bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus Bunge): botanical, geographical, and historical aspects to pharmaceutical components and beneficial role
Authors: Durazzo Alessandra , Nazhand Amirhossein , Lucarini Massimo , Silva Amelia M. , Souto Selma B. , Guerra Fabrizia , Severino Patricia , Zaccardelli Massimo , Souto Eliana B. , Santini Antonello
Published: June 2021

Medicinal plants always are part of folk medicine and are nowadays receiving worldwide attention for prophylaxis, management, and treatment of several diseases, as an alternative to chemical drugs. The current work provided a comprehensive overview and analysis of the Astragalus and health relationship in literature. The analysis of their therapeutic potential is thus instrumental to understand their bioactivity. Among these, the flowering medicinal plant Astragalus membranaceus has raised interest due to several beneficial health effects. This perspective review discussed the botanical, geographical, historical, and the therapeutic properties of A. membranaceus, with a special focus on its health improving effects and medicinal applications both in vitro and in vivo.

Graphic abstract
How food systems change (or not): governance implications for system transformation processes
Authors: Leeuwis Cees , Boogaard Birgit K. , Atta-Krah Kwesi
Published: June 2021

This paper argues that supporting food system transformation requires more than obtaining science-based understanding and analysis of how components in the system interact. We argue that changing the emergent properties of food systems (what we call food system synthesis) is a socio-political challenge that is affected by competing views regarding system boundaries and purposes, and limited possibilities for central steering and control. We point to different traditions of ‘systems thinking’ that each emphasize particular types of interventions for achieving system change, and argue that food systems are best looked at as complex multi-dimensional systems. This implies that we need to move beyond rational engineering approaches to system change, and look for approaches that anticipate and accommodate inherent social tensions and struggles in processes of changing food system dynamics and outcomes. Through a case study on the persistence of an undesired emergent property of food systems (i.e. poverty) we demonstrate that a multi-level perspective (MLP) on system transformation is useful in understanding both how food system transformation has happened in the past, and how desirable transformations is prevented from happening today. Based on such insights we point to key governance strategies and principles that may be used to influence food system transformation as a non-linear and long-term process of competition, negotiation and reconfiguration. Such strategies include the creation and nurturing of diversity in the system, as well as process interventions aimed at visioning, destabilization and formation of discourse coalitions. Such governance interventions imply a considerable re-orientation of investments in food system transformation as well as a rethinking of the role that policy-makers may play in either altering or reproducing undesirable system outcomes.
Empowered Stakeholders: Female University Students’ Leadership During the COVID-19-Triggered On-campus Evictions in Canada and the United States
Authors: Wu Haorui , Perez-Lugo Marla , Garcia Cecilio Ortiz , Crespo Frances Gonzalez , Castillo Adriana
Published: June 2021

The study of disaster-specific leadership of female university students has been largely neglected, especially during on-campus emergency eviction and evacuation. Based on the COVID-19-triggered, on-campus evictions across Canada and the United States, this cross-national partnership examined the out-of-province/state and international female university students’ leadership during the entire eviction process. Through in-depth interviews, this study revealed the female university students’ leadership behaviors during three stages: (1) pre-eviction: their self-preparedness formed an emotional foundation to support others; (2) peri-eviction: their attitude and leadership behavior enabled them to facilitate (psychologically and physically) their peers’ eviction process; and (3) post-eviction: they continued to support their peers virtually and raised the general public’s awareness regarding the plight of vulnerable and marginalized populations. This article argues that the female university students’ leadership that emerged during the eviction process became complementary to and even augmented the universities’ official efforts and beyond. This leadership represents empirical evidence that contributes to the existing literature on gender and leadership by demonstrating female youth as empowered stakeholders rather than as merely passive victims. Future studies could develop detailed stratification of gender and age dimensions in order to portray a more comprehensive picture of the younger generation’s leadership in hazards and disaster research and practice.
Required Longitudinal Service-Learning and Its Effects on Medical Students’ Attitudes Toward the Underserved
Authors: Arebalos Monica Rose , Botor Faun Lee , Simanton Edward , Young Jennifer
Published: June 2021

Although medical students enter medicine with altruistic motives and seek to serve indigent populations, studies show that medical students’ attitudes towards the undeserved tend to worsen significantly as they go through their medical education. This finding emphasizes the need for medical educators to implement activities such as service-learning that may help mitigate this negative trend.

All students at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) School of Medicine are required to participate in longitudinal service-learning throughout medical school, and a majority of students interact with the underserved at their service-learning sites. Using the previously validated Medical Student Attitudes Towards the Underserved (MSATU), independent sample T-tests showed that students who interact with underserved populations at their sites scored with significantly better attitudes towards the underserved at the end of their preclinical phase. Subjects included 58 medical students with 100% taking the MSATU. This result indicates that longitudinal service-learning, particularly when it includes interaction with the underserved, can be one method to combat the worsening of medical students’ attitudes as they complete their medical education.
Surgical Reconstruction of Penile Curvature due to Peyronie’s Disease by Plaque Incision and Buccal Mucosa Graft
Authors: Ainayev Yernur , Zhanbyrbekuly Ulanbek , Gaipov Abduzhappar , Suleiman Makhmud , Kadyrzhanuly Kainar , Kissamedenov Nurlan , Zhaparov Ulan , Akhmetov Daniyar , Khairli Gafur
Published: June 2021

Background/aim

We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of penile plaque incision and buccal mucosa grafting in patients with stable-phase Peyronie’s disease (PD).

