bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inorganic–Organic Hybrid Copolymeric Colloids as Multicolor Emission, Fuel‐Free, UV‐ and Visible‐Light‐Actuated Micropumps
Authors: Basharat Majid , Shah Zameer Hussain , Ikram Muhammad , Ghellab Salah Eddine , Hassan Qadeer‐Ul , Ilyas Tayiba , Lei Lijie , Lin Guanhua , Gao Yongxiang
Published: February 2022

Light‐actuated micromachines are of enormous interest due to their ability to harvest light for triggering catalytic reactions to acquire free energy for mechanical work. This work presents an inorganic–organic hybrid copolymeric poly(cyclotriphosphazene‐co‐barbituric acid) colloid, which displays multiwavelength excited emission and catalytic activities, exploiting the unique structural, chemical, and optical features of inorganic heterocyclic ring hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene and organic co‐monomer barbituric acid. Specifically, this work reveals particle‐resolved unusual multicolor emission under excitation with the same or different wavelengths of light using fluorescence microscopy. The result is rationalized by density functional theory studies. In this work, the authors find that emission is coincident with fluorometric measurements, and the photocatalytic properties are anticipated from the overall band structure. This work also demonstrates the use of these colloids as micropumps, which can be remotely activated by UV, blue, and green lights under fuel‐free conditions, and ascribe the behavior to ionic diffusiophoresis arising from light‐triggered generation of H+ and other charged species. This work offers a new class of polymeric colloids with multiple‐wavelength excited emission and catalytic activities, which is expected to open new opportunities in the design of fuel‐free, photo‐actuated micromachines and active systems.
Reactivity vs. Selectivity of Biomimetic Catalyst Systems of the Fe(PDP) Family through the Nature and Spin State of the Active Iron‐Oxygen Species
Authors: Zima Alexandra M. , Lyakin Oleg Y. , Bryliakova Anna A. , Babushkin Dmitrii E. , Bryliakov Konstantin P. , Talsi Evgenii P.
Published: February 2022

Catalytic approaches to late‐stage creation of new C−O bonds, especially via oxygenation of particular C−H groups in complex organic molecules, provide challenging tools for the synthesis of biologically active compounds and candidate drugs. In the last decade, significant efforts were invested in designing bioinspired iron based catalyst systems, capable of conducting selective oxidations of organic compounds. The key role of the oxygen‐transferring high‐valent iron‐oxygen species in selective oxygenation is now well established; the next logical step would be gaining insight into the factors governing the oxidation chemo‐ and stereoselectivity, in relation to the peculiarities of their electronic structure, which would allow introducing the desired level of predictability into those catalytic transformations. In this Personal Account we analyze recent data on the reactivity of bioinspired formally oxoiron(V) catalytically active sites toward organic substrates having C=C and C(sp3)−H groups. While the majority of reported oxoiron(V) active species are low‐spin (S=1/2) complexes, the presence of strong electron‐donating groups (NR1R2) in the ligand backbone favors the high‐spin (S=3/2) ground state. Remarkably, the high‐spin perferryl species exhibit higher chemo‐, regio‐, and stereoselectivity in the oxidations than their low‐spin counterparts, thus witnessing the significance of these subtle electronic effects for the selectivity of oxidations conducted by bioinspired catalysts of the Fe(PDP) family.
Discrepancies in reporting on human rights: A materiality perspective
Authors: Demir Mert , Min Maung K. , Coppola Louis D.
Published: February 2022

Motivated by the ongoing debate on materiality in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting and the limited attention in the academic literature to date, our study conducts a comprehensive analysis of 1341 ESG reports published by companies across 35 ICB sectors with a particular lens on the commonalities and discrepancies in the choice of material topics on human rights disclosures. The choice of human rights as our topic of interest is driven by the fact that our sample includes companies across various industries/sectors and geographical locations and thus an effective analysis of their reports and the thought‐processes behind them should be done on the basis of topics that apply to a broad range of companies regardless of their country of origin or industry, as well as other systematic and idiosyncratic factors. The reports were examined based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 guidelines to identify a company's disclosure (or lack thereof) on 12 human rights topics. Our analysis of ESG reports comprises the entirety of ESG/sustainability reports contained by GRI's Global Reporting database (www.globalreporting.org/). Our findings suggest that companies diverge considerably in their choices of material human rights disclosure topics. Both industry/sectorial and country/regional factors play an important role on the divergence in materiality assessments. In our further analysis and discussion of the findings, we provide a closer look at the extent to which a consensus has achieved on the disclosure of topics along with potential explanations for the observed divergence in disclosure choices/behavior.
Gastric acid suppressants and cognitive decline in people with or without cognitive impairment
Authors: Wu Che‐Yuan , Xiong Lisa Y. , Ouk Michael , Rabin Jennifer S. , Herrmann Nathan , Lanctôt Krista L. , Kapral Moira K. , Law Marcus , Cogo‐Moreira Hugo , Edwards Jodi D. , Swardfager Walter
Published: February 2022

Introduction

Studies suggest associations between proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and dementia risk; however, many neither considered histamine‐2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs) nor baseline cognitive status.

