bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stigma, biomarkers, and algorithmic bias: recommendations for precision behavioral health with artificial intelligence
Authors: Walsh Colin G , Chaudhry Beenish , Dua Prerna , Goodman Kenneth W , Kaplan Bonnie , Kavuluru Ramakanth , Solomonides Anthony , Subbian Vignesh
Published: January 2020

Effective implementation of artificial intelligence in behavioral healthcare delivery depends on overcoming challenges that are pronounced in this domain. Self and social stigma contribute to under-reported symptoms, and under-coding worsens ascertainment. Health disparities contribute to algorithmic bias. Lack of reliable biological and clinical markers hinders model development, and model explainability challenges impede trust among users. In this perspective, we describe these challenges and discuss design and implementation recommendations to overcome them in intelligent systems for behavioral and mental health.
The effect of supplementing glycine and serine to a low crude protein diet on growth and skin collagen abundance of nursery pigs1
Authors: Silva Kayla E , Mansilla Wilfredo D , Shoveller Anna K , Htoo John K , Cant John P , de Lange Cornelis F M , Huber Lee-Anne
Published: January 2020

A total of 96 newly weaned barrows (initial body weight [BW]: 6.3 ± 0.5 kg) were used to determine the effect of a low crude protein (CP) diet supplemented with Gly and Ser on growth and skin collagen abundance. Barrows were assigned to one of three experimental diets in a three-phase feeding program fed for 35 days (n = 8; pen was the experimental unit): 1) corn–soybean meal diet (CON; 20.3% to 23.1% CP; as-fed, analyzed contents); 2) low CP diet (14.8% to 21.4% CP) supplemented with Gly and Ser (G + S) to the same concentrations as CON; 3) low CP diet supplemented with Glu to maintain the same CP concentration as the G + S diet (GLU; 15.0% to 22.1% CP). On days 21 and 35, eight pigs per treatment were euthanized for the determination of physical and chemical body composition and skin collagen abundance. Pigs fed the CON diet had greater overall ADG and final BW compared to pigs fed GLU and G + S (P < 0.01). Over the entire 35-day experimental period, ADFI was not influenced by dietary treatment but G:F tended to be greater for pigs fed CON than G + S (P = 0.084), while intermediate values were observed for GLU. Carcass weights on days 21 and 35 were greater for pigs fed CON than G + S or GLU (P < 0.01). Viscera weights on day 21 were greater for CON than G + S and GLU (P < 0.05) and on day 35 were greater for CON than G + S (P < 0.05) with intermediate values observed for GLU. The N intake (g/d) between days 0 and 35 was greater for CON than G + S or GLU (P < 0.05) and N retention in combined carcass and viscera was greater for CON than G + S (P < 0.01) with intermediate values observed for GLU. No treatment effects were observed for efficiency of N utilization. Between days 0 and 21 however, the efficiency of using dietary N for N retention in carcass and viscera tended to be less for pigs fed CON vs. GLU (73.8% vs. 91.6%), while intermediate values were observed for G + S (84.3%; P = 0.095). Pigs fed CON and G + S diets had greater skin collagen abundance than pigs fed GLU on days 21 and 35 (P < 0.01). Supplementing low CP diets with Glu or with Gly and Ser at the levels used in the current study did not maintain ADG or combined carcass and viscera N retention and only the G + S diet supported skin collagen abundance not different from pigs fed CON. The importance of meeting essential AA requirements for growth are well accepted, but supplementing specific NEAA may be needed when feeding reduced CP diets to newly weaned pigs to support secondary indicators of AA status, such as skin collagen abundance.
The Smartphone as a Pacifying Technology
Authors: Melumad Shiri , Pham Michel Tuan
Published: January 2020

In light of consumers’ growing dependence on their smartphones, this article investigates the nature of the relationship that consumers form with their smartphone and its underlying mechanisms. We propose that in addition to obvious functional benefits, consumers in fact derive emotional benefits from their smartphone—in particular, feelings of psychological comfort and, if needed, actual stress relief. In other words, in a sense, smartphones are not unlike adult pacifiers. This psychological comfort arises from a unique combination of properties that turn smartphones into a reassuring presence for their owners: the portability of the device, its personal nature, the subjective sense of privacy experienced while on the device, and the haptic gratification it affords. Results from one large-scale field study and three laboratory experiments support the proposed underlying mechanisms and document downstream consequences of the psychological comfort that smartphones provide. The findings show, for example, that (a) in moments of stress, consumers exhibit a greater tendency to seek out their smartphone (study 2); and (b) engaging with one’s smartphone provides greater stress relief than engaging in the same activity with a comparable device such as one’s laptop (study 3) or a similar smartphone belonging to someone else (study 4).
Risks associated with pathogenic fungi isolated from surgical centers, intensive care units, and materials sterilization center in hospitals. Risks associated with pathogenic fungi isolated from critical hospital areas
Authors: de Oliveira Mayk Teles , Batista Nathany Kelly Ribeiro , Gil Eric de Souza , Silva Maria do Rosário Rodrigues , Costa Carolina Rodrigues , Bara Maria Teresa Freitas , Torres Ieda Maria Sapateiro
Published: January 2020

