bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preliminary evidence for a forestomach washing mechanism in llamas (Lama glama)
Authors: Hatt Jean-Michel , Codron Daryl , Richter Henning , Kircher Patrick R. , Hummel Jürgen , Clauss Marcus 
Published: June 2021

AbstractDust and grit are ingested by herbivores in their natural habitats along with the plants that represent their selected diet. Among the functions of the rumen, a washing of ingesta from adhering dust and grit has recently been demonstrated. The putative consequence is a less strenuous wear on ruminant teeth by external abrasives during rumination. The same function should theoretically apply to camelids, but has not been investigated so far. We fed six llamas (Lama glama) a diet of grass hay and a lucerne-based pelleted food in which fine sand had been included at about 8% of ingredients, for ad libitum consumption for 6 weeks. Subsequently, animals were slaughtered and content of the different sections of the gastrointestinal tract was sampled for the analysis of dry matter (DM), total ash, and acid detergent insoluble ash (ADIA, a measure for silica). Additionally, two of the animals were subjected to whole-body computer tomography (CT) after death in the natural sternal resting position. No clinical problems or macroscopic changes in the faeces were observed during the experimental period. The results indicate an accumulation of ADIA in the C3 compartment of the stomach complex, in particular in the posterior portion that is the equivalent of the abomasum in ruminants. By contrast, contents of the C1, from which material is recruited for regurgitation and rumination, were depleted of ADIA, indicating that the contents had largely been washed free of sand. The washing effect is an unavoidable side effect of the flotation- and sedimentation-based sorting mechanisms in the ruminant and the camelid forestomachs. In theory, this should allow ruminants and camelids to live in similar habitats as nonruminant herbivores at lower degrees of hypsodonty.
Critical interactions between opioid and cannabinoid receptors during tolerance and physical dependence development to opioids in the murine gastrointestinal tract: proof of concept
Authors: Szymaszkiewicz Agata , Świerczyński Mikołaj , Talar Marcin , Polepally Prabhakar Reddy , Zjawiony Jordan K. , Fichna Jakub , Zielińska Marta 
Published: June 2021

Abstract
Introduction
Tolerance (TOL) and physical dependence (PD) constitute important limitations of opioid therapy. The aim of our study was to validate research tools to investigate TOL and PD and to characterize the interactions between opioid (OR) and cannabinoid (CB) receptors in these processes in the GI tract.

Methods
TOL was assessed through the comparison of morphine ability to inhibit electrically evoked smooth muscles contractility in the mouse ileum that was previously incubated with/without morphine for 1 h. To evaluate the PD, the ileum was incubated with morphine for 10 min, then challenged with naloxone to induce withdrawal response (WR). The OR/CB interactions were evaluated using mixed agonist (PR-38) and AM-251 (CB1 antagonist).

Results
The inhibitory effect of morphine on ileal contractions was weaker in tissue incubated with this opioid than in tissue incubated without opioid. The opposite was noted for PR-38. In tissues exposed to morphine, but not to PR-38, naloxone induced a WR. The blockage of CB1 receptors with AM-251 before the addition of PR-38 resulted in a naloxone-induced WR.

Conclusion
The co-activation of OR and CB reduced development of TOL and PD to opioids in the mouse GI tract and mixed OR/CB agonists are promising alternative to currently used opioid drugs.
Labour market policies on a sub-national level
Authors: Brauer John 
Published: June 2021

AbstractFor most of the twentieth century, the welfare state was predominantly understood as a national project. In recent years, however, it has been recognized that other political levels — both sub- and supranational — have a profound impact on the design and delivery of social- and labour market policies and programmes. This article looks more closely at labour market policies on the sub-national level. In this domain, political bodies, such as municipalities and regions, have become key actors in developing and delivering programmes on local levels. The underlying assumption is that local actors are better suited to adapt services to the needs of residents in comparison with the national level. This assumption is contested, among other reasons because it leads to increased within-state inequalities. This article analyses Swedish municipalities. They have come to be central stakeholders in the area of active labour market policies. The article looks at data on municipal actions to reduce unemployment. Government data on geography, local political rule and economy of municipalities are used as potential factors that predicts reach of policies. The article also investigates potential neighbourhood effects by utilizing spatial analysis. The findings indicate that there are such effects, and that economic situation is the most influential non-spatial factor in explaining differences in reach of policies. Less well-off municipalities had more extensive reach. Geographic and political factors did also affect the outcomes but was less influential.
Expert consensus on the establishment and maintenance of native arteriovenous fistula
Authors: Zhang Hongtao , Lu Haitao , Li Wenge , Jiang Gengru , Zou Hongbin ,   Expert Group of Nephrology Branch of China Academy of Chronic Disease Urology Nephrology and Blood Purification Commission of China Medical Education Association
Published: June 2021