Methods

This was a prospective evaluation of patients with stable-phase PD who were treated by plaque incision and buccal mucosa grafting. Preoperative evaluation included International Index of Erectile Function Questionnaire (IIEF-5), measurement of erect penile length, and penile Doppler ultrasound during prostaglandin-induced erection. At 3- and 24-month follow-up visits, penile length and residual curvature were measured along with penile Doppler ultrasound and IIEF5 questionnaires. Patient and sexual partner satisfaction were also assessed at 24-month-visit.

RESULTS

The study was completed with 20 patients (mean age 46.5 ± 9.9 years). Dorsal curvature was the most frequent site of curvature (45%). The median curvature at preoperative evaluation was 45°(range 40-90°). The postoperative median curvatures were 5°(5-10, IQR) and 7°(5-10, IQR) at 3- and 24-month postoperatively, respectively. Success rate was 95% at 3-month and 90% at 24-month. There was no significant penile shortening. The mean IIEF-5 score was 17.5 ± 2.2 at preoperative evaluation. The median IIEF-5 scores were calculated as 20.1 ± 2.2 and 21.3 ± 2.2 at 3-month and 24-month visits, respectively (p<0.0001). Compared with baseline IIEF-5 score, both postoperative IIEF-5 scores were significantly higher. There was no de novo erectile dysfunction. There were no serious complications during and after the surgery. Ten percent of patients were poorly satisfied with the results of the surgery.

CONCLUSION

Corporoplasty with buccal mucosa graft led to excellent structural and functional results and patient satisfaction.
Dignity in the Egyptian Revolution
Authors: El Bernoussi Zaynab
Published: June 2021

Dignity, or karama in Arabic, is a nebulous concept that challenges us to reflect on issues such as identity, human rights, and faith. During the Arab uprisings of 2010 and 2011, Egyptians that participated in these uprisings frequently used the concept of dignity as a way to underscore their opposition to the Mubarak regime. Protesting against the indignity of the poverty, lack of freedom and social justice, the idea of karama gained salience in Egyptian cinema, popular literature, street art, music, social media and protest banners, slogans and literature. Based on interviews with participants in the 2011 protests and analysis of the art forms that emerged during protests, Zaynab El Bernoussi explores understandings of the concept of dignity, showing how protestors conceived of this concept in their organisation of protest and uprising, and their memories of karama in the aftermath of the protests, revisiting these claims in the years subsequent to the uprising.
Poder y escritura femenina en tiempos del Conde-Duque de Olivares (1621-1643)
Authors: Muñoz Pérez Laura S.
Published: June 2021

Co-Winner of the 2014 Publication Prize of the Association of Hispanists of Great Britain and Ireland Esta monografía revela la importancia de las mujeres en la política y cultura dela corte española por medio del caso de Teresa Valle, consejera espiritual de Olivares, el favorito de Felipe IV. A través del análisis de fuentes originales como son cartas, escritos literarios e inquisitoriales, la autora demuestra que las relaciones entre poderosos nobles y religiosas fue también un elemento esencial de mecenazgo barroco. Se trataba, entre otros, de un medio de publicidad y poder para ellos y una vía de acceso a la cultura para ellas. Además, la autora analiza los escritos de Teresa, revelando su identidad literaria. El camino de la monja por los resortes literarios permite que se definan nuevos métodos de estudio de la escritura femenina y de las estrategias discursivas que utilizaron las religiosas de la época. This monograph reveals the importance of women in political and cultural life at the Spanish court through the case of Teresa Valle, spiritual counsellor of Olivares, the favourite of King Philip IV. Through an analysis of diverse primary sources such as letters, literary writings and Inquisition records, the author demonstrates how relations between noblemen and religious women formed a key aspect of Baroque patronage and exchange, forming an essential tool of publicity and power for the former, and a way of access to the literary domain for the latter. At the heart of this book there is a study of the writings that Teresa produced, revealing her emerging literary identity. The nuns path into literature also allows the author to define new ways of understanding female writing in Golden Age Spain and clarify the discursive strategies that religious women negotiated. Laura S. Muñoz Pérez is currently a Lecturer at the University of Oxford.
Perceptions of Femininity in Early Irish Society
Authors: Oxenham Helen
Published: June 2021

Was femininity in early Irish society perceived as weak and sinful, innately inferior to masculinity? Was it seen as powerful and dangerous, a threat to the peace and tranquility of male society? Orwas there a more nuanced view, an understanding that femininity, or femininities, could be presented in a variety of ways according to the pragmatic concerns of the writer? This book examines the sources surviving from fifth- to ninth-century Ireland, aiming to offer a fresh view of authorial perceptions of the period. It seeks to highlight the complexities of those perceptions, the significance of authorial aims and purposes in the construction of femininity, and the potential disjunction between societal "reality" and the images presented to us in the sources. This careful analysis of a broad range of early Irish sources demonstrates how fluid constructions of gender could be, and presents a new interpretation of the position of femininity in the thought world of early Irish authors. Helen Oxenham worked at the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic in Cambridge as supervisor and researcher on the Mapping Miracles project. She now works for The EnglishHeritage Trust.
Health Literacy During Pandemic and Education
Authors: Molnar Andreea
Published: June 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the importance of health literacy. This commentary discusses the consequences of poor health literacy and argues that we need to improve health literacy. Better health literacy has the potential to improve community trust, alleviate health disparities, and improve the results of the immediate response required in the early stages of a pandemic. The commentary argues that health literacy has to be addressed as part of mandatory school curriculum. Methods on how to improve and provide equitable access to education are also discussed.
A dichotomy for bounded displacement equivalence of Delone sets
Authors: SMILANSKY YOTAM , SOLOMON YAAR
Published: June 2021

