bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outdated Ships and Their Future During (Non) Pandemic Times
Authors: Nica-Rus Livia , Kaiter Edith-Hilde
Published: January 2021

Starting from the reality of our times, namely that the maritime and river transports are the cheapest, but also the most long-lasting ones regarding the current types of transport, this paper aims at new perspectives regarding the future of the use of both civil and military ships. Along with other objects and processes, ships must learn to adapt to a rapid changing world.

The following issues will be considered: (1) Creating a picture of the future, as plausible as possible, taking into consideration even the pandemic times. (2) The way in which shipping will be positioned in the future. The role shipbuilding may play on the scale of the large global players, taking into account the demographic and economic charts (population growth and life expectancy, involvement in the workplace etc.). (3) What will happen to the old military ships in the event of demilitarization? (4) What would the floating homes and communities of the future look like?

In conclusion, reconversion of old (military) ships in civilian transportation and/or mobile dwellings would be a good approach from the point of view of economics and human resources.
Investigation of the Effects of Drilling on Mechanical Joints in Composite Structures
Authors: Fathi Pourya , Petrudi Amin Moslemi , Scurtu Ionut Cristian
Published: January 2021

The use of a variety of composites due to their superior properties, which include low weight, high strength, and high corrosion resistance, which are generally many applications in the aerospace, automotive, and marine structures have increased significantly. Fiberglass reinforced composites have several industrial applications due to their suitable mechanical and physical properties. Drilling is one of the common methods for connecting structures made of reinforced materials with fibers. Composite structures usually result from the joining of members to transmit and tolerate incoming forces. One of the methods of connecting the members, due to the ease of maintenance and repair, is the mechanical connection through screws or rivets, which inevitably must create holes in these members. Composites as materials that are difficult to machining, drilling these materials can lead to delamination and, in some cases, degradation. In this paper, the effects of drilling on mechanical joints in composite structures and solutions to prevent damage to them due to drilling are investigated.
Micro-Structural characteristics of Additively Manufactured Pure Tungsten
Authors: Abbas Mirza Atif , Anru Yan , Wang Zhi Yong
Published: January 2021

In this study, fully dense tungsten samples were additively manufactured and the micro-structure behavior was studied. A crack network with a spacing of 20μm up to 100μm was found in the designed samples. It was noticed that the laser scanning approach, which could customize the microstructure, affected the crack behavior in manufactured tungsten[1]. Different additive parameters were adopted to study the microstructure properties, but it was revealed that cracking is practically irresistible in AM (additive manufacturing). It might be achieved that cracking chain assembled because the cracks appeared in each laser fused path and then analogous in the surface-by-surface structure course.
Hybrid evolutionary algorithm in the optimization problem of the shooting system parameters
Authors: Demidova L A , Petrova N A
Published: January 2021

The optimization problem of the shooting system parameters values by means of the hybrid evolutionary algorithm has been considered. The idea of hybridization of the genetic algorithm and differential evolution algorithm to solve the problem of optimizing the coverage of the observed object by the shooting system has been proposed and implemented. The results of solving the optimization problem of the shooting system parameters, confirming the feasibility application of the proposed hybrid evolutionary algorithm which provides minimization of time spent on solving the optimization problem has been described.
The predictive display as a means of suppressing the negative effects of wake vortex encounters
Authors: Efremov A V , Tiaglik M S , Voronka T V
Published: January 2021

The research develops a predictive information display system as a means of suppressing the negative effects of wake vortex encounters by aircraft during the landing phase. A mathematical model of aircraft interaction with a wake vortex is developed, with the effectiveness of the predictive information indication being evaluated via studies using a flight simulator.
Detection of dynamic errors in aircraft flight data
Authors: Korsun O N , Nikolaev S V , Htang Om Moung
Published: January 2021

The paper considers the algorithmic and methodologic support for detecting dynamic errors in aircraft on-board measurements using parameter identification and system approach to flight data analysis. Examples of practical application of the considered methods and algorithms for detecting dynamic errors in modern aircraft flight data are presented.
Digital recruitment of innovative project teams’ leaders based on genetic algorithms
Authors: Kovshov E E , Kuvshinnikov V S , Osipenko L E
Published: January 2021

Over the past decade, innovation has become an important part of the development for large business companies. The search for promising topics, as well as the recruitment of potential applicants teams who can implement an innovative project with the maximum benefit for business at the lowest cost, led to the search for approaches to solving these problems using IT. Since the problems of such research are covered separately in different industry areas, we implemented an approach to completing project teams based on genetic algorithms. A wide review of the literature allowed us to identify some important characteristics of innovative projects, as well as to summarize the portfolio of competencies required for potential designers. These attributive characteristics of the project and the applicants’ competence should be taken into account. The developed genetic algorithm allows searching for multiple parameters simultaneously and generating new solutions through the use of different operators. The results open up a new range of opportunities for business companies and government organizations interested in successful implementation of innovations.
Development of the mathematical model of catalytic oxidation-reduction reaction kinetics for wastewater treatment technology using vortex layer devices
Authors: Lukashev P E , Sidorov M I , Stavrovskiy M E , Lazarev S A , Ragutkin A V , Korolev E I , Sh Gazanova N
Published: January 2021

