bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical, individual and environmental factors related to children’s health-related quality of life following treatment under general anaesthetic for dental caries: a path analysis
Authors: Knapp R. , Marshman Zoe , Gilchrist Fiona , Vettore Mario , Rodd Helen
Published: February 2022

Objective

To examine the impact of clinical, individual, and environmental factors on children’s oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and overall health-related quality of life (HRQoL) following dental caries management under general anaesthetic (GA).

Methods

Participants comprised 5- to 16-year-old children who were referred to a British Dental Hospital, for the management of their dental caries under GA. The Caries Impacts and Experiences Questionnaire for Children (CARIES-QC) and the Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) were used to assess child-reported OHRQoL and HRQoL, respectively, at baseline and 3-months follow up. A theoretical conceptual model, based on the Wilson and Cleary model of HRQOL, was evaluated using path analysis to explore indirect and direct relationships of the clinical, individual, and environmental variables on the quality of life outcomes following treatment.

Results

85 children completed the study. Path analyses revealed that 47% of the variance in OHRQoL scores was accounted for by the variables in the model. There were significant relationships between change in OHRQoL score and treatment type [extraction only vs. combination care (β = 1.41, p = 0.07)] and number of extractions (β = 0.46, p < 0.001). A higher number of tooth extractions was associated with poorer OHRQoL and HRQoL following treatment.

Conclusions

Treatment type, via number of extractions, may significantly impact on child OHRQoL and HRQoL following treatment under GA. However, to identify any other factors, that might affect these key outcomes, further enquiry is warranted with a bigger sample.
Human genital tracts microbiota: dysbiosis crucial for infertility
Authors: Venneri M. A. , Franceschini E. , Sciarra F. , Rosato E. , D’Ettorre G. , Lenzi A.
Published: February 2022

Human body is colonized by trillions of microbes, influenced by several factors, both endogenous, as hormones and circadian regulation, and exogenous as, life-style habits and nutrition. The alteration of such factors can lead to microbial dysbiosis, a phenomenon which, in turn, represents a risk factor in many different pathologies including cancer, diabetes, autoimmune and cardiovascular disease, and infertility. Female microbiota dysbiosis (vaginal, endometrial, placental) and male microbiota dysbiosis (seminal fluid) can influence the fertility, determining a detrimental impact on various conditions, as pre-term birth, neonatal illnesses, and macroscopic sperm parameters impairments. Furthermore, unprotected sexual intercourse creates a bacterial exchange between partners, and, in addition, each partner can influence the microbiota composition of partner’s reproductive tracts. This comprehensive overview of the effects of bacterial dysbiosis in both sexes and how partners might influence each other will allow for better personalization of infertility management.
Common Subtype of Small Renal Mass MR Imaging Characterisation: A Medical Center Experience in Taiwan
Authors: Liu Ming-Cheng , Liu Yi-Jui , Lin Yen-Ting , Hung Siu-Wan , Chai Jyh-Wen , Chan Si-Wa , Chiu Kun-Yuan , Tsou Ya-Ling
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Many studies have shown that multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be helpful for differentiating malignant renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) from benign lesions. However, the key imaging characteristics that differ between malignant and benign tumors still require further discussion.

Methods

We analyzed 60 adult patients diagnosed with 72 small renal masses (SRMs) who received preoperative MRI from 2014 to 2019 at a hospital in Taiwan. The MRI features included conventional MRI parameters, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) data, and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) patterns, which were documented and compared among the four common subtypes: clear cell RCC (ccRCC), papillary RCC (pRCC), angiomyolipoma (AML) and other types of RCC. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of high- and low-grade RCCs were also analyzed.

Results

The results show that ccRCC had higher T2-weighted signal intensity than the other three subgroups, a higher arterial wash-in index (AWI) and ADC value than AML and pRCC, and manifested a plateau (n = 9, 25%) or washout (n = 27, 75%) enhancement pattern. AMLs exhibited more intravoxel fat than the other three subtype groups, and half of the AMLs (6 in 12) contained bulk fat. pRCC demonstrated a more progressive (n = 3, 60%) enhancement pattern than the other three subgroups. The ADC value of high-grade RCCs was significantly lower than that of low-grade RCCs.

Conclusion

These findings may indicate that multiparametric MRI is useful in differentiating among four common pathological types of SRMs, and the ADC value may be helpful in evaluating the histological grade of malignancy.
Integrating assisted tele-psychiatry into primary healthcare in Goa, India: a feasibility study
Authors: Garg Ankur , Agrawal Ravindra , Velleman Richard , Rane Anil , Costa Sheina , Gupta Devika , Dsouza Ethel , Jambhale Abhijeet , Sabnis Akshada , Fernandes Godwin , Bhatia Urvita , Nadkarni Abhijit
Published: February 2022

Background

Tele-psychiatry is an increasingly acceptable and feasible platform to deliver mental health care with the potential to increase access to care in low-resource settings. We aim to examine the acceptability and preliminary impact of the delivery of assisted tele-psychiatry services in primary healthcare settings in Goa, India.

