bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Higher Subseasonal Predictability of Extreme Hot European Summer Temperatures as Compared to Average Summers
Authors: Wulff C. Ole , Domeisen Daniela I. V.
Published: October 2019

Summer temperatures in the last decades were increasingly characterized by persistent extremes, and there is evidence that this trend will continue in a warming climate. The exact timing of these extremes is less well known, and it is therefore crucial to consider their subseasonal predictability. We compare the prediction of summer 2m‐temperature extremes in Europe with the prediction of average events for four subseasonal forecasting systems. We find higher prediction skill for warm extremes as compared to average events, with some regional dependence. The same is not true for cold extremes, indicating an asymmetry in the processes causing opposite summer temperature extremes. The forecast skill is strongly increased by the most severe and persistent events in the analyzed period. We hypothesize that the enhanced warm extreme skill is related to persistent flow patterns and land‐atmosphere interaction. This could have implications for potentially enhanced predictability in a warming climate.
Coupled Modes of North Atlantic Ocean‐Atmosphere Variability and the Onset of the Little Ice Age
Authors: Anchukaitis Kevin J. , Cook Edward R. , Cook Benjamin I. , Pearl Jessie , D'Arrigo Rosanne , Wilson Rob
Published: October 2019

Hydroclimate extremes in North America, Europe, and the Mediterranean are linked to ocean and atmospheric circulation anomalies in the Atlantic, but the limited length of the instrumental record prevents complete identification and characterization of these patterns of covariability especially at decadal to centennial time scales. Here we analyze the coupled patterns of drought variability on either sides of the North Atlantic Ocean basin using independent climate field reconstructions spanning the last millennium in order to detect and attribute epochs of coherent basin‐wide moisture anomalies to ocean and atmosphere processes. A leading mode of broad‐scale moisture variability is characterized by distinct patterns of North Atlantic atmosphere circulation and sea surface temperatures. We infer a negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation and colder Atlantic sea surface temperatures in the middle of the fifteenth century, coincident with weaker solar irradiance and prior to strong volcanic forcing associated with the early Little Ice Age.
Aircraft Icing: In‐Cloud Measurements and Sensitivity to Physical Parameterizations
Authors: Merino A. , García‐Ortega E. , Fernández‐González S. , Díaz‐Fernández J. , Quitián‐Hernández L. , Martín M. L. , López L. , Marcos J. L. , Valero F. , Sánchez J. L.
Published: October 2019

The prediction of supercooled cloud drops in the atmosphere is a basic tool for aviation safety, owing to their contact with and instant freezing on sensitive locations of the aircraft. One of the main disadvantages for predicting atmospheric icing conditions is the acquisition of observational data. In this study, we used in‐cloud microphysics measurements taken during 10 flights of a C‐212 research aircraft under winter conditions, during which we encountered 37 regions containing supercooled liquid water. To investigate the capability of the Weather Research and Forecasting model to detect regions containing supercooled cloud drops, we propose a multiphysics ensemble approach. We used four microphysics and two planetary boundary layer schemes. The Morrison parameterization yielded superior results, whereas the planetary boundary layer schemes were essential in evaluating the presence of liquid water content. The Goddard microphysics scheme best detected the presence of ice water content but tended to underestimate liquid water content.
Stand‐Alone Eastern Pacific Coastal Warming Events
Authors: Lübbecke Joke F. , Rudloff Daniel , Stramma Lothar
Published: October 2019

A pronounced warm anomaly occurred at the Peruvian coast in early 2017. This “Coastal Niño” caused heavy rainfalls, leading to flooding in Peru and Ecuador. At the same time, neutral conditions prevailed in the equatorial Pacific. Using observational sea surface temperature data sets and an ocean reanalysis product for the time period 1900 to 2010, previous similar events are investigated. Eighteen coastal warming events without corresponding equatorial Pacific warming are identified. Further analysis shows, however, that only four of these events are not connected to the central equatorial Pacific. All other periods of strong coastal warm anomalies are directly followed or preceded by El Niño‐like conditions. The “stand‐alone” coastal warming events are characterized by comparatively low equatorial heat content. We thus hypothesize that the depleted heat content in the equatorial Pacific in the wake of the strong 2015/2016 El Niño prevented the warming to spread westward in 2017.
Subsurface Water Dominates Sierra Nevada Seasonal Hydrologic Storage
Authors: Enzminger Thomas L. , Small Eric E. , Borsa Adrian A.
Published: October 2019

Vertical displacements (dz) in permanent Global Positioning System (GPS) station positions enable estimation of water storage changes (ΔS), which historically have been impossible to measure directly. We use dz from 924 GPS stations in the western United States to estimate daily ΔS in California's Sierra Nevada and compare it to seasonal snow accumulation and melt over water years 2008–2017. Seasonal variations in GPS‐based ΔS are ~1,000 mm. Typically, only ~30% of ΔS is attributable to snow water equivalent (SWE). ΔS lags the snow cycle, peaking after maximum SWE and remaining positive when all snow has melted (SWE = 0). We conclude that seasonal ΔS fluctuations are not primarily driven by SWE but by rainfall and snowmelt stored in the shallow subsurface (as soil moisture and/or groundwater) and released predominantly through evapotranspiration. Seasonal peak GPS ΔS is larger than accumulated precipitation from the Parameter‐elevation Relationships on Independent Slopes Model and North American Land Data Assimilation System, indicating that these standard inputs underestimate mountain precipitation.
Leveraging the Rapid Retreat of the Amundsen Gulf Ice Stream 13,000 Years Ago to Reveal Insight Into North American Deglaciation
Authors: Pico T. , Robel A. , Powell E. , Mix A. C. , Mitrovica J. X.
Published: October 2019

