bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Different ways to play it cool: Transcriptomic analysis sheds light on different activity patterns of three amphipod species under long‐term cold exposure
Authors: Lipaeva Polina , Vereshchagina Kseniya , Drozdova Polina , Jakob Lena , Kondrateva Elizaveta , Lucassen Magnus , Bedulina Daria , Timofeyev Maxim , Stadler Peter , Luckenbach Till
Published: September 2021

Species of littoral freshwater environments in regions with continental climate experience pronounced seasonal temperature changes. Coping with long cold winters and hot summers requires specific physiological and behavioural adaptations. Endemic amphipods of Lake Baikal, Eulimnogammarus verrucosus and Eulimnogammarus cyaneus, show high metabolic activity throughout the year; E. verrucosus even reproduces in winter. In contrast, the widespread Holarctic amphipod Gammarus lacustris overwinters in torpor. This study investigated the transcriptomic hallmarks of E. verrucosus, E. cyaneus and G. lacustris exposed to low water temperatures. Amphipods were exposed to 1.5°C and 12°C (corresponding to the mean winter and summer water temperatures, respectively, in the Baikal littoral) for one month. At 1.5°C, G. lacustris showed upregulation of ribosome biogenesis and mRNA processing genes, as well as downregulation of genes related to growth, reproduction and locomotor activity, indicating enhanced energy allocation to somatic maintenance. Our results suggest that the mitogen‑activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway is involved in the preparation for hibernation; downregulation of the actin cytoskeleton pathway genes could relate to the observed low locomotor activity of G. lacustris at 1.5°C. The differences between the transcriptomes of E. verrucosus and E. cyaneus from the 1.5°C and 12°C exposures were considerably smaller than for G. lacustris. In E. verrucosus, cold‐exposure triggered reproductive activity was indicated by upregulation of respective genes, whereas in E. cyaneus, genes related to mitochondria functioning were upregulated, indicating cold compensation in this species. Our data elucidate the molecular characteristics behind the different adaptations of amphipod species from the Lake Baikal area to winter conditions.
Unraveling the role of MADS transcription factor complexes in apple tree dormancy
Authors: da Silveira Falavigna Vítor , Severing Edouard , Lai Xuelei , Estevan Joan , Farrera Isabelle , Hugouvieux Véronique , Revers Luís Fernando , Zubieta Chloe , Coupland George , Costes Evelyne , Andrés Fernando
Published: September 2021

A group of MADS transcription factors (TFs) are believed to control temperature‐mediated bud dormancy. These TFs, called DORMANCY‐ASSOCIATED MADS‐BOX (DAM), are encoded by genes similar to SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP) from Arabidopsis. MADS proteins form transcriptional complexes whose combinatory composition defines their molecular function. However, how MADS multimeric complexes control the dormancy cycle in trees is unclear.

Apple MdDAM and other dormancy‐related MADS proteins form complexes with MdSVPa, which is essential for the ability of transcriptional complexes to bind to DNA. Sequential DNA‐affinity purification sequencing (seq‐DAP‐seq) was performed to identify the genome‐wide binding sites of apple MADS TF complexes. Target genes associated with the binding sites were identified by combining seq‐DAP‐seq data with transcriptomics datasets obtained using a glucocorticoid receptor fusion system, and RNA‐seq data related to apple dormancy.

We describe a gene regulatory network (GRN) formed by MdSVPa‐containing complexes, which regulate the dormancy cycle in response to environmental cues and hormonal signaling pathways. Additionally, novel molecular evidence regarding the evolutionary functional segregation between DAM and SVP proteins in the Rosaceae is presented.

MdSVPa sequentially forms complexes with the MADS TFs that predominate at each dormancy phase, altering its DNA‐binding specificity and, therefore, the transcriptional regulation of its target genes.
Microstructural changes enhance oxygen transport in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit during maturation and ripening
Authors: Xiao Hui , Piovesan Agnese , Pols Suzane , Verboven Pieter , Nicolaï Bart
Published: September 2021

Climacteric ripening of tomato fruit is initiated by a characteristic surge of the production rate of ethylene, accompanied by an increase in respiration rate. As both activities consume O2 and produce CO2, gas concentration gradients develop in the fruit that cause diffusive transport. This may, in turn, affect respiration and ethylene biosynthesis. Gas diffusion in fruit depends on the amount and connectivity of cells and intercellular spaces in 3D.

We investigated micromorphological changes in different tomato tissues during development and ripening by visualizing cells and pores based on high‐resolution micro‐computed tomography, and computed effective O2 diffusivity coefficients based on microstructural features of the tissues.

We demonstrated that mesocarp and septa tissues have larger cells but small and more disconnected pores than the placenta and columella, resulting in relatively lower effective O2 diffusivity coefficients. Cell disintegration occurred in the mesocarp and septa during ripening, indicating lysigenous air pore formation and resulting in a gradual increase of the effective O2 diffusivity.

The results suggest that hypoxic conditions caused by the increasing size and, hence, diffusion resistance of the growing fruit may induce an increase of tissue porosity that results in a greatly enhanced O2 diffusivity and, thus, helps to alleviate them.
HOMEOBOX PROTEIN 24 mediates the conversion of indole‐3‐butyric acid to indole‐3‐acetic acid to promote root hair elongation
Authors: Zhao Huan , Wang Yutao , Zhao Shuai , Fu Ying , Zhu Lei
Published: September 2021

Indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) is a predominant form of active auxin in plants. In addition to de novo biosynthesis and release from its conjugate forms, IAA can be converted from its precursor indole‐3‐butyric acid (IBA).

