bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Difference of shortening strain for the crustal deformation model in the eastern and western Qaidam Basin and their implications, northern Tibetan Plateau, China
Authors: Li Chaoyang , Jiang Xiaodian , Gong Wei
Published: September 2021

To recognize the differences in the west–east crustal deformation model of the Qaidam Basin, we presented the shortening amount of each fold and fault along 12 sections. According to the eastward weakening trend of shortening strain in the southwestern part of the basin and the non‐continuous trend in the northeastern part of the basin, the Qaidam Basin can be divided by a new line into the western Qaidam Basin (WQB) and the eastern Qaidam Basin (EQB). The WQB is characterized by a maximum shortening strain of 25%, transpressional structures, and crust–mantle decoupling, which is possibly weakened by the eastward extension of the crust–mantle mix zone caused by upwelling material along the Altyn Tagh Fault (ATF). In contrast, the EQB is characterized by a minimum shortening strain of 2%, pure thrust boundary faults, and gentle folds, which is defined as a rigid craton basin. The crust–mantle mix zone beneath ATF and the low‐velocity zone beneath the eastern Kunlun Shan show the limited impact of the lithospheric weakening on the EQB. The Miocene reorganization of the ATF is the key tectonic event that accounts for the differences in the east–west crustal deformation model of the Qaidam Basin, as it weakened the lithosphere and facilitated the transpressional structures of the WQB. The WQB was originally a rigid craton basin like the EQB, but it became a destabilized craton after the a forementioned tectonic event.
Oncogenic Activity of Solute Carrier Family 45 Member 2 and Alpha‐Methylacyl‐Coenzyme A Racemase Gene Fusion Is Mediated by Mitogen‐Activated Protein Kinase
Authors: Zuo Ze‐Hua , Yu Yan‐Ping , Ren Bao‐Guo , Liu Silvia , Nelson Joel , Wang Zhou , Tao Junyan , Pradhan‐Sundd Tirthadipa , Bhargava Rohit , Michalopoulos George , Chen Qi , Zhang Jun , Ma Deqin , Pennathur Arjun , Luketich James , Satdarshan Monga Paul , Nalesnik Michael , Luo Jian‐Hua
Published: September 2021

Chromosome rearrangement is one of the hallmarks of human malignancies. Gene fusion is one of the consequences of chromosome rearrangements. In this report, we show that gene fusion between solute carrier family 45 member 2 (SLC45A2) and alpha‐methylacyl‐coenzyme A racemase (AMACR) occurs in eight different types of human malignancies, with frequencies ranging from 45% to 97%. The chimeric protein is translocated to the lysosomal membrane and activates the extracellular signal‐regulated kinase signaling cascade. The fusion protein promotes cell growth, accelerates migration, resists serum starvation‐induced cell death, and is essential for cancer growth in mouse xenograft cancer models. Introduction of SLC45A2‐AMACR into the mouse liver using a sleeping beauty transposon system and somatic knockout of phosphatase and TENsin homolog (Pten) generated spontaneous liver cancers within a short period. Conclusion: The gene fusion between SLC45A2 and AMACR may be a driving event for human liver cancer development.
Time‐driven activity‐based costing as a strategy to increase efficiency: An analyses of interventional coronary procedures
Authors: da Silva Etges Ana Paula Beck , Cruz Luciane Nascimento , Schlatter Rosane , Neyeloff Jeruza , Cardoso Ricardo Bertoglio , Kopittke Luciane , Nunes Altacilio Aparecido , Neto José Alburquerque , Nogueira José Luiz , de Assis Renata Melo , Tobias Joilma Silva Prazeres , Marin‐Neto José Antonio , Moreira Leila Beltrami , Polanczyk Carisi Anne
Published: September 2021

Monitoring the costs is one of the key components underlying value‐based health care. This study aimed to evaluate the cost‐saving opportunities of interventional coronary procedures (ICPs). Data from 90 patients submitted to elective ICP were evaluated in five Brazilian hospitals. Time‐driven activity‐based costing, that guides the cost estimates using the time consumed and the capacity cost rates per resource as the data input, was used to assess costs and the time spent over the care pathway. Descriptive cost analyses were followed by a labour cost‐saving estimate potentially achieved by the redesign of the ICP pathway. The mean cost per patient varied from $807 to $2639. The length of the procedure phase per patient was similar among the hospitals, while the post‐procedure phase presented the highest variation in length. The highest direct cost saving opportunities are concentrated in the procedure phase. By comparing the benchmark service with the most expensive one, it was estimated that redesigning physician practices could decrease 51% of the procedure cost. This application is pioneered in Brazil and demonstrates how detailed cost information can contribute to driving health care management to value by identifying cost‐saving opportunities.
Serotonin transporter availability, neurocognitive function and their correlation in abstinent 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine users
Authors: van de Blaak Foke L. , Dumont Glenn J. H.
Published: September 2021

Rationale

MDMA or Ecstasy has made a resurgence in popularity and the majority of users consist of teenagers and adolescents. Therefore, it is important to determine whether MDMA causes long‐term damage and what this damage entails. There is an ongoing debate about possible neurocognitive changes in 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) users related to MDMA's neurotoxic potential. Multiple neuroimaging studies have shown that Ecstasy use leads to lower serotonin transporter (SERT) availability in multiple brain regions. This may express itself in a loss of cognitive functions like memory, attention and executive function. However, there is increasing evidence reporting that MDMA's induced serotonergic adaptations are reversible over time. The question we thus address is whether the recovery of SERT function predicts a recovery of cognitive function.

