bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of plasma polymerized pyrrole nanoparticles to prevent or reduce de-differentiation of adult rat ventricular cardiomyocytes
Authors: Uribe-Juárez Omar , Godínez Rafael , Morales-Corona Juan , Velasco Myrian , Olayo-Valles Roberto , Acosta-García M. C. , Alvarado E. J. , Miguel-Alavez Luis , Carrillo-González Oscar-J. , Flores-Sánchez María G. , Olayo Roberto
Published: September 2021

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world, cell therapies have been shown to recover cardiac function in animal models. Biomaterials used as scaffolds can solve some of the problems that cell therapies currently have, plasma polymerized pyrrole (PPPy) is a biomaterial that has been shown to promote cell adhesion and survival. The present research aimed to study PPPy nanoparticles (PPPyN) interaction with adult rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (ARVC), to explore whether PPPyN could be employed as a nanoscaffold and develop cardiac microtissues. PPPyN with a mean diameter of 330 nm were obtained, the infrared spectrum showed that some pyrrole rings are fragmented and that some fragments of the ring can be dehydrogenated during plasma synthesis, it also showed the presence of amino groups in the structure of PPPyN. PPPyN had a significant impact on the ARVC´s shape, delaying dedifferentiation, necrosis, and apoptosis processes, moreover, the cardiomyocytes formed cell aggregates up to 1.12 mm2 with some aligned cardiomyocytes and generated fibers on its surface similar to cardiac extracellular matrix. PPPyN served as a scaffold for adult ARVC. Our results indicate that PPPyN-scaffold is a biomaterial that could have potential application in cardiac cell therapy (CCT).
Improved high gain observer design for a class of disturbed nonlinear systems
Authors: Farza M. , Ragoubi A. , Hadj Saïd S. , M’Saad M.
Published: September 2021

This paper provides a redesigned version of the Standard High Gain Observer (SHGO) to cope with the peaking phenomenon occurring during the transient periods as well as the sensitivity to high frequency measurement noise. The observer design is performed for a class of uniformly observable systems with noise free as well as noisy output measurements and the resulting observer is referred to as Non Peaking Filtered High Gain Observer (NPFHGO). The NPFHGO shares the same structure as its underlying SHGO and differs only by its corrective term which is still parameterized by a unique positive scalar up to an appropriate expression involving nested saturations. Of a fundamental interest, the power of the scalar parameter does not exceed one unlike in the case of the SHGO where this power grows from 1 to the system dimension. Moreover, it is shown that the equations of the NPFHGO become identical to those of the SHGO after a transient time horizon that can made arbitrarily small for sufficiently high values of the design parameter. A particular emphasis is put on the case of systems with noisy output measurements. It is shown how a multiple integrator of the corrupted outputs can be cascaded with the original system leading to an augmented system included in the class of systems for which the NPFHGO has been designed. The performance and main properties of the NPFHGO are highlighted and compared to those of its underlying SHGO through simulation results involving a single link robot arm system.
A heterodox defense of the actualist higher-order thought theory
Authors: Marchesi Andrea
Published: September 2021

I defend the actualist higher-order thought theory against four objections. The first objection contends that the theory is circular. The second one contends that the theory is unable to account for the alleged epistemic position we are in with respect to our own conscious mental states. The third one contends that the theory is unable to account for the evidence we have for the proposition that all conscious mental states are represented. The fourth one contends that the theory does not accommodate the intimacy we have with our own conscious mental states. To some extent, my defense will be heterodox, in the sense that I will show that some objections are satisfactorily answerable even if we concede to the objectors a point that higher-order theorists do not seem to be willing to concede, that is, that the theory is the result of conceptual analysis.
Use of fluorescence indices as predictors of crop N status and yield for greenhouse sweet pepper crops
Authors: de Souza Romina , Peña-Fleitas M. Teresa , Thompson Rodney B. , Gallardo Marisa , Grasso Rafael , Padilla Francisco M.
Published: September 2021

To increase nitrogen (N) use efficiency and reduce water pollution from vegetable production, it is necessary to optimize N management. Fluorescence-based optical sensors are devices that can improve N fertilization through non-destructive field monitoring of crop variables. The aim of this work was to compare the performance of five fluorescence indices (SFR-R, SFR-G, FLAV, NBI-R, and NBI-G) to predict crop variables, as dry matter production, crop N content, crop N uptake, Nitrogen Nutrition Index (NNI), absolute and relative yield, in sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) crops grown in greenhouse. Fluorescence measurements were periodically made with the Multiplex® 3.6 sensor throughout three cropping cycles subjected to five N application treatments. The performance of fluorescence indices to predict crop variables considered calibration and validation analyses. In general, the five fluorescence indices were strongly related with NNI, crop N content and relative yield. The best performing indices to predict crop N content and NNI at the early stages of the crops (i.e., vegetative and flowering phenological stages) were the SFR indices, both under red (SFR-R) and green (SFR-G) excitation. However, in the final stage of the crop (i.e., harvest stage), the best performing indices were NBI, both under red (NBI-R) and green (NBI-G) excitation, and FLAV. The two SFR indices best predicted relative yield of sweet pepper at early growth stages. Overall, the fluorescence sensor and the fluorescence indices evaluated were able to predict crop variables related to N status in sweet pepper. They have the capacity to be incorporated into best N management practices.
A Note by K. L. Johnson on the History of the JKR Theory
Authors: Popov Valentin L.
Published: September 2021

