bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Binge eating attitudes in community adolescent sample and relationships with interview-assessed attachment representations in girls: a multi-center study from North Italy
Authors: Pace Cecilia Serena , Muzi Stefania , Parolin Laura , Milesi Alberto , Tognasso Giacomo , Santona Alessandra
Published: April 2021

Purpose

To compare community girls at risk and not at risk for binge eating (BE) in attachment representations through a narrative interview and to test the predictive role of attachment pattern(s) on the risk of binge eating among community girls.

Methods

From 772 community adolescents of both sexes (33% boys) screened through the Binge Eating Scale (BES), 112 girls between 14 and 18 years, 56 placed in a group at risk for binge eating (BEG), and 56 matched peers, not at risk (NBEG), were assessed in attachment representations through the Friends and Family Interview (FFI).

Results

(1) Compared to NBEG, girls in the BEG showed more insecure-preoccupied classifications and scores, together with lower narrative coherence, mother’s representation as a secure base/safe haven, reflective functioning, adaptive response, and more anger toward mother. (2) Both insecure-dismissing and preoccupied patterns predicted 15% more binge-eating symptoms in the whole sample of community girls.

Conclusions

Insecure attachment representations are confirmed risk factors for more binge eating, affecting emotional regulation and leading to “emotional eating”, thus a dimensional assessment of attachment could be helpful for prevention and intervention. Implications and limits are discussed.

Level of evidence

III. Evidence obtained from cohort or case–control analytic studies
Interior-stress fields produced by a general axisymmetric punch
Authors: Yang Longxiang , Wang Zhanjiang , Liu Weiji , Zhang Guocheng , Peng Bei
Published: April 2021

This work is a supplement to the work of Sneddon on axisymmetric Boussinesq problem in 1965 in which the distributions of interior-stress fields are derived here for a punch with general profile. A novel set of mathematical procedures is introduced to process the basic elastic solutions (obtained by the method of Hankel transform, which was pioneered by Sneddon) and the solution of the dual integral equations. These processes then enable us to not only derive the general relationship of indentation depth D and total load P that acts on the punch but also explicitly obtain the general analytical expressions of the stress fields beneath the surface of an isotropic elastic half-space. The usually known cases of punch profiles are reconsidered according to the general formulas derived in this study, and the deduced results are verified by comparing them with the classical results. Finally, these general formulas are also applied to evaluate the von Mises stresses for several new punch profiles.
Mechanical properties of graphene oxide–silk fibroin bionanofilms via nanoindentation experiments and finite element analysis
Authors: Cho Hyeonho , Lee Joonho , Hwang Hyundo , Hwang Woonbong , Kim Jin-Gyun , Kim Sunghan
Published: April 2021

Understanding the mechanical properties of bionanofilms is important in terms of identifying their durability. The primary focus of this study is to examine the effect of water vapor annealed silk fibroin on the indentation modulus and hardness of graphene oxide–silk fibroin (GO–SF) bionanofilms through nanoindentation experiments and finite element analysis (FEA). The GO–SF bionanofilms were fabricated using the layer-by-layer technique. The water vapor annealing process was employed to enhance the interfacial properties between the GO and SF layers, and the mechanical properties of the GO–SF bionanofilms were found to be affected by this process. By employing water vapor annealing, the indentation modulus and hardness of the GO–SF bionanofilms can be improved. Furthermore, the FEA models of the GO–SF bionanofilms were developed to simulate the details of the mechanical behaviors of the GO–SF bionanofilms. The difference in the stress and strain distribution inside the GO–SF bionanofilms before and after annealing was analyzed. In addition, the load-displacement curves that were obtained by the developed FEA model conformed well with the results from the nanoindentation tests. In summary, this study presents the mechanism of improving the indentation modulus and hardness of the GO–SF bionanofilms through the water vapor annealing process, which is established with the FEA simulation models.
Differences in nano-topography and tribochemistry of ZDDP tribofilms from variations in contact configuration with steel and DLC surfaces
Authors: Čoga Lucija , Akbari Somayeh , Kovač Janez , Kalin Mitjan
Published: April 2021

In this work, we evaluated the effect of the counter-body material (the same or dissimilar) and contact configuration (moving or stationary body), at similar contact tribological conditions, on the tribochemical and nanotopography characteristics of adsorbed surface films. Zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP), the best performing anti-wear additive, was used in self-mated steel/steel and DLC/DLC contacts, which were compared with mixed steel/DLC and DLC/steel contacts in 1-h and 6-h sliding tests. The macroscale (tribometer) and nanoscale (atomic force microscopy) friction, thickness, topography, and chemical (attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) properties of the tribofilms were studied. The results revealed unexpectedly large differences in all the studied tribofilm parameters; this is because all the tribofilms are completely different; this includes the chemical composition, which is known to have a crucial effect on the nano- and macro-scale tribological properties. These results clearly demonstrate that the surface material, additives, and common contact operating parameters, that is, pressure, velocity, and temperature, crucially affect the ZDDP tribofilm as well as the position of the moving or stationary surface within the contact, and the material of the moving/stationary bodies.
Beneficial effect of low-dose radioiodine ablation for Graves’ orbitopathy: results of a retrospective study
Authors: Lanzolla Giulia , Menconi Francesca , Nicolì Francesca , Posarelli Chiara , Maglionico Maria Novella , Figus Michele , Nardi Marco , Marcocci Claudio , Marinò Michele
Published: April 2021

