bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CAA research programme – Helicopter Operations to Moving Offshore Helidecks
Authors: Scaperdas A. , Howson D.
Published: May 2020

The background and rationale for the research reported in this paper is detailed in the companion paper subtitled Part A: Modelling the on-deck helicopter Reserve of Stability (ROS).

This paper (Part B) derives the fundamental principles underpinning the safe operational envelope and the definition of Motion Severity and Wind Severity Indices (MSI/WSI), and then presents the probabilistic modelling methodology developed for calculating safe limits for these parameters (MSI/WSI limits curves). The introduction of the Relative Wind Direction (RWD) as an additional limiting parameter is also discussed, together with an explanation of how RWD limits have been derived and how they are linked with the MSI/WSI limits calculation.

The MSI/WSI limits modelling methodology presented in this paper builds on the analytical helicopter stability modelling discussed in Part A. It uses a probabilistic approach to manage the variability in helicopter operations across the UK and to deal with the uncertainty of predicting helideck motion and wind conditions for the period the helicopter is landed on the helideck based on measurements taken prior to landing. This has been developed with the assistance of industry experts and has been subjected to consultation with stakeholders in the UK with the aim of identifying the right balance between enhancing safety and preserving operability.

A new Helideck Monitoring System (HMS) standard has been developed which incorporates the MSI/WSI/RWD functionality. The standard was published by the Helideck Certification Agency in April 2018 with a compliance date of 31 March 2021. Operations to moving decks not equipped with HMS meeting the new standard will be restricted to stable helideck conditions.
From South Africa to Sri Lanka: Prospects of Travel for ‘Transformative Constitutionalism’
Authors: SAMARARATNE Dinesha
Published: May 2020

What lessons can we learn from the way in which the South African experience of transformative constitutionalism was invoked in Sri Lanka's recent constitutional reform experience? What conditions allow experiences of transformative constitutionalism to travel? In this article, I respond to these two questions, using Frankenberg's idea of a ‘layered approach’ in comparative constitutional law. My analysis affirms that in the comparative enterprise, a thick explanation that allows each experience to ‘speak for itself’ heightens the value of a comparative example. In the case of South Africa, I demonstrate that transformative constitutionalism is in fact a specific genre of constitutionalism. It demands attention not only to substantive constitutional guarantees and institutional design, but also to the process of constitutional reform. Moreover, effective measures for transitional justice are an essential component of transformative constitutionalism. A closer reading of the South African experience that paid attention to these factors would have led to better use of this experience in Sri Lanka's post-war constitutional governance.
First Metallurgy in Northern Europe: An Early Neolithic Crucible and a Possible Tuyère from Lønt, Denmark
Authors: Gebauer Anne Birgitte , Sørensen Lasse Vilien , Taube Michelle , Wielandt Daniel Kim Peel
Published: May 2020

In this article we present the fragments of a crucible and a possible tuyère that provide evidence of early copper metallurgy in Scandinavia at least 1500 years earlier than previously thought. The technical ceramics were found in a cultural layer containing Early Neolithic Funnel Beaker pottery dating to around 3800–3500bcbeneath a long barrow dating to 3300–3100bc. The presence of a copper alloy in the crucible is confirmed by three independent X-ray fluorescence analyses using both a hand-held and a stationary instrument, SEM-EDS analysis of a cross-section, as well as a Bruker Tornado μ-X-Ray-fluorescence scanner (μ-XRF). The transmission of metallurgy to southern Scandinavia coincided with the introduction of long barrows, causewayed enclosures, two-aisled houses, and certain types of artefacts. Thus, metallurgy seems to be part of the new networks that enabled the establishment of a fully Neolithic society.
Isotopic Evidence for Human Movement into Central England during the Early Neolithic
Authors: Neil Samantha , Evans Jane , Montgomery Janet , Scarre Chris
Published: May 2020

Isotope ratios of tooth enamel from ten Early Neolithic individuals buried in a long cairn at Whitwell in central England were measured to determine where they sourced their childhood diet. Five individuals have low Sr concentrations (11–66 ppm) and high 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7164–0.7212). Three individuals have relatively low 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.712–0.711) and Sr concentrations ranging between 54 and 109 ppm. Two individuals have strontium isotope values that bridge the gap between the isotope compositions of these two groups. The high 87Sr/86Sr values are rare in human enamel and exclude sources within the biosphere of central England. Oxygen isotope values are comparable to those found within human archaeological populations buried in temperate regions of Europe. The strontium isotope results should be interpreted in the context of other evidence for migration from northern France to Britain during the Early Neolithic.
Dynamics of compact quantum metric spaces
Authors: KAAD JENS , KYED DAVID
Published: May 2020

We provide a detailed study of actions of the integers on compact quantum metric spaces, which includes general criteria ensuring that the associated crossed product algebra is again a compact quantum metric space in a natural way. Moreover, we provide a flexible set of assumptions ensuring that a continuous family of$\ast$-automorphisms of a compact quantum metric space yields a field of crossed product algebras which varies continuously in Rieffel’s quantum Gromov–Hausdorff distance. Finally, we show how our results apply to continuous families of Lip-isometric actions on compact quantum metric spaces and to families of diffeomorphisms of compact Riemannian manifolds which vary continuously in the Whitney$C^{1}$-topology.
Colorectal bundles for surgical site infection prevention: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Pop-Vicas Aurora E. , Abad Cybele , Baubie Kelsey , Osman Fauzia , Heise Charles , Safdar Nasia
Published: May 2020

Objective:

In colorectal surgery, the composition of the most effective bundle for prevention of surgical site infections (SSI) remains uncertain. We performed a meta-analysis to identify bundle interventions most associated with SSI reduction.

