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Background The assessment of sexual functioning requires accurate and reliable measures as well as short and easy to apply. The Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX), which provides a quick, easy, and nonintrusive assessment of sexual functioning in men and women, is a clear example of a commonly used scale that satisfies these qualities. Aim The study sought to examine measurement invariance and differential item functioning (DIF) by sexual orientation of the Spanish version of the ASEX. Methods A confirmatory factor analysis was performed on a sample of 1600 adults (800 gay and 800 heterosexual individuals), testing measurement invariance of the ASEX by sexual orientation in men and women separately, and calculating its reliability and DIF. Outcomes The measure provided by the Spanish version of the ASEX is reliable and valid for assessing the sexual functioning of gay men and lesbians, but comparisons by sexual orientation are not recommended for men. Results The results of the confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the unidimensional structure of the ASEX already found in the Spanish validation with heterosexual people. Measurement invariance showed that, in the men’s sample, the factor structure of the ASEX only reached the weak level of invariance, whereas in the women’s sample, strict invariance by sexual orientation was reached. The internal consistency reliability was adequate, with better coefficients in women than in men. No significant DIF was observed in either men or women. Clinical Implications Clinicians should further their training in sexual and gender diversity as approaches such as affirmative LGBT psychotherapy gain popularity, and they must have access to assessment instruments that are psychometrically robust enough to be used with this population. Strengths and Limitations This research has some limitations. Because the distribution was administered solely through social media platforms, those without access to social media were unable to participate. Beyond these restrictions, however, the findings are thought to be significant from a research and clinical perspective since measurement invariance is a step that is often excluded when using an instrument validated in a mostly heterosexual sample. Conclusion Validating assessment tools in gay men and lesbians is essential because sexual functioning is a crucial concept in sexual health. The findings of this study suggest that the Spanish version of the ASEX offers valid and reliable measures of sexual functioning for both heterosexual and gay people, though there would be bias in comparing men of both orientations.

El objetivo del estudio fue examinar la estructura factorial, la confiabilidad y proporcionar alguna evidencia de validez de la versión en español del Inventario de Roles Sexuales de Bem (BSRI), que evalúa la au-todescripción en términos de rasgos de género. Una muestra de 2.672 par-ticipantes españoles, adultos heterosexuales (1.289 hombres, 1.383 mujeres) distribuidos en cuatro grupos de edad (18-25, 26-35, 36-55, 56 años o más), completó una versión en español de 40 ítems del BSRI. Se propone una es-cala de 8 ítems con estructura bidimensional: Masculinidad (M) y Femini-dad (F). Ambos factores presentan una fiabilidad adecuada. Con respecto a la evidencia de validez, los hombres (vs. las mujeres) obtuvieron puntua-ciones más altas en M y las mujeres (vs. los hombres) en F. Las puntuacio-nes M fueron más altas para los participantes menores de 56 años. No se encontraron diferencias en las puntuaciones F entre grupos de edad. Discu-timos la utilidad de esta medida para evaluar las diferencias interindividua-les, según el sexo y la edad, en la autoatribución de los rasgos de género tradicionales., The study objective was to examine the factorial structure, relia-bility and to provide some evidence for validity of the Spanish version of the Bem Sexual Roles Inventory (BSRI), which assesses self-description in terms of gender traits. A sample of 2,672 Spanish participants, heterosexu-al adults (1,289 men, 1,383 women) distributed into four age groups (18-25, 26-35, 36-55, 56 years or more), completed a Spanish 40-item version of BSRI. An 8-item scale is proposed with a two-dimensional structure: Masculinity (M) and Femininity (F). Both factors present adequate reliabi-lity. Regarding evidence for validity, men (vs. women) scored higher in M, and women (vs. men) in F. The M scores were higher for the participants aged less than 56 years. No differences were found in the F scores among age groups. We discuss the usefulness of this measure to assess interindi-vidual differences, across sex and age, in the self-attribution of traditional gender traits., Spanish Government PSI2014-25035-R FPU16/04429 FPU18/03102 B13 56 1 RD 99/2011

The aim of this paper is to model the dynamics of the human papillomavirus (HPV) in cervical epithelial cells. We developed a mathematical model of the epithelial cellular dynamics of the stratified epithelium of three (basale, intermedium, and corneum) stratums that is based on three ordinary differential equations. We determine the biological condition for the existence of the epithelial cell homeostasis equilibrium, and we obtain the necessary and sufficient conditions for its global stability using the method of Lyapunov functions and a theorem on limiting systems. We have also developed a mathematical model based on seven ordinary differential equations that describes the dynamics of HPV infection. We calculated the basic reproductive number ( R 0 ) of the infection using the next-generation operator method. We determine the existence and the local stability of the equilibrium point of the cellular homeostasis of the epithelium. We then give a sufficient condition for the global asymptotic stability of the epithelial cell homeostasis equilibrium using the Lyapunov function method. We proved that this equilibrium point is nonhyperbolic when R 0 = 1 and that in this case, the system presents a forward bifurcation, which shows the existence of an infected equilibrium point when R 0 > 1 . We also study the solutions numerically (i.e., viral kinetic in silico) when R 0 > 1 . Finally, local sensitivity index was calculated to assess the influence of different parameters on basic reproductive number. Our model reproduces the transient, acute, latent, and chronic infections that have been reported in studies of the natural history of HPV.

