bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural, Optical and Thermal Characterization of Wholly Aromatic Poly(ether amide)s Synthesized by Phosphorylation‐Based Condensation Polymerization
Authors: Seung Kwon Young , Lee Ji−Su , Hwang Gyu‐Hyun , Gyu Jeong Young
Published: September 2020

[1]To attain high performance polyamides with good thermal properties and enhanced processability, in this study, a series of wholly aromatic poly(ether amides) (PEAs) with different meta‐ and para‐phenylene linkage ratios was synthesized by phosphorylation‐based polycondensation reaction of terephthalic acid (TPA) and/or isophthalic acid (IPA) with 3,4′‐oxydianiline (ODA) in NMP/CaCl2 solvent system. The synthesized PEA homopolymers and copolymers exhibited good solubility in organic polar solvents, such as NMP, DMAc and DMSO. The intrinsic viscosity of the synthesized PEAs in NMP solvent was measured to be in the range of 0.48‐0.97 dl/g. The 1H NMR analyses confirmed that the output compositions of PEA copolymers were quite consistent with the feed compositions. The photographic digital images and UV‐visible spectra showed that solution‐casted PEA films were optically light brown and transparent owing to their amorphous and nonlinear chain structures. The DSC data revealed that the glass transition temperatures of PEAs are in the range of 242–310 °C, depending on the relative contents of meta‐ and para‐phenylene linkages. All PEA films were characterized to be thermally stable up to ∼400 °C and to have high char residues above 63 % at 800 °C in nitrogen atmosphere.
Base‐Catalyzed Hydration of Silicon‐Containing Activated Alkynes: The Effect of Substituents at the Triple Bond
Authors: Mareev Alexander V. , Andreev Mikhail V. , Ushakov Igor A.
Published: September 2020

Metal‐catalyzed hydration of alkynes is rapidly developing research direction in organic synthesis. However, base‐catalyzed hydration of activated acetylenes remains much less studied. In contrast to the metal‐catalyzed reactions leading to carbonyl compounds, base‐catalyzed hydration gives vinyl ethers of different structure or cyclic products depending on the nature of substituents. So, it is found that 1,4‐diazabicyclo [2.2.2]octane (DABCO)‐catalyzed hydration of trimethylsilylated electron‐deficient alkynes of general formula Me3SiC≡CCOX (X=Ph, NR1R2, OEt) proceeds at room temperature to afford push‐pull divinyl ethers in 56–94 % yields, while 4‐trimethylsilyl‐3‐butyne‐2‐one (X=Me) reacts non‐selectively delivering both symmetrical and unsymmetrical divinyl ethers (dimerization products). Contrary to ketones, amides and esters, 3‐trimethylsilylpropynal gives under the same conditions 4H‐pyran, as we shown earlier.
Gamma‐Ray Irradiation Assisted Polyacrylamide Gel Synthesis of Scheelite Type BaWO4 Phosphors and Its Colorimetric, Optical and Photoluminescence Properties
Authors: Tang Shengnan , Wang Shifa , Yu Xianlun , Gao Huajing , Niu Xiaowei , Wang Yong , Zhao Xinxin , Sun Guangzhuang , Li Dengfeng
Published: September 2020

A gamma‐ray irradiation assisted polyacrylamide gel method is used to synthesize the scheelite‐type barium tungstate (BaWO4) phosphors with space group I41/a(88). Various instruments were employed to characterize and reveal the phase purity, microcosmic characteristics, chemical composition, surface micromorphology, colorimetric, optical and photoluminescence properties of BaWO4 phosphors. The phase structure and functional group analysis showed that the formation temperature of pure BaWO4 phosphor was 100 °C lower than calcium tungstate (CaWO4) and strontium tungstate (SrWO4). The characterization of particle growth showed that BaWO4 was easy to grow along (112) and (200) crystal planes. The optical band gap (Eg) value of BaWO4 first increases and then decreases with the increasing of sintering temperature. The sintering temperature causes the BaWO4 xerogel to produce a variety of colors from black to white. The photoluminescence spectra showed that two obvious emission peaks at 380 and 415 nm are observed when the excitation wavelength is 334 nm. The former is ascribed to the T1(2)→A1(1) transition and the latter could be attributed to the defect energy levels in the BaWO4 phosphors. The intensity of emission peak at 380 nm decreases with the increasing sintering temperature. The photoluminescence mechanism of scheelite‐type BaWO4 phosphor was explored on the basis of energy band theory and experimental results.
Derivatives of Isonicotinic Acid as New Efficient Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) Inducers
Authors: Czerwoniec Patrycja , Lewandowski Piotr , Smiglak Marcin
Published: September 2020

