bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Case report. Paraffinoom van de penis na injectie met kanamycinezalf
Authors: Exterkate Leonie , van Basten Jean-Paul A.
Published: January 2020

Samenvatting

In dit case report worden twee patiënten besproken met een symptomatisch paraffinoom van de penis (scleroserend lipogranuloom) na injectie van kanamycinezalf in de penis. Het penisparaffinoom is een zeldzame oorzaak van een zwelling die ontstaat na injectie van olieachtige substanties, paraffine, vaseline, antibiotische zalf of siliconen in de penisschacht ten behoeve van penisvergroting en kan ernstige complicaties geven zoals infecties, necrose en erectiele disfunctie. Dergelijke injecties worden met name in Oost-Europa en Azië geregeld toegepast. Hoewel een paraffinoom relatief zeldzaam is, neemt de incidentie in Nederland toe ten gevolge van een toenemend aantal migranten uit met name Oost-Europa. Behandeling bestaat uit complete chirurgische granuloomexcisie, inclusief de huid.
Assessment of post-mining terrain suitability for economic use
Authors: Strzałkowski P. , Ścigała R.
Published: January 2020

Upper Silesian Coal Basin in Poland is subjected to underground mining for several hundreds of years. Due to intensive extraction, land surface has been widely transformed, causing a lot of mining damages. Of great importance is the issue of recovering the surface to its previous conditions after mining activity is finished. In specific conditions, a threat of mining damages may rest for several years after mine closure. In this paper, some chosen issues connected with assessment of post-mining terrain suitability for economic use have been discussed. Two important elements of such threat have been described: determining the possibility of discontinuous deformations creation and the evaluation of active subsidence process duration. In the introductory part of the paper some theoretical base has been given. Next, the example of probability assessment of sinkhole creation has been presented, together with determination of subsidence process cease time. For determination of subsidence process duration, own empirical formulas have been utilized. They can be used in cases, when there is a lack of survey results from the area of interest.
Growth of Carbon Nanocoils by Porous α-Fe2O3/SnO2 Catalyst and Its Buckypaper for High Efficient Adsorption
Authors: Zhao Yongpeng , Wang Jianzhen , Huang Hui , Cong Tianze , Yang Shuaitao , Chen Huan , Qin Jiaqi , Usman Muhammad , Fan Zeng , Pan Lujun
Published: January 2020

High-purity (99%) carbon nanocoils (CNCs) have been synthesized by using porous α-Fe2O3/SnO2 catalyst. The yield of CNCs reaches 9,098% after a 6 h growth. This value is much higher than the previously reported data, indicating that this method is promising to synthesize high-purity CNCs on a large scale. It is considered that an appropriate proportion of Fe and Sn, proper particle size distribution, and a loose-porous aggregate structure of the catalyst are the key points to the high-purity growth of CNCs. Benefiting from the high-purity preparation, a CNC Buckypaper was successfully prepared and the electrical, mechanical, and electrochemical properties were investigated comprehensively. Furthermore, as one of the practical applications, the CNC Buckypaper was successfully utilized as an efficient adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue dye from wastewater with an adsorption efficiency of 90.9%. This study provides a facile and economical route for preparing high-purity CNCs, which is suitable for large-quantity production. Furthermore, the fabrication of macroscopic CNC Buckypaper provides promising alternative of adsorbent or other practical applications.
The Sino–Russian relationship in the mirror of the Cold War
Authors: Radchenko Sergey
Published: January 2020

This article uses a constructivist lens to discuss the history of the relationship between Beijing and Moscow from 1949 to the present. It argues that the dramatic shifts in this relationship can be understood in reference to mutual perceptions of China and Russia by their political elites in the broader context of a global hierarchy dominated by the United States.
Incidence and factors associated with postoperative nausea and vomiting among elective adult surgical patients at University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, 2019: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Ahmed Seid Adem , Lema Girmay Fitiwi
Published: January 2020

ABSTRACT

Background:

Postoperative nausea and vomiting is a common complication of anaesthesia and surgery. It is considered the most common cause of morbidity following anaesthesia and has significant effects on patient satisfaction and cost. Despite modern anaesthetic and surgical techniques, the incidence of PONV remains high.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting and associated factors.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1 to May 30, 2019. A total of 355 adult elective patients who were operated on this period were included in the study.

Results:

The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting was 17.2% within 24 h after operation. Factors that were associated with postoperative nausea and vomiting were history of motion sickness (AOR = 6.0, CI = 2.51–14.49), previous history of postoperative nausea and vomiting (AOR = 13.55, CI = 6.37–28.81) and long duration of surgery (AOR = 10.1, CI = 3.97–25.92).

Conclusion:

and recommendations: The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting was still high compared with most studies conducted in the world. However, when it compared to the previous study done in the study area, it showed significant reduction in the incidence of PONV by 19%.We suggest that the use of anti-emetic prophylaxis and the introduction of postoperative nausea and vomiting treatment protocols.

