bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of long-term law enforcement monitoring in a West African protected area
Authors: Afriyie Jerry Owusu , Asare Michael O. , Osei-Mensah Jones , Hejcmanová Pavla
Published: May 2021

Law enforcement in protected areas is critical for ensuring long-term conservation and achieving conservation objectives. In 2004, patrol-based monitoring of law enforcement was implemented in protected areas in Ghana. Here, we evaluate long-term trends and changes in patrol staff performance, and illegal activities, in the Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve. The assessment was based on ranger patrol-based monitoring data collected during January 2006–August 2017. Along the patrol routes, patrol officers recorded all encounters with illegal activities associated with hunting and capturing or harming of animals. Across all years, staff performance was lowest in 2006 as staff learned the system but increased in 2007 and peaked in 2010, the latter as a result of motivation of the patrol staff. After 2011, staff performance decreased, mainly because of the retirement of some patrol staff and insufficient logistical support for successful patrolling. Snares were the most commonly recorded indicators of illegal activity. Because their use is silent, poachers using snares are less likely to be detected than poachers using other forms of hunting. Long-term assessment of patrol-based monitoring data provides reliable information on illegal activities related to wildlife, to enable stakeholders to design effective measures for biodiversity conservation. Our assessment indicates that patrol staff performance in Kogyae is, at least partly, dependent on governmental or external support and incentives, in particular the provision of equipment and transport facilities.
Intergenerational contact and solidarity, inside and outside the family: patterns in Spain
Authors: Jiménez-Roger Beatriz , Sánchez Mariano
Published: May 2021

Analysis of intergenerational contact and solidarity patterns has generally focused on the family. However, the unprecedented co-existence of a high number of different generations raises the challenge to delve into how such patterns may develop inside and outside the family. To understand better intrafamilial and extrafamilial intergenerational contact and solidarity in Spain, three national surveys were initially studied using cross-tabulation tables and measures of association. Then, factor analysis and logistic regression of most recent data focused on explanatory variables behind two dimensions of intergenerational solidarity. Regarding intergenerational co-residence, the results point to a highly relevant difference between intrafamilial and extrafamilial habits. As regards regular, but non-residential, contact between the generations, two gaps have been identified. The first gap appears between family practices and non-family practices, with a significant and progressive reduction of the latter being detected. According to the second gap, while intergenerational contact drops outside the family, levels of intragenerational contact are comparable in both settings. In this context, patterns of associational and functional intergenerational solidarity towards older relatives and non-relatives have been identified, with age, distance, civil status and especially gender being the key explanatory variables. The paper argues that there is good reason to pay combined attention to both intrafamilial and extrafamilial forms of intergenerational contact and solidarity, something that has been done very little to date.
Inclusive conflict? Competitive clientelism and the rise of political violence
Authors: Raleigh Clionadh , Choi Hyun Jin , Wigmore-Shepherd Daniel
Published: May 2021

Conflict across African states has often been linked to ethnic-based biases in government, and exclusive policies. However, the domestic politics of developing states, and the elites who contest for power therein, have often been overlooked when explaining the patterns and risk of disorder and violence. We consider how African leaders practice politics in whom to represent, and at what level. These choices have consequences as how regimes accommodate political elites creates different competitive conditions which, in turn, create incentives and opportunities for political violence. Using a dataset on cabinet appointments over twenty years, we find that high levels of elite political inclusion and mal-apportionment in positions is consistently associated with increases in non-state violence. Power distribution levels among those groups included in senior positions account for more political violence than that which stems from exclusive politics.
Inverse kinematics of redundant manipulators with guaranteed performance
Authors: Guo Dongsheng , Li Aifen , Cai Jianhuang , Feng Qingshan , Shi Yang
Published: May 2021

In this paper, the inverse kinematics (IK) of redundant manipulators is presented and studied, where the performance of end-effector path planning is guaranteed. A new Jacobian pseudoinverse (JP)-based IK method is proposed and studied using a typical numerical difference rule to discretize the existing IK method based on JP. The proposed method is depicted in a discrete-time form and is theoretically proven to exhibit great performance in the IK of redundant manipulators. A discrete-time repetitive path planning (DTRPP) scheme and a discrete-time obstacle avoidance (DTOA) scheme are developed for redundant manipulators using the proposed method. Comparative simulations are conducted on a universal robot manipulator and a PA10 robot manipulator to validate the effectiveness and superior performance of the DTRPP scheme, the DTOA scheme, and the proposed JP-based IK method.
Posthumanism in Archaeology: An Introduction
Authors: Fernández-Götz Manuel , Gardner Andrew , Díaz de Liaño Guillermo , Harris Oliver J.T.
Published: May 2021

Posthumanism is a growing field of interdisciplinary study that has emerged, principally in the last 20 years, as a broad church which seeks to reconceptualize human beings’ relationships with the world. At its heart, Posthumanism seeks to destabilize and question the category of ‘human’, which it sees as having previously been treated as transcendent and ahistorical. In its place, the figure of the posthuman aims to capture the complex and situated nature of our species’ existence, outside traditional dichotomies like culture and nature, mind and body, person and environment, and so on. From animal studies (e.g. Despret 2016; Wolfe 2009), via a rekindled attention to the material world (Coole & Frost 2010) to the cutting edge of quantum physics (Barad 2007), Posthumanism draws on a diverse range of inspiration (Ferrando 2019). This diversity also covers a significant internal dissonance and difference, with some posthumanists taking relational approaches, others arguing for the essential qualities of things, some focusing primarily on material things without humans and others calling for explicitly feminist investigations.
Ethics, Not Objects
Authors: Van Dyke Ruth M.
Published: May 2021