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is one of the most promising ways to support plants in fight against viruses, bacteria and fungi. This phenomenon is activated by pathogen attack or artificially, by using resistance inducer (elicitor) which imitates the plant‐pathogen interaction. Both, biological or chemical factors interact with plants and stimulate their immune system against infections before first symptoms of diseases occurs. SAR inducing properties of elicitors could be potentially utilized to develop a new plant protection strategies. This paper presents synthesis, phytotoxicity and SAR induction efficacy of four newly obtained amide derivatives of 2,6‐dichloroisonicotinic acid and four known amide derivatives of isonicotinic acid. Induction of plant resistance tests were performed on tobacco Nicotiana tabacum var. Xanthi infected by Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Six of the eight presented substances indicate resistance inducing properties, which were expressed by decrease of necrotic area on leaves caused by viral infection by 44 to 92 % in comparison to the control plants. Moreover, obtained results show that presented compounds exhibited better plant resistance inducing properties than salicylic acid, oxalic acid and β‐aminobutyric acid used as reference.
Sustainable Synthetic Approaches for 3‐Aminoimidazo‐fused Heterocycles via Groebke‐Blackburn‐Bienaymé Process
Authors: Mathavan Sivagami , B. R. D. Yamajala Rajesh
Published: September 2020

Two different sustainable and efficient synthetic methods have been developed for the synthesis of a variety of 3‐aminoimidazo fused heterocycles by one‐pot three component reaction of 2‐aminoazines, aldehydes and isocyanides. The methods adopted were (a) aqueous micellar mediated condition (method A) (b) VB1 catalyzed reaction under solvent‐free condition (method B). Excellent yields were obtained for a broad range of biologically significant imidazopyridine core molecules under green conditions at room temperature. Synthesis in aqueous micellar medium, mild reaction conditions, organocatalyst, easy work‐up and isolation, and gram scale synthesis, are some of the advantages of these protocols.
Effects of self‐affirmation on emotion and cardiovascular responses
Authors: Chen Wei‐Ju , Nelson Alese M. , Johnson Hanna B. , Fleming Raymond
Published: September 2020

Self‐affirmation is the act of focusing on important aspects of the self, such as personal values and characteristics. We used a within‐participants design (N= 125) to examine cardiovascular reactivity and self‐reported affective responses to the practice of self‐affirmation. In the self‐affirmation condition, we asked participants to write about their top‐ranked personal value for 5 min and used a writing exercise unrelated to personal values in the control condition. The International Affective Picture System was used to induce positive and negative emotion. Results showed that participants had greater high frequency heart rate variability and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) when practicing self‐affirmation. During negative emotion induction, self‐affirmation also led to lower maximum heart rate, higher RSA, and lower ratings of negative affect. Our findings suggest that the act of focusing on an important aspect of self has beneficial effects on psychological and physiological well‐being.
Two Compatible Polymer Donors Enabling Ternary Organic Solar Cells with a Small Nonradiative Energy Loss and Broad Composition Tolerance
Authors: Tang Yumin , Yu Jianwei , Sun Huiliang , Wu Ziang , Koh Chang Woo , Wu Xia , Liu Bin , Wang Junwei , Liao Qiaogan , Li Yongchun , Guo Han , Woo Han Young , Gao Feng , Guo Xugang
Published: September 2020

High‐performance nonfullerene ternary organic solar cells (OSCs) with two polymer donors are less frequently reported because of the limited numbers of efficient polymer donors with good compatibility. Herein, a wide‐bandgap polymer P1 with a deep‐lying highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level is incorporated as the third component into the benchmark PM6:Y6 binary system to fabricate ternary OSCs. The introduction of P1 not only leads to extended absorption coverage and forms a cascade‐like energy level alignment but also shows excellent compatibility with PM6, resulting in a favorable morphology in the ternary blend. More importantly, P1 possesses a deeper HOMO level (−5.6 eV) than most well‐known donor polymers, which enables resulting ternary OSCs with an improved open‐circuit voltage. As a result, the optimized ternary OSCs with 40 wt% P1 in donors achieve a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.2% with a small nonradiative recombination loss of 0.23 eV, which is among the highest values of ternary OSCs based on two polymer donors. In addition, the ternary OSCs show a broad composition tolerance with a high PCE of over 14% throughout the whole blend ratios. These results provide an effective approach to fabricate efficient ternary OSCs by synergizing two wide‐bandgap polymer donors.
Inversion and distribution of total suspended matter in water based on remote sensing images—A case study on Yuqiao Reservoir, China
Authors: Cao Hongye , Han Ling , Li Wei , Liu Zhiheng , Li Liangzhi
Published: September 2020

In this paper, Yuqiao Reservoir is taken as the research object. The total suspended matter (TSM) produced by the economic development in the upper reaches of the reservoir and its surrounding areas has brought great ecological harm to the safe operation of the reservoir. Satellite remote sensing technology provides a good way to obtain the temporal and spatial variation of TSM in the study area. Two field surveys were carried out in the Yuqiao Reservoir, a total of 44 sampling points collected in the two tests. The spectral data and concentration of TSM were obtained. We developed and validated a robust empirical model to estimate the concentration of TSM in the water of the Yuqiao Reservoir for the first time. The TSM distribution map of the Yuqiao Reservoir in 2013–2018 is retrieved based on Landsat 8 OLI images. This paper analyzes the spatial distribution characteristics of TSM concentration in the Yuqiao Reservoir for several years, as well as the interannual, seasonal, and monthly variation laws and development trends. The results show that the spatial distribution of TSM in Yuqiao Reservoir shows a decreasing trend from the periphery to the center; the interannual changes are mainly as follows: The annual change trend of TSM in Yuqiao Reservoir is not obvious; the seasonal changes are significant: the highest in summer (higher than 40 mg/L), the second in autumn, and the lowest in spring and winter (lower than 15 mg/L); and the monthly changes show regular fluctuations: In a year cycle, the concentration of TSM generally shows an inverted V‐shaped trend; that is, TSM increases gradually from January to August and decreases gradually from August to December. The research results of this paper can be applied to other similar types of land water bodies, which will promote the wide application of Landsat 8 OLI images in the monitoring of TSM in lakes, rivers, and reservoirs in different regions across China, and provide data support for the scientific management of the safe operation of research areas.

