bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hydroclimate variability from western Iberia (Portugal) during the Holocene: Insights from a composite stalagmite isotope record
Authors: Thatcher Diana L , Wanamaker Alan D , Denniston Rhawn F , Asmerom Yemane , Polyak Victor J , Fullick Daniel , Ummenhofer Caroline C , Gillikin David P , Haws Jonathan A
Published: March 2020

Iberia is predicted under future warming scenarios to be increasingly impacted by drought. While it is known that this region has experienced multiple intervals of enhanced aridity over the Holocene, additional hydroclimate-sensitive records from Iberia are necessary to place current and future drying into a broader perspective. Toward that end, we present a multi-proxy composite record from six well-dated and overlapping speleothems from Buraca Gloriosa (BG) cave, located in western Portugal. The coherence between the six stalagmites in this composite stalagmite record illustrates that climate (not in-cave processes) impacts speleothem isotopic values. This record provides the first high-resolution, precisely dated, terrestrial record of Holocene hydroclimate from west-central Iberia. The BG record reveals that aridity in western Portugal increased secularly from 9.0 ka BP to present, as evidenced by rising values of both carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) stable isotope values. This trend tracks the decrease in Northern Hemisphere summer insolation and parallels Iberian margin sea surface temperatures (SST). The increased aridity over the Holocene is consistent with changes in Hadley Circulation and a southward migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Centennial-scale shifts in hydroclimate are coincident with changes in total solar irradiance (TSI) after 4 ka BP. Several major drying events are evident, the most prominent of which was centered around 4.2 ka BP, a feature also noted in other Iberian climate records and coinciding with well-documented regional cultural shifts. Substantially, wetter conditions occurred from 0.8 ka BP to 0.15 ka BP, including much of the ‘Little Ice Age’. This was followed by increasing aridity toward present day. This composite stalagmite proxy record complements oceanic records from coastal Iberia, lacustrine records from inland Iberia, and speleothem records from both northern and southern Spain and depicts the spatial and temporal variability in hydroclimate in Iberia.
Late-Holocene climate response and glacial fluctuations revealed by the sediment record of the monsoon-dominated Chorabari Lake, Central Himalaya
Authors: Shukla Tanuj , Mehta Manish , Dobhal DP , Bohra Archna , Pratap Bhanu , Kumar Anil
Published: March 2020

We studied a periglacial lake situated in the monsoon-dominated Central Himalaya where an interplay of monsoonal precipitation and glacial fluctuations during the late Holocene is well preserved. A major catastrophe occurred on 16–17 June 2013, with heavy rains causing rupturing of the moraine-dammed Chorabari Lake located in the Mandakini basin, Central Himalaya, and exposed 8-m-thick section of the lacustrine strata. We reconstructed the late-Holocene climatic variability in the region using multi-parametric approach including magnetic, mineralogical and chemical (XRF) properties of sediments, paired with grain size and optically simulated luminescence (OSL) dating. The OSL chronology suggests that the lake was formed by a lateral moraine during the deglaciation phase of Chorabari Glacier between 4.2 and 3.9 ka and thereafter the lake deposited about 8-m-thick sediment sequence in the past 2.3 ka. The climatic reconstruction of the lake broadly represents the late-Holocene glacial chronology of the Central Himalaya coupled with many short-term climatic perturbations recorded at a peri-glacial lake setting. The major climatic phases inferred from the study suggests (1) a cold period between 260 BCE and 270 CE, (2) warmer conditions between 900 and 1260 CE for glacial recession and (3) glacial conditions between ~1370 and 1720 CE when the glacier gained volume probably during the ‘Little Ice Age’ (LIA). We suggest a high glacial sensitivity to climatic variability in the monsoon-dominated region of the Himalaya.
Quantitative reconstruction of the East Asian Winter Monsoon evolution over the past 100 years: Evidence from high-resolution sedimentary records of the inner continental shelf of the East China Sea
Authors: Zhang Xilin , Fan Dejiang , Tian Yuan , Sun Zhilei , Zhai Bin , Liu Ming , Chen Bin , Yang Zuosheng
Published: March 2020

The East Asian Monsoon (EAM) is a regional factor affecting the East Asian climate and the oceanographic processes of the marginal seas along the Western Pacific. Finding proxies for the EAM intensity and reconstructing the interannual and interdecadal variations of the EAM using high-resolution records are necessary to improve our understanding of the EAM’s role in the global climate system and for predicting climate change. In this paper, high-resolution sedimentary records of sedimentary core C0702 obtained from the inner continental shelf of the East China Sea were comprehensively analyzed using a laser particle size analyzer, an ItraxTM core scanner, and a 210Pb and 137Cs radionuclide analyzer to explore potential proxies for the East Asian Winter Monsoon (EAWM). By combining the obtained results with instrumental observations of the EAM, we established a quantitative formula for the EAWM, which enables to reconstruct the evolution trend of the EAWM during the past 130 years. The sensitive grain-size component F2, with a grain-size range of 14.35–230 µm, and principal component PC1 of the sedimentary deposits of the East China Sea inner shelf can be used as EAWM proxies. The evolution of EAWM in 1880–1950 could be roughly divided into two stages: a weak EAWM period from 1882 to 1900 and a strong EAWM period from 1900 to 1945. This study improves our understanding of the variations in the EAWM on interannual and interdecadal temporal scales.
Associations of four common VDR polymorphisms with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus: evidence from a meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang W -t , Jin T -f , Chen L
Published: March 2020