Methods:

We systematically reviewed 4 databases for studies that assessed bundles with ≥3 elements recommended by clinical practice guidelines for adult colorectal surgery. The main outcome was 30-day postoperative SSI rate (overall, superficial, deep, and/or organ-space).

Results:

We included 40 studies in the qualitative review, and 35 studies (54,221 patients) in the quantitative review. Only 3 studies were randomized controlled trials. On meta-analyses, bundles were associated with overall SSI reductions of 44% (RR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.48–0.65); superficial SSI reductions of 44% (RR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.42–0.75); deep SSI reductions of 33% (RR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.46–0.98); and organ-space SSI reductions of 37% (RR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.50–0.81). Bundle composition was heterogeneous. In our meta-regression analysis, bundles containing ≥11 elements, consisting of both standard of care and new interventions, demonstrated the greatest SSI reduction. Separate instrument trays, gloves with and without gown change for wound closure, and standardized postoperative dressing change at 48 hours correlated with the highest reductions in superficial SSIs. Mechanical bowel preparation combined with oral antibiotics, and preoperative chlorhexidine showers correlated with highest organ-space SSI reductions.

Conclusions:

Preventive bundles emphasizing guideline-recommended elements from both standard of care as well as new interventions were most effective for SSI reduction following colorectal surgery. High clinical-bundle heterogeneity and low quality for most observational studies significantly limit our conclusion.
Mapping perceptions of linguistic variation in Qassim, Saudi Arabia, using GIS technology
Authors: Al-Rojaie Yousef
Published: May 2020

This study explores perceptions held by speakers of Qassimi Arabic (a variety of Najdi Arabic, spoken in central Saudi Arabia) about linguistic variation in their own dialect, and the sociocultural evaluations associated with their perceptions. Drawing on perceptual dialectology research methods, respondents completed the draw-a-map and labeling tasks. The maps were collected and then analyzed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping software to aggregate, query, and create a composite heat map. Findings indicate that Qassimi speakers perceive regional variation to be associated with urban centers, particularly Buraydah and Unayzah, which were identified as the most salient dialect areas. Analysis of the labeled maps generated six categories of evaluative comments: drawl, influences from other regional dialects, heavy accent, old vocabulary, fast, and affrication. These findings point to the need for further exploration of the underlying ideologies and social values that Arabic speakers have about their own dialects and other dialects in Arabic-speaking communities.
Precedent within the High Court
Authors: Lau Kwan Ho
Published: May 2020

A number of Masters and a Registrar have recently indicated that, when exercising High Court jurisdiction, they are not bound strictly to follow prior decisions made by Judges in the High Court. This represents a notable departure from the position established by and within the High Court, where since the Judicature Acts of 1873 and 1875 an unquestioning obeisance of the Master and Registrar towards such decisions has been generally expected and offered. Delving into questions of power, authority and jurisdiction, and examining relevant legislation such as the Civil Procedure Rules, this paper constructs and analyses various arguments for and against recognising the co-equivalence of decisions of Judges, Masters and Registrars in the High Court.
Effects of dietary fat quality on metabolic endotoxaemia: a systematic review
Authors: Cândido Thalita Lin Netto , da Silva Laís Emilia , Tavares Juliana Ferreira , Conti Ana Carolina Muller , Rizzardo Rômulo Augusto Guedes , Gonçalves Alfenas Rita de Cássia
Published: May 2020

In this systematic review, we critically evaluated human clinical trials that assessed the effects of dietary fat quality on metabolic endotoxaemia. The studies were selected from three databases (PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane Library), and the keywords were defined according to the Medical Subject Headings indexing terminology. Two authors searched independently, according to the pre-defined selection criteria. Quality and risk assessment of bias for each selected study were also evaluated. The results of the included studies demonstrated associations between higher SFA intake and increased postprandial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations. On the other hand, after the consumption of PUFA, bloodstream LPS concentrations were lower. However, in none of the long-term studies, the consumption of dietary fats did not seem to exert effects on LPS concentration. Hence, SFA seem to act as a risk factor for transient increase in endotoxaemia, while PUFA demonstrated exerting a protective effect. Taken together, the evidence suggests that the dietary fatty acid profile may influence bloodstream endotoxin concentrations through modulation of factors such LPS clearance, alkaline phosphatase activity, bile acid metabolism, intestinal permeability and intestinal microbiota composition.
Restrictions on meromorphic solutions of Fermat type equations
Authors: Gundersen Gary G. , Ishizaki Katsuya , Kimura Naofumi
Published: May 2020