The article considers the mechanisms of intensifying chemical reactions occurring in vortex layer devices. The competition of reagents used as oxidizing agents in water treatment and oxidizing agents appearing during the operation of vortex layer devices is considered. The article offers a description of wastewater treatment process kinetics both for the oxidizing process and the process caused by electrochemical (corrosive) synthesis of highly active reducing agents. The mathematical model is constructed and its analysis is given.
Hydraulic losses optimization methods used in air conditioning system valve design for different closure angles
Authors: Napreenko K S , Lamtyugina A V
Published: January 2021

This article describes methods for determining the hydraulic resistances of A/C system units. The advantages of computational hydrodynamics over the traditional method of calculation using the coefficient of hydraulic resistance are shown. A “step-by-step” example of calculating the hydraulic resistance of an A/C system unit in the ANSYS CFX software package is given (converting 3D geometry into a calculation model; selecting, configuring, and building a mesh model; configuring calculation parameters, including boundary conditions, turbulence models, and calculation stop criteria; calculating and processing results). Special attention is paid to the consideration of the SST turbulence model. The calculation results show the distribution fields of total and static pressure, velocity, and flow lines at discrete rotation angles. Graphically, the dependence of the drop in hydraulic resistance on the increase in the area of the flow section of the damper is shown. Hydraulic losses are also determined when the pressure increases. Conclusions are made about the application of the calculation results in creating a comprehensive model of the system
Control synthesis for tasks with a given output function decentralized SISO-systems
Authors: Nikulchev E
Published: January 2021

For the control synthesis of multiply connected objects with many inputs and many outputs (MIMO) by importance of reducing computational costs by reducing accuracy, the method of decentralized control is used by dividing the original system into systems with one input and one output (SISO). The paper proposes an approach to the control synthesis of a decentralized SISO system, which is a part of a multi-connected MIMO object in conditions of impossibility of identifying model parameters. The paper considers the problem of control synthesis, which provides a given desired form of the output process.
Surface microgeometry monitoring of large-sized aircraft elements
Authors: Pronyakin V I , Skrypka V L , Abykanova B T
Published: January 2021

The article is devoted to the assessment of the surface microgeometry of structural elements of an aircraft with a significant surface area. A statistical method for assessing the surface quality using correlation methods for analyzing random processes is presented. An example of processing results is given.
Adaptive imaging system for electromagnetic scattering field of aircraft
Authors: Tarlanov A T , Kurbanismailov Z M
Published: January 2021

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMS) of a sophisticated aircraft technical system with other systems is a prerequisite for their sustainable operation. Aerospace technology, where both highly sensitive measurements and energetic control effects are closely combined in the dense layout of an aircraft, requires a solution to the EMS problem. This paper shows the need for effective technology to control the electromagnetic radiation created in the surrounding space, both by subsystems of aircraft and by the whole object. The method how to of visualize of 3D electromagnetic field both in space and in time is considered.
Synthetic pseudo-random sequence
Authors: Tsatsin A A
Published: January 2021

The paper considers the basic information about a new class of pseudo-random sequences — the class of synthetic pseudo-random sequences. The main distinguishing feature of the sequences under consideration is the extended observation window. The proposed synthetic sequences are an extension of the area of existing pseudo-random sequences.
Investigation of changes in the operator’s state by analyzing the characteristics of blinking
Authors: Yurko V N , Uali A B , Naukenova A S
Published: January 2021

This paper discusses in detail an approach using the method of automatic blink recognition for assessing the state of the operator using deep convolutional neural networks. It also analyzes the characteristics of blinking to detect the facts of loss of concentration.
Valve-based consecutive bioprinting method for multimaterial tissue-like constructs with controllable interfaces
Authors: Wang Heran , Guo Kai , Zhang Liming , Zhu Huixuan , Li Shijie , Li Song , Gao Feiyang , Liu Xin , Gu Qi , Liu Lianqing , Zheng Xiongfei
Published: January 2021

