bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Virulence and pathogenicity of four Ditylenchus dipsaci populations on sugar beet
Authors: Storelli Alan , Kiewnick Sebastian , Daub Matthias , Mahlein Anne-Katrin , Schumann Mario , Beyer Werner , Keiser Andreas
Published: May 2021

The stem nematode, Ditylenchus dipsaci, is a severe pest in European sugar beet production. In France, Germany, and Switzerland, D. dipsaci damage in sugar beet varies among specific geographic areas. In this study, the reproduction potential of four geographically distinct D. dipsaci populations was determined using sterile carrot disc cultures. In addition, virulence and pathogenicity were investigated in-vivo using sugar beet. No difference was found in the reproduction potential on carrot discs, as well as penetration rate in sugar beet seedlings. The reproduction rate in sugar beet tissue was significantly affected by the D. dipsaci population used. The population from Seeland (CH) showed the highest number of nematodes per plant at 60 dpi (21,071.8 ± 5340.0), compared to the three other populations contained 3588.6 ± 3858.3, 5136.9 ± 4950.8, and 3579.7 ± 5174.2, respectively. Furthermore, the reproduction rate of D. dipsaci was negatively correlated with fresh biomass of sugar beets at 60 dpi. Based on these results, the D. dipsaci population “Seeland” is suitable for breeding programs to detect resistance in sugar beet. After selecting candidate genotypes/varieties, these should be further evaluated for their field resistance in their targeted growing regions.
Mechanical Aspects of Construction of New TBM Tunnel Under Existing Structures
Authors: Ke Wu , zheng Zhang , Shuchen Li , leisheng Zhou , Jiahui Zhao , Yang Zheng
Published: May 2021

It is inevitable for the construction of subways to pass under the existing structures in the city; this will cause settlement of the existing structures and affect their safety. The soil is a complex mixture, and hence it is difficult to determine the damage caused by construction using tunnel boring machine (TBM) method to the stress balance of the surrounding soil. Normally, settlement and uplift of the surface are caused during tunneling. Therefore, large-scale 3D simulations are needed to study the interaction between mechanically driven tunnel construction and the surrounding soil to estimate the expected settlement and related damage risks to the existing structures, especially in tunnel construction in urban areas. Qingdao Metro Line 1 in the Haixiao section (Xiaocunzhuang and Haiboqiao stations) was taken up as the research object to study the trend and degree of the effect of TBM tunnel construction using the numerical simulation software Midas GTS NX. The numerical simulation results and measured data were used for the reliability analysis to study the influence of different digging speeds and pressures in TBM construction on ground subsidence, and the effect of vibrations generated at the tunnel face by the TBM cutter head on the ground structure. It is shown that when other factors remain unchanged, the faster the driving speed, the smaller the ground settlement; the higher the surrounding rock pressure, the smaller the ground settlement. The vibration of the ground structure caused by the TBM cutter head complies with the relevant specifications. During construction, the driving parameters should be selected suitably depending on the available budget.
Ideology and non-state climate action: partnering and design of REDD+ projects
Authors: Abraham Benjamin M.
Published: May 2021

Scholars and policymakers working on non-state climate action have tended to focus on functional considerations, largely neglecting questions of ideology. This article brings them into the spotlight by investigating how ideology affects climate action initiatives. Based on a new database of 389 projects associated with reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, the article examines how ideology affects project design and partnering. A quantitative analysis and four case studies of projects in Colombia and Peru show how environmental ideology shapes the preferences of project developers for project designs and partners. Two mechanisms that underlie this are also derived. The findings show how a focus on ideology can help open the black box of climate action initiatives and explain their substantive variation. They also offer insights into the ideological implications of the transnationalization of climate governance. Non-state climate action at once entrenches the neoliberal ideological status quo of climate politics and offers critical ideologies a foothold. This poses risks for the future effectiveness and legitimacy of non-state climate action and should be considered in the design of the emerging institutional architecture that supports it. This article also sets a platform for and outlines the contours of a future research agenda on ideology in climate action.
Differences Between Autistic and Non-Autistic Adults in the Recognition of Anger from Facial Motion Remain after Controlling for Alexithymia
Authors: Keating Connor T. , Fraser Dagmar S. , Sowden Sophie , Cook Jennifer L.
Published: May 2021

To date, studies have not established whether autistic and non-autistic individuals differ in emotion recognition from facial motion cues when matched in terms of alexithymia. Here, autistic and non-autistic adults (N = 60) matched on age, gender, non-verbal reasoning ability and alexithymia, completed an emotion recognition task, which employed dynamic point light displays of emotional facial expressions manipulated in terms of speed and spatial exaggeration. Autistic participants exhibited significantly lower accuracy for angry, but not happy or sad, facial motion with unmanipulated speed and spatial exaggeration. Autistic, and not alexithymic, traits were predictive of accuracy for angry facial motion with unmanipulated speed and spatial exaggeration. Alexithymic traits, in contrast, were predictive of the magnitude of both correct and incorrect emotion ratings.
Dynamic Syntax
Authors: Howes Christine , Gibson Hannah
Published: May 2021

