bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ab initio multi-level layered elongation method and its application to local interaction analysis between DNA bulge and ligand molecules
Authors: Hisama Keisuke , Orimoto Yuuichi , Pomogaeva Anna , Nakatani Kazuhiko , Aoki Yuriko
Published: July 2021

A multi-level layered elongation method was developed for efficiently analyzing the electronic states of local structures in large bio/nano-systems at the full ab initio level of theory. The original elongation method developed during the last three decades in our group has focused on the system in one direction from one terminal to the other terminal to sequentially construct the electronic states of a polymer, called a theoretical synthesis of polymers. In this study, an important region termed the central (C) part is targeted in a large polymer and the remainder are terminal (T) parts. The electronic structures along with polymer elongation are calculated repeatedly from both end T parts to the C central part at the same time. The important C part is treated with large basis sets (high level) and the other regions are treated with small basis sets (low level) in the ab initio theoretical framework. The electronic structures besides the C part can be reused for other systems with different structures at the C part, which renders the method computationally efficient. This multi-level layered elongation method was applied to the investigation on DNA single bulge recognition of small molecules (ligands). The reliability and validity of our approach were examined in comparison with the results obtained by direct calculations using a conventional quantum chemical method for the entire system. Furthermore, stabilization energies by the formation of the complex of bulge DNA and a ligand were estimated with basis set superposition error corrections incorporated into the elongation method.
Brain-on-a-Chip: Characterizing the next generation of advanced in vitro platforms for modeling the central nervous system
Authors: Maoz Ben M.
Published: July 2021

The complexity of the human brain creates significant, almost insurmountable challenges for neurological drug development. Advanced in vitro platforms are increasingly enabling researchers to overcome these challenges, by mimicking key features of the brain's composition and functionality. Many of these platforms are called “Brains-on-a-Chip”—a term that was originally used to refer to microfluidics-based systems containing miniature engineered tissues, but that has since expanded to describe a vast range of in vitro central nervous system (CNS) modeling approaches. This Perspective seeks to refine the definition of a Brain-on-a-Chip for the next generation of in vitro platforms, identifying criteria that determine which systems should qualify. These criteria reflect the extent to which a given platform overcomes the challenges unique to in vitro CNS modeling (e.g., recapitulation of the brain's microenvironment; inclusion of critical subunits, such as the blood–brain barrier) and thereby provides meaningful added value over conventional cell culture systems. The paper further outlines practical considerations for the development and implementation of Brain-on-a-Chip platforms and concludes with a vision for where these technologies may be heading.
Three-dimensional luminescence microscopy for quantitative plasma characterization in bulk semiconductors
Authors: Wang A. , Das A. , Hermann J. , Grojo D.
Published: July 2021

Important challenges remain in the development of ultrafast laser writing inside semiconductor materials because the properties of narrow gap materials cause strong propagation distortions to intense infrared light. Here, we introduce a simple and robust imaging method for high-dynamic-range investigations of the laser–matter interactions in bulk semiconductors. Supported by measurements in gallium arsenide and silicon, we show how z-scan imaging of the band-to-band radiative recombination enables quantitative reconstruction of the three-dimensional distributions of free-carriers generated by nonlinear ionization with ultrashort pulses. The validity is confirmed by comparisons with ultrafast transmission microscopy (shadowgraphy) images. The superior sensitivity of the zero-background luminescence method allows the measurement of local carrier densities as low as ≈1016 cm−3 inside GaAs that is inaccessible by shadowgraphy. It provides the first direct evidence of the low density plasma generated far prior to the focus that causes the previously reported intensity clamping phenomenon. The potential of this non-coherent 3D imaging method to assess complex beam distortion features is also exemplified by real-time pre-compensation of aberration for an intense interacting beam.
Warmer nights during early stages affect wheat development without grain yield penalty
Authors: Giménez Víctor D. , Miralles Daniel J. , García Guillermo A. , Serrago Román A.
Published: July 2021

This study analyses the impact of higher night temperature during the tillering phase on grain yield, focusing on crop development and tiller production dynamics in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Field experiments were carried out at the School of Agriculture, Buenos Aires, Argentina during the 2015 and 2016 growing seasons and combined: (1) two nitrogen availability levels (60 and 200 kg N ha–1) and (2) two night temperature conditions (control unheated and night temperature increase (NTI) during the tillering phase). The heating treatment increased night temperature ~2.3°C above the ambient night temperature. Across growing seasons, average minimum temperature during the tillering phase ranged from 8.5°C to 12.4°C. Warmer nights reduced time to anthesis (~4 days) due to a shortening in the duration of the tillering phase. NTI did not modify the maximum tiller number at plant level or per unit area. Higher N availabilities increased maximum tiller number ~30% compared with low N levels. Increased night temperature did not modify (P = 0.3418) grain yield in high and low N availabilities. Although development during the tillering phase was accelerated, the NTI during this stage would have a minor impact on both tillering and yield and its numerical components.
Glasses denser than the supercooled liquid
Authors: Jin Yi , Zhang Aixi , Wolf Sarah E. , Govind Shivajee , Moore Alex R. , Zhernenkov Mikhail , Freychet Guillaume , Arabi Shamsabadi Ahmad , Fakhraai Zahra
Published: July 2021

