Neuroarchitecture Assessment: An Overview and Bibliometric Analysis

Research on the relationship between architecture and neuroscience has increased in number and significance since the 1990s. Although a growing number of studies revolve around this field of research, there are very limited studies that have reviewed and assessed the field and there is a gap in the literature to address the overall analysis of neuroarchitecture literature and its evolution. Additionally, neuroarchitecture literature is now challenging to manage because of its multidisciplinary scope and wide range spread within different themes and journals. The primary aim of this study is to present a bibliometric analysis of three decades of research on neuroarchitecture. This provides an overall picture of the field and its research landscape. Two hundred and ninety-five publications were included in the final database of the study after screening processes. Next, a science mapping tool, VOSviewer, was utilized to detect major topics as well as influential authors, countries, publications, and prominent journals using different network analysis techniques such as term co-citation, term co-occurrence, and bibliographic coupling. Next, a similar co-occurrence analysis was conducted to identify the major themes and the evolution of the intellectual basis of the field. SciMAT was also used to detect how the intellectual base of the knowledge in the field has evolved over time. It also assisted to identify the major themes that have contributed to this evolution. The results show that this field has initially been mainly focused on few themes but has later become more diversified to acknowledge the multi-faceted characteristics of neuroarchitecture; over time, the intellectual base of the field of neuroarchitecture started to grow, particularly from 2016. Major progress in the development of theoretical and methodological approaches has been achieved and there has been a paradigm shift toward major keywords in neuroarchitecture such as EEG, fMRI, and virtual reality.

Spread-F characteristics over Tucumán near the southern anomaly crest in South America during the descending phase of solar cycle 24

Ionospheric F-region irregularities can acutely affect navigation and communication systems. To develop predictive capabilities on their occurrence, it is key to understand their variabilities in a wide range of time scales. Previous studies at low latitudes in South America have been performed mostly in the eastern region. However, there are still few reports on the spread-F over Argentina owing to a lack of ionosonde data. This work presents the analysis of the spread-F (range spread-F and frequency spread-F) and plasma bubble occurrence characteristics near the southern crest of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly in Argentina (Tucumán, 26.8°S, 65.2°W; magnetic latitude 15.5°S). We used ionosonde and Global Positioning System (GPS) data from November 2014 to December 2019 for different solar and geomagnetic conditions. The data show that spread-F and plasma bubble occurrence rates peak in local summer and are minimum in equinox and winter, respectively. There is a negative correlation between each type of spread-F and solar activity, whereas the opposite happens for plasma bubbles. Geomagnetic activity suppresses the generation of spread-F in equinox and summer and enhances it in winter. Plasma bubble occurrence is higher during disturbed days than during quiet days, but under medium solar activity, summer months register more plasma bubbles in quiet conditions. Range spread-F observed in winter under low solar activity is not associated with plasma bubbles originated at the magnetic equator. These results contribute to the knowledge necessary to improve the prediction of the spatial and temporal distribution of the night-time ionospheric irregularities.

COVID-19 airborne transmission: a new frontier of infection

COVID-19 has spread around the globe and infections are still rising despite the development of vaccinations and protocols. Various mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have arisen with a greater rate of transmission and increased virulence. New found research has proven that the new strains of the virus are more virulent and use airborne aerosolized transmission to enable long range spread of the virus. By virtue of the fact that the virus spreads through such means, increases the risk of transmission and contamination highly as the virus can be transmitted via long range and through common ventilation and duct systems. In light of this it is now pertinent for legislation to support the use of personal protection equipment to safeguard the health of the public.

Phytophthora cinnamomi (Phytophthora dieback).

P. cinnamomi is a soilborne pathogen that is now widely established in many parts of the world. Initial long-range spread is likely to have been on infected nursery plants (e.g., Kenerley and Bruck, 1983; Benson and Campbell, 1985; Davison et al., 2006), and still occurs in this way. Additional long-range spread is by movement of soil and gravel infested with chlamydospores (e.g., Batini, 1977; Colquhoun and Petersen, 1994). Short-range spread is also by zoospores in drainage, seepage and irrigation water (Kinal et al., 1993; MacDonald et al., 1994). It has a very wide host range (Zentmyer, 1980) so that, once introduced into an area, it can persist on the roots of many different plants without necessarily causing symptoms on the foliage. It is a major pathogen of horticultural crops, in forestry and in natural vegetation, especially in southern Australia (Natural Resource Management Western Australia, 2013 - see http://www.dieback.net.au/pages/1382/susceptible-species). It is regarded as a key threatening process in the Australian environment (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, 1999), affecting both plant communities by reducing diversity, and the animal communities that depend on them. It is considered by ISSG (2012) to be one of the 100 worst invasive species worldwide.

Phytophthora alni species complex (alder Phytophthora).

The alder Phytophthora species complex of oomycetes encompasses the hybrid P. ×alni and its two parental species, P. uniformis and P. × multiformis (Brasier et al., 1999; Husson et al., 2015). It emerged in the early 1990s and is associated with severe decline of alder trees on river banks of Europe. The main pathogen involved, P. ×alni, was previously unreported. Its pattern of occurrence suggests an invasive species, but one that arose from several hybridization events in different places rather than spreading from a central origin. The population structure of P. uniformis, one of the parental species, suggests that it is introduced in Europe and native in North America (Aguayo et al., 2013); the origin of the second parent, P. × multiformis, remains unknown. Long-range spread is mainly through planting of infected nursery stock, followed by downstream spread in river water by motile zoospores. The pathogen was on the EPPO alert list from 1996 to 2001.

Phytophthora alni species complex (alder phytophthora).

The alder Phytophthora species complex of oomycetes encompasses the hybrid P. ×alni and its two parental species, P. uniformis and P. ×multiformis (Brasier et al., 1999; Husson et al., 2015). It emerged in the early 1990s and is associated with severe decline of alder trees on river banks of Europe. The main pathogen involved, P. ×alni, was previously unreported. Its pattern of occurrence suggests an invasive species, but one that arose from several hybridization events in different places rather than spreading from a central origin. The population structure of P. uniformis, one of the parental species, suggests that it is introduced in Europe and native in North America (Aguayo et al., 2013); the origin of the second parent, P. ×multiformis, remains unknown. Long-range spread is mainly through planting of infected nursery stock, followed by downstream spread in river water by motile zoospores. The pathogen was on the EPPO alert list from 1996 to 2001.