bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developments in China’s governance of its aging society: Evidence from aging policies between 1982 and 2017
Authors: Xuehui Wang , Zhan Hu
Published: March 2022

China's governance of its aging society has been accompanied by rapid economic and social transformation, urbanization, population migration, and globalization. Although the results have been remarkable, there remain several major challenges faced by its aging society and faced by the country in building a holistic response system for aging issues. This article uses governance theories to analyze the role of the government and the corresponding governance mechanisms in China's aging society and further conducts an empirical analysis of its aging policies from 1982 to 2017. We found some progress in the policy area for addressing aging issues with an integrated governance system around the government evolving in China. This study sheds light on the favorable governance structure for addressing aging issues effectively, which involves the integration of social resources in governance. This governance structure can not only realize the effective allocation of social resources but also maximize the government's administrative resources.
Exploring learner motivation and mobile‐assisted peer feedback in a business English speaking course
Authors: Xu Qi , Peng Hongying
Published: March 2022

Background

Peer‐to‐peer feedback exchanges have been recognized as crucial to language learning. While studies on peer feedback proliferate, little is known about whether and how peer feedback is affected by learners' motivational levels.

Objectives

Situated in a mobile collaborative learning context, the current study examined how English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students with different motivational levels participated in mobile‐assisted peer feedback provision, as well as the characteristics of the feedback they provided.

Methods

A total of 61 sophomores majoring in Business English at a Chinese university participated in this 16‐week‐long study. They were asked to complete oral assignments and give and receive peer feedback via MosoTeach (a popular mobile learning application in China). Multiple types of data (peer feedback records, questionnaires, reflective journals and interviews) were collected, analysed, and triangulated.

Results and Conclusions

Results revealed that EFL learners with higher motivation were more likely to provide feedback on time using more words. Unique characteristics of mobile‐assisted peer feedback among highly motivated learners were also observed.

Implications

The study highlights the importance of learner motivation in mobile‐assisted peer feedback practice and provides pedagogical suggestions for better designing and implementing peer feedback in mobile collaborative learning contexts.
Constructing a Robust Score Scale from IRT Scores with Informed Boundaries
Authors: Choe Edison M. , Han Kyung (Chris) T.
Published: March 2022

In operational testing, item response theory (IRT) models for dichotomous responses are popular for measuring a single latent construct , such as cognitive ability in a content domain. Estimates of , also called IRT scores or , can be computed using estimators based on the likelihood function, such as maximum likelihood (ML), weighted likelihood (WL), maximum a posteriori (MAP), and expected a posteriori (EAP). Although the parameter space of is theoretically unrestricted, the range of finite is constrained by the estimator and test form properties, which is important to consider but often overlooked when developing a score scale for reporting purposes. Irrespective of the estimator or test forms at hand, a common practice is to fix arbitrary points symmetric about zero (e.g., −4 and 4) as anchors for deriving a score transformation, possibly resulting in unintended gaps or truncations at the extremes. Therefore, a systematic framework is proposed for using IRT scores to construct a robust score scale with informed boundaries that are logical and consistent across test forms.
Improving hydrological climate impact assessments using multirealizations from a global climate model
Authors: Sperna Weiland Frederiek , Stuparu Dana , de Winter Renske , Haasnoot Marjolijn
Published: March 2022

Many flood risk assessments account for uncertainties in future anthropogenic emissions by considering multiple representative concentration pathways (RCPs). The imperfect knowledge and representation of the climate system is considered with multiple global climate models (GCMs). Yet, uncertainty introduced by incomplete representation of natural variability is also relevant but not always accounted for. A set of realizations provides improved insights in natural variability presented by the GCM. This study explores the potential of using a set of realizations from a single GCM‐RCP combination instead of single realizations. We use (subsets of) 16 realizations from EC‐Earth for RCP8.5 and focus on three locations along the Rhine. We use a single GCM‐RCP combination to avoid the interference of additional sources of uncertainty. We find that projected changes in future river flows highly depend on the realization chosen. Individual ensemble members provide different changes for annual mean flow, extreme flows, and regime shift. By increasing the number of realizations and combining their annual maxima in extreme value analysis, future projections of flow extremes converge. We conclude that a single ensemble realization gives overconfident and possibly erroneous projections. In climate science, this is well studied; however, in flood risk assessments, it is still often neglected.
Association of the serum transaminase with mortality among the US elderly population
Authors: Ke Pan , Zhong Lirong , Peng Wei , Xu Minzhi , Feng Jie , Tian Qingfeng , He Yan , Dowling Rowan , Fu Wenning , Jiang Heng , Zhao Zhiguang , Lu Kai , Lu Zuxun
Published: March 2022

Background and Aim

Considering the inconsistent findings of research into the associations between serum levels of liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], and gamma‐glutamyltransferase [GGT]) and mortality among elderly people, we aimed to investigate the associations of ALT, AST, GGT, and De‐Ritis ratio (DRR, defined as AST/ALT) and all‐cause or cause‐specific mortality among the US elderly people using National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys data.

Methods

We included 6415 elderly participants (≥ 65 years). Exclusion criteria included positive test for hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus infection at baseline. Multivariable‐adjusted Cox regression models calculating hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals were developed for each of the liver enzyme measures.

