bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Meiofauna in stream habitats: temporal dynamics of abundance, biomass and secondary production in different substrate microhabitats in a first-order stream
Authors: Brüchner-Hüttemann Henrike , Ptatscheck Christoph , Traunspurger Walter
Published: September 2020

Meiofaunal abundance, biomass and secondary production were investigated over 13 months in an unpolluted first-order stream. Four microhabitats were considered: sediment and the biofilms on dead wood, macrophytes and leaf litter. The relative contribution of the microhabitats to secondary production and the influence of environmental factors on meiofaunal density distribution were estimated. We expected (1) meiofaunal abundance and biomass to exhibit seasonal patterns, with more pronounced seasonal fluctuations on macrophytes and leaf litter than in the other microhabitats, (2) annual secondary production to be highest in sediment; however, the relative contribution of the microhabitats to monthly secondary production would change during the year, and (3) a bottom-up driven influence on meiofaunal density distribution in the microhabitats. Meiofaunal annual mean abundance, biomass and secondary production were 7–14 times higher in sediment and on dead wood than on macrophytes and leaf litter. Significant seasonal patterns described the meiofaunal abundance in sediment and on leaf litter as well as the biomass in sediment, on macrophytes and leaf litter. Organisms in sediment and on dead wood contributed 48 and 43%, respectively, to secondary production m−2, but in regard to the stream area covered by the microhabitats, sediment had the highest share (80%). Significant determinants of the density distribution were AFDM, protozoans, bacteria and Chl-a, which influenced all meiofaunal groups. Our study clearly indicates that meiofaunal organisms in sediment and on dead wood have a remarkable share on total secondary production of lotic systems which is especially relevant for forested low-order streams.
A micronucleus assay detects genotoxic effects of herbicide exposure in a protected butterfly species
Authors: Santovito Alfredo , Audisio Michela , Bonelli Simona
Published: September 2020

Lycaena dispar Hawort (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), a protected butterfly, is declining in Europe, but it thrives in rice fields in northern Italy. Here, agrochemical usage could threaten its long-term survival. We investigated, by micronucleus (MN) assay, the genotoxic effect of glyphosate, a common herbicide, on L. dispar larvae. Micronuclei (MNi) are DNA fragments separated from the main nucleus and represent the result of genomic damage that has been transmitted to daughter cells. In a control/treatment experiment, we extracted epithelial cells from last-instar larvae fed with Rumex spp. plants sprayed with a solution containing 3.6 g/L of glyphosate, and from larvae fed with unsprayed plants. MNi and other chromosomal aberrations—nuclear buds (NBUDs) and bi-nucleated cells—were then scored in 1000 cells/subject. Significant differences were found between glyphosate-exposed and control groups in terms of MNi and total genomic damage, but not in terms of NBUDs or bi-nucleated cells. We reported a possible genomic damage induced by glyphosate on larvae of L. dispar. For the first time, a MN assay was used in order to evaluate the genomic damage on a phytophagous invertebrate at the larval stage. Increased levels of MNi reflect a condition of genomic instability that can result in reduced vitality and in an increased risk of local extinction. Therefore, farmland management compatible with wildlife conservation is needed.
Physics competition to inspire learning and improve soft skills: a case of the Chain Experiment
Authors: Dziob Daniel , Górska Urszula , Kołodziej Tomasz , Čepič Mojca
Published: September 2020

The Chain Experiment competition has been held successfully for 6 years in Poland and is attracting growing interest. The competition provides participants with a task that involves designing and constructing a contraption that is an element in a chain of events that are based on various physical phenomena. The contraptions are then linked together in a chain and made to run consecutively. The operation of a contraption starts when it receives a ball from the preceding contraption and ends when it releases another ball to the next contraption. The process of constructing the contraptions includes elements of design education. This paper examines whether participating in the competition has a positive impact on the soft skills, social abilities and motivation of the participants, as well as their learning performance, mainly in physics. Questionnaires completed after the fifth running of the competition suggest that active participation in the Chain Experiment could have a positive impact on participants’ soft skills and their abilities to solve problems, and it might also increase scientific knowledge, general interest in physics and science and motivation to be involved in similar challenges. The claim is that the format of the competition can stimulate versatile development of the participants and is a good way to arouse students’ interests in physics and engineering, even in the very early stages of their education.
Human mobility and COVID-19 initial dynamics
Authors: Iacus Stefano Maria , Santamaria Carlos , Sermi Francesco , Spyratos Spyros , Tarchi Dario , Vespe Michele
Published: September 2020

