bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contribution of Home Language and Literacy Environment to English Reading Comprehension for Emergent Bilinguals: Sequential Mediation Model Analyses
Authors: Relyea Jackie Eunjung , Zhang Jie , Liu Yu , Lopez Wui Ma. Glenda
Published: November 2019

The purpose of the present study was to explore the dimensionality of the English home language and literacy environment (HLLE) construct in multilingual home settings for fourth‐ and fifth‐grade emergent bilinguals. The authors also evaluated a framework of mediating mechanisms underlying the effects of emergent bilinguals’ EnglishHLLEon English reading comprehension by testing the mediation role of morphological awareness and vocabulary. Confirmatory factor analytic results showed that home language use and home literacy environment are two distinct but internally related subdomains embedded within the generalHLLEconstruct. This finding confirms the complex and multifaceted nature ofHLLEas depicted in the literature. Moreover, findings from sequential mediation analyses indicated thatHLLEhad no significant direct effect on English reading comprehension but made a substantial contribution to morphological awareness, which in turn influenced vocabulary and further enhanced reading comprehension. The present study contributes to the current literature by providing a more comprehensive view of the pathways through which emergent bilinguals’HLLEleads to reading comprehension.
Cell-Based Therapies for Alveolar Bone and Periodontal Regeneration: Concise Review
Authors: Moreno Sancho Federico , Leira Yago , Orlandi Marco , Buti Jacopo , Giannobile William V. , D'Aiuto Francesco
Published: November 2019

Current regenerative strategies for alveolar bone and periodontal tissues are effective and well adopted. These are mainly based on the use of a combination of synthetic/natural scaffolds and bioactive agents, obviating the incorporation of cells. However, there are some inherent limitations associated with traditional techniques, and we hypothesized that the use of cell-based therapies as part of comprehensive regenerative protocols may help overcome these hurdles to enhance clinical outcomes. We conducted a systematic review of human controlled clinical trials investigating the clinical and/or histological effect of the use of cell-based therapies for alveolar bone and periodontal regeneration and explored the translational potential of the different cell-based strategies identified in the included trials. A total of 16 studies (11 randomized controlled trials, 5 controlled clinical trials) were included for data synthesis and qualitative analysis with meta-analyses performed when appropriate. The results suggest a clinical benefit from the use of cell therapy. Improved outcomes were shown for alveolar ridge preservation, lateral ridge augmentation, and periodontal regeneration. However, there was insufficient evidence to identify best-performing treatment modalities amongst the different cell-based techniques. In light of the clinical and histological outcomes, we identify extraction socket and challenging lateral and vertical bone defects requiring bone block grafts as strong candidates for the adjuvant application of mesenchymal stem cells. Given the complexity, invasiveness, and costs associated with techniques that include “substantial manipulation” of tissues and cells, their additional clinical benefit when compared with “minimal manipulation” must be elucidated in future trials. Stem Cells Translational Medicine  2019;8:1286&1295
Software availability and entry
Authors: Bennett Victor M. , Hall Todd A.
Published: November 2019

Research Summary

What happens to market structure as an industry's operations lean ever more on software? We find that software availability is associated with an increase in entry and an increase in exit by the oldest and most established firms. We suggest three potential mechanisms and, through post hoc analysis, determine which is most consistent with observed patterns. We find the effect of software availability on entry is stronger in settings with more available IT talent, more permissive labor policies, and greater demand uncertainty. Observed patterns are most consistent with software enhancing labor productivity and thus reducing exposure to uncertainty.

Managerial Summary

Managers and policymakers are concerned with whether technologies like software and robotics spreading to new industries can make powerful firms even harder to unseat. For software, we find evidence consistent with the opposite: as software becomes more prevalent, entry by new firms increases and the likelihood that older firms exit increases. The patterns of entry we observe are consistent with the following mechanism. Software allows the same number of employees to serve a wider range of production levels, meaning that potential startups are less likely to be deterred by uncertain demand.
Investigation on dielectrical and space charge characteristics of peek insulation used in aerospace high‐voltage system
Authors: Liu Zili , Wang Li , Hou Xinbin , Wu Jiang
Published: November 2019

Because of the insulation issue in the high‐voltage system of spacecrafts, the dielectric and space charge characteristics of polyether‐ether‐ketone (PEEK) insulating material are studied in this paper. The electric conduction, trap parameters and space charge characteristic of PEEK, especially the space charge distribution after 50 keV high‐energy electron radiation, are measured and analyzed, respectively. From the test results, a low DC conductivity (∼10−16 S/cm) and an activation energy of 0.1–0.2 eV are estimated. It indicates that the conductivity is insensitive to the temperature. In addition, a deep chemical trap (2 eV) is evaluated in the PEEK sample. The slight space charge accumulation and the high threshold field for charge injection of the PEEK sample are dominated by the pulsed electro‐acoustic (PEA) results. Compared to the polyimide sample (PI), the space charge accumulations are lower in PEEK, and the charge dispersions in the PEEK after irradiation are faster than those in PI. Based on the experimental results, it can be inferred that the space charge properties are ascribed to the deep traps. From the microstructure analysis, it can be seen that the benzene ring and carbonyl group in the PEEK chemical structure would introduce deep traps, resulting in a higher injection barrier and less space charge accumulation. The results show that PEEK sample is a superior insulating material, and the excellent dielectric and space charge characteristics are beneficial for application in spacecraft. © 2019 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Epitranscriptomic marks: Emerging modulators of RNA virus gene expression
Authors: Netzband Rachel , Pager Cara T.
Published: November 2019

