bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Narrowband and wideband EMW path loss in underwater wireless sensor network
Authors: Mohd Zali Hanisah , Mahmood Mohd Khairil Adzhar , Pasya Idnin , Hirose Miyuki , Ramli Nurulazlina
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Utilization of electromagnetic wave (EMW) sensors in an underwater environment has the potential to increase the data rate compared to acoustic-based sensors because of the ability to use larger signal bandwidth. Nevertheless, EMW signals has the drawback of large signal attenuation in underwater, attributed to the high relative permittivity and conductivity of water compared to the atmosphere, hence employment of wide signal bandwidth is necessary to balance the data rate-attenuation trade-off. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of both narrowband and wideband EMW signal propagation underwater and devise a path loss model for both cases.

Design/methodology/approach

Path loss measurement was conducted using a point-to-point configuration in a laboratory water tank while transmitting narrowband and wideband signals between a pair of wideband underwater antennas. The wideband underwater antennas use buffer-layer structures as the impedance matching layer to optimize the antenna performance when operating underwater. The path loss for narrowband signal was modeled using a multi-layer propagation equation in lossy medium considering losses at the medium boundaries. For the case of the wideband signal, a modified version of the model introducing power integration over bandwidth is adopted. These models were formulated through numerical simulations and verified by measurements.

Findings

The measured narrowband path loss marked an 80 dB attenuation using 800 MHz at 2 m distance. The proposed narrowband model agrees well with the measurements, with approximately 3 dB modeling error. Utilization of the proposed wideband path loss model resulted in a reduction of the gradient of the path loss curve compared to the case of the narrowband signal. The measured wideband path loss at 2 m distance underwater was approximately −65 dB, which has been shown to enable a working signal-to-noise ratio of 15 dB. This proves the potential of realizing high data rate transmission using the wideband signal.

Originality/value

The paper proposed a wideband propagation model for an underwater EMW sensor network, using power integration over bandwidth. The effectiveness of using wideband EMW signals in reducing path loss is highlighted, which is seldom discussed in the literature. This result will be of useful reference for using wideband signals in designing a high data rate transmission system in underwater wireless sensor networks, for example, in link budget, performance estimation and parameter design of suitable transmission scheme.
E‐scape: Consumer‐specific landscapes of energetic resources derived from stable isotope analysis and remote sensing
Authors: James W. Ryan , Santos Rolando O. , Rehage Jennifer S. , Doerr Jennifer C. , Nelson James A.
Published: November 2021

Energetic resources and habitat distribution are inherently linked. Energetic resource availability is a major driver of the distribution of consumers, but estimating how much specific habitats contribute to the energetic resource needs of a consumer can be problematic.

We present a new approach that combines remote sensing information and stable isotope ecology to produce maps of energetic resources (E‐scapes). E‐scapes project species‐specific resource use information onto the landscape to classify areas based on energetic importance.

Using our E‐scapes, we investigated the relationship between energetic resource distribution and white shrimp distribution and how the scale used to generate the E‐scape mediated this relationship.

E‐scapes successfully predicted the size, abundance, biomass, and total energy of a consumer in salt marsh habitats in coastal Louisiana, USA at scales relevant to the movement of the consumer.

Our E‐scape maps can be used alone or in combination with existing models to improve habitat management and restoration practices and have potential to be used to test fundamental movement theory.
Freshwater protists: unveiling the unexplored in a large floodplain system
Authors: Metz Sebastian , Huber Paula , Accattatis Victoria , Lopes dos Santos Adriana , Bigeard Estelle , Unrein Fernando , Chambouvet Aurélie , Not Fabrice , Lara Enrique , Devercelli Melina
Published: November 2021

Protists play a fundamental role in all ecosystems, but we are still far from estimating the total diversity of many lineages, in particular in highly diverse environments, such as freshwater. Here, we survey the protist diversity of the Paraná River using metabarcoding, and we applied an approach that includes sequence similarity and phylogeny to evaluate the degree of genetic novelty of the protists' communities against the sequences described in the reference database PR2. We observed that ~28% of the amplicon sequence variants were classified as novel according to their similarity with sequences from the reference database; most of them were related to heterotrophic groups traditionally overlooked in freshwater systems. This lack of knowledge extended to those groups within the green algae (Archaeplastida) that are well documented such as Mamiellophyceae, and also to the less studied Pedinophyceae, for which we found sequences representing novel deep‐branching clusters. Among the groups with potential novel protists, Bicosoecida (Stramenopiles) were the best represented, followed by Codosiga (Opisthokonta), and the Perkinsea (Alveolata). This illustrates the lack of knowledge on freshwater planktonic protists and also the need for isolation and/or cultivation of new organisms to better understand their role in ecosystem functioning.
Exclusion and the strategic leadership role of SENCos in England: planning for Covid‐19 and future crises
Authors: Done Elizabeth J. , Knowler Helen
Published: November 2021

