Motivating social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic: An online experiment. ESRI Working Paper No. 658 April 2020

Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic will save lives. We tested communication strategies to promote social distancing via an online experiment (N = 500) commissioned by Ireland’s Department of Health. A control group saw a current informational poster. Two treatment groups saw similar posters with messages that highlighted: (i) the risk of transmission to identifiable persons vulnerable to COVID-19; (ii) the exponential nature of transmission. We then measured judgements of behaviours previously identified by focus groups as “marginal” (meaning that people were not sure whether they were advisable, such meeting others outdoors, or visiting parents). We recorded intention to undertake behaviours and stated acceptability of behaviours. Our hypotheses, that both treatments would increase participants’ caution about marginal behaviours, were preregistered (i.e. lodged with an international organisation for open science before data collection). Results confirmed the hypotheses. The findings suggest that the thought of infecting vulnerable people or large numbers of people can motivate social distancing. This has implications for communications strategies. The stud

An Investigation into the Genetic Basis of Familial Interstitial Nephritis

Chronic tubulo-interstitial nephritis (TIN) leads to progressive decline in renal function, involving patho-physiological processes which are poorly understood. Here, six Irish kindreds with familial interstitial nephritis (FIN) are presented. The largest kindred have FIN which is inherited in a dominant fashion and does not associate with the UMOD locus. Genome-wide linkage analysis was performed, and the linkage area was refined with microsatellite markers and haplotype analysis to define the minimal candidate region. Genome-wide linkage analysis yielded a maximum two-point logarithm of odds(LOD) score of 2.62 at marker D1S394 on chromosome 1q. Multipoint parametric LOD score calculation in this family yielded a significant LOD score of 3.598 over a 5 centi-Morgan (cM) span at markers D1S2721, D1S394, RS2317232, RS857819, D1S2635 and RS876537. Fine mapping of this region defined a minimal candidate region of 14.2 Mb with recombination observed at markers D1S25PJL and D1S2844. These data support a locus for FIN at chromosome 1q21-23. The known coding areas within this locus were exhaustively interrogated with standard Sanger sequencing and Whole Exome Capture. No causative mutation was identified in this fashion. It is likely that the responsible variation is due to a “complex rearrangement” or an intronic variation impacting a transcription factor binding site or having an epigenetic effect. Identification of the mutated gene at this locus may illuminate disease mechanisms of interstitial nephritis

Long-Term Neuroadaptations Produced by Withdrawal from Repeated Cocaine Treatment: Role of Dopaminergic Receptors in Modulating Cortical Excitability

Dopamine (DA) modulates neuronal activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and is necessary for optimal cognitive function. Dopamine transmission in the PFC is also important for the behavioral adaptations produced by repeated exposure to cocaine. Therefore, we investigated the effects of repeated cocaine treatment followed by withdrawal (2– 4 weeks) on the responsivity of cortical cells to electrical stimulation of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and to systemic administration of DA D1 or D2 receptor antagonists. Cortical cells in cocaine- and saline-treated animals exhibited a similar decrease in excitability after the administration of D1 receptor antagonists. In contrast, cortical neurons from cocaine-treated rats exhibited a lack of D2-mediated regulation relative to saline rats. Furthermore, in contrast to saline-treated animals, VTA stimulation did not increase cortical excitability in the cocaine group. These data suggest that withdrawal from repeated cocaine administration elicits some long-term neuroadaptations in the PFC, including (1) reduced D2-mediated regulation of cortical excitability, (2) reduced responsivity of cortical cells to phasic increases in DA, and (3) a trend toward an overall decrease in excitability of PFC neurons

Two distinct forms of Chlamydia psittaci associated with disease and infertility in Phascolarctos cinereus (Koala)

While several diseases associated with Chlamydia psittaci infection have been reported in Phascolarctos cinereus (koala), it is still unclear whether one or more chlamydial strains are responsible. In this study, we provide evidence, obtained by restriction enzyme and gene probe analysis, that two quite distinct strains of C. psittaci infect koalas; one strain was isolated from the conjunctivae, and the other was isolated from the urogenital tract and the rectum. A gene probe, pFEN207, containing the coding sequence for an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of the chlamydial genus-specific lipopolysaccharide antigen, and a separate probe, pCPML-4N, prepared from a DNA fragment of a koala-infecting strain of C. psittaci, were used to determine the patterns of hybridization in the koala-infecting strains; these patterns were found to be quite distinct from those observed with C. psittaci isolates from other animals. We also demonstrated by hybridization analysis with an avian strain plasmid that all three koala urogenital isolates contain a plasmid and that there is no evidence for the presence of a homologous plasmid in any of the ocular isolates

COMPUTING RESOURCE AND WORK ALLOCATIONS USING SOCIAL PROFILES

If several distributed and disparate computer resources exist, many of whichhave been created for different and diverse reasons, and several large scale com-puting challenges also exist with similar diversity in their backgrounds, then oneproblem which arises in trying to assemble enough of these resources to addresssuch challenges is the need to align and accommodate the different motivationsand objectives which may lie behind the existence of both the resources andthe challenges. Software agents are offered as a mainstream technology formodelling the types of collaborations and relationships needed to do this. Asan initial step towards forming such relationships, agents need a mechanism toconsider social and economic backgrounds. This paper explores addressing so-cial and economic differences using a combination of textual descriptions knownas social profiles and search engine technology, both of which are integrated intoan agent technology

