bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Atmospheric chemistry on Uranus and Neptune
Authors: Moses J. I. , Cavalié T. , Fletcher L. N. , Roman M. T.
Published: November 2020

Comparatively little is known about atmospheric chemistry on Uranus and Neptune, because remote spectral observations of these cold, distant ‘Ice Giants’ are challenging, and each planet has only been visited by a single spacecraft during brief flybys in the 1980s. Thermochemical equilibrium is expected to control the composition in the deeper, hotter regions of the atmosphere on both planets, but disequilibrium chemical processes such as transport-induced quenching and photochemistry alter the composition in the upper atmospheric regions that can be probed remotely. Surprising disparities in the abundance of disequilibrium chemical products between the two planets point to significant differences in atmospheric transport. The atmospheric composition of Uranus and Neptune can provide critical clues for unravelling details of planet formation and evolution, but only if it is fully understood how and why atmospheric constituents vary in a three-dimensional sense and how material coming in from outside the planet affects observed abundances. Future mission planning should take into account the key outstanding questions that remain unanswered about atmospheric chemistry on Uranus and Neptune, particularly those questions that pertain to planet formation and evolution, and those that address the complex, coupled atmospheric processes that operate on Ice Giants within our solar system and beyond.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Future exploration of ice giant systems’.
Auroral emissions from Uranus and Neptune
Authors: Lamy L.
Published: November 2020

Uranus and Neptune possess highly tilted/offset magnetic fields whose interaction with the solar wind shapes unique twin asymmetric, highly dynamical, magnetospheres. These radiate complex auroral emissions, both reminiscent of those observed at the other planets and unique to the ice giants, which have been detected at radio and ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths to date. Our current knowledge of these radiations, which probe fundamental planetary properties (magnetic field, rotation period, magnetospheric processes, etc.), still mostly relies on Voyager 2 radio, UV andin situmeasurements, when the spacecraft flew by each planet in the 1980s. These pioneering observations were, however, limited in time and sampled specific solar wind/magnetosphere configurations, which significantly vary at various timescales down to a fraction of a planetary rotation. Since then, despite repeated Earth-based observations at similar and other wavelengths, only the Uranian UV aurorae have been re-observed at scarce occasions by the Hubble Space Telescope. These observations revealed auroral features radically different from those seen by Voyager 2, diagnosing yet another solar wind/magnetosphere configuration. Perspectives for the in-depth study of the Uranian and Neptunian auroral processes, with implications for exoplanets, include follow-up remote Earth-based observations and future orbital exploration of one or both ice giant planetary systems.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Future exploration of ice giant systems’.
Lessons learned from (and since) the Voyager 2 flybys of Uranus and Neptune
Authors: Hammel Heidi B.
Published: November 2020

More than 30 years have passed since the Voyager 2 flybys of Uranus and Neptune. This paper outlines a range of lessons learned from Voyager, broadly grouped into ‘process, planning and people.’ In terms of process, we must be open to new concepts, whether new instrument technologies, new propulsion systems or operational modes. Examples from recent decades that could open new vistas in the exploration of the deep outer Solar System include the Cassini Resource Exchange and the ‘sleep’ mode from the New Horizons mission. Planning is crucial: mission gaps that last over three decades leave much scope for evolution both in mission development and in the targets themselves. The science is covered in other papers in this issue, but this paper addresses the structure of the US Planetary Decadal Surveys, with a specific urging to move from a ‘destination-based’ organization to a structure based on fundamental science. Coordination of distinct and divergent international planning timelines brings both challenges and opportunity. Complexity in the funding and political processes is amplified when multiple structures must be navigated; but the science is enriched by the diversity of international perspectives, as were represented at the Ice Giant discussion meeting that motivated this review. Finally, the paper turns to people: with generational-length gaps between missions, continuity in knowledge and skills requires careful attention to people. Lessons for the next generation of voyagers include: how to lead and inspire; how to develop the perspective to see their missions through decades-long development phases; and cultivation of strategic thinking, altruism and above all, patience.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Future exploration of ice giant systems’.
The role of ice lines in the formation of Uranus and Neptune
Authors: Mousis O. , Aguichine A. , Helled R. , Irwin P. G. J. , Lunine J. I.
Published: November 2020

We aim at investigating whether the chemical composition of the outer region of the protosolar nebula can be consistent with current estimates of the elemental abundances in the ice giants. To do so, we use a self-consistent evolutionary disc and transport model to investigate the time and radial distributions of H
2
O, CO, CO
2
, CH
3
OH, CH
4
, N
2
and H
2
S, i.e. the main O-, C-, N and S-bearing volatiles in the outer disc. We show that it is impossible to accrete a mixture composed of gas and solids from the disc with a C/H ratio presenting enrichments comparable to the measurements (approx. 70 times protosolar). We also find that the C/N and C/S ratios measured in Uranus and Neptune are compatible with those acquired by building blocks agglomerated from solids condensed in the 10–20 AU region of the protosolar nebula. By contrast, the presence of protosolar C/N and C/S ratios in Uranus and Neptune would imply that their building blocks agglomerated from particles condensed at larger heliocentric distances. Our study outlines the importance of measuring the elemental abundances in the ice giant atmospheres, as they can be used to trace the planetary formation location, the origin of their building blocks and/or the chemical and physical conditions of the protosolar nebula.

