bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transformative Readings: Harry Potter Fan Fiction, Trans/Queer Reader Response, and J. K. Rowling
Authors: Duggan Jennifer
Published: March 2021

The politics of children’s literature and the actors surrounding it have never been more visible than they are now, in the digital age. As one of the first children’s series to gain widespread popularity concurrently with the spread of the internet, the Harry Potter septet arrived on the global stage at the perfect moment to develop an avid, connected fandom. But the fandom has laid bare the many conflicting ideologies of the fans themselves and of the actors surrounding the texts. This article examines the contentious issue of gender nonnormativity and its relation to the Harry Potter texts, the queer/trans reading practices and political resistance common to the fandom, and the ongoing disagreements over gender, made visible on social media, between Rowling and the fans of her series. The article discusses the Harry Potter novels’ varied and conflicting ideologies; queer/trans readings of the Potter septet, including both invitations and resistances to queer/trans reading by Rowling herself; how gender is queered and queried in and through fan fiction; and finally, the recent hostilities between Rowling and her fans. It concludes by discussing the worsening relationship between Rowling and her fans and highlighting how fans are using their collective power to undermine Rowling’s gender politics through fan fiction. By doing so, the article traces the complex politics of the reception of books for young people in the digital age, demonstrating that authors’ powerful voices continue to shape readers’ responses to texts long after their publication but showing, too, that readers often resist authors’ attempts to influence not only their textual interpretations but their politics.
Genotyping by Multiplexed Sequencing (GMS) protocol in Barley
Authors: Eagle Jonathan , Ruff Travis , Hooker Marcus , Sthapit Sajal , Marston Elliott , Marlowe Karol , Covarrubias Dolores , Skinner Daniel , Hayes Patrick , Sherman Jamie , See Deven
Published: April 2021

Genotyping by sequencing (GBS) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip technologies are the primary SNP genotyping technologies used today. However, these genotyping technologies have some drawbacks that limit their usefulness in analysis. We have developed a robust protocol called genotyping by multiplexed sequencing (GMS) using SNP markers, providing informative genotypic data with greater flexibility. The genotypes derived from direct sequence reads reduce ambiguity in genetic analysis. The advantages of this protocol include: (1) This PCR-based direct sequencing protocol generates information from markers of interest and provides a more streamlined and accurate analysis process, by multiplexing hundreds of informative markers into a single sequencing run. (2) The marker sets are easily customized to the species of interest and can readily be changed. In this study we have taken the GMS protocol developed in wheat and adapted it to barley. We have identified 577 SNP markers that work well using this protocol providing adequate genome coverage for genomic selection and tag 267 QTL’s for genes of interest. Good markers have an adequate read depth of at least 5 amplicons and are reliably present across the population.
Empirical Estimation of Uniaxial Compressive Strength of Rock: Database of Simple, Multiple, and Artificial Intelligence-Based Regressions
Authors: Aladejare Adeyemi Emman , Alofe Emmanuel Damola , Onifade Moshood , Lawal Abiodun Ismail , Ozoji Toochukwu Malachi , Zhang Zong-Xian
Published: April 2021

Empirical relationships for estimating Uniaxial Compressive Strength (UCS) of rock from other rock properties are numerous in literature. This is because the laboratory procedure for determination of UCS from compression tests is cumbersome, time consuming, and often considered expensive, especially for small to medium-sized mining engineering projects. However, these empirical models are scattered in literature, making it difficult to access a considerable number of them when there is need to select empirical model for estimation of UCS. This often leads to bias in estimated UCS data as there may be underestimation or overestimation of UCS, because of the site-specific nature of rock properties. Therefore, this study develops large database of empirical relationships between UCS and other rock properties that are reported in literatures. Statistical analysis was performed on the regression equations in the database developed. The typical ranges and mean of data used in developing the regressions, and the range and mean of their R2values were evaluated and summarised. Most of the regression equations were found to be developed from reasonable quantity of data with moderate to high R2values. The database can be easily assessed to select appropriate regression equation when there is need to estimate UCS for a specific site.
Laboratory Experiments and Grain Based Discrete Element Numerical Simulations Investigating the Thermo-Mechanical Behaviour of Sandstone
Authors: Woodman James , Ougier-Simonin Audrey , Stavrou Anastasios , Vazaios Ioannis , Murphy William , Thomas Mark E. , Reeves Helen J.
Published: April 2021

Thermo-mechanical loading can occur in numerous engineering geological environments, from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Different minerals and micro-defects in rock cause heterogeneity at a grain scale, affecting the mechanical and thermal properties of the material. Changes in strength and stiffness can occur from exposure to elevated temperatures, with the accumulation of localised stresses resulting in thermally induced micro-cracking within the rock. In this study we investigated thermal micro-cracking at a grain scale through both laboratory experiments and their numerical simulations. We performed laboratory triaxial experiments on specimens of fine-grained sandstone at a confining pressure of 5 MPa and room temperature (20$$^{\circ }\hbox {C}$$

