bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The influence of the emitting bodies surface boundary conditions on particle streams in their vicinity
Authors: Gunko Yu F , Gunko N A
Published: July 2021

The problem of the influence of boundary conditions on the surface of emitting bodies on particle flows in their vicinity is studied in this paper. The solution to this problem is actual and relevant both for studying the behavior of electron plasma in a closed space (diodes and multi-electrode devices) and in open space (studying electron flows in the vicinity of natural and artificial celestial bodies). This research is theoretical. The emitting particles are electrons. Moreover, it is assumed that the emission of electrons occurs in vacuum. The electric field potential on the surface of the emitting bodies is considered constant (the first boundary condition). The second condition is determined by setting the field strength on the body surface. Four types of boundary conditions are considered: 1) fully screened electric field; 2) mono-speed flow from the surface; 3) monoenergetic isotropic flow; 4) the starting particles are distributed according to the Maxwell’s law. In the second of the above cases, the desired dependence is found analytically. In the third and fourth cases, the dependences of the electric potential strength are found numerically using the kinetic approach. The calculation results are presented in the graphs.
Damped rotational vibrations of a long cylinder with a disk in the air flow
Authors: Kaufman D V , Ryabinin A N
Published: July 2021

We consider the drag and the damped rotational oscillations of a cylinder. The cylinder length-to-diameter ratio is nine. At the upstream end of the cylinder, a disk is mounted coaxially on the leg. The disk reduces the drag of the cylinder. The effect of the disk on damping of oscillations is described by aerodynamic rotational derivatives. Experiment in the wind tunnel is carried out with the flow past a cylinder fixed on an elastic spring suspension. In experiment, the diameter of the coaxial disk, position of axis of rotation and the gap between the disk and the cylinder vary. Deflected from the equilibrium position, the cylinder performs damped oscillations. The dependence of the amplitude of angular oscillations on time is determined by the tensometric method. Aerodynamic coefficients of rotational derivatives are found.
SD-effect for circular plates of lamina cribrosa and optic nerve
Authors: Pavilaynen Galina V , Franus Dmitry V
Published: July 2021

Asymptotic equations for stresses are presented and used for numerical modeling and graphical representation of elastoplastic properties of circular SD-plates. A numerical solution of the plate bend is obtained after calculating the system of fifth-order differential equations. Euler difference method and software package COMSOL 5.6 are applied to solve the problem for biological tissue.
Structural features of photogravitational celestial mechanics
Authors: Korolev V , Polyakhova E , Pototskaya I , Stepenko N , Tureshbaev A
Published: July 2021

The features of mathematical models of controlled motion of a spacecraft with a solar sail, which take into account the translational and rotational motion of all parts of the structure, are considered. Equations for motion in a photogravitational field are used on the basis of the two-body problem, taking into account perturbations, or a more general model of the bounded three-body problem. The gravitational field is supplemented by the field of light pressure forces, which makes it possible to simulate real dynamics processes. When approximating the system of equations of perturbed motion for different orbits and parameters of the main bodies, control capabilities and stability conditions of motion are obtained at the specified orbits, as well as in the vicinity of libration points. Stability of orientation or rotation relative to the center of mass is provided by the moment of light pressure forces on the elements of the sail system or additional actions of special engines.
Reduced description of local equilibrium monatomic oxygen flows with multiple ionization
Authors: Rydalevskaya M A , Shalamov I Y
Published: July 2021

A new scheme to describe ionized monatomic gases with multiple kinds of ions is suggested. The conservation equations of the momentum, energy, numbers of nuclei and electrons (both bound and free) are derived. Local equilibrium flows of dissociated ionized oxygen are considered. Temperature dependence of oxygen atoms, ions and free electrons concentrations is calculated for the case when the initial density of oxygen atoms is equal to the Loschmidt’s number. The dependence of pressure on temperature is also emphasized.
Physical and mathematical simulation of bridge segment oscillations
Authors: Shmigirilov R V , Ryabinin A N
Published: July 2021

On the basis of known mathematical models describing vibrations in the gas flow of a bluff body with one degree of freedom, a model of vibrations of a body with two degrees of freedom is obtained. The Krylov–Bogolyubov method is applied. Equations for slowly varying amplitudes and phase shift of vibrations are obtained. It turned out that the differential equations written for the squares of dimensionless amplitudes of translational and rotational vibrations coincide with the well-known Lotka-Volterra equations describing competition between two species of animals that eat the same food. In a wind tunnel, the change of modes of vibrations of the bridge segment predicted by a mathematical model is studied.
Nonlinear oscillation modes of spatial double pendulum
Authors: Smirnov A S , Smolnikov B A
Published: July 2021

The article studies nonlinear oscillations of a double mathematical pendulum which axes of the cylindrical joints are not collinear to each other and constitute an acute angle between themselves. Nonlinear oscillation modes of the system are constructed and analyzed in the first approximation using asymptotic methods. A quantitative verification of the obtained results is carried out by considering particular cases of a plane and orthogonal double pendulum and monitoring the energy integral in the appropriate approximation. The constructed analytical solutions are accompanied by graphic illustrations that clarify the essence of the solution.
On numerical bifurcation analysis of periodic motions of autonomous Hamiltonian systems with two degrees of freedom
Authors: Sukhov Egor
Published: July 2021

