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Left or right? The link between political orientation and partner preferences in a multinational sample of single women
No full textPolitical orientation is related to many aspects of our lives. Here, we investigate how political orientation relates to how women from different parts of the world picture their ideal partner. Using data from the Ideal Partner Survey, we analyzed relationships between political orientation and long-term partner preferences in a sample of 13,257 heterosexual, single women from 144 countries. Replicating previous work, political orientation was related to a preference for political similarity, such that women holding more extreme political views showed the strongest preferences for political similarity. In addition, women leaning more to the right side of the political spectrum held higher preferences for ethnic and religious similarity. Partly consistent with the possibility that political orientation relates to women’s attraction towards men conforming to a masculine, male breadwinner stereotype, more right-leaning views were not only linked to preferring a financially secure and successful partner, but also to ascribing more importance to a partner´s height. No or only negligible relationships with political orientation were found for partner´s kindness-supportiveness and level of height. For all other preferences, results were less conclusive. In sum, results indicate that who women want as a romantic partner is partly related to their political orientation.</p
Introducing the laddering technique to the study of democratic innovations: insights from deliberative and participatory forums
No full textWe introduce laddering interviewing as a qualitative method for comparative research in the study of citizens’ demand for participatory and deliberative governance. Originating in psychology and marketing research, laddering interviewing can be adapted to generate unique insight about citizens’ preferences about democratic innovations and the values that inform these preferences. By applying this method to two illustrative case studies of deliberative and participatory forums in Northern Ireland and The Netherlands, we demonstrate its efectiveness in revealing common values such as mutual understanding, diversity, equality of voice, collective action, and impact. Further, we identify the context-specifc values like budget-related attributes and local social cohesion. The values we found tend to difer from those that theorists and practitioners often envisage as key to democratic innovations. This methodological approach ofers critical insights that highlight the nuanced and context-dependent nature of citizens’ preferences
A combined elementomics, metabolomics, and chemometrics approach as tools to identify the geographic origins of black pepper
No full textBlack pepper is one of the most widely used spices with high market value globally. Its supply chains complexity and economic value predispose it to fraud. Determining the provenance of this spice is imperative to protect all stakeholders in the value chain. We explored elementomics, untargeted metabolomics, and chemometrics approaches in tracing geographical origin of black pepper. A total of 150 black pepper samples were collected from five countries (Brazil, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Vietnam) and analysed using ICP-MS and LC/QTOF-MS to obtain elemental and chemical fingerprints of the samples, respectively. Chemometric techniques were used for the multivariate analysis to discriminate and classify samples' origins. Further geographical differentiation was carried out by applying a data fusion approach. ICP-MS demonstrated 85% classification accuracy while LC/QTOF-MS and data fusion approach gave 100% discrimination rate. Our findings provide empirical evidence for combined elementomics, metabolomics, and chemometrics techniques for black pepper authentication toward fraud prevention.<br/
Validation of a finite volume Simo-Reissner beam method for moored floating solar platforms
No full textAssessment of vertical redistribution of electron density in ionosphere during an X-class solar flare using GNSS data
No full textThe impact of solar flares on the Earth’s ionosphere has been studied for many decades using both experimental and theoretical approaches. However, the accuracy of predicting ionospheric layer dynamics in response to variations in solar radiation remains limited. In particular, understanding the vertical redistribution of charged particles in the ionosphere during flares with different spectral characteristics presents a significant challenge. In this study, a method is presented for reconstructing the temporal evolution of the vertical electron concentration () profile based on GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) measurements of total electron content along partially illuminated satellite-receiver paths. Using this method, vertical profiles of were reconstructed during various phases of the X13.3-class solar flare that occurred on 6 September 2017. The resulting profiles correctly respond to the observed variations in solar extreme ultraviolet and X-ray radiation. This indicates that the method can be effectively applied to analyse other powerful solar events
Calcium in a supernova remnant as a fingerprint of a sub-Chandrasekhar-mass explosion
No full textType Ia supernovae play a fundamental role as cosmological probes of dark energy and produce more than half of the iron in our Galaxy. Despite their central importance, a comprehensive understanding of their progenitor systems and triggering mechanism is still a long-standing fundamental problem. Here we present high-resolution integral field spectroscopic observations of the young supernova remnant SNR 0509-67.5 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. We uncover a double-shell morphology of highly ionized calcium [Ca XV] and a single shell of sulphur [S XII], observed in the reverse shocked ejecta. Our analysis reveals that the outer calcium shell originates from the helium detonation at the base of the outer envelope, while the inner shell is associated with the carbon–oxygen core detonation. This morphological distribution of intermediate-mass elements agrees qualitatively with the predicted signature of the double detonation of a sub-Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf from a hydrodynamical explosion simulation. Our observations reveal two distinct, spatially separated peaks in surface brightness of [Ca XV] from the supernova remnant phase, providing substantial evidence that sub-Chandrasekhar-mass explosions through the double-detonation mechanism could occur in nature. They also highlight the importance of remnant tomography in understanding explosion mechanisms from the remnant phase