Countries in Europe took different mobility containment measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. The European Commission asked mobile network operators to share on a voluntarily basis anonymised and aggregate mobile data to improve the quality of modelling and forecasting for the pandemic at EU level. In fact, mobility data at EU scale can help understand the dynamics of the pandemic and possibly limit the impact of future waves. Still, since a reliable and consistent method to measure the evolution of contagion at international level is missing, a systematic analysis of the relationship between human mobility and virus spread has never been conducted. A notable exceptions are France and Italy, for which data on excess deaths, an indirect indicator which is generally considered to be less affected by national and regional assumptions, are available at department and municipality level, respectively. Using this information together with anonymised and aggregated mobile data, this study shows that mobility alone can explain up to 92% of the initial spread in these two EU countries, while it has a slow decay effect after lockdown measures, meaning that mobility restrictions seem to have effectively contribute to save lives. It also emerges that internal mobility is more important than mobility across provinces and that the typical lagged positive effect of reduced human mobility on reducing excess deaths is around 14–20 days. An analogous analysis relative to Spain, for which an IgG SARS-Cov-2 antibody screening study at province level is used instead of excess deaths statistics, confirms the findings. The same approach adopted in this study can be easily extended to other European countries, as soon as reliable data on the spreading of the virus at a suitable level of granularity will be available. Looking at past data, relative to the initial phase of the outbreak in EU Member States, this study shows in which extent the spreading of the virus and human mobility are connected. The findings will support policymakers in formulating the best data-driven approaches for coming out of confinement and mostly in building future scenarios in case of new outbreaks.
Adaptive servo-ventilation in patients with chronic heart failure and sleep disordered breathing: predictors of usage
Authors: Kolb Leonie , Arzt Michael , Stadler Stefan , Heider Katharina , Maier Lars S. , Malfertheiner Maximilian
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) is a therapy designed for patients with central sleep apnea (CSA) and Cheyne Stokes respiration. The aim of this study was to find predictors of ASV usage in patients with CSA in a routine sleep clinic cohort.

Methods

In this retrospective study, consecutive patients in whom ASV therapy was initiated at the University Hospital Regensburg between 2011 and 2015, were analyzed. Analysis included polysomnographies of diagnostic and ASV initiation nights, a phone questionnaire on ASV usage, readout of the ASV device 1 month after initiation (“early ASV usage,” 1 month after ASV initiation), and the readout of the last month before a reappointment date set in 2015 (“late ASV usage,” median 17 months after ASV initiation).

Results

In 69 consecutive patients, the mean early and late ASV usage per night was 4.8 ± 2.5 h and 4.1 ± 3.0 h, respectively. Seventeen months after initiation, 57% of patients used the device ≥ 4 h per night, and of those 91% reported a subjective benefit from ASV therapy. Early ASV usage was significantly associated with late ASV usage (univariable regression: Beta 0.8, 95%CI [0.6; 1.0] p < 0.001). In multivariable regression analysis, short duration of slow wave sleep (N3) during diagnostic polysomnography (Beta − 6.2, 95%CI [− 11.0; − 1.5]; p = 0.011) and subjective benefit from ASV (Beta 174.0, 95%CI [68.6; 279.5]; p = 0.002) were significantly associated with longer late ASV usage.

Conclusion

Early ASV usage predicts late ASV usage. In addition, low slow wave sleep before ASV initiation and subjective benefit from ASV may contribute to higher late ASV usage.
Extracellular Microvesicles (MV’s) Isolated from 5-Azacytidine-and-Resveratrol-Treated Cells Improve Viability and Ameliorate Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Metabolic Syndrome Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Weiss C , Kornicka-Grabowska K , Mularczyk M , Siwinska N , Marycz K
Published: September 2020

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), a spherical membrane fragments including exosomes, are released from several cell types, including mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), constitutively or under stimulation. As MVs cargo include DNA, RNA, miRNA, lipids and proteins their have gain special attention in the field of regenerative medicine. Depending on the type of transferred molecules, MVs may exert wide range of biological effects in recipient cells including pro-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic action. In presented paper, we isolated MVs form adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASC) which underwent stimulation with 5-azacytydine and resveratrol (AZA/RES) in order to improve their therapeutic potential. Then, isolated MVs were applied to ASC with impaired cytophysiological properties, isolated from equine metabolic syndrome diagnosed animals. Using RT-PCR, immunofluorescence, ELISA, confocal microscopy and western blot, we have evaluated the effects of MVs on recipient cells. We have found, that MVs derived from AZA/RES treated ASC ameliorates apoptosis, senescence and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in deteriorated cells, restoring their proper functions. The work indicates, that cells treated with AZA/RES through their paracrine action can rejuvenate recipient cells. However, further research needs to be performed in order to fully understand the molecular mechanisms of these bioactive factors action.
The Epilepsy-Related Protein PCDH19 Regulates Tonic Inhibition, GABAAR Kinetics, and the Intrinsic Excitability of Hippocampal Neurons
Authors: Serratto Giulia M. , Pizzi Erika , Murru Luca , Mazzoleni Sara , Pelucchi Silvia , Marcello Elena , Mazzanti Michele , Passafaro Maria , Bassani Silvia
Published: September 2020

