bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of promoters in archaeal genomes based on DNA structural parameters
Authors: Martinez Gustavo Sganzerla , Sarkar Sharmilee , Kumar Aditya , Pérez‐Rueda Ernesto , de Avila e Silva Scheila
Published: October 2021

The transcription machinery of archaea can be roughly classified as a simplified version of eukaryotic organisms. The basal transcription factor machinery binds to the TATA box found around 28 nucleotides upstream of the transcription start site; however, some transcription units lack a clear TATA box and still have TBP/TFB binding over them. This apparent absence of conserved sequences could be a consequence of sequence divergence associated with the upstream region, operon, and gene organization. Furthermore, earlier studies have found that a structural analysis gains more information compared with a simple sequence inspection. In this work, we evaluated and coded 3630 archaeal promoter sequences of three organisms, Haloferax volcanii, Thermococcus kodakarensis, and Sulfolobus solfataricus into DNA duplex stability, enthalpy, curvature, and bendability parameters. We also split our dataset into conserved TATA and degenerated TATA promoters to identify differences among these two classes of promoters. The structural analysis reveals variations in archaeal promoter architecture, that is, a distinctive signal is observed in the TFB, TBP, and TFE binding sites independently of these being TATA‐conserved or TATA‐degenerated. In addition, the promoter encountering method was validated with upstream regions of 13 other archaea, suggesting that there might be promoter sequences among them. Therefore, we suggest a novel method for locating promoters within the genome of archaea based on DNA energetic/structural features.
Neurofilament Light Chain Predicts Disease Severity and Progression in Multiple System Atrophy
Authors: Zhang Lingyu , Cao Bei , Hou Yanbing , Gu Xiaojing , Wei Qianqian , Ou Ruwei , Zhao Bi , Luo Chunyan , Shang Huifang
Published: November 2021

Background

Neurofilament light chain (NFL), a potential biomarker of multiple system atrophy (MSA), has been reported in several studies.

Objectives

The objective of this study was to investigate whether plasma NFL levels are correlated with the progression of motor and cognition function in MSA.

Methods

Patients with MSA were part of a prospective cohort study with assessments at baseline and after 1 year. Plasma NFL was quantified using ultrasensitive Simoa technology.

Results

A total of 91 patients with MSA and 60 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. NFL levels increased from baseline to 1‐year follow‐up (P = 0.010). Baseline plasma NFL levels were significantly associated with motor severity and progression in patients with MSA (P < 0.05) but not with cognitive progression (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

Plasma NFL is a reliable biomarker for the disease severity of MSA and monitoring the progression of MSA, but not the progression of cognition. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Lipidomic landscape in cancer: Actionable insights for membrane‐based therapy and diagnoses
Authors: Agarwala Prema K. , Aneja Ritu , Kapoor Shobhna
Published: November 2021

Cancer cells display altered cellular lipid metabolism, including disruption in endogenous lipid synthesis, storage, and exogenous uptake for membrane biogenesis and functions. Altered lipid metabolism and, consequently, lipid composition impacts cellular function by affecting membrane structure and properties, such as fluidity, rigidity, membrane dynamics, and lateral organization. Herein, we provide an overview of lipid membranes and how their properties affect cellular functions. We also detail how the rewiring of lipid metabolism impacts the lipidomic landscape of cancer cell membranes and influences the characteristics of cancer cells. Furthermore, we discuss how the altered cancer lipidome provides cues for developing lipid‐inspired innovative therapeutic and diagnostic strategies while improving our limited understanding of the role of lipids in cancer initiation and progression. We also present the arcade of membrane characterization techniques to cement their relevance in cancer diagnosis and monitoring of treatment response.
Vakzine: Gut umhüllt zum Ziel
Authors: Ehrensberger Christian
Published: November 2021

Einen mRNA‐Impfstoff gegen das Sars‐CoV‐2‐Virus in großen Mengen herzustellen ist kein Problem. Als Flaschenhals erweisen sich dagegen die Verpackungen, darunter die Lipide, die ihn schützen.
Blaue Zufallsstunde
Authors: Offermanns Heribert
Published: November 2021

Das Zitat von Mark Twain „Nenne mir den größten aller Erfinder: Es ist der Zufall“ trifft besonders für Blaupigmente zu. Beispiele sind die Entdeckung des Berliner Blaus im Jahr 1706 oder die Herstellung des Cu‐Phthalocyanins im Jahr 1928. Selbst heute noch kann man unverhofft Blau sehen – etwa im Jahr 2009 bei der Entdeckung des YInMn‐Blaus.
Publishing: Persistent identifiation
Authors: Eustace Brooke , Dreyer Britta
Published: November 2021

Orcid accurately identifies researchers, ensuring they receive proper credit for their contributions. But only 50 percent of the researchers in Germany have an Orcid ID.
Trendbericht Theoretische Chemie 1/2: Lichtgetriebene Reaktionen unter der Theorielupe
Authors: Faraji Shirin
Published: November 2021

