bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detection of HIV-1 viral load in tears of HIV/AIDS patients
Authors: Qian Yujing , Wu Zunyou , Chen Chao , Du Kuifang , Wei Wenbin
Published: August 2020

Objectives

The tear, as an important bodily secretion, plays a crucial role in preventing infection and maintaining homeostasis of ocular surfaces. Although accumulating studies have reported on the HIV-1 viral load profile among varying bodily fluids and secretions, little was known concerning HIV-1 dynamics in tears. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate the HIV-1 viral load in tears of HIV/AIDS patients and study factors influencing their tear viral load.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted. 67 patients with a confirmed HIV-1 infection or AIDS were recruited from the Beijing You’an Hospital, China between April 2018 and September 2018. Socio-demographic information and laboratory test results were collected. At the same time, ophthalmic examinations were carried out and tear samples were tested.

Results

Of 30 highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-naïve patients, 53.3% had detectable HIV-1 RNA in tears. Of 37 patients on HAART, HIV-1 RNA was undetectable in their tears, regardless of treatment duration and blood viral load. Tear viral load ranged from TND (target not detected) to 13,096 copies/mL. Viral load was lower in tears than in blood plasma (p < 0.001), and was significantly correlated with plasma viral load (Rho = 0.566, p < 0.001) and AIDS stage (Rho = 0.312, p = 0.01), but negatively correlated with CD4 + T cell count, CD4 +/CD8 + T cell count, and duration of HIV infection (Rho = -0.450, Rho = − 0.464, Rho = − 0.565; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

HIV-1 RNA is present in tears of more than half of the HAART-naïve patients, whereas absent in tears of patients on HAART. Tear viral load is positively associated with plasma viral load while it is negatively correlated with CD4 cell count. This study provides novel insights into the area with limited understanding–HIV-1 viral load in tears.
Investigating a Blended Learning Environment: Contribution of Attitude, Interaction, and Quality of Teaching to Satisfaction of Graduate Students of TEFL
Authors: Taghizadeh Mahboubeh , Hajhosseini Fatemeh
Published: August 2020

The level of learner satisfaction, according to Chen and Yao (J Educ Res 4(7):1667−1671, 2016), has a main role in measuring the effectiveness of blended learning, which is influenced by various factors. The purpose of this study was thus twofold: (a) to explore graduate students’ attitudes, interaction patterns, and satisfaction with blended learning technology and (b) to investigate the extent to which attitude, interaction, and quality of teaching contributed to satisfaction. The participants of this study were 140 graduate students of TEFL at the e-learning campus of Iran University of Science and Technology. The instruments were four types of questionnaire on learner satisfaction, attitude, interaction types, and quality of teaching. The results of quantitative and qualitative analysis revealed learners' positive attitudes towards blended learning technology. The instructor was also successful in teaching theoretical and practical concepts of TEFL, guiding online discussion through giving constructive feedback, and motivating learners to do more online learning. Learner–-instructor interaction was also found to be the most frequent type of interaction. The results of multiple regression analysis also revealed that contribution of quality of teaching to satisfaction was higher than that of interaction and attitude, implying the significance of training online teachers to enhance their knowledge, skills, and strategies required for online teaching.
Benjamini–Schramm convergence and zeta functions
Authors: Deitmar Anton
Published: August 2020

The equivalence of Benjamini–Schramm convergence and zeta-convergence, known for graphs, is proven for sequences of compact Riemann surfaces. A program is initialized, to extend this connection to arbitrary locally homogeneous spaces.
Penser les effets du désavantage social liés à la maladie chronique
Authors: Ruffié Sébastien , Gomez Marie Cholley , Villoing Gaël , Ferez Sylvain , Boucher Normand , Fougeyrollas Patrick
Published: August 2020

Cet article présente les enjeux épistémologiques liés à la mise en place et à l’exploitation de données produites dans le cadre d’un projet transdisciplinaire sur de jeunes drépanocytaires en Guadeloupe. Le recours au modèle théorique du MDH-PPH vise à appréhender les interactions réciproques entre effets biomédicaux de la pathologie et habitudes de vie, en rompant avec les lectures médicales du handicap. Fondé sur une approche inclusive, ce modèle considère les facteurs individuels en interaction avec l’environnement physique et social dans l’étude de la réalisation d’activités courantes et rôles sociaux. La réflexion sur la transdisciplinarité qui en découle porte sur l’opérationnalisation du protocole d’enquête et sur les modalités de traitement des données de recherche. Comment éviter la dispersion ou la simple coexistence de ces dernières? En contribuant à leur intégration, le MDH-PPH offre un cadre susceptible de favoriser les applications et retombées pour les patients. La démarche transdisciplinaire vise donc ici des retombées sociétales et inclusive des jeunes drépanocytaires dans toutes les sphères de leur vie sociale, et questionne les fondements épistémologiques d’une étude transdisciplinaire de la drépanocytose privilégiant une approche socio-anthropologique.
Menu-Based Choice Models for Customization: On the Recoverability of Reservation Prices, Model Fit, and Predictive Validity
Authors: Neuerburg Christian , Koschate-Fischer Nicole , Pescher Christian
Published: August 2020