A small‐scale study investigated the role of SENCos in England immediately prior to, during and following the first closure of schools nationally in March 2020 due to the Covid‐19 pandemic. A mixed‐methods research strategy comprising semi‐structured interviews and a national online survey generated data related to SENCos' involvement in strategic planning for crisis conditions, focusing specifically on students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and concerns about exclusionary practices. Findings suggest that pandemic conditions have exacerbated familiar issues related to the SENCo role and SEND provision in English schools, such as engagement in reactive firefighting, onerous workloads, uneven SENCo involvement in strategic planning, and schools' failure to prioritise students with SEND. Minimal evidence of ‘advocacy leadership’ or of SENCos challenging exclusionary practices was found. As in earlier research, evidence was also found for disparities between anecdotal and published data relating to illegal exclusion.
Microwave heating impacts positively on the physical properties of orange juice‐milk beverage
Authors: Martins Carolina P C , Cavalcanti Rodrigo N , Rocha Ramon S , Esmerino Erick A , Freitas Mônica Q , Pimentel Tatiana C , Silva Marcia C , Cruz Adriano G
Published: November 2021

The impact of microwave heating (MWH, 65, and 75°C: 15, 30, 60 s) on the physical properties of orange juice‐milk beverages (OJMBs) compared with those subjected to conventional heating (75°C/15 s) and untreated was evaluated. The ideal operating conditions were at 915 MHz compared with 2450 MHz because of the higher loss factor values and penetration depth, resulting in higher heat dissipation and temperature distribution effectiveness. The MWH samples had rheological properties similar to untreated beverages with a slightly more intense yellow colour and a smaller particle size, especially at higher temperatures and holding times.
Potential impacts of sustainable agricultural practices on smallholders' behavior in developing countries: Evidence from Togo
Authors: Adji Koffi M. , Egbendewe Aklesso Y. G. , Lokonon Boris O. K.
Published: November 2021

To limit global warming, advocacy has increased in support of lowering greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, in agriculture, the use of compost and bio‐fertilizer is increasingly promoted. Therefore, this paper aims at investigating how sustainable agricultural policies may influence land use and farm income in the context of global climatic change. Thus, a mathematical programming model with a representative risk‐neutral and profit‐maximizing economic agent is applied, using survey data on 423 farmers in Togo, a West African country. The findings indicate that a combination of a subsidy and a credit policy appear to be the best incentive to promote the adoption of sustainable practices and to increase farm income. Therefore, a combination of subsidy and credit policy should be implemented to foster the adoption of sustainable practices and improve farmers' welfare.
The effects of firm financialization on human resource management: How financialization affects the design of managerial jobs
Authors: Colombo Massimo G. , Guerci Marco , Rovelli Paola
Published: November 2021

At the firm level, financialization entails an emphasis on short‐term financial performance and increased engagement of non‐financial firms in financial activities. Advancing knowledge on the effects of socio‐economic contexts on HRM, this study explores how financialization affects a key HRM practice, that is, job design. We contend that higher financialization, as reflected in greater recourse to external debt, greater recourse to shareholder loans instead of equity, and greater investments in financial assets, is associated with the design of managerial jobs confined in the sphere of execution, that is, characterized by less authority over strategic decisions. We test our hypotheses on a dataset that merges fine‐grained survey data on the delegation of authority over strategic decisions with secondary data on financialization for a sample of 219 Italian firms. Our findings reveal a negative relation between financialization and delegation, which is more evident for functional strategic decisions.
Integrative taxonomy unveils a new species of Dugesia (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Dugesiidae) from the southern portion of the Taihang Mountains in northern China, with the description of its complete mitogenome and an exploratory analysis of mitochondrial gene order as a taxonomic character
Authors: WANG Lei , WANG Yixuan , DONG Zimei , CHEN Guangwen , SLUYS Ronald , LIU Dezeng
Published: November 2021

A new species of Dugesia (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Dugesiidae) from northern China is described on the basis of an integrative approach, involving morphology, karyology, histology, molecular distance, molecular phylogeny, and mitochondrial gene order. Here, we present the complete mitogenome of the new species Dugesia constrictiva Chen & Dong, sp. nov. This new species is mainly characterized by the presence of the following features: asymmetrical openings of the oviducts; large, cuboidal copulatory bursa; vasa deferentia opening through the ventro‐lateral wall of the seminal vesicle; laterally compressed seminal vesicle; ventrally displaced ejaculatory duct, opening at the blunt tip of the penis papilla; long duct intercalated between seminal vesicle and diaphragm; chromosome complement diploid, with 16 metacentric chromosomes; mitochondrial gene order as follows: cox1‐E‐nad6‐nad5‐S2‐D‐R‐cox3‐I‐Q‐K‐atp6‐V‐nad1‐W‐cox2‐P‐nad3‐A‐nad2‐M‐H‐F‐rrnS‐L1‐Y‐G‐S1‐rrnL‐L2‐T‐atp8‐C‐N‐cob‐nad4l‐nad4. In triclads, mitochondrial gene order is considerably conserved between freshwater planarians and land flatworms, whereas it is variable between marine planarians and both freshwater and land flatworms. The secondary structures of tRNAs are all equipped with 4 arms, excepting tRNA S1 and tRNA S2, which lack the D arm and have excessively enlarged loops. Numerous transpositions of tRNA are present between D. constrictiva and its congeners. Mitochondrial gene arrangements may form a new, additional tool for taxonomic studies. The phylogenetic tree based on analysis of the mitochondrial genome basically corroborates current classification of the higher taxa of planarian flatworms.
Assimilation of Ground and Satellite Snow Observations in a Distributed Hydrologic Model for Water Supply Forecasting
Authors: Micheletty P. , Perrot D. , Day G. , Rittger K.
Published: November 2021

