bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ruminal fermentation, methanogenesis and nitrogen utilization of sheep receiving tropical grass hay-concentrate diets offered withSapindus saponariafruits andCratylia argenteafoliage
Authors: H. D. Hess  , Beuret R. A. , M. Lötscher  , Hindrichsen I. K. , A. Machmüller  , Carulla J. E. , Lascano C. E. , M. Kreuzer
Published: May 2019

The effects of supplementing a tropical, low-quality grass hay (Brachiaria dictyoneura) with legume foliage (Cratylia argentea) or fruits of the multipurpose tree Sapindus saponaria on ruminal fermentation, methane release and nitrogen (N) utilization were evaluated. Six Swiss White Hill lambs were used in a 6 ✕ 6 Latin-square design with a 3 ✕ 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with measurements of energy metabolism being conducted using open-circuit respiratory chambers. Treatments consisted of three basal diets, either grass alone or legume: grass ratios of 1: 2 or 2: 1. These basal diets were supplemented (1: 3) with a control concentrate or with a concentrate containing 250 g/kg dry matter ofS. saponariafruits. The apparent total tract digestibilities of organic matter (OM) and neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) were reduced and the proportionate crude protein (CP) losses through faeces were increased (P 0·01) by supplementation withS. saponaria, and digestibilities of OM and NDF were linearly reduced (P 0·001) with increasing legume proportion. Body energy retention, however, was similar in all diets. Along with CP intake, the proportionate CP losses through faeces decreased (P 0·001) with increasing legume proportion which was associated with improved (P 0·001) body protein retention and reduced (P 0·1) fat retention. Ruminal fluid ammonia concentration was not significantly affected (P > 0·1) by the inclusion ofS. saponariain the concentrate, but increased linearly (P 0·001) as dietary legume proportion was elevated. Supplementation with fruits ofS. saponariaincreased (P 0·01) total bacteria count, and decreased (P 0·001) total ciliate protozoa count by more than proportionately 0·50. Daily methane release was reduced (P 0·01) byS. saponariasupplementation in all basal diet types. Although being not clearly affected on a daily basis, methane release relative to body protein retention decreased linearly (P 0·05) with increasing legume proportion. The fact that interactions were mostly non-significant (P > 0·05) indicates that supplementation withS. saponariafruits is a useful means to reduce methane emission from sheep given both tropical grass-based and grass-legume-based diets. Likewise, including legumes in N-limited tropical diets seems to represent an environmentally friendly way to improve animal productivity.
Impact of replacing starch by digestible fibre, at two levels of lignocellulose, on digestion, growth and digestive health of the rabbit
Authors: Gidenne T. , Mirabito L. , Jehl N. , Perez J. -M. , Arveux P. , Bourdillon A. , Briens C. , Duperray J. , Corrent E.
Published: May 2019

Four diets were arranged using a 2 ✕ 2 factorial design with two levels of lignocellulose, a high ‘HF’ or a low level ‘LF’ (acid-detergent fibre (ADF) = 191 v. 155 g/kg), combined with two levels of starch replacing 50 g/kg of digestible fibre (DF = hemicelluloses + pectins), a high starch (low DF) ‘HS’ or a low starch (high DF) level ‘LS’ (starch = 193 v. 123 g/kg). Two trials were conducted to measure digestive efficiency and rate of passage, respectively. A third trial was performed in a network of six French experimental breeding units to measure growth and digestive health on 507 rabbits per diet. Foods were offered ad libitum from weaning to slaughter.

No significant interactions were detected between the effect of the level of lignocellulose and the effect of starch replacement by DF, on rabbit digestion, performance or digestive health. A proportional increase of overall food digestibility (organic matter (OM) or energy) was observed with the decrease of ADF level. When 50 g/kg of DF was replaced by starch we observed a significant improvement of OM and energy digestibility ( + 0·03 units). The whole-tract mean retention time of particles was 21 h. It was significantly longer with a lower ADF level ( + 5·4 h for LF v. HF diets), and it tended to increase when DF was substituted by starch ( + 2·2 h for HS v. LS diets).

Between weaning and slaughter, food intake was mainly affected by the ADF level (139 v. 130 g/day respectively for HF and LF diets) and to a lesser extent by the replacement of DF by starch (136·2 v. 133·4 g/day, respectively for LS and HS diets). The weight gain was only slightly higher for high starch (low DF) diets ( +1 g/day) without an effect of the ADF level.

Between weaning and slaughter, morbidity and mortality rates (from acute diarrhoea) were significantly reduced with high-fibre diets (-6 and -4 units respectively), while the replacement of DF by starch had no significant effect.
The effects of processing at harvest and cutting height of urea-treated whole-crop wheat on performance and digestibility in dairy cows
Authors: Jackson M. A. , Readman R. J. , Huntington J. A. , Sinclair L. A.
Published: May 2019

