bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of Machine Learning on Google Earth Engine to Produce Landslide Susceptibility Mapping (Case Study: Pacitan)
Authors: Ilmy Hafsah Fatihul , Darminto Mohammad Rohmaneo , Widodo Amien
Published: April 2021

According to the Indonesian Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Indonesia’s losses due to landslides were estimated around hundreds of billion rupiah in 2017. Making landslide as one of the catastrophes with the greatest risk of loss and leaving a couple regions prone to landslides in Indonesia, Pacitan region is one of them. Landslide delineation therefore represents a particularly beneficial application of evolving research trend in disaster reduction, especially for the vulnerable region. In the present times of open-access satellite data, cloud computing and machine-learning algorithms is frequently used for disaster prevention monitoring. By employing Google Earth Engine, this study focuses on the susceptibility of landslide occurrence using a random forest machine-learning framework applied to digital topographic data such as elevation, slope and aspect as the independent variables and landslide inventory data obtained from Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Republic of Indonesia as the dependent variable. This study data sets composed from 1000 random points in Pacitan region with 70:30 ratio for training and testing sample points. The model produced good result, with overall accuracy values of 0.94, kappa values of 0.79 and 0.80 for AUC value. This model also showed that elevation is the most important variable in the landslide susceptible area. The results of this study can be used to evaluate the potential future impacts of landslide and help to optimize the management of disaster reduction in the region of Pacitan.
Analysis of Tsunami Disaster Risk Level Using Grid-Based Method (Case Study: Coastal South Beach Blitar)
Authors: Ramadhan M F , Handayani H H , Nurwatik
Published: April 2021

Tsunamis are one of the most frequent deadly natural disasters in Indonesia. The tsunami came suddenly and destroyed everything in their path. Reporting from the BNPB website, a tsunami consists of a series of ocean waves capable of traveling at speeds reaching more than 900 kilometers per hour or more in the middle of the sea. Tsunamis are triggered by several factors, namely earthquakes and debris on the seabed, or due to volcanic eruptions at sea. No technology can predict exactly when a tsunami will occur. Therefore the mitigation process is needed as preparation to face a disaster. The geographical position of the southern coast of Blitar Regency is recorded as a tsunami-prone area due to the shift in the Indoaustralia and Euroasia plates and directly adjacent to the Indian Ocean. In this study, an analysis of the risk level of a tsunami disaster in the coastal area of Blitar Regency will be carried out as the first step for disaster mitigation to minimize the occurrence of casualties using a grid-based analysis. The process is carried out using spatial data in the form of points, which are then interpolated so that the new points are obtained. Risk analysis is obtained by three parameters, namely hazard parameters, vulnerability parameters, and capacity parameters. The area affected by the tsunami hazard in the Blitar Regency spreads over 14 villages in Blitar Regency. The area affected by the tsunami in the 10m-height model is 655.76 hectares. The village with the largest inundation area is located in Sumbersih Village with an area of 97.52 hectares. In calculating the level of vulnerability, it is found that the level of vulnerability in the coastal area of Blitar Regency is in the medium class. Furthermore, the risk analysis shows that the area at risk of tsunami in the run-up model is 10 meters covering an area of 655.76 hectares, a low-risk area of 74.69 hectares, a moderate risk area of 211.44 hectares, and a high-risk area of 369.62 hectares. Hectares. In Bakung District, there are no areas with a high level of risk.
Analysis of Modern Store Business Opportunities Based on Geographic Information Systems with the Scoring Method
Authors: Sari I N , Handayani H H , Nurwatik
Published: April 2021

Kanigoro is one of the districts in Blitar Regency, located in the center of Blitar Regency and near to the Blitar City causing the development to improve faster, including in Modern Store business. To determine the area suitability for establishing a Modern Store, an analysis is needed. Geographic Information System is applied to determine the business opportunities for each village in the Kanigoro District. The research uses scoring method, provides a score for each parameter criteria to analyze the level of suitability and to determine a Modern Store location. The parameters used include population density, types of land use, access to main roads, bank or ATM facilities, distance to Traditional Markets or other Modern Store. The data of parameters are then processed, overlaid, and scored. Map is produced to illustrate the level of potential suitability for the location of the establishment of a Modern Store, with a value of 1-3 every 100 m x 100 m. Based on this final result, it can be concluded that the region with a high level of suitability is found in Kanigoro Village. This is in line with the Village Development Index in Kanigoro Village that has a category of Hierarchy I. The correlation between Village Development Index and the total area with a high level of suitability per village is 0.927 (very strong linear correlation). While the correlation between the index and the total area with a low level of suitability per village was -0.261 (weak linear correlation).
Geology Controlling Factors of the Top Reservoir; Muara Laboh Geothermal System Case Studies
Authors: Sihotang Mauliate , Suryantini  , Azis Herwin , Stimac Jim , Baroek Marino
Published: April 2021