Runoff from the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB) is an important water resource in the western United States. The majority of annual runoff is derived from spring snowmelt, and therefore April–July water supply volume (WSV) forecasts produced by the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center are critical to basin water management. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of snow data assimilation (DA) in a distributed hydrologic model on WSV forecasting error and skill in headwater catchments of the UCRB. To do this, a framework was built to use the Localized Ensemble transform Kalman filter to update modeled snow water equivalent (SWE) states in the Hydrology Laboratory‐Research Distributed Hydrologic Model with SNOTEL SWE observations and spatially and temporally complete MODIS Snow Covered‐Area and Grain size data. The DA approach was assessed by evaluating ensemble streamflow prediction forecasts over a 20‐year period for 23 catchments in the UCRB. Overall, the DA approach improved water supply forecast skill in 80% of pilot basins with an average improvement in the median continuous rank probability skill score of 4%. A research‐to‐operations transition was facilitated by automating the implementation of the DA approach. This work demonstrates the capacity for gridded and point snow products to be used to objectively update model states in an operational forecasting setting.
Inferring the timing and strength of natural selection and gene migration in the evolution of chicken from ancient DNA data
Authors: Lyu Wenyang , Dai Xiaoyang , Beaumont Mark , Yu Feng , He Zhangyi
Published: November 2021

With the rapid growth of the number of sequenced ancient genomes, there has been increasing interest in using this new information to study past and present adaptation. Such an additional temporal component has the promise of providing improved power for the estimation of natural selection. Over the last decade, statistical approaches for the detection and quantification of natural selection from ancient DNA (aDNA) data have been developed. However, most of the existing methods do not allow us to estimate the timing of natural selection along with its strength, which is key to understanding the evolution and persistence of organismal diversity. Additionally, most methods ignore the fact that natural populations are almost always structured, which can result in an overestimation of the effect of natural selection. To address these issues, we introduce a novel Bayesian framework for the inference of natural selection and gene migration from aDNA data with Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques, co‐estimating both timing and strength of natural selection and gene migration. Such an advance enables us to infer drivers of natural selection and gene migration by correlating genetic evolution with potential causes such as the changes in the ecological context in which an organism has evolved. The performance of our procedure is evaluated through extensive simulations, with its utility shown with an application to ancient chicken samples.
Cultural differences in self and affect through drawings of personal experiences
Authors: Yap Suhui , Ji Li‐Jun , Chan Yuen Pik Michelle , Zhang Zhiyong
Published: November 2021

The present studies examined whether and how individuals from the East and West would express themselves differently in their drawings of personal success and failure. Across two studies, Euro‐Canadian and Chinese participants drew a picture depicting their personal success versus failure in the past (Study 1) or future (Study 2). Compared to the Chinese, Euro‐Canadians were more likely to express high‐arousal positive and negative affect in their drawings of personal success and failure, respectively. Replicating previous research, Euro‐Canadians also depicted a bigger “self” and were more likely to draw a face on their “self” in their drawings. Together, these findings not only demonstrated cultural differences in Euro‐Canadian and Chinese representations of their self and affective responses to personal success and failure but also suggested that pictorial representations of emotionally rich personal events can be an indirect, informative, and engaging tool for assessing cultural influences on one’s self and feelings.
Lipoma Arborescens: can we afford to miss it?
Authors: Pai Satvik N. , Ayyadurai Prakash , Jeganathan Parthiban V. , Perumal Suresh , Arumugam Sivaraman
Published: November 2021

Introduction

Lipoma Arborescens is an extremely rare, benign lesion effecting the synovial tissue of joints. It is characterized by villous lipomatous proliferation of the synovial tissue. The aim of our study was to evaluate its diagnostic features and analyse the functional outcome of arthroscopic management.

Methods

We studied 13 patients who were diagnosed to have lipoma arborescens at our institution during the period from October 2005 to October 2019. All patients underwent arthroscopic synovectomy. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis. Pre‐operative and post‐operative functional assessment was done using Tegner Lysholm score.

Results

Mean age was 46.6 years. All patients presented with progressive swelling of knee joint, while 6 patients also complained of pain. Average duration of symptoms was 34 months. All the patients were diagnosed based on MRI findings. Tegner Lysholm scoring at last follow up visit, had 11 patients with excellent outcome, 1 patient with good outcome, and 1 patient with fair outcome. None of the patients had recurrence, nor underwent any subsequent procedure of the operated joint.

