bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sugarcane Planting Area Classification, Extraction and Accuracy Comparison Based on Chinese High-Resolution Remote Sensing Satellite Data: A Case Study of Ningming Sugarcane Demonstration Area, Chongzuo City, Guangxi
Authors: Linjiang Lou , Chen Chen , Min Han , Xinyuan Gao , Kun Liu , Minmin Li
Published: June 2020

Remote sensing techniques are effective in sugarcane extraction and monitoring, but most of the existing research is based on low- and medium-resolution image. Thus, the technical methodology for high-resolution image needs to be improved. Due to the good performances of deep learning algorithms in solving classification problems for the very high resolution (VHR) images, the target mask U-Net model is introduced to research VHR satellite data from China, i. e., the GaoFen-1 (GF-1), GaoFen-2 (GF-2) and ZiYuan-3 (ZY-3). First, a sugarcane area was classified and extracted in the Ningming Sugarcane Demonstration Area in Chongzuo City, Guangxi. Further, we validated and compared the extraction accuracies for different satellite data. The results showed that the extraction accuracies of the GF-1, GF-2 and ZY-3 were 79.97% (Kappa coefficient of 0.19), 94.02% (Kappa coefficient of 0.82) and 81.94% (Kappa coefficient of 0.35), respectively. The spectral and textural information of high-resolution images can effectively guarantee improvements to the accuracy of crop extraction. By comparison of data sources and traditional supervision classification methods, the GF-2 data features the best results for sugarcane extraction. The technical methods and experimental results in this paper not only confirm the feasibility of applying China’s VHR data to monitor sugarcane planting areas, but also provides reference for the relevant future studies.
Estimation of farmland evapotranspiration based on SEBAL model in Kai-Kong River Basin, Xinjiang
Authors: Mingxing Cha , Xiaoqin Wang , Yali Li , Pengxun Qiu
Published: June 2020

Evapotranspiration (ET) is an important reference for scientific management of farmland irrigation, accurate estimation of crop yields, and optimal allocation of water resources. The purpose of this paper is to estimate ET by taking the farmland of Kai-Kong River Basin in Xinjiang province as an example. The method was based on the SEBAL model and the Landsat data; it estimated the net radiation flux, soil heat flux using the land-surface parameters first, and the instantaneous evapotranspiration was then calculated using the energy residual method and the latent heat flux. The sinusoidal function method was used to extend the time scale of the instantaneous evapotranspiration to the daily evapotranspiration and the daily evapotranspiration were verified using the FAO56 Penman-Monteith formula. The compared results shown that the error of daily evapotranspiration between SEBAL and FAO56 Penman-Monteith is within 1mm, and except for the estimation accuracy of final growth stage is about 80%, the estimation accuracy of other growth stages are more than 80%. The SEBAL model, coupled with the Landsat remote sensing data, can offer an efficient and adequate alternative to estimate ET at catchment scale.
The Amsterdam Treaty
Authors: Vanhoonacker Sophie
Published: June 2020

The Treaty of Amsterdam was the result of the 1996–1997 Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) among the then 15 EU member states (March 1996–June 1998). Its three core objectives were making Europe more relevant to its citizens, enabling it to work better and preparing it for enlargement, and giving it greater capacity for external action. It was the first IGC since the enlargement with Austria, Finland, and Sweden, who had joined the European Union (EU) in 1995. The negotiations took place in the aftermath of the collapse of the communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe, opening the prospect of an eastern enlargement. Shortly before the start of the IGC, the Madrid European Council (December 1995) had confirmed that the decisions on launching the accession negotiations would be taken within six months of the conclusion of the IGC.

The Treaty was not the critical juncture in European-integration history, which the previous Maastricht Treaty had been. The 1996–1997 IGC tried to complete some of the unfinished work of its predecessor. This included the further extension of qualified majority voting (QMV) and codecision, the shaping of a European security policy and making further progress in dossiers such as energy, civil protection, and the hierarchy of norms. Still it would be erroneous simply to downplay the Treaty as a mere “leftover” text. Under the leadership of the successive Italian, Irish, and Dutch presidencies, the heads of state or government reached an agreement on an employment chapter, a strengthening of social policy, the creation of the position of a high representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), a partial communitarization of cooperation in the field of Justice and Home Affairs (JHA), provisions on flexible integration and the integration of Schengen into the Treaty. Highly sensitive issues such as the reweighting of the Council voting system and the size of the European Commission were postponed to the next IGC. After a relatively smooth ratification process, which raised little public attention, the Treaty of Amsterdam entered into force on May1, 1999.
Partisanship and Political Cognition
Authors: Goggin Stephen N. , Nail Stephanie A. , Theodoridis Alexander G.
Published: June 2020

George Washington warned in his farewell address that “the spirit of party ... is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind.” Indeed, while many factors influence how citizens judge, reason, and make decisions about politics, parties and partisanship play an extraordinarily central role in political cognition.