∘

C

), as well as heating to 50$$^{\circ }\hbox {C}$$

∘

C

, 75$$^{\circ }\hbox {C}$$

∘

C

and 100$$^{\circ }\hbox {C}$$

∘

C

prior to mechanical loading. The laboratory experiments were then replicated using discrete element method simulations. The geometry and granular structure of the sandstone was replicated using a Voronoi tessellation scheme to produce a grain based model. Strength and stiffness properties of the Voronoi contacts were calibrated to the laboratory specimens. Grain scale thermal properties were applied to the grain based models according to mineral percentages obtained from quantitative X-ray diffraction analysis on laboratory specimens. Thermo-mechanically coupled modelling was then undertaken to reproduce the thermal loading rates used in the laboratory, before applying a mechanical load in the models until failure. Laboratory results show a reduction of up to 15% peak strength with increasing thermal loading between room temperature and 100$$^{\circ }\hbox {C}$$

∘

C

, and micro-structural analysis shows the development of thermally induced micro-cracking in laboratory specimens. The mechanical numerical simulations calibrate well with the laboratory results, and introducing coupled thermal loading to the simulations shows the development of localised stresses within the models, leading to the formation of thermally induced micro-cracks and strength reduction upon mechanical loading.
The concept of disease in the time of COVID-19
Authors: Amoretti Maria Cristina , Lalumera Elisabetta
Published: April 2021

Philosophers of medicine have formulated different accounts of the concept of disease. Which concept of disease one assumes has implications for what conditions count as diseases and, by extension, who may be regarded as having a disease (disease judgements) and for who may be accorded the social privileges and personal responsibilities associated with being sick (sickness judgements). In this article, we consider an ideal diagnostic test for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection with respect to four groups of people—positive and asymptomatic; positive and symptomatic; negative; and untested—and show how different concepts of disease impact on the disease and sickness judgements for these groups. The suggestion is that sickness judgements and social measures akin to those experienced during the current COVID-19 outbreak presuppose a concept of disease containing social (risk of) harm as a component. We indicate the problems that arise when adopting this kind of disease concept beyond a state of emergency.
Multi-objective approaches to ground station scheduling for optimization of communication with satellites
Authors: Petelin Gašper , Antoniou Margarita , Papa Gregor
Published: March 2021

The ground station scheduling problem is a complex scheduling problem involving multiple objectives. Evolutionary techniques for multi-objective optimization are becoming popular among different fields, due to their effectiveness in obtaining a set of trade-off solutions. In contrast to some conventional methods, that aggregate the objectives into one weighted-sum objective function, multi-objective evolutionary algorithms manage to find a set of solutions in the Pareto-optimal front. Selecting one algorithm, however, for a specific problem adds additional challenge. In this paper the ground station scheduling problem was solved through six different evolutionary multi-objective algorithms, the NSGA-II, NSGA-III, SPEA2, GDE3, IBEA, and MOEA/D. The goal is to test their efficacy and performance to a number of benchmark static instances of the ground scheduling problem. Benchmark instances are of different sizes, allowing further testing of the behavior of the algorithms to different dimensionality of the problem. The solutions are compared to the recent solutions of a weighted-sum approach solved by the GA. The results show that all multi-objective algorithms manage to find as good solution as the weighted-sum, while giving more additional alternatives. The decomposition-based MOEA/D outperforms the rest of the algorithms for the specific problem in almost all aspects.
Mental imagery: pulling the plug on perceptualism
Authors: Cavedon-Taylor Dan
Published: March 2021

What is the relationship between perception and mental imagery? I aim to eliminate an answer that I call perceptualism about mental imagery. Strong perceptualism, defended by Bence Nanay, predictive processing theorists, and several others, claims that imagery is a kind of perceptual state. Weak perceptualism, defended by M. G. F. Martin and Matthew Soteriou, claims that mental imagery is a representation of a perceptual state, a view sometimes called The Dependency Thesis. Strong perceptualism is to be rejected since it misclassifies imagery disorders and abnormalities as perceptual disorders and abnormalities. Weak Perceptualism is to be rejected since it gets wrong the aim and accuracy conditions of a whole class of mental imagery–projected mental imagery–and relies on an impoverished concept of perceptual states, ignoring certain of their structural features. Whatever the relationship between perception and imagery, the perceptualist has it wrong.
Flourishing with Shared Vitality: Education based on Aesthetic Experience, with Performance for Meaning
Authors: Doddington Christine
Published: March 2021

In this paper, I set an aspect of what it is to live a flourishing life against the backdrop of neo liberal trends that continue to influence educational policy across the globe. The view I set out is in sharp contrast to any narrow assumption that education’s main task is the measurement of high performing individuals who will thus contribute to an economically viable society. Instead, I explore and argue for a conception of what constitutes a flourishing life that is embedded in a more pragmatist analysis of what education may be. The argument begins with developing the centrality of embodiment to aesthetic sensibility and goes on to suggest how collective understanding of this within a community could constitute a sense of performance and thus contribute to the educational aim of developing a full and flourishing life. The argument is that this way of seeing life could have implications for educational practice, the role of the teacher and could help to reconfigure how education is experienced by the young.
Endangered lowland oak forest steppe remnants keep unique bird species richness in Central Hungary
Authors: Ónodi Gábor , Botta-Dukát Zoltán , Winkler Dániel , Rédei Tamás
Published: March 2021

