bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-regulation style and quality of life in the elderly
Authors: Lavrova Mariia A. , Kharitonova Marina P.
Published: July 2023

Background. The analysis of “successful” aging indicates the possibility for restructuring and coordinating adaptive capabilities that could maintain a relatively high level of quality of life for older people. Self-regulation as a meta-resource that mobilizes cognitive and personal resources can make a contribution to such a possibility. Objective. The study focuses on the relationship between quality of life and the features of self-regulation in a group of older people. Sample. A pilot study was conducted in May–June 2021. The study was a part of the input study for the Caring Connection project (the total number of project participants is 190 people). Participation was voluntary: 49 respondents took part in this study; the average age was 80±7 years. Methods. The methods of assessing the quality of life The Short Form‑36 (SF‑36) and the “Style of self-regulation of behavior SSP‑98” (by V.I. Morosanova) were used. Results. Approaches to self-regulation are briefly described. Flexibility as a regulatory and personal property of selfregulation is interrelated with such aspects of quality of life as “Mental health”, “Social functioning”, “Psychological component of health” and affects the “Psychological component of health”. Conclusion. Flexibility, as the ability to rebuild the system of self-regulation depending on external and internal conditions, affects psychological well-being and quality of life in old age. The personal component of self-regulation in older people is important for managing their health. Practical application of the results. The development of self-regulation skills can be one of the promising approaches in the psychoprophylaxis of various disorders and mental health protection in old age. The depletion of cognitive resources in aging can be compensated by effective self-regulation and maintenance of cognitive flexibility. An additional advantage may be gained with the ability to maintain self-regulation with digital technologies.
Comparison of value orientations in entrepreneurs and employees in regions of Russia
Authors: Murzina Julia S. , Senin Ivan G.
Published: July 2023

Background. According to the strategy for the development of small and medium-­sized businesses in the Russian Federation, the sector of small and medium-­sized businesses is one of the factors for the country’s innovative development and improvement of the sectoral structure of the economy. Due to international sanctions and financial instability, strengthening and developing small businesses can become as important a “national treasure” as the raw materials are. According to many researchers, value orientations are the most important psychological factor in entrepreneurial and managerial activity. Objective. The article aims to compare value orientations of entrepreneurs and employees. Methods. The study was conducted with the technique of “Questionnaire of Terminal Values” by I.G. Senin. The sample consisted of 198 people (entrepreneurs 98 people, employees 100 people). Results. Unlike employees, entrepreneurs are characterized by a higher level of Creativity, Active social contacts, Selfdevelopment, Achievements and Preservation of one’s own individuality (p ≤ 0.05). Significant differences on the Scale of the second order “Internal terminal values” shows that the main goal for entrepreneurs is self-realization, the desire to be in harmony with oneself and the unwillingness to adapt to the dominant social stereotypes (p = 0.01). No differences were found in the “External terminal values”: entrepreneurs and employees perceive the importance of the values of social recognition (Social prestige and High financial position) similarly. As for the scales of life spheres, there is a predominance of the significance of all life spheres for the sample of entrepreneurs as compared to the sample of employees (p ≤ 0.05). Thus, the hypothesis was confirmed, revealing the differences in five scales of terminal values and five spheres of life between the samples of entrepreneurs and employees. Conclusion. A greater concentration of meanings in different areas of life for entrepreneurs was identified. The life of entrepreneurs is more vivacious, various and plentiful. We have formulated recommendations for the development of entrepreneurial orientations for young people. The results of the study provide evidence for the need for universities, investment, and consulting organizations to improve the efficiency of their work with entrepreneurs.
Professional orientation of university applicants as a predictor of successful professional development
Authors: Lenkov Sergey L. , Rubtsova Nadezhda E. , Bukinich Alexey M.
Published: July 2023

Background. Numerous methods have been developed to guide schoolchildren toward career choice and professional education. However, empirical evidence for predictive validity of such methods is quite weak. This study specifies the case of university applicants (recent schoolchildren) profession choices. The author’s approach to identification of a professional orientation, developed in previous studies and based on the integrative-­typological classification of the world of work, is used. Objective. The aim is to check the relation between applicants’ professional orientation, requirements of the chosen professional activity with the success of professional development in the initial period of studying at university. Methods. We used the following methods: “Integrative-­typological professional orientation of the personality questionnaire”, “The scale of satisfaction with life”, “The scale of satisfaction with studies”, “The studies engagement questionnaire”, “Organizational and suborganizational identity questionnaire”. Sample. The sample involved 435 applicants who then entered the university and studied in the chosen field. Results. According to the subject matter of the chosen profession, four types of university education areas have been distinguished. These include integral, object-­related, human-­related and information-­related types. The criteria for the compliance of the professional orientation of university applicants with the requirements of these areas are formulated. While studying at university the applicants who met these requirements and became students showed higher indicators of professional development such as academic performance, organizational identity, involvement in studying, and satisfaction with it. Study results qualitatively correspond to the results of other studies revealing various indicators of professional orientation variability and their deterministic influence on some indicators of professional development. Conclusion. The study deduces four types of university education areas based on subjective work area (integral, object-related, human-­related and information-­related). Each type specifies requirements for applicant’s professional orientation. T﻿he correspondence between these requirements and applicant orientation turns out to be a predictor of professional development success, involvement in studying, satisfaction with it, organizational identity, and academic performance in the beginning of university education. More than 30% of the applicants who have become university students do not meet the requirements of the chosen professional activity and the university education direction.
Electrophysiological correlates of the perception of visual illusions: an ERP study
Authors: Denisova Ekaterina G. , Zaitseva Julia N. , Ermakov Pavel N.
Published: July 2023