Conclusions

Lipoma arborescens is a rare condition which should be a differential in patients with mono‐articular swelling of the knee joint, and can be confirmed with MRI. It should not be misdiagnosed or missed at early stages as prolonged duration of symptoms and delay in treatment is likely to lead to development of secondary arthritis of the joint. Arthroscopic synovectomy showed good functional outcome and no recurrence.
Bowel ultrasound score is accurate in assessing response to therapy in patients with Crohn’s disease
Authors: Allocca Mariangela , Craviotto Vincenzo , Dell’Avalle Cecilia , Furfaro Federica , Zilli Alessandra , D’Amico Ferdinando , Bonovas Stefanos , Peyrin‐Biroulet Laurent , Fiorino Gionata , Danese Silvio
Published: November 2021

Background

We developed a non‐invasive bowel ultrasound score (BUSS) to assess disease activity in Crohn’s disease (CD). BUSS >3.52 is an indicator of endoscopic activity (SES‐CD>2).

Aim

To assess whether BUSS, in addition to detecting inflammatory lesions, also detects relevant changes of these lesions over time.

Methods

This was a prospective observational study of 49 patients with active CD. All patients underwent bowel ultrasound and colonoscopy at baseline and at re‐assessment after treatment with biologics and/or immunosuppressants. The primary objective was to assess the sensitivity to change of BUSS in patients treated for active CD, using the SES‐CD as reference standard.

Results

BUSS changed significantly from baseline to re‐assessment in patients achieving endoscopic response (a reduction of SES‐CD of at least 50% vs baseline: 4.87 [3.78‐6.0] vs 2.47 [2.25‐3.36], P < 0.001) and endoscopic remission (SES‐CD ≤ 2: 4.65 [3.58‐6.03] vs 2.25 [2.25‐3.46], P = 0.003). A change of −1.2 in BUSS over time predicted endoscopic response (AUC 0.786, 95% CI 0.645‐0.890; sensitivity 74%, specificity 83%). BUSS determined endoscopic response with 80% accuracy, and endoscopic remission with 78% accuracy. BUSS accurately detected changes in lesion severity (Guyatt score: 1.41 and standardized effect score: 1.74). BUSS did not change significantly in patients who did not achieve endoscopic response (5.62 [5.26‐6.15] vs 5.70 [4.97‐6.19], P = 0.53) or endoscopic remission (5.62 [5.18‐6.14] vs 5.10 [4.58‐6.05]; P = 0.10).

Conclusion

BUSS is sensitive to change in CD.
The Matzitzi Formation in southern Mexico: A record of Pangea final assembly or breakup initiation along inherited suture belts?
Authors: Martini Michelangelo , Anaya Guarneros Jonathan A. , Solari Luigi , Bedoya Alejandra , Zepeda‐Martínez Mildred , Villanueva‐Amadoz Uxue
Published: November 2021

The breakup of Pangea fundamentally shaped modern continents and controlled the climatic distribution and biodiversity on Earth. Although our knowledge on the processes that control the assembly and breakup of supercontinents has significantly improved, the timing of supercontinent assembly and breakup initiation remains in some cases controversial. According to the available data, the assembly of Pangea was completed in middle Permian time, resulting in the formation of major orogenic belts and transform faults like the N–S‐trending, dextral, Caltepec fault in Mexico. Pangea breakup initiation is bracketed to early Middle Triassic time. In this work, we present new sedimentological, structural and U‐Pb geochronological data from a fluvial unit, the Matzitzi Formation of southern Mexico, the age and tectonic setting of which have remained an enigma for the past century. Our data document that the Matzitzi Formation is the stratigraphic record of a late Permian, anastomosing fluvial system that flowed in a—NNE‐trending extensional trough developed on top of the Caltepense belt, a transpressive belt formed along the Caltepec fault. We propose and discuss three possible scenarios for the tectonic setting of the Matzitzi Formation. In the first scenario, the unit is the stratigraphic record of the Caltepec fault late activity, which caused local NW–SE extension along the western margin of Pangea during its final assembly. In the second scenario, the Matzitzi Formation was deposited in an extensional basin formed by slab rollback along the western equatorial Pangea margin. In the third scenario, the extensional basin of the Matzitzi Formation was formed in the framework of the Pangea breakup. In this case, our data would suggest that Pangea breakup initiation must be dated back to late Permian time, which is ca. 15 m.y. older than the Middle Triassic age documented by the previous work. Considering that evidence of Permian extension has also been reported along the Appalachian belt, we suggest that the Matzitzi Formation was deposited during regional‐scale extension of western equatorial Pangea; therefore, we preliminarily support the third scenario. The distribution of Permian extension along suture belts developed during Pangea assembly highlights the fundamental role played by pre‐existent zones of weakness in the breakup of a supercontinent.
Auditory brainstem response prior to MRI compared to standalone MRI in the detection of vestibular schwannoma: A modelling study
Authors: Wijn Stan R. W. , Hentschel Mayke A. , Beynon Andy J. , Kunst Henricus P. M. , Rovers Maroeska M.
Published: November 2021

Objectives

To determine the cost‐effectiveness of auditory brainstem response prior to MRI (ABR‐MRI) compared to standalone MRI to diagnose vestibular schwannoma.

