bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimization of culture conditions and cultivation phase for the growth of Salvia viridis transformed roots and polyphenolic compound production
Authors: Grzegorczyk-Karolak Izabela
Published: July 2020

Salvia viridis transformed root culture was studied using MS, WP or B5 media (full or half-strength macro- and microelements: 1/2MS, 1/2WP, 1/2B5) under varying light conditions to optimize growth and polyphenolic compound production. The highest levels of root growth (154.6 g/l and 13.6 g/l, respectively, fresh and dry weight) were observed for hairy roots grown in WP medium in the dark. UPLC analysis found the polyphenolic acid content in plant material to range from 20.7 to 45.9 mg/g dry weight (DW) depending on the conditions. The highest metabolite content was observed in roots grown in B5 medium under photoperiods. A time-course study of the hairy roots cultured in WP medium in the dark examined the effect of culture period on biomass and polyphenolic compound yield every 5 days over a 60-day period. More than 1 g of dry weight per flask and 47.8 mg of metabolite per g DW were produced after 30 days, at the beginning of the stationary phase. However, maximum production was only observed for four of the 10 detected compounds during this growth phase, between days 30 and 40; one of which was rosmarinic acid: the predominant compound in all extracts. Under optimal conditions, production was almost 10 times higher than that observed in the roots of field growing plants, which suggests that the selected optimized transformed root culture of S. viridis may be a good approach for valuable polyphenol production.
Konflikt und Solidarität als Verhältnis dynamischer Vergesellschaftung
Authors: Fehmel Thilo
Published: July 2020

Solidarität und Konflikt: beides sind Formen sozialer Beziehungen, Formen wechselseitiger Bezugnahmen von Akteuren, die sich im gleichen Handlungsrahmen bewegen. Sowohl Konflikt als auch Solidarität entwickeln als Typen sozialen Handelns strukturierende Kraft. Nach außen ausgetragene kollektive Konflikte können die Gruppenkohäsion nach innen stärken. Solidarität wiederum ist in der Regel partikular, hat also Exklusionspotenzial, das unter bestimmten Bedingungen in Konflikte münden kann. Kurz: Konflikt führt zu Solidarität, und Solidarität führt zu Konflikt. Vor diesem Hintergrund ist es zu einfach, Konflikten ausschließlich sozial desintegrative und Solidarität ausschließlich sozial integrative Effekte zuzuschreiben. Stattdessen bedarf es eines sozialtheoretischen Modells, das in der Lage ist, Konflikt und Solidarität und ihr dynamisches Verhältnis zueinander abzubilden. Dieses Modell wird im vorliegenden Beitrag entwickelt. Es untersucht solidarisches wie auch konfliktives soziales Handeln auf struktureller, inhaltlicher und prozeduraler Ebene. Dabei spielen die Kontingenz und Variabilität von Solidarnormen und von Konfliktrahmen eine entscheidende Rolle. Solidaritätsmanagement als aktive Gestaltung des Verhältnisses von Solidarnormen und Konfliktrahmen ist empirischer Beobachtung zugänglich. Aus dem Wechselspiel von Solidarität(snormen) und Konflikt(rahmen) ergibt sich schließlich, was als Solidaritätskonflikt modelliert wird.
Thermodynamic Properties of Li-Sb Liquid Solution by QAM
Authors: Terlicka S. , Gąsior W. , Dębski A.
Published: July 2020

The optimization of the thermodynamic properties of a liquid Li-Sb system is performed based on all available literature data. The description of the excess Gibbs energy as a function of temperature and composition is presented using a qualitative associate model (QAM), described in our earlier work on the Li-Pb system. The modeled molar mixing enthalpy changes, excess Gibbs energy and the molar excess entropy values are characterized by strong negative deviations from the ideal solution in the entire concentration range. It was found that the best correlation between experimental data and those calculated using QAM is observed if the Li3Sb and LiSb associates are assumed to be in the liquid Li-Sb solution. Calculations of the microscopic function, i.e., the concentration-concentration in the long-wavelength limit, (S
cc(0)) excess stability function (ES) and short-range-order parameter (SRO(α)) show the extreme (maximum or minimum) values almost exactly for the concentrations of Li3Sb associate (and intermetallic phase in solid alloys) and LiSb. The quotient of real S
cc(0) to this for the ideal solution (S
cc(0)id) is characterized by a similar property to the mentioned structure factors.
Hidden Phenomena During Transient Reaction Trajectories in Liquid Metals Processing
Authors: Spooner Stephen , Li Zushu , Sridhar Seetharaman
Published: July 2020