Significance

Enhanced surface mobility enables rapid equilibration of vapor-deposited glasses toward the supercooled liquid (SCL). We demonstrate that thin films of
N
,
N
′-bis(3-methylphenyl)-
N
,
N
′-diphenylbenzidine molecular glass, when vapor deposited below a certain temperature, can access a high-density supercooled liquid (HD-SCL) state through a liquid–liquid phase transition

∼

35 K below the nominal glass transition temperature of ordinary SCL. The HD-SCL phase transforms into the ordinary SCL when the thickness is increased above 60 nm, demonstrating that HD-SCL is only thermodynamically favored in thin films. These results provide a recipe for accessing kinetically inaccessible regions in the energy landscape, which are critical for understanding the glass transition phenomenon. High-density stable glass states that can resist crystallization and dewetting is also important in various applications.
Specific electromagnetic radiation in the wireless signal range increases wakefulness in mice
Authors: Liu Lingyu , Deng Hu , Tang Xiaping , Lu Yingxian , Zhou Jiayao , Wang Xiaofei , Zhao Yanyu , Huang Bing , Shi Yigong
Published: July 2021

Significance

The steady increase of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) in the environment, particularly the wireless signal, causes serious public concern over its potential negative impact on health. However, it is challenging to examine such impact on human subjects due to associated complex issues. In this study, we establish an experimental system for the investigation of EMR impact on mice. Using this system, we uncovered a causal relationship between 2.4-GHz EMR modulated by 100-Hz square pulses and increased wakefulness in mice. This result identifies sleep alteration as a potential consequence of exposure to excessive wireless signals.
Morphogenesis and cell ordering in confined bacterial biofilms
Authors: Zhang Qiuting , Li Jian , Nijjer Japinder , Lu Haoran , Kothari Mrityunjay , Alert Ricard , Cohen Tal , Yan Jing
Published: July 2021

Significance

Biofilms are microbial cities in which bacterial cells reside in a polymeric matrix. They are commonly found inside soft confining environments such as food matrices and host tissues, against which bacteria must push to proliferate. Here, by combining single-cell live imaging and mechanical characterization, we show that the confining environment determines the dynamics of biofilm shape and internal structure. The self-organization of biofilm architecture is caused by force transmission between the environment and the biofilm, mediated by the extracellular matrix secreted by the cells. Our findings lead to a better understanding of how bacterial communities develop under mechanical constraints, and potentially to strategies for preventing and controlling biofilm growth in three-dimensional environments.
Expanding the boundaries of Asian linguistics
Authors: Comrie Bernard , Zamponi Raoul
Published: July 2021

While the general lines of the areal linguistic typology of Asia are well known, there are some less well understood pockets that promise to throw light on the overall range of variation within the continent. These include the indigenous languages of the Andaman Islands, which have for much of history stood apart from the population and language spreads that have characterized most of Asia. They fall into two families: Great Andamanese – the focus of this article – and Ongan. In some respects Great Andamanese languages go with the bulk of Asia, e.g. verb-final constituent order, but other aspects even of constituent order represent a mixture that matches neither the general Asian head-final type nor the Southeast Asian head-initial type. Some properties of Great Andamanese are typologically unusual, but do find presumably accidental parallels in languages spoken inside Asia, e.g. retroflex consonants, or elsewhere, e.g. body-part prefixes and verb root ellipsis.
Exploring the Case Maggie Breaks into Tanzania’s Male-Dominated World of Wildlife Tourism
Authors: Duval Justine , Ward-Perkins David
Published: July 2021

Introduction

Maggie’s enterprise is impressive in that she operates in a male-dominated field. Even though women represent the majority of workers in the Tanzanian tourism industry, few of them occupy management or ownership positions. In 2018, women represented only 8% of Tanzanian’s CEOs (
Lionesses of Africa, 2021
).
The power of procedural policy tools at the local level: Australian local governments contributing to policy change for major projects
Authors: de Vries Sarah
Published: July 2021

As local governments have limited formal powers and less substantive policy instruments at their disposal, they are a particularly rich area for the study of procedural policy tools. This paper examines the role played by procedural policy tools deployed by local governments in Australia around the policy formation for, and approval of, major projects. This research analyses two Australian case studies: the East West Link tunnel in Melbourne, and the Coal Seam Gas projects of Northern New South Wales. Both are examples of major turnarounds in the public policy position of state governments, due to the persistent opposition of potentially impacted communities and their local governments.

