bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Simulation of Bracciano Lake (Central Italy) Levels Based on Hydrogeological Water Budget: A Tool for Lake Water Management when Climate Change and Anthropogenic Impacts Occur
Authors: De Filippi Francesco Maria , Sappa Giuseppe
Published: February 2024

Bracciano Lake is one of the major water bodies of Lazio region and the eighth lake in Italy by area. Similarly to other water bodies located on the Tyrrhenian side of the Italian Peninsula, Bracciano Lake has a volcanic origin. This water body is a strategic resource for both the emergency and ordinary water supply of Rome megacity, thanks to the short distance (about 30 km). During the last years, the concurrence of climate change and anthropogenic activities led to important water level drops of the lake: the last and worst in 2017, when the lake faced the most important water crisis of its entire history, with a critical impact on the ecological system and the consequent interruption of water supply. This paper, using the inverse hydrogeological water budget (HWB) method in a GIS environment, aims to define the water budget of Bracciano Lake on a 15-year time series (2008–2022), providing a framework of climate change and human impacts on lake water levels. The outputs have been used for the simulation of lake water levels during the same period, with a focus on the drought of 2017. The variation between simulated and observed level is, on average, 2 cm and in any case never more than 28 cm. Results show the fragile balance between inputs and outputs, highlighting the need for sustainable management of both surface water and groundwater withdrawals from the surrounding aquifer.
Pro-environmental behaviour in household water use. A gender perspective
Authors: Granda Lucía , Moya-Fernández Pablo José , Soriano-Miras Rosa María , González-Gómez Francisco
Published: February 2024

Efficiency in the use of water resources is one of the SDG 6 in all sectors. This research focuses on the efficient use of water in households. Specifically, we analyse differences in people’s behaviour towards ten household water uses. Compared to previous research, the main contribution of this study is the emphasis placed on the gender perspective. This research is carried out for Andalusia, a region in southern Spain with high water stress. OLS and probit estimations were made with a database of 2650 observations from 2018. No gender differences are found in the number of habits applied to make efficient use of water in the household. On the other hand, after studying ten household water uses in isolation, gender differences are found in certain pro-environmental habits. We cannot conclude the existence of a gender gap in environmental awareness of water use. However, the results suggest that there are differences in the adoption of pro-environmental habits in water use due to the distribution in the household chores, especially in those which are traditionally female or male.
Fair valuations of insurance policies under multiple risk factors: A flexible lattice approach
Authors: Devolder Pierre , Russo Emilio , Staino Alessandro
Published: February 2024

We propose a flexible lattice model to evaluate the fair value of insurance contracts embedding both financial and actuarial risk factors. Flexibility relies on the ability of the model to manage different specifications of the correlated processes governing interest rate, mortality, and fund dynamics, thus allowing the insurer to make the most appropriate choices. The model is also able to handle additional guarantees like a surrender opportunity for which explicit formulae are not available being it similar to an American derivative. The model discretizes mortality and interest rate dynamics through two different binomial lattices and then combines them into a bivariate tree characterized by the presence of four branches for each node. The probability of each branch is defined to replicate the correlation affecting the two processes. The bivariate model is useful to compute the value of survival zero coupon bond. When adding another source of risk, such as the fund dynamics for evaluating fund-linked insurance products, we model it through a bivariate tree that captures the influence of the interest rate on its drift term. Then, the mortality risk is embedded by defining a trivariate tree presenting eight branches emanating from each node with probabilities defined in order to capture the correlations of the processes. Extensive numerical experiments assess the model accuracy by considering some stylized policies, but the model application is not limited to them being it able to manage different contract specifications.
Utility of routine post-admission testing for SARS-CoV-2 in a rehabilitation facility
Authors: Williams Victoria R. , Robinson Larry , Eisenberg Morty , Virdi Kuldeep , Kozak Robert , Leis Jerome A.
Published: February 2024

Asymptomatic screening for SARS-CoV-2 is recommended in healthcare settings during periods of increased incidence, yet studies in rehabilitation settings are lacking. Routine weekly post-admission asymptomatic testing in a rehabilitation facility offered marginal gain beyond syndromic and targeted unit testing and was not associated with a reduced risk of healthcare-associated COVID-19.
Dimension estimates and approximation in non-uniformly hyperbolic systems
Authors: WANG JUAN , CAO YONGLUO , ZHAO YUN
Published: February 2024

Let
$f: M\rightarrow M$
be a
$C^{1+\alpha }$
diffeomorphism on an
$m_0$
-dimensional compact smooth Riemannian manifold M and
$\mu $
a hyperbolic ergodic f-invariant probability measure. This paper obtains an upper bound for the stable (unstable) pointwise dimension of
$\mu $
, which is given by the unique solution of an equation involving the sub-additive measure-theoretic pressure. If
$\mu $
is a Sinai–Ruelle–Bowen (SRB) measure, then the Kaplan–Yorke conjecture is true under some additional conditions and the Lyapunov dimension of
$\mu $
can be approximated gradually by the Hausdorff dimension of a sequence of hyperbolic sets
$\{\Lambda _n\}_{n\geq 1}$
. The limit behaviour of the Carathéodory singular dimension of
$\Lambda _n$
on the unstable manifold with respect to the super-additive singular valued potential is also studied.
The impact of mental health and psychosocial support programmes on children and young people’s mental health in the context of humanitarian emergencies in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Bangpan Mukdarut , Felix Lambert , Soliman Farida , D’Souza Preethy , Jieman Anna-Theresa , Dickson Kelly
Published: February 2024

