bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Copula based Assessment of Climate Extremes across India: Past and Future
Authors: Kumar Nikhil , Kumar Goyal Manish , Kumar Gupta Anil , Jha Srinidhi , Das Jew , A. Madramootoo Chandra
Published: March 2021

Climate change significantly influences the global hydrological cycle and consequently affects climatic extremes. The present study is focussed upon varying patterns of climate extremes using observed daily precipitation (1989-2019), daily temperature from Global Meteorological Forcing Dataset (GMFD) (1985-2016) and simulated daily meteorological forcing data (2025-2055 and 2065-2095) of 21 GCMs attained from the statistically downscaled dataset, NEX-GDDP (NASA Earth Exchange Global Daily Downscaled Projections) under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenario across India. The copula method was employed to estimate the joint return period based on different climate extreme indices. Here, we found that R20, R95p and CWD attain an increasing trend and CDD mostly shows a decreasing trend in major segments of country in future. Based upon the 10-year joint return periods (1989-2019), it is found that parts of north-western, north-eastern, southern, western region and Western Ghats are highly prone towards floods and a large portion of the country is susceptible to co-occurrence of floods and droughts. Moreover, the study shows that many regions with less vulnerability towards precipitation extremes would become more vulnerable in future. Furthermore, TXx, TNx, TX90p, TN90p, TNn and TXn are found to be significantly increasing in future except increasing during 2065-2095 under RCP4.5 predominantly across the country. And, TX10p and TN10p follows a significantly decreasing trend in future across the except exhibiting a decreasing trend during 2065-2095 under RCP4.5, throughout the country. With the projected increase in hot days/nights, the frequency of concurrence of extreme number of hot days (TX90p) and nights (TN90p) within a year would increase in the future across the country. The present study provides useful information on the regional distribution of climate extremes and how they might change in the future. This information can further contribute to facilitate an effective planning strategy to improve resilience towards climate extremes.
PENERAPAN EDMODO UNTUK MENINGKATKAN MOTIVASI BELAJAR MAHASISWA PGSD STKIP MUHAMMADIYAH MUARA BUNGO
Authors: Wiyoko Tri , H Puput Wahyu , Setiawan Iwan
Published: March 2021

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meningktakan motivasi belajar mahasiswa setelah menerapkan Edmodo dalam perkuliahan Ilmu Kemalaman Dasar. Jenis penelitian ini merupakan pre-experimental design dengan tipe pretest and posttest group desing. Analisis yang digunakan adalah deskriptif kuantitatif. Metode pengumpulan data dalam penelitian menggunakan angket motivasi belajar. Subjek penelitian ini adalah 28 Mahasiswa STKIP Muhammadiyah Muara Bungo. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ada peningkatan motivasi belajar dengan menggunakan Edmodo. Peningkatan motivasi belajar mahasiswa sebesar 14,93%. Hasil uji Paired Samples Test Motivasi belajar mahasiswa diperoleh  4,415 berarti = 4,415>  = 2,0518 dan nilai Sig. = 0,00 < 0,05. Hal ini menunjukkan penerapan Edmodo dalam mata kuliah Ilmu Alamiah Dasar memberikan pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap motivasi belajar mahasiswa.
PENERAPAN MODEL COOPERATIVE LEARNING TIPE COOPERATIVE INTEGRATED READING AND COMPOSATION (CIRC) UNTUK MENINGKATKAN KETERAMPILAN MENYELESAIKAN SOAL CERITA DI KELAS IX SMP NEGERI 7 MUARA BUNGO
Authors: Daswati Daswati
Published: March 2021

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan keterampilan siswa dalam menyelesaikan soal cerita di kelas IX SMP Negeri 7 Muara Bungo dengan menggunakan metode Cooperative Learning Tipe CIRC (Cooperative Integrated Reading And Composation). Jenis penelitian ini adalah Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (PTK). Subjek penelitian ini adalah siswa kelas IX SMP Negeri 7 Muara Bungo. Prosedur penelitian PTK meliputi; (1) Planning (menetapkan jumlah siklus dan materi pokok yang akan dipelajari, menentukan sampel penelitian, menyusun lesson plan dan instrumen penilaian, menyusun format observasi lainnya),  (2) Action (melaksanakan tindakan kelas sebanyak 3 siklus mengacu pada perencanaan), (3) Observing (melakukan observasi perkembangan kemampuan kognitif, afektif, dan psikomotorik serta kinerja kelompok), (4) Reflection (melaksanakan analisa data dan refleksi terhadap penerapan model pembelajaran, evaluasi proses dan hasil belajar). Hasil penelitian diperoleh bahwa penerapan Cooperative Learning tipe CIRC dapat meningkatkan keterampilan siswa dalam menyelesaikan soal cerita. Keterampilan siswa dalam menyelesaikan soal cerita selalu meningkat dari setiap siklus, pada  siklus I skor 0,03 dengan kategori rendah, siklus II 0,05 dengan kategori sedang dan siklus III 0,079 dengan kategori tinggi. Kemudian penerapan Cooperative Learning tipe CIRC dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar matematika dengan nilai rata-rata siklus I 56,58 naik menjadi 66,71 di siklus II dan kenaikan yang tinggi di siklus III 71,97.
Please, Please, Just Tell Me: The Linguistic Features of Humorous Deception
Authors: Skalicky Stephen , Duran Nicholas , Crossley Scott A
Published: March 2021

