bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ecology and conservation of bats in Temotu Province, Solomon Islands and Torba Province, Vanuatu
Authors: Lavery Tyrone H. , Leary Tanya N. , Shaw Christina , Tahi Martika , Posala Corzzierrah , Pierce Ray
Published: August 2020

Bats are essential to the functioning of many island ecosystems. A large proportion of Pacific Island Pteropus are endemics, limited in their distribution to single paleotropical islands or close island groups. This subset is also highly threatened by hunting and habitat disturbance. Further exacerbating these threats is a dearth of scientific knowledge that makes long-term management and conservation planning difficult. We aimed to gather data on seven bat species from Nendö, Reef Islands, Tinakula, and Vanikoro (Solomon Islands), and Vanua Lava and Mota (Vanuatu). Between 1990 and 2019 we surveyed bats using walked transects, mist nets and camp counts, and collected data on diets and roosting sites. Data collection targeted four limited range endemics (Nendö tube-nosed bat (Nyctimene sanctacrucis), Banks flying-fox (Pteropus fundatus), Temotu flying-fox (Pteropus nitendiensis) and Vanikoro flying-fox (Pteropus tuberculatus), and three more widespread species (Vanuatu flying-fox (Pteropus anetianus), Pacific flying-fox (Pteropus tonganus) and Fijian blossom bat (Notopteris macdonaldi). Notopteris macdonaldi, P. nitendiensis, P. tonganus and P. tuberculatus were the most common species recorded on transects and mist net surveys. Transect encounter rates were 0.1–4.5km−1 (P. nitendiensis), 0.2–20.0km−1 (P. tonganus) and 0–7.2km−1 (P. tuberculatus). Pteropus fundatus was rarer, we did not detect this species during daytime searches, and it was the least common mist net capture. We documented 65 Pteropus food plants in our study area. Nyctimene sanctacrucis was not detected on Nendö, Tinakula and Reef Islands despite considerable effort. We consider this bat is likely extinct, if in fact it is a distinct species.
Characterizing superspreading events and age-specific infectiousness of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Georgia, USA
Authors: Lau Max S. Y. , Grenfell Bryan , Thomas Michael , Bryan Michael , Nelson Kristin , Lopman Ben
Published: August 2020

Significance

There is still considerable scope for advancing our understanding of the epidemiology and ecology of COVID-19. In particular, much is unknown about individual-level transmission heterogeneities such as superspreading and age-specific infectiousness. We statistically synthesize multiple valuable data streams, including surveillance data and mobility data, that are available during the current COVID-19 pandemic. We show that age is an important factor in the transmission of the virus. Superspreading is ubiquitous over space and time, and has particular importance in rural areas and later stages of an outbreak. Our results improve our understanding of the natural history of the virus and have important implications for designing optimal control measures.
The impact of Group Dynamic Assessment on the development of translation bilingual sub-competence
Authors: Shorofi Mahboubeh , Sanatifar Mohammad Saleh , Tavakoli Mansoor
Published: August 2020

For training translators in academic settings, the notion of translation bilingual sub-competence is fundamental. However,
little research has addressed the practical methods for developing the trainees’ translation bilingual sub-competence. The present study
investigated the impact of Group Dynamic Assessment on trainees’ translation bilingual sub-competence development and the ways it helps them
develop their bilingual sub-competence. Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development and PACTE translation competence model served as the
theoretical framework for the study. Methodologically, a mixed-methods study was designed. For the quantitative phase, a semi-experimental
method, and for the qualitative phase, interviews were administered. The results confirmed that implementing a Group Dynamic Assessment
developed the trainees’ translation bilingual sub-competence. The findings of the study can be used in professional development and
in-service courses for the academic staff and could pave the way for further empirical research in translation pedagogy.
A comparative critical metaphor analysis on the concept of democracy in Turkish and American English
Authors: Baş Melike
Published: August 2020

This corpus-based study concentrates on the metaphorical conceptualizations of the concept of ‘democracy’ in
Turkish and American English to find out how this socio-political term is conceptually represented in the minds of Turkish and
American speakers. The database consists of 4000 concordance lines that were extracted from four different corpora: TNCv3.0, TS
Columns, COCA, and NOW. Critical Metaphor Analysis (Charteris-Black, 2004) and MIP
(Pragglejaz, 2007) were employed in the identification, explanation and
interpretation of metaphors. Findings indicate various linguistic metaphors that can be grouped under several source domain
categories including physical object, conflict and living organism as the most frequent ones. The most
widespread metaphor in Turkish is democracy is a destination, whereas it is democracy is war in American
English, embodying two different worldviews. The study proposes that the way the concept of democracy is composed has a role in
manipulating people’s perception of the type of a democracy they are ruled by.
The Keur Farah Pahlavi Project and Iranian-Senegalese Relations in the 1970s
Authors: Steele Robert
Published: August 2020