The transient trajectory taken for a system striving toward equilibration has consequences on the rate of processes and on the chemical and physical state of products in metallurgical processes. A case study approach to recent advancements in liquid steel processing is given. A combination of techniques and knowledge developed is given as a targeted showcase of the authors’ contributions to the understanding of liquid metal droplet reactions and their contribution to the large-scale production processes within the steel industry. Examples relevant to novel ironmaking technologies, oxygen steelmaking, ladle metallurgy, and continuous casting are discussed, showing the range of processes that benefit from greater understanding in this area. This article considers specifically the reaction of liquid ferrous droplets, immersed in molten oxides, involving key alloying components, including phosphorus, aluminum, and carbon. The studies use high-temperature–confocal scanning laser microscopy (HT-CSLM), X-ray computed tomography (XCT), phase-field modeling, and in situ limited angle X-ray imaging. These techniques have seen significant development over recent years, and the combination of these powerful tools reveals the occurrence of spontaneous emulsification driven by chemical reaction (in the case of oxygen/phosphorus/aluminum reactions) and gas-phase formation (in the case of decarburization) both internally and externally to a steel droplet. A key finding is that the interfacial area pertinent for the heterogenous reactions to occur changes considerably (by up to an order of magnitude) depending on the chemical driving force. Additional key findings include the shift between preferential internal and external gas nucleation during decarburization, an inflection point of behavior as to whether or not spontaneous emulsification will occur (within the study discussed, this is between 3 and 4 wt pct Al) and the pathway of perturbation growth through which spontaneous emulsification occurs, including the physical maxima a perturbation will grow to before breaking away from the parent droplet.
Liquid Metal Flow Studied by Positron Emission Tracking
Authors: Dybalska Agnieszka , Caden Adrian J. , Parker David J. , Wedderburn John , Griffiths William D.
Published: July 2020

To improve the properties of castings, a new technique to observe the fluid flow and study the motion of oxygen-bearing inclusions has been developed. This new technique, Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT), enabled a single radioactive tracer particle, moving inside a liquid metal casting, to be tracked with an accuracy of some millimeters, depending on the properties of the liquid metal and the mold. These novel experiments give promising results to observe the liquid metal flow and locate the tracked particle in a casting. Experiments have shown that various particle sizes (200 to 600 μm presented here) can be used to observe the liquid metal flow, if the particle has sufficiently initial radioactivity. Different sizes of particles are considered and their radioactivity compared in terms of their usefulness for tracking in flowing liquid aluminum according to the specific surface area.
Comparative performances of new and existing indices of crown asymmetry: an evaluation using tall trees of Eucalyptus pilularis (Smith)
Authors: Kong Fanlin , Bi Huiquan , McLean Michael , Li Fengri
Published: July 2020

Over the past 50 years, crown asymmetry of forest trees has been evaluated through several indices constructed from the perspective of projected crown shape or displacement but often on an ad hoc basis to address specific objectives related to tree growth and competition, stand dynamics, stem form, crown structure and treefall risks. Although sharing some similarities, these indices are largely incoherent and non-comparable as they differ not only in the scale but also in the direction of their values in indicating the degree of crown asymmetry. As the first attempt at devising normative measures of crown asymmetry, we adopted a relative scale between 0 for perfect symmetry and 1 for extreme asymmetry. Five existing crown asymmetry indices (CAIs) were brought onto this relative scale after necessary modifications. Eight new CAIs were adapted from measures of circularity for digital images in computer graphics, indices of income inequality in economics, and a bilateral symmetry indicator in plant leaf morphology. The performances of the 13 CAIs were compared over different numbers of measured crown radii for 30 projected crowns of matureEucalyptus pilularistrees through benchmarking statistics and rank order correlation analysis. For each CAI, the index value based on the full measurement of 36 evenly spaced radii of a projected crown was taken as the true value in the benchmarking process. The index (CAI13) adapted from the simple bilateral symmetry measure proved to be the least biased and most precise. Its performance was closely followed by that of three other CAIs. The minimum number of crown radii that is needed to provide at least an indicative measure of crown asymmetry is four. For more accurate and consistent measures, at least 6 or 8 crown radii are needed. The range of variability in crown morphology of the trees under investigation also needs to be taken into consideration. Although the CAIs are from projected crown radii, they can be readily extended to individual tree crown metrics that are now commonly extracted from LiDAR and other remotely sensed data. Adding a normative measure of crown asymmetry to individual tree crown metrics will facilitate the process of big data analytics and artificial intelligence in forestry wherever crown morphology is among the factors to be considered for decision making in forest management.
A Multi-Model Pipeline for Translational Intracerebral Haemorrhage Research
Authors: Withers Sarah E. , Parry-Jones Adrian R. , Allan Stuart M. , Kasher Paul R.
Published: July 2020

Apart from acute and chronic blood pressure lowering, we have no specific medications to prevent intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) or improve outcomes once bleeding has occurred. One reason for this may be related to particular limitations associated with the current pre-clinical models of ICH, leading to a failure to translate into the clinic. It would seem that a breakdown in the ‘drug development pipeline’ currently exists for translational ICH research which needs to be urgently addressed. Here, we review the most commonly used pre-clinical models of ICH and discuss their advantages and disadvantages in the context of translational studies. We propose that to increase our chances of successfully identifying new therapeutics for ICH, a bi-directional, 2- or 3-pronged approach using more than one model species/system could be useful for confirming key pre-clinical observations. Furthermore, we highlight that post-mortem/ex-vivo ICH patient material is a precious and underused resource which could play an essential role in the verification of experimental results prior to consideration for further clinical investigation. Embracing multidisciplinary collaboration between pre-clinical and clinical ICH research groups will be essential to ensure the success of this type of approach in the future.
Querying Rich Ontologies by Exploiting the Structure of Data
Authors: Bajraktari Labinot
Published: July 2020