Humanitarian emergencies pose a significant global health challenge for children and young people’s mental and psychological health. This systematic review investigates the effectiveness of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) programmes delivered to children and young people affected by humanitarian emergencies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Twelve electronic databases, key websites and citation checking were undertaken. Forty-three randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in English between January 1980 and May 2023 were included in the review. Overall, the findings suggest that cognitive behavioural therapy may improve depression symptoms in children and young people affected by humanitarian emergencies. Narrative exposure therapy may reduce feelings of guilt. However, the impact of the other MHPSS modalities across outcomes is inconsistent. In some contexts, providing psychosocial programmes involving creative activities may increase the symptoms of depression in children and young people. These findings emphasise the need for the development of MHPSS programmes that can safely and effectively address the diverse needs of children and young people living in adversarial environments.
Turbulence ingestion noise generation in rotating blades
Authors: Raposo Henrique , Azarpeyvand Mahdi
Published: February 2024

The interaction between ingested turbulence and rotating blades is a key source of broadband noise in engineering applications. In this paper, a far-field noise model accounting for source correlation across the span of the blade and between blades is developed and applied to the study of homogeneous isotropic turbulence ingestion by a model cooling fan, wind turbine and aircraft propeller. The widely used theory of Amiet is revisited and it is shown that previous works produce conflicting results when attempting to account for blade-to-blade correlation. Central to the model is the calculation of the time between blade chops of the same turbulent eddy as heard by the observer. In this paper it is shown that, when derived correctly, Amiet's theory accounts for correlated sources between blades and, thus, can predict haystacking tones. Comparisons with the new rotational formulation and with experimental data enable us to show that Amiet's theory can be used to accurately predict turbulence ingestion noise from open rotors. In particular, it is found that the infinite-span assumption in strip theory and the neglect of correlation effects across the span do not undermine the accuracy of this theory. This is of great importance because, unlike Amiet's theory, models which treat rotational effects and source correlation exactly are expensive to evaluate routinely at high frequencies due to the slow convergence of infinite series with Bessel functions.
Swirling electrolyte. Part 1. Hierarchy of catastrophic transitions in steady annular flows
Authors: McCloughan John , Suslov Sergey A.
Published: February 2024

This study extends our previous work (McCloughan & Suslov, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 887, 2020, A23), where the existence of a saddle-node bifurcation of steady axisymmetric electrolyte flows driven by the Lorentz force in a shallow annular domain was first reported. Here we perform further weakly nonlinear analysis over a wider range of the governing parameters to demonstrate that the previously reported saddle-node bifurcation is a local feature of a global fold catastrophe, which, in turn, is a part of cusp catastrophe occurring as the thickness of the fluid layer increases. The amplitude equation characterising multiple flow solutions in the finite vicinity of catastrophe points is derived. The sensitivity of its coefficients and solutions to the distance from the catastrophe points is assessed demonstrating the robustness of the used analytical procedure. The asymptotic flow solution past the catastrophe point is subsequently obtained and its topology is explored confirming the existence of the secondary circulation in the bulk of flow (two-tori background flow structure). The latter is argued to lead to the appearance of experimentally observable vortices on the fluid surface. The rigorous justification of this conjecture is to be given in Part 2 of the study.
Does word knowledge account for the effect of world knowledge on pronoun interpretation?
Authors: Jones Cameron R. , Bergen Benjamin
Published: February 2024

To what extent can statistical language knowledge account for the effects of world knowledge in language comprehension? We address this question by focusing on a core aspect of language understanding: pronoun resolution. While existing studies suggest that comprehenders use world knowledge to resolve pronouns, the distributional hypothesis and its operationalization in large language models (LLMs) provide an alternative account of how purely linguistic information could drive apparent world knowledge effects. We addressed these confounds in two experiments. In Experiment 1, we found a strong effect of world knowledge plausibility (measured using a norming study) on responses to comprehension questions that probed pronoun interpretation. In experiment 2, participants were slower to read continuations that contradicted world knowledge-consistent interpretations of a pronoun, implying that comprehenders deploy world knowledge spontaneously. Both effects persisted when controlling for the predictions of GPT-3, an LLM, suggesting that pronoun interpretation is at least partly driven by knowledge about the world and not the word. We propose two potential mechanisms by which knowledge-driven pronoun resolution occurs, based on validation- and expectation-driven discourse processes. The results suggest that while distributional information may capture some aspects of world knowledge, human comprehenders likely draw on other sources unavailable to LLMs.
Effects of electroconvulsive therapy on cortical thickness in depression: a systematic review
Authors: Toffanin Tommaso , Cattarinussi Giulia , Ghiotto Niccolò , Lussignoli Marialaura , Pavan Chiara , Pieri Luca , Schiff Sami , Finatti Francesco , Romagnolo Francesca , Folesani Federica , Nanni Maria Giulia , Caruso Rosangela , Zerbinati Luigi , Belvederi Murri Martino , Ferrara Maria , Pigato Giorgio , Grassi Luigi , Sambataro Fabio
Published: February 2024

Objective:

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most studied and validated available treatments for severe or treatment-resistant depression. However, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying ECT. This systematic review aims to critically review all structural magnetic resonance imaging studies investigating longitudinal cortical thickness (CT) changes after ECT in patients with unipolar or bipolar depression.