Objectives

This review aims to investigate MDMA's long‐term effects on SERT availability and cognitive functioning.

Methods

A literature search was performed in PubMed. Studies that investigated the effects of MDMA on both SERT availability and cognitive performance were eligible for inclusion.

Results

SERT availability positively correlated with time of abstinence, whereas memory performance did not show this correlation, but remained impaired in MDMA users. No significant correlation between SERT availability and memory function was found (r = 0.232, p = 0.581; r = 0.176, p = 0.677).

Conclusions

The main findings of this review are that MDMA‐use leads to an acute decrease in SERT availability and causes an impairment in cognitive functions, mostly memory. However, SERT availability recovers with sustained abstinence while memory function does not. This suggests that SERT availability is not a biomarker for MDMA‐induced cognitive impairment and likely also not for MDMA‐induced neurotoxicity.
Mosaic desert pavement influences water infiltration and vegetation distribution on fluvial fan surfaces
Authors: Wang Dejin , Zhao Wenzhi , Zhou Hong , Luo Weicheng , Liu Hu
Published: September 2021

Desert pavements (DPs) are critical for maintaining ecological stability and promoting near‐surface hydrological cycling in arid regions. However, few studies have focused on eco‐hydrological processes of DPs in the ecological systems of fluvial fans. Although DP surfaces appear to be barren and flat, we found that the surfaces are characterized by surface mosaic patterns of desert pavement (mosaic DP) and bare ground (mosaic BG). We investigated the effects of mosaic DP on water infiltration and vegetation distribution at six sites in fluvial fans (one on a hillside and five within the sectors of fans) along a southwest belt transect in northern Linze County, in the central Hexi Corridor (China). We found significant differences in mosaic DP between the hillside and sector sites in terms of pavement thickness and vesicular horizon thickness (Av thickness), particle composition, and bulk density, although significant differences were absent for mass soil water content, gravel coverage, and surface gravel size. The mosaic DP inhibited water infiltration by the pavement layer, where the sorptivity (S), initial infiltration rate (iint), steady‐state infiltration rate (isat) and infiltration time (T) averaged 1.19 cm/min‐0.5, 0.64 cm/min, 0.13 cm/min and 12.76 min, respectively. Where the pavement layer was scalped, the S, iint, and isat increased by 0.27 cm/min‐0.5, 0.52 cm/min, and 0.40 cm/min, respectively, and the T reduced by 7.42 min. Water infiltration was mainly controlled by the pavement layer thickness (+), Av thickness (−), surface gravel coverage (−), fine earth (+) and fine gravel (−) in the pavement layer. The DP surfaces only had a sparse covering of shrubs, but an abundance of herbs. Few shrubs were present on the mosaic DP, but a greater number of shrubs and herbs grew on the mosaic BG. It can be concluded that DPs can maintain vegetation stability for different surface mosaic patterns. This study deepens our understanding of the eco‐hydrological cycle of DP landscapes in arid regions.
Pictorial guide to canine and feline blood smears. Part 2: abnormal findings – erythrocytes
Authors: Papasouliotis Kostas , Murphy Kate
Published: September 2021

Background: A variety of disorders can cause morphological abnormalities of erythrocytes, most of which cannot be detected without a blood smear examination. Their accurate detection can lead to the diagnosis of specific diseases and the implementation of appropriate treatment.

Aim of the article: This is the second of three articles about practical haematology and blood smear examination in cats and dogs. This article aims to increase the confidence of veterinary practitioners and nurses who examine blood smears in general practice in recognising common changes in the morphology of erythrocytes, and recalling the disorders most commonly responsible for these changes.
Making a convenient, low‐cost phantom with a previously unreported material for practicing ultrasound‐guided procedures
Authors: Wang Xiaoqin , Joyce Christine , Kuipers John
Published: September 2021

Ultrasound‐guided procedures require excellent hand–eye coordination and practice. Trainees should gain this important skill with a phantom prior to performing procedures on patients. Currently available phantoms each have their own unique limitations. We propose an easily made, inexpensive, tissue‐like phantom using a previously unreported material. The sonographic appearance of the phantom, with and without a 14‐gauge needle, is compared with breast tissue, gelatin phantoms, and commercial phantoms. Target lesions can be produced using readily available materials. The proposed phantom is cheaper than commercial phantoms; performs better than gelatin phantoms, and is ultimately a superior practice tool for residents.
Interactive navigation of multiple convex patches
Authors: Collicott Cristina , Bonacker Esther , Lammel Ina , Teichert Katrin , Walzcak Michal , Süss Philipp
Published: September 2021

