bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeting T cell metabolism for immunotherapy
Authors: Gao Jie , Liu Yanbo , Wei Jian , Jiang Linlan , Mao Jianwen , Chang Chih-Hao , Wu Duojiao
Published: November 2021

T cells play an important role in antitumor immunity. Numbers and function of T cells are controlled by regulating the uptake and utilization of nutrients, and their antitumor activity can be promoted by targeting metabolic pathways. In this review, we highlight the relationship between metabolism and cellular function of T cells. Specifically, we emphasize the metabolic state of tumor-infiltrating T cells and review key pathways that affect the antitumor function of T cells. In the field of tumor immunotherapy, targeting T cell metabolism to enhance the immune response is a new therapeutic strategy for enhancing immunotherapy combined with traditional treatments.
Self‐leadership: A meta‐analytic Review of Intervention Effects on Leaders’ Capacities
Authors: Krampitz Julia , Seubert Christian , Furtner Marco , Glaser Jürgen
Published: November 2021

Leadership interventions are increasingly popular, but their effects on self‐leadership of leaders are largely unknown. The objective of the current study was to evaluate benefits of leadership interventions on leaders’ self‐leadership capacities. The search encompassed studies published between 1986 and 2019. Included were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), controlled before‐and‐after studies (CBA), before‐after studies without controls (BA), case studies, and qualitative longitudinal studies that examined potential effects of interventions on leaders' self‐leadership capacities. Primary outcomes attributable to self‐leadership theory and its strategies measured by validated instruments were extracted. A meta‐analysis was conducted for quantitative controlled studies with comparable primary outcomes. Eleven studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria, with a total of 571 participants in leadership positions. Eight quantitative studies, two RCT studies, four quasi‐experimental field studies with a pre‐post design (CBA), and two intervention case studies (BA), were included. Three qualitative studies evaluated a comparable form of leadership development. All studies showed positive but small to medium‐sized effects of leadership training on primary outcomes. Results of the review contribute to knowledge of the effectiveness of training for self‐leadership capacities of leaders and identified gaps where evidence remains limited. The findings tentatively suggest that leadership interventions could be beneficial for developing self‐leadership skills. Future studies should focus on content, frequency, and intensity of interventions. Mixed methods are strongly recommended.
Evaluation of the seasonality and spatial aspects of the Southern Annular Mode in CMIP6 models
Authors: Zhang Xiaoqi , He Bian , Liu Yimin , Bao Qing , Zheng Fei , Li Jinxiao , Hu Wenting , Wu Guoxiong
Published: November 2021

The simulation skills of the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) pattern for the CMIP6 models are evaluated in this study. Both the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) and historical experiments are utilized to understand the effect of SST forcing and air–sea interaction. The spatial correlation coefficient, standard deviation, and root‐mean‐square error (RMSE) are used as the objective metrics. The results suggest that the multimodel mean (MME) for both AMIP and historical data could capture the basic spatial patterns of the SAM for all seasons, featuring the opposite sign between the middle and high latitudes with a zonal three‐wave structure in the middle latitudes (positive phase). However, the overall skill of the AMIP simulation is higher than that of the historical simulation, which could be attributed to realistic SST forcing being applied. The simulation skill varies for different seasons: the skill for boreal spring (March–May [MAM]) is the lowest, while it is highest in boreal winter (December–February [DJF]). Further analysis shows that the simulations of the SAM asymmetric part are the key component for the simulation of the spatial pattern of the SAM, especially sensitive in MAM. The wave–current interaction simulation at mid–high latitudes is suggested to be improved for the advancement of SAM simulations in future model development.
Assessment of CMIP6 global climate models in reconstructing rainfall climatology of Bangladesh
Authors: Kamruzzaman Mohammad , Shahid Shamsuddin , Roy Dilip Kumar , Islam Abu Reza Md. Towfiqul , Hwang Syewoon , Cho Jaepil , Zaman Md Asad Uz , Sultana Tasnim , Rashid Towhida , Akter Fatima
Published: November 2021

This study evaluated the rainfall historical simulations of 15 Global Climate Models (GCMs) of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) in replicating annual and seasonal rainfall climatology, their temporal variability and trends in Bangladesh for the period 1979–2014, considering ERA5 (ECMWF Reanalysis 5th Generation) reanalysis as the reference dataset. Shannon's Entropy decision‐analysis was employed for GCMs' rating based on eight statistical indicators and a comprehensive rating metric for the final grading of the GCMs. The majority of the CMIP6 GCMs accurately reproduced the spatial feature of ERA5 rainfall. However, the GCMs underestimated annual rainfall by an average of 190.5 mm, with the highest underestimation in monsoon (131.76 mm) and least in winter (3.52 mm) seasons. Most GCMs also underestimated rainfall variability for all seasons except winter. Besides, the GCMs showed an increasing trend in pre‐monsoon and a decreasing trend in post‐monsoon rainfall like ERA5, but an opposite (negative) to ERA5 trend (positive) in monsoon season rainfall. The ensemble mean of the GCMs showed higher skill in reconstructing rainfall climatology, temporal variability and trends than the individual GCMs. The study identified MPI‐ESM1‐2‐LR, MPI‐ESM1‐2‐HR, and GFDL‐ESM4 as the most effective GCMs in reproducing precipitation over Bangladesh. The selected models' simulation can be used for climate change impact assessment in Bangladesh after bias minimization.
Evolution of large‐scale factors influencing extreme rainfall over south western coast of India
Authors: Kottayil Ajil , Xavier Anu , Xavier Prince , Koovekkallu Prajwal , Mohanakumar Kesavapillai
Published: November 2021