PCDH19 encodes for protocadherin-19 (PCDH19), a cell-adhesion molecule of the cadherin superfamily preferentially expressed in the brain. PCDH19 mutations cause a neurodevelopmental syndrome named epileptic encephalopathy, early infantile, 9 (EIEE9) characterized by seizures associated with cognitive and behavioral deficits. We recently reported that PCDH19 binds the alpha subunits of GABAA receptors (GABAARs), modulating their surface availability and miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs). Here, we investigated whether PCDH19 regulatory function on GABAARs extends to the extrasynaptic receptor pool that mediates tonic current. In fact, the latter shapes neuronal excitability and network properties at the base of information processing. By combining patch-clamp recordings in whole-cell and cell-attached configurations, we provided a functional characterization of primary hippocampal neurons from embryonic rats of either sex expressing a specific PCDH19 short hairpin (sh)RNA. We first demonstrated that PCDH19 downregulation reduces GABAAR-mediated tonic current, evaluated by current shift and baseline noise analysis. Next, by single-channel recordings, we showed that PCDH19 regulates GABAARs kinetics without altering their conductance. In particular, GABAARs of shRNA-expressing neurons preferentially exhibit brief openings at the expense of long ones, thus displaying a flickering behavior. Finally, we showed that PCDH19 downregulation reduces the rheobase and increases the frequency of action potential firing, thus indicating neuronal hyperexcitability. These findings establish PCDH19 as a critical determinant of GABAAR-mediated tonic transmission and GABAARs gating, and provide the first mechanistic insights into PCDH19-related hyperexcitability and comorbidities.
Burnout in medical students
Authors: Thun-Hohenstein L. , Höbinger-Ablasser C. , Geyerhofer S. , Lampert K. , Schreuer M. , Fritz C.
Published: September 2020

Only a small number of studies have examined the relationship between medical students and burnout syndrome. In Salzburg, Paracelsus Private Medical University (PMU) offers a 5‑year medical program instead of the regular 6 years of medical studies. Due to the tight schedule and heavy workload, the stress level of students is high. The purpose of this study was to determine whether PMU students show burnout symptoms. Three surveys were conducted: at the beginning of the academic year (T1, December 2009), at the end of the academic year (T2, June 2010), and at the beginning of the following academic year (T3, December 2010). For the assessment of burnout, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization or cynicism, and low personal accomplishment) was used, as well as the Six Factors Theory of Burnout (workload, control, reward, community, fairness, and values) and for comparison, the Austrian norms developed by Unterholzer. Burnout rate was calculated by a combined measure of the three components. The results show a significant difference from the norm means in emotional exhaustion, depersonalization/cynicism, and low personal accomplishment. With regard to areas of work life, all values are below the means, indicating high workload, high external control, low reward, low feeling of community, and low fairness—except values, i.e., motivation of the students. The mean overall burnout frequency turned out to be 47.8 ± 11.0%, whereas females have slightly higher burnout rates than males. An increasing linear trend with burnout rates was seen from the youngest to the oldest class. In addition, the estimated burnout rate increased within the academic term, as T2 had the highest rate, followed by T3, and the lowest rate was seen in T1. In conclusion, burnout in medical students is frequent and significantly related to heavy workload and other factors of worklife, necessitating changes of academic and organizational settings of medical curricula.
Time series analysis of cow milk production at Andassa dairy farm, West Gojam Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Authors: Taye Birhan Ambachew , Alene Alemayehu Amsalu , Nega Ashenafi Kalayu , Yirsaw Bantie Getnet
Published: September 2020

Milk production is an integral part of Andassa agricultural farming system, even though the area has potential for milk and dairy products, there is always a great demand for milk and milk products among people. However there are no long-term researches done on the area for forecasting the volume of milk production. Therefore this study was attempted to investigate the trends of actual yield of cow milk production and forecast the volume of milk. A time series study was conducted on the volume of cow’s milk production in Andassa dairy farm, and here we used secondary data for this study. The study employed inferential statistics for the purpose of hypothesis testing, estimating the trend, to fit the appropriate model and forecasting. A total of 179 days of milk production were included in this study, and the results showed that the trend of milk yield of caws is decreasing and it is time dependent. The model that has been selected for forecasting volume of milk production is ARIMA (1, 2, 1) since the model was found to be a better model.
An Eye on COVID: Hurricane Preparedness at a COVID-19 Alternative Care Site
Authors: Maslanka Meghan , Hurwitz Jacob A.
Published: September 2020

Background:

In March 2020, the Louisiana Department of Health activated the Medical Monitoring Station (MMS) in downtown New Orleans. This alternative care site is designed to decompress hospitals and nursing homes overwhelmed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Given the city’s historic vulnerability to hurricanes, planning for possible tropical weather events has been a priority for MMS leadership.

Methods:

The planning process incorporated input from all sectors/agencies working at the facility, to ensure consistency and cohesion. The MMS Shelter-in-Place Plan (MSIPP) was created, and a comprehensive tabletop exercise was conducted.

Results:

Six planning topics emerged as a result of the planning process and were used to create a comprehensive plan for sheltering-in-place. These topics address hurricane preparedness for patient care, interfacility coordination, wrap-around services, medical logistics, essential staffing, and incident command during a shelter-in-place scenario.