Party and partisanship color how individuals understand the political world in two broad ways. Partisan stereotypes, or how party labels call to mind a host of attributes about people and constituent groups, play an important role in cognition. Second, perhaps even more pronounced in a hyperpolarized political world, is the way in which party influences cognition through partisan identity, or one’s own attachment (or lack thereof) to one of the parties. This connects a party and co-partisans with one’s own self-concept and facilitates an us-versus-them mentality when making political judgments and decisions. Both cognitive pathways are often simultaneously operating and interacting with each other.

While we can think about the role of party in terms of stereotypes or identities, the impact of partisanship on actual cognition often involves both, and it can have varied implications for the quality of political decision making. Because partisanship is central to the political world, particularly in democracies, it has been the subject of a variety of lines of inquiry attempting to explain its impact on voters’ decisions.
Transparency in Public Administration
Authors: Erkkilä Tero
Published: June 2020

Transparency is one of the keywords of contemporary governance. It is often associated with democratic accountability, but it also carries connotations of market efficiency. Though transparency is a key concept for economics and politics, its ideational roots lie in access to government information. Transparency holds promises for increased democratization and economic performance, but these may also stand in contradiction. Coinciding with the rise of transparency as a token of responsible governance, we have witnessed rapid global diffusion of information access laws. In debates on public accountability, transparency appears as an element of both deliberation and performance, which is peculiar as these are often seen as complementary types of accountability. Moreover, increased transparency is often assumed to lead to increased citizen trust in government, but the relation of trust and transparency is more complex. Transparency also implies access to public information, which can consist of various types of documents and registries. Through digitalization, public information has become a pressing topic of interest, including as raw material for a knowledge-based economy. Public administration also manages significant amounts of personal data of citizens, raising additional concerns for privacy. While transparency and privacy are not antonyms, there is a trade-off between them. Nevertheless, transparency also appears as a means for holding government accountable for its use of registry data. Finally, transparency has become a measured element of governance indicators that are themselves an instance of transparency. As a key concept of public administration, transparency is relevant for both democracy and efficiency of governance, but it is ambiguous and even paradoxical by nature.
Creativity
Authors: Gabora Liane
Published: June 2020

Creativity is perhaps what most differentiates humans from other species. Understanding creativity is particularly important in times of accelerated cultural and environmental change, such as the present, in which novel approaches and perspectives are needed. The study of creativity is an exciting area that brings together many different branches of research: cognitive psychology, social psychology, personality psychology, developmental psychology, organizational psychology, clinical psychology, neuroscience, mathematical models, and computer simulations. The creative process is thought to involve the capacity to shift between divergent and convergent modes of thought in response to task demands. Divergent thought is conventionally characterized as the kind of thinking needed for open-ended tasks, and it is measured by the ability to generate multiple solutions, while convergent thought is commonly characterized as the kind of thinking needed for tasks in which there is only one correct solution. More recently, divergent thought has been conceived of as reflecting on the task from unconventional contexts or perspectives, while convergent thought has been conceived of as reflecting on it from conventional contexts or perspectives. Personality traits correlated with creativity include openness to experience, tolerance of ambiguity, impulsivity, and self-confidence. Evidence that creativity is linked with affective disorders is mixed. Neuroscientific research on creativity using electroencephalography (EEG) or functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) suggests that creativity is associated with a loosening of cognitive control and decreased arousal. It has been shown that the distributed, content-addressable structure of associative memory is conducive to bringing task-relevant items to mind without the need for explicit search. Tangible evidence of human creativity dates back to the earliest stone tools devised over three million years ago, with the Middle-Upper Paleolithic marking the onset of art, science, and religion, and another surge of creativity in the present. Past and current areas of controversy concern the relative contributions of expertise, chance, and intuition, whether the emphasis should be on process versus product, whether creativity is a domain-specific or a domain-general function, the extent to which creativity is correlated with affective disorders, and whether divergent thinking entails the generation of multiple ideas or the honing of a single initially ambiguous mental representation that may manifest as different external outputs. Promising areas for further psychological study of creativity include computational modeling, research on the biological basis of creativity, and studies that track specific creative ideation processes over time.
Theories of Educational Leadership
Authors: Lakomski Gabriele , Evers Colin W.
Published: June 2020