The life cycle and the large‐scale factors driving extreme heavy rainfall events over the south west coast of India are studied. The extreme rainfall events are linked to the development of monsoon depressions and the associated large‐scale dynamics. Strengthening of these parameters intensifies the monsoon low‐level circulation over the Arabian Sea and the west coast via steepened meridional pressure gradient. The intensification of the low‐level jet stream speed and its extension in the vertical causes an increase in the humidity flux in the lower and midtroposphere. The consequent ascending motion is from the midtroposphere to the upper troposphere, resulting in the formation of deep convective cloud clusters over the west coast and eastern parts of the Arabian Sea. This results in the incidence of extreme heavy rainfall over the south west coast of India. It is observed that during days of extreme rainfall, the direction of wind in the lower troposphere tends to be almost perpendicular to the Western Ghats favouring a strong orographic lift. The extreme rainfall events over the south west coast do not necessarily occur during the active cycle of monsoon intraseasonal oscillation, but are linked to the north westwards propagating monsoon depressions. We show that the signatures of extreme rainfall can be observed in several meteorological variables developing over different parts of the monsoon region. A synergistic analysis of these variables may help in the accurate and timely prediction of these events.
Biases in sea surface temperature and the annual cycle of Greater Horn of Africa rainfall in CMIP6
Authors: Lyon Bradfield
Published: November 2021

Climatological rainfall across much of the Greater Horn of Africa has a bimodal annual cycle characterized by the short rains from October to December and the long rains from March to May. Previous generations of climate models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3 and CMIP5) generally misrepresented the bimodal rainfall distribution in this region by generating too much rainfall during the short rains and too little during the long rains. The peak of the long rains in these models also typically showed a pronounced 1‐month lag relative to observations. Here, the ability of 21 CMIP6 models to properly simulate the observed, climatological annual cycle of Greater Horn rainfall is examined, comparing results with CMIP5 and CMIP3. As previous work has shown a connection between Greater Horn climatological rainfall biases and model biases in sea surface temperatures (SSTs), pattern correlations of climatological SST biases are also analysed. For the multi‐model mean, it is found that the earlier biases in Greater Horn rainfall and associated SSTs persist in CMIP6. Examining only the three best performing models in each CMIP group reveals the CMIP6 models outperform those in CMIP3, with mixed results regarding improvements over CMIP5. For the best performing CMIP6 models, the SST and 850 hPa wind biases are reduced over the Indian Ocean relative to the other CMIP6 models examined. No statistically significant relationship was identified between CMIP6 model performance and the horizontal resolution of the model. Combined, these results indicate the importance of properly simulating the annual cycle of SSTs in order to successfully model the observed rainfall annual cycle in the Greater Horn.
Review on factors affecting coffee volatiles: from seed to cup
Authors: Wang Xiaoyuan , Wang Yanbing , Hu Guilin , Hong Defu , Guo Tieying , Li Jinhong , Li Zhongrong , Qiu Minghua
Published: November 2021

The objective of this review is to evaluate the influence of six factors on coffee volatiles. At present, the poor aroma from robusta or low‐quality arabica coffee can be significantly improved by advanced technology, and this subject will continue to be further studied. On the other hand, inoculating various starter cultures in green coffee beans has become a popular research direction for promoting coffee aroma and flavor. Several surveys have indicated that shade and altitude can affect the content of coffee aroma precursors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which remain to be fully elucidated. The emergence of the new roasting process has greatly enriched the aroma composition of coffee. Cold‐brew coffee is one of the most popular trends in coffee extraction currently, and its influence on coffee aroma is worthy of in‐depth and detailed study. Omics technology will be one of the most important means to analyze coffee aroma components and their quality formation mechanism. A better understanding of the effect of each parameter on VOCs would assist coffee researchers and producers in the optimal selection of post‐harvest parameters that favor the continuous production of flavorful and top‐class coffee beans and beverages. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Influence of bending radius on the properties of flexible AMOLED displays
Authors: Wang Qiujun , Zhang Wenxin , Su Weiwei , Zhang Zeyu , Cui Jing , Zhu Weiqi , Dong Mengyue , Su Ya , Wang Bo , Zhang Fang
Published: November 2021

