bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Soil priming effect and its responses to nutrient addition along a tropical forest elevation gradient
Authors: Feng Jiguang , Tang Mao , Zhu Biao
Published: March 2021

Priming plays important roles in terrestrial carbon cycling, but the patterns and drivers of priming and its responses to nutrient addition in tropical forests remain unclear. By collecting soils along a tropical forest elevation gradient, we conducted an incubation experiment with 13C‐labeled glucose and nutrient (N and/or P) additions. Results showed that priming effects increased soil organic matter decomposition by 44 ± 12% across elevations, and priming intensity decreased significantly with elevation. Among soil and microbial properties, soil organic carbon (SOC) content and pH were two key factors negatively and positively regulating priming, respectively. Across elevations, the additions of N, P, or both of them (NP) did not significantly change priming. However, the variations in the effects of nutrient (N and/or P) addition on priming significantly correlated with initial soil nutrient (N or P) availability. The intensity for the effects of N addition on priming decreased significantly with initial soil N availability, and that for the effects of P and NP addition on priming decreased with initial soil P availability. Based on these relationships, we proposed a conceptual framework linking stoichiometric decomposition and nutrient mining hypotheses, in which the former dominates in low‐nutrient availability soils and the latter dominates in high‐nutrient availability soils. This conceptual framework can help to explain the contrasting effects of nutrient addition on priming. Collectively, our findings highlight the roles of SOC content and soil pH in regulating priming intensity, and the role of initial soil nutrient availability in regulating the effects of nutrient addition on priming.
Post‐glacial determinants of regional species pools in alpine grasslands
Authors: Jiménez‐Alfaro Borja , Abdulhak Sylvain , Attorre Fabio , Bergamini Ariel , Carranza Maria Laura , Chiarucci Alessandro , Ćušterevska Renata , Dullinger Stefan , Gavilán Rosario G. , Giusso del Galdo Gianpietro , Kuzmanović Nevena , Laiolo Paola , Loidi Javier , Malanson George P. , Marcenó Corrado , Milanović Đorđije , Pansing Elizabeth R. , Roces‐Díaz José V. , Ruprecht Eszter , Šibik Jozef , Stanisci Angela , Testolin Riccardo , Theurillat Jean‐Paul , Vassilev Kiril , Willner Wolfgang , Winkler Manuela
Published: March 2021

Aim

Alpine habitats support unique biodiversity confined to high‐elevation areas in the current interglacial. Plant diversity in these habitats may respond to area, environment, connectivity and isolation, yet these factors have been rarely evaluated in concert. Here we investigate major determinants of regional species pools in alpine grasslands, and the responses of their constituent species groups.

Location

European mountains below 50° N.

Time period

Between 1928 and 2019.

Major taxa studied

Vascular plants.

Methods

We compiled species pools from alpine grasslands in 23 regions, including 794 alpine species and 2,094 non‐alpines. We used species–area relationships to test the influence of the extent of alpine areas on regional richness, and mixed‐effects models to compare the effects of 12 spatial and environmental predictors. Variation in species composition was addressed by generalized dissimilarity models and by a coefficient of dispersal direction to assess historical links among regions.

Results

Pool sizes were partially explained by current alpine areas, but the other predictors largely contributed to regional differences. The number of alpine species was influenced by area, calcareous bedrock, topographic heterogeneity and regional isolation, while non‐alpines responded better to connectivity and climate. Regional dissimilarity of alpine species was explained by isolation and precipitation, but non‐alpines only responded to isolation. Past dispersal routes were correlated with latitude, with alpine species showing stronger connections among regions.

Main conclusions

Besides area effects, edaphic, topographic and spatio‐temporal determinants are important to understand the organization of regional species pools in alpine habitats. The number of alpine species is especially linked to refugia and isolation, but their composition is explained by past dispersal and post‐glacial environmental filtering, while non‐alpines are generally influenced by regional floras. New research on the dynamics of alpine biodiversity should contextualize the determinants of regional species pools and the responses of species with different ecological profiles.
Emerging research methods in environmental displacement and forced migration research
Authors: Ty Miller Jessica , Thai Vu Anvy
Published: March 2021

Environmental displacement can be defined as forced migration occurring entirely or partly from local environmental restructuring. This includes displacement from sudden environmental events, such as storms, earthquakes, and tsunamis, or from long term changes related to the impacts of climate change, development, conservation‐related residential displacement, and environmental gentrification. Over the past decade, investigating the human impacts of displacement has become an emerging focus within displacement research. The idea of displacement is not only difficult to define but challenging to measure, due in part to a multitude of influences environmental factors have on the ability to stay put. Displacement throughout history has occurred from many factors, including social, political, environmental, and economic. Environmentally related displacement is arguably the most unpredictable form of displacement and is increasingly a problem for both the Global North and the Global South. Geographers have not always focused on these issues, although researchers are increasingly exploring this inherently spatial and temporal problem. A more thorough understanding of environmental displacement is possible by exploring available and relevant interdisciplinary research methods and methodologies used for analyses. This review focuses on literature that links both event‐driven and ongoing change‐driven displacement to environmental change to reveal the patterns across several subfields of displacement research and suggest areas for further development.
Outreach marketing may be a successful strategy for NHS libraries
Authors: Clark Hayley
Published: March 2021

