bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trade-offs Between Light and Nutrient Availability Across Gradients of Dissolved Organic Carbon Lead to Spatially and Temporally Variable Responses of Lake Phytoplankton Biomass to Browning
Authors: Isles Peter D. F. , Creed Irena F. , Jonsson Anders , Bergström Ann-Kristin
Published: March 2021

Northern lakes are experiencing widespread increases in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) that are likely to lead to changes in pelagic phytoplankton biomass. Pelagic phytoplankton biomass responds to trade-offs between light and nutrient availability. However, the influence of DOC light absorbing properties and carbon–nutrient stoichiometry on phytoplankton biomass across seasonal or spatial gradients has not been assessed. Here, we analyzed data from almost 5000 lakes to examine how the carbon–phytoplankton biomass relationship is influenced by seasonal changes in light availability, DOC light absorbing properties (carbon-specific visual absorbance, SVA420), and DOC–nutrient [total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP)] stoichiometry, using TOC as a proxy for DOC. We found evidence for trade-offs between light and nutrient availability in the relationship between DOC and phytoplankton biomass [chlorophyll (chl)-a], with the shape of the relationship varying with season. A clear unimodal relationship was found only in the fall, particularly in the subsets of lakes with the highest TOC:TP. Observed trends of increasing TOC:TP and decreasing TOC:TN suggest that the effects of future browning will be contingent on future changes in carbon–nutrient stoichiometry. If browning continues, phytoplankton biomass will likely increase in most northern lakes, with increases of up to 76% for a 1.7 mg L−1increase in DOC expected in subarctic regions, where DOC, SVA420, DOC:TN, and DOC:TP are all low. In boreal regions with higher DOC and higher SVA420, and thus lower light availability, lakes may experience only moderate increases or even decreases in phytoplankton biomass with future browning.
Stream Macroinvertebrates and Carbon Cycling in Tangled Food Webs
Authors: Demars Benoît O. L. , Kemp Joanna L. , Marteau Baptiste , Friberg Nikolai , Thornton Barry
Published: March 2021

The annual global loss of organic carbon from terrestrial ecosystems into rivers is similar to the organic carbon stored in soils each year. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) flows through the food web to macroinvertebrates, but little is known about the effect of DOM increase on stream food webs and how much macroinvertebrates may contribute to the regulation of carbon fluxes in rivers. Using a before and after control impact (BACI) experimental design, we increased by 12% (+ 0.52 mg C L−1) the concentration of DOM in a stream for three weeks by adding sucrose, with a distinctive δ13C signature, to simulate a pulse of natural DOM supply from soils. We partitioned the diet of macroinvertebrates from carbon sources according to the green pathway (autotrophs) and detrital pathways (bacteria and terrestrial organic matter). Our flow food web approach based on C fluxes, with bacteria as a key node, showed the dominant contribution of the detrital pathways for macroinvertebrates in the reference stream. DOM addition induced changes in the diets of individual taxa, but did not have any strong effects on the relative overall contribution of the detrital pathways versus the green pathway. Autotrophic uptake of CO2 respired by bacteria was much larger than bacterial C flux to invertebrates (that is, the classic microbial loop) and allowed a significant fraction of natural allochthonous organic carbon to make its way to macroinvertebrates via autotrophs fixing CO2 respired by bacteria. Overall macroinvertebrates did not regulate directly to any great extent the flux of stream DOM towards downstream ecosystems.
Intra-body dynamics of d-serine reflects the origin of kidney diseases
Authors: Okushima Hiroki , Iwata Yukimasa , Hesaka Atsushi , Sugimori Eri , Ikeda Tatsuhiko , Nakane Maiko , Mita Masashi , Hayashi Terumasa , Isaka Yoshitaka , Kimura Tomonori
Published: March 2021

Introduction

d-Serine, present only in trace amounts in humans, is now recognized as a biomarker of chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD is heterogeneous in its original kidney diseases, whose diagnoses require kidney biopsy. In this study, we examined whether the intra-body dynamics of d-serine, indexed by its blood and urinary levels, reflects the origin of kidney diseases.

Methods

Patients with six kinds of kidney disease undergoing kidney biopsy were enrolled in a single center. Levels of d- and l-serine were measured using two-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatography. The associations between the origin of kidney diseases and the intra-body dynamics of d-serine were examined using multivariate cluster analyses.

Results

Unlike the non-CKD profile, patients with CKD showed broadly-distributed profiles of intra-body dynamics of d-serine. The plasma level of d-serine plays a key role in the detection of kidney diseases, whereas a combination of plasma and urinary levels of d-serine distinguished the origin of CKD, especially lupus nephritis.