Associations of polymorphisms in vitamin D receptor ( VDR) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have already been explored by many studies. The aim of this meta-analysis was to better clarify associations between polymorphisms in VDR and RA/SLE by combing the results of all relevant studies. Eligible studies were searched from Pubmed, Embase, WOS and CNKI. We used Review Manager to combine the results of eligible studies. Thirty-seven studies were included in this meta-analysis. VDR rs1544410 (recessive comparison: odds ratio (OR) = 1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06–1.76; over-dominant comparison: OR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.71–0.93) and rs731236 (over-dominant comparison: OR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.63–0.94) polymorphisms were found to be significantly associated with RA in overall combined analyses. Besides, VDR rs1544410 (dominant comparison: OR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.46–0.82; over-dominant comparison: OR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.16–1.81; allele comparison: OR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.62–0.92), rs2228570 (dominant comparison: OR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.50–0.67; recessive comparison: OR = 1.57, 95% CI 1.21–2.03; allele comparison: OR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.60–0.80) and rs731236 (dominant comparison: OR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.50–0.96; allele comparison: OR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.70–0.90) polymorphisms were also found to be significantly associated with SLE in overall combined analyses. Subgroup analyses revealed that significant associations for VDR polymorphisms and RA/SLE were mainly driven by Asians. Collectively, this meta-analysis proved that VDR rs7975232, rs1544410, rs2228570 and rs731236 polymorphisms may confer susceptibility to RA and SLE, especially for Asians.
Properties of PVDF films stretched in machine direction
Authors: Roopa TS , Murthy HN Narasimha , Harish DVN , Jain Anjana , Angadi Gangadhar
Published: March 2020

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) films possess superior piezoelectric properties due to the β-phase obtained by methods, such as addition of nanofillers, application of high electric field, use of polar solvents and mechanical stretching. Simultaneous stretching and heating of the films can reduce porosity, increase transformation from α-phase to β-phase, and hence, improve their piezoelectric properties. This article presents the effects of stretching PVDF films on the β-phase formation and the resulting mechanical properties. A custom-designed stretching unit with roller mechanism and heating provision was employed for the purpose. The 200% stretched films at 100°C showed 86.79% β-phase, which is in correlation with X-ray diffraction peaks at 2 θ = 20.3–20.6°. Transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy of the stretched films revealed spherulitic to lamellar transformation and decrease in porosity. Stretching increased crystallinity from 32.99% to 44.84%. Nanoindentation results showed increase in hardness and Young’s modulus from 23.33 MPa to 93.3 MPa and 0.483 GPa to 1.816 GPa, respectively. Tensile strength increased from 4.72 MPa to 21.02 MPa. The experiments were conducted using L9 orthogonal array and the results were analyzed using analysis of variance and gray relational analysis.
Intention to Formally Report Family Violence in South Korea: Based on Black’s Theory of Law
Authors: Park Sihyun , Kim Sin-Hyang
Published: March 2020

Generally, filing a formal report of family violence is considered a difficult task, although it is the main source from which police can take action. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors predicting the intention to formally report family violence in South Korea, based on Black’s theory of law. The data were drawn from the National Survey of Domestic Violence, collected from a representative sample of 5777 members of the South Korean population. The results indicated that people generally showed a greater intention to report violence that they witnessed in other families as opposed to their own family. Perceived gender roles and information about institutions where individuals might seek help for family violence were the strongest negative and positive predictors of the intention to report, respectively. The findings can be used as evidence when developing public education and practical guidelines to promote official reporting of family violence.
Balloon-like coupling between head and posterior in a caterpillar
Authors: Okuya Fuminori , Umedachi Takuya , Kawahara Yoshihiro
Published: March 2020

Investigating the viscoelastic mechanical coupling of a gut between the head and posterior is key to understanding the complicated movements of caterpillars. Caterpillar bodies are like a sac filled with fluid. In this article, we propose a locomotion model in which the head and posterior are connected with a spring and damper system instead of a rod; we refer to this as the “balloon model.” The numerical experiments reveal the following benefits. Benefit 1: The model can explain a phenomenon that the posterior moves little behind the head. Our model showed such movement causes efficient movement. Benefit 2: The model can explain inching as crawling. The rod model cannot explain inching because the model cannot change the body length. Our balloon model can change the body length drastically and can locomote faster. Benefit 3: The model does not use the stiff organ. Benefit 4: The model can explain the phenomenon called “environmental skeleton,” which causes the body to contract during the locomotion. The balloon model can change body length and create power between the head and posterior. This model not only simulates the behavior closer to the actual caterpillar but also can explain the caterpillar with a soft element.
Use of the stochastic frontier and the grey relational analysis in robust design of multi-objective problems
Authors: Rezgui Mohamed Ali , Trabelsi Ali
Published: March 2020