Methods:

We performed a search on PubMed, Medline, and Embase to identify all available studies published before April 20, 2023. A total of 10 studies were included.

Results:

The investigations showed widespread increases in CT after ECT in depressed patients, involving mainly the temporal, insular, and frontal regions. In five studies, CT increases in a non-overlapping set of brain areas correlated with the clinical efficacy of ECT. The small sample size, heterogeneity in terms of populations, comorbidities, and ECT protocols, and the lack of a control group in some investigations limit the generalisability of the results.

Conclusions:

Our findings support the idea that ECT can increase CT in patients with unipolar and bipolar depression. It remains unclear whether these changes are related to the clinical response. Future larger studies with longer follow-up are warranted to thoroughly address the potential role of CT as a biomarker of clinical response after ECT.
The stratal structure of Kuria morphological tone
Authors: Trommer Jochen
Published: February 2024

Marlo et al. (2015) claim that Kuria verbal tone morphology undermines three well-established principles of locality and modularity: (1) Phonological Locality: the assumption that rules and constraints may only evaluate a small window of phonological objects; (2) Cyclic Locality: the stratal organization of morphophonology into stems, words and phrases; and (3) Indirect Reference: the claim that phonological rules and constraints cannot directly access morphosyntactic information. Sande et al. (2020) turn this claim into an argument for a new model of the morphosyntax–phonology interface, Cophonologies by Phase, which erases the separation between phonology and morphology and abandons standard locality domains in favour of syntactic phases. In this article, I show that the conclusions of both articles are unfounded: the Kuria data follow naturally from an analysis based on autosegmental tone melodies in a version of Stratal Optimality Theory which embraces all three restrictions, Phonological and Cyclic Locality and Indirect Reference, the latter implemented by Coloured Containment Theory. I argue that this approach obviates the technical and conceptual objections raised by Marlo et al. against a tone-melody analysis of Kuria, and makes more restrictive predictions about possible systems of tonal morphophonology compared to construction phonology frameworks.
NOUVEAUX FRAGMENTS DE KITĀB AL-FUTYĀ D'AL-ǦĀḤIẒ DANS LES MAQĀLĀT D'ABŪ AL-QĀSIM AL-BALḪĪ
Authors: Bou Akl Ziad
Published: February 2024

Les maqālāt d'Abū Qāsim al-Balḫī contiennent un certain nombre de passages consacrés aux questions de théorie juridique. La source la plus importante qu'on y trouve est un ensemble d'extraits de K. al-futyā, un traité juridique d'al-Ǧāḥiẓ dont il ne restait jusqu’à présent que des fragments renfermant les critiques adressées par al-Naẓẓām aux compagnons du Prophète. Dans cet article, je fournis une traduction de ces extraits précédée d'une étude du texte et de sa place dans l'histoire de la théorie juridique durant cette époque de formation de la pensée islamique.
RETOUR SUR LA POLÉMIQUE ENTRE ABŪ BAKR AL-RĀZĪ ET ABŪ AL-QĀSIM AL-BALḪĪ: CONJECTURE SUR UN ÉCHO DU KITĀB AL-ZUMURRUD D'IBN AL-RĀWANDĪ DANS LES MAṬĀLIB AL-ʿĀLIYA DE FAḪR AL-DĪN AL-RĀZĪ
Authors: Rashed Marwan
Published: February 2024

Le présent article revient sur la polémique entre Abū Bakr al-Rāzī et Abū al-Qāsim al-Balḫī. En s'appuyant sur le témoignage du Kitāb taṯbīt dalāʾil al-nubuwwa du Qāḍī ʿAbd al-Ǧabbār, on montre que les deux philosophes ont dû s'affronter à la cour d'Aḥmad b. Sahl al-Marwazī, gouverneur de Balḫ, durant les années 910, et que la virulence du ton de leur échange s'explique surtout par ce contexte de rivalité professionnelle. Pour ce qui est de son contenu, leur entretien a dû porter sur la question de la justice divine et sur la meilleure manière de rendre compte de la prophétie et du message coranique. Dans un second temps, on passe à l’étude du chap. VIII, 4 de Al-maṭālib al-ʿāliya de Faḫr al-Dīn al-Rāzī et l'on montre que, contrairement à une opinion récemment émise, ce chapitre constitue un écho non pas d'Abū Bakr al-Rāzī, mais du premier argument du Kitāb al-zumurrud d'Ibn al-Rāwandī, qui opposait l'autonomie de la raison à la nécessité de la prophétie pour conclure de la première à la négation de la seconde. On suggère pour finir que la doctrine de la prophétie d'Abū Bakr al-Rāzī, comme celle des grands théologiens de son temps, tant muʿtazilites qu'ašʿarites, vise à échapper au dilemme mis en place par Ibn al-Rāwandī quelques décennies plus tôt.
Strengthening national salt reduction strategies using multiple methods process evaluations: case studies from Malaysia and Mongolia
Authors: McKenzie Briar L , Mustapha Feisul Idzwan , Battumur Bat-Erdene , Batsaikhan Enkhtungalag , Chandran Arunah , Michael Viola , Webster Jacqui , Trieu Kathy
Published: February 2024

Objective:

To understand the extent to which national salt reduction strategies in Malaysia and Mongolia were implemented and achieving their intended outcomes.