Top of reservoir (TOR) determination is one of the resource keys features of the geothermal resource and significantly impacts the well’s productivity (Casing Point Determination). It is defined from the conceptual model process and refined by the well temperature data. This paper will describe the geologic controls on the top of reservoir geometries of the Muara Laboh (ML). ML has located in step over-pull apart basins of the Great Sumatra Fault Zone segment. The features then accommodate the emplacement of quaternary to tertiary volcanic and intrusion. The geoscientific data from the existing conceptual model, well cuttings, cores, MeB test, and image log data were combined with the drilling parameter data (mud temperature & mud loses) to characterize the geology of the TOR. Drilling results show that wells in the NE sector have a shallower TOR. The TOR is located near the quaternary Patah Sembilan volcanic unit’s contact with the undifferentiated silicic formation. The NE sector TOR corresponds with the change of alteration type from smectite rich argillic zone (<180°C) to the transitional zone (Chlorite, Chlorite-Illite, Chlorite-Smectite formed at 180°C to 240°C). The epidote – chlorite rich propylitic zone (>240°C) identified underlaying the NE reservoir sector’s transition zone. MeB Index below 10 seems to be corresponding with the base of conductive of 5 Ohm, and the NE TOR location. The SW sectors TOR sits a deeper elevation (∼300msl), lies within the intercalated dacite-andesite volcanic unit, higher temperature propylitic alteration zone, with epidote, epidote-adularia-quartz, and open space veins were observed below the TOR. Similar to the NE sector, the drop of the MeB index to less than ten, which is also related to the lithology contact, shows the possibility that the TOR has dropped in the SW sector. Below the low MeB zone, calcite infilled the fractures and sometimes encapsulated the pre-existing epidote vein; calcite then decreases with increasing epidote vein and epidote-adularia vein occurrence. The observation then suggests a rapid boiling process in the SW sectors due to the dropping of water levels, allowing the late-stage calcite vein to seal off the permeability within the shallow reservoir and not allowing the circulation of geothermal fluids within the interval.
Volcanostratigraphic Approach and its Implication for Geothermal Evaluation in Talang Volcano West Sumatra
Authors: Kobare Nyora Donald , Akrom Fadhil Muhammad , Hermawan Irfan Berrizki
Published: April 2021

The desk studies are a fundamental preliminary step in any geologic investigation of volcanic regions. These studies are very important approaches used in the reconnaissance survey stage for the exploration of volcanic geothermal systems. Volcanostratigraphic study has been done in Talang volcano and nearby regions, where the two topographic maps on the scale of 1:100000 and 1:50000 were utilized by drawing the patterns of drainage, ridges and flows without intersecting these flows. The first scale employed to distinguish eruption product units based on their respective eruptive centers (Crown), as well as a map on 1:50000 scale to find detailed parasitic distributed unit (s) product such as (Hummock). The challenge based on this approach is to distinguish different volcanic products based on their origins without ground truthing. Thus, the correlation with existing published geological map was employed. One volcanic unit were identified (Talang Brigade) which consists of three eruption centers (The Talang Bawah, Talang Batino and Talang Jantan Crowns) and three Hummocks with different ages based on age of eruption. The volcanostatigraphic units, is bounded by a large Talang Brigade caldera with a diameter more than 2 km. Based on analyses of the dimension, maturity, stress regimes, and an estimation of the thermal resource base of its magmatic heat source, it was concluded that Talang volcano as a geothermal potential that deserves further detailed studies before embarking to development phase. For verifying desk work studies, the detailed volcanostratigraphic mapping is recommended to understand the physical- and chemical properties of the volcanic rocks and provide the history of volcanism and validation of the potentially geothermal boundaries.
Experimental study of concentrated thin-film receiver with phase change material
Authors: Subramaniam S Bharath
Published: April 2021

A Scheffler type parabolic dish solar concentrator (PDSC) of 16 m2 aperture area was used to concentrate the incident beam radiation onto a solar thin receiver. Magnesium chloride hexahydrate (Mgcl2.6H2O) phase change material (PCM) was incorporated into the thin receiver based on the availability, thermophysical properties and cost. The average energy efficiency of the thin receiver was 26.37%, 39.56% and 54.20% without PCM and 29.47% and 44.20% and 59.10% with the PCM for flow rates of water of 0.01 kg/s, 0.02 kg/s and 0.03 kg/s respectively.
Commentary on Fiction: A Philosophical Analysis, by Catharine Abell; and Imagining and Knowing: The Shape of Fiction, by Gregory Currie
Authors: Gilmore Jonathan
Published: April 2021

Each of these books offers a richly developed and nuanced account of the nature of fiction. And each poses major challenges to a view about which there is a near-consensus. Catharine Abell draws on a theory of the institutions of fiction to advance a systematic re-envisioning of the metaphysics and epistemology of the contents of stories. Gregory Currie argues that fiction’s relationship to the imagination, and the way stories communicate their contents to readers, seriously undermine fiction’s cognitive values.
Sex Differences in Acute Alcohol Sensitivity of Naïve and Alcohol Dependent Central Amygdala GABA Synapses
Authors: Kirson Dean , Khom Sophia , Rodriguez Larry , Wolfe Sarah A , Varodayan Florence P , Gandhi Pauravi J , Patel Reesha R , Vlkolinsky Roman , Bajo Michal , Roberto Marisa
Published: April 2021

