bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and Validation of Decision Rules Models to Stratify Coronary Artery Disease, Diabetes, and Hypertension Risk in Preventive Care: Cohort Study of Returning UK Biobank Participants
Authors: Castela Forte José , Folkertsma Pytrik , Gannamani Rahul , Kumaraswamy Sridhar , Mount Sarah , de Koning Tom J. , van Dam Sipko , Wolffenbuttel Bruce H. R.
Published: December 2021

Many predictive models exist that predict risk of common cardiometabolic conditions. However, a vast majority of these models do not include genetic risk scores and do not distinguish between clinical risk requiring medical or pharmacological interventions and pre-clinical risk, where lifestyle interventions could be first-choice therapy. In this study, we developed, validated, and compared the performance of three decision rule algorithms including biomarkers, physical measurements, and genetic risk scores for incident coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes (T2D), and hypertension against commonly used clinical risk scores in 60,782 UK Biobank participants. The rules models were tested for an association with incident CAD, T2D, and hypertension, and hazard ratios (with 95% confidence interval) were calculated from survival models. Model performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), and Net Reclassification Index (NRI). The higher risk group in the decision rules model had a 40-, 40.9-, and 21.6-fold increased risk of CAD, T2D, and hypertension, respectively (p < 0.001 for all). Risk increased significantly between the three strata for all three conditions (p < 0.05). Based on genetic risk alone, we identified not only a high-risk group, but also a group at elevated risk for all health conditions. These decision rule models comprising blood biomarkers, physical measurements, and polygenic risk scores moderately improve commonly used clinical risk scores at identifying individuals likely to benefit from lifestyle intervention for three of the most common lifestyle-related chronic health conditions. Their utility as part of digital data or digital therapeutics platforms to support the implementation of lifestyle interventions in preventive and primary care should be further validated.
Are Pueblos Mágicos Really Magic? Tourism Development Program in the Context of the Quality of Life of Town Residents
Authors: Winiarczyk-Raźniak Anna , Raźniak Piotr
Published: December 2021

Among the countless attractions awaiting tourists in Mexico are towns characterized by an exceptional atmosphere, which in conjunction with natural environmental attractions, leads one to believe that these places are magical. The promotion of tourism in Mexico rests on the principle of cultural and environmental diversity and includes a development program called Pueblos Mágicos. This program is designed to help expand small towns’ tourism offering and to create new jobs in the service sector that normally accompanies tourism. This growth in the employment level is supposed to produce a direct impact on the lives of members of the local community in terms of their standard of living and quality of life. The aim of the present paper is to examine the effects of the implementation of this program in a comprehensive manner. The viewpoint examined is that of the local population and its living conditions. Employment levels in towns designated Pueblos Mágicos are examined in the paper, as is the rate of business development. A comprehensive index is used in the study to analyze these issues. The index of exclusion in the study also varies from town to town—both statically and over time. The paper also examines a number of other studies that have focused on the benefits and downsides of this program. Thus, the aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the effects of the introduction of the tourism development program Pueblos Mágicos (PPM) from the perspective of its impacts on the quality of life of the residents of the affected towns, based on statistical data such as job growth rates and marginalization, as well as a review of existing studies. Research has shown that the Pueblos Mágicos program has not substantially improved the quality of life of residents in Mexican towns designated Pueblos Mágicos. In fact, in some cases, the quality of life has, in some respects, declined over the course of the program’s functioning. However, it is conceivable that with a proper town vetting process the program may yet produce better results in terms of improvements in the quality of life of Pueblo Mágico town residents.
Use of Biological Treatments in Elderly Patients with Skin Psoriasis in the Real World
Authors: Osuna Cristina Galache , García Sebastián Reyes , Martín Jimena Carrero , Jiménez Virginia García , López Francisco Vázquez , Santos-Juanes Jorge
Published: December 2021

Biological drugs have prompted a revolution in the treatment of patients with psoriasis because of their favourable efficacy/risk profile. The aims of our study are to determine whether there is any difference in the pattern of use of biological treatments for older (65+ years) and younger patients diagnosed with plaque psoriasis by the Dermatology Service of the Hospital Universitario de Asturias (HUCA), to understand the survival of these drugs, and to identify the factors that predict the discontinuation of treatments. We report a retrospective observational hospital-based study of 300 patients registered at HUCA’s Dermatology Service who were receiving one of the following biological treatments for psoriasis on 30 November 2020: adalimumab, ustekinumab, secukinumab, or ixekizumab. The age groups were compared using Student’s t-test for quantitative variables and the chi-squared test for qualitative variables. We used the Kaplan–Meier estimator to estimate the survival function and the log-rank test to measure differences. No statistically significant differences in the frequency of use were noted between the younger and older groups, for any of the drugs studied. Survival on a drug regime, globally and individually, was similar in the two age groups. Factors predicting lower overall survival were being female, obesity, and having undergone previous biological treatment. The first three factors were influential in the under-65-year-old group, while arthritis was a significant factor for the older group.
Implantation Failures and Miscarriages in Frozen Embryo Transfers Timed in Hormone Replacement Cycles (HRT): A Narrative Review
Authors: de Ziegler Dominique , Pirtea Paul , Ayoubi Jean Marc
Published: December 2021

