bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nucleolin Promotes Heat Shock–Associated Translation of VEGF-D to Promote Tumor Lymphangiogenesis
Authors: Morfoisse Florent , Tatin Florence , Hantelys Fransky , Adoue Aurelien , Helfer Anne-Catherine , Cassant-Sourdy Stephanie , Pujol Françoise , Gomez-Brouchet Anne , Ligat Laetitia , Lopez Frederic , Pyronnet Stephane , Courty Jose , Guillermet-Guibert Julie , Marzi Stefano , Schneider Robert J. , Prats Anne-Catherine , Garmy-Susini Barbara H.
Published: June 2016

The vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF-D promotes metastasis by inducing lymphangiogenesis and dilatation of the lymphatic vasculature, facilitating tumor cell extravasion. Here we report a novel level of control for VEGF-D expression at the level of protein translation. In human tumor cells, VEGF-D colocalized with eIF4GI and 4E-BP1, which can program increased initiation at IRES motifs on mRNA by the translational initiation complex. In murine tumors, the steady-state level of VEGF-D protein was increased despite the overexpression and dephosphorylation of 4E-BP1, which downregulates protein synthesis, suggesting the presence of an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) in the 5′ UTR of VEGF-D mRNA. We found that nucleolin, a nucleolar protein involved in ribosomal maturation, bound directly to the 5′UTR of VEGF-D mRNA, thereby improving its translation following heat shock stress via IRES activation. Nucleolin blockade by RNAi-mediated silencing or pharmacologic inhibition reduced VEGF-D translation along with a subsequent constriction of lymphatic vessels in tumors. Our results identify nucleolin as a key regulator of VEGF-D expression, deepening understanding of lymphangiogenesis control during tumor formation. Cancer Res; 76(15); 4394–405. ©2016 AACR.
Inflammatory Markers of CRP, IL6, TNFα, and Soluble TNFR2 and the Risk of Ovarian Cancer: A Meta-analysis of Prospective Studies
Authors: Zeng Fangfang , Wei Huishan , Yeoh Engkiong , Zhang Zheqing , Ren Ze-Fang , Colditz Graham A. , Tworoger Shelley S. , Su Xuefen
Published: June 2016

Background: There has been growing evidence showing that inflammatory markers play an important role in the development of ovarian cancer. We conducted a meta-analysis on the associations between circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), and soluble TNFα receptor 2 (TNFR2), and the risk of ovarian cancer.

Methods: A systematic search of PubMed and EMBASE up until January 19, 2016 was conducted to retrieve prospective studies. The summary risk estimates were pooled using random-effects models. The dose–response relationship was assessed using generalized least-squares trend estimation.

Results: Seven nested case–control studies and one prospective cohort study were included in the review. For circulating CRP, women in the highest category had a significantly increased risk of ovarian cancer than women in the lowest category, with no significant between-study heterogeneity [pooled relative risk (RR) = 1.91; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.51–2.40; P < 0.001; I2 = 0.0%]. Influence analyses further supported this positive association. A positive dose–response relationship was also observed (pooled RR = 1.15; 95% CI, 1.03–1.30 per 5 mg/L of CRP). Publication bias was found. However, the association persisted after correction using the trim-and-fill method. No significant association was observed for circulating IL6, TNFα, and soluble TNFR2.

Conclusion: This meta-analysis provides evidence that elevated levels of CRP, but not circulating IL6, TNFα, or soluble TNFR2, are significantly associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer.

Impact: These results suggest that circulating CRP may play a role in the etiology of ovarian cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(8); 1231–9. ©2016 AACR.
A Prospective Evaluation of Circulating Tumor Cells and Cell-Free DNA in EGFR-Mutant Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated with Erlotinib on a Phase II Trial
Authors: Yanagita Masahiko , Redig Amanda J. , Paweletz Cloud P. , Dahlberg Suzanne E. , O'Connell Allison , Feeney Nora , Taibi Myriam , Boucher David , Oxnard Geoffrey R. , Johnson Bruce E. , Costa Daniel B. , Jackman David M. , Jänne Pasi A.
Published: June 2016

Purpose: Genotype-directed therapy is the standard of care for advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but obtaining tumor tissue for genotyping remains a challenge. Circulating tumor cell (CTC) or cell-free DNA (cfDNA) analysis may allow for noninvasive evaluation. This prospective trial evaluated CTCs and cfDNA in EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients treated with erlotinib until progression.

Experimental Design: EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients were enrolled in a phase II trial of erlotinib. Blood was collected at baseline, every 2 months on study, and at disease progression. Plasma genotyping was performed by droplet digital PCR for EGFR19del, L858R, and T790M. CTCs were isolated by CellSave, enumerated, and analyzed by immunofluorescence for CD45 and pan-cytokeratin and EGFR and MET FISH were also performed. Rebiopsy was performed at disease progression.

Results: Sixty patients were enrolled; 44 patients discontinued therapy for disease progression. Rebiopsy occurred in 35 of 44 patients (80%), with paired CTC/cfDNA analysis in 41 of 44 samples at baseline and 36 of 44 samples at progression. T790M was identified in 23 of 35 (66%) tissue biopsies and 9 of 39 (23%) cfDNA samples. CTC analysis at progression identified MET amplification in 3 samples in which tissue analysis could not be performed. cfDNA analysis identified T790M in 2 samples in which rebiopsy was not possible. At diagnosis, high levels of cfDNA but not high levels of CTCs correlated with progression-free survival.