Aims

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is linked to hyperactivity of brain stress systems, leading to withdrawal states which drive relapse. AUD differs among the sexes, as men are more likely to have AUD than women, but women progress from casual use to binge and heavy alcohol use more quickly and are more likely to relapse into repetitive episodes of heavy drinking. In alcohol dependence animal models of AUD, the central amygdala (CeA) functions as a hub of stress and anxiety processing and gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic signaling within the CeA is involved in dependence-induced increases in alcohol consumption. We have shown dysregulation of CeA GABAergic synaptic signaling in alcohol dependence animal models, but previous studies have exclusively used males.

Methods

Here, we used whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology to examine basal CeA GABAergic spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSC) and the effects of acute alcohol in both naïve and alcohol dependent rats of both sexes.

Results

We found that sIPSC kinetics differ between females and males, as well as between naïve and alcohol-dependent animals, with naïve females having the fastest current kinetics. Additionally, we find differences in baseline current kinetics across estrous cycle stages. In contrast to the increase in sIPSC frequency routinely found in males, acute alcohol (11–88 mM) had no effect on sIPSCs in naïve females, however the highest concentration of alcohol increased sIPSC frequency in dependent females.

Conclusion

These results provide important insight into sex differences in CeA neuronal function and dysregulation with alcohol dependence and highlight the need for sex-specific considerations in the development of effective AUD treatment.
Social Work as a Human Rights Profession: An Action Framework
Authors: Reynaert Didier , Nachtergaele Siebren , De Stercke Nadine , Gobeyn Hildegard , Roose Rudi
Published: April 2021

Human rights are foundational to social work, as recognised in the global definition, leading many to consider social work a human rights profession. Although human rights has become an important compass for social work, comprehensive frameworks for understanding the ‘practice’ of human rights in social work are still limited. Only recently attempts have been made to fill this gap. This article seeks to continue these efforts and contribute to a better understanding of how social work constructs, deconstructs and reconstructs ideas of human rights in daily practice. We investigated the following research question: ‘How do social workers “act” when using human rights as a framework for practice?’ We used a qualitative research design consisting of ethnographic research and focus groups, with both social workers and service-users participating. Based on our research, we developed five building blocks for an action framework for human rights in social work: (i) systemworld-oriented action; (ii) lifeworld-oriented action; (iii) participatory action; (iv) joined-up action and (v) politicised action. These building blocks give a comprehensive account for the discursive practice of human rights in social work.
Widespread Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Transmission Among Attendees at a Large Motorcycle Rally and their Contacts, 30 US Jurisdictions, August–September, 2020
Authors: Carter Rosalind J , Rose Dale A , Sabo Rebecca T , Clayton Joshua , Steinberg Jonathan , Anderson Mark ,   CDC COVID-19 Response Team, Fitzgerald Conor , Haddix Meredith , Martin Webb Lindsey , Ogale Yasmin P , Bell Alexis , Feldpausch Amanda , Austin Constance , Andreychak Elaina , Krueger Anna , Pearlowitz Marcia , Vostok Johanna , Johnson Shannon , Firestone Melanie J , Anderson Stacey L , Stover Derry , Donahue Matthew , Irving Megan , Lifshitz Jenna , Hicks Joseph T , Yanting Huang Kelly , Donovan Catherine , Schram Benjamin , Harduar Morano Laurel , Strickland Colten J , Diedhiou Abdoulaye , Shaffner Julia , Parsons Hannah , Collingwood Abigail , Segaloff Hannah E , McClinton Reginald
Published: April 2021

The 2020 Sturgis motorcycle rally resulted in widespread transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 across the United States. At least 649 coronavirus disease 2019 cases were identified, including secondary and tertiary spread to close contacts. To limit transmission, persons attending events should be vaccinated or wear masks and practice physical distancing if unvaccinated. Persons with a known exposure should be managed according to their coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination or prior infection status and may include quarantine and coronavirus disease 2019 testing.
Myocardial hypoxic stress mediates functional cardiac extracellular vesicle release
Authors: Anselmo Achille , Frank Derk , Papa Laura , Viviani Anselmi Chiara , Di Pasquale Elisa , Mazzola Marta , Panico Cristina , Clemente Francesca , Soldani Cristiana , Pagiatakis Christina , Hinkel Rabea , Thalmann Ruth , Kozlik-Feldmann Reiner , Miragoli Michele , Carullo Pierluigi , Vacchiano Marco , Chaves-Sanjuan Antonio , Santo Nadia , Losi Maria Angela , Ferrari Matteo Carlo , Puca Annibale Alessandro , Christiansen Vincent , Seoudy Hatim , Freitag-Wolf Sandra , Frey Norbert , Dempfle Astrid , Mercola Mark , Esposito Giovanni , Briguori Carlo , Kupatt Christian , Condorelli Gianluigi
Published: April 2021

Aims 

Increased shedding of extracellular vesicles (EVs)—small, lipid bilayer-delimited particles with a role in paracrine signalling—has been associated with human pathologies, e.g. atherosclerosis, but whether this is true for cardiac diseases is unknown.