Design:

Multiple methods process evaluations conducted at the mid-point of strategy implementation, guided by theoretical frameworks.

Setting:

Malaysia (2018–2019) and Mongolia (2020–2021).

Participants:

Desk-based reviews of related documents, interviews with key stakeholders (n 12 Malaysia, n 10 Mongolia), focus group discussions with health professionals in Malaysia (n 43) and health provider surveys in Mongolia (n 12).

Results:

Both countries generated high-quality local evidence about salt intake and levels in foods and culturally specific education resources. In Malaysia, education and reformulation activities were delivered with moderate dose (quantity) but reach among the population was low. Within 5 years, Mongolia implemented education among schools, health professionals and food producers on salt reduction with high reach, but with moderate dose (quantity) and reach among the general population. Both countries faced challenges in implementing legislative interventions (mandatory salt labelling and salt limits in packaged foods) and both could improve the scaling up of their reformulation and education activities.

Conclusions:

In the first half of Malaysia’s and Mongolia’s strategies, both countries generated necessary evidence and education materials, mobilised health professionals to deliver salt reduction education and achieved small-scale reformulation in foods. Both subsequently should focus on implementing regulatory policies and achieving population-wide reach and impact. Process evaluations of existing salt reduction strategies can help strengthen intervention delivery, aiding achievement of WHO’s 30 % reduction in salt intake by 2025 target.
Narratives of inequality. Towards an archaeology of structural violence in Late Iron Age Scandinavia
Authors: Raffield Ben , Fredengren Christina , Kjellström Anna
Published: February 2024

To date, traditional narratives of the Late Iron Age have focused almost exclusively on discussions of the elite. These were the martial rulers and major landholders who occupied the upper strata of Scandinavian society. The lives of lower-status population groups, including enslaved and other ‘unfree’ or dependent peoples such as landless farmers, have long been marginalized in archaeological discourse. We have little knowledge of the ways in which the lifeways of subaltern peoples were shaped by the construction and maintenance of socio-political hierarchies and networks, or of how social inequality permeated and impacted the daily lives of communities. In this article, the authors propose that the concept ofstructural violence, developed by sociologist Johan Galtung, has the potential to offer an interdisciplinary framework for multi-proxy studies of (bio)archaeological and textual data.
Productive function of urban gardening: estimate of the yield and nutritional value of social gardens in Prato (Italy)
Authors: Baldi Ada , Gallo Nicolas Lucio , Lenzi Anna
Published: February 2024

The impact of urban gardens on food production and nutrient supply is widely recognized in the literature but seldom quantified. In this paper, we present the results of a semi-structured interview conducted in the ‘social gardens’ of Prato (Italy), i.e. areas of land assigned by the Municipality to individual pensioners or unemployed people for the cultivation of vegetables intended for domestic consumption. Some demographic and socio-economic aspects, the cultivated crops and the related areas were investigated. Starting from the areas, the total production of vegetables and their minerals and vitamins contents were estimated. The typical gardener was male, retired, with an average age of 74, and a low level of education. Gardening enabled pensioners to utilize their free time, facilitated physical activity, promoted socialization, and stimulated self-esteem. A 50 m2 plot cultivated on 40% of the area produced an estimated amount of 90 kg of vegetables per year, equivalent to approximately 61.5% of a person's fruit and vegetable needs. Tomato, by far the predominant species, occupied more than 80% of the cultivated area. The highest contributions to nutrients intake concerned Vitamin C and Vitamin A, the lowest Ca and Na. A higher yield and a greater and more balanced nutrient supply could be easily obtained through better use of the land (reduction of uncultivated area and greater assortment of vegetables). In our view, raising gardeners' awareness of this aspect and involving them in training programs on agricultural practices, vegetables composition, and nutrition, could be helpful for increasing the nutrient productivity of the plots and, ultimately, for strengthening the productive function of social gardens.
The discrete-time arbitrage-free Nelson-Siegel model: a closed-form solution and applications to mixed funds representation
Authors: Eghbalzadeh Ramin , Godin Frédéric , Gaillardetz Patrice
Published: February 2024

A closed-form solution for zero-coupon bonds is obtained for a version of the discrete-time arbitrage-free Nelson-Siegel model. An estimation procedure relying on a Kalman filter is provided. The model is shown to produce adequate fit when applied to historical Canadian spot rate data and to improve distributional predictive performance over benchmarks. An adaptation of the mixed fund return model from Augustyniak et al. ((2021). ASTIN Bulletin: The Journal of the IAA, 51(1), 131–159.) is also provided to include the discrete-time arbitrage-free Nelson-Siegel model as one of its building blocks.
Storm Surges and Sea Level Rise Cluster Hydrological Variables Across a Coastal Forest Bordering a Salt Marsh
Authors: Nordio Giovanna , Gedan Keryn , Fagherazzi Sergio
Published: February 2024