Dynamic Syntax (DS: Kempson et al. 2001; Cann et al. 2005) is an action-based grammar formalism which models the process of natural language understanding as monotonic tree growth. This paper presents an introduction to the notions of incrementality and underspecification and update, drawing on the assumptions made by DS. It lays out the tools of the theoretical framework that are necessary to understand the accounts developed in the other contributions to the Special Issue. It also represents an up-to-date account of the framework, combining the developments that have previously remained distributed in a diverse body of literature.
Identification of mechanical properties of arteries with certification of global optimality
Authors: Gade Jan-Lucas , Thore Carl-Johan , Stålhand Jonas
Published: May 2021

In this study, we consider identification of parameters in a non-linear continuum-mechanical model of arteries by fitting the models response to clinical data. The fitting of the model is formulated as a constrained non-linear, non-convex least-squares minimization problem. The model parameters are directly related to the underlying physiology of arteries, and correctly identified they can be of great clinical value. The non-convexity of the minimization problem implies that incorrect parameter values, corresponding to local minima or stationary points may be found, however. Therefore, we investigate the feasibility of using a branch-and-bound algorithm to identify the parameters to global optimality. The algorithm is tested on three clinical data sets, in each case using four increasingly larger regions around a candidate global solution in the parameter space. In all cases, the candidate global solution is found already in the initialization phase when solving the original non-convex minimization problem from multiple starting points, and the remaining time is spent on increasing the lower bound on the optimal value. Although the branch-and-bound algorithm is parallelized, the overall procedure is in general very time-consuming.
Comparison of different methodologies for the computation of damped nonlinear normal modes and resonance prediction of systems with non-conservative nonlinearities
Authors: Sun Yekai , Yuan Jie , Vizzaccaro Alessandra , Salles Loïc
Published: May 2021

The nonlinear modes of a non-conservative nonlinear system are sometimes referred to as damped nonlinear normal modes (dNNMs). Because of the non-conservative characteristics, the dNNMs are no longer periodic. To compute non-periodic dNNMs using classic methods for periodic problems, two concepts have been developed in the last two decades: complex nonlinear mode (CNM) and extended periodic motion concept (EPMC). A critical assessment of these two concepts applied to different types of non-conservative nonlinearities and industrial full-scale structures has not been thoroughly investigated yet. Furthermore, there exist two emerging techniques which aim at predicting the resonant solutions of a nonlinear forced response using the dNNMs: extended energy balance method (E-EBM) and nonlinear modal synthesis (NMS). A detailed assessment between these two techniques has been rarely attempted in the literature. Therefore, in this work, a comprehensive comparison between CNM and EPMC is provided through two illustrative systems and one engineering application. The EPMC with an alternative damping assumption is also derived and compared with the original EPMC and CNM. The advantages and limitations of the CNM and EPMC are critically discussed. In addition, the resonant solutions are predicted based on the dNNMs using both E-EBM and NMS. The accuracies of the predicted resonances are also discussed in detail.
Group epistemic value
Authors: Dunn Jeffrey
Published: May 2021

Sometimes we are interested in how groups are doing epistemically in aggregate. For instance, we may want to know the epistemic impact of a change in school curriculum or the epistemic impact of abolishing peer review in the sciences. Being able to say something about how groups are doing epistemically is especially important if one is interested in pursuing a consequentialist approach to social epistemology of the sort championed by Goldman (Knowledge in a social world. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1999).
According to this approach we evaluate social practices and institutions from an epistemic perspective based on how well they promote the aggregate level of epistemic value across a community. The aim of this paper is to investigate this concept of group epistemic value and defend a particular way of measuring it.
Role of redox-inactive metals in controlling the redox potential of heterometallic manganese–oxido clusters
Authors: Saito Keisuke , Nakagawa Minesato , Mandal Manoj , Ishikita Hiroshi
Published: May 2021

Photosystem II (PSII) contains Ca2+, which is essential to the oxygen-evolving activity of the catalytic Mn4CaO5 complex. Replacement of Ca2+ with other redox-inactive metals results in a loss/decrease of oxygen-evolving activity. To investigate the role of Ca2+ in this catalytic reaction, we investigate artificial Mn3[M]O2 clusters redox-inactive metals  [M] ([M]  = Mg2+, Ca2+, Zn2+, Sr2+, and Y3+), which were synthesized by Tsui et al. (Nat Chem 5:293, 2013). The experimentally measured redox potentials (Em) of these clusters are best described by the energy of their highest occupied molecular orbitals. Quantum chemical calculations showed that the valence of metals predominantly affects Em(MnIII/IV), whereas the ionic radius of metals affects Em(MnIII/IV) only slightly.
Impact of D2O on peptidization of L-histidine
Authors: Fulczyk Agnieszka , Łata Eliza , Dolnik Miloš , Talik Ewa , Kowalska Teresa , Sajewicz Mieczysław
Published: May 2021

