bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparing digital to print assessment of receptive vocabulary with GraWo‐KiGa in Austrian kindergarten
Authors: Paleczek Lisa , Seifert Susanne , Schöfl Martin
Published: September 2021

The current study digitalised an assessment instrument of receptive vocabulary knowledge, GraWo‐KiGa, for use in Austrian kindergartens. Using a mixed‐methods approach, this study looks at 85 kindergarteners in their last year (age M = 5.79 years, 51.8% male, 71.8% L1 German), to find out (a) whether the form of digital assessment employed meets the required quality criteria and is comparable to the print version and (b) how instructors and children perceive its practicality and comprehensibility, as well as which version kindergarteners prefer. The results reveal that the digital assessment tool is both reliable (α = 0.85) and valid (convergent validity: r = 0.43; discriminant validity: r = 0.31). Results of the digital and print version were comparable (r = 0.83). Although children found both versions easy to use, most of them reported the digital version to be easier and also preferred. In light of the numerous benefits that digital assessments offer in terms of administration, evaluation, feedback and motivation, the digital version of GraWo‐KiGa has great potential in easing kindergarten teachers' assessment procedures. However, due to the limited availability of digital resources, the print version will remain highly relevant in the future.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

Proper assessment is the basis of individualised support.

Digital assessment procedures can ease the assessment process and motivate children, even in kindergarten.

In German‐speaking countries, digitalisation has barely reached kindergarten.

The print version of GraWo‐KiGa reliably and validly assesses receptive vocabulary in kindergarteners in their last year.

What this paper adds

GraWo‐KiGa digital meets the necessary quality criteria in terms of reliability and validity and is comparable to its print version.

GraWo‐KiGa is practical in use for both children and kindergarten teachers.

Most kindergarteners preferred the digital version over the print version. Teachers benefit from easy administration and evaluation, quick results, and a pleasant screening procedure for the kids.

Implications for practice and/or policy

Digital assessment tools in kindergarten have the potential to support kindergarten teachers in their regular assessment processes.

In kindergarten, the use of GraWo‐KiGa digital allows children at risk of developing reading comprehension difficulties to be identified quickly and economically.

Digital assessments enable rapid and targeted allocation of children to support programmes.
Incidence and predictors of textbook outcome after simultaneous liver and rectal surgeries for Stage IV rectal cancer
Authors: Russolillo Nadia , Gentile Valentina , Ratti Francesca , Ardito Francesco , Serenari Matteo , Lombardi Raffaele , Jovine Elio , Cescon Matteo , Giuliante Felice , Aldrighetti Luca , Ferrero Alessandro
Published: September 2021

Aim

Textbook outcome (TO) is a new surgical quality measure that combines structure, process and surgical outcomes into a single element. Our study aimed to determine the incidence of TO after simultaneous rectal and liver surgery and to use the achievement of TO as a tool to identify the best candidates for these complex procedures.

Methods

In total, 256 patients who underwent simultaneous liver and rectal surgery for Stage IV rectal cancer between January 2004 and August 2019 at five tertiary centres were enrolled. TO was defined as a lack of complication, prolonged length of stay, readmission and death.

Results

Mortality rate at 90 days and major morbidity rate were 2.3% and 15.6%, respectively. An overall TO was achieved in 59% of the patients, which is associated with significantly improved overall (median TO 86.3 months vs. no TO 37.4 months) and disease‐free (median TO 70.6 months vs. no TO 24.9 months) survival. On multivariate analysis the presence of multi‐comorbidities (OR 3.073) was associated with a reduced likelihood of achieving TO. Left lateral sectionectomy/limited resection was a protective factor (OR 0.416).

Conclusion

TO was achieved in six of 10 patients undergoing simultaneous resections for rectal cancer and liver metastases. Achieving a TO is strongly associated with improved long‐term survival. The best candidates for these procedures were patients without multiple comorbidities and those treated with left lateral sectionectomy/limited resection.
The role of Ca2+/Calcineurin/NFAT signalling pathway in osteoblastogenesis
Authors: Ren Ranyue , Guo Jiachao , Chen Yangmengfan , Zhang Yayun , Chen Liangxi , Xiong Wei
Published: September 2021

The bone remodelling process is closely related to bone health. Osteoblasts and osteoclasts participate in the bone remodelling process under the regulation of various factors inside and outside. Excessive activation of osteoclasts or lack of function of osteoblasts will cause occurrence and development of multiple bone‐related diseases. Ca2+/Calcineurin/NFAT signalling pathway regulates the growth and development of many types of cells, such as cardiomyocyte differentiation, angiogenesis, chondrogenesis, myogenesis, bone development and regeneration, etc. Some evidences indicate that this signalling pathway plays an extremely important role in bone formation and bone pathophysiologic changes. This review discusses the role of Ca2+/Calcineurin/NFAT signalling pathway in the process of osteogenic differentiation, as well as the influence of regulating each component in this signalling pathway on the differentiation and function of osteoblasts, whereby the relationship between Ca2+/Calcineurin/NFAT signalling pathway and osteoblastogenesis could be deeper understood.
Habitat suitability models based on opportunistic citizen science data: Evaluating forecasts from alternative methods versus an individual‐based model
Authors: Bradter Ute , Ozgul Arpat , Griesser Michael , Layton‐Matthews Kate , Eggers Jeannette , Singer Alexander , Sandercock Brett K. , Haverkamp Paul J. , Snäll Tord
Published: September 2021

Aim

To evaluate the utility of opportunistic data from citizen science programmes for forecasting species distributions against forecasts with a model of individual‐based population dynamics.