Prior research undertaken for the purpose of identifying deceptive language has focused on deception as it is used for nefarious ends, such as purposeful lying. However, despite the intent to mislead, not all examples of deception are carried out for malevolent ends. In this study, we describe the linguistic features of humorous deception. Specifically, we analyzed the linguistic features of 753 news stories, 1/3 of which were truthful and 2/3 of which we categorized as examples of humorous deception. The news stories we analyzed occurred naturally as part of a segment named Bluff the Listener on the popular American radio quiz show Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!. Using a combination of supervised learning and predictive modeling, we identified 11 linguistic features accounting for approximately 18% of the variance between humorous deception and truthful news stories. These linguistic features suggested the deceptive news stories were more confident and descriptive but also less cohesive when compared to the truthful new stories. We suggest these findings reflect the dual communicative goal of this unique type of discourse to simultaneously deceive and be humorous.
Opinion Piece: How People Structure Representations of Discourse
Authors: Garnham Alan
Published: March 2021

Mental models or situation models include representations of people, but much of the literature about such models focuses on the representation of eventualities (events, states, and processes) or (small-scale) situations. In the well-known event-indexing model of Zwaan, Langston, and Graesser (1995), for example, protagonists are just one of five dimensions on which situation models are indexed. They are not given any additional special status. Consideration of longer narratives, and the ways in which readers or listeners relate to them, suggest that people have a more central status in the way we think about texts, and hence in discourse representations, Indeed, such considerations suggest that discourse representations are organised around (the representations of) central characters. The paper develops the idea of the centrality of main characters in representations of longer texts, by considering, among other things, the way information is presented in novels, with L’Éducation Sentimentale by Gustav Flaubert as a case study. Conclusions are also drawn about the role of representations of people in the representation of other types of text.
Structuring the civil service in the context of intergenerational transformation
Authors: KUSHEROV Nurgissa
Published: March 2021

The article highlights the problems of deep intergenerational transformation in the civil service of the Republic of Kazakhstan over the past decade, offers a new approach to public administration in accordance with the theory of generations, formulating solutions based on the value of each generation. At the same time, frequent staff turnover, self-determination of civil servants, efficiency of civil service and other issues are analyzed in accordance with the concepts of the theory of generations. The article developed empirical recommendations that will serve as the basis for improving some functions of the civil service.
THE IMPACT OF THE EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE AGAINST FALSIFIED MEDICINES ON THE PHARMACEUTICAL WHOLESALERS IN BULGARIA
Authors:   Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management and Administration, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria., Valcheva Krasimira
Published: March 2021

In the last few decades, the problem with falsified medicine became a global threat that accounts for millions of human lives and billions of financial loses for the national health authorities and pharmaceutical industry. Different measures were developed to fight their uncontrolled spread but had only limited success. The resolution that united the pharmaceutical supply chain actors worldwide is the introduction of track-and-trace systems, based on product serialization and verification. The European Union also adopted this solution, and its official operation began in 2019. Each Member State has specifics that have to be accounted for in the national transposition process and should influence the system design and functionalities. In Bulgaria, the responsible authorities seriously delayed to adopt an adequate legal and regulatory framework to support its smooth operation. This created many problems for some of the key supply chain participants – the wholesalers. Since the European system is not a full track-and-trace solution, their role in the verification process is limited and left to the national authorities to decide how to regulate it. At present, more than one year after the launch of the system, the national bylaws that should regulate their activities with reference to the European policy are still not enforced. The wholesalers are left to align their operations in a regulatory vacuum that may compromise the effectiveness of the policy and lead to sanctions for noncompliance.
Leonardo da Vinci, preregistration and the Architecture of Science: Towards a More Open and Transparent Research Culture
Authors: O’Connor Daryl B.
Published: March 2021

There has been much talk of psychological science undergoing a renaissance with recent years being marked by dramatic changes in research practices and to the publishing landscape. This article briefly summarises a number of the ways in which psychological science can improve its rigor, lessen use of questionable research practices and reduce publication bias. The importance of preregistration as a useful tool to increase transparency of science and improve the robustness of our evidence base, especially in COVID-19 times, is presented. Moreover, the benefits of using Registered Reports, the article format that allows peer review of research studies before the results are known, are outlined. Finally, the article argues that the scientific architecture and the academic reward structure need to change with a move towards “slow science” and away from the “publish or perish” culture.
States, Institutions, and Literacy Rates in Early-Modern Western Europe
Authors: Eskelson Tyrel C.
Published: March 2021

The purpose of the paper is to develop the theory that structural or procedural changes in institutions precede changes in education in a society. It examines the development of pre-modern institutions in Western Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries and the influences this had on growth in literacy rates within these states. Literacy rates in Western European countries during the Middle Ages were below twenty percent of the population. For most countries, literacy rates did not experience significant increases until the Enlightenment and industrialization. Two early exceptions to this broad trend were the Netherlands and England, which had achieved literacy rates above fifty percent of their populations by the mid-seventeenth century. The explanations for these divergent trends are the structural changes in formal institutions that embodied capital markets, protected private property, and overall established the initial steps in developing modern political institutions. This created incentives to invest more in schools per capita as well as incentives for a middle class to invest more in literacy and numeracy skills for a market-exchange economy that was becoming more specialized in division of labor.
China’s Opening-up Strategy in the Milieu of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
Authors: Wei Gao , Lin Wang , Jingdong Yan , Yanxiong Wu
Published: March 2021

