bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Equilibrium payoffs in two-player discounted OLG games
Authors: Morooka Chihiro
Published: May 2021

This paper studies payoffs in subgame perfect equilibria of two-player discounted overlapping generations games with perfect monitoring. Assuming that mixed strategies are observable and a public randomization device is available, it is shown that sufficiently patient players can obtain any payoffs in the interior of the smallest rectangle containing the feasible and strictly individually rational payoffs of the stage game, when we first choose the rate of discount and then choose the players’ lifespan. Unlike repeated games without overlapping generations, obtaining payoffs outside the feasible set of the stage game does not require unequal discounting.
Nonexistence of Subcritical Solitary Waves
Authors: Kozlov Vladimir , Lokharu Evgeniy , Wheeler Miles H.
Published: May 2021

We prove the nonexistence of two-dimensional solitary gravity water waves with subcritical wave speeds and an arbitrary distribution of vorticity. This is a longstanding open problem, and even in the irrotational case there are only partial results relying on sign conditions or smallness assumptions. As a corollary, we obtain a relatively complete classification of solitary waves: they must be supercritical, symmetric, and monotonically decreasing on either side of a central crest. The proof introduces a new function which is related to the so-called flow force and has several surprising properties. In addition to solitary waves, our nonexistence result applies to “half-solitary” waves (e.g. bores) which decay in only one direction.
Symmetric and Asymmetric Multiple Impulsive Constraints Without Friction and Their Characterization
Authors: Pasquero Stefano
Published: May 2021

We present two meaningful and effective non-ideal constitutive characterizations for a multiple impulsive constraints $${\mathcal {S}}$$
S
comprising a finite number of non-ideal frictionless constraints of codimension 1, described in the geometric setup given by the space–time bundle $${\mathcal {M}}$$
M
of a mechanical system in contact/impact with $${\mathcal {S}}$$
S
. Thanks to the geometric structures associated to the elements of $${\mathcal {S}}$$
S
, we introduce a symmetric characterization, that does not distinguish the elements forming $${\mathcal {S}}$$
S
as regards mechanical behavior, and an asymmetric one that makes this distinction. Both the characterizations provide a generalization of the characterization of ideal multiple constraints presented in Pasquero (Q Appl Math 76(3):547–576, 2018). The iterative nature of these characterizations allows the introduction of two algorithms determining the right velocity of the system in case of single or multiple contact/impact with symmetric or asymmetric constraints $${\mathcal {S}}$$
S
, once the elements forming $${\mathcal {S}}$$
S
and the left velocity of the system are known. We show the effectiveness of the two possible choices with explicit implementations of these algorithms in two significant examples: a simplified Newton’s cradle system for the symmetric characterization and a disk in multiple contact/impact with two walls of a corner for the asymmetric one.
Latest Miocene restriction of the Mediterranean Outflow Water: a perspective from the Gulf of Cádiz
Authors: Ng Zhi Lin , Hernández-Molina F. Javier , Duarte Débora , Sierro Francisco J. , Ledesma Santiago , Rogerson Michael , Llave Estefanía , Roque Cristina , Manar M. Amine
Published: May 2021

The Mediterranean-Atlantic water mass exchange provides the ideal setting for deciphering the role of gateway evolution in ocean circulation. However, the dynamics of Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) during the closure of the Late Miocene Mediterranean-Atlantic gateways are poorly understood. Here, we define the sedimentary evolution of Neogene basins from the Gulf of Cádiz to the West Iberian margin to investigate MOW circulation during the latest Miocene. Seismic interpretation highlights a middle to upper Messinian seismic unit of transparent facies, whose base predates the onset of the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC). Its facies and distribution imply a predominantly hemipelagic environment along the Atlantic margins, suggesting an absence or intermittence of MOW preceding evaporite precipitation in the Mediterranean, simultaneous to progressive gateway restriction. The removal of MOW from the Mediterranean-Atlantic water mass exchange reorganized the Atlantic water masses and is correlated to a severe weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and a period of further cooling in the North Atlantic during the latest Miocene.
Ependymal ciliary motion and their role in congenital hydrocephalus
Authors: Sakamoto Koichiro , Nakajima Madoka , Kawamura Kaito , Nakamura Eri , Tada Norihiro , Kondo Akihide , Arai Hajime , Miyajima Masakazu
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Since a case of hydrocephalus in humans considered to be caused by ciliary dysfunction was first reported by Greenstone et al. in 1984, numerous papers on the correlation between ciliary function and hydrocephalus have been published.

Methods

We reviewed the published literature on primary ciliary dyskinesia in humans causing hydrocephalus, focusing on articles specifically examining the relation between ciliary function and hydrocephalus and its treatment. In addition, the authors’ experience is briefly discussed.

Results

Full texts of 16 articles reporting cases of human hydrocephalus (including ventriculomegaly) due to defects in ependymal ciliary function or primary ciliary dyskinesia observed in clinical practice were extracted. In recent years, studies on animal models, especially employing knockout mice, have revealed genetic mutations that cause hydrocephalus via ciliary dysfunction. However, a few reports on the onset of hydrocephalus in human patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia have confirmed that the incidence of this condition was extremely low compared to that in animal models.