From its beginnings in the 1940s, leadership research has been conducted as a scientific activity, with the aim of discovering the essence of leadership that, once found, would provide social–organizational benefits. However, no essence has been discovered, and research continues undeterred. Leadership theories old and new rely on the conception of science, known as logical empiricism, to support their claims. The identification of logical empiricism with science, however, is a mistake as empiricism is no longer considered valid, a mistake perpetuated in contemporary education leadership theories that present their accounts as alternatives to science. A better account of science, “naturalistic coherentism,” is able to advance the theory and practice of education leadership by growing knowledge, not by denying it.
Marginalized Knowledges
Authors: Arenas Alberto , Perez Rebecca
Published: June 2020

Marginalized knowledges are the intergenerational knowledges and skills from communities worldwide that hegemonic forces have pushed to the margins of society. These include facts, beliefs, perceptions, attitudes, behaviors, and competencies. Marginalized knowledges are part of the human capital that materially poor rural and urban peoples have developed over time—both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. These knowledges are situated and contextualized in a given time and locality, and have evolved to fulfill economic, social, environmental, spiritual, or cultural needs. School systems worldwide in the 19th and 20th centuries adopted an official, hegemonic curriculum that ignored and displaced these vital knowledges at a great loss to poor communities. Fortunately, different pedagogies exist today (e.g., pedagogy of place; funds of knowledge; civic service) that seek to bring these knowledges to the center of school life and provide a complementary, parallel role to that of the school’s official curriculum.
STEM Education, Economic Productivity, and Social Justice
Authors: Drew David E.
Published: June 2020

Just as the factory assembly line replaced the farmer’s plow as the symbol of economic productivity at the beginning of the 19th century, so the computer and its software have replaced the assembly line at the beginning of the 21st century. In the United States, and in countries around the world, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education has moved front and center in national discussions of both productivity and social justice. This article will include (a) a review of how the world of work has changed, with a special focus on the history and impact of digital technology since ca. 1970; (b) lessons from research about K-12 education—elementary, middle school, and secondary education—and about higher education; and (c) research about how to increase access to education, and facilitate achievement, for those who traditionally have been under-represented in STEM education. Rigorous research has demonstrated how psychological and sociological factors (e.g., self-concepts, instructor expectations, and social support) often make the difference between student success and failure. To fully contextualize consideration of STEM education, many advocate broadening STEM to STEAM by including the arts, or the arts and humanities, in building educational programs.

In today’s world a young person who wishes to secure a better life for himself or herself would be well advised to study STEM. Furthermore, a nation that wishes to advance economically, while reducing the gap between the have’s and the have-not’s, should strengthen its STEM education infrastructure.
Women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Lauro Amandine
Published: June 2020

Since the turn of the 21st century, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) has frequently been portrayed in international media as “the worst place in the world to be a woman.” The moral and political economy of gender relations in the largest country of sub-Saharan Africa has nevertheless been shaped by a long, multitudinous history of women’s experiences of agency and disempowerment and competition and solidarity, whose complexity cannot be captured through victimizing narratives. While political boundaries of DR Congo result from late-19th-century colonialism, the territories encompassed in the country have a rich longue durée history. In precolonial times, women’s status and access to resources and power varied greatly across different cultural and political formations. From the 16th century, the intensification of the slave and ivory trade, in the footsteps of European expansion, affected normative and effective patterns of gender relations. The creation of the Congo Free State (1885–1908), which marked the debut of Belgian colonialism in Central Africa, created a regime of forceful extraction of resources and labor that had a severe impact on women. The distinctive features of the Belgian Congo regime (1908–1960) also influenced the status and experiences of women. The central role of the Roman Catholic Church and the maternalist visions of Belgian authorities generated a specific lens through which Congolese women were targeted by colonial policies. Despite limited room for maneuvering, Congolese women never restricted themselves to the roles imposed on them, neither during the colonial nor the postcolonial period. During the Mobutu regime (1965–1997) and beyond, transgressions of gender norms, as well as strategies of emancipation, has generated specific—even if ambiguous—paths of mobilization.
Composition and Chemistry of the Neutral Atmosphere of Venus
Authors: Vandaele Ann Carine
Published: June 2020

The atmosphere of Venus is quite different from that of Earth: it is much hotter and denser. The temperature and pressure at the surface are 740 K and 92 atmospheres respectively. Its atmosphere is primarily composed of carbon dioxide (96.5%) and nitrogen (3.5%), the rest being trace gases such as carbon monoxide (CO), water vapor (H2O), halides (HF, HCl), sulfur-bearing species (SO2, SO, OCS, H2S), and noble gases. Sulfur compounds are extremely important in understanding the formation of the Venusian clouds which are believed to be composed of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) droplets. These clouds completely enshroud the planet in a series of layers, extending from 50 to 70 km altitude, and are composed of particles of different sizes and different H2SO4/H2O compositions. These act as a very effective separator between the atmospheres below and above the clouds, which show very distinctive characteristics.
Early Warning and Conflict Prevention Responsibilities of the International Community
Authors: Ackermann Alice
Published: June 2020

