bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Approximation of partial differential equations on compact resistance spaces
Authors: Hinz Michael , Meinert Melissa
Published: December 2021

We consider linear partial differential equations on resistance spaces that are uniformly elliptic and parabolic in the sense of quadratic forms and involve abstract gradient and divergence terms. Our main interest is to provide graph and metric graph approximations for their unique solutions. For families of equations with different coefficients on a single compact resistance space we prove that solutions have accumulation points with respect to the uniform convergence in space, provided that the coefficients remain bounded. If in a sequence of equations the coefficients converge suitably, the solutions converge uniformly along a subsequence. For the special case of local resistance forms on finitely ramified sets we also consider sequences of resistance spaces approximating the finitely ramified set from within. Under suitable assumptions on the coefficients (extensions of) linearizations of the solutions of equations on the approximating spaces accumulate or even converge uniformly along a subsequence to the solution of the target equation on the finitely ramified set. The results cover discrete and metric graph approximations, and both are discussed.
Dural tear repair surgery comparative analysis: a stitch in time saves nine
Authors: Taylor Charles , Khan Amad , Shenouda Emad , Brooke Nicholas , Nader-Sepahi Ali
Published: December 2021

Purpose

A dural tear is a common iatrogenic complication of spinal surgery associated with a several post-operative adverse events. Despite their common occurrence, guidelines on how best to repair the defect remain unclear. This study uses five post-operative outcomes to the compare repair methods used to treat 106 dural tears to determine which method is clinically favourable.

Methods

Data were retrospectively collected from Southampton General Hospital’s online databases. 106 tears were identified and grouped per repair method. MANOVA was used to compare the following five outcomes: Length of stay, numbers of further admissions or revision surgeries, length of additional admissions, post-operative infection rate and dural tear associated neurological symptoms. Sub-analysis was conducted on patient demographics, primary vs non-primary closure and type of patch. Minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was calculated via the Delphi procedure.

Results

Age had a significant impact on patient outcomes and BMI displayed positive correlation with three-fifth of the predefined outcome measures. No significant difference was observed between repair groups; however, primary closure ± a patch achieved an MCID percentage improvement with regards to length of original stay, rate of additional admissions/surgeries and post-operative infection rate. Artificial over autologous patches resulted in shorter hospital stays, fewer readmissions, infections and neurological symptoms.

Conclusion

This study reports primary closure ± dural patch as the most efficient repair method with regards to the five reported outcomes. This study provides limited evidence in favour of artificial over autologous patches and recommends that dural patches be used in conjunction with primary closure.

Level of evidence I

Diagnostic: individual cross-sectional studies with consistently applied reference standard and blinding.
Anterior occlusion in shortened dental arches
Authors: Pacek Elżbieta , Walter Michael H.
Published: December 2021

Objectives

The aim of this study was to examine the occlusion of anterior teeth in individuals with shortened dental arch (SDA).

Material and methods

In a case–control clinical study, 41 individuals with SDA and 41 individuals with complete dental arch (CDA) participated. The CDA control group was matched for age and gender. Testing for occlusal contacts of anterior maxillary teeth was conducted by biting on foil strips (8 µm) with subjectively normal bite force (NBF) and maximal bite force (MBF). The data was analyzed on individual and tooth levels.

Results

The median rates of anterior maxillary teeth with occlusal contacts were 0.67 (NBF) and 0.83 (MBF) in the SDA group and 0.50 (NBF) and 0.83 (MBF) in the CDA group. Within both groups, the contact rates were significantly higher in MBF. The group difference with NBF was significant. A generalized linear model showed that the odds of an anterior maxillary tooth to have an occlusal contact were greater in the SDA both for NBF with an odds ratio (OR) 2.277 and MBF with an OR 1.691.

Conclusions

The findings suggest effective compensatory mechanisms relative to the occlusal function in individuals with SDA.

Clinical relevance

The study delivers further evidence regarding the SDA concept as a viable option in the management of posterior tooth loss.
The Concept of Evenness/Unevenness: Less Evenness or More Unevenness?
Authors: Gregorius Hans-Rolf , Gillet Elizabeth M.
Published: December 2021