Results

All‐cause cumulative mortality was 33.8%, of which 23.8% were cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths, 15.6% were cancer deaths, and 60.6% were other cause deaths. Adjusted Cox models found increased all‐cause mortality risk for low ALT (HR: 1.70), low AST (HR: 1.13), high GGT (HR: 1.25), and high DRR (HR: 1.68). Low ALT and high DRR predicted CVD mortality. Low ALT (HR: 1.91), low AST (HR: 1.16), high GGT (HR: 1.40), and high DRR (HR: 1.76) predicted other cause mortality.

Conclusions

Low ALT and high DRR were associated with increased CVD and cancer mortality. All serum liver enzyme measures were associated with all‐cause mortality and other cause mortality in the US elderly population. Further studies may validate these findings in other elderly populations.
Perturbation of monoamine metabolism and enhanced fear responses in mice defective in the regeneration of tetrahydrobiopterin
Authors: Miyajima Katsuya , Sudo Yusuke , Sanechika Sho , Hara Yoshitaka , Horiguchi Mieko , Xu Feng , Suzuki Minori , Hara Satoshi , Tanda Koichi , Inoue Ken‐ichi , Takada Masahiko , Yoshioka Nozomu , Takebayashi Hirohide , Mori‐Kojima Masayo , Sugimoto Masahiro , Sumi‐Ichinose Chiho , Kondo Kazunao , Takao Keizo , Miyakawa Tsuyoshi , Ichinose Hiroshi
Published: March 2022

Increasing evidence suggests the involvement of peripheral amino acid metabolism in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders, whereas the molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is a cofactor for enzymes that catalyze phenylalanine metabolism, monoamine synthesis, nitric oxide production, and lipid metabolism. BH4 is synthesized from guanosine triphosphate and regenerated by quinonoid dihydropteridine reductase (QDPR), which catalyzes the reduction of quinonoid dihydrobiopterin. We analyzed Qdpr−/− mice to elucidate the physiological significance of the regeneration of BH4. We found that the Qdpr−/− mice exhibited mild hyperphenylalaninemia and monoamine deficiency in the brain, despite the presence of substantial amounts of BH4 in the liver and brain. Hyperphenylalaninemia was ameliorated by exogenously administered BH4, and dietary phenylalanine restriction was effective for restoring the decreased monoamine contents in the brain of the Qdpr−/− mice, suggesting that monoamine deficiency was caused by the secondary effect of hyperphenylalaninemia. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that QDPR was primarily distributed in oligodendrocytes but hardly detectable in monoaminergic neurons in the brain. Finally, we performed a behavioral assessment using a test battery. The Qdpr−/− mice exhibited enhanced fear responses after electrical foot shock. Taken together, our data suggest that the perturbation of BH4 metabolism should affect brain monoamine levels through alterations in peripheral amino acid metabolism, and might contribute to the development of anxiety‐related psychiatric disorders.

image

Cover Image for this issue: https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.15398
Effect of uterine fundal pressure applied in the second stage of labor on birth outcomes and neonatal oxygen saturation
Authors: Akpınar Gamze , Kanbur Ayla
Published: March 2022

Aim

To examine the effect of fundal pressure applied in the second stage of labor on birth outcomes and neonatal O2 saturation.

Methods

The study is of a descriptive and comparative type. Research data were collected in the obstetrics clinic of a Maternity Hospital between August 15, 2019 and February 15, 2020. The study sample consisted of 160 pregnant women who met the research criteria (80 pregnant women who received fundal pressure, 80 pregnant women who did not receive fundal pressure).

Results

The duration of the second and third stages of labor was found to be shorter in the nonfundal pressure group (t = −3.422, p = 0.001; t = 2.195, p = 0.030). When the groups were compared, the formation of perineal trauma and second‐degree laceration, episiotomy requirement, elongation of the episiotomy incision and cervical laceration rate were found to be significantly higher in the fundal pressure group χ2 = 10.794 p = 0.001; χ2 = 8.403 p = 0.004; χ2 = 10.014, p = 0.002; χ2 = 16.579 p = 0.000; χ2 = 16.276 p = 0.000). The 1st and 5th min Apgar scores of the newborns were lower in the fundal pressure group (t = −6.377, p = 0.000; t = −3.581, p = 0.001). The 1st, 5th, 10th, and 15th min oxygen saturation of the newborns were determined to be significantly lower in the fundal pressure group (t = −4.753, p = 0.000; t = −2.427, p = 0.016; t = −2.604, p = 0.010; t = −2.492, p = 0.014).

Conclusion

According to the study results, it was determined that the uterine fundal pressure has a negative effect on birth outcomes and neonatal oxygen saturation. Adverse effects of fundal pressure application should be revealed in different aspects.
The Indigenization Debate in China: A Field Perspective
Authors: Li Junpeng , Xu Songying , Zhang Zhiqiang , Yang Taiwen
Published: March 2022