The hospital environment requires special attention to air quality, since it needs to be healthy for the protection of patients and health professionals in order to prevent them against hospital infections. The objective of this study was to isolate, identify and evaluate the susceptibility profile of isolated fungi from two hospitals. For air sampling the impaction (Spin Air, IUL®) and passive sedimentation methods were used. For the isolation of fungi from surfaces, contact plates (RODAC®) were used. The identification of the fungi was performed by observing the macroscopic and microscopic aspects of the colonies, whereas for better visualization of fruiting structures, the microculture technique was performed on slides. To evaluate the susceptibility profile, the broth microdilution test recommended by CLSI was performed. Thirty-five isolates were identified: Aspergillus flavus (12), Aspergillus fumigatus (11), Aspergillus niger (1), Aspergillus terreus (2), Penicillium spp. (7), and Fusarium spp. (2) in the hospitals evaluated. All isolates had a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) more than 128 μg/ml for fluconazole; 0.5 to 4.0 μg/ml for amphotericin B (hospital 1), and all isolates from haospital 2 had MIC ≥2.0 μg/ml. In hospital 1, MIC for posaconazole ranged from 0.25 μg/ml to ≥32 μg/ml, and hospital 2 ranged from 0.5 to 1.0 μg/ml. The monitoring and evaluation of air quality and surfaces are essential measures for prevention and control of hospital infections, as these microorganisms are becoming increasingly resistant to antimicrobial agents, thus making treatment difficult, especially in immunocompromised individuals.
Addressing Global Warming Denialism
Authors: Rotman Jeff D , Weber T J , Perkins Andrew W
Published: January 2020

Despite the scientific consensus concerning the current causes and future effects of anthropogenic global warming, there has been little to no improvement in public opinion, attitudes, or behavior related to its mitigation. This article examines how different information conveyance strategies affect belief in global warming. Three experiments reveal that a fundamental understanding of the underlying mechanism of global warming—the greenhouse gas effect—is integral to belief in the existence of global warming. Specifically, the current research demonstrates that persuasive messaging incorporating an explanation of the mechanism (versus consequences) underlying global warming leads to belief change (study 1); that this effect is moderated by political orientation, such that the effect of mechanism-understanding on global warming belief is greater for conservatives (study 1, 2, and 3); that understanding of the mechanism underlying global warming affects willingness to engage in sustainable activities and buying socially conscious products (study 2); and that the effect persists over time and can influence actual donation behavior (study 3). Social, public policy, and marketing implications for this strategy are discussed.
The Rise of Market Power and the Macroeconomic Implications*
Authors: De Loecker Jan , Eeckhout Jan , Unger Gabriel
Published: January 2020

We document the evolution of market power based on firm-level data for the U.S. economy since 1955. We measure both markups and profitability. In 1980, aggregate markups start to rise from 21% above marginal cost to 61% now. The increase is driven mainly by the upper tail of the markup distribution: the upper percentiles have increased sharply. Quite strikingly, the median is unchanged. In addition to the fattening upper tail of the markup distribution, there is reallocation of market share from low- to high-markup firms. This rise occurs mostly within industry. We also find an increase in the average profit rate from 1% to 8%. Although there is also an increase in overhead costs, the markup increase is in excess of overhead. We discuss the macroeconomic implications of an increase in average market power, which can account for a number of secular trends in the past four decades, most notably the declining labor and capital shares as well as the decrease in labor market dynamism.
Demographic expansion of an African opportunistic carnivore during the Neolithic revolution
Authors: Eddine Ahmed , Rocha Rita Gomes , Mostefai Noureddine , Karssene Yamna , De Smet Koen , Brito José Carlos , Klees Dick , Nowak Casten , Cocchiararo Berardino , Lopes Susana , van der Leer Peter , Godinho Raquel
Published: January 2020

The diffusion of Neolithic technology together with the Holocene Climatic Optimum fostered the spread of human settlements and pastoral activities in North Africa, resulting in profound and enduring consequences for the dynamics of species, communities and landscapes. Here, we investigate the demographic history of the African wolf (Canis lupaster), a recently recognized canid species, to understand if demographic trends of this generalist and opportunistic carnivore reflect the increase in food availability that emerged after the arrival of the Neolithic economy in North Africa. We screened nuclear and mitochondrial DNA in samples collected throughout Algeria and Tunisia, and implemented coalescent approaches to estimate the variation of effective population sizes from present to ancestral time. We have found consistent evidence supporting the hypothesis that the African wolf population experienced a meaningful expansion concurring with a period of rapid population expansion of domesticates linked to the advent of agricultural practices.
Fracture mechanics, enamel thickness and the evolution of molar form in hominins
Authors: Schwartz Gary T. , McGrosky Amanda , Strait David S.
Published: January 2020