Among the approaches to multi‐criteria decision making, Pareto navigation is a powerful, interactive tool that has been successfully applied to a variety of real‐world problems with continuous decision variables, including chemical process design, drug manufacturing, logistical vehicle routing problems, and radiotherapy treatment planning. However, many real‐life problems are formulated using both continuous and binary decision variables. In this work, we introduce patch navigation as an algorithmic concept that extends Pareto navigation to this type of problem where the number of binary variables is relatively small. The underlying idea is the navigation across a finite set of individual, convex fronts each associated with a specific configuration of the binary variables (patches). We show how the user interactions employed in current Pareto front navigation, namely selection and restriction, can be adopted to handle multiple patches. These routines enable the decision maker (DM) to change the solution in small increments while controlling the related trade‐offs. We also describe additional, patch‐specific routines that enable the DM to consider only an individually chosen subset of patches in the navigation. To illustrate patch navigation, and to demonstrate its usefulness for real‐life problems, we present numerical examples of patch navigation along with an application motivated by radiotherapy planning.
Variational formulation for nonlinear impulsive fractional differential equations with (p, q)‐Laplacian operator
Authors: Li Dongping , Chen Fangqi , Wu Yonghong , An Yukun
Published: September 2021

In this paper, we focus on a class of generalized (p, q)‐Laplacian‐type impulsive fractional differential equation for 1 < p≤q < ∞, with a nonlinearity f containing fractional derivatives
and
simultaneously and being imposed on mild assumptions contrasting with previous works. The underlying idea is based on the Mountain pass theorem and the iterative technique to obtain the existence of nontrivial solutions for our equation. Our work extends and supplements some existing results.
Stability and error analysis of a splitting method using Robin–Robin coupling applied to a fluid–structure interaction problem
Authors: Burman Erik , Durst Rebecca , Guzmán Johnny
Published: September 2021

We analyze a splitting method for a canonical fluid structure interaction problem. The splitting method uses a Robin–Robin boundary condition to define an explicit coupling between the fluid and the structure. We prove the method is stable and, furthermore, we provide an error estimate that shows the error at the final time is where is the time step.
Solar‐wind‐hydro‐thermal scheduling using moth flame optimization
Authors: Hazra Sunanda , Roy Provas Kumar
Published: September 2021

Ever increasing concern of environmental safeguard makes renewable energy sources (RES) useful for emission reduction as well as for production cost minimization. In this article, the multiobjective economic emission dispatch (EED) model with security constraints incorporating photovoltaic, nonconvex thermal, and wind units is introduced for hydro‐thermal‐solar‐wind power scheduling arrangement. However, the significant reduction of emission is the foremost perspective for environmental sustainability and penetration of RESs into the electrical grid is being encouraged tremendously. To diminish the power generation expenditure and pollution generated by fossil fuels, renewable solar PV and wind power‐oriented hydro‐thermal scheduling have significant worth. Existing algorithms do not perform satisfactorily for unpredicted solar and wind‐based nonlinear hydro‐thermal‐wind‐solar scheduling problems and it may give local optimal solutions instead of global optimal solution. To overcome the shortcomings of the existing algorithms, an effective, and an intelligent robust algorithm, named moth flame optimization (MFO) has been proposed for solving the said nonlinear optimization problem. This article describes a scientific review on the application of the proposed method to obtain the scheduling of optimal generation for hydrothermal systems by incorporating RESs like solar PV and wind plant. Optimal solutions gained by the employment of different optimization methods for a variety of test instances are demonstrated and the projected methods are compared in terms of attained optimal solutions and convergence speed. The proposed MFO algorithm is competent for potential/hopeful outcomes, and it reduces the electrical power generation cost and emission significantly. The simulation outcomes reveal the usefulness and feasibility of the proposed method.
PathogenicDPYDVariants and Treatment-Related Mortality in Patients Receiving Fluoropyrimidine Chemotherapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Sharma Bhavina B. , Rai Karan , Blunt Heather , Zhao Wenyan , Tosteson Tor D. , Brooks Gabriel A.
Published: September 2021

Background

Pathogenic variants of the DPYD gene are strongly associated with grade ≥3 toxicity during fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the risk of treatment-related death associated with DPYD gene variants.

Materials and Methods

We searched for reports published prior to September 17, 2020, that described patients receiving standard-dose fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil or capecitabine) who had baseline testing for at least one of four pathogenic DPYD variants (c.1129-5923C>G [HapB3], c.1679T>G [*13], c.1905+1G>A [*2A], and c.2846A>T) and were assessed for toxicity. Two reviewers assessed studies for inclusion and extracted study-level data. The primary outcome was the relative risk of treatment-related mortality for DPYD variant carriers versus noncarriers; we performed data synthesis using a Mantel-Haenszel fixed effects model.

