bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contributions of Cerebral Blood Flow to Associations Between Blood Pressure Levels and Cognition: The Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study
Authors: Moonen Justine E. , Sabayan Behnam , Sigurdsson Sigurdur , van Buchem Mark A. , Gudnason Vilmundur , Meirelles Osorio , Launer Lenore J.
Published: April 2021

Cerebral hypoperfusion leads to adverse sequalae including dementia. Midlife higher blood pressure (BP) can lead to low cerebral blood flow (CBF), but older persons may need higher BP to maintain cerebral perfusion. We investigated the associations among late-life BP, CBF, and cognition. Data are from 2498 participants with a mean age of 79.8 (SD, 4.7) years of the second exam of the AGES (Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility)–Reykjavik Study. BP was measured, and phase-contrast (PC) magnetic resonance imaging was acquired to estimate total brain CBF
PC
. Cognitive outcomes included verbal and working memory, processing speed, mild cognitive impairment, and all-cause dementia. Relationships among late-life BP, CBF
PC
, and cognition were assessed with regression models, controlling for socio-demographics, BP level at midlife (at a mean age of 49.6 [SD, 5.9] years), cardiovascular factors, and total brain volume. In fully adjusted models, each mm Hg increase in late-life diastolic BP was associated with a −0.082 mL/min per 100 mL (95% CI −0.123 to −0.041) lower CBF
PC
. In contrast, each mm Hg increase in late-life systolic BP or pulse pressure was associated with a 0.027 mL/min per 100 mL (95% CI, 0.0065–0.048) and 0.061 mL/min per 100 mL (95% CI, 0.038–0.084) higher late-life CBF
PC
, respectively. Higher CBF
PC
was significantly related to higher cognitive scores for psychomotor speed, verbal, and working memory and to a lower odd of mild cognitive impairment or dementia, irrespective of late-life BP level. Higher late-life diastolic BP and systolic BP were differentially associated with CBF
PC
. Our findings suggest CBF is an important correlate of late-life cognition, independent of BP level.
Mating status of coexisting conspecific individuals modulate reproduction in a ladybird, Menochilus sexmaculatus
Authors: Singh Shashwat , Mishra Geetanjali , Omkar
Published: April 2021

The mating status of organisms plays a crucial role in deciphering mating decision and reproductive success of any organisms. Odour or pheromones are known to be perceived by animals through olfaction to locate mates at a distance. In this study, an attempt was made to investigate the effect of the presence of unmated and mated conspecific adults on mating and reproductive parameters of the ladybird beetle, Menochilus sexmaculatus (Fabricius, 1781). To conduct this experiment, an arena was made with the help of two Petri dishes and in such a manner that the experimental adults were only able to perceive the presence of conspecific adults of different mating status in their close vicinity. The results of the study demonstrated an early onset of mating in the presence of males compared to females. Another male in the vicinity poses competition that may force the males to establish genital contact faster. In the absence of any potential rival, copulation duration was highest. Females laid more eggs in the presence of mated females. This may be to increase offspring fitness in the presence of potential competitors for the already mated female. Females laid fewer eggs in the presence of unmated females. Unmated females nearby can be another choice for a male and thus, the male possibly limits the size of the ejaculate containing oviposition stimulants. The current study advocates that mating and reproductive behaviour are modulated according to the perceived surroundings in the form of conspecific adults of different mating status.
Expulsion of “Undesirable” Chinese from the Philippines, 1883–1898
Authors: Galang (贾杰理) Jely A.
Published: April 2021

“Undesirable” Chinese – vagrants, undocumented migrants, pickpockets, beggars, drunkards, idlers and the “suspicious” – were considered “dangerous” by the Spanish colonial government because they posed a threat to the financial and political security of the Philippines. Mostly belonging to the laboring classes, these unemployed and marginally employed individuals were arrested, prosecuted and punished for violating policies relating to registration, taxation and migration. While other forms of discipline and punishment were meted out to these “minor” offenders, the state deemed it necessary to expel them from the colony.

This paper explores why and how “undesirable” Chinese were expelled from the Philippines between 1883, when the first expulsion order was issued, and 1898, when Spanish rule ended. Set in the broader political and socio-economic context of the late nineteenth century, it examines the actors, institutions and processes involved in banishing these offenders to China. Using previously underutilized archival materials, it interrogates the relations that emerged among various entities such as the state, the leaders of the Chinese community in Manila, private businesspeople, and Chinese “criminals” in terms of the expulsion process.
Review of Holophris Mocsáry (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae) from Vietnam, with description of a new species
Authors: NGUYEN LIEN THI PHUONG , WIŚNIOWSKI BOGDAN
Published: April 2021

The genus Holophris Mocsáry, 1890 of the tribe Elampini (Chrysidinae) is reviewed in Vietnam for the first time. A new species, H. melinh Nguyen & Wiśniowski, sp. nov. is described and illustrated, and two species, H. taiwana Tsuneki (1970) and H. thailandica Rosa, Wei, Notton & Xu, 2016 are newly recorded. An updated key to all species of the genus known from Oriental region is presented.
Phylogenetic relationships of the shearwater taxa Puffinus (sensu lato) and Calonectris (Aves: Procellariiformes: Procellariidae) based on osteological characters
Authors: SALVAGNI THAMARA , CARLOS CAIO J.
Published: April 2021