As human tragedies—such as armed conflicts, humanitarian crises, crimes against humanity, and genocide—continue to occur, early warning and conflict prevention are essential comprehensive subjects in any crisis and conflict prevention architecture. Early warning refers to the collection and analysis of information about potential crisis and conflict situations for the purpose of preventing the onset and escalation of such situations, preferably through appropriate preventive response options. Indeed, qualitative approaches to early warning and prevention have produced an impressive list of preventive mechanisms and tools, ranging from non-military—such as political and economic inducements, fact-finding, dialogue, and negotiations—to military ones, such as preventive missions. Meanwhile, a more theoretical and empirically guided approach has made extensive use of quantitative methods to create data-based predictive models for assessing risks of complex humanitarian crises, political instability and state failure, intrastate and ethnopolitical conflicts, and genocide and politicide, as well as other massive human rights violations. There are three types of analysis of risk assessment: the first makes use of structural indicators, the second of sequential models, and the third of inductive methods. However, there are challenges in early warning and conflict prevention posed by the warning-response gap and the issue of “missed opportunities” to prevent. At present, there is no U.N.-wide coordinated early warning system. Nevertheless, several efforts in establishing operational early warning systems on the level of regional and subregional organizations can be identified.
Development and Anthropology
Authors: Nolan Riall W.
Published: June 2020

International development is one of humanity’s most important global undertakings, but it is also a “wicked problem” characterized by uncertain and shifting priorities, disagreements, and unexpected outcomes. Created during and in the aftermath of World War II, the development industry of the early 21st century is large, complex, and highly influential. It is also relatively opaque to outsiders and largely independent of normal means of democratic control.

Anthropology has been involved in development from colonial times, but particularly so since the 1950s, and anthropologist practitioners have made several important contributions to development planning and implementation. The discipline’s influence overall, however, has been overshadowed to a large degree by other disciplines, such as economics, which still remains dominant in the industry. Anthropological influence has waxed and waned over the years, both as a response to development policies and priorities, and as a response to changes within the discipline itself.

Anthropological analyses of development, as well as detailed development ethnographies, have helped people inside and outside the industry understand why and how development efforts succeed and fail, and indeed, how to define success and failure in the first place. At the same time, anthropologists have enhanced our appreciation of the role of language, power, and agency in the development process. In the future, anthropology is likely to become more important and influential in development work, given the growth of disciplinary trends favoring practice and application and renewed focus within the development industry on poverty eradication.
Israelite Religion
Authors: Hess Richard S.
Published: June 2020

Emerging from the academic study of the Old Testament or Hebrew Scriptures during the Enlightenment and Reformation, Israelite religion became a topic of study in terms of the presentation in the Bible of Israel’s worship of its God. Gradually this separated into a synthesis of biblical teachings on worship and its prescribed practices, on the one hand, and a study of the history of biblical Israel in terms of beliefs and practices toward one or more deities, on the other. The former branch evolved into biblical theology, while the latter developed into the topic of Israelite religion. Beginning in the nineteenth century, archaeological excavations and the interpretation of ancient Near Eastern texts preceding and contemporaneous with the period of the Bible broadened the picture. Comparing and contrasting archaeological and textual sources with the application of anthropological models derived from comparative religious studies led to modern syntheses of the subject. Initially these were heavily based upon the biblical text, often with the application of theories of literary and historical criticism. Since the 1980s, however, a focus on texts from the same time and region, as well as interpretation of artifacts with religious significance, has challenged older models of Israelite religion. Influences and the interactions of believers and their deities appear increasingly complex. No longer is there an understanding of a mere one or two religions in Israel (e.g., worshippers of Yahweh and worshippers of Baal). It now seems clear that various religious practices and texts attest to the presence of multiple religions followed by people in the region of ancient Israel, sometimes reflecting differences in gender, culture, ethnicity, and other factors. While a form of worship as described in biblical accounts may have been followed, there were other forms which, in various ways, syncretized Yahweh with other goddesses and gods. This has led scholars to question the factors that led to, and the time of emergence of, belief in a single deity in Israel, as well as to question the nature of that deity. Answers and models remain in a state of flux; evidence remains to be reviewed and interpretations demand critical interpretation.
Potential Impacts of Deep-Sea Mining on Ecosystems
Authors: Sharma Rahul
Published: June 2020

Deep-sea mining pertains to underwater minerals such as polymetallic nodules, ferromanganese crusts, and hydrothermal sulfides that are considered as alternative sources for metals such as Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Zn, Cd, Mn, Fe, and rare earths that could be exploited in the future by developing suitable technologies. Many of these deposits occur in international waters in which several “contractors” have staked claims over large tracts of the seafloor under the United Nations Law of the Sea, whereas attempts are also being made to develop the deposits within the Exclusive Economic Zone of some countries. However, several concerns have emerged over potential impacts of mining these deposits, leading to regulations being framed as well as measures being devised for conserving the marine ecosystems.

