bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ATP Suppression by pH‐Activated Mitochondria‐Targeted Delivery of Nitric Oxide Nanoplatform for Drug Resistance Reversal and Metastasis Inhibition
Authors: Deng Yongyan , Jia Fan , Chen Xiaohui , Jin Qiao , Ji Jian
Published: May 2020

Mitochondria, which are important mediators for cancer initiation, growth, metastasis, and drug resistance, have been considered as a major target in cancer therapy. Herein, an acid‐activated mitochondria‐targeted drug nanocarrier is constructed for precise delivery of nitric oxide (NO) as an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) suppressor to amplify the therapeutic efficacy in cancer treatments. By combining α‐cyclodextrin (α‐CD) and acid‐cleavable dimethylmaleic anhydride modified PEG conjugated mitochondria‐targeting peptide, the nanocarrier shows prolonged blood circulation time and enhanced cellular uptake together with selectively restoring mitochondria‐targeting capability under tumor extracellular pH (6.5). Such specific mitochondria‐targeted delivery of NO proves crucial in inducing mitochondria dysfunction through facilitating mitochondrial membrane permeabilization and downregulating ATP level, which can inhibit P‐glycoprotein‐related bioactivities and formation of tumor‐derived microvesicles to combat drug resistance and cancer metastasis. Therefore, this pioneering acid‐activated mitochondria‐targeted NO nanocarrier is supposed to be a malignant tumor opponent and may provide insights for diverse NO‐relevant cancer treatments.
Perceiving indeterminately
Authors: Nanay Bence ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: May 2020

It has been argued recently that perception is indeterminate. But there are more than one ways of spelling out what this means. The standard line is that perceptual states attribute different probabilities to different propositions. I provide an alternative to this view, where it is not the attitude, but the content of perceptual states that is indeterminate, inasmuch as it consists of the representation of determinable properties. This view does justice to the more general claim that perception is indeterminate without appealing to probability either in the attitude or in the content.
A 16‐year Longitudinal Cohort Study of Incidence and Bacteriology of Necrotising Fasciitis in England
Authors: Bodansky David M. S. , Begaj Irena , Evison Felicity , Webber Mark , Woodman Ciaran B. , Tucker Olga N.
Published: May 2020

Background

Necrotising fasciitis (NF) is a rapidly progressive, destructive soft tissue infection with high mortality. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and mortality of NF amongst patients admitted to English National Health Service (NHS) hospitals. The secondary aims included the identification of risk factors for mortality and causative pathogens.

Methods

The Hospital Episodes Statistics database identified patients with NF admitted to English NHS Trusts from 1/1/2002 to 31/12/2017. Information on patient demographics, co‐morbid conditions, microbiology specimens, surgical intervention and in‐hospital mortality was collected. Uni‐ and multivariable analyses were performed to investigate factors related to in‐hospital mortality.

Results

A total of 11,042 patients were diagnosed with NF. Age‐standardised incidence rose from 9 per million in 2002 to 21 per million in 2017 (annual percentage change = 6.9%). Incidence increased with age and was higher in men. Age‐standardised mortality rate remained at 16% over the study period, while in‐hospital mortality declined. On multivariable analysis, the following factors were associated with increased risk of in‐hospital mortality: emergency admission, female sex, history of congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, chronic kidney disease and cancer. Admission year and diabetes, which was significantly prevalent at 27%, were not associated with increased risk of mortality. Gram‐positive pathogens, particularly Staphylococci, decreased over the study period with a corresponding increase in Gram‐negative pathogens, predominantly E. coli.

Conclusion

The incidence of NF increased markedly from 2002 to 2017 although in‐hospital mortality did not change. There was a gradual shift in the causative organisms from Gram‐positive to Gram‐negative.
Asthenosphere-induced melting of diverse source regions for East Carpathian post-collisional volcanism
Authors: Bracco Gartner Antoine J. J. , Seghedi Ioan , Nikogosian Igor K. , Mason Paul R. D.
Published: May 2020

The occurrence of post-subduction magmatism in continental collision zones is a ubiquitous feature of plate tectonics, but its relation with geodynamic processes remains enigmatic. The nature of mantle sources in these settings, and their interaction with subduction-related components, are difficult to constrain using bulk rocks when magmas are subject to mixing and assimilation within the crust. Here we examine post-collisional magma sources in space and time through the chemistry of olivine-hosted melt inclusions and early-formed minerals (spinel, olivine and clinopyroxene) in primitive volcanic rocks from the Neogene–Quaternary East Carpathian volcanic range in Călimani (calc-alkaline; 10.1–6.7 Ma), Southern Harghita (calc-alkaline to shoshonitic; 5.3–0.03 Ma) and the Perșani Mountains (alkali basaltic; 1.2–0.6 Ma). Călimani calc-alkaline parental magma compositions indicate a lithospheric mantle source metasomatised by ~ 2% sediment-derived melts, and are best reproduced by ~ 2–12% melting. Mafic K-alkaline melts in Southern Harghita originate from a melt- and fluid-metasomatised lithospheric mantle source containing amphibole (± phlogopite), by ~ 5% melting. Intraplate Na-alkaline basalts from Racoș (Perșani) reflect small-degree (1–2%) asthenosphere-derived parental melts which experienced minor interaction with metasomatic components in the lithosphere. An important feature of the East Carpathian post-collisional volcanism is that the lithospheric source regions are located in the lower plate (distal Europe-Moesia), rather than the overriding plate (Tisza-Dacia). The volcanism appears to have been caused by (1) asthenospheric uprise following slab sinking and possibly south-eastward propagating delamination and breakoff, which induced melting of the subduction-modified lithospheric mantle (Călimani to Southern Harghita); and (2) decompression melting as a consequence of minor asthenospheric upwelling (Perșani).
Exploring emergency physicians’ professional identities: a Q-method study
Authors: Chang Yu-Che , Xiao Xaviera , Nkambule Nothando , Ngerng Roy Y. L. , Bullock Alison , Monrouxe Lynn V.
Published: May 2020