The Fermat type functional equations $(*)\, f_1^n+f_2^n+\cdots +f_k^n=1$, where n and k are positive integers, are considered in the complex plane. Our focus is on equations of the form (*) where it is not known whether there exist non-constant solutions in one or more of the following four classes of functions: meromorphic functions, rational functions, entire functions, polynomials. For such equations, we obtain estimates on Nevanlinna functions that transcendental solutions of (*) would have to satisfy, as well as analogous estimates for non-constant rational solutions. As an application, it is shown that transcendental entire solutions of (*) when n = k(k − 1) with k ≥ 3, would have to satisfy a certain differential equation, which is a generalization of the known result when k = 3. Alternative proofs for the known non-existence theorems for entire and polynomial solutions of (*) are given. Moreover, some restrictions on degrees of polynomial solutions are discussed.
Sustainability of healthcare systems in Asia: exploring the roles of horizon scanning and reassessment in the health technology assessment landscape
Authors: Mundy Linda , Trowman Rebecca , Kearney Brendon
Published: May 2020

Objectives

The 2019 Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi) Asia Policy Forum (HAPF) discussed the role of horizon scanning (HS) and health technology reassessment (HTR) in supporting sustainable healthcare in Asia.

Methods

Discussions and presentations at the 2019 HAPF, informed by a literature review, results of a premeeting survey, and case studies of HTA agencies from the region form the basis of this paper.

Results

Five of the fourteen HTA agencies surveyed have established or are developing HS systems (HSSs), and six reported some experience with HTR. Although there were many differences in the respective HSSs, all were proactive and identified technologies within a 1–3-year time horizon. Commonalities included the criteria used to prioritize the technologies including burden and rarity of the disease, and cost to the health system and patients. Experience in HTR was not as extensive with most HTR activity being conducted on an ad hoc basis. Challenges for both HS and HTR include a lack of HTA capacity and good quality data, as well as a need for transparency and collaboration with industry.

Conclusions

With developing universal health care and HTA capacity in many countries in Asia, HS and HTR are in their infancy. Whilst several countries in the region are experienced in all facets of HTA, other countries are developing their HTA skill base. As such, there was a clear appetite for setting up a collaborative network in the Asia region to facilitate information sharing around HTA activities, and more specifically, HS and HTR methodologies, experiences, and assessments.
Surveillance of the ‘bud event of norovirus-associated gastroenteritis’ in schools: does it work in the prevention of norovirus infection outbreaks in Shanghai?
Authors: He Yi , Lu Yinhao , Xue Caoyi , Li Enguo , Zhang Qinghui , Xu Fang , Wu Huanyu , Luo Chunyan , Xu Biao
Published: May 2020

Outbreaks of norovirus-associated gastroenteritis have been reported in schools in recent decades in China. For early warning and response to infectious disease outbreaks, the Shanghai Infectious Diseases Bud Event Surveillance System (IDBESS) was established in 2016. Bud event is a term used for the early sign of a potential infectious disease outbreak in public settings when the first few cases appear. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological characteristics of Norovirus-associated gastroenteritis bud events from June 2016 to December 2017 and to understand factors influencing the severity of events. Data were extracted from the IDBESS, supplemented by field investigations and school absence surveillance. In total, 189 bud events of Norovirus-associated gastroenteritis were reported in schools and kindergartens, affecting 3827 individuals and 52.38% happened in primary schools. The attack rate of Norovirus-associated gastroenteritis was 3.82% on average in students in the affected schools. In each event, case numbers varied between 5 and 148, with a median of 16. The duration of bud events lasted for 2 days on average. School absence happened in 47.93% (1797/3749) of affected students and the average duration of absence was 3.07 days. It was found that a longer delay before reporting was associated with a longer-lasting duration of bud event (OR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.65, 3.07). In conclusion, ascribed to the sensitive threshold for alerting and the timely field investigation, the surveillance of bud events of Norovirus-associated gastroenteritis is effective in the control of Norovirus infection among preschool children and students in Shanghai.
Cross-country comparison of dietary patterns and overweight and obesity among adult women in urban Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Bliznashka Lilia , Danaei Goodarz , Fink Günther , Flax Valerie L , Thakwalakwa Chrissie , Jaacks Lindsay M
Published: May 2020

Objective:

To derive dietary patterns (DP) among women of reproductive age (WRA) and older women in urban Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and to examine their association with body mass index (BMI), overweight and obesity.

Design:

We used principal component analysis to derive DP. Their association with BMI, overweight and obesity was assessed using linear and multinomial logistic regression models controlling for age, marital status, education and wealth.

Setting:

Cross-sectional data from prospective studies in Accra, Ghana (2008–2009), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (2014) and Lilongwe and Kasungu, Malawi (2017–2018) were used.

Participants:

We compared WRA in Ghana (18–54 years, n 1762) and Malawi (19–48 years, n 137), and older women in Ghana (≥55 years, n 514) and Tanzania (≥50 years, n 134).