Shearwaters are among the most diverse groups of Procellariiformes, and the systematics of genera Calonectris, Ardenna and Puffinus (sensu stricto) is particularly complex. Here we present the first morphology-based phylogenetic hypothesis for the group, using 104 osteological characters (23 continuous and 81 discrete) scored for 20 extant species of shearwaters, representing 62.5% of species currently recognized. Both equal and implied weighting were used for phylogenetic analyses, and the final hypothesis presented herein is the strict consensus of the most stable trees produced by the latter. Calonectris was recovered as monophyletic (Relative Bremer Support = 75), while all other members of shearwaters were included in a single, monophyletic grouping: Puffinus (sensu lato) (RBS = 76). The monophyly of Ardenna, as suggested by all molecular-based hypotheses, was not recovered, whereas a monophyletic Puffinus (sensu stricto) is present within the larger clade. The final hypothesis, wherein shearwaters fall into the sister taxa Calonectris and Puffinus (sensu lato), is consistent with earlier classifications based on osteological evidence.
Revised species definitions and nomenclature of the blue and purple/rose Cithaerias butterflies (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae)
Authors: PENZ CARLA M.
Published: April 2021

This study reassesses the taxonomic status of Neotropical blue and purple/rose-colored Cithaerias butterflies, thus complementing a previous study of the rose-colored species. Based on comparative study of wing coloration and genitalia morphology, I revise species definitions and the taxonomic status of: Cithaerias andromeda, C. azurina STAT. REV., C. esmeralda STAT. REV., C. bandusia STAT. REV., C. pyropina, and C. songoana STAT. REV. Photographs of adults and illustrations of male and female genitalia are provided for all species. Of particular importance are the genitalia illustrations of male and female C. azurina, presented here for the first time, as well as finding a putative first female of Ecuadorean subspecies C. pyropina julia.
Endogean beetles (Coleoptera) of Madagascar: deep soil sampling and illustrated overview
Authors: ANDÚJAR CARMELO , GREBENNIKOV VASILY V.
Published: April 2021

This study addresses the diversity of deep soil beetles on the old continental island of Madagascar. We highlight Coleoptera as the only order of insects repeatedly occupying the deep soil (=endogean) habitat. We describe and illustrate soil flotation technique used during our fieldwork in Madagascar in December 2019. We focus on the method’s high-output and mobile technicalities. We document 51 deep soil samples, each about 20 litres in volume, taken by us in varying Malagasy localities (Andringitra, Road RN7, Ankaratra, Andasibe) and habitats (primary forest versus grassland). We provide a preliminary illustrated overview of 1,430 deep soil beetles of Madagascar sampled by us. They include representatives of Carabidae (Anillini, Reicheiina), Leiodidae, Staphylinidae (Aleocharinae, Euaesthetinae, Osoriinae, Paederinae, Pselaphinae, Scydmaeninae), Scarabaeidae, Tenebrionidae and Curculionidae. We emphasize the significant disparity between collecting 1,430 adult endogean beetles and only about a dozen of their larvae, all belonging to Scydmaeninae.
A Storm Safari in Subtropical South America: Proyecto RELAMPAGO
Authors: Nesbitt Stephen W. , Salio Paola V. , Ávila Eldo , Bitzer Phillip , Carey Lawrence , Chandrasekar V. , Deierling Wiebke , Dominguez Francina , Dillon Maria Eugenia , Garcia C. Marcelo , Gochis David , Goodman Steven , Hence Deanna A. , Kosiba Karen A. , Kumjian Matthew R. , Lang Timothy , Luna Lorena Medina , Marquis James , Marshall Robert , McMurdie Lynn A. , de Lima Nascimento Ernani , Rasmussen Kristen L. , Roberts Rita , Rowe Angela K. , Ruiz Juan José , São Sabbas Eliah F.M.T. , Saulo A. Celeste , Schumacher Russ S. , Skabar Yanina Garcia , Toledo Machado Luiz Augusto , Trapp Robert J. , Varble Adam C. , Wilson James , Wurman Joshua , Zipser Edward J. , Arias Ivan , Bechis Hernán , Grover Maxwell A.
Published: April 2021