This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Future exploration of ice giant systems’.
Genetic variants are identified to increase risk of COVID-19 related mortality from UK Biobank data
Authors: Hu Jianchang , Li Cai , Wang Shiying , Li Ting , Zhang Heping
Published: November 2020

Background

The severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is highly heterogenous. Studies have reported that males and some ethnic groups are at increased risk of death from COVID-19, which implies that individual risk of death might be influenced by host genetic factors.

Methods

In this project, we consider the mortality as the trait of interest and perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of data for 1,778 infected cases (445 deaths, 25.03%) distributed by the UK Biobank. Traditional GWAS failed to identify any genome-wide significant genetic variants from this dataset. To enhance the power of GWAS and account for possible multi-loci interactions, we adopt the concept of super-variant for the detection of genetic factors. A discovery-validation procedure is used for verifying the potential associations.

Results

We find 8 super-variants that are consistently identified across multiple replications as susceptibility loci for COVID-19 mortality. The identified risk factors on Chromosomes 2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 16, and 17 contain genetic variants and genes related to cilia dysfunctions (DNAH7andCLUAP1), cardiovascular diseases (DESandSPEG), thromboembolic disease (STXBP5), mitochondrial dysfunctions (TOMM7), and innate immune system (WSB1). It is noteworthy thatDNAH7has been reported recently as the most downregulated gene after infecting human bronchial epithelial cells with SARS-CoV2.

Conclusions

Eight genetic variants are identified to significantly increase risk of COVID-19 mortality among the patients with white British ancestry. These findings may provide timely evidence and clues for better understanding the molecular pathogenesis of COVID-19 and genetic basis of heterogeneous susceptibility, with potential impact on new therapeutic options.
A novel anti-inflammatory treatment for bradykinin-induced sore throat or pharyngitis
Authors: Leyva-Grado Victor , Pugach Pavel , Latefi Nazlie
Published: November 2020

Background

Often thought of as a minor health concern, sore throat or pharyngitis is an important public health issue. It is one of the most common symptoms of upper respiratory diseases including COVID-19 and is a leading cause of physician visits and antibiotic prescriptions. However, few over the counter medications are proven to heal sore throat inflammation.

Methods

Adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cells (A549 cells) and three dimensional organotypic human respiratory tissues were used to study inflammation and various treatment effects on respiratory epithelia. The cells and tissues were studied both in the presence and absence of bradykinin, one of the first inflammatory mediators of pharyngitis. Inflammation was measured by analyzing levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin 8 (IL-8), and leukotriene B4 (LTB4), transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Tissue morphology was analyzed by immunohistochemistry.

Results

In studying pharyngitis using organotypic human respiratory tissue stimulated with bradykinin, we saw an increase in prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in response to bradykinin. Acetyl salicylic acid (ASA), a non-specific COX inhibitor, was able to mitigate a bradykinin-induced increase in PGE2 in our studies. However, ASA was inflammatory above its therapeutic window, increasing levels of PGE2 and IL-8 above those seen with bradykinin stimulation alone. We describe a novel, scientifically validated treatment for sore throat, that contains a low dose of aspirin and other anti-inflammatory ingredients.

Conclusion

This study elucidates the complex mechanisms involved in healing pharyngitis, an inflammatory condition of the upper respiratory epithelia. An ASA-based formula (Biovanta) mitigated bradykinin-induced inflammation more strongly than ASA alone in organotypic human respiratory tissues. Surprisingly, we found that many of the most common over the counter sore throat therapies exacerbate inflammation and IL-8 in organotypic human respiratory tissues, suggesting these common treatments may increase the likelihood of further respiratory complications.