Conclusions:

The MSIPP created by the MMS helped to maximize patient safety and continuity of operations during a real-world event. Select pieces of the plan were activated to meet the needs and threat level of Tropical Storm Cristobal. This experience reinforced the need for originality, scalability, and flexibility in building emergency operations plans in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic.
Managing the Pandemic: The Italian Strategy for Fighting COVID-19 and the Challenge of Sharing Administrative Powers
Authors: VESE Donato
Published: September 2020

This article analyses the administrative measures and, more specifically, the administrative strategy implemented in the immediacy of the emergency by the Italian government in order to determine whether it was effective in managing the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the country. In analysing the administrative strategy, the article emphasises the role that the current system of constitutional separation of powers plays in emergency management and how this system can impact health risk assessment. An explanation of the risk management system in Italian and European Union (EU) law is provided and the following key legal issues are addressed: (1) the notion and features of emergency risk regulation from a pandemic perspective, distinguishing between risk and emergency; (2) the potential and limits of the precautionary principle in EU law; and (3) the Italian constitutional scenario with respect to the main provisions regulating central government, regional and local powers. Specifically, this article argues that the administrative strategy for effectively implementing emergency risk regulation based on an adequate and correct risk assessment requires “power sharing” across the different levels of government with the participation of all of the institutional actors involved in the decision-making process: Government, Regions and local authorities.

“And the flames of the tripods expired. And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all”.

Edgar Allan Poe, The Mask of the Red Death, Complete Tales and Poems

(New York, Vintage Books 1975) p 273
Decline of nutritional status in the first week of hospitalisation predicts longer length of stay and hospital readmission during 6-month follow-up
Authors: Lima Júlia , Teixeira Paula Portal , Eckert Igor da Conceição , Burgel Camila Ferri , Silva Flávia Moraes
Published: September 2020

Nutritional status (NS) monitoring is an essential step of the nutrition care process. To assess changes in NS throughout hospitalisation and its ability to predict clinical outcomes, a prospective cohort study with patients over 18 years of age was conducted. The Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) was performed within 48 h of admission and 7 d later. For each patient, decline in NS was assessed by two different methods: changes in SGA category and severe weight loss alone (≥2 % during the first week of hospitalisation). Patients were followed up until discharge to assess length of hospital stay (LOS) and in-hospital mortality and contacted 6 months post-discharge to assess hospital readmission and death. Out of the 601 patients assessed at admission, 299 remained hospitalised for at least 7 d; of those, 16·1 % had a decline in SGA category and 22·8 % had severe weight loss alone. In multivariable analysis, decline in SGA category was associated with 2-fold (95 % CI 1·06, 4·21) increased odds of prolonged LOS and 3·6 (95 % CI 1·05, 12·26) increased odds of hospital readmission at 6 months. Severe weight loss alone was associated with 2·5-increased odds (95 % CI 1·40, 4·64) of prolonged LOS. In conclusion, deterioration of NS was more often identified by severe weight loss than by decline in SGA category. While both methods were associated with prolonged LOS, only changes in the SGA predicted hospital readmission. These findings reinforce the importance of nutritional monitoring and provide guidance for further research to prevent short-term NS deterioration from being left undetected.
Insiders under pressure: Flexibilization at the margins and wage inequality
Authors: WEISSTANNER DAVID
Published: September 2020

The rise of flexible employment in advanced democracies has been predominantly studied in the insider-outsider framework of the dualization literature. However, against the background of rising income inequality, it seems questionable to assume that all labor market insiders are equally affected by flexibilization. This paper explores whether flexibilization increases wage inequality among labor market insiders. I argue that flexibilization exposes insiders to a set of wage risks that are concentrated among low- and middle-income insiders, creating downward wage pressure on those insiders. The empirical analysis, covering 22 democracies between 1985 and 2016, finds that the deregulation of non-standard employment is associated with declining wage shares of low-income and middle-income earners, while top earners benefit. These major distributional shifts imply an important qualification of the dualization literature: rather than pitting insiders against outsiders, flexibilization ‘at the margins’ seems to exacerbate divides among insiders.
AdHealth: a feasibility study to measure digital food marketing to adolescents through Facebook
Authors: Kidd B , Mackay S , Swinburn B , Lutteroth C , Vandevijvere S
Published: September 2020

Objective:

To test the feasibility of a browser extension to estimate the exposure of adolescents to (un)healthy food and beverage advertisements on Facebook and the persuasive techniques used to market these foods and beverages.

Design:

A Chrome browser extension (AdHealth) was developed to automatically collect advertisements seen by participants on their personal Facebook accounts. Information was extracted and sent to a web server by parsing the Document Object Model tree representation of Facebook web pages. Key information retrieved included the advertisement type seen and duration of each ad sighting. The WHO-Europe Nutrient Profile Model was used to classify the healthiness of products advertised as permitted (healthy) or not permitted (unhealthy) to be advertised to children.

Setting:

Auckland, New Zealand.

Participants:

Thirty-four Facebook users aged 16–18 years.

Results:

The browser extension retrieved 4973 advertisements from thirty-four participants, of which 204 (4 %) were food-related, accounting for 1·1 % of the exposure duration. Of those food advertisements, 98 % were classified as not permitted, and 33·7 and 31·9 %, respectively, of those featured promotional characters or premium offers. The mean rate of exposure to not permitted food was 4·8 (sd = 2·5) advertisements per hour spent on Facebook.