This dissertation study investigates the ways that NHS libraries are currently marketing their services within their organisation and was submitted as part of the MA Library and Information Management at the University of

Sheffield in 2019. This paper presents the findings from twelve semi‐structured interviews carried out with NHS library managers in the East of England to identify the most and least successful methods, and in comparison with that which is currently in the general marketing literature. The study found that outreach marketing was the most effective and that librarians are currently conducting marketing to the best of their ability, but they lack time and funding to be able to make the most of their promotional campaigns.

F.J.
TRAUMA DELEGITIMIZED: KARL LÖWITH AND THE COSMIC VIEW OF HISTORY
Authors: RIEBELING ZACHARY
Published: March 2021

This article uncovers the work of trauma in Karl Löwith's historical thought. Although best known for his critique of the philosophy of history and for the conception of secularization in his 1949 book, Meaning in History, Löwith deepened his positive historical vision in several essays that he wrote in the 1950s and 1960s. From these texts emerges a unique historical orientation, which I call the “cosmic view of history.” This perspective was at once a critique of modern historical consciousness and an embodied corrective to that consciousness, one in which the catastrophes of the twentieth century were relativized and made endurable. In both the origin and structure of this historical orientation and in its textual expression in Löwith's work, trauma is a residual force that links Löwith's language, his experiences, and the postwar context. The role of trauma in Löwith's thought further reveals a process of delegitimization in which historical consciousness and historical events lose their power to determine historical meaning, thus enabling a response to and an escape from catastrophe. This article also explores the significance of this cosmic view of history for contemporary theoretical concerns related to the Anthropocene and its consequences for historical theory.
5. CONTROVERSIAL CHRONOLOGIES: THE TEMPORAL DEMARCATION OF HISTORIC EVENTS
Authors: KARLA ANNA
Published: March 2021

In everyday language and in historiography, influential events are commonly described as “historic” but are rarely defined from a theoretical standpoint. Discussing temporal demarcations of events by scholars—in particular William H. Sewell Jr.'s foundational study of the Storming of the Bastille—this article considers the contemporary urge to define the event's temporal boundaries to better evaluate the alleged importance of certain events in history. Rather than perpetuating the constructivist idea that any event possesses a fundamentally interpretable character, it crafts a theoretical definition of the historic event that distinguishes between its flexible fringes and its rather stable core. Fixing an event as an anchor point on the timeline of history is thus presented as a process that provokes political, social, and—last but not least—financial controversies. As this article shows with examples from the history of revolutions reaching from the late eighteenth century to the early twenty‐first century, such epoch‐making events are essentially shaped by their flexible beginning and ending points. Although the cores of these events remain strikingly stable, their temporal fringes become objects of highly controversial discussions.
A causal model of thriving at work in Chinese nurses
Authors: Zhu X. , Kunaviktikul W. , Sirakamon S. , Abhicharttibutra K. , Turale S.
Published: March 2021

Aim

To develop and test the first causal model of thriving at work in Chinese nurses.

Background

Nurses’ ability to thrive at their work is critical to retain qualified nurses and meet the needs of a constantly changing health environment. However, this is a poorly researched area.

Introduction

Thriving at work refers to the feeling of vitality and learning at work, which are evidenced to be solidly associated with nurses' development. Only a few factors have been explored regarding the effects of thriving at work.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was undertaken using stratified random sampling. This involved 565 nurses from five general hospitals in Dali city, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China. Data were collected from April to September 2019 using seven instruments. The model was constructed and tested using the Analysis of Moment Structure program and reported using the STROBE checklist.

Results

All model variables provided direct and indirect effects to the outcome. The final model fitted the empirical data with acceptable indices.

Discussion

Predicting variables of workplace mindfulness, authentic leadership, workplace violence, organizational justice and years of experience were found to affect thriving at work directly and indirectly. Psychological capital and perceived organizational support mediated the effects between predicting variables to the outcome.

Conclusion and Implications for nursing and health policy

Recommendations for nursing and health leaders are provided to improve nurses’ thriving at work by building fair, supportive, and safe working environments, improving head nurses’ authentic leadership and cultivating nurses’ mindfulness. Policies need to be promulgated to improve and regulate the nurse–patient ratio and to eliminate violence against Chinese nurses.
On the quest for supply chain transparency through Blockchain: Lessons learned from two serialized data projects
Authors: Rao Shashank , Gulley Allan , Russell Matthew , Patton Justin
Published: March 2021