Conclusion

In humans, it is rare for hydrocephalus to develop solely because of abnormalities in the cilia, and it is highly likely that other factors are also involved along with ciliary dysfunction.
Migration characteristics of the Corail hydroxyapatite-coated femoral stem—a retrospective clinical evaluation and migration measurement with EBRA
Authors: Dammerer Dietmar , Blum Philipp , Putzer David , Krappinger Dietmar , Pabinger Christof , Liebensteiner Michael C. , Thaler Martin
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Uncemented stem migration analysis by EBRA-FCA (Einzel-Bild-Roentgen Analyse, Femoral Component Analysis) has been seen to be a good predictive indicator for early implant failure. In this study, we investigated the migration behavior of a cementless press-fit stem after two years follow-up. Stem type and postoperative gap between collar and femur were evaluated as a risk factor.

Methods

Applying a retrospective study design, we reviewed all consecutive patients who between 2013 and 2017 received a cementless press-fit Corail stem (DePuy Orthopaedics Inc., Warsaw, IN, USA) at our Department. We reviewed medical histories and performed radiological measurements using EBRA-FCA software.

Results

A total of 109 stems in 105 patients (female: 60; male: 45) fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Mean age at surgery was 67.8 (range, 21.6–90.5) years. EBRA migration analysis showed a mean subsidence of 1.8 mm (range, 0.0–12.1) at final follow-up. At 18 months mean subsidence of collared stems was significantly lower than in the collarless group [1.3 mm (range, 0.0–7.6) vs. 3.2 mm (range, 0.5–10.7), p = 0.0104]. Collared stems resting on the femoral cut presented a tendency to less subsidence than did collared stems showing a postoperative gap between collar and femur (1.3 vs. 2.0 mm) without finding statistical significance (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Low subsidence and the migration pattern of the cementless press-fit stem may predict a good long-term result. Collared stems investigated in our study provide good stability and are able to prevent significant subsidence.

Trial registration number and date of registration: Number: 20181024-1875; Date: 2018-10-24
Lyophilization and homogenization of biological samples improves reproducibility and reduces standard deviation in molecular biology techniques
Authors: Molnar Agnes , Lakat Tamas , Hosszu Adam , Szebeni Beata , Balogh Anna , Orfi Laszlo , Szabo Attila J. , Fekete Andrea , Hodrea Judit
Published: May 2021

Lyophilization is a cost-effective method for biological specimen preservation but detailed tissue-specific reference protocols are still lacking. Moreover, data are limited on the long-term stability of proteins and nucleic acids in lyophilized samples.

Here, we offer lyophilization protocols for various rat and mouse tissues (kidney, heart, liver, lung, aorta, and skin) coupled with technical hints for optimal sample preparation. We demonstrate that lyophilized samples stored at 4 °C for 20 months can yield protein and RNA of similar quantity and quality to −80 °C storage, while phosphorylated proteins are preserved as well. Freeze-dried and subsequently pulverized samples can provide more consistent, more reliable data especially when investigating focal injuries, such as fibrosis. We developed a protocol for the concentration of biological solutions and achieved 20-times concentration in human peritoneal dialysis effluent solution which enables the previously unattainable detection of proteins in these samples. We established a method for water removal as well as accurate water content measurement of fecal samples, which can be valuable for gut metabolome analysis.

Taken together, lyophilization is a valuable tool for the preservation of biological samples with many advantages. We aim to draw attention to the wide range of possibilities offered by freeze drying in pre-clinical or basic research.
Gemeinschaftsdiagnose: Pandemie verzögert Aufschwung — Demografie bremst Wachstum
Authors: Holtemöller Oliver , Kooths Stefan , Michelsen Claus , Schmidt Torsten , Wollmershäuser Timo
Published: May 2021

Das erste Jahr der Corona-Pandemie stand in Deutschland im Zeichen extremer Schwankungen der ökonomischen Aktivität und einer massiv gelähmten Binnenwirtschaft. In ihrem Frühjahrsgutachten gehen die Institute davon aus, dass der derzeitige Shutdown zunächst fortgesetzt und ab Mitte Mai bis zum Ende des dritten Quartals nach und nach aufgehoben wird. Im Zuge der Lockerungen wird sich vor allem der private Konsum kräftig erholen. Insgesamt dürfte das Bruttoinlandsprodukt in diesem Jahr um 3,7 % und im kommenden Jahr um 3,9 % zulegen.
Patentdimensionen und die Entwicklung und Herstellung von Corona-Impfstoffen
Authors: Volpert Tobias , Riepe Marcel
Published: May 2021

Hoffnungsträger zur Überwindung der Corona-Pandemie sind die potentiellen Impfstoffe. Um die Pandemie zu beenden, wäre ein weltweiter Einsatz dieser Impfstoffe nötig. Der knappe Impfstoff steht aber nur den reichsten Ländern der Welt zur Verfügung. Bei Innovationen wie den Corona-Impfstoffen ist es der Politik jedoch möglich, Patente auf unterschiedliche Art und Weise auszugestalten. Dabei macht es einen Unterschied, welche Dimension eines Patentsystems verändert wird, wenn die Politik das Ziel verfolgt, Fortschritt mit Hilfe von Patenten nicht nur zu fördern, sondern auch weltweit zugänglich zu machen.
Mental health in migrants contacting the mental health operational unit of the National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty (NIHMP): preliminary data
Authors: Gramaglia Carla , Gambaro Eleonora , Marangon Debora , Vecchi Camilla , Airoldi Chiara , Mastrangelo Martina , Mirisola Concetta , Costanzo Gianfranco , Baralla Francesca , Marchetti Marco , Zeppegno Patrizia , Sarchiapone Marco
Published: May 2021

Aim

Migration can lead to an increase in stress rates and can impact mental health, especially in certain migrant groups. Nonetheless, mental health needs and the importance of public health are not well captured in most studies using national samples. This study aimed to show the correlation between mental disorders, socio-demographic and cultural aspects among migrants.