Professional identities research in medical education has made significant contributions to the field. However, what comprises professional identities is rarely interrogated. This research tackles this relatively understudied component of professional identities research by understanding emergency medicine physicians’ perspectives on the important elements that comprise their professional identities. Q-methodology was used to identify different clusters of viewpoints on professional identities; by extension, the core components that comprise emergency medicine physicians’ professional identities are disclosed. Thirty-three emergency medicine physicians were recruited, through purposive sampling, from five hospitals across Taiwan. R software was used to analyse the Q-sorts, determine loadings on each viewpoint and formulate the viewpoint array. Analysis of interview data enhanced our understanding of these viewpoints. In total, twenty-five emergency medicine physicians loaded onto four distinct viewpoints, reflecting dominant perspectives of emergency medicine physicians’ understanding of their professional identities. These distinct viewpoints demonstrated what emergency medicine physicians deemed significant in how they understood themselves. The viewpoints comprised: skills acquisition, capabilities and practical wisdom; coping ability and resilience; professional recognition and self-esteem; and wellbeing and quality of life. All viewpoints stressed the importance of trust between colleagues. These findings demonstrate the multitude of ways in which seemingly unified professional identities diverge across groups of individuals. An enhanced understanding of speciality work culture is gained. By understanding facets of professional identities, the development of future educational interventions and departmental initiatives, which might support key components of professional identities, can be explored.
A scalar field inducing a non-metrical contribution to gravitational acceleration and a compatible add-on to light deflection
Authors: Scholz Erhard
Published: May 2020

A scalar field model for explaining the anomalous acceleration and light deflection at galactic and cluster scales, without further dark matter, is presented. It is formulated in a scale covariant scalar tensor theory of gravity in the framework of integrable Weyl geometry and presupposes two different phases for the scalar field, like the superfluid approach of Berezhiani/Khoury. In low acceleration regimes of static gravitational fields (in the Einstein frame) with accordingly low values of the scalar field gradient, the scalar field Lagrangian combines a cubic kinetic term similar to the “a-quadratic” Lagrangian used in the first covariant generalization of MOND (RAQUAL) (Bekenstein and Milgrom in Astrophys J 286:7–14, 1984) and a second order derivative term introduced by Novello et al. in the context of a Weyl geometric approach to cosmology (Novello et al. in Int J Mod Phys D 1:641–677, 1993; de Oliveira et al. in Class Quantum Gravity 14(10):2833–2843, 1997). In varying with regard to $$\phi $$
ϕ
the latter is variationally equivalent to a first order expression. The scalar field equation thus remains of order two. In the Einstein frame it assumes the form of a covariant generalization of the Milgrom equation known from the classical MOND approach in the deep MOND regime. It implies a corresponding “non-metrical” contribution to the acceleration of free fall trajectories. In contrast to pure RAQUAL, the second order derivative term of the Lagrangian leads to a non-negligible contribution to the energy momentum tensor and an add-on to the light deflection potential in beautiful agreement with the dynamics of low velocity trajectories. Although the model takes up important ingredients from the usual RAQUAL approach, it differs essentially from the latter.—In higher sectional curvature regions, respectively for higher accelerations in static fields, the scalar field Lagrangian consists of a Jordan–Brans–Dicke term with sufficiently high value of the JBD-constant to satisfy empirical constraints. Here the dynamics agrees effectively with the one of Einstein gravity.
The Best of Both Worlds? Negotiations Between Cooperators and Individualists Provide High Economic and Relational Outcomes
Authors: Acar-Burkay Sinem , Schei Vidar , Warlop Luk
Published: May 2020