An increasing number of companies engage in the customization of products to reap the benefits of increased sales and the potential to charge higher prices. Online configurators, which allow customers to assemble “customized” versions of a product, play an important role in customization. In particular, they help companies learn about user preferences and generate reliable forecasts. Therefore, menu-based choice experiments have gained increased attention in recent years. Despite their high relevance, little is known about the properties of the different modeling approaches under varying study conditions. We compare four prominent modeling approaches in an extensive simulation study that systematically varies respondent heterogeneity, choice menu complexity, the available sample size, the number of individual tasks, and the underlying behavioral model. We evaluate the models for reservation price recoverability, model fit, and predictive validity. The findings show that in most cases, one obtains better results for simple and straightforward representations of respondent behavior (e.g., separate multinomial logit models for different functional areas) than for the more sophisticated modeling approaches (e.g., probit-based approaches).
Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease, prevalence and clinical characteristics in ENT department of a tertiary hospital Tanzania
Authors: Massawe Willybroad A. , Nkya Aslam , Abraham Zefania Saitabau , Babu Kassim M. , Moshi Ndeserua , Kahinga Aveline A. , Ntunaguzi Daudi , Massawe Enica R.
Published: August 2020

Background

Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD) is a condition with nonspecific symptoms and most of times patients present late with advanced disease which may predispose to malignancy. The magnitude and clinical characteristics of this condition are not well known among patients attending Otorhinolaryngology services in Tanzania.

Materials and methods

This was a hospital based descriptive cross sectional study, conducted in the wards and clinics of Otorhinolaryngology department of Muhimbili National Hospital. Patients with symptoms of Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease were included in the study. Data was collected using questionnaires and clinical examination forms, were processed and analysed by using SPSS. Results presented in frequency tables, cross tabulations and figures.

Results

This study recruited 256 participants among them males were 131(51.2%).The mean age was (41.38 ± 13.94) years. Prevalence of Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease was 18.4% without gender predilection. The commonest symptoms were globus sensation, hoarseness of voice and excessive urge to clear the throat with 95.7%, 88.1% and 83.0% respectively while the most observed signs were thick endolaryngeal mucus, Vocal cord oedema and partial ventricular obliteration with 90.9%, 88.6% and 72.7% respectively. Lying down less than two hours after meal and spices foods consumption were the leading risk factors. Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus type 2 were the most prevalent co morbid conditions associated with Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease.

Conclusion

The prevalence of Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease is high among patients attending Otorhinolaryngology services at Muhimbili national hospital. All patients with Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease related symptoms should get thorough evaluation for early diagnosis and treatment.
Chronological characteristics for snow accumulation on Styx Glacier in northern Victoria Land, Antarctica
Authors: Nyamgerel Yalalt , Han Yeongcheol , Kim Songyi , Hong Sang-Bum , Lee Jeonghoon , Hur Soon Do
Published: August 2020

Under the potential to reconstruct the past climatic and atmospheric conditions from a deep ice core in the coastal Antarctic site (Styx Glacier), an 8.84 m long firn core (73°50.975′ S, 163°41.640′ E; 1623 m a.s.l.) was initially studied to propose a reliable age scale for the local estimation of snow accumulation rate. The seasonal variations of δ18O, methanesulfonic acid (MSA) and non-sea-salt sulfate (nssSO42–) were used for the firn core dating and revealed 25 annual peaks (from 1990 to 2014) with volcanic sulfate signal. The observed declining trend in annual accumulation rate with a mean value of 146 ± 60 kg m–2a–1is likely to be linked to the changes of sea-ice extent in the Ross Sea region. Moreover, the temporal variation of the annual mean δ18O, an annual flux of MSA and nssSO42–also likely to be under the influence of ice-covered and open water area. This study suggests a potential to recover past changes in an oceanic environment and will be useful for the interpretation of the long ice core drilled at the same site.
A convergence to the Navier–Stokes–Maxwell system with solenoidal Ohm's law from a two-fluid model
Authors: Zhang Zeng
Published: August 2020

We show the incompressible Navier–Stokes–Maxwell system with solenoidal Ohm's law can be derived from the two-fluid incompressible Navier–Stokes–Maxwell system when the momentum transfer coefficient tends to zero. The strategy is based on the decay and dissipative properties of the electromagnetic field.
Nutritional status, diet and viral respiratory infections: perspectives for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Authors: Morais Ana Heloneida de Araújo , Aquino Jailane de Souza , da Silva-Maia Juliana Kelly , Vale Sancha Helena de Lima , Maciel Bruna Leal Lima , Passos Thaís Sousa
Published: August 2020

COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was recognised by the WHO as a pandemic in 2020. Host preparation to combat the virus is an important strategy to avoid COVID-19 severity. Thus, the relationship between eating habits, nutritional status and their effects on the immune response and further implications in viral respiratory infections is an important topic discussed in this review. Malnutrition causes the most diverse alterations in the immune system, suppressing of the immune response and increasing the susceptibility to infections such as SARS-CoV-2. On the other hand, obesity induces low-grade chronic inflammation caused by excess adiposity, which increases angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. It decreases the immune response favouring SARS-CoV-2 virulence and promoting respiratory distress syndrome. The present review highlights the importance of food choices considering their inflammatory effects, consequently increasing the viral susceptibility observed in malnutrition and obesity. Healthy eating habits, micronutrients, bioactive compounds and probiotics are strategies for COVID-19 prevention. Therefore, a diversified and balanced diet can contribute to the improvement of the immune response to viral infections such as COVID-19.
Repression and Dissent in Contemporary Catalonia
Authors: Balcells Laia , Dorsey Spencer , Tellez Juan F.
Published: August 2020

An extensive literature in political science and sociology has analyzed how state repression shapes attempts by social movements to pursue political objectives. Less studied, however, is the effect that state repression of activists has on the broader public. Understanding public responses to repression is important, as both states and social movements take action with an eye toward (de)mobilizing broader constituencies. This letter analyzes this dynamic in the context of contemporary Catalonia, where the Spanish state cracked down on efforts by Catalan activists to hold a public referendum on independence. Matching poll respondents in the months before and after the crackdown in late 2017, the study finds that repression increased public sympathy for independence for a short period, and heightened animosity towards actors perceived to be associated or complicit with the Spanish state. The findings speak to the potential for state repression of nonviolent movements to create windows of opportunity for broader mobilization.
Age, growth and reproduction of the golden grey mullet, Chelon auratus (Risso, 1810) in the Golden Horn Estuary, Istanbul
Authors: Kesiktaş Mert , Yemişken Emre , Yildiz Taner , Eryilmaz Lütfiye
Published: August 2020

Age, growth and reproduction biology of the golden grey mullet, Chelon auratus (Risso, 1810) have been studied in the Istanbul Golden Horn area. Fish length ranged from 13.4–46.8 cm, and age from 1–10 years, respectively. The sex ratio (female:male) was 1:1.08. The length-weight relationship was estimated as W = 0.0127L2.89, W = 0.0099L2.97 and W = 0.0156L2.82 for both sexes combined, females and males, respectively. The von Bertalanffy growth equation parameters were: L∞ = 57.52 cm, K = 0.1 year−1, t0 = −2.24 year for pooled data. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) values indicated the major spawning period was between August and November, and the minor spawning peak between March and April. The highest GSI values were observed in September. The length and age of sexual maturity were estimated as 26.2 cm and 4 years for males and 24.1 cm and 3 years for females.
Origins of music in credible signaling
Authors: Mehr Samuel A. , Krasnow Max M. , Bryant Gregory A. , Hagen Edward H.
Published: August 2020

Music comprises a diverse category of cognitive phenomena that likely represent both the effects of psychological adaptations that are specific to music (e.g., rhythmic entrainment) and the effects of adaptations for non-musical functions (e.g., auditory scene analysis). How did music evolve? Here, we show that prevailing views on the evolution of music – that music is a byproduct of other evolved faculties, evolved for social bonding, or evolved to signal mate quality – are incomplete or wrong. We argue instead that music evolved as a credible signal in at least two contexts: coalitional interactions and infant care. Specifically, we propose that (1) the production and reception of coordinated, entrained rhythmic displays is a co-evolved system for credibly signaling coalition strength, size, and coordination ability; and (2) the production and reception of infant-directed song is a co-evolved system for credibly signaling parental attention to secondarily altricial infants. These proposals, supported by interdisciplinary evidence, suggest that basic features of music, such as melody and rhythm, result from adaptations in the proper domain of human music. The adaptations provide a foundation for the cultural evolution of music in its actual domain, yielding the diversity of musical forms and musical behaviors found worldwide.
The perceived influence of the one-on-one instrumental learning environment on tertiary string students’ perceptions of their own playing-related discomfort/pain
Authors: Waters Megan
Published: August 2020

This article draws on qualitative data collected over a five-year period as part of a longitudinal mixed methods research project at a tertiary music institution in Australia. Forty tertiary string students consistently identified factors specific to the one-on-one instrumental teaching environment as influencing their perceptions as to the nature and causes of their playing-related discomfort pain. Student perceptions of individual teacher’s attitudes to pain and injury, experiences with regards to asking and receiving advice and the perceived influence of the first instrumental teacher are discussed using six examples. The paper concludes with several recommendations for instrumental music teachers and music institutions.
Coxiella burnetiiinfection in humans: to what extent do cattle in infected areas free from small ruminants play a role?
Authors: Pouquet M. , Bareille N. , Guatteo R. , Moret L. , Beaudeau F.
Published: August 2020