This paper investigates what local governments did in these two high-profile cases to facilitate advocacy against the proposed projects. It found a rich mixture of procedural policy tools were deployed; from providing information and expertise and supporting community campaigns, to launching their own campaign, staging regular physical protests and forming an advocacy committee. Critical procedural tools that escalated the campaigns against the projects in Northern NSW included a community poll revealing the extent of community opposition to the industry, while in Melbourne, a joint legal action launched by impacted local governments proved decisive. These actions drew into question the legitimacy of the state government’s position in support of the projects, highlighting the power of procedural tools at this level of government.
Pressure dependence of the thermal stability in LiMn2O4
Authors: Zeng Yan , Liang Hao , Guan Shixue , Wang Junpu , Liang Wenjia , Huang Mengyang , Peng Fang
Published: July 2021

Structural stability in terms of the decomposition temperature in LiMn2O4 was systematically investigated by a series of high-temperature and high-pressure experiments. LiMn2O4 was found to have structural stability up to 5 GPa at room temperature. Under ambient pressure, the compound decomposed at 1300 °C. The decomposition temperature decreased with increasing pressure, yielding more complex decomposed products, Below the decomposition temperature, the crystal structure of LiMn2O4 varied with pressure. The presented results in this study offer new insights into the thermal and pressure stability of LiMn2O4 materials as a cathode for lithium-ion batteries that can operate under extreme conditions. Therefore, these findings may serve as a useful guide for future work for improving lithium-ion batteries.
Structures of vortices in a superconductor under a tilted magnetic field
Authors: Yokoji Hayato , Kato Masaru
Published: July 2021

We study three-dimensional structures of vortices in a type II superconductor under a magnetic field by solving the Ginzburg-Landau equations. First, we show under a perpendicular magnetic field, two vortices are almost parallel but bend toward the center of superconductor due to the Meissner current. Second, we show under a tilted magnetic field, two vortices enter the superconductor from edge to edge and they are parallel to the magnetic field.
Relationship between anion height and superconducting properties for Fe1+x Te0.6 Se0.4 bulk single crystals
Authors: Miyaki K , Miura O , Mizuguchi Y
Published: July 2021

We have synthesized Fe1+xTe0.6Se0.4 large bulk single crystals by the melting method with a homogenization heat treatment. The relationship between the crystal structures and the superconducting properties was investigated. Critical temperature Tc
onset reached the highest value of 14 K for the crystal with x = - 0.005. The maximum critical current densities Jc
in the a-b plane at 4.2 K achieved 1.53 and 0.83×105 A/cm2 at 0 T and 5 T for the crystal with x = 0, respectively. The crystal lattice and structural parameters were refined by Rietveld analysis. The anion height was estimated by using the obtained parameters. The anion height dependence of Tc
and Jc
were investigated. The Tc
decreased as the anion height increased, and it showed the same tendency as other Fe-based superconductors. On the other hand Jc
increased initially and then decreased with the increase in the anion height. We believe that it comes from the trade-off between the increase in flux pinning centres of excess Fe sites and the deterioration of superconductivity.
Crossed-Field Demagnetization of a EuBa2Cu3O7 Coated Conductor with BaHfO3 Nanorods
Authors: Suyama M , Pyon S , Iijima Y , Tamegai T
Published: July 2021

Superconductors can trap large magnetic fields. However, magnetic fields perpendicular to the trapped field reduces the trapped field effective, which is known as crossed-field demagnetization. Crossed-field demagnetization becomes a problem for the application of stacked magnet. We investigated the crossed-field demagnetization of a EuBa2Cu3O7 coated conductor with BaHfO3 nonorods which has large critical current density. When an AC transverse field is applied after the magnetization of the coated conductor, the decay of trapped field was significantly accelerated. However, for the AC field smaller than the full penetration field parallel to the ab-plane, the decay becomes slow enough. All these results suggests that we can apply the stacked magnet for rotating machines if the alternating transverse magnetic field is reduced below the penetration field.
Shielding Effect on Flux Trapping in Pulsed-Field Magnetizing for Mg-B Bulk Magnet
Authors: Oka T , Yamanaka K , Sudo K , Dadiel L , Ogawa J. , Yokoyama K , Häßler W , Noudem J , Berger K , Sakai N , Miryala M. , Murakami M
Published: July 2021

MgB2 superconducting bulk materials are characterized as simple and uniform metallic compounds, and capable of trapping field of non-distorted conical shapes. Although pulsed-field magnetization technique (PFM) is expected to be a cheap and an easy way to activate them, the heat generation due to the magnetic flux motion causes serious degradation of captured fields. The authors precisely estimated the flux trapping property of the bulk samples, found that the flux-shielding effect closely attributed to the sample dimensions. The magnetic field capturing of Ti-5.0wt% sample reached the highest value of 0.76 T. The applied field which reached the centre of the sample surface shifted from 1.0 T to 1.2 T with increasing sample thickness from 3.67 mm to 5.80 mm. This means that the shielding effect was enhanced with increasing the sample thickness. Moreover, Ti-addition affected the frequency of flux jump happenings. The occurrence of flux jumps was suppressed in 5.0wt%Ti-added sample. This means that the heat capacity of the compounds was promoted by Ti addition.
Material manipulation and separation using the horizontal magneto-Archimedes effect
Authors: Ichimura R , Miura O
Published: July 2021