Choosing a suitable bending structure is an important way to optimize flexible AMOLED. In this article, we proposed and established a drop‐shape model through nonlinear finite element analysis software, comparing it with the “U”‐shaped bending model. The mechanical stress conditions under different bending radius are analyzed and compared. Aiming to find a better module folding track, we output the influence of the bending radius on the stress and strain of the device layer, so that these data and research can provide reliable support for future material selection and structural optimization. The super‐elastic and viscoelastic behaviors of optically clear adhesive are described by polynomial reduced integral and Prony series model, respectively. Both U‐shaped various layers of film and overall flexible screen module strains increase fast with the decreasing of bending radius and smaller radius will increase the fatigue damage risk. The stress and strain of the drop shape did not change significantly with the decrease of the radius. During the bending process, the most stressed part appears in the outermost TP layer. In a small radius, it can be optimized from a curved structure, and water drop and wedge shapes can be prioritized.
Enhanced depth of field of computer‐generated holographic stereograms by twice close‐range capturing with occlusion processing
Authors: Dai Piao , Lv Guoqiang , Wang Zi , Gong Xin , Feng Qibin
Published: November 2021

In pinhole integral imaging (PII)‐based hologram, each pinhole is regarded as a point light source to emit light rays in different directions to simulate light propagation from the reconstructed 3D information to the computer‐generated hologram (CGH). The PII‐based hologram presents at a working mode similar to resolution‐priority integral imaging (RPII). The depth of field (DOF) is inevitably limited. In this paper, we use twice close‐range capturing to enhance the DOF of this hologram. Twice close‐range capturing can ensure that the virtual objects with different depths are not far from their respective image reference planes, and the detailed information of the back object also can be preserved. Besides, we use a simple ray‐tracing method to solve the occlusion problems. Numerical and optical reconstruction verified that the proposed method can reconstruct clearer 3D images compared with the single capturing method. In addition, the proposed method can present a natural occlusion effect. Thus, the DOF is enhanced.
Urine metabolic profiling of dementia rats with vital energy deficiency using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with an orbitrap mass spectrometer
Authors: Huang Yu , Liu Zhiqiang , Liu Shu , Song Fengrui , Hu Xiuli , Qin Yuhua , Jin Yongri
Published: November 2021

Dementia is a chronic and multifactor‐induced neurodegenerative disorder that occurs frequently in the elderly with weak constitution and insufficient vital energy. However, the relationship between vital energy deficiency and the occurrence and development of dementia is still unclear. In this study, a rat model of dementia with vital energy deficiency was established through intraperitoneal injection with d‐galactose and AlCl3 and combined with exhaustive swimming. Changes in the dementia with vital energy deficiency rat model were assessed by examining behaviors, hippocampal histopathological and biochemical parameters, and serum biochemical parameters. Urine metabolomics based on ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with an orbitrap mass spectrometer was also used to discover endogenous metabolic profile and disease‐related biomarkers and investigate the potential mechanism of dementia with vital energy deficiency. Among the 31 potential biomarkers that were identified, nine involved metabolic pathways. The four main types were phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan metabolism, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, and citrate cycle and pyrimidine metabolism. The pathogenesis of dementia with vital energy deficiency is mainly neurotoxin accumulation and body aging that leads to oxidative stress injury and loss of neuronal protective substances. Vital energy deficiency inhibits the body's energy metabolism and eventually leads to aggravate the dementia.
Bibliometric and visualized review of smart tourism research
Authors: Chen Sirong , Tian Di , Law Rob , Zhang Mu
Published: November 2021

Using bibliometric analysis, this research provides a comprehensive, systematic, and visual overview of 441 studies related to smart tourism, which were published between 2010 and 2021, thus considering the state of research and trends in this research field from the beginning of smart tourism research to the entry of the fifth‐generation mobile communication technology era and the explosion of COVID‐19. It also offers insights into its future research agenda and advancing the development of smart tourism. This paper can provide intuitive and valuable information to promote theoretical and practical research on smart tourism.
Tipping points and multiple drivers in changing aquatic ecosystems: A review of experimental studies
Authors: Carrier‐Belleau Charlotte , Pascal Ludovic , Nozais Christian , Archambault Philippe
Published: November 2021

Natural ecosystems are experiencing unprecedented rates of change due to anthropogenic activities and global change, leading to either gradual changes in a given response or tipping points. While the tipping point concept has been tested in an array of habitats since the 1960s, the spatiotemporal superposition of multiple drivers in different ecosystems needs to be considered when investigating the response of species, communities, populations, and ecosystems along environmental gradients. Here, we (1) develop a historical and current perspective of tipping point studies in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecological systems; (2) portray the research effort in different freshwater and marine habitats; and (3) explore the results of experimental studies focusing on tipping points measured at the individual, communities, ecosystem level, as well as ecosystem functions and services in a context of single and multiple stressors. The number of studies mentioning the concept of tipping points increases every year, but very few studies have specific objective to identify them. Even fewer studies consider how the addition of another stressor into an ecosystem may alter a tipping point. In addition, many studies investigated multiple responses, but only one‐fourth (7 out of 28) of them concentrate their effort on multiple biological or ecological levels of complexity. This review allowed us to identify shortcomings in this research field and propose ways to make this ecological concept anew.
Weakly binary expansions of dense meet‐trees
Authors: Mennuni Rosario
Published: November 2021