Methods

Participants (National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center Database; 2005–2021) using a PPI or H2RA were compared. Covariate‐adjusted Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for progression from normal cognition to mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and from MCI to dementia over 5 years. In a propensity‐score–matched subsample of mild–moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD), mixed‐effects negative binomial regression was used to estimate decline in delayed recall memory.

Results

Compared to PPI, H2RA use was associated with earlier progression from MCI to dementia (HR = 1.40 [1.09–1.81]; n = 1701), and with faster memory decline in AD over time (rate ratio = 0.76 [0.64–0.92]; n = 628), but not with progression from normal cognition to MCI (HR = 0.94 [0.71–1.24]; n = 2784).

Discussion

Compared to PPIs, H2RAs were associated with cognitive decline, specifically among people with pre‐existing cognitive impairment.
Lessons Learned? Reading Wars, Reading First, and a Way Forward
Authors: Goldberg Margaret , Goldenberg Claude
Published: February 2022

We are in the midst of yet another battle in the reading wars. Before the fog of war overcomes us yet again, we should recall recent history where an attempt at a resolution—Reading First— mostly left ambiguity in its wake. Moving forward, there is a foundation upon which to build. But doing so will require learning from the past, addressing challenges with clarity, and marshalling resources among collaborating researchers and practitioners.
Quantum‐chemical studies of the antioxidant effectiveness of para‐phenylene diamines
Authors: Breza Martin , Jelemenska Ingrid
Published: February 2022

The purpose of this review is to highlight how the antioxidant effectiveness (AE) of rubber additives can be quantitatively interpreted using results from quantum‐chemical calculations. The relationships between the AE of para‐phenylene diamines (PPD), evaluated through non‐isothermal differential scanning calorimetry measurements in styrene‐butadiene and polyisoprene rubber matrices, and various parameters obtained by quantum‐chemical calculations are reviewed. The N atom between both phenyl rings (A site) is more significant than the N atom between the phenyl ring and the alkyl chain (B site). The preferred formation of ketimine structures (instead of the quinonediimine ones) during dehydrogenation despite the higher stability of the NA‐centered radicals indicates a kinetic control of the antioxidant action. In most cases, the AE decreases with the strength of the NA–HA bond and increases with the chemical shifts of NA and HA. In hypothetical Cu(II) complexes, the AE rises with the affinity of NA to Cu, and the extent of electron density transfer from NA to Cu. Most deviations from linearity might be explained by steric hindrances. Reverse trends for the NA and NB chemical shifts are observed, despite the fact that similar reactions are supposed at both sites.
Securitisation as the Work of Framing
Authors: Stępka Maciej
Published: February 2022

The chapter proposes to look at securitisation as the work of policy framing. It discusses how framing literature may help in reorienting the securitisation framework and its main components (i.e. speech act, exceptionalism, actor audience dichotomy, context and acceptance) to investigate not one specific understanding of security that is supposed to “break normal politics”, but the whole plethora of entangled security logics that to different degrees and to different ends frame migration as a security issue at the EU level. In this way, this chapter discusses each building block of the theory and explains how the application of framing and security logics opens the analysis to the exploration of the discriminatory and violent consequences of various, often intertwining, security discourses and policy practices.
Conclusions
Authors: Stępka Maciej
Published: February 2022

This chapter summarises the findings of the book and provides concluding remarks. The summary is supplemented with a table encompassing the whole structure of the EU policy framing process. It revisits how security logics intertwined and influenced each other within the whole EU frame-narrative produced in response to the “migration crisis”, exactly indicating points of convergence and divergence in the securitisation process. It discusses how broadly understood risk, reflected in risk management and resilience, has dominated the EU frame-narrative on the “migration crisis” but at the same time did not eliminate other logics from the framing process. Human security, and “exceptionality” proved to be important elements of securitisation, serving different purposes and stimulating the process in different ways and to different ends.
New anomalies, TQFTs, and confinement in bosonic chiral gauge theories
Authors: Anber Mohamed M. , Hong Sungwoo , Son Minho
Published: February 2022

Abstract

We study a class of 4-dimensional SU(N) chiral gauge theories with fermions in the 2-index symmetric and antisymmetric representations and classify their infrared phases. The choice N = 4ℤ corresponds to gauging the fermion number and makes the theory purely bosonic. We examine the most general background fields of the centers of the gauge, non-abelian flavor, and U(1)-axial groups that can be consistently activated, thereby determine the faithful global continuous and discrete symmetries of the theory. This allows us to identify new mixed 0-form/1-form ‘t Hooft anomalies on both spin and nonspin manifolds. If the theory confines, the absence of composite fermions implies that continuous symmetries must be broken down to anomaly-free subgroups. Anomalies associated with discrete symmetries can be saturated either by breaking the symmetry or by a symmetry-preserving topological quantum field theory (TQFT). The latter, however, is obstructed on spin manifold. The interplay between these features greatly restricts the possible infrared physics. We present two examples that demonstrate our approach. We argue that if the theory confines, the zoo of anomalies and TQFT obstruction greatly restrict the viable infrared condensates. We also discuss the possibility that some theories flow to a conformal fixed point.
Charges and fluxes on (perturbed) non-expanding horizons
Authors: Ashtekar Abhay , Khera Neev , Kolanowski Maciej , Lewandowski Jerzy
Published: February 2022