Methods

Before-after uncontrolled treatment cohort study. In total, 161 adults with either a mental or alcohol use disorder were provided tele-consultation by psychiatrists through a customised video conferencing platform, along with medication or counselling (via trained lay counsellors) or both as needed. Data on socio-demographics, clinical outcomes and process indicators were collected at baseline and 3 months post-baseline. Paired t tests were used to assess clinical outcomes pre- and post-treatment using the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) and World Health Organisation Disability Adjustment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0, and logistic regression was used to find associations between changes in these scores and various factors.

Results

The most common diagnosis was depression (35%). Post-treatment, there was a significant reduction in both GHQ-12 and WHODAS 2.0 scores. Participants showed high satisfaction with the tele-psychiatry services and technology platform. Improvement in GHQ-12 score was associated with being employed [OR 8.74 (1.92–39.75, p = 0.005)] and being a homemaker [OR 6.42 (CI 1.61–25.57, p = 0.008)].

Conclusion

Treatment of mental disorders through a tele-psychiatry platform appears to be highly acceptable and is associated with improved clinical outcomes. Considering its potential for scalability, a model of assisted tele-psychiatry integrated into primary care can be an important strategy to increase access to mental healthcare in low-resource settings.
Does ideology influence hiring in China? evidence from two randomized experiments
Authors: Pan Jennifer , Zhang Tongtong
Published: February 2022

China after Mao is typically characterized as a country where economic opportunities are based on merit instead of ideological conformity. However, the salience of ideology has grown under the rule of Xi Jinping. Using a large-scale resume audit experiment and a conjoint survey experiment of hiring managers in China, we find that firms in China do not reward job candidates for expressing conformity to the ideology of the regime, but job candidates who express support for Western democracy are less employable. Results suggest that firms in innovative industries designated as strategically important by the Chinese regime (e.g., artificial intelligence) penalize support for Western democracy by the largest magnitude while the remaining firms in innovative industries do not penalize political non-conformity.
Public opinion on welfare state recalibration in times of austerity: evidence from survey experiments
Authors: Bremer Björn , Bürgisser Reto
Published: February 2022

Even though social investment is highly popular, welfare state recalibration remains an uphill battle. When resources are scarce in times of austerity, welfare recalibration involves multidimensional trade-offs. Existing research primarily studied preferences toward individual policies or trade-offs in specific policy fields, failing to capture citizens’ overall social policy priorities. Using two novel survey experiments in three European countries, we show that citizens have clear social policy priorities: pensions and education enjoy a high, family policies a medium, and labor market policies a low priority. However, policy constituencies differ in their relative priorities. Our findings suggest that welfare state recalibration is difficult because trade-offs are unpopular, and distributive conflicts in mature welfare states are mainly about distributing resources to specific social groups.
Association of alcohol types, coffee and tea intake with mortality: prospective cohort study of UK Biobank participants
Authors: Schaefer Sylva M. , Kaiser Anna , Behrendt Inken , Eichner Gerrit , Fasshauer Mathias
Published: February 2022

The present study examines how alcohol intake from wine and non-wine alcoholic beverages (non-wine) in g/d, as well as cups of coffee and tea included as continuous covariates and mutually adjusted are associated with all-cause, cancer, non-cancer and CVD mortality. Consumption was assessed in 354 386 participants of the UK Biobank cohort who drank alcohol at least occasionally and survived at least 2 years after baseline with 20 201 deaths occurring over 4·2 million person-years. Hazard ratios (HR) for mortality were assessed with Cox proportional hazard regression models and beverage intake fitted as penalised cubic splines. A significant U-shaped association was detected between wine consumption and all-cause, non-cancer and CVD mortality. Wine consumption with lowest risk of death (nadir) ranged from 19 to 23 g alcohol/d in all participants and both sexes separately. In contrast, non-wine intake was significantly and positively associated in a dose-dependent manner with all mortality types studied except for CVD in females and with the nadir between 0 and 12 g alcohol/d. In all participants, the nadir for all-cause mortality was 2 cups coffee/d with non-coffee drinkers showing a slightly increased risk of death. Tea consumption was significantly and negatively associated with all mortality types in both sexes. Taken together, light to moderate consumption of wine but not non-wine is associated with decreased all-cause and non-cancer mortality. A minor negative association of coffee consumption with mortality cannot be excluded whereas tea intake is associated with a consistently decreased risk of all mortality types studied.
Degree of food processing and breast cancer risk in black urban women from Soweto, South African: the South African Breast Cancer study
Authors: Jacobs Inarie , Taljaard-Krugell Christine , Wicks Mariaan , Cubasch Herbert , Joffe Maureen , Laubscher Ria , Romieu Isabelle , Levy Renata B. , Rauber Fernanda , Biessy Carine , Rinaldi Sabina , Huybrechts Inge
Published: February 2022