Addressing the scarcity of scholarly literature on Iran’s involvement in Sub-Saharan Africa during the Pahlavi period, this paper demonstrates that throughout the 1970s, as the shah’s international standing rose and Iran’s economy grew, so too did Iran’s political and economic relationships with several African countries, especially Senegal. The article will explore a number of factors that stimulated this relationship, most significantly Senegal’s strategic and symbolic importance, and the personal friendships that developed between the countries’ leaders. The ultimate manifestation of this bilateral relationship was the Keur Farah Pahlavi project; a joint Iranian–Senegalese city to be constructed in Senegal. By exploring this project, the paper aims to demonstrate the strategies through which the Pahlavi state sought to expand its influence worldwide.
Selection of Cases for Discussion
Authors: Caldeira Gregory A. , Lempert Daniel
Published: August 2020

The first, hidden stage of the Supreme Court’s agenda-setting process is the formation of the “discuss list,” the small set of cases actually considered in conference. Yet few have systematically considered the operation of and the influences on this critical initial phase of decision making. No systematic, empirical work makes comparisons over time of how features of cases shape the makeup of the chief justice’s discuss list. Here, we examine the composition of the discuss list through a multivariate analysis of all paid petitions for certiorari filed in October Term 1939, 1968, and 1982. We are thereby able to compare the tendencies and efficacy of three long-serving chief justices—Hughes, Warren, and Burger—in making up the discuss list. And, methodologically, we present an alternative to the “observed-value” and the “representative-case” methods of calculating effect sizes for second differences, with software to implement our proposal.
MEMS device for applying shear and tension to an epithelium combined with fluorescent live cell imaging
Authors: Garcia Miguel A , Sadeghipour Ehsan , Engel Leeya , Nelson W James , Pruitt Beth L
Published: August 2020

Mechanical forces play important roles in the biological function of cells and tissues. While numerous studies have probed the force response of cells and measured cell-generated forces, they have primarily focused on tensile, but not shear forces. Here, we describe the design, fabrication, and application of a silicon micromachined device that is capable of independently applying and sensing both tensile and shear forces in an epithelial cell monolayer. We integrated the device with an upright microscope to enable live cell brightfield and fluorescent imaging of cells over many hours following mechanical perturbation. Using devices of increasing stiffness and the same displacement input, we demonstrate that epithelia exhibit concomitant higher maximum resistive tensile forces and quicker force relaxation. In addition, we characterized the force response of the epithelium to cyclic shear loading. While the maximum resistive forces of epithelia under cyclic shear perturbation remained unchanged between cycles, cyclic loading led to faster relaxation of the resistive forces. The device presented here can be applied to studying the force response of other monolayer-forming cell types and is compatible with pharmacological perturbation of cell structures and functions.
Vibration energy harvesting based on a piezoelectric nonlinear energy sink with synchronized charge extraction interface circuit
Authors: Li Zhaoyu , Xiong Liuyang , Tang Lihua , Liu Kefu , Mace Brian
Published: August 2020

Nonlinear energy sink (NES) conventionally designed for vibration control has been recently explored for energy harvesting purpose. To simplify the analysis, a pure resistive load is usually used in the evaluation of the performance of NES-based energy harvesting systems. This paper investigates the performance of an NES-based energy harvesting system interfaced to a synchronized charge extraction (SCE) circuit (EHNES-SCE). For the ease of analysis, the SCE interface circuit is simplified by the equivalent impedance method. An equivalent circuit model for system-level simulation of the EHNES-SCE system is also established to confirm the feasibility of using the simplified SCE circuit. Subsequently, with the simplified SCE circuit, approximate analytical solutions of the EHNES-SCE system are derived using the harmonic balance method and the performance of the EHNES-SCE system under harmonic excitation is investigated. With the established modelling and simulation tools, the influences of electrical load and electromechanical coupling on the performance of the EHNES-SCE system are revealed. Finally, experimental results are presented to confirm the main findings from the theory and simulation and reveal that the EHNES-SCE system is able to harvest energy in a wide frequency range, regardless of the load resistance in the SCE circuit.
Enhancement of photodetection by PbSe quantum dots on atomic-layered GeS devices
Authors: Li Yuzhi , Shi Xuan , Dai Fangbo , Zhou Dahua , Jin Minghui , Zheng Hongying , Yang Yuhui , Zhao Hongquan , Wang Junzhong
Published: August 2020

Hybrid structures of quantum dots (QDs) on two-dimensional materials have aroused great interest because of their high absorbance properties and tunable wavelength detection ranges. In this work, 1.44 times the photoresponse bandwidth of PbSe QDs on atomic-layered GeS hybrid structure devices is achieved compared with pure GeS devices due to the transfer of photogenerated carriers between the PbSe QDs and the GeS film. A doubling of the peak photoresponsivity is obtained at a wavelength of 635 nm, and the detectivity of the hybrid devices increases by 39.5 and 27.4 times under 808 and 980 nm illumination, respectively. Additionally, tripling of the carrier mobility is measured in the hybrid devices (165.2 cm2 V−1 s−1) compared with that of pure atomic-layered GeS devices (54.2 cm2 V−1 s−1). The concentration of PbSe QDs on the GeS films is optimized for the highest photoresponsivity and carrier mobility of the hybrid devices. The results indicate that a hybrid structure of QDs on atomic-layered materials is a promising way to enhance photodetection.
Electron- versus neutrino-nucleus scattering
Authors: Amaro J E , Barbaro M B , Caballero J A , González-Jiménez R , Megias G D , Simo I Ruiz
Published: August 2020