We have studied the manipulation and the separation of substances using the horizontal magneto-Archimedes effect. By ingenerating a high magnetic field gradient in the horizontal direction, it is possible to move the target substance to a designated position in the horizontal direction. We attempted to separate several kinds of valuable metals by applying the horizontal magnetic force to the metals falling vertically into a paramagnetic medium. In order to enhance the magnetic force, we set up the ferromagnetic core array in magnetic fields. According to the trajectory analysis for the metal particles and the magnetic separation experiments, we succeeded in dynamically separating the metal mixture dropped to the vertical direction due to the strong horizontal magnetic force in relatively low magnetic fields. It is expected that this method creates a new device for the separation of substances.
A new guideway design for the HTS Maglev vehicles considering curve negotiation
Authors: Sivrioglu Selim , Yildiz Ali Suat , Bedirbeyoğlu Muhammet Islam
Published: July 2021

High-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnetic levitation (maglev) systems have been studied by various research groups regarding both experimental and modelling point of view. However, there exists a trade-off between levitation and guidance forces acting on the vehicle, especially in the case of high-speed curve negotiation. To overcome this trade-off, we proposed a multi-surface permanent magnet guideway (PMG) design, for the small-scale maglev vehicle, in which polarization of the permanent magnets (PM) changing with track segments. The HTS-PM interaction model was constructed by utilizing H-formulation implemented in COMSOL Multiphysics®. The hysteretic levitation and guiding force expressions used in the dynamic simulation have been obtained by a polynomial fit to force-displacement curves obtained by the finite element model built in COMSOL Multiphysics® environment. Also, the damping effect derived from free-fall dynamic tests is incorporated into the model to construct a more realistic simulation model. The effectiveness of the proposed track design has been validated through comparisons with Halbach-derived PMG. Finally, it can be thought that the proposed PMG design is a good candidate for the high-speed operation of a maglev system when the increased levitation and guiding stiffness values are considered.
Study on Local Sediment Scour and Stress State of Submarine Cables in Offshore Wind Farms
Authors: Zou Dongbo , Hu Jinpeng
Published: July 2021

The laying of submarine cables will destroy the local seabed topography, leading to changes in the submarine hydrodynamic boundary, which will cause the local unbalanced sediment transport phenomenon when the submarine cable is buried. When the submarine cable begins to be exposed or the topography changes greatly, the scour phenomenon will be more severe. This article starts from the safety and stability of the submarine cable during the operation and maintenance of the 200MW offshore wind farm in Xuwen Wailuo, Guangdong Province, China and refers to the partial scour of the submarine cable in the “Southern Main Grid and Hainan Power Grid Second Interconnection Project” near the site near the Qiongzhou Strait. In this case, the measured ocean hydrological data at the site is used as the input condition, and Fluent is used to establish a refined hydrodynamic model of the submarine cable scour, to simulate the development process of the submarine cable scour of the wind farm under real sea conditions, and to perform the force analysis after the submarine cable is exposed. These will provide a certain scientific basis for ensuring the safe and stable operation of submarine cables during wind farm operation and maintenance.
Research on Navigation Safety of FPSO Towing Operation
Authors: Changjiu Zhao , Wenjun Zhang , Changyuan Chen , Qingtao Zhao , Bai Xiao
Published: July 2021

In order to avoid and reduce the impact of water and underwater activities on navigation, maintain navigation order, protect ocean resources, ensure navigation safety, and promote the development of water transportation economy. Through the investigation and analysis of the project and the scientific evaluation method, the navigation safety of the ships involved in the project under the relevant water environment is analyzed and studied. Taking “Petrobras 76” as an example, the safety of towing is evaluated from the aspects of Meteorology, hydrology and local waterway conditions. Combined with the specific implementation scheme of the project, targeted risk assessment research is carried out. Finally, from the perspective of ship navigation safety, the rationality of the project design scheme is comprehensively evaluated, and the relevant safety is proposed Countermeasures, measures and suggestions for navigation.
Research on Automatic Color Scale Optimization Based Canny Identification Strategy for Underwater Fish
Authors: Xing Bowen , Zhang Lan , Li Cai , Chen Xiao
Published: July 2021

In order to solve the problem of the traditional Canny edge detection algorithm, due to the inaccurate selection of the threshold value, the recognition rate is low in the fish edge detection process. This paper proposes an adaptive Canny edge detection algorithm. The image enhancement is carried out by using automatic color scale, and the optimal recognition of underwater fish target is completed. The experimental results show that the improved algorithm and edge contour are more complete, which proves the effectiveness of the fish density recognition method.
Multi-Dimensional Analysis on the Temporal and Spatial Variability of Sea Surface Salinity in South China Sea
Authors: Li Yanwen , Xing Zhe , Yang Xiaotong , Tian Xiande
Published: July 2021