As the tissue most directly responsible for breaking down food in the oral cavity, the form and function of enamel is obviously of evolutionary significance in humans, non-human primates and other vertebrates. Accordingly, a standard metric, relative enamel thickness (RET), has been used for many decades to provide insights into vertebrate and human palaeobiology. Relatively thick enamel has evolved many times in vertebrates including hominoids (the group to which living humans and fossil hominins belong), and this pattern is thought to provide information about taxonomy, phylogeny, functional anatomy and diet. In particular, relatively thick enamel is thought to make tooth crowns strong so that they resist fractures associated with eating mechanically resistant foods. Here, we use current models of tooth biomechanics to show that RET is at best only moderately informative of function and diet in living hominoids and fossil hominins, and at worst provides misleading information. We propose a new metric, absolute crown strength, to assess the resistance of teeth to fracture, and identify what may be a novel characteristic of tooth strength in fossil hominins.
Predator type influences the frequency of functional responses to prey in marine habitats
Authors: Dunn Robert P. , Hovel Kevin A.
Published: January 2020

The functional response of a consumer to a gradient of resource density is a widespread and consistent framework used to quantify the importance of consumption to population dynamics and stability. Within benthic marine ecosystems, both crustaceans and fishes can provide strong top-down pressure on prey populations. Taxon-specific differences in biomechanics or habitat use, among other factors, may lead to variable functional response forms or parameter values (attack rate, handling time). Based on a review of 189 individual functional response fits, we find that these predator guilds differ in their frequency distribution of functional response types, with crustaceans exhibiting nearly double the proportion of sigmoidal, density-dependent functional responses (Holling type III) as predatory fishes. The implications of this finding for prey population stability are significant because type III responses allow prey persistence while type II responses are de-stabilizing and can lead to extinction. Comparingper capitapredation rates across diverse taxa can provide integrative insights into predatory effects and the ability of predation to drive community structure.
Decomposing information into copying versus transformation
Authors: Kolchinsky Artemy , Corominas-Murtra Bernat
Published: January 2020

In many real-world systems, information can be transmitted in two qualitatively different ways: bycopyingor bytransformation.Copyingoccurs when messages are transmitted without modification, e.g. when an offspring receives an unaltered copy of a gene from its parent.Transformationoccurs when messages are modified systematically during transmission, e.g. when mutational biases occur during genetic replication. Standard information-theoretic measures do not distinguish these two modes of information transfer, although they may reflect different mechanisms and have different functional consequences. Starting from a few simple axioms, we derive a decomposition of mutual information into the information transmitted by copying versus the information transmitted by transformation. We begin with a decomposition that applies when the source and destination of the channel have the same set of messages and a notion of message identity exists. We then generalize our decomposition to other kinds of channels, which can involve different source and destination sets and broader notions of similarity. In addition, we show that copy information can be interpreted as the minimal work needed by a physical copying process, which is relevant for understanding the physics of replication. We use the proposed decomposition to explore a model of amino acid substitution rates. Our results apply to any system in which the fidelity of copying, rather than simple predictability, is of critical relevance.
Creature features: The lively narratives of bacteriophages in Soviet biology and medicine
Authors: Myelnikov Dmitriy
Published: January 2020

The term ‘bacteriophage’ (devourer of bacteria) was coined by Félix d'Herelle in 1917 to describe both the phenomenon of spontaneous destruction of bacterial cultures and an agent responsible. Debates about the nature of bacteriophages raged in the 1920s and 1930s, and there were extensive attempts to use the phenomenon to fight infections. Whereas it eventually became a crucial tool for molecular biology, therapeutic uses of ‘phage’ declined sharply in the West after World War II, but persisted in the Soviet Union, particularly Georgia. Increasingly isolated from Western medical research, Soviet scientists developed their own metaphors of ‘phage’, its nature and action, and communicated them to their peers, medical professionals, and potential patients. In this article, I explore four kinds of narrative that shaped Soviet phage research: the mystique of bacteriophages in the 1920s and 1930s; animated accounts and military metaphors in the 1940s; Lysenkoist notions on bacteriophages as a phase in bacterial development; and the retrospective allocation of credit for the discovery of the bacteriophage during the Cold War. Whereas viruses have been largely seen as barely living, phage narratives consistently featured heroic liveliness or ‘animacy’, which framed the growing consensus on its viral nature. Post-war narratives, shaped by the Lysenkoist movement and the campaigns against adulation of the West, had political power—although many microbiologists remained sceptical, they had to frame their critique within the correct language if they wanted to be published. The dramatic story of bacteriophage research in the Soviet Union is a reminder of the extent to which scientific narratives can be shaped by politics, but it also highlights the diversity of strategies and alternative interpretations possible within those constraints.
Modelling of dysregulated glucagon secretion in type 2 diabetes by considering mitochondrial alterations in pancreatic α-cells
Authors: Grubelnik Vladimir , Markovič Rene , Lipovšek Saška , Leitinger Gerd , Gosak Marko , Dolenšek Jurij , Valladolid-Acebes Ismael , Berggren Per-Olof , Stožer Andraž , Perc Matjaž , Marhl Marko
Published: January 2020