Urea-treated whole-crop wheat harvested at growth stage (GS) 87 that was either unprocessed (U) or processed (P) by the forage harvester, and cut at one of two heights to produce a long straw (L), or short straw (S) forage, was offered to 44 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows for 14 weeks according to a 2 ✕ 2 factorial design. Whole-crop wheat (WCW) was mixed 2: 1 on a dry-matter (DM) basis with grass silage and all animals received 8·5 kg/day of concentrate and 2 kg/day of rapeseed meal. Increasing the cutting height at harvest increased the starch content in the forage from an average of 356 to 419 g/kg DM and decreased neutral-detergent fibre levels from 422 to 337 g/kg DM. Forage intake (grass silage and WCW) was higher in cows given the unprocessed compared with the processed forages (13·7 v. 12·5 kg DM per day for treatments U v. P respectively; P < 0·05) and tended (P < 0·08) to be higher in cows given the long compared with the short straw forages. Neither processing, nor alteration of cutting height, had a significant effect on milk yield (kg/day). However, milk fat content decreased (P < 0·05) with increasing cutting height (41·9 v. 37·0 g/kg for the main effects of L v. S respectively) whilst body condition score was lower (P < 0·05) in cows given the long compared with the short straw forages (2·6 v. 2·8 respectively). Plasma glucose levels were higher (P < 0·05) in animals receiving the short compared with long straw forages (3·52 v. 3·34 mmol/l respectively) whereas β-hydroxybutyrate decreased (P < 0·01) with increased cutting height. The average digestibility of starch in the total ration was higher (P < 0·001) in cows given the processed compared with the unprocessed WCW (0·96 v. 0·88 respectively). Assuming a constant apparent digestibility of starch in the other food components resulted in a WCW starch apparent digestibility of 0·87, 0·97, 0·80 and 0·96 for forages LU, LP, SU and SP respectively (P < 0·001). The results indicate that processing at harvest significantly increased the digestibility of starch in WCW and that cows responded to this higher nutrient content by decreasing forage intake. Increasing the cutting height at harvest decreased milk fat content (g/kg) and yield (kg/day) and increased body condition score.
Housing system and welfare of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) cows
Authors: Tripaldi C. , De Rosa G. , Grasso F. , Terzano G. M. , Napolitano F.
Published: May 2019

Twenty-eight buffalo cows were used to evaluate the effect of housing system on a range of behavioural and physiological variables. Fourteen cows were group-housed in a loose open-sided barn with a concrete floor and 10 m2 per head as space allowance (group IS). Fourteen others were group-housed in a similar barn but they could also benefit from an outdoor yard with 500 m2 per head as space allowance, free access to potholes for wallowing and spontaneous vegetation (group TS). Animals were subjected to six sessions of instantaneous scan sampling at 10-day intervals. Behavioural variables were expressed as proportions of subjects observed in each category of posture and activity. Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) was used to perform a skin test based on non-specific delayed type hypersensitivity, whereas 20 mg of ovalbumin were injected subcutaneously to evaluate humoral immune response. Blood samples for evaluation of cortisol concentration were collected immediately prior to exogenous porcine ACTH injection and 1, 2 and 4 h after. The metabolic status of the animals and milk production were also monitored. The proportion of idling animals was higher in group IS than in group TS (P < 0.001). More IS buffalo cows were observed eating at the manger than TS animals (P < 0.001). A higher proportion of TS animals were observed in the sun (P < 0.001). Grazing and bathing activities were recorded only for TS animals. Our findings suggest that buffalo cows kept in intensive conditions and having no access to ample yards and potholes may extend their periods of idling with negative effects on the state of welfare. Immune responses, metabolite concentrations and milk production were not affected by treatment, whereas cortisol levels were higher in IS animals (P < 0.05). The provision of a housing system similar to natural conditions was able to improve the welfare of buffalo cows as indicated by the expression of some species-specific natural behaviours. Such conditions were also associated with lower adrenal cortex response to ACTH injection, possibly as a consequence of the higher degree of initiative allowed to TS cows.
The effect of rearing regime on the development of the mammary gland and claw abnormalities in high genetic merit Holstein-Friesian dairy herd replacements
Authors: Carson A. F. , Dawson L. E. R. , Wylie A. R. G. , Gordon F. J.
Published: May 2019

One hundred and eight high genetic merit Holstein-Friesian heifers were used to determine the effects of rearing regime on the development of the mammary gland and claw abnormalities. Heifers were allocated to one of four rearing regimes at 7 weeks of age and slaughtered at 18 (s.d.0.7) months of age; mating commenced at 14 months of age. Treatment 1 heifers were reared to calve at 540 kg and treatments 2, 3 and 4 heifers reared to calve at 620 kg. Treatment 1 and 2 heifers were offered grass silage-based diets during the winter and grass-based diets during the summer; treatment 2 heifers received additional concentrates. Treatment 3 heifers were offered a straw/concentrate diet during the winter and a grass-based diet during the summer. Treatment 4 heifers received the same winter diets as treatment 3 but were housed and offered a straw/concentrate diet in summer. Increasing plane of nutrition increased the weight of dissected udder fat (P < 0.01), but had no effect on the weight or chemical composition of dissected udder parenchyma. Offering straw- compared with silage-based diets reduced fat deposition in the udder (P < 0.01) and increased the proportion of parenchyma in the udder (P < 0.01). Keeping heifers housed during the first summer and offering straw-based diets relative to those turned out to grass had no effect on weight of fat although there was a tendency towards a reduction in the proportion of parenchyma in the udder (P < 0.06). Heifers reared on a low plane of nutrition had lower values for heel height (P < 0.001), lateral claw length (P < 0.001) and heel erosion scores (P < 0.01). A higher plane of nutrition also increased live weight/sole area although this was only significantly higher for treatment 3 (P < 0.05) compared with treatment 1 heifers. Housing heifers in the first summer increased the incidence of feet lesions in the white line area and solear area relative to turning heifers out to grass in the first summer (P < 0.05).
Diurnal variation in concentrations of various markers of bone metabolism in growing female goats and sheep
Authors: Liesegang A. , Sassi M.-L. , Risteli J.
Published: May 2019