Photoinduzierte Prozesse sind elementar in unserem Leben und Techniken zur Umwandlung von Energie, etwa von Sonnenlicht in Strom. Moderne Ultrakurzzeitspektroskopie ermöglicht es, solche chemischen Prozesse in Echtzeit zu beobachten. Aber nur im Wechselspiel aus Theorie und Experiment lassen sich die experimentellen Beobachtungen in ein mechanistisches Bild übersetzen. Daher ist eine realistische theoretische Beschreibung unentbehrlich.
Trendbericht Theoretische Chemie 2/2: Mit dem Computer zu effizienteren Katalysatoren
Authors: Podewitz Maren
Published: November 2021

Theoretische und Computerchemie können als Grundpfeiler dienen, um homogene Katalysatoren zu verbessern. Dabei klären sie mit Operando‐Modellen nicht nur die Funktionsweise der Katalysatoren, sondern sagen diese auch vorher.
Der Dax wächst
Authors: Bulmahn Maren
Published: November 2021

Der deutsche Aktienindex Dax umfasst nun zehn Unternehmen mehr als zuvor. Unter den neuen sind Chemie‐ und Pharmazulieferer.
Verblüffend, einfach, ausgezeichnet
Authors: Fürstner Alois
Published: November 2021

Der Chemienobelpreis 2021 geht zu gleichen Teilen an Benjamin List und David MacMillan für „die Entwicklung der asymmetrischen Organokatalyse“.
Improvement of insulation properties of glass fiber fabric/epoxy composites modified by polymeric and inorganic fillers
Authors: Altay Pelin , Uçar Nuray
Published: October 2021

Glass fiber fabric‐reinforced epoxy composites (GEC) have some weakness on both thermal insulation and sound absorption insulation, which are very important for many application areas such as aircraft, train, and so on. The main aim of this study is to improve both sound absorbent and thermal insulation properties of GEC by incorporating different fillers such as hollow glass microspheres (HGMs), polystyrene (PS) microfiber membrane, and PS solution. Results show that incorporation of PS solution into glass fiber fabric epoxy composite (GEC‐PS) provides higher sound absorption coefficient leading to an increase in the max SAC value from 0.1 to 0.4 and improvement in thermal insulation by decrease of thermal conductivity coefficient of GEC from 0.48 to 0.448 W/mK. Thermal insulation properties of GEC were improved by the use of PS microfiber membrane, which decreases the thermal conductivity coefficient of GEC from 0.48 to 0.438 W/mK. HGM did not improve both the thermal insulation and sound absorption insulation properties of GEC due to the agglomeration.
Feasibility of an intensive interprofessional lifestyle medicine program for patients with musculoskeletal conditions in the setting of lifestyle‐related chronic disease
Authors: Prather Heidi , Fogarty Alexandra E. , Cheng Abby L. , Wahl Garett , Hong Barry , Hunt Devyani
Published: October 2021

Background

Lifestyle factors are associated with musculoskeletal pain and metabolic chronic diseases. To date, intensive lifestyle medicine programs have predominantly targeted metabolic rather than musculoskeletal conditions.

Objective

To assess the feasibility of an intensive interprofessional lifestyle medicine program for patients with musculoskeletal conditions.

Design

Prospective observational feasibility study.

Setting

Tertiary academic medical center.

Patients

Adults diagnosed with musculoskeletal condition(s) and lifestyle‐related chronic disease(s) who previously completed standard‐of‐care musculoskeletal treatments, enrolled from 2018 to 2020.

Interventions

Patients enrolled in an intensive interprofessional lifestyle medicine program led by a physiatrist, with options to interface with an acupuncturist, dietician, massage therapist, psychologist, physical therapist, and smoking cessation specialist. The physiatrist engaged in shared decision making with patients to establish program goals related to function, overall health, and required lifestyle changes. Bimonthly interprofessional team conferences facilitated communication between treatment team and patients.

Main Outcome Measures

Feasibility was measured by patient participation and goal attainment. Secondary outcomes included changes from program enrollment to discharge in patient anthropometric, metabolic lab, sleep apnea risk, and Patient‐Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) function, pain, and behavioral health measures.

Results

Twenty‐six patients enrolled in the program (18 [69%] female, mean age 59 [SD 14.5] years, baseline hemoglobin A1c 6.0% [0.8%], high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein 7.7 [12.1] mg/dL, 25‐hydroxy vitamin D 32.0 [14.2] ng/mL). Of 21 (81%) patients who completed the program, 13/21 (62%) met their goal. On average, program completers presented for 26.2 (10.6) total visits over 191 (88) days. By discharge, program completers achieved clinically meaningful improvement in PROMIS Anxiety (mean difference −3.5 points, 95% confidence interval [−6.5 to 0.5], p = .035), whereas noncompleters did not (p > .05).

Conclusions

An intensive interprofessional lifestyle medicine program for patients with musculoskeletal conditions is feasible. With training in lifestyle intervention, physiatrists are well suited to lead interprofessional teams aimed at assisting patients in making lifestyle changes to achieve personalized function‐ and health‐related goals.
Behind the scenes: On the relationship between developer experience and refactoring
Authors: Alomar Eman Abdullah , Peruma Anthony , Mkaouer Mohamed Wiem , Newman Christian D. , Ouni Ali
Published: October 2021