Rare variant genetic landscape of familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) in the United Kingdom
No full textPurposeFamilial chylomicronaemia syndrome (FCS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder. This study aimed to analyse the genotype distribution of FCS-causing genes in the United Kingdom (UK).MethodsData were anonymously collated from two genetic testing laboratories providing national genetic diagnosis services for severe hypertriglyceridaemia in the UK.ResultsAs of December 2023, 880 individuals underwent genetic testing for FCS. The mean (SD) age at the time of genetic testing was 42.5 (15.3) years. After genotyping, 12.9% of the individuals (n=114) received a genetic diagnosis of FCS. The detection rate of variant positive multifactorial chylomicronaemia syndrome (MCS) i.e. heterozygous for pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants in one of the five canonical genes was 11.4% (n=100).Among 114 genetically proven FCS individuals, 52.6% (n=60) had biallelic P/LP LPL variants (i.e. LPL-FCS), 45.6% (n = 52) had biallelic non-LPL P/LP variants (i.e. non-LPL-FCS) and 1.7% (n=2) individuals were digenic. Among non-LPL FCS (n=52), the most common gene implicated was GPIHBP1 (42.3%, n=22), followed by APOA5 (32.7%, n=17), LMF1 (13.5%, n=7) and APOC2 (11.5%, n=6). Most variant positive MCS harboured P/LP variants in LPL (61%) or APOA5 (37%).The geographical distribution of FCS demonstrated regional variability, where the Northwest of England had the highest number of FCS cases per million population. Individuals of European geographic ancestry predominantly had LPL-FCS (60.9%); however, genotype was more diverse in individuals of non-European origin (LPL 47.1%, GPIHBP1 30.9%, APOA5 8.8%, LMF1 7.4%, APOC2 4.4%). Variants in specific causal genes, GPIHBP1 and LMF1, were predominantly observed in non-European FCS individuals.ConclusionThe genetic architecture of FCS in the UK is complex, with a substantial proportion affected by non-LPL FCS-causing genes. It also displays a significant regional and ethnic variation
Reinforcement learning with LLMs interaction for distributed diffusion model services
No full textDistributed Artificial Intelligence-Generated Content (AIGC) has attracted significant attention, but two key challenges remain: maximizing subjective Quality of Experience (QoE) and improving energy efficiency, which are particularly pronounced in widely adopted Generative Diffusion Model (GDM)-based image generation services. In this paper, we propose a novel user-centric Interactive AI (IAI) approach for service management, with a distributed GDM-based AIGC framework that emphasizes efficient and cooperative deployment. The proposed method restructures the GDM inference process by allowing users with semantically similar prompts to share parts of the denoising chain. Furthermore, to maximize the users' subjective QoE, we propose an IAI approach, i.e., Reinforcement Learning With Large Language Models Interaction (RLLI), which utilizes Large Language Model (LLM)-empowered generative agents to replicate users interactions, providing real-time and subjective QoE feedback aligned with diverse user personalities. Lastly, we present the GDM-based Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (G-DDPG) algorithm, adapted to the proposed RLLI framework, to allocate communication and computing resources effectively while accounting for subjective user traits and dynamic wireless conditions. Simulation results demonstrate that G-DDPG improves total QoE by 15% compared with the standard DDPG algorithm
Iodine intake and status of school-age girls in Ireland
No full textPurpose: Insufficient iodine intake can lead to a variety of preventable health and developmental outcomes. Consequently, continuous monitoring of a population’s iodine adequacy is important. The aim of this study was to examine iodine intake and status in a nationally representative sample of school-age girls living in Ireland. Methods: Analyses were based on 516 schoolgirls aged 5–18 years from the cross-sectional National Children’s Food Survey II (2017–2018) and the National Teens’ Food Survey II (2019–2020). Dietary data were collected using a four-day weighed food diary. Adequacy of iodine intake and the contribution of food categories to overall dietary iodine intake was assessed. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was measured using a spot urine sample using the Sandell-Kolthoff reaction by a modified microplate method. Results: Median iodine intake was 94.8 µg/d (IQR 54.9–155.5 µg/d), with 40% of girls having intakes below the estimated average requirement (EAR). The median UIC was 87.8 µg/L, with younger girls having a significantly higher UIC compared to older girls (104.4 µg/L − 77.0 µg/L respectively; p < 0.001). The main dietary source was milk, contributing to over 50% of iodine intake, with non-consumers of milk having significantly lower dietary and urinary iodine levels compared to high consumers (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study suggests that school aged girls living in Ireland have mild iodine deficiency and given the concerns associated with such deficiencies and their potential public health implications, it is essential that iodine status in other population groups in Ireland is ascertained. The need for targeted public health strategies to eradicate iodine deficiency may be warranted.</p