Conclusions: cfDNA and CTCs are complementary, noninvasive assays for evaluation of acquired resistance to first-line EGFR TKIs and may expand the number of patients in whom actionable genetic information can be obtained at acquired resistance. Serial cfDNA monitoring may offer greater clinical utility than serial monitoring of CTCs. Clin Cancer Res; 22(24); 6010–20. ©2016 AACR.
Downregulation of the Deiminase PADI2 Is an Early Event in Colorectal Carcinogenesis and Indicates Poor Prognosis
Authors: Cantariño Neus , Musulén Eva , Valero Vanesa , Peinado Miquel Angel , Perucho Manuel , Moreno Victor , Forcales Sònia-Vanina , Douet Julien , Buschbeck Marcus
Published: June 2016

Peptidyl arginine deiminases (PADI) are a family of enzymes that catalyze the poorly understood posttranslational modification converting arginine residues into citrullines. In this study, the role of PADIs in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer was investigated. Specifically, RNA expression was analyzed and its association with survival in a cohort of 98 colorectal cancer patient specimens with matched adjacent mucosa and 50 controls from donors without cancer. Key results were validated in an independent collection of tumors with matched adjacent mucosa and by mining of a publicly available expression data set. Protein expression was analyzed by immunoblotting for cell lines or IHC for patient specimens that further included 24 cases of adenocarcinoma with adjacent dysplasia and 11 cases of active ulcerative colitis. The data indicate that PADI2 is the dominantly expressed PADI enzyme in colon mucosa and is upregulated during differentiation. PADI2 expression is low or absent in colorectal cancer. Frequently, this occurs already at the stage of low-grade dysplasia. Mucosal PADI2 expression is also low in ulcerative colitis. The expression level of PADI2 in tumor and adjacent mucosa correlates with differential survival: low levels associate with poor prognosis.

Implications: Downregulation of PADI2 is an early event in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer associated with poor prognosis and points toward a possible role of citrullination in modulating tumor cells and their microenvironment. Mol Cancer Res; 14(9); 841–8. ©2016 AACR.
GEMOX: An Active Regimen for the Treatment of Luminal and Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Rizzi Anna , Aroldi Francesca , Bertocchi Paola , Prochilo Tiziana , Mutti Stefano , Savelli Giordano , Fraccon Anna Paola , Zaniboni Alberto
Published: June 2016

Background: Pretreated metastatic breast cancer (MBC) remains a formidable challenge with unmet needs both in terms of prolonged survival and quality-of-life-related issues. Methods: We collected data from 27 MBC patients treated with gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GEMOX) at our institution between June 2009 and April 2015. The patients were heavily pretreated, and all had previously been exposed to anthracyclines and taxanes. Results: We achieved a complete response in 1 patient (4%), a partial response in 7 patients (26%) and stable disease in 12 patients (44%), while 6 patients (22%) experienced progressive disease. The response of 1 patient (4%) could not be evaluated because she interrupted her treatment during the first cycle due to a major reaction to oxaliplatin. We observed grade 4 hypertransaminasaemia in only 1 patient (4%) and grade 2 neuropathy in 16 patients (59%). Grade 3 leuconeutropenia was observed in 5 patients (18%). The median progression-free survival was 5.9 months and the median overall survival was 9.6 months. Conclusions: GEMOX is an efficient and well-tolerated salvage regimen for MBC patients.
The Acute Impact of Different Types of Aerobic Exercise on Arterial Wave Reflections and Inflammation
Authors: Siasos Gerasimos , Athanasiou Dimitrios , Terzis Gerasimos , Stasinaki Aggeliki , Oikonomou Evangelos , Tsitkanou Stavroula , Dimitropoulos Stathis , Kolokytha Theodora , Tzirogiannis Konstantinos , Giannaki Anastasia , Tousoulis Dimitris
Published: June 2016

Objectives: Whilst physical activity is linked to cardiovascular health, it has lately been recognized that different types of exercise exert diverse effects on the cardiovascular system. Therefore, we investigated the acute effects of continuous moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (CAE) and high-intensity interval aerobic exercise (hIAE) on arterial function and inflammation. Methods: Twenty healthy men (mean age 22.6 ± 3.3 years) were recruited in this crossover study. Each of the 20 volunteers participated in two separate sessions (hIAE and CAE). The augmentation index (AIx) of aortic pressure waveforms and serum levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17) were measured before and after each exercise session. Results: There were no significant differences in baseline hemodynamic and inflammatory measurements before CAE and hIAE. Compared to baseline, AIx was significantly improved after CAE (p = 0.04), while there was no significant change after hIAE (p = 0.65). Serum levels of IL-17 were significantly elevated after CAE (p = 0.042), while hIAE had no significant effect on IL-17 levels (p = 0.47). Interestingly, there was an inverse association between the elevation of IL-17 levels and the AIx improvement after CAE (p = 0.05). Conclusion: These findings provide additional evidence concerning the cardiovascular effects of different types of exercise training through modification of peripheral hemodynamics and the inflammatory process.
Association of a PARK2 Germline Variant and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer in a Southern Brazilian Population
Authors: Klimczak Phamela Ferreira , Ventury Danielle Hornung , Faucz Fabio Rueda , Settas Nikolaos , Machado de Souza Cleber , Sotomaior Vanessa Santos
Published: June 2016