The likely sources of environmental impact of deep-sea mining include those from the mining ship where handling of ore, machinery, oil will take place; the lift mechanism that would transfer the minerals from the sea bottom to the surface through the entire water column; as well as the mining machine that would actually scrape the seafloor for minerals. This article describes the likely impacts that could be caused due to mining of three different types of deep-sea minerals, viz. polymetallic nodules, hydrothermal sulfides and ferromanganese crusts. It further shows the estimation of impacts in terms of mining area, volume and weight of associated substrates; and goes on to suggest mitigation measures to minimize the potential impacts of deep-sea mining. Finally, the national and international environmental regulations for deep-sea mining have been discussed.
Effects of Prior Season Vaccination on Current Season Vaccine Effectiveness in the United States Flu Vaccine Effectiveness Network, 2012–2013 Through 2017–2018
Authors: Kim Sara S , Flannery Brendan , Foppa Ivo M , Chung Jessie R , Nowalk Mary Patricia , Zimmerman Richard K , Gaglani Manjusha , Monto Arnold S , Martin Emily T , Belongia Edward A , McLean Huong Q , Jackson Michael L , Jackson Lisa A , Patel Manish
Published: June 2020

Background

We compared effects of prior vaccination and added or lost protection from current season vaccination among those previously vaccinated.

Methods

Our analysis included data from the US Flu Vaccine Effectiveness Network among participants ≥9 years old with acute respiratory illness from 2012–2013 through 2017–2018. Vaccine protection was estimated using multivariate logistic regression with an interaction term for effect of prior season vaccination on current season vaccine effectiveness. Models were adjusted for age, calendar time, high-risk status, site, and season for combined estimates. We estimated protection by combinations of current and prior vaccination compared to unvaccinated in both seasons or current vaccination among prior vaccinated.

Results

A total of 31 819 participants were included. Vaccine protection against any influenza averaged 42% (95% confidence interval [CI], 38%–47%) among those vaccinated only the current season, 37% (95% CI, 33–40) among those vaccinated both seasons, and 26% (95% CI, 18%–32%) among those vaccinated only the prior season, compared with participants vaccinated neither season. Current season vaccination reduced the odds of any influenza among patients unvaccinated the prior season by 42% (95% CI, 37%–46%), including 57%, 27%, and 55% against A(H1N1), A(H3N2), and influenza B, respectively. Among participants vaccinated the prior season, current season vaccination further reduced the odds of any influenza by 15% (95% CI, 7%–23%), including 29% against A(H1N1) and 26% against B viruses, but not against A(H3N2).

Conclusions

Our findings support Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations for annual influenza vaccination. Benefits of current season vaccination varied among participants with and without prior season vaccination, by virus type/subtype and season.
Incidence and Prevalence of Microscopic Colitis Between 2001 and 2016: A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Weimers Petra , Ankersen Dorit Vedel , Lophaven Søren , Bonderup Ole Kristian , Münch Andreas , Løkkegaard Ellen Christine Leth , Burisch Johan , Munkholm Pia
Published: June 2020

Background and Aims

Epidemiological studies suggest an increasing global incidence of microscopic colitis, including collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis. We aimed to investigate the incidence and prevalence of microscopic colitis in Denmark.

Methods

In a nationwide cohort study, we included all incident patients with a recorded diagnosis of collagenous colitis or lymphocytic colitis in the Danish Pathology Register between 2001 and 2016.

Results

A total of 14 302 patients with microscopic colitis—8437 [59%] with collagenous and 5865 [41%] with lymphocytic colitis—were identified during the study period. The prevalence in December 2016 was estimated to be 197.9 cases per 100 000 inhabitants. Microscopic colitis was more prevalent among females (n = 10 127 [71%]), with a mean annual incidence of 28.8, compared with 12.3 per 100 000 person-years among males. The overall mean incidence during the study period was 20.7 per 100 000 person-years. Mean age at time of diagnosis was 65 years (standard deviation [SD]:14) for microscopic colitis, 67 [SD:13] for collagenous colitis, and 63 [SD:15] for lymphocytic colitis. The overall incidence increased significantly from 2.3 cases in 2001 to 24.3 cases per 100 000 person-years in 2016. However, the highest observed incidence of microscopic colitis was 32.3 cases per 100 000 person-years in 2011. Large regional differences were found, with the highest incidence observed in the least populated region.