The IBA‐derived IAA may help drive root hair elongation in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings, but how the IBA‐to‐IAA conversion is regulated and affects IAA function requires further investigation.

In this study, HOMEOBOX PROTEIN 24 (HB24), a transcription factor in the zinc finger‐homeodomain family (ZF‐HD family) of proteins, was identified. With loss of HB24 function, defective growth occurred in root hairs. INDOLE‐3‐BUTYRIC ACID RESPONSE 1 (IBR1), which encodes an enzyme involved in the IBA‐to‐IAA conversion, was identified as a direct target of HB24 for the control of root hair elongation. The exogenous IAA or auxin analogue 1‐naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) both rescued the root hair growth phenotype of hb24 mutants, but IBA did not, suggesting a role for HB24 in the IBA‐to‐IAA conversion.

Therefore, HB24 participates in root hair elongation by upregulating the expression of IBR1 and subsequently promoting the IBA‐to‐IAA conversion. Moreover, IAA also elevated the expression of HB24, suggesting a feedback loop is involved in IBA‐to‐IAA conversion‐mediated root hair elongation.
‘Dual‐reference’ method for high‐precision infrared measurement of leaf surface temperature under field conditions
Authors: Muller Jonathan D. , Rotenberg Eyal , Tatarinov Fyodor , Vishnevetsky Irina , Dingjan Tamir , Kribus Abraham , Yakir Dan
Published: September 2021

Temperature is a key control over biological activities from the cellular to the ecosystem scales. However, direct, high‐precision measurements of surface temperature of small objects, such as leaves, under field conditions with large variations in ambient conditions remain rare. Contact methods, such as thermocouples, are prone to large errors. The use of noncontact remote‐sensing methods, such as thermal infrared measurements, provides an ideal solution, but their accuracy has been low (c. 2°C) owing to the necessity for corrections for material emissivity and fluctuations in background radiation Lbg.

A novel ‘dual‐reference’ method was developed to increase the accuracy of infrared needle‐leaf surface temperature measurements in the field. It accounts for variations in Lbg and corrects for the systematic camera offset using two reference plates.

We accurately captured surface temperature and leaf‐to‐air temperature differences of needle‐leaves in a forest ecosystem with large diurnal and seasonal temperature fluctuations with an uncertainty of ± 0.23°C and ± 0.28°C, respectively.

Routine high‐precision leaf temperature measurements even under harsh field conditions, such as demonstrated here, opens the way for investigating a wide range of leaf‐scale processes and their dynamics.
Use of Mayer wave activity to demonstrate aberrant cardiovascular autonomic control following sports concussion injury
Authors: La Fountaine Michael F. , Hohn Asante N. , Leahy Caroline L. , Testa Anthony J. , Weir Joseph P.
Published: September 2021

Dysregulation of cardiovascular autonomic control is gaining recognition as a prevailing consequence of concussion injury. Characterizing the presence of autonomic dysfunction in concussed persons is inconsistent and conventional metrics of autonomic function cannot differentiate the presence/absence of injury. Mayer wave (MW) activity originates through baroreflex adjustments to blood pressure (BP) oscillations that appear in the low‐frequency (LF: 0.04–0.15 Hz) band of the BP and heart rate (HR) power spectrum after a fast Fourier transform. We prospectively explored MW activity (∼0.1 Hz) in 19 concussed and 19 noninjured athletes for 5 min while seated at rest within 48 h and 1 week of injury. MW activity was derived from the LF band of continuous digital electrocardiogram and beat‐to‐beat BP signals (LFHR, LF‐SBP, MWHR, and MW‐SBP, respectively); a proportion between MWBP and MWHR was computed (cMW). At 48 h, the concussion group had a significantly lower MWBP and cMW than controls; these differences were gone by 1 week. MWHR, LFHR, and LF‐SBP were not different between groups at either visit. Attenuated sympathetic vasomotor tone was present and the central autonomic mechanisms regulating MW activity to the heart and peripheral vasculature became transiently discordant early after concussion with apparent resolution by 1 week.
Arab American women and the generational cycle of shame: A cognitive reading of Etaf Rum’s A Woman Is No Man
Authors: Mikić Marijana
Published: September 2021

The essay uses a cognitive narratological approach to analyze how Etaf Rum’s A Woman Is No Man (2019) negotiates Arab American patriarchal culture through the lens of shame. By narrating the emotional experiences of Arab American women who bear the pain of shame while they also engage in shaming others, Rum gives readers the opportunity to understand better the complex relationship between the psychology of shame and the “shame of gender” in patriarchal Arab American culture. Not only does A Woman Is No Man articulate the lived experiences of one of the most “forgotten” and silenced ethnic groups within American literature and culture, it also draws attention to how gender‐based shaming is shaped by, and contributes to shaping, a culture of patriarchy and male power. The novel uncovers the different ways in which shame impacts the minds and bodies of Arab American women across three generations, while also laying bare the psychological, gendered, and socio‐culturally embedded aspects that shape the elicitation, experience, expression, and regulation of shame.
Service quality and the optimum number of members in intermunicipal cooperation: The case of emergency primary care services in Norway
Authors: Blåka Sara , Jacobsen Dag Ingvar , Morken Tone
Published: September 2021