The indigenization of sociology has been an issue of considerable controversy in China. Rather than taking a side in the debate itself, this article intends to make sense of different perspectives in the debate. Utilizing Bourdieu's field theory, it links a sociologist's view on indigenization with the sociologist's position within China's sociological field. This article traces the history of the indigenization debate in China and proposes a theoretical model based on Bourdieu's insight. It then analyzes how the different combinations of academic and political capital shape the different positions on indigenization and how such a debate can be viewed as a symbolic struggle in the intellectual field.
Unraveling the Gonyaulax baltica Species Complex: Cyst–theca Relationship of Impagidinium variaseptum, Spiniferites pseudodelicatus sp. nov. and S. ristingensis (Gonyaulacaceae, Dinophyceae), With Descriptions of Gonyaulax bohaiensis sp. nov, G. amoyensis sp. nov. and G. portimonensis sp. nov.
Authors: Gu Haifeng , Mertens Kenneth Neil , Derrien Amélie , Bilien Gwenael , Li Zhen , Hess Philipp , Séchet Véronique , Krock Bernd , Amorim Ana , Li Zhun , Pospelova Vera , Smith Kirsty F. , MacKenzie Lincoln , Yoon Joo Yeon , Kim Hyun Jung , Shin Hyeon Ho
Published: March 2022

The taxonomy of the extant dinoflagellate genus Gonyaulax is challenging since its thecate morphology is rather conservative. In contrast, cysts of Gonyaulax are varied in morphology and have been related with the fossil‐based genera Spiniferites and Impagidinium. To better understand the systematics of Gonyaulax species, we performed germination experiments on cysts that can be identified as S. ristingensis, an unidentified Spiniferites with petaloid processes here described as Spiniferites pseudodelicatus sp. nov. and Impagidinium variaseptum from Chinese and Portuguese waters. Despite marked differences in cyst morphology, motile cells of S. pseudodelicatus and I. variaseptum are indistinguishable from Gonyaulax baltica. Motile cells hatched from S. ristingensis are morphologically similar to G. baltica as well but differ in the presence of one pronounced antapical spine. Three new species, Gonyaulax amoyensis (cyst equivalent S. pseudodelicatus), Gonyaulax bohaiensis (cyst equivalent I. variaseptum), and Gonyaulax portimonensis (cyst equivalent S. ristingensis), were erected. In addition, a new ribotype (B) of G. baltica was reported from South Korea and a bloom of G. baltica ribotype B is reported from New Zealand. Molecular phylogeny based on LSU and SSU rRNA gene sequences revealed that Gonyaulax species with minute or short antapical spines formed a well‐resolved clade, whereas species with two pronounced antapical spines or lack of antapical spines formed the sister clade. Six strains of four above species were examined for yessotoxin production by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, and very low concentrations of yessotoxin were detected for one G. bohaiensis strain.
Home advantage in professional soccer and betting market efficiency: The role of spectator crowds
Authors: Fischer Kai , Haucap Justus
Published: March 2022

Fan support has often been considered to be a main driver of the home advantage in sports. Using the “natural exper‐ iment” of ghost games during the COVID‐19 pandemic in German professional soccer and a dataset of 6,120 matches ranging over the seasons 2011/2012 to 2020/2021, we test this claim. Indeed, applying a difference‐in‐differences setup, we identify a reduction in the home performance ‐ though with much heterogeneity across leagues and teams. We, moreover, observe the home advantage to recover over time. In analysing whether betting markets anticipated this drop in the home advantage and its recovery, we test the efficient market hypothesis. In the short‐run, betting odds do not properly reflect the effect of ghost games regarding changes in the home advantage but they suitably account for it in the long‐run. Also, league heterogeneity is efficiently captured in the odds. Based on these findings, we show how simple, short‐run betting strategies could have exploited the discussed phenomenon. Our findings also have implications for agents' behavior on financial markets in the presence of unforeseen and unfamiliar shocks.
Hezbollah in Syria: An Insurgent's Ideology, Interest, and Survival
Authors: Al‐Aloosy Massaab
Published: March 2022

Ideology and interest often contradict each other in the lives of individuals, organizations, and states, but the contradiction ceases when survival is at stake. This study demonstrates that even longstanding insurgencies undergo major shifts when they find it difficult to maintain ideological purity. While ideology plays a significant role for these insurgencies, context makes it imperative to be flexible and put interest first in fluid circumstances. This is certainly the case with Hezbollah. The group pronounced Israel its sole enemy from the start and mobilized its resources for the state's destruction. The Syrian civil war altered this perception. The fall of the regime constituted an existential threat for Hezbollah; therefore, it turned its guns toward the Syrian opposition to keep Bashar al‐Assad in power.
HopAZ1, a type III effector of Pseudomonas amygdali pv. tabaci, induces a hypersensitive response in tobacco wildfire‐resistant Nicotiana tabacum ‘N509’
Authors: Kashihara Sachi , Nishimura Takafumi , Noutoshi Yoshiteru , Yamamoto Mikihiro , Toyoda Kazuhiro , Ichinose Yuki , Matsui Hidenori
Published: March 2022

Pseudomonas amygdali pv. tabaci (formerly Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci; Pta) is a gram‐negative bacterium that causes bacterial wildfire disease in Nicotiana tabacum. The pathogen establishes infections by using a type III secretion system to inject type III effector proteins (T3Es) into cells, thereby interfering with the host__s immune system. To counteract the effectors, plants have evolved disease‐resistance genes and mechanisms to induce strong resistance on effector recognition. By screening a series of Pta T3E‐deficient mutants, we have identified HopAZ1 as the T3E that induces disease resistance in N. tabacum ‘N509’. Inoculation with the Pta ∆hopAZ1 mutant did not induce resistance to Pta in N509. We also found that the Pta ∆hopAZ1 mutant did not induce a hypersensitive response and promoted severe disease symptoms in N509. Furthermore, a C‐terminal truncated HopAZ1 abolished HopAZ1‐dependent cell death in N509. These results indicate that HopAZ1 is the avirulence factor that induces resistance to Pta by N509.
Movement with meaning: integrating information into meta‐ecology
Authors: Little Chelsea J. , Rizzuto Matteo , Luhring Thomas M. , Monk Julia D. , Nowicki Robert J. , Paseka Rachel E. , Stegen James C. , Symons Celia C. , Taub Frieda B. , Yen Jian D. L.
Published: March 2022