Because negotiation is an integral part of social life, negotiators with different social motives are likely to meet. When this happens, will they be able to handle their differences constructively? We examined the relations between dyads’ social motive composition (cooperative, individualistic, or mixed), negotiation behavior, and economic and relational outcomes. In a laboratory experiment, 108 simulated negotiations were audiotaped, transcribed and coded. For economic outcomes, mixed dyads achieved higher profits than cooperative and individualistic dyads did, and this effect was mediated mainly by the negotiators’ problem-solving strategies. For relational outcomes, mixed and cooperative dyads experienced higher relational capital than individualistic dyads did, and this effect was mediated mainly by relationship management strategies. A follow-up survey conducted seven months later revealed that relational capital persisted over time. Overall, the results indicate that mixed-dyad negotiations between individualists and cooperators may bring out the best in both types of negotiators, making these dyads more successful than homogenous dyads.
Do government appropriations and tax policies impact donations to public research universities in Japan and the USA?
Authors: Fukui Fumitake
Published: May 2020

As constraints on government funding to public universities become a trend in higher education internationally, clarifying the impact of government policies on donor behavior from a comparative perspective is an issue of higher education research. This paper aims to explore the impact of government appropriations and tax policies on macro trends in donations to public research universities in Japan and USA. Panel data of donation revenue to public research universities in both countries is used to answer the following two research questions: (1) whether the trends in capital markets affect the donation revenue of public research universities operating under different tax systems in Japan and USA, and (2) how the level of government support to higher education affects donations to American and Japanese public research universities. The primary finding is that stock prices are positively associated with donations in USA; however, there is no evidence that stock prices have a positive impact on donations to Japanese public research universities. These contrasting results imply that higher stock prices do not always induce donations to universities and that it is important to consider each country’s tax structure when looking for possible links between stock prices and donations to universities. Also, donor behavior is independent of the amount of government appropriations received by universities in both Japan and USA; therefore, the recent decreasing trends in government appropriations in both countries do not necessarily attract donors.
APPA (apocynin and paeonol) modulates pathological aspects of human neutrophil function, without supressing antimicrobial ability, and inhibits TNFα expression and signalling
Authors: Cross A. L. , Hawkes J. , Wright H. L. , Moots R. J. , Edwards S. W.
Published: May 2020

Neutrophils are key players in the pathophysiological process underlying inflammatory conditions not only by release of tissue-damaging cytotoxic enzymes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) but also by secretion of important immunomodulatory chemokines and cytokines. Here, we report the effects of the novel agent APPA, undergoing formal clinical development for treatment of osteoarthritis, and its constituent components, apocynin (AP) and paeonol (PA) on a number of neutrophil functions, including effects on TNFα- expression and signalling. Neutrophils were treated with APPA (10–1000 µg/mL) prior to the measurement of cell functions, including ROS production, chemotaxis, apoptosis and surface receptor expression. Expression levels of several key genes and proteins were measured after incubation with APPA and the chromatin re-modelling agent, R848. APPA did not significantly affect phagocytosis, bacterial killing or expression of surface receptors, while chemotactic migration was affected only at the highest concentrations. However, APPA down-regulated neutrophil degranulation and ROS levels, and decreased the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps. APPA also decreased cytokine-stimulated gene expression, inhibiting both TNFα- and GM-CSF-induced cell signalling. APPA was as effective as infliximab in down-regulating chemokine and IL-6 expression following incubation with R848. Whilst APPA does not interfere with neutrophil host defence against infections, it does inhibit neutrophil degranulation, and cytokine-driven signalling pathways (e.g. autocrine signalling and NF-κB activation), processes that are associated with inflammation. These observations may explain the mechanisms by which APPA exerts anti-inflammatory effects and suggests a potential therapeutic role in inflammatory diseases in which neutrophils and TNFα signalling are important in pathology, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Promoting Gratitude as a Resource for Sustainable Mental Health: Results of a 3-Armed Randomized Controlled Trial up to 6 Months Follow-up
Authors: Bohlmeijer Ernst T. , Kraiss Jannis T. , Watkins Philip , Schotanus-Dijkstra Marijke
Published: May 2020

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of a 6-week gratitude intervention for people with low to moderate well-being and moderate symptomatology of depression and anxiety up to 6 months follow-up. 217 Dutch adults were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a 6-week gratitude intervention, a 6-week self-kindness intervention as an active control condition and a waitlist control condition. Participants completed online assessments on well-being, depression, anxiety and gratitude at baseline, post-test, 6 weeks and 6 months follow-up. Changes in outcome measures over time were examined using multilevel growth curve modeling in R to account for repeated measures nested within individuals. The gratitude intervention was more effective in improving mental well-being in comparison to the self-kindness intervention (d = .63 at post-intervention andd = .40 at 6 weeks follow-up) and waitlist control (d = .93 at post-intervention andd = .66 at 6 weeks follow-up). The data also demonstrated that the gratitude intervention was superior to waitlist control and practicing self-kindness on various measures of gratitude but not on distress. The results of this study suggest that a 6-week gratitude intervention is an effective, low-intensity intervention for enhancing mental well-being but not distress among people with low to moderate levels of well-being and moderate distress, at least in higher-educated women. The sustained effects on various measures of gratitude up to 6 months follow-up suggest that it is possible to promote a lasting appreciative perspective on life.
Seiscloud, a tool for density-based seismicity clustering and visualization
Authors: Cesca Simone
Published: May 2020