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the eighth most common cancer among women in Brazil and seventh in the world population. OC has a high mortality rate and is difficult to diagnose. Currently, OC detection most often occurs at an advanced stage of the disease due to its silent progression, which contributes to the high mortality rate. Available genetic markers are not considered specifically enough for an initial and definite diagnosis. The association with new genes involved with OC can provide a better understanding of this pathology as well as contribute to the development of a marker scenario, providing an improvement in the treatment and survival of patients. The aim of this study was to examine the potential association between the PARK2 gene and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Accordingly, we conducted a study for which 25 patients and 87 controls were recruited. Linkage disequilibrium analysis showed that the four studied tag SNPs (rs2803073, rs6930532, rs1040079, and rs2276201) were independent. Our results using the multivariate analysis between the additive and dominant model demonstrated that tag SNP rs2803073 of PARK2 is associated with susceptibility to EOC (p = 0.018, OR = 0.42). These findings suggest that hereditary variation in the PARK2 gene could influence EOC development mechanisms.
Tubulointerstitial Fibrosis of Living Donor Kidneys Associates with Urinary Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein 1
Authors: Wang Xiangling , Lieske John C. , Alexander Mariam P. , Jayachandran Muthuvel , Denic Aleksandar , Mathew Jerry , Lerman Lilach O. , Kremers Walter K. , Larson Joseph J. , Rule Andrew D.
Published: June 2016

Background: Non-invasive biomarkers that detect occult pathology in patients with normal glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and normal urine albumin excretion may help identify patients at risk for chronic kidney diseases. Methods: Two promising biomarkers of interstitial fibrosis, urinary monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) and collagen IV, were assayed among 634 living kidney donors from 2005 to 2011, who had both a frozen pre-donation spot urine sample and a core needle biopsy of their donated kidney at transplantation (‘time zero biopsy'). The association of urine MCP-1 and collagen IV with kidney function (GFR and urine albumin excretion), kidney volume on computed tomographic imaging and histological findings was assessed. Results: The mean ± SD age was 45 ± 12 years, 24-hour urine albumin was 4 ± 7 mg and measured GFR (mGFR) was 102 ± 18 ml/min/1.73 m2. The median (25th-75th percentile) urine level of MCP-1 was 146 (54-258) pg/ml and of collagen IV was 2.0 (1.0-3.5) µg/l. Higher urine MCP-1 associated with higher 24-hour urine albumin excretion; higher urine collagen IV associated with male gender. On kidney biopsy, any interstitial fibrosis was present in 22% and fibrosis >5% in 4% of donors. The mean MCP-1/Cr ratio was 1.49 pg/mg for 0% fibrosis, 1.80 pg/mg for 1-5% fibrosis, 2.33 pg/mg for 6-10% fibrosis and 4.33 pg/mg for >10% fibrosis. After adjustment for age, sex, mGFR and 24-hour urine albumin, higher urine MCP-1 but not collagen IV associated with interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy. Conclusion: Urine MCP-1 may detect early tubulointerstitial fibrosis in adults with normal kidney function.
Esophageal Cancer Patients Have a High Incidence of Severe Periodontitis and Preoperative Dental Care Reduces the Likelihood of Severe Pneumonia after Esophagectomy
Authors: Sato Yusuke , Motoyama Satoru , Takano Hiroshi , Nakata Akira , Liu Jiajia , Harimaya Daiki , Todo Naoto , Yoshino Kei , Sasaki Tomohiko , Wakita Akiyuki , Kawakita Yuta , Imai Kazuhiro , Saito Hajime , Fukuda Masayuki , Minamiya Yoshihiro
Published: June 2016

Background: Poor oral health is a risk factor for causing upper aerodigestive tract tumors, including esophageal cancer. Our aim was to determine the periodontitis rate in our cohort of esophageal cancer patients. We also analyzed whether preoperative dental examination and care reduces the likelihood of severe pneumonia after esophagectomy. Study Design: Between 2003 and 2014, 529 esophageal cancer patients received esophagectomy at Akita University Hospital. We studied 232 patients who had preoperative dental examinations and care (dental care group) retrospectively and assessed the severity of their periodontitis. The dental care group was compared to 297 patients who did not have preoperative dental care (control group) with respect to the incidence of severe pneumonia after esophagectomy. Results: Ninety-one patients (39.2%) in the dental care group were diagnosed with slight periodontitis and 69 (29.7%) were diagnosed with severe periodontitis. Among all the patients, 69 patients (13.0%) were diagnosed with grade 3B postoperative severe pneumonia. The dental care group had a significantly lower incidence of severe pneumonia than the control group. Moreover, multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that anastomotic leakage, preoperative dental care, gender and %VC were correlated significantly with the occurrence of postoperative severe pneumonia. Conclusion: Preoperative dental examination and care by a dentist are essential to reduce the likelihood of postoperative severe pneumonia in esophageal cancer patients.
Effect of Gender on Outcomes After Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Patients With a Narrow QRS Complex
Authors: Steffel Jan , Varma Niraj , Robertson Michele , Singh Jagmeet P. , Bax Jeroen J. , Borer Jeffrey S. , Dickstein Kenneth , Ford Ian , Gorcsan John , Gras Daniel , Krum Henry , Sogaard Peter , Holzmeister Johannes , Brugada Josep , Abraham William T. , Ruschitzka Frank
Published: June 2016

