Twitter and Facebook posts about COVID-19 are less likely to spread misinformation compared to other health topics

The COVID-19 pandemic brought widespread attention to an “infodemic” of potential health misinformation. This claim has not been assessed based on evidence. We evaluated if health misinformation became more common during the pandemic. We gathered about 325 million posts sharing URLs from Twitter and Facebook during the beginning of the pandemic (March 8-May 1, 2020) compared to the same period in 2019. We relied on source credibility as an accepted proxy for misinformation across this database. Human annotators also coded a subsample of 3000 posts with URLs for misinformation. Posts about COVID-19 were 0.37 times as likely to link to “not credible” sources and 1.13 times more likely to link to “more credible” sources than prior to the pandemic. Posts linking to “not credible” sources were 3.67 times more likely to include misinformation compared to posts from “more credible” sources. Thus, during the earliest stages of the pandemic, when claims of an infodemic emerged, social media contained proportionally less misinformation than expected based on the prior year. Our results suggest that widespread health misinformation is not unique to COVID-19. Rather, it is a systemic feature of online health communication that can adversely impact public health behaviors and must therefore be addressed.

Some Aspects of Author’s Phraseology of F.M. Dostoevsky

The article is devoted to the authors phraseology of Dostoevsky, which characterizes him as an artist, a native speaker of the Russian language of his time and can distinguish him from other authors. Identification and characterization of the authors phraseological units and authors techniques of their creation on the example of the description of phraseological units to talk about the language creative personality and the features of the idiostyle. The systemic feature of the writers idiostyle when describing phraseology is an extraordinary variety in form, semantic shades and references to precedent texts, as well as a special property of the writers language - universality and originality, which allows you to go beyond the time frame of the writers work. The phraseological units introduced by Dostoevsky in the middle and second half of the XIX century entered the Russian language, they are recognizable and somehow present in the language of the XX and XXI centuries. To become stable expressions, it takes time for a more complete mastering of Dostoevskys texts, reproduction and consolidation of phraseological units in the language. Paradoxically, the unique, multidimensional and inimitable idiostyle of the writer can become an obstacle to entering the language. Moving on from century to century accumulate idioms of the language, and therefore peoples memory. The description of Dostoevskys phraseological units makes it possible to compare both different works of one writer and works of different authors in the synchrony and diachrony of the Russian language.

Associated factors with poor treatment response to initial glucocorticoid therapy in patients with adult-onset Still’s disease

Background High-dose glucocorticoids (GC) are first-line treatment for adult onset Still’s disease (AOSD), however some of the patients remain refractory to initial GC therapy, or rapidly relapse. The aim of this study was to identify prognostic factors for poor treatment response to initial GC therapy for AOSD. Methods Data on newly-diagnosed AOSD patients were extracted from our database (n=71, mean age 51.6 years). The primary outcome was a poor treatment outcome at 4 weeks, which was defined as failure to achieve remission or relapse after achieving remission within 4 weeks, followed by administration of two or more rounds of GC pulse therapy or of any other immunosuppressive drugs. Results The initial mean dose ± standard deviation of prednisolone was 0.82 ± 0.23 mg/kg/day, and 34 (47.3%) patients received GC pulse therapy at week 0. Twenty-nine of 71 patients exhibited a poor treatment outcome at 4 weeks (40.8%). The second round of GC pulse therapy or immunosuppressive drugs was added in 17 or 24 of the 29 patients, respectively. These patients had higher baseline white blood cell (WBC) counts, serum ferritin levels, systemic feature score based on clinical symptoms (modified systemic feature score, mSFS), more hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) over the 4 weeks, and the higher severity score based on modified Pouchot score or severity index of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, than the remaining 42 patients. Multivariable logistic regression model identified baseline WBC count as a prognostic factor for poor outcome (odds ratio per 1,000/µl increment: 1.12, 95% CI 1.04-1.29), while thrombocytopenia, hyperferritinemia, and mSFS at baseline did not achieve statistical significance. Receiver-Operating Characteristic curve analysis showed that the optimal cut-off for WBC count was 13,050/µl. The Kaplan-Meier method showed the cumulative rate of poor treatment outcome to be 60.0% in patients with WBC ≥13,050/µl and 23.5% in those with WBC <13,050/µl. Conclusions A higher WBC count but not thrombocytopenia, hyperferritinemia, and mSFS at baseline was a significant prognostic factor for poor treatment outcome at week 4 in this retrospective cohort of AOSD patients. Our findings provide important information for determining the initial treatment strategy of newly-diagnosed AOSD.