Bioprinting is a promising technology focusing on tissue manufacturing, whose vital problem is the precise assembly of multiple materials. As the primary solution, the extrusion-based multi-printhead bioprinting (MPB) method requires printhead switching during the printing process, which induces inefficient motion time and material interface defects. We present a valve-based consecutive bioprinting (VCB) method to resolve these problems, containing a precise integrated switching printhead and a well-matched voxelated digital model. The rotary valve built-in the VCB printhead guarantees the precise assembling of different materials at the interface isolated from the viscoelastic inks’ elastic potential energy in the cartridge. We study the coordinated control approach of the valve rotation and pressure adjustment to achieve the seamless switching, leading to a controllable multimaterial interface, including boundary and suture structure. Furthermore, we compare the VCB method and MPB method, quantitatively and comprehensively, indicating that the VCB method obtained greater mechanical strength (maximum tensile deformation increased by 44.37%) and higher printing efficiency (effective time ratio increased by 29.48%). As an exemplar, we fabricate a muscle-like tissue with a vascular tree, suture interface encapsulating C2C12, and human dermal fibroblasts (HDFB) cells, then placed it in complete medium with continuous perfusion for 5 d. Our study suggests that the VCB method is sufficient to fabricate heterogeneous tissues with complex multimaterial interfaces.
Alginate–gelatin–Matrigel hydrogels enable the development and multigenerational passaging of patient-derived 3D bioprinted cancer spheroid models
Authors: Flores-Torres Salvador , Peza-Chavez Omar , Kuasne Hellen , Munguia-Lopez Jose G , Kort-Mascort Jacqueline , Ferri Lorenzo , Jiang Tao , Rajadurai Charles V , Park Morag , Sangwan Veena , Kinsella Joseph M
Published: January 2021

Hydrogels consisting of controlled fractions of alginate, gelatin, and Matrigel enable the development of patient-derived bioprinted tissue models that support cancer spheroid growth and expansion. These engineered models can be dissociated to be then reintroduced to new hydrogel solutions and subsequently reprinted to generate multigenerational models. The process of harvesting cells from 3D bioprinted models is possible by chelating the ions that crosslink alginate, causing the gel to weaken. Inclusion of the gelatin and Matrigel fractions to the hydrogel increases the bioactivity by providing cell-matrix binding sites and promoting cross-talk between cancer cells and their microenvironment. Here we show that immortalized triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) and patient-derived gastric adenocarcinoma cells can be reprinted for at least three 21 d culture cycles following bioprinting in the alginate/gelatin/Matrigel hydrogels. Our drug testing results suggest that our 3D bioprinted model can also be used to recapitulate in vivo patient drug response. Furthermore, our results show that iterative bioprinting techniques coupled with alginate biomaterials can be used to maintain and expand patient-derived cancer spheroid cultures for extended periods without compromising cell viability, altering division rates, or disrupting cancer spheroid formation.
High throughput microfluidic system with multiple oxygen levels for the study of hypoxia in tumor spheroids
Authors: Berger Fridman Ilana , Ugolini Giovanni Stefano , VanDelinder Virginia , Cohen Smadar , Konry Tania
Published: January 2021

Replication of physiological oxygen levels is fundamental for modeling human physiology and pathology in in vitro models. Environmental oxygen levels, applied in most in vitro models, poorly imitate the oxygen conditions cells experience in vivo, where oxygen levels average ∼5%. Most solid tumors exhibit regions of hypoxic levels, promoting tumor progression and resistance to therapy. Though this phenomenon offers a specific target for cancer therapy, appropriate in vitro platforms are still lacking. Microfluidic models offer advanced spatio-temporal control of physico-chemical parameters. However, most of the systems described to date control a single oxygen level per chip, thus offering limited experimental throughput. Here, we developed a multi-layer microfluidic device coupling the high throughput generation of 3D tumor spheroids with a linear gradient of five oxygen levels, thus enabling multiple conditions and hundreds of replicates on a single chip. We showed how the applied oxygen gradient affects the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the cytotoxicity of Doxorubicin and Tirapazamine in breast tumor spheroids. Our results aligned with previous reports of increased ROS production under hypoxia and provide new insights on drug cytotoxicity levels that are closer to previously reported in vivo findings, demonstrating the predictive potential of our system.
Robust higher-order optical vortices for information transmission in twisted anisotropic optical fibers
Authors: Barshak E V , Vikulin D V , Lapin B P , Alieva S S , Alexeyev C N , Yavorsky M A
Published: January 2021

We study the propagation of light in twisted anisotropic fibers by obtaining the analytical expressions and propagation constants for higher-order modes with the azimuthal number

|

ℓ

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1

. It is shown that for arbitrary fiber parameters, the modes are elliptically polarized optical vortices of well-defined orbital angular momentum. We reveal the phenomena of orbital birefringence and the optical Zeeman effect for the higher-order topologically charged fiber modes. Finally, circularly and linearly polarized optical vortices are demonstrated to be modes that are robust against small constant and spatially varying perturbations of both fiber material and form anisotropy; this robustness is due to the effects of the spin–orbit interaction and/or torsional-stress-induced orbital birefringence.
Bi-Ronchi-test proposal for wavefront sensing and aberration analysis based on the differential form of the Zernike polynomials
Authors: Arriaga Hernández J A , Cuevas Otahola B T , Jaramillo Núñez A , Oliveros Oliveros J , Morín Castillo M
Published: January 2021