Competing interest statement

This study was funded entirely by Applied Biological Laboratories, a private company that owns the Biovanta™ product. Some studies were conducted by third parties in a blind format, as indicated. All other experiments were performed at Applied Biological Laboratories’ research facility located at the SUNY Downstate Biotechnology Incubator, a part of StartUP NY. All of the authors were employees of Applied Biological Laboratories at the time the experiments were performed.
Quantitative genetic basis of floral design in a natural plant population
Authors: Zhou Juannan , Fenster Charles B. , Reynolds Richard J.
Published: November 2020

The amount of genetic variation of floral traits and the degree to which they are genetically correlated are important parameters for the study of plant evolution. Estimates of these parameters can reveal the effect of historical selection relative to neutral processes such as mutation and drift, and allow us to predict the short-term evolutionary trajectory of a population under various selective regimes. Here, we assess the heritability and genetic correlation of the floral design of a native N. American tetraploid plant,Silene stellata(Caryophyllaceae), in a natural population. Specifically, we use a linear mixed model to estimate the genetic parameters based on a genealogy reconstructed from highly variable molecular markers. Overall, we found significant heritabilities in five out of nine studied traits. The level of heritability was intermediate (0.027 – 0.441). Interestingly, the floral trait showing the highest level of genetic variation was previously shown to be under strong sexually conflicting selection, which may serve as a mechanism for maintaining the observed genetic variation. Additionally, we also found prevalent positive genetic correlations between floral traits. Our results suggest thatS. stellatais capable of responding to phenotypic selection on its floral design, while the abundant positive genetic correlations could also constrain the evolutionary trajectories to certain directions. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the utility and feasibility of marker-based approaches for estimating genetic parameters in natural populations.
χ-separation: Magnetic susceptibility source separation toward iron and myelin mapping in the brain
Authors: Shin Hyeong-Geol , Lee Jingu , Yun Young Hyun , Yoo Seong Ho , Jang Jinhee , Oh Se-Hong , Nam Yoonho , Jung Sehoon , Kim Sunhye , Fukunaga Masaki , Kim Woojun , Choi Hyung Jin , Lee Jongho
Published: November 2020

Obtaining a histological fingerprint from thein-vivobrain has been a long-standing target of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In particular, non-invasive imaging of iron and myelin, which are involved in normal brain functions and are histopathological hallmarks in neurodegenerative diseases, has practical utilities in neuroscience and medicine. Here, we propose a biophysical model that describes the individual contribution of paramagnetic (e.g., iron) and diamagnetic (e.g., myelin) susceptibility sources to the frequency shift and transverse relaxation of MRI signals. Using this model, we develop a method,χ-separation, that generates the voxel-wise distributions of the two sources. The method is validated using computer simulation and phantom experiments, and applied toex-vivoandin-vivobrains. The results delineate the well-known histological features of iron and myelin in the specimen, healthy volunteers, and multiple sclerosis patients. This new technology may serve as a practical tool for exploring the microstructural information of the brain.
Identification of cell-type-specific marker genes from co-expression patterns in tissue samples
Authors: Qiu Yixuan , Wang Jiebiao , Lei Jing , Roeder Kathryn
Published: November 2020

Motivation

Marker genes, defined as genes that are expressed primarily in a single cell type, can be identified from the single cell transcriptome; however, such data are not always available for the many uses of marker genes, such as deconvolution of bulk tissue. Marker genes for a cell type, however, are highly correlated in bulk data, because their expression levels depend primarily on the proportion of that cell type in the samples. Therefore, when many tissue samples are analyzed, it is possible to identify these marker genes from the correlation pattern.

Results

To capitalize on this pattern, we develop a new algorithm to detect marker genes by combining published information about likely marker genes with bulk transcriptome data in the form of a semi-supervised algorithm. The algorithm then exploits the correlation structure of the bulk data to refine the published marker genes by adding or removing genes from the list.

Availability and implementation

We implement this method as an R package markerpen, hosted onhttps://github.com/yixuan/markerpen.

Contact

roeder@andrew.cmu.edu
Dual clathrin and adhesion signaling systems regulate growth factor receptor activation
Authors: Alfonzo-Mendez Marco A. , Sochacki Kem A. , Strub Marie-Paule , Taraska Justin W.
Published: November 2020

The crosstalk between growth factor and adhesion receptors is key for cell growth and migration. In pathological settings, these receptors are drivers of cancer. Yet, how growth and adhesion signals are spatially organized and integrated is poorly understood. Here we use quantitative fluorescence and electron microscopy to reveal a mechanism where flat clathrin lattices partition and activate growth factor signals via a coordinated response that involves crosstalk between epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the adhesion receptor β5-integrin. We show that ligand-activated EGFR, Grb2, Src, and β5-integrin are captured by clathrin coated-structures at the plasma membrane. Clathrin structures dramatically grow in response to ligand activation into large flat plaques and provide a signaling platform that link EGFR and β5-integrin through Src-mediated phosphorylation. Disrupting this EGFR/Src/β5-integrin axis prevents both clathrin plaque growth and receptor signaling. Our study reveals a reciprocal regulation of clathrin lattices and two different receptor systems to enhance cell growth factor signaling. These findings have broad implications for the control of growth factor receptors, mechanotransduction, and endocytosis.
Exosomal melanotransferrin as a potential biomarker for metastatic melanoma
Authors: Bonhoure Anne , Henry Laurent , Morille Marie , Aissaoui Nesrine , Bellot Gaëtan , Stoebner Pierre-Emmanuel , Vidal Michel
Published: November 2020