Refactoring is widely recognized as one of the efficient techniques to manage technical debt and maintain a healthy software project through enforcing best design practices, or coping with design defects. Previous refactoring surveys have shown that code refactoring activities are mainly executed by developers who have sufficient knowledge of the system's design, and disposing of leadership roles in their development teams. However, these surveys were mainly limited to specific projects and companies. In this paper, we explore the generalizability of the previous results by analyzing 800 open‐source projects. We mine their refactoring activities, and we identify their corresponding contributors. Then, we associate an experience score to each contributor in order to test various hypotheses related to whether developers with higher scores tend to (1) perform a higher number of refactoring operations, (2) exhibit different motivations behind their refactoring, and (3) better document their refactoring activity. We found that (1) although refactoring is not restricted to a subset of developers, those with higher contribution scores tend to perform more refactorings than others; (2) although there is no correlation between experience and motivation behind refactoring, top contributed developers are found to perform a wider variety of refactoring operations, regardless of their complexity; and (3) top contributed developer tend to document less their refactoring activity. Our qualitative analysis of three randomly sampled projects shows that the developers who are responsible for the majority of refactoring activities are typically in advanced positions in their development teams, demonstrating their extensive knowledge of the design of the systems they contribute to.
Exploring the motivation of women studying in a multilevel ESOL class in England
Authors: Sidaway Kathryn
Published: November 2021

Identifying students’ reasons for learning a language is useful for every teacher who aims to help students achieve their goals. In addition, understanding how their language learning motivation is maintained through the class and to what extent this continues away from the classroom are equally important, especially in noncompulsory adult ESOL. Following Ushioda’s (2016) call for a small lens approach, one class of female, adult ESOL learners was studied to discover factors influencing their language learning motivation whilst attending a multilevel class in England. Data was collected over a period of 8 weeks through classroom observations, motigraphs, and interviews. Dorney's L2 motivational self‐system theory (2009) was employed as a means of analysis and the findings appear to suggest that the learning experience and ought‐to second language (L2) self have the largest impact on the participants’ motivation in this context. The study concludes with pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research in this often overlooked field of enquiry.
Collaboration and advance planning across campus create more cybersecure universities
Authors: Bannister Mary
Published: November 2021

“Cybersecurity is a threat that changes all the time, so addressing it involves everybody living and breathing security as second nature.” This was a key theme on September 22, 2021, when the National Student Clearinghouse hosted a webinar titled “CyberSecurED: Building a Cyber‐Ready Campus.” The webinar panelists — experts from EDUCAUSE, the Cyber Readiness Institute, REN‐ISAC, and NSC — discussed the role of university registrars and enrollment managers in preventing and responding to cyber‐attacks.
Staff approaches its tasks from the student's perspective
Authors: Enos Gary A.
Published: November 2021

Charlie Couch, University Registrar at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, found when he arrived on campus a decade ago that the university's procedures weren't as student‐centric as they could be. The enrollment management operation in which his office resides has addressed this challenge through a combination of introducing technological enhancements and spearheading initiatives to simplify the student experience.
Science and Society an Overview of the Problem
Authors: Miedema Frank
Published: October 2021

Science in the recent past promised to society to contribute to the grand challenges of the United Nations, UNESCO, WHO, the EU agenda and national agendas for change and improvement of our life, the human condition. In this chapter it will be briefly discussed how this social contract between science and society has developed since 1945. In the context of this book I distinguish three time periods, but I do realize slightly different time periods may be preferred, based on the perspective taken. The first phase from 1945 till 1960 is characterized by autonomy, building on the successes of the natural sciences and engineering in World War II. In the second phase, the late sixties till approximately 1980, government and the public lost trust and saw the downside of science and technology. The response from politics and the public was to call for societal and political responsible research inspired by broader socio-political developments in society. The third phase from 1990 till 2010 was one of renewed enthusiasm and hope that science and technology would bring economic growth, which should make nations internationally competitive. There increasingly was also room for societal problems related to environment and sustainability, health and well-being. In this approach of the so-called knowledge economy, with the world-wide embracing of neoliberal politics, strong relations with government and the private sector were established. This was accompanied by short-term accountability, control from government and funders at the level of project output, using accordingly defined metrics and indicators. Because of this, this model became firmly and globally institutionalized.
Science for, in and with Society: Pragmatism by Default
Authors: Miedema Frank
Published: October 2021

To rethink the relation between science and society and its current problems authoritative scholars in the US and Europe, but also around the globe, have since 1980 implicitly and increasingly explicitly gone back to the ideas of American pragmatism. Pragmatism as conceived by its founders Peirce, James and Dewey is known for its distinct philosophy/sociology of science and political theory. They argued that philosophy should not focus on theoretical esoteric problems with hair-splitting abstract debates of no interest to scientists because unrelated to their practice and problems in the real world. In a realistic philosophy of science, they did not accept foundationalism, dismissed the myth of given eternal principles, the unique ‘scientific method’, absolute truths or let alone a unifying theory. They saw science as a plural, thoroughly social activity that has to be directed to real world problems and subsequent interventions and action. ‘Truth’ in their sense was related to the potential and possible impact of the proposition when turned in to action. Knowledge claims were regarded per definition a product of the community of inquirers, fallible and through continuous testing in action were to be improved. Until 1950, this was the most influential intellectual movement in the USA, but with very little impact in Europe. Because of the dominance of the analytic positivistic approach to the philosophy of science, after 1950 it lost it standing. After the demise of analytical philosophy, in the 1980s of the previous century, there was a resurgence of pragmatism led by several so-called new or neo-pragmatists. Influential philosophers like Hillary Putnam and Philip Kitcher coming from the tradition of analytic philosophy have written about their gradual conversion to pragmatism, for which in the early days they were frowned upon by their esteemed colleagues. This new pragmatist movement gained traction first in the US, in particular through works of Bernstein, Toulmin, Rorty, Putnam and Hacking, but also gained influence in Europe, early on though the works of Apel, Habermas and later Latour.
Epilogue: Open Science in an Open Society
Authors: Miedema Frank
Published: October 2021