Clustering algorithms can be applied to seismic catalogs to automatically classify earthquakes upon the similarity of their attributes, in order to extract information on seismicity processes and faulting patterns out of large seismic datasets. We describe here a Python open-source software for density-based clustering of seismicity named seiscloud, based on the pyrocko library for seismology. Seiscloud is a tool to dig data out of large local, regional, or global seismic catalogs and to automatically recognize seismicity clusters, characterized by similar features, such as epicentral or hypocentral locations, origin times, focal mechanisms, or moment tensors. Alternatively, the code can rely on user-provided distance matrices to identify clusters of events sharing indirect features, such as similar waveforms. The code can either process local seismic catalogs or download selected subsets of seismic catalogs, accessing different global seismicity catalog providers, perform the seismic clustering over different steps in a flexible, easily adaptable approach, and provide results in form of declustered seismic catalogs and a number of illustrative figures. Here, the algorithm usage is explained and discussed through an application to Northern Chile seismicity.
The relationship between anthropogenic light and noise in U.S. national parks
Authors: Buxton Rachel T. , Seymoure Brett M. , White Jeremy , Angeloni Lisa M. , Crooks Kevin R. , Fristrup Kurt , McKenna Megan F. , Wittemyer George
Published: May 2020

Context

Natural sound and light regulate fundamental biological processes and are central to visitor experience in protected areas. As such, anthropogenic light and noise have negative effects on both wildlife and humans. While prior studies have examined the distribution and levels of light or noise, joint analyses are rarely undertaken despite their potentially cumulative effects.

Objectives

We examine the relationship between different types of anthropogenic light and noise conditions and what factors drive correlation, co-occurrences, and divergence between them.

Methods

We overlaid existing geospatial models of anthropogenic light and noise with landscape predictors in national parks across the continental U.S.

Results

Overlapping dark and quiet were the most common conditions (82.5–87.1% of park area), representing important refuges for wildlife and human experience. We found low correlation between anthropogenic light and noise (Spearman’s R < 0.25), with the exception of parks with a higher density of roads. Park land within urban areas had the highest probability of co-occurring high light and noise exposure, while park areas with divergent light and noise exposure (e.g., high light and low noise) were most commonly found 5–20 km from urban areas and in parks with roads present.

Conclusions

These analyses demonstrate that light and noise exposure are not always correlated in national parks, which was unexpected because human activities tend to produce both simultaneously. As such, mitigation efforts for anthropogenic light and noise will require efforts targeting site-specific sources of noise and light. Protecting and restoring sensory environments will involve constructive partnerships capable of reconciling diverse community interests.
On norm-based estimations for domains of attraction in nonlinear time-delay systems
Authors: Scholl Tessina H. , Hagenmeyer Veit , Gröll Lutz
Published: May 2020

For nonlinear time-delay systems, domains of attraction are rarely studied despite their importance for technological applications. The present paper provides methodological hints for the determination of an upper bound on the radius of attraction by numerical means. Thereby, the respective Banach space for initial functions has to be selected and primary initial functions have to be chosen. The latter are used in time-forward simulations to determine a first upper bound on the radius of attraction. Thereafter, this upper bound is refined by secondary initial functions, which result a posteriori from the preceding simulations. Additionally, a bifurcation analysis should be undertaken. This analysis results in a possible improvement of the previous estimation. An example of a time-delayed swing equation demonstrates the various aspects.
Zinc-alpha2-glycoprotein, dysglycaemia and insulin resistance: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Pearsey Harriet M. , Henson Joseph , Sargeant Jack A. , Davies Melanie J. , Khunti Kamlesh , Suzuki Toru , Bowden-Davies Kelly A. , Cuthbertson Daniel J. , Yates Thomas E.
Published: May 2020

To systematically review the current literature investigating associations between zinc-alpha2-glycoprotein (ZAG) and dysglycaemia (including type 2 diabetes (T2DM), poly-cystic-ovary syndrome (PCOS), pre-diabetes or insulin resistance). This included relationships between ZAG and continuous measures of insulin and glucose. Additionally, we performed a meta-analysis to estimate the extent that ZAG differs between individuals with or without dysglycaemia; whilst examining the potential influence of adiposity. A systematic search was performed on four databases for studies on circulating ZAG concentrations in adult human populations, comparing healthy controls to individuals with dysglycaemia. Key characteristics, including the mean ZAG concentrations (mg∙L−1), and any correlational statistics between ZAG and continuous measures of glucose, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) or insulin were extracted. Meta-analyses were performed to compare metabolically healthy controls to cases, and on studies that compared controls and cases considered overweight or obese (body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg.m2). 1575 papers were identified and 14 studies (16 cohorts) were considered eligible for inclusion. Circulating ZAG was lower in individuals with dysglycaemia compared to metabolically healthy controls (−4.14 [−8.17, −0.11] mg.L−1; I2 = 98.5%; p < 0.001). When using data from only studies with overweight or obese groups with or without dysglycaemia (three studies (four cohorts); pooled n = 332), the difference in circulating ZAG was no longer significant (−0.30 [−3.67, 3.07] mg. L−1; I2 = 28.0%; p = 0.225). These data suggest that ZAG may be implicated in dysglycaemia, although there was significant heterogeneity across different studies and the mediating effect of adiposity cannot be excluded. Therefore, more research is needed before robust conclusions can be drawn.
Cited text span identification for scientific summarisation using pre-trained encoders
Authors: Zerva Chrysoula , Nghiem Minh-Quoc , Nguyen Nhung T. H. , Ananiadou Sophia
Published: May 2020

