bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic: Analysis of the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice among Healthcare Facilities in Jos, Nigeria
Authors: Shehu Maryam , Shehu Hassan , Izang Abel B. , Momodu Oseni , Owokolo Abraham , Sana Sekyen , Eseigbe Edwin E.
Published: November 2020

Background: COVID-19 which was first reported in Wuhan China is now a global pandemic. Healthcare workers play a significant role in fighting this pandemic. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of COVID-19 among healthcare professionals in Jos.

Methodology: The study population are all the health workers in Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BHUTH), Plateau State Specialist Hospital (PSSH) and ECWA comprehensive health care center (ECHC) in Jos who consented to the study. Consecutive sampling was employed in selecting eligible workers who consented to the study. Data generated was subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics as appropriate.

Results: There were 446 HCWs, in comparing the overall mean knowledge score regarding COVID-19 between the different cadre of clinical HCWs, the difference was significant (F= 5.23, p= 0.002). The overall mean knowledge score between the different cadre of non-clinical HCW was not statistically significant (F= 1.38, p= 0.26). There was no significant difference between the mean scores of KAP of the doctors in the different hospitals in Plateau State (F= 0.46, p= 0.63; F= 0.34, p= 0.71; F=0.41, p= 0.66) respectively. The result showed a significant association between job cadre with KAP.

Conclusion: The KAP of the HCW was good, however, there was a significant difference between the knowledge scores of the different cadre of clinical HCW in Plateau State. There was also a significant association between the different job cadre with KAP of the HCW.
Growth Models for Covid-19 Death Figures of Turkey
Authors: Balaban Muzaffer
Published: November 2020

This paper presents modeling of the COVID-19 pandemic deaths to understand behavior of it, predict the peak point of the deaths and cases and produces a short-term forecast using the growth models for the reported data of Turkey. The data which is used in this study are gathered of daily announced by Minister of Health. Von Bertalanffy model has outperformed to the other models considered in this study. However, exponential model has predicted the total deaths and total cases better than the others. And, exponential model has given the best prediction errors among them regarding to the death and positive case figures for last months. Observed data have tended to increase since the last days of August. This could mean that the COVİD-19 threat has reached to a critical stage to crack down on prevention of pandemics spread. Or it could sign the beginning of a second wave of epidemics. More studies must be realized to learn more about the pandemic when the new data are available.
Alternative Method for Estimating the Maintenance Cost of Roads in Anambra State, Nigeria
Authors: Ekwueme Godspower Onyekachukwu , Emunefe John Obatarhe , Otty Nkechi Udochukwu , Aronu Charles Okechukwu
Published: November 2020

Aims: This study proposed an alternative method for the estimation of maintenance cost of roads in Anambra State, Nigeria. The proposed method referred to as the permuted quadratic model (PQM) involves permuting of the dependent variable of the quadratic model.

Place and Duration of Study: The data used in this study was secondary data sourced from the records department of consolidated construction company asphalt plant Anambra state, Nigeria from 2004 to 2019.

Methodology: The linear regression model and the permuted quadratic model were used to analyze the data for the study.

Results: The result found that 74.0% correlation exists between the observed maintenance cost of roads and the predicted maintenance cost of roads using the linear model while the predicted maintenance cost of roads using the permuted quadratic model has 75.8% correlation with the observed maintenance cost of roads. This result indicates that the proposed permuted quadratic model performed better than the linear model for the estimation of the maintenance cost of roads in Anambra State.

Conclusion: The study recommends the proposed model for the estimation of maintenance cost of roads in Anambra State until future studies prove otherwise.
Optimization of Dispensing Parameter to Speed up the Die Attach Throughput
Authors: Capili Michael D.
Published: November 2020

Driven by the company vision to become a high-volume manufacturing (HVM), increasing throughput in the manufacturing line is critical to meeting market demands. The ever-growing demand for integrated circuits in part requires additional capital investment to purchase new equipment such as die bonders to support the new requirement. Making the best of existing resources is often the most common approach to deal with this challenge. Defining the correct method and making the most of the secondary parameters necessary to increase the bonding speed by means of a creative analysis that made this article interesting. The objective of this project is to boost productivity by maximizing UPH to improve the epoxy writing process at Attach, which is a bottleneck area. Optimization of the dispensing sequence and the dispensing direction to improve and speed up the epoxy dispensing process unit per hour.
Influence of Powdered Moringa oleifera Lam. Almonds Dried at Different Temperatures on the Physico-chemical Quality of the Pond Water
Authors: Aboubacar Yerima Bako Djibo , Yadji Guero
Published: November 2020

The study focused on the physico-chemical characterization of raw water samples from the Kongou Gorou pond treated with almond powder from Moringa oleifera seeds. The powder which was used for the present study was dried in the oven for one month at the respective temperatures of 25, 40 and 50 ° C and then applied at a dose of 100 mg /L. The parameters studied are pH, iron, copper, electrical conductivity, rate of dissolved substances (TDS), hardness, organic matter; calcium, HCO3-, magnesium, the Complete Alkalimetric Title (TAC).