The European Union has chosen Open Science as the way to do science and research based on its cultural and social values. Open Science can only really thrive in democracies and Open Societies to the benefit of humanity. This relationship between science, scientists and society is not trival and sometimes endangered, therefore we need to continuously engage in research with and for society.
Tumor Budding beim kolorektalen Karzinom – Informationen zur klinischen Anwendung und Anleitung zur praktischen Bestimmung
Authors: Müller Felix , Lugli Alessandro , Dawson Heather
Published: November 2021

Hintergrund

Bei einzelnen Patienten mit kolorektalen Karzinomen (CRC) zeigt sich ein schlechter klinischer Verlauf innerhalb desselben UICC-Stadiums (Union for International Cancer Control). Die Identifizierung von zusätzlichen Risikofaktoren ist daher notwendig, um eine optimale Therapieplanung zu erreichen.

Fragestellung

In welchen Situationen kann Tumor Budding die klinische Therapieentscheidung beeinflussen und wie sollte die standardisierte Auswertung erfolgen?

Material und Methode

Aktuelle Publikationen zum Thema Tumor Budding werden mit Fokus auf die praktische Anwendung und potenzielle Problemfälle in der Bestimmung des Tumor Buddings erläutert.

Ergebnisse

Tumor Budding ist ein signifikanter Risikofaktor für einen schlechteren Verlauf des CRC und kann bei pT1-Karzinomen sowie Stadium-II-Karzinomen die Behandlung beeinflussen. Die Auswertung wurde durch die International Tumor Budding Consensus Conference (ITBCC) 2016 standardisiert und ist in der Praxis anwendbar. Schwierigkeiten in der Anwendung können durch die Kenntnis von potenziellen Problemfällen vermieden werden.
Bundesgesetzgebungskompetenz für die Bedarfsfeststellung eines einzelnen Braunkohletagebaus?
Authors: Hermes Georg
Published: November 2021

Im Gesetzgebungsverfahren zur Umsetzung des Kohleausstiegs wurde kurz vor den abschließenden Beratungen auf Initiative des Ausschusses für Wirtschaft und Energie eine Vorschrift in das Gesetz zur Reduzierung und zur Beendigung der Kohleverstromung (KVBG) aufgenommen, die die “Notwendigkeit” des Braunkohletagebaus Garzweiler II rechtlich absichern soll (§48 KVBG; dazu 1). Unabhängig von der Frage, ob dieser Versuch durch die verschärften Jahresemissionsmengen für die Energiewirtschaft, die durch die Entscheidung des Bundesverfassungsgerichts vom 24.3.2021 veranlasst sind, bereits als überholt angesehen werden kann, und auch unabhängig von materiellen Bedenken fehlt dem Bund die Gesetzgebungskompetenz. Denn die Vorschrift ist an dem Erforderlichkeitsmaßstab des Art. 72 Abs. 2 GG zu messen (dazu 2) und die Anwendung der dazu in der Rechtsprechung entwickelten Kriterien (dazu 3) auf §48 KVBG führt zu dem Ergebnis, dass es an der Erforderlichkeit der Bedarfsfeststellung für Garzweiler II zur Wahrung der Wirtschaftseinheit im gesamtstaatlichen Interesse fehlt (dazu 4).
Negotiating Gender in Everyday Life: Toward a Conceptual Model of Gender Dysphoria in Adolescents
Authors: Jessen Reidar Schei , Wæhre Anne , David Linda , Stänicke Erik
Published: October 2021

A growing number of adolescents are seeking medical care to alleviate gender dysphoria (GD). This qualitative study explored the subjective experiences of GD among help-seeking transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) youth in order to develop a more nuanced conceptualization of the phenomenon. Fifteen life-mode interviews were conducted with newly referred youth between the ages of 13 and 19. All participants were assigned female at birth. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The participants targeted five major themes that characterize GD: (1) Bodily sensations were constant reminders of GD throughout the day, (2) emotional memories from the past of being different and outside triggered GD, (3) the process of coming out was a transformative experience that changed how the participants understood themselves, (4) GD both increased and decreased in relation to others, (5) everyday life required careful negotiation to feel whole without developing new forms of GD. Based on the results, we suggest a more conceptually nuanced model of GD, one which accounts for how bodily sensations and emotional memories from the past were sources that elicited GD. The sources were mediated through the process of coming out and relating to others, and this resulted in the negotiation of GD today. The conceptual model suggested in the present study could ideally shed light on preexisting knowledge on TGNC youth struggling with GD. In addition, an improved understanding of GD could ideally help clinicians when addressing individual treatment needs.
The Naturality of Natural Deduction (II): On Atomic Polymorphism and Generalized Propositional Connectives
Authors: Pistone Paolo , Tranchini Luca , Petrolo Mattia
Published: October 2021