We illustrate the connection between electron and neutrino scattering off nuclei and show how the former process can be used to constrain the description of the latter. After reviewing some of the nuclear models commonly used to study lepton-nucleus reactions, we describe in detail the SuSAv2 model and show how its predictions compare with the available electron- and neutrino-scattering data over the kinematical range going from the quasi-elastic peak to pion-production and highly inelastic scattering.
Abruptly autofocusing polycyclic tornado ring Airy beam
Authors: Wu You , Xu Chuangjie , Lin Zejia , Qiu Huixin , Fu Xinming , Chen Kaihui , Deng Dongmei
Published: August 2020

We introduce numerically a new polycyclic tornado ring Airy beam (PTRAB) induced by annular spiral zone phases with the second order chirped factor. The PTRAB has such properties of controllable multi focuses, the multi optical bottles and rotation. By choosing appropriate parameters, we can control the times of the multi autofocus and the autofocusing distance, the size and the number of the OBs, the quantity of the spots and the location where the rotary direction changes from counterclockwise to clockwise. We believe our results have potential applications in laser energy focusing, optical tweezers, optical spanners and manufacturing tunable chiral meta-materials.
Prediction of moment of inertia of rotating nuclei *
Authors: Sheikh Mohd Kh. M. Abu El , Okhunov A. A. , Kassim H. Abu , Khandaker M. U.
Published: August 2020

In this study, the mathematical expression formulated by Bohr for the moment of inertia of even-even nuclei based on the hydrodynamical model is modified. The modification pertains to the kinetic energy of the surface oscillations, including the second and third terms of the R-expansion as well as the first term, which had already been modified by Bohr. Therefore, this work can be considered a continuation and support of Bohr's hydrodynamic model. The procedure yields a Bohr formula to be multiplied by a factor that depends on the deformation parameter. Bohr's (modified) formula is examined by applying it on axially symmetric even-even nuclei with atomic masses ranging between 150 and 190 as well as on some triaxial symmetry nuclei. In this paper, the modification of Bohr's formula is discussed, including information about the stability of this modification and the second and third terms of the R-expansion in Bohr's formula. The results of the calculation are compared with the experimental data and Bohr's results recorded earlier. The results obtained are in good agreement with experimental data, with a ratio of approximately 0.7, and are better than those of the unmodified ones.
Combining mitigation strategies to increase co-benefits for biodiversity and food security
Authors: Prudhomme Rémi , Palma Adriana De , Dumas Patrice , Gonzalez Ricardo , Leadley Paul , Levrel Harold , Purvis Andy , Brunelle Thierry
Published: August 2020

World agriculture needs to find the right balance to cope with the trilemma between feeding a growing population, reducing its impact on biodiversity and minimizing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this paper, we evaluate a broad range of scenarios that achieve 4.3 GtCO2,eq/year GHG mitigation in the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land-Use (AFOLU) sector by 2100. Scenarios include varying mixes of three GHG mitigation policies: second-generation biofuel production, dietary change and reforestation of pasture. We find that focusing mitigation on a single policy can lead to positive results for a single indicator of food security or biodiversity conservation, but with significant negative side effects on others. A balanced portfolio of all three mitigation policies, while not optimal for any single criterion, minimizes trade-offs by avoiding large negative effects on food security and biodiversity conservation. At the regional scale, the trade-off seen globally between biodiversity and food security is nuanced by different regional contexts.
Axial compressor optimization method
Authors: Popov Grigorii , Baturin Oleg , Goriachkin Evgenii , Zubanov Vasilii , Volkov Andrei
Published: August 2020

In the presented work, an algorithm was developed for finding the optimal configuration of the blades of multi-stage axial compressors using 3D CFD modeling as the main tool and using commercial optimization programs. When developing the algorithm, special attention was paid to the development of a method for parameterizing the shape of the blade and a program based on it, which allow you to automatically change the shape of the blade of the axial compressor. They were used by the authors during optimization as a tool that converts variable parameters into the “new” blade geometry. The created algorithm can be used to improve the basic parameters of the compressor (efficiency, pressure ratio, mass flow rate, etc.) due to the correction of the shape of the blade profiles and their position relative to each other. In this case, the algorithm considers the possible presence of various constraints.
High-precision analytical TDoA positioning algorithm for eliminating the ambiguity of coordinates determination
Authors: Kuptsov V D , Ivanov S I , Fedotov A A , Badenko V L
Published: August 2020

An analytical method is proposed for determining the position of an object based on the analysis of Time Difference of Arrival (TDoA) of signals from the transmitter of the object to the base stations (BS) receivers, which eliminates the ambiguity in determining the coordinates of the object on the plane and improves the accuracy of determining coordinates when the TDoA measurements are out of sync with base stations.
Influence of interference between the fuselage and the propeller ring on the maximum thrust of the air pusher propeller
Authors: Alesin Vladislav S. , Gubskiy Vitaliy V. , Pavlenko Olga V.
Published: August 2020