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been associated with insulin resistance and the failure of β-cells to produce and secrete enough insulin as the disease progresses. However, clinical treatments based solely on insulin secretion and action have had limited success. The focus is therefore shifting towards α-cells, in particular to the dysregulated secretion of glucagon. Our qualitative electron-microscopy-based observations gave an indication that mitochondria in α-cells are altered in Western-diet-induced T2DM. In particular, α-cells extracted from mouse pancreatic tissue showed a lower density of mitochondria, a less expressed matrix and a lower number of cristae. These deformities in mitochondrial ultrastructure imply a decreased efficiency in mitochondrial ATP production, which prompted us to theoretically explore and clarify one of the most challenging problems associated with T2DM, namely the lack of glucagon secretion in hypoglycaemia and its oversecretion at high blood glucose concentrations. To this purpose, we constructed a novel computational model that links α-cell metabolism with their electrical activity and glucagon secretion. Our results show that defective mitochondrial metabolism in α-cells can account for dysregulated glucagon secretion in T2DM, thus improving our understanding of T2DM pathophysiology and indicating possibilities for new clinical treatments.
Time-dependent defects in integrable soliton equations
Authors: Xia Baoqiang , Zhou Ruguang
Published: January 2020

We study (1 + 1)-dimensional integrable soliton equations with time-dependent defects located at
x
 = 
c
(
t
), where
c
(
t
) is a function of class
C
1
. We define the defect condition as a Bäcklund transformation evaluated at
x
 = 
c
(
t
) in space rather than over the full line. We show that such a defect condition does not spoil the integrability of the system. We also study soliton solutions that can meet the defect for the system. An interesting discovery is that the defect system admits peaked soliton solutions.
Artificial light at night increases growth and reproductive output inAnolislizards
Authors: Thawley Christopher J. , Kolbe Jason J.
Published: January 2020

Since the invention of electric lighting, artificial light at night (ALAN) has become a defining, and evolutionary novel, feature of human-altered environments especially in cities. ALAN imposes negative impacts on many organisms, including disrupting endocrine function, metabolism, and reproduction. However, we do not know how generalized these impacts are across taxa that exploit urban environments. We exposed brown anole lizards, an abundant and invasive urban exploiter, to relevant levels of ALAN in the laboratory and assessed effects on growth and reproduction at the start of the breeding season. Male and female anoles exposed to ALAN increased growth and did not suffer increased levels of corticosterone. ALAN exposure induced earlier egg-laying, likely by mimicking a longer photoperiod, and increased reproductive output without reducing offspring quality. These increases in growth and reproduction should increase fitness. Anoles, and potentially other taxa, may be resistant to some negative effects of ALAN and able to take advantage of the novel niche space ALAN creates. ALAN and both its negative and positive impacts may play a crucial role in determining which species invade and exploit urban environments.
A common suite of cellular abnormalities and spermatogenetic errors in sterile hybrid males inDrosophila
Authors: Kanippayoor Rachelle L. , Alpern Joshua H. M. , Moehring Amanda J.
Published: January 2020

When two species interbreed, the resulting hybrid offspring are often sterile, with the heterogametic (e.g. XY) hybrid usually being more severely affected. The prevailing theory for this pattern of sterility evokes divergent changes in separate lineages having maladaptive interactions when placed together in a hybrid individual, with recessive factors on the sex chromosome interacting with dominant factors on the autosomes. The effect of these interactions on gametogenesis should not be uniform across species pairs unless genetic divergence follows the same paths in different lineages or if a specific stage of gametogenesis is more susceptible to detrimental genetic interactions. Here, we perform a detailed cellular characterization of hybrid male sterility across three recently diverged species pairs ofDrosophila. Across all three pairs, sterile hybrid sperm are alive but exhibit rapid nuclear de-condensation with age, with active, but non-differentiated, mitochondria. Surprisingly, all three sets of interspecies hybrids produce half of the number of sperm per round of spermatogenesis, with each sperm cell containing two tails. We identify non-disjunction failures during meiosis I as the likely cause. Thus, errors during meiosis I may be a general phenomenon underlyingDrosophilamale sterility, indicating either a heightened sensitivity of this spermatogenic stage to failure, or a basis to sterility other than the prevailing model.
Phenological synchrony shapes pathology in host–parasite systems
Authors: McDevitt-Galles Travis , Moss Wynne E. , Calhoun Dana M. , Johnson Pieter T. J.
Published: January 2020