Practitioner points

The monitoring model of TSM in Yuqiao Reservoir was built for the first time.

Temporal and spatial analysis of TSM concentration in Yuqiao Reservoir for the first time.

The concentration of TSM is in Yuqiao Reservoir greatly affected by wind speed and precipitation.
Genetic assessment of a conservation breeding program of the houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata undulata) in Morocco, based on pedigree and molecular analyses
Authors: Rabier Robin , Robert Alexandre , Lacroix Frédéric , Lesobre Loïc
Published: September 2020

Protection and restoration of species in the wild may require conservation breeding programs under genetic management to minimize deleterious effects of genetic changes that occur in captivity, while preserving populations' genetic diversity and evolutionary resilience. Here, through interannual pedigree analyses, we first assessed the efficiency of a 21‐year genetic management, including minimization of mean kinship, inbreeding avoidance, and regular addition of founders, of a conservation breeding program targeting on Houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata undulata) in Morocco. Secondly, we compared pedigree analyses, the classical way of assessing and managing genetic diversity in captivity, to molecular analyses based on seven microsatellites. Pedigree‐based results indicated an efficient maintenance of the genetic diversity (99% of the initial genetic diversity retained) while molecular‐based results indicated an increase in allelic richness and an increase in unbiased expected heterozygosity across time. The pedigree‐based average inbreeding coefficient F remained low (between 0.0004 and 0.003 in 2017) while the proportion of highly inbred individuals (F > .1) decreased over time and reached 0.2% in 2017. Furthermore, pedigree‐based F and molecular‐based individual multilocus heterozygosity were weakly negatively correlated, (Pearson's r = −.061 when considering all genotyped individuals), suggesting that they cannot be considered as alternatives, but rather as complementary sources of information. These findings suggest that a strict genetic monitoring and management, based on both pedigree and molecular tools can help mitigate genetic changes and allow to preserve genetic diversity and evolutionary resilience in conservation breeding programs.
Correction to: Higher Education Landscape 2030
Authors: Orr Dominic , Luebcke Maren , Schmidt J. Philipp , Ebner Markus , Wannemacher Klaus , Ebner Martin , Dohmen Dieter
Published: September 2020

∎∎∎
Contesting Secularism: Religious and Secular Binary Through Memory Work
Authors: Berg Linda , Johansson Anna , Laskar Pia , Martinsson Lena , Mulinari Diana , Wasshede Cathrin
Published: September 2020

The notion of Sweden as a secular nation-state, or rather the linkage between notions of secularism and gender equality, is strong in public discourse. Within this frame, religion is located in a traditional past and often understood as a hindrance to liberal and modern values.

In this chapter we focus on our own situatedness as feminist researchers living in Sweden and thereby explore how, where and why ideologies of secularism entangled with notions of European values and superiority become dominant. Inspired by the feminist tradition of memory work, an aim is to explore the boundary between the secular and the religious through our own experiences and from our location in Sweden. The aim is also to search for counter-memories, both in the doing of secular (gendered) selves as well as the ongoing production of the “religious other”.
Fat, Black and Unapologetic: Body Positive Activism Beyond White, Neoliberal Rights Discourses
Authors: Johansson Anna
Published: September 2020

Body positivity messages and practices are rapidly being spread transnationally, particularly in the form of digital activism, challenging oppressive body ideals and advocating for diversity and the acceptance of all body types. At the same time, however, the movement is increasingly being criticised for its commodification, how it goes hand in hand with neoliberalism and its lack of intersectional perspectives. This text investigates the potential of the expansion, redefinition and ‘repoliticising’ of body positivity beyond the white, neoliberal discourse. The analysis mainly dives into the texts and images of blogs by two body positive advocates, Leah Vernon and Stephanie Yeboah, who both identify as black and fat and who both address the issues of race and racism. It is suggested that through their body politics, they display how race and gender are intersected in the shaping of both body shaming and the production of ‘proud’ bodies, thus contributing to the situatedness of body positivity. The stance of being unapologetic in one’s body—a central element of body positivity—is regarded as being reframed through the contestation of the whiteness privilege and racism.
‘Pain Is Hard to Put on Paper’: Exploring the Silences of Migrant Scholars
Authors: Tzimoula Despina , Mulinari Diana
Published: September 2020