Background. The question of the psychophysiological mechanisms involved in perception of images containing illusory distortions remains open. There is no record on the specifics of the brain functioning while recognizing various types of illusions. Objective. The aim is to analyse the temporal dynamics of evoked brain activity in relation to the type of perceived illusory distortion. Sample. The empirical study involved a sample of 50 respondents aged 18 to 30 years with normal or corrected vision (83% women). Methods. The method of electroencephalography (registration of evoked potentials, EP) was applied in the study. EEG registration was carried out monopolarly in 32 leads, using a multichannel electroencephalograph Neuroimage‑136 (manufactured by the company “ISS”, Russia). The participants of the experiment were presented with 700 visual images, including 6 groups of various illusions and control images in the form of simple geometric shapes that are not distorted. The stimuli were presented in a randomized order, for a limited time (500 ms). The WinEEG program was used to process EEG recordings. Statistical methods: single-­factor analysis of variance (ANOVA), Dunn’s post-hoc test. Statistical analysis was carried out with the JASP 0.16 software package. Results. Comparison of amplitude dynamics between control stimuli and stimuli with illusory images revealed significant differences in the 200–300 ms interval and in late response components (after 500 ms). As a result of the amplitude analysis of the evoked potentials while recognizing different categories of illusory images, significant differences were noted starting from the interval of 100–200 ms and covering both early and middle components of the response, as well as the late ones. Pairwise comparison showed that space curvature illusions, double images, and movement illusions were significantly different from almost all other groups of stimuli. Conclusion. The characteristics of evoked brain activity are specific to the type of perceived distortion. Data on the dynamics of the amplitude characteristics of evoked potentials in recognition of visual illusions, as well as their comparative analysis for various types of illusions, expand the understanding of the systemic work of the brain on formation of visual images in general and perception errors in particular.
Attenuation of alpha-rhythm cardiosynchrony during subjective estimation of a minute
Authors: Slovenko Ekaterina D. , Mitiureva Dina G. , Sysoeva Olga V.
Published: July 2023

Background. Interoception can serve as the basis for time perception. This assumption is supported with a considerable overlap between the brain structures that are involved in processing of interoceptive information and estimation of time duration. However, the psychophysiological mechanisms of interoceptive information integration during time perception remain largely unexplored. Objective. Analysis of the relationships between individual interoceptive sensitivity to heartbeats, evoked brain activity associated with the heartbeat, and time perception. Sample. The study involved 21 volunteers. Methods. The experimental procedure with EEG and photoplethysmogram recording included 5 experimental conditions: counting heartbeats at the specified time intervals, a resting state, and measuring a subjective minute with closed and open eyes. The epochs of recorded brain activity were defined upon the R-wave of the cardiogram. Global field power (GFP) indicators and coherence in the frequency range of the alpha rhythm were calculated. Results. The duration of the subjective minute did not correlate with either the perceived number of heart beats or the objective heart rate. There was also no relation between time and heart rate estimation accuracy. GFP analysis revealed a typical slow shift in brain activity, associated with heartbeat, however, it did not show a connection with the process of measuring duration, though it reacted to closing the eyes. At the same time, a decrease in the phase synchronization of the alpha rhythm relative to the heartbeat was detected while duration reproduction in comparison with resting-­state. In addition, the degree of this alpha-­rhythm cardiosynchrony is negatively correlated with the magnitude of discrepancy between the subjective and objective minute. Conclusion. Thus, although there was no relationship between the interoceptive sensitivity to heartbeating and time perception on behavioral level, our study is the first to show that the subjective minute estimation is associated with alpha-­rhythm desynchronisation in relation to heartbeats with this desynchronization being linked to enhanced accuracy of time estimations. Overall, the results obtained complement the existing ideas about the relationship between the time perception and interoceptive signaling.
Concepts and models of intellectual gift edness in children: world trends and prospects in the XXI century
Authors: Shcheblanova Elena I.
Published: July 2023