Fluxes of matter, energy and information over space and time contribute to ecosystems' functioning and stability. The meta‐ecosystem framework addresses the dynamics of ecosystems linked by these fluxes but, to date, has focused solely on energy and matter. Here, we synthesize existing knowledge of information's effects on local and connected ecosystems and demonstrate how new hypotheses emerge from the integration of ecological information into meta‐ecosystem theory. We begin by defining information and reviewing how it flows among ecosystems to affect connectivity, local ecosystem function and meta‐ecosystem dynamics. We focus on the role of semiotic information: that which can reduce an individual's – or a group's – uncertainty about the state of the world. Semiotic information elicits behavioral, developmental and life history responses from organisms, potentially leading to fitness consequences. Organisms' responses to information can ripple through trophic interactions to influence ecosystem processes, their local and regional dynamics, and the spatiotemporal flows of energy and matter, therefore information should affect meta‐ecosystem dynamics such as stability and productivity. While specific subdisciplines of ecology currently consider different types of information (e.g. social and cultural information, natural and artificial light or sound, body condition, genotype and phenotype), many ecological models currently account for neither the spatio–temporal distribution of information nor its perception by organisms. We identify the empirical, theoretical and philosophical challenges in developing a robust information meta‐ecology and offer ways to overcome them. Finally, we present new hypotheses for how accounting for realistic information perception and responses by organisms could impact processes such as home range formation and spatial insurance, and thus our understanding of ecological dynamics across spatial and temporal scales. Accounting for information will be essential to understanding how dynamics such as fitness, organismal movement and trophic interactions influence meta‐ecosystem functioning, and predicting how ecosystem processes are affected by anthropogenic pressures.
The potential of genetically engineered pig heart transplantation in infants with complex congenital heart disease
Authors: Raza Syed Sikandar , Hara Hidetaka , Cleveland David C. , Cooper David K. C.
Published: March 2022

Despite advances in surgical and medical techniques, complex congenital heart disease in neonates and infants continues to be associated with significant mortality and morbidity. More than 500 infants in the USA are placed on the cardiac transplantation wait‐list annually. However, there remains a critical shortage of deceased human donor organs for transplantation with a median wait‐time of 4 months. Hence, infant mortality on the heart transplant wait‐list in the USA is higher than for any other solid organ transplant group. Orthotopic transplantation of a pig heart as a bridge to allotransplantation might offer the best prospect of long‐term survival of these patients. In recent years, there have been several advances in genetic engineering of pigs to mitigate the vigorous antibody‐mediated rejection of a pig heart transplanted into a nonhuman primate. In this review, we briefly highlight (i) the history of clinical heart xenotransplantation, (ii) current advances and techniques of genetically engineering pigs, (iii) the current status of pig orthotopic cardiac graft survival in nonhuman primates, and (iv) progress toward pursuing clinical trials of cardiac xenotransplantation. Ultimately, we argue that pig heart xenotransplantation should initially be used as a bridge to cardiac allotransplantation in neonates and infants.
Population genetic diversity and structure of the pecan scab pathogen, Venturia effusa, on cv. Desirable and native seedlings, and the impact of marker number
Authors: Bock Clive H. , Charlton Nikki D. , Shiller Jason , Randall Jennifer J. , Young Carolyn A.
Published: March 2022

Scab (Venturia effusa) is the major cause of economic loss in pecan in the south‐eastern USA. We explored population genetic diversity and structure among orchards of cv. Desirable and native seedlings, and within‐orchard variability among trees of all cultivars sampled. We compared the ability of 30, 15 and 7 previously developed microsatellites to characterize the population genetic diversity and structure of V. effusa. Analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) provided little evidence of structure dependent on cultivar, but there was some evidence of structure between orchards of a cultivar based on distance. Individual orchard AMOVA showed that three of 11 orchards had between‐tree population structure. Among six populations from cv. Desirable, a Mantel test showed that geographic distance was related to the pairwise genetic divergence (R2 = 0.84). Among 11 orchards of various cultivars there was little difference in diversity using 30, 15 or 7 markers, or population structure based on AMOVA. Some minor differences in population structure were seen based on discriminant analysis of principal components, or dendrograms. Thus, depending on the objectives, future studies may use as few as 15 or 7 markers without losing ability to discern population genetic diversity or structure. More populations exhibited linkage disequilibrium when using 15 or 30 markers compared to when using seven markers. Knowledge of population genetics of V. effusa in relation to host genotype is needed to understand pathogen population interactions and gene flow, knowledge that will help underpin future breeding efforts to develop durable resistance in this long‐lived orchard tree.
COVID‐19 in pregnancy—what study designs can we use to assess the risk of congenital anomalies in relation to COVID‐19 disease, treatment and vaccination?
Authors: Dolk Helen , Damase‐Michel Christine , Morris Joan K , Loane Maria
Published: March 2022

Background

The COVID‐19 pandemic has accelerated pregnancy outcome research, but little attention has been given specifically to the risk of congenital anomalies (CA) and first trimester exposures.