Posthumanist or new materialist tools, positions and conversations contain some useful ideas for archaeologists to think with, but others that I find deeply problematic. In this opinion piece, I organize my thoughts around three posthumanist ‘turns’ to objects and materials, relations and assemblages, and non-human animacy. I appreciate how some strands of Posthumanism can help us think more creatively and thoughtfully about relations between humans and non-humans, but I argue against non-anthropocentrism, flat ontology and symmetrical archaeology. Animacy and perspectivism can help remedy colonialist and late-stage capitalist destructive forces, but archaeologists should take care not simply to appropriate, patronize, or re-colonize non-western thinkers. Ultimately, I argue, we should not need continental philosophy to remind us to care about one other, all living creatures and the well-being of our shared planet. What is needed today are ethics, not convoluted turns toward objects.
Posthuman Potentials: Considering Collaborative Indigenous Archaeology
Authors: Cipolla Craig N.
Published: May 2021

This essay argues for the diversity and promise of posthuman approaches in archaeology by dispelling blanket critiques, by differentiating between distinct lines of post-anthropocentric thought and by pointing to parallels between Posthumanism and collaborative Indigenous archaeologies. It begins by arguing that symmetrical archaeology is but one part of the diverse body of thought labelled ‘posthuman’. Next, it explores broader posthuman engagements with political issues relevant for collaborative Indigenous archaeologies, particularly concerns regarding under-represented groups in the field. Finally, it identifies flat ontologies as key components of posthuman approaches, clarifying what this term means for different lines of post-anthropocentric thought and briefly considering how the concept of flatness compares with Indigenous metaphysics.
Posthumanism, New Humanism and Beyond
Authors: Díaz de Liaño Guillermo , Fernández-Götz Manuel
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we analyse some of the issues associated with the posthumanist rejection of Humanism. First, we discuss some of the possibilities and challenges that New Materialism and the Ontological Turn have brought into archaeology in terms of understanding past ontologies and decolonizing archaeological thought. Then, focusing on the concept of agency, we reflect on how its use by some posthumanist authors risks turning it into an empty signifier, which can have ethical implications and limit archaeology's potential for social critique. The concept of things’ effectancy is presented as a valuable alternative to previous conceptualizations of ‘object agency’. While we acknowledge the heuristic potential of many posthumanist proposals, we believe that humanist perspectives should not be rejected altogether. Instead of creating rigid divides, we argue that elements of New Humanism, as recently defined by philosophical anthropology, can hold value when facing current societal challenges.
The Effects of CSR Activities on Business According to Employee Perception
Authors: Stojanović Anđelka , Sofranova Natalija , Arsić Sanela , Milošević Isidora , Mihajlović Ivan
Published: May 2021

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a vital element for building a long-term relationship with a company’s stakeholders. Different dimensions of a company’s social initiatives in terms of internal and external CSR activities influence the satisfaction of employees with the purpose of improving the CSR application. The aim of this research is to examine the level of employees’ awareness of the implementation of CSR in Serbian and Russian companies. A comparative analysis between these two countries was carried out in order to perceive the differences in attitudes of employees, their job satisfaction, and consequently the implementation of CSR. The hypotheses of the developed model were tested by using the Multi-group Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The obtained results offered several implications for scholars and practitioners that should be considered when formulating and implementing CSR actions.
Ireland's takeover of private hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Mercille Julien , Turner Brian , Lucey Donnacha Seán
Published: May 2021

In Ireland, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a total of 230,599 cases of infection as on 20 March 2021, and 4323 deaths. Although the Irish hospital network has not been overwhelmed, it has faced pressures, with a total of 13,313 persons hospitalised, including 1402 admitted to the intensive care unit. Out of caution, in spring 2020, in anticipation of possible surges in hospitals in light of international experience, the Irish government reached an agreement with private hospitals to access their capacity for three months to alleviate pressure on the public system, as part of its comprehensive response to the pandemic. This piece analyses the agreement with private hospitals, based on the legally binding Heads of Terms of the agreement, which were signed by the parties, along with publicly reported details from media reports and Oireachtas (parliamentary) committee hearings. We argue that although the new relationship could, in theory, have paved the way to the nationalisation of the whole hospital system, in fact, the experiment is best interpreted as a lost opportunity to integrate and simplify Ireland's hospital system.
Strengthening the Paris Agreement by Holding Non-State Actors Accountable: Establishing Normative Links between Transnational Partnerships and Treaty Implementation
Authors: Streck Charlotte
Published: May 2021