The history of the following note is as follows. In 2003, I invited Kenneth Johnson to Berlin to give a talk on adhesion in a seminar at the Institute of Mechanics. His lecture on the topic "Mechanics of adhesion of spherical surfaces" took place on Monday, January 26, 2004. In the run-up to the seminar, Professor Johnson sent me a historical note dated November 18, 2003. In my opinion, this note, which was written in the form of a paper, may be of interest for experts in contact mechanics and tribology. Prof. Johnson did not publish it, so it remained a private communication. For a publication he might have made a revision and would possibly have credited other important contributions. But this we can only guess at, and therefore the note is published below in the form I received it from Kenneth L. Johnson, with only a few misprints corrected. It is interesting as a historical document from Ken Johnson, who played a key role in development of theory of adhesive contacts.
Unveiling the social performance of selected agri-food chains in Costa Rica: the case of green coffee, raw milk and leafy vegetables
Authors: Brenes-Peralta Laura , Jiménez-Morales María Fernanda , Campos-Rodríguez Rooel , Vittuari Matteo
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Several frameworks coincide in the importance of addressing social impacts to ensure sustainability. However, the agri-food sector, regarded as key in sustainable production, still neglects to identify potential social impacts when applying life cycle approaches. This work contributes to understanding the social performance of three agricultural products from a Latin American and Caribbean developing country as Costa Rica while recognising the challenges of Social-Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) application in this context.

Methods

S-LCA represents a powerful technique to evaluate the potential social impacts of a product. Three case studies were analysed through S-LCA, using the subcategory assessment method (SAM) to characterise the social impacts and detect hotspots in the production of green coffee, raw milk and leafy vegetables. Primary data was collected through questionnaires to relevant informants and observations. In addition to secondary information, these data and information were used to assess eight impact subcategories for the farmer and worker stakeholder groups and nine subcategories for the local community.

Results and discussion

The main results suggest that the Costa Rican institutional and market frameworks provide an enabling environment for a generally positive social performance in the studied cases. The assessed stakeholders can fulfil basic needs through access to inputs and services and achieve fair-trading conditions. Child labour, forced labour and evidence of environmental or health risks for the surrounding communities were absent. Important efforts to address the delocalisation, migration and child labour were observed, suggesting the potential development of social handprints in further studies. However, the farm production phase, related to farmers and workers, entails hotspots regarding social security and women’s empowerment. Moreover, farmers appear as the most vulnerable group because of their overall social performance.

Conclusions

S-LCA helped identify relevant areas of intervention in the context of these particular case studies; however, further research and capacity building are recommended to tackle the detected challenges, both in the agri-food chains and in the use of S-LCA. Furthermore, these findings can aid in future decision and policy-making to improve and safeguard the positive social performance observed in the studied products.
Solving an inverse elliptic coefficient problem by convex non-linear semidefinite programming
Authors: Harrach Bastian
Published: September 2021

Several applications in medical imaging and non-destructive material testing lead to inverse elliptic coefficient problems, where an unknown coefficient function in an elliptic PDE is to be determined from partial knowledge of its solutions. This is usually a highly non-linear ill-posed inverse problem, for which unique reconstructability results, stability estimates and global convergence of numerical methods are very hard to achieve. The aim of this note is to point out a new connection between inverse coefficient problems and semidefinite programming that may help addressing these challenges. We show that an inverse elliptic Robin transmission problem with finitely many measurements can be equivalently rewritten as a uniquely solvable convex non-linear semidefinite optimization problem. This allows to explicitly estimate the number of measurements that is required to achieve a desired resolution, to derive an error estimate for noisy data, and to overcome the problem of local minima that usually appears in optimization-based approaches for inverse coefficient problems.
Immune-related hepatitis in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with nivolumab
Authors: Scheiner Bernhard , Pinter Matthias
Published: September 2021

We present a case of a male patient with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma who developed hepatic and dermatological immune-related adverse events during treatment with the immune checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab. We discuss relevant aspects regarding the management of immune-related hepatic adverse events, including the incidence and onset of the event, the requirement for immune-modulating medication, resuming of immunotherapy, and the association between the occurrence of immune-related adverse events and the outcome.
Application of design of experiments (DoE) for optimised production of micro- and mesoporous Norway spruce bark activated carbons
Authors: dos Reis Glaydson Simões , Larsson Sylvia H. , Mathieu Manon , Thyrel Mikael , Pham Tung Ngoc
Published: September 2021