Results

Of the 2,923 references screened, 35 studies involving 13,929 patients were included. DPYD variants (heterozygous or homozygous) were identified in 566 patients (4.1%). There were 14 treatment-related deaths in 13,363 patients without identified DPYD variants (treatment-related mortality, 0.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.1–0.2) and 13 treatment-related deaths in 566 patients with any of the four DPYD variants (treatment-related mortality, 2.3%; 95% CI, 1.3%–3.9%). Carriers of pathogenic DPYD gene variants had a 25.6 times increased risk of treatment-related death (95% CI, 12.1–53.9; p < .001). After excluding carriers of the more common but less deleterious c.1129-5923C>G variant, carriers of c.1679T>G, c.1905+1G>A, and/or c.2846A>T had treatment-related mortality of 3.7%.

Conclusion

Patients with pathogenic DPYD gene variants who receive standard-dose fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy have greatly increased risk for treatment-related death.

Implications for Practice

The syndrome of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) deficiency is an uncommon but well-described cause of severe toxicity related to fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy agents (5-fluorouracil and capecitabine). Patients with latent DPD deficiency can be identified preemptively with genotyping of the DPYD gene, or with measurement of the plasma uracil concentration. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the authors study the rare outcome of treatment-related death after fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy. DPYD gene variants associated with DPD deficiency were linked to a 25.6 times increased risk of fluoropyrimidine-related mortality. These findings support the clinical utility of DPYD genotyping as a screening test for DPD deficiency.
Implementation of an Embedded In-Clinic Genetic Testing Station to Optimize Germline Testing for Patients with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Walker Evan J. , Goldberg Dena , Gordon Kelly M. , Pedley Christina , Carnevale Julia , Cinar Pelin , Collisson Eric A. , Tempero Margaret A. , Ko Andrew H. , Blanco Amie M. , Dhawan Mallika
Published: September 2021

Background

Germline genetic testing is universally recommended for patients with pancreatic cancer, but testing remains infrequent. In May 2018, we implemented a systematic patient intake workflow featuring an in-clinic genetic testing station (GTS) at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) to expedite genetic counseling and facilitate sample collection. We sought to determine the impact of this innovation on rates of genetic counseling and testing.

Methods

Medical records, patient intake records, and genetic test reports were retrospectively reviewed for new patients with pancreatic cancer eligible for germline testing at UCSF from May 2018 to May 2019. Primary outcomes included the rate of offered genetic counseling and confirmed germline testing. Data were compared for periods before and after GTS implementation. Associations between demographic characteristics and testing rates were assessed.

Results

Genetic counseling/testing was offered to 209 (94%) of 223 eligible patients, and 158 (71%) completed testing (135 at UCSF, 23 elsewhere). Compared with a traditional referral-based genetic counseling model, confirmed testing increased from 19% to 71%, patient attrition between referral and genetics appointment decreased from 36% to 3%, and rate of pathogenic variant detection increased from 20% to 33%. Patients who were younger, identified as non-Hispanic White, and spoke English as a primary language were more likely to complete testing.

Conclusions

Implementation of a systematic patient intake workflow and in-clinic GTS resulted in the highest reported real-world rate of germline testing for patients with pancreatic cancer. Health care disparities were identified and will guide future innovation. This report provides a model for other centers to create a similar testing infrastructure.

Implications for Practice

This study demonstrates that a systematic patient intake workflow and associated in-clinic genetic testing station improve delivery of genetic counseling and completion of germline testing for patients with pancreatic cancer. This study achieved, to the authors’ knowledge, the highest real-world rate of confirmed genetic testing in this patient population. This article describes this innovation in detail to guide replication at other medical centers and facilitate guideline-concordant care for patients with pancreatic cancer. This infrastructure can also be applied to other cancers for which germline testing is recommended.
Modeling flow and cell formation in foam sheet extrusion of polystyrene with CO2 and co‐blowing agents. Part II: Process model
Authors: Breuer Robert , Hendriks Sven , Reinhardt Nicolas , Facklam Martin , Hopmann Christian
Published: September 2021

In foam extrusion, process parameters, material properties, and the blowing agent have an influence on the resulting foam properties. For safety and environmental reasons, carbon dioxide (CO2) has gained importance as physical blowing agent for the production of low‐density polystyrene foam sheets. The sole use of CO2 often leads to corrugation, open cell structures, or surface defects on the foam sheet. As an alternative, blowing agent mixtures based on CO2 and organic solvents such as ethanol, acetone, or ethyl acetate can be used, changing solubility and flow behavior of the gas‐loaded melt. A model approach for describing foam extrusion of polystyrene with various blowing agent mixtures in an annular gap die is developed. Part I of the paper describes the modeling of material properties. In Part II, the process model including nucleation and cell formation in the flow field is developed and applied to a foam sheet extrusion process. Based on the material model, melt flow and formation of cells are modeled by a step‐wise calculation along the die, showing good agreement with experimental data. Dimensionless numbers are used to describe the foaming process and a parameter study based on these dimensionless numbers is presented.
Host‐seeking behavior and fecundity of the female Aedes aegypti to human blood types
Authors: Khan Shahmshad Ahmed , Ombugadu Akwashiki , Ahmad Saboor
Published: September 2021

BACKGROUND

Mosquitoes express different degrees of preference towards hosts depending on behavioral, ecological, and physiological factors. These preferences have implications for mosquito‐borne disease risk. This study investigated the effect of human blood groups on the behavior and fecundity of the female Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) from March 2018 to August 2019. In laboratory tests, mosquitoes were fed artificial membrane feeders on A, AB, B, and O blood groups. The level of attraction to different blood groups was tested under controlled conditions with a wind tunnel bioassay.

