bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Solar and Artificial Radiation on Elaidinization and Degradation of Z‐Bixin Extracted from Bixa Orellana Seeds
Authors: Eliecer Cárdenas Oswaldo , Vega‐Rodríguez Sarai , Cárdenas‐Chaparro Agobardo , De Leon‐Rodriguez Antonio , de Loera Denisse
Published: July 2022

Z‐bixin is the main metabolite contained in Achiote, which is widely used as a food condiment and pigment. Z‐bixin plays an important role in photosynthesis. It is used to develop artificial solar cells and scavenge radical oxygen and nitrogen species. In this work, the photochemistry of Z‐bixin with solar irradiation and lamps at 365 and 410 nm was determined in solution. The ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy (UV‐Vis) and Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) analysis showed that elaidinization of Z‐bixin to E‐bixin can be reached under radiation. This is in accordance with the computational evaluation that indicates that the mechanism consists of three bond rotations with an energy requirement of 5.43 and 5.23 kcal/mol for the first and second steps and no energy barriers to the last step. After elaidinization, total degradation was observed through a cascade reaction that generated CO, CO2, H2CO, and HCl.
Retracted: Functionalization of 2‐Amino‐4‐chloropyridine as Potential In Vitro Inhibitors of Urease Enzyme: Synthesis, Kinetics and In Silico Studies
Authors: Siddiqui Hina , Qureshi Aaminat , Khan Majid , Wahab Atia‐tul , Iqbal Choudhary Muhammad
Published: July 2022

Urease inhibition is therapeutically important for the treatment of diseases such as peptic and duodenal ulcers, and urolithiasis (kidney stone disease) caused by the ureolytic bacteria. Functionalization of 2‐amino‐4‐chloropyridine scaffold was conducted by using single step chemical transformation to yield thiourea, and imine derivatives (1–35). Among these, compounds 3, and 16–35 were identified as new compounds. All analogous exhibited significant urease inhibition activity with IC50 in the range of 8.36–55.8 μM. Acetohydroxamic acid (IC50=20.4±0.23 μM) was used as standard. All synthesized compounds were characterized by using spectroscopic techniques such as 1H‐NMR, 13C‐NMR, NOESY, COSY, HMBC, HSQC, IR, UV, and mass spectrometry. Furthermore, kinetic studies were performed in order to determine the mode of interaction of these compounds with urease enzyme. Molecular docking and kinetic studies revealed that the compounds 25, and 26 are competitive inhibitors of urease enzyme. All the compounds were tested for their cytotoxicity against normal cell line and were found to be non‐cytotoxic.
Triethylamine Catalyzed Reductive CO2 to Form N‐Formylation of Amines and Hydrazides
Authors: Wei Xiu‐Zhi , Lu Qiqi , Liu Jianguo , Ma Longlong
Published: July 2022

Carbon dioxide was one of the main green‐house gas, using CO2 as a C1 source to produce functional chemicals can relieve environmental issues. With the development of the N‐formylation reaction of amines under a CO2 atmosphere, a promising route for the synthesis of diacylhydrazines is the N‐formylation of hydrazide with CO2 in the presence of a reducing agent. Triethylamine (TEA) is an organic base commonly used in organic synthesis, which has a low boiling point to easily separated from the system by decompression distillation. We herein describe TEA‐ catalyzed selective N‐formylation of amines/ hydrazide using CO2 and NaBH4 to construct various formamide and N′‐formyl‐hydrazide. Utilizing N‐formylation of amines reaction to tune the reaction solvent, base, and temperature given a lower boiling catalyst and solvent system and the product can be separated easily. The selective synthesis method of formamides is achieved in good yields, which is also equally adapted to hydrazides. Finally, 1,3,4‐oxadiazole skeleton having synthetic drugs and material application was obtained by cyclization of N′‐formyl‐hydrazide.
Carbon Nitride Nanomaterials: Properties, Synthetic Approaches and New Insights in Fluorescence Spectrometry for Assaying of Metal Ions, Organic and Biomolecules
Authors: Patel Mayurkumar Revabhai , Kailasa Suresh Kumar
Published: July 2022

Recent years, carbon nitride (C3N4) nanomaterials have engraved new insights into fluorescence spectrometry for the analysis of wide variety analytes (metal ions, organic and biomolecules). This review concentrates on the properties of C3N4 nanomaterials, synthetic routes for C3N4 nanomaterials and insights in fluorescence spectrometry for the detection of various chemical species. Firstly, this review summarizes the properties (photoluminescence, electrochemical, thermal and chemical stability) of C3N4 nanostructure materials. Secondly, the recent advances on the synthetic routes for the fabrication of C3N4 nanostructures including top‐down (hydrothermal, solvothermal and exfoliation) and bottom‐up (hard and soft templet, template‐free, solvothermal, hydrothermal and microwave) are discussed. Thirdly, we describe the new insights of C3N4 nanostructures as probes for assaying of metal ions, organic and biomolecules from complex samples via fluorescence spectrometry. Finally, we have summarized the future perspectives of carbon nitride nanostructures in analytical chemistry are described.
Carbon Dot‐Layered Double Hydroxide Nanocomposite with Dual‐Mode Emission for Anti‐Fake Application
Authors: Wang Xinrui , Feng Xiangnan , Gao Xuewei , Liang Kaixiang , Shi Wenying
Published: July 2022