Twelve 6-month-old growing female goats and sheep were used in this study. Blood samples were obtained in the morning before goats and sheep were given food and then at 2-h intervals for 24 h (part I). This procedure was repeated 2 weeks later (part II). Concentrations of osteocalcin (OC), activities of total (tAP) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (bAP), degradation products of C-terminal telopeptide of type-I collagen (CrossLaps™ CL), and carboxyterminal telopeptide of type-I collagen (ICTP) were measured in serum.

In both parts of the study, all bone marker concentrations were significantly higher in goats than in sheep. The OC concentrations in goats increased in the late afternoon/evening and decreased thereafter to reach values similar to those obtained at the beginning. The ICTP concentrations in goats slowly decreased until 14:00 h, increased, and decreased again. The concentrations in sheep decreased continuously but not significantly, towards the morning sampling. The CL concentrations increased in both sheep and goats during the night but at 06:00 h started to decrease to levels found at the beginning of testing. The bAP activities decreased in goats from 20:00 to 22:00 h. Changes in the concentrations of bone markers were mainly observed in goats of this study. As documented for bone resorption and formation in other species, circadian rhythms were evident for concentrations of ICTP, CL, bAP and OC. The present study indicates that growing goats may have a physiologically higher bone turn-over than growing sheep, because the bone marker concentrations were always higher.
Effect of concentrate finishing on the carotenoid content of perirenal fat in grazing sheep: its significance for discriminating grass-fed, concentrate-fed and concentrate-finished grazing lambs
Authors: Prache S. , Priolo A. , Grolier P.
Published: May 2019

Carotenoid pigments are good biomarkers of grass-feeding in sheep. However, as grazing lambs may be concentrate-finished, we investigated the effect of concentrate finishing after grazing on the carotenoid concentration of fat in sheep, and its significance for discriminating lamb production systems. In experiment 1 with 32 lambs, four feeding treatments were compared: G = grazing, C = feeding a concentrate-based diet, GSC = short concentrate-finishing period after grazing, and GLC = long concentrate-finishing period after grazing. The concentrate supply was regulated to have similar average daily gain for all treatments. In experiment 2, 42 ewes were given a low carotenoid diet after pasture feeding, for 0, 8, 22, 42, 84 or 126 days. The feeding level was adjusted to maintain body weight and body condition score. The nature and concentration of carotenoids was analysed by HPLC on diets and lambs’ perirenal fat. The reflectance spectrum of perirenal fat was measured at slaughter. Lutein was the only carotenoid in lamb fat. In experiment 1, the intensity of light absorption by lutein was linearly related with its concentration in the fat (P < 0·001) and was negatively correlated with the duration of the finishing period. The design of experiment 2 avoided the confounding effect of fat gain during the finishing period and examined the effect of the duration of this period by itself. There was no effect of stall-feeding duration on the intensity of light absorption by carotenoids in the fat in experiment 2, demonstrating that the effect of stall-feeding duration in fattening lambs was mediated via a dilution of existing fat with whiter fat rather than through pigments coming out of the fat. The concentration of lutein and the intensity of its light absorption in the fat decreased with lamb body-weight gain during the finishing period (P < 0·01 and P < 0·05 respectively) and increased with plasma carotenoid content at the end of the grazing period (P < 0·001). Because of the inter-individual variability in carotenoid absorption, the use of the reflectance spectrum of the fat alone may cause some concentrate finished grazing lambs to be classified as C lambs shortly after the beginning of the stall-feeding period, whereas others may be considered as G lambs for a long period of time. However, the combined use of plasma carotenoid content at slaughter together with the reflectance spectrum of the fat improves reliability in the discrimination of grass-fed, concentrate-fed and concentrate-finished grazing lambs, by taking advantage of the differences in the rate of reduction in carotenoid concentration in blood and fat.
Characterization of the microbial and biochemical profile of the different segments of the digestive tract in horses given two distinct diets
Authors: Fombelle A. de , Varloud M. , Goachet A.-G. , Jacotot E. , Philippeau C. , Drogoul C. , Julliand V.
Published: May 2019

