bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evolution of growth traits in invasive Pereskia aculeata (Cactaceae): testing the EICA hypothesis using its specialist herbivore, Catorhintha schaffneri (Coreidae)
Authors: Egbon Ikponmwosa N , Paterson Iain D , Compton Stephen , Hill Martin 
Published: June 2020

AbstractBACKGROUNDSpecies introduced into new habitats are fitter than their native populations, as hypothesized by the ‘evolution of increased competitive ability’ (EICA). Here, Pereskia aculeata Miller was used as a model to test EICA and explore how ‘enemy release’ may have influenced the invasion success of its 400‐year‐old introduced populations (genotypes) compared with native populations. Plant growth traits (height and shoot length) of 15 genotypes [four from the introduced range (South Africa) and 11 from the native range (Brazil and Argentina, Venezuela and The Dominican Republic)] were assessed. Damage and impact of a shoot‐feeding, sap‐sucking specialist Catorhintha schaffneri Brailovsky & Garcia on ten genotypes were also compared.RESULTSAll but one of the invasive genotypes were significantly taller than native genotypes. Although the invasive genotypes were relatively more damaged by herbivory than some of the native genotypes, the observed differences were not explained completely by their origins. Nonetheless, the findings partially supported the predictions of the EICA hypothesis because invasive genotypes were generally taller than native genotypes, but did not fully support the hypothesis because they were not always more damaged than the native genotypes by C. schaffneri.CONCLUSIONInvasive genotypes had an advantage in the introduced range as they can climb neighbouring vegetation more quickly than native genotypes, but the damage incurred by the invasive genotypes relative to the native genotypes suggests only that C. schaffneri would be as damaging in South Africa, where it serves as a biocontrol agent, as it is in its native distribution in Brazil. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Odorant‐binding proteins involved in sex pheromone and host‐plant recognition of the sugarcane borer Chilo infuscatellus (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
Authors: Liu Yuying , Hu Yuwei , Bi Jie , Kong Xiaotong , Long Guangyan , Zheng Ya , Liu Kaiyu , Wang Yufeng , Xu Hanliang , Guan Chuxiong , Ai Hui 
Published: June 2020

AbstractBACKGROUNDPheromone‐binding proteins (PBPs) are responsible for transporting sex pheromones and general odorant‐binding proteins (GOBPs) have been proposed to transport host‐plant volatiles. A large number of OBPs have been identified from Lepidoptera species. However, olfactory molecular biology and physiology studies on PBP and GOBP in sugarcane pests are limited. Chilo infuscatellus is one of the most widely distributed pests in sugarcane‐producing areas.RESULTSThree PBPs (CinfPBP1, CinfPBP2 and CinfPBP3) and two GOBPs (CinfGOBP1 and CinfGOBP2) were identified, and five olfactory gene transcripts were abundantly expressed in antennae of C. infuscatellus. Binding assays showed that CinfPBP1–3 exhibited strong binding affinity for the sex pheromone components Z11‐16:OH and 16:OH of C. infuscatellus. Meanwhile, CinfGOBP1–2 had high binding affinity with host‐plant volatiles from sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum). Field‐trapping results suggested that four volatile components, octadecane, (Z)‐3‐hexen‐1‐ol, α‐terpineol and hexadecane from host plants and sex pheromone mixed baits have synergistic roles in attracting C. infuscatellus adult moths.CONCLUSIONFunctional characterization of CinfPBPs and CinfGOBPs in C. infuscatellus could help us find new environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional pest control using pesticides in sugarcane fields. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
A macroeconomic hedge portfolio and the cross section of stock returns
Authors: Renz Maximilian , Stotz Olaf 
Published: June 2020

AbstractWe use a stock's returns on days when important macroeconomic news is released to form a hedge portfolio, which is long (short) in stocks which have a sensitive (insensitive) reaction to the surprise component of the macroeconomic news. This macroeconomic hedge portfolio (MHP) earns a risk premium of about 5% p.a. over time and a similar premium when used as a risk factor in an asset pricing model. This premium can be interpreted as a cost of an insurance against unexpected changes in an investor's marginal utility. We show that risk premiums associated with the MHP are estimated with a higher precision than traditional macroeconomic tracking portfolios. Furthermore, when the MHP is present in a common factor model, risk factors like high minus low lose much of their ability to explain the cross section of stock returns.