Subject and methods

One hundred nineteen migrants, applying for assessment to the Mental Health Operational Unit of the National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty (NIHMP) in Rome, were recruited.

Results

Migrants frequently reported mood disorders (mainly women). Men reported PTSD, somatization and adjustment disorders.

Conclusions

Over time, diverse factors may produce a decline in an initially healthy migrant status. The research unveils a new focus on the psychopathology of migrants accessing the NIHMP, with important implications for migrants’ mental health treatment and prevention.
Trade-Control Compliance in SMEs: Do Decision-Makers and Supply Chain Position Make a Difference?
Authors: Hauser Christian
Published: May 2021

In recent years, trade-control laws and regulations such as embargoes and sanctions have gained importance. However, there is limited empirical research on the ways in which small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) respond to such coercive economic measures. Building on the literature on organizational responses to external demands and behavioral ethics, this study addresses this issue to better understand how external pressures and managerial decision-making are associated with the scope of trade-control compliance programs. Based on a sample of 289 SMEs, the findings show that the organizational responses of SMEs reflect proportionate adjustments to regulatory pressures but only if decision-makers are well informed and aware of the prevailing rules and regulations. Conversely, uninformed decision-making leads to a disproportionate response resulting in an inadequately reduced scope of the compliance program. In addition, the results indicate that SMEs that are highly integrated into supply chains are susceptible to passing-the-buck behavior.
The high energy Universe at ultra-high resolution: the power and promise of X-ray interferometry
Authors: Uttley Phil , Hartog Roland den , Bambi Cosimo , Barret Didier , Bianchi Stefano , Bursa Michal , Cappi Massimo , Casella Piergiorgio , Cash Webster , Costantini Elisa , Dauser Thomas , Trigo Maria Diaz , Gendreau Keith , Grinberg Victoria , Herder Jan-Willem den , Ingram Adam , Kara Erin , Markoff Sera , Mingo Beatriz , Panessa Francesca , Poppenhäger Katja , Różańska Agata , Svoboda Jiri , Wijers Ralph , Willingale Richard , Wilms Jörn , Wise Michael
Published: May 2021

We propose the development of X-ray interferometry (XRI), to reveal the Universe at high energies with ultra-high spatial resolution. With baselines which can be accommodated on a single spacecraft, XRI can reach 100 μ as resolution at 10 Å (1.2 keV) and 20 μ as at 2 Å (6 keV), enabling imaging and imaging-spectroscopy of (for example) X-ray coronae of nearby accreting supermassive black holes (SMBH) and the SMBH ‘shadow’; SMBH accretion flows and outflows; X-ray binary winds and orbits; stellar coronae within $\sim $
∼
100 pc and many exoplanets which transit across them. For sufficiently luminous sources XRI will resolve sub-pc scales across the entire observable Universe, revealing accreting binary SMBHs and enabling trigonometric measurements of the Hubble constant with X-ray light echoes from quasars or explosive transients. A multi-spacecraft ‘constellation’ interferometer would resolve well below 1 μ as, enabling SMBH event horizons to be resolved in many active galaxies and the detailed study of the effects of strong field gravity on the dynamics and emission from accreting gas close to the black hole.
Genetic variation in a radish (Raphanus sativus L.) geodiversity collection
Authors: Arro J. , Labate J. A.
Published: May 2021

A radish panel of 152 accessions with diverse root shapes was assembled from the National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) collection based on weighted geographical sampling. Accessions represented 35 countries and were categorized into eight geographical regions—North America, Europe, Africa, West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. Multiple plants per accession were assayed using genotyping by sequencing (GBS), and 8539 high-quality polymorphisms were discovered. Average observed heterozygosity (Ho) of the markers consistently ranged from 5 to 7% in all geographical regions. Central Asia was most diverse in terms of average expected heterozygosity (He = 0.107), while Southeast Asia was the least diverse (He = 0.050). Europe and Southeast Asia were the most divergent from each other (pairwise FST = 0.199), while Europe and North America were the least divergent (pairwise FST = 0.022). The clustering of genotypes based on principal components analysis (PCA) illustrated an east/west geographical pattern. Large numbers of private alleles and a substantial proportion (3%) of markers showing signals of selection based on allele frequency differences indicate that allelic variation is available for cultivar development. European and North American gene pools could be expanded by crossing with East Asian and Southeast Asian germplasm, and vice-versa. Both could potentially benefit from South Asian sources, while the addition of West Asian germplasm could increase East Asian and Southeast Asian diversity. This resource for molecular marker development combined with an understanding of global genetic relationships will inform the continued germplasm conservation and genetic improvement of radish.
Aerosol removal coefficients based on 7Be, 210Pb, and 210Po radionuclides in the urban atmosphere
Authors: Długosz-Lisiecka Magdalena
Published: May 2021