Methods and results 

Here, we used the surface antigen CD172a as a specific marker of cardiomyocyte (CM)-derived EVs; the CM origin of CD172a+ EVs was supported by their content of cardiac-specific proteins and heart-enriched microRNAs. We found that patients with aortic stenosis, ischaemic heart disease, or cardiomyopathy had higher circulating CD172a+ cardiac EV counts than did healthy subjects. Cellular stress was a major determinant of EV release from CMs, with hypoxia increasing shedding in in vitro and in vivo experiments. At the functional level, EVs isolated from the supernatant of CMs derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells and cultured in a hypoxic atmosphere elicited a positive inotropic response in unstressed CMs, an effect we found to be dependent on an increase in the number of EVs expressing ceramide on their surface. Of potential clinical relevance, aortic stenosis patients with the highest counts of circulating cardiac CD172a+ EVs had a more favourable prognosis for transcatheter aortic valve replacement than those with lower counts.

Conclusion 

We identified circulating CD172a+ EVs as cardiac derived, showing their release and function and providing evidence for their prognostic potential in aortic stenosis patients.
Prevalence and undiagnosed fraction of hepatitis C infection in 2018 in Spain: results from a national population-based survey
Authors: Estirado Gómez Alicia , Justo Gil Soledad , Limia Aurora , Avellón Ana , Arce Arnáez Araceli , González-Rubio Raquel , Diaz Asunción , del Amo Julia ,   the Working group of the HCV prevalence study in Spain in 2017–2018
Published: April 2021

Background

A national strategy against hepatitis C virus (HCV) was implemented in Spain in 2015 with the aim of reducing associated morbidity and mortality. In order to improve our understanding of the epidemiology of HCV, we analysed the prevalence of HCV antibodies and active infection overall and by age and sex in the general population aged 20–80 years. We also aimed to report the undiagnosed fraction.

Methods

A national population-based seroprevalence survey was conducted in 2017–2018. A representative sample from the general population was selected using two-stage sampling. The prevalence of total HCV antibodies and of HCV RNA was calculated using inverse probability weighting based on bootstrapping.

Results

Overall, we approached 17 496 persons; 9103 agreed to participate and met the eligibility criteria and 7675 were aged 20–80. We obtained a prevalence of HCV antibodies of 0.85% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64–1.08%] and of active infection of 0.22% (95% CI: 0.12–0.32%). The prevalence of active HCV infection was highest in men aged 50–59 (0.86%; 95% CI: 0.28–1.57%) and in men aged 60–69 years (0.72%; 95% CI: 0.27–1.28%). Prevalence was below 0.20% in the remaining age groups. The undiagnosed fraction for active HCV infection was 29.4%.

Conclusion

This study shows that prevalence of HCV in the general population in Spain is low and reflects the impact of scaling up treatment with direct acting antivirals, together with other prevention strategies, from 2015 onwards. The data reported can guide subsequent public health actions.
Corona and coffee on your commute: a spatial analysis of COVID-19 mortality and commuting flows in England in 2020
Authors: Francetic Igor , Munford Luke
Published: April 2021

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic forced governments to implement lockdown policies to curb the spread of the disease. These policies explicitly encouraged homeworking, hence reducing the number of commuters with the implicit assumption that restricting peoples’ movement reduces risk of infection for travellers and other people in their areas of residence and work. Yet, the spatial interrelation of different areas has been rarely addressed both in the public discourse and in early accounts of the various consequences of COVID-19.

Methods

Our study proposes a spatial analysis of the association between commuting flows and COVID-19 mortality in England between March and June 2020, using a range of publicly available area-level data. To account for spatial correlation, we used a structural mobility gravity model to analyze commuting flows between Local Authority Districts. By accounting for these spatial dependencies, we temper concerns of bias and inefficiency affecting simple linear estimates. Additionally, we disentangle the direct and indirect (from other areas) influence of commuting on COVID-19 mortality.

Results

The results of our spatial regression models suggest that higher commuting flows—in general and particularly by public transport—are associated with higher COVID-19 mortality. Our results are consistent with a reduction in COVID-related mortality after the introduction of a national lockdown in March. The spatial-lag term is statistically significant, highlighting the importance of accounting for spatial dependencies.

Conclusion

We suggest that considering spatial interactions through commuting or travel motivations may offer interesting perspectives on the trade-off between health and economic activity during lockdowns.
Acute unilateral vision loss from central retinal artery occlusion associated with an atrial septal aneurysm and a patent foramen ovale: a case report
Authors: Ascuitto Michael , Guertin Dalia , Weaver Kaycee
Published: April 2021

Background

Acute unilateral vision loss is an ophthalmological emergency. It can have multiple aetiologies, and physicians must be able to quickly determine the cause of the condition, as immediate intervention may prevent permanent vision loss. Acute unilateral vision loss has not previously been associated with a patent foramen ovale (PFO).