A generic procedure for robust design in developing products and processes, which is referred to as RDPP-SF has been proposed. The method uses the stochastic frontier model to encompass both stochastic noise (e.g. manufacturing unit-to-unit variation, and measurement errors) and special-cause variation (e.g. environment, customer use, wearing, and deterioration noises). Even then, the RDPP-SF method has fallen short of tackling robust design of multi-objective problems, and its applicability is restrained to the performance characteristics of magnitude type (i.e., “the larger is the better” or “the smaller is the better”). Aiming at these limitations, the article seeks to address the robust design of the multi-objective problems using the RDPP-SF method. This is performed by reassessing the procedural scheme of the RDPP-SF method and the statistical significance of the hypothesis test (H0: γ = 0 vs H1: γ > 0) at 5% level. Depending on the statistical significance of the test (H0: γ = 0 vs H1: γ > 0), the arrays of the extrinsic and/or the intrinsic noise insensitivity scores are assigned to the grey relational analysis matrix as performance measures. The most robust design solution for the multi-objective problem is then obtained by sorting the overall grey relational grades. The amended RDPP-SF method is finally demonstrated using three industrial multi-objective case studies.
Laughing With Science: The Influence of Audience Approval on Engagement
Authors: Cacciatore Michael A. , Becker Amy B. , Anderson Ashley A. , Yeo Sara K.
Published: March 2020

While there is mounting evidence that humor can be an effective means of engaging publics, much remains to be learned about the contextual factors that shape how audiences receive and process humorous scientific content. Analyzing data from a controlled experiment ( N = 217), this study explores the differential impact of exposure to stand-up comedy featuring a scientist that generates considerable laughter from the audience versus stand-up comedy lacking audience reaction. Among the key findings, audience laughter served to heighten the affective response of viewers, and affective response was positively linked to two forms of audience engagement with science.
Journalism as an Advocacy Tool: Negotiating Boundaries of Professionalism in the 20th-Century American Environmental Movement
Authors: Evans Comfort Suzannah
Published: March 2020

Environmental nongovernmental organizations faced unprecedented opportunities after public interest in environmental issues exploded in the 1960s. Drawing on the official archives of the Wilderness Society, the Sierra Club, and the National Audubon Society, this study demonstrates how these organizations redeveloped their publications to take advantage of newfound public interest and political opportunities in the 1960s through the 1980s. The organizations adopted professional journalistic norms and practices in their publications to court mass appeal and gain political legitimacy, but their journalistic endeavors were hampered by internal disagreements over the use of journalism as an advocacy tool.
Does Interlocal Competition Drive Cooperation in Local Economic Development Policies? Evidence on Interlocal Business Parks in Germany
Authors: Bischoff Ivo , Melch Simon , Wolfschütz Eva
Published: March 2020

An increasing number of municipalities cooperates in the field of economic development. In this article, we focus on a specific instrument in this field, namely the development of joint business parks. We apply a hazard model to data from West German municipalities between 2000 and 2015. We find interlocal business parks to be more frequent among small municipalities and in urban clusters and other constellations where suitable land is scarce. Our main focus rests on the role of intraregional competition. An analogy building on the literature on international tax coordination supports the hypothesis that interlocal business parks are more likely in regions where intraregional competition is intense. We measure the intensity of competition using local tax rates and find the evidence to be affirmative: The likelihood of interlocal business park formation increases in the intensity of intraregional (tax) competition.
Chemical and sensory features of Torrontés Riojano sparkling wines produced by second fermentation in bottle using different Saccharomyces strains
Authors: Raymond Eder María Laura , Fariña Laura , Dellacassa Eduardo , Carrau Francisco , Rosa Alberto Luis
Published: March 2020

Chemical and sensory properties of Torrontés Riojano sparkling wines, prepared using second fermentation with Saccharomyces strains EC1118, bayanus C12 and IFI473I, were explored. All sparkling wines showed high levels of several volatile ethyl esters and terpenes associated to fruity and floral aromas. The sensory profiles showed significant differences for the floral aroma descriptor among EC1118, bayanus C12 and IFI473I and for bubble persistence for strain bayanus C12. Our results suggest that the sensory properties of these sparkling wines could be dependent on the chemical and organoleptic properties of the base wine more than the yeast strain used for second fermentation.
A novel technique to restore access in patients with central venous occlusion using the Surfacer® Inside-Out® Access Catheter System
Authors: Baetens Tarik R , Rotmans Joris I , van der Meer Rutger W , van Rijswijk Carla SP
Published: March 2020

