bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deflection analysis of welded steel I‐girders with corrugated webs based on first yield
Authors: Zhang Xutong , Far Harry , Lin Xuqun
Published: August 2022

Sinusoidal corrugated profile webs have been popularly used in steel structural designs to replace the flat webs in conventional welded beams, while there are better performances in corrugated web beams (CWBs) regarding more stability and less material used to against beam failures caused by buckling. Previous studies have provided that CWBs enabled numerous favourable benefits to be recognised as alternatives to the traditional weld beams in designing structures. Furthermore, as CWBs are proposed as the major load‐carrying elements, the maximum deflection in the elastic range is one of the important beam properties that should be precisely estimated and calculated. To find an appropriate method in computing the maximum deflection of CWBs based on the first yield for civil communities in Australia, proposed equations based on other standards will be employed to calculate the theoretical results for the comparisons with simulation‐based results. While applying the linear analysis simulations provided by SAP 2000, ultimate limit state design theory has also been used with requirements stated by AS 4100. In this study, the results in theoretical calculations and numerical simulations have been compared to conclude that the highly defined equations by ASTM [37] and Sause et al. [38] could precisely estimate the maximum deflections of CWBs based on the first yield in conjunction with requirements and limitations in Australian standards, which could be adequate for the structural design calculations in Australian design fields.
Electromagnetic Characteristics Analysis in Double‐Sided Permanent Magnet Linear Synchronous Motor with Asymmetrical Air‐Gap
Authors: Liu Chengcheng , Si Jikai , Zhang Wenbing , Li Yingsheng , Hu Yihua
Published: August 2022

The double‐sided permanent magnet linear synchronous motor (DS‐PMLSM) is widely used in the industrial field with high precision and long strokes due to simple construction, high instantaneous thrust and high controllability. However, parasitic issues, such as unavoidable manufacturing tolerances, might cause the symmetrical position deviation of primary or secondary components, which results in an asymmetrical air‐gap between components, affecting the motor's electromagnetic characteristics further. In this paper, it is taken into account secondary torsional or offset conditions (the secondary component is displaced sideways from a symmetrical position), and investigates the variations of electromagnetic characteristics on the 12‐solt 14‐pole short‐primary DS‐PMLSM. Based on the finite element method (FEM), the effects of secondary torsion or offset on the air‐gap flux density, the back‐EMF, the detent force, the thrust force, and the normal force are investigated and compared respectively. In addition, the analytical results of the back‐EMF considering lower secondary torsion are verified on a lower secondary torsional prototype. From the analytical results of electromagnetic characteristics, it is revealed that with the torsional angle or offset distance rising, the normal force and detent force in the Y‐axis gradually increase, while the thrust force and the back‐EMF decrease. These theoretical researches can play an important role in the operation and assembly process of the DS‐PMLSM. © 2022 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Genome‐wide marker effect heterogeneity is associated with a large effect dormancy locus in winter malting barley
Authors: Rooney Travis E. , Kunze Karl H. , Sorrells Mark E.
Published: August 2022

Prediction of trait values in plant breeding populations typically relies on assumptions about marker effect homogeneity across populations. Evidence is presented for winter malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) germination traits that a single, causative, large‐effect gene in the Seed dormancy 1 region on Chromosome 5H, HvAlaAT1 (Qsd1), leads to heterogeneous estimated marker effects genome wide between groups of otherwise related individuals carrying different Qsd1 alleles. This led to reduced prediction accuracy across alleles when a model was trained either on individuals carrying both alleles or one allele. Several genomic prediction models were tested to increase prediction accuracy within the Qsd1 allele groups. Small gains (5–12%) in prediction accuracy were realized using structured genomic best linear unbiased predictor models when information about the Qsd1 allele was used to stratify the population. We concluded that a single large‐effect locus can lead to heterogeneous marker effects in the same breeding family. Variance partitioning based on large‐effect loci can be used to inform best practices in designing genomic prediction models; however, there are likely few cases for which it may be practical to do this. For malting barley, if germination traits are highly associated with malting quality traits, then similar steps should be considered for malting quality trait prediction.
TAMFT‐3A and TAMFT‐3B2 homeologs are associated with wheat preharvest sprouting
Authors: Vetch Justin Michael , Tillett Brandon J. , Bruckner Philip , Martin John M. , Marlowe Karol , Hooker Marcus Alan , See Deven Robert , Giroux Michael J
Published: August 2022