Results:

Among WRA, protein and healthy DP were identified in both Ghana and Malawi. In Ghana, the protein DP was associated with higher odds of overweight or obesity (adjusted OR 1·82, 95 % CI 1·27, 2·60 for quintile 2). Among older women, three DP were identified in Ghana (cereal, protein and healthy) and two DP in Tanzania (protein and healthy). The protein DP was associated with higher BMI in Ghana (adjusted mean difference 2·83, 95 % CI 0·95, 4·71 for quartile 3).

Conclusions:

Higher quintiles of the protein DP were associated with higher BMI and odds of overweight or obesity among women in urban Ghana, but not in Malawi or Tanzania. Further research is needed to understand how DP influence overweight and obesity among adult women in urban SSA.
A Glance at the Past and a Glimpse of the Future
Authors: Vickery Barry
Published: May 2020

This article represents a summary of the parallel session that Barry Vickery presented to delegates at the 2019 BIALL Annual Conference in Bournemouth. There, his presentation was entitled: ‘A glance at the past and a glimpse of the future – How to learn from the past to make better decisions in the future’. As BIALL was celebrating its 50th anniversary, Barry took the opportunity to look back at the last fifty years to highlight people and companies that had made good decisions and those that had made bad ones. He went on to explore different decision-making techniques that we could all utilise to help us to make more informed decisions in our daily life.
References to Artificial Intelligence in Canada's Court Cases
Authors: Intahchomphoo Channarong , Vellino André , Gundersen Odd Erik , Tschirhart Christian , Shaaban Eslam
Published: May 2020

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a widely discussed topic in many fields including law. Legal studies scholars, particularly in the domain of technology and internet law, have expressed their hopes and concerns regarding AI. This project aims to study how Canada's courts have referred to AI, given the importance of the reasonings of justices to the policy makers who determine society's rules for the usage of AI in the future. Decisions from all levels of both Canada's provincial and federal courts are used as the data sources for this research. The findings indicate that there are four legal contexts in which AI has been referred to in the Canadian caselaw including: legal research, investment tax credits, trademarks and access to government records. In this article the authors use these findings to make suggestions for legal information management professionals on how to develop collections and reference services that are in line with the new information needs of their users regarding AI and the rule of law.
IS INFINITE DIMENSIONAL
Authors: Lang Jaclyn , Ludwig Judith
Published: May 2020

Given a perfect valuation ring $R$ of characteristic $p$ that is complete with respect to a rank-1 nondiscrete valuation, we show that the ring $\mathbb{A}_{\inf }$ of Witt vectors of $R$ has infinite Krull dimension.
Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Nurse Spiritual Care Therapeutics Scale
Authors: Aslan Hakime , Aktürk Ümmühan , Erci Behice
Published: May 2020

Objective

This study was conducted to evaluate the validity and reliability of the “Nurse Spiritual Care Therapeutics Scale” in Turkish nurses.

Method

This study was a psychometric design. A convenience sample of 249 nurses working at the Malatya Training Research Hospital completed a structured questionnaire including demographic characteristics and the Nurse Spiritual Care Therapeutics Scale (NSCTS) between August and October 2018. Principal components analysis, internal consistency reliability, and Cronbach's α were used to measure the psychometric properties of the items of the scale.

Results

In the evaluation of construct validity, identified one factor with eigenvalues greater than 1 explained 50.83% of the total variance. The Cronbach's α value of the scale is 0.86.

Significance of results

The present study provides evidence of NSCTS's validity, reliability, and acceptability. The scale can be used by Turkish nurses. This scale should be further evaluated with a larger sample in different regions in Turkey and various populations. The scale has potential applications for use both in research and as a screening tool in clinical settings.
Blasphemy and Judicial Legitimacy in Indonesia
Authors: Tyson Adam
Published: May 2020

When contentious blasphemy laws are pressed into service in fledgling democracies with illiberal tendencies such as Indonesia, critical questions arise about judicial integrity and the political nature of blasphemy trials. Judicial legitimacy in Indonesia is defined according to international standards and conventions. The focus is on judicial propriety rather than the popularity or majoritarian appeal of court decisions. In May 2017 a watershed moment occurred in Indonesia as the former governor of Jakarta Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (popularly known as Ahok) was found guilty of desecrating religion and sentenced to 2 years in prison. Judgments rendered in politicized blasphemy trials such as these fail to meet standards of impartiality, and when discursive transgressions of a blasphemous nature occur there are deep ambiguities of meaning and intent. This paper contends that the revival of blasphemy as a punishable crime relates to political power calculations and electoral opportunities, and offers an analysis of blasphemy in Indonesia through the quasi-historical lens of a discursive crime premised on the fallacy that religious offence threatens public order. Blasphemy trials are further complicated by the fact that religious authorities and Islamic mass organizations in Indonesia have significant influence over judicial processes.
Political Economy of Exclusion: State-Based Incitement of Intolerance as a Distraction from a Downturn in the Economy
Authors: Shehadeh Lana , Lai Qing
Published: May 2020