The ability to look into the supply chain has long enticed SCM scholars and practitioners. The possibilities created by such visibility are endless—from risk reduction and continuity planning to inventory management and cost reduction, nothing is off the table when end‐to‐end visibility is a possibility. Because of such enticements, there is usually much buzz in the industry every time a new technology that promises visibility and transparency is brought forward. Yet, years later, stories sometimes emerge that said technologies either failed to deliver or were not everything they were made out to be. Blockchain is yet another emerging technology in this space. Some consultants promise that it will be the final answer to the transparency and visibility woes that companies currently face. Yet, there is little empirical investigation regarding how the technology may benefit adopters, what the bottlenecks may be, and to what extent it may be able to deliver on these promises, without massive system‐wide upgrades of extant hardware and computing prowess. The current study takes a step in this direction by investigating a blockchain‐driven proof of concept across an industry consortium to identify promises, possibilities, and challenges of blockchain.
Analysis of T‐cell receptor repertoire in peripheral blood of patients with pancreatic cancer and other pancreatic diseases
Authors: Wang Hui , Yuan Yue , Lu Chenglin , Zhou Siqi , Zhang Yixuan , Zhao Jing , Xu Chenghu , Yang Jie , Su Haochen , Li Borui , Li Xihan , Wang Pin , Xu Guifang , Wang Lei , Zou Xiaoping , Bao Shanhua , Zhang Shu , Lv Ying
Published: March 2021

Pancreatic cancer (PC) has been the fourth cancer‐related death worldwide, diagnosed at an unresectable stage due to its rapid progression and few symptoms of this disease at early stages. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the diversity of T‐cell receptor (TCR) repertoire and clinicopathological characteristics of patients with PC and other benign pancreatic diseases. In order to make a comprehensive analysis the TCR repertoire, high‐throughput sequencing was used to differentiate complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3) of the TCR β chain in peripheral blood samples from 3 PC, 3 chronic pancreatitis, 3 pancreatic cystic lesions and 3 pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour patients. We found that there were significant differences related to TCR repertoire between PC and other pancreatic diseases, and PC is a relatively immunosuppressive tumour. Changes of peripheral TCR repertoire may be used to predict the progression of PC and the response to immunotherapy. And there may exist novel‐specific antigens in PC patients which could be used to design targeting immunotherapy in the nearly future.
Environmental fluctuations dampen the effects of clonal reproduction on evolutionary rescue
Authors: Peniston James H. , Barfield Michael , Holt Robert D. , Orive Maria E.
Published: March 2021

Evolutionary rescue occurs when genetic change allows a population to persist in response to an environmental change that would otherwise have led to extinction. Most studies of evolutionary rescue assume that species have either fully clonal or fully sexual reproduction; however, many species have partially clonal reproductive strategies in which they reproduce both clonally and sexually. Furthermore, the few evolutionary rescue studies that have evaluated partially clonal reproduction did not consider fluctuations in the environment, which are nearly ubiquitous in nature. Here, we use individual‐based simulations to investigate how environmental fluctuations (either uncorrelated or positively autocorrelated) influence the effect of clonality on evolutionary rescue. We show that, for moderate magnitudes of environmental fluctuations, as was found in the absence of fluctuations, increasing the degree of clonality increases the probability of population persistence in response to an abrupt environmental change, but decreases persistence in response to a continuous, directional environmental change. However, with large magnitudes of fluctuations, both the benefits of clonality following a step change and the detrimental effects of clonality following a continuous, directional change are generally reduced; in fact, in the latter scenario, increasing clonality can even become beneficial if environmental fluctuations are autocorrelated. We also show that increased generational overlap dampens the effects of environmental fluctuations. Overall, we demonstrate that understanding the evolutionary rescue of partially clonal organisms requires not only knowledge of the species life history and the type of environmental change, but also an understanding of the magnitude and autocorrelation of environmental fluctuations.
Hydrophilic modification of poly(ether)sulfone membrane by atmospheric pressure argon jet plasma: pH dependence of ultrafiltration performance and cleaning efficiency
Authors: Damar Irem , Gulec Haci Ali
Published: March 2021

The studies focused on plasma surface modification of poly(ether)sulfone (PES) ultrafiltration (UF) membrane show its potent effect on antifouling propensity but there are few data on the pH dependence of superior surface character achieved. This study examined UF performance and cleaning efficiency of atmospheric pressure argon jet plasma (AP‐AJP) modified PES membrane in whey concentration at various operation pH compared to the plain membrane (UP020). The highest initial permeate flux for the UP020 at pH of 6.4 increased the cake layer formation and the irreversible fouling resistance. The plasma action led to greater intrinsic membrane resistance causing low water permeability compared with the UP020. This effect reduced cake layer resistance despite the fact that the irreversible fouling was more severe at all operation pH. The increase in pH caused to decrease in contribution of fouling to total resistance. For the UP020, the shift in operation pH from acidic point to neutral reduced the recovery in hydraulic permeability after chemical cleaning. The plasma action induced greater cleaning efficiency, which is the most obvious at pH of 6.4. The overall results showed that the AP‐AJP may have the potential to maintain profit‐making UF process in whey concentration at broad range of pH.