While evenness is understood to be maximal if all types (species, genotypes, alleles, etc.) are represented equally (via abundance, biomass, area, etc.), its opposite, maximal unevenness, either remains conceptually in the dark or is conceived as the type distribution that minimizes the applied evenness index. The latter approach, however, frequently leads to conceptual inconsistency due to the fact that the minimizing distribution is not specifiable or is monomorphic. The state of monomorphism, however, is indeterminate in terms of its evenness/unevenness characteristics. Indeed, the semantic indeterminacy also shows up in the observation that monomorphism represents a state of pronounced discontinuity for the established evenness indices. This serious conceptual inconsistency is latent in the widely held idea that evenness is an independent component of diversity. As a consequence, the established evenness indices largely appear as indicators of relative polymorphism rather than as indicators of evenness. In order to arrive at consistent measures of evenness/unevenness, it seems indispensable to determine which states are of maximal unevenness and then to assess the position of a given type distribution between states of maximal evenness and maximal unevenness. Since semantically, unevenness implies inequality among type representations, its maximum is reached if all type representations are equally different. For given number of types, this situation is realized if type representations, when ranked in descending order, show equal differences between adjacent types. We term such distributions “stepladders” as opposed to “plateaus” for uniform distributions. Two approaches to new evenness measures are proposed that reflect different perspectives on the positioning of type distributions between the closest stepladders and the closest plateaus. Their two extremes indicate states of complete evenness and complete unevenness, and the midpoint is postulated to represent the turning point between prevailing evenness and prevailing unevenness. The measures are graphically illustrated by evenness surfaces plotted above frequency simplices for three types, and by transects through evenness surfaces for more types. The approach can be generalized to include variable differences between types (as required in analyses of functional evenness) by simply replacing types with pairs of different types. Pairs, as the new types, can be represented by their abundances, for example, and these can be modified in various ways by the differences between the two types that form the pair. Pair representations thus consist of both the difference between the paired types and their frequency. Omission of pair frequencies leads to conceptual ambiguity. Given this specification of pair representations, their evenness/unevenness can be evaluated using the same indices developed for simple types. Pair evenness then turns out to quantify dispersion evenness.
A chemorepulsion model with superlinear production: analysis of the continuous problem and two approximately positive and energy-stable schemes
Authors: Guillén-González F. , Rodríguez-Bellido M. A. , Rueda-Gómez D. A.
Published: December 2021

We consider the following repulsive-productive chemotaxis model: find u ≥ 0, the cell density, and v ≥ 0, the chemical concentration, satisfying
$$ \left\{ \begin{array}{l} \partial_t u - {\Delta} u - \nabla\cdot (u\nabla v)=0 \ \ \text{ in}\ {\Omega},\ t>0,\\ \partial_t v - {\Delta} v + v = u^p \ \ { in}\ {\Omega},\ t>0, \end{array} \right. $$

∂

t

u
−
Δ
u
−
∇
⋅
(
u
∇
v
)
=
0

in

Ω
,

t
>
0
,

∂

t

v
−
Δ
v
+
v
=

u

p

i
n

Ω
,

t
>
0
,

with p ∈ (1, 2), ${\Omega }\subseteq \mathbb {R}^{d}$
Ω
⊆

ℝ

d

a bounded domain (d = 1, 2, 3), endowed with non-flux boundary conditions. By using a regularization technique, we prove the existence of global in time weak solutions of (1) which is regular and unique for d = 1, 2. Moreover, we propose two fully discrete Finite Element (FE) nonlinear schemes, the first one defined in the variables (u,v) under structured meshes, and the second one by using the auxiliary variable σ = ∇v and defined in general meshes. We prove some unconditional properties for both schemes, such as mass-conservation, solvability, energy-stability and approximated positivity. Finally, we compare the behavior of these schemes with respect to the classical FE backward Euler scheme throughout several numerical simulations and give some conclusions.
Exposure Quality in Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Youth Anxiety Disorders—Predictors and Associations with Outcomes
Authors: Fjermestad Krister W. , Ditlefsen Nina , Unsvåg Marie H. , Öst Lars-Göran , Havik Odd E. , Wergeland Gro Janne
Published: December 2021

To optimize cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) outcomes for anxiety disorders in youth, more knowledge is needed about how specific CBT components work. Exposure to feared situations is an effective CBT component. However, there is little observation-based empirical research on how exposure relates to outcomes and other clinical variables. In a randomized controlled community clinic trial for youth with anxiety disorders, observers reliably rated exposure quality for 68 youths aged 8 to 15 years based on 118 videotaped sessions. The treatment program was the manual-based FRIENDS program. Three exposure quality elements (preparation, post-processing, and parent contribution to exposure) were examined in relation to pre-treatment demographic and clinical variables, outcomes, and youth- and therapist-rated alliance using multilevel hierarchical regression models. The outcomes were diagnostic recovery, clinical severity and anxiety symptoms change from pre- to post-treatment and one-year follow-up, and treatment dropout. The results showed that parent contribution to exposure was higher for boys and younger children. Parent contribution to exposure, but no other exposure element, was associated with a larger likelihood of diagnostic recovery and larger clinical severity reduction at one-year follow-up. Exposure quality was unrelated to outcomes at post-treatment, dropout, or alliance. We conclude that enhancing parent contribution to exposure during treatment could improve long-term outcomes after CBT for youth anxiety disorders. Exposure elements should be observed in larger samples to further examine their potential role for CBT outcomes.
Characterization of oxidation of glutathione by cytochrome c
Authors: Csomó K. B. , B B. Alasztics , Sándor A. P. , Belik A. A. , Varga G. , Hrabák A. , Kukor Z.
Published: December 2021