While the intergovernmental climate regime increasingly recognizes the role of non-state actors in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement (PA), the normative linkages between the intergovernmental climate regime and the non-state dominated ‘transnational partnership governance’ remain vague and tentative. A formalized engagement of the intergovernmental climate regime with transnational partnerships can increase the effectiveness of partnerships in delivering on climate mitigation and adaptation, thereby complementing rather than replacing government action. The proposed active engagement with partnerships would include (i) collecting and analyzing information to develop and prioritize areas for transnational and partnership engagement; (ii) defining minimum criteria and procedural requirements to be listed on an enhanced Non-state Actor Zone for Climate Action platform; (iii) actively supporting strategic initiatives; (iv) facilitating market or non-market finance as part of Article 6 PA; and (v) evaluating the effectiveness of partnerships in the context of the enhanced transparency framework (Article 13 PA) and the global stocktake (Article 14 PA). The UNFCCC Secretariat could facilitate engagement and problem solving by actively orchestrating transnational partnerships. Constructing effective implementation partnerships, recording their mitigation and adaptation goals, and holding them accountable may help to move climate talks from rhetoric to action.
Leadership in Zeiten von Corona: Die Perspektive von Pflegenden und Hebammen in einem Universitätsspital
Authors: Bläuer Cornelia , Altermatt Renate , Broisch Sebastian , Catania Patrizia , Estoppey Jacqueline , Gisin Martina , Klanke Christina , Kläusler Marianne , Wymann Bettina , Steinle-Feser Bettina
Published: May 2021

Zusammenfassung. Hintergrund: Die COVID-19-Pandemie bedeutete für Spitäler verschiedene Herausforderungen durch die Prognose einer hohen Anzahl an Erkrankter. Aktuell gibt es Daten zur psychischen Belastung von Pflegenden zu Pandemiezeiten. Es sind derzeit keine Studien zur Wirkung von Leadership auf Pflegende / Hebammen bekannt. Ziel: Evaluation von Leadership in einem Schweizer Universitätsspital zur Pandemiezeit. Methode: Das Vorgehen orientiert sich an der Aktionsforschung. Die Autor_innen definierten Qualitätsindikatoren und „Werte of Excellence“ zur Wirkung von Leadership. Mitte Mai wurden 140 Pflegende / Hebammen verschiedener Abteilungen mittels Fragebogen einmalig befragt. Die quantitativen Daten wurden deskriptiv und die offenen Fragen mittels thematischer Analyse untersucht. Ergebnisse: Die Erhebung zeigte, dass durch die Kombination verschiedenen Interventionen eine mehrheitlich gute Arbeitssituation für die Befragten geschaffen wurde. Unsicherheit bestand bezüglich Schutzmaßnahmen. Die Befragten waren stark belastet durch ihre private Situation, die häufig wechselnden Weisungen und Informationsflut. Sie fühlten sich durch die Leadershipteams gut unterstützt. Verbesserungen wurden in der Zusammenarbeit und bei Entscheidungsfindungen beschrieben. Schlussfolgerungen: Die Resultate geben Hinweise auf die Wirkungen von Leadership und zeigen konkreten Unterstützungsbedarf auf. Die Verankerung von Methoden der transformationalen Führung, Praxisentwicklung und Leanmanagement stärken die Organisation, um in außerordentlichen Situationen fokussiert, effektiv und sicher arbeiten zu können.
Characteristics of Online Comments Following High-Profile Celebrity Suicide
Authors: Mok Katherine , Chen Nicola
Published: May 2021

Abstract. Background: On the Internet, individuals can freely read about or talk to others about suicide. However, little is known about the nature of these online interactions and the potential impact on users. Aims: This study aimed to examine the characteristics of online comments following high-profile celebrity suicide, comparing top-rated comments with controversial comments. Method: Comments from a popular thread on Reddit made following the deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain were examined using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count and qualitative content analysis. Results: Top-scoring comments were associated with a higher level of authenticity, a higher word count, and a greater focus on the past. These comments were characterized by personal stories of experiences with suicidality or knowing someone who had attempted/died by suicide. Limitations: Our small sample size was underpowered for the linguistic characteristic analyses, and differences in some characteristics may not have been identified. Conclusions: Despite concerns over the potential dangers of the Internet on suicide, it can serve as a place for individuals to share personal stories and obtain support from others.
Inferring the Evolution of a Large Earthquake From Its Acoustic Impacts on the Ionosphere
Authors: Inchin P. A. , Snively J. B. , Kaneko Y. , Zettergren M. D. , Komjathy A.
Published: May 2021

We investigate the possibility to constrain the evolution of the 2016 M7.8 Kaikoura earthquake evolution based on Global Positioning System signal‐derived ionospheric total electron content (TEC) perturbations, that represent plasma responses to infrasonic acoustic waves (IAWs) generated by surface motion. This earthquake exhibited unusual complexity and some first‐order aspects of its evolution remain unclear; for example, how and when the Papatea fault (PF) and the corresponding large surface deformation occurred. For various earthquake models, a seismic wave propagation code is used to simulate time‐dependent surface deformations, which then excite IAWs in a 3D compressible nonlinear atmospheric model, coupled with a 2D nonlinear multispecies ionospheric plasma dynamic model. Our preferred finite‐fault model reproduces the amplitudes, shapes, and time epochs of appearance of detected TEC perturbations well. Additionally, the incorporation of the PF, ruptured during the earthquake, results in the closest agreement between simulated and observed near‐zenith vertical TEC perturbations, whereas its absence shows significant discrepancy. This supports the hypothesis that the PF was ruptured during the Kaikoura earthquake. Furthermore, the IAWs and resulting ionospheric plasma disturbances contain additional information on the PF rupture progression, including the timing of initiation and propagation direction, indicating new opportunities to further constrain the PF rupture with low elevation angle “slant” TEC data. The results confirm the ability for TEC measurements to constrain evolutions of large crustal earthquakes to provide new insight beyond traditional seismic and geodetic data sets.
Characterizing the Occurrence and Spatial Heterogeneity of Liquid, Ice, and Mixed Phase Low‐Level Clouds Over the Southern Ocean Using in Situ Observations Acquired During SOCRATES
Authors: D'Alessandro John J. , McFarquhar Greg M. , Wu Wei , Stith Jeff L. , Jensen Jorgen B. , Rauber Robert M.
Published: May 2021