Abstract

In a companion paper [1] we showed that the symmetry group $$ \mathfrak{G} $$
G
of non-expanding horizons (NEHs) is a 1-dimensional extension of the Bondi-Metzner-Sachs group $$ \mathfrak{B} $$
B
at $$ \mathcal{I} $$
I
+. For each infinitesimal generator of $$ \mathfrak{G} $$
G
, we now define a charge and a flux on NEHs as well as perturbed NEHs. The procedure uses the covariant phase space framework in presence of internal null boundaries $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
along the lines of [2–6]. However, $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
is required to be an NEH or a perturbed NEH. Consequently, charges and fluxes associated with generators of $$ \mathfrak{G} $$
G
are free of physically unsatisfactory features that can arise if $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
is allowed to be a general null boundary. In particular, all fluxes vanish if $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
is an NEH, just as one would hope; and fluxes associated with symmetries representing ‘time-translations’ are positive definite on perturbed NEHs. These results hold for zero as well as non-zero cosmological constant. In the asymptotically flat case, as noted in [1], $$ \mathcal{I} $$
I
±are NEHs in the conformally completed space-time but with an extra structure that reduces $$ \mathfrak{G} $$
G
to $$ \mathfrak{B} $$
B
. The flux expressions at $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
reflect this synergy between NEHs and $$ \mathcal{I} $$
I
+. In a forthcoming paper, this close relation between NEHs and $$ \mathcal{I} $$
I
+ will be used to develop gravitational wave tomography, enabling one to deduce horizon dynamics directly from the waveforms at $$ \mathcal{I} $$
I
+.
Producing and detecting long-lived particles at different experiments at the LHC
Authors: Yuan Chaochen , Chen Guoming , Zhang Huaqiao , Zhao Yue
Published: February 2022

Abstract

We propose a new strategy to look for long-lived particles (LLP) at the LHC. The LLPs are produced at one experiment, but its decay products are detected by a detector at another experiment. We use a confining Hidden Valley scenario as a benchmark. Through showering and hadronization, the multiplicity of hidden mesons can be large, and their decay products, dimuon as chosen in this study, are typically too soft to pass triggers in traditional LHC searches. We find the best acceptance is achieved if we produce LLPs at collision points at the LHCb and ALICE experiments, and use the muon chamber of ATLAS for detection. This new search is cost-efficient since it does not require a new detector to be built. Meanwhile, it can provide coverage of interesting parameter space, which is complementary to other proposed LLP searches.
Integrable domain walls in ABJM theory
Authors: Kristjansen Charlotte , Vu Dinh-Long , Zarembo Konstantin
Published: February 2022

Abstract

One-point functions of local operators are studied, at weak and strong coupling, for the ABJM theory in the presence of a 1/2 BPS domain wall. In the underlying quantum spin chain the domain wall is represented by a boundary state which we show is integrable yielding a compact determinant formula for one-point functions of generic operators.
Investigating the effect of polarity of stationary and mobile phases on retention of cannabinoids in normal phase liquid chromatography
Authors: De Luca Chiara , Buratti Alessandro , Krauke Yannick , Stephan Svea , Monks Kate , Brighenti Virginia , Pellati Federica , Cavazzini Alberto , Catani Martina , Felletti Simona
Published: February 2022

This work reports about a screening of four adsorbents with different polarity employed for the separation of the main phytocannabinoids contained inCannabis sativaL., under normal phase liquid chromatography (NPLC). The effect of polarity and type of interaction mechanisms of the adsorbents (namely Si-, CN-, Diol-, and NH2-based SPs) on retention has been investigated under a variety of conditions either by using different combinations of apolar solvents (heptane or hexane) and alcohols (ethanol or isopropanol). The columns have also been employed for the separation of a real cannabis sample.
Cognitive appraisal of the disease and stress level in lung cancer patients. The mediating role of coping styles
Authors: Poręba-Chabros Agata , Kolańska-Stronka Magdalena , Mamcarz Piotr , Mamcarz Izabela
Published: February 2022

Purpose

The aim of the study was to provide support for the hypothesis that there was a correlation between the subjective appraisal of one’s disease and the level of stress, as well as the hypothesis that coping styles may have a mediating role on the relationship between the perception of the disease and stress level in patients diagnosed with lung cancer.

Methods

The study involved 97 respondents diagnosed with lung cancer, including 50 men and 47 women. The following methods were used for the study: the Disease-Related Appraisals Scale, the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, and the Perceived Stress Scale. Socio-demographic data were also collected.

Results

The results show that emotion-oriented coping (EOC) acts as a mediator on the relationship between the appraisal of the disease and stress level in patients diagnosed with lung cancer. A total of 4 multiple mediation models were tested.