The phenomenon of preharvest sprouting (PHS), caused by rain after physiological maturity and prior to harvest, negatively affects wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production and end use. Investigating the genetics that control PHS resistance may result in increased control of seed dormancy. Multiple genes involved in the development of seed dormancy are associated with PHS. In this study, the TaMFT (3A, 3B1, 3B2, 3D), TaMKK3‐4A, and TaVP1‐3B genes were assessed for association with PHS in a double‐haploid line (DHL) hard red winter wheat population derived from a BC1 cross between the cultivars Loma and Warhorse, where Loma was the recurrent and PHS susceptible parent. The 162 BC1 DHL lines were grown over two field seasons and PHS susceptibility was assessed by measuring PHS resistance in physiologically mature heads. The PHS variation was associated with the TaMFT‐A and the B2 homeolog with Loma carrying mutant forms of each gene. No sequence variation between Loma and Warhorse was detected in the exons of the TaMFT‐B1 and D homeologs. No association between PHS resistance and TaMKK3‐4A or TaVp1‐3B variation was observed, though Loma and Warhorse vary for TaMKK3‐4A and TaVp1‐3B mutations reported to be PHS associated. Previous research has shown TaMFT‐3A as having a large impact on PHS resistance. In the current study, the TaMFT‐3A and TaMFT‐3B2 alleles each explained 14% of observed PHS variation. Markers for both TaMFT‐3A and TaMFT‐3B2 should be used in selecting for increased wheat dormancy and PHS resistance.
Correction to: Predictive Manufacturing: Enabling Technologies, Frameworks and Applications
Authors: Pulikottil Terrin , Estrada-Jimenez Luis Alberto , Nikghadam-Hojjati Sanaz , Barata Jose
Published: August 2022

Chapter “Predictive Manufacturing: Enabling Technologies, Frameworks and Applications” was previously published non-open access. It has now been changed to open access under a CC BY 4.0 license and the copyright holder updated to ‘The Author(s)’. The book has also been updated with this change.
Extractive Economy and Mobilities. The Case of Large Copper Mining in the Antofagasta Region
Authors: Stefoni Carolina , Stang Fernanda , Rojas Pablo
Published: August 2022

In this article, we analyze the relationship between mobility and the extractive economy of large copper mining in the Antofagasta region, located in the north of Chile. We will argue that extractivism generates various types of mobilities, which result in unequal processes of incorporation into the city, produced by the intersection of class, the origin of migration (internal and international), gender, ethnicity and race. On the basis of previous and ongoing research, we examined three types of mobilities to illustrate these inequalities: (i) internal migration, which played a decisive role in the settlement of the city and the region: (ii) circular internal mobility, under the figure of commuters: professionals, technicians and operators, mainly men, with different working conditions; and (iii) international migration from Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and other countries, attracted by job opportunities in the formal and informal sector, with good, medium or bad conditions depending on the ethno-national, “racial”, class and gender “marks”.
Contradictions and Shifts in Discourse and Application of the Refugee System in a Mixed-Migration Context: The Ecuadorian Case
Authors: Moya Jennifer , Sánchez Bautista Consuelo , Pugh Jeffrey D.
Published: August 2022

The refugee system in the Americas is codified in instruments like the Refugee Convention and Protocol, the Cartagena Declaration, the Mexico Action Plan and Brazil Declaration, and implementing legislation within member states. However, there is a widely recognized gap between institutional protections and implementation in practice. This chapter traces the case of Colombian forced migration in Ecuador to advance the argument that the conceptualization and application of the refugee system has shifted considerably over the past decade. Domestic political incentives, international reputation, and populist imaginaries of el pueblo have led to a discourse of openness that relies on generosity, globalism, and solidarity narratives that mask the regression of a rights-based refugee regime, exposing contradictions in the system. The chapter draws on discourse analysis of political speeches and media stories in Ecuador, as well as interviews with key stakeholders in the UN system, NGOs, the state, and migrants in Ecuador.
When Migrant Pain Does Not Deserve Attention: Institutional Racism in Chile’s Public Health System
Authors: Merino María Emilia Tijoux , Cortés Constanza Ambiado
Published: August 2022

This chapter describes the institutional racism that affects immigrants in Chile in the public health sector, in addition to the ways in which they endure and resist it. The concept of institutional racism gestures towards a hidden racism, consolidated in the very functioning of institutions, which also becomes expressed in everyday interactions between public health professionals and immigrant patients. These interactions reflect how administrative difficulties, pitfalls in resource allocation, and the power of “expertise” in healthcare push immigrants out of the system or compel them to invent new ways of confronting a system that racializes them. Through a qualitative approach, we present some findings with respect to expressions of institutional racism against immigrants in Chile today.
On an Equivalence of Divisors on $\overline {\text {M}}_{0,n}$ from Gromov-Witten Theory and Conformal Blocks
Authors: Chen L. , Gibney A. , Heller L. , Kalashnikov E. , Larson H. , Xu W.
Published: August 2022

We consider a conjecture that identifies two types of base point free divisors on $\overline {\text {M}}_{0,n}$

M

¯

0
,
n

. The first arises from Gromov-Witten theory of a Grassmannian. The second comes from first Chern classes of vector bundles associated with simple Lie algebras in type A. Here we reduce this conjecture on $\overline {\text {M}}_{0,n}$

M

¯

0
,
n

to the same statement for n = 4. A reinterpretation leads to a proof of the conjecture on $\overline {\text {M}}_{0,n}$

M

¯

0
,
n

for a large class, and we give sufficient conditions for the non-vanishing of these divisors.
Validation and translation of the Hungarian version of the Australian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire (APFQ-H)
Authors: Hock Márta , Tiringer István , Ambrus Eszter , Németh Zoltán , Farkas Bálint
Published: August 2022

Introduction and hypothesis

The aims of the study were the translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of self-administered Australian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire (APFQ) on a Hungarian population.