In a previous paper (of which this is a prosecution) we investigated the extraction of proof-theoretic properties of natural deduction derivations from their impredicative translation into System F. Our key idea was to introduce an extended equational theory for System F codifying at a syntactic level some properties found in parametric models of polymorphic type theory. A different approach to extract proof-theoretic properties of natural deduction derivations was proposed in a recent series of papers on the basis of an embedding of intuitionistic propositional logic into a predicative fragment of System F, called atomic System F. In this paper we show that this approach finds a general explanation within our equational study of second-order natural deduction, and a clear semantic justification in terms of parametricity.
Assessing the well-being of residents in nursing facilities
Authors: Schott Nadja , Johnen Bettina , Klotzbier Thomas Jürgen
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Well-adapted and validated well-being (WB) instruments for the nursing home population are scarce. To our knowledge, the Laurens Well-Being Inventory for Gerontopsychiatry (LWIG) is a practical and reliable well-being assessment tool that has never been validated for German nursing home populations. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to (1) translate and cross-culturally adapt the LWIG to a German context and (2) test the reliability and validity of the German LWIG in a group of older nursing home residents using the Rasch model.

Methods

This study has a cross-sectional, descriptive study design. Cross-cultural adaption of the LWIG-GER from English to German was performed according to a standardized method. The data obtained from 104 long-term nursing home residents (57 women, 47 men) aged 60–99 years (mean 79.5, standard deviation ±9.11) were analyzed for psychometric testing (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, item fit, McDonald’s ω, convergent validity, and known-group validity, Rasch).

Results

The final LWIG-GER consists of 19 items with three subscales, including “psychological WB”, “social WB”, and “physical WB”. The LWIG-GER showed good overall reliability with McDonald’s ω of 0.83; the LWIG-GER dimensions’ scores were significantly correlated with depression, functional performance, activities, fear of falling, and education.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the German language version of the LWIG is a reliable and valid tool for measuring WB in nursing home residents. Furthermore, we propose that the LWIG-GER questionnaire can broaden and deepen our understanding of residents’ perception of quality of care and their environment.
Optimal investment strategies for pension funds with regulation-conform dynamic pension payment management in the absence of guarantees
Authors: Lichtenstern Andreas , Zagst Rudi
Published: October 2021

In this article we consider the post-retirement phase optimization problem for a specific pension product in Germany that comes without guarantees. The continuous-time optimization problem is defined consisting of two specialties: first, we have a product-specific pension adjustment mechanism based on a certain capital coverage ratio which stipulates compulsory pension adjustments if the pension fund is underfunded or significantly overfunded. Second, due to the retiree’s fear of and aversion against pension reductions, we introduce a total wealth distribution to an investment portfolio and a buffer portfolio to lower the probability of future potential pension shortenings. The target functional in the optimization, that is to be maximized, is the client’s expected accumulated utility from the stochastic future pension cash flows. The optimization outcome is the optimal investment strategy in the proposed model. Due to the inherent complexity of the continuous-time framework, the discrete-time version of the optimization problem is considered and solved via the Bellman principle. In addition, for computational reasons, a policy function iteration algorithm is introduced to find a stationary solution to the problem in a computationally efficient and elegant fashion. A numerical case study on optimization and simulation completes the work with highlighting the benefits of the proposed model.
Performing Power in Nigeria
Authors: Adelakun Abimbola A.
Published: October 2021

For decades, Pentecostalism has been one of the most powerful socio-cultural and socio-political movements in Africa. The Pentecostal modes of constructing the world by using their performative agencies to embed their rites in social processes have imbued them with immense cultural power to contour the character of their societies. Performing Power in Nigeria explores how Nigerian Pentecostals mark their self-distinction as a people of power within a social milieu that affirmed and contested their desires for being. Their faith, and the various performances that inform it, imbue the social matrix with saliences that also facilitate their identity of power. Using extensive archival material, interviews and fieldwork, Abimbola A. Adelakun questions the histories, desires, knowledge, tools, and innate divergences of this form of identity, and its interactions with the other ideological elements that make up the society. Analysing the important developments in contemporary Nigerian Pentecostalism, she demonstrates how the social environment is being transformed by the Pentecostal performance of their identity as the people of power.
The Making of Islamic Economic Thought
Authors: Al-Daghistani Sami
Published: November 2021

Interrogating the development and conceptual framework of economic thought in the Islamic tradition pertaining to ethical, philosophical, and theological ideas, this book provides a critique of modern Islamic economics as a hybrid economic system. From the outset, Sami Al-Daghistani is concerned with the polyvalent methodology of studying the phenomenon of Islamic economic thought as a human science in that it nurtures a complex plentitude of meanings and interpretations associated with the moral self. By studying legal scholars, theologians, and Sufis in the classical period, Al-Daghistani looks at economic thought in the context of Sharī'a's moral law. Alongside critiquing modern developments of Islamic economics, he puts forward an idea for a plural epistemology of Islam's moral economy, which advocates for a multifaceted hermeneutical reading of the subject in light of a moral law, embedded in a particular cosmology of human relationality, metaphysical intelligibility, and economic subjectivity.
Oh, I Know I've Been Changed
Authors: SCHECHNER RICHARD
Published: November 2021