Cytochrome c is a member of the respiratory chain of the mitochondria. Non-membrane-bound (free) cytochrome c can be reduced by gluthatione as well as ascorbic acid. We investigated the effect of pH, Ca2+, Mg2+and anionic phospholipids on the reduction of cytochrome c by glutathione.The reduction of cytochrome c by thiols was measured using photometry. Mitochondrial oxygen consumption was detected by use of oxygen electrode. Glutathione does not reduce cytochrome c at pH = 7.0 in the absence of Ca2+and Mg2+. The reduction of cytochrome c by glutathione is inhibited by anionic lipids, especially cardiolipin. The typical conditions of apoptosis—elevated pH, Ca2+level and Mg2+—increases the reduction of cytochrome c. Glutathione (5 mM) causes increased mitochondrial O2consumption at pH = 8.0, in the presence of ADP either 1 mM Mg2+or 1 mM Ca2+. Our results suggest that membrane bound cyt c does not oxidize glutathione. Free (not membrane bound) cytochrome c can oxidize glutathione. In mitochondria, O2is depleted only in the presence of ADP, so the O2depletion observed in the presence of glutathione can be related to the respiratory chain. Decreased glutathione levels play a role in apoptosis. Therefore, membrane unbound cyt c can contribute to apoptosis by oxidation of glutathione.
Case Series: Convalescent Plasma Therapy for Patients with COVID-19 and Primary Antibody Deficiency
Authors: Lang-Meli Julia , Fuchs Jonas , Mathé Philipp , Ho Hsi-en , Kern Lisa , Jaki Lena , Rusignuolo Giuseppe , Mertins Susanne , Somogyi Vivien , Neumann-Haefelin Christoph , Trinkmann Frederik , Müller Michael , Thimme Robert , Umhau Markus , Quinti Isabella , Wagner Dirk , Panning Marcus , Cunningham-Rundles Charlotte , Laubner Katharina , Warnatz Klaus
Published: December 2021

Patients with primary antibody deficiency are at risk for severe and in many cases for prolonged COVID-19. Convalescent plasma treatment of immunocompromised individuals could be an option especially in countries with limited access to monoclonal antibody therapies. While studies in immunocompetent COVID19 patients have demonstrated only a limited benefit, evidence for the safety, timing, and effectiveness of this treatment in antibody-deficient patients is lacking. Here, we describe 16 cases with primary antibody deficiency treated with convalescent plasma in four medical centers. In our cohort, treatment was associated with a reduction in viral load and improvement of clinical symptoms, even when applied over a week after onset of infection. There were no relevant side effects besides a short-term fever reaction in one patient. Longitudinal full-genome sequencing revealed the emergence of mutations in the viral genome, potentially conferring an antibody escape in one patient with persistent viral RNA shedding upon plasma treatment. However, he resolved the infection after a second course of plasma treatment. Thus, our data suggest a therapeutic benefit of convalescent plasma treatment in patients with primary antibody deficiency even months after infection. While it appears to be safe, PCR follow-up for SARS-CoV-2 is advisable and early re-treatment might be considered in patients with persistent viral shedding.
Evaluation of muscle-specific and metabolism regulating microRNAs in a chronic swimming rat model
Authors: Gaál Zsuzsanna , Fodor János , Oláh Attila , Radovits Tamás , Merkely Béla , Magyar János , Csernoch László
Published: December 2021

Making benefit from the epigenetic effects of environmental factors such as physical activity may result in a considerable improvement in the prevention of chronic civilization diseases. In our chronic swimming rat model, the expression levels of such microRNAs were characterized, that are involved in skeletal muscle differentiation, hypertrophy and fine-tuning of metabolism, which processes are influenced by chronic endurance training, contributing to the metabolic adaptation of skeletal muscle during physical activity. After chronic swimming, the level of miR-128a increased significantly in EDL muscles, which may influence metabolic adaptation and stress response as well. In SOL, the expression level of miR-15b and miR-451 decreased significantly after chronic swimming, which changes are opposite to their previously described increment in insulin resistant skeletal muscle. MiR-451 also targets PGC-1α mRNA, whiches expression level significantly increased in SOL muscles, resulting in enhanced biogenesis and oxidative capacity of mitochondria. In summary, the microRNA expression changes that were observed during our experiments suggest that chronic swim training contributes to a beneficial metabolic profile of skeletal muscle.
How did the Sarbanes–Oxley Act affect managerial incentives? Evidence from corporate acquisitions
Authors: Hillier David , McColgan Patrick , Tsekeris Athanasios
Published: December 2021

We examine the impact of incentive compensation on the riskiness of acquisition decisions before and after the passage of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act (SOX). Before SOX, equity-based compensation was positively related to changes in risk around acquisition decisions, but this relationship weakened after the introduction of SOX. The drop in post-SOX acquisition-related risk stems from how managers respond to compensation-based incentives in the new regulatory environment. We show that executive stock options and pay-risk sensitivity drive post-SOX managerial responsiveness to risk-taking incentives. We also document a post-SOX value-enhancing effect on long-term stock-price performance and total factor productivity through these same incentive compensation mechanisms. The results are robust to selection bias, simultaneity, measurements of risk, and the definition of incentive compensation.
Understanding motivation for implementing cooperative learning methods: a value-based approach
Authors: Filippou Dimitra , Buchs Céline , Quiamzade Alain , Pulfrey Caroline
Published: December 2021