This article provides an overview of the experimental design, execution, education and public outreach, data collection, and initial scientific results from the Remote Sensing of Electrification, Lightning, and Mesoscale/Microscale Processes with Adaptive Ground Observations (RELAMPAGO) field campaign. RELAMPAGO was a major field campaign conducted in the Córdoba and Mendoza provinces in Argentina and western Rio Grande do Sul State in Brazil in 2018–19 that involved more than 200 scientists and students from the United States, Argentina, and Brazil. This campaign was motivated by the physical processes and societal impacts of deep convection that frequently initiates in this region, often along the complex terrain of the Sierras de Córdoba and Andes, and often grows rapidly upscale into dangerous storms that impact society. Observed storms during the experiment produced copious hail, intense flash flooding, extreme lightning flash rates, and other unusual lightning phenomena, but few tornadoes. The five distinct scientific foci of RELAMPAGO—convection initiation, severe weather, upscale growth, hydrometeorology, and lightning and electrification—are described, as are the deployment strategies to observe physical processes relevant to these foci. The campaign’s international cooperation, forecasting efforts, and mission planning strategies enabled a successful data collection effort. In addition, the legacy of RELAMPAGO in South America, including extensive multinational education, public outreach, and social media data gathering associated with the campaign, is summarized.
Validity and reliability of an electromyography-based upper limb assessment quantifying selective voluntary motor control in children with upper motor neuron lesions
Authors: Keller Jeffrey W , Fahr Annina , Balzer Julia , Lieber Jan , van Hedel Hubertus JA
Published: April 2021

Current clinical assessments evaluating selective voluntary motor control are measured on an ordinal scale. We combined the Selective Control of the Upper Extremity Scale (SCUES) with surface electromyography to develop a more objective and interval-scaled assessment of selective voluntary motor control. The resulting Similarity Index (SI) quantifies the similarity of muscle activation patterns. We aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of this new assessment named SISCUES (Similarity Index of the SCUES) in children with upper motor neuron lesions. Thirty-three patients (12.2 years [8.8;14.9]) affected by upper motor neuron lesions with mild to moderate impairments and 31 typically developing children (11.6 years [8.5;13.9]) participated. We calculated reference muscle activation patterns for the SISCUES using data of 33 neurologically healthy adults (median [1st; 3rd quantile]: 32.5 [27.9; 38.3]). We calculated Spearman correlations (ρ) between the SISCUES and the SCUES and the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) to establish concurrent validity. Discriminative validity was tested by comparing scores of patients and healthy peers with a robust ANCOVA. Intraclass correlation coefficients2,1 and minimal detectable changes indicated relative and absolute reliability. The SISCUES correlates strongly with SCUES (ρ = 0.76, p < 0.001) and moderately with the MACS (ρ = −0.58, p < 0.001). The average SISCUES can discriminate between patients and peers. The intraclass correlation coefficient2,1 was 0.90 and the minimal detectable change was 0.07 (8% of patients’ median score). Concurrent validity, discriminative validity, and reliability of the SISCUES were established. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether it is responsive enough to detect changes from therapeutic interventions.
Patient Perspectives on Removing Adult Tonsillectomy and Septoplasty from the Government Health Insurance Plan in a Publicly Funded Health Care System
Authors: Grose Elysia , Chiodo Sarah , Levin Marc , Eskander Antoine , Lin Vincent , Hubbard Brad , Chiodo Albino
Published: April 2021

In several publicly funded health care systems, including Ontario, Canada, adult tonsillectomies and septoplasties have been suggested to be removed or “delisted” from the government health insurance plan. Thus, the objective of this study was to explore patient perspectives regarding out of pocket (OOP) payment for these procedures. An anonymous survey was administered to patients consented to undergo a tonsillectomy or septoplasty at a community otolaryngology—head and neck surgery (OHNS) practice. The survey asked patients if they would pay the projected cost for their surgery OOP and the maximum amount of time they would wait for their surgery. The survey also contained questions on socioeconomic status and disease severity. Seventy-one patients were included. Overall, 21% of patients were willing to pay OOP for their surgery. Forty-nine percent of patients reported that the maximum amount of time they would be willing to wait for their surgery was 2 to 6 months. There was no significant correlation found between any of the demographic variables or disease severity and willingness to pay OOP for these surgeries. In this study, a small percentage of patients who met the clinical indications for a tonsillectomy or a septoplasty would pay for their surgery in the event that it was not covered by the government health insurance plan. These surgeries are common operations and delisting them could potentially decrease the provision of these services and have a significant impact on Canadian OHNS practices.
The Path Analysis of Family Doctor’s Gatekeeper Role in Shanghai, China: A Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Approach
Authors: Huang Jiaoling , Wang Luan , Liu Shanshan , Zhang Tao , Liu Chengjun , Zhang Yimin
Published: April 2021

Studies globally have provided substantial evidence that PHC could conduct doctor-visiting behaviors, control medical expense, and improve population health. This study aimed to map how family doctor (FD) in Shanghai achieved gate-keeper goals including health management, medical expense control, and conducting ordered doctor-visiting behavior. A total of 2754 and 1995 valid questionnaires were collected in 2013 and 2016 respectively in Shanghai. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Invariance analysis was also performed for 2 waves of data. We found that the coefficient of cognition on health management (β5 = 0.26, P < .05) was larger than that of signing with FD (β4 = 0.06, P < .05). SEM model also showed that first-contact at community health service center (CHSC) had a positive effect on health management (β6 = 0.30, P < .05), and the latter also affected health management results positively (β8 = 0.39, P < .05), suggesting that the path for FD was through first-contact and health management. Besides, the gate-keeper role of medical expense control was significant through the first-contact (β10 = −0.12, P < .05) mediation rather than health management (β9 = 0.03, P > .05). The model fit was acceptable (RMSEA = 0.033). A “cognition-behavior-outcomes (health and medical expense)” path of FD’s gate-keeper role was found. It is necessary to consolidate FD contracted services rather than reimbursement discount the latter of which is proved to be unsustainable.
Xi Jinping Confronts the Network Society
Authors: Lynch Daniel C.
Published: April 2021