Sea level rise and storm surges drive coastal forest retreat and salt marsh expansion. Both salinization and flooding control ecological zonation and ecosystem transition in coastal areas. Hydrological variables, if coupled with ecological surveys, can explain the different stages of coastal forest retreat and marsh encroachment. In this research, long‐term data of a host of hydrological variables collected along transects from marsh to inner forest were analyzed. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was used to identify the primary hydrological variables responsible for the forest‐marsh gradient and their seasonal patterns. Water content (WC) in the soil (WC) and groundwater electrical conductivity (EC) were found to be the main variables responsible for the hydrological differences among the sites. Higher values of WC and EC were found in the low‐forest area near the salt marsh, with hydrological differences between forest levels reflected in ecological community structure. In particular, some sites were characterized by high EC while others by high WC values, suggesting significant spatial variations within hundreds of meters. The forested area, relatively flat in elevation, was characterized by limited hydraulic gradients and consequently lateral discharges. These characteristics made the role of groundwater level negligible in driving the hydrological clustering. Seasonal LDA data suggest that the sites are hydrologically different during winter (higher distance among clusters of variables) and similar during summer (low distance among clusters). In the study area, higher rainfall occurs during summer, decreasing groundwater EC in areas characterized by low canopy cover (dying forest). Rainfall moved low forest sites closer to the pristine high forest in the LDA analysis. During storm surge events, the distance between clusters decreased, indicating uniform salinization and flooding across the forest. Therefore, we conclude that ecological zonation in a coastal forest is reflected in seasonal hydrological differences in the absence of storm surges. Storm surges do not produce contrasting hydrological conditions and might not be responsible for ecological differences in the short‐term. On the contrary, differences in hydrological recovery are responsible for forest zonation. An additional analysis carried out using a binary Marsh‐Healthy forest LDA classifier indicates when each site switches from a forest hydrological state to a salt‐marsh hydrological state. Our results are useful for long‐term predictions of the ecological evolution of the forest–salt marsh ecotone.
Underappreciated Emission Spikes From Power Plants During Heatwaves Observed From Space: Case Studies in India and China
Authors: Liu Song , Shu Lei , Zhu Lei , Song Yu , Sun Wenfu , Chen Yuyang , Wang Dakang , Pu Dongchuan , Li Xicheng , Sun Shuai , Li Juan , Zuo Xiaoxing , Fu Weitao , Yang Xin , Fu Tzung‐May
Published: February 2024

The frequency, intensity, and duration of extreme heatwaves are projected to increase in the global context of climate change. However, evidence of how anthropogenic emissions respond to heatwaves and further impact air quality remains elusive. Here, we use satellite remote sensing measurements alongside chemical transport model simulations to reveal abrupt variations in primary and secondary air pollutants introduced by extreme heatwaves. We highlight evidence from China and India, where satellite sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) columns over thermal power plants enhance consistently responding to heatwaves. We attribute such spiked emissions to soaring electricity use and demonstrate that bottom‐up inventories underestimate the emissions from the power sector by 34.9% for the selected case. Elevated emissions facilitate fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) formation over thermal power plants in an inhomogeneous manner, due to the combined effect of atmospheric oxidizing capacity, thermal decomposition of peroxyacetyl nitrate, planetary boundary layer rise, and air stagnation. Our results underscore the emerging challenge of pollution control attributable to the increasing climate penalty and the necessity of targeted control strategies and alternative energy sources during heatwaves.
Spatiotemporal Patterns of Polar Low Activity Over the Southern Ocean
Authors: Farjami H. , Kazemi A. Fazl
Published: February 2024

Polar Lows (PLs) are intense maritime meso‐scale cyclones that form over cold ocean regions in high latitudes. They affect the weather and climate of Antarctica and the surrounding ocean by producing storms with near or above gale‐force winds and heavy precipitation. This study investigated PLs in the Southern Ocean (SO) between 60 and 85°S from 2000 to 2020, using a tracking algorithm applied to the ERA5, CCMP, and NCEP/NCAR data sets. The results showed that PLs are most frequent in winter (JJA) and least frequent in summer (DJF), with a maximum in 2018 and a minimum in 2014. The results also show that PLs are concentrated over the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) region, along the Ross Sea, the Amundsen Sea, and the Bellingshausen Sea from April to October. These regions have strong thermal gradients and orographic forcing that enhance cyclogenesis. Our research reveals that there were 1,073 occurrences of PLs during the study period, with an average 51 cases per year. The study also explored the influence of sea surface temperature anomalies, sea surface currents, and MCAOs Index on PL genesis. The Amundsen‐Bellingshausen Seas Low (ABSL) and Pacific Ocean currents have a considerable effect on PLs developing in the SO. This research provides valuable information on PLs in the SO, which are poorly observed and understood. However, more research is required to understand how these phenomena are evolving in the present, and how they will change in the future.
Physical Properties, Chemical Components, and Transport Mechanisms of Atmospheric Aerosols Over a Remote Area on the South Slope of the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Yu Zeren , Tian Pengfei , Kang Chenliang , Song Xin , Huang Jianping , Guo Yumin , Shi Jinsen , Tang Chenguang , Zhang Haotian , Zhang Zhida , Cao Xianjie , Liang Jiening , Zhang Lei
Published: February 2024