Highlights:
Sexual Abstinence and Associated Factors Among Young and Middle-Aged Men: A Systematic Review
Authors: Irfan Muhammad , Hussain Nik Hazlina Nik , Noor Norhayati Mohd , Mohamed Mahaneem , Ismail Shaiful Bahari
Published: January 2020

Introduction

Sexual activity is an essential human need and an important predictor of other aspects of human life. A literature review was conducted to investigate whether sexual abstinence in young and middle-aged men is generally considered a deliberate, healthy behavior and whether it has other causes and consequences.

Aim

To review the prevalence and factors associated with sexual abstinence in young (10–24 years) and middle-aged (25–59 years) men.

Methods

Studies were retrieved from Science Direct, PubMed, and EBSCOhost published from 2008 to 2019. The selection criteria were original population- or community-based articles, published in the English language, on sexual abstinence, and in young and middle-aged men.

Main Outcome Measure

This article reviewed the literature on the proportions of and factors associated with sexual abstinence in young and middle-aged men.

Results

A total of 13,154 studies were retrieved, from which data were extracted for 37 population- or community-based studies. The prevalence of sexual abstinence varied from 0% to 83.6% in men younger than 60 years. The prevalence of primary sexual abstinence was 3.4%–83.3% for young men and 12.5%–15.5% for middle-aged men. The prevalence of secondary abstinence for young men ranged from 1.3% to 83.6%, while for middle-aged men, it was from 1.2% to 67.7%. The prevalence of sexual abstinence decreased with increasing age in young men but increased with increasing age in middle-aged men. The significant factors reported were age, single status, poor relationships, low socioeconomic status, sex education, religious practices, caring and monitoring parents, and not using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs. Although the variations in findings from different studies can be explained by different regions and cultures, the information cannot be generalized worldwide because of a lack of studies in Asian and Australian populations.

Clinical Implications

The studies on sexual abstinence in the future should use a consistent and standard definition, cover all sexual behaviors, and investigate all related factors.

Strength & Limitations

The restricted timeframe (2008–2019), English language, availability of full text, and variability in definition and time duration may be the sources of bias.

Conclusion

Young men had higher proportions of sexual abstinence than middle-aged men, and age, unavailability of a partner, lower educational levels, low socioeconomic status, conservative and religious conditions, and no or less knowledge about sexually transmitted infections were common predictors of sexual abstinence in most of the men. Although determinants of sexual abstinence were identified, further investigation of biological factors in men younger than 60 years is needed.
The future of biometrics in policing worldwide
Authors: Tooley Jason
Published: January 2020

The use of biometrics by police forces has rarely been out of the headlines over the past year. As with many emerging technologies, it has hit significant hurdles. Recently in an unprecedented move, the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) – the government body responsible for GDPR and data privacy enforcement – launched an independent investigation into the use of facial recognition at London's King's Cross train station, after it was revealed that the general public were having their faces scanned without consent. This scandal triggered the halt of police biometric trials across the country, while the South Wales Police force was taken to court over a similar issue.
Online Sales: A Direct Marketing Opportunity for Rural Farms?
Authors: O’Hara Jeffrey K. , Low Sarah A.
Published: January 2020

Online marketplaces could help direct-to-consumer (DTC) farms compete for customers making grocery purchases on the internet by reducing the search and transportation costs of in-person DTC transactions. While in-person DTC marketplaces have been conducive for metropolitan farms historically, we explore whether rural DTC farms, with distance-based challenges accessing customers, are more likely to have online platforms. We find that rural farms distant from metropolitan counties that are new to DTC marketing are 7% more likely to have online marketplaces than more experienced rural farms, while new metropolitan farms are less likely to have them.
Review on ducted fans for compound rotorcraft
Authors: Zhang T. , Barakos G.N.
Published: January 2020

This paper presents a survey of published works on ducted fans for aeronautical applications. Early and recent experiments on full- or model-scale ducted fans are reviewed. Theoretical studies, lower-order simulations and high-fidelity CFD simulations are also summarised. Test matrices of several experimental and numerical studies are compiled and discussed. The paper closes with a summary of challenges for future ducted fan research.
A CTSA-based consultation service to advance research on special and underserved populations
Authors: Vizueta Nathalie , Sarkisian Catherine A. , Szilagyi Peter G.
Published: January 2020

In this report, we describe the implementation and short-term outcomes of a Special Populations Consultation Service within the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI). With the goal of increasing the quality and quantity of special population (SP) research, the UCLA CTSI Integrating Special Populations program designed a consultation service to support faculty and trainees conducting research involving one of three CTSI “special populations:” children, older adults, and/or minority; underserved; or health disparity populations. The Special Populations Consultation Service offers three types of activities: grant proposal studios, career consultations, and project reviews. UCLA CTSI faculty with appropriate content expertise serve as consultants. We evaluated this consultation model using satisfaction surveys and by quantifying funded grants and reported changes in career goals in SP research. Between 2016 and 2019, the Special Populations Consultation Service provided 59 consultations including 42 grant studios and was used by researchers at all levels from all four UCLA CTSI institutions. Recipients rated the consultations very highly. Funding success rates were 57% following K-level grant studios and 28% following R-level grant studios. Users of project and career consultations commonly attributed career accomplishments in part to their consultation experiences. The SP Consultation Service is feasible and acceptable and appears to enhance careers of investigators studying special populations.
Acarbose raises serum butyrate in human subjects withimpaired glucose tolerance
Authors: Wolever Thomas M. S. , Chiasson Jean-Louis
Published: January 2020

