bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrating multimodal connectivity improves prediction of individual cognitive abilities
Authors: Dhamala Elvisha , Jamison Keith W. , Jaywant Abhishek , Dennis Sarah , Kuceyeski Amy
Published: June 2020

Summary

How white matter pathway integrity and neural co-activation patterns in the brain relate to complex cognitive functions remains a mystery in neuroscience. Here, we integrate neuroimaging, connectomics, and machine learning approaches to explore how multimodal brain connectivity relates to cognition. Specifically, we evaluate whether integrating functional and structural connectivity improves prediction of individual crystallised and fluid abilities in 415 unrelated healthy young adults from the Human Connectome Project. Our primary results are two-fold. First, we demonstrate that integrating functional and structural information – at both a model input or output level – significantly outperforms functional or structural connectivity alone to predict individual verbal/language skills and fluid reasoning/executive function. Second, we show that distinct pairwise functional and structural connections are important for these predictions. In a secondary analysis, we find that structural connectivity derived from deterministic tractography is significantly better than structural connectivity derived from probabilistic tractography to predict individual cognitive abilities.
Silk fabric as a protective barrier for personal protective equipment and as a functional material for face coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Parlin Adam F. , Stratton Samuel M. , Culley Theresa M. , Guerra Patrick A.
Published: June 2020

Background

The worldwide shortage of single-use N95 respirators and surgical masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many health care personnel to prolong the use of their existing equipment as much as possible. In many cases, workers cover respirators with available masks in an attempt to extend their effectiveness against the virus. Due to low mask supplies, many people instead are using face coverings improvised from common fabrics. Our goal was to determine what fabrics would be most effective in both practices.

Methods and findings

We examined the hydrophobicity of fabrics (silk, cotton, polyester), as measured by their resistance to the penetration of small and aerosolized water droplets, an important transmission avenue for the virus causing COVID-19. We also examined the breathability of these fabrics and their ability to maintain hydrophobicity despite undergoing repeated cleaning. Tests were done when fabrics were fashioned as an overlaying barrier and also when constructed as do-it-yourself face coverings. As a protective barrier and face covering, silk is more effective at impeding the penetration and absorption of droplets due to its greater hydrophobicity relative to other tested fabrics. Silk face coverings repelled droplets as well as masks, but unlike masks they are hydrophobic and can be readily sterilized for immediate reuse.

Conclusions

Silk is an effective hydrophobic barrier to droplets, more breathable than other fabrics that trap humidity, and are readily re-useable via cleaning. Therefore, silk can serve as an effective material for protecting respirators under clinical conditions and as a material for face coverings.
Population Graph GNNs for Brain Age Prediction
Authors: Stankevičiūtė Kamilė , Azevedo Tiago , Campbell Alexander , Bethlehem Richard , Liò Pietro
Published: June 2020

Many common neurological and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and multiple sclerosis, have been associated with abnormal patterns of apparent ageing of the brain. Discrepancies between the estimated brain age and the actual chronological age (brain age gaps) can be used to understand the biological pathways behind the ageing process, assess an individual’s risk for various brain disorders and identify new personalised treatment strategies. By flexibly integrating minimally preprocessed neuroimaging and non-imaging modalities into a population graph data structure, we train two types of graph neural network (GNN) architectures to predict brain age in a clinically relevant fashion as well as investigate their robustness to noisy inputs and graph sparsity. The multimodal population graph approach has the potential to learn from the entire cohort of healthy and affected subjects of both sexes at once, capturing a wide range of confounding effects and detecting variations in brain age trends between different sub-populations of subjects.
The scale and dynamics of COVID-19 epidemics across Europe
Authors: Dye Christopher , Cheng Russell C.H. , Dagpunar John S. , Williams Brian G.
Published: June 2020

The number of COVID-19 deaths reported from European countries has varied more than 100-fold. In terms of coronavirus transmission, the relatively low death rates in some countries could be due to low intrinsic (e.g. low population density) or imposed contact rates (e.g. non-pharmaceutical interventions) among individuals, or because fewer people were exposed or susceptible to infection (e.g. smaller populations). Here we develop a flexible empirical model (skew-logistic) to distinguish among these possibilities. We find that countries reporting fewer deaths did not generally have intrinsically lower rates of transmission and epidemic growth, and flatter epidemic curves. Rather, countries with fewer deaths locked down earlier, had shorter epidemics that peaked sooner, and smaller populations. Consequently, as lockdowns are eased we expect, and are starting to see, a resurgence of COVID-19 across Europe.

