion and shape change illusion. Interconnected power system often seems to be an intractably intricate morass of equations and ad hoc rules of thumb. Lack in visibility impedes learning about the power system phenomena. Animation can help us to convey information that would otherwise require a thousand or more words. This work is all about the development of a visualization tool in order to understand oscillatory dynamics of generator rotor. The power vs phase angle curve gradient interacting with generator rotor inertia forms an equivalent mass spring system. So, by this very reason different modes of oscillation in mass spring system are animated. A two area four machine system is modelled in MATLAB/Simulink by using Kron reduction technique and different modes of oscillation are analyzed. Later the animation of generator rotors of two area system are created with the help of HTML, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and Java Script. Each animation is coupled to the results obtained in MATLAB/Simulink under different modes of oscillation.
Research on concrete compressive strength in existing reinforced concrete elements with Schmidt hammer, ultrasonic pulse velocity method and destructive testing of cores
Authors: Ivanchev I
Published: March 2022

Concrete is a widely used material in construction. Quality control, maintenance and extending its service life are major issues after the construction stage and during the service of reinforced concrete buildings and facilities. This article presents the author’s experimental results for determining the compressive strength of concrete for tests on 12 reinforced concrete beams at the age of concrete 1926th day. In previous studies, some of the beams were loaded to a stage corresponding to the yield strength of the longitudinal tensile reinforcement, and others to a loading stage before yield, reaching a maximum crack width of 0.3 mm. The reinforced concrete elements were kept indoors for two years, and for the next more than three years they were left outdoors, exposed to external atmospheric influences. In the research was used combination of non-destructive and partially destructive techniques. The compressive strength of the concrete was determined using the method of elastic rebound (Schmidt hammer), ultrasonic pulse velocity method and partially destructive techniques - core sampling. The relative errors in the values of compressive strength obtained by the different methods were calculated. A comparative analysis of the experimentally obtained results by different methods was made. The tests were performed according to European standards for non-destructive and destructive testing of reinforced concrete structures.
Cavity engineering of Hubbard U via phonon polaritons
Authors: Le Dé Brieuc , Eckhardt Christian J , Kennes Dante M , Sentef Michael A
Published: March 2022

Pump-probe experiments have suggested the possibility to control electronic correlations by driving infrared-active (IR-active) phonons with resonant midinfrared laser pulses. In this work we study two possible microscopic nonlinear electron-phonon interactions behind these observations, namely coupling of the squared lattice displacement either to the electronic density or to the double occupancy. We investigate whether photon-phonon coupling to quantized light in an optical cavity enables similar control over electronic correlations. We first show that inside a dark cavity electronic interactions increase, ruling out the possibility that T

c
in superconductors can be enhanced via effectively decreased electron-electron repulsion through nonlinear electron-phonon coupling in a cavity. We further find that upon driving the cavity, electronic interactions decrease. Two different regimes emerge: (i) a strong coupling regime where the phonons show a delayed response at a time proportional to the inverse coupling strength, and (ii) an ultra-strong coupling regime where the response is immediate when driving the phonon polaritons resonantly. We further identify a distinctive feature in the electronic spectral function when electrons couple to phonon polaritons involving an IR-active phonon mode, namely the splitting of the shake-off band into three bands. This could potentially be observed by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy.
Transfer learning of clinical outcomes from preclinical molecular data, principles and perspectives
Authors: Kowald Axel , Barrantes Israel , Möller Steffen , Palmer Daniel , Murua Escobar Hugo , Schwerk Anne , Fuellen Georg
Published: March 2022