Conclusions

The incidence of microscopic colitis in Denmark has increased 10-fold during the past 15 years and has now surpassed that of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. However, incidence has stabilised since 2012, suggesting that a plateau has been reached.
Idiopathic endomyocardial fibrosis in a Western European: a case report
Authors: Théry Guillaume , Faroux Laurent , Deleuze Philippe , Metz Damien
Published: June 2020

Background

Endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) is a rare cause of restrictive cardiomyopathy, mainly found in tropical/subtropical country. Endomyocardial fibrosis causes severe congestive symptoms and may lead to end-stage heart failure.

Case summary

A French Caucasian 44-year-old man without noticeable medical history and who had never travelled outside of France was hospitalized for a first episode of acute heart failure revealing an atypical appearance of the left ventricle. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) identified EMF, but investigations did not identify any aetiology (no eosinophilia). Despite optimal management of chronic heart failure, functional class declined rapidly resulting in several hospitalizations for heart failure. The patient finally underwent an elective heart transplantation with good results at 6-month follow-up.

Discussion

Endomyocardial fibrosis exact physiopathology remains unclear, although association with eosinophilia has been reported. Diagnosis is challenging and is based on multi-modal imagery with a central role of CMR. There is no consensus on optimal management, medical therapy having poor outcomes and rate of peri-operative complications being high. Heart transplantation should be considered for eligible patients.
Protestant Depopulation in County Longford during the Irish Revolution, 1911–1926
Authors: Coleman Marie
Published: June 2020

The experience of the Protestant minority in Ireland during the years of the Irish revolution has been the subject of much academic and popular debate in recent years. At issue is the extent to which the decline by one-third of the Protestant population of the Irish Free State between 1911 and 1926 was a result either of intimidation, sectarianism or ethnic cleansing during the revolution itself, or of more mundane factors such as long-term patterns of migration and low marriage and birth rates. Drawing upon digitised census returns and the rich detail contained in the records of the Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches in County Longford, this article will show that the causes of depopulation are better understood when precise chronological, local, denominational and gender perspectives are brought to bear. It will argue for greater engagement with sociological literature to define more effectively the meaning of sectarianism in revolutionary Ireland. It will also invert the principal question of why the Protestants left and seek to explain why those who remained chose to do so. County Longford is chosen as a suitable case-study because it was affected by both long-term socio-economic factors and revolutionary violence, and the three Protestant denominations in the county have extensive archives which help to fill the gap in civil data occasioned by the absence of a census of population for fifteen years between 1911 and 1926. The article identifies dynamics present in Longford that can be explored in other regional contexts to achieve a wider national understanding of this demographic shift.
Ethanol and H2O2 stresses enhance lipid production in an oleaginous Rhodotorula toruloides thermotolerant mutant L1-1
Authors: Wu Chih-Chan , Ohashi Takao , Misaki Ryo , Limtong Savitree , Fujiyama Kazuhito
Published: June 2020

Stress tolerance is a desired characteristic of yeast strains for industrial applications. Stress tolerance has been well described in Saccharomyces yeasts but has not yet been characterized in oleaginous Rhodotorula yeasts even though they are considered promising platforms for lipid production owing to their outstanding lipogenicity. In a previous study, the thermotolerant strain L1–1 was isolated from R. toruloides DMKU3-TK16 (formerly Rhodosporidium toruloides). In this study, we aimed to further examine the ability of this strain to tolerate other stresses and its lipid productivity under various stress conditions. We found that the L1–1 strain could tolerate not only thermal stress but also oxidative stress (ethanol and H2O2), osmotic stress (glucose) and a cell membrane disturbing reagent (DMSO). Our results also showed that the L1–1 strain exhibited enhanced ability to maintain ROS homeostasis, stronger cell wall strength and increased levels of unsaturated membrane lipids under various stresses. Moreover, we also demonstrated that ethanol-induced stress significantly increased the lipid productivity of the thermotolerant L1–1. The thermotolerant L1–1 was also found to produce a higher lipid titer under the dual ethanol-H2O2 stress than under non-stress conditions. This is the first report to indicate that ethanol stress can induce lipid production in an R. toruloides thermotolerant strain.
A homologous overexpression system to study roles of drug transporters in Candida glabrata
Authors: Kumari Sonam , Kumar Mohit , Khandelwal Nitesh Kumar , Pandey Ajay Kumar , Bhakt Priyanka , Kaur Rupinder , Prasad Rajendra , Gaur Naseem A
Published: June 2020