There is an urgent need to develop a safe, unclonable comprehensive anti‐counterfeiting technology. The novel organic‐inorganic nanocomposite material CD‐LDH uses fluorescence and phosphorescence to achieve double verification. It is made into luminous ink to write anti‐fake marks of important documents. There is no obvious trace under the fluorescent lamp, while blue light emission under the ultraviolet lamp, and a long afterglow of 5 s after the ultraviolet lamp is turned off. The material can be widely used in the fields of information transmission and anti‐fake.
Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells Based on Tin Oxide Nanocrystals with Difunctional Modification
Authors: Xi Jiahao , Yuan Jifeng , Du Jiuyao , Yan Xiaoqin , Tian Jianjun
Published: July 2022

Tin oxide (SnO2) nanocrystals‐based electron transport layer (ETL) has been widely used in perovskite solar cells due to its high charge mobility and suitable energy band alignment with perovskite, but the high surface trap density of SnO2 nanocrystals harms the electron transfer and collection within device. Here, an effective method to achieve a low trap density and high electron mobility ETL based on SnO2 nanocrystals by devising a difunctional additive of potassium trifluoroacetate (KTFA) is proposed. KTFA is added to the SnO2 nanocrystals solution, in which trifluoroacetate ions could effectively passivate the oxygen vacancies (OV) in SnO2 nanocrystals through binding of TFA− and Sn4+, thus reducing the traps of SnO2 nanocrystals to boost the electrons collection in the solar cell. Furthermore, the conduction band of SnO2 nanocrystals is shifted up by surface modification to close to that of perovskite, which facilitates electrons transfer because of the decreased energy barrier between ETL and perovskite layer. Benefiting from the decreased trap density and energy barrier, the perovskite solar cells exhibit a power conversion efficiency of 21.73% with negligible hysteresis.
Ba(BO2OH) – A Monoprotonated Monoborate from Hydroflux Showing Intense Second Harmonic Generation
Authors: Li Yuxi , Hegarty Peter A. , Rüsing Michael , Eng Lukas M. , Ruck Michael
Published: July 2022

Pure samples of colorless, air‐stable Ba(BO2OH) crystals were obtained from Ba(NO3)2 and H3BO3 under the ultra‐alkaline conditions of a KOH hydroflux at about 250 °C. The product formation depends on the water‐base molar ratio and the molar ratio of the starting materials. B(OH)3 acts as a proton donor (Brønsted acid) rather than a hydroxide acceptor (Lewis acid). Ba(BO2OH) crystallizes in the non‐centrosymmetric orthorhombic space group P212121. Hydrogen bonds connect the almost planar (BO2OH)2− anions, which are isostructural to HCO3−, into a syndiotactic chain. IR and Raman spectroscopy confirm the presence of hydroxide groups, which are involved in weak hydrogen bonds. Upon heating in air to about 450 °C, Ba(BO2OH) dehydrates to Ba2B2O5. Moreover, the non‐centrosymmetric structure of Ba(BO2OH) crystals was verified with power‐dependent confocal Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) microscopy indicating large conversion efficiencies in ambient atmosphere.
Afterword: Temporary Measures
Authors: Blanchette Alex
Published: July 2022

The disruptions that wracked food supply chains amid the COVID-19 pandemic were not exceptional circumstances so much as they were events that intensified and clarified the routine norms of a capitalist system of sustenance that operates in a state of permanent emergency. The capitalist food system is one that develops through temporary measures—acts that seek to patch structural weaknesses before they explode in ways that could destabilize the system itself. Looking via the lens of US animal agriculture, this concluding chapter asks if viewing the food system in this way might open up alternative ways of thinking about political agency in times of mundane crisis, highlighting the messy contingencies of capitalism’s own persistent efforts to foreclose the realizations of other, fuller visions of nourishment.
Agri-investment Cashing in on COVID-19
Authors: Sippel Sarah Ruth
Published: July 2022

Global agri-food relationships are continuously changing. However, some periods can be perceived as critical moments when sudden events challenge established patterns and introduce new dynamics within the agri-food system. Many observers identified the food price hikes in 2007/2008 as such a “turning point”. The food price hikes were seen as a stark reminder of the fragility and volatility of the global food system and interpreted as signalling a structural crisis in agriculture and its organizational and institutional frameworks. The 2008 crisis produced both winners and losers. Among the winners were institutional investors that started engaging much more actively in the area of productive resources. Roughly ten years later, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted global agri-food relationships again, perhaps even more profoundly. This chapter juxtaposes the crises of 2007/2008 and 2020/2021 and explores the role of financial actors within them. It analyses how financial investors, who emerged as powerful actors out of the 2008 crisis, responded to, and dealt with, the COVID-19 crisis. It further investigates how the pandemic has been rhetorically framed, what investment strategies were promoted, and how financial investors anticipate their engagement with agri-food in (post-)pandemic times.
Free quotients of favorable Calabi-Yau manifolds
Authors: Gray James , Wang Juntao
Published: July 2022

Abstract

Non-simply connected Calabi-Yau threefolds play a central role in the study of string compactifications. Such manifolds are usually described by quotienting a simply connected Calabi-Yau variety by a freely acting discrete symmetry. For the Calabi-Yau threefolds described as complete intersections in products of projective spaces, a classification of such symmetries descending from linear actions on the ambient spaces of the varieties has been given in [16]. However, which symmetries can be described in this manner depends upon the description that is being used to represent the manifold. In [24] new, favorable, descriptions were given of this data set of Calabi-Yau threefolds. In this paper, we perform a classification of cyclic symmetries that descend from linear actions on the ambient spaces of these new favorable descriptions. We present a list of 129 symmetries/non-simply connected Calabi-Yau threefolds. Of these, at least 33, and potentially many more, are topologically new varieties.
Die Mammareduktionsplastik – doch mehr als eine rein plastische Operation?
Authors: Hoffmann Oliver , Groth Nina , Moukas Stefanos Ioannis , Kimmig Klaus Rainer , Bittner Ann-Kathrin
Published: July 2022

