bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Rhythm of Risk: Sexual Behaviour, PrEP Use and HIV Risk Perception Between 1999 and 2018 Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Authors: Basten Maartje , den Daas Chantal , Heijne Janneke C. M. , Boyd Anders , Davidovich Udi , Rozhnova Ganna , Kretzschmar Mirjam , Matser Amy
Published: December 2020

HIV risk perception plays a crucial role in the uptake of preventive strategies. We investigated how risk perception and its determinants changed between 1999 and 2018 in an open, prospective cohort of 1323 HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM). Risk perception, defined as the perceived likelihood of acquiring HIV in the past 6 months, changed over time: being relatively lower in 2008–2011, higher in 2012–2016, and again lower in 2017–2018. Irrespective of calendar year, condomless anal intercourse (AI) with casual partners and high numbers of partners were associated with higher risk perception. In 2017–2018, condomless receptive AI with a partner living with HIV was no longer associated with risk perception, while PrEP use and condomless AI with a steady partner were associated with lower risk perception. We showed that risk perception has fluctuated among MSM in the past 20 years. The Undetectable equals Untransmittable statement and PrEP coincided with lower perceived risk.
Artisanal mining impacts small mammals while chainsaw milling is a more sustainable practice in Ghana
Authors: Lawer Eric Adjei , Mupepele Anne-Christine , Klein Alexandra-Maria
Published: December 2020

Logging and mining are widespread in most West African countries and considering their socio-economic importance, little is known about their ecological impacts. In this study, we investigated the effects of chainsaw milling (logging) and artisanal mining on terrestrial small mammal communities in a tropical forest in Ghana. For this, we compared abundance, diversity measures and community composition of small mammals active at the forest floor in logged, mined and undisturbed forest sites. We found that abundance was higher in logged and undisturbed forest sites than in mined sites. Small mammal species richness, Shannon diversity and Pielou’s evenness did not differ significantly among the three forest disturbance categories. Community composition of small mammals varied between mined and undisturbed sites as well as between mined and logged sites, suggesting differential species responses to altered environments. This may be due to the presence of pits in mined forest sites, hence a reduction in exploitable ground habitat structures for shelter, nesting or food. Overall, our results suggest that artisanal mining has strong impacts on community composition of forest floor small mammals in tropical forests while the effect of logging by chainsaw milling activities is minimal, especially when practiced at low intensity. This effect was moderated by elevation and distance to streams that equally shaped small mammal communities. More research on the effects of specific forms of logging and mining activities on small mammals are urgently needed to better protect species in forests impacted by logging and mining.
Eulerian polynomials via the Weyl algebra action
Authors: Agapito Jose , Petrullo Pasquale , Senato Domenico , Torres Maria M.
Published: December 2020

Through the action of the Weyl algebra on the geometric series, we establish a generalization of the Worpitzky identity and new recursive formulae for a family of polynomials including the classical Eulerian polynomials. We obtain an extension of the Dobiński formula for the sum of rook numbers of a Young diagram by replacing the geometric series with the exponential series. Also, by replacing the derivative operator with the q-derivative operator, we extend these results to the q-analogue setting including the q-hit numbers. Finally, a combinatorial description and a proof of the symmetry of a family of polynomials introduced by one of the authors are provided.
Intercropping legumes and cereals increases phosphorus use efficiency; a meta-analysis
Authors: Tang Xiaoyan , Zhang Chaochun , Yu Yang , Shen Jianbo , van der Werf Wopke , Zhang Fusuo
Published: December 2020

Aims

Intercropping cereals with legumes may achieve high crop yields at reduced input levels. Several studies have indicated that intercropping increases phosphorus use efficiency but no overarching analysis exists on the role of species traits and input levels. Here we synthesize the available information on P use efficiency in cereal/legume intercropping.

Methods

Global data on yields, P uptake and nutrient input in cereal/legume mixtures were extracted from the literature and statistically analyzed. Co-variables explaining P uptake efficiency and yield were considered.

Results

P uptake was substantially increased with an average value of LERP, the land equivalent ratio for P uptake, of 1.24, and an average NEP (observed P uptake minus expected P uptake) of 3.67 kg P ha−1. The conversion efficiency of P uptake to biomass decreased with P uptake and was lower in intercrops than in sole crops but the conversion efficiency to yield was not affected by intercropping. The P fertilizer requirement was 21% lower in intercrops than in sole crops for the same yields.

