bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmacy Functionality During the Hurricane Florence Disaster
Authors: Sharpe J. Danielle , Clennon Julie A.
Published: December 2019

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to analyze pharmacy functionality, or the volume of operational pharmacies, among areas in North Carolina and South Carolina affected by Hurricane Florence.

Methods:

Using geographic information system software and data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Healthcare Ready, we computed, mapped, and analyzed pharmacy functionality measures for the period of September 12, 2018, through September 20, 2018, among counties in North Carolina and South Carolina to examine health-care–related disaster readiness for and response to Hurricane Florence.

Results:

In the Hurricane Florence-impacted region, counties located along the coast had the most suboptimal pharmacy functionality, whereas counties located more centrally within North Carolina and South Carolina had more optimal pharmacy functionality throughout the disaster. Generally, functionality was high at Hurricane Florence’s landfall on September 14, 2018, for which operating pharmacy capacity was reported at 85% in North Carolina and 88% in South Carolina. Both states had the lowest functionality on September 16, 2018, at 71% for North Carolina and 62% for South Carolina.

Conclusions:

During the Hurricane Florence event, suboptimal pharmacy functionality was detected for coastal areas and during the disaster response period. Hurricane readiness plans and infrastructure strengthening should be emphasized for community pharmacies in hurricane-prone areas.
Older Adults and Social Support in a Disaster Context: Did Relocation Matter for Access to Social Network Resources After the 2015 South Carolina Flood?
Authors: Botchway Marian , Teixeira Ana , Moore Spencer
Published: December 2019

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to examine social network characteristics and social support (emotional and instrumental support) and to determine how those factors differed between relocating older adults and nonrelocating older adults who were affected by the 2015 flood in South Carolina.

Methods:

Twenty-five community-dwelling elderly (CDE) were interviewed between December 2015 and May 2016 to learn about their experiences in the immediate aftermath of the flood. Ego-centric network data were collected with a focus on social network members and the types of flood-related support that these network members provided.

Results:

Ten of 25 CDE relocated because of the flood. All CDE were more likely to receive social support from female network members and family members than from other acquaintances. Relocating CDE received significantly less emotional support in comparison to nonrelocating CDE. The odds of receiving instrumental support were higher, but nonsignificant, among relocating CDE in comparison to nonrelocating CDE.

Conclusions:

The findings around the support provision are concerning particularly because of the additional psychological burden that relocation can place on flood-affected, older adults. Recommendations for public health preparedness strategies are provided in addition to future research directions for examining the well-being of flood-affected, older adults.
Teaching Disaster Site Medical Support in Indonesia
Authors: Pek Jen Heng , Kang Hui Min , Anantharaman Venkataraman
Published: December 2019

Preparation is key to dealing with the rising number of disasters occurring globally. Teams may be inexperienced, but they cannot be inadequately prepared. Rescue providers must be equipped with knowledge, skills, equipment, and supplies to manage the complex demands of a disaster. To bridge the gaps in disaster management training, the Singapore Health Services, in collaboration with the University of Hasanuddin, developed a tailored training program for the teaching of medical support at the disaster site in Indonesia. This project was conducted in Makassar for participants in the province of South Sulawesi. Over the 2-year period, the project benefitted 301 participants, with 73 identified to become Master Trainers to take over local ownership and leadership of the program. The Master Trainers would continue the training of new participants, as well as work within their agencies and with each other to bring about changes to significantly improve disaster management in Indonesia.
Internalizing Contestation in Process-Based Judicial Review
Authors: Henderson Laura M.
Published: December 2019

The cases challenging the European Stability Mechanism in Eurozone creditor states show the concern courts have with protecting and promoting democratic contestation. This Article shows how John Hart Ely’s theory of process-based review provides the theoretical basis for understanding how attention to democratic contestation contributes to the legitimacy of courts reviewing legislation against constitutional norms. By focusing on promoting democratic procedures, Ely argues that courts can avoid substantive decisions that are best left to the legislature. Yet, as my discussion of the constitutional theory of constituent and constituted powers shows, no form of constituted power can avoid some exercise of constituent power. In other words, even a process-based approach cannot avoid substantive judgments. The legitimacy of these decisions depends on the availability of avenues for contestation in the judicial decision-making process itself.
Italian cooperation with Mozambique: explaining the emergence and consolidation of a normative power
Authors: Sicurelli Daniela
Published: December 2019

Italy has developed a long-dated partnership with Mozambique, where it has emerged as an actor committed to norm promotion in the fields of conflict management, debt relief, and sustainable energy cooperation. This paper challenges the dominant interpretation of such a cooperative relationship that emphasizes ideational motivations and focuses, instead, on the role of Italian investors in the sectors of infrastructure and energy and of the Italian economic diplomacy. A favorable institutional and political climate in Italy has channeled investors' demands in the policy process since the independence of Mozambique. The late institutionalization of Italian development policy, the long gestation of the reform of development policy, and the lack of clear-cut borders between the competences of foreign and development cooperation institutions have empowered business groups that shape the investment strategy of the Italian foreign ministry as actors in development policy-making. Finally, convergence of interests between Italian investors and the NGO Sant'Egidio, which ultimately led to a partnership between these actors, has increased the legitimacy of Italian foreign and development policy toward Mozambique, contributing to consolidating Italy as a norm promoter in the country.
Mood states following a compensable personal injury
Authors: Athanasou James A.
Published: December 2019