Objective

We describe a patient who presented with painless sudden loss of vision in his left eye. He was diagnosed to have central retinal artery occlusion, likely from a paradoxical embolus associated with an atrial septal aneurysm containing a PFO. The patient underwent successful percutaneous closure of the PFO without complication. This report details the evaluation and differential diagnosis of acute unilateral vision loss. Additionally, the controversy of whether a PFO should be closed prophylactically for stroke prevention is discussed.

Conclusion

Acute unilateral vision loss from central retinal artery occlusion may be caused by a paradoxical embolus originating from an atrial septal aneurysm with a PFO. This case should be considered in the controversy of whether prophylactic closure of a PFO could be beneficial for primary prevention of stroke.
Marketing the French Revolution? Revolutionary auction advertisements in comparative perspective (Paris, 1778–1793)
Authors: De Smet Charris
Published: April 2021

This article presents an exploratory study of the Parisian auction market, its transformation during the French Revolution and the relationship between economic policies and political ideologies, building further on existing research on consumerism in eighteenth-century France and the revolutionary art market. Surveying the advertisements for auction sales featured in the Parisian newspaper Affiches, Annonces et Avis Divers, this research first reconstructed the more general developments in the auction market. Secondly, it examines material culture and its social distribution during the Terror, comparing the figures with a pre-revolutionary year. Thirdly, the research investigated the consumer values that gave cultural and social meaning to the products and guided buyers in their consumption. This article’s findings reveal that the unprecedented diffusion of aristocratic luxuries on the auction market was supported by a stable advertising discourse of elite consumer values centred around aesthetics and high quality.
The More, the Merrier? Multiple Myoglobin Genes in Fish Species, Especially in Gray Bichir (Polypterus senegalus) and Reedfish (Erpetoichthys calabaricus)
Authors: Helfenrath Kathrin , Sauer Markus , Kamga Michelle , Wisniewsky Michelle , Burmester Thorsten , Fabrizius Andrej
Published: April 2021

The members of the globin superfamily are a classical model system to investigate gene evolution and their fates as well as the diversity of protein function. One of the best-known globins is myoglobin (Mb), which is mainly expressed in heart muscle and transports oxygen from the sarcolemma to the mitochondria. Most vertebrates harbor a single copy of the myoglobin gene, but some fish species have multiple myoglobin genes. Phylogenetic analyses indicate an independent emergence of multiple myoglobin genes, whereby the origin is mostly the last common ancestor of each order. By analyzing different transcriptome data sets, we found at least 15 multiple myoglobin genes in the polypterid gray bichir (Polypterus senegalus) and reedfish (Erpetoichthys calabaricus). In reedfish, the myoglobin genes are expressed in a broad range of tissues but show very different expression values. In contrast, the Mb genes of the gray bichir show a rather scattered expression pattern; only a few Mb genes were found expressed in the analyzed tissues. Both, gray bichir and reedfish possess lungs which enable them to inhabit shallow and swampy waters throughout tropical Africa with frequently fluctuating and low oxygen concentrations. The myoglobin repertoire probably reflects the molecular adaptation to these conditions. The sequence divergence, the substitution rate, and the different expression pattern of multiple myoglobin genes in gray bichir and reedfish imply different functions, probably through sub- and neofunctionalization during evolution.
Generation of an Isogenic Collection of Yeast Actin Mutants and Identification of Three Interrelated Phenotypes
Authors: Whitacre Johanna L , Davis Dana A , Toenjes Kurt A , Brower Sharon M , Adams Alison E M
Published: April 2021

A large collection of yeast actin mutations has been previously isolated and used in numerous studies of actin cytoskeletal function. However, the various mutations have been in congenic, rather than isogenic, backgrounds, making it difficult to compare the subtle phenotypes that are characteristic of these mutants. We have therefore placed 27 mutations in an isogenic background. We used a subset of these mutants to compare the degree to which different actin alleles are defective in sporulation, endocytosis, and growth on NaCl-containing media. We found that the three phenotypes are highly correlated. The correlations are specific and not merely a reflection of general growth defects, because the phenotypes are not correlated with growth rates under normal conditions. Significantly, those actin mutants exhibiting the most severe phenotypes in all three processes have altered residues that cluster to a small region of the actin crystal structure previously defined as the fimbrin (Sac6p)-binding site. We examined the relationship between endocytosis and growth on salt and found that shifting wild-type or actin mutant cells to high salt reduces the rate of α-factor internalization. These results suggest that actin mutants may be unable to grow on salt because of additive endocytic defects (due to mutation and salt).
Complex Organization of Promoter and Enhancer Elements Regulate the Tissue- and Developmental Stage-Specific Expression of the Drosophila melanogaster Gld Gene
Authors: Keplinger Brian L , Guo Xinmei , Quine Jonathan , Feng Yue , Cavener Douglas R
Published: April 2021

