bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A mixed methodology for evaluating use of evidence in conservation planning
Authors: Stevens Madison , Norris D. Ryan
Published: December 2021

Conservation practitioners widely recognize the importance of making decisions based on the best available evidence. However, the effectiveness of evidence use in conservation planning is rarely assessed, which limits opportunities to improve evidence‐based practice. We devised a mixed methodology for empirically evaluating use of evidence that applies social science tools to systematically appraise what kinds of evidence are used in conservation planning, to what effect, and under what limitations. We applied our approach in a case study of the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), a leading land conservation organization. We conducted qualitative and quantitative analyses of 65 NCC planning documents (n = 13 in‐depth) to identify patterns in evidence use, and surveyed 35 conservation planners to examine experiences of and barriers to using evidence. Although claims in plans contained a wide range of evidence types, 26% of claims were not referenced or associated with an identifiable source. Lack of evidence use was particularly apparent in claims associated with direct threats, particularly those identified as low (71% coded as insufficient or lacking evidence) or medium (45%) threats. Survey participants described relying heavily on practitioner experience and highlighted capacity limitations and disciplinary gaps in expertise among planning teams as barriers to using evidence effectively. We found that although time‐intensive, this approach yielded actionable recommendations for improving evidence use in NCC conservation plans. Similar mixed‐method assessments may streamline the process by including interviews and refining the document analysis frames to target issues or sections of concern. We suggest our method provides an accessible and robust point of departure for conservation practitioners to evaluate whether the use of conservation planning reflects in‐house standards and more broadly recognized best practices.
External validity of the Both Hands Assessment for evaluating bimanual performance in children with bilateral cerebral palsy
Authors: Elvrum Ann‐Kristin G , Johansen Gøril Okkenhaug , Vik Torstein , Krumlinde‐Sundholm Lena
Published: December 2021

Aim

To investigate the external validity of the Both Hands Assessment (BoHA), a new test evaluating bimanual performance in children with bilateral cerebral palsy (CP), by analysing its relationship to established measurements of hand function and self‐care skills.

Method

In this cross‐sectional study, we recruited children with bilateral CP and manual ability corresponding to Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) levels I to III attending three habilitation units in Norway. All participants completed the BoHA. Unimanual capacity was assessed using the Bimanual Fine Motor Function (BFMF) classification, the Box and Block Test (BBT), and the Melbourne Assessment 2 (MA2). Self‐care skills were assessed with the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI).

Results

Thirty‐nine children (19 males, 20 females; mean age 8y 2mo, SD 2y 8mo; age range 2y 8mo–12y 6mo) were included. Spearman’s correlation coefficient (ρ) suggested high correlation between the BoHA and MACS (p=0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI]  0.79–0.94), BFMF classification (p=0.84; 95% CI  0.71–0.91), and BBT for the non‐dominant (p=0.85; 95% CI  0.68–0.95) and dominant hand (p=0.72; 95% CI  0.53–0.85). The Spearman’s ρ between the BoHA and the MA2 subscales varied between 0.48 and 0.83, while the PEDI’s ρ was 0.51 (95% CI  0.33–0.67).

Interpretation

The BoHA provides valid measures of hand use as suggested by its high correlation with other activity‐based measures of hand function.
Concomitant variants in NF1, LZTR1 and GNAZ genes probably contribute to the aggressiveness of plexiform neurofibroma and warrant treatment with MEK inhibitor
Authors: Cohen‐Barak Eran , Toledano‐Alhadef Hagit , Danial‐Farran Nada , Livneh Ido , Mwassi Banan , Hriesh Maysa , Zagairy Fadia , Gafni‐Amsalem Chen , Bashir Husam , Khayat Morad , Warrour Nassim , Sher Osnat , Marom Daphna , Postovsky Sergey , Dujovny Tal , Ziv Michael , Shalev Stavit A.
Published: December 2021

Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is caused by germline mutations in the NF1 gene and manifests as proliferation of various tissues, including plexiform neurofibromas. The plexiform neurofibroma phenotype varies from indolent to locally aggressive, suggesting contributions of other modifiers in addition to somatic loss of NF1. In this study, we investigated a life‐threatening plexiform neurofibroma in a 9‐month‐old female infant with NF1. Germline mutations in two RASopathy‐associated genes were identified using whole‐exome sequencing—a de novo pathogenic variant in the NF1 gene, and a known pathogenic variant in the LZTR1 gene. Somatic analysis of the plexiform neurofibroma revealed NF1 loss of heterozygosity and a variant in GNAZ, a gene encoding a G protein‐coupled receptor. Cells expressing mutant GNAZ exhibited increased ERK 1/2 activation compared to those expressing wild‐type GNAZ. Taken together, we suggest the variants in NF1, LZRT1 and GNAZ act synergistically in our patient, leading to MAPK pathway activation and contributing to the severity of the patient's plexiform neurofibromatosis. After treatment with the MEK inhibitor, trametinib, a prominent clinical improvement was observed in this patient. This case study contributes to the knowledge of germline and somatic non‐NF1 variants affecting the NF1 clinical phenotype and supports use of personalized, targeted therapy.
Analytical prediction of the fatigue limit for axisymmetric round bars with rough surface morphology
Authors: Cheng Zhengkun , Zhu Xiaochun , Zhang Yachen , Wang Tao , Berto Filippo
Published: December 2021

