Collectivism predicts mask use during COVID-19 Lu, Jackson G; Jin, Peter; English, Alexander S
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS,
06/2021, Letnik:
118, Številka:
23
Journal Article
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Since its outbreak, COVID-19 has impacted world regions differentially. Whereas some regions still record tens of thousands of new infections daily, other regions have contained the virus. What ...explains these striking regional differences? We advance a cultural psychological perspective on mask usage, a precautionary measure vital for curbing the pandemic. Four large-scale studies provide evidence that collectivism (versus individualism) positively predicts mask usage-both within the United States and across the world. Analyzing a dataset of all 3,141 counties of the 50 US states (based on 248,941 individuals), Study 1a revealed that mask usage was higher in more collectivistic US states. Study 1b replicated this finding in another dataset of 16,737 individuals in the 50 US states. Analyzing a dataset of 367,109 individuals in 29 countries, Study 2 revealed that mask usage was higher in more collectivistic countries. Study 3 replicated this finding in a dataset of 277,219 Facebook users in 67 countries. The link between collectivism and mask usage was robust to a host of control variables, including cultural tightness-looseness, political affiliation, demographics, population density, socioeconomic indicators, universal health coverage, government response stringency, and time. Our research suggests that culture fundamentally shapes how people respond to crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding cultural differences not only provides insight into the current pandemic, but also helps the world prepare for future crises.
There is a strong desire to design and synthesize catalysts that assemble at the oil–water interface to improve the efficiency of biphasic reactions. Anisotropic dumbbell‐shaped bi‐component ...mesoporous carbon–organosilica Janus particles with asymmetric wettability are synthesized through a one‐step compartmentalized growth of a mesoporous organosilica sphere attached to a mesoporous resorcinol–formaldehyde (RF) sphere. A library was prepared of tunable Janus particles possessing diverse hollow structures with various functionalities. As a proof of concept, the Janus particle‐derived catalyst can assemble at the oil–water interface to stabilize Pickering emulsions. Owing to the increased reaction interface area, the Janus catalyst exhibits a more than three‐fold increase in catalytic efficiency compared to the Pt loaded carbon sphere catalyst in aqueous hydrogenation reactions.
Anisotropic dumbbell‐shaped bi‐component mesoporous carbon–organosilica Janus particles with asymmetric wettability were synthesized through a one‐step compartmentalized growth of a mesoporous organosilica sphere attached to a mesoporous resorcinol–formaldehyde sphere. This catalyst assembles at the oil–water interface to stabilize Pickering emulsions, resulting in catalysis efficiency enhancement in aqueous hydrogenation reactions.
Topical application of pathogen-specific double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) for virus resistance in plants represents an attractive alternative to transgenic RNA interference (RNAi). However, the ...instability of naked dsRNA sprayed on plants has been a major challenge towards its practical application. We demonstrate that dsRNA can be loaded on designer, non-toxic, degradable, layered double hydroxide (LDH) clay nanosheets. Once loaded on LDH, the dsRNA does not wash off, shows sustained release and can be detected on sprayed leaves even 30 days after application. We provide evidence for the degradation of LDH, dsRNA uptake in plant cells and silencing of homologous RNA on topical application. Significantly, a single spray of dsRNA loaded on LDH (BioClay) afforded virus protection for at least 20 days when challenged on sprayed and newly emerged unsprayed leaves. This innovation translates nanotechnology developed for delivery of RNAi for human therapeutics to use in crop protection as an environmentally sustainable and easy to adopt topical spray.
We report results from a global simulation of the September 2017 geomagnetic storm. The global model comprises the ionospheric code SAMI3 and the atmosphere/thermosphere code WACCM‐X. We show that a ...train of large‐scale EPBs form in the Pacific sector during the storm recovery phase on 8 September 2017. The EPBs are associated with storm‐induced modification of the zonal and meridional winds. These changes lead to an eastward electric field which in turn causes an upward E × B drift in the post‐midnight sector. A large decrease in the Pedersen conductance caused by meridional equatorward winds leads to an increase in the growth rate of the generalized Rayleigh‐Taylor instability that causes EPBs to develop. Interestingly, several EPBs reach altitudes above 3,000 km.