Cutaneous melanoma is the most lethal type of skin cancer. Early detection is crucial to improve the outcome of melanoma patients. The identification of noninvasive prognostic biomarkers for the follow-up of melanoma patients is still in demand for clinical use. We show here that exosomal melanotransferrin (MTf) fulfils the biomarker characteristics required to meet this demand. MTf is typically overexpressed in melanoma cells compared to other cell types – including cancer cells – and is efficiently sorted and secreted with nanovesicles, or so-called exosomes, due to its membrane-anchoring by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol. MTf is exposed on the surface of exosomes and is accessible for antibody recognition. An ELISA was set-up to quantify MTf after immobilization of nanovesicles through the exosomal constituent tetraspanins CD63. MTf was detected using low number of exosomes purified from melanoma cell line cultures, and MTf detection was abolished by phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) treatment. This exosomal MTf ELISA was able to discriminate an equal number of assayed exosomes purified from two different melanoma cell lines (A-375 vs SK-MEL-28). Moreover, plasma samples from patients with melanoma and noncancer disease were assayed using this ELISA and exosomal MTf was validated as a potential melanoma biomarker.
Fundamental aspects of symmetry and order parameter coupling for martensitic transition sequences in Heusler alloys. Erratum
Authors: Carpenter Michael A. , Howard Christopher J.
Published: November 2020

In the course of further studies of phase transitions in martensites [Driver, Salje, Howard, Lampronti, Ding & Carpenter (2020), Phys. Rev. B, 102, 014105], errors were uncovered in a few entries in Table 3 of the paper by Carpenter & Howard [(2018), Acta Cryst. B74, 560–573]. The required corrections are given here.
Control techniques for enhancing performance of PV system under dynamic conditions
Authors: Ehtesham Md , Jamil Majid
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on two major areas of concern for the Photovoltaic (PV) system, i.e. power quality and maximum power point tracking (MPPT). Novel control strategies have been proposed for both these issues, and their respective superiorities over the existing techniques have been established. On the other hand, as far as MPPT is concerned, two limitations are found in the available techniques. One is the inability of effective MPPT in dynamic conditions where the environmental parameters changes very rapidly. Second one is the ineffective tracking of global maxima under partial shading conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

Here, modified Kalman filtering approach has been applied for estimating the reference current of active power filter, incorporated for power quality improvement. The proposed Kalman algorithm introduces a weighted matrix, which advances the estimated values of state variables. This paper presents a simple and enhanced model-based (MB) MPPT algorithm that has the capability of tracking MPPT effectively in both these working conditions. The proposed MB algorithm uses the mathematical modelling, and based on precised estimation of parameters, it pre-determines the MPP analytically.

Findings

It has been tested successfully for dynamic variations of insolation, temperature and partial shading, where all these three parameters are rigorously varied over the full scale of practical values. The results have been also investigated experimentally and compared with the simulated one. A close matching of both the results has been shown through the plots, which validates the effectiveness of proposed algorithms.

Originality/value

This research paper is part of the original research work carried out in Lab. Simulated results are obtained in MATLAB/Simulink platform, whereas these are further validated experimentally on 2-KW panel constituted with all types of commercial products, namely, mono, poly and thin-film.
Migration enclave and downward economic growth in Africa
Authors: Afridi Muhammad Asim , Tahir Muhammad , Sayal Aziz Ullah , Naseem Imran
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The African region has experienced relatively lower economic growth and higher outflow of migration over the years. The purpose of this research paper, therefore, is to focus on the African region to investigate whether or not there is any link between the poor economic growth and rising outflow of migration.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical data spanning from 1990 to 2015 are collected from reliable sources for 41 countries belonging to the African region. Appropriate estimating methodology that controls for unobserved heterogeneity both across time and across countries, and endogeneity is employed.

Findings

The results revealed that the migration has adversely influenced the economic growth of the African region as a whole. The splitting of sample into male and female migration also reflected the fact that the unsatisfied economic growth of the African region could be explained by the ever rising migration level. Other determinants such as employment and growth of physical capital have helped the region in the growth journey. Human capital has not played a vital role in economic growth as it is adversely affected by migration. Further, the study found support for the positive impact of moderate inflation on economic growth. The obtained results are robust to alternative methodologies and hence would be beneficial for policymakers.