Practical Applications

In the industrial point of view, cost friendly, and sustainable operation in valorization of whey can be achieved by fouling resistant membranes. Atmospheric pressure argon jet plasma provides extremely hydrophilic character to poly(ether)sulfone membrane. The plasma action decreases fouling resistance and especially cake layer formation. This effect broadens the operating pH of whey without any pre‐adjustment and results in easy to clean membrane surfaces.
Diarrhea in tube‐fed hospitalized patients: Feeding formula is not the most common cause
Authors: Sripongpun Pimsiri , Lertpipopmetha Korn , Chamroonkul Naichaya , Kongkamol Chanon
Published: March 2021

Background and Aim

Clostridium difficile‐associated diarrhea (CDAD) and enteral nutrition (EN)‐associated diarrhea are the most common recognized etiologies of nosocomial diarrhea. However, in clinical practice, the data regarding how each etiology contributes to the diarrheal episodes are limited. We identify the causes and factors associated with post‐feeding diarrhea.

Methods

Using the data of patients enrolled in “Effect of Psyllium Fiber Supplementation on Diarrhea Incidence in Enteral Tube‐Fed Patients: A Prospective, Randomized, and Controlled Trial”, the randomized controlled trial showed no difference in diarrheal incidences between fiber‐added and fiber‐free formulas. Hence, we analyzed the data of all enrolled patients. The causes of diarrhea were classified according to pre‐specified definitions. The factors associated with diarrhea were analyzed using logistic regression.

Results

Diarrhea was found in 37.3% (n = 31/83). The most common cause was medication associated (61.3%). CDAD and EN‐associated diarrhea were found in only 9.7% and 6.5%, respectively. Patients with baseline albumin <3 g/dL and underlying cerebrovascular disease were more likely to develop diarrhea (adjusted odds ratio 5.70, 95% confidence interval 1.79–20.51, and adjusted odds ratio 10.83, 95% confidence interval 2.96–48.57, respectively). Compared with those without diarrhea, the length of hospital stay in CDAD patients was significantly longer (+23.1 days, P = 0.02), a trend of longer hospital stay in patients with diarrhea from other causes was observed (+3.2 days, P = 0.096).

Conclusions

Our study found that the most common cause of post‐feeding diarrhea is medication associated. Review and cessation of possible drugs should be undertaken before EN modification. CDAD accounts for <10% of diarrhea causes, but it impacts the clinical outcome and should be identified and treated properly.
Platelet‐rich plasma with low dose oral minoxidil (1.25mg versus 2.5mg) along with trichoscopic pre‐ and post‐treatment evaluation
Authors: Jha Abhijeet Kumar , Zeeshan Md , Singh Anupama , Roy Prasoon Kumar
Published: March 2021

Background

Low dose (<5 mg) oral minoxidil (OM) seems a promising option for male androgenetic alopecia (MAGA).

Aim

To evaluate the role of oral minoxidil 1.25 mg versus oral minoxidil 2.5 mg along with platelet‐rich plasma in MAGA.

Methods

Group A consisted of forty‐seven patients which included patients on OM 1.25 mg daily and platelet‐rich plasma therapy, and Group B consisted of 48 patients on OM 2.5 mg daily and platelet‐rich plasma therapy. Photographs were taken before and after treatment along with trichoscopic evaluation. Selection of the dermoscopic variables was based on the published literature.

Results

At 24 weeks, marked improvement on Global clinical photography (GCP) were seen in 19/47 (40.4%) in Group A and 28/48 (58.3%) patients in Group B with p value of 0.058. The total increase in total hair/cm2 was around 24 and 36 in group A and B, respectively, with p > 0.05. The percentage increase in mean total hair count/cm2 after 6 month of treatment was 15.41% in group A and 22.15% in group B, but they were not statistically significant. The patient satisfaction score on a Likert scale between both group were statistically significant,with Group B patients having a better satisfaction score.

Conclusion

This is a pilot study where OM along with PRP at different dosage (1.25mg vs 2.5mg) has been compared, low dose OM with PRP can be used in patients who are apprehensive of taking finasteride or dutasteride and are less responsive to topical minoxidil alone.
New Feeding Assessment Scale for individuals with genetic syndromes: Validity and reliability in the CHARGE syndrome population
Authors: Hudson Alexandra S , Stratton‐Gadke Kasee , Hatchette Jill , Blake Kim D
Published: March 2021

Aim

To develop a feeding scale for parents/care givers of individuals of all ages with genetic syndromes experiencing extensive feeding and swallowing problems. Second, to assess its validity and reliability in CHARGE syndrome.

Methods

The new Feeding Assessment Scale (FAS) was adapted from a scale for children who need prolonged tube feeding (Paediatric Assessment Scale for Severe Feeding Problems, PASSFP). Ten parents piloted the new scale before it was sent out with the PASSFP and feeding history questions. A subset completed the new scale again 4–8 weeks later.