RESULTS

The responses of Ae. aegypti to the blood groups treatments in the five‐choice tunnel chambers showed a significant preference (Kruskal‐Wallis (2 = 85.772, df = 4, P < 0.0001) for favor blood group B. Also, the response of Ae. aegypti to olfactory cues (filth) derived from a pool of volunteers cutting across the blood groups showed a similar preference for pattern towards the blood group B. The percentage rate of digestibility in Ae. aegypti was highest in those fed on blood group O, while individuals fed on the AB blood group had the lowest digestion rate. Thus, the rate of digestibility highly varied significantly (P < 0.0001) between blood groups. Overall, Ae. aegypti fed on blood group B had the highest average feeding rate, number of females with eggs, and fecundity level, which showed a significant difference (P < 0.0001) on preferred.

CONCLUSION

This study provides novel insight into the ABO host choice of Ae. aegypti and reinforces the need for personal protection against dengue virus transmission in light of the increased risk of exposure for individuals with B blood type. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Using social media and online collaboration technology in expatriate management: Benefits, challenges, and recommendations
Authors: Sahakiants Ihar , Dorner Gabi
Published: September 2021

This article emphasizes the benefits of social media and online collaboration technology use in expatriate management, and the need to pay special attention to digitalization‐related issues in supporting expatriates and their family members before, during, and after international assignments. In particular, we argue that the traditional approaches to expatriate management need to be developed further to reflect current technological advancements, especially social media and online collaboration tools that are increasingly used by millions of individuals worldwide on a daily basis—a trend that has been reinforced by the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic and related social contact and international mobility restrictions. For this purpose, we show the advantages of implementing the above digital technologies in a number of instances, ranging from the recruitment and selection of international assignees to the cultural adjustment of expatriates and their families in a foreign country. Given these benefits, and the need to account for potential challenges associated with the use of or a high reliance on digital technology during expatriate assignments to both culturally close and distant countries, we outline recommendations that will guide the management of these digital tools by assigning organizations.
Steroid‐responsive meningitis‐arteritis secondary to septic arthritis due to Pasteurella multocida in a bull terrier puppy
Authors: Albertini Guillaume Marc , Marsh Oliver James Richard , Raj Jennifer , Stabile Fabio
Published: September 2021

A 3‐month‐old male, entire, English bull terrier was presented for investigation of a 24‐hour history of lethargy, pyrexia and neck pain. Inflammatory cerebrospinal and synovial fluid analyses with identification of Pasteurella multocida in the left stifle were supportive of a steroid‐responsive meningitis‐arteritis (SRMA) and immune‐mediated arthritis secondary to septic arthritis in the left stifle. The patient was successfully treated with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and immunosuppressive doses of corticosteroids. Follow‐up sampling of cerebrospinal and synovial fluids revealed resolution of the septic arthritis and SRMA after 6 weeks of treatment. Medications were tapered and discontinued after 16 weeks of treatment without any signs of relapse. Follow‐up was 16 weeks. This is the first case report of SRMA with the identification of P. multocida septic arthritis as the suspected trigger.
Closed string deformations in open string field theory. Part I. Bosonic string
Authors: Maccaferri Carlo , Vošmera Jakub
Published: September 2021

Abstract

This is the first of a series of three papers on open string field theories based on Witten star product deformed with a gauge invariant open/closed coupling. This de- formation is a tree-level tadpole which destabilizes the initial perturbative vacuum. We discuss the existence of vacuum-shift solutions which cancel the tadpole and represent a new configuration where the initial D-brane system has adapted to the change in the closed string background. As an example we consider the bulk deformation which changes the compactification radius and, to first order in the deformation, we reproduce the shift in the mass of the open string KK modes from the new kinetic operator after the vacuum shift. We also discuss the possibility of taming closed string degenerations with the open string propagator in the simplest amplitude corresponding to two closed strings off a disk.
Invasive Grass Dominance over Native Forbs Is Linked to Shifts in the Bacterial Rhizosphere Microbiome
Authors: LaForgia Marina L. , Kang Hannah , Ettinger Cassandra L.
Published: September 2021