Xi Jinping’s radical reconcentration of power is widely seen as a watershed development in the history of PRC politics. Xi’s effort can be interpreted from an international relations perspective as a complex “securitization move” in which an elite figure defines some trend, tendency, or other development as a security threat so severe that it becomes necessary to deploy special, extraordinary measures to address it. But what in China’s case was the perceived threat or configuration of threats that Xi could use to justify his reconcentration of power? Analysis of articles published in neibu (internal-circulation-only) policy journals from 2012 through 2015 reveals a primary concern among members of the broader CCP elite to be a threat to the stability and integrity of the political order itself resulting from the dislocations caused by trying to fuse a Leninist political system with what was, by 2010, a well-developed network society.
Changes in Travel Behavior, Attitudes, and Preferences among E-Scooter Riders and Nonriders: First Look at Results from Pre and Post E-Scooter System Launch Surveys at Virginia Tech
Authors: Buehler Ralph , Broaddus Andrea , Sweeney Ted , Zhang Wenwen , White Elizabeth , Mollenhauer Mike
Published: April 2021

Shared micromobility such as electric scooters (e-scooters) has the potential to enhance the sustainability of urban transport by displacing car trips, providing more mobility options, and improving access to public transit. Most published studies on e-scooter ridership focus on cities and only capture data at one point in time. This study reports results from two cross-sectional surveys deployed before ( n = 462) and after ( n = 428) the launch of a fleet of shared e-scooters on Virginia Tech’s campus in Blacksburg, VA. This allowed for a pre–post comparison of attitudes and preferences of e-scooter riders and nonusers. E-scooter ridership on campus followed patterns identified in other studies, with a greater share of younger riders, in particular undergraduate students. Stated intention to ride before system launch was greater than actual ridership. The drop-off between prelaunch intention to ride and actual riding was strongest for older age groups, women, and university staff. As in city surveys, the main reasons for riding e-scooters on campus were travel speed and fun of riding. About 30% indicated using e-scooters to ride to parking lots or to access public transport service, indicating their potential as a connector to other modes of transport. Perceptions about convenience, cost, safety, parking, rider behavior, and usefulness of the e-scooter systems were more positive among nonriders after system launch, indicating that pilot projects may improve public perceptions of e-scooters. Building more bike lanes or separate spaces for e-scooters could help move e-scooter riders off sidewalks—a desire expressed by both pedestrians and e-scooter users.
A New Parameter, the Smallest Oblique Sagittal Area of the Neural Foramen, as an Index to Diagnose Cervical Neural Foramen Stenosis
Authors: Jia Yukun , Peng Zhan , Li Jin , Wang Guangye
Published: April 2021

Objective:

The objective was to reconstruct the cervical neural foramen and accurately measure the minimum oblique sagittal area of the neural foramen. Then, a quantitative diagnostic standard for cervical neural foramen stenosis was proposed and its value as an indication for surgery was evaluated.

Methods:

(1) CT data were used to reconstruct the neural foramen using Mimics software, and the minimum area was measured. (2) The optimal cut-off value was determined using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. (3) Patients who underwent single-segment surgery were divided into 2 groups according to the cut-off value. Then the postoperative neurological function improvement rate was analyzed to identify any significant difference between the 2 groups.

Results:

A total of 1056 neural foramens were measured in 132 patients, of which 495 (46.88%) were diagnosed as radiculopathy by clinical neurological examination. The optimal cut-off value determined by the ROC curve was 25.95 mm2 (sensitivity 74.1%, specificity 80.9%) and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.827 (95%CI: 0.803-0.849). There was a significant difference in the neurological function improvement rate between the 2 groups after surgery ( P < 0.05). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.969.

Conclusion:

Three-dimensional digital simulation reconstruction of CT data is a good measurement method. The optimal cut-off value determined here not only has a certain reference value for the diagnosis of cervical neural foramen bony stenosis, but also helps to select patients suitable for neural foramen decompression and can be used as a reference for surgical indication.
Longitudinal Analysis of Short-term Changes in Relationship Conflict During COVID-19: A Risk and Resilience Perspective
Authors: Lee Shawna J. , Ward Kaitlin P. , Rodriguez Christina M.
Published: April 2021