Supercooled liquid water (SLW) and mixed phase clouds containing SLW and ice over the Southern Ocean (SO) are poorly represented in global climate and numerical weather prediction models. Observed SLW exists at lower temperatures than threshold values used to characterize its detrainment from convection in model parameterizations, and processes controlling its formation and removal are poorly understood. High‐resolution observations are needed to better characterize SLW over the SO. This study characterizes the frequency and spatial distribution of different cloud phases (liquid, ice, and mixed) using in situ observations acquired during the Southern Ocean Clouds, Radiation, Aerosol Transport Experiment Study. Cloud particle phase is identified using multiple cloud probes. Results show occurrence frequencies of liquid phase samples up to 70% between −20°C and 0°C and of ice phase samples up to 10% between −5°C and 0°C. Cloud phase spatial heterogeneity is determined by relating the total number of 1 s samples from a given cloud to the number of segments whose neighboring samples are the same phase. Mixed phase conditions are the most spatially heterogeneous from −20°C to 0°C, whereas liquid phase conditions from −10°C to 0°C and ice phase conditions from −20°C to −10°C are the least spatially heterogeneous. Greater spatial heterogeneity is associated with broader distributions of vertical velocity. Decreasing droplet concentrations and increasing number‐weighted mean liquid diameters occur within mixed phase clouds as the liquid water fraction decreases, possibly suggesting preferential evaporation of smaller drops during the Wegener‐Bergeron‐Findeisen process.
Quasi‐Periodic Variation of the Lower Equatorial Cloud Induced by Atmospheric Waves on Venus
Authors: Ando Hiroki , Takagi Masahiro , Sagawa Hideo , Sugimoto Norihiko , Sekiguchi Miho , Matsuda Yoshihisa
Published: May 2021

A quasi‐periodic variation of the lower cloud amount induced by atmospheric waves was reproduced in our Venus general circulation model for the first time. This result agrees well with previous 2.3‐μm infrared nightside measurements. The cloud amount variation is mainly caused by a temperature fluctuation with a period of ∼5.5 Earth days near the cloud base, which is associated with a Kelvin‐like gravity wave with a zonal wavenumber‐1 structure. Our result might be able to explain the mechanism of the periodical variation of the brightness in the Venusian low‐latitudes shown by the previous 2.3‐μm infrared nightside measurements. It is also suggested that the temporal variation of the mass loading due to the temperature fluctuation is related to the abrupt appearance and disappearance of the large cloud particle (Mode 3) and explains the sharp discontinuity of the lower cloud found by the recent Akatsuki and ground‐based infrared nightside measurements.
Fluid Flow With Three Upstream Configurations in Freezing Tubes
Authors: Whitehead J. A.
Published: May 2021

The accumulation of frozen liquid around a central passageway of melt as it flows through a freezing region can make calculations very challenging. To both illustrate and to quantify some of these challenges from freezing, a model equation is developed. It simplifies the solution of Holmes (2007, https://gfd.whoi.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/03/MHolmesGFDReport_30151.pdf) for low Reynolds number single component liquid flow through a long tube that has a wall kept at subfreezing temperature. This model equation is used in conjunction with three different upstream configurations, each with parameters expressing their behavior. Analytical and numerical results give the parameters that have criteria for: the freezing of a compressible upstream reservoir that includes oscillatory behavior; the freezing of flow fed through a constriction with a large upstream pressure, just like a dripping water faucet during winter; the evolution of flow in multiple tubes connected by an upstream manifold, where some tubes end up with full flow and others freeze shut. Numerical runs with 1,000 tubes give a formula for the spacing between actively flowing (non‐frozen) tubes over wide ranges of the two upstream parameters (flow rate and manifold resistance). Results have implications in various areas in earth science. Some are: oscillatory and freezing shut criteria for flow of magma from a compressible region, a criterion for wintertime ice accumulation at natural springs, and the spacing between volcanos.
A Process‐Based Model Integrating Remote Sensing Data for Evaluating Ecosystem Services
Authors: Niu Zhongen , He Honglin , Peng Shushi , Ren Xiaoli , Zhang Li , Gu Fengxue , Zhu Gaofeng , Peng Changhui , Li Pan , Wang Junbang , Ge Rong , Zeng Na , Zhu Xiaobo , Lv Yan , Chang Qingqing , Xu Qian , Zhang Mengyu , Liu Weihua
Published: May 2021