Location

Sweden.

Methods

We evaluated whether alternative methods for building habitat suitability models (HSMs) based on opportunistic data from citizen science programmes produced forecasts that were consistent with forecasts from two benchmark models: (1) a HSM based on data from systematic monitoring and (2) an individual‐based model for spatially explicit population dynamics based on empirical demographic and movement data. We forecasted population numbers and habitat suitability for three realistic, future forest landscapes for a forest bird, the Siberian jay (Perisoreus infaustus). We ranked simulated forest landscapes with respect to their benefits to Siberian jays for each modelling method and compared the agreement of the rankings among methods.

Results

Forecasts based on our two benchmark models were consistent with each other and with expectations based on the species’ ecology. Forecasts from logistic regression models based on opportunistic data were consistent with the benchmark models if species detections were combined with high‐quality inferred absences derived via retrospective interviews with experienced “super‐reporters.” In contrast, forecasts with three other widely used methods were inconsistent with the benchmark models, sometimes with misleading rankings of future scenarios.

Main conclusions

Our critical evaluation of alternative HSMs against a spatially explicit IBM demonstrates that information on species absences critically improves forecasts of species distributions using opportunistic data from citizen science programmes. Moreover, high‐quality information on species absences can be retrospectively inferred from surveys of the consistency of reporting of individual species and the identification skills of participating reporters. We recommend that citizen science projects incorporate procedures to evaluate reporting behaviour. Inferred absences may be especially useful for improving forecasts for species and regions poorly covered by systematic monitoring schemes.
An auditory time perception illusion analogous to the visual Müller‐Lyer illusion
Authors: Surkys Tadas
Published: September 2021

According to the centroid hypothesis, the visual Müller‐Lyer‐type illusions in which subjects misperceive lines or gaps as longer or shorter depending on surrounding distracters result from the pooling of positioning neural signals such that the perceived object is shifted towards these distracters. However, it is uncertain if this type of pooling is a more general principal that influences perceptions in other sensory modalities, including time perception based on auditory signals. In this study, I show that by applying the principles of the centroid hypothesis, an audial time duration illusion can be constructed. The perception of two sequential time intervals, which were defined by three short tone signals, was distorted by placing distracting white noise sounds near each signal. Misperception magnitude, which peaked at 31%, changed with the time interval between the tone signals and distracters; the relationship between the target–distracter distance and the illusion strength closely paralleled with that of a Müller‐Lyer‐type illusion, whereby the visual objects were analogically arranged in space rather than time. These results demonstrate that even if signals and distracters are distinguishable, the neural mechanisms for estimating time duration utilize coarser sampling to preserve processing resources at the expense of high accuracy. I hypothesize that systems that are dedicated to visual length and time duration estimations are based on similar perceptual magnitude evaluation algorithms. Moreover, this signal pooling principle may be applicable to other perceptual modalities across different species.
A consumer‐driven recycling theory for the impact of large herbivores on terrestrial ecosystem stoichiometry
Authors: Daufresne Tanguy
Published: September 2021

Biological control of nutrient cycles is well documented in aquatic ecosystems, where consumer‐driven recycling by herbivores can significantly impact ecosystem stoichiometry. In contrast, little is known in terrestrial ecosystems, where there is evidence that herbivores can also impact ecosystem stoichiometry. I studied a stoichiometric model of the soil‐plant‐herbivore system. The model shows that herbivores influence the ecosystem stoichiometry mainly through the direct and indirect controls of ecosystem inputs and losses, in a more complex way than predicted by the classic consumer‐driven recycling theory. Overall, it shows that herbivores affect nutrient ratios in terrestrial ecosystems mostly independently of their own stoichiometric ratios, and that their impact may be different in forest versus grassland. The results highlight the sensitivity of terrestrial ecosystems to elusive actors, negligible in biomass but capable of modifying nutrient loss rates with major impacts on nutrient cycles and ecosystem stoichiometry.
Clinical and radiological features of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 meningo‐encephalitis
Authors: de Freitas Gabriel R. , Figueiredo Marcos Ravi , Vianna Arthur , Brandão Carlos Otávio , Torres‐Filho Helio M. , Martins Andrea F. A. , Tovar‐Moll Fernanda , Barroso Paulo F.
Published: September 2021

Background and purpose

This case illustrates for the first time the clinical and radiological evolution of SARS‐CoV‐2 meningo‐encephalitis.

Methods

A case of a SARS‐CoV‐2 meningo‐encephalitis is reported.