The implementation of cooperative learning methods remains disparate in primary schools despite their widely recognised benefits. To explain this paradox, we first examined whether teachers’ inclination towards cooperative methods is motivated by their values. Second, we tested whether motivational connections between personal values and cooperative methods are undermined when conflictual values are activated in context. Study 1 demonstrated that pre-service teachers strongly endorsed self-transcendence (ST) values (expressing compatible motivations with cooperation) relative to self-enhancement (SE) values (expressing conflictual motivations with cooperation). Adherence to ST values was also positively associated with their beliefs and attitudes regarding cooperative methods. In Studies 2, 3 and 4, educational sciences students were experimentally exposed to different contexts, wherein ST, SE or neutral values were promoted. Our findings indicate that when SE values were emphasised in the context, the positive association between ST values and beliefs/attitudes regarding cooperative methods disappeared. Although the results of Study 4 regarding the intention to use cooperative methods were not statistically significant, the pattern was similar. Finally, Study 5 showed that primary school teachers’ ST values positively predicted the self-reported use of cooperative methods when they perceived their school to weakly endorse SE values, but not when they perceived it to strongly endorse them.
Comparative Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution Reaction Studies of Spinel NiFe2O4 and Its Nanocarbon Hybrids
Authors: Shinde Pratik V. , Samal Rutuparna , Rout Chandra Sekhar
Published: December 2021

Electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is one of the crucial reactions for converting renewable electricity into chemical fuel in the form of hydrogen. To date, there is still a challenge in designing ideal cost-effective OER catalysts with excellent activity and robust durability. The hybridization of transition metal oxides and carbonaceous materials is one of the most effective and promising strategies to develop high-performance electrocatalysts. Herein, this work synthesized hybrids of NiFe2O4 spinel materials with two-dimensional (2D) graphene oxide and one-dimensional (1D) carbon nanotubes using a facile solvothermal approach. Electrocatalytic activities of NiFe2O4 with 2D graphene oxide toward OER were realized to be superior even to the 1D carbon nanotube-based electrocatalyst in terms of overpotential to reach a current density of 10 mA/cm2 as well as Tafel slopes. The NiFe2O4 with 2D graphene oxide hybrid exhibits good stability with an overpotential of 327 mV at a current density of 10 mA/cm2 and a Tafel slope of 103 mV/dec. The high performance of NiFe2O4 with 2D graphene oxide is mainly attributed to its unique morphology, more exposed active sites, and a porous structure with a high surface area. Thus, an approach of hybridizing a metal oxide with a carbonaceous material offers an attractive platform for developing an efficient electrocatalyst for water electrochemistry applications.
A New Bayesian Two-Sample t Test and Solution to the Behrens–Fisher Problem Based on Gaussian Mixture Modelling with Known Allocations
Authors: Kelter Riko
Published: December 2021

Testing differences between a treatment and control group is common practice in biomedical research like randomized controlled trials (RCT). The standard two-samplettest relies on null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) viapvalues, which has several drawbacks. Bayesian alternatives were recently introduced using the Bayes factor, which has its own limitations. This paper introduces an alternative to current Bayesian two-samplettests by interpreting the underlying model as a two-component Gaussian mixture in which the effect size is the quantity of interest, which is most relevant in clinical research. Unlikepvalues or the Bayes factor, the proposed method focusses on estimation under uncertainty instead of explicit hypothesis testing. Therefore, via a Gibbs sampler, the posterior of the effect size is produced, which is used subsequently for either estimation under uncertainty or explicit hypothesis testing based on the region of practical equivalence (ROPE). An illustrative example, theoretical results and a simulation study show the usefulness of the proposed method, and the test is made available in the R package . In sum, the new Bayesian two-samplettest provides a solution to the Behrens–Fisher problem based on Gaussian mixture modelling.
Hierarchically Multifunctional Polyimide Composite Films with Strongly Enhanced Thermal Conductivity
Authors: Guo Yongqiang , Qiu Hua , Ruan Kunpeng , Zhang Yali , Gu Junwei
Published: December 2021

The development of lightweight and integration for electronics requires flexible films with high thermal conductivity and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding to overcome heat accumulation and electromagnetic radiation pollution. Herein, the hierarchical design and assembly strategy was adopted to fabricate hierarchically multifunctional polyimide composite films, with graphene oxide/expanded graphite (GO/EG) as the top thermally conductive and EMI shielding layer, Fe3O4/polyimide (Fe3O4/PI) as the middle EMI shielding enhancement layer and electrospun PI fibers as the substrate layer for mechanical improvement. PI composite films with 61.0 wt% of GO/EG and 23.8 wt% of Fe3O4/PI exhibits high in-plane thermal conductivity coefficient (95.40 W (m K)−1), excellent EMI shielding effectiveness (34.0 dB), good tensile strength (93.6 MPa) and fast electric-heating response (5 s). The test in the central processing unit verifies PI composite films present broad application prospects in electronics fields.
Right to a Fair Trial
Authors: Heikkilä Satu
Published: December 2021

Every year, the European Court of Human Rights delivers a large number of judgments, adding to its already extensive case-law. This makes it difficult for people outside the Court to know which cases are the most relevant and break new ground for fair trial issues. This book seeks to respond to that need by focusing on the most important cases and aims to make the content of Article 6 accessible in order to best serve readers' every-day practical legal needs The cases are selected following the Court's Jurisconsult's opinion of their jurisprudential interest. In addition, the book includes a number of other cases that raise issues of general interest, establish new principles, or develop or clarify the Court's existing case-law. The case summaries draw the readers' attention to the essential points, allowing them to focus on the jurisprudential significance of a particular case. A clear structure utilising detailed heading helps the reader to quickly find the relevant case-law.