Terrestrial ecosystems provide multiple services interacting in complex ways. However, most ecosystem services (ESs) models (e.g., InVEST and ARIES) ignored the relationships among ESs. Process‐based models can overcome this limitation, and the integration of ecological models with remote sensing data could greatly facilitate the investigation of the complex ecological processes. Therefore, based on the Carbon and Exchange between Vegetation, Soil, and Atmosphere (CEVSA) models, we developed a process‐based ES model (CEVSA‐ES) integrating remotely sensed leaf area index to evaluate four important ESs (i.e., productivity provision, carbon sequestration, water retention, and soil retention) at annual timescale in China. Compared to the traditional terrestrial biosphere models, the main innovation of CEVSA‐ES model was the consideration of soil erosion processes and its impact on carbon cycling. The new version also improved the carbon‐water cycle algorithms. Then, the Sobol and DEMC methods that integrated the CEVSA‐ES model with nine flux sites comprising 39 site‐years were used to identify and optimize parameters. Finally, the model using the optimized parameters was validated at 26 field sites comprising 135 site‐years. Simulation results showed good fits with ecosystem processes, explaining 95%, 92%, 76%, and 65% interannual variabilities of gross primary productivity, ecosystem respiration, net ecosystem productivity, and evapotranspiration, respectively. The CEVSA‐ES model performed well for productivity provision and carbon sequestration, which explained 96% and 81% of the spatial‐temporal variations of the observed annual productivity provision and carbon sequestration, respectively. The model also captured the interannual trends of water retention and soil erosion for most sites or basins.
Timing of Earth’s Oxygenation May Need a 100-Million-Year Revision
Authors: Lee Jack
Published: May 2021

A new study revises estimates for when oxygen became a permanent part of the atmosphere and solves a puzzle about glaciation during the Paleoproterozoic era.
Global Volume Distribution for Subaerial Volcanism on Earth
Authors: Papale P. , Marzocchi W. , Garg D.
Published: May 2021

Knowledge of the global distribution of Earth volcanism is critical in many fields of the Geosciences involving large‐scale assessments, such as plate tectonics, global volcanic hazards, and climate change. Recent analysis has revealed that global eruption inter‐event times are exponentially distributed, implying that on the global scale volcanic eruptions are Poisson distributed. Here, we employ those findings to calibrate a continuous frequency‐volume distribution for subaerial eruptions of any size on Earth from small lava flows to super‐eruptions. Obtaining such a continuous global distribution implies considering the existing data and the way they are collected and categorized into databases, as well as extending the available eruption volume data to eruption VEI classes less than 4. The continuous global distribution shows an initial log‐normal section up to volumes of about 170 Mm3, followed by a power‐law section, tapered on its extreme right‐end side, encompassing about five orders of magnitude of eruption volumes. The potential implications are discussed in terms of short‐term eruption forecasts of the size of an impending eruption, critical for volcanic emergency management.
FRIS Revisited in 2018: On the Circulation and Water Masses at the Filchner and Ronne Ice Shelves in the Southern Weddell Sea
Authors: Janout Markus A. , Hellmer Hartmut H. , Hattermann Tore , Huhn Oliver , Sültenfuss Jürgen , Østerhus Svein , Stulic Lukrecia , Ryan Svenja , Schröder Michael , Kanzow Torsten
Published: May 2021

The Filchner‐Ronne Ice Shelf (FRIS) is characterized by moderate basal melt rates due to the near‐freezing waters that dominate the wide southern Weddell Sea continental shelf. We revisited the region in austral summer 2018 with detailed hydrographic and noble gas surveys along FRIS. The FRIS front was characterized by High Salinity Shelf Water (HSSW) in Ronne Depression, Ice Shelf Water (ISW) on its eastern flank, and an inflow of modified Warm Deep Water (mWDW) entering through Central Trough. Filchner Trough was dominated by Ronne HSSW‐sourced ISW, likely forced by a recently intensified circulation beneath FRIS due to enhanced sea ice production in the Ronne polynya since 2015. Glacial meltwater fractions and tracer‐based water mass dating indicate two separate ISW outflow cores, one hugging the Berkner slope after a two‐year travel time, and the other located in the central Filchner Trough following a ∼six year‐long transit through the FRIS cavity. Historical measurements indicate the presence of two distinct modes, in which water masses in Filchner Trough were dominated by either Ronne HSSW‐derived ISW (Ronne‐mode) or more locally derived Berkner‐HSSW (Berkner‐mode). While the dominance of these modes has alternated on interannual time scales, ocean densities in Filchner Trough have remained remarkably stable since the first surveys in 1980. Indeed, geostrophic velocities indicated outflowing ISW‐cores along the trough's western flank and onto Berkner Bank, which suggests that Ronne‐ISW preconditions Berkner‐HSSW production. The negligible density difference between Berkner‐ and Ronne‐mode waters indicates that each contributes cold dense shelf waters to protect FRIS against inflowing mWDW.
Sex-specific nicotine sensitization and imprinting of self-administration in rats inform GWAS findings on human addiction phenotypes
Authors: Kozlova Alena , Butler Robert R. , Zhang Siwei , Ujas Thomas , Zhang Hanwen , Steidl Stephan , Sanders Alan R. , Pang Zhiping P. , Vezina Paul , Duan Jubao
Published: May 2021