Epitranscriptomics, the study of posttranscriptional chemical moieties placed on RNA, has blossomed in recent years. This is due in part to the emergence of high‐throughput detection methods as well as the burst of discoveries showing biological function of select chemical marks. RNA modifications have been shown to affect RNA structure, localization, and functions such as alternative splicing, stabilizing transcripts, nuclear export, cap‐dependent and cap‐independent translation, microRNA biogenesis and binding, RNA degradation, and immune regulation. As such, the deposition of chemical marks on RNA has the unique capability to spatially and temporally regulate gene expression. The goal of this article is to present the exciting convergence of the epitranscriptomic and virology fields, specifically the deposition and biological impact of N7‐methylguanosine, ribose 2′‐O‐methylation, pseudouridine, inosine, N6‐methyladenosine, and 5‐methylcytosine epitranscriptomic marks on gene expression of RNA viruses.

This article is categorized under:

RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease

RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein–RNA Interactions: Functional Implications
Factors affecting recruitment into General Practice: a double binary choice approach
Authors: Davison Ian , McManus Chris , Brown Celia
Published: November 2019

Recruitment to General Practice (GP) is currently low in many countries. Here we focus on two binary choices for junior doctors: first, whether to apply to GP; second, whether to accept a GP training place if offered. Previous attitudinal studies have indicated factors claimed to affect recruitment. The current study goes further by quantifying the relative impact of different factors on the propensity of candidates to apply to GP and accept a training place. An online questionnaire was sent to candidates applying to United Kingdom (UK) specialty training in 2015. Descriptive statistics and a path analysis evaluated the importance of various factors on GP applications. Our results were synthesised with an analysis of data from the online applications portal. With 3838 candidates responding to the survey, the path analysis showed that personality and previous GP experiences were strongly associated with the decision to apply. There was some evidence that it was easier to enter GP than other specialties; in terms of deciding whether to accept, the evidence suggests GP was a backup plan for around 9% of candidates who accepted a GP post. Our results indicate that recruitment initiatives should focus on candidates who apply to GP but not as first choice or consider GP but do not apply, particularly by providing substantial experience of GP and accentuating the positives of the specialty such as work-life balance and the intellectual challenge of working with patients in primary care. Acceptance of a GP place may also depend on competition for places in other specialties.
Stability Conditions for Affine Type A
Authors: Apruzzese P. J. , Igusa Kiyoshi
Published: November 2019

We construct maximal green sequences of maximal length for any affine quiver of type A. We determine which sets of modules (equivalently c-vectors) can occur in such sequences and, among these, which are given by a linear stability condition (also called a central charge). There is always at least one such maximal set which is linear. The proofs use representation theory and three kinds of diagrams shown in Fig. 1. Background material is reviewed with details presented in two separate papers Igusa (2017a, b).
A simulation model to investigate impacts of facilitating quality data within organic fresh food supply chains
Authors: Leithner Magdalena , Fikar Christian
Published: November 2019

Demand for and production of organic fresh food play an increasing role worldwide. As a result, a growing amount of fresh fruits and vegetables has to be transported from predominantly rural production regions to customers mostly located in urban ones. Specific handling and storage conditions need to be respected along the entire supply chain to maintain high quality and product value. To support organic food logistics operations, this work investigates benefits of facilitating real-time product data along delivery and storage processes. By the development of a simulation-based decision support system, sustainable deliveries of organic food from farms to retail stores are investigated. Generic keeping quality models are integrated to observe impacts of varying storage temperatures on food quality and losses over time. Computational experiments study a regional supply chain of organic strawberries in Lower Austria and Vienna. Results indicate that the consideration of shelf life data in supply chain decisions allow one to reduce food losses and further enables shifting surplus inventory to alternative distribution channels.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Life on Venus and the interplanetary transfer of biota from Earth
Authors: Joseph Rhawn Gabriel
Published: November 2019

Evidence and observations favoring the hypothesis that Venus is habitable, and the celestial mechanisms promoting the interplanetary transfer of life, are reviewed. Venus may have been contaminated with Earthly life early in its history via interplanetary transfer of microbe-laden bolide ejecta; and this seeding with life may have continued into the present via spacecraft and due to radiation pressure and galactic winds blowing microbial-laden dust ejected from the stratosphere via powerful solar winds, into the orbit and atmosphere of Venus. Venus may have had oceans and rivers early in its history until 750 mya, and, hypothetically, some of those species which, theoretically, colonized the planet during that time, may have adapted and evolved when those oceans evaporated and temperatures rose. Venus may be inhabited by a variety of extremophiles which could flourish within the lower cloud layers, whereas others may dwell 10 m below the surface where temperature may be as low as 200 ∘C—which is within the tolerance level of some hyperthermophiles. Speculation as to the identity of mushroom-shaped specimens photographed on the surface of Venus by the Russian probe, Venera 13 support these hypotheses.
Reality and Super-Reality: Properties of a Mathematical Multiverse
Authors: McKenzie Alan
Published: November 2019