Background—

In EchoCRT, a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients with a QRS duration of <130 ms and echocardiographic evidence of left ventricular dyssynchrony, the primary outcome (death from any cause or first hospitalization for worsening heart failure) occurred more frequently in the CRT-ON when compared with the control group. In this prespecified subgroup analysis, we evaluated the effect of sex on clinical outcome in EchoCRT.

Methods and Results—

In EchoCRT, 585 (72%) of included patients were men. At baseline, male patients had a higher incidence of ischemic cardiomyopathy and longer QRS duration. On uni- and multivariable analysis, no significant interaction was observed regarding sex for the primary or any of the secondary end points. Numerically, a higher all-cause mortality was observed in male patients randomized to CRT-ON versus CRT-OFF on univariable analysis (hazard ratio, 1.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.08–3.12); however, no statistically significant interaction compared with females randomized to CRT-ON versus CRT-OFF was noted (hazard ratio, 0.99;
P
interaction, 0.56). There was no difference in the primary safety end point of system-related complications, including CRT system- and implantation-related events.

Conclusions—

The largest hazard for all-cause mortality in EchoCRT was observed in men randomized to CRT-ON; the comparison with women did not reach statistical significance, which may be because of the premature termination of the trial and the limited data. These results suggest that male sex may be a risk factor for harm by CRT in patients with narrow QRS width, an observation which deserves further investigation.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
https://clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00683696.
The Problematic Text of Athenagoras of Athens’s Leg. 12.3: A Proposed Emendation
Authors: White Devin L.
Published: June 2016

This study argues that Athenagoras of Athens’s Leg. 12.3 contains a lacuna. A vital clause should be emended to read ὑπὸ µόνου δὲ παραπεµπόµενοι τοῦ τὸν ὄντως θεὸν καὶ τὸν παρ’αὐτοῦ λόγον [πνεύµατος] εἰδέναι. The argument proceeds in three stages. First, an overview of the text, context, and history of interpretation of Leg. 12.3 will demonstrate that the text contains a lacuna. Second, a brief survey of Athenagoras’s religious epistemology will argue that πνεύµατος was the most likely original word. Finally, an analysis of the Spirit’s role in Leg. 7.2-3 will demonstrate that the reconstructed text of Leg. 12.3 is consistent with Athenagoras’s pneumatology, which relied upon traditional Jewish exegesis of the creation narratives.
Memory and Reconciliation in East Asia
Authors: Kim Mikyoung
Published: June 2016

East Asia suffers from the surfeit of memory problems which continue to haunt its present. Its mnemonic tenacity reflects a longer memory span and stronger influence of cultural tradition in the region. And yet the presentist workings of memory make its mnemonic terrain a combination of lingering past issues and pressing present needs. This article surveys salient issues of the past that the three core countries in East Asia are still grappling with. They regard the domestic, bilateral and regional issue domains. The article concludes by calling for a cosmopolitan memory and more active us involvement in the peaceful resolution of history problems in East Asia.
ngos and Regional Networks Working Towards Peace and Reconciliation in Northeast Asia
Authors: Reimann Kim D.
Published: June 2016

The path to peace and reconciliation often involves efforts that go beyond official level diplomacy, a process that can be lengthy and full of stalemates. Track 2 activities bring together ngos and citizens from different countries in a conflict and offer a separate route to foster better transnational relations. This article examines the activities of regional ngo networks in Northeast Asia promoting peace at the citizen level. It argues that a variety of track 2 activities have encouraged countries in the region to move towards reconciliation and have offered new approaches for resolving several pressing regional issues.
Reconciliation in the Timor Sea
Authors: Gullett Warwick
Published: June 2016

Australia and Timor Leste’s relationship has been bedevilled by disagreement about rights to lucrative hydrocarbon resources lying beneath the seabed of the Timor Sea and a complicated and at times a painful history with Indonesia. This article reviews these circumstances, the progress that has been made to settle resource rights in overlapping claimed areas of the Timor Sea, and the international proceedings that have been taken by Timor Leste against Australia. It is concluded that the key outstanding issue – where, exactly, the seabed boundary between Australia and Timor Leste should be located – will not be resolved in these proceedings but that progress towards amicable development of offshore resources will rest on good faith negotiations, cooperation and sound understanding of laws and principles for maritime boundary delimitation.
Reconciliation in Europe
Authors: Milano Enrico
Published: June 2016