Objective

Graves’ orbitopathy (GO) reflects an autoimmune response against antigens expressed by the thyroid and orbital tissues. Elimination of thyroid antigens may be beneficial for GO. Total thyroid ablation (TTA) [thyroidectomy (Tx), followed by 30 mCi of radioiodine] was shown to exert a beneficial effect on GO following intravenous glucocorticoids (ivGC) compared with Tx alone. Here, we investigated retrospectively whether TTA performed with a 15 mCi of radioiodine still maintains advantages over Tx.

Methods

Thirty-two subjects, 13 treated with TTA (performed with 15 mCi of radioiodine) and 19 with Tx alone, all with moderately severe, active GO, treated with ivGC, were studied. The primary objective was the outcome of GO at 24 weeks based on a composite evaluation.

Results

The two groups did not differ at baseline in terms of sex, age, smoking habits, TSH, anti-TSH receptor autoantibodies, GO duration and eye features. The proportion of GO responders at 24 weeks was greater in the TTA (61.5%) than in the Tx group (26.3%, P = 0.046). In contrast, GO outcome at 48 weeks did not differ between the two groups (69.2% vs 52.6% of responder in TTA and Tx group, respectively). The outcome of the individual GO features did not differ between the two groups both a 24 and 48 months.

Conclusions

The advantage of total thyroid ablation seems to be a more rapid response for GO to ivGC treatment. Prospective, randomized studies in a larger number of subjects are needed to confirm our findings.
Twelve Rational curves on Enriques surfaces
Authors: Rams Sławomir , Schütt Matthias
Published: April 2021

Given $$d\in {\mathbb {N}}$$

d
∈
N

, we prove that any polarized Enriques surface (over any field k of characteristic $$p \ne 2$$

p
≠
2

or with a smooth K3 cover) of degree greater than $$12d^2$$

12

d
2

contains at most 12 rational curves of degree at most d. For $$d>2$$

d
>
2

, we construct examples of Enriques surfaces of high degree that contain exactly 12 rational degree-d curves.
Applying particle swarm optimization-based decision tree classifier for wart treatment selection
Authors: Hu Junhua , Ou Xiangzhu , Liang Pei , Li Bo
Published: April 2021

Wart is a disease caused by human papillomavirus with common and plantar warts as general forms. Commonly used methods to treat warts are immunotherapy and cryotherapy. The selection of proper treatment is vital to cure warts. This paper establishes a classification and regression tree (CART) model based on particle swarm optimisation to help patients choose between immunotherapy and cryotherapy. The proposed model can accurately predict the response of patients to the two methods. Using an improved particle swarm algorithm (PSO) to optimise the parameters of the model instead of the traditional pruning algorithm, a more concise and more accurate model is obtained. Two experiments are conducted to verify the feasibility of the proposed model. On the hand, five benchmarks are used to verify the performance of the improved PSO algorithm. On the other hand, the experiment on two wart datasets is conducted. Results show that the proposed model is effective. The proposed method classifies better than k-nearest neighbour, C4.5 and logistic regression. It also performs better than the conventional optimisation method for the CART algorithm. Moreover, the decision tree model established in this study is interpretable and understandable. Therefore, the proposed model can help patients and doctors reduce the medical cost and improve the quality of healing operation.
Social exclusion and financial distress: evidence from Italy and Spain
Authors: Mussida Chiara , Parisi Maria Laura
Published: April 2021

This paper analyzes the phenomenon of severe material deprivation (SMD) in relation to socio-economic characteristics of Italian and Spanish households. Italy and Spain have registered very different shares of severe material deprivation (households that cannot afford a minimum acceptable way of life, which is a social exclusion problem) since the 2008–2009 economic crisis, despite having similar experiences of poverty as measured in monetary terms. The analysis divides SMD into low-severe (basic or secondary or financial deprivations), medium-severe (when household suffer of two categories of deprivation) and acute-severe (when households suffer from all deprivations) and finds many interesting features associated with these categories. For example, temporary work does not shield a household from acute SMD, especially in the south of both countries, and maximum work intensity does not protect against financial distress in Italy and the Spanish South. These findings should stimulate policymakers, as local policies are needed to alleviate social exclusion.
A hybrid metaheuristic optimisation technique for load frequency control
Authors: Ramjug-Ballgobin Rajeshree , Ramlukon Chiranjeev
Published: April 2021

This paper investigates the problem of load frequency control by the application of metaheuristic optimisation techniques. In order to analyse the effect of the system model on the performance of the algorithm, two different two-area systems are considered, modelled using the Matlab/Simulink package. The first one consists of a reheat thermal area and a hydro area while the second one is made up of identical reheat thermal areas. To take into consideration the effects of practical constraints, nonlinearities such as Generation Rate Constraint, Governor Deadband and Boiler Dynamics are introduced. The Shuffled Frog Leaping Algorithm and Teaching Learning Based Optimisation are applied followed by a proposed hybrid of both algorithms to tune Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers for the different areas of the systems, taking into account step load changes as inputs. The aim of this proposed algorithm is to merge the qualities of the individual algorithms to provide a more efficient one, converging faster to the optimal gains of the controllers. The results obtained proved the satisfactory performances of all algorithms and superiority of the hybrid Shuffled Frog Leaping Algorithm -Teaching Learning Based Optimisation technique in controlling frequency level in both systems investigated, where the main control measures such as peak values, settling times and steady-state values have been considered.