Conclusion

The research findings provide support for the hypothesis that coping style is crucial for the way patients appraise their disease and for their stress level. It is important to diagnose individual specific needs of lung cancer patients. The research results are an important source of information for those responsible for training medical staff on how to support cancer patients in their illness.
Physical, behavioral, and hormonal changes in the resumption of sexual receptivity during postpartum infertility in female bonobos at Wamba
Authors: Hashimoto Chie , Ryu Heungjin , Mouri Keiko , Shimizu Keiko , Sakamaki Tetsuya , Furuichi Takeshi
Published: February 2022

The operational sex ratio (OSR) is used as a predictor for the intensity of mating competition. While many factors affect the OSR, there tends to be a high male bias in primate species with long interbirth intervals and non-seasonal breeding, such as hominid apes. However, the OSR of bonobos (Pan paniscus) is lower than that of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), which is thought to reduce competitive and aggressive male behaviors. The low OSR of bonobos is considered to result from the early resumption of female sexual receptivity during postpartum infertility and the receptivity that they continue to show until the late stage of pregnancy. In this study, we aimed to examine the early resumption of sexual receptivity by providing quantitative data on the resumption of maximal swelling (MS) in sexual skin and copulation, and changes in urinary estrone conjugate (E1C) concentrations during postpartum infertility in wild bonobos at Wamba in the Luo Scientific Reserve, Democratic Republic of the Congo. An analysis of 9 years of data revealed that females showed the first MS at 225.4 ± 132.7 days after parturition and performed the first copulation at 186.8 ± 137.5 days after parturition, both of which were in the early stage of postpartum infertility. The proportion of days with MS and the frequency of copulation steadily increased subsequently; however, the rate of increase gradually slowed approximately 42–48 months after parturition. There was a significant correlation between the proportion of days with MS and the frequency of copulation in each period for each female. We confirmed that E1C concentrations were significantly higher during the MS phase than during the non-MS phase. Data collected over 15 months on the E1C concentration during MS showed that it increased linearly from the early stage of lactation to the next conception. These results suggest that, although female bonobos do not usually conceive until 49.7 months after parturition, they resume MS and receptivity at a low level of E1C concentration during an early stage of postpartum infertility. This study of female bonobo receptivity and sex hormone changes during the postpartum non-fertile period provides important insights for examining the evolution of low OSR, which has been considered to contribute to peaceful social relationships among bonobos.
Evaluation of uptake of the cytostatic methotrexate in Elliptio complanata mussels by LC–MS/MS
Authors: Poirier Larabie Sylvie , Jutras Martin , Leclair Grégoire , St-Jean Isabelle , Kleinert Christine , Gagné François , Gagnon Christian
Published: February 2022

Aquatic organisms are continuously exposed to emerging contaminants coming from urban effluents of wastewater treatment plants. The contamination of surface water by those effluents poses a number of environmental risks, and pharmaceuticals are part of this class of effluent contaminants. Various classes of pharmaceuticals are not treated by wastewater treatment plants and anticancer drugs are part of them. The chemotherapy drug methotrexate (MTX) is an emerging contaminant and its growing use with the increase in cancer cases worldwide raises potential risk to aquatic organisms exposed to effluent discharges. However, chemical analyses in exposed freshwater aquatic organisms for ecotoxicological studies are rarely available and no studies have been done yet to accompany ecotoxicological data of exposed filter-feeding organisms. The purpose of this study was to develop a specific and sensitive analytical LC–MS/MS method for the quantification of methotrexate uptake in mussels exposed at different concentrations of the drug. A solid/liquid extraction followed by solid phase extraction (SPE) using an MCX phase purification scheme was optimized. The optimal recovery of 65% and matrix effect of 38% allowed to achieve a limit of quantification of 0.25 ng g−1, with an accuracy of 99–106%, a precision of no more than 3% RSD, and linearity ranging from 0.25 to 25 ng g−1. This methodology was tested with mussels exposed for 96 h at different concentrations (4 to 100 µg L−1) of MTX. The data revealed tissue uptake at concentrations ranging from 0 to 2.53 ng g−1. This suggests that this drug has low uptake potential and this methodology could be used to examine tissue levels of this drug in organisms continuously exposed to urban pollution.
Determination of the Partial Contributions to the Electrical Conductivity of TiO2-SiO2-Al2O3-MgO-CaO Slags: Role of the Experimental Processing Conditions
Authors: Martin-Treceno Samuel , Allanore Antoine , Bishop Catherine M. , Watson Matthew J. , Marshall Aaron T.
Published: February 2022