This study aimed to investigate the association between consumption of ultra-processed foods, whole foods and breast cancer risk in black women from Soweto, South Africa. A population-based case (n 396)–control (n 396) study matched on age and residence, using data from the South African Breast Cancer study. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated quantified FFQ. Food items were categorised using the NOVA system ((1) unprocessed/minimally processed foods, (2) culinary ingredients, (3) processed foods and (4) ultra-processed foods). Conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate OR and 95 % CI of dietary contributions from each NOVA food group (as a percentage of total energy intake (EI)) and adjusting for potential confounders. Considering contributions to total EI per day, ultra-processed food consumption contributed to 44·8 % in cases and 47·9 % in controls, while unprocessed/minimally processed foods contributed to 38·8 % in cases and 35·2 % in controls. Unprocessed/minimally processed food consumption showed an inverse association with breast cancer risk overall (OR = 0·52, 95 % CI 0·35, 0·78), as well as in pre- and postmenopausal women separately (OR = 0·52, 95 % CI 0·27, 0·95 and OR = 0·55, 95 % CI 0·35, 0·89, respectively) and in women with progesterone positive breast cancer (OR = 0·23, 95 % CI 0·06, 0·86). There was no heterogeneity in association with breast cancer when analyses were stratified according to BMI. No significant associations were observed for the consumption of other NOVA food groups. Intake of unprocessed/minimally processed foods may reduce the risk of developing breast cancer in black women from Soweto, South Africa.
The War at the Workplace: Calcutta's Dockworkers and Changing Labour Regime, 1939–1945
Authors: Agarwal Prerna
Published: February 2022

The upheavals of World War II prepared a new labour regime in twentieth-century India, in employers’ chambers, government offices, and in the newly established Labour Department, but as crucially, at the workplace and on the shop floor. This article studies the case of Calcutta port, an important military port in Southeast Asia after the fall of Singapore and Rangoon, where the complex historical processes resulting from the war generated an unprecedented impetus for the transformation of the labour regime. It examines the powerful impact and dynamics of the war at two levels: at the level of long-run changes in the work organization, and, through a microhistory approach, at the level of workers’ everyday wartime experiences. Under wartime exigencies, the employers introduced ad hoc, piecemeal, but significant reforms – food rations, bonuses, higher wages, housing provisions, and regularization of employment – that were more extensive than originally conceived of and proved to be irreversible, and, ultimately, cracked open a labour regime based on casual labour. The focus on workers’ experiences shows us how the measures designed for stabilization and efficiency proved to be profoundly unsettling in the context of dramatic events that pervaded the workplace. In the shadows of the war, workers and employers experienced a balance of forces in flux. Labour relations were marked by anticipations, hostility, tensions, and, increasingly, sharpness of conflict. The article argues that, by the end of the 1940s, the employers and the state had overcome an industrial relations crisis through nothing less than a restructuring of port labour relations, creating a highly regulated “formal sector” with significant welfare provisions.
The impacts of human activity on mammals in a community forest near the Dja Biosphere Reserve in Cameroon
Authors: Tudge Sophie Jane , Brittain Stephanie , Kentatchime Fabrice , Kamogne Tagne Cédric Thibaut , Rowcliffe J. Marcus
Published: February 2022

Human activity in African tropical rainforests continues to threaten wild mammals. Many rural communities are dependent on hunting, yet there is a widespread lack of baseline data on ecology and the sustainability of hunting. We investigated the impacts of human activity on mammal species composition and distributions within a community forest surrounding a village in the buffer zone of the Dja Biosphere Reserve in south-east Cameroon. We conducted a camera-trap survey in August–November 2017 and detected 24 mammal species, including Critically Endangered western lowland gorilla Gorilla gorilla gorilla, Endangered central African chimpanzee Pan troglodytes troglodytes and Endangered tree pangolin Phataginus tricuspis. We used occupancy analysis to explore relationships between indicators of human activity (distance to a road and the Reserve), habitat quality (distance to the river and tree cover) and the distributions of species. We found that the local distribution of threatened mammals was not apparently limited by human activity, and proximity to the road did not negatively influence occupancy for any species. However, most of the Reserve's large species were not detected, including the African forest elephant Loxodonta cyclotis and the largest ungulates, and the occupancy of two species commonly hunted for wild meat was positively correlated with distance from the village, indicating hunting may be unsustainable. Our results show that the community forest provides habitat for threatened species outside the Reserve and in close proximity to people. However, effective conservation management will require continued monitoring and research to determine whether current rates of hunting are sustainable.
Lag effects in grammar learning: A desirable difficulties perspective
Authors: Serfaty Jonathan , Serrano Raquel
Published: February 2022

This paper examined lag effects in the learning of second language (L2) grammar. Moreover, following the Desirable Difficulty Framework for L2 practice, the present study investigated whether lag effects could be explained by other sources of difficulty. Using digital flashcards, 117 English language learners (aged 10–18) learned two grammatical structures over two different sessions at a 1-day or 7-day intersession interval (ISI). Learners’ performance was analyzed at two retention intervals (RIs) of 7 and 28 days, respectively. Linguistic difficulty was compared by examining two different structures, while learner-related difficulty was analyzed by comparing learners who differed in terms of age, proficiency, and time required to complete the training. Results showed no main effect of ISI, a main effect of RI, and a small but significant ISI × RI interaction. Linguistic difficulty and age did not interact with ISI or RI. However, longer lags led to significantly higher scores for faster learners and learners of higher proficiency, while shorter lags promoted significantly higher scores for slower learners and learners of lower proficiency. The findings provide some support for the Desirable Difficulty Framework in its potential to explain L2 lag effects.
A tool to evaluate accessibility due to sea-ice cover: a case study of the Weddell Sea, Antarctica
Authors: Pehlke Hendrik , Brey Thomas , Konijnenberg Rebecca , Teschke Katharina
Published: February 2022