Methods

The validation was performed in 294 women over 18 who agreed to answer the Hungarian version of the APFQ. The validation of the questionnaire included evaluation of content/face validity, internal consistency, construct validity, test-retest reproducibility, discriminant validity and convergent validity.

Results

Acceptable and good internal consistency was observed in all four dimensions [McDonald’s ω (95% confidence interval) coefficients were > 0.7 for each dimension: bladder 0.888, bowel 0.790, prolapse 0.895 and sexual function 0.738]. Test-retest analyses revealed high reproducibility with intraclass correlation coefficients (bladder 0.83, bowel 0.92, prolapse 0.96 and sexual function 0.87). Prolapse symptom score correlated significantly with Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q), and bladder score correlated significantly with the results of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ UI SF) (convergent validity). Scores distinguished between patients with pelvic floor disorders and controls (high discriminant validity).

Conclusions

Hungarian version of the self-administered APFQ is a reliable and valid instrument for evaluating symptom severity and impact of pelvic floor dysfunction on the quality of life of Hungarian women.
Poisoning cases in the German crime series Tatort (crime scene) from 1974 to 2022
Authors: Ellerbeck Rachel , Seifert Roland
Published: August 2022

Poisoning occurs frequently in TV crime series but, to the best of our knowledge, has not yet been analyzed scientifically. This study examines the plausibility of poisoning cases in Germany’s most popular crime series, Tatort (crime scene), from 1974 to 2022. In the TV series, the increasing rate of poisoning in Germany as well as the increasing variety of substances leading to poisoning over the years are depicted. Largely in line with reality, similar substance categories and routes of administration are presented. However, poisoning outcomes in Tatort differ from reality: over 50% of the victims die in Tatort, whereas in reality, more than 80% survive. In > 95% of the episodes, the mechanism of action of a poison is not explained, omitting an important opportunity for raising public awareness. The TV series also deviates from reality in terms of the etiology of poisonings: External poison delivery is largely overrepresented, while the high rate of accidental poisonings in real life is underrepresented. Almost no accidental poisonings occur in Tatort, although this is the most frequent type of poisoning in real life. In Tatort, men are overrepresented as offenders and victims of poisoning compared to reality. Thus, the crime series does not convey the message that anyone can be a potential victim of poisoning and that particularly vulnerable groups need proper education and the best possible protection. This paper discusses the conflict between detailed, plausible episodes with cases of poisoning and the potential for imitation that they may cause.
How similar are responses to background motion and target displacements?
Authors: Crowe Emily M. , Vellekoop Patou , van Meteren Chermaine , Smeets Jeroen B. J. , Brenner Eli
Published: August 2022

When making a goal-directed movement towards a target, our hand follows abrupt background motion. This response resembles that of a shift in the target’s position. Does background motion simply change the position towards which the movement is guided? If so, the response to background motion should resemble the response to a target displacement. To find out whether this is the case, we ran two exploratory studies where we asked participants to hit a moving target at a specified moment. At various times during the hand’s movement, the background could move briefly at one of several speeds, and for various durations. The response to abrupt background motion was larger when the background moved later in the movement and when the background moved faster, in line with known responses to target displacements. The response to a second epoch of background motion was smaller than it would have been if there had been no first epoch, in contrast to responses to multiple target displacements. If the background was already moving before the target appeared, the hand even moved in the opposite direction. Thus, the response to background motion and that to a target displacement are clearly not identical, but they do share several features.
Preparation of N-doped carbon materials from cellulose:chitosan blends and their potential application in electrocatalytic oxygen reduction
Authors: Wittmar Alexandra S. M. , Ropertz Marcus , Braun Michael , Hagemann Ulrich , Andronescu Corina , Ulbricht Mathias
Published: August 2022

Carbon-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are prepared by a direct pathway including a two-step thermal treatment process applied to porous spheres of natural biopolymer blends. Cellulose blends with chitosan are first thermally treated at moderate temperatures (e.g., 200 °C), then pyrolyzed at elevated temperature (800–1000 °C), both steps under a constant nitrogen flow. By blending of cellulose with chitosan, the nitrogen content in the final carbon-based catalyst can be considerably increased. The influence of the composition of the precursor biopolymer blend on the ORR electrocatalytic activity is analyzed in correlation with the elemental composition and other structural features of the catalyst. The polymer blend containing cellulose:chitosan = 75:25, thermally treated 1 h at 200 °C and pyrolyzed 1 h at 800 °C under nitrogen atmosphere, shows the highest electrocatalytic ORR activity. This is attributed to an increased surface area combined with relatively high nitrogen content and a higher pyridinic/pyrrolic species ratio.
Comparison of HercepTest™ mAb pharmDx (Dako Omnis, GE001) with Ventana PATHWAY anti-HER-2/neu (4B5) in breast cancer: correlation with HER2 amplification and HER2 low status
Authors: Rüschoff Josef , Friedrich Michael , Nagelmeier Iris , Kirchner Matthias , Andresen Lena M. , Salomon Karin , Portier Bryce , Sredni Simone T. , Schildhaus Hans Ulrich , Jasani Bharat , Grzelinski Marius , Viale Giuseppe
Published: August 2022