Ontology-based data access (OBDA) has emerged as a paradigm for accessing heterogeneous and incomplete data sources. A fundamental reasoning service in OBDA, the ontology mediated query (OMQ) answering has received much attention from the research community. However, there exists a disparity in research carried for OMQ algorithms for lightweight DLs which have found their way into practical implementations, and algorithms for expressive DLs for which the work has had mainly theoretical oriented goals. In the dissertation, a technique that leverages the structural properties of data to help alleviate the problems that typically arise when answering the queries in expressive settings is developed. In this paper, a brief summary of the technique along with the different algorithms developed for OMQ for expressive DLs is given.
Explaining Arguments with Background Knowledge
Authors: Becker Maria , Hulpuş Ioana , Opitz Juri , Paul Debjit , Kobbe Jonathan , Stuckenschmidt Heiner , Frank Anette
Published: July 2020

Most information we consume as a society is obtained over the Web. News – often from questionable sources – are spread online, as are election campaigns; calls for (collective) action spread with unforeseen speed and intensity. All such actions have argumentation at their core, and the conveyed content is often strategically selected or rhetorically framed. The responsibility of critical analysis of arguments is thus tacitly transferred to the content consumer who is often not prepared for the task, nor aware of the responsibility.

The ExpLAIN project aims at making the structure and reasoning of arguments explicit – not only for humans, but for Robust Argumentation Machines that are endowed with language understanding capacity. Our vision is a system that is able to deeply analyze argumentative text: that identifies arguments and counter-arguments, and reveals their internal structure, conveyed content and reasoning. A particular challenge for such a system is to uncover implicit knowledge which many arguments rely on. This requires human background knowledge and reasoning capacity, in order to explicate the complete reasoning of an argument.

This article presents ongoing research of the ExpLAIN project that aims to make the vision of such a system a tangible aim. We introduce the problems and challenges we need to address, and present the progress we achieved until now by applying advanced natural language and knowledge processing methods. Our approach puts particular focus on leveraging available sources of structured and unstructured background knowledge, the automatic extension of such knowledge, the uncovering of implicit content, and reasoning techniques suitable for informal, everyday argumentation.
Observation and assessment of crossing situations between pleasure craft and a small passenger ferry
Authors: Øvergård Kjell Ivar , Tannum Marius Stian , Haavardtun Per
Published: July 2020

A study of navigational situations involving a small passenger ferry ‘Ole III’ was conducted based on participatory observations in the Husøysund strait in Tønsberg municipality, Norway. The aims were to document the extent to which crossing situations are solved according to navigational rules and practice, and to investigate the number of incidents which could pose a risk for Ole III and its passengers. Because of the high density of private pleasure craft, we expected a rather large number of non-compliance with navigational rules. Observations supported this assumption, and based on the total of 3152 crossings with Ole III where other vessels where present, a total of 279 (8.9%) incidents were considered to involve non-compliance with navigational rules and practice. A total of 165 incidents were caused by the other vessels failing to give way even though it had Ole III on its starboard side. This indicates that, at least in Norway, we may routinely expect pleasure craft to deviate from navigational rules for crossing situations. A number of incidents could partly be explained by a mismatch in understandings of which vessel had the right-of-way. Also, incident risk was higher when Ole III used active control strategies to handle crossing situations (e.g. keeping course and speed) as compared with passive control strategies. A taxonomy of situations based upon intentions is presented together with suggestions for control strategies for small passenger vessels that operate in waters with many pleasure craft.
Pregabalin-associated stuttering and frequent blepharospasm: case report and review.
Authors: Ge Lingzhi , Li Ang , Wang Ni , Li Ping , Xin Hongyan , Li Wenfei
Published: July 2020

Herpes zoster is an acute, painful, herpes skin disease caused by varicella-zoster virus, which may cause viral meningitis. Pregabalin has been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of pain in patients with herpes zoster. However, it has the side effects of neurotoxicity. We describe a 68-year-old female patient with herpes zoster, and she was treated with pregabalin. The patient presented with stuttering and frequent blepharospasm after 3 days of pregabalin treatment. Pregabalin was discontinued, the symptoms of stuttering and frequent blepharospasm completely resolved without any special treatment after one week. In this case, the etiology of stuttering and frequent blepharospasm may be related to pregabalin. Clinicians should be alert to the rare symptoms associated with the use of pregabalin.
Entwicklung und Validation eines Fragebogens zur Beurteilung der Inzidenz und Reaktionen von Second Victims im Deutschsprachigen Raum (SeViD)
Authors: Strametz R. , Rösner H. , Ablöscher M. , Huf W. , Ettl B. , Raspe M.
Published: July 2020

Einleitung

Second Victims, definiert als medizinische Fachpersonen, die durch einen unvorhergesehenen klinischen Zwischenfall traumatisiert werden, sind ein verbreitetes Phänomen im Gesundheitswesen. Studien aus den USA zeigen hohe Inzidenzen zwischen 10 und 42 % bei medizinischem Personal. Allerdings existiert kein validierter deutscher Fragebogen, der sich mit der Inzidenz und den Auswirkungen auseinandersetzt. Deshalb wurde im Rahmen des SeViD-Projekts (Second Victims im Deutschsprachigen Raum) ein deutschsprachiger Fragebogen zur Beurteilung von Second-Victim-Erfahrungen entwickelt.