In this work we consider bifurcation problem for natural families of periodic motions of autonomous Hamiltonian systems with two degrees of freedom. While there exists a well-developed analytical approach to this problem, it is limited to small neighborhoods of known equilibria and stationary solutions. To explore the bifurcations of periodic motions for all admissible values of the problem’s parameters it is necessary to employ numerical methods. We propose an approach combining analytical and numerical computation of the natural families with numerical bifurcation analysis. We obtain the so-called base solutions either analytically or numerically for particular values of the problem’s parameters and then employ a numerical method to continue the base solutions to the borders of their existence domains and to identify bifurcation points. Linear orbital stability domains are also obtained in course of the continuation. To illustrate the proposed approach we analyze bifurcation of periodic motions emanating from Cylindrical precession of a dynamically-symmetric satellite on a circular orbit.
Local non-equilibrium phase density reconstruction with Grad and Chapman-Enskog methods
Authors: Timokhin Maksim , Rukhmakov Dmitry
Published: July 2021

The study of the non-equilibrium velocity gas distribution function reconstruction was carried out due to extended gas dynamics methods. The bimodal Mott-Smith solution for a plane shock wave was used as a reference distribution function. The shock-wave solutions were considered in the range of Mach numbers from Ma = 2.0 to Ma = 8.0. The reconstruction of the original function was carried out using the Navier-Stokes-Fourier, 13-moment, regularized 13-moment and 26-moment approximating functions.
Structural elucidation of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotube—Diferuloylmethane Conjugate: a pre-requisite for validating applications in water purification
Authors: D Angelene Hannah Jebarani , N Gobi , T Devasena
Published: July 2021

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with its exceptional properties are considered a material of choice for use in various water treatment processes. The functionalization of the CNTs helps fine-tune its properties to achieve desired performances and/or overcome the limitations in processabilty to satisfy the requirements as per the application. Diferuloylmethane (DFM), a plant derived polyphenolic diarylheptanoid is a bioactive compound intriguingly exploited for use in environmental remediation. In this paper we report the functionalization of CNTs with DFM to craft a novel carbon conjugate suitable for use as reinforcement in membrane fabrication. The experimental results showed that the prepared conjugate retained the integrity of nanotube structure on functionalization and also showed lesser agglomeration in comparison to the pristine nanotubes. The formation of conjugate was further confirmed by the changes in functionalities of DFM. The thermal and colloidal stability of the conjugate have also been reported. The prepared conjugate with synchronized properties of the individual constituents is proposed to be an ideal option for enhancing the performance of membranes used in water treatment processes.
E2F4’s cytoplasmic role in multiciliogenesis is mediated via an N-terminal domain that binds two components of the centriole replication machinery, Deup1 and SAS6
Authors: Hazan Renin , Mori Munemasa , Danielian Paul S. , Guen Vincent J. , Rubin Seth M. , Cardoso Wellington V. , Lees Jacqueline A.
Published: July 2021

Multiciliogenesis requires both nuclear and cytoplasmic functions of the E2F4 transcription factor. Here we identify a domain in E2F4 that interacts with two key components of the cytoplasmic centriole replication machinery, Deup1 and SAS6, and is sufficient to mediate E2F4’s cytoplasmic role in multiciliogenesis.
Fictional reference: How to Account for both Directedness and Uniformity
Authors: Voltolini Alberto
Published: July 2021

In the old days of descriptivism, fictional reference and non-fictional reference with proper names were treated on a par. Descriptivism was not an intuitive theory, but it meritoriously provided a unitary semantic account of names, whether referentially full or empty. Then the revolution of the new theory of reference occurred. This new theory is definitely more intuitive than descriptivism, yet it comes with a drawback: the referentially full use and the referentially empty use, notably the fictional use, of names are semantically no longer on the same footing. How the use of names from fiction is referentially empty has even been seen as a symptom of its not being a use at all. In this paper, I ask the following question: can one keep the merits of the new theory of reference and still provide a unitary account of both fictional and non-fictional reference with names? My answer is positive, provided that one conceives proper names as a special kind of indexicals.
Renin Angiotensin Blockers and Cardiac Protection: From Basics to Clinical Trials
Authors: Lévy Bernard I , Mourad Jean Jacques
Published: July 2021

Despite a similar beneficial effect on blood pressure lowering observed with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) blocker (ARBs), several clinical trials and meta-analyses have reported higher cardiovascular mortality and lower protection against myocardial infarction with ARBs when compared with ACEIs. The European guidelines for the management of coronary syndromes and European guidelines on diabetes recommend using ARBs in patients who are intolerant to ACEIs. We reviewed the main pharmacological differences between ACEIs and ARBs, which could provide insights into the differences in the cardiac protection offered by these 2 drug classes. The effect of ACEIs on the tissue and plasma levels of bradykinin and on nitric oxide production and bioavailability is specific to the mechanism of action of ACEIs; it could account for the different effects of ACEIs and ARBs on endothelial function, atherogenesis, and fibrinolysis. Moreover, chronic blockade of AT1 receptors by ARBs induces a significant and permanent increase in plasma angiotensin II and an overstimulation of its still available receptors. In animal models, AT4 receptors have vasoconstrictive, proliferative, and inflammatory effects. Moreover, in models with kidney damage, atherosclerosis, and/or senescence, activation of AT2 receptors could have deleterious fibrotic, vasoconstrictive, and hypertrophic effects and seems prudent and reasonable to reserve the use of ARBs for patients who have presented intolerance to ACE inhibitors.
Post-54: Reconstructing Civil War Memory in American Literature afterBrown
Authors: LeMahieu Michael
Published: July 2021