Sea surface salinity (SSS) is an important parameter of the physical marine environment and its variation has significant effects on the hydrodynamic environment in the South China Sea. With the developing of sea surface salinity retrieval technology based on SMOS data, intuitive SSS could be obtained. Study on the SSS could help better understand the role of salinity in ocean circulation and the global water cycle. In this paper, multi-dimensional analysis methods will be applied to study on the temporal and spatial variability pattern of sea surface salinity from 2014 to 2019 in South China Sea. In this paper, to reveal the temporal and spatial variability of SSS in South China Sea, time series analysis, geostatistical method and EOF decomposition algorithms were adopted. The purpose is studying on the temporal and spatial variability pattern of sea surface salinity from 2014 to 2019 in South China Sea.
Comparative Analysis and Differential Study on Dynamic Response of Tension Type Mooring and Catenary Mooring System
Authors: Zhu Jiangfeng , Cao Yuguang , Zhang Lei
Published: July 2021

Mooring system is an important factor affecting the safety and motion law of floating body. It is very important to study the hydrodynamic characteristics of different mooring methods for offshore safety engineering and stability analysis of mooring system. Taking oc4 as a floating body hydrodynamic model and considering the combined action of wind, wave and current, the hydrodynamic characteristics and system stability of taut and catenary mooring mode are compared and analyzed respectively. In addition, the differences and variation rules of dynamic response of floating body under different mooring conditions are explored and summarized. Combined with the time-domain analysis theory and simulation results, the coupled motion equations of taut and catenary mooring system are improved, and the corresponding relationship between slow drift motion and different mooring modes is summarized. It provides an important theoretical basis and support for the research of time domain variation law of mooring system and marine safety control.
Study on Human Habitation Mode and Home Design Planning in the New Era
Authors: Hung Y C , Lee Y L , Lee K M , Foo K P , Lim K W
Published: July 2021

Due to the ever-increasing population and the price of houses, humans in the future may not have the opportunity to own their own land to build houses. With the change of living patterns, small-house families will become more and more popular, even mobile homes. This research uses market analysis, specification analysis, and according to the project design process, uses brainstorming and KJ method to find out design strategies and execute design projects. This research uses an expert industrial design process to design a residential space design suitable for 2040 and conforms to the following design principles: 1. For tomorrow House design will be aesthetic, smart, modern, and simple. 2. For tomorrow houses should have appropriate dimensions design and have moveable functions. 3. For tomorrow houses should include functions, space-saving and high-tech design. 4. For tomorrow house design should be able to accommodate 2-4 people. 5. In order to be multifunctional, the complexity of furniture design will increase. The expert industrial design process, analysis, and design methods described in this study will provide designers with a better grasp of the principles of future residential design, home furniture, and other related product design.
New Performance Modeling Techniques for Photovoltaic Modules and Different Types of Wind Turbines
Authors: Abo-Elkhair Eman , Kotb Hossam , Mahmoud Gamal M. , Abbasy Nabil H. , Elgammal Mahmoud
Published: July 2021

This paper presents new modeling techniques for evaluating the performance of photovoltaic (PV) panels, vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWT), and horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWT). Two methods are implemented to evaluate and simulate the designed models based on actual data points from various manufacturing manuals. The first technique is based on curve fitting while the artificial neural network (ANN) is the second method. The developed models can predict the operating performance characteristics of PV, VAWT and HAWT based only on the demand power. Hence, it can easily assist the designer to select a suitable unit before the installation process. The PV model can predict the short circuit current, open circuit voltage, voltage and current at maximum power, module efficiency and the module cost for a power range from 5W to 350W per module. Moreover, the wind turbine models can predict the cut-in wind speed, rated speed, rotor diameter, rotor speed, hub height and the turbine cost for a power range of 0.1kW to 100kW for VAWT and from 0.5kW to 8000kW for HAWT. The results show that the ANN method provides a higher match with the actual data compared to the curve fitting method. The models are conducted via Matalb/Simulink.
High-frequency validation of predictions for energy production from large solar PV plants
Authors: Castelletto Stefania , Boretti Alberto
Published: July 2021

The solar energy source is characterized by variability, intermittency, and unpredictability. The annual average direct normal irradiance and global horizontal irradiance only gives a rough estimation of the amount of energy that can be harvested by a solar photovoltaic plant. It is however also relevant to quantify the variability of the energy production, which is not only the result of alternating daylight and night time but also to accept variability from one day to another due to weather and seasonality. A design that permits a more stable controllable output is preferable because it reduces the need for external energy storage by batteries. Here we quantify the coefficient of variability of existing photovoltaic plants, and compare it with the coefficient of variability of the resource, to validate solar PV plant models.
Rapid Hydropower Potential Assessment for Remote Area by using Global Data
Authors: Farid Mohammad , Rizaldi Akbar , Prahitna Aqsha , Badri Kusuma Muhammad Syahril , Kuntoro Arno Adi , Kardhana Hadi
Published: July 2021