The biodiversity of natural or semi-natural native, old oak woodlands have high conservation importance, especially in landscapes of monocultural forest plantations and arable fields. With a wider variety of microhabitats and foraging sources, such old oak forests can provide essential habitat for native forest bird communities. We conducted a study using bird point counts to compare the forest bird communities of old pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) remnants with native and non-native plantations in central Hungary in a landscape of mostly arable fields, settlements, and monocultural plantations. Avian surveys were carried out in old oak forest remnants, middle-aged oak, white poplar (Populus alba), hybrid poplar (Populus × euramericana), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), and pine (Pinusspp.) plantations. Fieldwork has been carried out in nine study sites, where all six habitat types were represented (with a few exceptions), to determine total abundance, species richness, Shannon–Wiener diversity, species evenness, dominant and indicator species, and guild abundances. We found that old oak forest remnants were the most diverse habitats among the studied forest types, while hybrid poplar and pine plantations exhibited the lowest avian biodiversity. The avian guilds most sensitive to the loss of old oak forest remnants were ground foragers, bark foragers, cavity-nesters, residents, and Mediterranean migratory birds. Native habitats were more diverse than non-native plantations. Our results suggest that it is important to conserve all remaining high biodiversity old oak stands and to avoid clear-cutting of monocultural plantations in favour of practices such as mixed-species plantations, longer rotation lengths, or retention forestry.
Refugee Reception Re-examined: a Quantitative Study on the Impact of the Reception Period for Mental Health and Host Country Language Proficiency Among Syrian Refugees in the Netherlands
Authors: Damen Roxy Elisabeth Christina , Dagevos Jaco , Huijnk Willem
Published: March 2021

In many European countries, refugees spend their first period after arrival in the receiving country in reception centers. Though this reception period has been heavily criticized, especially in relation to mental health, few scholars examined its impact on refugee integration. Since host country language learning is the main focus for most recent arrivals, this study re-examines the impact of the (renewed) reception period on both refugee mental health and host country language proficiency. Using a unique dataset including 3209 Syrian permitholders in the Netherlands, we test a structural equation model to examine those relations directly and indirectly. Results partly replicate previous findings, showing the negative impact of the number of relocations on mental health as well as the negative impact of both length of stay and relocations on host country language proficiency. Nevertheless, we did not find support for a negative relationship between length of stay and mental health. Moreover, the image of the reception period is not as gloomy as before; activities asylum seekers can engage in during their stay is positively related to both mental health and host country language proficiency. The relationships between both relocations and activities and host country language proficiency can partially be explained by mental health. These results indicate that the reception period can be seen as both an obstacle and a facilitator. Since the context of reception is a post-migration stressor, these findings should inform receiving societies and inspire them to accommodate their refugee reception accordingly, ensuring a smooth(er) start for future refugees.
Should I Stay or Should I Go? International Students’ Decision-Making About Staying in Canada
Authors: Netierman Elena , Harrison Lauren , Freeman Angela , Shoyele Grace , Esses Victoria , Covell Christine
Published: April 2021

Recent decades have seen an increase in the popularity of international education. Approximately 500,000 international students were in Canada in 2018 and this number is projected to grow. While we know that many international students decide to stay in Canada, we do not fully understand the decision-making process employed by international students regarding staying in Canada or going back home after completing their education. The purpose of this study was to explore how international students make decisions about their post-graduation destination and what factors they see as pivotal in shaping their decision-making process. We utilized a symbolic interactionist approach to analyze qualitative semi-structured interviews with 60 international students enrolled in post-secondary programs in Canada. Our findings suggest that the meaning students attach to staying in Canada varies from obtaining permanent residency to working for a few months upon graduation. We also demonstrate that for most students, the decision to stay in Canada is formed gradually and is shaped by familial obligations, cultural climate they experience in Canada, employment opportunities available to them upon graduation, and the possibility of obtaining permanent residency.
Composition and diversity of larval fish in the Indian Ocean using morphological and molecular methods
Authors: Rathnasuriya M. I. G. , Mateos-Rivera A. , Skern-Mauritzen R. , Wimalasiri H. B. U. , Jayasinghe R. P. P. K. , Krakstad J. O. , Dalpadado P.
Published: April 2021

Although vital in fisheries management, no comprehensive studies on ichthyoplankton have been conducted in Sri Lankan waters in the north central Indian Ocean hitherto. Hence, this study is the first detailed account of diversity and species composition of larval fish based on samples collected during the southwest monsoon in 2018. In total, 80 species belonging to 69 families were identified using morphological and molecular methods targeting the COI gene. The larval fish diversity varied significantly between regions: east (North East, Central East, and South East) and west (North West, South West, and South). In their larval stages, mesopelagic families were associated with the offshore waters whereas demersal and pelagic families were related with shelf regions in the South, South East, and Central East. The larvae of pelagic families are likely dispersed by the South Monsoon Current from the west to the east regions, while demersal fish seem to be confined to the same area as conspecific adults. The most abundant larval species observed were Selar crumenophthalmus, Cubiceps pauciradiatus, and Dipterygonotus balteatus. High abundances of several commercially important larval tuna species were found in the South East, Central East, and South regions indicating that these waters could be important nursery grounds. Furthermore, Callionymus simplicicornis was recorded for the first time in the Indian Ocean, and seven additional species were found new to Sri Lankan waters. The results from this study also highlight the importance of using combined morphological and molecular methods and the need for strengthening fish nucleotide databases in poorly studied areas of the Indian Ocean.
Collaborative filtering with q-divergence-based fuzzy clustering for spherical data
Authors: Kanzawa Yuchi , Kondo Tadafumi
Published: March 2021