This study uses a risk and resilience framework to examine short-term self-reported changes in relationship conflict early in the COVID-19 pandemic (March and April 2020). Longitudinal data from U.S. adults in a romantic relationship ( N = 291) were collected via three waves of an online survey. Participants self-reported anxiety, depression, increased alcohol use, and dyadic coping since the pandemic. Relationship conflict variables included whether the participant reported that they and their partner “had disagreements related to the Coronavirus,” “had more disagreements than usual,” “had more verbal fights than usual,” and “had more physical fights than usual” in the past two weeks. Analyses controlled for sociodemographic characteristics as well as days spent in lockdown and employment change due to COVID-19. Results indicated that couples’ disagreement and verbal fighting scores increased from Time 1 to Time 2, but disagreements related to COVID-19 and physical fighting did not. Couples with higher levels of dyadic coping reported fewer fights and disagreements on average. However, dyadic coping did not buffer participants from increases in relationship conflict. Increased alcohol use since the pandemic was positively associated with disagreements related to COVID-19, disagreement scores, and verbal fighting scores. More days spent in lockdown was associated with increases in disagreements related to COVID-19. The conditions created by COVID-19 may contribute to worsening relationship conflict, even among couples who start with high levels of dyadic coping. Depression and alcohol use may contribute to poorer relationship quality during the pandemic. There is need for enhanced intervention and mental health supports to mitigate the potential effects of the pandemic on couples’ relationship functioning.
Needs and Support Perceived by Women for Coping with the Experience of Intimate Partner Violence in Andalusia (Spain): A Qualitative Study
Authors: de Piñar-Prats Amparo , Fernández-Alcántara Manuel , Pérez-Marfil María Nieves
Published: April 2021

There is a need to improve psychological interventions in women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) and reduce its long-term sequelae. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore the needs of female IPV survivors, the support they receive, and their strategies for coping with this experience over the long term. During 2017, 53 female IPV survivors participated in the study, of whom 38 (71.7%) were recruited from women’s associations against gender violence from three Andalusia provinces (Southern Spain). In a semi-structured interview, the women responded to four open-ended questions about the effects of IPV on their life and how they coped with this situation. Four main themes were identified: (1) changes after the experience, (2) support during recovery, (3) perceived needs and obstacles, and (4) current situation. The survivors considered formal and informal social support to be critical to their recovery and emotional well-being. They also highlighted the need for continuity in support programs and for specialist interventions to address long-term psychological sequelae. These findings reinforce the need for psychological programs more tailored to the needs of these women.
Is there a link between industry involvement in higher education learning and student job creation intention?
Authors: Ehiobuche Christian , Okolie Ugochukwu Chinonso , Nwali Anthony Chukwuma , Igwe Paul Agu
Published: April 2021

This study examines how the constituents of industry involvement in higher education learning (IIHEL) – namely curriculum restructuring, renewed pedagogical approaches and competencies, building linkages between higher education and industry, and career training and mentoring – might impact student job creation intention. The study builds on social cognitive theory (self-efficacy) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (attitude towards behaviour) to assess the mechanisms through which these relationships exist. The researchers used cross-sectional data from 268 final-year undergraduate students of 12 Nigerian public universities to analyse these relationships. Structural equation modelling analysis (SEM-AMOS) was employed to test the direct relationships, and Hayes’ PROCESS Macro 3.5 was used to test the specific indirect effects. The findings show that all the constituents of IIHEL were associated positively with student job creation intention. However, only self-efficacy mediated the relationships between curriculum restructuring, renewed pedagogical approaches and competencies and student job creation intention. The findings provide practical implications for higher education teachers, managers, practitioners, policymakers and students by demonstrating the importance of IIHEL in boosting student job creation intention.
Phytoliths as an indicator of change in vegetation related to the huge volcanic eruption at 7.3 ka in the southernmost part of Kyushu, southern Japan
Authors: Hayashi Naoki , Inoue Yudzuru , Kawano Tatsuichiro , Inoue Jun
Published: April 2021

Volcanic eruptions can have a significant influence on adjacent ecosystems; however, little is known about the long-term vegetation change related to eruptions. In this study, we examined phytolith records in paleosols at multiple sites in the southern Kyushu District, Japan, to assess the influence of the Kikai caldera eruption 7300 years ago on vegetation. Our results show the vegetational difference before and after the eruption in the study region. Specifically, in the area where the pyroclastic flows distributed more thickly, the original evergreen forest was replaced by Andropogoneae grasslands after the eruption, which has been dominating the landscape in this area for at least 900 years. By contrast, in areas only mildly affected by pyroclastic flows, despite the temporary replacement of forest by grassland, the forest developed and flourished within several hundreds of years of the eruption. This is because a large amount of pyroclastic flow would have devastated all of the vegetation, whereas smaller amounts would have left some untouched forest sites within refugia. Our findings suggest that the vegetation varied significantly depending on the amount of pyroclastic flow reaching the area, even within the pyroclastic flow distributed region.
Using Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Seasonal Prediction and Adapting to Climate Change Impacts in Bikita District in Zimbabwe
Authors: Mafongoya Owen , Mafongoya Paramu Leslie , Mudhara Maxwell
Published: April 2021