Intermunicipal cooperation (IMC) is often used as a mean to reap scale benefits. Most studies on the effects of IMC focus on cost savings, while service quality is overlooked. In this study, the focus is set on input quality in a service characterized by high asset specificity and need for redundancy: emergency primary care. We analyze how mode of governance affect performance by (1) measuring whether IMC versus single‐municipal production affects input quality and (2) identifying optimum scale of operation; effect of the number of participants in the cooperation on input quality. The findings indicate that cooperation weakens the input quality of medical workforce, but that this negative effect is balanced out as the number of participants increases, indicating that cooperation needs to reach a certain size to achieve optimum scale of operation. Concerning equipment, both cooperation in general and an increasing number of participants decrease the input quality.
Health‐related quality of life of food‐allergic children compared with healthy controls and other diseases
Authors: Frachette Cécile , Fina Agnès , Fontas Eric , Donzeau Dominique , Hoflack Marie , Gastaud Frédérique , Baechler Elisabeth , Dor Emmanuelle , Descos Bruno , Triolo Valérie , Berthet Stéphanie , Bailly‐Piccini Carole , Béguin Mélissa , Flokstra‐de Blok Bertine , Bourrier Thierry , Giovannini‐Chami Lisa
Published: September 2021

Background

Food allergy is a potentially life‐threatening disease, affecting up to 10% of the pediatric population.

Objective

The aim of our study was to assess the health‐related quality of life (HRQL) of food‐allergic patients compared with the general population and patients with other chronic diseases with dietary or allergic burden, in a cross‐sectional study.

Methods

We recruited patients aged 8–17 years diagnosed with food allergy and matched healthy controls recruited in schools. We also included patients with asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, diabetes, obesity, and eating disorders. We used the CHQ‐CF87 questionnaire for generic HRQL assessment. Food allergy HRQL was also assessed using specific questionnaires: Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire (FAQLQ) and Food Allergy Independent Measure (FAIM).

Results

One hundred and thirty‐five food‐allergic children, 255 children with chronic diseases, and 463 healthy controls were included in the analyses. Food‐allergic patients had a better HRQL than healthy controls in the Behavior (BE), Bodily Pain (BP), Family Activities (FA), and Mental Health (MH) domains and a worse HRQL in the General Health Perception (GH) domain (p = .048). Food‐allergic patients exhibited a better HRQL than patients affected by other chronic diseases, notably diabetes. Although an epinephrine autoinjector had been prescribed to 87.4% of the food‐allergic children, only 54.2% of them carried it at all times.

Conclusion

Food‐allergic patients display overall good HRQL compared with the general population and those with other diseases with daily symptoms and treatments, in line with recent improvements in food allergy management.
Working together: An investigation of the impact of working alliance and cohesion on group psychotherapy attendance
Authors: Clough Bonnie , Spriggens Lauren , Stainer Matthew , Casey Leanne
Published: September 2021

Objectives

Group psychotherapy holds considerable potential for cost‐effective treatment delivery. However, issues with client attendance can compromise the efficacy of such treatments. To date, client specific factors are amongst the most researched predictors of attendance in psychotherapy, with much less of a focus given to process factors, particularly in the group therapy context. This study aimed to determine which process factors influenced attendance in the context of a group therapy programme for adults with anxiety. It was hypothesized that (1) the working alliance and group cohesion would be moderately correlated, (2) both the working alliance and group cohesion would explain unique variance in session attendance, and (3) the working alliance would act as a moderator for attendance, when group cohesion was low.

Design

The study utilized a within participants design.

Methods

Participants were 91 adults (aged 18–74 years) who took part in a 9‐week, transdiagnostic cognitive behavioural group therapy programme for the treatment of anxiety disorders.

Results

Working alliance and group cohesion were significantly, but only moderately correlated (rs ranging .41 to .55). Together, working alliance and group cohesion significantly predicted total session attendance (17.70% variance explained). Working alliance did not moderate the relationship between group cohesion and session attendance.

Conclusions

The importance of individual and group processes in influencing group therapy engagement is highlighted, including the role of fostering bonds within the group and between clients and therapists.

Practitioner points

A complex array of process factors has been argued to influence treatment outcomes in group therapy

The quality of the relationship between group therapy clients, as well as the relationship between a client and the therapist, predict session attendance.

The quality of the relationship between the client and the therapist may be the most important predictor of session attendance.