Analytical approaches to calculating stress distribution in machined round bars with slightly axisymmetric surface topography were derived. Surface morphologies of machined round bars were simplified as axisymmetric geometries and simulated in the form of Fourier representation. According to the point method of the theory of critical distance (TCD), an analytical expression for predicting the fatigue notch factor (FNF) of rough round specimens was proposed as well. The effectiveness of the proposed analytical expression was well verified by finite element method (FEM), with relative errors of less than 15%. Besides, the definition of the upper cut‐off frequency for estimating the fatigue limit of rough round bars was discussed comprehensively. Results showed that stress concentration factor (SCF) was sensitive to the upper cut‐off frequency and unable to be convergent, while FNF tended to be convergent and was mainly determined by low frequencies of surface topography. It explained why the height parameters of surface morphologies are the most significant characteristic parameters in determining fatigue behaviors.
A randomised crossover clinical trial of masticatory function in complete denture wearers with conventional and lingualised balanced occlusion
Authors: Pereira Rodrigo de Paula , Rocha Cibele Oliveira de Melo , Jabr Camila Luiz , Oliveira Lucas Portela , Arioli Filho João Neudenir
Published: December 2021

Objectives

The purposes of the present study were as follows: (1) to conduct a randomised crossover clinical trial to evaluate masticatory performance in wearers of conventional complete dentures in both arcs with conventional balanced occlusion (CBO) and lingualised balanced occlusion (LBO), using almonds as natural test food chewed for (a) 30 chewing cycles, (b) 40 chewing cycles and (c) until the subject felt ready to swallow and (2) to perform a randomised crossover clinical trial of oral health self‐perception through the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) questionnaire.

Background

During rehabilitation with full dentures, achieving stability and retention is essential for masticatory performance. A factor that can act is the appropriate occlusal scheme to be used, although the literature is full of discussions as to the most suitable occlusal scheme to be used, being CBO and LBO the most used in complete dentures.

Materials and Methods

The clinical trial was conducted with 30 participants (14 males and 16 females; average age 65.8 years). A base of interchangeable posterior teeth in the lower dentures was used, thereby changing the occlusal schemes without needing to make another complete denture. The masticatory tests and GOHAI application were conducted in two sessions: first with each occlusal scheme, and second only after participants did not report discomfort with dentures. The analysis of variance for the mixed repeated‐measures test (ANOVA) was used to verify the results (α = 0.05).

Results

The results showed no difference in masticatory performance according to the occlusal scheme (P = .519). The masticatory performance increased with the number of cycles (P < .001) tested, regardless of the type of occlusion scheme, and oral health self‐perception was higher after the second masticatory evaluation session (P = .027).

Conclusion

The masticatory performance was similar between the two occlusal schemes, increasing according to the number of chewing cycles. The adaptive period is relevant, regardless of the occlusion scheme, because the time factor was decisive for the improvements noted in the oral health self‐perception of the participants (according to the GOHAI results).
WHOEVER ARE HISTORIES FOR? PLURALIZATION, BORDER THINKING, AND POTENTIAL HISTORIES
Authors: JENKINS FIONA
Published: December 2021

How are contemporary philosophies of history articulated in resistance to the long legacies of colonial rule and practice that continue to shape presuppositions of knowledge? By foregrounding the performative dimension of modes of historical narration, this article considers how practices of engagement with alterity can be conceptualized as constituting new spaces of encounter. The “whoever” invoked in this article's title is presented as a site of indeterminate identity, the futural antidote to an epistemic regime, and the addressee of a question that is as much about what we might become as what we have been. Exploring versions of this figure in the work of Walter Mignolo, Ariella Azoulay, and Judith Butler, the article demonstrates how these theorists all problematize the presumptive universality of the West, and the historically established status quo that underpins it, without adopting in its stead a naive or merely fragmented account of difference. Each approach to the politics of knowledge considered here suggests a way of capturing the significance of the performative and mediated space of separation and relatedness between “same” and “other” as potential sites for decolonizing history, and each seeks to activate the interference and disturbance of the “exteriorities” at once produced and repressed as aspects of the institution of a “center” or “origin.” The theorists I discuss variably describe such exteriorities via the resources of “border thinking” (Mignolo), “potential history” (Azoulay), and the “exilic” (Butler) and provide means not only to acknowledge histories of oppression but to imagine a transformative politics premised on these vital interventions.
FINANCING VENTURES
Authors: Greenwood Jeremy , Han Pengfei , Sánchez Juan M.
Published: December 2021

The relationship between venture capital (VC) and growth is examined using an endogenous growth model incorporating dynamic contracts between entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. At each stage of financing, venture capitalists evaluate the viability of startups. If viable, venture capitalists provide funding for the next stage. The success of a project depends on the amount of funding. The model is confronted with stylized facts about VC: statistics by funding round concerning success rates, failure rates, investment rates, equity shares, and initial public offering values. The increased efficiency offered by VC for financing inventive startups is important for long‐run growth and welfare.
Effects of different agro‐industrial waste as substrates on proximate composition, metals, and mineral contents of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)
Authors: Karataş Arzu
Published: December 2021