Sea ice is the major constraint on human activities in the Southern Ocean. Depending on a vessel's ice class, human mobility may be restricted or even prevented altogether by sea-ice conditions. This may imply limited access to research or monitoring stations, preferred fishing grounds or attractive tourist sites. Here, we introduce a statistical model that evaluates the sea-ice cover with two measures: 1) accessibility (i.e. the probability that a given area is navigable by vessels at a given time) and 2) repeated accessibility (i.e. the probability that a given area is navigable by vessels at a given time and again at least once within a defined timespan). We use daily sea-ice concentration data from 2002 to 2020 to demonstrate this tool and its functioning regarding the spatiotemporal variability of sea-ice cover in the wider Weddell Sea region. These findings reflect known characteristics of sea-ice distribution and dynamics in the Weddell Sea, confirming the functionality of our simple tool for determining repeated accessibility of certain areas. Such a tool may facilitate the planning of research and monitoring activities in the Southern Ocean, as well as in Arctic seas.
The developmental course of loneliness in adolescence: Implications for mental health, educational attainment, and psychosocial functioning
Authors: Matthews Timothy , Qualter Pamela , Bryan Bridget T. , Caspi Avshalom , Danese Andrea , Moffitt Terrie E. , Odgers Candice L. , Strange Lily , Arseneault Louise
Published: February 2022

The present study examined patterns of stability and change in loneliness across adolescence. Data were drawn from the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a UK population-representative cohort of 2,232 individuals born in 1994 and 1995. Loneliness was assessed when participants were aged 12 and 18. Loneliness showed modest stability across these ages (r = .25). Behavioral genetic modeling indicated that stability in loneliness was explained largely by genetic influences (66%), while change was explained by nonshared environmental effects (58%). Individuals who reported loneliness at both ages were broadly similar to individuals who only reported it at age 18, with both groups at elevated risk of mental health problems, physical health risk behaviors, and education and employment difficulties. Individuals who were lonely only at age 12 generally fared better; however, they were still more likely to finish school with lower qualifications. Positive family influences in childhood predicted reduced risk of loneliness at age 12, while negative peer experiences increased the risk. Together, the findings show that while early adolescent loneliness does not appear to exert a cumulative burden when it persists, it is nonetheless a risk for a range of concomitant impairments, some of which can endure.
Contraception Deserts: The Effects of Title X Rule Changes on Access to Reproductive Health Care Resources
Authors: Smith Candis Watts , Kreitzer Rebecca J. , Kane Kellen A. , Saunders Tracee M.
Published: February 2022

Historically, access to contraception has been supported in a bipartisan way, best exemplified by consistent congressional funding of Title X—the only federal program specifically focused on providing affordable reproductive health care to American residents. However, in an era of partisan polarization, Title X has become a political and symbolic pawn, in part because of its connection to family planning organizations like Planned Parenthood. The conflicts around Title X highlight the effects of intertwining abortion politics and contraception policy, particularly as they relate to reproductive justice and gendered policy making. Family planning organizations like Planned Parenthood have responded to these battles by bowing out of the Title X network. To what extent have contraception deserts—places characterized by inequitable access to Title X—developed or expanded in response to policy changes related to contraception and reproductive health? What is the demographic makeup of these spaces of inequality? We leverage data from the Office of Population Affairs and the U.S. Census Bureau and use the integrated two-step floating catchment area method to illustrate the effects of a major change in the Title X network in 10 states. Our results reveal the widespread human ramifications of increasing constraints on family planning organizations as a result of quiet but insidious federal bureaucratic rule changes.
A miniaturized design of Vicsek snowflake-box fractal microstrip patch antenna using defective ground structure for wireless applications
Authors: Kattimani Bharamappa , Patil Rajendra R
Published: February 2022

In this paper, miniaturization of fractal geometry with defected ground structure (DGC) concept has been experimentally verified atS-band (2–4) GHz. The design starts with a self-symmetry structure using conventional Vicsek snowflake-box fractal antenna. The same has been used in third iteration to achieve miniaturization. This proposed microstrip patch antenna (MPA) is resonating at 2.12 GHz with acceptable gain and broadside radiation. The miniaturization of about 87.26% when compared to conventional fractal MPA is achieved. The fractal unit cell is optimized for miniaturization and bandwidth by carrying out parametric study and applying the DGS shapes like rectangular andU-shaped slot etched in the ground plane of Vicsek snowflake-box fractal microstrip antenna. A fractal microstrip antenna is designed for wireless applications at 3.95 GHz. The fractal microstrip antenna is simulated using HFSS-V15 simulator. It is observed that the maximum size reduction of 87.26% is achieved in the third iteration of the Vicsek snowflake-box fractal radiating patch. The proposed fractal patch antenna is designed and fabricated using epoxy substrate of FR-4 with dielectric constant of 4.4 and thickness of 1.6 mm. The simulated results are compared with the measured results.
International humanitarian law, principled humanitarian action, counterterrorism and sanctions: Some perspectives on selected issues
Authors: Ferraro Tristan
Published: February 2022