Background. Th e article is devoted to the analysis of changes in modern scientifi c ideas about the gift edness of children in recent years on the example of the most famous concepts and models in the world. Th e relevance of the study is due to the need for scientifi c substantiation of approaches to the identifi cation, development and support of gift ed children as one of the priority areas of the education system. Objective — to characterize the main trends in the evolution of the world-recognized concepts and models of intellectual gift edness and its development in the context of the modern education tasks, based on the analysis of scientifi c publications, mainly of the last fi ve years. Results. It is shown that one of the main trends of changes in the concepts of gift edness is the expansion and complication of ideas about its cognitive as well as non-cognitive intrapersonal components and their development in interaction with the infl uence of the environment. Th e research demonstrated specifi cs of manifestations and development of gift edness in diff erent types of mental activity and the individual variability of its dynamics at diff erent age and educational stages. Th e author substantiated the necessity of building an educational environment conducive to developing the gift edness of diff erent types and creating more complex, varied, and dynamic educational strategies and methods. Conclusion. Th e results of the study expand and deepen the understanding of gift edness in children and youth, demonstrate the variability of its cognitive, intrapersonal, socio-psychological characteristics, create a fundamental basis for the development and support of advanced educational practice.
System-complex paradigm of domestic psychology
Authors: Yurov Igor A.
Published: July 2023

Background. Russian monographs and textbooks describe only foreign psychological paradigms. Th e paradigms developed by Russian psychologists make it possible to achieve the level of scientifi c philosophical generalization, but do not specify the psychological paradigms themselves. Th erefore, appealing to the system-complex paradigm seems to be especially relevant at the present stage of development of domestic psychology. Objective. Th e study has its purpose to present a system-complex paradigm based on the works of Russian psychologists. Sample. Th e study features the works of 35 scientists. Methods. Historical analysis (historiogenesis) of psychological literature by foreign and domestic scientists. Results. Th e study showed that in the works of domestic scientists an integral Person is considered as a subject of psychology, who can be described within the framework of a system-complex paradigm and understood only through the relationship of internal and external, biological and social, individual and societal, as a system, in its interdependence and development. When considering the phenomenon of human being, the combination of structural, systemic and complex approaches with evolutionary approach seems to be the most promising at the present stage of development of a holistic human knowledge. Conclusion. Th e article presents scientifi c and methodological statements, views and positions of authoritative Russian scientists (philosophers, historians, psychologists) to substantiate and support the system-complex paradigm of domestic psychology. Within the framework of this paradigm, important problems of human studies and human knowledge are considered. In the conditions of scientifi c convergence of Western and Russian psychology, for the purpose of a deep and multidimensional study of a person, it seems appropriate to abandon the unilateral application of the principles of the one and only psychological paradigm and move to a systematic and complex use of the basic principles of modern psychology in their unity and interconnection.
Mid and late teen students’ representations about modern men and women
Authors: Danilova Elena E.
Published: July 2023

Relevance. Th e study relevance is determined by the need to investigate the processes of gender socialization in the mid and late teens in the modern socio-cultural situation characterized by erosion of traditional gender stereotypes and transformation of basic representations about the content of men and women’s social roles. Objective. Th e study had its purpose to explore and compare the boys’ and girls’ representations about modern men and women. Methods. Data collection was carried out using the method of free descriptions, content analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics, Student’s t-test, r-Spearman’s rank correlation coeffi cient, and share diff erence reliability criterion. Comparative historical analysis was carried out using the data obtained in the 1980s. Sample. Th e sample included 353 high school and college students aged 16–19 years (161 boys and 192 girls). Results. Th e initial hypothesis about the coexistence of both traditional and modern gender models among today’s teenagers has been confi rmed only in relation to their ideas of the modern woman. When describing her, both boys and girls rely on traditional stereotypes of femininity as well as modern ideas (androgyny, egalitarianism). Modern man is still viewed and evaluated by both boys and girls through the prism of traditional masculinity stereotypes. Girls’ representations about modern men and women are less rigid and not as stereotypical as those of boys. Th ey refl ect to a greater extent the transformation of rigid gender stereotypes taking place in the modern society. Modern boys’ and girls’ representations about men and women are in many ways similar to the representations of their peers of the Soviet era. Th e diff erences are associated with less attention to family roles and a greater interest in appearance, self-expression, success, and mental health. Conclusions. Despite the transformation of gender stereotypes taking place in the modern society, boys’ and girls’ representations about men and women are still based mainly on traditional ideas of masculinity/femininity
Theoretical analysis of modern research on the development of attitude to death in adolescence
Authors: Usova Lubov E. , Grigorieva Alexandrina A.
Published: July 2023