The impact of compensable injury on moods was investigated in 106 individuals using the Visual Analog Mood Scales. Results indicated markedly negatively skewed distributions of ratings on being Sad, Energetic, Tired, Happy, or Tense. A contrasting pattern of positive and negative mood responses was evident. There were notable differences in mood conditions between different types of injuries: (a) anger and tiredness featured in brain injury; (b) sadness and tiredness characterized psychological injuries; and (c) most moods were moderate across musculoskeletal injuries with the possible exception of being energetic. The extent of psychological problems was related to mood levels.
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Classification of Health and Functioning Framework revisited: A tool with clinical, research, and educational utility for counselors
Authors: O’Sullivan Deirdre , Cambria Antoinette , Xiao Yi , Chang Hsiao-Ying Vicki
Published: December 2019

The WHO’s (2001) International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) model conceptualizes health from an ecological perspective. It has been implemented by many professionals as the standard health classification framework that guides providers’ decisions regarding assessment tools and targeted interventions. Despite this model’s prevalence among many healthcare providers, the ICF framework remains largely underutilized by many in the counseling fields. This conceptual paper provides an overview of the strengths of the ICF model and ICF-based measurements, and demonstrates its clinical, research, and educational value. A case study is presented to guide counselors and counselor educators through application of the ICF model in various contexts to encourage expanded use of the model. Use of the ICF model among counseling professionals, educators, and researchers is recommended as one way to enhance measurement of clinical outcomes.
Protective effects of enzyme degradation extract from Porphyra yezoensis against oxidative stress and brain injury in d-galactose-induced ageing mice
Authors: Wang Chun , Shen Zhaopeng , Yu Junhong , Yang Jieru , Meng Fei , Jiang Xiaolu , Zhu Changliang
Published: December 2019

The present study investigated the effects of Porphyra yezoensis enzyme degradation extract (PYEDE) on the brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases due to oxidative stress. We used in vitro antioxidant systems to verify the antioxidant potential of PYEDE. The results indicated that the PYEDE alleviated weight loss and organ atrophy, reduced the levels of lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation and elevated reduced glutathione (GSH) content in the serum and brains of the d-galactose-induced ageing model mice. The PYEDE also renewed the glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capability activities, down-regulated the inducible nitric oxide synthase activity and nitric oxide levels, normalised the hippocampal neurons and modulated multiple neurotransmitter systems by inhibiting the activities of acetylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase in the up-regulation of acetylcholine, dopamine and noradrenaline levels. Overall, the PYEDE is a promising supplement for the alleviation of oxidative stress and age-associated brain diseases.
Normalisation of voice parameters in patients with unilateral vocal fold palsy: is it realistic?
Authors: Kumar R , Banumathy N , Sharma P , Panda N K
Published: December 2019

Background

Disorders of voice can limit an individual's participation and impair social interaction, thus affecting overall quality of life. Perceptual and objective evaluations can provide the clinician with detailed information regarding voice disorders.

Methods

This study comprised 40 subjects aged 34–46 years, 20 of whom (10 male, 10 female) had unilateral vocal fold palsy. Data were obtained for all participants from: the Voice Handicap Index, the grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia and strain (‘GRBAS’) scale, acoustic voice analysis, electroglottography, and voice range profiles.

Results

The voice evaluations revealed statistically significant (p< 0.05) differences between the controls and study group, both in males and females, pre- and post-therapy.

Conclusion

Despite the normalisation of vocal parameters, acoustic, perceptual and self-rated assessments revealed statistically significant differences after therapy. Hence, acoustic measures, namely electroglottographic perturbation, and voice frequency and intensity range, are recommended prior to termination of therapy.
Paul the Cosmopolitan?
Authors: Stanley Christopher D.
Published: December 2019

The apostle Paul has been viewed by many as a cosmopolitan thinker who called Christ-followers to embrace the ideal of a single humanity living in harmony with a divinely ordered cosmos. A close comparison of Paul's apocalyptic theology with various interpretations of ‘cosmopolitanism’ over the centuries, however, shows few points of agreement. Paul was fundamentally a Jewish sectarian whose vision for a better world embraced only Christ-followers and involved the cataclysmic end of the present world order. Those who accepted and lived by this vision were effectively relegated to the same marginal position in civic life as the local Jewish community.
„Free from German ‚Schulmeinungen‘ and Other One-Sidedness“: Die Entstehungsgeschichte der New Testament Studies (1936–1954)
Authors: Bormann Lukas , Kreß Hannah
Published: December 2019

In 1954 the first issue of New Testament Studies (NTS) was released under the auspices of the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas (SNTS), which was founded on 16 September 1938 in Birmingham. The journal aimed to interlink (European) NT scholarship and to ensure its quality and standards by the society's members. Why did it take so long to release the journal, even though the Dutch NT scholar Johannes de Zwaan (1883–1957), who initially came up with the idea, intended the publication of an international quarterly right from the beginning? In 1953 he was not considered for election to the Editorial Board and therefore decided to publish another New Testament journal whose first issue appeared in 1956: Novum Testamentum. De Zwaan's correspondence with some of SNTS's first members and other so far unknown sources can elucidate these circumstances.
Scriptural Authority and Scriptural Argumentation in 1 Clement
Authors: Kujanpää Katja
Published: December 2019