The physicochemical properties and origins of atmospheric aerosols in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) region are a research topic of great interest, but an in‐depth understanding of this topic is challenging, partially due to a lack of intensive in situ observations. Thus, a field campaign was conducted over Yadong, a remote area on the south slope of the TP from June 11 to 31 August 2021. The aerosol loading was low, with a black carbon mass concentration of 147.4 ± 98.4 ng·m−3. Aerosol single‐scattering albedo was low (0.73 ± 0.11 at 550 nm) and increased from 450 to 700 nm wavelength. Organic matter (OM) accounting for 69.6% of the total aerosol mass and relatively high secondary organic carbon ratios, highlighting the importance of secondary formation. An interesting phenomenon observed was that the evolution of aerosols was mainly characterized by diurnal variation, which could not be explained by large‐scale atmospheric processes such as Indian summer monsoon. Instead, it was found that regional mountain‐valley winds between the Himalayas and South Asia transported polluted air masses toward the TP, especially in the afternoon when regional valley wind are expected to be the strongest and the boundary layer in South Asia is deepest. Additionally, daytime local valley wind further elevated these aerosols to higher altitudes on the TP. This paper provides insights into the transport mechanisms of aerosols from South Asia to the TP. These findings are of great importance since aerosols exhibit significant diurnal variations in the TP region.
A Laboratory Investigation on the Effects of Intermittent Water Supply and Remedial Measures
Authors: Ferrante Marco , Rogers Dewi , Mugabi Josses , Casinini Francesco
Published: February 2024

The intermittent water supply (IWS) of water distribution systems is a common practice caused by the imbalance between available water resources and customers' demands. Transition to the continuous water supply (CWS) is desirable to reduce quality, equity distribution, and pipe integrity issues but is often practically unachievable in the short or medium term. The World Bank funded a laboratory activity at the Water Engineering laboratory of the University of Perugia, Italy, to investigate how remedies can be introduced to mitigate the impacts of IWS and preserve pipe integrity, facilitating the transition from IWS to CWS. The results of the tests with different feeding conditions, downstream outflows, and air valve dimensions and locations are described and discussed in this paper, culminating in typical interventions that can be implemented to reduce, if not completely eliminate, the undesirable consequences.
Adiposity associates with lower plasma resolvin E1 (Rve1): a population study
Authors: Barden Anne , Shinde Sujata , Beilin Lawrence J. , Phillips Michael , Adams Leon , Bollmann Steffen , Mori Trevor A.
Published: February 2024

Background

Inadequate inflammation resolution may contribute to persistent low-grade inflammation that accompanies many chronic conditions. Resolution of inflammation is an active process driven by Specialized Pro-resolving Mediators (SPM) that derive from long chain n-3 and n-6 fatty acids. This study examined plasma SPM in relation to sex differences, lifestyle and a broad range cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in 978, 27-year olds from the Australian Raine Study.

Methods

Plasma SPM pathway intermediates (18-HEPE, 17-HDHA and 14-HDHA), and SPM (E- and D-series resolvins, PD1, MaR1) and LTB4 were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LCMSMS). Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses assessed relationships between SPM and CVD risk factors. Unpaired t-tests or ANOVA assessed the effect of sex, smoking, unhealthy alcohol consumption and obesity on SPM.

Results

Women had higher 17-HDHA (p = 0.01) and lower RvE1 (p < 0.0001) and RvD1 (p = 0.05) levels compared with men. In univariate analysis, obesity associated with lower RvE1 (p = 0.002), whereas smoking (p < 0.001) and higher alcohol consumption (p < 0.001) associated with increased RvE1. In multiple regression analysis, plasma RvE1 was negatively associated with a range of measures of adiposity including BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, abdominal subcutaneous fat volume, and skinfold thicknesses in both men and women.

Conclusion

This population study suggests that a deficiency in plasma RvE1 may occur in response to increasing adiposity. This observation could be relevant to ongoing inflammation that associates with CVD and other chronic diseases.
Craniofacial syndromes and class III phenotype: common genotype fingerprints? A scoping review and meta-analysis
Authors: Faria-Teixeira Maria Cristina , Tordera Cristina , Salvado e Silva Francisco , Vaz-Carneiro António , Iglesias-Linares Alejandro
Published: February 2024