A key challenge surrounding ongoing climate shifts is to identify how they alter species interactions, including those between hosts and parasites. Because transmission often occurs during critical time windows, shifts in the phenology of either taxa can alter the likelihood of interaction or the resulting pathology. We quantified how phenological synchrony between vulnerable stages of an amphibian host (Pseudacris regilla) and infection by a pathogenic trematode (Ribeiroia ondatrae) determined infection prevalence, parasite load and host pathology. By tracking hosts and parasite infection throughout development between low- and high-elevation regions (San Francisco Bay Area and the Southern Cascades (Mt Lassen)), we found that when phenological synchrony was high (Bay Area), each established parasite incurred a 33% higher probability of causing severe limb malformations relative to areas with less synchrony (Mt Lassen). As a result, hosts in the Bay Area had up to a 50% higher risk of pathology even while controlling for the mean infection load. Our results indicate that host–parasite interactions and the resulting pathology were the joint product of infection load and phenological synchrony, highlighting the sensitivity of disease outcomes to forecasted shifts in climate.
Ligand promiscuity in the tryptophan repressor – from structural understanding towards rational design
Authors: Stiel Andre C. , Shanmugaratnam Sooruban , Herud-Sikimic Ole , Jürgens Gerd , Höcker Birte
Published: January 2020

Receptors that promiscuously bind a range of ligands provide insights into how nature mediates affinity and biological functioning. Moreover, such receptors provide vantage points for the rational design of specific binding for biotechnological applications. Here we describe the molecular details of the ligand binding promiscuity of the well-known tryptophan repressor TrpR. We elucidated high-resolution structures of TrpR bound to the co-repressors 5-methyl-tryptophan and 5-methyl-tryptamine as well as the pseudo-repressors indole-3-propionic and indole-3-acetic acid. Furthermore, using isothermal titration calorimetry we procure the corresponding thermodynamic parameters. Together this data provides molecular explanations for the strongly varied affinities and biological effects of the ligands providing insights into how nature shapes specificity and affinity. Beyond this we use these insights to exemplarily showcase knowledge-based design of TrpR by swapping its specificity from its native ligand tryptophan to indole-3-acetic acid. Finally, we elucidate the structures of the variant bound to indole-3-acetic and indole-3-propionic acid to retrace our design rationale.
Mesopredators display behaviourally plastic responses to dominant competitors when scavenging and communicating
Authors: Wang Yiwei , Allen Maximilian L. , Wilmers Christopher C.
Published: January 2020

Mesopredators face interspecific competition and intraguild predation when sharing resources with apex predators or more dominant mesopredators. We theorize that mesopredators use a variety of tactics to avoid competitively dominant predators at shared locations, such as scavenging and communication sites, that provide a mix of risks and rewards to these smaller predators. We examined whether mesopredator species employed behavioural tactics to reduce risks from dominant pumas when exploiting resources. We monitored carcasses in the Santa Cruz Mountains, CA across a gradient of human development and treated half of the carcasses with puma sign. Bobcats visited treated carcasses significantly later and for less time. Contrary to our expectations, coyotes and grey foxes were more likely to visit treated carcasses, although foxes were significantly less likely to visit a carcass also used by coyotes. Bobcats and foxes were less likely to visit carcasses at higher development levels whereas raccoons exhibited the opposite pattern. At communication sites, we observed temporal segregation among mesopredators and pumas. Coyotes and small predators exhibited the most segregation, followed by coyotes and pumas, and raccoons and pumas. Our results suggest subordinate predators employ a combination of spatial and temporal avoidance to minimize competitive interactions at shared sites.
Transcriptomic homogeneity and an age-dependent onset of hemoglobin expression characterize morphological PV types
Authors: Que Lin , Lukacsovich David , Földy Csaba
Published: January 2020

The diversity created by >100 different neural cell types fundamentally contributes to brain function and a central idea is that neuronal identity can be inferred from genetic information. Recent large-scale transcriptomic assays seem to confirm this hypothesis, but a lack of morphological information has limited the identification of several known cell types. For example, parvalbumin interneurons (PV-INs) comprise of a main transcriptomic cluster within all inhibitory cells. However, transcriptomics alone has not resolved the different morphological PV types that exist. To close this gap, we used single-cell RNA-seq in morphologically identified PV-INs, sampled from 10 days to 3 months-old mice and studied their transcriptomic states in the morphological, physiological, and developmental domains. Our findings reveal novel genes whose expression separately identify morphological types but corroborate an overall transcriptomic homogeneity among PV-INs. Surprisingly, morphological PV types display uniform cell adhesion molecule (CAM) profiles, suggesting that CAMs do not actively maintain their specificity of wiring after development. Finally, our results reveal a pronounced change of transcriptomic states between postnatal days 20 and 25, during which PV-INs display a rapid and unexpected onset of hemoglobin gene expression which remains stable in later development.
LuxHS: DNA methylation analysis with spatially varying correlation structure
Authors: Halla-aho Viivi , Lähdesmäki Harri
Published: January 2020