In this study, the aerosol removal coefficients based on7Be,210Pb and210Po radionuclides in the urban air, in Lodz, Poland, were investigated over 3 years, between May 2014 and December 2017. Results representing the summer/warm and winter/cold seasons were applied to quantity and quality estimates of aerosol removal processes. The values for the removal processes were closely dependent on the meteorological conditions; therefore, a set of nine meteorological parameters was employed in the analysis. The multiple regression method was applied to explain the relationship between the removal coefficients of aerosols and independent factors identified using Principal Component Analysis.
The influence of cybersickness and the media devices’ mobility on the persuasive effects of 360° commercials
Authors: Breves Priska , Dodel Nicola
Published: May 2021

With the rise of immersive media, advertisers have started to use 360° commercials to engage and persuade consumers. Two experiments were conducted to address research gaps and to validate the positive impact of 360° commercials in realistic settings. The first study (N = 62) compared the effects of 360° commercials using either a mobile cardboard head-mounted display (HMD) or a laptop. This experiment was conducted in the participants’ living rooms and incorporated individual feelings of cybersickness as a moderator. The participants who experienced the 360° commercial with the HMD reported higher spatial presence and product evaluation, but their purchase intentions were only increased when their reported cybersickness was low. The second experiment (N = 197) was conducted online and analyzed the impact of 360° commercials that were experienced with mobile (smartphone/tablet) or static (laptop/desktop) devices instead of HMDs. The positive effects of omnidirectional videos were stronger when participants used mobile devices.
Perceived and actual risks of drought: household and expert views from the lower Teesta River Basin of northern Bangladesh
Authors: Salam Roquia , Ghose Bonosri , Shill Badhon Kumar , Islam Md. Aminul , Islam Abu Reza Md. Towfiqul , Sattar Md. Abdus , Alam G. M. Monirul , Ahmed Bayes
Published: May 2021

Disaster risk perception and risk appraisal are essential in formulating an appropriate disaster risk reduction policy. This study examines the actual vs perceived drought risks by constructing risk indices at the household and expert levels using survey data from the lower Teesta River Basin in northern Bangladesh. The survey data were collected from 450 farmers using a structured questionnaire conducted between August and September 2019. A composite drought risk index was developed to understand households’ perceived and actual risks in the designated areas. The results show that the actual and perceived risk values differ significantly among the three case study sites locally known as Ganai, Ismail, and Par Sekh Sundar. The risk levels also differ significantly across the households’ gender, income, occupation, and educational attainment. People with insolvent socioeconomic status are more prone to drought risk compared to others. Results also reveal that the mean level of perceived risk agrees well with the actual risk, whereas females perceive comparatively higher risk than their male counterparts. Expert views on drought risk are similar to the individual household level perceived risk. The outcomes of this study would assist the policymakers and disaster managers to understand the concrete risk scenarios and take timely disaster risk reduction actions for ensuring a drought-resistant society.
An impossibility result on methodological individualism
Authors: Duijf Hein , Tamminga Allard , Putte Frederik Van De
Published: May 2021

Methodological individualists often claim that any social phenomenon can ultimately be explained in terms of the actions and interactions of individuals. Any Nagelian version of methodological individualism requires that there be bridge laws that translate social statements into individualistic ones. We show that Nagelian individualism can be put to logical scrutiny by making the relevant social and individualistic languages fully explicit and mathematically precise. In particular, we prove that the social statement that a group of (at least two) agents performs a deontically admissible group action cannot be expressed in a well-established deontic logic of agency that models every combination of actions, omissions, abilities, and obligations of finitely many individual agents.
Pore-by-Pore Modelling, Validation and Prediction of Waterflooding in Oil-Wet Rocks Using Dynamic Synchrotron Data
Authors: Foroughi Sajjad , Bijeljic Branko , Blunt Martin J.
Published: May 2021

We predict waterflood displacement on a pore-by-pore basis using pore network modelling. The pore structure is captured by a high-resolution image. We then use an energy balance applied to images of the displacement to assign an average contact angle, and then modify the local pore-scale contact angles in the model about this mean to match the observed displacement sequence. Two waterflooding experiments on oil-wet rocks are analysed where the displacement sequence was imaged using time-resolved synchrotron imaging. In both cases the capillary pressure in the model matches the experimentally obtained values derived from the measured interfacial curvature. We then predict relative permeability for the full saturation range. Using the optimised contact angles distributed randomly in space has little effect on the predicted capillary pressures and relative permeabilities, indicating that spatial correlation in wettability is not significant in these oil-wet samples. The calibrated model can be used to predict properties outside the range of conditions considered in the experiment.
Development of a robust transient expression screening system in protoplasts of Cannabis
Authors: Matchett-Oates L. , Mohamaden Ehab , Spangenberg G. C. , Cogan N. O. I.
Published: May 2021