The fermentation of starchin vitroproduces a higher proportion of butyrate than the fermentation of most other substrates. The α-glucosidase inhibitor acarbose increases the amount of starch entering the colon, and has been shown to increase faecal butyrate in humans. It is generally considered that colonic butyrate is quantitatively removed by the colonic mucosa and liver and does not appear in peripheral blood. However, studies in animals suggest that a small proportion of colonic butyrate reaches peripheral blood. Thus, we hypothesised that an increase in colonic butyrate production would result in a rise in serum butyrate in human subjects. To test this, subjects with impaired glucose tolerance were randomly treated in a double-blind fashion with placebo (n11) or acarbose (n11) (100 mg three times per day). Serum short-chain fatty acid concentrations were measured twelve times over 12 h with subjects eating a standard diet before randomization and after 4 months of therapy. At baseline, 12 h mean serum butyrate concentrations were similar in the placebo and acarbose groups (2·8 (SE 0·7) AND 3·3 (se 0·6) μm, respectively). After 4 months on placebo, mean serum butyrate (2·6 (se 0·5) μm) was no different from baseline. However, after 4 months on acarbose, serum butyrate had increased to 4·2 (se 1·0) μm, a value which differed significantly from both the baseline value in the acarbose group and the treatment value in the placebo group. We conclude that acarbose increased serum butyrate in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance. These results support the hypothesis that increased colonic butyrate production in human subjects can be detected by an increase in serum butyrate.
Polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations in human hindmilk are stable throughout 12-months of lactation and provide a sustained intake to the infant during exclusive breastfeeding: an Italian study
Authors: Marangoni Franca , Agostoni Carlo , Lammard Anna M. , Giovannini Marcello , Galli Claudio , Riva Enrica
Published: January 2020

While a wealth of data on the fatty acid composition of mature human milk has been published, limited information is available on the quantities of individual fatty acids supplied to the suckling infant with maternal milk, through the whole first year of life. Our aim was to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the fatty acid composition of human milk from Italian mothers, throughout extended lactation with particular emphasis on the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. We have thus measured the total fat content and the concentrations of major fatty acids by quantitative GLC in pooled breast hindmilk collected from all feedings over 24 h at colostrum, 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months in ten mothers recruited after delivery of full-term infants. Total saturated fatty acids progressively increase and total monounsaturated progressively decrease as percentage levels, while among long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, percentages of arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid decrease from colostrum up to the third month. Hindmilk total lipids (mg/dl) rise more than twofold up to 3 months, and then remain stable. The amounts (mg/dl) of linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid progressively increase, following the trend of total fat, while arachidonic and docosahexaenoic concentrations (mg/dl) remain stable throughout the whole nursing period. Assessment of the intakes per kg body weight shows different trends for the individual major long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids supplied to the infant from hindmilk during exclusive breast-feeding (3 months). This information may be useful for the evaluation of infant intakes during extended lactation.
US Arctic policymaking under Trump and Obama
Authors: Weingartner Katherine A. , Orttung Robert W.
Published: January 2020

Though presidential personality and preferences heavily influence US Arctic policy, climate change and the perceived threat to US interests posed by rising international engagement in the north among great powers such as Russia and China are increasingly impacting US policy in the region. Recognising that these trends are likely to persist into the future, it is important to understand the US Arctic policymaking apparatus, how geopolitical and environmental factors affect the creation and implementation of such policies through the presidency and how the resulting presidential policies may impact US leadership in the region for years to come. Consequently, this article examines how the distinct styles and preferences of Presidents Obama and Trump interact with growing climate change and defence challenges in the region within the US Arctic policymaking process. We illustrate this interaction through examples at both domestic and international policy levels and then place it in the larger context of the differing presidential approaches to institutionalisation when setting policy. Ultimately, we conclude that not only do presidential priorities regarding climate change, rising international engagement, and institutionalisation critically influence Arctic policymaking, but how a future president views these issues will heavily impact the direction of policies affecting the region.
Dynamic Optimization of a Steerable Screw In-pipe Inspection Robot Using HJB and Turbine Installation
Authors: Tourajizadeh H. , Boomeri V. , Rezaei M. , Sedigh A.
Published: January 2020

In this paper, two strategies are proposed to optimize the energy consumption of a new screw in-pipe inspection robot which is steerable. In the first method, optimization is performed using the optimal path planning and implementing the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) method. Since the number of actuators is more than the number of degrees of freedom of the system for the proposed steerable case, it is possible to minimize the energy consumption by the aid of the dynamics of the system. In the second method, the mechanics of the robot is modified by installing some turbine blades through which the drag force of the pipeline fluid can be employed to decrease the required propulsion force of the robot. It is shown that using both of the mentioned improvements, that is, using HJB formulation for the steerable robot and installing the turbine blades can significantly save power and energy. However, it will be shown that for the latter case this improvement is extremely dependent on the alignment of the fluid stream direction with respect to the direction of the robot velocity, while this optimization is independent of this case for the former strategy. On the other hand, the path planning dictates a special pattern of speed functionality while for the robot equipped by blades, saving the energy is possible for any desired input path. The correctness of the modeling is verified by comparing the results of MATLAB and ADAMS, while the efficiency of the proposed optimization algorithms is checked by the aid of some analytic and comparative simulations.
ON LINEAR RELATIONS FOR DIRICHLET SERIES FORMED BY RECURSIVE SEQUENCES OF SECOND ORDER
Authors: ELSNER CARSTEN , TECHNAU NICLAS
Published: January 2020