Repeated nicotine exposure leads to sensitization (SST) and enhances self-administration (SA) in rodents. However, the molecular basis of nicotine SST and SA and their biological relevance to the mounting genome-wide association study (GWAS) loci of human addictive behaviors are poorly understood. Considering a gateway drug role of nicotine, we modeled nicotine SST and SA in F1 progeny of inbred rats (F344/BN) and conducted integrative genomics analyses. We unexpectedly observed male-specific nicotine SST and a parental effect of SA only present in paternal F344 crosses. Transcriptional profiling in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) core and shell further revealed sex- and brain region-specific transcriptomic signatures of SST and SA. We found that genes associated with SST and SA were enriched for those related to synaptic processes, myelin sheath, and tobacco use disorder or chemdependency. Interestingly, SST-associated genes were often downregulated in male VTA but upregulated in female VTA, and strongly enriched for smoking GWAS risk variants, possibly explaining the male-specific SST. For SA, we found widespread region-specific allelic imbalance of expression (AIE), of which genes showing AIE bias toward paternal F344 alleles in NAc core were strongly enriched for SA-associated genes and for GWAS risk variants of smoking initiation, likely contributing to the parental effect of SA. Our study suggests a mechanistic link between transcriptional changes underlying the NIC SST and SA and human nicotine addiction, providing a resource for understanding the neurobiology basis of the GWAS findings on human smoking and other addictive phenotypes.
A novel cripavirus of an ectoparasitoid wasp increases pupal duration and fecundity of the wasp’s Drosophila melanogaster host
Authors: Zhang Jiao , Wang Fei , Yuan Bo , Yang Lei , Yang Yi , Fang Qi , Kuhn Jens H , Song Qisheng , Ye Gongyin
Published: May 2021

We identified a 9332-nucleotide-long novel picornaviral genome sequence in the transcriptome of an agriculturally important parasitoid wasp (Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani, 1875)). The genome of the novel virus, Rondani’s wasp virus 1 (RoWV-1), contains two long open reading frames encoding a nonstructural and a structural protein, respectively, and is 3’-polyadenylated. Phylogenetic analyses firmly place RoWV-1 into the dicistrovirid genus Cripavirus. We detected RoWV-1 in various tissues and life stages of the parasitoid wasp, with the highest virus load measured in the larval digestive tract. We demonstrate that RoWV-1 is transmitted horizontally from infected to uninfected wasps but not vertically to wasp offspring. Comparison of several important biological parameters between the infected and uninfected wasps indicates that RoWV-1 does not have obvious detrimental effects on wasps. We further demonstrate that RoWV-1 also infects Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen, 1830), the hosts of the pupal ectoparasitoid wasps, and thereby increases its pupal developmental duration and fecundity, but decreases the eclosion rate. Together, these results suggest that RoWV-1 may have a potential benefit to the wasp by increasing not only the number of potential wasp hosts but also the developmental time of the hosts to ensure proper development of wasp offspring.
Sodium/glucose cotransporter 1-dependent metabolic alterations induce tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer by promoting macrophage M2 polarization
Authors: Niu Xingjian , Ma Jianli , Li Jingtong , Gu Yucui , Yin Lei , Wang Yiran , Zhou Xiaoping , Wang Jinlu , Ji Hongfei , Zhang Qingyuan
Published: May 2021

Endocrine therapy is the standard treatment for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, but tumors eventually develop resistance. However, endocrine therapy resistance mechanisms mediated through interactions between breast cancer cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are still unclear. Here, we characterized sodium/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) overexpression drives the highly glycolytic phenotype of tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells where enhanced lactic acid secretion promotes M2-like TAM polarization via the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α/signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 pathway. In turn, M2-like TAMs activate breast cancer cells through EGFR/PI3K/Akt signaling, providing feedback to upregulate SGLT1 and promote tamoxifen resistance and accelerate tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Higher expression of SGLT1 and CD163+ TAMs was associated with endocrine-resistant ER-positive breast cancers. Our study identifies a novel vicious cycle of metabolic reprogramming, M2-like TAM polarization, and endocrine therapy resistance, which involves SGLT1, proposing SGLT1 as a therapeutic target to overcome endocrine therapy resistance in breast cancer.
Small-molecule inhibition of APE1 induces apoptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Long Kaili , Gu Lili , Li Lulu , Zhang Ziyu , Li Enjie , Zhang Yilan , He Lingfeng , Pan Feiyan , Guo Zhigang , Hu Zhigang
Published: May 2021

Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) plays a critical role in the base excision repair (BER) pathway, which is responsible for the excision of apurinic sites (AP sites). In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), APE1 is highly expressed and associated with poor patient prognosis. The suppression of APE1 could lead to the accumulation of unrepaired DNA damage in cells. Therefore, APE1 is viewed as an important marker of malignant tumors and could serve as a potent target for the development of antitumor drugs. In this study, we performed a high-throughput virtual screening of a small-molecule library using the three-dimensional structure of APE1 protein. Using the AP site cleavage assay and a cell survival assay, we identified a small molecular compound, NO.0449-0145, to act as an APE1 inhibitor. Treatment with NO.0449-0145 induced DNA damage, apoptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis in the NSCLC cell lines A549 and NCI-H460. This inhibitor was also able to impede cancer progression in an NCI-H460 mouse model. Moreover, NO.0449-0145 overcame both cisplatin- and erlotinib-resistance in NSCLC cell lines. These findings underscore the importance of APE1 as a therapeutic target in NSCLC and offer a paradigm for the development of small-molecule drugs that target key DNA repair proteins for the treatment of NSCLC and other cancers.
Nociceptive sensory neurons promote CD8 T cell responses to HSV-1 infection
Authors: Filtjens Jessica , Roger Anais , Quatrini Linda , Wieduwild Elisabeth , Gouilly Jordi , Hoeffel Guillaume , Rossignol Rafaëlle , Daher Clara , Debroas Guilhaume , Henri Sandrine , Jones Claerwen M. , Malissen Bernard , Mackay Laura K. , Moqrich Aziz , Carbone Francis R. , Ugolini Sophie
Published: May 2021

Host protection against cutaneous herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection relies on the induction of a robust adaptive immune response. Here, we show that Nav1.8+ sensory neurons, which are involved in pain perception, control the magnitude of CD8 T cell priming and expansion in HSV-1-infected mice. The ablation of Nav1.8-expressing sensory neurons is associated with extensive skin lesions characterized by enhanced inflammatory cytokine and chemokine production. Mechanistically, Nav1.8+ sensory neurons are required for the downregulation of neutrophil infiltration in the skin after viral clearance to limit the severity of tissue damage and restore skin homeostasis, as well as for eliciting robust CD8 T cell priming in skin-draining lymph nodes by controlling dendritic cell responses. Collectively, our data reveal an important role for the sensory nervous system in regulating both innate and adaptive immune responses to viral infection, thereby opening up possibilities for new therapeutic strategies.
Oxytocin and vasopressin within the ventral and dorsal lateral septum modulate aggression in female rats
Authors: Oliveira Vinícius Elias de Moura , Lukas Michael , Wolf Hannah Nora , Durante Elisa , Lorenz Alexandra , Mayer Anna-Lena , Bludau Anna , Bosch Oliver J. , Grinevich Valery , Egger Veronica , de Jong Trynke R. , Neumann Inga D.
Published: May 2021

In contrast to male rats, aggression in virgin female rats has been rarely studied. Here, we established a rat model of enhanced aggression in females using a combination of social isolation and aggression-training to specifically investigate the involvement of the oxytocin (OXT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) systems within the lateral septum (LS). Using neuropharmacological, optogenetic, chemogenetic as well as microdialysis approaches, we revealed that enhanced OXT release within the ventral LS (vLS), combined with reduced AVP release within the dorsal LS (dLS), is required for aggression in female rats. Accordingly, increased activity of putative OXT receptor-positive neurons in the vLS, and decreased activity of putative AVP receptor-positive neurons in the dLS, are likely to underly aggression in female rats. Finally, in vitro activation of OXT receptors in the vLS increased tonic GABAergic inhibition of dLS neurons. Overall, our data suggest a model showing that septal release of OXT and AVP differentially affects aggression in females by modulating the inhibitory tone within LS sub-networks.
A BAFF/APRIL axis regulates obesogenic diet-driven weight gain
Authors: Chan Calvin C. , Harley Isaac T. W. , Pfluger Paul T. , Trompette Aurelien , Stankiewicz Traci E. , Allen Jessica L. , Moreno-Fernandez Maria E. , Damen Michelle S. M. A. , Oates Jarren R. , Alarcon Pablo C. , Doll Jessica R. , Flick Matthew J. , Flick Leah M. , Sanchez-Gurmaches Joan , Mukherjee Rajib , Karns Rebekah , Helmrath Michael , Inge Thomas H. , Weisberg Stuart P. , Pamp Sünje J. , Relman David A. , Seeley Randy J. , Tschöp Matthias H. , Karp Christopher L. , Divanovic Senad
Published: May 2021

The impact of immune mediators on weight homeostasis remains underdefined. Interrogation of resistance to diet-induced obesity in mice lacking a negative regulator of Toll-like receptor signaling serendipitously uncovered a role for B cell activating factor (BAFF). Here we show that overexpression of BAFF in multiple mouse models associates with protection from weight gain, approximating a log-linear dose response relation to BAFF concentrations. Gene expression analysis of BAFF-stimulated subcutaneous white adipocytes unveils upregulation of lipid metabolism pathways, with BAFF inducing white adipose tissue (WAT) lipolysis. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) from BAFF-overexpressing mice exhibits increased Ucp1 expression and BAFF promotes brown adipocyte respiration and in vivo energy expenditure. A proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL), a BAFF homolog, similarly modulates WAT and BAT lipid handling. Genetic deletion of both BAFF and APRIL augments diet-induced obesity. Lastly, BAFF/APRIL effects are conserved in human adipocytes and higher BAFF/APRIL levels correlate with greater BMI decrease after bariatric surgery. Together, the BAFF/APRIL axis is a multifaceted immune regulator of weight gain and adipose tissue function.
Transsynaptic modulation of presynaptic short-term plasticity in hippocampal mossy fiber synapses
Authors: Vandael David , Okamoto Yuji , Jonas Peter
Published: May 2021