Accurate transfer learning of clinical outcomes from one cellular context to another, between cell types, developmental stages, omics modalities or species, is considered tremendously useful. When transferring a prediction task from a source domain to a target domain, what counts is the high quality of the predictions in the target domain, requiring states or processes common to both the source and the target that can be learned by the predictor reflected by shared denominators. These may form a compendium of knowledge that is learned in the source to enable predictions in the target, usually with few, if any, labeled target training samples to learn from. Transductive transfer learning refers to the learning of the predictor in the source domain, transferring its outcome label calculations to the target domain, considering the same task. Inductive transfer learning considers cases where the target predictor is performing a different yet related task as compared with the source predictor. Often, there is also a need to first map the variables in the input/feature spaces and/or the variables in the output/outcome spaces. We here discuss and juxtapose various recently published transfer learning approaches, specifically designed (or at least adaptable) to predict clinical (human in vivo) outcomes based on preclinical (mostly animal-based) molecular data, towards finding the right tool for a given task, and paving the way for a comprehensive and systematic comparison of the suitability and accuracy of transfer learning of clinical outcomes.
Attention-based Knowledge Graph Representation Learning for Predicting Drug-drug Interactions
Authors: Su Xiaorui , Hu Lun , You Zhuhong , Hu Pengwei , Zhao Bowei
Published: March 2022

Drug–drug interactions (DDIs) are known as the main cause of life-threatening adverse events, and their identification is a key task in drug development. Existing computational algorithms mainly solve this problem by using advanced representation learning techniques. Though effective, few of them are capable of performing their tasks on biomedical knowledge graphs (KGs) that provide more detailed information about drug attributes and drug-related triple facts. In this work, an attention-based KG representation learning framework, namely DDKG, is proposed to fully utilize the information of KGs for improved performance of DDI prediction. In particular, DDKG first initializes the representations of drugs with their embeddings derived from drug attributes with an encoder–decoder layer, and then learns the representations of drugs by recursively propagating and aggregating first-order neighboring information along top-ranked network paths determined by neighboring node embeddings and triple facts. Last, DDKG estimates the probability of being interacting for pairwise drugs with their representations in an end-to-end manner. To evaluate the effectiveness of DDKG, extensive experiments have been conducted on two practical datasets with different sizes, and the results demonstrate that DDKG is superior to state-of-the-art algorithms on the DDI prediction task in terms of different evaluation metrics across all datasets.
Effects of exposure to elevated temperature and different food levels on the escape response and metabolism of early life stages of white seabream, Diplodus sargus
Authors: Almeida João , Lopes Ana Rita , Ribeiro Laura , Castanho Sara , Candeias-Mendes Ana , Pousão-Ferreira Pedro , Faria Ana M
Published: March 2022

abstract

Recent literature suggests that anthropogenic stressors can disrupt ecologically relevant behaviours in fish, such as the ability to escape from predators. Disruption of these behaviours at critical life history transitions, such as the transition from the pelagic environment to the juvenile/adult habitat, may have even greater repercussions. The literature suggests that an increase in temperature can affect fish escape response, as well as metabolism; however, few studies have focused on the acute sensitivity responses and the potential for acclimation through developmental plasticity. Here, we aimed at evaluating the acute and long-term effects of exposure to warming conditions on the escape response and routine metabolic rate (RMR) of early life stages of the white seabream, Diplodus sargus. Additionally, as food availability may modulate the response to warming, we further tested the effects of long-term exposure to high temperature and food shortage, as individual and interacting drivers, on escape response and RMR. Temperature treatments were adjusted to ambient temperature (19°C) and a high temperature (22°C). Feeding treatments were established as high ration and low ration (50% of high ration). Escape response and RMR were measured after the high temperature was reached (acute exposure) and after 4 weeks (prolonged exposure). Acute warming had a significant effect on escape response and generated an upward trend in RMR. In the long term, however, there seems to be an acclimation of the escape response and RMR. Food shortage, interacting with high temperature, led to an increase in latency response and a significant reduction in RMR. The current study provides relevant experimental data on fishes’ behavioural and physiological responses to the combined effects of multiple stressors. This knowledge can be incorporated in recruitment models, thereby contributing to fine-tuning of models required for fisheries management and species conservation.
Risks of Development of COVID-19 Among Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Comparative Assessment of Risk Factors for Incident Infection
Authors: Long Millie D , Zhang Xian , Lewis James D , Melmed Gil Y , Siegel Corey A , Cerciello Emily , Dobes Angela , Weaver Alandra , Weisbein Laura , Kappelman Michael D
Published: March 2022

Background

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be at risk for development of COVID-19 infection due to innate immune dysfunction and/or immunosuppressive medication use.