In this work, Norway spruce (Picea abies (Karst) L.) bark was employed as a precursor to prepare activated carbon using zinc chloride (ZnCl2) as a chemical activator. The purpose of this study was to determine optimal activated carbon (AC) preparation variables by the response surface methodology using a Box–Behnken design (BBD) to obtain AC with high specific surface area (SBET), mesopore surface area (SMESO), and micropore surface area (SMICR). Variables and levels used in the design were pyrolysis temperature (700, 800, and 900 °C), holding time (1, 2, and 3 h), and bark/ZnCl2 impregnation ratio (1, 1.5, and 2). The optimal conditions for achieving the highest SBET were as follows: a pyrolysis temperature of 700 °C, a holding time of 1 h, and a spruce bark/ZnCl2 ratio of 1.5, which yielded an SBET value of 1374 m2 g−1. For maximised mesopore area, the optimal condition was at a pyrolysis temperature of 700 °C, a holding time of 2 h, and a bark/ZnCl2 ratio of 2, which yielded a SMESO area of 1311 m2 g−1, where mesopores (SMESO%) comprised 97.4% of total SBET. Correspondingly, for micropore formation, the highest micropore area was found at a pyrolysis temperature of 800 °C, a holding time of 3 h, and a bark/ZnCl2 ratio of 2, corresponding to 1117 m2 g−1, with 94.3% of the total SBET consisting of micropores (SMICRO%). The bark/ZnCl2 ratio and pyrolysis temperature had the strongest impact on the SBET, while the interaction between temperature and bark/ZnCl2 ratio was the most significant factor for SMESO. For the SMICRO, holding time was the most important factor. In general, the spruce bark AC showed predominantly mesoporous structures. All activated carbons had high carbon and low ash contents. Chemical characterisation indicated that the ACs presented disordered carbon structures with oxygen functional groups on the ACs’ surfaces. Well-developed porosity and a large surface area combined with favourable chemical composition render the activated carbons from Norway spruce bark with interesting physicochemical properties. The ACs were successfully tested to adsorb sodium diclofenac from aqueous solutions showing to be attractive products to use as adsorbents to tackle polluted waters.

Graphical abstract
Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) as a new alternative treatment method for onychomycosis caused by Trichophyton verrucosum: in vitro studies
Authors: Gnat Sebastian , Łagowski Dominik , Dyląg Mariusz , Zielinski Jessica , Studziński Marek , Nowakiewicz Aneta
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Anthropophilic dermatophytes as etiological factors of onychomycoses are more common than zoophilic fungi. In the case of the latter, reverse zoonoses are possible, which poses a threat to the persistence of dermatophytes in the environment. Nevertheless, without treatment, both types of tinea unguium may lead to complete nail plate destruction and secondary mixed infections with fungi and bacteria. One of the zoophilic dermatophytes that cause onychomycosis is Trichophyton verrucosum, whose prevalence has been increasing in recent years. Such infections are usually treated with allylamines and/or azoles, but such a conventional treatment of infections caused by T. verrucosum often fails or is discontinued by patients.

Methods

Herein, we reveal the results of our in vitro studies related to direct application of cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) on Trichophyton verrucosum growth, germination and adherence to nail as a new alternative treatment method of such types of dermatomycoses.

Results

Our in vitro studies showed that, while exposure to CAPP for 10 min delays germination of conidia and clearly impairs the fitness of the fungal structures, 15 min is enough to kill all fungal elements exposed to plasma. Moreover, the SEM images revealed that T. verrucosum cultures exposed to CAPP for 10 and 15 min were not able to invade the nail fragments.

Conclusion

The results revealed that single exposure to CAPP was able to inhibit T. verrucosum growth and infection capacity. Hence, cold atmospheric pressure plasma should be considered as a promising alternative treatment of onychomycoses.
Energy management strategy based on dynamic programming with durability extension for fuel cell hybrid tramway
Authors: Tao Shiyong , Chen Weirong , Gan Rui , Li Luoyi , Zhang Guorui , Han Ying , Li Qi
Published: September 2021

This paper proposes an energy management strategy for a fuel cell (FC) hybrid power system based on dynamic programming and state machine strategy, which takes into account the durability of the FC and the hydrogen consumption of the system. The strategy first uses the principle of dynamic programming to solve the optimal power distribution between the FC and supercapacitor (SC), and then uses the optimization results of dynamic programming to update the threshold values in each state of the finite state machine to realize real-time management of the output power of the FC and SC. An FC/SC hybrid tramway simulation platform is established based on RT-LAB real-time simulator. The compared results verify that the proposed EMS can improve the durability of the FC, increase its working time in the high-efficiency range, effectively reduce the hydrogen consumption, and keep the state of charge in an ideal range.
Design of bidirectional frictional behaviour for tactile contact using ellipsoidal asperity micro-textures
Authors: Sergachev Dmitrii , Matthews David , Van Der Heide Emile
Published: September 2021