The Drosophila melanogaster Gld gene has multiple and diverse developmental and physiological functions. We report herein that interactions among proximal promoter elements and a cluster of intronically located enhancers and silencers specify the complex regulation of Gld that underlies its diverse functions. Gld expression in nonreproductive tissues is largely determined by proximal promoter elements with the exception of the embryonic labium where Gld is activated by an enhancer within the first intron. A nuclear protein, GPAL, has been identified that binds the Gpal elements in the proximal promoter region. Regulation of Gld in the reproductive organs is particularly complex, involving interactions among the Gpal proximal promoter elements, a unique TATA box, three distinct enhancer types, and one or more silencer elements. The three somatic reproductive organ enhancers each activate expression in male and female pairs of reproductive organs. One of these pairs, the male ejaculatory duct and female oviduct, are known to be developmentally homologous. We report evidence that the other two pairs of organs are developmentally homologous as well. A comprehensive model to explain the full developmental regulation of Gld and its evolution is presented.
Gene Flow Among Populations of the Malaria Vector, Anopheles gambiae, in Mali, West Africa
Authors: Taylor Charles , Touré Yeya T , Carnahan John , Norris Douglas E , Dolo Guimogo , Traoré Sekou F , Edillo Frances E , Lanzaro Gregory C
Published: April 2021

The population structure of the Anopheles gambiae complex is unusual, with several sibling species often occupying a single area and, in one of these species, An. gambiae sensu stricto, as many as three “chromosomal forms” occurring together. The chromosomal forms are thought to be intermediate between populations and species, distinguishable by patterns of chromosome gene arrangements. The extent of reproductive isolation among these forms has been debated. To better characterize this structure we measured effective population size, Ne, and migration rates, m, or their product by both direct and indirect means. Gene flow among villages within each chromosomal form was found to be large (Nem > 40), was intermediate between chromosomal forms (Nem ≈ 3–30), and was low between species (Nem ≈ 0.17–1.3). A recently developed means for distinguishing among certain of the forms using PCR indicated rates of gene flow consistent with those observed using the other genetic markers.
Sensory Impairment and the Odds of Adverse Consequences of Unmet Needs for Care Among Older Adults
Authors: Pittman Corinne , Nieman Carrie L , Reed Nicholas S , Swenor Bonnielin K , Willink Amber
Published: April 2021

Objectives

Vision and hearing impairments are highly prevalent conditions among older adults, and well-established links exist between sensory impairment and household, mobility, and self-care activity limitations. However, studies examining the impact of unmet long-term services and supports (LTSS) needs have not considered the role of vision and hearing impairment on the risk of experiencing adverse consequences, including wetting or soiling oneself.

Method

Using Rounds 1 and 5 of the National Health and Aging Trends Study, a nationally representative survey of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older, we examine the association of vision and hearing impairment on the odds of experiencing an adverse consequence while accounting for other sociodemographic and health status factors.

Results

Among a weighted population of 49,770,947 community-living older adults with limitations in household, mobility, or self-care activities, 20.1% (95% CI: 19.2–21.0) experienced an adverse consequence as a result of unmet LTSS needs. In the fully adjusted regression, individuals with vision or hearing impairment had 96% (odds ratio [OR]: 1.96; 95% CI: 1.64–2.34) and 43% increased odds (OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.24–1.65), respectively, of experiencing any adverse consequence. Hearing impairment was associated with higher odds of household or self-care adverse consequences, while vision impairment was associated with higher odds of mobility or self-care adverse consequences.

Discussion

Sensory impairment may increase the risk for adverse consequences for older adults with unmet LTSS needs. Activities that support older adults living safely in the community should consider the role of sensory impairment and how to address the unique needs of those with hearing or vision impairment.
Higher-order Hamilton–Jacobi perturbation theory for anisotropic heterogeneous media: transformation between Cartesian and ray-centred coordinates
Authors: Iversen Einar , Ursin Bjørn , Saksala Teemu , Ilmavirta Joonas , de Hoop Maarten V
Published: April 2021

Within the field of seismic modelling in anisotropic media, dynamic ray tracing is a powerful technique for computation of amplitude and phase properties of the high-frequency Green’s function. Dynamic ray tracing is based on solving a system of Hamilton–Jacobi perturbation equations, which may be expressed in different 3-D coordinate systems. We consider two particular coordinate systems; a Cartesian coordinate system with a fixed origin and a curvilinear ray-centred coordinate system associated with a reference ray. For each system we form the corresponding 6-D phase spaces, which encapsulate six degrees of freedom in the variation of position and momentum. The formulation of (conventional) dynamic ray tracing in ray-centred coordinates is based on specific knowledge of the first-order transformation between Cartesian and ray-centred phase-space perturbations. Such transformation can also be used for defining initial conditions for dynamic ray tracing in Cartesian coordinates and for obtaining the coefficients involved in two-point traveltime extrapolation. As a step towards extending dynamic ray tracing in ray-centred coordinates to higher orders we establish detailed information about the higher-order properties of the transformation between the Cartesian and ray-centred phase-space perturbations. By numerical examples, we (1) visualize the validity limits of the ray-centred coordinate system, (2) demonstrate the transformation of higher-order derivatives of traveltime from Cartesian to ray-centred coordinates and (3) address the stability of function value and derivatives of volumetric parameters in a higher-order representation of the subsurface model.
Role of Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILCs) in improving household wealth and financial preparedness for birth in rural Zambia
Authors: Lee HaEun , Maffioli Elisa M , Veliz Philip T , Munro-Kramer Michelle L , Phiri Tenford K , Sakala Isaac , Kaunda Jameson , Chiboola Nchimunya M , Lori Jody R
Published: April 2021

Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILCs) are a type of informal microfinance mechanism adapted in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to improve financial resources for poor and rural communities. Although SILCs are often paired with other health and non-health-related interventions, few studies have examined SILCs in the context of maternal health. This study examined the association between SILC participation, household wealth and financial preparedness for birth. The study also examined the association between sex and financial preparedness for birth. A secondary analysis was conducted on individual survey data collected from SILC participants in two rural districts of Zambia between October 2017 and February 2018. A convenience sample of 600 participants (Lundazi: n = 297; Mansa: n = 303) was analysed. Descriptive analyses were run to examine SILC participation and household wealth. Multiple binary logistic regression models were fit to assess the unadjusted and adjusted relationship between (1) SILC participation and household wealth, (2) SILC participation and financial preparedness for birth and (3) sex and financial preparedness for birth. The results show that SILC participation led to an average increase of 7.32 items of the 13 household wealth items. SILC participants who had their most recent childbirth after joining SILCs were more likely to be financially prepared for birth [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 2.99; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.70-5.26; P < 0.001] than participants who had their most recent childbirth before joining SILCs. Females were more likely to be financially prepared for birth than males if they had their most recent birth before joining an SILC (AOR: 1.79; 95% CI: 1.16-2.66; P < 0.01). SILC participation is shown to increase household wealth and financial preparedness for birth for both men and women. SILCs are a promising intervention that can help poor and rural populations by increasing financial resources and financially preparing parents for birth.
Ghosts of war: China’s relations with Portugal in the post-war period, 1945–9
Authors: Lopes Helena F S
Published: April 2021

This article investigates the ways in which the legacies of the Second World War shaped Sino-Portuguese relations during the final years of Nationalist rule in mainland China. It argues that Portugal’s wartime neutrality exacerbated the ambiguities of its centuries-old presence in China and that these ambiguities were decisive in shaping political and diplomatic manoeuvring in the post-war period. As a victorious power China sought to affirm its sovereignty when dealing with Portugal on issues such as the handling of Japanese property, the extradition of suspects of war crimes and collaboration, and the abolition of extraterritoriality. Disagreements over these reflected both countries’ attempts to assert sovereignty through the ability to serve justice.
HLA Zygosity Increases Risk of Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Liu Zhiwei , Huang Chih-Jen , Huang Yu-Han , Pan Mei-Hung , Lee Mei-Hsuan , Yu Kelly J , Pfeiffer Ruth M , Viard Mathias , Yuki Yuko , Gao Xiaojiang , Carrington Mary , Chen Chien-Jen , Hildesheim Allan , Yang Hwai-I ,   REVEAL-HBV Study Group
Published: April 2021

Background

Diversity in the HLA genes might be associated with disease outcomes—the heterozygote advantage hypothesis. We tested this hypothesis in relation to hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

We utilized DNA from > 10 000 Taiwanese individuals with current or past HBV infection to examine the association between HLA diversity and critical natural history steps in the progression from HBV infection to HCC. Individuals were classified as homozygotes at a given locus when imputed to carry the same 4-digit allele for the 2 HLA alleles at that locus.

Results

Increase in number of homozygous HLA class II loci was associated with an increased risk of chronic HBV infection (Ptrend = 1.18 × 10–7). Among chronic HBV carriers, increase in number of homozygous HLA class II loci was also associated with an increased risk of HBV-associated HCC (Ptrend = .031). For individual HLA loci, HLA-DQB1 homozygosity was significantly associated with HCC risk (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.40; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–1.84). We also found that zygosity affects risk of HCC through its ability to affect viral control.

Conclusions

Homozygosity at HLA class II loci, particularly HLA-DQB1, is associated with a higher risk of HBV-associated HCC.
Normalizing Vision: The Representation and Use of Spectacles and Eyeglasses in Victorian Britain
Authors: Almond Gemma
Published: April 2021