Although recommendation systems are the most powerful tool to help people choose items, a higher recommendation accuracy is required to satisfy the needs of the people. Motivated by this requirement, this study proposes a novel collaborative filtering (CF) algorithm, which is the underlying technology of a recommendation system. It filters items for a target user based on the reactions of similar users. Cluster analysis helps detect similar users by grouping a set of users such that users in the same group are more similar to each other than to those in other groups. However, in most representative CF algorithms such as GroupLens algorithm, users are considered as spherical data, and as categorical multivariate data in the clustering phase of a previous study. This study overcomes this logic gap by proposing a novel CF method using fuzzy clustering for spherical data based on q-divergence as both the clustering phase and the GroupLens algorithm consistently deal with users as spherical data. Experiments were conducted on six real datasets—BookCrossing, Epinions, Jester, LibimSeTi, MovieLens, and SUSHI, to compare the performance of the proposed method with GroupLens and the method using fuzzy clustering for categorical multivariate data based on q-divergence, which are conventional methods, where the performance is measured by the area under the receiver operating curve. The results of the experiments indicate that the proposed algorithm outperforms the others in terms of recommendation accuracy.
Repdigits as products of consecutive Padovan or Perrin numbers
Authors: Rihane Salah Eddine , Togbé Alain
Published: March 2021

A repdigit is a positive integer that has only one distinct digit in its decimal expansion, i.e., a number of the form $$a(10^m-1)/9$$

a
(

10
m

-
1
)
/
9

, for some $$m\ge 1$$

m
≥
1

and $$1 \le a \le 9$$

1
≤
a
≤
9

. Let $$\left( P_n\right) _{n\ge 0}$$

P
n

n
≥
0

and $$\left( E_n\right) _{n\ge 0}$$

E
n

n
≥
0

be the sequence of Padovan and Perrin numbers, respectively. This paper deals with repdigits that can be written as the products of consecutive Padovan or/and Perrin numbers.
The connection between childhood maltreatment and eating disorder psychopathology: a network analysis study in people with bulimia nervosa and with binge eating disorder
Authors: Monteleone Alessio Maria , Tzischinsky Orna , Cascino Giammarco , Alon Sigal , Pellegrino Francesca , Ruzzi Valeria , Latzer Yael
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Childhood maltreatment (CM) experiences are associated with heightened risk of Eating disorders (EDs). The psychopathological pathways promoting this association in people with Bulimia nervosa (BN) and in those with Binge eating disorder (BED) are under-investigated.

Methods

One hundred and eighty-one people with BN and 144 with BED filled in the Eating Disorder Inventory-2, to measure ED psychopathology, and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, to assess their early traumatic experiences. Network analysis was conducted to investigate the interplay between those variables. The shortest pathways function was employed to investigate the shortest out of all routes conveying the association between CM and ED-specific symptoms.

Results

In both people with BN and with BED, all CM types were connected to the ED psychopathology through the emotional abuse node. The association between emotional abuse and ED-specific symptoms (bulimia and body dissatisfaction) differed in the two groups: in people with BN, it included ineffectiveness, while in people with BED, it involved impulsivity. Interoceptive awareness, an indirect measure of emotion regulation, was included in these pathways in both groups.

Conclusion

In the light of literature showing that emotional abuse has a connecting role between CM and ED psychopathology also in anorexia nervosa, the present findings support the idea that emotional abuse conveys such association in all the main ED diagnoses. Ineffectiveness and impulsivity may represent the specific psychopathological dimensions connected to emotional abuse and promoting the maintenance of ED-specific symptoms in BN and in BED, respectively. These findings are worth of attention by clinicians.

Level of evidence

Level III: evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case–control analytic studies
2019 revised algorithm for the management of knee osteoarthritis: the Southeast Asian viewpoint
Authors: Yeap Swan Sim , Tanavalee Aree , Perez Emmanuel C. , Tan Maw Pin , Reyes Bernadette Heizel M. , Lee Joon Kiong , Norhamdan Mohd Yahaya , Vista Evan S. , Chan Wai Sin , Cong Sy Bui , Tam Pham Thi Thanh , Kaufman Jean-Marc , Reginster Jean-Yves , Veronese Nicola , Penserga Ester
Published: March 2021

Background

Since 2014, the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO) algorithm for the management of knee osteoarthritis (OA) is available worldwide.

Aim

Based on this document, a Southeast Asia Working Group (SEAWG) wished to see how the new ESCEO algorithm developed in 2019 was perceived by Southeast Asian experts and how it was integrated into their clinical practice.