The use of agro‐industrial waste as substrates for mushroom cultivation is considered a promising management strategy for reducing and valorising these wastes, simultaneously reducing the cost of mushroom cultivation. In this study, oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus were cultivated on twelve substrates composed of either tea waste, lime sawdust, alder sawdust, hornbeam sawdust/shaving, wheat stalk‐straw, wheat bran or their composite to determine the proximate composition and accumulation of thirteen elements in their fruiting bodies. The proximate composition of P. ostreatus did not show a significant difference, regardless of the employed substrate. (one‐way manova; F(66, 107) = 1.329, Wilk’s λ = 0.041, P > 0.05). However, their chemical element contents show a statistically significant difference (one‐way manova; F(132, 418) = 32.163, Wilk’s λ = 0.000, P < 0.05). These results were supported by discriminant function and principal component analyses. The highest mean concentrations of six of twelve elements (i.e., Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, Cd and Cr) were recorded in P. ostreatus cultivated on the lime‐sawdust substrate. Three health indices viz., estimated daily intake, target hazard quotient (THQ) and total THQ were applied to determine the risk to human health via the consumption of P. ostreatus, suggesting that they are safe for human consumption.
The effect of Nd3+ concentration on fabrication, microstructure, and luminescent properties of anisotropic S‐FAP ceramics
Authors: Zhang Yongqiang , Zhou Zhiwei , Li Weiwei , Yang Yu , Mei Bingchu , Sun Zaichun
Published: December 2021

Nd3+ doped strontium fluorophosphate (S‐FAP), with chemical formula Sr5(PO4)3F, nanopowders were prepared using the co‐precipitation method. The prepared powders had no impurity phase with a grain size of about 30 nm and the doping limit of Nd3+ ions in strontium fluorophosphate is about 9 at.%. The morphology and particle size were determined by the doping concentration of Nd3+. Anisotropic Nd: S‐FAP transparent ceramics with different Nd3+ doping concentrations were fabricated successfully by the simple hot‐pressing method. The grain size of prepared S‐FAP transparent ceramics decreased first and then increased with the increase of Nd3+ concentration. The 2 at.% Nd: S‐FAP ceramic presented the highest optical transmittance at all wavelengths range. The characteristic transitions from the ground state to the excited states of Nd3+ ions were observed from the absorption spectra, and the absorption cross‐section was calculated at 3.71 × 10–20 cm2. The influence of Nd3+ ion concentration on luminescence intensity and fluorescence lifetime was studied under 796 nm excitation. The strong emission of 4F3/2→4I9/2 transition in Nd: S‐FAP was calculated by Judd–Ofelt (J‐O) theory.
Associations of plasma neurofilament light chain and progranulin with frailty in older adults
Authors: Lu Wan‐Hsuan , Giudici Kelly Virecoulon , Guyonnet Sophie , Aggarwal Geetika , Nguyen Andrew D. , Morley John E. , Vellas Bruno , de Souto Barreto Philipe ,   MAPT/DSA Group
Published: December 2021

Background

In previous studies, plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) and progranulin (PGRN) levels are associated with cognitive and physical impairment in older individuals. However, evidence of their relationships with frailty is lacking. This study aims to explore the associations of plasma NfL and PGRN levels with frailty in community‐dwelling older adults.

Methods

We included 507 older adults (mean [standard deviation] age, 76.7 [4.5] years) with plasma NfL and PGRN measurements from the Multidomain Alzheimer Preventive Trial (MAPT). The timepoint of biomarker measurements, either 12 or 24 months after study enrollment, was defined as the baseline for each participant. Frailty phenotype (robust, pre‐frail, and frail) was assessed at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months by Fried's frailty criteria. The cross‐sectional associations between plasma neurodegenerative biomarkers and frailty severity were examined using logistic regressions. We further used Cox proportional hazard models to evaluate the associations between plasma biomarkers and incident frailty among robust or pre‐frail participants at baseline (n = 403).

Results

At baseline, participants with high plasma NfL levels (>93.11 pg/ml [the upper quartile]) had a higher likelihood of pre‐frailty or frailty compared to their normal NfL counterparts (odds ratio = 1.68; 95% confidence interval = 1.10–2.57); however, this association did not remain significant after controlling for covariates. Neither NfL nor PGRN levels showed prospective associations with incident frailty over 4 years.

Conclusions

This study failed to find associations of circulating NfL and PGRN levels with frailty among community‐dwelling older adults in adjusted analyses. Whether plasma neurodegenerative markers serve as potential biomarkers of frailty requires further investigation.
Osseoperception following dental implant treatment: A systematic review
Authors: Song Dandan , Shujaat Sohaib , Politis Constantinus , Orhan Kaan , Jacobs Reinhilde
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Osseoperception is defined as the ability to perceive tactile sensation via mechanoreception in the peri‐implant environment. The objective was to systematically review the available literature on the osseoperception phenomenon following dental implant placement and to explore potential factors which might improve the perception capacity.