Conclusions:

Using a Chrome extension to monitor exposure to unhealthy food and beverage advertisements showed that the vast majority of advertisements were for unhealthy products, despite numerous challenges to implementation. Further efforts are needed to develop tools for use across other social media platforms and mobile devices, and policies to protect young people from digital food advertising.
Health Policy in East Asia: Objectives, Priorities and Performance
Authors: Hwang Gyu-Jin
Published: September 2020

This article aims to identify how the economies that do not necessarily prioritise social rights in their social policy arrangements fare in achieving various healthcare objectives. The big five of East Asian countries – China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore plus Hong Kong – are considered as such cases. It first highlights a wide range of variations in their healthcare offerings. It then shows that, contrary to the common belief, they constitute a surprisingly high level of redistributive elements in them. Deviating from their overall welfare regime characteristics, each healthcare system presents a unique combination of policy objectives in social, medical, economic and political terms, raising a question of the utility of social rights as a central conceptual lens to understand the world of welfare capitalism.
Screening Turkish maize landraces for kernel oil content and oil quality traits
Authors: Kahriman Fatih , Aktaş Fatma , Songur Umut , Şerment Mehmet , Egesel Cem Ömer
Published: September 2020

In this study, maize landraces, previously collected from different regions of Turkey through a national maize breeding project, were screened for kernel oil content and oil quality. After a seed reproduction in 2017, the screening trial was conducted in 2018, using an Augmented Experimental Design with 192 local maize populations along with seven check hybrids. Data were collected on oil, oleic acid, linoleic acid, monounsaturated (MUFA), polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids, total carotenoid and total tocopherol contents. The results showed that there was a considerable amount of genetic variation among the Turkish maize landraces for almost all the traits investigated in this study. Some of the evaluated landraces are available that could be considered as high oil variety or special genotypes in terms of certain oil quality traits. Landraces had significantly higher values than checks for oil content, oleic acid, MUFA and tocopherol contents. Genetic analyses suggest that the kernel quality traits could be successfully manipulated using the investigated plant material. Heritability values were found high for all the traits of interest, except for saturated fatty acid and total carotenoid content. The promising landraces detected in this study could be exploited in future breeding programmes upon further evaluations at the population level.
Interpreting Neural Networks’ Reasoning
Authors: Wheeling Kate
Published: September 2020

New methods that help researchers understand the decision-making processes of neural networks could make the machine learning tool more applicable for the geosciences.
Thank You to Our 2019 Peer Reviewers
Authors: Rajaram Harihar , Camargo Suzana , Carey Rebecca , Corey Rose M. , Dombard Andrew J. , Donohue Kathleen A. , Flesch Lucy , Giannini Alessandra , Hayes Gavin , Huber Christian , Hogg Andy M. , Ivanov Valeriy , Jacobsen Steven D. , Korte Monika , Lu Gang , Morlighem Mathieu , Magnusdottir Gudrun , Opher Merav , Patricola Christina M. , Ritsema Jeroen , Sprintall Janet , Su Hui , Thornton Joel A. , Trouet Valerie , Wang Kaicun , White Angelicque E. , Yau Andrew
Published: September 2020

On behalf of the journal, AGU, and the scientific community, the editors would like to sincerely thank those who reviewed the manuscripts for Geophysical Research Letters in 2019. The hours reading and commenting on manuscripts not only improve the manuscripts but also increase the scientific rigor of future research in the field. We particularly appreciate the timely reviews in light of the demands imposed by the rapid review process at Geophysical Research Letters. With the revival of the “major revisions” decisions, we appreciate the reviewers' efforts on multiple versions of some manuscripts. With the advent of AGU's data policy, many reviewers have helped immensely to evaluate the accessibility and availability of data associated with the papers they have reviewed, and many have provided insightful comments that helped to improve the data presentation and quality. We greatly appreciate the assistance of the reviewers in advancing open science, which is a key objective of AGU's data policy. Many of those listed below went beyond and reviewed three or more manuscripts for our journal, and those are indicated in italics.
Body Waves Retrieved From Noise Cross‐Correlation Reveal Lower Mantle Scatterers Beneath the Northwest Pacific Subduction Zone
Authors: Zhang Limeng , Li Juan , Wang Tao , Yang Fan , Chen Qi‐Fu
Published: September 2020

Seismological studies have revealed heterogeneities at scales of 10–1,000 km in the lower mantle. For the first time, we demonstrate here that seismic interferometry of ambient noise can be used to detect faint scattered waves. We locate scattering structures at depths of ~900–1,000 km from P‐to‐P scattered wave signals in stacks of vertical cross‐correlograms from dense seismic arrays in northeast China. Independently, we show that this scattering structure produces S‐to‐P converted signals in the recordings of a deep earthquake. We constrain the thickness (H), the contrasts of the shear wave speed (δVs), and density (δρ) of the anomaly using 1‐D synthetics. Our modeling of both the reflected and converted signals indicates that H = 10–20 km, δVs = −7.2%, and δρ = 0.6%, which are similar to values reported previously and consistent with the interpretation that the scattering structure is a fragment of the basaltic oceanic crust associated with the subducted Izanagi plate.
Large‐Eddy Simulation of Idealized Hurricanes at Different Sea Surface Temperatures
Authors: Ren Hehe , Dudhia Jimy , Li Hui
Published: September 2020