Article Highlights

When considering a system of electrical mechanisms installed to produce, distribute and use electric energy, it is important to match supply with demand in order to keep frequency almost constant so as to ensure the safe and reliable use of equipment and maintain stability.

The combination of two different algorithms efficiently improved the performance of the control system since the new system benefitted from the qualities of both strategies.

Algorithm-based controllers provided robust and reliable frequency control and may be used to increase the quality of electrical energy under increasing and constantly changing demand.
Factors influencing climate change adaptation strategies in North-Western Ghana: evidence of farmers in the Black Volta Basin in Upper West region
Authors: Mwinkom Francis X. K. , Damnyag Lawrence , Abugre Simon , Alhassan Suhiyini I.
Published: April 2021

The erratic rainfall patterns and decline in crop production are due to the threat of climate change. The responses of farm households to climate change play a very essential role in addressing the risk of climate change. This study investigated factors influencing adaptation strategies to climate change in the Black Volta Basin of Ghana. Survey questions were administered to 450 households sampled from eight districts using a multistage sampling technique. Out of the six adaptation strategies, four major identified adaptation strategies were subsequently used as the dependent variable in the multivariate (MV) probit and binary logit models. The results revealed that factors such as gender, age, household size, farmer-based-organizations membership, farm income, years of education, districts of location of respondents, farm size and climate change awareness—statistically and significantly—influenced households’ adaptation to the changing climate. However, the positive correlation matrix from the MV probit model showed complementarities among all the adaptation strategies adopted by household heads. Priority should be given to improving household heads’ adaptive capacity. Also, governmental and non-governmental organizations should invest in climate-resilient programmes. Finally, programmes aimed at sensitizing household heads on climate change adaptation strategies such as changing planting time, changing farming methods, and planting early maturing and drought-resistant varieties through pieces of trainings and workshops may be duly supported by the Government; particularly, for household heads in the Black Volta Basin.
Climate change/variability and hydrological modelling studies in Zimbabwe: a review of progress and knowledge gaps
Authors: Maviza Auther , Ahmed Fethi
Published: April 2021

This paper reviews developments in climate science and hydrological modelling studies in Zimbabwe over the past 29 years in an effort to expose knowledge gaps within this research domain. We initially give a global and regional overview and then follow a systematic thematic approach in reviewing specifically online published, peer-reviewed journal articles on climate change/variability and hydrological modelling in Zimbabwe. The state and progress towards advanced integrated climate and hydrological modelling research are assessed, tracking benchmarks in the research methodologies (tools and techniques) used therein including geographic information systems and remote sensing. We present descriptive summaries of key findings, highlighting the main study themes (categories) and general conclusions arising from these studies while examining their implications for future climate and hydrological modelling research in Zimbabwe. Challenges associated with climate and hydrological modelling research in Zimbabwe are also briefly discussed and the main knowledge gaps in terms of research scope and methodologies employed in the reviewed studies also exposed. We conclude by presenting plausible potential areas of focus in updating and advancing scientific knowledge to better understand the climate-land use-hydrology nexus in Zimbabwe. While this paper is primarily relevant for researchers, the general findings are also important for policy-makers since it exposes potential areas for policy intervention or agenda setting in as far as climate and hydrology science research is concerned so as to effectively address pertinent questions in this domain in Zimbabwe.
Humphrey Burton In My Own Time
Authors: Burton Humphrey
Published: April 2021

This long-awaited autobiography is a must-read for classical musical enthusiasts and those fascinated by some of the twentieth century's star performers. It also offers unique insights into the history of music, the BBC and arts broadcasting in twentieth-century Britain.
Effect of fuels, aromatics and preparation methods on seal swell
Authors: Anuar A. , Undavalli V.K. , Khandelwal B. , Blakey S.
Published: April 2021