The recent advent of embryo vitrification and its remarkable efficacy has focused interest on the quality of hormone administration for priming frozen embryo transfers (FETs). Products available for progesterone administration have only been tested in fresh assisted reproduction technologies (ARTs) and not in FET. Recently, there have been numerous concordant reports pointing at the inefficacy of vaginal preparations at delivering sufficient progesterone levels in a sizable fraction of FET patients. The options available for coping with these shortcomings of vaginal progesterone include (i) rescue options with the addition of injectable subcutaneous (SC) progesterone at the dose of 25 mg/day administered either solely to women whose circulating progesterone is <10 ng/mL or to all in a combo option and (ii) the exclusive administration of SC progesterone at the dose of 25 mg BID. The wider use of segmented ART accompanied with FET forces hormone replacement regimens used for priming endometrial receptivity to be adjusted in order to optimize ART outcomes.
Fracture Mechanics and Fatigue Design in Metallic Materials
Authors: Rozumek Dariusz
Published: December 2021

Devices, working structures and their elements are subjected to the influence of various loads [...]
Laves Phase Formation in High Entropy Alloys
Authors: Ryltsev Roman , Gaviko Vasiliy , Estemirova Svetlana , Sterkhov Evgenii , Cherepanova Lubov , Yagodin Denis , Chtchelkatchev Nikolay , Dubinin Nikolay , Uporov Sergey
Published: December 2021

One of the intriguing recent results in the field of high-entropy alloys is the discovery of single-phase equiatomic multi-component Laves intermetallics. However, there is no clear understanding that a combination of chemical elements will form such high-entropy compounds. Here we contribute to understanding this issue by modifying the composition of duodenary TiZrHfNbVCrMoMnFeCoNiAl (12x) alloy in which we recently reported the fabrication of hexagonal C14 Laves phase. We consider three alloys based on 12x: 7x = 12x-VCrMoMnFe, 12x + Sc, 12x + Be and observe that all of them crystalize with the formation of C14 Laves phase as a dominant structure. We report that 12x + Be alloy reveals a single-phase C14 structure with a very high concentration of structural defects and ultra-fine dendritic microstructure with an almost homogenous distribution of the constituted elements over the alloy matrix. The analysis of electrical and magnetic properties reveals that the Laves phases are Curie-Weiss paramagnets, which demonstrate metallic conduction; 7x and 12x alloys also reveal a pronounced Kondo-like anomaly. Analysis of experimental data as well as ab initio calculations suggest that chemical complexity and compositional disorder cause strong s-d band scattering and thus the rather high density of d-states in the conduction band.
Modelling of the Erosive Dissolution of Metal Oxides in a Deep Eutectic Solvent—Choline Chloride/Sulfosalicylic Acid—Assisted by Ultrasonic Cavitation
Authors: Gradov Oleg M. , Zinov’eva Inna V. , Zakhodyaeva Yulia A. , Voshkin Andrey A.
Published: December 2021

Here we report on the results concerning the influence of ultrasound on the dissolution process of metal oxides CoO, Ni2O3 and Mn2O3 in choline chloride/sulfosalicylic acid as a deep eutectic solvent. The mechanism of dissolution under cavitation conditions with ultrasonic assistance is described. Theoretical research resulted in equations describing the dissolution process kinetics and linking its basic parameters. Optimal conditions for the most effective ultrasound application were found. Experimental data on dissolution kinetics of metal oxides in deep eutectic solvents was also obtained. It was discovered that experimental data correlates well with theoretical calculations, which confirms the correctness of developing a picture about the physicochemical nature of the process under study.
Design against Fatigue of Super Duplex Stainless Steel Structures Fabricated by Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing Process
Authors: Sales Andrew , Kotousov Andrei , Yin Ling
Published: December 2021

Additive manufacturing (AM) is increasingly used to make complex components for a wide spectrum of applications in engineering, medicine and dentistry. Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), as one of AM processes, utilises electric arc and metal wire to fabricate fully dense and heavy metal parts at relatively low costs and high-energy efficiencies. WAAM was successfully applied in the production of several welding-based metal structures. Recently, there was a growing interest in WAAM processing of super duplex stainless steels (SDSS) due to their high strength and excellent corrosion resistance, which make them the prime choice for load-bearing structures in marine applications. Although a number of studies investigated the microstructural and mechanical properties of WAAM-processed SDSS components, little is known regarding their fatigue performance, which is critical in engineering design. This study reports on the outcomes of fatigue tests and fracture surface fractography of WAAM-processed SDSS. The results obtained indicate a significant anisotropy of fatigue properties and fatigue crack initiations resulting from internal defects rather than surface flaws. Based on these experimental results, we suggest an effective design methodology to improve the fatigue life of the WAAM-fabricated SDSS components. We also indicate that post-manufacturing surface treatments should not be underlined for the enhanced fatigue resistance of WAAM-processed SDSS structures.
Evaluation of Serum and Urine Amino Acids in Dogs with Chronic Kidney Disease and Healthy Dogs Fed a Renal Diet
Authors: Brunetto Marcio Antonio , Halfen Doris Pereira , Risolia Larissa Wunsche , Pedrinelli Vivian , Caragelasco Douglas Segalla , Vendramini Thiago Henrique Annibale , de Carvalho Balieiro Julio César , Pontieri Cristiana Fonseca Ferreira , Jeremias Juliana Toloi , Ruberti Bruna , Kogika Marcia Mery
Published: December 2021