Originality/value

The present study provides for the first time comprehensive empirical evidence on the relationship between migration and economic growth by focusing on Africa. Therefore, this study would be of prime importance for policymakers.
Clusters of key barriers to life cycle assessment adoption in the South African construction industry: perspectives of stakeholders
Authors: Kwofie Titus Ebenezer , Aigbavboa Clinton Ohis , Thwala Wellington Didibhuku
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The South African Construction Industry (SACI) in recent times has been characterized by a strong emphasis towards achieving sustainable building practices in infrastructural delivery. However, the lack of progress encountered in making gains in achieving sustainable practices has raised concerns over the effectiveness and understanding of the extent to which life cycle assessment (LCA) techniques may aid in meeting requirements of sustainable construction. Most efforts at LCA have been blighted with numerous barriers that have not been rigorously pursued and aggregated. Ironically, there is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the limitations and barriers to these methodologies, especially in the South African context. The purpose of this study is to delineate the cluster of barriers to the adoption of LCA methodologies in the SACI.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey was carried out from a deductive research design elicit primary data based on the experience of purposively sampled stakeholders in LCA in the SACI on the extent they perceived the presence of well-established barriers in LCA adoption culled from the extensive literature review.

Findings

Through the use of factor analysis, three aggregated clusters of key barriers to LCA adoption in the SACI were identified, which were knowledge and enabling conditions constraints, cost and time constraints and technical constraints. The results confirm that indeed human and technical barriers have been notable in limiting gains in LCA adoption and achieving sustainable practices.

Originality/value

These findings are, thus, useful in overcoming challenges to LCA methodologies in achieving sustainable building practices in building and infrastructural delivery in SACI.
Social media analysis of consumer opinion on apparel supply chain transparency
Authors: Modi Dipali , Zhao Li
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This study aims to use social network analysis to (1) investigate public opinions on social media regarding apparel supply chain transparency and (2) identify key themes and the major communities discussing apparel supply chain transparency.

Design/methodology/approach

Data mining-based social network analysis was used to investigate the pattern of discussions regarding apparel supply chain transparency on Twitter and Instagram.

Findings

Both Instagram and Twitter networks exhibited high interest in environmental, working condition and community support in apparel supply chain as explained by the moral responsibility framework of corporate sustainability despite the intended theme of the campaign to promote transparency in terms of working conditions specifically. However, some inconsistencies were found regarding the importance of these communities in the network, suggesting that while survey methods hold significance in measuring user intension, the reaction-based user-generated data on social media can be useful to measure users' true behavior. Also, while Twitter network was dominated by knowledge-based messages, the Instagram network had emotion-driven messages.

Originality/value

By conducting this study, the authors will not only contribute to the existing literature of social media usage in the apparel industry but will also provide a foundation for the use of social network analysis to analyze user-generated data on social media, as this method is fairly new in the textile and apparel industry-related research. The authors also wish to help businesses and policy makers identify specific actionable areas where they are lagging and hence further improve their overall performance.
Fundraising campaigns via social media platforms for mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic
Authors: Bin-Nashwan Saeed Awadh , Al-Daihani Meshari
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The rapid outbreak of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has triggered unprecedented restrictions on not only human movement but also a wide sphere of economic activities, disrupting livelihood, welfare and business worldwide. In response, some Muslim communities have launched fundraising campaigns to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of the virus on the front-liners and the most affected segments of vulnerable populations. The purpose of this study is to explore the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of donors to these campaigns who contribute via social media platforms (SMPs).

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a cross-sectional research design using an online survey conducted in a typical Muslim community such as Kuwait. A total of 565 samples of data (356 women, 209 men) were used for analysis. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling was used to estimate the research model and extract meaningful conclusions.

Findings

The results show that charitable projects, internet technology features, SMP features and religiosity are significant motivations that influence attitudes toward online donations related to COVID-19 response. All these relationships are indirectly related to intentions to donate via SMP through a significant mediating effect of attitude.

Practical implications

The outcome of this study could support the efforts of governments, non-profit organizations and communities to focus attention on suitable proactive strategies to boost online fundraising campaigns for those affected by epidemic diseases.

Originality/value

This study enriches the literature by integrating both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of online donations into a new and unique related context such as SMP, especially amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Burning the buffer: New Zealand's budgetary response to COVID-19
Authors: Ball Ian
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The New Zealand Government has progressively strengthened its balance sheet position since the mid-1990s, other than for the four years immediately following the global financial crisis and the Canterbury earthquakes. This paper describes the nature and the forecast and actual fiscal impacts of the COVID-19 response, and identifies the transparency mechanisms which reveal these impacts. It also expresses a viewpoint on the implications of the COVID-19 response for the future resilience of the Government's fiscal position.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on the suite of official budgetary documents to demonstrate both the transparency of the disclosures on the COVID-19 impact and the substance of the forecast and actual fiscal impacts.