Let $F_{n}$ and $L_{n}$ be the Fibonacci and Lucas numbers, respectively. Four corresponding zeta functions in $s$ are defined by $$\begin{eqnarray}\unicode[STIX]{x1D701}_{F}(s):=\mathop{\sum }_{n=1}^{\infty }{\displaystyle \frac{1}{F_{n}^{s}}},\quad \unicode[STIX]{x1D701}_{F}^{\ast }(s):=\mathop{\sum }_{n=1}^{\infty }{\displaystyle \frac{(-1)^{n+1}}{F_{n}^{s}}},\quad \unicode[STIX]{x1D701}_{L}(s):=\mathop{\sum }_{n=1}^{\infty }{\displaystyle \frac{1}{L_{n}^{s}}},\quad \unicode[STIX]{x1D701}_{L}^{\ast }(s):=\mathop{\sum }_{n=1}^{\infty }{\displaystyle \frac{(-1)^{n+1}}{L_{n}^{s}}}.\end{eqnarray}$$ As a consequence of Nesterenko’s proof of the algebraic independence of the three Ramanujan functions $R(\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}),Q(\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}),$ and $P(\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C})$ for any algebraic number $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}$ with $0<\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}<1$, the algebraic independence or dependence of various sets of these numbers is already known for positive even integers $s$. In this paper, we investigate linear forms in the above zeta functions and determine the dimension of linear spaces spanned by such linear forms. In particular, it is established that for any positive integer $m$ the solutions of $$\begin{eqnarray}\mathop{\sum }_{s=1}^{m}(t_{s}\unicode[STIX]{x1D701}_{F}(2s)+u_{s}\unicode[STIX]{x1D701}_{F}^{\ast }(2s)+v_{s}\unicode[STIX]{x1D701}_{L}(2s)+w_{s}\unicode[STIX]{x1D701}_{L}^{\ast }(2s))=0\end{eqnarray}$$ with $t_{s},u_{s},v_{s},w_{s}\in \mathbb{Q}$$(1\leq s\leq m)$ form a $\mathbb{Q}$-vector space of dimension $m$. This proves a conjecture from the Ph.D. thesis of Stein, who, in 2012, was inspired by the relation $-2\unicode[STIX]{x1D701}_{F}(2)+\unicode[STIX]{x1D701}_{F}^{\ast }(2)+5\unicode[STIX]{x1D701}_{L}^{\ast }(2)=0$. All the results are also true for zeta functions in $2s$, where the Fibonacci and Lucas numbers are replaced by numbers from sequences satisfying a second-order recurrence formula.
Does poor health mobilize people into action? Health, political trust, and participation
Authors: Mattila Mikko
Published: January 2020

Recently, awareness of the importance of health in explaining political participation has grown considerably. Studies have focused on individual participation forms but not on broader participation modes. Furthermore, analyses of the mechanisms explaining the health effects have been lacking. Here, structural equation models are employed to study the relationship between health, political trust, and institutional and non-institutional participation using data from Finland. Poor health is related to increased non-institutional participation, while good health boosts traditional institutional participation, although the latter relationship is very weak. These observations are explained by differences in political trust. Those in good health have stronger trust in the political system, while poor health is connected with reduced trust. These differences manifest themselves in varying behaviour. Poor health decreases trust which leads to increased non-institutional participation, while good health leads to a high trust and institutional activities.
Celebrating the 2019 Class of Fellows
Authors:   AGU
Published: January 2020

AGU president-elect Susan Lozier presented the newly elected class at AGU’s Fall Meeting 2019.
Hurricanes Hit Puerto Rico’s Mangroves Harder Than Florida’s
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: January 2020

The scale and pattern of damage to the Puerto Rican forests suggest a complex interplay between wind, land, and sea.
Seismic Sensors in Orbit
Authors: Melbourne Timothy , Melgar Diego , Crowell Brendan , Szeliga Walter
Published: January 2020

Navigation satellites are enabling high-precision, real-time tracking of ground displacements, supplementing traditional methods for monitoring and assessing earthquakes.
Dead Reefs Keep Calcifying but Only by Day
Authors: Oetting Jerimiah
Published: January 2020

A new measurement technique has revealed that turf algae communities colonizing dead reefs have a dual role, adding new mineral material to the reefs during the day and taking it away at night.
Pre-Inca Canal System Uses Hillsides as Sponges to Store Water
Authors: Fritts Rachel
Published: January 2020

To prepare for a drier future on Peru’s western coast, researchers are turning to techniques of the past.
Observations of the Wire Destruction and Plasma Channel Reestablishment Process During the Initial Stage of Triggered Lightning
Authors: Li Shulei , Qiu Shi , Shi Lihua , Li Yun , Dong Wansheng
Published: January 2020