In this work, we show a proposal involving differential and vectorial equations to obtain the scalar surface of a wavefront (W) and the transversal aberration (TA) from the Bi-Ronchi test (BRT). The execution and computation times of this technique are significantly lower than those corresponding to the Ronchi test (RT). Moreover, it provides wavefront results along the axes X and Y by using bi-Ronchi ruling (bRR) with periods in XY. In the case of mirrors, this technique provides complete information of the whole surface along XY from a single test, with the potential to be applied in the other optical elements to measure their wavefronts. Hence, we propose the construction of square meshes, bRR type meshes, using Al and Au atomic depositions in glass substrates with different periods in XY, allowing us to observe bi-Ronchigrams. The captures of Bironchigrams enabled us to perform the analysis of the transversal aberrations in terms of the Zernike polynomials described by circular polynomials and an angular function with respect to the azimuthal term. We build a matrix solution from the vectors used to identify the centroids in the bi-Ronchigram higher-intensity zones, also considering the Rayces’ equations from which the wavefront and the transversal aberrations are simultaneously obtained. We discuss and compare our results with the RT. Finally, we highlight an additional result related to the proposed technique, involving the contention of the Ronchigram in the Bi-Ronchigram, resembling the case where the BRT contains the RT.
Comment on: The effect of Li4Ti5O12 nanoparticles on structural, linear and third order nonlinear optical properties of PVDF films (Mater. Res. Express (2019)
6 085312)
Authors: Sahebi Ramezan
Published: January 2021

In a recent paper [Mater. Res. Express (2019) 6 085312] El-Metwally et al studied the structural and optical properties of PVDF films doped with Li4Ti5O12 nanoparticles. The authors have used a wrong approach to calculate the reflectance spectra. The wrong obtained values of reflectance were used to calculate the refractive index. Consequently, other reported optical parameters in the commented paper that are calculated based on the refractive index such as optical conductivity, real and imaginary parts of the optical dielectric constant, the dispersion parameters evaluated from Wemple-DiDomenico single oscillator model, high-frequency dielectric constant, plasma oscillation frequency, linear optical susceptibility, third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility and the nonlinear refractive index are incorrect.
Eco-friendly approach for preparation of water-based superhydrophobic silica aerogels via ambient pressure drying
Authors: Yuan Xiaoling , Xu Lihui , Pan Hong , Shen Yong , Wang Liming , Xie Mingrui
Published: January 2021

In this work, superhydrophobic methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS)-based silica aerogels were fabricated via water-based sol–gel reaction by ambient pressure drying (APD) method in the presence of surfactant. The structure, morphology, and hydrophobic properties of the obtained silica aerogel were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) methods, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and water contact angle measurement. The effects of the concentration of MTMS, the pH value of the solution, and the amount of surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) on properties of silica aerogels were investigated, respectively. Increasing the concentration of MTMS to a great extent resulted in higher density and lower porosity of silica aerogel. Alkali catalyst was an extremely crucial factor for preparing silica aerogels. With the increase of the pH value from 7.5 to 10 the gelation time of the prepared aerogels was observed to decrease from 40 min to 2 min, and the shrinkage of aerogel sample decreased from 15.5% to 3.5%. The skeleton structure of the prepared silica aerogel gradually transformed from coarsened spherical to continuous irregularity finer structures with the increased concentration of CTAB. In addition, the prepared silica aerogel showed outstanding anti-adhesion property and superhydrophobic ability with a water contact angle (WCA) of 160.6 ± 1.3°.
Effect of temperature on corrosion behavior of E690 steel in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution
Authors: Yan Qi , Yin Qun , Cui Jie , Wang Xinyi , Qiao Yanxin , Zhou Huiling
Published: January 2021

The corrosion behavior of E690 steel in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution at temperatures from 20 °C to 60 °C was investigated using electrochemical test. The corrosion morphology was characterized using SEM and AFM, and the corrosion layer was characterized using EDS, Raman spectroscopy and XPS. The results showed that the corrosion rate of E690 steel improves with the increase in temperature. The corrosion layers of E690 steel are mainly composed ofα-Fe2O3,α-FeOOH andγ-FeOOH. With the elevated temperature, the content ofα-FeOOH in corrosion layers increases, while the content ofα-Fe2O3andγ-FeOOH decreases. The corrosion mechanisms were briefly discussed.
Distributed deep reinforcement learning for simulation control
Authors: Pawar Suraj , Maulik Romit
Published: January 2021

Several applications in the scientific simulation of physical systems can be formulated as control/optimization problems. The computational models for such systems generally contain hyperparameters, which control solution fidelity and computational expense. The tuning of these parameters is non-trivial and the general approach is to manually ‘spot-check’ for good combinations. This is because optimal hyperparameter configuration search becomes intractable when the parameter space is large and when they may vary dynamically. To address this issue, we present a framework based on deep reinforcement learning (RL) to train a deep neural network agent that controls a model solve by varying parameters dynamically. First, we validate our RL framework for the problem of controlling chaos in chaotic systems by dynamically changing the parameters of the system. Subsequently, we illustrate the capabilities of our framework for accelerating the convergence of a steady-state computational fluid dynamics solver by automatically adjusting the relaxation factors of the discretized Navier–Stokes equations during run-time. The results indicate that the run-time control of the relaxation factors by the learned policy leads to a significant reduction in the number of iterations for convergence compared to the random selection of the relaxation factors. Our results point to potential benefits for learning adaptive hyperparameter learning strategies across different geometries and boundary conditions with implications for reduced computational campaign expenses
4

4

Data and codes available at https://github.com/Romit-Maulik/PAR-RL.