AbstractVascular access is the lifeline of hemodialysis patients. There are great differences in the establishment and use of vascular access in different countries and regions around the world. We believe that on the basis of good evaluation and planning, it is recommended that hemodialysis patients choose native arteriovenous fistula first. In view of the new progress of vascular access views domestic and international at home and abroad in recent years, we organized experts to recommend the establishment and maintenance of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) for the Chinese population, including preoperative evaluation and planning of the establishment of AVF, AVF surgery, perioperative drug intervention measures and postoperative maintenance, and put forward suggestions for future research directions. The recommendations in this consensus are general and clinicians need to make treatment decisions based on the actual situation.
Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) for the Pelvic Organ Prolapse-Urinary Incontinence Sexual Function Questionnaire – IUGA Revised (PISQ-IR)
Authors: Pruijssers Bente , van der Vaart Lisa , Milani Fred , Roovers Jan-Paul , Vollebregt Astrid , van der Vaart Huub 
Published: June 2021

ABSTRACTBackgroundTo put statistically significant changes in patient reported outcome measurement (PROM) questionnaires into a clinical perspective, the concept of the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) can be used.AimTo determine the MCID for the summary score for sexually active (SA) women of the Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire, IUGA-Revised (PISQ-IR), a validated instrument which assesses sexual functioning (SF) for patients suffering from a symptomatic pelvic floor disorder.MethodsPatients participating in a multicentre prospective cohort study comparing pessary therapy with surgery for a symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse (POP) filled in the PISQ-IR at baseline and 12 months’ follow-up. We used both an anchor-based as well as a distribution-based method to calculate the MCID for both treatment groups. The Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) questionnaire and PISQ-IR question 19a about satisfaction with sexual functioning were used as anchors. For the distribution-based approach we used the effect size (ES).OutcomesMCID for the SA summary score of the PISQ-IR.RESULTSData of 243 women were used to calculate the MCID. In the pessary group, Kendall’s tau-b correlation coefficients between the PISQ-IR summary score and both anchors were below the cut-off of 0.21, which implies the anchors cannot be used to calculate an MCID. In our surgery group, the PISQ-IR question 19a met the anchor criteria and 0.31 points increase in the PISQ-IR summary score was equal to an improvement of 1 point on question 19a about satisfaction with sexual functioning.Clinical implicationsFuture research on this subject should focus on clinical relevance of results rather than statistical significance only.Strengths & LimitationsOur main strength is the fact that we used both anchor-based and distribution-based methods to determine our MCID. Secondly, we set out to determine an MCID for both treatment groups separately, which relatively enhances the generalisability of our results. A limitation is that we were not able to estimate an MCID for the pessary group.CONCLUSIONWe estimated the MCID for the PISQ-IR SA summary score to be 0.31 in our surgery group.
Propeller aerodynamic optimisation to minimise energy consumption for electric fixed-wing aircraft
Authors: Hoyos J.D. , Alvarado J.P. , Jiménez J.H. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractAn electric propulsion model for propeller-driven aircraft is developed with the aim of minimising the power consumption for a given airspeed and thrust. Blade Element Momentum Theory (BEMT) is employed for propeller performance predictions fed with aerodynamic aerofoil data obtained from a proposed combined Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)–Montgomerie method, which is also validated. The Two-Dimensional (2D) aerofoil data are corrected to consider compressibility, three-dimensional, viscous and Reynolds-number effects. The BEMT model showed adequate fitting with experimental data from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (UIUC) database. Additionally, Goldstein optimisation via vortex theory is employed to design pitch and chord distributions minimising the induced losses of the propeller. Particle swarm optimisation is employed to find the optimal value for a wide range of geometrical and operational parameters considering some constraints. The optimisation algorithm is validated through a study case where an existing optimisation problem is approached, leading to very similar results. Some trends and insights are obtained from the study case and discussed regarding the design of an optimal propulsion system. Finally, CFD simulations of the study case are carried out, showing a slight relative error of BEMT.
Annual and seasonal glaciological mass balance of Patsio Glacier, western Himalaya (India) from 2010 to 2017
Authors: Angchuk Thupstan , Ramanathan Alagappan , Bahuguna I. M. , Mandal Arindan , Soheb Mohd , Singh Virendra Bahadur , Mishra Somdutta , Vatsal Sarvagya 
Published: June 2021