One Sentence Summary

A flexible empirical model shows that European countries reporting fewer COVID-19 deaths locked down earlier, had shorter epidemics that peaked sooner, and smaller populations.
Gene prioritization based on systems biology revealed new insight into genetic basis and pathophysiology underlying schizophrenia
Authors: Li Jia-Feng , Wang Lei , Dang Xiao , Feng Wei-Min , Wang Zi-Wei , Ma Yu-Ting , He Si-Jie , Liang Liang , Yang Huan-Ming , Liu Han-Kui , Zhang Jian-Guo
Published: June 2020

Sequencing-based studies have recognized hundreds of genetic variants that increase the risk of schizophrenia (SCZ), but only a few percents of heritability can be attributed to these loci. It is challenging to discover the full spectrum of schizophrenia genes and reveal the dysregulated functions underlying the disease. Here, we proposed a holistic model for predicting disease genes (HMPDG), a novel machine learning prediction strategy integrated by Protein-Protein Interaction Network (PPIN), pathogenicity score, and RNA expression data. Applying HMPDG, 1946 potential risk genes (PRGs) as a complement of the genetic basis of SCZ were predicted. Among these, the first decile genes were highlighted as high confidence genes (HCGs). PRGs were validated by multiple independent studies of schizophrenia, including genome-wide association studies (GWASs), gene expression studies, and epigenetic studies. Remarkably, the strategy revealed causal genes of schizophrenia in GWAS loci and regions of copy number variant (CNV), providing a new insight to identify key genes in disease-related loci with multi genes. Leveraging our predictions, we depict the spatiotemporal expression pattern and functional groups of schizophrenia risk genes, which can help us figure out the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and facilitate the discovery of biomarkers. Taken together, our strategy will advance the understanding of schizophrenia genetic basis and the development of diagnosis and therapeutics.
A general approach for analysis of physiologically structured population models: the R package ‘PSPManalysis’
Authors: de Roos André M.
Published: June 2020

How environmental conditions affect the life history of individual organisms and how these effects translate into dynamics of population and communities on ecological and evolutionary time scales is a central question in many eco-evolutionary studies.

Physiologically structured population models (PSPMs) offer a theoretical approach to address such questions as they are built upon a function-based model of the life history, which explicitly describes how life history depends on individual traits as well as on environmental factors. PSPMs furthermore explicitly account for population feedback on these environmental factors, which translates into density-dependent effects on the life history. PSPMs can thus capture life histories in quite some detail but lead to population-level formulations in terms of partial differential equations that are generally hard to analyse.

Here I present a general methodology and aRsoftware package for computing how the ecological steady states of PSPMs depend on model parameters and to detect bifurcation points in the computed curves where dynamics change drastically. The package makes specifying the population model unnecessary and only requires a relatively straightforward implementation of the life history functions as input. It furthermore allows for analysing the evolutionary dynamics and evolutionary singular states of the PSPMs based on Adaptive Dynamics theory.

Given the central role of the individual life history in many studies, there is substantial scope for using the presented methodology in fields as diverse as ecology, ecotoxicology, conservation biology and evolutionary biology, where it has already been applied to problems like the evolution of cannibalism, niche shifts and metamorphosis.
Malaria in pregnancy regulates P-glycoprotein (P-gp/Abcb1a) and ABCA1 efflux transporters in the mouse visceral yolk sac
Authors: Martinelli Lilian M. , Fontes Klaus N. , Reginatto Mila W. , Andrade Cherley B. V. , Monteiro Victoria R. S. , Gomes Hanailly R. , Silva-Filho Joao L. , Pinheiro Ana A. S. , Vago Anamaria R. , Almeida Fernanda R. C. L. , Bloise Flavia F. , Matthews Stephen G. , Ortiga-Carvalho Tania M. , Bloise Enrrico
Published: June 2020

Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) induces intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preterm labor (PTL). However, its effects on yolk sac morphology and function are largely unexplored. We hypothesized that MiP modifies yolk sac morphology and efflux transport potential by modulating ABC efflux transporters. C57BL/6 mice injected withPlasmodium berghei ANKA(5×105infected-erythrocytes) at gestational day (GD) 13.5, were subjected to yolk sac membrane harvesting at GD18.5 for histology, qPCR and immunohistochemistry. MiP did not alter the volumetric proportion of the yolk sac’s histological components. However, it increased levels ofAbcb1amRNA (encoding P-glycoprotein) and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (Mif-chemokine), whilst decreasingAbcg1(P<0.05); without alteringAbca1, Abcb1b, Abcg2, Snat1, Snat2, interleukin (Il)-1 βand C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 2 (Ccl2). Transcripts ofIl-6, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (Cxcl1),Glut1andSnat4were not detectible. ABCA1, ABCG1, breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) and P-gp, were primarily immunolocalized to the cell membranes and cytoplasm of endodermic epithelium but also in the mesothelium and in the endothelium of mesodermic blood vessels. Intensity of P-gp labeling was stronger in both endodermic epithelium and mesothelium, whereas ABCA1 labeling increased in the endothelium of the mesodermic blood vessels. The presence of ABC transporters in the yolk sac wall suggest that this fetal membrane acts as an important protective gestational barrier. Changes in ABCA1 and P-gp in MiP may alter the biodistribution of toxic substances, xenobiotics, nutrients and immunological factors within the fetal compartment and participate in the pathogenesis of malaria induced-IUGR and PTL.
Fluorescent Detection ofO-GlcNAc via Tandem Glycan Labeling
Authors: Wu Zhengliang L. , Luo Ang , Grill Alex , Lao Taotao , Zou Yonglong , Chen Yue
Published: June 2020

