The effect of concrete wording on truth judgements : a preregistered replication and extension of Hansen & Wanke (2010)

When you lack the facts, how do you decide what is true and what is not? In the absence of knowledge, we sometimes rely on non-probative information. For example, participants judge concretely worded trivia items as more likely to be true than abstractly worded ones (the linguistic truth effect;Hansen & Wänke, 2010). If minor language differences affect truth judgements, ultimately they could influence more consequential political, legal, health, and interpersonal choices. This Registered Report includes two high-powered replication attempts of Experiment 1 from Hansen and Wänke (2010). Experiment 1a was a dual-site, in-person replication of the linguistic concreteness effect in the original paper-and-pencil format (n = 253, n = 246 in analyses). Experiment 1b replicated the study with an online sample (n = 237,n = 220 in analyses). In Experiment 1a, the effect of concreteness on judgements of truth (Cohen’sdz = 0.08; 95% CI: [–0.03, 0.18]) was smaller than that of the original study. Similarly, in Experiment 1b the effect (Cohen’s dz = 0.11; 95% CI [–0.01, 0.22]) was smaller than that of the original study. Collectively, the pattern of results is inconsistent with that of the original study

Association between protein intake and muscle wasting in critically ill children: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundSurvival from pediatric critical illness in high-income countries is high, and the focus now must be on optimizing the recovery of survivors. Muscle mass wasting during critical illness is problematic, so identifying factors that may reduce this is important. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between quadricep muscle mass wasting (assessed by ultrasound), with protein and energy intake during and after pediatric critical illness.MethodsA prospective cohort study in a mixed cardiac and general pediatric intensive care unit in England, United Kingdom. Serial ultrasound measurements were undertaken at day 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10.ResultsThirty-four children (median age 6.65 [0.47–57.5] months) were included, and all showed a reduction in quadricep muscle thickness during critical care admission, with a mean muscle wasting of 7.75%. The 11 children followed-up had all recovered their baseline muscle thickness by 3 months after intensive care discharge. This muscle mass wasting was not related to protein (P = 0.53, ρ = 0.019) (95% CI: −0.011 to 0.049) or energy intake (P = 0.138, ρ = 0.375 95% CI: −0.144 to 0.732) by 72 h after admission, nor with severity of illness, highest C-reactive protein, or exposure to intravenous steroids. Children exposed to neuromuscular blocking drugs exhibited 7.2% (95% CI: −0.13% to 14.54%) worse muscle mass wasting, but this was not statistically significant (P = 0.063).ConclusionOur study did not find any association between protein or energy intake at 72 h and quadricep muscle mass wasting

Association between protein intake and muscle wasting in critically ill children: A prospective cohort study

Background: Survival from pediatric critical illness in high‐income countries is high, and the focus now must be on optimizing the recovery of survivors. Muscle mass wasting during critical illness is problematic, so identifying factors that may reduce this is important. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between quadricep muscle mass wasting (assessed by ultrasound), with protein and energy intake during and after pediatric critical illness. Methods: A prospective cohort study in a mixed cardiac and general pediatric intensive care unit in England, United Kingdom. Serial ultrasound measurements were undertaken at day 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10. Results: Thirty‐four children (median age 6.65 [0.47–57.5] months) were included, and all showed a reduction in quadricep muscle thickness during critical care admission, with a mean muscle wasting of 7.75%. The 11 children followed‐up had all recovered their baseline muscle thickness by 3 months after intensive care discharge. This muscle mass wasting was not related to protein (P = 0.53, ρ = 0.019) (95% CI: −0.011 to 0.049) or energy intake (P = 0.138, ρ = 0.375 95% CI: −0.144 to 0.732) by 72 h after admission, nor with severity of illness, highest C‐reactive protein, or exposure to intravenous steroids. Children exposed to neuromuscular blocking drugs exhibited 7.2% (95% CI: −0.13% to 14.54%) worse muscle mass wasting, but this was not statistically significant (P = 0.063). Conclusion: Our study did not find any association between protein or energy intake at 72 h and quadricep muscle mass wasting

Non-destructive verification of materials in waste packages using QUANTOM®

The nuclear and non-nuclear industry has produced a considerable amount of low and intermediate-level radioactive wastes during the last decades. The material characterization of waste packages recently became more and more important in order to dispose of these waste packages in a final underground repository. Material characterization remains an indispensable criterion to prevent pollution of the groundwater with toxic materials and is usually required by the national licensing and supervisory authorities. Information on the nature of waste materials can be obtained based on existing documentation or, if the documentation is insufficient, on further destructive or non-destructive analysis. Non-destructive methods are to be preferred to minimize radiation exposures of operating personnel as well as costs. Existing non-destructive techniques (Gamma scanning, X-ray, active/passive neutron counting, muon tomography) do not allow the identification of non-radioactive hazardous substances. An innovative non-destructive measurement system called QUANTOM® (QUantitative ANalysis of TOxic and non-toxic Materials) has been developed. It is based on the prompt and delayed gamma neutron activation analysis (P&DGNAA). This technology is able to identify and quantify the elemental composition (Cd, Cu, B, Pb, Hg, Fe, Al, …) in radioactive packages such as 200-l radioactive drums. This information helps waste producers verify the content of their radioactive wastes, especially regarding the presence of hazardous substances. Different reference materials have been analysed by means of the same technology (P&DGNAA) at the research reactor of BUDAPEST. A comparison of those results for five reference materials is presented. The results show a very good agreement between QUANTOM® and standardized reference analyses

BriX: a database of protein building blocks for structural analysis, modeling and design