Background. Th e study relevance is due to the need of expanding approaches to the prevention of maladaptive forms of adolescent behavior. Objective: to fi nd out and consider the features of concepts of death in younger and older adolescence on the basis of analysis of domestic and foreign research. Results. Th e study considered the cognitive, emotional, and motivational-behavioral components of the adolescents’ ideas of death. It is shown that in the process of becoming a teenager, the cognitive component undergoes certain changes from understanding death as a transition to a diff erent state to realizing the absolute fi niteness of existence. At the same time, changes in the value-semantic sphere become of particular importance, when, maintaining the fear of death as the content of emotional component, the hedonistic type of attitude to life comes to the fore, focusing on the feelings of signifi cance and value of life. A mature understanding and attitude to death includes the awareness of irreversibility of the cessation of the body and psyche functioning, the universality and causality of this process. Conclusion. Ideas about death develop with age and diff er signifi cantly in younger and older adolescence. Th e “maturation” of the death concept, awareness of the relationship between life and death is accompanied by the experience of an existential crisis and, as a result, can become a prerequisite for the formation of maladaptive (auto-aggressive) forms of behavior.
Preforms of social formations of people: latent groups as a phenomenon
Authors: Tolochek Vladimir A.
Published: July 2023

Background. Th e study considers the features of manifestation of the latent social groups (implicit, hidden, not declared, not supported by social structures and institutions) as a special socio-psychological phenomenon. Objective. Th e study had its purpose to reveal the features of the social environment as potential conditions for the formation, functioning and evolution of the latent social groups. Hypotheses: 1) Th ere are pre-forms of social associations of people (which can be conditionally called “latent social groups” (LSG)). 2) Emergence of LSG can have grounds in diff erent conditions of external and internal environment of the subject (including those of the social environment perceived by a person as subjectively signifi cant for him in relation to certain life goals). Methods: categorical-theoretical analysis, study of literary sources, empirical research (questionnaires), multivariate methods of parametric statistics. By means of the author’s methodology (questionnaire “Dynamics of professional life style” — DPLS), respondents assessed the role of social environment conditions as “professional factors”, the dynamics their own professionalism since their 20 to 65 years (retrospectively to the current age and prospectively — predicting the dynamics of subsequent evolution). Sociodemographic and job characteristics of the respondents were also recorded. Sample. 482 people were interviewed, men and women aged 30–50 (132 civil servants, 129 engineers and heads of departments of industrial enterprises, 221 managers). Th e total sample was repeatedly divided into groups according to research tasks. Th e division criteria were gender, job position of the subjects, conditions of the meso-environment subjectively perceived to be signifi cant as the factors of their professionalism (circumstances, science, art, religion). Results. Th e empirical study results support the initial hypotheses. When dividing the sample according to diff erent criteria, both obvious (men/women, specialists/managers) and environmental conditions assessed as “professionalism factors”, the obtained groups diff er signifi cantly in a number of variables. Conclusions. In the same social space-time, various social associations can coexist diff erent in the degree of their manifestation, development, active functioning as social groups. Th e phenomenon of “latent social groups” (LSG) appears to be a pre-form of manifested social groups with diff erent trajectories of their possible subsequent development. LSG are possible associations of people who are similar to each other in a number of important aspects of life (value orientations, lifestyle, etc.), potentially capable of integration and interaction in achieving common goals, comfortable interpersonal communication, maintaining typical patterns of behavior, etc. LSG represent the pre-stages of the possible formation and development of various social structures.
A Beautiful Risk Enacted: Editorial
Authors: Isom Philippa , Redder Bridgette , McNair Lynn
Published: July 2023

This editorial explores education as a beautiful risk and its embodiment in the Association of Visual Pedagogies (avp) Twitter Conference. The conference aimed to co-construct visual pedagogical provocations and engage participants through Twitter. The authors formed a diverse organizing team and leveraged their strengths in technology, pedagogies, global networking, and organization to create an invitational dialogue. Twitter was recognized as a powerful tool for professional networking and accessible resource for conference participation. The call for visual pedagogical provocations generated diverse responses across educational sectors, fostering connections and expanding visual pedagogy possibilities. The conference showcased various visual forms, challenging conventional notions of pedagogy. It inspired a community of practice, with participants sharing artistic, informative, and thought-provoking contributions. This editorial concludes by sharing a video compilation of selected provocations, inviting readers to explore the transformative potential of visual pedagogy.
Rescuing Animals Amid Wartime in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine
Authors: Kulyk Olesya , Prylutska Alona
Published: July 2023

Amid the devastating war in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, animals have also been severely affected. The Zgraya Shelter in Zaporizhzhia city has been tirelessly working to rescue and care for animals in need, despite the challenging circumstances. Before the war, the shelter provided assistance to abandoned animals, promoted sterilization initiatives, and advocated for the ethical treatment of animals. However, the outbreak of war posed new challenges, including securing funds, addressing food shortages, and obtaining vaccinations. Despite these obstacles, the shelter’s founder and volunteers, along with the support of concerned citizens, have managed to continue their activities, even initiating online educational lessons. The shelter has provided aid to animals from critical cities and temporarily housed displaced animals. Despite ongoing issues and the loss of some animals due to the war, the shelter remains dedicated to its mission and continues to rescue and care for animals in need.
Proceedings of the 15th International Symposium on Aquatic Oligochaeta (Cover)
Authors: MARTIN PATRICK , PINDER ADRIAN , WETZEL MARK J.
Published: July 2023