Results

A 65‐year‐old man with COVID‐19 presenting with meningo‐encephalitis without respiratory involvement is described. He had fever, diarrhea and vomiting, followed by diplopia, urinary retention and sleepiness. Examination disclosed a convergence strabismus and ataxia. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed lymphocytic pleocytosis, oligoclonal bands and increased interleukin 6 level. SARS‐CoV‐2 was detected in the CSF through reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, but not in nasopharyngeal, tracheal secretion and rectal samples. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed lesions on white matter hemispheres, the body and splenium of the corpus callosum and resembling the projection of corticospinal tract, remarkably on cerebellar peduncles.

Conclusions

This demonstrates the challenges in diagnosing COVID‐19 in patients with neurological presentations.
High‐cycle and very‐high‐cycle fatigue behavior and life prediction of Ni‐based superalloy at elevated temperature
Authors: Li Xiaolong , Zhang Yucheng , Li Wei , Zhou Siqi , Wang Ping
Published: September 2021

The tension–tension test with stress ratio 0.1 was conducted to clarify high‐cycle and very‐high‐cycle fatigue properties of Ni‐based superalloy at 750°C by combining two‐ and three‐dimensional microscopic observations. Results show that as stress level decreases, fatigue failure is less likely to be induced by pore, while the possibility of crystallographic facet‐induced failure increases, and finally, the duplex S–N curves are formed. The larger roughness of crack nucleation region is mainly attributed to the geometric incompatibility of grains and the plastic deformation at crack tip. Under the influence of elevated temperature and vacuum environment, the transition size from small crack to long crack is approximately equal to the grain size. Combined with the evaluation of threshold values, the internal failure mechanism is elucidated. Finally, from the viewpoint of energy, a fatigue life prediction model is proposed, and the predicted results are in good agreement with the experimental ones.
In situ experimental evidences for responses of abyssal benthic biota to shifts in phytodetritus compositions linked to global climate change
Authors: Nomaki Hidetaka , Rastelli Eugenio , Ogawa Nanako O. , Matsui Yohei , Tsuchiya Masashi , Manea Elisabetta , Corinaldesi Cinzia , Hirai Miho , Ohkouchi Naohiko , Danovaro Roberto , Nunoura Takuro , Amaro Teresa
Published: September 2021

Abyssal plains cover more than half of Earth's surface, and the main food source in these ecosystems is phytodetritus, mainly originating from primary producers in the euphotic zone of the ocean. Global climate change is influencing phytoplankton abundance, productivity, and distribution. Increasing importance of picoplankton over diatom as primary producers in surface oceans (especially projected for higher latitudes) is projected and hence altering the quantity of organic carbon supplied to the abyssal seafloor as phytodetritus, consequences of which remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the in situ responses of abyssal biota from viruses to megafauna to different types of phytoplankton input (diatoms or cyanobacteria which were labeled with stable isotopes) at equatorial (oligotrophic) and temperate (eutrophic) benthic sites in the Pacific Ocean (1°N at 4277 m water depth and 39°N at 5260 m water depth, respectively). Our results show that meiofauna and macrofauna generally preferred diatoms as a food source and played a relatively larger role in the consumption of phytodetritus at higher latitudes (39°N). Contrarily, prokaryotes and viruses showed similar or even stronger responses to cyanobacterial than to diatom supply. Moreover, the response of prokaryotes and viruses was very rapid (within 1–2 days) at both 1°N and 39°N, with quickest responses reported in the case of cyanobacterial supply at higher latitudes. Overall, our results suggest that benthic deep‐sea eukaryotes will be negatively affected by the predicted decrease in diatoms in surface oceans, especially at higher latitudes, where benthic prokaryotes and viruses will otherwise likely increase their quantitative role and organic carbon cycling rates. In turn, such changes can contribute to decrease carbon transfer from phytodetritus to higher trophic levels, with strong potential to affect oceanic food webs, their biodiversity and consequently carbon sequestration capacity at the global scale.
Address, Interests, and Directed Duties
Authors: May Simon Căbulea
Published: September 2021

Rowan Cruft offers an addressive account of directed duties and claim‐rights. He claims that the direction of a duty is constituted by two requirements of address between the parties: the right holder must conceive of the action as ‘to be done to me’ and the duty bearer must conceive of it as to be ‘done to you’. Cruft also argues against accounts of direction and claim‐rights that reduce the relation between the parties to nonrelational facts. One such reductive account is the justificatory interest theory. Cruft argues that social authorities can create conventional claim‐rights freely, without any constraint imposed by the right holder’s interests. I raise an antecedence objection against the addressive theory as an account of direction. I then argue against Cruft’s claim that conventional claim‐rights can be created independently of the right holder’s interests. I conclude that scepticism about the viability of a nonreductive theory of direction is warranted.
Bio‐Dem, a tool to explore the relationship between biodiversity data availability and socio‐political conditions in time and space
Authors: Zizka Alexander , Rydén Oskar , Edler Daniel , Klein Johannes , Perrigo Allison , Silvestro Daniele , Jagers Sverker C. , Lindberg Staffan I. , Antonelli Alexandre
Published: September 2021

Aim

Geo‐referenced species occurrence records are a prime example of biodiversity data and a cornerstone of biodiversity research. Yet, their availability depends on non‐biological factors, including the political framework in the region of collection. Here we present Bio‐Dem (www.bio‐dem.surge.sh), an open‐source software to explore the relationship between the availability of species occurrence records and the political framework in countries worldwide and through time.