Therapists should foster positive relationships between each client and the therapist in group therapy, as well as assisting each client to foster positive relationships with other group members.
Gas exchange measurements in the unsteady state
Authors: Saathoff Aaron J. , Welles Jon
Published: September 2021

Leaf level gas exchange is a widely used technique that provides real‐time measurement of leaf physiological properties, including CO2 assimilation (A), stomatal conductance to water vapour (gsw) and intercellular CO2 (Ci). Modern open‐path gas exchange systems offer greater portability than the laboratory‐built systems of the past and take advantage of high‐precision infrared gas analyzers and optimized system design. However, the basic measurement paradigm has long required steady‐state conditions for accurate measurement. For CO2 response curves, this requirement has meant that each point on the curve needs 1–3 min and a full response curve generally requires 20–35 min to obtain a sufficient number of points to estimate parameters such as the maximum velocity of carboxylation (Vc,max) and the maximum rate of electron transport (Jmax). For survey measurements, the steady‐state requirement has meant that accurate measurement of assimilation has required about 1–2 min. However, steady‐state conditions are not a strict prerequisite for accurate gas exchange measurements. Here, we present a new method, termed dynamic assimilation, that is based on first principles and allows for more rapid gas exchange measurements, helping to make the technique more useful for high throughput applications.
Children's daily lives and well‐being: Findings from the CORONA‐CODOMO survey 1st wave
Authors: Hangai Mayumi , Piedvache Aurelie , Sawada Naomi , Okubo Yusuke , Sampei Makiko , Yamaoka Yui , Tanaka Kyoko , Hosozawa Mariko , Morisaki Naho , Igarashi Takashi
Published: September 2021

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has changed people's lives dramatically. Few data on the acute effects of the pandemic on children's daily lives and well‐being have been published to date. This study aimed to capture its effects on Japanese children during the first peak of the outbreak.

Methods

We conducted a web‐based, anonymous cross‐sectional survey targeting Japanese children aged 7–17 years and parents/guardians of children aged 0–17 years. Eligible individuals were invited to participate in the survey from April 30 to May 31, 2020. This self‐report questionnaire examined daily life and behaviors, psychological symptoms, well‐being, quality of life, and positive parenting or abusive behaviors at the very beginning of the outbreak.

Results

A total of 2,591 children and 6,116 parents/guardians participated in our survey. Sixty‐two percent of children reported screen time exceeding 2 h. Twenty percent of children reported abusive behaviors by family members. Nine in ten parents/guardians of school‐aged children reported that their child had at least one acute stress symptom in the past month. Average mental health subscale scores from KINDLR questionnaire on quality of life were lower than the national average for all grades. Nearly half of parents/guardians refrained from seeking medical care for the child's symptoms.

Conclusions

The COVID‐19 pandemic had serious acute impacts on Japanese children's daily lives, well‐being, family relationships, and health‐care utilization, including some impacts that are potentially long‐lasting; thus, proactive interventions and services are needed, as well as longitudinal surveys.
Percentage of overweight is overestimated in children of short stature
Authors: Matsuda Takuya , Kuroyanagi Yuichi , Okasora Keisuke , Takitani Kimitaka , Takaya Ryuzou , Ashida Akira
Published: September 2021

Background

The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased, not just in adults but also in children. In Japan, the percentage of overweight (POW) is widely used for the estimation and assessment of percentage body fat (PBF) for children. We examine whether there is a difference between normal height and short stature children in terms of the relationship between POW and PBF.

Methods

A total of 321 children of normal height (163 boys, 158 girls) and 106 children with short stature (78 boys, 28 girls) were assessed according to sex. Percentage of overweight was used to represent the degree of obesity. The PBF of the total body was examined by dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry.

Results

According to their PBF, normal height subjects of both sexes were classified as obese if they had a POW of more than 20%. However, short‐stature subjects of both sexes were not classified as obese until the boys had a POW of 40%, and girls had a POW of 35%, respectively. Thus, overweight or obesity is overestimated in short stature children in both males and females with the rule “POW above 20% is recognized as obesity.”

Conclusions

Percentage of overweight is commonly considered as a good surrogate measure for determining overweight and obesity in children of both sexes. However, this study has clarified that body fat accumulation is overestimated in children with short stature when using the POW measurement.
Intramolecular Charge Transfer in the Azathioprine Prodrug Quenches Intersystem Crossing to the Reactive Triplet State in 6‐Mercaptopurine†
Authors: Ortiz‐Rodríguez Luis A. , Ortiz‐Zayas Glesmarie , Pollum Marvin , Hoehn Sean J. , Jockusch Steffen , Crespo‐Hernández Carlos E.
Published: September 2021

The thiopurine prodrugs 6‐mercaptopurine and azathioprine are among the world’s essential medications for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, immunosuppression and several autoimmune conditions. Thiopurine prodrugs are efficient UVA absorbers and singlet oxygen generators and the long‐term treatment with these prodrugs correlates with a high incidence of sunlight‐induced skin cancer in patients. In this contribution, we show that the electronic relaxation mechanisms and photochemical properties of azathioprine are remarkably different from those of 6‐mercaptopurine upon absorption of UVA radiation. UVA excitation of 6‐mercaptopurine results in nearly 100% triplet yield and up to 30% singlet oxygen generation, whereas excitation of azathioprine with UVA leads to triplet yields of 15–3% depending on pH of the aqueous solution and <1% singlet oxygen generation. While photoexcitation of 6‐mercaptopurine and other thiopurine prodrugs can facilitate oxidatively generated cell damage, azathioprine's poor photosensitization ability reveals the use of interchromophoric charge‐transfer interactions for the molecular design of photostable prodrugs exhibiting a remarkable reduction in photocytotoxic side effects before drug metabolization.
Double‐edged effects of the cryogenic technique for virus eradication and preservation in shallot shoot tips
Authors: Wang Min‐Rui , Hamborg Zhibo , Ma Xiao‐Yan , Blystad Dag‐Ragnar , Wang Qiao‐Chun
Published: September 2021