Domestic ruminants (cattle, goats and sheep) are considered to be the main reservoirs for humanCoxiella burnetiiinfection. However, there is still a need to assess the specific contribution of cattle. Indeed, most seroprevalence studies in humans were carried out in areas comprising both cattle and small ruminants, the latter being systematically implicated in human Q fever outbreaks. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study in areas whereC. burnetiiinfection in cattle was endemic, where the density of cattle and small ruminant farms were respectively high and very low. The aim was to estimate the seroprevalence rates among two occupational (cattle farmers and livestock veterinarians), and one non-occupational (general adult population) risk groups. Sera were collected in 176 cattle farmers, 45 veterinarians and 347 blood donors, and tested for phase I and II antibodies using immunofluorescence assay. Seroprevalence rates were 56.3% among cattle farmers, 88.9% among veterinarians and 12.7% among blood donors. This suggests that a specific risk for acquiringC. burnetiiinfection from cattle in endemically infected areas exists, mainly for occupational risk groups, but also for the general population. Further research is needed to identify risk factors forC. burnetiiinfection in humans in such areas.
Multiple myocardial bridges causing severe ischaemia in adolescent with pulmonary stenosis
Authors: Apostolopoulou Sotiria C. , Vagenakis George A. , Sbarouni Eftihia
Published: August 2020

Myocardial bridges are often asymptomatic but may need therapy when causing ischaemia. They have rarely been reported in children or in association with CHD, where symptomatology may be mistakenly attributed to the CHD. We report a case of multiple myocardial bridges causing ischaemia in an adolescent with pulmonary stenosis and discuss management.
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in children
Authors: Sendi Prithvi , Martinez Paul , Chegondi Madhuradhar , Totapally Balagangadhar R.
Published: August 2020

Objective:

To explore the epidemiology and outcomes of takotsubo cardiomyopathy in children.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization 2012 and 2016 Kids’ Inpatient Database was performed. Patients admitted with the diagnosis of takotsubo cardiomyopathy in the age group of 1 month–20 years were identified using International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9 code 429.83 and ICD-10 code I51.81.

Results:

Among a total of 4,860,859 discharges, there were 153 with the diagnosis of takotsubo cardiomyopathy (3.1 per 100,000 discharges). Among patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy, 55.0% were male, 62.4% were white, and 16.7% were black. Eighty-nine percent of patients were between 12 and 20 years. Psychiatric diagnosis was documented in 46% and substance use disorder in 36.2%. Sepsis was documented in 22.8% of patients. The median length of stay was 5 days (interquartile range: 2.7–15), and median total charges were $75,080 (interquartile range: 32,176–198,336). The overall mortality for takotsubo cardiomyopathy was 7%. On multivariable regression analysis, mortality was higher in the presence of anoxic injury (odds ratio = 34.42, 95% confidence interval: 4.85–320.11, p = 0.00).

Conclusions:

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is uncommon in children and carries a mortality rate of 7%. Most children with takotsubo cardiomyopathy are adolescent males, many of whom have psychiatric disorder or substance use disorder or both. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy should be considered in the differential diagnosis for patients who present with cardiac dysfunction and have underlying psychiatric disorders or drug abuse.
Successful coil embolisation for an arterio-bronchial fistula in a child presenting catastrophic haemoptysis
Authors: Matsuoka Ryohei , Muneuchi Jun , Sugitani Yuichiro
Published: August 2020

We report the case of a 2-year-old girl who developed catastrophic haemoptysis due to an arterio-bronchial fistula after transcatheter balloon dilatation for a narrowing aortopulmonary shunt. We embolised the fistula while haemoptysis was controlled with the left bronchial block ventilation and haemostatic balloon occlusion of the left subclavian artery. An arterio-bronchial fistula is an extremely rare complication for balloon dilatation of an aortopulmonary shunt.
FAST Performance in a Stationary versus In-Motion Military Ambulance Utilizing Handheld Ultrasound: A Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Simmons Cecil J. , Mack Lisa D. , Cronin Aaron J. , Monti Jonathan D. , Perreault Michael D. , Ahern Brian J.
Published: August 2020

Objective:

On-scene prehospital conditions and patient instability may warrant a during-transport ultrasound (US) exam. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of ambulance turbulence on the performance of the Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST) with a handheld US device.

Methods:

This was a randomized controlled trial in which participants were randomized to perform a FAST in either a stationary or an in-motion military ambulance. Participants were physicians and physician assistants (PAs) with previous FAST training. All exams were performed on an US phantom model. The primary outcome was FAST completion time, reported as a mean, in seconds. Secondary outcomes included image acquisition score (range of 0-24, reported as a mean), diagnostic accuracy (reported as sensitivity and specificity), and a post-participation survey with five-item Likert-type scales.

Results:

Twenty-seven participants performed 27 FASTs, 14 in the stationary ambulance and 13 in the in-motion ambulance. All participants obtained the four requisite views of the FAST. A significant difference was detected in image acquisition scores in favor of the stationary ambulance group (19.4 versus 16.7 [95% CI for difference, 0.9-4.4]; P <.01). Significant differences in survey items between groups were related to obtaining and maintaining US images and the exam conditions. There was not a difference in FAST completion time between groups (98.5 seconds versus 78.7 seconds [95% CI for difference, -13.5 seconds to 53.1 seconds]; P = .23). Sensitivity and specificity of FAST in the stationary ambulance was 85.7% (95% CI, 67.3%-96.0%) and 96.4% (95% CI, 81.7%-99.9%) versus 96.2% (95% CI, 80.4%-99.9%) and 100.0% (95% CI, 86.8%-100.0%) in the in-motion ambulance group (P = .21).