Results

One hundred parents of individuals with CHARGE syndrome participated from around the world. The new scale had good construct validity, with a significant effect for an increased number of feeding risk factors having higher scale scores (P < 0.001). Face validity was high, as scores significantly differed between individuals whose parents identified their feeding difficulties as very mild, mild, moderate, severe and very severe (P < 0.001). Test–retest reliability (r = 0.94, P < 0.001) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.91) were both high. There was significant convergent validity between the new scale and the PASSFP (r = −0.79, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

This new tool is reliable and valid for parents/care givers of individuals with CHARGE syndrome. It can be used to assess the current severity of feeding difficulties and to track progress before and after treatment. It expands upon previous existing tools in that it can be used in both individuals who are not tube fed, as well as in those who are, as well as across the life‐span.
Zero‐intelligence versus human agents: An experimental analysis of the efficiency of Double Auctions and Over‐the‐Counter markets of varying sizes
Authors: Attanasi Giuseppe , Centorrino Samuele , Manzoni Elena
Published: March 2021

We study two well‐known electronic markets: an over‐the‐counter (OTC) market, in which each trader looks for the best counterpart through bilateral negotiations, and a double auction (DA) market, in which traders post their quotes publicly. We focus on the DA–OTC efficiency gap and show how it varies with different market sizes (10, 20, 40, and 80 traders). We compare experimental results from a sample of 6400 undergraduate students in Economics and Management with zero‐intelligence agent‐based simulations. Simulation results show that the traded quantity increases with market size under both DA and OTC. Experimental results confirm the same tendency under DA, while the share of periods in which the traded quantity is lower than the efficient one increases with market size under OTC, ultimately leading to a DA–OTC efficiency gap increasing with the market size. We rationalize these results by putting forward a simple model of OTC market as a repeated bargaining procedure under incomplete information on buyers' valuations and sellers' costs. We show that efficiency decreases slightly with size due to two counteracting effects: acceptance rates in earlier interactions decrease with size, and earlier offers increase, but not always enough to compensate for the decrease in acceptance rates.
The frequency and related factors of non‐tuberculosis mycobacteria infections among patients with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Ademhan Tural Dilber , Emiralioglu Nagehan , Ozsezen Beste , Saribas Zeynep , Ozcan Nursun , Alp Alpaslan , Sunman Birce , Hizal Mina , Eryilmaz Polat Sanem , Yalcin Ebru , Dogru Deniz , Ozcelik Ugur , Kiper Nural
Published: March 2021

Background

Non‐tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) can cause chronic lung infection particularly in patients who have structural lung disease such as cystic fibrosis (CF). We evaluated the incidence and management of NTM infections in patients with CF in our center.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was carried out on CF patients having at least one positive NTM isolate between 2012 and 2020.

Results

Ten patients (2.1%) had at least one positive NTM culture from respiratory samples. All of them were vaccinated with Bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine, which is in the national vaccination program in our country. Eight patients had the Mycobacterium abscessus complex, one had Mycobacterium avium, and one had Mycobacterium szulgai growth in their respiratory samples. Three patients had transient NTM infection, two had persistent, and five had active NTM infection (NTM pulmonary disease). Patients with NTM pulmonary disease received antibiogram‐directed antimycobacterial therapy. In patients with NTM pulmonary disease, the median ppFEV1 and BMI decreased by 17% and 1%, respectively, at the time of the first NTM isolation when compared with the values one year before the first NTM isolation. Culture conversion was not seen in any patient infected with Mycobacteriunm abscessus complex.

Conclusions

The NTM infection incidence is lower in our country than in those countries where the BCG vaccine is not routinely applied. The BCG vaccine may be a protective factor for NTM infection. Further studies are needed about the prevalence of NTM infections, facilitating and protective factors, and appropriate management of NTM infections in patients with CF.
From pre‐activation to pre‐updating: A threshold mechanism for commitment to strong predictions
Authors: Ness Tal , Meltzer‐Asscher Aya
Published: March 2021

Ample evidence suggests that during sentence processing comprehenders can “pre‐activate” lexical/semantic knowledge stored in long‐term memory. A relatively recent development suggests that in some cases a stronger form of prediction is employed, involving “pre‐updating” the predicted content into the sentence's representation being built in working memory. The current study argues for an activation threshold mechanism by which pre‐updating is initiated, within the routine processing stages of a word in a context. By combining a speeded cloze task with event‐related potentials, we were able to analyze electrophysiological data measured prior to when participants were prompted to produce a completion, based on the participant's cloze response, reflecting their strongest prediction at that specific moment in time. A P600 effect reflecting pre‐updating was observed in high (relative to low) constraint sentences, even in trials where the participant predicted a low cloze word. The results support a mechanism in which multiple predictions accumulate activations, “racing” toward a retrieval threshold. Once the activation level of a certain word passes the threshold, the word is integrated into the sentence representation in working memory. Pre‐updating occurs if a certain prediction passes the retrieval threshold prior to its realization in the input.
Dental experiences of a group of autistic adults based in the United Kingdom
Authors: McMillion Audrey , Van Herwegen Jo , Johnson Adele , Monteiro Joana , Cronin Aaron J. , Remington Anna
Published: March 2021

Aims

Previous international research has shown that autistic people have difficulty accessing dental care due to sensory processing, anxiety and communication issues. However, it is not known whether autistic adults in the United Kingdom are experiencing similar dental care barriers. The current study investigated autistic adults’ dental experiences in the United Kingdom.