Transient expression systems in mesophyll protoplasts have been utilised in many plant species as an indispensable tool for gene function analysis and efficacious genome editing constructs. However, such a system has not been developed inCannabisdue to the recalcitrant nature of the plant to tissue culture as well as its illegal status for many years. In this study, young expanding leaves from asepticin vitro Cannabisexplants were used for protoplast isolation. Factorial designs were used to optimise variables in viable protoplast isolation and transient expression of GFP, with a range analyses performed to determine, and quantify, significantly impacting variables. Viable protoplast yields as high as 5.7 × 106were achieved with 2.5% (w/v) Cellulase R-10, 0.3% (w/v) Macerozyme R-10 and 0.7 M mannitol, incubated for 16 h. As indicated by the transient expression of GFP, efficiency reached 23.2% with 30 μg plasmid, 50% PEG, 1 × 106protoplasts and a transfection duration of 20 min. Application of the optimised protocol for protoplast isolation was successfully evaluated on three subsequent unrelated genotypes to highlight the robustness and broad applicability of the developed technique.
Correction to: Impact of safety warnings for fluoroquinolones on prescribing behaviour. Results of a cohort study with outpatient routine data
Authors: Georgi Ulrike , Tesch Falko , Schmitt Jochen , de With Katja
Published: May 2021

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-021-01616-7
„Schülerjob“ revisited: Zur Passung von Lehr- und Lernhabitus im Unterricht
Authors: Martens Matthias , Asbrand Barbara
Published: May 2021

Der „Schülerjob“ gilt seit der vielzitierten Publikation von Georg Breidenstein als eine der zentralen theoretischen Kategorien zur Beschreibung der Bewältigung von unterrichtlichen Anforderungen durch Schüler/innen. Der Beitrag verknüpft das in der ethnografischen Forschung erarbeitete Konzept mit der kultur- und wissenssoziologisch fundierten dokumentarischen Unterrichtsforschung. Dabei wird die grundlegende Frage weiterverfolgt, wie Schüler/innen mit den unterrichtlichen Anforderungen umgehen. In verschiedenen Studien haben wir eine an das Konzept des Schülerjobs angelehnte „Orientierung an der Aufgabenerledigung“ als Basistypik von Unterricht herausgearbeitet. In den auf unterschiedliche Forschungsfragen fokussierten Studien haben wir die empirische Perspektive geweitet und das Verhältnis der mit Bezug auf den Schülerjob beschreibbaren Lernhabitus der Schüler/innen einerseits und die im Unterricht rekonstruierbaren Lehrhabitus der Lehrpersonen andererseits in den Blick genommen. Auf diese Weise ist eine Ausdifferenzierung des Schülerjobs gelungen: Der Modus der Aufgabenerledigung variiert in Abhängigkeit von den etablierten Passungsverhältnissen von Lehr- und Lernhabitus. Der Aufsatz leistet eine Systematisierung von Ergebnissen, die in unterschiedlichen Studien vorliegen, in Form einer Typik und versteht sich somit als Beitrag zur Theoriebildung zum Schülerjob.
Teaching Effective Informed Consent Communication Skills in the Virtual Surgical Clerkship
Authors: Pang Joyce H. , Finlay Esme , Fortner Sally , Pickett Bradley , Wang Ming-Li
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND:

The disruption by the COVID-19 pandemic on undergraduate medical education allowed for assessment of virtual curricular innovations. One of the difficulties encountered in the virtual curriculum is the teaching of clinical competencies that would traditionally require students to undergo in-person simulations and patient encounters. We implemented a novel informed consent activity module, with standardized patients, to improve self-efficacy in communication within our core surgery clerkship.

STUDY DESIGN:

All medical students who participated in the virtual surgery clerkship were recruited to participate in a retrospective survey study regarding the novel informed consent module. These questions evaluated their perceived competence in 4 domains relating to informed consent: identifying the key elements, describing common challenges, applying the New Mexico Clinical Communication Scale (NMCCS), and documenting.

RESULTS:

Thirty-four of 90 students participated in the study (38% of the cohort). Respondents to the survey reported that their self-efficacy in communication skills related to informed consent improved as a result of their participation in the activity in each of the 4 domains surveyed (p < 0.01), with the majority of students identifying as satisfactory or above in each domain post-module. Students generally viewed the virtual informed consent activity positively, but noted that it was not the same as an in-person clinical experience.

CONCLUSIONS:

A virtual module of communication skills training, using standardized patients and faculty, improved students' belief in their self-efficacy in obtaining informed consent. This communication module can be useful in a virtual or mixed curricular structure for both current and future medical students.
Trauma Laparotomy in the UK: A Prospective National Service Evaluation
Authors: Marsden Max E.R. , Vulliamy Paul E.D. , Carden Rich , Naumann David N. , Davenport Ross A.
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND:

Trauma patients requiring abdominal operation have considerable morbidity and mortality, yet no specific quality indicators are measured in the trauma systems of the UK. The aims of this study were to describe the characteristics and outcomes of patients undergoing emergency abdominal operation and key processes of care.

STUDY DESIGN:

A prospective multicenter service evaluation was conducted within all of the major trauma centers in the UK. The study was conducted during 6 months beginning in January 2019. Patients of any age undergoing laparotomy or laparoscopy within 24 hours of injury were included. Existing standards for related emergent conditions were used.