The electrical transport properties of molten TiO2–SiO2–Al2O3–MgO–CaO slags were determined as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure. To avoid the corrosion of crucible materials by this slag at ultra high temperatures, the pendant droplet technique was used inside a modified floating zone furnace. Electronic and ionic transference numbers were estimated using stepped-potential chronoamperometry experiments to quantify the contribution of the electronic/ionic conductivity to the total electric conductivity. The results show that these slags are mixed conductors, where current is carried by ionic and electronic carriers. The oxygen partial pressure dependence of the electronic transference numbers,

$$t_e$$

t
e

, indicated a semiconducting mechanism in the molten slag. The ratio of the different valences of the transition metal ions had a predominant effect on the

$$t_e$$

t
e

. The

$${{\text{TiO}}_{2}}$$

TiO
2

content also favoured electronic conduction, while the effect of temperature and structure was less noticeable within the temperature and composition range studied.
The Influence of Substrate Topography on the Plasma Jet Flow in the Substrate Boundary Layer under Suspension Plasma Spray Conditions: A Numerical Approach
Authors: Kiełczawa Tomasz , Sokołowski Paweł , Małachowska Aleksandra
Published: February 2022

This study deals with the numerical analysis of the plasma jet behavior close to the substrate surface depending on its topography. It uses a 2D axisymmetric time-dependent CFD model solved with the Ansys Fluent 2020/R1 package. The model takes into consideration the nonlinear thermophysical properties and turbulent phenomena of the plasma jet as well as its interaction with the microtextured substrate. Representative substrate topographies were considered as a boundary condition in the numerical simulations. They correspond to the bond coats used in Thermal Barrier Coating technology, actually APS sprayed NiCrAlY coatings which were experimentally microtextured using various laser unit operational conditions resulting in different substrate topographies. The numerical calculations showed that the substrate topography, modified and controlled in this work by microtexturing, disturbs the homogeneity of the pressure field in the substrate boundary layer resulting in the periodical pressure fluctuation. It was also observed that the relative local pressure disturbance is more significant in the substrate outer regions than close to the centerline. Then, based on the results of numerical calculations, the potential movement of feedstock particles near to the substrate was discussed. It was concluded that the deposition of fine powders, characterized by a low Stokes number, will be influenced by the pressure field distribution near to the substrate and will take place mainly in the local high-pressure zones. Furthermore, the local swirl of plasma taking place in each fine microtexture, created here by laser ablation, privileges the deposition of such particles on the surface asperities. These observations show that the CFD code modeling opens the possibility of predicting the movement and deposition of particles during plasma spraying, which is essential for understanding coating deposition mechanisms in suspension plasma spray.
Gray matter alteration in medication overuse headache: a coordinates-based activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Wenjia , Li Hui , Hou Xiaoyan , Jia Xize
Published: February 2022

Medication overuse headache (MOH) is a prevalent secondary headache, bringing heavy economic burden and neuropsychological damage. Neuroimaging studies on the disease reported divergent results. To merge the reported neuroimaging alterations in MOH patients and explore a pathophysiological mechanism of this disorder. A meta-analytic activation likelihood estimation (ALE) analysis method was used. We systematically searched English and Chinese databases for both morphological and functional neuroimaging studies published before Nov 18, 2021. Reported altered brain regions and the stereotactic coordinates of their peaks were extracted and pooled by GingerALE using Gaussian probability distribution into brain maps, illustrating converged regions of alteration among studies. We identified 927 articles, of which five studies on gray matter changes, using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) were eventually included for ALE analysis, with 344 subjects and 54 coordinates put into GingerALE. No functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) or positron emission topography (PET) studies were included for pooling. Compared with healthy controls (HCs), MOH featured increased gray matter density in midbrain, striatum, cingulate, inferior parietal cortex and cerebellum (P < 0.001 uncorrected), whereas decreased gray matter density in orbitofrontal cortex (P < 0.05, family-wise error), frontal, insular and parietal cortices (P < 0.001 uncorrected). Withdrawal of analgesics led to decreased gray matter density in superior temporal gyrus, cuneus, midbrain and cerebellum (P < 0.001 uncorrected). This meta-analysis confirmed that medication overuse headache is associated with morphologic alteration in the reward system, the prefrontal cortex and a reversible modification in the pain network. Further functional imaging paradigms and longitudinal studies are required for a more definite conclusion and a causal mechanism.
Decision Support Systems in HF based on Deep Learning Technologies
Authors: Penso Marco , Solbiati Sarah , Moccia Sara , Caiani Enrico G.
Published: February 2022

Purpose of Review

Application of deep learning (DL) is growing in the last years, especially in the healthcare domain. This review presents the current state of DL techniques applied to electronic health record structured data, physiological signals, and imaging modalities for the management of heart failure (HF), focusing in particular on diagnosis, prognosis, and re-hospitalization risk, to explore the level of maturity of DL in this field.

Recent Findings

DL allows a better integration of different data sources to distillate more accurate outcomes in HF patients, thus resulting in better performance when compared to conventional evaluation methods. While applications in image and signal processing for HF diagnosis have reached very high performance, the application of DL to electronic health records and its multisource data for prediction could still be improved, despite the already promising results.