We compute the domination monoid in the theory of dense meet‐trees. In order to show that this monoid is well‐defined, we prove weak binarity of and, more generally, of certain expansions of it by binary relations on sets of open cones, a special case being the theory from [7]. We then describe the domination monoids of such expansions in terms of those of the expanding relations.
When is a real generic over L?
Authors: Castiblanco Fabiana , Schindler Ralf
Published: November 2021

In this paper we isolate a new abstract criterion for when a given real x is generic over L in terms of being able to lift elementary embeddings of initial segments of L to .
Comparison of swab types for collection and analysis of microorganisms
Authors: Wise Natalie M. , Wagner Sarah J. , Worst Travis J. , Sprague Jon E. , Oechsle Crystal M.
Published: November 2021

The human microbiome has begun to emerge as a potential forensic tool, with varied applications ranging from unique identification to investigative leads that link individuals and/or locations. The relative abundance of the combined DNA of the microbiome, compared to human nuclear DNA, may expand potential sources of biological evidence, especially in cases with transfer or low‐copy number DNA samples. This work sought to determine the optimal swab type for the collection and analysis of microorganisms. A bacterium (Proteus mirabilis) was deposited by pipette onto four swab types (cotton, flocked, dental applicators, and dissolvable), and extraction and real‐time PCR quantitation of the bacterial DNA were performed, which allowed for absolute microbial DNA recovery and comparison of yields across the four sampling substrates. Flocked swabs had the highest yield (~1240 ng) compared to the cotton swabs (~184 ng), dental applicators (~533 ng), and dissolvable swabs (~430 ng). The collection efficiency was further evaluated for cotton and flocked swabs using dried microbial samples spotted onto non‐porous surfaces (treated wood, glass, plastic, and tile). Flocked swabs performed consistently better across wood, glass, and tile, but showed decreased recovery from plastic. The cotton swabs failed in the recovery of P. mirabilis DNA across all surfaces. Knowing the appropriate sampling substrate will be useful as others continue to investigate the use of the microbiome as a forensics tool.
ON‐rep‐seq as a rapid and cost‐effective alternative to whole‐genome sequencing for species‐level identification and strain‐level discrimination of Listeria monocytogenes contamination in a salmon processing plant
Authors: Thomassen Gunn Merethe Bjørge , Krych Lukasz , Knøchel Susanne , Mehli Lisbeth
Published: November 2021

Identification, source tracking, and surveillance of food pathogens are crucial factors for the food‐producing industry. Over the last decade, the techniques used for this have moved from conventional enrichment methods, through species‐specific detection by PCR to sequencing‐based methods, whole‐genome sequencing (WGS) being the ultimate method. However, using WGS requires the right infrastructure, high computational power, and bioinformatics expertise. Therefore, there is a need for faster, more cost‐effective, and more user‐friendly methods. A newly developed method, ON‐rep‐seq, combines the classical rep‐PCR method with nanopore sequencing, resulting in a highly discriminating set of sequences that can be used for species identification and also strain discrimination. This study is essentially a real industry case from a salmon processing plant. Twenty Listeria monocytogenes isolates were analyzed both by ON‐rep‐seq and WGS to identify and differentiate putative L. monocytogenes from a routine sampling of processing equipment and products, and finally, compare the strain‐level discriminatory power of ON‐rep‐seq to different analyzing levels delivered from the WGS data. The analyses revealed that among the isolates tested there were three different strains. The isolates of the most frequently detected strain (n = 15) were all detected in the problematic area in the processing plant. The strain level discrimination done by ON‐rep‐seq was in full accordance with the interpretation of WGS data. Our findings also demonstrate that ON‐rep‐seq may serve as a primary screening method alternative to WGS for identification and strain‐level differentiation for surveillance of potential pathogens in a food‐producing environment.
MicroRNA‐519d‐3p antagonizes osteosarcoma resistance against cisplatin by targeting PD‐L1
Authors: Wang Jing , Zhang Zhenjun , Qiu Chuang , Wang Jiashi
Published: November 2021

Accumulating evidence indicates that a ligand of programmed cell death receptor‐1 (PD‐L1) participates in the progression and recurrence of multiple malignancies, including osteosarcoma. Nevertheless, the role of PD‐L1 in chemoresistance development is not fully understood. In the current study, we aim to clarify the interaction of miR‐519d‐3p and PD‐L1 in the development of cisplatin resistance. Immunohistochemistry, quantitative reverse‐transcription polymerase reaction, and Western blot were used to evaluate PD‐L1 expression. MTT and transwell migration assays were used to measure cell growth and motility, respectively. ENCORI, miRCode, and miRDB databases were recruited to predict candidate miRNAs targeting PD‐L1. The binding sequences of miR‐519d‐3p and PD‐L1 3ʹ untranslated region were identified by dual‐luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Flow cytometric analysis was conducted to measure the cycle distribution and cell apoptosis. Metastatic mouse models were generated with cisplatin‐resistant sublines by intravenous injection. We found that PD‐L1 expression was positively correlated to cisplatin resistance and metastasis, whereas miR‐519d‐3p expression was reduced in cisplatin‐resistant specimens and was negatively correlated to cisplatin resistance and metastasis of osteosarcoma. We demonstrated that miR‐519d‐3p overexpression reversed cisplatin resistance, induced G1/S phase arrest and apoptosis. In addition, we proved that miR‐519d‐3p inhibited lung metastasis by establishing cisplatin‐resistant MG63 metastatic xenograft models. The present findings suggest that miR‐519d‐3p/PD‐L1 axis is a novel signaling pathway contributing to cisplatin resistance. Our study provides new clues for curing refractory osteosarcoma beyond immune checkpoint inhibitors.
On the limit of a two‐phase flow problem in thin porous media domains of Brinkman type
Authors: Armiti‐Juber Alaa
Published: November 2021

