OBJECTIVE: To investigate potential associations between individual and country-level factors and medicalization of birth in 15 European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.METHODS: Online anonymous survey of women who gave birth in 2020-2021. Multivariable multilevel logistic regression models estimating associations between indicators of medicalization (cesarean, instrumental vaginal birth [I

The pictorial representations of activities and social interactions provide the researcher with a sensory experience both during and after the fieldwork. I had interesting encounters with children and families during my ethnographic research on the social value of the child in rural Punjab (2019). Some of these encounters were also photographed. Attending a doll's marriage ceremony was one of thos

Climate change is expected to alter precipitation regimes, resulting in longer periods of drought and heavier precipitation events. Even though the direct effect of water availability on soil microbial processes is well documented, the influence of precipitation legacy on microbial resistance and resilience to drought remains unclear. Using soils from a natural mean annual precipitation (MAP) grad

Soil microorganisms regulate the decomposition of organic matter. However, microbial activities can also be rate-limited by the resource in lowest supply. Arctic ecosystems are being exposed to pronounced climate warming, with arctic greening, treeline advance and shrubification resulting in increased plant-derived carbon (C) inputs to soils, and faster rates of decomposition releasing mineral nut

Alicyclic quaternary ammonium cations having all the β-protons in a strain-free ring structure are in general highly base resistant, and are thus very attractive to employ for anion exchange membrane (AEM) applications. However, tethering cations such as N,N-dimethylpiperidinium (DMP) to polymer backbones without introducing any weak links is quite challenging. In the present study, we have attach

Real-time train arrival time prediction is crucial for providing passenger information and timely decision support. The paper develops methods to simultaneously predict train arrival times at downstream stations, including direct multiple output liner regression (DMOLR) and seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) models. To capture correlations of prediction equations, two bias correction terms are t

This article summarizes and discusses some results of my earlier research focusing on the Catholic mission in Scandinavia and the alternative identity discourses that this missionary activity created. It also discusses Catholic gender discourses and ideals of masculinity. The Nordic countries were subjected to Catholic missionary activity, aimed at bringing the Nordic peoples to convert to the CatThis article summarizes and discusses some results of my earlier research focusing on the Catholic mission in Scandinavia and the alternative identity discourses that this missionary activity created. It also discusses Catholic gender discourses and ideals of masculinity. The Nordic countries were subjected to Catholic missionary activity, aimed at bringing the Nordic peoples to convert to the Cat

An accurate estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) is vital for understanding the global hydrological cycle. However, large uncertainties in the present global ET products originate from the distinct model structures, assumptions, and inputs. The maximum entropy production (MEP) model provides a novel method for modeling ET based on parsimonious inputs and energy conservation. In this study, an R p

BACKGROUND: Screening decreases mortality among lung cancer patients but is not widely implemented, thus there is an unmet need for an easily accessible non-invasive method to enable early diagnosis. Particles in exhaled air offer a promising such diagnostic tool. We investigated the validity of a particles in exhaled air device (PExA) to measure the particle flow rate (PFR) and collect exhaled br

BackgroundSurgical site infections (SSI) in the groin after vascular surgery are common. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) on SSI incidence when applied on closed inguinal incisions after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR).MethodsA multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT). Between November 2013 and December 2020, 377 incisions (336 bila

Aural transposition sits at a crossroads between being a tool for practice and creating work, and being a tool that illuminates aspects of another entity. In day-to-day music practice, transposition can be an age-old tool for learning material, or a multi-layered exploration of an object or place. Transposition can also be a means of recreating places, real or imagined, through the transposition o

X-ray crystallography has long been a key method in solving the three-dimensional structure of proteins. Structural information is essential for unraveling the molecular function of proteins and structure-based drug design. However, there are several obstacles associated with the structural determination of proteins using X-ray crystallography, such as the generation of a large amount of protein s

The political and institutional crisis in Brazil from 2015, fueled largely by corruption probes and lawfare, had severe repercussions within the Brazilian construction and energy sectors. While many international investors withdrew from Brazil in this period, Chinese investment surged. This article accounts for the particular characteristics of Chinese investments, such as sectorial complementarit

Despite a rapid transition to LED lamps, it is still little knowledge about the effects of these light sources on users with low vision. The study's main objective was to acquire a better understanding about how correlated colour temperatures (CCTs) of non-directional LED affect visual accessibility and perceptions of lighting quality in homelike environments among visually impaired persons. The s

Two commonly used instruments to assess muscle strength after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction are the isokinetic dynamometer, which measures isokinetic torque and the hand-held dynamometer, which measures isometric torque. Isokinetic dynamometers are considered superior to other instruments but may not be commonly used in clinical settings. Hand-held dynamometers are small, portable, and

Despite the rapidly expanding literature on agency in regional development, the methodological approaches available to study it have not followed theoretical development and empirical studies. This article aims to shed light on methodological issues related to the study of path dependence, path creation and agency. The article’s main purpose is to construct a methodology - path tracing - that woul