Cover of the volume
Haplotaxis gordioides (Hartmann in Oken, 1819) (Annelida, Clitellata) as a sub-cosmopolitan species: a commonly held view challenged by DNA barcoding
Authors: MARTIN PATRICK , KNÜSEL MARA , ALTHER ROMAN , ALTERMATT FLORIAN , FERRARI BENOÎT , VIVIEN RÉGIS
Published: July 2023

Haplotaxis Hoffmeister, 1843 is a poorly known genus: it is rarely collected because it usually inhabits groundwater, and many species are only known from immature specimens. Even the type species, Haplotaxis gordioides (Hartmann in Oken, 1819) remains poorly defined because of the absence of reference types. Most of the Haplotaxis species have been placed in synonymy with H. gordioides since the end of the 19th century, a situation that has remained essentially unchanged until now. As a result, the species is supposedly present on all continents, except Antarctica. This observation is all the more questionable as the aquatic subterranean environment is nowadays well known to harbour many species with restricted distribution, due to the strong hydrogeographic isolation and the low dispersal abilities of its inhabitants.

In this study we assessed the hypothesis of H. gordioides as a single species with wide distribution versus a complex of cryptic species with narrow distribution. We used a DNA-barcoding approach based on the COI mitochondrial marker of 46 Haplotaxis specimens collected in Switzerland, mostly as part of a countrywide sampling campaign to study groundwater macroinvertebrates.

Preliminary results suggested that H. gordioides is a complex of at least 6 cryptic species in Switzerland, which has important implications both for the knowledge of the exact identity of the type species and for the synonymy of most of the species described in the 19th century. However, as it is based on a single-locus approach, this study should be seen as the first step in an integrative taxonomic process that should include additional biological material, the study of complementary markers (especially nuclear), and the morphological study of specimens.
Introduction to the Monograph of Annelida: Oligochaeta: Haplotaxidae, Lumbriculidae, Naididae and Tubificidae in China
Authors: CUI YONGDE , WANG HONGZHU
Published: July 2023

Volume 64 of invertebrates in the Fauna of China, Annelida: Oligochaeta: Haplotaxidae, Lumbriculidae, Naididae and Tubificidae, will be published soon.
Nomenclatura Oligochaetologica—A catalogue of names, descriptions, and type specimens of the Oligochaeta. Editio Secunda
Authors: WETZEL MARK J. , REYNOLDS JOHN W.
Published: July 2023

During the 1950s, Gordon E. Gates (affiliated at that time with Tall Timbers Research Station near Tallahassee, Florida, USA), initiated compilation of a catalogue of scientific names of the Oligochaeta. Gates transferred his account records to John W. Reynolds in 1972, who enlisted the assistance of David G. Cook, an aquatic biologist working in Canada, to complete this catalogue. The first volume of this catalogue, Nomenclatura Oligochaetologica—a catalogue of names, descriptions, and type specimens of the Oligochaeta [N.O.], was published by Reynolds and Cook (1976). Three supplements—Supplementum Primum (Reynolds and Cook, 1981 [N.O.S.P.]), Supplementum Secundum (Reynolds and Cook, 1989 [N.O.S.S.]), and Supplementum Tertium (Reynolds and Cook, 1993 [N.O.S.T.])—were subsequently published, completing the first volume series of this nomenclator. After the retirement of Cook, Reynolds invited Wetzel to assist in the preparation of a fourth supplement to this first volume series. In 2012, the decision was made to forgo completion of a print version for this fourth supplement, redirecting efforts to compile a second edition, specifically to restructure it for presentation as a dedicated and active website.
Citations for the published proceedings of our 15 International Symposia on Aquatic Oligochaeta (1979–2023)
Authors: WETZEL MARK J.
Published: July 2023

These special publications, below, present overviews of and papers presented during our triennial international symposia on aquatic oligochaete biology. Three similar names for our symposia have been used since we began as a group in 1979: International Symposium on Aquatic Oligochaete Biology (ISAOB), International Symposium on Aquatic Oligochaetes (ISAO), and International Symposium on Aquatic Oligochaeta (ISAO).
15th International Symposium on Aquatic Oligochaeta
Authors: MARTIN PATRICK , PINDER ADRIAN , WETZEL MARK J.
Published: July 2023