Plant virus eradication is a prerequisite for the use of virus‐free propagules for sustainable crop production. In contrast, virus preservation is required for all types of applied and basic research of viruses. Shoot tip cryopreservation can act as a double‐edged strategy, facilitating either virus eradication or virus preservation in cryoderived plants. Here, we tested the efficacies of shoot tip cryopreservation for virus eradication and preservation in shallot (Allium cepa var. aggregatum). In vitro stock shallot shoots infected with onion yellow dwarf virus (OYDV) and shallot latent virus were thermotreated for 0, 2, and 4 weeks at a constant temperature of 36℃ before shoot tip cryopreservation. Results showed that viruses were preserved in recovered shoots when thermotherapy was not applied. Although thermotherapy lowered the regrowth levels of cryotreated shoot tips, the efficiency of virus eradication increased from 5% to 54%. Immunolocalization of OYDV and histological observation of cryotreated shoot tips showed the high frequency of virus preservation was due to the viral invasion of cells close to the apical meristem and the high proportion of cells surviving. Four weeks of thermotherapy drastically decreased the distribution of OYDV, as well as the percentage of surviving cells within the shoot tips, thereby promoting virus eradication. Virus‐free plants obtained from combining thermotherapy with cryotherapy showed significantly improved vegetative growth and bulb production. The present study reports how thermotherapy can act as a trigger to facilitate either the safe preservation of Allium viruses or the production of virus‐free shallot plants.
Transcriptional regulation of plant seed development
Authors: Su Liyang , Wan Siqi , Zhou Junmei , Shao Qing Song , Xing Bingcong
Published: September 2021

Plant seeds, which are unique reproductive organs of gymnosperms and angiosperms, are used for edible, medicinal, and industrial purposes. Transcription factors (TFs) are master regulators of plant growth, development, and stress responses. This review describes, in detail, the functions of TFs in regulating seed development. Different TFs, or even different TF families, may have similar functions in seed development. For example, WUSCHEL‐related homeobox, LEC2/FUS3/ABI3, and HEME ACTIVATOR PROTEIN3 families can control plant seed embryonic initiation and development. In contrast, some members of the same TF family may have completely opposite roles. For instance, AtMYB76 and AtMYB89 inhibit the accumulation of seed oil, whereas AtMYB96 promotes seed fatty acid accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Compared with the number of studies that have addressed regulation by single TFs, only a few have focused on multiple‐TF regulatory networks. This review should be useful as a reference for future studies on regulatory networks of TF complexes.
The resistance and short‐term resilience of a restored extracted peatland ecosystems post‐fire: an opportunistic study after a wildfire
Authors: Blier‐Langdeau Ariane , Guêné‐Nanchen Mélina , Hugron Sandrine , Rochefort Line
Published: September 2021

Bogs are known to be relatively resistant and resilient to fire, due to the dominance of wet Sphagnum mosses. Indeed, Sphagnum mosses by holding water, ensure bog resistance, and by regenerating from any fragments left post‐fire, ensure bog resilience. The return of several ecological attributes has been reported in the literature post‐restoration. However, the resistance and resilience have not yet been evaluated in restored peatlands. A fire affecting an extracted peatland restored 10 years ago provided the opportunity to (1) evaluate the losses post‐fire, in terms of phytobiomass and plant cover and (2) assess early vegetation recovery after one growing season post‐fire. The fire response of the restored peatland, in terms of resistance and short‐term resilience, differed between the main plant communities. Sphagnum Lawn communities (Sphagnum species from the Acutifolia subgenus and Eriophorum vaginatum) showed greater resistance to fire losing proportionally less phytobiomass (17%) than Wet Hollow communities (44%) (Sphagnum species from the Cuspidata subgenus and Scirpus cyperinus). Greater resistance of the Sphagnum Lawn likely comes from the Acutifolia Sphagnum species growing in dense carpets with good water retention, along with the E. vaginatum tussocks being able to retain humidity below the tussocks, whereas the looser growth habit of Cuspidata Sphagnum species do not have good capillary rise capacity and Scirpus produced litter that can produce a good fuel. This study reinforces the idea that a peatland restoration approach using reintroduction material dominated by Acutifolia Sphagnum species and tussock cottongrass provides a better resistance and short‐term resilience of restored peatlands.
Recovery of herb‐layer vegetation and soil properties after pile burning in a Midwestern oak woodland
Authors: Albrecht Matthew A. , Dell Noah D. , Engelhardt Megan J. , Reid J. Leighton , Saxton Michael L. , Trager James C. , Waldman Claire , Long Quinn G.
Published: September 2021