Conclusion

Intra-body dynamics of d-serine have the potential to predict the origin of kidney diseases. Monitoring of d-serine may guide specific treatments for the origin of kidney diseases.
Low-Degree Approximation of Random Polynomials
Authors: Diatta Daouda Niang , Lerario Antonio
Published: March 2021

We prove that with “high probability” a random Kostlan polynomial in $$n+1$$

n
+
1

many variables and of degree d can be approximated by a polynomial of “low degree” without changing the topology of its zero set on the sphere $$\mathbb {S}^n$$

S

n

. The dependence between the “low degree” of the approximation and the “high probability” is quantitative: for example, with overwhelming probability, the zero set of a Kostlan polynomial of degree d is isotopic to the zero set of a polynomial of degree $$O(\sqrt{d \log d})$$

O
(

d
log
d

)

. The proof is based on a probabilistic study of the size of $$C^1$$

C
1

-stable neighborhoods of Kostlan polynomials. As a corollary, we prove that certain topological types (e.g., curves with deep nests of ovals or hypersurfaces with rich topology) have exponentially small probability of appearing as zero sets of random Kostlan polynomials.
A numerical study of variational discretizations of the Camassa–Holm equation
Authors: Galtung Sondre Tesdal , Grunert Katrin
Published: March 2021

We present two semidiscretizations of the Camassa–Holm equation in periodic domains based on variational formulations and energy conservation. The first is a periodic version of an existing conservative multipeakon method on the real line, for which we propose efficient computation algorithms inspired by works of Camassa and collaborators. The second method, and of primary interest, is the periodic counterpart of a novel discretization of a two-component Camassa–Holm system based on variational principles in Lagrangian variables. Applying explicit ODE solvers to integrate in time, we compare the variational discretizations to existing methods over several numerical examples.
Eye Tracking Supported Human Factors Testing Improving Patient Training
Authors: Weiss Kerrin Elisabeth , Hoermandinger Christoph , Mueller Marcus , Schmid Daners Marianne , Potapov Evgenij V. , Falk Volkmar , Meboldt Mirko , Lohmeyer Quentin
Published: March 2021

The handling of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) can be challenging for patients and requires appropriate training. The devices’ usability impacts patients’ safety and quality of life. In this study, an eye tracking supported human factors testing was performed to reveal problems during use and test the trainings’ effectiveness. In total 32 HeartWare HVAD patients (including 6 pre-VAD patients) and 3 technical experts as control group performed a battery change (BC) and a controller change (CC) as an everyday and emergency scenario on a training device. By tracking the patients’ gaze point, task duration and pump-off time were evaluated. Patients with LVAD support ≥1 year showed significantly shorter BC task duration than patients with LVAD support <1 year (p = 0.008). In contrast their CC task duration (p = 0.002) and pump-off times (median = 12.35 s) were higher than for LVAD support patients <1 year (median = 5.3 s) with p = 0.001. The shorter BC task duration for patients with LVAD support ≥1 year indicate that with time patients establish routines and gain confidence using their device. The opposite effect was found for CC task duration and pump-off times. This implies the need for intermittent re-training of less frequent tasks to increase patients’ safety.
Role of the Finnish forest industry in mitigating global change: energy use and greenhouse gas emissions towards 2035
Authors: Lipiäinen Satu , Vakkilainen Esa
Published: March 2021

The objective of this paper is to analyse role of forest industry in meeting energy and climate targets that aim to mitigating global change. Finland as an important forest industry country with the ambitious target of becoming carbon neutral by 2035 is selected to a target county. This study aims to present a plausible assessment of the future of the Finnish forest industry until 2035 based on literature and a scenario building approach. The focus is on energy use and fossil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The results suggest that electricity consumption will decrease, whereas electricity production will increase, which indicates that forest industry can provide more renewable electricity to the grid. Heat consumption may even increase as a result from building new biorefineries, but those mills can most probably meet their heat demand by combusting biofuels. Changes in forest industry’s direct fossil CO2 emissions can reduce Finnish fossil CO2 emissions 2─4% in comparison to 2018. Biofuels production is likely to rise, but the extent remains to be seen. It is concluded that the Finnish forest industry can contribute significantly to meeting national climate policy targets, and forest industry in general can play a role in mitigating global change. Additionally, it was found that development of the Finnish forest industry will probably be limited by the requirement for sustainable wood harvesting, which may also be a problem for other forest industry countries.
The Process of Stellar Tidal Disruption by Supermassive Black Holes
Authors: Rossi E. M. , Stone N. C. , Law-Smith J. A. P. , Macleod M. , Lodato G. , Dai J. L. , Mandel I.
Published: March 2021