This volume is the proceedings for the 15th International Symposium on Aquatic Oligochaeta (ISAO15), held in Brussels, Belgium, from the 19th to 24th of September 2022. Since the first ISAO meeting was hosted by Ralph Brinkhurst in Sidney, British Columbia, Canada in 1979, our meetings have been held without interruption every three years. Just as the years seemed to be passing peacefully and our 15th ISAO was slowly coming together, the SARS-Cov-2 epidemic came suddenly into our lives, causing a complete disruption in our way of life. Although our 15th triennial symposium had originally been scheduled to convene in September 2021, we were only able to meet after going through this ordeal, four long years after our last symposium in Hirosaki, Japan, in September 2018, which was a great moment for all those who attended. Although the virus was losing the battle or, waning, it still retained some medical challenges along with cultural and financial restrictions that prevented some of our colleagues from several countries from joining us.
In Memoriam: Professor Dr. Yan-Ling Liang (1934–2021)
Authors: WETZEL MARK J. , WANG HAIJUN , CUI YONGDE , WANG HONGZHU
Published: July 2023

Professor Dr. Yan-Ling Liang, our family-like friend, respected colleague, and renowned mentor, passed away suddenly and peacefully in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on 8 December 2021, at the age of 88, survived by his wife, two sons, and two grandchildren.
Distribution of ectosymbiotic species of Cirrodrilus (Annelida, Clitellata, Branchiobdellida) in northern Japan, with notes on their taxonomy
Authors: OHTAKA AKIFUMI , KONNO TOMOAKI , KOIZUMI ITSURO , GELDER STUART R.
Published: July 2023

Twelve species of Cirrodrilus, a genus of ectosymbiotic branchiobdellidans, have been recorded on the Japanese crayfish, Cambaroides japonicus, from the islands of Hokkaido and northern Honshu. To clarify the geographic distribution of these species, we examined branchiobdellidan assemblages from 71 locations on Hokkaido and 59 on northern Honshu. We found 11 morphologically distinct species. The following 8 species: Cirrodrilus digitatus, Ci. cirratus, Ci. uchidai, Ci. sapporensis, Ci. nipponicus, Ci. japonicus, Ci. megalodentatus and Ci. homodontus were exclusively recorded from Hokkaido, while Ci. aomorensis was restricted to Honshu. Two other species, Ci. tsugarensis and Ci. iwakiensis, had previously only been recorded from Honshu but were now also found on Hokkaido. The anomalous record of Ci. digitatus and Ci. uchidai on Honshu is known to be the result of crayfish being translocated from Hokkaido. No significant difference in the species composition was found between eastern and western regions on Hokkaido, where divergent lineages have been detected in the Japanese crayfish host. Overlaps in the diagnostic characters of Ci. cirratus and Ci. uchidai suggest that both taxa belong to either a single species or form a species complex.
Composition and abundance of oligochaetes in large Scandinavian lakes in a morpho-edaphic index framework—in the 1970s and 50+ years later
Authors: MILBRINK GÖRAN , SONESTEN LARS
Published: July 2023

Bottom-living oligochaetes and chironomid larvae, thanks to their supposedly integrative power, could provide more robust measures of the water quality of lakes than separate chemical data. The oligochaete fauna of the large lakes of southern Scandinavia has been studied in detail over many years—often 100 years or more (Milbrink, 2020). Characteristic species associations and the ecological preferences of each oligochaete species are thus relatively well-known. In Milbrink (2020) it was shown that the precision could be greatly improved if the relationship between oligochaete species and chemical data could be instead demonstrated within a morpho-edaphic index framework (Ryder et al. 1974). The percentage composition and total abundance of oligochaetes per sample in a number of large lakes or selected basins of large lakes in southern Sweden and Norway were thus tested against this index in the 1970s (Milbrink, 1978). The trophic change which had taken place in the oligotrophic Lake Vättern—first with eutrophication and later with oligotrophication—was illustrated graphically and discussed in this work (Milbrink, 2020).

A very similar trophic change could also be seen in the oligotrophic Lake Vänern (the basin of Värmlandssjön), as well as in the more eutrophic Lakes Mälaren and Hjälmaren. All these large lakes, once eutrophied in the 1950s and 1960s, are today undergoing oligotrophication. We simply have a melioration thanks to advanced sewage treatment since the 1960s. With our new knowledge, it is informative studying changes in species composition after trophic change. In a time when efforts to save the environment often fail, this new development is a real success story.
New species of Lumbriculidae (Clitellata) from groundwater-dependent habitats in Texas
Authors: FEND STEVEN , HUTCHINS BENJAMIN T. , GIBSON RANDY , SCHWARTZ BENJAMIN F. , DIAZ PETER H.
Published: July 2023