O-GlcNAcylation is a reversible serine/threonine glycosylation on cytosolic and nuclear proteins that are involved in various regulatory pathways. However, the detection and quantification ofO-GlcNAcylation substrates have been challenging. Here we report a highly efficient method for the identification ofO-GlcNAc modification via tandem glycan labeling, in whichO-GlcNAc is first galactosylated and then sialylated with a fluorophore-conjugated sialic acid residue, therefore enabling highly sensitive fluorescent detection. The method is validated on various proteins that are known to be modified byO-GlcNAcylation including CK2, NOD2, SREBP1c, AKT1, PKM and PFKFB3, and on the nuclear extract of HEK293 cells. Using this method, we then report the evidence that hypoxia-inducible factor HIF1α is a target forO-GlcNAcylation, suggesting a potential direct connection between the metabolicO-GlcNAc pathway and the hypoxia pathway.
Nepenthes maximoides(Nepenthaceae) a new, Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) species in Sect.Alataefrom Luzon, Philippines showing striking pitcher convergence withN. maxima(Sect.Regiae) of Indonesia
Authors: King Charles , Cheek Martin
Published: June 2020

Nepenthes maximoides sp. nov. (Sect.Alatae) is described and assessed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) from Luzon, Philippines and appears unrecorded in 110 years. The spectacular, large, narrowly funnel-shaped upper pitchers, lids with recurved basal, and filiform apical appendages, unlike any other species in the Philippines, closely resemble those ofN. maxima(Sect.Regiae) of Sulawesi-New Guinea, likely due to convergent evolution. Following recent phylogenomic analysis, sect.Alataeis divided into two, Sect.Alatae sensu strictoof Luzon to Sibuyan (includingN. maximoides), and Sect.Micramphorae, expanded and recircumscribed to encompass those species of the southern Visayas, and Mindanao. A key is provided to the six species now recognised in the narrowly recircumscribed Sect.Alatae. The number ofNepenthesspecies recorded from Luzon has increased from two in 2001, to eight in 2020, all but one of which are endemic to that island, and four of which appear to be point endemics.
Cocaine-induced neuron subtype mitochondrial dynamics through Egr3 transcriptional regulation
Authors: Cole Shannon , Chandra Ramesh , Harris Maya , Patel Ishan , Wang Torrance , Kim Hyunjae , Jensen Leah , Russo Scott J , Turecki Gustavo , Gancarz-Kausch Amy M , Dietz David M , Lobo Mary Kay
Published: June 2020

Mitochondrial function is required for brain energy homeostasis and neuroadaptation. Recent studies demonstrate that cocaine affects mitochondrial dynamics and morphological characteristics within the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Further, mitochondria are differentially regulated by cocaine in dopamine receptor-1 containing medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) vs dopamine receptor-2 (D2)-MSNs. However, there is little understanding into cocaine-induced transcriptional mechanisms and their role in regulating mitochondrial processes. Here, we demonstrate that cocaine enhances binding of the transcription factor, early growth response factor 3 (Egr3), to nuclear genes involved in mitochondrial function and dynamics. Moreover, cocaine exposure regulates mRNA of these mitochondria-associated nuclear genes in both contingent or noncontingent cocaine administration and in both rodent models and human postmortem tissue. Interestingly, several mitochondrial nuclear genes showed distinct profiles of expression in D1-MSNs vs D2-MSNs, with cocaine exposure generally increasing mitochondrial-associated nuclear gene expression in D1-MSNs vs suppression in D2-MSNs. We further show that blunting Egr3 expression in D1-MSNs blocks cocaine-enhancement of the mitochondrial-associated transcriptional coactivator, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator (PGC1α), and the mitochondrial fission molecule, dynamin related protein 1 (Drp1). Finally, reduction of D1-MSN Egr3 expression attenuates cocaine-induced enhancement of small-sized mitochondria, causally demonstrating that Egr3 regulates mitochondrial morphological adaptations. Collectively, these studies demonstrate cocaine exposure impacts mitochondrial dynamics and morphology by Egr3 transcriptional regulation of mitochondria-related nuclear gene transcripts; indicating roles for these molecular mechanisms in neuronal function and plasticity occurring with cocaine exposure.
An Open Labelled, Active Controlled, Three-Arm, Parallel-Group study of the safety and efficacy of the oral formulation of Oral Iodine Complex (RENESSANS) administered alone and in combination with standard interferon therapy in patients suffering from Chronic HCV Hepatitis
Authors: Nabi Ghiasun , Nasir Muhammad , ulhasan Ghias , Toor Israr , Zia Fawad , Hassan Imran , Nadeem Muhammad Faisal
Published: June 2020

Iodine has strong antimicrobial properties and has been used in topical applications as antiseptic. Its systemic use in form of iodine complexes derived from dried seaweed extract is beneficial in treating various disorders. Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) chronic infection is present in 6-10% of the Pakistani population and is a major healthcare burden that could benefit from innovative therapeutic regimens.