Performance of the new CE-IVD-marked HercepTest™ mAb pharmDx (Dako Omnis) assay (HercepTest (mAb)) was compared against the PATHWAY® anti-HER-2/neu (4B5) (PATHWAY 4B5) assay using 119 pre-selected breast cancer samples covering the entire range of HER2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) expression scores (0, 1 + , 2 + , 3 +). The sensitivity and specificity of both assays were assessed based on consensus IHC scores and amplification status, as determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) according to 2018 ASCO/CAP testing guidelines. There was a high concordance between results from the HercepTest (mAb) and PATHWAY 4B5 assays for HER2-negative (IHC 0, 1 + , 2 + and FISH negative) and HER2-positive (IHC 3 + , 2 + and FISH positive) breast carcinomas (98.2%). Regarding individual IHC scores, complete agreement was achieved in 69.7% (83/119) of cases, and all but one of the discordant cases were due to higher HER2-status scoring using the HercepTest (mAb). Thus, more tumors were overscored as IHC 2 + by HercepTest (mAb) (27 versus 15) as evidenced by their lower FISH positivity rate (48.1% versus 80%). However, two amplified tumors identified as IHC 2 + by HercepTest (mAb) were missed by PATHWAY 4B5 (IHC 1 +). Four additional cases identified as IHC 2 + by HercepTest (mAb), with FISH ratio < 2 but elevated gene counts (≥ 4 to < 6), were recorded negative by PATHWAY 4B5. The HercepTest (mAb) detects HER2 expression with higher sensitivity in tumors with gene amplification (ISH group 1) and increased gene counts (ISH group 4) as well as in HER2-low tumors (HER2 IHC2 + /FISH negative or IHC 1 +). Future studies will demonstrate whether this translates into improved patient selection especially for new HER2-directed therapies.
Cross-border investment and the decline of exchange rate volatility: implications for Euro area bilateral investments
Authors: Giofré Maela , Sokolenko Oleksandra
Published: August 2022

Exchange rate volatility has undergone a secular decline since the collapse of the Bretton Woods system. We conjecture that this phenomenon may have led to a generalized decreased need for risk exchange hedging in financial markets. Indeed, we find that the negative association between bilateral foreign portfolio investments and the volatility of the exchange rate has markedly weakened over time. This finding, which is particularly significant for large countries and in the post-crisis period, can also help explain the decline in bilateral investments among EMU member countries. We observe, in fact, that, after 2012, the distinctive fall of Euro-area bilateral equity investments is significantly explained by the global declining effect of exchange rate volatility on financial markets. A lower exchange rate volatility, associated with the ensuing generalized reduction in the perceived exchange rate risk, may have posed a challenge to the economic relevance of the full exchange risk hedging system represented by the common currency area, and hence to the attractiveness of reciprocal investments.
Method to estimate the initial landslide failure surface and volumes using grid points and spline curves in MATLAB
Authors: Prajapati Gautam , Jaboyedoff Michel
Published: August 2022

This paper presents a new method to estimate a landslide failure surface and its volume based on a digital elevation model (DEM) using spline curves by assuming values of the tangent of the failure surface along with transversal vertical profiles. The model will give the depth of the probable failure surface plotted using the 2D grid function. We can easily visualize the results by running the codes; the display will show the step-by-step processes involved. The model requires fundamental data inputs, which are readily available online throughout the world, such as a DEM of the study area and a KML file of contour limits of the landslide as input. The calculation procedure is simple; it evaluates the depth of the failure surface at each point of the grid. The cross-section for each point is estimated perpendicular to the slope line joining the highest elevation point and the lowest elevation point within the contour limits. A cubic spline curve is calculated using two endpoints and the first derivative at these points. The Z value is calculated using these parameters at each grid point (centre of a grid), and finally, a 3D failure surface is generated, enabling the volume calculation. MATLAB code has been written to execute this process automatically. This model can easily use input data with very little fieldwork, and the processing can produce a result in a few minutes. We can enrich a real scenario by imposing more constraints on the variation in the cross-section angle based on the limit of the landslide using field measurements. This model is also helpful in predicting the area affected by the mass of the failure surface, and we can determine a predefined hazard zone to avoid any casualties in the future.
Topological influence and locality in swap schelling games
Authors: Bilò Davide , Bilò Vittorio , Lenzner Pascal , Molitor Louise
Published: August 2022