Findings

The paper reveals the change in the long-term fiscal aspirations of the New Zealand Government from one of achieving and maintaining a significant net worth buffer, to one which accommodates in the long-term a markedly smaller buffer and lower level of net worth.

Originality/value

The public financial management system in New Zealand is notable for its transparency. The Government's response to the pandemic is used to illustrate the nature and extent of that transparency.
Information literacy competence in curtailing fake news about the COVID-19 pandemic among undergraduates in Nigeria
Authors: Igbinovia Magnus Osahon , Okuonghae Omorodion , Adebayo John Oluwaseye
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The continuous spread of the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has generated public health concern with avalanche of information accompanied by series of fake news. Thus, this study examined the effect of Information Literacy Competency (ILC) in curtailing the spread of fake news among Library and Information Science (LIS) undergraduates in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey research design of the descriptive type was used to generate data from a group of LIS undergraduates online. The population of the study consisted of 138 LIS undergraduate students who participated in the survey (thus,n= 138). The data retrieved was subjected to descriptive analysis.

Findings

The study revealed that the students had high level of ILC (x ¯ = 3.42), and there was low prevalence level of COVID-19 pandemic fake news (x ¯ = 2.35) among them. The major causes of COVID-19 fake news were too much information in circulation concerning COVID-19 (x ¯ = 3.44) and the resultant inability to discern or spot fake news from verified and authentic news (x ¯ = 3.28). The study also revealed that ILC had a significant effect in curtailing the spread of COVID-19 fake news with a grand mean of 3.28 against the criterion mean of 2.5. It is implied that LIS undergraduates are educationally position to acquire ILC which is crucial to their identification of fake news and helps to curtail its spread.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited in its use of online group for data elicitation within a limited period of three weeks. Also, in its adoption of self-evaluation scale to measure ILC instead of standard information literacy test. Also, the high chances of social desirability bias in sections C and E serve as a limitation to the study.

Practical implications

The study reinforces the need to enhance structures that flags fake news on social media platforms and integrating IL into schools’ curriculum at all levels.

Originality/value

This study seeks to pioneer a new area of focus on the relevance of ILC to different global issues that concern the health and well-being.
An investigation on mechanical random vibration fatigue damage of solder joints in electronic systems
Authors: Wang Feng , Zhang Fangfang , Huang Qixiang , Salmani Mohammad
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a method with capability of short-time implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper was directed using both experimental tests and simulations to propose a comprehensive method for lifetime estimation of the solder joints.

Findings

A new method with good agreement with experimental tests has been proposed.

Originality/value

It is confirmed that paper is original.
A year in pandemic mode
Authors: Papageorghiou Aris T.
Published: November 2020

Deputy Editor‐in‐Chief, Dr Aris T Papageorghiou, discusses his top articles from this issue in an audio podcast available at: https://soundcloud.com/bjog/december-editorial-2020.
The effects of coding intensity in Medicare Advantage on plan benefits and finances
Authors: Jacobs Paul D. , Kronick Richard
Published: November 2020

Objective

To assess how beneficiary premiums, expected out‐of‐pocket costs, and plan finances in the Medicare Advantage (MA) market are related to coding intensity.

Data Sources/Study Setting

MA plan characteristics and administrative records from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for the sample of beneficiaries enrolled in both MA and Part D between 2008 and 2015. Medicare claims and drug utilization data for Traditional Medicare (TM) beneficiaries were used to calibrate an independent measure of health risk.

Study Design

Coding intensity was measured by comparing the CMS risk score for each MA contract with a contract level risk score developed using prescription drug data. We conducted regressions of plan outcomes, estimating the relationship between outcomes and coding intensity. To develop prescription drug scores, we assigned therapeutic classes to beneficiaries based on their prescription drug utilization. We then regressed nondrug spending for TM beneficiaries in 2015 on demographic and therapeutic class identifiers for 2014 and used the coefficients to predict relative risk.

Principal Findings

We found that, for each $1 increase in potential revenue resulting from coding intensity, MA plan bid submissions declined by $0.10 to $0.19, and another $0.21 to $0.45 went toward reducing plans’ medical loss ratios, an indication of higher profitability. We found only a small impact on beneficiary's projected out‐of‐pocket costs in a plan, which serves as a measure of the generosity of plan benefits, and a $0.11 to $0.16 reduction in premiums. As expected, coding intensity's effect on bids was substantially larger in counties with higher levels of MA competition than in less competitive counties.