This is our sixth consecutive study carried out in an order to collect an experimental evidence on the impact of heavy water (D2O) on spontaneous peptidization of the proteinogenic α-amino acids and this time it is L-histidine (L-His). Scientists have not yet achieved a full consensus regarding the source of this very important amino acid in human and mammalian tissues, and on this particular question rather contradictory answers in form of experimental results are produced, equally supporting its exogenous and endogenous origin. Although this issue still remains unsolved, for practical demands of life sciences the two UN agencies, FAO and WHO, have both tentatively accepted that L-His is an exogenous α-amino acid. As analytical techniques, in our studies we employed high-performance liquid chromatography with the diode array detection (HPLC–DAD), mass spectrometry (MS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Spontaneous peptidization of L-His dissolved in methanol + H2O, 7:3 (v/v) was carried out at 22 ± 0.5 °C in the darkness for a relatively long period of 314 h, and its progress was chromatographically checked by targeting concentration of the L-His monomer in the 12-min intervals. This investigation revealed alternating yet non-periodic concentration changes, indicating changeable formation and hydrolytic decay of the L-His-derived oligopeptides in the function of time, and a fast net concentration fall of the L-His monomer (witnessing to quite vigorous peptidization). Moreover, the MS results confirmed formation of the relatively high oligopeptides, falling within the range of two or more dozen L-His monomer units. Impact of D2O on peptidization of L-His was traced with use of MS and SEM for the L-His samples dissolved in aqueous methanol solvents containing 5, 10, 20, and 30% D2O, and also in pure D2O. Similar to the results earlier presented for five other proteinogenic α-amino acids, heavy water exerts a powerful inhibitory effect on spontaneous peptidization of L-His, equally perceptible when assessed with aid of mass spectrometry (with the mass spectra in the first instance playing the role of quasi-quantitative fingerprints), and based on purely qualitative micrographs derived with use of SEM.
Lead concentrations in antlers of European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) from an agricultural area in Northern Germany over a 119-year period—a historical biomonitoring study
Authors: Ludolphy Catharina , Kierdorf Uwe , Kierdorf Horst
Published: May 2021

We analyzed the lead content in antlers of 90 adult European roe bucks (Capreolus capreolus) that had been culled between 1901 and 2019 in an agricultural-dominated hunting district in Lower Saxony (Northern Germany). Antler lead values ranged between 0.2 and 10.9 mg/kg dry weight. Median lead concentration was highest after World War II, during a period (1956–1984) of rapidly increasing mass motorization and use of leaded gasoline. Lead levels in antlers decreased markedly after the phase-out of leaded gasoline, but high values were still found in some recently collected antlers. This could indicate persistent lead pollution from former use of lead additives to gasoline, other traffic-related sources, or from agricultural sources (e.g., sewage sludge, fertilizers). This study highlights the suitability of analyzing roe deer antlers for the historical monitoring of changing lead levels in the environment. By collecting antlers and providing them for study, local hunters can significantly contribute to environmental surveillance and the monitoring of environmental pollution by bone-seeking contaminants.
Melon-sized Parotid Pleomorphic Adenoma—A Case Report
Authors: Dhanasekar Keerthan , Kapadia Heena , Neilaj Steven , Abdeslem Meriam , Dhanasekar Ganapathy
Published: May 2021

This case report describes a 55 year-old gentleman who had been living with an extremely large (1.2 kg) pleomorphic adenoma for 24 years—despite its significant size, weight and appearance. A modified surgical incision and approach were required to remove the tumour, to avoid damaging the facial nerve and its branches.
Bodies Out of Time: Sculpting Queer Poetics and Queering Classical Sculpture in the Poetry of C. P. Cavafy
Authors: Watson J. L.
Published: May 2021

Two major themes dominate the poetry of the Alexandrian poet, C. P. Cavafy: homosexual desire and Greekness, broadly defined. This paper explores the interconnectivity of these motifs, showing how Cavafy’s poetic queerness is expressed through his relationship with the ancient Greek world, especially Hellenistic Alexandria. I focus on Cavafy’s incorporation of ancient sculpture into his poetry and the ways that sculpture, for Cavafy, is a vehicle for expressing forbidden desires in an acceptable way. In this, I draw on the works of Liana Giannakopoulou on statuary in modern Greek poetry and Dimitris Papanikolaou on Cavafy’s homosexuality and its presentation in the poetry. Sculpture features in around a third of Cavafy’s poems and pervades it in various ways: the inclusion of physical statues as focuses of ecphrastic description, the use of sculptural language and metaphor, and the likening of Cavafy’s beloveds to Greek marbles of the past, to name but three. This article argues that Cavafy utilizes the statuary of the ancient Greek world as raw material, from which he sculpts his modern Greek queerness, variously desiring the statuesque bodies of contemporary Alexandrian youths and constructing eroticized depictions of ancient Greek marbles. The very ontology of queerness is, for Cavafy, ‘created’ using explicitly sculptural metaphors (e.g. the repeated uses of the verb κάνω [‘to make’] in descriptions of ‘those made like me’) and he employs Hellenistic statues as a productive link between his desires and so-called ‘Greek desire’, placing himself within a continuum of queer, Greek men.
Towards an understanding of how stress and resources affect the nonmedical use of prescription drugs for performance enhancement among employees
Authors: Baum Myriam , Sattler Sebastian , Reimann Mareike
Published: May 2021