Bisulfite sequencing (BS-seq) is a popular method for measuring DNA methylation in basepair-resolution. Many BS-seq data analysis tools utilize the assumption of spatial correlation among the neighboring cytosines’ methylation states. While being a fair assumption, most existing methods leave out the possibility of deviation from the spatial correlation pattern. Our approach builds on a method which combines a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) with a likelihood that is specific for BS-seq data and that incorporates a spatial correlation for methylation levels. We propose a novel technique using a sparsity promoting prior to enable cytosines deviating from the spatial correlation pattern. The method is tested with both simulated and real BS-seq data and compared to other differential methylation analysis tools.
Research on component synthesis active vibration suppression method for flexible spacecraft attitude maneuver with reaction jet actuators
Authors: Xu Jiangtao , Luo Na , Liu Shaojie , Zhao Baoshan , Qi Fang , Lian Yinjun , Wang Litong
Published: January 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to design a component synthesis method to suppress the vibration of the flexible spacecraft, which has the constant amplitude force/moment actuator.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors proposed a method to construct constant amplitude of time delay and composite coefficient sequences based on the principles of the component synthesis vibration suppression (CSVS). The associated design strategy of the CSVS torque control is also developed. The dynamic model consisting of a single axis rotating rigid central body and a fixed flexibility panel is used to validate the proposed method. Constraint modal and free modal method are both tested to analyse the natural frequencies of the panel and dynamic properties of rigid–flexible decoupling system, under the conditions of known and unknown frequencies. The feasibility of constructing CSVS control force based on the constraint modal frequency is also analysed.

Findings

The proposed method can suppress multistage vibration and has arbitrary order robustness for each order frequencies simultaneously. Simulation results show that only the duration time of the actuator has to be set for the proposed method, reasonable vibration suppression effect can be achieved.

Practical implications

The method can be used in spacecraft, especially flexible spacecraft to suppress the vibration; the approach is convenient for engineering application and can be easily designed.

Originality/value

The authors proposed a method to construct constant amplitude of time delay and composite coefficient sequences based on the principles of the CSVS.
Unexplained wealth and for what purpose: a Sri Lankan perspective
Authors: Abeyagoonasekera Asanga
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Explore perspective from Sri Lanka on unexplained wealth and why it should be taken as a pivotal measure to fight corruption in the society.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative and referenced work to explain the viewpoint.

Findings

The prevailing political will in achieving goals to fight economic crime is questionable. The entire society has a role to play when fighting corruption, which is not only limited to regulators, bribery commissions and the state sector. Private sector and individual voices in the society, including whistle blowers, could play a leading role in combating cases of unexplained wealth.

Originality/value

This study highlights political corruption in Sri Lanka with a unique viewpoint connecting political lobbying and unexplained wealth.
Capable guardianship against identity theft
Authors: Ylang Norah
Published: January 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine demographic differences between individuals who do not take measures to protect themselves from identity theft victimization and those who do. A majority of the research on identity theft has focused on predictors of victimization, reporting behaviors of the victims and their health and mental outcomes. However, little remains known about the individuals who choose to take any identity-theft measures despite concerns over this fast-growing breed of crime.

Design/methodology/approach

Guided by Felson and Cohen’s routine activities theoretical framework (1979), this study uses the 2014 Identity Theft Supplement of the National Crime Victimization Survey to identify the demographic characteristics that influence the use of self-protection measures among individuals in the general population.

Findings

This study finds that these individuals are much more likely to be white, older, female and highly educated. The decision to undertake protection against identity theft is also influenced by the following factors: prior experience of misuse, possession of a bank account in the prior 12 months, current possession of at least one credit card and awareness that one is entitled to a free copy of one’s credit report.

Originality/value

This study addresses the gap in scholarship on identity theft prevention by applying the concept of guardianship in Cohen and Felson’s routine activity theory (1979) to the usage of self-protection measures in a general population. Future findings will identify the areas which agencies and researchers can focus on to inform policies that foster individuals’ own initiatives to take self-protection measures against potential identity theft.
The effect of samara wing presence on predation of Acer pseudoplatanus (Sapindaceae) seeds on the ground
Authors: der Weduwen Dagmar , Ruxton Graeme D.
Published: January 2020

The key selective pressure shaping the morphology of samaras is seen as enhancing primary wind‐borne dispersal from the parent plant to the ground. However, the consequences of the samara wing of primarily wind‐dispersed tree species for post‐dispersal processes has not been well studied. We explored whether the presence of this wing in Acer pseudoplatanus either deters or promotes predation after dispersal, either by increasing the time and energy required to predate the seed or by increasing the seed's visibility to predators. We found that wing‐removed fruits were preferred, suggesting that the presence of samaras makes seed handling more expensive for granivores. Further, we found that fewer seeds were consumed from treatments that contained the most winged seeds, thus there was no evidence of the samaras making seed finding easier for granivores. We conclude that the presence of the wing may offer an anti‐predatory benefit as well as aiding primary dispersal.
Identifying anaerobic amino acids degraders through the comparison of short‐term and long‐term enrichments
Authors: Mei Ran , Nobu Masaru K. , Liu Wen‐Tso
Published: January 2020