Conclusion:

Vehicular motion did not affect FAST completion time and diagnostic accuracy; however, it did reduce FAST image acquisition scores. The results suggest timely and diagnostically accurate FASTs may be completed by experienced sonographers during moderate levels of ambulance turbulence. Further investigation assessing the utility and limitations of newer handheld US devices in various prehospital conditions is warranted.
Teaching the Military and Revolutions: Simulating Civil–Military Relations during Mass Uprisings
Authors: Harkness Kristen A. , DeVore Marc R.
Published: August 2020

During revolutions, strategic interactions among civilian policy makers, armed forces, and opposition groups shape political outcomes—most important, whether a regime stands or falls. Students from advanced industrial democracies frequently find these dynamics counterintuitive, even after completing readings and engaging in traditional instruction methods. We therefore sought to improve pedagogical outcomes by designing a simulation based on scenarios similar to those witnessed during the Arab Spring and Ukraine’s Euromaidan Revolution. We divided students into four teams representing the regime, the armed forces, and two distinct groups of anti-regime dissidents. Rules were designed to incorporate the best recent scholarship on each category of actors’ behavior, such as the probability of military units defecting to protesters and the ability of riot police to repress urban uprisings. By forcing student teams to make decisions under time pressure, we obliged them to wrestle with the uncertainties and fears of betrayal inherent in complex civil–military emergencies.
Low-intensity sleep intervention in a youth mental health service: a case series analysis
Authors: Rollinson Rebecca , Price Isabel , Gee Brioney , Lyons Jonathan , Carroll Ben , Wilson Jonathan , Clarke Tim
Published: August 2020

Background:

There is increasing evidence of a strong association between sleep and mental health in both adolescents and adults. CBT for insomnia is being applied to good effect with adults with mental health difficulties but there are few studies examining its applicability to adolescents within mental health services.

Method:

We carried out a case series analysis (n = 15) looking at the feasibility, accessibility and impact of a low-intensity sleep intervention for young people (14–25 years) being seen by a secondary care Youth Mental Health team in the UK. The intervention was based on cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBTi) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) approaches and involved six individual sessions delivered on a weekly basis by a graduate psychologist. Routine outcome measures were used to monitor insomnia, psychological distress and functioning with assessments at baseline, session 3, session 6 and at 4 weeks after end of intervention. All participants scored in the clinical range for insomnia at the start of the study.

Results:

High uptake, attendance and measure completion rates were observed. Large effect sizes were observed for insomnia, psychological distress and functioning. Twelve of the fifteen participants (80%) no longer scored above threshold for insomnia at follow-up. All seven under-18s no longer met threshold for clinical ‘caseness’ on the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) at follow-up.

Discussion:

The findings suggest that the intervention was well accepted by young people and feasible to apply within a secondary care setting. Strong effect sizes are encouraging but are probably inflated by the small sample size, uncontrolled design and unblinded assessments.
Power considerations in bilingualism research: Time to step up our game
Authors: Brysbaert Marc
Published: August 2020

Low power in empirical studies can be compared to blurred vision. It makes the signal ambiguous, so that conclusions depend more on interpretation than on observation. Data patterns that look sensible are published as evidence for theoretical positions and unclear patterns are discarded as noise, whereas both could be due to sampling error or could be a perfect reflection of the population parameters. Simulations indicate that little research with sample sizes lower than 100 participants per group provides a picture of enough resolution to draw firm conclusions. This is particularly true for research comparing groups of people and involving interaction effects. As a result, it is to be feared that many findings in bilingualism research do not have a firm base, certainly not if they go beyond a simple comparison of two within-participants conditions.
A Chamber of One's Own: Institutional Claim-Making on Gender Equality and the Symbolic Role of Parliaments
Authors: Verge Tània
Published: August 2020

This article investigates how legislatures may re-present themselves through claim-making on behalf of the institution. Focusing on claims about gender equality, attention is paid to the Women's Parliament organized by the Parliament of Catalonia, an all-women event through which female members of Parliament and social activists came together to put forth a feminist political agenda. Drawing on a constructivist approach, I disentangle the intentions of the institution, examine the discursive construction and performative enactment of the representative claim, and assess its reception by different audiences. I also reflect on how the symbolic activity undertaken within and by parliaments can recast ideas and practices of representation to promote more radical and inclusive politics. Overall, the article evinces that symbolic representation can be studied as a dimension in its own right and that, rather than being a mere by-product, it does co-constitute descriptive and substantive representation.
Weed competition in organic and no-till conventional soils under nonlimiting nutrient conditions
Authors: Benaragama Dilshan , Shirtliffe Steven J.
Published: August 2020