Tidal disruption events (TDEs) are among the brightest transients in the optical, ultraviolet, and X-ray sky. These flares are set into motion when a star is torn apart by the tidal field of a massive black hole, triggering a chain of events which is – so far – incompletely understood. However, the disruption process has been studied extensively for almost half a century, and unlike the later stages of a TDE, our understanding of the disruption itself is reasonably well converged. In this Chapter, we review both analytical and numerical models for stellar tidal disruption. Starting with relatively simple, order-of-magnitude physics, we review models of increasing sophistication, the semi-analytic “affine formalism,” hydrodynamic simulations of the disruption of polytropic stars, and the most recent hydrodynamic results concerning the disruption of realistic stellar models. Our review surveys the immediate aftermath of disruption in both typical and more unusual TDEs, exploring how the fate of the tidal debris changes if one considers non-main sequence stars, deeply penetrating tidal encounters, binary star systems, and sub-parabolic orbits. The stellar tidal disruption process provides the initial conditions needed to model the formation of accretion flows around quiescent massive black holes, and in some cases may also lead to directly observable emission, for example via shock breakout, gravitational waves or runaway nuclear fusion in deeply plunging TDEs.
Characterization of dairy innovations in selected milksheds in Kenya using a categorical principal component analysis
Authors: Wairimu Edith , Mburu John , Gachuiri Charles K. , Ndambi Asaah
Published: March 2021

To enhance milk quantity and quality which have continued to decrease in Kenya, various stakeholders have intervened through promotion of technical dairy innovations at the farm level including improved cow feeding, health management, promotion of exotic breeds, and milking hygiene. At the milkshed level, stakeholders’ focus has been on organizational innovations, specifically milk sale by farmers through groups. This study sought to characterize dairy innovations that have been adopted by farmers in the milkshed of three milk processors including New Kenya Co-operative Creameries Sotik (NKCC Sotik), Happy Cow Limited (HCL), and Mukurweini Wakulima Dairy Limited (MWDL), representing one state, private, and farmer-owned processor, respectively. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire from a sample of 1146 farmers (410, 382, and 354 in MWDL, HCL, and NKCC Sotik, respectively). A categorical principal components analysis was used to reduce 32 variables into four sets of uncorrelated components. Four categories were identified including principal component (PC) 1 (technical capacity), PC 2 (animal health management), PC 3 (organizational capacity), and PC 4 (milk hygiene). More farmers in the milkshed of MWDL adopted technical and organizational dairy innovations such as use of artificial insemination and milk sale through groups, respectively, than farmers in milkshed of NKCC and HCL. The county governments in the milkshed of HCL and NKCC Sotik need to strengthen cooperative societies to boost adoption of artificial insemination through arrangement in which milk is sold and payment of services offered on credit is settled from milk sale and ensure milk market availability throughout the year.
On Defining “Reliance” and “Trust”: Purposes, Conditions of Adequacy, and New Definitions
Authors: de Fine Licht Karl , Brülde Bengt
Published: March 2021

Trust is often perceived as having great value. For example, there is a strong belief that trust will bring different sorts of public goods and help us preserve common resources. A related concept which is just as important, but perhaps not explicitly discussed to the same extent as “trust”, is “reliance” or “confidence”. To be able to rely on some agent is often seen as a prerequisite for being able to trust this agent. Up to now, the conceptual discussion about the definition of trust and reliance has been rational in the sense that most people involved have offered arguments for their respective views, or against competing views. While these arguments rely on some criterion or other, these criteria are rarely explicitly stated, and to our knowledge, no systematic account of such criteria has been offered. In this paper we give an account of what criteria we should use to assess tentative definitions of “trust” and “reliance”. We will also offer our own well-founded definitions of “trust” and “reliance”. Trust should be regarded as a kind of reliance and we defend what we call “the accountability view” of trust, by appealing to the desiderata we identify in the first parts of the paper.
Gesundheitskompetenz für die Familie: Frauen mit Migrationshintergrund als Mittlerinnen
Authors: Adam Yvonne , Berens Eva-Maria
Published: March 2021

Hintergrund

Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund gelten als vulnerable Gruppe, deren Gesundheitskompetenz gefördert werden muss. Bisher gibt es noch wenige Studien, die neben dem Migrationshintergrund auch den gender- und intergenerationalen Einfluss untersuchen.

Ziel und Methodik

Entlang der vier Schritte der Informationsverarbeitung Suchen, Verstehen, Beurteilen und Anwenden werden zwei Fokusgruppen und sechs Einzelinterviews mit türkisch- und russischsprachigen Frauen der mittleren Generation analysiert, um aufzuzeigen, welchen Einfluss die Gesundheitskompetenz der Frauen auf die gesamte Familie hat.

Ergebnisse

Die Frauen setzen ihr Wissen, ihre Fähigkeiten und insbesondere ihre Mehrsprachigkeit gezielt ein, um ihre älteren Angehörigen zu unterstützen. Beim Suchen, Verstehen und Beurteilen von Informationen wird deutlich, dass Entscheidungen in der Familie diskutiert und vom sozialen Umfeld beeinflusst werden. Beim Anwenden motivieren die Frauen ihre älteren Angehörigen zu einem gesundheitsförderlichen Verhalten.