Residential segregation is a wide-spread phenomenon that can be observed in almost every major city. In these urban areas residents with different racial or socioeconomic background tend to form homogeneous clusters. Schelling’s famous agent-based model for residential segregation explains how such clusters can form even if all agents are tolerant, i.e., if they agree to live in mixed neighborhoods. For segregation to occur, all it needs is a slight bias towards agents preferring similar neighbors. Very recently, Schelling’s model has been investigated from a game-theoretic point of view with selfish agents that strategically select their residential location. In these games, agents can improve on their current location by performing a location swap with another agent who is willing to swap. We significantly deepen these investigations by studying the influence of the underlying topology modeling the residential area on the existence of equilibria, the Price of Anarchy and on the dynamic properties of the resulting strategic multi-agent system. Moreover, as a new conceptual contribution, we also consider the influence of locality, i.e., if the location swaps are restricted to swaps of neighboring agents. We give improved almost tight bounds on the Price of Anarchy for arbitrary underlying graphs and we present (almost) tight bounds for regular graphs, paths and cycles. Moreover, we give almost tight bounds for grids, which are commonly used in empirical studies. For grids we also show that locality has a severe impact on the game dynamics.
Canonical Truth
Authors: Carl Merlin , Schlicht Philipp
Published: August 2022

We introduce and study some variants of a notion of canonical set theoretical truth. By this, we mean truth in a transitive proper class model M of ZFC that is uniquely characterized by some $$\in$$
∈
-formula. We show that there are interesting statements that hold in all such models, but do not follow from ZFC, such as the ground model axiom and the nonexistence of measurable cardinals. We also study a related concept in which we only require M to be fixed up to elementary equivalence. We show that this theory-canonicity also goes beyond provability in ZFC, but it does not rule out measurable cardinals and it does not fix the size of the continuum.
Determinants and Outcomes of the Therapeutic Alliance in Treating Justice-Involved Youth: A Systematic Review of Quantitative and Qualitative Research
Authors: Papalia Nina , Dunne Ashley , Maharaj Natasha , Fortunato Erika , Luebbers Stefan , Ogloff James R. P.
Published: August 2022

A large body of research supports the role of the therapeutic alliance in predicting positive change in psychotherapy. This systematic review examined determinants of alliance quality and its association with treatment outcomes in an under-served and under-researched population—justice-involved youth—with whom several challenges and contextual considerations arise that bear relevance to the alliance. The search strategy yielded 23 independent studies meeting eligibility criteria and describing diverse treatments: 14 quantitative records synthesized narratively and nine qualitative studies that underwent thematic analysis. A complex picture emerged, precluding firm conclusions about factors linked to enhanced alliances and the alliance–outcome relationship with justice-involved youth. Nevertheless, some promising findings were noted across quantitative studies, including potential treatment benefits related to alliance growth and creating positive alliances with caregivers. The review also highlighted the potential relevance of the young person’s relationships with peers and parents and their treatment readiness and expectations to alliance quality. Drawing on adolescent, caregiver, and therapist perspectives, the thematic synthesis of qualitative studies generated themes related to key elements of constructive alliances and their role in creating a foundation for initiating change. An integrated discussion is provided, highlighting practical implications and suggestions for addressing methodological limitations and substantive knowledge gaps.
Assessment of biotoxicity of three types of landfilled foundry waste on the basis of dehydrogenase activity
Authors: Bożym Marta
Published: August 2022

The microbiological activity of three types of landfilled foundry wastes, i.e. biologically reclaimed foundry waste (BFW), foundry waste landfilled since the 1990s (LFW) and fresh foundry waste (FFW), was investigated. The wastes originated from a Polish iron and steel foundry which uses organic binders based on phenol–formaldehyde resins and mineral binders to casting production. The physical and chemical properties and dehydrogenase activity (DHA) were determined in the waste samples and local soils. In addition, a pot experiment was performed to determine the effect of the addition of FFW with no microbial activity on soils. Additional correlation analysis was conducted between DHA and other parameters. It was found that biologically reclaimed foundry waste (BFW) showed the highest microbial activity, similar to soils from garden allotments and agricultural fields. The DHA in LFW was about a half lower than BFW. On the other hand, FFW did not show any microbial activity. A pot experiment showed that increasing the percentage of foundry waste relative to soil had a negative effect on DHA, probably as a result of soil dilution rather than the inhibitory effect of contaminants. It was concluded that the optimum addition of FFW to soils is 10% wt, due to the highest value of DHA among the other variants.
Drivers of soil respiration across a management intensity gradient in temperate grasslands under drought
Authors: Apostolakis Antonios , Schöning Ingo , Michalzik Beate , Klaus Valentin H. , Boeddinghaus Runa S. , Kandeler Ellen , Marhan Sven , Bolliger Ralph , Fischer Markus , Prati Daniel , Hänsel Falk , Nauss Thomas , Hölzel Norbert , Kleinebecker Till , Schrumpf Marion
Published: August 2022