Best Practices and Methodological Guidelines for Conducting Gas Risk Assessments

The EC Regulation concerning measures to safeguard security of gas supply (EC/994/2010) requires member states to make a full assessment of the risks affecting the security of gas supply. According to Article 9, this risk assessment must: (a) use the infrastructure and supply standards (articles 6 and 8); (b) take into account all relevant national and regional circumstances; (c) run various disruption scenarios; (d) identify the interaction and correlation of risks with other Member States. (e) take into account the maximal interconnection capacity of each border entry and exit point. The objective of this report is to provide guidance and advice for performing risk assessments. It will do so by first providing a literature review, and then by proposing a basic structure for undertaking a gas security risk assessment, in accordance with best practices and standard procedures found in risk management.JRC.F.3-Energy securit

Eating habits associated with body weight gain in female university students : a UK-based study of Slimming World members

Purpose: To examine dietary habits, cooking skills, physical activity levels and perceived reasons for weight gain in relation to levels of body weight gain among university students in the UK. Design/methodology/approach: This study explored factors associated with body weight gain in a cross-sectional study of British university students who were actively trying to lose weight. University student members of a national commercial slimming programme completed an online survey about weight gain, eating habits, cooking abilities and physical activity levels. Non-parametric tests and regression analysis were employed to examine factors associated with weight gain. Findings: The dataset comprised 272 current students. The majority of students (67%) reported weight gain between 3.2 and 12.7 kg during university: 20.4% reported to have gained >12.7 kg. Students commonly attributed their weight gain to academic stress and nearly all identified with needing support to learn to cook on a budget. Students reporting greatest weight gain had most frequent consumption of ready meals & convenience foods, take-away & fast foods, and least frequent consumption of fruits & vegetables. Weight-stable students reported lowest consumption of alcohol and were most able to cook complex meals. Students who reported greatest weight gain reported lower physical activity levels. There were inter-correlations between cooking ability and lifestyle factors. In a multivariate model, low physical activity and frequent consumption of ready meals and convenience food independently predicted weight gain. Research limitations/implications: Prospective studies are needed to confirm these cross-sectional associations and to qualitatively explore how the university setting may contribute to the effects. Practical implications: Strategies to address students’ reliance on fast and convenience food, avoidance of fruit and vegetables, poor cooking confidence and low physical activity may benefit student health and well-being. Social implications: Originality/value: The study adds additional perspective to understanding student weight gain at university in that it focuses on a a body weight-conscious sub-group of the student population, as opposed to the general population of student

Alginate reduces the increased uptake of cholesterol and glucose in overweight male subjects: a pilot study

Dietary fibers are of particular interest in the prevention and management of obesity and consequent pathologies. Among the proposed mechanisms of action of fiber is the modulation of nutrient uptake from the small intestine. We have used a crossover study design in human subjects to monitor the uptake of glucose, cholesterol, and triacylglycerols in human subjects with normal and high body mass index. Our data demonstrate that uptakes of glucose, triacylglycerols, and cholesterol are all increased with increasing body fat. We demonstrate that treatment with a 1.5-g dose of a strong-gelling alginate may restore uptake of cholesterol and glucose to the levels of healthy subjects. These data indicate a potential therapeutic application of gelling fibers. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier Inc

Biological interactions and simulated climate change modulates the ecophysiological performance of Colobanthus quitensis in the Antarctic ecosystem

Most climate and environmental change models predict significant increases in temperature and precipitation by the end of the 21st Century, for which the current functional output of certain symbioses may also be altered. In this context we address the following questions: 1) How the expected changes in abiotic factors (temperature, and water) differentially affect the ecophysiological performance of the plant Colobanthus quitensis? and 2) Will this environmental change indirectly affect C. quitensis photochemical performance and biomass accumulation by modifying its association with fungal endophytes? Plants of C. quitensis from King George Island in the South Shetland archipelago (62°09′ S), and Lagotellerie Island in the Antarctic Peninsula (65°53′ S) were put under simulated abiotic conditions in growth chambers following predictive models of global climate change (GCC). The indirect effect of GCC on the interaction between C. quitensis and fungal endophytes was assessed in a field experiment carried out in the Antarctica, in which we eliminated endophytes under contemporary conditions and applied experimental watering to simulate increased precipitation input. We measured four proxies of plant performance. First, we found that warming (+W) significantly increased plant performance, however its effect tended to be less than watering (+W) and combined warming and watering (+T°+W). Second, the presence of fungal endophytes improved plant performance, and its effect was significantly decreased under experimental watering. Our results indicate that both biotic and abiotic factors affect ecophysiological performance, and the directions of these influences will change with climate change. Our findings provide valuable information that will help to predict future population spread and evolution through using ecological niche models under different climatic scenarios