From a cultural fad of Confederate flags to a spate of schools named after Confederate generals, the 1954 Brown v. Board decision revived the memory of the US Civil War. In their collective effort of “massive resistance,” white southerners considered themselves carrying on the legacy of their Confederate ancestors, rebelling against the federal government and insisting upon states’ rights. In response to this revival, many mid-century writers revised Civil War memory. Ralph Ellison, for example, considered the Brown decision as yet another battle in an ongoing Civil War. The works of Black writers such as James Baldwin, Langston Hughes, Pauli Murray, and Margaret Walker, as well as white writers such as Robert Lowell, Carson McCullers, Flannery O’Connor, and Robert Penn Warren, revise Lost Cause cultural narratives as they reconstruct four sites of Civil War memory: monuments, schools, textbooks, and grandparents. Writers in the twenty-first century have extended the interest in Civil War memory, from the essays of Ta-Nehisi Coates to the plays of Suzan-Lori Parks, to the fiction of George Saunders to the poetry of Natasha Trethewey and Kevin Young. The return of Civil War memory in twenty-first-century literature anticipates and represents the resurgence of civil rights protest against ongoing, state-sanctioned racial violence.
Ontoclick: a web browser extension to facilitate biomedical knowledge curation
Authors: Xu Anthony , Venkateswaran Aravind , Zhou Lianguizi , Zankl Andreas
Published: July 2021

Motivation

Knowledge curation from the biomedical literature is very valuable but can be a repetitive and laborious process. The paucity of user-friendly tools is one of the reasons for the lack of widespread adoption of good biomedical knowledge curation practices.

Results

Here, we present Ontoclick, a web browser extension that streamlines the process of annotating a text span with a relevant ontology term. We hope this tool will make biocuration more accessible to a wider audience of biomedical researchers.

Availability and implementation

Ontoclick is freely available under the GPL-3.0 license on the Chrome Web Store and on the Mozilla Add-Ons for Firefox Store. Source code and documentation are available at: https://github.com/azankl/Ontoclick.
Looking beneath the surface: the importance of subcortical structures in frontotemporal dementia
Authors: Bocchetta Martina , Malpetti Maura , Todd Emily G , Rowe James B , Rohrer Jonathan D
Published: July 2021

Whilst initial anatomical studies of frontotemporal dementia focussed on cortical involvement, the relevance of subcortical structures to the pathophysiology of frontotemporal dementia has been increasingly recognized over recent years. Key structures affected include the caudate, putamen, nucleus accumbens, and globus pallidus within the basal ganglia, the hippocampus and amygdala within the medial temporal lobe, the basal forebrain, and the diencephalon structures of the thalamus, hypothalamus and habenula. At the most posterior aspect of the brain, focal involvement of brainstem and cerebellum has recently also been shown in certain subtypes of frontotemporal dementia. Many of the neuroimaging studies on subcortical structures in frontotemporal dementia have been performed in clinically defined sporadic cases. However, investigations of genetically- and pathologically-confirmed forms of frontotemporal dementia are increasingly common and provide molecular specificity to the changes observed. Furthermore, detailed analyses of sub-nuclei and subregions within each subcortical structure are being added to the literature, allowing refinement of the patterns of subcortical involvement. This review focuses on the existing literature on structural imaging and neuropathological studies of subcortical anatomy across the spectrum of frontotemporal dementia, along with investigations of brain–behaviour correlates that examine the cognitive sequelae of specific subcortical involvement: it aims to ‘look beneath the surface’ and summarize the patterns of subcortical involvement have been described in frontotemporal dementia.
Circulating Cell-Free Mitochondrial DNA in Cerebrospinal Fluid as a Biomarker for Mitochondrial Diseases
Authors: Trifunov Selena , Paredes-Fuentes Abraham J , Badosa Carmen , Codina Anna , Montoya Julio , Ruiz-Pesini Eduardo , Jou Cristina , Garrabou Glòria , Grau-Junyent Josep M , Yubero Dèlia , Montero Raquel , Muchart Jordi , Ortigoza-Escobar Juan D , O’Callaghan Maria M , Nascimento Andrés , Català Albert , Garcia-Cazorla Àngels , Jimenez-Mallebrera Cecilia , Artuch Rafael
Published: July 2021

Background

Mitochondrial diseases (MD) are genetic metabolic disorders that impair normal mitochondrial structure or function. The aim of this study was to investigate the status of circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA (ccfmtDNA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), together with other biomarkers (growth differentiation factor-15 [GDF-15], alanine, and lactate), in a cohort of 25 patients with a molecular diagnosis of MD.

Methods

Measurement of ccfmtDNA was performed by using droplet digital PCR.