Conclusions

While coding intensity increases taxpayers’ costs of the MA program, enrollees and plans both benefit but with larger gains for plans. The adoption of policies to more completely adjust for coding intensity would likely affect both beneficiaries and plan profits.
Network analysis and functional estimation of the microbiome reveal the effects of cashew nut shell liquid feeding on methanogen behaviour in the rumen
Authors: Maeda Koki , Nguyen Van Thu , Suzuki Tomoyuki , Yamada Keita , Kudo Kushi , Hikita Chie , Le Van Phong , Nguyen Minh Chon , Yoshida Naohiro
Published: November 2020

The effects of cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) feeding on the methane (CH4) emission and the ruminal microbiome of Lai Sind beef cattle were investigated. Changes in the methane production and rumen microbiome by CNSL feeding were monitored by a respiration chamber and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing respectively. The results demonstrated that CNSL feeding mitigated 20.2%–23.4% of the CH4 emission in vivo without apparent adverse effects on feed intake and feed digestibility. The rumen fluid analysis revealed a significant increase in the proportion of propionate in the total short‐chain fatty acids. The relative abundance of methanogen (order Methanobacteriales) decreased significantly, indicating the direct inhibitory effect of CNSL on methanogens. The predicted function of the rumen microbiome indicated that carbohydrate and lipid metabolisms including propionate production were upregulated by CNSL feeding, whereas CH4 metabolism was downregulated. A network analysis revealed that methanogen changed its partner bacteria after CNSL feeding. The δ13C of CH4 ranged from −74.2‰ to −66.6‰ with significant fluctuation by CNSL feeding, in agreement with the shift of the rumen microbiome. Our findings demonstrate that CNSL feeding can mitigate the CH4 emission from local cattle production systems in South‐East Asia by modifying the rumen microbiome and its function.
A Code of Conduct for Responsible Geoengineering Research
Authors: Hubert Anna‐Maria
Published: November 2020

This article explores the potential contribution of the development of a code of conduct to serve as a near‐term governance instrument to guide the responsible conduct of geoengineering research. This idea is grounded in the observation that geoengineering research and development processes are emerging within a polycentric governance landscape. A key feature of such systems is the recognition of an overarching system of rules which, inter alia, set out the key objectives to be achieved. To this end, the article presents the results of a multi‐year, transdisciplinary study that seeks to identify and describe salient legal concepts, norms, and processes relevant to the geoengineering research governance, and discusses how the interpretation and application of these may be promoted through the adoption of a flexible, voluntary instrument promulgated by various state and non‐state actors operating at different levels.
The role of senescent T cells in immunopathology
Authors: Covre Luciana P. , De Maeyer Roel P. H. , Gomes Daniel C. O. , Akbar Arne N.
Published: November 2020

The development of senescence in tissues of different organs and in the immune system are usually investigated independently of each other although during ageing, senescence in both cellular systems develop concurrently. Senescent T cells are highly inflammatory and secrete cytotoxic mediators and express natural killer cells receptors (NKR) that bypass their antigen specificity. Instead they recognize stress ligands that are induced by inflammation or infection of different cell types in tissues. In this article we discuss data on T cell senescence, how it is regulated and evidence for novel functional attributes of senescent T cells. We discuss an interactive loop between senescent T cells and senescent non‐lymphoid cells and conclude that in situations of intense inflammation, senescent cells may damage healthy tissue. While the example for immunopathology induced by senescent cells that we highlight is cutaneous leishmaniasis, this situation of organ damage may apply to other infections, including COVID‐19 and also rheumatoid arthritis, where ageing, inflammation and senescent cells are all part of the same equation.
Evaluation of a safe medication strategy intervention for people with dementia with an unplanned admission: Results from the Safe Medication Strategy Dementia Study
Authors: Kable Ashley , Hullick Carolyn , Palazzi Kerrin , Oldmeadow Christopher , Searles Andrew , Ling Rod , Pond Dimity , Fullerton Anne , Fraser Samantha , Bruce Remia , Murdoch Wendy , Attia John
Published: November 2020

Objective

To evaluate whether a safe medication strategy compared with usual care, provided to people with dementia during an unplanned admission, reduces readmissions to hospital and re‐presentation to emergency departments within three months.

Methods

A prospective, controlled pre‐/post‐trial conducted at two regional hospitals in New South Wales, Australia.

Results

No treatment effect was seen for time to first re‐presentation or readmission within three months (P = .3). Compliance with six strategies applicable for all participants in the intervention phase was 58%. There was no treatment effect for secondary outcomes including dose administration aid use, home medicines review (HMR) requests by general practitioners and completed HMRs; however, they were significantly higher at the intervention site in both phases.