We present our approach for the identification of cited text spans in scientific literature, using pre-trained encoders (BERT) in combination with different neural networks. We further experiment to assess the impact of using these cited text spans as input in BERT-based extractive summarisation methods. Inspired and motivated by the CL-SciSumm shared tasks, we explore different methods to adapt pre-trained models which are tuned for generic domain to scientific literature. For the identification of cited text spans, we assess the impact of different configurations in terms of learning from augmented data and using different features and network architectures (BERT, XLNET, CNN, and BiMPM) for training. We show that identifying and fine-tuning the language models on unlabelled or augmented domain specific data can improve the performance of cited text span identification models. For the scientific summarisation we implement an extractive summarisation model adapted from BERT. With respect to the input sentences taken from the cited paper, we explore two different scenarios: (1) consider all the sentences (full-text) of the referenced article as input and (2) consider only the text spans that have been identified to be cited by other publications. We observe that in certain experiments, by using only the cited text-spans we can achieve better performance, while minimising the input size needed.
Prevalence and Correlates of Depression Among Pregnant Women Enrolled in a Maternal and Newborn Health Program in Rural Northern Ghana: a Cross-sectional Survey
Authors: Lillie Margaret , Gallis John A. , Hembling John , Owusu Raymond Kofi , Ali Mohammed , Abubakr-Bibilazu Safiyatu , Aborigo Raymond , Adam Haliq , McEwan Elena , Awoonor-Williams John Koku , Baumgartner Joy Noel
Published: May 2020

Women in many sub-Saharan African countries are at elevated risk of depression during pregnancy. However, there are still gaps in the estimates of antenatal depression and associated risk factors in very low-resource settings such as Northern Ghana. This study describes the prevalence of depression among rural pregnant women, participating in a maternal and child health program, in Ghana, and examines associated risk factors for depression. Pregnant women who were registered for group-based maternal and child health community programs were recruited for study participation from 32 communities in two rural districts in Northern Ghana (n = 374). Baseline surveys were conducted and depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Bivariate and multivariable analyses used a modified Poisson and generalized estimating equations (GEE) model. Of the women in our study population, 19.7% reported symptoms indicative of moderate to severe depression (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10), with 14.1% endorsing suicidal ideation in the last 2 weeks. Bivariate analyses revealed that lower hopefulness, moderate and severe hunger, experiences of emotional, physical, and/or sexual intimate partner violence (IPV), and insufficient social support from female relatives were associated with symptoms indicating moderate to severe depression. In the multivariable analyses, low hopefulness, household hunger, emotional IPV, physical and/or sexual IPV, and insufficient female relative support remained significantly associated with depression. Antenatal depression is associated with unmet basic needs and safety. Perinatal mental health programming must take an ecological perspective and address personal, familial, and community-level factors.
What does “new learning” require from religious education teachers? A study of Finnish RE teachers’ perceptions
Authors: Lipiäinen Tuuli , Ubani Martin , Viinikka Kaisa , Kallioniemi Arto
Published: May 2020

This article examines “new learning” skills from the perspective of Finnish in-service Religious Education (RE) teachers by exploring which skills teachers emphasize in their instruction. The data of this study consist of a quantitative online questionnaire (N = 83), and qualitative semi-structured interviews (N = 18) that were conducted to clarify the data. Skills were categorized and analysed by using the Assessment and Teaching of twenty-first century Skills (ATC21S) framework. The study shows that, from the four categories in the framework, teachers emphasized skills in Ways of thinking, Tools for working, and Ways of working categories, quite equally highly, though this was less true of the skills in Ways of living in the world category. However, the diversity among individual skills was high. Comparing individual skills, understanding diversity, religious literacy, communication skills (excluding leadership) and critical thinking were the most important in RE and leadership; producing a result and productivity were less emphasized skills in teachers’ instructions. The results were explained by ongoing changes, such as religious pluralization, and digitalization in Finnish society, and the aim of RE as developing equal communication and developing, not finalizing, pupils’ thinking.
Lessons Learned From Cases of COVID-19 Infection in South Korea
Authors: Kang Yun-Jung
Published: May 2020