Results

The mean copy number of ccfmtDNA was approximately 6 times higher in the MD cohort compared to the control group; patients with mitochondrial deletion and depletion syndromes (MDD) had the higher levels. We also detected the presence of both wild-type mtDNA and mtDNA deletions in CSF samples of patients with single deletions. Patients with MDD with single deletions had significantly higher concentrations of GDF-15 in CSF than controls, whereas patients with point mutations in mitochondrial DNA presented no statistically significant differences. Additionally, we found a significant positive correlation between ccfmtDNA levels and GDF-15 concentrations (r = 0.59, P = 0.016).

Conclusion

CSF ccfmtDNA levels are significantly higher in patients with MD in comparison to controls and, thus, they can be used as a novel biomarker for MD research. Our results could also be valuable to support the clinical outcome assessment of MD patients.
Blockchain-Based Confidential Multiparty Contract Signing Protocol Without TTP Using Elliptic Curve Cryptography
Authors: Payeras-Capellà M Magdalena , Mut-Puigserver Macià , Cabot-Nadal Miquel À , Huguet-Rotger Llorenç
Published: July 2021

Signed information is difficult to manage and this difficulty is even bigger when pieces of signed digital information have to be exchanged in an atomic procedure. Multiparty contract signing is an application of fair exchange of values, where the information to be exchanged are signed versions of a contract. Traditionally, this trust service requires the involvement of a trusted third party (TTP). This is a point of weakness for the generalization of the use of electronic contract signing protocols. Another usual problem for multiparty contract signing is that the protocols for multiparty exchanges are far more complex that those for two-party exchanges. Additionally, it is common that the signers demand protocols that assure the confidentiality of the contract. In this proposal blockchain-based technologies and smart contracts are used to obtain a protocol for electronic contract signing that does not need a TTP in any stage of the procedure. The protocol satisfies the ideal requirements for the contract signing service, even allowing the signature of confidential contracts. Moreover, the proposed solution is far more efficient than previous solutions for fair exchange protocols using blockchain presented up to the date thanks to the use of elliptic curve cryptography.
Association of Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) With the Perennial Weed Physalis longifolia (Solanales: Solanaceae) in the Potato-Growing Regions of Western Idaho
Authors: Reyes Corral Cesar A , Cooper W Rodney , Horton David , Miliczky Eugene , Riebe Jennifer , Waters Timothy , Wildung Mark , Karasev Alexander V
Published: July 2021

The potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Šulc), is a major pest of potato (Solanales: Solanaceae) as a vector of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ (Lso). Bactericera cockerelli colonizes potato from noncrop host plants, yet we do not yet know which noncrop species are the primary sources of Lso-infected psyllids. The perennial weed, Physalis longifolia Nutt., is a high-quality host for B. cockerelli and Lso under laboratory conditions but has been overlooked in recent field studies as a source of Lso-infected psyllids. Our current study had four objectives: 1) determine whether P. longifolia is abundant in potato-growing regions of Washington and Idaho, 2) determine whether stands of P. longifolia harbor B. cockerelli and Lso, 3) identify the psyllid haplotypes occurring on P. longifolia, and 4) use molecular gut content analysis to infer which plant species the psyllids had previously fed upon prior to their capture from P. longifolia. Online herbaria and field searches revealed that P. longifolia is abundant in western Idaho and is present at low densities in the Columbia Basin of Washington. Over 200 psyllids were collected from P. longifolia stands in 2018 and 2019, confirming that B. cockerelli colonizes stands of this plant. Gut content analysis indicated that a proportion of B. cockerelli collected from P. longifolia had arrived there from potato. Confirmation that P. longifolia is abundant in certain potato-growing regions of the Pacific Northwest, and that B. cockerelli readily uses this plant, could improve models to predict the risk of future psyllid and Lso outbreaks.
Globalisation in agriculture and food: the role of multinational enterprises
Authors: Scoppola Margherita
Published: July 2021

This paper reviews the state-of-the-art work on agri-food Multinational Enterprises (MNEs), by discussing the current state-of-play and the tools at our disposal to expand knowledge. After a critical discussion of available data, new data from OECD are used to provide a broad overview of the role of MNEs in the agri-food Global Value Chains (GVCs) and to draw a few stylized facts. Data reveals that in the food, beverages and tobacco industry MNE activity is higher than on average, while in agriculture it is lower; North-South flows are increasing as well as the role of MNE in the agri-food GVCs. The review of theoretical and of empirical literature shows how modern trade theories provide us with a strong theoretical background which, together with improved firm-level and country-level data, may help explaining observed patterns and effectively orientate empirical analyses of agri-food MNEs in several directions.
Elite violence and elite numeracy in Africa from 1400 CE to 1950 CE
Authors: Baten Joerg , Alexopoulou Kleoniki
Published: July 2021

How can we trace early African development? The share of rulers’ known birth year has been identified as an indicator of elite numeracy in African regions since 1400, and the share of murdered rulers allows us to gain insights into interpersonal violence behaviour of African elites. From this emerges a dynamic picture of quantitative African history: the absence of elite violence and high elite numeracy developed jointly in sub-Saharan Africa. Some African regions, such as today’s Ethiopia and Angola, took the lead in early development but also experienced severe declines. Development in Africa was, on average, later than in Northwestern Europe.
Rate control drugs differ in the prevention of progression of atrial fibrillation
Authors: Koldenhof Tim , Wijtvliet Petra E P J , Pluymaekers Nikki A H A , Rienstra Michiel , Folkeringa Richard J , Bronzwaer Patrick , Elvan Arif , Elders Jan , Tukkie Raymond , Luermans Justin G L M , van Kuijk Sander M J , Tijssen Jan G P , van Gelder Isabelle C , Crijns Harry J G M , Tieleman Robert G
Published: July 2021

Aims

We hypothesize that in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), verapamil is associated with lower AF progression compared to beta blockers or no rate control.