Soil respiration is an important pathway of soil organic carbon losses in temperate grasslands; however, it is rarely studied across broad management intensity gradients in a landscape. Using the soda-lime method, we measured in-situ soil CO2 efflux with single measurements of long exposure time (i.e. 3 day long) in 150 grasslands in three German regions in early summer 2018 and 2019. The grasslands ranged from unfertilized and grazed grasslands to intensively fertilized and frequently harvested ones. To assess effects of grazing and fertilization intensities and plant diversity on soil CO2 efflux, we used Structural Equation Modeling to account for direct effects and indirect effects through soil and plant organic matter quantity and quality. Soil CO2 efflux was suppressed by limited water availability caused by naturally occurring droughts in both study years. Under the prevailing environmental conditions, grazing intensity, plant biomass and plant C:N ratio were not related to soil CO2 efflux. In contrast, fertilization intensity was positively associated with soil CO2 efflux (standardized coefficient of net effect: + 0.04 in 2018 and + 0.03 in 2019). This was because fertilization led to lower plant species richness and, thus, to lower C:N ratios in soils, which were associated with higher soil CO2 efflux (plant species richness net effect: −0.09 in 2018 and −0.18 in 2019; soil C:N ratio direct effect: −0.23 in 2018 and −0.33 in 2019). Intensively managed grasslands have higher soil respiration than extensively managed, plant species-rich grasslands even under the extreme conditions of natural droughts.
An Evaluation of the Impact of Digital Technology Innovations on Students’ Learning: Participatory Research Using a Student-Centred Approach
Authors: Awidi Isaiah T. , Paynter Mark
Published: August 2022

In this paper we report on a study of the impact of digital technology (DT) innovations on students’ learning in a Western Australian University. The innovations were implemented by 42 course coordinators (CC) following two days of learning design workshops. In collaboration with nine CCs, we conducted an evaluation of their innovations. Data were collected through two structured interviews with each CC and an online questionnaire for 1500 students. Elements of students’ course feedback were incorporated into the final analysis of the data. A model for improving students learning in a digital environment was used as a guide to the evaluation process. The findings indicated that DT interventions helped students prepare for laboratory activities and class participation, increased their levels of interaction and collaboration, and provided effective and timely management of feedback from lecturers. Students also reported greater access to learning resources, plus more motivation and engagement. CCs were generally pleased with their innovations; however, in their second interview, at the end of the semester, CCs identified several aspects of their course design that warranted improvement, including the need for more professional support in making those improvements
A Systematic Review of Low-Cost Actuator Implementations for Lower-Limb Exoskeletons: a Technical and Financial Perspective
Authors: Slucock T.
Published: August 2022

A common issue with many commercial rehabilitative exoskeletons and orthoses are that they can be prohibitively expensive for an average individual to afford without additional financial support. Due to this a user may have limited to the usage of such devices within set rehabilitation sessions as opposed to a continual usage. The purpose of this review is therefore to find which actuator implementations would be most suitable for a simplistic, low-cost powered orthoses capable of assisting those with pathologic gait disorders by collating literature from Web of Science, Scopus, and Grey Literature. In this systematic review paper 127 papers were selected from these databases via the PRISMA guidelines, with the financial costs of 25 actuators discovered with 11 distinct actuator groups identified. The review paper will consider a variety of actuator implementations used in existing lower-limb exoskeletons that are specifically designed for the purpose of rehabilitating or aiding those with conditions inhibiting natural movement abilities, such as electric motors, hydraulics, pneumatics, cable-driven actuators, and compliant actuators. Key attributes such as technical simplicity, financial cost, power efficiency, size limitations, accuracy, and reliability are compared for all actuator groups. Statistical findings show that rotary electric motors (which are the most common actuator type within collated literature) and compliant actuators (such as elastic and springs) would be the most suitable actuators for a low-cost implementation. From these results, a possible actuator design will be proposed making use of both rotary electric motors and compliant actuators.
Mental contrasting and energization transfer to low-expectancy tasks
Authors: Sevincer A. Timur , Plakides Alexander , Oettingen Gabriele
Published: August 2022

Mentally contrasting future with reality is a self-regulation strategy that triggers expectancy-dependent energization for tasks instrumental to attaining the desired future. Energization by mental contrasting even transfers to tasks unrelated to the desired future at hand. Would such energization transfer by mental contrasting even energize people to perform unrelated tasks for which they have low success expectations? In Laboratory Experiment 1, mentally contrasting (vs. indulging) about performing well in a creativity task triggered physiological energization and better performance in an unrelated low-expectancy cognitive task that participants received in place of the creativity task. In Field Experiment 2, mentally contrasting an interpersonal wish helped schoolchildren invest more effort and perform better in a low-expectancy academic task—finding typos. Online Experiment 3 replicated Experiment 2 with adults. Mental contrasting participants’ effort and performance in the low-expectancy academic task did not differ from their effort and performance in a high-expectancy task. We discuss implications for designing interventions to foster energization for low-expectancy tasks.
Negativists, enthusiasts and others: a typology of players in free-to-play games
Authors: Klézl Vojtěch , Kelly Stephen
Published: August 2022