The physico-chemical analysis showed that the waters studied have concentrations below the standards recommended by WHO in 2009. For the dose of 100 mg/L and stored at the respective temperatures of 50, 40 and 25 ° C, it was recorded: a pH close to neutrality, a reduction in iron content of 93.46% at 50 ° C, 90.76% and 90.76%, a decrease in magnesium of 27.21; 27.89 and 39.96%, a decrease in hardness of 37.98; 39.94 and 36.03%; a decrease in the TAC from 1.3 to 1.18; 1.29 and 1.23 ° F and finally a reduction of 9.26; 0.81 and 5.42% bicarbonate. At these respective temperatures of 50, 40 and 25 ° C, the electrical conductivity has increased by 33.63, 33.05 and 32.8µs.cm / L at 2 hours of settling and from 34, 64, 34, 28 and 36, 23 µs. cm / L at 24 hours of settling; an increase in the rate of Dissolved Substances from 15.21 to 16.32; 16.33 and 16.72 mg / L; an increase in the order of 34.48, 26.72 and 13.79% in calcium levels; an increase on the one hand of copper from 0.114 mg/L to 0.903 and 2.39 mg/L respectively at 50 and 40 ° C and on the other hand a total removal of the latter at 25 ° C.

The results showed that the use of Moringa oleifera seeds effectively improves the physicochemical quality of the treated water, which not only meets the WHO drinkability standards but also the characteristics of water suitable for drip irrigation.
KMT2C promoter methylation in plasma‐circulating tumor DNA is a prognostic biomarker in non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Mastoraki Sofia , Balgkouranidou Ioanna , Tsaroucha Emily , Klinakis Apostolos , Georgoulias Vassilis , Lianidou Evi
Published: November 2020

MLL3 histone methyltransferase, encoded by the KMT2C gene, is a tumor suppressor that has an essential role in cell‐type‐specific gene expression. We evaluated the prognostic significance of KMT2C promoter methylation as a circulating epigenetic biomarker in plasma cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We examined the methylation status of KMT2C promoter using a novel highly specific and sensitive real‐time methylation‐specific PCR (MSP) assay in (a) operable NSCLC: 48 fresh‐frozen NSCLC tissues, their corresponding adjacent non‐neoplastic tissues, and 48 matched plasma samples; (b) metastatic NSCLC: 91 plasma samples; and (c) 60 plasma samples from healthy donors (HD). KMT2C promoter methylation in plasma cfDNA was detected in 7/48 (14.6%) patients with operable and in 18/91 (19.8%) patients with advanced NSCLC but in none (0/60, 0%) of the plasma samples from HD. In operable NSCLC, in corresponding adjacent non‐neoplastic tissue samples, KMT2C promoter methylation was detected in 3/48 (6.3%) cases. Moreover, in operable NSCLC, KMT2C promoter methylation in plasma cfDNA was related to reduced disease‐free survival (ΗR = 0.239; P = 0.001) and worse overall survival (OS; HR = 0.342, P = 0.023). In metastatic NSCLC, KMT2C promoter methylation in plasma cfDNA was related to worse progression‐free survival (PFS; HR = 0.431; P = 0.005) and worse OS (HR = 0.306; P < 0.001). Our data strongly suggest that the detection of KMT2C promoter methylation in plasma cfDNA predicts poor prognosis in patients with both operable and metastatic NSCLCs. KMT2C promoter methylation in plasma cfDNA therefore merits further evaluation and validation as a noninvasive circulating epigenetic biomarker.
Agency
Authors: Parish Ayden , Hall Kira
Published: November 2020

This entry reviews the concept of agency in linguistic anthropology, defined as the capacity for socially meaningful action. Under this definition, the construal of agency is an indexical process whereby people recognize actors and their identities through the interpretation of locally salient actions. The ideologies behind these interpretations directly relate to the range of possible agency and the identities any entity may be recognized to have within a particular community or situated interaction. Power, then, arises as certain semiotic ideologies become privileged over others on the basis of race, gender, sexuality, social class, ability, and other structural inequalities. Finally, academic attention to agency has opened up the term to include distributed and nonhuman forms of agency, shedding new light on how social meanings rely on and intertwine with materiality and embodiment.
Archive
Authors: Zeitlyn David
Published: November 2020

Linguists have a responsibility to themselves, their peers, and successors to make research data available, and not to squander time, effort, and resources by not storing recordings carefully so that they are consultable and amenable to analysis/re‐analysis in the future. This means archiving is important. Those making recordings from subjects outside the academy need to think about how permissions for archiving are managed. Ethical guidelines often are not helpful for archiving. Anonymization may be appropriate for versions made available online but should not be applied across the board. Care should be exercised when choosing digital formats and, thinking in the long term, data should be stored uncompressed in standard interchange formats using open standards.
Click Obstruent Sounds
Authors: Stanlaw James
Published: November 2020

Click obstruent sounds refer to the non‐pulmonic expressions of air found in many languages in South Africa and parts of East Africa. They have theoretical import because they have been used in discussions of the origin and evolution of language.
Cognition and Cognitive Science
Authors: Bender Andrea , Beller Sieghard
Published: November 2020