Im Rahmen der Mammahyperplasie stellt sich ein vielfältiges Beschwerdebild dar, neben den körperlichen Beschwerden leiden Patientinnen häufig unter psychischen Beschwerden. Die Mammareduktionsplastik ist nach wie vor eine der am häufigsten durchgeführten plastischen Operationen an der weiblichen Brust, sie wird von den Krankenkassen aber in vielen Fällen nicht bezahlt. Ziel dieser monozentrischen retrospektiven Studie war die Evaluation des Einflusses der Mammareduktionsplastik auf die Beschwerden der Patientinnen. Es zeigte sich postoperativ eine signifikante Reduktion der Rückenschmerzen, 50 % der Patientinnen waren postoperativ beschwerdefrei. Einhergehend hiermit kam es ebenfalls zu einer signifikanten Reduktion von Kopf- und Nackenschmerzen, muskulären Verspannungen sowie Schulterschmerzen, und es kam zu einer signifikanten Verbesserung von Haltungsfehlern. Cutisveränderungen und Entzündungen traten signifikant weniger postoperativ auf. Positiv wurde der Effekt durch die Operation auf den psychischen Leidensdruck bewertet, es zeigte sich eine signifikante Verbesserung von Selbstbewusstsein, Körperbild und Wohlbefinden und es resultierte ebenfalls eine Verbesserung der Situation im Berufsleben. Zusammenfassend zeigt sich eine signifikante Verbesserung der körperlichen und psychischen Beschwerden.
Datenbasierte Modellierung und Regelung von trockenen Mahl‑/Sichtkreisläufen
Authors: Kirchner Rupert
Published: July 2022

Im Zuge eines Forschungs- und Entwicklungsprojekts arbeitet CEMTEC Cement and Mining Technology GmbH gemeinsam mit dem Lehrstuhl für Aufbereitung und Veredlung an der Montanuniversität Leoben an neuwertigen und innovativen Regelansätzen für industrielle Mahlanlagen, die bei der trockenen Vermahlung von Rohstoffen zum Einsatz gelangen sollen. Es werden hierbei sowohl physikalisch basierte als auch datenbasierte Modelle in Form eines hybriden Systems kombiniert. Ziel des Projektes ist es, ein Regelsystem zu schaffen, das die jeweiligen Stärken der physikalischen und datenbasierten Modelle erkennt und situativ den optimalen Lösungsweg mit der maximal erzielbaren Anlagenenergieeffizienz wählt. Die industrielle Ausrollung des neuen Reglers ist mit Ende 2022 geplant.
Biostabilization process of undersized fraction of municipal solid waste with biochar addition
Authors: Malinowski Mateusz
Published: July 2022

The main goal of this work was to analyze the impact of biochar addition and changes in air-flow rates on the intensive phase of aerobic biostabilization of undersized fraction of municipal solid waste (UFMSW). The novelty of this paper stems from the use of biochar to shorten the process and generate “well-stabilized waste”. The following six different input mixtures were tested (without biochar and with the addition of biochar at: 1.5%, 3%, 5%, 10% and 20%), at three different air-flow rates: 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 m3·d−1·(kg org DM)−1. It was found that the biochar addition of more than 3 wt% causes water accumulation in the treated waste, but does not allow for reducing organic matter (OM) content below 35% DM, nor OMloss values below 40% (the exception is the 5 wt% addition of biochar at the air-flow rate of 0.2 m3·d−1·(kg org DM)−1). Moreover, 10 wt% and 20 wt% biochar additions to UFMSW intensify the increase in microbial abundance, which may result in higher oxygen demand or development of anaerobic zones. The most favorable biochar doses in terms of final UFMSW sanitization are 3 wt% and 5 wt%.
#Metoo or #Hertoo? A Moderated Mediation Model of Gender Differences in Perceptions of Sexual Harassment
Authors: Clarke Heather M.
Published: July 2022

Sexual harassment continues to pervade workplaces due, at least in part, to gender differences in the perception of sociosexual behaviors. Some scholars have argued that such differences are minimal and inconsistent. This study examined and demonstrated several reasons why this conclusion is fallacious. Approximately equal numbers of gay men (n = 191), heterosexual men (n = 193), lesbians (n = 190), and heterosexual women (n = 196) reported their perceptions of scenarios describing an interaction between a target and their manager. The target was either a fictional female, a fictional male, or the participant. As predicted, only heterosexual men’s perceptions of sociosexual behaviors varied by the target of the behaviors. Heterosexual men viewed the behaviors as harassment only when the target was female. Further, women and gay men, but not heterosexual men, viewed the sociosexual behaviors as discrimination. The results also supported a moderated mediation model where, following exposure to sociosexual behaviors, the effect of participant group on perceived sexual harassment was mediated by fear and perceived discrimination and moderated by target. This study contributes to research on workplace sexual harassment by explaining alleged inconsistent results of studies of gender differences in perceptions of sexual harassment and by proposing and testing a novel process following exposure to sociosexual behaviors in the workplace.
Invasive slipper limpets (Crepidula fornicata) act like a sink, rather than source, of Vibrio spp.
Authors: Quinn Emma A. , Malkin Sophie H. , Thomas Jessica E. , Poole Ryan , Davies Charlotte E. , Rowley Andrew F. , Coates Christopher J.
Published: July 2022