Drawing on recent insights into textual authority, this article examines how the authoritativeness of the Jewish scriptures is manifested in 1 Clement. The article argues that the relationship between the letter and the writings it uses in its argumentation should be seen as a two-way process of mutual authorisation. Moreover, the article illuminates the interrelatedness of textual authority, scriptural argumentation and the legitimation of leadership and power. Thus, the analysis both contributes to ongoing scholarly discussions of scriptural authority and highlights the role of scriptural argumentation in the identity-building of early Christians.
Isaiah 40.3 and the Synoptic Gospels’ Parody of the Roman Road System
Authors: Meadors Edward P.
Published: December 2019

This article proposes that the Synoptic Gospels’ pronouncements of Isa 40.3 (Matt 4.3; Mark 1.2–3; Luke 3.4–6) invite a comparison with the Roman road system and its extensive broadcast of Roman imperial ideology. Heralding the sovereignty of a coming king on newly constructed roads through difficult terrain, Matthew, Mark and Luke portray the coming of the kingdom of God in terms analogous to the laying of Roman roads followed by the enforcement of Roman rule throughout the Roman Empire. If Isa 40.3 heralded the arrival of the true God through the ministry of Jesus, as the Synoptic Gospels proclaim, then Rome's pretentions were by implication counterfeit. The engineering feats of raising ravines, levelling heights, smoothing terrain and making straight highways denoted Roman expansion, conquest and the standardisation of Roman imperial ideology. In contradistinction, the Synoptic Gospels’ citations of Isa 40.3 presage the triumph of God, while simultaneously parodying Roman imperial ideology.
Male fetus susceptibility to maternal inflammation: C-reactive protein and brain development
Authors: Hunter Sharon K , Hoffman M. Camille , D'Alessandro Angelo , Noonan Kathleen , Wyrwa Anna , Freedman Robert , Law Amanda J.
Published: December 2019

Background

Maternal inflammation in early pregnancy has been identified epidemiologically as a prenatal pathogenic factor for the offspring's later mental illness. Early newborn manifestations of the effects of maternal inflammation on human fetal brain development are largely unknown.

Methods

Maternal infection, depression, obesity, and other factors associated with inflammation were assessed at 16 weeks gestation, along with maternal C-reactive protein (CRP), cytokines, and serum choline. Cerebral inhibition was assessed by inhibitory P50 sensory gating at 1 month of age, and infant behavior was assessed by maternal ratings at 3 months of age.

Results

Maternal CRP diminished the development of cerebral inhibition in newborn males but paradoxically increased inhibition in females. Similar sex-dependent effects were seen in mothers' assessment of their infant's self-regulatory behaviors at 3 months of age. Higher maternal choline levels partly mitigated the effect of CRP in male offspring.

Conclusions

The male fetal-placental unit appears to be more sensitive to maternal inflammation than females. Effects are particularly marked on cerebral inhibition. Deficits in cerebral inhibition 1 month after birth, similar to those observed in several mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, indicate fetal developmental pathways that may lead to later mental illness. Deficits in early infant behavior follow. Early intervention before birth, including prenatal vitamins, folate, and choline supplements, may help prevent fetal development of pathophysiological deficits that can have life-long consequences for mental health.
Catastrophic health expenditure and health-related quality of life among older adults in China
Authors: Zhang Yalu , Gao Qin
Published: December 2019

Older adults have more health-care needs and higher financial burdens but fewer income resources compared to other age groups in China. Meanwhile, substantial inequalities exist between rural and urban older adults in terms of welfare benefits level, access to health care, quality of care and financial resources to pay for health-care services. Using 2011–2013 panel data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study and a difference-in-differences methodology, this study examined the association between the incidence of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and health-related quality of life among older adults in China. To distinguish the dynamic of CHE and generate rigorous estimates, we categorised the older adults into four groups: CHE entry group, non-CHE group, CHE exit group and CHE persistent group. Overall, we found that entry into CHE was associated with poorer physical and mental health for both rural and urban older adults, but this association was more consistent and robust for physical than for mental health. Exiting CHE was found to have a weak and sporadic positive association with physical and mental health across rural and urban areas. The results suggest that financial resources and social services are needed in China to support older adults who experience CHE persistently or periodically to help improve their health outcomes.
Torture and sexual violence in war and conflict: The unmaking and remaking of subjects of violence
Authors: Gray Harriet , Stern Maria , Dolan Chris
Published: December 2019