This observational study aimed to evaluate serum and urinary amino acid (AA) concentrations in healthy dogs and dogs with chronic kidney disease (CKD) fed a commercial therapeutic renal diet with reduced protein and phosphorus levels. Ten dogs with CKD stages 3 or 4 composed the study group and received the renal diet for 180 days (RG T180). A control group (CG T30) composed of seven healthy dogs was fed a renal diet for 30 days. When comparing serum AA between RG T180 and CG T30, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, cysteine, citrulline, ornithine, taurine, branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), and total essential amino acids (EAA) were higher in RG T180. Meanwhile, arginine, asparagine, aspartate, glutamine, serine, and tyrosine were higher in CG T30. Serum phenylalanine, tryptophan, and hydroxyproline were higher in RG T0 (dogs with CKD before consuming a renal diet) when compared to RG T180. In addition, the serum ratios of arginine/citrulline, tyrosine/phenylalanine, and serine/glycine were higher in CG T30 than in RG T180. Concerning urinary AA concentrations in CKD dogs, isoleucine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, aspartate, cysteine, and BCAA were higher in RG T180. In urine, the total EAA/total non-essential AA ratio in RG T180 was higher than in CG T30 as well as tyrosine/phenylalanine ratio higher in CG T30. In conclusion, the combination of renal diet and conservative treatment over 6 months in dogs with CKD stages 3 or 4 affected the AAs metabolism when compared to healthy adult dogs.
Metabolomics Diagnosis of COVID-19 from Exhaled Breath Condensate
Authors: Barberis Elettra , Amede Elia , Khoso Shahzaib , Castello Luigi , Sainaghi Pier Paolo , Bellan Mattia , Balbo Piero Emilio , Patti Giuseppe , Brustia Diego , Giordano Mara , Rolla Roberta , Chiocchetti Annalisa , Romani Giorgia , Manfredi Marcello , Vaschetto Rosanna
Published: December 2021

Infection from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can lead to severe respiratory tract damage and acute lung injury. Therefore, it is crucial to study breath-associated biofluids not only to investigate the breath’s biochemical changes caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, but also to discover potential biomarkers for the development of new diagnostic tools. In the present study, we performed an untargeted metabolomics approach using a bidimensional gas chromatography mass spectrometer (GCxGC-TOFMS) on exhaled breath condensate (EBC) from COVID-19 patients and negative healthy subjects to identify new potential biomarkers for the noninvasive diagnosis and monitoring of the COVID-19 disease. The EBC analysis was further performed in patients with acute or acute-on-chronic cardiopulmonary edema (CPE) to assess the reliability of the identified biomarkers. Our findings demonstrated that an abundance of EBC fatty acids can be used to discriminate COVID-19 patients and that they may have a protective effect, thus suggesting their potential use as a preventive strategy against the infection.
Detection of Rare Earth Elements in Minerals and Soils by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) Using Interval PLS
Authors: Rethfeldt Nina , Brinkmann Pia , Riebe Daniel , Beitz Toralf , Köllner Nicole , Altenberger Uwe , Löhmannsröben Hans-Gerd
Published: December 2021

The numerous applications of rare earth elements (REE) has lead to a growing global demand and to the search for new REE deposits. One promising technique for exploration of these deposits is laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Among a number of advantages of the technique is the possibility to perform on-site measurements without sample preparation. Since the exploration of a deposit is based on the analysis of various geological compartments of the surrounding area, REE-bearing rock and soil samples were analyzed in this work. The field samples are from three European REE deposits in Sweden and Norway. The focus is on the REE cerium, lanthanum, neodymium and yttrium. Two different approaches of data analysis were used for the evaluation. The first approach is univariate regression (UVR). While this approach was successful for the analysis of synthetic REE samples, the quantitative analysis of field samples from different sites was influenced by matrix effects. Principal component analysis (PCA) can be used to determine the origin of the samples from the three deposits. The second approach is based on multivariate regression methods, in particular interval PLS (iPLS) regression. In comparison to UVR, this method is better suited for the determination of REE contents in heterogeneous field samples.
An Adversarial Learning Approach for Super-Resolution Enhancement Based on AgCl@Ag Nanoparticles in Scanning Electron Microscopy Images
Authors: Fan Li , Wang Zelin , Lu Yuxiang , Zhou Jianguang
Published: December 2021