Objectives

We reviewed the main data sources and study designs used internationally, particularly in Europe, for CA research, and their strengths and limitations for investigating COVID‐19 disease, medications and vaccines.

Population

We classify research designs based on four data sources: a) spontaneous adverse event reporting, where study subjects are positive for both exposure and outcome, b) pregnancy exposure registries, where study subjects are positive for exposure, c) congenital anomaly registries, where study subjects are positive for outcome and d) population healthcare data where the entire population of births is included, irrespective of exposure and outcome.

Study Design

Each data source allows different study designs, including case series, exposed pregnancy cohorts (with external comparator), ecological studies, case‐control studies and population cohort studies (with internal comparator).

Methods

The quality of data sources for CA studies is reviewed in relation to criteria including diagnostic accuracy of CA data, size of study population, inclusion of terminations of pregnancy for foetal anomaly, inclusion of first trimester COVID‐19‐related exposures and use of an internal comparator group. Multinational collaboration models are reviewed.

Results

Pregnancy exposure registries have been the main design for COVID‐19 pregnancy studies, but lack detail regarding first trimester exposures relevant to CA, or a suitable comparator group. CA registries present opportunities for improving diagnostic accuracy in COVID‐19 research, especially when linked to other data sources. Availability of inpatient hospital medication use in population healthcare data is limited. More use of ongoing mother‐baby linkage systems would improve research efficiency. Multinational collaboration delivers statistical power.

Conclusions

Challenges and opportunities exist to improve research on CA in relation to the COVID‐19 pandemic and future pandemics.
Warming impacts on photosynthetic processes in dominant plant species in a subtropical forest
Authors: Aspinwall Michael J. , Chieppa Jeff , Gray Eve , Golden‐Ebanks Morgan , Davidson Lynsae
Published: March 2022

Climate warming could shift some subtropical regions to a tropical climate in the next 30 years. Yet, climate warming impacts on subtropical species and ecosystems remain unclear. We conducted a passive warming experiment in a subtropical forest in Florida, USA, to determine warming impacts on four species differing in their climatic distribution, growth form, and functional type:Serenoa repens(palm),Andropogon glomeratus(C4grass),Pinus palustris(needled evergreen tree), andQuercus laevis(broadleaved deciduous tree). We hypothesized that warming would have neutral‐positive effects on photosynthetic processes in monocot species with warmer climatic distributions or adaptations to warmer temperatures, but negative effects on photosynthesis in tree species. We also hypothesized that periods of low soil moisture would alter photosynthetic responses to warming. In both monocot species, warming had no significant effect on net photosynthesis (A) or stomatal conductance (gs) measured at prevailing temperatures, or photosynthetic capacity measured at a common temperature. InP.palustris, warming reducedA(−15%) andgs(−28%), and caused small reductions in Rubisco carboxylation and RuBP regeneration. Warming had little effect on photosynthetic processes inQ.laevis. Interestingly,A.glomeratusshowed little sensitivity to reduced soil moisture, and all C3species reducedAandgsas soil moisture declined and did so consistently across temperature treatments. In subtropical forests of the southeastern US, we conclude that climate warming may have neutral or slightly positive effects on the performance of grasses and broadleaved species but negative effects onP.palustrisseedlings, foreshadowing possible changes in community and ecosystem properties.
Regional headquarters and foreign direct investment
Authors: Gil‐Pareja Salvador , Llorca‐Vivero Rafael , Paniagua Jordi
Published: March 2022

Headquarters (HQs) provide a wide range of services, playing a fundamental role in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). We use the structural gravity equation to investigate the effect of regional HQs on three dimensions of FDI (number of foreign projects, capital investment, and jobs) at the country‐pair‐sector level. Furthermore, we explore two underlying mechanisms that help explain this relationship: financial constraints and informational costs and uncertainty. We find a positive effect of regional HQs on FDI, as well as intercountry and intersector spillovers. Our results are robust, accounting for HQ intensity, domestic investment, and endogeneity tests.
Articulating Aboriginality in multicultural Redfern
Authors: Montalvo Chaves Ángeles
Published: March 2022

Koori Radio was founded in Redfern in 1993 as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander radio station. Its aim was to give a voice to these communities, acting as a counterpoint to their stereotyped representation in mainstream media and promoting their creative practices (especially music). Rather than ‘thinking only Aboriginal’, it has increasingly embraced the ongoing multicultural diversity of modern Sydney, as well as re‐articulating Aboriginality with transnational Indigeneity and Blackness. A Koori Radio worker explained this change as ‘a Black thing of people of colour who have the same struggles and understand each other’. This approach has not been without controversy, with many activists calling for greater emphasis on Aboriginal identity and specific struggles. Ethnographic research at Koori Radio shows, however, that the connections made between different communities have enhanced, rather than diminished, the capacity of Koori Radio to fulfill its objectives.
Functional non‐equivalence of pollenADFisovariants in Arabidopsis
Authors: Jiang Yuxiang , Lu Qiaonan , Huang Shanjin
Published: March 2022