This study explores the representation and use of Victorian visual aids, specifically focusing on how the design of spectacle and eyeglass frames shaped ideas of the ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ body. It contributes to our understanding of assistive technologies in the Victorian period by showcasing the usefulness of material evidence for exploring how an object was produced and perceived. By placing visual aids in their medical and cultural context for the first time, it will show how the study of spectacle and eyeglass frames develops our understanding of Victorian society more broadly. Contemporaries drew upon industrialization, increasing education, and the proliferation of print to explain a rise in refractive vision ‘errors’. Through exploring the design of three spectacle frames from the London Science Museum’s collections, this study will show how the representations and manufacture of visual aids transformed in response to these wider changes. The material evidence, as well as contemporary newspapers, periodicals, and medical texts, reveal that visual aids evolved from an unusual to a more mainstream device. It argues that visual aids are a unique assistive technology, one that is able to inform our understanding of how Victorians measured the body and constructed ideas of ‘normalcy’ and ‘abnormalcy’.
Bringing the Adult Guardianship Regime in Line with the UNCRPD: The Chinese Experience
Authors: Cheung Daisy
Published: April 2021

This article examines the Chinese experience with adult guardianship, focusing in particular on the regimes in Hong Kong and China. As jurisdictions in which the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (‘UNCRPD’) applies, a key question is whether the adult guardianship regimes in these jurisdictions can be considered compliant with the principles of the UNCRPD, specifically those in Article 12. The adult guardianship regimes in both jurisdictions are in essence substitute decision-making regimes and are therefore not consistent with the interpretation of Article 12 by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, or what is described as the ‘strong interpretation’ in this article. The question remains, however, as to whether they might be nonetheless considered compliant with what is described in this article as the ‘weak interpretation’. This article explores supported decision-making, the concept of capacity and the existence and sufficiency of safeguards in each of the two regimes, concluding that neither regime can be considered compliant even using the weak interpretation of Article 12. Reflections on the way forward are discussed.
Modelling H2 and its effects on star formation using a joint implementation of gadget-3 and KROME
Authors: Sillero Emanuel , Tissera Patricia B , Lambas Diego G , Bovino Stefano , Schleicher Dominik R , Grassi Tommaso , Bruzual Gustavo , Charlot Stéphane
Published: April 2021

We present p-gadget3-k, an updated version of gadget-3, that incorporates the chemistry package krome. p-gadget3-k follows the hydrodynamical and chemical evolution of cosmic structures, incorporating the chemistry and cooling of H2 and metal cooling in non-equilibrium. We performed different runs of the same ICs to assess the impact of various physical parameters and prescriptions, namely gas metallicity, molecular hydrogen formation on dust, star formation recipes including or not H2 dependence, and the effects of numerical resolution. We find that the characteristics of the simulated systems, both globally and at kpc-scales, are in good agreement with several observable properties of molecular gas in star-forming galaxies. The surface density profiles of star formation rate (SFR) and H2 are found to vary with the clumping factor and resolution. In agreement with previous results, the chemical enrichment of the gas component is found to be a key ingredient to model the formation and distribution of H2 as a function of gas density and temperature. A star formation algorithm that takes into account the H2 fraction together with a treatment for the local stellar radiation field improves the agreement with observed H2 abundances over a wide range of gas densities and with the molecular Kennicutt–Schmidt law, implying a more realistic modelling of the star formation process.
The slow rise and recovery of the 2019 Crab pulsar glitch
Authors: Shaw B , Keith M J , Lyne A G , Mickaliger M B , Stappers B W , Turner J D , Weltevrede P
Published: April 2021

We present updated measurements of the Crab pulsar glitch of 2019 July 23 using a data set of pulse arrival times spanning ∼5 months. On MJD 58687, the pulsar underwent its seventh largest glitch observed to date, characterized by an instantaneous spin-up of ∼1 μHz. Following the glitch, the pulsar’s rotation frequency relaxed exponentially towards pre-glitch values over a time-scale of approximately 1 week, resulting in a permanent frequency increment of ∼0.5 μHz. Due to our semicontinuous monitoring of the Crab pulsar, we were able to partially resolve a fraction of the total spin-up. This delayed spin-up occurred exponentially over a time-scale of ∼18 h. This is the sixth Crab pulsar glitch for which part of the initial rise was resolved in time and this phenomenon has not been observed in any other glitching pulsars, offering a unique opportunity to study the microphysical processes governing interactions between the neutron star interior and the crust.
Time consciousness: the missing link in theories of consciousness
Authors: Kent Lachlan , Wittmann Marc
Published: April 2021

There are plenty of issues to be solved in order for researchers to agree on a neural model of consciousness. Here we emphasize an often under-represented aspect in the debate: time consciousness. Consciousness and the present moment both extend in time. Experience flows through a succession of moments and progresses from future predictions, to present experiences, to past memories. However, a brief review finds that many dominant theories of consciousness only refer to brief, static, and discrete “functional moments” of time. Very few refer to more extended, dynamic, and continuous time, which is associated with conscious experience (cf. the “experienced moment”). This confusion between short and discrete versus long and continuous is, we argue, one of the core issues in theories of consciousness. Given the lack of work dedicated to time consciousness, its study could test novel predictions of rival theories of consciousness. It may be that different theories of consciousness are compatible/complementary if the different aspects of time are taken into account. Or, if it turns out that no existing theory can fully accommodate time consciousness, then perhaps it has something new to add. Regardless of outcome, the crucial step is to make subjective time a central object of study.