Exhausted central venous access is a potentially life-threatening situation for patients dependent on haemodialysis. If standard guidewire recanalisation fails, unconventional venous access or central venous needle recanalisation can be considered but are often associated with higher rates of complications and/or dysfunction. Here, we report about two patients treated successfully with the Surfacer® Inside-Out® Access Catheter System (Bluegrass Vascular Technologies, San Antonio, TX, USA) to achieve transmediastinal central venous access.
Delineation of the Crucial Evolutionary Amino Acid Sites in Trehalose-6-Phosphate Synthase From Higher Plants
Authors: Wang Rong , He Congfen , Dong Kun , Zhao Xin , Li Yaxuan , Hu Yingkao
Published: March 2020

Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of trehalose, with its direct product, trehalose-6-phosphate, playing important roles in regulating whole-plant carbohydrate allocation and utilization. Genes encoding TPS constitute a multigene family in which functional divergence appears to have occurred repeatedly. To identify the crucial evolutionary amino acid sites of TPS in higher plants, a series of bioinformatics tools were applied to investigate the phylogenetic relationships, functional divergence, positive selection, and co-evolution of TPS proteins. First, we identified 150 TPS genes from 13 higher plant species. Phylogenetic analysis placed these TPS proteins into 2 clades: clades A and B, of which clade B could be further divided into 4 subclades (B1-B4). This classification was supported by the intron-exon structures, with more introns present in clade A. Next, detection of the critical functionally divergent amino acid sites resulted in the isolation of a total of 286 sites reflecting nonredundant radical shifts in amino acid properties with a high posterior probability cutoff among subclades. In addition, positively selected sites were identified using a codon substitution model, from which 46 amino acid sites were isolated as exhibiting positive selection at a significant level. Moreover, 18 amino acid sites were highlighted both for functional divergence and positive selection; these may thus potentially represent crucial evolutionary sites in the TPS family. Further co-evolutionary analysis revealed 3 pairs of sites: 11S and 12H, 33S and 34N, and 109G and 110E as demonstrating co-evolution. Finally, the 18 crucial evolutionary amino acid sites were mapped in the 3-dimensional structure. A total of 77 sites harboring functionally and structurally important residues of TPS proteins were found by using the CLIPS-4D online tool; notably, no overlap was observed with the identified crucial evolutionary sites, providing positive evidence supporting their designation. A total of 18 sites were isolated as key amino acids by using multiple bioinformatics tools based on their concomitant functional divergence and positive selection. Almost all these key sites are located in 2 domains of this protein family where they exhibit no overlap with the structurally and functionally conserved sites. These results will provide an improved understanding of the complexity of the TPS gene family and of its function and evolution in higher plants. Moreover, this knowledge may facilitate the exploitation of these sites for protein engineering applications.
From armed conflict to urban violence: transformations in the International Committee of the Red Cross, international humanitarianism, and the laws of war
Authors: Bradley Miriam
Published: March 2020

The International Committee of the Red Cross traditionally seeks to protect and assist victims of armed conflict. Over the past 10 years, however, the International Committee of the Red Cross and several other major international humanitarian agencies have turned their attention to situations of urban violence that fall short of the international humanitarian law thresholds for armed conflict. This article examines the institutional consequences of expanding the International Committee of the Red Cross mandate to include urban violence, to make a three-fold argument. First, the incorporation of urban violence into its mandate has led to significant and surprising shifts in the organization’s humanitarian boundaries: from eschewing any effort to prevent or reduce conflict and prioritising neutrality and dialogue with all parties to conflict, the International Committee of the Red Cross has begun engaging in violence-prevention and violence-reduction activities, compromising its neutrality and limiting dialogue with some armed groups. Second, because the International Committee of the Red Cross is such an important and influential actor in international humanitarianism, these shifts in its boundaries have the potential to transform definitions of humanitarianism. Third, these shifts may serve to undermine the moral authority of the International Committee of the Red Cross to persuade combatants in international humanitarian law contexts to comply with international humanitarian law, irrespective of the rightness or wrongness of their or their opponents’ goals. Ultimately, then, they may erode the distinction between jus ad bellum and jus in bello in the laws of war.
Self-compassion and responses to health information in middle-aged and older women: An observational cohort study
Authors: Semenchuk Brittany N , Boreskie Kevin F , Hay Jacqueline L , Miller Cindy , Duhamel Todd A , Strachan Shaelyn M
Published: March 2020