Objective

A pilot study has shown the safety and efficacy of iodine complexes in chronic Hepatitis C virus infection. and this clinical study is aimed to further explore the previous findings.

Methods

This is an open-labeled, active-controlled, three-arm, parallel-group study including 90 patients of chronic HCV infection with each arm having 30 patients. The patient groups received 15mg/day iodine complex only, the standard of care therapy interferon+ribavirin, and iodine complex in combination with interferon+ribavirin regimen for 6 months. Efficacy assessment will base upon post-treatment Rapid Virological Response (RVR) at 4 weeks, Early Virological Response (EVR) at 12 weeks, and End of Treatment Viral Response (ETR) at 24/48 weeks.

Results

As only 3.33% of patients showed at the ETR with iodine complex alone, combination with interferon+ribavirin showed significant improvement in comparison to interferon+ribavirin alone. Iodine complex+ interferon+ribavirin showed 80% RVR and 90% ETR while the standard of care therapy showed 66.7% RVR and 76.67% ETR, respectively. No additional adverse events of iodine complex were observed.

Conclusion

Iodine complex showed a significant synergistic effect when combined interferon+ribavirin regimen and could be useful in relapsers and non-responders.
Readability of selected governmental and popular health organization websites on Covid-19 public health information: A descriptive analysis
Authors: Ojo Patricia Moyinoluwa , Okeowo Tolulope Omowonuola , Thampy Ann Mary , Kabir Zubair
Published: June 2020

Background

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (USDHHS) recommends that health material be written at or below a sixth-grade reading level to ensure readability. The aim of this study was to examine the readability of international and national health organizations on Covid-19 information in their websites employing a previously validated tool.

Methods

A purposive sample of publicly accessible governmental and popular international health organization websites was selected. The readability of the websites’ Covid-19 public health information was estimated using the previously validated SMOG readability formula, which determined reading level by correlating the number of polysyllabic words.

Results

Of the 10 websites included in the analysis, none had Covid-19 public health information at the USDHHS’s recommended reading level. The material ranged in reading level at undergraduate level or above.

Discussion

The findings indicate that the online Covid-19 materials need to be modified in order to reach recommended reading levels. This study can be of practical use to policy makers and public health government officials when designing, modifying, and evaluating Covid-19 materials. We recommend using simple, non-polysyllable words to ensure that Covid-19 public health information materials are written at the recommended reading levels.
Mapping the Global Research and Clinical Trials in COVID-19
Authors: Aggarwal Ranjana , Bhattacharya Sujit , Singh Shubham
Published: June 2020

COVID-19 has created an unprecedented level of research and innovation activity globally to bring out drug to control or cure the disease, and develop vaccine for long time prevention. A ‘new/better normal’ is emerging that is trying to push this time period for drug development and vaccine within a year and earlier than that from typical 8 to 10 years for drugs and 10 to 15 years for vaccine. This is happening due to multiple factors: strong policy push by different government that includes dedicated investment, speeding up regulation process, multiple agencies involvement, and multilateral bodies led by WHO trying to create a global platform, huge grants from private funding bodies, strategic linkages across the whole research and innovation value chain between firms, academic, research organisations and start-ups.

The paper maps the research papers and ongoing clinical trials to provide an informed view of the current status of the research and drug development activity as seen through the lens of research papers and clinical trials. The intended goal of this study is to help the research community and policy makers to keep track of highly relevant research and drug development in COVID-19.
Dietary emulsifiers alter composition and activity of the human gut microbiotain vitro, irrespective of chemical or natural emulsifier origin
Authors: Miclotte Lisa , Callewaert Chris , de Paepe Kim , Rymenans Leen , Raes Jeroen , Rajkovic Andreja , Van Camp John , Van de Wiele Tom
Published: June 2020

The use of additives in food products has become an important public health concern. In recent reports, dietary emulsifiers have been shown to affect the gut microbiota, contributing to a pro-inflammatory phenotype and metabolic syndrome. So far, it is not yet known whether similar microbiome shifts are observable for a more diverse set of emulsifier types and to what extent these effects vary with the unique features of an individual’s microbiome.

To bridge this gap, we investigated the effect of five dietary emulsifiers on the fecal microbiota from 10 human individuals upon a 48 hour exposure. Community structure was assessed with quantative microbial profiling, functionality was evaluated by measuring fermentation metabolites and pro-inflammatory properties were assessed with the phylogenetic prediction algorythm PICRUSt, together with a TLR5 reporter cell assay for flagellin. A comparison was made between two mainstream chemical emulsifiers (carboxymethylcellulose and P80), a natural extract (soy lecithin) and biotechnological emulsifiers (sophorolipids and rhamnolipids).