A large knowledge gap exists regarding the disease profile and pathologic condition of the invasive, slipper limpet Crepidula fornicata. To help address this, we performed a year-long health survey at two sites in South Wales, UK – subtidal Swansea Bay and intertidal Milford Haven. In total, 1,800 limpets were screened systematically for haemolymph bacterial burdens using both general and vibrio-selective growth media (TSA + 2% NaCl and TCBS, respectively), haemolymph (blood) inspection using microscopy, a PCR-based assay targeting Vibrio spp., and multi-tissue histology. Over 99% of haemolymph samples contained cultivable bacterial colony-forming units, and 83% of limpets tested positive for the presence of vibrios via PCR (confirmed via Sanger sequencing). Vibrio presence did not vary greatly between sites, yet a strong seasonal effect was observed with significantly higher bacterial loads during the summer. Binomial logistic regression models revealed larger (older) limpets were more likely to harbour vibrios, and the growth of bacteria on TCBS was a key predictor for PCR-based vibrio detection. Histological assessment of > 340 animals revealed little evidence of inflammation, sepsis or immune reactivity despite the gross bacterial numbers. We contend that slipper limpets are not highly susceptible to bacteriosis at either site, and do not harbour vibrios known to be pathogenic to humans. The lack of susceptibility to local pathogenic bacteria may explain, in part, the invasion success of C. fornicata across this region.
Development effort estimation in free/open source software from activity in version control systems
Authors: Robles Gregorio , Capiluppi Andrea , Gonzalez-Barahona Jesus M. , Lundell Björn , Gamalielsson Jonas
Published: July 2022

Effort estimation models are a fundamental tool in software management, and used as a forecast for resources, constraints and costs associated to software development. For Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) projects, effort estimation is especially complex: professional developers work alongside occasional, volunteer developers, so the overall effort (in person-months) becomes non-trivial to determine. The objective of this work it to develop a simple effort estimation model for FOSS projects, based on the historic data of developers’ effort. The model is fed with direct developer feedback to ensure its accuracy. After extracting the personal development profiles of several thousands of developers from 6 large FOSS projects, we asked them to fill in a questionnaire to determine if they should be considered as full-time developers in the project that they work in. Their feedback was used to fine-tune the value of an effort threshold, above which developers can be considered as full-time. With the help of the over 1,000 questionnaires received, we were able to determine, for every project in our sample, the threshold of commits that separates full-time from non-full-time developers. We finally offer guidelines and a tool to apply our model to FOSS projects that use a version control system.
Enhanced deep learning based channel estimation for indoor VLC systems
Authors: Salama Wessam M. , Aly Moustafa H. , Amer Eman S.
Published: July 2022

This paper aims to improve the channel estimation (CE) in the indoor visible light communication (VLC) system. We propose a system that depends on a comparison between Deep Neural Networks (DNN) and Kalman Filter (KF) algorithm for two optical modulation techniques; asymmetrically clipped optical-orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (ACO-OFDM) and direct current optical-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DCO-OFDM). The channel estimation can be evaluated by changing the rate of errors in the received bits, where increased error means a performance decrease of the system and vice versa. Receiving less errors at the receiver indicates improved channel estimation and system performance. Thus, the main aim of our proposal is decreasing the error rate by using different estimators. Using the simulation results with the metric parameter of bit error rate (BER) aims to determine the improvement ratio between different systems. The proposed model is trained with OFDM signal samples with labels, where the labels represent the received signal after applying OFDM travelling across the medium. At a BER = 10–3 with DCO-OFDM, the DNN outperforms KF with 1.6 dB (7.6%) at the bit energy per noise $$({{\varvec{E}}}_{{\varvec{b}}}/{{\varvec{N}}}_{{\varvec{o}}})$$

(

E

b

/

N

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)

axis. Also, for ACO-OFDM at BER = 10–3, the DNN achieves better results than KF by about 1.3 dB (8.12%) at the $$({{\varvec{E}}}_{{\varvec{b}}}/{{\varvec{N}}}_{{\varvec{o}}}).$$

(

E

b

/

N

o

)
.

At different values of M in QAM, the DNN outperforms KF for ACO-OFDM by average improvement of ~ 1 dB (~ 11.5%).
Reconceptualizing solidarity as power from below
Authors: Zheng Robin
Published: July 2022

I propose a new concept of solidarity, which I call “solidarity from below,” that highlights an aspect of solidarity widely recognized in popular uses of the term, but which has hitherto been neglected in the philosophical literature. Solidarity from below is the collective ability of otherwise powerless people to organize themselves for transformative social change. I situate this concept with respect to four distinct but intertwined questions that have motivated extant theorizing about solidarity. I explain what it means to conceptualize solidarity from below as a form of power, rather than as a feeling, disposition, duty, or scheme of social arrangements. Finally, I suggest that the moral-relational aspects of solidarity emerge secondarily from the process of collective power, and not the other way around.
Soil quality under different agricultural land uses as evaluated by chemical, geochemical and ecological indicators in mountains with high rainfall (Darjeeling Himalayas, India)
Authors: Kijowska-Strugała Małgorzata , Baran Agnieszka , Szara-Bąk Magdalena , Wiejaczka Łukasz , Prokop Paweł
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Agricultural land use associated with intensification in plant growing affects the physicochemical parameters of soils and thus soil quality. The aim of this study was to identify the quality of soils in the Peshok catchment in the Eastern Himalayas under different types of land use (tea, horticulture, rice), under high monsoon rainfall conditions.