Tactile perception and friction can be modified by producing a deterministic surface topography. Change of surface feature arrangement and texture symmetry can produce an anisotropic frictional behaviour. It is generally achieved through skin hysteresis by promoting its deformation. This work investigates whether a bidirectional friction can be created with microscale ellipsoidal asperity textures, thus relying on the adhesive component of friction. For this purpose, four textured samples with various asperity dimensions were moulded with a silicone rubber having an elastic modulus comparable to that of the skin. Coefficient of friction measurements were conducted in-vivo in two sliding directions with a range of normal loads up to 4 N. Finite element method (FEM) was used to study elastic deformation effects, explain the observed friction difference, and predict surface material influence. Measurements performed perpendicular to the asperity major radii showed consistently higher friction coefficients than that during parallel sliding. For the larger asperity dimensions, a change of the sliding direction increased friction up to a factor of 2. The numerical analysis showed that this effect is mostly related to elastic asperity deflection. Bidirectional friction differences can be further controlled by asperity dimensions, spacing, and material properties.
Correlation coefficients of credibility interval-valued neutrosophic sets and their group decision-making method in single- and interval-valued hybrid neutrosophic multi-valued environment
Authors: Ye Jun , Du Shigui , Yong Rui
Published: September 2021

Although a single-valued neutrosophic multi-valued set (SVNMVS) can reasonably and perfectly express group evaluation information and make up for the flaw of multi-valued/hesitant neutrosophic sets in group decision-making problems, its information expression and group decision-making methods still lack the ability to express and process single- and interval-valued hybrid neutrosophic multi-valued information. To overcome the drawbacks, this study needs to propose single- and interval-valued hybrid neutrosophic multi-valued sets (SIVHNMVSs), correlation coefficients of consistency interval-valued neutrosophic sets (CIVNSs), and their multi-attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) method in the setting of SIVHNMVSs. First, we propose SIVHNMVSs and a transformation method for converting SIVHNMVSs into CIVNSs based on the mean and consistency degree (the complement of standard deviation) of truth, falsity and indeterminacy sequences. Then, we present two correlation coefficients between CIVNSs based on the multiplication of both the correlation coefficient of interval-valued neutrosophic sets and the correlation coefficient of neutrosophic consistency sets and two weighted correlation coefficients of CIVNSs. Next, a MAGDM method is developed based on the proposed two weighted correlation coefficients of CIVNSs for performing MAGDM problems under the environment of SIVHNMVSs. At last, a selection case of landslide treatment schemes demonstrates the application of the proposed MAGDM method under the environment of SIVHNMVSs. By comparative analysis, our new method not only overcomes the drawbacks of the existing method, but also is more extensive and more useful than the existing method when tackling MAGDM problems in the setting of SIVHNMVSs.
The Effect of Job–Education Vertical Mismatch on Wages Among Recent PhD Graduates: Evidence From an Instrumental Variable Analysis
Authors: Gaeta Giuseppe Lucio , Lubrano Lavadera Giuseppe , Pastore Francesco
Published: September 2021

Existing studies suggest that recent PhD graduates with a job vertically mismatched with their education tend to earn lower wages than their matched counterparts. However, by being based on cross-sectional ordinary least squares (OLS) estimates, these studies raise endogeneity concerns and can only be considered evidence of a correlation between vertical mismatch and wages. This paper improves this literature by applying a heteroskedasticity-based instrumental variable estimation approach to analyzing Italian PhD holders’ cross-sectional micro-data. Our analysis suggests that previous empirical studies have provided slightly upward estimates of the impact of vertical mismatch on wages. Nevertheless, our results show that the effect of overeducation on wages is sizeable. However, no wage effect is found for overskilling. The heterogeneity of these findings by field of study and gender are also inspected.
Cold emission optimization of a diesel- and alternative fuel-driven CI engine
Authors: Nenning Lukas , Eichlseder Helmut , Egert Michael
Published: September 2021

This paper deals with the emission optimization of a compression ignition (CI) engine during cold ambient operation. Hence, in the present study, the effect of different injector nozzle geometries and pilot injection strategies, but also the influence of intake swirl, rail pressure, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) as well as EGR cooling on the emission behavior during cold run are investigated. Therefore, test bed experiments under steady-state cold conditions are conducted on a state-of-the-art CI single cylinder research engine (SCRE) with approximately 0.5 l swept volume representing the typical passenger car (PC) cylinder size. The cold charge air temperature of down to −8 $$^{\circ }\hbox { C}$$

∘

C

and a low engine coolant and lube oil temperature represent a cold run close to reality. For emulating the higher friction of a typical 4-cylinder PC engine during cold run, the indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) is increased according to a specifically developed equation and the turbocharger main equation is solved permanently to adjust the gas exchange loss. To take account of a potential future tightening of emission legislation, in addition to limited exhaust gas emissions, non-limited emissions such as carbonyls are measured as well. Since alternative fuels are able to make a significant contribution to the defossilisation of transportation, an oxygen-containing fuel, consisting of 100 % renewable blend components (HVO, ethers and alcohols) and fulfilling the EN 590 legislation is investigated under the same cold conditions in addition to the research on conventional diesel fuel.
Learning from the Landscape: The European Tours of Charles A. Platt and Charles Eliot
Authors: Morgan Keith N.
Published: September 2021