Laboratory quantification and computer modeling of soil organic carbon (SOC) and radiocarbon (14C) rarely align well. Diverse lab methods exist to separate SOC into “fractions” with operationally defined boundaries which include physical, chemical, and biological thresholds. Compartmental soil models, on the other hand, use homogeneous “pools” to group SOC by its rate of decay. However, the stochastic nature of organic matter decomposition makes it virtually impossible to isolate model pools through fractionation or to model fractions as pools. Radiocarbon is a powerful metric that integrates C fluxes in and out of a system, but fraction and pool 14C valuesrepresent an average which may be composed of widely different C ages. In order to advance and constrain our understanding of SOC dynamics, we need to go beyond mean 14C values of operationally defined pools and instead use radiocarbon distributions. Thermal (oxidative) fractionation of SOC produces continuous C data as a function of temperature (20˚C to 900˚C), and discrete 14C measurements by collecting evolved gas. By fitting splines to 14C data and weighing by C release over temperature, a continuous mass-weighted distribution of 14C can be estimated. Recent modeling advances can similarly estimate system 14C distributions, and models may thus be constrained for the first time by continuous lab data. This convergence is a first step beyond pools and fractions that may significantly increase constraining power. We will present lab and mathematical methods, limitations, and outlooks for advancing soil SOC modeling.

How to formulate and run an element cycling model within a day?How to compare many models with respect to many different diagnostics reliably? How to allow models to be formulated in different ways?How to make runnable models transparent without implementation details obscuring the scientific content?bgc_md2 is an open source python library, available on github and binder. It provides an extendable set of datatypes that capture the essential properties compartmental models have in common and enables the formulation of a model with a few lines of regular python code. The structure of the model is captured in symbolic math (using sympy) and can be checked during the creation of the model e.g. by drawing a carbon flow diagram or printing the flux equations using the same mathematical symbols used in the publication describing the model. This can be done long before a complete parameter set for the model is added and the model can be run e.g. for a benchmark.The computation of diagnostic variables both symbolic or numeric is based on the common building blocks which avoids the effort, obscurity and possible inconsistency resulting from a model specific implementation. The difference in available data for different models is addressed by computational graphs.Instead of an inflexible schema for a relational database records can have different entries reflecting the available data.Using the computability graphs the comparable is extended to the computable data. This allows for instance comparing a model described by a collection of fluxes with one described by matrices.bgc_md2 is an extendable library that provides complex and well tested tools for model comparison but does not force the user into a rigid framework.Rather than full automation it aims at flexibility of use within the python universe and can be used interactively in a jupyter notebook as well as in parallel computations on a supercomputer for global data assimilation as we do in a current model inter comparison.Example jupyter notebooks can be explored interactively on binder without installation.

The tridimensional sexual desire proposal (i.e., dyadic to partner, dyadic to attractive other and solitary) has been empirically supported. However, solitary sexual desire and its relationship to other dimensions of sexual functioning has received less attention. Hence, we examined the capacity of solitary sexual desire to explain the subjective orgasm experience (Study 1) and sexual arousal (Study 2) in the context of solitary masturbation. Study 1, composed of 2406 heterosexual adults (M age = 39.72, SD = 11.81), assessed for solitary sexual desire, dyadic sexual desire, and the intensity of the subjective orgasm experience obtained through solitary masturbation, along with other associated parameters. Study 2, consisting of 41 heterosexual young people (M age = 22.49, SD = 3.17), evaluated the genital response (penile circumference/vaginal pulse amplitude) and subjective arousal to sexually explicit films related to solitary masturbation. In both men and women, solitary sexual desire accounted for a significant percentage of the subjective orgasm experience obtained through solitary masturbation. In addition, in women, the propensity for sexual arousal was explained by solitary sexual desire. It is concluded that solitary sexual desire -as opposed to dyadicis important to explain sexual arousal and orgasm in the solitary masturbation context. These results highlight the importance of addressing sexual desire in the solitary context, given its implications with other dimensions of sexual functioning., Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades through the Research Project RTI2018-093317-B-I00, University Professor Training FPU18/03102, FPU16/04429, and FPU19/00369