New alternative jet fuels have provided many advantages in the aviation industry, especially in terms of economics and environment. However, fuel–seal compatibility is one of the major issues that restricts alternative fuel advancement into the market. Thus, to help understand and solve the problem, this study examines the swelling effect of prepared and non-prepared O-rings in different fuels and aromatic species. Stress relaxation experiments were carried out to evaluate seal compatibility under compression, which mimics engine operation conditions. Seals were compressed and immersed in a variety of fuels and their blends for about 90h while maintaining a constant temperature 30°C and constant compression force of 25% seal thickness. The two types of elastomers investigated were fluorosilicone and nitrile O-rings, which are predominantly used in the aviation industry. Meanwhile, three different fuels and aromatic species were utilised as the variables in the experiments. The fuels used were Jet-A1, SPK and SHJFCS, while the aromatic species added were propyl benzene, tetralin and p-xylene. The swelling effects were determined from the P/Po value. Results indicate that Jet-A1 has the highest swelling effect, followed by SHJFCS and SPK. It was observed that the higher the percentage of aromatics in fuel, the higher the rate of swelling. Furthermore, prepared seals had a lower swelling rate than did non-prepared seals. Meanwhile, the intensity of the swelling effect in the Jet-A1-SHJFCS blends was in the order of 60/40, 85/15 and 50/50 blend. The work done in this study will aid in the selection of suitable aromatic species in future fuels. The novelty of this research lies in the determination of the appropriate amount of aromatic content as well as the selection of type of aromatic and its mixture fuel. Moreover, the various proportions of fuel blends with aromatic are investigated. The primary aim of this study is to understand the behaviour of prepared and non-prepared seals, and their compatibility with alternative fuels.
The Moral Philosophy of Maria Montessori
Authors: FRIERSON PATRICK
Published: April 2021

This paper lays out the moral theory of philosopher and educator Maria Montessori (1870–1952). Based on a moral epistemology wherein moral concepts are grounded in a well-cultivated moral sense, Montessori develops a threefold account of moral life. She starts with an account of character as an ideal of individual self-perfection through concentrated attention on effortful work. She shows how respect for others grows from and supplements individual character, and she further develops a notion of social solidarity that goes beyond cooperation toward shared agency. Partly because she attends to children's ethical lives, Montessori highlights how character, respect, and solidarity all appear first as prereflective, embodied orientations of agency. Full moral virtue takes up prereflective orientations reflectively and extends them through moral concepts. Overall, Montessori's ethic improves on features similar to some in Nietzschean, Kantian, Hegelian, or Aristotelian ethical theories while situating these within a developmental and perfectionist ethics.
OPTIMAL REINSURANCE FROM THE VIEWPOINTS OF BOTH AN INSURER AND A REINSURER UNDER THE CVAR RISK MEASURE AND VAJDA CONDITION
Authors: Chen Yanhong
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we study the optimal reinsurance contracts that minimize the convex combination of the Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR) of the insurer’s loss and the reinsurer’s loss over the class of ceded loss functions such that the retained loss function is increasing and the ceded loss function satisfies Vajda condition. Among a general class of reinsurance premium principles that satisfy the properties of risk loading and convex order preserving, the optimal solutions are obtained. Our results show that the optimal ceded loss functions are in the form of five interconnected segments for general reinsurance premium principles, and they can be further simplified to four interconnected segments if more properties are added to reinsurance premium principles. Finally, we derive optimal parameters for the expected value premium principle and give a numerical study to analyze the impact of the weighting factor on the optimal reinsurance.
Losers together? Grand coalitions in the EU member states
Authors: Morini Marco , Loveless Matthew
Published: April 2021

Over the last two decades, the formation of grand coalitions has grown in the European Union (EU), even in countries with no previous political experience with them. Alongside a significant rise in both new and radical parties, grand coalitions signal the increasing fragmentation of contemporary European politics. We, therefore, investigate the electoral performance of both mainstream and new parties entering and leaving grand coalitions. We find that mainstream parties do not appear to enter grand coalitions after negative election results. They are, however, punished in the following elections, albeit not as heavily as previous findings have shown. This post-grand coalition electoral penalty is true for both major and minor grand coalition members. These findings contribute to the literature on party competition and provide insights into the choices mainstream parties' have been making in response to recent and rapid changes in the electoral landscape of the EU.
Job resources and employees' intention to stay: the mediating role of meaningful work and work engagement
Authors: Sánchez-Cardona Israel , Vera María , Marrero-Centeno Jesús
Published: April 2021

Based on the Job Demands Resources Model (JD-R), this study investigates the mediating role of meaningful work and work engagement in the association between job resources and employees' intention to stay. A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online survey of 217 employees from different organizations in Puerto Rico. We examined a serial mediation analysis through structural equation modeling. The results indicate that job resources are positively related to meaningful work, while meaningful work is positively associated with work engagement. Further, job resources are indirectly associated with the intention to stay through meaningful work and work engagement. This study contributes to understanding the role of meaningful work and engagement in the JD-R model's motivational-driven process and how these mechanisms promote positive work outcomes in terms of the retention of human capital. Designing jobs and strategies at the workplace to develop meaning and engagement seems crucial to retain employees.
A Preliminary Study of Students With Disabilities in ‘Flexi’ Education Settings
Authors: Thomas Jeff , Rayner Christopher
Published: April 2021