Schlussfolgerung

Die Frauen treten als Mittlerinnen für die Gesundheit der gesamten Familie auf. Über sie könnten auch schwer erreichbare Gruppen differenz- und ressourcenorientiert gefördert werden. Für die Konzeption einer Family Health Literacy ist nicht nur der Einfluss von Eltern auf ihre Kinder interessant, sondern auch von erwachsenen Kindern auf ihre Eltern.
Assertive, but Less Competent and Trustworthy? Perception of Police Officers with Tattoos and Piercings
Authors: Hauke-Forman Nicole , Methner Nicole , Bruckmüller Susanne
Published: March 2021

There is an ongoing debate whether police officers should be allowed to wear tattoos or piercings on visible parts of the body or not. One argument often brought forward against it is that such body modifications would cue negative evaluations of officers by citizens that would impede officers’ fulfillment of their duties. Yet, empirical evidence for this claim is missing. The present research aims to close this gap by examining how citizens perceive police officers with tattoos and piercings. In an experiment, participants saw edited photographs of police officers with and without tattoos (study 1) or piercings (study 2). They rated each officer regarding communion, agency, likability, respect, and threat. We found that, as expected, police officers with tattoos and piercings were perceived as less trustworthy and less competent, were liked somewhat less, and triggered higher perceptions of threat. In addition, police officers with tattoos (but not with piercings) were perceived as less friendly and more assertive. Regarding respect, we found no differences between officers with and without body modifications. While our empirical results cannot answer the societal and political question whether police officers should be allowed to wear tattoos and piercings or not, experimental psychological research can contribute to the respective discussions by providing an empirical basis. Our findings further have important theoretical implications, as the opposing effects on competence and assertiveness underline the importance of distinguishing between these two facets of agency in research on social perception and judgment.
Challenges in Paragangliomas and Pheochromocytomas: from Histology to Molecular Immunohistochemistry
Authors: Juhlin C. Christofer
Published: March 2021

Abdominal paragangliomas and pheochromocytomas (PPGLs) are rare neuroendocrine tumors of the infradiaphragmatic paraganglia and adrenal medulla, respectively. Although few pathologists outside of endocrine tertiary centers will ever diagnose such a lesion, the tumors are well known through the medical community—possible due to a combination of the sheer rarity, their often-spectacular presentation due to excess catecholamine secretion as well as their unrivaled coupling to constitutional susceptibility gene mutations and hereditary syndromes. All PPGLs are thought to harbor malignant potential, and therefore pose several challenges to the practicing pathologist. Specifically, a responsible diagnostician should recognize both the capacity and limitations of histological, immunohistochemical, and molecular algorithms to pinpoint high risk for future metastatic disease. This focused review aims to provide the surgical pathologist with a condensed update regarding the current strategies available in order to deliver an accurate prognostication of these enigmatic lesions.
A reaction norm perspective on reproducibility
Authors: Voelkl Bernhard , Würbel Hanno
Published: March 2021

Reproducibility in biomedical research, and more specifically in preclinical animal research, has been seriously questioned. Several cases of spectacular failures to replicate findings published in the primary scientific literature have led to a perceived reproducibility crisis. Diverse threats to reproducibility have been proposed, including lack of scientific rigour, low statistical power, publication bias, analytical flexibility and fraud. An important aspect that is generally overlooked is the lack of external validity caused by rigorous standardization of both the animals and the environment. Here, we argue that a reaction norm approach to phenotypic variation, acknowledging gene-by-environment interactions, can help us seeing reproducibility of animal experiments in a new light. We illustrate how dominating environmental effects can affect inference and effect size estimates of studies and how elimination of dominant factors through standardization affects the nature of the expected phenotype variation through the reaction norms of small effect. Finally, we discuss the consequences of reaction norms of small effect for statistical analysis, specifically for random effect latent variable models and the random lab model.
Daylight saving time does not seem to be associated with number of percutaneous coronary interventions for acute myocardial infarction in the Netherlands
Authors: Derks L. , Houterman S. , Geuzebroek G. S. C. , van der Harst P. , Smits P. C. ,   the PCI Registration Committee of the Netherlands Heart Registration, Amoroso G. , Arkenbout E. K. , Aydin S. , Brouwer J. , Camaro C. , Daemen J. , Danse P. W. , van der Ent M. , Erdem R. , Henriques J. P. , van ’t Hof A. W. J. , Karalis I. , Kraaijeveld A. , van Kuijk J. P. , Lipsic E. , Margo M. , Marques K. M. J. , Oude Ophuis A. J. M. , van Ramshorst J. , Roolvink V. , Ruifrok W. T. , Scholte M. , Schotborgh C. E. , Sorgdrager B. J. , Spano F. , Stoel M. G. , Teeuwen T.
Published: March 2021

Background

In multiple studies, the potential relationship between daylight saving time (DST) and the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction (MI) has been investigated, with mixed results. Using the Dutch Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) registry facilitated by the Netherlands Heart Registration, we investigated whether the transitions to and from DST interact with the incidence rate of PCI for acute MI.

Methods

We assessed changes in hospital admissions for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or non-STEMI (NSTEMI) undergoing PCI between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2018. We compared the incidence rate of PCI procedures during the first 3 or 7 days after the transition with that during a control period (2 weeks before transition plus second week after transition). Incidence rate ratio (IRR) was calculated using Poisson regression. Potential gender differences were also investigated.