Idealized hurricanes are studied at four different sea surface temperatures (SSTs) of 26°, 27°, 28°, and 29°C in six nested domains down to 62‐m grid size. For the maximum and the distribution of wind speed, domain D6 (62 m) is similar to domain D5 (185 m) showing convergence near 200 m. For SST of 26°, domain D5 does not have small‐scale turbulence structures like the other three cases, which is an extension of the previous work of Rotunno et al. (2009; https://doi.org/10.1175/2009BAMS2884.1) who only obtained resolved gusts at 62 m. The distribution function of speed changes between the 27° and 28° cases, the latter one having a second peak, related to a structural change. Finally, it is suggested that the damage potential is not simply determined by the maximum wind speed because of the distribution change so a new damage indicator that represents potential damage is proposed.
Light-emitting diodes: brighter NIR-emitting phosphor making light sources smarter
Authors: Xie Rong-Jun
Published: September 2020

A brighter near-infrared (NIR) phosphor is achieved by inhibiting the oxidation of Cr3+ and reducing the surface defects of phosphor particles, enabling the realization of smarter and more sensitive light sources for night vision.
Assessing invasiveness of subsolid lung adenocarcinomas with combined attenuation and geometric feature models
Authors: de Margerie-Mellon Constance , Gill Ritu R. , Salazar Pascal , Oikonomou Anastasia , Nguyen Elsie T. , Heidinger Benedikt H. , Medina Mayra A. , VanderLaan Paul A. , Bankier Alexander A.
Published: September 2020

The aim of this study was to develop and test multiclass predictive models for assessing the invasiveness of individual lung adenocarcinomas presenting as subsolid nodules on computed tomography (CT). 227 lung adenocarcinomas were included: 31 atypical adenomatous hyperplasia and adenocarcinomas in situ (class H1), 64 minimally invasive adenocarcinomas (class H2) and 132 invasive adenocarcinomas (class H3). Nodules were segmented, and geometric and CT attenuation features including functional principal component analysis features (FPC1 and FPC2) were extracted. After a feature selection step, two predictive models were built with ordinal regression: Model 1 based on volume (log) (logarithm of the nodule volume) and FPC1, and Model 2 based on volume (log) and Q.875 (CT attenuation value at the 87.5% percentile). Using the 200-repeats Monte-Carlo cross-validation method, these models provided a multiclass classification of invasiveness with discriminative power AUCs of 0.83 to 0.87 and predicted the class probabilities with less than a 10% average error. The predictive modelling approach adopted in this paper provides a detailed insight on how the value of the main predictors contribute to the probability of nodule invasiveness and underlines the role of nodule CT attenuation features in the nodule invasiveness classification.
Multi-omic single cell analysis resolves novel stromal cell populations in healthy and diseased human tendon
Authors: Kendal Adrian R. , Layton Thomas , Al-Mossawi Hussein , Appleton Louise , Dakin Stephanie , Brown Rick , Loizou Constantinos , Rogers Mark , Sharp Robert , Carr Andrew
Published: September 2020

Tendinopathy accounts for over 30% of primary care consultations and represents a growing healthcare challenge in an active and increasingly ageing population. Recognising critical cells involved in tendinopathy is essential in developing therapeutics to meet this challenge. Tendon cells are heterogenous and sparsely distributed in a dense collagen matrix; limiting previous methods to investigate cell characteristics ex vivo. We applied next generation CITE-sequencing; combining surface proteomics with in-depth, unbiased gene expression analysis of > 6400 single cells ex vivo from 11 chronically tendinopathic and 8 healthy human tendons. Immunohistochemistry validated the single cell findings. For the first time we show that human tendon harbours at least five distinct COL1A1/2 expressing tenocyte populations in addition to endothelial cells, T-cells, and monocytes. These consist of KRT7/SCX+ cells expressing microfibril associated genes, PTX3+ cells co-expressing high levels of pro-inflammatory markers, APOD+ fibro–adipogenic progenitors, TPPP3/PRG4+ chondrogenic cells, and ITGA7+ smooth muscle-mesenchymal cells. Surface proteomic analysis identified markers by which these sub-classes could be isolated and targeted in future. Chronic tendinopathy was associated with increased expression of pro-inflammatory markers PTX3, CXCL1, CXCL6, CXCL8, and PDPN by microfibril associated tenocytes. Diseased endothelium had increased expression of chemokine and alarmin genes including IL33.
Increased insect herbivore performance under elevated CO2 is associated with lower plant defence signalling and minimal declines in nutritional quality
Authors: Johnson Scott N. , Waterman Jamie M. , Hall Casey R.
Published: September 2020

Changes in insect herbivore performance under elevated atmosphere carbon dioxide concentrations e[CO2] are often driven by changes in the nutritional and defensive chemistry of their host plants. Studies addressing how the prolific pest cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) responds to e[CO2] show that performance usually declines, often associated with lower nutritional (e.g. nitrogen (N) concentrations) quality of host plants under e[CO2]. We investigated the impacts of e[CO2] on nutritional quality and anti-herbivore (jasmonate) defensive signalling in lucerne (Medicago sativa) when challenged by H. armigera. While foliar N decreased under e[CO2], other aspects of nutritional quality (soluble protein, amino acids, foliar C:N) were largely unaffected, potentially due to increased root nodulation under e[CO2]. In contrast, e[CO2] greatly reduced jasmonate signalling in M. sativa following H. armigera attack; jasmonic acid concentrations were ca. 56% lower in attacked plants grown under e[CO2]. Concurrent with this, relative growth rates of H. armigera were ca. 66% higher when feeding on e[CO2]-grown plants. In contrast with previous reports, which we meta-analytically summarise, we provide the first evidence that H. armigera performance can increase under e[CO2]. This may occur in plants, such as M. sativa, where e[CO2] has limited impacts on nutritional quality yet reduces jasmonate defence signalling.
Synergetic enhancement in the reactivity and stability of surface-oxide-free fine Al particles covered with a polytetrafluoroethylene nanolayer
Authors: Kim Dong Won , Kim Kyung Tae , Lee Dong Uk , Jung Soo-Ho , Yu Jihun
Published: September 2020