The aim of this study was to determine whether self-compassion—orientation to care for oneself during challenges—helps people at risk of cardiovascular disease deal with emotional reactions and assist with self-regulating health behaviors. This observational study recruited women ( N = 102) who attended three research visits over 3 weeks to gather information on emotions, intentions, and engagement in health behaviors after women received news they were at risk of cardiovascular disease. Self-compassion negatively associated with emotional responses and associated with intentions and engagement in health behaviors after receiving news of their cardiovascular disease risk. Self-compassion was associated with adaptive lifestyle behaviors.
Coyote drums and jaguar altars: Ontologies of the living and the artificial among the K’iche’ Maya
Authors: Zamora Corona Alonso
Published: March 2020

For the current-day K’iche’ Maya of the Highland community of Momostenango, Guatemala, animals are conceived as having not human, but artificial souls: they are, in fact, objects that exist in the mountain dwellings of their gods. Conversely, artefacts like sacred altars are seen as being wild animals of the gods and ancestors, which can bring illness and death to people when not fed by ritual offerings. Based on this and other data that the author gathered during his recent ethnographic fieldwork among the K’iche’, in this article he explores the ontological paradoxes of living beings and artefacts among current-day Maya and other Mesoamerican peoples of the past to propose a version of perspectivism that incorporates the ideas of technology, asymmetry and material culture to the more horizontal and personhood-based model proposed for Amazon cultures by Viveiros de Castro in his article, ‘Cosmological deixis and Amerindian perspectivism’ (1998).
‘I never realised everybody felt as happy as I do when I am around autistic people’: A thematic analysis of autistic adults’ relationships with autistic and neurotypical friends and family
Authors: Crompton Catherine J , Hallett Sonny , Ropar Danielle , Flynn Emma , Fletcher-Watson Sue
Published: March 2020

Many autistic people are motivated to have friends, relationships and close family bonds, despite the clinical characterisation of autism as a condition negatively affecting social interaction. Many first-hand accounts of autistic people describe feelings of comfort and ease specifically with other autistic people. This qualitative research explored and contrasted autistic experiences of spending social time with neurotypical and autistic friends and family. In total, 12 autistic adults (10 females, aged 21–51) completed semi-structured interviews focused on time spent with friends and family; positive and negative aspects of time spent with neurotypical and autistic friends and family; and feelings during and after spending time together. Three themes were identified: cross-neurotype understanding, minority status and belonging. Investigation of these themes reveals the benefits of autistic people creating and maintaining social relationships with other autistic people, in a more systematic way than previous individual reports. They highlight the need for autistic-led social opportunities and indicate benefits of informal peer support for autistic adults.

Lay abstract

Although autistic people may struggle to interact with others, many autistic people have said they find interacting with other autistic people more comfortable. To find out whether this was a common experience, we did hour-long interviews with 12 autistic adults. We asked them questions about how it feels when spending time with their friends and family, and whether it felt different depending on whether the friends and family were autistic or neurotypical. We analysed the interviews and found three common themes in what our participants said. First, they found spending with other autistic people easier and more comfortable than spending time with neurotypical people, and felt they were better understood by other autistic people. Second, autistic people often felt they were in a social minority, and in order to spend time with neurotypical friends and family, they had to conform with what the neurotypical people wanted and were used to. Third, autistic people felt like they belonged with other autistic people and that they could be themselves around them. These findings show that having time with autistic friends and family can be very beneficial for autistic people and played an important role in a happy social life.
Experimental and numerical investigation of steel–ultra-high-performance concrete continuous composite beam behavior
Authors: Wang Haolei , Sun Tao , Tang Chen , Wang Jiejun
Published: March 2020

This article proposes a new kind of continuous composite beam that consists of steel box-girder and ultra-high-performance concrete waffle slab. The ultra-high-performance concrete helps increase the ultimate capacity and span of structure while reducing the risk of cracking that occurs with ordinary concrete. In order to investigate the mechanical properties of this new type of composite structure, two scaled specimens were designed and tested. One was a steel–ultra-high-performance concrete continuous composite beam, whereas the other, as a control specimen, was a prestressed steel-concrete continuous composite beam. The test results indicate that the bending capacity of steel–ultra-high-performance concrete continuous composite beam is 1.2 times that of steel-concrete continuous composite beam; the cracking strength of steel–ultra-high-performance concrete continuous composite beam is larger than 20 MPa, much higher than the conventional one; the crack development pattern of steel–ultra-high-performance concrete continuous composite beam has its own characteristics, and the cracks appeared in ultra-high-performance concrete slab dominated by micro-cracks with smaller length are numerous and intensive. A finite element model was developed to predict the behavior of steel–ultra-high-performance concrete continuous composite beam. Comparing the numerical and experimental results indicates that, generally, the numerical model can simulate the structural behavior of steel–ultra-high-performance concrete continuous composite beam reasonably. Based on the numerical model, a series of parameter analyses were performed, which indicate that the strength grade of steel, web, and bottom plate thickness play an important role in improving the bending capacity of steel–ultra-high-performance concrete continuous composite beam; the axial tensile strength of ultra-high-performance concrete, rib, and top plate height of ultra-high-performance concrete slab can enhance the bending capacity to a certain extent.
Experimental study on the carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer–steel interfaces based on carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer delamination failures and hybrid failures
Authors: Pang Yu-Yang , Wu Gang , Su Zhi-Long , He Xiao-Yuan
Published: March 2020