Methods and results

In this pre-specified post hoc analysis of the RACE 4 randomized trial, the effect of rate control medication on AF progression in paroxysmal AF was analysed. Patients using Vaughan-Williams Class I or III antiarrhythmic drugs were excluded. The primary outcome was a composite of first electrical cardioversion (ECV), chemical cardioversion (CCV), or atrial ablation. Event rates are displayed using Kaplan–Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression analyses are used to adjust for baseline differences. Out of 666 patients with paroxysmal AF, 47 used verapamil, 383 used beta blockers, and 236 did not use rate control drugs. The verapamil group was significantly younger than the beta blocker group and contained more men than the no rate control group. Over a mean follow-up of 37 months, the primary outcome occurred in 17% in the verapamil group, 33% in the beta blocker group, and 33% in the no rate control group (P = 0.038). After adjusting for baseline characteristics, patients using verapamil have a significantly lower chance of receiving ECV, CCV, or atrial ablation compared to patients using beta blockers [hazard ratio (HR) 0.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.19–0.83] and no rate control (HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.44–0.93).

Conclusion

In patients with newly diagnosed paroxysmal AF, verapamil was associated with less AF progression, as compared to beta blockers and no rate control.
The role of bcsE gene in the pathogenicity of Salmonella
Authors: Özdemir Caner , Akçelik Nefise , Neslihan Özdemir Fatma , Evcili İrem , Kahraman Tamer , Gürsel İhsan , Akçelik Mustafa
Published: July 2021

The effects of the bcsE gene and BcsE protein on bacterial physiology and pathogenicity in SalmonellaTyphimurium and Salmonella Group C1 were investigated. It was observed that biofilm and pellicle formation did not occur in the bcsE gene mutants of wild-type strains. Besides, the ‘rdar’ (red, dry, rough) biofilm morphotype in wild-type strains changed significantly in the mutants. In terms of the bcsE gene, the swimming and swarming motility in mutant strains showed a dramatic increase compared to the wild-type strains. The Salmonella bcsE gene was cloned into Escherichia coli BL21, and the his-tagged protein produced in this strain was purified to obtain polyclonal antibodies in BALB/c mice. The antibodies were showed labeled antigen specificity to the BscE protein. As a result of immunization and systemic persistence tests carried out with BALB/c mice, BscE protein was determined to trigger high levels of humoral and cellular responses (Th1 cytokine production, IgG2a/IgG1 > 1). Systemic persistence in the liver and spleen samples decreased by 99.99% and 100% in the bcsE mutant strains. Finally, invasion abilities on HT-29 epithelial cells of wild-type strains were utterly disappeared in their bcsE gene mutant strains.
The genetic architecture of leaf stable carbon isotope composition inZea maysand the effect of transpiration efficiency on leaf elemental accumulation
Authors: Sorgini Crystal A , Roberts Lucas M , Sullivan Madsen , Cousins Asaph B , Baxter Ivan , Studer Anthony J
Published: July 2021

With increased demand on freshwater resources for agriculture, it is imperative that more water-use efficient crops are developed. Leaf stable carbon isotope composition, δ13C, is a proxy for transpiration efficiency and a possible tool for breeders, but the underlying mechanisms effecting δ13C in C4 plants are not known. It has been suggested that differences in specific leaf area (SLA), which potentially reflects variation in internal CO2 diffusion, can impact leaf δ13C. Furthermore, although it is known that water movement is important for elemental uptake, it is not clear how manipulation of transpiration for increased water-use efficiency may impact nutrient accumulation. Here, we characterize the genetic architecture of leaf δ13C and test its relationship to SLA and the ionome in five populations of maize. Five significant QTL for leaf δ13C were identified, including novel QTL as well as some that were identified previously in maize kernels. One of the QTL regions contains an Erecta-like gene, the ortholog of which has been shown to regulate transpiration efficiency and leaf δ13C in Arabidopsis. QTL for δ13C were located in the same general chromosome region, but slightly shifted, when comparing data from two different years. Our data does not support a relationship between δ13C and SLA, and of the 19 elements analyzed, only a weak correlation between molybdenum and δ13C was detected. Together these data add to the genetic understanding of leaf δ13C in maize and suggest that improvements to plant water use may be possible without significantly influencing elemental homeostasis.
Dissection of quantitative trait loci in the Lachancea waltii yeast species highlights major hotspots
Authors: Peltier Emilien , Bibi-Triki Sabrina , Dutreux Fabien , Caradec Claudia , Friedrich Anne , Llorente Bertrand , Schacherer Joseph
Published: July 2021