We examine the influence of different deglacial histories of the North American ice saddle, which connected the Cordilleran ice sheet and western Laurentide ice sheet, on the stability of the fast‐flowing Amundsen Gulf Ice Stream, located in the northwestern Laurentide ice sheet. We use a simplified marine‐terminating ice stream model to simulate grounding line retreat and compare our predictions to geologic evidence for the rapid collapse of the Amundsen Gulf Ice Stream at 13 ka. We show that observations of ice stream retreat can be used to distinguish between past ice unloading histories, and that the rapid retreat of the Amundsen Gulf Ice Stream near 13 ka is most dynamically consistent with substantial deglaciation of the North American ice saddle from 13 to 11.5 ka, during the Younger Dryas cooling episode. These results suggest that short‐lived changes in ice stream behavior may be used to reveal larger‐scale and longer‐duration ice sheet dynamics.
Acoustical Energy of Return Strokes: A Comparison Between a Statistical Model and Measurements
Authors: Lacroix Arthur , Coulouvrat François , Marchiano Régis , Farges Thomas , Ripoll Jean‐Francois
Published: October 2019

This letter proposes a new statistical model of thunder. The tortuous geometry of the emitting return stroke is randomly generated to fit observations of negative cloud‐to‐ground discharges. Pressure waves are initialized by radiation‐hydrodynamics simulations and linearly propagated into an isothermal atmosphere incorporating standardized sound absorption. The thunder pressure frequency signal is defined as the product of the input pressure governed by a deposited energy with the stochastic frequency response of the elongated discharge. We find the low‐frequency content of thunder is mostly due to stroke elongation originating from tortuosity. Acoustic energy per stroke length and spectrum slope are statistically compared to measurements, with good agreement found. We show both a near‐ and far‐field regime of the acoustical energy over distance described by two different power laws. The correlation found between the lightning energy and the acoustic energy paves the way for using thunder measurement to estimate deposited energy.
Declining Summertime Local‐Scale Precipitation Frequency Over China and the United States, 1981–2012: The Disparate Roles of Aerosols
Authors: Guo Jianping , Su Tianning , Chen Dandan , Wang Jun , Li Zhanqing , Lv Yanmin , Guo Xiaoran , Liu Huan , Cribb Maureen , Zhai Panmao
Published: October 2019

The local‐scale precipitation (LSP) is mainly driven by thermal convection. Here we reveal a decreasing trend in the summertime LSP frequency over both China and the United States by utilizing the hourly rain gauge data from 1981 to 2012. The contrasting aerosol trend likely contributes to this same declining trend of LSP in both countries. As aerosol optical depth (AOD) goes beyond the turning zone of 0.25–0.30, the impact of aerosol on precipitation changes from invigoration to suppression. The mean AOD is generally less and larger than this range and of opposite trends in China and United States, respectively, which likely accounts for the same declining trend of LSP hours in the two countries. The observed boomerang shape points to the importance of aerosol loading, which matters as much as, if not more than the AOD trend, thereby potentially serving as a constraint for climate model evaluation.
MAVEN and MEX Multi‐instrument Study of the Dayside of the Martian Induced Magnetospheric Structure Revealed by Pressure Analyses
Authors: Holmberg M. K. G. , André N. , Garnier P. , Modolo R. , Andersson L. , Halekas J. , Mazelle C. , Steckiewicz M. , Génot V. , Fedorov A. , Barabash S. , Mitchell D. L.
Published: October 2019

A combination of statistical studies and 18 case studies have been used to investigate the structure of the induced Martian magnetosphere. The different plasma and magnetic pressure forces on the dayside of the induced magnetosphere of Mars have been studied using 3.5 years of Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) and Mars Express (MEX) observations. We present estimates of typical values for the dominant pressure terms, that is, the thermal pressures of the ionosphere and the magnetosheath, the magnetic pressure of the magnetic pile‐up region, and the solar wind dynamic pressure. For 18 typical orbits the altitudes and relative distances of the pressure balance boundaries, the photoelectron boundary, the ion composition boundary, and the induced magnetosphere boundary are estimated. The magnetic pile‐up boundary is discussed but not further studied since earlier characterizations of the magnetic pile‐up boundary do not agree with our results. This study focuses on the transition region between the ionosphere and the magnetosheath on the dayside of Mars. We show that earlier definitions of the photoelectron boundary, ion composition boundary, and induced magnetosphere boundary do not characterize the transition region well, mainly because each boundary is based on measurements from only one or two instruments. In order to characterize the transition region correctly, changes in magnetic field strength and fluctuations, dominant ion species, electron and ion densities and energy distributions need to be considered. This article confirms a complex interaction between Mars and the solar wind and can explain why previous studies have had difficulties to describe the force balance.
Slab Morphology Beneath Northern Sumatra Revealed by Regional and Teleseismic Traveltime Tomography
Authors: Liu Shaolin , Suardi Iman , Zheng Ming , Yang Dinghui , Huang Xueyuan , Tong Ping
Published: October 2019