Despite the wide repository of knowledge about conflict-related sexual violence that now exists, there remains a lack of understanding about how victims/survivors of such violence themselves make sense of and frame their experiences in conversation with global and local discourses and with the categorisations that underpin support programmes. Such sense-making is important not only because the ways in which violence is categorised shape a victim/survivor's ability to access particular forms of recognition and support, but also because it is central in how shattered selves and worlds are remade in the aftermath of violence. Drawing on individual and group interviews conducted with refugees living in Kampala, Uganda, this article charts how framings of ‘torture’ and ‘sexual violence’ become meaningful in participants’ accounts in the (re)formation of themselves as subjects after violent victimisation. We trace how participants navigate the heteronormative societal and legal norms that shape their subjectivity and the effects of the violence they experienced through the deeply gendered and political work that these terms do in their narratives. Our analysis thus highlights and reminds us to pay attention to the political stakes involved in fluid processes of categorising injury.
A comprehensive survey on humanoid robot development
Authors: Saeedvand Saeed , Jafari Masoumeh , Aghdasi Hadi S. , Baltes Jacky
Published: December 2019

The development of a versatile, fully-capable humanoid robot as envisioned in science fiction books is one of the most challenging but interesting issues in the robotic field. Currently, existing humanoid robots are designed with different purposes and applications in mind. In humanoid robot development process, each robot is designed with various characteristics, abilities, and equipment, which influence the general structure, cost, and difficulty of development. Even though humanoid robot development is very popular, a few review papers are focusing on the design and development process of humanoid robots. Motivated by this, we present this review paper to show variations in the requirements, design, and development process and also propose a taxonomy of existing humanoid robots. It aims at demonstrating a general perspective of existing humanoid robots’ characteristics and applications. This paper includes state-of-the-art and successfully reported existing humanoid robot designs along with different robots used in various robot competitions.
Adaptive computational SLAM incorporating strategies of exploration and path planning
Authors: Baltes Jacky , Kung Da-Wei , Wang Wei-Yen , Hsu Chen-Chien
Published: December 2019

Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is a well-known and fundamental topic for autonomous robot navigation. Existing solutions include the FastSLAM family-based approaches which are based on Rao–Blackwellized particle filter. The FastSLAM methods slow down greatly when the number of landmarks becomes large. Furthermore, the FastSLAM methods use a fixed number of particles, which may result in either not enough algorithms to find a solution in complex domains or too many particles and hence wasted computation for simple domains. These issues result in reduced performance of the FastSLAM algorithms, especially on embedded devices with limited computational capabilities, such as commonly used on mobile robots. To ease the computational burden, this paper proposes a modified version of FastSLAM called Adaptive Computation SLAM (ACSLAM), where particles are predicted only by odometry readings, and are updated only when an expected measurement has a maximum likelihood. As for the states of landmarks, they are also updated by the maximum likelihood. Furthermore, ACSLAM uses the effective sample size (ESS) to adapt the number of particles for the next generation. Experimental results demonstrated that the proposed ACSLAM performed 40% faster than FastSLAM 2.0 and also has higher accuracy.
Therapeutic and preventive properties of honey and its bioactive compounds in cancer: an evidence-based review
Authors: Afrin Sadia , Haneefa Shoja M. , Fernandez-Cabezudo Maria J. , Giampieri Francesca , al-Ramadi Basel K. , Battino Maurizio
Published: December 2019

Despite the much improved therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment that have been developed over the past 50 years, cancer remains a major cause of mortality globally. Considerable epidemiological and experimental evidence has demonstrated an association between ingestion of food and nutrients with either an increased risk for cancer or its prevention. There is rising interest in exploring agents derived from natural products for chemoprevention or for therapeutic purposes. Honey is rich in nutritional and non-nutritional bioactive compounds, as well as in natural antioxidants, and its potential beneficial function in human health is becoming more evident. A large number of studies have addressed the anti-cancer effects of different types of honey and their phenolic compounds using in vitro and in vivo cancer models. The reported findings affirm that honey is an agent able to modulate oxidative stress and has anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, immune-modulatory and anti-metastatic properties. However, despite its reported anti-cancer activities, very few clinical studies have been undertaken. In the present review, we summarise the findings from different experimental approaches, including in vitro cell cultures, preclinical animal models and clinical studies, and provide an overview of the bioactive profile and bioavailability of the most commonly studied honey types, with special emphasis on the chemopreventive and therapeutic properties of honey and its major phenolic compounds in cancer. The implications of these findings as well as the future prospects of utilising honey to fight cancer will be discussed.
Socio-economic and racial prenatal diet quality disparities in a national US sample
Authors: Parker Haley W , Tovar Alison , McCurdy Karen , Vadiveloo Maya
Published: December 2019

Objective:

To examine differences in prenatal diet quality by socio-economic status (SES) and race/ethnicity.

Design:

A secondary, cross-sectional analysis. Race and SES were self-reported prenatally; SES was categorized into four groups: high-income, middle-income and low-income WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) participant/non-participant. The Alternative Healthy Eating Index for Pregnancy (AHEI-P) measured diet quality, including four moderation and nine adequacy components (higher scores = healthier diet). Generalized linear models adjusted for covariates andpost hoctesting with Tukey adjustment compared AHEI-P scores between groups, using a threshold ofP< 0·05.

Setting:

Infant Feeding Practices Study II, conducted in a national US convenience cohort.

Participants:

Women in their third trimester (n1322) with dietary history.