A first group of three horses was given diet 1 (D1) allowing 1180 g per 100 kg body weight (BW) of a pelleted food rich in fibre (P1) and 556 g per 100 kg BW of straw during a 20-day period to allow for adaptation. A second group of four horses were given diet 2 (D2) allowing 1180 g per 100 kg BW of a pelleted food rich in cereals (P2) and 1000 g per 100 kg BW of meadow hay during the same period. Digesta was collected from the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum, right ventral colon, left ventral colon, left dorsal colon, right dorsal colon, and small colon, and faeces were collected under general anaesthesia 2·5 h after the ingestion of the morning pelleted meal. The concentration of total anaerobic, cellulolytic and lactic acid-utilizing bacteria, lactobacilli and streptococci were determined in all these segments except for the duodenum, left ventral colon, right dorsal colon and small colon. D-/L-lactic acid, volatile fatty acids and pH were measured in all anatomic segments of the digestive tract (from stomach to small colon). The caecal concentration of total anaerobic bacteria was the lowest (7·9 5 107colony-forming units (c f. u.) per ml), whereas that of the stomach was the highest (1·4 5 109c f. u. per ml) (P< 0·001). Cellulolytic bacteria did not exceed 3·0 5 102c f u. per ml in the ante-caecal segments whereas in the hindgut the average concentration was 5·3 x 105c f u. per ml (P< 0·001). Likewise, VFA concentrations were also greater in the large intestine (on average, 96·3 mmol/l v. 8·8 mmol/l in the ante-caecal segments) (P< 0·001), confirming the limited extent of fibre degradation in these ante-caecal segments. Lactobacilli, streptococci and lactate-utilizing bacteria colonized all the digestive tract; the stomach and the small intestine tended to host the greatest numbers of these bacteria, which suggests a high interference of micro-organisms with the digestion of readily fermentable carbohydrates. Compared with the other ante-caecal segments, the stomach ecosystem seemed the most affected by the composition of the last pelleted meal ingested: the concentrations of lactobacilli and lactate-utilizing bacteria were higher (P< 0·05) with P2. The lower concentration of D-/L-lactate with P2 (P< 0·05) was concomitant with a greater proportion of propionate (P< 0·05), probably related to a greater fermentation of lactate. In the large intestine of horses given D2, cellulolytic bacteria tended to be lower, whereas VFA concentrations were higher (P < 0·05). The lower [NDF/starch] ratio of D2 was probably less propitious for the proliferation of cellulolytic bacteria but was compensated by the higher cellulose intake brought by the hay.
The ability of the n-alkane technique to estimate intake and diet choice of sheep
Authors: Lewis R.M. , Magadlela A.M. , Jessop N.S. , Emmans G.C.
Published: May 2019

This study assessed the efficacy of the n-alkane technique to estimate intake and diet composition in animals given single foods or a choice of two. In the first experiment intakes of pelleted ryegrass and lucerne, given either alone or as a choice, were measured in lambs housed indoors in individual pens. Each of the three feeding treatments was given to 12 lambs at two degrees of maturity (0·30 and 0·45 of estimated mature sizes). The 12 lambs were constituted as three replicates of the two sexes of each of two breeds. The measured intakes were compared with those estimated using the n-alkanes C31and C33, found naturally in the foods, and C32, which was given as a dose. On the choice treatment diet composition was estimated using a non-negative least squares procedure and data on C31and C33alone. The agreement between actual and predicted intake was good:R2of 0·938 for log-linear regression with a residual standard deviation of 0·0845. Intake of lucerne when offered alone was slightly yet significantly over-predicted. The proportion of ryegrass in the diet was also accurately predicted (R2of 0·950 and residual s.d. of 0·0398). Using the data on C27and C29, in addition to that on C31and C33, gave a poorer agreement with the observed diet compositions. The low and similar levels of C27in the two foods meant that this n-alkane provided little extra information that could be used to estimate diet composition. In a second experiment faecal samples were collected every 4 hours over a 24-h period in six lambs on ad libitum, and in six lambs on a restricted quantity, of pelleted ryegrass. There was no significant diurnal variation in the ratios of either C31or C33to C32on either ad libitum or restricted feeding. The time of faecal collection within a day should not therefore affect the reliability of the predictions. The study confirmed the value of using n-alkanes in methods to determine the intake of forages by sheep, and that the time of faecal collection within the day does not affect the reliability of these predictions. The results also confirm the utility of the n-alkane method for estimating diet choice, at least with two-component mixtures.
AN INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT J. SHILLER
Authors: Campbell John Y.
Published: May 2019

A recent article in The Economist magazine divided economists into “poets” and “plumbers,” the former articulating radical new visions of the field and the latter patiently installing the infrastructure needed to implement those visions. Bob Shiller is the rare economist who is both poet and plumber. Not only that, he is also entrepreneur and pundit. His work has fundamentally changed the theory, econometrics, practice, and popular understanding of finance.

Starting in the late 1970's, Bob boldly challenged the prevailing orthodoxy of financial economics. He showed that financial asset prices often deviate substantially from the levels predicted by simple efficient-markets models, and he developed new empirical methods to measure these price deviations. In the early 1980's, Bob went on to argue that economists need a much more detailed understanding of investor psychology if they are to understand asset price movements. He pioneered the emerging field of behavioral economics and its most successful branch, behavioral finance. At the end of the century, Bob articulated his vision of finance in a wildly successful popular book,Irrational Exuberance. He became so well known that TIAA-CREF asked him to appear in a series of full-page advertisements in the popular press.

Although Bob does not believe that investors use financial markets in a perfectly rational manner, he does believe that these markets offer great possibilities to improve the human condition. His recent work asks how existing financial markets can be used, and new financial markets can be designed, to improve the sharing of risks across groups of people in different regions, countries, and occupations. He has explored risk-sharing possibilities not only in journal articles, but also in business ventures and a 2003 book,The New Financial Order: Risk in the 21st Century.