Ever since its foundations were laid nearly a century ago, quantum theory has provoked questions about the very nature of reality. We address these questions by considering the universe—and the multiverse—fundamentally as complex patterns, or mathematical structures. Basic mathematical structures can be expressed more simply in terms of emergent parameters. Even simple mathematical structures can interact within their own structural environment, in a rudimentary form of self-awareness, which suggests a definition of reality in a mathematical structure as simply the complete structure. The absolute randomness of quantum outcomes is most satisfactorily explained by a multiverse of discrete, parallel universes. Some of these have to be identical to each other, but that introduces a dilemma, because each mathematical structure must be unique. The resolution is that the parallel universes must be embedded within a mathematical structure—the multiverse—which allows universes to be identical within themselves, but nevertheless distinct, as determined by their position in the structure. The multiverse needs more emergent parameters than our universe and so it can be considered to be a superstructure. Correspondingly, its reality can be called a super-reality. While every universe in the multiverse is part of the super-reality, the complete super-reality is forever beyond the horizon of any of its component universes.
The Role of Sensorimotor Processes in Pain Empathy
Authors: Riečanský Igor , Lamm Claus
Published: November 2019

Pain is a salient, aversive sensation which motivates avoidance, but also has a strong social signaling function. Numerous studies have shown that regions of the nervous system active in association with first-hand pain are also active in response to the pain of others. When witnessing somatic pain, such as seeing bodies in painful situations, significant activations occur not only in areas related to the processing of negative emotions, but also in neuronal structures engaged in somatosensation and the control of skeletal muscles. These empathy-related sensorimotor activations are selectively reviewed in this article, with a focus on studies using electrophysiological methods and paradigms investigating responses to somatic pain. Convergent evidence from these studies shows that these activations (1) occur at multiple levels of the nervous system, from the spinal cord up to the cerebral cortex, (2) are best conceptualized as activations of a defensive system, in line with the role of pain to protect body from injury, and (3) contribute to establishing a matching of psychological states between the sufferer and the observer, which ultimately supports empathic understanding and motivate prosocial action. Future research should thus focus on how these sensorimotor responses are related to higher-order empathic responses, including affective sharing and emotion regulation, and how this motivates approach-related prosocial behaviors aimed at alleviating the pain and suffering of others.
Isolation of nucleic acids using silicon dioxide powder as a tool for environmental monitoring
Authors: Urbaniak Jacek , Janowski Daniel , Jacewski Brayan
Published: November 2019

Isolation and purification of nucleic acids are basic laboratory procedures used in molecular analysis supporting determination of organisms in environmental monitoring. However, many different methods of isolation are commonly used, often being designed for a particular type of DNA extraction. While researchers commonly decide on commercial isolation kits for their ease of use and efficiency, they require large amounts of studied tissue, and the cost of purchasing such kits over a long run can be high. To provide an alternative to using commercial kits, we have developed a simple, rapid, cost-effective, and reliable protocol for DNA isolation from cultured fungi on slants and from dried fungal samples using silica particles (silicon dioxide powder) in chaotropic conditions. With the presented method, it is possible to isolate good-quality DNA from fungi in less than 1.5 h, using easily accessible chemicals. Compared with other methods employing CTAB or commercial kits, it allows fast, easy, and cheap DNA purification from two main sources of fungi routinely used for research. In addition to the method protocol, we also provide advice for further optimization of the isolation process to account for specific conditions, making the procedure more useful.
Detecting tropical defects of polynomial equations
Authors: Görlach Paul , Ren Yue , Sommars Jeff
Published: November 2019

We introduce the notion of tropical defects, certificates that a system of polynomial equations is not a tropical basis, and provide two algorithms for finding them in affine spaces of complementary dimension to the zero set. We use these techniques to solve open problems regarding del Pezzo surfaces of degree 3 and realizability of valuated gaussoids on 4 elements.
Inaction and public policy: understanding why policymakers ‘do nothing’
Authors: McConnell Allan , ’t Hart Paul
Published: November 2019

In recent decades, the policy sciences have struggled to come to terms with the significance of inaction in public policy. Inaction refers to instances when policymakers ‘do nothing’ about societal issues. This article aims to put the study of inaction on a new footing. It presents a five-part typology of forms of inaction before focusing on detail on core drivers of inaction found at four policy-making loci: individuals (coping behaviour), public organisations (information pathologies), governments (agenda control and protection) and networks (non-coordination and lack of feasibility). Acknowledging the conceptual and methodological challenges of researching inaction, it concludes by identifying strategies for putting ‘doing nothing’ (back) on the research agenda of the policy sciences.
Mercury Concentration in Technosols and Alder Tissue from a Plantation on a Combustion Waste Disposal Site
Authors: Woś Bartłomiej , Sroka Katarzyna , Józefowska Agnieszka , Pietrzykowski Marcin
Published: November 2019