Results:

Participants were of 28·9 (se5·6) years on average and predominantly non-Hispanic White (84 %); approximately one-third participated in WIC and 17 % were high-income. The mean AHEI-P score was 61·7 (se10·8) of 130 points. High-income women had higher total (62·4 (se1·0)) and moderation component AHEI-P scores than middle-income (60·1 (se0·8),P= 0·02), low-income WIC participants (58·3 (se0·8),P< 0·0001) and non-participants (58·9 (se0·9),P= 0·001). Non-Hispanic Black participants had lower total (57·8 (se1·4)) and adequacy scores than Other races (i.e. neither non-Hispanic Black nor White, 62·1 (se0·9),P= 0·02).

Conclusions:

Disparities in prenatal diet quality were observed, with non-Hispanic Black women, low-/middle-income and WIC participants having lower diet quality. However, interventions are needed to improve prenatal diet quality broadly among US women.
Coming Together Through Falling Apart
Authors: Churchill Heather , Ridenour Jeremy M.
Published: December 2019

Abstract. Assessing change during long-term psychotherapy can be a challenging and uncertain task. Psychological assessments can be a valuable tool and can offer a perspective from outside the therapy dyad, independent of the powerful and distorting influences of transference and countertransference. Subtle structural changes that may not yet have manifested behaviorally can also be assessed. However, it can be difficult to find a balance between a rigorous, systematic approach to data, while also allowing for the richness of the patient’s internal world to emerge. In this article, the authors discuss a primarily qualitative approach to the data and demonstrate the ways in which this kind of approach can deepen the understanding of the more subtle or complex changes a particular patient is undergoing while in treatment, as well as provide more detail about the nature of an individual’s internal world. The authors also outline several developmental frameworks that focus on the ways a patient constructs their reality and can guide the interpretation of qualitative data. The authors then analyze testing data from a patient in long-term psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapy in order to demonstrate an approach to data analysis and to show an example of how change can unfold over long-term treatments.
Autistic Thinking
Authors: Kleiger James H. , Weiner Irving B.
Published: December 2019

Abstract. Autistic thinking and its manifestations in Rorschach responses have long been of interest to students of psychopathology and practitioners of personality assessment. However, the precise nature of autistic thinking has not always been adequately grasped, nor have its diagnostic implications been fully appreciated. The present report clarifies the concept of autistic thinking and distinguishes it from current conceptions of autism; it elaborates the mental processes involved in autistic thinking; it considers linkages between the clinical conceptualization of autistic thinking and research findings from related fields; it delineates criteria for identifying and coding autistic thinking in Rorschach protocols; and it discusses the interpretive significance and diagnostic implications of autistic Rorschach responses.
Sunlight Stimulates Brown Algae to Release Organic Carbon
Authors: Stanley Sarah
Published: December 2019

Sargassum and other brown algae might be an underappreciated contributor of organic compounds called polyphenols to the open ocean.
Why Diversity Matters to AGU
Authors: White Lisa , Bell Robin
Published: December 2019

A new Eos series from diverse perspectives will show us how to lead our community into a vibrant, inclusive future.
Early Holocene Temperature Oscillations Exceed Amplitude of Observed and Projected Warming in Svalbard Lakes
Authors: van der Bilt Willem G. M. , D'Andrea William J. , Werner Johannes P. , Bakke Jostein
Published: December 2019

Arctic climate is uniquely sensitive to ongoing warming. The feedbacks that drive this amplified response remain insufficiently quantified and misrepresented in model scenarios of future warming. Comparison with paleotemperature reconstructions from past warm intervals can help close this gap. The Early Holocene (11.7–8.2 ka BP) is an important target because Arctic temperatures were warmer than today. This study presents centennially resolved summer temperature reconstructions from three Svalbard lakes. We show that Early Holocene temperatures fluctuated between the coldest and warmest extremes of the past 12 ka, exceeding the range of instrumental observations and future projections. Peak warmth occurred ~10 ka BP, with temperatures 7 °C warmer than today due to high radiative forcing and intensified inflow of warm Atlantic waters. Between 9.5 and 8 ka BP, temperatures dropped in response to freshwater fluxes from melting ice. Facing similar mechanisms, our findings may provide insight into the near‐future response of Arctic climate.
Statistical Study on Electron and Ion Temperatures in the Near‐Earth Reconnection and Magnetic Pileup Regions
Authors: Watanabe K. , Keika K. , Hoshino M. , Kitamura N. , Saito Y. , Giles B. L. , Paterson W. R.
Published: December 2019

Plasma heating during the magnetic reconnection is not well understood, particularly in terms of adiabaticity, heating rate, and electron‐ion temperature ratio. This study focuses on macroscopic profiles of Ti, Te, and Ti/Te in the near‐Earth magnetotail, using data obtained from Magnetospheric Multiscale. Observation points are categorized into three different regions: low‐beta/high‐beta inflow region, the reconnection sites, and magnetic pileup regions. From low‐beta inflow region to high‐beta inflow region, both Ti and Te increase and electron entropy is constant. Ion entropy, on the other hand, increases across the transition. Inside the reconnection site, Ti and Te increase, and entropies remain constant. From the outflow region to the pileup region, electrons are selectively heated. Electron entropy increases in the transition. This statistical study suggests that nonadiabatic heating occurs around the plasma sheet boundary layer for ions and at the early stage of magnetic field pileup for electrons.
Optical Spectra and Emission Altitudes of Double‐Layer STEVE: A Case Study
Authors: Liang Jun , Donovan E. , Connors M. , Gillies D. , St‐Maurice J. P. , Jackel B. , Gallardo‐Lacourt B. , Spanswick E. , Chu X.
Published: December 2019