Based on assumptions of the Job Demands-Resources model, we investigated employees’ willingness to use prescription drugs such as methylphenidate and modafinil for nonmedical purposes to enhance their cognitive functioning as a response to strain (i.e., perceived stress) that is induced by job demands (e.g., overtime, emotional demands, shift work, leadership responsibility). We also examined the direct and moderating effects of resources (e.g., emotional stability, social and instrumental social support) in this process. We utilized data from a representative survey of employees in Germany (N = 6454) encompassing various job demands and resources, levels of perceived stress, and willingness to use nonmedical drugs for performance enhancement purposes. By using Structural Equation Models, we found that job demands (such as overtime and emotional demands) and a scarcity of resources (such as emotional stability) increased strain, consequently directly and indirectly increasing the willingness to use prescription drugs for cognitive enhancement. Moreover, emotional stability reduced the effect of certain demands on strain. These results delivered new insights into mechanisms behind nonmedical prescription drug use that can be used to prevent such behaviour and potential negative health consequences.
Anxiety and depression in women hospitalized due to high-risk pregnancy: An integrative quantitative and qualitative study
Authors: Smorti Martina , Ginobbi Francesca , Simoncini Tommaso , Pancetti Federica , Carducci Alessia , Mauri Giulia , Gemignani Angelo
Published: May 2021

Literature has shown that hospitalized women with high-risk pregnancy tend to develop anxious and depressive symptoms. Research has used quantitative or qualitative methods. By integrating both quantitative and qualitative methods, this study aims to analyze: a) the level of depression, anxiety, and pregnancy-related anxiety in a group of women hospitalized with high-risk pregnancy (hospitalized high-risk) compared with a group of non-hospitalized women with low-risk pregnancy; b) the content of hospitalization-related emotions in a high-risk group. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 30 hospitalized high-risk pregnant women and 32 women with low-risk pregnancy. Participants completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (Anxiety), and Pregnancy Related Anxiety Questionnaire. The hospitalized high-risk group also completed open-ended questions about emotions experienced during hospitalization. Univariate Analysis of Covariance showed that the hospitalized high-risk group reported higher general anxiety and depression than the low-risk pregnancy group. Low-risk group reported higher level of concerns about own appearance than high-risk group. Narratives showed that the anxious and depressive symptoms of hospitalized women are related to the loneliness of being away from family. Despite attempts to understand hospitalization, they express concerns about pregnancy. Psychological support for hospitalized pregnant women should be provided to facilitate the communication of emotions that leads women to elaborate the experience of hospitalization to better adapt and cope with the critical condition.
Does young adults’ life satisfaction promote tolerance towards immigrants? The role of political satisfaction and social trust
Authors: Korol Liliia , Bevelander Pieter
Published: May 2021

Much prior research relies on the idea that antipathy towards immigrants is primarily driven by natives’ perceptions of the threat that immigrants represent to their economic, cultural or national well-being. Yet little is known about whether subjective well-being affects attitudes toward immigrants. This study aimed to examine whether life satisfaction would foster tolerance towards immigrants over time via the indirect influence of political satisfaction and social trust. The sample comprised young native adults (N = 1352; M age = 22.72; SD = 3.1) in Sweden. The results revealed that young adults who were satisfied with important life domains were more likely to extend their satisfaction towards the political system, which consequently resulted in a generalised expectation of trustworthiness and a widening of their circles of trusted others. This then translates into more positive attitudes toward immigrants. The findings provide evidence that it is the causal relationship between political satisfaction and social trust (rather than social trust in itself) which promotes the positive impact of life satisfaction on tolerance towards immigrants. The study highlights that fostering political satisfaction and social trust may play an important role in shaping young people’s positive attitudes towards immigrants.
“Green propellants” as a hydrazine substitute: experimental investigations of ethane/ethene-nitrous oxide mixtures and validation of detailed reaction mechanism
Authors: Janzer Corina , Richter Sandra , Naumann Clemens , Methling Torsten
Published: May 2021

Mixtures of hydrocarbons and nitrous oxide are known as green propellants and could replace the highly toxic hydrazine and hydrazine derivatives as rocket fuel, since they are non-toxic and easier to handle, but still have a high specific impulse. Possible hydrocarbon candidates are ethane or ethene. To check the applicability of the two reaction systems, C2H6/N2O and C2H4/N2O, experiments are a prerequisite for accurate predictions under various conditions that are of great importance for the design of safe and reliable thrusters. Therefore, experimental literature data obtained from ignition delay times and laminar burning velocities were used to validate and optimize a new reaction mechanism, which is designed for C0–C3 and nitrogen oxides formation. To achieve a better predictive power of the detailed mechanism, the Arrhenius parameters of three reactions were adjusted: N2O + H ⇌ N2 + OH, N2O (+ M) ⇌ N2 + O (+ M), and NH + NO ⇌ N2O + H. A good agreement was achieved between simulation and experiment for ignition delay times at various pressures and equivalence ratios in a broad temperature range before and after the mechanism optimization. However, the laminar burning velocities in the whole measured range of the equivalence ratio for all pressures and dilutions showed a significant improvement after the optimization.
Reinforcement learning-based particle swarm optimization for sewage treatment control
Authors: Lu Lu , Zheng Hui , Jie Jing , Zhang Miao , Dai Rui
Published: May 2021