From the notebook of Richard Schechner concerning the Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards in Paris, 2–7 July 2019.
Upper Mantle Structure Beneath Mariana: Insights From Rayleigh‐Wave Anisotropic Tomography
Authors: Qiao Qingyu , Liu Xin , Zhao Dapeng , Li Sanzhong , Zhao Shujuan , Zhao Long , Wang Xiao
Published: October 2021

We determine Rayleigh‐wave phase‐velocity azimuthal anisotropy tomography beneath Mariana using a large number of high‐quality amplitude and phase data of teleseismic fundamental mode Rayleigh waves at periods of 25–130 s. The obtained phase‐velocity model is then inverted for a 3D azimuthal anisotropic shear‐wave velocity (Vs) model down to ∼300 km depth. The old (∼150 Ma) Pacific oceanic lithosphere near the Mariana trench is imaged as a clear high‐Vs zone with a thickness of ∼100 km, whereas obvious low‐Vs anomalies exist in the mantle wedge and in the asthenosphere beneath the incoming plate. The Pacific oceanic lithosphere near the Mariana trench mainly exhibits a fast‐velocity direction (FVD) of NW‐SE normal to seafloor isochrons, which may reflect frozen‐in lattice‐preferred orientation formed at the mid‐ocean ridge, whereas the dominant FVD in the subducting Pacific slab at depths >∼100 km is parallel to the Mariana trench, probably reflecting subduction‐related structural deformation in the slab. Significant trench‐normal FVDs exist in the mantle wedge at depths <∼100 km, whereas the deeper portion of the mantle wedge mainly exhibits trench‐parallel FVDs, which may indicate a flow pattern in the mantle wedge due to the slab deep subduction and dehydration.
Impacts of Urban Expansion on the Diurnal Variations of Summer Monsoon Precipitation Over the South China Coast
Authors: Li Zheng , Chan Johnny C. L. , Zhao Kun , Chen Xingchao
Published: November 2021

This study investigates the possible relationship between changes in monsoonal (May–June) rainfall diurnal variations over the south China coast and urban surface processes using hourly rain gage data during 1981–2014 and semi‐idealized numerical simulations. The continuous landward penetration of regional climatic rainband observed prior to urbanization is blocked by the city. The morning precipitation initiated at the coast “jumps” to the downstream area of city in the late afternoon, causing a 2 hr delay of the rainfall peak time. Simulations clearly reproduce this change by turning off/on the urban land use, and demonstrate a direct connection between the change of rainfall diurnal variations with a magnitude‐enhancing but slower‐penetrating sea breeze as well as the thermodynamic conditions modified by the city. Individual impacts of sensible heating, evapotranspiration, and friction from urban surface are examined using various sensitivity experiments. Urban sensible heat is found to act as the energy source to enhance the sea breeze and induce the asymmetric low‐level urban inflow that blocks the penetration of sea breeze and changes the rainfall location. Evapotranspiration and latent heat flux suppressed by the impervious urban surface causes a drier boundary layer and lower CAPE over the city. The “jumping” of the climatic rainband may result from the competing interaction of the dynamic and thermodynamic factors. Urban friction has little impact on the daytime rainfall, but could slow down seaward wind speed and enhance coastal convergence in the early morning if no strong urban heat island is present.
True Polar Wander on Dynamic Planets: Approximative Methods Versus Full Solution
Authors: Patočka Vojtěch
Published: November 2021

Almost three decades ago, the problem of long‐term polar wander on a dynamic planet was formulated and simplified within the framework of normal mode theory. The underlying simplifications have been debated ever since, recently in a series of papers by Hu et al. (2017a, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016je005114, 2017b, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017je005365, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2018.08.013), who clarify the role of neglecting short‐term relaxation modes of the body. However, the authors still do not solve the governing equations in full, because they make approximations to the Liouville equation (LE). In this paper, I use a time domain approach and, for previously studied test loads, both the planet's relaxation and the LE are solved in full. In order to analyze the existing LE approximations, I compute the energy balance of true polar wander (TPW). For fast rotating bodies such as Earth, the rotation axis becomes aligned with the main inertia axis (ω‖MIA) once free oscillations are damped. The ω‖MIA assumption is re‐derived theoretically–contrary to previous beliefs, I demonstrate that it is not necessarily linked to the quasi‐fluid limit of the viscoelastic response to loading and rotation, but that it is an expression of neglecting the Coriolis and Euler forces from the equation of motion. It is thus important to distinguish between simplifying the LE and simplifying the planet's response to forcing. For slow rotators such as Venus, the full LE together with energy analysis indicate that previous estimates of TPW rate need to be revisited. The numerical code LIOUSHELL is released on GitHub.
Upregulation of lncRNA NONRATG019935.2 suppresses the p53-mediated apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells in septic acute kidney injury
Authors: Ding Ying , Zhou Dao-yang , Yu Hong , Zhu Tao , Guo Feng , He Yang , Guo Xiu-liu , Lin Yong-jun , Liu Yu-jiao , Yu Yun-song
Published: November 2021