An eikonal equation‐based tomography method is used to invert the high‐quality regional and teleseismic traveltime data recorded by 26 broadband seismic stations in northern Sumatra, following which we obtain the P and S wave velocity structures of the crust and mantle down to a depth of 800 km. The results of both P and S wave tomography clearly show that the Indo‐Australian oceanic plate continuously penetrates downward beneath northern Sumatra and the maximum penetration depth varies approximately from 400 km at the northern tip of Sumatra to about 800 km around the southern boundary of our study area. Significant slab folding or bending reported in the literature as the main feature of the subducted slab beneath northern Sumatra is not found in our results. Instead, our tomographic images demonstrate only a less curved slab that mimics the shape of the Sunda Trench and volcanic arc and generally extends over depths from 120 to 450 km. P wave tomography shows broad and pronounced low‐velocity anomalies beneath the island of Sumatra in the lower crust and uppermost mantle. Our model also reveals a slab tear approximately at 120‐km depth, which has been documented in previous studies and considered to be related to the eruption of the Toba supervolcano.
The Effect of Brine on the Electrical Properties of Methane Hydrate
Authors: Lu R. , Stern L. A. , Du Frane W. L. , Pinkston J. C. , Roberts J. J. , Constable S.
Published: October 2019

Gas hydrates possess lower electrical conductivity (inverse of resistivity) than either seawater or ice, but higher than clastic silts and sands, such that electromagnetic methods can be employed to help identify their natural formation in marine and permafrost environments. Controlled laboratory studies offer a means to isolate and quantify the effects of changing individual components within gas‐hydrate‐bearing systems, in turn yielding insight into the behavior of natural systems. Here we investigate the electrical properties of polycrystalline methane hydrate with ≥25% gas‐filled porosity and in mixture with brine. Initially, pure methane hydrate was synthesized from H2O ice and CH4 gas while undergoing electrical impedance measurement, then partially dissociated to assess the effects of pure pore water accumulation on electrical conductivity. Methane hydrate + brine mixtures were then formed by either adding NaCl (0.25–2.5 wt %) to high‐purity ice or by using frozen seawater as a reactant. Conductivity was obtained from impedance measurements made in situ throughout synthesis while temperature cycled between +15 °C and −25 °C. Several possible conduction mechanisms were subsequently determined using equivalent circuit modeling. Samples with low NaCl concentration show a doping/impurity effect and a log linear conductivity response as a function of temperature. For higher salt content samples, conductivity increases exponentially with temperature and the log linear relationship no longer holds; instead, we observe phase changes within the samples that follow NaCl–H2O–CH4 phase equilibrium predictions. Final samples were quenched in liquid nitrogen and imaged by cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (cryo‐SEM) to assess grain‐scale characteristics.
Mesoscale Eddies Observed at the Denmark Strait Sill
Authors: Moritz Martin , Jochumsen Kerstin , North Ryan P. , Quadfasel Detlef , Valdimarsson Héðinn
Published: October 2019

The Denmark Strait overflow is the major export route of dense water from the Arctic Mediterranean into the North Atlantic. At the Strait's shallow sill, the overflow is a bottom‐intensified cold and dense plume, bound to the east by a thermal front formed with the warmer, northward flowing North Icelandic Irminger Current. More than two decades of observations at the sill show strong fluctuations of volume flux on daily time scales. To better understand the source of this variability, a five‐mooring array was installed at the sill, capturing nearly 1 year of velocity and bottom temperature measurements at a high temporal and spatial resolution. Bottom temperature fluctuations that exceed 4 °C indicate a meandering of the front between the plume and the North Icelandic Irminger Current. Current vector rotation shows trains of alternating cyclones and anticyclones at the sill. An eddy crosses the sill every 3 to 6 days with a mean velocity of 0.4 m/s and a typical diameter of 30 to 40 km. The results suggest that anticyclones, with centers passing through the deepest part of the sill, may be responsible for periods of increased volume flux—also referred to as boluses and pulses in previous studies. Although the relationship between eddies, pulses, and boluses is still unclear, the results show that eddies are directly linked to fluctuations in the strength, thickness, and position of the overflow plume.
Wave Groups Observed in Pancake Sea Ice
Authors: Thomson Jim , Gemmrich Johannes , Rogers W. Erick , Collins Clarence O. , Ardhuin Fabrice
Published: October 2019

Ocean surface waves propagating through sea ice are scattered and dissipated. The net attenuation occurs preferentially at the higher frequencies, and thus the spectral bandwidth of a given wave field is reduced, relative to open water. The reduction in bandwidth is associated with an increase in the groupiness of the wave field. Using Surface Wave Instrument Float with Tracking buoy data from the 2015 Arctic Sea State experiment, bandwidth is compared between pancake ice and open water conditions, and the linkage to group envelopes is explored. The enhancement of wave groups in ice is consistent with the simple linear mechanism of superposition of waves with narrowing spectral bandwidth. This is confirmed using synthetic data. Nonlinear mechanisms, which have been shown as significant in other ice types, are not found to be important in this data set.
High-speed colour-converting photodetector with all-inorganic CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals for ultraviolet light communication
Authors: Kang Chun Hong , Dursun Ibrahim , Liu Guangyu , Sinatra Lutfan , Sun Xiaobin , Kong Meiwei , Pan Jun , Maity Partha , Ooi Ee-Ning , Ng Tien Khee , Mohammed Omar F. , Bakr Osman M. , Ooi Boon S.
Published: October 2019