Skeletal Class III (SCIII) is among the most challenging craniofacial dysmorphologies to treat. There is, however, a knowledge gap regarding which syndromes share this clinical phenotype. The aims of this study were to: (i) identify the syndromes affected by the SCIII phenotype; (ii) clarify the involvement of maxillary and/or mandibular structures; (iii) explore shared genetic/molecular mechanisms. A two-step strategy was designed: [Step#1] OMIM, MHDD, HPO, GeneReviews and MedGen databases were explored; [Step#2]: Syndromic conditions indexed in [Step#1] were explored in Medline, Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, WOS and OpenGrey. Eligibility criteria were defined. Individual studies were assessed for risk of bias using the New Ottawa Scale. For quantitative analysis, a meta-analysis was conducted. This scoping review is a hypothesis-generating research. Twenty-two studies met the eligibility criteria. Eight syndromes affected by the SCIII were targeted: Apert syndrome, Crouzon syndrome, achondroplasia, X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (XLED), tricho-dento-osseous syndrome, cleidocranial dysplasia, Klinefelter and Down syndromes. Despite heterogeneity between studies [p < 0.05], overall effects showed that midface components were affected in Apert and Down Syndromes, lower face in Klinefelter Syndrome and midface and lower face components in XLED. Our review provides new evidence on the craniofacial characteristics of genetically confirmed syndromes exhibiting the SCIII phenotype. Four major regulatory pathways might have a modulatory effect on this phenotype.

Impact

What does this review add to the existing literature?

To date, there is no literature exploring which particular syndromes exhibit mandibular prognathism as a common trait.

Through this research, it was possibly to identify the particular syndromes that share the skeletal Class III phenotype (mandibular prognathism) as a common trait highlighting the common genetic and molecular pathways between different syndromes acknowledging their impact in craniofacial development.
Unraveling the impact of cancer-associated fibroblasts on hypovascular pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
Authors: Lai Ting-Yu , Chiang Tsai-Chen , Lee Chih-Yuan , Kuo Ting-Chun , Wu Chien-Hui , Chen Yi-Ing , Hu Chun-Mei , Maskey Manjit , Tang Shiue-Cheng , Jeng Yung-Ming , Tien Yu-Wen , Lee Eva Y.-H. P. , Lee Wen-Hwa
Published: February 2024

Background

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) with low microvessel density and fibrosis often exhibit clinical aggressiveness. Given the contribution of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) to the hypovascular fibrotic stroma in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, investigating whether CAFs play a similar role in PNETs becomes imperative. In this study, we investigated the involvement of CAFs in PNETs and their effects on clinical outcomes.

Methods

We examined 79 clinical PNET specimens to evaluate the number and spatial distribution of α-smooth muscle actin (SMA)–positive cells, which are indicative of CAFs. Then, the findings were correlated with clinical outcomes. In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to assess the effects of CAFs (isolated from clinical specimens) on PNET metastasis and growth. Additionally, the role of the stromal-cell-derived factor 1 (SDF1)–AGR2 axis in mediating communication between CAFs and PNET cells was investigated.

Results

αSMA-positive and platelet-derived growth factor-α–positive CAFs were detected in the hypovascular stroma of PNET specimens. A higher abundance of α-SMA-positive CAFs within the PNET stroma was significantly associated with a higher level of clinical aggressiveness. Notably, conditioned medium from PNET cells induced an inflammatory phenotype in isolated CAFs. These CAFs promoted PNET growth and metastasis. Mechanistically, PNET cells secreted interleukin-1, which induced the secretion of SDF1 from CAFs. This cascade subsequently elevated AGR2 expression in PNETs, thereby promoting tumor growth and metastasis. The downregulation of AGR2 in PNET cells effectively suppressed the CAF-mediated promotion of PNET growth and metastasis.

Conclusion

CAFs drive the growth and metastasis of aggressive PNETs. The CXCR4–SDF1 axis may be a target for antistromal therapy in the treatment of PNET. This study clarifies mechanisms underlying PNET aggressiveness and may guide future therapeutic interventions targeting the tumor microenvironment.
HER2 expression and genOmic characterization of rESected brain metastases from colorectal cancer: the HEROES study
Authors: Prete Alessandra Anna , Angerilli Valentina , Bergamo Francesca , Vettore Valentina , De Toni Chiara , Intini Rossana , Cerma Krisida , Ricagno Gianmarco , Cerantola Riccardo , Perissinotto Eleonora , De Rosa Antonio , Ceccon Carlotta , Gasparello Jessica , Denaro Luca , D’Amico Alberto , Chioffi Franco , Carcea Elena , Fassan Matteo , Lonardi Sara
Published: February 2024

Background

Little is known about prognostic factors of brain metastases (BM) from colorectal cancer (CRC). HER2 amplification/overexpression (HER2+) was previously described; its impact on prognosis remains uncertain.

Methods

In the translational study HEROES, extensive molecular analysis was performed on primary CRC (prCRC) and their matched resected BM by means of NGS comprehensive genomic profiling and HER2 status as assessed by immunohistochemical/ in situ hybridization. Count of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) was also performed. Primary objective: to describe the molecular landscape of paired BM/prCRC. Secondary objectives: to search for new prognostic biomarkers of outcome after BM resection: intracranial-only Progression-Free Survival (BM-iPFS), Progression-Free Survival (BM-PFS), and Overall Survival (BM-OS).