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) plays a crucial role in the characterization of nanoparticles. Unfortunately, due to the limited resolution, existing imaging techniques are insufficient to display all detailed characteristics at the nanoscale. Hardware-oriented techniques are troubled with costs and material properties. Computational approaches often prefer blurry results or produce a less meaningful high-frequency noise. Therefore, we present a staged loss-driven neural networks model architecture to transform low-resolution SEM images into super-resolved ones. Our approach consists of two stages: first, residual channel attention network (RCAN) with mean absolute error (MAE) loss was used to get a better peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR). Then, discriminators with adversarial losses were activated to reconstruct high-frequency texture features. The quantitative and qualitative evaluation results indicate that compared with other advanced approaches, our model achieves satisfactory results. The experiment in AgCl@Ag for photocatalytic degradation confirms that our proposed method can bring realistic high-frequency structural detailed information rather than meaningless noise. With this approach, high-resolution SEM images can be acquired immediately without sample damage. Moreover, it provides an enhanced characterization method for further directing the preparation of nanoparticles.
A Novel Antibacterial Titanium Modification with a Sustained Release of Pac-525
Authors: He Yuzhu , Li Yuanyuan , Zuo Enjun , Chai Songling , Ren Xiang , Fei Tao , Ma Guowu , Wang Xiumei , Liu Huiying
Published: December 2021

For the benefit of antibacterial Ti on orthopedic and dental implants, a bioactive coating (Pac@PLGA MS/HA coated Ti) was deposited on the surface of pure titanium (Ti), which included two layers: an acid–alkali heat pretreated biomimetic mineralization layer and an electrosprayed Poly (D,L-lactide-co- glycolic acid) (PLGA) microsphere layer as a sustained-release system. Hydroxyapatite (HA) in mineralization layer was primarily prepared on the Ti followed by the antibacterial coating of Pac-525 loaded by PLGA microspheres. After observing the antimicrobial peptides distributed uniformly on the titanium surface, the release assay showed that the release of Pac-525 from Pac@PLGA MS/HA coated Ti provided a large initial burst followed by a slow release at a flat rate. Pac@PLGA MS/HA coated Ti exhibited a strong cytotoxicity to both Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus). In addition, Pac@PLGA MS/HA coated Ti did not affect the growth and adhesion of the osteoblast-like cell line, MC3T3-E1. These data suggested that a bionic mineralized composite coating with long-term antimicrobial activity was successfully prepared.
Highly Homogeneous Current Transport in Ultra-Thin Aluminum Nitride (AlN) Epitaxial Films on Gallium Nitride (GaN) Deposited by Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition
Authors: Schilirò Emanuela , Giannazzo Filippo , Di Franco Salvatore , Greco Giuseppe , Fiorenza Patrick , Roccaforte Fabrizio , Prystawko Paweł , Kruszewski Piotr , Leszczynski Mike , Cora Ildiko , Pécz Béla , Fogarassy Zsolt , Lo Nigro Raffaella
Published: December 2021

This paper reports an investigation of the structural, chemical and electrical properties of ultra-thin (5 nm) aluminum nitride (AlN) films grown by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) on gallium nitride (GaN). A uniform and conformal coverage of the GaN substrate was demonstrated by morphological analyses of as-deposited AlN films. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analyses showed a sharp epitaxial interface with GaN for the first AlN atomic layers, while a deviation from the perfect wurtzite stacking and oxygen contamination were detected in the upper part of the film. This epitaxial interface resulted in the formation of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) with a sheet charge density ns ≈ 1.45 × 1012 cm−2, revealed by Hg-probe capacitance–voltage (C–V) analyses. Nanoscale resolution current mapping and current–voltage (I–V) measurements by conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) showed a highly homogeneous current transport through the 5 nm AlN barrier, while a uniform flat-band voltage (VFB ≈ 0.3 V) for the AlN/GaN heterostructure was demonstrated by scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM). Electron transport through the AlN film was shown to follow the Fowler–Nordheim (FN) tunneling mechanism with an average barrier height of <ΦB> = 2.08 eV, in good agreement with the expected AlN/GaN conduction band offset.
Aptamer Conjugated Indium Phosphide Quantum Dots with a Zinc Sulphide Shell as Photoluminescent Labels for Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Ayed Zeineb , Malhotra Shiana , Dobhal Garima , Goreham Renee V.
Published: December 2021