Flexible learning programs (FLPs) provide a place for students who have disengaged and disconnected from mainstream schools. Despite the legislative framework in Australia supporting the participation of students with disability in their local mainstream schools wherever possible, very little research focusing on whether students with disability are being excluded from, or dropping out of, mainstream schools into these FLPs has been conducted. In this paper, we report on the findings of an online cross-sectional survey of FLP leaders about their student populations, with a focus on the 10 most prevalent disabilities among Australian children. Data from the 22 participants who completed all items of the survey were analysed. The participants’ (n = 22) schools represented a total enrolment of 2,383 students in FLPs across Australia: Tasmania (n = 3), Victoria (n = 5), New South Wales (n = 5), Queensland (n = 4), Western Australia (n = 3), and South Australia (n = 2). We found that while there was an apparent overrepresentation of students with certain types of disabilities in FLPs, others were not overrepresented at all. The findings of this preliminary study are discussed, with an exploration of issues relating to why students with some disabilities may be more likely to disengage, or be excluded, from mainstream schooling while others are not, as well as recommendations for future research.
Existence and multiplicity of periodic solutions to differential equations with attractive singularities
Authors: Godoy José , Hakl Robert , Yu Xingchen
Published: April 2021

The existence and multiplicity ofT-periodic solutions to a class of differential equations with attractive singularities at the origin are investigated in the paper. The approach is based on a new method of construction of strict upper and lower functions. The multiplicity results of Ambrosetti–Prodi type are established usinga prioriestimates and certain properties of topological degree.
Whose News? Class-Biased Economic Reporting in the United States
Authors: JACOBS ALAN M. , MATTHEWS J. SCOTT , HICKS TIMOTHY , MERKLEY ERIC
Published: April 2021

There is substantial evidence that voters’ choices are shaped by assessments of the state of the economy and that these assessments, in turn, are influenced by the news. But how does the economic news track the welfare of different income groups in an era of rising inequality? Whose economy does the news cover? Drawing on a large new dataset of US news content, we demonstrate that the tone of the economic news strongly and disproportionately tracks the fortunes of the richest households, with little sensitivity to income changes among the non-rich. Further, we present evidence that this pro-rich bias emerges not from pro-rich journalistic preferences but, rather, from the interaction of the media’s focus on economic aggregates with structural features of the relationship between economic growth and distribution. The findings yield a novel explanation of distributionally perverse electoral patterns and demonstrate how distributional biases in the economy condition economic accountability.
ON ASYMPTOTIC BASES WHICH HAVE DISTINCT SUBSET SUMS
Authors: KISS SÁNDOR Z. , NGUYEN VINH HUNG
Published: April 2021

Let k and l be positive integers satisfying
$k \ge 2, l \ge 1$
. A set

$\mathcal {A}$
of positive integers is an asymptotic basis of order k if every large enough positive integer can be represented as the sum of k terms from

$\mathcal {A}$
. About 35 years ago, P. Erdős asked: does there exist an asymptotic basis of order k where all the subset sums with at most l terms are pairwise distinct with the exception of a finite number of cases as long as

$l \le k - 1$
? We use probabilistic tools to prove the existence of an asymptotic basis of order

$2k+1$
for which all the sums of at most k elements are pairwise distinct except for ‘small’ numbers.
Every zircon deserves a date: selection bias in detrital geochronology
Authors: Dröllner Maximilian , Barham Milo , Kirkland Christopher L. , Ware Bryant
Published: April 2021

Detrital zircon geochronology can help address stratigraphic- to lithospheric-scale geological questions. The approach is reliant on statistically robust, representative age distributions that fingerprint source areas. However, there is a range of biases that may influence any detrital age signature. Despite being a fundamental and controllable source of bias, handpicking of zircon grains has received surprisingly little attention. Here, we show statistically significant differences in age distributions between bulk-mounted and handpicked fractions from an unconsolidated heavy mineral sand deposit. Although there is no significant size difference between bulk-mounted and handpicked grains, there are significant differences in their aspect ratio, circularity and colour, which indicate inadvertent preferential visual selection of euhedral and coloured zircon grains. Grain colour comparisons between dated and bulk zircon fractions help quantify bias. Bulk-mounting is the preferred method to avoid human-induced selection bias in detrital zircon geochronology.
Richard Pace and the Psalms
Authors: WADE TIM
Published: April 2021

In the library of Winchester College is a multi-lingual psalter formerly owned by the diplomat and scholar, Richard Pace (c.1483–1536). Pace left extensive notes in this volume, the product of his study of the Hebrew Scriptures in comparison with the Vulgate and Greek Septuagint. They demonstrate his engagement with a variety of Jewish, patristic and humanist learning. A broader set of theological and devotional themes also emerge. For Pace, the Psalms were primarily a prophetic text, foretelling the coming of Christ and the Gospels, but they likewise reflected an interest in devotion, rhetoric and prayer typical of humanists of the period.
Systemic Risk and Collateral Adequacy: Evidence from the Futures Market
Authors: Raykov Radoslav
Published: April 2021