The Chinese economy is changing its development model from invest/export-led growth to consumption/growth driven by domestic demand. In the recent domestic-oriented growth phases of China's opening-up policy, what role is expected to play? Not only is this a way to acquire foreign exchange and technology, but it is also an economic powerhouse for China that strengthens its position in global governance. General Secretary Xi Jinping's proposed the "Belt and Road" initiative in 2013, which is considered an excellent strategy for China's new round of opening-up policy. This research paper aims to bring the BRI inside China's open-up policy and focuses on its increasingly important role in controlling major global economic regimes. The study also shows the importance of establishing systems of mutual aid/funding for the countries participating in BRI. The first section of the paper looks at China's reactions to major economic regimes. Section two reflects the design and the implementation of the opening-up strategy for China from the BRI perspective. Section three of the research addresses Chinese development aid/funding in the BRI and its relation to foreign regimes. The fourth part addresses the BRI's trade relationship with the participating countries, using the gravity model from a global commercial perspective. The study concluded that cross-border financial cooperation between government and business participants is vital for the development of a successful investment and funding system for the BRI. It reiterated the importance of using foreign and regional financial centers to develop a regional structure within the BRI's investment and financing system.
Proper Respirators Use Is Crucial for Protecting Both Emergency First Aid Responder and Casualty from COVID-19 and Airborne-Transmitted Infections
Authors: Chirico Francesco , Nucera Gabriella , Sacco Angelo , Magnavita Nicola
Published: March 2021

We read with great interest the paper by Barycka et al. [...]
Let’s Spend Time Together: Text Messaging Parents to Help Math-Anxious Students
Authors: Santana Macarena , Nussbaum Miguel , Claro Susana , Piza Sebastián , Imbarack Patricia , Loeb Susanna
Published: March 2021

Even when parents have the time required to support their children’s education, they can increase their children’s anxiety about school when they try to help, especially if they are not confident in their own abilities. This study measures the effects of having parents complete nonacademic schoolwork with their teenage children. Half of the 422 participating parents were randomly assigned to receive weekly assignments for nonacademic activities to complete with their children, whereas the other half received information about upcoming mathematics tests. Mathematics-anxious students benefited from working on the nonacademic assignments, performing significantly better on their mathematics tests and decreasing their mathematics anxiety after treatment. These findings highlight the importance of involving parents in ways that feel nonthreatening to their children.
Mujeres en Revolución (1868-1874)
Authors: García Trobat Pilar
Published: March 2021

La gloriosa revolución de 1868 trajo aires de libertad y democracia. Las mujeres, aunque no se consideró llegado el momento para que participaran de forma directa en política, se convirtieron en una fuerza importante y capaz de alterar el curso de la historia política española. Desde una óptica y con unos objetivos muy diferentes, católicas, republicanas y aristócratas defendieron sus intereses a través de los canales abiertos por la misma revolución: derechos de manifestación, reunión, petición y libre expresión. A veces incluso, al margen de la ley. A la hora de reconstruir esta etapa revolucionaria tan trepidante resulta imprescindible tener en cuenta la contribución femenina para entender los cambios en el gobierno y en las formas de gobierno.
La crisis de la democracia en la época de Weimar y en el siglo XXI
Authors: Balaguer Callejón Francisco
Published: March 2021

En este trabajo se realiza una comparación entre la crisis democrática y constitucional de la época de Weimar y la crisis actual. Se argumenta que desde entonces se han desarrollado tres tipos de anticuerpos frente a involuciones democráticas radicales en sentido totalitario. Esos tres anticuerpos se derivan de la propia debilidad de los Estados en el contexto de la globalización, de la integración supranacional y de la normatividad de la constitución. Se analiza también la crisis de legitimidad de la constitución en el siglo XXI frente a los factores de legitimación actuales, la tecnología y economía.
Sobre las disfunciones de la democracia representativa: algunas propuestas
Authors: López Guerra Luis
Published: March 2021

El paso de un sistema bipartidista a uno multipartidista ha dado lugar a numerosas dificultades en el funcionamiento de los mecanismos de democracia representativa, establecidos en la normativa constitucional y la práctica política española y basados en el papel determinante de los partidos políticos. En el presente artículo, se analizan vías posibles para facilitar procesos de integración y negociación políticas, dentro del marco constitucional, a efectos de evitar los ya frecuentes bloqueos institucionales.
Presentación
Authors: Sánchez Ferriz Remedio , Viciano Pastor Roberto
Published: March 2021

Presentación
Crónica de una decepción
Authors: Sánchez-Navarro Jordi
Published: March 2021

En un artículo anterior de COMeIN tuve ocasión de mencionar el papel de ciertos festivales como dinamizadores de la exhibición de películas en pantalla de cine y en sus condiciones óptimas de recepción. Al hilo de esa idea, la reciente edición del Sitges - Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantàstic de Catalunya nos permite seguir ahondando en esa reflexión.
Christy Dena: "Estamos creando historias completas integradas, combinando muchas plataformas diferentes"
Authors: Roig Antoni
Published: March 2021