Indonesia currently is facing an energy crisis due to depletion of oil reserves and rapid growth in conventional energy consumption. The declining fossil energy potential especially oil and gas has encouraged the government to put new renewable energy (NRE) as the main priority to maintain energy security for national supply in the future. NRE in Indonesia is generated from bioenergy power, hydro power, solar power, tidal power, wind power, and potential. However, NRE utilization in Indonesia is only about 11% from the total potential. This study assesses the hydropower production capacity of Ayung River Basin, the biggest Basin in Province of Bali. The assessment is carried out by utilizing global data that can be easily accessed. It was found that there are several potential mini-hydropower locations around the Ayung River Basin, with the biggest potential is around 2 MW.
Measurement and analysis of carbon emissions from prefabricated buildings under the transition of new and old kinetic energy
Authors: Yanli Sun , Chao Li
Published: July 2021

The “fourteenth fiveyear plan” period is the key period for China to cross the high income threshold and tackle the key problems of reform, and it is also the key period for China to continue to transform the old and new kinetic energy. In this period, the pace of new urbanization in China is gradually accelerating, and it is becoming a powerful engine of China’s economic growth and social development. The new urbanization strategy will leverage a new round of development of the construction industry and become a new growth point of the construction industry. The traditional construction industry is at the cost of consuming a lot of natural resources and causing heavy environmental burden. As a technological innovation with innovative significance in changing the mode of production, prefabricated building is an important way of energy conservation and emission reduction, and its development prospect is very broad. However, due to the relatively deep practice of prefabricated building based on the market environment has just started, the targeted research on energy conservation and emission reduction is not sufficient or even blank. Taking a project in Shenyang City of Liaoning Province as an example, this paper establishes the calculation formula of carbon emission of concrete prefabricated and cast-in-place residential buildings by using the emission factor method, calculates and compares the differences of carbon emission of the two kinds of buildings in the production stage, transportation stage and construction stage, and puts forward the corresponding carbon reduction measures of prefabricated buildings in each stage, so as to provide a powerful reference for the healthy and rapid development of other low-carbon buildings in China theoretical basis and practical guidance of the project.
Precedents and Chinese Judges: An Experiment
Authors: Liu John Zhuang , Klöhn Lars , Spamann Holger
Published: July 2021

We experimentally study the decision-making process of judges in China, where judges are specifically prohibited from citing prior decisions as the basis for their judgments, and where, in past surveys, most judges explicitly stated that precedent played at most a marginal role in their decisions. In an experiment resembling real-world judicial decision making, we find, however, that precedent seems to have a significant influence on the decisions of the participating Chinese judges. Indeed, judges spend more time reading prior cases than statutes, and they typically read precedents before they access the statutes. On the other hand, judges rarely mention the precedent in their reasons. Our findings suggest that the Chinese judiciary operates much more similarly to its homologues in the United States and elsewhere than their written opinions and much folklore would suggest.
Joint Attention in the Context of Hearing Loss: A Meta-Analysis and Narrative Synthesis
Authors: Lammertink Imme , Hermans Daan , Stevens Angela , van Bakel Hedwig , Knoors Harry , Vissers Constance , Dirks Evelien
Published: July 2021

Joint attention is important for children’s language development. We report two meta-analyses that demonstrate that the congruency in hearing status between parent and child affects the establishment and maintenance of joint attention. Dyads consisting of hearing parents and children with hearing loss, achieve fewer and briefer moments of joint attention in comparison to dyads of hearing parents and hearing children and dyads of deaf parents and deaf children. The theoretical and practical implications of these differences are discussed and placed in the context of two narrative syntheses. The first one focusing on parental strategies used to achieve and maintain moments of joint attention and the second one on the relation between joint attention and spoken language proficiency. We also expect that this review may serve as the start of quest towards a more detailed description (taxonomy) and operationalization of joint attention in the context of hearing loss.
Proteasome inhibitor-induced coronary vasospasm in multiple myeloma: a case report
Authors: Mikhail Philopatir , Rogers James , Forsyth Cecily , Ford Thomas J
Published: July 2021

Background

Coronary vasospasm is an increasingly recognized cause of myocardial infarction or myocardial ischaemia in patients without obstructive coronary artery disease. A thorough medication review may identify drugs or toxins that could trigger coronary vasospasm. This case provides mechanistic insight into the off-target effect of proteasome inhibition leading to coronary vasospasm in a patient referred with chest pain consistent with typical angina.