Non‐operating earnings and firm risk*
Authors: Jory Surendranath , Ngo Thanh , Wang Hongxia 
Published: June 2020

AbstractWe find that non‐operating earnings reduce total earnings volatility, stock price volatility, idiosyncratic risk, and crash risk. The risk‐reducing effects of non‐operating earnings are higher than those of operating earnings for risk measures based on stock market data. Non‐operating earnings serve to mitigate risks among firms with operating losses, high financial leverage, high growth uncertainty, and low‐ability managers.
Houston/Harris County gender & sexuality data: Initial report
Authors: Gregory Elizabeth , Miller Audrey K. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe University of Houston Institute for Research on Women, Gender & Sexuality (UH IRWGS) documents and analyzes gender and sexuality dynamics in Harris County, as they intersect with race, ethnicity, class, age, and other identify factors, exploring their effects on individual lives and the wider economy and society. This report provides initial data to spur dialogue, especially with regard to issues of current and future workforce, health, civic participation, and in/equity. Findings documented here include new analyses of select local gender and sexuality data, derived from the annual US Census and other sources, as well as some national and other comparison data, and some relevant preexistent analyses by others. These baseline data and data on other relevant topics not covered here will be expanded upon in IRWGS research and reports going forward.
Role of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Nanosafety
Authors: Winkler David A. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractRobotics and automation provide potentially paradigm shifting improvements in the way materials are synthesized and characterized, generating large, complex data sets that are ideal for modeling and analysis by modern machine learning (ML) methods. Nanomaterials have not yet fully captured the benefits of automation, so lag behind in the application of ML methods of data analysis. Here, some key developments in, and roadblocks to the application of ML methods are reviewed to model and predict potentially adverse biological and environmental effects of nanomaterials. This work focuses on the diverse ways a range of ML algorithms are applied to understand and predict nanomaterials properties, provides examples of the application of traditional ML and deep learning methods to nanosafety, and provides context and future perspectives on developments that are likely to occur, or need to occur in the near future that allow artificial intelligence to make a deeper contribution to nanosafety.
Small shelly fossils and carbon isotopes from the early Cambrian (Stages 3–4) Mural Formation of western Laurentia
Authors: Skovsted Christian B. , Balthasar Uwe , Vinther Jakob , Sperling Erik A. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe extraordinary window of phosphatized and phosphatic small shelly fossils (SSF) during the early and middle Cambrian is an important testament to the radiation of biomineralizing metazoans. While SSF are well known from most Cambrian palaeocontinents during this time interval, western Laurentia has relatively few SSF faunas. Here we describe a diverse SSF fauna from the early Cambrian (Stages 3–4) Mural Formation at three localities in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada, complemented by carbon isotope measurements to aid in a potential future bio‐chemostratigraphic framework. The fauna expands the recorded SSF assemblage diversity in western Laurentia and includes several brachiopods, four bradoriids, three chancelloriids, two hyoliths, a tommotiid and a helcionellid mollusc as well as echinoderm ossicles and specimens of Microdictyon, Volborthella and Hyolithellus. New taxa include the tommotiid genus Canadiella gen. nov., the new bradoriid species Hipponicharion perforata sp. nov. and Pseudobeyrichona taurata sp. nov. Compared with contemporaneous faunas from western Laurentia, the fauna is relatively diverse, particularly in taxa with originally phosphatic shells, which appear to be associated with archaeocyathid build‐ups. This suggests that the generally low faunal diversity in western Laurentia may be at least partly a consequence of poor sampling of suitable archaeocyathan reef environments. In addition, the tommotiid Canadiella filigrana appears to be of biostratigraphical significance in Cambrian Stage 3 strata of western Laurentia, and the unexpected high diversity of bradoriid arthropods in the fauna also suggests that this group may prove useful for biostratigraphical resolution in the region.