Conventional collateral requirements for derivatives are conservative, but not explicitly designed to buffer systemic risk. I explore collateral adequacy against systemic risk in the Canadian futures market during the 2008 crisis. I find that conventional collateral levels adequately absorb systemic risk, even allowing for an implausibly high level of stress, and that systemic risk spillovers do not exceed the effect of an approximately 1% downward stock price move. I also document that the largest systemic risk contributors are buffered relatively less than the rest, and that there is a large cross-country difference in the behavior of U.S. and Canadian institutions.
Social Capital, Trusting, and Trustworthiness: Evidence from Peer-to-Peer Lending
Authors: Hasan Iftekhar , He Qing , Lu Haitian
Published: April 2021

How does social capital affect trust? Evidence from a Chinese peer-to-peer lending platform shows that regional social capital affects the trustee’s trustworthiness and the trustor’s trust propensity. Ceteris paribus, borrowers from regions with higher social capital receive larger bids from individual lenders and have higher funding success, larger loan sizes, and lower default rates, especially for low-quality borrowers. Lenders from regions with higher social capital take higher risks and have higher default rates, especially for inexperienced lenders. Cross-regional transactions are most (least) likely to be realized between parties from regions with high (low) social capital.
Trophic niches and diet shifts of juvenile mullet species coexisting in marine and estuarine habitats
Authors: Vollrath Sabrina Radunz , Possamai Bianca , Schneck Fabiana , Hoeinghaus David Joseph , Albertoni Edélti Faria , Garcia Alexandre Miranda
Published: April 2021

Food partitioning among coexisting species is often considered advantageous to minimize niche overlap and avoid inter-specific competition. Congeneric fish species such as the mullets Mugil curema and Mugil liza, which co-occur across marine and estuarine habitats, are good models to evaluate resource use and niche overlap or partitioning. We used stomach contents (SCA) and stable isotope analysis (SIA) to assess potential trophic shifts and changes in niche overlap associated with the mullets transitioning from marine to estuarine habitats. SIA included different fractions of organic matter in suspension and in the sediment to estimate the contribution of micro, nano and pico-organisms to the mullets’ diets. We hypothesized higher resource partitioning in the less resource-diverse system (marine surf-zone) than in the more diverse one (estuary). SCA showed diet differences between M. curema and M. liza according to the habitat. They showed distinct diets in the marine area (P < 0.001), but similar diets in the estuary (P = 0.226). A lower niche breadth was observed for both species in the marine area (M. curema = 0.03, M. liza = 0.06) compared with the estuary (M. curema = 0.14, M. liza = 0.16). Isotopic niches of both species were higher in the estuary (64.7%) compared with the marine area (0.7%). These findings corroborated our hypothesis of higher food partitioning in the marine surf-zone. We also demonstrated using SIA the shift from planktonic to benthic feeding following the recruitment of the mullets from the surf-zone into the estuary.
The Trans-Asian Pathways of ‘Oriental Products’: Navigating the prohibition of narcotics between Turkey, China, and Japan, 1918–1938
Authors: MACARTHUR-SEAL DANIEL-JOSEPH
Published: April 2021

Patterns of opium production and distribution shifted immensely over the course of the twentieth century, with output falling by three-quarters, almost nine-tenths of which now takes place in Afghanistan. Supporters of drug prohibition trumpet the success of this long-term decline and hail the withdrawal of the four largest opium producers—India, China, Iran, and the Ottoman empire—from the non-medical market, but this seemingly linear trend conceals numerous deviations of historic significance. Among the most notable and little known is Turkey's prolonged resistance to international restrictions on the narcotics trade and the efforts of state and non-state networks to substitute Turkish opium for the diminishing supply of once-dominant Indian exports to a still opium-hungry China in the first half of the twentieth century. This article uses neglected League of Nations and Turkish government sources alongside international newspapers and diplomatic reports to demonstrate the extent of connections forged by state and non-state actors between Turkey and East Asia, expanding on recent research on trans-Asian connections in commerce and political thought.
Angiostrongylus cantonensisin urban populations of terrestrial gastropods and rats in an impoverished region of Brazil
Authors: Souza Fábio N. , Aguiar Santos Maísa , Almeida Alves Daniele , Cecília Vieira de Melo Leyva , Jessé Gonçalves da Mota Dan , Cristina Pertile Arsinoê , Gava Ricardo , Luiz Silva Pinto Pedro , Eyre Max T. , Graco Zeppelini Caio , Reis Mitermayer G. , Ko Albert I. , Begon Mike , Bahiense Thiago C. , Costa Federico , Carvalho-Pereira Ticiana
Published: April 2021

The nematodeAngiostrongylus cantonensisis the most common cause of neuroangiostrongyliasis (manifested as eosinophilic meningitis) in humans. Gastropod molluscs are used as intermediate hosts and rats of various species are definitive hosts of this parasite. In this study, we identified several environmental factors associated with the presence and abundance of terrestrial gastropods in an impoverished urban region in Brazil. We also found that body condition, age and presence of co-infection with other parasite species in urbanRattus norvegicus, as well as environmental factors were associated with the probability and intensity ofA. cantonensisinfection. The study area was also found to have a moderate prevalence of the nematode in rodents (33% of 168 individuals). Eight species of molluscs (577 individuals) were identified, four of which were positive forA. cantonensis.Our study indicates that the environmental conditions of poor urban areas (presence of running and standing water, sewage, humidity and accumulated rain and accumulation of construction materials) influenced both the distribution and abundance of terrestrial gastropods, as well as infected rats, contributing to the maintenance of theA. cantonensistransmission cycle in the area. Besides neuroangiostrongyliasis, the presence of these hosts may also contribute to susceptibility to other zoonoses.
Militant memocracy in International Relations: Mnemonical status anxiety and memory laws in Eastern Europe
Authors: Mälksoo Maria
Published: April 2021