We study the process of two‐phase flow in thin porous media domains of Brinkman type. This is generally described by a model of coupled, mixed‐type differential equations of fluids' saturation and pressure. To reduce the model complexity, different approaches that utilize the thin geometry of the domain have been suggested. We focus on a reduced model that is formulated as a single nonlocal evolution equation of saturation. It is derived by applying standard asymptotic analysis to the dimensionless coupled model; however, a rigid mathematical derivation is still lacking. In this paper, we prove that the reduced model is the analytical limit of the coupled two‐phase flow model as the geometrical parameter of domain's width–length ratio tends to zero. Precisely, we prove the convergence of weak solutions for the coupled model to a weak solution for the reduced model as the geometrical parameter approaches zero.
Effects of Emulsifiers on an In vitro Model of Intestinal Epithelial Tight Junctions and the Transport of Food Allergens
Authors: Khuda Sefat E , Nguyen Ann V. , Sharma Girdhari M. , Alam Mohammad S. , Balan Kannan V. , Williams Kristina M.
Published: November 2021

Scope

Certain food emulsifiers may interfere with gut barrier function in ways correlating to increased exposure to allergens. Understanding the consequences of interactions between these food ingredients and the intestinal epithelium is important for evaluating allergen dose exposure characteristics.

Methods and Results

This study challenged Caco‐2 cell monolayers, an in vitro model of human intestinal epithelial tight junctions with synthetic polysorbate‐80 or natural lecithin alone, or in combination with known allergens (egg proteins: ovalbumin, ovomucoid, and ovotransferrin; and a synthetic form of galactose‐alpha‐1,3‐galactose [alpha‐gal], an allergen of increasing concern). For most doses of individual emulsifiers and allergens, >90% cell viability and <15% cytotoxicity are observed; however, toxicity increased at a 0.5% concentration of emulsifiers. At low cytotoxic concentration (0.2%), only polysorbate‐80 treatment reduced monolayer integrity (≈20%) with increased lucifer yellow passage. Dose‐related differences in expression of tight junction‐associated genes and occludin protein are observed with emulsifier treatments. The transport of all tested allergens across the cell monolayers, excluding ovotransferrin, nearly doubled in the presence of 0.2% polysorbate‐80 compared to lecithin and untreated control.

Conclusion

By modulating paracellular permeability, polysorbate‐80 may enhance absorption of allergens in a size‐dependent manner.
Branch‐and‐price for energy optimization in multi‐hop wireless sensor networks
Authors: Xu Liding , Haddad Vanier Sonia
Published: November 2021

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are widely deployed to support transmissions of the huge data emitted by heterogeneous connected devices. The quality of service (QoS) and energy requirements in WSNs are dramatically increasing and becoming challenging issues. Integrating network coding, in the data transmission process, leads to reduced energy consumption and improved QoS. In this work, we study the problem of energy efficiency in multi‐hop WSNs, namely wireless unsplittable multi‐commodity flow with network coding (wUMCFC). We propose mixed‐integer programming formulations of the wUMCFC problem, and we implement an open source solver wUMCFC based on the branch‐and‐price algorithm. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first study of the wUMCFC problem by mathematical programming tools. We perform a computational study on realistic instances with an analysis of the performance of the proposed algorithm. The computational results show the efficiency of the network coding and provide important information for strategic decisions on routing policies and network management
https://github.com/lidingxu/wUMCFC.
Efficient and robust numerical treatment of a gradient‐enhanced damage model at large deformations
Authors: Junker Philipp , Riesselmann Johannes , Balzani Daniel
Published: November 2021

The modeling of damage processes in materials constitutes an ill‐posed mathematical problem which manifests in mesh‐dependent finite element results. The loss of ellipticity of the discrete system of equations is counteracted by regularization schemes of which the gradient enhancement of the strain energy density is often used. In this contribution, we present an extension of the efficient numerical treatment, which has been proposed by Junker et al. in 2019, to materials that are subjected to large deformations. Along with the model derivation, we present a technique for element erosion in the case of severely damaged materials. Efficiency and robustness of our approach is demonstrated by two numerical examples including snapback and springback phenomena.
A study to introduce National Early Warning Scores (NEWS) in care homes: Influence on decision‐making and referral processes
Authors: Hodgson Philip , Greaves Jane , Cook Glenda , Fraser Angela , Bainbridge Lesley
Published: November 2021

Aim

Early warning scores are commonly used in hospital settings, but little is known about their use in care homes. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of National Early Warning Scores alongside other measures in this setting.