Middle East scholars have traditionally attributed the survival of monarchs in the Gulf to the use of financial appeasements fueled by oil revenues. With rampant political insecurity in the region and the revolutionary fervor present after the Arab Spring, leaders have gone beyond the traditional rentier state system to ensure political survival by playing on the sentiments of sectarianism and identity politics. This paper argues that religious sectarianism is not only a question of attitudes and sentiments toward a religious minority but also a politically motivated state mechanism used to maintain the status quo and ensure an extended legitimation of power. We argue that the state often capitalizes on people's fear of economic adversities to incite sectarian exclusions of religious minorities, this is especially evident in times of economic hardships. With survey data from the Arab Barometer, we examined such political psychology in Saudi Arabia in 2011, at the onset of the Arab Spring. We found that Sunni Muslim sentiments of sectarian exclusion toward the Shi‘a minority could be attributed to not just religiosity but also state crafted incitement by the Saudi government. In particular, our results show that state-based sectarian intolerance was in part fueled by the government's scapegoating of the Shi‘a communities during times of economic downturns.
God Talk in a Digital Age: How Members of Congress Use Religious Language on Twitter
Authors: Bramlett Brittany H. , Burge Ryan P.
Published: May 2020

This article analyzes the use of religious language on Twitter by members of the U.S. Congress (MOCs). Politicians use various media platforms to communicate about their political agendas and their personal lives. In the United States, religious language is often part of the messaging from politicians to their constituents. This is done carefully and often strategically and across media platforms. With members of Congress increasingly using Twitter to connect with constituents on a regular basis, we want to explain who uses religious language on Twitter, when, and how. Using 1.5 million tweets scraped from members of Congress in April of 2018, we find that MOCs from both major political parties make use of a “religious code” on Twitter in order to send messages about their own identities as well as to activate the religious identities of their constituents. However, Republicans use the code more extensively and with Judeo-Christian-specific terms. Additionally, we discuss gender effects for the ways MOCs use “religious code” on Twitter.
Academics Executed on the Wulecki Hills in L’viv: From a Local Wartime Crime to a Translocal Memory Event
Authors: Narvselius Eleonora , Pietraszewski Igor
Published: May 2020

In 2011, a monument commemorating a group of Polish academics killed during the Nazi occupation was unveiled at the site of their death in L΄viv, presently a Ukrainian city. This event became the pinnacle of a commemoration that had developed quite autonomously on both sides of the redrawn Polish-(Soviet)Ukrainian border. The commemorative project and memory event underpinning it are especially interesting owing to the partial recuperation of links with the prewar local genealogies of the Polish-Ukrainian borderland. This article explores how a special historic occurrence that took place in wartime L΄viv/Lwów became an issue of continual political significance invested with different truth, originality, and identity claims in Poland and Ukraine. The authors focus on various actors who managed to transform memory about the murdered academics into a public commemorative project and elevate the role of translocal links in the successful realization of the commemorative initiative in question. The concluding part summarizes principal lessons pertaining to commemoration of perished population groups in east-central European borderlands that might be drawn on the basis of the discussed case.
Anti-Muslim Fear Narrative and the Ban on Said Nursi's Works as “Extremist Literature” in Russia
Authors: Tuna Mustafa
Published: May 2020

This article analyzes the causes and consequences of Islamophobia in the Russian Federation following the story of the Russian ban on the works of a scholar of Islam from Turkey, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1878–1960), despite the overall positive reception of his ideas and followers by Russia's Muslims. It positions Russia's existing domestic anti-Muslim prejudices, which evolved in the contexts of the Chechen conflict and the influx of migrant workers from culturally Muslim former Soviet republics to cosmopolitan Russian cities, against the background of the post-9/11 global fear narrative about Muslims. These Islamophobic attitudes in turn informed and justified anti-Muslim policies in Russia, as the Russian state, following broader trends of centralization and illiberalization in the country, abandoned the pluralist policies toward religion of the early post-Soviet years and reverted to the late-Soviet model of regulation and containment in the past two decades.
Water availability influences the inhibitory effects of mustard seed meal on Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) and Verticillium dahliae
Authors: Wood Joseph B. , Schutte Brian J. , Guzman Ivette , Sanogo Soum
Published: May 2020

Palmer amaranth, an annual weed, and Verticillium dahliae, a fungal pathogen, can substantially reduce chile pepper yield. On the basis of the results of this study, we clarified implementation strategies for a potential management tactic for Palmer amaranth and V. dahliae in chile pepper: mustard seed meal (MSM). The objectives were to (1) determine MSM effects on Palmer amaranth seedbanks under different moisture levels, (2) measure glucosinolate degradation in soil hydrated to saturation and field capacity, and (3) determine the effects of decreasing moisture availability on MSM control of Palmer amaranth and V. dahliae. To address objective 1, seedbanks with and without MSM were hydrated to levels expected to both inhibit and promote germination (flooded, saturated, −0.03, −0.6 MPa, respectively). For objective 2, soil columns with MSM were held at different moisture levels and sampled over time. For objective 3, Palmer amaranth seeds were incubated with and without MSM, and with polyethylene glycol (PEG) solutions comprising a range of water potentials (0, −0.03, −0.6, −1.0, and −2.0 MPa). These PEG solutions were also used to hydrate MSM in agar plates with plugs of V. dahliae. All experiments were performed in growth chambers with temperatures and light conditions conducive to Palmer amaranth germination and V. dahliae mycelial growth. MSM-induced mortality in Palmer amaranth seedbanks was greater in soil at field capacity than in saturated soil and flooded soil; however, rates of glucosinolate degradation were greatest in saturated soil. Decreasing water availability progressively decreased the efficacy of MSM on Palmer amaranth because MSM was ineffective on nongerminated seeds. When incubated with PEG solutions with water potentials of 0, −0.03, and −0.6 MPa, MSM stopped growth of V. dahliae; however, MSM-induced control of V. dahliae was reduced by water potentials of −1.0 and −2.0 MPa. The results of this study indicate soils hydrated to field capacity maximize MSM-induced control of Palmer amaranth and V. dahliae.
PRE and POST control of Praxelis clematidea, an emerging weed in Florida nursery production
Authors: Khamare Yuvraj , Marble S. Christopher , Boyd Nathan S. , Steed Shawn T.
Published: May 2020