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Synthesis, characterization and bioactivity of thio-acetamide modified ZnO nanoparticles embedded in zinc acetate matrix
Authors: Panigrahi U K , Sahu B , Behuria H G , Sahu S K , Dhal S P , Hussain Shamima , Mallick P
Published: January 2021

ZnO nanoparticles embedded in zinc acetate matrix were synthesized by chemical route. The effect of thio-acetamide concentration during its synthesis was probed by structural, morphological, optical and bioactivity studies. XRD characterization indicated the formation of dominant phase of zinc acetate along with the low intensity peak of wurtzite ZnO. Morphological transition from bulky-like feature to flower-like feature via flake-like feature, is evidenced with increasing thio-acetamide molar concentrations. The optical band gap of samples decreased from ∼3.29 to 3.24 eV whereas the emitted color shifted from near green to blue region with increasing of molar concentration of thio-acetamide from 0 to 30% in the sample. The nanoparticles exhibited antimicrobial activity against seven (7) common human pathogenic bacteria including drug resistant varieties K. pneumonaie and S. aureus. The nanoparticles formed pores in the biological model membranes made from egg-phosphatidyl choline. Our study reveals that the thio-acetamide modified ZnO nanoparticles embedded in zinc acetate matrix could be used as potential drug lead to fight drug resistance against K. pneumoniae and S. aureus.
A classification tree to assist with routine scoring of the Clinical Frailty Scale
Authors: Theou Olga , Pérez-Zepeda Mario Ulises , van der Valk Alexandra M , Searle Samuel D , Howlett Susan E , Rockwood Kenneth
Published: January 2021

Background

the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) was originally developed to summarise a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and yield a care plan. Especially since COVID-19, the CFS is being used widely by health care professionals without training in frailty care as a resource allocation tool and for care rationing. CFS scoring by inexperienced raters might not always reflect expert judgement. For these raters, we developed a new classification tree to assist with routine CFS scoring. Here, we test that tree against clinical scoring.

Objective/Methods

we examined agreement between the CFS classification tree and CFS scoring by novice raters (clerks/residents), and the CFS classification tree and CFS scoring by experienced raters (geriatricians) in 115 older adults (mean age 78.0 ± 7.3; 47% females) from a single centre.

Results

the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the CFS classification tree was 0.833 (95% CI: 0.768–0.882) when compared with the geriatricians’ CFS scoring. In 93%, the classification tree rating was the same or differed by at most one level with the expert geriatrician ratings. The ICC was 0.805 (0.685–0.883) when CFS scores from the classification tree were compared with the clerk/resident scores; 88.5% of the ratings were the same or ±1 level.

Conclusions

a classification tree for scoring the CFS can help with reliable scoring by relatively inexperienced raters. Though an incomplete remedy, a classification tree is a useful support to decision-making and could be used to aid routine scoring of the CFS.
Evidence of female preference for odor of distant over local males in a bat with female dispersal
Authors: Schneeberger Karin , Schulze Michael , Scheffler Ingo , Caspers Barbara A
Published: January 2021

Geographic variation of sexually selected male traits is common in animals. Female choice also varies geographically and several studies found female preference for local males, which is assumed to lead to local adaptation and, therefore, increases fitness. As females are the nondispersing sex in most mammalian taxa, this preference for local males might be explained by the learning of male characteristics. Studies on the preference of females in female-dispersing species are lacking so far. To find out whether such females would also show preferences for local males, we conducted a study on greater sac-winged bats (Saccopteryx bilineata), a species where females disperse and males stay in their natal colony. Male greater sac-winged bats possess a wing pouch that is filled with odoriferous secretion and fanned toward females during courtship display. In a combination of chemical analysis and behavioral preference tests, we analyzed whether the composition of wing sac secretion varies between two geographically distinct populations (300 km), and whether females show a preference for local or distant male scent. Using gas chromatography, we found significant differences in the composition of the wing sac odors between the two geographically distinct populations. In addition, the behavioral preference experiments revealed that females of both populations preferred the scent of geographically distant males over local males. The wing sac odor might thus be used to guarantee optimal outbreeding when dispersing to a new colony. This is—to our knowledge—the first study on odor preference of females of a species with female-biased dispersal.
Effect of preoperative radiotherapy for rectal cancer on spermatogenesis
Authors: de la Motte L , Custovic S , Tapper J , Arver S , Martling A , Buchli C
Published: January 2021