We report an event study of STEVE on 17 July 2018, with focus on the optical spectra and emission altitudes of STEVE. We find that the STEVE comprises two traces, one at a higher elevation angle and the other at a lower elevation angle. The two traces merge into one when viewed near the zenith. Spectrograph measurements show that both STEVE traces are characterized by enhancements over broadband wavelengths, that is, an airglow continuum, but they differ in their red‐line (630 nm) component: The higher‐elevation STEVE contains substantial red‐line enhancement over background, while the lower‐elevation STEVE does not. Based upon triangulation analyses using multiple optical instruments, we evaluate that the two STEVE traces are likely emitted from distinctly different altitudes: The higher‐elevation STEVE comes from ~250‐km altitude, while the lower‐elevation one is from ≤150‐km altitude. Our results impose implications and constraints on the possible underlying mechanisms of STEVE.
Stochastic, Empirically Informed Model of Landscape Dynamics and Its Application to Deforestation Scenarios
Authors: Nowosad J. , Stepinski T. F.
Published: December 2019

Land change including deforestation undermines the sustainability of the environment. Using data on 1992–2015 pattern change in over 1.7 million mesoscale landscapes worldwide we developed a stochastic model of long‐term landscape dynamics. The model suggests that observed heterogeneous landscapes are short‐lived stages in a transition between quasi‐stable homogeneous landscapes of different themes. As a case study we used Monte Carlo simulations based on our model to derive a probability distribution for evolutionary scenarios of landscapes that undergo a forest‐to‐agriculture transit, a prevalent element of deforestation. Results of simulations show that most likely and the fastest deforestation scenario is through the sequence of highly aggregated forest/agriculture mosaics with a decreasing share of the forest. Simulations also show that once forest share drops below 50% the remainder of the transit is rapid. This suggests that possible conservation policy is to protect mesoscale tracts of land before the forest share drops below 50%.
A Cautionary Note on the Long‐term Trend in Activity of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation During the Past Decades
Authors: Lyu Mengxia , Jiang Xianan , Wu Zhiwei
Published: December 2019

Recent studies suggest that frequency of active phases of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) over the Maritime Continent and western Pacific, that is, the MJO Phases 4–6 defined by the real‐time multivariate MJO (RMM) index, has increased in recent winters. A robust positive trend in MJO Phase 4–6 days during 1979–2015 winters is confirmed in this study. Our analyses, however, suggest that this trend could be exaggerated due to the blended low‐frequency variability signals in the RMM. When the winter RMM is reconstructed using anomalous fields after removing their winter mean instead of the previous 120‐day mean as for the original RMM, the robust trend in MJO Phase 4–6 days can no longer be detected. Therefore, cautions need to be exercised when applying the RMM for studies on the low‐frequency variability and climate trend in MJO activity and using the derived MJO variability to interpret associated changes in climate systems.
The relationship between fecal bile acids and microbiome community structure in pediatric Crohn’s disease
Authors: Connors Jessica , Dunn Katherine A , Allott Jennifer , Bandsma Robert , Rashid Mohsin , Otley Anthony R , Bielawski Joseph P , Van Limbergen Johan
Published: December 2019

Gut microbiome community structure is associated with Crohn’s disease (CD) development and response to therapy. Bile acids (BAs) play a central role in modulating intestinal immune responses, and changes in gut bacterial communities can profoundly alter the intestinal BA pool. The liver synthesizes and conjugates primary bile acids (priBAs) that are then deconjugated, epimerized, and dehydroxylated by gut bacteria to produce secondary bile acids (secBAs). We investigated the relationship between the gut microbiome and the fecal BA pool in stool samples obtained from a well-characterized cohort of pediatric CD patients undergoing nutritional therapy to induce disease remission. We found that fecal BA composition was altered in a sub-group of CD patients who did not sustain remission. The microbial community structures associated with priBA and secBA-dominant profiles were distinct. In addition, the fecal BA concentrations were correlated with the abundance of distinct bacterial taxonomic groups. Finally, priBA dominant samples were associated with community-level decreases in enzymes for dehydroxylation but not deconjugation.
Allogeneic transplantation in elderly patients
≥65 years with non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a time-trend
analysis
Authors: Shah Nirav N. , Ahn Kwang Woo , Litovich Carlos , Sureda Anna , Kharfan-Dabaja Mohamed A. , Awan Farrukh T. , Ganguly Siddhartha , Gergis Usama , Inwards David , Karmali Reem , Lazaryan Alexsandr , Lekakis Lazaros , Munshi Pashna , Nathan Sunita , Saad Ayman A. , Solh Melhem , Steinberg Amir , Vij Ravi , Wood William A. , Fenske Timothy S. , Smith Sonali , Hamadani Mehdi
Published: December 2019