Despite the successful collection of thirteen life stories of working-class women of Greek background in their late sixties, who had migrated to Sweden in the 1970s, the two researchers who engaged in the study—Despina, herself a child of migrant Greek parents, and Diana, a political refugee from Argentina—were unable to publish the results. The aim of this chapter is to listen to women’s narratives by bringing into conversation the concept of social suffering through the use of a psychosocial approach. The aim is also to explore our inability (as migrants and daughters of migrants ourselves) to acknowledge what over-exploitation, gender and racial regimes can, and indeed do, to people regarding their sense of self and well-being. The chapter contains four sections. First, the text provides a short introduction to Swedish racial formation, followed by relevant efforts to conceptualise human pain, inspired by the work of Black British feminist scholars Gail Lewis and Yasmin Gunaratnam. Their theoretical intervention suggests the value of a synthesis of politicised psychoanalytic approaches to the dynamics of ‘race’ and emotional labor; providing a frame for a reflection of our own emotions, with special focus on shame and guilt. The central focus of the chapter is in the section ‘What (We Think) Hurts the Most’, which explores the stories collected organised through three topics—(failed) motherhood, broken bodies and (racist) respectability.
Life Cycle Assessment of a Hydrogen and Fuel Cell RoPax Ferry Prototype
Authors: Trillos Juan Camilo Gomez , Wilken Dennis , Brand Urte , Vogt Thomas
Published: September 2020

Estimates for the greenhouse gas emissions caused by maritime transportation account for approx. 870 million tonnes of CO2 tonnes in 2018, increasing the awareness of the public in general and requiring the development of alternative propulsion systems and fuels to reduce them. In this context, the project HySeas III is developing a hydrogen and fuel cell powered roll-on/roll off and passenger ferry intended for the crossing between Kirkwall and Shapinsay in the Orkney Islands in Scotland, a region which currently has an excess of wind and tidal power. In order to explore the environmental aspects of this alternative, a life cycle assessment from cradle to end-of-use using the ReCiPe 2016 method was conducted, contrasting the proposed prototype developed within the project against a conventional diesel ferry and a diesel hybrid ferry. The results show that the use of hydrogen derived from wind energy and fuel cells for ship propulsion allow the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of up to 89% compared with a conventional diesel ferry. Additional benefits are lower stratospheric ozone depletion, ionizing radiation, ozone formation, particulate matter formation, terrestrial acidification and use of fossil resources. In turn, there is an increase in other impact categories when compared with diesel electric and diesel battery electric propulsion. Additionally, the analysis of endpoint categories shows less impact in terms of damage to human health, to the ecosystems and to resource availability for the hydrogen alternative compared to conventional power trains.
Statistics, Classification, and the Standardisation of Melancholia
Authors: Jansson Åsa
Published: September 2020

This chapter situates melancholia in the context of the administrative framework that was constructed in British asylum medicine from the 1840s onward. In the last quarter of the century, the interaction between administrative and statistical practices and a theoretical framework based on physiological psychology, produced melancholia as an increasingly standardised disease category with a clear symptomatology. This thematic chapter maps in detail the historical trajectory of what emerged as the main features of biomedical melancholia in the late nineteenth century: mental pain, depression, religious delusions, and suicidal tendencies. The chapter demonstrates the different and complex historical roots of these symptom categories, showing that they were made into features of melancholia in very different ways, none of which were inevitable or straightforward.
Diagnosing Melancholia in the Victorian Asylum
Authors: Jansson Åsa
Published: September 2020

This chapter takes a close look at the mutually constitutive relationship between asylum casebooks and published literature on mental disease. It follows melancholia as it travelled back and forth between the casebook and the textbook, emerging as an increasingly coherent diagnosis. While medical literature presented melancholia in remarkably standardised terms toward the end of the century, by comparing published accounts with asylum journal notes from major county asylums situated in different parts of the country, this chapter shows how a vast and vastly divergent range of human expressions and experiences were moulded to fit increasingly narrow diagnostic criteria, and brings into focus the conflicts that arise and the negotiations that take place when complex human emotions are labelled and categorised as mental disorders.
Gravity models of interprovincial migration flows in Canada with hierarchical multifactor structure
Authors: Serlenga Laura , Shin Yongcheol
Published: September 2020

Following recent contributions on migration flows, we contribute to the literature by relaxing restrictions on how multilateral resistance to migration (MRM) may affect province-pair-specific migration flows. We follow recent advancements in the three-dimensional (3D) panel data models with a hierarchical multifactor structure and develop the more flexible specification for MRM. In addition to including unobserved global (country) factors with province-pair-specific coefficients, we can control for local origin (destination)-specific factors that have heterogeneous effects on destinations (origins). We apply the 3DCCE estimator advanced by Kapetanios et al. (J Econom, 2020) to an analysis of the determinants of interprovincial migration flows in Canada from 1976 to 2014. In particular, we find that the recent rise in the internal migration flows, registered in Canada from 2009 onwards, is more likely to be associated with the relative income inequality and network presence rather than the conventional long-run determinants such as income and unemployment differentials.
Osteochondral autograft transplantation versus autologous bone-cartilage paste grafting for the treatment of knee osteochondritis dissecans
Authors: Di Martino Alessandro , Silva Simone , Andriolo Luca , Merli Giulia , Reale Davide , Zaffagnini Stefano , Filardo Giuseppe
Published: September 2020

Purpose

To compare the results of two groups of patients affected by osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the knee and treated with either osteochondral autologous transplantation (OAT) or bone-cartilage paste grafting (PG).