It was a great privilege for me to interview Bob Shiller. Bob's arrival at Yale when I was a Ph.D. student there set the course of my career as an economist. Bob reinvigorated the Yale tradition of macroeconomics, with its emphasis on the central role of financial markets in the macroeconomy and its idealism about the possibility of improving macroeconomic outcomes. First as a thesis adviser, then as a coauthor, mentor, and friend, Bob showed me how to contribute to this tradition.

The interview took place at the 2003 annual meetings of the Allied Social Science Associations in Washington, D.C. We met in a hotel suite, ate a room service meal, and had the enjoyable conversation that is reproduced below.
EFFECTS OF DIFFERENCES IN RISK AVERSION ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH
Authors: COEN-PIRANI DANIELE
Published: May 2019

This paper studies the role played by differences in risk aversion in affecting the long-run distribution of wealth across agents in the context of an endowment economy. The economy is populated by two types of Epstein-Zin agents who differ only in their attitudes toward risk. By choosing riskier portfolio strategies, less-risk-averse agents enjoy returns on their investments characterized by a higher mean and a higher variance than the ones enjoyed by more-risk-averse agents. The former effect tends to make less-risk-averse agents wealthier over time, whereas the latter tends to make them poorer. The paper shows that, contrary to the results obtained using standard expected utility preferences, for some parameter values the long-run distribution of wealth is dominated by more-risk-averse agents.
ENDOGENOUS GROWTH AND ENDOGENOUS BUSINESS CYCLES
Authors: MALIAR LILIA , MALIAR SERGUEI
Published: May 2019

This paper presents a computable general equilibrium model of endogenous (stochastic) growth and cycles that can account for two key features of the aggregate data: balanced growth in the long run and business cycles in the short run. The model is built on Schumpeter's idea that economic development is the consequence of the periodic arrival of innovations. There is growth because each subsequent innovation leads to a permanent improvement in the production technology. Cycles arise because innovations trigger a reallocation of resources between production and R&D. The quantitative implications of the calibrated version of our model are very similar to those of Kydland and Prescott's (1982) model. Moreover, under some parameterizations, our model can correct two shortcomings of RBC models: It can account for the persistence in output growth and the asymmetry of growth within the business cycle.
Rapid Determination of the Distribution of Cellulose Nanomaterial Aggregates in Composites Enabled by Multi-Channel Spectral Confocal Microscopy
Authors: Johns Marcus A. , Lewandowska Anna E. , Eichhorn Stephen J.
Published: May 2019

There is increased interest in the use of cellulose nanomaterials for the mechanical reinforcement of composites due to their high stiffness and strength. However, challenges remain in accurately determining their distribution within composite microstructures. We report the use of a range of techniques used to image aggregates of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) greater than 10 µm2 within a model thermoplastic polymer. While Raman imaging accurately determines CNC aggregate size, it requires extended periods of analysis and the limited observable area results in poor reproducibility. In contrast, staining the CNCs with a fluorophore enables rapid acquisition with high reproducibility, but overestimates the aggregate size as CNC content increases. Multi-channel spectral confocal laser scanning microscopy is presented as an alternative technique that combines the accuracy of Raman imaging with the speed and reproducibility of conventional confocal laser scanning microscopy, enabling the rapid determination of CNC aggregate distribution within composites.
Defending dignity
Authors: CHOCHINOV HARVEY MAX
Published: May 2019

In a recent British Medical Journal editorial, Ruth Macklin
pronounced that dignity is “a useless concept in medical ethics
and can be eliminated without any loss of content” (Macklin, 2003). The published responses offered a
unanimous, firm rebuttal, arguing that dignity is somehow foundational
to all we do, or ought to be doing, within the practice of medicine or
medical research. Whereas Macklin argued that dignity lacked
definitional specificity, the words of U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Brennan were invoked by respondent Jayson Rapoport: “I can't
define dignity, but I know it when I see it” (Rapoport, 2003). Whether dignity has no place or a
pivotal place within the medical lexicon, what seems clear is that
discussions pertaining to dignity leave little room for
indifference.
A chart review, pilot study of two single-item screens to detect
cancer patients at risk for cachexia
Authors: KIRSH, KENNETH L. , DUGAN CHRISTINE , THEOBALD DALE E. , PASSIK STEVEN D.
Published: May 2019

Objective: Cachexia is a problematic wasting syndrome
experienced by some cancer patients that can lead to early death in
these patients. The purpose of the present study was to examine the
criterion validity and sensitivity and specificity of two single items
from a depression scale to rapidly screen patients in ambulatory
oncology clinics for cancer-related nutritional risk and cachexia.

Methods: A chart review was conducted of 50 randomly
selected patient profiles. Patients' responses to item 5 (“I
eat as much as I used to”) and item 7 (“I notice I am
losing weight”) of the Zung Self Rating Depression Scale (ZSDS)
were compared against the Scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global
Assessment (PG-SGA) as well as to Body Mass Index (BMI) scores and
weight at two time periods.