Optical wireless communication (OWC) using the ultra-broad spectrum of the visible-to-ultraviolet (UV) wavelength region remains a vital field of research for mitigating the saturated bandwidth of radio-frequency (RF) communication. However, the lack of an efficient UV photodetection methodology hinders the development of UV-based communication. The key technological impediment is related to the low UV-photon absorption in existing silicon photodetectors, which offer low-cost and mature platforms. To address this technology gap, we report a hybrid Si-based photodetection scheme by incorporating CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) with a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and a fast photoluminescence (PL) decay time as a UV-to-visible colour-converting layer for high-speed solar-blind UV communication. The facile formation of drop-cast CsPbBr3 perovskite NCs leads to a high PLQY of up to ~73% and strong absorption in the UV region. With the addition of the NC layer, a nearly threefold improvement in the responsivity and an increase of ~25% in the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the solar-blind region compared to a commercial silicon-based photodetector were observed. Moreover, time-resolved photoluminescence measurements demonstrated a decay time of 4.5 ns under a 372-nm UV excitation source, thus elucidating the potential of this layer as a fast colour-converting layer. A high data rate of up to 34 Mbps in solar-blind communication was achieved using the hybrid CsPbBr3–silicon photodetection scheme in conjunction with a 278-nm UVC light-emitting diode (LED). These findings demonstrate the feasibility of an integrated high-speed photoreceiver design of a composition-tuneable perovskite-based phosphor and a low-cost silicon-based photodetector for UV communication.
Glutamatergic and dopaminergic function and the relationship to outcome in people at clinical high risk of psychosis: a multi-modal PET-magnetic resonance brain imaging study
Authors: Howes Oliver D. , Bonoldi Ilaria , McCutcheon Robert A. , Azis Matilda , Antoniades Mathilde , Bossong Matthijs , Modinos Gemma , Perez Jesus , Stone James M. , Santangelo Barbara , Veronese Mattia , Grace Anthony , Allen Paul , McGuire Philip K.
Published: October 2019

Preclinical models of psychosis propose that hippocampal glutamatergic neuron hyperactivity drives increased striatal dopaminergic activity, which underlies the development of psychotic symptoms. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between hippocampal glutamate and subcortical dopaminergic function in people at clinical high risk for psychosis, and to assess the association with the development of psychotic symptoms. 1H-MRS was used to measure hippocampal glutamate concentrations, and 18F-DOPA PET was used to measure dopamine synthesis capacity in 70 subjects (51 people at clinical high risk for psychosis and 19 healthy controls). Clinical assessments were undertaken at baseline and follow-up (median 15 months). Striatal dopamine synthesis capacity predicted the worsening of psychotic symptoms at follow-up (r = 0.35; p < 0.05), but not transition to a psychotic disorder (p = 0.22), and was not significantly related to hippocampal glutamate concentration (p = 0.13). There were no differences in either glutamate (p = 0.5) or dopamine (p = 0.5) measures in the total patient group relative to controls. Striatal dopamine synthesis capacity at presentation predicts the subsequent worsening of sub-clinical total and psychotic symptoms, consistent with a role for dopamine in the development of psychotic symptoms, but is not strongly linked to hippocampal glutamate concentrations.
OPA1 overexpression ameliorates mitochondrial cristae remodeling, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuronal apoptosis in prion diseases
Authors: Wu Wei , Zhao Deming , Shah Syed Zahid Ali , Zhang Xixi , Lai Mengyu , Yang Dongming , Wu Xiaoqian , Guan Zhiling , Li Jie , Zhao Huafen , Li Wen , Gao Hongli , Zhou Xiangmei , Qiao Jian , Yang Lifeng
Published: October 2019

Prion diseases caused by the cellular prion protein (PrPC) conversion into a misfolded isoform (PrPSc) are associated with multiple mitochondrial damages. We previously reported mitochondrial dynamic abnormalities and cell death in prion diseases via modulation of a variety of factors. Optic atrophy 1 (OPA1) is one of the factors that control mitochondrial fusion, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) maintenance, bioenergetics, and cristae integrity. In this study, we observed downregulation of OPA1 in prion disease models in vitro and in vivo, mitochondria structure damage and dysfunction, loss of mtDNA, and neuronal apoptosis. Similar mitochondria findings were seen in OPA1-silenced un-infected primary neurons. Overexpression of OPA1 not only alleviated prion-induced mitochondrial network fragmentation and mtDNA loss, decrease in intracellular ATP, increase in ADP/ATP ratio, and decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential but also protected neurons from apoptosis by suppressing the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol and activation of the apoptotic factor, caspase 3. Our results demonstrated that overexpression of OPA1 alleviates prion-associated mitochondrial network fragmentation and cristae remodeling, mitochondrial dysfunction, mtDNA depletion, and neuronal apoptosis, suggesting that OPA1 may be a novel and effective therapeutic target for prion diseases.
NPI-0052 and γ-radiation induce a synergistic apoptotic effect in medulloblastoma
Authors: Frisira Eleni , Rashid Fatima , Varma Swastina Nath , Badodi Sara , Benjamin-Ombo Valentine Ayodele , Michod David , Niklison-Chirou Maria Victoria
Published: October 2019