Considering the relevance of drug transporters belonging to ABC and MFS superfamilies in pathogenic Candida species, there has always been a need to have an overexpression system where these membrane proteins for functional analysis could be expressed in a homologous background. We could address this unmet need by constructing a highly drug-susceptible Candida glabrata strain deleted in seven dominant ABC transporters genes such as CgSNQ2, CgAUS1, CgCDR1, CgPDH1, CgYCF1, CgYBT1 and CgYOR1 and introduced a GOF mutation in transcription factor (TF) CgPDR1 leading to a hyper-activation of CgCDR1 locus. The expression system was validated by overexpressing four GFP tagged ABC (CgCDR1, CgPDH1, CaCDR1 and ScPDR5) and an MFS (CgFLR1) transporters genes facilitated by an engineered expression plasmid to integrate at the CgCDR1 locus. The properly expressed and localized transporters were fully functional, as was revealed by their several-fold increased drug resistance, growth kinetics, localization studies and efflux activities. The present homologous system will facilitate in determining the role of an individual transporter for its substrate specificity, drug efflux, pathogenicity and virulence traits without the interference of other major transporters.
Identification of 22 N-glycosites on spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 and accessible surface glycopeptide motifs: Implications for vaccination and antibody therapeutics
Authors: Zhou Dapeng , Tian Xiaoxu , Qi Ruibing , Peng Chao , Zhang Wen
Published: June 2020

Coronaviruses hijack human enzymes to assemble the sugar coat on their spike glycoproteins. The mechanisms by which human antibodies may recognize the antigenic viral peptide epitopes hidden by the sugar coat are unknown. Glycosylation by insect cells differs from the native form produced in human cells, but insect cell-derived influenza vaccines have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. In this study, we analyzed recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein secreted from BTI-Tn-5B1-4 insect cells, by trypsin and chymotrypsin digestion followed by mass spectrometry analysis. We acquired tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) spectrums for glycopeptides of all 22 predicted N-glycosylated sites. We further analyzed the surface accessibility of spike proteins according to cryogenic electron microscopy and homolog-modeled structures and available antibodies that bind to SARS-CoV-1. All 22 N-glycosylated sites of SARS-CoV-2 are modified by high-mannose N-glycans. MS/MS fragmentation clearly established the glycopeptide identities. Electron densities of glycans cover most of the spike receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2, except YQAGSTPCNGVEGFNCYFPLQSYGFQPTNGVGYQ, similar to a region FSPDGKPCTPPALNCYWPLNDYGFYTTTGIGYQ in SARS-CoV-1. Other surface-exposed domains include those located on central helix, connecting region, heptad repeats and N-terminal domain. Because the majority of antibody paratopes bind to the peptide portion with or without sugar modification, we propose a snake-catching model for predicted paratopes: a minimal length of peptide is first clamped by a paratope and sugar modifications close to the peptide either strengthen or do not hinder the binding.
Illness representations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to inform health education strategies and research design—learning from rural Uganda
Authors: Nagourney Emily M , Robertson Nicole M , Rykiel Natalie , Siddharthan Trishul , Alupo Patricia , Encarnacion Marysol , Kirenga Bruce J , Kalyesubula Robert , Quaderi Shumonta A , Hurst John R , Checkley William , Pollard Suzanne L
Published: June 2020

More than 90% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries; however, few studies have examined the illness experiences of individuals living with and providing treatment for COPD in these settings. This study characterizes illness representations for COPD in Nakaseke, Uganda from the perspectives of health care providers, village health teams and community members (CMs) with COPD. We conducted 40 in-depth, semi-structured interviews (16 health care providers, 12 village health teams and 12 CMs, aged 25–80 years). Interviews were analyzed using inductive coding, and the Illness Representations Model guided our analysis. Stakeholder groups showed concordance in identifying causal mechanisms of COPD, but showed disagreement in reasons for care seeking behaviors and treatment preferences. CMs did not use a distinct label to differentiate COPD from other respiratory illnesses, and described both the physical and social consequences of COPD. Local representations can inform development of adapted educational and self-management tools for COPD.
The Greek Response to COVID-19: A True Success Story from an IBD Perspective
Authors: Bamias Giorgos , Lagou Styliani , Gizis Michalis , Karampekos George , Kyriakoulis Konstantinos G , Pontas Christos , Mantzaris Gerassimos J
Published: June 2020

Background

After the first case of infection with the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in China, an outbreak rapidly spread, finally evolving into a global pandemic. The new disease was named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and by May 10, 2020, it has affected more than 4 million people worldwide and caused more than 270,000 deaths.

Methods

We describe the Greek experience regarding the response to COVID-19, with particular focus on 2 COVID-19 reference hospitals in the metropolitan area of Athens, the capital of Greece.

