bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pair-production of cusps on a string in AdS3
Authors: Vegh David
Published: March 2021

Abstract

The classical motion of a Nambu-Goto string in AdS3 spacetime is governed by the generalized sinh-Gordon equation. It can locally be reduced to the sinh-Gordon (shG), cosh-Gordon (chG), or Liouville equation, depending on the value of the scalar curvature of the induced metric. In this paper, I examine solutions that contain both shG-type and chG-type regions. The boundary between these regions moves with the speed of light. I show that near such boundaries (generalized) solitons can be classically pair-produced. The solitons move subluminally (superluminally) in the shG (chG) region on the worldsheet, and they correspond to cusps on the string. A direct energy cascade is observed at the moment of pair-creation.

For the calculations, I use an exact discretization of the equation of motion. The solutions are segmented strings. In this discrete system, pair-production leads to a complete evaporation of the shG region. The final state is a gas of cusps in a chG environment.
Biomechanics of a cemented short stem: a comparative in vitro study regarding primary stability and maximum fracture load
Authors: Freitag Tobias , Kutzner Karl Philipp , Bieger Ralf , Reichel Heiko , Ignatius Anita , Dürselen Lutz
Published: March 2021

Purpose

In total hip arthroplasty, uncemented short stems have been used more and more frequently in recent years. Especially for short and curved femoral implants, bone-preserving and soft tissue-sparing properties are postulated. However, indication is limited to sufficient bone quality. At present, there are no curved short stems available which are based on cemented fixation.

Methods

In this in vitro study, primary stability and maximum fracture load of a newly developed cemented short-stem implant was evaluated in comparison to an already well-established cemented conventional straight stem using six pairs of human cadaver femurs with minor bone quality. Primary stability, including reversible micromotion and irreversible migration, was assessed in a dynamic material-testing machine. Furthermore, a subsequent load-to-failure test revealed the periprosthetic fracture characteristics.

Results

Reversible and irreversible micromotions showed no statistical difference between the two investigated stems. All short stems fractured under maximum load according to Vancouver type B3, whereas 4 out of 6 conventional stems suffered a periprosthetic fracture according to Vancouver type C. Mean fracture load of the short stems was 3062 N versus 3160 N for the conventional stems (p = 0.84).

Conclusion

Primary stability of the cemented short stem was not negatively influenced compared to the cemented conventional stem and no significant difference in fracture load was observed. However, a clear difference in the fracture pattern has been identified.
Beyond basic psychological needs: The hope construct during adjuvant treatment in colorectal cancer patients
Authors: Romero-Elías María , González-Cutre David , Beltrán-Carrillo Vicente J. , Jiménez-Loaisa Alejandro
Published: March 2021

This study explored basic psychological needs (BPN) experiences, motivation to continue living, and psychological well-being in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients during adjuvant treatment. Qualitative data from 30 participants (ten CRC patients, ten relatives and ten healthcare professionals) were collected by performing two sets of semi-structured interviews. Three categories were identified: (a) BPN frustration, (b) hope as a source of motivation, and (c) sources of hope. This last category included several subcategories: positive attitude, religious faith, positive medical feedback, knowing that they were going to receive a short-term chemotherapy, and being aware that other patients were in a worse condition. CRC patients felt their basic psychological needs were thwarted during adjuvant treatment. However, hopeful thoughts were reported as relevant sources of motivation to live, which positively impacted on patients’ psychological well-being. Future research could explore the construct of hope as a hypothetical moderator between BPN and CRC patients’ well-being during treatment.
Lange nicht-codierende RNAs in der Angiogenese
Authors: Brandes Ralf P. , Leisegang Matthias S.
Published: March 2021

More than 97 percent of the transcribed RNA in mammalian cells is not coding for proteins. Among these are micro RNAs (miRs), transfer RNAs (tRNA) as well as ribosomal RNAs (rRNA) but also long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). This RNA class is only defined by its sequence length of more than 200 nucleotides and its lack of protein coding potential. The human genome encodes for more than 18.000 lncRNAs which contribute to gene expression control. Here, we discuss the function of these lncRNAs and how they modulate the angiogenic process of vessel growth.
Makrophagen in der Krankheitsentstehung und Therapie
Authors: Lachmann Nico
Published: March 2021

Macrophages are unique cells of the innate immunity and can be found in various tissues (tissue resident macrophages; TRMs). Macrophages and TRMs play a pivotal role in tissue homeostasis and can contribute to the onset and progression of certain diseases. We and others have developed macrophage-based cellular immunotherapies and explored the field of immune cell farming using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Combination of iPSCs and bioreactors opens new ways in cellular therapies.
Clinicopathological factors and survival outcomes of signet-ring cell and mucinous carcinoma versus adenocarcinoma of the colon and rectum: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Fadel Michael G. , Malietzis George , Constantinides Vasilis , Pellino Gianluca , Tekkis Paris , Kontovounisios Christos
Published: March 2021

Background

Histological subtypes of colorectal cancer may be associated with varied prognostic features. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare clinicopathological characteristics, recurrence and overall survival between colorectal signet-ring cell (SC) and mucinous carcinoma (MC) to conventional adenocarcinoma (AC).