The wire destruction and plasma channel reestablishment process during the initial stage of a triggered lightning is analyzed based on comprehensive observations, including very high frequency (VHF) mapping array, electric‐magnetic field, and high‐speed video. The detailed discharge processes in both the attempted reconnection process and reconnection process are firstly evidenced by VHF mapping results. The reconnection process is similar to a leader/return‐stroke sequence, while the attempted reconnection process involves more complicated discharges. It is shown that several segments of the wire are fused firstly due to inhomogeneity of the wire, resulting in a series of wire residues. Thereafter, downward extending VHF breakdowns dispersed over hundreds of meters in altitude followed by a recoil‐like event, both of which emitted fairly weak VHF radiation, and no detectable LF electromagnetic field change was observed. It is indicated that there are no significant current flowing or charges movement during the attempted reconnection process.
Africa's Climate Response to Solar Radiation Management With Stratospheric Aerosol
Authors: Pinto Izidine , Jack Christopher , Lennard Christopher , Tilmes Simone , Odoulami Romaric C.
Published: January 2020

Anthropogenic warming is projected to increase the magnitude and frequency of extreme events, whose impacts are already being felt in vulnerable regions in sub‐Saharan Africa. Solar radiation management (SRM) has been proposed as an interim measure to offset warming while emissions are reduced; however, the impact of stratospheric SRM on regional climate extremes have not yet been explored, particularly in the Paris agreement context. We investigate the potential impact of SRM on temperature and rainfall means and extremes over sub‐Saharan Africa using simulations from the Geoengineering Large Ensemble. We found SRM significantly reduces temperature means and extremes; however, the effect on precipitation is not as linear. The results should be interpreted with caution as they are particular to this approach of SRM and this modelling experiment.
Continuously Changing Quartz‐Albite Saturated Melt Compositions to 330 °C With Application to Heat Flow and Geochemistry of the Ocean Crust
Authors: Lundstrom C. C.
Published: January 2020

Melt compositions in equilibrium with quartz and albite at 0.1 GPa and temperatures from 819 to 330 °C are reported for cold seal experiments in the Na2O‐Al2O3‐SiO2‐H2O system. At 60–70 °C intervals, melt compositions continuously change from rhyolite‐like melts with <10 wt.% H2O at the quartz‐albite eutectic to melts of nearly endmember Na2Si2O5 having >30 wt.% H2O at 330 °C (vapor undersaturated). Melt Na2O increases while SiO2 and Al2O3 decrease down temperature. Experiments performed at T > 600 °C are vapor saturated with <9.9–21 wt.% H2O while those T < 600 °C are vapor undersaturated with 18–37 wt.% H2O. Because of the continuous change in the liquid's composition down temperature, all compositions can be called melts; in reality, their high water contents may also lead to being termed hydrous fluids. These results indicate that igneous processes continue to temperatures >300 °C below the haplogranite solidus. The water‐rich melts at low temperature have low viscosities and densities suggesting that they buoyantly ascend by reactive flow at low melt porosities (<5%). Formation of low‐temperature melt will occur along the sides of gabbro bodies of mid‐ocean ridges, resulting in large‐scale convection that removes heat from the lower crust. This circulation may move heat off axis influencing observed heat flow. Melt reaction processes result in silicic differentiates (plagiogranites) and formation of greenschist metabasalts. This frees calcium from silicate bonding, providing an important sink for CO2 in Earth's carbon cycle. Sr isotopes of the ocean crust change with ocean crust production rates indicating mid‐ocean ridge systems are a major control on Earth's climate over time.
Numerical Study of the Exchange Flow of the Persian Gulf Using an Extended Total Exchange Flow Analysis Framework
Authors: Lorenz Marvin , Klingbeil Knut , Burchard Hans
Published: January 2020

The Total Exchange Flow analysis framework computes consistent bulk values quantifying the estuarine exchange flow using salinity coordinates since salinity is the main contributor to density in estuaries and the salinity budget is entirely controlled by the exchange flow. For deeper and larger estuaries temperature may contribute equally or even more to the density. That is why we included potential temperature as a second coordinate to the Total Exchange Flow analysis framework, which allows gaining insights in the potential temperature‐salinity structure of the exchange flow as well as to compute consistent bulk potential temperature and therefore heat exchange values with the ocean. We applied this theory to the exchange flow of the Persian Gulf, a shallow, semienclosed marginal sea, where dominant evaporation leads to the formation of hypersaline and dense Gulf water. This drives an inverse estuarine circulation which is analyzed with special interest on the seasonal cycle of the exchange flow. The exchange flow of the Persian Gulf is numerically simulated with the General Estuarine Transport Model from 1993 to 2016 and validated against observations. Results show that a clear seasonal cycle exists with stronger exchange flow rates in the first half of the year. Furthermore, the composition of the outflowing water is investigated using passive tracers, which mark different surface waters. The results show that in the first half of the year, most outflowing water comes from the southern coast, while in the second half most water originates from the northwestern region.
Effects on Ocean Biology Induced by El Niño‐Accompanied Positive Freshwater Flux Anomalies in the Tropical Pacific
Authors: Tian Feng , Zhang Rong‐Hua , Wang Xiujun
Published: January 2020