Design

A state transition model was developed to simulate costs and effects (quality‐adjusted life years [QALY]) for both diagnostic strategies for patients suspected of a vestibular schwannoma. Model input was derived from literature, hospital databases and expert opinions. Scenario and sensitivity analyses addressed model uncertainty.

Results

Over a lifetime horizon, ABR‐MRI resulted in a limited cost‐saving of €68 or €98 per patient (dependent on MRI sequence) and a health loss of 0.005 QALYs over standalone MRI. ABR‐MRI, however, did miss patients with other important pathology (2% of the population) that would have been detected when using standalone MRI. In total, €14 203 or €19 550 could be saved per lost QALY if ABR‐MRI was used instead of standalone MRI. The results were sensitive to the detection rate of vestibular schwannoma and health‐related quality of life of missed patients.

Conclusion

The cost‐saving with ABR‐MRI does not seem to outweigh the number of missed patients with VS and other important pathologies that would have been detected when using standalone MRI.
Genetic and epigenetic alterations of cyclic AMP response element modulator in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Tseng Chia‐Chun , Lin Yuan‐Zhao , Lin Chia‐Hui , Hwang Daw‐Yang , Li Ruei‐Nian , Tsai Wen‐Chan , Ou Tsan‐Teng , Wu Cheng‐Chin , Lin Yu‐Chih , Sung Wan‐Yu , Chen Kuan‐Yu , Chang Shun‐Jen , Yen Jeng‐Hsien
Published: November 2021

Background

Genetic and epigenetic factors are strongly associated with the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Cyclic AMP response element modulator (CREM), a gene related to immune system regulation, has been implicated in various immune‐mediated inflammatory processes, although it remains unknown whether CREM is involved in RA.

Methods

This study enrolled 278 RA patients and 262 controls. Three variants [rs12765063, rs17499247, rs1213386] were identified through linkage disequilibrium and expression quantitative trait locus analysis, and CREM transcript abundance was determined by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. The identified variants were genotyped using the TaqMan Allelic Discrimination assay, and CREM promoter methylation was assessed by bisulphite sequencing. Differences between groups and correlations between variables were assessed with Student's t‐tests and Pearson's correlation coefficients. Associations between phenotypes and genotypes were evaluated with logistic regression.

Results

Rheumatoid arthritis patients exhibited increased CREM expression (p < .0001), which was decreased by methotrexate (p = .0223) and biologics (p = .0001), but could not be attributed to CREM variants. Interestingly, rs17499247 displayed a significant association with serositis (p = .0377), and rs1213386 increased the risk of lymphadenopathy (p = .0398). Furthermore, seven CpG sites showed decreased methylation in RA (p = .0477~ p < .0001).

Conclusions

Collectively, our results indicate that CREM hypomethylation and CREM upregulation occur in RA and that CREM variants are involved in the development of serositis and lymphadenopathy in RA. This study highlights the novel roles of CREM in RA pathophysiology.
Bioregions are predominantly climatic for fishes of northern lakes
Authors: Loewen Charlie J. G. , Jackson Donald A. , Chu Cindy , Alofs Karen M. , Hansen Gretchen J. A. , Honsey Andrew E. , Minns Charles K. , Wehrly Kevin E.
Published: November 2021

Aim

Recurrent species assemblages integrate important biotic interactions and joint responses to environmental and spatial filters that enable local coexistence. Here, we applied a bipartite (site–species) network approach to develop a natural typology of lakes sharing distinct fish faunas and provide a detailed, hierarchical view of their bioregions. We then compared the roles of key biogeographical factors to evaluate alternative hypotheses about how fish communities are assembled from the regional species pool.

Location

Ontario, Canada and the Upper Midwest, USA.

Time period

1957–2017.

Major taxa studied

Freshwater fishes.

Methods

Bipartite modularity analysis was performed on 90 taxa from 10,016 inland lakes in the Southwestern Hudson Bay, Mississippi River and St. Lawrence River drainages, uncovering bioregionalization of North American fishes at a large, subcontinental scale. We then used a latent variable approach, pairing non‐metric partial least‐squares structural equation modelling with multiple logistic regression, to show differences in the biogeographical templates of each type of community. Indicators of contemporary and historical connectivity, climate and habitat constructs were estimated using a geographical information system.

Results

Fish assemblages reflected broad, overlapping patterns of postglacial colonization, climate and geological setting, but community differentiation was most linked to temperature, precipitation and, for certain groups, lake area and water quality. Bioregions were also marked by non‐native species, showing broad‐scale impacts of introductions to the Great Lakes and surrounding basins.