Combustion of fossil fuels including coal is one of the sources of mercury pollution. Combustion waste from fly ash disposal sites poses a problem for the environment and constitutes a potential source of Hg, thus phytostabilisation is a crucial goal in the mitigation of fossil fuel impact. The paper presents mercury (Hg) concentration in technosols from combustion waste and in individual biomass components (fine roots, bark, stem wood and leaves) of alder species (black, gray and green alder) introduced as part of a long-term experiment to develop a method of phytostabilisation and afforestation of a lignite combustion disposal site. Mercury content in the combustion waste was elevated compared to the data for natural soils from uncontaminated forest areas, however, it did not exceed the amounts considered to be toxic. Hg content in technosols was related to clay and silt fraction content and phosphorus content. Mercury in the alder biomass accumulated mainly in the underground part, especially in the fine roots and displayed a positive correlation with acid and alkaline phosphatase and sulfur content, with no differences in the accumulation of Hg between the alder species. The obtained results indicate that the fine roots are the frontier of Hg biosorption in developed alder systems on combustion waste disposal sites.
Indications for an early invasive strategy in NSTE-ACS patients
Authors: Zwart B. , ten Berg J. M. , van ’t Hof A. W. , Tonino P. A. L. , Appelman Y. , Liem A. H. , Arslan F. , Waltenberger J. , Jukema J. W. , de Winter R. J. , Damman P.
Published: November 2019

An early invasive strategy in patients who have acute coronary syndrome without ST-elevation (NSTE-ACS) can improve clinical outcome in high-risk subgroups. According to the current guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), the majority of NSTE-ACS patients are classified as “high-risk”. We propose to prioritise patients with a global registry of acute coronary events (GRACE) risk score >140 over patients with isolated troponin rise or electrocardiographic changes and a GRACE risk score <140. We also acknowledge that same-day transfer for all patients at a high risk is not necessary in the Netherlands since the majority of Dutch cardiology departments are equipped with a catheterisation laboratory where diagnostic coronary angiography is routinely performed in NSTE-ACS patients. Therefore, same-day transfer should be restricted to true high-risk patients (in addition to those NSTE-ACS patients with very high-risk (VHR) criteria) in centres without coronary angiography capabilities.
Guidelines: The dos, don’ts and don’t knows of remediation in medical education
Authors: Chou Calvin L. , Kalet Adina , Costa Manuel Joao , Cleland Jennifer , Winston Kalman
Published: November 2019

Introduction Two developing forces have achieved prominence in medical education: the advent of competency-based assessments and a growing commitment to expand access to medicine for a broader range of learners with a wider array of preparation. Remediation is intended to support all learners to achieve sufficient competence. Therefore, it is timely to provide practical guidelines for remediation in medical education that clarify best practices, practices to avoid, and areas requiring further research, in order to guide work with both individual struggling learners and development of training program policies.

Methods Collectively, we generated an initial list of Do’s, Don’ts, and Don’t Knows for remediation in medical education, which was then iteratively refined through discussions and additional evidence-gathering. The final guidelines were then graded for the strength of the evidence by consensus.

Results We present 26 guidelines: two groupings of Do’s (systems-level interventions and recommendations for individual learners), along with short lists of Don’ts and Don’t Knows, and our interpretation of the strength of current evidence for each guideline.

Conclusions Remediation is a high-stakes, highly complex process involving learners, faculty, systems, and societal factors. Our synthesis resulted in a list of guidelines that summarize the current state of educational theory and empirical evidence that can improve remediation processes at individual and institutional levels. Important unanswered questions remain; ongoing research can further improve remediation practices to ensure the appropriate support for learners, institutions, and society.
Choosing between hotels: impact of bimodal rating summary statistics and maximizing behavioral tendency
Authors: Coba Ludovik , Rook Laurens , Zanker Markus
Published: November 2019

Rating summary statistics are basic aggregations that reflect users’ assessments of experienced products and services in numerical form. Thus far, scholars primarily investigated textual reviews, but dedicated considerably less time and effort exploring the potential impact of plain rating summary statistics on people’s choice behavior. Notwithstanding their fundamental nature, however, rating summary statistics also are relevant to electronic commerce in general, and to e-tourism in particular. In this work, we attempted to fill this void, by exploring the effects of different types of rating attributes (the mean rating value, the overall number of ratings, and the bimodality of rating distributions) on hotel choice behavior. We also investigated whether individual differences in the cause of people’s maximizing behavioral tendency moderated the effect of rating summary statistics on hotel choice behavior. Results of an eye-tracked conjoint experiment show that people’s high or low on decision difficulty as the cause of maximization determined whether and how rating summary statistics have an impact on the choice between hotels. Implications for the tourism and hospitality domain are addressed.
Blood‐based protein predictors of dementia severity as measured by δ: Replication across biofluids and cohorts
Authors: Royall Donald R. , Bishnoi Ram J. , Palmer Raymond F. ,   Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Pavlik Valory , Massman Paul , Darby Eveleen , Rodriguear Monica , Ansari Aisha Khaleeq , DeToledo John C. , Reddy Hemachandra , Wilms Henrick , Johnson Kim , Perez Victoria , Fairchild Thomas , Knebl Janice , O'Bryant Sid E. , Hall James R. , Johnson Leigh , Barber Robert C. , Mains Douglas , Alvarez Lisa , Cullum Munro , Rosenberg Roger , Williams Benjamin , Quiceno Mary , Reisch Joan , Hynan Linda S. , Huebinger Ryan , Smith Janet , Nguyen Trung , Royall Donald , Palmer Raymond , Polk Marsha , Stevens Alan , Ory Marcia , Paydarfar David , Bertelson John , Woon Martin , Ayres Gayle , Aguirre Alyssa , Wilhelmsen Kirk C. , Tilson Jeffrey L.
Published: November 2019