The geometrical parameters of ring profiles were presented and the estimation of its influence on the peak values of propeller thrust was described. The results of computational studies using software based on Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations to investigate the influence of the rear fuselage and the shape of the ring profile on the thrust of pusher propeller were presented. The pressure distribution and the velocity field changed depending on the shape of the rear fuselage and the ring profile, and their influence on the maximum thrust was shown.
Lamin A/C deficiency enables increased myosin-II bipolar filament ensembles that promote divergent actomyosin network anomalies through self-organization
Authors: Wiggan O’Neil , DeLuca Jennifer G. , Stasevich Timothy J. , Bamburg James R.
Published: August 2020

This study identifies that disruption of the nuclear lamina via lamin A/C depletion results in contrasting actomyosin cytoskeletal patterning, linked to increased myosin-II filament assembly.
TheDrosophila melanogasterRab GAP RN-tre cross-talks with the Rho1 signaling pathway to regulate nonmuscle myosin II localization and function
Authors: Platenkamp Amy , Detmar Elizabeth , Sepulveda Liz , Ritz Anna , Rogers Stephen L. , Applewhite Derek A.
Published: August 2020

The Rab GAP RN-tre regulates the activity, coalescence, and function of nonmuscle myosin II in Drosophila melanogaster cells through cross-talk with the Rho1 signaling pathway. This regulation is partially independent of RN-tre’s GAP activity.
2. The Age of the Ghetto
Authors: Cheyette Bryan
Published: August 2020

‘The Age of the Ghetto’ originated in Italy in the mid-16th century and ended around the time of the French Revolution. Italian city-states, reluctant to sacrifice their economic interests, chose the compromise of enclosure over the expulsion or conversion of Jewish inhabitants. The word ‘ghetto’ evolved from the name of a specific Venetian district to a term adopted by Jews throughout Italy, incorporating the Hebrew ‘ghet’ meaning ‘bill of divorce’. Ghettos, which were often vibrant religious and cultural communities, eventually became overcrowded and unsafe. Over 300 years the ghetto was incorporated into major cities such as Rome and Florence. The Age of the Ghetto, as it was called, looked back to medieval religious prejudice and forward to modern maritime economics and urban planning.
Introduction
Authors: Williamson Timothy
Published: August 2020

The Introduction focuses on the history of philosophy and intersections between philosophy, common sense, natural science, and mathematics, exploring what it means to do philosophy well in practice. How do we confirm that the methods philosophers use are appropriate for answering their questions? How is philosophy related to science? From the ancient Greeks onwards, philosophy included the study of the natural world. Galileo and Newton were scientists, Descartes a mathematician. When natural science and mathematics grew apart and developed their distinct methodologies, why was philosophy not rendered obsolete? What can philosophical methods still do better than scientific and mathematical methods?
Using other fields
Authors: Williamson Timothy
Published: August 2020

‘Using other fields’ looks at the connections between philosophy and other fields of systemic enquiry, from psychology and history to physics, economics, and computer science. Reading history is the closest we get to conducting experiments in politics, creating theories of political philosophy. Social anthropology helps us understand different cultures, beliefs, and arguments. Linguistics matters, as language is the essential medium of philosophy and looking for valid patterns across words helps us to assess philosophical experiments. Connections and messages in computer science, hypotheses in economics and mathematics, and perceptions in the sciences, all combine to inform our understanding of philosophy.
1. What is ecology?
Authors: Ghazoul Jaboury
Published: August 2020

Ecology is the process by which organisms interact with each other and their environment, with the environment as a stage and ecology as the performance. ‘What is ecology?’ explains what happens when organisms feed on and compete with others. These interactions create new patterns in nature. Ecology and evolution are interdependent. As a science, ecology is sometimes accused of ‘physics envy’. There are more precise rules in physics, whereas patterns in ecology are contingent on the past historical and geographical events that created them. In modern culture, ecology has become almost synonymous with environmentalism. However, its scientific aspects are significant to our everyday lives even without links to culture.
Long-Term Presentation of Postconcussion Symptoms and Associated Factors: Analysis of Latent Class Modeling
Authors: Hsu Huan-Hsuan , Lai Wen-Hsuan , Yu Hsiu-Ting , Xiao Sheng-Huang , Tsai Yi-Hsin , Wang Kuo-Chuan , Huang Sheng-Jean , Yang Chi-Cheng
Published: August 2020

Objective

Postconcussion symptoms (PCS) are commonly reported by patients with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). Although PCS significantly recovered by 3-month postinjury, a number of patients still experienced persistent PCS for >1 year. As few researchers investigated long-term PCS endorsement, the present study thus aims to show the latent structure of long-term PCS and further uncover its associating factors.