Results

The first case of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Greece was reported on February 26, 2020, and prompted a decisive response from the Greek government. The primary focus was containment of virus spread, considering shortage of ICU beds. A general lockdown was implemented early on, and the national Health Care System underwent massive re-structuring. Our 2 gastrointestinal (GI) centers, which provide care for more than 1500 inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, are located in hospitals that were transformed to COVID-19 reference centers. To maintain sufficient care for our patients, while also contributing to the fight against COVID-19, we undertook specific measures. These included provision of telemedicine services, electronic prescriptions and home delivery of medications, isolation of infusion units and IBD clinics in COVID-free zones of the hospitals, in addition to limiting endoscopies to emergencies only. Such practices allowed us to avoid interruption of appropriate therapies for IBD patients. In fact, within the SECURE-IBD database, there have been only 4 Greek IBD patients, to date, who have been reported as positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Conclusion

Timely application of preventive measures and strict compliance to guidelines limited the spread of COVID-19 in Greece and minimally impacted our IBD community, without interfering with therapeutic management.
Abundance and spatial distribution of brown crab (Cancer pagurus) from fishery-independent dredge and trawl surveys in the North Sea
Authors: Mesquita Carlos , Dobby Helen , Pierce Graham J , Jones Catherine S , Fernandes Paul G
Published: June 2020

Brown crab (Cancer pagurus) is a widely distributed crustacean that occurs around the British coastline supporting important commercial ﬁsheries. The habitat preferences of brown crab around Scotland are poorly documented and for the purposes of stock assessment, the species is considered data-poor. Based on an analysis of dredge and trawl surveys taking place in the North Sea (2008–2018), we describe the spatial distribution of brown crab and for the first time, develop abundance and recruitment indices for the species. We make use of geostatistical methods and apply generalized additive models to model catch rates in relation to a number of explanatory variables (depth, distance to the coast, sediment type and year). The dredge and trawl abundance indices were correlated showing a similar trend of increasing catch rates in the early years of the time series up to 2016 and a subsequent reduction. The recruitment index showed a gradual increase in captured juvenile crabs up to 2014 followed by a steep decrease with 2018 being the lowest value estimated. The derivation of robust indicators of stock abundance will contribute to the stock assessment of this species and enable the provision of improved fisheries management advice for brown crab around Scotland.
On the Lower Bound of the Number of Abelian Varieties Over 𝔽p
Authors: Lee Jungin
Published: June 2020

In this paper, we prove that the number $B(p,g)$ of isomorphism classes of abelian varieties over a prime field $\mathbb{F}_p$ of dimension $g$ has a lower bound $p^{\frac{1}{2}g^2(1+o(1))}$ as $g \rightarrow \infty$. This is the 1st nontrivial result on the lower bound of $B(p,g)$. We also improve the upper bound $2^{34g^2}p^{\frac{69}{4} g^2 (1+o(1))}$ of $B(p,g)$ given by Lipnowski and Tsimerman [ 7] to $p^{\frac{45}{4} g^2(1+o(1))}$.
Immunogenicity of the Adjuvanted Recombinant Zoster Vaccine: Persistence and Anamnestic Response to Additional Doses Administered 10 Years After Primary Vaccination
Authors: Hastie Andrew , Catteau Grégory , Enemuo Adaora , Mrkvan Tomas , Salaun Bruno , Volpe Stephanie , Smetana Jan , Rombo Lars , Schwarz Tino , Pauksens Karlis , Hervé Caroline , Bastidas Adriana , Schuind Anne
Published: June 2020

Background

The adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) is highly immunogenic and efficacious in adults ≥50 years of age. We evaluated (1) long-term immunogenicity of an initial 2-dose RZV schedule, by following up adults vaccinated at ≥60 years of age and by modeling, and (2) immunogenicity of 2 additional doses administered 10 years after initial vaccination.

Methods

Persistence of humoral and cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses to 2 initial RZV doses was assessed through 10 years after initial vaccination, and modeled through 20 years using a Piecewise, Power law and Fraser model. The immunogenicity and safety of 2 additional RZV doses were also evaluated.

Results

Seventy adults were enrolled. Ten years after initial vaccination, humoral and CMI responses were approximately 6-fold and 3.5-fold, respectively, above those before the initial vaccination levels. Predicted immune persistence through 20 years after initial vaccination was similar across the 3 models. Sixty-two participants (mean age [standard deviation], 82.6 [4.4] years) received ≥1 additional RZV dose. Strong anamnestic humoral and CMI responses were elicited by 1 additional dose, without further increases after a second additional dose.

Conclusions

Immune responses to an initial 2-dose RZV course persisted for many years in older adults. Strong anamnestic immune responses can be induced by additional dosing 10 years after the initial 2-dose course.

Clinical Trials Registration

NCT02735915.