While fecal microbiota responded in a donor-dependent manner to the different emulsifiers, profound differences between emulsifier were observed. Rhamnolipids, sophorolipids and soy lecithin eliminated 91% ± 0%, 89% ± 1% and 87% ± 1% of the viable bacterial population after 48 hours, yet they all selectively increased the proportional abundance of putative pathogens. Moreover, profound shifts in butyrate (−96% ± 6 %, −73% ± 24% and −34 ± 25% respectively) and propionate (+13% ± 24 %, +88% ± 50% and +29% ± 16% respectively) production were observed for these emulsifiers. Phylogenetic prediction indicated higher motility, which was, however, not confirmed by increased flagellin levels using the TLR5 reporter cell assay.

We conclude that dietary emulsifiers can severely impact the gut microbiota and this seems to be proportional to their emulsifying strength, rather than emulsifier type or origin. As biotechnological emulsifiers were especially more impactful than chemical emulsifiers, caution is warranted when considering them as more natural alternatives for clean label strategies.
Multiplexed mRNA assembly into ribonucleoprotein particles plays an operon-like role in the control of yeast cell physiology
Authors: Nair Rohini R. , Zabezhinsky Dimitry , Gelin-Licht Rita , Haas Brian , Dyhr Michael C.A. , Sperber Hannah S. , Nusbaum Chad , Gerst Jeffrey E.
Published: June 2020

Prokaryotes utilize polycistronic messages (operons) to co-translate proteins involved in the same biological process. Whether eukaryotes achieve similar regulation by selectively assembling monocistronic messages derived from different chromosomes is unclear. We employed transcript-specific RNA pulldowns and RNA-seq/RT-PCR to identify mRNAs that co-precipitate into ribonucleoprotein (RNP) particles in yeast. Consistent with the hypothesis of eukaryotic RNA operons, mRNAs encoding components of the mating pathway, heat shock proteins, and mitochondrial outer membrane proteins multiplexin transto form discrete mRNP particles, termed transperons. Chromatin-capture experiments reveal that genes encoding multiplexed mRNAs physically interact, thus, RNA assembly may result from co-regulated gene expression. Transperon assembly and function depends upon H4 histones and their depletion leads to defects in RNA multiplexing, resulting in decreased pheromone responsiveness and mating, and increased heat shock sensitivity. We propose that intergenic associations and non-canonical H4 histone functions contribute to transperon formation in eukaryotic cells to regulate cell physiology.

Abstract Figure
Two microRNAs are sufficient for embryogenesis inC. elegans
Authors: Dexheimer Philipp J. , Wang Jingkui , Cochella Luisa
Published: June 2020

The Microprocessor, composed of Drosha and Pasha/DGCR8, is necessary for the biogenesis of canonical microRNAs (miRNAs) and essential for animal embryogenesis. However, the cause for this requirement is largely unknown: the Microprocessor may be required to produce one or few essential miRNAs, or many individually non-essential miRNAs. Additionally, Drosha and Pasha/ DGCR8 may be required for processing non-miRNA substrates. To distinguish between these possibilities, we developed a system inC. elegansto stringently deplete embryos of Microprocessor activity. Microprocessor-depleted embryos fail to undergo morphogenesis or form organs. We show that this early embryonic arrest is rescued by the addition of two miRNAs from the miR-35 and miR-51 families, resulting in morphologically normal larvae. Thus, just two canonical miRNAs are sufficient for morphogenesis and organogenesis, and the processing of these miRNAs accounts for the essential requirement for Drosha and Pasha/DGCR8 duringC. elegansembryonic development.
The language of mental images: Characterizing hippocampal contributions to imageable word use during event construction
Authors: Race Elizabeth , Carlisle Camille , Tejwani Ruchi , Verfaellie Mieke
Published: June 2020

Accumulating evidence suggests that the hippocampus plays a critical role in the creative and flexible use of language. For example, amnesic patients with hippocampal damage produce less coherent and cohesive verbal discourse when constructing narratives about the past, present, and future. A recent study by Hilverman and colleagues (2017) found that amnesic patients with hippocampal damage also use less imageable words during narrative construction compared to healthy controls. These results suggest that in addition to supporting language use at the discourse level, the hippocampus also influences the quality of language at the single word level. However, the generalizability of these results to different types of language production tasks and the relationship to patients’ broader impairments in episodic memory have yet to be examined. In the current study, we investigated whether amnesic patients with hippocampal damage produce less imageable words compared to healthy controls in two different types of language production tasks. In Experiment 1, participants constructed narratives about events depicted in visually presented pictures (picture narratives). In Experiment 2, participants constructed verbal narratives about remembered events from the past or simulated events in the future (past/future narratives). Across all types of narratives, patients produced words that were rated as having similar levels of imageability compared to controls. Importantly, this was the case both in patients’ picture narratives, which did not require generating details from long-term memory and were matched to controls’ with respect to narrative content, and in patients’ narratives about past/future events, which required generating details from long-term memory and which were reduced in narrative content compared to those of controls. These results reveal that the hippocampus is not necessary for the use of imageable representations at the linguistic level, and that hippocampal contributions to imageable word use are independent of hippocampal contributions to episodic memory.
SARS-CoV-2 & Pediatric Mental Health: A Review of Recent Evidence
Authors: Sajid Mir Ibrahim , Tariq Javeria , Waheed Ayesha Akbar , Dur-e-Najaf  , Balouch Samira Shabbir , Abaidullah Sajid
Published: June 2020