Results

A total of 80,970 PCI procedures for STEMI or NSTEMI were performed. No difference in incidence rate a week after the transition to DST in spring was observed for STEMI (IRR 0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87–1.03) or NSTEMI (IRR 1.04, 95% CI 0.96–1.12). After the transition from DST in autumn, the IRR was also comparable with the control period (STEMI: 1.03, 95% CI 0.95–1.12, and NSTEMI: 0.98, 95% CI 0.91–1.06). Observing the first 3 days after each transition yielded similar results. Gender-specific results were comparable.

Conclusion

Based on data from a large, nationwide registry, there was no correlation between the transition to or from DST and a change in the incidence rate of PCI for acute MI.
Attitudes in Poland Towards the Legalization of Same-Sex Registered Partnerships in the Context of Political Preferences
Authors: Tomczak Łukasz , Iwański Rafał , Zawadzka–Witt Katarzyna
Published: March 2021

Background

Over recent decades, the issue of same-sex civil unions has been discussed and then legally regulated in many European Union countries. In the case of Poland, this issue is still debated in the socio-political discourse.

Methods

The research presented in this article is aimed at analyzing the attitudes of Polish society towards legalization of same-sex registered partnerships. The study was nationwide and based on a quota sampling method (n = 2119). The data was collected in 2019.

Results

An analysis of the collected data showed that the support for legalizing same-sex partnerships is not accepted by the majority of voters in Poland. However, there are differences between supporters of various political groups as well as between those who declare left-wing or right-wing views.

Conclusions

For opponents of equal rights for homosexuals and heterosexuals, a crucial issue is the objection to same-sex marriage. The voters of left-wing parties and people declaring left-wing political leanings were more likely to accept other forms of marriage, although for the majority of them, marriage can be only a union between a woman and a man.

Policy Implications

The resistance of the ruling party Law and Justice, a conservative one, against legalization of same-sex partnerships and making decisions aimed at LGBT community, for instance introducing “LGBT-free zones,” are one of the elements encouraging its electorate.
Impacts of groundwater over exploitation on the renewal and hydrodynamic behavior of the alluvial aquifer of Sidi Bel Abbes (Algerian NW)
Authors: Otmane Abdelkader , Baba-Hamed Kamila , Bouanani Abderrazak , Gherissi Radia
Published: March 2021

Sidi Bel Abbes plain, in Western Algeria, covers an area of 813 km2 and holds an important groundwater reservoir, providing the region with a large water potential. It displays characteristics of a peri-urban aquifer, with a large agricultural sector. The climatic variations that affected this region, the development of industrial and agricultural activities along with the over-exploitation of the groundwater resource negatively impact the aquifer's hydrodynamic balance. This work is structured around a multiapproach process based mainly on geophysical data to determine the reservoir bathymetry, rainfall data, humidity data using the standardized precipitation index (SPI), piezometric maps, hydrodynamic data, and groundwater extraction rate. Results revealed a significant decrease in humidity values over time. This negatively influences the water potential of the alluvial aquifer and induces a lateral recharge from adjacent aquifers (overfilling). Indeed, the rainfall contribution to the recharge appears low compared to that of the surrounding aquifers. However, total annual rainfall above 500 mm/year may reduce the input of the adjacent aquifers. Besides, our study indicates a well-defined hydrodynamic pattern in the alluvial aquifer, due to the bowl-shaped bedrock of the aquifer and the excessive overexploitation, especially downstream (the region of Sidi Bel Abbes). Thus, this aquifer adapted to such exploitation, through continuous and systematic recharge of drainage flows by the upstream groundwater (regions characterized by a wall uplift). The aquifer’s pluviometric dependence occurs clearly in its south-western part. A 50% humidity value implies a 0–10 m increase in the water table.
Rotorcraft fuselage mass assessment in early design stages
Authors: Schwinn Dominik B. , Weiand Peter , Buchwald Michel
Published: March 2021

Like the design of fixed-wing aircraft the design of rotorcraft is generally divided into the three consecutive phases of conceptual, preliminary and detailed design. During each phase the acquired results in turn serve as input for new calculations, thus increasing the detail level and information about the new concept, while uncertainties about the new design are reduced. An important aspect of the overall design process is the mass estimation in early design stages. The weight of the rotorcraft drives the design of many important components, such as the rotor(s), the propulsion system and, therefore, the required fuel. The fuselage is considered as the central structural part, since it connects all other components to each other and serves as protection of the occupants but in the past it often turned out to also be the heaviest part of all rotorcraft components. This paper shows an approach to estimate rotorcraft component masses using statistical methods based on existing rotorcraft but also an approach to use finite element methods that determine the structural airframe mass based on mission profiles, respectively, bearable load cases.
Current research on the ecosystem service potential of legume inclusive cropping systems in Europe. A review
Authors: Ditzler Lenora , van Apeldoorn Dirk F. , Pellegrini Fernando , Antichi Daniele , Bàrberi Paolo , Rossing Walter A. H.
Published: March 2021