Some well-managed organic soils are known to have higher crop yield potential than conventionally managed soils due to the greater soil quality and the ability to tolerate weed competition. However, low available soil mineral N and P in some organic systems may mask such soil quality–related benefits. We hypothesize that when plant-available N and P are not limiting, tillage-based highly diverse organic crop rotations have less yield loss (better crop tolerance) due to weed competition and higher crop yields than no-till conventional systems with low-diversity rotations. A greenhouse study was carried out in Saskatoon, Canada, using long-term (18-yr) organically managed soils (ORG) and no-till conventional soils (CONV) with three crop rotation diversities (LOW, MEDIUM, and HIGH) to compare the crop tolerance to weed competition under standard soil nutrient management conditions and under excess supply of mineral N and P. Under fertilized conditions, crop biomass increased by 50% and 69% in ORG and CONV systems, respectively. Weed biomass was similar between ORG and CONV systems under nonfertilized conditions but was 14% greater in CONV when excessive N and P were supplied. Crop biomass loss (crop tolerance) was not different among cropping systems under excess fertilizer or under standard fertilizer levels. Even with greater weed biomass under fertilized conditions, the CONV system showed crop tolerance similar to that of the ORG system. Under nonfertilized conditions, the crop biomass yield was 43% lower in ORG compared with CONV, and even after mineral N and P were applied, ORG systems showed less (17%) crop biomass than CONV. Further, differences in crop tolerance were not identified among crop rotations under both fertilizer levels. Overall, this study revealed that there were no yield benefits or better crop tolerance to weed competition in organically managed soils compared with no-till conventional soils, even under nonlimiting soil macronutrient conditions.
Incorporating environmental factors to describe wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) seedling emergence and plant phenology
Authors: Reinhardt Piskackova Theresa , Reberg-Horton S. Chris , Richardson Robert J. , Jennings Katie M. , Leon Ramon G.
Published: August 2020

Wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum L.) is a weed found globally in agricultural systems. The facultative winter annual nature of this plant and high genetic variability makes modeling its growth and phenology difficult. In the present study, R. raphanistrum natural seedbanks exhibited a biphasic pattern of emergence, with emergence peaks occurring in both fall and spring. Traditional sigmoidal models were inadequate to fit this pattern, regardless of the predictive environmental variable, and a corresponding biphasic model (sigmoidal + Weibull) was used to describe emergence based on the best parameters. Each best-fit chronological, thermal, and hydrothermal model accounted for at least 85% of the variation of the validation data. Observations on phenology progression from four cohorts were used to create a common model that described all cohorts adequately. Different phenological stages were described using chronological, thermal, hydrothermal, daylength-dependent thermal time, and daylength-dependent hydrothermal time. Integrating daylength and temperature into the models was important for predicting reproductive stages of R. raphanistrum.
Predation on weed seeds and seedlings by Pheretima guillelmi and its potential for weed biocontrol
Authors: Li Tao , Fan Jiequn , Qian Zhenguan , Yuan Guohui , Meng Dandan , Guo Shuiliang , Lv Weiguang
Published: August 2020

The soil weed seedbank is the source of future weed infestations. Seed predation can result in a large number of seed losses, thus contributing to weed biocontrol. Earthworms are important predators of seeds and seedlings and affect seeds and seedling survival after gut passage. A study was conducted to assess the ability of Pheretima guillelmi (Kinberg) to ingest and digest the seeds and seedlings of 15 main farmland weed species. Pheretima guillelmi ingested the seeds and seedlings of each weed species tested. The percentages of seeds and seedlings ingested were 96.7% to 100% and 21.7% to 94.2%, respectively. Pheretima guillelmi showed greater ingestion of seeds than seedlings for each species and digested the seeds and seedlings of each weed species tested to varying extents. The percentages of seeds and seedlings digested were less than 15% irrespective of the weed species. Passage through the gut of P. guillelmi affected the survival of seeds and seedlings. The germination of large crabgrass [Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.], green foxtail [Setaria viridis (L.) P. Beauv.], goosegrass [Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.], Chinese sprangletop [Leptochloa chinensis (L.) Nees], Malabar sprangletop [Leptochloa fusca (L.) Kunth], redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), common purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.), barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv.], and ricefield flatsedge (Cyperus iria L.) seeds egested by P. guillelmi decreased by 46%, 49%, 47%, 25%, 38%, 26%, 32%, 13%, and 15%, respectively, compared with their respective controls. In contrast to seed ingestion, ingestion of seedlings by P. guillelmi was fatal to individuals of all weed species; no seedlings survived passage through the gut. Our results indicate that predation of weed seeds and seedlings by P. guillelmi probably depletes the soil weed seedbank and that the introduction of P. guillelmi into fields is a potential strategy for weed biocontrol in farmland.
Lessons Learnt From the Narratives of Women Who Self-Harm in Prison
Authors: Walker Tammi , Shaw Jenny , Gibb Jonathan , Turpin Clive , Reid Catherine , Gutridge Kerry , Abel Kathryn
Published: August 2020