Methods

In total, 110 patients with MTBI and 32 healthy participants were prospectively enrolled. PCS was evaluated at 2 weeks and long-term evaluations (mean = 2.90 years) after MTBI. In addition, cognitive functions, which include memory, executive function, and information processing, and emotional disturbances, which include depression, anxiety, and irritability, were also examined at 2-week postinjury.

Results

Patients reported significantly more PCS at 2-week postinjury than healthy participants did, but PCS significantly improved at long-term evaluations when comparing with PCS at acute stage after MTBI. Both of PCS at 2 weeks and long-term evaluations can be further subdivided into subgroups based on the severity of PCS, in which specific PCS (e.g., fatigue, loss of energy, insomnia, slowness of information processing, irritability, and blurred vision) can be well differentiated among subgroups at long-term evaluations.

Conclusions

This study directly showed the characteristics of long-term PCS and associating factors. It further evidenced that specific physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms might be determinant to identify the subgroups of patients with long-term PCS endorsement.
Molecular characterization, biological function, tumor microenvironment association and clinical significance of m6A regulators in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Li Yin , Gu Jie , Xu Fengkai , Zhu Qiaoliang , Chen Yiwei , Ge Di , Lu Chunlai
Published: August 2020

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification can regulate a variety of biological processes. However, the implications of m6A modification in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remain largely unknown. Here, we systematically evaluated the m6A modification features in more than 2400 LUAD samples by analyzing the multi-omics features of 23 m6A regulators. We depicted the genetic variation features of m6A regulators, and found mutations of FTO and YTHDF3 were linked to worse overall survival. Many m6A regulators were aberrantly expressed in tumors, among which FTO, IGF2BP3, YTHDF1 and RBM15 showed consistent alteration features across 11 independent cohorts. Besides, the regulator-pathway interaction network demonstrated that m6A modification was associated with various biological pathways, including immune-related pathways. The correlation between m6A regulators and tumor microenvironment was also assessed. We found that LRPPRC was negatively correlated with most tumor-infiltrating immune cells. On the other hand, we established a scoring tool named m6Sig, which was positively correlated with PD-L1 expression and could reflect both the tumor microenvironment characterization and prognosis of LUAD patients. Comparison of CNV between high and low m6Sig groups revealed differences on chromosome 7. Application of m6Sig on an anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy cohort confirmed that the high m6Sig group demonstrated therapeutic advantages and clinical benefits. Our study indicated that m6A modification is involved in many aspects of LUAD and contributes to tumor microenvironment formation. A better understanding of m6A modification will provide more insights into the molecular mechanisms of LUAD and facilitate developing more effective personalized treatment strategies. A web application was built along with this study (http://www.bioinfo-zs.com/luadexpress/).
Fast Lasso method for large-scale and ultrahigh-dimensional Cox model with applications to UK Biobank
Authors: Li Ruilin , Chang Christopher , Justesen Johanne M , Tanigawa Yosuke , Qian Junyang , Hastie Trevor , Rivas Manuel A , Tibshirani Robert
Published: August 2020

We develop a scalable and highly efficient algorithm to fit a Cox proportional hazard model by maximizing the $L^1$-regularized (Lasso) partial likelihood function, based on the Batch Screening Iterative Lasso (BASIL) method developed in Qian and others (2019). Our algorithm is particularly suitable for large-scale and high-dimensional data that do not fit in the memory. The output of our algorithm is the full Lasso path, the parameter estimates at all predefined regularization parameters, as well as their validation accuracy measured using the concordance index (C-index) or the validation deviance. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm, we analyze a large genotype-survival time dataset across 306 disease outcomes from the UK Biobank (Sudlow and others, 2015). We provide a publicly available implementation of the proposed approach for genetics data on top of the PLINK2 package and name it snpnet-Cox.
‘I Never Felt like an Illegal Immigrant Until Social Work Turned up at the Hospital’: No Recourse to Public Funds as Necropolitical Exception
Authors: Farmer Natalia
Published: August 2020

This article argues that the notion of ‘illegality’ has become a dominant aspect in social work practice for those who are subject to immigration control and have no recourse to public funds (NRPFs). Drawing together conceptual tools from the theoretical work of Giorgio Agamben and Achille Mbembé, necropolitical exception in social work will be explored to analyse how this has impacted upon racialised bodies within the UK immigration system. The findings presented in this article are based upon Ph.D. research conducted between July 2017 and October 2018 in Glasgow, Scotland, and includes ethnographic qualitative data from case studies with the Asylum Seeker Housing Project. It focuses on interviews that explore the lived experiences of those categorised as ‘illegalised’ migrants to examine the implications of necropolitical exception for those with NRPF, third sector caseworkers and statutory social workers. In framing those with NRPF as ‘illegal’, this article demonstrates that social workers have become drawn into agents of necropolitical exception that demands critical scrutiny.
Theory of Mind Following the Violation of Strong and Weak Prior Beliefs
Authors: Kim Minjae J , Mende-Siedlecki Peter , Anzellotti Stefano , Young Liane
Published: August 2020