Location

Global.

Taxon

Any.

Methods

Bio‐Dem accesses the number of occurrence records available from countries worldwide from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (www.gbif.org) and socio‐political information from these countries from the Varieties of Democracy database (www.v‐dem.net) as well as information on colonial history from the Issue Correlates of War Project.

Results

Bio‐Dem is available as a free graphical user interface web application at www.bio‐dem.surge.sh. Through three interactive graphs, Bio‐Dem enables users to explore the relationship between species occurrence records and countries’ regime type, freedom of movement, freedom of association, gross domestic product, education length, political corruption, armed conflict and colonial history. We describe possible links of these specific political indicators with the collection and mobilization of biodiversity data. Illustrative examples and video tutorials explaining the use of Bio‐Dem are available at www.bio‐dem.surge.sh.

Main conclusions

Bio‐Dem provides a user‐friendly way to explore the link between socio‐political variables and the availability of species occurrence records in user‐selected taxa and geographic regions, and to generate hypotheses on their connection. We envision Bio‐Dem as a useful tool for teachers communicating the caveats of available biodiversity data, for biodiversity scientists exploring potential spatial and temporal bias in their data, and for social scientists exploring the impact of political systems on scientific data collection and biodiversity conservation.
Rederivation of a mutant line (prop 1) of zebrafish Danio rerio infected with Pseudoloma neurophilia using in vitro fertilization with eggs from pathogen‐free wild‐type (AB) females and sperm from prop 1 males
Authors: Ventura Fernandes Bianca H. , Caetano da Silva Caroline , Bissegato Debora , Kent Michael L. , Carvalho Luciani R.
Published: September 2021

Along with the growing number of laboratories that work with zebrafish (Danio rerio), it is necessary to have animals with good sanitary quality. Specific pathogens can interfere with the experimental results and in the life quality of the animals. Pseudoloma neurophilia is a parasite with high potential for interference in behavioural, morphology, toxicological and genetic research, and is very common in zebrafish facilities. With that, we implemented a protocol for the pathogen elimination in a genetically modified lineage (prop 1) using eggs from specific pathogen‐free (SPF) wild‐type fish (AB line) for in vitro fertilization, along with water recirculation equipment disinfection, appropriate PCR screening and back crossing protocols. This resulted in SPF prop 1 heterozygotes, which allowed us to move forward with subsequent crossings to develop homozygote prop 1 mutants for our research. Hence, this demonstrates a useful strategy for an individual research laboratory to rederive a specific mutant free line that is not available from other SPF laboratories.
Metschnikowia bicuspidata isolated from milky diseased Eriocheir sinensis: Phenotypic and genetic characterization, antifungal susceptibility and challenge models
Authors: Ma Hongli , Lu Xiaocen , Liu Jiannan , Guo Sicong , Zhao Xiaoran , Ye Shigen
Published: September 2021

A severe disease occurred in farmed Eriocheir sinensis characterized by milky liquid accumulation in the pectoral cavity, in the province of Liaoning, China, during October 2018–April 2019. Diseased crabs moved sluggishly, exhibited appetite loss and readily lost legs. Under the microscopic analysis, it was observed that the milky liquid contained a large number of yeastlike microorganisms (0.8–1.2 μm × 1.5–1.9 μm), which were also present in the muscle, hepatopancreas and gills. A dominant strain was isolated from the milky liquid and other tissues of diseased crabs. It grew on nutrient agar and formed 1‐ to 3‐mm white opaque colonies, each with a protuberance in the centre. Besides, the results of TEM and SEM also demonstrate a typical multilateral budding model of the yeast clearly. We identified the strain, which we named 2EJM001, as Metschnikowia bicuspidata based on 18S rDNA, ITS and 26S rDNA sequence analyses and on its morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 26S rDNA of 2EJM001 was clustered with M. bicuspidata (LNES0119) as reported by Bao et al. In addition, unlike Bao et al., two challenge experiments (injection and immersion) were used in this study. The results of challenge experiments show that 2EJM001 was pathogenic to E. sinensis and caused signs similar to those found in the naturally infected crabs. At the same time, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC80 and MIC90) were determined. This study further confirms that M. bicuspidata 2EJM001 was the pathogen responsible for ‘milky disease’ in E. sinensis from Liaoning Province.
The interplay between children, their parents and anaesthesia staff during the child's anaesthesia – An observational study
Authors: Andersson Lisbet , Almerud Österberg Sofia , Johansson Pauline , Knutsson Susanne
Published: September 2021

Aims and objectives

To interpret and understand the interplay between children, their parents, and anaesthetic staff to gain a greater understanding of children being anaesthetised.

Background

Anaesthesia induction is a stressful procedure for the child and parents in the technologically advanced environment in the operating room (OR). Anaesthesia staff are a key resource for ensuring safety and interplays, but the meeting is often short, intensive, and can affect the child and the parent.

Design

A qualitative observational design with a hermeneutic approach.

Methods

Twenty‐seven non‐participant observations were conducted and videotaped when children were being anaesthetised. The SRQR checklist was used.