Con el apoyo económico de "la Caixa", el pasado julio tuvimos ocasión de invitar a Christy Dena a inaugurar el congreso internacional BCN Meeting 2012. Académica, guionista y diseñadora, Dena es una de las mayores expertas mundiales en el concepto de transmedia. Ésta es la primera entrega de la entrevista que le hizo la periodista Maria Sanz junto con el profesor Antoni Roig, autor de esta adaptación para COMeIN.
Obraz sacrum w utworach śpiewanych młodzieży na Zaolziu. Na przykładzie obrazu Boga, Jezusa, Maryi i postawy człowieka wobec świętości
Authors: Kolberová Urszula
Published: March 2021

Tematem niniejszych rozważań stały się teksty utworów śpiewanych przez katolicką młodzież zaolziańską, a ściślej wyłaniający się z nich obraz sacrum (ściślej Boga, Jezusa, Maryi i postawy człowieka wobec świętości), jaki przedstawia się on młodemu człowiekowi terenów granicznych. Metoda badawcza wykorzystana do analiz zgromadzonego materiału opiera się na założeniach językowego obrazu świata. Obraz sacrum w polskich i czeskich utworach śpiewanych przez młodzież na Zaolziu zawiera ogólnie znany obraz Boga, Jezusa, Maryi. Bóg jest przed wszystkim dobry, wszechmogący, zgładza grzech, jest nieskończony, jest dla człowieka ojcem, opiekunem, a człowiek winien go wielbić jako stwórcę. Podobnie Jezus jest miłosierny i to poprzez niego prowadzi droga do Boga i zbawienia. Natomiast Maryja jest wielbiona przede wszystkim jako Matka Jezusa i Matka nas, ludzi. Ten ogólnie znany obraz sacrum dzięki pieśniom jest powtarzany i utrwalany. Teksty polskie i czeskie są do siebie zasadniczo podobne w ogólnym przedstawianiu sacrum, jego obrazie, jednak możemy zauważyć pewne różnice kulturowe, np. odwołania do Maryi jako Królowej Polski i ogólnie mocniej zarysowany obraz Maryi w polskich tekstach.
Analiza językowa testów psychologicznych – różnorodność interpretacji pozycji testowych a wiarygodność narzędzia
Authors: Liber-Kwiecińska Katarzyna , Skorupa Agnieszka
Published: March 2021

Testy psychologiczne to narzędzia służące do pomiaru natężenia danej cechy psychicznej u osoby badanej. Pomiar ten w wielu przypadkach odbywa się za pośrednictwem pytań lub stwierdzeń, do których ustosunkowują się badani. Choć narzędzia psychologiczne podlegają wysokiej standaryzacji i przykłada się dużą wagę do ich parametryzacji, sfery językowa testów zdaje się być uznawana za drugoplanową. Sposób sfomułowania pytań testowych, w zależności od tego, czy oparte będą na hiponimach lub hiperonimach, może w znacznym stopniu wpłynąć na udzieloną przez badanego odpowiedź, a przez to obniżyć trafność teoretyczną narzędzia. Autorki artkułu przeprowadziły badanie, w którym 637 osób wypełniało test psychologiczny FCZ-KT (Strelau, Zawadzki 1995), a następnie opisywało sytuacje, które przywołali w pamięci ustosunkowując się do 20 ze 120 pytań z tegoż testu (pytania zostały wyłonione wcześniej podczas badania pilotażowego). Odpowiedzi otwarte udzielone przez badanych zostały skategoryzowane przez sędziów kompetentnych. W niniejszym artykule przedstawione zostanie spektrum różnorodnych skojarzeń jakie u osób badanych budzi ten sam item. Refleksji poddana zostanie sfera językowa testów psychologicznych jako wpływająca w sposób istotny na wiarygodność narzędzia.
Skrypty nauk ścisłych w kontekście badań nad metajęzykiem
Authors: Skubis Ida
Published: March 2021

Zdolność pisania skryptów nauk ścisłych w przejrzysty i ciekawy sposób jest bardzo wymagającym zadaniem, ale w osiągnięciu tego celu autorowi może pomóc stosowanie licznych metatekstemów. Z ich pomocą mogą stworzyć artykuł przyjazny odbiorcy. Te konstrukcje mają różne zastosowania, o których naukowcy często zapominają, skupiając się przede wszystkim na przedstawieniu wyników swoich badań. Metatekstemy pomagają autorowi m.in. w poukładaniu i przedstawieniu ich toku myślenia, w informowaniu odbiorcy o podjętych przez autora krokach i jego opinii co do wprowadzanych informacji. Za pomocą środków metajęzykowych naukowcy mogą podkreślić najważniejsze informacje w tekście i powoływać się na badania innych autorów, a co najważniejsze, pomagają one nawiązać relację z czytelnikiem. Środki te mają wiele różnorodnych funkcji i w niniejszym artykule prezentujemy ich rolę w skryptach nauk ścisłych wraz z ich charakterystyką i przykładami. Autorzy tekstów naukowych powinni zwracać więcej uwagi na język i konstrukcje, których używają w swoich tekstach, ponieważ w ten sposób wpływają na czytelnika i jego wrażenia, a także jego stosunek odnośnie do zaprezentowanych w tekście danych i nas jako autora.
CoViD-19: an automatic, semiparametric estimation method for the population infected in Italy
Authors: Fenga Livio
Published: March 2021