The hippocampal mossy fiber synapse is a key synapse of the trisynaptic circuit. Post-tetanic potentiation (PTP) is the most powerful form of plasticity at this synaptic connection. It is widely believed that mossy fiber PTP is an entirely presynaptic phenomenon, implying that PTP induction is input-specific, and requires neither activity of multiple inputs nor stimulation of postsynaptic neurons. To directly test cooperativity and associativity, we made paired recordings between single mossy fiber terminals and postsynaptic CA3 pyramidal neurons in rat brain slices. By stimulating non-overlapping mossy fiber inputs converging onto single CA3 neurons, we confirm that PTP is input-specific and non-cooperative. Unexpectedly, mossy fiber PTP exhibits anti-associative induction properties. EPSCs show only minimal PTP after combined pre- and postsynaptic high-frequency stimulation with intact postsynaptic Ca2+ signaling, but marked PTP in the absence of postsynaptic spiking and after suppression of postsynaptic Ca2+ signaling (10 mM EGTA). PTP is largely recovered by inhibitors of voltage-gated R- and L-type Ca2+ channels, group II mGluRs, and vacuolar-type H+-ATPase, suggesting the involvement of retrograde vesicular glutamate signaling. Transsynaptic regulation of PTP extends the repertoire of synaptic computations, implementing a brake on mossy fiber detonation and a “smart teacher” function of hippocampal mossy fiber synapses.
Demonstration of resonant tunneling effects in metal-double-insulator-metal (MI2M) diodes
Authors: Belkadi Amina , Weerakkody Ayendra , Moddel Garret
Published: May 2021

Although the effect of resonant tunneling in metal-double-insulator-metal (MI2M) diodes has been predicted for over two decades, no experimental demonstrations have been reported at the low voltages needed for energy harvesting rectenna applications. Using quantum-well engineering, we demonstrate the effects of resonant tunneling in a Ni/NiO/Al2O3/Cr/Au MI2M structures and achieve the usually mutually exclusive desired characteristics of low resistance ($${R}_{0}^{DC} \sim$$

R

0

D
C

~
13 kΩ for 0.035 μm2) and high responsivity (β0 = 0.5 A W−1) simultaneously. By varying the thickness of insulators to modify the depth and width of the MI2M quantum well, we show that resonant quasi-bound states can be reached at near zero-bias, where diodes self-bias when driven by antennas illuminated at 30 THz. We present an improvement in energy conversion efficiency by more than a factor of 100 over the current state-of-the-art, offering the possibility of engineering efficient energy harvesting rectennas.
Programmably tiling rigidified DNA brick on gold nanoparticle as multi-functional shell for cancer-targeted delivery of siRNAs
Authors: Xue Chang , Hu Shuyao , Gao Zhi-Hua , Wang Lei , Luo Meng-Xue , Yu Xin , Li Bi-Fei , Shen Zhifa , Wu Zai-Sheng
Published: May 2021

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is an effective therapeutic to regulate the expression of target genes in vitro and in vivo. Constructing a siRNA delivery system with high serum stability, especially responsive to endogenous stimuli, remains technically challenging. Herein we develop anti-degradation Y-shaped backbone-rigidified triangular DNA bricks with sticky ends (sticky-YTDBs) and tile them onto a siRNA-packaged gold nanoparticle in a programmed fashion, forming a multi-functional three-dimensional (3D) DNA shell. After aptamers are arranged on the exterior surface, a biocompatible siRNA-encapsulated core/shell nanoparticle, siRNA/Ap-CS, is achieved. SiRNAs are internally encapsulated in a 3D DNA shell and are thus protected from enzymatic degradation by the outermost layer of YTDB. The siRNAs can be released by endogenous miRNA and execute gene silencing within tumor cells, causing cell apoptosis higher than Lipo3000/siRNA formulation. In vivo treatment shows that tumor growth is completely (100%) inhibited, demonstrating unique opportunities for next-generation anticancer-drug carriers for targeted cancer therapies.
The in vitro micronucleus assay using imaging flow cytometry and deep learning
Authors: Rodrigues Matthew A. , Probst Christine E. , Zayats Artiom , Davidson Bryan , Riedel Michael , Li Yang , Venkatachalam Vidya
Published: May 2021

The in vitro micronucleus (MN) assay is a well-established assay for quantification of DNA damage, and is required by regulatory bodies worldwide to screen chemicals for genetic toxicity. The MN assay is performed in two variations: scoring MN in cytokinesis-blocked binucleated cells or directly in unblocked mononucleated cells. Several methods have been developed to score the MN assay, including manual and automated microscopy, and conventional flow cytometry, each with advantages and limitations. Previously, we applied imaging flow cytometry (IFC) using the ImageStream® to develop a rapid and automated MN assay based on high throughput image capture and feature-based image analysis in the IDEAS® software. However, the analysis strategy required rigorous optimization across chemicals and cell lines. To overcome the complexity and rigidity of feature-based image analysis, in this study we used the Amnis® AI software to develop a deep-learning method based on convolutional neural networks to score IFC data in both the cytokinesis-blocked and unblocked versions of the MN assay. We show that the use of the Amnis AI software to score imagery acquired using the ImageStream® compares well to manual microscopy and outperforms IDEAS® feature-based analysis, facilitating full automation of the MN assay.