Methods

A total of 27 patients affected by OCD lesions of the femoral condyles were included: 15 treated with OAT, 12 with PG, with comparable baseline characteristics (mean age 22.4 ± 7.2 vs. 24.2 ± 8.5 p = n.s., mean defect size 2.2 ± 1 cm2 vs 2.6 ± 1 cm2p = n.s.). Patients were evaluated pre-operatively and at 24 and 84 months post-operatively with the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective and objective scores. Sport activity level was evaluated with the Tegner activity score. Adverse events and failures were also recorded.

Results

The IKDC subjective score improved significantly in both groups. At 24 months, a significant improvement from 53.4 ± 9.1 to 80.8 ± 12.9 (p = 0.005) was obtained in the OAT group and from 44.6 ± 11.0 to 71.4 ± 25.3 in the PG group (p = 0.008). A further statistically significant increase was observed at 84 months in both groups. No significant differences were found between OAT and PG at both follow-ups. One OAT patient required post-operative knee mobilization under narcosis and two complained of donor site symptoms. More failures were documented in the PG vs OAT group (25% vs 0%; p = 0.043).

Conclusion

Both PG and OAT provided overall satisfactory results up to 84 months follow-up. However, while PG presents the advantages of a less invasive approach with lower adverse events, the higher failure rate of PG should be considered when choosing between these two surgical treatment options for restoration of the articular surface in patients affected by knee OCD.
Reactive oxygen species metabolism and photosynthetic performance in leaves of Hordeum vulgare plants co-infested with Heterodera filipjevi and Aceria tosichella
Authors: Labudda Mateusz , Tokarz Krzysztof , Tokarz Barbara , Muszyńska Ewa , Gietler Marta , Górecka Mirosława , Różańska Elżbieta , Rybarczyk-Płońska Anna , Fidler Justyna , Prabucka Beata , Dababat Abdelfattah A. , Lewandowski Mariusz
Published: September 2020

Key message

Defence responses of cyst nematode and/or wheat curl mite infested barley engage the altered reactive oxygen species production, antioxidant machinery, carbon dioxide assimilation and photosynthesis efficiency.

The primary aim of this study was to determine how barley responds to two pests infesting separately or at once; thus barley was inoculated with Heterodera filipjevi (Madzhidov) Stelter (cereal cyst nematode; CCN) and Aceria tosichella Keifer (wheat curl mite; WCM). To verify hypothesis about the involvement of redox metabolism and photosynthesis in barley defence responses, biochemical, photosynthesis efficiency and chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements as well as transmission electron microscopy were implemented. Inoculation with WCM (apart from or with CCN) brought about a significant suppression in the efficiency of electron transport outside photosystem II reaction centres. This limitation was an effect of diminished pool of rapidly reducing plastoquinone and decreased total electron carriers. Infestation with WCM (apart from or with CCN) also significantly restricted the electron transport on the photosystem I acceptor side, therefore produced reactive oxygen species oxidized lipids in cells of WCM and double infested plants and proteins in cells of WCM-infested plants. The level of hydrogen peroxide was significantly decreased in double infested plants because of glutathione–ascorbate cycle involvement. The inhibition of nitrosoglutathione reductase promoted the accumulation of S-nitrosoglutathione increasing antioxidant capacity in cells of double infested plants. Moreover, enhanced arginase activity in WCM-infested plants could stimulate synthesis of polyamines participating in plant antioxidant response. Infestation with WCM (apart from or with CCN) significantly reduced the efficiency of carbon dioxide assimilation by barley leaves, whereas infection only with CCN expanded photosynthesis efficiency. These were accompanied with the ultrastructural changes in chloroplasts during CCN and WCM infestation.
Extreme growth reaction of larch (Larix decidua Mill.) from the Polish Sudetes and Carpathians: spatial distribution and climate impact
Authors: Danek Małgorzata , Chuchro Monika , Danek Tomasz
Published: September 2020

Key message

Extreme growth reaction analysis shows that larches in the Sudetes are more vulnerable to climate changes, but negative extreme responses will also be observed in the Carpathians in the near future.

Pointer year analysis provides information on extreme tree-ring growth reactions, which can significantly improve the interpretation of tree growth response to climate. Similarities and differences in extreme growth responses of larch (Larix decidua Mill.) from the Carpathians and the Sudetes (Polish parts) were studied. To this purpose, a pointer year analysis was performed. Regions with similar extreme growth response patterns to climatic conditions were distinguished. The spatial variability of extreme growth anomalies and the distribution of the determined widespread pointer years and their possible climatic forcing were analyzed. A coincidence of the positive pointer years observed in the Sudetes and lower Carpathians with wet and cold summers (especially during the previous year) was observed. Most of the subregional negative pointer years in the Sudetes are related to droughts whereas in the Carpathians this relation was not observed. Comparison of the extreme growth reaction of larch in both mountain regions suggest that larches in the Sudetes are more vulnerable to climate changes as the negative pointer years observed in the Sudetes are usually associated with droughts that are likely to intensify in the future. Similarities in the drivers of extreme responses of larch in both regions and predicted changes in climatic conditions suggest that negative extreme responses will also be observed in the Carpathians in the near future. The highest parts of the Carpathians (the Tatra Mountains) should be treated separately as both positive and negative pointer years observed there are temperature related. The obtained results suggest that the growth of larch stands in both regions will be negatively affected by predicted climate changes.
Neophobia and social facilitation in narrow-striped mongooses
Authors: Rasolofoniaina Bako N. , Kappeler Peter M. , Fichtel Claudia
Published: September 2020