Cognition refers to activities of the mind and is involved in perception and attention, memory, learning, categorization, thinking and reasoning, evaluations and judgments, decision‐making, problem solving, and communication, including the use of language. It is the main target of research in the cognitive sciences, a cross‐disciplinary endeavor traditionally comprising philosophy, psychology, artificial intelligence, linguistics, anthropology, and neuroscience. Inspired by the computer metaphor, cognitive scientists conceive of cognition as information processing, with more recent paradigms also acknowledging the role of body and context. Cognitive modeling as one of several means of hypothesis testing and theory building is a hallmark of cognitive science. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of language for cognition.
Culture
Authors: Urban Greg
Published: November 2020

While often only implicit, the idea that culture is in motion, that it travels across space and through time, has nevertheless been central to anthropology as a scholarly endeavor since its founding more than two centuries ago. This entry offers a thumbnail sketch of the development of that idea. Culture emerged first as cultivation (and, hence, as transmission), then crystalized as a property of social groups (the idea of shared culture), with the latter view recently transmogrified thanks to research on circulation. Correspondingly, focus has shifted in recent decades from language as shared culture to language as an epiphenomenon of discourse circulation, its life and efficacy materializing in ongoing social interactions.
Language and Gender
Authors: Hall Kira , Borba Rodrigo , Hiramoto Mie
Published: November 2020

The field of language and gender is methodologically diverse, encompassing approaches that include conversation analysis, corpus linguistics, critical discourse analysis, discursive psychology, linguistic anthropology, and variationist sociolinguistics. Within this diversity, ethnography has long been a key method for interrogating the social semiotic complexities of gender, securing the field's close partnership with linguistic anthropology. This historical review outlines the prominent role played by linguistic anthropology in the theorization of gender by highlighting its enduring methodological and conceptual contributions, while also outlining the ways that interdisciplinary scholarship in language and gender has shaped the course of linguistic anthropology.
Greenberg, Joseph
Authors: Stanlaw James
Published: November 2020

Joseph H. Greenberg (1915–2001) was one of the twentieth century's most original and influential American linguistic anthropologists. He is known primarily for his work on language universals, language typologies, and the genetic classification of the world's languages.
Haas, Mary
Authors: Stanlaw James
Published: November 2020

Mary Haas (1910–1996) was a noted Americanist and field linguist, and helped establish the use of descriptive linguistics in language pedagogy.
Humboldt, Wilhelm von
Authors: Stanlaw James
Published: November 2020

Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767–1835) was an important nineteenth‐century linguist who anticipated many advances in structural linguistics, sociolinguistics, linguistic relativity, and the philosophy of language.
Implicational Universal
Authors: Stanlaw James
Published: November 2020

An implicational universal is a claim expressed in the conditional formIf A then B, where A and B are a properties of a language.
Language, The Political Economy, and Labor
Authors: Del Percio Alfonso
Published: November 2020

This entry discusses how scholars studying language in society have been thinking about the ways language and labor are interconnected with capitalism and social inequality. It asks why specific questions about language and labor become salient in specific places and in specific moments in time, and it asks which circumstances and logics led to the stories about language and labor being told in specific ways and specific places and not in others.
Language Contact
Authors: Hansen Cynthia
Published: November 2020

Language contact is the phenomenon that results when speakers use two or more languages in the same social context. The study of language contact is interested in both the factors that bring speakers, and by extension their languages, together, as well as the outcomes that result to the languages in contact and their community of speakers. Migration and immigration, colonialization, education, trade, and technology all contribute to language contact. Common outcomes include borrowing, code‐switching, bilingualism, and language shift. More extreme outcomes may result in the formation of a new language such as a pidgin, creole, or mixed language, or the loss of a language altogether through language endangerment and death.
Language Revitalization
Authors: Perley Bernard C.
Published: November 2020

Language revitalization is a complex process or set of processes that promote the increased use of endangered languages by community members on a daily basis. The strategies for revitalization are dependent upon the circumstances of each language community and the conditions contributing to language loss. The last two decades have seen encouraging developments in comparative analysis of best practices as well as ideological shifts in theory and practice. Local community activists/advocates are changing the terms of language revitalization and creating exciting prospects of language life for “endangered” as well as “extinct” languages.
Lingua Franca
Authors: Smith Norval
Published: November 2020

This entry will concentrate on the original lingua franca that died out around the beginning of the twentieth century in the Mediterranean. In modern linguistic work the term has also been co‐opted to describe other types of language use that shared, or share, some of the characteristics of the original lingua franca.
Linguistic Diversity and Plurality in Europe
Authors: Tetreault Chantal
Published: November 2020

Linguistic diversity and plurality in Europe have been predominantly shaped by the historical forces of nation‐building and colonialism, forces which overlap and coexist in important ways. In addition to covering these processes, this entry covers migration and globalization in the postcolonial context. The first section deals with projects and processes of nation‐building and their effects upon linguistic diversity in Europe. The second section deals with the effects of colonialism and postcolonialism on patterns of migration and, relatedly, the formation of immigrant heritage languages in Europe. The third section deals with globalization, partly construed as an extension of migration and postcolonialism, which contributes to new phenomena of linguistic diversity including crossing, language mixing, and so‐called “superdiversity.”
Maledictive Language: Gossip and Rumor
Authors: Van Vleet Krista E.
Published: November 2020