Right to a Fair Trial: A Practical Guide to the Article 6 Case-Law of the European Court of Human Rights is a comprehensive, easy-to-use and up-to-date reference book which provides a useful source of information for the practitioners, theorists and students in the field of human rights.
Implementation of a surgical site infection prevention bundle: Patient adherence and experience
Authors: Hockett Sherlock Stacey , Suh Daniel , Perencevich Eli , Reisinger Heather Schacht , Streit Judy , Frank Amy , Clore Gosia , Ohl Madeline , Speicher Dina , Herwaldt Loreen , Schweizer Marin L.
Published: December 2021

Narrative Abstract

We evaluated barriers and facilitators to patient adherence with a bundled intervention including chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing and decolonizing Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriers in a real-world setting. Survey data identified 85.5% adherence with home use of CHG as directed and 52.9% adherence with home use of mupirocin as directed.
Salvaging Marginalized Men: How the Department of Defense Waged the War on Poverty
Authors: WORSENCROFT JOHN
Published: December 2021

Architects of social welfare policy in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations viewed the military as a site for strengthening the male breadwinner as the head of the “traditional family.” Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Robert McNamara—men not often mentioned in the same conversations—both spoke of “salvaging” young men through military service. The Department of Defense created Project Transition, a vocational jobs-training program for GIs getting ready to leave the military, and Project 100,000, which lowered draft requirements in order to put men who were previously unqualified into the military. The Department of Defense also made significant moves to end housing discrimination in communities surrounding military installations. Policymakers were convinced that any extension of social welfare demanded reciprocal responsibility from its male citizens. During the longest peacetime draft in American history, policymakers viewed programs to expand civil rights and social welfare as also expanding the umbrella of the obligations of citizenship.
Understanding the antecedents of healthy and unhealthy weight control behaviours: Grit, motivation and self-control
Authors: Marentes-Castillo María , Castillo Isabel , Tomás Inés , Zamarripa Jorge , Alvarez Octavio
Published: December 2021

Objective:

To understand the psychological antecedents or personal factors that lead to weight control behaviours that can help to develop more effective prevention strategies.

Design:

The present correlational study has a non-experimental, quantitative, cross-sectional design. A model was tested considering types of motivation (autonomous motivation, controlled motivation and amotivation) as mediators in the relationship between the Grit personality and healthy and unhealthy weight control behaviours, with self-control as a moderator in the aforementioned indirect effects.

Setting:

Monterrey (Nuevo León, México).

Participants:

A representative sample of 1219 adults (men = 599; women = 620) aged 18–65 years (M = 29·37, sd = 11·83).

Results:

Findings supported the mediator role of the types of motivation. Specifically, Grit showed a positive indirect effect on healthy weight control behaviours through autonomous motivation. Conversely, Grit showed a negative indirect effect on unhealthy weight control behaviours through autonomous motivation. Furthermore, findings supported the moderator role of self-control in the relationship between amotivation and healthy and unhealthy weight control behaviours.

Conclusions:

This study provides evidence for the key role of Grit in the adoption of healthy or unhealthy control behaviours, as well as the role of autonomous motivation in the development of healthy behaviours.
Welche Klimadimensionen misst der Linzer Fragebogen zum Schul- und Klassenklima für die 4. – 8. Klasse (LFSK 4 – 8; Eder, 2000)?
Authors: Hank Petra , Baltes-Götz Bernhard , Preckel Franzis
Published: December 2021

Zusammenfassung. Diese Studie prüfte die dimensionale Struktur des Linzer Fragebogens zum Schul- und Klassenklima für die 4. – 8. Klassenstufe (LFSK 4 – 8) auf der Ebene des Individual- und Klassenklimas. Die Kovarianzstruktur der Bewertungen des Klassenklimas durch 2 084 Schülerinnen und Schüler, gruppiert in 96 Schulklassen, wurde mittels eines Mehrebenen-Faktorenmodells modelliert. Die Ergebnisse zur Modellpassung unterstützen die von den Autoren des LFSK 4 – 8 postulierten Klimadimensionen Schülerzentriertheit, Lerngemeinschaft, Sozial- und Leistungsdruck sowie Rivalität und Störneigung, sowohl auf Individual- als auch auf Klassenebene. Alle Klimaelemente luden erwartungskonform auf diesen Dimensionen, die hoch miteinander korrelierten. Infolge fehlender metrischer Invarianz ist davon auszugehen, dass die Klimaelemente auf individueller Ebene der Schülerinnen und Schüler respektive auf Klassenebene verschieden bedeutsam sind.
School Does Not Kill Creativity
Authors: Karwowski Maciej
Published: December 2021

Abstract. Based on meta-analyses, intervention studies, and investigations outside of the creativity literature, this paper makes seven evidence-informed propositions about the relationships between creativity and school functioning. First, creative abilities are drivers, not brakes of school achievement. Second, the negative attitudes toward creative students sometimes observed in schools usually concern a small and particular group of creative students: those who are most impulsive and nonconforming. Third, creativity-relevant mental processes support learning. Fourth, creative learning occurs when students can co-discover new, meaningful knowledge. Fifth, school education supports – albeit likely to a different degree – both intelligence and creativity. Sixth, both creative and learning processes are most effective when accompanied by agency and value: feeling confident and valuing creativity and learning are instrumental for generating and directing motivation. Seventh, in both creativity and learning processes, self-regulation is vital.
Time Wasters?
Authors: Hughes Sara , Adhikari Joanna
Published: December 2021