Methoden

Basierend auf einer Literaturrecherche nach existierenden Fragebögen in englischer Sprache wurde eine vorläufige Version des Fragebogens bestehend aus 4 Bereichen und 14 Fragen erstellt. Diese wurde kognitiven Pretests unterzogen, um die Inhaltsvalidität zu überprüfen.

Ergebnisse

Fünfzehn medizinische Fachpersonen aus Krankenhäusern in Deutschland (n = 6) und Österreich (n = 9) nahmen nach Einverständniserklärung als Freiwillige an allen Pretests teil. Sieben Fragen in 3 Bereichen wurden basierend auf kognitiven Pretests leicht modifiziert. Die durchschnittliche Bearbeitungszeit des Fragebogens betrug 9:01 (±3:05) min im Fall einer vorherigen Second-Victim-Erfahrung und 4:19 (±0:59) min ohne entsprechendes Erlebnis. Die Befragung wurde von allen Freiwilligen als angemessen bewertet.

Schlussfolgerung

Es konnte ein inhaltsvalidierter Fragebogen entwickelt werden, der die Auswirkung des Second-Victim-Phänomens in stationären Gesundheitseinrichtungen im deutschsprachigen Raum beurteilen kann. Dieser Fragebogen soll in verschiedenen Settings für medizinisches Fachpersonal sowohl für Erhebungen des Status quo als auch für Verlaufsbeobachtungen in Interventionsstudien eingesetzt werden.
Labour market inclusion of young people with mental health problems in Norway
Authors: Bjørnshagen Vegar , Ugreninov Elisabeth
Published: July 2020

People with mental health problems face barriers to labour market inclusion. In this study, we investigate the extent to which employers are attentive and willing to include young people with mental health problems. The study contributes to existing know- ledge by exploring contextual factors that shape employers’ hiring behaviour. The findings show that taking on a social responsibility to contribute to an inclusive working life (as indicated by having entered the Norwegian Inclusive Working Life Agreement) and the degree to which recruitment practices are formalized (as indicated by labour market sector) is positively associated with enterprises’ inclusiveness towards young people with mental health problems. However, the general tendency is that few enterprises focus on including young people with mental health problems. Likewise, only a few enterprises would invite a qualified applicant with such problems to a job interview. Thus, our study supports research suggesting that employer reluctance towards hiring persons with mental health problems contributes to the latter’s labour market disadvantages.
The Environmental Humanities and the Ancient World
Authors: Schliephake Christopher
Published: July 2020

What can a study of antiquity contribute to the interdisciplinary paradigm of the environmental humanities? And how does this recent paradigm influence the way we perceive human-'nature' interactions in pre-modernity? By asking these and a number of related questions, this Element aims to show why the ancient tradition still matters in the Anthropocene. Offering new perspectives to think about what directions the ecological turn could take in classical studies, it revisits old material, including ancient Greek religion and mythology, with central concepts of contemporary environmental theory. It also critically engages with forms of classical reception in current debates, arguing that ancient ecological knowledge is a powerful resource for creating alternative world views.
Beyond the Anthropological Difference
Authors: Calarco Matthew
Published: July 2020

The aim of this Element is to provide a novel framework for gaining a critical grasp on the present situation concerning animals. It offers reflections on resisting the established order as well as suggestions on what forms alternative, pro-animal ways of life might take. The central argument of the book is that the search for an anthropological difference - that is, for a marker of human uniqueness determined by way of a sharp human/animal distinction - should be set aside. In place of this traditional way of differentiating human beings from animals, the author sketches an alternative way of thinking and living in relation to animals based on indistinction, a concept that points toward the unexpected and profound ways in which human beings share in animal life, death, and potentiality. The implications of this approach are then examined in view of practical and theoretical discussions in the environmental humanities and related fields.
A Multiscalar Consideration of the Athabascan Migration
Authors: Doering Briana N. , Esdale Julie A. , Reuther Joshua D. , Catenacci Senna D.
Published: July 2020