Nitrogen (N) limitation greatly constrains terrestrial ecosystem carbon (C) uptake and its response to climate change and elevated carbon dioxide. Hence, accurate assessments of ecosystem N limitation are crucial for predicting C-N feedbacks, and vital for providing guidance for policy making or ecosystem management as well. This study aims to retrieve N limitation information by data model fusion from one field N addition experiment so that we can better understand N controls on the terrestrial C cycle. We estimated two sets of parameters with one C-only model and one coupled C-N model. Our results showed that the estimated leaf photosynthetic efficiency (LPE) and process rates (e.g., senescence and decomposition rates) of organic C from almost all pools were higher with the coupled C-N model than those with the C-only model at the ambient treatment. However, the differences in the LPE and the C exit rates between the coupled C-N model and the C-only model decreased with the increasing N addition rates. Both the C-only and coupled C-N models simulated similar C pool sizes as observed at every N addition treatment with their respective parameter estimates. However, simulated ecosystem C storage and gross primary productivity (GPP) decreased if we ran the coupled C-N model with the parameters estimated by the C-only model. This decrease was larger at the ambient treatment and became smaller with the increase of N addition. In general, we put forward a new method to retrieve N limitation information from observations by data model fusion. This method will make it possible to estimate the global nutrient limitation and benefit ecosystem management and policy making.

Microbial release of CO2 from soils to the atmosphere reflects how environmental conditions affect the stability of soil organic matter (SOM), especially in massive organic-rich ecosystems like the peatlands and grasslands of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Radiocarbon (14C) is an important tracer of the global carbon cycle and can be used to understand SOM dynamics through the estimation of time lags between C fixation and respiration, often assessed with metrics such as age and transit time. In this study, we incubated peatland and grassland soils at four temperature (5, 10, 15 and 20 °C) and two water-filled pore space (WFPS) levels (60 and 95 %), and measured the 14C signature of bulk soil and respired CO2. We compare the relation between the Δ14C of the bulk soil and the Δ14CO2 of respired carbon as a function of temperature and WFPS for the two soils. To better interpret our results, we used a mathematical model to analyse how the calculated number of pools, decomposition rates of carbon (k), transfer (α) and partitioning (γ) coefficients affect the Δ14C -bulk and Δ14CO2 relation, with their respective mean age and mean transit time. From our incubations, we found that 14C from peatland was significantly more depleted (old) than from grassland soil. Our results showed that changes in temperature did not affect the Δ14C values of respired CO2 in either soil. However, changes in WFPS had a small effect on the 14C CO2 in grassland soils and a strong influence in peatland soils, where higher WFPS levels led to more depleted Δ14CO2. In our models, we observed large differences between slow and fast cycling systems, where low values of k modified Δ14C patterns due to the incorporation of 14C-bomb in the soil. Hence, the correspondence between Δ14C and age and transit time strongly depended on the internal dynamics of the soil (k, α, γ and number of pools) as well as on model structure. We conclude that the stability of carbon in these systems depends strongly on the direction of change in temperature and moisture and how it affects the rates of SOM decomposition. Finally, Δ14C modelling along with empirical data from SOM dynamics is a useful tool to improve predictions on interactions between terrestrial and atmospheric carbon.

The orgasm experience refers to the psychological self-evaluation of the orgasm. No previous research has compared the characteristics of the orgasm experience between men and women creating a ranking of the adjectives that better represent it. The main objective of this study was to analyze gender differences in the global orgasm experience, its dimensions, and its descriptive words to examine how do heterosexual people rate their orgasms. A sample of 1619 heterosexual adults (793 men, 826 women) completed a background questionnaire and the Orgasm Rating Scale. Results showed that there were significant gender differences in the global orgasm experience and three of its dimensions. Furthermore, fourteen of the 25 descriptive words showed differences between genders. In the ranking, the top five adjectives that better described the orgasm experience were the same in both genders. In conclusion, although differences across gender in the orgasm experience were observed, heterosexual men and women share similar adjectives to rate their orgasms.