The El Niño and Southern Oscillation (ENSO) can induce large perturbations in freshwater flux (FWF, defined as precipitation minus evaporation) and ocean ecosystem in the tropical Pacific. However, how El Niño‐induced FWF can affect the tropical Pacific ecosystem (e.g., chlorophyll) is still unknown. Here, a series of ocean‐only experiments are performed using a coupled ocean‐physical biogeochemistry model forced by prescribed climatological wind stress. Interannual FWF anomalies observed during the 1997–1998 El Niño event are imposed onto the ocean model in the tropical Pacific, and the related positive FWF anomalies are specified to be varying in its intensity, and the corresponding sensitivity experiments are performed to examine the ocean ecosystem response. In general, chlorophyll increases with the intensities of the El Niño‐induced positive FWF anomalies at a certain strength but decreases when the positive FWF forcing is underrepresented (e.g., specified to be its half intensity). Additionally, chlorophyll in the eastern tropical Pacific keeps almost steady during the increasing stage of the El Niño‐induced interannual FWF forcing and then rapidly increases after the peak stage of the FWF forcing. The phytoplankton budget and diagnostic analyses are conducted to understand the behavior of chlorophyll in response to varying intensities of FWF forcing. Chlorophyll response to varying intensities of FWF forcing depends on the iron concentration in the mixed layer, suggesting that the ocean ecosystem response may be shifted from one regime to another when FWF forcing reaches a certain intensity. These results offer insights into biophysical interactions and chlorophyll‐induced feedback effects on ENSO.
Synoptic Meteorology Explains Temperate Forest Carbon Uptake
Authors: Randazzo Nina A. , Michalak Anna M. , Desai Ankur R.
Published: January 2020

While substantial attention has been paid to the effects of both global climate oscillations and local meteorological conditions on the interannual variability of ecosystem carbon exchange, the relationship between the interannual variability of synoptic meteorology and ecosystem carbon exchange has not been well studied. Here we use a clustering algorithm to identify a summertime cyclonic precipitation system northwest of the Great Lakes to determine (a) the association at a daily scale between the occurrence of this system and the local meteorology and net ecosystem exchange at three Great Lakes region forested eddy covariance sites and (b) the association between the seasonal prevalence of this system and the summertime net ecosystem exchange of these sites. We find that temperature, in addition to precipitation and cloud cover, is an important explanatory factor for the suppression of net ecosystem productivity that occurs during these cyclonic events in this region. In addition, the prevalence of this cyclonic system can explain a significant proportion of the interannual variability in summertime forest ecosystem exchange in this region. This explanatory power is not due to a simple accumulation of low‐productivity days that cooccur with this meteorological event, but rather a broader association between the frequency of these events and several aspects of prevailing seasonal conditions. This work demonstrates the usefulness of conceptualizing meteorology in terms of synoptic systems for explaining the interannual variability of regional carbon fluxes.
Pinpointing Emission Sources from Space
Authors: Morton Mary
Published: January 2020

Satellite data combined with wind models bring scientists one step closer to being able to monitor air pollution from space.
Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission promotes renal fibroblast activation and fibrogenesis
Authors: Wang Yating , Lu Miaoqing , Xiong Liping , Fan Jinjin , Zhou Yi , Li Huiyan , Peng Xuan , Zhong Zhong , Wang Yihan , Huang Fengxian , Chen Wei , Yu Xueqing , Mao Haiping
Published: January 2020

Excessive mitochondrial fission acts as a pro-proliferative marker in some cancers and organ fibrosis; its potential role in renal fibroblast activation and fibrogenesis has never been investigated. Here, we showed more pronounced fragmented mitochondria in fibrotic than in non-fibrotic renal fibroblast in humans and mice. In a mouse model of obstructive nephropathy, phosphorylation of Drp1 at serine 616 (p-Drp1S616) and acetylation of H3K27(H3K27ac) was increased in fibrotic kidneys; pharmacological inhibition of mitochondrial fission by mdivi-1 substantially reduced H3K27ac levels, fibroblasts accumulation, and interstitial fibrosis. Moreover, mdivi-1 treatment was able to attenuate the established renal fibrosis. In cultured renal interstitial fibroblasts, targeting Drp1 using pharmacological inhibitor or siRNA suppressed TGF-β1-elicited cell activation and proliferation, as evidenced by inhibiting expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen I, as well as by reducing DNA synthesis. In contrast, Drp1 deletion enhanced cell apoptosis, along with decreased mitochondrial fragmentation, mtROS elevation, and glycolytic shift upon TGF-β1 stimulation. In Drp1 deletion fibroblasts, re-expression of wild-type Drp1 rather than Drp1S616A mutant restores the reduction of TGF-β-induced-Drp1 phosphorylation, H3K27ac, and cell activation. Moreover, TGF-β1 treatment increased the enrichment of H3K27ac at the promoters of α-SMA and PCNA, which was reversed in Drp1-knockdown fibroblasts co-transfected with empty vector or Drp1S616A, but not wild-type Drp1. Collectively, our results imply that inhibiting p-Drp1S616-mediated mitochondrial fission attenuates fibroblast activation and proliferation in renal fibrosis through epigenetic regulation of fibrosis-related genes transcription and may serve as a therapeutic target for retarding progression of chronic kidney disease.
Improvement of epidermal covering on AEC patients with severe skin erosions by PRIMA-1MET/APR-246
Authors: Aberdam Edith , Roux Lauriane N. , Secrétan Philippe-Henri , Boralevi Franck , Schlatter Joël , Morice-Picard Fanny , Sol Stefano , Bodemer Christine , Missero Caterina , Cisternino Salvatore , Aberdam Daniel , Hadj-Rabia Smail
Published: January 2020