Conclusion

A bundle of care to improve medication safety in people with dementia did not reduce re‐presentations or readmissions within three months.
Political Scandal: A Theory
Authors: Dziuda Wioletta , Howell William G.
Published: November 2020

We study a model that characterizes the conditions under which past misbehavior becomes the subject of present scandal, with consequences for both the implicated politician and the parties that work with him. In the model, both authentic and fake scandals arise endogenously within a political framework involving two parties that trade off benefits of continued collaboration with a suspect politician against the possibility of reputational fallout. Rising polarization between the two parties, we show, increases the likelihood of scandal while decreasing its informational value. Scandals that are triggered by only the opposing party, we also find, are reputationally damaging to both parties and, in some instances, reputationally enhancing to the politician. The model also reveals that jurisdictions with lots of scandals are not necessarily beset by more misbehavior. Under well‐defined conditions, in fact, scandals can be a sign of political piety.
The ecological significance of time sense in animals
Authors: Ng Leslie , Garcia Jair E. , Dyer Adrian G. , Stuart‐Fox Devi
Published: November 2020

Time is a fundamental dimension of all biological events and it is often assumed that animals have the capacity to track the duration of experienced events (known as interval timing). Animals can potentially use temporal information as a cue during foraging, communication, predator avoidance, or navigation. Interval timing has been traditionally investigated in controlled laboratory conditions but its ecological relevance in natural environments remains unclear. While animals may time events in artificial and highly controlled conditions, they may not necessarily use temporal information in natural environments where they have access to other cues that may have more relevance than temporal information. Herein we critically evaluate the ecological contexts where interval timing has been suggested to provide adaptive value for animals. We further discuss attributes of interval timing that are rarely considered in controlled laboratory studies. Finally, we encourage consideration of ecological relevance when designing future interval‐timing studies and propose future directions for such experiments.
Adjacent and Non‐Adjacent Word Contexts Both Predict Age of Acquisition of English Words: A Distributional Corpus Analysis of Child‐Directed Speech
Authors: Chang Lucas M. , Deák Gedeon O.
Published: November 2020

Children show a remarkable degree of consistency in learning some words earlier than others. What patterns of word usage predict variations among words in age of acquisition? We use distributional analysis of a naturalistic corpus of child‐directed speech to create quantitative features representing natural variability in word contexts. We evaluate two sets of features: One set is generated from the distribution of words into frames defined by the two adjacent words. These features primarily encode syntactic aspects of word usage. The other set is generated from non‐adjacent co‐occurrences between words. These features encode complementary thematic aspects of word usage. Regression models using these distributional features to predict age of acquisition of 656 early‐acquired English words indicate that both types of features improve predictions over simpler models based on frequency and appearance in salient or simple utterance contexts. Syntactic features were stronger predictors of children's production than comprehension, whereas thematic features were stronger predictors of comprehension. Overall, earlier acquisition was predicted by features representing frames that select for nouns and verbs, and by thematic content related to food and face‐to‐face play topics; later acquisition was predicted by features representing frames that select for pronouns and question words, and by content related to narratives and object play.
Context and Complexity in Incremental Sentence Interpretation: An ERP Study on Temporal Quantification
Authors: Augurzky Petra , Hohaus Vera , Ulrich Rolf
Published: November 2020

The present event‐related potential (ERP) study used picture–sentence verification to investigate the neurolinguistic correlates of the online processing of compositional‐semantic information. To this end, we examined context effects on sentences involving temporal adverbial quantification likeJana war jeden Morgen schwimmen an den Arbeitstagen (“Jana went for a swim every morning during the working week”). We tested whether the conceptual complexity associated with quantifying over time intervals leads to delayed predictions regarding the upcoming words in a sentence. The present study replicated previous results relating to quantification over individuals, which are conceptually less complex than time intervals. Analogous to previous studies, false vs. true sentences elicited an N400 whenever contextual cues did not permit a potential revision of a locally assigned truth value. The present results are compatible with an approach under which contextual cues are immediately considered for predicting how a sentence continues. The fact that the contextual complexity did not lead to processing delays indicates that the processing system quickly abstracts away from the conceptual complexity associated with the linguistic input if such an abstraction is possible.
What Does it Mean to be Polish? Europe and Identity in Two Museums in Poland
Authors: Krakus Anna
Published: November 2020

Since Poland joined the European Union in 2004 the country has experienced a “museum boom.” Over the following decade new museums have been popping up in nearly every Polish town. The political climate in Poland is such that there are two dominant sides of the political spectrum: one, a celebration of liberal democracy and an openness to Europe, the other, anti‐EU and populist nationalist. This paper examines how two new museums in Poland, the Museum of Emigration in Gdynia, and the Warsaw Rising Museum, produce political messages supporting each of these sides.