Plant litter decomposition stands at the intersection between carbon (C) loss and sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems. Organic matter during this process experiences chemical and physical transformations that affect decomposition rates of distinct components with different transformation fates. However, most decomposition studies only fit one-pool models that consider organic matter in litter as a single homogenous pool and do not incorporate the dynamics of litter transformations and transfers in their framework. To this extent, compartmental dynamical systems are sets of differential equations that can be used to represent both the heterogeneity in decomposition rates of organic matter, and the transformations it can undergo. Further, a metric that can be used to compare models with different structures is the transit time, that is, the mean age of particles when they are released from a compartmental system. In this study, we first asked what model structures are more appropriate to represent decomposition from a publicly available database of decomposition studies in aridlands: aridec. For this purpose, we fit one- and two-pool decomposition models with parallel and series structures and used model averaging as a multi-model inference approach. We then asked what the potential ranges of the median transit times of C in aridlands are and what are their relationships with environmental and chemical variables. Hence, we calculated transit time for those models and explored patterns in the data with respect to mean annual temperature and precipitation, solar radiation, the Global Aridity Index, and one litter chemistry trait, the initial lignin content. Median transit time was 1.9 years for the one- and two-pool model with parallel structure, and five years for the two-pool series model. The information in our datasets supported all three models in a relatively similar way, thus our decision to use a multi-model inference approach. After model-averaging, median transit time had values of around three years for all datasets. Exploring patterns of transit time in relation to environmental variables yielded weak correlation coefficients, except for mean annual temperature, which was moderate and negative. Overall, our analysis suggests that the information content in litter decomposition studies often holds little information on the heterogeneity of litter and its transformation rate. Nevertheless, the multi-model inference framework proposed here can help to reconcile theoretical expectations with the information content from field studies and can further help to design field experiments that better represent the complexity of the litter decomposition process.

Despite the growing interest in the study of sexual attitudes across sexual orientation, few studies have tested whether the instruments used to measure them are invariant. This study examined measurement invariance (configural, weak, strong, and strict) across sexual orientation in three different sexual attitude scales: the Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS) to assess erotophilia, the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Fantasy (HISF) to assess attitudes toward sexual fantasies, and the Negative Attitudes Toward Masturbation Inventory (NATMI) to assess negative attitudes toward masturbation. A total of 2293 Spanish adult men and women with different sexual orientations (i.e., heterosexual, bisexual, and gay) participated in the study. The results indicated strict invariance for HISF across sexual orientation and only weak invariance for SOS and NATMI. Differential item functioning was also found in two items of the NATMI scale. Evidence of validity was provided for the three scales that were studied.

The subjective orgasm experience (SOE) is the psychological perception of orgasm sensations and closely related to sexual health. Here, SOE was studied through the context in which it is experienced (sexual relationships and solitary masturbation), gender, and sexual orientation. For this purpose, data were collected from 4255 people (1927 men and 2328 women) of different sexual orientations (heterosexual = 1545; bisexual = 1202; and gay = 1508) who completed two versions of the Orgasm Rating Scale (ORS) for both contexts (i.e., sexual relationships and solitary masturbation) along with a socio-demographic questionnaire. Results showed that the ORS in the context of solitary masturbation is an instrument invariant by gender and sexual orientation. Significant differences in SOE were found by context: it was more intense in the context of sexual relationships (vs. solitary masturbation); by gender: women (vs. men) reported greater intensity; and by sexual orientation, with heterosexual people (vs. gay and bisexual people) having a more intense experience., Universidad de Granada / CBUA, Spanish Government RTI2018- 093317-B-I00

Resumen En ocasiones, las discusiones sobre la libertad se centran en partes específicas del fenómeno, reduciéndola a elementos particulares del ser y no a su completitud. Por lo tanto, la intención de este escrito es construir una narrativa de la libertad humana como formación ontológica desde las condiciones previas que permiten su constitución hasta la forma en la que la ejercemos. Así, este texto representa el camino que transita el ser para ejercer su libertad. Abstract Sometimes discussions of freedom focus on specific parts of the phenomenon, reducing it to elements of the being and not to its completeness. Therefore, the intention of this paper is to create a narrative of human freedom as an ontological condition, starting from the preconditions that allow its constitution, to the way in which we exercise it. Thus, this text represents the path that the being travels to exercise its freedom.

A new tool based on 3D Zernike polynomials is presented that allows the study of the continuous heterogeneity of biological macromolecules, revealing the structural relationships present among different states by the approximation of deformation fields., Structural biology has evolved greatly due to the advances introduced in fields like electron microscopy. This image-capturing technique, combined with improved algorithms and current data processing software, allows the recovery of different conformational states of a macromolecule, opening new possibilities for the study of its flexibility and dynamic events. However, the ensemble analysis of these different conformations, and in particular their placement into a common variable space in which the differences and similarities can be easily recognized, is not an easy matter. To simplify the analysis of continuous heterogeneity data, this work proposes a new automatic algorithm that relies on a mathematical basis defined over the sphere to estimate the deformation fields describing conformational transitions among different structures. Thanks to the approximation of these deformation fields, it is possible to describe the forces acting on the molecules due to the presence of different motions. It is also possible to represent and compare several structures in a low-dimensional mapping, which summarizes the structural characteristics of different states. All these analyses are integrated into a common framework, providing the user with the ability to combine them seamlessly. In addition, this new approach is a significant step forward compared with principal component analysis and normal mode analysis of cryo-electron microscopy maps, avoiding the need to select components or modes and producing localized analysis.