Surface oxide (Al2O3) of reactive fine aluminum (Al) particles for solid fuels, propellants, and brazing materials often restricted oxidative performance, though the passivation film acts to protect Al particles from exploding. Here, we report fine Al particles fully covered with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) layer instead of an Al2O3 film on the surface. This advance is based on the introduction of strong Al–F bonds, known to be an alternative to the Al–O bonds of surface oxides. The DSC results on the PTFE-coated Al particles exhibit higher reactive-exothermic enthalpy energy (12.26 kJ g−1) than 4.85 kJ g−1 by uncoated Al particles. The artificial aging test of the PTFE layer on the Al particles show long-time stability to the external circumstance compared to those by Al2O3. The activation energy for oxidation was investigated from cyclic voltammetry assessment and the measured peak potentials of the anode curve for PTFE/Al (− 0.45 V) and uncoated Al (− 0.39 V) are achieved, respectively. This means that the PTFE layer is more stable against a sudden explosion of Al particles compared to Al2O3. These results are very useful given its capability to control both the reactivity and stability levels during the oxidation of Al particles for practical applications.
Emergence of behavioural avoidance strategies of malaria vectors in areas of high LLIN coverage in Tanzania
Authors: Kreppel K. S. , Viana M. , Main B. J. , Johnson P. C. D. , Govella N. J. , Lee Y. , Maliti D. , Meza F. C. , Lanzaro G. C. , Ferguson H. M.
Published: September 2020

Despite significant reductions in malaria transmission across Africa since 2000, progress is stalling. This has been attributed to the development of insecticide resistance and behavioural adaptations in malaria vectors. Whilst insecticide resistance has been widely investigated, there is poorer understanding of the emergence, dynamics and impact of mosquito behavioural adaptations. We conducted a longitudinal investigation of malaria vector host choice over 3 years and resting behaviour over 4 years following a mass long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) distribution in Tanzania. By pairing observations of mosquito ecology with environmental monitoring, we quantified longitudinal shifts in host-choice and resting behaviour that are consistent with adaptation to evade LLINs. The density of An. funestuss.l., declined significantly through time. In tandem, An. arabiensis and An. funestuss.l. exhibited an increased rate of outdoor relative to indoor resting; with An. arabiensis reducing the proportion of blood meals taken from humans in favour of cattle. By accounting for environmental variation, this study detected clear evidence of intra-specific shifts in mosquito behaviour that could be obscured in shorter-term or temporally-coarse surveys. This highlights the importance of mosquito behavioural adaptations to vector control, and the value of longer-term behavioural studies.
An efficient green ionic liquid for the corrosion inhibition of reinforcement steel in neutral and alkaline highly saline simulated concrete pore solutions
Authors: Sliem Mostafa H. , Radwan Ahmed Bahgat , Mohamed Farida S. , Alnuaimi Nasser A. , Abdullah Aboubakr M.
Published: September 2020

The effect of the green ionic liquid compound, Quaternium-32 (Q-32), on the corrosion inhibition performance of reinforcement steel, in a simulated concrete pore solution, was investigated at different temperatures and pH values, using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The inhibition efficiency was improved as the concentration of Q-32 and pH values were increased. However, it decreased as the temperature was raised. A Q-32 concentration of 20 µmol L–1exhibited a 94% inhibition efficiency at 20 °C. The adsorption isotherm was evaluated using EIS measurements, and it was found to obey the Langmuir isotherm. The surface topography was examined using an atomic force microscope and scanning electron microscope. The effect of the Q-32 concentration with the highest corrosion efficiency on the mechanical properties of the mortars was also explained by flexure and compression techniques.
Lipocalin-2 deficiency may predispose to the progression of spontaneous age-related adiposity in mice
Authors: Meyers Keya , López María , Ho Joanna , Wills Savannah , Rayalam Srujana , Taval Shashidharamurthy
Published: September 2020