Conclusions

Substantial improvements in land use efficiency and P uptake are obtained by cereal/legume intercropping. Cereal/legume intercropping has therefore potential to increase P fertilizer use efficiency in agriculture.
Phos-tag-based approach to study protein phosphorylation in the thylakoid membrane
Authors: Nishioka Keiji , Kato Yusuke , Ozawa Shin-ichiro , Takahashi Yuichiro , Sakamoto Wataru
Published: December 2020

Protein phosphorylation is a fundamental post-translational modification in all organisms. In photoautotrophic organisms, protein phosphorylation is essential for the fine-tuning of photosynthesis. The reversible phosphorylation of the photosystem II (PSII) core and the light-harvesting complex of PSII (LHCII) contribute to the regulation of photosynthetic activities. Besides the phosphorylation of these major proteins, recent phosphoproteomic analyses have revealed that several proteins are phosphorylated in the thylakoid membrane. In this study, we utilized the Phos-tag technology for a comprehensive assessment of protein phosphorylation in the thylakoid membrane of Arabidopsis. Phos-tag SDS-PAGE enables the mobility shift of phosphorylated proteins compared with their non-phosphorylated isoform, thus differentiating phosphorylated proteins from their non-phosphorylated isoforms. We extrapolated this technique to two-dimensional (2D) SDS-PAGE for detecting protein phosphorylation in the thylakoid membrane. Thylakoid proteins were separated in the first dimension by conventional SDS-PAGE and in the second dimension by Phos-tag SDS-PAGE. In addition to the isolation of major phosphorylated photosynthesis-related proteins, 2D Phos-tag SDS-PAGE enabled the detection of several minor phosphorylated proteins in the thylakoid membrane. The analysis of the thylakoid kinase mutants demonstrated that light-dependent protein phosphorylation was mainly restricted to the phosphorylation of the PSII core and LHCII proteins. Furthermore, we assessed the phosphorylation states of the structural domains of the thylakoid membrane, grana core, grana margin, and stroma lamella. Overall, these results demonstrated that Phos-tag SDS-PAGE is a useful biochemical tool for studying in vivo protein phosphorylation in the thylakoid membrane protein.
Representing the ‘Voice’ of Patients: How Third Sector Organisations Conceptualise and Communicate Experiential Knowledge in Health Service Development
Authors: Jones Marjaana , Jallinoja Piia , Pietilä Ilkka
Published: December 2020

The growing prominence of patient and public involvement in health services has led to the increased use of experiential knowledge alongside medical and professional knowledge bases. Third sector organisations, which position themselves as representatives of collective patient groups, have established channels to communicate experiential knowledge to health services. However, organisations may interpret and communicate experiential knowledge in different ways, and due to a lack of inherent authority, it can be dismissed by health professionals. Thus, drawing on individual interviews with organisation representatives, we explore the definitions and uses of as well as the ‘filters’ placed upon experiential knowledge. The analysis suggests that whilst experiential knowledge is seen asall-encompassing,practicalandtransformative, the organisations need to engage in actions that cantameexperiential knowledge and try to balance between ensuring that the critical and authentic elements of experiential knowledge were not lost whilst retaining a position as collaborators in health care development processes.
Randomized control trial evidence for the benefits of massage and relaxation therapy on sleep in cancer survivors—a systematic review
Authors: Samuel Stephen Rajan , Gururaj Rachita , Kumar K. Vijaya , Vira Prina , Saxena P. U. Prakash , Keogh Justin William Leslie
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Cancer survivors may experience sleep disturbances during and after their cancer treatments. While pharmacological approaches are commonly used to address sleep disturbances, they may have a number of adverse effects. This review studied the effect of two non-pharmacological interventions (massage and relaxation therapy) on sleep disturbances in cancer survivors.

Methods

A search for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PEDro, and CINAHL using relevant keywords.

Results

The search yielded 371 articles, with 4 RCTs studying massage therapy and 3 RCTs studying relaxation therapy included for qualitative analysis. Massage therapy studies showed statistically significant improvement in self-reported sleep questionnaires and objectively recorded long sleep episodes, as assessed via an accelerometer. No significant improvements in sleep outcomes were observed in the relaxation therapy studies, although there were trends for improved self-reported sleep quality.

Conclusion

While massage therapy provided by massage therapists may have some potential for improving sleep outcomes for cancer survivors, there is no such current evidence regarding relaxation therapy.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

Cancer survivors who experience sleep disturbances may benefit from regular sessions with a massage therapist. However, future studies should examine the long-term feasibility of massage therapist–delivered services, particularly for cancer survivors with limited finances, and determine if benefits can be obtained if massage is provided by non-certified individuals. Relaxation therapy appears to be safe for cancer survivors, but future RCTs involving larger sample sizes need to be conducted to better determine its feasibility and efficacy.
Cancer Risk in the Heart Failure Population: Epidemiology, Mechanisms, and Clinical Implications
Authors: Cuomo Alessandra , Pirozzi Flora , Attanasio Umberto , Franco Riccardo , Elia Francesco , De Rosa Eliana , Russo Michele , Ghigo Alessandra , Ameri Pietro , Tocchetti Carlo Gabriele , Mercurio Valentina
Published: December 2020

Purpose of Review

Along with population aging, the incidence of both heart failure (HF) and cancer is increasing. However, little is known about new-onset cancer in HF patients. This review aims at showing recent discoveries concerning this subset of patients.

Recent Findings

Not only cancer and HF share similar risk factors but also HF itself can stimulate cancer development. Some cytokines produced by the failing heart induce mild inflammation promoting carcinogenesis, as it has been recently suggested by an experimental model of HF in mice.