Methods

A literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Ovid and Cochrane Library was performed for studies that reported data on clinicopathological and survival outcomes on SC and/or MC versus AC from January 1985 to May 2020. Meta-analysis was performed using random-effect models and between-study heterogeneity was assessed.

Results

Thirty studies of 1,087,055 patients were included: 11,510 (1.06%) with SC, 110,179 (10.13%) with MC and 965,366 (88.81%) with AC. Patients with SC were younger than patients with AC (WMD − 0.47; 95% CI − 0.84 to –0.10; I2 88.6%; p = 0.014) and more likely to have right-sided disease (OR 2.12; 95% CI 1.72–2.60; I2 82.9%; p < 0.001). Locoregional recurrence at 5 years was more frequent in patients with SC (OR 2.81; 95% CI 1.40–5.65; I2 0.0%; p = 0.004) and MC (OR 1.92; 95% CI 1.18–3.15; I2 74.0%; p = 0.009). 5-year overall survival was significantly reduced when comparing SC and MC to AC (HR 2.54; 95% CI 1.98–3.27; I2 99.1%; p < 0.001 and HR 1.38; 95% CI 1.19–1.61; I2 98.6%; p < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

SC and MC are associated with right-sided lesions, advanced stage at presentation, higher rates of recurrence and poorer overall survival. This has strong implications towards surgical and oncological management and surveillance of colorectal cancer.
New immunological potential markers for triple negative breast cancer: IL18R1, CD53, TRIM, Jaw1, LTB, PTPRCAP
Authors: Marchetti Paolo , Antonov Alexey , Anemona Lucia , Vangapandou Chaitania , Montanaro Manuela , Botticelli Andrea , Mauriello Alessandro , Melino Gerry , Catani M. Valeria
Published: March 2021

Breast cancer (BC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide, and settings of specific prognostic factors and efficacious therapies are made difficult by phenotypic heterogeneity of BC subtypes. Therefore, there is a current urgent need to define novel predictive genetic predictors that may be useful for stratifying patients with distinct prognostic outcomes. Here, we looked for novel molecular signatures for triple negative breast cancers (TNBCs). By a bioinformatic approach, we identified a panel of genes, whose expression was positively correlated with disease-free survival in TNBC patients, namely IL18R1, CD53, TRIM, Jaw1, LTB, and PTPRCAP, showing specific immune expression profiles linked to survival prediction; most of these genes are indeed expressed in immune cells and are required for productive lymphocyte activation. According to our hypothesis, these genes were not, or poorly, expressed in different TNBC cell lines, derived from either primary breast tumours or metastatic pleural effusions. This conclusion was further supported in vivo, as immuno-histochemical analysis on biopsies of TNBC invasive ductal carcinomas highlighted differential expression of these six genes in cancer cells, as well as in intra- and peri-tumoral infiltrating lymphocytes. Our data open to the possibility that inter-tumour heterogeneity of immune markers might have predictive value; further investigations are recommended in order to establish the real power of cancer-related immune profiles as prognostic factors.
Wi-fi related radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF): a pilot experimental study of personal exposure and risk perception
Authors: Zeleke Berihun M. , Brzozek Christopher , Bhatt Chhavi R. , Abramson Michael J. , Freudenstein Frederik , Croft Rodney J. , Wiedemann Peter , Benke Geza
Published: March 2021

The impact of providing people with an objectively measured personal radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) exposure information on the risk perception of people is not well understood. We conducted an experimental study, among three groups of participants, to investigate the risk perception of people towards RF-EMF from Wi-Fi sources (ISM 2.4 GHz) by providing participants with either basic text, precautionary information, or a summary of their personal RF-EMF exposure measurement levels. Participants provided with personal RF-EMF exposure measurement information were more confident in protecting themselves from RF-EMF exposure, compared to those provided with only basic information. Nonetheless, neither the exposure perception nor the risk perception of people to Wi-Fi related RF-EMF differed by the type of information provided. The measured Wi-Fi signal levels were far below international exposure limits. Furthermore, self-rated levels of personal RF-EMF exposure perception were not associated with objectively measured RF-EMF exposure levels. Providing people with objectively measured information may help them build confidence in protecting themselves from Wi-Fi related RF-EMF exposure.
Cardiac Regeneration: the Heart of the Issue
Authors: Carotenuto Felicia , Manzari Vittorio , Di Nardo Paolo
Published: March 2021

Purpose of Review

The regenerative capacity of the heart is insufficient to compensate for the pathological loss of cardiomyocytes during a large injury, such as a myocardial infarction. Therapeutic options for patients after cardiac infarction are limited: treatment with drugs that only treat the symptoms or extraordinary measures, such as heart transplantation. Cell therapies offer a promising strategy for cardiac regeneration. In this brief review, the major issues in these areas are discussed, and possible directions for future research are indicated.

Recent Findings

Cardiac regeneration can be obtained by at least two strategies: the first is direct to generate an ex vivo functional myocardial tissue that replaces damaged tissue; the second approach aims to stimulate endogenous mechanisms of cardiac repair. However, current cell therapies are still hampered by poor translation into actual clinical applications.