Case summary

A 72-year-old lady presented with anginal chest pain at rest with electrocardiogram evidence of myocardial ischaemia who was referred for invasive coronary angiography. This demonstrated minor coronary disease without an obstructive lesion. Vasoreactivity testing revealed diffuse coronary vasospasm of the left anterior descending artery. Carfilzomib was identified as the trigger for coronary vasospasm. Symptoms resolved without recurrence after appropriate treatment including cessation of the triggering agent.

Conclusion

Coronary spasm is a rare but important adverse reaction to proteasome inhibitors. This case supports the clinical utility of invasive coronary vasoreactivity testing in patients with ischaemia with no obstructive coronary artery disease.
The lived experience of patients with a left ventricular assist device during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study
Authors: Trenta AM , Belloni S , Ausili D , Caruso R , Arrigoni C , Vellone E , Moro M , Dellafiore F
Published: July 2021

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare delivery systems have undergone significant alterations to prioritize access to care for patients affected by the novel coronavirus, while treatments and check-ups for chronic patients have often been postponed. Among chronic patients, people with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) have been particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic since they require frequent medical check-ups to detect any initial complications. So far, no studies investigating the lived experiences of LVAD patients during the COVID-19 pandemic have been conducted.

Purpose

This study explored the lived experiences of people with an LVAD during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A qualitative analysis was conducted based on the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) methodology. Eight men with an LVAD (median age 72.5, range 65-82 years) participated in audio-recorded, semi-structured, in-depth interviews exploring changes in their daily lives during the pandemic and how they responded to them. Journaling and triangulation were used to enhance the rigour of the study.

Results

Two main themes were extracted from the data: psychological distress and moving forward. Initially, LVAD patients experienced distress because they feared being infected and were worried that they could not receive adequate treatment in case of emergency due to changes in the healthcare delivery system. However, they employed different coping strategies (i.e. taking control of their health, keeping a positive attitude, seeking support) that allowed them to deal with this difficult situation and to move forward.

Conclusions

This study provides the first insights into the experiences of LVAD patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings could help clinicians identify LVAD patients’ needs and develop targeted interventions.
eHealth interventions for reducing cardiovascular disease risk in men: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Mcmahon J , Thompson DR , Pascoe MC , Brazil K , Ski CF
Published: July 2021

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Department for the Economy (DfE) studentships

Background. Men remain at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) than women and behavioral risk factor modification is an important preventive measure. However, engaging men in behavior change interventions is challenging. eHealth interventions have the potential to address this gap, though their effectiveness for reducing CVD risk in men is unclear.

Purpose. To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of eHealth interventions for reducing CVD risk in men.

Methods. This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and principles laid out by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. A search of published randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with no date restrictions up to July 2020 was conducted across five electronic databases: Cochrane Central register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medline, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO and SCOPUS. Reference lists of relevant systematic reviews and meta-analyses were manually searched for additional trials not identified during the database search. Eligible studies were RCTs that focused on the use of eHealth to improve a minimum of two major CVD related risk factors in males aged 18 years or older.

Results. A total of 3168 records were retrieved from the online database search, with nine trials meeting the inclusion criteria following screening and full-text assessment. Study quality ranged from low to unclear, with one trial at a high risk of bias. Compared to those in a control group or receiving printed materials, participants randomised to an eHealth intervention had statistically significant improvements in BMI (Z=-2.75, p = 0.01), body weight (Z=-3.25, p = 0.01), waist circumference (Z=-2.30, p = 0.02) and systolic (Z=-3.57, p = 0.01) and diastolic (Z=-3.56, p = 0.01) blood pressure. Though less evident, there were also improvements in physical activity and diet in favour of the intervention group.

Conclusion. This was the first systematic review and meta-analysis conducted on the effectiveness of eHealth interventions for reducing CVD risk in men. This review suggests that eHealth interventions can reduce CVD risk in adult men through behavior change. However, we were unable to determine the association between intervention characteristics and outcomes. Also, overall, participant adherence to the intervention was poor. Both of these issues should be considered in future studies.
The C-terminal region of yeast ubiquitin–protein ligase Not4 mediates its cellular localization and stress response
Authors: Palermo Vanessa , Stirpe Mariarita , Bianchi Michele Maria , Rinaldi Teresa , Cirigliano Angela , Ragnini-Wilson Antonella , Falcone Claudio , Mazzoni Cristina
Published: July 2021

Transient modification of the environment involves the expression of specific genes and degradation of mRNAs and proteins. How these events are linked is poorly understood. CCR4-NOT is an evolutionary conserved complex involved in transcription initiation and mRNA degradation. In this paper, we report that the yeast Not4 localizes in cytoplasmic foci after cellular stress. We focused our attention on the functional characterization of the C-terminus of the Not4 protein. Molecular dissection of this region indicates that the removal of the last 120 amino acids, does not affect protein localization and function, in that the protein is still able to suppress the thermosensitivity observed in the not4Δ mutant. In addition, such shortened form of Not4, as well its absence, increases the transcription of stress-responsive genes conferring to the cell high resistance to the oxidative stress. On the contrary, the last C-terminal 211 amino acids are required for proper Not4 localization at cytoplasmic foci after stress. This truncated version of Not4 fails to increase the transcription of the stress genes, is more stable and seems to be toxic to cells undergoing oxidative stress.
Transcriptomic markers of fungal growth, respiration and carbon-use efficiency
Authors: Hasby Fahri A , Barbi Florian , Manzoni Stefano , Lindahl Björn D
Published: July 2021