On December 31, 2019, the Chinese government officially announced that the country had a single pneumonia case with an unknown cause. In the weeks after, South Korea had 24 confirmed cases by February 8, and the number has increased steadily since then. The highly contagious virus known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infected Case No. 31 in Daegu; she was the first patient related to Sincheonji Church. Later, the number of cases involved with Sincheonji skyrocketed. On March 6, 2020, the number of confirmed cases was 6284, with 42 dead. This study, through collecting epidemiological data about various COVID-19 infection cases, discovered that getting together in large groups leads to mass infection, and that paying close attention to personal hygiene by means of wearing masks, sanitary gloves, etc., can prevent the spread of COVID-19. Additional epidemiological data and related studies on COVID-19 infections in South Korea are likely to support or slightly modify this conclusion. However, this study is significant in that it emphasizes the precautionary principle in preventing and managing infectious diseases, and has a suggestion for public health policies, which are currently in high demand.
COVID-19: Are We Ready for the Second Wave?
Authors: Ali Inayat
Published: May 2020

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has already exerted an enormous impact on the entire world. Everything is overwhelmed in the face of a rapid escalation of cases. The countries that have already reported the peak of transmission are easing their preventive measures yet fearing a second wave of infection. If the virus causes that next wave, are we sufficiently prepared to deal with it? I argue that the stakeholders concerned should simultaneously handle the ongoing pandemic while making effective preparations for its second wave. To relax the preventive measures, countries must thoroughly revisit their situations based on scientific evidence.
Assertions, Handicaps, and Social Norms
Authors: Graham Peter J.
Published: May 2020

How should we undertand the role of norms – especially epistemic norms – governing assertive speech acts? Mitchell Green (2009) has argued that these norms play the role of handicaps in the technical sense from the animal signals literature. As handicaps, they then play a large role in explaining the reliability – and so the stability (the continued prevalence) – of assertive speech acts. But though norms of assertion conceived of as social norms do indeed play this stabilizing role, these norms are best understood as deterrents and not as handicaps. This paper explains the stability problem for the maintenance of animal signals, and so human communication; the mechanics of the handicap principle; the role of deterrents and punishments as an alternative mechanism; and the role of social norms governing assertion for the case of human communication.
Eroding Support from Below: Performance in Local Government and Opposition Party Growth in South Africa
Authors: Farole Safia Abukar
Published: May 2020

How does support for opposition parties grow in dominant party systems? Most scholarship on the rise of competitive elections in dominant party regimes focuses on elite defections from the ruling party and coordination by opposition parties as key explanations, but there is less focus on how politics at the local level contributes to opposition victories. This article argues that effective service delivery in local government helps opposition parties grow support in local elections. Examining the case of the Democratic Alliance (DA) in South Africa, this article provides a systematic analysis of local elections and opposition party performance. Using an original data set of electoral, census and spatial data at the lowest electoral unit in South Africa (the ward), this article shows that in the areas where it is the incumbent party, support for the DA grows as the delivery of basic services to non-white households improves, and when DA-run wards outperform the neighbouring ones run by the ruling African National Congress party, support for the DA increases in neighbouring wards. Overall, this study contributes to our understanding of how local politics erode dominant party rule.
Mechanical Characterization of Heterogeneous Polycrystalline Rocks Using Nanoindentation Method in Combination with Generalized Means Method
Authors: Ayatollahi M.R. , Najafabadi M. Zare , Koloor S. S. R. , Petrů Michal
Published: May 2020

The mechanical characterization of rocks is important in engineering design and analysis of rock-related structures. In the current researches, rocks are classified as heterogeneous materials with anisotropic behavior, and advanced methods such as combined experimental-numerical approach are developed to characterize the behavior of rocks. In this study, the nanoindentation experiment in conjunction with the generalized means method is used to determine the Young’s modulus and hardness of eight different polycrystalline granite rocks. In the first step, the Young’s modulus and hardness of granites’ constituents are determined through nanoindentation tests on pure granite minerals. Then, the properties of granites are determined using generalized means method by considering the mechanical properties of minerals, their volume fractions and an empirical constant called the microstructural coefficient. Accurate results with less than 3% error are obtained for 62.5% of the granite samples. The generalized means is introduced as a simple and effective method to characterize the mechanical properties of heterogeneous polycrystalline rocks.
Commentary: A network science summer course for high-school students
Authors: Klimm Florian , Maier Benjamin F.
Published: May 2020

We discuss a two-week summer course on “Network Science” and “Complex Systems” that we taught for 15 German high-school pupils of ages 16–18. In this course, we covered topics in graph theory, applied network science, programming, and dynamic systems alike. We find that “Network Science” is a well-suited course for introducing students to university-level mathematics. We reflect on difficulties regarding programming exercises and the discussion of more advanced topics in dynamic systems. We make the course material available and encourage fellow network scientists to organize similar outreach events.
Knowing me, knowing you: theory of mind in AI
Authors: Cuzzolin F. , Morelli A. , Cîrstea B. , Sahakian B. J.
Published: May 2020