The incidence of new-onset cancer is higher in HF patients compared to the general population, and it significantly worsens their prognosis. Moreover, the management of HF patients developing new-onset cancer is challenging, especially due to the limited therapeutic options for patients affected by both cancer and HF and the higher risk of cardiotoxicity from anticancer drugs.
Characterizing Uncertainty in City-Wide Disaster Recovery through Geospatial Multi-Lifeline Restoration Modeling of Earthquake Impact in the District of North Vancouver
Authors: Deelstra Andrew , Bristow David
Published: December 2020

Restoring lifeline services to an urban neighborhood impacted by a large disaster is critical to the recovery of the city as a whole. Since cities are comprised of many dependent lifeline systems, the pattern of the restoration of each lifeline system can have an impact on one or more others. Due to the often uncertain and complex interactions between dense lifeline systems and their individual operations at the urban scale, it is typically unclear how different patterns of restoration will impact the overall recovery of lifeline system functioning. A difficulty in addressing this problem is the siloed nature of the knowledge and operations of different types of lifelines. Here, a city-wide, multi-lifeline restoration model and simulation are provided to address this issue. The approach uses the Graph Model for Operational Resilience, a data-driven discrete event simulator that can model the spatial and functional cascade of hazard effects and the pattern of restoration over time. A novel case study model of the District of North Vancouver is constructed and simulated for a reference magnitude 7.3 earthquake. The model comprises municipal water and wastewater, power distribution, and transport systems. The model includes 1725 entities from within these sectors, connected through 6456 dependency relationships. Simulation of the model shows that water distribution and wastewater treatment systems recover more quickly and with less uncertainty than electric power and road networks. Understanding this uncertainty will provide the opportunity to improve data collection, modeling, and collaboration with stakeholders in the future.
Temperature-mediated tribological characteristics of 40CrNiMoA steel and Inconel 718 alloy during sliding against Si3N4 counterparts
Authors: Bai Liuyang , Wan Shanhong , Yi Gewen , Shan Yu , Pham Sang The , Tieu Anh Kiet , Li Yan , Wang Rendong
Published: December 2020

A comparative evaluation of the friction and wear behaviors of 40CrNiMoA steel and Inconel 718 alloy sliding against Si3N4 counterparts was conducted over a large temperature range from room temperature (RT) to 800 °C. The temperature-dependent tribological properties associated with the resulting chemical mitigation and structural adaptation of the solid sliding surface were clarified by surface/interface characterizations. The results revealed desirable performance in reducing friction and wear at elevated temperatures, which was associated with the resulting oxide composite film’s adaptive lubricating capability, whereas severe abrasive wear occurred at room/ambient temperatures. The oxidative-abrasive differentials for the two alloys were further discussed by considering the combined effect of temperature and stressed-shearing conditions.
On Interpreting Something as Food
Authors: Borghini Andrea , Piras Nicola
Published: December 2020

In this paper we discuss the role that individual and collective acts of interpretation play in shaping a metaphysics of food. Our analysis moves from David Kaplan’s recent contention that food is always open to interpretation, and substantially expands its theoretical underpinnings by drawing on recent scholarship on food and social ontology. After setting up the terms of the discussion (§1), we suggest (§2) that the contention can be read subjectively or structurally, and that the latter can be given three sub-readings. We then lay out (§3) three case studies that, we submit, any viable theory of a metaphysics of food should be able to account for. We show that one structural reading—based on the idea of negotiation—swiftly accommodates for the three case studies. We thus conclude that this reading is most promising for charting a metaphysics of food.
Subsea cable key challenges of an intercontinental power link: case study of Australia–Singapore interconnector
Authors: Gordonnat Jeremy , Hunt James
Published: December 2020

The high potential for renewable energy generation in Australia, in particular solar and wind, and the high carbon content of Southeast Asian electricity and projected demand growth create favourable conditions for a HVDC power link between Australian and Southeast Asia. Such an interconnector would link predominantly solar farms located in northern Australia, known for its highest insolation levels in the world, to Singapore given its central location within Southeast Asia, high reliance on natural gas for its power generation, high demand growth and limited renewable potential and land surface. The current paper presents a holistic view of the key challenges of an Australia–Singapore power link related to its length, in the order of 3200 km, the water depth of sections crossing the Timor Trough and Indonesian waters, up to 1900 m, and the manufacturing and logistic issues of extensive length of cable to be deployed in a part of the world distant from the main manufacturing facilities. This very ambitious project will require a unique integrated contracting strategy involving multiple HVDC cable suppliers, marine heavy transport companies and cable installation contractors to effectively deliver this project within a sensible timeframe.
Fast and accurate quasi-3D aerodynamic methods for aircraft conceptual design studies
Authors: Şugar-Gabor O. , Koreanschi A.
Published: December 2020