Methods and results

A mixed methods survey was given to self‐selecting autistic (n = 37) and non‐autistic adults (n = 43) to compare whether autistic individuals had more negative experiences than non‐autistic individuals. Closed questions asked about anxiety, patient‐practitioner communication, satisfaction and the dental environment. Open questions asked about autism‐specific dental challenges, what works well at the dentist, and improving autistic individuals’ experiences. Responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. Overall, results demonstrated that autistic adults in the United Kingdom have more negative dental experiences than non‐autistic adults. These predominantly related to interactions with dental practitioners, a challenging sensory environment, anxiety, pain, and disclosure. Participants recommended sensory environment adaptations, ways to increase preparedness, longer appointments, and individual accommodations.

Conclusion

This study offers best‐practice strategies for working with autistic patients and highlights the importance of dentists working with autistic individuals to maximize the quality of care and outcomes for this underserved population.
Mother needs a bigger “helper”: A critique of “wine mom” discourse as conformity to hegemonic intensive motherhood
Authors: Newman Harmony , Nelson Kyle Anne
Published: March 2021

“Wine mom” discourse encourages American women to self‐deprecatingly bond over the stressors of parenting and touts alcohol use as necessary means for coping and escapism. Before the added stress of the COVID‐19 pandemic, whereby alcohol sales and consumption increased in the United States, rates of heavy drinking and alcohol‐related illnesses among US women have been steadily increasing. Exceeding the clinical markers of responsible alcohol use, “wine mom” discourse normalizes an inextricable link between alcohol misuse and expectations of (White, middle‐class) motherhood. Online communities and businesses emphasize “wine mom” discourse for self‐acceptance and bonding in response to the impossible demands of hegemonic motherhood. In this critique of “wine mom” discourse, we argue that although alcohol consumption is commonly touted as self‐care, this messaging operates in toxic ways that harms women and reinforces patriarchy. Applying Merton's strain theory, we argue that “wine mom” trends and related discourse encompass a harmful form of conformity, if not false resistance, to the strain of flawed cultural goals and lacking institutionalized supports for American mothers. We call for true rebellion, emphasizing positive discourse as well as structural changes and policy reforms to dismantle patriarchal barriers and hegemonic motherhood constraints to better support American families.
A retrospective multicenter study on the use of locking compression plates for scapulohumeral arthrodesis in small equids
Authors: Somm Fabienne , Suárez Sánchez‐Andrade José , Martens Ann , Zedler Steven T. , Klopfenstein Micael D. , Boswell Jane C. , Bladon Bruce M. , Lischer Christoph J. , Richardson Dean W. , Auer Jörg A. , Fürst Anton E. , Kümmerle Jan M.
Published: March 2021

Objective

To report on technical aspects and outcomes after scapulohumeral arthrodesis (SHA) with a locking compression plate (LCP) in small equids.

Study Design

Retrospective multicenter case series.

Animals

Client‐owned Shetland Ponies, Miniature Shetlands, and American Miniature Horses (n = 15).

Methods

Inclusion criteria were completed SHA with an LCP to treat scapulohumeral osteoarthritis/subluxation and availability of postoperative radiographs. Contributing surgeons completed a questionnaire to collect data. All radiographs were reviewed for this study. Follow‐up information was obtained via re‐admission to the hospital or telephone interview of the referring veterinarian or owner. Outcome was subjectively scored as excellent, good, moderate, or poor based on lameness and function.

Results

Sixteen SHAs were performed in 15 equids (body weight 65–145 kg) by nine different surgeons. A narrow 4.5/5.0 mm LCP (7–16 holes) was used in 14 of the 16 SHAs. Follow‐up was collected 2.5 years after surgery (median; range: 9 weeks to 10 years). Major complications related to the SHAs were noted in 4 of the 13 horses alive long term, consisting of implant failure (n = 1), surgical site infection (n = 2), and scapular fracture (n = 1). The outcome was graded as excellent in 4, good in 5, and moderate in 4 horses. Two ponies were euthanized because scapulohumeral osteoarthritis and subluxation developed in the contralateral limb.

Conclusion

Although major complications occurred in about one‐third of ponies, SHA with LCP led to long‐term survival with good function in most ponies.