Our natural “makeup” reveals more than it hides: Modeling the skin and its microbiome
Authors: Hussan Jagir R. , Hunter Peter J. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractSkin is our primary interface with the environment. A structurally and functionally complex organ that hosts a dynamic ecosystem of microbes, and synthesizes many compounds that affect our well‐being and psychosocial interactions. It is a natural platform of signal exchange between internal organs, skin resident microbes, and the environment. These interactions have gained a great deal of attention due to the increased prevalence of atopic diseases, and the co‐occurrence of multiple allergic diseases related to allergic sensitization in early life. Despite significant advances in experimentally characterizing the skin, its microbial ecology, and disease phenotypes, high‐levels of variability in these characteristics even for the same clinical phenotype are observed. Addressing this variability and resolving the relevant biological processes requires a systems approach. This review presents some of our current understanding of the skin, skin–immune, skin–neuroendocrine, skin–microbiome interactions, and computer‐based modeling approaches to simulate this ecosystem in the context of health and disease. The review highlights the need for a systems‐based understanding of this sophisticated ecosystem.This article is categorized under:
Infectious Diseases > Computational Models
Inter-Comparison of Ground Gravity and Vertical Height Measurements at Collocated IGETS Stations
Authors: Rosat Severine , Boy Jean-Paul , Bogusz Janusz , Klos Anna 
Published: June 2020

AbstractVertical displacements and time-varying gravity fluctuations are representative of various deformation mechanisms of the Earth occurring at different spatial and temporal scales. The inter-comparison of ground-gravity measurements with vertical surface displacements enables to estimate the transfer function of the Earth at various time-scales related to the rheological properties of the Earth. In this paper, we estimate the gravity-to-height changes ratio at seasonal time-scales due mostly to hydrological mass variabilities. We investigate this ratio at nine sites where Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Superconducting Gravimeter continuous measurements are collocated. Predicted gravity-to-height change ratios for a hydrological model are around −2 nm/s2/mm when there is no local mass effect. This is in agreement with theoretical modeling for an elastic Earth’s model. Spectral analysis of vertical displacement and surface gravimetric time-series show a coherency larger than 50% at seasonal time-scales at most sites. The obtained gravity-to-height change ratios range between −5 and −2 nm/s2/mm for stations Lhasa, Metsahovi, Ny-Alesund, Onsala, Wettzell and Yebes. At Canberra and Sutherland, this ratio is close to zero. Finally, at Strasbourg site the coherency is low and the ratio is positive because of local mass effects affecting gravimetric records.
Desynchronization and Wave Pattern Formation in MPI-Parallel and Hybrid Memory-Bound Programs
Authors: Afzal Ayesha , Hager Georg , Wellein Gerhard 
Published: June 2020

AbstractAnalytic, first-principles performance modeling of distributed-memory parallel codes is notoriously imprecise. Even for applications with extremely regular and homogeneous compute-communicate phases, simply adding communication time to computation time does often not yield a satisfactory prediction of parallel runtime due to deviations from the expected simple lockstep pattern caused by system noise, variations in communication time, and inherent load imbalance. In this paper, we highlight the specific cases of provoked and spontaneous desynchronization of memory-bound, bulk-synchronous pure MPI and hybrid MPI+OpenMP programs. Using simple microbenchmarks we observe that although desynchronization can introduce increased waiting time per process, it does not necessarily cause lower resource utilization but can lead to an increase in available bandwidth per core. In case of significant communication overhead, even natural noise can shove the system into a state of automatic overlap of communication and computation, improving the overall time to solution. The saturation point, i.e., the number of processes per memory domain required to achieve full memory bandwidth, is pivotal in the dynamics of this process and the emerging stable wave pattern. We also demonstrate how hybrid MPI-OpenMP programming can prevent desirable desynchronization by eliminating the bandwidth bottleneck among processes. A Chebyshev filter diagonalization application is used to demonstrate some of the observed effects in a realistic setting.