Depression is a highly prevalent disorder with a wide range of symptomatology. Existing instruments for its assessment have only a few items for each factor. The Depression Clinical Evaluation Test (DCET) has been created to cover all depression symptoms at different times (month, year, and always) with several items for each facet. The content validity of this instrument has been judged by experts and, in this paper, we analyse its factorial structure and make a network analysis of it. The test (196 items) was administered to 602 adults without psychological disorders (Mage = 24.7, SD = 8.38, 72% women) both online and on paper. A network was estimated for each time point, using the absolute minimum selection and shrinkage operator. From the factor analysis, 12 factors were established for month, 11 for year, and 10 for always, leaving 94 items. The network analysis showed that the facets of depressive mood, anhedonia, and thoughts of Death, are central to all the estimated networks. The DCET is proposed as a valid and reliable multifactorial instrument to detect the variability of depressive symptoms in adults, guaranteeing its diagnostic usefulness., Spanish Government FPU17/05262

Objective Masturbation is a behavior that can enhance sexual functioning. This study aims to analyze differences between men and women in different masturbation parameters, and to examine their relation with orgasm satisfaction in sexual relationships. MethodOne thousand three hundred and thirty-fifth men and women from the Spanish population aged 18-83 years (M = 36.91; SD = 11.86) participated in an online survey. A questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic. Sexual history data, negative attitude toward masturbation, solitary sexual desire and orgasm subjective experience upon masturbation were assessed. Given the differences between men and women, independent regression models are proposed to explain orgasm satisfaction in the sexual relationships context. FindingsMen, compared to women, masturbated at a younger age (p < 0.001), and reported higher current masturbation frequency (p < 0.001) and more solitary sexual desire (p < 0.001). Women reported greater intensity in the subjective orgasm experience on its Affective (p < 0.001), Sensory (p < 0.001) and Intimacy (p < 0.001) dimensions. Regarding regression models, the Affective dimension of orgasm was a common parameter in men (beta = 0.36; p < 0.001) and women (beta = 0.24) to explain orgasm satisfaction during sexual relationships. In men, solitary masturbation frequency (beta = -0.10; p = 0.027) acquired a significant role. In women, the model also included age (beta = 0.09; p = 0.038), negative attitude toward masturbation (beta = -0.12; p = 0.005) and solitary sexual desire (beta = -0.19; p = 0.001). ConclusionWhen dealing with men and women's orgasm difficulties in the sexual relationships context, it is important to consider the role of masturbation. In men and women, the Affective dimension of the orgasm experience explain the orgasm satisfaction in sexual relationship. Also, in men, the solitary masturbation frequency is negatively related with orgasm satisfaction in sexual relationship, supporting the compensatory hypothesis of masturbation. In women, in addition to the Affective dimension, the orgasm satisfaction in sexual relationship is explained, negatively, by the negative attitude toward masturbation, and positively, by the solitary sexual desire, which could be associated with more sexual self-knowledge. The relevance of masturbation in understanding sexual functioning is highlighted., Spanish Government FPU18/03102 RTI2018-093317-B-I00

This contribution is focused on the reconstruction of the geo-environmental evolution during the Anthropocene. The research initiative, within the framework of the GECANT project, aims at understanding how recent natural and anthropic changes have affected the geomorphological dynamics of Cantabrian watersheds (Northern Spain), which have experienced an intense human activity during the last centuries. For this purpose, a multi-file and multi-site approach has been used by integrating data from distinctive lakes and estuaries of a large range of environmental conditions comprising the whole Cantabrian region. A multidisciplinary strategy, including geomorphological analyses, instrumental climate records, limnological studies, and multi-proxy analysis of sediment cores (geochemistry, geochronology and palaeoecology), as well as socioeconomic data, has been used in order to disentangle the natural and human drivers and causes of environmental changes. The data obtained so far indicate an increase in sedimentation rates in lakes and estuaries since the middle of the 20th century. Conceivably, this research will lead to the improvement of our understanding of the synergistic effects of natural and human drivers at the basin scale whilst promoting an enhanced design of global change mitigation and adaptation policies.

Introduction The sexual double standard (SDS) implies men and women are being evaluated differently as regards sexuality. To date, no cross-cultural comparisons have been made regarding the prevalence of the various forms that adherence to SDS takes. This research work describes differences among Spain, Peru, and Ecuador in the prevalence of three different types of adherence to the SDS (egalitarian, man-favorable, and woman-favorable), which refer to sexual freedom and sexual shyness in 18–25-year-old youths. Method A sample of 2229 heterosexual adults (34.2% Spanish, 33.7% Peruvian, and 32.1% Ecuadorian) answered the Sexual Double Standard Scale. Participants were collected between September 2019 and March 2021. Results The results showed differences between countries, both in the total sample and in the sample of men and women separately, and in conducts related to sexual freedom and sexual shyness. The most prevalent typologies were as follows: the egalitarian typology in Spain, the man-favorable typology in Peru and Ecuador, and the woman-favorable typology in Ecuador. Conclusion These findings conclude that the socio-structural conditions of how resources are distributed between men and women could be related to the prevalence of different gender-related sexual norms. In those contexts in which the gender-egalitarian sexual norm prevailed, resources were more equally distributed between men and women. Policy Implications It highlights the role of the socio-structural conditions in the distribution of resources between men and women and the differences between men and women, to understand the cross-cultural differences in the prevalence of SDS adherence types., Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada / CBUA, Ministerio de Economía y Competividad through the Research Project PSI2014-58035-R, FPU 16/04429