Reconciliation between national groups and States following divisive historical events, such as in particular conflicts, is most of the times a difficult and painful process. Conflicting narratives may become entrenched and the passing of time may in certain cases produce further division, rather than healing of wounds and reconciliation. The present article considers the possibility of construing reconciliation as a principle of international law entailing due diligence obligations to remedy the harm produced and examines the recent case of the eu-sponsored dialogue and normalization process between Serbs and Kosovars, in order to see whether useful lessons can be drawn from the European experience to address disputes and historical conflicts in the Asia-Pacific region.
Testing the Waters: Charting The Evolution of Claims to and From Low-Tide Elevations and Artificial Islands under the Law of the Sea
Authors: Schofield Clive , Schofield Richard
Published: June 2016

Low-tide elevations and artificial islands have received less attention than islands ‘proper’. The article examines the evolution of the law of the sea applicable to such features, providing a contextual background for controversial contemporary state practice relating to their treatment. It includes a detailed case study of how the policies of one major maritime power, the United Kingdom, were formulated, adapted and refined in the face of fast-changing international legal norms and pressing regional concerns. In particular Britain’s consideration of the entitlement of artificial islands in the Persian Gulf during the early 1950s and the question of whether low-tide elevations could be occupied a few years later in the Caribbean region are examined. Subsequent clarifications of relevant positions in international law concerning sovereignty claims to and maritime claims from low-tide elevations and artificial islands are discussed.
Using the I-LEARN model for information literacy instruction
Authors: Greenwell Stacey
Published: June 2016

With the increasing availability of information and the importance of lifelong information literacy (IL) skills, instructional designers, school media specialists, and librarians need to determine how to best design IL teaching in order to help students locate, evaluate, and use information more effectively. This paper describes the first experimental research study conducted to determine how teaching designed using the I-LEARN model could increase student understanding and application of IL concepts and offer recommendations for future implementations of the model. The experimental study described in this article examined whether IL skills teaching designed using the I-LEARN model increased student understanding and application of IL concepts. The experimental group received an instruction session and a library research guide designed using the I-LEARN model, and the control group received an instruction session and a library research guide designed using a systems model. While the analysis of the results of pre- and post-test scores and scores on a citation analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the two groups, students in the experimental group used the I-LEARN-designed research guide more often than students in the control group and self-reported benefits of using the I-LEARN-designed research guide.
Auditing information literacy skills of secondary school students in Singapore
Authors: Majid Shaheen , Chang Yun-Ke , Foo Shubert
Published: June 2016

The aim of this study was to assess the information literacy (IL) and cyber-wellness skills of secondary 3 (grade 9) students, who are aged 14-15, in Singapore. The Ministry of Education in Singapore has introduced aspects of IL in schools through incorporating components into the syllabi of various subjects. A pilot-tested online survey, validated by IL experts from Canada, Hong Kong, Kuwait and Thailand, was used for data collection. The survey was taken by 2,458 students from 11 secondary schools in different geographical zones of Singapore. It was found that the use of school libraries and their resources was at a very low level. The majority of the students approached classmates and friends for help in solving their information-related problems. Only a small fraction consulted their school librarian. The overall IL assessment score showed that the students possessed a ‘middle’ level of IL skills which is better than previous (pre-curriculum integration) IL assessment studies in Singapore. As curriculum-embedded IL skills are taught by subject teachers, their level of preparedness could be a matter of concern. Similarly, fragmentation of IL concepts in different subject textbooks may cause co-ordination problems among teachers. This paper highlights the need for developing a roadmap for providing IL skills at different grade levels and in different subject areas. It is expected that the findings of this study will be useful to curriculum planners, teachers, schools librarians and others involved in IL education.
Records of deep-sea anglerfishes (Lophiiformes: Ceratioidei) from Indonesia, with descriptions of three new species
Authors: HO HSUAN-CHING
Published: June 2016

An examination of the ceratioid anglerfishes collected on the Indian Ocean side of Indonesia during surveys in 2004–2005 have revealed 18 species in 9 genera and 6 families, including three new species: Cryptopsaras couesii (Ceratiidae); Melanocetus johnsonii (Melanocetidae); Diceratias trilobus, Bufoceratias microcephalus sp. nov., B. thele, B. shaoi, B. cf. wedli (Diceratiidae); Himantolophus danae, H. sagamius, H. nigricornis, H. macroceratoides (Himantolophidae); Oneirodes quadrinema sp. nov., O. amaokai sp. nov., O. carlsbergi, O. cristatus, Dermatias platynogaster, Chaenophryne cf. melanorhabdus (Oneirodidae); and Linophryne parini (Linophrynidae). Of these, specimens of B. shaoi, H. macroceratoides, O. cristatus and L. parini represent the second records since the species were described. A specimen of H. nigricornis represents the third record and a specimen of Dermatias platynogaster represents the fourth record. Descriptive data and notes on the geographical distribution and morphological variation are provided for each species.
Agabus abaensis sp. nov., a peculiar species of the confinis-group from central China (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Agabinae)
Authors: ŠŤASTNÝ JAROSLAV , HÁJEK JIŘÍ
Published: June 2016