To date, official data on the number of people infected with the SARS-CoV-2—responsible for the Covid-19—have been released by the Italian Government just on the basis of a non-representative sample of population which tested positive for the swab. However a reliable estimation of the number of infected, including asymptomatic people, turns out to be crucial in the preparation of operational schemes and to estimate the future number of people, who will require, to different extents, medical attentions. In order to overcome the current data shortcoming, this article proposes a bootstrap-driven, estimation procedure for the number of people infected with the SARS-CoV-2. This method is designed to be robust, automatic and suitable to generate estimations at regional level. Obtained results show that, while official data at March the 12th report 12.839 cases in Italy, people infected with the SARS-CoV-2 could be as high as 105.789.
Changes in diversity and community assembly of jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) after rainforest conversion to rubber and oil palm plantations
Authors: Junggebauer André , Hartke Tamara R. , Ramos Daniel , Schaefer Ina , Buchori Damayanti , Hidayat Purnama , Scheu Stefan , Drescher Jochen
Published: March 2021

Rainforest conversion into monoculture plantations results in species loss and community shifts across animal taxa. The effect of such conversion on the role of ecophysiological properties influencing communities, and conversion effects on phylogenetic diversity and community assembly mechanisms, however, are rarely studied in the same context. Here, we compare salticid spider (Araneae: Salticidae) communities between canopies of lowland rainforest, rubber agroforest (“jungle rubber”) and monoculture plantations of rubber or oil palm, sampled in a replicated plot design in Jambi Province, Sumatra, Indonesia. Overall, we collected 912 salticid spider individuals and sorted them to 70 morphospecies from 21 genera. Salticid richness was highest in jungle rubber, followed by rainforest, oil palm and rubber, but abundance of salticids did not differ between land-use systems. Community composition was similar in jungle rubber and rainforest but different from oil palm and rubber, which in turn were different from each other. The four investigated land-use systems differed in aboveground plant biomass, canopy openness and land use intensity, which explained 12% of the observed variation in canopy salticid communities. Phylogenetic diversity based on ~850 bp 28S rDNA fragments showed similar patterns as richness, that is, highest in jungle rubber, intermediate in rainforest, and lowest in the two monoculture plantations. Additionally, we found evidence for phylogenetic clustering of salticids in oil palm, suggesting that habitat filtering is an important factor shaping salticid spider communities in monoculture plantations. Overall, our study offers a comprehensive insight into the mechanisms shaping communities of arthropod top predators in canopies of tropical forest ecosystems and plantations, combining community ecology, environmental variables and phylogenetics across a land-use gradient in tropical Asia.
Differential gene expression in a tripartite interaction:Drosophila,Spiroplasmaand parasitic wasps
Authors: Higareda Alvear Victor Manuel , Mateos Mariana , Cortez Diego , Tamborindeguy Cecilia , Martinez-Romero Esperanza
Published: March 2021

Background

Several facultative bacterial symbionts of insects protect their hosts against natural enemies.Spiroplasma poulsoniistrainsMel (hereafterSpiroplasma), a male-killing heritable symbiont ofDrosophila melanogaster, confers protection against some species of parasitic wasps. Several lines of evidence suggest thatSpiroplasma-encoded ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs) are involved in the protection mechanism, but the potential contribution of the fly-encoded functions (e.g., immune response), has not been deeply explored.

Methods

Here we used RNA-seq to evaluate the response ofD. melanogasterto infection bySpiroplasmaand parasitism by theSpiroplasma-susceptible waspLeptopilina heterotoma, and theSpiroplasma-resistant waspGanaspissp. In addition, we used quantitative (q)PCR to evaluate the transcript levels of theSpiroplasma-encoded Ribosomal inactivation protein (RIP) genes.

Results

In the absence ofSpiroplasmainfection, we found evidence ofDrosophilaimmune activation byGanaspissp., but not byL. heterotoma, which in turn negatively influenced functions associated with male gonad development. As expected for a symbiont that kills males, we detected extensive downregulation in theSpiroplasma-infected treatments of genes known to have male-biased expression. We detected very few genes whose expression patterns appeared to be influenced by theSpiroplasma-L. heterotomainteraction, and these genes are not known to be associated with immune response. For most of these genes, parasitism byL. heterotoma(in the absence ofSpiroplasma) caused an expression change that was at least partly reversed when bothL. heterotomaandSpiroplasmawere present. It is unclear whether such genes are involved in theSpiroplasma-mediated mechanism that leads to wasp death and/or fly rescue. Nonetheless, the expression pattern of some of these genes, which reportedly undergo expression shifts during the larva-to-pupa transition, is suggestive of an influence ofSpiroplasmaon the development time ofL. heterotoma-parasitized flies. One of the five RIP genes (RIP2) was consistently highly expressed independently of wasp parasitism, in two substrains ofsMel. Finally, the RNAseq data revealed evidence consistent with RIP-induced damage in the ribosomal (r)RNA of theSpiroplasma-susceptible, but not theSpiroplasma-resistant, wasp. Acknowledging the caveat that we lacked adequate power to detect the majority of DE genes with fold-changes lower than 3, we conclude that immune priming is unlikely to contribute to theSpiroplasma-mediated protection against wasps, and that the mechanism by whichGanaspis sp. resists/toleratesSpiroplasmadoes not involve inhibition of RIP transcription.
Characterizing avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) from colibacillosis cases, 2018
Authors: Newman Darby M. , Barbieri Nicolle L. , de Oliveira Aline L. , Willis Dajour , Nolan Lisa K. , Logue Catherine M.
Published: March 2021