Recent work in psychology and neuroscience has revealed differences in impression updating across social distance and group membership. Observers tend to maintain prior impressions of close (vs. distant) and ingroup (vs. outgroup) others in light of new information, and this belief maintenance is at times accompanied by increased activity in Theory of Mind regions. It remains an open question whether differences in the strength of prior beliefs, in a context absent social motivation, contribute to neural differences during belief updating. We devised a functional magnetic resonance imaging study to isolate the impact of experimentally induced prior beliefs on mentalizing activity. Participants learned about targets who performed 2 or 4 same-valenced behaviors (leading to the formation of weak or strong priors), before performing 2 counter-valenced behaviors. We found a greater change in activity in dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) and right temporo-parietal junction following the violation of strong versus weak priors, and a greater change in activity in DMPFC and left temporo-parietal junction following the violation of positive versus negative priors. These results indicate that differences in neural responses to unexpected behaviors from close versus distant others, and ingroup versus outgroup members, may be driven in part by differences in the strength of prior beliefs.
Quantity Metrics and Proxy Indicators to Estimate the Volume and Appropriateness of Antibiotics Prescribed in French Nursing Homes: A Cross-sectional Observational Study Based on 2018 Reimbursement Data
Authors: Simon Maïa , Pereira Ouarda , Hulscher Marlies E J L , Schouten Jeroen , Thilly Nathalie , Pulcini Céline
Published: August 2020

Background

Antibiotic resistance is an increasing threat to public health globally. Indicators on antibiotic prescribing are required to guide antibiotic stewardship interventions in nursing homes. However, such indicators are not available in the literature. Our main objective was to provide a set of quantity metrics and proxy indicators to estimate the volume and appropriateness of antibiotic use in nursing homes.

Methods

Recently published articles were first used to select quantity metrics and proxy indicators, which were adapted to the French nursing home context. A cross-sectional observational study was then conducted based on reimbursement databases. We included all community-based nursing homes of the Lorraine region in northeastern France. We present descriptive statistics for quantity metrics and proxy indicators. For proxy indicators, we also assessed performance scores, clinimetric properties (measurability, applicability, and room for improvement), and conducted case-mix and cluster analyses.

Results

A total of 209 nursing homes were included. We selected 15 quantity metrics and 11 proxy indicators of antibiotic use. The volume of antibiotic use varied greatly between nursing homes. Proxy indicator performance scores were low, and variability between nursing homes was high for all indicators, highlighting important room for improvement. Six of the 11 proxy indicators had good clinimetric properties. Three distinct clusters were identified according to the number of proxy indicators for which the acceptable target was reached.

Conclusions

This set of 15 quantity metrics and 11 proxy indicators may be adapted to other contexts and could be used to guide antibiotic stewardship programs in nursing homes.
Vote Trading in Power-Sharing Systems: A Laboratory Investigation
Authors: Tsakas Nikolas , Xefteris Dimitrios , Ziros Nicholas
Published: August 2020

Vote trading in power-sharing systems—i.e., systems in which a voter’s utility with respect to the election’s outcome is proportional to the vote share of her favourite party—is, in theory, welfare improving. However, trading votes for money in majoritarian systems may have detrimental welfare effects, especially when voters’ preference intensities are similar (Casella et al., 2012). We use a laboratory experiment to test the effect of vote trading in each of these popular electoral systems on voter welfare and find strong evidence in support of the above intuitions: vote trading in power-sharing systems boosts aggregate welfare across all considered specifications, but it is not welfare improving in majoritarian systems. Importantly, and contrary to theoretical predictions, a substantial share of subjects consistently loses from vote trading even in power-sharing systems, indicating that its welfare effects are not unambiguous.
Lost Touch? Implications of Physical Touch for Physical Health
Authors: Thomas Patricia A , Kim Seoyoun
Published: August 2020

Objectives

Growing research on the impact of physical touch on health has revealed links to lower blood pressure, higher oxytocin levels, and better sleep, but links to inflammation have not been fully explored. Physical touch may also buffer stress, underscoring its importance during the stressful time of living in the COVID-19 global pandemic—a time that has substantially limited social interactions and during which physical touch has been specifically advised against.

Method

We analyze nationally representative longitudinal data on older adults (N = 1,124) from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project using cross-lagged path models.

Results

More frequent physical touch is significantly related to a lower likelihood of subsequent elevated inflammation.

Discussion

These findings highlight the importance of finding safe ways to incorporate physical touch, even in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Associations Between Personality Traits and Cognitive Resilience in Older Adults
Authors: Graham Eileen K , James Bryan D , Jackson Kathryn L , Willroth Emily C , Boyle Patricia , Wilson Robert , Bennett David A , Mroczek Daniel K
Published: August 2020

Objectives

The goal of this paper was to examine associations between personality traits and resilience to neuropathologic burden.

Method

Using data from the Religious Orders Study and the Rush Memory and Aging Project, we identified a total of 1,375 participants with personality, cognitive, and post-mortem neuropathology data. We regressed cognition onto pathology and extracted the residuals as an indicator of cognitive resilience. We then modeled the effect of Big Five personality traits on cognitive resilience, adjusting for demographics, APOE status, medical comorbidities, and cognitive activity. The analytic plan was preregistered prior to data access or analysis, and all scripts and outputs are available online.