AbstractImproving the knowledge on Himalayan glaciers mass balance is a key to understand the present and past annual atmospheric variations and future water availability in the region. Here, we present glaciological mass balance for Patsio Glacier, located in Himachal Pradesh (India), western Himalaya. Annual glacier-wide mass balance was measured for 7 consecutive years (2010/11 to 2016/17) and winter mass balance for 6 years (2011/12 to 2016/17). The cumulative mass balance over this period was −2.35 ± 0.37 m w.e. The corresponding mean mass balance was −0.34 m w.e. a−1. The mean annual ablation gradient excluding the debris-covered area was 0.47 m w.e. (100 m)−1. The annual ablation over the debris-covered area is reduced by an average of −1.0 m w.e. compared to the clean ice surface. Winter mass balance was consistently positive with a maximum of 1.34 m w.e. in 2014/15 and a minimum of 0.88 m w.e. in 2011/12. Multiple regression analysis between annual mass balance versus annual and winter precipitation of the Lahaul-Spiti region shows a significant positive correlation. Our results highlight the importance of monitoring seasonal mass balance and consideration of non-climatic parameters (debris and aspect) while estimating the glacier-wide mass balance.
The Holocene lake-evaporation history of the afro-alpine Lake Garba Guracha in the Bale Mountains, Ethiopia, based on δ18O records of sugar biomarker and diatoms
Authors: Bittner Lucas , Gil-Romera Graciela , Grady Dai , Lamb Henry F. , Lorenz Eva , Weiner Mikaela , Meyer Hanno , Bromm Tobias , Glaser Bruno , Zech Michael 
Published: June 2021