ADF/cofilin is a central regulator of actin dynamics. We previously demonstrated that two closely related Arabidopsis class IIa ADF isovariants, ADF7 and ADF10, are involved in the enhancement of actin turnover in pollen, but whether they have distinct functions remains unknown. Here, we further demonstrate that they exhibit distinct functions in regulating actin turnover bothin vitroandin vivo. We found that ADF7 binds to ADP‐G‐actin with lower affinity, and severs and depolymerizes actin filaments less efficientlyin vitrothan ADF10. Accordingly, in pollen grains, ADF7 more extensively decorates actin filaments and is less freely distributed in the cytoplasm compared to ADF10. We further demonstrate that ADF7 and ADF10 show distinct intracellular localizations during pollen germination, and they have non‐equivalent functions in promoting actin turnover in pollen. We thus propose that cooperation and labor division of ADF7 and ADF10 enable pollen cells to achieve exquisite control of the turnover of different actin structures to meet different cellular needs.
Morphological response of weed and crop species to nitrogen stress in interaction with shading
Authors: Perthame Laurène , Colbach Nathalie , Busset Hugues , Matejicek Annick , Moreau Delphine
Published: March 2022

Reducing herbicide use may result in residual weed flora in arable fields, increasing crop–weed competition for resources. In temperate cropping systems, light and nitrogen are the main resources for which plants compete. As weed competition increases, soil mineral nitrogen might become less abundant as the use of mineral fertiliser is reduced for environmental reasons (pollutions and biodiversity loss). Better understanding crops and weeds competitive abilities for nitrogen and light might help manage weeds and promote weed biological regulation by sowing more competitive crops. Our objectives were to (1) quantify the diversity in species morphological response to nitrogen stress, in interaction with shading and (2) investigate relationships between species responses and species features (clade, crop vs. weed, Ellenberg indexes). Response of three aboveground variables, important for light competition, (specific leaf area [SLA], leaf to aboveground biomass ratio [LBR] and height per unit aboveground biomass [HBR]) to nitrogen stress was measured on four crops and four weeds grown in a greenhouse under various nitrogen treatments and two light levels. Increasing SLA, LBR and HBR in response to nitrogen stress improve plant light competitiveness in a situation of nitrogen deficiency. SLA decreased in response to nitrogen stress for all species, with a higher decrease for nitrophilic species. LBR response to nitrogen stress varied between crops and weeds, weeds decreasing LBR while crops tended to increase it. HBR was independent of nitrogen stress for most species. Shading had a small to no effect on the morphological response to nitrogen stress. These results suggest that the investigated parameters characterise species intrinsic response of morphological variables to nitrogen stress. In the next future, integrating these species properties into a mechanistic model and performing simulations will allow drawing generic conclusions on species competitiveness in various situations.
Effects of human TFPI and CD47 expression and selectin and integrin inhibition during GalTKO.hCD46 pig lung perfusion with human blood
Authors: Miura Shuhei , Habibabady Zahra A. , Pollok Franziska , Connolly Margaret , Pratts Shannon , Dandro Amy , Sorrells Lori , Karavi Kasinath , Phelps Carol , Eyestone Will , Ayares David , Burdorf Lars , Azimzadeh Agnes , Pierson Richard N.
Published: March 2022

Background

Loss of barrier function when GalTKO.hCD46 porcine lungs are perfused with human blood is associated with coagulation pathway dysregulation, innate immune system activation, and rapid sequestration of human formed blood elements. Here, we evaluate whether genetic expression of human tissue factor pathway inhibitor (hTFPI) and human CD47 (hCD47), alone or with combined selectin and integrin adhesion pathway inhibitors, delays GalTKO.hCD46 porcine lung injury or modulates neutrophil and platelet sequestration.

Methods

In a well‐established paired ex vivo lung perfusion model, GalTKO.hCD46.hTFPI.hCD47 transgenic porcine lungs (hTFPI.hCD47, n = 7) were compared to GalTKO.hCD46 lungs (reference, n = 5). All lung donor pigs were treated with a thromboxane synthase inhibitor, anti‐histamine, and anti‐GPIb integrin‐blocking Fab, and were pre‐treated with Desmopressin. In both genotypes, one lung of each pair was additionally treated with PSGL‐1 and GMI‐1271 (P‐ and E‐selectin) and IB4 (CD11b/18 integrin) adhesion inhibitors (n = 6 hTFPI.hCD47, n = 3 reference).

Results

All except for two reference lungs did not fail within 480 min when experiments were electively terminated. Selectin and integrin adhesion inhibitors moderately attenuated initial pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) elevation in hTFPI.hCD47 lungs. Neutrophil sequestration was significantly delayed during the early time points following reperfusion and terminal platelet activation was attenuated in association with lungs expressing hTFPI.hCD47, but additional adhesion pathway inhibitors did not show further effects with either lung genotype.