Methods

In a prospective cohort of adult IBD patients, we captured data on clinical risk factors and IBD medication utilization. The outcome of interest was development of patient-reported laboratory confirmed COVID-19. We calculated incidence rate and performed bivariate analyses to describe the effects of risk factors (age, immunosuppression use, obesity, and race) on development of COVID-19. We utilized logistic regression models to determine the independent risks associated with each factor.

Results

A total of 3953 patients with IBD were followed for a mean duration of 212 days (SD 157). A total of 103 individuals developed COVID-19 during follow-up (2.6%, rate of 45 per 1000 person-years). Severity of infection was generally mild. Clinical characteristics were similar among those who developed COVID-19 as compared to not. African American race was associated with incident COVID-19 infection (OR 3.37, 95% CI 1.18–9.59). Immunosuppression use was not associated with development of COVID-19 (OR 1.19, 95% CI 0.72–1.75), nor was age (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.99–1.02), nor obesity (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.61–1.66).

Conclusions

Immunosuppression use did not increase the risk of development of COVID-19. Therapeutic management of IBD should not be altered to prevent a risk of developing COVID-19.
Large-scale genetic structure of Quercus robur in its eastern distribution range enables assignment of unknown seed sources
Authors: Degen Bernd , Yanbaev Yulai , Ianbaev Ruslan , Blanc-Jolivet Celine , Mader Malte , Bakhtina Svetlana
Published: March 2022

Pedunculate oak is seen as an alternative to other tree species for reforestation and mitigation programs in the face of climate change. Thus, the identification of suitable, well-adapted seed sources is of high priority. We perform a genetic inventory on 970 trees from 97 locations in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Latvia representing the eastern part of the natural species range. All samples were screened with a set of 348 gene markers covering the nuclear (n = 327) and the organelle genomes (chloroplast: n = 14, mitochondria: n = 7) using a genotyping-by-sequencing method. We identified 10 plastidial haplotypes, which showed a strong spatial pattern with a highly significant autocorrelation up to a range of 600 km. After excluding 47 potentially selected markers, significant spatial genetic structure up to 800 km was also observed at the selectively neutral nuclear loci. Bayesian clustering analysis indicated a sub-division into two gene pools present at all locations but with a shift of proportion from West to East. The genetic diversity was negatively correlated with longitude, showing higher values in the West and Centre and lower values at the northern, eastern and southeastern edges of the natural distribution range. We sub-divided the sampled area into six geographic regions and used the genetic composition of all samples in each region as a genetic reference for assignment tests. Self-assignment of groups of 10 individuals to their region of origin showed an average assignment success of 93 per cent. Samples of three artificial plantations of pedunculate oak in Siberia could be clearly assigned to the East–North and Centre–South regions. We discuss the implications of our results for the forest practice and in particular the proofing of seed sources.
Gender Bias in the Study of Genital Evolution: Females Continue to Receive Less Attention than Males
Authors: Orbach D N
Published: March 2022