Gossip and rumor link the politics of face‐to‐face interaction with the circulation of information in wider publics. Gossip and rumor sometimes are viewed negatively as forms of talk that are malicious or not credible; however, gossip and rumor also enable individuals to align themselves with others and establish bonds of intimacy. Gossip and rumor provide a rich arena for the analysis of language as form and language as social activity. Attention to the pragmatics of gossip (including style, performance, role and status of participants, and indexical and other non‐referential aspects of meaning) demonstrates that maledictive language forms are best understood in relation to broader linguistic repertoires and historical and cultural contexts. Rumor may also circulate beyond face‐to‐face interaction through print and visual media as people make claims to truth and authority in contexts of uncertainty and social transformation. Gossip and rumor illuminate the relations between language and politics in the contemporary world.
Maledictive Language: Introduction
Authors: Khor Su Yin
Published: November 2020

Across cultures and domains in society, there is language that is seen as inappropriate, sacrilegious, or taboo. What topics or language are considered as such depends on the time and place, but they commonly derive from and refer to religion, sex, and diseases, and bodily fluids or functions. Since birth, we have been socialized to use appropriate language. While we are aware of the existence of such language, we censor it in multiple public domains even though these words are not harmful. Regardless of personal opinions that one might have about taboo words, explorations of multiple aspects of maledictive language that goes beyond swearing, such as gossip, arguments, insults, which reveal a great deal about the relationship between humans, language, culture, and society.
Media as Channel
Authors: Kohl Owen , Gershon Ilana
Published: November 2020

To understand how people navigate shifting media ecologies, linguistic anthropologists have turned to an array of analytical concepts that address how people communicate when using multiple channels: media ideologies, remediation, participant structures, heteroglossia, and entextualization. After demonstrating how these concepts are pertinent to the anthropological study of media, we also discuss two co‐constitutive ways of engaging with a varied media ecology – media coalescence and media‐switching. By media coalescence, we mean two processes. First, what occurs to allow media to be stable enough to become shared, discussed, and utilized through particular forms of practice. Second, we also mean the process by which stable identities are actively maintained across media for certain types of complicated social tasks. Media‐switching, for our purposes, is the perception that one is moving from one ostensibly stable, discrete medium to another.
Native Speaker, Notion and Theoretical Uses of
Authors: Muehlmann Shaylih
Published: November 2020

The notion of the “native speaker” is widely used in pedagogical contexts and among the general public. The term tends to refer to someone who speaks a language that they have known from birth. However, the theoretical literature and practical difficulties of defining what constitutes a native speaker are replete with controversies, both conceptual and political, as well as difficulties of applying the concept within pedagogical contexts.
Orality
Authors: Moore Patrick
Published: November 2020

Academic debates concerning orality have hinged on whether to focus on abstract structural features of oral language and oral performances, particularly in contrast to written language, or whether to address the social complexities of diverse local forms and their uses. The contributions of researchers who advocated for universal characteristics with broad social and psychological implications have been influential, but their generalizations have been questioned by researchers seeking to convey local cultural dynamics and ideologies, and by scholars seeking to broaden the frameworks of discussion.
Saussure, Ferdinand de
Authors: Stanlaw James
Published: November 2020

Ferdinand de Saussure (1857–1913) is often considered to be the founder of modern linguistics. Indeed, several branches of language study – including the fields of “structural linguistics,” the “Geneva School,” and “semiotics” – owe much of their conception to him. Along with contemporaries like Freud and Durkheim, Saussure moved intellectual thought toward a focus on looking at unconscious patterns and underlying systems rather than on individual cases and overt behavior.
Symbolic Interactionism
Authors: Tuffin Bailey , Puddephatt Antony
Published: November 2020

The symbolic interactionist perspective is presented with a brief history and a discussion of the key theoretical and methodological assumptions to guide social research. After considering its origins and development into the contemporary period, we consider some of the criticisms leveled against it. We then turn to the issue of language and its importance for an interactionist model of the social nature of mind, self, and society. Here, critiques of George Herbert Mead's social learning model of language are considered, and the strengths of an interactionist approach are highlighted. The potential of interactionist studies of language are underscored, as well as related approaches such as dramaturgy and ethnomethodology, which can provide rich explorations of the connection of language to social experience.
Writing and Writing Systems: Sociolinguistic Aspects
Authors: Swanenberg Jos
Published: November 2020

Writing is a medium for communication that has been in use for thousands of years. Writing systems have developed in different ways in various cultures and societies. For a long time, written language was perceived as setting the standards for proper language. Recently, digital communication has changed writing enormously, as it has given writing a much broader use of language than ever before. As a result, much of our daily language use has become more oriented towards norms associated with oral communication.
Herder, Johann Gottfried Von
Authors: Stanlaw James
Published: November 2020

Johann Gottfried von Herder (1744–1803) was an important eighteenth‐century Enlightenment philosopher whose ideas influenced the founding of linguistics and cultural anthropology. He was also an important figure in the history of the philosophy of language and the philosophy of the mind, as well as hermeneutics.
Self‐Powered Red/UV Narrowband Photodetector by Unbalanced Charge Carrier Transport Strategy
Authors: Hou Yuchen , Wu Congcong , Huang Xu , Yang Dong , Ye Tao , Yoon Jungjin , Sriramdas Rammohan , Wang Kai , Priya Shashank
Published: November 2020