Acinetobacter baumannii is a remarkable microorganism known for its diversity of habitat and its multi-drug resistance, resulting in hard-to-treat infections. Thus, a sensitive method for the identification and detection of Acinetobacter baumannii is vital. However, current methods used for the detection of pathogens have not improved in the past decades and suffer from long process times and low detection limits. A cheap, quick, and easy detection mechanism is needed. In this work, we successfully prepared indium phosphide quantum dots with a zinc sulphide shell, conjugated to a targeting aptamer ligand, to specifically label Acinetobacter baumannii. The system retained both the photophysical properties of the quantum dots and the folded structure and molecular recognition function of the aptamer, therefore successfully targeting Acinetobacter baumannii. Confocal microscopy and transmission electron microscopy showed the fluorescent quantum dots surrounding the Acinetobacter baumannii cells confirming the specificity of the aptamer conjugated to indium phosphide quantum dots with a zinc sulphide shell. Controls were undertaken with a different bacteria species, showing no binding of the aptamer conjugated quantum dots. Our strategy offers a novel method to detect bacteria and engineer a scalable platform for fluorescence detection, therefore improving current methods and allowing for better treatment.
Possible Role of Accessory Proteins in the Viral Replication for the 20I/501Y.V1 (B.1.1.7) SARS CoV-2 Variant
Authors: Nyayanit Dimpal A. , Sarkale Prasad , Shete-Aich Anita , Kumar Abhinendra , Patil Savita , Majumdar Triparna , Baradkar Shrikant , Gawande Pranita , Mohandas Sreelekshmy , Yadav Pragya D
Published: December 2021

The emergence of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) has been a global concern. The B.1.1.7 variant of SARS CoV-2 is reported to cause higher transmission. The study investigates the replication cycle and transcriptional pattern of the B.1.1.7 to hypothesis the possible role of different genes in viral replication. It was observed that the B.1.1.7 variant required a longer maturation time. The transcriptional response demonstrated higher expression of ORF6 and ORF8 compared to nucleocapsid transcript till the eclipse period which might influence higher viral replication. The number of infectious viruses titer is higher in the B.1.1.7, despite a lesser copy number than B.1, indicating higher transmissibility. The experimental evidence published linked ORF6 and ORF8 to play important role in replication and we also observed their higher expression. This leads us to hypothesis the possible role of ORF6 and ORF8 in B.1.1.7 higher replication which causes higher transmission.
Quantitative Trait Loci and Candidate Genes Associated with Cold-Acclimation and Microdochium nivale Tolerance/Susceptibility in Winter Triticale (x Triticosecale)
Authors: Gołębiowska Gabriela , Dyda Mateusz , Wajdzik Katarzyna
Published: December 2021

Tolerance to pink snow mold caused by Microdochium nivale appears after a cold-hardening period and it is an essential, genotype-dependent, complex quantitative trait for the wintering of triticale (x Triticosecale) and other cereals. Despite long-term studies, a marker for the selection of the tolerant genotypes is still insufficiently recognized. Chlorophyll fluorescence has been reported as a sensitive indicator of stress effects on photosynthesis and can be used to predict plant tolerance. In this study, the genomic regions (QTLs) associated with the level of winter triticale seedlings damage caused by M. nivale infection as well as photosynthesis quantum efficiency and chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters were identified in seedlings of mapping population of 89 doubled haploids lines (DHs) derived from F1 hybrid of cv. ‘Hewo’ and cv. ‘Magnat’ accompanied with the genetic map consisting of 20 linkage groups with a total map length 4997.4 cm. Independent experiments performed in controlled conditions revealed 13 regions identified by a composite interval mapping, located on 7A, 1B, 2B, 6B, 7B, 3R, 5R, and 6R linkage groups and related to the PI, PIABS, TRo/CS, ABS/CS, ABS/CSm, ABS/RC, and Qy values as well as M. nivale tolerance T and susceptibility level P expressed by the seedling damage index. Additionally, candidate genes were in silico identified with the sequence position on wheat (2B and 7B) and rye (5R) chromosomes, where relevant QTL regions were found. The most important candidate genes indicated for M. nivale tolerance of cold-hardened triticale seedlings include those coding: sterol 3-beta-glucosyltransferase UGT80A2-like, transcription factor NAI1-like, and flavonol3-sulfotransferase-like proteins on chromosomes 2B and 5R.
Below-Ground Growth of Alpine Plants, Not Above-Ground Growth, Is Linked to the Extent of Its Carbon Storage
Authors: Zhang Youfu , Chen Tuo , Yun Hanbo , Chen Chunyan , Liu Yongzhi
Published: December 2021

Understanding carbon allocation in plants is essential for explaining their growth strategies during environmental adaptation. However, the role of mobile carbon in plant growth and its response to habitat conditions is still disputed. In degraded meadow (alpine sandy grassland) and non-degraded meadow (typical alpine meadow and swamp meadow) on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, we measured the monthly averages of above-ground biomass (AGB) and below-ground biomass (BGB) of the investigated species in each meadow and the average concentration of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs), an indicator of carbon storage. Below-ground organs had higher concentrations and showed more seasonal variation in NSCs than above-ground organs. BGB had a positive correlation with below-ground NSCs levels. However, AGB had no clear relationship with above-ground NSCs levels. Plants in sandy grasslands had higher total NSC, soluble sugars, fructose, and sucrose concentrations and lower starch concentrations in below-ground organs than plants in alpine or swamp meadows. Overall, NSCs storage, particularly soluble sugars, is a major process underlying the pattern of below-ground growth, but not above-ground growth, in the meadow ecosystem of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, and degraded meadow strengthens this process. These results suggest that the extent of carbon storage in non-photosynthetic organs of alpine herbs impacts their growth and habitat adaptation.
Transposons Hidden in Arabidopsis thaliana Genome Assembly Gaps and Mobilization of Non-Autonomous LTR Retrotransposons Unravelled by Nanotei Pipeline
Authors: Kirov Ilya , Merkulov Pavel , Dudnikov Maxim , Polkhovskaya Ekaterina , Komakhin Roman A. , Konstantinov Zakhar , Gvaramiya Sofya , Ermolaev Aleksey , Kudryavtseva Natalya , Gilyok Marina , Divashuk Mikhail G. , Karlov Gennady I. , Soloviev Alexander
Published: December 2021