In this scenario, recent advancements in cell biology and biomaterial-based technologies can play a key role to design effective therapeutic approaches.
Cultivating the Ethical Repertoires of Behavior Analysts: Prevention of Common Violations
Authors: Britton Lisa N. , Crye Amy A. , Haymes Linda K.
Published: March 2021

Violations of the Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts occur despite coursework, supervision, and training. In this discussion, we highlight the most common violation categories identified: (a) improper or inadequate supervision/delegation, (b) failure to report/respond to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) as required, and (c) professionalism/integrity. The specific areas addressed under supervision/delegation involve behavior analysts’ standards and performance as supervisors, as well as compliance with coursework. For failure to report, the focus is on responding, reporting, and providing updated information to the BACB in a timely manner. Finally, the section on professionalism and integrity addresses multiple code elements, including integrity, professionalism, and scientific relationships, as well as methods for promoting an ethical culture and decisions involving ethical violations by others. Importantly, we provide guidance on the structure and organization of supervision, methods and guidelines regarding reporting, and rubrics to shape and evaluate professionalism and integrity. We provide recommendations for the supervision process and for practitioners from the organizational perspective so that the organization supports and promotes an ethical culture.
A tractor-trailer parking control scheme using adaptive dynamic programming
Authors: Guan Chenyong , Jiang Yu
Published: March 2021

This paper studies the online learning control of a truck-trailer parking problem via adaptive dynamic programming (ADP). The contribution is twofold. First, a novel ADP method is developed for systems with parametric nonlinearities. It learns the optimal control policy of the linearized system at the origin, while the learning process utilizes online measurements of the full system and is robust with respect to nonlinear disturbances. Second, a control strategy is formulated for a commonly seen truck-trailer parallel parking problem, and the proposed ADP method is integrated into the strategy to provide online learning capabilities and to handle uncertainties. A numerical simulation is conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.
Anytime and Efficient Multi-agent Coordination for Disaster Response
Authors: Capezzuto Luca , Tarapore Danesh , Ramchurn Sarvapali D.
Published: March 2021

TheCoalition Formation with Spatial and Temporal constraints Problem(CFSTP) is a multi-agent task allocation problem where the tasks are spatially distributed, with deadlines and workloads, and the number of agents is typically much smaller than the number of tasks. To maximise the number of completed tasks, the agents may have to schedule coalitions. The state-of-the-art CFSTP solver, theCoalition Formation with Look-Ahead(CFLA) algorithm, has two main limitations. First, its time complexity is exponential with the number of agents. Second, as we show, its look-ahead technique is not effective in real-world scenarios, such as open multi-agent systems, where new tasks can appear at any time. In this work, we study its design and define a variant, calledCoalition Formation with Improved Look-Ahead($$\text {CFLA}2$$CFLA2), which achieves better performance. Since we cannot eliminate the limitations of CFLA in$$\text {CFLA}2$$CFLA2, we also develop a novel algorithm to solve the CFSTP, the first to be simultaneously anytime, efficient and with convergence guarantee, calledCluster-based Task Scheduling(CTS). In tests where the look-ahead technique is highly effective, CTS completes up to$$30\%$$30%(resp.$$10\%$$10%) more tasks than CFLA (resp.$$\text {CFLA}2$$CFLA2) while being up to 4 orders of magnitude faster. We also propose S-CTS, a simplified but parallel variant of CTS with even lower time complexity. Using scenarios generated by the RoboCup Rescue Simulation, we show that S-CTS is at most$$10\%$$10%less performing than high-performance algorithms such as Binary Max-Sum and DSA, but up to 2 orders of magnitude faster. Our results affirm CTS as the new state-of-the-art algorithm to solve the CFSTP.
A Modified Pressure Dressing to Avoid Severe Bleeding After Circumcision With a Disposable Circumcision Suture Device and a Discussion on the Mechanism of Bleeding With the Disposable Circumcision Suture Device
Authors: Jiang Wei , Fu Jia-li , Guo Wen-liang , Yan Zai-chun , Zheng Ru-qiang , Lu Ji-ru , Lai Xiao-dong
Published: March 2021

Introduction

A novel type of a disposable circumcision suture device (DCSD) has been proved to be effective and safe; however, a few cases of severe bleeding took place after circumcisions.

Aim

To evaluate the effectiveness of a modified double-layer pressure dressing to avoid severe bleeding after circumcision with the DCSD, in our department in a prospective randomized controlled study, and discuss the mechanism of bleeding with DCSD.

Methods

Patients with redundant foreskin or phimosis were included between September 2018 and November 2019 and divided into 2 groups: In group A, the conventional pressure dressing was performed; in group B, an modified double-layer pressure dressing was performed.

Main Outcome Measure

The main outcomes and complications (surgical time, incidence of glans ischemia, severe bleeding rate, infection rate, pain level, total cost, and overall satisfaction) were collected and analyzed.

Results

A total of 624 patients were recruited for this study. There was no difference in the average age and body mass index between 2 groups. No patient suffered obvious glans ischemia. In group B, lower pain level, lower incidences of severe bleeding, and better satisfaction were recorded.