Narrowband photodetector (NB‐PD) with selective light detection is critical for artificial vision and imaging. Intrinsic (optical‐filter‐free) NB‐PDs using conjugated organics or halide perovskite materials have been developed for eliminating the current complex filtering systems in NB‐PDs. However, the poor performance and external driving circuit of organic NB‐PDs as well as complex doping and uncontrollable recombination reactions in typical perovskite NB‐PDs have limited their applicational diversification. A p‐type self‐doped perovskite for intrinsic NB detection is reported which exhibits unique unbalanced electron–hole transfer kinetics. In conjunction with the optical field distribution, an unbalanced charge transport within the self‐doped perovskite triggers a wavelength‐dependent photo‐carrier collection, resulting in a novel spontaneous internal quantum efficiency narrowing mechanism. As a result, by reverting the device architectural polarity, an NB detection at a monochromic light of either red or UV is observed. Using such a revertible asymmetric device design, self‐powered NB‐PDs are successfully achieved. Briefly, the corresponding NB‐PDs exhibit excellent narrow response with a response window of ≈100 nm, high detectivity ≈1011 Jones, and fast response speed (f−3dB ≈ 60 kHz) at zero bias. These results demonstrate a new strategy of manipulating internal charge transport to realize power‐free and filter‐free intrinsic NB‐PDs.
Polymer‐Clay Nanocomposite Solid‐State Electrolyte with Selective Cation Transport Boosting and Retarded Lithium Dendrite Formation
Authors: Jeon Young Min , Kim Seulwoo , Lee Minhwan , Lee Won Bo , Park Jong Hyeok
Published: November 2020

Commercialized lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) with a liquid electrolyte have a high potential for combustion or explosion. The use of solid electrolytes in LIBs is a promising way to overcome the drawbacks of conventional liquid electrolyte‐based systems, but they generally have a lower ionic conductivity and lithium ion mobility. Here, a UV‐crosslinked composite polymer‐clay electrolyte (U‐CPCE) that is composed of a durable semi‐interpenetrating polymer network (semi‐IPN) ion transportive matrix (ETPTA/PVdF‐HFP) and 2D ultrathin clay nanosheets that are fabricated by a one‐step in situ UV curing method, are reported. The U‐CPCE exhibits robust and flexible properties with an ionic conductivity of more than 10−3 S cm−1 at room temperature with the help of exfoliated clay nanosheets. As a result, the U‐CPCE‐based LIBs show an initial discharge capacity of 152 mAh g−1 (at 0.2 C for a LiCoO2 half‐cell), which is comparable to that of conventional liquid electrolyte‐based cells. In addition, they show excellent cycling performance (96% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 0.5 C) due to a significantly enhanced Li+ transference number (tLi+ = 0.78) and inhibition of lithium dendrite formation on the lithium metal surface. Furthermore, a molecular dynamics (MD) study is conducted to elucidate the mechanism of improving ionic conductivity. The U‐CPCE design can offer opportunities for future all‐solid‐state Li‐ion batteries.
Poirier–Bienvenu neurodevelopmental syndrome: A report of a patient with a pathogenic variant in CSNK2B with abnormal linear growth
Authors: Selvam Pavalan , Jain Angita , Cheema Anvir , Atwal Herjot , Forghani Irman , Atwal Paldeep S
Published: November 2020

Casein kinase 2‐related disorders have been linked to pathogenic variants in CSNK2A1 and CSNK2B. CSNK2B‐related disease is predominantly associated with neurodevelopmental abnormalities affecting cognition; however, the extent of the phenotype associated with CSNK2B pathogenic variants is yet to be fully explored. Here, we describe a patient with features suggestive of Poirier–Bienvenu neurodevelopmental syndrome, harboring a novel CSNK2B pathogenic variant. We also report that the linear growth abnormalities could be a recurrent presentation in patients with this syndrome and suggest the effect of growth hormone therapy in our patient's stature.
When does a social norm catch the worm? Disentangling social normative influences on sustainable consumption behaviour
Authors: Pristl Ann‐Catrin , Kilian Sven , Mann Andreas
Published: November 2020

Sustainable consumption obtains ever‐increasing importance due to pressing social, environmental and economic issues. Extensive research has proposed the use of social norm communication as an effective means to encourage various kinds of pro‐environmental behaviour, as well as sustainable consumption. However, although crucial to the development of effective social norm campaigns, tangible evidence for specific processes and conditions through which social norms foster sustainable consumption remains scarce. Thus, we aim to illuminate the underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions of social normative influences and clarify how to effectively communicate social norms. Study 1 examines personal norms as a mediator of social normative influences on consumers' purchase intention for an unsustainable product, including the interacting role of personal traits (i.e., self‐efficacy and self‐concept). The results reveal that personal norms fully mediate the effect of perceived social norms on purchase intentions. For participants expressing high generalized self‐efficacy, an additional direct effect of perceived social norms on purchase intentions arises. The same pattern appears for a strong collective but not for a strong relational self‐concept. Study 2 investigates sender‐specific (i.e., social distance) and recipient‐specific (i.e., gender and pro‐sustainability world view) factors impacting the relative influence of social normative message frames (i.e., injunctive vs. descriptive) on purchase intentions towards a sustainable product. The results reveal an interaction effect for social distance and for gender, but not for pro‐sustainability world view. This research proposes implications for researchers, as well as marketers, and emphasizes auspicious aspects as a springboard for future research.
Long non‐coding RNA FAM83H‐AS1 as an emerging marker for diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic targeting of cancer
Authors: El‐Ashmawy Nahla E. , Al‐Ashmawy Ghada M. , Hamouda Sara M.
Published: November 2020