Synergy Between Radionuclide and Infrasound Observations and Atmospheric Transport Modelling Simulations: Case of Bogoslof
Authors: Kuśmierczyk-Michulec J. , Bittner P. , Mialle P. , Kalinowski M. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractTo demonstrate a synergy between radionuclide (RN) and infrasound observations and Atmospheric Transport Modelling (ATM), the volcanic activity of Bogoslof in Alaska, USA, is used as an example. The study period covers 3 months of intense eruptive activity, from 19 December 2016 to 8 March 2017. During that period, the International Monitoring System (IMS) infrasound station located in Alaska, USA, recorded signals from three eruptive sequences. The second sequence was reported in the International Data Centre (IDC) Reviewed Event Bulletin (REB) with 3 infrasound stations: in Alaska, USA, in Kamchatka, Russian Federation and in Hawaii, USA. As reported by The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), during each of these events ash plumes reaching the altitude of more than 10 km were observed for several consecutive days. These observations were used to identify the length of each eruptive episode. To demonstrate the influence of volcanic ash on the berillium-7 (Be-7) activity concentration values measured by two IMS RN stations in Alaska, the ATM was used. To monitor the arrival time of a volcanic ash plume at the IMS stations, a series of 14 days forward simulations released daily from Bogoslof during each of these events, was generated. Comparison of Be-7 daily surface values with the seasonal median for the period of 9 years (2009–2017), revealed that an influx of volcanic ash up to the tropopause (1.5–12 km) tends to locally increase surface Be-7 concentrations in area under the influence of subsiding ash plume. It is also demonstrated that with the arrival of volcanic ash at the surface level, the enrichment in radioactive particulates like uranium, thorium, and potassium was observed.
Paramagnetic NMR in drug discovery
Authors: Softley Charlotte A. , Bostock Mark J. , Popowicz Grzegorz M. , Sattler Michael 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe presence of an unpaired electron in paramagnetic molecules generates significant effects in NMR spectra, which can be exploited to provide restraints complementary to those used in standard structure-calculation protocols. NMR already occupies a central position in drug discovery for its use in fragment screening, structural biology and validation of ligand–target interactions. Paramagnetic restraints provide unique opportunities, for example, for more sensitive screening to identify weaker-binding fragments. A key application of paramagnetic NMR in drug discovery, however, is to provide new structural restraints in cases where crystallography proves intractable. This is particularly important at early stages in drug-discovery programs where crystal structures of weakly-binding fragments are difficult to obtain and crystallization artefacts are probable, but structural information about ligand poses is crucial to guide medicinal chemistry. Numerous applications show the value of paramagnetic restraints to filter computational docking poses and to generate interaction models. Paramagnetic relaxation enhancements (PREs) generate a distance-dependent effect, while pseudo-contact shift (PCS) restraints provide both distance and angular information. Here, we review strategies for introducing paramagnetic centers and discuss examples that illustrate the utility of paramagnetic restraints in drug discovery. Combined with standard approaches, such as chemical shift perturbation and NOE-derived distance information, paramagnetic NMR promises a valuable source of information for many challenging drug-discovery programs.