In this study, preoperative radiotherapy for rectal cancer was found to result in a dose-dependent impairment of spermatogenesis and Sertoli cell function, reflected both by decreased sperm count and characteristic changes in hormonal response, with signs of partial recovery between 12 and 24 months after surgery. Decreased semen volume was also observed, indicating ejaculatory tract dysfunction, that seemed to be longer-lasting and not related to testicular dose. This threatens fertility in men treated for rectal cancer, and suggests that pretreatment cryopreservation and anticonception after treatment should be discussed individually.
Modes of Relational Agency among Welfare-reliant Mothers
Authors: Sinai-Glazer Hagit , Brummans Boris H J M
Published: January 2021

How do welfare-reliant mothers enact their agency in relationships with social workers and social services? The present article addresses this question by investigating how twenty Israeli welfare-reliant mothers expressed different modes of human agency in in-depth interviews. Results show how research participants enact agency through (i) expressing anger, (ii) seeking help, (iii) resisting and (iv) engaging in non-action. By highlighting the multidimensional and situational nature of agency, this article offers a new relational lens for conceptualising and empirically studying human agency in social work.
Cognitive and Neural Correlates of Loneliness and Wisdom during Emotional Bias
Authors: Grennan Gillian , Balasubramani Pragathi Priyadharsini , Alim Fahad , Zafar-Khan Mariam , Lee Ellen E , Jeste Dilip V , Mishra Jyoti
Published: January 2021

Loneliness and wisdom have opposing impacts on health and well-being, yet their neuro-cognitive bases have never been simultaneously investigated. In this study of 147 healthy human subjects sampled across the adult lifespan, we simultaneously studied the cognitive and neural correlates of loneliness and wisdom in the context of an emotion bias task. Aligned with the social threat framework of loneliness, we found that loneliness was associated with reduced speed of processing when angry emotional stimuli were presented to bias cognition. In contrast, we found that wisdom was associated with greater speed of processing when happy emotions biased cognition. Source models of electroencephalographic data showed that loneliness was specifically associated with enhanced angry stimulus-driven theta activity in the left transverse temporal region of interest, which is located in the area of the temporoparietal junction (TPJ), while wisdom was specifically related to increased TPJ theta activity during happy stimulus processing. Additionally, enhanced attentiveness to threatening stimuli for lonelier individuals was observed as greater beta activity in left superior parietal cortex, while wisdom significantly related to enhanced happy stimulus-evoked alpha activity in the left insula. Our results demonstrate emotion-context driven modulations in cognitive neural circuits by loneliness versus wisdom.
Controlling the Flow of Distracting Information in Working Memory
Authors: Hakim Nicole , Feldmann-Wüstefeld Tobias , Awh Edward , Vogel Edward K
Published: January 2021

Visual working memory (WM) must maintain relevant information, despite the constant influx of both relevant and irrelevant information. Attentional control mechanisms help determine which of this new information gets access to our capacity-limited WM system. Previous work has treated attentional control as a monolithic process—either distractors capture attention or they are suppressed. Here, we provide evidence that attentional capture may instead be broken down into at least two distinct subcomponent processes: (1) Spatial capture, which refers to when spatial attention shifts towards the location of irrelevant stimuli and (2) item-based capture, which refers to when item-based WM representations of irrelevant stimuli are formed. To dissociate these two subcomponent processes of attentional capture, we utilized a series of electroencephalography components that track WM maintenance (contralateral delay activity), suppression (distractor positivity), item individuation (N2pc), and spatial attention (lateralized alpha power). We show that new, relevant information (i.e., a task-relevant distractor) triggers both spatial and item-based capture. Irrelevant distractors, however, only trigger spatial capture from which ongoing WM representations can recover more easily. This fractionation of attentional capture into distinct subcomponent processes provides a refined framework for understanding how distracting stimuli affect attention and WM.
Layering and Displacement in Development Finance: The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Belt and Road Initiative
Authors: Skålnes Lars S.
Published: January 2021

This article explains why the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) are likely to have differential effects on the rules governing development finance. I draw on principal-agent models in arguing that in these two institutions, the delegation problem facing the Chinese government is different and therefore associated with different types of institutional change. The fragmented-authoritarian nature of the Chinese state profoundly affects delegation in the BRI. In the AIIB, in contrast, the delegation is to an international organization and hence not materially affected by the fragmented authoritarian nature of the Chinese state. Drawing on historical-institutionalist approaches to gradual institutional change, the article argues that the AIIB is likely to lead to institutional layering, the BRI to institutional displacement in development financing.
“Just a Couple of Queer Fish”: The Queer Possibilities of Rita Mae Brown’s Rubyfruit Jungle
Authors: Lorig Josette
Published: January 2021

Rita Mae Brown’s Rubyfruit Jungle (1973) is a foundational work of lesbian literature and has been characterized as a queer text. This essay begins with resistance to reading the novel as a wholly celebratory queer text because of how it positions a form of essentialized lesbianism against queer sexualities that are coded as deviant and abnormal. Nonetheless, Rubyfruit Jungle brims with queer narratives, queer scenes, and queer characters. In the essay’s second half, I draw on Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick’s model of reparative reading to engage with potential queer readings the novel affords. I show how readers can recuperate the queer sexualities the novel documents in ways that the novel – with its specific historical and political positionality – did not or could not account for.
Dysregulation of Metabolic Pathways in Circulating Natural Killer Cells Isolated from Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients
Authors: Zaiatz Bittencourt Vanessa , Jones Fiona , Tosetto Miriam , Doherty Glen A , Ryan Elizabeth J
Published: January 2021