Study and travel in Europe provided a foundation for the establishment of artists and architects in the United States, including landscape architects and urban planners. In the closing decades of the nineteenth century, Charles A. Platt (1859–1933) and Charles Eliot (1861–97), men from privileged backgrounds in New York and Boston respectively, spent years in Europe seeking training and direct knowledge of historic patterns in garden, park and city making. Both shared their observations in influential articles for professional and popular journals and in publications that discussed what they had observed abroad and showed how it could be applied to American needs. Separate publications about their work and ideas further reinforced their influence. Platt, originally trained as an etcher and painter, approached first landscape design and then architecture from the perspective of an artist. He became one of the earliest and most influential figures in the formal garden revival in the United States, especially in landscapes for country houses, for which he also became one of the country’s most admired designers. In contrast, Eliot studied European patterns as a landscape architect who was also interested in both land preservation and regional planning. He led in establishing the Trustees of Public Reservations (1891), America’s first private-sector state-wide landscape trust, and the Boston Metropolitan Park Commission (1893), the country’s earliest regional landscape-planning state agency. The two men and their work represent contrasting methods and objectives, yet their interlocking careers sketch a broader panorama of the European precedents for American conditions at the turn of the twentieth century and beyond.
Is cohabitation as a form of union formation a licence to intimate partner physical violence in Uganda?
Authors: Lwanga Charles , Kalule-Sabiti Ishmael , Fuseini Kamil , Wandera Stephen Ojiambo , Mangombe Kudzaishe , Maniragaba Fred
Published: September 2021

The study examined the argument that cohabitation as a form of union increases physical violence victimization among women. The study’s aim was to assess the association between physical violence and other socio-demographic factors that influence physical violence among women. Self-reported data were extracted from the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS), with a sample of 2479 couples, from the couple file. Chi-squared tests and multivariate Firth-logit regression models were used to examine the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and marital status controlling for other social-demographic factors. There was no significant evidence that women in cohabiting union have a higher risk of exposure to physical violence in the Ugandan context. The risk of experiencing physical violence perpetration varied by birth cohort, with the most recent cohorts exhibiting a slightly higher risk of experiencing partner violence than previous cohorts. Significant factors found to be associated with an increased risk of experiencing IPV included being in the poorer, middle and richer compared with the poorest wealth tertile of income, residing in Eastern or Northern regions compared with the Central region, being affiliated to the Catholic faith compared with Anglican and having five or more children compared with 4 or fewer children. In conclusion, there is no evidence that physical violence is more pronounced among women in cohabiting unions compared with married women in Uganda.
Disability from chronic ear disease in Nepal assessed using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 instrument
Authors: Rudd J , Bohara R , Youngs R , Mcleod R W J , Elhassan H A , Gurung U
Published: September 2021

Objective

Globally, South Asia has the highest proportion of disabling hearing loss. There is a paucity of data exploring the associated hearing loss and disability caused by chronic middle-ear disease in South Asia in the setting of surgical outreach. This study aimed to measure disability using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 in patients undergoing ear surgery for chronic middle-ear disease in an ear hospital in Nepal.

Method

The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 was translated into Nepali and administered by interview to patients before ear surgery, and results were correlated with pre-operative audiograms.

Results

Out of a total of 106 patients with a mean age of 23 years, the mean World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 score was 17.7, and the highest domain scores were for domain 6 ‘participation in society’ at a score of 34. There was a positive correlation of World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2 score with hearing level (r = 0.46).

Conclusion

Patients with ear disease in Nepal have had their disability measured using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. Our study demonstrated a correlation between impaired hearing and disability in a surgical outreach context, which was an expected but not previously reported finding.
Estimating measurement equivalence of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire across ethnic groups in the UK
Authors: King Kirby , Allum Nick , Stoneman Paul , Cernat Alexandru
Published: September 2021

Background

This study investigates the extent to which the GHQ-12 exhibits configural, metric and scalar invariance across six ethnic groups in Britain and Northern Ireland, using the UK Household Longitudinal Study (N = 35 410).

Methods

A confirmatory factor analysis was carried out on a white British group in order to establish an adequate measurement model. Secondly, a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was conducted in order to assess measurement invariance. A sensitivity analysis comparing summated and latent means across groups was carried out. Finally, revised estimates of scale reliability were derived using two different methods.

Results

A one-factor model including correlated error terms on the negatively phrased items showed superior fit in all ethnic groups. Tests for equal factor loadings and intercepts also showed adequate fit demonstrating metric and scalar invariance. Latent and summated scale estimates of mean group differences were similar for all groups. Scale reliability using McDonald's ω is lower than when using the more conventional Cronbach's α. Reliability across groups is reasonably consistent.