We prove that in every compact space of Delone sets in
${\mathbb {R}}^d$
, which is minimal with respect to the action by translations, either all Delone sets are uniformly spread or continuously many distinct bounded displacement equivalence classes are represented, none of which contains a lattice. The implied limits are taken with respect to the Chabauty–Fell topology, which is the natural topology on the space of closed subsets of
${\mathbb {R}}^d$
. This topology coincides with the standard local topology in the finite local complexity setting, and it follows that the dichotomy holds for all minimal spaces of Delone sets associated with well-studied constructions such as cut-and-project sets and substitution tilings, whether or not finite local complexity is assumed.
The nascent coffee ring: how solute diffusion counters advection
Authors: Moore Madeleine Rose , Vella D. , Oliver J.M.
Published: June 2021

We study the initial evolution of the coffee ring that is formed by the evaporation of a thin, axisymmetric, surface-tension-dominated droplet containing a dilute solute. When the solutal Péclet number is large, we show that diffusion close to the droplet contact line controls the coffee-ring structure in the initial stages of evaporation. We perform a systematic matched asymptotic analysis for two evaporation models – a simple, non-equilibrium, one-sided model (in which the evaporative flux is taken to be constant across the droplet surface) and a vapour-diffusion limited model (in which the evaporative flux is singular at the contact line) – valid during the early stages in which the solute remains dilute. We call this the ‘nascent coffee ring’ and describe the evolution of its features, including the size and location of the peak concentration and a measure of the width of the ring. Moreover, we use the asymptotic results to investigate when the assumption of a dilute solute breaks down and the effects of finite particle size and jamming are expected to become important. In particular, we illustrate the limited validity of this model in the diffusive evaporative flux regime.
Acute exercise improves glucose and TAG metabolism in young and older adults following high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal intake
Authors: Kurti Stephanie P. , Frick Hannah , Wisseman William S. , Malin Steven K. , Edwards David A. , Emerson Sam R. , Edwards Elizabeth S.
Published: June 2021

A single high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal (HFHC) results in elevated postprandial glucose (GLU), triglycerides (TAG) and metabolic load index (MLI; TAG (mg/dl) + GLU (mg/dl)) that contributes to chronic disease risk. While disease risk is higher in older adults (OA) compared to younger adults (YA), the acute effects of exercise on these outcomes in OA is understudied. Twelve YA (age 23.3 ± 3.9 yrs, n = 5 M/7 F) and 12 OA (age 67·7 ± 6.0 yrs, n = 8 M/4 F) visited the laboratory in random order to complete a HFHC with no exercise (NE) or acute exercise (EX) condition. EX was performed 12 hours prior to HFHC at an intensity of 65 % of maximal heart rate to expend 75 % of the kcals consumed in HFHC (Marie Callender’s Chocolate Satin Pie; 12 kcal/kgbw; 57 % fat, 37 % CHO). Blood samples were taken at 0, 30, 60, 90 minutes, and then every hour until 6 hours post-meal. TAG levels increased to a larger magnitude in OA (Δ∼61 ± 31 %) compared to YA (Δ∼37 ± 34 %, P < 0·001), which were attenuated in EX compared to NE (P < 0·05) independent of age. There was no difference in GLU between OA and YA after the HFM, however, EX had attenuated GLU independent of age (NE: Δ∼21 ± 26 %; EX: Δ∼12 ± 18 %, P = 0·027). MLI was significantly lower after EX compared to NE in OA and YA (P < 0·001). Pre-prandial EX reduced TAG, GLU and MLI post-HFHC independent of age.
Winning Hearts and Minds for Rebel Rulers: Foreign Aid and Military Contestation in Syria
Authors: Carnegie Allison , Howe Kimberly , Lichtenheld Adam G. , Mukhopadhyay Dipali
Published: June 2021

A primary objective of foreign aid in conflict zones is to help political actors win citizens’ ‘hearts and minds’. Previous studies have focused on assistance provided to state actors; however, this article examines aid's impact on rebel governance. It argues that aid only bolsters opinions of rebel governors where military control is uncontested. In contested areas, rebels lose credibility if they cannot offer protection, and they have difficulty delivering – and receiving credit for – services in insecure environments crowded with competitors. Using novel data from the Syrian civil war, this article shows that aid improves opinions of opposition councils in uncontested areas but not in communities experiencing intra-rebel conflict. It also explores the underlying mechanisms using in-depth interviews with residents of Aleppo City and Saraqeb. The findings reveal a more nuanced relationship among aid, military competition and governance than prior studies have suggested, which has implications for both scholars and policy makers.
Endozoochorous seed dispersal of glyphosate-resistant Lolium multiflorum by cattle
Authors: Schaedler C. E. , Scalcon R. M. , Viero J. L. C. , Chiapinotto D. M. , David D. B. , Rosa F. Q. , Azevedo E. B.
Published: June 2021