Legume crops hold promise to diversify the currently simplified rotations that dominate Europe and to increase the sustainability of European farming systems. Nevertheless, most legumes have been ignored by farmers, advisors, and value chain agents in the EU, where legumes are estimated to occupy only ~2% of arable land. Recent surveys find that farmers see a lack of knowledge on the agroecological impacts of (re)introducing legumes as a key barrier to legume adoption. A review of current research on the agroecological potential of legume-inclusive cropping systems would help in assessing whether research targeting sufficiently supports farmers in overcoming this barrier. We have systematically reviewed and synthesized published literature reporting on agricultural ecosystem service delivery in European cropping systems with legumes included compared to those without legumes. Our analysis of 163 published articles revealed: (1) the bulk of published research addresses production-related services delivered by few legume species (pea, clover, faba bean, and vetch, 70% of reviewed studies) comparatively assessed in cereal-based rotations; (2) substantial knowledge gaps also exist, encompassing ecosystem services with less direct relevance to economic outcomes (e.g., biodiversity) and with potential for high variability (e.g., pest and disease suppression); (3) studies at plot-level and within-season scales dominate (92% and 75% of reviewed studies, respectively). Assessed in the context of recent complementary studies, we find that a limited research focus is both counter to knowledge demands from farmers and likely the result of self-reinforcing socio-technical regimes which prioritize production over non- or indirectly-marketable ecosystem services. We conclude that scientists in Europe should diversify research to include legume species, ecosystem services, contexts, and scales not yet well studied, in order to provide the agroecological knowledge base farmers need to amplify the potential benefits of crop diversity.
A multi-group higher-order factor analysis for studying the gender-effect in Teacher Job Satisfaction
Authors: Cavicchia Carlo , Sarnacchiaro Pasquale
Published: March 2021

Teachers’ performances also depend on whether and how they are satisfied with their job. Therefore, Teacher Job Satisfaction must be considered as the driver of teachers’ accomplishments. To plan future policies and improve the overall teaching process, it is crucial to understand which factors mostly contribute to Teacher Job Satisfaction. A Common Assessment Framework and Education questionnaire was administered to 163 Italian public secondary school teachers to collect data, and a second-order factor analysis was used to detect which factors impact on Teacher Job Satisfaction, and to what extent. This model-based approach guarantees to detect factors which respect important properties: unidimensionality and reliability. All the coefficients are estimated according to the maximum likelihood estimation method in order to make inference on the parameters and on the validity of the model. Moreover, a new multi-group test for higher-order factor analysis was proposed and implemented. Finally, we analyzed in detail whether the factors impacting Teacher Job Satisfaction are characterized by gender.
The discontinuity between value and price form: tracking the subtraction of the qualitative
Authors: Kranjc Uroš
Published: March 2021

Ruptures represent the pertinent cause of scientific progress. On the one hand, such “scientific breaks” demarcate one type of scientific discourse from another, while simultaneously always putting in place some specific ideological aspect of the science in question. They consequently suture a determinate scientific totality, one that always reflects and serves the ruling class—be it a worldview or a concrete research programme. The article will attempt to trace the notion of value in different economic discourses to outline the historical discontinuities between them. The subsequent aim is to explore the genealogy of quantitative and qualitative determinations of value (ranging from Smith and Ricardo, through Marx, all the way to the marginalists). We will do this by highlighting a shift in the methodological approach of the object of knowledge—a parallax shift of object—i.e. between the positivist and dialectical grounding of notions. In the first part, the paper tracks the impasses arising from the move to mathematized economics via a “marginalist revolution”. In the second and third part, it proceeds with examining the rupture in “objective” and “subjective” aspects of value, reviewing different positions from Marx’s value form (as sensuous–supersensuous thing) and A. Amonn’s compromise based on the “social” form to F. A. von Hayek’s and mainstream economics’ embrace of the price form. The article concludes with a reaffirmation of Marx’s critique of the specific structure of the capitalist mode of production, one in which the subtraction of the abstract/general (“Real abstraction”) is central to a synchronous structure of economic categories. It remains the only genuine critical assessment of such a rupture within the domain of economic scientific strata.
Dynamic failure and crash simulation of carbon fiber sheet moulding compound (CF-SMC)
Authors: Coren Federico , Stelzer Philipp S. , Reinbacher Daniel , Ellersdorfer Christian , Fischer Peter , Major Zoltan
Published: March 2021

Carbon fiber sheet moulding compounds (CF-SMC) are a promising class of materials with the potential to replace aluminium and steel in many structural automotive applications. In this paper, we investigate the use of CF-SMC materials for the realization of a lightweight battery case for electric cars. A limiting factor for a wider structural adoption of CF-SMC has been a difficulty in modelling its mechanical behaviour with a computational effective methodology. In this paper, a novel simulation methodology has been developed, with the aim of enabling the use of FE methods based on shell elements. This is practical for the car industry since they can retain a good fidelity and can also represent damage phenomena. A hybrid material modelling approach has been implemented using phenomenological and simulation-based principles. Data from computer tomography scans were used for micro mechanical simulations to determine stiffness and failure behaviour of the material. Data from static three-point bending tests were then used to determine crack energy values needed for the application of hashing damage criteria. The whole simulation methodology was then evaluated against data coming from both static and dynamic (crash) tests. The simulation results were in good accordance with the experimental data.

