bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental study of hydraulic characteristics on headcut erosion and erosional response in the tableland and gully regions of China
Authors: Shi Qianhua , Wang Wenlong , Zhu Baocai , Guo Mingming
Published: April 2020

Severe long‐term gully headcut erosion, which further decreases the area of Yuan, is a serious yet poorly understood issue for local ecological environments and social development. Nevertheless, although the hydraulic characteristics of headcut erosion in the loess tableland and gully region of the Loess Plateau remain unclear, they constitute critical inputs in headcut erosion prediction models. The goal of this study is to evaluate the hydraulic properties of concentrated flow and the headcut erosion process and to identify the influence of flow energy consumption on headcut erosion in the loess tableland and gully region. A series of in situ simulated rainfall and runoff scouring experiments were carried out to achieve this goal under flow discharges of 100, 200, 300 and 400 L min−1 with a rainfall intensity of 0.8 mm min−1. The total sediment yield was 1660–3850 kg and increased linearly with increasing flow discharge. The contribution rate of soil loss volume at gully head increased with experiment time and was 2.7 times greater than at the upstream area. The concentrated flow was turbulent and supercritical during the erosion process. The headcut retreat distance, flow velocity, Reynolds number, shear stress, stream power, velocities at the brink and bottom, and flow energy consumption at 100–400 L min−1 were 5.5–25.5 cm, 0.63–1.48 m s−1, 1244–8593, 0.65–4.45 Pa, 0.61–4.22 W m−2, 0.78–2.47 m s−1, 5.23–5.88 m s−1, and 3.52–12.63 J s−1, respectively, all of which increased with increasing flow discharge. A positive power function was found between the sediment yield and flow energy consumption, which can be helpful in establishing soil erosion model based on erosion processes. These findings ultimately improve our understanding of headcut erosion in the tableland and gully regions of the Loess Plateau.
On structural dominance analysis
Authors: Oliva Rogelio
Published: April 2020

This article is based on my talk at the 2019 International System Dynamics Conference on the occasion of receiving the Jay. W. Forrester Award for the article, “Structural dominance analysis of large and stochastic models” (System Dynamics Review2016,32(1): 26–51). I summarize here the history of the research project that led to the award‐winning article. I present the evolution of the ideas in a non‐technical way that develops the intuition for howeigenvalue elasticity analysisworks and highlights the power of its explanations. I discuss what I believe to be the main benefits of structural dominance analysis and address the major criticisms that have been raised against it, and I close by reflecting on why I believe the capability to formally establish links between structure and behavior will become more salient in a context that pushes for larger models and demands higher standards of evidence.

© 2020 System Dynamics Society
The Protection of C−O Bond of Pine Lignin in Different Organic Solvent Systems
Authors: Wang Dongling , Wang Wenjin , Lv Wei , Xu Ying , Liu Jianguo , Wang Haiyong , Wang Chenguang , Ma Longlong
Published: April 2020

The methods of extraction and degradation of lignin from biomass are very important for obtaining high value‐added chemical precursors. In this paper, pine wood powder was selected as the feedstock to investigate the effect of different organic solvent systems (ethanol, ethylene glycol, 1, 4‐butanediol and acetone) on the lignin extraction using different radio of H2SO4 and acetic acid. The extraction yields were calculated, the solvent lignin structure was analyzed by SEM, Elemental Analyzer, GPC, FT‐IR, HSQC and the organosolv lignin was depolymerized over NaOH and Pd/C in ethanol. The results showed that the molecular weight of all lignin extracted from biomass by different organic solvents were lower than 2000 g mol−1. Among the organic solvents, acetic acid and glycol could react with the γ and ɑ position of the β‐O‐4 bond in lignin, which protect the C−O bond during the extraction treatment. The analysis of depolymerization products suggested that the ethylene glycol had the best ability of retaining the structures of lignin and dissolution. About 17.74 wt. % aromatic compounds were obtained from the ethylene glycol lignin in 2 MPa H2 at 240°C, which were mainly phenyl alcohol compounds. Ethylene glycol lignin could give more aromatic hydrocarbon compounds and phenols than the other two kinds of lignin. Ethylene glycol and 1,4‐butanediol was also found in the depolymerization product respectively. The protection of the C−O bond offers effective strategies for directional depolymerization design.
Synthesis of Multi‐Deuterated Desmosine
Authors: Hirose Mika , Yokoo Reiko , Watanabe Daisuke , Suzuki Rina , Tanigawa Miho , Usuki Toyonobu
Published: April 2020

Desmosine, a crosslinking pyridinium amino acid found in elastin, is a useful biomarker for the diagnosis of diseases related to elastin degradation, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In order to achieve the precise quantitation of this compound using isotope dilution liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) analysis, isotopically‐labeled internal standards including deuterated desmosine are required. We report herein the synthesis of multi‐deuterated desmosine (d3–9) as a potential internal standard. This synthesis involves the preparation of an alkyne via a Sonogashira cross‐coupling, followed by deuterogenation of the triple bond to incorporate deuterium atoms into the substrate.
Stereoselective Synthesis of Novel Monocyclic cis‐β‐Lactams Bearing 1,3,4‐Thiadiazole Nucleus: Bioactive Agents and Potential Synthons
Authors: Mishra Mahesh Kumar , Sharma Sitaram , Ahmad Khursheed , Singh Vedeshwar Narayan
Published: April 2020