Lolium multiflorum, one of the most important temperate forage grasses in the world, is used in integrated crop-livestock systems and as a cover crop. However, it is also one of the main weeds in winter crops. The continuous use of glyphosate to manage this species has led to the selection of resistant biotypes (LOLMU-R), making it important to prevent the dispersal of these seeds. This study aimed to assess the recovery and germination of LOLMU-R that have passed through the digestive system of cattle. The experiments were carried out in metabolism cages, using a completely randomized design with six replications. The animals were given 12 112 seeds each, which were recovered from their faeces over a period of 6 days. Germination of the recovered seeds was assessed in a germination chamber and compared against a control (no animal passage). After germination, a glyphosate dose-response curve was constructed. The results obtained showed a total recovery of 1109 seeds (9.1%), with maximum recovery 2 days after ingestion, decreasing to almost zero on day 6. Germination declined linearly as a function of recovery time; however, 4 days after ingestion, germination potential was 18%. The dose-response curve proved the resistance of the recovered seeds. Cattle is a dispersal agent for LOLMU-R seeds, with animals requiring 7 days of quarantine before moving from one infested area to another.
Non-suicidal self-injury among first-year college students and its association with mental disorders: results from the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative
Authors: Kiekens Glenn , Hasking Penelope , Bruffaerts Ronny , Alonso Jordi , Auerbach Randy P. , Bantjes Jason , Benjet Corina , Boyes Mark , Chiu Wai Tat , Claes Laurence , Cuijpers Pim , Ebert David D. , Mak Arthur , Mortier Philippe , O'Neill Siobhan , Sampson Nancy A. , Stein Dan J. , Vilagut Gemma , Nock Matthew K. , Kessler Ronald C.
Published: June 2021

Background

Although non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is an issue of major concern to colleges worldwide, we lack detailed information about the epidemiology of NSSI among college students. The objectives of this study were to present the first cross-national data on the prevalence of NSSI and NSSI disorder among first-year college students and its association with mental disorders.

Methods

Data come from a survey of the entering class in 24 colleges across nine countries participating in the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) initiative assessed in web-based self-report surveys (20 842 first-year students). Using retrospective age-of-onset reports, we investigated time-ordered associations between NSSI and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-IV) mood (major depressive and bipolar disorder), anxiety (generalized anxiety and panic disorder), and substance use disorders (alcohol and drug use disorder).

Results

NSSI lifetime and 12-month prevalence were 17.7% and 8.4%. A positive screen of 12-month DSM-5 NSSI disorder was 2.3%. Of those with lifetime NSSI, 59.6% met the criteria for at least one mental disorder. Temporally primary lifetime mental disorders predicted subsequent onset of NSSI [median odds ratio (OR) 2.4], but these primary lifetime disorders did not consistently predict 12-month NSSI among respondents with lifetime NSSI. Conversely, even after controlling for pre-existing mental disorders, NSSI consistently predicted later onset of mental disorders (median OR 1.8) as well as 12-month persistence of mental disorders among students with a generalized anxiety disorder (OR 1.6) and bipolar disorder (OR 4.6).

Conclusions

NSSI is common among first-year college students and is a behavioral marker of various common mental disorders.
Practitioners respond to Freda Mishan's ‘The Global ELT coursebook: A case of Cinderella's slipper?’
Authors: Connolly David
Published: June 2021

First of all, I would like to thank Freda Mishan (2021) for a fascinating and insightful article into English language teaching (ELT) coursebooks. She covers a wide range of perspectives and raises many important issues. Although I may have different views on some of these, I think she has done a great service in helping me look with fresh eyes at what many teachers take for granted: the humble yet ubiquitous ELT coursebook.
Gender separation and the speech community: Rhoticity in early 20th century Southland New Zealand English
Authors: Villarreal Dan , Clark Lynn , Hay Jennifer , Watson Kevin
Published: June 2021

The existence of a shared constraint hierarchy is one of the criteria that defines and delimits speech communities. In particular, women and men are thought to differ only in their rates of variable usage, not in the constraints governing their variation; that is, women and men are typically considered to belong to the same speech community. We find that in early twentieth century Southland, New Zealand, women and men had different constraint hierarchies for rhoticity, with a community grammar of rhoticity only developing later. These results may be a product of a particular set of sociohistorical facts thatare not peculiar to Southland. We suggest that further research in other geographical locations may indeed reveal that men and women have different constraint hierarchies for other variables. Speech communities may thus be delimited along social lines in ways that have not been previously considered.
Clustered 3-colouring graphs of bounded degree
Authors: Dujmović Vida , Esperet Louis , Morin Pat , Walczak Bartosz , Wood David R.
Published: June 2021

A (not necessarily proper) vertex colouring of a graph hasclustering cif every monochromatic component has at mostcvertices. We prove that planar graphs with maximum degree$\Delta$are 3-colourable with clustering$O(\Delta^2)$. The previous best bound was$O(\Delta^{37})$. This result for planar graphs generalises to graphs that can be drawn on a surface of bounded Euler genus with a bounded number of crossings per edge. We then prove that graphs with maximum degree$\Delta$that exclude a fixed minor are 3-colourable with clustering$O(\Delta^5)$. The best previous bound for this result was exponential in$\Delta$.
A rare case of pulmonary lymphangiectasia associated with CHD
Authors: Henriques Cláudio , Lai Ana , Andrade Helena , Pina Raquel , Marinho-da-Silva António , Pires António
Published: June 2021

CHD may, at times, occur in the framework of other rare pathologies. These, having similar clinical manifestations, present a diagnostic dilemma for the clinician.