Praxelis is an annual to short-lived perennial herb in the Asteraceae family and an emerging problematic weed species in Florida nurseries. The objective of these experiments was to determine efficacy of selected PRE and POST herbicides for control of praxelis. An additional experiment was conducted to determine efficacy of the same PRE herbicides for control of bluemink, a weed similar in appearance to praxelis that is also common in Florida. The granular herbicides dimethenamid + pendimethalin, flumioxazin, oxyfluorfen + pendimethalin, oxyfluorfen + prodiamine, and trifluralin + isoxaben were evaluated, along with spray-applied formulations of dimethenamid, indaziflam, and prodiamine + isoxaben. Flumioxazin consistently provided over 90% control of praxelis at both sites. Indaziflam control was inconsistent between the two sites, providing 100% control in Apopka but only a 22% reduction in weed counts in Balm. Oxyfluorfen + pendimethalin, oxyfluorfen + prodiamine, and prodiamine + isoxaben also provided control (57% to 97% reduction in shoot weight), albeit generally to a lesser degree than was observed with flumioxazin. All PRE herbicides provided similar control of both praxelis and bluemink, with the exception of dimethenamid and dimethenamid + pendimethalin, which reduced bluemink shoot weight more than praxelis. Clopyralid, glyphosate, and triclopyr all provided effective POST control of mature and flowering praxelis through 12 wk after treatment (WAT) and resulted in greater praxelis control than glufosinate. Results suggest that many commonly used PRE and POST herbicides would provide control of praxelis, but use of PRE and POST herbicides as well as sequential applications may be needed for long-term management.
Carbon Thaw Rate Doubles When Accounting for Subsidence in a Permafrost Warming Experiment
Authors: Rodenhizer Heidi , Ledman Justin , Mauritz Marguerite , Natali Susan M. , Pegoraro Elaine , Plaza César , Romano Emily , Schädel Christina , Taylor Meghan , Schuur Edward
Published: May 2020

Permafrost thaw is typically measured with active layer thickness, or the maximum seasonal thaw measured from the ground surface. However, previous work has shown that this measurement alone fails to account for ground subsidence and therefore underestimates permafrost thaw. To determine the impact of subsidence on observed permafrost thaw and thawed soil carbon stocks, we quantified subsidence using high‐accuracy GPS and identified its environmental drivers in a permafrost warming experiment near the southern limit of permafrost in Alaska. With permafrost temperatures near 0°C, 10.8 cm of subsidence was observed in control plots over 9 years. Experimental air and soil warming increased subsidence by five times and created inundated microsites. Across treatments, ice and soil loss drove 85–91% and 9–15% of subsidence, respectively. Accounting for subsidence, permafrost thawed between 19% (control) and 49% (warming) deeper than active layer thickness indicated, and the amount of newly thawed carbon within the active layer was between 37% (control) and 113% (warming) greater. As additional carbon thaws as the active layer deepens, carbon fluxes to the atmosphere and lateral transport of carbon in groundwater could increase. The magnitude of this impact is uncertain at the landscape scale, though, due to limited subsidence measurements. Therefore, to determine the full extent of permafrost thaw across the circumpolar region and its feedback on the carbon cycle, it is necessary to quantify subsidence more broadly across the circumpolar region.
The Evolution of Seafloor Spreading Behind the Tip of the Westward Propagating Cocos‐Nazca Spreading Center
Authors: Smith Deborah K. , Schouten Hans , Parnell‐Turner Ross , Klein Emily M. , Cann Johnson , Dunham Charles , Alodia Gabriella , Blasco Iker , Wernette Benjamin , Zawadzki Dominik , Latypova Elvira , Afshar Sara , Curry Scott
Published: May 2020