The evolution of female genitalia has historically received less attention than male reproductive organs. Several papers have underscored the disparities in research efforts, but have calls for change resonated with the scientific community and rectified the skew? A literature review was conducted of journal articles published between 2013 through 2021 that explore genital evolution to determine if gender bias (sex of research subject) and imbalance (sex of researcher) have changed. Of the 334 articles that specifically explored genital evolution, first authors of both sexes published on female genitalia less than half as often as male genitalia, although the majority of authors published on genitalia of both sexes. First authors of both sexes mentioned females after males substantially more often than females before males. Female first authors published the most about genital evolution in all taxa except for insects and arachnids. Female first authors published in high impact journals marginally less often than male first authors. Articles about genital evolution across taxa generally had high impact factors, but how impact factors and number of citations varied by the sex of the subject was not clear. Although the number of studies exploring genital co-evolution between the sexes has increased across taxa and years, female genitalia continue to be researched less often than male genitalia when only one sex is investigated. Both female and male scientists are publishing in the field of genital evolution, although research on female subjects continue to lag behind males, demonstrating continued bias within the discipline.
Drosophila suzukiiManagement in Latin America: Current Status and Perspectives
Authors: Garcia Flávio Roberto Mello , Lasa Rodrigo , Funes Claudia F , Buzzetti Karina
Published: March 2022

Spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, was first established in Latin America in Mexico in 2011. The vinegar fly has since been detected in 296 municipalities in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay. Drosophila suzukii is polyphagous and is found on 64 host plants in 25 families in Latin America, with most hosts also exotic species. In Latin America, D. suzukii is attacked by 14 species of parasitoid wasps in the families Diapriidae, Figitidae, and Pteromalidae, which are promising native parasitoids for control of the pest. This article analyzes results from studies on monitoring, biological, chemical, and cultural control, and sterile insect techniques to provide a basis for the development of area-wide and sustainable D. suzukii management programs in Latin America. The review examines how D. suzukii has been managed in Latin America and how research conducted in this region can contribute to management of the species in other parts of the world.
Data Manipulation through Patronage Networks: Evidence from Environmental Emissions in China
Authors: Tang Xiao , Wang Yinglun , Yi Hongtao
Published: March 2022

Data manipulation is considered one of the most pernicious forms of information distortion that challenges the effectiveness of the principals in monitoring agents. This study investigates factors influencing the behaviors of data manipulation from the perspective of patronage networks. Patronage networks feature a reciprocal exchange between patrons who control appealing resources and clients who ask for protection and benefits from the patrons. We hypothesize that in a three-tier principal–supervisor–agent model, agents favored in the patronage network would receive tacit permission and protection from the supervisor, and hence be encouraged to falsify performance data and game the principal. The empirical results, using panel regression models based on officially reported and satellite-observed environmental emissions data in China, suggest that cities with leaders favored in the patronage network present a stronger tendency for data manipulation. This study has theoretical implications for understanding the impact of informal institutions on performance management.
To Act or Not to Act? How Client Progression Affects Purposeful Performance Information Use at the Frontlines
Authors: Mikkelsen Maria Falk , Pedersen Mogens Jin , Petersen Niels Bjørn Grund
Published: March 2022

Public service organizations periodically collect and disseminate performance information that enables frontline employees to act based on two aspects of performance: current performance (how is the client performing right now?) and performance progression (is the client performing better, similarly, or worse than previously?). Yet knowledge of how frontline employees use performance information about their clients’ performance progression remains limited. Building on cognitive psychology and street-level bureaucracy research, this article theorizes and tests how information on changes in client performance over time affects frontline employees’ performance information use. We develop a theoretical framework that comprises three competing hypotheses on how performance progression information (on performance improvement, performance stability, and performance deterioration) shapes purposeful performance information use at the frontlines of public services delivery. Each hypothesis relates to a distinct cognitive bias: needed-deservingness bias, negativity bias, and change-react bias. Using a pre-registered survey experiment among Danish public school teachers (n = 925), we find support for the change-react bias. Teachers are more inclined to take behavioral action when presented with performance progression information showing change (either improvement or deterioration) relative to no change (stability) in student performance. These results expand our understanding of performance information use at the frontlines by suggesting that frontline employees process performance information showing change different from performance information showing stability.
Insights into sex-related size and shape dimorphism in Semisulcospira niponica (Caenogastropoda: Cerithioidea: Semisulcospiridae)
Authors: Sawada Naoto , Nakano Takafumi
Published: March 2022