Results

The result is presented as a theatre play with three headings; the scene, the actors, and the plot. The scene was not designed for the child or the parent's comfort and could lead to anxiety and insecurity. Four themes described the interplays: The need to be inviting and to be invited, The need for varying compliance, The need for mutual dependence, and The need to give and to receive emotional support. The plot could lead to uncertainty, and the interplay could change between being caring and uncaring depending on the actors.

Conclusions

The technologically advanced environment in the OR constituted an emotional obstacle, but the anaesthesia staff themselves can be a powerful resource creating a caring environment. The outcome of the plot may depend on the anaesthesia staff's bearing.

Relevance to clinical practice

A caring approach in the OR requires a willingness from the anaesthesia staff to invite the child to participate and find a balance between helping the parents to find their place in the OR and support them in supporting their child. The findings can start reflections in the unit on how to create a more caring environment.
Clinical analysis of uterine intravenous leiomyomatosis: A retrospective study of 260 cases
Authors: Peng Jing , Zhong Fangfang , Zhu Yuemeng , Zhang Mingxing , Zhang Meng , Lu Chong , Wang Yumeng , Qi Xingling , Wang Congwen , Li Guiling
Published: September 2021

Methods

We collected the clinical data of 260 patients admitted to the hospital from April 2003 to September 2019 with pathologically confirmed intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) and followed up with these patients regularly. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out on the relevant recurrence factors.

Results

A total of 166 patients were regularly followed up, the median follow‐up time was 36 (range 2–168) months, 14 (5.4%) patients eventually relapsed, and the median recurrence time was 8.5 (range 2–42) months. The univariate analysis showed that age (p = 0.003) and surgical type (p < 0.001) were associated with recurrence, and multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that surgical type was the only factor associated with recurrence (p < 0.001, OR 20.01).

Conclusions

The use of gonadotrophin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) cannot reduce the postsurgical recurrence rate of patients with UIVL. Compared to total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy (TH‐BSO), total hysterectomy (TH) does not increase the odds of recurrence, but the chance of recurrence with tumorectomy (TE) is 20 times higher than that of TH‐BSO.
Thrombus formation and ischemic necrosis of the uterus and adnexa due to purpura fulminans: A case report
Authors: Maebayashi Aki , Hayashi Nobuki , Kamata Saki , Sugita Atsunori , Tang Xiaoyan , Kawana Kei
Published: September 2021

Purpura fulminans (PF) is a syndrome characterized by the sudden onset of progressive skin hemorrhage, necrosis of the extremities, and thrombotic occlusion. Although the cause is believed to be protein C deficiency, many aspects of this syndrome have yet to be clarified. A 45‐year‐old Japanese woman, G2P2 (vaginal delivery), developed fever and lower abdominal pain. It was her 5th day of menstruation, and a tampon had been in the vagina for a few days. Septic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation were diagnosed, and multidisciplinary treatment was started. Also, toxic shock syndrome due to tampon use was suspected. The purpura on the limbs turned into blisters and then blackish‐purple spots, leading to hemorrhagic necrosis within a few days. Moreover, imaging showed that the uterus and both adnexa had enlarged significantly, and raised suspicion of abscess formation. Total hysterectomy and bilateral adnexectomy were performed, and the histopathological diagnosis was hemorrhagic necrosis due to extensive thrombus formation. In men, PF affects the scrotum and penis, leading to autoamputation of the male genitalia, while there are no reports of PF involving the female genitalia. Regarding the PF, in this case, we considered the possibility of pathologic conditions progressing to the female genitalia.
White Supremacy and Antiblackness: Theory and Lived Experience
Authors: Spears Arthur K.
Published: September 2021

Our goal in understanding white supremacy should be theory building, viewed as instrumental in providing explanation and prediction as a foundation for activism. As humanists and social scientists, and more particularly as anthropologists and linguistic anthropologists, we should take to heart not only anthropology’s mandate to be holistic, comparative, and historical but also the tradition of anthropological theorizing. Lived experience is the substance of the, perhaps temporarily, ineffable structure of feeling, shaping, and structuring what we should desperately want theory to account for, including our pain, resentments, hatreds, longing, and joy—even the air we breathe and the rivers flowing among the United States, which are shaped by—fused with—white supremacy and antiblackness. White supremacy seeks to be totalitarian, even as it is contained by and/or co‐constructed by not only ancillary systems such as gender‐, class‐, and sexuality‐based ones but also larger systems such as capitalism, purposeful violence, and the state’s quest for hegemony. In this writing’s search for a deeper and broader comprehension of white supremacy, discussions are presented on underdiscussed themes in white supremacy, such as the “whitening” power of language, and additionally two key issues: (1) the change currently underway in the United States'white‐supremacist racial system from a race‐primary system toward a skin‐color primary system, accompanying a likely change in the basic principle for defining whiteness and (2) the necessity to understand that white supremacy is a key element in the degradation and exploitation of, not only labor of color but also white labor—to a lesser extent, and the looming possibility going forward of the United States’ decline domestically and internationally.
Toward an Anti‐Racist Linguistic Anthropology: An Indigenous Response to White Supremacy
Authors: Leonard Wesley Y.
Published: September 2021