Incidence and mortality rates of cancer continue to increase greatly despite the improved diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Based on GLOBOCAN estimates, the numbers of new cancer cases reported in 2018 were ~18.1 million, while the numbers of cancer mortalities were ~9.6 million. It remains difficult to diagnose most cancer patients at early stages. Although cancer therapy market is rapidly evolving, the effectiveness of therapy is still inadequate. Therefore, exploring new biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment is essential for cancer management. Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are unique regulatory molecules that control several cellular processes and are implicated in diverse human diseases including cancer. LncRNAs could serve as potential biomarkers for cancer patients to aid diagnosis and determine prognosis. In addition, numerous lncRNAs have proved their ability to predict response to cancer treatment. FAM83H antisense RNA 1 (FAM83H‐AS1) is among those highly dysregulated lncRNAs in cancer. FAM83H‐AS1 was demonstrated to participate in the progression of different malignancies and also shown to play a vital role in diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. Here, we analyse recent studies concerning the oncogenic role and molecular mechanisms of lncRNA FAM83H‐AS1 in the following cancer types: bladder, breast, lung, hepatocellular, colorectal, gastric, pancreatic, ovarian, cervical cancer as well as glioma.
Defining the critical period of hedgehog pathway inhibitor‐induced cranial base dysplasia in mice
Authors: Chen Jiangping , Tang Wenbing , Lin Chengquan , Hong Yuhang , Mao Chuanqing , Lai Yongzhen , Liao Caiyu , Lin Minkui , Chen Weihui
Published: November 2020

Background

The hedgehog signaling pathway is critical for developmental patterning of the limb, craniofacial and axial skeleton. Disruption of this pathway in mice leads to a series of structural malformations, but the exact role and critical period of the Hh pathway in the early development of the cranial base have been rarely described.

Results

Embryos exposed to vismodegib from E7.5, E9.5, and E10.5 had a higher percentage of cranial base fenestra. The peak incidence of hypoplasia in sphenoid winglets and severe craniosynostosis in cranial base synchondroses was observed when vismodegib was administered between E9.5 and E10.5. Cranial base craniosynostosis results from accelerating terminal differentiation of chondrocytes and premature osteogenesis.

Conclusions

We define the critical periods for the induction of cranial base deformity by vismodegib administration at a meticulous temporal resolution. Our findings suggest that the Hh pathway may play a vital role in the early development of the cranial base. This research also establishes a novel and easy‐to‐establish mouse model of synostosis in the cranial base using a commercially available pathway‐selective inhibitor.
Development of carbon thin film for Laser‐driven heavy ion acceleration using a XeCl excimer laser
Authors: Kusaba Mitsuhiro , Nigo Fumitaka , Kondo Kotaro , Nishiuchi Mamiko , Sakaki Hironao , Kiriyama Hiromitsu , Hashida Masaki , Sakabe Shuji
Published: November 2020

The carbon thin film as a target for laser‐driven heavy ion acceleration has been developed using the carbonization of polyimide induced by the irradiation of a XeCl excimer laser. The relationship between the depth of the crater produced by the laser irradiation and the laser fluence were measured in order to clear the carbonization mechanisms of polyimide. The melting threshold of polyimide was estimated to 0.058 J/cm2. It is found that the carbonization is induced by the irradiation with the laser fluence around or under the threshold.
Geological significance of rare earth elements in marine shale during the Late Ordovician–Early Silurian in Sichuan Basin, South China
Authors: Lu Bin , Qiu Zhen , Zhang Bao‐Hua , Li Jian , Tao Hui‐Fei
Published: November 2020