Rapid decline of Zika virus NS1 antigen-specific antibody responses, northeastern Brazil
Authors: Moreira-Soto Andres , de Souza Sampaio Gilmara , Pedroso Célia , Postigo-Hidalgo Ignacio , Berneck Beatrice Sarah , Ulbert Sebastian , Brites Carlos , Netto Eduardo Martins , Drexler Jan Felix 
Published: June 2020

AbstractZika virus (ZIKV) is a positive-stranded RNA virus within the Flaviviridae family. After decades of circulation in Asia, ZIKV was introduced to Brazil in 2014–2015, associated with a rise in congenital malformations. Unlike the genetically related dengue virus (DENV), ZIKV constitutes only one serotype. Although assumed that ZIKV infection may engender lifelong immunity, the long-term kinetics of ZIKV antibody responses are unclear. We assessed long-term kinetics of ZIKV NS1-IgG response in 144 individuals from 3 different subpopulations: HIV patients, tuberculosis patients and healthy individuals first tested in 2016 and retested 1.5–2 years after the 2015–2016 ZIKV epidemic in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, using a widely distributed NS1-based commercial ELISA. The seropositivity in 2016 reached 59.0% (85/144, 95% confidence interval (CI) 50.7–66.7%), and decreased to 38.6% (56/144, CI 31.3–47.0%) 1.5–2 years later. In addition, the median ZIKV NS1-ELISA reactivity for individuals that remained positive in both timepoints significantly decreased from a ratio of 4.4 (95% CI 3.8–5.0) to 1.6 (95% CI 1.6–1.9) over the 2-year interval (Z: − 6.1; p < 0.001) irrespective of the subpopulation analyzed. Initial 2016 DENV antibody response was non-significant between groups, suggesting comparable DENV background. The high 20.6% seroreversion suggest that widely used serologic tests may fail to account a considerable proportion of past ZIKV infections in flavivirus endemic countries. In addition, ZIKV immunity might be shorter-lived than previously thought, which may contribute to local ZIKV resurgence once individual immune responses wane sufficiently to reduce community protective immunity in addition to birth and migration.
Summer maximum temperature over the gulf cooperation council states in the twenty-first century: multimodel simulations overview
Authors: Almazroui Mansour 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThe present study analyzes the Survivability for a Fit Human Threshold (SFHT) maximum temperature during the summer (June–August) over the six Middle Eastern countries known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in the twenty-first century. An ensemble of three dynamically downscaled global climate models available from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) under the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 emission scenarios is used to analyze the future climate (2006–2099) over the region. The ground-truth air temperature for ten major cities across the GCC countries is utilized for model evaluation and to estimate the model-simulated temperature biases. Both positive and negative biases found during the present climate (1976–2005) are used to adjust the future temperature changes. These adjustments show that the summer maximum temperature is likely to increase continuously for most cities in the GCC countries at the rate of about 0.2 °C (0.6 °C) per decade under RCP4.5 (RCP8.5) for the future period (2020–2099), which is significant at the 99% confidence level. For RCP8.5, the adjusted summer maximum temperature may exceed the SFHT limit of 42 °C in five capital cities of the GCC states and four major cities of Saudi Arabia. The projections based on adjusted values indicate that the average summer maximum temperature should not exceed 52 °C in any city investigated by the end of the twenty-first century. The daily maximum temperature is projected to exceed 55 °C in some cities in the GCC region by the end of the twenty-first century under a business-as-usual scenario that seems to be unrealistic if the biases are not taken into account. It is highly recommended that the GCC states should coordinate their efforts to respond appropriately to these projections using large ensembles of multimodel simulations while allowing for the associated uncertainty.
Study of tribological properties and lubrication mechanism of surfactant-coated anthracite sheets used as lubricant additives
Authors: Liu Hailong , Huang Yajing , Wang Yaozhu , Zhao Xiaomin , Chen Danqing , Chen Guohua 
Published: June 2020

AbstractAnthracite sheets were coated by sorbitol fatty acid ester (span80) through ball-milling process. The tribological properties of the span80-coated anthracite sheets as the additive in polyalpha olefin were evaluated through a series of friction tests using a four ball machine. The results revealed that the span80-coated anthracite sheets exhibited excellent dispersion stability in base oil. In addition, compared with base oil, the average coefficient of friction, wear scar diameter, and wear volume of modified oil at a mass fraction of 0.03% span80-coated anthracite sheets decreased by 45.39%, 60.13%, and 95.95%, respectively. The oil containing span80-coated anthracite sheets achieved good friction-reducing and anti-wear effects over a wide range of applied loads, temperatures, or rotating speeds. Control experiments were performed as well. The results obtained using span80-coated anthracite sheets were superior to those obtained using pure anthracite. The lubrication mechanism was attributed to the synergistic action of the crystalline and amorphous carbon in anthracite sheets as they formed a protective film and played a mitigative role on the surface of friction pair, which mitigated the wear extent of the friction pair.