Graphic abstract
Effect of Yokukansan on sleep disturbance and neuropathic pain in chronic constriction injury using a rat model
Authors: Deguchi Ryo , Fujimoto Moe , Sekiyama Hiroshi , Sawamura Shigehito
Published: March 2021

Patients with chronic pain develop peripheral neuropathy and experience sleep disturbance. Yokukansan is used to treat insomnia and control neuropathic pain. We studied if Yokukansan affects neuropathic pain and sleep disturbance using a rat model of chronic constriction injury (CCI). Male Wistar rats (4-week age) were divided into the following groups (n = 7, per group): CCI rats fed normal chow (CCI-0); CCI rats fed powdered chow mixed with 1% Yokukansan (CCI-1); CCI rats fed powdered chow mixed with 3% Yokukansan (CCI-3); and sham-operated control rats fed normal chow (SHAM). We examined sleep duration and quality using electroencephalograms and assessed pain using the von Frey and Hargreaves tests. Results were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc tests. The CCI-0 group exhibited an increased wake period, decreased non-rapid eye movement (REM) sleep time, and no change in REM sleep time in comparison to the SHAM group. The CCI-1 group exhibited a decreased wake period, increased non-REM sleep time, and no change in REM sleep time compared to the CCI-0 group. The CCI-3 group exhibited increased non-REM sleep time but no changes in wake and REM sleep times compared to the CCI-1 group. The von Frey and Hargreaves test findings revealed an increase in the pain threshold in the CCI-1 group compared to the CCI-0 group. There was no difference in pain threshold between the CCI-1 and CCI-3 groups. In our rat model of CCI, sleep disturbance was reflected. Yokukansan inhibited CCI-induced sleep disturbance.
Classification of lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and neutrophils on white blood cells using hybrid Alexnet-GoogleNet-SVM
Authors: Çınar Ahmet , Tuncer Seda Arslan
Published: March 2021

White blood cells (WBC), which form the basis of the immune system, protect the body from foreign invaders and infectious diseases. While the number and structural features of WBCs can provide important information about the health of people, the ratio of the subtypes of these cells and observable deformations are a good indicator in the diagnostic process. The recognition of cells of the type of lymphocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils and monocytes is critical. In this article, Deep Learning based Hybrid CNN (Convololutional Neural Network) model is proposed for classification of eosinophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophils WBCs. The model presented is based on pretrained Alexnet and Googlenet architectures. The feature vector in the last pooling layer of both CNN architectures has been merged, and the resulting feature vector is classified by the Support Vector Machine. To determine the superiority of the proposed method, the classification was also performed and compared using pretrained Alexnet and Googlenet. Hybrid Alexnet-Googlenet-SVM model provides higher accuracy than pretrained Alexnet and Googlenet. The proposed method has been tested with WBC images from Kaggle and LISC database. Accuracy and F1-score were 99.73%, 0.99 and 98.23%, 0.98 for both data sets, respectively.
Generalised Pattern Search Based on Covariance Matrix Diagonalisation
Authors: Neri Ferrante , Rostami Shahin
Published: March 2021

Pattern Search is a family of gradient-free direct search methods for numerical optimisation problems. The characterising feature of pattern search methods is the use of multiple directions spanning the problem domain to sample new candidate solutions. These directions compose a matrix of potential search moves, that is the pattern. Although some fundamental studies theoretically indicate that various directions can be used, the selection of the search directions remains an unaddressed problem. The present article proposes a procedure for selecting the directions that guarantee high convergence/high performance of pattern search. The proposed procedure consists of a fitness landscape analysis to characterise the geometry of the problem by sampling points and selecting those whose objective function values are below a threshold. The eigenvectors of the covariance matrix of this distribution are then used as search directions for the pattern search. Numerical results show that the proposed method systematically outperforms its standard counterpart and is competitive with modern complex direct search and metaheuristic methods.
The elephant at the dump: how does garbage consumption impact Asian elephants?
Authors: Liyanage Dulmini J. , Fernando Prithiviraj , Dayawansa P. Nihal , Janaka H. K. , Pastorini Jennifer
Published: March 2021