Methods

A SEAWG was set up between members of the international ESCEO task force and a group of Southeast Asian experts.

Results

Non-pharmacological management should always be combined with pharmacological management. In step 1, symptomatic slow-acting drugs for osteoarthritis are the main background therapy, for which high-quality evidence is available only for the formulations of patented crystalline glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. In step 2, oral NSAIDs are a useful option, considering the cardiovascular/renal/gastrointestinal profiles of the individual patient. Intra-articular hyaluronic acid and corticosteroids are a possible alternative to oral NSAIDs, but limited evidence is available. If steps 1 and 2 do not give adequate relief of symptoms, tramadol can be used, but its safety is debated.In general, the indications of the ESCEO algorithm are important in Southeast Asian countries, but the reimbursement criteria of local health systems are an important aspect for adherence to the ESCEO algorithm.

Conclusion

This guidance provides evidence-based and easy-to-follow advice on how to establish a treatment algorithm in knee OA, for practical implementation in clinical practice in Southeast Asian countries.
A new rating system for hydrogeological risk management along railway infrastructures in Prealpine zone (northern Italy)
Authors: Gattinoni P. , Scesi L. , Arieni L. , Canavesi M. , Zaffaroni F.
Published: March 2021

Railway infrastructures in mountain areas often develop along hillslopes affected by geomorphological and hydrogeological processes which might lead hazardous events. Therefore, specific tools for risk analysis and management are required. This paper develops a new rating system (Railway Hydrogeological Management System, RHMS), based on a heuristic method which considers the susceptibility to different types of slope instabilities, as well as the peculiar features affecting the railway vulnerability. The proposed method introduces an iterative approach for the risk assessment, based on the definition of acceptability thresholds for the residual risk. The application of this method to a test area pointed out its feasibility, as well as its operational capability to identify the critical sections of the infrastructure, in which protection or mitigation measures are needed in order to reduce the risk.
Comparison of four diesel engines with regard to blow-by aerosol properties as a basis for reduction strategies based on engine design and operation
Authors: Scheiber Kai-Michael , Nowak Niclas , Lorenz Magnus Lukas , Pfeil Jürgen , Koch Thomas , Kasper Gerhard
Published: March 2021

Understanding how engine design and operation affect blow-by aerosol characteristics is key to reducing the emission of particulate matter (PM) via the crankcase ventilation system. To this end, representative aerosol data from four different diesel engines are compared on the basis of brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) and engine speed. The data were obtained from comparable sampling positions, using the same sampling system and optical particle counter. The discussion is based on the narrow particle size range of 0.4–1.3 µm, chosen for its significance with regard to blow-by aerosol sources, as well as for the challenges it poses for separation systems. Key findings include particle size distributions (PSD) of virtually identical shape, indicating that these engines share the same aerosol sources and underlying generation mechanisms. However, absolute concentrations differed by a factor of about six, presumably due to differences in engine design, which in turn affect key parameters such as temperature, pressure and flow rates. At BMEPs ≤ 10 bar all engines exhibited similarly low aerosol concentrations. With increasing BMEP the concentration rose exponentially. The engine with the smallest rise and the lowest total concentration featured an aluminum alloy piston, the smallest displacement, the lowest peak BMEP as well as the lowest maximum oil temperature. At maximum torque the aerosol concentration scaled fairly linearly with engine displacement. Increasing the engine speed had a minor impact on aerosol concentrations but affected blow-by flows, hence leading to a rise of aerosol mass flows. Within the limits of this comparative measurement studies, three generation mechanisms are provided for blow-by aerosols.
Fungicide strategies and resistance of Ramularia collo-cygni to demethylation and succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors in Austrian winter barley (Hordeum vulgare)
Authors: Assinger Thomas , Torriani Stefano F. F. , Accardo Salvatore , Fountaine James , Steinkellner Siegrid
Published: March 2021

Ramularia collo-cygni B. Sutton and J.M. Waller is a major disease in Austrian barley-growing regions. To date, fungicide application is the most effective method to manage the disease; however, fungicide resistance to demethylation and succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors has developed over the last few years. In the growing seasons 2016/2017 and 2017/2018, field trials were carried out to analyze the efficiency of fungicide strategies based on different fungicide classes. Disease development, growth parameters and monitoring of CYP51 and sdh mutations were determined. Fungicide treatments resulted in higher disease control, green leaf area and grain yield. In Austrian R. collo-cygni field populations, the frequency of the mutations CYP51-I325T and CYP51-I328L was low to moderate. Frequency of mutations sdhC-H146R and sdhC-H153R was low. Frequencies of CYP51-I325T and -I328L were similar and increased following DMI application. Frequency of sdhC-H146R was higher compared to sdhC-H153R. The SDHI benzovindiflupyr showed a higher selection rate for sdh mutations compared to bixafen. These sdh mutations were not selected if chlorothalonil was used as mixing partner, leading to a stable composition of sdh resistance alleles over the last two years. Chlorothalonil was proven to be an effective tool for anti-resistance strategies. Currently, SDHIs and DMIs are the backbone of Ramularia leaf spot control in Austria; however, the level of resistance is likely to increase in absence of suitable anti-resistance strategies and following the ban of chlorothalonil.
Total Hip Replacement in Sickle Cell Disease Patients with Avascular Necrosis of Head of Femur: A Retrospective Observational Study
Authors: Al-Otaibi Mohammed Lafi , Waliullah Shah , Kumar Vineet
Published: March 2021

Background

Femoral head avascular necrosis leads to osteoarthritis of the hip joint and affects its functional capacity in sickle cell disease patients. The functional outcomes of total hip replacement (THR) on patients with congruous joints who underwent hip replacement after having a failed joint preservation surgery are unknown. This study aimed to compare the functional outcomes of THR in patients with sickle cell disease having avascular necrosis with and without loss of hip joint congruency.