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant solid paediatric brain tumour. The standard treatment for MB is surgical resection of the tumour, radiation and chemotherapy. This therapy is associated with high morbidity and adverse side effects. Hence, more targeted and less toxic therapies are vitally needed to improve the quality of life of survivors. NPI-0052 is a novel proteasome inhibitor that irreversibly binds the 20S proteasome subunit. This compound has anti-tumour activity in metastatic solid tumours, glioblastoma and multiple myeloma with a good safety profile. Importantly, NPI-0052 has a lipophilic structure and can penetrate the blood–brain barrier, making it a suitable treatment for brain tumours. In the present study, we performed an in silico gene expression analysis to evaluate the proteasome subunit expression in MB. To evaluate the anticancer activity of NPI-0052, we used a range of MB patient-derived MB cells and cell lines. The synergistic cell death of NPI-0052 with γ-radiation was evaluated in tumour organoids derived from patient-derived MB cells. We show that high expression of proteasome subunits is a poor prognostic factor for MB patients. Also, our preclinical work demonstrated that NPI-0052 can inhibit proteasome activity and activate apoptosis in MB cells. Moreover, we observe that NPI-0052 has a synergistic apoptotic effect with γ-radiation, a component of the current MB therapy. Here, we present compelling preclinical evidence that NPI-0052 can be used as an adjuvant treatment for p53-family-expressing MB tumours.
Translating evidence into practice: recommendations by a UK expert panel on the use of aflibercept in diabetic macular oedema
Authors: Pearce Ian , Bailey Clare , Fletcher Emily , Ghanchi Faruque , Rennie Christina , Santiago Cynthia , Napier Jackie , Yang Yit
Published: October 2019

Objectives

This paper describes recommendations from a panel of UK retina experts on aflibercept in diabetic macular oedema (DMO).

Methods

A roundtable meeting was held in London, UK in March 2018. The meeting was sponsored by Bayer.

Results

Recommendations are based on clinical experience and level 1 evidence. Clinical experience supports the evidence base, reinforcing that aflibercept should be initiated with intensive proactive dosing at 2 mg every 4 weeks. Most panel members use six initial 4-weekly doses as in Protocol T, rather than five initial monthly doses as recommended in the Summary of product characteristics (SmPC). After intensive proactive dosing, patients with a good response (meet Protocol T ‘improvement’ criteria ≥5-letter improvement in visual acuity [VA] and/or ≥10% improvement in central subfield thickness [CST] from baseline) but who are not yet stable should continue with 4-weekly aflibercept until stability is reached. Patients with a good response and stability should initiate monitor-and-extend (not in line with SmPC). Those with a sub-optimal response (meet ‘improvement’ criteria but with additional concerns e.g. fluid worsening on macular volume map) should continue with 4-weekly aflibercept but additional treatments should be considered (aflibercept is not licensed for combination treatment). For patients with no response (no change, or meeting Protocol T ‘worsening’ criteria [≥5-letter decrease in VA and/or ≥ 10% increase in CST] from baseline), switching to a non-anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment should be considered.

Conclusions

Clinical experience reinforces that, when using aflibercept in DMO, the licensed posology or Protocol T regimens achieve the best outcomes.
IL-36 promotes anti-viral immunity by boosting sensitivity to IFN-α/β in IRF1 dependent and independent manners
Authors: Wang Peng , Gamero Ana M. , Jensen Liselotte E.
Published: October 2019

The functions of the IL-36 cytokines remain poorly understood. We report a previously unrecognized mechanism whereby IL-36 promotes innate antiviral immunity in mouse and human models of herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) infections. HSV-1 actively suppresses production of type I interferon (IFN); our data reveal that IL-36 overcomes this immune evasion strategy by increasing cellular sensitivity to IFN. IL-36β deficient mice display impaired IFN responses and poorly restrict viral replication in skin keratinocytes. In mouse and human keratinocytes IL-36 elicits an antiviral state driven by STAT1 and STAT2 via enhanced expression of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 subunits of the type I IFN receptor. The degree of IFN regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) involvement is species dependent, with IRF1 playing a more prominent role in human cells. Similar mechanisms are activated by IL-1. Overall, IL-36 acts as an antiviral cytokine by potentiating type I IFN signaling and thereby upholds immune responses to viruses that limit the production of IFNs.
Nanosecond photochemically promoted click chemistry for enhanced neuropeptide visualization and rapid protein labeling
Authors: Li Gongyu , Ma Fengfei , Cao Qinjingwen , Zheng Zhen , DeLaney Kellen , Liu Rui , Li Lingjun
Published: October 2019

Comprehensive protein identification and concomitant structural probing of proteins are of great biological significance. However, this is challenging to accomplish simultaneously in one confined space. Here, we develop a nanosecond photochemical reaction (nsPCR)-based click chemistry, capable of structural probing of proteins and enhancing their identifications through on-demand removal of surrounding matrices within nanoseconds. The nsPCR is initiated using a photoactive compound, 2-nitrobenzaldehyde (NBA), and is examined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). Benefiting from the on-demand matrix-removal effect, this nsPCR strategy enables enhanced neuropeptide identification and visualization from complex tissue samples such as mouse brain tissue. The design shows great promise for structural probing of proteins up to 155 kDa due to the exclusive accessibility of nsPCR to primary amine groups, as demonstrated by its general applicability using a series of proteins with various lysine residues from multiple sample sources, with accumulated labeling efficiencies greater than 90%.
Ultrasensitive MoS2 photodetector by serial nano-bridge multi-heterojunction
Authors: Kim Ki Seok , Ji You Jin , Kim Ki Hyun , Choi Seunghyuk , Kang Dong-Ho , Heo Keun , Cho Seongjae , Yim Soonmin , Lee Sungjoo , Park Jin-Hong , Jung Yeon Sik , Yeom Geun Young
Published: October 2019