Global Nitrogen deposition is rapidly increasing, and this tendency is predicted to be even stronger in the future. The Tibetan Plateau (TP), a region extremely sensitive to environmental disturbances, is no stranger to these changes. The TP hosts the largest alpine pastoral ecosystem in the world: Kobresia grasslands, dominated by the sedge species Kobresia pygmaea. These ecosystems hold most of the terrestrial C at the plateau, which is mainly stored below ground, in the rhizosphere. Grassland ecosystems are particularly sensitive to N input, long term sustained N deposition is likely to result in species richness decline. Besides climatic perturbations and the observed increasing N deposition at the TP can alter the soil environment stoichiometry, and hence soil microbial processes. Our study focuses on the response of soil microorganisms to sustained yearly N addition in a field species removal experiment. It is hypothesized that long-term fertilization influences microbial energy allocation, growth patterns, and SOM decomposition. We carried out our studies at the Species Removal Experimental Platform at TU-ITPCAS Naqchu Integrated Alpine Grassland Ecosystem and Environmental Observation Station. We used three species removal treatments: removal of K. pygmaea, removal of the 5 most dominant species, and a control where no species were removed. Samples exposed to long-term N addition (+7 years of 300 Kg of Urea/ha per year) and a set of control samples without previous N addition were amended with an equivalent N amount from (NH4)2SO4at the beginning of the incubation. We measured at three sampling points net ammonium, nitrate content, gross ammonification, available P, OC, TN, DOC,15N/14N and 13C/12C, microbial C, N, and P, and potential enzyme activities. With the aforementioned parameters, we aimed to monitor the effect of the N addition and species removal on the microbial biomass stoichiometry, and the physiological development of the microbial community. The result from the experiment will contribute to a deeper understanding of how an increased N deposition in soil at the TP, together with plant community shifts, could impact microbial mediated processes and potentially the fate of the C stored in this key ecosystem.

Data Availability Statement: The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy., Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation), grant number A/030018/10., The aim of this study was to explain the masturbation frequency and sexual relationships in adolescents based on age, religious adherence, erotophilia, attitudes toward sexual fantasies and masturbation, and the traditional sexual double standard. A sample of 1120 Peruvian adolescents aged 13–17 years responded to a socio-demographic questionnaire and different scales about sexuality. The frequency of masturbation and sexual relationships, as well as in the sexual attitudes evaluated differed by sex, with boys scoring higher. The masturbation frequency was explained by erotophilia in boys, and by positive attitudes toward sexual fantasies in both sexes. The frequency of sexual relationships was explained by age and positive attitudes toward sexual fantasies in boys and only by the latter in girls. Positive attitudes toward sexual fantasies stand out as a variable for understanding sexual activity in adolescents.

Radiocarbon (14C) is commonly used as a tracer of the carbon cycle to determine how fast carbon moves between different reservoirs such as plants, soils, rivers, or oceans. However such studies mostly emphasize the mean value (as Δ14C) of an unknown probability distribution. We introduce a novel algorithm to compute Δ14C distributions from knowledge of the age distribution of carbon in linear compartmental systems at steady‐state. Our results demonstrate that the shape of the distributions might differ according to the speed of cycling of ecosystem compartments and their connectivity within the system, and might contain multiple peaks and long tails. The distributions are also sensitive to the variations of Δ14C in the atmosphere over time, as influenced by the counteracting anthropogenic effects of fossil‐fuel emissions (14C‐free) and nuclear weapons testing (excess 14C). Lastly, we discuss insights that such distributions can offer for sampling and design of experiments aiming to capture the precise variance of Δ14C values present in the multi‐compartmental ecosystems., Plain Language Summary: Radiocarbon (14C) is a radioactive isotope of carbon prominent in environmental sciences for tracing the dynamics of ecosystems, especially as recent changes in atmospheric radiocarbon allow tracking excess 14C created by nuclear weapons testing in the atmosphere on timescales shorter than what can be determined using radioactive decay. For climate change mitigation, a crucial uncertainty is the time carbon captured through photosynthesis spends in ecosystems before being released. For this purpose, radiocarbon can be valuable as a biological tracer; however, it is necessary to accurately link the real age of carbon and its radiocarbon age, as they usually differ. Forests and soils are open systems, connecting components with intrinsically different cycling timescales, so that the mean age comes from an age distribution that is usually unknown. Here, we developed an algorithm to compute the 14C contents for models consisting of multiple interconnected carbon pools. Our approach offers more accurate estimations of the mean 14C content of the system and computations of the distribution of 14C within the system at different points in time. Results obtained from this method can provide additional insights on the dynamics of the carbon cycle in multiple compartments, and can help to better interpret observations., Key Points: Probability distributions of radiocarbon in ecosystem compartments can be derived from carbon age distributions. The shape of these distributions vary according to the speed of carbon cycling and the year of observation. Probability distributions of radiocarbon provide insights to study carbon dynamics and to interpret radiocarbon data., Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100002347, Max‐Planck‐Gesellschaft (MPG) http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004189, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6373329