In recent years, the international community has worked to confront the large and growing threat of terrorism, including by introducing new counterterrorism (CT) measures and tightening existing ones. These measures take many forms, including international, regional and domestic sanctions against individuals, groups and other entities. Such efforts pursue the legitimate aims of security and international peace – things that terrorism undermines and goes against – but they have, at the same time, implicated a degree of overlap and confusion between international humanitarian law (IHL), on the one hand, and the law and policy framework underwriting CT measures and sanctions regimes, on the other, particularly as both apply to and affect principled humanitarian action. This article addresses this area of overlap and confusion. First, it examines the applicability of IHL to CT measures and operations. Next, it addresses the co-application of IHL, CT regulations and sanctions regimes, from the mindset of preserving IHL without impeding CT measures and their objectives. The article then examines the legal questions that arise when sanctions regimes and CT measures affect IHL-mandated and IHL-protected activities undertaken by impartial humanitarian organizations. Finally, the article analyzes recent developments and makes proposals aimed at preserving an effective humanitarian space in contexts where IHL, CT legal frameworks and sanctions apply simultaneously.
Block-Wise Model Fit for Structural Equation Models With Experience Sampling Data
Authors: Norget Julia , Mayer Axel
Published: February 2022

Abstract. Common model fit indices behave poorly in structural equation models for experience sampling data which typically contain many manifest variables. In this article, we propose a block-wise fit assessment for large models as an alternative. The entire model is estimated jointly, and block-wise versions of common fit indices are then determined from smaller blocks of the variance-covariance matrix using simulated degrees of freedom. In a first simulation study, we show that block-wise fit indices, contrary to global fit indices, correctly identify correctly specified latent state-trait models with 49 occasions and N = 200. In a second simulation, we find that block-wise fit indices cannot identify misspecification purely between days but correctly rejects other misspecified models. In some cases, the block-wise fit is superior in judging the strength of the misspecification. Lastly, we discuss the practical use of block-wise fit evaluation and its limitations.
Electron Resonant Interaction With Whistler Waves Around Foreshock Transients and the Bow Shock Behind the Terminator
Authors: Artemyev A. V. , Shi X. , Liu T. Z. , Zhang X.‐J. , Vasko I. , Angelopoulos V.
Published: February 2022

Investigation of electron energization at (and around) the Earth's bow shock is critical to our understanding of space weather and astrophysical phenomena. The traditional adiabatic mechanisms for such energization compete with transient wave‐particle interactions there. One of the most intense wave modes resonating with electrons is the high‐frequency whistler mode, which is widely observed at (and around) the Earth's bow shock. Here, we examine these interactions in the context of the strong magnetic field gradients often found near the bow shock and at foreshock transients. Using THEMIS and ARTEMIS wave measurements, we quantify the nonlinear effects of resonant interactions between ≥100 eV electrons and intense coherent whistler waves. Such nonlinear interactions include the electron phase trapping by waves. As a result, the trapped electrons gain an energy up to several hundreds of eV. We estimate the main characteristics of the proposed acceleration mechanism and discuss its applicability to realistic plasma and magnetic field distributions.
Statistical Properties and Proposed Source Mechanism of Recurrent Substorm Activity With One‐Hour Periodicity
Authors: Keiling A. , Ramos C. , Vu N. , Angelopoulos V. , Nosé M.
Published: February 2022

Substorm activity, due to either substorms or substorm‐associated disturbances, shows two preferred recurrent intervals for periodic events. While the longer recurrent interval of ∼3 hr has been extensively studied, albeit still without a conclusive answer on its source mechanism, the source of the shorter 1‐hr recurrent interval has not been addressed at all. Here, we provide statistics on 102 events, each event being a sequence of substorm‐like dipolarizations with recurrent intervals of between 30 min and 2 hr, using Kp, Dst, AE, and solar wind speed, and relate them to statistics of other response modes, such as steady magnetospheric convections, sawtooth events, and isolated substorms. It becomes apparent that the 1‐hr events are a nonstorm phenomenon, which clearly distinguishes them from sawtooth events, which occur during larger Dst and Kp values. While there are statistical similarities to isolated substorms in terms of solar wind driving and Kp, our events also encompass pseudo‐breakups and smaller substorm activations. Overall, the range of AE values for the 102 events is very broad, suggesting small to large auroral activities during the events. Furthermore, we provide a comparison to published global MHD simulations with kinetic corrections, which suggests that the source mechanism of these events could be internally driven, quasi‐periodic reconnection in the magnetotail. Finally, we advocate the treatment of this global phenomenon as a separate response mode of the magnetosphere‐ionosphere system.
The Effect of the 3‐D Structure on Strain Accumulation and the Interseismic Behavior Along the North Anatolian Fault in the Sea of Marmara
Authors: Yılmaz Zeynep , Konca Ali Özgün , Ergintav Semih
Published: February 2022