Material and methods

A literature search was performed using PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science databases up to June 2021. Both human and animal studies assessing sensory capacity or innervation following implant placement were included in this review. Two reviewers independently performed the study selection, data extraction and quality assessment of the included studies. The methodological quality of the included papers was assessed using Cochrane risk of bias for human studies and SYRCLE’s risk of bias tool for animal studies.

Results

The electronic search of databases yielded 1667 results. Following removal of duplicates, title and abstract screening and full‐text reading, 22 publications were eligible to be included in the review. Psychophysical evidence from 14 studies indicated a lower tactile function of implants, where active and passive threshold levels were found to be 5 and 50 times higher for implants compared to natural teeth, respectively. The neurophysiological evidence from three studies indicated cortical plasticity following dental implant placement, measured via trigeminal nerve evoked potentials and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Histological evidence from five studies demonstrated the presence of myelinated nerve fibres in the peri‐implant tissues. Additionally, immediate implant placement and loading showed beneficial effect on peri‐implant tissue (re)innervation; however, no other biological or physiological factors could be identified influencing osseoperception.

Conclusions

The reported evidence supported the existence of so‐called osseoperception phenomenon for restoring the sensory feedback pathway following oral implant rehabilitation. Further studies are required to identify factors that might further assist physiological integration of the oral implants in the human body as such to approach natural oral function.
Oral versus extra‐oral plasmablastic lymphoma: A comparative analysis of 101 cases
Authors: Meer Shabnum , Perner Yvonne , Willem Pascale
Published: December 2021

Aims

Originally described exclusively orally in HIV‐infected patients, plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is increasingly described extra orally and in non‐HIV‐infected persons. The study comparatively analysed the clinico‐pathologic features of oral PBLs (n = 55) to previously published extra‐oral PBLs (n = 45 + 1) diagnosed over a seven‐year period at the same institution in an HIV prevalent setting in South Africa in order to clarify any distinction between oral and extra‐oral PBLs.

Methods and results

Tumours were assessed histologically and immunohistochemically with CD45 (LCA), CD3, CD20, CD79a, PAX5, CD138, MUM1, BLIMP1, VS38c, Ki‐67, BCL6 and CD10 using standard protocols. Age ranged from 22 to 76 years (oral) and 9 and 59 years (extra‐oral). Most PBL patients were HIV positive [oral (84%); extra‐oral (65%)]. Male:female ratio was 2.7:1 for oral and 1.4:1 for extra‐oral PBLs. Favoured oral and extra‐oral sites were the maxilla and anus. PBLs displayed an indistinguishable immunohistochemical profile with unusually high CD45 expression (oral: 98%, extra‐oral: 84%). EBV assessed by chromogenic in situ hybridisation (ISH) showed positivity in all oral PBLs and 95% extra‐oral PBLs. MYC rearrangements (fluorescence ISH MYC break‐apart probe) were similar in all the PBLs.

Conclusions

Extra‐oral PBL is identical to its oral counterpart in gender and age distribution, HIV status, morphological appearances, immunophenotypic profile and EBV association. PBL should be regarded as the same tumour irrespective of oral or extra‐oral site of origin.
Soft power struggles: A diasporic perspective on the competing ideologies and innovative practices regarding the Chinese writing system
Authors: Wei Li , Hua Zhu
Published: December 2021

This critical essay aims to assess the linguistic ideologies regarding the Chinese writing system by locating them in historical and diasporic contexts and the new digital communication space. Drawing data from a long‐term and ongoing digital ethnography of online communication and creative Sinographs in the global Chinese diaspora, it analyses how multilingual Chinese language users manipulate the affordances of the writing system in combination with the affordances of new, digital communication platforms to challenge the dominant language ideologies and policies, to articulate a new sense of transnationalism, and to participate in social activism. It argues that the diasporic perspective is not simply a context for the study of language variation and change but a crucial space for radical new thinking and actions that challenge orthodoxies of various kinds and enables cultural flow as well as social participation at a global scale.
Commentary: Sociolinguistics of diaspora
Authors: Vigouroux Cécile B. , Mufwene Salikoko S.
Published: December 2021

In this commentary we respond to the articles of this special issue focusing on the proposal for a sociolinguistics of diaspora. We discuss especially whether diaspora as conceptualized in the articles helps sociolinguists better understand the intersection of migration, globalization, and language. Central to our comments is the question of whether the concept of diaspora is operationalized clearly enough to do the metalinguistic job it is invoked to do.
Understanding the textures of Apollo 11 high‐Ti mare basalts: A quantitative petrographic approach
Authors: Xue Zhuqing , Welsh Donald F. , Neal Clive R. , Xiao Long
Published: December 2021