Thinning and removal of woody vegetation is the first step in restoring ecosystem structure to systems altered by woody encroachment. However, pile burning—a common method of eliminating woody residue at restoration sites—can promote the establishment of exotic species and adversely impact soils and native vegetation via extreme soil heating. Despite its widespread use, pile burning effects remain poorly understood in oak woodlands compared to coniferous forests. We examined how pile burning influenced soil properties and herb‐layer recovery in a Midwestern, U.S. oak woodland undergoing restoration via exotic shrub removal, tree thinning, and prescribed burning. We quantified soil properties and passive vegetation recovery inside and adjacent to pile burn scars after 3 years, and tested whether native seed additions in year 1 increased native cover and reduced exotic cover in year 3. Bare ground cover, soil pH, and concentrations of P and Ca remained elevated 3 years after pile burning. In contrast, native cover, native richness, and floristic quality recovered to levels similar to adjacent control locations. Pile burning did not promote exotic invasions, increase inorganic forms of N, or alter patterns of the native cover of most growth forms. However, Carex species failed to reestablish in burn scars. Compared to passive recovery, seed additions increased native cover in burn scars and reduced exotic cover in adjacent control locations. Our results indicate that burn scars can naturally recover in oak woodland, but native seed additions may accelerate this process and improve restoration outcomes.
BMP2K phosphorylates AP‐2 and regulates clathrin‐mediated endocytosis
Authors: Ramesh Shikha T. , Navyasree Kolaparamba V. , Sah Sneha , Ashok Anjitha B. , Qathoon Nishada , Mohanty Suryasikha , Swain Rajeeb K. , Umasankar Perunthottathu K.
Published: September 2021

Phosphorylation of the central adaptor protein complex, AP‐2 is pivotal for clathrin‐mediated endocytosis (CME). Here, we uncover the role of an uncharacterized kinase (BMP‐2 inducible kinase—BMP2K) in AP‐2 phosphorylation. We demonstrate that BMP2K can phosphorylate AP‐2 in vitro and in vivo. Functional impairment of BMP2K impedes AP‐2 phosphorylation leading to defects in clathrin‐coated pit (CCP) morphology and cargo internalization. BMP2K engages AP‐2 via its extended C‐terminus and this interaction is important for its CCP localization and function. Notably, endogenous BMP2K levels decline upon functional impairment of AP‐2 indicating AP‐2 dependent BMP2K stabilization in cells. Further, functional inactivation of BMP2K in zebrafish embryos yields gastrulation phenotypes which mirror AP‐2 loss‐of‐function suggesting physiological relevance of BMP2K in vertebrates. Together, our findings propose involvement of a novel kinase in AP‐2 phosphorylation and in the operation of CME.
Applications of in vivo confocal microscopy in the management of infectious keratitis in veterinary ophthalmology
Authors: Ledbetter Eric C.
Published: September 2021

In vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) is a relatively new ocular imaging technique that permits morphological and quantitative assessment of the living cornea on the cellular level. The applications for IVCM in clinical ophthalmology are numerous and diverse. There are several advantages inherent to IVCM over standard diagnostic techniques currently used to confirm a diagnosis of infectious keratitis in veterinary ophthalmology. With IVCM, images can be viewed in real‐time providing immediate diagnostic information. Traumatic corneal sampling techniques are avoided, and the procedure can be repeated as frequently as is clinically indicated without risk of corneal tissue damage. Both superficial and deep corneal lesions can be evaluated by IVCM in an atraumatic fashion. Microorganism viability is not required for their detection and specialized diagnostic laboratory assay procedures are not necessary. Many larger infectious agents can be directly identified within corneal lesions by IVCM, including fungi and parasites such as Acanthamoeba spp. In other situations, such as bacterial infectious crystalline keratopathy, the biological systems associated with the microorganism can be detected within the cornea. The current resolution of IVCM is inadequate to directly visualize some corneal infectious agents, such as herpesviruses, but host responses and virus‐infected epithelial cells can be identified. This review summarizes the current knowledge and applications of IVCM in the management of infectious keratitis in veterinary ophthalmology, including its use in animals with bacterial, fungal, parasitic, and viral keratitis.
Age-Related Changes in Sensitivity of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Leaves to Continuous Light
Authors: Shibaeva T. G. , Mamaev A. V. , Sherudilo E. G. , Ikkonen E. N. , Titov A. F.
Published: September 2021

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) belongs to the crops that are the most sensitive to continuous lighting (CL). We studied age-dependent changes in the sensitivity of tomato leaves to CL. The leaves exposed to CL from a lag-phase of their growth exhibited pronounced chlorosis with the loss of 30% chlorophyll after 2 weeks. The values of the maximum (Fv/Fm) and actual (φII) quantum yields of the PSII photochemical activity were decreased, the photosynthesis rate was suppressed, and the relative electrolyte leakage was enhanced. In contrast, the leaves were less sensitive to CL if they had passed their early growth (lag-phase) under normal light conditions (16-h photoperiod) and encountered the CL as late as in the log-phase. In this case, the chlorophyll content, the photosynthesis rate, and the electrolyte leakage were close to the levels of the control leaves grown at the 16-h photoperiod except for the antioxidant enzymes—catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and guaiacol peroxidase—which were more active. The conclusion was drawn that the age-related changes in the CL-sensitivity are due to the difference in activities of the antioxidant enzymes. In general, the elder plants were less sensitive to CL than the younger ones.
Thermal Stress, Aggregation of Chlorophyll-Protein Complexes, and Light-Dependent Recovery of PSII activity in Wheat Seedlings
Authors: Khristin M. S. , Smolova T. N. , Kreslavski V. D.
Published: September 2021