RESULTS:

The study included 363 patients from 34 hospitals. The majority were young men with no comorbidities who required operation to control bleeding (51%). More than 90% received attending-delivered care in the emergency department (318 of 363) and operating room (321 of 363). The overall mortality rate was 9%. Patients with blunt trauma had a greater risk of death compared with patients with penetrating injuries (16.6% vs 3.8%; risk ratio 4.3; 95% CI, 2.0 to 9.4). Patients in which the Major Hemorrhage Protocol (MHP) was activated and who received a blood transfusion (n = 154) constituted a high-risk subgroup, accounting for 45% of the study cohort but 97% of deaths and 96% of blood components transfused. The MHP subgroup had expedited timelines from emergency department arrival to knife to skin (MHP: median 119 minutes [interquartile range 64 to 218 minutes] vs no MHP: median 211 minutes [interquartile range 135 to 425 minutes]; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

The majority of trauma patients requiring emergency abdominal operation received a high standard of expedited care in a maturing national trauma system. Despite this, mortality and resource use among high-risk patients remains considerable.
State-Level Examination of Clinical Outcomes and Costs for Robotic and Laparoscopic Approach to Diaphragmatic Hernia Repair
Authors: Kulshrestha Sujay , Janjua Haroon M. , Bunn Corinne , Rogers Michael , DuCoin Christopher , Abdelsattar Zaid M. , Luchette Fred A. , Kuo Paul C. , Baker Marshall S.
Published: May 2021

BACKGROUND:

Published studies evaluating the effect of robotic assistance on clinical outcomes and costs of care in diaphragmatic hernia repair (DHR) have been limited.

STUDY DESIGN:

The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient and State Ambulatory Surgery and Services Databases for Florida were queried to identify patients undergoing transabdominal DHR between 2011 and 2018 and associated inpatient and outpatient encounters within 12 months after the index operation. Patients undergoing robotic DHR were 1:1:1 propensity score-matched for age, sex, race, Elixhauser comorbidity score, case priority, payer, and facility volume with patients undergoing open and laparoscopic DHR.

RESULTS:

There were 5,962 patients (67.3%) who underwent laparoscopic DHR, 1,520 (17.2%) who underwent open DHR, and 1,376 (15.5%) who underwent robotic DHR. On comparison of matched cohorts, median index length of stay (3 days; interquartile range [IQR] 2 to 5 days vs 2 days; IQR 1 to 4 days; p < 0.001) and index hospitalization costs ($17,236; IQR $13,231 to $22,183 vs $12,087; IQR $8,881 to $17,439; p < 0.001) for robotic DHR were greater than for laparoscopic DHR. Median length of stay for open DHR (6 days; IQR 4 to 10 days) was longer than that for both laparoscopic and robotic DHR. Median index hospitalization costs for open DHR ($16,470; IQR $11,152 to $23,768) were greater than those for laparoscopic DHR, but less than those for robotic DHR. There were no significant differences between cohorts in the overall rate of post-index care.

CONCLUSIONS:

Laparoscopic DHR is the most cost-effective approach to DHR. Robotic assistance provides clinical outcomes comparable with laparoscopic DHR, but is associated with increased index cost.
On one-sided topological conjugacy of topological Markov shifts and gauge actions on Cuntz–Krieger algebras
Authors: MATSUMOTO KENGO
Published: May 2021

We characterize topological conjugacy classes of one-sided topological Markov shifts in terms of the associated Cuntz–Krieger algebras and their gauge actions with potentials.
New examples of Bernoulli algebraic actions
Authors: LIND DOUGLAS , SCHMIDT KLAUS
Published: May 2021

We give an example of a principal algebraic action of the non-commutative free group${\mathbb {F}}$of rank two by automorphisms of a connected compact abelian group for which there is an explicit measurable isomorphism with the full Bernoulli 3-shift action of${\mathbb {F}}$. The isomorphism is defined using homoclinic points, a method that has been used to construct symbolic covers of algebraic actions. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a Bernoulli algebraic action of${\mathbb {F}}$without an obvious independent generator. Our methods can be generalized to a large class of acting groups.
En-Gendering Creation Anew: Rethinking Ecclesial Statements on Science, Gender, and Sexuality with William R. Stoeger, SJ
Authors: Schutz Paul J.
Published: May 2021

Despite Pope John Paul II's call for “intense dialogue” between theology and science that excludes “unreasonable interpretations” of Scripture, ecclesial statements on gender and sexuality—including John Paul II's own works—deploy an interpretation of the literal meaning of Genesis to perpetuate a complementarian anthropology that contradicts scientific insights about the human body. After illustrating the implications of this hermeneutical inconsistency, this article presents Jesuit astronomer William Stoeger's theological method and hermeneutics of the full flourishing of life as an alternative approach, which fulfills John Paul II's vision for dialogue and paves a way toward reimagining church teachings on gender and sexuality.
Antibiotic stewardship implementation at hospitals without on-site infectious disease specialists: A qualitative study
Authors: Livorsi Daniel J. , Stewart Steffensmeier Kenda R. , Perencevich Eli N. , Goetz Matthew Bidwell , Schacht Reisinger Heather
Published: May 2021

Background:

Hospitals are required to have antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs), but there are few models for implementing ASPs without the support of an infectious disease (ID) specialist, defined as an ID physician and/or ID pharmacist.

Objective:

In this study, we sought to understand ASP implementation at hospitals that lack on-site ID support within the Veterans’ Health Administration (VHA).

Methods:

Using a mandatory VHA survey, we identified acute-care hospitals that lacked an on-site ID specialist. We conducted semistructured interviews with personnel involved in ASP activities.

Setting:

The study was conducted across 7 VHA hospitals.

Participants:

In total, 42 hospital personnel were enrolled in the study.