Conclusions

We find that the GHQ-12 does not display obvious bias in regard to ethnic groups in the UK and that valid comparisons across these groups can be made for the purposes of population research. Caution is needed when using as a screening tool for individuals.
Population age structures, persistence and flowering cues inCerberiopsis candelabra(Apocynaceae), a long-lived monocarpic rain-forest tree in New Caledonia
Authors: Read Jennifer , Sanson Gordon D. , Burd Martin , Allen Kathryn , Hua Quan , Kerr Stuart , Isnard Sandrine , McCoy Stephane , Carrasco Magdalena
Published: September 2021

Cerberiopsis candelabraVieill. is a long-lived, monocarpic (= semelparous) and mass-flowering rain-forest tree, endemic to New Caledonia. Population size structures suggest establishment has been episodic, followed by a recruitment gap that might signal population decline. Here, we use age structures based on tree rings to better assess population dynamics and persistence, and investigate influences of tree size, age and growth rate on flowering. Age structures of populations surveyed in 2007–2008 were unimodal, with establishment overc. 15–81 y, followed by a recruitment gap ofc. 23–79 y. Seedling mortality was generally high. High densities of flowering trees or large-scale exogenous disturbances may be necessary forin-situregeneration. There was no evidence of a simple flowering threshold: flowering in 2017 occurred across a wide range of tree size, age and growth rate. Instead, evidence suggested that size and age at flowering may vary among plants depending on their growth trajectory. Environmental triggers of flowering were not identified by dating tree establishment, but the last three mass-flowering events occurred in years of tropical cyclones. Regeneration and persistence might be facilitated if large-scale disturbances trigger flowering, improving reproductive efficiency by synchronising flowering and linking reproduction with environmental conditions that enhance seedling recruitment.
Effect of a conditional cash transference program on food insecurity in Mexican households: 2012–2016
Authors: Saldivar-Frausto Mariana , Unar-Munguía Mishel , Méndez-Gómez-Humarán Ignacio , Rodríguez-Ramírez Sonia , Shamah-Levy Teresa
Published: September 2021

Objective:

To estimate the effects of the social inclusion programme PROSPERA on food insecurity (FI) in Mexican households during 2012 and 2016.

Design:

Quasi-experimental study using cross-sectional data from 2012 to 2016 National Household Income and Expenditure Survey – Socioeconomic Conditions Module (in Spanish, ENIGH-MCS).

Setting:

Data were used from a 2012 sample of 56 888 Mexican households (representative of 31 206 819 households) and a 2016 sample of 70 263 Mexican households (representative of 33 445 353 households). Severity of FI was estimated with the Mexican Food Security Scale (in Spanish, EMSA). The statistical analysis estimated a differences in differences (DD) model weighted by propensity score to compare program beneficiary and non-beneficiary households in 2012 than in 2016. We estimated the effect on households with and without children (< 18 years of age). We also compared this model to a DD model without propensity score weighting.

Participants:

Mexican households.

Results:

FI among all beneficiary households decreased 8·0pp as compared to non-beneficiary households over the study period. In beneficiary households with children, this decrease was 6·0pp and for beneficiary households without children, this decrease was 12·9pp (for all, P-value < 0·001).

Conclusions:

The PROSPERA program had a positive effect on FI reduction at the household level through increasing food access, which usually improves nutritional outcomes in vulnerable Mexican populations.
Effect of Heating on the Microstructure of NiAl + CrB2 Coatings Deposited by Mechanical Embedding in a Ball Mill
Authors: Szlezynger Maciej , Morgiel Jerzy , Pomorska Małgorzata , Maj Łukasz
Published: September 2021

The thickness of NiAl + CrB2 coatings, produced by the mechanical embedding of powders, is limited due to the increasing brittleness of processed materials with milling time. Only the NiAl grain growth and resultant softening of the coating matrix could overcome this problem. Therefore, the effect of heating up to 750°C on the microstructure of NiAl + CrB2 coatings deposited in a ball mill rotating at 350 rpm was investigated through in situ TEM observations. The performed observations proved that defect annihilation starts at ~400°C in large intermetallic grains, which are first attached to the substrate. The growth in NiAl nanocrystallites forming most of the coating is activated only above ~600°C. The average crystallite size was measured to be 5, 14, and 19 nm at RT, 650°C, and 750°C, respectively. The first stage of nano-crystallite growth is relatively fast and connected with the reconstruction of crystallite boundaries using up the amorphous material accumulated in between them. The second stage is slower and involves the expansion of larger crystallites at the expense of smaller ones. The performed experiment proved that heating up to 750°C allows the microstructure recovery and grain coarsening of coatings to be activated.
Altered Mantle Fabric Beneath the Mid‐Continent Rift
Authors: Frederiksen A. W. , Pokar P. , Barrow E. , Revenaugh J. , van der Lee S.
Published: September 2021