The use of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) in seasonal forecasting and adaptation to devastating vagaries of climate change has gained attention in academic discourses. The debates opened contrasting views with the first over-romanticizing IKS’ potentials, while the other arguing that it has many setbacks. In this study, we interrogated IKS’ roles in seasonal forecasting and chances of informing adaptation among poorly resourced smallholder farmers in ward 24, Bikita. Using focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and key informant interviews, we identified diverse indigenous indicators and interrogated how they subsequently inform adaptation. We noted that IKS is important in providing seasonal forecasting information, which is critical in making decisions in planning, designing cropping calendars, offering early warnings, as well informing preparedness against disasters. However, we also noted that IKS is under threat from Western education, Christianity, scientific seasonal forecasting (SSF), and climate change. These factors are challenging and reducing IKS’ reliability and hence increasing its susceptibility to disappearance. We concluded that IKS can be resuscitated if included in science education and policy frameworks. We recommended governments to formulate policy frameworks, which allow it to work well with SSF in reducing poorly resourced smallholder farmers’ vulnerability to climate change disasters.
Predictors of Maternal Participation in Fatherhood Intervention Research With African American Nonresident Fathers
Authors: Julion Wrenetha A. , Sumo Jen’nea , Schoeny Michael E. , Breitenstein Susan M. , Bounds Dawn T.
Published: April 2021

Purpose:

The goal of this study was to understand factors that predict mothers’ decisions to participate as data informants in a randomized controlled trial of a fatherhood intervention for African-American non-resident fathers.

Method:

Baseline data from 178 fathers and 125 mothers in the Dedicated African American Dad (DAAD) study were examined. Prior research and theoretical frameworks by Feinberg and Morawska informed father variable selection. Data were analyzed via bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

Results:

Mothers were likely to participate as data informants when they had younger children, the father reported higher stress, less conflict with the mother, and the mothers’ female relatives were less supportive of the father.

Conclusion:

Mothers’ decisions to participate as data informants in a fatherhood intervention are shaped by a complex array of social, interpersonal and family relationships that impact co-parenting. More research is needed to explore maternal characteristics and additional factors that could influence maternal predictors of participation. Future intervention research with African American non-resident fathers should seek to capitalize on the importance of the co-parenting relationship, by intervening prenatally, bolstering social support, and including extended family and kin networks.
Does News Frame Affect Free Movement Attitudes? A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Theorin Nora , Meltzer Christine E. , Galyga Sebastian , Strömbäck Jesper , Schemer Christian , Eberl Jakob-Moritz , Lind Fabienne , Heidenreich Tobias , Boomgaarden Hajo G.
Published: April 2021

The policy of free movement—one of the core principles of the European Union—has become increasingly politicized. This makes it more important to understand how attitudes toward free movement are shaped, and the role of the media. The purpose of this study is therefore to investigate how news frames affect attitudes toward free movement, and whether education moderates framing effects. The findings from a survey experiment conducted in seven European countries show that the effects are few and inconsistent across countries. This suggest that these attitudes are not easily shifted by exposure to a single news frame.
Flexoelectricity and the entropic force between fluctuating fluid membranes
Authors: Mozaffari Kosar , Ahmadpoor Fatemeh , Sharma Pradeep
Published: April 2021

Biological membranes undergo noticeable thermal fluctuations at physiological temperatures. When two membranes approach each other, they hinder the out-of-plane fluctuations of the other. This hindrance leads to an entropic repulsive force between membranes which, in an interplay with attractive and repulsive forces owing to other sources, affects a range of biological functions: cell adhesion, membrane fusion, self-assembly, binding–unbinding transition among others. In this work, we take cognizance of the fact that biological membranes are not purely mechanical entities and, owing to the phenomenon of flexoelectricity, exhibit a coupling between deformation and electric polarization. The ensuing coupled mechanics–electrostatics–statistical mechanics problem is analytically intractable. We use a variational perturbation method to analyze, in closed form, the contribution of flexoelectricity to the entropic force between two fluctuating membranes and discuss its possible physical implications. We find that flexoelectricity leads to a correction that switches from an enhanced attraction at close membrane separations and an enhanced repulsion when the membranes are further apart.
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase δ-Specific Inhibitor-Induced Changes in the Ovary and Testis in the Sprague Dawley Rat and Cynomolgus Monkey
Authors: Ishida Katsu , Werner Jonathan A. , Lafleur Marc , Wisler John , Wannberg Sharon , Kalanzi Jackson , Bussiere Jeanine L. , Monticello Thomas M.
Published: April 2021

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) δ is a lipid kinase primarily found in leukocytes, which regulates important cell functions. AMG2519493 was a PI3K δ-specific inhibitor in development for treatment of various inflammatory diseases. AMG2519493-related changes in the male and/or female reproductive organs were observed in the 1- and 3-month oral repeat dose toxicology studies in the rat and cynomolgus monkey. Hemorrhagic corpora lutea cysts and increased incidence of corpora lutea cysts without hemorrhage were observed in the ovaries at supra pharmacological doses in the rat. A decrease in seminiferous germ cells in the testis, indicative of spermatogenesis maturation arrest, was observed in both the rat and cynomolgus monkey. Although the characteristics were comparable, the drug systemic exposures associated with the testicular changes were very different between the 2 species. In the rat, the testicular change was only observed at supra pharmacologic exposure. Isotype assessment of PI3K signaling in rat spermatogonia in vitro indicated a role for PI3K β, but not δ, in the c Kit/PI3K/protein kinase B signaling pathway. Therefore, changes in both the ovary and testis of the rat were considered due to off target effect as they only occurred at suprapharmacologic exposure. In contrast, the testicular changes in the cynomolgus monkey (decrease in seminiferous germ cells) occurred at very low doses associated with PI3K δ-specific inhibition, indicating that the PI3K δ isoform may be important in spermatogenesis maturation in the cynomolgus monkey. Our results suggest species-related differences in PI3K isoform-specific control on reproductive organs.
Breastfeeding in Primary Healthcare Setting: Evaluation of Nurses and Midwives Competencies, Training, Barriers and Satisfaction of Breastfeeding Educational Experiences in Northern Ghana
Authors: Dubik Stephen Dajaan , Yirkyio Ernestina , Ebenezer Kingsley E
Published: April 2021