Dissecting the genetic basis of complex trait remains a real challenge. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has become a model organism for studying quantitative traits, successfully increasing our knowledge in many aspects. However, the exploration of the genotype–phenotype relationship in non-model yeast species could provide a deeper insight into the genetic basis of complex traits. Here, we have studied this relationship in the Lachancea waltii species which diverged from the S. cerevisiae lineage prior to the whole-genome duplication. By performing linkage mapping analyses in this species, we identified 86 quantitative trait loci (QTL) impacting the growth in a large number of conditions. The distribution of these loci across the genome has revealed two major QTL hotspots. A first hotspot corresponds to a general growth QTL, impacting a wide range of conditions. By contrast, the second hotspot highlighted a trade-off with a disadvantageous allele for drug-free conditions which proved to be advantageous in the presence of several drugs. Finally, a comparison of the detected QTL in L. waltii with those which had been previously identified for the same trait in a closely related species, Lachancea kluyveri was performed. This analysis clearly showed the absence of shared QTL across these species. Altogether, our results represent a first step toward the exploration of the genetic architecture of quantitative trait across different yeast species.
Heterogeneous material properties—as inferred from seismic attenuation—influenced multiple fault rupture and ductile creep of the KaikouraMw 7.8 earthquake, New Zealand
Authors: Eberhart-Phillips Donna , Ellis Susan , Lanza Federica , Bannister Stephen
Published: July 2021

The 2016 Mw 7.8 Kaikoura, New Zealand, earthquake occurred along the eastern margin of the transition region between active subduction in the North Island and oblique collision in the South Island. To infer crustal properties, we imaged Q (1/seismic attenuation) by combining selected M > 3.5 aftershocks with data from previous Q models. For 158 distributed aftershocks, we fit spectral decay on temporary stations and all Geonet stations, providing 6194 t*p and 19 497 t*s. Considering the varied rheology and faults, we also used 2.5-D numerical models to study ductile strain development. The complex earthquake ruptured an ∼180-km-long zone of multiple faults, which involved jumping around the complicated eastern end of the Hope fault, without significant slip on the Hope fault. The Qs and Qp results show features in the upper and lower crust which correlate to the distribution and types of fault rupture. This earthquake involved numerous faults over a region of greywacke crust, where the underlying high Q Cretaceous slab is about 30-km depth. It initiated with ∼5-m slip on the Humps fault in a region of background seismicity and low Q lower crust, adjacent to the Hope fault. The central region near Kaikoura shows a high Q crustal block, which appears to have inhibited rupture; as the rupture progressed over several small faults to jump offshore of the apparently strong block. Underlying the Kaikoura greywacke crust, below 20-km depth, there is a 40-km-long region of increased Vp, Qs and gravity, which likely represents an intraplate plutonic complex emplaced into the Hikurangi Plateau, forming an elevated section which influences deformation. In the northern section, in a region with relatively uniform moderate to low Q, the earthquake evolved into the relatively continuous ∼80-km-long major rupture along the Jordan, Kekerengu and Needles faults, with ∼6–20 m dextral slip at depth and surface displacements of ∼10 m dextral and ∼2 m vertical. The northern progression of the rupture stopped when it approached an abrupt change to high Q crust across Cook Strait. At 20–30-km depth northwest of the rupture, deeper zones with low Q are consistent with regions of distributed ductile shear and creep where the observed afterslip may have occurred, where the underlying slab is 25–40 km deep. The numerical model shows that ductile deformation localizes in this area of lower crust above the relatively strong slab, connecting outer faults (Kekerengu) to inland faults (Clarence, Awatere, Wairau), and demonstrates that no subduction thrust is required under the Marlborough region.
Business groups, institutions, and firm performance
Authors: Cainelli Giulio , Ganau Roberto , Giunta Anna
Published: July 2021

The aim of this paper is twofold. First, we analyze whether firms affiliated to national and international business groups outperform independent firms. Second, we investigate whether any potential performance premium associated with national and international business group membership depends on the quality of sub-national, regional institutions. Using data on Italian and Spanish manufacturing firms, we find a short-run growth premium for international business group members—while not for national business group members—with respect to independent firms. We also find that the growth premium associated with international business group membership is detected in low-quality regional institutional environments only.
A review of adaptation options in fisheries management to support resilience and transition under socio-ecological change
Authors: Woods P J , Macdonald J I , Bárðarson H , Bonanomi S , Boonstra W J , Cornell G , Cripps G , Danielsen R , Färber L , Ferreira A S A , Ferguson K , Holma M , Holt R E , Hunter K L , Kokkalis A , Langbehn T J , Ljungström G , Nieminen E , Nordström M C , Oostdijk M , Richter A , Romagnoni G , Sguotti C , Simons A , Shackell N L , Snickars M , Whittington J D , Wootton H , Yletyinen J
Published: July 2021