To solve the problem of high-energy consumption in activated sludge wastewater treatment, a reinforcement learning-based particle swarm optimization (RLPSO) was proposed to optimize the control setting in the sewage process. This algorithm tries to take advantage of the valid history information to guide the behavior of particles through a reinforcement learning strategy. First, an elite network is constructed by selecting elite particles and recording their successful search behavior. Then the network is trained and evaluated to effectively predict the particle velocity. In the periodic wastewater treatment process, the RLPSO runs repeatedly according to the optimized cycle. Finally, RLPSO was tested based on Benchmark Simulation Model 1 (BSM1) of sewage treatment, and the simulation results showed that it could effectively reduce the energy consumption on the premise of ensuring qualified water quality. Furthermore, the performance of RLPSO was analyzed using the benchmarks with higher dimension, which verifies the effectiveness of the algorithm and provides the possibility for RLPSO to be applied to a wider range of problems.
A cooperated shuffled frog-leaping algorithm for distributed energy-efficient hybrid flow shop scheduling with fuzzy processing time
Authors: Cai Jingcao , Lei Deming
Published: May 2021

Distributed hybrid flow shop scheduling problem (DHFSP) has attracted some attention; however, DHFSP with uncertainty and energy-related element is seldom studied. In this paper, distributed energy-efficient hybrid flow shop scheduling problem (DEHFSP) with fuzzy processing time is considered and a cooperated shuffled frog-leaping algorithm (CSFLA) is presented to optimize fuzzy makespan, total agreement index and fuzzy total energy consumption simultaneously. Iterated greedy, variable neighborhood search and global search are designed using problem-related features; memeplex evaluation based on three quality indices is presented, an effective cooperation process between the best memeplex and the worst memeplex is developed according to evaluation results and performed by exchanging search times and search ability, and an adaptive population shuffling is adopted to improve search efficiency. Extensive experiments are conducted and the computational results validate that CSFLA has promising advantages on solving the considered DEHFSP.
A branch-and-price algorithm for two-echelon electric vehicle routing problem
Authors: Wu Zhiguo , Zhang Juliang
Published: May 2021

Motivated by express and e-commerce companies’ distribution practices, we study a two-echelon electric vehicle routing problem. In this problem, fuel-powered vehicles are used to transport goods from a depot to intermediate facilities (satellites) in the first echelon, whereas electric vehicles, which have limited driving ranges and need to be recharged at recharging stations, are used to transfer goods from the satellites to customers in the second echelon. We model the problem as an arc flow model and decompose the model into a master problem and pricing subproblem. We propose a branch-and-price algorithm to solve it. We use column generation to solve the restricted master problem to provide lower bounds. By enumerating all the subsets of the satellites, we generate feasible columns by solving the elementary shortest path problem with resource constraints in the first echelon. Then, we design a bidirectional labeling algorithm to generate feasible routes in the second echelon. Comparing the performance of our proposed algorithm with that of CPLEX in solving a set of small-sized instances, we demonstrate the former’s effectiveness. We further assess our algorithm in solving two sets of larger scale instances. We also examine the impacts of some model parameters on the solution.
Older adults report cancellation or avoidance of medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic: results from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam
Authors: Schuster Noah A. , de Breij Sascha , Schaap Laura A. , van Schoor Natasja M. , Peters Mike J. L. , de Jongh Renate T. , Huisman Martijn , Hoogendijk Emiel O.
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Delay of routine medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic may have serious consequences for the health and functioning of older adults. The aim of this study was to investigate whether older adults reported cancellation or avoidance of medical care during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to explore associations with health and socio-demographic characteristics.

Methods

Cross-sectional data of 880 older adults aged ≥ 62 years (mean age 73.4 years, 50.3% female) were used from the COVID-19 questionnaire of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, a cohort study among community-dwelling older adults in the Netherlands. Cancellation and avoidance of care were assessed by self-report, and covered questions on cancellation of primary care (general practitioner), cancellation of hospital outpatient care, and postponed help-seeking. Respondent characteristics included age, sex, educational level, loneliness, depression, anxiety, frailty, multimorbidity and information on quarantine.

Results

35% of the sample reported cancellations due to the COVID-19 situation, either initiated by the respondent (12%) or by healthcare professionals (29%). Postponed help-seeking was reported by 8% of the sample. Multimorbidity was associated with healthcare-initiated cancellations (primary care OR = 1.92, 95% CI = 1.09–3.50; hospital OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.28–2.74) and respondent-initiated hospital outpatient cancellations (OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.04–4.12). Depressive symptoms were associated with postponed help-seeking (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.06–1.24).

Conclusion

About one third of the study sample reported cancellation or avoidance of medical care during the first months of the pandemic, and this was more common among those with multiple chronic conditions. How this impacts outcomes in the long term should be investigated in future research.
The Role of Operative Vaginal Delivery in Postpartum Sexual Dysfunction: MOODS - A Prospective Study
Authors: de Sousa Natacha Quintal , Borges Ana Catarina , Sarabando Rita , Bivar Leonor , Viana Johanna , Cerqueira Margarida , Miranda Alexandra , Reis Isabel , Nogueira-Silva Cristina
Published: May 2021

Background

Childbirth brings many changes to women’s life and sexual health. The influence of operative vaginal delivery on sexual function has produced inconsistent results.