Background:

Breastfeeding education is critical in improving healthcare professionals’ competencies in providing breastfeeding care to mothers. We evaluated breastfeeding competencies, training, barriers and satisfaction of breastfeeding educational experiences among nurses and midwives in the Sagnarigu Municipality, Ghana.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study included nurses and midwives providing maternal and child health services at various primary healthcare facilities in Sagnarigu Municipality.

Results:

Nurses and midwives had higher pre-service breastfeeding training than in-service training with a mean training score of 10.0 and 5.2, respectively. Nurses and midwives who had both pre-service and in-service training had better satisfaction score ( P = .003), positive attitudes ( P = .016) and higher confidence level about breastfeeding ( P = .007). Approximately, 80% of the nurses and midwives reported that they need further training/updating on breastfeeding while 40% reported clinical/professional practice as the significant contributor to their breastfeeding counselling competencies. Mean satisfaction score correlated positively with confidence levels about breastfeeding counselling ( r = .224, P = .022) and pre-service training ( r = .342, P < .001); confidence levels about breastfeeding counselling also correlated positively with attitudes towards breastfeeding counselling ( r = .348, P < .001). Commonly reported barriers to breastfeeding counselling were mother’s poor compliance with breastfeeding recommendations, too much workload, inadequate time and materials for breastfeeding counselling.

Conclusion:

Nurses and midwives in this study felt confident about breastfeeding counselling, had positive attitudes towards breastfeeding counselling and generally, satisfied with their breastfeeding educational experiences. Despite nurses and midwives agreeing that breastfeeding counselling is integral in their professional practice, their role in providing breastfeeding counselling is hindered by individual and health systems barriers.
Antecedents of primary school teachers’ need-supportive and need-thwarting styles in physical education
Authors: Escriva-Boulley Géraldine , Haerens Leen , Tessier Damien , Sarrazin Philippe
Published: April 2021

It is widely acknowledged that teachers’ (de)motivating style (what they say, do and how they act) affects students’ learning. Understanding what leads teachers to adopt a (de)motivating style is necessary to develop effective training programmes. The current study aimed to identify antecedents of teachers’ motivating (i.e. need-supportive) and demotivating (i.e. need-thwarting) styles by (a) examining the relationships between five types of pressures and these styles and (b) investigating the mediating role of motivation. A total of 509 generalist primary school teachers completed a questionnaire about their perceived styles, perceived pressures from above (i.e. time constraints, pressure to display authority), below (i.e. perceptions of students’ disengagement) and within (i.e. beliefs about the effectiveness of rewards, and the adherence to entity theory), and their autonomous and controlled motivations to teach physical education. Structural equation modelling showed that a need-supportive style was negatively predicted by students’ disengagement and teachers’ adherence to entity theory, and this relation was fully mediated by autonomous motivation. A need-thwarting style was positively predicted by pressure to display authority and beliefs about the effectiveness of rewards. Results showed that when pressures from below and from within are reduced, teachers adopt a more need-supportive style, because they are more likely to enjoy and value teaching. Conversely, when pressures from above and from within are prevalent, teachers are more likely to adopt a need-thwarting style. This study identified the pressures to be targeted when developing interventions which aim to modify teachers’ (de)motivating styles which in turn could impact students’ motivation and behaviours.
The social medicine specialty in southern Sweden
Authors: Lindström Martin
Published: April 2021

Aims:

This article discusses the situation of the social medicine specialty in Skåne, southern Sweden with the aim of understanding the long-term trends of this medical specialty in Skåne and its relation to research in social medicine.

Results:

In the 1950s to 1980s, there was a balance between clinical and preventive practice, and research. This balance was maintained in the 1980s to early 2000s as the medical specialty and the research moved ‘upstream’ in the chain of causality to psychosocial, socio-economic and contextual determinants of health. The increasingly ‘upstream’ character of the specialty and particularly its new position in the regional organisation since 2010 may have made it more vulnerable to general executive-level reorganisations.