The recent reports of various photodetectors based on molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) field effect transistors showed that it was difficult to obtain optoelectronic performances in the broad detection range [visible–infrared (IR)] applicable to various fields. Here, by forming a mono-/multi-layer nano-bridge multi-heterojunction structure (more than > 300 junctions with 25 nm intervals) through the selective layer control of multi-layer MoS2, a photodetector with ultrasensitive optoelectronic performances in a broad spectral range (photoresponsivity of 2.67 × 106 A/W at λ = 520 nm and 1.65 × 104 A/W at λ = 1064 nm) superior to the previously reported MoS2-based photodetectors could be successfully fabricated. The nano-bridge multi-heterojunction is believed to be an important device technology that can be applied to broadband light sensing, highly sensitive fluorescence imaging, ultrasensitive biomedical diagnostics, and ultrafast optoelectronic integrated circuits through the formation of a nanoscale serial multi-heterojunction, just by adding a selective layer control process.
Controlling collective rotational patterns of magnetic rotors
Authors: Matsunaga Daiki , Hamilton Joshua K. , Meng Fanlong , Bukin Nick , Martin Elizabeth L. , Ogrin Feodor Y. , Yeomans Julia M. , Golestanian Ramin
Published: October 2019

Magnetic actuation is widely used in engineering specific forms of controlled motion in microfluidic applications. A challenge, however, is how to extract different desired responses from different components in the system using the same external magnetic drive. Using experiments, simulations, and theoretical arguments, we present emergent rotational patterns in an array of identical magnetic rotors under an uniform, oscillating magnetic field. By changing the relative strength of the external field strength versus the dipolar interactions between the rotors, different collective modes are selected by the rotors. When the dipole interaction is dominant the rotors swing upwards or downwards in alternating stripes, reflecting the spin-ice symmetry of the static configuration. For larger spacings, when the external field dominates over the dipolar interactions, the rotors undergo full rotations, with different quarters of the array turning in different directions. Our work sheds light on how collective behaviour can be engineered in magnetic systems.
NFAT primes the human RORC locus for RORγt expression in CD4+ T cells
Authors: Yahia-Cherbal Hanane , Rybczynska Magda , Lovecchio Domenica , Stephen Tharshana , Lescale Chloé , Placek Katarzyna , Larghero Jérome , Rogge Lars , Bianchi Elisabetta
Published: October 2019

T helper 17 (Th17) cells have crucial functions in mucosal immunity and the pathogenesis of several chronic inflammatory diseases. The lineage-specific transcription factor, RORγt, encoded by theRORCgene modulates Th17 polarization and function, as well as thymocyte development. Here we define several regulatory elements at the humanRORClocus in thymocytes and peripheral CD4+T lymphocytes, with CRISPR/Cas9-guided deletion of these genomic segments supporting their role in RORγt expression. Mechanistically, T cell receptor stimulation induces cyclosporine A-sensitive histone modifications and P300/CBP acetylase recruitment at these elements in activated CD4+T cells. Meanwhile, NFAT proteins bind to these regulatory elements and activate RORγt transcription in cooperation with NF-kB. Our data thus demonstrate that NFAT specifically regulate RORγt expression by binding to theRORClocus and promoting its permissive conformation.
Fast room temperature lability of aluminosilicate zeolites
Authors: Heard Christopher J. , Grajciar Lukas , Rice Cameron M. , Pugh Suzi M. , Nachtigall Petr , Ashbrook Sharon E. , Morris Russell E.
Published: October 2019

Aluminosilicate zeolites are traditionally used in high-temperature applications at low water vapour pressures where the zeolite framework is generally considered to be stable and static. Increasingly, zeolites are being considered for applications under milder aqueous conditions. However, it has not yet been established how neutral liquid water at mild conditions affects the stability of the zeolite framework. Here, we show that covalent bonds in the zeolite chabazite (CHA) are labile when in contact with neutral liquid water, which leads to partial but fully reversible hydrolysis without framework degradation. We present ab initio calculations that predict novel, energetically viable reaction mechanisms by which Al-O and Si-O bonds rapidly and reversibly break at 300 K. By means of solid-state NMR, we confirm this prediction, demonstrating that isotopic substitution of 17O in the zeolitic framework occurs at room temperature in less than one hour of contact with enriched water.
In-situ monitoring of seeded and unseeded stage III corrosion using Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Ryan Joseph V. , Parruzot Benjamin , Lines Amanda M. , Bryan Samuel A. , Seymour Lorraine M. , Bonnett Jeffrey F. , Motkuri Radha K.
Published: October 2019