Rhizosphere microbiomes have received growing attention in recent years for their role in plant health, stress tolerance, soil nutrition, and invasion. Still, relatively little is known about how these microbial communities are altered under plant competition, and even less about whether these shifts are tied to competitive outcomes between native and invasive plants. We investigated the structure and diversity of rhizosphere bacterial and fungal microbiomes of native annual forbs and invasive annual grasses grown in a shade-house both individually and in competition using high-throughput amplicon sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene and the fungal ITS region. We assessed how differentially abundant microbial families correlate to plant biomass under competition. We find that bacterial diversity and structure differ between native forbs and invasive grasses, but fungal diversity and structure do not. Furthermore, bacterial community structures under competition are distinct from individual bacterial community structures. We also identified five bacterial families that varied in normalized abundance between treatments and that were correlated with plant biomass under competition. We speculate that invasive grass dominance over these natives may be partially due to effects on the rhizosphere community, with changes in specific bacterial families potentially benefiting invaders at the expense of natives.
Emission, Transport, and Deposition of visible Plastics in an Estuary and the Baltic Sea—a Monitoring and Modeling Approach
Authors: Schernewski Gerald , Radtke Hagen , Robbe Esther , Haseler Mirco , Hauk Rahel , Meyer Lisa , Piehl Sarah , Riedel Joana , Labrenz Matthias
Published: September 2021

Aim

was to assess whether a comprehensive approach linking existing knowledge with monitoring and modeling can provide an improved insight into coastal and marine plastics pollution. We focused on large micro- and mesoplastic (1–25 mm) and selected macroplastic items. Emission calculations, samplings in the Warnow river and estuary (water body and bottom sediments) and a flood accumulation zone monitoring served as basis for model simulations on transport and behavior in the entire Baltic Sea. Considered were the most important pathways, sewage overflow and stormwater. The coastline monitoring together with calculations allowed estimating plastics emissions for Rostock city and the Warnow catchment. Average concentrations at the Warnow river mouth were 0.016 particles/m³ and in the estuary 0.14 particles/m³ (300 µm net). The estuary and nearby Baltic Sea beaches were hot-spots for plastic accumulation with 6–31 particles/m². With increasing distance from the estuary, the concentrations dropped to 0.3 particles/m². This spatial pattern, the plastic pollution gradients and the observed annual accumulation values were consistent with the model results. Indicator items for sewer overflow and stormwater emissions exist, but were only found at low numbers in the environment. The considered visible plastics alone can hardly serve as indicator for microplastic pollution (<1 mm). The use of up-scaled emission data as input for Baltic Sea model simulations provided information on large scale emission, transport and deposition patterns of visible plastics. The results underline the importance of plastic retention in rivers and estuaries.
Parietal maps of visual signals for bodily action planning
Authors: Orban Guy A. , Sepe Alessia , Bonini Luca
Published: September 2021

The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) has long been understood as a high-level integrative station for computing motor commands for the body based on sensory (i.e., mostly tactile and visual) input from the outside world. In the last decade, accumulating evidence has shown that the parietal areas not only extract the pragmatic features of manipulable objects, but also subserve sensorimotor processing of others’ actions. A paradigmatic case is that of the anterior intraparietal area (AIP), which encodes the identity of observed manipulative actions that afford potential motor actions the observer could perform in response to them. On these bases, we propose an AIP manipulative action-based template of the general planning functions of the PPC and review existing evidence supporting the extension of this model to other PPC regions and to a wider set of actions: defensive and locomotor actions. In our model, a hallmark of PPC functioning is the processing of information about the physical and social world to encode potential bodily actions appropriate for the current context. We further extend the model to actions performed with man-made objects (e.g., tools) and artifacts, because they become integral parts of the subject’s body schema and motor repertoire. Finally, we conclude that existing evidence supports a generally conserved neural circuitry that transforms integrated sensory signals into the variety of bodily actions that primates are capable of preparing and performing to interact with their physical and social world.
Interviewing Elite Donors: Gaining Access, Developing Rapport and Dealing with the Dazzle
Authors: Breeze Beth
Published: September 2021

Elite donors are a crucial and sought-after source of funding for many nonprofit organisations, but there is a dearth of substantive empirical studies presenting primary data on such donors’ motivations, experiences and perspectives. There are challenges for social scientists in conducting interviews with elites, notably: gaining access to elite donors; developing sufficient rapport to discuss a topic that involves money and morals; and making sense of data without being dazzled by striking surface differences between elites and non-elites. These barriers have resulted in a long-standing over-reliance on secondary sources and on interviews with proxies such as foundation staff and wealth advisers. This paper reviews the small body of work that presents findings from interviews with elite donors and draws on my experience of conducting interviews with 46 wealthy UK donors, in order to critically analyse the implementation of this research design. This paper adds to the literature by extending understanding of elite donors’ reasons for agreeing to be interviewed and contributes to advancing third sector research by highlighting strategies to overcome challenges in conducting elite interviews in order to gain a less mediated understanding of the contexts, cultures and subjectivities of their focus of study.
Construction and demolition waste as recycled aggregate for environmentally friendly concrete paving
Authors: Contreras Llanes Manuel , Romero Pérez Maximina , Gázquez González Manuel Jesús , Bolívar Raya Juan Pedro
Published: September 2021