Degradation of amino acids is an important process in methanogenic environments. Early studies in the 1980s focused on isolated clostridia species to study the degradation behaviours. However, it is now well‐recognized that isolated species may not represent those with important roles in situ. This study conducted a continuous enrichment experiment with focus on the comparison of the microbial communities after short‐term enrichment (SE) and long‐term enrichment (LE). Individual amino acids were used as the substrate, and two different anaerobic digester sludge were used as the inoculum. Based on 16S rRNA and 16S rRNA gene, a clear community shift was observed during a time course of 18 months. The SE communities were dominated by microbial populations such as an uncultured Bacteroidales that was different from known fermenters. In the LE communities, known amino acids fermenters were consistently observed with high abundance, including Peptoclostridium acidaminophilum, Acidaminobacter hydrogenoformans and Propionivibrio pelophilus. The community structures could be classified into four types depending on the diversity of fermenters and syntrophs. A culturability index was developed to compare the SE and LE community and revealed that long‐term enrichment tended to select microbial populations closely related to species that has been cultivated whereas larger fractions of the inoculum and SE communities remained uncultured.
Violence, Power and Meaning: The Moral Logic of Terrorism
Authors: Johnston Nicolas , Bose Srinjoy
Published: January 2020

Dominant orthodoxies within the study of terrorism have developed and promoted a strategic understanding of terrorism which has, in effect, reinforced the very conflict it seeks to explain. In response, this article develops the challenge of critical terrorism studies to propose a new strategic approach to terrorism. It posits that, while unable to achieve a Clausewitzian victory over the state per se, terrorism is able to politically paralyse the state's overwhelming power by shifting the moral horizons of that state's constituency. We explore two mutually reinforcing mechanisms by which terrorism achieves this objective and explore a number of strategic policy implications of each. This new approach is needed as current approaches misrepresent the challenge the global community currently faces, creating a self‐perpetuating loop of conflict and grievance which promises no end to terrorist violence.
Social participation, health‐related behavior, and depression of older adults living alone in Korea
Authors: Won Seojin , Kim Hyemee
Published: January 2020

This study aims to identify the effects of social participation on depression among adults over 60 years old living alone in Korea, focusing on the mediating effect of health‐related behavior on the social participation–depression relationship. The study relies on secondary data analysis using the 6th wave of the Korea Longitudinal Study of Ageing, and structural equation modeling method was employed for analyses. The findings indicate that older adults' participation in religious and social gatherings decreases depressive symptoms. The study also finds that regular eating behavior, drinking, and exercise also act as significant mediators, as older adults' participation in social gatherings is associated with those health‐related behaviors and that they also reduce depression. The results suggest that social participation by older adults who live alone is crucial not only for providing them with support but also for encouraging health‐related activities that can have direct effects on their mental health. Implications for social work practice are also discussed.
Reduced‐gate convolutional long short‐term memory using predictive coding for spatiotemporal prediction
Authors: Elsayed Nelly , Maida Anthony S. , Bayoumi Magdy
Published: January 2020

Spatiotemporal sequence prediction is an important problem in deep learning. We study next‐frame(s) video prediction using a deep‐learning‐based predictive coding framework that uses convolutional LSTM (convLSTM) modules. We introduce a novel rgcLSTM architecture that requires a significantly lower parameter budget than a comparable convLSTM. By using a single multifunction gate, our reduced‐gate model achieves equal or better next‐frame(s) prediction accuracy than the original convolutional LSTM while using a smaller parameter budget, thereby reducing training time and memory requirements. We tested our reduced gate modules within a predictive coding architecture on the moving MNIST and KITTI datasets. We found that our reduced‐gate model has a significant reduction of approximately 40% of the total number of training parameters and a 25% reduction in elapsed training time in comparison with the standard convolutional LSTM model. The performance accuracy of the new model was also improved. This makes our model more attractive for hardware implementation, especially on small devices. We also explored a space of 20 different gated architectures to get insight into how our rgcLSTM fits into that space.
Self‐rated health scores predict mortality among people with type 2 diabetes differently across three different country groupings: findings from the ADVANCE and ADVANCE‐ON trials
Authors: Hua X. , Lung T. W. C. , Woodward M. , Salomon J. A. , Hamet P. , Harrap S. B. , Mancia G. , Poulter N. , Chalmers J. , Clarke P. M.
Published: January 2020

Aims

To explore whether there is a different strength of association between self‐rated health and all‐cause mortality in people with type 2 diabetes across three country groupings: nine countries grouped together as 'established market economies'; Asia; and Eastern Europe.

Methods

The ADVANCE trial and its post‐trial follow‐up were used in this study, which included 11 140 people with type 2 diabetes from 20 countries, with a median follow‐up of 9.9 years. Self‐rated health was reported on a 0–100 visual analogue scale. Cox proportional hazard models were fitted to estimate the relationship between the visual analogue scale score and all‐cause mortality, controlling for a range of demographic and clinical risk factors. Interaction terms were used to assess whether the association between the visual analogue scale score and mortality varied across country groupings.