Aim

To evaluate the effects of mode of vaginal delivery (spontaneous or operative) in postpartum sexual function.

Methods

Descriptive prospective study (MOODS- Maternal-neonatal Outcomes in Operative Vaginal Delivery) including 304 women who had a singleton term vaginal delivery (operative or spontaneous in a relation 2:1). Women were invited to answer a questionnaire at 3, 6 months and 1 year postpartum.

Outcomes Measurement

A validated questionnaire was applied, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) Score, to evaluate effects of operative delivery on sexual health. Sexual dysfunction was defined by FSFI score <26.55.

RESULTS

211 women answered at least one questionnaire. Overall rate of sexual dysfunction was 62%, 43% and 48% at 3, 6 and 12 months respectively. At 3 months, total FSFI score was significantly lower in operative vaginal delivery group (mean±SD, 21.3±8.6 vs 24.9±7.9, P = 0.015). Arousal (P = 0.028), orgasm (P = 0.029), satisfaction (P = 0.015) and pain (P = 0.007) FSFI domains were also significantly inferior. At this time, 44% women in spontaneous delivery group and 70% in operative delivery group had sexual dysfunction (P = 0.0002). At 6 months, there were no differences in FSFI scores according the type of delivery. At 12 months, total FSFI score was similar in both groups, but pain domain was significantly lower in operative delivery (P = 0.004). Considering type of instrument (Thierry’s Spatulas or Kiwi Vacuum), no differences were found regarding episiotomy, perineal trauma, obstetric anal sphincter injury or postpartum complications. FSFI scores did not differ between the two instruments at any time point. A logistic regression showed that, when controlled for perineal trauma, mode of delivery was independently associated with sexual dysfunction at 3 months (P = 0.02).

Clinical Implications

Clinicians should assess women’s sexual health during pregnancy and postpartum period in order to enhance their wellbeing.

Strengths/Limitations

Strengths include its prospective design, standardized questionnaire and the new perspectives about a different obstetrical instrument (Thierry’s spatulas). Limitations include the absence of pre-pregnancy sexual function data and considerable drop-out rate.

CONCLUSION

Sexual dysfunction affects a great proportion of newly mothers and in postpartum period mode of delivery and perineal trauma seem to play an important role. Although there was a progressive reduction over time, prevalence of sexual dysfunction at 6 months and 1 year postpartum was still considerable. The type of obstetrical instrument does not seem to influence short or long-term sexual function.
Complexity of Infinite-Domain Constraint Satisfaction
Authors: Bodirsky Manuel
Published: May 2021

Constraint Satisfaction Problems (CSPs) are natural computational problems that appear in many areas of theoretical computer science. Exploring which CSPs are solvable in polynomial time and which are NP-hard reveals a surprising link with central questions in universal algebra. This monograph presents a self-contained introduction to the universal-algebraic approach to complexity classification, treating both finite and infinite-domain CSPs. It includes the required background from logic and combinatorics, particularly model theory and Ramsey theory, and explains the recently discovered link between Ramsey theory and topological dynamics and its implications for CSPs. The book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in theoretical computer science and to mathematicians in logic, combinatorics, and dynamics who wish to learn about the applications of their work in complexity theory.
The Management of Procedure-Induced Anxiety in Children
Authors: Martin Richard
Published: May 2021

Procedure induced anxiety affects the majority of children undergoing medical intervention and has been directly linked to behaviour disturbances, psychological trauma, phobias and symptoms of PTSD. Despite this, there is currently no formal training relating to the management of procedure induced anxiety for medical personnel caring for children. A distillation of more than eighty years of research, this textbook examines the nature, prevalence and consequences of anxiety in children, alongside evidence-based strategies for its effective management. Designed as a training manual, it includes a comprehensive account of positive and negative aspects of behaviour that contribute to the successful management of anxious children. Chapters cover topics such as non-verbal and verbal communication, enhanced communication management strategies, support of children with autistic spectrum disorder, ADHD, learning difficulties, the use of premedication and the role that families play. Essential reading for anaesthetists and paediatricians and a valuable resource for any practitioner working with children.
Polar ice core organic matter signatures reveal past atmospheric carbon composition and spatial trends across ancient and modern timescales
Authors: D'Andrilli Juliana , McConnell Joseph R.
Published: May 2021