A simple and efficient procedure for the stereoselective synthesis of novel monocyclic cis‐β‐lactams, pharmaceutically fascinating and potential synthons have been developed. The reaction of ketene derived insitu from phenoxyacetyl chloride with tetralone substituted imines resulted in the exclusive formation of monocyclic cis‐β‐lactams containing 1,3,4‐thiadiazole nucleus by [2+2] cycloaddition reaction. The structures of all the novel synthesized monocyclic cis‐β‐lactams were verified using various spectroscopic techniques such as FT‐IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, HRMS, and elemental analysis (CHN). The cis configuration of β‐lactams was deduced using the coupling constant (J) value of H‐3 and H‐4. The prominent features of this work are simple reaction conditions, good yields, easy isolation of products, and no column chromatography separation. All products were obtained by a simple crystallization technique.
High Temperature Stable Maghemite Nanoparticles Sandwiched between Hectorite Nanosheets
Authors: Ament Kevin , Wagner Daniel R. , Meij Frederieke E. , Wagner Friedrich E. , Breu Josef
Published: April 2020

Maghemite (γ‐Fe2O3) is a metastable iron oxide phase and usually undergoes fast phase transition to hematite at elevated temperatures (>350 °C). Maghemite nanoparticles were synthesized by the polyol method and then intercalated into a highly swollen (>100 nm separation) nematic phase of hectorite. A composite of maghemite nanoparticles sandwiched between nanosheets of synthetic hectorite was obtained. The confinement of the nanoparticles hampered Ostwald ripening up to 700 °C and consequently the phase transition to hematite is suppressed. Only above 700 °C γ‐Fe2O3 nanoparticles started to grow and undergo phase transition to α‐F2O3. The structure and the phase transition of the composite was evaluated using X‐ray diffraction, TEM, SEM, physisorption, TGA/DSC, and Mößbauer spectroscopy.
F-theory flux vacua and attractor equations
Authors: Honma Yoshinori , Otsuka Hajime
Published: April 2020

Abstract

We examine the vacuum structure of 4D effective theories of moduli fields in spacetime compactifications with quantized background fluxes. Imposing the no-scale structure for the volume deformations, we numerically investigate the distributions of flux vacua of the effective potential in complex structure moduli and axio-dilaton directions for two explicit examples in Type IIB string theory and F-theory compactifications. It turns out that distributions of non-supersymmetric flux vacua exhibit a non-increasing functional behavior of several on-shell quantities with respect to the string coupling. We point out that this phenomena can be deeply connected with a previously-reported possible correspondence between the flux vacua in moduli stabilization problem and the attractor mechanism in supergravity, and our explicit demonstration implies that such a correspondence generically exist even in the framework of F-theory. In particular, we confirm that the solutions of the effective potential we explicitly evaluated in Type IIB and F-theory flux compactifications indeed satisfy the generalized form of the attractor equations simultaneously.
Mirror symmetry for moduli spaces of Higgs bundles via p-adic integration
Authors: Groechenig Michael , Wyss Dimitri , Ziegler Paul
Published: April 2020

We prove the Topological Mirror Symmetry Conjecture by Hausel–Thaddeus for smooth moduli spaces of Higgs bundles of type $$SL_n$$

S

L
n

and $$PGL_n$$

P
G

L
n

. More precisely, we establish an equality of stringy Hodge numbers for certain pairs of algebraic orbifolds generically fibred into dual abelian varieties. Our proof utilises p-adic integration relative to the fibres, and interprets canonical gerbes present on these moduli spaces as characters on the Hitchin fibres using Tate duality. Furthermore, we prove for d prime to n, that the number of rank n Higgs bundles of degree d over a fixed curve defined over a finite field, is independent of d. This proves a conjecture by Mozgovoy–Schiffmann in the coprime case.
Multivariable Regression Analysis of Clinical Data from the Randomized-Controlled EffPac Trial: Efficacy of Femoropopliteal Drug-Coated Balloon Angioplasty
Authors: Mietz Selma , Lehmann Thomas , Teichgräber Ulf
Published: April 2020

Purpose

The post-hoc multivariable analysis of EffPac study data aimed to identify explanatory variables for efficacy of femoropopliteal artery angioplasty.

Methods

In the prospective, randomized, controlled EffPac study, patients were allocated to either DCB or plain old balloon angioplasty. Multivariable regression including interaction analysis was conducted to assess the impact of selected variables on the outcome measures of late lumen loss (LLL) at 6 months, and on binary restenosis, target lesion revascularization (TLR), clinical improvement, and hemodynamic improvement at 12 months.

Results

A total of 171 patients (69 ± 8 years, 111 men) were treated at 11 German centers. Hypertension increased, and advanced age decreased LLL (B coefficient [B]: 0.7 [95% CI − 0.04 to 1.3], p = 0.06 and − 0.3 per 10 years [95% CI − 0.5 to 0.01], p = 0.06, respectively). DCB angioplasty decreased odds of 12-month TLR and binary restenosis (OR 0.4 [95% CI 0.2 to 0.8], p = 0.01 and OR 0.1 [95% CI 0.01 to 0.6], p = 0.02, respectively). Lesion length and severe calcification decreased clinical improvement (B: − 0.1 per 10 mm [95% CI − 0.1 to − 0.03], p = 0.001 and − 0.1 [95% CI − 1.7 to − 0.1], p = 0.03, respectively). DCB angioplasty in former smokers improved ABI (0.2 [95% CI 0.01 to 0.5], p = 0.04).