Results

The visual analogue scale score had different strengths of association with mortality in the three country groupings. A 10‐point increase in visual analogue scale score was associated with a 15% (95% CI 12–18) lower mortality hazard in the established market economies, a 25% (95% CI 21–28) lower hazard in Asia, and an 8% (95% CI 3–13) lower hazard in Eastern Europe.

Conclusions

Self‐rated health appears to predict 10‐year all‐cause mortality for people with type 2 diabetes worldwide, but this relationship varies across groups of countries.
Population‐level variation of digestive physiology costs of mounting an immune response in damselflies
Authors: Tye Simon P. , Blaske Benjamin K. , Siepielski Adam M.
Published: January 2020

1. Trade‐offs are often predicted to occur between energetically costly activities, such as somatic growth and eliciting immune responses to parasites. Although parasitism frequently reduces growth via lowered consumption, it remains unclear if the energetic demands of generating immune responses also affect the digestive physiological processes necessary for growth. Moreover, as local environmental conditions affect energetic investment towards growth and immune responses, the extent of any digestive–immune response trade‐offs may vary among populations and not be fixed at the species‐level.

2. To test these ideas, melanisation – a general innate immune response – was first induced in damselfly larvae (Enallagma vesperum) from two populations. The study then quantified growth and consumption rates, assimilation and production efficiencies, and daily metabolic rates to determine if digestive–immune response trade‐offs were present and, if so, whether they differed between populations.

3. There was no evidence of any trade‐offs between immune responses and digestive physiology components in either population. However, the results did show that populations differentially allocated energy towards different digestive physiology components after an immune response was elicited: one population increased their relative consumption and daily metabolic rates, while the other population had lower assimilation efficiencies and consumption rates.

4. Although researchers lack a mechanistic understanding of the observed population‐level differences, these results suggest that accounting for population‐level variation in digestive physiology and immune responses is critical to inferences about how immunological defences to parasitism may affect the ability for organisms to both acquire and utilise resources.
Comparison of xylazine and detomidine in combination with midazolam/ketamine for field castration in Quarter Horses
Authors: Smith Mindy C. , Bass Luke , Damone James , Mama Khursheed , Rao Sangeeta
Published: January 2020

Background

The ideal field anaesthetic protocol for castration will offer an adequate duration and depth of anaesthesia using a single injection without compromising safety or recovery quality.

Objectives

The objective of this study was to compare intravenous (IV) xylazine and detomidine as sedatives in combination with midazolam and ketamine for induction of anaesthesia in horses undergoing field castration.

Study design

Randomised, blinded, clinical study.

Methods

Fifty‐seven male Quarter Horses were randomly assigned to receive xylazine (group X) (1.1 mg/kg bwt) or detomidine (group D) (0.03 mg/kg bwt) as premedication with midazolam (0.05 mg/kg bwt) and ketamine (2.2 mg/kg bwt) anaesthesia. Using simple descriptive scales, quality of sedation, induction, surgical conditions and recovery were scored by blinded observers. Induction, surgery, recovery time and time from induction to standing were recorded.

Results

There were a greater number of horses with lower sedation score in group D when compared with horses in group X at 5 minutes after the first dose of sedation (11.1%, 66.7% and 2.2% of horses from group D with sedation scores of 1, 2 and 3, vs 0%, 52% and 48% from group X, respectively,P = .05). A significant (P < .01) difference was found between surgical condition scores for group D (63%, 14.8%, 11.1% and 11.1% with surgery scores of 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively) and group X (28%, 4%, 28% and 40%). Horses in Group D were less likely to require maintenance doses of ketamine (P = .05) with only 26% (7 of 27 horses) in this group requiring additional doses compared to 68% (17 of 25 horses) in group X. Recovery time in minutes (Group D: 24.74 ± 14.80, Group X: 13.08 ± 8.00;P < .01) and induction to standing time in minutes (Group D: 42.2 ± 13.8, Group X: 29.8 ± 8.2;P < .01) were significantly longer for horses in group D compared with group X.

Main limitations

Multiple surgeons and multiple blinded observers.

Conclusions

Detomidine as compared with xylazine as premedication results in good quality sedation and surgical conditions and prolonged surgical plane of anaesthesia, without significant differences in induction or recovery quality.
Mean stress effect on Gaßner curves interpreted as shifted Wöhler curves and application to smooth and notched geometries
Authors: D'Antuono Pietro , Ciavarella Michele
Published: January 2020

Recently, the authors proposed the simple idea that Gaßner curves can be interpreted as shifted Wöhler curves if the Palmgren‐Miner rule is applied. The idea is extended here to the general case of nonzero mean stress fatigue loading applied to smooth or notched specimens. The mean stress effect has been addressed through the corrections proposed by Smith‐Watson‐Topper and by Walker. In this way, a new expression for the shift factorGhas been obtained. Through the application of the theory of the critical distances in its point variant,Gis demonstrated to be valid for both smooth and notched geometries. A comparison with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Keyhole test program data is added to substantiate the findings.