Recycled aggregates (RA) from construction and demolition waste (CDW) instead of natural aggregates (NA) were analysed in the manufacture of new eco-friendly concrete. Fine (FRA) and coarse (CRA) recycled aggregates were used in different percentages as substitutes of natural sand and gravel, respectively. The results revealed that the use of RA in percentages of up to 50 wt.% is feasible. Additionally, RA were used to produce paving blocks in accordance with industrial requirements. Thus, values of water absorption lesser than 6.0% and tensile strength upper than 3.6 MPa were obtained, which are similar to those of a reference sample and within the limit values established by the regulations. These results were achieved by reducing the incorporation of cement, thereby saving production costs and minimizing environmental impact.
Achieving the Paradox of Concurrent Internationalization Speed: Internationalizing Rapidly in Both Breadth and Depth
Authors: Batsakis Georgios , Theoharakis Vasilis
Published: September 2021

In this paper, we draw on the notions of breadth and depth of internationalization speed in an attempt to examine the performance implications for multinational enterprises (MNEs) that rapidly and concurrently internationalize in new and existing foreign markets. Specifically, we examine the organizational paradox which suggests that firms which grow internationally by concurrently expanding rapidly in both new foreign markets (breadth) and in foreign markets they currently operate (depth), are better off than firms which do not adopt such an approach. Since past research has not examined the interaction between the breadth and depth of MNE internationalization speed on firm performance, we contribute to the temporal dimension of the internationalization process by developing a novel, yet paradoxical approach. Our analysis is based on a longitudinal sample of the world’s largest retail MNEs covering the period 2003–2012, which includes the 2008 financial crisis that had a significant effect on the global economy. We find that concurrent internationalization speed positively relates to firm performance during periods of stability. Further, we draw from the upper-echelons theory and find that the aforementioned relationship can be strengthened by the level of CEO international experience and CEO education.
How Does the Rohingya Influx Influence the Residential Satisfaction and Mobility Intentions of the Host Communities in Bangladesh?
Authors: Biswas Bangkim , Mallick Bishawjit , Ahsan Nasif , Priodarshini Rupkatha
Published: September 2021

This study investigates the residential satisfaction and future relocation intention of the host communities neighbouring Rohingya migrants in Bangladesh. An empirical study of 151 households was conducted in Ukhiya and Ramu Upazila of Cox’s Bazar district in late 2019. The residential satisfaction component includes the social environment (SE), neighbourhood environment (NE), and public services and facilities (PS&F). It shows that, due to the Rohingya influx, the residential satisfaction level of the Ukhiya host communities declined by 30.17%. Besides, to determine factors that impact on the intention to migrate, the ordinal logistic regression model has been run. A larger distance between the household and the Rohingya camps, longer duration of residence in the community, and a higher number of children in the family negatively influence the mobility intention of the host communities. Furthermore, the Hindu residents in the host communities have higher propensity to relocate. These findings demand that policies and programmes should be planned in a way that enables the host communities to stay in place despite the Rohingya influx.
Estimated Economic Impacts of the 2019 Midwest Floods
Authors: English Burton C. , Smith S. Aaron , Menard R. Jamey , Hughes David W. , Gunderson Michael
Published: September 2021

In the spring of 2019, U.S. agriculture experienced a record high number of prevented planted acres primarily due to historic rainfall across large portions of the Corn Belt and Mid-South. Producers of corn, upland cotton, soybean, and wheat were impacted with a substantial loss of revenue due to no crops being produced and marketed. With about 11.4 million acres of corn not planted, foregone gross revenue from crop sales likely exceeded $6 billion alone. Instead of focusing on the loss of producers’ incomes as a result of prevented planted acres, our analysis focuses on the economic impacts, due to lost sales, for firms that provide inputs to farmers. Acres prevented from planting resulted in producers not incurring typical expenditures for planting and post planting inputs such as seed, crop nutrients, and crop protection (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, etc.). Agricultural input manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers do not have similar opportunities to insure against foregone sales and have received no disaster assistance payments. Normally, the large geographic footprint of many of these firms mitigates the impact of localized weather effects. However, given the widespread nature of the wet spring, these firms were negatively affected across Corn Belt and Mid-South representing a substantial production area. Regional economic impact of declines in sales by agricultural input providers due to wet weather-based prevented plantings on 13.1 million acres. Direct sale losses of $2.9 billion led to $4.5 billion losses in total sales that were concentrated in parts of Minnesota, South Dakota, and Illinois.
Risk Factors Affecting Decreased Libido Among Middle-Aged to Elderly Men; Nocturnal Voiding is an Independent Risk Factor of Decreased Libido
Authors: Shigehara Kazuyoshi , Kato Yuki , Iijima Masashi , Kawaguchi Shohei , Nohara Takahiro , Izumi Kouji , Kadono Yoshifumi , Namiki Mikio , Mizokami Atsushi
Published: September 2021

Introduction

Decreased libido in middle-aged and elderly men is often difficult to treat, and identifying the risk factors affecting decreased libido is important for the clinical management of decreased libido. However, limited information is available regarding specific risk factors in this population.