Design

Convergent parallel design.

Methods

Quantitative data from 276 care home residents from four care homes were used to analyse the relationship between National Early Warning Scores score, resident outcome and functional daily living (Barthel ADL (Barthel Index for Activities of Daily Living)) and Rockwood (frailty). Interviews with care home staff (N = 13) and care practitioners (N = 4) were used to provide qualitative data.

Results

A statistically significant link between National Early Warning Scores (p = .000) and Barthel ADL (p = .013) score and hospital admissions was found, while links with Rockwood were insignificant (p = .551). Care home staff reported many benefits of National Early Warning Scores, including improved communication, improved decision‐making and role empowerment. Although useful, due to the complexity of the resident population's existing health conditions, National Early Warning Scores alone could not act as a diagnostic tool.
Bullying bystanders and emotional school engagement: The roles of rumination and depression
Authors: Dorio Nicole B. , Demaray Michelle K. , Riffle Logan N.
Published: November 2021

It is important to understand the mechanisms behind student academic engagement, as engagement in school is associated with a host of positive outcomes. As children mature, their peers become more important compared to adults in regard to their emotional engagement in school. Thus, this study sought to examine an aspect of peer relations, bullying‐related behavior, and its associations with emotional engagement in school. Additionally, this study aimed to examine the potential mediating roles of depression and rumination in the association between bystander role behaviors and emotional school engagement. With a diathesis‐stress theoretical foundation, it was hypothesized that low emotional school engagement would result from a combination of witnessing bullying and experiencing rumination and/or depression symptoms. Bystander behavior has been studied significantly less compared to bully‐ and victim‐role behaviors, despite the significant role that bystanders can play in bullying scenarios. There is a gap in the literature regarding how bystanders' behaviors in bullying situations are associated with emotional engagement in school. Further, the role(s) of rumination and depression have not been studied within these associations. The current study utilized structural equation modeling as well as double mediation analyses to investigate the associations between bystander role behaviors (assisting, defending, and outsider behaviors) and emotional engagement in school and to determine if those associations are mediated by rumination and/or depression. From a sample of 847 middle school students (47.1% female), results suggested a significant indirect effect of rumination and depression on emotional school engagement for defending and outsider behaviors, but not assisting behaviors. Additional results and implications will be discussed.
Structural empirical model of personal positive youth development, parenting, and school climate
Authors: Balaguer Álvaro , Benítez Edgar , de la Fuente Jesús , Osorio Alfonso
Published: November 2021

This study tested an empirical model of the relationship between Personal Positive Youth Development (PPYD) and two contextual factors: Positive Parenting (PP), and Perception of the Climate and Functioning of the School (PcfS). The hypothesis tested was that a positive relationship with parents and a positive perception of the school will contribute to the prediction of PPYD. The sample was composed of 1507 adolescents recruited in 10 Spanish schools who were aged between 12 and 18 years and 52% were female. PPYD was evaluated through Dispositional optimism, Self‐competence, and Sense of coherence. PP was evaluated through Affect and communication, Autonomy granting, Humor, and Self‐disclosure. PcfS was evaluated through School climate, School bonds, Clarity of rules and values, and Empowerment. Previous reliability and validity analyses of the constructs were carried out, and correlational analyses and structural predictions were made. The results show that both PP and PcfS were associated with better scores in PPYD. Also, a positive correlation between those two contextual factors was found. Implications for applied research are discussed.
Digital policy in European countries from the perspective of the Digital Economy and Society Index
Authors: Liu Tze‐Chang
Published: November 2021

The concept of digital economy has gained currency in recent years and has caught the attention of policymakers and the public. This study uses the 2017 Digital Economy and Society Index indicators—connectivity, human capital, use of Internet services, integration of digital technology, and digital public services—to determine the digital policy performance of various European countries. It uses the co‐plot method to visualize and classify countries based on their correlations with similar variables. The top‐performing European Union (EU) countries have strong correlations with at least one of these indicators. By ranking these countries in this way, policymakers can ascertain their development levels and make changes to infrastructure, human resources, and regulations to develop their digital economy.
Boosting the analysis of protein interfaces with multiple interface string alignments: Illustration on the spikes of coronaviruses
Authors: Béreux Stéphane , Delmas Bernard , Cazals Frédéric
Published: November 2021