In this paper, recent developments in quasi-3D aerodynamic methods are presented. At their core, these methods are based on the lifting-line theory and vortex lattice method, but with a relaxed set of hypotheses, while also considering the effect of viscosity (to a certain degree) by introducing a strong non-linear coupling with two-dimensional viscous aerofoil aerodynamics. These methods can provide more accurate results compared with their inviscid classical counterparts and have an extended range of applicability with respect to the lifting surface geometry. Verification results are presented for both steady-state and unsteady flows, as well as case studies related to their integration into aerodynamic shape optimisation tools. The good accuracy achieved using relatively low computational time makes such quasi-3D methods a solid choice for conducting conceptual-level design and optimisation of lifting surfaces.
Harmful Commercial Marketing and Children’s Rights: For a Better Use of EU Powers
Authors: GARDE Amandine
Published: December 2020

The marketing of tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy food and gambling services is harmful to public health, the European economy and sustainability. If the European Union (EU) has embraced the regulation of cross-border marketing for tobacco products for over two decades, it has consistently resisted evidence-driven calls to regulate the marketing of other harmful commodities, preferring instead to rely on ineffective industry pledges. This contribution reflects on why the EU has failed to use its competence to regulate cross-border marketing more systematically to protect health and highlights why the time is ripe to reconsider the issue, before concluding with a possible way forward.
Impact of restricting procalcitonin measurements in a Swiss tertiary-care hospital on antibiotic use, clinical outcomes, and costs: An interrupted time-series analysis
Authors: Abbas Mohamed , Vernaz Nathalie , von Dach Elodie , Vuilleumier Nicolas , Harbarth Stephan J. , Huttner Benedikt D.
Published: December 2020

We evaluated the impact of a restriction of procalcitonin measurements on antibiotic use, length of stay, mortality, and cost in a Swiss tertiary-care hospital using interrupted time-series analysis. There was no significant change in level or slope for rates of antibiotic consumption, and costs decreased considerably, by ~54,488 CHF (US$55,714) per month.
Borderline gradient estimates at the boundary in Carnot groups
Authors: Manna Ramesh , Verma Ram Baran
Published: December 2020

In this article, we prove the continuity of the horizontal gradient near aC1,Dininon-characteristic portion of the boundary for solutions to$\Gamma ^{0,{\rm Dini}}$perturbations of horizontal Laplaceans as in (1.1) below, where the scalar term is in scaling critical Lorentz spaceL(Q, 1) withQbeing the homogeneous dimension of the group. This result can be thought of both as a sharpening of the$\Gamma ^{1,\alpha }$boundary regularity result in [4] as well as a subelliptic analogue of the main result in [1] restricted to linear equations.
Ontogeny of the trilobite Redlichia from the lower Cambrian (Series 2, Stage 4) Ramsay Limestone of South Australia
Authors: Holmes James D. , Paterson John R. , Jago James B. , García-Bellido Diego C.
Published: December 2020

Studies that reveal detailed information about trilobite growth, particularly early developmental stages, are crucial for improving our understanding of the phylogenetic relationships within this iconic group of fossil arthropods. Here we document an essentially complete ontogeny of the trilobite Redlichia cf. versabunda from the Cambrian Series 2 (late Stage 4) Ramsay Limestone of Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, including some of the best-preserved protaspides (the earliest biomineralized trilobite larval stage) known for any Cambrian trilobite. These protaspid stages exhibit similar morphological characteristics to many other taxa within the Suborder Redlichiina, especially to closely related species such as Metaredlichia cylindrica from the early Cambrian period of China. Morphological patterns observed across early developmental stages of different groups within the Order Redlichiida are discussed. Although redlichiine protaspides exhibit similar overall morphologies, certain ontogenetic characters within this suborder have potential phylogenetic signal, with different superfamilies characterized by unique trait combinations in these early growth stages.
Use of a novel drape ‘tent’ as an infection prevention control measure for mastoid surgery
Authors: Lawrence R J , O'Donoghue G M , Kitterick P , Hartley D E H
Published: December 2020

Background

Mastoid surgery is an aerosol-generating procedure that involves the use of a high-speed drill, which produces a mixture of water, bone, blood and tissue that may contain the viable coronavirus disease 2019 pathogen. This potentially puts the surgeon and other operating theatre personnel at risk of acquiring the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 from contact with droplets or aerosols. The use of an additional drape designed to limit the spread of droplets and aerosols has been described; such drapes include the ‘Southampton Tent’ and ‘OtoTent’.

Objectives

To evaluate the use of a novel drape ‘tent’ that has advantages over established ‘tent’ designs in terms of having: (1) a CE marking; (2) no requirement for modification during assembly; and (3) no obstruction to the surgical visual field.