Results: Item 5 of the ZSDS was significantly related to
initial weight (F3,45 = 6.06, p <
0.001), weight at 6-month follow-up (F3,27 = 4.16,
p < 0.05), BMI score (F3,46 = 2.89,
p < 0.05), and nutritional risk on the PG-SGA
(F3,45 = 5.80, p < 0.01). Item 7 of the
ZSDS was only a significant predictor of nutritional risk as measured
by the PG-SGA (F3,46 = 6.01, p < 0.01).
When the two items were combined to form a two-item scale, it
maintained the individual items' significant relationship to the
PG-SGA (F1,48 = 13.99, p < 0.001).
Using this as the criterion for identifying nutritionally at-risk
patients, the two-item screen yields a sensitivity of 50% and
specificity of 88%.

Significance of the research: It is concluded that a single
item or a combination of two items can yield a reliable initial screen
for identifying patients who might be at nutritional risk for the
development of cachexia. Further study is needed in prospective trials
to further explore the utility of these items.
Death of a generation
Authors: WEIN SIMON
Published: May 2019

His death had been expected for weeks. Just out of his teens he never
complained, the girls reminisced later. The leukemic weeds in his blood
starved his body of fight and life. His parents stood by his bed as he lay
dying. His breathing quickened over a quarter of an hour, then slowed,
became irregular and ceased. He died. Death to those inexperienced can be a
little surprising in its understatement. Nothing much happens. These parents
showed little shock. No hysterics. Numbed, exhausted. In the end all
deaths are alike, but no stories the same.
Radial Melt Segregation During Extrusion of Partially Molten Rocks
Authors: Quintanilla‐Terminel Alejandra , Dillman Amanda M. , Pec Matej , Diedrich Garrett , Kohlstedt David L.
Published: May 2019

We performed a series of extrusion experiments on partially molten samples of forsterite plus 10 vol% of an anorthite‐rich melt to investigate melt segregation in a pipe‐extrusion geometry and test the predictions of two‐phase flow theory with viscous anisotropy. The employed flow geometry has not been experimentally investigated for partially molten rocks; however, numerical solutions for a similar, pipe‐Poiseuille geometry are available. Samples were extruded from a 6‐mm diameter reservoir into a 2‐mm diameter channel under a fixed normal stress at 1350°C and 0.1 MPa. The melt distribution in the channel was subsequently mapped with optical and backscattered electron microscopy and analyzed via quantitative image analysis. Melt segregated from the center toward the outer radius of the channel. The melt fraction at the wall increased with increasing extrusion duration and with increasing shear stress. The melt fraction profiles are parabolic with the melt fraction at the wall reaching 0.17–0.66, values 2 to 16 times higher than at the channel center. Segregation of melt toward the wall of the channel is consistent with base‐state melt segregation as predicted by two‐phase flow theory with viscous anisotropy. However, melt‐rich sheets inclined at a low angle to the wall, which are anticipated from two‐phase flow theory, were not observed, indicating that the compaction length is larger than the channel diameter. The results of our experiments are a test of two‐phase flow theory that includes viscous anisotropy, an essential theoretical frame work needed for modeling large‐scale melt migration and segregation in the upper mantle.
On the Use of Different Magnetic Field Models for Simulating the Dynamics of the Outer Radiation Belt Electrons During the October 1990 Storm
Authors: Loridan Vivien , Ripoll Jean‐François , Tu Weichao , Scott Cunningham Gregory
Published: May 2019

During geomagnetic storms, the magnetic field in the outer belt is known to be significantly distorted by the solar wind, such that the outer belt dynamics can be greatly impacted by the magnetic field topology. In this context, we develop a reduced Fokker‐Planck code that includes the effects related to realistic magnetic field models (by using the existing dedicated LANLGeoMag library) through the steps of preprocessing, postprocessing, and, for the first time, during the computation of the reduced Fokker‐Planck diffusion equation itself. We perform the solutions of the reduced Fokker‐Planck equation in the framework of the geomagnetic storm that occurred from 9 October to 15 October 1990. With the use of Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite observations, the magnetic field model is shown to strongly affect the way of conciliating theory with observations (processing steps). More specifically, we explain analytically and numerically why the use of a dipole field can lead to misleading interpretations on the local enhancements (attributed to local acceleration) displayed by the electron distribution function, resulting in inaccurate simulations results at large L‐shells. The consideration of a realistic field does not produce any artificial peaks. With such corrected data sets, a great part of the dynamics can be described by radial transport and is thus better reproduced by the simulations. This crucial importance of the field geometry is further emphasized with the calculation of unidirectional, omnidirectional, and integral electron fluxes, and their accuracy is quantified thanks to dedicated metrics.
Evaluating Aerosol Optical Depth From Himawari‐8 With Sun Photometer Network
Authors: Wang Wei , Mao Feiyue , Pan Zengxin , Gong Wei , Yoshida Mayumi , Zou Bin , Ma Huiyun
Published: May 2019

The Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI), the primary sensor aboard the Japanese Himawari‐8 geostationary satellite, measures regional aerosol observations with high temporal‐spatial resolution. To improve product quality and scientific applications, we performed a comprehensive evaluation of AHI aerosol products (version 1.0). We compared nearly 2 years (15 July 2015 to 31 June 2017) of AHI aerosol optical depth at 500 nm (AOD500) with AODs from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) and the Maritime Aerosol Network (MAN). Results showed that, over land, AHI retrievals exhibit a large overall bias of −0.062, with an R of 0.78; over ocean, average bias measured 0.036 (0.051 for MAN), with an R of 0.89 (0.95 for MAN). AHI retrievals collocated with AERONET AODs (τA) showed the following expected AHI AOD errors: (−0.66 × τA + 0.02, −0.34 × τA + 0.16) over land and (−0.24 × τA + 0.03, 0.10 × τA + 0.11) over ocean. AHI retrievals with degraded performance correlated to different regions, angles, aerosol types, and surface types, suggesting that the AHI aerosol algorithm can be improved by changing aerosol optical models, using better cloud filters, and combining multiple methods to estimate ground reflectance. Collocated comparisons of AHI‐MODerate‐resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer‐AERONET demonstrate that, over land, AHI daytime AODs clearly improve when retrievals with a large viewing zenith angle and small scattering angle are excluded.
A Layer‐Averaged Nonhydrostatic Dynamical Framework on an Unstructured Mesh for Global and Regional Atmospheric Modeling: Model Description, Baseline Evaluation, and Sensitivity Exploration
Authors: Zhang Yi , Li Jian , Yu Rucong , Zhang Shixun , Liu Zhuang , Huang Jiahao , Zhou Yihui
Published: May 2019

This paper describes the development and evaluation of a new nonhydrostatic dynamical framework for global and regional atmospheric modeling, with an emphasis on the numerical performance of dry dynamics. The model is formulated in a layer‐averaged manner using a generalized hybrid sigma‐mass vertical coordinate and an unstructured mesh. The mass‐based equations allow a flexible and effective switch between the hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic solvers. The unstructured mesh treats the conventional icosahedral grid and the more general Voronoi polygon in a consistent manner, allowing a flexible switch between quasi‐uniform and variable‐resolution modeling. The horizontal discretization and vertical discretization are formulated in an explicit Eulerian approach, while those terms describing the vertically propagating fast waves are solved implicitly. The model is equipped with physically based Smagorinsky diffusion as a tuning tool. A suite of multiscale test cases from hydrostatic to nonhydrostatic regimes is used to assess the model performance. The general strategies for evaluation focus on two aspects: (i) the nonhydrostatic solver should behave similarly to its hydrostatic counterpart under the hydrostatic regime and (ii) the nonhydrostatic solver should produce unique nonhydrostatic responses under the nonhydrostatic regime. In the context of model evaluation, model sensitivity to numerical configurations is further explored to understand the impact of isolated components, helping to identify appropriate configurations for realistic modeling applications. The present framework is a prototype toward a Global‐Regional Integrated forecast SysTem (GRIST).
Electro‐Thermal Subsurface Gas Generation and Transport: Model Validation and Implications
Authors: Molnar Ian L. , Mumford Kevin G. , Krol Magdalena M.
Published: May 2019

Gas generation and flow in soil is relevant to applications such as the fate of leaking geologically sequestered carbon dioxide, natural releases of methane from peat and marine sediments, and numerous electro‐thermal remediation technologies for contaminated sites, such as electrical resistance heating. While traditional multiphase flow models generally perform poorly in describing unstable gas flow phenomena in soil, Macroscopic Invasion Percolation (MIP) models can reproduce key features of its behavior. When coupled with continuum heat and mass transport models, MIP has the potential to simulate complex subsurface scenarios. However, coupled MIP‐continuum models have not yet been validated against experimental data and lack key mechanisms required for electro‐thermal scenarios. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to (a) incorporate mechanisms required for steam generation and flow into an existing MIP‐continuum model (ET‐MIP), (b) validate ET‐MIP against an experimental lab‐scale electrical resistance heating study, and (c) investigate the sensitivity of water boiling and gas (steam) transport to key parameters. Water boiling plateaus (i.e., latent heat), heat recirculation within steam clusters, and steam collapse (i.e., condensation) mechanisms were added to ET‐MIP. ET‐MIP closely matched observed transient gas saturation distributions, measurements of electrical current, and temperature distributions. Heat recirculation and cluster collapse were identified as the key mechanisms required to describe gas flow dynamics using a MIP algorithm. Sensitivity analysis revealed that gas generation rates and transport distances, particularly through regions of cold water, are sensitive to the presence of dissolved gases.
Estimation of Surface Turbulent Fluxes From Land Surface Moisture and Temperature Via a Variational Data Assimilation Framework
Authors: Abdolghafoorian Abedeh , Farhadi Leila
Published: May 2019