Colibacillosis caused by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is a devastating disease of poultry that results in multi-million-dollar losses annually to the poultry industry. Disease syndromes associated with APEC includes colisepticemia, cellulitis, air sac disease, peritonitis, salpingitis, omphalitis, and osteomyelitis among others. A total of 61 APEC isolates collected during the Fall of 2018 (Aug–Dec) from submitted diagnostic cases of poultry diagnosed with colibacillosis were assessed for the presence of 44 virulence-associated genes, 24 antimicrobial resistance genes and 17 plasmid replicon types. Each isolate was also screened for its ability to form biofilm using the crystal violet assay and antimicrobial susceptibility to 14 antimicrobials using the NARMS panel. Overall, the prevalence of virulence genes ranged from 1.6% to >90% with almost all strains harboring genes that are associated with the ColV plasmid—the defining trait of the APEC pathotype. Overall, 58 strains were able to form biofilms and only three strains formed negligible biofilms. Forty isolates displayed resistance to antimicrobials of the NARMS panel ranging from one to nine agents. This study highlights that current APEC causing disease in poultry possess virulence and resistance traits and form biofilms which could potentially lead to challenges in colibacillosis control.
Relationship between Maternal and Perinatal Outcome with High Vaginal Swab Culture: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Mahajan Charu , Misra Devyani , Faruqi Mariyam , Mishra Rajkumar
Published: March 2021

Introduction: Most of the pregnancies progress normally but unfortunately, few are prone to developing complications. Some antenatal and intra-partum conditions place the mother and the developing foetus or both at risk for complications and infections which undoubtedly play a major role in the same. Vaginal microbiome composition changes during pregnancy. This change is believed to inhibit pathogen growth through secretion of bacteriocins such as lactic acid that maintain acidic pH. Disturbed vaginal environment is associated with complications of pregnancy. Aim: To find the relationship between the microbiological study of High Vaginal Swab (HVS) in pregnancy at term with the maternal and foetal outcome. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 women who underwent vaginal swab culture during routine prenatal check-up from July 2019 to January 2020, in a hospital in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.The maternal and perinatal outcome and their relation with microbiological study of HVS were studied. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 11.5. Chi-square test was used for comparison of data for statistical significance. For descriptive statistics percentage, mean and Standard Deviation (SD) was calculated. Results:E.coli (18%) was the most common organism isolated from HVS cultures in this study. Maternal complications, rate of Lower Segment Caesarean Section (LSCS), low APGAR scores (Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity and Respiration), need for neonatal resuscitation and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) admission were more in the culture positive group. Conclusion: The study suggests that the abnormal vaginal microbiota is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. HVS cultures are simple and non-invasive screening tool which should be used as a routine procedure in all antenatal patients for preventing complications and improving the foeto-maternal outcome.
Intra-articular Mass of the Knee by Gout Tophus: A Case Report
Authors: Ishida Naoki , Sekiguchi Ivan
Published: March 2021

Gout is a relatively common condition in the population today. With progressing of the treatment of the hyperuricaemia, the case of producing a tophus decreases year by year. On the other hand, people who are leaved without treatment is increasing, and severe cases are also seen. Intra-articular tophus is rare, but some cases have been reported in the knee. In this, a case of 33-year-old man who had an intra-articular mass of the knee by gout tophus, causing the limitation of the range of motion is reported. The patient didn’t improve with conservative treatment, so he had to undergo surgery. After arthroscopic excision of the tumour, the patient was symptom free. There had been no recurrence of symptoms at the two-year follow-up.
C/EBPβ regulates the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in triple‐negative breast cancer
Authors: Wang Shu , Xia Dian , Wang Xianzhi , Cao Haowei , Wu Chaoshen , Sun Zhaoran , Zhang Daoyong , Liu Hao
Published: March 2021

C/EBPβ is a member of the CCAAT/enhancer‐binding protein (C/EBP) family, which consists of a number of b‐ZIP transcription factors. Although C/EBPβ has been implicated in the development of certain cancers, including breast cancer, it remains unknown whether dysregulation of C/EBPβ in breast cancer is subtype‐specific. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms by which C/EBPβ regulates breast cancer carcinogenesis are not fully understood. Here, we present evidence that C/EBPβ is specifically overexpressed in human TNBC samples, but not in non‐TNBC samples. C/EBPβ depletion dramatically suppressed TNBC cell growth, migration, invasion, and colony formation ability. A subsequent mechanistic study revealed that the JAK/STAT signaling pathway was upregulated in C/EBPβ_high TNBC samples compared with C/EBPβ_low TNBC samples. C/EBPβ ChIP‐seq and qPCR were performed to demonstrate that C/EBPβ directly binds to and regulates JAK/STAT signaling pathway genes in TNBC. Taken together, our data indicate the oncogenic role of C/EBPβ in human TNBC and reveal a novel mechanism by which C/EBPβ promotes TNBC carcinogenesis.
Efficient Water Splitting System Enabled by Multifunctional Platinum‐Free Electrocatalysts
Authors: Zhong Yaotang , Lu Yitong , Pan Zhenghui , Yang Jie , Du Guohao , Chen Jiawei , Zhang Qiankui , Zhou Hebing , Wang John , Wang Chunsheng , Li Weishan
Published: March 2021