Genetic and linguistic evidence suggests that, after living in the Subarctic for thousands of years, Northern Athabascans began migrating to the American Southwest around 1,000 years ago. Anthropologists have proposed that this partial out-migration and several associated in situ behavioral changes were the result of a massive volcanic eruption that decimated regional caribou herds. However, regional populations appear to increase around the time of these changes, a demographic shift that may have led to increased territoriality, resource stress, and specialization. Building on existing syntheses of cultural dynamics in the region, analyses of excavated materials, and landscape data from Alaska and Yukon, this research shows that the Athabascan transition represented a gradual shift toward resource specialization in both salmon and caribou with an overall increase in diet breadth, indicating a behavioral transition that is more consistent with gradual demographic change. Further, this behavioral shift was already in motion at the time of the volcanic eruption circa 1150 cal BP and suggests that the ultimate migration from the area was the result of demographic pressures. In sum, this research elaborates on the complex dynamics of resilience and adaptation in hunter-gatherer groups and provides a testable model for explaining past migrations.
Enclaves of Banditry: Ungoverned Forest Spaces and Cattle Rustling in Northern Nigeria
Authors: Onwuzuruigbo Ifeanyi
Published: July 2020

Parts of northern Nigeria are becoming enclaves of banditry for gangs of cattle rustlers who maraud largely ungoverned forests. Extant studies of banditry shy away from serious interrogation of cattle rustling and ungoverned forest spaces in northern Nigeria. Onwuzuruigbo investigates the connection between cattle rustling and ungoverned forest spaces, highlighting the role of criminal groups in creating their own governance structures. The upswing in cattle rustling may thus be attributed to poor forest governance, which effectively keeps the government and its agents away from forests. Inclusive forest governance is one path toward addressing cattle rustling in northern Nigeria.
Non-monetary intervention to discourage consumption of single-use plastic bags
Authors: CHANDRA GAURI
Published: July 2020

The over-utilization of plastic bags has pushed governments to implement a mix of policy measures ranging from banning the bags altogether to charging a fee for them. However, these policies are often accompanied by unintended consequences. Paying for plastic bags, in particular, may crowd out the negative emotions tied to their harmful impact on the environment, and may be subject to a ‘rebound effect’. In a randomized controlled experiment, I tested four different treatments aimed at nudging or encouraging consumers to carry their own bag to the stores. Specifically, I tested the effects of changing the framing of the question regarding carrier bags at the checkout till in stores using a yes/no response format, in which the yes option corresponds to the desired behaviour. The treatment with the yes/no framing format was found to have as strong and significant an effect as a charge of 5 pence per bag on discouraging single-use plastic bag consumption.
Prospective comparative evaluation of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 1-hour and a 2-hour rapid diagnostic algorithm for myocardial infarction using high-sensitivity troponin-T
Authors: Andruchow James E. , Boyne Timothy , Seiden-Long Isolde , Wang Dongmei , Vatanpour Shabnam , Innes Grant , McRae Andrew D.
Published: July 2020

Objective

Both 1- and 2-hour rapid diagnostic algorithms using high-sensitivity troponin (hs-cTn) have been validated to diagnose acute myocardial infarction (MI), leaving physicians uncertain which algorithm is preferable. The objective of this study was to prospectively evaluate the diagnostic performance of 1- and 2-hour algorithms in clinical practice in a Canadian emergency department (ED).

Methods

ED patients with chest pain had high-sensitivity cardiac troponin-T (hs-cTnT) collected on presentation and 1- and 2-hours later at a single academic centre over a 2-year period. The primary outcome was index MI, and the secondary outcome was 30-day major adverse cardiac events (MACE). All outcomes were adjudicated.

Results

We enrolled 608 patients undergoing serial hs-cTnT sampling. Of these, 350 had a valid 1-hour and 550 had a 2-hour hs-cTnT sample. Index MI and 30-day MACE prevalence was ~12% and 14%. Sensitivity of the 1- and 2-hour algorithms was similar for index MI 97.3% (95% CI: 85.8–99.9%) and 100% (95% CI: 91.6–100%) and 30-day MACE: 80.9% (95% CI: 66.7–90.9%) and 83.3% (95% CI: 73.2–90.8%), respectively. Both algorithms accurately identified about 10% of patients as high risk.

Conclusions

Both algorithms were able to classify almost two-thirds of patients as low risk, effectively ruling out MI and conferring a low risk of 30-day MACE for this group, while reliably identifying high-risk patients. While both algorithms had equivalent diagnostic performance, the 2-hour algorithm offers several practical advantages, which may make it preferable to implement. Broad implementation of similar algorithms across Canada can expedite patient disposition and lead to resource savings.
The Role of Emergency Medical Services in Earthquake Response: Integrating the ABC Approach of Israel’s Magen David Adom
Authors: Jaffe Eli , Skornik Yehuda , Offenbacher Joseph , Alpert Evan Avraham
Published: July 2020

Throughout history, earthquakes have caused devastation and loss of life. Emergency medical services (EMS) plays a vital role in the response to any mass-casualty incident or disaster. Magen David Adom, Israel’s premier EMS organization, has a unique strategy known as the ABC approach to earthquake response. It involves thousands of salaried workers and trained volunteers who are prepared to respond to an earthquake based on the extent of the disaster. Depending on the amount of destruction, they will be working locally or available to help in other areas. A Level A earthquake causes local destruction and minimal casualties. Any EMS responders in that area as well as in surrounding areas will be available to help. Furthermore, all responders will need to work automatically and autonomously. A Level B earthquake causes extensive destruction, and all responders in the region will be busy caring for the victims. Anyone available outside of the region will come and help. A Level C earthquake is completely devastating, and all workers nationwide will be involved in responding to the catastrophe. The role of EMS responders using the ABC approach to earthquake response, as described here, may be integrated in part or whole in other EMS systems.
Information-Seeking and Use of Primary Care Mental Health Services Among Gulf Coast Survivors of Natural Disasters
Authors: Mason Nia F. , Francis Diane B.
Published: July 2020

Objectives:

This study sought to understand factors related to weather-related disaster survivors’ health information and mental health-care–seeking behaviors.