P63 is a major transcription factor regulating skin development and homeostasis. It controls many genes involved in cell proliferation, adhesion, and early differentiation. P63 is mutated in several rare syndromes called p63-related ectodermal dysplasia syndromes (ED). The main forms are EEC and AEC syndromes due to p63 missense mutations on the DBD and SAM domains, respectively. ED patients display many developmental defects, including ectrodactyly, clef/lip palate, and ectodermal dysplasia, while AEC patients suffer from severe skin erosions that not always heal. We have previously showed that ED-derived iPSC display altered epidermal commitment. P63 belongs to the p53 gene family sharing similar structural domains. We found that ED-iPSC epidermal commitment can be rescued by a p53-reactivating compounds called PRIMA-1MET, also named APR-246 and currently used in anticancer clinical trials. Here, we established primary epidermal culture from two AEC children (S.F. and Y.M.) suffering from persistent skin erosions at age of 9 and 15, respectively. These patients carry missense mutations on the SAM domain (I576T and I537T). We found that primary keratinocytes (KCs) isolated from these AEC patients underwent altered epidermal differentiation that was rescued by PRIMA-1MET treatment. It prompted us to formulate the compound onto a cream that was topically applied on the right hand of one patient and on the scalp of the second patient. In both cases, the daily treatment allowed re-epithelialization of the eroded skin and a drastic loss of pain after few weeks, improving quality of life. Normally, mutant p63 exerts a dominant-negative effect, mainly through the formation of aggregate with WT p63 and p73. PRIMA-1MET did not reduce protein aggregation while enhancing cell differentiation, suggesting that PRIMA-1MET targets cell differentiation and not p63 activity directly. In conclusion, we propose that repurposing of the antitumoral PRIMA-1MET compound could become a general treatment of AEC skin erosions.
The nuclear translocation of transketolase inhibits the farnesoid receptor expression by promoting the binding of HDAC3 to FXR promoter in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines
Authors: Li Minle , Zhang Xuping , Lu Ying , Meng Sen , Quan Haoyu , Hou Pingfu , Tong Pan , Chai Dafei , Gao Xiaoge , Zheng Junnian , Tong Xuemei , Bai Jin
Published: January 2020

Transketolase (TKT), which is a metabolic enzyme in the nonoxidative phase of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), plays an important role in providing cancer cells with raw materials for macromolecular biosynthesis. The ectopic expression of TKT in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was reported previously. However, the role of TKT in the initiation of liver cancer is still obscure. In our previous study, we found that TKT deficiency protects the liver from DNA damage by increasing levels of ribose 5-phosphate and nucleotides. What’s more interesting is that we found TKT deficiency reduced bile acids and loss of TKT promoted the farnesoid receptor (FXR) expression. We further showed that TKT translocated into the nucleus of HCC cell lines through interacting with the signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), and then the complex inhibited FXR expression by promoting the binding of histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) to FXR promoter.
circRNA-002178 act as a ceRNA to promote PDL1/PD1 expression in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Wang JunFeng , Zhao XuHai , Wang YanBo , Ren FengHai , Sun DaWei , Yan YuBo , Kong XiangLong , Bu JianLong , Liu MengFeng , Xu ShiDong
Published: January 2020

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been identified play a vital role in various different types of cancer via sponging miRNAs (microRNAs). However, their role in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains largely unclear. In this study, we systematically characterized the circRNA expression profiles in the LUAD cancer tissues and paired adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Three circRNAs were found to be significantly upregulated. Among them, has-circRNA-002178 was further confirmed to be upregulated in the LUAD tissues, and LUAD cancer cells. Subsequently, we also found has-circRNA-002178 could enhance PDL1 expression via sponging miR-34 in cancer cells to induce T-cell exhaustion. More importantly, circRNA-002178 could be detected in exosomes of plasma from LUAD patients and could serve as biomarkers for LUAD early diagnosis. Finally, we found circRNA-002178 could be delivered into CD8+ T cells to induce PD1 expression via exosomes. Taken together, our study revealed that circRNA-002178 could act as a ceRNA to promote PDL1/PD1 expression in lung adenocarcinoma.
Extreme intratumour heterogeneity and driver evolution in mismatch repair deficient gastro-oesophageal cancer
Authors: von Loga Katharina , Woolston Andrew , Punta Marco , Barber Louise J. , Griffiths Beatrice , Semiannikova Maria , Spain Georgia , Challoner Benjamin , Fenwick Kerry , Simon Ronald , Marx Andreas , Sauter Guido , Lise Stefano , Matthews Nik , Gerlinger Marco
Published: January 2020

Mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) gastro-oesophageal adenocarcinomas (GOAs) show better outcomes than their MMR-proficient counterparts and high immunotherapy sensitivity. The hypermutator-phenotype of dMMR tumours theoretically enables high evolvability but their evolution has not been investigated. Here we apply multi-region exome sequencing (MSeq) to four treatment-naive dMMR GOAs. This reveals extreme intratumour heterogeneity (ITH), exceeding ITH in other cancer types >20-fold, but also long phylogenetic trunks which may explain the exquisite immunotherapy sensitivity of dMMR tumours. Subclonal driver mutations are common and parallel evolution occurs inRAS,PIK3CA, SWI/SNF-complex genes and in immune evasion regulators. MSeq data and evolution analysis of single region-data from 64 MSI GOAs show that chromosome 8 gains are early genetic events and that the hypermutator-phenotype remains active during progression. MSeq may be necessary for biomarker development in these heterogeneous cancers. Comparison with other MSeq-analysed tumour types reveals mutation rates and their timing to determine phylogenetic tree morphologies.
Interaction variability shapes succession of synthetic microbial ecosystems
Authors: Liu Feng , Mao Junwen , Kong Wentao , Hua Qiang , Feng Youjun , Bashir Rashid , Lu Ting
Published: January 2020

Cellular interactions are a major driver for the assembly and functioning of microbial communities. Their strengths are shown to be highly variable in nature; however, it is unclear how such variations regulate community behaviors. Here we construct synthetic Lactococcus lactis consortia and mathematical models to elucidate the role of interaction variability in ecosystem succession and to further determine if casting variability into modeling empowers bottom-up predictions. For a consortium of bacteriocin-mediated cooperation and competition, we find increasing the variations of cooperation, from either altered labor partition or random sampling, drives the community into distinct structures. When the cooperation and competition are additionally modulated by pH, ecosystem succession becomes jointly controlled by the variations of both interactions and yields more diversified dynamics. Mathematical models incorporating variability successfully capture all of these experimental observations. Our study demonstrates interaction variability as a key regulator of community dynamics, providing insights into bottom-up predictions of microbial ecosystems.
Cu2O photocathodes with band-tail states assisted hole transport for standalone solar water splitting
Authors: Pan Linfeng , Liu Yuhang , Yao Liang , Dan Ren  , Sivula Kevin , Grätzel Michael , Hagfeldt Anders
Published: January 2020

Photoelectrochemical water splitting provides a promising solution for harvesting and storing solar energy. As the best-performing oxide photocathode, the Cu2O photocathode holds the performance rivaling that of many photovoltaic semiconductor-based photocathodes through continuous research and development. However, the state-of-the-art Cu2O photocathode employs gold as the back contact which can lead to considerable electron-hole recombination. Here, we present a Cu2O photocathode with overall improved performance, enabled by using solution-processed CuSCN as hole transport material. Two types of CuSCN with different structures are synthesized and carefully compared. Furthermore, detailed characterizations reveal that hole transport between Cu2O and CuSCN is assisted by band-tail states. Owing to the multiple advantages of applying CuSCN as the hole transport layer, a standalone solar water splitting tandem cell is built, delivering a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 4.55%. Finally, approaches towards more efficient dual-absorber tandems are discussed.
Word contexts enhance the neural representation of individual letters in early visual cortex
Authors: Heilbron Micha , Richter David , Ekman Matthias , Hagoort Peter , de Lange Floris P.
Published: January 2020

Visual context facilitates perception, but how this is neurally implemented remains unclear. One example of contextual facilitation is found in reading, where letters are more easily identified when embedded in a word. Bottom-up models explain this word advantage as a post-perceptual decision bias, while top-down models propose that word contexts enhance perception itself. Here, we arbitrate between these accounts by presenting words and nonwords and probing the representational fidelity of individual letters using functional magnetic resonance imaging. In line with top-down models, we find that word contexts enhance letter representations in early visual cortex. Moreover, we observe increased coupling between letter information in visual cortex and brain activity in key areas of the reading network, suggesting these areas may be the source of the enhancement. Our results provide evidence for top-down representational enhancement in word recognition, demonstrating that word contexts can modulate perceptual processing already at the earliest visual regions.
Coherent master equation for laser modelocking
Authors: Perego Auro M. , Garbin Bruno , Gustave François , Barland Stephane , Prati Franco , de Valcárcel Germán J.
Published: January 2020

Modelocked lasers constitute the fundamental source of optically-coherent ultrashort-pulsed radiation, with huge impact in science and technology. Their modeling largely rests on the master equation (ME) approach introduced in 1975 by Hermann A. Haus. However, that description fails when the medium dynamics is fast and, ultimately, when light-matter quantum coherence is relevant. Here we set a rigorous and general ME framework, the coherent ME (CME), that overcomes both limitations. The CME predicts strong deviations from Haus ME, which we substantiate through an amplitude-modulated semiconductor laser experiment. Accounting for coherent effects, like the Risken-Nummedal-Graham-Haken multimode instability, we envisage the usefulness of the CME for describing self-modelocking and spontaneous frequency comb formation in quantum-cascade and quantum-dot lasers. Furthermore, the CME paves the way for exploiting the rich phenomenology of coherent effects in laser design, which has been hampered so far by the lack of a coherent ME formalism.