Tremendous research efforts have been focused on the development of a water splitting system (WSS) to harvest hydrogen fuels, but currently available WSSs are complicated and cost‐ineffective mainly due to the applications of noble platinum or different electrocatalysts. Herein, a novel WSS comprising electricity generation from solar panels, electricity storage in rechargeable zinc–air batteries (ZABs), and water splitting in electrolyzers, enabled by hybrid cobalt nanoparticles/N‐doped carbon embellished on carbon cloth (Co–NC@CC) as multifunctional platinum‐free electrocatalysts is reported. Consequently, the Co–NC@CC electrode presents excellent trifunctional electrocatalytic activity with an onset potential of 0.94 V for oxygen reduction reaction, and an overpotential of 240 and 73 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions, respectively. For a proof‐of‐concept application, a rechargeable ZAB assembled from the high‐performance Co–NC@CC air cathode exhibits a high open circuit potential of 1.63 V and a superior energy density of 1051 Wh kg−1Zn. Furthermore, an overall water splitting electrolyzer constructed by the symmetrical Co–NC@CC electrodes delivers a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at a low cell voltage of 1.57 V. Such a solar‐powered WSS can harvest hydrogen day and night, demonstrating a potential for application in sustainable renewable energy.
Swarming Microdroplets to a Dexterous Micromanipulator
Authors: Sun Mengmeng , Fan Xinjian , Tian Chenyao , Yang Mingxuan , Sun Lining , Xie Hui
Published: March 2021

Many astonishing biological collective behaviors exist in nature, and artificial microrobotic swarms have been developed by emulating these scenarios. However, these microswarms typically have single structures and lack the adaptability that many biological swarms exhibit to thrive in complex environments. Inspired by viscoelastic fire ant aggregations and using a combination of experiment and simulation, a strategy to trigger ferrofluid droplets into forming microswarms exhibiting both liquid‐like and solid‐like behaviors is reported. By spatiotemporally programming an applied magnetic field, microswarms can be liquefied to implement reversible elongation with a high aspect ratio and solidified into entireties to perform overturning and bending behaviors. It is demonstrated that reconfigurability enables the microswarm to be a mobile dexterous micromanipulator, acting not only as a soft “octopus arm” to explore a confined environment and grasp a targeted object but also adaptively navigate multiple terrains, such as uneven surfaces, curved grooves, complex mazes, high steps, narrow channels, and even wide gaps. This microrobotic swarm can reconfigure both shapes and tasks based on the demands of the environment, presenting novel solutions for a variety of applications.
An Antioxidant Nanoparticle Enhances Exercise Performance in Rat High‐intensity Running Models
Authors: Toriumi Takuto , Kim Ahram , Komine Shoichi , Miura Ikuru , Nagayama Suminori , Ohmori Hajime , Nagasaki Yukio
Published: March 2021

Although the adverse effects of excessively generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the body during aerobic exercise have been debated, there are few reports on the remarkable effects of the application of conventional antioxidants on exercise performance. The conventional antioxidants could not enhance exercise performance due to their rapid excretion from the body and serious adverse effects on the cellular respiratory system. In this study, impact of the original antioxidant self‐assembling nanoparticle, redox‐active nanoparticle (RNP), is investigated on the exercise performance of rats during running experiments. With an increase in the dose of the administered RNP, the all‐out time of the rat running extends in a dose‐dependent manner. In contrast, with an increase in the dose of the low‐molecular‐weight (LMW) antioxidant, the all‐out running time of the rats decreases. The control group and LMW antioxidant treated group decrease in the number of red blood cells (RBCs) and increase oxidative stress after running. However, the RNP group maintains a similar RBC level and oxidative stress as that of the sedentary group. The results suggest that RNP, which shows long‐blood circulation without disturbance of mitohormesis, effectively removes ROS from the bloodstream to suppresses RBC oxidative stress and damage, thus improving exercise performance.
A Spider‐Silk‐Inspired Wet Adhesive with Supercold Tolerance
Authors: Liu Xi , Shi Lianxin , Wan Xizi , Dai Bing , Yang Man , Gu Zhen , Shi Xinghua , Jiang Lei , Wang Shutao
Published: March 2021

Conventional adhesives often encounter interfacial failure in humid conditions due to small droplets of water condensed on surface, but spider silks can capture prey in such environment. Here a robust spider‐silk‐inspired wet adhesive (SA) composed of core–sheath nanostructured fibers with hygroscopic adhesive nanosheath (poly(vinylpyrrolidone)) and supporting nanocore (polyurethane) is reported. The wet adhesion of the SA is achieved by a unique dissolving–wetting–adhering process of core–sheath nanostructured fibers, revealed by in situ observations at macro‐ and microscales. Further, the SA maintains reliable adhesion on wet and cold substrates from 4 to −196 °C and even tolerates splashing, violent shaking, and weight loading in liquid nitrogen (−196 °C), showing promising applicability in cryogenic environments. This study will provide an innovative route to design functional wet adhesives.
Biosynthesis of 6‐Hydroxymellein Requires a Collaborating Polyketide Synthase‐like Enzyme
Authors: Kahlert Lukas , Villanueva Miranda , Cox Russell J. , Skellam Elizabeth J.
Published: March 2021