Conclusion

The mechanism of bleeding with the DCSD was discussed in this study, and the modified pressure dressing was proved effective, safe, and easy to perform.
Johannes Scherr
Authors: Cusack Andrew
Published: March 2021

Traces the career of the widely read cultural historian Johannes Scherr and his development of a new kind of historical writing for the increasingly globalized 19th-century world.
The Literary Politics of Mitteleuropa
Authors: Zivkovic Yvonne
Published: March 2021

Shows how postwar writers in Austria and Yugoslavia re-imagined Mitteleuropa as a cultural space between nostalgia and totalitarianism.
The River and the Sky: Astronomy and Topography in Caral Society, America's First Urban Centers
Authors: González-García A. César , Crispín Aldemar , Solís Ruth Shady , Ricra José , Criado-Boado Felipe , Belmonte Juan A.
Published: March 2021

America's first urban centers may have been located in the Supe Valley, Peru. After investigating the location and the orientation of the main built structures, we show that it is not only the presence of the Supe River that determines their orientation but also that astronomical relationships within the orientation of the buildings dictate their setting within the valley. The southernmost position of moonrise on the horizon seems to be the most important astronomical target. There is the possibility of a trend toward attributing greater importance to the June solstice sunrise and the rising of certain stars or asterisms. These orientations could relate to specific moments throughout the year, in particular to seasonal rains, subsequent river flooding, and agricultural cycles. This is one of the earliest examples of the interaction of land- and skyscapes in human cultures and indeed the first in the Americas.
THE NEKSELØ FISH WEIR AND MARINE RESERVOIR EFFECT IN NEOLITHIZATION PERIOD DENMARK
Authors: Fischer Anders , Olsen Jesper
Published: March 2021

The Nekselø Wickerwork provides an unusually solid estimate on the marine reservoir age in the Holocene. The basis for this result is a 5200-year-old fish weir, built of hazel wood with a brief biological age of its own. Oysters settled on this construction. They had lived only for a short number of years when the fence capsized and was covered in mud and the mollusks suffocated. Based on the difference in radiocarbon (14C) age between accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) samples of oyster shells and wood, respectively, the marine reservoir age for this site is estimated to 273 ± 18 14C years. Re-evaluations of previously produced data from geological and archaeological sites of Holocene date in the Danish archipelago indicate marine reservoir ages in the same order as that of the Wickerwork. Consequently, we recommend the use of the new value, rather than the ca. 400 14C years hitherto favored, when correcting for the dietary induced reservoir effect in radiocarbon dates of humans and animals from the Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithic periods of this region.
TEXTUAL NOTES ON PS.-DIOSCORIDES, ON SIMPLES
Authors: Fitch John G.
Published: March 2021

This article discusses the text of the work On Simples attributed to Dioscorides. It argues that in fifteen places the transmitted text is faulty, and it proposes emendations. It also studies certain types of insertions made in the text by its most recent editor, Max Wellmann, and concludes that they are unnecessary. Finally, it discusses two points where On Simples sheds light on Dioscorides’ De materia medica.
The War Crimes of Denying Judicial Guarantees and the Uncertainties Surrounding Their Material Elements
Authors: Marchesi Diletta
Published: March 2021

In July 2020 the International Criminal Court opened the trial in the Al Hassan case. For the first time in the history of international criminal justice a defendant is being tried with the charge of the war crime of sentencing or execution without due process in the context of a non-international armed conflict. Together with its equivalent in international armed conflicts – the war crime of denying a fair trial – this offence falls within the category of the war crimes of denying judicial guarantees. Although there are differences in their constitutive elements, both offences prohibit states and armed non-state actors from depriving prisoners of war and civilians of certain minimum judicial guarantees. The provisions that regulate these two crimes, however, present interpretative and practical issues which, so far, have not received sufficient consideration. Most notably, the material elements of the offences raise a range of interpretative doubts and are of cumbersome application. The objectives of the article are (i) to identify the issues posed by the material elements of the war crimes of denying judicial guarantees, (ii) to warn of the pitfalls hidden by the interpretation of the offences, and (iii) to trigger the debate on the issues that the crimes raise.
The Normative Influence of the UN Guiding Principles on the Kampala Convention in the Protection of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa
Authors: Deng Francis M , Adeola Romola
Published: March 2021

Over the last several decades, states have demonstrated significant political commitment towards advancing protection and assistance for internally displaced persons. A notable form in which this commitment has been reflected is in the emergence of normative standards, with the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (UNGP) as the guiding text. The fact that the UNGP framework has found expression in the landscape on internal displacement is evidenced at various levels of governance. Within the African context, the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention) draws on pertinent normative frameworks, with the UNGP as the leading framework. While this point is often made in general terms, this article focuses on the extent to which the norm on internal displacement has diffused and expanded within the African context.
Effect of coronavirus disease 2019 on recurrences and follow up of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Kytö E , Haapio E , Kinnunen I , Irjala H
Published: March 2021

Objective

This prospective study aimed to evaluate possible diagnostic delays in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma recurrences due to the changed follow-up protocol during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Methods

The follow-up appointments of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients treated more than one year prior to the pandemic were changed to telephone appointments in order to reduce physical visits to the hospital. All contacts, reasons for contact and recurrent cancers were recorded.