Results and conclusion

During mastoid surgery, the dispersion of macroscopic droplets and other particulate matter was confined within the novel drape ‘tent’. Use of this drape ‘tent’ had no adverse effects upon the surgeon's manual dexterity or efficiency, the view of the surgical field, or the sterility. Hence, our findings support its use during mastoid surgery in the coronavirus disease 2019 era.
Conservation research output in sub-Saharan Africa is increasing, but only in a few countries
Authors: Pototsky P. Christy , Cresswell Will
Published: December 2020

We tested if peer-reviewed conservation research output has increased in sub-Saharan African countries over the last 30 years in response to increased development. We carried out a bibliometric analysis to identify the number of conservation research papers published by national authors of 41 sub-Saharan African countries during 1987–2017, to provide an index of national conservation research output. We identified country-specific development factors influencing these totals, using general linear modelling. There were positive relationships between conservation research output and population size, GDP, literacy rate, international tourism receipts and population growth rate, and negative relationships with urban population and agricultural land cover, in total explaining 77% of variation. Thirty-eight per cent of countries contributed < 30 conservation research papers (of 12,701) in 30 years. Analysis of trends in primary authorship in a random subsample of 2,374 of these papers showed that primary authorship by sub-Saharan African authors has increased significantly over time but is now at a lower rate than primary authorship for authors from countries outside the country associated with the search term, usually a European or North American country. Overall, 46% of papers had national primary authors, but 67% of these were South African. The results show that conservation research output in sub-Saharan Africa overall is increasing but only significantly in a few countries, and is still dominated by non-national scientists, probably as a result of a lack of socio-economic development.
The northern bald ibis Geronticus eremita: history, current status and future perspectives
Authors: Böhm Christiane , Bowden Christopher G. R. , Seddon Philip J. , Hatipoğlu Taner , Oubrou Widade , El Bekkay Mohammed , Quevedo Miguel A. , Fritz Johannes , Yeniyurt Can , Lopez Jose Manual , Orueta Jorge Fernandez , Frigerio Didone , Unsöld Markus
Published: December 2020

The northern bald ibis Geronticus eremita was once widespread throughout the Middle East, northern Africa, and southern and central Europe. Habitat destruction, persecution and the impacts of pesticides have led to its disappearance from most of its former range. It disappeared from central Europe > 400 years ago, but has persisted as a relict and slowly growing breeding population in Morocco, where c. 700 wild birds of all ages remain. In Algeria, the last confirmed breeding was in 1984; in Turkey the fully wild population disappeared in 1989, but a population remains in semi-wild conditions. In Syria a small population was rediscovered in 2002, only to subsequently decline to functional extinction. Restoration programmes have been initiated independently in several locations, with over 300 free-flying birds resulting from reintroduction projects in Austria, Germany, Spain and Turkey, to restore both sedentary and fully migratory populations. Maintaining current efforts in Morocco remains a high conservation priority.
Report on The Purchase of Rotographs
Authors: Torrey Professor Norman L.
Published: December 2020

The reports of this committee have been traditionally sad, which is not entirely explainable by the well-known melancholia of my Co-Chairman. This year we have one unmitigated tragedy to report; namely, the loss of Professor Bullock, who served your committee most competently and tactfully and patiently over a period of years. The crowning achievement of his régime was the publication of the corrected Short Title List, with its two indispensable indices.
The longitudinal association between moral injury appraisals and psychological outcomes in refugees
Authors: Nickerson Angela , Byrow Yulisha , Hoffman Joel , O'Donnell Meaghan , Bryant Richard A , Mastrogiovanni Natalie , McMahon Tadgh , Benson Greg , Mau Vicki , Liddell Belinda J.
Published: December 2020

Background

Refugees report a diverse array of psychological responses following persecution and displacement. Little is known, however, regarding the mechanisms that underlie differential psychological reactions in refugees. This study investigated the longitudinal impact of negative moral appraisals about one's own actions [i.e. moral injury-self (MI-self) appraisals] and others' actions [i.e. moral injury-other (MI-others) appraisals] on a variety of psychological symptoms over a period of 6 months.

Methods

Participants were 1085 Arabic, Farsi, Tamil, or English-speaking refugees who completed a survey at baseline and 6 months later either on-line or via pen-and-paper. The survey indexed demographic factors, exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs), exposure to ongoing stressors, MI-other appraisals, MI-self appraisals, re-experiencing and arousal symptoms, and feelings of sadness, anger and shame.

Results

Findings indicated that, after controlling for demographics, PTE exposure and ongoing stressors, MI-other appraisals predicted increased re-experiencing and hyperarousal symptoms, and feelings of sadness and shame. MI-self appraisals predicted decreased feelings of shame, and decreased re-experiencing symptoms. In contrast, psychological symptoms at baseline did not as strongly influence MI appraisals 6 months later.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the important role that cognitive appraisals of adverse events play in the longitudinal course of psychological symptoms. These results thus have important implications for the development of tailored psychological interventions to alleviate the mental health burden held by refugees.
Mealtime media use and cardiometabolic risk in children
Authors: Jamnik Joseph , Keown-Stoneman Charles , Eny Karen M , Maguire Jonathon L , Birken Catherine S ,   for the TARGet Kids! Collaboration
Published: December 2020

Objectives:

To examine the association between mealtime media use and non-HDL-cholesterol as well as other markers of cardiometabolic risk (CMR) in children.

Design:

A repeated measures study design was used to examine the association between mealtime media use and CMR outcomes. Multivariable linear regression with generalised estimating equations was used to examine the association between mealtime media use and CMR outcomes. Analyses were stratified a priori by age groups (1–4 and 5–13 years).

Setting:

The TARGet Kids! Practice-based research network in Toronto, Canada.

Participants:

2117 children aged 1–13 years were included in the analysis.