Clinical Significance

SHA with an LCP offers a high chance for good long‐term outcome in small equids although contralateral disease may affect outcome.
Measurement of Dynamic Stress and Strain in Tensile Test Specimens
Authors: Fehr R. O. , Parker E. R. , DeMicheal D. J.
Published: March 2021

In the investigation detailed in this paper, the tensile strength, the yield strength, and the breakage energy of test specimens (cold-rolled steel and dural) were measured while the specimens were being broken by a force applied at a high rate of speed in a commercial high-velocity impact-testing machine. The dynamic tensile strength, the dynamic yield strength and the dynamic breakage energy were found to be higher than the static values up to the maximum impact velocities of these tests (100 fps). The paper contains: (1) A presentation of some results of these tests. (2) A description of the technique used. (3) A description of the analysis used.
Nozzles for Supersonic Flow Without Shock Fronts
Authors: Shapiro Ascher H.
Published: March 2021

Flow patterns for compressible fluids at supersonic velocities are discussed, and it is shown that shock fronts form when neighboring Mach lines (envelopes of wave fronts originating from point disturbances) intersect. A criterion for divergence of Mach lines is developed for cases in which the passage is symmetrical in two or three dimensions and has a straight axis. This criterion is used as the basis for designing supersonic nozzles and diffusers. The analysis indicates that only a nozzle of infinite length can discharge a parallel stream into a tube of constant cross section without the formation of shock fronts. Methods are presented for designing nozzles of finite length, with the intensity of shock fronts reduced to as small a value as possible, and it is shown that nozzles of reasonable length may be designed so that shock fronts are insignificant. Experimental observations indicate that the proposed method of nozzle design is a practical one. With regard to supersonic diffusers having a straight axis, it is shown that shock fronts cannot be avoided, even though the diffuser is of infinite length. However, the methods of this paper may be used as an aid in determining the best diffuser design.
Theory of Wire Drawing
Authors: Davis E. A. , Dokos S. J.
Published: March 2021

A theory of wire drawing is presented in which the force required to produce plastic deformation of a wire passing through a die may be determined. The calculations are based upon information obtained from an ordinary tension test of the material to be drawn. Unlike previous mathematical treatments where the metals were assumed to be ideally plastic, the strain-hardening of the wire being drawn is considered.
Influence of Rate of Strain and Temperature on Yield Stresses of Mild Steel
Authors: Manjoine M. J.
Published: March 2021

This paper describes the influence of rate of strain and temperature on the yield stresses of mild steel. Tensile tests are reported for room temperature, 200, 400, and 600 C, at rates of strain which vary from 10−8 to 103 per sec. The results of these tensile tests are plotted to show more clearly the effects of strain-aging on the yield stresses and ultimate stress. The comparison of the yield stress at various strain rates permits an analysis of the influence of strain. The conditions necessary for discontinuous yielding are described and compared with test experiences.
An Analytical Theory of Landing-Shock Effects on an Airplane Considered as an Elastic Body
Authors: Keller E. G.
Published: March 2021

An analytical method of determining the accelerations at any point P (x, y, z) of an airplane during landing is given. The method is applicable to any type airplane with either tricycle or conventional landing gear. The shock-strut forces are determined by a method previously published. A criterion for the mechanism of a broken spar is sought. Calculations are carried out for no particular airplane, but representative values of parameters for four-engined transports are employed.
Elastic Wave Propagation in Strongly Nonlinear Lattices and Its Active Control
Authors: Song Mitao , Zhu Weidong
Published: March 2021

This work studies elastic wave propagation in strongly nonlinear periodic systems and its active control with specific attention to an infinite mass-in-mass lattice. Piezoelectric materials are applied to it to provide active control loads to manipulate band structures of the lattice. Governing equations of the active mass-in-mass lattice with cubic nonlinearities are established. The control loads are modeled by using linear piezoelectric springs. Due to phase differences among vibrations of different cells during wave propagation, a series of delay functions with different delays are used to represent the steady-state of a traveling wave. The incremental harmonic balance method for delay dynamic systems is employed in this case to calculate periodic solutions of the lattice. The fast Fourier transform is employed to construct the Jacobian matrix of the Newton–Raphson iteration to avoid a large number of Galerkin integrations, and thus, the efficiency is significantly improved. Amplitude-dependent dispersion curves are calculated using results of the linearized system as an initial guess for the iteration. The results are compared with existing results in the literature, which demonstrates that the present method is efficient for wave propagation analysis of strongly nonlinear structures. Effects of nonlinearities, the mass ratio, and different control actions on band structures of the mass-in-mass lattice are investigated through a comprehensive parametric study. Numerical results show that the band structures can be influenced by nonlinearities of the lattice. New stopbands and critical wave numbers can be created by the control actions.
Vision-Based Uncertainty-Aware Lane Keeping Strategy Using Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Kim Myounghoe , Seo Joohwan , Lee Mingoo , Choi Jongeun
Published: March 2021