This article theorises the nexus between mnemonical status anxiety and militant memory laws. Extending the understanding of status-seeking in international relations to the realm of historical memory, I argue that the quest for mnemonical recognition is a status struggle in an international social hierarchy of remembering constitutive events of the past. A typology of mnemopolitical status-seeking is presented on the example of Russia (mnemonical positionalism), Poland (mnemonical revisionism), and Ukraine (mnemonical self-emancipation). Memory laws provide a common instance of securing and/or improving a state's mnemonical standing in the relevant memory order. Drawing on the conceptual analogy of militant democracy, the article develops the notionmilitant memocracy, or the governance of historical memory through a dense network of prescribing and proscribing memory laws and policies. Similar to its militant democracy counterpart, militant memocracy is in danger of self-inflicted harm to the object of defence in the very effort to defend it: its precautionary and punitive measures resound rather than fix the state's mnemonical anxiety problem.
Reappraising the Chinese School of International Relations: A postcolonial perspective
Authors: Hwang Yih-Jye
Published: April 2021

This article aims to revisit the enterprise of the Chinese School (CS) of IR and discuss how it should be viewed and handled in the discipline, specifically from within the analytical framework of the power/resistance nexus put forward by Foucault, Bhabha, and Spivak. The argument of this article is twofold. Firstly, the CS attempts to reinvigorate traditional Chinese concepts (that is, humane authority, the Tianxia system, and relationality), which mimick Western mainstream IR. These concepts channel the CS into a realist notion of power, a liberal logic of cosmopolitanism, and a constructivist idea of relationality. Thus, the CS uses against the West concepts and themes that the West currently use against the non-Western world. Nevertheless, as the second part of the argument will demonstrate, the enterprise of the CS can still be justified because it can be regarded as a reverse discourse; mimicking yet altering the original meanings of the taken-for-granted concepts, ideas, and principles used by mainstream IR scholars. Moreover, with the judicious use of strategic essentialism, the CS can potentially be one local group in a wider effort to contest diffused and decentred forms of Western domination through linking various struggles to form a unified ‘counter-hegemonic bloc’ of post-Western IR in the discipline.
Weddell seal behaviour during an exceptional oceanographic event in the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf in 2017
Authors: Labrousse Sara , Ryan Svenja , Roquet Fabien , Picard Baptiste , McMahon Clive R. , Harcourt Robert , Hindell Mark , Le Goff Hervé , Lourenco Antonio , David Yves , Sallée Jean-Baptiste , Charrassin Jean-Benoit
Published: April 2021

Rapid and regionally contrasting climate changes have been observed around Antarctica. However, our understanding of the impact of these changes on ecosystems remains limited, and there is an urgent need to better identify habitats of Antarctic species. The Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) is a circumpolar mesopredator and an indicative species of Antarctic marine communities. It has been extensively studied in the western Ross Sea and East Antarctica, and an understanding of its ecology in the Weddell Sea in the wintertime is emerging. We documented the behavioural response(s) of four Weddell seals from February to June in 2017 in the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf region and related these to unusual oceanographic conditions in 2017. Unexpectedly, we found that Weddell seals had the longest foraging effort within the outflow of Ice Shelf Water or at its turbulent boundary. They also foraged on the eastern side of the trough from April to June within the Modified Warm Deep Water and seem to take advantage of the unusual conditions of persistent inflow of warm waters through the winter. Linking animal behavioural responses to oceanographic conditions is informative for quantifying rarely recorded events and provides great insight into how predators may respond to changing conditions.
Ramsey-type numbers involving graphs and hypergraphs with large girth
Authors: Hàn Hiêp , Retter Troy , Rödl Vojtêch , Schacht Mathias
Published: April 2021

Erdős asked if, for every pair of positive integers g and k, there exists a graph H having girth (H) = k and the property that every r-colouring of the edges of H yields a monochromatic cycle Ck. The existence of such graphs H was confirmed by the third author and Ruciński.