The failure mode is crucial to the interfacial bond performance between carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer plates and steel substrates. Existing studies mainly focused on the cohesive failures in the adhesive; however, research on other types of failure modes is still limited. In this article, a series of single-shear bonded joints are prepared to investigate the bond behaviors of the carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer–steel interfaces based on carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer delamination failures and hybrid failures. Three kinds of adhesives—which have different tensile strengths and elastic moduli—and two kinds of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer plates—which have different interlaminar shear strengths—are used to evaluate the influencing factors of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer–steel interfaces. The three-dimensional digital image correlation technique is applied to measure the strain and the displacement on the surface of each specimen. The obtained test results include the strain distribution, the ultimate load, the failure mode, the load–slip curves, and the bond–slip relationships. For the carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer delamination mode, the results show that the load at the debonding stage is closely related to the interlaminar shear strength of the carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer plate, and the higher the interlaminar shear strength is, the greater the load. However, for the hybrid mode, the load of the whole test process is independent of the interlaminar shear strength of the carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer plate.
A discourse analysis of national identity in Nigerian stand-up humour
Authors: Filani Ibukun
Published: March 2020

This article explores the comedic construction of national identity in Nigerian stand-up comedy. By national identity, I mean collective perspectives on the sociopolitical and cultural realities of postcolonial Nigeria. While critical discourse analysis provided the framework for interpretation, data was derived from purposively sampled recorded videos of Nigerian stand-up comedians. Such collective perspectives are constructed when a comedian indexes cultural/political events and situations in a monologue. The investigation reveals four identity mapping strategies: performing (non)theatrical identities, using the comedy voice to indicate multiple identities, constructing a trickster identity and constructing a resilient spirit identity. These strategies entail foregrounding assumptions about the Nigerian state and using language in a strategic way to indicate sociopolitical and cultural realities.
Group discrimination, intergroup contact, and ethnic minority members’ reactions toward the majority
Authors: Rafiqi Arzoo , Thomsen Jens Peter Frølund
Published: March 2020

This study expands research on how intergroup contact makes ethnic minority members less prejudiced toward the majority group. Specifically, we propose that perceived group discrimination may serve as an essential boundary condition of the friendship‒prejudice relationship. Accordingly, analyses show that: (a) cross-group friendship predicts less prejudice, (b) perceived group discrimination relates to greater prejudice only among noncontacted ethnic minority members, and (c) greater perceived group discrimination enhances the ability of cross-group friendship to predict reduced prejudice toward majority members. The enhancing effect is inconsistent with previous research. Moreover, we show that perceived personal discrimination does not moderate the friendship‒prejudice relationship. Finally, analyses confirm the unique qualities of cross-group friendship, as perceived group discrimination does not predict greater prejudice when this type of contact is most intense. Analyses are performed on an unusually rich, national probability sample of ethnic minority members fielded in 2017 including 1211 respondents from Denmark. We conclude with discussion of the implications of our findings.
Mean and variability of annual haemoglobin A1c are associated with high-risk peripheral artery disease
Authors: Lee I-Te
Published: March 2020

Background:

Glucose variability is predictive of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. However, the association between peripheral artery disease and glucose variability has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, the standard deviation of annual haemoglobin A1c was assessed in patients with type 2 diabetes for evaluating the different risks of peripheral artery disease.

Methods:

A total of 4144 patients underwent an evaluation for the ankle-brachial index and the percentage of mean arterial pressure at the ankle. The first haemoglobin A1c record was retrospectively collected from each year until the ankle-brachial index measurement.

Results:

The standard deviation of annual haemoglobin A1c was higher in patients with ankle-brachial index ⩽0.90 than in those with ankle-brachial index >0.90 (1.1 ± 0.9% vs 1.0 ± 0.8%, p = 0.009) and was higher in patients with percentage of mean arterial pressure ⩾45% than in those with percentage of mean arterial pressure <45% (1.1 ± 0.8% vs 1.0 ± 0.8%, p = 0.007). A high standard deviation and mean of annual haemoglobin A1c are associated with high-risk peripheral artery disease, which is defined as a combination of ankle-brachial index ⩽0.90, percentage of mean arterial pressure ⩾45% or both (odds ratio = 1.306; 95% confidence interval = 1.057–1.615; p = 0.014).