The 150‐km seismic gap in the Sea of Marmara is the longest section of the North Anatolian Fault that has not ruptured in the last century. Recent geodetic studies suggest that the interseismic coupling along the Main Marmara Fault (MMF) is heterogeneous with locked and creeping segments. Alternatively, the MMF is fully locked, but the strain is localized asymmetrically around the fault due to the deep basins. In this study, we build a 3‐D model of the region, including the basins and the 3‐D fault geometry, to study the competing effects of deep basins and the interseismic locking distribution using the observed Global Navigation Satellite System velocities. We conclude that the basins along the fault localize the interseismic strain, leading to slightly deeper‐estimated locking depths. The on‐land data are too far to constrain the full interseismic coupling, especially in the Central Marmara. The Western Marmara is better resolved, where we infer a ∼50‐km creeping zone. The transition from the creeping to the locked behavior in Western Marmara is around the Ganos Bend. The creeping zone correlates well with a higher rate of diffuse seismicity and repeating earthquakes, implying that the seismicity could be an indicator of interseismic behavior. Variations of earthquake focal mechanisms and associated regional stresses are also consistent with compressional and dilatational quadrants due to the creeping segment. The significant thrust components observed in the 2019 Silivri earthquake sequence north of the MMF can also be explained by the compressional loading due to the interseismic creep further west.
Summer Greenland Blocking Diversity and Its Impact on the Surface Mass Balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet
Authors: Preece J. R. , Wachowicz L. J. , Mote T. L. , Tedesco M. , Fettweis X.
Published: February 2022

The increase in Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) surface runoff since the turn of the century has been linked to a rise in Greenland blocking frequency. However, a range of synoptic patterns can be considered blocked flow and efforts that summarize all blocking types indiscriminately likely fail to capture consequential differences in GrIS response. To account for these differences, we employ ERA5 reanalysis to identify summer blocking using two independent blocking metrics: the Greenland Blocking Index (GBI) and the blocking index of Pelly and Hoskins (2003, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(2003)060<0743:ANPOB>2.0.CO;2). We then conduct a self‐organizing map analysis to objectively classify synoptic conditions during Greenland blocking episodes and identify three primary blocking types: (a) a high‐amplitude Omega block, (b) a lower‐amplitude, stationary summer ridge, and (c) a cyclonic wave breaking pattern. Using Modèle Atmosphérique Régional output, we document the spatiotemporal progression of the surface energy and mass balance for each blocking type. Relative to all blocking episodes, summer ridge patterns produce more melt over the southern ice sheet, Omega blocks produce more melt across the northern ice sheet, and cyclonic wave breaking patterns produce more melt in northeast Greenland. Our results indicate that the recent trend in summer Greenland blocking was largely driven by an increase in Omega patterns and suggest that Omega blocks have played a central role in the recent acceleration of GrIS mass loss. Furthermore, the GBI exhibited a relative bias toward Omega patterns, which may help explain why it has measured stronger trends in summer Greenland blocking than other blocking metrics.
Variability, Trend, and Extremes of the South American Vegetation‐Climate System: Results From a Coupled Regional Model
Authors: Erfanian Amir , Jiang Yelin , Fomenko Lori , Fu Rong , Seth Anji , Wang Guiling
Published: February 2022

South America, especially the Amazon region, is considered a hotspot of biosphere–atmosphere interactions and presents a unique challenge for regional climate modeling. Here, we evaluate the performance of a regional model in simulating the climate–vegetation system in South America and use the model to investigate the potential role of large‐scale warming in the recently observed trend of hydroclimate and vegetation. Compared with prescribing vegetation based on observational data, adding the predictive vegetation capacity to the regional climate model enabled the model to simulate the vegetation response to climate while sustaining the model performance in reproducing the mean, variability and extremes of the regional climate. The coupled vegetation–climate model captures the recent trends in hydroclimate and vegetation productivity and their spatial contrasts, including a trend toward warmer, drier, and less productive conditions in the Amazon and Nordeste regions and a trend toward cooler, wetter, and more productive condition in the La Plata region. Results from sensitivity experiment driven by detrended boundary forcing for the regional climate suggest that much of the trends in the Amazon and Nordeste regions can be attributed to the effects of large‐scale warming, but contribution from decadal variability also plays a role especially for the most recent decade. However, the trend in the La Plata region cannot be attenuated by the removal of the boundary forcing trend, indicating the role of large‐scale circulation pattern changes. The recent trends in vegetation productivity may be early manifestation of future changes in the Amazon and surrounding regions.
One Stomatal Model to Rule Them All? Toward Improved Representation of Carbon and Water Exchange in Global Models
Authors: Sabot Manon E. B. , De Kauwe Martin G. , Pitman Andy J. , Medlyn Belinda E. , Ellsworth David S. , Martin‐StPaul Nicolas K. , Wu Jin , Choat Brendan , Limousin Jean‐Marc , Mitchell Patrick J. , Rogers Alistair , Serbin Shawn P.
Published: February 2022