Social learning is widespread in the animal kingdom, but individuals can differ in how they acquire and use social information. Personality traits, such as neophobia, may, for example, promote individual learning strategies. Here, we contribute comparative data on social learning strategies in carnivorans by examining whether narrow-striped mongooses (Mungotictis decemlineata), a group-living Malagasy euplerid, learn socially and whether neophobia influences social learning. To this end, we tested seven wild female groups with a two-option artificial feeding box, using a demonstrator–observer paradigm, and conducted novel object tests to assess neophobia. In five groups, one individual was trained as a demonstrator displaying one of the techniques, whereas the other two groups served as control groups. Neophobia did not co-vary with an individual’s propensity to seek social information. However, less neophobic individuals, and individuals that tended to seek social information, learned the task faster. Moreover, individuals in demonstrator groups learned the task faster than those in groups without a demonstrator and used the demonstrated technique more often. Hence, narrow-striped mongooses rely on social facilitation and local or stimulus enhancement to solve new problems. Finally, our results suggest that several individual characteristics should be taken into consideration to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of social learning strategies.
Limits and pitfalls of indirect revascularization in moyamoya disease and syndrome
Authors: Fiaschi Pietro , Scala Marcello , Piatelli Gianluca , Tortora Domenico , Secci Francesca , Cama Armando , Pavanello Marco
Published: September 2020

Moyamoya vasculopathy is a rare chronic cerebrovascular disorder characterized by the stenosis of the terminal branches of the internal carotid arteries and the proximal tracts of anterior and middle cerebral arteries. Although surgical revascularization does not significantly change the underlying pathogenic mechanisms, it plays a pivotal role in the management of affected individuals, allowing to decrease the risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic complications. Surgical approaches may be direct (extracranial-intracranial bypass), indirect, or a combination of the two. Several indirect techniques classifiable according to the tissue (muscle, periosteum, galea, dura mater, and extracranial tissues) or vessel (artery) used as a source of blood supply are currently available. In this study, we reviewed the pertinent literature and analyzed the advantages, disadvantages, and pitfalls of the most relevant indirect revascularization techniques. We discussed the technical aspects and the therapeutical implications of each procedure, providing a current state-of-the-art overview on the limits and pitfalls of indirect revascularization in the treatment of moyamoya vasculopathy.
Personenbezogene Gesundheitsdaten in einer Pandemie – ethische und rechtliche Aspekte
Authors: Schmidhuber Martina , Stöger Karl
Published: September 2020

Im Zusammenhang mit der COVID-19-Pandemie ist immer wieder das Argument zu hören gewesen, Gesundheitsschutz müsse dem Datenschutz jedenfalls vorgehen. In dieser Pauschalität ist diese Aussage zwar plakativ, aber weder aus ethischer noch aus rechtlicher Sicht zutreffend. Eine Pandemie kann zwar durchaus einen Grund dafür liefern, vorübergehend auf Gesundheitsdaten zuzugreifen. Dabei ist aber zum einen darauf zu achten, dass dies nur in unbedingt notwendigem Ausmaß erfolgt und zum anderen, in welchem größeren Kontext diese Daten verwendet werden. Dieser Beitrag skizziert an drei Beispielen – Risikoatteste, Tracking Apps und Immunitätszertifikate – einige der dabei zu berücksichtigenden ethischen und rechtlichen Überlegungen. Damit soll verdeutlicht werden, dass auch in der Pandemie die Abwägung von Argumenten und die Verhältnismäßigkeit der ergriffenen Maßnahmen nicht aus den Augen verloren werden dürfen.
r-Harmonic and Complex Isoparametric Functions on the Lie Groups $${{\mathbb {R}}}^m \ltimes {{\mathbb {R}}}^n$$ and $${{\mathbb {R}}}^m \ltimes \mathrm {H}^{2n+1}$$
Authors: Gudmundsson Sigmundur , Sobak Marko
Published: September 2020

In this paper we introduce the notion of complex isoparametric functions on Riemannian manifolds. These are then employed to devise a general method for constructing proper r-harmonic functions. We then apply this to construct the first known explicit proper r-harmonic functions on the Lie group semidirect products $${{\mathbb {R}}}^m \ltimes {{\mathbb {R}}}^n$$

R

m

⋉

R

n

and $${{\mathbb {R}}}^m \ltimes \mathrm {H}^{2n+1}$$

R

m

⋉

H

2
n
+
1

, where $$\mathrm {H}^{2n+1}$$

H

2
n
+
1

denotes the classical $$(2n+1)$$

(
2
n
+
1
)

-dimensional Heisenberg group. In particular, we construct such examples on all the simply connected irreducible four-dimensional Lie groups.
Firm-specific advantages: a comprehensive review with a focus on emerging markets
Authors: Adarkwah Gilbert Kofi , Malonæs Tine Petersen
Published: September 2020