We present polar ice core organic matter (OM) fluorescence signatures to reconstruct ancient and modern atmospheric compositions and relate OM signals to past ecological changes. OM composition from three Arctic ice cores (Canada and Greenland) was characterized by fluorescence spectroscopy and compared to an Antarctic OM record. Diverse OM was measured in ancient and modern ice in both hemispheres and similarities existed across vast spatiotemporal scales. We determined three OM markers, indicating paleoclimate and modern carbon trends: (i) ‘humic-like’, detected in Holocene ice of more complex and aromatic character, supporting trends of higher plant influences in warmer climates, (ii) monolignol- and non-amino acid-like, describing simple, lignin-like OM precursors ubiquitous in the environment and the microbial degradation products of more complex materials from plants/soils, and (iii) amino acid- and tannin-like, indicating microbial degradation of simple OM chemical species, compared to the other markers. Concentration trends were inferred from fluorescence intensities of individual OM types and related to warmer temperatures. No indicators of freshly produced OM by microbes were detected; signals were interpreted as materials externally produced from the ice and transported to polar regions. This marks the first global comparison of atmospheric reconstructions from OM across vast spatiotemporal scales.
Triassic Foraminifera from the Great Bank of Guizhou, Nanpanjiang Basin, south China: taxonomic account, biostratigraphy, and implications for recovery from end-Permian mass extinction
Authors: Altıner Demir , Payne Jonathan L. , Lehrmann Daniel J. , Özkan-Altıner Sevinç , Kelley Brian M. , Summers Mindi M. , Yu Meiyi
Published: May 2021

Foraminifera are important components of tropical marine benthic ecosystems and their recovery pattern from the end-Permian mass extinction can yield insights into the Mesozoic history of this group. Here we report the calcareous and agglutinated foraminifera recovered from five measured stratigraphic sections on the Great Bank of Guizhou, an uppermost Permian to Upper Triassic isolated carbonate platform in the Nanpanjiang Basin, south China. The material contains >100 Triassic species, including three that are newly described (Arenovidalina weiin. sp.,Meandrospira?enosin. sp., andSpinoendotebanella lehrmannin. gen., n. sp.), ranging from Griesbachian (Induan) to Cordevolian (Carnian) age. The species belong to the classes Miliolata, Textulariata, Fusulinata, Nodosariata, and to an unknown class housing all aragonitic forms of the orders Involutinida and Robertinida. Based on previously established conodont zones and carbon isotope chemostratigraphy, the Griesbachian (early Induan) through Illyrian (late Anisian) interval has been subdivided into 12 foraminiferal zones and two unnamed intervals devoid of foraminifera. Following the extinction at the Permian-Triassic boundary, habitable ecological niches of Griesbachian age were invaded by disaster taxa that subsequently became extinct during the Dienerian (late Induan) and left no younger descendants. The disaster taxa were replaced by Lazarus taxa with Permian origins, which were then decimated by the Smithian-Spathian (mid-Olenekian) boundary crisis. The tempo of recovery appears to have been modulated by environmental changes during the Griesbachian through Smithian that involved both climate change and expansion of anoxic ocean bottom waters. Uninterrupted and lasting recovery of benthic foraminifera did not begin until the Spathian.

UUID:http://zoobank.org/2a6e9061-b163-402a-9098-8765a80576b3
Adult children's education and trajectories of episodic memory among older parents in the United States of America
Authors: Pai Manacy , Lu Wentian , Xue Baowen
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between adult children's education and older parents’ cognitive health, and the extent to which this relationship is moderated by parents’ own socio-economic and marital statuses. Data using Waves 5 (2000) to 13 (2016) are drawn from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative panel survey of individuals age 50 and above in the United States of America (USA). Older parents’ cognitive functioning is measured using episodic memory from Waves 5–13. Adult children's education is measured using years of schooling, on average, for all adult children of a respondent. Analyses based on multilevel linear growth curve modelling reveal that parents with well-educated adult children report higher memory score over time compared to their counterparts whose children are not as well-educated. We also find that the positive effect of children's education on parents’ cognitive health is moderated by parents’ own education, though not by their income, occupation or marital status. Our work contributes to the growing body of research on the ‘upward’ flow of resources model that assesses the ways in which personal and social assets of the younger generation shape the health and wellbeing of the older generation. Our findings are particularly relevant to the USA given the enduring linkage between socio-economic status and health, and the limited social and economic protection for those of lower social status.
Excess mortality and life-years lost in people with bipolar disorder: an 11-year population-based cohort study
Authors: Chan J. K. N. , Wong C. S. M. , Yung N. C. L. , Chen E. Y. H. , Chang W. C.
Published: May 2021

Aims

Bipolar disorder is associated with premature mortality, but evidence is mostly derived from Western countries. There has been no research evaluating shortened lifespan in bipolar disorder using life-years lost (LYLs), which is a recently developed mortality metric taking into account illness onset for life expectancy estimation. The current study aimed to examine the extent of premature mortality in bipolar disorder patients relative to the general population in Hong Kong (HK) in terms of standardised mortality ratio (SMR) and excess LYLs, and changes of mortality rate over time.

Methods

This population-based cohort study investigated excess mortality in 12 556 bipolar disorder patients between 2008 and 2018, by estimating all-cause and cause-specific SMRs, and LYLs. Trends in annual SMRs over the 11-year study period were assessed. Study data were retrieved from a territory-wide medical-record database of HK public healthcare services.

Results

Patients had higher all-cause [SMR: 2.60 (95% CI: 2.45–2.76)], natural-cause [SMR: 1.90 (95% CI: 1.76–2.05)] and unnatural-cause [SMR: 8.63 (95% CI: 7.34–10.03)] mortality rates than the general population. Respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and cancers accounted for the majority of deaths. Men and women with bipolar disorder had 6.78 (95% CI: 6.00–7.84) years and 7.35 (95% CI: 6.75–8.06) years of excess LYLs, respectively. The overall mortality gap remained similar over time, albeit slightly improved in men with bipolar disorder.