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT)
is a curative therapy for relapsed/refractory and high-risk
non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). However, no large studies have evaluated
allo-HCT utilization in elderly NHL patients (≥65 years). Using the
CIBMTR registry, we report a time-trend analysis of 727 NHL patients
(≥65 years) undergoing the first allo-HCT from 2000 to 2015 in the
United States (US). Study cohorts were divided by time period:
2000–2005 (N = 76) vs. 2006–2010
(N = 238) vs. 2011–2015
(N = 413). Primary outcome
was overall survival (OS). Secondary outcomes included
progression-free survival (PFS), relapse/progression (R/P), and
non-relapse mortality (NRM). Median age at transplant, use of
reduced-intensity conditioning, and graft source remained stable,
while use of unrelated donors increased in the most current era. The
1-year probabilities of NRM from 2000 to 2005 vs. 2006–2010 vs.
2011–2015 were 24% vs. 19% vs. 21%, respectively (p = 0.67). Four-year probability of R/P
was similar among the three cohorts: 48% (2000–2005), 40%
(2006–2010), and 40% (2011–2015) (p = 0.39). The 4-year probabilities of PFS and OS
(2000–2005 vs. 2006–2010 vs. 2011–2015) showed significantly
improved outcomes in more recent time periods: 17% vs. 31% vs. 30%
(p = 0.02) and 21% vs. 42%
vs. 44% (p < 0.001),
respectively. Utilization of allo-HCT increased in elderly NHL
patients in the US since 2000 with improving survival
outcomes.
Orthogonal regulation of DNA nanostructure self-assembly and disassembly using antibodies
Authors: Ranallo Simona , Sorrentino Daniela , Ricci Francesco
Published: December 2019

Here we report a rational strategy to orthogonally control assembly and disassembly of DNA-based nanostructures using specific IgG antibodies as molecular inputs. We first demonstrate that the binding of a specific antibody to a pair of antigen-conjugated split DNA input-strands induces their co-localization and reconstitution into a functional unit that is able to initiate a toehold strand displacement reaction. The effect is rapid and specific and can be extended to different antibodies with the expedient of changing the recognition elements attached to the two split DNA input-strands. Such an antibody-regulated DNA-based circuit has then been employed to control the assembly and disassembly of DNA tubular structures using specific antibodies as inputs. For example, we demonstrate that we can induce self-assembly and disassembly of two distinct DNA tubular structures by using DNA circuits controlled by two different IgG antibodies (anti-Dig and anti-DNP antibodies) in the same solution in an orthogonal way.
Temperature dependence of spherical electron transfer in a nanosized [Fe14] complex
Authors: Huang Wei , Wu Shuqi , Gu Xiangwei , Li Yao , Okazawa Atsushi , Kojima Norimichi , Hayami Shinya , Baker Michael L. , Bencok Peter , Noguchi Mariko , Miyazaki Yuji , Nakano Motohiro , Nakanishi Takumi , Kanegawa Shinji , Inagaki Yuji , Kawae Tatsuya , Zhuang Gui-Lin , Shiota Yoshihito , Yoshizawa Kazunari , Wu Dayu , Sato Osamu
Published: December 2019

The study of transition metal clusters exhibiting fast electron hopping or delocalization remains challenging, because intermetallic communications mediated through bridging ligands are normally weak. Herein, we report the synthesis of a nanosized complex, [Fe(Tp)(CN)3]8[Fe(H2O)(DMSO)]6(abbreviated as [Fe14], Tp−, hydrotris(pyrazolyl)borate; DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxide), which has a fluctuating valence due to two mobiled-electrons in its atomic layer shell. The rate of electron transfer of [Fe14] complex demonstrates the Arrhenius-type temperature dependence in the nanosized spheric surface, wherein high-spin centers are ferromagnetically coupled, producing anS = 14 ground state. The electron-hopping rate at room temperature is faster than the time scale of Mössbauer measurements (<~10−8 s). Partial reduction of N-terminal high spin FeIIIsites and electron mediation ability of CN ligands lead to the observation of both an extensive electron transfer and magnetic coupling properties in a precisely atomic layered shell structure of a nanosized [Fe14] complex.
Chiral fermion reversal in chiral crystals
Authors: Li Hang , Xu Sheng , Rao Zhi-Cheng , Zhou Li-Qin , Wang Zhi-Jun , Zhou Shi-Ming , Tian Shang-Jie , Gao Shun-Ye , Li Jia-Jun , Huang Yao-Bo , Lei He-Chang , Weng Hong-Ming , Sun Yu-Jie , Xia Tian-Long , Qian Tian , Ding Hong
Published: December 2019