AbstractIn eastern Africa, there are few long, high-quality records of environmental change at high altitudes, inhibiting a broader understanding of regional climate change. We investigated a Holocene lacustrine sediment archive from Lake Garba Guracha, Bale Mountains, Ethiopia, (3,950 m asl), and reconstructed high-altitude lake evaporation history using δ18O records derived from the analysis of compound-specific sugar biomarkers and diatoms. The δ18Odiatom and δ18Ofuc records are clearly correlated and reveal similar ranges (7.9‰ and 7.1‰, respectively). The lowest δ18O values occurred between 10–7 cal ka BP and were followed by a continuous shift towards more positive δ18O values. Due to the aquatic origin of the sugar biomarker and similar trends of δ18Odiatom, we suggest that our lacustrine δ18Ofuc record reflects δ18Olake water. Therefore, without completely excluding the influence of the ‘amount-effect’ and the ‘source-effect’, we interpret our record to reflect primarily the precipitation-to-evaporation ratio (P/E). We conclude that precipitation increased at the beginning of the Holocene, leading to an overflowing lake between ca. 10 and ca. 8 cal ka BP, indicated by low δ18Olake water values, which are interpreted as reduced evaporative enrichment. This is followed by a continuous trend towards drier conditions, indicating at least a seasonally closed lake system.
Teaching English in multilingual Israel: Who teaches whom and how. A review of recent research 2014–2020
Authors: Aronin Larissa , Yelenevskaya Maria 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThis article presents research on teaching English in Israel, a vibrant multilingual country, in the period between 2014 and 2020. After a brief introduction to the current approach to English language teaching around the world, it outlines the studies investigating: (a) learners of English, (b) English teachers, and (c) methods that are used in the country for teaching English. We explore how various student populations, Arabs, Bedouins, Circassians, Druze, Charedi (ultra-orthodox Jews), Jews, and foreign students, are taught English as well as their attitudes to this language. Then, we discuss research investigating different categories of English teachers in Israel, including teachers in Arab and Jewish sectors, the teachers labeled as ‘native speakers’, and also teacher trainers and teacher-training principles. We look at secondary and high school students, including those in special education, as well as those who take English courses in tertiary educational institutions. Finally, we are interested in whether innovative teaching methods compete with the conventional ones and which groups of learners have access to the former. Throughout the article, we aim to show to what extent practitioners and researchers are aware of the present-day realities of the interconnectedness of ‘teacher, student, and method’ elements and the impact of multilingualism on English teaching in Israel. This Country in Focus report also considers the current holistic perspective on English language teaching. This language should not be taught in isolation but work in concert with other contact languages.
Trajectory planning and low-chattering fixed-time nonsingular terminal sliding mode control for a dual-arm free-floating space robot
Authors: Yan Wen , Liu Yicheng , Lan Qijie , Zhang Tao , Tu Haiyan 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThis paper addresses fixed-time trajectory tracking for a dual-arm free-floating space robot (FFSR) with the large initial errors and bounded uncertainty. A wrist-based trajectory planning method is improved by fixed-time stability to fast eliminate the error caused by singularity. Then, a novel low-chattering and global-nonsingular fixed-time terminal sliding mode control strategy is studied by state approaching angle and switching sliding mode; the practical fixed-reachable Lyapunov stability analysis is presented for a mechanical control system. In the end, the proposed trajectory planning method and controller are combined to improve the tracking accuracy of end-effector to the nanoscale. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed methodologies.
In-band RCS reduction antennas using an EBG surface
Authors: Parsha Manivara Kumar , Nandi Arnab , Basu Banani 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThe paper has proposed a multilayer, polarization rotation featured, low radar cross-section (RCS) antenna using electromagnetic band-gap (EBG)-based frequency selective surface (FSS) at 8.25 GHz. Cross-shaped EBG unit cells offer zero reflection phase and −25 dB reflection magnitude at 8.25 GHz. The FSS layer consists of eight cross-shaped EBG unit cells sandwiched between two substrates to offer high absorptivity at the desired band. The circular patch antenna resonating at 8.25 GHz is placed on the top substrate having a lower dielectric constant. Four circular-shaped patches are etched at the four corners of the top layer and are coupled with two feed lines which are aligned 90° to each other at the bottom layer and interconnected diagonally to achieve polarization rotation. The proposed antenna offers a gain of 6.72 dB and an in-band RCS of −21.4 dBsm. Incident energy is backscattered into eight directions separated by angle ϕ = 45°. The proposed antenna has the RCS reduction band of 7.7–9.4 GHz. It offers normalized polarization rotation ratio more than 0.8 within the −40° to 40° angular region at the frequency band 8–8.5 GHz. The measured result using the fabricated prototype agrees well with the simulated one.
What Can Meteorites Tell Us About the Formation of Jupiter?
Authors: Weiss Benjamin P. , Bottke William F. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractGas giants like Jupiter are a fundamental component of planetary systems, but how they formed has been uncertain. Here we discuss how paleomagnetic records in meteorites of the solar nebula may tell us about Jupiter's final growth stage. We suggest that under certain testable assumptions, the meteorite data indicate that proto‐Jupiter grew from a mass of ∼50 Earth masses (M⨁) at >3.46 million years (Ma) after solar system formation to its final mass of 318 M⊕ over just <0.5 Ma. This rapid acceleration is consistent with a key prediction of the core accretion model for giant planet formation.
Uncertainty and Bias in Global to Regional Scale Assessments of Current and Future Coastal Flood Risk
Authors: Hinkel J. , Feyen L. , Hemer M. , Le Cozannet G. , Lincke D. , Marcos M. , Mentaschi L. , Merkens J. L. , de Moel H. , Muis S. , Nicholls R. J. , Vafeidis A. T. , van de Wal R. S. W. , Vousdoukas M. I. , Wahl T. , Ward P. J. , Wolff C. 
Published: June 2021