Plant litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems involves the physical and chemical breakdown of organic matter. Development of databases is a promising tool for achieving a predictive understanding of organic matter degradation at regional and global scales. In this paper we present aridec: a comprehensive open database con-taining litter-mass loss data from aridlands across the world. We describe in detail the structure of the database and discuss general patterns in the data. Then, we explore what are the most appropriate model structures to inte-grate with data on litter decomposition from the database by conducting a collinearity analysis. The database includes 184 entries from aridlands across the world, representing a wide range of climates. For the majority of the data gathered in aridec it is possible to fit models of litter decomposition that consider initial organic matter as a homogenous reservoir (one pool models), as well as models with two distinct types of organic compounds that decompose at different speeds (two pool models). Moreover, these two carbon pools can either decompose without interaction (parallel models), or with matter transfer from a labile pool to a slow-decomposing pool after transformation (series models). Although most entries in the database can be used to fit these models, we suggest potential users of this database to test identifiability for each individual case as well as the number of degrees of freedom. Other model applications that were not discussed in this publication might also be suitable for use with this database. Lastly, we give some recommendations for future decomposition studies to be potentially added to this database. The extent of the information included in aridec in addition to its open-science approach makes it a great platform for future collaborative efforts in the field of aridland biogeochemistry. The aridec version 1.0.1 is archived and publicly available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6025969 (Sarquis et al., 2022), and the database is managed under a version-controlled system and centrally stored in GitHub (https://github.com/AgustinSarquis/aridec, last access: 9 February 2022).

This study has been funded by the Ministerio de Economía y Competividad through the Research Project PSI2014-58035-R and de Bursary FPU 16/04429 for University Professor Training as part of the first author's thesis (Psychological Doctoral Programme B13 56 1; RD 99/2011)., Background/Objective: Sexual concordance (i.e., relationship between genital response and subjective sexual arousal) is higher in men than in women. Among the factors that could explain this difference would be the sexual double standard (SDS). Sexual concordance is examined by SDS typologies of adherence (egalitarian, man-favorable, and woman-favorable). Method: During exposure to a film with sexual content, genital response (penile circumference/vaginal pulse amplitude) and self-reported sexual arousal were recorded in 104 young adults (42 men and 62 women), distributed into SDS typologies of adherence on the basis of their scores on the Sexual Double Standard Scale. Results: Sexual concordance was obtained in men and women with egalitarian and man-favorable typology. Subjective sexual arousal explained a significant percentage of the variance in genital response in the egalitarian typology (men: R2 = .32, p < .01; women: R2 = .19, p < .05) and man-favorable typology (men: R2 = .21, p < .05; women: R2 = .23, p < .05). Conclusions: Agreement between genital responsiveness and subjective sexual arousal depends on DES adherence typology., Antecedentes/Objetivo: La concordancia sexual (i.e., relacion entre respuesta genital y excitacion sexual subjetiva) parece ser mayor en hombres que en mujeres. Entre los factores que podrían explicar dicha diferencia estaría el doble estandar sexual (DES). Se examina la con- cordancia sexual en funcion de la tipología de adhesion al DES (igualitaria, favorable al hombre y favorable a la mujer). Metodo: Durante la exposicion a un filme de contenido sexual, se registro la respuesta genital (circunferencia peniana/amplitud del pulso vaginal) y la excitacion sexual autoinformada de 104 adultos jovenes (42 hombres y 62 mujeres), distribuidos en las tipologías de adhesion al DES a partir de sus puntuaciones en la Sexual Double Standard Scale. Resultados: Se obtuvo concordancia sexual en hombres y mujeres con tipología igualitaria y favorable al hombre. La excitacion sexual subjetiva explicó un porcentaje significativo de la varianza de la respuesta genital en la tipología igualitaria (hombres: R2 = 0,32, p < 0,01; mujeres: R2 = 0,19, p < 0,05) y en la favorable al hombre (hombres: R2 = 0,21, p < 0,05; mujeres: R2 = 0,23, p < 0,05). Conclusiones: El acuerdo entre la respuesta genital y la excitacion sexual subjetiva depende de la tipología de adhesion al DES., Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad PSI2014-58035-R, RD 99/2011