Conclusion:

Fluctuation in the haemoglobin A1c value indicates higher risk for peripheral artery disease in patients with type 2 diabetes and poor glucose control.
Understanding Sexually Victimized Male Adolescents With Sexually Abusive Behaviors: A Narrative Review and Clinical Implications
Authors: Lateef Rusan , Jenney Angelique
Published: March 2020

A high percentage of adolescents with sexually abusive behaviors have been found to have a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). The purpose of this review is to synthesize literature specific to adolescents with sexually abusive behaviors who have histories of CSA. This review will explore characteristics of this subset of adolescents with sexually abusive behaviors, risk factors, etiological theories that aim to explain the pathway from childhood sexual victimization to sexually abusive behavior in adolescence, and the clinical implications of this literature. Using Kiteley and Stogdon’s narrative review framework, findings from 66 peer-reviewed articles published between 1990 and 2017 that included male adolescent participants with sexually abusive behaviors were integrated to inform the purpose of this review. The literature presented that different characteristics of CSA experiences, such as a younger age at the time of abuse and a longer period of abuse, were more prevalent among adolescents with sexually abusive behaviors. The CSA experiences of these adolescents could act as triggers for their sexual offenses, and the Trauma Outcome Process Assessment model addresses the importance of processing past trauma in treatment with adolescents with sexually abusive behaviors. This review concludes with clinical recommendations for how the reviewed literature could be applied within trauma-informed interventions with adolescents with sexually abusive behaviors with a history of CSA.
Spectral specific standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography default mode connectivity network and plasticity alterations in left vertebral artery stent patients
Authors: Lv Yan , He Xiangying , Zhao Eryi , Deng Yidong , Huang Yingliu , Chen AC , Huang Shixiong , Qin Qi , Liu Tao , Wen Guoqiang
Published: March 2020

Objective:

Vertebral stenting is a valid treatment for posterior stroke. However, the outcome and prognostic factors in the Asian population of vertebral stent are not clear. This study was performed to investigate the quick effect and plasticity alterations of left vertebral artery stenting treatment and to explore the underlying electroencephalogram biomarkers for the prognosis.

Method:

Electroencephalogram default mode network activity, serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and basic neuropsychology estimations were obtained from nine male left vertebral artery stenosis patients who underwent left vertebral artery stenting 24 h before and after left vertebral artery stenting therapy.

Result:

The beta-1 (13–24 Hz) electroencephalogram field power of the pre–left vertebral artery stenting group was significantly higher compared to that of the post–left vertebral artery stenting and control group ( p < 0.05). The significant different standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography brain areas of beta-1 band Brodmann areas are 17R, 17L, 18R, 18L, 22R, 22L, 37R, and 37L. The nonliner lag ratio–based functional connectivity analysis showed global increase of connectivity in beta-1 standardized low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography network. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor did not show statistically significant changes during groups.

Conclusion:

Electroencephalogram default mode network provided a functional aspect of left vertebral artery stenting patients, and the beta-1 band power and distribution alterations could be candidate measurements for the plasticity alterations and prognosis evaluation.
Adolescence, Empathy, and the Gender Gap in Delinquency
Authors: O’Neill Kate K.
Published: March 2020

I propose the gender gap in delinquency is linked to adolescents’ orientation to gender-normative behavior and empathic development. I use longitudinal data on 1,525 youth from the Denver Youth Survey to analyze relationships among gender, empathy, and delinquency. I find girls exhibit higher levels of empathy across adolescence than do boys, and these differences emerge in preadolescence. Empathy is inversely related to delinquency, and is predictive of fraud and theft, but not violent delinquency. Finally, empathy partially mediates the effect of being male on delinquency. I therefore argue the gender gap in delinquency can be explained—in part—by adherence to gender norms governing empathetic expression.
Social Support in Patients With Sexual Dysfunction After Non-Nerve-Sparing Radical Prostatectomy: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Fernández-Sola Cayetano , Martínez-Bordajandi Álvaro , Puga-Mendoza Ana Patricia , Hernández-Padilla José Manuel , Jobim-Fischer Vinicius , López-Rodríguez María del Mar , Granero-Molina José
Published: March 2020

This study aimed to explore men’s experiences of social support after non-nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy. A qualitative study based on Gadamer’s hermeneutic phenomenology was designed. In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 men who had undergone a non-nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy. Data analysis was performed using ATLAS.ti software. From this analysis, two main themes emerged: “The partner as a source of support and conflict after a prostatectomy,” which includes empathetic reconnection with the partner and changes in sexual and cohabitation patterns and “The importance of social and professional circles,” which addresses the shortcomings of the healthcare system in terms of sexual information and counseling as well as the role of friends within social support. The study suggests the need to establish interventions that address interpersonal communication and attention to social and informational support and include both the patient and those closest to them.
Retrograde Ejaculation—a Commonly Unspoken Aspect of Prostatectomy for Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy
Authors: Koren Gideon , Koren Dan
Published: March 2020