Agabus (Acatodes) abaensis sp. nov., from northern Sichuan and south-western Gansu provinces (China) is described and its relevant diagnostic characters are illustrated. The new species is, with some hesitation, classified within the A. confinis species group. Agabus abaensis sp. nov. differs from all species in the group by the combination of the following characters: elytral sculpture with considerably large, distinctly double reticulation in both sexes, and male anterior protarsal claw dentate—the characters resembling some species of the A. arcticus species group. The systematic position of the new species is briefly discussed.
Spatial Variability of the Background Diurnal Cycle of Deep Convection around the GoAmazon2014/5 Field Campaign Sites
Authors: Burleyson Casey D. , Feng Zhe , Hagos Samson M. , Fast Jerome , Machado Luiz A. T. , Martin Scot T.
Published: June 2016

The isolation of the Amazon rain forest makes it challenging to observe precipitation forming there, but it also creates a natural laboratory to study anthropogenic impacts on clouds and precipitation in an otherwise pristine environment. Observations were collected upwind and downwind of Manaus, Brazil, during the “Observations and Modeling of the Green Ocean Amazon 2014–2015” experiment (GoAmazon2014/5). Besides aircraft, most of the observations were point measurements made in a spatially heterogeneous environment, making it hard to distinguish anthropogenic signals from naturally occurring spatial variability. In this study, 15 years of satellite data are used to examine the spatial and temporal variability of deep convection around the GoAmazon2014/5 sites using cold cloud tops (infrared brightness temperatures colder than 240 K) as a proxy for deep convection. During the rainy season, convection associated with the inland propagation of the previous day’s sea-breeze front is in phase with the diurnal cycle of deep convection near Manaus but is out of phase a few hundred kilometers to the east and west. Convergence between the river breezes and the easterly trade winds generates afternoon convection up to 10% more frequently (on average ~4 mm day−1 more intense rainfall) at the GoAmazon2014/5 sites east of the Negro River (T0e, T0t/k, and T1) relative to the T3 site, which was located west of the river. In general, the annual and diurnal cycles of precipitation during 2014 were similar to climatological values that are based on satellite data from 2000 to 2013.
An Initial Laboratory Prototype Experiment for Sequestration of Atmospheric CO2
Authors: Agee Ernest M. , Orton Andrea
Published: June 2016

An initial phase of laboratory investigation has been completed in pursuit of a global-scale methodology for reduction of CO2 in ambient air through direct air capture (DAC). The methodology presented previously by Agee, Orton, and Rogers provides the background for this study. The laboratory prototype experiment presented has been designed to assess the potential for removing CO2 from ambient air by snow deposition. The approach consists of refrigeration to achieve the required CO2 deposition temperature of 135 K at 1 bar of pressure. The refrigerant of choice is liquid nitrogen (LN2) with cooling (77 K) at the top of a cylindrical 26.5-L Pyrex glass sequestration chamber. A highly conductive aluminum base with 14 instrumentation ports rests at the interface between the LN2 reservoir and the sequestration chamber. The cooling and mixing through Rayleigh–Taylor instability achieves uniform deposition temperature. Insulation to maintain the cooling process is provided to sustain CO2 depletion phase change at 135 K. The coldest temperature achieved in experimentation was 125 K. The required cooling period was 4.5 h, with an additional hour to achieve uniform chamber temperatures ≤ 135 K through top-down convective mixing. Experimental measurements showed a reduction of CO2 in the chamber air from initial values of ~500 ppmv down to 35 ppmv. Discussion is given to the issue of chamber CO2 frost versus CO2 snowflake formation, as well as the overall relevance of the experiment to DAC through refrigeration and storage in Antarctica to reduce atmospheric CO2.
The Transit-Time Distribution from the Northern Hemisphere Midlatitude Surface
Authors: Orbe Clara , Waugh Darryn W. , Newman Paul A. , Steenrod Stephen
Published: June 2016

The distribution of transit times from the Northern Hemisphere (NH) midlatitude surface is a fundamental property of tropospheric transport. Here, the authors present an analysis of the transit-time distribution (TTD) since air last contacted the NH midlatitude surface, as simulated by the NASA Global Modeling Initiative Chemistry Transport Model. Throughout the troposphere, the TTD is characterized by young modes and long tails. This results in mean transit times or “mean ages” Γ that are significantly larger than their corresponding modal transit times or “modal ages” τmode, especially in the NH, where Γ ≈ 0.5 yr, while τmode < 20 days. In addition, the shape of the TTD changes throughout the troposphere as the ratio of the spectral width Δ—the second temporal moment of the TTD—to the mean age decreases sharply in the NH from ~2.5 at NH high latitudes to ~0.7 in the Southern Hemisphere (SH). Decreases in Δ/Γ in the SH reflect a narrowing of the TTD relative to its mean and physically correspond to changes in the contributions of fast transport paths relative to slow eddy-diffusive recirculations. It is shown that fast transport paths control the patterns and seasonal cycles of idealized 5- and 50-day loss tracers in the Arctic and the tropics, respectively. The relationship between different TTD time scales and the idealized loss tracers, therefore, is conditional on the shape of the TTD.
Using Natural Variability as a Baseline to Evaluate the Performance of Bias Correction Methods in Hydrological Climate Change Impact Studies
Authors: Chen Jie , St-Denis Blaise Gauvin , Brissette François P. , Lucas-Picher Philippe
Published: June 2016