We studied garbage consumption by Asian elephants at the Uddakandara garbage dump in southern Sri Lanka. Garbage at the dump was classified under six categories and quantified using a grid overlay. Elephants visiting the dump were individually identified by morphological criteria and items and quantities consumed by them were determined by focal animal sampling. Dung of elephants that did not consume garbage and those from the dump were compared quantitatively and dung constituents assessed by washing through three layered sieves. A total of 17 individual elephants visited the garbage dump during the study period, all of who were males. The observed sexual bias could be related to behavioural differences between the sexes. Elephants mostly consumed ‘fruits and vegetables’ and ‘prepared food’, possibly due to their higher palatability and nutritional value. Ingestion of polythene was incidental and associated with consuming prepared food. Proportions of the six categories in elephant diet and garbage piles were significantly different, indicating that elephants were highly selective when feeding. Elephant arrivals increased in response to unloading of garbage, suggesting attraction to fresh garbage. Dung analysis found that garbage consumption did not change the quantity and constituents of dung, except for the presence of anthropogenic items. As consumed anthropogenic items were regularly excreted, retention and obstruction of the alimentary tract are unlikely in elephants. Elephants feeding on garbage had better body condition than non-garbage consuming elephants, indicating that garbage provided better nutrition than natural food and was not detrimental to their health.
From a mother's point of view: Psycho‐social predictors of maternal monitoring strategy and adolescents' electronic media use
Authors: Schenkel Konstantin , Radtke Theda , Luszczynska Aleksandra , Lüscher Janina , Kulis Ewa , Scholz Urte
Published: March 2021

Introduction

As early adolescents have limited capacities for self‐regulating electronic media use (EMU), parental monitoring is needed. However, research has shown that parents do not exert much monitoring over their children's EMU. A theory‐based approach may help to identify key predictors of parental monitoring and its effects on adolescents' EMU. Applying the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA), this study examined maternal psycho‐social predictors of maternal monitoring of EMU and, subsequently, children's EMU.

Methods

In Switzerland, 105 mother‐adolescent dyads participated in an observational study with two time points (baseline, T1, and follow‐up, T2) two weeks apart. Mothers (Mage = 43.83 years, SD = 4.45) reported on their HAPA variables and their children's EMU. Adolescents (Mage = 12.13 years, SD = 0.99; 60 girls and 45 boys) also reported their EMU.

Results

Maternal outcome expectancies (T1) for less EMU were positively related (β = 0.25) with their intention to monitor EMU (T1). Further, intention was positively associated (β = 0.45) with planning to monitor EMU (T1) which in turn predicted marginally (β = 0.18) maternal monitoring (T2). No significant associations were found between maternal monitoring (T2) and adolescents’ EMU (T2) reported by mothers and adolescents.

Conclusions

Contrary to hypotheses derived from the HAPA, findings demonstrate that not all the HAPA variables are linked to maternal monitoring of adolescents’ EMU. More research is thus needed to identify antecedents and consequences of different strategies of maternal monitoring.
Calculating block time and consumed fuel for an aircraft model
Authors: de Lemos F. , Woodward J.
Published: March 2021

In this paper we present a novel approach to calculate Block Time and Fuel (BTF) consumed for an aircraft model during a flight. The BTF model computes the ground distance between the origin and destination airports, derives the flight’s cruise altitude and by integrating two institutional data sets calculates the duration and the fuel consumed for the whole of taxi-out, take-off, climb, cruise, descent, approach, landing and taxi-in phases. We use the French Association for Operational Research and Decision Support (ROADEF) 2009 Challenge flight rotation to sample our model. The statistical analysis of the results consisted of comparing BTF results for the block time and those from the ROADEF Challenge 2009 with the real ones retrieved from Flightaware® for the same origin and destination airports and aircraft model. Statistical results are reported for percentile and root mean square error, and we show that, using simple calculations, the BTF computational results for block time are in a lower percentile and have lower root mean square error than the block times used by the ROADEF 2009 Challenge. To compare the fuel consumed, we used the values for the real flights published in the literature review. We were able to verify a good fit between the BTF results and those values. Since the BTF model computational results are obtained within a few seconds, we also conclude that the BTF model is suited for flight planning and disruption recovery in commercial aviation.
Low support for nudging among Swedes in a population-representative sample
Authors: Almqvist Gustav , Andersson Patric
Published: March 2021

Recent surveys in China, South Korea, Brazil, South Africa, Russia, Australia, Italy, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, the USA, Japan, Hungary, and Denmark indicate that citizens generally are positive toward state nudging. However, less is known about differences in the support for nudging across socio-demographics and political party preferences, a research gap recently identified in the literature. This article investigates the relationship between the support for nudging and trust in public institutions through a population-representative survey in Sweden. It also analyzes differences in the support for nudging across political party preferences in two ideological dimensions: the economic left-right and cultural GAL-TAN spectra. Data were collected in December 2017 through a custom web survey, using Reisch and Sunstein's (2016) questionnaire. The respondents (N = 1032) were representative of the adult population with regard to gender, age, education, job sector, household income, living region, and political party preference. Sweden was found to belong to the cautiously pronudge nations (along with Japan, Hungary, and Denmark), contrary to hypotheses in previous research. Differences in the support for nudging were found along the economic left-right and GAL-TAN spectra. Individual nudges’ variation in support, polarization, and politicization are analyzed and discussed.