Methods

This retrospective study included 35 patients (age, 20–52 years; 18 males and 17 females) who underwent uncemented THR. Patients were divided into Group-A (n = 18, good hip joint congruency) and Group-B (n = 17, obliterated hip joint congruency). The Harris Hip Score (HHS) was used to assess functional outcomes. All patients were followed up at 6-weekly intervals then 6-monthly intervals.

Results

The mean follow-up period was 8.26 ± 3.01 years. The mean preoperative HHSs of Group-A and Group-B were 45.22 ± 3.021 and 25.94 ± 4.437, respectively. Postoperatively, a subsequent increase in HHS was found in both groups, and a significant difference between the groups was observed at 6 weeks (p < 0.0001*) and 1 year (p < 0.0006*). Interestingly, HHS was not significantly different (p = 0.0688) at 5-year follow-up between the groups. The differences in HHS within the group at each subsequent follow-up were also statistically significant (ANOVA,p < 0.0001*).

Conclusion

A significant improvement was observed with THR in both groups. Nevertheless, the flattened hip joint congruency group showed significantly better HHS improvements than the normal congruency groups. These findings may aid in the decision-making capabilities of the surgeons.
Erectile Dysfunction A Prospective Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study Evaluating the Effect of Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (LI-ESWT) in Men With Erectile Dysfunction Following Radical Prostatectomy
Authors: Ladegaard Peter Bill Juul , Mortensen Jonas , Skov-Jeppesen Sune Møller , Lund Lars
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Previous studies have indicated that low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (Li-ESWT) may improve male erectile dysfunction (ED) of vascular aetiology.

Aim

To investigate penile rehabilitation of Li-ESWT in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial in men with ED following robotic nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy (RARP).

Methods

Included were men with ED following nerve-sparing RP with a score <22 in the 5-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire. Participants were divided into an active A (n = 20) and a placebo/sham B group (n = 18). They were randomized consecutively upon study entry. Each study arm had one treatment a week for 5 weeks.

Main Outcome Measures

Sexual outcomes were assessed by international validated questionnaires, Erection Hardness Score (EHS) and IIEF-5 at baseline and at 4 and 12 weeks after treatment.

Results

A total of 38 (n = 38) participants were enrolled; there were no dropouts. A significant increase was observed in IIEF-5 and EHS in group A at both 4 and 12 weeks. At 12 weeks, the mean IIEF-5 score had increased by 3.45 points (P = .026), while the mean EHS score had increased by 0.5 points (P= .019).

Conclusion

This randomized study indicates that Li-ESWT for ED in men undergone RP might be effective and safe. However, further and more robust research is needed before Li-ESWT can be characterized as a reliable treatment modality.
A Semiotic Approach to Open Notations
Authors: McKay Tristan
Published: April 2021

Along with twentieth-century developments in playing techniques, technologies, and concepts of musical sound, the notations employed by composers have also changed. Composers of what Umberto Eco calls 'open works' often employ intentionally ambiguous music notations. These open notations ask the performer to play a radical and active role in co-creating the musical work. Scores that feature open notations have been part of the Western classical music landscape since the mid-twentieth century, and continue to have a vibrant community of practitioners today. In this Element, Tristan McKay considers intersections of ambiguity, authority, and identity in works with open notations. He develops a semiotic approach to open notation analysis and puts it into practice with in-depth analyses of openly notated works by Earle Brown, Will Redman, and Leah Asher.
The features of meroitic spread in south-central Sudan: remains along the White Nile region
Authors: Abdalla Ammar Awad Mohamed
Published: March 2021

New archaeological discoveries south of Khartoum in south-central Sudan are enhancing our ability to determine the spread of items originating from the Meroitic state 2000 years ago, beyond the political borders of the state. For the first time in a full-length paper, this research aims to increase our knowledge of archaeological sites dating to this period along the very poorly understood White Nile. The conditions of the sites are outlined, archival research was undertaken through an examination of the original excavation notes and records, and the importance of future research is highlighted. The results shed new light on the features of the communities living to the south of the state as well as how they interacted with the Meroitic state. The conclusions suggest that the lack of civil, political, and religious Meroitic constructions are indicative of a lack of political control over the White Nile where the archaeological evidence demonstrates that fisher-hunting activities predominated. However, there were commercial relations between these rural areas, and the Meroitic state was based on the White Nile's need for ivory, wood, animals, slaves, and perishable items such as leather, and on the presence of Meroitic products such as amulets, gold ornaments, iron arrowheads, and pottery.
NEW INSIGHTS INTO THE ‘CARPIO ALBUM’ (SALms879): COMMISSIONING, AUTHORSHIP AND CULTURAL AGENDA
Authors: Fusconi Giulia , Fernández-Santos Jorge , Kuhn-Forte Brigitte
Published: March 2021