Conclusion

DCB angioplasty decreased the incidence of 12-month restenosis and TLR. Increasing lesion length and severe calcification reduced clinical improvement. Hypertension is suspected to facilitate, and advanced age to mitigate LLL. DCB improved ABI most in former smokers.
Multivessel versus culprit-only PCI in STEMI patients with multivessel disease: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Feistritzer Hans-Josef , Jobs Alexander , de Waha-Thiele Suzanne , Eitel Ingo , Freund Anne , Abdel-Wahab Mohamed , Desch Steffen , Thiele Holger
Published: April 2020

Aims

To perform a pairwise meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and culprit vessel-only PCI in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients without cardiogenic shock.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase for RCTs comparing multivessel PCI with culprit vessel-only PCI in STEMI patients without cardiogenic shock and multivessel coronary artery disease. Only RCTs reporting mortality or myocardial reinfarction after at least 6 months following randomization were included. Hazard ratios (HRs) were pooled using random-effect models.

Results

Nine RCTs were included in the final analysis. In total, 523 (8.3%) of 6314 patients suffered the combined primary endpoint of death or non-fatal reinfarction. This primary endpoint was significantly reduced with multivessel PCI compared to culprit vessel-only PCI (HR 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.43–0.93; p = 0.03). This finding was driven by a reduction of non-fatal reinfarction (HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.52–0.79; p = 0.001), whereas no significant reduction of all-cause death (HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.44–1.35; p = 0.28) or cardiovascular death (HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.37–1.11; p = 0.09) was observed.

Conclusions

In STEMI patients without cardiogenic shock multivessel PCI reduced the risk of death or non-fatal reinfarction compared to culprit vessel-only PCI.
Cancellous allogenic and autologous bone grafting ensure comparable tunnel filling results in two-staged revision ACL surgery
Authors: Prall Wolf Christian , Kusmenkov T. , Schmidt B. , Fürmetz J. , Haasters F. , Naendrup J. H. , Böcker W. , Shafizadeh S. , Mayr H. O. , Pfeiffer T. R.
Published: April 2020

Objectives

Patients with recurrent instability after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction often present with enlarged or misplaced tunnels and bone grafting is required prior to the actual revision reconstruction. Autologous bone grafting features limited quantity and donor site morbidity. These problems may be eliminated utilizing cancellous bone allografts, but their efficiency and reliability have not been investigated systematically. The aim of the present study was to compare tunnel filling rates attained by utilizing either allogenic or autologous cancellous bone grafts.

Materials and methods

A total of 103 consecutive patients were enrolled retrospectively. All patients suffered from recurrent instability and underwent either allogenic or autologous cancellous bone grafting. Computed tomography (CT) was carried out before and after the bone grafting procedure. Based on preoperative CT scans, positioning and maximum diameter of the femoral and tibial tunnels were determined. Tunnel filling rates were calculated as a ratio of pre- and postoperative tunnel volumes. Primary outcome was the tibial tunnel filling rate. Femoral filling rates and density of the grafted bone were assessed secondarily.

Results

Preoperative CT scans revealed no significant differences between the two groups regarding distribution of misplacement and widening of the femoral or tibial tunnel. Postoperative CT scans were conducted after an interval of 5.2 months. Tunnel filling rates of 74.5% (± 14.3) femoral and 85.3% (± 10.3) tibial were achieved in the allogenic compared to 74.3% (± 15.9) femoral and 84.9% (± 9.4) tibial in the autologous group. With p values of 0.85 at the femur and 0.83 at the tibia, there were no significant differences between the groups. The density of the grafted bone revealed significantly higher values in the allogenic group.

Conclusions

Utilizing cancellous bone allografts in two-staged revision ACL surgery provides for sufficient and reproducible filling of enlarged or misplaced tunnels. The filling rates are comparable to those achieved with autologous bone grafting. Advantages of allografts are the unrestricted quantity and the absence of any harvesting procedure.
Patient expectation fulfilment following total hip arthroplasty: a 10-year follow-up study
Authors: Yapp Liam Z. , Clement Nicholas D. , Macdonald Deborah J. , Howie Colin R. , Scott Chloe E. H.
Published: April 2020

Background

The primary aim of this study was to assess how expectation fulfilment changes up to 10 years following total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Materials and methods

Three hundred and forty-six patients completed an expectation questionnaire (encompassing 18 activities), Oxford hip score (OHS) and Short Form (SF)-12 prior to surgery. At 1 year postoperatively, expectation fulfilment was assessed in addition to OHS, SF-12 and patient satisfaction (n = 346). This was repeated in surviving patients with intact THAs at 9.1–9.9 years postoperative (n = 224). Linear regression analysis was used to identify factors independently associated with early (1 year) and late (mean 9.5 years) expectation fulfilment.

Results

Postoperative expectation fulfilment scores declined from 36.5 at 1 year to 33 at late follow-up (95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.0–5.0, p < 0.001). Increased (better) late expectation fulfilment scores were significantly associated with better scores for all PROMs applied at both timepoints. Younger age, greater pre-operative expectation score and greater improvement in OHS (both early and late) were all independent predictors when adjusting for confounding (p < 0.05). At late follow-up 78% (14/18) activities demonstrated high levels of persistent expectation fulfilment. Approximately two out of every five patients who considered themselves unfulfilled at early follow-up went on to experience late fulfilment, but this was dependent upon the specific expectation (mean 40%, range 0–64%).