High-resolution structures of proteins remain the most valuable source for understanding their function in the cell and provide leads for drug design. Since the availability of sufficient protein structures to tackle complex problems such as modeling backbone moves or docking remains a problem, alternative approaches using small, recurrent protein fragments have been employed. Here we present two databases that provide a vast resource for implementing such fragment-based strategies. The BriX database contains fragments from over 7000 non-homologous proteins from the Astral collection, segmented in lengths from 4 to 14 residues and clustered according to structural similarity, summing up to a content of 2 million fragments per length. To overcome the lack of loops classified in BriX, we constructed the Loop BriX database of non-regular structure elements, clustered according to end-to-end distance between the regular residues flanking the loop. Both databases are available online (http://brix.crg.es) and can be accessed through a user-friendly web-interface. For high-throughput queries a web-based API is provided, as well as full database downloads. In addition, two exciting applications are provided as online services: (i) user-submitted structures can be covered on the fly with BriX classes, representing putative structural variation throughout the protein and (ii) gaps or low-confidence regions in these structures can be bridged with matching fragments

Neuropilin-1 facilitates SARS-CoV-2 cell entry and infectivity

The causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). For many viruses, tissue tropism is determined by the availability of virus receptors and entry cofactors on the surface of host cells. In this study, we found that neuropilin-1 (NRP1), known to bind furin-cleaved substrates, significantly potentiates SARS-CoV-2 infectivity, an effect blocked by a monoclonal blocking antibody against NRP1. A SARS-CoV-2 mutant with an altered furin cleavage site did not depend on NRP1 for infectivity. Pathological analysis of olfactory epithelium obtained from human COVID-19 autopsies revealed that SARS-CoV-2 infected NRP1-positive cells facing the nasal cavity. Our data provide insight into SARS-CoV-2 cell infectivity and define a potential target for antiviral intervention.Peer reviewe

Активность микрофлоры как показатель токсичности морских донных отложений шельфовой зоны Черного моря и Керченского пролива

Изучена потенциальная активность донной микрофлоры в местах утечки остатков химических токсикантов, затопленных в период Второй Мировой войны ХХ в. Отмечены особенности восстановления жизнедеятельности микрофлоры при различных уровнях загрязнения донных отложений мышьяком и хлорированными органическими сульфидами. Полученные результаты перспективно использовать при оценке экологического состояния донных отложений в загрязненных прибрежных акваториях

Causes of maladaptation

Evolutionary biologists tend to approach the study of the natural world within a framework of adaptation, inspired perhaps by the power of natural selection to produce fitness advantages that drive population persistence and biological diversity. In contrast, evolution has rarely been studied through the lens of adaptation's complement, maladaptation. This contrast is surprising because maladaptation is a prevalent feature of evolution: population trait values are rarely distributed optimally; local populations often have lower fitness than imported ones; populations decline; and local and global extinctions are common. Yet we lack a general framework for understanding maladaptation; for instance in terms of distribution, severity, and dynamics. Similar uncertainties apply to the causes of maladaptation. We suggest that incorporating maladaptation-based perspectives into evolutionary biology would facilitate better understanding of the natural world. Approaches within a maladaptation framework might be especially profitable in applied evolution contexts – where reductions in fitness are common. Toward advancing a more balanced study of evolution, here we present a conceptual framework describing causes of maladaptation. As the introductory article for a Special Feature on maladaptation, we also summarize the studies in this Issue, highlighting the causes of maladaptation in each study. We hope that our framework and the papers in this Special Issue will help catalyze the study of maladaptation in applied evolution, supporting greater understanding of evolutionary dynamics in our rapidly changing world

Altimetry for the future: Building on 25 years of progress

In 2018 we celebrated 25 years of development of radar altimetry, and the progress achieved by this methodology in the fields of global and coastal oceanography, hydrology, geodesy and cryospheric sciences. Many symbolic major events have celebrated these developments, e.g., in Venice, Italy, the 15th (2006) and 20th (2012) years of progress and more recently, in 2018, in Ponta Delgada, Portugal, 25 Years of Progress in Radar Altimetry. On this latter occasion it was decided to collect contributions of scientists, engineers and managers involved in the worldwide altimetry community to depict the state of altimetry and propose recommendations for the altimetry of the future. This paper summarizes contributions and recommendations that were collected and provides guidance for future mission design, research activities, and sustainable operational radar altimetry data exploitation. Recommendations provided are fundamental for optimizing further scientific and operational advances of oceanographic observations by altimetry, including requirements for spatial and temporal resolution of altimetric measurements, their accuracy and continuity. There are also new challenges and new openings mentioned in the paper that are particularly crucial for observations at higher latitudes, for coastal oceanography, for cryospheric studies and for hydrology. The paper starts with a general introduction followed by a section on Earth System Science including Ocean Dynamics, Sea Level, the Coastal Ocean, Hydrology, the Cryosphere and Polar Oceans and the ‘‘Green” Ocean, extending the frontier from biogeochemistry to marine ecology. Applications are described in a subsequent section, which covers Operational Oceanography, Weather, Hurricane Wave and Wind Forecasting, Climate projection. Instruments’ development and satellite missions’ evolutions are described in a fourth section. A fifth section covers the key observations that altimeters provide and their potential complements, from other Earth observation measurements to in situ data. Section 6 identifies the data and methods and provides some accuracy and resolution requirements for the wet tropospheric correction, the orbit and other geodetic requirements, the Mean Sea Surface, Geoid and Mean Dynamic Topography, Calibration and Validation, data accuracy, data access and handling (including the DUACS system). Section 7 brings a transversal view on scales, integration, artificial intelligence, and capacity building (education and training). Section 8 reviews the programmatic issues followed by a conclusion