The authors present the case of an infant with non-syndromic complete atrioventricular septal defect, whose post-operative period was surprisingly complicated by progressive pulmonary hypertension. Despite intensive care, the infant ultimately died. The diagnosis of unilateral primary pulmonary lymphangiectasia was only possible post mortem.
Celebrating a Century of Women in the Law: Using Historical Exhibitions to Enhance User Engagement and Promote a Library Service
Authors: Curley Vanessa , Foley Sarah
Published: June 2021

In 2019 the Bar of Ireland Law Library launched an online exhibition detailing the first one hundred years of women in the law in Ireland and the first one hundred women called to the Irish Bar. The online exhibition coincided with the centenary celebrations of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 and a physical exhibition curated in collaboration with the Honorable Society of Kings Inns and the Law Society of Ireland. This article by Vanessa Curley and Sarah Foley explores the background to how Law Library staff became involved in creating historical exhibitions, the development of a digital archive of The Bar of Ireland and curating online exhibitions to complement this. It will also discuss the benefits of such activities to the Law Library service and the wider Bar of Ireland.
Astrobiologists are rational but not Bayesian
Authors: Bains William , Petkowski Janusz Jurand
Published: June 2021

The search for biosignatures is likely to generate controversial results, with no single biosignature being clear proof of the presence of life. Bayesian statistical frameworks have been suggested as a tool for testing the effect that a new observation has on our belief in the presence of life on another planet. We test this approach here using the tentative discovery of phosphine on Venus as an example of a possible detection of a biosignature on an otherwise well-characterized planet. We report on a survey of astrobiologists' views on the likelihood of life on Enceladus, Europa, Mars, Titan and Venus before the announcement of the detection of phosphine in Venus' atmosphere (the Bayesian Prior Probability) and after the announcement (the Posterior Probability). Survey results show that respondents have a general view on the likelihood of life on any world, independent of the relative ranking of specific bodies, and that there is a distinct ‘fans of icy moons’ sub-community. The announcement of the potential presence of phosphine on Venus resulted in the community showing a small but significant increase in its confidence that there was life on Venus; nevertheless the community still considers Venus to be the least likely abode of life among the five targets considered, last after Titan. We derive a Bayesian formulation that explicitly includes both the uncertainty in the interpretation of the signal as well as uncertainty in whether phosphine on Venus could have been produced by life. We show that although the community has shown rational restraint about a highly unexpected and still tentative detection, their changing expectations do not fit a Bayesian model.
Exploring the Potential of Using Carbonyl Sulfide to Track the Urban Biosphere Signal
Authors: Villalba Gara , Whelan Mary , Montzka Stephen A. , Cameron‐Smith Philip J. , Fischer Marc , Zumkehr Andrew , Hilton Tim , Stinecipher James , Baker Ian , Bambha Ray P. , Michelsen Hope A. , LaFranchi Brian W. , Estruch Carme , Campbell Elliott
Published: June 2021

Cities are implementing additional urban green as a means to capture CO2 and become more carbon neutral. However, cities are complex systems where anthropogenic and natural components of the CO2 budget interact with each other, and the ability to measure the efficacy of such measures is still not properly addressed. There is still a high degree of uncertainty in determining the contribution of the vegetation signal, which furthermore confounds the use of CO2 mole fraction measurements for inferring anthropogenic emissions of CO2. Carbonyl sulfide (OCS) is a tracer of photosynthesis which can aid in constraining the biosphere signal. This study explores the potential of using OCS to track the urban biosphere signal. We used the Sulfur Transport and dEposition Model (STEM) to simulate the OCS concentrations and the Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach ecosystem model to simulate global CO2 fluxes over the Bay Area of San Francisco during March 2015. Two observation towers provided measurements of OCS and CO2: The Sutro tower in San Francisco (upwind from the area of study providing background observations), and a tower located at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore (downwind of the highly urbanized San Francisco region). Our results show that the STEM model works better under stable marine influence, and that the boundary layer height and entrainment are driving the diurnal changes in OCS and CO2 at the downwind Sandia site. However, the STEM model needs to better represent the transport and boundary layer variability, and improved estimates of gross primary productivity for characterizing the urban biosphere signal are needed.
Energetic Requirements for Dynamos in the Metallic Cores of Super‐Earth and Super‐Venus Exoplanets
Authors: Blaske C. H. , O’Rourke J. G.
Published: June 2021