Results

There were 17 recurrences during a seven-month study period among 178 patients treated in the previous year (10 per cent); 14 of these recurrences occurred in patients whose treatment had ended less than one year previously and 3 occurred more than one year after treatment had ended. There was no delay in diagnoses of recurrent tumours or treatment despite reduced visits because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Conclusion

According to our analyses, no delay was caused in the diagnoses of recurrent diseases. Follow up by telephone or telemedicine can be considered as part of the follow-up protocol one year after the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma when necessary.
Gambling activity in the old-age general population
Authors: del Pino-Gutiérrez Amparo , Granero Roser , Fernández-Aranda Fernando , Mena-Moreno Teresa , Mestre-Bach Gemma , Gómez-Peña Mónica , Moragas Laura , Aymamí Neus , Giroux Isabelle , Grall-Bronnec Marie , Sauvaget Anne , Codina Ester , Vintró-Alcaraz Cristina , Lozano-Madrid María , Agüera Zaida , Sánchez-González Jéssica , Casalé Gemma , Baenas Isabel , Sánchez Isabel , López-González Hibai , Menchón José M. , Jiménez-Murcia Susana
Published: March 2021

Old age constitutes a vulnerable stage for developing gambling-related problems. The aims of the study were to identify patterns of gambling habits in elderly participants from the general population, and to assess socio-demographic and clinical variables related to the severity of the gambling behaviours. The sample included N = 361 participants aged in the 50–90 years range. A broad assessment included socio-demographic variables, gambling profile and psychopathological state. The percentage of participants who reported an absence of gambling activities was 35.5 per cent, while 46.0 per cent reported only non-strategic gambling, 2.2 per cent only strategic gambling and 16.3 per cent both non-strategic plus strategic gambling. Gambling form with highest prevalence was lotteries (60.4%), followed by pools (13.9%) and bingo (11.9%). The prevalence of gambling disorder was 1.4 per cent, and 8.0 per cent of participants were at a problematic gambling level. Onset of gambling activities was younger for men, and male participants also reached a higher mean for the bets per gambling-episode and the number of total gambling activities. Risk factors for gambling severity in the sample were not being born in Spain and a higher number of cumulative lifetime life events, and gambling severity was associated with a higher prevalence of tobacco and alcohol abuse and with worse psychopathological state. Results are particularly useful for the development of reliable screening tools and for the design of effective prevention programmes.
Synergy between callous–unemotional traits and aggression in preschool children: Cross-informant and cross-cultural replication in the UK Wirral Child Health and Development Study, and the Colombian La Sabana Parent–Child Study
Authors: Obando D. , Hill J. , Sharp H. , Pickles A. , Fisher L. , Wright N.
Published: March 2021

Incremental prediction of aggression from callous–unemotional (CU) traits is well established, but cross-cultural replication and studies of young children are needed. Little is understood about the contribution of CU traits in children who are already aggressive. We addressed these issues in prospective studies in the United Kingdom and Colombia. In a UK epidemiological cohort, CU traits and aggression were assessed at age 3.5 years, and aggression at 5.0 years by mothers (N = 687) and partners (N = 397). In a Colombian general population sample, CU traits were assessed at age 3.5 years and aggression at 3.5 and 5.0 years by mother report (N = 220). Analyses consistently showed prediction of age-5.0 aggression by age-3.5 CU traits controlling for age-3.5 aggression. Associations between age-3.5 CU traits and age-5.0 aggression were moderated by aggression at 3.5 years, with UK interaction terms, same informant, β = .07 p = .014 cross-informant, β = .14 p = .002, and in Colombia, β = .09 p = .128. The interactions arose from stronger associations between CU traits and later aggression in those already aggressive. Our findings with preschoolers replicated across culturally diverse settings imply a major role for CU traits in the maintenance and amplification of already established aggression, and cast doubt on their contribution to its origins.
The ‘First Exhibition of Russian Art’ in Berlin: The Transnational Origins of Bolshevik Cultural Diplomacy, 1921–1922
Authors: Berard Ewa
Published: March 2021

The emergence of a Soviet cultural diplomacy in the 1920s was hardly predictable. Bolsheviks’ propaganda for ‘world revolution’ reduced the image of Soviet Russia to one of Leninist-proletarian victory, while the rejection of diplomatic tradition and a distrust of artists and intellectuals precluded any commitment to cultural action abroad. This article explores how, when and why a Soviet cultural diplomacy developed. It focuses on two episodes related to the famine of 1921, including, based on new archival evidence, the First Exhibition of Russian Art in Berlin in October 1922. The exhibition's spectacular success paved the way for Soviet cultural diplomacy that moved away from overtly communist propaganda in order to address Western avant-garde literary and artistic milieus.
Neurochemistry of response inhibition and interference in gambling disorder: a preliminary study of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA+) and glutamate–glutamine (Glx)
Authors: Weidacker Kathrin , Johnston Stephen J. , Mullins Paul G. , Boy Frederic , Dymond Simon
Published: March 2021

Background

Neurobehavioral research on the role of impulsivity in gambling disorder (GD) has produced heterogeneous findings. Impulsivity is multifaceted with different experimental tasks measuring different subprocesses, such as response inhibition and distractor interference. Little is known about the neurochemistry of inhibition and interference in GD.

Methods

We investigated inhibition with the stop signal task (SST) and interference with the Eriksen Flanker task, and related performance to metabolite levels in individuals with and without GD. We employed magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to record glutamate–glutamine (Glx/Cr) and inhibitory, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA+/Cr) levels in the dorsal ACC (dACC), right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and an occipital control voxel.