Although increasing evidence has confirmed that the apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) is a crucial contributor to the onset and development of septic acute kidney injury (AKI), the pathological mechanism by which RTEC apoptosis is upregulated during septic AKI is not entirely clear. In this study, a rat model of septic AKI was induced by a cecal ligation puncture procedure or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. Four differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs (DE-Lncs) in the rat model of septic AKI were determined using RNA-sequencing and verified by qRT-PCR. Among the four DE-Lncs, the expression level of lncRNA NONRATG019935.2 (9935) exhibited the most significant reduction in both septic AKI rats and LPS-treated NRK-52E cells (a rat RTEC line). The overexpression of 9935 suppressed cell apoptosis and p53 protein level in LPS-treated NRK-52E cells, and retarded septic AKI development in the rat model of septic AKI. Mechanistically, 9935 decreased the human antigen R (HuR)-mediated Tp53 mRNA stability by limiting the combination of HuR and the 3′UTR region of Tp53 mRNA in RTECs. The overexpression of HuR abrogated the inhibitory effect of pcDNA-9935 on the LPS-induced apoptosis of NRK-52E and rat primary RTECs. In conclusion, 9935 exerts its role in septic AKI by suppressing the p53-mediated apoptosis of RTECs, and this essential role of 9935 relies on its destructive effect on HuR-mediated Tp53 mRNA stability.
The Gillenia trifoliata genome reveals dynamics correlated with growth and reproduction in Rosaceae
Authors: Ireland Hilary S. , Wu Chen , Deng Cecilia H. , Hilario Elena , Saei Ali , Erasmuson Sylvia , Crowhurst Ross N. , David Karine M. , Schaffer Robert J. , Chagné David
Published: November 2021

The Rosaceae family has striking phenotypic diversity and high syntenic conservation.Gillenia trifoliatais sister species to the Maleae tribe of apple and ~1000 other species.Gilleniahas many putative ancestral features, such as herb/sub-shrub habit, dry fruit-bearing and nine base chromosomes. This coalescence of ancestral characters in a phylogenetically important species, positionsGilleniaas a ‘rosetta stone’ for translational science within Rosaceae. We present genomic and phenological resources to facilitate the use ofGilleniafor this purpose. TheGilleniagenome is the first fully annotated chromosome-level assembly with an ancestral genome complement (x = 9), and with it we developed an improved model of the Rosaceae ancestral genome. MADS and NAC gene family analyses revealed genome dynamics correlated with growth and reproduction and we demonstrate howGilleniacan be a negative control for studying fleshy fruit development in Rosaceae.
Expanding the application of a UV-visible reporter for transient gene expression and stable transformation in plants
Authors: Yuan Guoliang , Lu Haiwei , Tang Dan , Hassan Md Mahmudul , Li Yi , Chen Jin-Gui , Tuskan Gerald A. , Yang Xiaohan
Published: November 2021

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) has been widely used for monitoring gene expression and protein localization in diverse organisms. However, highly sensitive imaging equipment, like fluorescence microscope, is usually required for the visualization of GFP, limitings its application to fixed locations in samples. A reporter that can be visualized in real-time regardless the shape, size and location of the target samples will increase the flexibility and efficiency of research work. Here, we report the application of a GFP-like protein, called eYGFPuv, in both transient expression and stable transformation, in two herbaceous plant species (Arabidopsisand tobacco) and two woody plant species (poplar and citrus). We observed bright fluorescence under UV light in all of the four plant species without any effects on plant growth or development. eYGFPuv was shown to be effective for imaging transient expression in leaf and root tissues. With a focus on in vitro transformation, we demonstrated that the transgenic events expressing 1xeYGFPuvcould be easily identified visually during the callus stage and the shoot stage, enabling early and efficient selection of transformants. Furthermore, whole-plant level visualization of eYGFPuv revealed its ubiquitous stability in transgenic plants. In addition, our transformation experiments showed that eYGFPuv can also be used to select transgenic plants without antibiotics. This work demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing 1xeYGFPuvin studies of gene expression and plant transformation in diverse plants.
Strigolactones positively regulate abscisic acid-dependent heat and cold tolerance in tomato
Authors: Chi Cheng , Xu Xuechen , Wang Mengqi , Zhang Hui , Fang Pingping , Zhou Jie , Xia Xiaojian , Shi Kai , Zhou Yanhong , Yu Jingquan
Published: November 2021

Strigolactones are carotenoid-derived phytohormones that impact plant growth and development in diverse ways. However, the roles of strigolactones in the responses to temperature stresses are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated that strigolactone biosynthesis is induced in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) by heat and cold stresses. Compromised strigolactone biosynthesis or signaling negatively affected heat and cold tolerance, while application of the synthetic strigolactone analog GR245DS enhanced heat and cold tolerance. Strigolactone-mediated heat and cold tolerance was associated with the induction of abscisic acid (ABA), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) accumulation, C-REPEAT BINDING FACTOR 1 (CBF1) transcription, and antioxidant enzyme activity. Importantly, a deficiency in ABA biosynthesis compromised the GR245DS effects on heat and cold stresses and abolished the GR245DS-induced transcription of HSP70, CBF1, and antioxidant-related genes. These results support that strigolactones positively regulate tomato heat and cold tolerance and that they do so at least partially by the induction of CBFs and HSPs and the antioxidant response in an ABA-dependent manner.
Induced pluripotency in the context of stem cell expansion bioprocess development, optimization, and manufacturing: a roadmap to the clinic
Authors: Colter James , Murari Kartikeya , Biernaskie Jeff , Kallos Michael Scott
Published: November 2021