Methods

Physical and chemical analysis were used, e.g. bulk density, pH, TOC, major and trace element content (such as Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ga, Li, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr and Zn) based on AntonPaar Multiwave 3000 microwave system and nitrogen and sulphur content using CNS Elementar Vario MAX cube analyser. In addition, ecotoxicological analyses were performed using the Microtox test. Soil quality was assessed on the basis of chemical indicators related to the mobility of trace elements (risk assessment code, individual contamination factor and global contamination factor); geochemical indicators (geoaccumulation index, enrichment factor, contamination factor, contamination degree, modified contamination degree, pollution load index and improved Nemerow pollution index); and ecological indicators (potential ecological risk coefficient and potential ecological risk index). A statistical package of Statistica v13 was used for statistical analysis.

Results

Soils in the analysed catchment are characterised by low contents of macro- and microelements. It was shown that natural factors, such as high precipitation and steep slopes, favour strong leaching of elements from the soil, and farming systems based on natural and chemical fertilisation, terracing and irrigation are not able to balance them fully. The contents of TOC and N as well as pH were determined mainly by the land use. Results of statistical analyses and geochemical indicators revealed the predominantly natural origins of elements. The higher Ga content indicated a relationship with the local geology and the higher Cu content with the use of fertilisers. Indicators showed a low ecological risk related to the presence of trace elements, and soil ecotoxicity to A. fischeri was generally determined by the acidic pH of the tested soils. Low mobility was observed for most elements, and regardless of the land use, the residual fraction predominated.

Conclusion

The study showed that use of many indicators can more fully describe soil quality in relation to land use, especially in the case of a low content of trace elements. Moreover, this approach helps to better understand the changes taking place in soil quality under different land uses in mountains with high rainfall.
LIDAR-Based Phenotyping for Drought Response and Drought Tolerance in Potato
Authors: Mulugeta Aneley Gedif , Haas Manuela , Köhl Karin
Published: July 2022

As climate changes, maintenance of yield stability requires efficient selection for drought tolerance. Drought-tolerant cultivars have been successfully but slowly bred by yield-based selection in arid environments. Marker-assisted selection accelerates breeding but is less effective for polygenic traits. Therefore, we investigated a selection based on phenotypic markers derived from automatic phenotyping systems. Our trial comprised 64 potato genotypes previously characterised for drought tolerance in ten trials representing Central European drought stress scenarios. In two trials, an automobile LIDAR system continuously monitored shoot development under optimal (C) and reduced (S) water supply. Six 3D images per day provided time courses of plant height (PH), leaf area (A3D), projected leaf area (A2D) and leaf angle (LA). The evaluation workflow employed logistic regression to estimate initial slope (k), inflection point (Tm) and maximum (Mx) for the growth curves of PH and A2D. Genotype × environment interaction affected all parameters significantly. Tm(A2D)s and Mx(A2D)s correlated significantly positive with drought tolerance, and Mx(PH)s correlated negatively. Drought tolerance was not associated with LAc, but correlated significantly with the LAs during late night and at dawn. Drought-tolerant genotypes had a lower LAs than drought-sensitive genotypes, thus resembling unstressed plants. The decision tree model selected Tm(A2D)s and Mx(PH)c as the most important parameters for tolerance class prediction. The model predicted sensitive genotypes more reliably than tolerant genotype and may thus complement the previously published model based on leaf metabolites/transcripts.
A public health framework for reducing stigma: the example of weight stigma
Authors: Harwood Alison , Carter Drew , Eliott Jaklin
Published: July 2022

We examine stigma and how it operates, then develop a novel framework to classify the range of positions that are conceptually possible regarding how stigma ought to be handled from a public health perspective. In the case of weight stigma, the possible positions range from encouraging the intentional use of weight stigma as an obesity prevention and reduction strategy to arguing not only that this is harmful but that weight stigma, independent of obesity, needs to be actively challenged and reduced. Using weight stigma as an illustrative example, we draw on prior theoretical work on stigma mechanisms and intervention strategies to develop a framework for improving the understanding, evaluation, and planning of anti-stigma interventions. This framework has the potential to help public health actors to map out how protest, contact, education, and regulation strategies can be used to reduce direct discrimination, structural discrimination, and internalized stigma (self-stigma).
Metabolic Switching of Cultured Mesenchymal Stem Cells Creates Super Mitochondria in Rescuing Ischemic Neurons
Authors: Gorsky Anna , Monsour Molly , Nguyen Hung , Castelli Vanessa , Lee Jea-Young , Borlongan Cesar V.
Published: July 2022