Results:

After adjusting for covariates, there was no evidence that total mealtime media use was associated with non-HDL-cholesterol in 1–4 year olds (P = 0·10) or 5–13 year olds (P = 0·29). Each additional meal with media per week was associated with decreased HDL-cholesterol in 5–13 year olds (−0·006 mmol/l; 95 % CI −0·009, −0·002; P = 0·003) and log-TAG in 1–4 year olds (β = −0·004; 95 % CI −0·008, −0·00009; P = 0·04). Media use during breakfast was associated with decreased HDL-cholesterol in 5–13 year olds (−0·012 mmol/l; 95 % CI −0·02, −0·004; P = 0·002), while media during lunch was associated with decreased log-TAG (−0·01 mmol/l; 95 % CI −0·03, −0·002; P = 0·03) in children aged 1–4 years. Total mealtime media use was not associated with total cholesterol, glucose or insulin in either age group.

Conclusions:

Mealtime media use may be associated with unfavourable lipid profiles through effects on HDL-cholesterol in school-aged children but likely not in pre-schoolers.
Evaluating farm-level livestock interventions in low-income countries: a scoping review of what works, how, and why
Authors: Lindahl Johanna F. , Mutua Florence , Grace Delia
Published: December 2020

Livestock interventions can improve nutrition, health, and economic well-being of communities. The objectives of this review were to identify and characterize livestock interventions in developing countries and to assess their effectiveness in achieving development outcomes. A scoping review, guided by a search strategy, was conducted. Papers needed to be written in English, published in peer-reviewed journals, and describe interventions in animal health and production. Out of 2739 publications systematically screened at the title, abstract, and full publication levels, 70 met our inclusion criteria and were considered in the study. Eight relatively high-quality papers were identified and added, resulting in 78 reviewed publications. Only 15 studies used randomized controlled trial designs making it possible to confidently link interventions with the resulting outcomes. Eight studies had human nutrition or health as outcomes, 11 focused on disease control, and four were on livestock production. Eight interventions were considered successful, but only four were scalable. We found good evidence that livestock-transfer programs, leveraging livestock products for nutrition, and helping farmers manage priority diseases, can improve human well-being. Our report highlights challenges in garnering evidence for livestock interventions in developing countries and provides suggestions on how to improve the quantity and quality of future evaluations.
Behavior assessment and applications for BRD diagnosis: preweaned dairy calves
Authors: Cramer Catie , Ollivett Theresa L.
Published: December 2020

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is an important disease in dairy calves due to its long-lasting effects. Early identification results in better outcomes for the animal, but producers struggle to identify all calves with BRD. Sickness behavior, or the behavioral changes that accompany illness, has been investigated for its usefulness as a disease detection tool. Behavioral changes associated with BRD include decreased milk intake and drinking speed, depressed attitude, and less likelihood of approaching a novel object or stationary human. Behavioral measurements are useful, as they can be collected automatically or with little financial input. However, one limitation of many BRD behavioral studies includes the use of either lung auscultation or clinical signs as reference methods, which are imperfect. Additionally, external factors may influence the expression of sickness behavior, which can affect if and when behavior can be used to identify calves with BRD. Behavioral measures available to detect BRD lack adequate sensitivity and specificity to be the sole means of disease detection, especially when detection tools, such as calf lung ultrasound, have better test characteristics. However, using behavioral assessments in addition to other detection methods can allow for a robust BRD detection program that can ameliorate the consequences of BRD.
Philological Observation
Authors: Flow Christian
Published: December 2020

Scholars have shown that historicizing studies of sight can shed light on everything from art history to statecraft to scientific inquiry. But the disciplined eye of the scholar of language—the philological observer—has received little attention, an omission particularly worthy of notice given recent interest in how the history of humanities might be incorporated into the history of science more broadly. This article contributes to a treatment of philological observation in the nineteenth century. Focusing particularly on the career of the Munich Latinist Eduard Wölfflin (1831–1908), a founding father of the monumental Latin lexicon known as the Thesaurus linguae Latinae, it isolates three distinct modes of philological observation: the constitutive, the collative, and the estimative. In the process, it indicates parallels between the kinds of sight practiced by philologists and those of their contemporaries in other investigative arenas, showing how developments on a Latinist's desk can be tied into much larger networks of cultural and epistemic concerns
The Association of Electoral Volatility and Religious Riots in India
Authors: Hosur Suhas Prashant , Banerjee Vasabjit
Published: December 2020

Why are religious riots between Hindus and Muslims endemic in some states of India and not in others? Scholarship on the topic is divided between those arguing that electoral competition increases the occurrence of such riots and those arguing that electoral competition decreases the occurrence of such riots. Both types of explanations assume a relationship between political parties and religious violence, but they ignore voting behavior. This paper accounts for party system instability or change, measured in terms of electoral volatility, to argue that electoral volatility in the Indian party system is a key overlooked determinant of religious violence. Specifically, higher levels of electoral volatility, implying high switching of party allegiances by voters, may indicate the process of ethnic outbidding that causes violence.
Other-Contingent Extraversion and Satisfaction
Authors: Huang Jason L. , Wu Dongyuan
Published: December 2020