The vast majority of men undergoing prostatectomy experience permanent retrograde ejaculation (RE). While newer, selective techniques of prostatectomy result in lower rates of RE by preserving the innervation to the urethra, the vast majority of men undergoing the classical techniques experience permanent RE due to destruction of the natural mechanisms preventing backflow of the ejaculate into the urinary bladder. A review of online information available to men reveals a lack of information on the importance of RE and explanation of the methods used for prostatectomy. This review provides evidence that the true effects of RE in men can be serious. With the lack of studies aiming at the psychological effects of RE on men’s response, it is important for practicing family physicians and urologists to present RE as a serious adverse effect and not to trivialize it.
Interaction and boundary work: Western merchant colonies in the Levant and the Eastern Churches, 1650–1800
Authors: Zwierlein Cornel
Published: March 2020

European merchants in their factories (‘nations’) in the Eastern Mediterranean under Ottoman rule were not really colonizers; in early modern times, they were somehow privileged guests. However, they deserve an important part in a long-term history of types of ‘close distance’ and forms of segregational coexistence. Different from recent studies that stress a strong overall interaction, understanding, sharing, and exchange between Europeans and Ottoman subjects, it is proposed to distinguish three levels: (1) The daily commercial interaction of Western Europeans with their Ottoman counterparts; (2) the stronger involvement in some politico-religious struggles (the 1724 schism in the patriarchate of Antioch serves as example): also here, one has still to distinguish between real interest in the religious cause and other activities as credit lending; (3) the care for and maintenance by the Europeans of their own Western national culture abroad: these cultural activities served more to (eventually unconsciously) perform ‘boundary work’ and to close up the ‘nation’. These early modern forms of close distance and segregation were only isomorphic but not homologous with later highly conscious colonial and modern imperial forms of contact between ‘West’ and ‘East’ as in the nineteenth-century European settlements in Istanbul.
Unsupervised learning of depth estimation, camera motion prediction and dynamic object localization from video
Authors: Yang Delong , Zhong Xunyu , Gu Dongbing , Peng Xiafu , Yang Gongliu , Zou Chaosheng
Published: March 2020

Estimating scene depth, predicting camera motion and localizing dynamic objects from monocular videos are fundamental but challenging research topics in computer vision. Deep learning has demonstrated an amazing performance for these tasks recently. This article presents a novel unsupervised deep learning framework for scene depth estimation, camera motion prediction and dynamic object localization from videos. Consecutive stereo image pairs are used to train the system while only monocular images are needed for inference. The supervisory signals for the training stage come from various forms of image synthesis. Due to the use of consecutive stereo video, both spatial and temporal photometric errors are used to synthesize the images. Furthermore, to relieve the impacts of occlusions, adaptive left-right consistency and forward-backward consistency losses are added to the objective function. Experimental results on the KITTI and Cityscapes datasets demonstrate that our method is more effective in depth estimation, camera motion prediction and dynamic object localization compared to previous models.
Ultrasound appearance of SURGICEL® Absorbable Hemostat (oxidised cellulose) following laparoscopic resection of a splenic cyst – A potential diagnostic peril
Authors: Jenkins Paul , Rogers Luke , Coleman Mark , Freeman Simon
Published: March 2020

We present the case of a 14 year old who underwent laparoscopic marsupialisation of a splenic cyst. Postoperative ultrasound demonstrated an echogenic collection in the surgical bed that was initially misdiagnosed as an infected collection/abscess due to its sonographic appearances but was finally correctly identified as haemostatic material that had been packed into the surgical cavity. We subsequently constructed a tissue phantom containing a compressed ball of SURGICEL (r) Absorbable Hemostat and demonstrated that it showed identical sonographic appearances. Haemostatic agents such as oxidised cellulose are often packed within the operative bed to control microvascular haemorrhage. These agents can be observed on a variety of postoperative imaging modalities, in particular ultrasound and computed tomography, and may cause diagnostic error. The critical importance of understanding the details of the surgical procedure and effective communication between the surgical team and ultrasound practitioner is emphasised to minimise the risk of misdiagnosis and unnecessary further imaging and radiological/surgical intervention.
Different shows, different stories: How German TV formats challenged the government’s framing of the Ukraine crisis
Authors: Lichtenstein Dennis , Koerth Katharina
Published: March 2020

In a complex information environment, the Ukraine crisis became a litmus test for the German government’s capacity to legitimate its international crisis management in Ukraine and in confrontations with Russia. This study investigates crisis coverage in the pluralized German television system and how it is shaped by trends of infotainment and globalization. It asks how different TV formats framed the Ukraine crisis and challenged or approved governmental crisis policy. Comparing the framing of the Ukraine crisis between March 2014 and December 2015 in German government communication, public service newscast Tagesschau, Russian foreign broadcaster’s newscast Der Fehlende Part (RT Deutsch) and seven infotainment programs (talk shows and satirical shows), the findings reveal essential limitations for the indexing thesis. All TV formats substantially differed in their depiction of the crisis according to their respective format conventions. Whereas public service news mainly reflected governmental frames, the foreign and infotainment formats challenged the legitimacy of German crisis policy.