SARS-CoV-2 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) and was met with lockdown policies to curb the spread of the disease. This meant that 890 million students in 114 countries would be affected by the closure of their educational institutes, affecting their mental health. Mental health disorders are suggested to have a well-correlated link to suicide, which is the third most leading cause of death worldwide amongst children aged 15-19 years. According to WHO, “health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease.” Hence the isolation brought about by SARS-CoV-2 is postulated to cause anxiety, fear, and depression amongst the pediatric population, due to the loss of socialization and separation from friends. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we highlight the major mental health issues in children aged 2-18 years, along with their causes, effects, and potential solutions to tackle these problems.
Predictive model of COVID-19 incidence and socioeconomic description of municipalities in Brazil
Authors: Carneiro Isadora C. R. , Ferreira Eloiza D. , Silva Janaina C. da , Soares Guilherme , Strottmann Daisy M. , Silveira Guilherme F.
Published: June 2020

Coronaviruses are enveloped viruses that can cause respiratory, gastrointestinal, hepatic, and neurological diseases. In December 2019, a new highly contagious coronavirus termed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in China. SARS-CoV-2 causes a potentially lethal human respiratory infection, COVID-19, that is associated with fever and cough and can progress to pneumonia and dyspnea in severe cases. Since the virus emerged, it has spread rapidly, reaching all continents around the world. A previous study has shown that, despite being the best alternative in the current pandemic context, social distancing measures alone may not be sufficient to prevent COVID-19 spread, and the overall impact of the virus is of great concern. The present study aims to describe the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of 672 cities with cases of COVID-19, as well as to determine a predictive model for the number of cases. We analyzed data from cities with at least 1 reported case of COVID-19 until June 26, 2020. It was observed that cities with confirmed cases of the disease are present in all Brazilian states, affecting 36.5% of the municipalities in Rio de Janeiro State. The inhabitants in cities with reported cases of COVID-19 represent more than 73.1% of the Brazilian population. Stratifying the age groups of the inhabitants and accounting for the percentage of women and men does not affect COVID-19 incidence (confirmed cases/100,000 inhabitants). The demographic density, the MHDI and the per capita income of the municipalities with cases of COVID-19 do not affect disease incidence. In addition, if conditions are maintained, our model predicts 2,358,703 (2,172,930 to 2,544,477) cumulative cases on July 25, 2020.
COVID-19: Saving lives and livelihoods using population density driven testing
Authors: Budhwani Karim I. , Budhwani Henna , Podbielski Ben
Published: June 2020

SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk generally increases with proximity of those shedding the virus to those susceptible to infection. Thus, this risk is a function of both number of people and the area which they occupy. However, the latter continues to evade COVID-19 testing policy. Increased testing in areas with lower population density, has the potential to induce a false sense of security even as cases continue to rise sharply overall.
Seroconversion of a city: Longitudinal monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in New York City
Authors: Stadlbauer Daniel , Tan Jessica , Jiang Kaijun , Hernandez Matthew M. , Fabre Shelcie , Amanat Fatima , Teo Catherine , Arunkumar Guha Asthagiri , McMahon Meagan , Jhang Jeffrey , Nowak Michael D. , Simon Viviana , Sordillo Emilia Mia , Bakel Harm van , Krammer Florian
Published: June 2020

By conducting a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in a ‘sentinel group’ (enriched for SARS-CoV-2 infections) and a ‘screening group’ (representative of the general population) using >5,000 plasma samples from patients at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City (NYC), we identified seropositive samples as early as in the week ending February 23, 2020. A stark increase in seropositivity in the sentinel group started the week ending March 22 and in the screening group in the week ending March 29. By the week ending April 19, the seroprevalence in the screening group reached 19.3%, which is well below the estimated 67% needed to achieve community immunity to SARS-CoV-2. These data potentially suggest an earlier than previously documented introduction of SARS-CoV-2 into the NYC metropolitan area.

One Sentence Summary

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in cross-sectional samples from New York City rose from 0% to 19.3% from early February to mid-April.
Circulating tumor DNA dynamics using a standardized multi-gene panel in advanced breast cancer treated with CDK4/6 inhibition and endocrine therapy
Authors: Martínez-Sáez Olga , Pascual Tomás , Brasó-Maristany Fara , Chic Nuria , González-Farré Blanca , Sanfeliu Esther , Rodríguez Adela , Martínez Débora , Galván Patricia , Belén Rodríguez Anna , Schettini Francesco , Conte Benedetta , Vidal Maria , Adamo Barbara , Martinez Antoni , Muñoz Montserrat , Moreno Reinaldo , Villagrasa Patricia , Salvador Fernando , Ciruelos Eva M. , Faull Iris , Odegaard Justin I. , Prat Aleix
Published: June 2020