Considerable intraspecific variation has been known in the shell morphology of the freshwater snail genus Semisulcospira. However, sexual dimorphism and allometric growth have not been elucidated in the genus, although these factors contribute to generating intraspecific variation. We used a combination of geometric and traditional morphometrics methods (GMM and TMM) in a single population of Semisulcospira niponica to assess sex-related differences in shell size and shape at maturity. The results of a generalized Procrustes analysis of variance revealed significant differences in shell size and shape between males and females. A principal component analysis (PCA) showed allometric differences between males and females; Principal component (PC) 1 values and their overlap between the sexes decreased with size. PC1 explained 35.5% of the total variance, which corresponded to vertical elongation of the shell spire and aperture, and broadening of the shell. The results of a canonical variate analysis using the ten largest specimens of each sex showed that females have less elongate shells with rounder apertures and a broader body and penultimate whorls than males. TMM using nine morphological characters supported shell morphological differences between the sexes and correlations between shell size and shape associated with different growth stages. However, GMM was more sensitive for detecting shape differences than TMM. For example, TMM explained the observed increase in shell diameter primarily as a function of size, whereas GMM detected sex-related differences in shell diameter as shape differences between the sexes. Furthermore, dimorphism and allometry in shell sculpture traits could be explored only by TMM. For accurate evaluation of shell morphology in Semisulcospira, it is important to use larger specimens after separating males and females since the present results revealed intersex differences in size and shape, some of which become more evident with age. It is also essential to employ both GMM and TMM because the two methods capture different aspects of morphological variation in shell outline and sculpture.
Are Marriage-Related Taxes and Social Security Benefits Holding Back Female Labour Supply?
Authors: Borella Margherita , De Nardi Mariacristina , Yang Fang
Published: March 2022

In the US, both taxes and old-age social security benefits depend on one’s marital status and tend to reduce the labour supply of the secondary earner. To what extent are these provisions holding back the female labour supply? We estimate a rich dynamic life-cycle model of labour supply and savings for couples and singles using the Method of Simulated Moments for the 1945 and 1955 birth cohorts. Our model matches well the life-cycle profiles of labour market participation, hours, and savings for married and single people, and generates plausible elasticities of labour supply. It implies that eliminating these marriage-related provisions would drastically increase the participation of married women over their entire life cycle, reduce the participation of married men after age 60, and increase savings. If the resulting government surplus were used to lower income taxation, there would be large welfare gains for the vast majority of the population. These results hold for both cohorts, including the later one, which has participation similar to that of more recent generations.
An Improved Inoculation Method to Detect Wheat and Barley Genotypes for Resistance to Fusarium Crown Rot
Authors: Li Jinlong , Xu Xiangru , Ma Yanling , Sun Qixin , Xie Chaojie , Ma Jun
Published: March 2022

Fusarium crown rot (FCR), caused by Fusarium species, is a serious soilborne fungal disease in many wheat growing regions in the world. A reliable FCR assessment method is essential for germplasm screening and host resistance studies. Here, we report a new assay in which we inoculated wheat seedlings grown in a glasshouse for FCR by injecting spore suspensions into the seedling stems. The effects of inoculum concentration and injection time points on disease severity were investigated. Of different treatments, the injection of 107macroconidia/ml suspension at one leaf and one heart stage gave best results. A collection of 92 emmer-derived hexaploid bread wheats, 43 barley germplasms, and four wheat genotypes with known resistance levels to FCR was used to validate this new method. Repeatability of the two trials in the validation experiments was high (r = 0.97, P < 0.01). Two emmer-derived hexaploid bread wheat and three Chinese barley germplasms showed consistent resistance to FCR in multiple rounds of selection. The short timeframe of this assay for phenotypic screening makes it a valuable tool to eliminate germplasms with undesirable susceptibility to FCR at seedling stage before costly field assays.