We consider the related numerical problem of estimating the order of the smallest graph H with this property for given integers r and k. We show that there exists a graph H on R10k2; k15k3 vertices (where R = R(Ck; r) is the r-colour Ramsey number for the cycle Ck) having girth (H) = k and the Ramsey property that every r-colouring of the edges of H yields a monochromatic Ck Two related numerical problems regarding arithmetic progressions in subsets of the integers and cliques in graphs are also considered.
Comparability of different Z-score equations for aortic root dimensions in children with Marfan syndrome
Authors: Rutten Dominiek W.E. , Aarts-Janssen Ilse J.H. , Kempers Marlies J.E. , Reimer Annette G. , Udink ten Cate Floris E.A. , Loeys Bart L. , Slieker Martijn G.
Published: April 2021

Background:

Aortic root dilation is a major complication of Marfan syndrome and is one of the most important criteria in establishing the diagnosis. Currently, different echocardiographic nomograms are used to calculate aortic root Z-scores. The aim of the present study was to assess the potential differences in aortic root measurements when aortic root Z-scores were obtained in a cohort of paediatric Marfan patients using several published nomograms.

Methods:

In a cohort of 100 children with Marfan syndrome, Z-scores for aortic root dimensions were calculated according to the nomograms of Pettersen et al, Gautier et al, Colan et al, and Lopez et al. Bland–Altman plots were used to estimate mean differences in Z-scores and to establish limits of agreement.

Results:

The mean Z-score of the sinus of Valsalva for Lopez et al was significantly higher compared to Gautier et al (p < 0.01) and Pettersen et al (p = 0.03). The nomogram of Lopez et al resulted in substantially higher Z-scores in patients with a large sinus of Valsalva diameter. Thirty-five percentage of the studied patients would have a Z-score ≥ 2 using Lopez et al compared to 20% for Pettersen et al, 21% for Gautier et al, and 33% for Colan et al.

Conclusion:

The currently available nomograms for calculating Z-scores of aortic dilation in children with Marfan syndrome lead to clinically relevant differences in Z-scores, especially in children with a relative large aortic root diameter. This could have impact on both the diagnosis and treatment of patients with Marfan syndrome.
Platypnea–orthodeoxia syndrome in a child: relief of symptoms after transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale
Authors: Cetiner Nilüfer , Uyan Zeynep Seda , Celiker Alpay
Published: April 2021

Platypnea–orthodeoxia syndrome is a rare clinical entity characterised by positional dyspnoea and arterial desaturation while in the upright position, the symptoms generally occurring in adults. We describe a 12-year-old girl diagnosed with platypnea–orthodeoxia syndrome associated with patent foramen ovale. The symptoms resolved following percutaneous patent foramen ovale closure.
The place of obsessive–compulsive and related disorders in the compulsive–impulsive spectrum: a cluster-analytic study
Authors: Fontenelle Leonardo F. , Destrée Louise , Brierley Mary-Ellen , Thompson Emma M. , Yücel Murat , Lee Rico , Albertella Lucy , Chamberlain Sam R.
Published: April 2021

Background

The extent to which obsessive–compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs) are impulsive, compulsive, or both requires further investigation. We investigated the existence of different clusters in an online nonclinical sample and in which groups DSM-5 OCRDs and other related psychopathological symptoms are best placed.

Methods

Seven hundred and seventy-four adult participants completed online questionnaires including the Cambridge–Chicago Compulsivity Trait Scale (CHI-T), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-15), and a series of DSM-5 OCRDs symptom severity and other psychopathological measures. We used K-means cluster analysis using CHI-T and BIS responses to test three and four factor solutions. Next, we investigated whether different OCRDs symptoms predicted cluster membership using a multinomial regression model.

Results

The best solution identified one “healthy” and three “clinical” clusters (ie, one predominantly “compulsive” group, one predominantly “impulsive” group, and one “mixed”—“compulsive and impulsive group”). A multinomial regression model found obsessive–compulsive, body dysmorphic, and schizotypal symptoms to be associated with the “mixed” and the “compulsive” clusters, and hoarding and emotional symptoms to be related, on a trend level, to the “impulsive” cluster. Additional analysis showed cognitive-perceptual schizotypal symptoms to be associated with the “mixed” but not the “compulsive” group.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that obsessive–compulsive disorder; body dysmorphic disorder and schizotypal symptoms can be mapped across the “compulsive” and “mixed” clusters of the compulsive–impulsive spectrum. Although there was a trend toward hoarding being associated with the “impulsive” group, trichotillomania, and skin picking disorder symptoms did not clearly fit to the demarcated clusters.
The role of L1 and L2 frequency in cross-linguistic structural priming: An artificial language learning study
Authors: Muylle Merel , Bernolet Sarah , Hartsuiker Robert J.
Published: April 2021

We investigated L1 and L2 frequency effects in the sharing of syntax across languages (reflected in cross-linguistic structural priming) using an artificial language (AL) paradigm. Ninety-six Dutch speakers learned an AL with either a prepositional-object (PO) dative bias (PO datives appeared three times as often as double-object [DO] datives) or a DO dative bias (DOs appeared three times as often as POs). Priming was assessed from the AL to Dutch (a strongly PO-biased language). There was weak immediate priming for DOs, but not for POs in both bias conditions. This suggests that L1, but not AL, frequency influenced immediate priming. Furthermore, the DO bias group produced 10% more DOs in Dutch than the PO bias group, showing that cumulative priming was influenced by AL frequency. We discuss the different effects of L1 and AL frequency on cross-linguistic structural priming in terms of lexicalist and implicit learning accounts.