Aim

The present study investigated the risk factors for decreased libido among middle-aged and elderly men.

Methods

Patients who attended our male andropausal outpatient clinic between 2009 and 2015 were enrolled. All patients completed a self-administered questionnaire, which included the Aging Male Symptoms (AMS) scale, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM). Information on waist size, body mass index, present illness, present use of any medication, and lifestyle habits were collected by each attending physician. Blood biochemical data such as free testosterone, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-Chol), and hemoglobin A1c values were assessed. Libido was assessed based on AMS scale question 17, and a score of 4 or higher was defined as severely decreased libido (severe group).

Main Outcome Measure

The clinical factors associated with severely decreased libido were analyzed based on multiple regression analysis.

Results

A total of 292 subjects were included in the analysis, 111 (38%) of which belonged to the severe group. The mean age of study subjects was 66.2 years, and the mean FT value was 7.1 ± 2.2. Comparisons of each variable among the severe and not severe groups showed significant differences in older age, current cigarette smoking, AMS scale, IPSS, frequency of nocturnal voiding, SHIM score, and HDL-Chol value. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that current cigarette smoking, frequent nocturnal voiding, and a low SHIM score were the independent risk factors for severely decreased libido. Furthermore, the frequency of nocturnal voiding significantly increased with severity of decreased libido.

Conclusion

Current cigarette smoking, frequent nocturnal voiding, and a low SHIM score were the independent risk factors for a severely low libido.

K Shigehara, Y Kato, M Iijima, et al. Risk Factors Affecting Decreased Libido Among Middle-Aged to Elderly Men; Nocturnal Voiding is an Independent Risk Factor of Decreased Libido. Sex Med 2021;9:100426.
Ecological Security
Authors: McDonald Matt
Published: September 2021

Climate change is increasingly recognised as a security issue. Yet this recognition belies contestation over what security means and whose security is viewed as threatened. Different accounts – here defined as discourses – of security range from those focused on national sovereignty to those emphasising the vulnerability of human populations. This book examines the ethical assumptions and implications of these 'climate security' discourses, ultimately making a case for moving beyond the protection of human institutions and collectives. Drawing on insights from political ecology, feminism and critical theory, Matt McDonald suggests the need to focus on the resilience of ecosystems themselves when approaching the climate-security relationship, orienting towards the most vulnerable across time, space and species. The book outlines the ethical assumptions and contours of ecological security before exploring how it might find purchase in contemporary political contexts. A shift in this direction could not be more urgent, given the current climate crisis.
North Korea and the Geopolitics of Development
Authors: Gray Kevin , Lee Jong-Woon
Published: September 2021

Kevin Gray and Jong-Woon Lee focus on three geopolitical 'moments' that have been crucial to the shaping of the North Korean system: colonialism, the Cold War, and the rise of China, to demonstrate how broader processes of geopolitical contestation have fundamentally shaped the emergence and subsequent development of the North Korean political economy. They argue that placing the nexus between geopolitics and development at the centre of the analysis helps explain the country's rapid catch-up industrialisation, its subsequent secular decline followed by collapse in the 1990s, and why the reform process has been markedly more conservative compared to other state socialist societies. As such, they draw attention to the specificities of North Korea's experience of late development, but also place it in a broader comparative context by understanding the country not solely through the analytical lens of state socialism but also as an instance of post-colonial national development.
The Death Wish in the Hebrew Bible
Authors: Levinson Hanne Løland
Published: September 2021

This is the first book to systematically investigate the texts in the Hebrew Bible in which a character expresses a wish to die. Contrary to previous scholarship on these texts that assumed these death wishes were simply a desire to escape suffering, Hanne Løland Levinson employs narrative criticism and conversation analysis, together with diachronic methods, to carefully hear each death-wish text in its literary context. She demonstrates that death wishes embody powerful, multi-faceted rhetorical strategies. Grouping the death-wish texts into four main rhetorical strategies of negotiation, expression of despair and anger, longing to undo one's existence, and wishing for a different reality, Løland Levinson portrays the complex reasons why characters in the Hebrew Bible wish for death. She concludes that the death wishes navigate the tension between longing for death and fighting for survival - a tension that many live with also today as they attempt to claim agency and autonomy in life.
Globalizing Patient Capital
Authors: Kaplan Stephen B.
Published: September 2021

China's overseas financing is a distinct form of patient capital that marshals the country's vast domestic resources to create commercial opportunities internationally. Its long-term risk tolerance and lack of policy conditionality has allowed developing economies to sidestep the fiscal austerity tendencies of Western markets and multilaterals. Employing statistical tests and extensive field research across China and Latin America, Stephen Kaplan finds that China's patient capital endows national governments with more room to maneuver in formulating domestic policies. The author goes on to evaluate the potential costs of Chinese financing, raising the question of how Chinese lenders will react to developing nation's ongoing struggles with debt and dependency. By disaggregating the structure of international finance, Globalizing Patient Capital has significant implications for the rise of China in Latin America, offering new insights about globalization and showing the costs and benefits of state versus market approaches to development.