Long-read data is a great tool to discover new active transposable elements (TEs). However, no ready-to-use tools were available to gather this information from low coverage ONT datasets. Here, we developed a novel pipeline, nanotei, that allows detection of TE-contained structural variants, including individual TE transpositions. We exploited this pipeline to identify TE insertion in the Arabidopsis thaliana genome. Using nanotei, we identified tens of TE copies, including ones for the well-characterized ONSEN retrotransposon family that were hidden in genome assembly gaps. The results demonstrate that some TEs are inaccessible for analysis with the current A. thaliana (TAIR10.1) genome assembly. We further explored the mobilome of the ddm1 mutant with elevated TE activity. Nanotei captured all TEs previously known to be active in ddm1 and also identified transposition of non-autonomous TEs. Of them, one non-autonomous TE derived from (AT5TE33540) belongs to TR-GAG retrotransposons with a single open reading frame (ORF) encoding the GAG protein. These results provide the first direct evidence that TR-GAGs and other non-autonomous LTR retrotransposons can transpose in the plant genome, albeit in the absence of most of the encoded proteins. In summary, nanotei is a useful tool to detect active TEs and their insertions in plant genomes using low-coverage data from Nanopore genome sequencing.
Trophic Transfer without Biomagnification of Cadmium in a Soybean-Dodder Parasitic System
Authors: Chen Bin J. W. , Xu Jing , Wang Xinyu
Published: December 2021

Cadmium (Cd) is among the most available and most toxic heavy metals taken up by plants from soil. Compared to the classic plant-animal food chains, the host-parasitic plant food chains have, thus far, been largely overlooked in the studies of Cd trophic transfer. To investigate the pattern of Cd transfer during the infection of parasitic plants on Cd-contaminated hosts, we conducted a controlled experiment that grew soybeans parasitized by Chinese dodders (Cuscuta chinensis) in soil with different levels of Cd treatment, and examined the concentration, accumulation, allocation and transfer coefficients of Cd within this parasitic system. Results showed that among all components, dodders accounted for more than 40% biomass of the whole system but had the lowest Cd concentration and accumulated the least amount of Cd. The transfer coefficient of Cd between soybean stems and dodders was much lower than 1, and was also significantly lower than that between soybean stems and soybean leaves. All these features were continuously strengthened with the increase of Cd treatment levels. The results suggested no evidence of Cd biomagnification in dodders parasitizing Cd-contaminated hosts, and implied that the Cd transfer from hosts to dodders may be a selective process.
Scenario Modeling of Sustainable Development of Energy Supply in the Arctic
Authors: Zhukovskiy Yuriy , Tsvetkov Pavel , Buldysko Aleksandra , Malkova Yana , Stoianova Antonina , Koshenkova Anastasia
Published: December 2021

The 21st century is characterized not only by large-scale transformations but also by the speed with which they occur. Transformations—political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal-in synergy have always been a catalyst for reactions in society. The field of energy supply, like many others, is extremely susceptible to the external influence of such factors. To a large extent, this applies to remote (especially from the position of energy supply) regions. The authors outline an approach to justifying the development of the Arctic energy infrastructure through an analysis of the demand for the amount of energy consumed and energy sources, taking into account global trends. The methodology is based on scenario modeling of technological demand. It is based on a study of the specific needs of consumers, available technologies, and identified risks. The paper proposes development scenarios and presents a model that takes them into account. Modeling results show that in all scenarios, up to 50% of the energy balance in 2035 will take gas, but the role of carbon-free energy sources will increase. The mathematical model allowed forecasting the demand for energy types by certain types of consumers, which makes it possible to determine the vector of development and stimulation of certain types of resources for energy production in the Arctic. The model enables considering not only the growth but also the decline in demand for certain types of consumers under different scenarios. In addition, authors’ forecasts, through further modernization of the energy sector in the Arctic region, can contribute to the creation of prerequisites that will be stimulating and profitable for the growth of investment in sustainable energy sources to supply consumers. The scientific significance of the work lies in the application of a consistent hybrid modeling approach to forecasting demand for energy resources in the Arctic region. The results of the study are useful in drafting a scenario of regional development, taking into account the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as identifying areas of technology and energy infrastructure stimulation.
Understanding South Korea’s Use of Sports Mega-Events for Domestic, Regional and International Soft Power
Authors: Grix Jonathan , Jeong Joonoh Brian , Kim Hyungmin
Published: December 2021