Postprocessing of climate model outputs is usually performed to remove biases prior to performing climate change impact studies. The evaluation of the performance of bias correction methods is routinely done by comparing postprocessed outputs to observed data. However, such an approach does not take into account the inherent uncertainty linked to natural climate variability and may end up recommending unnecessary complex postprocessing methods. This study evaluates the performance of bias correction methods using natural variability as a baseline. This baseline implies that any bias between model simulations and observations is only significant if it is larger than the natural climate variability. Four bias correction methods are evaluated with respect to reproducing a set of climatic and hydrological statistics. When using natural variability as a baseline, complex bias correction methods still outperform the simplest ones for precipitation and temperature time series, although the differences are much smaller than in all previous studies. However, after driving a hydrological model using the bias-corrected precipitation and temperature, all bias correction methods perform similarly with respect to reproducing 46 hydrological metrics over two watersheds in different climatic zones. The sophisticated distribution mapping correction methods show little advantage over the simplest scaling method. The main conclusion is that simple bias correction methods appear to be just as good as other more complex methods for hydrological climate change impact studies. While sophisticated methods may appear more theoretically sound, this additional complexity appears to be unjustified in hydrological impact studies when taking into account the uncertainty linked to natural climate variability.
Energy and Variance Budgets of a Diffusive Staircase with Implications for Heat Flux Scaling
Authors: Hieronymus Magnus , Carpenter Jeffrey R.
Published: June 2016

The steady-state energy and thermal variance budgets form the basis for most current methods for evaluating turbulent fluxes of buoyancy, heat, and salinity. This study derives these budgets for a double-diffusive staircase and quantifies them using direct numerical simulations; 10 runs with different Rayleigh numbers are considered. The energy budget is found to be well approximated by a simple three-term balance, while the thermal variance budget consists of only two terms. The two budgets are also combined to give an expression for the ratio of the heat and salt fluxes. The heat flux scaling is also studied and found to agree well with earlier estimates based on laboratory experiments and numerical simulations at high Rayleigh numbers. At low Rayleigh numbers, however, the authors find large deviations from earlier scaling laws. Last, the scaling theory of Grossman and Lohse, which was developed for Rayleigh–Bénard convection and is based on the partitioning of the kinetic energy and tracer variance dissipation, is adapted to the diffusive regime of double-diffusive convection. The predicted heat flux scalings are compared to the results from the numerical simulations and earlier estimates.
Response of a Preexisting Cyclonic Ocean Eddy to a Typhoon
Authors: Lu Zhumin , Wang Guihua , Shang Xiaodong
Published: June 2016

The three-dimensional responses of a cyclonic ocean eddy (COE) for 1–2 months following a typhoon were investigated using altimeter data and numerical experiments. Two significant features were found: 1) the cyclonic eddy was enhanced, and the three-dimensional structure was changed, and 2) the cyclonic eddy underwent two processes: elliptical deformation and reaxisymmetrization in the horizontal plane. These two features are generally associated with typhoon-induced upwelling and the dynamic processes of eddy adjustment. These results imply that the local ocean processes can be affected by a typhoon through low-frequency response.
Cloud Discrimination from Sky Images Using a Clear-Sky Index
Authors: Saito Masanori , Iwabuchi Hironobu
Published: June 2016

Cloud fraction mainly affects the incoming solar irradiance at the surface and is measured with ground-based sky imagers. Although several methods enable cloud discrimination from digital sky images, cloud discrimination methods are still being developed to improve the classification accuracy. This study presents two methods for effective cloud discrimination from digital sky images using a newly defined clear-sky index (CSI). The CSI represents the degree of similarity of the spectral distribution to that expected for clear sky. In the advanced method (AM), the CSI is obtained from red–green–blue (RGB) signals in RAW format by linear transformation by taking into account the solar spectrum at the top of the atmosphere, the ozone transmittance, and the spectral response of the RGB channels. The simplified method (SM) uses digital signals in a JPEG format assuming prescribed color matching functions and atmospheric states. The AM can correctly classify broken gray clouds as cloud and aureole as clear sky in most cases, and it discriminates clear sky and clouds with a correct classification rate of 93.6% based on a comparison with the zenith-pointing lidar measurements. The SM demonstrates accurate cloud discrimination performance as well as the red-to-blue ratio method does. The use of RAW format data allows for more accurate image-based cloud discrimination.
Stratospheric Temperature Climate Data Record from Merged SSU and AMSU-A Observations
Authors: Zou Cheng-Zhi , Qian Haifeng
Published: June 2016

Observations from the Stratospheric Sounding Unit (SSU) on board historical NOAA polar-orbiting satellites have played a vital role in investigations of long-term trends and variability in the middle- and upper-stratospheric temperatures during 1979–2006. The successor to SSU is the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) starting from 1998 until the present. Unfortunately, the two observations came from different sets of atmospheric layers, and the SSU weighting functions varied with time and location, posing a challenge to merge them with sufficient accuracy for development of an extended SSU climate data record. This study proposes a variational approach for the merging problem, matching in both temperatures and weighting functions. The approach yields zero means with a small standard deviation and a negligible drift over time in the temperature differences between SSU and its extension to AMSU-A. These features made the approach appealing for reliable detection of long-term climate trends. The approach also matches weighting functions with high accuracy for SSU channels 1 and 2 and reasonable accuracy for channel 3. The total decreases in global mean temperatures found from the merged dataset were from 1.8 K in the middle stratosphere to 2.4 K in the upper stratosphere during 1979–2015. These temperature drops were associated with two segments of piecewise linear cooling trends, with those during the first period (1979–97) being much larger than those of the second period (1998–2015). These differences in temperature trends corresponded well to changes of the atmospheric ozone amount from depletion to recovery during the respective time periods, showing the influence of human decisions on climate change.
Observations of the Structure and Evolution of Hurricane Edouard (2014) during Intensity Change. Part I: Relationship between the Thermodynamic Structure and Precipitation
Authors: Zawislak Jonathan , Jiang Haiyan , Alvey George R. , Zipser Edward J. , Rogers Robert F. , Zhang Jun A. , Stevenson Stephanie N.
Published: June 2016