Main conclusions

The dominant effects of climate across broad spatial gradients indicate differing sensitivities of fish communities to rapidly accelerating climate change and opportunities for targeted conservation strategies. By assessing biological variation at the level of recurrent assemblages, we accounted for the non‐stationarity of macroecological processes structuring different sets of species on the landscape and offer novel inference on the assembly of inland fish communities.
Not all peripheries are the same: The importance of relative regional innovativeness in transnational innovation networks
Authors: Calignano Giuseppe
Published: November 2021

This paper aims to test the hypothesis according to which “relative” innovativeness (regions scoring higher than the national average in innovation rankings, such as the Regional Innovation Scoreboard) is more important than “absolute” innovativeness (regions scoring higher than the European Union [EU] average) in determining the centrality and key positioning of EU regions in highly selective and competitive international innovation networks. The combined adoption of various social network analysis techniques and econometric models in the specific arena of the EU nanotechnology network created within the Horizon 2020 program confirms this hypothesis. However, additional graph visualization and brokerage analysis highlight how such relative innovators, holding key positions in the targeted network, hardly act as gatekeepers in the respective national contexts. A major implication of this study is that although relatively innovative regions may play a key role in transnational innovation networks, their inadequate action as gatekeepers represents a negative aspect for peripheral regions in general and especially in marginally innovative countries. This finding raises doubts about the actual increasing and more effective knowledge circulation between the surveyed regions to which the EU explicitly aspires.
Assessing the performance of public transport services in a developing country: A case study using data envelopment analysis
Authors: Naim Md. Nazmul Huda , Adnan Mohammed Sarfaraz Gani , Dewan Ashraf , Zannat Khatun E.
Published: November 2021

The accurate evaluation of public transport (PT) services in developing countries is a challenging task due to a lack of reliable data and formal guidelines. The aim of this study was to develop a framework addressing these data limitations and quantify PT performance using output‐oriented Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The local bus service operation of Chattogram City Corporation area of Bangladesh was used as a case study. A performance assessment inventory was developed identifying the major stakeholders related to local bus service operations. The relative efficiencies of different bus routes (from users' and operators' perspectives) were estimated using the DEA model, which incorporated data from a semi‐structured questionnaire survey linked with the inventory. The PT authority also ranked all bus routes according to their degree of efficiency. Results indicated that relative efficiency scores in various routes varied according to the stakeholders' perspectives. A range of different parameters were considered when evaluating the performance of the service. The proposed inventory and framework would be useful for policymakers and urban planners in sequencing and prioritising different routes. This optimisation process would provide improved transport services to the general public.
Effect of high‐pressure treatment and cellulase‐mediate hydrolysis on functional, rheological and microstructural properties of garden cress seed residual fibre
Authors: Mulla Mehrajfatema Z. , Ahmed Jasim , Baskaya‐Sezer Duygu , Al‐Ruwaih Noor
Published: November 2021

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum) is valued in Asia and some part of Africa for its seed oil and other parts of plant that retain curative activities and act as a tonic in traditional medicine. The residue left over after the oil and protein extraction is a rich source of bioactive compounds and dietary fibres. The garden cress seed residual fibre (GCRF) contained 99.82% total dietary fibre (TDF), 99.4% insoluble dietary fibre (IDF) and 0.38% soluble dietary fibre (SDF). To improve the industrial applications of the GCRF, an approach was taken to break down the IDF into the SDF following a treatment of enzymatic hydrolysis [cellulase at 2% or 5% (w/w)] and high‐pressure processing (600 MPa/15 min) or a combination of both. The combined treatment had significantly improved the SDF concentration by loosening the surface structure of the GCRF and enhanced the hydration properties. The structural changes were elucidated using the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, rheometry and scanning electron microscopy. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum revealed a major shift in the cellulose band because of the combined effect of high‐pressure processing and enzymatic hydrolysis. High‐pressure‐assisted enzymatic hydrolysis was determined the best combination to be ensured almost 18‐fold increase in SDF ratio and to be improved radical scavenging activity more than two times in addition to well‐documented change in viscoelastic properties of the GCRF.
Financial experts on the top management team: Do they reduce investment inefficiency?
Authors: Li Zhe , Pryshchepa Oksana , Wang Bo
Published: November 2021

We examine the effect of the top management team (TMT) professional finance experience on firm investment efficiency. Top managers with a career background in finance help reduce deviations of investment from the level warranted by firm fundamentals. Reductions in investment inefficiencies are achieved by financial expert managers using project‐specific rather than company‐wide, discount rates for project evaluation and facilitating debt and equity issuance at lower costs. Greater investment efficiency due to the financial expertise of TMT improves firm performance. We demonstrate that these improvements are driven by the collective expertise of the TMT rather than solely by chief executive officers.
Hypertension in adolescents: The role of obesity and family history
Authors: Zhao Weiying , Mo Luxia , Pang Yusheng
Published: November 2021

We evaluated the combined effect of obesity and family history (FH) on the risk of hypertension in adolescents. We studied 1288 school‐aged adolescents aged 16.0 ± 0.5 years (49.0% males) attending the medical examination for enrollment in the city of Nanning, China. Their blood pressure, weight, and height were measured. A questionnaire was administered to both adolescents and their parents to obtain information on the participants’ medical history. Multiple logistic regression analysis, according to bodyweight categories and adjusted for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI), was done to determine the association of FH with hypertension. Hypertension was found in 14.1% of adolescents. The prevalence of hypertension was significantly higher in adolescents with obesity and positive FH than their normal weight and negative FH counterparts. For adolescents with normal weight and waist circumstance (WC), those with a positive FH in parents compared to those without had an significantly increased risk for hypertension (odds ratio [OR], 2.15; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28–3.61, and 1.96; 95% CI 1.16–3.32, respectively). These findings were adjusted for age, gender, and BMI. Our study showed that routine screening for pediatric hypertension should be performed in adolescents who are overweight and obese. Furthermore, parental FH of hypertension played an important role in predicting the hypertension phenotype among adolescents with normal weight.
The Dietary Inflammatory Index and hepatic health in the US adult population
Authors: Ramírez‐Vélez Robinson , García‐Hermoso Antonio , Izquierdo Mikel , Correa‐Rodríguez María
Published: November 2021