An outstanding cultural promoter, collector and patron of the arts in his native Spain, Gaspar de Haro y Guzmán (1629–87), 7th Marquess del Carpio, left his mark as ambassador in Rome (1677–82) and as viceroy in Naples (1682–7). In Italy, Carpio assembled forty-three volumes of drawings, of which only four, including SALms879, have been spared dismemberment. Yet, lumping the ‘Carpio Album’ together with the nobleman’s collection of original drawings completely misses the point. Unlike the others, which were assembled to boost Carpio’s connoisseurship of Italian art, the Album was commissioned to showcase the collection of (largely antique) sculpture he had acquired in Rome and the series of modern fountains he commissioned, also in Rome. Like Vincenzo Giustiniani’s epoch-makingGalleria Giustinianaof 1636–7, the Album was to be printed. The marquess’s departure for Naples cut short an ambitious publication project, the theoretical background and pedagogic scope of which have been largely overlooked. The attribution of drawings to artists Philipp Schor and Paolo De Matteis, amongst others, underlines the complex cultural agenda underpinning an Album conceived to reinstate theRoma anticamyth by linking it to itsRoma modernacounterpart. A new understanding of De Matteis’s artistry and objectives in configuring the Album is complemented with findings regarding Carpio’s commissioning or acquisition of antique, pseudo-antique and modern sculpture. The collection’s fateful dispersal helps unravel the Album’s most likely provenance.
Late Pleistocene Emergence of Crystalline Canadian Shield Sources in Sediments of the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Portier Andrea M. , Thierens Mieke , Martin Ellen E. , Hemming Sidney R. , Gombiner Joel H. , Raymo Maureen E.
Published: March 2021

The regolith hypothesis attributes the inferred growth of a thicker and more voluminous Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) across the mid‐Pleistocene transition (MPT) to the removal of softer subglacial substrates of either regolith or sedimentary cover and subsequent exposure of crystalline bedrock with higher basal friction at the base of the LIS. This hypothesis predicts that sediment derived from the LIS was dominated by weathered sources prior to the MPT and then transitioned to fresh Canadian Shield sources during and after the MPT. Here, we present clay mineralogy, modified indices of chemical alteration, K/Ar ages and radiogenic isotopes (Sr, Nd, Pb) of Pleistocene clay detrital fractions from Ocean Drilling Program Site 625 in northeastern Gulf of Mexico to evaluate changes on glacial‐interglacial and longer‐term timescales in sediment composition during the Pleistocene and test this prediction. Mineralogical and geochemical proxies show a predominance of chemically weathered clays (kaolinite and smectite with clay ratios ≥3.0) sourced from the Appalachians as determined by radiogenic isotopes and K/Ar ages throughout the site's three million‐year sediment record. This is consistent with extensive pre‐Pleistocene weathering of Caledonian‐Appalachian (∼450 Ma) material that covered North American cratonic sources within the Mississippi drainage basin. However, following the MPT, we observe a unique addition of physically weathered clays (chlorite and illite with clay ratios <3.0) with radiogenic isotopes and K/Ar ages indicating contributions from more ancient geological sources, most simply explained as sediment derived from physical erosion from the crystalline Canadian Shield. These observations are generally consistent with predictions made by the regolith hypothesis.
Lake Modeling Reveals Management Opportunities for Improving Water Quality Downstream of Transboundary Tropical Dams
Authors: Calamita Elisa , Vanzo Davide , Wehrli Bernhard , Schmid Martin
Published: March 2021

Water quality in tropical rivers is changing rapidly. The ongoing boom of dam construction for hydropower is one of the drivers for this change. In particular, the stratification in tropical reservoirs induces oxygen deficits in their deep waters and warmer surface water temperatures, which often translate into altered thermal and oxygen regimes of downstream river systems, with cascading consequences for the entire aquatic ecosystem. Operation rules of reservoirs, involving water intakes at different levels, could mitigate the consequences for downstream water quality. However, optimized water management of deep reservoirs relies on predictive models for water quality, but such predictive capability is often lacking for tropical dams. Here we focus on the Zambezi River Basin (southern Africa) to address this gap. Using the one‐dimensional General Lake Model, we reproduced the internal dynamics of the transboundary Lake Kariba, the world’s largest artificial lake by volume, created by damming the Zambezi River at the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Through this modeling approach, we assessed and quantified the thermal and oxygen alteration in the Zambezi River downstream of the reservoir. Results suggest that these alterations depend directly on Kariba’s stratification dynamics, its water level and the transboundary policies for water withdrawal from the reservoir. Scenario calculations indicate a large potential for mitigating downstream water quality alterations by implementing a hypothetical selective withdrawal technology. However, we show that a different and cooperative management of the existing infrastructure of Kariba Dam has the potential to mitigate most of the actual water quality alterations.
Genomes of Thaumarchaeota from deep sea sediments reveal specific adaptations of three independently evolved lineages
Authors: Kerou Melina , Ponce-Toledo Rafael I , Zhao Rui , Abby Sophie S , Hirai Miho , Nomaki Hidetaka , Takaki Yoshihiro , Nunoura Takuro , Jørgensen Steffen L , Schleper Christa
Published: April 2021