Drawing from my lived experiences as an Indigenous linguist, this article exposes and responds to epistemological racism (Kubota 2020) in the discipline of Linguistic Anthropology, which I argue institutionalizes and reproduces white supremacy. I extend Rosa and Flores’s (2017) raciolinguistic perspective, which examines the co‐naturalization of race and language, to the co‐naturalization of race and language scholars. Through a critical analysis of the hegemony of the “white linguistic anthropologist,” I demonstrate how BIPOC linguistic anthropologists are expected to assimilate to a white normative culture of producing, disseminating, and evaluating anthropological knowledge. Employing ideas from Indigenous research methodologies such as the notion of relational accountability and related “R’s” such as respect, responsibility, reciprocity, and rights; the framework of Radical Indigenism (Garroutte 2003), which argues for research praxis based on Indigenous philosophies of knowledge; and Felt Theory (Million 2009), which asserts the validity of knowledge emerging from experiences that are felt; I offer alternatives that are grounded in Indigenous research principles and protocols. I conclude by outlining a reimagined discipline, a linguistic anthropology built from Indigenous epistemologies and norms of relational knowledge production, and discuss the anti‐racist praxis that such a transformation could facilitate.
Personal Protective Equipment Against Anti‐Blackness: Communicability and Contagion in the Academy
Authors: Thomas Jamie A. , Bucholtz Mary
Published: September 2021

A lethal infectious disease is among us. Alarmingly, the disease burden’s distribution is strikingly unequal. White subjects have a far greater viral load, particularly because of noncompliance with public health guidelines. Yet the virus has a much more harmful impact on Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC) populations, which are vulnerable due to structural inequities. The disease is commonly transmitted through talk: The more forcefully an infected individual speaks, the greater the viral shedding of virus‐containing droplets or aerosolized particles; vitriolic political rallies and violent, seditious activities are especially dangerous. However, these widely publicized flare‐ups often overshadow the everyday chronic form of infection, which is even more insidious because it is endemic to the white population and therefore less recognized. therefore less recognized.
Matching soulmates
Authors: Leo Greg , Lou Jian , Van der Linden Martin , Vorobeychik Yevgeniy , Wooders Myrna
Published: September 2021

We study iterated matching of soulmates (IMS), a recursive process of forming coalitions that are mutually preferred by members to any other coalition containing individuals as yet unmatched by this process. If all players can be matched this way, preferences are IMS‐complete. A mechanism is a soulmate mechanism if it allows the formation of all soulmate coalitions. Our model follows Banerjee, Konishi, and Sönmez, except reported preferences are strategic variables. We investigate the incentive and stability properties of soulmate mechanisms. In contrast to prior literature, we do not impose conditions that ensure IMS‐completeness. A fundamental result is that, (1) any group of players who could change their reported preferences and mutually benefit does not contain any players who were matched as soulmates and reported their preferences truthfully. As corollaries, (2) for any IMS‐complete profile, soulmate mechanisms have a truthful strong Nash equilibrium, and (3) as long as all players matched as soulmates report their preferences truthfully, there is no incentive for any to deviate. Moreover, (4) soulmate coalitions are invariant core coalitions—that is, any soulmate coalition will be a coalition in every outcome in the core. To accompany our theoretical results, we present real‐world data analysis and simulations that highlight the prevalence of situations in which many, but not all, players can be matched as soulmates. In the Appendix we relate IMS to other well‐known coalition formation processes.
Automated inspection and monitoring of member deformation in grid structures
Authors: Wei Xiao‐Chen , Fan Jian‐Sheng , Liu Yu‐Fei , Zhang Jin‐Xun , Liu Xiao‐Gang , Kong Si‐Yu
Published: September 2021

In large‐span grid structures with thousands of members involved, bending deformation of members is one of the most commonly observed damages affecting the normal service, even the safety of structures. Traditional testing and monitoring methods show weakness in the accurate judgment of crooked members and precision of deformation measurements. In this paper, a new deformation inspection and monitoring method of grid structures using image‐based 3D reconstruction is proposed, wherein a new method is put forward to automatically recognize and extract the shape deformation of the structural member for the first time. First, the key area with multiple members is modeled as a three‐dimensional mesh model using image‐based 3D reconstruction. Then, a new automated recognition and extraction algorithm of shape deformation (AREAS) is carried out, and crooked members, together with their deformed shapes, are extracted from the mesh model through AREAS. In this study, a load experiment of a quadrangular pyramid grid structure containing artificial crooked members and speckled members is designed to compare the deformation measurements using image‐based 3D reconstruction with those using laser scanning. The comparison of deformation and deformation increment shows an average error within 1 mm for image‐based 3D reconstruction, which validates the proposed method in on‐site inspection and monitoring.
A new species of Dischidia (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae) from Mindanao Philippines, and rediscovery and lectotypifiction of Dischidia elmeri
Authors: Arshed Muhammad Jefte , Tandang Danilo , Amoroso Victor , Agoo Esperanza Maribel , Rodda Michele
Published: September 2021