Transfer of healthy mitochondria from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to ischemic neurons represents a potent stroke therapeutic. MSCs were grown under ambient conditions (nMSCs) or a metabolic switching paradigm by alternating galactose and glucose in medium (sMSCs) and then assayed for oxygen consumption rates using the Seahorse technology. Subsequently, primary neurons were subjected to oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) and then co-cultured with either nMSCs or sMSCs. Compared to nMSCs, sMSCs displayed higher basal energy production, larger spare respiratory capacity, greater ATP production, and decreased proton leak. Co-culture of OGD-exposed neurons with sMSCs conferred greater cell viability, enhanced cell metabolism, reduced mitochondrial reactive oxidative species mRNA, and elevated mitochondria ATP mRNA than those cultured with nMSCs. Metabolic switching produces “super” mitochondria that may underlie the therapeutic benefit of using sMSCs to treat ischemic cells.
Seasonal Dynamics of Faunal Diversity and Population Ecology in an Estuarine Seagrass Bed
Authors: Pullen Micaela , Gerber Derek , Thomsen Mads Solgaard , Flanagan Sarah P.
Published: July 2022

Biodiversity is important for communities to be resilient to a changing world, but patterns of diversity fluctuate naturally over time. Understanding these shifts — and the species driving community dynamics — is crucial for informing future ecological research and conservation management plans. We investigated the impacts of seasonality, small-scale changes in seagrass cover, and small-scale spatial location on the epifaunal communities occupying a temperate seagrass bed in the South Island of New Zealand. By sampling epifaunal communities using a fine-mesh push net two to three times per season for 1 year, and using a combination of multivariate and hierarchical diversity analyses, we discovered that season, seagrass cover, and the location within the bay, and their interactions, explained 88.5% of the variation in community composition. Community composition and abundances, but not numbers, of species changed over seasons. The most common taxa were commercially important Caridean shrimp and juvenile flounder (Rhombosolea spp.), and both decreased in abundance in summer (shrimp: 1.40/m2 in winter to 0.80/m2 in summer; flounder: 0.15/m2 in winter to 0.01/m2 in summer). Other commercially important species were captured as juveniles, including blue cod (Parapercis colias), kahawai (Arripis trutta), and whitebait (Galaxias spp.). The only adult fish captured in the study were two pipefish species (Stigmatopora nigra and Leptonotus elevatus), which had distinctly seasonal breeding patterns, with reproductively active adults most likely to be found in the spring and fall. Our study highlights the importance of estimating biodiversity parameters based on sampling throughout the year, as some species will be overlooked. We demonstrate that the temperate estuarine seagrass-affiliated animal communities differ in response to season and fine-scale local environments, causing fluctuations in biodiversity throughout the year.
Xylanase from thermotolerant Bacillus haynesii strain, synthesis, characterization, optimization using Box-Behnken Design, and biobleaching activity
Authors: Bakry Mohamed M. , Salem Salem S. , Atta Hossam M. , El-Gamal Mamdouh S. , Fouda Amr
Published: July 2022

The economic value of xylanolytic enzymes is derived from their use in a variety of industrial processes, which necessitates a cost-effective manufacturing procedure. In the current study, forty bacterial isolates were isolated from water samples and investigate their efficacy to producing xylanase enzyme. The most potent bacterial isolate was identified by sequencing and amplifications of 16Sr RNA gene as Bacillus haynesii strain K6. The impacts of various culture conditions on the productivity of xylane were examined. Data showed that the highest xylanase production was achieved at pH 7, in presence of 3 g/L xylan, 5 g/L peptone, and incubated at 40 °C for 24 h. The Box-Behnken model was used to find the best parameters for the relevant variables, and the results revealed an increase in xylanase production with values of 35.02 U/mL. The maximum precipitation of xylanase from the optimized culture was attained by ammonium sulfate (60%) followed by purification using dialysis and sephadex G100 column chromatography. The purified xylanase had a 12-fold enrichment, with a specific activity of 84 U/mg and a molecular weight approximately 439 KDa determined by thin-layer chromatography (TLC)/mass spectrometry. The amino acid analysis of the purified xylanase enzyme revealed the presence of 15 amino acids, with the highest concentrations of 1940 and 1520 mg/L for proline and cysteine, respectively. Finally, the physical properties of wastepaper pulp were improved after treatment with xylanase enzyme. The whiteness and softness of xylanase-treated wastepaper were improved with percentages of 34.6% and 16.2%, respectively. Therefore, we recommend the use of xylanase enzyme in the bleaching process as it is a biologically synthetic material, safe, and suitable for industrial use, and it reduces the use of harmful chemicals.
Response of mechanical and optoelectronic properties for InPxAsySb1–x–y/InAs system to composition
Authors: Degheidy A. R. , Abuali A. M. , Elkenany Elkenany. B.
Published: July 2022

The compositional dependence of optical, mechanical, thermal properties, and lattice vibrations of InPxAsySb1–x–y quaternary semiconductor alloys lattice-matched to InAs substrate has been studied. In this study, the physical properties of the binary elements InAs, InSb, and InP that make up the quaternary alloy were employed. Under the virtual crystal approximation (VCA), the empirical pseudo-potential model (EPM) was used to carry out the research. Our findings are in good agreement with the available experimental and theoretical values. In the literature, the composition effect on the optical, mechanical and thermal properties of the InPxAsySb1–x–y/InAs system has not been thoroughly investigated. As a result, we focused on these properties as a function of composition.
School in the time of Covid
Authors: Dasgupta Shamik
Published: July 2022

This article argues that extended school closures during the Covid-19 pandemic were a moral catastrophe. It focuses on closures in the United States of America and discusses their effect on the pandemic (or lack thereof), their harmful effects on children, and other morally relevant factors. It concludes by discussing how these closures came to pass and suggests that the root cause was structural, not individual: the relevant decision-makers were working in an institutional setting that stacked the deck heavily in favor of extended closures.
Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome—diagnosis and treatment
Authors: Schwaab Juliana , Lübke Johannes , Reiter Andreas , Metzgeroth Georgia
Published: July 2022