Conclusions

Expectation fulfilment following THA changes with time. The majority of patients report high levels of expectation fulfilment following THA at late follow-up. This information can be used to help manage the longer-term expectations of patients undergoing THA.
Pension Systems in the EU — Some Policy Issues
Authors: Barslund Mikkel
Published: April 2020

To what extent a pension system can be judged fair given structural differences in life expectancy across socioeconomic groups is not straightforward and will depend on the exact design of the system and other social policies in place, and how these policies interact with the pension system.
Lessons From Italy: A Good Pension System Needs an Effective Broader Social Policy Framework
Authors: Franco Daniele , Tommasino Pietro
Published: April 2020

Italy, which is sometimes considered a laggard in terms of social and economic reforms, can boast a pension system that is, by and large, functioning sufficiently well in terms of ensuring an adequate purchasing power to retirees and a financially sustainable outlook in the long term, even when taking into account adverse demographic developments.
The Welfare Implications of the European Trucks Cartel
Authors: Beyer Christian , Kottmann Elke , von Blanckenburg Korbinian
Published: April 2020

This paper presents a pragmatic approach to calculating the total economic loss induced by a cartel, focusing on the European trucks cartel (1997–2011). This comprehensible and transparent approach builds on the theory of monopoly pricing and uses the publicly available data of the infringing companies. Overall, a net welfare loss of up to 15.5 billion euro and an overcharge to the amount of up to 7.6% are estimated. This loss to society cannot be offset by fines or private damage claims and should raise awareness for antitrust policy. The findings presented are relevant for both practitioners and policymakers.
Variation in parasitoid attraction to herbivore-infested plants and alternative host plant cover mediate tritrophic interactions at the landscape scale
Authors: Aartsma Yavanna , Hao Yueyi , Dicke Marcel , van der Werf Wopke , Poelman Erik H. , Bianchi Felix J. J. A.
Published: April 2020

Context

Tritrophic interactions may be affected by local factors and the broader landscape context. At small spatial scales, carnivorous enemies of herbivorous insects use herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) to find herbivores, but it is unknown whether variation in plant attractiveness due to differential HIPV emission can enhance recruitment of carnivores from the wider landscape.

Objectives

We studied whether parasitism of caterpillars of the butterflyPieris brassicaeon white cabbage was influenced by landscape composition and cover with brassicaceous species that provide hosts for parasitoids ofP. brassicaein 19 landscapes in the Netherlands. We also investigated whether differential attraction of parasitoids to herbivore-infested plants affected parasitism ofP. brassicaecaterpillars by using different accessions as proxies for HIPV emission.

Results

The cabbage accession that is highly attractive to parasitic wasps recruited more wasps than a less attractive accession, but only when parasitism rates were high. Parasitism rate as proxy of wasp recruitment correlated positively with the cover of brassicaceous plants and area of arable land, suggesting that these habitats support hosts for the wasps and their population growth. In contrast, forest area was negatively associated with parasitism rates.

Conclusions

Our study shows that the degree of attractiveness of plants to parasitoids, which is probably mediated by HIPVs, can be a useful predictor of parasitism, but needs to be considered within the landscape context. To understand the strength of tritrophic interactions it is crucial to consider local-scale processes driven by plant-trait variation in combination with landscape-scale processes that determine carnivore abundance.
Impaired differentiation of human induced neural stem cells by TOR1A overexpression
Authors: Stengel Felix , Vulinovic Franca , Meier Britta , Grütz Karen , Klein Christine , Capetian Philipp
Published: April 2020

DYT-TOR1A is the most common inherited dystonia caused by a three nucleotide (GAG) deletion (dE) in the TOR1A gene. Death early after birth and cortical anomalies of the full knockout in rodents underscore its developmental importance. We therefore explored the timed effects of TOR1A-wt and TOR1A-dE during differentiation in a human neural in vitro model. We used lentiviral tet-ON expression of TOR1A-wt and -dE in induced neural stem cells derived from healthy donors. Overexpression was induced during proliferation of neural precursors, during differentiation and after differentiation into mature neurons. Overexpression of both wildtype and mutated protein had no effect on the viability and cell number of neural precursors as well as mature neurons when initiated before or after differentiation. However, if induced during differentiation, overexpression of TOR1A-wt and -dE led to a pronounced reduction of mature neurons in a dose dependent manner. Our data underscores the importance of physiological expression levels of TOR1A as crucial for proper neuronal differentiation. We did not find evidence for a specific impact of the mutated TOR1A on neuronal maturation.
Die SPD, die Meinungsfreiheit und die Konsequenzen der Massenpresse im Kaiserreich
Authors: Löblich Maria , Venema Niklas
Published: April 2020