Background

There is limited evidence on the role of an anti‐/pro‐inflammatory diet in the prevention of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We aimed (i) to assess the anti‐inflammatory diet profile and its association with transient elastography parameters, including liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), and (ii) to analyse the relationship between the anti‐inflammatory diet and surrogate markers of liver disease in a multiethnic US population.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was conducted on a nationally representative population of 4189 US adults aged 20–80 years. A FibroScan® 502 V2 device (Echosens) was used to estimate the CAP and LSM. Liver markers, including the aspartate transaminase (AST) to alanine transaminase (ALT) ratio, fatty liver index (FLI) and fibrosis‐4 score, were also calculated. The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) was calculated using a 24‐h diet recall.

Results

Lower DII scores (anti‐inflammatory diet) were associated with a lower AST:ALT ratio (p < 0.001) and FLI (p < 0.036) after adjusting for covariates. Linear regression analysis revealed that gamma‐glutamyl transferase levels (β = 1.702, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.325–3.080, p = 0.015), ALT levels (β = −0.616, 95% CI = −1.097 to −0.135, p = 0.012), AST:ALT ratio (β = 0.025, 95% CI = 0.014–0.036, p < 0.001) and FLI (β = 1.168, 95% CI = 0.224–2.112, p = 0.015) were significantly associated with the DII in the multivariable‐adjusted model. Participants in the highest anti‐inflammatory tertile had the lowest odds ratio (OR) for NAFLD assessed by FLI in both unadjusted (OR = 0.652, 95% CI = 0.539–0.788, p ≤ 0.001) and adjusted models (OR = 0.722, 95% CI = 0.537–0.972, p = 0.032). For the transient elastography parameters (LSM and CAP), no significant associations were identified.

Conclusions

There was no relationship between the transient elastography parameters and the anti‐inflammatory diet profile, although our study showed an association between higher pro‐inflammatory properties of diet and poorer hepatic health assessed by surrogate markers of liver disease. Therefore, strategies to promote an anti‐inflammatory diet should be considered to prevent NAFLD in adults.
Relationship quality in midlife: A comparison of dating, living apart together, cohabitation, and marriage
Authors: Brown Susan L. , Manning Wendy D. , Wu Huijing
Published: November 2021

Objective

This study compared the relationship quality of US midlife adults in dating, living apart together (LAT) relationships, cohabitation, and marriage.

Background

Unmarried partnerships are gaining ground in midlife but how these partnerships compare to each other and to marriage is unclear. From an incomplete institutionalization perspective, those in unmarried relationships, especially LAT relationships but also cohabitations, face challenges due to unclear relationship norms and expectations, which may eventuate in poorer relationship quality than that of the married. Alternatively, cohabitation and, by extension, LAT relationships offer flexibility and autonomy and thus may function as an alternative to marriage marked by comparable relationship quality.

Method

Data were drawn from the 2013 Families and Relationships Survey, a nationally representative survey of US adults. The analytic sample was composed of adults aged 50–65 in a partnership (N = 2166). Multivariable models compared the associations between relationship type (dating, LAT, cohabiting, and married) and relationship quality (happiness, support, commitment, disagreement, and instability).

Results

The incomplete institutionalization perspective was supported for LATs, who tended to report poorer relationship quality than marrieds. For cohabitors, this perspective received mixed support. Although cohabitors reported less happiness and commitment than marrieds, which aligned with the incomplete institutionalization perspective, the groups did not differ on relationship support, disagreement, or instability, supporting the cohabitation as an alternative to marriage perspective. Dating, LAT, and cohabiting relationships were remarkably alike.

Conclusion

This study has implications for understanding the shifting landscape of relationships in midlife which in turn may shape individual health and well‐being.
Gene expression responses to thermal shifts in the endangered lichen Lobaria pulmonaria
Authors: Chavarria‐Pizarro Tania , Resl Philipp , Janjic Aleksandar , Werth Silke
Published: November 2021