Embracing the current big data era, DL can improve performance compared to conventional techniques and machine learning approaches. DL algorithms have potential to provide more efficient care and improve outcomes of HF patients, although further investigations are needed to overcome current limitations, including results generalizability and transparency and explicability of the evidences supporting the process.
BEAR1, a bHLH Transcription Factor, Controls Salt Response Genes to Regulate Rice Salt Response
Authors: Teng Yantong , Lv Min , Zhang Xiangxiang , Cai Maohong , Chen Tao
Published: February 2022

Transcription factors play important roles in plant abiotic stresses. However, there are a large number of TF functions in rice salt response need to be characterized. Our study identified a new transcription factor, BEAR1, acts as a regulator of rice salt response. We used artificial microRNA to generate BEAR1 knockdown transgenic rice, and CRISPR to generate BEAR1 gene editing mutant lines. Both knockdown lines and mutant lines showed salt sensitive phenotypes, compared to NIP. Transient expression in rice protoplast was used to confirm the subcellular localization of BEAR1. The transcription activity of BEAR1 was detected by yeast system. BEAR1 was induced by salt stress and dominantly expressed in root at seedling stage and spikelet at mature stage. BEAR1 regulating rice salt response by controlling expression levels of many salt-related genes, including salt response marker genes and ion transporter genes. The study revealed that BEAR1 was a regulator of rice salt response.
The ForEx++ based decision tree ensemble approach for robust detection of Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Pramanik Moumita , Pradhan Ratika , Nandy Parvati , Bhoi Akash Kumar , Barsocchi Paolo
Published: February 2022

The progressive reduction of dopaminergic neurons in the human brain, especially at the substantia nigra is one of the principal causes of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Voice alteration is one of the earliest symptoms found in PD patients. Therefore, the impaired PD subjects’ acoustic voice signal plays a crucial role in detecting the presence of Parkinson's. This manuscript presents four distinct decision tree ensemble methods of PD detection on a trailblazing ForEx++ rule-based framework. The Systematically Developed Forest (SysFor) and a Penalizing Attributes Decision Forest (ForestPA) ensemble approaches has been used for PD detection. The proposed detection schemes efficiently identify positive subjects using primary voice signal features, viz., baseline, vocal fold, and time–frequency. A novel feature selection scheme termed Feature Ranking to Feature Selection (FRFS) has also been proposed to combine filter and wrapper strategies. The proposed FRFS scheme encompasses Gel’s normality test to rank and selects outstanding features from baseline, time–frequency, and vocal fold feature groups. The SysFor and ForestPA decision forests underneath the ForEx++ rule-based framework on both FRFS feature ranking and subset selection represents Parkinson’s detection approaches, which expedite a better overall impact on segregating PD from control subjects. It has been observed that the ForestPA decision forest in the ForEx++ framework on FRFS ranked features proved to be a robust Parkinson’s detection scheme. The proposed models deliver the highest accuracy of 94.12% and a lowest mean absolute error of 0.25, resulting in an Area Under Curve (AUC) value of 0.97.
Environmental impacts of organic agriculture and the controversial scientific debates
Authors: Debuschewitz Emil , Sanders Jürn
Published: February 2022

The environmental impacts of organic agriculture have been controversially discussed in the scientific community for many years. There are still conflicting views on how far organic agriculture can help address environmental and resource challenges, and whether its promotion is an appropriate policy approach to solving existing socioecological problems. So far, no clear perspective on these questions has been established. How can this be explained? And is there a “lock-in” of the scientific discourse? The aim of this paper is to retrace the scientific discourse on this topic and to derive possible explanations as to why environmental impacts of organic agriculture continue to be assessed differently. To this end, a qualitative content analysis was conducted with a sample of n = 93 scientific publications. In addition, expert interviews were conducted to verify the results of the literature analysis. Two main lines of discussion were identified: first, the extent to which aspects of food security should be included in the assessment of environmental aspects (thematic frame); second, the extent to which net environmental impacts or possible leakage effects because of lower yield levels should be considered (spatial frame). It is concluded that the polarizing debate mainly results from the often-binary initial question (is organic agriculture superior to conventional agriculture?). Further, aspects that have been insufficiently illuminated so far, such as the choice of reference units or normative basic assumptions in scientific sustainability assessments, should be given greater consideration in the discourse.
Where Do Mistakes Lead? A Survey of Games with Incompetent Players
Authors: Graham Thomas , Kleshnina Maria , Filar Jerzy A.
Published: February 2022

Mathematical models often aim to describe a complicated mechanism in a cohesive and simple manner. However, reaching perfect balance between being simple enough or overly simplistic is a challenging task. Frequently, game-theoretic models have an underlying assumption that players, whenever they choose to execute a specific action, do so perfectly. In fact, it is rare that action execution perfectly coincides with intentions of individuals, giving rise to behavioural mistakes. The concept of incompetence of players was suggested to address this issue in game-theoretic settings. Under the assumption of incompetence, players have non-zero probabilities of executing a different strategy from the one they chose, leading to stochastic outcomes of the interactions. In this article, we survey results related to the concept of incompetence in classic as well as evolutionary game theory and provide several new results. We also suggest future extensions of the model and argue why it is important to take into account behavioural mistakes when analysing interactions among players in both economic and biological settings.
Manure biostabilization by effective microorganisms as a way to improve its agronomic value
Authors: Hidalgo D. , Corona F. , Martín-Marroquín J.M.
Published: February 2022