The new species Dischidia glabrata Arshed and Tandang is described and illustrated from material collected on Mt Hamiguitan, Davao Oriental. The lack of pubescence throughout the plant and the lack of a corolline corona separate this species from the rest of native Dischidia in sect. Conchophyllum (Blume) K. Schum. We also document the rediscovery on Mt Hamiguitan of Dischidia elmeri Schltr., a species previously known only from its type collection.
Drought affects carbon partitioning into volatile organic compound biosynthesis in Scots pine needles
Authors: Kreuzwieser Jürgen , Meischner Mirjam , Grün Michel , Yáñez‐Serrano Ana Maria , Fasbender Lukas , Werner Christiane
Published: September 2021

The effect of drought on the interplay of processes controlling carbon partitioning into plant primary and secondary metabolisms, such as respiratory CO2 release and volatile organic compound (VOC) biosynthesis, is not fully understood.

To elucidate the effect of drought on the fate of cellular C sources into VOCs vs CO2, we conducted tracer experiments with 13CO2 and position‐specific 13C‐labelled pyruvate, a key metabolite between primary and secondary metabolisms, in Scots pine seedlings. We determined the stable carbon isotope composition of leaf exchanged CO2 and VOC.

Drought reduced the emission of the sesquiterpenes α‐farnesene and β‐farnesene but did not affect 13C‐incorporation from 13C‐pyruvate. The labelling patterns suggest that farnesene biosynthesis partially depends on isopentenyl diphosphate crosstalk between chloroplasts and cytosol, and that drought inhibits this process. Contrary to sesquiterpenes, drought did not affect emission of isoprene, monoterpenes and some oxygenated compounds. During the day, pyruvate was used in the TCA cycle to a minor degree but was mainly consumed in pathways of secondary metabolism. Drought partly inhibited such pathways, while allocation into the TCA cycle increased.

Drought caused a re‐direction of pyruvate consuming pathways, which contributed to maintenance of isoprene and monoterpene production despite strongly inhibited photosynthesis. This underlines the importance of these volatiles for stress tolerance.
Interspecific differences in maternal support in herbaceous plants: CNP contents in seeds varies to match expected nutrient limitation of seedlings
Authors: Mašková Tereza , Herben Tomáš
Published: September 2021

Maternal care is one of the key fitness parameters in all organisms. In plants, maternal care takes the form of seeds production. Although seed mass is the most studied proxy for this maternal provision due to its correlation with the overall amount of nutrients, this proxy does not take into account seed nutrient contents and the proportions of light‐dependent resources (C) and soil‐dependent resources (N and P), which can strongly affect seedling establishment and survival. We tested the hypothesis that seed nutrient contents is fine‐tuned to the expected conditions of seed germination, namely, that seeds of plants from light‐limited conditions will have proportionally more carbon than those of plants that are not light‐limited and vice versa.

We used a phylogenetically informed comparative approach with 510 central European herbaceous species to examine relationships between proportions of N, P and nonstructural C, and the environment in which their seedlings typically germinate.

We showed that, in spite of the strong phylogenetic signal in nutrient contents, proportions of N and nonstructural C vary according to our hypothesis, i.e. seeds are primarily provided with nutrients expected to be limiting in a given environment. Namely, the proportion of nonstructural C in seeds was higher in species from nutrient‐rich habitats. This enables seedlings to develop independent resource‐acquiring organs quickly. We demonstrated that seed nutrient contents depends on seed mass; namely, the proportion of P out of the total seed mass was higher in small seeds, and the proportion of unusable structural C was higher in large seeds.

Our results suggest that seed nutrient content is under selection driven by both seed mass and the environment in which seedlings are likely to germinate. It means that seed nutrient content is a seed trait of clear ecological relevance and hence deserves much closer attention.
Magnitude and timing of resource pulses interact to affect plant invasion
Authors: Tao Zhibin , Shen Changchao , Qin Wenchao , Gui Yinfeng , Wang Yi , Siemann Evan , Huang Wei
Published: September 2021

Human activities can cause resource fluctuations through reducing uptake by the resident vegetation (e.g. disturbance) or through changing external resource supply (e.g. fertilization). Resource fluctuations often occur as pulses which are low frequency, large magnitude and short duration and now are recognized as an important driver of plant invasions. However, resource pulses often vary dramatically in a number of attributes, yet how these attributes mediate the impacts of resource pulses on plant invasions remains unclear. Erigeron canadensis is a serious invader of disturbed habitats and agricultural fields in China. Thus, it experiences nutrient pulses with different magnitudes and timings. Here, we grew E. canadensis and six co‐occurring native plant species with three different magnitudes of nutrient enrichment (low, medium, or high). For each magnitude, we added equivalent amounts of nutrients with a constant supply as a control or one of three pulses with different timings (early, middle, or late stages). We found that pulse magnitude, timing and their interaction significantly affected E. canadensis growth (biomass production) and invasion (proportion of biomass in a pot). For each timing, E. candensis growth and invasion increased with nutrient magnitude. At low magnitude, middle and late pulses promoted E. canadensis growth and invasion. At medium magnitude, late pulses suppressed E. canadensis growth, but did not affect its invasion. At high magnitude, early and middle pulses strongly suppressed E. canadensis growth and invasion. In contrast, natives generally exhibited different responses to nutrient pulses. Our study shows that plant responses are not just dependent on the presence of a resource pulse but also on its attributes. In contrast to theory and many empirical studies, our results show that resource fluctuation does not always promote plant invasion. We highlight that the attributes of resource pulses are key to understanding the impact of resource fluctuations on plant invasion.
Genome‐ and transcriptome‐wide association studies reveal the genetic basis and the breeding history of seed glucosinolate content in Brassica napus
Authors: Tan Zengdong , Xie Zhaoqi , Dai Lihong , Zhang Yuting , Zhao Hu , Tang Shan , Wan Lili , Yao Xuan , Guo Liang , Hong Dengfeng
Published: September 2021