Abstract. We conceptualize other-contingent extraversion as an individual difference in the tendency to elevate one’s state extraversion when interacting with friendly others. Using experience sampling data from 75 college students, we assessed other-contingent extraversion to predict subjective well-being, and further examined whether implicit theory of personality would moderate such a prediction. Results indicate that, despite a general positive association between others’ friendliness and one’s state extraversion, individuals differed in the degree to which they manifested state extraversion in response to others’ friendliness, allowing us to model this individual difference as other-contingent extraversion. Other-contingent extraversion interacted with implicit theory to predict college satisfaction but not life satisfaction. Specifically, other-contingent extraversion had a more positive association with college satisfaction for respondents with a stronger incremental perspective (malleable view) of personality. Our study contributes to personality research by introducing other-contingent extraversion as a unit of personality.
Symbolic Explicit Solutions for 1‐Dimensional Linear Diffusive Wave Equation With Lateral Inflow and Their Applications
Authors: Nazari Behzad , Seo Dong‐Jun
Published: December 2020

The diffusive wave equation, a simplified form of the Saint‐Venant equations, is extensively used in flood routing. To solve the equation, numerous methods have been developed over the years. Most of them are numerical and hence their application generally requires case‐specific modeling and analysis to ensure stable solution. For many practical routing applications, however, simpler yet accurate methods are highly desirable that do not require problem‐specific numerical modeling. This work extends the previous analytical solutions with more flexible boundary conditions, presents two quasianalytical methods for solving the 1‐D linear diffusive wave equation on finite domains, and applies them to different types of routing problems. Referred to as the Symbolic Diffusive Wave Solutions, the proposed methods yield explicit symbolic expressions for time‐continuous solutions at discrete nodes in space and provide solutions that are accurate and computationally efficient. The methods are easy to implement and may be used in a variety of routing applications in which accurate explicit symbolic solutions for linear advection‐diffusion are desired for a set of discrete locations such as known river forecast points. This study describes the solutions and their application in different types of real‐world and synthetic routing problems.
Gas‐Driven Tensile Fracturing in Shallow Marine Sediments
Authors: Daigle Hugh , Cook Ann , Fang Yi , Bihani Abhishek , Song Wen , Flemings Peter B.
Published: December 2020

The flow of gas through shallow marine sediments is an important component of the global carbon cycle and affects methane release to the ocean and atmosphere as well as submarine slope stability. Seafloor methane venting is often linked to dissociating hydrates or gas migration from a deep source, and subsurface evidence of gas‐driven tensile fracturing is abundant. However, the physical links among hydrate dissociation, gas flow, and fracturing have not been rigorously investigated. We used mercury intrusion data to model the capillary drainage curves of shallow marine muds as a function of clay content and porosity. We combined these with estimates of in situ tensile strength to determine the critical gas saturation at which the pressure of the gas phase would exceed the pressure required to generate tensile fractures. Our work showed that fracturing is favored in the shallowest 38 m of sediment when the clay‐sized fraction is 0.2, but fracturing may be possible to a depth of 132 m below seafloor (mbsf) with a clay‐sized fraction of 0.5 and to a depth of nearly 500 mbsf with a clay‐sized fraction of 0.7. Dissociating hydrate may supply sufficient quantities of gas to cause fracturing, but this is only likely near the updip limit of the hydrate stability zone. Gas‐driven tensile fracturing is probably a common occurrence in the upper 10–20 mbsf regardless of clay‐sized fraction, does not require much gas (far less than 10% gas saturation), and is not necessarily an indication of hydrate dissociation.
Magnetism of Body‐Centered Cubic Fe‐Ni Alloys Under Pressure: Strain‐Enhanced Ferromagnetism at the Phase Transitions
Authors: Wei Qingguo , Gilder Stuart A. , Ertel‐Ingrisch Werner , Guillou François , Wilhelm Fabrice
Published: December 2020

We investigated the magnetism of body‐centered cubic (bcc) FeNi alloys (Fe92Ni08, Fe87Ni13, and Fe84Ni16) as a function of pressure at room temperature through the bcc to hexagonal closed packed (hcp) phase transition. In each case, the fully saturated magnetic remanence attained maxima, 3–6 times higher than the initial value, at the hysteretic bcc → hcp and hcp → bcc transition boundaries upon compression and decompression. Magnetization maxima generally shifted to lower pressures with increasing Ni, concurrent with the phase transition. In Fe84Ni16, X‐ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) at the K‐edge of Fe measured in a 2.5 T field together with X‐ray absorption spectroscopy indicate that the magnetism defined by XMCD divided by the proportion of bcc also attains a maximum in the transition regions, similar to the magnetic remanence measurements. Enhanced remanence is attributed to a lattice mismatch between bcc‐Fe and hcp‐Fe phases together with defect‐riddled martensite. This mechanism also explains why the remanence of bcc FeNi is 2–4 times stronger at full decompression than initially, which bears on the interpretation of paleointensity records of meteorites containing bcc FeNi alloys (kamacite). Only techniques that probe magnetic states carried out in fully saturating external fields detect magnetic signals in bcc‐Fe residing in the hcp stability region, thereby explaining the discrepancy among the experimental results. How far in pressure bcc‐Fe persists into the hcp stability field, especially at elevated temperatures, remains open.
Microphysics of Stratiform and Convective Precipitation During Meiyu Season in Eastern China
Authors: Wen Long , Zhao Kun , Yang Zhonglin , Chen Haonan , Huang Hao , Chen Gang , Yang Zhengwei
Published: December 2020