The traditional logic behind effective microorganism is based on a media inoculation with mixed cultures of beneficial microorganisms to create a more favorable environment for plant growth and health when the media is the soil. Following this rationale, other research works have been focused on studying the effect of effective microorganisms when they are used as manure stabilizing agents, in some cases by including them in animal diets, reporting, in all cases, beneficial properties. However, the use of effective microorganisms is not yet widespread. One reason may be that no rigorous research has so far been done on the actual utility of these mixed cultures on manure stabilization and crop production. In this work, the potential uses of effective microorganisms are shown with the focus on evaluating the influence of these mixed cultures on the biostabilization of manure before its use as fertilizer. This work also presents some new perspectives on the role and application of effective microorganisms as microbial inoculants to achieve a microbiological balance of manure so that it can improve its quality, increasing production and protection of crops when applied as fertilizer, helping to conserving natural resources and creating a more sustainable agriculture and environment. Finally, this document also reviews strategies on how to improve the effect of effective microorganisms after their inoculation into the soil as part of the manure.
A case study in citizen environmental humanities: creating a participatory plant story website
Authors: Gianquitto Tina , LaFauci Lauren
Published: February 2022

Public engagement in crowd-sourced science projects such as iNaturalist or the Audubon Christmas Bird Count is a long-established practice within environmental studies and sciences. As a corollary to these “citizen science” efforts, “citizen humanities” engages public participation in humanities research and/or with humanities tools such as creative writing, photography, art-making, or conducting and recording interviews. In this essay, we outline our work creating a citizen environmental humanities website,Herbaria 3.0, including our motivations, process, and theoretical underpinnings. This project draws upon the critical understanding within environmental studies of the importance of narrative and storytelling for fostering a connection and commitment to environments and nonhuman beings. Situated within the field of environmental humanities, our website solicits, collects, and archives stories about the manifold relationships between plants and people, inviting visitors to read, share, or write their own story for digital publication. The kind of environmental storytelling that results, we argue, can (1) enrich our conceptualization of attachment to places, (2) expand our notion of what “counts” as an encounter with nature, and (3) help us recognize the agency of individual plants. We conclude that similar citizen humanities projects are crucial to the ongoing work of environmental humanities and environmental studies at large, for it is through such public engagement that we can meet the cultural challenges that seeded, and the societal problems occasioned by, ongoing climate change.
Influence of rotational speed on the electrical and mechanical properties of the friction stir spot welded aluminium alloy sheets
Authors: Labus Zlatanovic Danka , Bergmann Jean Pierre , Balos Sebastian , Gräzel Michael , Pejic Dragan , Sovilj Platon , Goel Saurav
Published: February 2022

An efficient and productive joining technique to weld aluminium has become a priority challenge for promoting the use of aluminium in the electrical industry. One of the challenges is to obtain welds with superior mechanical properties with the consistent quality of weld surface as well as low electrical resistance. In this paper, the influence of rotational speed during the friction stir spot welding of AA 5754-H111 was studied to analyse the mechanical and electrical properties of the welds. The results from two rotational speeds (1000 rpm and 4500 rpm) are presented and compared to the base material. It was observed that the samples welded at 1000 rpm showed a higher average shear failure load (~ 1.1 kN) compared to the samples welded at 4500 rpm (~ 0.94 kN). The microhardness of the samples welded at 1000 rpm was higher than that of the base material, while the microhardness of samples welded at 4500 rpm was lower. It was also found that the friction welded sheets, regardless of the rotational speed used, showed increased electrical resistance compared to the base material, albeit this increase for the samples welded at 1000 rpm was about 42%, compared to samples welded at 4500 rpm where this increase was just 14%.
How Does the Provision of Guided Notes Affect Student Learning in Undergraduate Mathematics?
Authors: Krapf Regula , Pfefferkorn Luca
Published: February 2022

Note-taking in tertiary education is a challenging activity which requires listening, processing and recording new information at the same time. However, in lectures at a high presentation rate, students often have to choose between these activities. One solution which is frequently proposed to mitigate this problem is the use of guided notes, instructor-provided handouts containing blanks that are filled in class. In this article, we investigate how the provision of guided notes in an undergraduate mathematics course can support student learning. A self-report survey reveals that students value guided notes as a tool to remain focussed during the lecture, to process and store new information and to foster active engagement. Moreover, they prefer guided notes both compared to lectures without instructor-provided notes and with full notes.
The effect of various simultaneous sources of mechanical error in the estimators of correlation causing deflation in reliability: seeking the best options of correlation for deflation-corrected reliability
Authors: Metsämuuronen Jari
Published: February 2022