This paper represents a comprehensive crystal size distribution (CSD) study of ilmenite and plagioclase from 12 Apollo 11 basalts from four of the five compositional groups (Groups A, B1, B2, B3, and one unclassified basalt—Group “U” basalt 10062). Ilmenite was saturated in the magma at/before eruption, resulting in subsurface growth of phenocrysts (Group B1) and many small crystals upon eruption. Plagioclase always exhibits linear CSDs representing a single cooling regime in each sample, which is interpreted as crystallizing within isolated magma pockets late in the cooling of the erupted lava flow. Latent heat of crystallization and insulating effects of crystallized phases produced slower cooling and lower plagioclase nucleation densities. Exceptions are the Group B2 and B3 basalts, indicating relatively earlier crystallization of plagioclase on the lunar surface. Our study demonstrates that textures of the Apollo 11 basalts are a product of the interplay among cooling rate, bulk composition, and nucleation density during crystallization. Group A basalts have the highest cooling rates compared to the other Apollo 11 samples (except 10072,53), and were erupted through high effusion rates producing thick flows that underwent extended cooling that induced textural coarsening in both early crystallizing ilmenite and late‐stage plagioclase. Group B1 lavas had the lowest effusion rates producing the thinnest flows. The Groups B2, B3, and U basalts are intermediate between these end members. Our approach can be used to define eruption environment, crystallization sequence, and cooling rate of samples collected on the Moon from non‐bedrock sources.
Dietary diversity and diet quality with gestational weight gain and adverse birth outcomes, results from a prospective pregnancy cohort study in urban Tanzania
Authors: Yang Jiaxi , Wang Molin , Tobias Deirdre K. , Rich‐Edwards Janet W. , Darling Anne‐Marie , Abioye Ajibola I. , Noor Ramadhani A. , Madzorera Isabel , Fawzi Wafaie W.
Published: December 2021

Healthy maternal diets during pregnancy are an important protective factor for pregnancy‐related outcomes, including gestational weight gain (GWG) and birth outcomes. We prospectively examined the associations of maternal dietary diversity and diet quality, using Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD‐W) and Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS), with GWG and birth outcomes among women enrolled in a trial in Tanzania (n = 1190). MDD‐W and PDQS were derived from a baseline food frequency questionnaire. Women were monthly followed until delivery, during which weight was measured. GWG was classified based on the 2009 Institute of Medicine guidelines. Adverse birth outcomes were classified as low birth weight (LBW), small for gestational age, large for gestational age, and preterm birth. 46.2% participants had MDD‐W ≥ 5. Mean score of PDQS was 23.3. Maternal intakes of nuts, poultry, and eggs were low, whereas intakes of sugar‐sweetened beverages and refined grains were high. MDD‐W was not associated with GWG or birth outcomes. For PDQS, compared to the lowest tertile, women in the highest tertile had lower risk of inappropriate GWG (risk ratio [RR] = 0.93, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.87–1.00). Women in the middle tertile group of PDQS (RR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.51–1.00) had lower risk of preterm birth. After excluding women with prior complications, higher PDQS was associated with lower risk of LBW (middle tertile: RR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.31–0.99, highest tertile: RR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.29–0.94; continuous per SD: RR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.60–0.99). Our findings support continuing efforts to improve maternal diet quality for optimal GWG and infant outcomes among Tanzanian women.
Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals comparable responses to agricultural stressors on different trophic levels of a freshwater community
Authors: Beentjes Kevin K. , Barmentlo S. Henrik , Cieraad Ellen , Schilthuizen Menno , van der Hoorn Berry B. , Speksnijder Arjen G. C. L. , Trimbos Krijn B.
Published: December 2021

Freshwater habitats are under stress from agricultural land use, most notably the influx of neonicotinoid pesticides and increased nutrient pressure from fertilizer. Traditional studies investigating the effects of stressors on freshwater systems are often limited to a narrow range of taxa, depending heavily on morphological expertise. Additionally, disentanglement of multiple simultaneous stressors can be difficult in field studies, whereas controlled laboratory conditions do not accurately reflect natural conditions and food webs. To overcome these drawbacks, we investigated the impacts of two agricultural stressors (the neonicotinoid insecticide thiacloprid and fertilizer) in full‐factorial design in a semi‐natural research site, using environmental DNA sampling to study three different taxonomic groups representing three trophic levels: bacteria (decomposers), phytoplankton (primary producers), and chironomids (consumers). The results show considerable impact of both stressors across trophic levels, with an additive effect of fertilizer and thiacloprid on community composition at all levels. These findings suggest that agricultural stressors affect the entire food web, either directly or through cascade reactions. They are also consistent with morphological assessments that were performed in the same study site, even at a lower number of replicates. The study presented shows that the use of multimarker environmental DNA provides a more comprehensive assessment of stressor impacts across multiple trophic levels, at a higher taxonomic resolution than traditional surveys. Additionally, many putative novel bioindicators for both agricultural stressors were discovered. We encourage further investigations into stressors impacts at different trophic levels, which will lead to more effective monitoring and management of freshwater systems.
Japanese Students’ Emotional Lived Experiences in English Language Learning, Learner Identities, and Their Transformation
Authors: NG CLARENCE
Published: December 2021