Background and Aims

Inflammatory bowel diseases [IBD], comprising Crohn’s disease [CD] and ulcerative colitis [UC], are chronic conditions characterized by severe dysregulation of innate and adaptive immunity resulting in the destruction of the intestinal mucosa. Natural killer [NK] cells play a pivotal role in the dynamic interaction between the innate and adaptive immune response. There is an increasing appreciation for the key role immunometabolism plays in the regulation of NK cell function, yet little remains known about the metabolic profile, cytokine secretion, and killing capacity of human NK cells during active IBD.

Methods

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from peripheral blood of patients with moderate to severely active IBD and healthy controls. NK cells were stained with a combination of cell surface receptors, intracellular cytokines, and proteins and analyzed by flow cytometry. For measurements of NK cell cytotoxicity, the calcein-AM release assay was performed. The metabolic profile was analyzed by an extracellular flux analyzer.

Results

NK cells from IBD patients produce large quantities of pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-17A and TNF-α ex vivo, but have limited killing capability. Furthermore, patient NK cells have reduced mitochondrial mass and oxidative phosphorylation. mTORC1, an important cell and metabolic regulator, demonstrated limited activity in both freshly isolated cells and cytokine-stimulated cells.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that circulating NK cells of IBD patients have an unbalanced metabolic profile, with faulty mitochondria and reduced capacity to kill. These aberrations in NK cell metabolism may contribute to defective killing and thus the secondary infections and increased risk of cancer observed in IBD patients.
Intergenerational mobility of sons and daughters: evidence from nineteenth-century West Flanders
Authors: Delabastita Vincent , Buyst Erik
Published: January 2021

Research on the intergenerational inheritance of occupational attainment has been restricted to sons for a long time. This is remarkable, given the ubiquity of historical settings where female labor force participation was high. This study of civil marriage certificates in nineteenth-century West Flanders investigates a comprehensive sample covering the economic activities not only of fathers and sons but also of mothers and daughters. We find that daughters were more mobile than sons. Daughters, however, enjoyed less growth in terms of intergenerational mobility against the background of a slowly industrializing economy.
Microbiome structure and functional potential in permafrost soils of the Western Canadian Arctic
Authors: Varsadiya Milan , Urich Tim , Hugelius Gustaf , Bárta Jiří
Published: January 2021

Substantial amounts of topsoil organic matter (OM) in Arctic Cryosols have been translocated by the process of cryoturbation into deeper soil horizons (cryoOM), reducing its decomposition. Recent Arctic warming deepens the Cryosols´ active layer, making more topsoil and cryoOM carbon accessible for microbial transformation. To quantify bacteria, archaea and selected microbial groups (methanogens – mcrA gene and diazotrophs – nifH gene) and to investigate bacterial and archaeal diversity, we collected 83 soil samples from four different soil horizons of three distinct tundra types located in Qikiqtaruk (Hershel Island, Western Canada). In general, the abundance of bacteria and diazotrophs decreased from topsoil to permafrost, but not for cryoOM. No such difference was observed for archaea and methanogens. CryoOM was enriched with oligotrophic (slow-growing microorganism) taxa capable of recalcitrant OM degradation. We found distinct microbial patterns in each tundra type: topsoil from wet-polygonal tundra had the lowest abundance of bacteria and diazotrophs, but the highest abundance of methanogens. Wet-polygonal tundra, therefore, represented a hotspot for methanogenesis. Oligotrophic and copiotrophic (fast-growing microorganism) genera of methanogens and diazotrophs were distinctly distributed in topsoil and cryoOM, resulting in different rates of nitrogen flux into these horizons affecting OM vulnerability and potential CO2 and CH4 release.
Functional characterization of the putative FAD synthase from Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae
Authors: Cattani Amanda Malvessi , Pinheiro Camila Vieira , Schrank Irene Silveira , Siqueira Franciele Maboni
Published: January 2021

In bacteria, the biosynthesis of the cofactor flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), important in many physiological responses, is catalyzed by the bifunctional enzyme FAD synthase (FADSyn) which converts riboflavin into FAD by both kinase and adenylylation activity. The in silico 3D structure of a putative FADSyn from Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (MhpFADSyn), the etiological agent of enzootic pneumonia was already reported, nevertheless, the in vitro functional characterization was not yet demonstrated. Our phylogenetic analysis revealed that MhpFADSyn is close related to the bifunctional FADSyn from Corynebacterium ammoniagenes. However, only the domain related to adenylylation was assigned by InterPro database. The activity of MhpFADSyn was evaluated through in vitro enzymatic assays using cell extracts from IPTG-inducible heterologous expression of MhpFADSyn in Escherichia coli. The flavoproteins were analyzed by HPLC and results showed that IPTG-induced cell lysate resulted in the formation of twofold increased amounts of FAD if compared to non IPTG-induced cells. Consumption of riboflavin substrate was also threefold greater in IPTG-induced lysate compared to non IPTG-induced cell extract. Thus, the recombinant MhpFADSyn protein could be associated to FAD biosynthesis. These findings contribute to expand the range of potential drug targets in diseases control and unveil metabolic pathways that could be attribute to mycoplasmas.
MALELESS, A RECESSIVE AUTOSOMAL MUTANT OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER THAT SPECIFICALLY KILLS MALE ZYGOTES
Authors: Fukunaga Akihiro , Tanaka Atsumi , Oishi Kugao
Published: January 2021