Brief communication

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) levels may predict response to anticancer drugs1, including CDK4/6 inhibitors and endocrine therapy combinations (CDK4/6i+ET)2; however, critical questions remain unanswered such as which assay or statistical method to use3. Here, we obtained paired plasma samples at baseline and week 4 in 45 consecutive patients with advanced breast cancer treated with CDK4/6i+ET. ctDNA was detected in 96% of cases using the 74-gene Guardant360 assay4,5. A variant allele fraction ratio (VAFR) was calculated for each of the 79 detected mutations between both time-points. Mean of all VAFRs (mVAFR) was computed for each patient. In our dataset, mVAFR was significantly associated with progression-free survival (PFS). Baseline VAF, on-treatment VAF or absolute changes in VAF were not associated with PFS. These findings demonstrate that ctDNA dynamics using a standardized multi-gene panel and a unique methodological approach predicts treatment outcome. Clinical trials in patients with an unfavorable ctDNA response are needed.
Design and tests of a non-contact Bernoulli gripper for rough-surfaced and fragile objects gripping
Authors: Liu Dong , Wang Minghao , Fang Naiyu , Cong Ming , Du Yu
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Varied shapes and sizes of different products with irregular rough surface and fragile properties give a challenge to traditional contact gripping. Single Bernoulli grippers are not suited to handle fragile objects as the impact of center negative pressure force could result in large deformation and stress which damage the materials, and they are also have some limitations for gripping objects with different large and small shapes. Thus, this paper aims to design a non-contact gripper for soft, rough-surfaced and fragile objects gripping with multi Bernoulli heads, which have optimal structures and parameters.

Design/methodology/approach

The compressed air is ejected into four Bernoulli heads through radial and long flow channels, then passes through four strip-shaped narrow gaps after fully developing in the annular cavity to provide negative pressure. Based on the mathematic model and the computational model, the key structural parameters affecting the gripping performance are selected, and parameters optimization of the gripper is performed by computational fluid dynamics simulation analysis and performance evaluation. The orthogonal method is used and L16 orthogonal array is selected for experimental design and optimization. The characteristics of the designed gripper are tested from the aspects of pressure distribution and lifting force.

Findings

From the applications in gripping different objects, the designed non-contact gripper can grip varied shapes and sizes of soft, rough-surfaced, fragile and sliced objects with little effect of torque.

Originality/value

In this paper, a non-contact gripper is designed for handling soft, rough-surfaced and fragile objects based on the Bernoulli principle. A systematic approach, which consists of modeling, simulation, optimization and measurement is provided for the non-contact gripper design and tests.
Rake impact on turboshaft compressors, a numerical study
Authors: Dragan Valeriu , Dumitrescu Oana , Malael Ion , Azoitei Adrian Daniel
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Turboshaft engines usually include one centrifugal compressor due to its high-pressure ratio, stability and compactness. Many designers rely on positive raking to decrease tip gap flow and therefore losses. However recent optimization studies revealed geometries contradicting this canonic view. Hence, this paper aims to investigate how the rake angle alone can influence performance and to which extent.

Design/methodology/approach

A turboshaft representative impeller was chosen and altered for null and +/−30° rake angles. Menter's shear stress transport model is used for steady computational fluid dynamics simulations, sweeping the nominal speedline at various tip clearances. Backsweep distribution is identical in all cases, isolating rake influence.

Findings

Pressure ratio was lowered for the both positively and negatively raked blades, but through distinct aerodynamic mechanisms. Although the flow through the tip gap was lower for the positive rake, this is due to lower blade loading. Splitter comparison reveal that these effects are more pronounced in the radial regions.

Practical implications

Some of the findings may extend beyond turboshaft engines, into turbochargers, home appliances or industrial blowers. However, all extrapolations must consider specific differences between these applications. Turboshaft compressors designers can benefit from this study when setting up their free parameters and penalty functions in the early concept stages.

Originality/value

Only few similar studies can be found in the literature to date, none similar to turboshaft applications. Also, this impeller is designed to eliminate leading edge shocks and suction side boundary layer separation, which makes it easier to isolate the tip gap flow effects. The authors also provide a framework on which semi-empirical design equations can be further developed to incorporate rake into 1D design tools.
Consumer acceptance of cultured meat: some hints from Italy
Authors: Palmieri Nadia , Perito Maria Angela , Lupi Claudio
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the current literature on consumer acceptance of cultured meat and to investigate the main factors that might affect it.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from a sample of 490 consumers in Italy, using a web-based survey. The empirical analysis follows an exploratory approach based on the training and checking of a random forest model.

Findings

An important finding of this study concerns the overall positive perception of cultured meat on the part of the interviewees in a country that is the fifth-largest meat producer at the European level. Age, environmental and ethical issues, and scepticism about new food technologies are the most important factors that guide consumer acceptance of cultured meat. The results suggest that in order to increase cultured meat acceptance it would be important to inform and educate consumers towards new food and new food production methods.

Research limitations/implications

The sample analysed in this study is not representative of the whole national population, as it happens in most papers dealing with new food.