Marine sediments represent a vast habitat for complex microbiomes. Among these, ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA) of the phylum Thaumarchaeota are one of the most common, yet little explored, inhabitants, which seem extraordinarily well adapted to the harsh conditions of the subsurface biosphere. We present 11 metagenome-assembled genomes of the most abundant AOA clades from sediment cores obtained from the Atlantic Mid-Ocean ridge flanks and Pacific abyssal plains. Their phylogenomic placement reveals three independently evolved clades within the order Nitrosopumilales, of which no cultured representative is known yet. In addition to the gene sets for ammonia oxidation and carbon fixation known from other AOA, all genomes encode an extended capacity for the conversion of fermentation products that can be channeled into the central carbon metabolism, as well as uptake of amino acids probably for protein maintenance or as an ammonia source. Two lineages encode an additional (V-type) ATPase and a large repertoire of DNA repair systems that may allow to overcome the challenges of high hydrostatic pressure. We suggest that the adaptive radiation of AOA into marine sediments occurred more than once in evolution and resulted in three distinct lineages with particular adaptations to this extremely energy-limiting and high-pressure environment.
Lithium ion diffusion mechanism on the inorganic components of the solid–electrolyte interphase
Authors: Zheng Jianhui , Ju Zhijin , Zhang Baolin , Nai Jianwei , Liu Tiefeng , Liu Yujing , Xie Qifan , Zhang Wenkui , Wang Yao , Tao Xinyong
Published: March 2021

The inorganic nanocrystals (LiOH, Li2O, Li2CO3, LiF) embedded in the amorphous organic phase forming a mosaic structure. We discovered that LiF surface presents the fastest diffusion rate for Li ions due to the relative lower energy barriers.
Towards the digitalisation of porous energy materials: evolution of digital approaches for microstructural design
Authors: Niu Zhiqiang , Pinfield Valerie J. , Wu Billy , Wang Huizhi , Jiao Kui , Leung Dennis Y. C. , Xuan Jin
Published: April 2021

The digital transformation empowered by artificial intelligence will create huge opportunities for the porous energy materials research community.
A composite solid electrolyte with an asymmetric ceramic framework for dendrite-free all-solid-state Li metal batteries
Authors: Lin Yanke , Liu Ke , Xiong Cheng , Wu Maochun , Zhao Tianshou
Published: March 2021

A novel CSE with an asymmetric dual-layer ceramic framework was developed to simultaneously improve the ionic conductivity of solid electrolytes and ameliorate the Li dendrite formation in ASSLMBs.
Evidence of energy-, recombination-, and photon-limited escape regimes in giant planet H/He atmospheres
Authors: Lampón M. , López-Puertas M. , Czesla S. , Sánchez-López A. , Lara L. M. , Salz M. , Sanz-Forcada J. , Molaverdikhani K. , Quirrenbach A. , Pallé E. , Caballero J. A. , Henning Th. , Nortmann L. , Amado P. J. , Montes D. , Reiners A. , Ribas I.
Published: April 2021

Hydrodynamic escape is the most efficient atmospheric mechanism of planetary mass loss and has a large impact on planetary evolution. Three hydrodynamic escape regimes have been identified theoretically: energy-limited, recombination-limited, and photon-limited. However, no evidence of these regimes had been reported until now. Here, we report evidence of these three regimes via an analysis of a helium I triplet at 10 830 Å and Lyα absorption involving a 1D hydrodynamic model that allows us to estimate hydrogen recombination and advection rates. In particular, we show that HD 209458 b is in the energy-limited regime, HD 189733 b is in the recombination-limited regime, and GJ 3470 b is in the photon-limited regime. These exoplanets can be considered as benchmark cases for their respective regimes.
Reconhecimento precoce e tratamento das fraturas e luxações carpometacarpais
Authors: Novak Eduardo Murilo , Giostri Giana Silveira
Published: April 2021

As lesões na região carpometacarpal (CMC) podem passar despercebidas em mais da metade dos casos. O diagnóstico precoce é determinante para o tratamento. Embora clinicamente o paciente já possa demonstrar que de fato ocorreu a lesão, radiografias apropriadas, principalmente na incidência em perfil, são fundamentais para o diagnóstico. A lesão mais comum afeta as articulações de 4° e 5° dedos. O tratamento vai depender do tipo da lesão e o grau de envolvimento das articulações. Geralmente, é necessária redução e fixação.Quando apenas um raio é acometido, habitualmente o 5°, pode ser feita redução fechada e fixação com fios de Kirschner. Nos casos complexos, faz-se necessária a redução aberta e fixação, sendo os fios de Kirschner os materiais mais comumente usados. Após a retirada dos fios, intensifica-se a reabilitação.Se foi alcançada uma redução apropriada, esperam-se resultados funcionais e radiográficos satisfatórios.