The translation of laboratory-scale bioprocess protocols and technologies to industrial scales and the application of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) derivatives in clinical trials globally presents optimism for the future of stem-cell products to impact healthcare. However, while many promising therapeutic approaches are being tested in pre-clinical studies, hiPSC-derived products currently account for a small fraction of active clinical trials. The complexity and volatility of hiPSCs present several bioprocessing challenges, where the goal is to generate a sufficiently large, high-quality, homogeneous population for downstream differentiation—the derivatives of which must retain functional efficacy and meet regulatory safety criteria in application. It is argued herein that one of the major challenges currently faced in improving the robustness of routine stem-cell biomanufacturing is in utilizing continuous, meaningful assessments of molecular and cellular characteristics from process to application. This includes integrating process data with biological characteristic and functional assessment data to model the interplay between variables in the search for global optimization strategies. Coupling complete datasets with relevant computational methods will contribute significantly to model development and automation in achieving process robustness. This overarching approach is thus crucially important in realizing the potential of hiPSC biomanufacturing for transformation of regenerative medicine and the healthcare industry.
Recent patent applications in beverages enriched with plant proteins
Authors: Arbach Clara Takayama , Alves Izabel Almeida , Serafini Mairim Russo , Stephani Rodrigo , Perrone Ítalo Tuler , de Carvalho da Costa Juliana
Published: November 2021

Recently, many consumers have been adding plant-based beverages to their diets, due to different reasons. The addition of plant proteins to enrich these products in order to make them more nutritionally balanced has become a trend, mainly because of their lower prices and reduced environmental damage. Thus, the aims of the present patent review are to discuss the potential of, and challenges posed by, plant proteins to the beverage industry, as well as to check market trends, focused on raw materials and beverage types. Based on the results, pea, rapeseed, bean, peanut, chickpea, lentil, hempseed, sunflower seed, and cottonseed were among the most often addressed raw materials. Furthermore, this enrichment process is not limited to create products that mimic dairy, therefore expansion in plant proteins used to enrich carbonated beverages, sports drinks, or even juices is expected to happen. Thus, plant-derived proteins have been promising to high-quality beverage production, as well as to ensure food security, animal welfare, and low environmental impacts.
Characterizing porous microaggregates and soil organic matter sequestered in allophanic paleosols on Holocene tephras using synchrotron-based X-ray microscopy and spectroscopy
Authors: Huang Doreen Yu-Tuan , Lowe David J. , Churchman G. Jock , Schipper Louis A. , Cooper Alan , Chen Tsan-Yao , Rawlence Nicolas J.
Published: October 2021

Allophanic tephra-derived soils can sequester sizable quantities of soil organic matter (SOM). However, no studies have visualized the fine internal porous structure of allophanic soil microaggregates, nor studied the carbon structure preserved in such soils or paleosols. We used synchrotron radiation-based transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) to perform 3D-tomography of the internal porous structure of dominantly allophanic soil microaggregates, and carbon near-edge X-ray absorption fine-structure (C NEXAFS) spectroscopy to characterize SOM in ≤ 12,000-year-old tephra-derived allophane-rich (with minor ferrihydrite) paleosols. The TXM tomography showed a vast network of internal, tortuous nano-pores within an allophanic microaggregate comprising nanoaggregates. SOM in the allophanic paleosols at four sites was dominated by carboxylic/carbonyl functional groups with subordinate quinonic, aromatic, and aliphatic groups. All samples exhibited similar compositions despite differences between the sites. That the SOM does not comprise specific types of functional groups through time implies that the functional groups are relict. The SOM originated at the land/soil surface: ongoing tephra deposition (intermittently or abruptly) then caused the land-surface to rise so that the once-surface horizons were buried more deeply and hence became increasingly isolated from inputs by the surficial/modern organic cycle. The presence of quinonic carbon, from biological processes but vulnerable to oxygen and light, indicates the exceptional protection of SOM and bio-signals in allophanic paleosols, attributable both to the porous allophane (with ferrihydrite) aggregates that occlude the relict SOM from degradation, and to rapid burial by successive tephra-fallout, as well as strong Al-organic chemical bonding. TXM and C NEXAFS spectroscopy help to unravel the fine structure of soils and SOM and are of great potential for soil science studies.
Playing the piano with a robotic third thumb: assessing constraints of human augmentation
Authors: Shafti Ali , Haar Shlomi , Mio Renato , Guilleminot Pierre , Faisal A. Aldo
Published: November 2021

Contemporary robotics gives us mechatronic capabilities for augmenting human bodies with extra limbs. However, how our motor control capabilities pose limits on such augmentation is an open question. We developed a Supernumerary Robotic 3rd Thumbs (SR3T) with two degrees-of-freedom controlled by the user’s body to endow them with an extra contralateral thumb on the hand. We demonstrate that a pianist can learn to play the piano with 11 fingers within an hour. We then evaluate 6 naïve and 6 experienced piano players in their prior motor coordination and their capability in piano playing with the robotic augmentation. We show that individuals’ augmented performance with the SR3T could be explained by our new custom motor coordination assessment, the Human Augmentation Motor Coordination Assessment (HAMCA) performed pre-augmentation. Our work demonstrates how supernumerary robotics can augment humans in skilled tasks and that individual differences in their augmentation capability are explainable by their individual motor coordination abilities.