Mit dem Aufstieg der Massenpresse Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts geriet die SPD in einen Zwiespalt zwischen interner Meinungsfreiheit und dem Umgang mit abweichenden Stimmen. Einerseits konnte sie sich nicht zu Meinungsfreiheit bekennen, ohne diesen Grundsatz auch auf sich selbst anzuwenden, andererseits musste sie stärker als zuvor auf ein geschlossenes Auftreten in der Öffentlichkeit achten. Gestützt auf Medialisierungsforschung und Diskursiven Institutionalismus analysiert der Beitrag die Machtkämpfe innerhalb der Partei, die in öffentlichen Diskursen ausgetragen wurden und in die Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsstrukturen sowie politischen Kontexte im Kaiserreich eingebettet waren. Inhalts- und Dokumentenanalysen zeigen, dass sich die Kritik an mangelnder innerer Meinungsfreiheit in einer medialisierten Umwelt seit den 1890er Jahren verstärkte. Abweichler von der Parteilinie forderten Meinungsfreiheit, um Sichtbarkeit und Legitimation für ihre politischen Ideen und Anerkennung für die Parteiredakteure zu bekommen. Die Organisationsmehrheit hingegen stellte Außenwirkung über Meinungsfreiheit und reagierte damit auf die wachsende Bedeutung öffentlicher Kommunikation.
Adherence to treatment in children with growth hormone deficiency, small for gestational age and Turner syndrome in Mexico: results of the Easypod™ connect observational study (ECOS)
Authors: Blanco-López A. , Antillón-Ferreira C. , Saavedra-Castillo E. , Barrientos-Pérez M. , Rivero-Escalante H. , Flores-Caloca O. , Calzada-León R. , Rosas-Guerra C. C. , Koledova E. , Chiquete E. , Ayala-Estrada A.
Published: April 2020

Background

Assessing adherence to growth hormone (GH) is challenging. The Easypod™ connect device delivers pre-set doses of recombinant human GH (r-hGH) and stores a digital record of adherence that can be shared with healthcare provider. We assessed adherence to r-hGH delivered with Easypod™ according to the approved pediatric indications for r-hGH: growth hormone deficiency (GHD), born small for gestational age (SGA) who failed to show catch-up growth and Turner syndrome (TS).

Methods

ECOS (NCT01555528) was a multicenter (24 countries), 5-year, longitudinal, observational study, which aimed to evaluate country-specific adherence to r-hGH therapy prescribed via the Easypod™ electronic injection device. The primary endpoint was yearly adherence. Secondary endpoints were height velocity, height velocity standard deviation scores (SDS), height, height SDS and IGF-1 concentrations. Clinical and auxological data were obtained from medical records and adherence from Easypod™ logs.

Results

This study included 147 Easypod™-naïve Mexican children assessed during 3 years (mean age: 9.96 ± 3.41 years, 56.8% boys, mean height SDS at baseline: − 2.17 ± 0.97): 118 with GHD, 24 SGA and 5 with TS. A total of 105 (71.4%) patients were GH naïve. Overall median adherence was > 90% over the first year of treatment and > 80% at 3 years. Adherence was not different by r-hGH indication or between GH-naïve or experienced patients. At 1-year follow-up, mean change in height SDS was 0.57 ± 0.34, whereas mean height velocity SDS was 2.85 ± 2.51. In all, 84.7% patients had normal IGF-1 concentrations at 1-year follow-up. Adherence was associated with change in height SDS (r = 0.239, p = 0.005) and height velocity SDS (r = 0.194, p = 0.027).

Conclusion

Adherence rates with the Easypod™ device are high and maintained over time in GHD, SGA and TS Easypod™-naïve Mexican patients. High adherence is associated with better outcomes. Easypod™ assists physicians in monitoring adherence to r-hGH.
Judgments Convention: Application to Governments
Authors: Beaumont Paul R.
Published: April 2020

The Hague Judgments Convention 2019 makes the classic distinction between private law matters within its scope (civil or commercial matters) and public law matters outside its scope. It also follows the same position in relation to State immunity used in the Hague Choice of Court Convention 2005 (see Art. 2(5) in 2019 and 2(6) in 2005). The innovative parts of the 2019 Convention relate to the exclusions from scope in Article 2 relating to the armed forces, law enforcement activities and unilateral debt restructuring. Finally, in Article 19, the Convention creates a new declaration system permitting States to widen the exclusion from scope to some private law judgments concerning a State, or a State agency or a natural person acting for the State or a Government agency. This article gives guidance on the correct Treaty interpretation of all these matters taking full account of the work of the Hague Informal Working Group dealing with the application of the Convention to Governments and the other relevant supplementary means of interpretation referred to in Article 32 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
Lithium perrhenate catalyst for carbon aerogel-based supercapacitor
Authors: Ciszewski Mateusz , Koszorek Andrzej , Osadnik Małgorzata , Szleper Katarzyna , Drzazga Michał , Leszczyńska-Sejda Katarzyna
Published: April 2020

Carbon aerogels are unique type of amorphous carbon-based materials with an extraordinary properties including light weight, well-developed and tailored pore structure, high specific surface area, low electrical resistivity and high purity. Therefore carbon aerogels can be used in numerous applications, including energy storage materials such as supercapacitors or lithium-ion batteries. Synthesis of hydrogel requires accurate concentration of monomers and catalysts, exact temperature and time. Low-density carbon aerogel can be produced using a complicated supercritical drying method, which allows to expel solvent without carbon porous structure collapse. Here we report a possibility to use novel type of resorcinol/formaldehyde gelation catalyst based on rhenium salt. The organic gel obtained using lithium perrhenate was traditionally carbonized and examined with respect to energy storage properties. It was found that interaction of lithium and rhenium atoms with monomers resulted in completely different structure than using typical sodium carbonate catalyst.