This paper seeks to contribute to the growing literature on ‘soft power’ by focusing on East Asia as a region gaining in political and economic significance; equally, we highlight the role sports mega-events play in the region’s most powerful states’ soft power strategies. For the purpose of this paper, we focus on South Korea’s soft power strategy and how the hosting of major sporting events has become a central part of this. We introduce both a novel tripartite approach to the study of the motives behind hosting sports mega-events, along with new, empirical data on the chosen case of South Korea. Our findings strengthen the notion that an explanation of why states seek to host major sports events can be better understood by considering the domestic, regional and international dimensions to capture the complexities behind such decisions.
How Gender Is Recognised in Economic and Education Policy Programmes and Initiatives: An Analysis of Nigerian State Policy Discourse
Authors: Ewoh-Odoyi Ethel
Published: December 2021

Many African states are involved in the frontline discourse on the fight for gender equality through the adoption of public policies, aiming to improve the lives of women through social, economic, and political development. In Nigeria, despite the adoption of Article 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 adapted from the United Nations principles of gender equality, which provides for equality and elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, the Nigerian state still struggles with different forms of gendered marginalisation issues against women in various aspects of Nigerian society; these issues are mainly due to cultural, economic, and legislative challenges. Therefore, this article explores how gender is recognized through public policy programmes and initiatives using a qualitative content analysis of relevant policy documents. The documents were collected from various government ministries and cover policy areas that represent entrepreneurship and economic activities in Nigeria between 2000 and 2020. The analysis confirms the recognition of gender in public policies by subjective bias and mediating access to education for female gender advancement in Nigerian society. Some gender gaps were also recognized and discussed in the article.
Mothers’ Perspectives on Resistance and Defiance in Middle Childhood: Promoting Autonomy and Social Skill
Authors: Kuczynski Leon , Burke Taniesha , Song-Choi Pauline
Published: December 2021

This study explored mothers’ perceptions of their children’s resistance to their requests and defiance of parental authority during middle childhood and early adolescence. We were interested in parental perceptions of change in resistance, their interpretations of the meaning of resistance, and parental responses to these behaviors. Forty Canadian mothers of children 9–13 years of age participated for one week in a study focused on parents’ experiences of children’s resistance and opposition. Procedures consisted of a qualitative analysis of mothers’ reports from a five-day event diary and a 1 h semi-structured interview. Mothers reported developmental changes in the quantity and quality of children’s resistance to parental requests and expectations. Most mothers reported increasing displays of defiance and direct and indirect expressions of attitude but also noted changes in the skill with which children expressed resistance. Mothers interpreted children’s resistance as annoying but normal expressions of children’s developing autonomy. Mothers supported children’s right to expression of agency through resistance but attempted to channel children’s resistance toward socially competent expressions of assertiveness. The findings have implications for a relational perspective on autonomy-supportive parenting and parents’ goals for children’s developing social competence in the 21st century.
“Our World Is Shaking Because of Corona”: Intersecting Crises and Disrupted Life Transitions among Young People in Ethiopia and Jordan Pre- and Post-COVID-19
Authors: Jones Nicola , Pincock Kate , Alheiwidi Sarah , Yadete Workneh
Published: December 2021

Our article explores how intersecting crises, sociocultural norms around gender, age, household and community and broader political and economic shifts are affecting youth transitions. We draw on qualitative virtual research with 138 young people in Ethiopia and Jordan undertaken between April and August 2020. COVID-19 is exacerbating ongoing crises and gender inequalities in Ethiopia and Jordan and foreclosing opportunities for youth transitions. In Ethiopia, the pandemic has compounded the precarity of young people who have migrated from rural to urban areas, often to locations where they are socially marginalised. In Jordan, the confinement of young people affected by forced displacement to their households with extended family during pandemic-related service closures augments existing perceptions of an extended ‘waithood’—both psychosocially and economically. In both contexts, conservative gender norms further entrench the restrictions on adolescent girls’ mobility with consequences for their opportunities and wellbeing. This article makes an important contribution to the literature on gender, migrant youth and the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by showing how multiple crises have sharpened the social and political (im)mobilities that already shaped young men and women’s lives in Ethiopia and Jordan and the consequences for their trajectories to adulthood.
Relationship between Urban Floating Population Distribution and Livability Environment: Evidence from Guangzhou’s Urban District, China
Authors: Wang Yang , Yue Xiaoli , Zhang Hong’ou , Su Yongxian , Qin Jing
Published: December 2021