Conclusions:

The specialty should maintain its ‘upstream’ focus but regain its proximal scope in prevention, epidemiology and health equity. It should regain its place in the health-care system organisation or alternatively become a state-based instead of regional specialty.
Novel Combined Approach for Digital Necrosis Secondary to Raynaud’s Phenomenon
Authors: Vegas Diego Herrera , Fabiani Mario Alejandro , Gonzalez-Urquijo Mauricio , Bignotti Agustín , Seré Ignacio , Salvadores Pablo
Published: April 2021

The presence of severe Raynaud’s Phenomenon (RP), with permanent pain or digital necrosis is a rare condition. Cervical sympathectomy or distal sympathectomy or A botulinum toxin have demonstrated efficacy after medical treatment failure. We report the case of a 38-year-old female patient with an acute onset of severe RP in both hands secondary to systemic sclerosis. Medical treatment failed, so a novel approach by a combination of a modified distal sympathectomy and injection of A botulinum toxin on digital neuromuscular bundles was performed. Remission of the pain occurred immediately after the procedure and 45 days later she had complete healing of the digital wounds and recovered full mobilization of both hands. The patient remained asymptomatic 6 month after the procedure, and a Doppler ultrasound showed tri-phasic flows distal to the surgical site. This novel technique is described, and a brief review of the literature is performed.
War misguidance: Visualizing quagmire in the US War in Afghanistan
Authors: Ritchie Marnie
Published: April 2021

This article argues that the US War in Afghanistan, given its status as a Long War, must contend with a specific visual form that threatens to disclose that the war is an irreversible failure: the ‘visual quagmire’. A visual quagmire is a visualization of a nation’s catastrophic, self-inflicted entanglement in war. In ‘Cluster fuck: The forcible frame in Errol Morris’s Standard Operating Procedure’ (2010), Linda Williams argues that the ‘cluster fuck’ is the ‘most eloquent figure of the American entanglement in Iraq’. This essay proposes that the ‘visual quagmire’ is an eloquent figure of the failure of America’s networked war in Afghanistan. To support this, this essay analyzes the widely criticized PowerPoint slide depicting counterinsurgency dynamics in Afghanistan, which was presented to the then Commander of US Forces in Afghanistan, General Stanley A McChrystal in summer 2009. Elaborating on the form of the ‘visual quagmire’ underscores the importance of theorizing the processual emergence of quagmires and indexes that US military forces are responsible for strategic misguidance through how they visualize war.
Shear wave elastography as a new, non-invasive diagnostic modality for the diagnosis of penile elasticity: a prospective multicenter study
Authors: Illiano Ester , Trama Francesco , Ruffo Antonio , Romeo Giuseppe , Riccardo Filippo , Iacono Fabrizio , Costantini Elisabetta
Published: April 2021

Objective:

Shear wave elastosonography (SWE) could be used to evaluate the elasticity of penile tissue. Few studies in the literature, however, have investigated its use in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) or have attempted to correlate findings with International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) scores. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of erectile tissue using SWE and to determine possible relationships with IIEF-5 and Erection Hardness Scale (EHS) scores. The secondary aim was to establish a cut-off SWE examination value over which cavernous tissue stiffness could contribute to a subsequent organic alteration.

Methods:

This prospective study included male patients 18−80 years of age who attended two general andrology clinics and underwent SWE. Subjects were divided into groups according to IIEF-5 score, and correlations between SWE and IIEF-5 and EHS questionnaire scores were explored.

Results:

A total of 270 subjects (mean age 46.7 ± 16.9 years) were included. ED was reflected by low IIEF-5 and EHS scores and a decrease in the mean elasticity of the corpora cavernosa according to SWE, although the difference between the left and right corpora cavernosa was not statistically significant. No statistically significant correlation was found between measurements of the corpora cavernosa (in kPa) and age. The optimal cut-off identified was 24.75 kPa.

Conclusion:

Results demonstrated that the mean elasticity of the corpora cavernosa according to SWE was correlated with IIEF-5 score and EHS score.
Poultry feather disulphide bond breakdown to enable bio-based polymer production
Authors: McGauran Thomas , Dunne Nicholas , Smyth Beatrice M. , Cunningham Eoin , Harris Matt
Published: April 2021

With oil supplies, needed for plastic production, decreasing dramatically, there is a clear driver for alterative polymers from sustainable resources. Poultry feathers, containing ∼90% keratin, are one source of natural polymer with huge potential for biopolymer production. However, the presence of crosslinks, known as disulphide bonds, hinders processability. This paper reviews techniques to enable breakage of disulphide bonds through use of reduction agents (sodium sulphite and sodium sulphate) and hydrolysis. Samples were analysed using FTIR and DSC to quantify achievable bond breakage, effect on thermal properties and changes in protein concentration. A review on the effect of particle size on disulphide bond breakage was also conducted, along with quantifying the reformation of bonds post-processing. Finally, a bicinchoninic acid (BCA) protein assay was used to quantify changes to soluble protein content, key to predicting if biopolymer formation can occur. The results showed a final disulphide bond breakage of between 48% and 67% was achievable using these techniques. It was also shown that disulphide bond content exhibited up to 60% bond reformation post treatment. These reductions in disulphide bonds increased the thermoplastic nature and apparent protein content. Despite achieving the highest bond breakage percentage, hydrolysis caused degradation of useful proteins, rendering the material unsuitable for biopolymer production. Results suggested that treatment with sodium sulphite (4.3% wt. of feathers) and use of a small particle size (0–100 µm), sufficiently altered the properties of raw feathers to enable feather biopolymer production.