A second chromosome male-specific lethal gene, maleless (mle), in D. melanogaster is described. It kills males but not females in homozygous condition, regardless of whether female parents are heterozygous or homozygous for mle. Many, if not most, homozygous males survive up to the third instar larval stage, but cannot pupate and die eventually as larvae. No interactions with sex-transforming genes, tra and dsx, were observed. It is proposed that mle interacts with a gene(s) on the X chromosome, which is not dosage compensated.
GENETIC DRIFT IN CLINES WHICH ARE MAINTAINED BY MIGRATION AND NATURAL SELECTION
Authors: Felsenstein Joseph
Published: January 2021

Genetic drift will cause a migration-selection cline to wobble about its expected position. A rough linear approximation is developed, valid when local populations are large. This is used to calculate effects of genetic drift on clines in a stepping-stone model with abrupt and with gradual changes of selection coefficients at a single haploid locus. Among the quantities calculated are measures of slope, standardized variation of gene frequencies around their expected values, and correlation among neighboring populations with respect to deviations from the expected gene frequencies. These quantities appear to be primarily functions of Ns and Nm for a given pattern of selection. Computer simulation gives rough confirmation of these results. Standardized variances of gene frequencies and correlation of neighbors differ along the cline in the case of smooth changes in selection. In no case is pathological behavior of gene frequency deviations found near the boundaries of selective regions. Local behavior of gene frequencies of nearby colonies is approximately predicted by a simple adaptation of the stepping-stone theory of Kimura and Weiss. Approximate measures of the lateral variation of the midpoint of a cline and the probability of non-monotonicity are also calculated and discussed.
A DELETION MAP OF cyc1 MUTANTS AND ITS CORRESPONDENCE TO MUTATIONALLY ALTERED ISO-1-CYTOCHROMES c OF YEAST
Authors: Sherman Fred , Jackson Mary , Liebman Susan W , Schweingruber Ann Marie , Stewart John W
Published: January 2021

Mutants arising spontaneously from sporulated cultures of certain strains of yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, contained deletions of the CYC1 gene which controls the primary structure of iso-1-cytochrome c. At least 60 different kinds of deletions were uncovered among the 104 deletions examined and these ranged in length from those encompassing only two adjacent point mutants to those encompassing at least the entire CYC1 gene. X-ray-induced recombination rates of crosses involving these deletions and cyc1 point mutants resulted in the assignment of 211 point mutants to 47 mutational sites and made it possible to unambiguously order 40 of these 47 sites. Except for one mutant, cyc1-15, there was a strict colinear relationship between the deletion map and the positions of 13 sites that were previously determined by amino acid alterations in iso-1-cytochromes c from intragenic revertants.
Association Between Gut Microbiome and Frailty in the Older Adult Population in Korea
Authors: Lim Mi Young , Hong Seungpyo , Kim Jung-Ha , Nam Young-Do
Published: January 2021

Frailty is a common geriatric syndrome associated with the risk of adverse health outcomes. Recently, 2 key pathophysiological characteristics of frailty, altered energy metabolism and dysregulated immunity, have been reported to be associated with gut microbiome dysbiosis, indicating that the gut microbiome plays a role in frailty. However, few studies have directly examined the relationship between the gut microbiome and frailty. Here, we investigated the association of frailty measures with the gut microbiome using 16S rRNA gene sequencing data obtained from the fecal samples of 176 Korean older adults. Overall frailty was scored using the Korean Frailty Index (FI). Grip strength and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) scores were used as physical and mental frailty measures, respectively. In contrast to age, metabolic, and inflammatory biomarkers, the frailty measures were associated with interindividual variations in microbial composition (false discovery rate [FDR] < 0.2). Both FI and GDS scores were negatively associated with microbial diversity (FDR < 0.2). Frailty measures showed distinct associations with specific microbial taxa and metabolic functions. Particularly, the Bacteroides enterotype was found only in subjects categorized in the frail group. Moreover, we observed that the abundance of beneficial taxa, such as Prevotella copri and Coprococcus eutactus, was reduced in frailer individuals, whereas that of detrimental taxa, such as Bacteroides fragilis and Clostridium hathewayi, was increased (FDR < 0.2). Our findings suggest that the gut microbiome can be used an indicator of an increased risk of frailty or a target for improving health in frail older adults.