Introduction

Dementia severity can be empirically described by the latent dementia phenotype “δ” and its various composite “homologs”. We have explored δ's blood‐based protein biomarkers in the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium (TARCC) study. However, it would be convenient to replicate those associations in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). To this end, we recently engineered a δ homolog from observed cognitive performance measures common to both projects (i.e., “dT2A”).

Methods

We used nine rationally chosen peripheral blood‐based protein biomarkers as indicators of a latent variable “INFLAMMATION”. We then associated that construct with dT2A in structural equation models adjusted for age, gender, depressive symptoms, and apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allelic burden. Significant factor loadings and INFLAMMATION's association with dT2A were confirmed in random splits of TARCC's relatively large sample, and across biofluids in the ADNI.

Results

Nine proteins measured in serum (TARCC) or plasma (ADNI) explained ≅10% of dT2A's variance in both samples, independently of age, APOE, education, and gender. All loaded significantly on INFLAMMATION, and positively or negatively, depending on their known roles are PRO‐ or ANTI‐inflammatory proteins, respectively. The parameters of interest were confirmed across random 50% splits of the TARCC's sample, and replicated across biofluids in the ADNI.

Discussion

These results suggest that SEM can be used to replicate biomarker findings across samples and biofluids, and that a substantial fraction of dementia's variance is attributable to peripheral blood‐based protein levels.
Kscien's list; a new strategy to discourage predatory journals and publishers
Authors: Kakamad Fahmi H. , Mohammed Shvan H. , Najar Kayhan A. , Qadr Goran A. , Ahmed Jaafar O. , Mohammed Karukh K. , Salih Rawezh Q. , Hassan Marwan N. , Mikael Tomas M. , Kakamad Suhaib H. , Baba Hiwa O. , Aziz Masrur S. , Rahim Hawbash M. , Ahmmad Dlshad R. , Hussein Dahat A. , Ali Rebwar A. , Hammood Zuhair D. , Essa Rawand A. , Hassan Hunar Ali
Published: November 2019

ABSTRACT

The trend through which academia finances scientific publication has been developing in recent years towards open access publishing, which can be exploited by predatory journals and publishers. The aim of this paper is to review the current situation of predatory publishing and introduce Kscien's list of predatory journals and publishers. Kscien has recruited a special committee consisting of 23 young researchers. They are working to keep the list up-to-date, expose current tactics of the predators and guide authors. The list is designed to be updated daily. Currently, the criteria used to recognize predatory journals and publishers depends on the journal's conduct, evidence of fabrication and levels of peer review. Research is ongoing to provide more solid criteria and objective evidence to overcome the critics of Beall. Kscien's list could help to fill the gap left by Beall's list.
Editorial
Authors: Barrett Steve
Published: November 2019

Buses are again a key topic in this issue, in particular in Europe but also in China, California, and for the first time in New Zealand.
No Country for Men: Searching for Late Medieval Submerged Settlements in the North-Eastern Zuiderzee Area in the Netherlands
Authors: van Popta Yftinus T.
Published: November 2019

This article focuses on the maritime cultural landscape of the former Zuiderzee (ad1170–1932) in the central part of the Netherlands. Since the large-scale reclamations from the sea (1932–1968), many remains have been discovered, revealing a submerged and eroded late medieval maritime culture, represented by lost islands, drowned settlements, cultivated lands, shipwrecks, and consequently socio-economic networks. Especially the north-eastern part of the region, known today as the Noordoostpolder, is testimony to the dynamic battles of the Dutch against the water. By examining physical and immaterial datasets from the region, it is possible to give a modern-day idea of this late medieval maritime cultural landscape. Spatial distribution and densities of late medieval archaeological remains are analysed and compared to historical data and remote sensing results. This interdisciplinary approach has led to the discovery of the remains of the drowned settlement of Fenehuysen.
“Some Sanity and Love”: The Cold War, Antarctic Treaty, and Fids’ identity, 1957–1958
Authors: Avery Andrew J.
Published: November 2019