Results

Higher neuroticism was associated with greater vulnerability to pathology. Results from exploratory analyses suggest that higher conscientiousness was associated with less cognitive decline relative to the amount of pathology, or greater resilience. Education and cognitive activity did not moderate these associations.

Discussion

Personality may have a pathoplastic effect on neuropathology, as low neuroticism and high conscientiousness are associated with better function despite neuropathologic burden.
Probabilistic lowermost mantle P-wave tomography from hierarchical Hamiltonian Monte Carlo and model parametrization cross-validation
Authors: Muir Jack B , Tkalčić Hrvoje
Published: August 2020

Bayesian methods, powered by Markov Chain Monte Carlo estimates of posterior densities, have become a cornerstone of geophysical inverse theory. These methods have special relevance to the deep Earth, where data are sparse and uncertainties are large. We present a strategy for efficiently solving hierarchical Bayesian geophysical inverse problems for fixed parametrizations using Hamiltonian Monte Carlo sampling, and highlight an effective methodology for determining optimal parametrizations from a set of candidates by using efficient approximations to leave-one-out cross-validation for model complexity. To illustrate these methods, we use a case study of differential traveltime tomography of the lowermost mantle, using short period P-wave data carefully selected to minimize the contributions of the upper mantle and inner core. The resulting tomographic image of the lowermost mantle has a relatively weak degree 2—instead there is substantial heterogeneity at all low spherical harmonic degrees less than 15. This result further reinforces the dichotomy in the lowermost mantle between relatively simple degree 2 dominated long-period S-wave tomographic models, and more complex short-period P-wave tomographic models.
Type I interferons induce peripheral T regulatory cell differentiation under tolerogenic conditions
Authors: Vitale Sara , Russo Valentina , Dettori Beatrice , Palombi Cecilia , Baev Denis , Proietti Enrico , Le Bon Agnes , Belardelli Filippo , Pace Luigia
Published: August 2020

The type I interferons are central to a vast array of immunological functions. The production of these immune-modulatory molecules is initiated at the early stages of the innate immune responses and, therefore, plays a dominant role in shaping downstream events in both innate and adaptive immunity. Indeed, the major role of IFN-α/β is the induction of priming states, relevant for the functional differentiation of T lymphocyte subsets. Among T-cell subtypes, the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T regulatory cells (Tregs) represent a specialized subset of CD4+ T cells with a critical role in maintaining peripheral tolerance and immune homeostasis. Although the role of type I interferons in maintaining the function of thymus-derived Tregs has been previously described, the direct contribution of these innate factors to peripheral Treg (pTreg) and induced Treg (iTreg) differentiation and suppressive function is still unclear. We now show that, under tolerogenic conditions, IFN-α/β play a critical role in antigen-specific and also polyclonal naive CD4+ T-cell conversion into peripheral antigen-specific CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs and inhibit CD4+ T helper (Th) cell expansion in mice. While type I interferons sustain the expression and the activation of the transcription master regulators Foxp3, Stat3 and Stat5, these innate molecules reciprocally inhibit Th17 cell differentiation. Altogether, these results indicate a new pivotal role of IFN-α/β on pTreg differentiation and induction of peripheral tolerance, which may have important implications in the therapeutic control of inflammatory disorders, such as of autoimmune diseases.
User-centered design of a longitudinal care plan for children with medical complexity
Authors: Desai Arti D , Wang Grace , Wignall Julia , Kinard Dylan , Singh Vidhi , Adams Sherri , Pratt Wanda
Published: August 2020

Objective

To determine the content priorities and design preferences for a longitudinal care plan (LCP) among caregivers and healthcare providers who care for children with medical complexity (CMC) in acute care settings.

Materials and Methods

We conducted iterative one-on-one design sessions with CMC caregivers (ie, parents/legal guardians) and providers from 5 groups: complex care, primary care, subspecialists, emergency care, and care coordinators. Audio-recorded sessions included content categorization activities, drawing exercises, and scenario-based testing of an electronic LCP prototype. We applied inductive content analysis of session materials to elicit content priorities and design preferences between sessions. Analysis informed iterative prototype revisions.

Results

We conducted 30 design sessions (10 with caregivers, 20 with providers). Caregivers expressed high within-group variability in their content priorities compared to provider groups. Emergency providers had the most unique content priorities among clinicians. We identified 6 key design preferences: a familiar yet customizable layout, a problem-based organization schema, linked content between sections, a table layout for most sections, a balance between unstructured and structured data fields, and use of family-centered terminology.

Discussion

Findings from this study will inform enhancements of electronic health record-embedded LCPs and the development of new LCP tools and applications. The design preferences we identified provide a framework for optimizing integration of family and provider content priorities while maintaining a user-tailored experience.