Methods:

In November 2017, we conducted a quantitative survey of 170 Gulf Coast residents who experienced weather-related disasters. The survey assessed how individual and psychosocial factors affect health-care–seeking behavior.

Results:

Nearly 66% of participants reported a high frequency of depression and/or anxiety symptoms, yet only 39% saw a medical professional. Of participants who visited a medical professional, 76% sought information from nonmedical sources. Seeking medical care was strongly correlated with seeking information from nonmedical sources and previous healthcare experiences, but not with fear and stigma.

Conclusions:

Positive communication and strong support systems have the potential to mitigate the reluctance people have in seeking help for mental health problems. Although it is discouraging that few people seek professional care, it is promising that participants were not avoiding care due to fear of being stigmatized. Less opposition to mental health care by survivors offers opportunity for mental health professionals to treat the psychological problems survivors experience. Providing necessary information may make headway to mental health care where it is greatly needed.
The congealing of a new cleavage? The evolution of the demarcation bloc in Europe (1979–2019)
Authors: Emanuele Vincenzo , Marino Bruno , Angelucci Davide
Published: July 2020

Over recent years, a new transnational conflict has been deemed to be structuring political conflict in Europe. Several scholars have posited the emergence of a new ‘demarcation’ vs. ‘integration’ cleavage, pitting the ‘losers’ and ‘winners’ of globalization against each other. This new conflict is allegedly structured along economic (free trade and globalization), cultural (immigration and multiculturalism), and institutional [European Union (EU) integration] dimensions. From an empirical viewpoint, it is still a matter of discussion whether this conflict can be interpreted as a new cleavage, which could replace or complement the traditional ones. In this context, the European Parliament (EP) elections of 2019 represent an ideal case for investigating how far this new cleavage has evolved towards structuring political competition in European party systems. In this paper, by relying on an original dataset and an innovative theoretical and empirical framework based on the study of a cleavage's lifecycle, we test whether a demarcation cleavage is structuring the European political systems. Moreover, we assess the evolution of this cleavage across the 28 EU countries since 1979 and the role it plays within each party system. The paper finds that the demarcation cleavage has emerged in most European countries, mobilizing over time a growing number of voters. In particular, this long-term trend has reached its highest peak in the 2019 EP election. However, although the cleavage has become an important (if not the main) dimension of electoral competition in many countries, it has not reached maturity yet.
The introduction of the glaze in al-Andalus: Technological waves and Oriental influences
Authors: Salinas Elena , Pradell Trinitat
Published: July 2020

This research develops a much-needed approach to the study of glazed ware production in al-Andalus (Muslim Spain and Portugal) during the early Middle Ages. The introduction of glaze to the Iberian Peninsula was a long and complex process involving three waves of technology transfer arriving from the eastern Islamic regions between the ninth and eleventh centuries. In this paper, the main glaze workshops of each technological wave have been characterised in order to understand how the medieval technological transmission took place and how political and economic factors influenced this gradual dissemination.
Institutionalized migrant solidarity in the late Ottoman Empire: Armenian homeland associations (1800s–1920s)
Authors: Cora Yaşar Tolga
Published: July 2020

By focusing on the Armenian homeland associations (hayrenakts‘akank‘) established in Istanbul in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, this article examines the migrants’ activism and their achievements—facilitated by affective bonds based on shared origins. It outlines the Istanbul-based homeland associations’ development chronologically and discusses their cultural and economic goals in their home regions in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The article then focuses on their durability and ability to adapt to the needs of the communities in the series of great political and demographic changes in the late Ottoman Empire from mid-1890s to their reconstruction after the end of World War I. The homeland associations established in the post-genocide period reflect the persistence of local belonging as a basis of solidarity and they fulfilled important functions as information networks and intermediaries between the survivors and the community administration. The article argues that Armenian homeland associations constituted a space in which agency of the migrants and their interaction with broader social and political developments could be observed in the late Ottoman Empire. They were one of the most durable and institutionalized forms of migrant solidarity which render migrants’ agency visible in the historiography of the late Ottoman Empire.
The Macroeconomic Uncertainty Premium in the Corporate Bond Market
Authors: Bali Turan G. , Subrahmanyam Avanidhar , Wen Quan
Published: July 2020