Abstract. The Dark Triad personality traits have previously been linked with dysfunctional types of procrastination (i.e., delaying certain tasks). From an evolutionary perspective, procrastination is recognized for facilitating a fast life history strategy. The present study investigated links between active and passive procrastination and the extended Dark Tetrad personality traits (psychopathy, Machiavellianism, narcissism, sadism). Participants ( N = 357) were invited via Prolific data collection platform and Survey Circle research sites to participate in an online survey exploring personality and procrastination. Path analyses revealed that all Dark Tetrad traits positively predicted several aspects of active procrastination only. Narcissism emerged as the only negative predictor of passive procrastination. Rather than linking these traits with dysfunctional procrastination types only, our results highlight the importance of considering the Dark Tetrad about functional forms of procrastination, which may be more beneficial for facilitating a fast life history strategy.
Urbanization Amplifies Nighttime Heat Stress on Warmer Days Over the US
Authors: Sarangi Chandan , Qian Yun , Li Jianfeng , Leung L. Ruby , Chakraborty T. C. , Liu Ying
Published: December 2021

The impact of heat on human health is well‐recognized, with excess heat stress in urban areas (urban heat stress intensity, UHSI) adversely affecting rapidly growing urban populations. However, the physical associations of UHSI with urban heat island (UHI), urban‐induced change in moisture (UQI) and background temperature are not well understood. Multi‐year convection‐permitting simulations over the US show that UHI effect peaks during nighttime (2–5°C) but maximum UQI occurs in daytime (0.01–2 g kg−1), resulting in competing effects on UHSI. UHI dynamics dominate the diurnal variations in UHSI with intensified urban‐induced human discomfort during nighttime (3–5 hr day−1). UHSI is very sensitive to the background temperature, especially over the southeastern US, with distinct nightime UHSI amplification of ∼0.5 hr day−1 degree−1 rise in the background temperature. Spatial variability of UHSI is also dominated by the UHI with possible constrains from background moisture availability.
Off‐Equatorial Pi2 Pulsations Inside and Outside the Plasmapause Observed by the Arase Satellite
Authors: Teramoto M. , Miyoshi Y. , Matsuoka A. , Kasahara Y. , Kumamoto A. , Tsuchiya F. , Nosé M. , Imajo S. , Shoji M. , Nakamura S. , Kitahara M. , Shnohara I.
Published: December 2021

Using magnetic field and electron density data from the Arase satellite for the period from March 2017 to September 2019, we investigate the spatial properties of Pi2 pulsations in relation to the plasmapause over a wide latitudinal range (absolute magnetic latitude, |Mlat|, < 45°) in the inner magnetosphere. Magnetic field disturbances that have high coherence (> 0.7) with Pi2 pulsations in the north‐south (H) component at low‐latitude ground stations on the nightside, are dominantly identified from the magnetic fields in the radial (BR) and compressional (BP) components when the satellite is in the pre‐midnight sector. In particular, high‐coherence BP events are distributed over wide L‐values and latitudinal ranges on the nightside in the pre‐midnight sector. We identify the location of the plasmapause using the electron densities measured by Arase, and found that the BP‐H power ratio and the cross phases of the high‐coherence events show a gradual peak and a clear phase change from 0° to 180° in the vicinity of the plasmapause, respectively. These features indicate that mid‐ and low‐latitude Pi2 pulsations on the nightside are excited by the plasmaspheric virtual resonance mode.
Nonlinear Signatures of VLF‐Triggered Emissions: A Simulation Study
Authors: Nogi Takeshi , Omura Yoshiharu
Published: December 2021

We conduct a particle‐in‐cell simulation reproducing triggering process of whistler‐mode rising‐tone emissions by injecting a wave with a fixed frequency at the equator. Rising‐tone elements with multiple subpackets with monotonically increasing frequencies are generated from the triggering wave. Generation regions of the subpackets move upstream or downstream depending on the group velocities and resonance velocities for different frequencies. Because of the motion of a source region to the upstream, a long rising‐tone subpacket is generated self‐sustainingly through formation of an electron hole in velocity phase space stretched over the generation region. The long rising‐tone subpacket is modulated with increasing magnitude, splitting into smaller subpackets through propagation. The amplitude modulations in the subpacket arise from two different processes; resonant trapping oscillation of electrons at the equatorial region and enhancement of amplitude variations through propagation in the downstream.
A Physical Model for Acoustic Noise Generated by Bedload Transport in Rivers
Authors: Nasr M. , Geay T. , Zanker S. , Recking A.
Published: December 2021