Plain Language Summary
The uppermost layer of the atmosphere, the thermosphere, is heated at high latitudes during geomagnetic storms by energy inputs from the magnetosphere. This heating significantly modulates the thermosphere winds on a global scale that results in the modification of the electrodynamics of the ionosphere at low‐ to mid‐latitudes. Using the coupled SAMI3/WACCM‐X model, we show that equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) (large‐scale depletions of the electron density in the ionosphere) can develop because of these stormtime changes to the winds and electric field. This is significant because EPBs can adversely impact space‐based communication and navigation systems by degrading the reception of electromagnetic signals that pass through them.
Key Points
Stormtime modulation of the zonal and meridional winds increase the eastward electric field at night in the Pacific sector
Equatorial plasma bubbles subsequently develop in the Pacific sector during the September 2017 storm on September 8
Several equatorial plasma bubbles rise to over 3,000 km with upward velocities exceeding 300 m/s
Origami structures are commonly constructed by folding a two-dimensional sheet according to a given crease pattern. The existence of abundant crease patterns means that many three-dimensional ...structures can be fabricated by using a variety of sheet materials, including thin-walled tubes and arcs. Some origami structures can also be used as core structures, sandwich plates, or arcs, whereas other such structures can be stacked to form metamaterials, which are materials designed to possess a property that is not readily available in nature. Because the mechanical performances of these structures are commonly dependent upon their geometry, the properties of these structures can be designed and adjusted through the selection and optimization of the appropriate geometric parameters. This review focuses on the deformation and energy absorption (EA) capability of origami structures subjected to static and dynamic loading. The main characteristics and findings are summarized, and further work in the area is suggested.
•The deformation and energy absorption (EA) capability of origami structures are reviewed.•Origami thin-walled tubes, plates, arcs, metamaterials and sandwich structures with origami foldcores are discussed.•Origami structures have higher EA capability compared with conventional structures.
New opportunities for the conversion of glycerol into value-added chemicals have emerged in recent years as a result of glycerol's unique structure, properties, bioavailability, and renewability. ...Glycerol is currently produced in large amounts during the transesterification of fatty acids into biodiesel and as such represents a useful by-product. This paper provides a comprehensive review and critical analysis on the different reaction pathways for catalytic conversion of glycerol into commodity chemicals, including selective oxidation, selective hydrogenolysis, selective dehydration, pyrolysis and gasification, steam reforming, thermal reduction into syngas, selective transesterification, selective etherification, oligomerization and polymerization, and conversion of glycerol into glycerol carbonate.
•Task switching can enhance creativity by reducing cognitive fixation.•The benefits of task switching apply to both divergent and convergent thinking.•We devised a measure of cognitive fixation for ...divergent thinking tasks.•People tend to discount the creative benefits of task switching.•People rarely adopt a continual-switch approach when incented to maximize creativity.
Whereas past research has focused on the downsides of task switching, the present research uncovers a potential upside: increased creativity. In two experiments, we show that task switching can enhance two principal forms of creativity—divergent thinking (Study 1) and convergent thinking (Study 2)—in part because temporarily setting a task aside reduces cognitive fixation. Participants who continually alternated back and forth between two creativity tasks outperformed both participants who switched between the tasks at their discretion and participants who attempted one task for the first half of the allotted time before switching to the other task for the second half. Importantly, Studies 3a–3d reveal that people overwhelmingly fail to adopt a continual-switch approach when incentivized to choose a task switching strategy that would maximize their creative performance. These findings provide insights into how individuals can “switch on” creativity when navigating multiple creative tasks.
Pulsar glitches in a strangeon star model Lai, X Y; Yun, C A; Lu, J G ...
Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,
05/2018, Letnik:
476, Številka:
3
Journal Article
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Abstract
Pulsar-like compact stars provide us a unique laboratory to explore properties of dense matter at supra-nuclear densities. One of the models for pulsar-like stars is that they are totally ...composed of “strangeons”, and in this paper, we studied the pulsar glitches in a strangeon star model. Strangeon stars would be solidified during cooling, and the solid stars would be natural to have glitches as the result of starquakes. Based on the starquake model established before, we proposed that when the starquake occurs, the inner motion of the star which changes the moment of inertia and has impact on the glitch sizes, is divided into plastic flow and elastic motion. The plastic flow which is induced in the fractured part of the outer layer, would move tangentially to redistribute the matter of the star and would be hard to recover. The elastic motion, on the other hand, changes its shape and would recover significantly. Under this scenario, we could understand the behaviors of glitches without significant energy releasing, including the Crab and the Vela pulsars, in an uniform model. We derive the recovery coefficient as a function of glitch size, as well as the time interval between two successive glitches as the function of the released stress. Our results show consistency with observational data under reasonable ranges of parameters. The implications on the oblateness of the Crab and the Vela pulsars are discussed.
STUDY QUESTION
Is preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for translocation carriers more effective when done with a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array using trophectoderm (TE) biopsy and ...frozen embryo transfer (FET) compared with traditional PGD based on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH-PGD) using blastomere biopsy and fresh embryo transfer?
SUMMARY ANSWER
The procedure using the SNP array combined with TE biopsy and FET significantly improves the clinical pregnancy rate for translocation carriers. The miscarriage rate also slightly decreases.
WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY
FISH-PGD has been widely used in translocation carriers but the clinical outcomes have not been ideal. SNP arrays can detect both chromosome segmental imbalances and aneuploidy, and may overcome the limitations of FISH in PGD for translocation carriers.
STUDY DESIGN, SIZE AND DURATION
This was a retrospective study of 575 couples with chromosomal translocations, including 169 couples treated by SNP-PGD between October 2011 and August 2012, and 406 couples treated by FISH-PGD between January 2005 and October 2011.
PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS
The study was set in an IVF center at the Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, China. In total, 169 couples underwent SNP analysis, including 52 Robertsonian translocation carriers and 117 carriers of reciprocal translocations. Blastocysts (n = 773) were biopsied and FET was carried out on the balanced embryos. Four hundred and six couples underwent FISH-PGD, including 149 Robertsonian translocation carriers and 257 reciprocal translocation carriers. In total, 3968 embryos were biopsied and balanced embryos were transferred fresh. The SNP-PGD results and clinical outcomes were compared with those of FISH-PGD.
MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE
Reliable SNP-PGD results were obtained for 717 out of 773 (92.8%) biopsied blastocysts. The proportions of normal/balanced embryos, embryos with translocation-related and translocation-unrelated abnormalities, the median number of embryos per patient, the ongoing pregnancy rate per embryo transfer and the miscarriage rate were 58, 23, 19, 2, 69 and 12%, respectively, for Robertsonian translocation carriers and 36, 52, 12, 1, 74 and 11%, respectively, in reciprocal translocation carriers. Reliable FISH-PGD results were obtained for 3452 out of 3968 (87.0%) biopsied embryos. The proportions of normal/balanced embryos, unbalanced embryos, the median number of embryos per patient, the ongoing pregnancy rate per transfer and the miscarriage were 36, 64, 3, 38 and 17%, respectively, for Robertsonian translocation carriers and 20, 80, 1, 39 and 16%, respectively, for reciprocal translocation carriers. Thus, SNP-PGD achieved a higher pregnancy rate but a lower miscarriage rate than FISH-PGD. There were no significant differences in maternal age, basal endocrine level and the average number of retrieved oocytes and good-quality D3 embryos in the SNP-PGD group compared with the FISH-PGD group.
LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION
This was a retrospective study with the two groups treated in different periods; therefore, there is a chance of sample bias and a possibility that the results were influenced by other factors that changed over time. Furthermore, the two treatment protocols differ in several respects and we cannot say which makes the greatest contribution to the difference in success. Complete pregnancy outcomes of SNP-PGD have not been obtained as some embryos have not been transferred yet. We cannot exclude differences between the final data and the data in the present manuscript.
WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS
The adoption of SNP-PGD combined with TE biopsy and FET may significantly improve the clinical pregnancy rate, and decrease the miscarriage rate after PGD for translocation carriers.
STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)
This work was supported by a grant from the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (No. 2012CB944901) and National Science Foundation of China (No. 81222007). The authors have no competing interests to declare.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
Not applicable.
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