Results:

The primary responsibility for ASPs fell on the pharmacist champions, who were typically assigned multiple other non-ASP responsibilities. The pharmacist champions were more successful at gaining buy-in when they had established rapport with clinicians, but at some sites, the use of contract physicians and frequent staff turnover were potential barriers. Some sites felt that having access to an off-site ID specialist was important for overcoming institutional barriers and improving the acceptance of their stewardship recommendations. In general, stewardship champions struggled to mobilize institutional resources, which made it difficult to advance their programmatic goals.

Conclusion:

In this study of 7 hospitals without on-site ID support, we found that ASPs are largely a pharmacy-driven process. Remote ID support, if available, was seen as helpful for implementing stewardship interventions. These findings may inform the future implementation of ASPs in settings lacking local ID expertise.
Taking Money from Strangers: Traders’ Responses to Banknotes and the Risks of Forgery in Late Georgian London
Authors: Barker Hannah , Green Sarah
Published: May 2021

Selling to strangers was a significant occupational hazard for retailers in late Georgian Britain, one that was hard to avoid. The dangers were especially great in larger towns and cities, where shopkeepers were dependent on a steady stream of passing trade composed of a large number of customers that they did not know. Though traders risked financial loss and even possible prosecution by accepting counterfeit banknotes, refusal to accept them meant losing vital custom. In areas of growing urban populations, tradesmen and women thus faced an increasingly tricky dilemma in their day-to-day business as they dealt with more strangers whose trustworthiness and personal credit were extremely hard to gauge, at a time when banknote forgery was on the rise. The decisions that retailers made about both banknotes and the individuals who presented them for payment illustrate some of the ways that town dwellers sought to navigate the rising anonymity of urban society in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. This article suggests that traders relied on a series of techniques that in previous experience usually worked: examining banknotes and those strangers who presented them with care, relying on the expertise of neighbors and members of their household, and dealing by preference with individuals who appeared to be linked to their local community. These behaviors demonstrate that “modernity” might have affected the lives and outlooks of ordinary Londoners in unexpected and contradictory ways, some strongly linked to older forms of society.
Amnesia, aphasia and amnesty: the articulations of Italian colonial memory in postwar films (1946–1960)
Authors: Mancosu Gianmarco
Published: May 2021

This article aims to expose the political and cultural processes that contributed to the eradication of problematic memories of the Italian colonial period during the national reconstruction following the Second World War. It offers a systematic examination of newsreels and documentaries about the Italian former colonies that were produced between 1946 and 1960, a film corpus that has largely been neglected by previous scholarship. The article first dissects the ambiguous political scenario that characterised the production of this footage through the study of original archival findings. The footage configured a particular form of self-exculpatory memory, which obstructed a thorough critique of the colonial period while articulating a new discourse about the future presence of Italy in the former colonies. This seems to be a case of aphasia rather than amnesia, insofar as the films addressed not an absence, but an inability to comprehend and articulate a critical discourse about the past. This aphasic configuration of colonial memories will be tackled through a close reading of the voice-over and commentary. In so doing, this work suggests that the footage actively contributed to spread un-problematised narratives and memories about the colonial period, whose results still infiltrate Italian contemporary society, politics and culture.
COVID-19 vaccine willingness amongst patients with mental illness compared with the general population
Authors: Jefsen Oskar Hougaard , Kølbæk Pernille , Gil Yael , Speed Maria , Dinesen Peter Thisted , Sønderskov Kim Mannemar , Østergaard Søren Dinesen
Published: May 2021

Patients with mental illness are at an increased risk of COVID-19 infection, morbidity, and mortality, and prioritisation of this group for COVID-19 vaccination programmes has therefore been suggested. Vaccine uptake may, however, be compromised by vaccine hesitancy amongst patients with mental illness, posing a critical public health issue. We conducted two surveys to provide weighted estimates of vaccine willingness amongst patients with mental illness and the general population of Denmark. Vaccine willingness was high in both groups, but slightly lower amongst patients with mental illness (84.8%), compared with the general population (89.5%) (p < .001). Based on these findings, vaccine hesitancy does not appear to be a major barrier for vaccine uptake amongst patients with mental illness in Denmark, but may be so in other countries with lower general vaccine willingness. Replication of the present study in other countries is strongly warranted.
Party over Pocketbook? How Party Cues Influence Opinion When Citizens Have a Stake in Policy
Authors: SLOTHUUS RUNE , BISGAARD MARTIN
Published: May 2021

Do political parties influence opinion when citizens have a personal stake in policy? With an experimental design that exploits a naturally occurring, sharp variation in party cues, we study the effects of party cues during a collective bargaining conflict over the salary and work rights for public employees in Denmark. Even in this context—where the self-interest of public employees was strongly mobilized and where their party went against it—we find that party cues move opinion among partisans at least as much as in previous studies. But party cues do not lead citizens to go against their self-interest. Rather, we show that party cues temper the pursuit of self-interest among public employees by moderating the most extreme policy demands. These findings highlight an unappreciated potential of political parties to moderate—not fuel—extreme opinion.
The Journey Home: Violence, Anchoring, and Refugee Decisions to Return
Authors: GHOSN FATEN , CHU TIFFANY S. , SIMON MIRANDA , BRAITHWAITE ALEX , FRITH MICHAEL , JANDALI JOANNA
Published: May 2021