The Vygotskian concept of perezhivanie, or emotional lived experience, was adopted to examine the learner identities of 2 Japanese university students in English language learning. Current studies on language learner identities have given analytic primacy to either psychological processes or social influences. In contrast, perezhivanie offers a holistic unit of analysis for examining simultaneous influences derived from internal and external realms on identity pursuits. Misaki and Hina participated in a 60‐minute interview designed to understand their English learning experiences and how they made sense of them in school and university settings. In addition, a series of class observations—each followed by an informal interview—were conducted to examine their learning experiences in a conversational English course. Their reflective postings on the course online blog were also collected. The analytical process located identifiable instances of perezhivanie (perezhivaniya), based on participants’ memorable events or personally significant moments, and elaborated how these perezhivaniya brought forth different learner identities. Using the concept of perezhivanie, this study draws attention to a dynamic perspective on researching language‐learner identities that foregrounds an identity‐making process whereby students relived, refracted, and transformed through emotional–cognitive events or episodes characterized by complex transactions between the person and context.
Multiple Arabidopsis galacturonosyltransferases synthesize polymeric homogalacturonan by oligosaccharide acceptor‐dependent or de novo synthesis
Authors: Engle Kristen A. , Amos Robert A. , Yang Jeong‐Yeh , Glushka John , Atmodjo Melani A. , Tan Li , Huang Chin , Moremen Kelley W. , Mohnen Debra
Published: December 2021

Homogalacturonan (HG), the most abundant pectic glycan, functions as a cell wall structural and signaling molecule essential for plant growth, development and response to pathogens. HG exists as a component of pectic homoglycans, heteroglycans and glycoconjugates. HG is synthesized by members of the GALACTURONOSYLTRANSFERASE (GAUT) family. UDP‐GalA‐dependent homogalacturonan:galacturonosyltransferase (HG:GalAT) activity has previously been demonstrated for GAUTs 1, 4 and 11, as well as the GAUT1:GAUT7 complex. Here, we show that GAUTs 10, 13 and 14 are also HG:GalATs and that GAUTs 1, 10, 11, 13, 14 and 1:7 synthesize polymeric HG in vitro. Comparison of the in vitro HG:GalAT specific activities of the heterologously‐expressed proteins demonstrates GAUTs 10 and 11 with the lowest, GAUT1 and GAUT13 with moderate, and GAUT14 and the GAUT1:GAUT7 complex with the highest HG:GalAT activity. GAUT13 and GAUT14 are also shown to de novo synthesize (initiate) HG synthesis in the absence of exogenous HG acceptors, an activity previously demonstrated for GAUT1:GAUT7. The rate of de novo HG synthesis by GAUT13 and GAUT14 is similar to their acceptor dependent HG synthesis, in contrast to GAUT1:GAUT7 for which de novo synthesis occurred at much lower rates than acceptor‐dependent synthesis. The results suggest a unique role for de novo HG synthesis by GAUTs 13 and 14. The reducing end of GAUT13‐de novo‐synthesized HG has covalently attached UDP, indicating that UDP‐GalA serves as both a donor and acceptor substrate during de novo HG synthesis. The functional significance of unique GAUT HG:GalAT catalytic properties in the synthesis of different pectin glycan or glycoconjugate structures is discussed.
Retention of hemostatic and immunological properties of frozen plasma and COVID‐19 convalescent apheresis fresh‐frozen plasma produced and freeze‐dried in Canada
Authors: Sheffield William P. , Bhakta Varsha , Howell Anita , Jenkins Craig , Serrano Katherine , Johnson Nathaniel , Lin Yi‐Chan J. , Colwill Karen , Rathod Bhavisha , Greenberg Brianna , Gingras Anne‐Claude , Evans David H. , Flaumenhaft Elissa , Beckett Andrew , Drews Steven J. , Devine Dana V.
Published: December 2021

Background

Randomized clinical trial data show that early plasma transfusion may save lives among trauma patients. Supplying plasma in remote environments is logistically challenging. Freeze‐dried plasma (FDP) offers a possible solution.

Study Design and Methods

A Terumo BCT plasma freeze‐drying system was evaluated. We compared pooled frozen plasma (FP) units with derived Terumo BCT FDP (TFDP) units and pooled COVID‐19 convalescent apheresis fresh‐frozen plasma (CC‐AFFP) with derived CC‐TFDP units. Parameters measured were: coagulation factors (F) II; V; VII; VIII; IX; XI; XIII; fibrinogen; Proteins C (PC) and S (PS); antithrombin (AT); α2‐antiplasmin (α2AP); ADAMTS13; von Willebrand Factor (vWF); thrombin–antithrombin (TAT); D‐dimer; activated complement factors 3 (C3a) and 5 (C5a); pH; osmolality; prothrombin time (PT); and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). Antibodies to SARS‐CoV‐2 in CC‐AFFP and CC‐TFDP units were compared by plaque reduction assays and viral protein immunoassays.

Results

Most parameters were unchanged in TFDP versus FP or differed ≤15%. Mean aPTT, PT, C3a, and pH were elevated 5.9%, 6.9%, 64%, and 0.28 units, respectively, versus FP. CC‐TFDP showed no loss of SARS‐CoV‐2 neutralization titer versus CC‐AFFP and no mean signal loss in most pools by viral protein immunoassays.