Recent deep learning techniques promise high hopes for self-driving cars while there are still many issues to be addressed such as uncertainties (e.g., extreme weather conditions) in learned models. In this work, for the uncertainty-aware lane keeping, we first propose a convolutional mixture density network (CMDN) model that estimates the lateral position error, the yaw angle error, and their corresponding uncertainties from the camera vision. We then establish a vision-based uncertainty-aware lane keeping strategy in which a high-level reinforcement learning policy hierarchically modulates the reference longitudinal speed as well as the low-level lateral control. Finally, we evaluate the robustness of our strategy against the uncertainties of the learned CMDN model coming from unseen or noisy situations, as compared to the conventional lane keeping strategy without taking into account such uncertainties. Our uncertainty-aware strategy outperformed the conventional lane keeping strategy, without a lane departure in our test scenario during high-uncertainty periods with random occurrences of fog and rain situations on the road. The successfully trained deep reinforcement learning agent slows down the vehicle speed and tries to minimize the lateral error during high uncertainty situations similarly to what human drivers would do in such situations.
Optimized Design of Multi-Material Cellular Structures by a Level-Set Method With Guyan Reduction
Authors: Chung Hayoung , Du Zongliang
Published: March 2021

Owing to their tailorable physical properties, periodic cellular structures are considered promising materials for use in various engineering applications. To fully leverage the potential of such structures, it will be necessary to develop a design method that is capable of producing material layouts that are not only intricate but at the same time, readily manufacturable. This paper presents a topology optimization framework for designing well-connected and exact-sized multi-material cellular structures that are to be subjected to temperature change. In this framework, multi-material layouts within designable unit cells are represented using level-set functions and corresponding Boolean operations. The connectivity between exact-sized cells, advantageous in realizing the optimal designs, is guaranteed because of a common length scale assumed between these unit cells and the macrostructure. Increase in the number of degree-of-freedoms and concomitant storage requirements are minimized by applying the Guyan reduction method, in which the secondary degree-of-freedom is condensed out to reduce the size of the discretized model. The design capabilities of the proposed method were investigated using several numerical models. The optimized material layouts show that the presented method can create innovative designs facilitating the thermal expansion to improve the performance and enhance overall layouts’ stiffness in different ways, especially when the design is constituted of multiple materials.
A remarkable new species of Hungarobelbidae (Acari: Oribatida) exhibiting characteristic features of two genera, with notes on its systematic relationships

Authors: Bayartogtokh Badamdorj , Ermilov Sergey G.
Published: March 2021

The oribatid mite family Hungarobelbidae is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere, but has been represented by only two genera and eight known species. Herein, we propose a remarkable new species, Hungarobelba nortonroyi sp. nov. based on adults from western USA, exhibiting curious mixtures of character states of both genera of this family, Costeremus and Hungarobelba. Based on available data, we assess current views of the family-level classification of Costeremus rejecting its placement in Damaeolidae, and a close relationship is suggested between Costeremus and Hungarobelba. Also, recent transfer of the damaeid genus Tokukobelba to Hungarobelbidae is reversed, as there are no synapomorphies linking the latter two taxa. Furthermore, a brief note on habitat ecology and biogeography of hitherto know species is given, and a key for the identification of adults of the known genera and species of Hungarobelbidae in the world, is provided.
Mechanism for growth initiation on aminosilane-functionalized SiO2 during area-selective atomic layer deposition of ZrO2
Authors: Xu Wanxing , Lemaire Paul C. , Sharma Kashish , Gasvoda Ryan J. , Hausmann Dennis M. , Agarwal Sumit
Published: March 2021

The mechanism for growth initiation on the nongrowth surface during area-selective atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes is not well understood. In this study, we examine the ALD of ZrO2 on a SiO2 surface functionalized with alkylated-aminosilane inhibitors delivered from the vapor phase. ZrO2 films were deposited by ALD using tetrakis(ethylmethylamino)zirconium(IV) with H2O as the coreactant. In situ surface infrared spectroscopy shows that aminosilane inhibitors react with almost all the surface —SiOH groups on the SiO2 surface by forming Si—O—Si bonds. In situ four-wavelength ellipsometry shows that no ZrO2 growth occurs on the functionalized SiO2 during the first few ALD cycles, but growth eventually initiates after a few ALD cycles. We speculate that after repeated exposure of the functionalized SiO2 surface to Zr precursors, in the absence of surface —SiOH groups, growth initiates due to either reaction of the precursors with strained Si—O—Si bonds or through a strongly physisorbed state. These reaction pathways are usually not relevant in ALD reactions on the unprotected —SiOH-terminated SiO2 surface due to a higher activation energy barrier, but become relevant on the passivated surface as a result of repeated precursor exposure. Thus, this study highlights the importance of steric blocking of these higher activation energy barrier reaction pathways.
Epitaxial growth of highly textured ZnO thin films on Si using an AlN buffer layer by atomic layer deposition
Authors: Kolhep Maximilian , Sun Cheng , Bläsing Jürgen , Christian Björn , Zacharias Margit
Published: March 2021

Highly textured ZnO thin films were successfully grown on Si(111) by atomic layer deposition using an epitaxial AlN buffer layer at deposition temperatures between 100 and 300 °C. X-ray diffraction analysis proves an epitaxial relationship of ZnO[0001]//AlN[0001] and ZnO[112¯0]//AlN[112¯0]. Omega scans of the (0002) and (101¯0) reflections of ZnO demonstrate an improving crystalline quality for increasing deposition temperatures. An additional thermal postannealing step at 800 °C is found to be beneficial to further improve the crystal structure.