The livability environment is an important aspect of urban sustainable development. The floating population refers to people without local hukou (also called ‘non-hukou migrants’). The floating population distribution is influenced by livability environment, but few studies have investigated this relationship. Especially, the influence of social environment on floating population distribution is rarely studied. Therefore, we study 1054 communities in Guangzhou’s urban district to explore the relationship between livability environment and floating population distribution. The purpose of this article is to study how livability environment affects floating population distribution. We develop a conceptual framework of livability environment, which consists of physical environment, social environment and life convenience. A cross-sectional dataset of the impact of livability environment on the floating population distribution is developed covering the proportion of floating population in the community as the dependent variable, eight factors of livability environment as the explanatory variables, and two factors of architectural characteristics and one factor of location characteristics as the control variables. We use spatial regression models to explore the degree of influence and direction of physical environment, social environment and life convenience on the floating population distribution in livability environment. The results show that the spatial error model is more effective than ordinary least squares and spatial lag model models. The five factors of the livability environment have statistical significance regarding floating population distribution, including four social environment factors (proportion of middle- and high-class occupation population, proportion of highly educated people in the population, proportion of rental households, and unemployment rate) and regarding life convenience factors (work and shopping convenience). The conclusion has value for understanding how the social environment affects the residential choice of the floating population. This study will help city administrators reasonably guide the residential pattern of the floating population and formulate reasonable management policies, thereby improving the city’s livability, attractiveness and sustainable development.
Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in Southern California: Not Just “Anti” vs. “Pro” Vaccine
Authors: Dubov Alex , Distelberg Brian J. , Abdul-Mutakabbir Jacinda C. , Beeson W. Lawrence , Loo Lawrence K. , Montgomery Susanne B. , Oyoyo Udochukwu E. , Patel Pranjal , Peteet Bridgette , Shoptaw Steven , Tavakoli Shahriyar , Chrissian Ara A.
Published: December 2021

In this study, we evaluated the status of and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination of healthcare workers in two major hospital systems (academic and private) in Southern California. Responses were collected via an anonymous and voluntary survey from a total of 2491 participants, including nurses, physicians, other allied health professionals, and administrators. Among the 2491 participants that had been offered the vaccine at the time of the study, 2103 (84%) were vaccinated. The bulk of the participants were middle-aged college-educated White (73%), non-Hispanic women (77%), and nursing was the most represented medical occupation (35%). Political affiliation, education level, and income were shown to be significant factors associated with vaccination status. Our data suggest that the current allocation of healthcare workers into dichotomous groups such as “anti-vaccine vs. pro-vaccine” may be inadequate in accurately tailoring vaccine uptake interventions. We found that healthcare workers that have yet to receive the COVID-19 vaccine likely belong to one of four categories: the misinformed, the undecided, the uninformed, or the unconcerned. This diversity in vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers highlights the importance of targeted intervention to increase vaccine confidence. Regardless of governmental vaccine mandates, addressing the root causes contributing to vaccine hesitancy continues to be of utmost importance.
Vaccine Procurement: A Conceptual Framework Based on Literature Review
Authors: Gianfredi Vincenza , Filia Antonietta , Rota Maria Cristina , Croci Roberto , Bellini Lorenzo , Odone Anna , Signorelli Carlo
Published: December 2021

Ensuring timely access to affordable vaccines has been acknowledged as a global public health priority, as also recently testified by the debate sparked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Effective vaccine procurement strategies are essential to reach this goal. Nevertheless, this is still a neglected research topic. A narrative literature review on vaccine procurement was conducted, by retrieving articles from four academic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, WebOfScience), ‘grey’ literature reports, and institutional websites. The aim was to clarify key concepts and definitions relating to vaccine procurement, describe main vaccine procurement methods, and identify knowledge gaps and future perspectives. A theoretical conceptual framework was developed of the key factors involved in vaccine procurement, which include quality and safety of the product, forecasting and budgeting, procurement legislation, financial sustainability, and plurality of manufacture, contracting, investment in training, storage and service delivery, monitoring and evaluation. This information can be useful to support policymakers during planning, implementation, and evaluation of regional and national vaccine procurement strategies and policies.
Vaccines and Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2: Considerations for the Older Population
Authors: Weinberger Birgit
Published: December 2021

Age is among the most prominent risk factors for developing severe COVID-19 disease, and therefore older adults are a major target group for vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. This review focusses on age-associated aspects of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination strategies, and summarizes data on immunogenicity, efficacy and effectiveness of the four COVID-19 vaccines, which are licensed in the US and/or Europe; namely, the two mRNA vaccines by BioNTech/Pfizer (BNT162b2) and Moderna (mRNA-1273), and the adenovector vaccines developed by AstraZeneca/University Oxford (ChAdOx1-nCoV-19, AZD1222) and Janssen/Johnson&Johnson (Ad26.COV2-S), respectively. After very high protection rates in the first months after vaccination even in the older population, effectiveness of the vaccines, particularly against asymptomatic infection and mild disease, declined at later time points and with the emergence of virus variants. Many high-income countries have recently started administration of additional doses to older adults and other high-risk groups, whereas other parts of the world are still struggling to acquire and distribute vaccines for primary vaccination. Other vaccines are available in other countries and clinical development for more vaccine candidates is ongoing, but a complete overview of COVID-19 vaccine development is beyond the scope of this article.