Assessing alternatives to the development of administrativeeconomic units applying the FARE-M Method

The socio-economic development of economic-territorial units subordinate to administrative-management institutions appears as one of the main tasks. The values of alternative indicators reflecting socio-economic development may differ, which makes it difficult to unambiguously assess the importance of the indicators. The applied available methods are either too receptive or does not provide sufficient accuracy. The proposed FARE-M methodology for determining the importance of indicators is the prolongation of the technique for establishing the importance of FARE (Factor Relationship) weights already used for research purposes. The employed technique is based on the internal balance of system elements that is the essential systemic feature. This allows, unlike in the case of the AHP method, the weights of the indicators to be determined with reference to the first row of the data matrix only.

Innovative Vectors of Development of Services in the Market of Sanatorium and Resort Complexes

This article analyzes the impact of innovative tools for new products in the field of recreation services. A systemic feature of the modern economic space is the increase in market activity and the aggravation of the competition between all subjects of market relations. The basis of the latter is leadership in innovation and the use of scientific, technical and technological developments to maintain a leading position. The author puts forward a hypothesis that sanatorium-resort complexes have, in addition to hotel accommodation services, the availability of specific services related to diagnostics and restoration of health, reduction of the dynamics of clients' diseases, and suggest patent-guaranteed tools for using the service to obtain a better result in restoring strength and health.

Could a Robot Be Conscious? Some Lessons from Philosophy

In this chapter, the question whether robots could be conscious is evaluated from a philosophical perspective. The position taken is that the human being is the indispensable locus of ethical discovery. Questions concerning what we ought to do as morally equipped agents subject to normative guidance largely depend on our synchronically and diachronically varying answers to the question of “who we are.” It is argued here, that robots are not conscious and could not be conscious, where consciousness is understood as a systemic feature of the animal-environment relationship. It is suggested, that ethical reflection yields the result that we ought not to produce cerebral organoids implanted in a robotic “body.”

Blockchain platform and future bank competition

Purpose Given that Blockchain technology poses a growing challenge to the banking industry, this paper aims to analyse the innovation of Blockchain banking with regard to its systemic dimension, as well as dynamics of competition. The empirical research demonstrates how the systemic characteristics of Blockchain banking relate to the pursuit of strategies and to what extent these strategies influence the directional path and level of technology diffusion. Design/methodology/approach The research study uses a case study methodology to explore the strategic competition of Blockchain banking. The study proposes the systemic innovation model for analysing and tracking the path of innovations. The model can be applied to any industry to understand the process of innovation development and the strategies to win market share in the banking industry. This research makes a contribution towards the theory of technology diffusion to understand the directional path of innovations. Findings The analyses of findings reveal the situation whereby most banks still compete to create their own Blockchain banking systems. The analyses, based on the systemic innovation model, also shows the low systemic feature of Blockchain banking at present. From the technology diffusion perspective, the future of Blockchain banking may need cross-chain interoperability to support a full spectrum of payments and value exchanges on the internet of things. Originality/value The main contribution of this paper is the systemic analysis of the latest innovation of Blockchain banking. Given that the research also includes the major banking innovation cases of ATM/cash cards, credit cards and electronic fund transfer at the point of sale/debit cards, the comparative analyses offer strategic insights to predict the progress, as well as pattern of technology development and diffusion for the case of Blockchain banking.