Monitoring bedload transport is of interest for studying river morphology evolution and hydraulic structures stability (e.g., dams andbridges). Bedload self‐generated noise measured by hydrophones has been experimentally correlated to bedload flux in several studies. However, the lack of theoretical background linking the recorded acoustic noise to bedload and river characteristics has prevented a good understanding of the experimental results. Here, we develop a model of the acoustic noise generated by bedload transport in rivers. The model provides an estimation of the acoustic power generated by impacts of bedload particles with riverbed particles. In this model, we account for bedload kinematics (e.g., impact velocities, saltation length) and the environment in which acoustic wave is propagated (e.g., acoustic wave attenuation). Sensitivity analysis shows that the noise generated by bedload transport depends on the grain size distribution and river characteristics such as slope, water level, and propagation effects. We tested the model on a field data set comprising acoustic and direct bedload measurements from different rivers. The acoustic powers predicted by the model are consistent with field measurements for some rivers while questionable for other ones. The analysis has shown a great sensitivity of the model to bedload kinematics (in particular the way the grain velocity is computed) and riverbed grain size distribution. The model provides a first basis that can serve as a framework in future work concerned with acoustic measurements of bedload transport. However, the model is still imperfect and it is limited by today's knowledge of the physics of bedload transport.
Functional Lake‐to‐Channel Connectivity Impacts Lake Ice in the Colville Delta, Alaska
Authors: Dolan Wayana , Pavelsky Tamlin M. , Yang Xiao
Published: December 2021

Within Arctic deltas, surficial hydrologic connectivity of lakes to nearby river channels influences physical processes like sediment transport and ice phenology as well as biogeochemical processes such as photochemistry. As the Arctic hydrologic cycle is impacted by climate change, it is important to quantify temporal variability in connectivity. However, current connectivity detection methods are either spatially limited due to data availability constraints or have been applied at only a single time. Additionally, the relationship between connectivity and lake ice is still poorly quantified. In this study, we present a multitemporal classification of functional lake connectivity in the Colville River Delta, Alaska. We introduce a connectivity detection algorithm based on remote sensing of high sediment river water recharge that is expandable to other high sediment Arctic deltas. We compare results to three existing data sets, producing 64.4%, 75.8%, and 85.2% lake classification accuracy. Mismatches between the data sets are often due to inconsistencies in methodology or definition of connectivity. Connectivity varies temporally in about 10% of studied lakes and correlates strongly with discharge and lake elevation, supporting the idea that future changes in discharge will be a driver of changes in connectivity. Highly connected lakes start and end ice break up an average of 26 and 17 days earlier, respectively, compared to lakes that are poorly connected. Because spring and summer ice conditions drive Arctic lake photochemistry processes, our research suggests that surface connectivity is an important parameter to consider when studying biogeochemistry of Arctic delta lakes.
Suitability of the Coralline Alga Clathromorphum compactum as an Arctic Archive for Past Sea Ice Cover
Authors: Leclerc Natasha , Halfar Jochen , Hetzinger Steffen , Chan Phoebe T. W. , Adey Walter , Tsay Alexandra , Brossier Eric , Kronz Andreas
Published: December 2021

Arctic sea ice cover has been steeply declining since the onset of satellite observations in the late 1970s. However, the available annually resolved sea ice data before this time are limited. Here, we evaluated the suitability of annual trace element (Mg/Ca) ratios and growth increments from the long‐lived annual increment‐forming benthic coralline red alga, Clathromorphum compactum, as high‐resolution sea ice cover archive. It has previously been shown that the growth of C. compactum is strongly light controlled and therefore greatly limited during the polar night and underneath sea ice cover. We compare algal data from 11 sites collected throughout the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, and Svalbard, with satellite sea ice data. Our results suggested that algal growth anomalies most often produced better correlations to sea ice concentration than Mg/Ca ratios or when averaging growth and Mg/Ca anomalies. High Arctic regions with persistently higher sea ice concentrations and shorter ice‐free seasons showed the strongest correlations between algal growth anomalies and satellite sea ice concentration over the study period (1979–2015). At sites where ice breakup took place before the return of sufficient solar irradiance, algal growth was most strongly tied to a combination of solar irradiance and other factors such as temperature, suspended sediments, phytoplankton blooms, and cloud cover. These data are the only annually resolved in situ marine proxy data known to date and are of utmost importance to gain a better understanding of the sea ice system and to project future sea ice conditions.
Exploiting a Y chromosome-linked Cas9 for sex selection and gene drive
Authors: Gamez Stephanie , Chaverra-Rodriguez Duverney , Buchman Anna , Kandul Nikolay P. , Mendez-Sanchez Stelia C. , Bennett Jared B. , Sánchez C. Héctor M. , Yang Ting , Antoshechkin Igor , Duque Jonny E. , Papathanos Philippos A. , Marshall John M. , Akbari Omar S.
Published: December 2021

CRISPR-based genetic engineering tools aimed to bias sex ratios, or drive effector genes into animal populations, often integrate the transgenes into autosomal chromosomes. However, in species with heterogametic sex chromsomes (e.g. XY, ZW), sex linkage of endonucleases could be beneficial to drive the expression in a sex-specific manner to produce genetic sexing systems, sex ratio distorters, or even sex-specific gene drives, for example. To explore this possibility, here we develop a transgenic line of Drosophila melanogaster expressing Cas9 from the Y chromosome. We functionally characterize the utility of this strain for both sex selection and gene drive finding it to be quite effective. To explore its utility for population control, we built mathematical models illustrating its dynamics as compared to other state-of-the-art systems designed for both population modification and suppression. Taken together, our results contribute to the development of current CRISPR genetic control tools and demonstrate the utility of using sex-linked Cas9 strains for genetic control of animals.
Elevated growth and biomass along temperate forest edges
Authors: Morreale Luca L. , Thompson Jonathan R. , Tang Xiaojing , Reinmann Andrew B. , Hutyra Lucy R.
Published: December 2021