We introduce multiple interface string alignment (MISA), a visualization tool to display coherently various sequence and structure based statistics at protein–protein interfaces (SSE elements, buried surface area, , B factor values, etc). The amino acids supporting these annotations are obtained from Voronoi interface models. The benefit of MISA is to collate annotated sequences of (homologous) chains found in different biological contexts, that is, bound with different partners or unbound. The aggregated views MISA/SSE, MISA/BSA, MISA/ΔASA, and so forth, make it trivial to identify commonalities and differences between chains, to infer key interface residues, and to understand where conformational changes occur upon binding. As such, they should prove of key relevance for knowledge‐based annotations of protein databases such as the Protein Data Bank. Illustrations are provided on the receptor binding domain of coronaviruses, in complex with their cognate partner or (neutralizing) antibodies. MISA computed with a minimal number of structures complement and enrich findings previously reported. The corresponding package is available from the Structural Bioinformatics Library (http://sbl.inria.frand https://sbl.inria.fr/doc/Multiple_interface_string_alignment-user-manual.html).
Understanding London's summertime cloud cover
Authors: Theeuwes Natalie E. , Boutle Ian A. , Clark Peter A. , Grimmond Sue
Published: November 2021

Cities are a source of complex land–atmosphere interactions. Spatial differences in the energy balance and enhanced surface roughness interact with the atmosphere to alter clouds and precipitation. Here, we explore how London (UK) alters cloud formation during the spring and summer. The Met Office's high‐resolution operational forecasts predict enhanced cloud cover over the city, as found in observations, but underpredicts the intensity. During low wind speeds, cloud enhancement over the city is strongest and linked to an urban‐induced thermal circulation. These circulations advect moist air from the city edge inwards, transporting it upwards with a large moisture convergence over the urban area. At around 1,000 m above the surface, the turbulent moisture flux takes over the moisture transport to the cloud layer. A relative humidity budget shows the moisture flux in the upper boundary layer to be the largest contribution to the urban–rural differences in relative humidity.
A liquidity crunch in an endogenous growth model with human capital
Authors: Salas Sergio
Published: November 2021

There is by now reasonable evidence that supports the notion of a trend break in the U.S. GDP since the Great Recession. To explain this phenomenon, I construct a version of the Lucas endogenous growth model, amplified with financial frictions and financial disruptions in the firms' sector. I then show how a transitory liquidity crunch is capable, at least qualitatively, of producing a similar pattern of a persistent downward shift in the GDP trend as one could infer happened in the United States since 2008. The main mechanism by which such a result is found relies on workers' decisions on providing labor to firms versus accumulating human capital. I show that a transitory liquidity crunch reduces the demand of labor. Workers anticipating a phase of depressed wages make the decision of accumulating more human capital in the short run, thereby reducing labor supply to firms. In the long run, however, incentivized by a strong recovery, workers decrease human capital accumulation and increase labor supply. Under plausible parameterizations of the model, this situation produces a net effect of a decrease in overall productivity that permanently reduces the trend at which the economy was growing prior to the crisis.
Preparation, Structure, and Properties of Enzymatically‐Hydrolyzed Starch for Slowing Down the Retrogradation of High Starchy Foods
Authors: Xie Jiating , Wei Siwen , Xu Xueming , Xu Dan , Jin Yamei , Yang Na , Wu Fengfeng
Published: November 2021

Amylase represents a green and healthy method that can be used to inhibit retrogradation of starch and high starchy foods. In this study, glutinous rice starch is hydrolyzed using α‐amylase or β‐amylase at different dextrose equivalent (DE) values to investigate the effect of enzymatically‐hydrolyzed glutinous rice starch (EGS) on the anti‐retrogradation of rice cakes. The latter's hardness shows that EGS successfully slowed down the retrogradation of rice cakes with this effect being dependent on the type of amylase and DE value. The structure and physicochemical characteristics of different EGS are determined to identify the reasons for their different anti‐retrogradation effects. It is found that with increasing DE values, molecular weight decreased but molecular structural differences increased, with both effects influencing the properties of EGS. Similarly, decreased swelling power and viscosity, and increased solubility affects the texture of rice cakes while decreased retrogradation enthalpy and crystallinity indicates that EGS can retard the retrogradation process. Overall, there are significant differences in structure and physicochemical properties of EGS that are hydrolyzed by α‐amylase or β‐amylase. Since the production of enzymatically‐hydrolyzed starch can be standardized, it is feasible for rice cake and other high starchy foods to become modern industrially‐made convenience foods.
Sustainable, Smart and Safe Mobility at the Core of Sustainable Tourism in Six European Islands
Authors: Mantero Claudio
Published: November 2021

Transport and tourism are rising economic sectors based on their mutual growth on reliable technological tools, affordable energy sources in relatively peaceful decades. This growing trend, faced along years of sudden slowdown caused mainly by the financial and health crisis; one of the most severe and recent episodes was the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic outbreak is representing a global turning point for both international markets of tourism and transport which can be addressed with innovative solutions looking to retake the growing trends. In such a changing framework CIVITAS DESTINATIONS European project addressed the main challenges of tourism and resident mobility at local (rural, urban area, large city) and regional levels, focusing on six European islands (Malta, Cyprus, Elba, Crete, Gran Canaria, Madeira) aiming to implement and evaluate 83 different sustainable mobility measures. The project proves to have a cumulative relevant impact on environmental indicators such as CO2 emission avoided, fossil fuel saved and energy saved. Additionally, the project findings focus on the quality of life and economic development to grant long-run environmental and financial sustainability of tourism and transport at the local and regional levels. The main aspects observed were related to public participation and governance models in touristic mobility integrated with the residents’ needs, touristic mobility the island, role of technologies to focus on final user needs, growing trends of elder and disabled people, new integrated and innovative business in tourism and mobility markets, health at the core of future trends.
Innovation, Digital Solutions and MaaS Concept in Touristic Insular and Rural Destinations: The Case of the Shared Mobility Agency in Elba
Authors: Gini Saverio , Ambrosino Giorgio
Published: November 2021