While the UNHCR promotes voluntary repatriation as the preferred solution to refugee situations, there is little understanding of variation in refugees’ preferences regarding return. We develop a theoretical framework suggesting two mechanisms influencing refugees’ preferences. First, refugees’ lived experiences in their country of origin prior to displacement and in their new host country create a trade-off in feelings of being anchored to their origin or host country. Second, firsthand exposure to traumas of war provides some refugees with a sense of competency and self-efficacy, leading them to prefer to return home. We test these relationships with data from a survey among Syrian refugees hosted in Lebanon. We find refugees exposed to violence during the war have a sense of attachment to Syria and are most likely to prefer return. Refugees who have developed a detachment from Syria or an attachment to Lebanon are less likely to prefer return.
ON THE CONNECTEDNESS OF THE CHABAUTY SPACE OF A LOCALLY COMPACT PRONILPOTENT GROUP
Authors: KADRI BILEL
Published: May 2021

Let G be a locally compact group and let

${\mathcal {SUB}(G)}$
be the hyperspace of closed subgroups of G endowed with the Chabauty topology. The main purpose of this paper is to characterise the connectedness of the Chabauty space

${\mathcal {SUB}(G)}$
. More precisely, we show that if G is a connected pronilpotent group, then

${\mathcal {SUB}(G)}$
is connected if and only if G contains a closed subgroup topologically isomorphic to

${{\mathbb R}}$
.
DETERMINANTS AND PERMANENTS OF POWER MATRICES
Authors: SANGUANWONG RATSIRI , RODTES KIJTI
Published: May 2021

Necessary and sufficient conditions for the equality of the determinant and permanent for all powers of a given matrix are provided. The characterisation is based on a condition on merely one power.
Silicon dioxide nanofertilizers improve photosynthetic capacity of two Criollo cocoa clones (Theobroma cacao L.)
Authors: Gómez-Vera Pedro , Blanco-Flores Héctor , Francisco Ana Marta , Castillo Jimmy , Tezara Wilmer
Published: May 2021

Studies on the effect of nanofertilizers (NF) in physiological performance of plants is scarce, especially that related to substances encapsulated into silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles in cocoa plants. The effect of foliar application of SiO2-NF on nutrient contents, gas exchange, photochemical activity, photosynthetic pigments, total soluble protein (TSP), photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE), and growth in seedlings of two cocoa clones (OC-61 and BR-05) in a greenhouse was assessed. Spraying with SiO2-NF increased net photosynthetic rate (A) by 16 and 60% and electron transport rate (J) by 52 and 162% in clones OC-61 and BR-05, respectively, without changes in photosynthetic pigment concentration in either clone. The SiO2-NF caused a decrease of 37 and 22% in stomatal conductance in OC-61 and BR-05, respectively; a similar trend was observed in transpiration rate, causing an increase of 42 and 100% in water use efficiency in OC-61 and BR-05, respectively. In both clones, diameter of graft increased on average 28% with SiO2-NF. Higher photosynthetic capacity was related to an increase in leaf N, P, and TSP. A significant reduction in PNUE (A/N ratio) was found in OC-61, whereas in BR-05 PNUE increased after spraying with SiO2-NF. Overall, spraying with SiO2-NF had a positive effect on photosynthetic processes in both cocoa clones, associated with an increase in nutrients content, which translated into improved growth. A differential physiological response to spraying with SiO2-NF between clones was also found, with BR-05 being the clone with a better physiological response during the establishment and development stages.
Lowermost Jurassic dinosaur ecosystem from the Bleymard Strait (southern France): sedimentology, mineralogy, palaeobotany and palaeoichnology of the Dolomitic Formation
Authors: Moreau Jean-David , Trincal Vincent , Deconinck Jean-François , Philippe Marc , Bourel Benjamin
Published: May 2021

We report the first Hettangian theropod tracksite (~200 Ma) yielding a rich accumulation of plant remains from the Bleymard Strait (southern France). It constitutes an excellent opportunity to reconstruct lowermost Jurassic ecosystems hosting dinosaurs and which are still poorly documented in this area. Two morphotypes of tridactyl tracks are distinguished. They share similarities withGrallatorandKayentapus. Plant-bearing beds yield abundant leafy axes (Pagiophyllum peregrinum), male cones (Classostrobussp.), wood (Brachyoxylonsp.) and pollen of conifers (Classopollis classoides). Sedimentological, petrological and mineralogical analyses demonstrated that, in the Dolomitic Formation from Bleymard, the palaeoenvironment progressively evolved from (1) a shoreface to a foreshore domain; to (2) a shallow environment that is restricted or occasionally open to the sea; then to (3) an intertidal to supratidal zone. The Hettangian theropod ecosystem of the Bleymard Strait was composed of tidal flats that were periodically emerged and bordered paralic environments inhabited by a littoral conifer-dominated forest in which Cheirolepidiaceae were the main component. The paucity of the palaeobotanical assemblage, as well as the xerophytic characteristics ofPagiophyllum, show that flora from Bleymard was adapted to withstand intense sunlight and coastal environments exposed to desiccant conditions coupled with salty sea spray, and dry conditions. These features are those of a conifer-dominated flora under a tropical to subtropical climate. The flora as well as the clay mineral analyses suggest contrasting seasons (cyclically dry then humid). This study supports that theropods were abundant and particularly adapted to this type of littoral environment bordering Cheirolepidiaceae-dominated forests.