Conclusion

Health information platforms that incorporate these design preferences into electronic LCPs will help meet the information needs of caregivers and providers caring for CMC in acute care settings.
Characteristics of telehealth users in NYC for COVID-related care during the coronavirus pandemic
Authors: Weber Ellerie , Miller Sarah J , Astha Varuna , Janevic Teresa , Benn Emma
Published: August 2020

Objective

To explore whether racial/ethnic differences in telehealth use existed during the peak pandemic period among NYC patients seeking care for COVID-19 related symptoms.

Materials and Methods

This study used data from a large health system in NYC – the epicenter of the US crisis – to describe characteristics of patients seeking COVID-related care via telehealth, ER, or office encounters during the peak pandemic period. Using multinomial logistic regression, we estimated the magnitude of the relationship between patient characteristics and the odds of having a first encounter via telehealth versus ER or office visit, and then used regression parameter estimates to predict patients’ probabilities of using different encounter types given their characteristics.

Results

Demographic factors, including race/ethnicity and age, were significantly predictive of telehealth use. As compared to Whites, Blacks had higher adjusted odds of using both the ER versus telehealth (OR: 4.3, 95% CI: 4.0-4.6) and office visits versus telehealth (OR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.3-1.5). For Hispanics versus Whites, the analogous ORs were 2.5 (95% CI: 2.3-2.7) and 1.2 (95% CI: 1.1-1.3). Compared to any age groups, patients 65+ had significantly higher odds of using either ER or office visits versus telehealth.

Conclusions

The response to COVID-19 has involved an unprecedented expansion in telehealth. While older Americans and minority populations among others are known to be disadvantaged by the digital divide, few studies have examined disparities in telehealth specifically, and none during COVID-19. Additional research into sociodemographic heterogeneity in telehealth use is needed to prevent potentially further exacerbating health disparities overall.
Deep learning approaches for extracting adverse events and indications of dietary supplements from clinical text
Authors: Fan Yadan , Zhou Sicheng , Li Yifan , Zhang Rui
Published: August 2020

Objective

We sought to demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing deep learning models to extract safety signals related to the use of dietary supplements (DSs) in clinical text.

Materials and Methods

Two tasks were performed in this study. For the named entity recognition (NER) task, Bi-LSTM-CRF (bidirectional long short-term memory conditional random field) and BERT (bidirectional encoder representations from transformers) models were trained and compared with CRF model as a baseline to recognize the named entities of DSs and events from clinical notes. In the relation extraction (RE) task, 2 deep learning models, including attention-based Bi-LSTM and convolutional neural network as well as a random forest model were trained to extract the relations between DSs and events, which were categorized into 3 classes: positive (ie, indication), negative (ie, adverse events), and not related. The best performed NER and RE models were further applied on clinical notes mentioning 88 DSs for discovering DSs adverse events and indications, which were compared with a DS knowledge base.

Results

For the NER task, deep learning models achieved a better performance than CRF, with F1 scores above 0.860. The attention-based Bi-LSTM model performed the best in the RE task, with an F1 score of 0.893. When comparing DS event pairs generated by the deep learning models with the knowledge base for DSs and event, we found both known and unknown pairs.

Conclusions

Deep learning models can detect adverse events and indication of DSs in clinical notes, which hold great potential for monitoring the safety of DS use.
Thermal stress responses of two sympatric crayfishes in Louisiana, Procambarus clarkii Girard, 1852 and Procambarus zonangulus Hobbs & Hobbs, 1990 (Decapoda: Astacoidea: Cambaridae)
Authors: Logarbo Jordan R , Bonvillain Christopher P
Published: August 2020

Water temperature is an important abiotic component in farmed and wild crayfish habitats as it influences individual and population characteristics including growth, metabolic activity, and overall population vigor. Thermal limits, however, have not been established for the two commercially important crayfishes in Louisiana, the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) and the southern white river crayfish P. zonangulus (Hobbs & Hobbs, 1990). We aimed to determine the thermal stress responses for the two species. Thermal stress was examined by the critical thermal maxima (CTmax) for crayfish acclimated to 24, 27, or 30 °C for two weeks prior to experimentation. Water temperature in all acclimation trials was increased 1 °C h–1 and the end-point temperature for an individual was determined by the failure of righting response within 30 seconds. CTmax values (±SD) for P. clarkii acclimated at 24, 27, and 30 °C were 39.5 ± 0.5, 39.1 ± 0.3, and 39.4 ± 0.7 °C respectively, and 39.8 ± 0.8, 38.8 ± 0.8, and 39.0 ± 0.6 °C for P. zonangulus. CTmax did not differ significantly between species in any of the acclimation treatments. Thermal stress was also examined by measuring P. clarkii and P. zonangulus hemolymph glucose concentration every two hours for crayfish acclimated at 26 °C for two weeks and water temperature increased 1 °C h–1. Hemolymph glucose concentration began to increase at 36 °C in P. zonangulus and 38 °C in P. clarkii. Large increases in mean hemolymph glucose concentration (±SE) were observed in both P. clarkii (67.19 mg–dl ± 24.55) and P. zonangulus (74.11 mg–dl ± 18.04) at 40 °C.