A Cognitive Model of the «Spread of Drug Abuse»

The authors examined the problem of the spread of drug abuse and describe a research procedure based on the method of cognitive modeling. To achieve this, the authors formulated the problems that are solved through cognitive mode­ling, which includes the following stages: outlining the problem field, building a cognitive map in the form of an orgraph, coordinating expert evaluations of the mutual impact of various factors, working out expert rules based on the cause-and-effect speculations, and conducting an imitation experiment. The first stage of cognitive modeling included an overview of research publications on the problem, which allowed the authors to identify the set of contributing factors. Stages of cognitive mo­deling were used to build a cognitive model «The spread of drug abuse» with such influencing factors as «the condition of the dwelling and utilities sphere», «professional occupation», «degree of the society’s criminalization», «organization of leisure activities and cultural work for the population», «prevention measures». The target factor was «the spread of drug abuse». The adequacy of the developed cognitive structure was verified by the systemic feature of «sensitivity» in the imitation experiment that recreates some semblance of reality in laboratory conditions. Analytical procedures were used to determine the expert evaluations of the mutual impact of factors and to work out expert rules. A cognitive map was developed in the form of a weighed orgraph, which was viewed as the framework of the problem where it was possible to observe the changes in the overall holistic situation by influencing its various points. The imitation experiment was conducted using Microsoft Excel, and its results agree with the logics of speculations. It is stated that although the simplified cognitive map includes five factors that influence the problem, increasing their number to build a more large-scale version of the cognitive model will contribute to deeper and more comprehensive research of the problem. The presented model is a promising area for the application of modern methods of researching the spread of drug abuse and spread of crimes in the sphere illegal drug trade with the use of Big Data technology.

Lamin A/C dysregulation contributes to cardiac pathology in a mouse model of severe spinal muscular atrophy

Cardiac pathology is emerging as a prominent systemic feature of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), but little is known about the underlying molecular pathways. Using quantitative proteomics analysis, we demonstrate widespread molecular defects in heart tissue from the Taiwanese mouse model of severe SMA. We identify increased levels of lamin A/C as a robust molecular phenotype in the heart of SMA mice and show that lamin A/C dysregulation is also apparent in SMA patient fibroblast cells and other tissues from SMA mice. Lamin A/C expression was regulated in vitro by knockdown of the E1 ubiquitination factor ubiquitin-like modifier activating enzyme 1, a key downstream mediator of SMN-dependent disease pathways, converging on β-catenin signaling. Increased levels of lamin A are known to increase the rigidity of nuclei, inevitably disrupting contractile activity in cardiomyocytes. The increased lamin A/C levels in the hearts of SMA mice therefore provide a likely mechanism explaining morphological and functional cardiac defects, leading to blood pooling. Therapeutic strategies directed at lamin A/C may therefore offer a new approach to target cardiac pathology in SMA.

Tocilizumab in patients with adult-onset still’s disease refractory to glucocorticoid treatment: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trial

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab, an interleukin-6 receptor antibody, in patients with adult-onset Still’s disease.MethodsIn this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase III trial, 27 patients with adult-onset Still’s disease refractory to glucocorticoids were randomised to tocilizumab at a dose of 8 mg/kg or placebo given intravenously every 2 weeks during the 12-week, double-blind phase. Patients received open-label tocilizumab for 40 weeks subsequently. The primary outcome was American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 50 response at week 4. The secondary outcomes included ACR 20/50/70, systemic feature score, glucocorticoid dose and adverse events at each point.ResultsIn the full analysis set, ACR50 response at week 4 was achieved in 61.5% (95% CI 31.6 to 86.1) in the tocilizumab group and 30.8% (95% CI 9.1 to 61.4) in the placebo group (p=0.24). The least squares means for change in systemic feature score at week 12 were –4.1 in the tocilizumab group and –2.3 in the placebo group (p=0.003). The dose of glucocorticoids at week 12 decreased by 46.2% in the tocilizumab group and 21.0% in the placebo group (p=0.017). At week 52, the rates of ACR20, ACR50 and ACR70 were 84.6%, 84.6% and 61.5%, respectively, in both groups. Serious adverse events in all participants who received one dose of tocilizumab were infections, aseptic necrosis in the hips, exacerbation of adult-onset Still’s disease, drug eruption and anaphylactic shock.ConclusionThe study suggests that tocilizumab is effective in adult-onset Still’s disease, although the primary endpoint was not met and solid conclusion was not drawn.