In 1942, the British government created the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) to enforce sovereignty over the Antarctic Peninsula. The small groups of men who worked for the Survey called themselves Fids. During the late 1950s when Antarctic sovereignty was being hotly debated and worked out by national governments, Fids serving at British bases criticised the British government’s use of science as a bargaining chip. Using in-house magazines written and printed at FIDS bases and oral histories, this article examines how Fids viewed Antarctic politics and how those events influenced daily life at bases on the Peninsula.
Evidence for causal effects of lifetime smoking on risk for depression and schizophrenia: a Mendelian randomisation study
Authors: Wootton Robyn E. , Richmond Rebecca C. , Stuijfzand Bobby G. , Lawn Rebecca B. , Sallis Hannah M. , Taylor Gemma M. J. , Hemani Gibran , Jones Hannah J. , Zammit Stanley , Davey Smith George , Munafò Marcus R.
Published: November 2019

Background

Smoking prevalence is higher amongst individuals with schizophrenia and depression compared with the general population. Mendelian randomisation (MR) can examine whether this association is causal using genetic variants identified in genome-wide association studies (GWAS).

Methods

We conducted two-sample MR to explore the bi-directional effects of smoking on schizophrenia and depression. For smoking behaviour, we used (1) smoking initiation GWAS from the GSCAN consortium and (2) we conducted our own GWAS of lifetime smoking behaviour (which captures smoking duration, heaviness and cessation) in a sample of 462690 individuals from the UK Biobank. We validated this instrument using positive control outcomes (e.g. lung cancer). For schizophrenia and depression we used GWAS from the PGC consortium.

Results

There was strong evidence to suggest smoking is a risk factor for both schizophrenia (odds ratio (OR) 2.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.67–3.08, p < 0.001) and depression (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.71–2.32, p < 0.001). Results were consistent across both lifetime smoking and smoking initiation. We found some evidence that genetic liability to depression increases smoking (β = 0.091, 95% CI 0.027–0.155, p = 0.005) but evidence was mixed for schizophrenia (β = 0.022, 95% CI 0.005–0.038, p = 0.009) with very weak evidence for an effect on smoking initiation.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that the association between smoking, schizophrenia and depression is due, at least in part, to a causal effect of smoking, providing further evidence for the detrimental consequences of smoking on mental health.
Roman and Jewish Law: Looking for Interaction in all the Right Places
Authors: Hayes Christine
Published: November 2019

Malka presents convincing evidence in support of the claim that the rabbinic list is not indigenous but borrowed from the Roman legal institution of infamia, which was also attached to certain professions and also deprived persons of their eligibility for testimony. More important, she shows that this structural parallel is bolstered by a deeper conceptual parallel, for underlying both the rabbinic and the Roman disqualification is a wider Greco-Roman discourse on self-control (with Plutarch providing a four-fold list parallel to the tannaitic list in substance).
The Powder Diffraction File: a quality materials characterization database
Authors: Gates-Rector Stacy , Blanton Thomas
Published: November 2019

The ICDD's Powder Diffraction File™ (PDF®) is a database of inorganic and organic diffraction data used for phase identification and materials characterization by powder diffraction. The PDF has been available for over 75 years and finds application in X-ray, synchrotron, electron, and neutron diffraction analyses. With entries based on powder and single crystal data, the PDF is the only crystallographic database where every entry is editorially reviewed and marked with a quality mark that alerts the user to the reliability/quality of the submitted data. The editorial processes of ICDD's quality management system are unique in that they are ISO 9001:2015 certified. Initially offered as text on paper cards and books, the PDF evolved to a computer-readable database in the 1960s and today is both computer and web accessible. With data mining and phase identification software available in PDF products, and the databases’ compatibility with vendor (third party) software, the 1 000 000+ published PDF entries serve a wide range of disciplines covering academic, industrial, and government laboratories. Details describing the content of database entries are presented to enhance the use of the PDF.
Money or in-kind gift? Evidence from red packets in China
Authors: Hudik Marek , Fang Eddy S.
Published: November 2019

In Western societies, in-kind gifts are generally more common than money gifts. However, exchange of in-kind gifts potentially involves inefficiency. Several models have been suggested to explain the in-kind gift-giving practice as a rational behaviour under certain assumptions about givers’ preferences and information and/or technological constraints. Unlike many Western societies, China has a long tradition of money gift-giving. So-called red packets are commonly exchanged. We argue that models developed to rationalise Western norms of gift-giving cannot fully account for Chinese gift-giving practices, and some Chinese practices even contradict existing theories. We collect Chinese household data through two surveys to establish stylised facts about gift-giving. We find that money gifts are commonly appropriate, depending on the occasion and relationship between givers and receivers. Moreover, for every occasion and relationship, money is more appropriate than gift vouchers. Finally, unlike studies focusing on Western gift-giving, our study finds no evidence that givers need to compensate receivers with higher value when giving money gifts rather than in-kind gifts. Our results are consistent with the view that the acceptability of moneyvis-à-visin-kind gifts is governed primarily by social convention rather than information and technological constraints or the specific preferences of givers.
The Local Boundaries of the Nation: Borderland Guard Activists in Polish-Occupied Volhynia, 1919–1920
Authors: Ciancia Kathryn
Published: November 2019