Originality/value

Although the conclusions of this exploratory study cannot be over-generalized, the results provide interesting insights on how to increase cultured meat acceptance in view of the possible development of a new market for cultured meat.
School performance in three South East Asian countries: lessons in leadership, decision-making and training
Authors: Gill CM Hugues D. , Berezina Elizaveta
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The three neighbouring nations of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore participated in the 2009, 2012 and 2015 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) cycles. Despite many similarities between the three nations, Singapore has consistently been a top PISA performer, with Malaysia and Indonesia in the bottom third of the international league tables. This paper aims to sketch the comparative Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) context and uses PISA-derived metrics to contrast how differences in decision-making and school leadership, particularly in relation to staff development and training practices, may impact school performance across Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

Design/methodology/approach

Ten scales from the 2015 PISA School Questionnaire for Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia were analysed using ANOVA and t-tests as an aid to exploring the extent to which different approaches to teacher training, school leadership and governance may impact student performance.

Findings

Although Malaysian and Indonesian school principals report higher levels of autonomy than Singaporean peers, other evidence suggests that schools in Singapore may actually have greater decision latitude. Most significantly, Singaporean teachers take responsibility for key staff development decisions and skills transfer, whereas in Indonesia and Malaysia, teacher training is controlled by government administrators, a factor that may be a critical differentiator between the school systems.

Practical implications

In Singapore, teacher training is controlled by and for teachers through professional learning teams within schools and professional learning communities across schools; in Malaysia and Indonesia, similar decisions are taken by external administrators. Giving Malaysian and Indonesian teachers control over their own training could be a simple and powerful reform to target skills gaps and to generalise improvements in pedagogy quickly across schools and thus to lift school performance in these countries.

Originality/value

This paper highlights how differences at systemic and school levels, particularly in approaches to teacher training and leadership and may explain differentials in school performance in three ASEAN education systems.
Enhancing professional growth and the learning and development function through reflective practices: an autoethnographic narrative approach
Authors: Koukpaki Adebayo Serge Francois , Adams Kweku
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore ways in which learning and development (L&D) professionals use reflective practice to promote the function of L&D and their own professional growth. The claim that L&D practitioners need to develop their reflective ability to make sense of their own practice is well-argued in the literature, but few studies focus on an in-depth individual self-reflection and its impact on professional growth.

Design/methodology/approach

An autoethnography and reflective practice design was deployed. The data was collected by sending a semi-structured, pre-set question as a ‘reflective conversation’ to an L&D manager and a 10-hour tape recording of personal reflection over three months.[AQ1] Data was sanitised, transcribed and edited, and a narrative data analysis method was used to analyse the data developed into reflective narratives.

Findings

The authors find that reflective practice emerges through gradual reflective patterns that define the circumstances surrounding the reflection, the content, exploration and interpretation and confirming the fulfilling of the reflection.

Originality/value

This paper offers the journey of an L&D manager working in the hotel industry in India. Through a set of reflective practices, including introspection and reflexivity, the manager considers the changes she has experienced. The paper contributes to the literature on reflective practice based on promoting the L&D function as an essential part of the horizontal integration of human resource management in organisations. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Entrepreneurship education as an arena for career reflection: the shift of students' career preferences after a business planning course
Authors: Longva Kjersti Kjos , Strand Øivind , Pasquine Mark
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of entrepreneurship education (EE) in the form of a business planning course on students' career intentions and preferences. While there is extensive research in which traditional survey scales have been applied to study students' entrepreneurial intentions, this study takes a novel approach by extending the construct of entrepreneurial intention to include preferences for intrapreneurship and team entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the use of conjoint analysis captures students' unconscious decision-making processes when presented with different career opportunity scenarios, thereby overcoming many of the limitations of self-reported survey measures.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a quasi-experimental design with a novel application of conjoint analysis in EE research. A two-part survey combining a traditional questionnaire with conjoint analysis was distributed to students enrolled in a business planning course at two campuses of a Norwegian university, resulting in 99 matched pre- and post-test responses.

Findings

Two main findings arise from the study. First, there is a significant decrease in entrepreneurial intention among students in the EE course. Second, the conjoint analysis contributes to a better understanding of this decrease by illustrating how students shift their career preferences from entrepreneurship to employment during the EE course. This suggests that EE provides a space for students' career reflections where they can explore, commit to and reconsider entrepreneurship as a career.

Research limitations/implications

A limitation of the study is that it focuses on a small sample of undergraduate students from two campus locations in Norway. Thus, further investigation is still necessary to establish whether the findings are valid in other contexts. The research has implications for higher educational institutions, policymakers and researchers in the field of EE.

Practical implications

The study contributes with a novel perspective on EE as a trigger for career reflection, a perspective that is important for educators teaching EE courses, as well as for higher education institutions who decide to implement EE in study programmes.

Originality/value

By focusing on the development of students' career preferences through conjoint analysis, the study expands knowledge on the impact of EE on students' careers, while also accentuating the value of the application of conjoint analysis in research on EE.