Anthropogenic climate change has led to unprecedented shifts in temperature across many ecosystems. In a context of rapid environmental changes, acclimation is an important process as it may influence the capacity of organisms to survive under novel thermal conditions. Mechanisms of acclimation could involve upregulation of stress response genes involved in protein folding, DNA damage repair and the regulation of signal transduction genes, along with a simultaneous downregulation of genes involved in growth or the cell cycle, in order to maintain cellular functions and equilibria. We transplanted Lobaria pulmonaria lichens originating from different forests to determine the relative effects of long‐term acclimation and genetic factors on the variability in expression of mycobiont and photobiont genes. We found a strong response of the mycobiont and photobiont to high temperatures, regardless of sample origin. The green‐algal photobiont had an overall lower response than the mycobiont. Gene expression of both symbionts was also influenced by acclimation to transplantation sites and by genetic factors. L. pulmonaria seems to have evolved powerful molecular pathways to deal with environmental fluctuations and stress and can acclimate to new habitats by transcriptomic convergence. Although L. pulmonaria has the molecular machinery to counteract short‐term thermal stress, survival of lichens such as L. pulmonaria depends mostly on their long‐term positive carbon balance, which can be compromised by higher temperatures and reduced precipitation, and both these outcomes have been predicted for Central Europe in connection with global climate change.
Ride comfort assessment for automated vehicles utilizing a road surface model and Monte Carlo simulations
Authors: Genser Alexander , Spielhofer Roland , Nitsche Philippe , Kouvelas Anastasios
Published: November 2021

The growing number of automated vehicles (AVs) necessitates good ride comfort for passengers. This research investigates currently available ride comfort methods and evaluates their performance with a validated simulation framework. The methodology developed encompasses a high‐precision road surface model and uses Monte Carlo simulations to compile accurate and representative virtual chassis acceleration data. By utilizing a threshold method and standard ISO 2631 ride comfort guidelines, results are compared to classifications based on empirical International Roughness Index data. A case study conducted in Austria specifies that ISO 2631 comfort estimates are most similar to International Roughness Index classifications and that the thresholding procedure detects preventable situations and over‐ or underestimated ride comfort. Thus, this methodology can help to better understand requirements for AVs' comfort, as well as justifying the importance of developing a sophisticated performance metric.
Lipid droplet accumulation occurs early following Salmonella infection and contributes to intracellular bacterial survival and replication
Authors: Kiarely Souza Ellen , Pereira‐Dutra Filipe S. , Rajão Matheus A. , Ferraro‐Moreira Felipe , Goltara‐Gomes Taynná C. , Cunha‐Fernandes Tamires , Santos Julia da Cunha , Prestes Elisa B. , Andrade Warrison A. , Zamboni Dario S. , Bozza Marcelo T. , Bozza Patrícia T.
Published: November 2021

Salmonellosis is a public health problem caused by Salmonella sp., a highly adapted facultative intracellular pathogen. After internalization, Salmonella sp. Manipulates several host processes, mainly through the activation of the type III secretion system (T3SS), including modification of host lipid metabolism and lipid droplet (LD) accumulation. LDs are dynamic and complex lipid‐rich organelles involved in several cellular processes. The present study investigated the mechanism involved in LD biogenesis in Salmonella‐infected macrophages and its role in bacterial pathogenicity. Here, we reported that S. Typhimurium induced a rapid time‐dependent increase of LD formation in macrophages. The LD biogenesis was demonstrated to depend on Salmonella's viability and SPI1‐related T3SS activity, with the participation of Toll‐Like Receptor (TLR) signaling. We also observed that LD accumulation occurs through TLR2‐dependent signaling and is counter‐regulated by TLR4. Last, the pharmacologic modulation of LD formation by inhibiting diacylglycerol O‐acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) and cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) significantly reduced the intracellular bacterial proliferation and impaired the prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis. Collectively, our data suggest the role of LDs on S. typhimurium intracellular survival and replication in macrophages. This data set provides new perspectives for future investigations about LDs in host–pathogen interaction.
The 3′UTR‐derived sRNA RsaG coordinates redox homeostasis and metabolism adaptation in response to glucose‐6‐phosphate uptake in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Desgranges Emma , Barrientos Laura , Herrgott Lucas , Marzi Stefano , Toledo‐Arana Alejandro , Moreau Karen , Vandenesch François , Romby Pascale , Caldelari Isabelle
Published: November 2021

Staphylococcus aureus RsaG is a 3′‐untranslated region (3′UTR) derived sRNA from the conserved uhpT gene encoding a glucose‐6‐phosphate (G6P) transporter expressed in response to extracellular G6P. The transcript uhpT‐RsaG undergoes degradation from 5′‐ to 3′‐end by the action of the exoribonucleases J1/J2, which are blocked by a stable hairpin structure at the 5′‐end of RsaG, leading to its accumulation. RsaG together with uhpT is induced when bacteria are internalized into host cells or in the presence of mucus‐secreting cells. Using MS2‐affinity purification coupled with RNA sequencing, several RNAs were identified as targets including mRNAs encoding the transcriptional factors Rex, CcpA, SarA, and the sRNA RsaI. Our data suggested that RsaG contributes to the control of redox homeostasis and adjusts metabolism to changing environmental conditions. RsaG uses different molecular mechanisms to stabilize, degrade, or repress the translation of its mRNA targets. Although RsaG is conserved only in closely related species, the uhpT 3′UTR of the ape pathogen S. simiae harbors an sRNA, whose sequence is highly different, and which does not respond to G6P levels. Our results hypothesized that the 3′UTRs from UhpT transporter encoding mRNAs could have rapidly evolved to enable adaptation to host niches.