The dynamics of changes in the photochemical activity of photosystem II (PSII) and low-temperature spectra at 77 K in the first leaves of 11-day winter wheat plants Triticum aestivum L., as well as structural changes in chlorophyll-protein complexes (CPC) of thylakoid membranes during recovery after a short-term (20 min) heating at a temperature of 42°C, were studied. Changes in the Fv/Fm, F735/F695, and F735/F685 ratios indicate inhibition of PSII immediately after heating. Using nondenaturing electrophoresis, it was shown that the light-harvesting Chl a/b complex of PSII does not aggregate immediately after heating but after several hours, after 6 h the desagregation of CPC was observed, which was consistent with an increase in the Fv/Fm ratio upon recovery. The influence of temperature, intensity, and quality of light (white, blue, and red light) on the recovery of PSII activity and low-temperature fluorescence spectra was studied. It was concluded that the recovery is a photo-activated low-energy process, independent of photosynthesis, and the most effective in blue light.
Detection of Trees on Street-View Images Using a Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Jodas Danilo Samuel , Yojo Takashi , Brazolin Sergio , Velasco Giuliana Del Nero , Papa João Paulo
Published: September 2021

Real-time detection of possible deforestation of urban landscapes is an essential task for many urban forest monitoring services. Computational methods emerge as a rapid and efficient solution to evaluate bird’s-eye-view images taken by satellites, drones, or even street-view photos captured at the ground level of the urban scenery. Identifying unhealthy trees requires detecting the tree itself and its constituent parts to evaluate certain aspects that may indicate unhealthiness, being street-level images a cost-effective and feasible resource to support the fieldwork survey. This paper proposes detecting trees and their specific parts on street-view images through a Convolutional Neural Network model based on the well-known You Only Look Once network with a MobileNet as the backbone for feature extraction. Essentially, from a photo taken from the ground, the proposed method identifies trees, isolates them through their bounding boxes, identifies the crown and stem, and then estimates the height of the trees by using a specific handheld object as a reference in the images. Experiment results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Stochastic Hopf Bifurcation of MDOF Quasi-Integrable Hamiltonian Systems with Delayed Feedback Fractional-Order PD Controller
Authors: Chen Lincong , Qian Jiamin , Liu Zhonghua , Liang Xiao , Zhu Weiqiu
Published: September 2021

Hopf bifurcation, as the most representative dynamic bifurcation, is closely related to the stability of many engineering structures. In this work, the stochastic Hopf bifurcation (SHB) of a controlled quasi-integrable Hamiltonian system (H.S.) of multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) is investigated, where the system is subjected to wide-band noise and controlled by a Fractional-order Proportional-Derivative (FOPD) controller with time delay. By decoupling FOPD control force and simplifying it without time delay, the averaged Itô differential equations of the approximated system are derived with the technique of stochastic averaging. Then, the average bifurcation parameter expression of system is obtained, which can determine the criterion of the SHB deduced by the FOPD control force. Last, an illustration of coupled Rayleigh oscillators is given to demonstrate the validity of the procedure. The influences of time delay, noise intensities and fractional order on the system SHB are discussed.
The Influence of Knowledge Management on Dynamic Capabilities
Authors: Osorio-Londoño Andrés A. , Bermón-Angarita Leonardo , Rosado-Salgado Luis Arturo , Osorio-Toro Carlos A.
Published: September 2021

This study evaluates the relationship between knowledge management (KM) and dynamic capabilities. This goal stems from a lack of research regarding the impact of KM on strategic organisational aspects, particularly in firms from emerging economies. Theoretically, the link between KM and dynamic capabilities (DC) is based on the knowledge-based view of the firm (KBV). This posits that knowledge, when appropriately managed, is the main source of strategic renewal for organisations. As such, hypotheses about the relationship between KM and the dimensions of DC were both formulated and tested, in 93 knowledge-intensive organisations in Colombia, using structural equation modelling. The results indicate that KM has a significant impact on dynamic capability dimensions. For practitioners, this study sheds light on the relevance of the implementation of KM initiatives, in order to activate DC in organisations.
INVESTIGATION OF EFFECTS OF PORCINE CIRCOVIRUS TYPE 2 (PCV2) VACCINATION ON CELLULAR IMMUNITY IN PIGS IN A TAIWAN PIG FARM
Authors: Chang Yen-Chen , Chang Hui-Wen , Chiou Hue-Ying , Jeng Chian-Ren , Pang Victor Fei , Chang Yen-Chen
Published: September 2021