AbstractThis study provides a literature‐based comparative assessment of uncertainties and biases in global to world‐regional scale assessments of current and future coastal flood risks, considering mean and extreme sea‐level hazards, the propagation of these into the floodplain, people and coastal assets exposed, and their vulnerability. Globally, by far the largest bias is introduced by not considering human adaptation, which can lead to an overestimation of coastal flood risk in 2100 by up to factor 1300. But even when considering adaptation, uncertainties in how coastal societies will adapt to sea‐level rise dominate with a factor of up to 27 all other uncertainties. Other large uncertainties that have been quantified globally are associated with socio‐economic development (factors 2.3–5.8), digital elevation data (factors 1.2–3.8), ice sheet models (factor 1.6–3.8) and greenhouse gas emissions (factors 1.6–2.1). Local uncertainties that stand out but have not been quantified globally, relate to depth‐damage functions, defense failure mechanisms, surge and wave heights in areas affected by tropical cyclones (in particular for large return periods), as well as nearshore interactions between mean sea‐levels, storm surges, tides and waves. Advancing the state‐of‐the‐art requires analyzing and reporting more comprehensively on underlying uncertainties, including those in data, methods and adaptation scenarios. Epistemic uncertainties in digital elevation, coastal protection levels and depth‐damage functions would be best reduced through open community‐based efforts, in which many scholars work together in collecting and validating these data.
Perturbing Topography in a Convection‐Allowing Ensemble Prediction System for Heavy Rain Forecasts
Authors: Li Jun , Du Jun , Xiong Jie , Wang Minghuan 
Published: June 2021

AbstractFour methods to perturb model terrain are demonstrated in a convection‐allowing scale (3 km) ensemble prediction system (EPS) for heavy rain forecasts. The impact of methods was examined in terms of ensemble mean, spread‐skill relationship and probabilistic forecast. The study was carried out for four major precipitation events. It is found that: (a) using different combinations of topography smoothing and interpolation is a promising way to perturb model topography. Even perturbing the topography alone can greatly improve heavy rain forecasts. The benefit of ensemble forecasts increases with the increase in rainfall amount. (b) Adding random perturbations to model topography is not ideal and could hurt ensemble performance due to a too noisy structure although it increases ensemble spread. Perturbation structure plays a more important role than perturbation size. (c) Using the terrain difference between a higher and lower resolution model to estimate possible errors in model terrain is explored. By adding such terrain differences to the terrain‐generating‐scheme based perturbation (the control experiment) can not only enlarge perturbation size but also keep a good spatial structure. Such a modified ensemble performed similarly in ensemble mean forecasts but improved the ensemble spread and probabilistic forecast. It is recommended that perturbed model terrain should be included in operational EPSs to improve heavy precipitation forecasts. The simple terrain‐generating‐scheme based perturbation method, as described in this study, is effective and can be implemented in an existing operational EPS without extra computing cost.
Exploring the Drivers Controlling the Priming Effect and Its Magnitude in Aquatic Systems
Authors: Sanches Lúcia Fernandes , Guenet Bertrand , Marino Nicholas dos Anjos Cristiano , de Assis Esteves Francisco 
Published: June 2021

AbstractChanges in mineralization rates of stable or persistent organic matter induced by inputs of labile organic matter can alter the organic carbon (C) balance along the terrestrial‐aquatic ecosystem continuum. This phenomenon, also known as the priming effect, is well‐established in terrestrial ecosystems, but has only recently been explored in the domain of aquatic ecology–with widely contrasting responses of stable carbon to the priming effect reported across the literature. Here, we compiled data from experimental studies on C mineralization in aquatic systems that directly or indirectly tested for the priming effect and used a meta‐analytic approach to investigate the physical and chemical drivers behind the differing outcomes reported across studies. We found that the reported heterogeneity could be explained by two main factors: how the priming effect is measured and whether the study was performed in the laboratory or under field conditions. These findings suggest that how the priming effect is tested and measured has strong implications for its detection and magnitude.