We consolidate and comprehensively review the international business (IB) literature on the firm-specific advantages (FSAs) of emerging market multinational enterprises (EM MNEs). We do so through a systematic examination of 88 empirical and conceptual articles published in top-ranked IB journals between 2011 and 2018. The results reveal that in the past decades, EM MNEs have acquired several of the same FSAs as their counterparts in developed countries (developed country enterprises or DC MNEs) - financial resources, technologies, marketing capabilities, brand equity, R&D intensity, and management competencies. However, more recently, EM MNEs have developed additional unique FSAs in the form of managerial capabilities - to cope with competition in uncertain and constantly changing environments; easy access to cheaper capital; a stronger commitment to networks, such as those with diaspora communities; and, political connections. These additional FSAs have catalyzed the internationalization of EM MNEs. Our study also shows that some hurdles remain in the IB literature on FSAs. For instance, while IB scholars agree that EM MNEs have different investment motives depending on whether they invest in other emerging economies or developed economies, scholars are silent on the exact FSAs necessary to make EM MNEs investments in the respective economies successful. To advance the IB literature, we present some promising future research areas and challenge scholars to pursue further empirical studies on the FSAs of EM MNEs.
Identifying Social Withdrawal (Hikikomori) Factors in Adolescents: Understanding the Hikikomori Spectrum
Authors: Hamasaki Yukiko , Pionnié-Dax Nancy , Dorard Géraldine , Tajan Nicolas , Hikida Takatoshi
Published: September 2020

Hikikomoriis a Japanese term for social withdrawal, ranging from complete inability to venture outdoors to preferring to stay inside. The prevalence ofhikikomoriis high, up to 1.2% of the Japanese population, but only few studies have examined its emergence in adolescents. Therefore, we sought to identify environmental and psycho-behavioral characteristics related tohikikomoriduring adolescence. Parents of middle school students who underwent psychiatric outpatient treatment forhikikomori(n = 20) and control group parents (n = 88) completed the Child Behavior Checklist to evaluate their child’s psycho-behavioral characteristics and novel scales to evaluate environmental characteristics andhikikomoriseverity. Scores for all eight Child Behavior Checklist subscales were significantly higher in the experimental group. Multiple regression analysis revealed that “anxious/depressed,” “somatic complaints,” “lack of communication between parents” and “overuse of the Internet” were significant predictors ofhikikomoriseverity. These findings can help identify individuals who are at risk of developinghikikomori.
For real: a thorough look at numeric attributes in subgroup discovery
Authors: Meeng Marvin , Knobbe Arno
Published: September 2020

Subgroup discovery (SD) is an exploratory pattern mining paradigm that comes into its own when dealing with large real-world data, which typically involves many attributes, of a mixture of data types. Essential is the ability to deal with numeric attributes, whether they concern the target (a regression setting) or the description attributes (by which subgroups are identified). Various specific algorithms have been proposed in the literature for both cases, but a systematic review of the available options is missing. This paper presents a generic framework that can be instantiated in various ways in order to create different strategies for dealing with numeric data. The bulk of the work in this paper describes an experimental comparison of a considerable range of numeric strategies in SD, where these strategies are organised according to four central dimensions. These experiments are furthermore repeated for both the classification task (target is nominal) and regression task (target is numeric), and the strategies are compared based on the quality of the top subgroup, and the quality and redundancy of the top-k result set. Results of three search strategies are compared: traditional beam search, complete search, and a variant of diverse subgroup set discovery called cover-based subgroup selection. Although there are various subtleties in the outcome of the experiments, the following general conclusions can be drawn: it is often best to determine numeric thresholds dynamically (locally), in a fine-grained manner, with binary splits, while considering multiple candidate thresholds per attribute.
Reaching Out to Big Losers: How Different Types of Gamblers are Affected by a Brief Motivational Contact Initiated by the Gambling Provider
Authors: Jonsson Jakob , Hodgins David C. , Munck Ingrid , Carlbring Per
Published: September 2020

Telephone and letter-based motivational interventions with high expenditure gamblers have significant short and long term positive effects on gambling and use of responsible gambling tools. This report examines how different subtypes of gamblers, based upon patterns of play, are differentially affected. A randomized controlled trial design with three conditions (n = 1003 in each): feedback intervention by letter, telephone or a no-contact control condition. Subtypes of gamblers were derived by latent class analyses (LCA) based upon gambling behavior pre intervention. The participants were customers of Norsk Tipping gambling platforms. 1003 statistical triplets from the top 0.5% of customers based upon annual expenditure, matched on sex, age, and net losses. Primary outcome measure was gambling theoretical loss (TL), derived from the Norsk Tipping customer database. The LCA identified six subtypes: High Casino, High Sport, High Lottery, High Video lottery terminal (VLT), Lottery/Mix and Bingo/Casino. There were almost no differences in change in TL between the six subtypes of gamblers receiving the letter or telefone interventions respectively. However, the choice of contact by letter or telephone did have different effects for the different gambling subtypes. Sending a letter seems like a cost effective alternative to telephone contact for the High Lottery type, but telephone contact performs better for High Casino, High Sport and High VLT customers. Responsible gambling interventions can be improved by subtyping of gamblers.
Materiality in Julio Cortázar’s literature—rereading “Axolotl,” “No se culpe a nadie” and the almanac books
Authors: Abrego Verónica
Published: September 2020