Sustained elevation of eosinophils above 5 × 109 /l in peripheral blood (PB) should prompt further investigation. Clonal eosinophilia accounts for the much smaller proportion of eosinophilias (< 10%), but exclusion of such a neoplasia is prognostically and therapeutically relevant. Molecular genetic analysis from PB, cytogenetics from bone marrow, and bone marrow histology are primarily used to exclude clonal eosinophilia. Far more common is reactive eosinophilia, the cause of which may be drugs, allergies, solid tumors, lymphomas, worm infections, autoimmune diseases, or idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES). Because of the diverse organ infiltration patterns in eosinophilia, a specific search for possible organ involvement (including heart, lung, gastrointestinal tract, kidney, skin, etc.) should be performed, depending on the patient’s symptoms. The diagnosis of HES is made when organ infiltration with consecutive dysfunction is diagnosed in persistent eosinophilia after exclusion of other causes. Therapeutically, oral corticosteroids (OSC) are used in HES. This can also be helpful in the differential diagnosis, as patients with clonal eosinophilia are usually not expected to achieve remission with OCS. When OCS requirements are high, other immunosuppressants (e.g., methotrexate [MTX], cyclophosphamide) and the interleukin (IL)-5 antagonist mepolizumab are used. In clonal eosinophilia, tyrosine kinase inhibitors are the first-line therapy, depending on the underlying genetic alteration.
Interaction of Radiotherapy and Hyperthermia with the Immune System: a Brief Current Overview
Authors: Sengedorj Azzaya , Hader Michael , Frey Benjamin , Fietkau Rainer , Ott Oliver J. , Gaipl Udo S. , Rückert Michael
Published: July 2022

Purpose of Review

This review focuses on the opposing effects on the immune system of radiotherapy (RT) and the consequences for combined cancer treatment strategies of RT with immunotherapies, including hyperthermia (HT). How RT and HT might affect cancer stem cell populations is also briefly outlined in this context.

Recent Findings

RT is one of the crucial standard cancer therapies. Most patients with solid tumors receive RT for curative and palliative purposes in the course of their disease. RT achieves a local tumor control by inducing DNA damage which can lead to tumor cell death. In recent years, it has become evident that RT does not only have local effects, but also systemic effects which involves induction of anti-tumor immunity and possible alteration of the immunosuppressive properties of the tumor microenvironment. Though, often RT alone is not able to induce potent anti-tumor immune responses since the effects of RT on the immune system can be both immunostimulatory and immunosuppressive.

Summary

RT with additional therapies such as HT and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are promising approaches to induce anti-tumor immunity effectively. HT is not only a potent sensitizer for RT, but it might also improve the efficacy of RT and certain chemotherapeutic agents (CT) by additionally sensitizing resistant cancer stem cells (CSCs).

Graphical abstract
»Heimtückische Schleifen, Parabeln, Zykloiden, Kardioiden, Spiralen«
Authors: Lückl Julia
Published: July 2022

»People suffering from Vertigo should be warned that some locations are impressive.« Dieses Zitat aus dem Tourguide des Schweizer CERN-Instituts stellt Thomas Lehr seinem dystopischen Roman42voran und gibt damit einen zentralen Hinweis auf sein poetisches Programm: Schwindelerregend sind nicht nur die erzählten Orte, sondern der Roman induziert auch ein Gefühl des Schwindels und der Verstörung, das aus einem Zusammenspiel aus Inhalt, Form und Stil generiert wird und Handlungs- und Erzählebene parallel führt. Während die Figuren auf der Handlungsebene einen apokalyptischen Zeitstillstand erleben, in dem sich nur mehr 70 sogenannte Chronifizierte bewegen können, wird dieses Gefühl derChronifizierungauch über metaleptisches und unzuverlässiges Erzählen performativ erzeugt und induziert. Neben diesen in der Literaturwissenschaft bereits viel beforschten Erzähltechniken wird im Rahmen dieses Beitrags auch eine weitere Analysekategorie entworfen, die hier alsViskositätdes Textes bezeichnet wird. Zahlreiche philosophische und physikalische Exkurse, ekphrastische Erzählpassagen und auch die überaus verschachtelte, wuchernde Syntax tragen zu dem erschwerten Fortkommen in Lehrs Roman bei, was den Eindruck des Feststeckens, der Zähflüssigkeit vermittelt und damit – in meiner Terminologie – die Viskosität des Textes erhöht. Zu der verstörenden Wirkung des Romans trägt darüber hinaus auch die Gestaltung des Erzählraumes, insbesondere die typografischen Besonderheiten, entscheidend bei. In Summe bewirken die verschiedenen Mittel des Erzählens und der Textgestaltung die Performativität dieses Romans – das Induzieren des Schwindels, vor dem bereits in dem vorangestellten Zitat gewarnt wird.
Quantifying the sources of heterogeneity of fertility preferences in China
Authors: Lu Rui , Stulp Gert , Gauthier Anne H.
Published: July 2022