A high content of seed glucosinolates and their degradation products imposes anti‐nutritional effects on livestock; therefore, persistent efforts are made to reduce the seed GSL content to increase the commercial value of rapeseed meal. Here, we dissected the genetic structure of SGC by genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) combined with transcriptome‐wide association studies (TWAS). Fifteen reliable quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified to be associated with the reduced SGC in modern B. napus cultivars by GWAS. Analysis of the selection strength and haplotypes at these QTLs revealed that low SGC was predominantly generated by the co‐selection of qGSL.A02.2, qGSL.C02.1, qGSL.A09.2, and qGSL.C09.1. Integration of the results from TWAS, comprehensive bioinformatics, and POCKET algorithm analyses indicated that BnaC02.GTR2 (BnaC02g42260D) is a candidate gene underlying qGSL.C02.1. Using CRISPR/Cas9‐derived Bna.gtr2s knockout mutants, we experimentally verified that both BnaC02.GTR2 and its three paralogs positively regulate seed GSL accumulation but negatively regulated vegetative tissue GSL contents. In addition, we observed smaller seeds with higher seed oil content in these Bna.gtr2 mutants. Furthermore, both RNA‐seq and correlation analyses suggested that Bna.GTR2s might play a comprehensive role in seed development, such as amino acid accumulation, GSL synthesis, sugar assimilation, and oil accumulation. This study unravels the breeding selection history of low‐SGC improvement and provides new insights into the molecular function of Bna.GTR2s in both seed GSL accumulation and seed development in B. napus.
Effects of a mindfulness‐based intervention on mindfulness, stress, salivary alpha‐amylase and cortisol in everyday life
Authors: Aguilar‐Raab Corina , Stoffel Martin , Hernández Cristóbal , Rahn Stefanie , Moessner Markus , Steinhilber Barbara , Ditzen Beate
Published: September 2021

A large body of literature has shown the effectiveness of mindfulness‐based interventions (MBI) on stress‐reduction. However, little is known about their effects on psychobiological stress‐markers in daily life through an ecological momentary assessment approach. Our study examines the effects of MBI on state mindfulness, perceived stress, and indicators of sympathetic‐nervous‐system (saliva alpha‐amylase, sAA) and hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal‐axis (saliva cortisol, sCort) activation in daily life. Twenty‐eight individuals participated in a three‐month MBI (IG) and were compared to 46 controls (CG). An ecological momentary assessment (EMA) was used to assess mindfulness, stress, sAA and sCort at six measurements per day on two days each before and after the MBI. Multilevel‐modeling was used to analyze the data on a moment‐to‐moment and averaged day‐level. The IG showed decreased sAA levels (AUCg) from pre to post, while the CG showed increases. Furthermore, diurnal decreases in sCort (AUCi) were pronounced in the IG compared to the CG. On a momentary basis, mindfulness was associated with lower stress and sAA levels, but not sCort. As such, we show that MBI can reduce sympathetic and to a lesser extent hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal activation in daily life. Increased mindfulness can momentarily decrease stress and stress‐related autonomic activation with implications for health. Our results emphasize the importance of brief interventions that can be easily integrated into everyday life.
Testing for Calibration Discrepancy of Reported Likelihood Ratios in Forensic Science
Authors: Hannig Jan , Iyer Hari
Published: September 2021

The use of likelihood ratios for quantifying the strength of forensic evidence in criminal cases is gaining widespread acceptance in many forensic disciplines. Although some forensic scientists feel that subjective likelihood ratios are a reasonable way of expressing expert opinion regarding strength of evidence in criminal trials, legal requirements of reliability of expert evidence in the United Kingdom, United States and some other countries have encouraged researchers to develop likelihood ratio systems based on statistical modelling using relevant empirical data. Many such systems exhibit exceptional power to discriminate between the scenario presented by the prosecution and an alternate scenario implying the innocence of the defendant. However, such systems are not necessarily well calibrated. Consequently, verbal explanations to triers of fact, by forensic experts, of the meaning of the offered likelihood ratio may be misleading. In this article, we put forth a statistical approach for testing the calibration discrepancy of likelihood ratio systems using ground truth known empirical data. We provide point estimates as well as confidence intervals for the calibration discrepancy. Several examples, previously discussed in the literature, are used to illustrate our method. Results from a limited simulation study concerning the performance of the proposed approach are also provided.