Lipocalin-2 (Lcn2) is an innate immune protein elevated by several orders of magnitude in various inflammatory conditions including aging and obesity. Recent studies have shown that Lcn2 is secreted by adipocytes in response to inflammation and is categorized as a new adipokine cross-linking innate immunity and metabolic disorders including obesity. However, the involvement of Lcn2 and its function during the progression of obesity is largely unknown. Recently, browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) has gained attention as a therapeutic strategy to combat obesity. Herein, we have shown that treatment of mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes with recombinant Lcn2 (rec-Lcn2) resulted in the up-regulation of thermogenic and beige/brown markers (UCP1, PRDM16, ZIC-1 and TBX1) and increased mitochondrial activity. Additionally, global Lcn2 genetic knockout (Lcn2KO) mice exhibited accelerated weight gain and visceral fat deposition with age, when compared to wild type (WT) mice. Taken together, both in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that Lcn2 is a naturally occurring adipokine, and may serve as an anti-obesity agent by upregulating the thermogenic markers resulting in the browning of WAT. Therefore, Lcn2 and its downstream signaling pathways could be a potential therapeutic target for obesity.
Markers for the central serotonin system correlate to verbal ability and paralinguistic social voice processing in autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Yoshimura Yuko , Kikuchi Mitsuru , Saito Daisuke N. , Hirosawa Tetsu , Takahashi Tetsuya , Munesue Toshio , Kosaka Hirotaka , Naito Nobushige , Ouchi Yasuomi , Minabe Yoshio
Published: September 2020

Impairment in verbal communication abilities has been reported in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Dysfunction of the serotonergic system has also been reported in ASD. However, it is still unknown how the brain serotonergic system relates to impairment in verbal communication abilities in individuals with ASD. In the present study, we investigated the correlation between brain serotonergic condition and brain sensitivity to paralinguistic stimuli (i.e., amplitude in the human voice prosodic change-evoked mismatch field) measured by magnetoencephalography (MEG) or verbal ability in 10 adults with ASD. To estimate the brain serotonergic condition, we measured the serotonin transporter nondisplaceable binding potential cerebrum-wide using positron emission tomography with [11C]N,N-dimethyl-2-(2-amino-4-cyanophenylthio)benzylamine ([11C] DASB). The results demonstrated a significant positive correlation between brain activity to paralinguistic stimuli and brain serotonin transporter binding potential in the left lingual gyrus, left fusiform gyrus and left calcarine cortex. In addition, there were significant positive correlations between verbal ability and serotonergic condition in the right anterior insula, right putamen and right central operculum. These results suggested that the occipital cortex is implicated in recognition of the prosodic change in ASD, whereas the right insula-involved serotonergic system is important in nurturing verbal function in ASD.

Trial registration: UMIN000011077.
Comprehensive profiling of Asian and Caucasian meibomian gland secretions reveals similar lipidomic signatures regardless of ethnicity
Authors: Butovich Igor A. , Suzuki Tomo , Wojtowicz Jadwiga , Bhat Nita , Yuksel Seher
Published: September 2020

Meibum—a lipid secretion that is produced by Meibomian glands (MG) in a process termed meibogenesis—plays a critical role in ocular surface physiology. Abnormalities in the chemical composition of meibum were linked to widespread ocular pathologies—dry eye syndrome (DES) and MG dysfunction (MGD). Importantly, in epidemiologic studies the Asian population was shown to be prone to these pathologies more than the Caucasian one, which was tied to differences in their meibomian lipids. However, biochemical data to support these observations and conclusions are limited. To determine if non-DES/non-MGD Asian meibum was significantly different from that of Caucasians, individual samples of meibum collected from ethnic Asian population living in Japan were compared with those of Caucasians living in the USA. These experiments revealed that composition of major lipid classes, such as wax esters (WE), cholesteryl esters (CE), triacylglycerols, (O)-acylated ω-hydroxy fatty acids (OAHFA), cholesteryl sulfate, cholesteryl esters of OAHFA, and diacylated α,ω-dihydroxy fatty alcohols remained invariable in both races, barring a minor (< 10%; p < 0.01) increase in the Asian CE/WE ratio. Considering the natural variability range for most meibomian lipids (app. ± 15% of the Mean), these differences in meibogenesis were deemed to be minimal and unlikely to have a measurable physiological impact.
Serum BDNF levels correlate with regional cortical thickness in minor depression: a pilot study
Authors: Polyakova M. , Beyer F. , Mueller K. , Sander C. , Witte V. , Lampe L. , Rodrigues F. , Riedel-Heller S. , Kratzsch J. , Hoffmann K. T. , Villringer A. , Schoenknecht P. , Schroeter M. L.
Published: September 2020

Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) reflects state changes in mood disorders. But its relation to brain changes in depression has rarely been investigated in humans. We assessed the association between serum BDNF, cortical thickness, or gray matter volume in 20 subjects with a minor depressive episode and 40 matched healthy subjects. Serum BDNF positively correlated with cortical thickness and volume in multiple brain regions in the minor depression group: the bilateral medial orbitofrontal cortex and rostral anterior cingulate cortex, left insula, and cingulum, right superior frontal gyrus, and other regions—regions typically affected by major depression. Interestingly, these correlations were driven by subjects with first episode depression. There was no significant association between these imaging parameters and serum BDNF in the healthy control group. Interaction analyses supported this finding. Our findings point to a specific association between serum BDNF and magnetic resonance imaging parameters in first-episode minor depression in a region- and condition-dependent manner. A positive correlation between serum BDNF and structural gray matter estimates was most consistently observed for cortical thickness. We discuss why cortical thickness should be preferred to volumetric estimates for such analyses in future studies. Results of our pilot study have to be proven in future larger-scale studies yielding higher statistical power.