Conclusion

Changes in protein activities or clotting times arising from freeze‐drying were <15%. Although C3a levels in TFDP were elevated, they were less than literature values for transfusable plasma. SARS‐CoV‐2‐neutralizing antibody titers and viral protein binding levels were largely unaffected by freeze‐drying. In vitro characteristics of TFDP or CC‐TFDP were comparable to their originating plasma, making future clinical studies appropriate.
Experimental Investigation of Melt Coolability Behavior in an Ex-Vessel Core Catcher: The Effect of Flooding Time
Authors: V Ganesh , Kulkarni Parimal P. , Nayak Arun K.
Published: December 2021

Some of the advanced nuclear reactors employ an ex-vessel core catcher to mitigate core melt scenarios by stabilizing and cooling the corium for a prolonged period by strategically flooding it. The side indirect cooling with top flooding strategy described in this study may lead to water ingression through the melt crust, which may lead to interaction between unoxidized metal and water, leading to hydrogen production. In order to avoid this deleterious scenario, water ingression into the interior region of the melt should be avoided. The studies described in this paper show that water ingression depends on the flooding strategy, i.e., the time delay between top flooding and melt relocation. Two experiments under identical conditions of simulant temperature, melt material, and test section geometry were conducted with simulated decay heat of 1 MW/m3. Sodium borosilicate glass was used as the corium simulant. In the first experiment, water was flooded onto the top of melt pool soon after melt relocation. In the second experiment, water flooding at the top of melt pool was made after 30 min of the melt relocation. The results show that a finite time delay of introduction of water onto the top of the melt pool is paramount to engender the development of a stable crust around the melt and therefore eliminating water ingression into melt pool and ensuring controlled coolability of the melt.
Normalized Ratcheting Diagram Under Sinusoidal Vibration Waves
Authors: Lyu Jinqi , Kasahara Naoto , Ichimiya Masakazu , Sasaki Ryunosuke
Published: December 2021

Ratcheting is a progressive incremental inelastic deformation or strain which can occur in a component that is subjected to variations of mechanical stress, thermal stress, or both. This study concentrated on the ratcheting occurrence of the piping model under the combined effect of constant external force and dynamic cyclic vibrations. Bent solid bars represented piping models, and sinusoidal acceleration waves were loaded. Characteristics of seismic loads between load-controlled and displacement-controlled properties were studied from the viewpoint of the frequency ratio of the forcing frequency to the natural frequency of the piping model. Besides, the ratcheting occurrence conditions of the beam and the piping model were compared in one normalized diagram to display the general mechanism of ratcheting with the consideration of the effect from the difference of shape and material. Results show that ratcheting occurs easily with a lower frequency ratio in both beam and piping models. In addition, it is meaningful to use beam models to understand the ratcheting mechanism of piping models. Describing the occurrence of ratcheting using the normalized ratcheting diagram for different components is feasible.
Fracture Assessment for Pressurized Water Reactor Vessel Nozzles Subjected to Pressure and Thermal Loading
Authors: Qibao Chu , Qing Wang , Yonggang Fang , Wei Tan
Published: December 2021

To ensure the structure integrity of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) in pressure water reactor plants, the main challenge is the embrittlement of beltline materials. However, the stress at inlet or outlet nozzles of the RPV which are reinforced in comparison with the beltline is more complex, especially under the thermal loads. In recent studies, significant research efforts have been conducted to show that the nozzle region may be more challenging under some conditions. In this paper, a fracture assessment for the RPV nozzles subjected to pressure and thermal loading is studied using the software abaqus 6.12 and Zen Crack 7.9-3. It includes: stress intensity factor calculation based on three-dimensional finite element method; structural integrity assessment under a typical loss of coolant accident (LOCA) transient; and the fatigue crack growth evaluation under cyclic loading situations. The results show that the stress intensity factor along the crack front is evidently asymmetric, and only to assess the safety of the deepest point along the crack front in the ASME and RCC-MR codes may be unreasonable. If the KIa criteria is applied, under a typical LOCA transient, it is difficult to obtain an effective fracture safety margin for a 1/4 thickness crack, while based on the KIC criteria, the nozzle is shown to be safe in the case study. The long shallow surface crack (which is often easily produced in the nozzle area) tends to be circle type under the cyclic pressure loading situation which shows that the crack shape assumed in the ASME and RCC-MR codes is reasonable.
A Statically Balanced Compliant Ortho-Planar Mechanism for Low-Frequency Energy Harvesting
Authors: Blad T.W.A. , van Ostayen R.A.J. , Herder J.L. , Tolou N.
Published: December 2021

The usually high eigenfrequencies of miniaturized oscillators can be significantly lowered by reducing the stiffness through stiffness compensation. In this work, a mechanical design for a compliant ortho-planar mechanism is proposed in which the stiffness is compensated to such a degree that it can be identified as statically balanced. The mechanism was fabricated using laser micro-machining and subsequently preloaded through packaging. The statically balanced property of the mechanism was experimentally validated by a measurement of the force–deflection relation. A piezoelectric version of the design was fabricated for the purpose of energy harvesting from low-frequency motion. For a sub 1 Hz excitation, the device demonstrated an average power output of 21.7 μW and an efficiency that compares favorably to piezoelectric energy harvesters reported in the literature. Therefore, it was found that stiffness compensation is a promising method for the design of piezoelectric energy harvesters for low-frequency motions.
Dynamic Analysis of a Slant-Cracked Functionally Graded Rotor-Bearing System
Authors: Batchu Aneesh , Sathujoda Prabhakar
Published: December 2021