Results

We found slower processing of complex stimuli in the Flanker task in GD (P < .001,η2p = 0.78), and no group differences in SST performance. Levels of dACC Glx/Cr and frequency of incongruent errors were correlated positively in GD only (r = 0.92,P = .001). Larger positive correlations were found for those with GD between dACC GABA+/Cr and SST Go error response times (z = 2.83,P = .004), as well as between dACC Glx/Cr and frequency of Go errors (z = 2.23,P = .03), indicating general Glx-related error processing deficits. Both groups expressed equivalent positive correlations between posterror slowing and Glx/Cr in the right dlPFC (GD:r = 0.74,P = .02; non-GD:r = .71,P = .01).

Conclusion

Inhibition and interference impairments are reflected in dACC baseline metabolite levels and error processing deficits in GD.
MISTAKEN AUTHORITY AND OBLIGATION
Authors: Venezia Luciano
Published: March 2021

Massimo Renzo argues that, as long as it is acting in good faith, an authority can issue orders that require subjects to act in ways that are morally wrong and still be acting within the scope of its jurisdiction, so that the orders are binding. This, however, is incorrect. If the authority is permitted to issue an order, it is acting within the scope of its jurisdiction and so the order creates an obligation. But if the authority is not permitted to issue the order, it is not acting within the scope of its jurisdiction and so the order does not create any obligation whatsoever. I develop my position and provide a model of mistaken authority through engagement with Renzo's view.
Adaptation, Validation and Preliminary Standardisation of the Frontal Systems Behaviour Scale – Apathy Subscale and the Dimensional Apathy Scale in Vietnamese Healthy Samples
Authors: Quang Halle , Sin Khanh , Kumfor Fiona , McDonald Skye
Published: March 2021

Objective:

Apathy, the reduction of motivation and goal-directed behaviour, is a ubiquitous behavioural syndrome in many neurological disorders. However, apathy measures are limited in non-English speaking countries. The present study aimed to develop a culturally appropriate version of the Vietnamese Frontal Systems Behavioural Scale-Apathy subscale (V-FrSBe-A) and Dimensional Apathy Scale (V-DAS), examine their internal reliability and construct validity (i.e., factor structure, convergent and divergent validity) in a Vietnamese healthy sample and establish preliminary normative cut-offs for clinical and research applications.

Method:

In total, 112 healthy subjects and 64 informants completed the self-report and informant report V-FrSBe-A and V-DAS, developed using a translation, back-translation and cultural adaptation procedure. McDonald’s omega was applied to examine internal reliability. The internal structure of the V-DAS was evaluated using exploratory structural equation model. For both apathy scales, convergent validity was determined by correlations between scales and between informant and self-report versions. Regarding divergent validity, participants completed the Vietnamese Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 and V-FrSBe-Disinhibition for depression and disinhibition assessment.

Results:

Both the V-FrSBe-A and V-DAS were reliable (ωt ≥ .74). Dimensional manifestations of apathy in executive, emotional and initiation domains were confirmed on the V-DAS. Both scales were also valid, convergent with each other and divergent from depression and disinhibition symptoms. Cut-off scores for both scales were higher than their English versions.

Conclusion:

The adapted V-FrSBe-A and V-DAS have good reliability and validity for the potential application in clinical groups to advance current knowledge about apathy transculturally and direct more effective clinical care for Vietnamese individuals with neurological disorders.
An Ottoman Historian in Troubled Times. Five Letters from Paul Wittek to Sydney N. Fisher, 1938–1949: The Testimony of a Friendship
Authors: HEYWOOD COLIN
Published: March 2021

The present short study publishes five hitherto unknown letters written by the Ottoman historian Paul Wittek (1894–1978) to the American Middle Eastern historian Sydney Nettleton Fisher (1906–87). Fisher was a graduate student of Wittek for a few months in 1938; the letters were written during two short periods (1938–9 and 1946–9), when Wittek was attached firstly to the Institut de Philologie et d'Histoire Orientales et Slaves at the Université Libre, Brussels, and secondly, from 1948 onwards, to the University of London. In the intervening years (1940–6), Wittek was a political refugee twice over in England. The letters manifest the development of a close friendship between Wittek and Fisher who, as two supplementary letters written to him by the British Arabist and Islamic scholar H. A. R. Gibb show, was also active during the war years in attempting—unsuccesfully—to facilitate Wittek's acceptance in the U.S.A. as a political refugee.
Does voluntary health insurance reduce the use of and the willingness to finance public health care in Sweden?
Authors: Kullberg Linn , Blomqvist Paula , Winblad Ulrika
Published: March 2021