Stage III glass dissolution, the occasionally observed tendency for accelerated aqueous corrosion after extensive time spent at low reaction rates, is a major area of technical uncertainty in long-term glass performance modeling for vitreous nuclear waste forms. Stage III dissolution behavior is thought to be caused by the precipitation of zeolite phases that lower the activity of the rate-controlling orthosilicic acid ion and cause the acceleration of glass dissolution. The uncertainty lies mainly in a poor understanding of the growth kinetics of these key crystalline phases. It is particularly important to understand the impact of temperature and pH conditions on Stage III behavior. Accurate analysis of this phenomenon is complicated by the typically very long (e.g., years), and variable length of the induction period preceding the onset of Stage III behavior. In this study of a high-sodium aluminoborosilicate glass, we demonstrate the ability to initiate the onset of Stage III behavior in a controllable fashion so as to both reduce the time delay of the incubation period, and to also be able to initiate Stage III dissolution in controlled conditions. In this case, we demonstrate that Stage III glass corrosion behavior is possible at 70 °C, a lower temperature than previously observed (90 °C), even in an unseeded experiment. We confirm, through a comparison study, that seeded and unseeded Stage III corrosion rates are equivalent. This enables wide-scale testing of Stage III corrosion rates for many glass compositions in relatively short times through this technique. We also report further development of the use of in situ Raman spectroscopy monitoring of boron concentration and pH through simple and chemometric analysis methods.
Fungi of French Guiana gathered in a taxonomic, environmental and molecular dataset
Authors: Jaouen Gaëlle , Sagne Audrey , Buyck Bart , Decock Cony , Louisanna Eliane , Manzi Sophie , Baraloto Christopher , Roy Mélanie , Schimann Heidy
Published: October 2019

In Amazonia, the knowledge about Fungi remains patchy and biased towards accessible sites. This is particularly the case in French Guiana where the existing collections have been confined to few coastal localities. Here, we aimed at filling the gaps of knowledge in undersampled areas of this region, particularly focusing on the Basidiomycota. From 2011, we comprehensively collected fruiting-bodies with a stratified and reproducible sampling scheme in 126 plots. Sites of sampling reflected the main forest habitats of French Guiana in terms of soil fertility and topography. The dataset of 5219 specimens gathers 245 genera belonging to 75 families, 642 specimens are barcoded. The dataset is not a checklist as only 27% of the specimens are identified at the species level but 96% are identified at the genus level. We found an extraordinary diversity distributed across forest habitats. The dataset is an unprecedented and original collection of Basidiomycota for the region, making specimens available for taxonomists and ecologists. The database is publicly available in the GBIF repository (https://doi.org/10.15468/ymvlrp).
Frenkel line crossover of confined supercritical fluids
Authors: Ghosh Kanka , Krishnamurthy C. V.
Published: October 2019

We investigate the temperature evolution of dynamics and structure of partially confined Lennard Jones (LJ) fluids in supercritical phase along an isobaric line in the P-T phase diagram using molecular dynamics simulations. We compare the Frenkel line (FL) crossover features of partially confined LJ fluids to that of the bulk LJ fluids in supercritical phase. Five different spacings have been chosen in this study and the FL crossover characteristics have been monitored for each of these spacings for temperatures ranging from 240 K to 1500 K keeping the pressure fixed at 5000 bar. We characterize the FL crossover using density of states (DoS) function and find that partially confined supercritical fluids (SCF) exhibit a progressive shift of FL crossover point to higher temperatures for smaller spacings. While the DoS perpendicular to the walls shows persistent oscillatory modes, the parallel component exhibits a smooth crossover from an oscillatory to non-oscillatory characteristics representative of FL crossover. We find that the vanishing of peaks in DoS parallel to the walls indicates that the SCF no longer supports shear mode excitations and could serve as an identifier of the FL crossover for confined systems just as is done for the bulk. Layer heights of density profiles, self-diffusivity and the peak heights of radial distribution function parallel to the walls also feature the FL crossover consistent with the DoS criteria. Surprisingly, self-diffusivity undergoes an Arrhenius to super-Arrhenius crossover at low temperatures for smaller spacings as a result of enhanced structural order evidenced via pair-excess entropy. This feature, typical of glass-forming liquids and binary supercooled liquids, is found to develop from the glass-like characteristic slowdown and strong caging in confined supercritical fluid, evidenced via mean squared displacement and velocity autocorrelation function respectively, over intermediate timescales.
Intuition and Deliberation in the Stag Hunt Game
Authors: Belloc Marianna , Bilancini Ennio , Boncinelli Leonardo , D’Alessandro Simone
Published: October 2019

We present an incentivized laboratory experiment where a random sample of individuals playing a series of stag hunt games are forced to make their choices under time constraints, while the rest of the players have no time limits to decide. We find that individuals under the time pressure treatment are more likely to playstag(vs.hare) than individuals in the control group: under time constraints 62.85% of players arestag-hunters as opposed to 52.32% when no time limits are imposed. These results offer the first experimental evidence on the role of intuition and deliberation in strategic situations that entail social coordination. In interpreting our findings, we provide a discussion on ruling social conventions in daily-life interactions.
IFNL3 genotype is associated with pulmonary fibrosis in patients with systemic sclerosis
Authors: Metwally Mayada , Thabet Khaled , Bayoumi Ali , Nikpour Mandana , Stevens Wendy , Sahhar Joanne , Zochling Jane , Roddy Janet , Tymms Kathleen , Strickland Gemma , Lester Susan , Rischmueller Maureen , Ngian Gene-Siew , Walker Jennifer , Hissaria Pravin , Shaker Olfat , Liddle Christopher , Manolios Nicholas , Beretta Lorenzo , Proudman Susanna , George Jacob , Eslam Mohammed
Published: October 2019