Social-ecological systems dependent on fisheries must be resilient or adapt to remain viable in the face of change. Here, we identified possible interventions (termed “adaptation options”) from published literature, aimed at supporting social or ecological resilience and/or aiding adaptation to changes induced by environmental or social stressors. Our searches centered on nations/regions across North America, Europe, and the South Pacific, encompassing fisheries literature with and without a climate change focus, to compare how, when, and by whom interventions are currently or potentially implemented. We expected that adaptation options within a climate change context would have a greater focus on enhancing social resilience due to a connection with climate change adaptation assessment methodology. Instead, we found a greater focus on ecological resilience, likely indicating a focus on management adaptation. This pattern, along with the more extensive use of social adaptation options responsively and outside the context of climate change, along with an importance in bottom-up influences in implementing them, suggests a general lack of centralized planning and organization with regards to adaptation of stakeholders. Determining how adaptation options are created, chosen, and implemented is a crucial step within or external to ecosystem-based management, especially if planned stakeholder adaption is the goal.
Deep-sea benthic habitats and the impacts of trawling on them in the offshore Greenland halibut fishery, Davis Strait, west Greenland
Authors: Long Stephen , Blicher Martin E , Hammeken Arboe Nanette , Fuhrmann Mona , Darling Michael , Kemp Kirsty M , Nygaard Rasmus , Zinglersen Karl , Yesson Chris
Published: July 2021

The offshore Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) fishery, west Greenland, employs demersal trawl gear at depths of 800–1400 m. In contrast to many deep-sea fisheries, the target stock appears stable and the fishery is of significant economic importance. Recent Marine Stewardship Council certification of this fishery highlighted the paucity of knowledge of benthic habitats and trawling impacts, which this study aimed to address using a towed benthic video sled. The spatially discrete northern and southern areas of the fishery were found to be distinct in terms of the communities present, which non-metric multidimensional scaling suggests is primarily driven by temperature. Extensive physical evidence of trawling was observed. Trawling effort was significantly linked with community composition, with a negative association between trawling effort and abundance of some taxa, including some vulnerable marine ecosystem (VME) indicator species. Three potential VMEs are identified: (i) Flabellum alabastrum cup coral meadows; (ii) a Halipteris finmarchica sea pen field; and (iii) areas exhibiting mixed assemblages of VME indicators. Of immediate conservation concern is a H. finmarchica field, which seems to be at least regionally rare, is situated within the fringes of existing trawling effort and is currently afforded no protection by management measures.
Bringing the Ottoman Order Back into International Relations: A Distinct International Order or Part of an Islamic International Society?
Authors: Balci Ali
Published: July 2021

Long neglected in international relations (IRs), the Ottoman Empire is now getting the attention it deserves. Leaving its “Westphalian straitjacket” behind, the discipline has finally taken a keen interest in non-Western and historical cases. However, the discipline has long focused disproportionately on the Chinese tributary system and produced a large body of literature about it. Spruyt's The World Imagined presents two crucial innovations. The book, on the one hand, introduces the “Islamic international society” into the mainstream, and on the other hand, balances the dominance of the Chinese tributary system in the historical IR subfield. When Spruyt's book is read together with Mikhail's God's Shadow and White's Piracy and Law in the Ottoman Mediterranean, it becomes clear that the Ottoman Empire should be treated as a distinct international order. By including another book in the debate (Casale's The Ottoman Age of Exploration), this study aims to problematize “Islamic international society” and introduce the Ottoman Empire as a distinct international order.
Efficacy of a novel antimicrobial hydrogel for eradication of Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus and Cutibacterium acnes from preformed biofilm and treatment performance in an in vivo MRSA wound model
Authors: Ronco Troels , Aragao Maria F , Svenningsen Søren , Christensen Jørn B , Permin Anders , Saaby Lasse , Bionda Nina , Lantz Ellen E , Olsen Rikke H
Published: July 2021

Background

Bacterial biofilm formation is a complicating factor in the antimicrobial treatment of bacterial infections.

Objectives

In this study, we assessed the impact of a novel hydrogel with the active antimicrobial compound JBC 1847 on eradication of preformed biofilms of Staphylococcus epidermidis, Cutibacterium acnes and MRSA in vitro, and evaluated the in vivo efficacy of MRSA wound treatment.

Methods

Biofilms were exposed to JBC 1847 for 24 h and subsequently the treatments were neutralized and surviving biofilm-associated bacteria recovered and enumerated. The efficacy of the hydrogel on post-treatment load of MRSA was determined in a murine model of MRSA wound infection, and skin samples of the infected mice were examined histologically to evaluate the degree of healing.

Results

A concentration-dependent eradication of biofilm-embedded bacteria by JBC 1847 was observed for all three pathogens, and the hydrogel caused a greater than four log reduction of cfu in all cases. In the mouse model, treatment with the hydrogel significantly reduced the cfu/mL of MRSA compared with treatment of MRSA-infected wounds with pure hydrogel. Histopathological analysis of the wounds showed that the JBC 1847 treatment group had a lower grade of inflammation, a higher mean score of re-epithelization and higher mean scores of parameters assessing the maturity of the newly formed epidermis, compared with both the fusidic acid 2% and vehicle treatment groups.