This article traces how Polish national activists in the Borderland Guard (Straż Kresowa) constructed the local boundaries of the nation in the multiethnic borderland of Polish-occupied Volhynia. In 1919 and 1920, as Russian imperial structures collapsed and those of the Polish state remained embryonic, these men created a series of exclusions and conditional inclusions that emerged from, rather than in spite of, their nominal celebration of democracy and equality. In addition to debating how far—and on what terms—Ukrainians (or Ruthenians) and Jews could be included in the Polish nation, they also marked out internal Polish boundaries, based on religious, linguistic, economic, class, and affective criteria. Taking readers beyond intellectual debates in Warsaw and toward competitive local questions about the grounds for national membership, the article challenges the usefulness of the broader analytical dichotomy between the “inclusive” (civic) and “exclusive” (ethnic) strains of modern nationalism.
Investigations of Aerobic Methane Oxidation in Two Marine Seep Environments: Part 2—Isotopic Kinetics
Authors: Chan E. W. , Shiller A. M. , Joung D. J. , Arrington E. C. , Valentine D. L. , Redmond M. C. , Breier J. A. , Socolofsky S. A. , Kessler J. D.
Published: November 2019

During aerobic oxidation of methane (CH4) in seawater, a process which mitigates atmospheric emissions, the 12C‐isotopologue reacts with a slightly greater rate constant than the 13C‐isotopologue, leaving the residual CH4 isotopically fractionated. Prior studies have attempted to exploit this systematic isotopic fractionation from methane oxidation to quantify the extent that a CH4 pool has been oxidized in seawater. However, cultivation‐based studies have suggested that isotopic fractionation fundamentally changes as a microbial population blooms in response to an influx of reactive substrates. Using a systematic mesocosm incubation study with recently collected seawater, here we investigate the fundamental isotopic kinetics of aerobic CH4 oxidation during a microbial bloom. As detailed in a companion paper, seawater samples were collected from seep fields in Hudson Canyon, U.S. Atlantic Margin, and atop Woolsey Mound (also known as Sleeping Dragon) which is part of lease block MC118 in the northern Gulf of Mexico, and used in these investigations. The results from both Hudson Canyon and MC118 show that in these natural environments isotopic fraction for CH4 oxidation follows a first‐order kinetic process. The results also show that the isotopic fractionation factor remains constant during this methanotrophic bloom once rapid CH4 oxidation begins and that the magnitude of the fractionation factor appears correlated with the first‐order reaction rate constant. These findings greatly simplify the use of natural stable isotope changes in CH4 to assess the extent that CH4 is oxidized in seawater following seafloor release.
Identifying and Quantifying the Impacts of Advected North African Dust on the Concentration and Composition of Airborne Fine Particulate Matter in Houston and Galveston, Texas
Authors: Bozlaker Ayse , Prospero Joseph M. , Price Jim , Chellam Shankararaman
Published: November 2019

Every summer, large‐scale dust plumes emerge from the west coast of North Africa, cross the Atlantic, enter the Caribbean Basin, and on occasion pass over the southern United States. We show that such dust events significantly increase the concentration and alter the chemical composition of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in southern Texas. Between 1 August and 13 September 2014, PM2.5 was sampled daily at Clinton Drive, an industrial location in Houston, and at Galveston located on the Gulf of Mexico coast that is not directly/significantly impacted by local and regional pollution sources. Between 17–25 August, average PM2.5 concentrations nearly doubled when a large dust‐laden African air mass moved through the region. Using ground‐based measurements, satellite observations, and modeling tools, we demonstrate that this massive influx of mineral dust greatly reduced the relative abundance of pollutants in Houston where aerosols are otherwise dominated by local and regional emissions. Chemical mass balance modeling estimated that African dust contributed 19–48% of PM2.5 during the 9‐day dust episode. Moreover, African dust was present throughout the measurement period even on days outside the main dust event contributing an estimated ~8% of PM2.5 which suggests that it may be a normal summertime component in this region. These measurements agree closely with inferences of “fine dust” based on a generic soil composition in the IMPROVE (National Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments) network. Our detailed protocol supports the conclusion that African dust affects a wide region of the South, Southeast, and East Coast United States.
Temporal and Spatial Characteristics of Preliminary Breakdown Pulses in Intracloud Lightning Flashes
Authors: Shi Dongdong , Wang Daohong , Wu Ting , Takagi Nobuyuki
Published: November 2019