Estimates of reliability by traditional estimators are deflated, because the item-total or item-score correlation (Rit) or principal component or factor loading (λi) embedded in the estimators are seriously deflated. Different optional estimators of correlation that can replace Rit and λi are compared in this article. Simulations show that estimators such as polychoric correlation (RPC), gamma (G), dimension-corrected G (G2), and attenuation-corrected Rit (RAC) and eta (EAC) reflect the true correlation without any loss of information with several sources of technical or mechanical error in the estimators of correlation (MEC) including extreme item difficulty and item variance, small number of categories in the item and in the score, and the varying distributions of the latent variable. To obtain deflation-corrected reliability, RPC, G, G2, RAC, and EAC are likely to be the best options closely followed by r-bireg or r-polyreg coefficient (RREG).
Diversity in morphotypes and necrotrophic effectors (Nes) of Pyrenophora tritici-repentis strains in Latvia and Belarus
Authors: Kaņeps J. , Moročko-Bičevska I. , Bankina B. , Fridmanis D. , Roga A. , Zhukovski A. , Krupenko N. , Buga S. , Odintsova I. , Radivon V.
Published: February 2022

Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Ptr), family Pleosporaceae, is a common wheat pathogen in all wheat-growing regions around the globe. It is widely studied in North America, South America, and North Africa, while data about the fungus genetic diversity in Europe is still insufficient. This study aimed to describe the variation of morphological traits and toxin production of strains collected in Latvia and Belarus. Twenty-one isolates from Latvia, and 12 from Belarus were sampled in 2019 for morphological evaluation in culture and necrotrophic effector gene determination by PCR. All isolates were grouped into nine different morphotypes. Five of these morphotypes were unique for isolates from Latvia, one for Belarus, and three morphotypes were occurring in both countries. No association between the host and the pathogen morphotype was observed. ToxA gene was detected in 44% of the analysed isolates. For 52% of the isolates, PCR did not confirm the presence of any known effector genes of Pyrenophora tritici-repentis. ToxB and toxb were found only in one isolate from Latvia. The studies need to be continued to evaluate the diversity of the pathogen depending on the host species.
Evaluation of dry specimen transport and processing time using an isothermal amplification high-risk human papillomavirus assay
Authors: Hu Longhua , Wu Suhui , Shang Haixia , Belinson Jerome , Li Jinhong , Wu Xiaoqin , Huang Yaling , Sun Jingfen
Published: February 2022

Background

Dry specimen transport has shown equivalence to traditional liquid transport using a novel high-risk Human papillomavirus assay. Considering that dry transport might cross obstacles during cervical cancer screening in low and middle resource settings, this study was designed evaluate different processing time of dry specimen transport using the same isothermal amplification hrHPV assay.

Methods

There were 564 women between the ages of 30–55 recruited from colposcopy clinic. For each patient, two endocervical samples were collected and placed into empty collection tubes by physician. Samples were stored at room temperature until analyzed for hrHPV using the AmpFire assay at two time points: 2 days and 2 weeks. 511 of the 564 participants with positive hrHPV were provided colposcopy exam and quadrant biopsy.

Results

A total of 1128 endocervical samples from 564 patients were detected by the Ampfire assay. Good agreement was found between two time periods (Kappa ​± ​Standard error ​= ​0.67 ​± ​0.04). Sensitivity (2days/2weeks) for CIN2+ was 95.28% (95% CI: 92.14%–98.42%) vs 90.57% (CI (86.65%–94.49%) and specificity (2days/2weeks) was 22.47% (CI 19.33%–25.61%) vs 28.15% (CI 24.23%–32.07%) respectively. The difference for Ampfire HPV detection in sensitivity for CIN2+ for the two time periods was not significant (P ​= ​0.227), while the difference in specificity for CIN2+ was significant (P ​= ​0.001). The difference in Ct values 29.23 (CI 28.15–30.31) and 29.27 (CI 28.19–30.35) between two time points was not significant (P ​= ​0.164).

Conclusion

Processing dry brush specimens can be delayed up to 2 weeks. Using the AmpFire assay platform which supports cervical cancer prevention programs in low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs).
Never Together
Authors: Temin Peter
Published: February 2022

In November 2020, The New York Times asked fifteen on its columnists to 'explain what the past four years have cost America.' Not one of the columnists focused on President Trump's racism. This book seeks to redress this imbalance and bring Black Americans' role in our economy to the forefront. While all humans were created equal, economic history in the United States tells a different story. Reconstruction lasted for only a decade, and Jim Crow laws replaced it. The Civil Rights Movement lasted through the 1960s, yet decayed under President Nixon. The United States has been declining in the Social Product Index, where it now is the lowest of the G7 and 26th in the world. For health and happiness, Temin argues that we need lasting integration efforts that allow Black Americans equal opportunity. This book convincingly integrates Black and white activities into an inclusive economic history of America.
Plato's Charmides
Authors: Tsouna Voula
Published: February 2022

The Charmides is a difficult and enigmatic dialogue traditionally considered one of Plato's Socratic dialogues. This book provides a close text commentary on the dialogue which tracks particular motifs throughout. These notably include the characterization of Critias, Charmides, and Socrates; the historical context and subtext, literary features such as irony and foreshadowing; the philosophical context and especially how the dialogue looks back to more traditional Socratic dialogues and forward to dialogues traditionally placed in Plato's middle and late period; and most importantly the philosophical and logical details of the arguments and their dialectical function. A new translation of the dialogue is included in an appendix. This will be essential reading for all scholars and students of Plato and of ancient philosophy. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.