The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel multidimensional typology of free-to-play gamers, based on the theory of consumption values and to test whether these types of gamers differ in their premium content consumer purchasing behavior. The study uses a survey of 839 Czech free-to-play gamers, where the players’ values are tested across 27 items. Factor analysis is used to identify 6 different factors (values) influencing the gamers, which are then used as variables in a cluster analysis to identify 5 distinct gamer types. Results show that each identified gamer type differs not only in gaming (length of gameplay) but also in purchasing behavior (current purchase and future purchase intention, average monthly spend). One new gamer type, previously unidentified in the literature, has been identified (the enthusiasts), alongside the development of additional details for three of the more “standard” game types (economic aesthetes, identification seekers and killers). Gamers from the Czech Republic are used in the sample, limiting the generalizability of the study. The research complements existing gamer typologies by developing an empirically supported view of free-to-play gamers that is based on value, which results in the identification of one new gamer type. We also extend consumption values theory by identifying the multi-dimensional impact of value characteristics on purchase behavior in a context of emerging commercial and social importance.
Origin and evolution of animal multicellularity in the light of phylogenomics and cancer genetics
Authors: Jacques Florian , Baratchart Etienne , Pienta Kenneth J. , Hammarlund Emma U.
Published: August 2022

The rise of animals represents a major but enigmatic event in the evolutionary history of life. In recent years, numerous studies have aimed at understanding the genetic basis of this transition. However, genome comparisons of diverse animal and protist lineages suggest that the appearance of gene families that were previously considered animal specific indeed preceded animals. Animals’ unicellular relatives, such as choanoflagellates, ichthyosporeans, and filastereans, demonstrate complex life cycles including transient multicellularity as well as genetic toolkits for temporal cell differentiation, cell-to-cell communication, apoptosis, and cell adhesion. This has warranted further exploration of the genetic basis underlying transitions in cellular organization. An alternative model for the study of transitions in cellular organization is tumors, which exploit physiological programs that characterize both unicellularity and multicellularity. Tumor cells, for example, switch adhesion on and off, up- or downregulate specific cell differentiation states, downregulate apoptosis, and allow cell migration within tissues. Here, we use insights from both the fields of phylogenomics and tumor biology to review the evolutionary history of the regulatory systems of multicellularity and discuss their overlap. We claim that while evolutionary biology has contributed to an increased understanding of cancer, broad investigations into tissue—normal and transformed—can also contribute the framework for exploring animal evolution.
A nomogram model for the risk prediction of type 2 diabetes in healthy eastern China residents: a 14-year retrospective cohort study from 15,166 participants
Authors: Xu Tiancheng , Yu Decai , Zhou Weihong , Yu Lei
Published: August 2022

Background

Risk prediction models can help identify individuals at high risk for type 2 diabetes. However, no such model has been applied to clinical practice in eastern China.

Aims

This study aims to develop a simple model based on physical examination data that can identify high-risk groups for type 2 diabetes in eastern China for predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine.

Methods

A 14-year retrospective cohort study of 15,166 nondiabetic patients (12–94 years; 37% females) undergoing annual physical examinations was conducted. Multivariate logistic regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) models were constructed for univariate analysis, factor selection, and predictive model building. Calibration curves and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the calibration and prediction accuracy of the nomogram, and decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to assess its clinical validity.

Results

The 14-year incidence of type 2 diabetes in this study was 4.1%. This study developed a nomogram that predicts the risk of type 2 diabetes. The calibration curve shows that the nomogram has good calibration ability, and in internal validation, the area under ROC curve (AUC) showed statistical accuracy (AUC = 0.865). Finally, DCA supports the clinical predictive value of this nomogram.

Conclusion

This nomogram can serve as a simple, economical, and widely scalable tool to predict individualized risk of type 2 diabetes in eastern China. Successful identification and intervention of high-risk individuals at an early stage can help to provide more effective treatment strategies from the perspectives of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine.
Tetra-, penta-, and hexa-nor-lanostane triterpenes from the medicinal fungus Ganoderma australe
Authors: Zhou Lin , Akbar Subiy , Wang Meng-Xi , Chen He-Ping , Liu Ji-Kai
Published: August 2022

Chemical investigation on the medicinal fungus Ganoderma australe led to the identification of ten new nor-lanostane triterpenes, namely two hexa-nor ones, ganoaustratetraenones A (1) and B (2), five penta-nor ones, ganoaustraldehydes A–E (3–7), and three tetra-nor ones ganoaustrenoic acids A–C (8–10). The chemical structures along with the absolute configurations were determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis of 1D & 2D NMR and HRESIMS data. The postulated biosynthesis pathways of these compounds were proposed. Ganoaustraldehydes A (3) and B (4) showed moderate inhibition against nitric oxide production in RAW264.7 macrophage cells with the respective IC50 values of 32.5, 34.2 µM (the IC50 of positive control pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate was 20.0 µM).