Conclusions

Bipolar disorder is associated with increased premature mortality and substantially reduced lifespan in a predominantly Chinese population, with excess deaths mainly attributed to natural causes. Persistent mortality gap underscores an urgent need for targeted interventions to improve physical health of patients with bipolar disorder.
How Humorous Posts Influence Engagement With Political Posts on	Social Media
Authors: Heiss Raffael
Published: May 2021

Abstract. Individuals frequently process political posts on social media in the context of humorous, non-political posts, which research suggests may stimulate or dampen their engagement with the political posts depending on their political involvement. To clarify that claim, I conducted a 2 × 2 experiment ( N = 286) in which individuals viewed political posts situated among either humorous or non-humorous posts, all presented as video-recorded posts on a social media newsfeed, in a condition of either low or high political involvement. Among the results, the humorous posts directly boosted general attention, the elaboration of political posts, and the acquisition of political knowledge in the low political involvement group and stimulated political participation in the high political involvement group. Further analyses revealed that, in the low involvement group, increased attention and the elaboration of the posts may have mediated humor’s effect on the acquisition of political knowledge. Meanwhile, its positive effect on participation in the high involvement group occurred independently from general attention and the elaboration of the posts. Altogether, the findings suggest that humorous social media contexts may benefit the acquisition of political knowledge and political participation.
Simultaneous CO2 and O2 Supersaturation in Waters of Southern Patagonia? The Importance of Evaluating Overall Carbonate System Parameters Uncertainty and External Consistency. A Comment to Vargas et al., 2018
Authors: Torres Rodrigo , Alarcón Emilio , Reid Brian
Published: May 2021

Vargas and collaborators (Vargas et al., 2018), therein V2018, reported measurements of pH, total alkalinity (AT), dissolved inorganic carbon (CT), dissolved oxygen (DO) and other hydrographic variables along a portion of the Strait of Magellan and associated fjords during the spring of 2010. Using the measured values of AT and pH to calculate the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2), they showed that DO supersaturated waters in the upper 50 m depth were often associated with pCO2 higher than atmospheric CO2 levels. Here we show that this anomalous pattern arises because V2018′s carbonate system parameters were apparently incorrectly calculated, resulting in positively biased pCO2 values. AT measurements in this layer were often higher than the marine end‐member, which could indicate an additional source of bias. Biased carbonate system parameters used by V2018 imply a sub‐estimation of the capacity of CO2 uptake, with important consequences for local capacity to modulate the potential deleterious effects of freshening and ocean acidification on fjord biota. The critical analysis of the global sources of uncertainty in carbonate‐system parameters, and evaluation of internal and external consistency (i.e., with complementary hydrographic information or with previous reports), are necessary to detect bias, and generate data with sufficient quality to study the effect of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems (GOA‐ON, 2019).
Seasonal Variation of Wet Deposition of Black Carbon at Ny‐Ålesund, Svalbard
Authors: Mori Tatsuhiro , Kondo Yutaka , Ohata Sho , Goto‐Azuma Kumiko , Fukuda Kaori , Ogawa‐Tsukagawa Yoshimi , Moteki Nobuhiro , Yoshida Atsushi , Koike Makoto , Sinha P. R. , Oshima Naga , Matsui Hitoshi , Tobo Yutaka , Yabuki Masanori , Aas Wenche
Published: May 2021

Black carbon (BC) aerosol deposited in and onto Arctic snow increases the snow's absorption of solar radiation and accelerates snowmelt. Concentrations of BC in the Arctic atmosphere and snow are controlled by wet deposition; however, details of this process are poorly understood owing to the scarcity of time‐resolved measurements of BC in hydrometeors. We measured mass concentrations of BC in hydrometeors (CMBC) and in air (MBC) with 16% and 15% accuracies, respectively, at Ny‐Ålesund, Svalbard during 2012–2019. Median monthly MBC and CMBC values showed similar seasonal variations, being high in winter‐spring and low in summer. Median monthly BC wet deposition mass flux (FMBC) was highest in winter and lowest in summer, associated with seasonal patterns of CMBC and precipitation. Seasonally averaged BC size distributions in hydrometeors were similar except for summer. Measurements of MBC and CMBC in spring 2017 showed a size‐independent removal efficiency, indicating that BC‐containing particles were efficiently activated into cloud droplets. These observations at Ny‐Ålesund were compared with observations at Barrow, Alaska, during 2013–2017. The near‐surface MBC at Ny‐Ålesund and Barrow had similar seasonal patterns; however, the two sites differed in CMBC and FMBC. In summer, CMBC was low at Ny‐Ålesund but moderate at Barrow, likely reflecting differences in MBC in the lower troposphere. Seasonally averaged BC size distributions in hydrometeors were similar at both sites, suggesting that average BC size distributions are similar in the Arctic lower troposphere. The efficiency of BC removal tends to be size‐independent during transport, leading to the observed similarity.