We present new, densely sampled shear‐wave splitting results from southern Minnesota and adjacent areas of neighboring states, sampling the southwestern limit of the Archean Superior Province and straddling the Proterozoic Mid‐Continent Rift (MCR). The new measurements include data from the Earthscope Transportable Array (TA) as well as the Superior Province Rifting Earthscope Experiment (SPREE), yielding 99 new station‐averaged measurements. The split times show a consistent decrease from 1.1 s in the NE to 0.2 s in the SW, with the lowest values being associated with the Minnesota River Valley Terrane (MRVT). From modeling and other geophysical constraints, we interpret the split time variations to represent variations in fabric strength within a thick lithosphere, rather than lithospheric thinning or a multi‐layered effect, and propose that the weak fabric of the MRVT is associated with a different mechanism of formation than elsewhere in the Superior Province. The fast directions we measure range from NNE‐SSW to E‐W and vary on a shorter length scale than the split times, with a pattern of NE‐SW splits that closely follows the axis of the MCR. We interpret this as a perturbation of the net fast direction due to anisotropy in an underplate along the rift.
Higher Autumn Temperatures Lead to Contrasting CO2 Flux Responses in Boreal Forests Versus Tundra and Shrubland
Authors: Randazzo Nina A. , Michalak Anna M. , Miller Charles E. , Miller Scot M. , Shiga Yoichi P. , Fang Yuanyuan
Published: September 2021

The future carbon balance of boreal ecosystems under increasing temperatures is highly uncertain. In particular, the net effects of a longer growing season versus enhanced respiration are poorly understood. Here, we use a geostatistical inverse model from 2012 to 2014 to determine temperature sensitivity in Alaskan biomes throughout the growing season, in order to identify the relative effects of these competing phenomena. We find that temperature explains a large portion of the disparities in autumn carbon flux between 2013 and 2014. Boreal forests experienced a growing season extension during the warm October of 2013 that offset increased respiration into autumn in years with high temperatures. In contrast, increased temperatures in the tundra and shrublands led to a large respiration signal during October 2013, producing a greater net carbon release. These results suggest a greater vulnerability of Alaskan tundra and shrubland carbon stocks compared to boreal forest carbon stocks under warming.
Inverse design of glass structure with deep graph neural networks
Authors: Wang Qi , Zhang Longfei
Published: September 2021

Directly manipulating the atomic structure to achieve a specific property is a long pursuit in the field of materials. However, hindered by the disordered, non-prototypical glass structure and the complex interplay between structure and property, such inverse design is dauntingly hard for glasses. Here, combining two cutting-edge techniques, graph neural networks and swap Monte Carlo, we develop a data-driven, property-oriented inverse design route that managed to improve the plastic resistance of Cu-Zr metallic glasses in a controllable way. Swap Monte Carlo, as a sampler, effectively explores the glass landscape, and graph neural networks, with high regression accuracy in predicting the plastic resistance, serves as a decider to guide the search in configuration space. Via an unconventional strengthening mechanism, a geometrically ultra-stable yet energetically meta-stable state is unraveled, contrary to the common belief that the higher the energy, the lower the plastic resistance. This demonstrates a vast configuration space that can be easily overlooked by conventional atomistic simulations. The data-driven techniques, structural search methods and optimization algorithms consolidate to form a toolbox, paving a new way to the design of glassy materials.
Sequences in the cytoplasmic tail of SARS-CoV-2 Spike facilitate expression at the cell surface and syncytia formation
Authors: Cattin-Ortolá Jérôme , Welch Lawrence G. , Maslen Sarah L. , Papa Guido , James Leo C. , Munro Sean
Published: September 2021

The Spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 binds ACE2 to direct fusion with host cells. S comprises a large external domain, a transmembrane domain, and a short cytoplasmic tail. Understanding the intracellular trafficking of S is relevant to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and to vaccines expressing full-length S from mRNA or adenovirus vectors. Here we report a proteomic screen for cellular factors that interact with the cytoplasmic tail of S. We confirm interactions with the COPI and COPII vesicle coats, ERM family actin regulators, and the WIPI3 autophagy component. The COPII binding site promotes exit from the endoplasmic reticulum, and although binding to COPI should retain S in the early Golgi where viral budding occurs, there is a suboptimal histidine residue in the recognition motif. As a result, S leaks to the surface where it accumulates and can direct the formation of multinucleate syncytia. Thus, the trafficking signals in the tail of S indicate that syncytia play a role in the SARS-CoV-2 lifecycle.
ORP1L mediated PI(4)P signaling at ER-lysosome-mitochondrion three-way contact contributes to mitochondrial division
Authors: Boutry Maxime , Kim Peter K.
Published: September 2021

Mitochondrial division is not an autonomous event but involves multiple organelles, including the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and lysosomes. Whereas the ER drives the constriction of mitochondrial membranes, the role of lysosomes in mitochondrial division is not known. Here, using super-resolution live-cell imaging, we investigate the recruitment of lysosomes to the site of mitochondrial division. We find that the ER recruits lysosomes to the site of division through the interaction of VAMP-associated proteins (VAPs) with the lysosomal lipid transfer protein ORP1L to induce a three-way contact between the ER, lysosome, and the mitochondrion. We also show that ORP1L might transport phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PI(4)P) from lysosomes to mitochondria, as inhibiting its transfer or depleting PI(4)P at the mitochondrial division site impairs fission, demonstrating a direct role for PI(4)P in the division process. Our findings support a model where the ER recruits lysosomes to act in concert at the fission site for the efficient division of mitochondria.
Burns and biofilms: priority pathogens and in vivo models
Authors: Maslova Evgenia , Eisaiankhongi Lara , Sjöberg Folke , McCarthy Ronan R.
Published: September 2021