At the Galapagos triple junction in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, the Cocos‐Nazca spreading center does not meet the East Pacific Rise (EPR) but, instead, rifts into 0.4 Myr‐old lithosphere on the EPR flank. Westward propagation of Cocos‐Nazca spreading forms the V‐shaped Galapagos gore. Since ~1.4 Ma, opening at the active gore tip has been within the Cocos‐Galapagos microplate spreading regime. In this paper, bathymetry, magnetic, and gravity data collected over the first 400 km east of the gore tip are used to examine rifting of young lithosphere and transition to magmatic spreading segments. From inception, the axis shows structural segmentation consisting of rifted basins whose bounding faults eventually mark the gore edges. Rifting progresses to magmatic spreading over the first three segments (s1–s3), which open between Cocos‐Galapagos microplate at the presently slow rates of ~19–29 mm/year. Segments s4–s9 originated in the faster‐spreading (~48 mm/year) Cocos‐Nazca regime, and well‐defined magnetic anomalies and abyssal hill fabric close to the gore edges show the transition to full magmatic spreading was more rapid than at present time. Magnetic lineations show a 20% increase in the Cocos‐Nazca spreading rate after 1.1 Ma. The near‐axis Mantle Bouguer gravity anomaly decreases eastward and becomes more circular, suggesting mantle upwelling, increasing temperatures, and perhaps progression to a developed melt supply beneath segments. Westward propagation of individual Cocos‐Nazca segments is common with rates ranging between 12 and 54 mm/year. Segment lengths and lateral offsets between segments increase, in general, with distance from the tip of the gore.
An Examination of Circulation Characteristics in the Luzon Strait and the South China Sea Using High‐Resolution Regional Atmosphere‐Ocean Coupled Models
Authors: Jiang Yingjing , Zhang Shaoqing , Tian Jiwei , Zhang Zhiwei , Gan Jianping , Wu Chau‐Ron
Published: May 2020

Sea surface winds and water transports through the Luzon Strait (LS) are two main factors that force the circulations in the South China Sea (SCS). Typically, a sandwich‐like inflow‐outflow‐inflow structure in the LS and a corresponding three‐layer cyclonic‐anticyclonic‐cyclonic circulation structure in the SCS have been identified. In this study, the impact of model resolution on the simulation of SCS circulations is investigated through examining the circulation features in different resolution coupled models of the Asia‐Pacific Regional Coupled Prediction (AP‐RCP) system at the Qingdao Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (QNLM). The AP‐RCP system of QNLM consists of a 9‐km resolution Regional Ocean Model System (ROMS) coupled with a 27‐km resolution Weather Forecast and Research (WRF) atmosphere model (9v27) and a 3‐km ROMS coupled with a 9‐km WRF (3v9). Results show that compared to the 9‐km case, the 3‐km resolution ocean model can distinctly depict the topography of Bashi Channel and Luzon Trough, thus simulating the deep circulations of the LS more accurately. In addition, with more mesoscale air‐sea interactions, the 3v9 model has better simulation of Kuroshio structure and strength as well as upper layer SCS circulations than the 9v27 model. Our results affirm that due to better representation of complex topography at the LS and eddy‐current interactions in the Kuroshio area, the enhanced‐resolution coupled model can simulate the LS overflow and Kuroshio intrusion more accurately, which may help to improve the simulation and prediction for SCS circulations and mesoscale activities once the observations are sufficient in the future.
Predictors of long-term cancer-related distress among female BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers without a cancer diagnosis: an international analysis
Authors:   Kathleen Cunningham Foundation Consortium for Research into Familial Breast Cancer, Metcalfe Kelly A. , Price Melanie A. , Mansfield Carol , Hallett David C. , Lindeman Geoffrey J. , Fairchild Angie , Posner Joshua , Friedman Sue , Snyder Carrie , Lynch Henry T. , Evans D. Gareth , Narod Steven A. , Liede Alexander
Published: May 2020

Background

Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation have high lifetime risks of developing breast and ovarian cancers. We sought to estimate the prevalence of cancer-related distress and to identify predictors of distress in an international sample of unaffected women with a BRCA mutation.

Methods

Women with a BRCA1/2 mutation and no previous cancer diagnosis were recruited from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and from a national advocacy group. Using an online survey, we asked about cancer risk reduction options and screening, and we measured cancer-related distress using the Impact of Event Scale.

Results

Among 576 respondents, mean age was 40.8 years (SD = 8.1). On average 4.9 years after a positive test result, 16.3% of women reported moderate-to-severe cancer-related distress. Women who had undergone risk-reducing breast and ovarian surgery were less likely to have (moderate or severe) cancer-related distress compared to other women (22.0% versus 11.4%, P value = 0.007). Women recruited from the advocacy group were more likely to have cancer-related distress than other women (21.6% versus 5.3%, P value = 0.002).