Artificial intelligence has dramatically changed the world as we know it, but is yet to fully embrace ‘hot’ cognition, i.e., the way an intelligent being's thinking is affected by their emotional state. Artificial intelligence encompassing hot cognition will not only usher in enhanced machine-human interactions, but will also promote a much needed ethical approach. Theory of Mind, the ability of the human mind to attribute mental states to others, is a key component of hot cognition. To endow machines with (limited) Theory of Mind capabilities, computer scientists will need to work closely with psychiatrists, psychologists and neuroscientists. They will need to develop new models, but also to formally define what problems need to be solved and how the results should be assessed.
The Countryside of Roman Britain: A Gallic Perspective
Authors: Fulford Michael
Published: May 2020

The publication of the RurLand (Rural Landscape in North-East Gaul) project has provided an opportunity to compare methodologies and results with those of The Rural Settlement of Roman Britain project. Two themes, which draw out the asymmetrical development of settlement in the two regions, are examined: the very different impacts of the Roman conquests of Gaul and of Britain on settlement numbers and settlement continuity, and the development of the agricultural economy and its relationship with the frontiers of Britain and Germany, as reflected in the growth and decline of villa estates in Britain and Gaul.
The banning of bromacil in Costa Rica
Authors: Valverde Bernal E. , Chaves Lilliana
Published: May 2020

Bromacil was introduced at the beginning of the 1960s for PRE and early POST control of grasses and broadleaf weeds, particularly in citrus (Rutaceae spp.) orchards and pineapple [Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.] plantations as well as in noncultivated areas. Both the acidic form of bromacil and its lithium salt are highly soluble in water; the herbicide is moderately to highly persistent in the soil with a half-life from 60 d to 8 mo and is prone to percolate in the soil and reach groundwater. In Costa Rica, bromacil was registered for both citrus and pineapple, but in recent years its major use has been in pineapple. An average of 60,000 kg of active bromacil per year were imported before its banning in 2017. Pineapple is grown in more than 40,000 ha; the recommended rate of bromacil was 1.6 to 3.2 kg ha−1. In a survey conducted by the National University between 2001 and 2004, bromacil was the most frequently found pesticide, at levels between 0.5 and 20 µg L−1, in water springs and wells in the pineapple-growing area of the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. Further studies conducted more recently also documented the presence of bromacil in the ground and surface water in areas where pineapple is planted. The local standard for the quality of drinking water of 2015 established maximum acceptable values of 0.1 µg L−1 and 0.5 µg L−1 for a single pesticide and for the sum of all pesticides present, respectively, but it was amended for bromacil to comply with requirements determined by the Constitutional Court to “non-detectable by method.” This paper provides an account of the scientific and administrative considerations for the banning of bromacil that occurred on May 24, 2017.
Forced Patterns of Sea Level Rise in the Community Earth System Model Large Ensemble From 1920 to 2100
Authors: Fasullo John T. , Gent Peter R. , Nerem R. S.
Published: May 2020

To provide context for observed sea level rise, the forced response (FR) in dynamic sea level (DSL) during the 20th and 21st centuries is examined in the Community Earth System Model Large Ensemble (LE). After accounting for simulation drift, which in the LE is sizable, the DSL FR is found to be complex, both in space and time. Its evolving character is suggested to arise from both the diversity and transient evolution of climate forcing agents and the slow adjustment timescales of the intermediate and deep oceans. Nonetheless, various intervals of spatially coherent change simulated for the recent past and near future are identified, and their characteristics and associated driving mechanisms are identified and discussed. The mid‐ to late‐20th century DSL FR is characterized by an hemispherically asymmetric pattern of change, with depressed rates of rise in the northern oceans. There is also a dipole of change in the Southern Ocean caused by changes in near‐surface zonal winds. Through the late 20th and early 21st centuries, a different pattern of rise emerges with elevated rates in the tropics and depressed rates at high latitudes. Zonal and interbasin variations characterize both intervals and involve the pattern and depth of anomalous ocean heat content storage and spatial contrasts in the expansion coefficient tied mainly to base state temperature, with greater rates of rise in warm regions per unit warming. The relative roles of surface flux and ocean convergence anomalies are examined.
Pre-Inca Canal System Uses Hillsides as Sponges to Store Water
Authors: Fritts Rachel
Published: May 2020

To prepare for a drier future on Peru’s western coast, researchers are turning to techniques of the past.
Shedding New Light on the Nitrogen Cycle in the Dark Ocean
Authors: Kelvey Jon
Published: May 2020

Researchers find that the key players in nitrification may already be known.
Reproducing the dopamine pathophysiology of schizophrenia and approaches to ameliorate it: a translational imaging study with ketamine
Authors: Kokkinou Michelle , Irvine Elaine E. , Bonsall David R. , Natesan Sridhar , Wells Lisa A. , Smith Mark , Glegola Justyna , Paul Eleanor J. , Tossell Kyoko , Veronese Mattia , Khadayate Sanjay , Dedic Nina , Hopkins Seth C. , Ungless Mark A. , Withers Dominic J. , Howes Oliver D.
Published: May 2020