Accurate estimation of surface turbulent heat fluxes is important in numerous hydrological, meteorological, and agricultural applications. Recently, several studies have focused on estimating these fluxes via assimilation of land surface temperature (LST) observations into a surface energy balance model following the variational data assimilation (VDA) scheme. However, current VDAs suffer from the following issues: (1) they do not consider the inherent coupling between water and energy in the soil‐plant‐atmosphere continuum, (2) they tend to be ill‐posed, and (3) they do not explicitly compute the uncertainty of estimates. The goal of this study is to enhance the current VDAs in two major ways: (i) coupling water and energy balance equations, assimilating soil moisture (SM) data in addition to LST, and constraining the VDA estimates by the moisture diffusion equation in addition to the heat diffusion equation; and (ii) analyzing the second‐order information that guides toward a well‐posed estimation problem and provides uncertainty of parameters. The performance of the proposed VDA is examined through a set of experiments based on a synthetic data set. The results show that simultaneous assimilation of SM and LST improves the estimation of heat fluxes and reduces the sensitivity of VDA to the initial guess of parameters. Furthermore, by adding moisture diffusion equation as an additional constraint, the correlation between the estimated parameters is reduced and the VDA scheme is oriented toward well posedness. The feasibility of extending the proposed VDA in estimating large‐scale turbulent fluxes using spaceborne SM and LST data is examined, and promising results are obtained.
Degradation of Internal Organic Matter is the Main Control on Pteropod Shell Dissolution After Death
Authors: Oakes R. L. , Peck V. L. , Manno C. , Bralower T. J.
Published: May 2019

The potential for preservation of thecosome pteropods is thought to be largely governed by the chemical stability of their delicate aragonitic shells in seawater. However, sediment trap studies have found that significant carbonate dissolution can occur above the carbonate saturation horizon. Here we present the results from experiments conducted on two cruises to the Scotia Sea to directly test whether the breakdown of the organic pteropod body influences shell dissolution. We find that on the timescales of 3 to 13 days, the oxidation of organic matter within the shells of dead pteropods is a stronger driver of shell dissolution than the aragonite saturation state of seawater. Three to four days after death, shells became milky white and nano scanning electron microscope images reveal smoothing of internal surface features and increased shell porosity, both indicative of aragonite dissolution. These findings have implications for the interpretation of the condition of pteropod shells from sediment traps and the fossil record, as well as for understanding the processes controlling particulate carbonate export from the surface ocean.
Xenon Hydrate as an Analog of Methane Hydrate in Geologic Systems Out of Thermodynamic Equilibrium
Authors: Fu Xiaojing , Waite William F. , Cueto‐Felgueroso Luis , Juanes Ruben
Published: May 2019

Methane hydrate occurs naturally under pressure and temperature conditions that are not straightforward to replicate experimentally. Xenon has emerged as an attractive laboratory alternative to methane for studying hydrate formation and dissociation in multiphase systems, given that it forms hydrates under milder conditions. However, building reliable analogies between the two hydrates requires systematic comparisons, which are currently lacking. We address this gap by developing a theoretical and computational model of gas hydrates under equilibrium and nonequilibrium conditions. We first compare equilibrium phase behaviors of the Xe·H2O and CH4·H2O systems by calculating their isobaric phase diagram, and then study the nonequilibrium kinetics of interfacial hydrate growth using a phase field model. Our results show that Xe·H2O is a good experimental analog to CH4·H2O, but there are key differences to consider. In particular, the aqueous solubility of xenon is altered by the presence of hydrate, similar to what is observed for methane; but xenon is consistently less soluble than methane. Xenon hydrate has a wider nonstoichiometry region, which could lead to a thicker hydrate layer at the gas‐liquid interface when grown under similar kinetic forcing conditions. For both systems, our numerical calculations reveal that hydrate nonstoichiometry coupled with hydrate formation dynamics leads to a compositional gradient across the hydrate layer, where the stoichiometric ratio increases from the gas‐facing side to the liquid‐facing side. Our analysis suggests that accurate composition measurements could be used to infer the kinetic history of hydrate formation in natural settings where gas is abundant.
Daytime Evolution of Equatorial Plasma Bubbles Observed by the First Republic of China Satellite
Authors: Kil Hyosub , Paxton Larry J. , Lee Woo Kyoung , Jee Geonhwa
Published: May 2019

Plasma bubbles in the equatorial F region are thought of as nighttime phenomena because they develop at night and are assumed to vanish after sunrise. However, bubbles occasionally persist throughout the night and into the day. This study investigates the origin of daytime irregularities and their evolution using data from the first Republic of China satellite. Our results show that daytime irregularities occur in the longitudes where bubbles have developed on previous nights. A newly reported feature is the observation of the temporal variation of the locations of daytime irregularities; daytime irregularities are concentrated near the magnetic equator early in the morning, but the location gradually shifts to higher latitudes with time. This phenomenon is explained in terms of the latitudinal redistribution of fossil bubbles by the ionospheric fountain effect.
Evidence of Electron Acceleration at a Reconnecting Magnetopause
Authors: Fu H. S. , Peng F. Z. , Liu C. M. , Burch J. L. , Gershman D. G. , Le Contel O.
Published: May 2019

It is still unknown nowadays whether magnetic reconnection—a process occurring both in the magnetotail and at the magnetopause—can intrinsically accelerate energetic electrons. Observations in the Earth's magnetotail usually indicate strong electron acceleration during magnetic reconnection, while observations at the Earth's magnetopause rarely show such features. With the recently launched Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, here we report the first evidence of energetic‐electron acceleration at a reconnecting magnetopause. We find that the acceleration of electrons, with energy up to 70 times their thermal energy, occurs in the magnetosheath side of the ion diffusion region and is associated with strong whistler waves. Such acceleration—not contaminated by the magnetospheric population—is attributed to nonadiabatic wave‐particle interactions, as supported by analyses of the resonance condition. It manifests that energetic‐electron acceleration can happen at the reconnecting magnetopause, like that in the tail.