The dynamic response of a power law based functionally graded (FG) rotor-bearing system with a slant crack has been analysed in the present work. The vibration response of an FG rotor-bearing system with a slant crack has been simulated using the Houbolt time marching scheme for different crack depths. The time-domain vibration responses are converted into the frequency domain using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to identify the crack features in order to detect and monitor the cracks. The sub-harmonic frequency components of the steady-state frequency spectrum were centred on the FG rotor’s operating speed, separated by the interval frequency corresponding to the torsional frequency. The sub-harmonic frequency components of the transient state frequency domain were found to be centred on the critical speed of the FG rotor system. The subharmonic frequency components of the dynamic response confirm the existence of a crack in the FG rotor system, which could be used to detect the crack in an FG rotor system.
Estimating the Aerodynamic Coefficients of a Savonius Rotor Blade Profile Developed Through the Simplex Search Method
Authors: Mohan Man , Kansagara Divyeshkumar D. , Sharma Deepak , Saha Ujjwal K.
Published: December 2021

The Savonius rotor, a type of vertical-axis wind turbine, seems to be promising for small-scale power generation. Most of the studies conducted so far have focused on the evaluation of torque and power coefficients (CT, CP) of the rotor. This paper aims at analyzing the aerodynamic drag and lift coefficients (CD, CL) of a Savonius rotor blade profile that is generated by the simplex search method to maximize its CP. The optimization is carried out by coupling the numerical simulations with the simplex search method. The optimized blade profile thus obtained is symmetric about its axis, where one half is created through a natural cubic spline curve using three points. Two-dimensional (2D) unsteady numerical simulations have been conducted by adopting ANSYS FLUENT solver to examine the CD and CL of the optimized blade profile at an inlet air velocity of 7.30 m/s. The shear stress transport (SST) k-ω turbulence model is used to solve the transient Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. The aerodynamic analysis is performed over a range of tip speed ratios (TSRs). The total pressure, velocity magnitudes, and the turbulent intensity contours of the optimized blade profile are generated and studied at different angles of rotation. The CD and CL of the blade profile are investigated for a complete rotation with an increment of 1°. At TSR = 0.8, the optimized profile shows a CDmax of 1.91 at an angle of rotation of 54°, while CDmin is found to be 0.45 at an angle 147°.
A Parametric Study on the Effect of Casing Treatment Slots on Performance Enhancement of a Single Stage Axial Flow Compressor
Authors: Amin Gautham A. , Salunkhe Pramod B. , Kini Chandrakanth R.
Published: December 2021

This paper numerically investigates the effect of slots on the performance of a highly subsonic axial flow compressor. The axial flow compressor consisting of 21 rotor blades with NACA 65 series blade profile was used for the simulations. The present results were obtained using different turbulence models and shear stress transport model was found to be the best one. Studies were conducted to determine the influence of length, depth and skew angle of the slot on the compressor performance. The slot width and centre-to-centre distance between the successive slots were maintained at 6.3% Ca and 11% Ca, respectively. The present study was carried out at different slot lengths (0 to 100% of axial chord, 20 to 100% of axial chord and 40 to 100% of axial chord), slot depths (7.9, 11 and 15.7% Ca) and skew angles (0°, 30°, 45° and 60°). The slot length of 20 to 100% of Ca, depth of 15.7% Ca and skew angle of 60° resulted in the best compressor performance leading to 22.1% stall margin improvement. Subsequently, flow characteristics were studied without and with slots.
Theoretical Estimation of Minimum and Maximum Allowable Rotational Speed of Supercritical CO2 Inward Flow Radial Turbine
Authors: Hoque Syed J. , Kumar Pramod
Published: December 2021

Supercritical CO2 inward flow radial turbines necessitate high operating speeds due to the high density of sCO2, especially in sub-MW scale power generation where rotational speeds can be in the range of 50k to 150k rpm. Although designing the turbine at these high rotational speeds is reasonable from the aerodynamic efficiency point of view but generally not practical to operate. A theoretical framework based on 1-D meanline analysis is built to evaluate the minimum and maximum rotational speed limits corresponding to a set of boundary conditions and operating constraints. The results show that minimum allowable speed depends on the inlet velocity triangle (IVT) and is constrained by inlet Mach number, inlet blade height, and inlet flow angle. On the other hand, maximum allowable speed depends on the outlet velocity triangle (OVT) and is constrained by outlet relative Mach number, outlet hub radius, and blade speed. The theoretical models are demonstrated from kilowatt to megawatt power levels, and the results are compared with commercial software and Balje’s Ns-Ds diagram. Although this study is highlighted in the context of supercritical CO2 as the working fluid, in principle, the same models are equally valid for any working fluid.