Burn wounds can create significant damage to human skin, compromising one of the key barriers to infection. The leading cause of death among burn wound patients is infection. Even in the patients that survive, infections can be notoriously difficult to treat and can cause lasting damage, with delayed healing and prolonged hospital stays. Biofilm formation in the burn wound site is a major contributing factor to the failure of burn treatment regimens and mortality as a result of burn wound infection. Bacteria forming a biofilm or a bacterial community encased in a polysaccharide matrix are more resistant to disinfection, the rigors of the host immune system, and critically, more tolerant to antibiotics. Burn wound-associated biofilms are also thought to act as a launchpad for bacteria to establish deeper, systemic infection and ultimately bacteremia and sepsis. In this review, we discuss some of the leading burn wound pathogens and outline how they regulate biofilm formation in the burn wound microenvironment. We also discuss the new and emerging models that are available to study burn wound biofilm formation in vivo.
Clinical consequences of BRCA2 hypomorphism
Authors: Castells-Roca Laia , Gutiérrez-Enríquez Sara , Bonache Sandra , Bogliolo Massimo , Carrasco Estela , Aza-Carmona Miriam , Montalban Gemma , Muñoz-Subirana Núria , Pujol Roser , Cruz Cristina , Llop-Guevara Alba , Ramírez María J. , Saura Cristina , Lasa Adriana , Serra Violeta , Diez Orland , Balmaña Judith , Surrallés Jordi
Published: September 2021

The tumor suppressor FANCD1/BRCA2 is crucial for DNA homologous recombination repair (HRR). BRCA2 biallelic pathogenic variants result in a severe form of Fanconi anemia (FA) syndrome, whereas monoallelic pathogenic variants cause mainly hereditary breast and ovarian cancer predisposition. For decades, the co-occurrence in trans with a clearly pathogenic variant led to assume that the other allele was benign. However, here we show a patient with biallelic BRCA2 (c.1813dup and c.7796 A > G) diagnosed at age 33 with FA after a hypertoxic reaction to chemotherapy during breast cancer treatment. After DNA damage, patient cells displayed intermediate chromosome fragility, reduced survival, cell cycle defects, and significantly decreased RAD51 foci formation. With a newly developed cell-based flow cytometric assay, we measured single BRCA2 allele contributions to HRR, and found that expression of the missense allele in a BRCA2 KO cellular background partially recovered HRR activity. Our data suggest that a hypomorphic BRCA2 allele retaining 37–54% of normal HRR function can prevent FA clinical phenotype, but not the early onset of breast cancer and severe hypersensitivity to chemotherapy.
Phase field modeling for the morphological and microstructural evolution of metallic materials under environmental attack
Authors: Ansari Talha Qasim , Huang Haitao , Shi San-Qiang
Published: September 2021

The complex degradation of metallic materials in aggressive environments can result in morphological and microstructural changes. The phase-field (PF) method is an effective computational approach to understanding and predicting the morphology, phase change and/or transformation of materials. PF models are based on conserved and non-conserved field variables that represent each phase as a function of space and time coupled with time-dependent equations that describe the mechanisms. This report summarizes progress in the PF modeling of degradation of metallic materials in aqueous corrosion, hydrogen-assisted cracking, high-temperature metal oxidation in the gas phase and porous structure evolution with insights to future applications.
Strong electron–phonon coupling influences carrier transport and thermoelectric performances in group-IV/V elemental monolayers
Authors: Wu Yu , Hou Bowen , Chen Ying , Cao Jiang , Shao Hezhu , Zhang Yiming , Ma Congcong , Zhu Heyuan , Zhang Rongjun , Zhang Hao
Published: September 2021

The interactions between electrons and phonons play the key role in determining the carrier transport properties in semiconductors. In this work, comprehensive investigations on full electron–phonon (el–ph) couplings and their influences on carrier mobility and thermoelectric (TE) performances of 2D group IV and V elemental monolayers are performed, and we also analyze the selection rules on el–ph couplings using group theory. For shallow n/p-dopings in Si, Ge, and Sn, ZA/TA/LO phonon modes dominate the intervalley scatterings. Similarly strong intervalley scatterings via ZA/TO phonon modes can be identified for CBM electrons in P, As, and Sb, and for VBM holes, ZA/TA phonon modes dominate intervalley scatterings in P while LA phonons dominate intravalley scatterings in As and Sb. By considering full el–ph couplings, the TE performance for these two series of monolayers are predicted, which seriously downgrades the thermoelectric figures of merits compared with those predicted by the constant relaxation time approximation.