Graphic abstract
Dating violence: A cross‐lag path model with pregnant and parenting adolescents
Authors: Goodcase Eric T. , Toews Michelle L. , Perez‐Brena Norma J. , Faflick Nathaniel
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Dating violence is a common problem among adolescents, particularly among Latinx pregnant and parenting adolescents, and can be detrimental to adolescent parents and their children. However, little is known about whether different forms of dating violence behaviors are stable over time or what influences changes in these behaviors. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to use an exploratory autoregressive cross‐lag path model to analyze whether conflict resolution, verbally abusive, and physically abusive behaviors were stable over time and whether these behaviors predicted one another in the future.

Method

A total of 285 pregnant or parenting adolescents attending eight high schools in the Southwestern U.S. completed a pre‐test at the beginning of a semester, a follow‐up survey at the end of the semester, and a post‐test at the end of the following semester to longitudinally assess the strategies they used when resolving a conflict with their partners (i.e., conflict resolution strategies, verbally abusive behaviors, and/or physically abusive behaviors).

Results and conclusions

An autoregressive cross‐lag model was performed to determine whether conflict resolution, verbally abusive, and physically abusive behaviors at one time point predicted the same variables in the future. Results from the autoregressive cross‐lag model indicated that adolescents’ reports of their conflict resolution strategies and verbally abusive behaviors were stable across time, but their use of physically abusive behaviors were not. Additionally, conflict resolution strategies predicted lower levels of verbally abusive and physically abusive behaviors.
Epidemiologic Features of 135 Patients With Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Tianjin, China
Authors: Cao Chunxia , Li Yue , Liu Shuyu , Fan Haojun , Hao Liangchen
Published: April 2020

Objective:

This study describes the epidemiologic features of an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Tianjin caused by a novel coronavirus and provides the scientific basis for prevention and control measures.

Methods:

Data from COVID-19 cases were collected from daily notifications given to the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China and Tianjin Health Committee. All of the data were analyzed with SPSS, version 24.0 software (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY).

Results:

As of February 24, 2020, there have been 135 confirmed cases, 3 deaths, and 87 recoveries in Tianjin, China. The incidence of COVID-19 was 8.65/1 000 000 with a 2.22% case fatality rate. Regarding geographic distribution, the incidence was 8.82 per 1 000 000 in urban areas and 8.00 per 1 000 000 in suburbs. During the early stage of the epidemic, most cases came from urban areas and in patients with a history of sojourning in Hubei Province. The majority of patients were 31–70 years old (75.97%). A familial clustering was the most important characteristic of COVID-19 (accounting for 74.81%).

Conclusions:

Current information suggests that people are generally susceptible to COVID-19, which has shown a familial clustering in Tianjin.
Hillforts and Power in the British Post-Roman West: A GIS Analysis of Dinas Powys
Authors: Seaman Andy , Thomas Leo Sucharyna
Published: April 2020

The (re)occupation of hillforts was a distinctive feature of post-Roman Europe in the fifth to seventh centuriesad. In western and northern Britain, hillforts are interpreted as power centres associated with militarized elites, but research has paid less attention to their landscape context, hence we know little about the factors that influenced their siting and how this facilitated elite power. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide opportunities for landscape research, but are constrained by limitations of source data and the difficulty of defining appropriate parameters for analysis. This article presents a new methodology that combines data processing and analytical functions in GIS with techniques and principles drawn from ‘traditional’ landscape archaeology. A case study, focused on Dinas Powys, suggests that the strategic siting of this hillfort facilitated control over the landscape and has wider implications for our understanding of patterns of power in post-Roman Britain.
Perspectives from individuals with low education and interviewers using the GloboDiet 24 h recall: a qualitative study
Authors: Koubik Nathalie A. S. , Medeiros Caroline O. , da Silva Glenda V. , Gonçalves Juliana B. , Crispim Sandra P.
Published: April 2020

The perception of individuals with low education about dietary assessments is not well explored and studying this may be beneficial to improve data collection. The study builds on previous quantitative studies by providing explanations for the observed lower performance of the 24-h recall method among low-educated individuals. A qualitative study was carried out in Brazil. First, trained interviewers attended a focus group via video conference. Next, individuals with low education, defined as less than 9 years of study, participated in semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Three main themes emerged from the focus groups and were contrasted with the interviews. Summarising, the establishment of adequate communication during the interview is of utmost importance among the low-educated population. Besides, the familiarity of individuals with food and nutrition favours the report of information. Lastly, the use of photographs for food portion quantification helps the dietary assessment although further investigations to improve their use are also needed.
Regional 1932–1933 Famine Losses: A Comparative Analysis of Ukraine and Russia
Authors: Levchuk Nataliia , Wolowyna Oleh , Rudnytskyi Omelian , Kovbasiuk Alla , Kulyk Natalia
Published: April 2020