The structural evolution of the inner core and near environment throughout the life cycle of Hurricane Edouard (2014) is examined using a synthesis of airborne and satellite measurements. This study specifically focuses on the precipitation evolution and thermodynamic changes that occur on the vortex scale during four periods: when Edouard was a slowly intensifying tropical storm, another while a rapidly intensifying hurricane, during the initial stages of weakening after reaching peak intensity, and later while experiencing moderate weakening in the midlatitudes. Results suggest that, in a shear-relative framework, a wavenumber-1 asymmetry exists whereby the downshear quadrants consistently exhibit the greatest precipitation coverage and highest relative humidity, while the upshear quadrants (especially upshear right) exhibit relatively less precipitation coverage and lower humidity, particularly in the midtroposphere. Whether dynamically or precipitation driven, the relatively dry layers upshear appear to be ubiquitously caused by subsidence. The precipitation and thermodynamic asymmetry is observed throughout the intensification and later weakening stages, while a consistently more symmetric distribution is only observed when Edouard reaches peak intensity. The precipitation distribution, which is also discussed in the context of the boundary layer thermodynamic properties, is intimately linked to the thermodynamic symmetry, which becomes greater as the frequency, areal coverage, and, in particular, rainfall rate increases upshear. Although shear is generally believed to be detrimental to intensification, observations in Edouard also indicate that subsidence warming from mesoscale downdrafts in the low- to midtroposphere very near the center may have contributed favorably to organization early in the intensification stage.
A Comparative Study of the 3 June 2015 Great Plains Low-Level Jet
Authors: Parish Thomas R.
Published: June 2016

Detailed ground-based and airborne measurements were conducted of the summertime Great Plains low-level jet (LLJ) in central Kansas during the Plains Elevated Convection at Night (PECAN) campaign. Airborne measurements using the University of Wyoming King Air were made to document the vertical wind profile and the forcing of the jet during the nighttime hours on 3 June 2015. Two flights were conducted that document the evolution of the LLJ from sunset to dawn. Each flight included a series of vertical sawtooth and isobaric legs along a fixed track at 38.7°N between longitudes 98.9° and 100°W.

Comparison of the 3 June 2015 LLJ was made with a composite LLJ case obtained from gridded output from the North American Mesoscale Forecast System for June and July of 2008 and 2009. Forcing of the LLJ was detected using cross sections of D values that allow measurement of the vertical profile of the horizontal pressure gradient force and the thermal wind. Combined with observations of the actual wind, ageostrophic components normal to the flight track can be detected. Observations show that the 3 June 2015 LLJ displayed classic features of the LLJ, including an inertial oscillation of the ageostrophic wind. Oscillations in the geostrophic wind as a result of diurnal heating and cooling of the sloping terrain are not responsible for the nocturnal wind maximum. Net daytime heating of the sloping Great Plains, however, is responsible for the development of a strong background geostrophic wind that is critical to formation of the LLJ.
Electroconvulsive therapy
Authors: Sicher Sarah , Gedzior Joanna
Published: June 2016

This article aims to promote awareness among primary care providers and support electroconvulsive therapy as a generally well-tolerated, effective therapeutic modality to treat specific psychiatric conditions in appropriately selected patients. There seem to be several potential barriers to treatment with electroconvulsive therapy including stigma, lack of providers who preform it, and lack of awareness among providers referring patients who may be appropriate candidates. The article provides a brief overview of electroconvulsive therapy principles and topics and includes a case report to illustrate clinical utility. The article proposes the concept that a potential way to overcome barriers to treatment with electroconvulsive therapy may be to promote education and awareness of it as a viable treatment modality among primary care providers.
Propagating Justice through Court and Prosecution Work in China
Authors: Trevaskes Susan
Published: June 2016

This article surveys the performative function of criminal justice practices in contemporary China. It explores this function in the context of the Harmonious Society agenda and its accompanying Stability Maintenance imperative in the decade of the 2000s. It examines three initiatives connected to promoting the harmony and stability agendas that were promulgated by the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) and Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP). These initiatives carried distinctive messages about how justice authorities were expected to dispense justice under the banner of Harmonious Society and Stability Maintenance. They provided a rhetorical framework, a new visual and conceptual space, for the SPC and SPP to promote the imperatives of stability and harmony-building. Overall, the article observes how this performative role is integral to maintaining the close link between law and politics and to sustaining the politico-legal culture upon which justice practices are based in China.