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the major cause of serious porcine circovirus-associated diseases (PCVADs) causing significant economic losses in the pig industry. The PCV2 vaccines have proved effective by lowering serum and tissue viral loads. However, little is known about its effects on the cellular functions of viral target cells in pigs. For this, blood samples from 38 vaccinated and 34 non-vaccinated, 12–14 week-old, clinically healthy and PCV2-infected pigs in a commercial farm were sampled and anticoagulated. The viral load in plasma and the cellular proliferation and mRNA expression levels of IL-1 [Formula: see text], IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10 and IFN-[Formula: see text] of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with or without concanavalin A (Con A) and PCV2 stimulation in vitro were then investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry. Compared with the non-vaccinated pigs, the average viral loads in the plasma and cultivated PBMCs were reduced in the PCV2-vaccinated pigs. Significant differences in the aspects of increased cell proliferation, decreased average viral loads in PBMCs three days after Con A stimulation, increased mRNA expression levels of IL-2 and IFN-[Formula: see text] after re-exposure to PCV2, and decreased levels of IL-1 [Formula: see text], IL-4 and IL-8 after Con A or PCV2 stimulation were also noted in the PCV2-vaccinated pigs. The results suggested that the PCV2-vaccinated pigs were likely to develop better cell-mediated immunity than the non-vaccinated pigs.
A New Application of Hollow Nanosilica Added to Modified Polypropylene to Prepare Nanocomposite Films
Authors: Li Xu , Zhang Ying-Jun , Tsou Chi-Hui , Wen Yi-Hua , Wu Chin-San , De Guzman Manuel Reyes , Zeng Chun-Yan , Gao Chen , Zou Jia-Jun , Zhao Wen-Bin , Sun Ya-Li , Potiyaraj Pranut
Published: September 2021

Since the inception of research on hollow silica, the use of hollow nanosilica (HNS) as additives in barrier materials has not been reported. In this study, we evaluated the capacity of HNS as an additive in modified polypropylene (MPP). According to X-ray diffraction (XRD), the crystallinity, tensile strength, and thermal stability of MPP/HNS nanocomposite containing 0.1[Formula: see text]phr HNS approached maximum values. Moreover, the nanocomposite had the best performance in terms of water vapor barrier and oxygen resistance. The reasons for the improvement in barrier performance were discussed. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that HNS at a low content dispersed well in MPP. In conclusion, the synthesized HNS can be used as an additive in barrier materials, and it would have potential applications in the fields of food packaging films and storage containers or materials.
Molecular Dynamics Study on Uniaxial Compression Transformation of Magnesium Alloy
Authors: Yang Qianhua , Xue Chun , Chu Zhibing , Li Yugui , Ma Lifeng
Published: September 2021

As a new method of calculating materials, molecular dynamics simulation can effectively reproduce the mechanical behavior of materials at the atomic level. In this paper, through the construction of the AZ31 magnesium alloy model, the uniaxial compression deformation of magnesium alloy at different temperatures and strain rate is simulated by molecular dynamics method, the mechanical properties and microstructure changes of magnesium alloy are analyzed, the phase transformation mechanism of magnesium alloy under uniaxial compression is revealed, and the effects of temperature and strain rate on the phase transformation of magnesium alloy are explored at the nanometer scale. It provides a theoretical basis and necessary basic knowledge for the design and development of Mg-based nanostructured alloys with excellent mechanical properties.
An L2-Poincaré–Dolbeault lemma of spaces with mixed cone-cusp singular metrics
Authors: Shentu Junchao , Zhao Chen
Published: September 2021

The existence of Kähler Einstein metrics with mixed cone and cusp singularity has received considerable attentions in recent years. It is believed that such kind of metric would give rise to important geometric invariants. We computed their [Formula: see text]-Hodge–Frölicher spectral sequence under the Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions and examine the pure Hodge structures on them. It turns out that these cohomologies agree well with the de Rham cohomology of a good compactification.
XGest: Enabling Cross-Label Gesture Recognition with RF Signals
Authors: Zhang Yi , Yang Zheng , Zhang Guidong , Wu Chenshu , Zhang Li
Published: September 2021

Extensive efforts have been devoted to human gesture recognition with radio frequency (RF) signals. However, their performance degrades when applied to novel gesture classes that have never been seen in the training set. To handle unseen gestures, extra efforts are inevitable in terms of data collection and model retraining. In this article, we present XGest, a cross-label gesture recognition system that can accurately recognize gestures outside of the predefined gesture set with zero extra training effort. The key insight of XGest is to build a knowledge transfer framework between different gesture datasets. Specifically, we design a novel deep neural network to embed gestures into a high-dimensional Euclidean space. Several techniques are designed to tackle the spatial resolution limits imposed by RF hardware and the specular reflection effect of RF signals in this model. We implement XGest on a commodity mmWave device, and extensive experiments have demonstrated the significant recognition performance.
Promoting Energy-Efficient Behavior by Depicting Social Norms in a Recommender Interface
Authors: Starke Alain , Willemsen Martijn , Snijders Chris
Published: September 2021

How can recommender interfaces help users to adopt new behaviors? In the behavioral change literature, social norms and other nudges are studied to understand how people can be convinced to take action (e.g., towel re-use is boosted when stating that “75% of hotel guests” do so), but most of these nudges are not personalized. In contrast, recommender systems know what to recommend in a personalized way, but not much
human-computer interaction
(
HCI
) research has considered how personalized advice should be presented to help users to change their current habits.

We examine the value of depicting normative messages (e.g., “75% of users do X”), based on actual user data, in a personalized energy recommender interface called “Saving Aid.” In a study among 207 smart thermostat owners, we compared three different normative explanations (“Global.” “Similar,” and “Experienced” norm rates) to a non-social baseline (“kWh savings”). Although none of the norms increased the total number of chosen measures directly, we show that depicting high peer adoption rates alongside energy-saving measures increased the likelihood that they would be chosen from a list of recommendations. In addition, we show that depicting social norms positively affects a user’s evaluation of a recommender interface.