Abstract. Background: In England and Wales, women in prison make up a minority (<5%) of the total custodial population, yet acts of self-harm are around five times more common among incarcerated women. While there has been a multiagency effort to improve how acts of self-harm are documented across prisons, the patterns and functions of self-harm for women in prison have not yet been fully addressed. Aims: We aimed to determine the patterns, prevalence, and functions of self-harm among women in prison through a mixed-methods study. Method: A total of 108 women with a history of self-harm were interviewed across three female prisons. Participants completed a structured questionnaire detailing their experiences of self-harm across prison and community settings. Results: We found that women in prison who frequently self-harmed disclosed high levels of trauma: past experiences of domestic violence (81.5%), childhood sexual abuse (66.7%), and adult sexual abuse (60.2%). Prevalent methods of recent in-prison acts of self-harm involved cutting, followed by ligaturing. Limitations: The study used a cross-sectional design, self-reported data, and featured a subset of women identified as being at high-risk of self-harm. Conclusion: Motivations behind acts of self-harm by women in prison are complex. Triggers appear to be past trauma, deteriorating mental health, and separation from children or family.
Nowcasting Earthquakes in Southern California With Machine Learning: Bursts, Swarms, and Aftershocks May Be Related to Levels of Regional Tectonic Stress
Authors: Rundle John B. , Donnellan Andrea
Published: August 2020

Seismic bursts in Southern California are sequences of small earthquakes strongly clustered in space and time and include seismic swarms and aftershock sequences. A readily observable property of these events, the radius of gyration (RG), allows us to connect the bursts to the temporal occurrence of the largest M ≥ 7 earthquakes in California since 1984. In the Southern California earthquake catalog, we identify hundreds of these potentially coherent space‐time structures in a region defined by a circle of radius 600 km around Los Angeles. We compute RG for each cluster then filter them to identify those bursts with large numbers of events closely clustered in space, which we call “compact” bursts. Our basic assumption is that these compact bursts reflect the dynamics associated with large earthquakes. Once we have filtered the burst catalog, we apply an exponential moving average to construct a time series for the Southern California region. We observe that the RG of these bursts systematically decreases prior to large earthquakes, in a process that we might term “radial localization.” The RG then rapidly increases during an aftershock sequence, and a new cycle of “radial localization” then begins. These time series display cycles of recharge and discharge reminiscent of seismic stress accumulation and release in the elastic rebound process. The complex burst dynamics we observe are evidently a property of the region as a whole, rather than being associated with individual faults. This new method allows us to improve earthquake nowcasting, which is a technique to evaluate the current state of hazard in a seismically active region.
Evolving Viscous Anisotropy in the Upper Mantle and Its Geodynamic Implications
Authors: Király Á. , Conrad C. P. , Hansen L. N.
Published: August 2020

Asthenospheric shear causes some minerals, particularly olivine, to develop anisotropic textures that can be detected seismically. In laboratory experiments, these textures are also associated with anisotropic viscous behavior, which should be important for geodynamic processes. To examine the role of anisotropic viscosity for asthenospheric deformation, we developed a numerical model of coupled anisotropic texture development and anisotropic viscosity, both calibrated with laboratory measurements of olivine aggregates. This model characterizes the time‐dependent coupling between large‐scale formation of lattice‐preferred orientation (i.e., texture) and changes in asthenospheric viscosity for a series of simple deformation paths that represent upper mantle geodynamic processes. We find that texture development beneath a moving surface plate tends to align the a axes of olivine into the plate motion direction, which weakens the effective viscosity in this direction and increases plate velocity for a given driving force. Our models indicate that the effective viscosity increases for shear in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the a axes. This increase should slow plate motions and new texture development in this perpendicular direction and could impede changes to the plate motion direction for tens of millions of years. However, the same well‐developed asthenospheric texture may foster subduction initiation perpendicular to the plate motion and deformations related to transform faults, as shearing on vertical planes seems to be favored across a sublithospheric olivine texture. These end‐member cases examining shear deformation in the presence of a well‐formed asthenospheric texture illustrate the importance of the mean olivine orientation, and its associated viscous anisotropy, for a variety of geodynamic processes.
Global Characterization of Inland Water Reservoirs Using ICESat‐2 Altimetry and Climate Reanalysis
Authors: Ryan Jonathan C. , Smith Laurence C. , Cooley Sarah W. , Pitcher Lincoln H. , Pavelsky Tamlin M.
Published: August 2020

Accurate, transparent knowledge of global reservoir levels is a prerequisite for effective management of water resources. However, no complete database exists because gauge data are not globally available and the current generation of satellite radar altimeters resolves only the world's largest reservoirs. Here, we investigate water level changes in global reservoirs using ICESat‐2, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s new satellite laser altimetry mission. In just the first 12 months of the mission, we find that ICESat‐2 accurately (±14.1 cm) retrieved water level changes for 3,712 global reservoirs having surface areas ranging from <1 to >10,000 km2. From this new global data set, we identify distinct regional patterns in reservoir level change that can be attributed to both water availability and management strategy. Our findings demonstrate that ICESat‐2 will form a crucial component of any global reservoir level inventory and enable new insight into how reservoir management responds to climatic variability and increasing human demand.
Seismic Stereometry Reveals Preparatory Behavior and Source Kinematics of Intermediate‐Size Earthquakes
Authors: Mordret A. , Brenguier F. , Causse M. , Boué P. , Voisin C. , Dumont I. , Vernon F. L. , Ampuero J. P.
Published: August 2020