In the light of the material turn in the Humanities some aspects of Julio Cortázar’s (1914–1984) work become very evident today as a laboratory of the future. For Cortázar, reading was a transforming impulse, part of a process of liberation from mental ties to which he contributed as an author, challenging the barrier between the fantastic and the real, the limit between the human and the animal, between the living and the inert. Thus, as a critic on blind Modernity, Cortázar, from his stories, questions anthropocentrism in a gesture that in the current crisis of the Anthropocene could not be more topical. Moreover, while he supported the transformation of people’s material conditions of life in Latin America, he innovated and celebrated literature in intermedial texts that are the decanted result of a creative performance, embedded in the strongly transcultural context of a diaspora that was first voluntary and then became exile.
Do corporate insiders trade on future stock price crash risk?
Authors: He Guanming , Ren Helen Mengbing , Taffler Richard
Published: September 2020

We explore whether firm managers trade on future stock price crash risk. This depends on managers’ ability to assess future crash risk, and on whether the expected payoff is greater than the expected costs associated with potential reputation loss and litigation risk. We find that insider sales are positively associated with future crash risk, which is consistent with managers’ trading on crash risk for personal gain. We also find that managers take advantage of high information opacity to pursue crash-risk-based insider sales more aggressively, but are less able to capitalize on this in the case of financial constraints or post-SOX.
Nanoscale Perspectives of Metal Degradation via In Situ Atom Probe Tomography
Authors: Lambeets Sten V. , Kautz Elizabeth J. , Wirth Mark G. , Orren Graham J. , Devaraj Arun , Perea Daniel E.
Published: September 2020

We report a unique in situ instrument development effort dedicated to studying gas/solid interactions relevant to heterogeneous catalysis and early stages of oxidation of materials via atom probe tomography and microscopy (APM). An in situ reactor cell, similar in concept to other reports, has been developed to expose nanoscale volumes of material to reactive gas environments, in which temperature, pressure, and gas chemistry are well controlled. We demonstrate that the combination of this reactor cell with APM techniques can aid in building a better mechanistic understanding of resultant composition and surface and subsurface structure changes accompanying gas/surface reactions in metal and metal alloy systems through a series of case studies: O2/Rh, O2/Co, and O2/Zircaloy-4. In addition, the basis of a novel operando mode of analysis within an atom probe instrument is also reported. The work presented here supports the implementation of APM techniques dedicated to atomic to near-atomically resolved gas/surface interaction studies of materials broadly relevant to heterogeneous catalysis and oxidation.
The Enduring Health Consequences of Combat Trauma: a Legacy of Chronic Disease
Authors: Stewart Ian J. , Poltavskiy Eduard , Howard Jeffrey T. , Janak Jud C. , Pettey Warren , Zarzabal Lee Ann , Walker Lauren E. , Beyer Carl A. , Sim Alan , Suo Ying , Redd Andrew , Chung Kevin K. , Gundlapalli Adi
Published: September 2020

Background

A better understanding of the long-term health effects of combat injury is important for the management of veterans’ health in the Department of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) health care systems and may have implications for primary care management of civilian trauma patients.

Objective

To determine the impact of traumatic injury on the subsequent development of hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM), and coronary artery disease (CAD) after adjustment for sociodemographic, health behavior, and mental health factors.

Design

Retrospective cohort study of current and former US military personnel with data obtained from both the DoD and VA health care systems.

Participants

Combat injured (n = 8727) service members between 1 February 2002 and 14 June 2016 randomly selected from the DoD Trauma Registry matched 1:1 based on year of birth, sex, and branch of service to subjects that deployed to a combat zone but were not injured.

Main Measures

Traumatic injury, stratified by severity, compared with no documented injury. Diagnoses of HTN, DM, and CAD defined by International Classification of Diseases 9th or 10th Revision Clinical Modification codes.

Key Results

After adjustment, severe traumatic injury was significantly associated with HTN (HR 2.78, 95% CI 2.18–3.55), DM (HR 4.45, 95% CI 2.15–9.18), and CAD (HR 4.87, 95% CI 2.11–11.25), compared with no injury. Less severe injury was associated with HTN (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.05–1.24) and CAD (HR 1.62, 95% CI 1.11–2.37).

Conclusions

Severe traumatic injury is associated with the subsequent development of HTN, DM, and CAD. These findings have profound implications for the primary care of injured service members in both the DoD/VA health systems and may be applicable to civilian trauma patients as well. Further exploration of pathophysiologic, health behavior, and mental health changes after trauma is warranted to guide future intervention strategies.
Challenges in re-designing operations and jobs to embody AI and robotics in services. Findings from a case in the hospitality industry
Authors: Mingotto Erica , Montaguti Federica , Tamma Michele
Published: September 2020

The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and service robots in the tourism industry for frontline service automation is generating a growing interest. Although there is a fairly large body of literature about this research field, the impacts on the service encounter need to be further investigated. The paper presents an action research project that led to employ the humanoid robot “Pepper”, equipped with a supervised machine-learning AI system, at the reception of an Italian hotel to provide information to clients. This allowed to explore the role played by this agent and the effects on the changing role taken by frontline employees (FLE) and customers. Findings show that this technology can act as an augmentation force and that FLEs’ role can evolve mainly into that of enabler - of the customers and of technology -, innovator and coordinator, while customers may take above all the role of enabler of the technology. The study also contributes to introduce the new role of “AI supervisor” among FLEs.