In materials chiral fermions such as Weyl fermions are characterized by nonzero chiral charges, which are singular points of Berry curvature in momentum space. Recently, new types of chiral fermions beyond Weyl fermions have been discovered in structurally chiral crystals CoSi, RhSi and PtAl. Here, we have synthesized RhSn single crystals, which have opposite structural chirality to the CoSi crystals we previously studied. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we show that the bulk electronic structures of RhSn are consistent with the band calculations and observe evident surface Fermi arcs and helical surface bands, confirming the existence of chiral fermions in RhSn. It is noteworthy that the helical surface bands of the RhSn and CoSi crystals have opposite handedness, meaning that the chiral fermions are reversed in the crystals of opposite structural chirality. Our discovery establishes a direct connection between chiral fermions in momentum space and chiral lattices in real space.
Estimating heritability and genetic correlations from large health datasets in the absence of genetic data
Authors: Jia Gengjie , Li Yu , Zhang Hanxin , Chattopadhyay Ishanu , Boeck Jensen Anders , Blair David R. , Davis Lea , Robinson Peter N. , Dahlén Torsten , Brunak Søren , Benson Mikael , Edgren Gustaf , Cox Nancy J. , Gao Xin , Rzhetsky Andrey
Published: December 2019

Typically, estimating genetic parameters, such as disease heritability and between-disease genetic correlations, demands large datasets containing all relevant phenotypic measures and detailed knowledge of family relationships or, alternatively, genotypic and phenotypic data for numerous unrelated individuals. Here, we suggest an alternative, efficient estimation approach through the construction of two disease metrics from large health datasets: temporal disease prevalence curves and low-dimensional disease embeddings. We present eleven thousand heritability estimates corresponding to five study types: twins, traditional family studies, health records-based family studies, single nucleotide polymorphisms, and polygenic risk scores. We also compute over six hundred thousand estimates of genetic, environmental and phenotypic correlations. Furthermore, we find that: (1) disease curve shapes cluster into five general patterns; (2) early-onset diseases tend to have lower prevalence than late-onset diseases (Spearman’s ρ = 0.32, p < 10–16); and (3) the disease onset age and heritability are negatively correlated (ρ = −0.46, p < 10–16).
Cryo-EM structure of a 40 kDa SAM-IV riboswitch RNA at 3.7 Å resolution
Authors: Zhang Kaiming , Li Shanshan , Kappel Kalli , Pintilie Grigore , Su Zhaoming , Mou Tung-Chung , Schmid Michael F. , Das Rhiju , Chiu Wah
Published: December 2019

Specimens below 50 kDa have generally been considered too small to be analyzed by single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The high flexibility of pure RNAs makes it difficult to obtain high-resolution structures by cryo-EM. In bacteria, riboswitches regulate sulfur metabolism through binding to the S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) ligand and offer compelling targets for new antibiotics. SAM-I, SAM-I/IV, and SAM-IV are the three most commonly found SAM riboswitches, but the structure of SAM-IV is still unknown. Here, we report the structures of apo and SAM-bound SAM-IV riboswitches (119-nt, ~40 kDa) to 3.7 Å and 4.1 Å resolution, respectively, using cryo-EM. The structures illustrate homologies in the ligand-binding core but distinct peripheral tertiary contacts in SAM-IV compared to SAM-I and SAM-I/IV. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of resolving small RNAs with enough detail to enable detection of their ligand-binding pockets and suggest that cryo-EM could play a role in structure-assisted drug design for RNA.
Near 100% CO selectivity in nanoscaled iron-based oxygen carriers for chemical looping methane partial oxidation
Authors: Liu Yan , Qin Lang , Cheng Zhuo , Goetze Josh W. , Kong Fanhe , Fan Jonathan A. , Fan Liang-Shih
Published: December 2019

Chemical looping methane partial oxidation provides an energy and cost effective route for methane utilization. However, there is considerable CO2 co-production in current chemical looping systems, rendering a decreased productivity in value-added fuels or chemicals. In this work, we demonstrate that the co-production of CO2 can be dramatically suppressed in methane partial oxidation reactions using iron oxide nanoparticles embedded in mesoporous silica matrix. We experimentally obtain near 100% CO selectivity in a cyclic redox system at 750–935 °C, which is a significantly lower temperature range than in conventional oxygen carrier systems. Density functional theory calculations elucidate the origins for such selectivity and show that low-coordinated lattice oxygen atoms on the surface of nanoparticles significantly promote Fe–O bond cleavage and CO formation. We envision that embedded nanostructured oxygen carriers have the potential to serve as a general materials platform for redox reactions with nanomaterials at high temperatures.
High-resolution behavioral time series of Japanese quail within their social environment
Authors: Caliva Jorge Martín , Alcala Rocio Soledad , Guzmán Diego Alberto , Marin Raúl Héctor , Kembro Jackelyn Melissa
Published: December 2019

The behavioral dynamics within a social group not only could depend on individual traits and social-experience of each member, but more importantly, emerges from inter-individual interactions over time. Herein, we first present a dataset, as well as the corresponding original video recordings, of the results of 4 behavioral tests associated with fear and aggressive response performed on 106 Japanese quail. In a second stage, birds were housed with conspecifics that performed similarly in the behavioral tests in groups of 2 females and 1 male. By continuously monitoring each bird in these small social groups, we obtained time series of social and reproductive behavior, and high-resolution locomotor time series. This approach provides the opportunity to perform precise quantification of the temporal dynamics of behavior at an individual level within different social scenarios including when an individual showing continued aggressive behaviors is present. These unique datasets and videos are publicly available in Figshare and can be used in further analysis, or for comparison with existing or future data sets or mathematical models across different taxa.