Patients with schizophrenia show increased striatal dopamine synthesis capacity in imaging studies. The mechanism underlying this is unclear but may be due to N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction and parvalbumin (PV) neuronal dysfunction leading to disinhibition of mesostriatal dopamine neurons. Here, we develop a translational mouse model of the dopamine pathophysiology seen in schizophrenia and test approaches to reverse the dopamine changes. Mice were treated with sub-chronic ketamine (30 mg/kg) or saline and then received in vivo positron emission tomography of striatal dopamine synthesis capacity, analogous to measures used in patients. Locomotor activity was measured using the open-field test. In vivo cell-type-specific chemogenetic approaches and pharmacological interventions were used to manipulate neuronal excitability. Immunohistochemistry and RNA sequencing were used to investigate molecular mechanisms. Sub-chronic ketamine increased striatal dopamine synthesis capacity (Cohen’s d = 2.5) and locomotor activity. These effects were countered by inhibition of midbrain dopamine neurons, and by activation of PV interneurons in pre-limbic cortex and ventral subiculum of the hippocampus. Sub-chronic ketamine reduced PV expression in these cortical and hippocampal regions. Pharmacological intervention with SEP-363856, a novel psychotropic agent with agonism at trace amine receptor 1 (TAAR1) and 5-HT1A receptors but no appreciable action at dopamine D2 receptors, significantly reduced the ketamine-induced increase in dopamine synthesis capacity. These results show that sub-chronic ketamine treatment in mice mimics the dopaminergic alterations in patients with psychosis, that this requires activation of midbrain dopamine neurons, and can be ameliorated by activating PV interneurons and by a TAAR1/5-HT1A agonist. This identifies novel therapeutic approaches for targeting presynaptic dopamine dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia and effects of ketamine relevant to its therapeutic use for  treating major depression.
How does spaceflight affect the acquired immune system?
Authors: Akiyama Taishin , Horie Kenta , Hinoi Eiichi , Hiraiwa Manami , Kato Akihisa , Maekawa Yoichi , Takahashi Akihisa , Furukawa Satoshi
Published: May 2020

The impact of spaceflight on the immune system has been investigated extensively during spaceflight missions and in model experiments conducted on Earth. Data suggest that the spaceflight environment may affect the development of acquired immunity, and immune responses. Herein we summarize and discuss the influence of the spaceflight environment on acquired immunity. Bone marrow and the thymus, two major primary lymphoid organs, are evidently affected by gravitational change during spaceflight. Changes in the microenvironments of these organs impair lymphopoiesis, and thereby may indirectly impinge on acquired immunity. Acquired immune responses may also be disturbed by gravitational fluctuation, stressors, and space radiation both directly and in a stress hormone-dependent manner. These changes may affect acquired immune responses to pathogens, allergens, and tumors.
Model of vaccine efficacy against HSV-2 superinfection of HSV-1 seropositive mice demonstrates protection by antibodies mediating cellular cytotoxicity
Authors: Burn Aschner Clare , Knipe David M. , Herold Betsy C.
Published: May 2020

A majority of the world’s population is infected with HSV-1, highlighting the need for vaccines that are effective in HSV-1-seropositive hosts. We established a superinfection model by infecting mice intranasally with a sublethal dose of HSV-1, which results in high rates of seropositive, latently infected mice susceptible to HSV-2 superinfection. Sublethal HSV-1 induced a predominantly neutralizing antibody response. Vaccination of HSV-1-seropositive mice with recombinant adjuvanted glycoprotein D (rgD-2) failed to significantly boost HSV total or neutralizing antibody responses and provided no significant increased protection against HSV-2 superinfection compared to control-vaccinated HSV-1-seropositive mice. In contrast, immunization with a single-cycle virus deleted in gD (ΔgD-2) significantly boosted total HSV-specific antibody titers and elicited new antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity responses, providing complete protection from death following HSV-2 superinfection. This model recapitulates clinical responses to natural infection and the rgD-2 vaccine trial outcomes and suggests that ΔgD-2 may prove protective in HSV-1-seropositive hosts.
PATH - Prediction of Amyloidogenicity by Threading and Machine Learning
Authors: Wojciechowski Jakub W. , Kotulska Małgorzata
Published: May 2020

Amyloids are protein aggregates observed in several diseases, for example in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. An aggregate has a very regular beta structure with a tightly packed core, which spontaneously assumes a steric zipper form. Experimental methods enable studying such peptides, however they are tedious and costly, therefore inappropriate for genomewide studies. Several bioinformatic methods have been proposed to evaluate protein propensity to form an amyloid. However, the knowledge of aggregate structures is usually not taken into account. We propose PATH (Prediction of Amyloidogenicity by THreading) - a novel structure-based method for predicting amyloidogenicity and show that involving available structures of amyloidogenic fragments enhances classification performance. Experimental aggregate structures were used in templatebased modeling to recognize the most stable representative structural class of a query peptide. Several machine learning methods were then applied on the structural models, using their energy terms. Finally, we identified the most important terms in classification of amyloidogenic peptides. The proposed method outperforms most of the currently available methods for predicting amyloidogenicity, with its area under ROC curve equal to 0.876. Furthermore, the method gave insight into significance of selected structural features and the potentially most stable structural class of a peptide fragment if subjected to crystallization.