Graphical Abstract
The recovery of metals as high value powders and nanopowders from industrial wastewaters using potential-controlled electrolysis
Authors: Luchcińska S. , Lach J. , Wróbel K. , Łukomska A. , Łoś P.
Published: August 2022

The objective of the presented study was the recovery of Zn, Cr, Cu and Co in the form of powders and nanopowders from various types of industrial wastewaters. Powders and nanopowders as products of high added value find a wide applications in nanotechnology and material science and engineering. The metallic powders were obtained using potentiostatic electroreduction (potential-controlled electrolysis). The chosen method offers better control of the purity and structure of the products. The structure and size of crystallites depend on the value of electrolysis potentials and time, cathode material, concentrations of metal ions. In this investigation, the powders of different sizes ranging from 90 to 230 nm for Cr, 100–4000 nm for Zn, 25–100 nm for Co and 40–660 nm for Cu were deposited. The compositions, purity and size of the cathode deposits were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Presented metal recovery method is a promising technique for industrial application, given its simplicity, economic viability and environmental sustainability. It can be used on a wide range of solutions and help in reducing the problem of the growing amounts of industrial wastewater.
Clinical characteristics, AR gene variants, and functional domains in 64 patients with androgen insensitivity syndrome
Authors: Liu Q. , Yin X. , Li P.
Published: August 2022

Background

Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) is caused by abnormal androgen receptor (AR) genes that show variable genotypes and phenotypes. However, the correlation between genotype and phenotype is unclear.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated 64 patients with AIS at Shanghai Children's Hospital from 2015 to 2022. We analysed the clinical data of the patients, including hormone levels, AR gene variants, and functional domains.

Results

Variants occurred in the 3 major functional domains in 56 patients, including 23 patients with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) and 33 with partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS). The incidence of nonscrotal fusion (P = 0.019) and proximal urethral opening (P = 0.0002) in the ligand-binding domain (LBD) group was higher than that in the non-LBD group. The phallus length in the LBD group was significantly shorter than that in the non-LBD group (P = 0.009). The external masculinization score (EMS) in the LBD group was significantly lower than that in the non-LBD group (P = 0.013). The levels of inhibin-B (INHB; P = 0.0007), basal luteinizing hormone (LH; P = 0.033), LH peak (P = 0.002), and testosterone (T) after human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) stimulation (P = 0.001) in the LBD group were higher than those in the non-LBD group. There were 53 variants in 64 patients, including 42 reported and 11 novel AR variants, including p.Met247Arg, p.Asp266Glyfs*39, p.Arg362Serfs*140, p.Ala385Val, p.Glu541Asp, p.Pro613Leu, p.Pro695Leu, p.Asn757Asp, c.1616 + 1dup, c.1886-1G > A and exon 5–7 deletion.

Conclusions

The EMS of patients with AIS in the LBD group was significantly lower than that in the non-LBD group. The phallus length was shorter, and the incidences of proximal urethral opening and nonscrotal fusion were higher, suggesting that the phenotypes in the LBD group were more severe. The levels of INHB, basal LH, peak LH, and T after HCG stimulation in the LBD group were higher than those in the non-LBD group, suggesting that androgen resistance in the LBD group was more severe. We identified 53 variants in 64 patients: 42 reported and 11 novel AR variants. These findings provide new and deeper insight into AIS diagnosis and genetic assessment of AIS.
Map equation centrality: community-aware centrality based on the map equation
Authors: Blöcker Christopher , Nieves Juan Carlos , Rosvall Martin
Published: August 2022

To measure node importance, network scientists employ centrality scores that typically take a microscopic or macroscopic perspective, relying on node features or global network structure. However, traditional centrality measures such as degree centrality, betweenness centrality, or PageRank neglect the community structure found in real-world networks. To study node importance based on network flows from a mesoscopic perspective, we analytically derive a community-aware information-theoretic centrality score based on network flow and the coding principles behind the map equation: map equation centrality. Map equation centrality measures how much further we can compress the network’s modular description by not coding for random walker transitions to the respective node, using an adapted coding scheme and determining node importance from a network flow-based point of view. The information-theoretic centrality measure can be determined from a node’s local network context alone because changes to the coding scheme only affect other nodes in the same module. Map equation centrality is agnostic to the chosen network flow model and allows researchers to select the model that best reflects the dynamics of the process under study. Applied to synthetic networks, we highlight how our approach enables a more fine-grained differentiation between nodes than node-local or network-global measures. Predicting influential nodes for two different dynamical processes on real-world networks with traditional and other community-aware centrality measures, we find that activating nodes based on map equation centrality scores tends to create the largest cascades in a linear threshold model.