Stomatal conductance schemes that optimize with respect to photosynthetic and hydraulic functions have been proposed to address biases in land‐surface model (LSM) simulations during drought. However, systematic evaluations of both optimality‐based and alternative empirical formulations for coupling carbon and water fluxes are lacking. Here, we embed 12 empirical and optimization approaches within a LSM framework. We use theoretical model experiments to explore parameter identifiability and understand how model behaviors differ in response to abiotic changes. We also evaluate the models against leaf‐level observations of gas‐exchange and hydraulic variables, from xeric to wet forest/woody species spanning a mean annual precipitation range of 361–3,286 mm yr−1. We find that models differ in how easily parameterized they are, due to: (a) poorly constrained optimality criteria (i.e., resulting in multiple solutions), (b) low influence parameters, (c) sensitivities to environmental drivers. In both the idealized experiments and compared to observations, sensitivities to variability in environmental drivers do not agree among models. Marked differences arise in sensitivities to soil moisture (soil water potential) and vapor pressure deficit. For example, stomatal closure rates at high vapor pressure deficit range between −45% and +70% of those observed. Although over half the new generation of stomatal schemes perform to a similar standard compared to observations of leaf‐gas exchange, two models do so through large biases in simulated leaf water potential (up to 11 MPa). Our results provide guidance for LSM development, by highlighting key areas in need for additional experimentation and theory, and by constraining currently viable stomatal hypotheses.
A Giant Impact Triggered Earthquakes for Thousands of Years
Authors: Kornei Katherine
Published: February 2022

When an asteroid struck South Africa during the Precambrian, earthquakes rocked the region for millennia as Earth’s crust reequilibrated, new research reveals.
Photonic matrix multiplication lights up photonic accelerator and beyond
Authors: Zhou Hailong , Dong Jianji , Cheng Junwei , Dong Wenchan , Huang Chaoran , Shen Yichen , Zhang Qiming , Gu Min , Qian Chao , Chen Hongsheng , Ruan Zhichao , Zhang Xinliang
Published: February 2022

Matrix computation, as a fundamental building block of information processing in science and technology, contributes most of the computational overheads in modern signal processing and artificial intelligence algorithms. Photonic accelerators are designed to accelerate specific categories of computing in the optical domain, especially matrix multiplication, to address the growing demand for computing resources and capacity. Photonic matrix multiplication has much potential to expand the domain of telecommunication, and artificial intelligence benefiting from its superior performance. Recent research in photonic matrix multiplication has flourished and may provide opportunities to develop applications that are unachievable at present by conventional electronic processors. In this review, we first introduce the methods of photonic matrix multiplication, mainly including the plane light conversion method, Mach–Zehnder interferometer method and wavelength division multiplexing method. We also summarize the developmental milestones of photonic matrix multiplication and the related applications. Then, we review their detailed advances in applications to optical signal processing and artificial neural networks in recent years. Finally, we comment on the challenges and perspectives of photonic matrix multiplication and photonic acceleration.
Bilateral Habenula deep brain stimulation for treatment-resistant depression: clinical findings and electrophysiological features
Authors: Zhang Chencheng , Zhang Yingying , Luo Huichun , Xu Xinmeng , Yuan Ti-fei , Li Dianyou , Cai Yi-yun , Gong Hengfen , Peng Dai-hui , Fang Yi-ru , Voon Valerie , Sun Bomin
Published: February 2022

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of structures in the brain’s reward system is a promising therapeutic option for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Recently, DBS of the habenula (HB) in the brain’s anti-reward system has also been reported to alleviate depressive symptoms in patients with TRD or bipolar disorder (BD). In this pilot open-label prospective study, we explored the safety and clinical effectiveness of HB–DBS treatment in seven patients with TRD or BD. Also, local field potentials (LFPs) were recorded from the patients’ left and right HB to explore the power and asymmetry of oscillatory activities as putative biomarkers of the underlying disease state. At 1-month follow-up (FU), depression and anxiety symptoms were both reduced by 49% (n = 7) along with substantial improvements in patients’ health status, functional impairment, and quality of life. Although the dropout rate was high and large variability in clinical response existed, clinical improvements were generally maintained throughout the study [56%, 46%, and 64% reduction for depression and 61%, 48%, and 70% reduction for anxiety at 3-month FU (n = 5), 6-month FU (n = 5), and 12-month FU (n = 3), respectively]. After HB–DBS surgery, sustained improvements in mania symptoms were found in two patients who presented with mild hypomania at baseline. Another patient, however, experienced an acute manic episode 2 months after surgery that required hospitalization. Additionally, weaker and more symmetrical HB LFP oscillatory activities were associated with more severe depression and anxiety symptoms at baseline, in keeping with the hypothesis that HB dysfunction contributes to MDD pathophysiology. These preliminary findings indicate that HB–DBS may offer a valuable treatment option for depressive symptoms in patients who suffer from TRD or BD. Larger and well-controlled studies are warranted to examine the safety and efficacy of HB–DBS for treatment-refractory mood disorders in a more rigorous fashion.
REV1 promotes lung tumorigenesis by activating the Rad18/SERTAD2 axis
Authors: Chen Yunshang , Jie Xiaohua , Xing Biyuan , Wu Zilong , Yang Xijie , Rao Xinrui , Xu Yingzhuo , Zhou Dong , Dong Xiaorong , Zhang Tao , Yang Kunyu , Li Zhenyu , Wu Gang
Published: February 2022