The microphysical structure of Meiyu precipitation in Eastern China is investigated using two‐dimensional video disdrometer (2DVD) and S‐band polarimetric radar observations. The constrained‐gamma raindrop size distribution (DSD) model derived from 2DVD observations performs well in representing Meiyu DSDs. The vertical variability of polarimetric variables and retrieved DSD parameters are then investigated. The results show different patterns of vertical behavior for convective and stratiform rain due to different ice‐phase and precipitation microphysical processes. The radar reflectivity of stratiform rain presents a distinct bright band (with an average echo top between 6 and 7 km). In contrast, the convective rain shows a larger reflectivity with a relatively higher echo top at 8 km. Polarimetric signatures of convective rain above the 0°C isotherm imply the coexistence of rimed particles and aggregates, which is indispensable for the intense precipitation on the ground. However, with a bulk precipitation formed below the melting layer, warm rain processes are still critical pathways for the growth of raindrops and the subsequent generation of heavy rainfall. Furthermore, both convective and stratiform rain is dominated by raindrops <4 mm, and the increase in their rain intensity can mostly be attributed to the increase in raindrop concentration. The identified maritime nature of convective rain has a much higher (roughly more than two times) number concentration of raindrops than that of convection in a similar climate region. This study provides a more comprehensive picture of Meiyu precipitation microphysics in Eastern China.
A Computationally Efficient Ensemble Filtering Scheme for Quantitative Volcanic Ash Forecasts
Authors: Zidikheri Meelis J. , Lucas Christopher
Published: December 2020

A method of assimilating satellite observations in quantitative ensemble forecasting models of airborne volcanic ash is presented in this study. The method employs many trial dispersion model simulations that are generated by both deterministic and random perturbations of the source term and use of an ensemble of numerical weather prediction model fields. An ensemble filter is then applied to the trial simulations, which are either selected or rejected by the filter based on their degree of agreement with observations within a specified time window. The observations may be in the form of quantitative satellite retrieved mass load fields or qualitative ash detection fields, which means that useful results can be obtained even when retrievals are not available in real time provided that the ash boundaries can be identified. The filtering process is repeated several times with different random realizations of the source term to reduce sampling error and minimize filter degeneracy, a phenomenon that plagues all ensemble filter models. The selected members are then propagated forward in time beyond the observational time window to form the forecast ensemble. We show, using several eruption case studies, that forecast ensembles constructed in this way are generally superior in skill to reference forecasts that do not assimilate observations.
Artificial consortium demonstrates emergent properties of enhanced cellulosic-sugar degradation and biofuel synthesis
Authors: Park Heejoon , Patel Ayushi , Hunt Kristopher A. , Henson Michael A. , Carlson Ross P.
Published: December 2020

Planktonic cultures, of a rationally designed consortium, demonstrated emergent properties that exceeded the sums of monoculture properties, including a >200% increase in cellobiose catabolism, a >100% increase in glycerol catabolism, a >800% increase in ethanol production, and a >120% increase in biomass productivity. The consortium was designed to have a primary and secondary-resource specialist that used crossfeeding with a positive feedback mechanism, division of labor, and nutrient and energy transfer via necromass catabolism. The primary resource specialist was Clostridium phytofermentans (a.k.a. Lachnoclostridium phytofermentans), a cellulolytic, obligate anaerobe. The secondary-resource specialist was Escherichia coli, a versatile, facultative anaerobe, which can ferment glycerol and byproducts of cellobiose catabolism. The consortium also demonstrated emergent properties of enhanced biomass accumulation when grown as biofilms, which created high cell density communities with gradients of species along the vertical axis. Consortium biofilms were robust to oxic perturbations with E. coli consuming O2, creating an anoxic environment for C. phytofermentans. Anoxic/oxic cycling further enhanced biomass productivity of the biofilm consortium, increasing biomass accumulation ~250% over the sum of the monoculture biofilms. Consortium emergent properties were credited to several synergistic mechanisms. E. coli consumed inhibitory byproducts from cellobiose catabolism, driving higher C. phytofermentans growth and higher cellulolytic enzyme production, which in turn provided more substrate for E. coli. E. coli necromass enhanced C. phytofermentans growth while C. phytofermentans necromass aided E. coli growth via the release of peptides and amino acids, respectively. In aggregate, temporal cycling of necromass constituents increased flux of cellulose-derived resources through the consortium. The study establishes a consortia-based, bioprocessing strategy built on naturally occurring interactions for improved conversion of cellulose-derived sugars into bioproducts.