Conclusion

Expression of hTFPI.hCD47 on porcine lung may be useful as part of an integrated strategy to prevent neutrophil adhesion and platelet activation that are associated with xenograft injury. Additionally, targeting canonical selectin and integrin adhesion pathways reduced PVR elevation associated with hTFPI.hCD47 expression, but did not significantly attenuate neutrophil or platelet sequestration. We conclude that other adhesive mechanisms mediate the residual sequestration of human formed blood elements to pig endothelium that occurs even in the context of the multiple genetic modifications and drug treatments tested here.
Interaction of background Ca2+ influx, sarcoplasmic reticulum threshold and heart failure in determining propensity for Ca2+ waves in sheep heart
Authors: Hutchings David C. , Madders George W. P. , Niort Barbara C. , Bode Elizabeth F. , Waddell Caitlin A. , Woods Lori S. , Dibb Katharine M. , Eisner David A. , Trafford Andrew W.
Published: March 2022

Ventricular arrhythmias can cause death in heart failure (HF). A trigger is the occurrence of Ca2+ waves which activate a Na+‐Ca2+ exchange (NCX) current, leading to delayed after‐depolarisations and triggered action potentials. Waves arise when sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ content reaches a threshold and are commonly induced experimentally by raising external Ca2+, although the mechanism by which this causes waves is unclear and was the focus of this study. Intracellular Ca2+ was measured in voltage‐clamped ventricular myocytes from both control sheep and those subjected to rapid pacing to produce HF. Threshold SR Ca2+ content was determined by applying caffeine (10  mM) following a wave and integrating wave and caffeine‐induced NCX currents. Raising external Ca2+ induced waves in a greater proportion of HF cells than control. The associated increase of SR Ca2+ content was smaller in HF due to a lower threshold. Raising external Ca2+ had no effect on total influx via the L‐type Ca2+ current, ICa‐L, and increased efflux on NCX. Analysis of sarcolemmal fluxes revealed substantial background Ca2+ entry which sustains Ca2+ efflux during waves in the steady state. Wave frequency and background Ca2+ entry were decreased by Gd3+ or the TRPC6 inhibitor BI 749327. These agents also blocked Mn2+ entry. Inhibiting connexin hemi‐channels, TRPC1/4/5, L‐type channels or NCX had no effect on background entry. In conclusion, raising external Ca2+ induces waves via a background Ca2+ influx through TRPC6 channels. The greater propensity to waves in HF results from increased background entry and decreased threshold SR content.

Key points

Heart failure is a pro‐arrhythmic state and arrhythmias are a major cause of death.

At the cellular level, Ca2+ waves resulting in delayed after‐depolarisations are a key trigger of arrhythmias. Ca2+ waves arise when the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) becomes overloaded with Ca2+.

We investigate the mechanism by which raising external Ca2+ causes waves, and how this is modified in heart failure.

We demonstrate that a novel sarcolemmal background Ca2+ influx via the TRPC6 channel is responsible for SR Ca2+ overload and Ca2+ waves.

The increased propensity for Ca2+ waves in heart failure results from an increase of background influx, and a lower threshold SR content.

The results of the present study highlight a novel mechanism by which Ca2+ waves may arise in heart failure, providing a basis for future work and novel therapeutic targets.
Rolling Turbines—Theoretical Considerations and Experimental Verification
Authors: Maršík František , Trávníček Zdeněk
Published: March 2022

Rolling turbines are fluid motors that may be used in pico hydro applications at very small hydraulic heads of below 1 m and can operate even with untapped (waste) water. The present study proposes a theory of their operation, based on the hydrodynamic stability of vortices. A solid body vortex may be transformed due to viscosity into a more stable potential vortex. Circulation generated in the vortex core is transmitted to a rotor. The rotor, which is the key element, performs a precession motion, rotating concurrently around its axis while processing around another (precession) axis. The mechanical power output is drawn from the precession motion via a shaft. The theoretical results were experimentally validated with three variants of the rotors: one truncated cone and two spherical rotors. It was concluded that the tested rolling turbines operate with an efficiency of 43% to 48% at a hydraulic head of between 0.5 and 1.6 m.
Finite Cross-Section Method for Mode Shape Recognition of Highly Coupled Beam-Type Structures
Authors: Chen Yuanchang , Todd Griffith D.
Published: March 2022

The mode shapes of beam-type structures, such as aircraft wings and wind turbine blades, involve a high degree of coupling between bending and torsional deformations. In the case of wind turbine blades, different types of deformation are typically easily recognized by visual observation. However, this visual approach is sometimes challenging for high-order mode shapes, which involve complex coupling of both bending and torsional deformations. This work proposes a novel mode shape recognition algorithm, called the finite cross-section method (FCSM), for application to highly coupled beam-type structures not only to identify the deformation components of complex beam mode shapes but also more importantly to quantify their respective relative contribution. In the application case study for the FCSM, the entire structure is discretized into multiple cross sections. The flap-wise, edge-wise, and torsional deformation components of the entire structure are determined at the cross-section level. The deformation components of the entire structure and their respective contribution are obtained from assembling all cross sections. To validate the mode shape recognition performance, FCSM is applied to and demonstrated on four test cases: (1) numerical mode shapes of a simple cantilever beam, (2) numerical mode shapes from a straight wind turbine blade, (3) numerical mode shapes of a swept wind turbine blade, and (4) experimental mode shapes from a high spatial resolution 3D scanning laser Doppler vibrometer (SLDV) modal test. Both numerical and experimental studies demonstrate that FCSM can successfully recognize the quantitative contribution of flap-wise, edge-wise, and torsional deformation.
Methanol/Ethanol/Butanol–Gasoline Blends Use in Transportation Engine—Part 2: Composition, Morphology, and Characteristics of Particulates
Authors: Singh Akhilendra Pratap , Sonawane Utkarsha , Agarwal Avinash Kumar
Published: March 2022