Rare earth elements (REEs) record a large amount of geological information, and serve as a good geological indicator that can effectively predict the palaeoclimate, palaeoenvironment, and palaeotectonic evolution of the sedimentary rocks. The REEs and major elements of 94 marine shale samples obtained from the Late Ordovician to the Early Silurian at Shuanghe (SH) and Qiliao (QL) sections in Sichuan Basin were analysed in this study. Results showed that the major elements of Al2O3, K2O, and TiO2 were mainly controlled by clay minerals associated with terrigenous detrital, but the SiO2 and Na2O were not influenced by clay minerals. In addition, ΣREE values obtained at Shuanghe and Qiliao sections during the Late Ordovician–Early Silurian were close to those of North American Shale (NASC) composites (173.2 ug/g). REEs were characterized by light rare earth elements enrichment, but heavy rare earth elements depletion. Furthermore, the NASC‐normalized REE patterns were similar with a little difference at Shuanghe and Qiliao sections. The following conclusions were drawn by studying REE indicators associated with source, redox condition and the mechanism of organic matter enrichment: (a) ΣREE showed strong positive correlations with TiO2, Al2O3, K2O, and Na2O, but exhibited relatively poor correlations with Fe2O3 and P2O5. These results suggested that REEs in the marine shale mainly occurred in clay minerals, but also were influenced by pyrite, phosphates, and other minerals. (b) Ce/Ce* showed that marine shale during the Late Ordovician–Early Silurian was mainly deposited under anoxic condition in Sichuan Basin and the reduction intensity at Qiliao section was stronger than Shuanghe section. (c) The diagram between La/Yb and ΣREE and the Ce/Ce* values indicated that the detrital minerals in the marine shale were mainly derived from the sedimentary rocks and deposited in the same continental margin environment with a complex composition. (d) The controlling factors of organic matter enrichment were different at Shuanghe and Qiliao sections and the depositional environment controlled the organic matter accumulation and preservation of the organic‐rich marine shale.
Mindful Reading: Eye‐Tracking Evidence for Goal‐Directed Instruction
Authors: Mohr Kathleen A.J. , Downs Jacob D. , Mohr Eric S.
Published: November 2020

Eye‐tracking studies have indicated that there are different kinds of silent reading. Simply having eyes on text does not always result in adequate comprehension. Understanding common eye‐tracking measures that distinguish productive reading behaviors can help teachers promote better reading habits among students. This research synthesis highlights the need to focus on reading goals and mindful reading, rather than merely promoting eyes or time on text. The authors provide several instructional options for promoting mindful reading based on eye‐tracking research and suggest ways to coach a more metacognitive approach to comprehension.
A translational comparison of contingency‐based progressive delay procedures and their effects on contextually appropriate behavior
Authors: Iannaccone Julia A. , Jessel Joshua
Published: November 2020

Schedule thinning is an essential step in treating problem behavior, yet little research has been conducted to determine the method associated with sustained treatment effects. A frequently used method for thinning reinforcement is contingency‐based progressive delay, which requires the individual to meet some criteria before the reinforcers are returned. The response requirement could be dependent on (a) contextually appropriate behavior (differential reinforcement of alternative behavior‐based thinning) or (b) absence of problem behavior (differential reinforcement of other behavior‐based thinning). A translational arrangement with college students was implemented to determine the effects of these 2 response requirements. Tolerance was observed regardless of thinning method and was indicated by low rates of responding to the analogue problem behavior; however, more contextually appropriate behavior occurred during differential reinforcement of alternative behavior‐based thinning. These results support the use of response requirements for behaviors that are expected of the individual when reinforcement is not immediately forthcoming.
In‐vivo comparison of the Ni‐free steel X13CrMnMoN18–14‐3 and titanium alloy implants in rabbit femora – A promising steel for orthopedic surgery
Authors: Kauther Max Daniel , Gödde Kai , Burggraf Manuel , Hilken Gero , Wissmann Andreas , Krüger Christine , Lask Sara , Jung Ole , Mitevski Bojan , Fischer Alfons , Dudda Marcel , Behr Björn , Herten Monika
Published: November 2020

A variety of metallic biomaterials is used for fracture fixation. Allergic reactions towards nickel‐containing steels urge the need for alternatives. The present study investigated the suitability of the nickel‐free stainless steel P2000 in comparison to titanium alloy implants for bone surgical applications in a rabbit femora defect model. Thirty‐six rabbits received two different cylindrical implants press‐fit inserted into the distal femoral metaphysis. At day 0, 28, and 56, implant ingrowth was monitored by radiography; implant stability was assessed by pull‐out torque measurements while bone‐to‐implant contact (BIC) was determined histomorphometrically. Radiography revealed comparable implant ingrowth after 1 and 2 months for both implant materials. The pull‐out force of P2000 tended to be higher than that for titanium at day 28 (p = .076) but the values were comparable at day 56 (p = .905). At day 56, implant fixation was significantly increased compared to the day of surgery for both, P2000 (p = .030) and for titanium alloy (p = .026). Microscopic examination revealed that both implant types appeared to be well integrated and firmly anchored in the bone. BIC ratio of titanium alloy tended to be higher at day 28 (p = .079) but they did not differ significantly at day 56 (p = .711). In the present rabbit femora defect model, the nickel‐free stainless steel P2000 provides primary stability and osseointegration comparable to that of titanium alloy implants.
Morphogenesis and histogenesis during the arm regeneration in a basket star Astrocladus dofleini (Euryalida, Ophiuroidea, Echinodermata)
Authors: Okanishi Masanori , Kohtsuka Hisanori , Miura Toru
Published: November 2020