Recent hyporheic, crenal and phreatic groundwater collections suggest a rich oligochaete fauna associated with the Edwards and Edwards-Trinity Aquifers in central Texas, including many species in the family Lumbriculidae. Based on limited invertebrate collections from earlier sampling programs, four sites were selected for more intensive oligochaete sampling. The lumbriculid Eclipidrilus palustris (Smith, 1900) is widespread in cleaner, cooler waters of the southeastern USA, and was common in crenal habitats. However, several lumbriculid species appear to be new and endemic, four of which are described here. Two of these can be assigned to the genus Eremidrilus Fend & Rodriguez, 2003 based on semiprosoporous male ducts with male pores in X, spermathecae in XI, and a filiform proboscis. Eremidrilus samacos n. sp. has typical morphology for the genus; E. parvitheca n. sp. (provisionally assigned to the genus) has duct-like spermathecae that join the gut, and unusual dorsal glands in posterior segments. Two morphotypes are assigned to E. parvitheca, based on spermathecal location in XI (typical) or XII (variant). A third species (Trichodrilus comalensis n. sp.) lacks a proboscis and has unusually elongated ventral chaetae. A problematic fourth species (Pararhynchelmis texana n. sp.) has semiprosoporous atria in X and duct-like spermathecae joining the gut in VIII. As it lacks apomorphies previously proposed for Rhynchelmis Hoffmeister, 1843 and Pseudorhynchelmis Hrabě, 1982, it is provisionally assigned to Pararhynchelmis Fend & Lenat, 2010.
Effect of Norepinephrine on Peripheral Perfusion Index and Its Association With the Prognosis of Patients With Sepsis
Authors: Wang Cui , Wang Xiaoting , Zhang Hongmin , Liu Dawei , Zhang Chengyuan
Published: July 2023

Background: To evaluate whether the use of norepinephrine during the management of patients with sepsis affects the perfusion index (PI) and patient outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively studied patients with septic shock between January 2014 and December 2018 who had undergone Pulse index Continuous Cardiac Output-Plus cardiac output monitoring and received norepinephrine during the management. We collected data regarding basic clinical characteristics. Hemodynamic parameters, including lactate, PI, and norepinephrine dose at T0 and 24 h after Pulse index Continuous Cardiac Output catheterization (T24) were obtained. Results: The PI of the nonsurvivor group (n  =  44) was significantly lower than that of the survivor group (n  =  144) at T24, and the lactate level of the nonsurvivor group was significantly higher than that of the survivor group. The multiple logistic regression analysis suggested that the norepinephrine dose and PI were the most independent risk and protective factors, respectively, for intensive care unit mortality. The area under the curve for a poor prognosis was 0.847 (95% confidence interval, 0.782-0.912). The optimal cutoff value of the PI at T24 to predict intensive care unit mortality was 0.6, with a sensitivity of 77.1% and a specificity of 80%. Based on this optimal cutoff value, we divided patients into groups with PI ≥ 0.6 (n  =  125) and PI < 0.6 (n  =  59). The lactate level of the PI < 0.6 group was higher than that of the PI ≥ 0.6 group at T24. The PI < 0.6 group showed a significantly higher sublingual dose of norepinephrine indicators than the PI ≥ 0.6 group. The PI showed a strong negative correlation with norepinephrine dose (r  =  −0.344, P < .001) and lactate (r  =  −0.291, P < .001). Conclusions: A higher PI is a protective factor, and a higher dose of norepinephrine is a risk factor for the prognosis of critically ill patients with septic shock. A lower PI was associated with a higher dose of norepinephrine.
The lack of organizational learning in slum upgrading success: the case of the Kenya Informal Settlement Improvement Programme 2011–2020
Authors: Wainaina George Kiambuthi , Truffer Bernhard , Lüthi Christoph , Mang’ira Peris Korir
Published: July 2023

Not all the challenges of informal settlement upgrading programmes can be anticipated from the start. It calls for cumulative learning within the programme’s timeline. This paper investigates the role of organizational learning in influencing programme outcomes. The analysis of the Kenya Informal Settlement Improvement Programme (KISIP) shows that a lack of organizational learning routines can lead to reduced programme success, and that programme learning can improve programme outcomes. Well-conceptualized processes that include participation, coordination, communication and the synthesis of information are essential, though insufficient alone. Additional barriers, including a sudden increase in the number and diversity of actors and projects, their deteriorating commitment, inequitable incentives and inadequate tools to support programme learning, can further exacerbate the absence of established programme learning routines. There is a need for explicit and transparent programme learning procedures across organizational levels in order to improve overall programme success.
Centralized injustices: understanding energy resilience in times of disruption in low-income settlements in Peru
Authors: Lambert Rita , Tomei Julia , Escalante Estrada Carlos , De Los Rios Silvia
Published: July 2023

What happens once people have electricity has received far less analytical and policy attention than the provision of the infrastructure itself. For low-income settlements that have gained a connection to the grid, energy access challenges can still prevail, keeping many inhabitants in energy poverty. This paper analyses energy practices in three low-income neighbourhoods in Lima, Peru, with particular attention to inhabitants’ responses in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. In doing so, it seeks to draw lessons for energy policy and planning to enhance energy resilience in the transition towards more just and sustainable futures. Building on energy resilience scholarship and drawing links with justice debates, this paper discusses three community coping strategies: (1) fuel stacking; (2) collective practices and the shared economy; and (3) material and spatial changes. It analyses how these strategies relate to dominant policy directions, as well as their implications for energy resilience and justice more broadly.
Existential moods as resonances of being: Anchoring existential psychology in nature—An outline
Authors: Høgh-Olesen Henrik
Published: July 2023