There are no unanimous estimates on fertility preferences in China; they vary considerably across studies. Understanding this cross-study heterogeneity of reported preferred family size will contribute to the debates on the uncertainty of fertility in China. This paper quantified how much heterogeneity in aggregate-level fertility preferences can be explained by taking into account the demographic characteristics of the sample, its geographical location, and the measurement of fertility preferences. We retrieved 124 estimates of average preferred family size from 94 publications (from the year 2001 and onwards) in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database (CNKI) and used mixed-effect meta-regression model to investigate heterogeneity. We found that the average preferred number of children in China since 2001 ranged from 0.91 to 2.88, with an average of 1.70 (SD = 0.26). Demographic differences accounted for 23%, human geographic regionalization for 21%, and the measurement of fertility preferences for 13% of the between-study variation. Sample characteristics (demographic and regional differences) and the measurement of fertility preferences together accounted for 46% of the variation in average preferred fertility. The averaged preferred family size varies by different characteristics and measurement. This study also points out whether particular groups have higher or lower preferences. It helps researchers to put estimates from fertility preferences from single studies in perspective. Moreover, this study can help resolve why researchers have such different outlooks on the future fertility of China.
Climate Resilient Development Pathways in Global Drylands
Authors: Stringer Lindsay C. , Simpson Nicholas P. , Schipper E. Lisa F. , Eriksen Siri H.
Published: July 2022

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group II Report on Adaptation, Impacts and Vulnerability identifies the urgent need to embark upon Climate Resilient Development Pathways. Climate Resilient Development acknowledges that adaptation needs to be undertaken together with mitigation and development, in joined-up, inclusive, just and equitable ways, across multiple arenas of engagement. In highly vulnerable systems with complex development contexts, such as drylands, where globally, warming is already exceeding that of humid areas, urgent action is vital, as the window of opportunity for Climate Resilient Development is rapidly closing. This paper considers challenges and opportunities in charting Climate Resilient Development Pathways in the world’s drylands. It highlights the importance of stakeholder engagement and partnership building to harness diverse knowledge sources, situating equity and justice concerns at the core of decision making and actions such as land restoration. It notes that while technological solutions offer potential to advance Climate Resilient Development, they need to be developed in an inclusive manner and used in ways that do not undermine Indigenous knowledge and local knowledge or exacerbate inequalities. Many of the challenges to Climate Resilient Development go beyond technology to include highly contextual differences in understanding, environment, institutions and access to finance. Adequate assessment of trade-offs in Climate Resilient Development actions in drylands remains vital to the framing of Climate Resilient Development Pathways for different groups. The paper concludes by identifying major urgent research gaps considering upscaling, stakeholder responsibilities and governance, the magnitude of investment that is necessary, and the need for appropriate monitoring, evaluation and learning.
RE-MAKING ANIMAL BODIES IN THE ARTS OF EARLY CHINA AND NORTH ASIA: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE STEPPE
Authors: Andreeva Petya
Published: July 2022

The Iron-Age Eurasian nomads created and circulated elaborate metalworks embellished with images of entwined, abbreviated, or contorted zoomorphic anatomies. This approach to zoomorphism has entered scholarly discourse under the blanket name “animal style,” a term often used to describe a vast corpus of zoomorphic images associated with the arts of steppe pastoralists. Numerous Warring States burials across the Ordos Loop indicate the transmission and adaptation of steppe-inspired zoomorphism into the funerary cultures of China's northern zone (beifang diqu 北方地區) and the Eastern Steppe more broadly. In the Han dynasty, animal-style images seem to have been transmitted even more widely, reaching China's southern periphery at the Kingdom of Nanyue 南越 and Lelang 樂浪 in the northern Korean peninsula. The Xianbei hegemony in the post-Han period marked a new trajectory for these designs, which reached Kofun Japan in the fifth century. Thus, the original trans-steppe visual formula underwent significant regional and local translations on a material and conceptual level to fit already established Chinese design strategies, techniques, and conceptions of animality. In this essay, I explore the regional alterations applied to the “supra” animal-style visuality in the Chinese northern periphery and other regions of Chinese political influence in North and Central Asia. In so doing, I seek to understand the swift entry of nomadic visual tropes, namely a specific “pars-pro-toto” device, into the visual vocabulary of early Chinese craftsmen from the Eastern Zhou to the Northern dynasties.
Interpretation of fossil embryos requires reasonable assessment of developmental age
Authors: Deeming D. Charles , Kundrát Martin
Published: July 2022

Dinosaur embryos cause a lot of excitement in the scientific literature and are often widely reported because of the general public's interest in dinosaur biology. Well-preserved, articulated oviraptorosaur embryos in eggs are usually interpreted as representing a stage of development close to hatching because of their large size and good level of skeletal ossification. Based on this evidence, a recent report suggested that the position of the one embryo's head was reminiscent of an avian-like hatching position. Here we explore how the developmental stage of well-preserved oviraptorosaur embryos can be estimated, rather than assumed. This will help in our understanding of their developmental biology and its evolutionary consequences. Using quantitative methods and comparison with modern crocodilian embryos, we show that all articulated oviraptorosaur embryos are small relative to the egg and most likely at a stage of development equivalent to around 50%–60% of the developmental period, that is, not even close to hatching. This conclusion is supported by the fact that many elements of the crocodilian skeleton are well ossified many weeks before hatching and the position of oviraptorosaur embryos’ heads was also comparable to a crocodilian embryo many days before hatching. Misunderstandings about the stage of the developmental biology of these well-preserved oviraptorosaur embryos hampers our understanding of the true nature of their reproductive biology. We urge a more conservative approach to their interpretation. This is important, because misunderstandings in the minds of the public about dinosaur biology are hard to counter once poorly evidenced ideas have been reported around the world.