Conclusions

The novel hydrogel shows promising results as a candidate for future wound treatment, likely to be highly effective even in the case of biofilm-complicating infected wounds.
Breed and heterotic effects for mature weight in beef cattle
Authors: Zimmermann Madeline J , Kuehn Larry A , Spangler Matthew L , Thallman R Mark , Snelling Warren M , Lewis Ronald M
Published: July 2021

Cow mature weight (MWT) is heritable and affects the costs and efficiency of a breeding operation. Cow weight is also influenced by the environment, and the relationship between the size and profitability of a cow varies depending on production system. Producers, therefore, need tools to incorporate MWT in their selection of cattle breeds and herd replacements. The objective of this study was to estimate breed and heterotic effects for MWT using weight-age data on crossbred cows. Cow’s MWT at 6 yr was predicted from the estimated parameter values—asymptotic weight and maturation constant (k)—from the fit of the Brody function to their individual data. Values were obtained for 5,156 crossbred cows from the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) Germplasm Evaluation Program using 108,957 weight records collected from approximately weaning up to 6 yr of age. The cows were produced from crosses among 18 beef breeds. A bivariate animal model was fitted to the MWT and k obtained for each cow. The fixed effects were birth year-season contemporary group and covariates of direct and maternal breed fractions, direct and maternal heterosis, and age at final weighing. The random effects were direct additive and residual. A maternal additive random effect was also fitted for k. In a separate analysis from that used to estimate breed effects and (co)variances, cow MWT was regressed on sire yearling weight (YWT) Expected Progeny Differences by its addition as a covariate to the animal model fitted for MWT. That regression coefficient was then used to adjust breed solutions for sire selection in the USMARC herd. Direct heterosis was 15.3 ± 2.6 kg for MWT and 0.000118 ± 0.000029 d−1 for k. Maternal heterosis was −5.7 ± 3.0 kg for MWT and 0.000130 ± 0.000035 d−1 for k. Direct additive heritabilities were 0.56 ± 0.03 for MWT and 0.23 ± 0.03 for k. The maternal additive heritability for k was 0.11 ± 0.02. The direct additive correlation between MWT and k was negligible (0.08 ± 0.09). Adjusted for sire sampling, Angus was heaviest at maturity of the breeds compared. Deviations from Angus ranged from −8.9 kg (Charolais) to −136.7 kg (Braunvieh). Ordered by decreasing MWT, the breeds ranked Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Brahman, Salers, Santa Gertrudis, Simmental, Maine Anjou, Limousin, Red Angus, Brangus, Chiangus, Shorthorn, Gelbvieh, Beefmaster, and Braunvieh. These breed effects for MWT can inform breeding programs where cow size is considered a key component of the overall profitability.
Zinc supplementation strategies in feedlot heifers receiving an extended-release implant or an aggressive re-implant program
Authors: Messersmith Elizabeth M , Niedermayer Emma K , Thornton Kara J , Crawford Grant I , Hansen Stephanie L
Published: July 2021

Two hundred eight Angus-crossbred heifers (291 ± 23 kg) from four sources were used in a randomized complete block design. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of implant strategy and Zn supplementation on performance, carcass characteristics, muscle fiber diameter, and mineral status of heifers. Heifers were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial study for 168 d, and factors included Zn and implant (IMP). Heifers were supplemented Zn (mg/kg dry matter [DM]; ZnSO4) at national (30; NRC) or industry (100; IND) recommendations. Implant strategies (Merck Animal Health, Madison, NJ) included extended-release Revalor-XH on day 0 (REV-XH; 20 mg estradiol + 200 mg trenbolone acetate) containing four uncoated pellets and six coated pellets or the uncoated implant Revalor-200 on day 0 and again on day 91 (REV-200; 20 mg estradiol + 200 mg trenbolone acetate). Heifers were blocked by weight within source to pens of five or six heifers per pen (nine pens per treatment). A corn silage-based diet was fed during the growing period (days 0–55) followed by transition to a corn-based finishing diet. Weights were taken consecutively on days −1/0, 55/56, and 167/168. Liver and muscle from the longissimus thoracis were collected from one heifer per pen on days −5, 14, 105, and 164. Data were analyzed via Mixed Procedure of SAS. Average daily gain (ADG) and liver mineral used Period as the repeated effect. Corresponding to periods of high hormone payout from each implant, days 0–28 and 91–120 ADG were greatest for REV-200, whereas REV-XH numerically peaked during days 56–91 (IMP × Period; P = 0.02). Day 91 IND body weight tended to be heavier (P = 0.06) and day 120 body weight was heavier (P = 0.05) than NRC heifers. No effect of Zn or IMP on final body weight was observed (P ≥ 0.21). Muscle fiber cross-sectional diameter on day 164 was greater (P = 0.05) in IND than NRC. Liver Mn concentrations decreased by day 14 regardless of implant, though days 105 and 164 concentrations were lesser for REV-200 than REV-XH (IMP × Period; P = 0.02). No effects of Zn, IMP, or the interaction were observed for carcass-adjusted gain to feed, days 0–168 DM intake, hot carcass weight, or ribeye area (P ≥ 0.11). The nominal differences in performance between implant strategies suggest that extended-release implants may be an effective implant strategy to replace re-implant programs in heifers, whereas the improved performance of heifers fed IND vs. NRC during times of peak hormone payout suggests a role for Zn in periods of rapid growth.