Spark ignition (SI) engines have a remarkable share in the passenger car segment in urban areas worldwide. Particulate matter (PM) emitted from these vehicles has an adverse health impact since it can penetrate deep into the lungs, leading to cardiovascular issues. In this study, a detailed physical, chemical, and morphological characterization of the PM emitted by a production-grade SI engine fueled with different alcohol–gasoline blends (gasohols), namely GM10 (10% methanol blended with gasoline, v/v), GE10 (10% ethanol blended with gasoline, v/v), and GB10 (10% butanol blended with gasoline, v/v) vis-à-vis baseline gasoline was performed. Results exhibited that gasohol-fueled engines emitted relatively lower particulate mass and numbers. Trace metal analysis was performed to explore the composition of PM, which showed that gasoline-fueled engines exhibited comparatively higher emissions of trace metals than gasohol-fueled engines. PM morphology was also investigated to evaluate the suitability of alcohol blending with gasoline, revealing that even a small fraction of alcohols blended with gasoline could alter the structure of particulates. This study successfully demonstrated that the large-scale implementation of gasohols in SI engines could reduce PM emissions and trace metals in the particulates. This study also showed the potential of gasohols to partially replace fossil fuels, which could be explored further for higher alcohol fractions.
Erratum: Antonella Di Palma, Gary R. Bauchan, Jennifer J. Beard, Ronald Ochoa, Owen Seeman & Elliot W. Kitajima Ultrastructure and functional morphology of the mouthparts in Raoiella mites (Tetranychoidea: Tenuipalpidae): how they use the cheliceral stylets during feeding. Systematic & Applied Acarology 27(2): 347–367 (2022)
Authors: DiPalma Antonella , Bauchan Gary R. , Beard Jennifer J. , Ochoa Ronald , Seeman Owen , Kitajima Elliot W.
Published: March 2022

N/A
Measuring Muscle Activity in Sprinters Using T2-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Yoshimoto Takaya , Chiba Yoshihiro , Ohnuma Hayato , Yanaka Takuya , Sugisaki Norihide
Published: March 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the level of muscle activity during sprint running using T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Methods: Fourteen male sprinters (age 21.2 [4.0] y; height 171.8 [4.2] cm, weight 65.5 [5.3] kg, 100-m personal record 11.01 [0.41] s; mean [SD]) performed 3 sets of three 60-m round-trip sprints. Before and after the round-trip sprints, 3 T magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed to obtain the T2 values of the 14 athletes’ lower-extremity muscles. Results: After the 60-m round-trip sprints, the T2 value of the gluteus maximus, long head of biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus, adductor brevis, adductor longus, adductor magnus, and gracilis increased significantly. The rate of change in the T2 values before and after the 60-m round-trip sprints was notably higher in the semitendinosus and gluteus maximus than in the other muscles. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the specific physiological metabolism of the lower-extremity muscles during fast sprinting. There are particularly high levels of muscle activity in the gluteus maximus and semitendinosus during sprint performance.
eNAMPT actions through nucleus accumbens NAD
+
/SIRT1 link increased adiposity with sociability deficits programmed by peripuberty stress
Authors: Morató Laia , Astori Simone , Zalachoras Ioannis , Rodrigues Joao , Ghosal Sriparna , Huang Wei , Guillot de Suduiraut Isabelle , Grosse Jocelyn , Zanoletti Olivia , Cao Lei , Auwerx Johan , Sandi Carmen
Published: March 2022

Obesity is frequently associated with impairments in the social domain, and stress at puberty can lead to long-lasting changes in visceral fat deposition and in social behaviors. However, whether stress-induced changes in adipose tissue can affect fat-to-brain signaling, thereby orchestrating behavioral changes, remains unknown. We found that peripubertally stressed male—but not female—mice exhibit concomitant increased adiposity and sociability deficits. We show that reduced levels of the adipokine nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) in fat and its extracellular form eNAMPT in blood contribute to lifelong reductions in sociability induced by peripubertal stress. By using a series of adipose tissue and brain region–specific loss- and gain-of-function approaches, we implicate impaired nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD
+
)/SIRT1 pathway in the nucleus accumbens. Impairments in sociability and accumbal neuronal excitability are prevented by normalization of eNAMPT levels or treatment with nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a NAD
+
-boosting compound. We propose NAD
+
boosters to treat social deficits of early life stress origin.
Effects of changes in perceived discrimination during BLM on the 2020 presidential election
Authors: Mutz Diana C.
Published: March 2022

Few Americans change their choice of presidential candidate to a different political party from election to election. This study evaluates whether and in what direction the Black Lives Matter movement affected the small percentage of voters whose presidential votes changed from 2016 to 2020. Six waves of nationally representative probability surveys are used to establish that significant increases in the extent to which Americans perceived discrimination against Blacks and to which people favored more government efforts to address racial inequality both occurred in 2020. Using panel data, results suggest that increases in perceptions of racial inequality significantly increased the probability of vote switching toward the Democratic candidate. Attention to racial injustice also primed voters to rely more heavily on this issue when evaluating candidates.