We examine the role of macroeconomic uncertainty in the cross section of corporate bonds and find a significant uncertainty premium for both investment-grade (IG) (0.40% per month) and non-investment-grade (NIG) (0.81% per month) bonds. The economic-uncertainty premium declines as we progressively remove downgraded bonds, indicating that the premium represents an increase in required returns for bonds with higher credit and macroeconomic risk. The economic-uncertainty premia vary across equities and bonds in a manner consistent with the heterogeneous risk-aversion levels of dominant players in equities (retail investors) versus bonds (institutional investors).
Childhood adversity and psychosis: a systematic review of bio-psycho-social mediators and moderators
Authors: Sideli Lucia , Murray Robin M. , Schimmenti Adriano , Corso Mariangela , La Barbera Daniele , Trotta Antonella , Fisher Helen L.
Published: July 2020

The association between childhood adversity (CA) and psychosis has been extensively investigated in recent years. An increasing body of research has also focused on the mediating or moderating role of biological and psychological mechanisms, as well as other risk factors that might account for the link between CA and psychosis. We conducted a systematic search of the PsychINFO, Embase, Ovid, and Web of Science databases for original articles investigating the role of genetic vulnerabilities, environmental factors, psychological and psychopathological mechanisms in the association between CA and psychosis up to August 2019. We included studies with individuals at different stages of the psychosis continuum, from subclinical psychotic experiences to diagnosed disorders. From the 28 944 records identified, a total of 121 studies were included in this review. Only 26% of the studies identified met the criteria for methodological robustness. Overall, the current evidence suggests that CA may be associated with psychosis largely independently of genetic vulnerabilities. More consistent and robust evidence supports interaction between early and recent adversities, as well as the mediating role of attachment and mood symptoms, which is suggestive of an affective pathway between CA and psychosis across the continuum from subclinical experiences to diagnosable disorder. This review highlighted numerous methodological issues with the existing literature, including selection bias, heterogeneity of measurement instruments utilised, and lack of control for potential confounders. Future research should address these limitations to more accurately estimate mediation and moderation effects on the CA-psychosis association to inform the development of preventive interventions.
Familial risk for depressive and anxiety disorders: associations with genetic, clinical, and psychosocial vulnerabilities
Authors: van Sprang Eleonore D. , Maciejewski Dominique F. , Milaneschi Yuri , Elzinga Bernet M. , Beekman Aartjan T. F. , Hartman Catharina A. , van Hemert Albert M. , Penninx Brenda W. J. H.
Published: July 2020

Background

In research and clinical practice, familial risk for depression and anxiety is often constructed as a simple Yes/No dichotomous family history (FH) indicator. However, this measure may not fully capture the liability to these conditions. This study investigated whether a continuous familial loading score (FLS), incorporating family- and disorder-specific characteristics (e.g. family size, prevalence of depression/anxiety), (i) is associated with a polygenic risk score (PRS) for major depression and with clinical/psychosocial vulnerabilities and (ii) still captures variation in clinical/psychosocial vulnerabilities after information on FH has been taken into account.

Methods

Data came from 1425 participants with lifetime depression and/or anxiety from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety. The Family Tree Inventory was used to determine FLS/FH indicators for depression and/or anxiety.

Results

Persons with higher FLS had higher PRS for major depression, more severe depression and anxiety symptoms, higher disease burden, younger age of onset, and more neuroticism, rumination, and childhood trauma. Among these variables, FH was not associated with PRS, severity of symptoms, and neuroticism. After regression out the effect of FH from the FLS, the resulting residualized measure of FLS was still associated with severity of symptoms of depression and anxiety, rumination, and childhood trauma.

Conclusions

Familial risk for depression and anxiety deserves clinical attention due to its associated genetic vulnerability and more unfavorable disease profile, and seems to be better captured by a continuous score that incorporates family- and disorder-specific characteristics than by a dichotomous FH measure.
Depression with atypical neurovegetative symptoms shares genetic predisposition with immuno-metabolic traits and alcohol consumption
Authors: Badini Isabella , Coleman Jonathan R.I. , Hagenaars Saskia P. , Hotopf Matthew , Breen Gerome , Lewis Cathryn M. , Fabbri Chiara
Published: July 2020

Background

Depression is a highly prevalent and heterogeneous disorder. This study aims to determine whether depression with atypical features shows different heritability and different degree of overlap with polygenic risk for psychiatric and immuno-metabolic traits than other depression subgroups.

Methods

Data included 30 069 European ancestry individuals from the UK Biobank who met criteria for lifetime major depression. Participants reporting both weight gain and hypersomnia were classified as ↑WS depression (N = 1854) and the others as non-↑WS depression (N = 28 215). Cases with non-↑WS depression were further classified as ↓WS depression (i.e. weight loss and insomnia; N = 10 142). Polygenic risk scores (PRS) for 22 traits were generated using genome-wide summary statistics (Bonferroni corrected p = 2.1 × 10−4). Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based heritability of depression subgroups was estimated.