An overview is provided of the psychological constituents of the emotional register, and special focus is given to the longer-lasting existential moods—our being-attuned to being—that we as humans experience. The classic concepts of existentialism (Kierkegaard, Heidegger, Sartre) are reviewed and challenged. Moods, such as emptiness, meaninglessness, existential anxiety for freedom and nothingness, have not always been dominating aspects of human existence, nor are they today. These moods primarily stem from urbanity and modernity; but worldwide the majority of people do not know what autonomy, freedom, and relativity means. The outer as well as the inner nature of humans, and of human existence, are underexposed in classic and modern existential thinking. The aim here is to remedy this shortcoming by presenting an empirically anchored outline of a natural existential psychology, which, based on modern neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, comparative psychology, and phenomenology, provides further knowledge about our basic existential moods and our species-specific resonances of being-in-the-world.
Sample size determination for adaptive crossover trial in detecting gene-drug interactions
Authors: Chen Hua Yun , Darbar Dawood
Published: July 2023

Parallel design and crossover design are two of the most frequently used designs for studying drug-gene interactions. Due to the concerns of statistical power and ethics, it is often more prudent to use the crossover design while allowing the patients to have choices of not switching the treatment if the first stage treatment is effective. This complicates the calculation of the required sample size to achieve pre-specified statistical power. We propose a method to determine the required sample size with a closed-form formula. The proposed approach is applied to determine the sample size of an adaptive crossover trial in studying gene-drug interaction in treating atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia in clinical practice. Our simulation study confirms the power achieved by the sample size determined using the proposed approach. Issues related to the adaptive crossover trial are also discussed and practical guidelines are provided.
Vector analysis and the stationary potential energy for assessing equilibrium of curved masonry structures
Authors: Alexakis Haris , Makris Nicos
Published: July 2023

Curved structures have enabled masons, engineers, and architects to carry heavy loads and cover large spans with the use of low-tensile strength materials for centuries, while creating the marvels of the world’s architectural heritage. Despite the long history of these practices, finding optimal structural forms and assessing the stability and safety of curved structures remains as topical as ever. This is due to an increasing interest to preserve heritage structures and reduce material use in construction, while replacing steel and concrete with low-carbon natural materials. The analogy between inverted hanging chains and the optimal shape of masonry arches is a concept deeply rooted in our structural analysis practices. The paper revisits the equilibrium of the hanging chain, following the transition from Newtonian to Lagrangian Mechanics. Understanding these ideas reveals that hanging chains and arches are two incompatible structural systems. The paper discusses the limitations of describing the equilibrium of two-dimensional objects with finite thickness (e.g., arches) by using one-dimensional objects of infinitesimal thickness (e.g., hanging chains, funicular lines) on the geometry of the curved structure and the loading conditions that can be assumed in practice. These limitations manifest themselves by applying force equilibrium that carefully considers the stereotomy exercised, which becomes particularly critical when studying the stability of vertical sections or considering seismic loads. The paper shows that by taking the logical progression towards Lagrangian Mechanics, one may obtain rigorous solutions for the limit equilibrium state of curved structures by applying the principle of stationary action. This approach liberates the analyst from the need to consider equilibrium of each individual block or describing geometrically the load path of thrust forces.
Harnessing brain plasticity to improve binocular vision in amblyopia: An evidence-based update
Authors: Thompson Benjamin , Concetta Morrone Maria , Bex Peter , Lozama Anthony , Sabel Bernhard A.
Published: July 2023

Amblyopia is a developmental visual disorder resulting from atypical binocular experience in early childhood that leads to abnormal visual cortex development and vision impairment. Recovery from amblyopia requires significant visual cortex neuroplasticity, i.e. the ability of the central nervous system and its synaptic connections to adapt their structure and function. There is a high level of neuroplasticity in early development and, historically, neuroplastic responses to changes in visual experience were thought to be restricted to a “critical period” in early life. However, as our review now shows, the evidence is growing that plasticity of the adult visual system can also be harnessed to improve vision in amblyopia. Amblyopia treatment involves correcting refractive error to ensure clear and equal retinal image formation in both eyes, then, if necessary, promoting the use of the amblyopic eye by hindering or reducing visual input from the better eye through patching or pharmacologic therapy. Early treatment in children can lead to visual acuity gains and the development of binocular vision in some cases; however, many children do not respond to treatment, and many adults with amblyopia have historically been untreated or undertreated. Here we review the current evidence on how dichoptic training can be used as a novel binocular therapeutic approach to facilitate visual processing of input from the amblyopic eye and can simultaneously engage both eyes in a training task that requires binocular integration. It is a novel and promising treatment for amblyopia in both children and adults.