Fungal metabolic carbon acquisition and its subsequent partitioning between biomass production and respiration, i.e. the carbon-use efficiency (CUE), are central parameters in biogeochemical modeling. However, current available techniques for estimating these parameters are all associated with practical and theoretical shortcomings, making assessments unreliable. Gene expression analyses hold the prospect of phenotype prediction by indirect means, providing new opportunities to obtain information about metabolic priorities. We cultured four different fungal isolates (Chalara longipes, Laccaria bicolor, Serpula lacrymans and Trichoderma harzianum) in liquid media with contrasting nitrogen availability and measured growth rates and respiration to calculate CUE. By relating gene expression markers to measured carbon fluxes, we identified genes coding for 1,3-β-glucan synthase and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase as suitable markers for growth and respiration, respectively, capturing both intraspecific variation as well as within-strain variation dependent on growth medium. A transcript index based on these markers correlated significantly with differences in CUE between the fungal isolates. Our study paves the way for the use of these markers to assess differences in growth, respiration and CUE in natural fungal communities, using metatranscriptomic or the RT-qPCR approach.
RiceTSV2encoding threonyl-tRNA synthetase is needed for early chloroplast development and seedling growth under cold stress
Authors: Lin Dongzhi , Zhou Wenhao , Wang Yulu , Sun Jia , Pan Xiaobiao , Dong Yanjun
Published: July 2021

Threonyl-tRNA synthetase (ThrRS), one of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AARSs), plays a crucial role in protein synthesis. However, the AARS functions on rice chloroplast development and growth were not fully appraised. In this study, a thermo-sensitive virescent mutant tsv2, which showed albino phenotype and lethal after the 4-leaf stage at 20°C but recovered to normal when the temperatures rose, was identified and characterized. Map-based cloning and complementation tests showed that TSV2 encoded a chloroplast-located ThrRS protein in rice. The Lys-to-Arg mutation in the anticodon-binding domain hampered chloroplast development under cold stress, while the loss of function of the ThrRS core domain in TSV2 fatally led to seedling death regardless of growing temperatures. In addition, TSV2 had a specific expression in early leaves. Its disruption obviously resulted in the downregulation of certain genes associated with chlorophyll biosynthesis, photosynthesis, and chloroplast development at cold conditions. Our observations revealed that rice nuclear-encoded TSV2 plays an important role in chloroplast development at the early leaf stage under cold stress.
Adherence to Healthy Lifestyle and Attenuation of Biological Aging in Middle-Aged and Older Chinese Adults
Authors: Fan Junning , Yu Canqing , Pang Yuanjie , Guo Yu , Pei Pei , Sun Zhijia , Yang Ling , Chen Yiping , Du Huaidong , Sun Dianjianyi , Li Yanjie , Chen Junshi , Clarke Robert , Chen Zhengming , Lv Jun , Li Liming ,   China Kadoorie Biobank Collaborative Group
Published: July 2021

Background

Little is known about the effects of lifestyle modification on biological aging in population-based studies of middle-aged and older adults.

Method

We examined the individual and joint associations of multiple lifestyle factors with accelerated biological aging measured by change in frailty index (FI) over 8 years in a prospective study of Chinese adults. Data were obtained on 24 813 participants in the China Kadoorie Biobank on lifestyle factors and frailty status at baseline and at 8 years after baseline. Adherence to healthy lifestyle factors included nonsmoking or quitting smoking for reasons other than illness, avoidance of heavy alcohol consumption, daily intake of fruit and vegetables, being physically active, body mass index of 18.5–23.9 kg/m2, and waist-to-hip ratio of <0.90 (men)/0.85 (women). FI was constructed separately at baseline and resurvey using 25 age- and health-related items.

Results

Overall, 8 760 (35.3%) individuals had a worsening frailty status. In multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analyses, adherence to healthy lifestyle was associated with a lower risk of worsening frailty status. Compared with robust participants maintaining 0–1 healthy lifestyle factors, the corresponding odds ratios (95% CIs) were 0.93 (0.83–1.03), 0.75 (0.67–0.84), 0.68 (0.60–0.77), and 0.55 (0.46–0.65) for robust participants with 2, 3, 4, and 5–6 healthy lifestyle factors. The decreased risk of frailty status worsening by adherence to healthy lifestyle factors was similar in both middle-aged and older adults, and in both robust and prefrail participants at baseline.

Conclusions

Adherence to a healthy lifestyle may attenuate the rate of change in biological aging in middle-aged and older Chinese adults.