Super‐Earth and super‐Venus exoplanets may have similar bulk compositions but dichotomous surface conditions and mantle dynamics. Vigorous convection within their metallic cores may produce dynamos and thus magnetospheres if the total heat flow out of the core exceeds a critical value. Earth has a core‐hosted dynamo because plate tectonics cools the core relatively rapidly. In contrast, Venus has no dynamo and its deep interior probably cools slowly. Here, we develop scaling laws for how planetary mass affects the minimum heat flow required to sustain both thermal and chemical convection, which we compare to a simple model for the actual heat flow conveyed by solid‐state mantle convection. We found that the required heat flows increase with planetary mass (to a power of ∼0.8–0.9), but the actual heat flow may increase even faster (to a power of ∼1.6). Massive super‐Earths are likely to host a dynamo in their metallic cores if their silicate mantles are entirely solid. Super‐Venuses with relatively slow mantle convection could host a dynamo if their mass exceeds ∼1.5 (with an inner core) or ∼4 (without an inner core) Earth‐masses. However, the mantles of massive rocky exoplanets might not be completely solid. Basal magma oceans may reduce the heat flow across the core‐mantle boundary and smother any core‐hosted dynamo. Detecting a magnetosphere at an Earth‐mass planet probably signals Earth‐like geodynamics. In contrast, magnetic fields may not reliably reveal if a massive exoplanet is a super‐Earth or a super‐Venus. We eagerly await direct observations in the next few decades.
Evidence for a Locally Thinned Lithosphere Associated With Recent Volcanism at Aramaiti Corona, Venus
Authors: Russell M. B. , Johnson C. L.
Published: June 2021

Heat flow estimates of terrestrial planets and icy satellites are important for exploring their thermal evolution. Topographic signatures of flexure can be used to estimate the effective elastic lithospheric thickness, he, and heat flow. Here, we use high resolution stereo topography and axisymmetric elastic flexure models to investigate lithospheric flexure around Narina Tholus, a steep‐sided volcanic dome ∼40 km across that superposes the tectonic annulus of Aramaiti Corona. Our results indicate a best‐fit elastic thickness he = 3.9–9.1 km, for values of Young's modulus, E, ranging from 65 to 5 GPa respectively. This suggests a thinned lithosphere locally around Narina Tholus, compared to regional estimates for he. The lower values of E are appropriate to the heavily fractured environment of the corona annulus, and we find that they predict flexural stresses compatible with the limited fracturing observed around Narina Tholus. A global survey yielded 13 additional tholi (or tholi groups) at coronae and with stereo coverage, none of which showed evidence for flexure. We find, that locally at Narina Tholus, the heat flow is elevated by a factor of 2–4 relative to that inferred from a previous study of flexure at Aramaiti, consistent with late‐stage, possibly recent, volcanism focused at, and facilitated by, the fracture annulus. Our results further strengthen arguments for a currently volcanically active planet and demonstrate the role that high‐resolution stereo topography can play in elucidating the current thermal state of Venus.
Deep Structure of the Continental Plate in the South‐Central Chilean Margin: Metamorphic Wedge and Implications for Megathrust Earthquakes
Authors: Maksymowicz A. , Contreras‐Reyes E. , Díaz D. , Comte D. , Bangs N. , Tréhu A. M. , Vera E. , Hervé F. , Rietbrock A.
Published: June 2021

We study the deep structure of the continental wedge along the south‐central Chilean convergent margin based on a joint interpretation of wide‐angle reflection and refraction seismic phases acquired between the southern part of the Maule 2010 (36°S) and the northern part of the Valdivia 1960 (41°S) earthquake rupture areas. When combined with results of previous seismic studies, our results provide new insights into the deep structure (to 15–20 km) of the overriding, continental South American plate. We observe a latitudinal variation of P wave velocity, interpreted in terms of the distribution of Permo‐Triassic metamorphic complex near the coast, and deep reflectors at the base of these metamorphic units. A change in the observed deep structural style near 38°S suggests a segmentation in the interplate frictional properties between the Maule and Valdivia earthquakes rupture zones. This regional change in the continental wedge structure indicates a spatial correlation between the coseismic ruptures of large earthquakes (e.g., the 1960 and 2010 megathrust earthquakes) and the rheology/lithology along the interplate boundary.
A Newly Observed Deep Countercurrent in the Subtropical Northwest Pacific
Authors: Azminuddin F. , Jeon D. , Kim Y. H. , Jang C. J. , Park J.‐H.
Published: June 2021

The existence of a deep countercurrent in the subtropical northwest Pacific, named Subtropical Deep Countercurrent (STDCC), has been revealed by moored current‐meter data obtained from a buoy system (∼21.6°N, ∼132.8°E) during 4 years (2010–2014). The climatological average of Argo‐based absolute geostrophic velocities and ocean reanalyzes have further confirmed the spatial picture of the eastward‐flowing STDCC. STDCC is identified as a time‐mean feature in the latitudinal range of 19°–25°N with a meridional scale of 200–300 km that persistently appears from 125° to 180°E and slightly shifts to the north as it goes east. Vertically, STDCC is mostly found below 1,000 m with its core located between the depths of 1,250 and 2,000 m, which corresponds to the undercurrent's meridional pattern with increasing depth northward and a meridional space of 2°–4°. Nevertheless, STDCC is distinctive where it lies along ∼27.6 − , which is deeper than the North Equatorial Undercurrent's density layer (∼27.0 − ). The mean velocity of STDCC at 2,000 m observed by mooring measurements was approximately 0.2 ± 0.15 cm s−1 with a maximum speed of approximately 5.59 cm s−1. The ocean reanalyzes also support the existence of STDCC with mean velocity of approximately 0.2–0.6 cm s−1 west of 145°E and can be as large as 1.6 cm s−1 at the eastern region. The results show that STDCC is closely related to the westward‐propagating eddies. Our finding emphasizes that the convergence of the cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies possibly generates time‐mean zonally elongated eastward flows forming STDCC feature.
Quantifying the Source Term and Uniqueness of the August 12, 2017 Pacific Northwest PyroCb Event
Authors: Fromm M. D. , Kablick G. P. , Peterson D. A. , Kahn R. A. , Flower V. J. B. , Seftor C. J.
Published: June 2021

A pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) firestorm event known as the Pacific Northwest Event (PNE), on August 12, 2017, is examined with a focus on newly reported details of the pyroconvective injections, transport pathway, and young‐plume altitude. Because PNE and a subsequent pyroCb event in Australia have been compared to classic stratospheric volcanic plumes, a prime motivation for this work was to exhaustively characterize the beginning of PNE, and to show how it compared to major stratospheric plumes from prior events. We find and report direct evidence that PNE pyroconvection involved seven discrete storms, at least two of which injected a plume to at least 13.7 km, up to 2.5 km above the local tropopause. The morning after, stratospheric smoke was observed above the tropopause to altitudes as great as 16 km. We also quantify for the first time that PNE was preceded by a pyroCb injection one day earlier, generating a plume noteworthy on its own but overwhelmed by the PNE smoke. Our comparison of PNE with five earlier pyroCb events reveals that PNE was not distinctive with respect to its injection and nascent plume height. However, it did produce the greatest known ultraviolet absorbing aerosol index and plume longevity as of 2017.
A Spectral Investigation of Aqueously and Thermally Altered CM, CM‐An, and CY Chondrites Under Simulated Asteroid Conditions for Comparison With OSIRIS‐REx and Hayabusa2 Observations
Authors: Bates H. C. , Donaldson Hanna K. L. , King A. J. , Bowles N. E. , Russell S. S.
Published: June 2021

Volatile‐rich asteroids are crucial to understanding the transport of water and organics to the terrestrial planet forming region in the early Solar System. Observations of two such asteroids by Hayabusa2 and Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS‐REx) suggest a relationship between these bodies and CI, CM, and CY chondrites. To confirm this, meteorite spectra need to be collected under appropriate conditions for comparison with asteroid observations. We report midinfrared (MIR) emissivity spectra (5.5–50 μm) obtained under ambient and simulated asteroid environment conditions and near‐infrared (NIR) reflectance spectra (2–5 μm) of CM and CY chondrite fine‐particulate (<35 μm) powders for which bulk mineralogy was determined using X‐ray diffraction. Reflectance spectra show a 3 μm feature associated with ‐OH/H2O that shifts from shorter (∼2.72 μm) to longer (∼2.90 μm) wavelengths and develops a rounder shape and reduced band area with increasing thermal metamorphism. In the MIR, the transparency feature (TF) and features in the Si‐O bending region (>15 μm) can be used to infer the relative degree of aqueous alteration, and to resolve the effects of aqueous and thermal alteration, when combined with NIR spectral parameters. The MIR spectra of metamorphosed CY chondrites are distinct from CM chondrite spectra, including a plateau around the Christiansen feature (∼8.00–12.50 μm) and features at longer wavelengths in the Si‐O bending region (e.g., ∼25.50 μm compared to ∼24.30 μm in the CM spectra). We additionally report potential implications of the spectra and parameters determined in this study for the results from Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS‐REx.
YAP inactivation in estrogen receptor alpha-positive hepatocellular carcinoma with less aggressive behavior
Authors: Jeon Youngsic , Yoo Jeong Eun , Rhee Hyungjin , Kim Young-Joo , Il Kim Gwang , Chung Taek , Yoon Sarah , Shin Boram , Woo Hyun Goo , Park Young Nyun
Published: June 2021

The expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα, encoded by ESR1) has been shown to be associated with the prognostic outcomes of patients in various cancers; however, its prognostic and mechanistic significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. Here, we evaluated the expression of ERα and its association with clinicopathological features in 339 HCC patients. ERα was expressed in 9.4% (32/339) of HCCs and was related to better overall survival (OS; hazard ratio [HR] = 0.11, p = 0.009, 95% C.I. = 0.016–0.82) and disease-free survival (DFS, HR = 0.4, p = 0.013, 95% C.I. = 0.18–0.85). ERα expression was also associated with features related to more favorable prognosis, such as older age, lower serum alpha-fetoprotein level, and less microvascular invasion (p < 0.05). In addition, to obtain mechanistic insights into the role of ERα in HCC progression, we performed integrative transcriptome data analyses, which revealed that yes-associated protein (YAP) pathway was significantly suppressed in ESR1-expressing HCCs. By performing cell culture experiments, we validated that ERα expression enhanced YAP phosphorylation, attenuating its nuclear translocation, which in turn suppressed the downstream signaling pathways and cancer cell growth. In conclusion, we suggest that ERα expression is an indicator of more favorable prognosis in HCC and that this effect is mediated by inactivation of YAP signaling. Our results provide new clinical and pathobiological insights into ERα and YAP signaling in HCC.
Evolution of the cytochrome bd oxygen reductase superfamily and the function of CydAA’ in Archaea
Authors: Murali Ranjani , Gennis Robert B , Hemp James
Published: June 2021