Although moderate‐size earthquakes are poorly studied by lack of near‐fault observations, they can provide key information about larger damaging earthquakes. Here we propose a new approach, inspired by double‐difference relocation, that uses high‐coherency waveforms recorded at neighboring sensors, to study the preparation phase and dynamics of moderate‐size earthquakes. We validate this technique by analyzing the 2016, Mw5.2 Borrego Springs earthquake in Southern California and find consistent rupture velocities of 2 km/s highlighting two main rupture asperities. The analysis of the 2019, Ml5.2 Le Teil earthquake in France reveals slow nucleation at depth that migrates to the surface and propagates northward with a velocity of ∼2.8 km/s, highlighting two main rupture events also imaged by InSAR. By providing unprecedented resolution in our observation of the rupture dynamics, this approach will be useful in better understanding the preparation phase and rupture of both tectonic and induced earthquakes.
Applying Satellite Observations of Tropical Cyclone Internal Structures to Rapid Intensification Forecast With Machine Learning
Authors: Su Hui , Wu Longtao , Jiang Jonathan H. , Pai Raksha , Liu Alex , Zhai Albert J. , Tavallali Peyman , DeMaria Mark
Published: August 2020

Tropical cyclone (TC) intensity change is controlled by both environmental conditions and internal storm processes. We show that TC 24‐hr subsequent intensity change (DV24) is linearly correlated with the departures in satellite observations of inner‐core precipitation, ice water content, and outflow temperature from respective threshold values corresponding to neutral TCs of nearly constant intensity. The threshold values vary linearly with TC intensity. Using machine learning with the inner‐core precipitation and the predictors currently employed at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) for probabilistic rapid intensification (RI) forecast guidance, our model outperforms the NHC operational RI consensus in terms of the Peirce Skill Score for RI in the Atlantic basin during 2009–2014 by 37%, 12%, and 138% for DV24 ≥ 25, 30, and 35 kt, respectively. Our probability of detection is 40%, 60%, and 200% higher than the operational RI consensus, while the false alarm ratio is only 4%, 7%, and 6% higher.
Investigation of Electron Distribution Functions Associated With Whistler Waves at Dipolarization Fronts in the Earth's Magnetotail: MMS Observations
Authors: Grigorenko E. E. , Malykhin A. Y. , Shklyar D. R. , Fadanelli S. , Lavraud B. , Panov E. V. , Avanov L. , Giles B. , Le Contel O.
Published: August 2020

Using burst mode Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) observations in the plasma sheet (PS), we study the dynamics of electron anisotropy and its relation to quasi‐parallel narrowband whistler bursts in 37 dipolarization fronts (DFs) propagating in the Earth's magnetotail along with fast flows at −25 RE ≤ X ≤ −17 RE. The bursts were observed at the DFs and behind them in the dipolarizing flux bundle (DFB) region with frequencies fpeak ~ (0.1–0.6) fce ( fce is electron gyrofrequency) and durations approximately a few seconds. The majority of the whistler waves were associated with perpendicular electron temperature anisotropy TPER/TPAR > 1, and the value of this anisotropy decreased by the end of the bursts suggesting electron scattering by the waves. We found that the major contribution to the growth rate of whistler waves is made by resonant electrons with energies Wres ~ 1–5 keV and pitch angles αres ~ 40–75° and ~100–135°. In the majority of cases, the largest Wres was observed at the DF and immediately behind it, while in the DFB the Wres decreased. The sources of the majority of whistler bursts were not confined near the neutral plane but could be extended into the PS where the perpendicular anisotropy of the local electron distribution provided the positive growth rate of the whistler waves. We show that the observed whistler waves play a significant role in the dynamics of electron velocity distribution in DFs, leading to energy exchange between various parts of electron population and constraining temperature anisotropy of electron distribution.
The North Atlantic Current and its Volume and Freshwater Transports in the Subpolar North Atlantic, Time Period 1993–2016
Authors: Stendardo I. , Rhein M. , Steinfeldt R.
Published: August 2020

The North Atlantic Current (NAC) supplies the subpolar gyre with warm and saline water from the subtropics as part of the upper branch of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). In the context of climate changes, the North Atlantic Ocean is one of the key regions to investigate the variability of the overturning circulation in which salinity and freshwater variability are playing a central role. Through the gravest empirical mode (GEM) method, we reconstructed salinity and velocity fields in the same spatiotemporal resolution as the sea surface height (SSH) product. The time series of salinity, freshwater, and volume transport are characterized by strong interannual variability related to most of the recently developed subpolar gyre indices. The variability of the freshwater transport in the study area is as high or even higher than the freshwater fluxes from the Arctic Ocean and thus needs to be considered for the impact of freshwater on the subpolar North Atlantic. Our analysis also revealed that the NAC import into the subpolar gyre is not only occurring in the western Atlantic close to the western boundary current. One o the NAC branches that forms at the Mann Eddy contributes about 15% of the volume transport and 28% of the freshwater transport crossing from the western into the eastern Atlantic north of 45°N. This branch has not been subject to the strong lateral mixing with freshwater at the western boundary, and thus, the salinity of this NAC pathway is higher than the one at the western boundary.