Fragmentation transforms the environment along forest edges. The prevailing narrative, driven by research in tropical systems, suggests that edge environments increase tree mortality and structural degradation resulting in net decreases in ecosystem productivity. We show that, in contrast to tropical systems, temperate forest edges exhibit increased forest growth and biomass with no change in total mortality relative to the forest interior. We analyze >48,000 forest inventory plots across the north-eastern US using a quasi-experimental matching design. At forest edges adjacent to anthropogenic land covers, we report increases of 36.3% and 24.1% in forest growth and biomass, respectively. Inclusion of edge impacts increases estimates of forest productivity by up to 23% in agriculture-dominated areas, 15% in the metropolitan coast, and +2% in the least-fragmented regions. We also quantify forest fragmentation globally, at 30-m resolution, showing that temperate forests contain 52% more edge forest area than tropical forests. Our analyses upend the conventional wisdom of forest edges as less productive than intact forest and call for a reassessment of the conservation value of forest fragments.
Fine-scale population structure and demographic history of British Pakistanis
Authors: Arciero Elena , Dogra Sufyan A. , Malawsky Daniel S. , Mezzavilla Massimo , Tsismentzoglou Theofanis , Huang Qin Qin , Hunt Karen A. , Mason Dan , Sharif Saghira Malik , van Heel David A. , Sheridan Eamonn , Wright John , Small Neil , Carmi Shai , Iles Mark M. , Martin Hilary C.
Published: December 2021

Previous genetic and public health research in the Pakistani population has focused on the role of consanguinity in increasing recessive disease risk, but little is known about its recent population history or the effects of endogamy. Here, we investigate fine-scale population structure, history and consanguinity patterns using genotype chip data from 2,200 British Pakistanis. We reveal strong recent population structure driven by the biraderi social stratification system. We find that all subgroups have had low recent effective population sizes (Ne), with some showing a decrease 15‒20 generations ago that has resulted in extensive identity-by-descent sharing and homozygosity, increasing the risk of recessive disorders. Our results from two orthogonal methods (one using machine learning and the other coalescent-based) suggest that the detailed reporting of parental relatedness for mothers in the cohort under-represents the true levels of consanguinity. These results demonstrate the impact of cultural practices on population structure and genomic diversity in Pakistanis, and have important implications for medical genetic studies.
Serological responses and vaccine effectiveness for extended COVID-19 vaccine schedules in England
Authors: Amirthalingam Gayatri , Bernal Jamie Lopez , Andrews Nick J. , Whitaker Heather , Gower Charlotte , Stowe Julia , Tessier Elise , Subbarao Sathyavani , Ireland Georgina , Baawuah Frances , Linley Ezra , Warrener Lenesha , O’Brien Michelle , Whillock Corinne , Moss Paul , Ladhani Shamez N. , Brown Kevin E. , Ramsay Mary E.
Published: December 2021

The UK prioritised delivery of the first dose of BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) and AZD1222 (AstraZeneca) vaccines by extending the interval between doses up to 12 weeks. In 750 participants aged 50–89 years, we here compare serological responses after BNT162b2 and AZD1222 vaccination with varying dose intervals, and evaluate these against real-world national vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates against COVID-19 in England. We show that antibody levels 14–35 days after dose two are higher in BNT162b2 recipients with an extended vaccine interval (65–84 days) compared with those vaccinated with a standard (19–29 days) interval. Following the extended schedule, antibody levels were 6-fold higher at 14–35 days post dose 2 for BNT162b2 than AZD1222. For both vaccines, VE was higher across all age-groups from 14 days after dose two compared to one dose, but the magnitude varied with dose interval. Higher dose two VE was observed with >6 week interval between BNT162b2 doses compared to the standard schedule. Our findings suggest higher effectiveness against infection using an extended vaccine schedule. Given global vaccine constraints these results are relevant to policymakers.
The short isoform of the host antiviral protein ZAP acts as an inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 programmed ribosomal frameshifting
Authors: Zimmer Matthias M. , Kibe Anuja , Rand Ulfert , Pekarek Lukas , Ye Liqing , Buck Stefan , Smyth Redmond P. , Cicin-Sain Luka , Caliskan Neva
Published: December 2021

Programmed ribosomal frameshifting (PRF) is a fundamental gene expression event in many viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. It allows production of essential viral, structural and replicative enzymes that are encoded in an alternative reading frame. Despite the importance of PRF for the viral life cycle, it is still largely unknown how and to what extent cellular factors alter mechanical properties of frameshift elements and thereby impact virulence. This prompted us to comprehensively dissect the interplay between the SARS-CoV-2 frameshift element and the host proteome. We reveal that the short isoform of the zinc-finger antiviral protein (ZAP-S) is a direct regulator of PRF in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. ZAP-S overexpression strongly impairs frameshifting and inhibits viral replication. Using in vitro ensemble and single-molecule techniques, we further demonstrate that ZAP-S directly interacts with the SARS-CoV-2 RNA and interferes with the folding of the frameshift RNA element. Together, these data identify ZAP-S as a host-encoded inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 frameshifting and expand our understanding of RNA-based gene regulation.