Though the 1932–1933 Famine affected both Ukraine (UkrSSR) and Russia (RSFSR), there is still no clear concept of the causes of the Famine and its scale. This study is undertaken to make a comparative assessment of the 1932–1934 direct losses within and between UkrSSR and RSFSR in order to answer the questions as to whether the major grain-producing areas of both republics suffered from the Famine to the same extent and whether the intensity of regional losses was determined exclusively by the grain specialization of the region. Our results show that the regions seriously affected by the Famine comprised a much larger proportion (in terms of territory and population) of UkrSSR than of the RSFSR. The highest excess deaths in UkrSSR are found in the regions that did not play a major role in grain procurement, while in the RSFSSR four grain-producing regions suffered the most. Our analysis suggests that (a) the link between Famine losses and grain procurement is not confirmed in Ukraine, but is partially confirmed in Russia, and (b) extremely high losses are mostly found in the regions where repression policies were much more severe than those introduced elsewhere and for which nationality may be a key factor.
Public Awareness and the Behavior of Unpopular Courts
Authors: Krehbiel Jay N.
Published: April 2020

Scholars have long debated the positive and negative consequences of an aware public for the quality of governance in modern liberal democracies. This article extends this debate to the context of constitutional review by exploring how public awareness can limit the effective exercise of review by courts lacking strong public support. Incorporating aspects of both the legitimacy and separation of powers theories on judicial power, the author argues that public awareness weakens the efficacy of such unpopular courts by creating an electoral incentive for governments to defy adverse rulings, even when doing so may lead to punishment from other institutional stakeholders. The article develops a simple formal model that identifies how and under what conditions public awareness can influence an unpopular court's decision making. An analysis of rulings issued by the Court of Justice of the European Union finds support for the model's empirical implications.
First insights into rodent trapping in Oku village, north-west Cameroon, based on interviews with local hunters
Authors: Missoup Alain D. , Didier Ngartoubam , Keming Ernest C. , Denys Christiane
Published: April 2020

Mount Oku, in the Northwest Region of Cameroon, is known for its rodent diversity. It is located in an area with a high human population density (up to 400/km2), resulting in intense pressure on natural resources. Threats to biodiversity include overgrazing by cattle and goats in grassland areas and montane forests, firewood harvesting, agriculture, bee keeping, debarking ofPrunustrees for medicinal uses, and bushmeat hunting. We used data from interviews with 106 local hunters to provide insights into rodent trapping in Oku village. Trapping took place primarily in closed canopy forest. The majority of hunters (88.8%) set at least 100 traps per week, with a mean of 38 rodents trapped per hunter per week. The two most captured species were the Vulnerable Hartwig's praomysPraomys hartwigiand the Endangered Mount Oku ratLamottemys okuensis, both of which have declining populations. Rodents were harvested mainly for household consumption and/or local trade, but 65.1% of interviewees also usedP. hartwigifor traditional medicine. Our findings suggest that rodent trapping in Oku village requires conservation attention, and that further quantitative studies are needed to assess its sustainability.
Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto, Echinococcus ortleppi; and E. intermedius (G7) are present in Bolivia
Authors: Ali V. , Martinez E. , Duran P. , Seláez M. A. , Barragan M. , Nogales P. , Peña y Lillo A. , Castañares M. , Claros Y. , Deplazes P. , Alvarez Rojas C. A.
Published: April 2020

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic disease caused by a complex of species known as Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. CE is endemic in Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay and the South part of Brazil. In contrast, little is known regarding the presence of CE in Bolivia. In this study, 35 cysts isolated from livestock (mostly from the Department of La Paz) and 3 from humans (La Paz, Oruro and Potosi) were genetically characterized analysing the sequence of the cox1 gene (1609 bp). In total, 30 cysts (from La Paz, Cochabamba and Beni) were characterized as E. granulosus sensu stricto (3 fertile and 4 non-fertile cysts from sheep, 8 fertile and 12 non-fertile cysts from cattle and 3 fertile cysts from humans). A detailed analysis of the cox1 haplotypes of E. granulosus s.s. is included. Echinococcus ortleppi (G5) was found in 5 fertile cysts from cattle (from La Paz and Cochabamba). Echinococcus intermedius (G7) was identified in 3 fertile cysts from pigs (from Santa Cruz). Additionally, E. granulosus s.s. was detected in 4 dog faecal samples, while E. ortleppi was present in other two dog faecal samples. The implications of these preliminary results in the future implementation of control measures are discussed.
Through the Japanese field research in Greenland: A changing natural environment and its impact on human society
Authors: Sugiyama Shin
Published: April 2020

Under the influence of a rapidly warming climate, abrupt changes have been observed along the coast of Greenland. This commentary is based on a Japanese research project initiated in 2012, in which we examined the recent changes in the coastal environment and their impacts on human society in Qaanaaq, a village in northwestern Greenland. Initially, our research sought to quantify the mass loss of glaciers and its interaction with the ocean in the Qaanaaq region. Over the course of the project in collaboration with local communities, we soon realised that the changes in glaciers and the ocean directly impacted the ~600 residents of Qaanaaq. We observed natural disasters triggered by climate change. Environmental changes are also important for local economy and industry because loss of sea ice may lead to growth in transportation, tourism and mineral resource exploration. In order to share the results of our study with the Qaanaaq community, and to gain understanding of local and traditional knowledge, we organised an annual meeting in the village every summer since 2016. Our experience demonstrates the critical importance of performing a long-term multidisciplinary study, including participation of the local communities to understand the changing environment, and to contribute to a sustainable future in Qaanaaq.
Genetic liability to schizophrenia is associated with exposure to traumatic events in childhood
Authors: Sallis Hannah M. , Croft Jazz , Havdahl Alexandra , Jones Hannah J. , Dunn Erin C. , Davey Smith George , Zammit Stanley , Munafò Marcus R.
Published: April 2020

Background

There is a wealth of literature on the observed association between childhood trauma and psychotic illness. However, the relationship between childhood trauma and psychosis is complex and could be explained, in part, by gene–environment correlation.