This chapter aims to describe the role of innovation and digital solutions in facing the mobility needs of the rural areas and tourist destinations and, at the same time, to discuss the problems and conditions for their use in the provision of the different mobility and transport services. Innovation in the mobility provision chain is analysed in relation to the relevant service elements (schemes, planning, programming, evaluation and support) in order to clarify that innovation does not automatically mean digital solutions. An overview of the emerging trends in digital solutions is provided, focusing on the Mobility as a Service (MaaS) concept and mobile applications. For the APP, market-specific considerations are developed on the different roles and typologies, making a classification for understanding current Mobility APP “Jungle”. Moreover, the concept of Shared Use Mobility Agency (SUMA) is presented. SUMA aims to integrate smart mobility services under the concept of MaaS in order to answer to the mobility needs of residents and tourists acting on the demand and providing coordinated collective and ridesharing transport services. SUMA could be considered an “innovative” approach mixing advanced digital architecture and shared mobility schemes with the relevant organization, operation and business elements. Section 5 presents the SUMA implementation in Elba island (Regione Toscana-Italy), within CIVITAS DESTINATIONS project underlying the specifications of the platform and APP. Finally, besides the specific recommendations provided in each section, key recommendations for Mobility Authority and Transport Operators are spotlighted.
Is Cycling an Attractive Transport Solution in a Mediterranean City?
Authors: Tarasi Dimitra , Daras Tryfon , Tsoutsos Theocharis
Published: November 2021

By exploiting the opinion of the society in a Mediterranean city, this paper identifies the mechanisms behind utility cycling and determines the aspects of using the bike in cities for daily commuting. This study focused on the assessment of biking as an alternative mode of transport within a typical Mediterranean city in Crete. Limited road safety is the principal reason that hinders 60% of respondents from cycling, and 41% from riding more frequently. The survey results are congruent with this statement, provided a significant difference in the ratios of actual recreational cyclists (39%) and those who like to ride for entertainment, but they hesitate (71%). In order to quantify this, the attitude of the bikers was grouped in two fact factors influencing: the clothing and the technological one. Based on the opinion of the local society, high priority policies are recommended, such as proper infrastructure, sensitization campaigns, and education programs.
Climate Change Mitigation Through Smart Environmental Monitoring of the Urban Ecosystem in Insular Touristic Cities: Experience from Rethymno and Madeira
Authors: Aryblia Maria , Quintal Lúcio , Ribeiro Μiguel , Sifakis Nikolaos , Tournaki Stavroula , Tsoutsos Theocharis
Published: November 2021

Cities, and general urban areas, contribute critically to climate change because of the GHGs related to traffic congestion, fossil fuel consumption, noise and air pollution. Air pollution, despite the noteworthy improvements during the last decades, still plays a significant role in the quality of living in European cities as it causes damages to health and ecosystems, thus making urgent the immoderate need of diminishing it. Within the Horizon 2020 CIVITAS DESTINATIONS project, six European island cities, which are highly attractive destinations for tourists worldwide, implemented various sustainable mobility measures. Among them, Funchal, Madeira-Portugal, and Rethymno, Crete-Greece, implemented two different environmental monitoring systems to measure and calculate a predetermined set of indicators, capable of estimating the environmental benefits in transport, economy, society, energy, and the environment. The monitoring systems were installed in specific sites all around these two cities, aiming, through the integrated sensors, to collect environmental data related to transport load, such as environmental indexes (temperature, humidity, noise) and air pollutants (CO2, CO, NOx, SO2, PM). The collection of critical and reliable data offers the opportunity for an effective evaluation of the overall performance of the implemented measures toward sustainable, environmentally friendly, and low-carbon mobility policies.
Flavor constraints for a vector-like quark of Nelson-Barr type
Authors: Cherchiglia A. L. , De Conto G. , Nishi C. C.
Published: November 2021

Abstract

The Nelson-Barr (NB) mechanism to solve the strong CP problem assumes CP conservation, arranges vanishing$$ \overline{\theta} $$θ¯at tree-level and requires vector-like quarks (VLQs) to transmit the CP breaking to the SM. We analyze the flavor constraints coming from the presence of one such down type VLQ of NB type by performing a global fit on the relevant flavor observables. A comparison is made to the case of one generic VLQ. We find that the allowed parameter space for the VLQ Yukawa couplings and the mixing to the SM are confined to a region much smaller than in the generic case, making the NB case falsifiable in principle.