Voluntary private health insurance (VHI) has generally been of limited importance in national health service-type health care systems, especially in the Nordic countries. During the last decades however, an increase in VHI uptake has taken place in the region. Critics of this development argue that voluntary health insurance can undermine support for public health care, while proponents contend that increased private funding for health services could relieve strained public health care systems. Using data from Sweden, this study investigates empirically how voluntary health insurance affects the public health care system. The results of the study indicate that the public Swedish health care system is fairly resilient to the impact of voluntary health insurance with regards to support for the tax-based funding. No difference between insurance holders and non-holders was found in willingness to finance public health care through taxes. A slight unburdening effect on public health care use was observed as VHI holders appeared to use public health care to a lesser extent than those without an insurance. However, a majority of the insurance holders continued to use the public health care system, indicating only a modest substitution effect.
GROUPS OF WORLDVIEW TRANSFORMATIONS IMPLIED BY EINSTEIN’S SPECIAL PRINCIPLE OF RELATIVITY OVER ARBITRARY ORDERED FIELDS
Authors: MADARÁSZ JUDIT X. , STANNETT MIKE , SZÉKELY GERGELY
Published: March 2021

In 1978, Yu. F. Borisov presented an axiom system using a few basic assumptions and four explicit axioms, the fourth being a formulation of the relativity principle, and he demonstrated that this axiom system had (up to choice of units) only two models: a relativistic one in which worldview transformations are Poincaré transformations and a classical one in which they are Galilean. In this paper, we reformulate Borisov’s original four axioms within an intuitively simple, but strictly formal, first-order logic framework, and convert his basic background assumptions into explicit axioms. Instead of assuming that the structure of physical quantities is the field of real numbers, we assume only that they form an ordered field. This allows us to investigate how Borisov’s theorem depends on the structure of quantities.

We demonstrate (as our main contribution) how to construct Euclidean, Galilean, and Poincaré models of Borisov’s axiom system over every non-Archimedean field. We also demonstrate the existence of an infinite descending chain of models and transformation groups in each of these three cases, something that is not possible over Archimedean fields.

As an application, we note that there is a model of Borisov’s axioms that satisfies the relativity principle, and in which the worldview transformations are Euclidean isometries. Over the field of reals it is easy to eliminate this model using natural axioms concerning time’s arrow and the absence of instantaneous motion. In the case of non-Archimedean fields, however, the Euclidean isometries appear intrinsically as worldview transformations in models of Borisov’s axioms, and neither the assumption of time’s arrow, nor the rejection of instantaneous motion, can eliminate them.
„Die Entwicklung von ADHS-Symptomen und Schulnoten im Verlauf der späten Grundschulzeit“
Authors: Schmiedeler Sandra , Segerer Robin , Schneider Wolfgang
Published: March 2021

Zusammenfassung. Der Zusammenhang zwischen ADHS-Symptomen und schulischen Problemen ist vielfach belegt. Dabei ist denkbar, dass nicht nur ADHS-Symptome die schulische Entwicklung beeinflussen, sondern auch, dass Leistungsbewertungen Effekte auf ADHS-Symptome ausüben können. Daher untersuchten wir den reziproken Zusammenhang von ADHS-Symptomen nach Lehrerurteil und Schulnoten im Fach Deutsch während der dritten und vierten Klassenstufe. Um querschnittliche und längsschnittliche Zusammenhänge der Diskrepanz von objektiven Leistungswerten und Schulnoten mit späteren ADHS-Symptomen abzubilden, wurden die Schulnoten der Kinder mithilfe standardisierter Lese- und Rechtschreibtests kontrolliert. Die Daten wurden im Rahmen des Projekts „Schulreifes Kind“ in 42 Schulen in Baden-Württemberg erhoben ( N = 1777) und mithilfe eines „Cross-Lagged-Panel-Designs“ modelliert. Die Ergebnisse bestätigen eine signifikante querschnittliche Korrelation zwischen behavioralen ADHS-Symptomen und Deutschnoten ( r = .25, ADHS geht mit schlechteren Noten einher) sowie einen bedeutsamen längsschnittlichen Effekt von ADHS-Symptomen in der dritten Klasse auf Schulnoten in der vierten Klasse bei Kontrolle von Alter, Geschlecht, Migrationshintergrund und akademischer Leistung (β = .06). ADHS-Symptome können sich tendenziell leicht notenverschlechternd auswirken. Gleichzeitig wurde ein längsschnittlicher Effekt der Noten auf die ADHS-Symptome der vierten Klasse nach Kontrolle des autoregressiven Effekts der ADHS-Symptome und der Schulleistungstests in der dritten Klasse sichtbar (β = .07). Bessere Deutschnoten gehen somit auch nach Kontrolle von Leistungswerten mit geringeren späteren ADHS-Werten einher.
Der longitudinale Zusammenhang von Coparenting, Beziehungsqualität und kindlichen psychischen Störungen
Authors: Supke Max , Schulz Wolfgang , Hahlweg Kurt
Published: March 2021

Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: Die Beziehungsqualität (BQ) zwischen den Eltern und deren Allianz in der Elternrolle (Coparenting [CP]) zählen zu den wichtigsten familiären Schutzfaktoren für die kindliche Entwicklung. Fragestellung: Wie hoch ist die Stabilität der BQ und des CPs über den Verlauf von zehn Jahren mit sechs Messzeitpunkten und inwiefern hängen beide Konstrukte zusammen? Sagen die BQ und das CP psychische Störungen im Kindes- und Jugendalter voraus? Methode: Die Daten von N = 219 zum ersten Messzeitpunkt verheirateten bzw. zusammenlebenden Familien mit einem Kindergartenkind wurden längsschnittlich ausgewertet. Ergebnisse: Die Stabilität der BQ ( rMütter = .71; rVäter = .75) und des CPs ( rM = .67; rV = .71) sowie die BQ*CP Interkorrelation ( rM = -.60; rV = -.57) über den Verlauf von zehn Jahren sind als hoch zu bewerten. Insbesondere CP sagte psychische Störungen im Kindes- und Jugendalter voraus (β = .16 – .45). Diskussion: Aufgrund der Stabilität der beiden Konstrukte könnten frühzeitige Interventionen mit langfristigen positiven Effekten assoziiert sein.
Krankheitsängste bei Psychologiestudierenden
Authors: Roth-Rawald Julia , Kühne Franziska , Lazarides Rebecca , Weck Florian
Published: March 2021

Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: Als Medical Students’ Disease wird die Angst von Medizinstudierenden bezeichnet, unter Krankheiten zu leiden, mit denen sie sich im Studium auseinandersetzen. Fragestellung: Es wurde untersucht, ob ähnliche Phänomene vorübergehender Krankheitsängste auch bei Psychologiestudierenden existieren. Methode: Mittels etablierter Illness-Attitude-Scales (IAS) und einer eigens entwickelten Ergänzung wurden Ängste vor somatischen und psychischen Erkrankungen erhoben. Ergebnisse: Krankheitsängste bei Psychologiestudierenden waren nicht stärker ausgeprägt als bei Studierenden anderer Fachrichtungen. Ängste vor körperlichen Erkrankungen waren häufiger als Ängste vor psychischen Störungen, die keiner signifikanten zeitlichen Veränderung unterlagen. Schlussfolgerung: Die Beschäftigung mit psychischen Störungen geht nicht zwangsläufig mit einem Anstieg von Ängsten vor psychischen Erkrankungen unter Psychologiestudierenden einher. Erhöhte Belastungswerte bei allen Studierenden legen nahe, dass das Studium selbst eine Herausforderung darstellt, für deren Bewältigung Unterstützung angeboten werden kann.
Hemispheric Asymmetries in the Mid‐latitude Ionosphere During the September 7–8, 2017 Storm: Multi‐instrument Observations
Authors: Wang Zihan , Zou Shasha , Liu Lei , Ren Jiaen , Aa Ercha
Published: March 2021

Hemispheric asymmetries of the Vertical Total Electron Content (VTEC) were observed during the first recovery phase of the geomagnetic storm on September 7–8, 2017. These asymmetries occurred at the mid latitudes at two different local times simultaneously: In the European‐African sector (early morning), the storm time VTEC in the southern/northern hemisphere was higher/lower than the quiet time value, suggesting the southern/northern hemisphere entered the positive/negative phase (N−S+). In the East Asian‐Australian sector (afternoon), the storm time VTEC change was positive in the northern hemisphere, but negative in the southern hemisphere (N+S−). The electron density profiles from digisondes demonstrated that the asymmetries appeared in the F region density as well. The plasma drifts data from digisondes, the column‐integrated [O]/[N2] ratio from GUVI onboard the TIMED satellite, and the detrended VTEC were utilized to study the drivers of the asymmetries. Traveling Ionospheric Disturbance (TID) signatures were identified in the digisonde drift and detrended VTEC data before the appearance of the asymmetry. The magnitude of TIDs was larger in the hemisphere where the negative phase occurred later. The storm time [O]/[N2] ratio change was positive in Africa (S+) and negative in Europe (N−). However, the [O]/[N2] measurements were not available in the East Asian‐Australian sector during the focused period. The hemispheric differences in the vertical drifts were also observed in both sectors. Therefore, the observed hemispheric asymmetries in both sectors are suggested to be due to the hemispheric asymmetries in the thermospheric composition change, vertical drift, and TID activity.
Surf Zone Waves at the Onset of Breaking: 2. Predicting Breaking and Breaker Type
Authors: Carini Roxanne J. , Chickadel C. Chris , Jessup Andrew T.
Published: March 2021

This is the second of a two‐part series concerning remote observation and wave‐by‐wave analysis of the onset of breaking for spilling and plunging waves in the surf zone. Nearshore phase‐averaged and phase‐resolving wave models parameterize and directly simulate wave breaking and require realistic critical values of key wave parameters, such as the depth‐limited breaking index γ, steepness, or phase speed to initialize wave breaking. Using LIDAR line‐scans and infrared imagery, we observe over 1,600 breaking waves at the US Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility (FRF) in Duck, NC, and examine these parameters on a wave‐by‐wave basis at the onset of breaking for 413 spilling and 111 plunging waves. We find that γ is maximum near the onset of breaking at values consistent with those previously observed at the FRF, but that γ for plunging waves (0.73 ≤ γP ≤ 0.81) is greater than γ for spilling waves (0.63 ≤ γS ≤ 0.71). Direct estimates of wave face slope are maximum at the onset of breaking, approximately 22° for spilling and 30° for plunging waves. Using the relationship between γ and wave face slope, we develop a threshold for the onset of breaking that is a linear function of the two parameters. Wave face slope and γ are further used together to quantify whether a spilling‐ or plunging‐type breaker is more likely. We test the Miche steepness limit on our depth‐limited breaking data and find it correctly predicts only 10% of the plunging breakers and none of the spilling breakers in the surf zone.