Conclusions

Approximately 16% of women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation experience distress levels comparable to those of women after a cancer diagnosis. Distress was lower for women who had risk-reducing surgery.
Extracellular vesicles from human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiovascular progenitor cells promote cardiac infarct healing through reducing cardiomyocyte death and promoting angiogenesis
Authors: Wu Qiang , Wang Jinxi , Tan Wilson Lek Wen , Jiang Yun , Wang Shihui , Li Qiang , Yu Xiujian , Tan Jiliang , Liu Shenyan , Zhang Peng , Tiang Zenia , Chen Zhongyan , Foo Roger Sik-Yin , Yang Huang-Tian
Published: May 2020

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs)-derived cardiovascular progenitor cells (CVPCs) are a promising source for myocardial repair, while the mechanisms remain largely unknown. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are known to mediate cell–cell communication, however, the efficacy and mechanisms of hPSC-CVPC-secreted EVs (hCVPC-EVs) in the infarct healing when given at the acute phase of myocardial infarction (MI) are unknown. Here, we report the cardioprotective effects of the EVs secreted from hESC-CVPCs under normoxic (EV-N) and hypoxic (EV-H) conditions in the infarcted heart and the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)-related mechanisms. The hCVPC-EVs were confirmed by electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking, and immunoblotting analysis. Injection of hCVPC-EVs into acutely infracted murine myocardium significantly improved cardiac function and reduced fibrosis at day 28 post MI, accompanied with the improved vascularization and cardiomyocyte survival at border zones. Consistently, hCVPC-EVs enhanced the tube formation and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), improved the cell viability, and attenuated the lactate dehydrogenase release of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) with oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) injury. Moreover, the improvement of the EV-H in cardiomyocyte survival and tube formation of HUVECs was significantly better than these in the EV-N. RNA-seq analysis revealed a high abundance of the lncRNA MALAT1 in the EV-H. Its abundance was upregulated in the infarcted myocardium and cardiomyocytes treated with hCVPC-EVs. Overexpression of human MALAT1 improved the cell viability of NRCM with OGD injury, while knockdown of MALAT1 inhibited the hCVPC-EV-promoted tube formation of HUVECs. Furthermore, luciferase activity assay, RNA pull-down, and manipulation of miR-497 levels showed that MALAT1 improved NRCMs survival and HUVEC tube formation through targeting miR-497. These results reveal that hCVPC-EVs promote the infarct healing through improvement of cardiomyocyte survival and angiogenesis. The cardioprotective effects of hCVPC-EVs can be enhanced by hypoxia-conditioning of hCVPCs and are partially contributed by MALAT1 via targeting the miRNA.
Deciphering exciton-generation processes in quantum-dot electroluminescence
Authors: Deng Yunzhou , Lin Xing , Fang Wei , Di Dawei , Wang Linjun , Friend Richard H. , Peng Xiaogang , Jin Yizheng
Published: May 2020

Electroluminescence of colloidal nanocrystals promises a new generation of high-performance and solution-processable light-emitting diodes. The operation of nanocrystal-based light-emitting diodes relies on the radiative recombination of electrically generated excitons. However, a fundamental question—how excitons are electrically generated in individual nanocrystals—remains unanswered. Here, we reveal a nanoscopic mechanism of sequential electron-hole injection for exciton generation in nanocrystal-based electroluminescent devices. To decipher the corresponding elementary processes, we develop electrically-pumped single-nanocrystal spectroscopy. While hole injection into neutral quantum dots is generally considered to be inefficient, we find that the intermediate negatively charged state of quantum dots triggers confinement-enhanced Coulomb interactions, which simultaneously accelerate hole injection and hinder excessive electron injection. In-situ/operando spectroscopy on state-of-the-art quantum-dot light-emitting diodes demonstrates that exciton generation at the ensemble level is consistent with the charge-confinement-enhanced sequential electron-hole injection mechanism probed at the single-nanocrystal level. Our findings provide a universal mechanism for enhancing charge balance in nanocrystal-based electroluminescent devices.
Budding yeast complete DNA synthesis after chromosome segregation begins
Authors: Ivanova Tsvetomira , Maier Michael , Missarova Alsu , Ziegler-Birling Céline , Dam Monica , Gomar-Alba Mercè , Carey Lucas B. , Mendoza Manuel
Published: May 2020

To faithfully transmit genetic information, cells must replicate their entire genome before division. This is thought to be ensured by the temporal separation of replication and chromosome segregation. Here we show that in 20–40% of unperturbed yeast cells, DNA synthesis continues during anaphase, late in mitosis. High cyclin-Cdk activity inhibits DNA synthesis in metaphase, and the decrease in cyclin-Cdk activity during mitotic exit allows DNA synthesis to finish at subtelomeric and some difficult-to-replicate regions. DNA synthesis during late mitosis correlates with elevated mutation rates at subtelomeric regions, including copy number variation. Thus, yeast cells temporally overlap DNA synthesis and chromosome segregation during normal growth, possibly allowing cells to maximize population-level growth rate while simultaneously exploring greater genetic space.
Intradecadal variations in length of day and their correspondence with geomagnetic jerks
Authors: Duan Pengshuo , Huang Chengli
Published: May 2020

Earth’s core oscillations and magnetic field inside the liquid outer core cannot be observed directly from the surface, we can infer these information from the intradecadal variations in Earth’s rotation rate defined by length of day. However, the fine time-varying characteristics as well as relevant mechanisms of the intradecadal variations are still unclear. Here we report that the intradecadal variations present a significant 8.6-year harmonic component with an unexpected increasing phenomenon, besides a 6-year decreasing oscillation. More importantly, we find that there is a very good correspondence between the extremes of the 8.6-year oscillation with geomagnetic jerks. The fast equatorial waves with subdecadal periods propagating at Earth’s core surface may explain the origin of this 8.6-year oscillation.