Soil mineral characteristics have been shown to play a dominant role in stabilizing soil organic matter over medium to long term timescales. However, while great strides have been made (Kleber et al, 2021) toward understanding organic matter stabilization processes, there remain uncertainties about the chemistry, time scales, and age of carbon that is stored on soil minerals. We applied modern thermal analysis methods to investigate soil mineral effects on the thermal stability, chemical composition, and age distribution of soil organic matter. We selected subsoil mineral fractions that contained a single dominant stabilizing pathway (e.g. 2:1 clays, iron oxides, short-range order minerals, crystalline minerals) to isolate effects of individual minerals. We paired thermal fractionation with pyrolysis-GC/MS to describe the relationships of SOM age and chemical composition. Early results show that while certain minerals display heterogeneous thermal stabilities, single mineralogies contain generally narrow age ranges. In addition, organic matter chemistry associated with diverse minerals varies widely and indicates that certain minerals provide higher stability to complex, energy-rich molecules. Associated with this work, we also present novel continuous SOM radiocarbon distributions from thermal fractionation., EGUsphere

Industrial sites affected by anthropogenic contamination, both past and present-day, commonly have intricate pollutant patterns, and source discrimination can be thus highly challenging. To this goal, this paper presents a novel approach combining multivariate statistics and environmental forensic techniques. The efficiency of this methodology was exemplified in a severely polluted estuarine area (Aviles, Spain), where factor analysis and clustering were performed to identify sub-areas with distinct geochemical behaviour. Once six clusters were defined and a pollution index applied, forensic tools revealed that the As speciation, Pb isotopes, and PAHs molecular ratios were useful to categorise the cluster groups on the basis of distinct pollution sources: Zn-smelting, coaly particles and waste disposal. Overall, this methodology offers valuable insight into pollution sources identification, which can be extended to comparable scenarios of complexly polluted environmental compartments. The information gathered using this approach is also important for the planning of risk assessment procedures and potential remediation strategies.

This research has been funded by the Ministerio de Universidades (Espana) through the Bursary [FPU19/00369] for University Professor Training as part of the first author's thesis (Psychological Doctoral Programme [B13 56 1; RD 99/2011])., Currently, no validated instrument exists for assessing the subjective experience of orgasm in the gay population. The Orgasm Rating Scale (ORS), previously validated in the heterosexual population, comprises four dimensions: Affective, Sensory, Intimacy, and Rewards. This study validated it for sexual relationships in the gay population by obtaining its factorial invariance by sexual orientation and sex, its internal consistency reliability, and evidence of validity in its relationship with other variables. We assessed 1600 cisgender Spanish adults–heterosexuals, gays, and lesbians–divided into 4, sex-based groups of 400 each, according to the Kinsey scale scores. Participants reported recent experiences of orgasm in the context of sexual relationships and responded to the ORS and other scales assessing attitude toward sexual fantasies and sexual functioning. The ORS structure showed a strict multigroup-level invariance by sexual orientation and sex, confirming its four-dimensional structure. The subjective orgasm intensity was associated with a positive attitude toward sexual fantasies and sexual functioning. Scores obtained on the Affective, Intimacy, and Rewards dimensions confirmed the ability to discriminate between gay people with and without orgasmic difficulties. The ORS’s Spanish version presents good psychometric properties as a validated scale to evaluate the subjective experience of orgasm in the gay population., Ministerio de Universidades (Espana) FPU19/00369 B13 56 1 99/2011

Sexual attitudes are related to the expression of sexuality and have been associated with indicators for sexual health. The main aim of this study was to determine the explanatory capacity of general (i.e., erotophilia) and specific (i.e., toward sexual fantasies and masturbation) sexual attitudes on different sexual functioning dimensions (sexual desire, sexual arousal, lubrication/erection, ability to have an orgasm and orgasm satisfaction). Methods: The sample consisted of 2000 heterosexual adults (1044 women, 956 men) aged 18–83 years. Results: The explanatory models for women mainly showed that positive attitudes toward sexual fantasies (β range = −0.35, −0.249) and age (β range = −0.111, 0.086) explained sexual function. The models proposed for men revealed a more diverse pattern, although the variable essential for explaining sexual function was a positive attitude toward sexual fantasies (β range = −0.266, −0.097). Conclusions: These results indicate that specific sexual attitudes, particularly in relation to sexual fantasies, are more sensitive variables than erotophilia in examining sexual health., Bursaries FPU 16/04429 and FPU18/03102 for University Professor Training