We have studied the temporal and spatial characteristics of preliminary breakdown (PB) pulses in 32 normal intracloud flashes recorded by a fast antenna lightning mapping array system called Fast Antenna Lightning Mapping Array. It was found that PB processes started with a stage of preliminary isolated pulses (PIPs) and followed by classic PB pulse (PBP) clusters. A typical PIP stage consists of two or three PIPs and on average lasts about 129 μs. A typical PBP cluster consists of several narrow pulses (NPs) and one classic PBP and on average lasts about 193 μs. During one PIP stage, the pulses occurring later usually have a lower altitude, indicating a kind of backward extension relative to the overall upward progression of PB process. On average, the horizontal and vertical extensions involved in a PIP stage are 60 and 216 m, respectively. In each PBP cluster, PBP is always located at the lowest height and behind its preceding NPs, while these NP locations could have various patterns in term of extension. On average, the overall horizontal and vertical extensions involved in a typical PBP cluster are 161 and 515 m, respectively. For both the PIP stage and PBP cluster, their vertical extensions are apparently longer than their horizontal extensions, reflecting a predominantly vertical channel of PB process. Based on the temporal and spatial characteristics of PB pulses, we have proposed a model to interpret how the PIPs, NPs, and PBPs are produced.
Flow and Sediment Flux Asymmetry in a Branching Channel Delta
Authors: Wagner W. , Mohrig D.
Published: November 2019

River deltas form complex branching patterns that distribute sediment to the coastal sea. The routing and storage of this sediment in deltas are poorly understood. We present results of a 1‐month study of the sediment and water transport through two branches of the Wax Lake Delta on the coast of Louisiana. The two channels maintained near‐equal total partitioning of flow and sediment discharge. East Pass was narrower and had higher tidally averaged velocities, lower tidal velocity fluctuations, more sediment flux, and less alluvial bed cover than Main Pass. We connected these differences to small differences in the geometry of the channels and feedbacks between these differences. East Pass was slightly shorter than Main Pass, leading to a steeper mean free surface profile, yielding higher subtidal currents and advective sediment fluxes. Main Pass received the tides from Atchafalaya Bay earlier than East Pass, allowing tides to reach their junction earlier from Main Pass. This led to Main Pass capturing tidal prism from East Pass and higher tidal velocity fluctuations in Main Pass. These fluctuations caused larger flow convergences in Main Pass, pumping sediment out of East Pass on tidal timescales. Since East Pass had higher mean velocities and lower tidal fluctuations, it spent less time in flow regimes that would allow the formation of alluvial bed cover. By explaining these asymmetries with physical arguments, we showed how geometric differences drive asymmetries in branching systems. Barrier island inlets, coastal lagoons, and other systems may display similar behavior.
Chronic opioid pretreatment potentiates the sensitization of fear learning by trauma
Authors: Pennington Zachary T. , Trott Jeremy M. , Rajbhandari Abha K. , Li Kevin , Walwyn Wendy M. , Evans Christopher J. , Fanselow Michael S.
Published: November 2019

Despite the large comorbidity between PTSD and opioid use disorders, as well as the common treatment of physical injuries resulting from trauma with opioids, the ability of opioid treatments to subsequently modify PTSD-related behavior has not been well studied. Using the stress-enhanced fear learning (SEFL) model for PTSD, we characterized the impact of chronic opioid regimens on the sensitization of fear learning seen following traumatic stress in mice. We demonstrate for the first time that chronic opioid pretreatment is able to robustly augment associative fear learning. Highlighting aversive learning as the cognitive process mediating this behavioral outcome, these changes were observed after a considerable period of drug cessation, generalized to learning about multiple aversive stimuli, were not due to changes in stimulus sensitivity or basal anxiety, and correlated with a marker of synaptic plasticity within the basolateral amygdala. Additionally, these changes were not observed when opioids were given after the traumatic event. Moreover, we found that neither reducing the frequency of opioid administration nor bidirectional manipulation of acute withdrawal impacted the subsequent enhancement in fear learning seen. Given the fundamental role of associative fear learning in the generation and progression of PTSD, these findings are of direct translational relevance to the comorbidity between opioid dependence and PTSD, and they are also pertinent to the use of opioids for treating pain resulting from traumas involving physical injuries.
Nuclear receptor HNF4α performs a tumor suppressor function in prostate cancer via its induction of p21-driven cellular senescence
Authors: Wang Zhu , Li Youjia , Wu Dinglan , Yu Shan , Wang Yuliang , Leung Chan Franky
Published: November 2019

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α, NR2A1) is a highly conserved member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. Recent advances reveal that it is a key transcriptional regulator of genes, broadly involved in xenobiotic and drug metabolism and also cancers of gastrointestinal tract. However, the exact functional roles of HNF4α in prostate cancer progression are still not fully understood. In this study, we determined the functional significance of HNF4α in prostate cancer. Our results showed that HNF4α exhibited a reduced expression pattern in clinical prostate cancer tissues, prostate cancer cell lines and xenograft model of castration-relapse prostate cancer. Stable HNF4α knockdown not only could promote cell proliferation and suppress doxorubicin (Dox)-induced cellular senescence in prostate cancer cells, but also confer resistance to paclitaxel treatment and enhance colony formation capacity and in vivo tumorigenicity of prostate cancer cells. On the contrary, ectopic overexpression of HNF4α could significantly inhibit the cell proliferation of prostate cancer cells, induce cell-cycle arrest at G2/M phase and trigger the cellular senescence in prostate cancer cells by activation of p21 signal pathway in a p53-independent manner via its direct transactivation of CDKN1A. Together, our results show that HNF4α performs a tumor suppressor function in prostate cancer via a mechanism of p21-driven cellular senescence.