Results

Out of 22 patients having paired samples of prCRC and BM, HER2+ was found on 4 (18%) BM, 3 (75%) of which also HER2+ in matched prCRC. Lower tumour mutation burden (HR 3.08; 95%CI 1.06–8.93; p = 0.0386) and HER2-negative BM (HER2neg) (HR 7.75;95%CI 1.97–30.40; p = 0.0033) were associated with longer BM-iPFS; HER2neg BM (HR 3.44; 95%CI 1.03–11.53; p = 0.0449) and KRASmut BM (HR 0.31; 95%CI 0.12–0.80; p = 0.0153) conferred longer BM-PFS. Longer BM-OS was found in pts with TILs-enriched (≥1.6/HPF) BM (HR 0.11; 95%CI0.01–0.91; p = 0.0403).

Conclusions

This study shows HER2+ enrichment in both BM and their prCRC. TILs-enriched BM conferred better BM-OS.
Investigating pedigree- and SNP-associated components of heritability in a wild population of Soay sheep
Authors: James Caelinn , Pemberton Josephine M. , Navarro Pau , Knott Sara
Published: February 2024

Estimates of narrow sense heritability derived from genomic data that contain related individuals may be biased due to the within-family effects such as dominance, epistasis and common environmental factors. However, for many wild populations, removal of related individuals from the data would result in small sample sizes. In 2013, Zaitlen et al. proposed a method to estimate heritability in populations that include close relatives by simultaneously fitting an identity-by-state (IBS) genomic relatedness matrix (GRM) and an identity-by-descent (IBD) GRM. The IBD GRM is identical to the IBS GRM, except relatedness estimates below a specified threshold are set to 0. We applied this method to a sample of 8557 wild Soay sheep from St. Kilda, with genotypic information for 419,281 single nucleotide polymorphisms. We aimed to see how this method would partition heritability into population-level (IBS) and family-associated (IBD) variance for a range of genetic architectures, and so we focused on a mixture of polygenic and monogenic traits. We also implemented a variant of the model in which the IBD GRM was replaced by a GRM constructed from SNPs with low minor allele frequency to examine whether any additive genetic variance is captured by rare alleles. Whilst the inclusion of the IBD GRM did not significantly improve the fit of the model for the monogenic traits, it improved the fit for some of the polygenic traits, suggesting that dominance, epistasis and/or common environment not already captured by the non-genetic random effects fitted in our models may influence these traits.
Association study of the complement component C4 gene and suicide risk in schizophrenia
Authors: Ebrahimi Mahbod , Teymouri Kowsar , Chen Cheng C. , Mohiuddin Ayeshah G. , Pouget Jennie G. , Goncalves Vanessa F. , Tiwari Arun K. , Zai Clement C. , Kennedy James L.
Published: February 2024

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness and a major risk factor for suicide, with approximately 50% of schizophrenia patients attempting and 10% dying from suicide. Although genetic components play a significant role in schizophrenia risk, the underlying genetic risk factors for suicide are poorly understood. The complement component C4 gene, an immune gene involved in the innate immune system and located in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region, has been identified to be strongly associated with schizophrenia risk. In addition, recent findings have also suggested that the MHC region has been associated with suicide risk across disorders, making C4 a potential candidate of interest for studying suicidality in schizophrenia patients. Despite growing interest in investigating the association between the C4 gene and schizophrenia, to our knowledge, no work has been done to examine the potential of C4 variants as suicide risk factors in patients with schizophrenia. In this study, we investigated the association between different C4 copy number variants and predicted C4 brain expression with suicidal outcomes (suicide attempts/suicidal ideation). We directly genotyped 434 schizophrenia patients to determine their C4A and C4B copy number variants. We found the C4AS copy number to be marginally and negatively associated with suicide risk, potentially being protective against suicide attempts (OR = 0.49; p = 0.05) and suicidal ideation (OR = 0.65; p = 0.07). Furthermore, sex-stratified analyses revealed that there are no significant differences between males and females. Our preliminary findings encourage additional studies of C4 and potential immune dysregulation in suicide.
Regional variations in relative sea-level changes influenced by nonlinear vertical land motion
Authors: Oelsmann Julius , Marcos Marta , Passaro Marcello , Sanchez Laura , Dettmering Denise , Dangendorf Sönke , Seitz Florian
Published: February 2024

Vertical land movements can cause regional relative sea-level changes to differ substantially from climate-driven absolute sea-level changes. Whereas absolute sea level has been accurately monitored by satellite altimetry since 1992, there are limited observations of vertical land motion. Vertical land motion is generally modelled as a linear process, despite some evidence of nonlinear motion associated with tectonic activity, changes in surface loading or groundwater extraction. As a result, the temporal evolution of vertical land motion, and its contribution to projected sea-level rise and its uncertainty, remains unresolved. Here we generate a probabilistic vertical land motion reconstruction from 1995 to 2020 to determine the impact of regional-scale and nonlinear vertical land motion on relative sea-level projections up to 2150. We show that regional variations in projected coastal sea-level changes are equally influenced by vertical land motion and climate-driven processes, with vertical land motion driving relative sea-level changes of up to 50 cm by 2150. Accounting for nonlinear vertical land motion increases the uncertainty in projections by up to 1 m on a regional scale. Our results highlight the uncertainty in future coastal impacts and demonstrate the importance of including nonlinear vertical land motions in sea-level change projections.