Basket stars, that is, Ophiuroidea in Echinodermata, exhibit distinctive morphological characteristics with their complicatedly branched arms that can regenerate immediately after mutilation. Although, in brittle stars, that is, ophiuroids with nonbranched arms, the arm regeneration process following accidental trauma or autotomy have been morphologically and histologically observed in several species, few studies have so far been carried out on the regeneration of branched arms in basket stars. In this study, the developmental and morphological features of arm regeneration in Astrocladus dofleini (Gorgonocephalidae, Euryalida, Euryophiurida), one of the most common basket star species in Japanese waters, was anatomically and histologically investigated. Results clearly showed the following phases during the arm regeneration: (a) repair phase, (b) early regenerative phase, (c) intermediate regenerative phase, (d) advanced regenerative Phase I, and (e) advanced regenerative Phase II. The morphogenetic process during the arm regeneration in the basket star showed similar patterns to those of nonbranched arms observed in other ophiuroids. However, differences were also seen between the two ophiuroid types, that is, there were some developmental features specific to the basket star. In the early regenerative phase, branching of coelomic cavities was observed prior to the formation of other tissues, probably inducing the later morphogenesis of branched arms. In addition, hard skeletal ossicles form rapidly at the advanced regenerative Phase II. These developmental features may have led the evolution of bizarre morphologies seen in basket stars, probably contributing to the adaptation to shallow waters from deep‐sea habitats.
Oral dysfunctions and cognitive impairment/dementia
Authors: Nakamura Tomohisa , Zou Kun , Shibuya Yasuyuki , Michikawa Makoto
Published: November 2020

With global increases in the aging population, the number of patients with dementia is greatly increasing, which has become a big social problem. Many studies have shown strong associations between oral disorders and systemic disorders, such as diabetes, arthritis, sepsis, aspiration pneumonia, arteriosclerosis, bacterial endocarditis, and other cardiovascular diseases. Similarly, numerous cross‐sectional studies showed that patients with dementia usually have poor oral conditions and tooth loss. These have long been considered as a result of difficulty with oral care due to impaired cognitive function, memory, and physical ability in patients with dementia. Indeed, even in patients with mild cognitive impairment, oral care becomes insufficient owing to decreases in spontaneity of grooming and finger dexterity. However, recent studies have shown that tooth loss and occlusal dysfunction may affect brain function and trigger the onset of dementia found in neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease. In this review, we highlight the relationships among aging, oral dysfunction, and the development of dementia. Increasing evidence suggests that oral dysfunction is not only a result of dementia in the elderly people, but could also be a causative factor for the onset of dementia.
A Quantitative Description for Designing the Extrudability of Shear‐Thinning Physical Hydrogels
Authors: Lopez Hernandez Hector , Souza Jason W. , Appel Eric A.
Published: November 2020

Physically associated hydrogels (PHs) capable of reversible transitions between solid and liquid‐like states have enabled novel strategies for 3D printing, therapeutic drug and cell delivery, and regenerative medicine. Among the many design criteria (e.g., viscoelasticity, cargo diffusivity, biocompatibility) for these applications, engineering PHs for extrudability is a necessary and critical design criterion for the successful application of these materials. As the development of many distinct PH material systems continues, a strategy to determine the extrudability of PHs a priori will be exceedingly useful for reducing costly and time‐consuming trial‐and‐error experimentation. Here, a strategy to determine the property–function relationships for PHs in injectable drug delivery applications at clinically relevant flow rates is presented. This strategy—validated with two chemically and physically distinct PHs—reveals material design spaces in the form of Ashby‐style plots that highlight acceptable, application‐specific material properties. It is shown that the flow behavior of PHs does not obey a single shear‐thinning power law and the implications for injectable drug delivery are discussed. This approach for generating design criteria has potential for streamlining the screening of PHs and their utility in applications with varying geometrical (i.e., needle diameter) and process (i.e., flow rate) constraints.
Activated Carbon Containing PEG‐Based Hydrogels as Novel Candidate Dressings for the Treatment of Malodorous Wounds
Authors: Minsart Manon , Mignon Arn , Arslan Aysu , Allan Iain U. , Van Vlierberghe Sandra , Dubruel Peter
Published: November 2020

Malodorous wounds have a detrimental effect on the patient's well‐being. A dressing combining the properties of hydrogels and activated carbon (AC) would be beneficial for the treatment of these wounds, controlling wound exudate while adsorbing malodor‐causing compounds. The present work involves the use of acrylate‐endcapped, urethane‐based precursors (AUPs) and methacrylated alginate (AlgMOD). AUPs are synthesized with a varying poly(ethylene glycol) backbone molar mass (2–20 kg mol−1) to tune mechanical and swelling properties, whereas methacrylated alginate, known for its hemostatic properties, enables chemical cross‐linking. Blends of AUP and AlgMOD with AC are processed into hydrogel sheets and electrospun membranes. The results indicate tunable mechanical (Young's moduli 0.03–0.63 MPa) and swelling properties (2.2–34.9 gwater ) along with high gel fractions (>85%). The sheets are compared with commercial odor‐adsorbing dressings (Carbonet and Carboflex), enabling benchmarking. AUP sheets (8 and 10 kg mol−1) containing 0.5% w/w AC show strong adsorption (>90% after 24 h) of crystal violet. The obtained (core–shell AlgMOD/AUP) fibers are visualized using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Indirect cell tests reveal the developed materials to be biocompatible. In conclusion, a hydrogel‐based odor‐adsorbing wound dressing is successfully synthesized and holds promise for malodorous wound healing.