Methods

The association between schizophrenia polygenic scores (PGS) and experiencing childhood trauma was investigated using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Schizophrenia PGS were derived in each cohort for children, mothers, and fathers where genetic data were available. Measures of trauma exposure were derived based on data collected throughout childhood and adolescence (0–17 years; ALSPAC) and at age 8 years (MoBa).

Results

Within ALSPAC, we found a positive association between schizophrenia PGS and exposure to trauma across childhood and adolescence; effect sizes were consistent for both child or maternal PGS. We found evidence of an association between the schizophrenia PGS and the majority of trauma subtypes investigated, with the exception of bullying. These results were comparable with those of MoBa. Within ALSPAC, genetic liability to a range of additional psychiatric traits was also associated with a greater trauma exposure.

Conclusions

Results from two international birth cohorts indicate that genetic liability for a range of psychiatric traits is associated with experiencing childhood trauma. Genome-wide association study of psychiatric phenotypes may also reflect risk factors for these phenotypes. Our findings also suggest that youth at higher genetic risk might require greater resources/support to ensure they grow-up in a healthy environment.
Affect fluctuations examined with ecological momentary assessment in patients with current or remitted depression and anxiety disorders
Authors: Schoevers R. A. , van Borkulo C. D. , Lamers F. , Servaas M.N. , Bastiaansen J. A. , Beekman A. T. F. , van Hemert A. M. , Smit J. H. , Penninx B. W. J. H. , Riese H.
Published: April 2020

Background

There is increasing interest in day-to-day affect fluctuations of patients with depressive and anxiety disorders. Few studies have compared repeated assessments of positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) across diagnostic groups, and fluctuation patterns were not uniformly defined. The aim of this study is to compare affect fluctuations in patients with a current episode of depressive or anxiety disorder, in remitted patients and in controls, using affect instability as a core concept but also describing other measures of variability and adjusting for possible confounders.

Methods

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data were obtained from 365 participants of the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety with current (n = 95), remitted (n = 178) or no (n = 92) DSM-IV defined depression/anxiety disorder. For 2 weeks, five times per day, participants filled-out items on PA and NA. Affect instability was calculated as the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD). Tests on group differences in RMSSD, within-person variance, and autocorrelation were performed, controlling for mean affect levels.

Results

Current depression/anxiety patients had the highest affect instability in both PA and NA, followed by remitters and then controls. Instability differences between groups remained significant when controlling for mean affect levels, but differences between current and remitted were no longer significant.

Conclusions

Patients with a current disorder have higher instability of NA and PA than remitted patients and controls. Especially with regard to NA, this could be interpreted as patients with a current disorder being more sensitive to internal and external stressors and having suboptimal affect regulation.
The aurality of pipeline politics and listening for nacreous clouds: voicing Indigenous ecological knowledge in Tanya Tagaq'sAnimismandRetribution
Authors: Galloway Kate
Published: April 2020

Tanya Tagaq's work is political, often tackling themes of environmentalism and Indigenous rights. The Inuk throat singer uses live performance and audiovisual media to engage themes of climate change and give voice to environmental violence. Her work diversifies the discourse of environmentalism to include the voices and environmental trauma experienced by marginalised peoples, specifically North American Indigenous-centred sounds and perspectives. Songs such as ‘Fracking’ fromAnimism(2014) and ‘Nacreous’ fromRetribution(2016) are simultaneously expressions of ecological protest and healing, as Tagaq listens with urgency and uses embodied musical practice to explore the aurality of pipeline politics and other forms of ecological imbalance and harm. I analyse how Tagaq's work, both her songs and their accompanying music videos and multimedia, gravitates towards the ecological, considering what healthy and unhealthy relationships between humans and the non-human world – plants, animals, water, natural resources – sound like.
Cases of Eastern equine encephalitis in humans associated with Aedes canadensis, Coquillettidia perturbans and Culiseta melanura mosquitoes with the virus in New York State from 1971 to 2012 by analysis of aggregated published data
Authors: Sherwood J. A. , Stehman S. V. , Howard J. J. , Oliver J.
Published: April 2020

From 1971 to 2012, in New York State, years with human Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) were more strongly associated with the presence of Aedes canadensis, Coquillettidia perturbans and Culiseta melanura mosquitoes infected with the EEE virus (Fisher's exact test, one-sided P = 0.005, 0.03, 0.03) than with Culiseta morsitans, Aedes vexans, Culex pipiens-restuans, Anopheles quadrimaculatus or Anopheles punctipennis (P = 0.05, 0.40, 0.33, 1.00, 1.00). The estimated relative risk of a case in a year in which the virus was detected vs. not detected was 14.67 for Ae. canadensis, 6.38 for Cq. perturbans and 5.50 for Cs. morsitans. In all 5 years with a case, Cs. melanura with the virus was detected. In no year was there a case in the absence of Cs. melanura with the virus. There were 18 years with no case in the presence of Cs. melanura with the virus. Such observations may identify the time of increased risk, and when the methods may be used to prevent or reduce exposure to vector mosquito species in this geographic region.