Results

↑WS depression had a higher polygenic risk for BMI [OR = 1.20 (1.15–1.26), p = 2.37 × 10−14] and C-reactive protein [OR = 1.11 (1.06–1.17), p = 8.86 × 10−06] v. non-↑WS depression and ↓WS depression. Leptin PRS was close to the significance threshold (p = 2.99 × 10−04), but the effect disappeared when considering GWAS summary statistics of leptin adjusted for BMI. PRS for daily alcohol use was inversely associated with ↑WS depression [OR = 0.88 (0.83–0.93), p = 1.04 × 10−05] v. non-↑WS depression. SNP-based heritability was not significantly different between ↑WS depression and ↓WS depression (14.3% and 12.2%, respectively).

Conclusions

↑WS depression shows evidence of distinct genetic predisposition to immune-metabolic traits and alcohol consumption. These genetic signals suggest that biological targets including immune-cardio-metabolic pathways may be relevant to therapies in individuals with ↑WS depression.
Epidemiological characteristics and spatial−temporal analysis of COVID-19 in Shandong Province, China
Authors: Qi C. , Zhu Y. C. , Li C. Y. , Hu Y. C. , Liu L. L. , Zhang D. D. , Wang X. , She K. L. , Jia Y. , Liu T. X. , Li X. J.
Published: July 2020

The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed serious challenges. It is vitally important to further clarify the epidemiological characteristics of the COVID-19 outbreak for future study and prevention and control measures. Epidemiological characteristics and spatial−temporal analysis were performed based on COVID-19 cases from 21 January 2020 to 1 March 2020 in Shandong Province, and close contacts were traced to construct transmission chains. A total of 758 laboratory-confirmed cases were reported in Shandong. The sex ratio was 1.27: 1 (M: F) and the median age was 42 (interquartile range: 32–55). The high-risk clusters were identified in the central, eastern and southern regions of Shandong from 25 January 2020 to 10 February 2020. We rebuilt 54 transmission chains involving 209 cases, of which 52.2% were family clusters, and three widespread infection chains were elaborated, occurring in Jining, Zaozhuang and Liaocheng, respectively. The geographical and temporal disparity may alert public health agencies to implement specific measures in regions with different risk, and should attach importance on how to avoid household and community transmission.
LAS VASIJAS SILBADORAS DEL PRECLÁSICO EN OAXACA
Authors: Santiago Gonzalo Sanchez
Published: July 2020

Las vasijas silbadoras conforman un tipo especial de instrumento musical característico de las culturas prehispánicas. La singularidad de estos instrumentos radica en la forma de producir sonido a partir de un impulso hidráulico y a través de un mecanismo que no es visible desde el exterior de la vasija. Estos instrumentos aerófonos aparecen en el registro arqueológico de Mesoamérica hacia el preclásico medio, principalmente en regiones como Oaxaca y el área maya, y desaparecen al momento de la Conquista. En este artículo presento datos arqueomusicológicos de las primeras vasijas silbadoras documentadas en Oaxaca. Discuto su mecanismo de funcionamiento, contexto, y algunas consideraciones en torno a la acústica, la iconografía y sus posibles usos.
Caring for adults with CHD in the era of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: early experience in an Italian tertiary centre
Authors: Scognamiglio Giancarlo , Fusco Flavia , Merola Assunta , Palma Michela , Correra Anna , Sarubbi Berardo
Published: July 2020

Background:

Adults with CHD are known to greatly benefit from a prompt access to continuous expert care. On the other hand, coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has determined a dramatic worldwide reconfiguration of the healthcare systems, with rapid redeployment of resources towards this emergency. Italy was the first Western country affected by a large-scale spread of coronavirus disease 2019. The aim of our study is to analyse the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak on in-hospital care of patients with CHD in an Italian tertiary centre.

Methods and results:

We retrospectively reviewed data on CHD hospital admissions in our centre since 1 March, 2020, when the adoption of a strict infection containment policy throughout the country resulted in limited access of patients to routine hospital care and resources reallocation to the care of infected patients. Comparison with data from the previous year was performed in order to identify any relevant differences attributable to the outbreak. Despite cancellation of all elective procedures, the overall number of urgent hospital admission remained stable throughout the period of study. Patients admitted during the pandemic had greater disease complexity (p = 0.001) with longer length of in-hospital stay (p = 0.01). No adverse events or positive swabs were reported among CHD patients who were admitted to hospital or medical personnel caring for these patients.

Conclusion:

Data from our early experience suggest that coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic did not impact significantly on the provision of urgent care to adult patients with CHD.
Energy Resources and Markets – Perspectives on the Russia–Ukraine War
Authors: Johannesson Jokull , Clowes David
Published: July 2020

This article explains the causes of the Russia–Ukraine war starting in 2014 from the energy and energy markets perspective, based on resource dependency theory and the conceptual framework outlined by Jeffrey D. Colgan (2013). Our findings reveal that Russia is critically dependent on revenue from gas exports to Ukraine and the European Union, but also that Ukraine’s energy deposits and pipeline system have the potential to be a direct competitive threat to Russia’s energy exports. This paper argues that this was the underlying reason and main causal pathway leading to Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the subsequent war in eastern Ukraine.