The polyketide synthase (PKS)‐like protein TerB, consisting of inactive dehydratase, inactive C‐methyltransferase, and functional ketoreductase domains collaborates with the iterative non reducing PKS TerA to produce 6‐hydroxymellein, a key pathway intermediate during the biosynthesis of various fungal natural products. The catalytically inactive dehydratase domain of TerB appears to mediate productive interactions with TerA, demonstrating a new mode of trans‐interaction between iterative PKS components.
Reduction of CO2 Emission from Off‐Gases of Steel Industry by Dry Reforming of Methane
Authors: Angeli Sofia D. , Gossler Sabrina , Lichtenberg Sven , Kass Gilles , Agrawal Anand Kumar , Valerius Miriam , Kinzel Klaus Peter , Deutschmann Olaf
Published: March 2021

In a novel process, CO2 and CH4 from the off‐gases of the coke oven and blast furnace are used in homogeneous reforming of those greenhouse gases to valuable syngas, a mixture of H2 and CO. Synthetic mixtures of the off‐gases from those large apparatuses of steel industry are fed to a high‐temperature, high‐pressure flow reactor at varying temperature, pressure, residence time, and mixing ratio of coke oven gas (COG) to blast furnace gas (BFG). In this study, a maximal reduction of 78.5 % CO2 and a CH4 conversion of 95 % could be achieved at 1350 °C, 5.5 bar, and a COG/BFG ratio of 0.6. Significant carbonaceous deposits were formed but did not block the reactor tube in the operational time window allowing cyclic operation of the process. These measurements were based on prior thermodynamic analysis and kinetic predictions using an elementary‐step reaction mechanism.
Bipartite consensus tracking for antagonistic topologies with leader's unknown input
Authors: Nan Xiaoya , Lv Yuezu , Duan Zhisheng
Published: March 2021

In this paper, the bipartite consensus tracking problem of linear multiagent systems on leader‐follower signed directed graph is studied, where the leader's unknown input is taken into consideration. Based on only local relative information of neighboring agents, discontinuous distributed adaptive protocols are proposed, where nonlinear function is introduced for each agent to tackle leader's unknown input. To avoid tremors phenomenon, continuous distributed protocols are further presented to achieve practical bipartite consensus. Both the state feedback and output feedback cases are investigated. Different from existing literature showing bipartite consensus achievement with gauge transformation, this paper reveals a novel property of the signed Laplacian matrix, which plays a key role in simplifying the bipartite consensus demonstration. Two practical examples on synchronization of Chua's circuits are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the designed protocols.
Real‐time vehicle detection and tracking using 3D LiDAR
Authors: Wang Heng , Zhang Xiaodong
Published: March 2021

This paper studies the problem of vehicle detection and tracking for an autonomous vehicle using 3D Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). In order to increase the accuracy of vehicle detection and tracking, a new clustering algorithm is proposed to obtain vehicle candidates from preprocessed point cloud data collected by the LiDAR. A classifier trained by the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm is used to detect vehicles from vehicle candidates. Kalman filter and global nearest neighbor (GNN) algorithm are used to track vehicles, and the accuracy of vehicle detection result is further improved by the aid of tracking results. The proposed method has been verified on a testing platform.
Prickly pear for biogas production: technical‐economic validation of a biogas power installation in an area with a high prevalence of cacti in Italy
Authors: Timpanaro Giuseppe , Cosentino Salvatore , Danzì Carmelo , Foti Vera T. , Testa Giorgio
Published: March 2021

The prickly pear in Italy is mostly used for human nutrition, although different cultivars of Cactaceae are intended for different uses around the world. Currently, there is a new bio‐economy for the prickly pear linked to the use of cladodes and fruit wastes for energy and numerous biotechnological derivatives. This paper focuses on the technical and economic validation of a bioenergy‐production installation, as the scientific literature has shown for years that it is possible to use the prickly pear in diets mixed with other materials. The varietal reconversion of part of the prickly pears produced domestically by traditional Italian farms geared exclusively to the production of fruit for human consumption is proposed. In this way, the introduction of biomass prickly pear varieties facilitates the construction of a shared biogas plant (organised as a district) and a network between the different actors in the area. The results show that, with the methanogenic potential of prickly pear, equal to 240 mc t−1, it is possible to feed a 300 kW plant, particularly favoured by the current system of Italian public incentives for investments in agro‐energy. This result can be achieved in a short supply chain, through the organization of a district composed of 30–40 producers, with an average size of 5 ha of prickly pears, in an area on the slopes of the Etna volcano where there is other biomass such as citrus pulp residues and olive pomace to be used in mixtures with cladodes. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Heart rate variability in the evaluation of the autonomic nervous system of premature infants
Authors: de Souza Filho Luiz Fernando Martins , Martins de Oliveira Jordana Campos , Silva Rebelo Ana Cristina
Published: March 2021

One way to analyze the function of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is through heart rate variability (HRV). This approach is based on the analysis of the distance between the peaks of two consecutive R waves expressed in electrocardiograms. HRV evaluations have been developed and have become more accessible and reliable through technological advances that enable the data collection in a simpler, non‐invasive, and reliable way. However, there is little information in the scientific literature on the implementation of this methodology to assess the ANS of preterm infants. In this article, we survey the barriers, potential uses, and other topics regarding the assessment of the ANS in preterm infants using HRV.