REV1 is the central member of the family of TLS polymerases, which participate in various DNA damage repair and tolerance pathways and play a significant role in maintaining genomic stability. However, the role of REV1 in tumors is rarely reported. In this study, we found that the expression of REV1 was significantly upregulated in lung cancer tissues compared with matched adjacent tissues and was associated with poor prognosis. Functional experiments demonstrated that REV1 silencing decreased the growth and proliferation capacity of lung cancer cells. Mechanistically, REV1 upregulated the expression of SERTAD2 in a Rad18-dependent manner, thereby promoting lung carcinogenesis. A novel REV1 inhibitor, JH-RE-06, suppressed lung tumorigenesis in vivo and in vitro and was shown to be safe and well tolerated. Our study confirmed that REV1 is a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for lung cancer and that JH-RE-06 may be a safe and efficient therapeutic agent for NSCLC.
Hemoglobin in the blood acts as a chemosensory signal via the mouse vomeronasal system
Authors: Osakada Takuya , Abe Takayuki , Itakura Takumi , Mori Hiromi , Ishii Kentaro K. , Eguchi Ryo , Murata Ken , Saito Kosuke , Haga-Yamanaka Sachiko , Kimoto Hiroko , Yoshihara Yoshihiro , Miyamichi Kazunari , Touhara Kazushige
Published: February 2022

The vomeronasal system plays an essential role in sensing various environmental chemical cues. Here we show that mice exposed to blood and, consequently, hemoglobin results in the activation of vomeronasal sensory neurons expressing a specific vomeronasal G protein-coupled receptor, Vmn2r88, which is mediated by the interaction site, Gly17, on hemoglobin. The hemoglobin signal reaches the medial amygdala (MeA) in both male and female mice. However, it activates the dorsal part of ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHd) only in lactating female mice. As a result, in lactating mothers, hemoglobin enhances digging and rearing behavior. Manipulation of steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1)-expressing neurons in the VMHd is sufficient to induce the hemoglobin-mediated behaviors. Our results suggest that the oxygen-carrier hemoglobin plays a role as a chemosensory signal, eliciting behavioral responses in mice in a state-dependent fashion.
Genetically stable CRISPR-based kill switches for engineered microbes
Authors: Rottinghaus Austin G. , Ferreiro Aura , Fishbein Skye R. S. , Dantas Gautam , Moon Tae Seok
Published: February 2022

Microbial biocontainment is an essential goal for engineering safe, next-generation living therapeutics. However, the genetic stability of biocontainment circuits, including kill switches, is a challenge that must be addressed. Kill switches are among the most difficult circuits to maintain due to the strong selection pressure they impart, leading to high potential for evolution of escape mutant populations. Here we engineer two CRISPR-based kill switches in the probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917, a single-input chemical-responsive switch and a 2-input chemical- and temperature-responsive switch. We employ parallel strategies to address kill switch stability, including functional redundancy within the circuit, modulation of the SOS response, antibiotic-independent plasmid maintenance, and provision of intra-niche competition by a closely related strain. We demonstrate that strains harboring either kill switch can be selectively and efficiently killed inside the murine gut, while strains harboring the 2-input switch are additionally killed upon excretion. Leveraging redundant strategies, we demonstrate robust biocontainment of our kill switch strains and provide a template for future kill switch development.
An instructive role for Interleukin-7 receptor α in the development of human B-cell precursor leukemia
Authors: Geron Ifat , Savino Angela Maria , Fishman Hila , Tal Noa , Brown John , Turati Virginia A. , James Chela , Sarno Jolanda , Hameiri-Grossman Michal , Lee Yu Nee , Rein Avigail , Maniriho Hillary , Birger Yehudit , Zemlyansky Anna , Muler Inna , Davis Kara L. , Marcu-Malina Victoria , Mattson Nicole , Parnas Oren , Wagener Rabea , Fischer Ute , Barata João T. , Jamieson Catriona H. M. , Müschen Markus , Chen Chun-Wei , Borkhardt Arndt , Kirsch Ilan Richard , Nagler Arnon , Enver Tariq , Izraeli Shai
Published: February 2022

Kinase signaling fuels growth of B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). Yet its role in leukemia initiation is unclear and has not been shown in primary human hematopoietic cells. We previously described activating mutations in interleukin-7 receptor alpha (IL7RA) in poor-prognosis “ph-like” BCP-ALL. Here we show that expression of activated mutant IL7RA in human CD34+hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells induces a preleukemic state in transplanted immunodeficient NOD/LtSz-scid IL2Rγnullmice, characterized by persistence of self-renewing Pro-B cells with non-productive V(D)J gene rearrangements. Preleukemic CD34+CD10highCD19+cells evolve into BCP-ALL with spontaneously acquired Cyclin Dependent Kinase Inhibitor 2 A (CDKN2A) deletions, as commonly observed in primary human BCP-ALL. CRISPR mediated gene silencing ofCDKN2Ain primary human CD34+cells transduced with activated IL7RA results in robust development of BCP-ALLs in-vivo. Thus, we demonstrate that constitutive activation of IL7RA can initiate preleukemia in primary human hematopoietic progenitors and cooperates with CDKN2A silencing in progression into BCP-ALL.