Cytochrome bd-type oxygen reductases (cytbd) belong to one of three enzyme superfamilies that catalyze oxygen reduction to water. They are widely distributed in Bacteria and Archaea, but the full extent of their biochemical diversity is unknown. Here we used phylogenomics to identify three families and several subfamilies within the cytbd superfamily. The core architecture shared by all members of the superfamily consists of four transmembrane helices that bind two active site hemes, which are responsible for oxygen reduction. While previously characterized cytochrome bd-type oxygen reductases use quinol as an electron donor to reduce oxygen, sequence analysis shows that only one of the identified families has a conserved quinol binding site. The other families are missing this feature, suggesting that they use an alternative electron donor. Multiple gene duplication events were identified within the superfamily, resulting in significant evolutionary and structural diversity. The CydAA’ cytbd, found exclusively in Archaea, is formed by the co-association of two superfamily paralogs. We heterologously expressed CydAA’ from Caldivirga maquilingensis and demonstrated that it performs oxygen reduction with quinol as an electron donor. Strikingly, CydAA’ is the first isoform of cytbd containing only b-type hemes shown to be active when isolated from membranes, demonstrating that oxygen reductase activity in this superfamily is not dependent on heme d.
Mechanisms driving genome reduction of a novel Roseobacter lineage
Authors: Feng Xiaoyuan , Chu Xiao , Qian Yang , Henson Michael W , Lanclos V Celeste , Qin Fang , Barnes Shelby , Zhao Yanlin , Thrash J Cameron , Luo Haiwei
Published: June 2021

Members of the marine Roseobacter group are key players in the global carbon and sulfur cycles. While over 300 species have been described, only 2% possess reduced genomes (mostly 3–3.5 Mbp) compared to an average roseobacter (>4 Mbp). These taxonomic minorities are phylogenetically diverse but form a Pelagic Roseobacter Cluster (PRC) at the genome content level. Here, we cultivated eight isolates constituting a novel Roseobacter lineage which we named ‘CHUG’. Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic read recruitment analyses showed that CHUG members are globally distributed and active in marine pelagic environments. CHUG members possess some of the smallest genomes (~2.6 Mb) among all known roseobacters, but they do not exhibit canonical features of typical bacterioplankton lineages theorized to have undergone genome streamlining processes, like higher coding density, fewer paralogues and rarer pseudogenes. While CHUG members form a genome content cluster with traditional PRC members, they show important differences. Unlike other PRC members, neither the relative abundances of CHUG members nor their relative gene expression levels are correlated with chlorophyll a concentration across the global samples. CHUG members cannot utilize most phytoplankton-derived metabolites or synthesize vitamin B12, a key metabolite mediating the roseobacter-phytoplankton interactions. This combination of features is evidence for the hypothesis that CHUG members may have evolved a free-living lifestyle decoupled from phytoplankton. This ecological transition was accompanied by the loss of signature genes involved in roseobacter-phytoplankton symbiosis, suggesting that relaxation of purifying selection owing to lifestyle shift is likely an important driver of genome reduction in CHUG.
Circular RNA AFF4 modulates osteogenic differentiation in BM-MSCs by activating SMAD1/5 pathway through miR-135a-5p/FNDC5/Irisin axis
Authors: Liu Chao , Liu An-Song , Zhong Da , Wang Cheng-Gong , Yu Mi , Zhang Hao-Wei , Xiao Han , Liu Jian-Hua , Zhang Jian , Yin Ke
Published: June 2021

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs), the common progenitor cells of adipocytes and osteoblasts, have been recognized as the key mediator during bone formation. Herein, our study aim to investigate molecular mechanisms underlying circular RNA (circRNA) AFF4 (circ_AFF4)-regulated BM-MSCs osteogenesis. BM-MSCs were characterized by FACS, ARS, and ALP staining. Expression patterns of circ_AFF4, miR-135a-5p, FNDC5/Irisin, SMAD1/5, and osteogenesis markers, including ALP, BMP4, RUNX2, Spp1, and Colla1 were detected by qRT-PCR, western blot, or immunofluorescence staining, respectively. Interactions between circ_AFF4 and miR-135a-5p, FNDC5, and miR-135a-5p were analyzed using web tools including TargetScan, miRanda, and miRDB, and further confirmed by luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down. Complex formation between Irisin and Integrin αV was verified by Co-immunoprecipitation. To further verify the functional role of circ_AFF4 in vivo during bone formation, we conducted animal experiments harboring circ_AFF4 knockdown, and born samples were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, hematoxylin and eosin, and Masson staining. Circ_AFF4 was upregulated upon osteogenic differentiation induction in BM-MSCs, and miR-135a-5p expression declined as differentiation proceeds. Circ_AFF4 knockdown significantly inhibited osteogenesis potential in BM-MSCs. Circ_AFF4 stimulated FNDC5/Irisin expression through complementary binding to its downstream target molecule miR-135a-5p. Irisin formed an intermolecular complex with Integrin αV and activated the SMAD1/5 pathway during osteogenic differentiation. Our work revealed that circ_AFF4, acting as a sponge of miR-135a-5p, triggers the promotion of FNDC5/Irisin via activating the SMAD1/5 pathway to induce osteogenic differentiation in BM-MSCs. These findings gained a deeper insight into the circRNA-miRNA regulatory system in the bone marrow microenvironment and may improve our understanding of bone formation-related diseases at physiological and pathological levels.