Fibrosis across different organs and tissues is likely to share common pathophysiological mechanisms and pathways. Recently, a polymorphism (rs12979860) near the interferon lambda gene (IFNL3) was shown to be associated with fibrosis in liver across multiple disease etiologies. We determined whether this variant is a risk factor for pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and worsening cutaneous fibrosis in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Caucasian patients with SSc (n = 733) were genotyped to test for association with the presence of PF and worsening of skin fibrosis. Serum IFN-λ3 levels from 200 SSc cases were evaluated. An association of the IFNL3 polymorphism with PF was demonstrated (OR: 1.66 (95% CI: 1.142–2.416, p = 0.008). The IFNL3 variant was not a risk factor for worsening of skin fibrosis. Functionally, IFN-λ3 serum levels were higher among subjects with PF compared to those unaffected (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, IFNL3 serum levels and the genetic variant known to be associated with liver fibrosis are similarly linked to PF, but not to worsening of skin fibrosis in SSc. These data highlight both common fibrosis pathways operating between organs, as well as differential effects within the same disease.
Effect of feed supplementation with biosynthesized silver nanoparticles using leaf extract of Morus indica L. V1 on Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae)
Authors: Some Sudip , Bulut Onur , Biswas Kinkar , Kumar Anoop , Roy Anupam , Sen Ipsita Kumar , Mandal Amitava , Franco Octavio L. , İnce İkbal Agah , Neog Kartik , Das Sandip , Pradhan Sayantan , Dutta Subhadeep , Bhattacharjya Debjoy , Saha Soumen , Das Mohapatra Pradeep K. , Bhuimali Anil , Unni B. G. , Kati Ahmet , Mandal Amit Kumar , Yilmaz M. Deniz , Ocsoy Ismail
Published: October 2019

Herein, we report the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by a green route using the aqueous leaf extract of Morus indica L. V1. The synthesized AgNPs exhibited maximum UV-Vis absorbance at 460 nm due to surface plasmon resonance. The average diameter (~54 nm) of AgNPs was measured from HR-TEM analysis. EDX spectra also supported the formation of AgNPs, and negative zeta potential value (−14 mV) suggested its stability. Moreover, a shift in the carbonyl stretching (from 1639 cm−1 to 1630 cm−1) was noted in the FT-IR spectra of leaf extract after AgNPs synthesis which confirm the role of natural products present in leaves for the conversion of silver ions to AgNPs. The four bright circular rings (111), (200), (220) and (311) observed in the selected area electron diffraction pattern are the characteristic reflections of face centered cubic crystalline silver. LC-MS/MS study revealed the presence of phytochemicals in the leaf extract which is responsible for the reduction of silver ions. MTT assay was performed to investigate the cytotoxicity of AgNPs against two human cell lines, namely HepG2 and WRL-68. The antibacterial study revealed that MIC value of the synthesized AgNPs was 80 µg/ml against Escherichia coli K12 and Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 96). Finally, the synthesized AgNPs at 10 µg/ml dosages showed beneficial effects on the survivability, body weights of the Bombyx mori L. larvae, pupae, cocoons and shells weights via enhancing the feed efficacy.
The contribution of dietary and plasma folate and cobalamin to levels of angiopoietin-1, angiopoietin-2 and Tie-2 receptors depend on vascular endothelial growth factor status of primary breast cancer patients
Authors: Pirouzpanah Saeed , Varshosaz Parisa , Fakhrjou Ashraf , Montazeri Vahid
Published: October 2019

The aim of this study was to determine the association of dietary folate and cobalamin with plasma levels of Angiopoietins (ANG), vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and tyrosine kinase receptor-2 (Tie-2) of primary breast cancer patients. Women (n = 177), aged 30 to 75 years diagnosed with breast cancer were recruited from an ongoing case series study. Dietary intake of nutrients was estimated by using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to measure biomarkers. MCF-7 cell cultures were supplemented with folic acid (0–40 μM) for 24 h to measure cell viability and fold change of expression by the real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Structural equation modeling was applied to analyze the structural relationships between the measured variables of nutrients and Angiopoietins. Dietary intake of folate and cobalamin showed a significant inverse correlation with plasma ANG-1 and ANG-2 (P < 0.05), particularly in subjects with estrogen-receptor positive tumors or low plasma VEGF-C. Plasma folate was positively associated with the ratio of ANG-1/ANG-2 (P < 0.05). Residual intake levels of total cobalamin were inversely associated with plasma ANG-1 when plasma stratum of VEGF-C was high (P < 0.05). Structural equation modeling identified a significant inverse contribution of folate profiles on the latent variable of Angiopoietins (coefficient β = −0.99, P < 0.05). Folic acid treatment resulted in dose-dependent down-regulations onANGPT1andANGPT1/ANGPT2ratio butVEGFandANGPT2/VEGFwere upregulated at folic acid >20 μM. Studying the contributing role of dietary folate to pro-angiogenic biomarkers in breast cancer patients can infer the preventive role of folate in the ANGs/VEGF-C-dependent cascade of tumor metastasis. By contrast, high concentrations of folic acidin vitrosupportedVEGF-C-dependentANGPT2overexpression might potentiate micro-lymphatic vessel development to support malignant cell dissemination.